师在东牟道上行。僧道往来者。识与不识。必先致拜。从者疑而问之曰。彼此俱昧平生。何用拜之。师曰。道以柔弱谦下为本。况三教同门异户耳。孔子言。谁执鞭之士。吾亦为之。未闻一拜之为一过。
Our teacher Ma Danyang was walking on the East Mou Road where monks and Daoists were going to and fro. Whether he recognised them or not, he would take the initiative and bow to them. His followers thought this was strange and said “All of these people are deluded, and have been all their lives. What is the use in bowing to them?”
He replied: “The Dao is soft and weak and rooted in lowness and humility. Furthermore the three religions have the same door, even if the houses are different. Confucius said ‘No matter how humble, if they have the Dao I would be willing to be as they are.’ And since when is bowing to someone a mistake?”
From the Talks of Ma Danyang
The Fat Monk 