编者之言
Words Of [The] Compiler
莲宗十三祖灵岩印光大师，乘大愿轮，做如来使。奋起于末法苍茫之际，专修净业，圆悟真乘。
[The] Lotus Tradition’s [Mount] Língyán [Monastery’s] [灵岩山寺] Thirteenth Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng rode great vows’ ship [to] be [the] Thus Come [One’s] emissary. Vigorously giving rise [to], at [the] time of [this] boundless Dharma-Ending [Age], focused cultivation [of] pure karmas, [for] perfect awakening [of the] True Vehicle.
以余门修道，解脱綦难，惟依念佛得度生死。遂专提净土一宗，普摄群机。
With other [Dharma] Doors cultivating [the] path, [as] liberation [is] very difficult, only relying on mindfulness [of the] Buddha[‘s name] [i.e. Āmítuófó (阿弥陀佛)] attains deliverance [from the cycle of] birth [and] death. Thereupon focusing [on] promoting Pure Land, [this] one tradition, [to] universally gather all capacities.
法语流传，遍与中外。崇仰而求皈依者，何止数十万人。平生修持之猛，诲人之切，近代僧伽，鲜能望其项背。
[His] Dharma words circulated, everywhere together with China [and] beyond. Those revering, admiring and seeking refuge, [were] far more than several tens [of] thousand persons. Throughout [his] life, [he was with] practice that [was] bold [and powerful, and] instructing [of] people that [was] sincere, [with which] modern times’ Saṃgha [members, are with] few able [to] gaze [at] his neck [and] back.
而末后一著，撒手便行，瑞应昭然，了无障碍。使见闻感叹，信向益坚。尤为彻悟老人后所罕见。
Then finally [with] one move, letting go then departing, [with] auspicious responses obvious, completely without obstacles. Causing [those] seeing [and] hearing [to] exclaim, [with] faith’s direction benefitting firmly. Especially after [the Pure Land Tradition’s Twelfth Patriarch] Old [Great Master] Chèwù [净土宗十二祖彻悟大师], [this is] that rarely seen.
净通忝列门墙，未获亲炙，而师已示寂，恨深恩之莫报，怅请益之无由。
Jìngtōng [is with] shame lined up [to his] door [and] walls. [When] yet [to] obtain [his] personal teachings, then [with the] Master already manifesting passing away. Resenting deeply that [his] kindness [is] not repaid, [and] disappointed that requesting [of] more teachings [is] unable [to be done].
辄取吾师遗著，昕夕披览，熟读而深思之，觉其中一字一句，皆昏衢之慧炬，苦海之慈航。如涂毒鼓，声声普闻。如大圆镜，光光交彻。
Suddenly obtaining my teacher’s bequeathed writings, [from] dawn [to] dusk spreading [them] open [for] reading, studying [for] familiarising and deeply contemplating, awakening [with] their [each] one word [and each] one line, [they are the] wisdom torch of all dark crossroads, [and the] compassionate ship of suffering’s ocean. Like [a] drum smeared [with] poison, [with] every sound universally heard. Like [a] great complete mirror, [with] every light interpenetrating.
惟辞丰义博，未易猝解。乃掇其至精至粹之言，或意义同而下语殊胜微妙者，提要钩玄，录为一编。
Because [with] words abundant [and] meanings extensive, [they are] not easy to suddenly understand. Thus collecting his words of utmost essence [and] utmost purity, perhaps [with] those meanings [the] same, then [with] annotations below [on their] excellent subtle wonders, raising [the] essentials [and] catching [the] profound, [to be] recorded as one compilation.
惟所取者，限于正、续二集。吾友唐慧峻居士，犹慊其未足。乃商之妙真法师，取《文钞三编》之未付梓者，供余采掇，俾阅之得窥全集菁华而收宏效。
Those only obtained, [were] limited [to the] First [and] Second, [these] two compilations. My friend layperson Táng Huìjùn, [thought] that [they were] still lacking, yet [to be] sufficient. Thus discussing this [with] Dharma Master Miàozhēn, obtaining that ‘Collected Writings’ Third Compilation’ yet [to be] handed over [for making] printing blocks, [to] provide [the] remaining [teachings for] selection [and] collection, so that reading this [can] attain [a] peep [at the] complete collection’s essence, [to] then receive great results.
综《文钞》正、续、三各编，共选得精要三百三十三则。仍按正编《嘉言录》编次，分列十科。并逐句详加圈点，以醒眉目。名之曰《印光大师文钞菁华录》。
Gathering together [the] ‘Collected Writings’ First, Second [and] Third, each compilation, together selected [are their] essential three hundred [and] thirty-three short sections. [This is] still according to [the] First Compilation’s ‘Record [Of] Excellent Words’ order of arrangement, differentiated [and] arranged [into] ten categories. Also, one by one, [for each] sentence detailedly added [were] circles [and] dots [to punctuate as full-stops and commas], for understanding [the] sequence of ideas. Naming this [to be] called, ‘Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence’.
置之座右，以资寻绎策精进而已，未遑以示人也。间者为沪苏诸大德所闻，索读一过。
Placing this [on] my seat’s right, with [it] serving [for] seeking explanations [and] encouraging diligence only, yet [to have] enough time [to be] with [it] shown [to] others. [Of] those hearing [about it] are Hù [and] Sū’s [i.e. Shànghǎi and Sūzhōu] many great virtuous [ones, whom with] that heard, searched [to] read [it at] once.
以所录虽不及原书之十一，而佛祖之心传，圣贤之道脉，净土之奥旨，持名之奇勋，凡吾师所称性而谈，如实而说者，采撷靡遗。尝海一滴，可知全味。
With that recorded, although [they do] not reach [the] original books’ one [part] of ten, yet [this has the] heart transmission of [the] Buddhas [and] Patriarchs, [the] path’s vein of noble [and] virtuous [ones, the] profound purpose of [the] Pure Land, [the] marvellous merits of upholding [the Buddha’s] name. [With] all our teacher, that matching [our] natures then discussed, that according [to] truth then spoken, picked [and] collected, not leaving [them] behind. Tasting [the] ocean’s one drop, [there] can [be] knowing [of its] entire taste.
乃集议刊行，以饷同伦。复承了然、德森两法师，遵照原著，详为鉴定，而始臻完善。
Thus gathering [and] discussing [on] publication [and] circulation, so as to give [it to] similar peers. Again undertaking [this were] Liǎorán [and] Désēn, [these] two Dharma Masters, [who] accorded with [the] original writings, for detailed evaluation, only then reaching completion.
昔大师《答郦隐叟书》有云：「某之文，虽无大发挥，而初机阅之，则禅净之界限分明。自力佛力之利益大小，明如观火，自不致欲了生死，不知路头。并于一切法中，见其法法圆妙，不至无所适从。」
[In the] past, [the] Great Master [in his] ‘Reply Letter [To] Lì Yǐnsǒu’ has [this] said, ‘[The] writings of myself, although [are] without [that] great brought out, yet [for] beginners reading them, [they are] then [with the] boundaries [of] Chán [and] Pure [Land practices] understood clearly. [The] benefits great [and] small of Self-power [and] Buddha-power, [will be] clear like looking at fire, naturally not leading [to] desiring [to be] liberated [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, not knowing [the] path. Also, within all Dharma [Doors], seeing those every Dharma [to be] complete [and] wonderful, not going so far [as to] not [know which of] that [to] follow.’
又《答永嘉某居士书》云：「劝一人生净土，即成就一众生作佛，凡成佛必度无量众生，而其功由我始，其功德利益，何可思议？」
Also, [his] ‘Reply Letter [To A] Certain Yǒngjiā Layperson’ says, ‘[Those] encouraging one person [to be] born [in the] Pure Land, are the same as [those] accomplishing one sentient being [to] become [a] Buddha. [As] all [who] accomplish [as] Buddhas definitely [will] deliver immeasurable sentient beings, and [as] their meritorious [virtues are] due [to] me [that] began, [of] these meritorious virtues’ benefits, how can [they be] conceivable?’
[Note: More from the letter: https://purelanders.com/2020/12/05/why-should-we-encourage-all-to-be-born-in-pure-land]
夫大师度生之心，尽未来际，故无穷尽。惟愿读斯编者，依教奉行，广为演说。或斥资流通，自他兼利。
That mind of [the] Great Master [for] delivering sentient beings, [is to the] utmost [of the] future’s limit, thus inexhaustible. [I] only wish [that] those studying this compilation, [can] rely on [its] teachings [for] practice, [and] widely expound [them]. Perhaps allocating funds [for] circulation, [for] oneself [and] others [to] simultaneously benefit.
不惟获无量无边之福德，且不啻与大师謦欬想通，法流相接，其净土之生，如操左券矣。
Not only obtaining blessed virtues that [are] immeasurable [and] boundless, moreover, no less than with [the] Great Master ‘chatting [and] laughing’, thinking through, [with the] Dharma flowing connecting [with] one another, of that birth [in] Pure Land, [it is] like holding [the] left contract [i.e. guaranteed].
净通智慧狭劣，于吾师广大精微之遗训，稍窥藩篱，未穷涯际，遗珠之憾，时所难免。尚冀当世大德有以教之。
[As] Jìngtōng’s wisdom [is] narrow [and] inferior, of our teacher’s vast [and] great bequeathed teachings that [are] profound [and] subtle, [only] slightly peeping [over the] hedge, yet [to see] completely [to their] extreme boundary, [the] regrets of omitting [some] gems, [are] then those difficult [to] avoid. Still, hoping [that] the present age’s great virtuous [ones will] have this used [for] teaching.
公历一九五四年甲午孟秋菩萨戒弟子海盐李净通法名宗敬识于上海闻性庐时年七十有七
[In] Gregorian calendar year 1954, Jiǎwǔ’s Mèngqiū [i.e. first autumn month], [by] Bodhisattva Precepts’ Disciple, Hǎiyán’s Lǐ Jìngtōng, Dharma name Zōngjìng, recorded at Shànghǎi’s Wénxìnglú [i.e. Hearing Nature’s Cottage], [at] age [of] seventy-seven
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关典籍
Related Text:
《印光大师文钞菁华录》
Record Of Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence
https://purelanders.com/jinghualu
