折疑論 4.28

4.28

Miaoming said: 'Mouzi said: "One who is thirsty need not jump into rivers or seas to drink; one who is hungry need not wait for the Ao Granary to be sated." The Way is set forth for the wise; argument is communicated to the perceptive; books are transmitted for the discerning; affairs are made clear to those who observe. Because you understand their meaning, I have cited and expanded upon them. If I were to explain Buddhist sūtras to answer you, sir, it would be like displaying the five colors to the blind, or playing the five notes to the deaf. Furthermore, Shi Xiang, Shi Wen, Bo Ya, Huba, and Shuye were those of antiquity skilled at playing the qin; though their learning was exacting, they could not perform a melody without strings. (Liezi says: Huba played the qin, and birds danced and fish leaped. Shi Xiang was Shi Wen's teacher. He was able to stroke the qin: in spring, striking the shang string to summon the ordinance of Nanlü in the eighth month, a cool breeze suddenly arrived, and plants bore fruit; when autumn came, striking the jue string to arouse Jiazhong in the second month, a warm breeze slowly returned, and plants flourished; in the height of summer, striking the yu string to summon Huangzhong in the eleventh month, frost and snow fell together, and rivers and ponds froze and cracked; in winter, striking the zhi string to arouse Ruibin in the fifth month, the sunlight blazed fiercely, and hard ice instantly melted. Approaching the end, he struck the gong string and unified the four strings, whereupon auspicious breezes soared, propitious clouds floated, sweet dew descended, and sweet springs gushed forth. Yet though they were skilled in playing, they could not produce a stringless melody.)'