[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [佛祖歷代通載](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2036) › 7.75 # 佛祖歷代通載 7.75 佛祖歷代通載 7.75 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [7.75](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2036.7.75) 答曰。夫幽宗曠邈神道精微。可以理尋難以事詰。既涉乎教則以因時為檢。雖應世之具優劣萬差至於典成在用。咸即民心而通其分。分至則心。其智之所不知。而不關其外者也。若然則非體極者之所不兼。兼之者不可並御耳。是以古之語大道者。五變而形名可舉。九變而賞罰可言。此但方內之階差。而猶不可頓說。況其外者乎。請復推而廣之以遠其類。六合之外存而不論者。非不可論。論之或乖。六合之內論而不辨者。非不可辨。辨之或疑。春秋經世先王之志辯而不議者。非不可議。議之或亂。此三者皆其身耳目之所不至以為關鍵。而不關視聽之外者也。因此而求聖人之意。則內外之道可合而明矣。常以為道法之與名教。如來之與堯孔。發致雖殊潛相影響。出處誠異終期則同。詳而辨之指歸可見。理或有先合而後乖。有先乖而後合。先合而後乖者。諸佛如來則其人也。先乖而後合者。歷代君王體極之至。斯其流也。何以明之。經云。佛有自然神妙之法。化物以權廣隨所入。或為靈仙轉輪聖帝。或為卿相國師道士。若此之倫在所變現。諸王君子莫知為誰。此所謂先合而後乖者也。或有始剏大業。而功化未就迹有參差。故所受不同。或期功於身後。或顯應於當年。聖王即之而成教者。亦不可稱算。雖抑引無方。必歸塗有會。此謂先乖而後合者也。若命乖而後合。則擬步通塗者必不自涯於一檢。若令合而後乖。則釋迦之與堯孔歸致不殊斷可知矣。是故自乖而求合。則知理會之必同。自合而求乖。則悟體極之多方。但見形者之所不兼。故或眾塗而駭之而異耳。因茲而觀。天地之道功盡於運化。帝王之德理極於順通。若以對夫獨絕之教不變之宗固不得同年而語其優劣。亦以明矣。 > Answer: The profound principle is vast and distant, and the spiritual way is subtle and minute; it may be sought through principle, but it is difficult to interrogate through worldly affairs. Once it touches upon teachings, it takes adapting to the times as its norm. Although the means of responding to the world have myriad degrees of superiority and inferiority, when canons are established for practical use, they all conform to the hearts of the people and communicate according to their capacity. When their capacity reaches its limit, their minds stop there; what their wisdom does not know does not involve what lies beyond it. If so, it is not that the one who embodies the Ultimate cannot encompass both; it is simply that encompassing both cannot be exercised simultaneously. Therefore, when the ancients spoke of the Great Way, five transformations were needed before forms and names could be raised, and nine transformations before rewards and punishments could be mentioned. These are merely gradations within the realm, yet even they could not be explained all at once; how much more so for what lies outside it! Let us extend and broaden this to encompass distant categories. That which is outside the cosmos is preserved but not discussed—not because it cannot be discussed, but because discussing it might lead to divergence. That which is within the cosmos is discussed but not differentiated—not because it cannot be differentiated, but because differentiating it might cause doubt. The Chunqiu records the world and the aspirations of earlier kings; it differentiates but does not debate—not because it cannot be debated, but because debating it might bring chaos. These three all take what the body, ears, and eyes cannot reach as the hinge, and do not involve what lies beyond sight and hearing. Seeking the sage's intention from this, the internal and external ways can be united and clarified. I have always considered the Way and Dharma and the Teaching of Names, the Tathāgata and Yao and Confucius, to have divergent points of departure yet covertly influence one another; their paths of action and withdrawal indeed differ, but their final destination is identical. Discerning this in detail, the ultimate aim can be seen. In principle, some first harmonize and then diverge, while others first diverge and then harmonize. Those who first harmonize and then diverge are none other than the Buddhas and Tathāgatas. Those who first diverge and then harmonize are the rulers of successive generations who have attained the utmost embodiment of the Ultimate. How do we know this? The scripture says: 'The Buddha possesses natural, wondrous Dharma; he transforms beings through skillful means, broadly following wherever he enters. He may appear as an immortal, a cakravartin holy king, or a minister, prime minister, national preceptor, or Daoist master.' Such manifestations appear everywhere, and rulers and gentlemen know not who he is; this is what is called first harmonizing and then diverging. Others initially found great endeavors, yet their meritorious transformation is not yet complete and their traces are uneven, so what they receive differs; some expect merit after their life, while others manifest responses within their own years. The sage kings who build upon this to establish their teachings are also countless. Although their restrictions and guidances are without fixed methods, their paths must ultimately meet. This is what is called first diverging and then harmonizing. If they diverge and then harmonize, then those aspiring to walk the broad path will certainly not restrict themselves to a single norm; if they harmonize and then diverge, then the ultimate convergence of Śākya, Yao, and Confucius is undeniably identical. Therefore, seeking harmony from divergence, one realizes that the meeting of principles must be identical; seeking divergence from harmony, one understands that embodying the Ultimate has many avenues. It is merely that those who see only physical forms cannot encompass both, and thus are startled and alienated by the diverse paths. Looking at it from this perspective, the Way of Heaven and Earth exhausts its merit in cyclical transformation, and the virtue of emperors and kings reaches its limit in following and facilitating. If contrasted with the peerless teaching and the immutable source, they certainly cannot be spoken of in the same breath, and their superiority and inferiority are clearly revealed. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 7.74](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2036.7.74) - [Next: 7.76](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2036.7.76) - [Up: 7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2036.7) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2036~en-mt.7.75) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [弘明集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.5.41) — 僧祐, Classical Chinese - [集沙門不應拜俗等事](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2108.2.18) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2036.7.75](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2036.7.75) · Pramāṇa