辯正論 8.69

8.69

太子瑞應等經云。二月八日者。乃是四天王捧太子馬足踰城出家。因此有行城之法。為追太子馬跡表戀聖之情。比見諸州縣道家亦行斯法。行城之時。仍唱願我坐道場。香花供養道。唯改佛字為別。但道家既無此法。明知虛妄不實。若言有者。出何經誥。即以此為准。諸事多附佛儀。

The Prince's Auspicious Responses and other sūtras state: On the eighth day of the second month, the Four Heavenly Kings held up the hooves of the Prince's horse to leap over the city wall and leave home. Therefore, there is the practice of circumambulating the city, in order to pursue the tracks of the Prince's horse and express affectionate longing for the sage. Recently, I have seen the Daoists in various prefectures and counties also practicing this rite. When circumambulating the city, they still chant: 'May I sit in the bodhimaṇḍa, with fragrant flowers offering to the Dao', merely substituting the word 'Buddha' for another. However, since the Daoists originally had no such rite, we clearly know it is false and untrue. If they say it exists, from which scripture or edict does it derive? Let this be the standard: their many matters mostly mimic Buddhist rites.