佛祖歷代通載 22.7

22.7

Usurping Names and Arrogating Sagehood, the Twelfth Fabrication: (The forty-eighth transformation says: 'The Grand Steward of Song asked Master Kong: "Is the Master a sage?" Confucius replied: "As for being a sage, how could Qiu presume? I am merely broadly learned and well-informed." The Grand Steward said: "Were the Three Kings sages?" Confucius said: "The Three Kings were good at employing wisdom and courage; whether they were sages, Qiu does not know." The Grand Steward said: "Were the Five Emperors sages?" Confucius said: "The Five Emperors were good at employing benevolence and righteousness; whether they were sages, Qiu does not know." The Grand Steward said: "Were the Three Sovereigns sages?" Confucius said: "The Three Sovereigns were good at adapting to the times; whether they were sages, Qiu does not know." The Grand Steward, greatly startled, said: "If so, then who is a sage?" Confucius, his expression moving, paused and said: "Qiu has heard that among the people of the West there is a sage: he does not govern, yet there is no disorder; he does not speak, yet he is naturally trusted; he does not convert, yet things naturally proceed. Vast and boundless, the people cannot find a name for it! Qiu suspects he is a sage." The Shizhi jing says: 'Confucius was in Lu, and Laozi was in Zhou. Looking toward Luoyang in Zhou from Lu, it was in the west. This referred to Laozi as the sage of the West. When Confucius inquired about the rites, he earlier made the sigh of "like unto a dragon," so this refers to Laozi.')