釋氏要覽 2.387

2.387

To emulate. The *Baihu tong* says: 'Learning (*xue*) is awakening (*jue*); it means awakening to what one does not know.' The *Zhonglun* says: 'When the gentlemen of antiquity perfected virtue and established themselves, so that their bodies perished but their names were imperishable, what was the reason? It was learning. Learning is that by which one clears the spirit, penetrates thought, gladdens the emotions, and disciplines one's nature; it is the supreme endeavor of the sages. Learning is like ornamentation: if a vessel is not ornamented, there is no way to make it aesthetically pleasing; if a person does not learn, there is no way for them to possess fine virtue. Aspiration is the master of learning. Since learners worry about not establishing their aspiration, the section is entitled "Directing the Mind to Learning".' The *Sengshi lüe* states: 'In learning, one should never tire of breadth; to have something unknown is indeed a deficiency. That the eminent monks of this land could comprehend divergent traditions was generally due to their extensive learning.'