妙法蓮華經弘傳序
The Lotus Sutra: Preface to Its Transmission
唐終南山釋道宣述
Preface by Dao Xuan of Zhongnan Mountain, Tang Dynasty
妙法蓮華經者，統諸佛降靈之本致也。蘊結大夏，出彼千齡。東傳震旦，三百餘載。西晉惠帝永康年中，長安青門燉煌菩薩竺法護者，初翻此經，名正法華。東晉安帝隆安年中，後秦弘始，龜茲沙門鳩摩羅什次翻此經，名妙法蓮華。隋氏仁壽，大興善寺北天竺沙門闍那笈多後所翻者，同名妙法。三經重沓，文旨互陳。時所宗尚，皆弘秦本。自餘支品、別偈，不無其流，具如序曆，故所非述。
The Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma embodies the fundamental purpose of all Buddhas descending into the world. It was compiled in the great land of India, emerging over a thousand years ago. It spread eastward to China more than three hundred years ago. During the Yongkang era of Emperor Hui of the Western Jin Dynasty, the Bodhisattva Dharmarakṣa from Dunhuang, known as Zhu Fahu, first translated this sutra at the Green Gate of Chang'an, calling it the *Correct Dharma Lotus*. During the Long'an era of Emperor An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, in the Hongshi period of the Later Qin, the Kucha monk Kumārajīva made a second translation, naming it the *Wonderful Dharma Lotus*. In the Renshou era of the Sui Dynasty, the North Indian monk Jñānagupta at the Daxingshan Temple produced a later translation, also titled the *Wonderful Dharma Lotus*. These three versions overlap in content and present the teachings in different ways. At the time, the most highly regarded and widely followed version was the one by Kumārajīva of the Qin Dynasty. As for other related chapters and separate verses, their transmissions have not been without circulation, but all are detailed in the historical records, so there is no need to elaborate on them here.
夫以靈嶽降靈，非大聖無由開化；適化所及，非昔緣無以導心。所以仙苑告成，機分小大之別；金河顧命，道殊半滿之科。豈非教被乘時，無足覈其高會。是知五千退席，為進增慢之儔；五百授記，俱崇密化之跡。所以放光現瑞，開發請之教源；出定揚德，暢佛慧之宏略。朽宅通入大之文軌，化城引昔緣之不墜，繫珠明理性之常在，鑿井顯示悟之多方。詞義宛然，喻陳惟遠。自非大哀曠濟，拔滯溺之沈流；一極悲心，拯昏迷之失性。自漢至唐六百餘載，總歷群籍四千餘軸，受持盛者無出此經。將非機教相扣，並智勝之遺塵；聞而深敬，俱威王之餘勣。輒於經首，序而綜之。庶得早淨六根，仰慈尊之嘉會；速成四德，趣樂土之玄猷。弘贊莫窮，永貽諸後。云爾。
妙法蓮華經卷第一
後秦龜茲國三藏法師鳩摩羅什奉 詔譯
Translated by the Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Kucha, under Imperial Command of the Later Qin Dynasty