辯正論 6.127

6.127

明威化胡等經並云。胡王不信老子。老子神力伏之。方求悔過。自髠自翦謝愆謝罪。老君大慈愍其愚昧。為說權教隨機戒約。皆令頭陀乞食。以制兇頑之心。赭服偏衣。用挫強梁之性。割毀形貌。示為剠劓之身。禁約妻房。絕其勃逆之種。

The *Mingwei huahu jing* and other texts all say: The barbarian king did not believe Laozi, so Laozi subdued him with spiritual power. Only then did he seek to repent of his faults, shaving and cutting his own hair to atone for his transgressions and guilt. Laozi, in his great compassion, pitied their foolishness and preached an expedient teaching to impose precepts according to their capacity: he made them all practice dhūta and beg for food to curb their ferocious and obstinate minds; dress in ochre robes with one shoulder bared to humble their unruly disposition; mutilate and alter their appearance to display a body as if marked by tattoo and amputation; and refrain from wives and concubines to cut off their rebellious seed.