弘明集 7.17

7.17

The treatise says: "The Buddhist scriptures are voluminous and manifest; the Daoist scriptures are concise and obscure. Being obscure, the wondrous gate is difficult to see; being manifest, the correct path is easy to follow. Following the correct, the return journey is not lost; seeing the wondrous, the hundred deliberations all succeed." The objection says: If it is concise, it is easy to follow—how can it be difficult to see? If it is voluminous, it is difficult to arrange—how could it be easy to follow? Following the correct, the return journey is not lost, and one can ascend to the utmost of the Dao. Though not obscure and concise, it is naturally a mysterious creation; why resort to obscure methods to replace this easily understood path?