No. 229-A大方廣佛華嚴經普賢行願品別行疏鈔重刊序
Re-Print Preface to the Separate Commentary on the Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra from the Avatamsaka Sutra (Chapter 229-A)
新安道奎稽首和南述
Newan Daokui bows with reverence and describes
雜華，為十方三世大覺根本法輪，蓋指人人本具大事因緣也。祇因眾生昧之，以故諸佛出興，發明建立。就中雖隨時、隨方、隨言論、隨知解、隨意想分別，稱彼根欲廣演無邊差別妙法，究竟於當人分上增減，絲毫不得。悟至此者，方知佛祖無法與人，亦無一時一處塵毛剎海。非是弘宣此者，縱欲以大海量墨，須彌作筆，亦不能吐露少分，何況今經。所以龍猛入婆伽宮，見文字所載，已有其三。而閻浮心力有限，乃誦出十萬頌四十八品者，弘揚五天，東傳震旦。則自晉譯三萬六千頌成六十卷，唐譯四萬五千頌成八十卷，續得烏茶國所貢後分般若三藏，同清涼國師再譯成四十卷。其臨末一卷，即今十大願王是也，乃晉唐二大部中所缺。然具攝全經綱領，故清涼於大疏鈔外，已為十卷疏疏。此後譯而復更作別行疏疏。此一卷，圭峰作鈔釋之，最為詳盡。竭藏海之洪瀾，收歸一滴。指中邊之蜜味，頓令親甞。欲求開示悟入，舍此更無門矣。予恒傷清涼著述六百卷之繁，今多散落。即續疏十卷，亦不復存。幸此一卷疏鈔，昭慶藏板，具為不知。何緣南北兩藏，俱未收入。嘉興書本亦然。誠恐日久歲深，又歸變滅。適羌世隆欲流通大法，予指令刻此，廣布種無上福慧勝因。至於不可思議殊勝功德，如盥掌之水，尚拯生靈升天。一偈之功，已至獄門而返。具如傳譯，感通備述。所謂一文之妙，攝義無遺。讀誦思修，功齊種智。古德已言之審矣。是在當人深信力行，終獲全身證入。然後知佛祖真不我欺，皆緣自欺辜。宏慈深悲，傷己之迷。轉導一切，窮塵剎量。盡未來劫，步普賢菩薩之芳躅。如經所云，乃人人應為可為，不敢不為者耳。No. 229
**The Flower Ornament Scripture (Avatamsaka Sutra)** This is the supreme Dharma wheel of enlightenment for all Buddhas throughout the ten directions and three times. It points directly to the fundamental matter that every person inherently possesses—the great causal conditions for awakening.
It is only because sentient beings are ignorant of this that all Buddhas appear in the world, revealing and establishing this teaching. Within it, although teachings have been given according to time, place, discourse, understanding, and mental discrimination—adapting to beings' capacities and desires with infinite skillful means—ultimately, nothing can be added or taken away from the individual's fundamental nature.
To awaken to this point is to realize that the Buddhas and patriarchs have no Dharma to give to others, nor is there any single moment or place—even the smallest particle or world—that is not the proclamation of this truth. Even if someone tried to write about it using the vast ocean as ink and Mount Sumeru as a pen, they could not express even a fraction of it. How much less can any ordinary scripture?
This is why the sage Nagarjuna entered the Dragon Palace and found that the text already existed there in three versions. Because human mental capacity in this world is limited, he recited the version of 100,000 verses in 48 chapters. It spread through the five regions of India and then eastward to China.
The first Chinese translation (Jin Dynasty) rendered 36,000 verses into 60 scrolls. The second (Tang Dynasty) translated 45,000 verses into 80 scrolls. Later, a new version was brought as tribute from the kingdom of Oḍḍiyāna, and the Tripitaka Master Prajñā, together with the National Teacher Qingliang, translated it again into 40 scrolls.
The final scroll of that version is the present chapter on the **Ten Great Vows**. This chapter was missing from the earlier Jin and Tang translations, yet it contains the essential outline of the entire sutra. That is why Qingliang, after his extensive commentary on the full sutra, also wrote a separate ten-scroll commentary on this one chapter. Later, a further annotated commentary on this single scroll was produced.
Master Guifeng then wrote a sub-commentary on it, which is the most detailed explanation available. It drains the vast ocean of the Dharma treasury back into a single drop. It points directly to the sweet nectar at the heart of all teachings, letting us taste it for ourselves. For those seeking to understand and enter this path, there is no other door.
I have long grieved that Qingliang's six hundred scrolls of writings are now mostly scattered and lost. Even his continuation commentary of ten scrolls no longer exists. Fortunately, this one scroll of commentary and sub-commentary survives in the Zhaochen edition of the woodblocks. But many are unaware of its existence.
Why is it that neither the Northern nor Southern canonical collections include it? The Jiaxing printed edition also omits it. I sincerely fear that as time passes, this too may disappear.
Just now, at the request of someone named Qiang Shilong who wished to propagate the great Dharma, I instructed that this text be carved and printed, widely spreading this supreme cause for merit and wisdom.
As for its inconceivable and supreme merit: Even the water used to wash one's hands after reciting it has the power to rescue beings and raise them to heaven. The merit of a single verse has the power to turn back beings at the gates of hell. These accounts are fully described in the historical transmission and response records.
As it is said: "The wonder of a single phrase encompasses all meanings without omission. To read, recite, contemplate, and cultivate it brings merit equal to perfect wisdom." The ancient masters have already thoroughly clarified this.
Now it is up to each individual to deeply believe and diligently practice, ultimately attaining full realization and personal verification. Only then will one know that the Buddhas and patriarchs truly do not deceive us—it is we who deceive ourselves.
With great compassion and deep sorrow for our own confusion, we must turn around and guide all beings, practicing for countless worlds and throughout endless future ages, following in the footsteps of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
As the sutra says: this is what every person should do, can do, and dare not leave undone.