大華嚴經略策 1.2

1.2

大統國師嘗棲託清涼聖境著《華嚴疏》數百萬言，文深江海、義高山嶽，洋洋焉、巍巍焉，非後世學者之所輒窺測也。此略策也，省約《大疏》為四十二條，綱要殆盡，豈使去丈就尺謂乎？於其體製，始設問答，終曰「謹對」，每條皆然。考之文體，明辯說書格式，有宋蘇軾書三篇，皆始置問對，終曰「謹對」，註家曰：「說書者，人主好學，則觀覽經史，而儒臣因說其義以進之。」題與篇首有問對字，蓋被顧問而答之詞也。此書體製與彼一則，亦是被顧問而記之者耶！據《高僧傳》國師在唐歷九宗聖世，為七帝門師，驗知蒙其顧問。題曰「略策」，抑亦取對策之意耶！此書行世既久，但惜語儘脫落、字多陶陰，予今參訂《大疏》旁及他書，孖孖校讎，再鋟梨棗，冀世之學者閱此略策，遡彼廣疏，其猶行遠必自邇，登高必自卑。云爾。

The Grand Preceptor of State once dwelt at the sacred realm of Qingliang and composed the Commentary on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra in several million words; its text is as deep as rivers and seas, and its meaning as high as mountain peaks, vast and towering, not something later scholars could easily fathom. These Brief Questions condense the Great Commentary into forty-two articles, covering nearly all of its essential outline—how could this be called abandoning the rod to settle for the foot? As for its structure, each article begins by presenting questions and answers and concludes with 'respectfully responded'; this is so for every single article. Examining its literary style, it clearly distinguishes the format of lectures on texts. There are three compositions by Su Shi of the Song dynasty, all of which begin by posing questions and answers and end with 'respectfully responded'. Commentators state: 'As for lecturers on texts, when the sovereign was fond of learning, he would peruse the classics and histories, and Confucian ministers would accordingly explain their meanings to present them to him.' The titles and opening lines contain the words 'question and answer', which were words spoken when being consulted and offering replies. The structure of this work is identical to that; was it not also recorded upon being consulted? According to the Biographies of Eminent Monks, the Preceptor of State lived through the reigns of nine sacred emperors under the Tang and served as the preceptor to seven emperors; this verifies that he received their consultations. It is titled 'Brief Questions (ce)'; perhaps it also takes the meaning of answering palace examination questions (duice)? This book has circulated for a long time, but it is regrettable that words have dropped out completely and many characters have become blurred. Now, comparing and emending it against the Great Commentary and consulting other books as well, I have collated it with meticulous care and carved it again on pear and jujube blocks, hoping that scholars of the world who peruse these brief questions may trace back to that comprehensive commentary, just as traveling far necessarily begins from nearby, and ascending high necessarily begins from below. So it is stated.