[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) › 6.11 # 辯正論 6.11 辯正論 6.11 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.6.11) 開士曰。案盧景裕戴詵韋處玄等集解五千文。及梁元帝周弘政等考義類疏云。太上有四。謂三皇及堯舜是也。言上古有此大德之君。臨萬民之上。故云太上也。郭莊云。時之所賢者為君。材不稱世者為臣。老子非帝非皇。不在四種之限有何典據。輒稱太上耶。檢道家玄妙及中台朱韜玉机等經。并出塞記云。老是李母所生。不云有玄妙玉女。既非正說。尤假謬談也。按仙人玉籙云。仙人無妻玉女無夫。雖受女形畢竟不產。若有茲瑞。誠曰可嘉。何為史記無文。周書不載。求虛責實信矯妄者之言耳。禮云。退官無位者左遷。論語云。左袵者非禮也。若以左勝右者。道士行道何不左旋而還右轉耶。國之詔書皆云。如右並順天之常也。 > The bodhisattva says: According to the collected commentaries on the Five Thousand Characters by Lu Jingyu, Dai Shen, Wei Chuxuan, and others, as well as the classifications and commentaries by Emperor Yuan of Liang, Zhou Hongzheng, and others, there are four kinds of 'Most High' (Taishang), referring to the Three Sovereigns and Yao and Shun. This means that in high antiquity there were rulers of such great virtue who stood above the myriad commoners; hence they were called 'Most High'. Guo \[Xiang\] and Zhuang\[zi\] state: 'He who is esteemed by the times becomes the ruler; he whose talent does not match his age becomes the minister.' Laozi was neither thearch nor sovereign and was not included within these four categories; what canonical evidence is there for rashly calling him 'Most High'? Examining Daoist scriptures such as the Xuanmiao, Zhongtai zhutao yuji, as well as the Chusai ji, all state that Lao\[zi\] was born of Mother Li, and make no mention of a Jade Maiden of Profound Wonder. Since it is not an orthodox teaching, it is all the more a false fabrication. According to the Xianren yulu, 'Immortals have no wives, and jade maidens have no husbands. Though receiving a female form, they ultimately never give birth.' Were there such an auspicious portent, it would indeed be praiseworthy; why then is there no text about it in the Shiji and no record in the Zhoushu? To seek the baseless and demand reality from it is truly just the talk of deceivers. The Liji says: 'Those demoted from office without rank are demoted to the left.' The Lunyu says: 'Fastening garments on the left is contrary to propriety.' If the left were superior to the right, why do Daoist masters circumambulate to the right instead of turning to the left when practicing the Dao? The state's imperial edicts all say 'as stated to the right', which accords with Heaven's constant norm. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.6.10) - [Next: 6.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.6.12) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110~en-mt.6.11) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [廣弘明集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.13.12) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.6.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2110.6.11) · Pramāṇa