---
title: "靈峰蕅益大師宗論 · 退戒緣起并囑語"
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/cmgn46k3r0onhk104nnyzfsgn"
---

### 退戒緣起并囑語

> The Origin of Renouncing Precepts and Final Words

智旭生於萬歷己亥，二十四歲壬戌，為天啟二年，痛念生死事大，父未葬，母不養，決志出家。時紫柏尊者已寂圜中，雲棲老人亦遷安養，憨山大師遠遊曹溪，力不能往，其餘知識，非予所好。乃作務雲棲，坐禪雙徑，訪友天台，念念趨向。宗乘，教律，咸在所緩。後因幾番逼拶，每至工夫將得力時，必被障緣侵擾。因思佛滅度後，以戒為師，然竟不知受戒事，何為如法，何為不如法，但以雲棲有學戒科，遂從天台，躡冰冒雪，來趨五雲，苦到，懇古德法師為阿闍梨，向蓮池和尚像前，頂受四分戒本。此二十五歲，癸亥臘月初八也。甲子臘月二十一，重到雲棲，受菩薩戒。乙丑春，就古吳閱律藏四旬餘，錄出《事義要略》一本，此後仍一心參究宗乘矣。戊辰春，雪航楫公，留住龍居，再閱律藏一遍，始成《集要》四本。己巳春，送惺谷壽公至博山薙髮，無異禪師見而喜之，即欲付梓。予曰未可也，是冬，同歸一籌師，結制龍居，更閱律一遍，訂成。庚午正月初一，然臂香，刺舌血，致書惺谷。三月盡，惺谷同如是昉公，從金陵回，至龍居，請季賢師為和尚，新伊法主為羯磨闍梨，覺源法主為教授闍梨，受比丘戒。予三閱律，始知受戒如法不如法事。彼學戒法，固必無此理，但見聞諸律堂，亦並無一處如法者。是夏為二三友盡力講究，不意或尋枝逐葉，不知綱要，或東扯西拽，絕不留心，或頗欲留心，身嬰重恙，聽不及半，其餘緣眾，無足責者，予大失所望。解夏後，結壇持大悲咒，惺谷以此書呈金臺法主，隨付梓人。次年予入壇，持大悲咒十萬加被之，然已發念退休。越二年癸酉，安居，作八鬮供佛像前，然香十炷，一夏持咒加被，自恣日，更然頂香六炷，拈得菩薩沙彌鬮，深自慶快，願永作外護，奉事如法比丘。孰意末運決難挽回，正法決難久住，予又病苦日增，死將不久。追思出家初志，分毫未酬，數年苦心，亦付唐喪，撫躬自責，哀哉痛心。恐混跡故鄉，虛生浪死，故決志行遁，畢此殘生。以手書《集要》全帙，謹付徹因海比丘。仍涕泣而囑曰：「嗚呼！佛法下衰，斯時為盛，毗尼一脈，不絕如絲。教道禪宗，尤為混亂，予數年苦心，未能砥狂瀾於萬一。僅成此書，并《問辯》、《音義》各二卷，一文一字，罔敢師心，一義一法，咸符聖教。蓋不惟律部精髓，亦禪教綱維，由斯戶可升堂入室，執斯鏡可照膽辨邪。惜公根性稍鈍，僅知開遮持犯條目，未達三學一貫源委，且福相未純，智慧力薄，缺於辯才，短於學問，豈能即弘傳斯道。但念公之從予遊者五夏，有三事足取焉，幾番惡辣鉗錘，難堪難忍，絕無退心，縱未頓改舊觀，番番略有進益。有人如法受具，未肯細心行持，惟公聽《集要》後，輕重諸戒，悉思躬行。予癸酉甲戌，匍匐苦患，公獨盡心竭力，相濟於顛沛中，毫無二心。充此三善之致，何必不可荷擔正法。但須解行雙修，戒乘俱急，虛其心，實其志，擴其眼界，牢其腳跟，盡在我修持，任外緣自集，萬勿輕舉妄動，貽羞法門。儻煩惱未伏，慧眼未開，辯才未具，學問未充，縱有福運，須力卻之，況作意邀求邪。苦身形，堅願力，依念處而精進行道，以律藏為法身父母，臨深履薄，守茲一脈。儻遇英哲，當殷重付囑之，無其人，寧供塔廟尊像中，慎莫授非人也。天定能勝人，人定亦能勝天，予運無數苦思，發無數弘願，用無數心力，不能使五比丘如法同住，此天定也。然此思此願，此心此力，豈遂唐捐，公若善繼吾志，敬守之，以俟後賢，庶幾亦可稱人定乎。始終不忘吾囑，千里同風，否則塵劫永隔矣，勉哉。」

> Zhi Xu was born in 1599. At the age of twenty-four, in 1622, the second year of the Tianqi era, deeply troubled by the great matter of life and death—with his father unburied and his mother uncared for—he resolved to leave home and become a monk. At that time, Master Zibo had already passed away in prison, Master Yunqi had also entered the Pure Land, and Master Hanshan was far away traveling at Caoxi, whom he could not reach; the other Dharma teachers were not to his liking. So he performed duties at Yunqi, practiced seated meditation at Shuangjing, visited friends at Tiantai, his mind constantly striving forward. He set aside doctrinal study and monastic discipline, focusing only on Zen practice. Later, after several intense challenges, whenever his practice was about to bear fruit, obstacles would inevitably arise. He then reflected that after the Buddha's parinirvana, the precepts should be one's teacher. Yet he did not even know the proper way to receive them—what was correct and what was not. Knowing that Yunqi had guidelines for studying the precepts, he traveled from Tiantai through ice and snow to Wuyun. There, he earnestly begged Dharma Master Gude to act as his acharya, and before the image of Master Lianchi, he respectfully received the Four Divisions of the Pratimoksha. This was on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month in 1623, when he was twenty-five. On the twenty-first day of the twelfth month in 1624, he returned to Yunqi to receive the Bodhisattva precepts. In the spring of 1625, he went to Guwu to study the Vinaya Pitaka for over forty days, compiling a book titled \*Essentials of Matters and Meanings\*. Afterward, he returned wholeheartedly to Zen investigation. In the spring of 1628, Master Xuehang Ji invited him to stay at Longju, where he read the Vinaya again and produced a four-volume \*Collection of Essentials\*. In the spring of 1629, he accompanied Master Xinggu Shou to Boshan to receive ordination. Master Wuyi, seeing the text, was delighted and wanted to have it printed. Zhi Xu said, "Not yet." That winter, he and Master Tonggui developed a practice schedule at Longju, read the Vinaya once more, and finalized the work. On the first day of the first month in 1630, he burned incense on his arm, pricked his tongue for blood, and wrote to Master Xinggu. At the end of the third month, Xinggu and Master Rushi Fang returned from Jinling to Longju. They invited Master Jixian to act as the preceptor, Master Xinyi as the karmacharya, and Master Jueyuan as the instructor, and received full ordination as a bhikshu. Only after reading the Vinaya three times did Zhi Xu understand what it meant to receive precepts correctly. The standard methods of studying precepts at that time were certainly incorrect, and he could see that no ordination platform anywhere was conducted properly. That summer, he dedicated himself to teaching two or three friends. But some chased after minor details and missed the main points; others jumped around without focus; and one who wanted to learn was too ill to hear more than half. The rest were not worth criticizing, leaving Zhi Xu deeply disappointed. After the summer practice period ended, he set up an altar to chant the Great Compassion Mantra. Master Xinggu submitted the text to Master Jintai, who had it printed. The following year, Zhi Xu entered a retreat and recited the Great Compassion Mantra one hundred thousand times to bless it. Yet he had already begun to think of retiring. Two years later, in 1633, during a summer retreat, he made eight lots and placed them before a Buddha image. He burned ten sticks of incense and recited the Great Compassion Mantra all summer as an offering. On the day of the self-reflection ceremony, he burned six more sticks of incense on his head and drew the lot for a Bodhisattva Shramanera. He felt immensely relieved and joyful, vowing to remain forever as a supporter, serving those who uphold the precepts properly. But who could have known that the Dharma-ending age is impossible to reverse, and the true Dharma impossible to preserve? His illness and suffering increased daily, and he felt death was near. Reflecting on his original aspirations when leaving home, he realized none had been fulfilled. His years of effort had come to nothing, and he blamed himself deeply, filled with grief and regret. Fearing that he would drift along in his hometown, living and dying in vain, he resolved to withdraw and live out the rest of his life in seclusion. He carefully wrote out the complete \*Collection of Essentials\* and entrusted it to Bhikshu Cheyin Hai, weeping as he instructed him: "Alas! The decline of the Buddha's Dharma is now at its peak. The lineage of the Vinaya is as thin as a single thread. The doctrines and Zen schools are especially chaotic. After years of effort, I have barely stemmed the tide. I have only produced this book, along with \*Questions and Answers\* and \*Pronunciation and Meaning\*, each in two volumes. In every character and every phrase, I dared not follow my own opinion; every meaning and method accords with the sacred teachings. This work is not only the essence of the Vinaya but also the foundation of Zen and doctrine. With it as a gate, one can enter the hall and inner chamber; with it as a mirror, one can see the heart clearly and distinguish wrong. "Unfortunately, your natural capacity is somewhat dull. You understand only the rules of allowances and prohibitions but not the single thread linking the three trainings. Moreover, your accumulated merit is not yet pure, your wisdom is shallow, you lack eloquence, and your learning is insufficient—how could you immediately transmit this Dharma? Yet I consider that you have followed me for five summers, and I see three good qualities in you: Several times I tested you harshly, with difficulty and pain, yet you never retreated. Even if you did not completely transform your old ways, you made gradual progress. Others may formally receive precepts but do not practice them carefully. Only you, after hearing the \*Collection of Essentials\*, have been determined to personally observe all precepts, both major and minor. In 1633 and 1634, when I was suffering in pain and exhaustion, you alone gave your full effort and mind, supporting me in my distress with complete loyalty. If you can extend these three good qualities, why should you not be able to bear the burden of the true Dharma? Only, you must cultivate both understanding and practice, be diligent in both precepts and study. Keep an open mind, strengthen your resolve, broaden your perspective, and stand firm. Focus entirely on your own cultivation; let external conditions come naturally. Never act rashly or bring shame to the Dharma. If afflictions are not subdued, the eye of wisdom not opened, eloquence not developed, and learning not sufficient, even if favorable conditions arise, you must firmly reject them—how much less should you deliberately seek them out! "Temper your body, strengthen your determination, practice diligently based on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and treat the Vinaya Pitaka as your Dharma parents. Walk as though treading on thin ice or approaching a deep abyss, and safeguard this single thread. If you meet an outstanding practitioner, entrust it to them with deep sincerity. If you find no one worthy, then place it among the offerings in a temple or before a sacred image—never give it to an unworthy person. "Heaven can overcome human effort, but human determination can also overcome heaven. I have expended countless painful thoughts, made countless great vows, and used immeasurable mental and physical energy, yet I could not help five bhikshus live together in harmony according to the Dharma. That is due to heaven. But these thoughts, these vows, this mind, and this effort—how could they all be wasted? If you can properly carry on my intention, guard this work with respect, and await a wise person in the future, then perhaps it may be said that human determination has prevailed. Never forget my words—let us be in harmony even if a thousand miles apart. Otherwise, we will be separated for countless eons. Strive on!"