佛祖歷代通載 20.123

20.123

元城曰。所謂禪一字。於六經中亦有此理。佛易其名。達磨西來此話大行佛法到今果弊矣。只認色相。若渠不來。佛法之滅久矣。又上根聰悟多喜其說。故其說流通。某之南遷。雖平日於吾儒及老先生得力。然亦不可謂於此事不得力。世間事有大於死生者乎。此事獨一味理會生死有箇見處。則於貴賤禍福輕矣。老先生極通曉。但不言耳蓋此事極繫利害。若常論則人以為平生只談佛法。所謂五經者不能曉生死說矣。故為儒者不可談。蓋為孔子地也。又下根之人謂寂寞枯槁。乃是佛法至於三綱五常。不肯用意。又其下者泥於報應因果之說。不修人事政教錯亂生靈塗炭。其禍蓋不可勝言者。故某平生何曾言。亦本於老先生之戒也。

Yuancheng said: "The principle behind the so-called single word 'Chan' also exists in the Six Classics; the Buddha merely changed its name. When Bodhidharma came from the west, this teaching flourished greatly, for by then the Buddhist teachings had indeed deteriorated, grasping only at material forms. Had he not come, the Buddhist teachings would long since have perished. Moreover, those of superior faculties and sharp comprehension mostly delighted in his words, so his teachings circulated widely. In my southern exile, although I benefited ordinarily from our Confucianism and our Old Master, it cannot be said that I did not benefit from this matter. Is there anything in the world greater than birth and death? If in this matter one solely concentrates on understanding birth and death and gains insight, then one regards rank, wealth, calamity, and fortune lightly. The Old Master understood this thoroughly, yet he did not speak of it, because this matter is tied to grave consequences: if one discusses it constantly, people will think that one spends one's life merely talking of Buddhist teachings, claiming that the Five Classics cannot explain birth and death. Therefore, as a Confucian, one must not talk of it; this is to protect Confucius. Furthermore, people of inferior faculties claim that loneliness and withered silence are the Buddhist teachings, refusing to apply their minds to the Three Cardinal Guides and the Five Constant Virtues. Those even lower cling to the teachings of karmic retribution and cause and effect, neglecting human affairs, throwing governance and instruction into disorder, and plunging the people into misery—the calamities of this are beyond description! Therefore, how could I have ever spoken of it in my life? This was also based on the admonition of the Old Master."