鐔津文集 16.36

16.36

余觀韓子之書。見其不至若前之評者多矣。始欲悉取而辯之。近聞蜀人有為書而非韓子者。方傳諸京師。所非謂有百端。雖未覩乎蜀人之書。吾益言之。恐與其相重姑已。劉昀唐書謂。韓子其性。偏辟剛訐。又曰。於道不弘。吾考其書驗其所為誠然耳。欲韓如古之聖賢從容中道。固其不逮也。宜乎識者謂韓子第文詞人耳。夫文者所以傳道也。道不至雖甚文奚用。若韓子議論如此。其道可謂至乎。而學者不復考之道理中否。乃斐然徒效其文而譏沮佛教聖人。大酷。吾甞不平。比欲從聖賢之大公者。辯而裁之。以正夫天下之苟毀者。而志未果。然今吾年已五十者。且隣於死矣。是終不能爾也。吾之徒或萬一有賢者。當今天子明聖朝廷至公。異日必提吾書貢而辯之。其亦不忝爾從事於吾道也矣。

In reading Master Han’s writings, I have found many shortcomings like those criticized above. At first, I intended to take them all up and debate them. Recently, I heard that someone from Shu wrote a book criticizing Master Han that is circulating in the capital, finding fault with him in a hundred ways. Although I have not seen this book from Shu, fearing that saying more would merely duplicate it, I have set the task aside for now. Liu Xun's Book of Tang says of Master Han: 'By nature, he was partial, stubborn, and given to contentious fault-finding,' and also says, 'He was not broad-minded regarding the Way.' When I examine his writings and verify them against his actions, it is indeed so. If one expects Han to be like the sages and worthies of old, easily and naturally hitting the center of the Way, he certainly falls short. How fitting that those of insight remark that Master Han was merely a man of literary composition! Writing is that by which the Way is transmitted; if the Way is not attained, what use is even the finest writing? If Master Han’s discourses were such, could his Way be said to have reached its goal? Yet scholars no longer examine whether principles strike the mark, and instead recklessly and merely imitate his style, mocking and undermining Buddhism and its sage with great cruelty. I have often felt indignant about this and recently wished to follow the great impartiality of the sages and worthies, debating and judging these matters to correct the careless slanders of the world, but my ambition has not been fulfilled. Now I am already fifty years old and close to death; in the end, I will not be able to accomplish it. If by some rare chance there is a worthy among my followers, in this era when the present Son of Heaven is luminous and sage and the court is supremely impartial, he will surely present my writings in the future to offer them up and debate these issues. That, too, would not dishonor your service to our Way!