English
English version: This is an analogy of cart ruts. Initially, debating with Zhi Zhe (智者, a Buddhist master), is like worldly warfare, where one must advance along established tracks. Even a brief encounter is merely like the tassel under a warhorse's chin touching briefly. A true battle is when two horses collide, vying for victory. Now, our encounter is just like the brief touch of chin tassels, yet I retreat timidly, as the 'Zuo Zhuan' (左传, a historical text) says, 'retreating after a brief encounter.' Jing Chu (荆楚) refers to Jingzhou, the former territory of the Chu state. 'Not Chan (禅, meditation) without wisdom,' and even more so, 'not wisdom without Chan.' Although there are many scriptures, I will now explain based on the 'Guan Xin Lun Shu' (观心论疏, Commentary on the Treatise on Contemplating the Mind). The commentary states: 'Emptiness, signlessness, and non-action are called the three liberations, also known as the three samadhis. Entering from right view, samadhi generates undefiled wisdom, wisdom is like a minister, and samadhi is like a king, hence it is said that the three samadhis are not Chan without wisdom.' Right samadhi generates right view, generating undefiled wisdom, samadhi is like a minister, and right view is like a king, hence it is said that the three liberations are not wisdom without Chan. This verifies the golden words of the Buddha, all spoken by the Buddha. Hearing what the assembly said, Zhi Zhe master used the four siddhantas (四悉檀, four universal methods of teaching) to integrate the scriptures and treatises, dissecting the attachments and disputes of various schools, like the ocean swallowing all rivers, encompassing everything, truly understanding the Buddha's intention. Then he had Liu Guyan (柳顾言, a person's name) kowtow and reverently request (omitting ceremonial phrases). Zhi Zhe master repeatedly declined, but ultimately could not refuse, so he began to write the 'Vimalakirti Sutra Commentary' (净名经疏). Liu Guyan of Hedong (河东, a place name) and Xu Ling (徐陵, a person's name) of Donghai (东海, a place name), were both talented members of prominent families, and should be responsible for polishing the writing, sealing this precious work, and the Prince of Jin (晋王, a title) personally received and upheld it. The 'Vimalakirti Sutra Commentary' was written by Zhi Zhe master for the Prince of Jin, totaling twenty-eight volumes. Jingxi Zhanran (荆溪湛然, a Buddhist monk) slightly reorganized it into ten volumes, which is the version circulating in the world today. 'And those with talent and noble lineage,' seems to mean that they were like adding polish and embellishment to the work. Xu Ling was a vice minister (仆射) of the Chen dynasty (陈朝, a dynasty). After the Chen dynasty was destroyed, he did not enter the Sui dynasty (隋朝, a dynasty), but often followed Zhi Zhe master, hence this statement. Now that the Prince of Jin is entering the court, Zhi Zhe master bids farewell to return to Dongling (东岭, a place name). Yangzhou (扬州, a place name) is in the west, and Mount Tiantai (天台山, a mountain name) is in the east, hence it is called Dongling. The people of Wu (吴, a region) and the customs of Yue (越, a region) all swept the streets and cleared the ditches. Along the way, the magistrates and governors erected banners and canopies, respectfully welcoming Zhi Zhe master all the way to Mount Tiantai. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 。
Chinese
寺旧所荒废凡一十二载。人踪久断。竹树成林。还届半山。忽见沙门。眉发皓然秉锡当路。众共咸睹。行次渐近。逡巡韬秘。圣犹尚候况人情乎。智者雅好泉石。负杖闲游。若吟叹曰。虽在人间。弗忘山野幽深谷。愉愉静夜。澄神自照。岂不乐哉。后时一夜皎月映床。独坐说法连绵良久。如人问难。侍者智晞明旦启曰。未审昨夜见何因缘。答曰。吾初梦大风忽起。吹坏宝塔。次梵僧谓我云。机缘如薪。照用如火。傍助如风。三种备矣。化道行华顶之夜。许相影响。机用将尽。傍助亦息。故来相告耳。 智晞传云。童稚不群。幼怀物外。见老病死。达世浮危。自省昏沉。愍诸论溺。极加厌离。如为怨害。誓出尘劳。访寻胜境。伏闻智者。杭志天台山。安禅佛陇。誓训迷涂。为世津导。丹诚驰仰。远泛沧波。年登二十始获从愿。一得奉值。遂定师资。临终。弟子因即启咨。未审和尚当生何所。答云。如吾见梦。报在兜率。宫殿青色。居天西北。见智者大师左右人皆坐宝座。唯一座独空。吾问所以。答云。灌顶却后六年当来升此说法。春秋七十有二。贞观元年十二月十八日午时终。见塔在佛陇。问。智者入灭。云归安养。晞传何云居兜率耶。答。唯心净土。何处非安养者耶。 又见南岳。师共喜禅。 现代汉语译本： 寺庙旧址荒废了大约十二年，人迹罕至，竹树成林。走到半山腰，忽然看见一位沙门（shāmén，出家修道的人），眉毛头发雪白，拄着锡杖挡在路中。大家都看见了，等走近时，却又消失不见了。圣人尚且等待时机，何况是人情呢？智者（Zhìzhě，指智顗大师）一向喜爱泉石，拄着拐杖悠闲地游玩，好像吟叹道：‘即使身在人间，也不忘山野幽深的山谷。在宁静的夜晚，澄澈心神自我观照，岂不是很快乐吗？’后来有一天晚上，皎洁的月光照在床上，他独自坐着说法，连绵不断很久，好像有人在提问。侍者智晞（Zhìxī）第二天早上问道：‘不知道昨晚您看到了什么因缘？’智者回答说：‘我最初梦见大风忽然刮起，吹坏了宝塔。接着一位梵僧（fàn sēng，印度僧人）告诉我：机缘像柴薪，照用像火焰，助缘像风。三种条件都具备了，在华顶（Huádǐng）说法之夜，允许相互影响。机缘将尽，助缘也会停止，所以来告诉我。’ 智晞传中记载：智晞从小就与众不同，年幼时就怀有出世之心。看到衰老、疾病、死亡，明白世事的虚浮和危险。反省自己沉迷不悟，怜悯众人沉溺其中，极度厌恶和远离世俗，如同面对怨恨和伤害一样。发誓要脱离尘世的劳苦，访寻殊胜的境界。听说智者大师立志在天台山（Tiāntāi Shān）安禅，誓愿教化迷途的人，做世人的津梁和向导。以真诚之心仰慕，远渡沧茫大海。到了二十岁才得以如愿。一旦得到侍奉的机会，就确定了师徒关系。临终时，弟子因此请教：‘不知道和尚您将往生何处？’智者回答说：‘根据我所见的梦，报身在兜率（Dōushuài，欲界天之一，弥勒菩萨所在之处）。宫殿是青色的，位于天的西北方。看见智者大师左右的人都坐在宝座上，只有一个座位空着。我问是什么原因，回答说：灌顶（Guàndǐng，智顗弟子）在六年之后将会来这里升座说法。’春秋七十二岁，贞观（Zhēnguān）元年十二月十八日午时圆寂。看见塔在佛陇（Fólǒng）。问：智者入灭，神识归于安养（Ānyǎng，西方极乐世界），智晞传中为何说居住在兜率呢？答：唯心净土，哪里不是安养之地呢？ 又看见南岳（Nányuè，衡山），智者大师和他共同修习禅定。
English
English version: The old site of the temple had been abandoned for about twelve years, with few traces of people and bamboo trees forming forests. Reaching halfway up the mountain, suddenly a Shramana (shāmén, a renunciate or ascetic) was seen, his eyebrows and hair white as snow, holding a staff and blocking the road. Everyone saw him, but as they approached, he disappeared. Even sages await the right time, how much more so human affairs? Zhi Zhe (Zhìzhě, referring to Zhiyi, the Great Master) always loved springs and rocks, leisurely strolling with a staff, as if sighing: 'Even though I am in the human world, I do not forget the deep valleys of the mountains and fields. In the peaceful night, clarifying my mind and reflecting on myself, is it not joyful?' Later, one night, the bright moonlight shone on the bed, and he sat alone expounding the Dharma continuously for a long time, as if someone were asking questions. The attendant Zhi Xi (Zhìxī) asked the next morning: 'I do not know what causes and conditions you saw last night?' Zhi Zhe replied: 'I initially dreamed that a great wind suddenly arose and blew down the pagoda. Then a Brahmin monk (fàn sēng, an Indian monk) told me: Opportunity is like firewood, illumination is like fire, and support is like wind. When all three conditions are met, on the night of expounding the Dharma at Hua Ding (Huádǐng), mutual influence is allowed. When the opportunity is about to end, the support will also cease, so he came to tell me.' The biography of Zhi Xi records: Zhi Xi was different from others since childhood, harboring thoughts of transcending the world from a young age. Seeing old age, sickness, and death, he understood the impermanence and danger of the world. Reflecting on his own ignorance, he pitied those who were drowning in it, extremely detesting and distancing himself from the world, as if facing hatred and harm. He vowed to escape the suffering of the world, seeking out auspicious realms. He heard that Great Master Zhi Zhe was determined to practice Chan meditation on Tiantai Mountain (Tiāntāi Shān), vowing to teach those who were lost and be a bridge and guide for the world. With sincere admiration, he crossed the vast ocean. He was twenty years old when he finally fulfilled his wish. Once he had the opportunity to serve, he established a teacher-disciple relationship. At the time of his death, the disciple asked: 'I do not know where the Master will be reborn?' Zhi Zhe replied: 'According to the dream I saw, my reward is in Tushita (Dōushuài, one of the heavens in the desire realm, where Maitreya Bodhisattva resides). The palace is blue and located in the northwest of the heavens. I saw that the people on the left and right of Great Master Zhi Zhe were all sitting on thrones, but one seat was empty. I asked why, and the answer was: Guan Ding (Guàndǐng, Zhiyi's disciple) will come here in six years to ascend the seat and expound the Dharma.' He was seventy-two years old and passed away at noon on the eighteenth day of the twelfth month of the first year of Zhenguan (Zhēnguān). The pagoda was seen at Fo Long (Fólǒng). Question: Zhi Zhe entered Nirvana, and his consciousness returned to Sukhavati (Ānyǎng, the Western Pure Land), so why does Zhi Xi's biography say he resides in Tushita? Answer: The mind is the Pure Land, where is not Sukhavati? Also seen was Nan Yue (Nányuè, Mount Heng), where Great Master Zhi Zhe and he practiced Chan meditation together. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
师令吾说法。即自念言。余法名义皆晓自裁。唯三观三智最初面受而便说。说竟谓我云。他方华整。相望甚久。缘必应往。吾等相送。吾拜称诺。此死相现也。吾忆小时之梦。当终此地。所以每欣归山。今奉冥告。势将不久。死后安厝西南峰所指之地。累石周尸。植松覆坎。立二白塔。使人见者发菩提心。 植松覆坎者。含文嘉曰。天子坟高三仞。树以松。诸侯半之。树以柏。大夫八尺。树以槐。庶人无坟。树以杨柳。自汉至今代无定制。通植松柏。覆坎者。覆。盖也。坎。坟穴也。松盛则翠盖其坟也。 又经少时。语弟子云。商行寄金。医去留药。吾虽不敏。狂子可悲。仍口授观心论。随语疏成。不加点润。论在别本。其冬十月。皇上归蕃。遣行参高孝信入山奉迎。 皇上归蕃者。即晋王入京朝省已。复江都也。既杨州总管。即以江都为蕃镇也。 因散什物用施贫乏。标杙山下处拟殿堂。又𦘕作寺图以为式样。诫嘱僧众。如此基陛俨我目前。栋宇成就在我死后。我必不睹。汝等见之。后若造寺一依此法。 杙音亦。即是用木标捕殿堂基址。又𦘕作图样。乃今国清寺也。智者灭后。至仁寿元年创寺方成。开皇二十年改元仁寿。大师灭后三年矣。是寺晋王受皇太子。故传云。创寺以后即 现代汉语译本： 师父命令我讲法。我心里想：‘其他法门的名义我都明白，自己也能裁断，只有三观（sān guān，空观、假观、中观）三智（sān zhì，一切智、道种智、一切种智）是最初亲自接受传授的。’于是就开始讲说。讲完后，师父对我说：‘他方世界的听众，盼望你很久了，因缘必定要你去。我们来送你。’我拜谢答应。这是示现死亡的征兆啊。我回忆起小时候的梦，应当终老于此地。所以常常欣喜想要归山。现在接受冥冥中的告知，大势将不久于人世。死后安葬在西南峰所指的地方，用石头堆积在尸体周围，种植松树覆盖坟墓，立两座白塔，使看见的人发起菩提心。 ‘植松覆坎’的意思是，含文嘉说：‘天子的坟墓高三仞（rèn，古代长度单位，一仞约等于七八尺），种植松树。诸侯的坟墓高度减半，种植柏树。大夫的坟墓高八尺，种植槐树。平民没有坟墓，种植杨柳。’从汉朝到现在，历代没有定制，通常种植松柏。‘覆坎’的意思是，覆，覆盖；坎，坟墓。松树茂盛就像翠绿的伞盖覆盖着坟墓。 又过了不久，师父对弟子们说：‘商人出行寄托金钱，医生离去留下药物。我虽然不敏捷，但可悲的是那些狂妄自大的人。’于是口头传授《观心论》（guān xīn lùn），随着口述就疏通成文，没有加以修改润色。《观心论》在别的版本里。那年冬天十月，皇上返回藩地，派遣行参（xíng cān）和高孝信（gāo xiào xìn）入山奉迎。 ‘皇上归蕃’的意思是，晋王（jìn wáng）入京朝见后，返回江都（jiāng dū）。因为担任扬州（yáng zhōu）总管，所以把江都作为他的藩镇。 于是分发什物用来施舍给贫困的人，在山下插上木桩，打算建造殿堂。又绘制寺庙的图样作为样式。告诫僧众：‘这样的地基台阶，好像就在我眼前。殿宇建成就在我死后。我必定看不见。你们看见后，以后如果建造寺庙，一定要依照这个方法。’ 杙（yì）的读音是‘亦’，就是用木桩标出殿堂的地基。又绘制图样，就是现在的国清寺（guó qīng sì）。智者大师（zhì zhě dà shī）圆寂后，到仁寿（rén shòu）元年才建成寺庙。开皇（kāi huáng）二十年改年号为仁寿，距离大师圆寂已经三年了。这座寺庙是晋王接受皇太子称号的地方，所以流传下来这样的话：‘建造寺庙以后就……’