肇論疏 2.11

2.11

Part four introduces the treatise's purpose. "Deficient" means deficient in learning; "meager" means meager in talent; "once" means having had the experience; "mingled" means mingled among others. "Auspicious" means good. It refers to having previously been included among the assembly of five hundred persons. "Deeming that my first hearing of the extraordinary essentials began at that time" means that at this time I first heard the extraordinary and essential Dharma.
From "Yet sacred wisdom is profound and subtle": The previous section explained that he had once heard prajñā; here it explains that prajñā is difficult to comprehend and cannot be expressed in words.
From "I attempt to capture in semblance what is embraced in my heart": In his heart he holds a semblance, yet it seems as though he has an understanding, and so he resorts to wild words to speak of it. As for the term "semblance" (*wangxiang*): The "Knowledge Wandered North" chapter in the Outer Chapters of the *Zhuangzi* says: "The Yellow Emperor wandered north of the Red Waters, climbed the hills of Kunlun, and gazed south; but he lost his Dark Pearl. He sent Knowledge to search for it, but Knowledge could not find it. He sent Li Zhu to search for it, but Li Zhu could not find it. He sent Qigou to search for it, but Qigou could not find it. Then he sent Wangxiang (Semblance), and Wangxiang found it. The Yellow Emperor said, 'Remarkable! Could it be that Wangxiang was able to find it?'" Guo Xiang's commentary says: "This shows that one who attains the real does not do so by using the mind; Semblance is identical with the real." Sengzhao borrows this expression here. Although the characters are slightly different, it fundamentally originates from the text of the *Zhuangzi*.