Jingde Chuandeng Lu, Fascicle 2

廖居士

Layman Liao

華閑居士復出一人曇邃

Layman Huaxian had one further successor: Tansui

曇邃復出三人一延陵慧簡

Tansui had three further successors: first, Huijian of Yanling

二彭城慧瑳

Second, Huisa of Pengcheng

三定林寺慧綱

Third, Huigang of Dinglin Monastery

慧綱復出一人六合大覺

Huigang had one further successor: Dajue of Liuhe

大覺復出一人高郵曇影

Dajue had one further successor: Tanying of Gaoyou

曇影復出一人太山明練

Tanying had one further successor: Minglian of Mount Tai

明練復出一人揚州靜泰

Minglian had one further successor: Jingtai of Yangzhou

(已上一十四人無機緣語句不錄)

(The above fourteen have no encounter dialogues and are not recorded)

第三十祖僧璨大師

The Thirtieth Patriarch, Great Master Sengcan

第三十一祖道信大師(旁出七十六人見第四卷)

The Thirty-first Patriarch, Great Master Daoxin (seventy-six branching from him, see Fascicle 4)

第三十二祖弘忍大師(旁出一百七人見第四卷)

The Thirty-second Patriarch, Great Master Hongren (one hundred and seven branching from him, see Fascicle 4)

第二十八祖菩提達磨者。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。師乃告尊者曰。我既得法。當往何國而作佛事。願垂開示。尊者曰。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。師又曰。彼有大士堪為法器否。千載之下有留難否。尊者曰。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。

The Twenty-eighth Patriarch, Bodhidharma, was the third son of King Xiangzhi of the country of southern India (Nantianzhu), of the kshatriya caste. His original name was Bodhidhara. Later he met the Twenty-seventh Patriarch Prajnatara, who came to his country and received the king's offerings, and who knew the master's secret traces, and therefore tested him by having him discuss the donated precious pearl with his two elder brothers, which brought out the essence of the mind. The Venerable then said to him: "You have attained comprehensive measure with regard to all dharmas. Dharma (da-mo) means 'penetrating and great'; you should be named Dharma." So his name was changed to Bodhidharma. The master then told the Venerable: "Since I have gained the Dharma, to which country should I go to do the Buddha's work? I hope you will instruct me." The Venerable said: "Although you have gained the Dharma, you must not yet travel far. Stay for the time being in southern India, and sixty-seven years after my passing, you should go to Zhendan (China) to set out the great Dharma medicine and directly reach those of the highest capacity. Do not go hastily, lest it decline in the setting sun." The master further said: "Is there a great being there fit to be a vessel of the Dharma? Will there be obstacles in the thousand years to come?" The Venerable said: "In the places you teach, the number of those who attain bodhi cannot be counted. Sixty-some years after my passing, that country will have a calamity; with literary writing in the water, one will subdue it well. When you arrive, do not stay in the south. There they only like conditioned works and merit and do not see the Buddha's principle. Even if you go there, you must not stay long. Listen to my verse:"

路行跨水復逢羊獨自悽悽暗度江

Walking on the road, crossing the water and meeting a sheep, alone and forlorn in the dark crossing the river,

日下可憐雙象馬二株嫩桂久昌昌

pitiable beneath the sun, that pair of elephant and horse; two tender cassia trees flourish for a long time.

復演八偈。皆預讖佛教隆替(事具寶林傳及聖胄集)師恭稟教義。服勤左右垂四十年未嘗廢闕。逮尊者順世。遂演化本國。時有二師。一名佛大先。一名佛大勝多。本與師同學佛陀跋陀小乘禪觀。佛大先既遇般若多羅尊者。捨小趣大與師並化。時號二甘露門矣。而佛大勝多更分途而為六宗。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。大師喟然而歎曰。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。微現神力至第一有相宗所。問曰。一切諸法何名實相。彼眾中有一尊長薩婆羅。答曰。於諸相中不互諸相。是名實相。師曰。一切諸相而不互者。若名實相當何定耶。彼曰。於諸相中實無有定。若定諸相何名為實。師曰。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。師曰。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。師曰。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。師曰。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。即以手指虛空曰。此是世間有相。亦能空故。當我此身得似否。師曰。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。師又瞥然匿跡。至第二無相宗所。問曰。汝言無相當何證之。彼眾中有智者波羅提。答曰。我明無相心不現故。師曰。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。師曰。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。師曰。相既不知誰雲有無。尚無所得何名三昧。彼曰。

He further expounded eight verses, all prophesying in advance the rise and decline of Buddhism (the story is detailed in the Baolin Zhuan and the Shengzhou Ji). The master respectfully received the teaching and served at his side for nearly forty years without ever neglecting it. When the Venerable passed away, he taught in his own country. At that time there were two teachers: one named Buddhasena (Fo Daxian) and the other Buddhajayata (Fo Dasheng Duo), who had originally studied the Hinayana meditation contemplation of Buddhabhadra together with the master. Buddhasena, having met the Venerable Prajnatara, gave up the small for the great and taught alongside the master, and at that time they were called the Two Gates of Sweet Dew. But Buddhajayata further split into six schools: the first, the school of Having Characteristics; the second, the school of No Characteristics; the third, the school of Concentration and Wisdom; the fourth, the school of Precepts and Conduct; the fifth, the school of No Attainment; the sixth, the school of Stillness. Each closed itself off in its own understanding and opened up a separate source of teaching, with settlements towering and followers flourishing. The Great Master sighed and said: "That teacher was already trapped in an ox's hoofprint, how much more, now that he has become fragmented and flourishing in six schools. If I do not remove it, it will bind them forever in wrong views." Having said this, he slightly displayed supernatural power and went to the first school, Having Characteristics, and asked: "Among all dharmas, which is called real characteristic?" Among those people there was a senior, Sapoluo, who answered: "Among all characteristics, not being mutually entangled with the characteristics is called real characteristic." The master said: "If what is not mutually entangled among all characteristics is called real characteristic, how is it to be fixed?" He said: "Among the characteristics there is truly no fixing. If one fixed the characteristics, how could it be called real?" The master said: "Characteristics not being fixed is just what is called real characteristic. Now you do not fix it; how can you attain it?" He said: "I say not fixed; I do not speak of the characteristics. When I speak of the characteristics, the meaning is also like this." The master said: "You say not fixed, so it should be the real characteristic. Because it is fixed yet not fixed, it is not the real characteristic." He said: "Since fixed is not fixed, it is not real characteristic. Because one knows that I am not it, it is neither fixed nor changed." The master said: "Now you say it does not change; how can it be called real characteristic? Having already changed and already gone, the meaning is also like that." He said: "Not changing should remain. Because remaining is also not remaining, I therefore change the real characteristic to fix that meaning." The master said: "The real characteristic does not change; if it changes, it is not real. Within existence and non-existence, how can it be called real characteristic?" Sapoluo knew in his heart that the sage master's understanding was far-reaching and penetrating, and pointed his finger at the sky and said: "This is the worldly having-characteristic, which is also able to be empty. As for this body of mine, can it be like this?" The master said: "If you understand the real characteristic, you see the non-characteristic. If you comprehend the non-characteristic, form is also like this. In form one does not lose the substance of form, and in non-characteristic one does not obstruct existence. If you can understand it in this way, this is called real characteristic." Those people, having heard this, became bright in mind and bowed in respect and faith. The master then blinked and vanished, and went to the second school, No Characteristics, and asked: "You speak of no characteristics; how do you realize it?" Among those people there was a wise man, Paluoti, who answered: "I understand no characteristics because the mind does not manifest." The master said: "Your mind does not manifest; how will you understand?" He said: "I understand no characteristics, and the mind does not grasp or reject. When understanding, there is also no one who understands." The master said: "Among all existence and non-existence, the mind does not grasp or reject, and there is also no one who understands, because all understandings are absent." He said: "Entering the Buddha's samadhi there is nothing to attain, let alone expecting to know no-characteristics." The master said: "Since characteristics are not known, who speaks of existence and non-existence? If there is nothing to attain, how can it be called samadhi?" He said:

我說不證證無所證。非三昧故我說三昧。師曰。非三昧者何當名之。汝既不證非證何證。波羅提聞師辯析即悟本心。禮謝於師懺悔往謬。師記曰。汝當得果不久證之。此國有魔非久降之。言已忽然不現。至第三定慧宗所。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。師曰。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。師曰。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。師曰。慧非定故然何知哉。不一不二誰定誰慧。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。師曰。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。我有內外彼己知竟(淅本己字作已依廣燈也。邵本作無字依寶林也。洪舊本作已字。正宗記作以字。未詳孰是)。既得通達便是戒行。若說違背俱是俱非。言及清淨即戒即行。師曰。俱是俱非何言清淨。既得通故何談內外。賢者聞之即自慚服。至第五無得宗所。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。師曰。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。師曰。得既非得。得得無得。既無所得。當何得得。寶靜聞之頓除疑網。至第六寂靜宗所。問曰。何名寂靜。於此法中誰靜誰寂。彼有尊者。答曰。此心不動是名為寂。於法無染名之為靜。師曰。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。師曰。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。

(He continued:) "I say there is no realization; realization is without anything realized. Because it is not samadhi, I speak of samadhi." The master said: "What is not samadhi, how should it be named? Since you do not realize, what do you realize that is not realization?" Paluoti, hearing the master's analysis, awakened to his original mind, bowed in thanks to the master, and repented of his past errors. The master predicted: "You will attain the fruit, and before long you will realize it. This country has demons, which will soon be subdued." Having said this he suddenly vanished. Going to the third school, Concentration and Wisdom, he asked: "You study concentration and wisdom; are they one or two?" Among those people there was Palantuo, who answered: "My concentration and wisdom are not one and not two." The master said: "Since they are not one or two, how are they called concentration and wisdom?" He said: "In concentration it is not concentration; in wisdom it is not wisdom. One is not one, and two is also not two." The master said: "When one, not one; when two, not two. Since they are not concentration and wisdom, by what are concentration and wisdom defined?" He said: "Not one, not two: concentration and wisdom can know it. Neither concentration nor wisdom is also just like this." The master said: "Because wisdom is not concentration, how then is it known? Not one and not two, who is concentration and who is wisdom?" Palantuo, hearing this, had his doubts melt like ice. Going to the fourth school, Precepts and Conduct, he asked: "What is called precepts? How is conduct named? Are these precepts and conduct one or two?" Among those people there was a worthy who answered: "One and two, two and one, are all born of that side. Relying on the teaching without defilement is called precepts and conduct." The master said: "You say relying on the teaching, which means there is defilement. One and two are both broken; how can you speak of relying on the teaching? These two are contrary and fall short of conduct. Inside and outside are unclear; how can it be called precepts?" He said: "I have inside and outside, which that side has already known completely (in the Zhejiang edition the character ji is written yi, following the Guangdeng; the Shao edition has the character wu, following the Baolin; the old Hong edition has the character yi; the Zhengzong Ji has yi in another form. It is unclear which is correct). Having already attained penetration, that is precepts and conduct. If you say they are contrary, both are right and both are wrong. Speaking of purity, precepts are conduct and conduct is precepts." The master said: "Both right and both wrong; how can you speak of purity? Since penetration has already been attained, why discuss inside and outside?" The worthy, hearing this, felt ashamed and submitted. Going to the fifth school, No Attainment, he asked: "You speak of no attainment; what does no attainment attain? Since there is nothing attained, there is also no attaining of attainment." Among those people there was Baojing, who answered: "I say no attainment, and it is not the attainment of no attainment. When speaking of attaining attainment, no attainment is attainment." The master said: "Since attainment is not attained, attainment is not attainment. Since you speak of attaining attainment, what does attaining attainment attain?" He said: "Seeing attainment is not attainment; non-attainment is attainment. If one sees non-attainment, it is called attaining attainment." The master said: "Since attainment is not attainment, attaining attainment has no attainment. Since nothing is attained, what is it that attains attainment?" Baojing, hearing this, at once cleared away the net of doubt. Going to the sixth school, Stillness, he asked: "What is called stillness? In this dharma, who is still and who is quiet?" There was a venerable there who answered: "This mind does not move, which is called quiet; toward dharmas there is no defilement, which is called still." The master said: "If the original mind is not quiet, one must borrow quietude and stillness. Since it is quiet by nature, why use quietude and stillness?" He said: "All dharmas are originally empty, because of the emptiness of emptiness. Toward that emptiness of emptiness, it is therefore called quiet and still." The master said: "The emptiness of emptiness is already empty, and all dharmas are likewise. Stillness has no characteristic; what is still and what is quiet?" That venerable, receiving the master's instruction, was suddenly enlightened. After that, the six groups all vowed to take refuge.

由是化被南天聲馳五印。遠近學者靡然嚮風。經六十餘載度無量眾。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。師知已。歎彼德薄當何救之。又念無相宗中二首領。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。師遙知眾意即彈指應之。六眾聞之雲。此是我師達磨信響。我等宜須速行以副慈命。言已至師所禮拜問訊。師曰。今一葉翳虛孰能剪拂。宗勝曰。我雖淺薄敢憚其行。師曰。汝雖辯慧而道力未全。宗勝自念。我師恐我見王作大佛事。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。王所有道何在。王曰。我所有道將除邪法。汝所有法將伏何人。師不起於坐懸知宗勝義墮。遽告波羅提曰。宗勝不稟吾教。潛化於王須臾即屈。汝可速救。波羅提恭稟師旨雲。願假神力。言已雲生足下。至王前默然而住。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。答曰。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。答曰。見性是佛。王曰。師見性否。答曰。我見佛性。王曰。性在何處。答曰。性在作用。王曰。是何作用我今不見。答曰。今見作用王自不見。王曰。於我有否。答曰。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。答曰。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。

From this, the teaching spread throughout southern India, and his fame reached the five Indias, with students far and near turning to him like wind. After more than sixty years, he had delivered immeasurable beings. Later he met King Yijian, who lightly slandered the Three Jewels, and who often said: "My ancestors all believed in the Buddha's way, fell into wrong views, and had short lives and short fortunes. Moreover, I myself am Buddha; why seek further outside? Karmic retribution for good and evil is all a doctrine falsely fabricated by clever people." As for the elders of the country who had been served by former kings, he dismissed them all. The master learned of this and lamented his thin virtue; how should he be saved? He also thought of the two leaders in the school of No Characteristics: one, Paluoti, had an affinity with the king and was about to realize the fruit; the other, Zongsheng, was not without broad eloquence but lacked past causes. At that time the followers of the six schools each thought: "The Buddha's Dharma is in danger; how can the master himself be at ease?" The master knew from afar what the people were thinking and snapped his fingers in response. The six groups heard it and said: "This is the signal of our teacher Dharma. We should go quickly to follow his compassionate order." Having said this, they went to the master's residence to bow and pay respects. The master said: "Now a leaf obscures the sky; who can trim and sweep it away?" Zongsheng said: "Though I am shallow, how dare I fear going on this journey?" The master said: "Although you are eloquent, your power of the Way is not yet complete." Zongsheng thought to himself: "My teacher fears that I will see the king, perform great Buddha-work, become famous and prominent, and surpass his authority. Even if the king has fortune and wisdom, I am a shramana and have received the Buddha's teaching; would it be hard to withstand him?" Having said this, he left secretly and went to the king, and widely explained the essentials of the Dharma and matters such as the suffering and joy of the world, and the good and evil of humans and gods. The king debated and questioned him back and forth, and there was nothing he did not reach in principle. The king said: "What you understand now, where is that dharma?" Zongsheng said: "It is like the king governing the state and teaching, which should accord with that Way. Where is the Way that the king has?" The king said: "The Way I have will remove false doctrines. The dharma that you have, whom will it subdue?" The master did not rise from his seat, knew from afar that Zongsheng's reasoning had fallen, and hurriedly told Paluoti: "Zongsheng did not accept my teaching and has secretly gone to teach the king; in a moment he will be defeated. You should go quickly to rescue him." Paluoti respectfully accepted the master's instruction and said: "I wish to borrow divine power." Having said this, clouds rose beneath his feet, and he came before the king and stood silently. At that moment the king was questioning Zongsheng, and suddenly saw Paluoti coming on a cloud; he was startled and forgot his questions and answers, and said: "The one riding in the sky, is he right or wrong?" He answered: "I am neither wrong nor right, and I come for the wrong and right. If the king's mind is right, I have neither wrong nor right." Although the king was amazed, his arrogance was still strong, and he expelled Zongsheng. Paluoti said: "Since the king has the Way, why expel a shramana? Though I have no understanding, I hope the king will put questions." The king, angry, asked: "Which is Buddha?" He answered: "Seeing nature is Buddha." The king said: "Master, have you seen nature?" He answered: "I see Buddha-nature." The king said: "Where is nature?" He answered: "Nature is in function." The king said: "What function? I cannot see it now." He answered: "Now it is seen in function, but the king does not see it himself." The king said: "Is it in me or not?" He answered: "If the king acts, there is nothing that is not it; if the king does not act, its substance is also hard to see." The king said: "If it is in function, in how many places does it appear?" He answered: "When it appears, there should be eight." The king said: "Tell me about those eight places where it appears." Paluoti then spoke a verse:

在胎為身處世名人在眼曰見

In the womb it is body; in the world it is called person; in the eye it is called seeing,

在耳曰聞在鼻辨香在口談論

in the ear it is called hearing, in the nose it discerns smell, in the mouth it discusses and speaks,

在手執捉在足運奔

in the hand it grasps and holds, in the foot it moves and runs.

遍現俱該沙界收攝在一微塵

Appearing everywhere, it embraces all the Ganges sands; drawn in, it is in a single mote of dust.

識者知是佛性不識喚作精魂

Those who know it understand it as Buddha-nature; those who do not know it call it a spirit-soul.

王聞偈已心即開悟。乃悔謝前非諮詢法要。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。俄有一神人以手捧承。置於巖石之上安然無損。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。何神祐助一至於斯。願垂一語以保餘年。於是神人乃說偈曰。

When the king had heard the verse, his mind awakened. He repented and apologized for his past wrongs, consulted about the essentials of the Dharma, and was tireless morning and evening for ninety days. At that time Zongsheng, having been scolded and driven away, retreated into deep mountains and thought: "I am now a hundred years old; for eighty years I did wrong, and only in these twenty years have I returned to the Buddha's Way. My nature is dull, but my conduct is without flaw. Unable to withstand this difficulty, living is not as good as dying." Having said this, he threw himself off a cliff. Suddenly a divine being received him in his hands and placed him on a rock, safe and unharmed. Zongsheng said: "I unworthily serve as a shramana and should be the master of the true Dharma, but I could not restrain the king's wrong, and therefore gave up my body in self-reproach. What spirit has helped me to this extent? I hope you will give me a word to protect the remaining years." The divine being then spoke a verse:

師壽於百歲八十而造非

The master's life is a hundred years, but in his eighty years he did wrong,

為近至尊故燻修而入道

because of being near the supreme honored one, he cultivated and entered the Way,

雖具少智慧而多有彼我

though he has some small wisdom, he had much of self and other,

所見諸賢等未嘗生珍敬

and toward the worthy ones he saw he never gave rise to respect and reverence,

二十年功德其心未恬靜

in twenty years of merit his mind was still not at ease,

聰明輕慢故而獲至於此

because his cleverness led to disdain, he fell to this state,

得王不敬者當感果如是

one who is disrespectful toward the king, will reap the fruit in just this way,

自今不疎怠不久成奇智

from now on, if not negligent, before long he will accomplish wondrous wisdom,

諸聖悉存心如來亦復爾

the sages all dwell in the mind, and the Tathagata is likewise.

宗勝聞偈欣然。即於巖間宴坐。時異見王復問波羅提曰。仁者智辯當師何人。答曰。我所出家。即娑羅寺烏沙婆三藏為授業師。其出世師者即大王叔菩提達磨是也。王聞師名驚駭久之。曰。鄙薄忝嗣王位。而趣邪背正忘我尊叔。遽勅近臣特加迎請。師即隨使而至。為王懺悔往非。王聞規誡泣謝於師。又詔宗勝歸國。大臣奏曰。宗勝被謫投崖。今已亡矣。王告師曰。宗勝之死皆自於吾。如何大慈令免斯罪。師曰。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。深媿王意。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。未至師謂王曰。知取得宗勝否。王曰。未知。師曰。一請未至。再命必來。良久使還果如師語。師遂辭王曰。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。急發使告師曰。王疾殆至彌留。願叔慈悲遠來軫救。師即至王所慰問其疾。時宗勝再承王召。即別巖間。波羅提久受王恩亦來問疾。波羅提曰。當何施為令王免苦。師即令太子為王宥罪施恩崇奉僧寶。復為王懺悔雲。願罪消滅。如是者三。王疾有間。師心念。震旦緣熟行化時至。乃先辭祖塔。次別同學。然至王所慰而勉之曰。當勤修白業護持三寶。吾去非晚一九即迴。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。唯願不忘父母之國。事畢早回。王即具大舟實以眾寶。躬率臣寮送至海壖。師汎重溟凡三週寒暑達於南海。實梁普通八年丁未歲九月二十一日也。廣州刺史蕭昂具主禮迎接。表聞武帝。帝覽奏遣使齎詔迎請。十月一日至金陵(嵩禪師以梁僧寶唱續法記為據作正宗記言。達磨以梁武普通元年庚子歲至此土。其年乃後魏明帝正光元年也。若如此則與後入滅啟壙等年皆相合。

Zongsheng, having heard the verse, happily sat in meditation among the rocks. At that time King Yijian asked Paluoti again: "Your wisdom and eloquence, sir, whom do you take as teacher?" He answered: "The one from whom I left home was the Tripitaka master Ushapo of Shaluo Monastery as my preceptor; and my teacher beyond the world is the king's uncle, Bodhidharma." The king, hearing the master's name, was astonished for a long time, and said: "I am unworthy and have shamefully succeeded to the throne, yet I turned to the wrong and away from the right, and forgot my honored uncle." He hurriedly ordered his close ministers to specially invite him. The master came at once with the envoy and repented for the king's past wrongs. The king, hearing the admonition, wept and thanked the master. He also summoned Zongsheng to return to the country. A great minister reported: "Zongsheng was exiled and threw himself off a cliff; he is now dead." The king told the master: "Zongsheng's death was all due to me; what great compassion can free me from this guilt?" The master said: "Zongsheng is now resting among the rocks; if you only send an envoy to summon him, he will come at once." The king at once sent an envoy into the mountains and indeed saw Zongsheng sitting upright in meditative stillness. Zongsheng, receiving the summons, said: "I am deeply ashamed before the king's intention. I have vowed to live among the rocks and springs. Moreover, the king's state is full of worthy and virtuous people; Dharma is the king's uncle and teacher of the six groups; Paluoti is a dragon-elephant in the Dharma. I hope the king will revere these two sages, in order to bless the imperial foundation." The envoy reported back. Before he arrived, the master said to the king: "Do you know that Zongsheng has been obtained?" The king said: "I do not yet know." The master said: "If you invite him once and he does not come, a second command will surely bring him." After a long time the envoy returned, just as the master had said. The master then took leave of the king and said: "You should cultivate virtue well; before long illness will break out. I shall go for now." After seven days the king fell ill. The national physicians treated him, but it only grew worse and did not heal. The noble relatives and close ministers remembered the master's earlier prediction and hurriedly sent an envoy to tell the master: "The king's illness has almost reached the point of death; we hope the uncle, in compassion, will come from afar to rescue him." The master came at once to the king's residence to inquire after his illness. At that time Zongsheng, having been summoned a second time by the king, took leave of the rocks. Paluoti, who had long received the king's kindness, also came to ask after the illness. Paluoti said: "How should it be done, to free the king from suffering?" The master then had the crown prince pardon the king's offenses and extend favor, revere the Sangha Jewel, and repent on behalf of the king, saying: "May the sins be extinguished." Doing this three times, the king's illness improved. The master thought: "The conditions in Zhendan are ripe, and the time has come to go teach." So he first took leave of the ancestral stupa, then bade farewell to his fellow students, and afterwards went to the king's residence to encourage him, saying: "You should diligently cultivate pure karma and protect the Three Jewels. I will be gone, and before long, in one nine, I shall return." The king, hearing the master's words, wept, and said: "What sin does this country have, and what auspice does that place have? Since my uncle has an affinity there, it is not something I can keep him from. I only hope you will not forget the land of your parents, and return early when the work is done." The king at once prepared a great ship, loaded it with many treasures, and personally led his ministers to see him off at the seashore. The master crossed the heavy seas, spending three cold and hot seasons in all, and arrived at the South Sea, in truth on the twenty-first day of the ninth month of the dingwei year, the eighth year of the Putong era of the Liang. Xiao Ang, Governor of Guangzhou, received him with full host's ceremony and submitted a memorial to Emperor Wu. The emperor, on reading the memorial, sent an envoy with an edict to invite him. On the first day of the tenth month he arrived at Jinling. (Chan Master Song, taking the Xu Fa Ji of the Liang monk Baochang as his basis, wrote the Zhengzong Ji, saying that Bodhidharma came to this land in the gengzi year, the first year of the Putong era of Emperor Wu of Liang, which was the first year of the Zhengguang era of Emperor Ming of the Later Wei. If so, it agrees with the later years of his death, the opening of the tomb, and so on.

若據此稱。普通八年丁未歲九月二十一日至南海。十月一日至金陵則甚誤也。蓋普通八年三月已改為大通元年。則九月不應尚稱普通八年也。南海者今廣州也。去金陵數千里。刺史奏聞而武帝詔迎。豈可十日之間便至金陵耶。又按南史蕭昂本傳。不言昂為廣州刺史。但王茂傳末有廣州長史蕭昂。然不知何年在任。今止可雲○達於南海實梁普通元年。廣州刺史具主禮迎接。表聞武帝。帝覽奏遣使齎詔迎請。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。師曰。並無功德。帝曰。何以無功德。師曰。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。答曰。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。師曰。廓然無聖。帝曰。對朕者誰。師曰。不識。帝不領悟。師知機不契。是月十九日潛迴(廣燈迴作過字)江北。十一月二十三日屆於洛陽當後魏孝明太和十年也(當雲後魏孝明正光元年也。若據太和十年乃後魏文帝時是年即南齊武帝永明四年丙寅歲也)。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。博覽群書善談玄理。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。師常端坐面牆。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。師憫而問曰。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。師曰。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。光聞師誨勵。潛取利刀自斷左臂。置於師前。師知是法器。乃曰。

(The collation note continues:) If one follows what is said here, that he arrived at the South Sea on the twenty-first day of the ninth month of the dingwei year, the eighth year of Putong, and at Jinling on the first day of the tenth month, it is very mistaken. For in the third month of the eighth year of Putong it was already changed to the first year of Datong, so the ninth month should not still be called the eighth year of Putong. The South Sea is now Guangzhou, thousands of li from Jinling. The governor reported and Emperor Wu sent an edict to invite him; how could he reach Jinling in ten days? Moreover, according to the Southern History's biography of Xiao Ang, it does not say that Ang served as Governor of Guangzhou; only at the end of the biography of Wang Mao is there a Xiao Ang, Administrator of Guangzhou, but it is not known in which year he held office. For now we can only say: he arrived at the South Sea in truth in the first year of Putong of the Liang. The Governor of Guangzhou received him with full host's ceremony and submitted a memorial to Emperor Wu. The emperor, on reading the memorial, sent an envoy with an edict to invite him. On the first day of the tenth month he arrived at Jinling.) The emperor asked: "Since I took the throne I have built temples, copied scriptures, and ordained monks beyond counting; what merit is there?" The master said: "There is no merit at all." The emperor said: "Why is there no merit?" The master said: "This is only a small fruit of humans and gods, a cause with outflows; like a shadow following a form, though it exists, it is not real." The emperor said: "What then is true merit?" He answered: "Pure wisdom, wondrous and complete, its substance is itself empty and still. Such merit is not sought through the world." The emperor asked again: "What is the first principle of the holy truths?" The master said: "Vast emptiness, nothing holy." The emperor said: "Who is it that faces me?" The master said: "I do not know." The emperor could not understand. The master, knowing that the opportunity did not match, secretly crossed (the Guangdeng reads "crossed" in place of "returned") to the north of the river on the nineteenth of that month. On the twenty-third day of the eleventh month he arrived at Luoyang, in the tenth year of Taihe of Emperor Xiaoming of the Later Wei (it should be said the first year of Zhengguang of Emperor Xiaoming of the Later Wei. If we follow the tenth year of Taihe, that was in the time of Emperor Wen of the Later Wei, and that year was the bingyin year, the fourth year of Yongming of Emperor Wu of the Southern Qi). He lodged at Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, sat facing the wall, and was silent all day; people could not fathom him and called him the wall-gazing Brahmin. At that time there was a monk, Shenguang, a broad-minded man who had long lived in Yi and Luo, widely read in many books and skilled at discussing the mysterious principles. He often sighed and said: "The teachings of Confucius and Laozi are rites, techniques, and customs; the books of Zhuangzi and the Changes do not exhaust the wondrous principle. Recently I have heard that the great being Dharma lives at Shaolin. The perfected one is not far; I should visit his mysterious realm." So he went there and attended him morning and evening. The master often sat upright facing the wall and gave no instruction or encouragement. Guang thought to himself: "The ancients seeking the Way broke bones to get marrow, pricked blood to relieve hunger, spread their hair to cover mud, and threw themselves off cliffs to feed tigers. If the ancients were like this, who am I?" On the night of the ninth day of the twelfth month of that year, heavy snow fell. Guang stood firm and unmoving, and by dawn the snow had piled over his knees. The master pitied him and asked: "You have stood long in the snow; what are you seeking?" Guang said in tears: "I only hope the Reverend, in compassion, will open the gate of sweet dew and widely deliver all beings." The master said: "The unsurpassed wondrous Way of the Buddhas requires diligence over vast kalpas, doing what is hard to do and enduring what is hard to endure. How can one, with small virtue and small wisdom, a light heart and an arrogant heart, hope to attain the true vehicle and only labor in vain?" Guang, hearing the master's exhortation, secretly took a sharp knife and cut off his own left arm, placing it before the master. The master knew he was a vessel of the Dharma and said: