廣弘明集 25.72

25.72

The treatise states: The memorials presented by the Court of Imperial Insignia and the Ministry of Personnel are indeed beautiful in diction, but how do they fare in principle? Neither considered historical precedents and both were blind to the great principles. Merely taking bending the knee as respect, they failed to realize the disaster of losing one's lips [which leaves the teeth exposed]. The internal scriptures declare that a śramaṇa bowing to secular folk diminishes the merit and lifespan of rulers and parents; to force them to prostrate themselves—why were their words so unmeasured, and why did they lightly trigger the mechanism of state? Though each spoke his mind, why did they inflict such great harm? The memorial of the Court of Imperial Insignia and others combined both the adaptable and the rigid, while the memorial of the Ministry of Personnel and others rigidly clung to a single path. If someone inquires into the merits and demerits of the two arguments, I would say that Chu went astray, but Qi was not necessarily right either. Yet combining both is only skin-deep, while rigid obstinacy reaches the marrow; therefore, the Court of Imperial Insignia was placed in the second grade, and the Ministry of Personnel was demoted to the third. As for the refined discourse of Master Fan [Xuanling], its purport was rich and its literary quality splendid; the memorial presented by the Duke of Longxi [Li Shenfu] was concise in wording and elevated in principle. Subsequently, the common people were in harmony, and the tortoise-shell and yarrow divinations agreed. Thus the heavenly favor spread downward, again exalting the beauty of aloof nobility, while in the realm of loving nurture, the benevolence of bowing and prostrating was re-established. At that time, renowned monks among the dharma companions, as well as elders from the capital and the provinces, all said: 'This accords with private sentiments, but how does it stand with violating the teachings?' Thereupon, fully setting forth scriptural passages and widely presenting memorials, from morning until evening they continuously appealed to the imperial palace. Yet the heavenly gates were remote and profound, and there was no way for their petitions to get through. Having received the edict seeking the core truth, it was difficult to decide what to accept or reject. The Book of Changes states: 'A ram butts against a hedge and entangles its horns.' When applied to the monastic assembly, is it not precisely so?