魏陳思王曹子建辯道論
夫神仙之書。道家之言。乃云傅說。上為辰尾宿歲星。降為東方朔。淮南王安誅於淮南。而謂之獲道輕舉。鉤弋死於雲陽而謂之尸逝柩空。其為虛妄甚矣哉。中興篤論之士。有桓君山者。其所著述多善劉子駿甞問言。人誠能抑嗜慾闔耳目。可不衰竭乎。時庭下有一老榆。君山指而謂曰。此樹無情慾可忍無耳目可闔。然猶枯竭腐朽。而子駿乃言可不衰竭非談也。君山援榆喻之未是也。何者余前為王莽典樂大夫。樂記言。文帝得魏文侯樂人竇公年百八十兩目盲。帝奇而問之。何所施行。對曰。臣年十三而失明。父母哀其不及事。教臣鼓琴。臣不能導引。不知壽得何力。君山論之曰。頗得省盲專一內視精不外鑒之助也。先難子駿以內視無益。退論竇公便以不鑒證之。吾未見其定論也。君山又曰。方士有董仲君者。有罪繫獄。佯死數日。目陷蟲出死而復生。然後竟死。生之必死君子所達。夫何喻乎。夫至神不過天地不能使蟄虫夏逝震雷冬發。時變則物動。氣移而事應。彼仲君乃能藏其氣屍其體爛其膚出其虫。無乃大怪乎。世有方士。至王悉所招致。甘陵有甘始。廬江有左慈。陽城有郗儉。始能行氣導引慈曉房中之術。儉善辟穀悉號三百歲。本所以集之於魏國者。誠恐斯人之徒接姦詭以欺眾。行妖慝以惑人。故聚而禁之。甘始者老而有少容。自餘術士咸共歸之。然始詞繁寡實。頗竊有怪言。若遭秦始皇漢武帝。則復徐福欒大之徒矣。桀紂殊世而齊惡。姦人異代而等偽。乃如此耶。又世虛然有仙人之說。仙人者黨猱猨之屬。與世人得道化為仙人乎。夫雉入海為蛤。燕入海為蜃。當徘徊其翼差池。其羽猶自識也。忽然自投。神化體變乃更與黿鼈為群。豈復自識翔林薄巢垣屋之娛乎。牛哀病而為虎逢其兄而噬之。若此者何貴於變化也。而頗為匹夫所罔。納虛妄之詞。信眩惑之說。隆禮以招弗臣。傾產以供虛求。散王爵以榮之。清閑館以居之。經年累稔終無一効。或歿於沙丘。或崩乎五柞。臨時雖復誅其身滅其族。紛然足為天下笑矣。然壽命長短骨體強劣各有人焉。善養者終之。勞擾者半之。虛用者夭之。其斯之謂歟。
The writings on immortals and the teachings of the Daoist school claim that Fu Yue ascended to become a star in the constellation of the Tail, that the Year Star descended to become Dongfang Shuo, that Liu An, Prince of Huainan, though executed in Huainan, was said to have attained the Way and risen lightly into the air, and that Lady Gouyi, though she died at Yunyang, was said to have left only her corpse while her spirit departed, leaving the coffin empty. Such claims are utterly false and extravagant.
Among the discerning scholars of the Restoration era, there was Huan Junshan, whose writings were largely excellent. Liu Zijun once asked him: "If a person truly restrains their desires and closes off their ears and eyes, could they avoid decline and exhaustion?" At that moment, there was an old elm tree in the courtyard. Junshan pointed to it and said: "This tree has no desires to restrain, and no ears or eyes to close off, yet it still withers and rots." Zijun's claim that one could avoid decline and exhaustion was not sound reasoning. But Junshan's analogy with the elm tree was also flawed. Why do I say this?
Earlier, I served as Music Master for Wang Mang. The Record of Music states that Emperor Wen of Han once found a musician from Marquis Wen of Wei named Lord Dou, who was one hundred and eighty years old and blind in both eyes. The emperor, amazed, asked him what practices he had undertaken. He replied: "I lost my sight at thirteen. My parents, pitying that I could not work, taught me to play the zither. I never practiced breath control or guided exercises, so I do not know to what power I owe my long life." Junshan commented on this: "He likely benefited from being blind, which allowed him to focus his mind inward, his spirit no longer distracted by external sights." First he challenged Zijun by saying that inward gazing was useless, then he cited Lord Dou as proof that not seeing outward was beneficial. I fail to see this as a settled conclusion.
Junshan also said: "Among the alchemists there was one Dong Zhongjun, who was imprisoned for a crime. He feigned death for several days, his eyes sank in and worms emerged from his body, yet he came back to life before finally dying." That all who live must die is something every gentleman understands. What need is there for such an analogy? The most divine powers do not exceed Heaven and Earth, yet even they cannot make hibernating insects leave in summer or cause thunder to strike in winter. When the seasons change, creatures respond; when the breath of the times shifts, events follow. If Zhongjun could truly store away his breath, leave his corpse, let his skin rot, and produce worms from his body, would that not be a great marvel?
In this world, there have been alchemists whom rulers have summoned. In Ganling, there was Gan Shi; in Lujiang, Zuo Ci; in Yangcheng, Xi Jian. Gan Shi could regulate his breath and perform guided exercises. Zuo Ci understood the arts of the bedchamber. Xi Jian was skilled in fasting. All were said to be three hundred years old. The reason they were gathered together in the state of Wei was precisely out of fear that such men would weave cunning lies to deceive the masses and practice sorcery to confuse the people. Hence they were collected and placed under watch. Gan Shi was old yet had the appearance of youth, and all the other adepts gathered around him. But his talk was prolix and short on substance, and he borrowed many strange sayings. Had he met Qin Shi Huang or Emperor Wu of Han, he would have become another Xu Fu or Luan Da. Jie and Zhou lived in different ages, yet their evil was identical. Fraudulent men live in different times, yet their deceptions are equal. Is this not how it is?
Furthermore, there is a vain belief in the world in stories of immortals. Are immortals a kind of ape or monkey, or are ordinary people who attain the Way transformed into immortals? When pheasants enter the sea, they become clams. When swallows enter the sea, they become oysters. While they still flutter their wings and hold their feathers, they still know themselves. But once they suddenly throw themselves in, their spirits transform and their bodies change, and they end up consorting with turtles and alligators. How could they then recall the joy of soaring through the woods or perching on the eaves of homes? Niu Ai fell ill and became a tiger, and when he met his brother, he devoured him. If things are like this, what is so valuable about transformation? Yet many common people are deceived by such tales—they accept baseless claims, believe in deluding doctrines, lavish ceremonies on those who refuse to be vassals, empty their estates to supply vain pursuits, scatter noble titles to honor such people, and build elegant mansions for them to reside in. Year after year, not a single result comes of it. Some died on Sand Hill, others collapsed in Five Oaks Palace. Though afterwards their bodies were executed and their families wiped out, the whole affair was enough to make the world laugh.
Yet the length of one's life and the strength or weakness of one's frame differ with each person. Those who care for themselves well see their years through to the end. Those who wear themselves out live only half their potential. Those who squander their vitality die young. Is this not what it all comes down to?
陳思王曹植。字子建。魏武帝第四子也。初封東阿郡王。終後諡為陳思王也。幼含珪璋。十歲能屬文。下筆便成。初不改定。世間術藝無不畢善。邯鄲淳見而駭服。稱為天人。植每讀佛經。輒流連嗟翫。以為至道之宗極也。遂製轉讀七聲昇降曲折之響。世之諷誦咸憲章焉。甞遊魚山。忽聞空中梵天之響。清颺哀婉其聲動心。獨聽良久。而侍御莫聞。植深感神理。彌悟法應。乃慕其聲節。寫為梵唄撰文製音。傳為後式。梵聲光顯始於此焉。其所傳唄凡六契。見梁釋僧祐法苑集。然統括道源。精搜仙錄。姦妄多奇。終歸飾詐。故前論所委辯當明矣。