English
English version: Tiantai Mountain is a mountain in Zhejiang Province, located north of Taizhou. Youxi is a place name, located within the mountain. Śrāmaṇa (沙门) is a Sanskrit term, sometimes also pronounced as Sangmen, both being variations in Sanskrit pronunciation. Master Kumārajīva said that in both Buddhism and other religions, all who have left home (renounced the world) can be called Śrāmaṇa, which is a general term for those who have left home. It can also be translated as 'cessation of mind'. The *Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra* says, 'Cessation of the deluded mind, reaching the source,' hence the name Śrāmaṇa. It also speaks of 'diligent cessation,' referring to diligently cultivating precepts, concentration, and wisdom, and ceasing greed, anger, and delusion. Now, the explanation of Śrāmaṇa includes four teachings, each further divided into four types: Superior Path Śrāmaṇa, Speaking Path Śrāmaṇa, Living Path Śrāmaṇa, and Defiled Path Śrāmaṇa. If one diligently cultivates the precepts, concentration, and wisdom of the Tripiṭaka and Common Teachings, ceasing the mind of views and thoughts, and attains the fruits of the Three Vehicles (Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, Bodhisattvayāna), this is the Superior Path Śrāmaṇa of the Tripiṭaka and Common Teachings. If, from the essence of Suchness, one arises in function, expounding the Four Noble Truths of arising and ceasing, and the Four Noble Truths of non-arising, this is the Speaking Path Śrāmaṇa. If one relies on the Tripiṭaka and Common Teachings, cultivating the Seven Limbs of Enlightenment, this is the Living Path Śrāmaṇa. Otherwise, it is the Defiled Path Śrāmaṇa. The Separate and Perfect Teachings are similar. Chuandeng (传灯) is the Dharma name of the author of the treatise, meaning transmitting the lamp of True Truth, the lamp of Conventional Truth, the lamp of Middle Truth, the lamp of Gradual Truth, and the lamp of One Mind. Now, composing this treatise is to transmit the Western Pure Land of Mind-Only, the Three Bodies of Self-Nature, and the wonderful lotus lamp of One Mind. Vandana (和南), in Sanskrit, is Vandame (槃那寐), or Vandanā (槃谈), corrupted as Henan (和南), all translated as 'I prostrate,' which means to pay homage. The author (撰者) means to narrate or create. The Great Master's lay surname was Ye, from Quzhou, Zhejiang Province. In his youth, he was tonsured by Chan Master Ying'an of Jinxian Temple, and later visited Dharma Master Baisong, hearing him lecture on the *Lotus Sūtra*, he suddenly had a spiritual awakening. Then, he inquired about the essence of the Great Samādhi of the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*. Dharma Master Baisong widened his eyes and looked around, and the Great Master immediately entered into realization. Dharma Master Baisong bestowed upon him a golden-cloud purple kāṣāya. Throughout his life, the Great Master cultivated the repentance practices of the *Lotus Sūtra*, the *Great Compassion Mantra*, the *Golden Light Sūtra*, the *Amitābha Sūtra*, and the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*, without a single day of interruption. The Great Master chose to reside at Gaoming Temple in Youxi. Previously, a local man named Ye Qi had buried his relatives behind the temple and dreamed of a deity saying, 'This is a sacred site for the Path. A Bodhisattva in the flesh will come here to perform great Buddhist deeds. You should move away quickly.' Ye Qi did not believe it, and soon his whole family fell ill and suffered. Fearing this, he moved away. The next day, Great Master Chuandeng arrived and established the Tiantai ancestral temple on that site. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
学侣辐辏。尝于新昌大佛前。登座竖义。众闻石室天乐铿锵。讲毕乃寂。而著作此论。融会三观。阐扬净土法门。每岁修四三昧。身先率众。精进勇猛。注楞严维摩等经。凡染翰。必被戒衲。前后应讲七十余期。预知时至。手书妙法莲华经五字。复高唱经题者再。泊然而寂。总标论题竟。 ○二请加述意。又二。初归命请加。二造论成益○今初。 稽首能仁圆满智 无量寿觉大导师 所说安养大乘经 了义了义至圆顿 妙德普贤观自在 势至清净大海众 马鸣龙树及天亲 此土庐山莲社祖 天台智者并法智 古往今来宏法师 我今皈命礼三宝 求乞冥加发神识 造论宏法。必先归命三宝者。略有四义。一顺古先圣贤仪式故。二令增长众生福德善根故。三不同外道议论无宗本故。四显示能归所归性空寂。感应道交难思议故。须知归命。有能归所归。请加。有能请所请。先明能归。文中稽首者。下拜首至地。举身业。总摄三业也。又言归命者。乃身命归依也。归者。投向义。返还义。生死海中。唯三宝功德可作恃怙。故应投向。三宝体性。即众生现前介尔心性。由无始来背觉合尘甘自逃背。今背尘合觉。复本心源。故名返还。命者。依于色心连持不断之所假立。非有实法。但为众 现代汉语译本： 学侣们聚集而来。他曾经在新昌大佛前，登上法座阐述佛法要义。大众听到石室中传来天乐般铿锵的声音，讲法完毕后声音便消失了。他创作了这部论著，融合了空、假、中三观，阐扬净土法门。每年都修持四种三昧，以身作则带领大众，精进勇猛。他还注释了《楞严经》、《维摩诘经》等经典。凡是著书写作，必定身披戒衣。前后应邀讲法七十余次。预先知道自己往生的时间，亲手书写了《妙法莲华经》五个字，又高声唱诵经题两次，安详寂灭。以上是对论题的总括。 ○接下来是阐述造论的意图，分为两部分。首先是归命请加，其次是造论成就的利益。现在开始第一部分。 稽首顶礼能仁（释迦牟尼佛的称号，意为能够行仁慈之道的圣人）圆满的智慧， 归命于无量寿觉（阿弥陀佛的称号，意为寿命无量、觉悟圆满的佛陀）大导师。 我归命于佛所说的安养（极乐世界，阿弥陀佛的净土）大乘经典， 这些经典是究竟了义、至极圆满的。 我归命于妙德（文殊菩萨的别称，意为具有微妙功德的菩萨）、普贤（普贤菩萨，象征菩萨的行愿）、观自在（观世音菩萨，意为观照世间音声而得自在的菩萨）， 以及大势至（大势至菩萨，代表智慧之光）和清净大海众菩萨。 我归命于马鸣（佛教论师，著有《大乘起信论》）、龙树（中观学派创始人，著有《中论》）和天亲（瑜伽行派创始人之一，著有《摄大乘论》）， 以及此土庐山莲社的祖师（慧远大师，东晋时期在庐山建立莲社，提倡念佛法门）。 我归命于天台智者（智顗大师，天台宗创始人）和法智（天台宗的传承者）， 以及古往今来弘扬佛法的法师们。 我现在皈依礼敬三宝（佛、法、僧）， 祈求佛菩萨暗中加持，启发我的神识。 造论弘扬佛法，必须首先归命三宝，略有四个原因：一是遵循古代圣贤的仪式；二是使众生增长福德善根；三是区别于外道的议论没有宗本；四是显示能归依者和所归依者的自性本空寂，感应道交不可思议。须知归命，有能归命者和所归命者。请加，有能请加者和所请加者。先说明能归命。文中‘稽首’，是下拜时头触及地面，这是身业，总摄了身、口、意三业。又说‘归命’，是将身命归依。‘归’是投向的意思，也是返还的意思。在生死苦海中，只有三宝的功德可以作为依靠，所以应当投向三宝。三宝的体性，就是众生当下这一念心性。由于无始以来背离觉悟而与尘劳结合，甘愿自我逃避。现在背离尘劳而与觉悟结合，恢复本来的心源，所以叫做返还。‘命’是依于色身和心识连结不断而假立的，并非实有之法，只是众生
English
English version: The disciples gathered around. He once ascended the Dharma seat in front of the Great Buddha of Xinchang, expounding the essential meanings of the Dharma. The assembly heard the resounding sounds of heavenly music emanating from the stone chamber, which ceased after the discourse concluded. He then composed this treatise, integrating the Threefold Contemplation (of emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle Way) and propagating the Pure Land Dharma gate. Every year, he practiced the Four Samadhis (types of meditative concentration), leading the assembly by example with diligence and vigor. He also annotated scriptures such as the Shurangama Sutra and the Vimalakirti Sutra. Whenever he wrote, he would invariably don the monastic robe. He was invited to give discourses over seventy times. Knowing in advance the time of his passing, he personally wrote the five characters of the Lotus Sutra and then chanted the title of the sutra twice before passing away peacefully. The above is a summary of the treatise's topic. ○ Next is to elaborate on the intention of writing the treatise, divided into two parts. First, the prostration and supplication; second, the benefits of completing the treatise. Now begins the first part. I prostrate and take refuge in the perfect wisdom of Sakyamuni (the compassionate one), I take refuge in Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Life and Light), the great teacher. I take refuge in the Mahayana sutras of the Land of Bliss (Sukhavati, Amitabha's Pure Land) spoken by the Buddha, These sutras are definitive, complete, and perfect. I take refuge in Manjusri (the Bodhisattva of Wisdom), Samantabhadra (the Bodhisattva of Universal Virtue), Avalokiteshvara (the Bodhisattva of Compassion), And Mahasthamaprapta (the Bodhisattva of Great Strength) and the pure assembly of Bodhisattvas. I take refuge in Asvaghosa (a Buddhist philosopher, author of 'The Awakening of Faith'), Nagarjuna (founder of the Madhyamaka school, author of 'The Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way') and Vasubandhu (one of the founders of the Yogacara school, author of 'Treatise on the Establishment of Consciousness-Only'). And the patriarchs of the White Lotus Society of Mount Lu (Huiyuan, who established the White Lotus Society on Mount Lu during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, advocating the practice of mindfulness of the Buddha). I take refuge in Zhiyi of Tiantai (founder of the Tiantai school) and Fazhi (a successor of the Tiantai school), And the Dharma masters who have propagated the Dharma throughout history. I now take refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), Praying for the unseen blessings to inspire my divine consciousness. To compose a treatise and propagate the Dharma, one must first take refuge in the Three Jewels, for roughly four reasons: first, to follow the rituals of ancient sages; second, to increase the merit and virtuous roots of sentient beings; third, to distinguish it from the discussions of external paths that have no foundation; fourth, to show that the nature of both the one who takes refuge and the one in whom refuge is taken is empty and still, and the interaction of response is inconceivable. It should be known that in taking refuge, there is one who takes refuge and one in whom refuge is taken. In requesting blessings, there is one who requests and one who is requested. First, explain the one who takes refuge. In the text, 'prostration' means that the head touches the ground during bowing, which is the action of the body, encompassing the three karmas of body, speech, and mind. Furthermore, 'taking refuge' means entrusting one's life. 'Taking refuge' means turning towards, and also returning. In the sea of birth and death, only the merits of the Three Jewels can be relied upon, so one should turn towards the Three Jewels. The essence of the Three Jewels is the present moment of the mind of sentient beings. Since beginningless time, one has turned away from enlightenment and joined with defilements, willingly escaping. Now, turning away from defilements and joining with enlightenment, restoring the original source of the mind, is called returning. 'Life' is provisionally established based on the continuous connection of the physical body and consciousness, and is not a real entity, but merely a --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
生迷情之所宝重。随顺世间语言。举此总摄三业也。将此最重之命。投向住持三宝。则为增上缘。研此假立命根本不可得。便返还一体三宝也。能仁下。所归三宝。又三。先明佛宝。二明法宝。三明僧宝。能仁圆满智。无量寿觉大导师者。佛宝也。初句明此土教主。次句彼土导师。梵语释迦牟尼。此云能仁寂默。能仁表大悲。不住涅槃。寂默表大智。不住生死。乃悲智双运。立此嘉称。又能仁者。姓也。阿含云。昔有轮王。姓甘蔗氏。听次妃之谮。摈四太子。至雪山北。自立城居。以德归人。不数年间。乃为强国父王悔忆。遣使往召。四子辞过不还。父王三叹。我子释迦。因此命族。又云。住直树林。又号释迦。既于林立国。即以林为姓。寂默者。字也。本行经云。又诸释种。立性憍慢多言。及见太子。悉皆默然。王云。宜字牟尼。又能仁表大悲。而有生缘悲。法缘悲。无缘悲。寂默表大智。而有一切智。道种智。一切种智。今三悲究竟。三智圆满。三悲为福德庄严。三智为智慧庄严。福慧双足。庄严法身。故曰释迦牟尼也。无量寿者。彼土接引导师也。要解云。梵语阿弥陀。正翻无量。本不可说。本师以光寿二义。收尽一切无量。寿则竖。穷三际。光则横遍十方。横竖交彻。即法界体。今言无量寿。乃举竖以摄横也 现代汉语译本 众生因迷惑而珍视的情感所在。随顺世间的语言习惯，总括身口意三业。将这最宝贵的生命，投向住持三宝（佛、法、僧），就成为增上的因缘。研究这假立的生命的根本，却不可得，便回归到一体的三宝。‘能仁’以下，是所归依的三宝，又分为三部分：首先阐明佛宝，其次阐明法宝，最后阐明僧宝。 ‘能仁圆满智，无量寿觉大导师’，这是佛宝。第一句说明此土（娑婆世界）的教主，第二句说明彼土（极乐世界）的导师。梵语‘释迦牟尼’，翻译成汉语是‘能仁寂默’。‘能仁’代表大悲，不住于涅槃；‘寂默’代表大智，不住于生死。这是悲智双运，因此立下这个美好的称谓。另外，‘能仁’也是姓氏。《阿含经》中说，过去有一位轮王，姓甘蔗氏，听信次妃的谗言，放逐了四个太子。太子们到了雪山北面，自己建立城池居住，以德行使人归顺，没过几年，就成为了强大的国家。父王后悔，派使者去召回他们，四个儿子推辞不肯回去。父王三次叹息，‘我的儿子是释迦’，因此命族为释迦。又说，住在直树林，又号为释迦。既然在树林建立国家，就以树林为姓。 ‘寂默’是名字。《本行经》中说，其他的释迦种姓，生性骄慢多言，见到太子，都变得沉默。国王说，应该起名叫‘牟尼’。另外，‘能仁’代表大悲，有生缘悲、法缘悲、无缘悲；‘寂默’代表大智，有一切智、道种智、一切种智。现在三悲究竟，三智圆满，三悲是福德的庄严，三智是智慧的庄严，福慧双足，庄严法身，所以叫做释迦牟尼。 ‘无量寿’，是彼土接引的导师。《要解》中说，梵语‘阿弥陀’，正确翻译是‘无量’，本来不可说。本师用光寿二义，收尽一切无量。寿则竖穷三际（过去、现在、未来），光则横遍十方。横竖交彻，就是法界本体。现在说无量寿，是举竖以摄横。