三教平心論 2.31

2.31

漢有牟子者。嘗著書辦明佛教。名曰理惑。其說曰。吾非辦也。見博故不惑耳。吾未解佛經之時。誦五經之文。以為天下之理盡在於是。既覩佛經之說回視五經。猶臨天井而窺溪谷。登嵩岱而見丘垤也。又曰。少所見多所怪。覩駱駝言馬腫背。然則今之毀佛教者。豈非覩駱駝言馬腫背乎。識者於此盍亦詳觀諦察較短量長而思之。曰我之教果優於彼乎。抑劣於彼乎。彼之道果劣於我乎。抑優於我乎。佛之神通妙用所不必論。始以其徒之至中國者觀之。明皇問一行以國祚。一行曰。鑾輿有萬里之行。社稷終吉。其後明皇以祿山之變而幸蜀。唐祚終於昭宗。而昭宗初封吉王。悉如一行之說。儒家以聰明叡智為至聖。果能有此先見乎。舉是說與儒教者言。彼必曰。吾儒家不貴此也。抑不思。記曰。至誠之道可以前知。非不貴此也。特口能道此。而見不能至此也。大耳三藏法師得他心通。忠國師試之曰。汝道。老僧即今在什麼處。藏曰。在天津橋上看弄猢猻。忠又問。老僧即今在什麼處。藏曰。在西川看競渡。儒家自堯舜迄孔孟。果能有此默識乎。舉是說與儒者言。彼必曰。吾儒家不尚此也。抑不思。詩曰。他人有心予忖度之。非不尚此也。特口能道此。而識不至此也。

In the Han dynasty there was Master Mou, who once composed a book to clarify Buddhism, entitled *Treatise on the Resolution of Doubts*. His words say: "It is not that I am argumentative; it is that my views are broad, so I have no doubts. Before I understood the Buddhist sūtras, I recited the texts of the Five Classics and thought that all the principles under Heaven were exhausted therein. Once I saw the teachings of the Buddhist sūtras, looking back at the Five Classics was like looking into a valley from the edge of a courtyard cistern, or seeing ant-hills from the summit of Mount Song or Mount Tai." He also said: "When one has seen little, one wonders at much; upon seeing a camel, one says it is a horse with a swollen back." If so, are not those who revile Buddhism today seeing a camel and saying it is a horse with a swollen back? Discerning people here, why not look closely, examine carefully, weigh the short and the long, and contemplate: Is our teaching truly superior to theirs, or inferior to theirs? Is their way truly inferior to ours, or superior to ours? There is no need to speak of the Buddha's supernatural powers and wondrous functioning. Look first at his followers who arrived in China: Emperor Minghuang asked Yixing about the state's mandate. Yixing said: "The imperial carriage will make a journey of ten thousand leagues; the altars of soil and grain will end in auspiciousness (ji)." Afterward, Minghuang fled to Shu due to the rebellion of Lushan; the Tang dynasty's mandate ended with Zhaozong; and Zhaozong had initially been enfeoffed as Prince Ji. Everything was just as Yixing had spoken. The Confucian school considers keen intelligence and sagacity to be the supreme sage; could they truly possess such foreknowledge? If one takes this account and speaks of it to Confucians, they will surely say: "Our Confucian school does not value this." But do they not consider: The *Records* state, "The way of utmost sincerity allows for foreknowledge." It is not that they do not value this; it is merely that their mouths can state this, while their insight cannot reach it. The Tripiṭaka Master Daji (Dada'er) attained the penetration of the minds of others. National Preceptor Zhong tested him, saying: "Tell me, where is this old monk right now?" The Tripiṭaka Master said: "Watching monkeys perform on Tianjin Bridge." Zhong asked again: "Where is this old monk right now?" The Tripiṭaka Master said: "In Xichuan watching boat races." From Yao and Shun down to Confucius and Mencius, could the Confucian school truly possess such silent knowing? If one takes this account and speaks of it to Confucians, they will surely say: "Our Confucian school does not esteem this." But do they not consider: The *Odes* state, "Others have minds, and I surmise them." It is not that they do not esteem this; it is merely that their mouths can state this, while their knowledge does not reach it.