鐔津文集 9.7

9.7

月日沙門某謹伏揖。獻書昭文相公閣下。某幽人也。伏山林竊耹閣下以至公宰天下。與人為善廓然無所不容。故昔年嘗以其書曰輔教編。因關主簿景仁投于下執事者。逮今自抱其書西趨而來。願進諸天子。至京逾月。誠欲先見大君子。幸教其去就可否之宜。且疑關君之書浮乎沈邪果塵閣下之聽覽乎。懣然久不自決。忽然輒進。恐閣下不知其所來之志。謂有所求。不進則其事稽滯。故復書其意萬一。幸閣下稍詳之。然某之出山也。蓋欲貢其所著之書十餘萬言。其書乃補其教法之闕正。吾佛氏之乃祖乃宗。賴天子垂于經藏之間。以息乎學佛者疑諍。使百世知其所統也。其意止于是矣。非傚他輩自為身名之僥倖欲有所求也。閣下儻不以為非且謬引而與語。則其所來之意得伸矣。不惟自得伸其志矣。亦恐於閣下性命真奧之極際而有所資焉。豈獨資其性命之說。抑亦稍補閣下聖賢治政皇極之法也。塵冒大丞相尊嚴。罪無所逃不宣某謹白。

On the [blank] day of the [blank] month, the śramaṇa [Qisong] respectfully bows with hands clasped, offering this letter to the Chancellor of Zhaowen Pavilion, beneath his seat. I am a recluse of the woods and mountain retreats who has heard that your Excellency administers the realm with supreme impartiality, promoting goodness in others, vast and encompassing all without exception. For this reason, in a past year I once sent my book, titled *Fujiao pian*, through Registrar Guan Jingren to your subordinates. Now I have come hastening westward in person, carrying my writings, wishing to present them to the Son of Heaven. Having arrived at the capital more than a month ago, I truly wished first to see you, great gentleman, hoping you would instruct me on the propriety of whether to proceed or withdraw, whether it was permissible or not. Furthermore, I wondered whether Registrar Guan’s letter had floated [away] or sunk [without trace], and whether it had ever truly reached your hearing and sight. Depressed, I remained unable to decide for a long time. Had I abruptly advanced, I feared your Excellency would not know the intention behind my coming and would think I had some personal request; yet had I not advanced, the matter would have lingered in delay. Therefore I write of my intentions again, hoping that by one chance in ten thousand your Excellency might examine them in some detail. In emerging from the mountains, my wish was merely to offer up the more than one hundred thousand words I have written; this book rectifies the deficiencies in the Dharma teachings and rectifies [the lineage of] the patriarchs and ancestors of our Buddhist tradition, relying on the Son of Heaven to bestow it among the canon of scriptures, so as to quiet the doubts and contentions of those who study Buddhism and let a hundred generations know its legitimate line. My intention went no further than this. It was not to imitate those others who seek their own selfish fortune of personal fame and pursue private ends. If your Excellency does not deem it wrong and deigns to summon and converse with me, then the purpose of my coming will be fulfilled. Not only will my aspiration be fulfilled, but I also expect it may offer some aid to your Excellency's ultimate grasp of the true depths of nature and destiny. How could it merely aid your discourse on nature and destiny? It might also somewhat supplement the methods of sagely governance and imperial sovereignty wielded by your Excellency. Having encroached upon the majesty of the Grand Chancellor, my guilt has nowhere to hide. Not elaborating further, [Qisong] respectfully states.