高僧傳 6.74

6.74

恒、標等答曰：「奉去月二十日詔，令奪恒、標等法服，承命悲懷，五情失守。恒等才質闇短，染法未深，緇服之下，誓畢身命，並習佛法，不閑世事，徒廢非常之業，終無殊異之功。昔光武尚能縱嚴陵之心，魏文容管寧之操，抑至尊之高心，遂匹夫之微志。況陛下以道御物兼弘三寶，願鑒元元之情，垂曠通物之理也。」

Daoheng, Daobiao, and the others replied, saying: 'We have received the imperial decree of the twentieth day of the previous month ordering us to relinquish our Dharma robes. Hearing the command, our hearts were filled with grief, and our five emotions lost their composure. Our faculties are dim and limited, and our immersion in the Dharma is not yet deep; under our dark robes, we have vowed to bring our lives to completion. We have studied only the Buddhadharma and are unversed in worldly matters; turning away from our noble undertaking would be in vain, and we would ultimately achieve no exceptional merit. In antiquity, Guangwu was still able to indulge Yan Ling's inclinations, and Wei Wen accommodated Guan Ning's moral resolve; they suppressed the supreme ambitions of sovereigns to fulfill the humble aspirations of commoners. How much more so for Your Majesty, who governs the world by means of the Dao and simultaneously propagates the Three Jewels! We pray that you will look upon the true sentiments of your subjects and bestow a broad understanding that accords with the nature of things.'