No. 268-A楞嚴集註序
Preface to the Collected Annotations on the Śūraṅgama Sūtra
皇慶壬子歲，與高昌沙門般若室利同坐夏天竺靈石山中，每對讀譯天台止觀次，天目中峯本公、斷崖義公時來過從，話間多敘及曾受楞嚴經旨於關西講主，聞公亦且為畏吾方音字書翻之矣。時都講學公有藏桐洲楞嚴集註，因室利被召趨朝，願必聞上板印流通，遂挾之北歸，已而竟與願違。逮今茲景良居士欲刊施是經也，初未定何者為善本，本無頗追憶靈石山中學公授經室利時事，特投書訪求於白蓮華院和上玉岡師，師為躬往嘉禾烏鎮密印寺，詢得故比丘圓具，常執侍於鼎山，舉師稟學於自聞熏師，蓋業教有源委者，遺下手寫所科註之經，即與室利挾以北歸之本同專遞東來，用以依據，乃再條治，微加刪定，遂為成書。是知經誥行世，亦若有關乎運數者。然桐洲師去今踰百二十載，其書存於三吳，流於宸京，卒莫鋟梓，乃今始克板行於四明王公居士之家，得盛播於海內，夫豈偶然也哉？謹識其所自，俾攬者信時緣之有在也。
In the year Renzi of the Huangqing era, I spent the summer with the Gaochang monk Prajñāśrī in the Tianzhu Lingshi Mountains. As we often sat together reading and translating the Tiantai Zhi Guan, the monks Ben of Tianmu and Yi of Duanya would occasionally visit. In our conversations, they often mentioned having received the essence of the Shurangama Sutra from the lecturer of Guanxi, Master Wen, who had also translated it into the Uighur language and script. At that time, the lecturer Xuegong possessed the Tongzhou Commentary on the Shurangama Sutra. As Prajñāśrī was summoned to the court, he expressed a strong desire to have it printed and circulated. I therefore carried it north with me upon my return, but in the end, this wish was not fulfilled.
Now, when the layman Jingliang wished to publish and distribute this sutra, he was initially uncertain which version would serve as a good base text. Ben Wupo, recalling the time in the Lingshi Mountains when Xuegong presented the sutra to Prajñāśrī, specifically wrote to inquire about it from the Venerable Yugang, the abbot of the White Lotus Monastery. The master personally traveled to the Mi Yin Temple in Jiahe Wuzhen to seek out the former monk Yuanju, who had long served at Dingshan and studied under Master Ziwenxun—a lineage with a clear and established transmission. There, he obtained a hand-copied, annotated version of the sutra that had been passed down. This was the very same text that Prajñāśrī had carried north, and it was now specially sent eastward to serve as the basis. After further organizing it and making slight revisions and edits, it was finally compiled into a complete book.
This shows that the circulation of sutras and teachings in the world also seems to be connected to the workings of fate. Master Tongzhou lived more than 120 years ago. His work was preserved in the Wu region, circulated in the capital, yet never carved for printing. Only now has it finally been published through the household of the layman Wang Gong of Siming, allowing it to spread widely throughout the land. How could this be mere chance? I respectfully record its origins here, so that readers may believe that there is indeed a destined timing for such things.
三年丁丑日南至我菴本無修治畢敬題
On the Dingchou day of the third year, the winter solstice arrived at my hut. Originally, there was no need for repair or adornment— now it is complete. With reverence, I inscribe this.