Preface to the Pronunciation and Meaning of the Zen Forest Treasure Admonitions

The Book of Admonitions for the Treasure of the Sangha. In the past, the two masters Miaoxi and Zhu'an, concerned about the decline of the Dharma in this latter age and the deterioration of monastic communities, gathered the wise words and virtuous deeds of ancient sages and compiled them into this collection. Their hope was to restore the light of the Buddha-Dharma, reestablish the faltering monastic guidelines, and inspire ordinary people to aspire to virtuous conduct through these teachings, thereby renewing their moral and spiritual practice. Although the compilation was completed, it was not yet widely circulated, for the propagation of the Dharma depends on timing and awaits the right conditions to manifest.

Later, Master Jing Shan of Dongwu, while traveling to Yunju Monastery, obtained a damaged copy from Master Zu'an. Delighted by this encounter, he felt deeply connected to its contents. However, he regretted that the text was incomplete, making it difficult to convey its full teachings. Therefore, he undertook a recompilation, extensively searching for the words of earlier virtuous masters, accumulating over three hundred entries. This is how the Admonitions for the Treasure of the Sangha came to be.

Within it, the Dharma is upheld and propagated, monastics are instructed and admonished, the corrupt practices of monastic communities are reformed, and the negligence and ignorance of learners are warned against. How can such a work be considered insignificant? Yet, those who are impatient and superficial, seeing its language as plain and straightforward, often set it aside on a high shelf. Is this not to betray the profound efforts of the former sages and their words, which are as deep as valleys?

Since the year Wushen, I left Master Xuelang at Wangting in Suzhou and studied in Chang'an, participating in the assemblies of various masters. Throughout the periods of Chan teachings and lectures, I never abandoned this text, diligently studying and familiarizing myself with it. Thus, the simple and sincere customs of the Chan practitioners there still remain.

This collection, though concise in language, is rich in meaning, covering a broad range of matters. Beginners, unfamiliar with its contents, may encounter difficulties. Occasionally, there are phonetic annotations and meanings that were not printed in earlier transcriptions, leading to errors and inconsistencies in transmission. Therefore, the inclusion of phonetic annotations and explanations cannot be delayed.

Now, with many copies in the mountains, I have selected the most essential ones to establish a definitive version. Furthermore, I have cross-referenced and verified the contents with both internal and external scriptures, burning the midnight oil day after day, month after month, until the collation was completed. At that time, fellow practitioners, seeing this improved version, requested that it be carved onto printing blocks for circulation by the monastery, to facilitate future study. Without considering my own limitations, I have recounted its origins and development here.

At that time,

Recorded by the monk Dajian of Liangxi on the third day of mid-spring in the Yihai year of the Chongzhen reign.