集古今佛道論衡 4.37

4.37

維唐龍朔元年。京師西華觀道士朝散大夫郭行真所造。自惟佛經詞義。逈拔於人天。道書本末。影像於西域。何以知然。至如元陽一經。響法華諸典。西升眾卷。類方俗詠歌。文義不可大觀。情事全非所錄。況復朱門玉柱之液靈薪。穢士俗之情高。蕪老君之雅識。還依正繕寫。不濫染於元陽。如本奉持。豈有淪於教義。伏願聖慈無礙垂降迷蹤。永作道於後昆。畢如流於夢海。

In the first year of the Longshuo era of the Great Tang, made by Guo Xingzhen, Daoist priest of Xihua Abbey in the capital and Court Gentleman for Miscellaneous Duties: Reflecting that the words and meanings of Buddhist scriptures transcend humans and devas, whereas the origins and developments of Daoist books are reflections of the Western Regions. How is this known? For instance, the scripture of Yuanyang echoes the various texts of the *Lotus Sūtra*; the multiple scrolls of the *Xishengjing* resemble local folk songs. Their literary style and meaning cannot bear grand inspection; their emotional matters are completely unfit to be recorded. What is more, the vermilion doors and jade pillars of fluid and numinous fuel defile the high sentiments of scholars and commoners, and make overgrown the elegant understanding of Lord Lao. Returning to the orthodox, I copy scriptures, not allowing them to be tainted by the Yuanyang; upholding them according to the original, how could they sink in doctrinal meaning? I humbly pray that the holy compassion without obstruction descend upon lost traces, perpetually acting as the Dao for posterity, and completely exhausting the flow in the ocean of dreams.