No. 1235-C
No. 1235-C
昔人有言切忌說破。而此書挑刮示人。無復遺意。吁。可怪也。罷參禪伯。以此書為文字教禪而見詆。新學後進。以此書漏泄己解而見憎。孔子作春秋曰。知我者其唯春秋乎。罪我者其唯春秋乎。嗟哉。猶未若此書有罪之者。而無知之者也。頃辛丑歲。余在長沙。與覺範相從彌年。其人品問學。道業知識。皆超妙卓絕。過人遠甚。喜與賢士大夫文人游。橫口所言。橫心所念。風駛雲騰。泉涌河決。不足喻其快也。以此屢縈禍譴。略不介意。視一死不足以驚懼之者。守此以歿。不少變節。大抵高者忌其異己。下者耻其不逮。阽於死亡。不足以償人意。暗黷百出。而覺範無纖毫之失。奉戒清淨。世無知者。今此書復出於歿後。竊度此意。蓋慈心仁勇。憫後生之無知。邪說之害道。犯昔人之所切忌。而詳言之者也。寧使我得罪於先達。獲謗於後來。而必欲使汝曹聞之。於佛法中。與救鴿飼虎等。於世法中。程嬰．公孫杵臼．貫高．田光之用心也。烏乎。賢哉。
People of the past used to say, "Above all, avoid revealing everything." Yet this book lays it all bare, leaving nothing hidden. Ah, how strange indeed! Seasoned meditation masters criticize it as mere textual Zen, while eager newcomers resent it for exposing their own shortcomings. When Confucius wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals, he said, "Those who understand me will do so through this work; those who condemn me will also do so through this work." Alas, even that does not compare to this book, which faces condemnation but finds no true understanding.
Recently, in the year Xinchou, I was in Changsha, spending a full year with Juefan. His character, learning, spiritual practice, and insight were all extraordinary, far surpassing ordinary people. He delighted in the company of virtuous scholars, officials, and literary minds. Whatever he spoke or thought flowed like the wind driving clouds, like springs gushing and rivers bursting—no metaphor could capture the swiftness of his mind. For this, he repeatedly faced misfortune and censure, yet he paid it little mind, regarding death itself as nothing to fear. He held to his principles until the end, never wavering. Generally, those above him resented his difference, while those below felt ashamed of their inability to match him. He faced death, yet it was not enough to satisfy others' ill will. Though darkness and slander abounded, Juefan remained without the slightest fault, upholding the precepts with purity—though the world remained unaware.
Now this book emerges after his passing. I quietly reflect on his intention: it was out of compassionate courage, pitying the ignorance of later generations and the harm of false teachings to the Way. He dared to violate the old admonition against revealing too much, explaining everything in detail. He would rather incur the displeasure of earlier masters and invite criticism from later generations, yet he was determined to ensure that you, the readers, would hear this. In the Dharma, this is like saving a dove or feeding a tiger; in worldly terms, it reflects the dedication of Cheng Ying, Gongsun Chujiu, Guan Gao, and Tian Guang. Ah, how noble he was!
紹興四年九月晦日闡提居士許顗彥周後序
Postscript by Xu Yi, a lay Buddhist practitioner, on the last day of the ninth month in the fourth year of the Shaoxing era.