廬山蓮宗寶鑑 10.74

10.74

吾佛生於西方、大教流於中國，不言而自信、不化而自行者、以其機感相投自然而然也。至於東晉、廬山遠祖與諸高蹈賢士大夫、同結淨土妙緣、專修念佛三昧，惺惺寂寂、寂寂惺惺，發揚先覺之微言，永為後人之明鑑，上以陰翊皇度、下以化利生民，可謂盡善盡美而已。垂之千年復有繼踵，苾芻優曇應□每見稱蓮宗者未諳念佛旨趣，謬解錯路修行，目睹耳聞比比皆是，擬避水溺却遭火焚。憫斯愚輩痛切哀憐，由是□尋大藏、博採微言，圖寫四土、綴文十篇，目曰寶鑑。不唯照分妍醜，抑亦明驗偽真，與盲者點開眼睛、與迷者指歸覺路，言言有據、字字無虛，修行要旨勿越於斯。茲者奉佛弟子眾善人等，生居聖世，感荷皇恩，幸聞佛祖正傳、得獲蓮宗寶鑑，坐閱行披，歡喜踊躍，是以鳩集同志，謹捨淨財，命工刊印流通，請師慈悲跋語，提携晚進、接引後來，苟勿拒焉，實為幸矣。余再三辭，義不從讓，遂乃焚香說偈讚曰：東晉廬山十八賢，鑿池引水種金蓮，蓮生華發心明朗，華落蓮成道果圓。普度綴文名寶鑑，善人謄寫錄瓊篇，命工刊印流通施，永與人天作正傳。

Our Buddha was born in the Western region, and his great teaching flowed into China; that people believed without preaching and practiced without conversion is because faculties and response accorded naturally. Down to the Eastern Jin, the founding Patriarch Yuan of Mount Lu, together with various lofty worthies and scholar-officials, formed a wondrous affinity for the Pure Land and devoted themselves to cultivating the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi—lucid and quiescent, quiescent and lucid—bringing forth the subtle words of the former awakened ones to serve forever as a bright mirror for future generations, aiding the imperial rule from above and transforming and benefiting living beings below, which can truly be described as utterly good and utterly beautiful. Handed down for a thousand years, there has again been a successor: Bhikṣu Youtan Ying[…] whenever seeing those who claimed to belong to the Lotus School without understanding the purpose of buddhānusmṛti, practicing on the wrong road with erroneous interpretations—such sights and sounds were everywhere—intending to avoid drowning only to suffer burning by fire. Pitying these foolish people with deep sorrow, he thereupon searched through the great canon, broadly gathered subtle words, illustrated the four lands, and composed ten essays, titling them the *Precious Mirror*. Not only does it reflect and separate beauty from ugliness, but it also clearly examines the false and the true, opening the eyes for the blind and pointing the way back to the road of awakening for the lost. Every word has evidence; every character is free from falsehood; the essentials of cultivation do not exceed this. Now, the Buddha's disciples and good people, living in a holy era and gratefully bearing the imperial favor, have had the good fortune to hear the correct transmission of the Buddhas and patriarchs and to obtain the *Precious Mirror of the Lotus School*. Reading it seated and perusing it walking, they leaped with joy. Therefore, gathering like-minded companions, they reverently donated pure wealth, commissioned craftsmen to carve blocks to circulate it, and requested the Master to write a compassionate postscript to guide the younger generation and receive those who come later; if he would not decline, it would be a true blessing. I declined repeatedly, but in righteousness could not refuse, and so burned incense and spoke a verse in praise, saying:
The eighteen worthies of Mount Lu in the Eastern Jin,
Dug a pool, channeled water, and planted golden lotuses.
The lotuses grew and flowers bloomed, the mind grew luminous;
The flowers fell and lotuses matured, the fruit of the Way was perfected.
Pudu composed the text named the *Precious Mirror*;
Good people transcribed and recorded the jade-like writings,
Commissioning craftsmen to carve blocks for circulation and donation,
Forever serving as the correct transmission for humans and devas.