六祖大師法寶壇經序
Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch: Preface
古筠比丘德異撰
Compiled by the Monk Deyi of Gujun
妙道虛玄不可思議，忘言得旨端可悟明。故世尊分座於多子塔前，拈華於靈山會上，似火與火，以心印心。西傳四七，至菩提達磨。東來此土，直指人心，見性成佛。有可大師者，首於言下悟入，末上三拜得髓，受衣紹祖開闡正宗，三傳而至黃梅，會中高僧七百，惟負舂居士，一偈傳衣為六代祖，南遯十餘年，一旦以非風旛動之機，觸開印宗正眼。居士由是祝髮登壇，應跋陀羅懸記，開東山法門，韋使君命海禪者錄其語，目之曰「法寶壇經」。大師始於五羊，終至曹溪，說法三十七年，霑甘露味，入聖超凡者，莫記其數，悟佛心宗，行解相應，為大知識者，名載傳燈。惟南嶽青原，執侍最久，盡得無巴鼻。故出馬祖石頭，機智圓明，玄風大震，乃有臨濟溈仰、曹洞、雲門、法眼諸公巍然而出，道德超群，門庭險峻，啟迪英靈，衲子奮志衝關，一門深入，五派同源，歷遍罏錘，規模廣大，原其五家綱要，盡出《壇經》。夫《壇經》者，言簡義豐，理明事備，具足諸佛無量法門，一一法門具足無量妙義，一一妙義發揮諸佛無量妙理。即彌勒樓閣中，即普賢毛孔中。善入者，即同善財於一念間圓滿功德，與普賢等、與諸佛等。惜乎《壇經》為後人節略太多，不見六祖大全之旨。德異幼年，嘗見古本，自後遍求三十餘載，近得通上人尋到全文，遂刊于吳中休休禪庵，與諸勝士同一受用。惟願開卷，舉目直入大圓覺海，續佛祖慧命無窮，斯余志願滿矣。至元二十七年庚寅歲中春日敘。
The wondrous path is empty and profound, beyond conception. Forgetting words to grasp its essence, one may truly awaken. Thus, the World-Honored One divided his seat before the Many-Children Pagoda and held up a flower at the Vulture Peak assembly—like fire meeting fire, mind sealing mind. It was transmitted westward through twenty-eight patriarchs, reaching Bodhidharma. Coming east to this land, he directly pointed to the human mind, seeing one’s nature to become a Buddha.
There was Master Huike, who first awakened upon hearing these words and, bowing three times, received the marrow. Inheriting the robe and continuing the ancestral line, he opened and propagated the true tradition. Through three transmissions, it reached Huangmei. In an assembly of seven hundred eminent monks, only the layman pounding rice in the mortar received the robe with a verse, becoming the Sixth Patriarch. He retreated south for over a decade until, one day, through the opportunity of “not the wind, not the flag moving,” he triggered the opening of Yinzong’s true eye. The layman then had his head shaved and ascended the platform, fulfilling the prophecy of Bhadra, and opened the East Mountain Dharma gate. Commissioner Wei had the monk Hai record his words, naming it *The Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra*.
The Great Master began in Wuyang and ended at Caoxi, expounding the Dharma for thirty-seven years. Those who tasted the nectar of his teaching and transcended the ordinary to enter the sagehood were beyond count. Those who awakened to the Buddha-mind lineage, with practice and understanding in accord, became great teachers, their names recorded in the *Transmission of the Lamp*. Only Nan-yueh and Qingyuan attended him the longest, fully grasping the essence without handle or nose. Thus emerged Mazu and Shitou, whose skillful means were perfect and clear, causing the profound wind to greatly vibrate. Then there appeared the venerables of Linji, Guiyang, Caodong, Yunmen, and Fayan—majestically emerging, their virtue surpassing the crowd, their gates steep and perilous, inspiring the wise. Monks strove with determination to break through barriers, deeply entering one gate, the five schools sharing one source. Having undergone the furnace and hammer, their influence spread wide. Tracing the essential outlines of the five families, all stem from *The Platform Sutra*.
Now, *The Platform Sutra* is concise in words yet rich in meaning, clear in principle and complete in matters. It fully possesses the innumerable Dharma gates of all Buddhas. Each Dharma gate fully possesses innumerable wondrous meanings. Each wondrous meaning unfolds the innumerable wondrous principles of all Buddhas. It is within Maitreya’s tower; it is within Samantabhadra’s pores. Those who enter well are like Sudhana, in a single thought, perfecting merits and virtues, equal to Samantabhadra, equal to all Buddhas.
It is regrettable that *The Platform Sutra* has been abbreviated too much by later people, losing the complete intention of the Sixth Patriarch. In my youth, I once saw an ancient version. Since then, I sought it everywhere for over thirty years. Recently, I obtained the complete text found by the monk Tong, and so published it at the Xiuxiu Chan Hermitage in Wuzhong, to share with all virtuous companions. I only hope that upon opening this volume and lifting your eyes, you directly enter the great ocean of perfect enlightenment, continuing the wisdom-life of the Buddhas and patriarchs endlessly. This would fulfill my vow. Preface written in mid-spring of the gengyin year, the twenty-seventh year of the Zhiyuan era.