High-definition pagination of "The Preface to the Holy Religion of the Wild Goose Pagoda" by Chu Suiliang of the Tang Dynasty! Attached is the original text and translation

"The Preface to the Holy Religion of the Wild Goose Pagoda" is also known as the "Preface to the Holy Religion of Ci'en Temple". It is a famous stele work in the history of calligraphy and a representative regular script work of Chu Suiliang in the Tang Dynasty. In the fourth year of Yonghui reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (AD 653), two stone tablets were set up in two brick niches on both sides of the south gate of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The foreheads and writing directions of the two tablets are symmetrical to each other. The monument contains 1,463 words. The upper stele is a preface, the full name of which is "The Preface to the Holy Teachings of the Tripitaka of the Tang Dynasty". It is located in the brick niche on the west side of the gate on the south side of the bottom floor of the pagoda. It was written by Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. The inscription has 21 lines and 42 characters, written and inscribed from right to left; the lower stele is The preface stele, whose full name is "The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty's Preface to the Tripitaka Sacred Religion", is located in the brick niche on the east side of the gate on the south side of the tower. It was written by Li Zhi, Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. The inscription has 20 lines and 40 characters, written and engraved from left to right.

Emperor's system

The two instruments of Gaiwen have images, which appear to be covered with life; they are invisible in the four seasons, hiding in the cold and heat to transform things. Therefore, by looking at the sky and the earth, all mediocrity and fools will know its origin; if the yin is clear and the yang is clear, the sages will be rare in number. However, the reason why heaven and earth are close to yin and yang is easy to recognize because they have images; the reason why yin and yang are close to heaven and earth and difficult to recognize is because they are invisible. Therefore, we know that the image is visible and can be marked, but even if we are stupid, we will not be confused; the form is hidden and cannot be seen, and we will still be confused by wisdom. What's more, Buddhism respects emptiness, takes advantage of secludedness to control silence, promotes blessings to thousands of people, governs the ten directions, raises mighty spirits and is supreme, suppresses divine power and is inferior. The big ones are spread across the universe, and the small ones are captured within a millimeter. It is neither destroyed nor reborn; it lasts for thousands of kalpas and remains unchanged; if it is hidden or revealed, it brings hundreds of blessings and lasts forever. The wonderful way is so mysterious that if you follow it, you will not know its origin; if you follow the Dharma, it will be so quiet that you will not know its source. Therefore, I know that stupid people are stupid and ordinary, and they are just mediocre. If you follow his purpose, you can have no doubts!

However, the rise of great religions is based on the western soil. It rises in the Han Dynasty and brings bright dreams, and shines in the eastern regions and flows with compassion. In the past, when fractals were separated and traces were separated, words were not yet developed but they were transformed; when they appeared in the world of eternity, people admired virtue and knew how to abide by it. When the dark shadow returns to its true form, the rituals move across the world, the golden face hides the color, and does not reflect the light of three thousand; the beautiful elephant opens the picture, showing the four or eight signs in the sky. So he spoke in small words and spread widely, saving Han and others from three lands; his teachings were widely spread, and he guided people to be born in ten places. However, it is difficult to believe in the true religion, and it is difficult to follow its purpose. Therefore, the theory of emptiness and existence is not a matter of custom; the multiplication of large and small things is gradually followed and replaced.

Master Xuanzang is the leader of the sect. If you are young and have a pure and sensitive mind, you will realize the three emptiness early; if you have a long-lasting understanding of your mind, you will be able to practice the Four Forbearances first. Pines, fengshui and moon are not as good as Qinghua; fairy dew and pearls can only make them bright and moist. Therefore, the wisdom is clear and there is no fatigue. The divine judgment has no form. It transcends the six dusts and stands apart. It will only last through the ages without being correct. Concentrating on the inner state of my mind, I feel sad that the true Dharma is late; I dwell on the Taoism and feel the absurdity of the profound text. The desire to think is to analyze things in order, to learn from others' past experiences, to intercept falsehoods and to continue true ones, so as to start learning from others. So I set my heart on the Pure Land and traveled to the Western Regions. Take advantage of the danger and march far away, use the staff to lead the lonely expedition. The snow flies in the morning, and the ground is lost on the way; the frightening sand rises in the evening, and the sky is lost in the sky. Thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, pushing through the mist, make their shadows appear; hundreds of cold and heat, sneaking through the frost and rain (otherwise known as "snow") before moving forward. Honesty is more important than hard work, seeking depth and wishing to achieve it, traveling around the West for seven years. I have traveled through the Taoist states and asked for orthodox teachings. I have two forests and eight rivers, where I can enjoy the delicious food and the wind. I can see the wonders and wonders in the deer garden and the eagle peaks. Inherit the best words from the sages, receive the true teachings from the sages, explore the wonderful doors, and master the profound karma. The Tao of the Five Laws of One Vehicle rushes through the heart; the text of the Eight Treasures and Three Boxes makes waves in the sea of ​​​​mouth.

In all the countries that Yuan has visited, he has compiled six hundred and fifty-seven volumes of the essential texts of the Tripitaka, translated and distributed in Zhongxia, to promote his victorious deeds. Introduce the clouds of kindness to the extreme west, inject the rain of Dharma in the east, restore the sacred teachings when they are missing, and return blessings to the sins of the people. The dry flames of the house of wet fire lead to the lost path; the dim waves of the loving water lead to the other shore together. It is known that evil deeds fall due to karma, good deeds rise due to conditions, and the ends of ups and downs are only entrusted by people. For example, the osmanthus grows on high mountains, and its flowers can only be wiped out by zero dew; the lotus grows in Lubo, and flying dust cannot stain its leaves. The nature of non-lotus is self-purifying and the nature of cinnamon is pure. If the good source is high, then small things cannot be burdened; if the base is pure, then turbid things cannot be stained. I am ignorant of flowers and trees, but I am still good at being good. How much more can I know human relations and not be blessed?

Ask for celebration! Fang Jizi's flowing blessings will make the sun and moon infinite; the blessings will be spread forever, and the universe will be forever great.

[Translation]

It is said that the heaven and earth have shapes, so they are exposed, cover and carry all living things; because the four seasons have no shapes, they hide deep cold and heat to transform and nurture them. Everything. Therefore, by observing and experiencing the changes of heaven and earth, even ordinary and stupid people can know some of its signs; to understand the changes of yin and yang, even the virtuous and wise people rarely study the laws of its changes.

But the reason why heaven and earth contain the changes of yin and yang and is easy to understand is because heaven and earth have shapes; the reason why yin and yang change between heaven and earth and is difficult to study thoroughly is because the changes of yin and yang have no shape. Therefore, the image of heaven and earth is exposed and can be verified, and even stupid people can understand it; while the changes of yin and yang are hidden and no one can see it, even smart people will still be confused.

Moreover, Buddhism and Taoism admire the void, which uses secrets to control the transcendent realm. It also advocates widespread relief of many living beings and uses Buddhist theories to govern the world. There is no upper limit to the power of Buddhism once it is unleashed, and there is no lower limit to the ability to restrain magical power. Buddhism and Taoism say that it spreads all over the universe from a large perspective, but from a small perspective, it can be narrowed down to a tiny bit. Because Buddhism advocates immortality and transcendence, it will never decline despite the passage of time. Sometimes it is hidden, sometimes it is revealed, conveying countless happiness in various forms until now. Even if one follows the miraculous principles and profound mysteries contained in Buddhism, no one knows its limits; the spread of Buddhism is profound and quiet, and even if one admires it, no one can discover its origins. Therefore, can many ordinary and ignorant people, as well as those who are mediocre and simple, face the profound purpose of Buddhism without doubts?

However, Buddhism was born and rose in the West. It spread to the Tang Dynasty and Han Dynasty like a bright dream, shining on the Tang Dynasty and spreading love. A long time ago, when the world first opened, language had not spread and education had not yet been formed. Today, people admire virtue and know how to follow etiquette. During the long wait, when human beings returned from chaos and darkness to the original and pure days of today, the world has changed and the laws have changed. Earlier, the glorious face of the Buddha was obscured by a color, and the Buddha's light could not shine above the three thousand worlds; now its beautiful image can be unfolded, and we seem to see a Buddha statue sitting in the sky, and even the thirty-year-old Buddha on it Two distinctive features are clearly visible. As a result, the exquisite language spread widely, and it was possible to save all things from the suffering of life and death. Therefore, the reasonable words spoken by our ancestors can be spread for a long time, and can guide all sentient beings through suffering in the vast land. However, in the long history of history, it is difficult for true orthodox religion to spread widely, and various sects cannot unify and attribute the essence of true religion together. However, it is easy for people to follow eccentric and improper knowledge, so there is a gap between evil and righteousness in terms of doctrine. Intertwined and messy. Therefore, the empty sect and the existing sect have their own views; sometimes they have disputes following the old customs. As a result, the doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism temporarily circulated alternately in rise and fall along with the passage of time.

There was a master named Xuanzang, who was the leader of the sect. He has been smart and loyal since he was a child, and he has been able to understand the teachings of "Three Spaces" for a long time; when he grew up, his expression and personality were very consistent with the requirements of Buddhism, and he always insisted on Buddhist practice including the realm of "Four Ninjas" . Even the breeze from the pine forest stream and the bright moon in the lake cannot compare with his beauty; even the morning dew from the immortal drink and the bright pearls can not compare with his brightness and moistness. Therefore, he has extraordinary wisdom, no worries, clear spirit, and does not reveal himself; he transcends the "six voids" and is different from ordinary people. For many years, no one can compare with him. He concentrated on cultivating himself from the heart, and often felt sad about the decline of orthodox Buddhism; he studied Buddhism quietly, and often sighed because this profound theory was misrepresented; he wanted to analyze scriptures in an orderly manner and expand Buddhism. Ancient scriptures and classics; remove the false ones and retain the true ones, so that future generations of scholars will no longer confuse the true with the false. Therefore, he yearned for the Pure Land and went to the Western Regions to study. He risked his life on a journey of thousands of miles; he traveled alone on crutches. There were countless difficulties and dangers on the way. In the morning, there was snow all over the sky, and sometimes there was no place to stay during the journey. In the evening, the billowing wind and sand blocked the sky and the moon, making it difficult to determine the direction. Above thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, there is his figure pushing forward through obstacles and fog; in many seasons of severe cold and scorching heat, he has left his footprints marching through frost and rain. With his sincerity to the Buddha, he regards the hard work as a trivial matter and hopes that his wish will be realized. He traveled to various countries in the Western Regions, which lasted for 17 years. He traveled to all the places he passed, searching for orthodoxy. He passed through Shuanglin; he went to Bashui, and experienced the noble customs of the Buddhist holy land; he went to Luyuan, climbed the Eagle Peak, and paid homage to the rare treasures and unique paths in the life of the Buddha. He received profound knowledge from the sages and saints. He quickly remembered the Buddhist teachings of "One Vehicle" and "Five Laws" in his mind. Regarding the Buddhist theories of "Eight Storehouses" and "Three Boxes", he talked about them like waves and flowing water.

So Xuanzang collected and absorbed the main works of Tripitaka from the large and small countries he passed through, a total of 657 volumes, translated them into Chinese and spread them in the Central Plains. From then on, this Great achievements are publicized. Compassionate clouds floated slowly from the west, and the Buddha's teachings of immeasurable merit spread over the land of the Tang Dynasty like timely rain. The incomplete Buddhist teachings were finally restored to integrity, and the people living in suffering became happy again. Extinguishing the raging fire in the fire house (saving all living beings from the deep water and heat), they no longer lose their way; the Buddha's light shines universally, dispelling the darkness, and illuminating all living beings to reach the other side of transcending life and death. Therefore, we understand that if we do bad things, we will be punished by karma and fall into the sea of ​​suffering, and if we do good things, we will definitely ascend to heaven due to the Buddha's destiny. Why there are ups and downs depends on what people do. For example, sweet-scented osmanthus grows on high mountains, and only the rain and dew from the sky can nourish its flowers; lotus comes from clear lake water, and flying dust will not stain its leaves. This does not mean that the lotus is originally clean and the sweet-scented osmanthus is originally chaste. It is indeed because the conditions to which the sweet-scented osmanthus is attached are inherently high, so those despicable things cannot harm it; the lotus is attached to originally very clean, so those dirty things will defile it. No more it. Flowers, plants and trees are not sentient, but they can achieve good deeds by virtue of good conditions. What's more, human beings have flesh and blood and thinking, but they cannot seek happiness by virtue of good conditions. I hope that this "Holy Teachings of the Tripitaka of the Tang Dynasty" can be spread widely, like the sun and the moon, shining forever; that this blessed site can be spread to the world forever, coexist with the heaven and earth, and carry forward the vastness.