肇論疏 2.53

2.53

廣書也。一道一俗，故云服像殊也。身雖有殊，心期不別也。有本單作「其」字也。江山雖緬理契則隣者，一南一北，故云江山緬。緬，遠也。處雖緬遠，契理相近也。契謂木契，喻理合也。所以望途致想虛襟有寄者，為心期不二理契相隣，故望途路，常寄懷抱在於劉公也。君既遂嘉遯之志標越俗之美者，《易》有遯卦，遯有嘉遯、肥遯，今言嘉遯。嘉者善也，遯者隱也。《字林》云：遯者，遷逃也。劉公本有隱心，今得遂志，超越俗人，故稱為美。獨恬事外歡足方寸者，恬，靜也。謂真居山在人事之外，心中歡悅。方寸是心也。每一言集何嘗不遠者，每有聚集言論，皆深遠也。古賢〈誡子書〉云：昔侍座於先帝時，有三長史俱來會座。帝謂之曰：為官長者，當清、當慎、當勤。此三者，何患不治乎？及去，帝謂余曰：必不得已而去，於斯三者，何先唱為本？對曰：慎乃為本。夫清不必有慎、慎無不清，猶仁者必有勇、勇者不必有仁也。帝曰：卿舉比來慎者為誰？乃舉數人。帝曰：卿所舉人，亦各其慎。然天下至慎，其唯阮嗣宗。每與之言，言及懸遠，未嘗臧否人物。今用此事也。喻林下雅詠高致悠然者，晉朝嵆康、阮藉、阮咸、山濤、王戎、向秀、劉靈等七人，在於山陽竹林俱隱，不事王侯，高尚其志。今謂劉公如此也。清散未期厚自保愛者，清閑散適無有期限，願自保養愛護也。願彼山僧無恙道俗通佳者，于時遠法師在山，徒眾七百，今言此眾也。《爾雅》云：恙，憂也。《風俗通》恙，病也。《易傳》云：上古患恙蟲食其心，凡相問，曰：無恙乎。道即僧眾，俗謂俗人。于時有雁門周續之、豫章雷次宗、南陽宗炳及劉公等，同在山隱，今謂此諸俗人也。承遠法師勝常以為欣慰者，肇法師年少、遠法師老宿，南北乖隔，二國不同，未曾相見，而遙相欽敬，故承勝常而欣憙為慰也。雖未清承然服膺高軌者，遠法師是安法師弟子，名高一代。《高僧傳》云：廬山釋慧遠，承習有宗，天下學士皆取折中。今肇法師亦遙挹也。雖未曾清耳稟承，然亦服膺遠法師高軌。服膺，謂以胸臆服地稟受也。高軌，謂高行也。企佇之勤為日久矣者，企望佇待已久也。公以過順之年下，歎遠法師德也。以六十已上老年，神氣湛然益嚴也。養徒幽巖抱一沖谷者，養徒眾在幽山中也。抱一者，懷道也。《老子》云：載營魄抱一能無離乎。又云：少則得、多則惑，是以聖人抱一為天下式。今借此語為用也。遐邇仰詠者，遐，遠。邇，近也。何美如之者，無美可比也。每亦翹想一隅懸庇霄岸者，云我每向東南隅翹心想望遠法師也。遠法師道德高遠，欲似雲霄之岸也。亦如雲霄、如涯岸也，亦可直指東南雲霄之涯岸也。而云庇者，《爾雅》云：庇，蔭也。無由寫敬致慨良深者，無因由至彼申寫敬仰，良深慨歎。良，信也。君清對終日下，謂劉公常對遠法師，多歡賞也。此大眾者，京師什法師徒眾也，于時翻譯徒眾凡有三千耳。如宜者，如常休宜也。秦主道性自然者，此是後秦主姚興也，今歎姚興之道德耳。然道德兩字，道經云：要人多式之，不時精辨。《釋名》云：道，導也，所以通導萬物。《說文》德，得也。外得於人，內得於已。今謂理之自然為道，人能行即為德。何以明之？《老子》云：有物混成先天地生，寂兮寥兮，獨立而不改，周行而不殆，可以為天下母。吾不知其名，字之曰道。又云：道可道非常道，名可名非常名。是謂道也。又云：生而不有、為而不恃、長而不宰，是謂玄德。又云：上德不德，是以有德；下德不失德，是以無德。是謂德也。今先歎秦王道性，然後歎其有德耳。司馬彪云：性者人之本。蔡邕《勸學》云：性者心之本也。天機者，機心也。《莊子》云：其嗜欲深者天機淺。今言秦王天機深，故超邁凡俗也。城塹三寶下，歎其德也。與三寶作城塹，以弘道為事務也。由使異國勝僧遠方而至者，由秦王有德故，異國勝僧等方從遠國來也。靈鷲之風萃乎茲土者，佛在靈鷲山說法，今謂此風萃集於此也。領公遠舉下，當時有僧姓支，名法領，往西域，歸《華嚴》等諸大乘經。今言其遠向異國得方等經，與千載下為津梁。梁謂橋梁也。請大乘禪師一人者，佛馱跋陀羅也。此人博學，善解《華嚴》，而以禪觀為行。于時慧觀、慧嚴等向西域，於彼請一大德東歸。彼土大德平章，非佛馱跋陀羅不可，遂共來此。正當什法師來，時至長安。然其意氣高邁，禪觀深遠，謂什法師曰：觀君所譯，未出人意，因何乃得高名？什法師曰：由吾老朽為眾所推，何必德稱美談也。復緣向門徒說云：吾見本國，五舶發來。人或漏泄此語，僧䂮等以為顯異惑眾，集僧擯之。禪師曰：吾身若浮萍，去留甚易，但懷抱未申，以為恨耳。於是出藍田關，南至荊州。廬山遠法師遣人迎之，屈入山翻譯禪經，從其稟受禪法。乃作解擯書送長安，解其擯事。以為說在同意，非為異人，不是顯異惑眾。其復遂下宋都，譯《華嚴經》，今之《華嚴》是也。今言其未擯時事耳。三藏法師一人者，弗若多羅也。《高僧傳》云：弗若多羅，出《十誦律》，三分獲二而多羅卒。曇摩流支續譯。言三藏者，是多羅未卒時事也。又此是曇摩流支。何以明之？以文言本末精悉，則是譯律已了，故知然也。又此是佛陀耶舍譯《四分律》。何以明之？佛陀耶舍至長安，秦王請其譯《四分律》。然耶舍曰：無本，但誦文而已。始欲遣人書出，秦王疑其遺忘，乃遣耶舍誦戶籍、藥方數萬言。明日覆之，不遺一字。遂請誦出律本，令人書之，然後翻譯也。毘婆沙師一人者，曇摩掘多也。道標師〈舍利弗阿毘曇論序〉云：弘始九年，曇摩掘多、曇摩耶舍等，命書梵文，至十年尋應合出。但以彼此不相領悟，恐未盡善，至十六年漸閑秦語，令自宣譯，然後筆受。什法師是弘始十一年卒，今作答書，是什法師在世之事。正言出，未言翻譯，明知是弘始九年事也。什法師於大石寺下，言上諸人共什法師出新經也。法藏淵曠下，淵深曠大，謂經論日多，故云異聞也。夙夜匪懈者，《毛詩》云：夙夜匪懈，以事一人。一人謂天子也。匪，不也。懈，怠也。邕邕肅肅者，邕邕，和也。然「邕」字與「壅」字，義同是和。《書》云：致之壅熙。亦是和義。《爾雅》作「邕」字也。肅謂齊整也。本末精悉若覩初制者，律本具足，欲似佛初制。時問中事發言奇新者，時時問其事，言語奇異也。猥參嘉運者，猥，眾也，眾多也。謂數參預善事耳。自不覩釋迦祇桓之集下，自謂獨自也。獨不見祇桓盛集為恨，餘無所恨也。《字林》云：自，從也。而慨不得與清勝君子同其法集者，謂不得與劉公同此集為恨耳。生上人頃在此下，竺道生也。數年，謂過三年已上也。言話者，禹邁反，《毛詩》云：其維哲人告之話言。古訓云：話言，古之善言也。《說文》云：會合善言也。謂生法師語話之間，常稱歎劉公也。中途還南君得與相見者，中途歸南，故君得相見也。未更近問惘悒者，近更不得書問，惘惘悒悒也。威道人至得君念佛三昧詠下，似是劉公寄附也。遠法師作〈念佛三昧詠〉及〈序〉，劉公等皆和，今言其事也。撿《遠法師集》，此但有〈三昧詠序〉，無〈三昧詠〉及和，收集不謹也。〈序〉云：夫稱三昧者何？思專想寂之謂。思專則志一不撓，想寂則氣虛神朗。氣虛則智恬其照，神朗則幽無不徹。斯二乃是自然之玄符，會一而致用也。此作興寄既高者，興謂與喻，寄謂寄意。子夏《詩．序》云：詩有六義，一曰風、二曰賦、三曰比、四曰興、五曰雅、六曰頌。今言興，即興也。寄，即比也。有本作「奧奇」，非也。辭致清婉者，辭章情雅、理致婉媚也。能文之士率稱其美者，解文人皆稱善也。可謂遊涉聖門扣玄之唱者，此〈念佛三昧詠〉可謂遊涉聖人門戶、扣擊玄旨之妙唱也。因來何少者，怪因行附來者少耳。什法師以午年出《維摩經》者，弘始八年屬午也。條記誠言者，記誠信之言也。義承有本者，謂承什法師也。來問婉切難為郢人者，婉曲切要，難酬答也。郢人者，《莊子雜篇．徐無鬼章》云：莊子送葬，至惠子之墓。顧謂從者曰：郢人以堊墁其鼻端，若蠅翼，使匠石斵之。匠石運斧成風而斵之，盡堊而鼻不傷，郢人立不失容。宋無君聞之，召匠石曰：甞試為寡人為之。匠石云：臣嘗能斵之。然臣質已死久矣。自夫子之死也，吾無以為質矣。吾無與言矣。郭象注云：非夫不動之質、忘言之對，則雖有至言妙斵而無所取之。今謂劉公之問，事同匠石；肇公之答，事同郢人。問能而答難也。貧道思不關微兼拙於筆語者，思慮不關涉於幽微，筆語復非巧妙。《小雅》云：關，達也。微，無也。且至趣無言下，至理不可說，即不二法門也。如什法師共佛陀耶舍在秦王座，秦王問實相義，二人相視竟無所答也。云云不已者，云，言也。已，止也。雖復多言，無所論辨也。聊以狂言者，妄言也。

This refers to the extensive letter. One is a cleric and the other a layperson; hence it says "Although our garb and appearance differ." Although their bodies differ, their mental aspirations are not distinct. Some editions simply have the single character qi 其. As for "Though rivers and mountains are distant, our accord with principle makes us neighbors," one is in the south and one is in the north; hence it says "rivers and mountains are distant." Mian 緬 means distant. Although their places are far and distant, their accord with principle brings them close together. Accord (qi 契) refers to a wooden tally, metaphorically indicating that principle accords. As for "Therefore, gazing down the road, I send my thoughts, and my open breast has someone to rely upon," because their mental aspirations are not two and their accord with principle makes them neighbors, Sengzhao therefore gazes down the road and constantly relies with his feelings upon Master Liu. As for "You have already fulfilled your aspiration for praiseworthy reclusion and marked the excellence of surpassing worldly convention," in the Yijing there is the Dun hexagram, and dun has "praiseworthy reclusion" (jiadun) and "fat reclusion" (feidun); here it says "praiseworthy reclusion." Jia 嘉 means good; dun 遯 means to hide in reclusion. The Zilin says: "Dun means to move away and flee." Master Liu originally had a mind for reclusion, and now, having fulfilled his aspiration, he surpasses worldly people; hence this is called "excellence." As for "Alone and tranquil beyond affairs, delight fills your square-inch [heart]," tian 恬 means quiet. It means that truly dwelling in the mountains, he is beyond human affairs, and his mind is full of joy. The "square-inch" is the heart-mind. As for "Whenever a word was gathered, how was it ever not far-reaching?", whenever they gathered to discourse, it was always profound and far-reaching. The Letter of Admonition to My Son by an ancient worthy says: "Formerly, when I attended the late Emperor, three chief clerks came together to the audience. The Emperor said to them: 'Those who serve as senior officials should be pure, cautious, and diligent. With these three things, how could there be worry that things will not be governed?' When they left, the Emperor said to me: 'If one absolutely had to abandon [some], which among these three should be proclaimed the primary root?' I replied: 'Caution is the root. One who is pure is not necessarily cautious, but one who is cautious is never impure—just as one who is benevolent must have courage, but one who is courage does not necessarily have benevolence.' The Emperor said: 'Whom do you recommend among those who have recently been cautious?' I then recommended several people. The Emperor said: 'The people you recommend each have their caution. Yet in all the world, the most cautious is solely Ruan Sizong. Whenever one spoke with him, his words reached to what was lofty and distant, and he never praised or censured human character.'" Sengzhao here uses this event. As for "Metaphorically, your elegant recitation beneath the forest has a lofty tenor that is leisurely and detached," in the Jin dynasty, the seven men—Ji Kang, Ruan Ji, Ruan Xian, Shan Tao, Wang Rong, Xiang Xiu, and Liu Ling—all went into reclusion together in the bamboo grove of Shanyang, did not serve kings or marquises, and held their aspirations in high esteem. Here it says that Master Liu is like this. As for "With pure leisure and no set term, may you amply protect and cherish yourself," with pure leisure and relaxed ease without any deadline, Sengzhao hopes he will preserve, nourish, cherish, and protect himself. As for "May the monks of that mountain be without trouble and both clerics and laypeople thoroughly well," at that time Dharma Master Huiyuan was on the mountain with seven hundred disciples; here it speaks of this assembly. The Erya says: "Yang 恙 means anxiety." The Fengsu tong says: "Yang means illness." The Yizhuan says: "In high antiquity, people suffered from the yang-insect eating their hearts; whenever they greeted one another, they asked: 'Are you without yang?'" The clerics are the assembly of monks; the laypeople refer to worldly people. At that time, Zhou Xuzhi of Yanmen, Lei Cizong of Yuzhang, Zong Bing of Nanyang, and Master Liu were all in reclusion together on the mountain; here it refers to these various laymen. As for "Learning that Dharma Master Huiyuan is better than usual, I take it as a joy and comfort," Dharma Master Sengzhao was young, while Dharma Master Huiyuan was an elder senior; north and south were separated in two different states, and they had never met face to face, yet from afar they admired and respected each other; hence, learning that he was better than usual, Sengzhao rejoiced and took comfort. As for "Although I have not received [teachings] directly from his pure presence, I hold his lofty standard close to my breast," Dharma Master Huiyuan was a disciple of Dharma Master Dao'an, and his fame was lofty for an entire generation. The Gaoseng zhuan says: "Shi Huiyuan of Mount Lu inherited and practiced the Sarvāstivāda school, and scholars throughout the realm all took him as the arbiter." Here, Dharma Master Sengzhao also looked up to him from afar. Although he had never heard and received teachings with his own pure ears, he nevertheless held Dharma Master Huiyuan's lofty standard close to his breast. "Holding close to one's breast" (fuying) means bowing deeply to the ground to receive it with one's chest. "Lofty standard" means lofty conduct. As for "The diligence of my tiptoeing and waiting has lasted for a long time," gazing on tiptoe and waiting had already lasted a long time. The passage from "You, Sir, are beyond the compliant years" on praises Dharma Master Huiyuan's virtue. Being an old man over sixty, his spiritual demeanor was calm and all the more dignified. As for "Nourishing disciples in secluded crags, embracing the One in an empty valley," he nourished an assembly of disciples in the secluded mountains. "Embracing the One" means harboring the Dao. Laozi says: "Carrying your mortal soul and embracing the One, can you avoid separating from it?" He also says: "Few, and one attains; many, and one is deluded. Therefore the sage embraces the One as the model for the world." Sengzhao here borrows these words for his use. As for "Those near and far look up and sing your praises," xia means far, and er means near. As for "What beauty could compare to this?", there is no beauty that could equal it. As for "I also frequently gaze with yearning toward that corner, leaning on the shade of your heavenly heights," it says that Sengzhao frequently turned his mind toward the southeastern corner to gaze upon Dharma Master Huiyuan. Dharma Master Huiyuan's moral power was lofty and distant, as if reaching the shores of the clouds and heavens. It is also like the clouds and heavens, like shores and banks; it can also directly refer to the horizon of the clouds and heavens in the southeast. And as for saying "shade" (bi 庇), the Erya says: "Bi means shade." As for "Having no way to convey my respect, my sighs of yearning are truly deep," having no cause or means to reach that place to convey his respect and admiration, his sighs of yearning were truly deep. Liang 良 means truly. The passage from "You, Sir, converse in purity all day long" on means that Master Liu frequently sat facing Dharma Master Huiyuan, with much joy and appreciation. As for "this great assembly," it was the disciples of Master Kumārajīva in the capital; at that time the translation assembly numbered three thousand in all. "As is fitting" means that they were at ease and well as usual. As for "The Lord of Qin's nature accords with the Dao naturally," this was Yao Xing, the ruler of the Later Qin; here he praises Yao Xing's Dao and virtue. However, regarding the two words "Dao" and "virtue": Daoist scriptures say that it is essential for people to pattern themselves on them extensively, without always making fine distinctions. The Shiming says: "Dao means to lead (dao 導), that by which all things are penetrated and guided." The Shuowen says: "Virtue (de 德) means attainment (de 得): externally attaining it from others, internally attaining it in oneself." Here, the natural state of principle is taken as the Dao, and man's ability to practice it is taken as virtue. How is this explained? Laozi says: "There was something formlessly fashioned, born before Heaven and Earth. Silent and empty, it stands alone and does not alter; it moves everywhere and is never in peril. It can be considered the mother of the world. I do not know its name; I designate it 'the Dao.'" He also says: "The Dao that can be spoken of is not the constant Dao; the name that can be named is not the constant name." This is called the Dao. He also says: "To give birth and not possess, to act and not rely upon, to rear and not control: this is called profound virtue." He also says: "Highest virtue does not act as virtue, and therefore possesses virtue; lowest virtue never loses virtue, and therefore lacks virtue." This is called virtue. Here Sengzhao first praises the Qin king's nature in the Dao, and afterward praises his possession of virtue. Sima Biao says: "Nature is the root of man." Cai Yong's Quanxue says: "Nature is the root of the heart-mind." "Heavenly mechanism" means the working of the mind. Zhuangzi says: "Those whose desires are deep have a shallow heavenly mechanism." Here it says that the Qin king's heavenly mechanism was deep, and so he surpassed the common and worldly. The passage from "acting as a moat and citadel for the Three Jewels" on praises his virtue. He acted as a moat and citadel for the Three Jewels, taking the propagation of the Dao as his duty. As for "Thereby causing superior monks from foreign lands to arrive from afar," because the Qin king possessed virtue, superior monks and others from foreign lands then came from distant kingdoms. As for "The spirit of Vulture Peak has gathered in this land," the Buddha preached the Dharma on Vulture Peak; here it means that this spirit gathered here. The passage from "Master Fajing went on a distant expedition" on refers to a monk at that time surnamed Zhi, whose name was Faling, who went to the Western Regions and returned with the Avataṃsaka and other Mahāyāna sūtras. Here it says that he went far to foreign lands, obtained vaipulya sūtras, and became a bridge for a thousand generations. Liang means a bridge. As for "requesting one Mahāyāna meditation master," this was Buddhabhadra. This person was widely learned, excelled in understanding the Avataṃsaka, and took meditation and contemplation as his practice. At that time, Huiguan, Huiyan, and others went to the Western Regions to invite a venerable master there to return to the east. The venerable masters of that land consulted together and deemed that none other than Buddhabhadra would do; so they came here together. Right when Master Kumārajīva had arrived, he also reached Chang'an. However, his spirit was lofty and bold, and his meditation and contemplation were profound and distant. He said to Master Kumārajīva: "Viewing what you have translated, it does not surpass ordinary human thought; why then do you enjoy such high renown?" Master Kumārajīva said: "It is because I am old and decrepit and recommended by the assembly; why must my virtue be equal to such fine praise?" Furthermore, because he told his disciples: "I saw five ships depart from my native country," someone leaked these words. Sengqi and others considered this a display of the extraordinary that deluded the multitude, so they assembled the monks and expelled him. The meditation master said: "My body is like duckweed; coming and staying are very easy. I only regret that my inner aspirations have not been expressed." Thereupon he went out through Lantian Pass and traveled south to Jingzhou. Dharma Master Huiyuan of Mount Lu sent someone to welcome him and invited him to enter the mountain to translate meditation sūtras, receiving the meditation methods from him. Huiyuan then wrote a letter releasing him from expulsion and sent it to Chang'an, resolving the matter of his expulsion, considering that his words were spoken among like-minded people and that he was not an aberrant person, nor was he displaying the extraordinary to delude the multitude. He subsequently went down to the Song capital and translated the Avataṃsaka-sūtra; the present Avataṃsaka is this one. Here it speaks of the events before he was expelled. As for "one tripiṭaka master," this was Puṇyatāra. The Gaoseng zhuan says: "Puṇyatāra brought out the Sarvāstivāda-vinaya; when two of the three parts were completed, Puṇyatāra died. Dharmaruci continued the translation." Calling him "tripiṭaka [master]" refers to the time before Puṇyatāra died. Also, this may be Dharmaruci. How is this known? Because the text says "the fundamentals and details were precise and complete," meaning the translation of the vinaya was already finished; thus one knows it is so. Also, this may refer to Buddhayaśas translating the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya. How is this known? When Buddhayaśas arrived in Chang'an, the Qin king requested him to translate the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya. But Yaśas said: "I have no manuscript; I merely recite the text." Just as they were about to send someone to write it down, the Qin king suspected he might have forgotten parts, so he sent Yaśas to recite several tens of thousands of words of household registers and medical recipes. The next day they checked it, and he had not missed a single word. Thereupon he requested him to recite the vinaya text and ordered people to write it down, after which it was translated. As for "one vibhāṣā master," this was Dharmagupta. Master Daobiao's Preface to the Śāriputrābhidharma-śāstra says: "In the ninth year of the Hongshi era, Dharmagupta, Dharmayaśas, and others were ordered to write out the Sanskrit text, and by the tenth year it should have been produced. But because the two sides did not mutually understand each other, they feared it would not be fully perfected; in the sixteenth year, having gradually become proficient in the Qin language, he was ordered to expound and translate it himself, after which it was transcribed." Master Kumārajīva died in the eleventh year of the Hongshi era; this reply was written during Master Kumārajīva's lifetime. Since it precisely says "produced" and does not yet say "translated," one clearly knows this was an affair of the ninth year of Hongshi. The passage from "Master Kumārajīva at the Dashi Monastery" on means that the aforementioned people together with Master Kumārajīva brought out new scriptures. The passage from "The Dharma treasury is deep and vast" on: deep and vast means that sūtras and treatises grew more numerous day by day, hence called "rare teachings." As for "never slackening day and night," the Mao Poetry says: "Never slackening day and night, to serve the one man." "The one man" refers to the Son of Heaven. Fei 匪 means not. Xie 懈 means indolent. As for "harmonious and reverent," yongyong 邕邕 means harmonious. Yet the character yong 邕 and the character yong 壅 have the same meaning of harmony. The Shangshu says: "Bringing it to harmonious brightness." This is also the meaning of harmony. The Erya writes the character as yong 邕. Su 肅 means orderly and aligned. As for "The fundamentals and details are precise and complete, as though beholding the original regulations," the vinaya text is complete, seeming as though the Buddha had just laid down the rules. As for "Occasionally inquiring into matters therein, the words spoken were wondrously new," from time to time they inquired into these matters, and the expressions were rare and novel. As for "humbly participating in this auspicious opportunity," wei 猥 means numerous, very many. It means frequently participating in good affairs. The passage from "Apart from not beholding the gathering at the Jetavana of Śākya" on: zi 自 means by oneself. Sengzhao merely regretted not seeing the grand gathering at the Jetavana, and had no other regrets. The Zilin says: "Zi means from." As for "and sighing that I cannot share this Dharma assembly with gentlemen of pure excellence," it means he only regretted that he could not share this assembly with Master Liu. The passage from "Venerable Dao[sheng] was recently here" on refers to Zhu Daosheng. "Several years" means more than three years. As for yanhua 言話, hua is pronounced yu mai fan; the Mao Poetry says: "It is only the wise man who speaks good words." An ancient commentary says: "Hua words are the good words of the ancients." The Shuowen says: "Bringing together good words." It means that in his speech and conversation, Dharma Master Daosheng constantly praised Master Liu. As for "having returned to the south midway, you, Sir, were able to meet him," because he returned to the south midway, you were able to meet him. As for "not receiving recent news, I was despondent," not receiving a letter or inquiry recently, he was despondent and dejected. The passage from "When Monk Wei arrived, I received your Chant on the Recollection of the Buddha Samādhi" on seems to refer to what Master Liu sent along. Dharma Master Huiyuan composed the Chant on the Recollection of the Buddha Samādhi and its preface, and Master Liu and others all harmonized with it; here he speaks of this matter. Examining the Collected Works of Dharma Master Huiyuan, it only contains the Preface to the Chant on the Samādhi, but lacks the Chant on the Samādhi and the harmonizing poems; the collection was not carefully made. The preface says: "Now what is meant by samādhi? It refers to exclusive concentration of thought and the quieting of conceptualization. When thought is concentrated, the will is unified and not deflected; when conceptualization is quieted, the vital breath is empty and the spirit is luminous. When the vital breath is empty, wisdom rests calmly in its illumination; when the spirit is luminous, there is nothing subtle that is not penetrated. These two are the profound talismans of nature, uniting as one to achieve function." As for "This composition's evocative resonance is already lofty," xing 興 refers to giving metaphors, and ji 寄 refers to conveying intent. Zixia's Preface to the Poetry says: "The Poetry has six principles: first, feng; second, fu; third, bi; fourth, xing; fifth, ya; and sixth, song." Here xing is xing (evocation), and ji is bi (comparison). Some editions have aoqi 奧奇 ("profoundly marvelous"), which is incorrect. As for "The phrasing and style are pure and graceful," the phrasing and literary style are emotionally refined, and the inner sense is graceful and charming. As for "Gentlemen capable in literature all praise its beauty," all people who understand literature praise it as good. As for "It can be called a chant that wanders through the portals of the sages and strikes the profound note," this Chant on the Recollection of the Buddha Samādhi can be called a wondrous chant that wanders through the gateways of the sages and strikes upon the profound purport. As for "Why have so few arrived along the way?", Sengzhao wondered why so few [poems] had been sent along with travelers. As for "Master Kumārajīva brought out the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa in the wunian year," the eighth year of Hongshi corresponds to the wunian year. As for "itemizing and recording trustworthy words," it means recording truthful and trustworthy words. As for "The teachings inherited have a foundation," it means they were received from Master Kumārajīva. As for "Your inquiry was graceful and penetrating, difficult for a man of Ying [to answer]," it was graceful, subtle, and crucial, difficult to answer. Regarding the man of Ying, the "Xu Wugui" chapter of Zhuangzi's Miscellaneous Chapters says: "Zhuangzi was attending a funeral and passed by Huizi's grave. Turning to his followers, he said: 'A man of Ying had a smear of chalk on the tip of his nose, as thin as a fly's wing, and sent Carpenter Shi to chop it off. Carpenter Shi swung his axe like the wind and chopped it away, removing all the chalk without harming the nose, while the man of Ying stood without losing his composure. Lord Wu of Song heard of this and summoned Carpenter Shi, saying: "Try doing it for me." Carpenter Shi said: "I could indeed chop it once. But my material has been dead a long time. Since the master died, I have had no material to work with. I have had no one to talk to."'" Guo Xiang's commentary says: "If not for that unmoving material and word-forgetting counterpart, then even if one has utmost words and wondrous chopping, there is nowhere to apply them." Here it means that Master Liu's inquiry is like Carpenter Shi, and Master Sengzhao's reply is like the man of Ying. Asking was easy, but answering was difficult. As for "This poor monk's thoughts do not reach the subtle, and I am also clumsy in written words," his thoughts did not penetrate subtle depths, and his written words were not skillful. The Xiaoya says: "Guan 關 means to reach (da 達)." Wei 微 means subtle and formless. As for the passage from "Moreover, the ultimate purport is beyond words" on, the ultimate principle cannot be spoken; this is the Dharma door of non-duality. For instance, when Master Kumārajīva and Buddhayaśas were seated before the Qin king, the Qin king asked about the meaning of dharmatā, and the two looked at each other without offering any reply. As for "incessantly chattering," yun 云 means speaking, and yi 已 means stopping. Even though one speaks much, nothing is settled or distinguished. As for "provisionally offering wild words," they are rash and ungrounded words.