佛祖統紀 43.56

43.56

The author remarks: Without broad understanding, a person is incapable of knowing the Buddha. Thus Han Yu treated the Buddha as a barbarian, and Ouyang Xiu also treated the Buddha as a barbarian. Emperor Taizong disliked Su Yijian referring to the Buddha as a barbarian; among rulers of antiquity, none had broad understanding like Emperor Taizong. The Buddha is a sage. The Five Indias are the central realm. This land is merely the eastern border of the Five Indias. That it is now called the 'Central Kingdom' is merely this land claiming honor for itself. Speaking of the 'four barbarian regions' is simply discussed with reference to the outside of this land's four borders. Confucians lack broad understanding and speak only from what is before their eyes and eyelashes, and hence they often err in their words. Only men like Su Shi and Huang Tingjian understood this and were able to articulate it.