國清百錄 2.110

2.110

答爰逮累翰殷勤至法。匹夫行善止度一身，仁王弘道含生荷賴。蓋登地菩薩應生大家，所以發心興隆大道，曷可量也？孰可比哉？貧道山僧本懷夙至，於天台舊居言念無捨。庶因世境安樂，更得寄趾幽林，仰為行道，非唯城邑。近歲謬承人汎，擬迹師資，顧此疎蔽似非時許，況聖澤日隆復垂今命，省諸庸鄙彌匪克堪。貧道稟承師教，禪慧頗持耳去眼，流如華上水。採聽經論其功既淺，賴荷禪門憑定修習，比於專學數論區分，理乃弗違業乖至熟。自非如來明達種智高圓，擅材殊能誰肯雙揖。況乎去聖滋遠曉悟甚微，徒欲承恩懼乖深寄，有招幽譴兼虧聖德，特願更迴神慮，別俟勝賢，妙果芳因使無斷絕。經稱一句染神歷劫不朽，大智慧海信為能入。固知深解大乘，佛法久住功德易滿，智慧最高守質抱愚，仰希聽覽徒申庸俚，終不自宣。沙門某白。

In reply to your successive letters of earnest dedication to the supreme Dharma: When a commoner practices good, he merely saves himself; when a benevolent king propagates the Way, all living beings rely upon him. A bodhisattva who has ascended the stages should surely be born into a great house; therefore, how could his resolve to cause the Great Way to flourish ever be measured? What could ever compare to it? This poor mountain monk's original aspiration was long established: regarding my former dwelling at Tiantai, my thoughts never abandon it. I hope that through the peace of the secular world, I may once again lodge my footsteps in the secluded forest, striving upward to practice the Way, not merely staying in cities. In recent years I have mistakenly received worldly praise, assuming the semblance of a teacher; looking at my coarse limitations, this hardly seems permitted by the times. How much more so now that your sacred favour increases daily and you bestow this current command; examining my mediocrity, I am all the more unable to bear it. This poor monk received his teacher's instruction, yet I have barely retained dhyāna and wisdom—it enters the ear and flows out through the eye, like water upon a flower. My efforts in gathering and listening to sūtras and treatises are already shallow; relying on the dhyāna gate, I depend on concentration for practice. Compared to those who specialize in analyzing the Abhidharma and treatises, though I do not violate the principle, my practice is far from consummate. Unless one is a Tathāgata who clearly penetrates the seed-wisdom and attains lofty perfection, possessing exceptional talents and special capabilities, who would dare clasp hands to both? Furthermore, we are far removed from the Sage, and my understanding is exceedingly faint. To merely receive your favour while fearing to fail your profound reliance would bring unseen blame and impair your sacred virtue. I especially hope you will turn your divine thoughts elsewhere and await another superior worthy, so that the wondrous fruit and fragrant cause may not be severed. The sūtra says that if a single phrase dyes the spirit, it remains imperishable across eons; the great ocean of wisdom can only be entered through faith. We certainly know that with a deep understanding of the Mahāyāna, the Buddha's Dharma will abide long and merit will be easily fulfilled. Wisdom being supreme, I keep to simplicity and embrace folly; I look upward hoping for your perusal, merely offering my rustic coarseness, never proclaiming it myself. The śramaṇa [Zhiyi] speaks.