No. 744-A四分律名義標釋序
Preface to the Explanation of the Four-Part Vinaya
原夫律之為教也。乃三乘之寶筏。四雙之雲階。諸佛從斯而趣菩提。眾聖由此而昇泥曰。譬若明珠。喻如淨雪。外眾不預其傳。內徒為之秘授。三寶藉之而彰。五輩因之以立。其為法也。豈不重哉。在昔金河重誨。波離嗣宣。西域聖人。師資肅佩。分氎傳持。千有餘載。逮流東夏。漢魏剏聞。齊梁漸備。隋唐盛興。迄夫宋代已來。人皆首學。俱出樊籠。僧同遵軌。咸超有岸。邇世譌鋒互舉。禪律競分。見既不同。資受不無其謬。致使後進無門。初造失序。展卷不識其名。循文詎能知義。贊始臨壇。還同昏穴。惟此奮翅三藏。獵目羣章。稽彼西天之梵言。釋此東華之音議。端取曇無德律。所有文句難通者。僅標其名。纘釋其義。傍採諸家之辯。正述經論之玄。雖引四部之要文。然不雜彼之宗緒。恐紊持犯。難為防護。間所述者。並是通途行事。及略顯開遮。庶知持犯。有其同別。非取輕條。以替重篇。却大愆而易小過。蓋本聖意未許。律旨全遮。偷心不絕。難言信戒。是以獨舉一部。隨事標釋。不舛餘宗。俾剏學者。覽卷無滯。溫習者。不觀他面。罔致迷文失旨。意莫適從。遂舉手於高閣。不再顧以終身。律學於斯頓止。僧寶從此漸替。維念於茲。敢興短聞。集為部夾。統釋事相。略明樞義。若夫開遮持犯。廣備律詮。性制輕重。翫之即得。對治煩惑。要在深研。此不預述。況贊之淺識。豈能窮其淵府。俟學充足。戒光自朗。其餘纖悉玄軌。疏律乃陳。此所先標。後不重出。以彼疏意易彰。理獲線貫。帙今成矣。但愧庸才。難免鬻乳之贗。併所缺疑未備者。總冀來哲。共昭南極。輝戒珠於長夜。昞慧日於中天。正法得之恒存。聖階固而永久。是所慶願。智者鑒諸。
The Vinaya, as a teaching, is the precious raft that ferries beings across the three vehicles and the cloud-ladder for the four pairs of practitioners. Buddhas have walked this path to enlightenment, and sages have ascended by it to nirvana. It is like a bright pearl, like pure snow. Outsiders were never given its transmission; it was secretly passed down among inner disciples. The Triple Gem is made manifest through it, and the five groups are established because of it. Is this Dharma not of utmost importance?
In ancient times, by the Golden River, the Buddha gave his final instructions, and Upali subsequently proclaimed them. The holy masters of the West, teachers and disciples alike, received and upheld these teachings with reverence. They passed them down, dividing the robe as a symbol, for over a thousand years. When the teachings flowed into China, they were first heard of during the Han and Wei dynasties. They gradually became complete during the Qi and Liang, flourished in the Sui and Tang, and from the Song dynasty onward, everyone made the Vinaya their first study. Practitioners thereby escaped their cages; monastics, following its standards, all crossed over from the shore of existence.
But in later times, false doctrines rose up from all sides, and Chan and Vinaya parted ways. Since views differed, the transmission of the precepts inevitably became corrupt. This left newcomers with no entry point and beginners in disarray—they would open a text but not recognize its terms, follow the words but fail to grasp their meaning. Those ascending to the ordination platform were as blind as if in a dark cave.
Therefore, having humbly exerted myself in the study of the Tripitaka, I scanned through numerous texts. I examined the Sanskrit words from the West and interpreted the meanings behind the Chinese translations. I took the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya as my primary text. For passages that were hard to understand, I merely marked their names and briefly explained their meanings. I also consulted the insights of various teachers and correctly elucidated the profound principles of the sutras and shastras. Although I quote key passages from the four main Vinaya texts, I do not mix in their separate schools of thought, as doing so would only confuse the rules regarding what is permissible and what is not, making proper conduct difficult to protect.
Where I have made commentary, it is solely on general practices and a brief clarification of when rules may be opened or closed, so that practitioners may know what commonalities and differences exist between what is upheld and what is violated. I am not taking light rules to replace heavy ones, nor seeking to replace a great offense with a small fault. The intent of the Buddha never permits this: the Vinaya completely forbids it. If a mind of trickery never ceases, one can hardly speak of faith in the precepts.
Thus, I have focused on a single Vinaya school and explained matters individually, without conflicting with other schools. This is so that beginners may open the book without confusion, and those reviewing it need not consult other texts. I hope to prevent the error of getting lost in words and missing the meaning. Nothing is worse than being left confused, without direction, and ultimately shelving the book on a high shelf, never to look at it again for life. At that point, the study of Vinaya ceases on the spot, and the Sangha jewel gradually fades away.
With this in mind, I have dared to compile these brief observations, gathering them into a collection. I systematically explain practical matters and lightly clarify the key principles. As for the nuances of opening and closing rules, and of maintaining and violating precepts, they are fully elaborated in the Vinaya commentaries themselves. The distinction between natural offenses and codified ones, and their weight, can be understood through careful study. As for overcoming mental afflictions, that requires profound investigation, which I do not discuss here. Moreover, how could my shallow understanding possibly penetrate the profound depths? I await those whose study is sufficient and whose light of the precepts shines brightly on its own. The rest of the subtle and detailed profound teachings are presented in the Vinaya commentaries; I merely point them out here without repeating them, since the meaning is easy to grasp in those texts and the principles are threaded together like a string of beads.
This volume is now complete. I am but a person of mediocre talent, and I cannot escape the embarrassment that comes from hawking one’s limited goods. Where doubts remain or details are lacking, I leave them to future wise ones. Together, may they illuminate the Southern Pointer, make the jewel of the precepts shine in the long night, and cause the sun of wisdom to blaze in the sky. Let the true Dharma endure forever because of this, and let the saintly stages be established and remain for all time. This is my prayer and my wish. May the wise look upon this work with discernment.
旹崇禎庚午夏日大菩提心沙門弘贊謹序
Preface respectfully written by the monk Hongzan of the Great Bodhi Mind, in the summer of the year Gengwu during the Chongzhen era [1630].