A Brief Introduction to the Shurangama Sutra

I once studied Chan under a teacher, but at first I could not grasp even a single glimpse of it. Later, I returned to Fujian, having ceased my wanderings in search of truth. Living in the mountains without much to do, I took up the entire Buddhist canon and read through it. Regarding the *Shurangama Sutra*, I felt I had uniquely grasped its essential key, and so I composed a two-volume commentary, *Wings of Explanation*, to offer my humble insights and supplement what previous commentaries had overlooked. This was in the year of *Tianqi* 1624.

By the time of *Chongzhen* 1636, I had begun teaching at Kaiyuan Monastery in Quanzhou. It happened that my colleague, Second Cloud Governor Zeng, was serving as an official in southern Quanzhou. In his spare time from government duties, he would often visit me to discuss matters of ultimate concern. He mentioned the *Shurangama Sutra*, saying that he found the myriad existing commentaries too confusing and asked me to compose a concise guide to its core meaning. I felt that Chan practitioners often enjoy reading such guides, yet if the subtle intricacies are not clarified, they cannot fully dispel their doubts. If I rashly imposed my own interpretations, the errors would be countless. Therefore, I expanded my *Wings of Explanation* into a *Brief Commentary*, occasionally drawing widely from various sources, blending them into a unified perspective. While I certainly do not shy away from elucidating the core meaning, I also ensured that the twists and turns of the text are made clear. The aim was solely to let readers feel a clear and satisfying understanding upon opening the book, so that they are neither obstructed by the original sutra text nor confused by the various commentaries. As for whether this belongs to the Tiantai or Huayan tradition, I simply have no leisure to inquire which path they have left behind for me.

The first three volumes were completed amidst the sweltering summer heat at Kaiyuan Monastery. On Mid-Autumn Festival, I returned to Gushan (Drum Mountain) in Fuzhou and continued to finish the next three volumes. In the spring of the following year, I traveled to western Zhejiang, where several local gentry invited me to stay at Zhenji Monastery on Tiaoxi Stream, and it was there that I finally completed the last four volumes.

On the day after the Lantern Festival in 1638, Censor Cao Yugong from Xie Li visited me. He took a brief look at the work and could not help but express great admiration. He then ordered the carving of the printing blocks. After the woodblocks were finished, I carefully recorded this account of their creation. Indeed, the circumstances that gave rise to this project at that time should not be forgotten.