---
title: "靈峰蕅益大師宗論 · 書一"
description: "靈峰蕅益大師宗論是明末高僧智旭的著作。明末佛教面臨內部僵化與外部挑戰，智旭大師立足天台宗，主張禪教律淨融合，回應時代弊病。該書匯集其書信、註疏與開示，系統闡述性相融通、淨土為歸的佛學思想，強調解行並進與實踐修行。作為中國佛教史上承先啟後的巨著，它深刻影響了後世漢傳佛教的發展，尤其對淨土宗的推廣貢獻卓著，被尊為淨土宗第九祖的智旭，其思想透過此論成為明清佛教的重要指南。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmgn46hxh0o8ak1048qimyfuc"
---
## 靈峰蕅益大師宗論卷第五之一
> Volume Five, Part One of Master Ouyi's Collected Works
古歙門人成時編輯
> Edited by Cheng Shi, a Disciple from Ancient She
### 書一
寄母甲子正月三日，方外男智旭，敬然臂香，刺舌血，白母親大人膝下。男幼蒙庭訓，少長便道學自任，寧不知父宜葬，母宜養。但生死一事，人人有之，靜夜深思，真可怖畏。如大母舅宦正濃而忽殞，虞表姪年未壯而早亡，身命無常，如朝露，大限至，老少莫逃，苦海茫茫，誰能免者。念及自身，已覺酸鼻，更念亡父老母，倍覺傷神。親身既然，眾生寧異？儻不早圖出世，正恐追悔無及。男憶二十一，至星家問母壽，言六十二三，必有節限。遂於佛前立深誓，唯願減我算，薄我功名，必冀母臻上壽。今既切思離俗，儻萌一待心，豈是求益母壽之念，男又安能保無中夭邪？生育一事，世閒苦本，況與功名，皆有定數。且青雲得志，難敵生死，大母舅即是殷鑒，何如地藏大士，目連尊者，累劫親恩，皆蒙度脫之為孝也。男少年詬大士，賴母痛下鉗錘，今得改過從善，志在出世，恐母愛情難割，不得不硬卻心腸，潛行方便。又恐母日夜懸念，故於三寶前，然香刺血，寄書遠達，伏祈勿事勞心，惟努力念佛，求出輪迴。親屬可化者，皆以此意示之。
> A Letter to My Mother from Your Son Zhi-Xu, the Renounced One, on the 3rd Day of the 1st Month of the Jia-Zi Year: I write to you, Mother, by burning incense on my arm and pricking my tongue for blood. Since childhood, you taught me well. As I grew, I considered myself a follower of the Way—how could I not know a father should be buried and a mother cared for? Yet life and death is something everyone faces. When I reflect deeply in the stillness of night, it truly terrifies me. Look at Uncle, who died suddenly at the height of his official career; look at Cousin Yu, who passed away before even reaching middle age. Life is unstable, like morning dew. When our time comes, young or old, none can escape. This ocean of suffering is vast—who can avoid it? Thinking of myself already makes my heart ache; thinking of my departed father and aging mother only deepens my sorrow. If this is true for our own family, how could it be different for all beings? If I don’t plan early to transcend worldly existence, I truly fear regret will be too late. I remember when I was twenty-one, I asked a fortune-teller about your lifespan. He said there would be a significant turn at age sixty-two or sixty-three. So I made a deep vow before the Buddha: I wished only to reduce my own years and lessen my worldly achievements, so that you might attain a long life. Now that I earnestly wish to leave secular life, if I harbored any hesitation, how could that be the same intention as seeking to extend your years? And who can guarantee I won’t die young? Childbirth itself is the root of suffering in this world, and the same is true for fame and fortune—all have fixed limits. Even reaching the highest official position cannot overcome life and death. Uncle is a living example. How much better it is to follow the examples of Earth Treasury Bodhisattva and Venerable Maudgalyayana, who repaid their parents’ kindness over many lifetimes and helped them attain liberation—that is true filial piety. When I was young, I spoke disrespectfully of the Bodhisattva. Thanks to your firm guidance, I’ve now reformed and turned toward goodness. My determination is to leave worldly life. I fear your motherly love will be hard to let go, but I must steel my heart and quietly work for the benefit of all. I also fear you will worry day and night, so before the Three Jewels, I burn incense, draw blood, and send this letter to you from afar. I humbly ask you not to trouble your mind, but only strive to recite the Buddha’s name and seek liberation from the cycle of rebirth. For family members who can be guided, please share this meaning with them.
寄剃度雪嶺師別忽三載，反躬無似，莫報師恩。方今像季，有三可痛哭，三可哀愍。毗尼法，三學初基，出世根本，僧寶所由得名，正法賴以住世，而罕有師承，多諸訛謬，遂令正法墜地，僧倫斷絕，一可痛也。三藏教，修行之徑，出苦之要，而依文解義，罔知觀心，廢先哲舊章，塗一時口耳，遂令禪門訶為葛藤糟粕，二痛也。宗門一著，本為上上根，點鐵成金，今但作門庭施設，道理商量，不墮狂罔無知，便墮雜毒知見。更有去施設、埽道理者，多落闇證窠臼，盲修瞎鍊，實是險塗，無上妙法，流弊至此，三痛也。第一可哀愍者，借佛法圖名利，無實為人之心。二者，但知己長，不知人長，但見人短，不見己短，株守一得，向無佛處稱尊，不能放下面皮，打破局量，從千萬人腳跟下穿過。三者，但為大以欺佛，不思三界無安，言淨土不必生，彌陀不必念。中郎判為唯心墮，圓實墮，確論也。時丁末運，非具大忍力，大願，大智，大巧便力，驩虞小補，何當至治。博山老師，雖見處未徹源底，實有苦功操履，不肖與互感得益，然不服其藥，大忍願智，便俟當請益也。
> Letter to Master Xue Ling, My Tonsure MasterThree years have passed since we parted, yet I remain deeply ashamed of my own failings, unable to repay the kindness of my teacher. In this degenerate age of the Dharma, there are three things that make me weep and three that call for deep compassion. The first cause for weeping: The Vinaya precepts—the foundation of the threefold training and the very root of the path to liberation, through which the Sangha gains its name and the true Dharma endures in this world—have few genuine teachers and are riddled with errors. As a result, the true Dharma is falling to the ground and the lineage of monks is threatened with extinction. The second cause for weeping: The Tripitaka scriptures—the path of practice and the key to escaping suffering—are now merely explained by literal interpretation, without any understanding of contemplation or turning the mind inward. The old masters' teachings are abandoned in favor of shallow, superficial knowledge. Consequently, the Zen school dismisses them as useless weeds and dregs. The third cause for weeping: The direct pointing of the Zen school was originally intended for those of supreme capacity, able to turn iron into gold. Now, it is reduced to nothing more than clever posturing and intellectual discussion. Practitioners either fall into ignorant arrogance or become trapped in poisoned views. Some even discard all methods and conceptual frameworks only to slip into confused, delusional realizations—blind cultivation and reckless effort that lead nowhere but danger. A supreme teaching has degenerated into such a sorry state. Now for the three things that call for deep compassion: First: People use Buddhism for fame and profit, with no genuine wish to help others. Second: People only see their own strengths and others' weaknesses, unaware of their own faults and others' virtues. Clinging stubbornly to one small insight, they set themselves up as masters where no Buddha exists, unable to drop their pride, break through their narrowness, or humbly walk in the footsteps of countless others. Third: People inflate themselves, deceiving the Buddha, forgetting that the three realms offer no peace. They claim there is no need to be born in the Pure Land or recite Amitabha's name. The Layman Zhonglang rightly called this the "fallacy of mental-only"—a delusion mistaken for ultimate reality. In such a decadent age, without great forbearance, great resolve, great wisdom, and great skillful means, all minor corrections are but futile tinkering, never leading to true order. Although my teacher, Master Boshan, had yet to penetrate to the deepest source, his cultivation was genuine and hard-won. I regard him with deep respect and gratitude for what I gained from him. Yet I kept his medicine unattended; now, with forbearance, resolve, and wisdom still undeveloped, I humbly await further instruction from you.
上闍梨古德師五夏以前，專精戒律。專精者，豈徒著衣持缽而已。律中第一要務，在常一其心，念無錯亂，謂依四念處行道也。四念處慧，佛法總關。無念處慧，著袈裟如木頭幡，禮拜如碓上下，六度萬行，皆同外道苦行，無與真修。若依念處行道，則持戒功德，現能獲四沙門果，乃至圓十地，剋獲無難。第二要務，在洞明二百五十戒，開遮持犯之致，否則二六時，既掛比丘名，當結無量罪，言之駭聞，思之喪膽。此二不明，與邪戒何異？末世流弊，非有力大人，不能挽回。吾師德盛名顯，僧俗同欽，吾知諸佛所付託矣。
> Revered Elders and Ancient Teachers In the first five summer retreats, you should devote yourself single-mindedly to mastering the precepts. Being "single-minded" does not mean merely wearing robes and holding a begging bowl. The foremost priority in the Vinaya is to continuously steady your mind, ensuring that thoughts are free from confusion—this is the practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. The wisdom of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is the essential gateway to the entire Dharma. Without this wisdom, wearing the monastic robe is like a wooden streamer, bowing is like a pestle pounding up and down, and all the six perfections and ten thousand practices become no different from the ascetic practices of non-Buddhists—they have nothing to do with true cultivation. If you practice in accordance with the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, then the merit of upholding the precepts will enable you to attain the four fruits of śrāmaṇera-hood in this very life, and even reach the highest level of the ten stages of a Bodhisattva—all without difficulty. The second priority is to thoroughly understand the rationale behind the two hundred and fifty precepts—knowing when they may be followed, broken, upheld, or violated. Otherwise, day and night, having taken the name of a monk, you will accumulate countless offenses. The mere mention of this is shocking, and thinking about it chills the heart. If these two aspects are unclear, how is such conduct any different from wrong or heretical practice? In the declining age of the Dharma, such shortcomings cannot be corrected except by a person of great strength and virtue. My teacher, your virtue is abundant and your reputation bright; both monastic and lay communities reverence you. I know well that the Buddhas have entrusted a great responsibility to you.
荅茂林律主經論二藏，說通五人。戒經如來自說，等覺猶非所堪，譬禮樂征伐，自天子出。迦葉白椎云：「是佛所制者不應卻，非佛所制者不應制。」千古不易之典也。承問，逐人受戒，大難方許三人，過四便不得戒。不惟《僧祇》，《根本》、《四分》等皆有文，且得戒不得戒，關係非小，敢憚繁邪？三衣止長三肘，闊五肘，過是步步結等流罪；若與佛衣等量，便結第三篇罪。今豎三橫六，致左臂疊作三重，又與迦絺那衣自不相干。功德衣五條十隔，受捨各有定時，豈可但持此衣，永當三衣？非時食戒，本無開聽，今稱七不過午，全無出處。律中八種十種開聽，謂展轉食，別眾食，及不作餘食法而食，皆上午，豈非時也。時懷非想，猶結吉羅。服吐下藥，止許煮麥，不令頭破，漉汁飲之，不聞權開也。又離衣宿，結罪有文。不持缽，結罪，五部不載。又皮革氈毳，他經充類至盡之言，非為破戒，可不稱為大端。而過午之中，受食，咽咽結第三篇，未便稱為小節。渡海浮囊，芥子不捨，況第三篇喻如手掌，可以為小邪？又《五百問》一書，與五百餘卷律藏全反，用《五百問》，必廢五百卷，遵五百卷，《五百問》不得不闕。若謂佛說無容致議，則《受生》、《血盆》、《高王》等，不亦稱佛說邪？律學之訛，已非一日，宣公亞聖，為懷素所嫌，義淨大賢，受《翻譯名義》彈駁，故知如來以降，等覺猶未稱一切智也。俗不合聞比丘軌式，一出《根本薩婆多部》，一出《戒因緣經．序》。根本部因緣，乃迦葉佛時，外道子欲破法，假就比丘學，比丘告以俗得聞經論，毗柰邪教俗不合聞。外子權出家學習，然後破之。若俗不合聞，謂半月誦戒，則三藏具在，自可展閱，何待出家而學之？若謂出薩婆多，不出僧祇，則《五百問》又豈出僧祇部也。
> Reply to Master Maolin The Sutra and Shastra collections can be explained by five kinds of people, but the precepts were spoken by the Tathagata himself; even those at the stage of Equal Enlightenment are not qualified to do so. This is like rites, music, and military campaigns—they must be authorized by the Son of Heaven. It was Kasyapa who struck the gong and said: “What the Buddha has established should not be undone; what the Buddha has not established should not be imposed.” This is an unchanging principle for all ages. You asked about ordination: in times of great difficulty, only three people may be ordained at once; if there are more than four, ordination is not valid. This rule appears not only in the \*Sanghika\* but also in the \*Mulasarvastivada\* and the \*Dharmaguptaka\* texts. Moreover, the question of whether one actually receives the precepts is no small matter—how could we dismiss this as troublesome? The three robes should measure no more than three cubits in length and five cubits in width. Exceeding this incurs a secondary offense for each step. If they are made the same size as the Buddha’s robes, it becomes a third-class offense. Nowadays, monks wear robes that are three spans vertically and six spans horizontally, folding the left arm in three layers, which has nothing to do with the \*Kathina\* robe. The \*Kathina\* robe has five panels and ten dividers, and its acceptance and relinquishment have fixed times—how can it be worn permanently in place of the three robes? The precept against eating at improper times has no allowance for exceptions. Nowadays, some say that “seven kinds of things don’t count as breaking noon,” but this has no textual basis. The Vinaya lists eight or ten types of permitted eating, such as \*parampara-bhojana\*, \*ganabhojana\*, and eating without the leftover-food procedure—all of these happen in the morning, not during the wrong time. To eat while thinking of non-thought realms still incurs a minor fault. When taking emetics or purgatives, only barley is permitted, but it must not be broken open; it is strained and drunk—I have never heard of any special allowance. Furthermore, sleeping apart from one’s robes is described as an offense in the texts. Not carrying a begging bowl is also an offense, yet it is not recorded in any of the five Vinaya schools. As for leather, felt, and wool—these are mentioned in other scriptures as extreme cases of extending prohibitions, not as a major breach of precepts. However, receiving and eating food after noon—each mouthful incurs a third-class offense—can hardly be called a minor matter. An ocean-crossing air bladder would not allow even a mustard seed to pass; how then can a third-class offense, likened to the palm of a hand, be considered minor? The \*Five Hundred Questions\* entirely contradicts the five hundred fascicles of the Vinaya. If one follows the \*Five Hundred Questions\*, the five hundred fascicles must be abandoned; if one follows the five hundred fascicles, the \*Five Hundred Questions\* cannot be upheld. If everything the Buddha said is beyond debate, then works like the \*Shou Sheng Jing\*, \*Xue Pen Jing\*, and \*Gao Wang Jing\* would also have to be accepted as the Buddha’s words—yet they are not. The corruption of Vinaya studies has persisted for a long time. Even the near-sage Xuanzang was criticized by Huaisu, and the great master Yijing was refuted by the \*Translations of Terms\*. Thus we know that even those at the stage of Equal Enlightenment are not all-knowing. The rule that laypeople should not hear the rules for monks appears in two sources: the \*Mulasarvastivada\* and the preface to the \*Prātimokṣa-sūtra\*. According to the Mulasarvastivada account, during the time of Kasyapa Buddha, a non-Buddhist’s son tried to destroy the Dharma. He pretended to study with a monk, who told him that while laypeople may hear sutras and shastras, they are not allowed to hear the Vinaya. The non-Buddhist then formally ordained, studied, and later destroyed the Dharma. If laypeople are truly forbidden to hear the fortnightly recitation of precepts, then the entire Tripitaka is available for anyone to read—why would one need to ordain to study it? If this rule comes only from the Sarvastivada and not from the Sanghika, then does the \*Five Hundred Questions\* come from the Sanghika school?
荅志隆不諱疾忌醫，誠末法優曇。既自知病，又知流俗之病，惟勇於自療，而即以療人，便是真實修行。否則知病不療病，源正在此耳。人必有超群拔俗手段，方有出離生死機括。人世愛見，稍或未忘，無上白法，如何希冀。紫柏大師云：「情之所有者理必無，理之所有者情必無。」古人云：「識得一尺，不如行得一寸。」夫閉戶看尊宿語以自警，難敵現境熟識。儻安守故轍，可坐進此道，豈五十三參之計拙，而三登九上亦唐勞邪？
> Reply to Zhi Long To not hide one's illness nor avoid treatment is as rare as the udumbara flower in the Dharma-ending age. Since you recognize your own illness, and also understand the common illness of the customs of the age, being decisive in healing yourself while also healing others is true cultivation. Otherwise, knowing the illness but refusing to treat it—the root of the problem lies precisely here. A person must have exceptional, world-transcending methods to possess the key to escaping birth and death. If worldly love and views are not completely abandoned, how can one hope for the supreme pure Dharma? Master Zibo said: "What emotion possesses, truth cannot; what truth possesses, emotion cannot." The ancients also said: "Recognizing ten inches is not as good as practicing one inch." If you close your door and read the words of past masters simply to warn yourself, it is hard to resist the familiar habits of your present circumstances. If you cling to your old ways and think you can sit back and advance on this path, then why would the fifty-three visits of Sudhana be considered unwise? And wouldn't the three ascents and nine journeys have been a waste of effort?
荅博山無異師伯梵網戒本，是界外別圓二教。獨菩薩法，其界內藏通二教。出家菩薩，無別戒法，同秉比丘律儀。但發心自度，即名二乘；發心度人，斯名菩薩耳。然界內之機，不得捨本位而空希界外。界外大士，必須秉權法而遊於界中。故菩薩比丘，迥與菩薩士女不同。近世咸謂小乘所制，大乘悉開，比丘所執，菩薩悉融。皆屬流言，並非實義。
> Reply to Elder Wuyi of BoshanThe Brahma Net Precept Code belongs to the Distinct and Perfect teachings of the Higher Realm. These are exclusively bodhisattva precepts. As for the Common and Shared teachings of the Lower Realm, monastic bodhisattvas have no separate precept code—they share the same monastic discipline as ordinary monks. If one's aspiration is only for personal liberation, that is called a Hīnayāna practitioner. If one's aspiration is to liberate others, that is called a bodhisattva. However, beings within the Lower Realm must not abandon their position and vainly aspire to the Higher Realm. Bodhisattvas of the Higher Realm must rely on provisional methods and function within the Lower Realm. Therefore, a bodhisattva monk is fundamentally different from a male or female lay bodhisattva. In recent times, it has been commonly said that what Hīnayāna prohibits, Mahāyāna permits, and what monks uphold, bodhisattvas transcend. These are all unfounded rumors, not the true meaning.
荅水林二書既值事緣，又生厭苦，不免添一重公案。不涉本頭，加以幽憤，又是第三重公案。欲捨此刻念彌陀，四重公案。既云直往無算，又欲拂散疑雲，五重公案。公案愈多，相去益遠矣。《識論》云「一切唯有識，有種種相轉，彼依識所變。」若識所變，不應自識逼苦自識。經云「阿彌陀佛，是法界身」，則事緣非彌陀身中事邪？即此彌陀，即此念彌陀，胡彌陀身中抱一捨一？捨決不可捨，抱決不可抱，向不可捨抱處會取，則皎日當空，疑霧消散矣。其一
> Reply to Two Letters from ShuilinYou encountered a situation that stirred up aversion, which has inevitably added one more layer of complication. Then, detaching from the original issue while feeling bitter resentment adds a second layer. Seeking to drop everything and focus on reciting the Buddha's name adds a third. Then claiming to move forward without calculation while wanting to dispel all doubts adds a fourth. The more layers you add, the farther you drift from the truth. The \*Consciousness-Only Treatise\* says: "Everything is nothing but consciousness, manifesting in countless forms that arise from the transformations of consciousness." If these forms are merely projections of consciousness, then your own consciousness shouldn't be tormenting you with suffering. The sutra says: "Amitabha Buddha is the Dharma-body pervading the cosmos." So isn't this situation itself part of Amitabha's body? Right here is Amitabha, right here is the recitation of his name. Why cling to one part of this body while rejecting another? Rejection is impossible, and clinging is impossible. Instead, look toward that which can neither be rejected nor clung to. Then, like a bright sun shining in the open sky, the mists of doubt will clear. \[First letter\]
全身放下，蕩蕩空空，似則固似，是則未是。離生喜樂，初禪之全身放下也。定生喜樂，二禪之全身放下也。捨念清淨，四禪之全身放下也。不恆行心心所滅，無想外道之全身放下也。恆行心心所滅，滅盡定聖人之全身放下也。視那伽大定，尚不啻螢火日光。足下希心，當在何境？儻亦幸而妄想亂思遮障，使不墮坑落塹，如果驀直去，恐諸佛亦救不得矣。此事非一言可盡，能虛心意，不妨有相商分。
> Let go completely—empty, open, and free. That sounds correct, yes, but is it truly the real thing? Leaving behind desire, finding joy and ease—that's the full letting go of the first stage of meditation. Settled joy and ease born from focus—that's the full letting go of the second stage. Pure equanimity, beyond thought—that's the full letting go of the fourth stage. When ordinary thoughts and feelings stop—that's the full letting go of the non-thinking outsider tradition. When the deeper layers of consciousness stop—that's the full letting go of the saint in the state of cessation. Even the great, deep stillness of the Naga (serpent-like concentration) is no brighter than fireflies compared to sunlight. So, where should you set your heart? Maybe your wild thoughts and distractions are actually blessings, keeping you from falling into the pit or over the cliff. But if you forge straight ahead, not even the Buddhas could save you. This matter cannot be fully explained in a few words. If you can keep an open mind, let's talk it over together.
寄了因年未壯，世態惡，不可輕為去就。往往好心行腳，高者，退道心卑，與俗俱化，非大智慧，大力量，罕能出類拔萃也。《圓覺經》云「一切眾生，身心皆是無明，欲求智慧，須親善友。」然求善友於末世，亦甚難言。有少多行門者，智眼昏昧；有少多學識者，行業荒蕪。於中棄短取長，須自眼正，否則無不憒憒耳。
> Note of a journeyer living in sponsorship: In one's youth, before reaching full maturity, the world is treacherous, and one should not lightly make decisions about coming or going. Often, those who set out with good intentions — the superior ones lose their resolve in lofty pursuits, while the inferior ones blend in with worldly ways. Without great wisdom and tremendous inner strength, few can rise above the ordinary. The \*Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment\* says: "All sentient beings — body and mind alike — are rooted in ignorance. To seek wisdom, one must draw near to good spiritual friends." Yet, in this latter age, finding such a good friend is extremely difficult. Those with some spiritual practice often have clouded wisdom-eyes; those with some learning often neglect their conduct. In this situation, to set aside weaknesses and take strengths, one must have clear personal judgment. Otherwise, confusion is inevitable.
與曹源三書所謂直下承當者，須置身千古聖賢之列，不屑為隨波逐浪之人。言行相顧，心跡相符，方終始不二，幽明無閒。憨翁云：「學道第一要骨氣剛，次識量大，次生死心切。夫剛則不為情欲所靡，大則不被目前所轉，切則不順習氣所趨。」即靈源禪師「易世俗所難，而緩時流之急。」此第一良藥，幸時服之，勿懼苦口，使積劫沉痾，終不療也。新師《識論》，獨有苦心，幸潛玩領其長處，能劖妄習，便是深妙。儻決定收功心，未若農夫望秋，雖析義如繭絲牛毛，秖麤淺耳。人不解此意，多墮數寶之誚，惟自勖。其一
> Three Letters to CaoyuanWhat is called "directly taking it on" means placing yourself among the wise and holy of ages past, refusing to drift along aimlessly with the crowd. Let your words and actions reflect each other, your inner heart and outer deeds be in harmony. Only then can you maintain unity from start to finish, with no separation between the seen and unseen. Master Han said: "The first essential in learning the Way is to have firm moral fiber; the second, to have broad vision; the third, to have an urgent longing for liberation. With firmness, you won't be worn down by desires; with breadth, you won't be swayed by immediate circumstances; with urgency, you won't give in to old habits." This echoes Chan master Lingyuan's advice: "Think what the world finds hard, and slacken where it rushes." This is the best medicine—take it often without fearing its bitter taste, lest your long-standing afflictions never be healed. Master Xin's \*Consciousness-Only Treatise\* is the product of genuine effort. Delve into it and savor its strengths. It can cut through false habits, and that itself is its profound subtlety. If your determination to achieve results is less earnest than a farmer's yearning for autumn harvest, then no matter how fine your analysis—fine as silk threads or ox hairs—it will only be shallow. Those who don't grasp this often fall into the fault of merely counting others' treasures. Take this as your own encouragement. First Letter
不虞之譽，君子不喜。求全之毀，達人不辭。自反有愧，無怨於他人。自反無愆，更何嫌眾口？以此持心，不論時古時今也。其二
> Unexpected praise does not please the wise. Total condemnation does not deter the enlightened. If reflection reveals fault, do not blame others. If reflection shows no flaw, why mind the crowd's opinion? Hold this in your heart— no matter whether in ancient or modern times. Part Two
人不難有志，難有忍；事不難有察，難有容。故曰：有容德乃大，有忍乃有濟。
> It is not difficult for people to have ambition; what is difficult is to have patience. It is not difficult for matters to be examined; what is difficult is to be tolerant. Thus it is said: With tolerance, virtue becomes great; with patience, success is achieved.
荅曹源二書懺悔殷勤，感佛光現，雖僅二寸，亦得戒前茅也。嗣嬰貴恙，是夙習交加，及向來口腹犯戒所致。然《法華》一部，悲懺二時，尚終不替，猛丈夫矣。其一
> Two Letters to Cao YuanYou devoted yourself earnestly to repentance, and were blessed with the appearance of the Buddha's light; though it was only two inches wide, it was a promising sign that you would attain the precepts. Afterward, you fell ill—this is the result of old habits converging and the past violations of dietary precepts through your mouth and stomach. Yet you never wavered in reciting the Lotus Sutra during the two daily repentance sessions—truly, you are a courageous person.First Letter
圓教從名字初心，便用佛知佛見修行。豪傑丈夫，具一切無明煩惱，偏向冰凌劍鋒上行，非冰凌劍鋒，不能鑄無明煩惱成菩提般若故也。天降大任，必先苦勞拂亂，令動心忍性。頑鐵不鍊不成鋼，美玉不治不精瑩，松柏不歷歲寒不挺秀，孤臣孽子不厲熏不達。豈有粥飯習氣，煖軟形態，可坐進此道者？夫小小境緣，便成事障，因平日無分毫契心恰意處耳。果達妙理，則現前極惡逆事，第一玄妙，為第一明師良友。若捨此等境界，何法可修、可悟可頓邪？兄平日學問，大率向語言文字上著眼，不向義理上體會，躬行處較勘。轉得此關捩子，方是大乘淨土因也。
> Teaching of the Perfect \[Sudden\] School: From the very first moment of awakening one's true nature, one cultivates using the Buddha's knowledge and vision. A heroic person, burdened with all ignorance and afflictions, deliberately walks on ice and blades—for without ice and blades, one cannot forge ignorance and afflictions into the wisdom of enlightenment. When heaven is about to assign a great task, it must first cause suffering, toil, and turmoil, so that the mind is stirred and one's nature becomes resolute. Base iron, if not tempered, does not become steel; fine jade, if not polished, does not become lustrous; pines and cypresses, if not seasoned by winter, do not become sturdy; loyal ministers and filial sons, if not refined by hardship, do not achieve success. How could one who indulges in lazy habits and seeks comfort ever advance on this path? When even a minor circumstance becomes an obstacle, it is because one has never felt truly at ease in their heart. If you truly realize the profound principle, then the most evil and adverse situation before you becomes the most wondrous teaching and the best teacher and friend. If you reject such circumstances, what teaching remains to be cultivated, awakened to, or instantly understood? My friend, your studies have largely focused on words and texts, not on experiencing the truth within principles, nor on examining your own conduct. Only by turning this crucial point can you sow the cause for the Great Vehicle Pure Land.
寄壁如兄知參究無緣，便向有緣處入。歸元無二，方便多門，入手不同，到家則一，均佛祖法門，有何進退勝負，可愛憎取捨，必區區搏一丈夫名邪？兄雲棲法系，曾事幽谿。雲棲教律兼修，幽谿教觀並舉，斯並津梁，寧非直指，特人心不了，願不大耳。生西方者，貴大菩提心寶。心寶若在，帶惑亦可往生；心寶若迷，參禪早已兩橛。若翻轉此關捩，真實不欺，正好真實參悟。若翻不轉，為舊習所汩，必須就教律大開慧眼，鍊就鋼骨，方始相應，請急著眼。又末世禪人病膽大，老兄病膽小。膽大肆無忌憚，直向泥犁；膽小顧後瞻前，不得自在。善惡雖殊，不能打徹一也。欲徹體清涼，將定散淨穢情見全體放下，始得。
> \*\*To My Brother Ji Bi\*\* If you find that you have no affinity for focused inquiry, then simply enter through the door that does suit you. There is only one return to the source, but many paths to reach it. The starting points differ, yet arrival at home is the same. All are Buddha’s and the patriarchs’ Dharma gates—why judge them by progress or failure, liking or disliking, choosing or rejecting? Why force yourself to compete for the title of a mere “heroic man”? You belong to the lineage of Yunqi and once took Guanding from Xizhou. Yunqi practiced both teaching and precepts; Xizhou cultivated both doctrine and contemplation. Both are bridges and ferries to liberation—how could they not be direct pointing? The problem is only that the mind does not penetrate and the aspiration is not great enough. For those who aspire to rebirth in the Pure Land, the treasure of the great bodhi mind is most crucial. If this mind-treasure is present, even with lingering delusions one can attain rebirth. If this mind-treasure is lost, then even Chan meditation becomes two separate pieces. If you can turn this key point, with true sincerity and no deception, then you are ready for true realization through inquiry. But if you cannot turn it, and find yourself submerged by old habits, you must rely on the teaching and precepts to open the eye of wisdom wide, forging a spirit of steel. Only then will you be in accord. Please urgently fix your gaze on this. Moreover, Chan practitioners in these degenerate times often suffer from “big-mindedness”—daring yet reckless. Your illness, brother, is “small-mindedness”—timid yet cautious. The bold go straight to the hells without restraint; the timid are always looking back, never free. Though good and evil differ, both alike fail to break through completely. If you wish to experience the cool clarity of reality, you must entirely put down all dualistic views of concentration versus distraction, pure versus impure, aiming or rejecting. Only then will you attain it.
寄歸一兄鳥必學飛也，而後毛羽成。舟必學操也，而後江河濟。松柏必歷歲寒也，而後貞幹堅。行人必以佛祖自期也，而後成佛祖。若以狐疑鼠竄之因，希獅行象顧之果，恐不可得。發大菩提心，使悲智調停可也。
> Brother Jigui Just as a bird must learn to fly before its feathers fully grow, and just as a boat must learn to navigate before it can cross rivers and seas, and just as pine and cypress must endure the cold winter before their trunks become strong, so too must a practitioner set their sights on becoming a Buddha or Patriarch before they can actually achieve it. If you try to obtain the magnificent fruits of a lion's stride or an elephant's gaze through the hesitant, scurrying causes of a fox or a mouse, it is unlikely to succeed. Awaken the great Bodhi mind, and let compassion and wisdom work together in harmony—that is the proper way.
與瑩然豪傑立身，決以破我法二執為準的。我執不破，定不能作千古至人。法執不破，定不能弘如來正法。才魄橫一世者，須開千古眼界，成千古學識，方不負己靈，否則僅同春草之榮，終非松柏之幹。
> To YingranWhat defines a true hero is the determination to break through the two attachments: attachment to self and attachment to phenomena. Without breaking attachment to self, one can never become a timeless sage. Without breaking attachment to phenomena, one can never spread the Buddha's true teaching. Anyone gifted with talent and courage that surpasses their generation must expand their vision across the ages and develop knowledge that spans millennia—only then can they truly honor their own inner potential. Otherwise, they are like spring grass that flourishes briefly but can never become the enduring trunk of a pine or cypress.
寄不忘學人第一要務，在克除習氣。誠以圓頓法淨治夙習，猛風吹沙，實無艱險。儻習染不除，則談玄說妙，有名無義。天台荊谿之道，恐不如斯。苦口良藥，同病皆堪服之，勿使如來慧命夭喪也。
> A student's primary task is to overcome habitual tendencies. By using the perfect and sudden Dharma to purify old habits, it is like a strong wind blowing away dust—truly not difficult or perilous. If such habits remain, speaking of profound mysteries becomes empty words without meaning. The path of Tiantai's Master Jingxi surely would not be like this. This bitter medicine, good for all with the same ailment, should be taken by all—do not let the life of the Tathagata's wisdom perish prematurely.
與攝三每見多人，於勝事種種障難，俗累病苦，親長眷屬，無量纏繞，阻斷良緣，空具信慕，莫遂雅懷。而得無障難者，反信慕浮淺，衣衫不整，觸手捉經，如措大對舉業相似。又復惟記名言，專喜貼句，依文解義，甘為三世佛冤，釣利沽名，永背一乘出要。不惟寶山空回，正恐袈裟難復，好因緣是惡因緣，此之謂也。如來說教，諸祖弘經，並開眾生眼目，作劫濁津梁。不向此中著眼，便是盲修瞎煉。今欲不犯末世惡習，不負往因現緣，一要信諸佛境界，吾人各具，本無差別，不生退怯。二要仰企諸佛，慚愧己靈，句句會歸自己，不可說食數寶。三要虛心樂善，稍有長者，皆師友之。四要悲愍一切，凡堪以此意相警者，不惜苦口。五要恕人厚己，凡不如法，生哀愍心，勿見其過。近時學者，見他放逸，不與隨流，則生憍慢，皆增長生死，可懼也。
> I have noticed that many people encounter various obstacles and mundane difficulties in their pursuit of spiritual goodness. Countless entanglements with illness, family obligations, and other responsibilities cut off their good opportunities. Though they have faith and admiration, they cannot fulfill their noble aspirations. Conversely, those without obstacles often have only shallow faith. They handle scripture books with unwashed hands, treating them like test materials. Some merely memorize famous quotes and focus on annotating texts, interpreting the words literally and blindly becoming enemies of the Buddhas of the three times. They seek fame and profit, forever turning away from the essential teachings of the One Vehicle. Not only do they return empty-handed from the treasure mountain, but they risk losing their monastic robes. Good conditions become bad conditions—this is what is meant by that. The Buddha taught the Dharma, and the patriarchs spread the sutras, all to open the eyes of sentient beings and serve as a bridge across the turbid age. If you do not focus your attention here, you are merely practicing blindly. To avoid the bad habits of this degenerate age and to be worthy of your past and present causes, follow these five principles: First, believe that the realm of all Buddhas exists equally within each of us, with no difference—do not give in to doubt or timidity. Second, look up to all Buddhas, feel shame for your own shortcomings, and apply every teaching to yourself personally. Do not just talk about food without eating or count others' treasures. Third, be humble and joyful in learning from others. Treat anyone with greater experience as your teacher or friend. Fourth, have compassion for everyone. When you encounter those who might benefit from these teachings, do not hesitate to offer guidance. Fifth, be forgiving toward others and strict with yourself. When you see improper behavior, respond with compassion and do not focus on their faults. Recently, some practitioners, upon seeing others undisciplined, either follow their ways or become arrogant. Both attitudes only increase worldly entanglements—this is truly frightening.
與如是兄兄斷欲去愛，固有辣手，調身護物，尚乏方便。望內則放開懷抱以養神，外則體察世情而惜福。此一病，未必非二利之緣也。
> To the elder brother My brother, you have cut off desire and love, which is indeed a firm hand. Yet in regulating the body and protecting beings, you still lack expedient means. Look inward: open your heart to nourish the spirit. Look outward: observe worldly matters and cherish your blessings. This illness you face may not be an unfortunate event—perhaps it's an opportunity for mutual benefit.
寄陳旻昭二書八月，惺谷師西歸，九月，壁如師辭世。一月奪二碩交，皆法門梁棟也，痛哉。每思大事因緣，非定慧莊嚴，悲智雙運，誠難一生了當。惺師慧力有餘，定力不足，壁師定慧調適，悲願未深，俱未免遺下公案。目下同袍，鮮有生死心者，況菩提心。天人減少，三惡充滿，將何底極邪？大廈將傾，一木難支，惟人定可勝天。誓當易世俗所難，緩時流之急，棄名利，絕囂喧，持以深心，要以弘願，操以恆久不變之力，庶無忝於嬰杵。願居士斷泛涉之心，省不急之務，篤志近思，深造自得，以圖共報佛恩，無以寶劍切泥，隋珠彈雀，是鄙衷所惓惓耳。其一
> \*\*Two Letters to Chen Mintan\*\* In the eighth month, Master Xinggu passed away, and in the ninth month, Master Bishi also departed this life. Within a single month, I lost two esteemed friends, both pillars of the Dharma community—how painful this is! Whenever I reflect on the great matter of our fundamental purpose, I realize that without a foundation of focused meditation (\*samadhi\*) and wisdom (\*prajna\*), and without balancing compassion and insight, it is truly difficult to accomplish this in one lifetime. Master Xinggu had abundant wisdom but insufficient meditative focus. Master Bishi balanced meditation and wisdom well, yet his compassionate vows were not deep enough. Both left unfinished tasks. Among our current companions, few have a genuine aspiration to transcend birth and death, let alone a bodhisattva's compassionate resolve. The realms of gods and humans are diminishing, while the three lower realms are filled—where will this end? When a great building is about to collapse, a single beam cannot support it. Only human resolve can overcome fate. I vow to do what the worldly find difficult, to prioritize what the times neglect: to abandon fame and profit, to reject noise and distraction, to hold a deeply sincere heart, to make great vows, and to apply enduring, unwavering effort. Only then can I avoid failing those who sacrificed themselves for righteousness. I hope you, my lay friend, will set aside a scattered mind, reduce unnecessary pursuits, focus your will, reflect on what is near at hand, and deeply cultivate your own realization—so that together we may repay the Buddha's kindness. Do not use a precious sword to cut mud, or shoot a pearl from the Sui dynasty at a sparrow. That is my sincere and earnest wish.
一芥翳天，一塵覆地，字經三寫，烏焉成馬。佛法之蝕，由來漸矣，非外道天魔能破。壞周室者，齊桓、晉文也。治世嚴王霸之辨，操心分義利之關，視聽言動之復禮不真，克伐怨欲之不行何得？隱居求志，人定勝天，此實字字血淚。
> A single speck of dust can obscure the entire sky; a single mote can cover the earth. If a character is copied three times, most see a crow, but it's a horse. The erosion of the Buddhadharma has always been a gradual process, not something that external heretics or demons can shatter. Those who destroyed the Zhou dynasty were, in truth, the protectors Huan and Wen. In governing the world, one must make firm the distinction between benevolent rule and hegemonic force. One must make the crucial separation between righteousness and profit in their own heart. If you do not truly return to ritual, if your actions, words, and deeds are not genuine, then you cannot overcome anger, defeat selfish desire, or let go of attachments. What then can you achieve? To live in seclusion and seek your own truth, to overcome your own fate with determined human effort—this is written in every single character, in drops of blood and tears.
與韓蓮洲韋提以逆子起淨業正因，慶喜以染緣為楞嚴弄引。惡因緣是好因緣，轉禍為福，在人著眼。儻隨遍計分別，雪上加霜，冤結有何了期？若達曠劫因果，則現在冤親，總非天降地出。以慈忍心，調停解釋，以夢幻觀，消遣情懷，未必非煉磨心性，透露真常之一助也。語云：跌法從他得。燈不剔不明，鐘不擊不鳴，他山之石，可以攻玉，汙泥生蓮華，神奇出臭腐。夫吾人本地風光，埋藏蘊宅，潛伏根門，無時不煞煞欲現，稍藉外緣一擊，便當迸裂騰輝，儻不肯向此際薦取，佛界便為魔界。如霜雪寒冰，松柏增妍，凡卉失色，咎在己，不在境也。又仁者，雖捨比丘沙彌律儀，而大士木叉，自宜固守。仗此菩提戒光，方可禦侮消難。其說似迂，其事實邇，幸精思力行之。
> To Han LianzhouWhen Queen Vaidehi had a rebellious son, that became the right cause for Pure Land karma; when Ananda was tempted by a sensual encounter, that became the prelude to the Shurangama Sutra. Bad karma is actually good karma—turning misfortune into blessing comes down to how we see it. If you cling to biased discrimination, piling frost on snow, how will your grievances ever end? If you understand the causes and effects spanning countless eons, you’ll see that our present enemies and loved ones don’t just fall from the sky or spring from the ground. By using compassion and patience to mediate and resolve, and by viewing everything like a dream or illusion to ease your mind, you can indeed help refine your heart and reveal your true eternal nature. As the saying goes, stumbling forward can teach you a lesson. A lamp won’t shine unless it’s trimmed; a bell won’t ring unless it’s struck. Another mountain’s stone can polish your jade; mud gives birth to the lotus, and wonders come from decay. Our innate radiance is buried in the storehouse of the five aggregates, lurking at the sense gates, always on the verge of bursting forth. If you let even a single spark of external conditions ignite it, it will blaze forth brilliantly—but if you don’t awaken to it right then, the Buddha realm turns into the demon realm. Like frost and snow freezing everything, the pine and cypress only grow more beautiful, while ordinary plants wither—the fault lies with us, not with circumstances. Furthermore, noble one, although you have set aside the monastic precepts for monks and novices, you should firmly uphold the Bodhisattva precepts. Relying on this Bodhi precept light, you can withstand offense and dissolve calamities. This advice may seem roundabout, but in truth it is practical. I hope you will think it over deeply and put it into practice.
寄修雅法主雲棲大師云：「古人著述，多在晚年。」良以道曠無涯，逢人不盡。上代疏論家，殫一生精神，博綜內外學問，得一二帙垂世，尚不免後賢彈駁，況一時口耳草料，欲流布人閒邪。須見到養到，從居安資深流出，則輝天燭地，照古騰今，非分外耳。毗尼尤不容片言隻字有作，譬禮樂征伐，自天子出，稍或僭竊，厥罪不小。傳佛心印記註，附呈清覽。此翁學識俱富，解行兩優，堪為近日作家。虛心玩味，知未易及耳。
> To the venerable Dharma Master who cultivates refinementMaster Yunqi said: "Scholars of ancient times composed their works mostly in their later years." Indeed, the path is vast and boundless, and one encounters endless people along the way. The commentators and treatise masters of previous eras devoted their entire lives' energy, broadly studying both inner and outer knowledge, only to produce one or two volumes that could be passed down through generations. Even these were not immune to criticism and refutation by later worthy scholars—how much more so for the hastily gathered, secondhand materials of a single moment, which one might wish to circulate among people? One must see and nurture \[understanding\] until it flows from a place of settled peace and deep-rooted expertise. Then it will illuminate heaven and earth, shine through past and present, and this is not at all extraordinary. In the Vinaya \[monastic discipline\], not even a single word or phrase may be fabricated. This is like rites, music, and military expeditions issuing only from the Son of Heaven; any slight usurpation or overstepping incurs no small offense. The commentary on the \*Record of Transmitting the Buddha’s Mind Seal\* is respectfully submitted for your kind perusal. This elder possesses both extensive knowledge and rich experience, with superior understanding and practice—he is truly an accomplished author of recent times. If you humbly savor and examine \[his work\] with an open mind, you will realize it is not easily matched.
荅程季清法門不衰於無外護，衰於無內守。主持法門，先盤星立正，然後隨時隨力，興隆幻事，皆屬普賢行門。稍涉世閒名利心，佛法止成世法，深可悲也。
> Reply to Cheng JiqingThe Dharma path does not decline because of a lack of external support—it declines because of a lack of inner resolve. When leading the spiritual community, first set your guiding principles straight with clarity. Only then, according to the situation and your capacity, can you engage in worldly, illusory activities—all of which become part of Samantabhadra's practice. But if even a trace of worldly desire for fame or gain creeps in, the Buddha's teaching is reduced to mere worldly matters. How truly lamentable this is.
復圓閒如來最後以扶律談常為宗，苟廢事談理，理成烏有。智者、荊谿諸老，無不戒行冰霜，方堪垂範千古，豈可以毒器令貯醍醐。不肖始雖染指宗門，亦既遊心教苑，今不得不以持戒為第一急務。又見律學之訛，較禪教更多，爰為集要，以便訓蒙。捨舉世共趨之轍，遵時豪恥問之塗，知我苦心者，惟如來耳。仁者乘戒並急，當是如來所使，法運可回，喜不寐也。
> After perfectly realizing the ultimate truth, the Tathāgata's final teaching emphasized upholding the precepts while discussing the eternal nature. If we discard practical conduct and only discuss principles, those principles become empty and meaningless. Masters like Zhiyi and Jingxi all maintained precepts as pure as ice and frost; only then could they serve as eternal models for future generations. How could we use a poisoned vessel to hold sacred nectar? Although I initially dipped into the Chan school and later explored the teachings of the scriptures, I now see that upholding precepts must be the first urgent priority. Moreover, I find that errors in the study of monastic discipline are even greater than those in Chan and doctrinal studies. Therefore, I have compiled this essential guide for teaching beginners. I have abandoned the popular paths that everyone follows and chosen the path that fashionable experts are ashamed to ask about. Only the Tathāgata understands my true intentions. If you, kind-hearted one, are diligent in both practice and precepts, you must be sent by the Tathāgata himself. The Dharma's fortune can be revived—this makes me so joyful that I cannot sleep.
寄萬韞玉貴地久乏聞熏，囿聞見。儻宋儒陳腐見識一毫未淨，未可深談佛法，況坐陳腐障中，欲商真正宗教，誠難誠難。寧以百千刃刀刺其耳根，終不忍聞佛是方便說誑語人，寧百千刃刀斷其舌，終不肯言佛肯方便說誑語法，寧百千刃刀割裂心胸，終不可作佛經同寓言解。此言儻一字不從真心中出，不但死墮拔舌，現世舌當爛壞。當知宣尼大聖，若比於佛，的如小星比滿月，爝火比燎原，川瀆比大海，中尊比朝廷。若不能信此語，是謗佛人，不可謂信佛也。
> \[Regarding the letter you entrusted to me,\] Your esteemed region has long lacked exposure to genuine teachings and is limited by narrow views. If even a trace of stale Song-dynasty Confucian pedantry remains unrefined, it is impossible to deeply discuss the Buddha's Dharma. Moreover, while trapped in such antiquated obstructions, attempting to discuss true religion is truly, truly difficult. I would rather have a thousand sharp knives pierce my ears than hear the Buddha spoken of as one who tells expedient lies. I would rather have a thousand sharp knives cut out my tongue than ever say the Buddha would teach expedient falsehoods. I would rather have a thousand sharp knives slice open my heart and chest than ever interpret the Buddhist scriptures as mere allegory. If a single word here were not spoken from the depths of my true mind, may I not only fall into the Hell of Pulling Out Tongues after death, but may my tongue rot away even in this life. Know this: Confucius was a great sage, yet compared to the Buddha, he is truly like a small star beside the full moon, like a spark beside a blazing prairie fire, like a stream beside the vast ocean, like a local official beside the imperial court. If one cannot believe this, that person is slandering the Buddha and cannot be said to have faith in the Buddha.
寄王簡在古之君子，為立六合內事，尚一家非之不顧，乃至天下非之不顧。況圖出世大法，塵劫遠猷，可近囿一時耳口，曲徇流俗人情邪？居士非無志願，直欠識力。欲開千古識力，決須視歸戒如泰山，視世故如鴻毛，庶作中流砥柱。不然，未可稱豪傑也。
> The ancient noble-minded people, when undertaking matters within the six directions of the world, paid no attention even when a whole family opposed them, let alone when the entire world was against them. How much more so when one pursues the great Dharma of transcending the world, a long-term plan spanning countless eons—how could one be limited by the immediate opinions of a few ears and mouths, or crookedly cater to the customs and human sentiments of the mundane world? It is not that you, layperson, lack aspirations or vows; you simply lack discernment and strength. To open up your timeless discernment and strength, you must regard precepts and refuge as a great mountain, and worldly affairs as light as a feather. Only then can you become a firm pillar in the midst of the raging current. Otherwise, you cannot be called a true hero.
寄潘戒如財色瞋慢，清濁稍殊，同為十習因，同感六交報。若別配因果，慢屬修羅，瞋屬地獄，尤可畏。躬自厚而薄責於人，有諸己而後求諸人，無諸己而後非諸人。雪浪大師云：「不可以聖賢律人，不可以率性自任。」此皆居士對症良藥，幸時時服之，作蓮邦左券。
> Letter to Pan Jieru Desire for wealth, lust, anger, and arrogance—though they differ in degree of clarity or coarseness—are all causes that lead to the ten habitual tendencies and result in the six forms of karmic retribution. If we trace cause and effect more precisely, arrogance leads to the realm of titans, while anger leads to the hell realms—this is especially fearsome. Be strict with yourself but lenient toward others. Only demand of others what you have yourself achieved. Only correct others for faults you yourself do not have. Master Xuelang said, "Do not apply the standards of saints and sages to ordinary people, and do not use natural spontaneity as an excuse to indulge yourself." These are the most fitting remedies for your condition, dear layman. I hope you will apply them often, taking them as a guarantee of your rebirth in the Pure Land.
與胡遠志為禪林求主人者，弘護之願。為一身商出處者，自知之明，竊以鮑老當場，不若舉賢相副。有季賢老師，雲棲嫡子，年德俱隆，慈願並廣，以禮敦迎，或當俞允。貧納與歸師，拈鬮洞庭，既許安居，律不容改，又己躬下事，靜動無妨，著書立言，必須靜境。納長於著述，短於應酬，儻從捨失措，則長短互乖。況律學之訛，已將千載，革非矯弊，與俗相違，僅可僻處深山，鳩真同志，作傳火計。即欲行之天下，以觸時諱，禍且不測。夫大乘弘誓，以寬成大，住持僧寶，以局表尊。既痛有名無實之弊，必守貴精不貴多之箴。設居勝剎，求戒必多，嚴擇則招怨之端，濫許則壞法之始，進退維谷，其何以堪。嗚呼！今天下稱圓稱頓稱大乘者，遍滿域中，獨聲聞一脈，不惟置諸高閣，亦且藐若草芥。抑思世尊拈花時，破顏微笑者，果誰人邪？靈源清禪師云：「易世俗所難，緩時流之急。」納銘心此語久矣。愁人莫向愁人說，說與愁人愁殺人。居士具金剛眼，探法海源，當亦為斯言肯首也。
> To Hu Yuanzhi In seeking an abbot for our meditation community, I uphold the vow to protect and promote the Dharma. In considering my own path, I rely on self-awareness. I believe it's better to recommend a worthy person than to foolishly thrust oneself forward like a puppet on a stage. There is the Elder Jixian, a true heir of Yunqi, lofty in years and virtue, vast in compassion and vows. If we respectfully invite him, he may well accept. As for me and my teacher Guisi, we drew lots and made our home at Dongting. Having promised to settle there, it would be improper to change our course. As for my personal practice, stillness or activity makes no difference—but writing and teaching require a calm environment. I excel at composing texts but am poor at social interactions. If I lose my balance, my strengths and weaknesses will clash. Moreover, errors in the Vinaya have persisted for nearly a thousand years. Correcting these wrongs and reforming bad practices puts me at odds with the world. I can only retreat to a remote mountain, gather true kindred spirits, and keep the torch alive. Were I to try spreading this widely, I'd violate current taboos, and disaster would be unavoidable. The Mahayana vows are broad and thus great. The Sangha jewel is upheld by strict standards and thus revered. Seeing the pain of having a name without substance, we must keep to the maxim: value quality, not quantity. If I dwell in a famous monastery, many will seek precepts. Strict selection invites resentment; loose acceptance begins corruption. Caught between a rock and a hard place, how could I bear it? Alas! Those who claim to teach the perfect, sudden, and great vehicles are everywhere today. But the Shravaka path is not only neglected—it's even despised. Still, I wonder: when the World-Honored One held up the flower, who was it that broke into a smile? Master Lingyuan Qing once said: "Do what the world finds hard, and slow down what the age rushes." These words are engraved on my heart. A sorrowful person should not speak to another sorrowful person— speaking of sorrow only kills them with grief. Layperson, you possess the Vajra eye and explore the ocean of Dharma. Surely you will nod in agreement with these words.
寄金臺師咒壇火浴，緇素之口，其致非一。蓋清淨咒壇，不容女人得履，亦不宜緇素輒入，入者齋戒沐浴，方得合制。又咒心之說，起於長水，然疏中亦不敢確然自是。既經文無據，必宜遶壇行一百八遍為長。夫無上壇場，震旦僅有其二，天龍共持，諸佛共念。再造之後，幸錄此言。
> To Master JintaiRegarding the ritual fire purification at the mantra altar, the requirements for monastics and laypeople differ. Since a pure mantra altar forbids women from entering, it is also improper for monastics or laypeople to casually step inside. Those who do enter must first fast and bathe to comply with the established rules. Furthermore, the teaching of the "heart of the mantra" originated with Changshui, yet even in his commentary he did not firmly claim it as definitive. Since there is no scriptural basis for this, it is essential to instead circumambulate the altar 108 times. Supreme altars like this exist only twice in China, upheld by celestial dragons and upheld by all Buddhas. Should such an altar be reestablished, I hope these words will be remembered.
與戒明汝今六時精進，欣慰，須知此世閒第一福，第一受用，天魔鬼神所忌刻也。必折意降情，帶三分不如意境以自煉，方為法器，方可挽回定業。勉之。
> To JiemingYou are cultivating diligently at all hours, which brings me joy. But know this - this is the greatest good fortune in the world, the highest blessing. Heavenly demons and spirits are jealous of it. You must temper yourself by humbling your intentions and restraining your desires, embracing a measure of dissatisfaction as a way to refine yourself. Only then can you become a vessel of the Dharma and transform your fixed karma. Strive on.
復靈隱兄生則隱居求志，死則下下品生，是弟之定局。兄道眼明白，志力勇銳，此生必辦。但粥飯習氣，軟煖麤浮戲論習氣，思前算後習氣，一一直下斬截，方可立造聖賢閫域，此尤不肖惓惓於知我者。渠師萬望於淨土一門，硬作主宰，如韓信背水陣相似，勿生一念恐不能生之心，至囑至囑。
> To Brother LingyinIn life, I will remain in seclusion to pursue my ideals; in death, I will accept the lowest grade of rebirth. This is my settled destiny. Your wisdom is clear and your resolve fierce—you are certain to accomplish your goal in this lifetime. However, habit patterns surrounding meals and comforts, idle chatter and frivolous debates, brooding over the past and planning for the future—all of these must be cut off directly and decisively. Only then can you enter the sacred domain of the sages. This is what I, unworthy as I am, sincerely urge you who know me. I earnestly entreat your teacher to take firm command of the Pure Land path, like Han Xin's strategy of crossing the river with his back to it, and never give rise to a single thought of doubt concerning your rebirth. With utmost sincerity, I repeat this plea.
復錢元沖均一法門，內外護其用各異。內護持邪正之辨，不得不嚴，外護膺金湯之任，不得不寬。一如良工之分玉石，一如投鼠之須忌器，總以弘護正法為懷，易地皆然耳。業障一事，不出因果，因果之理，統於十界。《楞嚴》以不生不滅為本，修因然後圓成果地修證，《法華》以一乘因果為宗，《觀經》明深信因果，不謗大乘，即上品中生。乃教家浪以因果資談柄，禪門謬謂因果非向上，事理俱迷，長夜莫曉，不惟昧佛旨，亦背儒宗。《易》稱積善餘慶，《書》稱作善百祥，豈皆為愚人說法哉？正誼不謀利，明道不計功之仁人，恰是修身俟命實學，斷不可謂立巖牆為知命也。今以勇猛善心，回往昔決定業障，如離弦之箭，通臂猿能接之。菩薩智猿，亦復如是，以方便臂，接定業箭，令不墮地，亦不著身，此即真實懺悔。不但世法中所求如願，且增長正信，開發菩提。因病得仙方，非但卻疾，兼可飛昇矣。
> \*\*Reply to Qian Yuanchong\*\* Dharma gates are all the same, yet protecting them from within and without requires different approaches. Inwardly, the guardian must be strict in distinguishing right from wrong; outwardly, the guardian must be lenient in upholding the truth. This is like a master artisan separating jade from stone—or carefully avoiding harming the treasure while aiming at the rat. In all cases, the intent is to protect and promote the true Dharma, and the principle applies wherever you may be. "Karmic obstacles" ultimately boil down to cause and effect; the principle of cause and effect encompasses all ten realms. The \*Shurangama Sutra\* takes the unborn and imperishable nature as its foundation, showing how cultivating its causes perfects the resultant realization. The \*Lotus Sutra\* takes the cause and effect of the One Vehicle as its core teaching. The \*Contemplation Sutra\* clarifies that firm faith in cause and effect, without slandering the Mahayana, is enough to attain the middle grade of the highest rebirth. Yet some teachers in the doctrinal schools recklessly use cause and effect as mere topics for discussion, while Chan adepts mistakenly claim that cause and effect is irrelevant to those who have "transcended." Both groups are deluded about principle and practice, remaining in a long night of ignorance. They not only fail to comprehend the Buddha's intent, but also stray from the Confucian path. The \*Book of Changes\* says, "A family that accumulates goodness will have abundant blessings." The \*Book of History\* says, "Doing good brings a hundred blessings." Are these texts merely for instructing the ignorant? The benevolent person who pursues righteousness without seeking profit, and understands the Way without calculating gain, is precisely cultivating the practical learning of self-cultivation and awaiting fate’s decree. One should by no means claim that standing under a crumbling wall is "knowing fate." Now, with a courageous good heart, you can turn away the past and its destined karmic obstacles, just as an arrow already released can be snatched by a swift-armed ape out of the air. The Bodhisattva's "arm of wisdom" acts in the same way: using the skillful means of this arm, it catches the arrow of fixed karma, preventing it from striking the ground—or from piercing your body. This is genuine repentance. As a result, not only will your worldly wishes be fulfilled, but your true faith will grow, and your Bodhi mind will unfold. Like a mortal who, though ill, receives an immortal medicine—not only does the sickness vanish, but the person can soar to the heavens.
囑徹因比丘吾望公甚高，勿自卑；甚遠，勿自近；甚廣，勿自狹；甚大，勿自小；甚尊，勿自褻；甚重，勿自輕；甚穩，勿自浮；甚密，勿自疏；甚微，勿自陋；甚妙，勿自麤。聖賢自期謂之高，無數塵劫謂之遠，遍周剎海謂之廣，超權越小謂之大，不染名利謂之尊，不輕去就謂之重，始終一致謂之穩，精察力行謂之密，窮理盡性謂之微，開佛知見謂之妙。嗚呼！律門衰敗，大法並危，不具前之十德，鮮克砥其頹波，勉之哉。第一須依念處行道，隨文入觀，觸事會心，心觀為主，看教為助。第二須專求己過，勿責人非。第三須作出生死學問，莫作趨時學問。第四須和光同塵，幸勿矜異，欲看教典，且完《玄籤》，次《十不二門詳解》，次《律藏》五百卷，并《大乘律》五十卷，次《止觀輔行》，次《阿含經》等諸小乘經，然後及餘經論。或急於修證，唯律藏不可不閱，餘皆隨意。萬勿妄想出頭，惟真操實履，了當生死。不得為人改法名，剃度師與受戒教授傳法師，皆有父子之誼，改法名，是蔑剃度師也，傷理背情，無道之甚。古來知識，不聞有法派之說，柰何末世以此為親。吾聞先受戒者在前坐，後受戒者在後坐。不聞先取名者為師兄，後取名者為師弟。既以法派為重，必以戒法為輕。叔伯弟姪，儼然與俗無異，可羞可恥，所宜痛戒。不得曲媚權貴，須如達大師家風，若不能，寧死不出頭。不得多收徒眾，多畜沙彌，多受依止，教訓不周，必有壞法之咎。切忌餽送白衣等事，切忌無恥喪心，到人家念經拜懺，漸成應赴。即檀越到山門作福，須示以佛法尊重，莫如近時叢林套子。亡比丘物，依律分與現前僧，切不可學估唱陋習。其餘諸事，不能枚舉，總以律為指歸，則無過矣。不聽吾言，非吾弟也。
> Instruction for Monk CheyinI have high hopes for you — do not sell yourself short. Think broadly, not narrowly. Think far, not near. Think expansively, not confined. Think greatly, not small. Think nobly, not basely. Think weightily, not lightly. Think steadily, not flightily. Think intimately, not distantly. Think subtly, not coarsely. Think exquisitely, not roughly. To aspire to sagehood is "high." To endure countless eons is "far." To pervade all realms is "broad." To transcend all expedients is "great." To be unstained by fame or profit is "noble." To treat leaving or staying with equal seriousness is "weighty." To be consistent from start to finish is "steady." To investigate and practice with precision is "intimate." To exhaust principle and realize one's nature is "subtle." To open the Buddha's vision and knowledge is "exquisite." Alas! The monastic discipline is in decline, and the great Dharma is in danger. Without these ten virtues, few can resist the tide of decay. Strive on! First, practice according to the Four Foundations of Mindfulness: follow the text to enter contemplation, touch events to awaken the mind. Let mind-contemplation be primary, scriptural study be supportive. Second, exclusively seek your own faults — do not blame others. Third, pursue learning that ends birth and death, not learning that chases worldly trends. Fourth, blend with the world without losing your light. Do not flaunt uniqueness. If you wish to study scriptures, first finish the \*Xuan Qian\*, then the \*Ten Gates of Non-Duality\* with detailed commentary, then the \*Vinaya Pitaka\* (500 volumes) along with the \*Mahayana Vinaya\* (50 volumes), then the \*Mohe Zhiguan\* and its commentary, then the \*Agamas\* and other Hinayana sutras, and finally other sutras and treatises. If you are eager for direct cultivation and realization, at least the \*Vinaya Pitaka\* is indispensable — the rest is optional. Do not under any circumstances scheme for recognition. Only practice sincerely and authentically, and resolve the matter of birth and death. Do not change others' Dharma names. The tonsure master, precept master, and teaching master all share father-son bonds. Changing Dharma names shows contempt for the tonsure master — it violates principle and goes against affection, extremely unwholesome. In ancient times, I never heard of "Dharma lineages" as a basis for familial relationships among practitioners. How shameful that in the degenerate age, people cling to this. I have heard that those who receive precepts first sit in front, those who receive later sit behind. I have never heard that those who adopt a certain lineage title become senior "brothers" or "uncles." Taking Dharma lineage as paramount inevitably takes precept lineage lightly. Hierarchy of "uncles, brothers, and nephews" imitates worldly customs — utterly shameful. This must be strictly warned against. Do not fawn on the powerful and wealthy. Maintain the style of Master Da, and if you cannot, better to die than seek favor. Do not amass many disciples, many sramaneras, or many long-term followers. Without thorough teaching and training, you will inevitably bring ruin upon the Dharma. Above all, avoid giving gifts to laypeople, and avoid shameless acts like going to people's homes to chant sutras or perform repentance rituals — this gradually becomes mere "response" work. Even when donors come to the monastery to make offerings, you must teach them to respect the Dharma — do not follow the vulgar ways of modern monasteries. When a monk dies and leaves possessions, distribute them according to the Vinaya to the monks currently present. Never adopt the base custom of auctioning them off. Many other matters cannot be listed individually. In short, take the Vinaya as your compass, and you will not err. If you do not heed my words, you are not my disciple.
復胡善住自利利他，須知彼知己，知時知勢。納每自反，世謂我持律第一，實增慚懼。無論三聚十支，八萬微細，即二百五十，未行萬一，又無論遮罪，除飲酒過午二條，餘皆未淨，即性罪七支，能免故殺，不能防誤，能不錯因果，不敢三寶物私取，而不能磚錢不買瓦，如古人，執身不犯，不能夢寐清淨，不妄語兩舌，不能無惡口綺語。良由多劫乘急戒緩，習以性成，恥躬不逮，退居沙彌，更無弘戒之理也。宗乘中事，未出家已留心，苦參十載，頗辨真偽，不敢以教律為夾雜。教觀一塗，叨仗夙因，頗窺堂奧，不敢以真實而自疑畏。然此二者，皆背時宜，惟有山中苦行，代一切眾生，求消夙業去障而已，非敢固也。路資本不宜領，寒威將逼，贖典冬衣，亦見因果不甚分明，戒律疏緩之一端矣。
> (Reply to Hu Shanzhu) To benefit both yourself and others, you must understand both yourself and others, and recognize the right time and circumstances. I often reflect on myself and feel that the worldly praise of me as "the foremost in upholding the Precepts" only increases my shame and fear. Not to mention the Three Gatherings of Precepts, the Ten Major Precepts, and the eighty thousand subtle precepts—even among the two hundred and fifty precepts of a fully ordained monk, I have not practiced even a ten-thousandth of them. And setting aside the prohibitive offenses, except for the two rules of not drinking alcohol and not eating after noon, the rest remain unfulfilled. As for the seven types of innate offenses, I can avoid deliberate killing but cannot prevent accidental harm; I can avoid misusing karma, and dare not take things belonging to the Three Jewels for personal use, yet I cannot ensure that the money I spend on bricks is not used for tiles, as the ancients did. I can restrain my body from committing offenses, but cannot maintain purity in my dreams; I can avoid false speech and divisive speech, but cannot eliminate harsh speech and idle chatter. This is truly because, over many lifetimes, I have prioritized the study of doctrine while neglecting the precepts. This habit has become ingrained as my nature. Ashamed that my conduct does not match my reputation, I have voluntarily retreated to the status of a novice monk, with no grounds to teach the precepts to others. As for matters of the Chan school and the fundamental teachings, I had already been studying them before becoming a monk. I arduously investigated them for ten years and could distinguish the true from the false, so I do not dare to say that I have mixed up the doctrines and precepts. As for the approach of scriptural study and insight, I have somewhat entered the profound hall of its mysteries, thanks to my latent potential from past lives. Yet I dare not arrogantly claim this truth to myself or become overconfident due to fear. However, both these paths are out of step with the current times. The only suitable course is to engage in ascetic practice in the mountains, on behalf of all beings, seeking to eliminate their past karma and remove their obstacles—not out of willfulness or arrogance. Regarding the travel expenses, I really should not have accepted them, but since the cold weather is approaching, I used the money to redeem my winter clothes from the pawnshop. This itself shows that my understanding of cause and effect is not yet clear, and that my discipline in the precepts is lax—an example of my shortcomings.
復卓左車入山非石隱計，痛念大法傾頹，綿力難救，姑俟人定勝天耳。承謬舉於葉宗伯，謂宗說俱通，解行雙到，實增慚愧。以今時俱通雙到見稱，固未免𧠤然，儻擬古之俱通雙到，能勿蹴然哉。數年被道友所牽，虛名盛而實行微，多方作入山計，今始半遂，正欲深之又深，能為居士頓改節邪？葉公處以原柬繳。
> With profound reflectionI have retreated to the mountains, not to hide away like a recluse, but out of deep anguish for the decline of the Great Dharma. My limited strength cannot save it; I can only wait for human effort to overcome fate. I am deeply ashamed to have been mistakenly praised by Minister Ye for being "thorough in both doctrine and practice, and equally accomplished in understanding and conduct." Being praised today as one who is thorough in both doctrine and practice and equally accomplished in understanding and conduct inevitably makes me uneasy. If we compare this to being truly thorough in both doctrine and practice and equally accomplished in understanding and conduct in the manner of the ancients, how could I not feel alarmed? Over the past few years, I have been drawn along by fellow practitioners, and my reputation has grown large while my actual practice has remained small. I have tried various ways to retreat to the mountains, and now I have only half succeeded. I truly wish to go deeper and deeper; how could I suddenly change my resolve for a layperson? As for Minister Ye, please return his original letter.
復陳旻昭二書大廈非一木所支，年來惟道友為命。而眾生習氣，各有偏重，不能如水乳合，興言及此，血淚橫流而已。居常謂壞法門者，皆撐法門人。齊桓晉文尊周，適所以壞周，方痛懲不暇，奚忍蹈其覆轍。嗟乎！出家初志，急剋聖果，十五六年，竟成虛度，慚天愧地，夫復何言。即此十五六年行腳，打破面皮，放捨身命，僅於佛菩提，了知歸家道路。而形枯氣索，前進為難，欲傳得一人，勿令最後佛種從我而斷，亦竟未遇其人。嗚呼！痛心，夢寐永泣而已。公所處頗艱，道念益固，深以為慰。每觀種種邪外，其智短，其說陋，猶簧鼓天下後世有述者，大底別有一段徹底精神持之耳，況將此持正法乎？但自反自勵，不必他求也。船子身葬水中，夾山大弘其道，荊谿以居士身，參學多載，後方出家，一世不登法座，書傳萬世，不可磨滅。宣聖木鐸，孟軻好辯，皆此類也。此意願與居士共之。未獲一第奚足憂，當勤心道業，誓續佛祖慧命為急務耳。其一
> Two Letters to Chen Mintian A great mansion cannot be built with a single beam; in recent years, my only support has been fellow seekers on the path. Yet sentient beings have deep-rooted habitual tendencies, each with their own biases. They cannot blend together like water and milk. Whenever I bring this up, it only leads to tears of blood. I often say that those who harm the Dharma are precisely those who try to prop it up. Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin upheld the Zhou dynasty, but in doing so, they actually hastened its decline. We should be deeply wary of this and never repeat their mistake. Alas! When I first renounced home, my initial aspiration was to swiftly attain the sacred fruit of enlightenment. Yet fifteen or sixteen years have passed, and they have been utterly wasted. I feel deep shame before heaven and earth—what more is there to say? In these fifteen or sixteen years of wandering, I have shed all pretense, abandoned body and life, and only now, with respect to the Buddha's awakening, have I faintly recognized the path home. But my body is worn, my breath is faint, and moving forward is difficult. I wish to pass this on to one person, so that the last seed of Buddhahood will not be cut off through me—yet I have still not met such a person. Oh, the pain! I weep forever in my dreams. I am deeply comforted to hear that, despite your difficult circumstances, your aspiration for the path grows ever stronger. I often observe various heretical and false teachings: their understanding is shallow, their doctrines crude, yet they still manage to bewitch people for generations. This is mostly because they uphold their views with an utterly relentless spirit. If so, how much more should we uphold the true Dharma? We need only reflect within and push ourselves onward—there is no need to seek elsewhere. The Master of the Boat (Chuandizi) was buried in the water, yet his disciple Jiashan greatly spread his teachings. Jingxi practiced for many years as a layman before finally renouncing home, never ascending the Dharma seat in this life, yet his writings have been passed down for ten thousand generations, never to be erased. Confucius, the sounding bell, and Mencius, the champion of debate—all were of this kind. This is the meaning I wish to share with you, layman. Not passing the imperial exam is nothing to worry about; what matters is to diligently focus on the path, vowing to continue the wisdom life of the Buddhas and patriarchs—this should be our urgent task. First Letter
大法垂秋，亂臣賊子遍天下，邇雖稍衰，而正法受其剝蝕，元氣殊覺難復，未可欲速也。納以孤孽之身，獨抱嬰杵之任，雖感傷切髓，不得不附虞仲夷逸之科，遣茲餘喘居士，竭力弘護，即大學問，大精進，貴自著眼而已。聖力智巧，雖筈筈相拄，非巧力所及，終亦不離巧力。何如楖梅吳公，不敢浪通名字。
> The Great Dharma has entered its autumn season—traitors and rebels have filled the world. Although their numbers have recently declined a little, the True Dharma has been eroded by them, and its vital energy seems difficult to restore. We cannot afford to rush. As an orphaned and vulnerable individual, I carry the heavy burden of a mission like that of Ying Bo. Though my heart aches to the marrow, I have no choice but to follow the path of Yu Zhong and Yi Yi. I entrust these remaining days of my life to you, lay practitioner, to exert all your strength in protecting and promoting the Dharma. In this lies great learning and great diligence—what matters most is that you set your own eyes on the truth. Sacred power and skillful means are like arrow tails interlocking one after another; though ultimate truth cannot be grasped by skill or power alone, it is never truly separate from them. What do you think, Master Zhumei Wu? I dare not casually reveal his name.
復智龍逃名萬死之後，已悔其遲。傳法一隙之天，倍見其拙。然生平受用，惟多虛不如少實一語，庶不致身謗三寶耳。退戒一事，亦以為今比丘則有餘，為古沙彌則不足，寧捨有餘企不足也。
> Reply to Zhilong After fleeing fame and facing countless dangers, I already regret how slow I was to realize my mistakes. Though only a brief moment remains for spreading the Dharma, I see all the more clearly my own inadequacies. Yet throughout my life, the one teaching I have truly benefited from is: "A little substance is better than much emptiness." At least this has kept me from personally slandering the Three Jewels. As for returning my precepts: I consider myself barely qualified to be a present-day monk, but not even worthy to be an ancient novice. I would rather let go of what is barely sufficient and aspire for what is truly insufficient.
寄徐雨海居士生長富貴，不知世閒些小苦事，況此大苦。然雄才大略，膽識高曠之人，負蓋世資，具千古學，懷聰明慢，眼空天下，世出世法，麤心浮氣，未入甚微細智法門，非此惡辣鉗錘，何由入聖賢閫域，佛祖堂奧？天降大任，必行拂亂，動心忍性四字，不妨十思百思，迺圜中第一法藥也。乾之上九，亢龍有悔，而不食之碩果，轉為不遠之復。復之象辭曰「至日閉關，商旅不行，后不省方」，即潛龍勿用之意。盈虛消息，通於至道，於通起塞，即塞成通，台觀所以貴善識也。日為居士持大悲咒七遍，脫難為期，萬自愛勉。
> To Xu Yuhai You were born into wealth and comfort, knowing little of life's minor hardships, let alone its great sufferings. Yet as a person of extraordinary talent, bold vision, and keen intellect—one who possesses world-class ability, broad learning, and a sharp pride that looks down on all—you approach both worldly and transcendent matters with a coarse, impatient mind. Without having entered the subtle wisdom of the Dharma, you need this harsh and relentless forging hammer. How else could you enter the realm of sages and the profound depths of the Buddhas? When Heaven assigns a great mission, it first disrupts and unsettles. The four words "shake the mind and temper the nature" deserve ten, even a hundred reflections—they are the foremost medicine within the cell of confinement. In the \*Yijing\*, the top line of the Qian hexagram says: "The arrogant dragon has cause to regret." Yet the indestructible, uneaten fruit can turn into a return that is not far off. The judgment of the Fu hexagram says: "At the winter solstice, close the passes, merchants and travelers do not move, the ruler does not inspect the regions." This is the meaning of "the latent dragon should not act." Waxing and waning, fullness and emptiness are linked to the supreme Way. Where the path is obstructed, it becomes open; where it opens, it becomes obstructed. This is why the Tiantai contemplation values clear awareness. Every day I recite the Great Compassion Mantra seven times for you, until your liberation from hardship. Take good care of yourself and exert your efforts.
寄靈隱兄兄眼目志識，俱足千古，而不能千古者，欠剛骨也。挺出剛骨，以俯就幻緣，方可了辦大事。蒙許《華嚴大鈔》，意欲細閱一遍，求與台宗真出入處，悠悠門外之談，未足據也。聞於台宗教觀，已有信入，尤願潛心討徹源底。流光如駛，衰老日侵，自反痛心，乃敢饒舌。
> To Elder LingyinBrother, your vision, knowledge, and insight rival history itself, but what prevents you from achieving timelessness is a lack of inner backbone. Once you develop this backbone and use it to humbly engage with fleeting worldly conditions, you can accomplish the great matter. I am grateful for your promise of the \*Huayan Great Commentary\*; I wish to carefully read it through, seeking its true connection or divergence with Tiantai teachings. The casual critiques of outsiders are not worth relying on. I hear that you have already found faith and insight in Tiantai's doctrine and practice—I especially hope you will silently delve into its very depths. Time flies like a galloping horse, and aging creeps in day by day. Reflecting on this, my heart aches, and only then do I dare speak so presumptuously.
復項淨性和偈落在口頭三昧，大似初生牛犢不畏虎。居士本正信篤實，亦弄此虛頭邪？古人錯下一語，墮五百世野狐身，柰何妄談般若，作拔舌犁耕種子，萬祈戒之，勿視作等閒。夫詩偈可作也，儱侗套語不可襲也。帝鄉可遊也，歸戒之心不可忘也。紅塵堆裏學山居，風塵何能染人，人染風塵耳。
> (Revive One's Essential Nature) Some people merely recite gathas on their lips, practicing Zen in a shallow way. They are like newborn calves who have no fear of tigers. You, a sincere layperson with genuine faith, would not resort to such superficial tricks, would you? In ancient times, a single misstatement resulted in one being reborn as a wild fox for five hundred lifetimes. How dare we casually speak of Prajna wisdom? This plants seeds that lead to the suffering of having one's tongue torn out by plowing. I earnestly beg you to take this warning seriously and not treat it lightly. Poems and gathas can be composed, but you must not copy formulaic clichés. While you may journey to the emperor's capital, never forget the precepts and refuge in your heart. Though you live amidst the dust of the mundane world, you can still practice as if living in the mountains. It is not the world that defiles people—people defile themselves.
寄徐雨海到泉州一軒，即索居士歷年手札觀之，知苦緣中進益如此。貧納向歎台宗，居士未深入，今果然否。柬中為如是師語，字字金錍，恰與納為渠所發之願同，但不知為居士所發願，有當尊意否？夫知人者明，自知者強，自知者明，自勝者強。居士能知人矣，真自知乎？設自知，能自勝乎？台宗玄妙無暇論，《大學》修身正心，《中庸》居易俟命，請三思之。五欲八風，三教聖人同訶，一塵之糞，徹體是穢，一毫砒霜，徹體是毒。勿以小善而不為，勿以小惡而不去，方不負再三稟受菩薩大戒也。台宗云：「以前四戒為所觀境，後六觀之，事理相即。世人蔑事而欲尚深理者，驗知此觀孤虛無本，既虧事境，觀亦何從？」此荊谿尊者語，幸加詳焉。
> To Xu YuhaiWhen I arrived at the Quanzhou hermitage, I asked to see your letters from past years and read them. From them, I see how much you have advanced through your afflictions. I once lamented that you—a renunciant—had not yet deeply entered the Tiantai teachings. Is that still the case now? What was said about "Thusness" in your letter is truly like golden wisdom, word by word, and it matches the vow I made on behalf of the other person. But as for the vow you yourself made, I wonder if it meets with your own approval? As it is said: "He who knows others is intelligent; he who knows himself is wise. He who knows others is discerning; he who conquers himself is strong." You are able to know others—but do you truly know yourself? If you do know yourself, can you conquer yourself? The profundities of the Tiantai school need not be discussed for now. Instead, consider the \*Great Learning\*'s teaching on cultivating the self and rectifying the mind, and the \*Doctrine of the Mean\*'s teaching on dwelling in one's proper station and awaiting destiny. Please reflect deeply on these. The five desires and the eight worldly winds are condemned by the sages of all three teachings. A single speck of filth is entirely defiled; a single grain of arsenic is wholly poison. Do not neglect small good deeds, and do not fail to abandon small evils. Only then will you not betray the fact that you have repeatedly received the great Bodhisattva precepts. The Tiantai school says: "Take the first four precepts as the object of contemplation; then use the latter six to contemplate them. Thus, phenomena and principle are interwoven. People who neglect phenomena and wish to delve only into profound principles will find that this contemplation is empty and rootless. Since they lack the field of phenomena, from what ground can contemplation arise?" These are the words of Venerable Jingxi. Please consider them carefully.
寄徹因大德真實比丘，寥寥無幾，不知何日五比丘如法同住，一展吾外護初心。興言至此，肝腸寸裂，所有不絕如線一脈，僅寄足下，萬萬珍重愛護，養德充學，以克荷之，勿為最後斷佛種人，使我抱憾千秋。至囑至囑。遠隔三千里，未審作何用心，苟不能念念與妙觀相應，則失聞熏琢磨之益多矣。
> To the Venerable JicheTrue monastics who have realized the Way are extremely rare. I do not know when even the five monks will be able to live together in accordance with the Dharma, fulfilling my original aspiration to protect and support them from the outside. When I speak of this, my heart and liver feel torn to pieces. The slender, thread-like lineage that remains is now entrusted solely to you. Please cherish and protect it with all your care—nurture your virtue, deepen your study, and become capable of upholding it. Do not become the one who finally severs the Buddha's seed, making me bear eternal regret. This is my earnest plea, over and over again. We are separated by three thousand miles—I do not know how you apply your mind. If you cannot make every thought correspond with the sublime contemplation, then you will lose much of the benefit from hearing the Dharma and refining your practice.
寄恆如語有之，胡越人之相仇也，當同舟共濟，風水險厄，其相救也，如左右手。每念分段生死，不啻惡風巨浪。而出家諸人，所以互相忌刻，智不如胡越同舟者，無他，不曾痛念生死故耳。今既知痛念生死，豈復以世閒名相為活計哉？
> Jiru says: There is a saying that people from opposite ends of the world may be enemies, yet when they share a boat facing dangerous winds and treacherous waters, they will help each other as readily as one's left hand helps the right. Whenever I think of the cycle of birth and death, it is no different from being caught in a fierce storm with towering waves. Yet those who have left home life still harbor jealousy and discord toward one another, showing less wisdom than those enemies sharing a boat. Why? Simply because they have not truly reflected on the reality of birth and death. Now that we understand the urgency of this matter, how could we continue to busy ourselves with worldly names and appearances?
與非幻此事日親日近，日遠日疏，若無良友明師夾持，恐漸退其初心。今世如此，來世可知，靜言思之，能無懼乎？《佛頂》文句，須潛心玩閱，看不透，也須苦看。老鼠咬棺材，定有穿日。即此是話頭，是參禪工夫，是摩訶止觀。須信得及，守得定，方有真實受用。勉之。
> Together with the Non-Illusory This matter grows closer the more you approach it, and more distant the more you turn away. Without the support of good friends and a wise teacher, you may gradually lose your initial resolve. If it is like this in this life, how much more so in the next? Reflecting on this calmly, can you remain unafraid? The passages from the \*Shurangama Sutra\* must be contemplated with focused attention. Even if you cannot fully understand them, you must study them diligently. A rat gnawing at a coffin will eventually break through—that's a certainty. This very effort is your meditation topic, your practice of Chan contemplation, and your practice of calming and insight. You must have faith in it and maintain your focus; only then will it bring genuine and lasting benefit. Strive on.
復淨禪淨土法門，本該一切宗教，普收一切群機。故從上佛祖聖賢，著述亦最富博。欲摘其精要，利益群品，須備採眾長，證以心悟，方可流傳。若此門未遵堂奧，宜事力修，無急急以著述為事也。度人要務，以智慧方便為本？有智慧，則能究權實理，稱理而說，義無不周。有方便，則能莊嚴文章，文如於義，觀者咸悅。今周集理致僅七八分，文章僅五六分，似宜邃養，更加錘鍊，為妙意周。所熟玩者，但《彌陀疏鈔》，《龍舒淨土》等文，恐《妙宗鈔》一書，尚未窮研。乞勸細細尋繹，參以《十疑或問》、《淨土指歸》、《寶王三昧》、《西方合論》等書，畢竟更有大豁眼處。然後以慈悲心，觀此方此時機宜，採集一言半句，以利益之，功德更殊勝矣。
> For the Pure Land Dharma Door, it is naturally meant to encompass all teachings and embrace all types of people. Therefore, from ancient times, Buddhas, Patriarchs, and sages have produced the richest and most extensive writings on it. To distill its essence for the benefit of all beings, one must gather the strengths of various sources and confirm them with personal insight gained through meditation practice before they can be circulated. If you have not yet reached the profound depths of this Dharma Door, it is better to focus on diligent practice rather than rushing to write about it. The key to helping others is rooted in wisdom and skillful means. With wisdom, you can fully understand both provisional and ultimate truths, speak in accordance with those truths, and leave nothing incomplete in your meaning. With skillful means, you can adorn the language of your writings, making the words match the meaning, so that readers will find joy in them. Currently, the conceptual content of Zhou Ji’s work reaches only about seventy to eighty percent, and the literary quality is only about fifty to sixty percent. It seems advisable to cultivate deeper understanding and further refine the work. The texts you are most familiar with are the \*Commentary on the Amitabha Sutra\* and \*Longshu’s Pure Land Writings\*. I fear that \*The Commentary on the Subtle Meaning\* may not yet have been thoroughly studied. I urge you to carefully delve into it, supplementing your study with works like \*The Ten Doubts and Their Answers\*, \*The Directional Pointers of the Pure Land\*, \*The King of Jewels Samadhi\*, and \*The Western Compilation\*. In the end, these will open up a far greater field of insight. Then, with a compassionate mind, observe the needs of this time and place, gather a word or phrase that suits the occasion, and use it to benefit others. The merit gained will be even more extraordinary.
寄王東里此事雖直捷，亦甚委曲，雖簡夷，亦甚精細。吳公於簡夷直捷，已信得及矣。委曲精細處，須竿頭進步，此必居士陶鑄之力，方可升堂入室也。
> Letter to Wang DongliThis matter is straightforward, yet it also has its twists and turns; it is simple and unadorned, yet it is also exquisitely detailed. Lord Wu has already understood and trusted its straightforward and unadorned aspects. As for the twists and turns and the exquisite details, progress must be made on these as well—reaching the next level. This can only be achieved through your cultivation and commitment as a lay practitioner, enabling you to truly enter the hall and grasp the deeper teachings.
寄雪航法主調護他人，正調護自己處，調伏得自己一分習氣，方調伏得他人一分習氣，視人猶己，捨己從人，血脈誠在此。朕躬有罪，無以萬方。萬方有罪，罪在朕躬。愛人不親，反其仁，治人不治，反其智，禮人不荅，反其敬，三歲兒童讀得，八十老翁行不得。無怪乎受菩薩戒者多，行菩薩道者尟也。
> To Dharma Master Ji Xuehang "To care for others is precisely how we care for ourselves. Only by regulating one portion of our own habitual tendencies can we regulate one portion of another's. Seeing others as oneself, setting aside selfishness to follow others—the true connection lies here. 'If I have faults, let them not be blamed upon the people. If the people have faults, let the fault rest with me.' When you try to love others but they do not respond, examine your own kindness. When you try to govern others but they are not orderly, examine your own wisdom. When you try to treat others with courtesy but they do not reciprocate, examine your own respect. These truths are recited by three-year-old children, yet even eighty-year-old elders cannot live them out. No wonder many receive the Bodhisattva precepts, yet few actually walk the Bodhisattva path."
復鄧靖起參禪念佛，善用無非是藥，不善用無不添病。又或執藥是病，或借病為藥，事非一概，未可片言盡也。生死事大，佛道玄妙，縱一知半見，小小工夫，尚不濟事，況一味死在句下者乎？禪本無參，佛本無念二語，亦是醍醐，亦是毒藥。今之呼蒼天，呵佛祖者，正墮無參無念坑中；若真參真念，決不作此狂態矣。
> Reply to Deng JingqiIn Chan meditation and Pure Land recitation, if skillfully applied, everything is medicine; if unskillfully applied, everything adds to the disease. Some cling to the medicine as if it were the disease itself; others use the disease as medicine. Matters are not always the same, and cannot be fully explained in just a few words. Matters of life and death are vast; the Buddha's Way is profound and subtle. Even a partial understanding or a small amount of practice is insufficient — let alone if one is completely stuck on mere words. The statements "Chan fundamentally has nothing to meditate on" and "the Buddha fundamentally has nothing to recite" can be either sweet nectar or deadly poison. Those who nowadays cry out to heaven and scold the Buddha have fallen into the pit of "no meditation, no recitation." If one truly meditates or truly recites, such mad behavior would never occur.
寄程用九日為居士持大悲七遍，五六年未嘗一日缺也。命持準提，當助百萬，但願篤信咒力不可思議，杜絕夤緣妄想。設一念妄想未盡，是信咒不及，雖大悲、準提二大菩薩，亦末如之何矣。不肖十二三，便知有聖賢道脈，今知與佛法到家雖別，入門實同，若世法稍違聖賢軌轍，則出世決不成真實佛祖。方今賄賂公行，丈夫寧終身寥落，誓勿蹈其鄙跡，庶砥狂瀾於萬一。若未免逐流，以圖一得，枉尋直尺之誚，其誰與歸？大非所望於高明也。夢天神授籤，乃大梵天王，非韋馱也。現有神策九十九首，在《大灌頂神咒經》中，南北藏皆恭字函，急取流通，勿以易林，苟且塞責。
> On Behalf of Cheng JiuyongAs a lay practitioner, you have upheld the Great Compassion Mantra (Da Bei Zhou) seven times daily for five or six years without a single day's lapse. Now you are also asked to uphold the Zhunti Mantra; this will aid millions. But you must firmly believe in the inconceivable power of mantras and cut off all opportunistic fantasies. If even a single delusional thought remains unexhausted, it means your faith in the mantra is insufficient—even the two great Bodhisattvas of Great Compassion and Zhunti would be powerless to help you. When I was twelve or thirteen, I already knew of the path of the sages and saints. Now I realize that although the ultimate destination of the Buddha Dharma differs from worldly teachings, the point of entry is essentially the same. If worldly conduct deviates even slightly from the sages' and saints' principles, then your transcendental practice will never result in a true Buddha or Patriarch. In these times of widespread bribery, a true man would rather remain obscure for life than stoop to such base conduct—this alone may hold back the tide of corruption. If you cannot avoid following the current in pursuit of some gain, then what shame is there in a "bent foot for a straight inch"? Such behavior is not what I expect from a person of wisdom. The divine sign you received in your dream came from the Great Brahma Heaven King, not from Skanda (Wei Tuo). There are currently ninety-nine divine strategies contained in the \*Mahā-vaipulya-dhāraṇī-sūtra\* (Great Dharani Sutra). Both the Southern and Northern scriptural collections have them in the "Gong" volume. Retrieve them quickly and circulate them—do not treat this matter lightly or substitute it with trivial divination as a half-hearted excuse.
與行恕憶自十二三時，以千古道脈為任，便囂囂自得，天子不得臣，諸侯不得友，況今廁僧寶，豈世閒宰官書帖可招致哉。何病深山，已無人世閒想，即今幻緣所牽，流浪漳泉，並不曾謁一宰官居士。若苕中不必用此世套，可容方外散人，專用佛法教化群品，則遣一確人，持足下一柬來，即相赴；若不可為，毋強。
> Being one with forgiveness I recall that when I was twelve or thirteen, I already took the eternal path as my mission, carrying myself with proud contentment. No emperor could claim me as his subject, no noble could count me as a friend. How much less now, having entered the ranks of the monastic treasure— how could any worldly official’s letter summon me? Living ill in the deep mountains, I no longer have any worldly thoughts. Even if now, driven by illusory conditions, I drift through Zhangzhou and Quanzhou, I have never gone to pay respects to a single official or layperson. If in Tiaoxi there is no need for conventional worldly formalities, and if a free-roaming monk can be tolerated to solely teach the Dharma and guide beings, then send a trustworthy person with your letter, and I will come. If this is not possible, do not force it.
與緒竺三頌附覽，語言文字，標月之指，神而明之，存乎其人。際明生平傀儡，全露筆端，斷不在筆端上安身立命。看得仙人手中扇，鷂子過新羅久矣。
> Here are three verses for your consideration. Words and language are only a finger pointing to the moon—the real wisdom depends on the person who can see past them. Throughout my life, I have been like a puppet, fully exposed through the tip of my brush; I certainly would never cling to the brush as a place to find my ultimate foundation. If you truly understand the immortal's fan in his hand, you would realize the sparrow hawk has long since flown over the faraway land of Silla.
復王思鼓《老子》「為學日益，為道日損。」《易傳》云：「損德之修，益德之裕。」居士精力雖減，而信心慚愧有加，即苦海津梁，不求進而無所退，豈在學問修持閒邪？凡夫無不好勝好進，不知以退為進也。迦葉願居人後，不為物先，乃成千古鼻祖。病是吾輩良藥，消盡塵寰妄想，覷破此身虛幻，深明苦空無常無我觀門，皆賴有病境耳。願寬心耐意，安忍無厭，作隨緣消舊業想、轉重令輕受想、代眾生受苦想，正不以不如人為愧也。
> "To King Si-Ku." Laozi said: "Pursuing worldly knowledge increases day by day; pursuing the Way decreases day by day." The Book of Changes commentary says: "Decrease is the cultivation of virtue; increase is the abundance of virtue." Although your energy as a lay practitioner has diminished, your faith and sense of shame have grown stronger—this itself is the bridge across the sea of suffering. You do not seek to advance, yet you do not retreat; how could this be a matter of scholarly learning or meditative practice? Ordinary people all love to excel and strive forward, unaware that retreating can be a way to advance. Mahakashyapa gladly stayed behind others, not being the first among things, and thus became the founding patriarch of eternity. Illness is our best medicine: it dissolves all worldly delusions, allows us to see through the illusory nature of our own bodies, and helps us deeply understand the contemplations of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and egolessness—all of which rely on the experience of sickness. I hope you can relax your mind, be patient and calm, endure with acceptance and without aversion, thinking of this as "going along with conditions to exhaust past karma," as "transforming heavy burdens into lighter ones," and as "bearing suffering for the sake of sentient beings." Do not be ashamed of not measuring up to others.
與永覺禪師法運日訛，老成凋謝，獸蹄鳥跡，交於中國，乳臭小兒，競稱宗主，拈花微旨，埽地至此，不惟可悲，亦可恥矣。惟老師耆年碩德，堅握壽昌不肯二字心印，不必頻呻哮吼，狐犴已為喪氣。茲者泉南隙地，羶風雖已時來，毒氣幸未深入，老師正應久住此方，防護外邪，養育善種，但令二三志士，得接老師法脈，將來魔黨敗後，泉南佛國，一燈可遍布天下也。不肖幻緣所牽，未能執巾瓶，猶冀法駕蚤臨，庶獲一晤慈顏，兼欲委陳生平苦心，故敢冒昧，輒助勸請。
> To Zen Master YongjueThe Dharma's course grows ever more corrupt day by day. Those with deep experience and mature wisdom have withered away. Beasts and birds leave their tracks across the land of China. Nursling children, still reeking of mother's milk, compete to claim the title of true masters. The subtle meaning of the Flower Sermon—that has been swept into the dust. This is not only sorrowful, it is shameful. Only you, Teacher, with your advanced years and great virtue, firmly hold the heart-seal of "refuse to accept"—that essential teaching of Shouchang. Even without roaring or snarling, your very presence makes the foxes and jackals lose their spirit. Now, this remote corner of Quannan sees the tainted wind of corruption from time to time, but fortunately the poisonous influence has not yet penetrated deeply. Teacher, you ought to make your long abode here, guarding against external harm and nurturing good seeds. Let but two or three determined seekers receive your Dharma lineage, so that after the forces of Mara are defeated, one single lamp may illuminate the entire Buddhaland of Quannan. As for this unworthy one, bound by the chains of illusory karma, I have not been able to attend you with bowl and pitcher. Yet I still hope that your sacred carriage will soon arrive, so that I may behold your compassionate countenance, and also lay out my lifelong efforts and hardships face to face. This is why I dare to be so bold and humbly add my voice to the entreaties for your stay.
與周洗心不可說破，恐塞悟門，是參究一塗，別方便耳。宗門亦有不妨直直說破者，況教觀，況淨土邪？淨土的旨，全在《妙宗》一書，縱持名不修觀，可不達四土橫豎之致乎？《西方合論》，亦淨土有功之書。不肖圓通文句一則，收盡念佛三昧綱宗。但言簡義富，乃提綱挈領之學，非遍探一代時教，不足盡數千言中所包攝也。儻專辦己事，未暇利人，只晝夜彌陀十萬，且求往生。一切宗教眼目，不必作意求通，但得見彌陀，何愁不開悟，自是一論。若大悲為人，思垂言句，必令十分精瑩，庶可普利三根。不然，一法才立，一弊旋生。況末世禪教淨土，種種語錄，充楹積棟，安事更以雜而未純之作，與流俗鬥富哉？法號漫作一文，其中理路，頗為入道之要，當依義不依文可也。
## 靈峰蕅益大師宗論卷第五之一
> Volume Five, Part One of Master Ouyi's Collected Works
## 靈峰蕅益大師宗論卷第五之二
> Dharma Master Ou Yi of Lingfeng: Collected Writings, Vol. 5, Part 2