[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [弘明集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102) › 11.9 # 弘明集 11.9 弘明集 11.9 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [11.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.11.9) 李和南。旋省雅論。位序區別辭況冲美。欣會良多。所謂感化異時像正殊俗。援外以映內。徵文以驗實。敬範來趣無所間然。然夫受悟之由必因鑒觀。闇寄生疑。疑非悟本。若書契所在異代齊。解萬世之後可不待聖而師矣。若乃聲迹並資言像相濟。大義既乖儒墨競興。豈徒正信不朗。將亦謗誤增釁。得不取證於示見印記以自固乎。大聖以無礙之慧。垂不請之慈。何為悋昭昭之明。晦倍尋之器。絕群望於泥洹之後。興罪垢於三會之先。芻狗空陳。其能悟乎。儀像虛設。其能信乎至於。帝王姬孔訓止當世。來生之事存而不論。故其隱見廢興權實莫辨。今如來軌業彌貫三世。慈悲普潤。不得以見在為限。群迷求解。不可以滅盡致窮。是以化度不止於篇籍。佛事備列於累萬。問今之所謂佛事者。其焉在乎。若如雅況。所信在此所驗在彼。而聖不世出。孔釋異塗。即事而談罔非矛盾矣。其可相驗乎。未能默廢。聊復寓言。幸更詳究。遲覩清釋。 > "Li respectfully bows: I have just examined your elegant treatise. Its points and sequences are well distinguished, and its diction and metaphors are refined and beautiful, bringing me immense joy. As you say, responsive transformations occur at different times, and the Semblance and True \[Dharma\] address distinct customs; you adduce external matters to reflect the internal, and cite texts to verify the real. Respecting and modeling myself upon your intention, I find nothing to disagree with. However, the reason for attaining awakening must rely on direct observation; implicit faith gives rise to doubt, and doubt is not the root of awakening. If wherever written records exist across different eras they are understood identically, then after ten thousand generations one would not need to await a sage to take as master! If voice and traces support each other, and words and images aid one another, yet once the great principles are violated, Ru and Mohist teachings contend; not only will right faith fail to become clear, but slander and error will also multiply faults. Can one fail to seek proof in manifest signs and predictions to secure oneself? The Great Sage, with unimpeded wisdom, extends uninvited compassion; why then should he begrudge clear light and conceal his sixteen-foot vessel, severing the hopes of the masses after Nirvāṇa and giving rise to sins and defilements before the three assemblies? When straw dogs are set out in vain, can they bring awakening? When images are established without reality, can they elicit faith? As for emperors and kings, or Ji and Kong, their instructions stopped at their own age, and matters of future lives were put aside without discussion; hence their concealment or appearance, decline or rise, provisional or real, cannot be distinguished. Now the Tathāgata's track and deeds completely span the three times, and his compassion universally nourishes; it cannot be limited to the present. The deluded masses seek liberation; they must not be brought to an impasse by his complete extinction. For this reason, transforming and delivering is not confined to written texts; the Buddha's deeds are fully enumerated by the myriads. May I ask: where are the so-called 'Buddha's deeds' today? If it is as in your refined analogy, that what is believed is here while what is verified is there, then since sages do not appear every generation and Confucius and the Śākya took different paths, speaking in terms of realities, there is nothing that is not contradictory! Can they verify each other? Unable to dismiss this in silence, I have briefly lodged these words. I hope you will examine them further in detail, as I await your clear explanation." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 11.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.11.8) - [Next: 11.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.11.10) - [Up: 11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.11) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102~en-mt.11.9) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.11.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.11.9) · Pramāṇa