English
'Child, joyfully receive and practice. The four assemblies are monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen (referring to the four groups of Buddhist followers: monks, nuns, male lay devotees, and female lay devotees). Some say, 'gods, dragons, and ghosts (referring to the eight classes of supernatural beings),' the doubt exists, so both are retained. However, all living beings rely on them, so the kindness of parents is equal to heaven and earth. Although this is the utmost filial piety, it has not found the right path. Now, receiving this divine method, I believe in its efficacy, and it will surely remove the calamities of seven lifetimes and repay the hard work of both parents. Knowing in my heart where to go, I joyfully accept this command.' The End of the Lower Volume of the Commentary on the Buddha Speaks the Ullambana Sutra The Commentary on the Ullambana Sutra by Chan Master Guifeng (Chan Master Zongmi of the Guifeng school in the Tang Dynasty). He combined the essential words of filial piety to annotate the sutra, widely clarifying the true filial piety of the Buddhist tradition, enabling scholars to find the way to repay their parents, not falling into heterodox views or side paths, and entering the supreme vehicle of Buddhism. Therefore, eminent monks of past dynasties, on the day of self-surrender, guided monks and laypeople to set up Ullambana assemblies as rafts for delivering relatives, truly following this sutra commentary. Jiqing and Xu Xudong, a licentiate, formed a Dharma propagation assembly and collected officials and laypeople to continue printing the book. Among the three hundred volumes, this commentary was not yet engraved. Li Taipu donated funds to engrave the plates. I examined the Northern and Southern Canons, and the wording was different. Now, I am engraving it according to the Dingben version of Master Yunqi. The master's division of sections and programs is unique, but the errors in the Northern and Southern versions are too numerous to record. I respectfully write a few words in the postscript, so that readers not only recognize the differences in wording but also, perhaps by seeing the moon through the finger, understand the Buddha's great filial piety and the meaning of repaying kindness. This is my wish. Written by Shramana Jiqing of Xueshan Mountain in Chishui, Guizhou. Brief Biography of the Author of the Commentary (According to the Essential Excerpts from the Biography of the Lamp by Xiaoheng) Chan Master Zongmi of Guifeng Mountain in Zhongnan Mountain (a Chan master of the Tang Dynasty) was a native of Xichong County, Guozhou. His surname was He. He was born in the first year of Jianzhong in the Tang Dynasty. As a child, he was well-versed in Confucian books, and at the age of twenty, he explored Buddhist scriptures. In the second year of Yuanhe, he was about to go to the imperial examination when he happened to visit the Dharma seat of the Venerable Daoyuan in Suizhou. He was delighted and in harmony with it, so he sought ordination. He received full ordination that year and transmitted the seal of the mind. He also visited famous and capable people extensively to broaden his knowledge and views. He wrote commentaries and subcommentaries on the Yuanjue, Huayan, Nirvana, Vajra, Qixin, Weishi, Ullambana, Fajie Guan, and Xingyuan Sutras. He also compiled the Zen sayings of various schools into the Chan Yuan Quan, as well as correspondence, verses, discussions, etc., totaling over a hundred volumes, and --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
传于世。文宗太和中。诏入内赐紫。累问法要。朝士倾慕。寻请归山。至会昌元年正月六日。于兴福塔院坐灭。四众哀泣喧野。奉全身于圭峰。茶毗得舍利数十粒。明白润大。藏之石室。世寿六十二。僧腊三十四。宣宗追谥定慧禅师。塔曰青莲。尝有偈云。作有义事。是惺悟心。作无义事。是狂乱心。狂乱随情念。临终被业牵。惺悟不繇情。临终能转业。 现代汉语译本：将他的事迹传于后世。唐文宗太和年间，奉诏入宫，皇帝赐予紫衣。文宗屡次询问佛法要义，朝中人士都倾心仰慕。不久，他请求返回山林。唐武宗会昌元年正月六日，在兴福塔院坐化圆寂。四众弟子悲哀哭泣，声音响彻原野。将他的全身供奉于圭峰，荼毗（火化）后得到舍利数十粒，晶莹透亮，温润硕大，藏于石室之中。世寿六十二岁，僧腊（出家年龄）三十四年。唐宣宗追谥为定慧禅师，塔名为青莲。他曾作偈语说：‘做有意义的事情，是清醒觉悟的心；做没有意义的事情，是疯狂散乱的心。疯狂散乱的心随着情感念头，临终时会被业力牵引；清醒觉悟的心不被情感左右，临终时能够转变业力。’ 注： 文宗（唐文宗，Tang Wenzong）：唐朝皇帝。 太和（Taihe）：唐文宗的年号。 紫（zi）：紫色僧衣，由皇帝赐予，象征着荣誉。 法要（fayao）：佛法要义。 会昌（Huichang）：唐武宗的年号。 兴福塔院（Xingfu Pagoda Temple）：寺院名。 坐灭（zuomie）：僧人坐禅圆寂。 四众（sizhong）：比丘、比丘尼、优婆塞、优婆夷。 圭峰（Guifeng）：山名。 茶毗（chapi）：火葬。 舍利（sheli）：佛教徒火葬后遗留的结晶体。 石室（shishi）：石头的房间。 世寿（shishou）：世俗年龄。 僧腊（sengla）：出家受戒后的年龄。 宣宗（Xuanzong）：唐宣宗，Tang Xuanzong。 定慧禅师（Dinghui Chanshi）：谥号。 青莲（Qinglian）：塔名。 偈（jie）：偈语，佛教诗歌。
English
English version: His deeds were passed down to posterity. During the Taihe period of Emperor Wenzong (Tang Wenzong) of the Tang Dynasty, he was summoned to the palace and bestowed with a purple robe by the emperor. Emperor Wenzong repeatedly inquired about the essentials of the Dharma (fayao), and the officials of the court admired him wholeheartedly. Soon after, he requested to return to the mountains and forests. On the sixth day of the first month of the Huichang (Huichang) era, the first year of Emperor Wuzong (Tang Wuzong), he passed away in seated meditation at Xingfu Pagoda Temple (Xingfu Pagoda Temple). The fourfold assembly (sizhong) of disciples wept in sorrow, their cries resounding through the fields. His entire body was enshrined at Guifeng (Guifeng), and after cremation (chapi), dozens of relics (sheli), clear and lustrous, warm and large, were obtained and stored in a stone chamber (shishi). His earthly life was sixty-two years, and his monastic age (sengla) was thirty-four years. Emperor Xuanzong (Xuanzong) posthumously conferred upon him the title of Chan Master Dinghui (Dinghui Chanshi), and the pagoda was named Qinglian (Qinglian). He once composed a verse (jie) saying: 'To do meaningful deeds is the mind of awakening; to do meaningless deeds is the mind of madness. The mind of madness follows emotions and thoughts; at the end of life, it will be dragged by karma. The mind of awakening is not swayed by emotions; at the end of life, it can transform karma.' Notes: Wenzong (Tang Wenzong): Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Taihe (Taihe): Reign era of Emperor Wenzong of the Tang Dynasty. Zi: Purple monastic robe, bestowed by the emperor, symbolizing honor. Fayao: Essentials of the Dharma. Huichang (Huichang): Reign era of Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty. Xingfu Pagoda Temple (Xingfu Pagoda Temple): Name of a temple. Zuomie: Passing away in seated meditation. Sizhong: The fourfold assembly: monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Guifeng (Guifeng): Name of a mountain. Chapi: Cremation. Sheli: Crystalline remains left after the cremation of a Buddhist. Shishi: Stone chamber. Shishou: Earthly age. Sengla: Monastic age after ordination. Xuanzong (Xuanzong): Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. Dinghui Chanshi: Posthumous title. Qinglian: Name of the pagoda. Jie: Verse, Buddhist poetry. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------