我出家之後，發了一個願：要把佛經先譯成白話文，然後再翻譯成英文。我雖然不懂英文，可是想盡方法，能翻譯多少算多少。

After I left the home-life, I made a vow to explain the Buddhist Sutras in colloquial Chinese first, and then to translate them into English. Although I didn't know English, I still tried every possible way I could think of and translated as much as I could.

後來到了美國，因緣成熟，於一九六八年夏天，成立暑假佛學講習班，開講《楞嚴經》，便開始將中文經典翻譯成英文。直到今天已經翻譯很多種經典，雖然不一定完全正確，可是我們盡自己最大的力量。

Later, when I came to the United States, the conditions ripened. In the summer of 1968, we held the Summer Lecture and Cultivation Session, during which we lectured on the Shurangama Sutra and began translating the Sutras from Chinese into English. By now, we have translated many Sutras. Although the translations may not be exactly accurate, we have expended our best efforts.

現在懂佛法的人多了，能翻譯的人也多了，你們將過去所翻譯的經典重新整理，務必正確詳實，契合佛意。這是我的願力，希望你們共同努力，完成這個使命。

Now there are many people who understand the Buddha-dharma and also many people who are able to translate. We should take the Sutras that were translated in the past and revise them to make sure that the translations are absolutely correct, true, and in accord with the Buddha's meaning. This is my vow, and I hope all of you will diligently work together to carry out this mission.

一九八三年十月十三日開示