"The Book of Liang" contains fifty-six chapters in total, divided into six annals and fifty biographies. In the third year of the Zhen Guan period of the Tang Dynasty, the emperor ordered Yao Silian, the Right Attendant of the Imperial Cavalry, to write this book. Yao Silian, the son of Yao Cha, a historian from the Liang Dynasty, consulted the materials his father had left behind and gathered extensive historical records from Confucian scholars like Xie Wu, before he finally completed the book. We, the courtiers, not only proofread and revised its text but also compiled a table of contents and wrote a preface to introduce it, which is as follows:
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During the Pre-Qin period, the Hundred Schools of Thought were in fierce competition. The introduction of Buddhism to China was relatively late, but it had a significant impact on China, especially during the Liang Dynasty; therefore, it is worth discussing. Buddhists believe they have attained something internal, while worldly criticisms of Buddhism often come from an external perspective, making it difficult to refute Buddhism. But how can they perceive the internal essence of a sage? The "Book of Documents" says: "With thorough consideration comes intelligence and wisdom; with intelligence and wisdom, one can become a sage." "Thought" is the way to achieve wisdom. Those who can achieve wisdom can perceive the laws governing the operation of all things in the world, understand the principles of all things, and thoroughly comprehend everything, big or small, coarse or fine. This is known as exhausting the principles of things, representing the pinnacle of wisdom. At the peak of wisdom, one recognizes the preciousness of what they possess, and external things are not worth pursuing. Nothing cannot be understood. It is insufficient to possess such wisdom and insight without the ability to appreciate it; thus, one must add a sincere heart to love it. Loving it but not being able to enjoy it happily is also insufficient, so one must add a sincere intention to enjoy it. Being able to enjoy it will bring peace of mind. In this light, can external matters still trouble me? External matters cannot trouble me, allowing one to embrace their true nature. Embracing one's true nature is sincerity. Sincerity is achievement; it is not confusion. Once you have achieved, you must enrich it and make it greater; once it is great, you must promote it, enabling it to transform all things. If it can transform all things, then the wise, the excellent, and all those who need to rely on me can perfect their own nature through it, reaching the state they should, and my function can coexist with heaven and earth. When moral cultivation reaches this extreme, the external response has never been different from others; this explains why my principles have become the great way of the world. Therefore, providing them with clothing, food, shelter, and teaching them to be subjects, sons, brothers, and husbands, none of these are not based on human sentiment; sharing weal and woe with them and helping them prevent disasters, none of these are not based on human reason. Therefore, the place where I am is a place where peace and governance converge, and where danger and chaos are far away. The place where I am has these conditions, and the moral cultivation I use to guide all things is profoundly noble; is it not fair to say that I am a sage? Since I am a sage, there is nothing left to ponder. The highest realm is to follow reason; there is no proactive action; actions are just responses to the environment. Therefore, I protect all things and inspire the masses, but no one can guess my thoughts; can it not be said that I am a god? God is the most exquisite and everlasting; this is the internal of a sage. A sage is the ultimate of the Tao; can Buddhism's theories truly replace it? Wanting to replace it is the reason for its failure. What is gained internally cannot manifest externally; if it cannot manifest externally, then it is not genuinely obtained internally. The "Book of Changes" says: "Wisdom pervades all things; the Tao benefits the world and pacifies the people, so there will be no deviation." This explains why a sage can achieve both. Wisdom is sufficient to understand one aspect, but not enough to exhaust the principles of all things; the Tao is sufficient to govern one region, but not enough to meet the needs of the world; this is why the Hundred Schools of Thought both suffered defeat. Isn't this the reason for Buddhism's failure? So, what Buddhists think they have attained internally might also be considered delusional.
We study history in order to understand the rise and fall of past dynasties. Therefore, drawing on the example of the Liang Dynasty, we wrote this piece to explain why the sages succeeded and why Buddhism failed, so that everyone understands that gentlemen oppose Buddhism not because of external factors, but due to profound internal reasons. I hope everyone will think twice before hastily abandoning Confucianism for Buddhism. We, Gong Mou and others, respectfully submit this index, risking our lives to do so.
