臣聞賢劫綿長，世間宏廓，天與時而不盡，地受富以無疆，最靈之氣牣于中，大聖之師居于上。偉哉！釋迦方隱，彌勒未來，其間出命世之人，此際多分身之聖，肆為僧相，喜示沙門。言與行而可觀，槧兼觚而爭錄。是以王巾《僧史》，孫綽《道賢》，摹列傳以周流，象世家而布濩，蓋欲希顏之者，慕藺之儔，成飛錫之應真，作曳山之上士。時則裴子野著《眾僧傳》，釋法濟撰《高逸沙門傳》，陸杲述《沙門傳》，釋寶唱立《名僧傳》，斯皆河圖作《洪範》之椎輪，土鼓為《咸池》之坏器。焉知來者，靡曠其人。慧皎刊修，用實行潛光之目；道宣緝綴，續高而不名之風，令六百載行道之人弗墜于地者矣。爰自貞觀命章之後，西明絕筆已還，此作蔑聞，斯文將缺。時有再至，肅殺過而繁華來；世無久虛，地天泰而聖明出。我應運統天叡文英武大聖至明廣孝皇帝陛下，陽龍挺德，斗電均威。踐大道也，犧、黃輸執御之勞；多天才也，周、孔行弟子之職。講信修睦，崇德報功，一統無遺，百王有愧，四海若窺於掌內，萬機皆發於宸衷。然而玄牝留神，釋天淡慮。長生授術，時開太一之壇；續法延期，僧度倍千之戒。浮圖揭漢，梵夾飜華，將佛國之同風，與玉京而合制。慨茲釋侶，代有其人，思景行之莫聞，實紀錄之彌曠。臣等謬膺良選，俱乏史才，空門不出於董狐，弱手難探於禹穴。而乃循十科之舊例，輯萬行之新名。或案誄銘，或徵志記，或問輶軒之使者，或詢耆舊之先民，研磨將經論略同，讎校與史書懸合。勒成三帙，上副九重，列僧寶之瓌奇，知佛家之富貴。昔者嘉祥筆削，盡美善於東南；澄照纂修，足英髦於關輔。蓋是拘於墟也，傳不習乎？豈若皇朝也，八極張羅，舉之則無物不至；四夷弭伏，求之則何事不供。臣等分面徵搜，各塗搆集，如見一家之好，且無諸國之殊，所以成十科者，易同拾取。其正傳五百三十三人，附見一百三十人。矧復逐科盡處，象史「論」以攄辭；因事言時，為傳家之「系」斷。厥號《有宋高僧傳》焉。庶幾乎銅馬為式，選千里之駿駒；竹編見書，實六和之年表。觀之者務進，悟之者思齊，皆登三藐之山，悉入薩云之海，永資聖曆，俱助皇明，齊愛日之炳光，應嵩山之呼壽云爾。時端拱元年乾明節臣僧贊寧等謹上。

I have heard that the Kalpa of the Worthy is long and vast, the world is broad and expansive. Heaven grants time without end, earth receives abundance without limit. The most spiritual energy fills the center, and the great sage teachers dwell above. How magnificent! Śākyamuni has already withdrawn, Maitreya has not yet arrived. In between, there emerge people who shape the age; in this interval, there are many saints who manifest in various forms. They appear in the guise of monks, gladly revealing themselves as śramaṇas. Their words and deeds are worthy of observation, and both brush and tablet strive to record them. Thus, Wang Jin wrote the *History of Monks*, and Sun Chuo composed *Worthy of the Way*, modeling biographies to circulate widely, imitating hereditary houses to spread their influence. This is because those who admire Yan Hui and long to be like Lin Xiangru aspire to become flying-staff arhats and mountain-dragging superior beings.

At that time, Pei Ziye wrote the *Biographies of Many Monks*, Shi Faji compiled the *Biographies of Lofty and Reclusive Śramaṇas*, Lu Gao narrated the *Biographies of Śramaṇas*, and Shi Baochang established the *Biographies of Famous Monks*. These works were like the River Chart serving as the precursor to the *Great Plan*, or the earthen drum being the crude vessel before the *Xianchi* music. Who could have known that later generations would not lack such people? Huijiao revised and edited, using the categories of "actual practice" and "hidden radiance"; Daoxuan continued the compilation, extending the tradition of "lofty yet unnamed" conduct, ensuring that the practitioners of the Way over six hundred years would not fall into oblivion.

Since the command was issued in the Zhenguan era, and after Ximing laid down his brush, this work has not been heard of, and this literary tradition was on the verge of being lost. But time brings renewal: after the harshness of autumn comes the flourish of spring; the world is never empty for long—when heaven and earth are in harmony, sages and enlightened ones emerge. Our emperor, who responds to destiny, governs heaven with profound wisdom, martial prowess, great sageliness, utmost clarity, and broad filial piety, displays the virtue of the rising dragon and wields the authority of the thunderbolt. In treading the great path, even Fu Xi and Huang Di would defer to his labor of guiding the chariot; in his abundant natural talent, even the Duke of Zhou and Confucius would perform the duties of disciples. He promotes trust and cultivates harmony, honors virtue and rewards merit, unifying all without omission, putting the hundred kings to shame. The four seas are as if viewed in the palm of his hand; all affairs of state arise from his imperial heart.

Yet he also turns his mind to the mysterious and profound, calming his thoughts in the realm of the divine. He receives teachings on longevity, occasionally opening the altar of the Great One; he extends the Dharma's duration, having monks take the twofold thousand precepts. Pagodas pierce the Han sky, Sanskrit texts are translated into Chinese, aligning the customs of the Buddha-land with the system of the Jade Capital. Moved by these followers of the Buddha, who appear in every generation, and lamenting that their exemplary conduct remains unheard, truly the records are sparse.

We, your servants, were mistakenly chosen for this excellent task, yet we all lack the talent of historians. The gate of emptiness does not produce a Dong Hu; our weak hands find it difficult to explore the Yu Cave. Nevertheless, we have followed the old format of ten categories, compiling new names for the myriad practices. We consulted epitaphs and inscriptions, sought out records and annals, inquired of envoys in light carriages, and questioned the elders among the people. We polished and compared, finding general agreement with the sūtras and śāstras, and verified and collated, achieving close alignment with historical texts. We have compiled this into three volumes, to present to the ninefold heavens, displaying the wondrous jewels among the saṅgha, revealing the richness and nobility of the Buddhist family.

In the past, Jiaxiang wielded his brush, bringing out all beauty and goodness in the southeast; Chengzhao compiled and edited, gathering the eminent talents of the Guanzhong region. But were they not confined by their locality? Did they not transmit what they had not practiced? How could they compare to our imperial dynasty, which casts its net over the eight directions, so that when raised, nothing fails to come; where the four barbarians are pacified, so that when sought, nothing is lacking? We, your servants, divided our efforts to search and gather from all directions, as if seeing the excellence of a single family, with no distinctions among various states. Thus, completing the ten categories was as easy as picking things up.

The main biographies number five hundred and thirty-three persons, with an additional one hundred and thirty persons appearing in attached records. Moreover, at the end of each category, we have composed discussions in the manner of historians to express our views; speaking of events in their time, we provide the "judgments" that belong to the tradition of biographies. It is entitled *The Biographies of Eminent Monks Compiled in the Song Dynasty*.

May it serve as a bronze horse model, selecting the thousand-mile steed; may this bamboo-slip writing serve as the true chronicle of the six harmonies. May those who read it strive to advance; may those who understand it think of equaling them. May all ascend the mountain of the threefold enlightenment, and enter the ocean of the cloud of virtue, eternally supporting the sacred calendar, together aiding the imperial brilliance, matching the radiant light of the beloved sun, and responding to the chants of longevity from Mount Song.

Respectfully submitted by the monk Zanning and others on the Qianming Festival, in the first year of the Duangong era.

Song Dynasty Eminent Monks Biographies (宋高僧傳)

Song Dynasty Eminent Monks Biographies (宋高僧傳)