弘明集 12.8

12.8

The Buddhist teaching regards transgressions and blessings, cause and effect, as being like shadows and echoes. The sage's words are clear and exact, striking fear into people's hearts. Yet from the ancient emperors and monarchs, Wen and Wu, to the Duke of Zhou and Confucius, their canons, counsels, instructions, and proclamations lacked nothing in completeness; yet none clearly set forth the three times or openly expounded karmic retribution. Those many sages all exhausted principle and fully plumbed human nature, illuminating the conditions of things; how could they bear to watch people sink and drown without being willing to lend a hand, without ever offering a single word to point out the ford and path? Furthermore, 'he angled but did not use a net; he shot at birds with an attached cord, but not at roosting birds'; 'broad, large, and fat animals are offered up to the Sovereign on High.' Judging from this, it is indeed difficult to understand. I hope you gentlemen will explain and present this in outline, providing clear evidence to dispel this confusion.