維摩經略疏垂裕記 4.92

4.92

Seventh, manifesting participating in games and chess. Regarding 'Bo means,' and so on: This explains its name. The Shiben says: 'Wucao created bo.' The Shuowen says: 'Bo is a board game, with six sticks and twelve pieces.' The Fangyan says: 'From the Pass eastward, between Qi and Lu, they all call weiqi yi.' The Analects says: 'Are there not those who play bo and yi?' This is it. The Commentary says 'bo and sai,' which refers to the same matter. The Zhuangzi says: 'To wander about playing bo and sai.' Sai is pronounced as the fanqie of su and dai [i.e., sài], the sai of mutual blocking. Regarding 'Transforming them so that they do not cling': Jingxi states: 'Whenever he manifests secular decorum, he always shows firm resolve. The worldly use mingling, conforming, and coarse actions to draw upon Jingming; this is deeply inadmissible.' Regarding 'indeterminate': Among the four indeterminates, it is the artisanal [indeterminate]. Thus the treatise says: 'Maturation, deportment, craft, and supernormal fruition.' Merely doing it directly seems to belong to the indeterminate. But gaining goods on account of it—how much more does it plunge into the first class [of offenses]! How much more so on the path, where one is certain to end up beyond rescue. Jingming manifests doing it with the intention of making them not do it. Those today who do not understand instead wish to imitate him; inwardly, laxity grows, fully following defilements of greed, giving no thought to future retribution. Relying on the traces of the holy to lose in vain the merit of transcending the world—it even hinders worldly undertakings, let alone transcending the world! Liu Yiqing's Shishuo xinshu says: 'Tao Kan, Grand Defender of Jin, told people: "The sage cherishes an inch of time; the multitude should cherish a tenth of an inch of time." When some of his staff neglected affairs on account of games, he took their chupu boards and threw them into the river.' The Record of Wu says: 'When Cai Ying was in the Eastern Palace, he was fond of bo and yi by nature. Crown Prince He considered it of no benefit and ordered Wei Yao to write an essay on it. Therefore, the Discourse on Bo and Yi says: "Many people of the present age do not apply themselves to classical scholarship, but are fond of practicing bo and yi, neglecting their duties and abandoning their professions, forgetting sleep and food." It also says: "Suppose men of the world transferred the effort used in bo and yi to the Odes and Documents; they would have the aspirations of Yan [Hui] and Min [Ziqian]. If applied to wisdom and strategy, they would have the thoughts of [Zhang] Liang and [Chen] Ping. If applied to wealth and goods, they would have the riches of Yi Dun. If applied to archery and charioteering, they would have the preparedness of generals and commanders. In this way, merit and fame would be established, and baseness and vulgarity would be kept far away."' These are all profound admonitions of ancient worthies. If it is so even in the secular world, how could those who have left the household be suited to do it? Some even go so far as to gamble away their robes and bowls, their bodies ensnared in penal sentences; regarding such base fools, who can discuss the loss of their enterprise? Therefore the Sengshi lüe says: 'For those who are monastics, even if they have not yet cultivated practice, so long as they can avoid penal laws, they are also free and leisurely superior persons.' If they do not believe good words, how are they different from beasts? Jingming's saving of people was precisely to show its fault; I have expounded his way, and thus have spoken to the utmost. Regarding 'Every time he spoke, through to inquiring and requesting': Those who indulge in bo and yi, when facing the board, contend with each other, their minds bewildered and bodies fatigued; human affairs are neglected and uncultivated, and guests are omitted and not received—how would they have leisure to inquire and request concerning the good way? Therefore, when the Great Being observed that they had the capacity, he readily spoke for them; [Seng]zhao says: 'By means of games, he put an end to games.'