鐔津文集 9.17

9.17

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].