廣弘明集 29.41

29.41

有弈葉公子者。聯蟬七代冠組相望服多素紈黼衣繡裳。負長劍而耿耿。佩鳴玉而鏘鏘。時遊稷下或客於梁。聞英雄而豹變。聽利害以龍驤。乃動朱履而馳寶馬。振玉勒而曜金。羈之無為先生之門。曰。先生智德光融。嵩華無得以方其峻。道義清遠。溟海不足以喻其深。無學不窺。無事不達。容儀閑靜言笑溫雅。至如釋迦三藏之典。李君道德之書。宣尼六藝之文。百氏兼該之術。靡不詳其津要而採摭沖玄。煥乎若覩於鏡中。炳乎若明於掌內。余聞天地之大德曰生。何以聚人曰財。是故老𣆀以為柱史。莊周以為園吏。東方持戟而不倦。尼父執鞭而不恥。實萬古之師範。一時之高士。先生嘉遁卷迹養德不仕。乃列子之所待。非通天下之至理。雖江海以為榮。實縉紳之所鄙。先生攸爾而笑而應之曰。富之與貴誰不欲哉。乃運而不通也。夫忠孝者國家之急務也。申生伍員不得志也。懷道抱德玄風之所尚。楊雄東方其職未高也。其大學者不過儒墨。亦栖栖遑遑多有不遂也。子所引之士者。情雖欲之志不行也。憂喜不移其情。故可為道者也。過此已往焉足言哉。吾聞大人降迹。廣樹慈悲。破生死之樊籠。登涅槃之彼岸。闡三乘以誘物。去一相以歸真。有智者不見其去來。有心者莫知其終始。使得湛然常住永絕殊塗。無變無遷。長祛百慮恬然養神。以安志為業。故使自天祐之。吉無不利。舒卷隨取進退自然。遁逸無悶幽居永貞。亦何榮乎。亦何鄙乎。子其得之。吾何失之。塵內方外於是乎著。公子恧然而有慚德。逡巡而退。

There was a noble scion of an illustrious lineage, whose family for seven continuous generations saw caps and ribbons succeeding one another. He wore mostly plain silk, patterned robes, and embroidered skirts; he carried a long sword that shone brightly, and wore clinking jade pendants that rang crisply. At times he wandered through Jixia, or lodged as a guest in Liang. Hearing of heroes, he changed like a leopard; listening to gains and harms, he soared like a dragon. Thereupon, moving his vermilion shoes and galloping his treasured steed, shaking his jade bridle and flashing his gold [trappings], he arrived at the gate of Master Wūwéi (Master of Non-action). He said:

“Master, your wisdom and virtue shine bright and vast; Mount Song and Mount Hua cannot match your height. Your Way and righteousness are pure and far-reaching; the vast ocean is not enough to illustrate your depth. There is no learning into which you have not looked; there is no matter that you have not comprehended. Your demeanor is tranquil, and your speech and smile are gentle and refined. As for the canonical texts of Śākya’s Tripiṭaka, the Book of the Way and Virtue by Lord Li, the writings of the Six Arts by Xuan Ni [Confucius], and the all-encompassing arts of the hundred schools—there are none whose essential points you have not examined in detail, gathering their profound mysteries. It is as clear as gazing into a mirror, as luminous as seeing into the palm of one's hand.

“I have heard that the great virtue of Heaven and Earth is called life; what gathers people together is called wealth. For this reason, Lao Dan served as an archivist, and Zhuang Zhou served as an official of the lacquer garden; Dongfang [Shuo] bore the halberd without growing weary, and Father Ni [Confucius] held the whip without feeling ashamed. They were truly models for ten thousand generations, the lofty scholars of their day. Yet you, Master, happily retreat into seclusion, curling away your traces to cultivate virtue without holding office. This is only what Liezi expected; it is not the ultimate principle that penetrates throughout the world. Though the rivers and seas may consider this glorious, it is truly despised by the nobility.”

Quietly smiling, the Master replied to him, saying:

“Wealth and nobility—who does not desire them? It is just that fate has not opened the way. Now, loyalty and filial piety are the urgent concerns of a state, yet Shen Sheng and Wu Yuan did not fulfill their ambitions. Cherishing the Way and embracing virtue are what the profound tradition values, yet the offices of Yang Xiong and Dongfang [Shuo] were never high. The great among scholars do not go beyond the Confucians and Mohists, yet they, too, hurried about anxiously, encountering many frustrations. As for the gentlemen you have cited: though their sentiments may have desired it, their intentions were not carried out. Since sorrow and joy did not sway their feelings, they could truly be followers of the Way. Beyond this, what more is there to say?

“I have heard that the Great Man descends with traces, broadly establishing loving-kindness and compassion, shattering the cage of birth and death, and ascending to the other shore of nirvāṇa. He expounds the three vehicles to guide sentient beings, abandoning singular characteristics to return to truth. Those with wisdom do not see his coming or going; those with a mind cannot know his end or beginning. He causes them to abide permanently in deep stillness, cutting off divergent paths forever. Free of transformation and shift, permanently dispelling the hundred anxieties, serenely nourishing the spirit, taking peace of will as his pursuit. Thus, Heaven blesses him from above: all is auspicious, with nothing disadvantageous. Expanding or rolling up at will, advancing and retreating naturally; withdrawing into seclusion without regrets, dwelling in hidden quietude with enduring rectitude. What is there to consider glorious? What is there to despise? If you have gained something, what have I lost?”

Thus the boundary between the inner dust [of the world] and that beyond the square was made clear. The young noble was abashed, filled with shame, and hesitatingly withdrew.