Colophon

Observing the bhikkhu ordination ceremony, the Vinaya provides a fixed format. Although the five schools differ, they are largely similar with minor variations. Therefore, one should strictly follow the Four-Part Vinaya, eliminating later additions and redundant texts. As for the bodhisattva ordination, the sutras and treatises vary. The Brahmajala, Yingluo, Shanjie, and the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Mind, among others, differ in their approaches and levels of detail. Thus, works like the Zhi Zhi Jiao Xing each express their own views, adding rules and sections. Although their language is elegant and their intentions thorough, and they exhaustively explain the meaning, sometimes the meaning becomes obscured by the text, making them less straightforward and direct than the sutras and treatises. Today, the Brahmajala ordination method has been lost, leaving only a vague outline. Only the Shanjie and Yingluo methods can be reliably followed. With reverence, I have considered these three sources and combined them into one format, aiming for a balance between detail and simplicity. This way, both the officiant and the recipient can proceed with clarity and ease, avoiding confusion and disorder.

Recorded with reverence in the autumn of the fourth year of the Chongzhen reign (1631), by Zhi Xu of ancient Wu.