集沙門不應拜俗等事 1.20

1.20

The myriad regions have diverse customs, and the spiritual ways are difficult to discern; they have their origins. Those who take an expansive view and understand broadly should indeed find nothing strange in this. Moreover, regarding the etiquette of bending down, kneeling, and prostrating, why must it be exalted in this way? One must return to the original intent behind why the former kings exalted it: did they merely take pleasure in these bowings and kneelings and casually devise bending and prostrating? It was certainly not so! Based on the reverence between father and son, they established the hierarchy between ruler and minister; they instituted laws and regulations and exalted ritual ranks. How could this be in vain? There is truly a reason for it! Since there is a reason, how can it be altered? If so, could the institution of names and rites be devoid of human feeling? Furthermore, is there ultimately a Buddha now, or is there no Buddha? If there is a Buddha, his Way is certainly vast; if there is no Buddha, on what principle can one rely? Even if one believes it to be so, it belongs to affairs beyond the realm. Can affairs beyond the realm be embodied within the realm? That one should distort bodily demeanor, depart from ordinary duties, alter ritual texts, and discard the Teaching of Names is what I deeply doubt. The Teaching of Names has its origin; it has not been discarded through a hundred generations. Even when made exceedingly illustrious from early dawn, later generations still fell into peril; the causes of such perils and abuses are difficult to trace. Yet now, in distant longing for what is vast, indistinct, and unresolved, to discard rites in a single morning and abolish teaching in the present age, allowing ordinary folk to arrogantly flout constitutional ordinances, is also what I deeply doubt. Even if it is true, and even if it exists, I would merely comprehend it in the spiritual realm and keep it within the chest. But the grand norms of the laws and regulations must not be discarded in the imperial court! All people of this kind are subjects of the Jin; in evaluating their talents and wisdom, they are merely ordinary men. That they should, based on what is difficult to discern in their doctrines, adopt special attire to transcend standards, maintaining the haughty rituals of unusual customs and straightening their bodies before the sovereign of ten thousand chariots, is also what I cannot accept. You gentlemen are all pillars of the state. When discoursing, you should fathom what is profound; when discussing governance, you should esteem the national statutes. If not so, what would there be for me to transmit?