廣弘明集 28.36

28.36

弟子沈約。上白十方諸佛十方諸大聖今日見前眾僧。三界非有五陰皆無。四倒十纏共相和合。一切如電。揮萬劫於俄頃。丘井易淪。終漂沈於苦岸。迷塗遂遠弱喪忘歸。區區七尺莫知其假。耳目之外謂為空談。靡依靡歸不信不受。生靈一謝再得無期。約所以撫心自惻臨踐非譬者也。至聖凝寂。無迹可尋。緣應所感事惟拯物。持鉢安行出彼祇樹。不逾停午以福眾生。芳塵餘法峨然未改。約以往夏遘罹痾疾。帝上哀矜深垂愍慮。以月次徂暑日在丙寅。仰會千僧於其私宅。隆慈重施弗知所限。既已奉祇洪德。又思自罄家財。一舉盈千力難私辦。稍而後滿事或易充。草堂約法師於所住山寺為營。八集其一。仰憑上定林寺祐法主。今月二十九日。第十會集百僧於所創田廬。福不唐捐。聞之經訓。心路皎然。又過於此。凡有涓毫應證來業。無巨無細咸歸聖主。仰願十方共明此誓。豈足少酬天眷。蓋以微寄誠心云爾。

The disciple Shen Yue speaks to all Buddhas of the ten directions, all Great Sages of the ten directions, and the present assembly of monks today: The three realms do not exist, and the five aggregates are all empty. The four inversions and the ten fetters join together in harmony. All things are like lightning, flashing past ten thousand kalpas in an instant. The mound and well are easily fallen into, drifting and sinking at last onto the shore of suffering. The straying path extends ever further; lost from youth, one forgets to return. This petty seven-foot body—none realize it is provisional; what lies beyond ear and eye, they deem empty talk. Having nothing to rely on and nowhere to return, they neither believe nor accept. Once a living being perishes, there is no prospect of regaining life. This is why I, Shen Yue, touch my heart in self-pity, and face my actions with no comparison. The Supreme Sage is frozen in stillness, leaving no trace to be sought; responding to causes according to receptivity, His sole concern is rescuing beings. Bearing His bowl and walking in peace, He set out from that Jetavana; before the high noon passed, He brought blessing to sentient beings. His fragrant traces and remaining Dharma stand lofty and unchanged. In the summer past, Yue contracted an illness; the Sovereign above had pity and deeply extended his sympathetic care. When the month turned to departing heat and the day was binyin, he assembled a thousand monks at his private residence. His exalted kindness and weighty generosity knew no bounds. Having already revered this vast virtue, I also reflect upon exhausting my own family wealth; yet to gather a thousand at one stroke was difficult to manage privately, whereas doing so gradually to reach full number might be easily fulfilled. For this, Dharma Master Yue of Caotang organized it at the mountain temple where he resides, this being one of eight assemblies. Relying above upon Dharma Master Sengyou of Upper Dinglin Temple, on the twenty-ninth day of this month, a tenth assembly of a hundred monks was gathered at the rural cottage I founded. 'Blessings are not spent in vain'—hearing this from the scriptural teachings, my mind's path became bright and clear, even surpassing this. Whatever tiny drop there may be that should testify to future karma, whether great or small, shall all redound to the Sagely Lord. I look up and pray that the ten directions jointly illumine this vow. How could it suffice even slightly to repay the heavenly favour? It is merely to lodge my slight sincerity, that is all.