廣弘明集 20.71

20.71

夫法性空寂心行處斷。感而遂通隨方引接。故鵲園善誘馬苑弘宣。白林將謝青樹已列。是宣金牒方寄銀身。自象教東流化行南國。吳主至誠歷七霄而光曜。晉王畫像經五帝而彌新。次道孝伯嘉賓玄度。斯數子者亦一代名人。或修理止於伽藍。或歸心盡於談論。銘頌所稱興公而已。夫披文相質博約溫潤。吾聞斯語未見其人。班固碩學尚云贊頌相似。陸機鉤深猶聞碑賦如一。惟伯喈作銘林宗無愧。德祖能誦元常善書。一時之盛莫得係踵。況般若淵玄真如妙密。觸言成累係境非真。金石何書銘頌誰闡。然建塔紀功招提立寺。或興造有由。或誓願所記。故鐫之玄石傳諸不朽。亦有息心應供。是曰桑門。或謂智囊。或稱印手。高座擅名預師尹之席。道林見重陪飛龍之座。峨眉廬阜之賢。鄴中宛鄧之哲。昭哉史冊可得而詳。故碑文興之斯焉尚矣。夫世代亟改。論文之理非一。時事推移。屬詞之體或異。但繁則傷弱率則恨省。存華則失體。從實則無味。或引事雖博其意猶同。或新意雖奇無所倚約。或首尾倫帖事似牽課。或前後博涉體製不工。能使艶而不華質而不野博而不繁省而不率文而有質約而能潤。事隨意轉理逐言深。所謂菁華無以間也。余幼好彫蟲長而彌篤。遊心釋典寓目詞林。頃甞搜聚有懷著述。譬諸法海無讓波瀾。亦等須彌歸同一色。故不擇高卑惟能是與儻未詳悉隨而足之。名為內典碑銘集林。合三十卷。庶將來君子或裨觀見焉。

Now, the nature of phenomena is empty and quiescent, and the paths of the mind's activity are severed. Yet it resonates and thereby penetrates, guiding and receiving according to the direction. Therefore, the Magpie Garden skillfully guided, and the Horse Garden broadly proclaimed; as the White Forest was about to fade away, the Green Trees were already arrayed. Thus the golden tablets were proclaimed, and the silver bodies were entrusted. Since the image teaching flowed east, transformation has been practiced in the southern states. The utmost sincerity of the King of Wu shone through the seven celestial realms; the painted images of the Prince of Jin became ever newer across five emperors. Cidao, Xiaobo, Jiabin, and Xuandu—these several gentlemen were also the famous figures of a generation. Some rested their minds in the sanghārāma, while others devoted their devotion entirely to philosophical debate. Those celebrated in inscriptions and eulogies were merely Xinggong. Now, in opening a composition to inspect its substance, making it extensive yet concise, warm and polished—I have heard these words, but have not seen the person. Ban Gu, a scholar of vast learning, still said that encomiums and eulogies are similar; Lu Ji, who plumbed the depths, still heard that stele inscriptions and rhapsodies are alike. Only when Bokai composed an inscription was Linzong without shame; Dezu was able to recite, and Yuanchang was skilled at calligraphy. The splendor of their single generation could not be followed in unbroken succession. How much more so is the depth and profundity of prajñā and the wondrous secrecy of tathatā! To touch upon them in words becomes an encumbrance; to attach them to objects is not the truth. What could be written on metal and stone? By whom could inscriptions and eulogies be elucidated? Yet, erecting pagodas records achievements, and building temples establishes monasteries; either their construction has an origin, or their vows are recorded. Therefore, they were chiseled into dark stone to be transmitted as imperishable. There are also those who quell the mind and are worthy of offerings, who are called śramaṇas; some are referred to as 'sacks of wisdom', or termed 'seal-handed'. The High Seat claimed renown, attending the seat of the teacher and preceptor; Daolin was held in high esteem, accompanying the seat of the flying dragon. The worthies of Emei and Mount Lu, the philosophers of Yezhong and Wandeng—radiantly recorded in the historical annals, they can be known in detail. Therefore, the rise of stele inscriptions has long been revered here. Now, generations change rapidly, and the principles of discussing literature are not singular; temporal affairs shift, and the forms of composing prose may vary. Yet verbosity harms the strength, while hastiness regrets the omission. Preserving embellishment loses the substance; adhering to plainness lacks flavor. In some cases, although the citation of events is broad, the intention remains the same; in others, although the new idea is novel, there is nothing upon which it relies. In some, beginning and end are smooth yet the events seem forced and strained; in others, front and back range widely yet the stylistic structure is unrefined. To be able to make it alluring without being ornate, plain without being rustic, extensive without being verbose, concise without being hasty, refined yet possessing substance, and brief yet able to be polished—the events turn with the intent, and the principle deepens following the words. This is what is meant by having no flaw in the refined essence! From my youth I was fond of small-scale literary craftsmanship, and as I grew older I became even more dedicated to it. Wandering my mind through Buddhist scriptures, I cast my eyes over the forest of words. Recently I gathered materials, harboring the thought of authorship. Comparing it to the dharma-ocean, it does not yield to the billows; it is also like Mount Sumeru, returning all to the same color. Therefore, I do not choose between high and low, but endorse solely based on capability; if anything is not yet detailed, I supplement it accordingly. It is named *Forest of the Collection of Stele Inscriptions for Buddhist Texts*, in a total of thirty fascicles. May gentlemen of the future perhaps find something to aid their contemplation therein.