弘明集 4.34

4.34

Explanation: Not only do I not dislike the existence of ghosts, I even say that what exists must have form. You do not deny their existence, which is identical, yet your conception of where existence lies is different. Therefore, in comparing and interrogating, I wish to seek exhaustiveness. Please put aside the teachings of Tianzhu and scrupulously rely on the scriptures of the Central Land. Also setting aside their being a separate class of living beings, let us jointly discuss whether the bodily appearance of the spirits that have ascended to the distance exists or not; this certainly ought to be determined in reply. In the records and tablets, ghosts and spirits number in the tens of thousands; what I do not comprehend is not their names and titles. Recently receiving your three treatises, with each arrival they become more numerous; ten thousand ghosts all arrive, yet ultimately there is not a scrap of an answer. Although your disclosures are comprehensive and broad, they do not relieve my eager thirst. Since an existent without form has not been skillfully established, you merely call it fragmented to make it a comprehensive doctrine. If taking investigation and rectification is called fragmented, do you take vague superficiality to be direct penetration?