廣弘明集 11.98

11.98

We reply: In accordance with the above discussion, the former sages of this land also cannot be broadly promoted. As for Confucius: born in the time of King Ling of Zhou and dying in the time of King Jing, he was in the world for over seventy years. Since he was a sage, he should surely have been able to rectify and assist the rulers of his time; why is it that in fourteen years he traveled through seventy states, had his tree felled in Song, had his traces eradicated in Wei, ran out of provisions in Chen, had to avoid the murder by Huan Tui, and felt ashamed at being called a stray dog? Although he offered his services to the feudal lords, none could employ him. In the era of the Spring and Autumn, the Way of Wen and Wu declined, rulers were benighted and ministers treacherous, and rites collapsed and music decayed. At that time there was no Buddha; why did insubordination and chaos multiply all the more, and usurpation and murder arise? Confucius had to be gentle and comply with the times, hesitating and evading calamity; though he preserved his wife and children, he ended his life in hardship and misfortune. Sometimes he uttered the words of the bitter gourd, or voiced the sigh over the flowing river; yet he spoke submissively to the Ji family and lamented that the phoenix did not come and the River produced no chart. When the unicorn was captured in the western hunt, he turned back his sleeves, wiped his face, and said: 'My Way is exhausted!' Although he had three thousand disciples and edited the Odes and established the Rites, he also grieved that he would pass from the world without his name being praised: 'How shall I be known to later generations?' He suffered the insult of Robber Zhi and received the ridicule of the old man. Judging by this comparison, it is quite obvious. If it is considered of no benefit to the world, the two sages Confucius and Laozi also suffered from this. Why do you dull your wooden tongue and not set forth an impeachment against them?