No. 714-D
The Sutra of the Great Assembly
尸羅是諸佛之本原。萬行之基趾。實為禪那般若依因。近則人天之路。遠則成道之正因。釋門之淄素。預不可不知之矣。于茲終南鼻祖所撰三大鈔疏流行盛於世。就中為可務急者。偏唯戒本注疏肝要者歟。然而從異朝別行來無奈之何。我師竊悲傷之。務之孜孜。五部具會為一本。欲令新學之徒易照校之也。且欲令蒼生育人天之種。終致大道之權述者也。差功成之日令(不侫)校閱之。今又刻鏤流布弘通宇內。同心隨喜塞塞胸中矣。未暇看他面竭鄙詞。聊讚之曰。
The precepts are the source of all Buddhas and the foundation of all practices. They are the essential cause for meditation and wisdom, the path to human and heavenly realms in the near term, and the true cause for attaining enlightenment in the long term. All followers of the Buddha’s teachings, whether monastic or lay, must understand this deeply.
The three great commentaries composed by the founding master of the Zhongnan tradition have long been widely circulated. Among them, the most urgent and vital work is the annotated commentary on the precepts. However, due to its separate transmission from another land, it remained inaccessible. My teacher, moved by compassion, devoted himself tirelessly to compiling the five divisions into a single volume, so that new students might easily study and compare them. His aim was to help all beings plant the seeds for human and heavenly rebirths, and ultimately to guide them toward the great path.
When the work was completed, he entrusted me, unworthy as I am, with the task of proofreading. Now, it is being engraved and distributed widely, to spread its teachings throughout the world. My heart overflows with shared joy. Though I lack the leisure to elaborate further, I offer these humble words in praise.
佛由戒證真 依行為真人 相續於慧命
佛日日日新
The Buddha attained truth through discipline, A true person by his actions, Continuing the life of wisdom— The Buddha renews himself day by day.
安永二年仲秋之日法正庵比丘玉線謹題
On a day in mid-autumn, the second year of the An'ei era, the monk Gyokusen of the Hōshō-an hermitage respectfully inscribed this.