折疑論 4.143

4.143

They unearthed black ash and asked Dongfang Shuo about it. Shuo said: 'This is not something your servant can know. Your Majesty may ask the barbarian monks from the Western Regions; they will surely know.' The Emperor then dispatched someone to inquire of them, and a monk said: 'It is merely the ash accumulated at the time of the kalpa's destruction.' This is the sixth instance of foreknowledge. Could you alone be unaware of these various accounts? Moreover, Confucius was born in the Eastern Zhou, while the Buddha was born in the Western Regions; separated by vast distance, their subtle accord and silent recognition was as verified as meeting face to face. Were it not that identical sounds resonate with each other, who could have known in advance across such distance? (The *Commentary on the Words of the Text* for the Qian hexagram in the *Book of Changes* on 'Nine in the fifth place: The flying dragon is in the heavens; it is advantageous to see the great man. What does this mean?' The Master said: 'Identical sounds resonate with each other; identical energies seek each other out').