弘明集 4.44

4.44

釋曰。足下論挾姬釋。吾亦答兼戎周。足下以此抑彼。謂福極高門。吾申彼釋。此云慶周兆物。足下據此所見。謂祚止公侯。吾信彼所聞。云尊冠百神。本議是爭。曷云不及。夫論難之本以易奪為體。失之已外輒云宏誕。求理之塗幾乎塞矣。師遁言肆。或不在此。

[Zheng Daozi] explains: Your discourse encompassed the Duke of Zhou and Confucius alongside the Buddha, and my reply likewise included both the western lands and Zhou. You used the former to suppress the latter, saying that blessings culminate in eminent households; I expounded the latter to clarify the former, saying that blessings encompass all beings. Relying on your perspective, you say good fortune stops at dukes and marquises; trusting what I have heard, I say the honored one stands atop the hundred spirits. Our original debate was precisely over this contest—how can you say it was not reached? Now, the essence of debating difficulties lies in mutual interchange and refutation; to immediately call something vast and extravagant whenever it falls outside your own views is almost to block the path of seeking principle. That the army retreated and words ran rampant is perhaps not on this side.