弘明集 10.97

10.97

辱送勅書。弟子適近亦親奉此旨。范中書遂迷滯。若斯良為可慨。聖上深懼黔黎致惑故。垂折衷之詔。此旨一行雖復愚闇之識。了知神不滅矣。弟子近聊就周孔以為難。今附相簡。願惠為一覽之。折其詭經不尋故。束展此不多白。弟子曹思文和南。

I am honoured by your sending the imperial letter. Recently, I also personally received this decree. For Palace Writer Fan to be so stubbornly deluded and bogged down is truly lamentable. The Sacred Sovereign deeply feared that the black-haired people would be led into confusion, and therefore issued an edict of adjudication. Once this purport is carried out, even those of foolish and dark understanding will clearly know that the spirit is not extinguished. Recently, I briefly used the Duke of Zhou and Confucius to pose difficulties, and now attach this letter. I hope you will favor me by reading it once to refute his deviance from the classics and lack of investigation. In haste, I will not say much. Your disciple Cao Siwen pays homage.