釋氏稽古略 3.124

3.124

帝問佛恩　開元二年。帝宣問左街僧錄神光法師曰。佛於眾生有何恩德。致捨君親妻子而師事之。說若有理朕當建立。說若無理朕當削除。神光曰。佛於眾生。恩過天地明踰日月。德重父母義越君臣。帝曰。天地日月具造化之功。父母君臣具生成之德。何以言佛並過此乎。光曰。天能蓋不能載。地能載不能蓋。日則照晝不照夜。月則照夜不照晝。父祇能生不能養。母則能養不能生。君有道則臣忠。君無道則臣佞。以此而推德則不全。佛於眾生恩則不爾。言蓋則四生普覆。論載則六道俱承。論明則照耀十方。論朗則光輝三有。論慈則提拔苦海。論悲則度脫幽冥。論聖則眾聖中王。論神則六通自在。所以存亡普救。貴賤皆携。唯願陛下留心敬仰。帝悅曰。佛恩如此。非師莫宣。朕願回心生生敬仰（唐舊史）　甲子十二年　開元十三年。

The Emperor Inquires about the Buddha's Kindness. In the second year of Kaiyuan, the Emperor summoned and questioned Dharma Master Shengguang, the Controller of Monks for the Left Street: 'What kindness and virtue does the Buddha have toward sentient beings, that causes people to renounce their ruler, parents, wives, and children to serve him as master? If your explanation has reason, We shall establish it; if your explanation is without reason, We shall eliminate it.' Shengguang said: 'Toward sentient beings, the Buddha's kindness surpasses heaven and earth, his brightness exceeds the sun and moon, his virtue is weightier than that of parents, and his righteousness transcends that of ruler and minister.' The Emperor said: 'Heaven and earth, the sun and moon possess the power of creation and transformation; parents, ruler, and minister possess the virtue of giving birth and nurturing. Why do you say the Buddha surpasses all of these?' Shengguang said: 'Heaven can cover, but it cannot support; earth can support, but it cannot cover. The sun illuminates the day but does not illuminate the night; the moon illuminates the night but does not illuminate the day. A father can only engender, he cannot nurture; a mother can nurture, but she cannot engender. When a ruler possesses the Way, his ministers are loyal; when a ruler lacks the Way, his ministers are sycophantic. Inferring from this, their virtue is not complete. The Buddha's kindness toward sentient beings is not like this. In terms of covering, he universally covers the four modes of birth; in terms of supporting, the six destinies are all sustained by him. In terms of brightness, he shines upon the ten directions; in terms of radiance, he illuminates the three realms of existence. In terms of loving-kindness, he pulls beings out of the sea of suffering; in terms of compassion, he delivers beings from the dark realms. In terms of sagacity, he is the King among all sages; in terms of spiritual power, his six superknowledges are unobstructed. Therefore, both the living and the dead are universally saved; both the noble and the base are all guided. We only hope that Your Majesty will turn your mind to revere him.' The Emperor was delighted and said: 'If the Buddha's kindness is like this, none but you, Master, could expound it. We wish to turn our mind to revere him lifetime after lifetime' (Old Tang History). The twelfth year, a jiazi year [724]. The thirteenth year of Kaiyuan [725].