新華嚴經論 40.5

40.5

Third, the teacher of youth in Kapilavastu: this is the Yellow City. Yellow is the color of the central palace. It clarifies that this teacher of youth did not depart from the Middle Way in regulating mundane texts, like Confucius and his kind. This explains the gate of being a mundane teacher and model. For example, the top of Confucius's head was concave like an inverted roof, symbolizing the path of practicing humility while dwelling in the mundane. Expressing the Dharma with his body, he resembled Mount Niqiu, similar to the top of that mountain being sunken in the center, not that he was born because of prayers at that mountain; this mundane explanation is incorrect. As for the surname Kong: sages have no names or surnames; they take virtue as their name and surname, not taking a mundane surname as their surname. In terms of virtue, because he had the virtue of exhaustive investigation (qiuming), he took Kong as his surname, 'Kong' meaning 'exhaustive'. Because he transformed the ignorant through practice, he was named Qiu. 'Qiu' is a designation for hills and mountains: Gen represents mountain, young boys, and the ignorant youth. His name was established in accordance with his practices of transformation, hence he was named Qiu. He was also named Qiu because his virtue surpassed the mundane. His supreme virtue was also revered and heavy, with a nature that could not be shaken, hence he was named Qiu. His being born in Yanzhou belongs to the division of Gen, governing the position of transforming young boys and ignorant youth. Yanzhou aligns above with Jiao (the Horn); Jiao is the Heavenly Gate, governing the gate of all good, and also governing monks, nuns, and Daoist priests. Being born by boarding the qi of Jiao, this is not something ordinary worldly people can comprehend. When Sudhana reached here, [the teacher] Sarvamitra did not speak, but immediately had Sudhana go to Shilpābhijña. When the method of a teacher and model is correct, he does not personally transmit teachings, but refers matters that assist teaching and are undecided to the primary teacher, symbolizing that 'virtue does not stand alone; it must have neighbors,' joining in praise to accomplish his transformative practice.