集沙門不應拜俗等事 2.17

2.17

問曰。歷觀前史。上皇已來。在位居宗者。未始異其原本。本不可二。是故百代同典咸一其統。所謂唯天為大。唯堯則之。如此則非智有所不照。自無外可照。非照有所不盡。自無理可盡。以此推視聽之外。廓無所寄。理無所寄。則宗可明。今諸沙門不悟文表之意。而惑教表之文。其為謬也。固已全矣。若復顯然有驗。此乃希世之聞。

Question: In reviewing past histories, from the ancient sovereigns onward, those who occupied the throne and resided as the supreme authority never differed in their original root. The root cannot be two; therefore, the canons across a hundred generations are all unified in their lineage. This is what is meant by 'Only Heaven is great, and only Yao took it as his pattern.' If so, it was not that their wisdom failed to illuminate, but naturally there was nothing beyond to illuminate; it was not that their illumination failed to exhaust, but naturally there was no principle to exhaust. Inferring from this, beyond seeing and hearing, all is empty with nowhere to lodge. Since principle has nowhere to lodge, the Ultimate can be understood. Now, the various śramaṇas do not understand the meaning beyond the text, but are deluded by the words beyond the teaching. Their error is indeed complete! If there were clearly evident proof, this would be something rarely heard of in the world.