佛祖歷代通載 10.65

10.65

（癸亥）　三年文中子王通。既冠慨然有濟世之志。西遊長安見帝。坐大極殿召見。因奏太平策十有二道。尊王道推霸略稽古驗今。恢恢乎運天下於掌上。帝大悅曰。得生幾晚。天不以生賜朕也。下其議於公卿。公卿不悅。時將有蕭牆之憂。通知謀之不用也。作東征之歌而歸。乃續詩書正禮樂修元經贊易道。九年而六經大就。門人自遠而至者。河南董常。太山姚義。京兆杜如晦。趙郡李靖。南陽程元。扶風竇威。河東薛收。中山賈瓊。清河房元齡。鉅鹿魏徵。太原王珪溫彥博。頴川陳叔達等。咸稱師。北面受王佐之道餘往來受業者千餘人。大業中累徵不就。十三年疾病聞江都有變。泫然而興曰。生民厭亂久矣。天其或者將啟堯舜之運。吾不與焉命也。遂卒。門人諡曰文中子。甞為中說以擬論語。其周公篇曰。詩書盛而秦世滅。非孔子之罪也。玄虛長而晉室亂。非老莊之罪也。齋戒修而梁國亡。非釋迦之罪也。易不云乎。苟非其人道不虛行。或問佛。文中曰。聖人也。曰其教何如。曰西方之教也。中國則泥。又曰。觀皇極讜議。三教於是乎一矣。通弟績亦著書。號東臯子。

(Guihai) In the third year, Master Wenzhong, Wang Tong, upon reaching adulthood, was deeply moved by an aspiration to save the world. He traveled west to Chang'an to see the emperor, who granted him an audience while seated in the Taiji Hall. Thereupon, he presented twelve policies for great peace, honoring the Kingly Way, advancing hegemonic strategies, examining antiquity, and testing the present, vast and expansive enough to turn the realm within his palm. The emperor was greatly pleased and said, "How late have you been born! Heaven has not bestowed you upon Us." He submitted these proposals to the dukes and ministers for deliberation, but the dukes and ministers were displeased. As internal troubles were about to arise within the court, Tong knew that his plans would not be adopted; he composed the song "Eastern Expedition" and returned home. Thereupon he continued the Odes and Documents, corrected the Rites and Music, revised the Primary Classic (Yuanjing), and elucidated the Way of Changes; after nine years, the Six Classics were largely completed. Disciples who arrived from afar included Dong Chang of Henan, Yao Yi of Taishan, Du Ruhui of Jingzhao, Li Jing of Zhaojun, Cheng Yuan of Nanyang, Dou Wei of Fufeng, Xue Shou of Hedong, Jia Qiong of Zhongshan, Fang Xuanling of Qinghe, Wei Zheng of Julu, Wang Gui and Wen Yanbo of Taiyuan, Chen Shuda of Yingchuan, and others, all of whom addressed him as teacher, facing north to receive the Way of assisting a ruler; and those who came and went receiving instruction numbered more than a thousand. During the Daye era he was repeatedly summoned, but did not accept. In the thirteenth year, while ill, he heard of the upheaval at Jiangdu; weeping tears, he rose and said, "The common people have long grown weary of chaos. Perhaps Heaven will inaugurate the fortune of Yao and Shun; that I cannot take part in it is my fate!" Thereupon he passed away. His disciples posthumously titled him Master Wenzhong. He once wrote the Zhongshuo (Discourse on the Mean) to emulate the Analects. Its chapter on the Duke of Zhou states: "When the Odes and Documents flourished, the Qin dynasty fell; this was not the fault of Confucius. When the dark and void grew prominent, the Jin house fell into disorder; this was not the fault of Laozi and Zhuangzi. When fasting and precepts were observed, the state of Liang perished; this was not the fault of Śākya. Does not the Book of Changes say: 'If it is not the right person, the Way does not act in vain'?" Someone asked about the Buddha, and Wenzhong replied, "He was a sage." The questioner asked, "What of his teaching?" He replied, "It is the teaching of the Western Regions; in China, it would be hindered." He also said, "Observe the upright discussions on the Sovereign Ultimate: the three teachings are thereby unified.", Tong's younger brother Ji also wrote books, styling himself the Master of the Eastern Stream (Donggaozi).