The controversy between Buddhists and Taoists held in the reign of Mönke-khan (1251-1259) is a well-known subject. But the former studies, mainly based on Chinese sources, make no confirmation as to the Tibetan personage who assisted there. There is however a treatise in Tibetan which throws new light on this point. According to Zin-çiṅ-gi ston-pa btul-pa’i chigs-bčad “Refutation in verse against Taoists” 'composed by ʼPhags-pa (Sa-skya-pa’i bka’-ʼbum, ed. the Toyo Bunko, vol. 7, no. 304, of which is given in this article the complete translation with notes), it is clear that ʼPhags-pa was present at the third session (presided by Qubilai) of the controversy and played there an important role to bring the final victory to the Buddhists. This is also confirmed by his biography composed by Ye-çes rgyal-mchan. This event must have led ’Phags-pa to gain the confidence of Qubilai who came afterwards to invest ’Phags-pa with full powers on Tibet.
