廣弘明集 21.19

21.19

Sengqian of Lingen Temple inquired: "If 'supreme' takes having no peer as its meaning, this is a name of praise. The ultimate's being free from the conventional should also be a name of praise."
The imperial decree answered: "This essence itself is true; one cannot speak of praise. Since supreme-meaning truth additionally establishes a laudatory name, it is therefore praise."
[Sengqian] also inquired: "Since 'none excels me' can be called praise, my essence being identical to the true—why is that not praise?"
The imperial decree answered: "'None excels me' is why it can be called praise. My essence being identical to the true is also my being true; hence it is not praise."
[Sengqian] also inquired: "'I have no peer' is why it can be called praise. 'I am not unreal'—how can that not be praise?"
The imperial decree answered: "'Not unreal' and 'true' are names for the essence itself. It is like when a person understands a meaning, one calls it 'understanding the meaning'; it is just sufficient to designate its actual essence. How could it constitute praise?"
[Sengqian] also inquired: "Nothing can surpass this dharma: how is that not praise?"
The imperial decree answered: "Since one says 'nothing surpasses it', how could it not be praise?"