廣弘明集 5.38

5.38

Sun Sheng says: Lao Dan fully knew that the rites and music of the sages were not instruments of profound superiority, but were instituted only when there was no choice. Why then did he deliberately disparage them? Therefore, casting aside ritual and learning to preserve his thesis of natural spontaneity—did he not know that in later degenerate ages one can no longer return to the way of natural spontaneity? He merely wished to express what his own inclinations delighted in; thus he could not avoid being guided by personal preference, rather than focusing his mind on saving things. Not only did he fail to save them, but he even encouraged their shortcomings. Some may ask: Why did Zhuang and Lao make such declarations? Perhaps they form the outer and inner with the sages' teachings, and in molding things and clarifying instruction, their conclusion is one. Sheng considers this not to be so. The Way of the sages is vast and all-inclusive; like the sun and moon suspended in the sky, what do they not illuminate? The words of Laozi all emulate the Six Classics; would there still be any flaw waiting for Dan and Zhou to assist? This is what Zhuang Zhou referred to when he said: 'When the sun and moon come out, yet the torch is not extinguished.' As for his false, deceitful, bizarre, and unorthodox words, they are still confined to a single corner, yet rashly praised as extraordinary sayings outside the canon.