弘明集 12.68

12.68

答曰。前所以云歷有年代者。政以容養之道。要當有以故耳。非謂已然之事。無可改之理也。此蓋言勢之所至。非㦎然所據也。故人不接王者。又如高唱。前代之不論。或在於此耶。

I reply: The reason I said earlier that it spanned generations and eras was simply that the Dao of toleration and nurturing must certainly have a cause; I did not mean that what was already done admitted of no principle of reform. This was merely an expression of rhetorical force, not a rigid reliance. That past figures did not interact with kings is also as your noble discourse says; perhaps the lack of debate in former eras was indeed due to this.