北山錄 5.2.2

5.2.2

非可見而見居之而不見也。 況方諸酌月。 非方諸則謂無月矣（方諸者。 王充論衡云。 水鏡也。 十一月王子日夜半子時。 煉五方石鑄如盤盂。 向月得水也。 高誘云。 陰燧似大蛤。 熟摩拭以向月水下得數石也）陽燧爍日。 非陽燧則謂無日乎（有珠映日光。 以艾嵩承之則得火。 謂之陽燧。 又有以流黃等藥鑄鏡。 承日亦出火。 承月出水。 圓者號陽燧。 方者號方諸。 日月恒而方諸等忽闕則水火不獲。 如佛普現而無緣者或不覩聞也）寔由靈變在心而外應乎物。 惟心之不變者。 其何得耶（三界唯心。 萬法唯識。 心變而覩物。 無虛起也）。 禮云。 心不在焉。 視而不見。 聽而不聞。 食而不知其味。 故知昔信不在彼非宜聞見也（昔此方人未信。 故或縱覩光門地動不以為意。 故不記也）縱有抱信獨得者言之。 則人責之以詭妄焉（眾所無緣不覩。 其或有緣之士獨得見聞。 則人必責之以怪妄。 豈能共信者也）加乎歲序曠矣。 編簡漏矣（而況年代綿歷。 書冊亡墜。 豈能備知）或周史知非中國之事。 故乃不書也（凡為史官。 各記本國之事。 此非中國之事。 又君子慎疑。 故不書也）孔聖嫌無受道之器。 故不語也（嫌　也。 孔子謙己無受道之器。 故不欲言）豈以闕於史記則謂無歟。 夫折柱立極貫虹夾烏騰娥昏見繞樞騎尾（昔女媧與共工氏爭天下。 頭觸不周山天柱折也。 又斷鼇足以立極又女媧感虹光貫日而生顓頊春秋時有雲如赤鳥夾日而飛三日又羿請不死之藥於西王母羿妻恒娥竊之以奔月中也出易略。 又電繞樞星而黃帝生。 又傳說死精神上為星同於列宿在尾宿上故云騎）而覆載是一。 三光攸同。 彼西域不見不書。 則誠亦謂華言為不實歟。 若彼疑果非則此疑何是。 若彼信為實則此信何虛。 然華夏六典。 敦簡務要。 嬰於秦滅。 尚不備聞（古之書籍。 本以簡要。 又遭暴秦焚爇。 往事豈得備聞乎）如唐虞二世。 尚書但存數篇（但存堯典等五篇）商周盛化。 詩頌能餘幾什。 此重刑德猶有所闕。 況彼象外所逸而能備哉。 故堯師尹壽。 舜事務光。 周孔亦所不載。 孔丘言道見乎莊氏（五經不言並出莊子）老聃知禮存乎戴聖（戴德字近君傳禮號大戴禮。 至信都太傅。 戴聖字次君傳禮號小戴禮。 以博士論石渠至九江太守）向使此書煨燼。 則豈知二聖窮禮知道耶（苦在暴秦焚盡。 則此豈能窮之乎）賓曰。 蘭騰至國。 人追黑灰以訊之。 蘭云。 劫燒之餘灰也。 而實獲其事歟（實是劫火灰耶）主人曰。 言存人往。 焉識其心（此言傳來雖存。 其人已無。 安能知彼所答之意心在於何）仲尼云。 情欲信辯欲巧是辯也（此之所答。 但是蘭之辯對也）或亦貞而不諒也（貞正也。 諒信也。 意雖正言未必執信也）夫劫火所焚。 大地悉盡。 然既却復。 安有燼乎（劫火之際。 大地炎輝。 燒至初禪。 然後却復。 豈有灰燼也。 是知劫火無灰也）昔莊周以仲尼之智非至凶不為侮。 故遠取東陵寓辭見意（盜跖居東陵也）而蘭亦以釋氏之玄非駭耳不為變。 故託劫燒開闢其教（人以驚聽為異。 故將開化。 以此亦權而動之）蓋君子以德義為信也（君子義然後信。 信近於義言可復也）若使只言常火。 則曼倩豈將讓歟（曼倩方朔。 字向。 若答以只言是常火。 則豈夫於方朔所讓乎）故撫無以導實。 廢近以徵遠（其欲化之故先權指於無而誘之廢近常火遠徵劫火）使人渴聞其所新。 而欲誘之於善也。 夫渴聞則致疑。 致疑則必求詣理。 理詣則不遠而復（詣實也）其若虞機張省筈得于度也（太甲文也。 幾弩牙也。 虞度也。 將發箭先度其機合發之必中。 若將開化導須使必歸也）賓曰。 佛出於戎。 教被戎人。 華風為戎。 不亦陋哉。 主人曰。 無然之矣。 無然之矣。 君子所居尚不為陋。

is not something that can be seen, but when it appears, one dwells within it without seeing it. Furthermore, the moon-mirror collects water from the moon; without a moon-mirror, would one say there is no moon? (As for the moon-mirror, Wang Chong's *Lunheng* says: it is a water mirror. In the eleventh month, on a renzi day at midnight, the zi hour, one refines stones of the five directions and casts them into dishes and bowls; facing the moon, one obtains water. Gao You says: the yinsui resembles a large clam; polishing it well and facing the moon, water drips down to several dan.) The burning-mirror gleams from the sun; without a burning-mirror, would one say there is no sun? (There is a pearl that reflects the sunlight; holding mugwort under it, one obtains fire; it is called a burning-mirror. There is also casting a mirror with brimstone and other medicines: facing the sun it also produces fire; facing the moon it produces water. The round one is called a burning-mirror, the square one a moon-mirror. The sun and moon are constant, but if the moon-mirror and the like happen to be lacking, water and fire are not obtained. Just so, the Buddha universally manifests, but those without affinities may not see or hear him.) Indeed, this is because spiritual transformations reside in the mind and outwardly respond to things. As for a mind that does not undergo transformation, how could it attain anything? (The three realms are mind-only; the ten thousand dharmas are consciousness-only. When the mind transforms, one sees things; nothing arises in vain.) The *Liji* says: 'When the mind is not present, one looks but does not see, listens but does not hear, and eats without knowing the flavor.' Therefore, we know that in the past, faith was not present there, so it was not fitting for them to hear or see. (In the past, the people of this land did not yet have faith; thus even if they saw radiant gates or earthquakes, they took no notice of them and hence did not record them.) Even if there were those who harbored faith and attained it alone and spoke of it, people would have blamed them for deceit and falsehood. (What the multitude lacks affinities with, they do not see. If a person of affinities happened alone to see and hear it, people would surely blame them for monstrosity and falsehood; how could they believe together?) Moreover, the passage of years is vast, and bamboo slips have been lost. (What is more, the dynasties and years stretched on, and books were lost and discarded; how could everything be known?) Or perhaps the Zhou historians knew it was not an affair of the Central Realm, and therefore did not record it. (All official historians record the affairs of their own states. This was not an affair of the Central Realm; moreover, the gentleman is cautious about what is doubtful, so they did not record it.) Sage Confucius was wary that there were no vessels capable of receiving the Way, and therefore did not speak of it. (Wary means apprehensive. Confucius humbly considered that people were not vessels capable of receiving the Way, and so he did not wish to speak.) How could one say that because it is missing from historical records, it did not exist? Now, breaking the pillars, setting up the poles, the rainbow piercing [the sun], crows flanking [the sun], Heng'e ascending, the evening star appearing, [lightning] encircling the Pole Star, riding the Tail Star— (Anciently, Nüwa contended for the realm with Gonggong; his head struck Mount Buzhou, and the heavenly pillars broke. Moreover, she severed the legs of a turtle to establish the poles. Furthermore, Nüwa was moved by the rainbow light piercing the sun and gave birth to Zhuanxu. In the Spring and Autumn period, there were clouds like red crows flanking the sun and flying for three days. Moreover, Yi sought the medicine of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West; Yi's wife Heng'e stole it and fled into the moon; this comes from the *Yi lüe*. Moreover, lightning encircled the Pole Star and Huangdi was born. Furthermore, Fu Yue died, and his spirit went up to become a star, joining the ranks of the lunar mansions above the Tail mansion; hence it says 'riding the Tail'.) yet heaven and earth are one, and the three luminaries are shared. If those Western Regions did not see and did not record them, would you truly say the words of the Hua are untrue? If their doubts are indeed wrong, why would this doubt be right? If their belief is true, why would this belief be false? However, the Six Canons of Huaxia were simple and focused on essentials; having suffered extinction under the Qin, they are still not fully known. (Ancient books were originally simple and essential; moreover, having suffered the burning of the violent Qin, how could past affairs be fully heard?) For instance, of the two eras of Tang and Yu, only a few chapters remain of the *Shangshu*. (Only five chapters, such as the 'Canon of Yao', remain.) Of the flourishing transformations of the Shang and Zhou, how many poems and eulogies can remain? Even in matters of punishments and virtue, which they valued, there are omissions; how much more so for what lies beyond the realm of appearances—how could that be complete? Therefore, Yao had Yin Shou as his teacher, and Shun served Wu Guang, yet the Duke of Zhou and Confucius also did not record them. Confucius's words on the Way appear in Zhuangzi; (The Five Classics do not mention them; they all come out of *Zhuangzi*.) Laozi's knowledge of ritual is preserved in Dai Sheng. (Dai De, courtesy name Jinjun, transmitted the *Rites*, called the *Greater Dai Rites*; he reached Grand Tutor of Xindu. Dai Sheng, courtesy name Cijun, transmitted the *Rites*, called the *Lesser Dai Rites*; as an Erudite he discoursed at the Shiqu Hall and reached Governor of Jiujiang.) Had these books turned to ashes, how would we know that the two sages fully realized ritual and knew the Way? (If they had been burnt to ashes by the violent Qin, how could these have been fully fathomed?) The guest said: 'When Dharmaratna arrived in the state, someone brought black ash to interrogate him. Dharmaratna said: "It is the remnant ash of the kalpa fire." Did he actually capture the truth of the matter?' (Was it really the ash of the kalpa fire?) The host said: 'The words remain, but the man has passed away; how can we know his mind? (Although these words have been passed down and remain, the person is no longer here; how can we know where his intended meaning and mind lay in his reply?) Zhongni said: "Emotions desire sincerity; disputation desires skill." This was disputation. (This reply was merely Dharmaratna's skillful disputation.) Or perhaps he was steadfast but did not insist on literal truth. (Steadfast means upright. Literal truth means trustworthiness. Although his intent was upright, his words need not be adhered to literally.) When the kalpa fire burns, the great earth is completely consumed. Yet once it has receded, how could there be cinders? (At the time of the kalpa fire, the great earth blazes with flames, burning up to the First Dhyāna; thereafter it recedes; how could there be ashes and cinders? Thus we know the kalpa fire has no ash.) Anciently, Zhuang Zhou considered that with Zhongni's wisdom, unless faced with the most vicious, it would not serve as mockery; therefore, he drew from afar upon the Eastern Mound, lodging words to show his meaning. (Robber Zhi lived on the Eastern Mound.) And Dharmaratna also considered that with the profundity of the Śākya, unless it astounded the ears, it would not effect transformation; therefore, he relied on the kalpa burning to open the way for his teaching. (People consider what surprises their hearing as extraordinary; therefore, wishing to convert them, he also used this expedient to move them.) Indeed, the gentleman uses virtue and righteousness to establish faith. (The gentleman acts righteously and then is trusted; 'when trustworthiness accords with righteousness, words can be repeated'.) Had he merely spoken of ordinary fire, would Dongfang Shuo have yielded to him? (Dongfang Shuo's courtesy name was Manqian. If he had answered by merely saying it was ordinary fire, would Dongfang Shuo have yielded to him?) Therefore, he touched upon the non-existent to guide toward the real; he abandoned the near to adduce the far, (Wishing to transform him, he first expediently pointed to the non-existent to entice him, abandoning the near ordinary fire and adducing the distant kalpa fire.) making people thirst to hear what was new, desiring to entice them toward goodness. Now, when they thirst to hear, it induces doubt; when it induces doubt, they are sure to seek to reach the truth; when the truth is reached, they return without straying far. (Reach means the actual truth.) It is like considering before drawing the crossbow mechanism and inspecting the arrow-notch to ensure it hits the mark. (This is from the 'Taijia'. The mechanism is the crossbow trigger; considering means gauging. Before releasing the arrow, one first gauges whether the trigger is suited to release and sure to hit. If one wishes to open and guide, one must ensure that they surely take refuge.) The guest said: 'The Buddha emerged among the Rong, and his teachings were bestowed upon the Rong people. For Chinese customs to follow the Rong, is that not base?' The host said: 'Do not say that! Do not say that! Where a gentleman dwells, it is never base.'