集沙門不應拜俗等事 4.61

4.61

論曰。玄教廢興理鍾期運。而盛衰之寄抑亦人謀　皇上御辯乘時允膺付託。所以　降非常之　詔勵釋侶於　明時者也。春秋傳曰。君所謂可而有否焉。臣獻其否以成其可。君所謂否而有可焉。臣獻其可以去其否。余聞其語矣。今見其人焉。觀秀上肆力釋君昌言　帝闕詞志欵欵勤則勤矣。而宣公之啟狀詳切該博。吾無間然。方今以大法為己任。思正其傾危。能負重道遠者。此其人也歟。仲尼云。顛而不扶。危而不持。則將焉用彼相矣。若此真可謂至覺元首。良哉。股肱中臺周府等議。雖文質有乖而咸得事要。然樞紐經典疇咨故實。理例鋒頴詞韻膏腴。則司戎之稱鴻筆麗藻矣。若標以顯議約以正。詞其文辯潔其事明覈。則左驍衛舉其綱領矣。將來達鑒斯焉取斯。

The treatise states: The decline and rise of the profound teaching fundamentally depends on appointed timing, yet the trust of flourishing and decay also relies on human planning. The August Emperor steers the transformation and rides the times, fittingly bearing the entrustment. Therefore, he issued an extraordinary edict to encourage the companions of the Śākya in an enlightened era. The Zuo Tradition states: 'If there is negative where the ruler deems it positive, the minister presents the negative to complete the positive; if there is positive where the ruler deems it negative, the minister presents the positive to eliminate the negative.' I have heard these words, and now I see such men. Looking upon Master Xiu exerting his efforts on behalf of the Śākya Lord to speak openly at the imperial palace, his words and intentions were earnest and sincere; diligent indeed was he! And the memorials submitted by Lord Xuan were detailed, earnest, comprehensive, and broad; I have nothing to criticize. Now, taking the Great Dharma as one's own responsibility, wishing to right what totters, and being able to carry heavy burdens on a long road—could they be such men? Confucius said: 'If someone totters and is not supported, or falls in peril and is not held, of what use is that assistant?' In this manner, one may truly call the Sovereign of supreme awakening great, and his ministers good! The deliberations of the Department of State Affairs, the Princely Bureau of Zhou, and others, though differing in elegance and simplicity, all grasped the crux of the matter. Yet in citing classics, consulting precedents, possessing sharp principles and precedents, and having rich and polished diction, the Ministry of War is called one of grand brush and beautiful prose. If one marks it with clear deliberation and restricts it with correct diction, its style eloquent and clean, and its matter clear and verified, then the Left Gallant Guard captures the main guidelines. May future enlightened judges take their choice from this!