Chu Hsi, Gems of Chinese Literature — Taoism and Buddhism (1922)
“ They neglected these, and the Buddhists stole them for their own purposes; whereupon the Taoists went off and imitated the sûtras of Buddhism. This is just as if the scions of some wealthy house should be robbed of all their valuables, and then go off and gather up the old pots and pans belonging to the thieves. ”
Chu Hsi, Gems of Chinese Literature — Taoism and Buddhism (1922)
“ Buddhist books are full of what Buddha said, and Taoist books are similarly full of what Tao said. Now Buddha was a man, but how does Tao manage to talk? This belief, however, has prevailed for eight or nine centuries past. Taoism began with Lao Tzŭ. Its Trinity of the Three Pure Ones is copied from the Trinity of the Three Persons as taught by Buddhism. By their Trinity the Buddhists mean (1) the spiritual body (of Buddha) , (2) his joyful body (showing Buddha rewarded for his virtues) , and (3) his fleshly body, under which Buddha appears on earth as a man. ”
