佛祖統紀 1.19

1.19

自北齊始開龍樹之道。至於天台大弘法華。章安集為論疏。荊溪製記申明。稟承教觀。實居震旦。是謂今師祖承。作東土九祖紀二卷。自邃法師嗣荊溪之業。師師相承。歷晚唐五代。暨我本朝。教法散而復合。仰惟四明法智。用能中興天台一家教觀之道。同功列祖。作興道法師下八祖紀一卷。上稽釋迦示生之日。下距法智息化之年。一佛二十九祖。起周昭王二十六年甲寅。至宋仁宗天聖六年戊辰。合二千二年。通為本紀。以繫正統。如世帝王正寶位而傳大業。

From the Northern Qi, which first opened the path of Nāgārjuna, down to Tiantai, who greatly propagated the Lotus, with Zhang'an compiling treatises and commentaries and Jingxi composing records to elucidate them, they inherited the teachings and contemplations and truly resided in Cīnasthāna; this is called the contemporary masters' patriarchal transmission. I have composed the Chronicle of the Nine Patriarchs of the Eastern Land in two fascicles. From Master Sui inheriting the legacy of Jingxi, master transmitting to master across the late Tang and Five Dynasties down to our present dynasty, the teachings dispersed and reunited. Reverently contemplating Fazhi of Siming, who was able to revitalize the teachings and contemplations of the single house of Tiantai with merit equal to the successive patriarchs, I have composed the Chronicle of the Eight Patriarchs under the Master Who Revitalized the Dao in one fascicle. Examining above the day Śākyamuni manifested his birth, and coming down to the year Fazhi ceased his teaching, one Buddha and twenty-nine patriarchs, beginning in the twenty-sixth year, the *jiayin* year, of King Zhao of Zhou, down to the sixth year, the *wuchen* year, of the Tiansheng era of Emperor Renzong of the Song, covering 2,002 years in all, collectively form the Basic Annals to maintain the orthodox lineage, just as worldly emperors take the precious throne and transmit the great enterprise.