廣弘明集 5.31

5.31

Sun Sheng says: If there are benevolence and sagehood, there must be the virtue of benevolence and sagehood. If one leaves traces of these and does not venerate them, how can molding and instruction blend together? If benevolence and righteousness are not esteemed, then the way of filial piety and compassion is lost. Laozi already spoke of abandoning sagehood, yet in every chapter he praises the sage. Since he praises the sage, how can his traces be abandoned? If what he wished to abandon were the traces of Yao, Shun, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius, then as for the sage he praised, what sage's traces were they? If it is as he said, among sages there are those whose traces ought to be obliterated, and those whose traces ought to be praised. Praising and obliterating being inconsistent, whom should we follow?