[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) › 6.29 # 弘明集 6.29 弘明集 6.29 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.6.29) 客既悉於佛老之正。猶未值其津。今將更粗言其一隅。而使自反焉。夫理照研心二名教兩得。乃可動靜兼盡所遇斯乘也。老子之教蓋修身治國絕棄貴尚事正其分。虛無為本柔弱為用。內視反聽深根寧極。渾思天元恬高人世。皓氣養和失得無變。窮不謀通致命而竢。達不謀己以公為度。此學者之所以詢仰餘流。而其道若存者也。安取乎神化無方濟世不死哉。其在調霞羽化精變窮靈。此自繕積前成生甄異氣。故雖記奇之者有之。而言理者不由矣。稽之神功爰及物類。大若麟鳳怪瑞。小則雀雉之化。夫既一受其形而希學可致乎。至乃顏孔道隣親資納之極。固將仰靈塵而止欲。從未由則分命之不妄有推之可明矣。故仲尼貴知命而必有所不言。伯陽去奇尚而固守以無為。皆將以抑其誕妄之所自來也。然則窮神盡教固由之有宗矣。道成事得各會之有元矣。夫行業者於前前生而強學以求致其功。積集成於素孱。而橫慕以妄易其為首。燕求越其希至何由哉。故學得所學而學以成也。為其可為而為可致也。則夫學鏡生靈。中天設教觀象測變。存而不論經世之深。孔老之極也。為於未有盡照窮緣殊生共理。練偽歸真。神功之正佛教之弘也。是乃佛明其宗。老全其生。守生者蔽明宗者通。然靜止大方乃雖蔽而非妄。動由其宗則理通而照極故。必德貴天全自求其道。崇本資通功歸四大。不謀非然守教保常。孔老之純得所學也。超宗極覽尋流討源。以有生為塵毒故。息敬於君親不驚議其化異。不執方而駭奇妙。寂觀以拓思。功積見而要來。則佛教之粹明於為也。故夫學得所學則可以資全生靈。而教尊域中矣。明為於為將乃滅習。反流而邈天人矣。過此以往未之或知。洗慮之得其將在茲。 > The visitor, having become familiar with the correct teachings of the Buddha and Laozi, has still not encountered their vital path. I shall now briefly outline one corner of it to lead him to reflect upon himself. Only when principle illuminates and examines the mind, and the two names and teachings are both grasped, can movement and stillness be fully exhausted, and whatever one encounters be mounted as a vehicle. The teaching of Laozi consists in cultivating oneself and governing the state, casting aside high status, and ensuring that affairs are correctly proportioned; taking emptiness and non-being as the root, and softness and weakness as the function; introspecting and listening inwardly, sinking roots and resting in tranquility; keeping thought simple in celestial origin, serene and elevated above the human world; nurturing harmony through luminous qi, remaining unperturbed by gain or loss; in adversity, not plotting success but waiting upon one's destined mandate; in success, not scheming for oneself but taking the common good as the measure. This is why scholars look up to what has flown down from him, and why his Dao seems to survive. Where does it find room for boundless spirit transformations or aiding the world with deathlessness? As for harmonizing the morning mist, feather transformation, and refining transformations to reach the wondrous spirit: these are accomplishments accumulated from previous lives, naturally born with extraordinary qi; therefore, although those who record anomalies mention them, those who speak of principle do not base themselves upon them. If we examine spiritual marvels down to the varieties of creatures: on a large scale, there are auspicious anomalies like the qilin and phoenix; on a small scale, there are transformations like sparrows into clams and pheasants into chou. Once having received their form, can they be attained through aspiring study? Coming even to Yan Hui and Confucius, whose Dao bordered on perfection and whose personal endowments reached the ultimate: they could only look up to the spiritual dust and halt their desires, finding no path to follow; thus that destiny is not arbitrary can be clearly demonstrated by deduction. Therefore Confucius valued knowing one's destiny and necessarily had things of which he did not speak; Boyang discarded the pursuit of anomalies and firmly adhered to non-action; both did so in order to suppress the source from which absurdities arise. Thus, plumbing the spirit and exhausting teachings must proceed from a central principle; the completion of the Dao and the attainment of affairs each converge in a primordial source. If one's deeds and karmic activities were set in previous lives, but one now studies forcibly to attain their efficacy; or if accumulations were formed in plain weakness, yet one arbitrarily longs to falsely change what comes first—how could a native of Yan seeking to reach Yue ever hope to arrive? Therefore, when study obtains what is proper to study, study succeeds; when actions do what can be done, actions can be accomplished. Thus, study mirrors sentient beings, establishes teachings under heaven, observes signs, measures changes, and preserves without disputing the profound mysteries of managing the world: this is the utmost limit of Confucius and Laozi. Acting upon what has not yet arisen, illuminating exhaustively the subtle conditions, seeing that diverse lives share a common principle, refining away the false to return to the real: this is the uprightness of spiritual efficacy and the vastness of the Buddhist teaching. Thus the Buddha clarifies the source, while Laozi preserves life. Those who cling to life are obscured; those who clarify the source are penetrating. Yet resting quietly in the Great Norm, though obscured, is not delusion; moving from the source, principle is penetrated and illumination reaches the ultimate. Therefore, one must prize natural wholeness in virtue and seek the Dao from oneself; exalting the root and relying on penetration, merit returns to the four elements; not plotting what is not so, preserving the teachings and keeping to the regular: this is the purity of Confucius and Laozi, attaining what is proper to study. Transcending the source to the ultimate vista, following the streams to explore the source, regarding having life as dust and poison—therefore resting one's veneration of ruler and parents, not marveling or debating over diverse transformations, not clinging to fixed quarters to be alarmed by the wondrous, quietly contemplating to broaden thought, and accumulating deeds in the present to anticipate the future: this is the essence of the Buddhist teaching, bright in its actions. Therefore, when study obtains what is proper to study, it can nourish and preserve living beings, and the teaching will be revered throughout the realm; when one is clear in acting through proper action, one will eliminate habits, flow back against the stream, and transcend both gods and humans. Beyond this, nothing more can be known. The attainment of purifying thought will surely lie here. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.6.28) - [Next: 6.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.6.30) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102~en-mt.6.29) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [廣弘明集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.8.27) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.6.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2102.6.29) · Pramāṇa