廣弘明集 12.24

12.24

The treatise says: Examining the Daoists' covenant scriptures, they first receive the ten precepts, next the eighty precepts, later the one hundred and eighty precepts, up to the three hundred great precepts, and even the three thousand deportments of sitting, rising, lying, and resting; all are said to be secret essentials not conferred recklessly on others. Examining the Upper Chapter of the Wisdom of Lingbao, at the very beginning of the ten precepts it states: 'Do not be lustful or sensual, and keep the mind free from dissoluteness.' Furthermore, the Sutra on Eliminating Delusion through Wisdom states: 'Seeing other people's wives and children, vow to escape the prison of attachment.' Daoists, having received this transmission, should by principle comply with and apply it. Yet right at the start they do not practice it, devoting themselves entirely to transgression. Why is this? Wearing kerchiefs and holding tablets, they appear to follow the scriptures; yet keeping wives and raising children, they end up breaking the precepts. This is openly practicing sensual desire without feeling any shame whatsoever. Since they willfully violate scriptural precepts, how could they have any remorse? How does this differ from chickens and sparrows mating before doorways without shame, or dogs and pigs copulating in the thoroughfares without disgrace? Drinking much salt water, they lose subtle mindfulness; indulging their six passions, they violate the ten precepts. Since the very first precept is broken and not upheld, the subsequent three thousand are in principle obsolete and useless; what application can their talismans, registers, codes, and prohibitions have? Furthermore, according to Laozi’s Scripture of the Golden Elixir and the Rules for the Perfected Morning Audience, at the sacrifices of the new and full moons, they attend the master in his private chambers, affections drawing them close, and males and females engage in intercourse. They make the four eyes and two noses correspond above and below, and the two mouths and two tongues face one another; once yin and yang join, the essential qi merges. This fulfills the rites of husband and wife and accords with the way of male and female. If one cultivates the Way with this, the Way cannot be cultivated; if one leaves home with this, how can home be left? How extreme is their inverted delusion! Furthermore, he claims that the Buddha is a cunning youth whose principles abound in clever wisdom, and Guanyin is a performer truly full of expedient marvels, unlike the Libationers who throw the court into chaos, being foolish and devoid of wisdom, or the Celestial Master stung by a serpent, having no supernatural powers. Now, pardoning prisoners and freeing convicts is the great compassion of all Buddhas; pulling beings out of suffering and eradicating harm is the supreme practice of Guanyin. When people pray for grace, they give of their own accord; it is not through deceit and seduction that wealth is sought. Repaying virtue comes from the heart; how could goods be taken through coercion? If Guanyin's compassion in delivering people from prison were merely abducting prisoners, then the Celestial Master's use of prohibitions to kill his enemies should be considered executing soldiers. Yet when the Buddha sees good, he encourages it; when he hears of evil, he pities it. His compassion is impartial, treating foes and friends alike. Laozi also said: 'Those who are good I treat with goodness; those who are not good I also treat with goodness.' This is unlike the Celestial Master, who serves the Five Generals, the Three Spirits, the Four Directors, and the Nine Bureaus, receiving the methods of cursing and casting spells, and practicing talismans of prohibition and exorcism, causing those he resents to become demented and lose their minds, and making those he hates terrified and lose their lives. These are truly evil spirits of the mundane world and killer demons of the human realm! In my humble view, today's Daoists' 'smearing with charcoal', 'uniting qi', forbidden spells, and chapter talismans are none of them the correct words of Laozi; they are merely the heterodox methods of Zhang Ling, which bewitch with demonic delusion and deceit, harming the state and injuring the people. I request that they be strictly prohibited and their evil falsities put to an end.