佛祖統紀 47.59

47.59

In the eighth year, the Emperor composed the Treatise on the Origin of the Way, saying: 'We observe Han Yu's Treatise on the Origin of the Way, which claimed that the Buddhist teachings confound [the truth] and the three teachings disparage each other, without anyone being able to distinguish them, only producing tedious prose and roundabout reasoning. If one evaluates them by the sage's intentions, all is luminous. Why? The Buddhists exhaust nature and destiny, placing the bodily form outside, completely detached from worldly affairs; what do they have to do with rites, music, benevolence, and righteousness? Yet they still establish precepts, saying: do not kill, do not commit sexual misconduct, do not steal, do not lie, and do not drink wine. Now, not killing is benevolence; not committing sexual misconduct is propriety; not stealing is righteousness; not lying is trustworthiness; not drinking wine is wisdom. How does this differ from Confucius? He who complies with the Mean without effort is a sage. Of the sage's actions, which is not rites and music? Which is not benevolence and righteousness? How could one merely designate them by name? For example, the operation of heaven and earth and the alternation of yin and yang are like a cycle without end; how could there really be a distinction of spring, summer, autumn, and winter? This is merely what worldly people arbitrarily name. It is likewise with the distinctions between benevolence, righteousness, rites, and music; the sage set forth teachings to govern the world because it could not be otherwise. Investigating and seeking them through these arbitrary names, the Way is the progenitor of benevolence, righteousness, rites, and music. Benevolence, righteousness, rites, and music are indeed the functioning of the Way. Yang Xiong said that Laozi cast aside benevolence and righteousness and abolished rites and music. Now, examining Laozi's writings, what he treasured were three things: compassion, frugality, and not daring to be first under heaven. Confucius said: "Economize in expenditure and love the people." What Laozi called frugality, is it not the greatest love of people? Confucius said: "Benign, upright, courteous, frugal, and yielding." What Laozi called not daring to be first under heaven, is it not the greatest yielding? Confucius said: "Only benevolence is great." What Laozi called compassion, is it not the greatest benevolence? When it comes to their meeting with the Way, each shows a different emphasis. What [Laozi] valued was purity, tranquility, and oneness; does it truly run counter to the sage Confucius? The degenerate followers of the three teachings, being deluded, cling to them and arbitrarily make distinctions. The Buddha and Laozi severed thoughts and abided in non-action merely to cultivate themselves; Confucius taught so as to govern all under heaven; it is merely that their applications were different. It is like plowing with a plowshare and weaving with a loom. Later generations were confused and bewildered, thereby truly losing their principle. Someone may ask: "How should one dispel this confusion?" I say: Cultivate the mind with Buddhism, nourish life with Daoism, and govern the world with Confucianism—this will suffice. Only a sage is able to unify them; it must not be left undiscussed.' (Record of Imperial Governance).