集沙門不應拜俗等事 1.26

1.26

玄再拜白頓首。八日垂至。舊諸沙門皆不敬王者何。庾雖已論之。而竝率所見。未是以理相屈也。庾意在尊主。而理據未盡。何出於偏信遂淪名體。夫佛之為化。雖誕以茫茫推乎視聽之外。然以敬為本。此處不異。蓋所期者殊非敬恭宜廢也。老子同王侯於三大。原其所重。皆在於資生通運。豈獨以聖人在位而比稱二儀哉。將以天地之大德曰生。通生理物存於王者。故尊其神器而禮寔惟隆。豈是虛相崇重義存君御而已哉。沙門之所以生生資存。亦日用於理命。豈有受其德而遺其禮。霑其惠而廢其敬哉。既理所不容。亦情所不安。一代大事宜共求其衷想。復相與研盡之。比八日令得詳定也。桓玄再拜頓首。敬謂。

Xuan bows twice and knocks his head. The eighth day is approaching. Why did the śramaṇas of old all fail to show reverence to the ruler? Although He [Chong] and Yu [Bing] previously debated it, both followed merely their own views; neither brought the other to submit by means of principle. Yu's intention was to exalt the sovereign, yet his grounds of reasoning were incomplete. He [Chong] proceeded from partial belief and consequently degraded the institutional order. Now, although the transforming influence of the Buddha is vast and unbounded, reaching beyond seeing and hearing, it nonetheless takes reverence as its foundation; in this respect, there is no difference. The ultimate attainment they seek may be extraordinary, but that does not mean respectful deference should be abolished. Laozi counted kings and lords among the Three Greats; examining what he valued, it all resides in sustaining life and facilitating fortune. How could it be merely because a sage occupies the throne that he is equated with Heaven and Earth? It is because the great virtue of Heaven and Earth is called life, and the sustenance of life and governing of things depend upon the king. Therefore, his sacred vessel is exalted, and the rites accorded to him are truly grand. How could this be an empty elevation, with its significance resting merely on the ruler's control? The very reason śramaṇas are able to sustain their lives and survive is also their daily reliance on the ruler's governance and mandate. How could they receive his virtue yet omit his rites, or partake of his kindness yet discard their reverence? This is both impermissible in principle and unsettling to the feelings. As this is a momentous affair of an entire generation, we ought together to seek an equitable resolution. I hope we can examine and exhaust it together, so that by the eighth day a detailed decision may be reached. Huan Xuan bows twice and knocks his head, respectfully stating.