重刻大藏一覽序
Preface to the Re-carved Buddhist Canon Overview
佛法自漢入中土，初僅四十二章。魏晉及唐，西使幾遣東譯無筭。由宋至元，宗門之詮著與儒彥之參觀日多，皇明啟運，彙為大藏，曰經、曰律、曰論，五千餘卷，卷帙浩繁，窮年莫竟。即耆宿，檢閱難周，何況初地？雖名剎，尊藏不易，何論僻所？則一覽之編，陳居士實之心良勤矣。
When Buddhism first entered China from India, the scriptures consisted only of the *Sutra in Forty-Two Sections*. During the Wei, Jin, and Tang dynasties, countless missions were sent westward and eastern translations flowed ceaselessly. From the Song to the Yuan dynasties, more and more commentaries by school patriarchs and Confucian scholars studying Buddhism appeared. When the Ming Dynasty arose, these texts were gathered together into a canon comprising sutras, vinaya (monastic rules), and shastras (treatises)—over five thousand volumes. The collection was vast and overwhelming, impossible to finish in a lifetime. Even monks spending the year in study could barely get through it, let alone beginners. Even famous monasteries found it difficult to properly store and preserve it, to say nothing of remote areas. That is why a digest was compiled. This field of effort by Layman Chen deserves deep commendation.
夫亦舉要鉤玄，上根循之而窺大全；勝果妙因，中人聞之而信心勃起也。凡為卷十，分八門六十品，系以因緣一千一百八十一則，八門次第相承而善惡獨多，無非以果報提醒眾生之愚濁。品始于〈先王〉，終于〈流通〉，則又以宣揚敷布，使人共得睹聞受持，為報恩第一義。
Furthermore, this text extracts the essential principles and delves into the profound mysteries. Those of superior faculties can follow it to glimpse the grand panorama; while those of middling capacity, upon hearing about the excellent results and wondrous causes, will find their faith vigorously aroused. It comprises ten volumes, divided into eight sections and sixty chapters, accompanied by 1,181 tales of causal conditions. The eight sections follow each other in sequence, but the categories of good and evil are particularly emphasized—all for the purpose of awakening ignorant and confused beings through the law of retribution. The text begins with the chapter "The Ancient Sage-Kings" and ends with "The Propagation of the Teachings." Thus, its ultimate intention is to proclaim and disseminate these truths widely, enabling all to see, hear, receive, and uphold them—this is the foremost meaning of repaying kindness.
蓋有世界必有眾生，有眾生乃成世界。而有眾生又因壞世界。何也？眾生性皆是佛性，眾生性不昧即能見佛，故知山河大地皆心所造，天人流轉終歸有漏，而必求所以安身立命之處。眾生性昧即不見佛，上智以畢世為完修，以不朽為後世名，畢竟從名心起念，于真性何涉？濟惡不才者遂以恣睢為適性、禍淫為不必然，逞欲任情，苟逃于目前之罪譴，謂兇暴為得計，當世之非笑、萬年之罵詈俱不復顧，執此惑見，一夫自用，萬夫受其慘毒矣。不有佛法以報應之，禍福千劫、萬劫不得消磨者，喚回醉夢何所底止哉？茲編一千餘則因緣，獨於此表揚不已，意在斯乎，意在斯乎。
世人高明者少，而卑暗者多；慈祥者固不乏人，而殘忍者尤眾。欲引之於性命，必先引之於趨向；欲引之于向善而去惡，必先引之于懼禍而求福。因果不爽于窮劫，現在可知、懺悔可消，于無始當下何難？茲編流通世間，俾管窺之下士、寡陋之村巷、凶頑之結習皆得領其梗概，沃其清冷，作大懽喜，開大方便，所誘化林林總總者豈鮮淺哉？
廣辯姚居士，余外家尊行也，少負才名，晚耽禪悅，好行其德，于所不知尤加意檀施、留心貝葉，與其子茂才、君復等，共尊三寶、三塔、大士殿，倡眾鳩工重刻《楞伽》、《楞嚴》諸經，而于茲編，念舊刻之漫漶，特捐貲剞劂，親自校訂，自抒妙解作跋，而令不佞為之序。余媿無樂天、子瞻之見地，聊即一覽之，條貫論次若此，惟大善知識開其固陋云。
Master Yao of Guangbian, an elder of my in-law's family, was renowned in youth for literary talent. In his later years, he delighted in Zen meditation and practiced virtue generously, especially in areas he did not fully understand. He was devoted to charitable giving and revered sacred texts. Together with his son Maocai and others, he honored the Three Jewels, built the Three Pagodas and the Mahasattva Hall, and led the restoration project re-carving the *Lankavatara* and *Shurangama Sutras* and other scriptures. Concerned about the worn-out condition of the old printing blocks of this text, he donated funds for engraving and personally proofread it, adding his own brilliant commentary in the postscript, while requesting my humble preface. Ashamed of lacking the insight of masters like Bai Juyi or Su Dongpo, I merely glanced through it. Thus I have arranged these notes in sequence, humbly hoping that true masters of wisdom may forgive my limited understanding.
萬曆甲寅孟冬，翰林院侍讀學士秀水陳懿典書于學圃軒。