Chinese
大正藏第 85 册 No. 2775 维摩疏释前小序抄 No. 2775 [cf. No. 2777] 维摩疏释前小序抄 将释序文分为二。初明教兴次第。二明述释所以。初中所以先明次第者。且教起西方既先三后一。法传东夏亦自浅而深。入海之喻可明。微发之言斯在。然其次第文即为三。初四句叙教兴源起。二爰及下明古译未融。三自秦下显慈经理诣。此初也。 昔汉明中法教始流于䓗左者。谓汉明帝永平年中。迦叶摩腾竺法兰从月处国初将经像。自彼䓗岭来传此国。居䓗岭之来故曰始流于䓗左 肇建塔像翻尚阻者。肇始也。建立也。塔者梵音塔婆。此云庙。白虎通云。庙貌也。谓安先祖之貌也。新云。窣堵波。此云高胜。像者似也。谓刻錭绘书像佛形仪。阻者隔也。盖取未通之义。谓圣教初流凡情久昧。即传奥旨取信诚难故先建塔像。及译四十二章经。使知因果修崇有在为传通渐也。塔像之始故云肇建。未广翻传故云尚阻。故周书异记云。世尊出现天竺中天也。生在迦维卫城。降诞之时地六振动江河泛涨井泉皆溢。五色光气入贯太微遍于此土。当周照王即位至二十四年甲寅之岁有此瑞相。昭王曰。于天下如何苏由。答曰。即今无他千戴之后声教彼此。遂勒石为铭 现代汉语译本 大正藏第 85 册 No. 2775 《维摩疏释前小序抄》 No. 2775 [cf. No. 2777] 《维摩疏释前小序抄》 将解释序文分为两部分。首先阐明教义兴起的次第，其次阐明撰写疏释的原因。在第一部分中，之所以先阐明次第，是因为教义在西方兴起，先有三乘后有一乘；佛法传入东土，也是由浅入深。可以用入海的比喻来说明，精微的阐发就在这里。然而，这个次第在文中分为三点。首先四句叙述教义兴起的源头，其次从‘爰及下’开始说明古代的翻译不够圆融，再次从‘自秦下’开始彰显慈愍的经营和精深。这是第一点。 ‘昔汉明中法教始流于䓗左者’，指的是汉明帝永平年间，迦叶摩腾（Kāśyapa Mātanga，古印度僧人）和竺法兰（Dharmaratna，古印度僧人）从月氏国（Yuezhi，古代中亚国家）首次将佛经和佛像带来。因为他们从葱岭（Pamir Mountains）而来，所以说‘始流于䓗左’。‘肇建塔像翻尚阻者’，‘肇’是开始，‘建’是建立。‘塔’是梵语‘塔婆’（stūpa）的音译，这里指庙宇。《白虎通》中说，庙宇是祖先的容貌。新译为‘窣堵波’（stūpa），意思是高胜。‘像’是相似的意思，指雕刻、绘画佛的形象和仪容。‘阻’是阻隔，取未通达之义。意思是说，圣教初传，凡人的情识还很愚昧，要传达深奥的旨意，取得信任确实很难，所以先建立塔和佛像，以及翻译《四十二章经》，使人们知道因果报应，修行有所依据，这是为了逐渐传播。因为塔和佛像是开始建立的，所以说‘肇建’，因为没有广泛翻译传播，所以说‘尚阻’。所以《周书异记》中说，世尊（Śākyamuni，释迦牟尼佛）出现在天竺（India，古代印度）的中天，出生在迦维卫城（Kapilavastu，释迦牟尼的故乡）。降生之时，大地六种震动，江河泛滥，井泉都溢出。五色光气贯入太微星，遍及此土。当周昭王即位至二十四年甲寅之岁，有此瑞相。昭王问：‘对天下如何？’苏由回答说：‘现在没有其他，千年之后声教彼此。’于是勒石为铭。
English
English version T85 No. 2775 A Copy of the Small Preface to the Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sutra No. 2775 [cf. No. 2777] A Copy of the Small Preface to the Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sutra The explanation of the preface will be divided into two parts. First, to clarify the order of the rise of the teachings; second, to clarify the reasons for writing the commentary. In the first part, the reason for clarifying the order first is that the teachings arose in the West, first the Three Vehicles and then the One Vehicle; the Dharma was transmitted to the East, also from shallow to deep. The analogy of entering the sea can be used to illustrate this, and the subtle explanations are here. However, this order is divided into three points in the text. First, the four sentences narrate the origin of the rise of the teachings; second, starting from '爰及下' (yuan ji xia), it explains that the ancient translations were not yet fully integrated; third, starting from '自秦下' (zi Qin xia), it highlights the compassionate management and profoundness. This is the first point. '昔汉明中法教始流于䓗左者' (xi Han Ming zhong fa jiao shi liu yu Cong Zuo zhe) refers to the time of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, during the Yongping era, when Kāśyapa Mātanga (迦叶摩腾, ancient Indian monk) and Dharmaratna (竺法兰, ancient Indian monk) first brought scriptures and images from the Yuezhi (月氏, ancient Central Asian country). Because they came from the Pamir Mountains (葱岭), it is said that '始流于䓗左' (shi liu yu Cong Zuo) - 'it first flowed to Cong Zuo'. '肇建塔像翻尚阻者' (zhao jian ta xiang fan shang zu zhe), '肇' (zhao) means beginning, '建' (jian) means to establish. '塔' (ta) is the transliteration of the Sanskrit word 'stūpa' (塔婆), here referring to temples. The *Baihutong* (《白虎通》) says that temples are the appearances of ancestors. The new translation is 'stūpa' (窣堵波), meaning high and superior. '像' (xiang) means likeness, referring to carving and painting the images and appearances of the Buddha. '阻' (zu) means obstruction, taking the meaning of not yet being understood. It means that when the holy teachings were first transmitted, the emotions of ordinary people were still ignorant. To convey profound meanings and gain trust was indeed difficult, so first, pagodas and images were built, and the *Sutra of Forty-two Chapters* was translated, so that people would know about cause and effect, and have a basis for cultivation. This was for gradual propagation. Because the pagodas and images were first built, it is said '肇建' (zhao jian) - 'first built'. Because it was not widely translated and propagated, it is said '尚阻' (shang zu) - 'still obstructed'. Therefore, the *Zhou Shu Yi Ji* (《周书异记》) says that the World-Honored One (Śākyamuni, 释迦牟尼佛) appeared in central India (天竺), born in Kapilavastu (迦维卫城, Śākyamuni's hometown). At the time of his birth, the earth shook in six ways, the rivers overflowed, and the wells all overflowed. Five-colored light penetrated the Taiwei star and spread throughout this land. When King Zhao of Zhou ascended the throne to the twenty-fourth year of Jia Yin, there was this auspicious sign. King Zhao asked, 'How will this affect the world?' Su You replied, 'There is nothing else now, but after a thousand years, the teachings will be mutually beneficial.' Therefore, an inscription was carved in stone. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
埋于南郊天祠之前。又经二十七年。昭王崩。穆王立。即位五十二年壬申之岁。地六振动。诸河返流。黑云四起。恶兽哮吼。西方有白。穆王怪异问。太吏官扈多答曰。此是西方圣人入灭相也。穆王曰。常恐此人吞并我国。今已灭矣。朕何忧哉。昭王二十七年穆王五十二年计七十九年世尊在世方般涅槃。大唐内典录云。教流源起𥦽本姬周秦正殄之遗踪。间出刘向校书。天阁往往见有佛经依此校量不至汉明之代。今叙中兴之始起。于后汉孝明帝永平七年夜梦金人。殿庭集议。傅毅奉对。臣闻西方有圣。其名为佛。陛下所见将必是乎。遂乃遣使中郎秦景博士王道等一十一人。往适天竺。于月支国请迦叶摩腾竺法兰。写得经像载以白马。至永平十年还达洛阳。立白马寺。振旦佛法从此而兴。则摩腾法兰二人汉地僧之首。所将之像像之初。所译四十二章经经之祖。立白马寺寺之先。及僧会游吴折得舍利。因兹建塔。塔之始也。上来所叙教兴源起竟。 从此第二明古译未融 爰及魏晋创启宣传者。爰于也魏有四所。谓前后东西。前魏曹操之子曹丕睹都洛阳。后魏招拔圭等都平阳。东魏清河王旦之子等邺。西魏宇文泰等都长安。金举前魏也。晋有二。西晋司马炎等都平阳。东晋王睿等都邺。今言西晋也。创者初也。启者开也 现代汉语译本：埋葬在南郊天坛之前。又过了二十七年，昭王驾崩，穆王即位。穆王即位第五十二年壬申那一年，发生大地震动，各条河流倒流，黑色云彩四起，凶恶的野兽吼叫。西方出现白光。穆王觉得奇怪，询问太史官扈多，扈多回答说：‘这是西方圣人涅槃的征兆。’穆王说：‘我常常担心这个人会吞并我国，现在他已经圆寂了，我还有什么可担心的呢？’从昭王二十七年到穆王五十二年，总共七十九年，世尊（释迦牟尼佛）在世并入涅槃。大唐内典录记载说，佛教流传的源头可以追溯到姬周时期，秦朝时期佛教的遗迹已经很少了。偶尔刘向在天禄阁校书时，还能看到一些佛经，依据这些佛经进行校对，可以知道佛教传入中国不会晚于汉明帝时期。现在叙述佛教中兴的开始，是从后汉孝明帝永平七年开始，明帝夜里梦见金人，在朝廷上召集大臣商议。傅毅回答说：‘臣听说西方有圣人，他的名字叫佛，陛下所见到的，大概就是他吧。’于是派遣使者中郎秦景、博士王道等十一人，前往天竺（古印度）。在月支国（古国名）请来了迦叶摩腾（Kāśyapa Mātanga，古印度僧人）和竺法兰（Dharmaratna，古印度僧人），抄写了经书和佛像，用白马驮着，到永平十年返回洛阳，建立了白马寺。中国的佛法从此兴盛。那么，迦叶摩腾和竺法兰二人，是汉地僧人的开端；他们带来的佛像，是佛像的开端；他们翻译的《四十二章经》，是经书的开端；建立的白马寺，是寺庙的开端。后来僧会（Kang Senghui，康僧会）游历吴地，得到佛舍利，因此建造佛塔，这是佛塔的开端。以上所叙述的是佛教兴起的源头。 从此第二，说明古代翻译不够完善。从魏晋时期开始，才开始有人进行佛教的宣传。这里说的魏有四处，指的是前魏、后魏、东魏、西魏。前魏曹操的儿子曹丕定都洛阳。后魏拓跋珪等定都平阳。东魏清河王亶的儿子等定都邺城。西魏宇文泰等定都长安。这里指的是前魏。晋朝有两处，西晋司马炎等定都平阳，东晋王睿等定都邺城。现在说的是西晋。‘创’是开始的意思，‘启’是开启的意思。
English
English version: It was buried before the Heavenly Shrine in the southern suburbs. After another twenty-seven years, King Zhao passed away, and King Mu ascended the throne. In the fifty-second year of King Mu's reign, the year of Ren Shen, there was a great earthquake, and all the rivers flowed backward. Black clouds arose from all directions, and ferocious beasts roared. A white light appeared in the west. King Mu felt strange and asked the Grand Historian Hu Duo, who replied, 'This is a sign of the Parinirvana of a sage in the West.' King Mu said, 'I have always feared that this person would annex our country, but now that he has passed away, what do I have to worry about?' From the twenty-seventh year of King Zhao to the fifty-second year of King Mu, a total of seventy-nine years, the World Honored One (Shakyamuni Buddha) lived and entered Parinirvana. The Great Tang Inner Canon Records state that the origin of the spread of Buddhism can be traced back to the Ji Zhou period, and the traces of Buddhism during the Qin Dynasty were already scarce. Occasionally, when Liu Xiang was proofreading books in the Tianlu Pavilion, he could still see some Buddhist scriptures. Based on these scriptures, it can be known that the introduction of Buddhism into China would not be later than the reign of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty. Now, the beginning of the revival of Buddhism is described, starting from the seventh year of Yongping during the reign of Emperor Xiaoming of the Later Han Dynasty. Emperor Ming dreamed of a golden man at night and summoned ministers to discuss in the court. Fu Yi replied, 'I have heard that there is a sage in the West whose name is Buddha. What Your Majesty has seen is probably him.' Thereupon, he sent the envoy Qin Jing, the scholar Wang Dao, and eleven others to Tianzhu (ancient India). In the Yuezhi Kingdom (an ancient kingdom), they invited Kāśyapa Mātanga (迦叶摩腾, an ancient Indian monk) and Dharmaratna (竺法兰, an ancient Indian monk), copied scriptures and Buddhist images, and carried them on white horses. In the tenth year of Yongping, they returned to Luoyang and established the White Horse Temple. Chinese Buddhism has flourished since then. So, Kāśyapa Mātanga and Dharmaratna were the pioneers of monks in the Han land; the Buddhist images they brought were the beginning of Buddhist images; the Forty-Two Chapter Sutra they translated was the beginning of scriptures; and the White Horse Temple they established was the beginning of temples. Later, Kang Senghui (康僧会) traveled to the Wu region and obtained Buddha's relics, and therefore built a pagoda, which was the beginning of pagodas. The above describes the origin of the rise of Buddhism. From here, secondly, it explains that the ancient translations were not perfect. It was not until the Wei and Jin Dynasties that people began to promote Buddhism. The Wei mentioned here refers to four places: the Former Wei, the Later Wei, the Eastern Wei, and the Western Wei. Cao Pi, the son of Cao Cao of the Former Wei, established his capital in Luoyang. Tuoba Gui and others of the Later Wei established their capital in Pingyang. The son of Prince Dan of Qinghe of the Eastern Wei and others established their capital in Ye City. Yuwen Tai and others of the Western Wei established their capital in Chang'an. This refers to the Former Wei. There were two Jin dynasties: Sima Yan and others of the Western Jin established their capital in Pingyang, and Wang Rui and others of the Eastern Jin established their capital in Ye City. Now we are talking about the Western Jin. 'Chuang' (创) means beginning, and 'Qi' (启) means opening. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。宣谓宣说。传谓传通。所谓愿自我口畅之彼心为宣。流演圆通无系于一人名传通也 通而所出诸经犹词疏理蹇者。疏谓疏远。蹇难如译法业云。人见天见人理。虽诸失于文此词疏也。如译此经云。不来相为辱来。不见相为相见。言虽文而失于理。此理建也。皆词句疏野道理蹇涩。或文或质未契圣心故曰也 盖习学者未融于大观。盖者发之端。亦云。不定之辞。融者会也。大观者谓大乘正观也。谓境亡心寂无相无名。无名故言语道断。无相故心行处灭。故肇法师云。口欲言而词丧。心欲缘而虑亡。此无常苦空为小。中道正观为大。传译者阙通于方方言。梵僧创至未方言。致使经文词疏理滞。此四句译上疏蹇所以。由阙通方言故所以词疏。未融大观故所以理蹇。既为大法𣷽微未可量其得失 为者作也。作佛法之由渐如河源之滥觞。又为者以也大法者大乘法也。理极无上曰大。轨生初解为法明。此大法能轨物心生正解也。𣷽滥者𣷽𨳝也。微者微浅。此明魏晋之时教传未久。其犹甘译。初降𣷽𨳝犹微。所译诸经言得未为得言失未为失。如美玉偏照。若明珠半瑕故曰未可量其得失。 从此第三显经理诣 自秦弘始三年冬罗什入关者自从也。秦有四。一亡秦。即秦始皇等都雍。二前秦即苻坚等睹都长安。三后秦即姚兴等都 现代汉语译本：宣，意为宣说；传，意为传通。所谓‘愿自我口畅之彼心’为宣，即希望通过我的口来畅达佛的心意。流布演化，圆融通达，不局限于一人，名为传通。通达之后所出的诸经，仍然存在词句疏远、义理艰涩的情况。疏，意为疏远；蹇，意为艰难。例如译经的法则中说：‘人见天见人理’，即使文字上没有缺失，也属于词句疏远。例如翻译此经时说：‘不来相为辱来，不见相为相见’，言语虽然华丽，但失去了义理，这就是义理艰涩。这些都属于词句疏野、道理艰涩，或者文辞或者内容未能契合佛的心意，所以这样说。大概是学习的人未能融会贯通于大乘正观。‘盖’是发语词，也表示不确定的语气。‘融’是会通的意思。‘大观’指的是大乘正观，即境亡心寂，无相无名。因为无名，所以言语道断；因为无相，所以心行处灭。所以肇法师说：‘口欲言而词丧，心欲缘而虑亡。’认为无常、苦、空是小乘，中道正观是大乘。传译的人缺少对各地语言的精通，梵僧初来乍到，不熟悉当地语言，导致经文词句疏远、义理滞涩。这四句解释了翻译上的疏远和艰涩的原因，因为缺少对各地语言的精通，所以词句疏远；因为未能融会贯通大乘正观，所以义理艰涩。既然是为了弘扬大法，即使有细微的不足，也难以衡量其中的得失。‘为’是作为的意思，佛法的兴起如同河源的细流。‘为’也可以解释为‘以’，大法指的是大乘佛法，义理至高无上称为‘大’，能引导众生生起最初的理解称为‘法’，这种大法能够引导众生的心，生起正确的理解。‘𣷽滥’是𣷽𨳝的意思，‘微’是微小浅薄的意思。这说明魏晋时期佛法传入不久，就像甘甜的泉水刚刚涌出，还很微弱。所翻译的各种经典，言语上的得失难以衡量，就像美玉有瑕疵，明珠有污点，所以说难以衡量其中的得失。 从此第三部分，阐明了经文的义理和精妙之处。自从秦弘始三年冬天，鸠摩罗什（Kumarajiva）（译经大师）进入关中地区开始。秦朝有四个：一是亡秦，即秦始皇（Qin Shi Huang）等定都雍地；二是前秦，即苻坚（Fu Jian）等定都长安；三是后秦，即姚兴（Yao Xing）等定都