三教平心論 2.19

2.19

From the time [Ouyang Xiu] took Han Yu as his teacher, the various Confucians vied to take Han Yu as their teacher. Cheng Mingdao said, "The Buddhists only strive to attain what is above, and have no learning from below." Yet he failed to reflect that the six pāramitās of the Buddhists are all doctrines of learning from below and attaining what is above. The dhyāna-pāramitā means reaching the other shore by means of meditative absorption (dhyāna); meditative absorption is learning from below, and reaching the other shore is attaining what is above. The dāna-pāramitā means reaching the other shore by means of giving (dāna); giving is learning from below, and reaching the other shore is attaining what is above. So too with vigor (vīrya), keeping precepts (śīla), patience (kṣānti), and wisdom (prajñā): reaching the other shore is attaining what is above. Therefore the Sutra of Definite Meaning on Liberation says: "There are six practices in learning, which are called the six pāramitās. Giving, precepts, and patience are the higher training in morality (adhiśīla-śikṣā); meditative absorption is the higher training in mind (adhicitta-śikṣā); and prajñā is the higher training in wisdom (adhiprajñā-śikṣā)." Furthermore, the Four Universal Vows say: "Dharma-gates are measureless, I vow to learn them; the Buddha Way is unexcelled, I vow to achieve it." There is nothing in this that does not proceed from learning from below to reaching what is above. How could one say that they have no learning from below?