The Buddhadharma is profound and wonderful, but to expound the unfathomable doctrine in all its depth is far from easy. Some people devote most of their energy and thought to the Dharma by teaching or explaining the sutras; however, in their deducing and in their searching for terms and supportive quotations, they have not yet reached the level of the Buddhaís mind. The one who has not climbed Mount Tai (Tai Shan) can only say, ìHow majestic!î Someone who has not seen the Yellow River but who yet describes how great, how vast it is, is not speaking from his own experience. If oneís view regarding the Dharma is based on speculation, oneís understanding will not be clear; one is not then going to be in a position to explain the Dharma successfully to others. When the teacher lacks understanding of the Dharma, it is hard on the students. They must study too hard to make up for the incomplete guidance. They might even become discouraged and give up, fearing failure, and that would be such a pity! When the great master expounded The Heart Sutra in the Buddhist Library of China, I translated his lectures from Mandarin into Cantonese. I had taken refuge in the Three Jewels from my master many years before that, and Le Kuo, another master, had taught me Buddhadharma. Obliging and kind, he did not abandon me even though I was foolish. He guided me patiently to the right path. Bound by my fixed karma, I am constantly in a hurry and do not devote enough time to the Tathagataís teachings. It is difficult to reduce my ignorance and change my habits, and my mind is as dull as it was before I started aspiring to Buddhadharma.

However, the Grand Master Tían Hsuís practice of the Tao of Bodhi is most serious. He thoroughly comprehends the unsurpassed Dharma in all its implications, and his Tao is of the highest integrity. His great reputation has long been established. My goal while learning Buddhadharma was to work with an all-out effort, to follow faithfully, and to be authorized to translate. I feel, nevertheless, uneasy about my own limited knowledge. Prior to his systematic explanation of the Sutra, the master presented in everyday language and with perfect freedom of expression the results of his thorough and exhaustive study, bringing into play all the subtlety of the wondrous and profound Dharma. It seemed as easy as if he had peeled a plantain or stripped a cocoon, using many carefully chosen examples along the way to make his discourse more relevant in terms of daily life. The audience was very impressed and deeply moved. If the Grand Master had not already climbed Mount Tai and had not already seen the Yellow River with his own eyes, how could he have expressed himself so lucidly, so consistently?

During those nine days of his lectures, the entire Dharma assembly experienced a deep sense of well-being, and at the conclusion of the series they all agreed to take up a collection for the publication of the masterís discourses, which themselves are to be used as an offering to all mankind and to provide a good condition for the Dharmaís condition in the future. With this in mind, I have accepted the responsibility for arranging and organizing my notes on the masterís discourses. Other commentaries I have read are brief and to the point, but that approach does not suit all readers. Consequently, I chose not to edit my record of these lectures but handed them over as complete and integral to the Grand Masterís teaching. I did not avoid or dodge any of the problems; I just presented the record in a straightforward manner. Also, because people have difficulty sometimes with literary language, I did not take the liberty to emphasize, exaggerate or add anything for fear of losing the meaning and the expressions characteristic of the Grand Masterís discourse. May I be forgiven for my awkward presentation.