佛祖歷代通載 5.57

5.57

問曰。孔子曰。夷狄之有君。不如諸夏之亡也。孟子譏陳相更學許行之術曰。吾聞用夏變夷。未聞用夷變夏者也。吾子弱冠學堯舜周孔之道。而今舍之更學夷狄之術。不已惑乎。牟子曰。此吾未解大道時之餘語耳。若子可謂見禮制之華。而闇道德之實。𨶳炬燭之明。未覩天庭之日也。孔子所言矯世法矣。孟軻所云疾專一耳。昔孔子欲居九夷。曰君子居之。何陋之有。及仲尼不容於魯衛。孟軻不用於齊梁。豈復仕於夷狄乎。禹出西羌而聖哲。瞽叟生舜而頑嚚。由余產狄國而霸秦。管蔡自河洛而流言。傳曰。北辰之星。在天之中。在人之北。以此觀之。漢地未必為天中也。佛經所說上下周極。含血之類物皆屬佛焉。是以吾復尊而學之。何為當含堯舜周孔之道。金玉不相傷。隋璧不相妨。謂人為惑。特自惑乎。

Question: "Confucius said, 'The barbarians having rulers is not as good as the Xia states lacking them.' Mencius mocked Chen Xiang for shifting to learn the techniques of Xu Xing, saying, 'I have heard of using the Xia to transform the barbarians, but have not heard of using the barbarians to transform the Xia.' In your youth, sir, you studied the Way of Yao, Shun, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius, but now you abandon it and change to learn the arts of the barbarians. Is this not excessive confusion?"

Mouzi said: "These are merely superfluous words from when I had not yet understood the Great Way. One could say of you, sir, that you see the brilliance of ritual systems yet are blind to the reality of the Dao and virtue; you see the brightness of a candle-torch yet have not beheld the sun in the courts of heaven. What Confucius said was to correct worldly ways; what Mencius stated was merely displeased with uncritical attachment. Formerly, Confucius wished to dwell among the Nine Yi [barbarians], saying, 'If a gentleman dwells there, what uncouthness could there be?' When Confucius was not accommodated in Lu and Wei, and Mencius went unemployed in Qi and Liang, could they further hold office among the barbarians? Yu came forth from the Western Qiang yet was a sage and worthy; Gusou fathered Shun yet was obstinate and stupid; You Yu was born in a Di state yet helped Qin achieve hegemony; Guan and Cai arose from the Yellow and Luo rivers yet spread slanderous words. The commentary says, 'The star of the Northern Culmen is in the center of heaven and north of humankind.' Viewed from this, the land of Han is not necessarily the center of heaven. In what the Buddhist scriptures expound, vertically and horizontally extending to the utmost limits, all creatures that contain blood belong to the Buddha. Therefore, I again revere and study it. Why should I discard the Way of Yao, Shun, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius? Gold and jade do not damage one another; the jade disc of Sui does not hinder them. To call others confused is merely to confuse oneself."