Discrimination of Truth Treatise (甄正論) · Volume 3 (第三) · Thus have I heard - Illuminating Buddhist Wisdom with AI

先生曰。老莊之教余豈毀耶。比擬佛經義理全別。論善也則同途而各騖。語宗也則異軌而分驅。老教旨在於雌柔。佛法事明於因果。二軸七篇之奧義。忘得喪於齊物之場。八萬四千之法門。契寂滅於涅槃之境。修身理國之要。道德之經具明。捨凡證聖之果。般若之文逾顯。至如遣執破境息智忘身。老經非無其語於行靡立。其宗所修。唯在人間極果纔登壽考。佛之為教應物逗緣。隨類分門因機啟行。自近之遠從淺階深。起一念心證真如果。顯如天地明同日月。麁文浮閱似若相參。妙理沈研皎然全異。又子云道士之號非祇于今者。亦何謬哉。自開闢以來。至于晉末元無戴斑穀之冠。被黃彩之帔。立天尊之像。習靈寶之經。稱為道士者矣。所號道士者。則廣成務光巢由涓棘之輩脫落時代輕傲王侯。與俗不群高尚其志。次有遺榮冠冕締賞林泉。歌紫芝以自娛。調素琴而取逸。末代則有性好飛練志存術數。咸稱道士。跡雖異俗衣無別制。漢明帝時。佛法被於中夏。至吳赤烏年。術人葛玄上書吳主孫權云。佛法是西域之典。中國先有道教。請弘其法。始創置一館。此今觀之濫觴也葛玄又偽造道經。自稱太極左仙公。目所造經云。仙公請問經。宋文明等更增其法。造九等齋儀七部科籙。修朝禮上香之文。行道壇纂服之式。衣服冠屨之制。跪拜折旋之容。行其道者。始斷婚娶禁薰辛。又偽造靈寶等經數千卷。後陸修靜更立衣服之號。月帔星巾霓裳霞袖。九光寶蓋十絕靈幡。於此著矣。至梁武帝初年。為修靜所惑。曾致遵奉。後悟非是究竟之法。親製捨道之文。見在梁武集內。後修靜出奔北齊。其時丹陽陶弘景性多博識聰叡過人。身為道士居于茅山之朱陽靜退無為不交時事。時號貞白先生。又號陶隱居。多所著述。並行于代。躬衣道服心敬佛法。於所居地起塔圖佛容像。親自供養。號曰勝力菩薩。其塔見在茅山朱陽觀中。于今不為鳥雀所污。弘景重制冠服改館為觀。行黃帝老子之教。惡靈寶法偽鄙而不行。手著論以非之。弘景深為梁武所器。尚頻徵令仕確乎不拔。并述詩以贈武帝。並入於集。事跡昭顯光乎梁史。子何惑之。

You say: "How could I slander the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi? When compared with Buddhist scriptures, their principles are entirely different. Regarding goodness, they share a common path but head in different directions; speaking of fundamental tenets, they ride separate tracks. The teaching of Laozi aims at gentleness and yielding; the Dharma of Buddhism clarifies cause and effect. The profound meaning of the two scrolls and seven chapters lies in forgetting gains and losses in the realm of equanimity. The eighty-four thousand Dharma gates resonate with quiet cessation in the realm of Nirvana. The essentials of self-cultivation and governing the state are fully clarified in the *Dao De Jing*. The fruit of transcending the ordinary and realizing sagehood becomes even more evident in the *Prajna* texts. As for letting go of attachments, breaking down objects, stilling wisdom, and forgetting the self — the *Laozi* does contain such words, but they are not established in practice. Its school of cultivation only reaches the highest human attainment, which is merely longevity. Buddhism, as a teaching, responds to beings and adapts to conditions; it classifies according to type, and guides through causes. It proceeds from near to far, from shallow to deep. A single thought can realize the fruit of true Thusness. It is as clear as heaven and earth, as bright as the sun and moon. A coarse reading of the superficial texts may make them seem to overlap, but a deep investigation of the subtle principles shows they are completely different.

As for your statement that the title 'Daoist' is not limited to the present day — how mistaken that is! From the beginning of the world until the end of the Jin dynasty, there were no people wearing the grain-patterned cap, the yellow-colored robe, setting up statues of the Heavenly Worthy, studying the *Lingbao* scriptures, and being called 'Daoists.' Those who were called 'Daoists' — such as Guangchengzi, Wuguang, Chaofu, Youzi, Jizi, Boyi, Shuqi, and those who cast off their era, scorned kings and nobles, were not part of the common world, and held their aspirations high — were of that kind. Next, there were those who abandoned the glory of official posts, appreciated forests and streams, sang the 'Purple Mushroom' song for their own pleasure, or played the plain zither for their own ease. In later ages, there were those with a nature fond of alchemy and a mind devoted to arts of calculation; they all called themselves Daoists. Though their paths differed from the worldly, there was no special dress code.

During the time of Emperor Ming of Han, the Dharma of Buddhism spread to China. By the Chiwu era of Wu, the alchemist Ge Hong (Ge Xuan?) submitted a memorial to Sun Quan, the ruler of Wu, saying: 'The Buddha's Dharma is a text from the Western Regions. China already has the Daoist teaching. Please promote its practice,' and he first established a single hall. This is the origin of the later 'Guan' (Daoist temples). Ge Hong also forged Daoist scriptures, calling himself the 'Supreme Lord of the Left Immortal.' The scriptures he produced were called the *Scripture of the Immortal's Questions*. Song Wenming and others further expanded these teachings, creating the Nine Grades of Ritual, the Seven Sections of Rules and Registers, and composed texts for morning worship, incense offering, the method of circumambulating the altar and donning robes, and the rules for clothing, caps, shoes, kneeling, bowing, and turning. Those who practiced this path first broke off marriage and prohibited pungent vegetables. They also forged thousands of volumes of *Lingbao* and other scriptures. Later, Lu Xiujing further established the names of garments: moon capes, star headdresses, rainbow-colored robes, cloudy sleeves, nine-light jeweled canopies, and ten-petal numinous banners. These were now instituted.

In the early years of Emperor Wu of Liang, he was confused by Lu Xiujing and once revered and followed him. Later, he understood that this was not the ultimate teaching. He personally wrote an essay renouncing Daoism, which is included in the *Collected Works of Emperor Wu of Liang*. Later, Lu Xiujing fled to Northern Qi. At that time, Tao Hongjing of Danyang was broad-minded, knowledgeable, and exceptionally intelligent. He lived as a Daoist, dwelling at Maoshan in a place called Zhuyang, in quiet seclusion and non-action, not engaging with worldly affairs. He was called 'Master Zhenbai' and also 'Hermit Tao.' He wrote many works, all circulated in his time. He wore Daoist robes but his mind reverenced the Buddha's Dharma. In his living place, he erected a stupa, painted images of the Buddha, and personally made offerings. He called himself 'Supreme Strength Bodhisattva.' The stupa is still in the Zhuyang Guan on Maoshan, and to this day it has not been defiled by birds or animals. Tao Hongjing revised the regulations for clothing and caps, renamed 'halls' (guan) as 'temples' (guan), and propagated the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi. He detested the falseness of the *Lingbao* methods and did not practice them. He wrote a treatise to criticize them. Tao Hongjing was greatly valued by Emperor Wu of Liang, who frequently summoned him to serve as an official, but he remained unwavering. He also composed poems to present to Emperor Wu, all of which are collected in his works. His deeds are clearly recorded in the history of Liang. Why are you confused about this?")

先生曰。子何言之當乎。余甞欲著論。未遑削󱡐。因子之請見余之志。夫三教群分九流區別。本跡斯異義意迺殊。非唯麁淺相懸。抑亦凡聖全隔。尋文似涉參互究理居然不同。自八卦成象六爻定位。披龍圖而紀號。觀鳥跡以裁書。立德立言。三墳暢三皇之化。垂訓垂範。五典旌五帝之謨。洎乎姬公制禮作樂。隆二南之風雅。孔父修詩述易。詮十翼之精微。莫不序尊卑定君臣父子之道。次長幼明夫婦友于之別。盡忠貞以奉國。崇孝悌以資家。蘊恭謙以克己。施仁恕以待物。敦信義以申交。務廉讓以推行。此之五德立身之義也。敷文德以化俗。運武功以寧亂。修禋祀以綏神祇。崇宗廟而敬祖考。啟畋漁之漸。易著網罟之義。導盤遊之源。禮摽蒐狩之典。截馘斬首。効征戰之勞。宰犧屠牲。邀薦饗之福。貫胸達腋。申馳騁之娛。夭命剖肌。恣賞心之樂。刑禮興而姦詐起。符璽著而矯偽生。盜國竊器者害父弑君。爭權趨利者滅宗夷族。無慈悲之大惠。有惻隱之小仁。昧三世之因果。明一生之禍福。餘殃宿慶逮乎子孫。積惡修善絕於冥報。在生之命。年有延促之限。為鬼之質。壽無遷變之期。所云好生惡殺者。謂性命之重人畜同之。類於己情豈宜傷害。故子貢欲去告朔之餼羊。聞其聲不食其肉者。以己之心。體彼之命。戀生之志。物我皆然。故孔丘不味山梁之雉。于定國之寬刑。孫叔敖之陰德。󰊉楚以昌其後。高門以待其封。項羽之陷秦軍。白起之坑趙卒。身死杜郵之下。支分烏江之上。或禍福被於當代。或榮辱流於子孫身造受嗣同於見報父。業子傳酬非自己。亦有射宣王以復其怨。抗杜回以答其恩。申生命胡突以馭車。劉約從元海而陪乘。此論幽明交接人鬼相讎。非罪福之業緣。異報應之輪轉。儒佛懸殊此其明矣。

夫老子為教。備乎五千之文。莊周演論。詳於七篇之旨。所明道者但詮陰陽天地和氣四時生育之理。故云。道生一。一生二。二生三。三生萬物。嚴君平等釋云。一者元氣。謂混沌未分無狀可見。於無狀可見道中生一氣兆。氣之清者為天。濁者為地。此一氣生天地。一生二也。因天地和而生陰陽及人。此二生三也。以人稟陰陽。陰陽能生品彙動植之類。此三生萬物也。故易云。一陰一陽之謂道。明道則陰陽也。陰陽不測之謂神明。即此陰陽之理。非測度可知。此神妙也。能順此陰陽之理。安其所稟涯分守雌柔恬淡寂泊無為。絕矯性之聖智。棄越分之聞知。同徼妙之兩觀。泯有無之雙執。挫折銳進之心。解釋紛撓之志。除剛勇之強梁。捐聲色之耽染。體禍福倚伏之萌。行慈儉謙退之行。即得終其壽考免於身患。子孫昌繁祭祀不輟。苟違於此。則夭命傷生。招於敗累。息胤勦絕其後不嗣。故云。善建不拔善抱不脫。子孫祭祀不輟。莊周解牛以全其生。傳火而續其命。齊萬物以杜健羨之路。隳四支以去形骸之戀。述木鴈用遣愚智滯守之方。喻指馬以忘天地執著之見。混變化而夢胡蝶。一夭壽而延殤子。太山小於秋毫。則巨細之妄斯顯。朝菌長於大椿。則脩促之繫方假。此並莊周詮俗情妄執。遂有長短妍醜之實。而起人我貪惡之心。利己損物致招患禍。此論一生之內有此顛倒。夭齡害命牽累敗身。無未來冥報之義。過去業緣之理。當代造善惡之行。隨其所行當代受報。與儒書所說大意略同。此足明佛道全別。公子曰。三教懸殊若此之異。一理之說吁可同哉。是知子休心齋以忘身。非是為他祈福。宣尼潔齋以變食。豈關藉因求果。設道供以邀冥資之助。造天尊以希濟拔之功者。何虛費哉。何虛費哉。而今而後庶幾免矣。然章醮之法。符禁之術。比見行者。時有効驗。此事如何。更請詳議。