弘明集 11.8

11.8

"Shi Daogao states: I have received your inquiry concerning the traces of the Great Sage's manifestation and concealment; its theoretical flavor is profound and expansive, its diction and meaning clear and distinct. Respectfully perusing it repeatedly, I admire your virtuous words all the more. Your walls are high and deep, Inspector, so finding the gate is naturally difficult; thus I venture to exhaust my foolish brush, searching blindly as if for the dark pearl. Now, the Tathāgata responds to beings in three ways: First, he manifests his body, radiates light, and shakes the earth. Second, the True Dharma is present just as if the Buddha were in the world. Third, the Semblance Teaching dimly reflects his rites and regulations. His rites and regulations dimly respond to the sentiments of people today. When human sentiments respond to the image, who could say it is unseen? Therefore the Vimalakīrti-sūtra says: 'He skillfully understands the characteristics of dharmas and knows the capacities of sentient beings.' When it comes to the three assemblies under the Dragon Flower Tree in the city of Ketumatī, human sentiments will respond by seeing him—who could say he is hidden? Therefore the Lotus Sūtra says: 'At that time, I and the assembly of monks / all come forth on Vulture Peak.' The palace of Śaṅkha can clearly be expected; why should the root source in the West not be seen? Yet the doubters of this world mostly say that the words of the sūtras do not match reality, having little implicit faith, and all develop obstruction because they do not see. Now, regarding the Three Sovereigns, the Five Emperors, the Three Dynasties, and the Five Hegemons, or Ji Dan (Duke of Zhou) and Kong Qiu (Confucius) editing the Odes and establishing the rites—these are all heard of through historical records; who has seen them? The Śākya sounded the Dharma drum in the Deer Park, and the Master raised his virtuous voice in Zou and Lu; neither has been reached by our ears or eyes, yet we believe both through written records. If you do not doubt the former, there is no need to doubt the latter; having already understood the former, why remain obstructed only by the latter? Inspector, your sagacious thoughts are profound and far-reaching, clearly penetrating the three times. I hope you will seek the teaching on the unexhausted life-span, draw near to the traces of Dīpaṃkara and the youth Māṇava, and investigate the assembly of Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, so as to resolve the murky obstructions of the masses, like clearing away layers of clouds under the sun. My own words are shallow and clumsy, and my speech cannot express my mind. I hope that on the day we meet, I shall explain it further in debate. Respectfully stated."