釋鑑稽古略續集 2.122

2.122

御製諭翰林待詔沈士榮曰。古智人有為身而修身。吾不知修者誰也。或曰。身為神而修。或云神為身而修。因是之辨惑之而更惑之。果身修神歟。抑神修身歟。吾不知二修之道。但見古人遺跡。詢及儒釋道三宗。必欲達之以妙己虛靈。嗚呼善哉君子。雖未至三宗之奇。有心若是。豈不謂學之足矣。聃云。居善地心善淵。今之人頑肯匠斯三宗者。豈不全妙己之虛靈者乎。此即智人也。

The Imperial Instruction to Shen Shirong, Hanlin Academy Awaiting-Instruction, stated: “Among ancient wise men, there were those who cultivated the body for the sake of the body, yet I do not know who the cultivator was. Some say the body is cultivated for the sake of the spirit; others say the spirit is cultivated for the sake of the body. Because of such distinctions, one becomes confused and ever more confused. Does the body truly cultivate the spirit, or does the spirit cultivate the body? I do not know the way of these two cultivations. I only look at the remaining traces of the ancients and inquire into the three lineages of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism; one must seek to master them in order to make wonderful one's own void-like spiritual intelligence. Ah, how excellent, noble gentlemen! Though not yet having attained the marvelous wonders of the three lineages, to possess such an aspiration—how can it not be called having sufficient learning? [Lao]dan said: ‘In dwelling, value good ground; in mind, value good depth.’ If people today stubbornly will not master these three lineages, how could they fully bring to wonder their own void-like spiritual intelligence? Such a person is precisely a wise man.”