No. 491-B
二乘菩薩，學佛度生。初則人我之見未除，繼則我法之執尚在。故空生于般若會上，兩以如何應住，叩請如來。如來以金剛實智，重重指破，決斷羣疑。使知真空本體，不涉二邊。為入道之初門，實成佛之究竟。宗門諸祖，曾以此經印心，與楞伽等。至于緇白之流，讀誦此經，著有靈騐，不可勝記。葢摩訶般若，為諸經第一。而此金剛般若，又為八部中第一。自無著菩薩之十八住，天親菩薩之二十七疑，依偈成解，無異親承佛旨。嗣是而後，青龍大雲智度之類，各有譔述。文詞灝瀚，有同淵海。其最顯者，有唐圭峰大師。疏論纂要，依文衍義，統會諸家。又得長水大師刊定，重為作記。至明雲棲沙門大璸，轍復科會，釐為十卷。雖條件繁多，觀者望洋，而此經微言大義，要稱具在。夫儒者之學，有十三經注疏，雖後人崇尚宋儒，而鄭、孔之言，歷久不廢。今此之經，或者類是。歷年未久，經版殘缺，有密雲師，教中龍象，嘗欲募刻此經，懷願未界。今了修師廣植善緣，繼續前志，請于居士孫君效曾、朱君玉擎等，徵材集工，不日而成。竣事刻成，問序于余。余惟毗耶杜口，摩竭掩室，不二之門，不在語言文字。然末法既遠，義學尤珍，經之存亡，教將焉繫？況諸君由此一經，了悟自心，斷疑生信，直使般若現前，是為諸佛種子。如所教住者，豈直為前三大師功臣而已？是經凡七譯，此則專依秦譯。科會之文，各有義門，惟觀者能自領之。
The bodhisattvas of the Two Vehicles study the Buddha’s way to liberate beings. At first, the view of self and others remains uneliminated; later, attachment to self and dharmas still persists. Therefore, Subhūti, during the Prajñā assembly, twice asked the Tathāgata how to abide. The Tathāgata, with the adamantine wisdom of the Diamond, broke through each point repeatedly, resolving all doubts. He showed that the true nature of emptiness does not fall into either extreme. This is the initial gate to the path and the ultimate culmination of becoming a Buddha. The patriarchs of the Chan school used this sutra to seal the mind, alongside the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. As for monastics and laypeople who recite and uphold this sutra, the miraculous responses recorded are beyond count. Indeed, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā is foremost among all sutras, and this Diamond Prajñā is foremost among its eight sections. From Bodhisattva Asaṅga’s eighteen abidings and Vasubandhu’s twenty-seven doubts, the commentaries based on the verses are as good as directly receiving the Buddha’s intent. After that, works like the Qinglong, Dayun, and Zhidu each produced writings—vast as oceans in scope. Most prominent was Master Guifeng of the Tang, who summarized the essential commentaries, explaining the text and integrating all schools. Later, Master Changshui edited and annotated it. In the Ming, the monk Yunqi Zongban further systematized it into ten volumes. Though the divisions are many and may overwhelm readers, the subtle words and great meaning of this sutra are all preserved.
In Confucian learning, the Thirteen Classics have commentaries and sub-commentaries. Although later generations revered Song scholars, the interpretations of Zheng Xuan and Kong Yingda remained authoritative over time. This sutra may be likened to that. As years passed, the woodblocks wore out. The Venerable Miyun, a dragon-elephant in the teachings, once wished to raise funds to reprint this sutra, but his vow went unfulfilled. Now the Venerable Liaoxiu, planting good conditions broadly, continues the former aspiration. With the support of laymen Sun Xiaozeng and Zhu Yuqing, he gathered materials and workers, completing the task in no time. When the printing was done, he asked me to write a preface. I consider that Vimalakīrti fell silent and the Buddha closed his mouth at Mount Makuta—the gate of non-duality does not lie in words or texts. Yet, since the Dharma-ending age is far away, scholastic study is especially precious. If the sutras perish, what will the teachings depend on? Moreover, if those who rely on this one sutra awaken their own minds, cut off doubts, and give rise to faith, directly causing prajñā to manifest, they become seeds of all buddhas, abiding in the teaching. How could they be merely the merit of the three great masters? This sutra has seven translations; the current edition follows Kumārajīva’s. The divisions and commentaries each have their principles—only readers can grasp them.
訶泉居士顧光大清乾隆四十七年巧月吉旦
Layman Hequan Gu Guang—on an auspicious day in the seventh month of the 47th year of the Qianlong era of the Great Qing.