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不肖。愚下凡夫僧實賢。
「勸發菩提心文」：勸發，是你本來沒有發，他用一種很合理，很合法的語言來勸勉你，令你發生這種的心。發生什麼心呢？就發這個菩提心。什麼叫菩提心？菩提心就是一種明白的心，就是返迷歸覺的一種心，就是捨邪歸正的一種心，就是明辨是非的一種心，也就是不顛倒的心，就是一個直心。直心裏邊沒有一切的委曲相，沒有彎彎曲曲的這一些個行為。菩提心也就是個利人的心，自覺覺他的心，自利利他的心，這都叫菩提心。
「菩提」，這是梵語，翻譯過來就叫「覺道」；覺道就是要你明白這個道。明白道，你才能修行；你若不明白這個道，就不能修行。不明白道，你往往就會顛倒；就會以是為非，以非為是，黑白不分，冠履倒置了。你若明白了呢，就能走一個正路；你不明白，就走一個邪路。所以這個菩提心，你怎麼樣講，怎麼有道理。總而言之，就是「諸惡不作，眾善奉行」，這就是菩提心，所以也就是一個持戒律。你守規矩，就是菩提心；你不守規矩，就是忘失菩提心。那麼這菩提心大概的意思是這樣子。
「古杭」：就是古來到現在都有這麼一個地方。是什麼地方呢？就是杭州。杭州這個地方是佛法大興的一個地方。杭州有西天目、東天目、南天目、北天目，又有天臺山，這些個地方，過去七佛都在這兒出世的。所以中國為什麼大乘的根性這麼多？因為佛以前選擇過在中國這兒出世，所以這個種子早都種下了。「梵天寺」：梵是清淨的意；就是「清淨天」這個寺院。
「沙門」：就是出家人的一個普通的名詞，也是梵語。翻譯過來就叫「勤修戒定慧，息滅貪瞋癡」。勤修戒定慧就是不顛倒；息滅貪瞋癡就是不糊塗，沒有無明。所以出家人普通的一個名號就叫勤息——勤修戒定慧，息滅貪瞋癡。那麼這個出家人，叫什麼名字呢？就叫「實賢」。本來他的名字叫「思齊」，就是見賢思齊焉；又有個別號，就叫「省庵」，所以一般人就叫（省庵大師勸發菩提心文）。
「文」，就是一個文章。文章裏邊有開合轉折，有種種道理在裏頭包括著，可是它說的是一篇一篇的，一章一章的，所以叫文章。這個文法用的有「之乎者也矣焉哉」，又有「起承轉合」，寫的東西是井井有條，很有道理在裏頭包含著。
那麼這一篇文也就等於經典一樣的，它用字不太多，可是說的理論是很圓滿的。因此在佛教裏頭這個發菩提心文也佔很重要的地位。「撰」：撰就是杜撰、寫作。這一篇是誰撰的呢？就是他著作的。因為他寫出來的，不知道究竟對不對，所以客氣話，只說撰，沒有說他著作。他自己認為自己所寫的道理，以前沒有的，那麼以後有沒有就不知道了，所以叫杜撰。這個杜撰就是單獨的，和旁人不同的，也就是或者別開生面，獨出心裁寫這麼一篇文章，這叫撰。撰就是撰述，述就是說一說。
那麼他說「不肖」：這個不肖就是不像。不像什麼呢？不像古來諸佛菩薩、大德高僧那個智慧。因為他們有智慧，所以無論他們寫出來什麼東西，都是很靠得住的。不肖，也可以有另外一個解釋。譬如父親是一個大官，我呢只做一個農夫，所以叫不肖；或者父親是一個很有錢的，自己是個窮人，這也叫不肖。說「我比不了我那個先人」，這就叫不肖某某。
好像帝堯就把他這個天下傳給大舜，沒有傳兒子。他兒子叫丹朱；丹朱不肖所以他傳給旁人了。不肖，就是和父親不一樣，和先人不一樣。他這個「不肖」，就是說他和佛菩薩的思想、心理不一樣。怎麼不一樣呢？他沒有什麼智慧。說「愚下凡夫僧」：我是一個凡夫，不是個聖人。凡夫僧，誰呢？「實賢」。
待續
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Text:
This unfilial, dull, common Sanghan Shixian.
Commentary:
An Essay of Exhortation to Bring Forth the Resolve for
Bodhi. This is an exhortation to bring forth a resolve you have not yet brought forth. He uses reasonable words to urge you to make this resolve. What resolve? The resolve for Bodhi. What is that? It is a resolve to understand; a resolve to turn away from confusion and go back to enlightenment; a resolve to forsake the deviant and return to the proper. It is a resolve to clearly distinguish right from wrong; it is not a deluded resolve, but a straightforward resolve. This straightforward resolve does not allow any crookedness in one's conduct. The Bodhi resolve is a resolve to help others, to enlighten self and others, and to benefit self and others.
"Bodhi" is a Sanskrit word that means "enlightenment to the Way." Once you understand the Way, you can cultivate. If you don't understand it, you cannot cultivate. If you don't understand the Way, you will always be confused, mistaking right to be wrong and wrong to be right. You cannot distinguish black from white, and you wear your hat and sandals switched around. If you understand, then you can walk down a proper path. Otherwise, you take a wrong path. You can explain the Bodhi resolve in any way that makes sense. In general, refraining from evil and practicing good deeds is what the Bodhi resolve entails. It is the resolve to hold precepts. Following the rules is part of the Bodhi resolve; not following them is forgetting the Bodhi resolve. This is the general meaning of the Bodhi resolve.
Ancient Hangzhou means that this place has been there since ancient times. Hangzhou is a place where Buddhism has flourished. In Hangzhou there are the Western, Eastern, Southern, and Northern Peaks of the Tianmu (Celestial Eye) mountain range, as well as Tiantai Mountain. The seven past Buddhas were all born there. Why are there so many people inclined towards Mahayana Buddhism in China? Because in the past, the Buddhas chose to be born in China, and thus the seeds were planted long ago.
Brahma Heaven Monastery. Brahma means pure, so this refers to the "Pure Heaven" Monastery.
Shramana is a term for those who have entered the monastic order. It is a Sanskrit word, which carries the meaning, "diligently cultivate precepts, samadhi, and wisdom; and put to rest greed, hatred, and stupidity." To diligently cultivate precepts, samadhi, and wisdom means not to be deluded. To put to rest greed, hatred, and stupidity means not to be muddled—not to be afflicted by ignorance. Therefore, this term for members of the monastic order is summarized as "diligently putting to rest"— diligently cultivating precepts, samadhi, and wisdom; and putting to rest greed, hatred, and stupidity.
What is the name of the Shramana in question? His name was Shixian. His original name was Siqi (striving to equal), as in the expression, "When you see worthy ones, strive to equal them." He was also known by another name, Xing'an. Many people refer to this text as "An Essay of Exhortation to Resolve the Mind upon Bodhi by Great Master Xing'an."
An essay is a piece of writing which has an opening and a closing and may explore several sub-themes. It covers various topics and is divided into sections and parts. It is written according to the rules of grammar and includes the various parts of speech. An essay has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. It is written in an organized fashion so that the principles are conveyed clearly.
This particular essay is equivalent to a Sutra. Although it is not very long, it presents a perfect, coherent doctrine. Because of this, it has a very important place in Buddhism.
In Chinese, the author used the word zhuan, which is a modest way of saying that he casually wrote this essay and did not know whether it was right or not. He did not use the term
zhuzuo, which means to formally compose something. He felt that what he had wrote was something that didn't exist before, but he didn't know whether it would be around later, so he used
zhuan. Zhuan also carries the connotation of something that he wrote by himself, which is different from others' work. These are his own unique ideas that he has written down.
This unfilial, dull, common Sanghan Shixian. The Chinese word for "unfllial" literally means "unlike." Who was he unlike? He does not resemble the ancient Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and eminent monks of great virtue in their wisdom. Since they had wisdom, whatever they wrote would be reliable. There is another explanation for "unlike."
For example, if my father was a high official and I am a farmer, then I do not take after my father. Or, if my father was rich and I am poor, I am also unlike him. If you say, "I do not match up to my ancestors," then you are unlike them, and also unfllial to them.
For example, Emperor Yao passed the rule onto the Great Shun, not to his own son, Danzhu. Since Danzhu did not take after him, he gave the throne to someone else. To be "unlike" means to not resemble one's father and one's forefathers. Here, the author is saying that he does not have the same thoughts and quality of mind as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. How is he different from them? He doesn't have much wisdom. He calls himself a "common Sanghan." He says, "I am an ordinary person, not a Sage." Who is this ordinary person? Shixian.
To be continued
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