廣弘明集 8.57

8.57

Question: Sūtras state that the kalpas since Śākyamuni attained Buddhahood are as numerous as dust motes: sometimes manifesting as the ancestor of Confucian scholars, sometimes as the state preceptor and Daoist master. Thus we know that the Buddha and the Way correspond silently like matching tallies. Furthermore, the Scripture of Pure Dharma Practice states that the Buddha sent three disciples to Cīnasthāna to convert people: Bodhisattva Mānavaka is there called Confucius, Bodhisattva Prabhāpāla is there called Yan Yuan, and Mahākāśyapa is there called Laozi. Sir, your discriminating their differences seems somewhat biased.