[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [辯正論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110) › 1.8 # 辯正論 1.8 辯正論 1.8 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.1.8) 公子曰。美則美矣。疑且疑焉。夫能匡社稷者莫過懷忠。養至親者莫過奉孝。經天地者莫過修文。定禍亂者莫過講武。安上下者莫過弘禮。移風俗者莫過習樂。此固皇王之要訓。亦治道之大方。維摩竭慈悲之談。厲鄉垂道德之論。未為濟世之急。猶涉木鴈之詞。非唯僕之未賓。抑亦賢之同去通人曰。訥言敏行君子所稱。無以己之寡聞取況於典論。子不聞魯侯之誡乎。無多言無多事。多言多害。多事多患。若事親殉主則以忠孝為初。遠害全身則以道德居始。利生救苦則以慈悲統源。奉孝懷忠可以全家國。行道立德可以播身名。興慈運悲可以濟群品。濟群品則恩均六趣。播身名止榮被一門。全家國乃功包九合。故忠孝為訓俗之教。道德為持身之術。慈悲蓋育物之行。亦猶天有三光鼎有三足。各稱其德並著其功。遵而奉之。可以致嘉祐也。 > The young gentleman said: “Fine though it may be, I still have doubts. For preserving the altars of soil and grain, nothing surpasses cherishing loyalty; for nurturing one’s parents, nothing surpasses showing filial piety; for regulating heaven and earth, nothing surpasses cultivating civil arts; for quelling calamity and disorder, nothing surpasses attending to military affairs; for bringing peace to superiors and inferiors, nothing surpasses promoting ritual propriety; and for transforming customs, nothing surpasses practicing music. These are indeed the essential teachings of august rulers and the grand methods of the way of governing. Vimalakīrti’s discourses on loving-kindness and compassion, or the treatise on Dao and virtue handed down from the District of Li, are not matters of urgency for succouring the world; they are merely equivocal words like the parable of the tree and the goose. Not only do I fail to submit to them, but worthy men also jointly cast them aside.” > > The scholar of broad learning said: “Being slow in speech but prompt in action is praised by the noble man. Do not take your own limited hearing to serve as an analogy for classical treatises. Have you not heard the admonition to the Duke of Lu? ‘Do not speak much; do not take on many affairs. Much talk brings much harm; many affairs bring many troubles.’ If it is a matter of serving parents and devoting oneself to one’s sovereign, then loyalty and filial piety stand first. If it is averting harm and preserving one’s life, then Dao and virtue occupy the beginning. If it is benefiting living beings and saving them from suffering, then loving-kindness and compassion govern the source. Cultivating filial piety and cherishing loyalty can keep family and state intact. Practicing the Dao and establishing virtue can spread one’s person and name far and wide. Giving rise to loving-kindness and setting compassion into motion can deliver all kinds of beings. Delivering all kinds of beings distributes grace equally to the six destinies; spreading one’s person and name merely brings honor to a single clan; and keeping family and state intact has merits that embrace the nine assemblies. Therefore, loyalty and filial piety are teachings for instructing the common world; Dao and virtue are techniques for preserving oneself; and loving-kindness and compassion are deeds that nurture all creatures. It is like heaven having the three luminaries and a cauldron having three legs: each matches its virtue, and their merits are equally manifest. Complying with and upholding them will bring great blessings.” > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.1.7) - [Next: 1.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.1.9) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110~en-mt.1.8) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [唐護法沙門法琳別傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2051.2.12) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.1.8) · Pramāṇa