廣弘明集 8.57

8.57

問。經云。釋迦成佛已有塵劫之數。或為儒林之宗。或為國師道士。固知佛道冥如符契。又清淨法行經云。佛遣三弟子振旦教化。儒童菩薩彼稱孔丘。光淨菩薩彼稱顏淵。摩訶迦葉彼稱老子。先生辯異似若自私。

Question: Sūtras state that the kalpas since Śākyamuni attained Buddhahood are as numerous as dust motes: sometimes manifesting as the ancestor of Confucian scholars, sometimes as the state preceptor and Daoist master. Thus we know that the Buddha and the Way correspond silently like matching tallies. Furthermore, the Scripture of Pure Dharma Practice states that the Buddha sent three disciples to Cīnasthāna to convert people: Bodhisattva Mānavaka is there called Confucius, Bodhisattva Prabhāpāla is there called Yan Yuan, and Mahākāśyapa is there called Laozi. Sir, your discriminating their differences seems somewhat biased.