集古今佛道論衡 4.24

4.24

范曰。莊子之書頗曾披攬。其間旨趣待問當酬。問曰。七篇繁廣一問無由得窮。請更別舉章門以申往復　范曰。齊物之理。今古以為難。法師可依此義以開宗轍　問曰。今古若難。誠如所論。命開宗轍未敢輒當。聊復竭愚試陳短句。秋毫太山儒墨咸稱大小。莊生以為不爾。豈非孟浪之談　范曰。俗滯情於是非。莊生遂忘於大小。難曰。但忘俗見之情。應不齊彼山毫之質　范曰。意在忘情　難曰。不須齊質　范曰。不論齊質情詎得忘　難曰。秋毫既無陵霄之峯。太山未有入塵之細。逼令均等。其可得乎　范曰。毫有入塵之細。不羨陵霄之峯。山有陵霄之峯。不鄙入塵之細。各冥自性。故說為齊　難曰。物雖各冥。其極大小之體不無。莊周雖貴捐情。不覺飜迷物理。至如空虛本無質。象不可論有差殊。山毫既有形容。安得談其均等　范曰。談其齊等本貴忘情。若欲均形豈非為蛇畫足　難曰。前言形均始可情喪未是悟他。今持畫足過人翻為自因。更並曰。山大毫小。莊書遂可齊其大小。天尊地卑。周易應可混其尊卑。莊生安得齊其大小　范曰。二教所詮由來是別。均齊之理本自不同。難易本是別不得同。山毫本不齊。不齊應說異。異物既不異。不異得說異。別物應可同。何得說不同。靈辯姓安氏。襄陽人也。其先西域古族。晉中朝時。徙居長安白鹿原。永嘉末又南遷。因家于襄陽。宿殖德本累修淨業。家遞士農門傳貞素。靈辯載江漢之英靈。胤荊衡之秀氣。幼而聰慧早能言理。年十五出家。聽習三論。大乘諸經究極幽微。尤長白黑。天骨峻爽風韻凄清。眉目口鼻之間自然虛肅。常若秋崕含霽霜松引颷。每至辯波騰迅詞芒灑落。又如河箭飛流月弦揚彩。永徽年中暫遊東都。聲馳天闕。尋奉　勅住大慈恩寺。仍被追入內論義。前後與道士李榮等亟經往復。靈辯肅對宸嚴縱敷雄辯。神氣高邁精彩抑揚。望敵摧鋒前無強陣。嘲戲間發滑稽餘裕頻解聖頤。每延優獎。然素懷謙挹加復謹慎。溫枝絕訪時莫能知。同侶所傳百不存一。昔次卿宏論唯聞重席之賞。充宗小辯纔傳折角之謠。尚想連環沈吟千祀。略題梗概為之記云。但恨言唯應物理非獨詣。尋微之延猶有餘功。

Fan said: “I have perused the writings of Zhuangzi somewhat; as for the essential tenets within them, I will respond when you question me.”

The interrogator asked: “The seven ‘Inner Chapters’ are extensive and vast; a single question could never exhaust them. Please raise a specific topic so that we may debate it back and forth.”

Fan said: “The principle of the ‘Equalization of Things’ has been considered difficult from ancient times to the present. The Dharma Master may open the path of debate based on this meaning.”

The interrogator said: “If it is difficult from ancient times to the present, it is truly as you say. Having been directed to open the path of debate, I dare not decline outright; I will merely exhaust my meager ability and attempt to present a brief remark: The Confucians and Mohists all speak of size regarding an autumn down and Mount Tai. Master Zhuang considered this not to be so; is this not reckless talk?”

Fan said: “Worldly people become bogged down in emotional attachments to right and wrong; Master Zhuang consequently forgot about large and small.”

The interrogator objected: “If one merely forgets the feelings of worldly views, one should still not equate the physical substances of that mountain and down.”

Fan said: “His intention was to forget feelings.”

The interrogator objected: “Then there is no need to equate substances.”

Fan said: “Without discussing equating substances, how could feelings ever be forgotten?”

The interrogator objected: “An autumn down has no peak towering to the clouds, and Mount Tai does not have the minuteness of entering into dust. How could it be possible to force them to be equal?”

Fan said: “The down has the minuteness of entering into dust and does not envy the peak towering to the clouds; the mountain has the peak towering to the clouds and does not despise the minuteness of entering into dust. Each is merged with its own nature; therefore they are said to be equal.”

The interrogator objected: “Although things are each merged with their nature, their physical substances of extreme large and extreme small are not non-existent. Although Zhuang Zhou prized abandoning emotions, he unwittingly became confused about the principles of physical things. As for emptiness, which fundamentally has no physical substance, its images cannot be said to have differences. Since the mountain and down possess physical forms, how can one speak of their equality?”

Fan said: “Speaking of their equality fundamentally prizes forgetting emotions. If one wishes to equalize their forms, would that not be drawing feet on a snake?”

The interrogator objected: “Your earlier statement that ‘only when forms are equalized can emotions be destroyed’ has not yet enlightened others. Now, holding that drawing feet on a snake is an excess of others, it turns out to be your own doing!” He further countered: “The mountain is large and the down is small; Zhuangzi's text then could equate their large and small. Heaven is exalted and Earth is lowly; the *Zhouyi* ought then to be able to confound their exaltedness and lowliness! How could Master Zhuang equate their large and small?”

Fan said: “What the two teachings explain has always been distinct; the principles of equalization are inherently different. Difficulty and ease are fundamentally distinct and cannot be the same. The mountain and down are fundamentally not equal; when unequal, difference should be stated. Since different things are not different, when not different, difference may be stated. Distinct things should be identical—how could one say they are not identical?”

Lingbian's surname was An; he was a native of Xiangyang. His ancestors were an ancient clan from the Western Regions. During the Western Jin dynasty, they moved to Bailuyuan in Chang'an. At the end of the Yongjia era, they migrated south again and settled in Xiangyang. From past lives he had cultivated roots of virtue, repeatedly accumulating pure karma. For generations his family produced scholars and farmers, their clan transmitting purity and simplicity. Lingbian inherited the heroic spirit of the Jiang and Han rivers, and was born of the refined aura of Mounts Jing and Heng. He was intelligent from childhood and able to discuss principles early on. At age fifteen he renounced household life. He studied the Three Treatises, and thoroughly plumbed the subtle mysteries of the Mahāyāna scriptures, being especially skilled in distinguishing black from white. His natural constitution was lofty and sharp, his style melancholy and clear; between his brows, eyes, mouth, and nose was a natural composure and solemnity. He was constantly like an autumn cliff enveloped in clearing skies, or a frosted pine catching the wind. Whenever his waves of eloquence surged swiftly, the points of his diction were refined and unrestrained, like an arrow of the river flowing swiftly, or the crescent moon casting brilliance. During the Yonghui era he briefly traveled to the Eastern Capital; his renown rushed to the imperial palace. Soon after, he received an imperial decree to reside at the Great Cien Temple, and was repeatedly summoned to the inner palace to debate doctrinal meaning. Over time, he had repeated exchanges with Daoist priests such as Li Rong. Lingbian solemnly faced the imperial presence and gave free rein to his powerful eloquence; his spirit was lofty and his presence modulated with vigor. Facing opponents, he crushed their vanguard; no strong battle lines stood before him. Humorous remarks and uninhibited wit frequently brought smiles to the imperial countenance, consistently earning him generous rewards. Yet he was ever modest and restrained in character, and exceedingly prudent; visitors were turned away from his door, and contemporaries could not fathom him. Of what his peers transmitted, not one in a hundred remains. In the past, of Ciqing's grand discourse one only heard of the praise of piled mats; of Chongzong's minor eloquence only the song of the broken horn was transmitted. Still reflecting on the interlocking rings, pondering for a thousand years, I have briefly noted the outline to record it. One only regrets that words merely respond to physical principles and do not reach the summit alone; the pursuit of the subtle still leaves lingering accomplishment.