佛祖統紀 42.125

42.125

○詔羅浮山軒轅集入見。帝問曰。先生長年何道致此。對曰。屏聲色去滋味。一哀樂廣惠澤則可與天地合體日月齊明。是為長年不俟別求。久之請還山。帝曰。朕臨天下可聞其數否。集橫書四十字。後乃得四十年。

○ An edict summoned Xuanyuan Ji of Mount Luofu for an audience. The Emperor asked, "Sir, by what Dao have you achieved such long life?" He replied, "Discard sounds and colours, cast off rich flavours, equalize sorrow and joy, and extend vast benevolence—then one may unite in substance with Heaven and Earth and shine in equal brightness with the sun and moon. This is long life; do not wait to seek anything else." After a long time, he requested to return to the mountain. The Emperor said, "May I hear the number of years I shall rule over the empire?" Ji wrote forty characters across horizontally. Later, [the reign] indeed lasted forty years.