弘明集 10.132

10.132

猥枉明誥頒述勅旨。審神不滅以答臣下。理據顯然表裏該妙。所以惠見獨宣舟梁合舉。夫目所不覩帷屏為隔。耳所不聞遐邇致擁。不得以不聞不見。便謂無聲無物。今欲詰內教。當仗外書外書。不殊內教茲現書云。魂氣無所不之。佛經又曰。而神不滅。既內外符同神在之事無所多疑。疑其滅者即蜉蝣不知晦朔。蟪蛄之非春秋。寧識大椿之永久日月之無窮。主上聖明超古微妙通神。在三之旨有證。孝饗之理斯光。蒼生管見已晦而復曉。晚俗淪真既迷而更悟。弟子宿植逢幸豫從餐道。投心慈氏歸敬誠深。唯孱來緣可期載懷鳧藻而已。弟子顏繕呈。

You have condescended to send your luminous communication disseminating the purport of the imperial edict, examining the non-extinction of the spirit to reply to the ministers. Its principled evidence is obvious; its surface and interior are profound and all-encompassing. Thus, this unique view of wisdom is proclaimed on its own, and the ferry and bridge are raised together. Now, what the eye cannot see is obstructed by curtains and screens; what the ear cannot hear is blocked by distance or proximity. One must not, because of not hearing and not seeing, immediately claim there is no sound and no object. If one now wishes to interrogate the inner teachings, one ought to rely on external books; external books do not differ from the inner teachings. The extant secular texts say: 'The spirit and breath go everywhere.' The Buddhist scriptures also state: 'Yet the spirit is not extinguished.' Since the inner and outer texts correspond, there should be no great doubt regarding the existence of the spirit. Those who doubt its survival are like the mayfly that knows not the end and beginning of the month, or the cicada that knows not spring and autumn—how could they know the longevity of the great cedrela tree or the endlessness of the sun and moon? The Present Sovereign's sagely illumination surpasses antiquity; his subtlety penetrates the spiritual. The purport of 'serving the three' finds proof; the principle of filial offerings is thereby glorified. The tube-limited vision of the common populace, having been darkened, becomes bright once more; the late worldly crowd that submerged the truth, having been deluded, is now awakened again. Your disciple has accumulated roots from past lives and fortunately partakes in the Dao; devoting my mind to Maitreya, my reverence and veneration are deeply sincere. Only with humble hope for future karmic conditions may I cherish such joys. Your disciple Yan Shan respectfully presents this.