廣弘明集 15.3

15.3

The Preface states: Now, because the benighted world causes obstruction, we depend on a sublime master of the boat. The greatest of masters is what is called a king. Therefore, 'a king (wang) is one to whom all go (wang)', just as all rivers pay court to the sea. The king takes his title by comparison with this. However, to speak generally of kings, in terms of conditions there are many, but dividing them between matters and principle, in summary there are only two. The first is called attending to matters; the second is called understanding principle. Thus, the kings who attend to matters are human kings and heavenly kings. Their guidance is carried out in matters, and matters end with the physical form. While the physical form exists, their transformation is carried out; when the physical form perishes, their transformation ceases. This reckons with the outer body and does not contemplate the inner consciousness. Hence, their teaching is termed the 'external teaching'. Second, those who understand principle are the Dharma kings and Awakened Buddhas. Their guidance is carried out in principle, and principle resides in the mind. While the mind exists, their transformation is carried out; when conceptual thoughts are extinguished, the objective realm ceases. This examines the mind within and does not cling to external realms. Hence, their teaching is termed the 'inner teaching'. Therefore, by nurturing the body one preserves life, and generation succeeds generation without end; by renouncing life one removes the emotions, and when emotions perish, illumination is tranquil. This results in the teachings of preserving the physical form being identical in etiquette across ten thousand realms, while the arts of training the mind are uniform among a thousand sages. Thus, the two teachings, worldly and Buddhist, involve entering and emerging, ascending and sinking. The worldly enters into existence and sinks the physical form, and the six realms of rebirth are perpetuated thereby. The Buddhist emerges into emptiness and ascends in stage, and the three sages have flourished from this. Since the true path flowed east, for more than six hundred years, the ranks of those who have shed delusion and followed faith have been more than one. Solitary tyrants who gave rein to cruelty and buried monks or smashed statues occurred two or three times; but enlightened sovereigns who revered the Way and erected temples and stūpas were also numerous. As for the King of Wu examining the Buddha's sagehood and understanding that to which devas and humans turn, or the Ruler of Song describing the Buddha's virtues and making plain the veneration of the court's worthies—the other benighted matters are too numerous to recount. Therefore, I introduce the auspicious signs of manifested traces, and further relate the magnificent virtues extolled in eulogies and compositions. If one examines them according to their categories, will they not illuminate the nature of the mind?