佛祖統紀 22.4

22.4

有為天台之道。而無聞於後世者。固亦多矣。非以其迹晦而位卑身亡而嗣絕乎。至若舊雖有傳而無所師。附見他傳而無所考。凡於法門有旁贊之一益者。豈不樂書。作未詳承嗣傳。

Those who practiced the way of Tiantai yet were unheard of in later generations were indeed numerous. Is it not because their traces were obscure, their stations lowly, their persons perished, and their lines extinguished? As for those who, although having older records, lack an identifiable teacher, or are mentioned incidentally in other biographies without means of verification: whoever provided even a single incidental benefit to support the Dharma-gate—how could one not take pleasure in recording them? Thus I have composed the Biographies of Those Whose Lineage Succession is Unclear.