廣弘明集 24.33

24.33

and responds: Your servant has heard that the Way of Heaven, human nature, and destiny are matters of which the sages did not speak, because their principle transcends pursuit and is difficult to designate. Boyang's discourse on the Dao and its Virtue, and Zhuang Zhou's purport of wandering at ease—one may still grasp the meaning through their surviving words. As for jade slips and golden writings, divine scriptures and secret records, the marvels of the three corpses and the ninefold transmutations, the wonders of crimson snow and mysterious frost, the Prince of Huainan attaining the Way with dogs barking in the clouds, or Wang Qiao attaining immortality with swords flying into heaven—these are all baseless fables and tall tales of dates from the sea. Seeking them is like tethering the wind; studying them is like chasing a shadow. Yet the lords of Yan and Qi, the First Emperor of Qin, and Emperor Wu of Han trusted those recipe-masters and hoped to meet their immortals. Xu Fu departed and never returned; Luan Da went forth and gained nothing. They still claimed that ascending to the clouds and casting inverted shadows could be attained in the clap of a hand, and that sacrificing to ghosts and praying to spirits might perhaps prevent death. Yet once the river jade was returned, [the Qin emperor] still entered the tomb at Mount Li; and although the dragon-steeds arrived, [the Han emperor] ultimately descended into the tumulus at Maoling. Thus we know that Liu Xiang's belief in the Hongbao texts left him with lingering blame after death, whereas Wang Chong's criticism of the Yellow Emperor was truly imperishable. Furthermore, since the later generations, the Buddhist teachings have been largely preserved: scriptures have been copied from the Western Regions, and images painted in the Southern Palace. The ink-colored earth of Lake Kunming was taken as ashes from the kalpa-conflagration; the bright night recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals was regarded as the day the divine spirit descended. The Dharma King is sovereign, with infinite transformations, placing worlds into a speck of dust, and containing Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed. Yet the principle is fundamentally empty and non-existent, manifesting various skillful means. However, deceitful and vain folk illicitly seek to leave the household. The Medicine King burned his body, and Sadāprarudita shed his blood; even if one cannot do so, one should still exercise self-restraint. How can they alter their forms and shave their appearances to differ from worldly folk, yet indulge their passions and let loose their desires, returning to the likeness of common things? If the residual discourses of the Dragon Palace and the ancient words of the Deer Park were to tolerate this, the wind of the Way would fall into ruin. Prostrate, I consider that Your Majesty has received the bright mandate of Heaven, humbling yourself to deliver the people. Mountain spirits manifest their efficacy, and sea deities perform their duties; the stone swallows in Xiang fly in flocks bathing in timely rains, and the bronze crow upon the terrace turns alone facing the gentle breeze. Yet the Zhou established its capital at Luoyi while governing from Haojing; the Han resided in Xianyang while its souls returned to Feng and Pei. In the lands of Fen and Jin, the royal traces have just begun. Already weary from royal tours and toiling in strategic governance, you still deign to turn your mind to the garden of letters and weigh the hundred schools, thinking of holding jade at the Jasper Lake, longing to seek pearls in the Red Water. I humbly consider that the Queen Mother presented jade rings because she was moved by Shun's virtue; High Heaven bestowed jade pendants truly to reward Yu's achievements. The two Ma recorded speeches, and the two Ban wrote of events, yet nowhere are words of the three times to be seen, nor was the purport of the One Vehicle ever heard. Since the music of emperors and the rituals of kings have also undergone modifications with time, why should there be any doubt about purging heterodox paths and strange commoners? Your servant so-and-so respectfully responds.