涅槃玄義發源機要序
Preface to the Essential Origins of the Nirvana Sutra's Profound Meaning
夫涅槃無方、佛性無體，而菩薩見之謂之假、二乘見之謂之空、凡夫日用而不知，故如來之道鮮矣。古者能仁大覺，愍群機之未悟也，於是仰觀妙理、俯立嘉號，圓常之經於是乎作也。其體言見心，得兔忘蹄，不知紀極。洎乎去聖踰遠、人根漸鈍，故四依大士撰之以疏；童蒙之類又不能曉其旨，故人師申之以記，俾因記以了疏，因疏以知經，因經以識理，理斯達矣。孰為經乎？孰為疏乎？孰為記乎？混而為一則如來之道不遠而復。若乃考其功，則記為啟發之先也。故秉筆立言者，實難其人。甞試論之：夫欲開前疑、決後滯者，必在乎識也、學也、才也。匪識，胡以宗圓理、斷是非？匪學，胡以曉群言、通理論？匪才，則言之不文、行之不遠。三者備矣，始可與言筆削已矣。斯玄疏者，蓋章安法師用智者義趣、演龍猛宗旨，以申經意也。遂古作者莫之與京。圓不佞，識昧、學寡、才短，故非立言之人也。竊念斯文墜地，傳受道息，於是辯理解紛而筆記之，乃有《玄記》兩卷、《疏記》二十卷。文淺義迂，實無所取。意者，竢夫後世者有達如荊溪者，忿我之紕謬，秉洪筆敷麗藻而發揮之，俾斯經斯疏光大於時，導無窮之機入祕密藏者，豈不功由於我耶。夫經名者，題牓大理。經文者，剖析眾義。眾義由大理所出也，譬如觀發源必知其流多也，挹眾流必知其源一也。故玄之五義、疏之五門，大底申明於此旨，使大理眾義總別相涉無越三德爾。夫三德者，實諸佛之所證也、眾生之所具也，生佛不二同歸于心。若然者，則首題之總、品卷之別在我方寸，豈他物哉？甞撰疏記以指歸為名者，蓋令於別而識總也。今玄記以發源為號者，蓋令於總而識別也。此乃贊述疏主之微旨耳，豈古自我作哉。抑又此之《玄義》，皆用經語以成文章，具引則文煩、略之又義闕，繇是麁徵經文、聊輔大義，機要之名又在此也。吾宗達人且不以狂簡罪我。或有可觀無隱乎爾。時聖宋三葉天子在宥之十七載，大中祥符紀號之七年，歲次甲寅正月既望，錢塘沙門釋智圓字無外，於大慈山崇法寺方丈絕筆序云。
Nirvana has no fixed location, and Buddha-nature has no concrete form. Bodhisattvas perceive it as provisional, those of the Two Vehicles see it as emptiness, and ordinary people experience it daily without realizing it. Thus, the path of the Tathagata is rarely understood.
In ancient times, the Great Enlightened One, out of compassion for beings who had not yet awakened, looked up to contemplate the wondrous principle and established a glorious title. This is how the Sutra of Permanence came to be written. Its words reveal the mind, like catching a rabbit and forgetting the snare—its depths are immeasurable.
As time passed and the distance from the Sage grew, people's capacities gradually dulled. Therefore, the Four Reliance Bodhisattvas composed commentaries to explain it. Beginners still could not grasp its meaning, so later teachers wrote sub-commentaries, enabling readers to understand the commentaries, and through them, the sutras, and finally the underlying principle. Once the principle is realized, what is the sutra? What is the commentary? What is the sub-commentary? When all are merged into one, the path of the Tathagata is not far but returns.
Now, if we examine the function of these works, the sub-commentary is the first step toward awakening. Therefore, those who take up the brush and set down words face a truly difficult task. Let me attempt to discuss this: To resolve past doubts and overcome future obstacles, one must possess insight, learning, and talent. Without insight, how can one uphold the perfect principle and discern truth from falsehood? Without learning, how can one understand the myriad teachings and penetrate their logic? Without talent, one's words will lack refinement and will not travel far. Only when all three are present can one speak of revising or composing texts.
This *Mystery Commentary* was written by Dharma Master Zhang'an, following the intention of Master Zhiyi and elaborating on the tenets of Nagarjuna to explain the sutra's meaning. No ancient author has surpassed it.
I, Yuan, am lacking in insight, limited in learning, and deficient in talent—truly not one who should set down words. Yet I lamented that these teachings had fallen into neglect and the tradition of transmitting them had ceased. Thus, I analyzed and clarified points of confusion, writing down notes, producing the *Mystery Commentary* in two fascicles and the *Sutra Commentary* in twenty. My writing is shallow and my reasoning circuitous, of little worth. My intention is to await future generations. Should someone as accomplished as Master Jingxi appear, angered by my errors, and take up a grand brush to adorn these teachings with beautiful prose, causing this sutra and its commentary to shine brightly in their time and guide countless beings into the secret treasury—would that not be a merit originating from me?
The title of a sutra serves as a general label for the great principle. The sutra's text analyzes the various specific meanings. All specific meanings derive from the great principle, just as observing a river's source allows one to know its many tributaries, and drawing from its streams reveals their single origin. Thus, the five meanings in the *Mystery Commentary* and the five gateways in the *Sutra Commentary* largely elaborate on this point, showing that the general principle and its specific meanings, in their totality and parts, do not go beyond the Three Qualities. These Three Qualities are what all Buddhas have realized and what all beings possess. Beings and Buddhas are not two; they are both inherent in the mind. If this is so, then the general title of the sutra and the specific chapters are all within our own minds—how could they be something external?
I have written the sub-commentary with the title "Returning to the Source" to guide readers to recognize the general principle through its specific parts. Now, this *Mystery Commentary* is called "Tracing the Source" to help readers see the specific meanings through the general principle. This is merely an effort to praise and elaborate on the subtle intention of the commentary's author—not something I have created out of nothing. Furthermore, this *Mystery Meaning* uses the sutra's own words to construct its discussions. To quote fully would be too lengthy; to abridge would leave gaps in meaning. Therefore, I have lightly cited the sutra text to briefly support the major principles—hence the name "Essentials for the Teachings."
May the wise ones of our tradition not fault me for being reckless or crude. If there is anything of worth here, may they not withhold their guidance.
This was written by the Shaolin monk Shi Zhiyuan, also named Wuwai, at the Chongfa Monastery on Mount Daci, in the abbot's quarters, on the full moon of the first month in the seventh year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era (1014 CE), during the reign of the third emperor of the Song Dynasty.