北山錄 9.2.8

9.2.8

二眾初學儀律新疏要決十卷。 識心澄觀俱舍等論鈔共百餘卷）鄙野一家之言。 經郡邑寇亂而亡矣。 鄙以學無常師。 遂體三教參玄之旨趣。 裁而錄之。 暮年神疲。 不盡所志。 而有告余者曰。 日月既逝。 老之至矣。 蓋釋文字乎（蓋何不也。 釋放也）余莞爾而笑（莞爾笑貌）曰。 彼不吾知也。 余今自欲實腹精於義。 何甞計利而進。 度齒而廢乎（齒年也）夫去學而神虛焉。 則善有所補。 不則聽言譁噪。 無若誦言為優（聽言塵俗之言也。 徒為喧噪。 誦言典雅之言。 聞之經濟。 優者勝也）然法華誡其親近（法華經不許親近世俗文筆外道文字）華嚴責其多聞者。 蓋恐封乎所嗜（封滯也）密設其防謂不爾者。 彼善財童子歷抵一百一十城何為也。

the New Commentary on the Essential Determinations of the Vinaya Rituals for Beginners of the Two Assemblies in ten fascicles, and commentaries on the Cognizance of Mind, Chengguan, the Abhidharmakośa, and other treatises totaling more than one hundred fascicles). These crude, personal writings were lost during the bandit rebellions across the prefectures and counties. Believing that in learning one should have no constant master, I subsequently grasped the essential tenets of the three teachings exploring the profound, and edited and recorded them. In my declining years my spirit is exhausted, and I have not fulfilled my aspirations. Yet someone told me: "The days and months have passed; old age has arrived. Why not let go of the brush and writings?" (Why not? Let go means release.) Smiling gently (the look of smiling), I replied: "You do not know me. Now I wish to nourish my mind and master the principles; how could I ever have advanced for the sake of profit, or abandon it simply by counting my years? (Years means age.) If one abandons learning and lets the spirit remain empty, then [learning] has indeed something to offer; if not, listening to noisy clamor cannot compare to the superiority of reciting classic texts. (Listening to words refers to worldly speech, which is merely noisy; reciting words refers to refined, elegant texts, which bring beneficial governance when heard; 'superior' means surpassing.) While the Lotus Sūtra cautions against close association (the Lotus Sūtra does not permit close association with worldly compositions and non-Buddhist writings), and the Avataṃsaka Sūtra reproaches excessive hearing, this was done merely out of fear that people would become attached to what they relish (clinging tightly), quietly establishing precautions. If it were not so, why did the youth Sudhana visit one hundred and ten cities?