弘明集 8.89

8.89

The response says: The name "Dao" takes principle as its function; when one attains its principle, one is complete in the Dao. For this reason, śramaṇas are styled "men of the Dao," while the Yangping [parish] calls [its clerics] "Daoist masters." The Śākya Sage attained the source of the Dao; Peng and Dan occupied the periphery of the Dao. One who attains the source of the Dao does not wait to speak of the Dao, yet the Dao is naturally manifest; those who occupy the periphery of the Dao constantly invoke the Dao, yet their Dao is deficient. For example, Zhongni was broadly learned and did not establish his fame through a single matter; the disciples of You and Xia were known purely through the four subjects. Zhuang Zhou said: "Life is qi; gathering, it becomes life, and dispersing, it becomes death." If, as you say, the Dao were qi, then it must undergo gathering and dispersing, birth and death; in that case, your Dao is a phenomenon of arising and ceasing, not permanently abiding! I have also heard that your Dao includes the matter of "harmonizing qi"; I pray you do not speak of it, for it is truly disgraceful. Zhuangzi also said: "The Dao is in excrement and urine." Could this Dao of excrement and urine be your Dao of harmonizing qi?