集古今佛道論衡 4.16

4.16

顯慶五年八月十八日　勅召僧靜泰道士李榮在洛宮中　帝問僧曰。老子化胡經述化胡事。其事如何。可備詳其由緒。靜泰奏言。詳夫皇王盛事其跡不同。或闢明堂以待賢。或臨衢室而問下。或賦清文於柏殿。或延雅論於蓬山。並驅名教之場。未踐真玄之肆。豈若我皇德靜兩儀道清八表。巖廊多暇二教融襟。控方外之輪。高昇慧日。理域中之躅。暢引玄風。爰詔緇黃對揚賓主。但靜泰編學謏聞。雕氷鑄木肅承旒宁斧鉞交襟　聖旨問道士化胡經云。老子化胡為佛。此事如何。靜泰奏言。老子二篇莊生內外。或以虛無為主。或以自然為宗。固與佛教有殊。然是一家恬素。降茲以外制自下愚。靈寶創起。張陵吳時始盛。上清肇端。葛氏齊代方行。亦有鮑靜。謬作三皇被誅。具明晉史。大唐貞觀之際。下　詔普焚此化胡經者。泰據晉代雜錄及裴子野高僧傳。皆云。道士王浮與沙門帛祖對論每屈。浮遂取漢書西域傳。擬為化胡經。搜神記幽明錄等。亦云。王浮造偽之過。道士李榮云。靜泰無知浪為援引。榮據化胡經云。老子化胡為佛。又老子序云。西適流沙。此即化胡之事顯矣。靜泰奏言。李榮重引化胡。靜泰前已指偽。縱令此經實錄。由須歸佛大師化胡經中。老子云。我師釋迦文。善入於泥洹。又榮引老子經序。竟無西邁流沙之論。但云。尹喜謂老子曰。將隱乎據。榮對　詔不實。請付嚴科。又莊子云。老聃死秦失弔之。又西京雜記云。老子葬於槐里。此並典誥良證。又道士諸經唯有莊老。餘皆偽誑。偷竊佛教安置縱橫。首尾蹈機進退惟咎。假令榮經改無歸佛之語。陛下祕閣亦有道經。請對三觀學士以定是非。即源真謬。李榮云。道人亦浪譯經。據白馬將經唯有四十二章。餘者並是道人偽作。近亦有玄奘。浪翻經論。靜泰奏言。李榮苟事往來。莫知史籍據。騰蘭初至此地大譯諸經。其後支迦樓之徒。康僧會之輩。曇摩提之屬。鳩摩羅之流。翻譯皆有年月。詳諸國史。亦有俗士聶承遠謝靈運等。皆翻譯。備詳群錄。豈比汝之偽經。或云。朱鳥咮銜。或道青烏吻噬。終散失於龍漢。卒改易於赤明。並涉憑虛未聞崇有。又榮所云。近有玄奘亦浪翻經。竊謂不可據。玄奘久遊五印妙盡梵言。考之風雅理無倫奪。又玄奘所譯契我聖朝。藻二帝之天文。煥兩　皇之宸照。無知祭酒輒事毀譽。案榮之罪已合萬死。李榮奏云。老釋二教並是聖言。非榮靜泰即能陳述。靜泰奏言。榮自不能。泰即能矣。李榮重云。榮據道劫經云。道生於佛。佛還小道化胡之事。斷亦不虛。靜泰奏言。道士語稱檀越。已竊僧言。經引劫文還偷梵語。蹶角受化尚戴黃巾。既漸佛風不披緇服。食我桑椹不見好音。人之無良胡不遄死。劫是梵語豈是道言。邊境有人其名竊矣。李榮云。大道空同。何佛何道。靜泰奏言。李榮體中無物。固是空同。李榮自云。可無糞屎耶。靜泰奏言　聖人之側。帝者之前。用鄙俚為樞機。將委巷為雅論。古人請尚方馬劍。今時可拂彼驢頭。刑於可刑。仁固仁矣。李榮云。我莊子曰。道在糞屎。靜泰曰。汝道在糞屎。此據縱下而言。汝道本清虛。何不據極上而說。又責榮云。汝面對宸極而云。我莊子耶。李榮曰。汝經中亦云。如是我聞。阿難亦復稱我。我亦何妨。靜泰曰。經云。如是我聞結集之語。又阿難無我。假言我我。汝我未除。不得我我。又阿難稱我。以對後人。爾今稱我。親承嚴　扆此而不類何以逃辜。李榮辭窮。遂嘲云。靜泰語莫慞惶。我未發汝剩揚。靜泰云。李榮烏黮。何異蛣𧏙。先師米賊。汝亦不良。李榮遂云。汝頭似瓠蘆等語云。靜泰奏言。此對旒冕宜應雅論。幸許劇談。敢欲間作。亦請嘲李榮頭　聖旨便曰。可令連脚嘲。泰曰。李榮道士。額前垂髮已比羊頭。口上生鬚還同鹿尾。纔堪按酒未足論文。更事相嘲一何孟浪。泰又奏言。向承　聖旨。令連脚嘲。便曰。李榮腰長。即貌而述。屢申駝項亟蹙蛇腰。舉手乍奮驢蹄。動脚時搖鶴膝。李榮頻被嘲急不覺云。靜泰不長不短。靜泰奏云。靜泰加之一分則太長　李榮云。向共相嘲。便誦洛神之賦。靜泰云。此關宋玉之語。未涉陳王之詞。義屈言窮周慞迷妄。李榮是蜀郡詞人。泰是洛陽才子。榮云。賈生已死才子何關。靜泰奏云。嚴楊不嗣江漢靈衰。榮為蜀郡詞人。一何自枉　李榮無詞。又轉語云。箇是靈衰那得靈輝。靜泰云。夷歌嬥曲自謂成章。鳥韻左言用閑音賞。李榮又轉語云。何意喚我為李王。因言。大唐天子。故是李王。靜泰云。汝此語為自屬耶為屬帝耶。如其自屬。爾是何人。如其屬帝。言王非帝　李榮云。我經云。域中有四大王居一焉。言王何過。靜泰云。管子曰。明一者皇。察道者帝。通德者王。汝言域中有四大者。汝教自淺。汝復不閑。以帝為王。汝過之極。李榮既急不覺直云。靜泰言是。靜泰奏言。李榮既稱泰是。伏乞宸鑒　李榮又轉語云。大道老君　皇帝所尚。何物綠精胡子剃髮小兒。起自西戎而亂東夏。靜泰云。如來出現彼處為天中。我　皇御㝢此間為地正。佛法有囑委以　皇王。有感必通何論彼此。若限以華裔。恐子自弊於杜郵。老是楚人。未知何地。又榮向云。綠精胡子。自是葱嶺已東李仲卿之鄙辭。亦無關於佛事。雖然無言不酬。請商略汝家之穢法。無知鬼卒可笑顛狂。或灰獄圍身。或牛糞塗體。或背擎水器。或脊負楊枝。或解髮却拘，或交繩反繫。以廁溷而為神主。將井竈而作靈師。自臣奴僕之辭。又引頑愚之稱。醮祭多陳酒脯。求恩唯索金銀。禮天曹而請福。拜北斗而祈壽。淫祀之黨充斥未亡。衒惑之徒罝罔綱紀。加又扣頭搏頰銜板纏緋。三點九閟之方。丹門玉柱之術。既無慚於父子。寧有愧於弟兄。並是汝天師之法。豈非汝之教耶。李榮不覺云是。靜泰云。李榮既屢云泰是。如何不伏重乞宸鑒　李榮又奏云。靜泰所言榮疑宿構。請共嘲燭。即是臨機之能。靜泰奏言。泰雖無德言若成誦。又語李榮云。汝欲嘲燭汝宿構耶。燭與李榮無情。是同燭明勝汝。李榮奏言。道之與佛非榮泰等之所言。委時又請休。靜泰奏言。李榮知難而退。重乞天鑒。夜久更闌恐疲　聖旨。帝令休榮遂走下基云去也。于時靜泰脚痹未行。少選停立。泰自奏言。靜泰先患風痹　帝令人扶之。榮於堦下云。靜泰已死。兩人扶侍。泰云。帝者之前理須戰慄。辭而復語一何失敬也。明日帝令給事王君德責李榮曰。汝比共長安僧等論激連環不絕。何意共僧靜泰論義。四度無答。李榮事急報云。若不如此恐陛下不樂。由是失厝。令還梓州。形色摧恧聲譽頓折。道士之望唯指於榮。既其對論失言。舉宗落采　泰本洛陽人。素有遠識之量。雖略通玄理而以才辯見知　上幸東都多營法祀。晝覽萬機夜通論道。禮誦餘暇偏重義宗。道士李榮老宗魁首。恃其管見親預徵延。屢遭勍敵仍參勝席。故泰為眾樂推登鋒奮擊挫拉若摧枯。潛聲如舌結面陳。泰是斯即心伏魂飛。況對天顏褒貶足稱畫一。此則千載之龜鏡也。初以言辯見知。具問才術。東臺侍郎上官儀云。又能賦詩　上令作之。應命便上　帝重之。欲令觀國登庸。問欲還俗不。須何等官。泰答。夙昔素心常懷出俗。遠同法王之棄俗。近喻巢許之解網。俗榮非其所慕。伏願不虧發趾之心　上大幸之。便。

On the eighteenth day of the eighth month of the fifth year of the Xianqing era (660 CE), an imperial decree summoned the monk Jingtai and the Daoist priest Li Rong into the palace at Luoyang. The Emperor asked the monk, 'The Laozi huahu jing narrates the affair of converting the barbarians. How is that affair? Set out its origin and development in full detail.' Jingtai memorialised, 'Examining the glorious deeds of august sovereigns, their traces are manifold: some opened the Mingtang to await the worthy; some visited the Qushi to consult their inferiors; some composed pure verse in the Cypress Hall; some welcomed elegant discussions at Mount Peng. Yet all these merely raced within the arena of the moral teachings of names, never treading the marketplace of the true mystery. How could that compare to our Emperor, whose virtue calms the two primal forces and whose Dao purifies the eight extremes? With ample leisure in the high galleries, his mind synthesises the two teachings; guiding the wheels beyond the world, he raises high the sun of wisdom; governing the footsteps within the realm, he smoothly introduces the mysterious breeze. Thus he decreed that the black-robed and the yellow-capped debate as host and guest. But I, Jingtai, have narrow studies and petty knowledge, like carving ice or casting wood. Respectfully facing the imperial tassel and screens, with axes in attendance, my chest is filled [with awe]. The sacred intention asks about the Daoist Huahu jing's statement that Laozi converted the barbarians into Buddhists: how is this matter?' Jingtai memorialised, 'Laozi's two sections and Zhuangzi's inner and outer chapters take non-being as their master or naturalness as their ancestor. They certainly differ from Buddhist teaching, yet they represent one school of tranquillity and simplicity. Anything beneath this was fabricated by the base and foolish. The Numinous Treasure arose first, and Zhang Ling flourished only during the Wu era; the Shangqing began, and the Ge family only propagated it in the Qi dynasty. There was also Bao Jing, who falsely composed the Sanhuang [jing] and was executed, as is clearly set forth in the Jin history. In our Great Tang, during the Zhenguan era, an imperial edict ordered the universal burning of this Huahu jing. According to Jin-dynasty miscellaneous records and Pei Ziye's Gaoseng zhuan, whenever the Daoist priest Wang Fu debated with the śramaṇa Bai Zu, he was repeatedly bested; Fu then took the 'Treatise on the Western Regions' from the Book of Han and concocted the Huahu jing. Works like the Soushen ji and Youming lu also record the transgression of Wang Fu's forgery.' The Daoist priest Li Rong said, 'Jingtai is ignorant and quotes wildly! I rely on the Huahu jing, which says: "Laozi converted the barbarians into Buddhists." Furthermore, the preface to Laozi says: "He went west to the shifting sands." This makes the matter of converting the barbarians evident!' Jingtai memorialised, 'Li Rong again quotes the Huahu [jing], which I have already pointed out as a forgery. Even if this scripture were a factual record, it would still require taking refuge in the Buddha, the Great Master. In the Huahu jing, Laozi says: "My master is Śākyamuni; he has skilfully entered nirvāṇa." Moreover, Rong cited the preface to Laozi's scripture, which contains no statement whatsoever about "going west to the shifting sands"; it merely says: "Yin Xi said to Laozi: 'Are you about to go into seclusion?'" Based on this, Rong has responded to the imperial decree with falsehoods; I request that he be handed over to strict penalties. Furthermore, the Zhuangzi says: "Lao Dan died, and Qin Shi mourned him." Moreover, the Xijing zaji says: "Laozi was buried in Huaili." These are all solid proofs from classics and histories. Furthermore, among the various scriptures of the Daoists, there are only Zhuangzi and Laozi; all the rest are forgeries and deceits, stealing Buddhist teachings and arranging them criss-cross, caught in a trap from head to tail, finding fault whether advancing or retreating. Even supposing Rong's scripture were altered to remove the words about taking refuge in the Buddha, Your Majesty's Secret Archives also contain Daoist scriptures: I request to confront him before the scholars of the Three Institutes to determine truth from falsehood, so that the true source and the error will be plain.' Li Rong said, 'You monks also translated scriptures wildly! According to the scriptures brought to the Baima [Temple], there was only the Sūtra of Forty-two Sections; all the rest were forged by monks. Recently, Xuanzang has also wildly translated scriptures and treatises.' Jingtai memorialised, 'Li Rong merely engages in empty back-and-forth, knowing nothing of historical records. When Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna first arrived in this land, they translated various scriptures on a grand scale. Thereafter, those of Zhi Qian's company, Kang Senghui's circle, Dharmarakṣa's group, and Kumārajīva's stream all had specific years and months for their translations, as detailed in the various national histories. There were also lay scholars such as Nie Chengyuan and Xie Lingyun who assisted in the translations, all fully detailed in the various catalogues. How can these compare to your forged scriptures? Some claim they were borne in the beak of a vermilion bird; some say a green bird bit them in its mouth; in the end they were scattered and lost in the Longhan era, and finally altered in the Chiming era—all relying on thin air, with no record of their actual existence. Furthermore, as for Rong's statement that "recently Xuanzang has also wildly translated scriptures", I consider it utterly baseless. Xuanzang travelled long in the Five Indias, wonderfully mastering the Sanskrit tongue; evaluated against classical elegance and reason, he is peerless. Moreover, Xuanzang's translations accord with our sage court: they embellish the celestial writings of the two emperors and radiate with the imperial illumination of both sovereigns! An ignorant libationer abruptly engages in slander and praise: according to Rong's crime, he deserves ten thousand deaths!' Li Rong memorialised, 'The two teachings of Laozi and Śākya are both sage words. Neither Rong nor Jingtai can adequately express them.' Jingtai memorialised, 'Rong himself cannot; but I, Jingtai, can.' Li Rong spoke again, 'I rely on the Daoist Daojie jing, which says: "The Dao gave birth to the Buddha; the Buddha is smaller than the Dao." The matter of converting the barbarians is definitely not false.' Jingtai memorialised, 'When Daoist priests use the term "dānapati" (dan-yue), you have already stolen a Buddhist term. In citing the term "kalpa" in your scriptures, you have likewise stolen a Sanskrit word. Prostrating yourselves to receive conversion, you still wear yellow turbans; having already been steeped in the Buddhist breeze, you still do not put on black robes. "Eating our mulberries, yet giving no sweet song." "If a person is devoid of good, why not die quickly?" Kalpa is a Sanskrit word; how could it be Daoist? "There is a person on the border whose name is Thief!"' Li Rong said, 'The Great Dao is chaotic and undifferentiated: what Buddha, what Dao can there be?' Jingtai memorialised, 'Li Rong has nothing inside him, so of course he is empty and undifferentiated.' Li Rong himself said, 'Can you be without dung and filth?' Jingtai memorialised, 'Beside a sage and before an emperor, to use vulgarities as his pivot and bring the talk of alleys into refined discourse! The ancients asked for the Shangfang horse-slashing sword; today one could brush off that donkey's head. "Punishing those who should be punished"—benevolence is indeed benevolent!' Li Rong said, 'My Zhuangzi says: "The Dao is in dung and filth."' Jingtai said, 'Your Dao is in dung and filth—that is said from the lowest perspective! Your Dao is originally pure and empty; why do you not speak from the highest extreme?' He also reprimanded Rong, saying: 'Facing the imperial presence, do you say "my Zhuangzi"?' Li Rong said, 'Your scriptures also say: "Thus have I heard." Ānanda also referred to himself as "I"! What harm is there in my doing so?' Jingtai said, 'The scripture's "Thus have I heard" is the language of the compilation councils. Furthermore, Ānanda had no self; he provisionally spoke of "I". You have not eliminated the self, so you cannot provisionally say "I". Moreover, Ānanda said "I" facing future generations; you now say "I" while directly attending upon the solemn imperial presence. If this is not inappropriate, how can you escape guilt?' Li Rong was at a loss for words, so he mocked him, saying: 'Jingtai, do not speak in fluster and panic! / Before I expose you, you talk on and on!' Jingtai said: 'Li Rong, dark and dim, / How are you different from a dung beetle? / Your former master was a Rice Rebel; / You too are up to no good!' Li Rong then said: 'Your head is like a bottle gourd,' and such words. Jingtai memorialised, 'Facing the imperial crown, one should engage in elegant discourse. Fortunately granted leave to speak freely, I dare to make a brief verse, and also request to mock Li Rong's head.' The sacred intention immediately said, 'You may make a mocking verse that includes his feet.' Tai said: 'Daoist priest Li Rong: / The hair hanging over his forehead is like a sheep's head, / The whiskers growing on his mouth are like a deer's tail; / Barely fit to serve with wine, not worthy of discussing literature. / Continuing to exchange mockery—how reckless you are!' Tai again memorialised, 'Just now I received the sacred intention to mock down to his feet.' He then said: 'Li Rong's waist is long! / Describing him by his appearance: / Repeatedly extending a camel's neck, / Hurriedly bending a snake's waist; / Raising his hands, he suddenly kicks up donkey hooves; / Moving his feet, he continually shakes crane's knees.' Li Rong, repeatedly mocked and pressed, blurted out unawares, 'Jingtai is neither long nor short.' Jingtai memorialised, 'Add one-tenth of an inch to Jingtai and he is too long!' Li Rong said, 'Just now we were mocking each other, and you recite the Rhapsody on the Goddess of the Luo!' Jingtai said, 'This concerns the words of Song Yu; it has nothing to do with the verses of Prince Chen [Cao Zhi]. Your arguments broken and words exhausted, you are utterly flustered and confused! Li Rong is a man of letters from the commandery of Shu; Tai is a talented scholar of Luoyang.' Rong said, 'Master Jia [Yi] is already dead; what talented scholar is there?' Jingtai memorialised, 'Yan [Zun] and Yang [Xiong] have left no heirs; the spiritual essence of the Jiang and Han rivers has waned. For Rong to be considered a man of letters from Shu—how he misrepresents himself!' Li Rong had no words, and turned his speech again, saying, 'This is "spiritual essence waning"; how could there be "spiritual brilliance"?' Jingtai said, 'Singing barbarian songs and seductive tunes, you think yourself refined; with bird-like chirps and perverse words, you fancy yourself an appreciator of fine music.' Li Rong changed the subject again, saying, 'Why do you call me "King Li"?' He then said, 'The Son of Heaven of the Great Tang is originally King Li.' Jingtai said, 'Do your words refer to yourself, or to the Emperor? If to yourself, who are you? If to the Emperor, to call him "King" is to deny he is "Emperor".' Li Rong said, 'My scripture says: "Within the realm there are four greats, and the king occupies one of them." What fault is there in saying "king"?' Jingtai said, 'Guanzi says: "He who is clear on the One is an August Sovereign; he who investigates the Dao is an Emperor; he who penetrates virtue is a King." As for your saying "within the realm there are four greats", your teaching is inherently shallow, and you yourself do not understand it: by taking an Emperor to be a King, your fault is extreme!' Li Rong, being hard-pressed, unawares blurted out, 'Jingtai's words are right.' Jingtai memorialised, 'Since Li Rong has stated that Tai is right, I prostrate myself and beg the imperial scrutiny.' Li Rong changed the subject again, saying, 'The Great Dao and Laozi are revered by the August Emperor. What sort of green-eyed barbarian and shaved-headed brat, arising from the western Rong, comes to throw the Eastern Xia into disorder?' Jingtai said, 'Where the Tathāgata appeared was the centre of Heaven; where our Emperor governs the universe is the centre of Earth. The Buddha-dharma has an entrustment, committed to august sovereigns and kings: wherever there is resonance, it unfailingly penetrates; what need to discuss this or that? If you restrict it by Chinese and barbarian boundaries, I fear you will bring ruin upon yourself at Duiyou! Laozi was a man of Chu; who knows from what land? Furthermore, what Rong just said about "green-eyed barbarian" was merely the vulgar phrase of Li Zhongqing east of the Congling; it has no bearing on Buddhist affairs. Even so, no word goes unanswered: let us discuss the filthy practices of your household! Ignorant ghost-soldiers, laughably mad! Some enclose their bodies in an ash-prison; some smear their forms with cow dung; some carry water vessels on their backs; some bear willow branches on their spines; some untie their hair and hold it behind; some cross ropes and tie themselves backwards; taking latrines as their divine masters; treating wells and stoves as their spiritual guides! Using the language of servants and slaves, citing the designations of the stupid and crude; in their jiao offerings, they mostly set out wine and dried meat; in seeking grace, they demand only gold and silver; bowing to celestial bureaus to petition for blessings, worshipping the Northern Dipper to pray for longevity! The party of illicit sacrifices overflows and does not perish; the crowd of deceivers spreads nets over the social order! Moreover, they kowtow, slap their cheeks, hold tablets in their mouths, and wrap themselves in scarlet; methods of the "Three Drops and Nine Closures", arts of the "Vermilion Gate and Jade Pillar"—having no shame before fathers and sons, how could they feel guilt before older and younger brothers? All these are the practices of your Celestial Masters; are they not your teachings?' Li Rong unawares said, 'They are.' Jingtai said, 'Since Li Rong has repeatedly said Tai is right, why does he not submit? I again beg the imperial scrutiny.' Li Rong memorialised again, 'What Jingtai says, Rong suspects was prepared in advance. I request that we jointly compose a mockery of the candle: this will test ability on the spur of the moment.' Jingtai memorialised, 'Though I have no virtue, words come to me as if recited by heart.' He then said to Li Rong: 'You wish to mock the candle; did you prepare it in advance? The candle and Li Rong are both insentient—in this, you are alike; but the candle's brightness surpasses yours!' Li Rong memorialised, 'The Dao and the Buddha are not things that Rong and Tai can fully express.' Finding the occasion critical, he asked to stop. Jingtai memorialised, 'Li Rong retreats knowing the difficulty; I again beg the celestial scrutiny. The night is deep and the watch is late; I fear tiring the sacred will.' The Emperor ordered a halt. Rong then ran down the terrace, saying, 'I'm leaving!' At that time, Jingtai's legs were numb and he could not walk, so he stood still for a short while. Tai memorialised, 'I previously suffered from wind-palsy.' The Emperor ordered people to assist him. Rong said below the steps, 'Jingtai is already dead; two people are supporting him.' Tai said, 'Before an Emperor, one should by rights tremble with fear; having taken your leave, to speak again—how disrespectful!' The next day, the Emperor ordered Gentleman-in-Attendance Wang Junde to reprimand Li Rong, saying, 'Recently, in debates with the Chang'an monks, your retorts were an unbroken chain; why was it that in debating principles with the monk Jingtai, you had no answer four times?' In his extremity, Li Rong replied, 'Had I not done so, I feared Your Majesty would not be pleased.' Because of this improper conduct, he was ordered to return to Zizhou. His appearance was crestfallen and his reputation abruptly shattered. The hopes of the Daoist priests had rested entirely on Rong; once he lost his footing in the debate, the entire school lost its lustre. Tai was originally a man of Luoyang, naturally possessing the capacity of far-reaching insight. Although he had a general understanding of mysterious principles, he was known for his talent and eloquence. When the Emperor visited the Eastern Capital, he conducted many Buddhist rituals; by day he reviewed the myriad affairs of state, and by night he discussed the Dao. In the leisure left from rites and recitations, he was especially fond of doctrinal schools. The Daoist priest Li Rong was the chief of the Laozi sect; relying on his narrow view, he personally attended by imperial summons. Repeatedly encountering formidable opponents, he nonetheless participated in victorious assemblies. Therefore, Tai was joyfully pushed forward by the assembly to take the vanguard, striking forcefully and breaking him like snapping dry twigs. Rong fell silent, as if his tongue were tied; he directly admitted: 'Tai is right'—this showed that his mind was subdued and his spirit fled. Moreover, before the Heavenly Face, praise and censure were completely consistent. This is indeed a mirror for a thousand ages! Initially known for his eloquence, he was questioned in detail about his talents and arts. Shangguan Yi, Vice Director of the Eastern Secretariat, said, 'He can also compose poetry.' The Emperor ordered him to compose one, and he presented it upon command. The Emperor valued him and wished to have him observe the state and enter official service; he asked whether he wished to return to lay life, and what office he required. Tai replied, 'My longstanding original intention has always been to leave the mundane world; from afar, it is like the Dharmarāja casting off the mundane; close at hand, it is like Chao and Xu escaping the net. Secular glory is not what I admire; I humbly pray not to betray my initial resolve.' The Emperor was greatly pleased by this, and allowed it.