廣弘明集 27.23

27.23

Your disciple's foundation inherits accumulated goodness; I was born and raised in the imperial household. Early on, I hastened to my family training, and was imbued with inherited teachings from youth. Blessed with good fortune, I suddenly awakened to the wonderful truth. Shamed by the ruggedness of the small path, I aspire to wander at ease in the Great Vehicle. Laughing at resting in the illusory city, I vow to boat and sail to the other shore. Among the ten thousand practices of a bodhisattva, precepts and goodness come first; the ten receptions of a bodhisattva are uniquely held as supreme. Just as when erecting a palace one must first lay the foundation, for merely framing it in empty space will never see it completed. Confucius, Laozi, and the Buddhist gateway all rely on moulding and casting; without rules and models, to whom would one look up? Truly, although Śākyamuni is honoured as the upādhyāya and Mañjuśrī unseen serves as the ācārya, one must still rely on a human master to visibly transmit the holy conferral. Moving from the near to the far, feeling resonance, it then penetrates: Sadāprarudita exhausted his marrow for Dharmodgata, and Sudhana gave up his life throughout the dharma-realm. The scriptures contain clear passages; these are not mere subjective words. Firmly believing the Buddha's words, I am fortunate to follow the timely guide.