集古今佛道論衡 1.16

1.16

The Daoist scripture says: 'Therefore, constantly be without desire so as to observe its subtlety; constantly have desire so as to observe its outcomes. These two emerge together but have different names; together they are called the dark. Dark upon dark, the gate of all subtleties.' Older explanations and Wang Bi's commentary say that subtlety refers to the beginning, and outcomes refer to the end. Now, observing the beginning to grasp the end, and beholding the subtle to know the manifest, is the discernment of the attained person. Since one has already purified the spirit with lack of desire to illuminate its subtle beginning, then from this point on one ought to settle everything; why is there further need to have desire to grasp its end? Moreover, having desire and lacking desire both emerge from the wondrous gate and are both called the dark. If one goes by this, why value only lack of desire? 'When everyone under Heaven knows the beautiful as beautiful, there is already ugliness; when everyone knows the good as good, there is already badness.'