廣弘明集 3.20

3.20

Ordinary people are deluded and blind, not seeing the future; hence they say that that life and this life are not of the same substance. If they had the divine eye to perceive that each thought perishes in succession and life after life is unbroken, how could they not be terrified? Furthermore, when a gentleman dwells in the world, what he values is being able to restrain himself, return to propriety, rescue the times, and benefit things. One who governs a family desires the blessing of the entire household; one who governs a state desires the excellence of the entire country. What intimacy do servants, handmaids, ministers, and commoners ultimately have with one's own person, that one should labor and toil to cultivate virtue on their behalf? If that were so, Yao, Shun, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius also fruitlessly missed out on joy and pleasure. When one person cultivates the Way, how many living beings are ferried across? How many burdens of guilt throughout lifetimes are escaped? Please consider this thoroughly.