No. 970-A性善惡論序
Preface to On the Good and Evil of Human Nature
性惡。外典所諱也。而台宗。揭真性之所具。而神用之專用。是為家珍。苟非習於其教者。雖老宿沙門。聞而掩耳走矣。余讀有門大師性善惡論。而歎四依菩薩。慈悲良深重焉。何則。我輩眾生與三毒如惡叉聚。歷生浩劫住修惡中。反而之善艱謬良多。制伏強。則醉靜慮之酒。厭離極。則墮無為之穽。所謂謬也。懸觀清淨。初心絕分。歷別修證。積劫難成。所謂艱也。揆厥所由。良以惡異善故。不有性具法門。雙融善惡。何由知十界之同如。悟眾生之即佛。一切現成。至圓至頓豈有過此者乎。故談佛性者。不難言善而難言具也。故曰台衡二師慈悲深重也。武津性染。翻起信惟淨之旨。智者理毒。闡維摩二即之談。雖復以具立宗。而意主於觀惡融通。任運攝善。妙宗建立。揭惡緣了。謂勝他宗。此秘始顯。海寶之如意。眾願之德瓶。山外諸師不得與焉。故談台宗者。不難言具而難言惡也。故曰四明以來諸師慈悲深重也。西來一宗。指屎尿為法身。示薦取於聲色。印合山家。寧盡鳥唧。然言前句外專待上根。至如天臺一家文字總持。如雨普潤。婆心婆舌。若惟恐其說之不詳。與其解之不晰。大師此論更旁引曲證。原始要終。設之以辨。贅之以說。示之以事。繫之以圖。雖以余轂之不敏向於君子。皆能蛣𧏙究竟之旨。茫若望洋。卒業此憬然有入焉。故談性惡者。不難於言惡。而難於言之。言之必使人洞胸澈髓。如開戶見其家藏而後已也。故曰師之慈悲深重也。論成。而冠儒者。頗用非孟以相徵詰。余曰。唯唯否否。三教聖賢。言性皆同。而異孟甞言備物矣。備善而遺惡。詎可言皆。修多羅處處。稱本來成佛。佛弟子何必不言性善。顧世教嚴於防惡。出世間教妙於融善。適時逗機。各有攸當也。即儒者言性。寧渠皆善相近。不移不隱。然一性具耶。宣尼言具。騶孟言善。然騶孟言善。姚江又言無善無惡。而聖學愈明。如來言善。台衡言具。然台衡言具。四明諸祖以及大師。又具言善惡而佛心彌暢。姚江一派。儒宗至今研味不休。師論既出。後五百歲中。稱見性津梁者。非此其誰也。三教聖賢。皆貴有賢子孫哉。貴有賢子孫哉。
**On Inherent Evil**
[Inherent] evil is something that non-Buddhist texts taboo. Yet the Tiantai School reveals it as something inherent in True Nature, and the specialized function of the divine function — this is their family treasure. If one is not practiced in their teachings, even an elderly monk would cover his ears and flee upon hearing it.
I read Master Youmen's treatise on inherent good and evil, and sighed at how truly deep and profound the compassion of the Four Reliance Bodhisattvas is. Why? Because we sentient beings are bound to the three poisons [greed, anger, ignorance] like an acacia fruit. Throughout countless eons we dwell in cultivating evil; turning toward good is fraught with difficulty and error. When suppression is strong, we become drunk on the wine of meditative stillness. When renunciation is extreme, we fall into the trap of unconditioned [indifference]. These are the errors. To envision purity from afar is beyond the scope of beginners. To cultivate and realize in stages takes eons to achieve — this is the difficulty. Examining the source, it stems precisely from evil being separate from good. Without a teaching of inherent nature that integrates both good and evil, how could we know the shared Suchness of the ten realms, awaken to sentient beings being inherently Buddhas, and see everything as already accomplished? Could there be anything more perfect and instantaneous than this? Thus, those who discuss Buddha-nature find it easy to speak of good but difficult to speak of inherent [nature]. That is why it is said: The compassion of Masters Huiwen and Huisi is profound and deep.
Master Wujin spoke of inherent defilement, overturning the [Awakening of Faith's] teaching of only purity. The Wise One [Zhiyi] spoke of inherent poison, elucidating Vimalakīrti's teaching of the Twofold [Identity]. Although they established their school on the principle of inherent [nature], their intent was centered on observing evil and penetrating it, naturally bringing forth good. When the Wondrous Doctrine was established, it revealed that evil is a condition for enlightenment — surpassing other traditions. This secret was now opened. Like a wish-fulfilling jewel from the ocean, like a vase granting all desires — teachers outside Shanjia [the orthodox Tiantai lineage] could not attain this. Thus, those who discuss Tiantai find it easy to speak of inherent [nature] but difficult to speak of evil. That is why it is said: The compassion of the patriarchs since Siming [Zhiyi] is profound and deep.
The lineage from the West [Chan/Zen] points to feces and urine as the Dharma Body, shows recognition in sounds and forms. Their seal matches the Shanjia school; could it be reduced to mere bird-chatter? Yet this teaching before words and beyond phrases solely awaits those of superior faculties. As for the Tiantai School, its teachings comprehensively incorporate written scriptures like rain moistening all. With compassionate heart and compassionate tongue, their only fear is that the explanation might not be detailed enough, or that understanding might not be clear enough. In this treatise, the Master further employs extensive citations and indirect proofs, traces from beginning to end, sets up arguments, appends explanations, illustrates with examples, and concludes with diagrams. Although someone as dull as myself, when encountering noble-minded people, could barely grasp the ultimate meaning — feeling lost as if facing the vast ocean — upon finishing this work, I suddenly penetrated it. Thus, those who discuss inherent evil find it not so difficult to *speak* of evil, but difficult to *express* it — to express it in a way that pierces one's chest and marrow, like opening a door to see what's stored inside one's own home. That is why it is said: The Master's compassion is profound and deep.
When the treatise was completed, some Confucian scholars used objections against Mencius to question it. I said, "Yes and no." The sages of the Three Teachings all speak of nature in similar ways yet with differences. Mencius once spoke of "fully possessing" things. But possessing good while leaving out evil — can that be called complete? The sutras everywhere speak of "originally accomplished Buddhas." Why must Buddhist disciples insist on speaking only of inherent good? However, worldly teachings strictly guard against evil, while transcendental teachings excel at integrating good. Adapting to times and capacities, each has its proper place. When Confucians speak of nature, is it really all about inherent good alone? Talk of similarity [of nature], of it being unmoved, hidden — is this nature inherent? Confucius spoke of inherent [nature]. Mencius of Zou spoke of good. Yet Mencius spoke of good, while Wang Yangming later spoke of neither good nor evil — and the sage learning became ever more clear. The Tathāgata spoke of good. Huiwen and Huisi spoke of inherent [nature]. Yet Huiwen and Huisi spoke of inherent, and the patriarchs since Siming, including our Master, further spoke of inherent good and evil — and the Buddha-mind became ever more unobstructed. The Wang Yangming school has been studied by Confucian scholars for generations without end. Once the Master's treatise is published, in the last five hundred years, what could serve as a raft for seeing one's nature other than this? The sages of the Three Teachings all value having worthy spiritual descendants! Truly, they value having worthy spiritual descendants!
天台門弟子香光居士王立轂合十書於圓伊室
The lay disciple Wang Ligu, a student of the Tiantai school, humbly writes this at the Yuan Yi Studio, with palms pressed together in reverence.