緇門警訓 2.18

2.18

夫學不厭博。有所不知蓋闕如也。吾宗致遠。以三乘法而運載焉。然或魔障相陵必須禦侮。禦侮之術莫若知彼敵情。敵情者。西竺則韋陀。東夏則經籍矣。故祇桓寺中有四韋陀院。外道以為宗極。又有書院大千界內所有不同。文書並集其中。佛俱許讀之。為伏外道而不許依其見也。此土古德高僧能懾伏異宗者。率由博學之故。譬如夷狄之人。言語不通飲食不同。孰能達其志通其欲。其或微解胡語。立便馴和矣。是以習鑿齒道安以詼諧而伏之。宗雷之輩慧遠以詩禮而誘之。權無二復禮以辨感而柔之。陸鴻漸皎然以詩式而友之。此皆不施他術唯通外學耳。況乎儒道二教義理玄邈。釋子既精本業。何妨鑽極以廣見聞。勿滯於一方也。

Now, in learning one should not tire of breadth; if there is something one does not know, it is an omission. Our school conveys [beings] far away, transporting them by means of the three vehicles' teachings. However, should māra-obstacles invade, one must resist aggression. In the art of resisting aggression, nothing surpasses knowing the enemy's condition. As for the enemy's condition: in Western India, it is the Vedas; in the Eastern Xia, it is the classics. Therefore, within the Jetavana monastery there was a Quadruple-Veda Cloister, which non-Buddhists regarded as the ultimate truth. There was also a library in which all different writings from within the great trichiliocosm were collected, and the Buddha permitted all of them to be read, in order to subdue non-Buddhists, yet he did not permit adhering to their views. That ancient virtuous and eminent monks of this land were able to cow and subdue rival schools was generally due to their extensive learning. For example, with barbarians whose language is unintelligible and whose food and drink are different, who could convey their intentions and communicate their desires? But if one understands a little of the barbarian language, they immediately become docile and harmonious. For this reason, Dao'an subdued Xi Zuochi with humor; Huiyuan attracted Zong Bing, Lei Cizong, and their like with poetry and ritual; Fuli softened Quan Wuer through debate and eloquence; and Jiaoran befriended Lu Hongjian by means of poetic forms. None of these employed other arts, but solely attained proficiency in external learning. Furthermore, the principles of Confucianism and Daoism are profound and far-reaching. Once sons of the Śākya have mastered their fundamental undertaking, what harm is there in delving into these to broaden their experience? Do not be stranded in a single quarter.