廣弘明集 25.11

25.11

武皇容其小辯。朝輔任其放言。乃下詔問僧曰。棄父母之鬚髮。去君臣之章服。利在何門之中。益在何情之外。損益二宜請動妙釋。有濟法寺沙門襄陽釋法琳。憤激傅詞側聽機候。承有斯問即陳對曰。琳聞至道絕言豈九流能辯。法身無象非十翼所詮。但四趣茫茫飄淪慾海。三界蠢蠢顛墜邪山。諸子迷以自焚。凡夫溺而不出。至人所以降靈。大聖為之興世。遂開解脫之門。示以安隱之路。於是天竺王種辭恩愛而出家。東夏貴遊厭榮華而入道。誓出二種生死。志求一妙涅槃。弘善以報四恩。立德以資三有。此其利益也。毀形以成其志。故棄鬚髮美容。變俗以會其道。故去君臣華服。雖形闕奉親而內懷其孝。禮乖事主而心戢其恩。澤被怨親以成大順。福霑幽顯豈拘小違。上智之人。依佛語故為益。下凡之類。虧聖教故為損。懲惡則濫者自新。進善則通人感化。此其大略也。

Emperor Gaozu tolerated his petty eloquence, and the court ministers allowed him free speech. He then issued an edict questioning the monks, saying: 'Discarding the hair and beard given by parents, and abandoning the robes and emblems of sovereign and subject—within what gate does the profit lie? Outside what sentiment is the benefit found? Regarding the appropriateness of both harm and benefit, we invite wonderful explanations.' At that time, the śramaṇa Shi Falin of Xiangyang, residing at Jifa Temple, was indignant at Fu Yi’s words and lay in wait for an opportunity. Hearing of this inquiry, he immediately submitted a response, saying: 'Lalin has heard that the Ultimate Way transcends words—how could the nine schools dispute it? The Dharma-body has no image—it is not what the Ten Wings can explain. It is merely that beings drift blindly in the four destinies and sink in the ocean of desire; they stumble erratically in the three realms and fall down the mountain of heterodoxy. The children are deluded and burn themselves; ordinary people drown and cannot emerge. It is for this reason that the Ultimate Person descended his spirit, and the Great Sage arose in the world, subsequently opening the gate of liberation and showing the road of peaceful security. Thereupon, the royal lineages of India renounced affection and left the household, while the noble elites of the Eastern Xia grew weary of glory and entered the Way, vowing to transcend the two kinds of birth and death and aspiring to attain the one wondrous nirvāṇa; propagating goodness to repay the four debts of gratitude, and establishing virtue to assist beings in the three realms of existence. This is its benefit. They alter their appearance to fulfill their resolve, and thus discard the beard, hair, and handsome countenance; they change worldly customs to accord with their Way, and thus cast off the splendid robes of sovereign and subject. Although in form they neglect serving their parents, inwardly they cherish filial piety; although in etiquette they depart from serving their lord, in their hearts they harbor his benevolence. Their grace extends to enemies and kin alike, achieving great compliance; their blessings moisten the unseen and the manifest—how could they be bound by minor infractions? For people of superior wisdom, because they rely on the Buddha’s words, it is a benefit; for the class of lowly ordinary people, because they fall short of the sacred teachings, it is a harm. Chastising evil, the corrupt will renew themselves; promoting good, men of understanding will be transformed. This is its general outline.'