三教平心論 2.3

2.3

[Han] Yu also said: "I beg that this bone be cast into water and fire; only then may it be known whether the actions of the Great Sage surpass ordinary [men] ten-thousand-fold." Indeed, that he did not recognize the Buddha as a Great Sage—how could he be so utterly perverse and muddled? Zhang Wujin asked Chan Master Dahui: "Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang were all sages. Why is it that the Buddha did not speak of them at all?" The Master replied: "Comparing Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang to King Brahmā and Śakra, is there any superiority or inferiority?" The Duke said: "How could Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang compare to King Brahmā and Śakra?" The Master said: "The Buddha regarded King Brahmā and Śakra as ordinary worldlings; how much more so the rest!" The Duke then clapped in admiration, taking it to be a lofty argument. Viewed from this perspective, Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang fall far short of King Brahmā and Śakra, yet Brahmā and Śakra are still ordinary worldlings. From Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang down to Wen, Wu, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius, Confucianism refers to them all as sages. Even Boyi, Yi Yin, and Liuxia Hui, who each distinguished themselves by a single virtue, are also called sages. Yet among the multitude of sages, there must be one who is great. Zai Wo said: "As I look upon the Master, he is far worthier than Yao and Shun." Zigong said: "Since the birth of humankind, there has never been one greater than Confucius." Thus Confucius is the Great Sage of Confucianism. Yet the Buddha is the Sage of sages. If you do not believe it, please look at the ultimate achievements of the Buddha recorded earlier: the Buddha cultivated causes through hundreds of millions of kalpas and attained the fruit in this present life; the six perfections and ten thousand practices were all cultivated alike, and merits numerous as the sands of the Ganges were all brought to completion. Liezi cited the words of Confucius, saying: "I, Qiu, have heard that in the west there is a Great Sage who does not govern, yet there is no disorder." Fan Weizong, in his *Discourse on the Western Regions*, wrote: "It is the place where divine sages descend and gather, and where virtuous and eminent ones step forth into life." When someone asked Wenzhongzi about the Buddha, he answered that he was a sage. When Xuanzang translated the sūtras, Emperor Taizong of the Tang named [his preface] the *Preface to the Holy Teaching*. Emperor Taizong of our dynasty bestowed upon the Indian Tripiṭaka Master Tianxizai a preface to his sūtra translations, entitled *Preface to the Tripiṭaka Holy Teaching*, which says: "Translating the true tenets of the palm leaves, continuing the holy teaching of gods and men." Emperor Zhenzong bestowed upon the Indian Master of Illuminating the Teaching Faxian a preface to his sūtra translations, entitled *Preface on Continuing the Holy Teaching*, which says: "The holy writings of the Dragon Palace are renewed; the bhikṣus of the Vulture Peak look up in sighing praise." Xiao Yu said: "The Buddha is a sage; one who is not a sage has no teaching." Pei Xiu said: "The Buddha is a Great Sage; his teaching has inconceivable matters." Looking upon these in accumulation, who among those called sages in the world surpasses the Buddha? Those who disbelieve in the Buddha and slander the Buddha will live as foolish people and die as foolish ghosts, casting off bodies and receiving bodies ever lower and lower. Could one who chooses his path well truly act like this?