讖緯、信仰與慈恩之衰 -- 再論法相唯識宗衰亡問題=Chengwei [Prophecies and Weft-text], Faith and the Decline if the Cien Tradition: Another Look at the Decline and Death of the Chinese Yogâcāra tradition
Among all of Xuanzang’s disciples, Kuiji 窺基 (632–682) and Puguang 普光 (?–664?) held, without doubt, the most important positions. Kuiji took a long time to form his core position, which was finally established with the completion of the Cheng weishi lun 成唯識論 [Discourse on the Theory of Consciousness-only]. After this, Kuiji became the leader of the Chinese Yogâcāra tradition (i.e. Weishi zong 唯實宗 [Tradition of Consciousness-only]). However, since Empress Wu 武則天 (r. 690–705) ascended throne, relations between the Ci’en Temple 慈恩寺 led by Kuiji and the empress became tense because of the obvious connection that Xuanzan’s disciples maintained with the former dynasty. Meanwhile, the center of Buddhism shifted from the Ci’en Temple to the Ximing Temple 西明寺. Kuiji was therefore forced to leave Chang’an and lost his best chance to develop Weishi Buddhism, which had just departed from Buddhism’s center stage. Under the administration of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang 唐玄宗 (r. 712–756)， Huizhao 慧沼 (648–714) insisted on the prophecy of Gold Knife (金刀之讖) and the Maitreya-based faith which offended Xuanzong, resulting in the final decline of Weishi Buddhism.
