破邪論 2.23

2.23

The imperial decree says: "Discarding the beard and hair of one's parents and casting off the robes and insignia of lord and minister—within which gate does the benefit lie? Outside of what feelings is the profit? Concerning the two matters of loss and gain, please bring forth a wondrous explanation."

In response, Falin has heard: The ultimate Way transcends words; how could the Nine Schools debate it? The dharmakāya is without form; it is not what the Ten Wings can elucidate. It is only because the four destinies are vast and drift drowned in the sea of desire, and the three realms are bustling and tumble down the mountain of heterodoxy; the sons are deluded and burn themselves, and ordinary beings sink and do not emerge. For their sake, the Great Sage appeared in the world; this is why the Utmost Benevolent One descended his spirit. He then opened the gate of liberation and showed the path of tranquility. Thereupon, the kṣatriya royal clan bade farewell to affection and love to undertake renunciation, and noble clans of Tianzhu grew weary of glory and splendor to enter the Way. Therefore, Prince Siddhārtha cast aside the robes of coiled dragons and donned the garments of the field of merit, vowing to escape the two kinds of birth and death and aspiring to seek the single wondrous nirvāṇa, propagating the Way to repay the four kindnesses and nurturing virtue to benefit the three realms of existence. This is its benefit. According to the "Chapter on Shaving the Hair and Renouncing the Household" in the Abhiniṣkramaṇa-sūtra, the verse says: