集古今佛道論衡 2.5

2.5

First, regarding the prohibition of scriptures and fixing of prices: The Xuanguang lun says: 'The various scriptures of the Daoists are concocted with ordinary thoughts, and the traces of their teachings are depraved and hazardous; therefore they are not canonical. Only if they receive gold and silk do they impart their scriptures. The poor who approach them never see them until death. Greed for profit without compassion—no transgression exceeds this! Moreover, their arts are filthy and impure: they practice clicking the teeth as the heavenly drum, swallowing saliva as sweet spring water, horse dung as numinous firewood, and old rats as polypore medicine. Relying on such things to seek the Way, how could one ever attain it?'