[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) › [鐔津文集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2115) › 9.17 # 鐔津文集 9.17 鐔津文集 9.17 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [9.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2115.9.17) 月日沙門某謹撰書。寄獻于樞密侍郎閣下。某世外幽人也。乃敢以其書而輒求於朝廷聖賢者。豈宜然哉。然憂其道之將毀必護其本教。亦烏得泥其所守而不知其變邪。夫朝廷聖賢者。乃吾道損益之所屬也。不往而伸之。吾聖人之法殆廢且滅矣。此亦經所謂佛法付諸國王大臣之意也。幸閣下仁明。憫其憂在道法不為身名。寬其僭冒之誅而稍取其說。不惟斯人之幸。亦其教道之光輝也。不直其教道之光輝。抑亦天下生靈之大幸也。某嘗以今文人之文排佛殊甚。是亦世之君子者不窺深理不究遠體。不考其善天下弘益之驗。徒以目接其淺近之事與儒不同。乃輒非之。夫佛氏之教播于諸夏垂千載矣。舉天下而化之。其亦盛矣。是必有大幽功陰德。合天地通神明。益教化善風俗者也。不然天厭人惡久矣。切恐論者不已。後生不悟益學而為之。不惟弊聖人之大道。亦乃沮天下為善之心。損國家教化之助也。故孜孜勉其愚瞑。輒著書以發明吾佛之所為教者。欲諭勸于世之賢人君子。而自視退然力不足言未信。非資乎朝廷之聖賢。有高明之勢力。有際天之識度。洞達聖人之深理遠體者。則其書何以傳也。適會吳人以其所著之書曰輔教編者模印方就。敢不遠千里望風以投于閣下之門。伏惟閣下以高才博學登踐大科。以善德能名榮處右密。藹然負天下宰輔之望。又益有深知遠識洞達聖人性命真奧。是宜夫佛氏者以其法而倚賴之也。儻為不腆之文末忝大賜。以之傳布于朝廷賢人君子。則某千萬死生之幸甚也。抑亦吾佛以法付之適得其寄也。其所獻之書十部三十冊封題。謹因崔太博以通于下執事者。塵浼台嚴。不任惶恐之至。不宣。某謹白。 > On \[such\] a month and \[such\] a day, the śramaṇa \[Qisong\] respectfully composes this letter, sent and offered to the Vice Minister of the Bureau of Military Affairs, His Excellency. I am a recluse beyond the world; how could it be fitting that I dare to make requests of the sages and worthies of the court with my book? Yet, worrying that our Way is about to be destroyed, one must protect one's original teaching; how could I rigidly cling to what I keep without understanding changing circumstances? Sages and worthies of the court are those upon whom the loss or gain of our Way depends. If I do not go to explain it, our Sage’s Dharma will almost be discarded and extinguished. This is also the intention of what the sutra calls entrusting the Buddha Dharma to kings and great ministers. Fortunately, Your Excellency in your benevolence and discernment may pity that my concern lies in the Way and Dharma rather than personal fame, pardon the crime of my presumption, and adopt my discourse slightly; this will not only be my good fortune, but also the glory of this teaching and Way. Not only the glory of this teaching and Way, but also the great fortune of living beings throughout the realm! I have seen that contemporary men of letters reject Buddhism with particular severity. This is also because gentlemen of the world do not look into its profound principles, do not investigate its far-reaching essence, and do not examine its proven efficacy in benefiting the empire and bringing vast aid; merely observing with their own eyes its superficial matters that differ from Confucianism, they immediately criticize it. The Buddhist teachings have spread throughout the Huaxia lands for nearly a thousand years. Transforming the whole realm, it has indeed flourished! It must possess great unseen merit and hidden virtue, matching heaven and earth, communicating with the spiritual powers, benefiting moral transformation, and improving customs; otherwise, heaven would have detested it and people hated it long ago. I deeply fear that critics will not cease, and the younger generation, failing to understand, will increasingly study and imitate them. This will not only impair the great Way of the sages, but also thwart the intention to do good throughout the world, diminishing the assistance to the state’s moral transformation. Therefore, exerting myself in my ignorance, I have composed a book to elucidate what our Buddha taught, wishing to instruct and encourage worthy gentlemen of the world. Yet looking at myself, I feel deficient; my power is insufficient and my words carry no credit. If I do not rely on the sages and worthies of the court, who possess lofty and luminous influence, who have heaven-reaching insight and capacity, and who thoroughly penetrate the profound principles and far-reaching essence of the sages, how could this book be propagated? It happens that the people of Wu have just completed printing the book I composed, entitled Compilation Assisting the Teaching (Fujiao bian). Across a thousand li, I dare to look from afar and cast myself at Your Excellency’s gate. I humbly reflect that Your Excellency, with lofty talent and broad learning, ascended to the highest imperial examinations; with fine virtue and renowned ability, you gloriously hold office in the Western Bureau. Splendidly, you bear the hopes of the empire for a chancellor; moreover, you possess profound understanding and far-reaching vision, penetrating the true mysteries of the sages' nature and destiny. It is indeed fitting that Buddhists rely on you with their Dharma. If, in spite of my meager writings, you deign to bestow a great favor by propagating them among the worthy gentlemen of the court, it would be my greatest fortune through ten million lives and deaths; and moreover, our Buddha's entrustment of the Dharma will appropriately find its reliance. The presented books, ten sets totaling thirty sealed volumes, are respectfully submitted to your attendants through Senior Erudite Cui. Having defiled Your Excellency’s august presence, I am overwhelmed with fear and trepidation. I say no more. \[I\], so-and-so, respectfully state \[this\]. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 9.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2115.9.16) - [Next: 9.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2115.9.18) - [Up: 9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2115.9) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2115~en-mt.9.17) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2115.9.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2115.9.17) · Pramāṇa