法華玄義釋籤 16.44

16.44

次世間正法中又三：先雜明，次引經，三結斥。總而言之，不出人天。言「周孔經籍」者，周公制禮，孔子刪詩，「經」謂五經七九等也。「籍」謂墳籍，即三墳也。三墳謂三皇之書。「典」謂五典，即五帝之書。古人書簡，故籍篇等字皆從竹也。「治法」謂治家治國之法，在忠在孝也。「禮法」如三禮等，「兵法」如六韜等，「醫法」如神農等，「天文」者如孔子有三備卜經，上知天文，中知人事，下知地理。「八卦」者，東震、西兌、南離、北坎、西北乾、西南坤、東南巽、東北艮，一卦生七，七八五十六，并八純卦合六十四卦。各卦系象彖等詞非此可盡，善占者以此能知一切。「五行」如《止觀》第六記。「親」謂六親，謂父母兄弟妻子，各有其親。「社」謂后土，「稷」謂后稷，略如《止觀》第六第十記。非父母無以生，非師長無以成，非君主無以榮，人生在三事之如一，國安所以家安，家安所以行孝，是故先須安其國也。「鳥不暇棲」等者，若準儒宗，獺未祭不施網罟，豺未祭不施畋獵，獺二月祭，豺八月祭，所以去奢去泰，湯除三面之羅。古施四面之羅，故祝者曰：「四方無極，入吾網中」，故云「鳥不暇棲」。湯除三面之羅，而祝者曰：「犯命者入吾網中」。「牛馬內向」者，若依周孔之法，牛馬自歸；世間之法尚有斯感，況出世耶？張陵為大蟒所吞，稽康為鍾會所譖，而記傳云得仙者謬矣。故知此土必無仙術，豈有服靈芝吞玉液令飛升耶？故西土神通非禪不發，故並結云「愛論屬鈍使」。論謂凡夫所述也。

Next, within the worldly correct Dharma, there are again three parts: first, explaining various points; next, citing sūtras; third, concluding with a critique. Generally speaking, it does not go beyond humans and devas. When it says "the canonical books of Zhou [Gong] and Confucius": the Duke of Zhou instituted the rites, and Confucius edited the Book of Odes; "jing" (經, classics) refers to the Five Classics, the Seven, the Nine, and so forth; "ji" (籍, records) refers to the ancestral records, namely the Sanfen (Three Tomes). The Sanfen refers to the books of the Three Sovereigns. "Dian" (典, canons) refers to the Wudian (Five Canons), namely the books of the Five Emperors. Ancients wrote on bamboo slips, which is why characters such as ji (籍) and pian (篇) all have the bamboo radical. "Methods of governance" refers to the methods of managing a household and governing a state, which consist in loyalty and filial piety. "Ritual methods" are like the Three Ritual Texts; "military methods" are like the Six Strategies and so forth; "medical methods" are like Shennong and so forth; "astronomy" is like the three preparatory divination classics attributed to Confucius, by which one knows astronomy above, human affairs in the middle, and geography below. The "eight trigrams" are: Zhen in the east, Dui in the west, Li in the south, Kan in the north, Qian in the northwest, Kun in the southwest, Xun in the southeast, and Gen in the northeast. One hexagram generates seven, seven times eight is fifty-six, and together with the eight pure hexagrams, this makes sixty-four hexagrams. The judgments (tuan) and line commentaries (xiang) attached to each hexagram cannot be exhaustively detailed here; one who is skilled in divination can know everything through them. The "five elements" are as recorded in the sixth fascicle of the Zhiguan. "Relatives" refers to the six relations, namely father, mother, elder brother, younger brother, wife, and child, each having their respective closeness. "She" refers to the deity of the earth (Houtu); "ji" refers to the deity of agriculture (Houji), briefly as recorded in the sixth and tenth fascicles of the Zhiguan. Without father and mother, there is no way to be born; without teachers and elders, there is no way to be accomplished; without a ruler, there is no way to be exalted: human life resides in these three, serving them as one. When the state is secure, the household is secure; when the household is secure, filial piety can be practiced; therefore, one must first bring peace to the state. As for "birds having no time to roost," and so forth: according to the Confucian school, before the otter makes its offering, nets are not spread; before the jackal makes its offering, hunting is not conducted. Otters make their offering in the second month, and jackals make their offering in the eighth month, thereby discarding extravagance and excess. King Tang removed three sides of the net. In antiquity they cast nets on four sides, so the prayer said: "Boundless are the four directions; enter into my net." Hence it says, "birds having no time to roost." King Tang removed three sides of the net, and his prayer said: "Let those who transgress their fate enter into my net." As for "oxen and horses turning inward": if one follows the methods of Zhou [Gong] and Confucius, oxen and horses naturally submit. If worldly methods still have such resonant responses, how much more so the supramundane? Zhang Ling was swallowed by a giant python, and Ji Kang was slandered by Zhong Hui, yet the biographical accounts claim they attained immortality, which is erroneous. Therefore we know that this land certainly has no arts of immortality; how could swallowing lingzhi mushrooms or ingesting jade liquid cause one to ascend to flight? Therefore, in the Western lands, supernatural powers never arise except through dhyāna. Hence it concludes across the board by saying, "discourses born of craving belong to dull afflictions." "Discourses" refers to what is stated by ordinary beings.