[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [宗鏡錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016) › 2.7 # 宗鏡錄 2.7 宗鏡錄 2.7 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.2.7) 答。但以教海弘深。窮之罔知其際。義天高廣。仰之不得其邊。今則以管窺天。將螺酌海。如掬滄溟之涓滴。似撮太華之一塵。本為義廣難周。情存厭怠。亦為不依一乘教之正理。唯徇不了義之因緣。罕窮橫竪之門。莫知起盡之處。所以刪繁簡異。採妙探玄。雖文不足而大義全。緣不備而正理顯。搜盡一乘之旨。抉開萬法之原。為般若之玄樞。作菩提之要路。則資糧易辦。速至大乘。證入無疑免迂小徑。所以馬鳴菩薩造起信論云。或有自無智力。因他廣論而得解義。亦有自無智力。怖於廣說。樂聞略論攝廣大義而正修行。我今為彼最後人故。略攝如來最勝甚深無邊之義而造此論。瑜伽論云。有二緣。故說此論。一為如來無上法教久住世故。二為平等利益安樂諸有情故。又為如來甘露聖教已隱沒者。憶念採集重開顯故。未隱沒者。問答決擇倍興盛故。又為攝益樂略言論勤修行者。採集眾經廣要法義。略分別故。今斯錄者。雖無廣大製造之功。微有一期述成之事。亦知鈔錄前後。文勢不全。所冀直取要詮。且明宗旨。如從石辯玉。似披沙揀金。於群藥中。但取阿陀之妙。向眾寶內。唯探如意之珠。舉一蔽諸。以本攝末。則一言無不略盡。殊說更無異途。亦望後賢。未垂嗤誚。所希斷疑生信。但以見道為懷。非徇虛名以邀世譽。願盡未來之際。遍窮法界之中。歷劫逾生。常弘斯道。凡有心者。皆入此宗。去執除疑。見聞獲益。承三寶力加被護持。誓報佛恩。廣濟含識。虛空可盡茲願匪移。法界可窮。斯文不墜。 > Answer: Simply because the ocean of teachings is vast and deep, and when plumbed, one cannot know its limits; the sky of doctrine is high and broad, and when gazed upon, one cannot reach its edges. Now, peering at the sky through a tube or ladling the ocean with a conch shell is like scooping a single droplet from the vast ocean, or picking up a speck of dust from Mount Taihua. It was originally because the doctrines are broad and hard to encompass, giving rise to feelings of weariness and laxity, and also because people fail to rely on the correct principle of the Ekayāna teaching and merely follow the conditions of provisional teachings, rarely penetrating the vertical and horizontal gates, and not knowing where they begin and end. For this reason, pruning what is redundant and winnowing what is divergent, gathering the subtle and probing the profound, although the text is not exhaustive, the great meaning is complete; although the conditions are not fully presented, the correct principle is revealed. It searches out to the full the purport of the Ekayāna and cleaves open the source of the myriad phenomena, serving as the profound pivot of prajñā and making an essential road to bodhi. Thus the provisions are easily prepared, swiftly reaching the Mahāyāna, with realization and entry free from doubt, avoiding the detour of the lesser path. Therefore Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa, composing the Treatise on the Arising of Faith, said: 'There are some who lack intellectual power of their own and attain understanding of the meaning by relying on extensive treatises by others; there are also those who lack intellectual power of their own, are frightened by extensive explanations, and take pleasure in hearing an abridged treatise that encompasses vast meanings so as to practice correctly. For the sake of the latter persons, I now briefly gather the Tathāgata’s most supreme, profound, and boundless meanings to compose this treatise.' The Yogācārabhūmiśāstra says: 'Due to two conditions, this treatise is spoken: first, that the Tathāgata's unsurpassed Dharma-teaching may abide long in the world; second, to bring equal benefit, peace, and happiness to all sentient beings. Furthermore, so that the Tathāgata's ambrosial sacred teachings that have disappeared may be recollected, gathered, and revealed anew; and that those not yet disappeared may be doubled in prosperity through questions, answers, and determinations. Furthermore, to encompass and benefit those who delight in brief discourse and diligently practice, by collecting the broad and essential principles of phenomena from the various sūtras and briefly distinguishing them.' Now, as for this record, although it lacks the merit of grand creation, it slightly achieves the work of a single period of compilation. I am also aware that in copying back and forth, the textual flow is not complete. What I hope is simply to take the essential expressions to clarify the source, like identifying jade from stone or sifting gold from sand; among all medicines, taking only the wonder of agada; among all gems, probing only for the wish-fulfilling jewel. By raising one, all are covered; by using the root to gather the branches, not a single word fails to encompass them in brief, and diverse explanations have no different paths. I also hope that later worthies will not look down upon it with ridicule. What is desired is to sever doubt and give rise to faith, with seeing the Way as the only concern, not pursuing empty fame to court worldly praise. I vow that to the end of future time, throughout the entire dharmadhātu, passing through kalpas and traversing lives, I will constantly propagate this Way, so that all who have citta will enter this source, cast off clinging, eliminate doubt, and obtain benefit through seeing and hearing. Receiving the empowering protection of the Three Jewels, I vow to repay the Buddha's grace and broadly deliver sentient beings. Empty space may be exhausted, but this vow will not waver; the dharmadhātu may reach an end, but this text will not fall into oblivion. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.2.6) - [Next: 2.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.2.8) - [Up: 2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.2) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016~en-mt.2.7) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2016.2.7) · Pramāṇa