宋高僧傳 30.44

30.44

The Great Ultimate generates the Two Modes; the Two Modes generate the myriad things, which emerge in vital intermingling and sprout through stirring and agitation. Through the multitude of kinds they appear in teeming abundance, each receiving nature with distinct clarity. 'Nature' is the Way. The Way is simply the original mind; the mind pervades everything, and pervading the principles of things is what is called the Way. The Way is not uniform: it flourishes, multiplies, and flows into form, as if fathoming the heavenly pivot. Things, too, are singular: Qian is one, and Kun is one; but when through movement changes are effected and one seeks divination through these changes, do not the arising phenomena cease to be uniform? As for beasts and birds mingling their breath, and grasses and trees conjoining their essences, some resemble the female and are estranged from the male; some share the same root yet differ in their fruits. The flying alligator resembles a bird; the orange transplanted becomes a bitter trifoliate orange. Crossing with an ape yields a savage; the Feathered Jia gave birth to the phoenix. Such kinds as these are brought about by the intermixing of things. Great indeed is the time of the miscellaneous! Affairs have manifold layers; things are intricately tangled: thus the name 'Miscellaneous' is manifested, for no single label can subsume them entirely. Hence it is said: although the meaning is vast, one knows it can be encompassed by a single name. Formerly, the tenth chapter established in the Liang Biographies was entitled 'Guiding Recitation', which was based on the meaning in the scriptures that 'these bodhisattvas are all foremost in guiding recitation.' As for 'guiding recitation' (chang), must it not be answered by a response? As for 'leading' (dao), there must surely be those who are led to realization. When the Śākya [monk] of Zhongnan examined this title, [he found that] its merit lay in singing praises and proclaiming them publicly, but its defect lay in omitting versatile talents and distinct virtues. It is as if Heaven had bestowed an extraordinary endowment, conferring complete talent twice over—a tiger taking flight on a pair of wings, an eagle striking with four feet. Thereupon he established the 'Miscellaneous Section' to encompass and harbor manifold virtues: how could it be limited merely to vocal proclamation? Nothing was not included.