天台法華䟽序
鏡中沙門神逈述
Reflection of a Monk: A Divine Account
敘曰：至理無名，名流四天之下；真乘不動，動出三界之中。證教即事而凝然，悉檀隨緣而化物，無謀汲引，功莫大哉！《妙法蓮華經》者，洎仁雄出世，為一大事因緣之所說之也。但藥木不同，受潤成異；機宜匪一，稟教亦差。其施權也，則鹿苑四諦之法輪；其顯實也，則鷲峯三變之淨土。旨深詞寘，人尊道高，彰壽量之遠本，會伽耶之近迹。雨吹擊演，廢昔說之筌蹄；開示悟入，獲今家之魚兔。微塵菩薩，增道損生；草庵聲聞，恥小欣大。藥王燒臂而供養，多寶全身以證明，圓極冲微，不可得而言也。
有天台大師，法號智顗，昔於如來前親聽茲典，位居五品；聲振兩朝不歷講肆，佛乘懸解。陀羅尼力樂說不窮，常於陳主大極殿，對御講《仁王般若經》，萬乘屈膝，百官彈指。且如觀心釋，妙離有無，取真性作軌，藉資照成徹。敘名詮宗，異於古德，五義覈理，皆扶聖教。自智者弘法三十餘年，獨有《維摩疏》，隋朝奉煬帝勅，撰此之玄文，迺是灌頂法師私記，合二十卷，非智不彈，斯言允矣。
及其滅後一百餘載，至唐天寶中歲在戊子，有東陽郡清泰寺朗和尚，法門之眉壽、涼池之目足，乘戒俱急、內外兼包，獲滿慈之寶器、坐空生之石室，必於講授之次默然歎曰：「觀其義趣，深契佛乘，尋其文勢，時有不次。或文續義斷，或文後義前，或長行前開其章，或從後直述其義，或偈中先舉其數，或後不次其名。然聖意難測，但仰信而已。」今因諸聽徒頻勸請曰：「上根易悟，探賾不迷；中下之流，尋文失旨。儻更垂次比此，則弘益巨多。」和上再三籌量，事不獲已，乃專念大師，求加可否。因夢所感，方始條倫。蓋亦隨情便宜誠諒，非苟求同異輒有增減於其間矣。冀後諸學者，曉其元意，尋領索裳，擔金棄礫，說真實法，非虛妄人。助玄風之廣扇，備丹丘之添削，則百界千如宛同府契，化城寶所盡親津橋。賴彌勒之慇懃，迴文殊之靳固，輔《發智》之六足，褒《春秋》之一言。
After the Master's passing, about a hundred years elapsed until the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty, specifically during the year Wu-zi. At that time, there lived the Venerable Lang, a monk of Qingtai Temple in Dongyang Commandery. He was a long-lived elder of the Dharma, a guide with both eyes and feet for the Pool of Coolness. He diligently practiced both meditation and discipline, embracing inner cultivation and outer learning alike. He had obtained the precious vessel of Purnabhadra and sat in the stone chamber of Subhuti. During his lectures, he would quietly sigh and say: "Observing the meaning and import, it deeply accords with the Buddha's vehicle; examining the flow and structure, there are occasional discrepancies. Sometimes the text continues while the meaning breaks off, sometimes the meaning precedes the text, sometimes a section begins with an introduction in prose, sometimes it directly states the meaning from the end, sometimes a gatha first gives a number, or later omits its proper name. Yet the sacred intent is difficult to fathom—we can only rely on faith."
Now, because the disciples repeatedly urged him: "Those of superior faculties easily comprehend; they explore the profound without confusion. But those of middle and lower abilities lose the meaning when they examine the text. If you would graciously set this in proper order, the benefit would be immense." The Venerable Master deliberated time and again, and having no alternative, he focused his mind on the great master [Zhiyi], seeking approval. Through a vision received in a dream, he thus began to organize it systematically. This was done to accommodate circumstances and for practical convenience; it was not a casual pursuit of differences or arbitrary additions or deletions. May future scholars understand the original intention—seek the meaning and grasp the garment, carry the gold and discard the gravel. Proclaim the true Dharma, not false speech. Aid the wide scattering of the mystic breeze, assist in the refinements of the cinnabar hill [of Dao]. Then the hundred realms and thousand suchnesses will be in complete accord; the phantom city and the jeweled land will all be personally reached by boat. Rely on Maitreya's diligence, turn away from Manjushri's stinginess, supplement the six feet of the *Prajnapti-shastra* that illuminate wisdom, and praise the single word of the *Spring and Autumn Annals*.
神逈等，並採綜文前輕安諦理，莫不空王佛所同共發心，十六沙彌，咸皆代講。翳花逢日，除瘼養珠，誠愧雁門之筆，曷窺龍嚬之奧，庶探玄之士，沐道流而有本焉。
妙法蓮華經文句卷第一上
天台智者大師說