大方廣圓覺修多羅了義經略疏 1.9

1.9

Alas! The song of Ba finds many who harmonize, like a monkey's mind bounding in measurement; the song of white snow finds few to respond, its definitive meaning concealed within the dragon's treasury. In my youth, I, Zongmi, devoted myself exclusively to the texts of Lu, and upon reaching adulthood investigated the Indian scriptures; yet both drowned in the fish-traps and rabbit-snares, tasting only the chaff and dregs. Fortunately, along the Fu River, needle and magnet came together; in Chan I met the Southern School, and in the doctrine I encountered this scripture. With a single word, my mind-ground opened in comprehension; within a single scroll, the sky of meaning shone brightly. Formerly, I held that the Way was not an eternal way and all conditioned phenomena were impermanent; now I know that the mind is the Buddha-mind, and I will definitely become a buddha. However, the Buddha is called all-knowledge, and its cultivation relies on extensive learning; therefore, I again traveled to a hundred cities, and sat investigating diverse texts. Although my lectures were presumptuously comparable to Tai, my learning took An as its model. Having received the favor of an elder's acceptance, I was mistakenly granted the seal of a true heir. Meeting close friends once again, I felt even deeper gratitude for the Buddha's kindness. Having long lamented my solitary poverty, I was about to present the Dharma-gift. Gathering prajñā, weaving together Huayan, hoisting up the vinaya, and clarifying vijñapti-mātra. However, among the myriad types of medical formulas, one should choose the counter-remedy; among the thousand varieties of ocean jewels, one first seeks the wish-fulfilling gem. Looking at it, in richness of text and breadth of meaning, it truly yields to the Avataṃsaka; but in pointing directly to the essence and according with capacity, nothing rivals the Perfect Enlightenment. Therefore, consulting all treatises and examining a hundred masters to sharpen my tools, only then did I compose the commentary and explanation. Meditating on the sage's intent, exhausting thought in refining essence, its principles complete in nature and characteristics, its Chan uniting sudden and gradual, I compressed it into three fascicles to transmit it to zealous learners. However, upper, middle, and lower grades differ in capacities, desires, and natures. Now, adapting to their ways to bring them to completion, following conciseness and simplicity, I further search out the essential points and directly annotate the root sūtra, hoping that immediate events will be the immediate mind, increasing daily and decreasing daily.