---
title: "靈峰蕅益大師宗論 · 預祝乾明公六十壽序"
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/cmgn46ogd0pbtk104gbkvflbd"
---

### 預祝乾明公六十壽序

> Celebrating Mr. Qianming's Sixtieth Birthday

佛法之盛，不存乎能宏通，而存乎能固守。蓋宏通則近於名聞，由名聞致利養，由利養致匪人，易生有漏因緣。佛世十二年後尚爾，況末運乎？唯固守，則遯世無悶，確不可拔，可以迴既倒狂瀾，留正法一線，繼往開來，續佛慧命。如六祖隱於獵群者十六年，荊溪一生不登法座，而曹溪、天台之道，並垂千古，豈非存佛法之明驗歟？予生也晚，弗及受先輩鉗錘，忝為憨翁法屬，顧所私淑，則雲棲之戒，紫柏六祖之禪，荊溪智者之慧也。柰障重習強，未階法忍，僅開名字佛眼，竊述《法華台宗會義》，庶幾不被法華轉耳。辛卯夏，結制長干，當解期日，已有決不應請之誓。而乾公所請，乙未年冬法華道場，猶在未誓之前。予初意入山四年，或得功夫稍進，法運亦可稍回，故不敢決意固辭。詎料兩載有餘，阿蒙如故，加以法門鬥諍方始，其餘斗筲之士，又皆各就一方，託言演教宏宗，網取微利，大有不忍聞者。此時設非急流勇退，不幾於水益深，火益熱乎。乾公，長干之耆宿也，秉戒於博山禪師，則亦私淑雲棲者也，出家於大報恩寺，則亦私淑憨翁者也。敦律行，勤持誦，則法門翹楚也，重然諾，樂福業，則人天標榜也。其廑法門遠憂，實與予同，決不以言必信，行必果責予。予亦安敢執硜硜小節，務踐一諾，而貽法門羞哉。公以丙申二月十五日，為六十初度。予今季春，始歸靈峰，至公壽日，未滿二載，何能走賀。茲為謀梓《楞伽》、《起信》、《選佛》三種著述，遣堅密、蒼暉二子，往董厥役，請即以流通法寶功德，預為公祝。公其令獲奏績，則諸佛慧命，俟百世而不惑，皆公無量光明之所被也。視百日敷揚，僅供千人耳目，功德大小，為何如哉。況公與予，誼在世外。菩提宏願，塵劫弗諼。猶憶向年修報恩塔，公主其政，不煩廣募，不事攀緣，唯以真心實行，彈指告成。較雪浪法師當日修塔因緣，事半功倍。此其諳練世出世法，深知無住生心之旨，有不俟予言者。予之祝無量壽若此，公必以為然矣。

> The flourishing of the Dharma does not depend on widespread propagation, but on unwavering preservation. Widespread propagation tends toward seeking fame, which leads to material gain, which attracts unworthy people and easily creates conditioned circumstances tainted by defilement. Even in the Buddha’s time, this occurred after twelve years, so how much more in these degenerate times? Only through steadfast preservation can one withdraw from the world without regret, remain unmovable, turn back the surging tide of decline, preserve a thread of the true Dharma, carry on the past and open the way for the future, and continue the Buddha’s wisdom-life. Thus, the Sixth Patriarch hid among hunters for sixteen years, and Master Jingxi never ascended a teaching throne in his entire life—yet the traditions of Caoxi and Tiantai have endured for millennia. Is this not clear proof of preserving the Dharma? I was born too late to receive the direct hammering and forging of the earlier masters, yet I am unworthy to be considered a spiritual descendant of Master Hanshan. Those I privately admire are the precepts of Yunqi, the Chan of Zibo and the Sixth Patriarch, and the wisdom of Jingxi and Zhiyi. But due to heavy obstructions and strong habits, I have not yet reached the forbearance of the Dharma-realm; I have only opened the Buddha-eye by name. I presumptuously compiled \*The Combined Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, Tiantai Interpretation\*, hoping not to be turned by the Lotus Sutra. In the summer of 1651, I entered a retreat at Changgan. By the time the retreat ended, I had already made a vow that I would never again accept an invitation to teach. However, the invitation from Elder Qian for a Lotus Sutra Dharma assembly in the winter of 1655 had been made before my vow. Originally, I planned to enter the mountains for four years, hoping to make some progress in practice so that the Dharma’s fortune might slightly improve; therefore, I dared not firmly refuse. Unexpectedly, after more than two years, I remained as ignorant as before. Moreover, sectarian disputes had just begun within the Dharma door, while petty people each went to their own regions, pretending to spread teachings and propagate the school while scheming for petty gains. This became unbearable to hear. At that point, if I did not quickly retreat, would it not be like jumping into deeper water and onto hotter fire? Elder Qian is an eminent elder of Changgan. He received the precepts from Master Boshan, so he is also a private admirer of Yunqi. He became a monk at the Great Bao'en Temple, so he is also a private admirer of Master Hanshan. Upholding the precepts and diligently reciting scriptures, he is an outstanding figure in the Dharma door. Serious about his commitments and delighting in meritorious deeds, he is a model for gods and humans. His far-reaching worries for the Dharma door truly match mine. He will certainly not hold me to a rigid standard of keeping every promise and following through with every action. How dare I stubbornly cling to trivial points of integrity, insisting on fulfilling one promise, and thereby bring shame to the Dharma door? Elder Qian’s sixtieth birthday falls on the fifteenth day of the second month in 1656. I returned to Lingfeng only at the end of spring this year, so by the time of his birthday, less than two years will have passed. How could I travel to offer congratulations in person? For now, I am preparing to publish three works—\*The Lankavatara Sutra\*, \*The Awakening of Faith\*, and \*Selection for Buddhahood\*—and am sending the two disciples Jianmi and Canghui to oversee the project. Please allow me to use the merit of circulating the Dharma-treasures as an advance birthday blessing for you, Elder Qian. May you successfully complete this task. Then the Buddha’s wisdom-life will remain unquestioned for hundreds of generations—all illuminated by your boundless light. Compare this to a hundred days of teaching that only reaches the ears and eyes of a thousand people: how much greater is the merit and virtue? Moreover, our bond transcends worldly relations. Our vast Bodhi vows will not be forgotten through countless eons. I still recall that when the Bao'en Pagoda was being repaired years ago, you supervised the work without extensive fundraising or relying on connections, only acting with true mind and genuine practice, completing it in an instant. Compared to Dharma Master Xuelang's earlier efforts to repair the pagoda, you achieved twice the result with half the effort. This shows your thorough familiarity with both worldly and transcend-ent methods and your deep understanding of the principle of “abiding nowhere yet generating the mind”—there is no need for me to say more. Thus I offer you my blessing for boundless life. You must surely agree.

## 靈峰蕅益大師宗論卷第八之二

> Volume 8, Part 2 of Master Ouyi's Collected Works

## 靈峰蕅益大師宗論卷第八之三

> Volume 8, Part 3 of The Collected Writings of Master Ouyi