The Five Lamps Meeting at the Source, Scroll One

二十三祖鶴勒那尊者(勒那梵語。鶴即華言。以常感群鶴戀慕故名耳)

The Twenty-Third Patriarch: Venerable Hekulena (Lena is Sanskrit; he was called “Crane” in Chinese because flocks of cranes often responded to him with affection.)

月氏國人也。姓婆羅門。父千勝。母金光。以無子故。禱於七佛金幢。即夢須彌山頂一神童。持金環雲。我來也。覺而有孕。年七歲。遊行聚落。覩民間淫祀。乃入廟叱之曰。汝妄興禍福。幻惑於人。歲費牲牢。傷害斯甚。言訖。廟貌忽然而壞。由是鄉黨謂之聖子。年二十二出家。三十遇摩拏羅尊者。付法眼藏。行化至中印度。彼國王名無畏海。崇信佛道。祖為說正法次。王忽見二人緋素服拜祖。王問曰。此何人也。祖曰。此是日月天子。吾昔曾為說法。故來禮拜。良久不見。唯聞異香。王曰。日月國土。總有多少。祖曰。千釋迦佛所化世界。各有百億迷盧日月。我若廣說。即不能盡。王聞忻然。時祖演無上道。度有緣眾。以上足龍子早夭。有兄師子。博通強記。事婆羅門。厥師既逝。弟復雲亡。乃歸依尊者而問曰。我欲求道。當何用心。祖曰。汝欲求道。無所用心。曰。既無用心。誰作佛事。祖曰。汝若有用。即非功德。汝若無作。即是佛事。經云。我所作功德。而無我所故。師子聞是語已。即入佛慧。時祖忽指東北問曰。是何氣象。師子曰。我見氣如白虹。貫乎天地。復有黑氣五道。橫亙其中。祖曰。其兆云何。曰。莫可知矣。祖曰。吾滅後五十年。北天竺國當有難起。嬰在汝身。吾將滅矣。今以法眼付囑於汝。善自護持。乃說偈曰。認得心性時。可說不思議。了了無可得。得時不說知。師子比丘聞偈欣愜。然未曉將罹何難。祖乃密示之。言訖。現十八變。而歸寂。闍維畢。分舍利。各欲興塔。祖復現空中而說偈曰。一法一切法。一切一法攝。吾身非有無。何分一切塔。大眾聞偈。遂不復分。就䭾都場而建塔焉。即後漢獻帝二十年己丑歲也。

He was from the kingdom of Yuezhi and belonged to a Brahmin family. His father was Qiansheng and his mother Jinguang. Because they had no son, they prayed to the golden banner of the Seven Buddhas. In a dream, a divine child stood atop Mount Sumeru holding a golden ring and said: “I have come.” When she awoke, she was pregnant. At seven he wandered through the settlement and saw people offering improper sacrifices. He entered the shrine and rebuked them: “You recklessly invent fortune and misfortune and delude people. Each year you waste sacrificial animals and cause terrible harm.” As soon as he spoke, the shrine’s statues suddenly crumbled. The people of the region therefore called him the Holy Child. At twenty-two he left home; at thirty he met Venerable Manura, who entrusted to him the treasury of the Dharma-eye. He traveled to central India, where the king, Wuhai, deeply trusted the Buddha’s Way. As the patriarch was expounding the true Dharma to him, the king suddenly saw two people, one dressed in red and one in white, bowing to the patriarch. The king asked: “Who are they?” The patriarch said: “They are the Sun and Moon Devas. In the past I taught them the Dharma, so they have come to pay homage.” After a long while they disappeared, leaving only a wondrous fragrance. The king asked: “How many lands belong to the sun and moon?” The patriarch said: “In the worlds transformed by a thousand Shakyamuni Buddhas, each has a hundred million Mount Merus, suns, and moons. If I explained this in detail, I could never finish.” The king was delighted. The patriarch then proclaimed the unsurpassed Way and liberated the assembly with karmic affinity. His foremost disciple Longzi died young. Longzi’s elder brother, Shizi, had a broad and retentive knowledge and served a Brahmin teacher. After his teacher died and his younger brother passed away, he took refuge in the Venerable One and asked: “I wish to seek the Way. How should I apply my mind?” The patriarch said: “If you seek the Way, there is no mind to apply.” Shizi asked: “If no mind is applied, who performs the Buddha’s work?” The patriarch said: “If you act with an aim, it is not merit. If you do nothing, that is Buddha-work. The sutra says: ‘I create merit, yet there is no “mine” in it.’” Hearing this, Shizi entered the Buddha’s wisdom. The patriarch suddenly pointed northeast and asked: “What sign is that?” Shizi said: “I see an aura like a white rainbow spanning heaven and earth, with five bands of dark vapor stretching across it.” The patriarch asked: “What does this foretell?” Shizi replied: “I cannot know.” The patriarch said: “Fifty years after I pass away, a calamity will surely arise in Northern India and fall upon you. I am about to pass away. I now entrust the Dharma-eye to you. Guard it well.” He recited this verse: “When you recognize the nature of mind, it may be called inconceivable. Clearly, there is nothing to attain; when attaining, do not claim to know.” Monk Shizi heard the verse and was pleased, but did not yet understand what calamity he would face. The patriarch secretly explained it to him. Then he manifested eighteen transformations and passed into stillness. After the cremation, the assembly was about to divide the relics, each group wishing to build its own stupa. The patriarch appeared again in the air and recited: “One Dharma is all Dharma; all are gathered within one Dharma. My body is neither existent nor nonexistent; why divide it among many stupas?” Hearing the verse, the assembly stopped dividing the relics and built a single stupa at the site of the relics. This was the jichou year, the twentieth year of Emperor Xian of the Later Han.

二十四祖師子比丘尊者

The Twenty-Fourth Patriarch: Venerable Monk Shizi

中印度人也。姓婆羅門。得法遊方。至罽賓國。有波利迦者。本習禪觀。故有禪定．知見．執相．捨相．不語之五眾。祖詰而化之。四眾皆默然心服。唯禪定師達磨達者。聞四眾被責。憤悱而來。祖曰。仁者習定。何當來此。既至於此。胡云習定。彼曰。我雖來此。心亦不亂。定隨人習。豈在處所。祖曰。仁者既來。其習亦至。既無處所。豈在人習。彼曰。定習人故。非人習定。我當來此。其定常習。祖曰。人非習定。定習人故。當自來時。其定誰習。彼曰。如淨明珠。內外無翳。定若通達。必當如此。祖曰。定若通達。一似明珠。今見仁者。非珠之徒。彼曰。其珠明徹。內外悉定。我心不亂。猶若此淨。祖曰。其珠無內外。仁者何能定。穢物非動搖。此定不是淨。達磨達蒙祖開悟。心地朗然。祖既攝五眾。名聞遐邇。方求法嗣。遇一長者。引其子問祖曰。此子名斯多。當生便拳左手。今既長矣。終未能舒。願尊者示其宿因。祖覩之。即以手接曰。可還我珠。童子遽開手奉珠。眾皆驚異。祖曰。吾前報為僧。有童子名婆舍。吾甞赴西海齋。受䞋珠付之。今還吾珠。理固然矣。長者遂捨其子出家。祖即與授具。以前緣故名婆舍斯多。祖即謂之曰。吾師密有懸記。罹難非久。如來正法眼藏今轉付汝。汝應保護。普潤來際。偈曰。正說知見時。知見俱是心。當心即知見。知見即於今。祖說偈已。以僧伽梨密付斯多。俾之他國。隨機演化。斯多受教。直抵南天。祖謂難不可以苟免。獨留罽賓。時本國有外道二人。一名摩目多。二名都落遮。學諸幻法。欲共謀亂。乃盜為釋子形象。潛入王宮。且曰。不成即罪歸佛子。妖既自作。禍亦旋踵。王果怒曰。吾素歸心三寶。何乃構害。一至於斯。即命破毀伽藍。祛除釋眾。又自秉劒。至尊者所。問曰。師得蘊空否。祖曰。已得蘊空。王曰。離生死否。祖曰。已離生死。王曰。

He was from central India and belonged to a Brahmin family. After receiving the Dharma, he traveled from place to place and reached Kashmir. There was a group called the Parikas, who originally practiced meditation. They were divided into five groups: those who practiced samadhi, those who cultivated insight, those who clung to appearances, those who rejected appearances, and those who maintained silence. The patriarch questioned and guided them; all four groups silently accepted his teaching. Only the meditation master Dharmadata, hearing that the four groups had been rebuked, came in a mix of anger and shame. The patriarch said: “Venerable sir, you practice meditation. Why have you come here? Since you have come here, how can you still say you practice meditation?” Dharmadata replied: “Although I have come here, my mind is not disturbed. Meditation follows the person who practices it; how could it depend on a place?” The patriarch said: “Since you have come, your practice has come too. Since it has no place, how could it depend on a person?” Dharmadata replied: “Meditation practices the person; it is not the person who practices meditation. I was bound to come here, while meditation is always being practiced.” The patriarch said: “It is not the person who practices meditation; meditation practices the person. When you came here yourself, who was practicing meditation?” Dharmadata replied: “It is like a clear, bright jewel with no obstruction within or without. When meditation is penetrated, it must be like this.” The patriarch said: “If meditation is penetrated, it is just like a bright jewel. But now, seeing you, you are not of the same kind as a jewel.” Dharmadata said: “That jewel is clear and bright, and settled within and without. My mind is not disturbed, just like that purity.” The patriarch said: “That jewel has no inside or outside. How can you be settled? Defilement does not mean movement, and this meditation is not purity.” Through the patriarch’s instruction, Dharmadata awakened, and his mind became clear and bright. Having gathered and guided the five groups, the patriarch’s fame spread far and wide. As he sought a successor to the Dharma, he met an elder who brought his son and asked: “This child is named Sida. From birth he has kept his left hand closed; now he has grown up, but still cannot open it. Venerable One, please reveal the cause from a former life.” The patriarch looked and took his hand, saying: “You can return my jewel now.” The boy immediately opened his hand and offered him a jewel. Everyone was astonished. The patriarch said: “In a former life I was a monk, and there was a boy named Vashe. I once attended a meal offering by the Western Sea and entrusted him with a pearl for distribution. Now he returns my pearl; this is only right.” The elder then gave his son to leave home. The patriarch gave him the full precepts and, because of their former connection, named him Vasasita. He told him: “My teacher secretly made a prediction that calamity would soon strike. The Tathagata’s treasury of the true Dharma-eye is now transmitted to you. Protect it and spread its benefits throughout the future.” He recited this verse: “At the very moment views and knowledge are spoken of, views and knowledge are all mind. When this mind itself is views and knowledge, views and knowledge are right here and now.” After finishing the verse, the patriarch secretly gave the sanghati robe to Sita and sent him to another land to teach and transform beings according to their capacities. Sita accepted the teaching and went straight to Southern India. The patriarch judged that the calamity could not be avoided by compromise and stayed alone in Kashmir. At that time, two non-Buddhists in the kingdom, named Mamuda and Dulouzha, learned various illusory arts and plotted to cause trouble together. They secretly disguised themselves as Buddhist monks, infiltrated the royal palace, and said that if their plan failed, they would blame the Buddha’s followers. Having created a demon, calamity followed at their heels. The king indeed became angry and said: “I have always taken refuge in the Three Treasures. How could I have caused such a crime?” He ordered the monasteries destroyed and the Buddhist monks expelled. Carrying a sword himself, he went to the Venerable One and asked: “Master, have you attained emptiness of the aggregates?” The patriarch replied: “I have attained emptiness of the aggregates.” The king asked: “Have you left birth and death?” The patriarch said: “I have left birth and death.” The king said:

既離生死。可施我頭。祖曰。身非我有。何恡於頭。王即揮刃。斷尊者首。白乳湧高數尺。王之右臂旋亦墮地。七日而終。太子光首歎曰。我父何故自取其禍。時有象白山仙人者。深明因果。即為光首廣宣宿因。解其疑網(事具聖胄集及寶林傳)。遂以師子尊者報體而建塔焉。當魏齊王二十年己卯歲也。

(The king continued:) “Since you have left birth and death, you may give me your head.” The patriarch replied: “This body is not mine; why would I begrudge my head?” The king swung his blade and cut off the Venerable One’s head. White milk gushed up several feet, and the king’s right arm immediately fell off. He died seven days later. Prince Guangshou sighed: “Why did my father bring this calamity upon himself?” At that time an immortal from Elephant-White Mountain, deeply versed in cause and effect, explained the former causes to Guangshou and dispelled his doubts (the matter is recorded in the Collection of the Holy Lineage and the Baolin Tradition). A stupa was then built to enshrine the karmic body of Venerable Shizi. This was the jimao year, the twentieth year of King Qi of Wei.

二十五祖婆舍斯多尊者

The Twenty-Fifth Patriarch: Venerable Vasasita

罽賓國人也。姓婆羅門。父寂行。母常安樂。初。母夢得神劒。因而有孕既誕。拳左手。遇師子尊者顯發宿因。密授心印。後適南天。至中印度。彼國王名迦勝。設禮供養。時有外道。號無我尊。先為王禮重。嫉祖之至。欲與論義。幸而勝之。以固其事。乃於王前謂祖曰。我解默論。不假言說。祖曰。孰知勝負。彼曰。不爭勝負。但取其義。祖曰。汝以何為義。彼曰。無心為義。祖曰。汝既無心。豈得義乎。彼曰。我說無心。當名非義。祖曰。汝說無心。當名非義。我說非心。當義非名。彼曰。當義非名。誰能辨義。祖曰。汝名非義。此名何名。彼曰。為辨非義。是名無名。祖曰。名既非名。義亦非義。辨者是誰。當辨何物。如是往返五十九番。外道杜口信伏。於時祖忽面北。合掌長籲曰。我師師子尊者。今日遇難。斯可傷焉。即辭王南邁。達於南天。潛隱山谷。時彼國王名天德。迎請供養。王有二子。一名德勝。兇暴而色力充盛。一名不如密多。和柔而長嬰疾苦。祖乃為陳因果。王即頓釋所疑。又有呪術師。忌祖之道。乃潛置毒藥於飲食中。祖知而食之。彼返受禍。遂投祖出家。祖即與授具。後六十載。德勝即位。復信外道。致難於祖。不如密多以進諫被囚。王遽問祖曰。予國素絕妖訛。師所傳者當是何宗。祖曰。王國昔來。實無邪法。我所得者。即是佛宗。王曰。佛滅已千二百載。師從誰得邪。祖曰。飲光大士。親受佛印。展轉至二十四世師子尊者。我從彼得。王曰。予聞師子比丘不能免於刑戮。何能傳法後人。祖曰。我師難未起時。密授我信衣法偈。以顯師承。王曰。其衣何在。祖即於囊中出衣示王。王命焚之。五色相鮮。薪盡如故。王即追悔致禮。師子真嗣既明。乃赦密多。密多遂求出家。祖問曰。汝欲出家。當為何事。密多曰。我若出家。不為其事。祖曰。不為何事。密多曰。不為俗事。祖曰。

He was from Kashmir and belonged to a Brahmin family. His father was Jingxing and his mother Changle. At first, his mother dreamed she received a divine sword and so became pregnant. When he was born, his left hand was clenched. After meeting Venerable Shizi, who revealed the causes of his former life, he secretly received the mind-seal. Later he went south to central India. The king there, Jiasheng, honored and made offerings to him. At that time a non-Buddhist called the Venerable One of No-Self had first been highly esteemed by the king. Jealous of the patriarch’s arrival, he wanted to debate him, hoping to win and secure his position. Before the king, he said to the patriarch: “I understand silent debate and need no words.” The patriarch asked: “Who will know victory or defeat?” He replied: “I do not contend over victory or defeat; I only take the meaning.” The patriarch asked: “What do you take as the meaning?” He replied: “No-mind is the meaning.” The patriarch said: “If you have no mind, how can you obtain meaning?” He replied: “When I speak of no-mind, it should be called non-meaning.” The patriarch said: “You say no-mind should be called non-meaning; I say non-mind is not a name for meaning.” He said: “If meaning is not a name, who can distinguish meaning?” The patriarch replied: “If your name is not meaning, what is this name called?” He said: “To distinguish non-meaning, this name is nameless.” The patriarch said: “If the name is not a name and meaning is not meaning, who is distinguishing, and what thing is to be distinguished?” They went back and forth fifty-nine times, until the non-Buddhist fell silent and submitted in faith. At that moment the patriarch suddenly turned north, joined his palms, and sighed: “My teacher, Venerable Shizi, has met with calamity today. How lamentable!” He took leave of the king, went south to Southern India, and concealed himself in a mountain valley. The king there was Tiande, who welcomed him and made offerings. The king had two sons: Desheng, fierce, powerful, and robust; and Burumiduoluo, gentle but long afflicted by illness. The patriarch explained cause and effect to them, and the king’s doubts immediately vanished. A mantra master, jealous of the patriarch’s Way, secretly put poison in his food. The patriarch knew but ate it; the poisoner instead suffered the calamity and came to leave home under him. The patriarch gave him the full precepts. Sixty years later, Desheng ascended the throne and again trusted non-Buddhists. He challenged the patriarch, while Burumiduoluo was imprisoned for trying to remonstrate. The king suddenly asked the patriarch: “Our kingdom has always eliminated false and bizarre teachings. What lineage is it that you transmit?” The patriarch said: “This kingdom has in truth never had a false Dharma. What I have received is the Buddha’s lineage.” The king said: “The Buddha entered nirvana twelve hundred years ago. From whom did you receive it?” The patriarch replied: “The Great Being Radiant One personally received the Buddha’s seal. It was transmitted in succession until the twenty-fourth generation, Venerable Shizi, from whom I received it.” The king said: “I heard that Monk Shizi could not escape execution. How could he transmit the Dharma to those who came after him?” The patriarch said: “Before the calamity arose for my teacher, he secretly gave me the robe of faith and a Dharma verse, thereby revealing the succession.” The king asked: “Where is that robe?” The patriarch took it from his bag and showed it to him. The king ordered it burned, but its five colors shone brightly; when the firewood was consumed, the robe remained as before. The king immediately regretted his actions and bowed. Once Shizi’s true successor was confirmed, Burumiduoluo was released. He then asked to leave home. The patriarch asked: “If you leave home, for what purpose will you do so?” Miduoluo replied: “If I leave home, it will not be for those purposes.” The patriarch asked: “For what purpose, then?” Miduoluo said: “Not for worldly affairs.” The patriarch said:

當為何事。密多曰。當為佛事。祖曰。太子智慧天至。必諸聖降跡。即許出家。六年侍奉。後於王宮受具。羯磨之際。大地震動。頗多靈異。祖乃命之曰。吾已衰朽。安可久留。汝當善護正法眼藏。普濟群有。聽吾偈曰。聖人說知見。當境無是非。我今悟真性。無道亦無理。不如密多聞偈。再啟祖曰。法衣宜可傳授。祖曰。此衣為難故。假以證明。汝身無難。何假其衣。化被十方。人自信向。不如密多聞語。作禮而退。祖現於神變。化三昧火自焚。平地舍利可高一尺。德勝王創浮圖而秘之。當東晉明帝太寧三年乙酉歲也。

(The patriarch continued:) “For what purpose, then?” Miduoluo replied: “For the work of the Buddha.” The patriarch said: “The prince’s wisdom is heaven-given. He must be a sage who has manifested in this world.” He permitted him to leave home. After six years of service, Miduoluo received the full precepts in the royal palace. During the ordination rite, the earth shook and many miraculous signs appeared. The patriarch then instructed him: “I am already old and worn; how can I remain long? You should carefully protect the treasury of the true Dharma-eye and universally aid all beings. Hear this verse: ‘When sages speak of views and knowledge, before an object there is neither right nor wrong. I have now realized true nature; there is neither Way nor principle.’” After hearing the verse, Burumiduoluo asked the patriarch: “Should the Dharma robe be transmitted?” The patriarch said: “Because of the calamity, the robe was used as proof. You face no calamity, so why rely on this robe? When your teaching spreads through the ten directions, people will naturally trust and follow you.” Burumiduoluo heard this, bowed, and withdrew. The patriarch manifested spiritual transformations and burned himself in the fire of samadhi. His relics rose a full foot above the level ground. King Desheng built a stupa and enshrined them. This was the yiyou year, the third year of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin.

二十六祖不如密多尊者

The Twenty-Sixth Patriarch: Venerable Burumiduoluo

南印度天德王之次子也。既受度得法。至東印度。彼王名堅固。奉外道師長爪梵志。暨尊者將至。王與梵志同覩白氣貫於上下。王曰。斯何瑞也。梵志預知祖入境。恐王遷善。乃曰。此是魔來之兆耳。何瑞之有。即鳩諸徒眾議曰。不如密多將入都城。誰能挫之。弟子曰。我等各有呪術。可以動天地．入水火。何患哉。祖至。先見宮牆有黑氣。乃曰。小難耳。直詣王所。王曰。師來何為。祖曰。將度眾生。王曰。以何法度。祖曰。各以其類度之。時梵志聞言。不勝其怒。即以幻法。化大山於祖頂上。祖指之。忽在彼眾頭上。梵志等怖懼投祖。祖愍其愚惑。再指之。化山隨滅。乃為王演說法要。俾趣真乘。謂王曰。此國當有聖人而繼於我。是時有婆羅門子。年二十許。幼失父母。不知名氏。或自言纓絡。故人謂之纓絡童子。遊行閭裡。丐求度日。若常不輕之類。人問。汝行何急。即答曰。汝行何緩。或曰。何姓。乃曰。與汝同姓。莫知其故。後。王與尊者同車而出。見纓絡童子稽首於前。祖曰。汝憶往事否。童曰。我念遠劫中。與師同居。師演摩訶般若。我轉甚深修多羅。今日之事。葢契昔因。祖又謂王曰。此童子非他。即大勢至菩薩是也。此聖之後。復出二人。一人化南印度。一人緣在震旦。四五年內。卻返此方。遂以昔因。故名般若多羅。付法眼藏。偈曰。真性心地藏。無頭亦無尾。應緣而化物。方便呼為智。祖付法已。即辭王曰。吾化緣已終。當歸寂滅。願王於最上乘。無忘外護。即還本座。跏趺而逝。化火自焚。收舍利塔而瘞之。當東晉孝武帝太元十三年戊子歲也。

He was the younger son of King Tiande of Southern India. After receiving ordination and the Dharma, he went to Eastern India. The king there, Jian Gu, honored the non-Buddhist teacher Long-Nailed Brahmin. As the Venerable One was about to arrive, the king and the Brahmin both saw white vapor spanning heaven and earth. The king asked: “What auspicious sign is this?” The Brahmin, knowing in advance that the patriarch had entered the kingdom and fearing the king might turn toward goodness, replied: “It is a sign of a demon’s arrival. What is auspicious about it?” He gathered his disciples and plotted: “Burumiduoluo is about to enter the capital. Who can defeat him?” The disciples replied: “Each of us has mantra powers that can move heaven and earth and enter fire and water. What should we fear?” When the patriarch arrived, he first saw black vapor over the palace walls and said: “This is only a small difficulty.” He went straight to the king. The king asked: “Master, why have you come?” The patriarch replied: “To liberate sentient beings.” The king asked: “By what Dharma will you liberate them?” He said: “I will liberate each according to their kind.” Hearing this, the Brahmin was overcome with anger and used an illusion to conjure a great mountain above the patriarch’s head. The patriarch pointed once, and it suddenly appeared above the heads of the non-Buddhists. The Brahmin and the others were terrified and took refuge in the patriarch. Taking pity on their delusion, the patriarch pointed again, and the illusory mountain disappeared. He then explained the essentials of Dharma to the king and guided him toward the true vehicle. He told the king: “A sage in this kingdom will surely succeed me.” At that time there was a Brahmin youth about twenty years old. He had lost his parents in childhood and did not know his family name. Sometimes he called himself “Necklace,” so people called him the Necklace Boy. He wandered through the lanes and lived by begging, much like the Bodhisattva Never Disparaging. When people asked: “Why do you walk so fast?” he replied: “Why do you walk so slowly?” If asked his clan, he said: “The same as yours.” No one knew why he answered this way. Later the king and the Venerable One rode together. They saw the Necklace Boy bowing before them. The patriarch asked: “Do you remember former events?” The boy said: “I recall that in a distant kalpa I lived together with the master. The master expounded the Great Perfection of Wisdom, while I turned the profound sutras. What is happening today accords exactly with those former causes and conditions.” The patriarch then told the king: “This boy is none other than the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta. After this sage, two people will appear: one will teach in Southern India, and the other’s karmic affinity will be in the Land of Han (China). Within four or five years, he will return here.” In accordance with their former connection, the boy was named Prajnatara. The patriarch entrusted to him the treasury of the Dharma-eye and recited: “True nature is the treasury-ground of mind, without beginning or end. Responding to conditions, it teaches and transforms all beings; expedient means are called wisdom.” Having transmitted the Dharma, the patriarch took leave of the king and said: “My karmic work of teaching is complete; I should now return to stillness. Great King, do not forget to protect the supreme vehicle from outside.” He returned to his seat, sat cross-legged, and passed away, burning his body in fire. His relics were gathered and buried in a stupa. This was the wuzi year, the thirteenth year of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin.

二十七祖般若多羅尊者

The Twenty-Seventh Patriarch: Venerable Prajnatara

東印度人也。既得法已。行化至南印度。彼王名香至。崇奉佛乘。尊重供養。度越倫等。又施無價寶珠。時王有三子。曰月淨多羅。曰功德多羅。曰菩提多羅。其季開士也。祖欲試其所得。乃以所施珠問三王子曰。此珠圓明。有能及否。第一王子．第二王子皆曰。此珠七寶中尊。固無踰也。非尊者道力。孰能受之。第三王子曰。此是世寶。未足為上。於諸寶中。法寶為上。此是世光。未足為上。於諸光中。智光為上。此是世明。未足為上。於諸明中。心明為上。此珠光明。不能自照。要假智光。光辨於此。既辨此已。即知是珠。既知是珠。即明其寶。若明其寶。寶不自寶。若辨其珠。珠不自珠。珠不自珠者。要假智珠而辨世珠。寶不自寶者。要假智寶以明法寶。然則師有其道。其寶即現。眾生有道。心寶亦然。祖歎其辯慧。乃復問曰。於諸物中。何物無相。曰。於諸物中。不起無相。又問。於諸物中。何物最高。曰。於諸物中。人我最高。又問。於諸物中。何物最大。曰。於諸物中。法性最大。祖知是法嗣。以時尚未至。且默而混之。及香至王厭世。眾皆號絕。唯第三子菩提多羅於柩前入定。經七日而出。乃求出家。既受具戒。祖告曰。如來以正法眼付大迦葉。如是展轉。乃至於我。我今囑汝。聽吾偈曰。心地生諸種。因事復生理。果滿菩提圓。華開世界起。尊者付法已。即於座上起立。舒左右手。各放光明二十七道。五色光耀。又踴身虗空。高七多羅樹。化火自焚。空中舍利如雨。收以建塔。當宋孝武帝大明元年丁酉歲。祖因東印度國王請。祖齋次。王乃問。諸人盡轉經。唯師為甚不轉。祖曰。貧道出息不隨眾緣。入息不居蘊界。常轉如是經百千萬億卷。非但一卷兩卷。

He was from Eastern India. After receiving the Dharma, he traveled to teach in Southern India. The king there, Xiangzhi, upheld the Buddha Vehicle and honored and supported the patriarch above all others. He also offered him a priceless jewel. The king had three sons: Yuejingduoluo, Gongdeduoluo, and Putiduoluo. The youngest was a bodhisattva. To test their understanding, the patriarch held up the jewel and asked the three princes: “This jewel is perfectly round and luminous. Is there anything that surpasses it?” The first and second princes both said: “Among the seven treasures, this is the most precious; surely nothing can surpass it. If not for the Venerable One’s spiritual power, who could receive it?” The third prince replied: “This is a worldly treasure, not worthy of being considered the highest. Among treasures, the Dharma-treasure is supreme. This is worldly light, not worthy of being considered the highest. Among lights, the light of wisdom is supreme. This is worldly brightness, not worthy of being considered the highest. Among forms of brightness, the brightness of mind is supreme. The jewel’s light cannot illuminate itself; it must rely on the light of wisdom. When that light makes it clear, we recognize it as a jewel; once we recognize the jewel, we understand that treasure. When a treasure is understood, the treasure does not make itself a treasure; when the jewel is discerned, the jewel does not make itself a jewel. For a jewel not to make itself a jewel, one must rely on the wisdom-jewel to discern the worldly jewel; for a treasure not to make itself a treasure, one must rely on the wisdom-treasure to illuminate the Dharma-treasure. Thus, when the master has the Way, that treasure appears; when sentient beings have the Way, the jewel of mind is just the same.” The patriarch praised his eloquence and wisdom, then asked: “Among things, what has no appearance?” He replied: “Among things, not giving rise to anything is the markless.” The patriarch asked: “Among things, what is highest?” He replied: “Among things, the self and person are highest.” The patriarch asked: “Among things, what is greatest?” He replied: “Among things, the nature of Dharma is greatest.” The patriarch knew that he was the successor of the Dharma, but the time had not yet come, so he silently remained among them. When King Xiangzhi grew weary of the world and died, everyone wailed and fainted, except the third son Putiduoluo, who entered meditation before the coffin and emerged only after seven days. He then asked to leave home. After receiving the full precepts, the patriarch told him: “The Tathagata entrusted the true Dharma-eye to Mahakashyapa. It has been passed down in succession until it reached me. I now entrust it to you. Hear this verse: ‘The ground of mind gives rise to all kinds of seeds; from things, principles arise in turn. When the fruit of bodhi is fully perfected, flowers bloom and worlds arise.’” After transmitting the Dharma, the Venerable One rose from his seat, spread out both hands, and emitted twenty-seven rays of light from each hand, shining in five colors. He then rose into the air to a height of seven tala trees and burned himself in fire. Relics rained down from the sky; they were gathered and placed in a stupa. This was the dingyou year, the first year of Emperor Xiaowu of Song. Once, when the king of Eastern India invited the patriarch to a meal, the king asked: “Everyone else is reciting sutras. Why does the master not recite?” The patriarch replied: “When this poor monk breathes out, he does not follow conditions; when he breathes in, he does not abide in the aggregates or realms. I constantly recite hundreds of thousands of millions of volumes of such a sutra, not merely one or two.”

東土祖師

Patriarchs of the Eastern Land

初祖菩提達磨大師者

The First Patriarch: Great Master Bodhidharma

南天竺國香至王第三子也。姓剎帝利。本名菩提多羅。後遇二十七祖般若多羅至本國受王供養。知師密跡。因試令與二兄辨所施寶珠。發明心要。既而尊者謂曰。汝於諸法。已得通量。夫達磨者。通大之義也。宜名達磨。因改號菩提達磨。祖乃告尊者曰。我既得法。當往何國而作佛事。願垂開示。者曰。汝雖得法。未可遠遊。且止南天。待吾滅後六十七載。當往震旦。設大法藥。直接上根。慎勿速行。衰於日下。祖又曰。彼有大士。堪為法器否。千載之下有留難否。者曰。汝所化之方。獲菩提者不可勝數。吾滅後六十餘年。彼國有難。水中文布。自善降之。汝至時。南方勿住。彼唯好有為功業。不見佛理。汝縱到彼。亦不可久留。聽吾偈曰。路行跨水復逢羊。獨自棲棲暗渡江。日下可憐雙象馬。二株嫰桂久昌昌。又問曰。此後更有何事。者曰。從是已去。一百五十年。而有小難。聽吾讖曰。心中雖吉外頭㐫。川下僧房名不中。為遇毒龍生武子。忽逢小鼠寂無窮。又問。此後如何。者曰。卻後二百二十年。林下見一人。當得道果。聽吾讖曰。震旦雖濶無別路。要假兒孫腳下行。金雞解銜一粒粟。供養十方羅漢僧。復演諸偈。皆預讖佛教隆替(事具寶林傳及聖胄集)。祖恭稟教義。服勤左右垂四十年。未甞廢闕。迨尊者順世。遂演化本國。時有二師。一名佛大先。二名佛大勝多。本與祖同學佛陀跋陀小乘禪觀。佛大先既遇般若多羅尊者。捨小趣大。與祖並化。時號二甘露門矣。而佛大勝多更分徒而為六宗。第一有相宗。第二無相宗。第三定慧宗。第四戒行宗。第五無得宗。第六寂靜宗。各封己解。別展化源。聚落崢嶸。徒眾甚盛。祖喟然歎曰。彼之一師已陷牛跡。況復支離繁盛而分六宗。我若不除。永纏邪見。言已。微現神力。至有相宗所。問曰。一切諸法何名實相。彼眾中有一尊長薩婆羅答曰。

He was the third son of King Xiangzhi of Southern India and belonged to the Kshatriya caste. His original name was Putiduoluo. Later, when the Twenty-Seventh Patriarch Prajnatara came to his kingdom to receive the king’s offerings, he recognized the teacher’s secret traces. The patriarch tested him by asking him to distinguish the jewel offered by the king from the understanding of his two elder brothers, and he revealed the essential point of mind. The Venerable One then said: “You have already attained a thorough understanding of all dharmas. ‘Dharma’ means to penetrate greatly; you should be named Dharma.” Thus his name was changed to Bodhidharma. The patriarch then asked the Venerable One: “Now that I have received the Dharma, to which country should I go to carry out the Buddha’s work? Please instruct me.” The Venerable One said: “Though you have received the Dharma, you must not yet travel far. Stay for now in Southern India. Sixty-seven years after I pass away, you should go to the Land of Han and establish the great Dharma-medicine, directed straight to those of the highest capacity. Be careful not to go too soon; the south is in decline.” The patriarch asked again: “Are there great beings there who can serve as vessels of the Dharma? Will there be obstacles a thousand years from now?” The Venerable One replied: “In the place you teach, the number who attain bodhi will be beyond counting. More than sixty years after I pass away, that country will face a calamity: a cloth will float upon the water, and naturally a good person will come to subdue it. When you arrive, do not stay in the south. There people delight only in works with form and cannot see the principle of the Buddha. Even if you go there, do not remain long. Hear this verse: ‘Traveling by road, cross the water and meet a sheep; alone and restless, secretly cross the river. Beneath the sun, alas, two elephant-horses; two tender cassia shoots will flourish for a long time.’ The patriarch asked: “What will happen after that?” The Venerable One said: “One hundred and fifty years from now, a small calamity will occur. Hear this prophecy: ‘Though the heart is auspicious, outside is ill fortune; the monastery below the river has a name that does not fit. A poisonous dragon gives birth to a martial son; suddenly a little rat appears, and stillness is endless.’” The patriarch asked: “And after that?” The Venerable One said: “Two hundred and twenty years from now, beneath the forest you will see a person who will surely attain the fruit of the Way. Hear this prophecy: ‘Though the Land of Han is vast, there is no other road; you must borrow the steps of sons and grandsons. The golden rooster knows how to carry a grain of millet, making offerings to arhats in the ten directions.’” He then recited more verses, all prophesying the rise and decline of the Buddha’s teaching (the matter is recorded in the Baolin Tradition and the Collection of the Holy Lineage). The patriarch respectfully received the teaching and served at the Venerable One’s side for nearly forty years without neglect. When the Venerable One passed into the world beyond, he began teaching and transforming beings in his own country. At that time there were two teachers: the first, Buddhasena; the second, Buddhajyeshtha. They had originally studied the meditation of the Lesser Vehicle with the patriarch under Buddhabhadra. After Buddhasena met Venerable Prajnatara, he abandoned the Lesser and turned toward the Greater Vehicle. Together with the patriarch, he taught and transformed beings; at the time their teaching was called the Two Gates of Nectar. Buddhajyeshtha, however, divided his followers into six schools: the first, the School of Characteristics; the second, the School of No Characteristics; the third, the School of Samadhi and Wisdom; the fourth, the School of Precepts and Conduct; the fifth, the School of No Attainment; and the sixth, the School of Stillness. Each sealed itself within its own views and spread its teaching separately. Their communities flourished, and their followers were numerous. The patriarch sighed: “That teacher has already fallen into the trace of an ox’s hoof—how much more fragmented and flourishing are these six schools! If I do not correct this, they will remain forever entangled in wrong views.” Having spoken, he subtly manifested his spiritual power and went to the School of Characteristics. He asked: “Among all dharmas, what is called true reality?” One of the elders there, Sarvara, answered:

於諸相中不互諸相。是名實相。祖曰。一切諸相而不互者。若名實相。當何定邪。彼曰。於諸相中實無有定。若定諸相。何名為實。祖曰。諸相不定。便名實相。汝今不定。當何得之。彼曰。我言不定。不說諸相。當說諸相。其義亦然。祖曰。汝言不定。當為實相。定不定故。即非實相。彼曰。定既不定。即非實相。知我非故。不定不變。祖曰。汝今不變。何名實相。已變已往。其義亦然。彼曰。不變當在。在不在故。故變實相。以定其義。祖曰。實相不變。變即非實。於有無中。何名實相。薩婆羅心知聖師懸解潛達。即以手指虗空曰。此是世間有相。亦能空故。當我此身。得似此否。祖曰。若解實相。即見非相。若了非相。其色亦然。當於色中。不失色體。於非相中。不礙有故。若能是解。此名實相。彼眾聞已。心意朗然。欽禮信受。祖瞥然匿跡。至無相宗所。問曰。汝言無相。當何證之。彼眾中有波羅提答曰。我明無相。心不現故。祖曰。汝心不現。當何明之。彼曰。我明無相。心不取捨。當於明時。亦無當者。祖曰。於諸有無。心不取捨。又無當者。諸明無故。彼曰。入佛三昧。尚無所得。何況無相。而欲知之。祖曰。相既不知。誰雲有無。尚無所得。何名三昧。彼曰。我說不證。證無所證。非三昧故。我說三昧。祖曰。非三昧者。何當名之。汝既不證。非證何證。波羅提聞祖辯㭊。即悟本心。禮謝於祖。懺悔往謬。祖記曰。汝當得果。不久證之。此國有魔。非久降之。言已。忽然不現。至定慧宗所。問曰。汝學定慧。為一為二。彼眾中有婆蘭陀者答曰。我此定慧。非一非二。祖曰。既非一二。何名定慧。彼曰。在定非定。處慧非慧。一即非一。二亦不二。祖曰。當一不一。當二不二。既非定慧。約何定慧。彼曰。不一不二。定慧能知。非定非慧。亦復然矣。祖曰。慧非定故。然何知哉。不一不二。

(Sarvara continued:) “Among all appearances, that which is not set in opposition to appearances is called true reality.” The patriarch asked: “If all appearances that are not set in opposition to one another are called true reality, how should that be established?” Sarvara said: “There is truly no fixed thing among appearances. If appearances were fixed, how could they be called real?” The patriarch said: “Appearances that are not fixed are called true reality. You are now unfixed; how can you attain it?” Sarvara replied: “I speak of the unfixed, not appearances. When appearances are spoken of, the meaning is the same.” The patriarch said: “You speak of the unfixed as true reality; since it is both fixed and unfixed, it is not true reality.” Sarvara said: “Since the fixed is already unfixed, it is not true reality. Because you know that I am not, the unfixed does not change.” The patriarch said: “If you do not change, how can that be true reality? The meaning is the same for what has already changed and gone.” Sarvara said: “The unchanging should abide. Since it both abides and does not abide, true reality changes, and thereby establishes that meaning.” The patriarch said: “True reality does not change; if it changes, it is not true. Between existence and nonexistence, how can it be true reality?” Sarvara inwardly realized that this holy teacher had penetrated the matter completely. He pointed at the sky and said: “This is the world of appearances, yet it can also be empty. Can my body be like this?” The patriarch said: “If you understand true reality, you see what is not an appearance. If you understand what is not an appearance, then form is also like this. You should remain within form without losing the substance of form; abiding in what is not an appearance does not obstruct existence. If you understand it this way, it is called true reality.” Hearing this, the people’s minds became clear; they revered and trusted him. In the blink of an eye, the patriarch disappeared and went to the School of No Characteristics. He asked: “You speak of no characteristics. How should it be realized?” One of the assembly, Paratī, replied: “I understand no characteristics because mind does not appear.” The patriarch said: “If your mind does not appear, how do you understand?” Paratī replied: “I understand no characteristics; the mind neither grasps nor rejects. While understanding, there is no one who understands.” The patriarch said: “Among existence and nonexistence, the mind neither grasps nor rejects; there is no one who understands, and so all understanding is absent.” Paratī said: “If one enters the Buddha’s samadhi, there is nothing to attain. How much less could one know no characteristics?” The patriarch said: “Since characteristics are not known, who speaks of existence or nonexistence? If there is nothing to attain, how can it be called samadhi?” Paratī replied: “I say there is no realization: realizing that there is nothing to realize is not samadhi, and that is why I call it samadhi.” The patriarch said: “If it is not samadhi, what name should it have? Since you do not realize it, what is it that you realize apart from realization?” Hearing the patriarch’s analysis, Paratī awakened to his original mind, bowed to him, and repented his former errors. The patriarch predicted: “You will surely attain the fruit, and realize it before long. There is a demon in this kingdom; you will soon subdue it.” Having said this, he suddenly vanished. The patriarch then went to the School of Samadhi and Wisdom and asked: “You study samadhi and wisdom. Are they one or two?” Bharanta replied: “My samadhi and wisdom are neither one nor two.” The patriarch said: “If they are neither one nor two, how can they be called samadhi and wisdom?” Bharanta said: “In samadhi there is no samadhi; in wisdom there is no wisdom. One is not one, and two is not two.” The patriarch said: “It is one and yet not one; it is two and yet not two. If they are not samadhi and wisdom, what makes them samadhi and wisdom?” Bharanta replied: “Neither one nor two—samadhi and wisdom can know this. Neither samadhi nor wisdom is also just so.” The patriarch said: “If wisdom is not samadhi, how can it know? If they are neither one nor two, who is samadhi and who is wisdom?”

誰定誰慧。婆蘭陀聞之。疑心氷釋。至第四戒行宗所。問曰。何者名戒。云何名行。當此戒行。為一為二。彼眾中有一賢者答曰。一二二一。皆彼所生。依教無染。此名戒行。祖曰。汝言依教。即是有染。一二俱破。何言依教。此二違背。不及於行。內外非明。何名為戒。彼曰。我有內外。彼已知竟。既得通達。便是戒行。若說違背。俱是俱非。言及清淨。即戒即行。祖曰。俱是俱非。何言清淨。既得通故。何談內外。賢者聞之。即自慚伏。至無得宗所。問曰。汝雲無得。無得何得。既無所得。亦無得得。彼眾中有寶靜者答曰。我說無得。非無得得。當說得得。無得是得。祖曰。得既不得。得亦非得。既雲得得。得得何得。彼曰。見得非得。非得是得。若見不得。名為得得。祖曰。得既非得。得得無得。既無所得。當何得得。寶靜聞之。頓除疑網。至寂靜宗所。問曰。何名寂靜。於此法中。誰靜誰寂。彼眾中有尊者答曰。此心不動。是名為寂。於法無染。名之為靜。祖曰。本心不寂。要假寂靜。本來寂故。何用寂靜。彼曰。諸法本空。以空空故。於彼空空。故名寂靜。祖曰。空空已空。諸法亦爾。寂靜無相。何靜何寂。彼尊者聞師指誨。豁然開悟。既而六眾。鹹誓歸依。由是化被南天。聲馳五印。經六十載。度無量眾。後值異見王輕毀三寶。每雲。我之祖宗。皆信佛道。陷於邪見。壽年不永。運祚亦促。且我身是佛。何更外求。善惡報應。皆因多智之者妄搆其說。至於國內耆舊。為前王所奉者。悉從廢黜。祖知已。歎彼德薄。當何救之。即念無相宗中二首領。其一波羅提者。與王有緣。將證其果。其二宗勝者。非不博辯。而無宿因。時六宗徒眾。亦各念言。佛法有難。師何自安。祖遙知眾意。即彈指應之。六眾聞雲。此是我師達磨信響。我等宜速行。以副慈命。即至祖所。禮拜問訊。祖曰。一葉翳空。

(The patriarch continued asking:) “Who is samadhi and who is wisdom?” Hearing this, Bharanta’s doubts melted away. The patriarch went to the fourth school, that of Precepts and Conduct, and asked: “What are precepts? What is conduct? Are precepts and conduct one or two?” A sage in the assembly replied: “One and two, two and one, all arise on the other side. To follow the teaching without defilement is called precepts and conduct.” The patriarch said: “You say you follow the teaching; that itself is defilement. One and two have both been refuted, so how can you speak of following it? These two aspects conflict and do not reach conduct; inside and outside are not clarified, so how can this be called precepts?” The sage said: “I have inside and outside, and the other side is already understood. Having attained penetration, this is precepts and conduct. If you speak of conflict, both are and are not; when speaking of purity, it is both precepts and conduct.” The patriarch said: “If both are and are not, how can you speak of purity? Since you have attained penetration, why speak of inside and outside?” Hearing this, the sage was ashamed and subdued himself. The patriarch went to the School of No Attainment and asked: “You speak of no attainment. What does no attainment attain? Since there is nothing attained, there is nothing that attainment attains.” Baojing replied: “When I speak of no attainment, it is not that nothing is attained. When attainment is spoken of, no attainment is the attainment.” The patriarch said: “If attainment cannot be attained, attainment is not attainment. Since you speak of attaining attainment, what does attainment attain?” Baojing said: “To see attainment is not attainment; nonattainment is attainment. If you see no attainment, that is called attaining attainment.” The patriarch said: “Since attainment is not attainment, attaining attainment has no attainment. Since nothing is attained, what is there to attain?” Hearing this, Baojing’s doubts were suddenly dispelled. The patriarch went to the School of Stillness and asked: “What is stillness? In this Dharma, who is still and who is quiet?” A venerable one in the assembly said: “When this mind does not move, it is called still. When there is no defilement in Dharma, it is called quiet.” The patriarch said: “The original mind is not still; it borrows stillness. Since it is originally still, why use stillness?” The venerable one said: “All dharmas are originally empty; because of emptiness, they are empty. Abiding in that emptiness is called stillness.” The patriarch said: “Emptiness itself is empty; all dharmas are likewise so. Stillness has no mark—what is still, and what is quiet?” Hearing the teacher’s instruction, the venerable one suddenly awakened. Then all six groups vowed to take refuge. From then on, the teaching spread through Southern India and its fame throughout the five regions of India. Over sixty years, the patriarch liberated immeasurable beings. Later, a king of wrong views despised the Three Treasures and often said: “My ancestors all believed in the Buddha’s Way, fell into wrong views, and did not live long; their reigns were short as well. I myself am the Buddha—why seek outside? Retribution for good and evil is merely an invention of clever people.” He dismissed all the elders honored by previous kings throughout the kingdom. The patriarch heard of this and sighed: “His virtue is shallow. How can he be saved?” He thought of the two leaders of the School of No Characteristics: one was Paratī, whose karmic affinity with the king meant he would soon attain the fruit; the other was Zongsheng, who was not without eloquence but lacked the former karmic connection. The followers of the six schools each wondered: “The Buddha-Dharma is in danger. Why does our teacher remain at ease?” The patriarch knew their thoughts from afar and snapped his fingers in reply. The six groups heard the sound and said: “This is the signal of faith from our teacher Bodhidharma. We should hurry and answer his compassionate summons.” They went to the patriarch, bowed, and greeted him. The patriarch said: “A single leaf obscures the sky—

孰能翦拂。宗勝曰。我雖淺薄。敢憚其行。祖曰。汝雖辯慧。道力未全。宗勝自念。我師恐我見王大作佛事。名譽顯達。映奪尊威。縱彼福慧為王。我是沙門受佛教旨。豈難敵也。言訖潛去。至王所廣說法要及世界苦樂．人天善惡等事。王與之往返徵詰。無不詣理。王曰。汝今所解。其法何在。宗勝曰。如王治化。當合其道。王所有道。其道何在。王曰。我所有道。將除邪法。汝所有法。將伏何人。祖不起於座。懸知宗勝義墮。遽告波羅提曰。宗勝不稟吾教。潛化於王。須臾理屈。汝可速救。波羅提恭稟祖旨。雲。願假神力。言已。雲生足下。至大王前。默然而住。時王正問宗勝。忽見波羅提乘雲而至。愕然忘其問答。曰。乘空之者。是正是邪。提曰。我非邪正。而來正邪。王心若正。我無邪正。王雖驚異。而驕慢方熾。即擯宗勝令出。波羅提曰。王既有道。何擯沙門。我雖無解。願王致問。王怒而問曰。何者是佛。提曰。見性是佛。王曰。師見性否。提曰。我見佛性。王曰。性在何處。提曰。性在作用。王曰。是何作用。我今不見。提曰。今現作用。王自不見。王曰。於我有否。提曰。王若作用。無有不是。王若不用。體亦難見。王曰。若當用時。幾處出現。提曰。若出現時。當有其八。王曰。其八出現。當為我說。波羅提即說偈曰。在胎為身。處世為人。在眼曰見。在耳曰聞。在鼻辨香。在口談論。在手執捉。在足運奔。徧現俱該沙界。收攝在一微塵。識者知是佛性。不識喚作精魂。王聞偈已。心即開悟。悔謝前非。諮詢法要。朝夕忘倦。迄於九旬。時宗勝既被斥逐。退藏深山。唸曰。我今百歲。八十為非。二十年來。方歸佛道。性雖愚昧。行絕瑕疵。不能禦難。生何如死。言訖。即自投崖。俄有神人以手捧承。置於巖上。安然無損。宗勝曰。我忝沙門。當與正法為主。不能抑絕王非。是以捐身自責。

(The patriarch continued:) who can cut it away?” Zongsheng said: “Though I am shallow, how could I fear this undertaking?” The patriarch said: “Though you are eloquent and wise, your power in the Way is not complete.” Zongsheng thought to himself: “My teacher fears that if I meet the king and accomplish great Buddha-work, my reputation will rise and overshadow his authority. Even if he has merit and wisdom like a king, I am a shramana following the Buddha’s teaching; could he truly be difficult to overcome?” Without telling anyone, he went to the king and broadly explained the essentials of Dharma, the sufferings and joys of the world, and the good and evil of humans and gods. The king questioned him back and forth, and none of his answers failed to accord with principle. The king said: “Where is the Dharma you now understand?” Zongsheng replied: “Just as the king’s governance should accord with the Way, where is the king’s Way?” The king said: “My Way will eliminate false teachings. Whom will your Dharma subdue?” Though the patriarch had not left his seat, he knew from afar that Zongsheng’s argument was about to fail. He hurriedly told Paratī: “Zongsheng did not follow my teaching. He has secretly gone to teach the king and will soon be defeated in argument. You must hurry and save him.” Paratī respectfully accepted the patriarch’s instruction and said: “I beg to borrow your spiritual power.” As soon as he spoke, clouds rose beneath his feet. He arrived before the king and stood silently. The king was questioning Zongsheng when he suddenly saw Paratī arrive riding on a cloud. In astonishment he forgot the debate and asked: “Is one who rides through the air orthodox or heterodox?” Paratī said: “I am neither orthodox nor heterodox; I have come to correct what is heterodox. If the king’s mind is upright, I have neither orthodoxy nor heterodoxy.” Though the king was astonished, his arrogance was still strong, and he expelled Zongsheng. Paratī said: “Since the king already has the Way, why expel a shramana? Though I understand nothing, I invite the king to question me.” The king angrily asked: “What is a Buddha?” Paratī replied: “Seeing one’s nature is Buddhahood.” The king asked: “Have you seen your nature?” Paratī said: “I see Buddha-nature.” The king asked: “Where is this nature?” Paratī said: “It is in its functioning.” The king asked: “What functioning? I cannot see it now.” Paratī replied: “It is functioning right now, but the king himself cannot see it.” The king asked: “Is it present in me?” Paratī said: “When the king functions, nothing is not it; when the king does not function, its substance is difficult to see.” The king asked: “When it functions, in how many places does it appear?” Paratī said: “When it appears, there should be eight.” The king asked: “Explain these eight appearances to me.” Paratī then recited: “In the womb, it is a body; in the world, it is a person. In the eye, it is seeing; in the ear, it is hearing. In the nose, it distinguishes scents; in the mouth, it speaks. In the hands, it grasps; in the feet, it runs. When spread throughout, it fills the worlds as numerous as grains of sand; when gathered in, it is contained in a single mote of dust. Those who recognize it know this is Buddha-nature; those who do not call it a spirit.” Hearing the verse, the king’s mind opened. He regretted and apologized for his former errors, then asked about the essentials of Dharma. Morning and evening he forgot fatigue and continued for ninety days. Zongsheng, having been expelled, withdrew into a deep mountain and thought: “I am now a hundred years old. For eighty years I did wrong; only for twenty years have I returned to the Buddha’s Way. My nature may be dull, but my conduct has no flaw. I cannot withstand this difficulty; to live would be worse than dying.” He then threw himself from a cliff. Suddenly a spirit caught him in its hands and placed him safely on a rock, without injury. Zongsheng said: “I am a shramana and should uphold the true Dharma, yet I could not suppress the king’s wrong views; therefore I gave up my life as an act of self-reproach.

何神祐助。一至於斯。願垂一語。以保餘年。於是神人乃說偈曰。師壽於百歲。八十而造非。為近至尊故。燻修而入道。雖具少智慧。而多有彼我。所見諸賢等。未甞生珍敬。二十年功德。其心未恬靜。聦明輕慢故。而獲至於此。得王不敬者。當感果如是。自今不疎怠。不久成奇智。諸聖悉存心。如來亦復爾。宗勝聞偈欣然。即於巖間宴坐。時王復問波羅提曰。仁者智辯。當師何人。提曰。我所出家。即娑羅寺烏沙婆三藏為受業師。其出世師者。即大王叔菩提達磨是也。王聞祖名。驚駭久之。曰。鄙薄忝嗣王位。而趣邪背正。忘我尊叔。遽敕近臣。特加迎請。祖即隨使而至。為王懺悔往非。王聞規誡。泣謝於祖。又詔宗勝歸國。大臣奏曰。宗勝被謫投崖。今已亡矣。王告祖曰。宗勝之死。皆自於吾。如何大慈。令免斯罪。祖曰。宗勝今在巖間宴息。但遣使召。當即至矣。王即遣使入山。果見宗勝端居禪寂。宗勝蒙召。乃曰。深愧王意。貧道誓處巖泉。且王國賢德如林。達磨是王之叔。六眾所師。波羅提法中龍象。願王崇仰二聖。以福皇基。使者復命。未至。祖謂王曰。知取得宗勝否。王曰。未知。祖曰。一請未至。再命必來。良久使還。果如祖語。祖遂辭王曰。當善修德。不久疾作。吾且去矣。經七日。王乃得疾。國醫診治。有加無瘳。貴戚近臣憶師前記。急發使告祖曰。王疾殆至彌留。願叔慈悲。遠來診救。祖即至慰問。時宗勝再承王召。即別巖間。波羅提亦來問疾。謂祖曰。當何施為。令王免苦。祖即令太子為王宥罪施恩。崇奉三寶。復為懺悔。願罪消滅。如是者三。王疾有間。師念震旦緣熟。行化時至。乃先辭祖塔。次別同學。後至王所。慰而勉之曰。當勤修白業。護持三寶。吾去非晚。一九即回。王聞師言。涕淚交集曰。此國何罪。彼土何祥。叔既有緣。非吾所止。惟願不忘父母之國。事畢早回。

What spirit has protected and supported me to such an extent? I beg for a word that will preserve the years I have left.” The spirit then recited this verse: “The master’s life lasts a hundred years; for eighty he acted wrongly. Because he drew near the most honored one, he cultivated himself and entered the Way. Though he had a little wisdom, he had much sense of self and other; he saw the worthy ones but never gave rise to reverence. For twenty years he cultivated merit, yet his mind was not at peace. Because he was clever and arrogant, he came to this. The king did not honor him, and he received this result. From now on, do not slacken; before long you will attain wondrous wisdom. Keep all the sages in your mind; the Tathagata is likewise so.” Zongsheng heard the verse with joy and sat in meditation among the rocks. The king then asked Paratī: “Venerable sir, whose teacher are you in wisdom and debate?” Paratī said: “When I left home, the Tripitaka Master Ushabha of the Sala Monastery was my preceptor. The teacher who appeared in this world is your uncle, Bodhidharma.” Hearing the patriarch’s name, the king was astonished for a long time and said: “I am unworthy to have inherited the throne, yet I followed wrong views and turned away from what is right, forgetting my honored uncle.” He hurriedly ordered his attendants to invite him with special honors. The patriarch went with the envoys and repented to the king for his former errors. The king accepted the admonition and wept as he apologized to the patriarch. He also ordered Zongsheng to return to the kingdom. His ministers reported: “Zongsheng was banished and threw himself from a cliff; he is now dead.” The king told the patriarch: “Zongsheng’s death was entirely my fault. How can your great compassion free me from this crime?” The patriarch said: “Zongsheng is now meditating in the mountain. Just send an envoy to summon him, and he will surely come.” The king sent an envoy into the mountains, who indeed found Zongsheng sitting in meditation. When summoned, Zongsheng said: “I am deeply grateful for the king’s concern, but I have vowed to dwell among the rocks and streams. Besides, the kingdom is full of worthy people. Bodhidharma is the king’s uncle and the teacher of the six groups; Paratī is a dragon among the Dharma. I hope the king will revere these two sages and thereby bless the royal foundation.” Before the envoy had returned, the patriarch asked the king: “Have you received Zongsheng?” The king said: “I do not yet know.” The patriarch said: “The first summons did not bring him; send again and he will come.” Much later, the envoy returned, just as the patriarch had predicted. The patriarch then took leave of the king: “You should cultivate virtue well. Before long an illness will arise; I will go now.” Seven days later the king fell ill. The royal physicians treated him, but he only grew worse. The nobles and attendants remembered the patriarch’s earlier prediction and hurriedly sent a messenger: “The king is near death. We beg our uncle’s compassion; please come from afar and save him.” The patriarch came and comforted him. Zongsheng was again summoned by the king and took leave of the mountain. Paratī also came to see the king and asked the patriarch: “What should be done to free the king from suffering?” The patriarch told the crown prince to pardon the king’s offenses, extend kindness, honor the Three Treasures, and repent; he was to do this three times, praying that the offenses be erased. The king’s illness then began to improve. The patriarch knew that the karmic affinity with the Land of Han had matured and that it was time to teach there. He first took leave of the patriarchal stupa, then bade farewell to his fellow students, and finally went to the king to encourage him: “Practice wholesome deeds diligently and protect the Three Treasures. I will not be gone long; I will return in one and nine.” The king heard his words and wept: “What fault does this kingdom have, and what auspiciousness does that land possess? Since my uncle has a karmic affinity there, I cannot keep you. I only hope you will not forget the country of your parents and will return soon when your work is done.”

王即具大舟。實以眾寶。躬率臣寮。送至海壖。祖汎重溟。凡三週寒暑。達於南海。實梁普通七年庚子歲九月二十一日也。廣州刺史蕭昂具主禮迎接。表聞武帝。帝覽奏。遣使齎詔迎請(舊板年甲差誤。今依梁僧寶唱續法記宋嵩禪師正宗記前後改雲)。十月一日至金陵。帝問曰。朕即位已來。造寺寫經。度僧不可勝紀。有何功德。祖曰。並無功德。帝曰。何以無功德。祖曰。此但人天小果。有漏之因。如影隨形。雖有非實。帝曰。如何是真功德。祖曰。淨智妙圓。體自空寂。如是功德。不以世求。帝又問。如何是聖諦第一義。祖曰。廓然無聖。帝曰。對朕者誰。祖曰。不識。帝不領悟。祖知機不契。是月十九日。潛回江北。十一月二十三日。屆於洛陽。當魏孝明帝正光元年也。寓止於嵩山少林寺。面壁而坐。終日默然。人莫之測。謂之壁觀婆羅門。時有僧神光者。曠達之士也。久居伊洛。博覧群書。善談玄理。每歎曰。孔老之教。禮術風規。莊易之書。未盡妙理。近聞達磨大士住止少林。至人不遙。當造玄境。乃往彼。晨夕參承。祖常端坐面壁。莫聞誨勵。光自惟曰。昔人求道。敲骨取髓。刺血濟饑。布髮掩泥。投崖飼虎。古尚若此。我又何人。其年十二月九日夜。天大雨雪。光堅立不動。遲明積雪過膝。祖憫而問曰。汝久立雪中。當求何事。光悲淚曰。惟願和尚慈悲。開甘露門。廣度群品。祖曰。諸佛無上妙道。曠劫精勤。難行能行。非忍而忍。豈以小德小智。輕心慢心。欲冀真乘。徒勞勤苦。光聞祖誨勵。潛取利刀。自斷左臂。置於祖前。祖知是法器。乃曰。諸佛最初求道。為法忘形。汝今斷臂吾前。求亦可在。祖遂因與易名曰慧可。可曰。諸佛法印。可得聞乎。祖曰。諸佛法印。匪從人得。可曰。我心未寧。乞師與安。祖曰。將心來。與汝安。可良久曰。覔心了不可得。祖曰。我與汝安心竟。

The king prepared a great ship filled with many treasures, then personally led his ministers to escort the patriarch to the seashore. The patriarch crossed the ocean and was away for three years before reaching the South Sea. It was the ninth month, twenty-first day, in the gengzi year, the seventh year of Putong under Emperor Wu of Liang. Xiao Ang, governor of Guangzhou, received him with the rites due a guest and submitted a report to Emperor Wu. After reading it, the emperor sent an envoy with an edict to invite him (the cyclical year in the old edition was wrong; the chronology has now been corrected according to the Continued Record of the Dharma by Baochang of Liang and the Orthodox Record by Chan Master Song Song). On the first day of the tenth month he arrived in Jinling. The emperor asked: “Since I ascended the throne, I have built temples, copied sutras, and ordained monks beyond counting. What merit have I gained?” The patriarch said: “There is no merit.” The emperor asked: “Why is there no merit?” The patriarch replied: “These are only small fruits in the realms of humans and gods, causes that still have outflows, like a shadow following the body. They exist, but are not real.” The emperor asked: “What is true merit?” The patriarch said: “Pure wisdom is wondrous and complete; its substance is itself empty and still. This kind of merit is not sought in the world.” The emperor asked: “What is the highest meaning of the holy truth?” The patriarch replied: “Vast emptiness—nothing holy.” The emperor asked: “Who is standing before me?” The patriarch said: “I do not know.” The emperor could not grasp the meaning. The patriarch knew that the conditions were not in accord, and on the nineteenth day of that month he quietly crossed back north of the Yangtze. On the twenty-third day of the eleventh month he reached Luoyang, in the first year of Zhengguang under Emperor Xiaoming of Wei. He stayed at Shaolin Monastery on Mount Song, sat facing a wall, and remained silent all day. No one could fathom him; they called him the Brahmin who gazed at a wall. At that time there was a monk named Shenguāng, a man of broad and open character. He had long lived around the Yi and Luo rivers, read widely, and was skilled at discussing profound principles. He often sighed: “The teachings of Confucius and Laozi set out rules of propriety and customs; the books of Zhuangzi and the Changes have not exhausted the wondrous principle. I recently heard that the Great Being Bodhidharma lives at Shaolin. The utmost person is not far away; I should go and approach that profound realm.” He went there and attended on the patriarch morning and night. The patriarch always sat upright facing the wall, and Shenguāng heard no instruction or encouragement. He thought to himself: “People in the past sought the Way by breaking their bones to extract the marrow, drawing their blood to feed the hungry, spreading their hair to cover muddy ground, or throwing themselves from cliffs to feed tigers. If the ancients did this, what kind of person am I?” On the night of the ninth day of the twelfth month that year, heavy snow fell. Shenguāng stood without moving; by dawn, the snow had piled above his knees. The patriarch took pity on him and asked: “You have stood in the snow for a long time. What are you seeking?” Shenguāng wept and said: “I only beg the monk, in your compassion, to open the gate of nectar and widely liberate beings of every kind.” The patriarch said: “The unsurpassed wondrous Way of the Buddhas is attained only through diligent practice over vast kalpas. What is difficult to do, they do; what is difficult to endure, they endure. How could someone of little virtue and little wisdom, with a light and arrogant mind, hope for the true vehicle? You would only labor in vain.” Hearing the patriarch’s instruction, Shenguāng secretly drew a sharp knife and cut off his own left arm, placing it before the patriarch. The patriarch recognized him as a vessel of the Dharma and said: “When the Buddhas first sought the Way, they forgot their bodies for the sake of Dharma. Since you have now cut off your arm before me, your seeking may be accepted.” The patriarch therefore renamed him Huike. Huike said: “May I hear the Dharma-seal of the Buddhas?” The patriarch replied: “The Dharma-seal of the Buddhas is not obtained from another person.” Huike said: “My mind is not yet at peace. I beg the teacher to pacify it.” The patriarch said: “Bring me your mind, and I will pacify it for you.” After a long while, Huike said: “I have searched for the mind, but it cannot be found.” The patriarch said: “I have pacified your mind for you. It is finished.”

越九年。欲返天竺。命門人曰。時將至矣。汝等盍各言所得乎。時有道副對曰。如我所見。不執文字。不離文字。而為道用。祖曰。汝得吾皮。尼總持曰。我今所解。如慶喜見阿閦佛國。一見更不再見。祖曰。汝得吾肉。道育曰。四大本空。五陰非有。而我見處。無一法可得。祖曰。汝得吾骨。最後慧可禮拜。依位而立。祖曰。汝得吾髓。乃顧慧可而告之曰。昔如來以正法眼付迦葉大士。展轉囑累。而至於我。我今付汝。汝當護持。並授汝袈裟。以為法信。各有所表。宜可知矣。可曰。請師指陳。祖曰。內傳法印。以契證心。外付袈裟。以定宗旨。後代澆薄。疑慮競生。雲吾西天之人。言汝此方之子。憑何得法。以何證之。汝今受此衣法。卻後難生。但出此衣並吾法偈。用以表明其化無礙。至吾滅後二百年。衣止不傳。法周沙界。明道者多。行道者少。說理者多。通理者少。潛符密證。千萬有餘。汝當闡揚。勿輕未悟。一念回機。便同本得。聽吾偈曰。吾本來茲土。傳法救迷情。一花開五葉。結果自然成。祖又曰。吾有楞伽經四卷。亦用付汝。即是如來心地要門。令諸眾生開示悟入。吾自到此。凡五度中毒。我甞自出而試之。置石石裂。緣吾本離南印來此東土。見赤縣神州有大乘氣象。遂踰海越漠。為法求人。際會未諧。如愚若訥。今得汝傳授。吾意已終(別記雲。祖初居少林寺九年。為二祖說法。秖教外息諸緣。內心無喘。心如牆壁。可以入道。慧可種種說心性。曾未契理。祖秖遮其非。不為說無念心體。可忽曰。我已息諸緣。祖曰。莫成斷滅去否。可曰。不成斷滅。祖曰。此是諸佛所傳心體。更勿疑也)。言已。乃與徒眾往禹門千聖寺。止三日。有期城太守楊衒之。早慕佛乘。問祖曰。西天五印。師承為祖。其道如何。祖曰。明佛心宗。行解相應。名之曰祖。又問。此外如何。祖曰。須明他心。

After nine years, the patriarch wished to return to India. He told his disciples: “The time is near. Why does each of you not say what you have attained?” Daofu replied: “As I see it, one neither clings to written words nor departs from them; this is how the Way is used.” The patriarch said: “You have attained my skin.” The nun Zongchi said: “My understanding is like Ananda seeing the land of Akshobhya Buddha; having seen it once, he never saw it again.” The patriarch said: “You have attained my flesh.” Daoyu said: “The four great elements are originally empty, and the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—do not exist. As for what I see, there is not a single dharma to attain.” The patriarch said: “You have attained my bones.” Finally Huike bowed and stood in his place. The patriarch said: “You have attained my marrow.” He then looked at Huike and said: “Long ago the Tathagata entrusted the true Dharma-eye to the Great Being Kashyapa. It was passed on in succession until it reached me. I now entrust it to you; you must protect and uphold it. I also give you this robe as a token of faith in the Dharma. Each has its own sign; you should understand them.” Huike said: “Please explain them, Master.” The patriarch said: “The Dharma-seal is transmitted inwardly to accord with the mind; the robe is transmitted outwardly to establish the lineage. In later generations, the world will grow shallow and decadent, and doubts and disputes will arise. They will say: ‘I am from India, and you are a son of this land. How could you receive the Dharma, and what proof do you have?’ Since you have now received this robe and Dharma, difficulties will arise later. Simply show them this robe and my verse as proof that the teaching has been transmitted without obstruction. Two hundred years after I pass away, the robe will no longer be transmitted, while the Dharma will spread throughout all lands. Many will understand the Way, but few will practice it; many will speak of principle, but few will penetrate it. Those who accord inwardly and realize it in secret will still be beyond counting. You should proclaim it widely; do not look down on those who have not yet awakened. With a single turn of thought, one returns to what was originally attained. Hear this verse: ‘I came to this land to transmit the Dharma and save deluded beings. One flower opens five petals; the fruit will ripen naturally.’” The patriarch added: “I have four fascicles of the Lankavatara Sutra, which I also entrust to you. It is the essential gateway to the Tathagata’s ground of mind, enabling sentient beings to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter it. Since I came here, I have been poisoned five times. I tested the poison myself by placing it on a rock, and the rock split apart. I originally left Southern India and came to this eastern land because I saw the signs of the Mahayana in the Divine Province of the Red District. I crossed the sea and deserts, seeking people for the Dharma. Our encounter had not yet come together; I seemed foolish and inarticulate. Now that I have found you and transmitted it, my purpose is complete.” (A separate account says: The patriarch first stayed at Shaolin Monastery for nine years. When he taught the Second Patriarch, he only instructed him to cease all outward conditions and keep the mind within without panting, so that the mind would be like a wall and could enter the Way. Huike spoke in many ways about mind and nature but never accorded with the principle. The patriarch only blocked what was wrong and did not explain the mind-substance of no-thought. Huike suddenly said: “I have already ceased all conditions.” The patriarch asked: “Have you not fallen into annihilation?” Huike said: “I have not fallen into annihilation.” The patriarch said: “This is the mind-substance transmitted by all Buddhas. Have no more doubts.”) After speaking, he went with his disciples to Qiansheng Monastery at Yumen and stayed for three days. Yang Xuanzi, governor of Qicheng, had long admired the Buddha Vehicle. He asked the patriarch: “In the five regions of India, the teacher-transmission is called the patriarchal Way. What is that Way?” The patriarch said: “One who clarifies the mind-school of the Buddha and whose practice accords with understanding is called a patriarch.” Yang asked: “What else?” The patriarch replied: “One must understand the minds of others as well.”

知其今古。不厭有無。於法無取。不賢不愚。無迷無悟。若能是解。故稱為祖。又曰。弟子歸心三寶亦有年矣。而智慧昏蒙。尚迷真理。適聽師言。罔知攸措。願師慈悲。開示宗旨。祖知懇到。即說偈曰。亦不覩惡而生嫌。亦不觀善而勤措。亦不捨智而近愚。亦不拋迷而就悟。達大道兮過量。通佛心兮出度。不與凡聖同躔。超然名之曰祖。衒之聞偈。悲喜交並。曰。願師久住世間。化導群有。祖曰。吾即逝矣。不可久留。根性萬差。多逢愚難。衒之曰。未審何人。弟子為師除得否。祖曰。吾以傳佛秘密。利益迷途。害彼自安。必無此理。衒之曰。師苦不言。何表通變觀照之力。祖不獲已。乃為讖曰。江槎分玉浪。管炬開金鎖。五口相共行。九十無彼我。衒之聞語。莫究其端。默記於懷。禮辭而去。祖之所讖。雖當時不測。而後皆符驗。時魏氏奉釋。禪雋如林。光統律師．流支三藏者。乃僧中之鸞鳳也。覩師演道。斥相指心。每與師論義。是非蜂起。祖遐振玄風。普施法雨。而偏局之量。自不堪任。競起害心。數加毒藥。至第六度。以化緣已畢。傳法得人。遂不復救之。端居而逝。即魏莊帝永安元年戊申十月五日也。其年十二月二十八日。塟熊耳山。起塔於定林寺。後三歲。魏宋雲奉使西域回。遇祖於蔥嶺。見手𢹂隻履。翩翩獨逝。雲問。師何往。祖曰。西天去。雲歸。具說其事。及門人啟壙。唯空棺。一隻革履存焉。舉朝為之驚歎。奉詔取遺履。於少林寺供養。至唐開元十五年丁卯歲為信道者竊在五臺華嚴寺。今不知所在。初。梁武遇祖。因緣未契。及聞化行魏邦。遂欲自撰師碑而未暇也。後聞宋雲事。乃成之。代宗諡圓覺大師。塔曰空觀(年號依紀年通譜)。

(The patriarch continued:) “One knows past and present, does not dislike existence or nonexistence, and takes nothing in Dharma. One is neither wise nor foolish, neither deluded nor awakened. If one understands in this way, one is called a patriarch.” Yang Xuanzi said: “I have taken refuge in the Three Treasures for years, but my wisdom is clouded and I still mistake the truth. Having just heard the master’s words, I do not know what to do. I beg your compassion to reveal the essential teaching.” The patriarch knew how earnest he had become and recited this verse: “Neither seeing evil and giving rise to dislike, nor observing good and striving to act; neither abandoning wisdom to approach foolishness, nor casting off delusion to pursue awakening. Realizing the Great Way, one surpasses all measure; penetrating the Buddha-mind, one goes beyond all bounds. One does not tread the same path as ordinary or holy beings; transcendent, one is called a patriarch.” Hearing the verse, Yang Xuanzi was overcome by sorrow and joy and said: “I hope the master will remain in the world for a long time and guide beings of every kind.” The patriarch said: “I am about to depart; I cannot stay long. People’s capacities differ in countless ways, and foolish difficulties often arise.” Yang said: “If I knew who would do this, could I remove him for the master?” The patriarch replied: “I transmit the Buddha’s secret to benefit those who are lost. To harm another for one’s own safety has no place in principle.” Yang said: “If the master insists on saying nothing, how will you demonstrate the power of penetrating change and illumination?” The patriarch had no choice and gave this prophecy: “The river raft divides the jade waves; a bamboo torch opens the golden lock. Five mouths travel together; at ninety, there is neither other nor self.” Yang could not understand the prophecy, silently memorized it, bowed, and took his leave. The patriarch’s prediction was inscrutable at the time, but later each part came true. The Wei court then upheld the Buddha-Dharma, and outstanding Chan practitioners were as numerous as trees in a forest. Vinaya Master Guangtong and Tripitaka Master Luozhi were phoenixes among the monks. When they saw the master expounding the Way, rejecting marks and pointing directly to mind, they often debated him, and disputes over right and wrong arose in swarms. The patriarch’s profound teaching spread far and wide and his Dharma-rain fell everywhere, but those with narrow capacities could not bear it. They repeatedly became hostile and attempted to poison him. On the sixth attempt, because his karmic work of teaching was complete and he had transmitted the Dharma to the right person, he no longer saved himself. He sat upright and passed away. This was the fifth day of the tenth month in the wushen year, the first year of Yong’an under Emperor Zhuang of Wei. On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth month that year, he was buried on Bear-Ear Mountain, and a stupa was built at Dinglin Monastery. Three years later, Song Yun returned from an embassy to the Western Regions and met the patriarch on the Onion Range, walking alone and lightly with one shoe in his hand. Song Yun asked: “Master, where are you going?” The patriarch replied: “To the Western Heavens.” Song Yun returned and recounted everything. When the disciples opened the tomb, it was empty except for a single leather sandal. The whole court marveled. By imperial order, the remaining sandal was taken to Shaolin Monastery and enshrined. In the dingmao year, the fifteenth year of Kaiyuan under the Tang, a devotee stole it and took it to Huayan Monastery on Mount Wutai; no one knows where it is now. At first, when Emperor Wu of Liang met the patriarch, their karmic conditions did not accord. Later, hearing that the teaching was spreading in Wei, he wanted to compose an inscription for the master but never found the time. Only after hearing Song Yun’s account did he write it. Emperor Daizong posthumously named him Great Master Yuanjue, and named his stupa “Empty Contemplation” (the era names follow the Comprehensive Chronological Tables).

(通論曰。傳燈謂魏孝明帝欽祖異跡。三屈詔命。祖竟不下少林。及祖示寂。宋雲自西域還。遇祖於蔥嶺。孝莊帝有旨令啟壙。如南史普通八年。即大通元年也。孝明以是歲四月癸丑殂。祖以十月至梁。葢祖未至魏時。孝明已去世矣。其子即位未幾。為爾朱榮所弒。乃立孝莊帝。由是魏國大亂。越三年。而孝莊殂。又五年分割為東西魏。然則吾祖在少林時。正值其亂。及宋雲之還。則孝莊去世亦五六年。其國至於分割久矣。烏有孝莊令啟壙之說乎。按唐史雲。後魏末。有僧達磨航海而來。既卒。其年魏使宋雲於蔥嶺回見之。門徒發其墓。但有隻履而已。此乃實錄也)。

(The General Treatise says: The Record of the Transmission of the Lamp says that Emperor Xiaoming of Wei admired the patriarch’s extraordinary deeds and summoned him by imperial decree three times, but the patriarch never left Shaolin. After he passed away, Song Yun returned from the Western Regions and met him on the Onion Range. Emperor Xiaozhuang ordered the tomb opened. According to the History of the Southern Dynasties, Putong year eight was the first year of Datong. Emperor Xiaoming died in the fourth month of that year, on the guichou day. The patriarch arrived in Liang in the tenth month. Thus, before the patriarch ever reached Wei, Xiaoming had already died. His son succeeded him but was soon killed by Erzhu Rong, after which Emperor Xiaozhuang was installed. From then on Wei was in great turmoil. Xiaozhuang died three years later, and five years after that the realm was divided into Eastern and Western Wei. Therefore, when our patriarch was at Shaolin, the land was already in disorder. By the time Song Yun returned, Xiaozhuang had been dead for five or six years and the kingdom had long been divided. How could Xiaozhuang have ordered the tomb opened? The History of the Tang says: “At the end of Later Wei, a monk named Dharma arrived by sea. After he died, in that year the Wei envoy Song Yun met him on the Onion Range on his way back. His disciples opened his tomb and found only one shoe.” This is the true record.)

二祖慧可大師者

The Second Patriarch: Great Master Huike

武牢人也。姓姬氏。父寂。未有子時。甞自念言。我家崇善。豈令無子。禱之既久。一夕感異光照室。其母因而懷姙。及長。遂以照室之瑞。名之曰光。自幼志氣不群。博涉詩書。尤精玄理。而不事家產。好遊山水。後覽佛書。超然自得。即抵洛陽龍門香山。依寶靜禪師。出家受具於永穆寺。浮游講肆。徧學大小乘義。年三十三。卻返香山。終日宴坐。又經八載。於寂默中倐見一神人謂曰。將欲受果。何滯此邪。大道匪遙。汝其南矣。祖知神助。因改名神光。翌日。覺頭痛如刺。其師欲治之。空中有聲曰。此乃換骨。非常痛也。祖遂以見神事白於師。師視其頂骨。即如五峰秀出矣。乃曰。汝相吉祥。當有所證。神令汝南者。斯則少林達磨大士必汝之師也。祖受教。造於少室。其得法傳衣事蹟。達磨章具之矣。自少林託化西歸。大師繼闡玄風。博求法嗣。至北齊天平二年。有一居士。年踰四十。不言名氏。聿來設禮。而問祖曰。弟子身纏風恙。請和尚懺罪。祖曰。將罪來。與汝懺。士良久曰。覔罪不可得。祖曰。與汝懺罪竟。宜依佛法僧住。士曰。今見和尚。已知是僧。未審何名佛法。祖曰。是心是佛。是心是法。法佛無二。僧寶亦然。士曰。今日始知罪性不在內。不在外。不在中間。如其心然。佛法無二也。祖深器之。即為剃髮。雲。是吾寶也。宜名僧璨。其年三月十八日。於光福寺受具。自茲疾漸愈。執侍經二載。祖乃告曰。菩提達磨遠自竺乾。以正法眼藏並信衣密付於吾。吾今授汝。汝當守護。無令斷絕。聽吾偈曰。本來緣有地。因地種華生。本來無有種。華亦不曾生。祖付衣法已。又曰。汝受吾教。宜處深山。未可行化。當有國難。璨曰。師既預知。願垂示誨。祖曰。非吾知也。斯乃達磨傳般若多羅懸記雲心中雖吉外頭㐫是也。吾校年代。正在於汝。汝當諦思前言。勿罹世難。然吾亦有宿累。

He was from Wulao and belonged to the Ji clan. His father was named Ji. Before he had a son, he often said to himself: “My family upholds goodness. How can it be that we have no son?” He prayed for a long time. One night a wondrous light shone into the room, and his wife conceived. When the child grew up, they named him Guang, “Light,” because of the auspicious light in the room. From childhood he had extraordinary aspirations, read widely in poetry and books, and was especially accomplished in profound principles. He did not manage household affairs but loved traveling among mountains and rivers. Later he read Buddhist books and found a transcendent joy in them. He went to Xiangshan at Longmen in Luoyang, followed Chan Master Baojing, and left home and received the full precepts at Yongmu Monastery. He traveled among lecture halls and studied the teachings of both the Greater and Lesser Vehicles. At thirty-three he returned to Xiangshan and sat in meditation all day. Eight years later, while in silent meditation, he suddenly saw a divine person say: “You are about to receive the fruit. Why remain here? The Great Way is not far away; go south.” The patriarch knew a spirit had helped him, so he changed his name to Shenguāng. The next day he felt a headache like needles piercing him. His teacher wanted to treat him. A voice from the air said: “This is a transformation of the bones, not an ordinary pain.” The patriarch told his teacher about seeing the spirit. His teacher examined his crown, which looked like five elegant peaks rising up. He said: “Your appearance is auspicious; you will attain realization. The spirit told you to go south. The Great Being Bodhidharma at Shaolin must be your teacher.” Huike followed the instruction and went to Shaoshi Mountain. The account of how he received the Dharma and robe is given in the chapter on Bodhidharma. After Bodhidharma entrusted the teaching at Shaolin and returned west, the Great Master continued to spread the profound teaching and widely sought a successor. In the second year of Tianping under Northern Qi, a layman over forty years old came to him, did not give his name, and bowed. He said: “I am afflicted by wind disease. I beg the monk to repent my offenses.” The patriarch said: “Bring me the offense, and I will repent it for you.” After a long while the layman said: “I have searched for the offense, but it cannot be found.” The patriarch said: “I have repented your offense. It is finished. You should abide by the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.” The layman said: “Now that I have met you, I know what a monk is, but I do not know what is meant by Buddha and Dharma.” The patriarch replied: “Mind itself is Buddha, mind itself is Dharma. Dharma and Buddha are not two; the Jewel of the Sangha is likewise so.” The layman said: “Only today do I know that the nature of offense is neither inside, outside, nor in between, just like the mind itself. The Buddha and Dharma are not two.” The patriarch deeply esteemed him, shaved his head, and said: “You are my jewel. You should be named Sengcan.” On the eighteenth day of the third month that year, Sengcan received the full precepts at Guangfu Monastery. From then on his illness gradually improved. After serving for two years, the patriarch told him: “Great Master Bodhidharma came from India and secretly entrusted to me the treasury of the true Dharma-eye and the robe of faith. I now transmit them to you. Guard them well and do not let them perish. Hear this verse: ‘The flower seed depends originally on the ground; from the ground the flower grows. If no one plants the seed, the flower and ground are both unborn.’” Having transmitted the robe and Dharma, the patriarch said: “You have received my teaching. You should stay in the deep mountains and not yet teach others; a calamity will arise in the kingdom.” Sengcan said: “Since the master knows in advance, please instruct me.” The patriarch said: “It is not my own knowledge. This is the prophecy transmitted by Bodhidharma from Prajnatara: ‘Though the heart is auspicious, outside is ill fortune.’ I have checked the years, and it is happening in your time. You should carefully consider what came before and not fall into the world’s calamity. But I too have karmic debts from past lives,

今要酬之。善去善行。俟時傳付。祖付囑已。即往鄴都。隨宜說法。一音演暢。四眾皈依。如是積三十四載。遂韜光混跡。變易儀相。或入諸酒肆。或過於屠門。或習街談。或隨廝役。人問之曰。師是道人。何故如是。祖曰。我自調心。何關汝事。又於筦城縣匡救寺三門下。談無上道。聽者林會。時有辯和法師者。於寺中講涅槃經。學徒聞師闡法。稍稍引去。辯和不勝其憤。興謗於邑宰翟仲侃。翟惑其邪說。加祖以非法。祖怡然委順。識真者謂之償債。時年一百七歲。即隋文帝開皇十三年癸丑歲三月十六日也。塟磁州滏陽縣東北七十里。唐德宗諡大祖禪師(皓月供奉問長沙岑和尚。古德雲。了即業障本來空。未了應須償宿債。只如師子尊者．二祖大師。為甚麼得償債去。沙曰。大德不識本來空。月曰。如何是本來空。沙曰。業障是。曰。如何是業障。沙曰。本來空是。月無語。沙以偈示之曰。假有元非有。假滅亦非無。涅槃償債義。一性更無殊)。

and must now repay them. Go safely and practice well; when the time comes, transmit the Dharma again.” After entrusting the teaching, the patriarch went to Yedu and taught according to people’s capacities. He proclaimed the teaching with a single voice, and the fourfold assembly took refuge. After thirty-four years, he concealed his radiance and mingled among ordinary people, changing his appearance and behavior. Sometimes he entered wine shops, sometimes passed through butcher stalls, sometimes joined street conversations, and sometimes worked among laborers. People asked him: “You are a man of the Way. Why do you do such things?” The patriarch replied: “I am regulating my own mind. What does it have to do with you?” He also expounded the unsurpassed Way beneath the three gates of Kuangjiu Monastery in Guancheng County; listeners gathered like a forest. At that time Dharma Master Bianhe was lecturing on the Nirvana Sutra in the monastery. His students heard that the patriarch was teaching and gradually began to follow him instead. Bianhe was unable to contain his anger and slandered the patriarch to the district magistrate, Zhai Zhongkan. Zhai was misled by his false words and treated the patriarch unlawfully. The patriarch accepted it serenely. Those who understood the truth said this was repayment of karmic debts. He was then one hundred and seven years old. This was the sixteenth day of the third month in the guichou year, the thirteenth year of Kaihuang under Emperor Wen of Sui. He was buried seventy li northeast of Fuyang County in Cizhou. Emperor Dezong of Tang posthumously named him Great Patriarch Chan Master. (The court attendant Haoyue asked Chan Master Changsha Cen: “The ancients said: ‘When understood, karmic obstacles are originally empty; until understood, one must repay past debts.’ Why did Venerable Shizi and the Second Patriarch have to repay their debts?” Changsha said: “Great Virtuous One, you do not recognize original emptiness.” Haoyue asked: “What is original emptiness?” Changsha said: “Karmic obstacles.” Haoyue asked: “What are karmic obstacles?” Changsha replied: “Original emptiness.” Haoyue had no answer. Changsha then instructed him in verse: “What provisionally exists was never existence; what provisionally ceases is not nonexistence. The meaning of repaying debts in nirvana: the one nature has no difference.”)

三祖僧璨大師者

The Third Patriarch: Great Master Sengcan

不知何許人也。初以白衣謁二祖。既受度傳法。隱於舒州之皖公山。屬後周武帝破滅佛法。祖往來太湖縣司空山。居無常處。積十餘載。時人無能知者。至隋開皇十二年壬子歲。有沙彌道信。年始十四。來禮祖曰。願和尚慈悲。乞與解脫法門。祖曰。誰縛汝。曰。無人縛。祖曰。何更求解脫乎。信於言下大悟。服勞九載。後於吉州受戒。侍奉尤謹。祖屢試以玄微。知其緣熟。乃付衣法。偈曰。華種雖因地。從地種華生。若無人下種。華地盡無生。祖又曰。昔可大師付吾法。後往鄴都行化。三十年方終。今吾得汝。何滯此乎。即適羅浮山。優遊二載。卻還舊址。逾月士民奔趨。大設檀供。祖為四眾廣宣心要訖。於法會大樹下合掌立終。即隋煬帝大業二年丙寅十月十五日也。唐玄宗諡鑑智禪師．覺寂之塔。師信心銘曰。至道無難。唯嫌揀擇。但莫憎愛。洞然明白。毫𨤲有差。天地懸隔。欲得現前。莫存順逆。違順相爭。是為心病。不識玄旨。徒勞念靜。圓同太虗。無欠無餘。良由取捨。所以不如。莫逐有緣。勿住空忍。一種平懷。泯然自盡。止動歸止。止更彌動。唯滯兩邊。寧知一種。一種不通。兩處失功。遣有沒有。從空背空。多言多慮。轉不相應。絕言絕慮。無處不通。歸根得旨。隨照失宗。須臾返照。勝卻前空。前空轉變。皆由妄見。不用求真。唯須息見。二見不住。慎莫追尋。才有是非。紛然失心。二由一有。一亦莫守。一心不生。萬法無咎。無咎無法。不生不心。能由境滅。境逐能沉。境由能境。能由境能。欲知兩段。元是一空。一空同兩。齊含萬象。不見精麤。寧有偏黨。大道體寬。無易無難。小見狐疑。轉急轉遲。執之失度。必入邪路。放之自然。體無去住。任性合道。逍遙絕惱。繫念乖真。昏沉不好。不好勞神。何用疎親。欲取一乘。勿惡六塵。六塵不惡。還同正覺。智者無為。愚人自縛。

No one knows where he came from. At first he visited the Second Patriarch as a layman. After receiving ordination and the Dharma, he concealed himself on Mount Wangong in Shuzhou. When Emperor Wu of Later Zhou destroyed the Buddha-Dharma, the patriarch traveled around Mount Sikong in Taihu County and lived without a fixed abode. For more than ten years no one knew where he was. In the renzi year, the twelfth year of Kaihuang under Sui, a novice named Daoxin, only fourteen years old, came to pay homage and said: “I beg the monk, in your compassion, to teach me the gateway to liberation.” The patriarch asked: “Who binds you?” Daoxin replied: “No one binds me.” The patriarch said: “Why then seek liberation?” At these words Daoxin suddenly awakened. He served the patriarch diligently for nine years. Later he received the precepts in Jizhou and served him even more carefully. The patriarch repeatedly tested him with profound questions. Knowing that the karmic conditions had matured, he transmitted the robe and Dharma in this verse: “Though the flower seed depends on the ground, from the ground the flower grows. If no one plants the seed, the flower and ground are both unborn.” The patriarch then said: “In the past, Master Huike transmitted the Dharma to me and later went to Yedu to teach. He passed away only after thirty years. Now that I have found you, why should I linger here?” He went to Mount Luofu, wandered there freely for two years, and then returned to his former place. One month later, people from the local region flocked to him and made a great offering. After the patriarch had broadly explained the essentials of mind to the fourfold assembly, he stood beneath a great tree at the Dharma gathering, joined his palms, and passed away. This was the fifteenth day of the tenth month in the bingyin year, the second year of Daye under Emperor Yang of Sui. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang posthumously named him Chan Master Jianzhi, and his stupa “Awakening in Stillness.” His teacher’s Inscription on Faith in Mind says: “The Great Way is not difficult; it only dislikes choosing. Just do not hate or love, and it will be clearly understood. The slightest difference separates heaven and earth. If you wish it to appear, do not cling to acceptance or rejection. To struggle over what accords and what opposes is a sickness of the mind. Without knowing the profound intent, you labor in vain to quiet your thoughts. Perfect like the great void, nothing is lacking or excessive. It is only because of grasping and rejecting that you cannot be so. Do not pursue conditioned things; do not abide in patient acceptance of emptiness. With an even mind, all vanishes of itself. To stop movement and return to stillness is itself another movement. If you cling to either side, how will you know the One? If the One is not penetrated, both sides lose their function. Reject existence and you fall into existence; seek emptiness and you turn your back on it. Too many words and thoughts make you less and less attuned. Cut off words and thought, and there is nowhere you cannot pass. Return to the root and attain the intent; follow illumination and lose the source. A moment of turning the light inward surpasses the emptiness before you. The former emptiness changes because of deluded views. Do not seek the true; only cease your views. Do not abide in dualistic views, and take care not to pursue them. The instant you have right and wrong, your mind is lost in confusion. The two arise because of the One; do not cling even to the One. When the One Mind does not arise, the ten thousand dharmas are without fault. Without fault there is no Dharma; when nothing arises, there is no mind. When the subject ceases, the object sinks; the object arises because of the subject, and the subject arises because of the object. If you wish to understand these two aspects, originally they are one emptiness. One emptiness is the same as both; it contains all forms. Without seeing fine or coarse, how could there be partiality? The substance of the Great Way is broad; it is neither easy nor difficult. Small-minded doubt grows more hurried and more slow. Grasp it and you lose the measure, surely entering a deviant path. Let it go, and it is natural; its substance neither departs nor abides. Let nature accord with the Way, and you will be free and without vexation. Clinging to thoughts departs from the true; dullness is no good. If it is no good, you weary the spirit; what use is there in rejecting one thing and drawing near another? If you wish to take up the One Vehicle, do not hate the six sense-objects. If you do not hate the six sense-objects, you are the same as true awakening. The wise act without contrivance; fools bind themselves.”

法無異法。妄自愛著。將心用心。豈非大錯。迷生寂亂。悟無好惡。一切二邊。良由斟酌。夢幻空華。何勞把捉。得失是非。一時放卻。眼若不睡。諸夢自除。心若不異。萬法一如。一如體玄。兀爾忘緣。萬法齊觀。歸復自然。泯其所以。不可方比。止動無動。動止無止。兩既不成。一何有爾。究竟窮極。不存軌則。契心平等。所作俱息。狐疑盡淨。正信調直。一切不留。無可記憶。虗明自照。不勞心力。非思量處。識情難測。真如法界。無他無自。要急相應。唯言不二。不二皆同。無不包容。十方智者。皆入此宗。宗非促延。一念萬年。無在不在。十方目前。極小同大。忘絕境界。極大同小。不見邊表。有即是無。無即是有。若不如是。必不須守。一即一切。一切即一。但能如是。何慮不畢。信心不二。不二信心。言語道斷。非去來今。

“Dharma is not a different Dharma; delusion comes from loving and clinging to it. Using the mind to work upon the mind—is this not a great mistake? Delusion gives rise to stillness and confusion; awakening has neither likes nor dislikes. All dualistic extremes arise from deliberation. Dreams, illusions, and empty flowers—why labor to seize them? Gain and loss, right and wrong: let them all go at once. If the eye does not sleep, all dreams disappear by themselves. If the mind has no distinctions, the ten thousand dharmas are one suchness. The substance of suchness is profound; suddenly forget all conditions. View the ten thousand dharmas as equal and return to what is natural. Dissolve the reasons for things; they cannot be compared or measured. To stop movement is not movement; to stop stillness is not stillness. If neither can be established, where is the One? At the ultimate point, no rules remain. When mind accords with equality, all activity ceases. Doubt is completely purified and true faith is direct. Nothing is retained; nothing can be remembered. Empty clarity illuminates itself; no mental effort is needed. This is not a place for thought; discriminating consciousness cannot fathom it. The realm of true suchness and Dharma is neither other nor self. To accord with it urgently, just speak of nonduality. In nonduality all is the same; nothing is not included. The wise of the ten directions all enter this school. The school is neither brief nor prolonged; in one thought are ten thousand years. It is nowhere and everywhere; the ten directions are before your eyes. The smallest is the same as the great; all boundaries are forgotten and ended. The greatest is the same as the small; its limits cannot be seen. Existence is just nonexistence; nonexistence is just existence. If it is not like this, there is no need to preserve it. One is all; all is one. If you can be like this, why worry that the work is unfinished? Faith in mind is nondual; nonduality is faith in mind. The way of words is cut off; it is not past, present, or future.”

四祖道信大師者

The Fourth Patriarch: Great Master Daoxin

姓司馬氏。世居河內。後徙於蘄州廣濟縣。生而超異。幼慕空宗諸解脫門。宛如宿習。既嗣祖風。攝心無寐。脅不至席者僅六十年。隋大業十三載領徒眾抵吉州。值群盜圍城。七旬不解。萬眾惶怖。祖愍之。教令念摩訶般若。時賊眾望雉堞間若有神兵。乃相謂曰。城內必有異人。不可攻矣。稍稍引去。唐武德甲申歲師卻返蘄春。住破頭山。學侶雲臻。一日往黃梅縣。路逢一小兒。骨相奇秀。異乎常童。祖問曰。子何姓。答曰。姓即有。不是常姓。祖曰。是何姓。答曰。是佛性。祖曰。汝無姓邪。答曰。性空。故無。祖默識其法器。即俾侍者至其母所。乞令出家。母以宿緣故。殊無難色。遂捨為弟子。以至付法傳衣。偈曰。華種有生性。因地華生生。大緣與性合。當生生不生。遂以學徒委之。一日告眾曰。吾武德中游廬山。登絕頂。望破頭山。見紫雲如葢。下有白氣。橫分六道。汝等會否。眾皆默然。忍曰。莫是和尚他後橫出一枝佛法否。祖曰。善。後貞觀癸卯歲太宗嚮師道味。欲瞻風彩。詔赴京。祖上表遜謝。前後三返。竟以疾辭。第四度命使曰。如果不起。即取首來。使至山諭旨。祖乃引頸就刃。神色儼然。使異之。回以狀聞。帝彌加欽慕。就賜珍繒。以遂其志。迄高宗永徽辛亥歲閏九月四日。忽垂誡門人曰。一切諸法。悉皆解脫。汝等各自護念。流化未來。言訖安坐而逝。壽七十有二。塔於本山。明年四月八日。塔戶無故自開。儀相如生。爾後。門人不敢復閉。代宗諡大醫禪師．慈雲之塔。

He belonged to the Sima clan. His family had lived for generations in Hanoi before moving to Guangji County in Qizhou. From birth he was extraordinary. As a child he admired the school of emptiness and its various gateways to liberation, as if he had practiced them in a former life. After inheriting the patriarchal lineage, he gathered his mind and did not sleep; for nearly sixty years his flank never touched a seat. In the thirteenth year of Daye under Sui, he led his followers to Jizhou. Bandits surrounded the city and would not withdraw for seventy days; the entire population was terrified. The patriarch took pity on them and taught them to recite the Great Perfection of Wisdom. The bandits then saw what seemed to be divine troops along the battlements and said to one another: “There must be an extraordinary person in the city. We cannot attack it.” They gradually withdrew. In the jia-shen year of Wude under Tang, the master returned to Qichun and stayed at Potou Mountain. Students gathered like clouds. One day he went to Huangmei County and met a child whose bones and features were remarkably fine, unlike those of ordinary children. The patriarch asked: “What is your family name?” The child replied: “A name is something that exists; it is not a constant name.” The patriarch asked: “What name is it?” The child said: “It is Buddha-nature.” The patriarch asked: “Then have you no name?” The child replied: “Nature is empty, so there is no name.” The patriarch silently recognized him as a vessel of the Dharma. He sent an attendant to ask the child’s mother to allow him to leave home. Because of their former karmic connection, she did not object at all, and gave him as a disciple. He remained with the patriarch until the Dharma and robe were transmitted. The patriarch recited: “The flower seed has the nature to grow; from the ground the flower is born. When great conditions accord with nature, what is born is unborn.” He then entrusted the students to him. One day he told the assembly: “During the Wude era I traveled to Mount Lu. From its summit I looked toward Potou Mountain and saw a purple cloud like a canopy, with white vapor beneath it stretching across in six bands. Do you understand?” Everyone was silent. Hongren said: “Could it be that in the future a branch of the Buddha-Dharma will spread out horizontally from the master?” The patriarch said: “Good.” Later, in the guimao year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong admired the master’s flavor of the Way and wished to see his countenance, so he summoned him to the capital. The patriarch submitted memorials declining the invitation three times, finally pleading illness. On the fourth summons, the emperor ordered the envoy: “If he truly will not rise, bring back his head.” When the envoy delivered the order on the mountain, the patriarch extended his neck to the blade, his expression solemn. The envoy was astonished and returned to report what had happened. The emperor admired him even more and bestowed precious silks on the spot, allowing him to follow his wishes. On the fourth day of the intercalary ninth month in the xinhai year of Yonghui under Emperor Gaozong of Tang, he suddenly instructed his disciples: “All dharmas are entirely liberated. Each of you should protect and remember this teaching, spreading it to beings in the future.” Having spoken, he sat peacefully and passed away. He was seventy-two. His stupa is on this mountain. On the eighth day of the fourth month the following year, the stupa door opened by itself for no reason, and his appearance was like that of a living person. After this, the disciples did not dare close it again. Emperor Daizong posthumously named him Great Physician Chan Master and his stupa “Compassionate Cloud.”

五祖弘忍大師者

The Fifth Patriarch: Great Master Hongren

蘄州黃梅人也。先為破頭山中栽松道者。甞請於四祖曰。法道可得聞乎。祖曰。汝已老。脫有聞。其能廣化邪。儻若再來。吾尚可遲汝。廼去。行水邊。見一女子浣衣。揖曰。寄宿得否。女曰。我有父兄。可往求之。曰。諾我。即敢行。女首肯之。遂回䇿而去。女周氏季子也。歸輙孕。父母大惡。逐之。女無所歸。日傭紡裡中。夕止於眾館之下。已而生一子。以為不祥。因拋濁港中。明日見之。泝流而上。氣體鮮明。大驚。遂舉之。成童。隨母乞食。里人呼為無姓兒。逢一智者。歎曰。此子缺七種相。不逮如來。後遇信大師。得法嗣。化於破頭山。咸亨中有一居士。姓盧名慧能。自新州來參謁。祖問曰。汝自何來。盧曰。嶺南。祖曰。欲須何事。盧曰。唯求作佛。祖曰。嶺南人無佛性。若為得佛。盧曰。人即有南北。佛性豈然。祖知是異人。乃訶曰。著槽廠去。盧禮足而退。便入碓房。服勞於杵臼之間。晝夜不息。經八月。祖知付授時至。遂告眾曰。正法難解。不可徒記吾言。持為己任。汝等各自隨意述一偈。若語意冥符。則衣法皆付。時會下七百餘僧。上座神秀者。學通內外。眾所宗仰。鹹推稱曰。若非尊秀。疇敢當之。神秀竊聆眾譽。不復思惟。乃於廊壁書一偈曰。身是菩提樹。心如明鏡臺。時時勤拂拭。莫使惹塵埃。祖因經行。忽見此偈。知是神秀所述。乃讚歎曰。後代依此修行。亦得勝果。其壁本欲令處士盧珍繪楞伽變相。及見題偈在壁。遂止不畫。各令念誦。盧在碓坊。忽聆誦偈。乃問同學。是何章句。同學曰。汝不知和尚求法嗣。令各述心偈。此則秀上座所述。和尚深加歎賞。必將付法傳衣也。盧曰。其偈云何。同學為誦。盧良久曰。美則美矣。了則未了。同學訶曰。庸流何知。勿發狂言。盧曰。子不信邪。願以一偈和之。同學不答。相視而笑。盧至夜。密告一童子。引至廊下。盧自秉燭。

He was from Huangmei in Qizhou. In a former life he was a practitioner who planted pine trees on Potou Mountain. He once asked the Fourth Patriarch: “May I hear the Dharma of the Way?” The patriarch said: “You are already old. Even if you hear it, can you still teach widely? If you come again in another life, I can wait for you.” The practitioner left. When he reached the water, he saw a young woman washing clothes. He bowed and asked: “May I lodge with you?” The woman replied: “I have a father and brothers; you may ask them.” He said: “If you agree, then I will dare to go.” The woman nodded in agreement. He turned and left. The woman was the youngest daughter of the Zhou family. When she returned home, she became pregnant. Her parents were furious and drove her out. With nowhere to go, she worked spinning yarn in the village by day and slept beneath the public inns at night. Later she gave birth to a son. Thinking him inauspicious, she threw him into a muddy harbor. The next day she saw him moving upstream, alive and radiant. Terrified, she took him in and raised him. When he became a boy, he went with his mother begging for food, and people in the village called him “the nameless child.” He met a wise man who sighed: “This child lacks seven marks and cannot compare to the Tathagata.” Later he met Master Daoxin, inherited the Dharma, and taught at Potou Mountain. During the Xianheng era, a layman named Lu Huineng came from Xinzhou to pay homage. The patriarch asked: “Where do you come from?” Lu replied: “Lingnan.” The patriarch said: “What do you want?” Lu replied: “I seek only to become a Buddha.” The patriarch said: “People of Lingnan have no Buddha-nature. How can you attain Buddhahood?” Lu said: “People may be north or south, but how could Buddha-nature be like that?” The patriarch recognized him as an extraordinary person and rebuked him: “Go to the rice mill.” Lu bowed at the patriarch’s feet, withdrew, and went to the mill, working day and night at the mortar and pestle without rest. After eight months, the patriarch knew the time to transmit the Dharma had come. He told the assembly: “The true Dharma is difficult to understand. Do not merely remember my words and claim them as your own. Each of you should write a verse expressing your mind. If your words and meaning accord inwardly with the Dharma, I will transmit both the robe and Dharma.” There were more than seven hundred monks in the assembly. The senior monk Shenxiu had studied both inner and outer teachings and was revered by all. Everyone agreed: “If not Venerable Shenxiu, who else could be the successor?” Shenxiu secretly heard their praise. Without further reflection, he wrote this verse on the corridor wall: “The body is the Bodhi tree; the mind is like a bright mirror stand. At all times diligently wipe it; do not let dust alight.” The patriarch happened to be walking and saw the verse. He knew Shenxiu had written it and praised it: “If people in later generations practice according to this, they will also attain a superior fruit.” That wall had originally been reserved for the lay painter Lu Zhen to paint scenes of the Lankavatara. When the verse appeared on the wall, the painting was canceled, and everyone was instructed to recite it. In the mill, Lu suddenly heard people reciting the verse. He asked a fellow student: “What is this passage?” The student replied: “You do not know? The monk is seeking a successor to the Dharma and asked everyone to write a verse expressing the mind. This was written by Senior Monk Shenxiu. The monk praised it greatly; surely the robe and Dharma will be transmitted to him.” Lu said: “What does the verse say?” The student recited it to him. After a long while, Lu said: “It is beautiful, but it is not complete.” The student scolded him: “What does a common laborer know? Do not speak wildly.” Lu said: “Do you not believe me? I would like to write a verse to match it.” The student said nothing; they looked at each other and laughed. That night Lu secretly told a young novice to lead him to the corridor. Lu himself held the lamp,

請別駕張日用於秀偈之側。寫一偈曰。菩提本無樹。明鏡亦非臺。本來無一物。何處惹塵埃。祖後見此偈曰。此是誰作。亦未見性。眾聞師語。遂不之顧。逮夜。祖潛詣碓坊。問曰。米白也未。盧曰。白也。未有篩。祖於碓以杖三擊之。盧即以三皷入室。祖告曰。諸佛出世為一大事。故隨機大小而引導之。遂有十地．三乘．頓漸等旨。以為教門。然以無上微妙．秘密圓明．真實正法眼藏付於上首大迦葉尊者。展轉傳授二十八世。至達磨屆於此土。得可大師承襲以至於今。以法寶及所傳袈裟用付於汝。善自保護。無令斷絕。聽吾偈曰。有情來下種。因地果還生。無情既無種。無性亦無生。盧行者跪受衣法。啟曰。法則既受。衣付何人。祖曰。昔達磨初至。人未之信。故傳衣以明得法。今信心已熟。衣乃爭端。止於汝身。不復傳也。且當遠隱。俟時行化。所謂受衣之人。命如懸絲也。盧曰。當隱何所。祖曰。逢懷即止。遇會且藏。盧禮足已。捧衣而出。是夜南邁。大眾莫知。五祖自後不復上堂。大眾疑怪。致問。祖曰。吾道行矣。何更詢之。復問。衣法誰得邪。祖曰。能者得。於是眾議盧行者名能。尋訪既失。潛知彼得。即共奔逐。五祖既付衣法。復經四載。至上元二年忽告眾曰。吾今事畢。時可行矣。即入室。安坐而逝。壽七十有四。建塔於黃梅之東山。代宗諡大滿禪師．法雨之塔。

and asked Assistant Magistrate Zhang Riyong to write beside Shenxiu’s verse: “Bodhi originally has no tree; the bright mirror is also no stand. Originally there is not a single thing; where could dust alight?” Later the patriarch saw this verse and said: “Whoever wrote this has not yet seen their nature.” Hearing the master’s words, everyone stopped paying attention to it. That night the patriarch secretly went to the mill and asked: “Is the rice white yet?” Lu replied: “It is white, but has not yet been sifted.” The patriarch struck the pestle three times with his staff. At the third watch, Lu entered his room. The patriarch told him: “The Buddhas appear in the world for one great purpose. Accordingly, they guide beings with differing capacities, establishing the ten stages, the three vehicles, sudden and gradual teachings, and other doctrines as gateways. Yet the unsurpassed, wondrous, secret, perfect, and bright treasury of the true Dharma-eye was entrusted to the senior disciple, Venerable Mahakashyapa, and passed down through twenty-eight generations. When Bodhidharma came to this land, Master Huike inherited it; it has come down to the present day. I entrust the Dharma-treasure and the robe transmitted with it to you. Protect them well yourself and do not let them perish. Hear this verse: ‘Sentient beings come to sow the seed; from the ground the fruit will grow. For those without sentience there is no seed, and without nature there is no birth.’” The layman Lu knelt and received the robe and Dharma. He asked: “Now that I have received the Dharma, to whom should the robe be given?” The patriarch said: “When Bodhidharma first arrived, people did not yet believe him, so he transmitted the robe as proof of receiving the Dharma. Now faith has matured, and the robe would become a source of contention. It will stop with you and no longer be transmitted. You should also conceal yourself far away and wait for the right time to teach again. The life of whoever receives this robe hangs by a thread.” Lu asked: “Where should I hide?” The patriarch said: “Where Huai meets, stop; where Hui meets, conceal yourself.” Lu bowed at the patriarch’s feet, took the robe, and left. That night he went south; no one in the assembly knew. From then on the Fifth Patriarch no longer ascended the teaching seat. The assembly, puzzled, came to ask him. The patriarch said: “My Way has already gone forth. Why ask again?” They asked: “Who received the robe and Dharma?” The patriarch replied: “The capable one receives it.” The assembly discussed that the layman’s name was Neng, “Capable,” searched for him, and found he was gone; they secretly knew he had received it and all rushed to pursue him. Four years after transmitting the robe and Dharma, in the second year of Shangyuan, the Fifth Patriarch suddenly told the assembly: “My work is now complete. The time has come for me to depart.” He entered his room, sat peacefully, and passed away. He was seventy-four. A stupa was built on East Mountain in Huangmei. Emperor Daizong posthumously named him Great Master Daman, and his stupa “Dharma Rain.”

六祖慧能大師者

The Sixth Patriarch: Great Master Huineng

俗姓盧氏。其先範陽人。父行瑫。武德中左官於南海之新州。遂占籍焉。三歲喪父。其母守志。鞠養及長。家尤貧窶。師樵採以給。一日負薪至市中。聞客讀金剛經。至應無所住而生其心。有所感悟。而問客曰。此何法也。得於何人。客曰。此名金剛經。得於黃梅忍大師。祖遽告其母以為法尋師之意。直抵韶州。遇高行士劉志略。結為交友。尼無盡藏者。即志略之姑也。常讀涅槃經。師暫聽之。即為解說其義。尼遂執卷問字。祖曰。字即不識。義即請問。尼曰。字尚不識。曷能會義。祖曰。諸佛妙理。非關文字。尼驚異之。告鄉裡耆艾曰。能是有道之人。宜請供養。於是居人競來瞻禮。近有寶林古寺舊地。眾議營緝。俾祖居之。四眾霧集。俄成寶坊。祖一日忽自唸曰。我求大法。豈可中道而止。明日遂行。至昌樂縣西山石室間遇智遠禪師。祖遂請益。遠曰。觀子神姿爽拔。殆非常人。吾聞西域菩提達磨傳心印於黃梅。汝當往彼參決。祖辭去。直造黃梅之東山。即唐咸亨二年也。忍大師一見。默而識之。後傳衣法。令隱於懷集四會之間。至儀鳳元年丙子正月八日。屆南海。遇印宗法師於法性寺講涅槃經。祖寓止廊廡間。暮夜。風颺剎幡。聞二僧對論。一曰幡動。一曰風動。往復酬答。曾未契理。祖曰。可容俗流輙預高論否。直以風幡非動。動自心耳。印宗竊聆此語。竦然異之。明日。邀祖入室。徵風幡之義。祖具以理告。印宗不覺起立曰。行者定非常人。師為是誰。祖更無所隱。直敘得法因由。於是印宗執弟子之禮。請授禪要。乃告四眾曰。印宗具足凡夫。今遇肉身菩薩。乃指座下盧居士曰。即此是也。因請出所傳信衣。悉令瞻禮。至正月十五日。會諸名德。為之剃髮。二月八日。就法性寺智光律師授滿分戒。其戒壇。即宋朝求那䟦陀三藏之所置也。三藏記雲。後當有肉身菩薩在此壇受戒。

His lay surname was Lu. His ancestors came from Fanyang. His father, Xingtao, was demoted during the Wude era and sent to Xinxing in Nanhai; he then registered his family there. When Huineng was three, his father died, and his mother raised him alone. As he grew older, the family became increasingly poor. He supported his teacher by gathering firewood. One day, as he carried wood to the market, he heard a customer reciting the Diamond Sutra. When the customer reached “without abiding anywhere, give rise to this mind,” Huineng felt an awakening and asked: “What teaching is this? From whom did you receive it?” The customer said: “It is called the Diamond Sutra. I received it from Master Hongren at Huangmei.” The patriarch immediately told his mother that he wished to seek a teacher for the Dharma. He went straight to Shaozhou and met the eminent layman Liu Zhiliu. They became friends. The nun Wujincang, Zhiliu’s aunt, often read the Nirvana Sutra. The master listened for a while and then explained its meaning to her. The nun held the scroll and asked him about the written characters. The patriarch said: “I do not recognize the characters; please ask me about the meaning.” The nun said: “If you do not recognize the characters, how can you understand the meaning?” The patriarch replied: “The wondrous principle of all Buddhas has nothing to do with written words.” The nun was astonished and told the elders of the village: “Neng is a person of the Way. You should invite him and make offerings.” The local people competed to pay homage. Nearby stood the old site of Baolin Monastery. The people discussed restoring it and invited the patriarch to stay. The fourfold assembly gathered like mist, and before long the place became a great monastery. One day the patriarch suddenly thought: “I seek the great Dharma. How can I stop halfway?” The next day he left. Among the stone chambers of the Western Mountain in Changle County he met Chan Master Zhiyuan and asked him for instruction. Zhiyuan said: “Judging by your fresh and outstanding appearance, you are probably no ordinary person. I have heard that Bodhidharma from the Western Regions transmitted the mind-seal at Huangmei. You should go there and seek decisive guidance.” The patriarch took leave and went directly to East Mountain in Huangmei. This was the second year of Xianheng under Tang. Master Hongren recognized him silently at their first meeting. Later he transmitted the robe and Dharma and instructed him to hide between Huaiji and Sihui. In the first year of Yifeng, on the eighth day of the first month, he reached Nanhai. Dharma Master Yinzong was lecturing on the Nirvana Sutra at Faxing Monastery, and Huineng lodged in the corridor. That evening the wind lifted the temple banner. He heard two monks debating: one said the banner was moving, the other said the wind was moving. They answered one another back and forth, never reaching the principle. The patriarch said: “May an ordinary person like me be allowed to join this lofty discussion? It is neither the wind nor the banner that moves; movement comes only from your own mind.” Yinzong secretly heard this and was startled. The next day he invited the patriarch into his room and questioned him about the wind and banner. The patriarch explained the principle in detail. Yinzong could not help standing up and said: “The lay practitioner is certainly no ordinary person. Who is your teacher?” The patriarch no longer concealed anything and recounted how he had received the Dharma. Yinzong then took the disciple’s place and asked him to teach the essential points of Chan. He told the fourfold assembly: “Yinzong is a complete ordinary person. Today I have met a living Bodhisattva.” He pointed to the layman Lu beneath the seat: “This is he.” They then asked to see the robe transmitted as a token of faith, and everyone paid homage to it. On the fifteenth day of the first month, they gathered eminent masters to shave his head. On the eighth day of the second month, Vinaya Master Zhiguang at Faxing Monastery conferred the complete precepts. That ordination platform had been established by Tripitaka Master Gunabhadra of the Song dynasty. The master had predicted: “Later, a living Bodhisattva will receive the precepts on this platform.”