弘明集 11.36

11.36

蓋聞。太上以道養民。而物自是其次有德而天下治。是以古之明王審違性之難御。悟任物之易因。故堯放許由於箕山。陵讓干木於魏國。高祖縱四皓於終南。叔度辭蒲輪於漢世。晉國戴逵被褐於剡縣。謝敷罹髮於若耶。蓋以適賢之性為得賢也。故上有明君下有韋帶。逸民之風。垂訓於今矣。今道標恒等德非圓達分在守節。且少習玄化伏膺佛道。一往之誠必志匪席。至於敷演妙典研究幽微。足以啟悟童稚助化功德。使物識罪福。則有濟苦之益。苟佛不虛言。標等有弘毘耶之訓矣。竊聞近日猥蒙優詔。使釋法服將擢翠翹於寒條之上。曜芙蕖於重氷之下。斯誠。

It is said that in highest antiquity the sovereign nurtured the people by means of the Dao, and things were naturally right; next after that, he possessed virtue, and the realm was well ordered. Therefore the enlightened kings of old understood how difficult it is to constrain men contrary to their nature, and realized how easy it is to follow their natural inclinations. Thus Yao let Xu You remain at Mount Ji, and Ling deferred to Duan Ganmu in the state of Wei; Gaozu let the Four Whiteheads stay in Zhongnan, and Shudu declined the rushes-cushioned carriage in the Han dynasty. In the Jin state, Dai Kui wore coarse hemp in Shan county, and Xie Fu unfastened his hair at Ruoye. This was because suiting the nature of the worthy was considered gaining the worthy. Hence above there were enlightened rulers, and below there were men wearing cloth belts; the way of recluses has handed down its instruction to the present day. Now Daobiao, Heng, and the others possess virtues that are not all-round and fully realized, but their lot lies in guarding their moral integrity. Furthermore, from youth they practiced the profound transformation and devoted themselves to the Buddhist path; their original sincerity of mind is truly unyielding like a mat that cannot be rolled up. As for preaching the wonderful scriptures and probing subtle profundities, they are sufficient to enlighten the young and assist the merits of moral transformation, causing beings to recognize transgressions and blessings, which confers the benefit of rescuing from suffering. If the Buddha does not speak in vain, then Biao and the others are spreading the teachings of Vaiśālī. We humbly heard that recently they unexpectedly received a gracious decree bidding them cast off the Dharma robes, wishing to pluck kingfisher plumes from frozen boughs and display lotus blossoms beneath thick ice. This is truly...