四明尊者教行錄卷第一(并序)
Teachings and Practices of the Venerable Siming, Volume 1(with Preface)
四明石芝沙門宗曉編
Compiled by the Monk Zongxiao of Shizhi, Siming
陳隋兩國師天台智者。悟法華經旋陀羅尼。嗣法性宗。以無礙辯才。剖判三世佛乘。開闢一家教觀。人到于今承之。外有諸懺制法兩朝勅文建寺碑刻等。門弟子章安禪師。集之成書。號國清百錄。特蒙仁宗皇帝賜入大藏。同佛典誥流行。至是殆無餘蘊矣。然吾祖之道化被六十州。盛於隋唐。衰於五代。法不終否。至人利見。石晉天福中有通公法師。(諱義通)來自高麗。南參
The two great teachers of the Chen and Sui dynasties, Venerable Tiantai (Zhiyi), deeply realized the *Turning of the Dharma Wheel* and directly awakened to the core principle of the Lotus Sutra. He carried forward the lineage of the Dharma-Nature school, and with his unimpeded eloquence, he clarified the Buddha’s teachings across all three time periods, establishing a complete system of doctrine and practice. His influence continues to benefit people even today. Apart from his writings, he also left behind ritual texts, edicts from two dynasties, and inscriptions for temple buildings. His disciple, Venerable Zhang’an, collected these into a volume titled *Guoqing Bai Lu* (One Hundred Records of Guoqing Monastery). This work received special authorization from Emperor Renzong to be included in the Buddhist canon, spreading alongside the sacred scriptures, leaving virtually nothing of the Master’s teachings uncovered. Yet, the influence of our lineage spread across sixty regions, flourishing in the Sui and Tang dynasties, but declining during the Five Dynasties. However, the truth never ends permanently. In times of decline, noble people emerge to reveal it. During the Tianfu era of the Later Jin dynasty (of the Five Dynasties), the Dharma Master Tong, (whose Dharma name was Yitong), came from Goryeo (Korea) and traveled southward for study.
螺溪(即天台山螺溪院𦏁寂法師也)盡得天台一宗之道。復欲杭海。大帥錢公固留之(錢諱惟治。吳越王之子。時判明州也)。遂傳洪於明之寶雲(寶雲乃福州運使顧承徽捨宅造寺。以處於師)。法席大開。得二神足而起家。一曰法智師(諱知禮)。一曰慈雲師(諱遵式)。法智尸延慶道場。中興此教。時稱四明尊者。慈雲建靈山法席。峙立解行。世號天竺懺主。慈雲生乾德二年。終明道之初。歷一百二十載。五世孫(慧觀)師。裒其遺文。成金園三集。行於世。法智生建隆改元。終天聖六祀。距今已一百七十有五年矣。所撰記鈔三十餘萬言。學者共宗。復有教門義章問答釋妨巨儒高釋往返書啟等。斷簡殘篇存者流逸。嗚呼。師一心講懺傳持四十年。脇不沾床。其應緣染翰。寧可以數量計。縱刊之於木石。書之於竹帛。亦千萬之一耳。(宗曉)末學無似。叨預教庠。竊睹師之垂言。雖片文隻字。咸為釋氏之法。豈得以任其蕪沒哉。於是劇意訪求。僅得一百餘篇。以類銓次析為七卷。目之曰四明尊者教行錄。四明迺所生得道轉法輪地。世珍其為人。咸以是而稱之。台宗戶牖莫不依教立行以行顯教。庶教行二途成修行一轍。師甞勗眾言。吾之或出或處。或語或默。未始不以教觀之旨為服味為杖几。今錄取以教行為名。亦尊者之志焉。大哉斯文既就。願與國清百錄天竺金園。鼎足而行。貽諸後代。共期祖道也。其乎未盡者。後賢隨見聞而續之。斯又盡善美矣。旹嘉泰二年壬戌歲臘月既望比丘(宗曉)謹序。
At Luoxi Temple(That is, the temple established by Venerable Yiji on Mount Tiantai), the master fully mastered the teachings of the Tiantai school. When he was about to cross the sea, Governor Qian(Qian, named Weizhi, was the son of the king of Wuyue. At the time, he was the magistrate of Mingzhou) firmly detained him, so the transmission of the Dharma flourished at Baoyun Temple in Mingzhou(Baoyun Temple was built by Gu Chengwei, a transportation commissioner from Fuzhou, who donated his residence for the master's use). The teaching assembly greatly expanded, producing two spiritual disciples who carried on the lineage. One was Dharma Master Fazhi(Whose monastic name is Zhili), the other was Master Ciyun(Whose monastic name is Zunshi). Dharma Master Fazhi presided over the practice hall at Yanging Temple and revived this tradition; he was then known as Venerable Siming. Master Ciyun established the teaching seat at Lingshan Temple, where he balanced intellectual understanding and practiced cultivation; he was called the Repentance Master of Tianzhu. Master Ciyun was born in the second year of the Qiande era and passed away at the beginning of the Mingdao era, spanning one hundred and twenty years. His fifth-generation disciple(Huiguan) compiled his remaining writings into the Three Collections of Jinyuan, which circulated widely. Master Fazhi was born in the first year of the Jianlong era and passed away in the sixth year of the Tiansheng era. It has been one hundred and seventy-five years since then. He composed over three hundred thousand words in commentaries and notes, which scholars have universally revered. There were also various writings on doctrinal principles, question-and-answer documents resolving doubts, correspondence with great scholars and eminent monks, and such. Fragments and incomplete pieces remained scattered. Alas! For forty years, the master devoted mind and body to teaching and repentance practices. His elbows never touched the bed. How could his responsive writings be measured by quantity? Even if carved on stone or wood, or written on bamboo or silk, they represented only a fraction of his legacy. (I, Zongxiao), being a humble and inexperienced student unworthy to be in the teaching community, have observed the master's transmitted words. Even a single phrase or a single character constitutes the Dharma of the Buddha. How could I bear to let them be buried in obscurity? Therefore, I devoted myself to searching for them, obtaining only just over one hundred pieces. Organizing them by category, I compiled them into seven volumes, entitled _The Record of Venerable Siming's Teachings and Practices_. "Siming" is where he was born, attained enlightenment, and turned the Dharma wheel. People cherished his character and thus called him by that name. The doors and windows of the Tiantai tradition all rely on teachings and practices, the practice revealing the teaching. Thus, teachings and practices come together to form the single path of cultivation. The master once exhorted his assembly, saying, "Whether I am active or retired, speaking or silent, I have never been without the principles of teaching and contemplation as my food, clothing, walking stick, or desk." Since this record is named after "teachings and practices," it also fulfills the master's intent. Now that this great work is complete, I hope it will stand as a third pillar alongside the _Hundred Records of Guoqing_ and the _Jinyuan Collection_, and be transmitted to future generations, joining us in the ancestral Way. For what remains incomplete, later worthy individuals can continue according to their own vision and experience. This would be even more perfect and beautiful. Written on the full moon of the twelfth month in the second year of the Jiatai era (the year Renshu), by the monk(Zongxiao), respectfully.