宋高僧傳 15.26

15.26

系曰：江甞為《七夕詩》，或謂之四背中一背也。通曰：「詩人興詠，用意不倫。慧休《怨別》，陸機《牽牛星》，屈原《湘夫人》，豈為色邪？皆當時寓言興類而已。若然者，言火則焚口，說食則療飢也矣。江之捨師，後乃揚師之美，反權合道也。實為此詩警世無常，引令入佛智焉。其故何也？詳江遇忠國師大明玄理，無以域中小乘法拘之哉！」

The appraisal says: Jiang once composed the 'Poem on the Seventh Night', which some called one of the four rejections. In reply it is said: 'When poets compose, their intent is not uniform. Huixiu's 'Lament of Separation', Lu Ji's 'Altair', and Qu Yuan's 'Lady of the Xiang'—were these really on account of lust? They were merely parables and allegorical analogies of the time. If it were otherwise, then speaking of fire would burn the mouth, and speaking of food would satisfy hunger. Jiang's abandonment of his master was followed by his extolling the master's excellence; this was a reversal of expedient means to accord with the Dao. He truly composed this poem to alert the world to impermanence and to guide people into the Buddha's wisdom. What is the reason for this? Upon scrutiny, when Jiang met National Teacher Zhong, he profoundly illuminated mysterious principles; one should not constrain him with the Hīnayāna Dharma of the mundane realm!'