English
English version In the eighth year, when the Taisui (Jupiter) was in the position of Chunhuo (one of the twelve zodiacal divisions), the year star was in the Wu position, corresponding to 'Dunjiang' (the name of Taisui in Wu). When the moon is in the Wu position, it is called Chunhuo. This is because the year is named after the zodiacal division. These are from the 'Erya'. The person appointed as General Changshan Duke was Yao Song (personal name). The Ancheng Marquis was Yao Xian (personal name). Changshan and Ancheng were the fiefs they were granted. Duke and Marquis are two of the five ranks of nobility: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. Here, their conferred titles are mentioned. At the Changan Great Temple (temple name), the Qin ruler avoided the character 'Chang' because he was the son of Yao Chang (personal name), so it was called 'Chang'. This refers to the place where Buddhist scriptures were translated. The Great Temple is another place. That is, the Caotang Temple, because the roof was covered with grass, it is called Caotang. The place where many monks gathered is called the Great Temple. These were all contemporary names, not the original names. Together with the Yixue Shamen (monks proficient in Buddhist doctrines), select those who understand good principles, and choose from the rest of the learners. That is, Sheng Zhao (monk's name), Rong (monk's name), Rui (monk's name), Ping (monk's name), Ying (monk's name), Yan Guan (monk's name), and others, a total of one thousand two hundred people, were all outstanding figures of the time. Each of them expounded great deeds and the situation in the Western Regions, inviting Kumarajiva (a great translator of scriptures, referred to as Master Shi later) to translate Buddhist scriptures, and so on. Detailed information is recorded in copies and biographies. From here, the third part explains those who are capable of translating. It is divided into two parts. First, listing the people and praising their virtues, and then explaining the significance of translating Buddhist scriptures. First is Master Shi's name. 'With the measure of surpassing the world', etc., is to praise their virtues. That is, their wisdom and capacity are high and far-reaching, surpassing the world, so it is said. 'Meditating on the realm of truth' means that the mind is in harmony with the truth. 'Having exhausted the ring' means that wisdom has exhausted the true nature of reality. Just as Zhuangzi said: 'Investigating the beginning of things, one can obtain its ring, thereby responding to infinite changes.' Zhuangzi takes right and wrong as a cycle, while here, the place where right and wrong are cut off is taken as the ring. Now, his words are borrowed to clarify the true nature of reality. 'Also good at dialects' means that they are good at understanding both Sanskrit and Chinese. From here, the second part explains the significance of translating Buddhist scriptures. 'At that time, holding the Hu text in hand, he proclaimed and translated it himself.' Hu text refers to Sanskrit scriptures. Saying that it inherits the teachings of Brahma, the text has errors. Therefore, the venerable of the Nanshan Vinaya School said: 'It is only a stone from Mount Kunlun.' Master Shi was proficient in both languages, so he personally translated orally. 'The Daoists and laity were reverent', Daoists refers to the Yixue Shamen, and laity refers to Confucian scholars. They are all people who participated in verifying the meaning. 'Qianqian' means reverence. 'Repeating the words' expresses a sincere and respectful heart. 'Repeating one word three times' means to repeatedly examine its meaning. Therefore, the 'Analects' says that the southern guest repeated the word 'white' three times. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
圭故云白圭之点尚可磨。斯言之点不可为。故读诗至此皆三复也。今取彼言耳。谓文诠正理用轨物。心得意则道果由成。失旨则诸见从起。故须三复也 陶冶精求粉存圣意者。合土日陶。镕金名冶。此喻也。如陶师之埏填简除沙卤。若金师之镕铸直取精纯。故能成其器用也。今亦如是简去繁言直诠圣旨以成无上法宝也。此明译经之意也。从此第四所译法 其文约而诣其旨婉而彰者。约谓省约。诣谓至也。此明文虽省约而理诣实相。旨婉而彰者意也。婉顺也。彰明也。即如智度菩萨母等偈。意则婉顺理。又彰明前序。明古人未融大观故理蹇阙。通方言故词疏。今以什公尽环中故旨婉而彰。善方言故文约而诣故 微远之言于兹显然。微谓幽微也。老子云。搏之不得名曰微也。远谓深远。显然者明也。此明实相之理。虽深固幽远。然由翻译得旨遂使显然。此爰翻传之得意也。从此第四彰注解所以。翻译既明理虽易见。传之未悟犹恐难通。故须注解以开后学。文二。初述谦辞。二明注意 初中余以闇短者余我也。以为也。闇谓愚闇。短谓短浅也 时预听次者。谓参预也。什法师译经之时。随讲肇公亲承德音。故云时预听次也 虽思乏参玄者。思者智思也。乏者少也。参者涉也。玄者实相理也。谓心不悟理故云也 然粗得文意者 现代汉语译本： 圭璧的污点尚且可以磨去，但这些话语中的精髓是不可磨灭的。所以读到这些诗句时，都要反复研读。现在我只是借用他们的话语，意思是说，用文字来诠释正理，用正理来规范事物，心中领悟了，就能成就道果；如果失去了宗旨，各种错误的见解就会产生，所以必须反复研读。这是说要像陶匠和冶金匠一样，精益求精，只留下圣人的真意。陶匠和泥，去除沙土杂质；冶金匠熔炼金属，只取精华。这都是比喻。就像陶匠揉泥，去除沙土；金匠熔金，只取精纯，这样才能制成器物。现在也是这样，删繁就简，直接诠释圣人的旨意，以成就无上的法宝。这是说明翻译佛经的意义。从这里开始是第四部分，说明翻译的方法。 其文辞简约而意义精到，其旨意委婉而明白。‘约’是简约，‘诣’是精到。这是说明文字虽然简约，但道理却精到真实。‘旨意委婉而明白’，是说意义委婉顺畅而又明白显着。例如《智度论》、《菩萨母经》等偈颂，意义委婉顺畅，道理又明白显着。前序说明古人未能融会贯通，所以道理有所缺失；因为不精通方言，所以文辞疏漏。现在因为鸠摩罗什（Kumarajiva）大师完全领悟了佛理，所以旨意委婉而明白；因为精通方言，所以文辞简约而精到。 幽微深远的道理在这里变得显而易见。‘微’是幽微，老子说：‘探寻它却不可得，就叫做微。’‘远’是深远，‘显然’是明白。这是说明实相的道理，虽然深奥幽远，但通过正确的翻译，就能使它变得显而易见。这是赞扬翻译的成功。 从这里开始是第四部分，说明注解的原因。翻译已经明白，道理虽然容易理解，但对于没有领悟的人，仍然恐怕难以通达，所以需要注解来启发后来的学习者。分为两部分，首先是谦辞，然后是说明注意事项。 在第一部分中，‘我以愚昧浅薄’，‘余’就是‘我’，‘以’是‘认为’，‘闇’是愚昧，‘短’是浅薄。 ‘当时参与听讲’，是说参与。在鸠摩罗什（Kumarajiva）法师翻译佛经的时候，我跟随僧肇（Sengzhao）大师亲自聆听教诲，所以说‘当时参与听讲’。 ‘虽然思虑不足以参悟玄理’，‘思’是智思，‘乏’是缺少，‘参’是涉猎，‘玄’是实相的道理。这是说我心没有领悟真理。 ‘然而大致理解了文意’。
English
English version: The flaws in a jade tablet can still be polished away, but the essence of these words is indelible. Therefore, one must repeatedly study these verses. Now, I am merely borrowing their words, meaning that using words to interpret the correct principles, and using the correct principles to regulate things, if one comprehends in the heart, one can achieve the fruit of the Dao; if one loses the purpose, various erroneous views will arise, so one must repeatedly study them. This is saying that one should be like a potter and a metallurgist, striving for perfection and only retaining the true meaning of the sages. The potter mixes clay and removes sand and impurities; the metallurgist melts metal and only takes the essence. These are all metaphors. Just like a potter kneading clay, removing sand; a goldsmith melting gold, only taking the pure, so that they can make utensils. Now it is also like this, simplifying the complex and directly interpreting the meaning of the sages to achieve the supreme Dharma treasure. This explains the meaning of translating scriptures. From here begins the fourth part, explaining the method of translation. Its wording is concise and its meaning is precise, its purpose is tactful and clear. 'Concise' means simplified, 'precise' means accurate. This explains that although the words are concise, the principles are precise and true. 'The purpose is tactful and clear' means that the meaning is tactful and smooth and also clear and obvious. For example, the verses in the *Mahaprajnaparamita-sastra* (Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom) and the *Bodhisattva-matrika* (Mother of Bodhisattvas Sutra), the meaning is tactful and smooth, and the principles are clear and obvious. The preface explains that the ancients failed to integrate and understand, so the principles were lacking; because they were not proficient in dialects, the wording was flawed. Now, because Master Kumarajiva (Kumarajiva) has fully understood the Buddhist principles, the purpose is tactful and clear; because he is proficient in dialects, the wording is concise and precise. The subtle and profound principles become obvious here. 'Subtle' means profound, Lao Tzu said: 'Searching for it but not finding it is called subtle.' 'Profound' means deep, 'obvious' means clear. This explains that although the principles of reality are deep and profound, through correct translation, they can be made obvious. This is praising the success of the translation. From here begins the fourth part, explaining the reason for annotation. The translation is already clear, and although the principles are easy to understand, for those who have not understood, it is still feared that it will be difficult to comprehend, so annotation is needed to enlighten later learners. Divided into two parts, first is a humble statement, then is an explanation of the points to note. In the first part, 'I am foolish and shallow', 'I' is 'I', 'to consider' is 'to think', 'foolish' is ignorant, 'shallow' is superficial. ‘At that time, I participated in listening to the lectures’, means to participate. When Dharma Master Kumarajiva (Kumarajiva) was translating the scriptures, I followed Master Sengzhao (Sengzhao) to personally listen to the teachings, so I said 'At that time, I participated in listening to the lectures'. ‘Although my thoughts are insufficient to comprehend the profound principles’, ‘thought’ is intellectual thought, ‘lacking’ is lacking, ‘to participate’ is to dabble, ‘profound’ is the principle of reality. This is saying that my heart has not understood the truth. ‘However, I roughly understand the meaning of the text’. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。言虽非精诣而粗知指归耳 辄顺所闻为之注解者。辄谓自专也。为者作也。略记成言述而不作者。记谓记录。诚言有二。或作成字。成立此经。经之言或作诚字。成者实也当也。记什公诚当之言以解此经也 述而无作者。论语云。述而无作信而好古。意明唯圣作法余但述古人之言。非敢自作也。二明注解所意 庶将来君子异世同焉者。庶望也。将来谓当来也。君子简异小人。老子云。上士闻道勤而行之。中士闻道若存若亡。下士闻道而大笑之。小人既不能奉行。故但言君子。此言不必简弃意。欲劝勉令自强耳。异世同闻者虽现世未来时后俗易闻经证悟获益不殊故云也。余以大历二年春正月于资圣寺传经之次记其所闻以补多忘。庶来悟义伯无诮斐然矣。 崇福寺沙门体请记 释肇序略分四初通本迹分二初标名总叹初标名总叹二历法别明三总彰功益二历法别明初明妄计二总结彰非二别辨教兴分三初集同弘人二明所弘教分三初明本不思议二明迹不思议三明本迹合不思议三明经题目三明重译之由分四初明译经主分二初举人叹德二明重译之意二明译经时三明能译人分二初举人叹德二译经之意四明所译法四彰注解所以分二初述谦辞二明注意 现代汉语译本：我所说的虽然不够精深，但也大致了解了要旨。我之所以敢于根据所听闻的来做注解，是因为我自认为只是在记录前人的话语，而不是自己创作。‘记’是记录的意思。‘诚言’有两种含义：一是作成文字，成立这部经；二是经文中的‘诚’字，是真实、恰当的意思。我记录鸠摩罗什（Kumārajīva）的真实恰当之言来解释这部经。‘述而不作’出自《论语》，意思是只阐述前人的思想，不自己创作，相信并爱好古代的文化。这表明我只是阐述古人的话语，不敢自己创作。第二点表明我注解的目的，希望后来的君子在不同的时代也能有相同的理解。‘庶’是希望的意思。‘将来’是指未来。‘君子’区别于小人。《老子》说：‘上士闻道，勤而行之；中士闻道，若存若亡；下士闻道，大笑之。’小人不能奉行，所以只说君子。这里并不是要抛弃小人的意思，而是要劝勉他们自强。‘异世同闻’是指即使在不同的时代，未来或后世，人们听闻此经，证悟和获得的利益也不会有差别。我在大历二年春正月，在资圣寺传经的时候，记录下所听闻的内容，以弥补自己容易遗忘的缺点，希望后来的有识之士不要嘲笑我的浅薄。 崇福寺沙门体请 记 释肇序 略分为四个部分：一是总说本迹，分为两个部分：一是标明名称，总的赞叹；二是历数方法，分别说明；三是总的彰显功德利益。二是历数方法，分别说明，分为两个部分：一是说明虚妄的计度；二是总结彰显非真。二是分别辨明教法的兴起，分为三个部分：一是聚集共同弘扬佛法的人；二是说明所弘扬的教法，分为三个部分：一是说明本体不可思议；二是说明事迹不可思议；三是说明本体和事迹合在一起不可思议。三是说明经的题目。四是说明重新翻译的原因，分为四个部分：一是说明翻译经书的主持者，分为两个部分：一是举出其人，赞叹其德行；二是说明重新翻译的意义。二是说明翻译经书的时间。三是说明能够翻译的人，分为两个部分：一是举出其人，赞叹其德行；二是说明翻译经书的意义。四是说明所翻译的佛法。四是彰显注解的原因，分为两个部分：一是陈述谦虚的言辞；二是说明注意事项。