About 報恩論

94,613 · about 315 min

The Treatise on Repaying Kindness is an important Buddhist text composed by the lay practitioner Shen Shandeng during the Qing Dynasty. Completed in the late Qing period, this work integrates the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. It primarily elucidates the profound principle of repaying the Four Kindnesses—the kindness of parents, the kindness of all living beings, the kindness of the nation and land, and the kindness of the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha). It emphasizes the integration of spiritual practice with social ethics. The content is systematically rigorous, combining scholarly depth with practical application, reflecting the developmental characteristics of modern lay Buddhism in China. This treatise holds a significant position in Chinese Buddhism and is regarded as one of the representative works of lay Buddhist scholarship. It has had a profound influence on later Buddhist ethical thought and practice.

上卷多說理性。下卷先以兩歌。斷疑生信。次以公據等三篇。專說事修。而末篇之說。遂附及之者。所謂應病與藥。期於病藥雙忘。性修不二。而止世界無盡。未來無窮。區區本願具在。代眾回向疏矣。度必有無量發心。菩薩覧而興起者。佛法世法真俗圓融之本旨。庶幾普徧昌明歟。其卷首卷附諸篇。無非欲發明此旨。已詳卷首述意篇。子簡既為寫錄。隨依香巖例。句讀圈點之。為令閱者易於醒目。文人批尾陋習。固不暇避也。其用意良苦。有心人應共諒爾。

The first volume is largely theoretical in nature. The second volume begins with two hymns designed to dispel doubt and generate faith. This is followed by three sections—such as the "Public Evidence" chapter—that focus specifically on practical cultivation. The final chapter then briefly touches upon these topics, akin to prescribing medicine according to the illness, with the aim of eventually transcending both illness and medicine, realizing the non-duality of inherent nature and cultivation. Thus, the world of meditative absorption is endless, and the future is without limit. All this is rooted in my original aspiration, which is to dedicate the merit on behalf of all beings. I believe there must be countless bodhisattvas who, upon reading this, will be inspired to arise.

The essence of the Buddha's teachings and worldly truth—the perfect integration of conventional and ultimate reality—may thus become widely understood and flourish. The various essays included at the beginning and end of this volume are all intended to illuminate this principle, which is already explained in detail in the "Introduction to the Meaning of the Volume" chapter. After Zijian had transcribed the text, I followed the example of Master Xiangyan by adding punctuation and demarcation marks, making it easier for readers to follow. I did not avoid the old habit of scholars adding marginal comments, as my intention in doing so was sincere. Those who are attentive should understand this effort.

About 報恩論

94,613 · about 315 min

Four Noble Truths Sutra (報恩論)

About 報恩論

Four Noble Truths Sutra (報恩論)

About 報恩論