弘明集 8.53

8.53

The explanation says: Now, striving excessively for life to the point of not attaining non-arising—the likes of Zhang Yi and Shan Bao are its match. Therefore, the Confucians say: 'Among people, none does not cling to his death while fretting over his life.' Laozi said: 'When I have no body, what trouble do I have?' Zhuang Zhou also personally lamented having a physical body. These three are among the sages and masters; none did not consider life an affliction. If one seeks non-arising, nothing surpasses Nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa is the wondrous name for non-action. Speaking of its traces, there are texts on the royal palace and the twin trees; speaking of its reality, there is the teaching of eternal abiding and eternal bliss. You are revolving in the five paths; how could you hear the essentials of Nirvāṇa? It is like three blind men feeling an elephant: the one who touched the ear argued that the elephant was like a winnowing basket, while the one who touched the trunk argued that the elephant was like a pestle. Although each grasped one part of the elephant, neither grasped the elephant's true totality. When you say that Nirvāṇa is death, you are truly one of the blind men feeling the elephant.