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English version: His talent was outstanding, his innate gifts remarkable, yet Bai Juyi (Letian) firmly believed it was due to the karmic connections cultivated in previous lives. Humans, relying on this one true and imperishable nature, experience birth and death, coming and going within the universe. The number of lifetimes they undergo is so vast that even if all the plants and trees in the world were used as counting sticks, it would be impossible to calculate. However, because they are immersed in birth and death, their consciousness is exhausted and unable to recall past lives. Only those who are perfectly enlightened and unclouded can know. For example, Zhang Gong, with his exceptional literary talent, repeatedly passed the imperial examinations and rose to become an attendant official, holding key positions in the court for over forty years. His virtue and accomplishments were widely known. It is beyond doubt that his previous life was that of a great and wise teacher (Kalyanamitra). Is it not believable that he could remember events from his past life? Therefore, upon reading the newly translated Lankavatara Sutra (Lanka Abbatara Baoging), he recorded this karmic connection at the beginning of the sutra. Preface to the Lankavatara Sutra Written by Su Shi, newly appointed as the Auxiliary Academician of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, concurrently serving as the Prefect of Dengzhou, Military Commissioner, and Agricultural Extension Officer. The Lankavatara Sutra (Lanka Abbatara Baoging) – the subtle, supreme, true, and ultimate teaching spoken by the Buddhas of the past, hence it is called the 'Chapter on the Mind of the Buddha'. The Zen (Chan) patriarch Bodhidharma (Damo) entrusted this sutra to the Second Patriarch Huike, saying: 'I have observed all the scriptures and teachings in China, and only the four volumes of the Lankavatara Sutra can verify the nature of the mind.' The patriarchs transmitted it from generation to generation, using it as the Dharma of the mind. It is like the Classic of Difficult Issues (Nanjing) in medicine, every sentence is a principle, every word is a law. Later generations who are enlightened can understand it intuitively and apply it freely, without anything being unsuitable. If one creates new ideas and abandons the old learning, considering it useless, one is either ignorant or arrogant. In recent years, Buddhist practitioners each follow their own teachers, seeking convenience, and upon obtaining a single phrase or verse, they consider themselves enlightened and have attained fruition, even to the point that women and children clap their hands and laugh, competing to discuss the joy of Zen. The noble seek fame, the vulgar seek profit, and the negative influences are pervasive, causing the decline of Buddhism. This is like those common doctors who, without relying on classical theories, directly prescribe formulas and medicines to treat diseases, and it is not that they never succeed; but when encountering difficult and complicated illnesses that require immediate judgment of life and death, they cannot be compared to those doctors who are proficient in classical learning and study ancient medical principles. People only see their temporary effectiveness, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
或捷于古人，因谓《难经》不学而可，岂不误哉！ 《楞伽》义辄幽𦕈，文字简古。读者或不能句，而况遗文以得义，忘义以了心者乎？此其所以寂寥于世，几废而仅存也。太子太保乐全先生张公安道，以广大心，得清净觉。庆历中尝为滁州，至一僧舍，偶见此经，入手恍然如获旧物。开卷未终，夙障冰解，细视笔画，手迹宛然。悲喜太息，从是悟入，常以经首四偈发明心要。轼游于公之门三十年矣，今年二月过南都，见公于私第。公时年七十九，幻灭都尽，惠光浑圆，而轼亦老于忧患百念灰冷。公以为可教者，乃授此经，且以钱三十万使印施于江淮间。而金山长老佛印大师了元曰：“印施有尽，若书而刻之则无尽。”轼乃为书之，而元使其侍者晓机走钱塘，求善工刻之板，遂以为金山常住。 元丰八年九月九日 楞伽阿跋多罗宝经卷第一 宋天竺三藏求那跋陀罗译 一切佛语心品第一之一 如是我闻： 一时佛住南海滨楞伽山顶，种种宝华以为庄严，与大比丘僧及大菩萨众俱，从彼种种异佛刹来。是诸菩萨摩诃萨，无量三昧自在之力，神通游戏，大慧菩萨摩诃萨而为上首。一切诸佛手灌其顶，自心现境界，善解其义。种种众生、种种心色，无量度门，随类普现。于五法 现代汉语译本 有些人比古人更敏捷，就认为《难经》（Nanjing, a classic of traditional Chinese medicine）不学也可以，这难道不是误导吗！ 《楞伽经》（Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra）的意义往往深奥隐晦，文字简练古朴。读者或许不能断句，更何况是想通过遗留的文字来理解经义，忘记经义来领悟心性的人呢？这就是它在世间寂寥，几乎废弃而仅存的原因。太子太保乐全先生张公安道，以广大的心，获得清净的觉悟。庆历年间曾经担任滁州的地方官，到一座僧舍，偶然见到这部经，入手时恍然如获旧物。打开书卷还没读完，宿世的业障就像冰一样消解，仔细看笔画，手迹宛然如新。悲喜交加，从此悟入，常常用经首的四句偈语来阐明心要。苏轼在张公门下学习三十年了，今年二月经过南都，在私宅拜见了张公。张公当时七十九岁，对世间幻象的灭亡都已看透，智慧之光焕发，而苏轼也老于忧患，各种念头都已灰冷。张公认为苏轼是可以教导的人，于是授予他这部经，并且拿出三十万钱，让他在江淮一带印施。而金山寺的长老佛印大师了元说：‘印施有尽时，如果书写并雕刻出来，那就没有穷尽了。’苏轼于是书写了这部经，而了元让他的侍者晓机前往钱塘，寻找好的工匠来雕刻经版，于是这部经就成了金山寺的常住之物。 元丰八年九月九日 楞伽阿跋多罗宝经卷第一 宋天竺三藏求那跋陀罗（Guṇabhadra）译 一切佛语心品第一之一 如是我闻： 一时，佛住在南海边的楞伽山顶（Laṅka Mountain），用各种宝华来庄严此地，与大比丘僧及大菩萨众在一起，他们从各种不同的佛刹而来。这些菩萨摩诃萨，拥有无量三昧的自在之力，神通游戏，大慧菩萨摩诃萨（Mahāmati）是他们的首领。一切诸佛用手灌顶加持他们，他们能从自心中显现境界，善于理解其中的意义。种种众生、种种心色，无量度门，随顺众生的类别普遍显现。对于五法
English
English version Some people are quicker than the ancients, and therefore think that the *Nanjing* (Nanjing, a classic of traditional Chinese medicine) does not need to be studied, which is surely misleading! The meaning of the *Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra* is often profound and obscure, and the text is concise and archaic. Readers may not be able to punctuate it, let alone those who want to understand the meaning through the remaining text, and forget the meaning to understand the mind? This is why it is lonely in the world, almost abandoned and barely surviving. Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, Mr. Zhang An'dao of Lequan, with a broad mind, attained pure enlightenment. During the Qingli period, he once served as the local official of Chuzhou. He went to a monastery and accidentally saw this sutra. When he got it in his hands, he suddenly felt like he had found an old object. Before he finished opening the scroll, his past karmic obstacles dissolved like ice. Looking closely at the strokes, the handwriting was as fresh as new. He was filled with sorrow and joy, and from then on he attained enlightenment, often using the four verses at the beginning of the sutra to explain the essentials of the mind. Su Shi had studied under Mr. Zhang for thirty years. In the second month of this year, he passed through Nandu and visited Mr. Zhang at his private residence. Mr. Zhang was seventy-nine years old at the time, and he had seen through the destruction of worldly illusions, and the light of wisdom was shining brightly, while Su Shi was also old and troubled, and all kinds of thoughts had turned cold. Mr. Zhang thought that Su Shi was someone who could be taught, so he gave him this sutra, and took out 300,000 coins to have it printed and distributed in the Jianghuai area. And the elder Foyin, Master Liaoyuan of Jinshan Temple, said: 'Printing and distribution have an end, but if it is written and engraved, then there is no end.' So Su Shi wrote this sutra, and Liaoyuan sent his attendant Xiaoji to Qiantang to find good craftsmen to engrave the printing plates, so this sutra became a permanent possession of Jinshan Temple. September 9th, the eighth year of Yuanfeng *Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra*, Volume 1 Translated by Guṇabhadra, Tripiṭaka Master of the Song Dynasty from India Chapter 1: All Buddha Words on Mind, Part 1 of 1 Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on the summit of Laṅka Mountain on the shore of the Southern Sea, adorned with various precious flowers, together with a large assembly of monks and great bodhisattvas, who had come from various different Buddha-fields. These bodhisattva-mahāsattvas possessed the power of unlimited samādhis, and were engaged in supernatural play. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva Mahāmati was their leader. All the Buddhas had sprinkled water on their heads to empower them, and they were able to manifest realms from their own minds, and were skilled in understanding their meaning. Various beings, various minds and forms, countless gates of liberation, universally manifested according to the categories of beings. Regarding the five dharmas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 自性、识、二种无我，究竟通达。
Chinese
尔时大慧菩萨与摩帝菩萨，俱游一切诸佛刹土，承佛神力，从坐而起偏袒右肩，右膝着地，合掌恭敬，以偈赞曰： “世间离生灭， 犹如虚空华， 智不得有无， 而兴大悲心。 一切法如幻， 远离于心识， 智不得有无， 而兴大悲心。 远离于断常， 世间恒如梦， 智不得有无， 而兴大悲心。 知人法无我， 烦恼及尔炎， 常清净无相， 而兴大悲心。 一切无涅槃， 无有涅槃佛， 无有佛涅槃， 远离觉所觉。 若有若无有， 是二悉俱离， 牟尼寂静观， 是则远离生， 是名为不取， 今世后世净。” 尔时大慧菩萨偈赞佛已，自说姓名： “我名为大慧， 通达于大乘， 今以百八义， 仰咨尊中上。” 世间解之士， 闻彼所说偈， 观察一切众， 告诸佛子言： “汝等诸佛子， 今皆恣所问， 我当为汝说， 自觉之境界。” 尔时大慧菩萨摩诃萨，承佛所听，顶礼佛足，合掌恭敬以偈问曰： “云何净其念？ 云何念增长？ 云何见痴惑？ 云何惑增长？ 何故刹土化， 相及诸外道？ 云何无受欲？ 何故名无受？ 何故 现代汉语译本 自性（Sva-lakshana，事物自身独有的特性）、识（Vijnana，意识）、二种无我（Dvi-vidha-nairatmya，人无我和法无我），究竟通达。 这时，大慧菩萨（Mahamati Bodhisattva）与摩帝菩萨（Mati Bodhisattva），一同游历一切诸佛的刹土（Buddha-kshetra，佛的国土），凭借佛的神力，从座位上站起来，袒露右肩，右膝着地，合掌恭敬，用偈颂赞叹道： ‘世间远离生灭，犹如虚空中的花朵， 智慧无法执着于有或无，却兴起广大的慈悲心。 一切法都如幻象，远离于心和意识， 智慧无法执着于有或无，却兴起广大的慈悲心。 远离断灭和永恒，世间恒常如梦境， 智慧无法执着于有或无，却兴起广大的慈悲心。 了知人无我（Pudgala-nairatmya，没有永恒不变的自我）和法无我（Dharma-nairatmya，一切事物没有独立自存的实体），烦恼和欲望的火焰， 恒常清净而无形相，却兴起广大的慈悲心。 一切都没有涅槃（Nirvana，寂灭），没有涅槃的佛， 没有佛的涅槃，远离能觉知的和被觉知的。 若说有或说无有，这两种说法都远离， 牟尼（Muni，圣人）寂静的观照，这就是远离生死， 这被称为不执取，今生和来世都清净。’ 这时，大慧菩萨用偈颂赞叹佛后，自报姓名： ‘我的名字叫大慧，通达于大乘（Mahayana，佛教宗派之一）， 现在用一百零八个义理，恭敬地请教您这位尊者中的至上者。’ 世间解脱之士，听到他们所说的偈颂， 观察一切大众，告诉各位佛子说： ‘你们这些佛子，现在都可以随意发问， 我将为你们解说，自觉的境界。’ 这时，大慧菩萨摩诃萨（Mahamati Bodhisattva-Mahasattva），蒙受佛的允许，顶礼佛足，合掌恭敬地用偈颂问道： ‘如何清净自己的念头？如何使念头增长？ 如何见到愚痴迷惑？如何使迷惑增长？ 为何刹土（Buddha-kshetra，佛的国土）会变化，显现各种形相以及诸外道（Tirthika，佛教以外的修行者）的观点？ 如何才能没有欲望的感受？为何称为没有感受？’ 为何
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English version Perfectly comprehending Sva-lakshana (self-nature, the unique characteristic of a thing), Vijnana (consciousness), and Dvi-vidha-nairatmya (the two kinds of selflessness: the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena). At that time, Mahamati Bodhisattva and Mati Bodhisattva, traveling together through all the Buddha-kshetras (Buddha-fields, Buddha-lands), by the power of the Buddha, arose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, knelt on their right knees, and with palms joined in reverence, praised in verse: 'The world is apart from origination and destruction, Like a flower in the sky, Wisdom does not grasp being or non-being, Yet great compassion arises. All dharmas are like illusions, Far removed from mind and consciousness, Wisdom does not grasp being or non-being, Yet great compassion arises. Far removed from annihilation and permanence, The world is ever like a dream, Wisdom does not grasp being or non-being, Yet great compassion arises. Knowing the selflessness of persons (Pudgala-nairatmya, no permanent self) and the selflessness of dharmas (Dharma-nairatmya, no independent existence of phenomena), Afflictions and the flames of desire, Are ever pure and without form, Yet great compassion arises. There is no Nirvana (extinction), There is no Buddha in Nirvana, There is no Nirvana of the Buddha, Far removed from the perceived and the perceiver. If there is being or non-being, Both of these are utterly abandoned, The Muni's (sage's) tranquil contemplation, Is thus far removed from birth, This is called non-grasping, Pure in this life and the next.' Then, after Mahamati Bodhisattva had praised the Buddha in verse, he declared his name: 'My name is Mahamati, I am versed in the Mahayana (Great Vehicle, a branch of Buddhism), Now with one hundred and eight meanings, I respectfully inquire of the highest among the venerable.' The world-knowing one, Having heard the verses spoken by them, Observing all the assembly, Addressed the Buddha-sons: 'You, all Buddha-sons, Now may ask whatever you wish, I shall explain to you, The realm of self-realization.' Then, Mahamati Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, having received the Buddha's permission, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and with palms joined in reverence, asked in verse: 'How is thought purified? How is thought increased? How is delusion seen? How is delusion increased? Why do Buddha-kshetras (Buddha-fields, Buddha-lands) transform, showing various forms and the views of the Tirthikas (non-Buddhists, those outside of Buddhism)? How is there no sensation of desire? Why is it called no sensation?' Why