續集古今佛道論衡 1.18

1.18

大德所言太上無形無上為尊自然之父者。今日西域所將來。是脩多羅之教。其教難遇。今始東傳。大德比來所學者影響耳。非其真法。大德今既見真法。仍不捨本從末。何異古人葉公之龍也。

What you venerable sirs call the Taishang being formless, supremely honored, and the father of spontaneity—what has now been brought from the Western Regions is the teaching of the sūtras. That teaching is difficult to encounter, and has only now begun to spread eastward. What you venerable sirs have studied recently is mere shadow and echo; it is not the true Dharma. Now that you venerable sirs have seen the true Dharma, yet still do not abandon the root to follow the branches, how is this different from Lord Ye loving dragons in antiquity?'