“A Step-by-Step Teaching for Understanding Dhyāna-pāramitā” 釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 (T 1916) by Zhiyi is the earliest known text to have the wording of the Four Great Vows as we know them. Unfortunately, this work has not been translated into English.
https://tripitaka.cbeta.org/T46n1916_001
[0476a21] 今明菩薩修禪波羅蜜。所為有二。一者簡非。二者正明所為。第一簡非者。有十種行人。發心修禪不同。多墮在邪僻。不入禪波羅蜜法門。何等為十。一為利養故。發心修禪。多屬發地獄心。二邪偽心生。為名聞稱歎故。發心修禪。多屬發鬼神心。三為眷屬故。發心修禪。多屬發畜生心。四為嫉妬勝他故。發心修禪。多屬發修羅心。五為畏惡道苦報。息諸不善業故。發心修禪。多屬發人心。六為善心安樂故。發心修禪。多屬發六欲天心。七為得勢力自在故。發心修禪。多屬發魔羅心。八為得利智捷疾故。發心修禪。多屬發外道心。九為生梵天處故修禪。此屬發色無色界心。十為度老病死苦疾得涅槃故。發心修禪。此屬發二乘心。就此十種行人。善惡雖殊。縛脫有異。既並無大悲正觀。發心邪僻。皆墮二邊。不趣中道。若住此心。修行禪定。終不得與禪波羅蜜法門相應。第二正明菩薩行人修禪波羅蜜大意。即為二意。一先明菩薩發心之相。二正明菩薩修禪所為。第一云何名菩薩發心之相。所謂發菩提心。菩提心者。即是菩薩以中道正觀以諸法實相。憐愍一切。起大悲心。發四弘誓願。四弘誓願者。一未度者令度。亦云眾生無邊誓願度。二未解者令解。亦云煩惱無數誓願斷。三未安者令安。亦云法門無盡誓願知。四未得涅槃令得涅槃。亦云無上佛道誓願成。此之四法。即對四諦。故纓絡經云。未度苦諦令度苦諦。未解集諦令解集諦。未安道諦令安道諦。未證滅諦令證滅諦。而此四法。若在二乘心中。但受諦名。以其緣理審實不謬故。若在菩薩心中。即別受弘誓之稱。所以者何。菩薩雖知四法畢竟空寂。而為利益眾生。善巧方便。緣此四法。其心廣大。故名為弘。慈悲憐愍。志求此法。心如金剛。制心不退不沒。必取成滿。故名誓願。行者若能具足發此四願。善知四心。攝一切心。一切心即是一心。亦不得一心而具一切心。是名清淨菩提之心。因此心生。得名菩薩。故摩訶衍論偈說。
四弘誓願者
眾生無邊誓願度
煩惱無數誓願斷
法門無盡誓願知
無上佛道誓願成
Two things to note:
(1) The third vow has 知 instead of 學.
(2) The fourth vow has 無上 before 佛道, instead of following it.
Hi, I have arranged a translation for this text to English using chatGPT o1-preview.
The translation is very reasonable and is provided bellow:
https://zazenemchamas.substack.com/p/explanation-of-the-sequential-methods