廣弘明集 23.3

23.3

The preface states: Now, in discussing the Saṅgha, the six harmonies form its essence—namely, precepts, views, benefits, and the three karmic actions. For this reason, their Dao pervades the seen and unseen, and their virtue connects with sages and worthies. In opening up matters and accomplishing affairs, their blessings extend to gods and humans; in guiding understanding of the vinaya and deportment, their transformation hangs over both emptiness and existence. All this arises from honoring the six harmonies and illuminating the triratna. Internally, they sweep away the corruption of the four Māras; externally, they overturn the banner of the eightfold pride. Thus within the boundaries of the trichiliocosm, all receive the monastic rules; through sixty thousand distant years, all follow the vocal teachings. If monks did not broadly guide them, who could raise this up? And yet the Dao traverses low and high, confronting the dire cycles of calamity; worldly dust follows faith and slander, harboring safety and peril in utilitarian ends. Men of broad understanding are not impeded by opening or suppression, while vulgar men are blocked by the praise of their era. Thus the assembly mixes the heterodox and orthodox, laying out thoroughfares that press and guide; minds embrace brightness and obscurity, displaying pathways to meet the capacity of beings. Thus we know that the companions of Pūrṇa mounted the Lesser Vehicle to gather living beings, and those of the Heavenly Heat school lodged among heterodox followers to transform beings. Striking and sounding to examine what accords with the Dao, broad illustration lies in expedient means; before awaiting majestic deportment, they preserved only freedom from attachment. If these words are complete, then one penetrates principle and practice. Yet those who do not understand arbitrarily give rise to aberrant positions. If they see deviation, their confusion and deception grow ever more severe. Not considering their own afflictions and confusions, they exclusively fear others' transgressions of etiquette. Thereupon they follow the crowd in blindly burying and exterminating them. The ordinary rank perish nursing resentment at cruelty, while the noble sages grieve that violent rebellion should be tolerated. From antiquity, emperors who ruled people looked back at the records of rise and fall, spreading wide nets that could swallow boats and enacting lenient policies of tolerance and nourishment. They propagated the benevolent breeze throughout the realm, bringing about great peace without action; they magnified the established models of monastic withdrawal and engagement, enjoying this great bounty. The rest were petty and inquisitorial, going against the adage of cooking small fish; gathering faults, they drew up strict orders like congealed fat. When calamities later arose and disasters flared, no defense could be mounted, and they wept in a corner; in an instant they collapsed into ruin, becoming the laughingstock of the world. Therefore, I have collected various administrative achievements and laid bare the worthy and wise: some resisted edicts to utter upright words; some raised discourses to deliberate with righteous arguments; some praised and revered high nobility; some harbored grief to express eulogies. This Dao can be traced, fully set forth in the sections below.