廣弘明集 24.33

24.33

對曰。臣聞天道性命聖人所不言。蓋以理絕涉求難為稱謂。伯陽道德之論。莊周逍遙之旨。遺言取意猶有可尋。至若玉簡金書神經祕錄。三尸九轉之奇。絳雪玄霜之異。淮南成道犬吠雲中。王喬得仙劍飛天上。皆是憑虛之說。海棗之談。求之如繫風。學之如捕影。而燕君齊后秦皇漢帝。信彼方士冀遇其真。徐福去而不歸。欒大往而無獲。猶謂升霞倒影抵掌可期。祭鬼求神庶或不死。江璧既反。還入驪山之墓。龍媒已至。終下茂陵之墳。方知劉向之信洪寶。歿有餘責王充之非黃帝。此為不朽。又末葉已來大存佛教。寫經西土畫像南宮。昆池地墨。以為劫燒之灰。春秋夜明。謂是降神之日。法王自在變化無窮。置世界於微塵。納須彌於黍米。蓋理本虛無示諸方便。而妖妄之輩苟求出家。藥王燔軀波崙灑血。假未能然猶當剋念。寧有改形易貌有異世人。恣意放情還同俗物。龍宮餘論鹿野前言。此而得容道風將墜。伏惟陛下受天明命屈己濟民。山鬼効靈海神率職湘中石燕沐時雨而群飛。臺上銅烏傃和風而獨轉。但周都洛邑治在鎬京。漢宅咸陽魂歸豐沛。汾晉之地王迹惟始。既疲遊幸且勞經略。猶復降情文苑斟酌百家。想執玉於瑤池。念求珠於赤水。竊以王母獻環由感舜德。上天賜珮實報禹功。兩馬記言二班書事。不見三世之辭。無聞一乘之旨。帝樂王禮尚有時而沿革。左道怪民亦何疑於沙汰。臣某謹對。

and responds: Your servant has heard that the Way of Heaven, human nature, and destiny are matters of which the sages did not speak, because their principle transcends pursuit and is difficult to designate. Boyang's discourse on the Dao and its Virtue, and Zhuang Zhou's purport of wandering at ease—one may still grasp the meaning through their surviving words. As for jade slips and golden writings, divine scriptures and secret records, the marvels of the three corpses and the ninefold transmutations, the wonders of crimson snow and mysterious frost, the Prince of Huainan attaining the Way with dogs barking in the clouds, or Wang Qiao attaining immortality with swords flying into heaven—these are all baseless fables and tall tales of dates from the sea. Seeking them is like tethering the wind; studying them is like chasing a shadow. Yet the lords of Yan and Qi, the First Emperor of Qin, and Emperor Wu of Han trusted those recipe-masters and hoped to meet their immortals. Xu Fu departed and never returned; Luan Da went forth and gained nothing. They still claimed that ascending to the clouds and casting inverted shadows could be attained in the clap of a hand, and that sacrificing to ghosts and praying to spirits might perhaps prevent death. Yet once the river jade was returned, [the Qin emperor] still entered the tomb at Mount Li; and although the dragon-steeds arrived, [the Han emperor] ultimately descended into the tumulus at Maoling. Thus we know that Liu Xiang's belief in the Hongbao texts left him with lingering blame after death, whereas Wang Chong's criticism of the Yellow Emperor was truly imperishable. Furthermore, since the later generations, the Buddhist teachings have been largely preserved: scriptures have been copied from the Western Regions, and images painted in the Southern Palace. The ink-colored earth of Lake Kunming was taken as ashes from the kalpa-conflagration; the bright night recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals was regarded as the day the divine spirit descended. The Dharma King is sovereign, with infinite transformations, placing worlds into a speck of dust, and containing Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed. Yet the principle is fundamentally empty and non-existent, manifesting various skillful means. However, deceitful and vain folk illicitly seek to leave the household. The Medicine King burned his body, and Sadāprarudita shed his blood; even if one cannot do so, one should still exercise self-restraint. How can they alter their forms and shave their appearances to differ from worldly folk, yet indulge their passions and let loose their desires, returning to the likeness of common things? If the residual discourses of the Dragon Palace and the ancient words of the Deer Park were to tolerate this, the wind of the Way would fall into ruin. Prostrate, I consider that Your Majesty has received the bright mandate of Heaven, humbling yourself to deliver the people. Mountain spirits manifest their efficacy, and sea deities perform their duties; the stone swallows in Xiang fly in flocks bathing in timely rains, and the bronze crow upon the terrace turns alone facing the gentle breeze. Yet the Zhou established its capital at Luoyi while governing from Haojing; the Han resided in Xianyang while its souls returned to Feng and Pei. In the lands of Fen and Jin, the royal traces have just begun. Already weary from royal tours and toiling in strategic governance, you still deign to turn your mind to the garden of letters and weigh the hundred schools, thinking of holding jade at the Jasper Lake, longing to seek pearls in the Red Water. I humbly consider that the Queen Mother presented jade rings because she was moved by Shun's virtue; High Heaven bestowed jade pendants truly to reward Yu's achievements. The two Ma recorded speeches, and the two Ban wrote of events, yet nowhere are words of the three times to be seen, nor was the purport of the One Vehicle ever heard. Since the music of emperors and the rituals of kings have also undergone modifications with time, why should there be any doubt about purging heterodox paths and strange commoners? Your servant so-and-so respectfully responds.