法苑珠林 10.96

10.96

竊以因緣假有。眾生之滯根。法本不然。至人之妙理。是以三界六趣。造業障而自迷。八解十智。導歸宗而虛豁。是以能仁大師隨緣布教。愍焱宅之既焚。傷欲流之永騖。託白淨之宮。照黃金之色。居茲三惑。示畫篋之非真。出彼四門。厭浮雲之易滅。自嗟人世漂忽若此。於是天王捧白馬而踰城。給使持寶冠而詣闕。脫屣尋真。其於斯矣。雖復秦世簫史。周時子晉。許由洗耳於箕山。莊周曳尾於濮水。方茲去俗何其篾哉。致使慕其德者。斷惡以立身。欽其風者。潔己而修善。毀形以成其志。故棄鬚髮之美容。變俗以會其道。故去輪王之華服。雖形闕奉親。而內懷其孝。禮乖事主。而心戢其恩。澤被怨親以成大順。福霑幽顯豈拘小違。上智之人依佛語故為益。下凡之類虧聖教故為損。懲惡則濫者自新。進善則通人感化。所以仙林始抽簪之地。禪河起苦行之迹。沐金軀之淨水。游道場之吉樹。食假獻麋座因施草。於是十力智圓六通神足。魔兵席卷大覺道成也。

I venture to consider that conditioned arising and nominal existence form the root of clinging for sentient beings; that phenomena are originally not so is the profound truth of the ultimate sage. Therefore, in the three realms and six paths, beings create karmic obstacles and delude themselves; while through the eight liberations and ten knowledges, they are guided back to the source and made empty and unimpeded. Thus, the Great Master, the Capable and Benevolent (Śākyamuni), dispensed teachings in accordance with conditions, pitying the burning of the blazing house and lamenting the eternal racing along the stream of desire. Entrusting himself to the palace of the pure and white, he radiated a golden complexion. Abiding among the three delusions, he revealed that the painted box is unreal; passing out through the four gates, he wearied of floating clouds that easily vanish. He sighed to himself that the human world drifts by swiftly like this. Thereupon the heavenly kings upheld the white horse to leap over the city wall, and the attendant brought the jewelled crown back to the palace. Casting off his shoes to seek the real—such was this deed! Even if we consider Xiao Shi of Qin or Zijin of Zhou, Xu You washing his ears at Mount Ji, or Zhuang Zhou dragging his tail in the Pu River, when compared to this departure from the secular world, how insignificant they are! Consequently, those who admire his virtue sever evil to establish their person; those who esteem his style purify themselves to cultivate good. Disfiguring the body to accomplish their aspiration, they cast off the beautiful visage of beard and hair; altering secular ways to accord with the Path, they discard the splendid robes of a cakravartin. Although bodily they lack attendance upon their parents, inwardly they cherish filial devotion; although in etiquette they diverge from serving a ruler, in their hearts they store up gratitude. Grace extends to both enemies and kin to accomplish great compliance; blessings soak the unseen and manifest—how could it be constrained by petty transgressions? For people of superior wisdom, relying on the Buddha's words brings benefit; for those of the lower common sort, falling short of the holy teaching brings harm. Chastising evil, the unruly renew themselves; advancing good, open-minded individuals are transformed. Thus the forest of sages was the place where he first removed the hairpin; the river of meditation was the locus where he began ascetic practices. He bathed his golden body in pure waters, and roamed under the auspicious tree of the bodhimaṇḍa. For food, he accepted an offering of milk-rice; for a seat, he made use of bestowed grass. Thereupon, his ten powers and wisdom were perfected, and his six supernormal knowledges and spiritual feet were complete; the demon army was swept away like a mat, and the Great Awakening to the Path was accomplished.