弘明集 1.41

1.41

The questioner asked: You use the words of the classics and commentaries, together with flowery discourses, to extol the Buddha's practices and praise his virtue—their height surpasses the clear clouds, their breadth exceeds the boundaries of the earth. Might this not exceed their basis and surpass their reality? Whereas my criticisms have rather hit the mark and pinpointed their defect. Mouzi said: Ah! My praise is like adding dust to Mounts Song and Tai, or collecting the morning dew to cast into rivers and oceans. Your slander is like holding a gourd ladle wanting to diminish rivers and oceans, or treading a plow-share wanting to damage the Kunlun mountains; it is like holding up a single hand to shield the sunlight, or raising a clod of earth to dam the surge of the Yellow River. My praise cannot make the Buddha higher, nor can your slander make him lower.