弘明集 5.36

5.36

出家則是方外之賓。迹絕於物。其為教也。達患累緣於有身。不存身以息患。知生生由於稟化。不順化以求宗。求宗不由於順化。則不重運通之資。息患不由於存身。則不貴厚生之益。此理之與形乖。道之與俗反者也。若斯人者。自誓始於落簪。立志形乎變服。是故凡在出家。皆遯世以求其志。變俗以達其道。變俗則服章不得與世典同禮。遯世則宜高尚其跡。夫然。故能拯溺俗於沈流。拔幽根於重劫。遠通三乘之津。廣開天人之路。如令一夫全德。則道洽六親澤流天下。雖不處王侯之位。亦已協契皇極在宥生民矣。是故內乖天屬之重而不違其孝。外闕奉主之恭而不失其敬。從此而觀。故知超化表以尋宗。則理深而義篤。照泰息以語仁。則功末而惠淺。若然者雖將面冥山而旋步。猶或恥聞其風。豈況與夫順化之民。尸祿之賢。同其孝敬者哉。

Those who leave the household are guests outside the realm; their traces are severed from worldly things. As for the teaching for them: they understand that suffering and entanglement stem from having a body, so they do not preserve the body to end suffering; they know that living life after life arises from receiving transformation, so they do not comply with transformation to seek the ultimate. If seeking the ultimate does not derive from complying with transformation, then they do not value the support of life's fortunes; if ending suffering does not derive from preserving the body, then they do not prize the benefits of enriching life. This is where principle diverges from form, and where the Dao opposes the worldly. For such persons, their vow begins with shedding the hairpin, and their established aspiration is embodied in changing their robes. Therefore, all who are in the renunciant life flee the world to pursue their aspiration, and alter worldly customs to attain their Dao. If they alter worldly customs, their vestments cannot share the etiquette of secular canons; if they flee the world, they should elevate their traces. Thus, they can rescue the drowning world from the submerged stream, and uproot dark roots across multiple kalpas. From afar they open the ford of the three vehicles, and broadly open the path of devas and humans. If a single person perfects virtue, then the Dao pervades the six relations, and grace flows to all under heaven. Although they do not occupy the seat of kings or lords, they are already in accord with the August Ultimate, sheltering the living beings. For this reason, inwardly they diverge from the gravity of natural kin yet do not violate filial piety; outwardly they lack the deference of serving the sovereign yet do not lose reverence. Viewing it from this, we know that transcending the manifestations of transformation to seek the ultimate means the principle is deep and the significance is earnest; illuminating great repose to speak of humaneness means the merit is secondary and the kindness is shallow. If this is so, even if someone were to turn their steps before the dark mountain, they would still be ashamed to hear such talk; how much more so for those who comply with transformation and the worthies who merely hold salaried office—how could they share the same filial piety and reverence?