禪林寶訓 3.46

3.46

Miaoxi said: “When the ancients saw good they moved toward it, and when they had faults they corrected them; following virtue and minding conduct, they sought to be free from blame. There is no affliction greater than not knowing one's own faults, and no excellence better than being pleased to hear one's own mistakes. Yet was it that the ancients' talent and wisdom were insufficient, or their discernment unclear, that they acted thus? It was truly to serve as a warning for later generations who think highly of themselves and look down on others. Indeed, the expanse of a monastic grove and the multitudes of the four seas cannot be known solely by a single person. One must rely on the ears, eyes, and thoughts of those around oneself; only then can one fully realize right principles and harmonize human feelings. If an abbot dwells in a venerable position, prizes himself, is meticulous in petty details while neglecting the overarching structure, fails to recognize the worthy and examine the unworthy, does not correct what is wrong, fails to follow what is right, and acts willfully and rashly without fear or restraint, this is truly the foundation of disaster—how could one not be afraid? Even if there is indeed no one around to consult, one should still take the ancient sages as a model. How could one be like a fortified city with rigid defenses where nothing can enter? This is hardly what is called receiving a hundred rivers to become a great ocean” (Letter to Upādhyāya Bao).