弘明集 14.4

14.4

沙門竺道爽。敢告太山東嶽神府及都錄使者。蓋玄元創判二儀始分。上置琁璣則助之以三光。下設后土則鎮之以五嶽。陰陽布化於八方。萬物誕生於其中。是以太山據青龍之域。衡霍處諸陽之儀。華陽顯零班之境。恒茷列幽武之賓。嵩峙皇川之中。鎮四瀆之所墳。此皆稟氣運實無邪之穢。神道自然崇正不偽。因天之覆順地之載。敦朴方直澹然玄淨。進道四運之端。退履五教之精。內韜通微之資。外朗道德之明。上達虛無下育蒼生。含德潛通無遐不徹。遊步九崖翱翔玄闕。故能形無正始呼吸陰陽。握攬乾坤推步八荒。夫東嶽者。龍春之初清陽之氣。育動萌生王父之位。南箕北斗中星九天。東王西母無極先君。乘氣鳳翔去此幽玄。澄於太素不在人間。蕩消眾穢其道自然。而何妖祥之鬼魍魎之精。假東岳之道。託山居之靈。因游魂之狂詐。惑俗人之愚情。彫匠神典偽立神形。本無所記末無所經。外有害生之毒氣。內則百鬼之流行。晝則穀飯成其勢。夜則眾邪處其庭。此皆狼蛇之群鬼。梟蟒之虛聲。自三皇創基傳載于今。歷代所崇未覩斯響也。故零征記曰。夫神正者則潛曜幽昧。上騰高象下戲玄闕。逍遙雲影龍翔八極。風興雨施化若雷電。行厨不設百味自然。含慈秉素澤潤蒼生。恩過二養惠若朝陽。應天而食不害眾命。此乃靈翔之妙節。清虛之神道。若神不正者則干於萬物。因時託響傳惑俗聽。成祅散朴激動人心。傾財極殺斷截眾命。枉害中年爼其骨肉。精神離迸痛傷元氣。東岳之神豈此之謂也。故枕中誡曰。含氣蠢蠕百蟲勿嬰。無食鳥卵中有神靈。天元受命地庭有形。祖稟二儀焉可害生。此皆逆理違道本經。群民含慈順天不殺。況害䐗羊而飲其血。以此推之。其非神也。

Śramaṇa Zhu Daoshuang makes bold to inform the divine mansion of the Eastern Peak of Mount Tai and the Emissary of the General Register: When the Dark Primal first cleaved apart, the two modes of ether began to divide. Above, the armillary sphere was installed and assisted by the three luminaries; below, Empress Earth was established and anchored by the five peaks. Yin and yang spread their transformations through the eight directions, and the myriad things were born therein. Thus, Mount Tai occupies the domain of the Azure Dragon; Heng and Huo dwell in the disposition of the various yang [energies]; Huayang displays the realm of Ling and Ban; Heng and Bo arrange the guests of the Dark Warrior; Song towers amidst the royal rivers, anchoring the mounds of the four waterways. These all receive the circulation of primal qi and are genuinely free from the filth of evil; their spirit path is naturally revered and upright, not false. Following Heaven’s covering and compliant with Earth’s bearing, they are genuine, straightforward, placid, dark, and pure. Advancing the Dao, they head the four seasonal movements; retiring to action, they embody the essence of the five teachings. Internally they harbor the resources to penetrate the subtle; externally they shine with the brightness of the Dao and its virtue. Above, they reach non-being; below, they nurture the common people. Holding virtue, they secretly communicate, leaving nothing distant unpenetrated; wandering along the nine cliffs, they soar through the dark portals. Thus they can have no rigid bodily form, breathing in and out yin and yang, grasping the cosmos, and pacing the eight wastes. Now, as for the Eastern Peak: it is the beginning of the Dragon Spring, the qi of pure yang, which fosters motion, sprouts life, and is the seat of the Royal Father. The Southern Winnowing Basket and Northern Dipper, the middle stars and nine heavens, the King of the East and the Queen Mother of the West, the Boundless Ancestral Lords—they mount the qi and soar like phoenixes, leaving this dark mystery behind; they are purified in the Great Simplicity and do not dwell among humans. Ridding all foulness, their way is natural. How is it, then, that ghosts of omen and specters of the wilderness falsely claim the Dao of the Eastern Peak and attach themselves to the spirit residing in the mountain? Taking advantage of the madness and deceit of wandering spirits, they delude the foolish sentiments of worldly people. Carving divine scriptures, they falsely erect spirit forms; originally having no written record, at the end having no canonical text. Externally there is the noxious qi that harms living things; internally there is the roaming of a hundred demons. By day, offerings of grain and cooked rice establish their power; by night, a host of evils dwells in their courtyard. These are all a pack of wolves and serpents among ghosts, the hollow fame of owls and pythons! From the time the Three Sovereigns laid the foundation down to the present day, throughout the veneration of successive generations, such phenomena have never been witnessed! Thus the Lingzheng ji says: 'When a spirit is upright, it conceals its radiance in the darkness; above, it ascends to the high constellations, and below, it disports in the dark portals. Carefree in the shadows of the clouds, it soars like a dragon through the eight extremes; winds arise, rain falls, and its transformations are like thunder and lightning. No traveling kitchen is set up, for a hundred flavors are natural. Containing compassion and upholding purity, its moisture enriches the common people. Its grace surpasses that of parents' dual care, and its kindness is like the morning sun. Eating in response to Heaven, it does not harm living beings.' This is the marvelous conduct of soaring spirits, the spirit way of clear emptiness. 'If a spirit is not upright, it meddles with the myriad things; seizing the opportune time and uttering hollow sounds, it spreads delusion to the ears of the world. Generating evil omens and scattering simplicity, it agitates human minds. It exhausts wealth and slaughters to the utmost, severing the lives of beings. Wrongfully harming those in the prime of life, it sacrifices their flesh and bones on the chopping block; their spirits scatter, grievously wounding the primal qi.' How could the spirit of the Eastern Peak be speaking of this?! Thus the Zhenzhong jie says: 'Do not harm any creature that contains qi, whether squirming or creeping, or the hundred insects. Do not eat birds’ eggs, for there are spirits within them. The Heavenly Origin receives mandates, and the Earthly Court has forms; they originally receive from the two modes of ether—how could they harm life?' These are all contrary to principle and violate the fundamental scriptures of the Dao. The common people possess compassion and follow Heaven in not killing; how much less should one slaughter pigs and sheep and drink their blood? Deducing from this: this is no spirit!