弘明集 14.15

14.15

In my leisure from lecturing, I have whiled away the long days by resorting to allegories and borrowing events, hoping to illuminate the Great Way and wishing that those who fancy shortcuts may return before straying too far. The sūtra says: 'Nirvāṇa is without arising, yet there is nothing it does not give rise to; supreme wisdom is without illumination, yet there is nothing it does not illuminate.' Can this be achieved by anyone other than the Tathāgata? Winning victory relies not on the merit of shields and spears; taking territory relies not on dominating the world by force of arms. The august emperors are not the sole sovereigns of honor; the hegemonic lords and ministers do not possess the nobility of Duke Huan of Qi or Duke Wen of Jin. The teachings of Confucius and the Duke of Zhou are far removed from this; the words of Laozi and Zhuangzi seem fitting, but are not quite apt. Therefore, one knows that the ultimate principle resides beyond worldly views, and the supreme sovereign reigns within the true mirror. Mediocre people hesitate between being and non-being, while the utter fools are startled into laughter within their realm of constant delusion. Now, I hope that readers will cast aside the self-conceit of the River Earl in 'Autumn Floods' and travel afar to the abyssal gates of Ruo of the Northern Sea, not binding their sentiments to worldly teachings and taking fright at far-fetched and grandiloquent statements.