佛祖歷代通載 20.104

20.104

屏山曰。聖人原始反終。知死生之說。豈不論生死乎。程子之不論生死。正如小兒夜間不敢說鬼。病人諱死其證難醫者也。害人而利我者楊朱也。利人而害我者墨翟也。學道者既利於我。又利於人何害之有。至於聖人無一毫利心。豈無利物之心乎。故物亦利之此天理也。聖人之道或出或處或默或語。殊塗而同歸。百慮而一致。故並行而不相悖。程子必欲八荒之外盡圓冠而方履乎。

Pingshan said: 'The sage traces things to their beginning and turns back to their end, thus knowing the explanations of birth and death—how could he not discourse on birth and death? Master Cheng's refusal to discourse on birth and death is just like a young child not daring to speak of ghosts at night, or a sick man concealing his mortality when his illness is hard to cure. One who harms others to benefit himself is Yang Zhu; one who benefits others to harm himself is Mo Di. When a student of the Way brings benefit both to himself and to others, what harm can there be? As for the sage having not the slightest desire for personal gain, how could he lack the desire to benefit things? Therefore things also benefit him—this is Heavenly Principle. The Way of the sage is expressed now in public life, now in retirement, now in silence, now in speech; traveling different paths they arrive at the same destination, with a hundred reflections they reach a single accord. Thus they proceed side by side without mutual contradiction. Must Master Cheng insist that beyond the eight wildernesses all heads must wear round caps and all feet wear square shoes?'