景德傳燈錄序
Preface to the Jingde Era Record of the Transmission of the Lamp
翰林學士朝散大夫行左司諫知制誥同修國史判史館事柱國南陽郡開國侯食邑一千百戶賜紫金魚袋臣楊億 撰
Compiled by Yang Yi, Hanlin Academician, Grand Master for Court Service, Left Remonstrance Official, Drafter of Edicts
昔釋迦文。以受然燈之夙記當賢劫之次補。降神演化四十九年。開權實頓漸之門。垂半滿偏圓之教。隨機悟理。爰有三乘之差。接物利生。乃度無邊之眾。其悲濟廣大矣。其軌式備具矣。而雙林入滅。獨顧於飲光。屈㫬相傳。首從於達磨。不立文字直指心源。不踐楷梯徑登佛地。逮五葉而始盛。分千燈而益繁。達寶所者蓋多。轉法輪者非一。蓋大雄付囑之旨。正眼流通之道。教外別行不可思議者也。
In the past, Śākyamuni Buddha received the prophecy from Dīpaṃkara Buddha and was designated as the next Buddha in the Bhadrakalpa. Descending into the world, he taught for forty-nine years, opening the gates of expedient and ultimate teachings, gradual and sudden paths. He expounded the teachings of the half-word and the full-word, the partial and the complete. According to the capacity of beings, he guided them to awakening, thus establishing the distinctions among the three vehicles. To benefit sentient beings, he delivered countless beings across the ocean of suffering. His compassion and aid were vast, his methods complete and perfect.
Yet, when he entered parinirvana under the twin sāla trees, he entrusted the transmission solely to Mahākāśyapa. From him, the lineage passed down, beginning with Bodhidharma. This transmission does not rely on written words but directly points to the mind's source. It does not follow gradual steps but leads directly to the Buddha's realm. By the time of the fifth patriarch, it flourished greatly, spreading like countless lamps, illuminating everywhere. Many reached the treasure land, and numerous ones turned the Dharma wheel. This is the essence of the Great Hero's entrustment, the true transmission of the eye of wisdom—a distinct practice beyond the teachings, truly inconceivable.
聖宋啟運人靈幽贊
The sacred Song dynasty ushers in a new era, with divine spirits offering their blessings in the unseen realm.
太祖以神武戡亂。而崇淨剎。闢度門。
The founding emperor, with divine martial prowess, quelled the chaos, yet revered the pure temples and opened the gates of liberation.
太宗以欽明御辯。而述祕詮。暢真諦。
Emperor Taizong, with his enlightened wisdom and eloquent discourse, expounded the profound teachings and elucidated the ultimate truth.
皇上睿文繼志而序聖教繹宗風。煥雲章於義天。振金聲於覺苑。蓮藏之言密契。竺乾之緒克昌。殖眾善者滋多。傳了義者間出。圓頓之化流於區域。有東吳僧道原者。冥心禪悅。索隱空宗。披弈世之祖圖。采諸方之語錄。次序其源派。錯綜其辭句。由七佛以至大法眼之嗣。凡五十二世。一千七百一人。成三十卷。目之曰景德傳燈錄。詣闕奉進冀於流布。
The Emperor, with profound wisdom, continued the legacy and composed a preface to the sacred teachings, elucidating the lineage of the tradition. He illuminated the scriptures in the realm of meaning and resounded the golden voice in the garden of awakening. The words of the Lotus Treasury resonated deeply, and the legacy of the Western regions flourished. Those who cultivated virtues multiplied, and those who transmitted the ultimate truth emerged in succession. The teachings of perfect and sudden enlightenment spread throughout the land.
Among them was a monk from Eastern Wu named Daoyuan, who immersed his mind in the joy of meditation and delved into the profound teachings of emptiness. He examined the ancestral records passed down through generations and collected the recorded sayings from various regions. He arranged them according to their lineages and interwove their expressions. From the Seven Buddhas to the heirs of the Great Dharma Eye, spanning fifty-two generations and encompassing one thousand seven hundred and one individuals, he compiled them into thirty volumes, titled *The Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp*. He presented it at the imperial court, hoping for its widespread dissemination.
皇上為佛法之外護。嘉釋子之勤業。載懷重慎。思致悠久。乃詔翰林學士左司諫知制誥臣楊億。兵部員外郎知制誥臣李維。太常丞臣王曙等。同加刊削。俾之裁定。臣等昧三學之旨迷五性之方。乏臨川翻譯之能。懵毘邪語默之要。恭承嚴命。不敢牢讓。竊用探索匪遑寧居。考其論譔之意。蓋以真空為本。將以述曩聖入道之因。標昔人契理之說。機緣交激。若拄於箭鋒。智藏發光。旁資於鞭影。誘道後學。敷暢玄猷。而捃摭之來。徵引所出。糟粕多在。油素可尋。其有大士。示徒。以一音而開演。含靈聳聽。乃千聖之證明。屬概舉之是資。取少分而斯可。若乃別加潤色失其指歸。既非華竺之殊言。頗近錯雕之傷寶。如此之類悉仍其舊。況又事資紀實。必由於善敘。言以行遠。非可以無文。其有標錄事緣。縷詳軌迹。或辭條之紛糾。或言筌之猥俗。並從刊削。俾之綸貫。至有儒臣居士之問答。爵位姓氏之著明。校歲歷以愆殊。約史籍而差謬。咸用刪去。以資傳信。自非啟投針之玄趣。馳激電之迅機。開示妙明之真心。祖述苦空之深理。即何以契傳燈之喻。施刮膜之功。若乃但述感應之徵符。專敘參遊之轍迹。此已標於僧史。亦奚取於禪詮。聊存世系之名。庶紀師承之自然而舊錄所載。或掇粗而遺精。別集具存。當尋文而補闕。率加采擷。爰從附益。逮於序論之作。或非古德之文。問廁編聯徒增楦釀(楦釀二字出唐張燕公文集。謂冗長也)亦用簡別多所屏去。汔茲周歲方遂終篇。臣等性識媿於冥煩。學問慚於涉獵。天機素淺。文力無餘。妙道在人。雖刳心而斯久。玄言絕俗。固牆面以居多。濫膺推擇之私。靡著發揮之効。已克終於紬繹。將仰奉於清間。莫副宸襟空塵睿覽。謹上。
The Emperor, as the external protector of the Dharma, commended the diligent efforts of the monastic community. With deep reverence and a vision for enduring impact, he issued an edict appointing the Hanlin Academician, Left Remonstrance Official, and Drafting Official Yang Yi, the Vice Minister of War and Drafting Official Li Wei, and the Court Minister of Ceremonies Wang Shu, among others, to jointly revise and finalize the compilation. We, your subjects, are unlearned in the essence of the Three Studies and confused by the principles of the Five Natures. Lacking the ability to translate as skillfully as Kumarajiva and ignorant of the subtleties of discourse and silence as demonstrated by Vimalakirti, we humbly accepted this solemn command, not daring to refuse. We devoted ourselves to exploration, finding no rest, and examined the intent behind these writings. Their foundation lies in the truth of emptiness, aiming to recount the causes that led the sages of old to enter the path and to highlight the teachings through which past masters realized the truth. When conditions aligned, their interactions were as swift as arrows meeting; the light of wisdom shone forth, aided even by indirect hints like the shadow of a whip. These teachings guide later learners and elucidate profound principles. Yet, the materials gathered and the sources referenced often contain remnants—like dregs—that can still be traced in records. There are instances where great beings instructed disciples through a single teaching, and sentient beings listened intently, their understanding affirmed by a thousand sages. For the sake of providing essential references, we included even partial accounts. However, if we were to embellish the text, we would lose its original intent. Since this is not a matter of differences between Chinese and Indian languages, excessive polishing would be like carving and damaging a precious gem. Therefore, such passages have been preserved as they were. Moreover, since the work relies on recording facts, clarity in narration is essential. Words must endure and travel far, and cannot lack literary quality. Where accounts of events were recorded in detail, or where the language was tangled or vulgar, we edited for coherence. As for dialogues between Confucian officials and lay practitioners, or the recording of titles and names, discrepancies in dates and historical inaccuracies found in the sources have been removed to ensure reliability. Unless they reveal the profound meaning of a needle’s drop, convey the swiftness of lightning-like insight, illuminate the wondrous true mind, or expound the deep principles of suffering and emptiness, how could they align with the metaphor of the lamp’s transmission or achieve the effect of scraping away a cataract? If they merely narrate signs of spiritual responses or detail travels and encounters, these are already covered in monastic histories and contribute little to Chan teachings. We retained lineage names to document the natural transmission from master to disciple. However, the old records sometimes included the coarse while omitting the refined. Where additional collections existed, we sought out texts to fill gaps, selecting and supplementing as needed. As for prefaces and commentaries, if they were not written by ancient masters, their inclusion would only add unnecessary length. These were also screened and mostly removed. After a full year, the work is finally complete. We, your subjects, are ashamed of our dull faculties and limited learning. Our innate wisdom is shallow, and our literary strength insufficient. Though the wondrous path lies within humanity, we have long felt as if our hearts were hollowed out; though profound words transcend the mundane, we often find ourselves facing a wall. Unworthy of the trust placed in us, we have done little to enhance the text. Now that the compilation is finished, we present it for your esteemed review, fearing it may not meet your sagely expectations and merely waste your precious time. Respectfully submitted.
重刊景德傳燈錄狀
Reissuance of the Jingde Era Record of the Transmission of the Lamp
湖州路。道場山。護聖萬歲禪寺。耆舊僧希渭。係慶元路昌國州人氏俗姓董。自幼投禮本路在城觀音禪寺絕照和尚為師。䚯到法名投禮慈溪縣開壽普光禪寺龍源和尚薙髮為僧。仍禮五臺律寺雪涯和尚受具戒。挾策西遊。放包靈隱。後值先師龍源和尚。遷住茲山。隨師參請。迨今有年。每念師恩未由報効。伏覩。從上佛祖景德傳燈錄三十卷。七佛至法眼之嗣。凡五十二世。景德至延祐丙辰。凡三百一十七年。舊板銷朽無存。後學慕之罔及。為此發心重刊。忽得本路天聖禪寺松廬和尚所藏廬山穩庵古冊。最為善本。良愜素志。遂於丙辰年正月初十日。將衣鉢估唱得統金一萬二千餘緡。是日命工刊行于世。流通祖道。此錄總計三十六萬七千九百一十七字。至當年臘月一日畢工。隨即印捨三百部於兩浙。安眾名山。方丈蒙堂眾寮各一部。以便湖海辦道禪衲參究。集茲善利。用報四恩。併資三有者。
Huzhou Circuit, Daochang Mountain, Hu Sheng Wan Sui Chan Temple.
The elder monk Xi Wei, originally from Changguo Prefecture in Qingyuan Circuit, lay surname Dong. From a young age, he took refuge and paid respects to the Venerable Juezhao of Guanyin Chan Temple in the city of this circuit, becoming his disciple. He received the Dharma name and took refuge with the Venerable Longyuan of Kaishou Puguang Chan Temple in Cixi County, where he shaved his head and became a monk. He then received full ordination from the Venerable Xueya of Wutai Vinaya Temple.
Carrying his books, he traveled west and settled at Lingyin Temple. Later, when his former teacher, Venerable Longyuan, moved to reside at this mountain, he followed his teacher to study and inquire. It has been many years since then. He often reflects that he has not yet repaid his teacher's kindness.
He respectfully observed that the *Jingde Era Record of the Transmission of the Lamp*, in thirty volumes, from the Seven Buddhas to the successors of Fayan, covers fifty-two generations. From the Jingde era to the Bingchen year of the Yanyou era, it has been three hundred and seventeen years. The old printing blocks have decayed and no longer exist. Later students admire it but cannot obtain it.
For this reason, he resolved to reprint it. He unexpectedly obtained the ancient volume from Mount Lu's Wen'an, preserved by Venerable Songlu of Tiansheng Chan Temple in this circuit, which is the finest version. This greatly fulfilled his long-held aspiration.
Thus, on the tenth day of the first month in the Bingchen year, he auctioned his robes and alms bowl, raising twelve thousand strings of cash. On that day, he commissioned craftsmen to print and circulate it in the world, spreading the ancestral way.
This record contains a total of three hundred sixty-seven thousand nine hundred and seventeen characters. It was completed on the first day of the twelfth month of that same year. Immediately afterward, three hundred copies were printed and distributed throughout the two Zhe regions, placed in renowned mountains and monasteries. One copy each was given to the abbot's quarters, the senior monks' hall, and the common quarters, to facilitate Chan practitioners from lakes and seas in their study and investigation of the Way.
Gathering these virtuous benefits, he dedicates them to repaying the four kindnesses and aiding all beings in the three realms.
大元廷祐三年臘月一日
In the twelfth month of the third year of the Yanyou era of the Great Yuan Dynasty, on the first day of the month.
耆舊僧 希渭 謹狀
Respectfully submitted by Elder Monk Xiwei.
小比丘 文雅 董役
Young monk Wenyu, who oversees temple affairs.
當山住持嗣祖比丘 士洵 主緣
Senior Monk Shixun, the abbot and dharma heir of this temple, oversaw the fundraising for this undertaking.