廣弘明集 9.18

9.18

Furthermore, on examining the Lingbao zuigen pin, it says: 'The Grand High Lord of the Dao bowed to the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning and inquired about the ten virtues and other teachings. Thereupon the Heavenly Worthy commanded that the divine immortals be summoned, and each expounded causes and conditions. Those who attained the Way, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, had already become Tathāgatas, and those who had not yet achieved it were also like the sands of the Ganges.' Furthermore, the Yuanshi zhuan says: 'Heaven stands opposed to hell; the virtuous ascend to heaven, and the evil enter the earth.' If we judge by this doctrine, reason does not support it. Why? The Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning, the Grand High Lord of the Dao, and all the heavenly spirits and humans all had the condensation of the spontaneous, clear primordial qi as the basis of their transformation, and were not accomplished through cultivating the precepts. Since they were originally not accomplished through upholding precepts, how could they make me alone practice virtuous dharmas in the hope of attaining it?