宋高僧傳 28.15

28.15

系曰：前人立義，皆按教文，豈得好惡隨情，是非任見？已行前轍，不覆後車，胡不謹而循之？通曰：「夫創著述者有四焉：一前說極非，於文茫昧；一僻見謬解，領悟自乖；一樂繁嫌略；一好直怪迂。有一於此，無不著述也。江公《瑞應鈔》未經披覽，聞諸道路，言亦濟時。須苟不濟用而變革古德義章，則何異以『舊防無所用而壞之者，必有水敗』也。」

Appraisal: When predecessors established doctrinal interpretations, they all followed the scriptural teachings; how could likes and dislikes depend on personal feelings, and right and wrong be left to subjective views? If an overturned cart ahead did not overturn the cart behind, why not prudently follow it? In response it is said: 'Those who initiate writings have four reasons: first, earlier explanations were utterly wrong and obscure in the text; second, eccentric views produced erroneous interpretations, so comprehension naturally went astray; third, they enjoyed detail and disliked brevity; fourth, they favored simplicity and were amazed by roundabouts. If one of these applies, none fails to produce a writing. Master Jiang’s Ruiying chao has not been examined by me, but hearing of it from travelers, they say it also serves its time. If it were truly not useful and merely revised the doctrinal treatises of past worthies, how would that differ from saying: "One who destroys an old dike thinking it useless will surely suffer a disaster of flood"?'