三教平心論 1.27

1.27

[Han] Yu also said: 'They abandon your ruler and ministers; they cast aside your fathers and sons.' This was said pointing to those who leave home. But has he not considered: Ziling treated [Emperor] Guangwu with haughty disdain and plowed at Fuchun, and Duke Ouyang praised him as possessing 'the purity of a sage,' never saying that he 'abandoned his ruler and ministers.' Taibo renounced King Tai and fled to the tattooed barbarians, and Confucius praised his virtue as 'the utmost,' never saying that he 'cast aside his father and son.' Comparing it to these cases, what fault does the Buddha have? Furthermore, cutting off worldly affections to leave home is not merely for cultivating oneself alone: realizing the fruit and attaining the Way is intended to save all beings universally. The Lotus Sūtra says: 'May we and all living beings together attain the Buddha Way.' How much more so for rulers and ministers, fathers and sons! Thus ordinary people toward their rulers go no further than the utmost respect and obedience, whereas Buddhists toward their rulers and fathers are able to guide them with the true Dharma; ordinary people toward their sons and younger brothers go no further than delivering affection, whereas Buddhists toward their sons and younger brothers are able to transform them with the true Way. King Śubhavyūha was the ruler and father of Bhaiṣajyarāja; when Bhaiṣajyarāja left home, King Śubhavyūha also left home, and thereby received a prediction and attained the Buddha Way. Rāhula was the eldest son of the Śākya clan; when Śākya left home, Rāhula also left home, and thereby attained the realization of esoteric practice and received the exalted prediction. Viewed from this perspective, how do those who leave home fail their rulers, ministers, fathers, or sons? Moreover, the minds of ordinary people make distinctions of intimacy and distance, whereas the Buddha's mind has neither intimacy nor distance; the minds of ordinary people have limits, whereas the Buddha's mind is limitless. Ordinary people know only their own rulers and fathers, whereas the Buddha makes no such distinction. Thus the Perfect Enlightenment Sūtra says: 'Regard those enemies as one's own parents.' Ordinary people know only their own sons and grandsons, whereas the Buddha has no hierarchical gradations. Thus the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: 'Regard living beings equally as if each were an only child.' How could such a mind ever be comprehended by [Han] Yu?