弘明集 4.13

4.13

From my youth I trusted my narrow views, and in old age I hold to them all the more firmly. Having spoken of them, it was difficult to let them decompose within my heart; therefore, I wished to rely on the flowing wind to entrust my scales and feathers. With generous intent you have kept me in mind, kindly offering a second explanation; your citations are comprehensive and clear, and your florid language is vast and abundant. Even fine jade has occasional blemishes, which a lowly man may point out; and when the moon holds its crescent, a rustic person can gaze at its lack. How could I merely be fond of debate without having reached an end? Once again I submit questions seeking further instruction, hoping to exhaustively examine what remains blocked.
Your letter states: 'The discourse on the Three Powers must indeed be based on the three lines [of the hexagram]. Once the three lines are laid out, the middle line represents the virtue of the ruler. This is why its spirit reaches to the Supreme and exalts the One Sovereign.' If, according to the thesis of your discourse, one takes the three lines as the Three Powers, then the initial line corresponds to Earth and the third discusses the position of Heaven. However, 'withdrawing from the world without regret' is not the designation of the heavy earth, and 'the gentleman strives diligently' is not the appellation of the azure heaven. If they truly have no reliance on the Two Modes, what basis is there for establishing humans? It is only that the line lies in central harmony, and thus should correspond to the virtue of the ruler.
You also say: 'If the arising of compassion exhausts the measure of universal love, and the practice of shame at evil carries to the utmost the rectitude of helping the upright, then that is supreme benevolence and supreme righteousness.' This is to grant that those who embody benevolence and righteousness constitute the Three Powers. Then you say: 'Zichan and Ji Zha have not yet attained ascending attachment, while Yi Yin and Yan Hui should properly adhere to the lower category.' If so, even those of the 'yellow lower garment' still fall short! Although the purport of the abstruse has no standard for high and low, those who are deluded have still not awakened.
Yin and yang mold the qi; hardness and softness bestow nature. With round heads and square feet, our outward appearances do not differ; compassion and shame at evil are present in all alike. It is only that when participating in the essence of the Two Modes, one must take benevolence and righteousness as the starting point. I know you wish to restrict this with designated vessels and be cautious in what you grant, but this causes benevolent people and pure scholars to compare their nature to the feathered and furred herds, and worthy men who aspire [to goodness] to share their qi with shelled creatures! Could this truly be the intention behind establishing the symbols?