佛祖統紀 1.45

1.45

此書之作。或因舊文以刪修。或集諸文以補足。或取師友之論著。或考碑碣之撰述。不復一一注所出者。修史之法當若是也。其間關涉稍眾者。則必時時有所引證。不得已耳。又此書所用。藏典教文。非儒生居士之所可易解。有能字字句句。研究其義。以所疑難。質諸沙門。則精義入神。然後可以知佛。若輕心疾讀。不究所歸。斯何益於人哉。又世之為儒者。好舉韓歐排佛之論。而不知二公末年終合於釋氏之道。今人有能少抑盛氣。盡觀此書反覆詳味。則知韓歐之立言皆陽擠陰助之意也。

In the compilation of this book, some parts abbreviate and revise older texts, some gather various writings for supplementation, some draw upon the treatises and writings of teachers and friends, and some examine the compositions on stelae and stone monuments. That the sources are not noted individually one by one is because the method of compiling history should be thus. Where multiple matters are closely interrelated, citations and verifications are necessarily provided from time to time, as an unavoidable necessity. Furthermore, the canonical scriptures and doctrinal writings used in this book are not easily understood by Confucian scholars and laymen. If someone can examine the meaning word by word and phrase by phrase, and question śramaṇas about difficult points of doubt, then their subtle understanding will enter the spiritual, and only thereafter can they understand the Buddha. If they read lightly and hastily without investigating where it leads, what benefit does this bring to anyone? Moreover, Confucian scholars of the world are fond of citing the anti-Buddhist arguments of Han [Yu] and Ou[yang Xiu], not knowing that in their late years both lords ultimately harmonized with the Way of the Śākya clan. If people today can slightly temper their haughtiness and fully read this book, thoroughly reflecting and savoring it, they will know that the writings established by Han and Ou both carried the intention of outwardly rejecting while secretly assisting.