禪林寶訓 1.7

1.7

Mingjiao said: “As for the evil done by ordinary people, there is that which has form and that which is formless. Formless evil harms people; evil with form kills people. The evil of killing people is small, but the evil of harming people is great. For this reason, there is poison within banquets; there are spears and shields within laughter and talk; there are tigers and leopards within inner chambers; there are barbarian tribes within neighboring alleys. Unless sages and worthies cut it off before it sprouts and guard against it with ritual and law, would not the harm it causes be extreme?” (*Extensive Record of the Western Lake*)