The Sixth Patriarch’s
Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The Sixth Patriarch’s
Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

With the Commentary of
Tripitaka Master HuaEnglish translation by the
Buddhist Text Translation Society
Buddhist Text Translation Society
Dharma Realm Buddhist University
Dharma Realm Buddhist Association
Burlingame, California U.S.A.

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra
Published and translated by:
Buddhist Text Translation Society
1777 Murchison Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010-4504© 2001 Buddhist Text Translation Society
Dharma Realm Buddhist University
Dharma Realm Buddhist Association
First edition (Hong Kong) 1971
Second edition (USA) 1977
Third edition (USA) 2001
11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1ISBN 0-88139-316-9
Printed in Malaysia
Addresses of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association branches arelisted at the back of this book.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Huineng, 638-713.
[Liuzudashi fa bao tan jing. English]
The Sixth Patriarch's Dharma jewel platform sutra : with thecommentary of Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, English translationby the Buddhist Text Translation Society.
p. cm
Includes index.
Originally published: San Francisco : Sino-American Buddhist
Association, 1977.
ISBN 0-88139-316-9 (alk. paper)
1. Zen Buddhism-Early works to 1800. I. Hsüan Hua, 1908II. Hsüan Hua, 1908- Liuzu fa bao tan jing qian shi. English.
III. Buddhist Text Translation Society. IV. Title.
BQ9299.H854 L613 2002
294.3'85--dc21

2001037450

Contents
The Eight Guidelines of BTTS ...................................................vii
Editor’s Introduction.....................................................................xi
Biography of the Venerable Master ..........................................xiv
Tripitaka Master Hua’s Introduction ........................................xxi
Translator’s Introduction .......................................................... xxiii
Reviewer’s Preface ................................................................... xxvi
Foreword ........................................................................................ 1
Introduction .................................................................................... 3
The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs ................................... 9
A General Introduction.......................................................... 31
Chapter I. Action and Intention ................................................. 51
Chapter II. Prajna ...................................................................... 115
Chapter III. Doubts and Questions.......................................... 169
Chapter IV. Concentration and Wisdom ................................ 203
Chapter V. Sitting in Ch’an ..................................................... 217
Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform ...................................... 221
Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions ........................... 261
Bhikshu Fa Hai ..................................................................... 266
Bhikshu Fa Ta ...................................................................... 269
Bhikshu Chih T’ung ............................................................ 284
Bhikshu Chih Ch’ang .......................................................... 292

Bhikshu Chih Tao ................................................................ 299
Bhikshu Hsing Szu ............................................................... 309
Dhyana Master Huai Jang ................................................... 312
Dhyana Master Hsüan Chiao .............................................. 316
Dhyana Master Chih Huang ............................................... 322
One Member Of The Sangha .............................................. 328
Bhikshu Fang Pien ............................................................... 330
Master Wo Lun’s Verse ...................................................... 335
Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual.......................................... 337
Bhikshu Chih Ch’e ............................................................... 354
Bhikshu Shen Hui ................................................................ 363
Difficult Questions ............................................................... 369
Chapter IX. Proclamations ....................................................... 371
Chapter X. Final Instructions ................................................... 379
General Index............................................................................. 431
People & Places Index .............................................................. 441

The Eight Guidelines of BTTS

The Eight Guidelines of
The Buddhist Text Translation Society
1. A volunteer must free him/herself from the motives of
personal fame and profit.
2. A volunteer must cultivate a respectful and sincere
attitude free from arrogance and conceit.
3. A volunteer must refrain from aggrandizing his/herwork and denigrating that of others.
4. A volunteer must not establish him/herself as thestandard of correctness and suppress the work ofothers with his or her fault-finding.
5. A volunteer must take the Buddha-mind as his/her
own mind.
6. A volunteer must use the wisdom of DharmaSelecting Vision to determine true principles.
7. A volunteer must request Virtuous Elders in the ten
directions to certify his/her translations.
8. A volunteer must endeavour to propagate theteachings by printing Sutras, Shastra texts, and Vinaya
texts when the translations are certified as being
correct.

Happily-Dwelling Conduct
Happily-dwelling conduct is the Bodhisattva conduct,
and the Bodhisattva conduct is itself the happilydwelling conduct. One happily dwells in the doors ofpractice cultivated by Bodhisattvas. Both one’s bodyand one’s mind reside in the states of cultivation of theBodhisattva Way, and do so happily, since that is what
one likes to do.

Editor’s Introduction

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra is thefundamental text of Ch’an Buddhism. It relates the life andteachings of Master Hui Neng, the Great Master the Sixth
Patriarch, as set down by one of his disciples. During the seventhand eighth centuries under the T’ang Dynasty, Master Hui Nengtaught the doctrines of no-thought and of sudden enlightenment,
which, as expounded in this text, continue to be the heart ofCh’an wherever it is practiced. As such, these are the only
teachings of a Chinese high monk which are regarded by
Buddhists as a Sutra, that is, as a sacred text equal to thosecompiled by the earlier South Asian masters.
Interest in Buddhism in general and in Ch’an in particular is
now swiftly growing in the West, especially in America.
Translations and re-translations of many of the central Buddhist
texts have been appearing in consequence. A good deal ofconfusion has been an unfortunate by-product. Because Ch’an isso foreign to traditional Western thought, the rendering of Ch’anteachings into a Western language requires, even in the mostliteral translation, the virtual invention of a new vocabulary ofconcepts; and each new translation has tended to present a
distinctly different rendition of the central Buddhist ideas. To
elucidate them, commentaries are often added by the translators.
But all of these translations and commentaries have been
written by scholars who are not Buddhists. While that kind of
non-membership is hardly important to a translator of ordinaryxiphilosophical writings, it becomes a severe stumbling-block forthe translator of Ch’an teachings. For Ch’an is not a system ofthought at all, but a special kind of moral and psychologicalwork, aimed at a particular personal transformation which the
Buddhists call enlightenment. Only one who through difficult
practice has undergone that transformation can hope to teachCh’an authoritatively and translate and comment on the sayingsof other masters without having to resort to guesswork about
what the sayings mean.
Fortunately for students of the Way, an effort to establish an
authoritative Buddhist canon in English has now been
undertaken by Tripitaka Master Hsüan Hua and his American
disciples.
Master Hua stands in the direct line of orthodox Buddhist
leadership as it has been handed down from the time of
Shakyamuni Buddha.
The present translation of The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra, here
presented in its second edition, was the first work of Master Hua
to appear in America (the first edition appeared in 1971). The
translation itself was carried out under the Master’s supervisionby the Buddhist Text Translation Society, composed of the
Master’s disciples who are scholars both of the Chinese
language and of Buddhism. With his Western readers in mind,
the Master has provided a running commentary to the Sutra text.
The commentary was first spoken in a series of lectures in 1969.
The Master’s sure and witty manner of making the most difficult
concepts plain, already well known to Buddhists on both sides of
the Pacific, has been rendered in English by his disciples with aneye to retaining the lively spoken style of the original.
In his commentary, Master Hua’s method is to read a few
lines from the Sutra text and then expound upon their meaning
or expand on the doctrines in question, often by reference toxiicontemporary American problems. This style of exposition
follows the tradition of lecturing Sutras that has existed in China
for many centuries. Until the appearance of this volume in its
first edition, there had been in the West little or no record or evendescription of the verbal teachings of Buddhism. The present
volume serves as a rare example of Buddhism in action, as it has
survived intact through the centuries.
Upasaka Kuo Chou Rounds
Buddhist Text Translation Society, San Francisco, 1977.

xiii

Biography of the Venerable Master

Discovering and perfecting the method to extricate living beings
from the most fundamental problem of human existence–that ofbirth and death–has been the primary focus of the Venerable
Master Hsüan Hua’s life.
On the sixteenth day of the third lunar month in 1908, hismother saw Amitabha Buddha emitting a light which illuminedthe entire world, and when she awoke from this dream she gavebirth to the Venerable Master. A rare fragrance lingered in theroom following her dream and throughout the birth.
The Master’s initial awareness of death came at eleven years
old when he saw a lifeless infant. The realization that death andbirth follow upon one another without cease and that both bringsuffering, pain and sorrow, awakened a profound sense ofcompassion in the Master and prompted his immediate
resolution to leave the home life and learn to bring an end to thecycle of birth and death. He honored his mother’s wishes that heremains at home to serve his parents until their deaths, however.
The following year on Gwan Yin Bodhisattva’s birthday, hedreamed that an old woman wearing a patchwork robe and astring of beads appeared to guide him through a wilderness inwhich he was lost. She radiated compassion as she led him over
the road which was gutted with deep and dangerous holes. He
knew that if he had tried to traverse this road alone it would havebeen difficult if not impossible to reach safety, but as she guided
him, the road became smooth and safe and he could see clearlyxiv

in all directions. Ahead was his home. Glancing back on thedangerous road, he saw many people following him–old andyoung, men and women, sangha and scholars. “Who are thosepeople?” he asked, “Where did they come from and where arethey going?”“They have affinities with you,” she said, “and they also
want to go home. You must guide them well and show them theWay so that you may all arrive at nirvana. I have important work
to do elsewhere, and so I shall leave you now, but soon we shallmeet again.”
The Master asked her name and where she lived. “You willfind out when you arrive home,” she said. “There’s no need toask so many questions.” Suddenly she whirled around anddisappeared. The Master led the people safely home and wokefrom his dream feeling extremely happy.
During that same year he began bowing to his parents threetimes each, in the morning and evening–twelve bows a day.
Then he thought “The world is bigger than just my father andmother,” and he began to bow to the heavens, to the earth, to theEmperor, and to his teachers as well. He also bowed to hismaster, even though he had not yet met him. The Master knewthat without the aid of a good knowing advisor, it is impossible
to cultivate, and he felt that he would meet his master soon. He
also bowed to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyeka Buddhas,and Arhats, and to all the good people in the world to thank themfor al1 the good deeds they had done; he bowed on behalf of thepeople they had helped.
“Evil people are to be pitied,” he thought, and he bowed forthem, asking that their karmic offences might be lessened andthat they might learn to repent and reform. When doing this, hethought of himself as the very worst offender. Each day hethought of new people to bow for and soon he was bowing 837
xv

times in the morning and 837 times in the evening, which took
about three hours a day in all.
The Master didn’t let others see him bow. He rose at four inthe morning, washed his face, went outside, lit a stick of incense,and bowed, regardless of the weather. If there was snow on the
ground, he would just bow in the snow. In the evening, long after
everyone was asleep, he went outside and bowed again. He
practiced this way every day for six years.
During these years his filial devotion became known far andwide and he was referred to as “Filial Son Pai.” Nor did his filial
devotion end at the death of his parents. On the day his motherwas buried, he remained behind after the ceremonies werecompleted to begin a three-year vigil beside her grave. Shortly
after, he left his mother’s grave long enough to go to Three
Conditions Temple at P’ing Fang Station south of Harbin toreceive the shramanera precepts from Great Master Ch’ang
Chih. He then returned to his mother’s grave and built a five by
eight hut out of five inch sorghum stalks which kept out the windand rain but actually set up little distinction between inside andoutside. He commenced to observe the custom of filial piety by
watching over his mother’s grave for a period of three years.
Clothed only in a rag robe, he endured the bitter Manchurian
snow and blazing summer sun. He ate only one meal a day, when
there was food, and he simply did not eat if no food was offeredto him. He never lay down to sleep.
At the side of the grave, the Master read many sutras. Whenhe first read the Lotus Sutra, he jumped for joy. He knelt andrecited it for seven days and seven nights, forgetting to sleep,
forgetting to eat, until eventually blood flowed from his eyes andhis vision dimmed. Then he read the Shurangama Sutra,
thoroughly investigating the Great Samadhi and quietlyxvicultivating it: the three stoppings, the three contemplations,
neither moving nor still. The Master relates of this experience:“I began to obtain a single-minded profound stillness, andpenetrate the noumenal state. When I read the Avatamsaka, theenlightenment became boundless in its scope, indescribable inits magnificence, unsurpassed in its loftiness, and ineffable in its
clarity. National Master Ch’ing Liang said,
Opening and disclosing the mysterious and subtle,
Understanding and expanding the mind and its states,
Exhausting the principle while fathoming the nature,
Penetrating the result which includes the cause,
Deep and wide, and interfused,
Vast and great and totally complete.
“It is certainly so! It is certainly so! At that time I could
not put down the text, and bowed to and recited theGreat Sutra as if it were clothing from which one must
not part or food which one could not do without foreven a day. And I vowed to myself to see to its vast
circulation.”
When his filial duties were completed, the Master went into
seclusion in Amitabha Cave in the mountains east of his home
town. There he delved deeply into dhyana meditation andpracticed rigorous asceticism, eating only pine nuts and drinking
spring water. The area abounded with wild beasts, but they neverdisturbed the Master. In fact, wolves and bears behaved likehouse pets, tigers stopped to listen to his teaching, and wild birds
gathered to hear the wonderful Dharma.
After his stay in the mountains, the Master returned to Three
Conditions Monastery where he helped the Venerable Masterxvii

Ch’ang-chih and the Venerable Master Ch’ang-jen to greatly
expand the monastery, while simultaneously devoting his timeto the propagation of the Dharma.
For more than three decades in Manchuria, the Master
adhered strictly to ascetic cultivation, diligently practiced
dhyana meditation, and worked tirelessly for the expansion andpropagation of the Dharma. During those years, he visited manyof the local Buddhist monasteries, attended intensive meditation
and recitation sessions, and walked many miles to listen tolectures on the Sutras, in addition to lecturing on the Sutras
himself. He also visited various non-Buddhist religious
establishments and obtained a thorough grounding in the rangeof their specific beliefs.
In 1946 the Master made a major pilgrimage which took him
to P’u T’o Mountain to receive the complete precepts in 1947.
Then in 1948, after three thousand miles of travel, the Masterwent to Nan-hua Monastery and bowed before the Venerable
Master Hsü Yün, the 44th Patriarch from Shakyamuni Buddha.
At that first meeting the Venerable Master Yün, who was then
109 years old, recognized the Master to be a vessel worthy of theDharma and capable of its propagation. He sealed and certified
the Master’s spiritual skill and transmitted to him the wonderfulmind-to-mind seal of all Buddhas. Thus the Master became the45th generation in a line descending from Shakyamuni Buddha,
the nineteenth generation in China from Bodhidharma, and theninth generation of the Wei-yang lineage. Of their meeting theMaster has written:
The Noble Yün saw me and said, “Thus it is.”I saw the Noble Yün and verified, “Thus it is.”The Noble Yün and I, both Thus,
Universally vow that all beings will also be Thus.
xviii

The mind-to-mind transmission is performed apart from theappearance of the spoken word, apart from the mark of thewritten word, apart from the characteristic of the conditioned
mind–apart from all such appearances. Only sages who havegenuine realization understand it; ordinary people have no idea
what is happening. It is a mutual recognition of the embodimentof the principle of true suchness.
Nearly eight years later, in May of 1956, the Venerable Yün
sent to the Master a document entitled “The Treasury of the
Orthodox Dharma Eye: the Source of Buddhas and Patriarchs.”
The document bears the seals of Yün-chu Monastery and of the
Venerable Yün. It serves as tangible and public certification of
the transmission of the mind-to-mind seal from the Venerable
Yün to the Master, which took place during their initial meetingin 1948.
In 1950 the Master resigned his post at Nan Hua Monasteryas the Director of the Nan Hua Institute for the Study of the
Vinaya, and journeyed to Hong Kong where he lived in a
mountainside cave in the New Territories. He stayed in the cave
until the large influx of Sangha members fleeing the mainlandrequired his help in establishing new monasteries and temples
throughout Hong Kong. He personally established two temples
and a lecture hall and helped to bring about the construction ofmany others. He dwelt in Hong Kong for twelve years, during
which many people were influenced by his arduous cultivation
and awesome manner to take refuge with the Triple Jewel,
cultivating the Dharma-door of recitation of the Buddha’s name,and to support the propagation of the Buddhadharma.
In 1962 the Master carried the Buddha’s Dharma banner
farther west to the shores of America where he took up residencein San Francisco, sat in meditation, and waited for past causes toripen and bear their fruit. In the beginning of the year 1968 thexixMaster declared that the flower of Buddhism would bloom thatyear in America with five petals; in the summer of that year the
Master conducted the Shurangama Sutra dharma assembly
which lasted 96 days–five of the people who attended thatsession left the home-life and became bhikshus and bhikshunis
under the Master’s guidance. Since that time more than twenty
people have left the home life under his guidance.
Since 1968 the Master has delivered complete commentaries
on The Heart Sutra, The Diamond Sutra, The Sixth Patriarch’s
Sutra, The Amitabha Sutra, The Sutra of the Past Vows of EarthStore Bodhisattva, The Great Compassion Heart Dharani Sutra,
The Dharma Flower Sutra, The Sutra in Forty-two Sections, The
Shramanera Vinaya and others. In June of 1971, the Master
commenced a Dharma Assembly on the king of sutras, theAvatamsaka. With such tireless vigor the Master has firmly
planted the roots of Dharma in western soil so that it can become
self-perpetuating. He has spent many hours every day explaining
the teachings and their application to cultivation, steeping his
disciples in the nectar of Dharma that they might carry on the
Buddha’s teachings.
The miraculous events that have taken place in the Master’slife are far too numerous to relate in this brief sketch. This is but
a brief outline of how the Master has worked with selflessdevotion to lay the foundation of the Buddha’s teaching on
western soil.

xxTripitaka Master Hua’s Introduction

All of the Sutras are guides to use in cultivating the Way. They
may be spoken by the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, the Patriarchs,
and also by Arhats, transformation beings, and gods. Although
they all serve the same purpose, the doctrines within them differ.
The Sutras spoken by the Buddha were translated from theIndian languages into Chinese, and thus worked their way into
Chinese society. In China, then, all the Sutras are translations,with the sole exception of this present work The Sixth
Patriarch’s Sutra, which was spoken by the great Chinese
master the Sixth Patriarch. The Great Master was originally an
illiterate peasant. When he heard the sentence of The Vajra(Diamond) Sutra which said, “One should produce that thought
which is nowhere supported,” he experienced an awakening andwent to Huang Mei to draw near to the Fifth Patriarch, the Great
Master Hung Jen. The Fifth Patriarch transmitted to him thewonderful Dharma, “using the mind to seal the mind,” which has
been handed down in unbroken Patriarchal succession. The
Sixth Patriarch inherited this mind-seal Dharma-door andproceeded to carry out the wisdom-life of the Buddha in his
speaking of The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra.
Now, it has been translated into English and the mind-seal
Dharma-door of the Buddha has thereby been transmitted inperpetuity to the West. It is hoped that Westerners will now read,recite, and study it, and all become Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and/xxi

or Patriarchs. This is the main objective of this translation. May
all who see and hear it quickly accomplish the Buddha Way.
Wherever this Sutra is transmitted, the Orthodox Dharma
may be found right in that place, causing living beings quickly
to accomplish Buddhahood; such is the importance of this newtranslation. The Sutra is indeed a treasure trove; it is the true
body of the Buddha, the compassionate father and mother of allliving beings. It can give rise to limitless Buddhas, Bodhisattvas,
and Patriarchs! May all in the West who now read this Sutra
realize Bodhi and accomplish the Buddha Way!
The Sutras contain the precious wisdom of the Buddha.
There are some, let us call them “garbage-eating” scholars who
claim that The Shurangama Sutra was not spoken by the
Buddha. This is most certainly not the case, and I have made thefollowing vow: If The Shurangama Sutra is false, I will fall into
the uninterrupted hells forever.
Ch’ang Pai-shan Seng
San Francisco, August 1977

xxii

Translator’s Introduction

This is the second edition of the first commentary to The Sixth
Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra ever to express theessence of the Sixth Patriarch’s heart. Since the time the Great
Master spoke this Sutra, no other commentary has revealed his
basic principles, the Dharma of his heart. Tripitaka Master
Hsüan Hua’s commentary unfolds the heart Dharma, the mindseal, before the reader.
If you wish to understand the wonderful meaning of thisSutra, you should study this commentary, for within it are set
forth the limitless, inexhaustible, profound principles of the
Buddhadharma. Among Western and Eastern peoples it is theflower of wisdom, the real fruit of Bodhi.
Furthermore, this translation has been prepared by the
Buddhist Text Translation Society of the Sino-American
Buddhist Association. Each of its members, Bhikshus,
Bhikshunis, Upasakas, Upasikas, many of whom hold Master’sand Doctor’s degrees, have read the manuscript with care over a
period of several years to insure its accuracy.
Essentially, the mind-seal cannot be spoken or expressed inwriting, but in his commentary the Master has done just that,using numerous analogies and expedient devices to cause people
to understand what they have never understood before.
Tripitaka Master Hua was born in northern China, and after
his mother’s death he practiced filial piety by sitting beside her
grave for a period of three years. He built a small grass hut toxxiii

keep out the wind and rain, and sat there in meditation. If food
was brought to him, he ate; if no food was brought, he did not.
The Master later traveled south to Canton, where he wasappointed by the Venerable Master Hsü Yün to serve as Head of
the Vinaya Academy at Nan Hua Monastery, the temple of the
Sixth Patriarch. He later received in transmission the Dharma ofMaster Hsü Yün and became his Dharma successor.
Since arriving in America, the Master has turned the Great
Dharma Wheel, lecturing on such Sutras as The Shurangama
Sutra, The Lotus Sutra, The Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra, The
Vajra Sutra, and The Heart Sutra, and others. He teaches anever-growing number of American disciples, many of whom
have left home to become Bhikshus and Bhikshunis.
In San Francisco, the Master has founded Gold Mountain
Monastery where he is lecturing on The Avatamsaka Sutra. He
has also founded the International Institute for the Translation of
Buddhist Texts. He has made the solemn vow that wherever hegoes the Orthodox Dharma will prevail and the Dharma-ending
Age shall not set in. Most recently, the Master established theCity of Ten Thousand Buddhas, near Talmage, California, a vast
complex of 237 acres and 60 buildings, to serve as a center ofWorld Buddhism. The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas now
holds Dharma Realm Buddhist University, of which the Masteris President, and soon to be established are many programs tobenefit living beings in many ways.
The Master upholds firmly the Orthodox Dharma, for the
Dharma he teaches proceeds from direct and authoritativetransmission, and he works unceasingly for the Buddha, theDharma, and the Sangha. This lively commentary constitutes thefirst authentic transmission to the West of the mind-seal of all
Buddhas which has passed in unbroken Patriarchal succession
from Shakyamuni Buddha to the present day. We present thisxxiv

volume as the foundation for the flourishing of the
Buddhadharma in the West.
Bhikshuni Heng Yin
Buddhist Text Translation Society/Co-chairperson,
Primary Translation Committee,
International Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts.
San Francisco, August 1977

xxv

Reviewer’s Preface

When the Fifth Patriarch transmitted the Dharma to the Sixth
Patriarch he said to him, “Do not speak too soon, for the
Buddhadharma arises from difficulty.”
Centuries later in Northern China, Tripitaka Master Hsüan
Hua, then known as Filial Son Pai, was practicing filial piety. He
cultivated and meditated for three years beside his mother’s
grave. His only protection from the northern winds and rains wasa five foot square hut made from stalks of sorghum boundtogether in an A-frame which left both ends exposed to theelements.
One time while cultivating there a miracle happened. Filial
Son Pai saw the Great Master the Sixth Patriarch come to his hut.
He entered through one of the openings and talked to the filial
son just like an ordinary person. Filial Son Pai thought that he
was real, forgetting at that time that the Great Master had entered
Nirvana over a thousand years ago. The Sixth Patriarch said to
the Filial Son:
“In the future you can go to America.
You will meet this person and that person...
Five schools will divide into ten,
to teach and transform living beings.
Ten will become a hundred,a hundred will become a thousand,and so forth to endless, endless numbers,xxvi

in abundance, abundance, abundance,
endless abundance–numbers incalculable
as grains of sand in the River Ganges.
This marks the true beginning of
the Proper Dharma in the West.”
After they had talked, when the Great Master moved to leave,
the filial son rose to escort him. They walked together a few
steps and suddenly the Sixth Patriarch was gone. It was then that
Filial Son Pai realized, “Oh! The Sixth Patriarch entered Nirvana
hundreds of years ago, but nonetheless, I met him today!”Several decades after this miracle, following years ofdifficulty and hard cultivation, in a cold and tiny temple in San
Francisco’s Chinatown, Tripitaka Master Hsüan Hua begantransmitting the Dharma of the mind-seal of all Patriarchs. He
continues to do so every day. Those who recognize him listen toit, consider it, and cultivate it.
In this commentary on The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra the
Master says, “...you will succeed only if you do not fear
suffering. The Buddhadharma arises from difficulty, the moredifficult, the better. So now you must endure suffering. This isdifficult, but you can do it, for it is the opening of your wisdom.”
Bhikshuni Heng Ch’ih
Buddhist Text Translation Society/Co-chairperson,
Primary Translation Committee,
International Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts
San Francisco, August 1977

xxvii

Na Mwo Original Teacher Sakyamuni Buddha

xxixTwenty-eighth Patriarch Arya Bodhidharma
The First Patriarch in Chinaxxx

Twenty-ninth Patriarch Great Master Hui-k’o
The Second Patriarch in China
xxxi

Thirtieth Patriarch Great Master Seng-ts’an
The Third Patriarch in China
xxxii

Thirty-first Patriarch Great Master Tao-hsin
The Fourth Patriarch in China
xxxiii

Thirty-second Patriarch Great Master Hung-jen
The Fifth Patriarch in China
xxxiv

Thirty-third Patriarch Great Master Hui-neng
The Sixth Patriarch in China
xxxv

Verse for Opening a Sutra
The unsurpassed, profound, and wonderful Dharma,
Is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons,
I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,
And I vow to fathom the Tathagata’s true meaning.

FOREWORDThe Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra has been
explained in America before, but I do not know how well it has
been done. Some lecturers simply read the text aloud, and, sinceeach Sutra has its own special interpretation, merely reading it
aloud does not reveal the meaning.
The Buddhadharma flourished in China, but only theteachings of the Sixth Patriarch, the illiterate Patriarch, weremade into a Sutra. It was recorded by the Master’s disciple Fa
Hai1. Although his transcription may not mirror the Patriarch’s
exact words, the meanings expressed are correct.
I hope that everyone will study the Buddhadharma with histrue mind, and not hold the opinion that it is very easy. It is only
by regarding the Buddhadharma as extremely important that you
will be able to comprehend the principles which I explain.

1.

Dharma Master Fa Hai was a “room entering disciple” of the Sixth Patriarch.
That means that the Sixth Patriarch had transmitted the wonderful mind-seal
Dharma to him and he was therefore privileged to enter the Patriarch’s room.

1

INTRODUCTION

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform is the specific titleof this Sutra, and the word Sutra is a general term for all
discourses given by the Buddha. In order to clarify their content,
Sutra titles are classified into seven types, according to theirreference to person, dharma, and analogy, as follows:
A. Three Single: Three of the seven types of titles refer toonly one of the categories of person, dharma, or analogy, and sothey are called the “three single.” For example:
1. The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra is a title
established solely by reference to person; both the
Buddha and Amitabha are persons, for only a person
can cultivate and realize Buddhahood. The Buddha is aperson, and people are just Buddhas. In Chinese, when
we write the word Buddha ( ), the symbol for“person” ( ) stands on the left-hand side.
2. The Mahaparinirvana Sutra is a title established byreference to the dharma, “nirvana.” Nirvana is a
Sanskrit word which in Chinese is composed of two
characters “()–nieh p’an” which may be
explained as “not produced and not destroyed.”
3. The Brahma Net Sutra is a title established by reference
to analogy. In this Sutra the Buddha explains theprecepts. If you keep these precepts, you will give forth
light, like the great net in the heaven of the Brahma
King. But if you carelessly break the precepts, you
3

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

commit the grave offense of “knowing and yet
deliberately violating dharma.” Your light then flows
into the three evil paths: the hell beings, animals, andhungry ghosts, where there is not the slightest trace of
merciful treatment.
B. Three Double: Titles established by reference to person
and dharma, person and analogy, or dharma and analogy arecalled the “three double.” For example:
4. The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is a title
established by reference to dharma and analogy since
the Wonderful Dharma is analogous to the Lotus
Flower.
5. The Lion Roar of the Thus Come One Sutra is a title
established by reference to person and analogy. Thus
Come One is the first of ten honorific titles given to
every Buddha and therefore represents a person. The
Lion Roar is analogous to his speaking the Dharma.
6. The Sutra of the Questions of Manjushri is a title
established by reference to a person, the Bodhisattva
Manjushri of great wisdom, and the dharma herequested, Prajna.
C. Complete in One: The seventh classification contains
references to person, dharma, and analogy.
7. The Great Universal Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra(Avatamsaka Sutra) refers to the Buddha as a person,
Great and Universal as a dharma, and Flower
Adornment as an analogy.
The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra is a
Chinese, not an Indian Sutra, and its title is not classified
according to the seven topics mentioned above. This sutra isclassified according to person, dharma, and a place. The Sixth
4

Introduction

Patriarch is a person, the Dharma Jewel is a dharma, and the
Platform is a place.
I will now explain the specific title of this Sutra.
The Sixth Patriarch. Master Hui Neng of Nan Hua Temple,
who spoke the Sutra at the beginning of the eighth century A.D.,
was the Sixth Chinese Patriarch. He lived six generations after
Bodhidharma, who brought the Mahayana teaching to China
from India and who became the First Chinese Patriarch.
Bodhidharma was also the twenty-eighth Indian Patriarch, andso from the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Great Master Hui
Neng is counted as the Thirty-Third Generational Patriarch.
Dharma. Dharma is a method. It is like a rule, a model, or apattern. If one cultivates according to this method, that ispracticing “Dharma.”
Jewel. The Dharma is like a precious jewel.
Platform. The platform is the place where this Sutra was
spoken. This Dharma Seat may be raised above the ground by
three, five or nine feet, but never more than ten feet. In front of
it sits a small table which holds Sutras. Dharma Masters speak
Dharma, administer the Three Refuges2, and transmit precepts
from the Dharma Seat, which Dharma protectors, good spirits,
and numerous diamond-treasury Bodhisattvas3 take turns
protecting.

2.

One formally becomes a Buddhist only when one has received the Three
Refuges, transmitted in a traditional ceremony by a qualified member of theSangha. They are: refuge in: 1) the Buddha, 2) the Dharma (the teachings), and 3)
the Sangha (Buddhist monks and nuns of the past, present and future).

3.

Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit word. Bodhi means “enlightenment” and sattva,“being”. They do not enter Nirvana but choose instead to remain in the world andsave living beings. Thus Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who enlighten otherbeings. “Diamond-treasury” refers to a division of Dharma-protecting Bodhisattvas.

5

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra. The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform is the
specific name of the Sutra, and the word “Sutra” is its generalname. “Sutra” is a Sanskrit word which means “a tally.” Above,it tallies with the true principle of all Buddhas, and below, withthe opportunities for teaching living beings. Above, it tallies
with true suchness, the miraculous principle of all Buddhas, andbelow, it tallies with the living beings who need the teaching.
Thus, a Sutra tallies with both the principle and the opportunity.
The word Sutra has four additional meanings:
1. Stringing together. The principles of the
Buddhadharma are linked together by the Sutras justlike beads are strung together on a string.
2. Attracting. Creating the opportunities for teachingliving beings, a Sutra attracts living beings just like amagnet attracts iron filings. All living beings who wish
to study the Buddhadharma will be drawn to theprinciples in the Sutras, like iron filings to a magnet.
3. Permanent. From antiquity to the present, a Sutra does
not change. Not one word can be deleted; not one
meaning can be added. Not increasing or decreasing, aSutra is permanent, unchanging.
4. Method. A Sutra is a method respected by living beingsin the three periods of time. In the past, living beings
relied upon this method to cultivate and attain
Buddhahood. In the present, living beings depend upon
it to move from the position of foolish common people
to that of Buddhahood. In the future, living beings will
also cultivate according to this method. A Sutra is amethod, then, venerated throughout the three periods of
time.

6

Introduction

The word Sutra has many more meanings. For example, aSutra is like a bubbling spring; principles flow from it like water
bubbling up out of the earth. It is also like a carpenter’s chalkline, which makes a perfectly clear, straight guide. But if you
understand the first four meanings, you understand the basic
meanings.
To explain a Sutra correctly, one must first outline it
according to the Five Profound Meanings of the T’ien T’ai
School:1. Explaining the Name. According to the seven kinds of
Sutra titles explained previously, this Sutra isestablished by reference to person, Dharma, analogy,
and place.
2. Discriminating the Substance. This Sutra takes the RealMark4 as its substance. The Real Mark is without amark, and yet there is nothing which is not marked by it.
3. Clarifying the Principle. The principle of this Sutra is
the realization of Buddhahood. If you cultivate
according to this Sutra, you can realize the Buddha
position.
4. Discussing the Function. This Sutra’s function is tolead you to understand the mind and see your own
nature. If you understand the mind, you have noworries. If you see your own nature, you have no cares.
No longer do you quit worrying about one problem only
to begin worrying about another and, when that one issolved, find yet another one coming to take its place. If

4.

The Real Mark denotes true reality, devoid of external appearances, attachments,
and discriminations

7

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

you understand the mind and see your own nature, theneverything is easy.
5. Determining the Teaching Mark. This Sutra is likesweet dew, the heavenly elixir of immortality. Drink it
once and you will never die. The Sutra is also like ghee,a clarified butter with the most miraculous and subtle oftastes. Ghee is also used to describe the Sutras spoken
by Shakyamuni Buddha during the Dharma Flower andLotus-Nirvana periods of his teaching5.

5.

The T’ien T’ai School, systematized by the Great Master Chih-i (538-597), is oneof the great teaching schools of Chinese Buddhism. It takes as its basic text the
Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra, and divides the Buddha’s teaching into five
periods; each period is represented by an analogy to a milk product.
PeriodAvatamsaka (21 days)
Agama (12 years)
Vaipulya (8 years)
Prajna-paramita (22 years)
Lotus Flower-Nirvana (8 years)

Milk Productwhole milk
coagulated milk
curdled milkbutterclarified butter (ghee)

The original dharma of the Avatamsaka is like fresh milk. With each newteaching, it becomes richer and purer, yet it is still the same basic substance–
Dharma Food.

8

The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

It wasn’t easy being the Sixth Patriarch. Many people wished tokill him and his disciples as well. For this reason, after the Great
Master obtained the Dharma, he went into hiding, dwelling
among hunters for sixteen years. Even after establishing his
Dharma platform at Nan Hua Temple, followers of otherreligions tried to kill him, and so the Great Master hid inside a
big rock. He sat there in meditation, and although they set themountain on fire, he was untouched by the flames. The rock
could still be seen when I was at Nan Hua Temple.
Who wanted to kill him? In general, it wasn’t you and it
wasn’t me. On the other hand, if you consider the insane things
we have done in past lives, it might well have been you or it
could have been me. But in this life it wasn’t you or me and so
there is no need to worry about having broken precepts in thiscase.
As I told you, the Great Master is counted as the Sixth
Patriarch from the First Patriarch, Bodhidharma, who was theTwenty-eighth Indian Patriarch. “Bodhi” means enlightenmentand “Dharma” means law. When Bodhidharma set sail from
India, fulfilling Shakyamuni Buddha’s prediction that the
Mahayana6 teaching would be transmitted to China during thetime of the Twenty-eighth Patriarch, the Buddhadharma alreadyexisted in China, yet it was as if it were not there at all. Although
there were men who studied, there were few who lectured orrecited the sutras and repentance ceremonies were seldom
9The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

practiced. Cultivation was superficial. Scholars debated andargued, but none of them truly understood.
The principles in the Sutras must be cultivated, but at thattime in China they were not cultivated because everyone feared
suffering. Now, in America, it is just the same. People sit inmeditation. However, as soon as their legs begin to ache, theywince and fidget and then gently unbend them. People are justpeople and nobody likes to have aching legs.
While still in India, Patriarch Bodhidharma sent two of his
disciples, Fo T’o and Yeh She, to China to transmit the sudden
enlightenment Dharma door. But no one, not even Chinese
Bhikshus7, would speak to them. So they went to Lu Mountain
where they met the Great Master Yüan Kung, who lectured on
mindfulness of the Buddha.
Master Yüan asked, “What Dharma do you transmit thatcauses people to pay you so little respect?”Fo T’o and Yeh She could not speak Chinese, so they used
sign language instead. Raising their arms in the air, they said,“Watch! The hand makes a fist and the fist makes a hand. Is thisnot quick?”
Master Yüan replied, “Quick indeed.”“Bodhi (enlightenment) and affliction,” they said, “are justthat quick.”At that moment, Dharma Master Yüan became enlightened,
realizing that originally Bodhi and affliction are not different, for
Bodhi is affliction and affliction is Bodhi. He made offerings to
6.

The Mahayana or “great vehicle” teaching stresses the salvation of all beings,
since all beings possess the Buddha nature and may realize Buddhahood. It is called“great” in comparison with the Hinayana or “lesser vehicle”, whose followers
pursue personal salvation.

7.

10

A Bhikshu is a Buddhist Monk.

Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

Fo T’o and Yeh She, and shortly thereafter, the two Indian
Bhikshus died on the same day, in the same place. Their graves
may still be seen at Lu Mountain.
Patriarch Bodhidharma saw that the roots of the Mahayana,
the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma, were ripe in China. Fearing
neither the distance nor the hardship of travel, he took the
Dharma there. The Chinese called him “barbarian” because hetalked in a way that no one understood. When children looked up
at the bearded Bodhidharma, they ran away in terror. Adults
feared that he was a kidnapper and so told their children to stayaway from him.
Patriarch Bodhidharma went to Nan Ching where he listenedto Dharma Master Shen Kuang explained the Sutras. When Shen
Kuang spoke, the heavens rained fragrant blossoms and agolden-petalled lotus rose from the earth for him to sit upon.
However, only those with good roots, who had opened the fiveeyes8 and the six spiritual penetrations were able to see that.
Now! Isn’t this wonderful?
After listening to the Sutra, Bodhidharma asked, “Dharma
Master, what are you doing?”“I am explaining Sutras,” Shen Kuang replied.
“Why are you explaining Sutras?”“I am teaching people to end birth and death.”“Oh?” said Bodhidharma, “exactly how do you do that? In
this Sutra which you explain, the words are black and the paper
is white. How does this teach people to end birth and death?”
Dharma Master Shen Kuang had nothing to say. How did heteach people to end birth and death? He fumed in silence. Then,even though heavenly maidens rained down flowers and the8.

Opened through cultivation, the Five Eyes are: 1) the Buddha Eye, 2) the Dharma
Eye, 3) the Flesh Eye, 4) the Heavenly Eye, and 5) the Wisdom Eye.

11

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

earth gave forth golden lotuses, Dharma Master Shen Kuang got
angry. This is what I mean when I say that the Buddhadharma
existed in China, but it was as if it were not there at all.
When angry, Dharma Master Shen Kuang used his heavy
iron beads to level opposition. In response to Bodhidharma’s
question, he reddened with anger and raged like a tidal wave
smashing a mountain. As he whipped out his beads, he snapped,“You are slandering the Dharma!” and cracked Bodhidharma
across the mouth, knocking loose two teeth. Bodhidharma
neither moved nor spoke. He hadn’t expected such a vicious
reply.
There is a legend about the teeth of holy men. You must not
ask about the principle, however, because it is too inconceivable.
The legend says that if a sage’s teeth fall to the ground, it won’t
rain for three years. Patriarch Bodhidharma thought, “If it
doesn’t rain for three years, people will starve! I have come to
China to save living beings, not to kill them!” So Bodhidharma
did not let his teeth fall to the ground. Instead, he swallowed
them and disappeared down the road. Although he had been
beaten and reviled, Bodhidharma could not go to the government
and file suit against Dharma Master Shen Kuang. Those whohave left home have to be patient. How much more so must apatriarch forbear.
Bodhidharma then met a parrot imprisoned in a wicker cage.
This bird was much more intelligent than Dharma Master Shen
Kuang. Recognizing Bodhidharma as the First Patriarch, the bird
said,
Mind from the West,
Mind from the West,
Teach me a way
To escape from this cage.
12

Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

Although Bodhidharma had received no response frompeople, this parrot recognized him. Hearing the bird’s plea for
help, Bodhidharma whispered a secret expedient teaching toteach this bird how to end suffering. He said,
To escape from the cage;
To escape from the cage;
Put out both legs,
Close both eyes.
This is the way
To escape from the cage!
The parrot listened attentively and said, “All right! I
understand,” and stuck out his legs, closed his eyes, and waited.
When the bird’s owner came home from work, he always
played with his parrot. But this time when he looked in the cage
he was shocked. The owner was on the verge of tears. He
couldn’t have been more upset if his own son had died. He pulled
open the cage door and scooped up the bird, which lay still andquiet in his hand. The body had not yet chilled. The ownerlooked with disbelief at the little body. He peeked at it from theleft and right...it didn’t even quiver. Slowly, he opened his
hand...PHLLRTTPHLRTTPHLRTT! The bird broke loose fromhis hand and flew away!
Now, like the parrot, we are in a cage. How do we escape?
You may say, “I am really free. If I want to eat, I eat; if I want todrink, I drink. I do not have to follow rules. I can do anything.”
Don’t think you are quite so clever. This is not freedom, it isjust confusion. To be free, you must be free of birth and death,and then, if you wish to fly into space you can fly into space, andif you wish to drop into the earth, you can drop into the earth. If

13The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

you can do this, you are truly independent. Like the parrot, you
are free.
As I explain The Sixth Patriarch Dharma Jewel Platform
Sutra, I do not lecture well. This is not polite talk; it’s true. Somelecture well, yet do not dare explain. After I have lectured, youof true eloquence may follow. When you have opened yourwisdom, you will understand.
In his great anger, Dharma Master Shen Kuang knocked out
two of Bodhidharma’s teeth. He thought he had won a great
victory because the Barbarian put forth no opposition. But notlong after, the Ghost of Impermanence, wearing a high hat, paida call on Master Shen Kuang:“Your life ends today,” said the ghost. “King Yama, the Kingof the Dead, has sent me to escort you.”
Master Shen Kuang said, “What? Must I die? When I speak
the Dharma, flowers fall from the heavens and the earth bubbles
forth golden lotuses, yet I still have not ended birth and death?
Tell me, is there a person in this world who has ended birth anddeath?”“There is,” came the reply.
“Who?” asked Shen Kuang. “Tell me, and I’ll follow him to
study the Way.”“He’s that black-faced Bhikshu whose teeth you justknocked out. King Yama bows to him every day.”“Please, Old Ghost, speak to King Yama on my behalf. I
want to follow that Bhikshu. I am determined to end birth anddeath. Can’t you allow me some more time?”“All right,” said the ghost. “Since you are sincere, King
Yama will wait.”
Dharma Master Shen Kuang was delighted. He was so quick
to rush after Bodhidharma, that he forgot to thank the Ghost ofImpermanence; in fact, he even forgot to put on his shoes. He ran
14Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

until he met the parrot whom Bodhidharma had freed, andsuddenly he understood, “Originally it is just this way! I need
only act dead. I need only be a living dead person!”Bodhidharma walked on, ignoring the barefoot Dharma
Master following behind. Arriving at Bear’s Ear Mountain in
Loyang, the Patriarch sat down to meditate facing a wall.
Dharma Master Shen Kuang knelt close by. For nine years,
Patriarch Bodhidharma sat meditating and Dharma Master Shen
Kuang knelt beside him, seeking the Dharma.
Earlier, when I spoke this public record, an eleven year oldchild asked me, “During the nine years he knelt, did he eat ornot?” I replied, “How could anyone kneel for nine years without
eating and still live? When the Patriarch meditated, Shen Kuang
knelt, and when the Patriarch ate, Shen Kuang ate.” But this is
not recorded in the books. While the Patriarch was sitting, many
people came to bow to him and were received as his disciples.
One day a great snow fell, and it rose in drifts as high as Shen
Kuang’s waist, and yet he continued to kneel. Finally, Patriarch
Bodhidharma asked him, “Why are you kneeling here in suchdeep snow?”“I want to end birth and death,” replied Shen Kuang. “When
I was lecturing Sutras I was unsuccessful. Please, Patriarch,transmit this dharma to me.”“What do you see falling from the sky?” asked Bodhidharma.
“Snow,” said Shen Kuang.
“What color is it?” asked Bodhidharma.
“It’s white, of course.”“When red snow falls from the sky,” said Bodhidharma, “I
will transmit the Dharma to you. You knocked out two of myteeth, and I have been most compassionate in not taking revenge.
Do you really expect me to give you the Dharma?” This was thetest Patriarch Bodhidharma gave to Master Shen Kuang.
15

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

How did Shen Kuang complete the test? Cultivators of theWay carry a knife to protect the substance of their precepts. A
true cultivator would rather cut off his head than break a precept.
Shen Kuang drew his precept knife, and with one slice, cut
off his arm and thus passed his test. His blood flowed onto the
new fallen snow. He scooped up a bucket full of crimson snow,
dumped it before Bodhidharma, and said, “Patriarch, do you
see? The snow is red!”Bodhidharma said, “So it is, so it is.” He had tested Shen
Kuang’s sincerity, and now the Patriarch was extremely happy.
“My coming to China has not been in vain. I have met a person
who dares to use a true mind to cultivate the Way, even forsaking
his arm in search of the Dharma.”
The Patriarch then spoke the Dharma door of “using the mind
to seal the mind.”9 It points straight to the mind to see the natureand realize Buddhahood.
While hearing this dharma, Shen Kuang didn’t think about
the pain in his arm, and before that he had thought only of
making the snow turn red. But now, he once again produced
discursive thought: “My arm really hurts!” he said. “My mind isin pain. Please, Patriarch, quiet my mind.”“Find your mind,” said Bodhidharma. “Show it to me and I
will quiet it for you.”
Dharma Master Shen Kuang searched for his mind. He
looked in the ten directions: north, east, south, west, in theintermediate points, and up and down. He also looked in thesame seven places that the Venerable Ananda looked when9.

– i hsin yin hsin, refers to the mind-to-mind transmission of
Dharma passed through each generation from the time of Shakyamuni Buddha
onwards.

16

Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

Shakyamuni Buddha asked him the same question in The
Shurangama Sutra10. That is,
1. He looked inside his body;
2. He looked outside his body;
3. He looked for it hidden somewhere in his sense organs.
4. He looked where there was light;
5. He looked at the place where conditions came together.
6. He looked in the middle, between the organs and theirobjects;
7. And, finally, he looked in the place of non-attachment,
which is no-place.
At last Shen Kuang said to Bodhidharma, “I can’t find my mind!
Great Master, it is nowhere to be found.”“This is how well I have quieted your mind,” said thePatriarch. At these words, Shen Kuang understood the meaningof the Dharma transmission, the wonderful, ineffable principle.
Ten thousand dharmas return to one;
Where does the one return?
Shen Kuang did not understand,And ran after Bodhidharma;
Before him at Bear’s Ear Mountain
Knelt nine years
Seeking Dharma to escape King Yama
With the transmission of the Dharma, Shen Kuang received
the name “Hui K’o” which means “Able Wisdom.”

10.

Shurangama Sutra,– leng yen ching, from Roll I. T. 945.

17

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Master Hui K’o asked Bodhidharma, “In India, did you
transmit the Dharma to your disciples? Did you also give therobe and bowl as certification?”“I transmitted the Dharma in India,” replied Bodhidharma,“but I did not use the robe and bowl. Indian people arestraightforward. When they attain the fruit, they know they mustbe certified. If no one certifies them, they do not say, ‘I haveattained the way! I have given proof to Arhatship! I am a
Bodhisattva!’ They do not speak like this.”“Chinese people, however, are different. Many Chinese have
the Great Vehicle Root Nature11, but there are also many people
who lie. Having cultivated without success, such people claim tohave the Way. Though they have not certified to the fruit, theyclaim to be certified sages. Therefore I transmit the robe andbowl to prove that you have received the transmission. Guard
them well and take care.”
While the Patriarch Bodhidharma was in China, he waspoisoned six times. Dharma Master Bodhiruci and Vinaya
Master Kuang T’ung were jealous of him. They prepared avegetarian meal which contained an invariably fatal drug, andoffered it to the Patriarch. Although he knew it was poisoned, he
ate it. Then he vomited the food on to a tray, and it wastransformed into a pile of writhing snakes.
After this unsuccessful attempt, Bodhiruci tried again, using
an even more potent poison. Again, Bodhidharma ate the food.
Then he sat atop a huge boulder and spat out the poison. The
11.

“Great Vehicle Root Nature” refers to the strong karmic affinity of those who inpast lives have cultivated the Great Vehicle and who, by their meritorious actions,have sent down “deep roots,” that is, have established a firm foundation in the
Buddhadharma, which enables them to successfully understand and practice it in
the present.

18

Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

boulder crumbled into a heap of dust. In four more attempts,
jealous people tried without success to poison the Patriarch.
One day, the Great Master Bodhidharma said to Hui K’o, “Icame to China because I saw people here with the Great Vehicle
Root Nature. Now I have transmitted the Dharma and am readyto complete the stillness.” After his death, the Patriarch’s bodywas buried. There was nothing unusual about his funeral.
In Northern Wei (386-532 A.D.), however, an official called
Sung Yün, met Bodhidharma on the road to Chung Nan
Mountain in Ts’ung Ling. When they met, Bodhidharma wascarrying one shoe in his hand. He said to Sung Yün, “The kingof your country died today. Return quickly! There is work to be
done.”The official asked, “Great Master, where are you going?”“Back to India,” the Great Master replied.
“Venerable One, to whom did you transmit your Dharma?”“In China, after forty years, it will be ‘K’o.’”Sung Yün returned to his country and reported the incident.
“Recently, in Ts’ung Ling, I met the Patriarch Bodhidharma who
told me that the king of our country had died and instructed me
to return to the capital. When I arrived I found it exactly as hehad said. How did he know?”
His countrymen scoffed, “Bodhidharma is already dead.
How could you have met him on the road?” Then they rushed to
the Patriarch’s grave and found it empty, with nothing inside but
one shoe.
Where did Bodhidharma go? No one knows. Perhaps hecame to America. Wherever he wanders, no one can recognize
him, because he can change and transform according to his
convenience. When he came to China, he said he was one
hundred and fifty years old, and when he left, he was still one
19

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

hundred and fifty years old. No historical references can befound.
When Bodhidharma was about to enter Nirvana he said, “Icame to China and transmitted my Dharma to three people. One
received my marrow, one my bones, and one my flesh.” Afterthe transmission, the Patriarch himself no longer had a body.
Great Master Hui K’o received the marrow and Ch’an MasterTao Yü received the bones.
Bhikshuni Tsung Ch’ih could recite The Lotus Sutra frommemory. After she died, a green lotus flower grew from her
mouth. She received Bodhidharma’s flesh. In the end, thePatriarch had no body at all. So don’t look for him in America;
you won’t find him.
The Second Patriarch, Hui K’o of the Northern Ch’i (550577 A.D.) whose family name was Chi, was formerly Shen
Kuang. When he was born, his parents saw Wei T’ou
Bodhisattva, the golden armored spiritual being, come to offer
protection; thereupon they named their son “Shen Kuang” whichmeans “spiritual light.” Not only was the Patriarch intelligent,
but he had an excellent memory as well, and his skill and powersof discrimination were so remarkable that he could read ten lines
in the time it took an ordinary person to read one. In a gatheringof one hundred people, al1 talking at once, he could clearly
distinguish each conversation.
The Great Master, however, had great anger; he disagreed
with everyone and was always ready to fight. When Shen Kuang
explained Sutras, as I have told you, he used his iron beads to
win his arguments. Later, after he knelt for nine years in quest of
the Dharma, it was his great anger which enabled him to cut off
his arm and feel no pain. It was also because of this anger that helater felt pain. Unafflicted by anger, he would have felt no pain.
Pain is just an affliction and affliction is the cause of pain.
20

Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

The Second Patriarch was forty years old when he left
Bodhidharma. Having obtained the Dharma, he went into hiding
because Bodhiruci and Vinaya Master Kuang T’ung, who had
made six attempts on the life of Bodhidharma, also wished to kill
his disciples. So although Hui K’o had great anger, henevertheless obeyed his teacher and went into hiding for forty
years. When he was eighty, he began to propagate theBuddhadharma, teaching and transforming living beings.
Later, the disciples of Bodhiruci and Vinaya Master Kuang
T’ung tried to kill Master Hui K’o, who feigned insanity tolessen the jealousy of his rivals. But he never ceased to save
living beings who were ready to receive his teaching. Because somany people continued to trust the Second Patriarch,
Bodhiruci’s disciples were still jealous. They reported Hui K’oto the government, accusing him of being a weird inhumancreature. “He confuses the people who follow him,” theycharged; “he is not even human.” The Emperor ordered the
district magistrate to arrest him, and Hui K’o was locked up andquestioned:“Are you human or are you a freak?” asked the Magistrate.
“I’m a freak,” replied Master Hui K’o.
The magistrate knew that the Patriarch said this to avoid
causing jealousy, so he ordered him to tell the truth. “Speakclearly,” he demanded, “what are you?”
The Great Master replied, “I’m a freak.”Governments can’t allow strange freaks to roam the earth,and so Hui K’o was sentenced to die. Now, isn’t this the way of
the world?
The Patriarch wept when he told his disciples, “I must
undergo this retribution.” He was a courageous man, certainly
not one to cry out of fear of death. He was sad because theDharma had not become widely understood during his lifetime.
21

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“The Buddhadharma will not flourish until the time of the Fourth
Patriarch,” he announced, and then he faced the executioner.
“Come and kill me!” he said. The executioner raised his axe
and swung it towards the Master’s neck. What do you think
happened?
You are probably thinking, “He was a Patriarch with great
spiritual power. Certainly the blade shattered and his head was
not even scratched.” No. The axe cut off his head, and it didn’t
grow back. However, instead of blood, a milky white liquid
flowed onto the chopping block.
You think, “Now really, this is just too far out.” If you
believe it, that is fine. If you do not believe it, that is fine too; justforget it. However, I will give you a simple explanation of why
blood did not flow from the Patriarch’s neck: When a sage enters
the white yang realm12 his blood becomes white because his
body has transformed completely into yang, leaving no trace ofyin. “I don’t believe it,” you say. Of course you don’t. If you did,
you would be just like the Second Patriarch.
When the executioner saw that the Master did not bleed, heexclaimed, “Hey! He really is a freak! I chopped off his head, butwhat came out was not blood, but this milky white fluid. And his
face looks exactly as it did when he was alive!” The Emperor
knew that he had executed a saint, because he remembered that
the Twenty-fourth Indian Patriarch, Aryasimha, had also been
beheaded and had not bled, but a white milky liquid had poured
forth, because he had been without outflows. When one has no
ignorance, one may attain to a state without outflows and enter
the white yang realm.

12.

22

– pai yang shih chieh.

Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

You think, “But you just said that Patriarch Hui K’o hadgreat anger. How could he have been without ignorance?” You
are certainly more clever than I am, for I did not think of thisquestion. But now that you have brought it up, I will answer it.
His was not petty anger like yours and mine which explodes likefirecrackers, “Pop! Pop! Pop.” His anger was wisdom andbecause of it his body became yang. Great patience, greatknowledge, great courage, and great wisdom: that’s what his
temper was made of.
Realizing that Hui K’o was a Bodhisattva in the flesh, theEmperor felt great shame. “A Bodhisattva came to our country,”
he said, “and instead of offering him protection, we killed him.”
Then the Emperor had all the great officials take refuge with thisstrange Bhikshu. Thus, even though the Second Patriarch had
already been executed, he still accepted these disciples.
The Third Patriarch, Seng Ts’an of the Sui Dynasty, was of
unknown family name and origin. When he first came to visit theSecond Patriarch, his body was covered with repulsive sores likethose of a leper.
“Where are you from?” asked the Second Patriarch. “Whatare you doing here?”“I have come to take refuge with the High Master, and to
study and cultivate the Buddhadharma,” answered Seng Ts’an.
“You have a loathsome disease and your body is filthy. How
can you study the Buddhadharma?”
Master Hui K’o was clever, but Dhyana Master Seng Ts’an
was even more clever. “I am a sick man and you are a highmaster,” he said, “but in our true minds where is the difference?”
Thereupon, the Second Patriarch transmitted the Dharma to
Seng Ts’an saying, “This robe and bowl have been passed onfrom Bodhidharma. They certify that you have received theDharma Seal. In order to protect it you must go into hiding,23

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

because Bodhiruci’s followers will try to harm you. Be very
careful and let no one know that you have received thetransmission.”
The Third Patriarch Seng Ts’an also feigned insanity while
he taught living beings. During the persecution of Buddhism by
the Emperor Wu of the Northern Chou dynasty (reigned from561-577 A.D.), the Patriarch fled into the mountains. While hehid there, the tigers, wolves, leopards, and other fierce animals
all disappeared.
After transmitting the Dharma to the Fourth Patriarch, Tao
Hsin, Master Seng Ts’an invited a thousand Bhikshus to a great
vegetarian feast. After they had eaten, he said, “You think that tosit in full lotus is the best way to die. Watch! I’ll demonstrate myindependence over birth and death!” The Master left the dining
hall, followed by the thousand Bhikshus. He halted by the trunkof a tree, and after pausing for a moment, he leapt up andgrabbed a big branch. Then while swinging from the tree by one
hand, he entered Nirvana. No one knew his name or hisbirthplace.
Someone is afraid and thinks, “The First Patriarch waspoisoned, the Second Patriarch was beheaded, and the Third
Patriarch died hanging from a tree. I certainly do not want to bea patriarch. It’s much too dangerous.” With this attitude, even if
you wanted to be a patriarch you could not. As long as you fear
death, as long as you fear anything at all, you cannot even be apatriarch’s disciple. Patriarchs are not afraid of suffering. They
are not afraid of life and they are not afraid of death. Making no
distinctions between life and death, they roam among people,
teaching and transforming them. Like Fo T’o and Yeh She, theyknow that affliction is just Bodhi and that birth and death isNirvana. So, tell me now, who is not afraid of birth and death? Ifthere is such a one, I will make him a patriarch.
24Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

The Fourth Patriarch’s name was Tao Hsin. While very
young, Master Tao Hsin left home under Master Seng Ts’an andfor sixty years he sat in Dhyana concentration, without lying
down to rest. Although he seldom opened his eyes, he wasn’t
asleep. He was working at cultivation. When he did open hiseyes, everyone shook with terror. Why? No one knew. Such was
the magnitude of his awesome virtue.
Hearing of the Master’s great virtue, in the seventeenth yearof the Chen Kuan Reign of the T’ang dynasty (643 A.D.), theEmperor sent a messenger to invite him to the palace to receive
offerings. Unlike we common people, who would attempt towedge ourselves into the court without being asked, the Great
Master, the Fourth Patriarch, refused the invitation saying, “I am
too old and the journey would be tiring. Eating on the road would
be too difficult. I cannot undergo such hardship.”
When the messenger delivered the Patriarch’s reply, theEmperor said, “Go back and tell him that the Emperor says thatno matter how old he is or how difficult the journey, I haveordered him to come to the palace.”
The messenger returned to the Patriarch and said, “Master,regardless of your health, you must come to the Emperor’s court.
We will carry you back, if necessary!” At that time, since there
were no airplanes or cars, travel was difficult.
“No, I cannot go,” replied the Patriarch. “I am too old and ill.
Take my head if you must, but my heart will not go.”
The messenger thought, “There is nothing to do but to go
back without him. I cannot take his head to the Emperor. This
Bhikshu is very strange; he is hardly human.”
The messenger then hurried back to the Emperor. “Your
Excellency, you may have the Master’s head, but his heart will
not move!”
25

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“Very well, go get his head,” replied the Emperor. He put aknife in a box and gave it to the messenger saying, “Slice off hishead, but under no circumstances should you harm thisBhikshu.”
The messenger understood. He returned to the Fourth
Patriarch. “Venerable Master, if you refuse to come, theEmperor has ordered me to cut off your head,” he said.
Patriarch Tao Hsin said, “If in this life my head gets to see
the Emperor, that will be great glory. You may remove my headnow.” The messenger took out the knife and prepared to cut off
his head. The Great Master closed his eyes and waited calmly forabout ten minutes. Maybe it was ten minutes, maybe it was nineor eleven. Don’t become attached. It is certainly not determinedexactly how long he waited. But nothing happened, and finally
Master Tao Hsin got angry, just like the Second Patriarch, andshouted, “Hey! Why don’t you slice off my head!”“The Emperor had no intention of harming you,” themessenger quickly replied. “He was just bluffing.”
The Patriarch heard this and laughed aloud. Then he said,“Now you know that there is still a person in the world who does
not fear death.”
The family name of the Fourth Patriarch was Ssu Ma and his
personal name was Hsin. Ssu Ma was an honorable ancestral
name. Both the Emperor Ssu Ma of the Chin dynasty and thehistorian and skilled writer Ssu Ma Ch’ien of the Han dynasty
had this name. When the Fourth Patriarch became a Bhikshu hetook the new name Tao Hsin. He lived seventy-two years, sixtyof which were spent without lying down even once to sleep. The
Fourth Patriarch’s realm of accomplishment was inconceivable.
While Tao Hsin was cultivating, a nearby city was besieged
by bandits for more than a hundred days, depriving its
inhabitants of water and supplies. Seeing the lives of the people
26Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

in danger, Master Tao Hsin left his mountain retreat to rescue thecity dwellers. He taught them all to recite “Mahaprajnaparamita.” After they had recited for a time, the bandits fled andwater reappeared in the wells. This is the response based on the
Way which Master Tao Hsin evoked as a result of his superior
cultivation.
When the Fourth Patriarch decided to build a temple, helooked with his Buddha eye and saw Broken Head Mountainsurrounded by a purple cloud of energy. Observing thisauspicious sign, the Master went there to dwell, changing its
inauspicious name, “Broken Head,” to “Double Peak”
Mountain.
The Master used expedient dharmas to teach living beings
how to discard their bad habits. These stubborn living beings,
however, often discarded what was good and continued doing
evil. But the Master persisted and by using all kinds of skill-inmeans caused these stubborn living beings to realize their
mistakes. He propagated the Dharma for more than forty years,transforming living beings greater in number than seedlings ofrice, stalks of hemp, shoots of bamboo, or blades of grass.
One day the Fourth Patriarch said to his disciple Dharma
Master Yüan I, “You should build me a Stupa13. I am going toleave.”In the second year of Yung Hui, of the T’ang dynasty (651
A.D.), on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth lunar month,
Patriarch Tao Hsin, who had never been ill, sat down and entered
Nirvana. His disciples locked his flesh body securely in the stone
Stupa. A year later the iron locks fell away and the Stupa opened
by itself. Looking in, everyone saw the body of the Fourth
13.

Stupas are reliquaries designed to hold the remains of Buddhas, Buddhist saints,
and patriarchs

27

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Patriarch still sitting in full lotus, appearing the same as when he
was alive. The Master’s body had not decayed, but the flesh had
dried out. The Fifth Patriarch, Hung Jen, wrapped the body withlacquered cloth and gilded it. This “true body” still exists today.
The Fifth Patriarch, Hung Jen, also lived during the T’ang
dynasty. His family name was Chou. He lived in Huang Mei
County near Double Peak Mountain. When he was seven, hewent to the temple on the mountain to attend upon the Fourth
Patriarch. The Great Master Hung Jen cleaned the lamps andcenser before the Buddha images; he swept the floor, carriedwater, split firewood, and worked in the kitchen. At age thirteen
he took the ten novice precepts and studied under the Fourth
Patriarch for over thirty years.
The Fifth Patriarch was eight feet tall and had an
extraordinary appearance. When others treated him badly, heremained silent and unmoved. Because he did not give rise todiscrimination, he never spoke of “right” or “wrong”, and when
fellow Bhikshus bullied him, he never fought back. His calm,
quiet manner indicated that he had realized a state of peace.
Even after working hard all day, the Master didn’t rest.
Instead of sleeping, he sat in meditation, uniting body and mind
in powerful samadhi.
Master Hung Jen lived in the woods of P’ing Mao Mountainslightly east of Double Peak Mountain, so his teaching is called
the East Mountain Dharma Door. Once, like his master the
Fourth Patriarch, he saw a horde of bandits besieging a nearby
city. Their leader, a Mongol named K’e Ta Ha Na Lu, and his
followers had so tightly cut off the communications that even thebirds couldn’t fly in or out. The Fifth Patriarch went down P’ing
Mao Mountain toward the city. When the bandits saw him, they
were terrified, for they saw not only the Patriarch, but also a
retinue of golden-armored vajra king Bodhisattvas armed with28

Introduction - The Five Previous Chinese Patriarchs

jeweled weapons, manifesting awesome virtue and brightness.
The thieves retreated, their siege broken.
How was the Great Master able to command these vajra kingBodhisattvas? The Fifth Patriarch had cultivated and he recited
the Shurangama Mantra. The Shurangama Sutra says that if you
are constantly mindful of the Shurangama Mantra, eighty-four
thousand vajra store Bodhisattvas will protect you from all
danger.
In the fifth year of the Hsien Ch’ing reign of the T’ang
dynasty (660 A.D.), the Emperor invited Great Master Hung Jen
to the palace. The Master declined the invitation. The Emperor
sent a second invitation which the Master also declined. Finally,
the Emperor sent a variety of gifts, including rare medicinal
herbs, as an offering to the Great Master, the Fifth Patriarch.
In the fifth year of the Hsien Hsiang reign of the T’ang
dynasty (674 A.D.), the Fifth Patriarch said to his disciple,
Master Hsüan Chi, “Build me a Stupa. I am going to leave.” In
the second month on the fourteenth day he asked, “Is the Stupa
ready?” Master Hsüan Chi replied that it was. The Patriarch said,“For many years I have taught living beings. I have taken acrossthose whom I must take across and have transmitted my Dharma
to Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch. Now, in addition, you ten
should become Dharma Hosts, and establish Bodhimandas topreserve and spread the teaching among living beings.”
The ten he addressed were: Dharma Masters Shen Hsiu, Chih
Hsien, I Fang, Chih Te, Hsüan Chi, Lao An, Fa Ju, Hui Tsang,
Hsüan Yao, and also Upasaka Liu Chu Pu, who had dealt withcorrespondence and accounting. The Fifth Patriarch sent each ofthese ten people to a different place to teach and transform living
beings.
Shortly thereafter, he sat very still and his energy dispersed
as he entered Nirvana. During the seventy-four years of his life,
29

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

the Fifth Patriarch Hung Jen had accepted many disciples, andhad transmitted the Dharma to the Great Master Hui Neng.

30

A General Introduction
Edited by Bhikshu Fa Hai of the T’ang Dynasty
What follows is not the Sutra text, but an introduction to theSutra which was written by The Sixth Patriarch’s disciple, Fa
Hai. When the Sixth Patriarch taught Dharma, Master Fa Hai
followed him, recording all of the things the Patriarch said.
Later, he compiled and edited his notes, calling them The Sixth
Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra. Had he not done this,
we would have no way to study the Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma.
Therefore, we should certainly be grateful for such compassion
as his.
Dharma Master Fa Hai’s lay name was Chang, and his
common name was Wen Yün. He was a native of Ch’ü Chiang,
which is about ten miles from Nan Hua monastery. He was a“room-entering disciple,” that is, a disciple to whom the Masterhad transmitted the Dharma. Though his introduction is not partof the Sutra proper, I will explain it to you, because it narrates
some important events in the life of the Great Master.
Text:
The Great Master was named Hui Neng. His father
was of the Lu family and had the personal name Hsing
T’ao. His mother was of the Li family. The Master wasborn on the eighth day of the second month of the year
Wu Hsü, in the twelfth year of the Chen Kuan Reign of
the T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 638).
31

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

At that time, a beam of light ascended into space anda strange fragrance filled the room. At dawn, two strange
Bhikshus came to visit. They addressed the Master’sfather saying, “Last night a son was born to you and wehave come to name him. It can be Hui above and below,
Neng.”The Father said, “Why shall he be called Hui Neng?”
The Monk said, “‘Hui’ means he will bestow theDharma upon living beings. ‘Neng’ means he will be able
to do the Buddha’s work.” Having said this, they left. No
one knows where they went.
The Master did not drink milk. At night, spirits
appeared and poured sweet dew over him.
Commentary:
The Great Master refers to the Sixth Patriarch, Hui Neng.
The Master’s merit and virtue was great, he had great wisdomand compassion and so was a master of gods and humans.
When one is alive, one has a personal name. After one dies,that name is avoided. Hence it is called a personal name, a namewhich is not spoken.
When the Great Master’s mother gave birth to him, a finebeam of light arose, like that which the Buddha emits from his
forehead. A strange, fragrant incense which had never beensmelled before filled the room.
At dawn, the heavens are half dark and half light. Chü Hsi in“The Song of Household Affairs” wrote:
At dawn, get up;
Sprinkle and sweep the hall.
The inside, the outside,
You must clean it all.
32

Introduction - A General Introduction

In China at that time there was no linoleum. In the morning,people sprinkled water on the mud floors, waited a bit, and thenswept their houses clean inside and out.
The two strange Bhikshus were quite different from ordinary
people. They were like the Fourth Patriarch who, by merely
opening his eyes, caused everyone to tremble in fright. These
two unusual Bhikshus came to name the Sixth Patriarch. Isn’t
this strange? Who has two Bhikshus come to name him?
To say “above” and “below” when referring to a person’s
name, is a most respectful form of address.
What the newly born Patriarch ate was sweet dew.
Text:
He grew up, and at the age of twenty-four he heard
the Sutra14 and awoke to the Way. He went to Huang Mei
to seek the seal of approval.
Commentary:
Some say that the Sixth Patriarch was twenty-four, others saythat he was twenty-two. As the Chinese count he was twentyfour and as Westerners count, he was twenty-two. Whether hewas twenty-two or twenty-four is not really important.
When the Sixth Patriarch heard the layman recite The
Diamond Sutra and reach the line, “One should produce thatthought which is nowhere supported,” the Sixth Patriarch said,“Oh! Not supported anywhere!” He was immediately
enlightened.
14.

The Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra, also called The Diamond Sutra.

This Sutra, with the Venerable Master Hua’s commentary is available intranslation from IITBT of SABA.

33

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

A great many people had heard The Diamond Sutra, but noneof them had become enlightened. Now in the West, perhaps
someone will hear, “One should produce that thought which isnowhere supported” and, understanding the principle, become
enlightened. That is what I hope. Whether or not it will actually
happen is another matter.
After becoming enlightened, he did not say, “Hah! I am
enlightened.” He was not like some people today who do notunderstand even a hair’s breadth of the Buddhadharma, yetclaim to be enlightened.
The ancients, even when they had become enlightened, did
not recklessly say, “I am enlightened!” Even less would people
who had not become enlightened claim to have done so. It isnecessary to seek certification from a good knowing advisor, aperson who has already awakened. That is why the Sixth
Patriarch went to Huang Mei to seek the Fifth Patriarch’s seal ofcertification.
Enlightened ancients did not attempt to certify themselves.
Today, however, there are those who have not become
enlightened and yet say that they have. Enlightenment and nonenlightenment are as different as heaven and earth.
Moreover, many naive young people take stupefying drugs
and claim to have “gone to the void.” Confused demons, posing
as good knowing advisors, certify them saying, “Yes, you haveattained to emptiness. However, there is no place for you to livein emptiness. Come Back. Come to my place. I have buildings
and houses; I have a commune!”
The young people say, “That’s not bad at all!” They take thedemons as their teachers. Ultimately these “bad knowing
advisors” do not know themselves if they are true or false. You
and I do not know either.
34

Introduction - A General Introduction

But now we should use the Sutras for certification. The
Sutras do not say that any foolish person has a commune inempty space. Even though rockets now go to the moon, space
settlements have not yet been built. So this kind of talk simply
does not get by.
Now we are exceedingly busy. In the morning, everyone gets
up at four o’clock to recite Sutras. We are busy building houseson the Earth, not in heaven. Why? We are people on earth and so
our houses should be built on the earth. We are forging ourbodies into indestructible vajra bodies. Our bodies are ourhouses, but they sometimes go bad. Now, from morning to night,
we are busy constructing them, cultivating them to be in the end
like indestructible vajra bodies.
With an indestructible vajra body you can go wherever you
wish. You can go into empty space, up to the heavens, down into
the earth, or to the dragon king’s palace. It is very simple and you
do not need a passport or a schedule. You are free to take off atyour convenience. But first construct your indestructible body.
Then you can do it.
Text:
The Fifth Patriarch measured his capacity andtransmitted the robe and Dharma so that he inherited thePatriarchate. The time was the first year of the reign
period Lung Shuo, cyclical year Hsin Yu (A.D. 661).
He returned south and hid for sixteen years.
Commentary:
After the Sixth Patriarch left Huang Mei, he had no safe place
to live. Because Shen Hsiu’s disciples and followers of non-35

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Buddhist religions wished to harm him, the Great Master went tolive with hunters for sixteen years.
During this time no one knew that he was the Sixth Patriarch.
He worked hard practicing Dhyana meditation while watchingover the animals and birds the hunters had caught and secretly
releasing the ones which had been only slightly injured andcould still travel safely. He had much time to cultivate andperfect his skill, for no one came to trouble him.
If you do not truly cultivate, everything is easy, but if you do
cultivate truly, demon-obstacles arise from the four corners andthe eight directions. Unexpected circumstances prevail andthings you never dreamed could happen do happen.
In his sixteen years with the hunters, the Sixth Patriarch
dwelt without disturbance, living just as they did. That isgenuine hiding. He did not seek fame or profit and he did not try
to take advantage of circumstances. He practiced genuine
cultivation.
Text:
On the eighth day of the first month in the first yearof the reign period I Feng (A.D. 676), the cyclical year
Ping Tsu, he met Dharma Master Yin Tsung. Together
they discussed the profound and mysterious, and Yin
Tsung became awakened to and united with the Master’s
doctrine.
Commentary:
They talked back and forth, querying each other on principle.
Who asked whom? Dharma Master Yin Tsung asked the Great
Master, the Sixth Patriarch. The Great Master had solved thedispute over whether the flag or the wind moved, by explaining
36

Introduction - A General Introductionthat it was the mind that moved, and Dharma Master Yin Tsung
had been astounded to hear a layman speak in such a deep andwonderful way. He got down from his Dharma seat and escorted
the Sixth Patriarch to his room for a chat. “Where did you comefrom and what is your name?” he asked. Dharma Master Yin
Tsung knew that this layman was a room-entering disciple of theFifth Patriarch, one to whom the Fifth Patriarch had transmitted
the Dharma. He immediately bowed to the Great Master. They
then investigated the profound and mysterious; they talked about
the wind and the flag. Until his talk with the Sixth Patriarch,
Dharma Master Yin Tsung had not correctly understood theprinciple of the Dhyana School.
Text:
On the fifteenth day of that month, at a meeting of all
the four assemblies, the Master’s head was shaved. On
the eighth day of the second month, all those of wellknown virtue gathered together to administer thecomplete precepts. Vinaya Master Chih Kuang of Hsi
Ching was the Precept Transmitter.
Commentary:
During the week of the eighth to the fifteenth day of the firstmonth, Dharma Master Yin Tsung gathered the four assemblies
together: the Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas.
The purpose of the meeting was to shave the Master’s head sothat he could leave home and become a Bhikshu.
People leave home for various reasons. Some find it difficult
to obtain food and clothing. They see that those who have left
home are well provided for, and so they leave home so they can
eat and be clothed. Others leave home because they are old and
37

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

have no children. They think, “I will leave home and take ayoung disciple who will care for me as a son would.” It is
uncertain whether people who leave home for these reasons canreally cultivate.
Some leave home because they are bandits or runaways.
They leave home and cut off their hair so that the government
won’t find them and cut off their heads! Some leave home whensmall, but it is not certain whether they can cultivate.
Some people have “confused beliefs.” Even so, they still
believe, and that is good. For instance, the parents of a sick child
may say, “The child may die of disease. We should give him toa temple and he can become a Bhikshu and we can go visit him.
That is better than letting him die!” So out of confused belief, theparents give their child to the temple.
People of confused belief may not necessarily be bad, butpeople who “believe in confused principles” are definitely not
good. They have faith, but it is misplaced. That is confusion
within confusion and it is not good.
Some are “confused and without belief.” In their confusion
they do not believe in anything. Finally there are the “believing
and unconfused.” These people study the Buddhadharma with afaithful heart until they are no longer confused.
Of these last four types of people who have left home, one
cannot say that any of them will be able to cultivate, nor can one
say for sure that they cannot. Perhaps only one or two per centcan cultivate the Dharma. However, if you resolve to attainenlightenment in order to end birth and death, you can surely
cultivate upon leaving home.
Again, there are those who no longer have a family and soleave their worldly homes.
Some leave the home of the three realms: the realm of desire,the realm of form, and the realm of formlessness. Once out of38

Introduction - A General Introduction

these three realms there are no desires, no forms, and no formlessconsciousness. Because of their non-attachment, these people
see the three realms as empty, and so it is said that they have left
the home of the three realms.
Some leave the home of afflictions. It is essential to leave
afflictions behind. If you do not cut them off, you may leave
home, but you cannot know the Way.
The Sixth Patriarch cannot be put into any of thesecategories, for he was a special case. He had attained mastery,and so whether or not he left home made no difference. Even
when he appeared to be a layman, he practiced the profoundconduct of a Bodhisattva and he did not behave like a layman. In
this way his act of leaving home did not resemble that of othersin the assembly.
The eighth day of the second month is the day when
Shakyamuni Buddha left home. On that day all the illustrious,
virtuous and learned Dharma Masters gathered from the ten
directions. Chinese Dharma Masters and Indian Dharma Masters
came to administer the complete precepts to the Sixth Patriarch.
Dharma Master Yin Tsung invited Dharma Master Chih
Kuang of Hsi Ching to administer the complete precepts to the
Sixth Patriarch. Hsi Ching is another name for Ch’ang An.
The person who administers the precepts is called the Precept
Transmitter. Precepts have a substance and mark and a dharma.
If you wish a more detailed explanation, even finer
discriminations can be made.
I do not use Ting Fu Pao’s commentary because it is often inerror. In this case he says that three people are required toadminister the precepts, while actually only one is necessary. At
that time, Dharma Master Chih Kuang acted as Transmitter.
Chih Kuang was also a Vinaya Master, one who diligently
studies the precepts and thoroughly understands the rules. In
39

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

walking, standing, sitting and lying down, in each of these four
great comportments, he must conduct himself in the awesomemanner, not daring to deviate for the space of a single step. Everymove a Vinaya Master makes must be in accord with the rules.
Therefore the Shurangama Sutra says, “Severe and pure in
Vinaya, they are noble models for the Triple World.”
Text:
Vinaya Master Hui Ching of Su Chou was the
Karmadana. Vinaya Master T’ung Ying of Ching Chou
was the Teaching Transmitter. Vinaya Master Ch’i To
Lo of Central India recited the precepts. Tripitaka
Master Mi To of India was the Precept Certifier.
Commentary:
Ting Fu Pao writes that there should be four Karmadanas, yet
the Sutra mentions only one. He says that the one mentioned was
the most famous of the four. Because he didn’t understand theprecepts, his commentary is confused. There was only one
Karmadana.
Karmadana is a Sanskrit word which means “to arrange
events,” or “to explain rules.” The Karmadana makes certain thateverything is done in accord with Dharma, in accord with therules established by Shakyamuni Buddha. Anything not inaccord with the Buddha’s rules is unacceptable to theKarmadana.
When conferring the precepts, the Precept Transmitter asks
the Karmadana, “May the precepts be transmitted to thisperson?” The question is asked three times, and each time theKarmadana must reply, “Yes.”

40

Introduction - A General Introduction

On the precept Platform, the Karmadana and the TeachingTransmitter sit immediately to the left and right of the Precept
Transmitter. The remaining seven certifiers sit on either side.
That is the arrangement of the three masters and seven certifiers.
They represent the Buddhas of the ten directions in speaking
Dharma and transmitting precepts. Therefore, when leaving
home, receiving precepts is especially important.
The Teaching Transmitter transmits the Sutras.
Ch’i To Lo, transliterated from the Sanskrit, means “flowerof merit and virtue.”
Dharma Master Mi To understood the three divisions of the
Tripitaka, Sutras, Sastras, and Vinaya, and so he is called a
Tripitaka Master. He is closely associated with the Chinese
Vinaya because he translated the Dharmagupta Vinaya from the
Sanskrit into Chinese. All the precept spirits protected thisintelligent master, and there are many miraculous events
connected with his life. Mi To means flourishing. His full namewas Ta Mo Mi To, flourishing Dharma.
Text:
Construction of the precept platform had begun in theformer Sung Dynasty by Tripitaka Master Gunabhadra.
He erected a stone tablet which said, “In the future, aBodhisattva in the flesh will receive the precepts in thisvery place.”
Commentary:
The “former Sung” was the dynasty that preceded the Sui
Dynasty, not the well-known Sung Dynasty of Sung T’ai Tsu.
Gunabhadra means “a worthy of merit and virtue.” Thismaster established a precept platform at what is now called
41

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Kuang Hsiao Monastery. His engraving foretold the coming of a
Bodhisattva in the flesh: not a Bodhisattva who had gone to
Nirvana, but a living Bodhisattva.
Text:
Further, in the first year of the T’ien Chien reign of
the Liang Dynasty (A.D. 502) Tripitaka Master
Jnanabhaishajya came by sea from West India carrying
a Bodhi-tree branch, which he planted beside theplatform. He, too, made a prophecy, saying, “After one
hundred and seventy years, a Bodhisattva in the flesh willproclaim the Supreme Vehicle beneath this tree. Taking
measureless multitudes across, he will be a truetransmitter of the Buddha’s mind-seal, a Dharma Host.”
Commentary:
Tripitaka Master Jnanabhaishajya, “wisdom medicine,”predicted that a living Bodhisattva would speak the Supreme
Vehicle Dharma from beneath that Bodhi-tree, teaching theDharma of a direct pointing to the mind to see the nature andrealize Buddhahood.
As a true transmitter of the Buddha’s mind-seal, thisBodhisattva would “use the mind to seal the mind.” Shakyamuni
Buddha held a flower in his fingers and smiling subtly,
transmitted the mind seal of all the Buddhas to the First
Patriarch, Mahakashyapa. Transmitters of the mind-seal are
patriarchs. A Dharma Host is one who lectures Sutras andexplains the Dharma.
Jnanabhaishajya brought a Bodhi-tree branch from India to
China; not a whole tree, just a cutting. Bodhi-trees will growalmost anywhere. There are many such trees in China today.
42

Introduction - A General Introduction

The Venerable Master Jnanabhaishajya’s flesh body has notdecayed. It is preserved for veneration at Yüeh Hua monastery
about five miles from Nan Hua Monastery. The caretaker there,
who has left home, does not feed visitors, so if you wish to visit,
you must bring your own food. When I was living at Nan Hua
Temple, I went to see the Master Jnanabhaishajya’s body andfound it in excellent condition.
Text:
In keeping with the former predictions, the Masterarrived to have his hair cut and to receive the precepts.
He instructed the four assemblies on the essentials of the
exclusive Dharma transmission.
Commentary:
The Sixth Patriarch had his head shaved and received thecomplete precepts. He then explained the Dharma for the four
assemblies, teaching them the exclusive Dharma transmission,that is, the Dharma which has been passed down through every
generation since the time of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Text:
In the spring of the following year, the Master took
leave of the assembly and returned to Pao Lin. Yin
Tsung, together with more than a thousand black-robedmonks and white-robed layfolk, accompanied him
directly to Ts’ao Hsi.
Commentary:
The Sixth Patriarch left and returned to Ts’ao Hsi.
43

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The black-robed are those who have left home; at that timelaypeople wore white robes. They all went directly to Ts’ao Hsi
with the Master. Some people say that they have been to Ts’ao
Hsi when they have not. They falsely claim to transmit the Ts’ao
Hsi Dharma and Dhyana source, the basis of meditation. The
Dharma-ending age is just that: false Buddhists with phonycredentials.
Text:
At that time Vinaya Master T’ung Ying of Ching
Chou and several hundred students followed the Masterand came to dwell there. When the Master arrived at Pao
Lin, in Ts’ao Hsi, he saw that the hall the buildings were
bleak and small, insufficient to contain the multitude.
Wishing to enlarge them, he paid a visit to the villager,
Ch’en Ya Hsien and said, “This Old Monk comes to theAlmsgiver seeking a sitting cloth’s worth of ground. Is
that possible?”
Commentary:
As soon as he realized that the Great Master was the Sixth
Patriarch, a transmitter of the Buddha’s mind-seal, Vinaya
Master T’ung Ying led his disciples to Ts’ao Hsi to study the
Dharma under the Great Master.
When the Sixth Patriarch arrived at Ts’ao Hsi, he saw that thebuildings were too small. Wishing to enlarge them, he paid avisit to the wealthy landowner Ch’en Ya Hsien. In this passage,
the Sixth Patriarch refers to himself as the “Old Monk.” Whenhe was twenty-four, he went to see Huang Mei; then he hid for
sixteen years. At forty years of age, he called himself an “Old
Monk,” and so I am entitled to do the same. The Master told
44

Introduction - A General Introduction

Ch’en Ya Hsien that if he gave alms, he could transcend birthand death.
Text:
Hsien asked, “How big is the High Master’s sitting
cloth?”The Master took out his sitting cloth and showed it to
Ya Hsien, who thereupon agreed. But when the Patriarch
unfolded and spread out his sitting cloth, it completely
covered the four borders of Ts’ao Hsi. The Four
Heavenly Kings15 appeared and sat as protectors in eachof the four directions.
Commentary:
The Great Master handed his sitting cloth to Ch’en Ya Hsien,
who said, “If you only want that large a piece of land, fine.”
But when he spread it out, the sitting cloth covered not only
the area around Nan Hua Monastery, but everything within ten
miles of where they stood. The Four Heavenly Kings appeared
and stood guard in each of the four directions.
Text:
It is due to this occurrence that the mountain range
bordering the monastery is called “The Range of the
Heavenly Kings.”

15.

Catur-maharajas, the four deva kings who dwell on each side of Mount Sumeru
and ward of evi1 influences. In the East, Dhrtarashtra, “the king who holds his
country,” in the South, Virudhaka, “deva of increase and growth,” in the West
Virupaksa, the “broad-eyed” or “ugly-eyed,” and in the North Vaishravana, the kingwho is “greatly learned.”

45

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Hsien said, “I know that the High Master’s Dharma
power is vast and great. However, the burial ground of
my great-great grandfather lies on this land. In the
future, if you build a stupa, I hope that this area willremain undisturbed. As for the rest, I wish to give it all to
be forever a treasured place. This ground has the flowing
current of a living dragon and a white elephant. Level
only heaven; do not level earth.”
Later, the monastery was constructed according to hiswords. The Master roamed within these boundaries, andat places where the scenes of nature were fine he stopped
to rest.
Commentary:
The area belongs to a living dragon; it has a flowing current
and the mountain is like an elephant. Here, one may build a“treasured place,” a Bodhimanda.
“Level only heaven; do not level earth,” that is, where theland is high, the buildings may be made lower, and where theland is low, the buildings may be made taller. But do not level
the earth, for if you do you will ruin the fine conditions of wind
and water and the land will lose its efficacious energies.
The Sixth Patriarch often roamed about the countryside andstopped to rest where the landscapes were especially beautiful.
Text:
Accordingly, thirteen Aranyas were erected, among
them the present Hua Kuo Hall. The site of the Pao Lin
Bodhimanda was decided upon long ago by Indian
Tripitaka Master Jnanabhaishajya, who, during hisjourney from Nan Hai, passed through Ts’ao Hsi, where46

Introduction - A General Introduction

he cupped up the water with his hands and found it to bedelicious. Surprised, he told his disciples. “This water is
not different from that in India. Its source would surely
be an excellent site on which to build a monastery.”He followed the water and looked in the four
directions. The mountains and waters encircled one
another and the peaks were impressive. He sighed andsaid. “This is just like Jewelled Wood Mountain in
India.”
Commentary:
Why is the area around Nan Hua Monastery called Pao Lin?
Pao Lin means “jewelled wood.” When the Venerable
Jnanabhaishajya drank the water at Ts’ao Hsi, its taste was
identical to that of the water in a certain place in India. He knewthat the source of the spring was indeed an efficacious spot on
which to build a temple. At dusk, he reached the site of Nan Hua
Monastery. Gazing up at the mountain, he said, “This mountainlooks just like Jewelled Wood Mountain in India. We shall callthis ‘Jewelled Wood Bodhimanda.’”Master Jnanabhaishajya was not alone; many of his disciples
were travelling with him. He said to them, “The source of thisstream is certainly a good site for building a temple.” Monastic
buildings are called Aranyas, a Sanskrit word meaning, “silent
place.” They are pure, quiet places for cultivation.
The clear blue waters reflected the bright shining mountainpeaks. The area was particularly beautiful.
Text:
He said to the villagers of Ts’ao Hou, “A puredwelling may be built here. After one hundred and
47

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

seventy years, the Unsurpassed Dharma Jewel will teachhere. Those who attain the Way in this place will be as
numerous as the trees of this forest. It should, therefore,
be called ‘Pao Lin.’”At that time Magistrate Hou Ching Chung of Shao
Chou reported these words to the Emperor who assented
and conferred upon it the name ‘Pao Lin Bodhimanda.’
The construction of the pure halls began in the third yearof the T’ien Chien reign of the Liang dynasty (A.D. 504).
Commentary:
The village was called Ts’ao Hou, “descendents of Ts’ao,”
because its inhabitants were descendents of General Ts’ao Ts’aoof the Period of the Three Kingdoms.
One hundred and seventy years after Master Jnanabhaishajya
made this prediction, the Sixth Patriarch received the precepts
and taught living beings at Pao Lin. The “Unsurpassed Dharma
Jewel” refers to the Sixth Patriarch.
Sangha and laypeople who were to attain enlightenment at
this place would be as numerous as the trees in a forest. It wastherefore to be called “Jewelled Wood.”
Text:
In front of the hall was a pond in which a dragon oftenswam, bumping and scraping the trees of the forest. One
day he appeared, larger than ever, covering the area witha thick mist. The disciples were afraid, but the Patriarch
scolded him, saying, “Hah! You can only make yourself
appear in a large body, not in a small one. If you were adivine dragon, you could transform the great into thesmall and the small into the great.”48

Introduction - A General Introduction

Commentary:
The dragon was so big that you could only see the dragon;
you couldn’t see the pond at all. He danced on top of the water,splashing it everywhere in waves which were ten feet, twenty
feet, and even thirty feet high. He was showing off.
“Incredible!” said the disciples. “This dragon certainly
intends to harm us.”The Sixth Patriarch shouted at the dragon. He said, “If you
really had spiritual powers, you could transform nothing into
something and something into nothing; you could transformyourself or not be transformed, just as you wished, manifesting
the great within the small and the small within the great.”
Text:
The dragon suddenly disappeared, but returned an
instant later in a small body, skipping about on thesurface of the pond. The Master held out his bowl andteased him, saying, “You don’t dare climb into the old
Bhikshu’s bowl.” At that moment the dragon swam infront of the Master, who scooped him out of the waterwith his bowl. The dragon couldn’t move. Holding thebowl, the Master returned to the hall and explained theDharma to the dragon.
Commentary:
When the dragon heard the Sixth Patriarch dare him to
manifest a small body, he disappeared. Strange? Think about it.
Suddenly he wasn’t there. Then, in the time it takes to feel ahunger pang, a little dragon appeared, dancing on top of thewater. The Great Master said, “You have a little body now, but
49

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

you wouldn’t dare get into my bowl, would you? You wouldn’t
dare. Dragon! I dare you to get into my bowl!”
The dragon flew across the water and swam up before thePatriarch. The Patriarch didn’t wait for the dragon to jump into
his bowl, but reached right down and scooped him out of thewater.
In Manchuria, where I am from, there is a saying, “Before
there were people in Manchuria, you could scoop up the fishwith a bucket and chickens fell into the cooking pot.” As for
rabbits, you could just step outside, swing a stick, and knockover a few. This is what is meant by “scooped.” Catching the
dragon was as easy as scooping for fish in Manchuria.
Text:
The dragon then shed his skin and left. His bones, only
seven inches long and complete with head, tail, horns, andclaws, were preserved in the temple. Later the Master
filled in the pond with earth and stones. Now, in thatplace, in the front of the hall on the right side is an ironstupa.
Commentary:
Dharma Master Fa Hai’s introduction says that the pond wason the left side of the hall, but it was actually on the right. One
commentator, Ting Fu Pao, had never been there andconsequently did not realize that the direction of the pond shouldhave been determined from the Patriarch’s position when sittingin the hall, that is, on the right side.

50

CHAPTER I.

ACTION AND INTENTION

Commentary:
In this first chapter of the Sutra, the Sixth Patriarch gives his
disciples a biographical sketch of himself. “Action” refers to the
Sixth Patriarch’s activities and “intention” is that upon which hebased his cultivation. “Action and Intention” refers to thesource–where it all began.
Sutra:At one time the Great Master arrived at Pao Lin.
Magistrate Wei Ch’ü of Shao Chou and other local
officials climbed the mountain and invited the Master tocome into the city to the lecture hall of the Ta Fan Temple
to speak the Dharma to the assembly.
When the Master had taken his seat, the Magistrate
and over thirty other officials, more than thirty
Confucian scholars, and more than one thousand
Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Taoists, and laypeople, all madeobeisance at the same time, wishing to hear the essentials
of Dharma.
Commentary:
For every Sutra, six requirements must be met. Commonly
explained in the opening sentences, they are: faith, hearing, time,
host, place, and assembly. Only when these six are fulfilled is theorthodox Dharma being spoken.
51

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

To conduct a Sutra session, there must be an assembly;
Magistrate Wei Ch’ü and the gathering of disciples andfollowers fulfills this requirement.
Then there must be a place to speak the Dharma; Pao Lin
Mountain fulfills this requirement. A Dharma Master who
thoroughly understands the Dharma must be present as host;here it is the Great Master the Sixth Patriarch. “At one time”
suffices for the time requirement, and that “all made obeisanceat the same time” fulfills the faith requirement. They came“wishing to hear the essentials of Dharma,” and that fulfills therequirements of hearing.
Wei Ch’ü and the officials climbed Pao Lin Mountain which
is about ten miles from Shao Chou where Ta Fan Temple, now
called Ta Chien Temple, is located. I lived there for a while. This
is where the Sixth Patriarch spoke The Dharma Jewel Platform
Sutra.
Sutra:The Great Master said to the assembly, “Good
Knowing Advisors, the self-nature of Bodhi is originally
clear and pure. Simply use that mind, and you will
straightaway accomplish Buddhahood. Good Knowing
Advisors, listen while I tell you about the actions andintentions by which Hui Neng obtained the Dharma.”
Commentary:
The Great Master spoke to the assembly; “You are people
with good roots and much wisdom. The self nature of Bodhi is
one’s own originally enlightened clear and pure nature. It cannot
be produced or destroyed, defiled or purified, increased or
decreased. Use this mind. Don’t use your false-thinking mind.”52

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Using his own name, in the formal style, the Sixth Patriarch
calls himself “Hui Neng,” saying, “Now I will tell you how HuiNeng obtained the Dharma. Listen!”
Sutra:“Hui Neng’s stern father was originally from Fan
Yang. He was banished to Hsin Chou in Ling Nan, where
he became a commoner. Unfortunately, his father soon
died, and his aging mother was left alone. They moved to
Nan Hai and, poor and in bitter straits, Hui Neng soldwood in the market place.”
Commentary:
From his native district of Fan Yang, Hui Neng’s father wassent to Ling Nan. Because the father is more apt to discipline thechildren, he is respectfully called “stern.” The mother ordinarily
offers loving kindness to her children, and so she is spoken of as“compassionate.”
Hui, ( ), “kind,” means that he was kind andcompassionate, bestowing Dharma upon living beings. Neng,( ), “able,” means that he was able to do the Buddha’s work.
The Sixth Patriarch’s family name was Lu.
Hui Neng’s father was banished to Ling Nan, a frontier
region during the T’ang Dynasty inhabited by government
exiles. The Sixth Patriarch’s father, an official, may have been
convicted of an offense and thus banished to Ling Nan.
Hui Neng had an unfortunate and unlucky life. His father
died when the Master was between the ages of three and five
years, leaving him alone with his widowed mother. He and his
mother moved to Nan Hai where they endured the hardships ofpoverty. How did they survive? Master Hui Neng hiked into the53The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

mountains and chopped wood, returned and sold it in the market
place, using the money to buy rice for his mother and himself.
Sutra:
Once a customer bought firewood and ordered it
delivered to his shop. When the delivery had been made,and Hui Neng had received the money, he went outside
the gate, where he noticed a customer reciting a Sutra.
Upon once hearing the words of this Sutra: “One should
produce that thought which is nowhere supported.” Hui
Neng’s mind immediately opened to enlightenment.
Commentary:
Because the Sixth Patriarch’s family was poor, he received
little formal schooling and could not read. At that time in China
one needed money to go to school. But in spite of his illiteracy,
the Sixth Patriarch’s disposition was extremely sharp; and assoon as he heard the line of the Sutra which says that one shouldhave a true mind which is nowhere attached, he immediately
became enlightened. He understood what he had neverunderstood before.
Many will hear the sentence; “One should produce thatthought which is nowhere supported.” Are there any who will
open to enlightenment?
Someone exclaims, “Why, I have!”
I ask you, what is the enlightenment you have opened? Whatis the enlightenment unopened? Ask yourself.
Sutra:
Thereupon he asked the customer what Sutra he wasreciting. The customer replied, “The Diamond Sutra.”54

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Then again he asked, “Where do you come from, andwhy do you recite this Sutra?”The customer said, “I come from Tung Ch’an
Monastery in Ch’i Chou, Huang Mei Province. There theFifth Patriarch, the Great Master Hung Jen dwells,
teaching over one thousand disciples. I went there to
make obeisance and heard and received this Sutra.”Commentary:
The Great Master the Fifth Patriarch lived in Tung Ch’an
Monastery with more than a thousand disciples whom he taught
and transformed. At that time in China the study of the Dharma
was so fervently pursued that it was not unusual to have athousand people on one mountain studying the Buddhadharma
together.
Where in America are there a thousand Buddhist disciples
studying the Dharma together? Such a large country yet there isno such place. It is possible, however, that later there will be
more than ten thousand people studying the Buddhadharma, but
this is not assured. We will have to watch my disciples and see
how hard they work.
Most Americans are intelligent, but there are some whose
intelligence surpasses itself. Everyday from morning to night
they are caught up in taking confusing drugs. By taking thesedrugs they may attain small and different states of consciousness
which they cannot obtain without drugs. These people try drugs
again and again until one day they see that it is useless. They
think, “I’ve been taking drugs for such a long time now and I still
have not become enlightened.” When they realize this, they may
turn toward the truth.
I teach you the Buddhadharma so in the future you can speak
the Dharma to teach and transform living beings. Do not be
55

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

careless, but work well and without confusion and then many
will come to study.
You who are now studying this Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra must
know the origin of your learning. When people ask, “Where did
you study the Buddhadharma?” you can reply, “We studied at
the Buddhist Lecture Hall of the Sino-American Buddhist
Association.” This is just what is meant by this passage of text.
Sutra:“The Great Master constantly exhorts the Sangha
and laity only to uphold The Diamond Sutra. Then, they
may see their own nature and straightaway achieve
Buddhahood.”
Hui Neng heard this and desired to go and seek the
Dharma, but he recalled that his mother had no support.
From past lives there were karmic conditions which
led another man to give Hui Neng a pound of silver, sothat he could provide clothing and food for his aging
mother. The man instructed him further to go to Huang
Mei to call upon and bow to the Fifth Patriarch.
Commentary:
You should be clear that the “Great Master” referred to hereis the Fifth Patriarch not the Sixth Patriarch.
When Hui Neng heard that there was a place where over one
thousand people were studying the Buddhadharma together, hebecame very excited. “What am I to do? I really want to study
there!” he exclaimed to the customer. “I heard you recite The
Diamond Sutra and I understood the principles. I want to go seek
the Buddhadharma, but I have an aging mother who has no one
to care for her. What can I do?”56

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Since Bodhisattvas do not seek fame, the Sixth Patriarch did
not say which great Bodhisattva helped him at this time. The
Sutra simply says that, because of former karmic conditions, acustomer gave Hui Neng a pound of silver. This was certainly avaluable offering. The yield of a day’s work chopping firewood
was worth only a few copper pennies in the market place so even
if Hui Neng had sold all the wood gathered in a thousand days,
its value would not have equaled the gift of silver.
The silver provided for his mother’s food and lodging.
Maybe the man said, “You are poor and yet you want to study
the Buddhadharma. Here, I will help you a bit,” and gave him anoffering that he might go and seek Dharma. The merit and virtueof this offering was great, and in the future this man willcertainly be a flesh body Bodhisattva. Now, perhaps one of us isdoing this kind of work; think to yourself, “Have I done this kindof meritorious deed?” You don’t remember? It doesn’t matter,
there’s no need to have false thinking about it.
The man urged him on, saying, “You have such great faiththat as soon as you heard this Sutra you opened to enlightenment
and understood the principle. Hurry! Go right away to see theGreat Master at Huang Mei! It will surely be worth your while.
Do not delay, go at once!”
Sutra:
After Hui Neng had made arrangements for his
mother’s welfare, he took his leave. In less than thirtydays he arrived at Huang Mei and made obeisance to theFifth Patriarch, who asked him, “Where are you fromand what do you seek?”
Hui Neng replied, “Your disciple is a commoner from
Hsin Chou in Ling Nan and comes from afar to bow to the
Master, seeking only to be a Buddha, and nothing else.”
57

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The Patriarch said, “You are from Ling Nan and are
therefore a barbarian, so how can you become a
Buddha?”Hui Neng said, “Although there are people from thenorth and people from the south, there is ultimately nonorth or south in the Buddha nature. The body of thebarbarian and that of the High Master are not the same,
but what distinction is there in the Buddha nature?”
The Fifth Patriarch wished to continue theconversation, but seeing his disciples gathering on all
sides, he ordered his visitor to follow the group off towork. Hui Neng said, “Hui Neng informs the High
Master that this disciple’s mind constantly produces
wisdom and is not separate from the self nature. That,
itself, is the field of blessing. It has not yet been decided
what work the High Master will instruct me to do.”
The Fifth Patriarch said, “Barbarian, your faculties
are too sharp. Do not speak further, but go to the backcourtyard.” Hui Neng withdrew to the back courtyard
where a cultivator ordered him to split firewood andthresh rice.
More than eight months had passed when the
Patriarch one day suddenly saw Hui Neng and said, “I
think these views of yours can be of use but fear that evil
people may harm you. For that reason I have not spoken
with you. Did you understand the situation?”
Hui Neng replied, “Your disciple knew the Master’s
intention and has stayed out of the front hall, so that
others might not notice him.”

58

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Commentary:
As soon as the Sixth Patriarch made arrangements for his
mother’s welfare, he left. Some thirty days later he arrived at theeast side of Shuang Feng mountain, at Tung Ch’an Monastery.
During his journey he had had no false thoughts and so he wasunaware of how much time had passed before he arrived at
Huang Mei. The Master was twenty-two years old at the time.
When the Great Master asked from where he had come, HuiNeng told him that he was from the south, from Hsin Chou. “I
don’t want anything at all!” he said, “I only want to be a Buddha.
All the rest is irrelevant.”
The Fifth Patriarch said, “You are a southerner, andsoutherners are all barbarians.” The word “barbarian” is, inChinese, “ke liao.”16 “Ke” is dog-like animal with an extremely
short snout. “Liao” refers to the coarse people of theborderlands. Basically, this means that those who cannot
understand the principles of being human belong to the categoryof animals. “And how can you become a Buddha?” asked theFifth Patriarch.
The Sixth Patriarch answered him promptly: “Althoughpeople are from the north and from the south,” he said, “theBuddha nature is one and is everywhere the same.”
The Fifth Patriarch’s disciples were gathered all around, so
he said no more. He simply told the Sixth Patriarch, “Good, youhave come. Now, go to work with the others. Hurry off!”
Hui Neng said his own mind always produced wisdom. This
wisdom is produced from one’s own self-nature, and the fieldsof blessings17 are not separate from it. “I do not yet know what
the Master wants me to do,” he said.
16.

–“ke liao”

59

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The Patriarch heard Hui Neng talking this way and said,“This barbarian has sharp roots!”18 He cautioned Hui Neng to be
more discreet and not talk so much. “Speak no more!” he said.
“Go to the back courtyard!”
In the back courtyard a cultivator told Hui Neng what to do.
When people first come to a place, they are always bullied. Thisdisciple, who had not yet left home said to Hui Neng, “You!
Every day you must cut wood, build the fire and cook the food.
Here’s an axe, and be sure to cut kindling too! Besides that,every day you must thresh the rice.”
Over eight months later, the Patriarch saw Hui Neng working
on the threshing ground and said to him, “I think that yourwisdom and opinions can be used, but fearing jealous people
might harm you, I have not spoken with you too much. Did you
know that?”
Hui Neng said, “I understand. I have not dared go into thefront Dharma hall to speak with the Master lest others notice myactions or the Master’s compassion toward me.”Sutra:
One day the Patriarch summoned his disciples
together and said, “I have something to say to you: forpeople in the world, the matter of birth and death is agreat one.
17.

Fields of blessings refer figuratively to the meritorious deeds one does before the
Triple Jewel (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha). Also, the robes worn bymembers of the Sangha are sewn in patches which resemble fields. By revering andmaking offerings to the Sangha, one “plants” seeds of merit and virtue in a place
where they will certainly “ripen” and bear blessed fruit.

18.

Roots refer to one’s capacity to hear, believe, understand, accept and maintain the
Buddhadharma. People may be endowed with superior, ordinary or inferior roots.

60

Chapter I. Action and Intention“All day long you seek fields of blessings only; you do
not try to get out of the bitter sea of birth and death. If
you are confused about your self-nature, how canblessings save you?”
Commentary:
The Fifth Patriarch said, “Regardless of whether you are
extremely rich or bitterly poor, you cannot avoid birth and death.
Consequently, you should know how you were born. If thisquestion of birth and death is not resolved, life is dim andconfused, and you are confused with coming and going.
“You do nothing but seek merit among the gods and among
humans; you do not know how to seek wisdom. Thus, you swirl
and drift in the suffering sea of birth and death.”
It is said that one who cultivates wisdom and does notcultivate merit is like an Arhat with an empty begging-bowl; heis very wise, but no one makes offerings to him. But if one
cultivates merit and neglects wisdom, he is just like a big
elephant wearing a pearl necklace; beneath the adornments ofblessing, he is stupid and will never solve the problem of birthand death.
Sutra:“Each of you go back and look into your own wisdom
and use the Prajna-nature19 of your own original mind tocompose a verse. Submit it to me so that I may look at it.
“If you understand the great meaning, the robe andDharma will be passed on to you and you will become thesixth patriarch. Hurry off! Do not delay! Thinking and19.

“Transcendental wisdom.” See Chapter II.

61

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

considering is of no use in this matter. When seeing yourown nature it is necessary to see it at the very moment of
speaking. One who does that perceives as does one whowields a sword in the height of battle.”
Commentary:“Verse” here is the Sanskrit word “gatha.” A gatha iscomposed of lines of uniform length, though the length may varyfrom gatha to gatha.
“Go quickly!” said the Fifth Patriarch. “Go as if a fire wereabout to overtake you. Do not dawdle and procrastinate saying,‘Oh, I cannot do it today. I will do it tomorrow instead,’ and then
the next day saying, ‘Not today either, perhaps tomorrow...’ Do
not keep putting it off and do not try to think about it. It is useless
to use your discriminating mind. If you have deep prajna
wisdom, you understand the moment you hear the words spoken.
Just as one grabs a weapon and confronts the oncoming enemy,
so do you perceive. You can see your nature in the same
immediate way.
Sutra:
The assembly received this order and withdrew,
saying to one another, “We of the assembly do not needto clear our minds and use our intellect to compose averse to submit to the High Master. What use would there
be in this?”“Shen Hsiu is our senior instructor and teachingtransmitter. Certainly he should be the one to obtain it. It
would be not only improper for us to compose a verse, but
a waste of effort as well.”62

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Hearing this, everyone put his mind to rest, and said,“Henceforth, we will rely on Master Shen Hsiu. Why vex
ourselves writing verses?”Commentary:
They went away to other courts, other gardens, and otherbuildings, saying to themselves, “Why worry about writing thisverse? We do not need to waste the effort.”
I believe the people who spoke this way were of Shen Hsiu’s
party. Why did they not write verses? Because Shen Hsiu’sfollowers were trying to make him the patriarch; all his
followers, disciples, Dharma brothers, friends, and relatives
contrived to set up the position for Shen Hsiu. They convinced
everyone else not to write verses, because if anyone else wrote
verses, then perhaps Shen Hsiu might not get to be the next
patriarch.
They secretly passed it around and whispered behind thescenes, like friends of a candidate for President who say, “Hey!
Vote for this one! He can be President!” They spread it about andstuffed the ballot box.
Convinced that they had no learning, the assembly decided it
was useless to write verses. Swayed by the rumors, they said,“The Senior-Seated Shen Hsiu is second to the Abbot. His
literary skill is good, his virtue is high, he lectures on the Sutras
and speaks Dharma for us. Certainly he should become the sixth
patriarch.”
When the assembly heard Shen Hsiu’s followers saying
things like, “If we write verses, they will be very unpolished andcertainly not good enough to submit,” they all decided not towrite verses themselves. They didn’t want to compete with Shen
Hsiu, their superior.
63

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:
Shen Hsiu then thought, “The others are notsubmitting verses because I am their teachingtransmitter. I must compose a verse and submit it to theHigh Master.
“If I do not submit a verse, how will the High Masterknow whether the views and understanding in my mind
are deep or shallow?
“If my intention in submitting the verse is to seek the
Dharma, that is good. But if it is to grasp thepatriarchate, that is bad, for how would that be different
from the mind of a common person coveting the holy
position? But, if I do not submit a verse, in the end I will
not obtain the Dharma. This is a terrible difficulty!”
Commentary:
The Fifth Patriarch had announced that in order to obtain the
Dharma, one must compose a verse. Shen Hsiu knew that if he
did not submit one, the Fifth Patriarch would not know whether
Shen Hsiu had wisdom and he could not transmit the Dharma tohim. Shen Hsiu fretted and worried, “What shall I do? This isvery hard; it is just too difficult!”
Sutra:
In front of the Fifth Patriarch’s hall were threecorridors. Their walls were to be frescoed by Court Artist
Lu Chen with stories from the Lankavatara Sutra andwith pictures portraying in detail the lives of the fivepatriarchs, so that the patriarchs might be venerated by
future generations.
64

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Commentary:
A court artist is one appointed as an official to the Imperial
Court because of his talent.
The title of The Lankavatara Sutra has two meanings: “city”
and “cannot be gone to.” This city, located behind Malaya
Mountain, is inaccessible to those without spiritual powers.
Shakyamuni Buddha used his spiritual powers to go there andspeak The Lankavatara Sutra for the benefit of those who had
spiritual powers. The court artist was to depict the miraculous,inconceivable, wonderful transformations which took place inthe assembly on Lanka Mountain.
The court artist was also to paint pictures illustrating the flowof the Dharma from Great Master Bodhidharma, the First
Patriarch, to the Great Master Hui K’o, the Second Patriarch, andonward from generation to generation, to the Fifth Patriarch,
Great Master Hung Jen. The paintings would remain in the world
so that future generations might receive benefit from respecting
and making offerings to them.
Sutra:
After composing his verse, Shen Hsiu made several
attempts to submit it. But whenever he reached the front
hall, his mind became agitated and distraught, and his
entire body became covered with perspiration. He did not
dare submit it, although in the course of four days hemade thirteen attempts.
Commentary:
Shen Hsiu’s students were not greedy to become patriarch,but Shen Hsiu had a great desire for the position.
65

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Whenever he tried to submit his verse, he went a little crazy.
“What am I going to do? Is this verse right or not? Can I submit
it?” He did not know if it was right or wrong. “Ah, maybe...is it
this way or is it that way? Maybe it isn’t. Maybe it is...more or
less.” Endless questions flooded his mind, making him
extremely nervous. Every time he tried to hand it in, he broke out
in a heavy sweat. Why? It was a huge gamble; if he failed, hewould not be a patriarch, but if he passed, he would. Fear of
failure caused his extreme agitation.
It was really suffering, really hard work! It is not easy to bea patriarch. Look at how much effort he expended. For four
entire days and nights he never shut his eyes. He just kept trying
to submit his verse. At night he would go as far as the Fifth
Patriarch’s hall, peer around, break out in a sweat, and flee backto his room. During the day he tried again. In the periods in
between, he could not sit, lie down, or sleep, and when he tried
to eat, he couldn’t swallow.
He went before the Patriarch’s hall thirteen times and still did
not submit the verse. Now, when I give you a quiz, you write theanswers very promptly and hand them in. Suppose I were to give
you a patriarch test! I think your hands would tremble so that you
could not write out the answers. Finally, after so many attempts,
when Shen Hsiu had almost worried himself to death, hethought, “Hey! Get hold of yourself. Calm down and think thisthing over. Meditate and enter samadhi!”
Sutra:
Then he thought, “This is not as good as writing it on
the wall so that the High Master might see it suddenly. If
he says it is good, I will come forward, bow, and say,
‘Hsiu did it.’ If it does not pass, then I have spent my66

Chapter I. Action and Intention

years on this mountain in vain, receiving veneration fromothers. And as to further cultivation–what can I say?”That night, in the third watch, holding a candle hesecretly wrote the verse on the wall of the South corridor,
to show what his mind had seen.
Commentary:“That’s it!” he said with relief. “I will write it on the wall andwhen he sees it he will say, ‘This is truly a fine verse, truly
wonderful!’ and I will admit that I wrote it. But if he says, ‘This
is too confused. It is nothing but useless trash!’ then I will knowthat I have wasted my time here on the mountain.”He crept stealthily, like a thief in the night He carried just alittle candle, for if the light were too bright, someone might haveseen him.
Sutra:
Verse:The body is a Bodhi tree,
The mind like a bright mirror stand.
Time and again brush it clean,
And let no dust alight.
After writing this verse, Shen Hsiu returned to his
room, and the others did not know what he had done.
Then he thought, “If the Fifth Patriarch sees the verse
tomorrow and is pleased, it will mean that I have anaffinity with the Dharma. If he says that it does not pass,it will mean that I am confused by heavy karmic
obstacles20 from past lives, and that I am not fit to obtain
67

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

the Dharma. It is difficult to fathom the sage’s
intentions.”
In his room he thought it over and could not sit or
sleep peacefully right through to the fifth watch.
Commentary:
He bounded back to his room two steps at a time, as if hewere being chased, but quietly, taking great, silent leaps like anexpert military spy. He was afraid that if anyone saw him, theywould know he wrote the verse. But no one saw him, no one
knew–not even the ghosts and spirits. “If he likes this verse,”
thought Shen Hsiu, “then I must have conditions with thewonderful mind-to-mind seal of the Buddhas, and it is mydestiny to be patriarch. But if it does not pass, my confusionfrom the karma created in past lives must be a heavy obstruction.
It is hard to figure out what he will say. There is just no way toknow.”
Actually, his verse was not bad, but he had not fully
understood. So after he returned to his room, he was still uneasy.
Sutra:The Patriarch already knew that Shen Hsiu had not
yet entered the gate and seen his own nature. At
daybreak, the Patriarch called Court Artist Lu Chen to
fresco the wall of the south corridor. Suddenly he saw theverse and said to the court artist, “There is no need topaint. I am sorry that you have been wearied by coming
so far, but The Diamond Sutra says, ‘Whatever has marks
20.

The results of bad deeds done in the past manifest as various kinds of hindrances
which impede one’s cultivation and detain one’s enlightenment.

68Chapter I. Action and Intention

is empty and false.’ Instead leave this verse for people torecite and uphold. Those who cultivate in accordancewith this verse will not fall into the evil destinies and willattain great merit.”
He then ordered the disciples to light incense and bow
before it, and to recite it, thus enabling them to see theirown nature. The disciples all recited it and exclaimed,“Excellent!”
Commentary:“If you cultivate according to the principles contained in thisverse,” said the Fifth Patriarch, “you will not fall into rebirth in
the three evil paths of the hells, animals, or hungry ghosts, andyou will receive many benefits.”
Sutra:At the third watch, the Patriarch called Shen Hsiu
into the hall and asked him, “Did you write this verse?”
Shen Hsiu said, “Yes, in fact, Hsiu did it. He does notdare lay claim to the position of Patriarch, but hopes theHigh Master will be compassionate and see whether or
not this disciple has a little bit of wisdom.”
The Patriarch said, “The verse which you wrote
shows that you have not yet seen your original nature but
are still outside the gate. With such views andunderstanding you may seek supreme Bodhi, but in theend will not obtain it. Supreme Bodhi must be obtained atthe very moment of speaking. In recognizing the original
mind, at all times, in every thought, you yourself will seethat the ten thousand Dharmas are unblocked; in one
truth is all truth and the ten thousand states are of69

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutrathemselves ‘thus,’ as they are. The ‘thusness’ of the mind,
just that is true reality. If seen in this way, it is indeed theself nature of supreme Bodhi.”
Commentary:
The Patriarch chose the same hour at which Shen Hsiu had
written the verse on the wall the night before. He secretly called
him in and said, “Psst! Was it you who wrote that verse?”“Yes, yes,” Shen Hsiu whispered back, “yes, in fact, I, Hsiu,
wrote it. I do not dare seek the status of the patriarch, but...”“Your verse shows that you are still an outsider,” said theFifth Patriarch. “You have not yet seen your nature. As soon as
you speak the words, know your original nature!”
When you understand the mind and see your own nature, youknow that the nature is not produced and not destroyed; for at all
times, all dharmas are perfectly fused, without the slightest bit ofobstruction. There is no place where all dharmas are not
identical.
When you understand one truth, all truth is understood. The
ten thousand externals are all produced from the state which is“thus, unmoving,” and within the mind which is “thus, thus,
unmoving,” true reality is to be found. Seen in this way, this stateis the original nature exactly; it is the highest enlightenment.
And so, in response to Shen Hsiu, I wrote a verse myself:
Because of the Way,ten thousand things are born.
One who obtains it
penetrates the mystery oneself;
Awakened, the basic substance isfathomed:
Bodhi does not decrease or increase.
70

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Sutra:“Go and think it over for a day or two. Compose
another verse and bring it to me to see. If you have beenable to enter the gate, I will transmit the robe andDharma to you.”
Shen Hsiu made obeisance and left. Several days
passed, but he was unable to compose a verse. His mind
was agitated and confused and his thoughts and moodwere uneasy. He was as if in a dream; whether walking or
sitting down, he could not be happy.
Commentary:
After the Great Master had explained that the Bodhi selfnature cannot be sought with the mind that wants to takeadvantage of things, he told Shen Hsiu, “If you obtain theoriginal substance, become enlightened and understand the mind
and see your self-nature, entering the gate of the Buddhadharma
so that you are no longer on the outside, I will transmit the
Dharma to you.” “Enter the gate” means “understand the mind
and see your own nature.”
As the days passed, Shen Hsiu gradually went insane.
Neither his mood nor his thoughts would calm down. Although
he was unable to fall asleep he was as if in a dream. He didn’tknow what he was doing because his desire to become patriarch
was so great. I believe that, after he failed the initial test and thenwas unable to compose another verse, he even consideredsuicide.
Sutra:
Two days later, a young boy chanting that verse
passed by the threshing room. Hearing it for the first
71

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

time, Hui Neng knew that the writer had not yet seen his
original nature. Although he had not yet received atransmission of the teaching, he already understood its
profound meaning. He asked the boy, “What verse are
you reciting?”“Barbarian, you know nothing,” replied the boy.
“The Great Master has said that birth and death are a
profound concern for people in the world. Desiring totransmit the robe and Dharma, he ordered his disciples tocompose verses and bring them to him to see. The person
who has awakened to the profound meaning will inherit
the robe and Dharma and become the Sixth Patriarch.
Our senior, Shen Hsiu, wrote this ‘verse without marks’on the wall of the south corridor. The Great Masterordered everyone to recite it, for to cultivate in accord
with this verse is to avoid falling into the evil destinies andis of great merit.”
Commentary:
A young lad ventured close to the threshing floor where the
Sixth Patriarch was working, singing as he walked,
The body is a Bodhi tree.
The mind like a bright mirror-stand.
Time and again, brush it clean;
Let no dust alight.
The youth was chanting Shen Hsiu’s verse because hewished to obtain great benefit, avoid the three evil destinies ofrebirth, and see his nature.
When the Sixth Patriarch asked the boy what he was reciting,the boy replied, “You barbarian! Don’t you know that the Fifth72

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Patriarch said that of all the problems people face, the problemof birth and death is the most grave?”
A “verse without marks” is one which reveals that its author
is not attached to marks.
“You really have no good roots!” the boy said to the Sixth
Patriarch. “After so many days, you still don’t know? You areuseless, capable only of toiling at bitter work; all you can do ispound rice. You shouldn’t let such a fine opportunity slip by.
Listen closely, and I will tell you what has happened and teachyou this verse so that you too can become enlightened and see
your nature. Pay attention and rely on this verse as you cultivate
so that in your next life you won’t have to endure such suffering
as you endure now. You won’t have to be a horse or a cow or fallamong the other animals or into the hells. At the very least you’ll
be a wealthy and respected person of good fortune.”
The youth’s heart wasn’t bad at all.
Sutra:
Hui Neng said, “I, too, would like to recite it to create
an affinity. Superior One, I have been pounding rice here
for over eight months and have not yet been to the front
hall. I hope that the Superior One will lead me before theverse to pay homage.” The boy then led him to the verse
to bow.
Hui Neng said, “Hui Neng cannot read. Please,
Superior One, read it to me.” Then an official from
Chiang Chou, named Chang Jih Yung, read it loudly.
After hearing it, Hui Neng said, “I, too, have a verse. Will
the official please write it for me?”The official replied, “You, too, can write a verse? Thatis strange!”
73

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
The boy said, “Listen to me and I will teach you: ‘The body
is a Bodhi tree.’ Can you remember that? ‘The mind is like abright mirror-stand.’ You should remember that! Don’t forget!
‘Time and again brush it clean; let no dust alight.’ If you
remember that verse clearly and study as you chant, you’ll
certainly receive an efficacious response.”
Because the lad had been so considerate, the Sixth Patriarchreferred to him as “Superior One,” a title which is ordinarily
reserved for one’s master. People who have left home often calltheir teachers, “Superior One,” acknowledging their highachievement.
Then the Sixth Patriarch said, “The layman Hui Neng is truly
useless, for he can’t read a single word. Superior One, would you
please recite it for me? Having heard the verse, he said, “Well, I
have a verse, too, but I’m unable to write it. What can I do?
Please, good official, Layman Chang, will you write it out forme?”
The official was wide-eyed with surprise. He looked
scornfully at the barbarian and said, “Ha! You can write a verse?
This is very strange. In my whole life I have never heard of anilliterate who can write verses!”
Sutra:
Hui Neng said to the official, “If you wish to study thesupreme Bodhi, do not slight the beginner. The lowest
people may have the highest wisdom; the highest people
may have the least wisdom. If you slight others, youcreate limitless, unbounded offenses.”

74

Chapter I. Action and Intention

The official said, “Recite your verse and I will write itout for you. If you obtain the Dharma you must take me
across first. Do not forget these words.”
Hui Neng’s verse reads:
Originally Bodhi has no tree,
The bright mirror has no stand.
Originally there is not a single thing:
Where can dust alight?
When this verse had been written, the followers all
were startled and without exception cried out to one
another, “Strange indeed! One cannot judge a person by
his appearance. How can it be that, after so little time, he
has become a Bodhisattva in the flesh?”
Commentary:
Originally, Layman Lu had not planned to say a thing, but if
he had remained silent, no one would have helped him write averse. So in reply to the mocking of Layman Chang, the Master
said, “If you wish to study the highest Bodhi, do not ridicule
those who are studying the Buddhadharma for the first time.”
It may well be that those who appear to be the lowest andstupidest have the highest wisdom, for those who have truly
great wisdom may act as if they have no wisdom at all. No matter
what they are asked, they reply, “I don’t know,” This is an
example of the great wisdom which is like stupidity. For
instance, when I ask a question of my disciples they often say, “I
don’t know.” When they first came to study, they said, “I know
everything!”

75

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Once I met a person who said he knew everything. I asked,“How can you know everything? If you know all there is toknow, I’ll ask you a question.”
He said, “What is your question?”
I replied, “Do you know how many grains of rice you
swallowed at lunch today?”“No, I didn’t count them,” he admitted.
“Your ‘not counting’ is just ‘not knowing,’” I said.
Those who do the most menial work often have wisdom
excelling that of people in high positions. Then again, those who
ordinarily have great wisdom may have times when their
wisdom is suffocated by thoughts of desire.
“O.K., O.K.,” said the official, “that’s right. You certainly
speak with principle. Now, what is your verse? Recite it and I
will write it out. You don’t have to say another word. But you
must remember to take me across first because if I don’t write
your verse no one will know of it.”Originally Bodhi has no tree. Bodhi is just the Way ofenlightenment, and that’s all there is to it; how can there be atree? If there is a tree, Bodhi becomes a mere thing, a place of
attachment. Originally Bodhi doesn’t have anything. If you say
you are enlightened, what is enlightenment like? Is it green or
yellow? Is it red or white? Can you speak of the appearance ofBodhi when it has no appearance?
The bright mirror has no stand. You may say the mind is likea bright mirror stand, but there is actually no stand at all. If you
have a stand, you have a place where you can dwell. But you
should “produce a thought which is nowhere supported;” how
can you have a stand? If you have a stand, then you have adwelling place, a place where you are attached; therefore, thebright mirror has no stand. What is the appearance? No
appearance.
76

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Originally there is not a single thing. Basically there isnothing at all: no style; no picture; no shape or mark. Originally
there is nothing at all.
Where can dust alight? Since there isn’t anything, where
does the dust come from? Basically you have no dwelling place.
The essential meaning of the verse is this: You should “produce
a thought which is nowhere supported.” There should be no
attachment at all. This was precisely the Buddha’s meaning
when, upon becoming enlightened, he said, “All living beings
have the wisdom and virtuous characteristics of the Thus Come
One. It is merely because of false thinking and attachment thatthey are unable to certify to the attainment of them.” This was
spoken specifically to instruct people to put aside attachment, toproduce an unsupported thought.
If you are attached, what are you up to? Huh? Now you areattached, but in the future will you die, or not? What will you be
attached to when you die?
All the Bhikshus, laymen, and assembled disciples stood inastonishment and whispered among themselves, “Hey! Hey!
Does he have a verse, too? Oh! It’s really true, you can’t judge
people by appearances. This rice-thresher, Layman Lu, cancompose verses. We can no longer slander him and call him abarbarian.”“Why he hasn’t been here very long,” they continued, “buthow can you deny that he’s a flesh body Bodhisattva?” Actually,some were mocking the Sixth Patriarch, babbling, “Don’t lookdown on him. He’s a flesh body Bodhisattva.” Perhaps there
were Arhats21 in the assembly who intentionally made such
21.

The highest level of sagehood in the Lesser Vehicle, as contrasted with the Great
Vehicle Bodhisattva. “Arhat” has three meanings: “worthy of gifts,” “slayer of thethieves of affliction,” and “not to be reborn.”

77

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

comments so that people would look closely and clearlyrecognize that he actually was a flesh body Bodhisattva. Again
there were those who said, “This is truly a flesh bodyBodhisattva,” but meant it only as sarcasm and lighthearted
ridicule, for they still didn’t know if the verse was correct.
Everyone was chattering, exchanging comments, making
such a racket that the Fifth Patriarch came to the hall anddemanded, “What are you doing? What are you up to?”“This rice-thresher, this barbarian, can write verses!” they
stammered.
Sutra:The Fifth Patriarch saw the astonished assembly andfeared that they might become dangerous. Accordingly,
he erased the verse with his shoe saying, “This one, too,has not yet seen his nature.”
The assembly agreed.
Commentary:
The gathering was so excited the Fifth Patriarch feared thatsomeone might even try to assassinate Layman Lu. Thissentence of text proves that people with twisted hearts, followersof Shen Hsiu, were already locked in a fierce battle for positionsof power. If the Dharma and the Patriarchate were transmitted
publicly to anyone other than Shen Hsiu, that person would havebeen murdered on the spot. But they didn’t know that the Fifth
Patriarch was a bright-eyed one who read their scheming minds.
So to protect the Sixth Patriarch he erased the verse and said,“This man’s verse is also incorrect.”
Perhaps some of you are thinking, “The Fifth Patriarch lied!
First he said that if one cultivated in accord with Shen Hsiu’s
78

Chapter I. Action and Intentionverse, he would not be subject to the three evil destinies, butwould gain great benefit and see his own nature. Then the Fifth
Patriarch told everyone that Layman Lu had not really seen his
nature when, in truth, he had. Isn’t that false speech?
No. This is a provisional teaching, not false speech. The Fifth
Patriarch spoke to protect the new patriarch; he would not allow
the others to harm him. In this way, the Buddhadharma could
remain long in this world and be transmitted far and wide.
“Yes,” said the followers, “he has not seen his nature.”
Although they agreed, no one knew whether the verse was rightor not. The first verse said, “Bodhi is a tree;” the second said,“Bodhi has no tree.” The first verse said, “The bright mirror has
a stand,” and the second said, “There is no mirror stand.” Whichwas right? Which was wrong? No one understood. None of themhad become enlightened, so they couldn’t recognize an
enlightened verse. It is like the judging of a doctoral dissertation:
if you only have a Master’s Degree, you cannot judge a doctoral
dissertation. It is the same with the enlightened and theunenlightened: since they were not enlightened themselves, thefollowers did not understand, and so they simply agreed with the
Master and said, “No, this one has not yet seen his nature.”
Sutra:The next day the Patriarch secretly came to thethreshing floor where he saw Hui Neng pounding ricewith a stone tied around his waist, and he said, “A seekerof the Way would forget his very life for the Dharma. Is
this not the case?”

79

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
The next day everyone was quiet and no longer worrying
about who was enlightened and who was not. The Fifth Patriarch
secretly left his room and went quickly to the threshing floor to
see the Great Master Hui Neng. As he went he peered about tosee if anyone was looking; just like Shen Hsiu when he hadfinished writing the verse, he ran silently, darting glances over
his shoulder to make sure no one saw him.
When the Fifth Patriarch got to the threshing floor, he saw
Hui Neng pounding rice. He had tied a stone around his waist
and pounded rice so that others could eat. What was he doing?
He was practicing the Bodhisattva Way, forgetting others andhaving no notion of self. He did not think, “Why should I poundrice for you to eat? You don’t work. You don’t do anything at all!
I pound rice all day and it is very difficult!” He did not think thatway. Instead, he thought, “You do not work? Fine, I will do it
myself,” just like one of my disciples who is so busy that when
he is called to lunch he says, “Wait a minute, wait a minute!” I
really like that kind of disciple, but not everyone can be that way.
“Isn’t that so?” the Fifth Patriarch said. Remember this. It
ought, it must be this way! You must give up being afraid ofdifficulty to the point of forgetting to eat. No one knows how
many days the Sixth Patriarch went without eating. No one
called him to eat, and he himself forgot about it until he had nostrength. He tied a heavy rock around his waist to add weight to
his body so that he could pound the rice. I think he used the stone
to add to his weight because he had not eaten for some time;
however, you should not get attached and think, “It was
definitely like that.” On the other hand, do not think, “Itdefinitely wasn’t like that.” The profound insight comes fromprecisely that kind of non-attachment.
80

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Sutra:
Then the Fifth Patriarch asked, “Is the rice ready?”
Hui Neng replied, “The rice has long been ready. It is
now waiting only for the sieve.”
Commentary:
This passage in The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra is extremely
important. The Fifth Patriarch found the Great Master Hui Nengtoiling on the threshing floor and asked him, “Is the rice ready?”
On one level the question means, “Have you finished threshing
the rice?” On another level, the meaning is: “Have your efforts
been successful? Has your work taken you up the road?”
Why does the Sutra say, “rice”? Because rice is made up of
many grains, perfectly shaped, so symbolizing the precious
mani22 jewel of the self nature. “Is the mani jewel of your nature
ready? Is the light of your mind full? Is the light of your nature
full? Is the light of your body full?”When the raw grain is boiled in water it becomes edible. The
Patriarch’s question means, “How is your cultivation of theWay? You have been pounding rice and cultivating Dhyana
meditation. How is your skill?” There are many levels of
meaning here. The Sixth Patriarch, of course, understood theFifth Patriarch’s question, for it is said,
One who has gone through,knows one who has gone through;Those who do,know those who do.

22.

A jewel, a pearl, symbol of perfection and purity.

81The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“The rice has long been ready. My skill was perfected longago,” the Sixth Patriarch answered. “It is now waiting only forthe sieve.” In threshing rice, a sieve is used to sift out the husks.
Here, the sieve represents getting rid of the filth. The fourth
chapter of The Lotus Sutra tells of the poor son who spent twenty
years getting rid of the filth of the delusions of views anddelusions of thoughts23.
Although the Sixth Patriarch’s spiritual skill was perfected,
it still waited for the sieve; he still had to sweep out the filth ofthe delusions of views and thought. Do you understand now why
Sutras must be explained? If they were not explained, you would
not even know enough to sweep away the filth, and you would
be utterly useless.
Sutra:The Patriarch rapped the pestle three times with his
staff and left. Hui Neng then knew the Patriarch’s
intention, and at the third watch he went into thePatriarch’s room.
Commentary:
The Fifth Patriarch rapped the pestle three times with his
staff and left. Old monks who have left the home life to become
Bhikshus often carry a walking stick. Sometimes these staffs are
made of twisted vines. The Great Master Hsü Yün24 said:

23.

There are 88 categories of view-delusions, which arise when greed and love areproduced with respect to externals, and there are 81 categories of thought-delusions,which arise when, confused about principles, one gives rise to discrimination.

24.

82

The seventeenth Buddhist patriarch in China (1839–1959)

Chapter I. Action and Intention

We go to pick the ivy,
Lively like a dragon,
Beating wind and rain,
Beating empty space.
The ivy vine curves and twists like a dragon who by attacking thewind and rain attacks empty space. That is certainly a case ofgoing out to look for trouble. If that vine were as busy as mydisciples it would have no time to beat space and wind.
“Knock, knock, knock,” went the Fifth Patriarch’s staff, andhow do you think he left? If you know, then you know. If you
don’t know, then you must wait until I tell you. He went out withhis two hands behind his back, holding his crooked staff.
Why did the Patriarch rap three times? Do you understandthe meaning of that? The Sixth Patriarch understood right away.
The rapping meant, “Come to my room at the third watch, at
midnight.” This is called “speaking the Dharma without words.”
Here in the meditation hall, for example, when the wooden fish25
is hit twice, it means “Walk;” hit once, it means “Stop and sit
down;” hit three times, it means, “Meditate! Work hard!” Allthat is “speaking the Dharma without words.”
Why did the Fifth Patriarch carry his staff behind his back?
Now you are going to ask me, “How do you know he carried itbehind his back since it doesn’t say so in the Sutra?” Well, how
do you not know? I know that you don’t know. He carried itbehind his back to indicate that the Sixth Patriarch should comein by the back door. “Do not let the others see you come in!”If the Fifth Patriarch had said openly, “Come to my room at
the third watch and we’ll have a little talk,” I am sure that the25.

A wooden percussion instrument shaped like a fish, use in monasteries toaccompany chanting and to give signals.

83

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

word would have spread like fire to Shen Hsiu’s ears and Shen
Hsiu and his disciples would not have been very kind to the Sixth
Patriarch. The Fifth Patriarch tested the Sixth Patriarch’s
wisdom by rapping his staff three times and putting it behind hisback.
The Sixth Patriarch understood but no one else did. They
were all as if deaf and dumb, without any idea as to what had
transpired in this wordless exchange of Dharma.
At midnight, as soon as the Sixth Patriarch entered the room,
there was a quick exchange. “What are you doing here?”demanded the Fifth Patriarch.
“But the Patriarch told me to come at the third watch!” camethe reply.
“Really? Did I tell you that? How could I have forgotten?
What do you think you are doing? Why did you come in the backdoor instead of the front door?”“Did the Master not tell me to use the back entrance?”
The Fifth Patriarch laughed and said, “You are not bad, reallynot bad. You are all right!”
You, ask how I know that? I ask, “How do you not know it?”
Sutra:The Patriarch covered them with his precept sash sothey could not be seen, and he explained The Diamond
Sutra for him down to the line, “One should produce athought that is nowhere supported.”
Commentary:
The Fifth Patriarch was afraid that someone might have seen
the Great Master Hui Neng enter his room and might be outside
the window eavesdropping. At that time the windows were made84

Chapter I. Action and Intentionof paper; so, to insure privacy, the Fifth Patriarch pulled his robe
over both their heads.
The Fifth Patriarch’s explanation of The Diamond Sutra was
not a public one, such as I have given you. His was a secret andvery difficult explanation, telling the Sixth Patriarch how toforge an indestructible vajra body. When he heard the words,“One should produce a thought which is nowhere supported,”
Hui Neng achieved the great enlightenment and knew that all theten thousand dharmas are not separate from the self-nature. He
suddenly experienced that even greater enlightenment
Although the Sixth Patriarch knew the method, his afflictionsof views and thought had not yet been completely eliminated.
That he was waiting for the sieve can mean, also, that no one had
certified him. Even though, in his intense vigor, he had reacheda high peak, and the fire in the censer was pure green, he had not
yet been certified by a good knowing advisor. So when the Fifth
Patriarch heard him say that the rice was ready and merely
waiting for the sieve, he prepared to certify the Sixth Patriarch.
Because I have a kind of radar, I was able to record theirconversation and I shall now replay it for you. Keep in mind that
this is a T’ang Dynasty recording, not a present-day one:
“Do you want to reach Buddhahood?” asked the Fifth
Patriarch.
“Yes,” said the Sixth Patriarch, “I just want to become a
Buddha. I do not seek anything else. I only want to attain
Buddhahood.”“Your resolution is extremely firm,” replied the Fifth
Patriarch, “but if you want to realize Buddhahood you must first
cut off ignorance, for it is ignorance which produces theafflictions of delusion, brought on by false views and false
thought. If you want to cut off these afflictions, you must first cut
off ignorance.
85

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“For example, the cycle of birth and death is based on thestate of emotional love. When you break through ignorance, thenthe delusions of false views and false thoughts which are tied tobirth and death cease to exist, for ignorance is the root of birthand death. If you want to cut off ignorance and thereby put an
end to birth and death, then, as The Diamond Sutra says,“produce a thought which is nowhere supported.” That means do
not dwell in emotional love, get rid of desire, and cast out
craving. Then you can bring an end to birth and death.
The Sixth Patriarch heard this and suddenly became
enlightened. He saw through to his original face and said, “Ah!
It is basically just like this! It is not difficult at all! In fact, it’svery easy!” Thus he became enlightened.
This has been a T’ang Dynasty recording which has just been
played for you to hear.
In cultivating and studying the Buddhadharma, you should
produce an unsupported thought. That means to dwell neither inemotion nor love. If you dwell in emotion and love, you dwell inignorance, and thus in birth and death. If you do not dwell inemotion or in love, if you do not dwell in existence or nonexistence, you know the Middle Way. The Middle Way is notseparate from existence and is not separate from emptiness, nordoes it exist elsewhere. The ability to transform emotion andlove into genuine Prajna wisdom is enlightenment. Not changing
them is confusion. It is said, “Although the sea of suffering is
inexhaustible, a turn of the head is the other shore.” Thedifference between confusion and enlightenment is just in
knowing how to turn. If you accept emotion and love and run
after desire, then the more you run, the more confused you
become. If you can turn your head, you arrive at Nirvana, theother shore. If you do not turn your head, you become more andmore confused. The more confused, the farther away you are and86Chapter I. Action and Intention

the deeper you sink into confusion. But although you are
extremely far off, one turn can be sudden enlightenment. Sudden
enlightenment is awakening. Awakening is the Buddha.
You may be thinking, “If I become a Buddha, there won’t be
any work for me to do. Wouldn’t I just sit in a lotus flower all
day and wait for people to come and light incense and bow
before me? Frankly, I don’t think that sounds the least bitinteresting!” If that is what you think, you can go on being aliving being, but you can be a living being who is a friend toothers, taking them across to Buddhahood.
You need not worry about Buddhahood being uninteresting.
Yesterday I talked about the ghost who had no trouble and as aconsequence did not want to become a person:
I’ve been a ghost for three thousand years,
Without happiness, without fears.
Shen Kung tells me to go be a man,But I really just don’t think I can!
The ghosts have no fears, but they only come out at night,
because they belong to the yin, the darkness principle. The
Buddha is totally yang, like the light of the sun. So, you decide.
Do you want to be a ghost or a Buddha? If you want to be a ghost,then it is all right to have emotion and love. But if you want tobe a Buddha, you must “produce a thought which is nowhere
supported.”
Sutra:At the moment he heard those words, Hui Nengexperienced the great enlightenment and he knew that all
the ten thousand dharmas are not separate from the selfnature. He said to the Patriarch:
87The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

How unexpected! The self-nature isoriginally pure in itself.
How unexpected! The self-nature isoriginally neither produced nor destroyed.
How unexpected! The self-nature isoriginally complete in itself.
How unexpected! The self-nature isoriginally without movement.
How unexpected! The self-nature
can produce the ten thousand dharmas.
Commentary:
Great enlightenment penetrates to the beginning and to theend: it is a complete understanding of the deep Prajna wisdom.
Because the Sixth Patriarch understood Prajna wisdom he said,“The ten thousand dharmas are not separate from the self-nature,
for the mind produces the ten thousand dharmas.”
The Sixth Patriarch exclaimed that the self-nature is pure.
Why, then, does the Sutra say earlier that the self-nature isneither defiled nor pure?
The term “pure” represents the appearance of the original
substance, because the concept cannot be represented any otherway. Here, “pure” means “originally pure” and does not refer tothe purity which is the opposite of defilement.
Production and destruction, birth and death, occur because
living beings become attached. Without attachments, wherewould birth and death come from? Where would they go? Thereis no such thing as birth and death!
The Sixth Patriarch realized that the self-nature is originallycomplete in itself, with nothing lacking and nothing in excess. It
88Chapter I. Action and Intention

cannot be added to or depleted. In the final analysis the Buddha
is not greater than ordinary living beings. Why do living beings
fail to understand that? Because they turn their backs on
enlightenment and unite themselves with the “dust” of external
objects. With their backs turned, they cannot recognize theprecious things that are originally theirs. They cast the root aside
and grasp at the branches seeking pleasurable sensations which
are false. They grasp at fame and profit, stupidly.
Living beings are upside-down; they have no concentration
power. But, nevertheless, their self-nature is without movement.
Not only is that true of the Sixth Patriarch’s self-nature, but the
self-nature of all living beings is unmoving, too. All are equal.
The ten thousand dharmas are produced from the self-nature,and the self-nature includes all of existence. The Master hadn’t
comprehended that before, but now at last he understood thewonderful principles.
Sutra:The Fifth Patriarch knew of Hui Neng’s
enlightenment to his original nature and said to him,
“Studying the Dharma without recognizing the original
mind is of no benefit. If one recognizes one’s own original
mind and sees one’s original nature, then one is called agreat hero, a teacher of gods and humans, a Buddha.”
Commentary:
The Fifth Patriarch knew that the Sixth Patriarch had become
enlightened, and that he recognized his original face and knew
whether his nostrils faced up or down. When he held his handover his head, the Sixth Patriarch knew whether it was upsidedown or right-side up. Recently, I asked you all, “When your89

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

hand hangs at your side, is it upside-down and when you raise it
up over your head, is it right-side up? Or is it that when it hangs
at your side it is right-side up and when you raise it over yourhead it is upside-down?” None of you understood this principle.
Why? Because there is basically no such thing as upside-down
or right-side-up! The Sixth Patriarch was especially clear aboutsuch questions. The Fifth Patriarch knew that he understood andso he covered them both with his robe and said, “Unless you
recognize your original mind, it is useless to study the Dharma.”
It is said, “If one recognizes one’s own mind, the great earth
doesn’t have an inch of dirt.” It changes into yellow gold,
adorned with the seven precious things–gold, silver, lapis lazuli,
crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, and carnelian.
You say, “It doesn’t look like that to me.” Of course it
doesn’t. You haven’t recognized your original mind. When you
recognize it, you will see things differently. It’s like wearing
tinted glasses. If you wear red glasses, people look red, and if
you wear green glasses, they look green. If your glasses areyellow, then everyone looks yellow. Because you haven’t
recognized your original mind, the great earth appears to becovered with dirt. This is because the dirt within you is so great.
What is the dirt? It is simply your scattered thoughts, for withoutthem, the great earth doesn’t have an inch of dirt.
Studying the Buddhadharma is of no benefit unless you
recognize your original mind. Look at it! What color is it? Is it
green, yellow, red, white, or black? Is it long or short, square or
round? What does it look like? What is its appearance? To say it
has an appearance is an analogy, because fundamentally it has noappearance. When you recognize this “no appearance” you will
understand. But before you have recognized it, do not speak
about it in a confused way.
90

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Recognize your original mind and see your nature. At thatpoint you are a Buddha, because in the final analysis living
beings are the Buddha and the Buddha is a living being. We now
have the opportunity to realize Buddhahood. Not recognizing,not seeing, however, you still must study the Buddhadharma.
Sutra:He received the Dharma in the third watch and no one
knew about it. The Fifth Patriarch also transmitted theSudden Teaching and the robe and bowl saying, “You are
the Sixth Patriarch. Protect yourself carefully. Takeliving beings across by every method and spread theteaching for the sake of those who will live in the future.
Do not let it be cut off.”
Commentary:
At midnight, the Fifth Patriarch transmitted the wonderful
Dharma to the Sixth Patriarch, using the mind to seal the mind,
and no one at all knew about it. The insiders didn’t know, theoutsiders didn’t know, not even the ghosts and spirits knew.
The Fifth Patriarch transmitted the Teaching of Sudden
Enlightenment which points directly to the mind to see thenature and realize Buddhahood. “Think this over,” he said. “Youare the Sixth Patriarch. As you cultivate the Buddhadharma, youmust walk the true path. Do not simply talk about enlightenment.
Do not use ‘head-mouth zen’ and say ‘I have studied the Dharma
to the point that when there is no principle, I can make one up. I
can prove that there is no truth or falsehood, and that tounderstand that by itself is to understand the ultimate meaning of
the Middle Way.’ Don’t talk that way. It is just head-mouth zen
because it comes not from real cultivation but from jealousy and91

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

obstructions and an obsession to be number one. If you are like
that, you certainly can’t be a Patriarch.
The Fifth Patriarch gave the Dharma to Hui Neng because
Hui Neng always practiced the Bodhisattva Way. He poundedrice for everyone to eat and so helped them in their cultivation.
That same Bodhisattva conduct is practiced here in the kitchenof this temple by the cooks. They make extremely fine food!
However, when I eat I don’t notice whether it is good or not
because I don’t have time to investigate eating-dharmas. Today,
at lunch, didn’t I say that one who tastes his food and thinks it’s
good or bad has no spiritual skill?
Bodhisattvas help others at every level, not obstructing them,but, like the superior man, mentioning their good points instead.
For instance, when I announced that several people were going
to leave home and asked if anyone objected, no one did. You
said, “I commend those who want to leave home.” Your not
objecting is practicing the Bodhisattva Way.
Late at night, the Sixth Patriarch easily obtained thePatriarchate. The Fifth Patriarch approved, but he didn’t consult
anyone because he knew they would have protested.
“Go out into the world,” said the Fifth Patriarch. “Protect therobe and bowl, for they have been handed down from
Shakyamuni Buddha from generation to generation. Take
everyone across and spread the Dharma into the future. Do not
let it be cut off!”
The Fifth Patriarch, sad and worried, was on the verge oftears. How do I know he wanted to cry? The Second Patriarch,at his execution, had wept as he said, “During the time of the
Fourth Patriarch, The Lankavatara Sutra will become a mere
name and appearance. No one will understand it.” Now, in thesame way, the Fifth Patriarch’s heart welled up within him as hesaid, “Don’t allow the Dharma to be cut off. Be careful. Pay
92

Chapter I. Action and Intention

attention, Don’t be muddled or take your job lightly. It isextremely important that the Dharma not be cut off.”
Sutra:
Listen to my verse:
With feeling comes the planting of the seed.
Because of the ground, the fruit is born again.
Without feeling there is no seed at all.
Without that nature there is no birth either.
Commentary:“With feeling comes the planting of the seed.” I have afeeling of loving kindness and so I have come to plant a seed.
“Feeling” can mean compassion. I have a compassionate feelingand so I have come to plant the seed, to transmit the
Buddhadharma to you.
“Because of the ground, the fruit is born again.” Thistransmission is like putting a seed into the ground so that theplant can grow and bear fruit.
“Without feeling there is no seed at all.” Without feeling, noseed is planted. If no one transmits the Buddhadharma to you,then there is no Bodhi-seed.
“Without the nature there is no birth either.” Where there isno nature, there is no birth. That is one way to explain this verse.
There is another way:
“With feeling comes the planting of the seed.” The feeling isan emotional feeling of love. The seed is planted because of thisfeeling of love and people study the Dharma because of it. If they
are not relatives, they are friends. Relatives have relative’s
emotional feelings and friends have friend’s emotional feelings.
93

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Because you have these emotional feelings you come to study
the Dharma; you come to plant the seed.
“Because of the ground the fruit is born again.” Emotional
feeling plants the seed of Bodhi because of the ground which isthe place where one can reap the fruit. On this piece of ground,
you can grow the Bodhi-fruit.
“Without feeling there is no seed at all.” If there is no feelingor emotion, there is no seed. That is, if no one came to thisBodhimanda to study the Dharma, there would be no feeling andno seed planted.
“Without that nature, there is no birth either.” You cannot
realize Buddhahood without the Buddha nature. Now, theBuddha nature is here and you should realize Buddhahood.
The verse may be explained in many ways, so long as the
explanation is in accord with principle.
Sutra:The Patriarch further said, “In the past, when theFirst Patriarch Great Master Bodhidharma first came tothis land and people did not believe in him yet, hetransmitted this robe as a symbol of faith to be handed
down from generation to generation. The Dharma istransmitted from mind to mind, leading everyone to selfawakening and self-enlightenment.
“From ancient times, Buddha only transmits theoriginal substance to Buddha; master secretly transmits
the original mind to master. Since the robe is a source ofcontention, it should stop with you. Do not transmit it, for
if you do, your life will hang by a thread.”94

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Commentary:
Didn’t I say before that Chinese people have no respect for
Indian people? When Bodhidharma arrived in China everyone
said, “He’s a hick.” No one knew who he was. Even after five
years in China, he was not recognized as the Patriarch.
True patriarchs accept the robe and bowl as certification of
their rightly inherited position, while impostors may try to steal
the robe and take the Dharma by force. Shen Hsiu thought aforced inheritance would be real; but it could only be false.
During the time of the Fourth Patriarch, three attempts weremade to steal the robe and bowl, and another three attempts weremade during the time of the Fifth Patriarch. But the thieves
always failed because the Bodhisattvas came to the Patriarchs’
aid.
When the Sixth Patriarch was guarding the robe, six attempts
were made. Later the robe and bowl were taken by Empress Wu
Tse T’ien. It is not certain who it was entrusted to afterward.
The Fifth Patriarch cautioned Hui Neng: “If you suspend a
hundred-pound rock from a thread, it is certain to snap; so withyour life if you continue to transmit the robe.”
Sutra:“You must go quickly for I fear that people might
harm you.”
Hui Neng asked, “Where shall I go?”
The Patriarch replied, “Stop at Huai and hide at
Hui.”
Hui Neng received the robe and bowl in the third
watch. He said, “Hui Neng is a Southerner and does notknow these mountain roads. How does one reach themouth of the river?”95

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The Fifth Patriarch said, “You need not worry. I willaccompany you.”
The Fifth Patriarch escorted him to the Chiu Chiang
courier station and ordered him to board a boat. The
Fifth Patriarch took up the oars and rowed. Hui Nengsaid, “Please, High Master, sit down. It is fitting that yourdisciple take the oars.”
The Patriarch replied, “It is fitting that I take you
across.”Hui Neng said, “When someone is deluded, his mastertakes him across, but when he is enlightened, he takes
himself across. Although the term ‘taking across’ is thesame in each case, the function is not the same.”
Commentary:
The Fifth Patriarch instructed the Sixth Patriarch to leave
quickly, for he knew that Shen Hsiu’s followers would certainly
want to kill him when they realized he had inherited thepatriarchate. “Do not stay here,” the Fifth Patriarch said. “Stopat Huai and hide at Hui.” Huai is a district in Kuang Hsi, Wu
Chou, and Hui is Szu Hui, now called Hsin Hui.
High Master is a respectful form of address used for a teacher
or an Abbot, so the Sixth Patriarch used it to address the Fifth
Patriarch “High Master, it is only proper that your disciple takethe oars.”“Hey!” said the Fifth Patriarch, “Let me take you across theriver.” The Master and disciple exchanged courtesies, but
although they each used the same term “taking across,” it meant
something different in each case. For the teacher to take thedisciple across is not the same thing as for the disciple to take theteacher across. Hui Neng understood. “When the student is
96Chapter I. Action and Intention

confused,” he said, “the teacher must save him. But when thestudent becomes enlightened, he must save himself.”
Before becoming enlightened and obtaining the original
substance of the self-nature, the disciple is confused and lost. His
teacher advises him to work hard: “Do not be afraid of the pain
in your legs when you sit in meditation. If you are afraid of
suffering you cannot become enlightened.” The Sixth Patriarch,when he hung a stone around his waist so he could pound the riceharder, was not afraid of suffering. The rock which the Layman
Lu, the Sixth Patriarch, used to tie around his waist when hepounded rice is still on P’ing Mao Mountain at Tung Shan Ch’an
Monastery and carved on the rock is the inscription: “The rock
Hui Neng, the former Layman Lu, tied around his waist.”
Sutra:“Hui Neng was born in the frontier regions and his
pronunciation is incorrect, yet he has received theDharma transmission from the Master. Now thatenlightenment has been attained, it is only fitting that hetake his own nature across.”
The Patriarch replied, “So it is, so it is. Hereafter
because of you, the Buddhadharma will be widelypracticed. Three years after your departure I will leavethis world. Start on your journey now and go south as fast
as possible. Do not speak too soon, for the
Buddhadharma arises from difficulty.”
Commentary:
Because he was from the south, the Sixth Patriarch spoke
Cantonese rather than Mandarin, so few people understood him.

97

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Nevertheless, he inherited the mind seal of the wonderful
Dharma.
Master Hui Neng was truly enlightened, unlike some people
who are not enlightened but cheat and say that they are, whohave not testified to the fruit of enlightenment but lie and say thatthey have.
The Fifth Patriarch thought, “This disciple knows my heart.”
He said to Hui Neng, “Yes, it is just that way.”
One should take one’s own nature across. Remember that.
For example, someone must teach you to recite the Shurangama
Mantra, but once you know how, you must recite it on your own.
People should not have to say, “It is time for you to recite theShurangama Mantra.” Again, someone must teach you to recite
Sutras, but then you must do it yourself. That is what is meant by“taking one’s own nature across.”
A teacher shows you how to remove afflictions. He says thatanger is harmful, and that one should transform one’s nasty
temper into Bodhi. Once taught, the nature cannot be taken
across unless the method is applied. The Master says, “Don’t get
upset. When faced with a crisis, proceed as if nothing has
happened. All things are like flowers in the sky or the moon’s
reflection in water–unreal, illusory, like a dream or a dewdrop.
Remember that and there will be no affliction.” If, when facedwith a situation, or a state of mind, you see through it and put it
down, you have taken your nature across.
Smoking can be a problem. The teacher says, “Stopsmoking! Smoking hinders cultivation.” When I said that to one
disciple he said, “Stop smoking? I’ll give it a try,” and hestopped. He took his nature across.
Another disciple is fond of drinking. Having studied theBuddhadharma, he ought to have quit drinking, but he says, “I’mconfused. I’m not enlightened.” If you stop you become98Chapter I. Action and Intention

enlightened; if you don’t, you sink into confusion. Whether or
not you become enlightened is entirely up to you.
Cutting off all unwholesome activities is to become
enlightened and to take your nature across. Not understanding,you may think, “The Dharma Master says that drugs are bad, so
I’ll take some more. I’ll take a double dose. No, I’ll take fivetimes as much! I’ll keep getting high until I am enlightened.”
Continue to take drugs and you will poison yourself and die
instead. Confused by drugs, you cannot take your nature across.
Before studying the Buddhadharma, you should not do
confused and wicked things. After you have studied theBuddhadharma, the prohibition is even stronger. If you continue
to misbehave, you commit the crime of “knowing andintentionally violating the Dharma,” and you are certain to fall
into the hells. There is nothing polite about these matters. If you
do confused and wicked things, you will fall into the hells. If I
do them, I will fall into the hells. If someone else does them, hewill fall into the hells. No one can avoid this.
In a hundred thousand ages,
The karma made is not destroyed;
When the causes and conditions rebound,You undergo the retribution by yourself.
No one can suffer for you in the hells. Karma refers to acts ofkilling, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking, all ofwhich bear retribution in the future. Your karma does not get
lost, and it is you, and you alone, who must suffer theconsequences. However,If you end your confusionand get rid of the dirt,
99

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

You can easily takeyour own nature across.
The dirt in your nature is your upside-down actions, your false
thinking, your ignorance, your outflows26, and your bad habits.
Eliminate these and you have taken your nature across.
When I lectured this Sutra in another place, I said, “If you
create offense-karma, you will go to the hells; if someone else
creates offense-karma, he will go to the hells, if I create offense
karma, I will go to the hells.” One person who was there
objected:“Dharma Master,” he said “I have never seen these hells.
Where are they? I would like to take a look at them because I
simply don’t believe they exist.”
I said, “It is easy enough to fall into the hells, and if you try
to fall into them you will fall even more quickly and not escapefor a very long time.” I hope that those who wish to try out thehells will reconsider.
What kind of person can take his own nature across? A
person with wisdom. Deluded people, on the other hand, cannot
take their nature across, and what is more, even if a teacher tries
to help them, they refuse to listen. It is like trying to teach a dog.
You say, “Don’t bite people,” and, the first chance it gets, thedog bites someone. So you hit it and it still bites people. Why?
Because it has a stupid nature. Cats are just the same. You cantell a cat, “Do not kill mice, do not take life, but nevertheless thecat kills the first mouse it sees. You may try to teach a mouse not
to steal, but still it sneaks off and steals.

26.

Refer to the discharge of energy through the six sense organs; hence, defilement,affliction; that which obstruct cultivation.

100

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Smoking and drinking are done by those who do not know
any better. People with true and proper understanding do not do
mixed-up things. People with mixed up understanding do not dotrue and proper things. You must correct your own faults. Your
teacher shouldn’t have to watch your every move and follow you
around to make sure that you behave. You must take your own
nature across.
This is a general explanation, for if I were to speak in detail,I would not finish until the exhaustion of the boundaries of the
future.
“I have transmitted my Dharma, and in three years I willcomplete the stillness and go to Nirvana,” said the Fifth
Patriarch. “Go well, and whatever you do, don’t be lazy. Go
well, don’t go bad. Don’t go the wrong way. Don’t take drugs
and ruin your body, for your body is your means of cultivation.
If you ruin your body, how will you be able to cultivate? Go
well, go well, do your best. Quickly head south.” That iscertainly the kind of advice the Fifth Patriarch gave.
“But don’t speak of the Dharma too soon. Hide your light andstore up your potential, as troops are fed well so that they may
conquer every enemy and capture every city. The
Buddhadharma is hard to bring forth. It arises from difficulty.”
Sutra:
After Hui Neng took leave of the Patriarch, he set out
on foot for the South. In two months he reached the Ta
Yü Mountains.
The Fifth Patriarch returned to the monastery but forseveral days he did not enter the hall. The assembly wasconcerned and went to ask: “Has the Master some slightillness or problem?”101

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“There is no illness,” came the reply, “but the robeand Dharma have already gone south.”“Who received the transmission?” they asked.
“The Able One obtained it,” said the Patriarch.
The assembly then understood, and soon several
hundred people took up pursuit, all hoping to steal therobe and bowl.
Commentary:
The Sixth Patriarch left the Fifth Patriarch, no longer
attending upon the High Master or making offerings to him. He
walked south from P’ing Mao Mountain and in a little over twomonths, he finally reached the Ta Yü mountain range whichforms the border between Nan Hsiung and Kuang Tung.
The Fifth Patriarch returned to his room. For many days he
did not go into the hall to speak Dharma or take his meals. The
assembly was curious. “High Master,” they said, “you’re not ill,
are you?”“You may all disperse,” said the Fifth Patriarch, “because I
no longer have the Buddhadharma. The robe and Dharma havegone south. I intend to rest now, I am going to retire.”“Who received the transmission?” they asked.
“The Able One,” said the Patriarch. “He who was able
obtained it. Whoever the able one is, he got it.”
When this announcement was made there were those in theassembly who had keen intelligence, one of them being Dharma
Master Fa Ju. He was one of the ten people to whom the Fifth
Patriarch gave instructions before he entered Nirvana, tellingthem, “Each of you go to a different direction and be a Dharma
Host.” But now, when Fa Ju heard the Fifth Patriarch say that theAble One had obtained the transmission, he cried out, “No! That
must mean the southern barbarian has got the Dharma! How102

Chapter I. Action and Intention

strange.” The “Able One” refers to Hui Neng: “Able” (neng) was
his name.
Word spread, and soon everyone knew. They all objectedviolently. “No! No!” they shouted, “How can it be? Let’s go takeit from him right now.” Several hundred powerful people ran
after Hui Neng. Consider the situation: the Fifth Patriarch hadtransmitted the Dharma to a barbarian, and the entire assembly
was resentful. “How could you give it to him?” they said. “Wehave been following you for so many years. Why didn’t you giveit to us?” They thought to themselves, “The Patriarch’s brain
must be addled. How else could he give the Dharma to such ahick? How can he become the Sixth Patriarch? We should getback the robe and bowl–by force!”
Sutra:One Bhikshu, Hui Ming, a coarse-natured man whose
lay name had been Ch’en, had formerly been a fourthclass military official. He was intent in his search andahead of the others. When he had almost caught up with
Hui Neng the latter tossed the robe and bowl onto a rock,saying, “This robe and bowl are tokens of faith. How canthey be taken by force?” Hui Neng then hid in a thicket.
When Hui Ming arrived, he tried to pick them up, but
found he could not move them. He cried out, “Cultivator,
Cultivator, I have come for the Dharma, not for therobe!”
Hui Neng then came out and sat cross-legged on a
rock. Hui Ming made obeisance and said, “I hope that theCultivator will teach the Dharma for my sake.”
Hui Neng said, “Since you have come for the Dharma,
you may put aside all conditions. Do not give rise to asingle thought and I will teach it to you clearly.” After a
103

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

time, Hui Neng said, “With no thoughts of good and withno thoughts of evil, at just this moment, what is Superior
One Hui Ming’s original face?” At these words, Hui Ming
was greatly enlightened.
Commentary:
Bhikshu Hui Ming was coarse and uneducated. He neveropened his mouth unless it was to scold someone, and if theyrefused to listen, he beat them. He could smash a rock of several
hundred pounds with one blow. With this extraordinary strength
he became a fourth class army officer.
Hui Ming had one peculiar trait. His feet were covered withfeathers which enabled him to run fast. He could travel sixty
miles a day, compared to the ordinary man’s thirty. His feathered
feet and great strength carried him far ahead of the others. As heflew along, his mind raced, “I’ll get the robe and bowl and thenit will be mine! It belongs to the strongest man.”
When Hui Neng saw this big crude feather-footed pursuer, he
was a bit frightened. Although he had obtained the Dharma, he
had just begun to cultivate and did not yet have great spiritual
power. He shouted into empty space: “This robe and bowl aresymbols of the faith. How can you take them by force? How canthere be any dispute?”
What do you think?
Hui Ming had actually intended to grab the robe and bowl
and run. But he could not move them. Why do you suppose hecouldn’t move them? After all he was so strong he could havesmashed the bowl to smithereens with a single blow and haveripped the robe to shreds. Yet for all his strength and as light as
the robe was, he couldn’t budge it. This indicates that there were
Dharma protectors–gods, dragons, and others of the eight
divisions present guarding the robe and bowl. Since he couldn’t
104Chapter I. Action and Intention

grab them, he thought, “That’s strange. I can’t use force here.
Ah! I’ll ask for the Dharma instead.” Had he truly been seeking
the Way he wouldn’t have first tried to grab the robe and bowl
but would immediately have said, “Cultivator, Cultivator, I
come for the Dharma, not for the robe and bowl.” Don’t you
think my opinion about this is logically sound?
Hui Neng emerged and sat in lotus position on a rock. Hui
Ming bowed to the Sixth Patriarch. He understood now that the
Dharma of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas cannot be taken byforce. “You say you’ve come for the Dharma.” said Hui Neng.
“Really? Did you really come for the Dharma and not to steal therobe and bowl? Fine. Put aside all conditions. Put your mind to
rest. Stop grasping at conditions and then I will explain the
Dharma clearly for you.”
For seven or eight minutes the Great Master sat waiting.
Neither he nor Hui Ming gave rise to a single thought.
Everything stopped. Not even the ghosts and spirits knew what
was happening. Everything was empty.
Hui Ming was not giving rise to thought. He was not thinking
north, south, east, or west. So Hui Neng said, “With no thoughtsof good and no thoughts of evil, at just that moment, what is
Superior Ming’s original face?” Since the Sixth Patriarch was atthat time still a layman he respectfully addressed Hui Ming as“Superior One.”The word “what” means “who”. In the Dhyana School wemeditate on the question, “Who is reciting the Buddha’s name?”
When Hui Ming heard the word “what” he became enlightened.
“Oh!” he said, “originally it’s just this way!”
Hearing these words, have you become enlightened?

105

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:
Hui Ming asked further, “Apart from the secretspeech and secret meanings just spoken, is there yet
another secret meaning?”
Hui Neng said, “What has been spoken to you is notsecret. If you turn the illumination inward, the secret iswith you.”
Hui Ming said, “Although Hui Ming was at Huang
Mei he had not yet awakened to his original face. Now
that he has been favored with this instruction he is likeone who drinks water and knows for himself whether it iscold or warm. The cultivator is now Hui Ming’s master.”“If you feel that way,” said Hui Neng, “then you and I
have the same master, Huang Mei27. Protect yourself
well.”
Hui Ming asked further, “Where should I go now?”
Hui Neng said, “Stop at Yüan and dwell at Meng.”
Commentary:
All of the Sixth Patriarch’s pursuers were greedy, but Hui
Ming was the worst. He had just seen his original face, he hadjust become enlightened, but he wasn’t satisfied. He wanted toknow if he had missed anything. “Are there any more secrets?”
he asked. “Is there something even more wonderful?”“What I have said is not the most miraculous and wonderfulthing,” said the Sixth Patriarch, “What is most important is thatyou turn the light back around and illuminate inward so that you

27.

i.e., The Fifth Patriarch. The Masters are often referred to honorifically by theplace where they lived and taught.

106Chapter I. Action and Intention

may see the wonderful secret which is within you. It is all withinyou; it is not here with me.”“Great Master,” said Hui Ming, “I wish to take you as myteacher.”“If that is how you feel,” said the Sixth Patriarch, “we havethe same teacher, Huang Mei. We both have the Fifth Patriarch’s
Dharma transmission and are Dharma brothers. That is fine!
Now, take good care of the Dharma and don’t allow it to become
extinct.”
It was not until three years after this encounter with the
Patriarch that Hui Ming went to Meng Mountain in Yüan
District. There he met a ghost who, in his last life, had been a
top-ranking scholar under the imperial examination system. The
ghost composed a poem and sang it to Hui Ming:
Still, still, barren waste–a dream.
Then, now, triumph, loss lazy thought measures.
Wild grass, idle flowers picked, how many?
Bitter rain, sour wind, how many broken hearts?
At night, with firefly light I come and go.
At dawn, the cock crows; I hide away my form.
Regret from the first not tilling the mind ground:Two streams are caused to fall–green mountain tears.
Seeing the ghost’s plight, Hui Ming explained the Dharma to
the ghost and took him across. Ever since then there has been the“ceremony of Meng Mountain” which is performed to takeghosts across and liberate them.

107

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:
Hui Ming bowed and left. Reaching the foot of themountain, he said to the pursuers. “Up above there is
only a rocky, trackless height. We must find anotherpath.” The pursuers all agreed. Afterwards, Hui Mingchanged his name to Tao Ming to avoid using Hui Neng’s
first name.
Commentary:
After receiving instruction from the Sixth Patriarch, featherfooted Hui Ming went down the mountain and told the pursuersthat he had not seen the Sixth Patriarch.
Hui Ming usually told the truth, and so everyone believed
him now, even though he was lying. Actually this was not a lie,
but an expedient device used to protect the Sixth Patriarch fromthose who, unlike Hui Ming, had not received the Dharma andtherefore still wished to kill the Sixth Patriarch.
Hui Ming dared not presume to be his Master’s equal. Hechanged his name from Hui Ming to Tao Ming to avoid using thePatriarch’s first name.
Sutra:
Hui Neng arrived at Ts’ao Hsi where he was again
pursued by men with evil intentions. To avoid difficulty,
he went to Szu Hui and lived among hunters for fifteen
years, at times teaching Dharma to them in an
appropriate manner.
The hunters often told him to watch their nets, butwhenever he saw beings who were still living he released
them. At mealtime he cooked vegetables in the pot
108Chapter I. Action and Intention

alongside the meat. When he was questioned about it, hewould answer “I only eat vegetables alongside the meat.”
Commentary:
Shen Hsiu still wanted to kill the Sixth Patriarch and steal the
Patriarchate. Hui Neng escaped to Szu Hui, the present Hsin Hui,
where he lived with a band of hunters for fifteen years. Whowould have suspected that a Buddhist would choose to live withhunters? No one. Shen Hsiu’s party searched far and wide, butthey never found him.
Some say the Great Master lived with the hunters for sixteen
years, but their calculation includes the time he spent coming
and going. He actually lived with them for only fifteen years.
For lunch, the Great Master gathered wild vegetables on themountain and cooked them in the pot beside the meat. If
someone asked him, “Why are you doing that?” he said, “I only
eat the vegetables. I don’t eat meat.”
Sutra:
One day Hui Neng thought, “The time has come tospread the Dharma. I cannot stay in hiding forever.”Accordingly, he went to Fa Hsing Monastery in Kuang
Chou where Dharma Master Yin Tsung was giving
lectures on The Nirvana Sutra.
At that time there were two bhikshus who werediscussing the topic of the wind and a flag. One said, “Thewind is moving.” The other said, “The flag is moving.”
They argued incessantly. Hui Neng stepped forward andsaid, “The wind is not moving, nor is the flag. Your
minds, Kind Sirs, are moving.” Everyone was startled.

109

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Dharma Master Yin Tsung invited him to take a seatof honor and sought to ask him about the hidden
meaning. Seeing that Hui Neng’s exposition of the true
principles was concise and to the point and not based on
written words, Yin Tsung said, “The cultivator iscertainly no ordinary man. I heard long ago that Huang
Mei’s robe and bowl had come south. Cultivator, is it notyou?”
Hui Neng said, “I dare not presume such a thing.”
Yin Tsung then made obeisance and requested thatthe transmitted robe and bowl be brought forth andshown to the assembly.
Commentary:
The Great Master went to Kuang Chou, to Fa Hsing
Monastery, now called Kuang Hsiao Monastery, where Dharma
Master Yin Tsung was lecturing on The Mahaparinirvana Sutra,
which the Buddha spoke just before entering Nirvana. At themonastery the Master met the two monks arguing over the topic
of the wind and a flag. One said the wind moved, the other said
the flag moved, and he told them, “You are both wrong. Neither
the wind nor the flag is moving. Your minds are moving. If yourminds were not moving, then neither the wind nor the flag would
move.”
Everyone was astonished to hear this layman speak in such a
wonderful and mysterious way. Yin Tsung asked him, “Aren’t
you the holder of Huang Mei’s robe and bowl?”“I am unworthy of such a title,” the Master said modestly.
Yin Tsung knew, however, that the Great Master was only
being polite. Yin Tsung recognized Layman Lu as the Sixth
Patriarch.
110Chapter I. Action and Intention

Sutra:
He further asked, “How was Huang Mei’s doctrinetransmitted?”“There was no transmission,” replied Hui Neng. “We
merely discussed seeing the nature. There was no
discussion of Dhyana samadhi or liberation.”
Yin Tsung asked, “Why was there no discussion of
Dhyana samadhi or liberation?”
Hui Neng said, “These are dualistic dharmas. They
are not the Buddhadharma. The Buddhadharma is a
Dharma of non-dualism.”
Yin Tsung asked further, “What is thisBuddhadharma which is the Dharma of non-dualism?”
Hui Neng said, “The Dharma Master has beenlecturing The Nirvana Sutra which says that tounderstand the Buddha-nature is the Buddhadharma
which is the Dharma of non-dualism. As Kao Kuei Te
Wang Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, ‘Does violating
the four serious prohibitions, committing the fiverebellious acts, or being an icchantika and the like cut off
the good roots and the Buddha-nature?’“The Buddha replied, ‘There are two kinds of goodroots: the first, permanent; the second impermanent. The
Buddha-nature is neither permanent nor impermanent.
Therefore it is not cut off.’“That is what is meant by non-dualistic. The first isgood and the second is not good. The Buddha-nature isneither good nor bad. That is what is meant by nondualistic. Common people think of the heaps28 andrealms29 as dualistic. The wise man comprehends thatthey are non-dualistic in nature. The non-dualistic natureis the Buddha-nature.”
111

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Hearing this explanation, Yin Tsung was delighted.
He joined his palms and said, “My explanation of Sutras
is like broken tile, whereas your discussion of themeaning, Kind Sir, is like pure gold.”
He then shaved Hui Neng’s head30 and asked HuiNeng to be his master. Accordingly, under that Bodhi
tree, Hui Neng explained the Tung Shan Dharma-door.
Commentary:
The four serious prohibitions are killing, stealing, lying, andsexual misconduct. The five rebellious acts are matricide,patricide, killing an Arhat, shedding the blood of a Buddha, andbreaking up the harmony of the Sangha. What happens to thegood roots and the Buddha-nature of one who commits suchoffenses?
Icchantika is a Sanskrit word which may be explained asmeaning “of incomplete faith.” Are the good roots and theBuddha-nature of icchantikas cut off?
Kao Kuei Te Wang Bodhisattva asked the Buddha thesequestions because he mistook good roots for the Buddha-nature
itself. In his answer, the Buddha makes it clear that good roots
are not the Buddha-nature.
28.

What appears to be the “self” or “personality” may be broken down into fiveimpersonal components called heaps: a)form, b)feelings, c)perceptions, d)impulses,e)consciousness.

29.

There are eighteen realms of sense, i.e. the six sense organs (eye, ear, nose,
tongue, body, and mind), the six objects of the sense organs (forms, sounds, smells,
tastes, touchables, and mind objects [dharmas]) plus the six consciousnesses whicharise between the organs and the objects (eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness,
etc.)

30.

thus accepting him into the Sangha.

112

Chapter I. Action and Intention

Because the Great Master obtained the Dharma from theFifth Patriarch at Tung Shan, “East Mountain,” it is called theTung Shan Dharma-door.
Sutra:“Hui Neng obtained the Dharma at Tung Shan andhas undergone much suffering, his life hanging as if by athread.
“Today, in this gathering of the magistrate andofficials, of Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Taoists, and laymen,
there is not one of you who is not here because ofaccumulated ages of karmic conditions. Because in past
lives you have made offerings to the Buddhas and planted
good roots in common, you now have the opportunity tohear the Sudden Teaching, which is a cause of obtaining
the Dharma.
“This teaching has been handed down by former
sages; it is not Hui Neng’s own wisdom. You who wish tohear the teaching of the former sages should first purify
your minds. After hearing it, cast aside your doubts, andthat way you will be no different from the sages of thepast.”
Commentary:Thus, the Sixth Patriarch concludes the narrative of his life.
We in America who are so fortunate to hear this Sutra explained
have also for ages established common karmic conditions bymaking offerings to the Buddhas.
“The Dharma is transmitted from former sages, Buddhas,
and Bodhisattvas. It is not my own wisdom,” said Hui Neng. “If

113The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

you listen to me carefully, it will be just as if you were listening
to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas speaking.”
Sutra:Hearing this Dharma, the entire assembly was
delighted, made obeisance, and withdrew.

114

CHAPTER II.

PRAJNA

Sutra:
The following day, at the invitation of Magistrate Wei,
the Master took his seat and said to the great assembly,“All of you purify your minds and think about Maha
Prajna Paramita.”
Commentary:
This second chapter of the Sutra is an explanation of Prajna,
given by the Master upon the request of Magistrate Wei.
Prajna is a Sanskrit word which means “wisdom.” There arethree kinds of Prajna: literary Prajna, contemplative Prajna, andreal mark Prajna.
Because the word Prajna encompasses these three meanings,
it has a fuller connotation than the word “wisdom.” Therefore
the Chinese translators of Sutras did not translate it, but insteadtransliterated it.31
The Sixth Patriarch took his seat and said, “All of you should
quit daydreaming. Listen to the Dharma with a pure mind and a
united heart. Be mindful of Maha Prajna Paramita.”

31.

There are five kinds of terms which the Great Master Hsüan Tsang of the T’ang
Dynasty transliterated: a) the esoteric terms; b) terms with many meanings; c) terms
for things which did not exist in China; d) the honorific terms, e) terms whichshould be used following the example of the Ancients.

115

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Maha Prajna Paramita is called “great wisdom.” Maha means
great; Prajna means wisdom; Paramita means arrived at the othershore.
Sutra:He then said, “Good Knowing Advisors, the wisdomof Bodhi and Prajna is originally possessed by worldly
people themselves. It is only because their minds are
confused that they are unable to enlighten themselves
and must rely on a great Good Knowing Advisor who canlead them to see their Buddha-nature. You should knowthat the Buddha-nature of stupid and wise people isbasically not different. It is only because confusion andenlightenment are different that some are stupid andsome are wise. I will now explain for you the Maha
Prajna Paramita Dharma in order that each of you may
become wise. Pay careful attention, and I will explain it toyou.
“Good Knowing Advisors, worldly people recite‘Prajna’ with their mouths all day long and yet do notrecognize the Prajna of their self-nature. Just as talking
about food will not make you full, so, too, if you only
speak of emptiness you will not see your own nature inten thousand ages. In the end you will not have obtained
any benefit.
“Good Knowing Advisors, Maha Prajna Paramita is
a Sanskrit word which means ‘great wisdom which has
arrived at the other shore.’ It must be practiced in themind, and not just recited in words. When the mouth
recites and the mind does not practice, it is like anillusion, a transformation, dew drops, or lightning.
However, when the mouth recites and the mind practices,
116

Chapter II. Prajna

then mind and mouth are in mutual accord. One’s own
original nature is Buddha; apart from the nature there isno other Buddha.”
Commentary:
The Master said, “Worldly people recite ‘Prajna, Prajna,
Prajna,’ but they do not know the Prajna of their own originalnature, or their own inherent wisdom. You may recite recipes
from a cookbook from morning to night saying, ‘This isdelicious!’ but you will never fill your stomach that way. Saying‘Prajna is empty’ is not to do anything about it. In the end it is of
no benefit. It is nothing more than ‘head-mouth zen’ and will not
help you to see your own inherent Prajna.”Instead, see everything as empty and put it aside: see it,smash it, and put it down. Empty everything. Then you need notrecite it all day long with your mouth. If your mouth recites but
your mind does not practice, your recitation is a worthlessillusion. If you see the Prajna wisdom of your own nature, youwill not become entangled in stupid affairs. You will not beignorant. If you remain ignorant, your mind is not practicing.
If you use your mind as well as your mouth in cultivating
Prajna, you will see that your own fundamental nature is itself
the Buddha.
Everyone can realize Buddhahood. You need only cultivate.
What should you cultivate? Your nature. Do not seek outside
yourself, but turn the light inward; reverse the illumination andlook within.
Sutra:“What is meant by Maha? Maha means ‘great.’ Thecapacity of the mind is vast and great like empty space,
117

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutraand has no boundaries. It is not square or round, great or
small. Neither is it blue, yellow, red or white. It is notabove or below, or long or short. It is without anger,
without joy, without right, without wrong, without good,
without evil, and it has no head or tail.
“All Buddha-lands are ultimately the same as empty
space. The wonderful nature of worldly people isoriginally empty, and there is not a single dharma which
can be obtained. The true emptiness of the self-nature isalso like this.
“Good Knowing Advisors, do not listen to my
explanation of emptiness and then become attached to
emptiness. The most important thing is to avoid
becoming attached to emptiness. If you sit still with anempty mind you will become attached to undifferentiatedemptiness.”
Commentary:
Because the mind first thought of going there, we now sendrockets to the moon. The mind has no limits or boundaries. You
can’t say that it is big or small, for there is nothing bigger andnothing smaller.
The self-nature is the Middle Way. Your true mind is neither
right nor wrong, true or false. In your true mind there are nothoughts of good or evil. Therefore the Sixth Patriarch asked Hui
Ming, the ex-soldier who had come to steal the robe and bowl,“With no thoughts of good and with no thoughts of evil, at justthis moment, what is the Superior One Hui Ming’s original
face?” He posed this question to reveal that there is neither goodnor evil in the true mind. As they say in philosophy, “It has nohead or tail!”
There is not even one single dharma. It is empty.
118

Chapter II. Prajna

The self-nature is like empty space;
It contains within itself both truth and falsehood.
Enlighten yourself to the original substance;
In one penetration, penetrate all.
“When you hear me say that Prajna is empty, do not become
attached to undifferentiated emptiness. If you do you will sit as
if dead,” continued the Sixth Patriarch.
We should cultivate true emptiness, which is wonderfulexistence, not vacuity. In true emptiness everything is known
and everything is not known.
Understanding, complete and clear,
Like water reflecting the moon.
The mind in samadhi, like the sky,
For ten thousand miles, not a cloud.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, the emptiness of theuniverse is able to contain the forms and shapes of the ten
thousand things: the sun, moon, and stars; themountains, rivers, and the great earth; the fountains,springs, streams, torrents, grasses, trees, thickets, andforests; good and bad people, good and bad dharmas, theheavens and the hells, all the great seas, Sumeru32 and all
mountains–all are contained within emptiness. The
emptiness of the nature of worldly men is also like this.
“Good Knowing Advisors, the ability of one’s own
nature to contain the ten thousand dharmas is what is
32.

The central mountain of every world system. Translated into Chinese as
miao kao, “wonderfully high.”–

119

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

meant by ‘great.’ The myriad dharmas are within thenature of all people. If you regard all people, the bad aswell as the good, without grasping or rejecting, without
producing a defiling attachment, your mind will be like
empty space. Therefore it is said to be ‘great,’ ‘Maha.’”Commentary:
Empty space not only holds all good things, it includes all
bad people as well. Empty space would never say, “You bad
person! Get out of my empty space! Good people, come on in!”In the same way, you should see good and bad people
without being attached to the good or repulsed by the bad. As I
have told you before, bad people have something in them whichis extremely good. You should hope that they reform. I have
many disciples who do not obey me. I tell them to go south andall day long they run north; I tell them to go east and they gowest. Although they disobey, I wait patiently because I know thetime will come when they will change.
All good and all bad are included within the self-nature; youshould neither grasp it nor cast it aside. Grasping and rejecting
are defiling attachments.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, the mouth of the confused
person speaks, but the mind of the wise person practices.
There are deluded men who sit still with empty minds,
vainly thinking of nothing and declaring that to besomething great. One should not speak with these people
because of their deviant views.
“Good Knowing Advisors, the capacity of the mind isvast and great, encompassing the Dharma realm. Its
120

Chapter II. Prajnafunction is to understand clearly and distinctly. Its
correct function is to know all. All is one; one is all.
Coming and going freely, the mind’s substance isunobstructed. That is Prajna.”Commentary:
The deluded person does not do what must be done. He
merely talks. A wise person, on the other hand, always puts
principle into practice, not with head-mouth zen, but withconstant cultivation.
The Great Master said, “You are all very wise. The vast mind
pervades the all-inclusive Dharma realm. It is like a mirror;
when things come, it reflects them; when things go, it is empty.
The true mind knows everything when it is used. To have Prajna
is to have complete understanding and be free of all stupidity.”
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, all Prajna wisdom is
produced from one’s own nature; it does not enter fromthe outside. Using the intellect correctly is called thenatural function of one’s true nature. One truth is alltruth. The mind has the capacity for great things, and is
not meant for practicing petty ways. Do not talk about
emptiness with your mouth all day and in your mind failto cultivate the conduct that you talk of. That would be
like a common person calling himself the king of acountry, which cannot be. People like that are not mydisciples.”121

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
Do not seek Prajna outside your self-nature. Do not make themistake of using the intellect, the discriminating mind. The selfnature is not meant for small things.
The Great Master said, “Do not say, ‘Empty, empty, empty,
Prajna, Prajna, Prajna...’ People who do that are not mydisciples.” Why? Because they don’t listen. I tell them not to get
attached to emptiness, and they get attached to emptiness. I tellthem not to get attached to existence and they get attached toexistence. I tell them not to have sexual desire, and they still do
not cut it off. “Oh, no problem,” they say, “Slowly, slowly.”
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, what is meant by ‘Prajna?’
Prajna in our language means wisdom. Everywhere andat all times, in thought after thought, remain undeluded
and practice wisdom constantly; that is Prajna conduct.
Prajna is cut off by a single deluded thought. By one wise
thought, Prajna is produced. Worldly men, deluded andconfused, do not see Prajna. They speak of it with theirmouths, but their minds are always deluded. They
constantly say of themselves, ‘I cultivate Prajna!’ andthough they continually speak of emptiness, they areunaware of true emptiness. Prajna, without form or
mark, is just the wisdom mind. If thus explained, just thisis Prajna wisdom.”Commentary:
If you have Prajna, then in thought after thought you clearly
understand; in thought after thought you are not confused; inthought after thought you have no ignorance.
122Chapter II. Prajna“Prajna is cut off by a single deluded thought.” To speak of
it as “cut off” is merely an analogy. Actually it is not cut off.
How could proper wisdom, which is without production or
destruction, be cut off? “Cutting off” merely describes themoment of delusion, because at that moment Prajna is notapparent.
“By one wise thought Prajna is produced.” When you are notdeluded or confused, Prajna is produced. I will give you an
example of how confusion cuts off Prajna: When people say thatdrinking is harmful, smoking is not good, and taking confusing
drugs is bad, and you do not believe it, you cut off Prajna. If youchange, you give rise to Prajna and true intelligence. Whensomeone tries to teach you, but you refuse to understand or
believe, that is delusion. In short, delusion is to know clearly thatsomething is wrong, but to go ahead and do it anyway. Such
delusion cuts off Prajna. The great majority of people in thisworld are deeply deluded, for they do not see Prajna and they do
not know how to cultivate it.
Their mouths speak about wisdom, but their actions betray
their stupidity. They talk about Prajna saying, “Emptiness is
Prajna. There are twenty kinds of emptiness related to Prajna.
You should empty everything.” But they do not know true
emptiness. Perhaps they understand a little of the Sutras, orrecite a few lines of a mantra, but even though they speak they
do not change their own faults and therefore do not recognize
true emptiness.
You must give up ignorance, bad habits, faults, andobstructions, if you are to understand true emptiness.
“Prajna, without form or mark, is the wisdom mind.”Wisdom has no form or characteristic. Didn’t the Sixth Patriarch
just say that Prajna is neither long nor short, neither square norround, neither big nor small? Nor is it green, yellow, red, white
123

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutraor black. What is it, then? It is the wise mind, free fromignorance, which knows right dharmas from wrong dharmas.
Sutra:
What is meant by Paramita? It is a Sanskrit word
which in our language means ‘arrived at the other shore,’and is explained as ‘apart from production andextinction.’ When one is attached to states of being,production and extinction arise like waves on water. That
is what is meant by ‘this shore.’ To be apart from statesof being, with no production or extinction, is to be likefreely flowing water. That is what is meant by ‘the othershore.’ Therefore it is called ‘Paramita’.
Commentary:
To reach the other shore is to be separated from birth anddeath. This shore is birth and death; the other shore is Nirvana.
To go from this shore to the other, you must cross the great sea
of afflictions. Because there are afflictions, there is also birth,
death, and Nirvana. If you have no afflictions, then birth anddeath are Nirvana and Nirvana is birth and death. Birth, death,and Nirvana are nothing more than names.
The absence of birth and death is Nirvana. If you have noafflictions, then in the midst of birth and death you have no birthand death. We are born and we die because of affliction. This isvery important and you should all remember it: birth and death
exist because of afflictions; affliction exists because ofignorance; and ignorance is simply whatever you don’t
understand.

124

Chapter II. Prajna

What don’t you understand? What do you understand?
Knowing you do not understand is ignorance. Knowing you do
understand is Prajna. There is just that small difference.
“When one is attached to states of being, production andextinction arise like waves on water.” What is meant by the othershore? What is Nirvana? Nirvana is like water without waves.
When the wind rises, the waves swell. The wind of ignorance,
the waves of affliction are “this shore.”“To be apart from states, with no production or extinction, isto be like freely flowing water.” The principle is clear: the nature
is like water, the water of wisdom. When there are no waves,there is no birth and death.
We should work hard to understand why our minds have somany extraneous thoughts. These thoughts are like so many
waves. Without them there would be no production or
extinction, no birth or death. With production and extinction you
are on this shore, but if you separate yourself from productionand extinction you are like freely flowing water, permeating theuniverse with wisdom. That is what is meant by ‘the othershore.’
That section of text is very useful. Use a little effort and you
will understand it and derive from it inexhaustible benefit.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, deluded people recite with
their mouths, but while they recite they live in falsehoodand in error. When there is practice in every thought,that is the true nature. You should understand thisdharma, which is the Prajna dharma; and cultivate thisconduct, which is the Prajna conduct. Not to cultivate is
to be a common person, but in a single thought ofcultivation, you are equal to the Buddhas.”
125

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
In each thought, avoid doing stupid things. If you understandthis dharma, you realize that Prajna is to refrain from stupidity.
What is stupidity? Doing what you absolutely should not do.
Most important is the matter of sexual desire. You absolutely
should not give rise to sexual desire, for when it arises you get
confused and forget everything. You forget Prajna, you forget
Paramita. At that time you cannot even recite their names. You
become involved in it and no longer pay attention to principle.
Although it is the stupidest thing one can do, people still like to
do it. They want to be stupid instead of wanting to cultivate the
Prajna dharma. If you want to cultivate and practice Prajna foreven a single thought, you must cut off desire and cast out love.
The absence of sexual desire is the practice of Prajna and “in asingle thought of cultivation, you are equal to the Buddhas.”
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, common people are
Buddhas and affliction is Bodhi. Past thoughts deluded
are the thoughts of a common person. Future thoughts
enlightened are the thoughts of a Buddha. Past thoughts
attached to states of being are afflictions, and future
thoughts separate from states of being are Bodhi.”
Commentary:
Where does the Buddha come from? He starts out as acommon person. Yes, the Buddha was a common person who
cultivated and eventually achieved Buddhahood. Why are wecommon people? Simply because we do not cultivate the Prajna
dharma. Our nature flows out and becomes emotion; ouremotions flow out and become desire. Common people are that126

Chapter II. Prajna

way. But the returning of desire to one’s own nature, so that one
is unmoved by ignorance: that is the Buddha.
“Affliction is Bodhi.” Without affliction there is no Bodhi.
So you say, “Then I will not get rid of my afflictions. I will keep
them.” If you keep them, they are still afflictions, and afflictions
are just afflictions. You should use a scientific method to temper
your afflictions. How? Actually, this change is no change, it ismerely a returning to your original nature.
My hand, for example, has a palm and a back to it. The backof the hand represents affliction and the palm represents Bodhi.
All you need to do is flip it over and everything is all right. Thereis no addition or subtraction required. Just turn it over! If you do
not turn it over, you are off by just that margin, and affliction isaffliction and Bodhi is Bodhi. But as soon as you turn it around,affliction is Bodhi and birth and death is Nirvana. I have often
spoken of this. At Berkeley I said:
Affliction is Bodhi, ice is water,
Birth and death and Nirvana are empty dharmas.
If you understand, then dharmas are also empty. If you do notunderstand, then there are still dharmas. You should understandthat people and dharmas are both empty.
“Past thoughts deluded are the thoughts of a common person.
Future thoughts enlightened are the thoughts of a Buddha.” With
stupid thoughts, you are common person; with wisdom andenlightenment, you are a Buddha.
“Past thoughts attached to states of being are afflictions, andfuture thoughts separate from states of being are Bodhi.” Whenthought is attached to states, affliction arises. You may think,“This is San Francisco. It surely isn’t the same as New York!”
Fundamentally San Francisco and New York are the same. They
are both big cities. But you make distinctions. “In San
127

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Francisco,” you say, “there is no snow, but New York has lots ofsnow.” This is just the discriminating mind. Basically the twocities are the same.
If you are unattached to states of being, you will not have somuch affliction. If you do not use your discriminating mind,
there is no affliction. Past thoughts, which were attached tostates, discriminated between San Francisco and New York, andtherefore affliction arose. A later thought, which is unattached,makes you say, “They are empty! San Francisco and New Yorkare the same. Why bother to discriminate one from the other?” If
you do not discriminate, that is Bodhi.
It is easy to speak that way, but putting down all
discrimination is another matter. That is difficult. When you
understand that kind of state, there is no home and no country.
There is nothing at all. This is to “produce that thought which isnowhere supported.” It is also to “produce that body which isnowhere supported.” Not dwelling anywhere, you can manifest
a body that can go everywhere. Is this not wonderful dharma? It
is nothing less than Bodhi. There’s no need to sigh. If you can beenlightened, then you are enlightened. If you can’t be yet, thenslowly, slowly, you can be.
Nature in samadhi,
Demons defeated:
Everyday–happiness.
False thought
not arising:
Everywhere–peace.
When your mind is in samadhi, there is not so much false
thinking. Everyday you are happy and at peace. Why are you
unhappy now? Because of false thoughts. Without false
128Chapter II. Prajna

thoughts, every place is the Land of Ultimate Bliss33, and you
can “produce that body which is nowhere supported.”
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, Maha Prajna Paramita is
the most honored, the most supreme, the foremost. It
does not stay; it does not come or go. All Buddhas of thethree periods of time emerge from it. You should use
great wisdom to destroy affliction, defilement, and thefive skandhic heaps. With such cultivation as that you
will certainly realize the Buddha Way, transforming thethree poisons into morality, concentration, and wisdom.
Commentary:
The Great Master again addressed the assembly, saying, “In
the self-nature of each of you there is limitless wisdom. Maha
Prajna Paramita is originally fully present within your selfnature. You need not seek it outside.
“It does not stay; it does not come or go.” The Prajna wisdomof your self-nature is unattached. All Buddhas of the three
periods of time, the past, present and future, issue from Maha
Prajna Paramita–the highest, most supreme, most honored,
number one dharma.
“You should use this great wisdom, not small wisdom, todestroy affliction, defilement and the five skandhic heaps ofform, feelings, perceptions, impulses and consciousness.
Without Prajna you cannot see that the five heaps are empty, andtherefore you have affliction and are unable to cut off
defilement. If you wish to have genuine Prajna, you must
33.

Paradise, the pure land of Amitabha Buddha.

129

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra‘illumine and view the five skandhas all as empty,’ asAvalokiteshvara did when deeply practicing the Prajna
Paramita. Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva worked a long timepracticing the deep Prajna Paramita. He could not, in just a shorttime, illumine and view the five heaps as empty. If you practicethe deep Prajna Paramita, you can see the five heaps in this way,
and when you destroy all affliction and attachment to senseobjects, the original Prajna nature manifests itself.
“With such cultivation as that, you will certainly realize theBuddha Way, transforming the three poisons into morality,
concentration, and wisdom.” There is no doubt that you willrealize the Way, turning greed, hatred, and stupidity into
morality, concentration, and wisdom. Let’s see whether or not
you can change. If you change, you will dwell in Prajna; if you
do not change, you will wander among the deluded.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, my Dharma-door34
produces 84,00035 wisdoms from the one Prajna. Why?
Because worldly people have 84,000 kinds of defilement.
In the absence of defilement, wisdom is always present,
since it is not separate from the self-nature.
“Understand that this dharma is just no-thought, noremembrance, non-attachment, and the non-productionof falsehood and error. Use your own true-suchness
nature, and, by means of wisdom, contemplate andilluminate all dharmas without grasping or rejecting
34.

The Dharma doors are the doctrines, discourses, and wisdom of the Buddhas, thecultivation of which lead to enlightenment.

35.

This term is used in the general sense for a great number.

130

Chapter II. Prajna

them. That is to see one’s own nature and realize theBuddha Way.
“Good Knowing Advisors, if you wish to enter theextremely deep Dharma realm and the Prajna samadhi,
you must cultivate the practice of Prajna. Hold and recite
The Diamond Prajna Sutra and that way you will see yourown nature.”
Commentary:
The Sixth Patriarch said, “From one kind of wisdom,
measureless Prajnas are produced.” These 84,000 kinds of
wisdom are just 84,000 kinds of Prajna. If you change thedefilement of external objects, it becomes wisdom.
Do not use your discriminating consciousness to contemplateand illuminate all dharmas. Use wisdom.
If you wish to enter the Sutra store and have wisdom like thesea, if you wish to master all dharmas and the Prajna Samadhi,
you must cultivate the Prajna conduct. How do you practice the
Prajna Dharma-door? Hold and recite The Diamond Prajna
Sutra. Because the Sixth Patriarch became enlightened uponhearing The Diamond Sutra, he tells everyone, “You should allrecite The Diamond Sutra. Hold it in your mind. Do not be
distracted or forgetful. Hold The Diamond Sutra and you will see
your own nature.”
In reciting Sutras it is essential to avoid giving rise to false
thinking and extraneous thoughts. Once there was a man who
recited The Diamond Sutra every day. One night he dreamt thata ghost asked him to take him across to a more favorable rebirthjust as we perform the Ullambana ceremony on the fifteenth dayof the seventh month in order to take across parents from this andpast lives. The ghost said, “Please recite a Sutra to take me
across.”131

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“How many times shall I recite it?” the man asked.
The ghost said, “One recitation will be enough.”
The next day, halfway through the recitation, one of the
man’s servants brought him a cup of tea. He pushed the cup
aside, thinking, “I do not want it,” and continued to recite.
That evening the ghost returned. “You promised to recite theSutra for me,” he said, “but you only recited half of it.”
“What do you mean?” the man replied, “I recited the whole
Sutra.”The ghost said, “You recited the whole Sutra, but halfway
through you thought, ‘I do not want it,’ so the merit from thesecond half of the recitation was lost.”
The man then realized what happened. “Yes,” he replied “I
did think, ‘do not want,’ but it was tea I did not want, not theSutra’s merit.”
It took only these words “I do not want” halfway through therecitation to convince the ghosts and spirits that he did not want
the merit. Probably the ghosts took the merit for themselves. The
man said, “I will recite it again.” This time he recited without
interruption and the next evening the ghost happily bowed tohim in thanks for the compassionate recitation.
So when you recite The Diamond Sutra do not think, “I donot want.” Reciting “Subhuti36, Subhuti, I don’t want Subhuti,”
Subhuti will probably run away.
Sutra:“You should know that the merit and virtue of thisSutra is immeasurable, unbounded, and indescribable, as
the Sutra text itself clearly states.
36.

It was Subhuti, the foremost of the Buddha’s disciples in understanding
emptiness, that the Buddha addressed when he spoke The Diamond Sutra.

132

Chapter II. Prajna“This Dharma-door is the Superior Vehicle, taught
for people of great wisdom and superior faculties. Whenpeople of limited faculties and wisdom hear it, theirminds give rise to doubt.
“Why is that? Take for example the rain which theheavenly dragons shower on Jambudvipa37. Cities andvillages drift about in the flood like thorns and leaves. But
if the rain falls on the great sea, its waters neither
increase nor decrease.
“If people of the Great Vehicle, the Most Superior
Vehicle, hear The Diamond Sutra, their minds open up,
awaken, and understand. They then know that their
original nature itself possesses the wisdom of Prajna.
Because they themselves use this wisdom constantly tocontemplate and illuminate, they do not rely on written
words.
“Take for example the rain water. It does not comefrom the sky. The truth is that the dragons cause it to fallin order that all living beings, all plants and trees, allthose with feeling and those without feeling may receive
its moisture. In a hundred streams it flows into the great
sea and there unites in one substance. The wisdom of the
Prajna of the original nature of living beings acts thesame way.”
Commentary:
People without good roots say, “The Diamond Sutra ismeaningless! What good points does reciting it have? If you
37.

Every world system contains one sun, one moon, and one Mount Sumeru as well
as four great continents. Jambudvipa is the continent located south of Mount
Sumeru; it is the continent upon which we live.

133

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

recite it every day, can you go without eating and still live? Keep
reciting and we will see if you can go without eating.” People ofshallow roots and wisdom do not believe in this Sutra.
The great sea represents people of great roots and energy. As
soon as they hear this dharma, they realize that Prajna isoriginally complete within the self-nature, and so they believe it.
People of small roots and wisdom, however, are like grass andleaves which float on the surface of the water and sink as soon
as it rains. They doubt the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Reflecting within, it is not necessary for those of great
wisdom to be highly literate in order to understand Prajna
wisdom.
The Prajna wisdom of the self-nature of living beings is justlike the rain from the heavens which flows into the great sea. The
sea represents our inherent wisdom. No matter how much rain
falls, the sea neither increases nor decreases.
The Buddhadharma is like a great sea;
Only those with faith can enter.
It may also be said, “Only those with wisdom can enter,”because without wisdom it is difficult to enter this sea.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, when people of limited
faculties hear this Sudden Teaching, they are like theplants and trees with shallow roots which, washed awayby the great rain, are unable to grow. But at the sametime, the Prajna wisdom which people of limited faculties
possess is fundamentally no different from the Prajna
that men of great wisdom possess.

134

Chapter II. Prajna“Hearing this Dharma, why do they not become
enlightened? It is because the obstacle of their deviant
views is a formidable one and the root of their afflictions
is deep. It is like when thick clouds cover the sun: if thewind does not blow, the sunlight will not be visible.
“Prajna wisdom is itself neither great nor small.
Living beings differ because their own minds are either
confused or enlightened. Those of confused mind lookoutwardly to cultivate in search of the Buddha. Not
having awakened to their self-nature yet, they have smallroots.
“When you become enlightened to the Sudden
Teaching, you do not grasp onto the cultivation of
external things. When your own mind constantly gives
rise to right views, afflictions and defilement can neverstain you. That is what is meant by seeing your own
nature.”Commentary:
Deluded people do not become enlightened because theirdeviant views are too strong and too formidable an obstruction,and cause them to disbelieve. Their ignorance is great and theygive rise to much affliction, which is like thick clouds covering
the sun. The sunlight is simply the Prajna of your self-nature andthe clouds are your deviant views and afflictions. If no windblows the clouds away, the sunlight will not shine through.
Some living beings are heavily afflicted by bad habits.
Having created a great deal of bad karma, they are confused.
Those with fewer bad habits and lighter karma can become
enlightened. The confused person seeks the Dharma outside his
own mind. Seeking outwardly, he does not recognize the135The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

originally complete Buddha of his own self-nature. The more heseeks the Buddha outside the farther away he goes.
You should enlighten yourself and not seek outside. If you
hear the Sudden Teaching you may become enlightened rightaway. Understand the Prajna of your own nature and always holdto right knowledge and vision. You will then be without
affliction or defilement.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, the ability to cultivate theconduct of not dwelling inwardly or outwardly, of coming
and going freely, of casting away the grasping mind, andof unobstructed penetration, is basically no different
from The Prajna Sutra.”Commentary:
Inside there is no body and mind, outside there is no world.
But this is not dull emptiness. It is not to say, “My body and mind
do not exist; the world does not exist!” and then to fall intovacuity. What is spoken of here is non-attachment: nonattachment to the body, to the mind, and to the world. Then you
may “come and go freely.”Coming here, going there, coming back to the body andmind, going out into the Dharma Realm, you are free if you areunattached to the coming and the going. If you are attached, you
are in bondage.
Unattached, you are free with respect to life and death. “If I
want to live, I live. If I want to die, I die.” You asked, “Is thissuicide?” No. You need simply sit down, enter Dhyana Samadhi,
and go. You need not take poison to make sure than you will die.
Isn’t this freedom? If it were not freedom, you would not be able
136

Chapter II. Prajna

to go. How was the Third Patriarch, Seng Ts’an, able to reach up
and grasp the limb of a tree and, while hanging there, die? How
could he enter Nirvana in this way? He could do this because he
was free to live or die, free to come or go.
If I wish to live, then I may never die.
If I wish to die, I die right now.
This is what is meant by “coming and going freely.”
If you are free to come and go, you can end your life evenwhile in the midst of talking, just like the Great Master Tao
Sheng. He was really a good sport. The first part of The
Mahaparinirvana Sutra said that the icchantikas, those of little
faith, do not possess the Buddha nature, but Tao Shengdisagreed: “I say that icchantikas do have the Buddha nature!”
Everyone said, “He’s crazy! He’s mentally ill! He knows
what the Sutra says, yet he deliberately contradicts it.” They
scolded him, they shunned him. “Get out of here,” they said.
Master Tao Sheng then made a vow. He said, “If my
explanation of Dharma is in agreement with the Buddha’s Sutras
and the Buddha’s Mind, then in the future I shall end my life
while lecturing from the Dharma seat. But if I have spoken
contrary to the Buddha’s Mind, this vow will not be fulfilled.”
He then went into the mountains and lectured on Sutras to therocks and ragged boulders. When the rocks heard him, they
nodded their heads in acceptance of his principles.
When Sheng, the Venerable,
spoke the Dharma,
Even the rocks
bowed.

137

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

He continued to lecture on Sutras until once when,mysteriously and wonderfully, he paused while lecturing anddied sitting in the Dharma seat. The assembly looked up andcried, “He has gone to rebirth!”
Wasn’t he a good sport? This is what is meant by “coming
and going freely.”
You say, “Dharma Master, I quite agree with you. I don’t
want to be attached. In fact, I don’t want to follow the rules.
After all, the rules are just an attachment.” Wrong! If you can“cast away your grasping mind” and be unattached, you should
be unattached to what is wrong, but you should not be
unattached to what is right. For example, if you follow the rules
you can become a Buddha. But if you think, “I am not attached.
I don’t have to follow the rules,” then you cannot become a
Buddha.
Go down the right road.
Retreat from the wrong one.
Do not become attached to principles which are in opposition
to the Way, but grasp and hold tightly to those principles which
are in accord with it. Holding to and reciting may be an
attachment, but holding to and reciting The Diamond Sutra iscultivation.
Do not say, “I am attached. I have a small fault which I do
not want to give up. What is more, I do not want anyone to know
about it.” That is to be even more attached. “All right then,” yousay, “I don’t care if anyone knows about it. If people say I am
wrong, I will be unattached and pay no attention.” That isdeviant knowledge and deviant views. The more you cultivatethat way, the farther you drift from the Buddhadharma.
Once you have left attachments behind, you can penetrateand understand without obstruction and be without obstacles to138

Chapter II. Prajna

your progress. The ability to cultivate this conduct “is basicallyno different from The Prajna Sutra.” If you cannot cultivate thisconduct, you will be in opposition to the principle of The
Diamond Sutra, but if you can cultivate, it is Prajna wisdom
manifest.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, all Sutras and writings ofthe Great and Small Vehicles, the twelve divisions of
Sutras, have been devised because of people andestablished because of the nature of wisdom. If there wereno people the ten thousand dharmas would not exist.
Therefore you should know that all dharmas are
originally postulated because of people, and all Sutras are
spoken for their sakes.”
Commentary:
On the higher plane, a Sutra tallies with the principles of all
the Buddhas, and below, it tallies with the opportunities forteaching living beings; for that reason the word Sutra took on themeaning “to tally.”
The twelve divisions of Sutra text are:
1. Prose;
2. Verse;
3. Transmitting of Predictions;
4. Interpolations;5. The speaking of Dharma without its having beenrequested;
6. Discussion of causes and conditions;7. Analogies;
139

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

8. Events of the past lives of the Buddhas;
9. Events of the past lives of the Bodhisattvas anddisciples;
10. Writings which explain principle in an especiallyexpansive way;
11. Dharma which has never been spoken before;
12. Commentaries.
Sutras exist because people exist. If there were no people, theSutras would be useless. In the same way, troubles exist only
because there are people to have them. The Dharma teaches
people how to end their troubles; to get rid of the 84,000 kindsof defilement and trouble, the Buddha teaches 84,000 Dharmadoors But if there were no people, the troubles would never havearisen.
The Buddha spoke all Dharmas
For the minds of human beings.
If there were no minds
Of what use would Dharmas be?
Sutra:“Some people are deluded and some are wise; thedeluded are small people and the wise are great people.
The deluded question the wise and the wise teach
Dharma to the deluded. When the deluded people
suddenly awaken and understand, their minds open to
enlightenment and they are no longer different from thewise.
“Good Knowing Advisors, unenlightened, theBuddha is a living being. At the time of a single
enlightened thought, the living being is a Buddha.
140

Chapter II. Prajna

Therefore you should know that the ten thousand
dharmas exist totally within your own mind. Why don’tyou, from within your own mind, suddenly see the truesuchness of your original nature?
“The Bodhisattva-shila Sutra says, ‘Our fundamental
self-nature is clear and pure.’ If we recognize our own
mind and see the nature, we shall all perfect the Buddha
Way. The Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra says, ‘Just then,suddenly regain your original mind.’”Commentary:
If, in the very shortest space of time, the space of a thought,
you suddenly understand, you wake up and become a Buddha.
Confused, you are a living being; enlightened, you are a Buddha.
One confused thought:
you are a living being.
Thought after thought confused:thought after thought, a living being.
One enlightened thought:
you are a Buddha.
Thought after thought enlightened:thought after thought, a Buddha.
What does it mean to be enlightened? Ask yourself!
Ultimately, what advantage do emotion and desire have?
Emotion and desire harm your body; that is a serious problem.
They rob you of your life; they make you stupid. If in thought
after thought you have desire, then thought after thought you aredeluded. It is said,

141

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Karma ended, emotion emptied,is the true Buddha.
Karma heavy, emotion turbid,
is the living being.
Enlightenment is here: put down defiled thoughts and pick up
the pure. What are defiled thoughts? Thoughts of desire aredefiled thoughts. I will make it even clearer: thoughts of sexualdesire are defiled thoughts. You should clearly recognize yourthoughts of sexual desire. Should you give way to sexual desirewith your body, then the action of your body, your body-karma,
is impure. If you talk about sex, the action of your mouth isimpure. If you constantly think about sex, your mind-karma is
impure. However, if you are without offense in body, mouth, andmind, you are not far from Buddhahood.
Most people turn their backs on enlightenment and unite
themselves with the dust of external objects and states. Falling
into states of emotion and desire they become defiled. Leaving
emotion and desire behind and turning your back on the dust,
you are united with enlightenment. You are clear and pure andcan realize Buddhahood. However, as long as you have theslightest trace of defilement, you cannot realize Buddhahood;
you remain a living being. One confused thought makes you aliving being for the space of that thought. If every thought isconfused, you are continually a living being. One enlightened
thought makes you a Buddha for the space of that thought. If
every thought is enlightened, you are always a Buddha.
Do you see? It is very simple. Still, you need the help of aGood Knowing Advisor who will teach you that, in order to beclear and pure, it is of the utmost importance to be unselfish. Not
working for your own benefit and being without greed, hatred,

142

Chapter II. Prajna

stupidity, and a view of self, you may attain purity. That isenlightenment.
Some people hear, “One enlightened thought; you are a
Buddha,” and they say, “Everyone is a Buddha!” Right. Allliving beings are Buddhas, but they must first wake up to it. To
say, “Everyone is a Buddha” when you are not enlightened is tobe like the common person mentioned earlier in the Sutra whocalled himself the king. The real king would throw that man in
prison.
Heaven cannot hold two suns;
The citizens cannot serve two kings.
Why don’t you cultivate your own mind? Get rid of thedefilement and then you can see your own nature as it truly is.
See it right now. Do not say, “Wait a minute, wait a minute.” See
it immediately!
If you see your nature, you realize Buddhahood. If I see mynature, I realize Buddhahood. If someone else sees his nature herealizes Buddhahood. There is no inequality here. This principle
is completely democratic: whoever sees his nature realizes
Buddhahood.
You need not wait. See right through it, and suddenly, you
don’t know how, you are enlightened. Strange and unspeakably
wonderful. You return to yourself and regain your original mind.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, when I was with the High
Master Jen, I was enlightened as soon as I heard his
words, and suddenly saw the true suchness of my own
original nature. That is why I am spreading this methodof teaching which leads students of the Way to become
143

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

enlightened suddenly to Bodhi as each contemplates his
own mind and sees his own original nature.”
Commentary:“All of you of great knowledge, hear me!” said the Sixth
Patriarch. “I have explained so much Dharma to you. Have you
become enlightened yet? When I was with the High Master Jen,
the Fifth Patriarch, I awoke as soon as I heard him speak.
“I, the Sixth Patriarch, an illiterate barbarian, a stupid
country person, met the High Master Jen.” The Master did not
say the Fifth Patriarch’s full name, but merely said “Jen” as a
gesture of respect. “The High Master Jen” he said, “endured thetemper of many.” Those below him tried to pressure him intotransmitting the Dharma to Shen Hsiu. The Fifth Patriarch was
not even free to transmit the Dharma, but was forced to endure
the tyranny of his own disciples. His name, Jen, means “toendure.” He endured, practicing the perfection of patience until,
one day, the barbarian arrived. “I will give the Dharma to thebarbarian,” the Fifth Patriarch thought, “and forget about all ofyou. Do you think you can bully a Patriarch? I will transmit the
Dharma to someone who can’t even read. What use is youreducation now?” Thus, the High Master Jen ceased enduring andtransmitted the Dharma to the Sixth Patriarch.
The Sixth Patriarch was a friend who understood. “High
Master,” he said, “you have suffered greatly!” Then he told theassembly, “I was enlightened as soon as I heard his words.”
Why did the Fifth Patriarch transmit the Dharma to thisbarbarian? It was not just because he wanted to defy Shen Hsiu.
Rather it was because this barbarian was so intelligent that, assoon as he heard the Fifth Patriarch speak, he said in reply, “So
that’s how it is! My self-nature is originally pure. My self-nature
144

Chapter II. Prajna

is originally bright and light. My self-nature is originallyunmoving. How wonderful it is!”“Yes,” said the Fifth Patriarch, “you are right. It is just thatway.”
The Sixth Patriarch told the assembly, “I propagate thisSudden Teaching in order to cause all students of the Way to
become enlightened suddenly to their own mind and see theirown nature.”
Sutra:“If you are unable to enlighten yourself, you mustseek out a great Good Knowing Advisor, one who
understands the Dharma of the Most Superior Vehicle
and who will direct you to the right road.
“Such a Good Knowing Advisor possesses greatkarmic conditions, which is to say that he will transformyou and guide you and lead you to see your nature. It isbecause of the Good Knowing Advisor that all wholesome
Dharmas can arise. All the Buddhas of the three periodsof time, and the twelve divisions of Sutra texts as well,
exist within the nature of people, originally complete
within them. If you are unable to enlighten yourself, you
should seek out the instruction of a Good Knowing
Advisor who will lead you to see your nature.”
Commentary:
If you can’t enlighten yourself, you must seek out a brighteyed knowing one, one who has “gone through.”
Wishing to travel the mountain tracks,
Ask someone who has taken the trip.
145

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Ask him, “Where does this road lead?” If you do not ask
someone who has traveled the road before, but instead ask ablind man for directions, the blind man will say, “Just keep
walking. Go wherever you wish.” If you ask the blind man, “Is
this emptiness?” he will say: “It certainly is. No one can hinder
you here!” But is it really emptiness?
The great Good Knowing Advisor understands the Dharmaof the Superior Vehicle and directs you to the right road.
If there is a great affinity between you, you may meet abright-eyed knowing one who will teach you to understand yourmind and see your nature. All good dharmas arise because ofhim. Your good roots flourish because he watches over their
growth. He explains the Dharma to you every day and causes
your good roots to grow.
All the Buddhas of the past, present, and future and thetwelve divisions of Sutra text are originally complete withinyour own nature. But if you cannot understand that, you shouldseek out the instruction of a Good Knowing Advisor. He willteach you to behold the pure and wonderful substance of yourself-nature.
Sutra:“If you are one who enlightens himself, you need notseek a teacher outside. If you insist that it is necessary toseek a Good Knowing Advisor in the hope of obtaining
liberation, you are mistaken. Why? Within your own
mind there is self-enlightenment which is a Knowing
Advisor.
“But if you give rise to deviant confusion, false
thoughts, and perversions, although a Good Knowing
Advisor external to you instructs you, he cannot save
you.”
146

Chapter II. Prajna

Commentary:
If you seek outside yourself, you will not obtain it. You mustenlighten yourself, by recognizing the Prajna of your self-nature.
Your true Good Knowing Advisor is within your self-nature; heis simply your own wisdom.
“Deviant” means “not right.” “Confusion” means, “lack ofunderstanding.” Not understanding what? Not understanding
what is right. For example, people have certain fondnesses.
Some have the deviant confusion of sex. You should not regard
these confusions as unimportant, for when you do, yourconfusion deepens and the small confusions become large ones.
Thinking the large confusions to be unimportant, you arrive at
old age with old confusions and go to your death with deathconfusions. Even at the time of death you are confused andunclear. How pitiful!
“False thoughts” are untrue thoughts. They are vain andunreal. “Perversions” occur when you clearly know thatsomething is wrong, but do it anyway. You understand perfectly
well that it is not right, but you say, “It is right! It is right!”
If you continue to do things contrary to Dharma, you areperverted. You are perverted when you not only do these things
yourself, but influence others to do them as well. To discuss thisthoroughly would take a long time. To have success, students of
the Buddhadharma must not be perverted. If you have deviant
confusion, false thoughts, and perversions, although a Good
Knowing Advisor external to you, such as your good teacher orgood friend, instructs you, he cannot save you.
Your good teacher and worthy friend may try to help you, but
if you refuse to obey him he can do no more. Your Good
Knowing Advisor is not a policeman! If you break his laws, hecannot put you in jail. He can only hope that you will graduallychange your faults. If living beings obey, the master is certainly
147

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

pleased, but if they do not, although he cannot get angry, he isunhappy in his heart because he has no way to help them.
Sutra:“If you give rise to genuine Prajna contemplation andillumination, in the space of an instant all false thoughts
are extinguished. If you recognize your self-nature, in asingle moment of enlightenment you will arrive at thestage of a Buddha.”
Commentary:“Genuine” means “not deviant and confused.” “Prajna” isgenuine wisdom. To “contemplate and illuminate” is to slice off
deviant confusion, false thought, and upside-down actions withthe sword of wisdom. If you do not swing the wisdom-sword andcut through your deviant confusion, your false thinking, andyour upside-down actions, you are deluded, lack wisdom and do
upside-down things.
Recognize your own original nature. Understand it once,
and, in that one moment of enlightenment, you will go to the
Buddha realm. On the other hand, where do you go in one
moment of confusion? To the ghost realm.
Enlightened,a Buddha.
Confused,a living being.
In the space of an instant all false thoughts are extinguished,destroyed by your wisdom-sword like ice melted by the sun.

148

Chapter II. Prajna

Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisor, when you contemplate andilluminate with the wisdom which brightly penetrates
within and without, you recognize your original mind.
“The recognition of your original mind is the originalliberation. The attainment of liberation is the Prajna
Samadhi, is no-thought.”
Commentary:
Using your inherent wisdom, observe inwardly the mind andbody and outwardly the world. Completely understand both, as
you would look through a pane of glass: from the outside seeing
in and from the inside seeing out. Inwardly, there is no body andmind, and, outwardly, there is no world. But, although there is
no body nor mind nor world, the body and mind and the world
function in accord with one another. Although they function
together, they are not attached to one another. This is called“recognizing your own original mind.” The original self-nature,
the true mind, clearly penetrates within and without.
The recognition of your original mind is liberation. When
you are not attached to sense objects or false thought, you obtainliberation. This is the Prajna Samadhi of your self-nature and issimply no-thought.
I previously spoke about non-recollection, no-thought, andnon-falseness. Non-recollection is morality, no-thought isSamadhi, and non-falseness (i.e. being without false thought) is
wisdom. When morality, Samadhi, and wisdom all manifest,
greed, hatred, and delusion disappear.

149

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:“What is meant by ‘no-thought?’ No-thought means
to view all dharmas with a mind undefiled by attachment.
The function pervades all places but is nowhere attached.
Merely purify your original mind and cause the six
consciousnesses to go out the six gates, to be undefiled
and unmixed among the six objects, to come and go freely
and to penetrate without obstruction. That is the Prajna
Samadhi and freedom and liberation, and it is called thepractice of no-thought.”
Commentary:No-thought means to view all dharmas with a mind undefiled
by attachment. When the mind is undefiled by attachment,
dharmas are empty. If dharmas are empty, then why must you
get attached to your bad habits and weaknesses?
Someone hears this and wants to try to become unattached todharmas by ignoring his faults. He may be unattached todharmas but he can’t get rid of his faults. How can this be called“undefiled by attachment?” Since to be undefiled by attachment
there must be no dharmas, there must even more emphatically be
no faults. The Diamond Sutra says, “Even dharmas must be
forsaken, so non-dharmas must be forsaken even more.”
If you do not put down your bad habits and your faults, whatkind of Buddhadharma do you study? I ask you! You are nothing
but a fraud who cheats himself and cheats others. Students of theDharma must definitely give up their faults. If you cannot, eventhough you may be able to explain a few sentences of Dharma,
you are utterly useless. You are at the height of delusion.
“Prajna Samadhi pervades all places” and illuminates allplaces, but is nowhere attached. It is just like empty space.
150

Chapter II. Prajna“Merely purify your original mind” so that it is undefiled andunattached, and cause the six consciousnesses (visual, auditory,
olfactory, gustatory, tactile and mental awareness) to go out thesix gates (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind) and among thesix objects (forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables and objectsof mind), but to be undefiled and untainted to come and go
freely, and to penetrate without obstruction.
If you examine this conglomeration, you will see that the sixorgans and six objects ordinarily unite to form a corporation.
Where there is a corporation, there is defilement and mixing. Do
not incorporate!
They should freely come and go:
The eyes view forms outside;
Inside there is nothing.
The ears hear sounds outside;
But the mind does not know.
What does this mean? You don’t understand? Then study the
Buddhadharma diligently.
At the time of unobstructed penetration, the ten thousandchanges and the ten thousand transformations of the correct use
are unhindered, unblocked and inexhaustible. “That is Prajna
Samadhi, and freedom and liberation, and it is called the practiceof no-thought.”
Sutra:“Not thinking of the hundred things and constantly
causing your thought to be cut off is called Dharmabondage and is an extremist view.”

151

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
If you sit, saying, “I am sitting here, not thinking of anything.
I am thinking of nothing!” and in this way try to cut off yourthought, you still have not cut off the thought of “not thinking ofanything.” If you do this, you will be tied up in the dharmas, andwill not obtain release. Thought, no-thought: falling into eitherof the two extremes is not the Middle Way.
In telling you to awaken to the no-thought dharma, it is not
to say that you should be like dead ashes or rotten wood. Whatuse are ashes without fire? They are nothing but dirt. What use
is rotten wood? You can’t burn it. If you sit, thinking, “Do notthink! Do not think of the hundred things!” your thought of notthinking is itself a thought!
Trying not to think is like trying to prevent the grass fromgrowing by pounding on it with a rock and shouting, “Don’t
come up!” You push the rock into the soil, but when you moveit again the grass grows up thicker, stronger, and more dense
than ever.
Then how does one attain to the no-thought dharma? Itrequires the samadhi power that comes from having right, notdeviant, thought.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, one who awakens to theno-thought dharma completely penetrates the ten
thousand dharmas; one who awakens to the no-thoughtdharma sees all Buddha realms; one who awakens to theno-thought dharma arrives at the Buddha position.”152

Chapter II. Prajna

Commentary:
Do you know the realms of all Buddhas? Do you know what
their state is like? If you do, then you understand the no-thoughtdharma. “No,” you say, “I do not understand the Buddha
realms.” Then you do not understand the no-thought dharma.
Do not be like a certain person who does not know anythingat all, who cannot even explain the Five Esoteric Meanings andthe Seven Sutra Title Topics, but who still runs around“lecturing” on Sutras and cheating those who do not understandthe Buddhadharma. People stream in like ants to hear him. They
come marching, “deng, deng, deng.” What for? Who knows?
Ultimately, what Buddhadharma do they study? That man reads
an English translation of a Sutra aloud; he simply reads it.
Anybody can read it: you can read it, he can read it–I couldn’t
read it. Why? Because I can’t read English!
To explain Sutras, one must explain every sentence andevery word, every paragraph and every chapter. You say, “He
doesn’t do it that way.” Of course he doesn’t. He doesn’t know
how to, so how could he?
Don’t march off with the ants.
If you enlighten to the dharma of no-thought, you go to the
Buddha position. Now, isn’t that important?
When I explain Sutras, people come to hear, not ants. The
people are few, but they come to study the Dharma, not to eat
honey like ants. Here, we gather to eat bitterness; we don’t cometo eat candy.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, those of future generations
who obtain my Dharma should take up this Sudden
Teaching Dharma door and with those of like views and
153

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

like practice they should vow to receive and uphold it as
if serving the Buddhas. To the end of their lives theyshould not retreat, and they will certainly enter the holy
position. In this way it should be transmitted fromgeneration to generation. It is silently transmitted. Do nothide away the orthodox Dharma and do not transmit it tothose of different views and different practice who believe
in other teachings, since it will harm them and ultimately
be of no benefit.”
Commentary:“All of you Good Knowing Advisors,” continued the Sixth
Patriarch, “the Dharma was transmitted from Shakyamuni
Buddha to Mahakashyapa, to Ananda, and so forth toBodhidharma, and then to the Second Patriarch, the Third
Patriarch, reaching to me, the Sixth Patriarch. You should
transmit the Mind-Seal Dharma-door in just that way, fromgeneration to generation. Do not hide the orthodox Dharma andtransmit deviant dharma instead.”
Why was the Great Master a Patriarch? Because he neverslighted the lowly. When he was at Huang Mei, everyone looked
down on him because he was an illiterate country person. He
knew the pain of enduring ridicule himself, and so he did notslight others. He addressed everyone as “Good Knowing
Advisors” whether they were or not.
“You should not transmit this Mind-Seal to those of different
views and practice,” he said. Why?
Sutra:“I fear that deluded people may misunderstand andslander this Dharma-door, and will cut off their nature
154

Chapter II. Prajna

which possesses the seed of Buddhahood for hundreds ofages and thousands of lifetimes.
“Good Knowing Advisors, I have a verse of no-markwhich you should all recite. Those at home and those whohave left home should cultivate according to it. If you do
not cultivate it, memorizing it will be of no use. Listen to
my verse:
With speech and mind both understood,
Like the sun whose place is in space,
Just spread the ‘seeing-the-nature way’
Appear in the world to destroy false doctrines.
Dharma is neither sudden nor gradual,
Delusion and awakening are slow and quickBut deluded people cannot comprehendThis Dharma-door of seeing-the-nature.
Although it is said in ten thousand ways,
United, the principles return to one;
In the dark dwelling of defilements,
Always produce the sunlight of wisdom.
The deviant comes and affliction arrives,
The right comes and affliction goes.
The false and true both cast aside,
In clear purity the state of no residue is attained.
Bodhi is the original self-nature;
Giving rise to a thought is wrong;

155

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The pure mind is within the false:
Only the right is without the three obstructions.
If people in the world practice the Way,
They are not hindered by anything.
By constantly seeing their own transgressions,
They are in accord with the Way.
Each kind of form has its own way
Without hindering one another;
Leaving the Way to seek another way
To the end of life is not to see the Way.
A frantic passage through a life,
Will bring regret when it comes to its end.
Should you wish for a vision of the true Way,
Right practice is the Way.
If you don’t have a mind for the Way,You walk in darkness blind to the Way;If you truly walk the Way,You are blind to the faults of the world.
If you attend to others’ faults,
Your fault-finding itself is wrong;
Others’ faults I do not treat as wrong;
My faults are my own transgressions.
Simply cast out the mind that finds fault,
Once cast away, troubles are gone;156

Chapter II. Prajna

When hate and love don’t block the mind,
Stretch out both legs and then lie down.
If you hope and intend to transform others,
You must perfect expedient means.
Don’t cause them to have doubts, and then
Their self-nature will appear.
The Buddhadharma is here in the world;
Enlightenment is not apart from the world.
To search for Bodhi apart from the world
Is like looking for a hare with horns.
Right views are transcendental;
Deviant views are all mundane.
Deviant and right completely destroyed:
The Bodhi nature appears spontaneously.
This verse is the Sudden Teaching,
Also called the great Dharma boat.
Hear in confusion, pass through ages,
In an instant’s space, enlightenment.”
Commentary:“With speech and mind both understood.” Understanding
speech is to know how to lecture on Sutras and explain the
Dharma. Understanding the mind refers to the mind-ground
Dharma door of Dhyana meditation. If you can lecture on Sutras,
speak Dharma, and cultivate Dhyana meditation, you are “Likethe sun whose place is in space;” you are like bright light which
illuminates the void and yet is nowhere attached.
157

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“Just spread the ‘seeing-the-nature Way’”; the Dharma door
which the Sixth Patriarch transmits teaches you to understandyour mind and see your nature. Understand the mind and there
are no difficulties. See your nature and there is no anxiety. Whenyou see your original face, you understand the Buddhadharma.
“Appear in the world to destroy false doctrines.” This
Dharma-door exclusively speaks of transcendental principles,and destroys all heretical, non-Buddhist religions.
Dharma is neither sudden nor gradual,
Delusion and awakening are slow and quick.
Essentially, the Dharma is neither sudden nor gradual.
However, confused people must be taught to cultivate gradually,
while wise, enlightened people understand the sudden Dharma.
If you are stupid, you become enlightened a little slower. If you
are intelligent, you become enlightened a little faster.
Today I will tell you the plain truth. Everyday I lecture thesutras, but rarely do I speak plain truth. Today I’ll say a little.
Why? I can’t speak much plain truth because you won’t believe
it. I say a little and you cannot believe it, so if I were to say more
you would believe it even less. That’s because you don’t like tohear the truth, nor do you like to actually cultivate. So I have noway to speak true Dharma for you. I have to wait. I wait for an
opportunity. And now an opportunity presents itself because wehave come to this verse and the doctrine should be explained
here. What is the Sudden Teaching? Sudden means, “cut it off.”
Cut what off? Cut off your sexual desire. Can you do it or not?
You say, “What’s the use of that?” Do you see? You don’t
believe. Very well, then, I will not talk about it. If I say more,
you will disbelieve even more strongly. That’s all there is to it.
It’s just this much:158

Chapter II. Prajna

Cut Off Ignorance Immediately!
Ignorance is just sexual desire. Can you cut it off? Can you? You
can’t cut it off, and so you don’t believe in the true Dharma.
When you do cut it off, you will attain the Sudden Teaching.
What is the gradual teaching? “Slowly, slowly,” you say. “I
can’t cut it off all at once. How can I put it down? How can I let
it go?” The sudden becomes gradual. That’s all there is to it. Do
you get the point? I give intelligent people this little bit and they
cut it off. But stupid people can’t put their desire down. “I don’t
believe this is the true Dharma,” they say. “I don’t believe this is
the Sudden Teaching.” That’s why I have never spoken this way
before. If you believed, you would have become a Buddha longago. It’s just because you don’t believe that you are still
wallowing in the mud, turning in the six paths of rebirth. If you
want to turn, turn. Nobody is forcing you to stop.
It is a question of sooner or later. You may not want to cut it
off now, but when you decide to become a Buddha, you willcertainly have to cut it off.
But stupid people cannot comprehendThis Dharma-door of seeing the nature.
The Sudden Teaching is the Dharma-door of seeing thenature. If you cut off sexual desire you can understand your mind
and see your nature.
Don’t speak of this Dharma to stupid people. They cannot
understand it and they won’t believe it, just as now, when I told
you to cut it off and you couldn’t do it. Stupid people cannot
comprehend, they cannot understand. If you tell them, they
won’t believe you.

159

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Although it is said in ten thousand ways,
United, the principles return to one.
There are a thousand, ten thousand, millions of Dharmadoors used to explain this principle. There are 84,000 Dharmadoors to counteract just this kind of affliction, just that kind ofignorance. But when you trace them to the root, they are all justone, just the Sudden Dharma which tells you to cut off ignorance
immediately and manifest the Dharma-nature.
In the dark dwelling of defilements,
Always produce the sunlight of wisdom.
Having affliction, you are in a dark room, but having
wisdom, you are out in the dazzling sunlight.
The deviant comes and affliction arrives,
The right comes and affliction goes.
Today I will give you a little basic Dharma. If I never say it,
you will never know. Deviant refers to the arousing of sexualdesire. Do not take it as happiness; it is an affliction.
What is “right” is Prajna wisdom. Genuine wisdom breaks
through ignorance and casts out affliction.
The false and true both cast aside,
In clear purity the state of no residue is attained.
This is Nirvana without residue. You say, “The verse says,‘The false and true both cast aside’–I’ll ignore both of them!” If
you ignore them, you are still in the dark dwelling. When you
have transcended the deviant and the right, then they have nouse. There is only “right” because there is “deviant;” there is160

Chapter II. Prajna

only “deviant” because there is “right.” When neither one exists,that is clear purity, Nirvana without residue.
Bodhi is the original self-nature;
Giving rise to a thought is wrong.
Do not seek Bodhi outside yourself. The enlightenment
nature is already complete within the Prajna wisdom of yourself-nature. Nevertheless you still give rise to false thoughts.
Originally, in clear and pure Nirvana without residue, there is nothought, no recollection, and no falseness. It is complete insamadhi, morality, and wisdom.
The pure mind is within the false:
Only the right is without the three obstructions.
The pure mind is within the false, like water in the ice; the ice
has the potential to become water.
In order to separate yourself from the three obstacles, youneed only cultivate and uphold the right Dharma. The threeobstacles are the karma obstacle, that is, all the karma you havecreated in past lives and in the present one; the retribution
obstacle, that is, your body, which undergoes the obstructive
effects of your karma; and the affliction obstacle, that is, all yourtroubles and worries.
If people in the world practice the Way,
They are not hindered by anything.
You can realize the Way by success in any Dharma-door atall. But first you must understand the true Dharma. Then you cancultivate it walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, with no
obstacles whatsoever.

161

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

By constantly seeing their own transgressions,
They are in accord with the Way.
Mind your own business. Don’t watch other people, like acamera which can only take pictures of what is outside, but can’ttake pictures of itself. You say, “That person is bad! He drinks,
smokes, and takes drugs. No one can teach him. He steals! He
kills! Just look at him!” You talk nothing but big talk; you only
criticize others. You never ask yourself, “Did I kill today? Did I
steal? Did I have deviant thoughts of lust? Did I lie or drink?”
You never turn the light inward because you are too busy shining
it outside.
If you wish to practice the Way, you should cultivateyourself and see your own faults. Then you will be in accord
with the Way.
The Sixth Patriarch’s verse is excellent. It is profound, deep,
and of inexhaustible use. It is simple and clear: anyone canunderstand it. If you can understand the meaning, and memorize
it as well, it will greatly aid your cultivation.
Each kind of form has its own way
Without hindering one another;
Everything which has a shape and an appearance is a kind ofform. While dwelling in forms, if you are able to wake up andunderstand, to cut off desire and cast out love and be unattachedto the forms, then you will naturally possess the Way. You need
not look for it anywhere else.
Leaving the Way to seek another way
To the end of life is not to see the Way.
If you understand and are unconfused by forms, then there isno difficulty and no annoyance. But if you leave the Way,
162

Chapter II. Prajna

saying, “This is not the Way. I am going to find another way,”
you are just adding a head on top of a head.
If you see what happens and understand,you can transcend the world.
If you see what happens and are confused
you fall beneath the wheel.
If you become confused and give rise to view delusion, you fall
into the dust of external states and objects and to the end of yourlife you will not see the Way.
A frantic passage through a life,
Will bring regret when it comes to its end.
Wishing for a vision of the true Way,
Right practice is the way.
When you arrive at the Way, everything you do frommorning to night is in accord with Dharma. You do right andproper things, not deviant things. If you leave your daily
activities and look elsewhere for the Way, your whole life will
be suffering and when you are old you will have regrets. “I havewasted my life!” you will say. “If only I hadn’t drunk so muchwine, I wouldn’t be so stupid now. If only I hadn’t gambled, I
wouldn’t be so poor. If someone had just told me, I could havecultivated. But I never met a Good Knowing Advisor.”
You met a Good Knowing Advisor, but you didn’t recognize
him. His teaching passed by like the wind–in one ear and out theother. You never reformed your own faults and you nevercorrected your bad habits and so, at the end, you have regrets.
Cultivate properly. Do not criticize others and wash theirclothes for them, saying, “This person’s clothes are filthy! I’d
better wash them. And look at him! He’s jealous. He’s afraid
163

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

others are going to be better than he is.” This is called, “washingother people’s clothes.”
If you don’t have a mind for the Way,You walk in darkness, blind to the Way.
If you only do things in darkness, if you only do things which
you do not wish others to see, you are not practicing the Way.
If you truly walk the Way,You are blind to the faults of the world.
There are those who say, “The Dharma-ending age38 is really
bad! There is no more Dharma. Cultivators do not give proof to
the fruit.” Why don’t you give proof to the fruit? The Dharma
itself has no “right,” “image” or “ending” age. If you cultivate
the right Dharma, you live in the right Dharma age. If you do not
see the faults of the world, but see all living beings as the
Buddha, then you yourself are Buddha. If you see all living
beings as demons, then you are a demon.
If you attend to others’ faults,
Your fault-finding itself is wrong:
Does the Buddha look at other people’s faults? No. The
Buddha sees all living beings as Buddhas.
Others’ faults I do not treat as wrong;
My faults are my own transgressions.
38.

After the Buddha’s Nirvana, the Dharma passes through the following historicalperiods:
1) The first 500 years: the “right Dharma age;”2) The following 1000 years: the “Dharma image age.”3) The following 1000 years: the “Dharma-ending age.”164

Chapter II. Prajna

If he is wrong, do not follow his example. If he is wrong, do
not join him and do not see his errors. Have great compassion foreveryone. Be merciful. Say, “These living beings are indeed
pitiful! I vow to take them all to Buddhahood.”
Simply cast out the mind that finds fault,
Once cast away, troubles are gone;
When hate and love don’t block the mind,
Stretch out both legs and lie down.
“I really love him!” you say. “I would gladly give up my life
for him.” This is all just emotion. If you truly had thecompassionate heart to love and protect all beings, you would
say, “I vow to take him to Buddhahood. If he does not realize
Buddhahood, I will not realize Buddhahood.”
Today someone asked to formally become a Buddhist by
taking refuge in the Triple Jewel, the Buddha, Dharma andSangha. After taking refuge you must follow the rules. Those
who believe in the Buddha should not be as they were before. Ifthey are, others will say, “He is a Buddhist, but he still has his
same old life-style. He hasn’t changed.” Therefore I have madethis vow: if those who have taken refuge with me do not realize
Buddhahood, I will just wait here for them. You must realize
Buddhahood before I do. I have no other method. If you takerefuge, you should cultivate a little faster. Don’t make me wait
for you. I will wait a long time, but eventually I may dislike it
and say, “I will wait no longer. I’m finished. This is it!”“Stretch out both legs and lie down.” This appeals to lazypeople! However, this is not laziness or sleep. It represents
freedom. Unchained, unshackled, unfettered, and free, you“leave upside-down dream-thinking far behind and attainultimate Nirvana.” Do not interpret the Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra as
saying that you should stretch out both legs and go to sleep.
165

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

If you hope and intend to transform others,
You must perfect expedient means;
To practice expedient means, one must know what Dharma
should be spoken to what living being. For that one must be
unattached.
Don’t cause them to have doubts, and then
Their self-nature will appear.
Do not cause living beings who hear this Dharma todisbelieve, and you will then be able to use the brilliant wisdomof your own nature.
The Buddhadharma is here in the world;
Enlightenment is not apart from the world.
The Buddhadharma includes both mundane andtranscendental dharma. Buddhadharma is in the midst of theworld and yet transcends the world. There is no awakening andno Prajna wisdom apart from the world.
To search for Bodhi apart from the world
Is like looking for a hare with horns.
Do you think you can find a rabbit with horns? There is nosuch thing. If you separate yourself from worldly things to seek
the transcendental dharma elsewhere, that is like looking for a
rabbit with horns.
Right views are transcendental:
Deviant views are all mundane.
Right views are enlightenment. To what is one enlightened?
To the fact that sexual desire must be cut off–that is
166

Chapter II. Prajnatranscendental dharma. Deviant views are mundane views.
When you casually follow your desires, yielding to them insteadof causing them to yield to you, you are holding to deviant andmundane views.
Deviant and right completely destroyed:
The Bodhi nature appears spontaneously.
When neither the deviant nor the right remain, the Bodhi
nature is spontaneously manifest. You need not look for theBodhi nature anywhere else.
This verse is the Sudden Teaching
Also called the Great Dharma Boat.
This verse is the verse of sudden enlightenment and theDharma-door of realizing Buddhahood. It is called the Great
Dharma Boat because it can ferry all living beings from the shoreof birth and death across the current of affliction to the othershore of Nirvana.
Hear in confusion, pass through ages,
In an instant’s space, enlightenment.
If you are deluded, many ages may pass before you become
enlightened. If you are on the verge of enlightenment and can put
down every one of your desires, you can suddenly become
enlightened in the space of an instant. If you truly, truly
understand, you can open enlightenment instantly.
Sutra:The Master said further, “In the Ta Fan Temple I
have just now spoken the Sudden Teaching, making theuniversal vow that all living beings of the Dharma-realm
167

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

will see their nature and realize Buddhahood as they hearthese words.”
Then among Magistrate Wei and the officials, Taoists
and lay-people who heard what the Master said, there
were none who did not awaken. Together they madeobeisance and exclaimed with delight, “Good indeed!
Who would have thought that in Ling Nan a Buddha
would appear in the world?”
Commentary:
After they heard the markless verse, they said, “Ah! This isreally fine! Who would have imagined that in Ling Nan a
Buddha would appear in the world?

168

CHAPTER III.

DOUBTS AND QUESTIONS

Sutra:
One day, Magistrate Wei arranged a great vegetarian
feast on behalf of the Master.
Commentary:
The doubts referred to in the title of this chapter were thoseof Magistrate Wei, who did not understand how the Patriarch
Bodhidharma would have told the Emperor Wu of Liang that theEmperor had no merit. Therefore the Magistrate questioned the
Sixth Patriarch about it.
The Magistrate invited the Master to a great vegetarian feast.
All the Bhikshus, laymen, Taoists, scholars, officials, andcommon people were invited to the meatless meal. Politicians
like to eat meat, but because Magistrate Wei propagated theBuddhadharma, he invited them all to a vegetarian meal.
“Great” means that many people attended. In China, theThousand Monk Vegetarian Feast occurs when a thousand
Bhikshus are invited to have a meal. Among a thousand monks,
there is sure to be one Arhat, so making offerings to a thousand
Bhikshus is making offerings to one Arhat. Which one is the
Arhat? No one knows. If you knew, you would just makeofferings to the Arhat and not to the thousand Bhikshus. This
great feast, however, was an offering to not just a thousand
Bhikshus; I believe it was to ten thousand.
169

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The banquet was held on behalf of the Sixth Patriarch. As
one who had left home, the Master himself could not invite
people to lunch. Laymen made offerings to those who have left
home; those who have left home do not make offerings tolaymen. Recently, I said to a visitor from Hong Kong,“Remember, lay people make offerings to the Bodhimanda,
protect and support the Triple Jewel. Do not be supported by the
Triple Jewel.”She replied, “I have never in my life heard a Good Knowing
Advisor speak such honest words to me! This certainly haschanged me. When I return, I will be different from what I was
before.”Magistrate Wei was the Sixth Patriarch’s disciple, and hewished to cause everyone to recognize and believe in his master.
He invited them to eat vegetarian food, because it is said:
If you want to lead themto the Buddha’s wisdom
First you ought to give themsomething good to eat!
In fact, one definition of the word “people” goes:
People: when they eat, they’re happy.
If you feed them well, they can’t forget it. “Ah!” they say,
“I’ve got to go listen to some more Sutra lectures.” They cometime after time to get what they want–not Dharma, but good
food. They eat and eat and soon, when they hear the Dharma,
they say, “The Dharma tastes even better than these vegetables.”And then they don’t run away.
Magistrate Wei understood human nature. He arranged thisfeast on behalf of his Master. He did not do it for himself, saying,170

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions“Look at me, making great offerings to the Triple Jewel!” He
was not seeking notoriety. He probably used the technique used
at today’s $500-a-plate fund-raising dinners. “We are going tobuild Nan Hua Temple,” he probably said. “You should donate
five thousand dollars, or perhaps fifty thousand dollars.”
Because the assembly was held for the purpose of building atemple, the Magistrate asked the Master about the merit andvirtue of Emperor Wu, the great Liang dynasty Emperor who
built many temples and gave sanction to many monks who left
home.
Sutra:
After the meal, the Magistrate asked the Master totake his seat. Together with officials, scholars, and theassembly, he bowed reverently and asked, “Your disciple
has heard the High Master explain the Dharma. It is truly
inconceivable. I now have a few doubts and hope you will
be compassionate and resolve them for me.”The Master said, “If you have any doubts, please ask
me and I will explain.”
The Honorable Wei said, “Is not what the Masterspeaks the same as the doctrine of Bodhidharma?”
The Master replied, “It is.”The Magistrate asked, “Your disciple has heard thatwhen Bodhidharma first instructed the Emperor Wu of
Liang, the Emperor asked him, ‘All my life I have built
temples, given sanction to the Sangha, practiced giving,
and arranged vegetarian feasts. What merit and virtue
have I gained?’“Bodhidharma said, ‘There was actually no merit andvirtue.’171

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“I, your disciple, have not yet understood thisprinciple and hope that the High Master will explain it.”Commentary:
Magistrate Wei represented the entire assembly in requesting
the Dharma. He was extremely respectful, stern, and upright in
his bearing. He didn’t dare laugh or cry. The Magistrate hadsome small doubts; not big problems. He asked the Master tobestow great compassion on him. “Please resolve my little
problem, because there are a few things I simply do notunderstand.”“Honorable” is a term of great respect. The Magistrate wascalled “honorable” because he was a high-ranking official.
When my disciples go to Taiwan to take the precepts, theyshould call the old cultivators, the Bhikshus, “Honorable.”“Honor” them once and they will be delighted. If you do not“Honor” them, they will say, “This newly-precepted one isextremely disrespectful!”
The Magistrate asked, “Don’t you explain the same principle
as Bodhidharma?”
The Sixth Patriarch said, “Yes, I do. It is the mind-to-mindseal transmitted by Bodhidharma, the direct pointing to the mind
to see the nature and realize Buddhahood.”
The Magistrate said, “I have heard that when Bodhidharma
went to Nan Ching to convert the Emperor Wu of the Liangdynasty, the Emperor told him, “I have built many temples.”
The Emperor Wu of Liang spent his entire life building
temples. He allowed many Bhikshus to leave home and he madeofferings of food and shelter to them. He would bow to anyone
who left home. Wasn’t this good? He gave the wealth of his
country to the poor and arranged many vegetarian feasts.
172

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions“What merit and virtue have I gained?” he asked. Emperor
Wu had to be number one in everything. Therefore, when he met
Patriarch Bodhidharma, he did not seek the Dharma, he sought
Bodhidharma’s praise instead. He wanted Bodhidharma to givehim a “high hat.” He was afraid that Bodhidharma might notknow of his merit and so he introduced himself, saying, “Lookat me. I have built hundreds of temples to house thousands ofmonks, all of whom left home under my official sanction. Whatkind of merit have I gained?” What he meant was, “Look at me!
I am an emperor unlike all others! Everything I do is good andmeritorious.” He didn’t seek the Dharma to end birth and death,
he wanted to put himself on display instead.
This is like a certain Dharma Protector who says, “Do you
know me? I am the greatest, strongest Dharma Protector. I give
all my money to the Triple Jewel.” In fact, the money he uses toplay around with women is several thousand times greater thanthe money he gives to the Triple Jewel, but he says he gives it all
to the Triple Jewel. Isn’t this perverse? He never speaks about
the money he squanders all over heaven and earth, but when hegives a dollar to the Temple, he says, “I gave a dollar to theTemple! Do you know that?” He is certainly the Emperor Wu’s
disciple. With his merit and virtue he too can be an emperor
someday.
Hearing the Emperor brag about “me, myself, and I,”
boasting and advertising his merit and in general exalting
himself, Bodhidharma thought, “How can a sage go aroundbackslapping? How can I agree with him?”
Ordinary people would have said to the Emperor, “Oh yes!
Yes! Your merit is indeed great. No one in the world can matchit!” Bodhidharma was a patriarch. He could not possibly haveindulged in such behavior, and so he said, “No merit! Totally
without merit!”
173

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:The Master said, “There actually was no merit andvirtue. Do not doubt the words of a sage. Emperor Wu of
Liang’s mind was wrong; he did not know the rightDharma. Building temples and giving sanction to theSangha, practicing giving and arranging vegetarian
feasts is called ‘seeking blessings’. Do not mistake
blessings for merit and virtue. Merit and virtue are in the
Dharma body, not in the cultivation of blessings.”
The Master said further, “Seeing your own nature is
merit, and equanimity is virtue. To be unobstructed inevery thought, constantly seeing the true, real, wonderful
function of your original nature is called merit andvirtue.”Commentary:
The Sixth Patriarch replied, “Do not doubt the sage’s words.
There really was no merit and virtue. Emperor Wu was seeking
fame; he was not seeking the orthodox Dharma.”
The Great Master said, “Merit and virtue are in the Dharma
body, not in cultivating blessings.” What is merit then? Seeing
your brilliant, wonderful, original nature is merit. With merit,
you can see your own nature.
What is merit? At first, it is difficult to sit in Dhyana
meditation, but after a while it becomes natural. When you begin
to sit, your legs and back hurt, but after a while you defeat yourlegs and they no longer hurt. When your legs do not hurt, youhave merit. If your legs hurt, you have no merit.
“Seeing your own nature is merit.” See your original face.
You ask, “What does my original face look like?” You must findout for yourself. I cannot describe it to you, and even if I did, you
174

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

wouldn’t know because your knowledge would have come fromthe outside. Enlighten yourself to your own nature. “Ah,” youwill say, “My original face looks just like this!”
Then you must have your vision of the self-nature certified
by a Good Knowing Advisor. You cannot set yourself up as kingand say, “I am the Emperor. I am a Bodhisattva!” like the hippie
who had poisoned himself with drugs to the point that he claimed
to be a Bodhisattva, when he actually was nothing but a demon.
“Equanimity is virtue.” Without selfishness, everything isequal. There is no prejudice or partiality. If you are fair, just, andopen-minded, you have virtue.
“To be unobstructed in every thought:” If you are obstructed,
your thoughts flow here, stop there, and become attached.
Obstruction means attachment. If you are not obstructed, you
can always see your original nature. As the Sixth Patriarch said
when he was enlightened, “How surprising that the self-nature isoriginally pure in itself! How surprising that the self-nature isoriginally unmoving! How surprising that the self-nature isoriginally not produced or destroyed! How surprising that the
self-nature is so inconceivable!”This is to “constantly see the true, real, wonderful function.
It is called merit and virtue.” If you do not seek within yourself,
but give sanction to Bhikshus, build temples, and give to thepoor instead, you accumulate blessings. Blessings, however, are
not merit and virtue. You should perfect your own merit andvirtue just as the Buddhas have done.
Sutra:“Inner humility is merit and the outer practice ofreverence is virtue. Your self-nature establishing the ten
thousand dharmas is merit and the mind-substanceseparate from thought is virtue. Not being separate from
175

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

the self-nature is merit, and the correct use of the
undefiled (self-nature) is virtue. If you seek the merit andvirtue of the Dharma body, simply act according to theseprinciples, for this is true merit and virtue.”
Commentary:
You should not be arrogant. In all situations, you should bepolite. Do not say, “Look at me! I am better than everyone else.
I am so talented. I know more Buddhadharma than you.” If you
show off like this, you are being proud, not humble, and you
have no merit. When you speak to people you should be easy andpolite, not like a wooden board which smashes their heads witha single sentence. You don’t have to hit people, all you have to
do is say one sentence and you split their heads open, which is afiercer thing than using an iron bar. But if you are humble, you
are never impolite.
Outwardly, you should see everyone as better than you.
Don’t be self-satisfied.
Arrogance causes harm.
Humility brings benefit.
If you fill your cup with tea until it overflows and then keep
pouring, you are being wasteful. Do not be “full of self.” If you
are polite, you will gain benefit. Do not say, “I am the greatest. I
am number one. I am so intelligent that I understood long ago
things which you still do not know!” In Buddhism you should
not fear that you will not understand. Fear only that you will notpractice. Whether or not you understand is not so important, but
if you do not practice, you are useless.
The mind-substance should be separate from false thought,
but not separate from proper thought. That is virtue. Turn the176

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

light around and reverse the illumination to see your self-nature,
which constantly gives rise to Prajna. This is merit. In
unimpeded, limitless transformation, the correct use of the selfnature enables you to do whatever you wish while never doing
unclean things.
If you are seeking the Dharma body you should act in accord
with these principles, because it is by means of such merit andvirtue that the Dharma body is realized.
Sutra:“Those who cultivate merit and virtue in theirthoughts do not slight others, but always respect them.
Those who slight others and do not cut off the ‘me andmine’ are without merit. The vain and unreal self-nature
is without virtue, because of the ‘me and mine,’ becauseof the greatness of the ‘self,’ and because of the constantslighting of others.”
Commentary:
You should not slight people, animals, or any living beings.
For example, whenever Sadaparibhuta Bodhisattva met
someone, he immediately bowed and said, “I dare not slight you
because you are going to be a Buddha.” Sadaparibhuta
Bodhisattva, who was a previous incarnation of Shakyamuni
Buddha, realized Buddhahood because of his practice ofuniversal respect while walking the Bodhisattva path.
“Those who slight others and do not cut off the ‘me andmine’ are without merit.” You have no merit if, whenever you
meet someone, you immediately become jealous, terrified thatthey will be better than you are or more intelligent or will surpass
you in some other respect. Your jealousy causes you to belittle
177

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

them. You see yourself as great. “See how big I am?” you say.
“No one can compare with me. In the present age there is noemperor, but if there were, it would certainly be me. None of you
would have a share. Why? Because I am more intelligent than allof you. I can dominate you, but you can’t dominate me.” “I,”“myself,” “me and mine” are not cut off and not put down. Thereis no room for merit, because you are too full of self.
You do not really cultivate, and so your self-nature is unreal.
You are not basically genuine, you do not believe in yourself andyou do not know whether you are true or false. I did not tell you
to drink or smoke. Why are you drinking and smoking? I did nottell you to go gambling. Why did you go? You don’t know why
you do these mixed-up things. The self nature in this way is“vain and unreal.” This happens because you have no virtue andyou see yourself as too big. “Look at me!” you say, “I am a
Buddha!” This is like a certain person who said, “This Dharma
Master is enlightened and I am just like him!” He did not say that
he himself was enlightened. He said that the Dharma Master was
enlightened and that the two of them were just alike. He might
as well have introduced himself by saying, “I am enlightened.”
This “me, myself, and I” is too big. There is no merit here.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, continuity of thought ismerit, and the mind practicing equality and directness isvirtue. Self-cultivation of one’s nature is merit, and selfcultivation of the body is virtue.”
Commentary:
In thought after thought, without interruption, every thought
should be right. In thought after thought, without stopping, every
178

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

thought should be cultivation. This is merit. At first it is forced,
but after a time it becomes natural, and the naturalness is merit.
Always be even-minded and impartial, direct and without
deceit. That is virtue.
If you have not seen your nature, you must cultivate it. How
do you cultivate it? By not giving rise to affliction. Whensomeone hits you, think of it as if you had run into a wall. Whensomeone scolds you, pretend that they are singing a song, or
speaking a foreign language. “Oh, he’s not scolding me. He’s
speaking Japanese: ‘Chi, chi, cha, cha,’ or is it Spanish?” If you
think of it that way, there is no trouble at all.
If someone tries to spit at heaven, the spit just falls right backinto his own face. If someone scolds you, but you take no notice,
it is just as if he were scolding himself. When hit, you can think,“I have run into a wall. It certainly hurts.” Can you deny that it
is your own karmic retribution returning to you? If you bumpyour head in the dark, do you hit the wall with your fist? If you
do, your fist will hurt and there will be even more pain. Pay no
attention: then nothing will have happened. Maitreya
Bodhisattva said,
The Old Fool wears second-hand clothes
And fills his belly with tasteless food,Mends holes to make a cover against
The cold, and thus the myriad affairs of life,
According to what comes, are done.
Scolded, the Old Fool merely says, “Fine.”
Struck, the Old Fool falls down to sleep.
“Spit on my face, I just let it dry;I save strength and energy andGive you no affliction.” Paramita is
His style; he gains the jewel within
179

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The wonderful. Know this news and then
What worry is there of not perfecting the Way?
This is wonderful, but not everyone can do it. The jewel within
the wonderful is not easy to obtain. Cultivation of the nature issimply not getting angry.
How does one cultivate the body? Do not do bad things.
Have no lust, hatred, or delusion. If you do not kill, steal, or lust,
you cultivate the body. That is virtue.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, merit and virtue should beseen within one’s own nature, not sought through giving
and making offerings. That is the difference between
blessings and merit and virtue. Emperor Wu did notknow the true principle. Our Patriarch was not in error.”
Commentary:
You cannot say, “I make offerings to the Triple Jewel. I havemerit.” It is not merit, just blessings. Therefore blessings andmerit and virtue are different. If you perform acts of blessing,
you will receive the karmic retribution of blessing in future lives.
But you obtain the advantages of merit and virtue now, in thislife.
Bodhidharma wanted to take the Emperor across, but theEmperor’s ego was too big. Therefore, in order to break theEmperor’s attachment, Bodhidharma said that he had no meritand virtue. The Emperor was most displeased and from then on
he ignored Bodhidharma. No matter what dharma Bodhidharma
spoke, he wouldn’t listen. “Why should I listen to you?” he said.
He would not respond to Bodhidharma’s compassionate efforts
to save him and so Bodhidharma just went away. After a time,180

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

the Emperor died of starvation. Think it over: How could one
with merit and virtue starve to death? He died of starvation
because he had no merit and virtue. Bodhidharma had wanted towake him up so that he would not have to die that way. What apity that the Emperor’s view of himself was so big that
Bodhidharma couldn’t help him.
Sutra:The Magistrate asked further, “Your disciple hasoften seen the Sangha and laity reciting ‘Amitabha
Buddha,’ vowing to be reborn in the West. Will the High
Master please tell me if they will obtain rebirth there, andso dispel my doubts?”
Commentary:
The Magistrate said, “The clergy and laymen recite the nameof Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Limitless Light. They all
vow to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss39. High Master,
will they actually be born there?”
The Magistrate himself understood the principle, but heknew that others present in the assembly did not understand andso he asked the Sixth Patriarch for an explanation. At that time,
the reciters of the Buddha’s name slandered the Ch’an School40:
39.

For further reference see A General Explanation of the Buddha Speaks ofAmitabha Sutra by Tripitaka Master Hua, The Buddhist Text Translation Society,
San Francisco, 1974.

40.

The five Buddhist schools each take a different approach to cultivation. The five
are: Ch’an, Secret, Vinaya, Teaching, and Pure Land. The Pure Land sect isassociated with the recitation of the name of the Buddha Amitabha in order toobtain rebirth in the Western Paradise, the Pure Land of Amitabha according to the
Teaching of the Amitabha Sutra.

181

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“Ch’an School people eat their fill, sit down, shut their eyes and
go to sleep! What kind of work is that? Lazy work! They don’t
compare with those who recite the Buddha’s name. Recitation isthe best Dharma-door.”
The Ch’an School fired back: “You recite the name ofAmitabha Buddha to gain rebirth in the West. In the past, before
Amitabha Buddha, what Buddha’s name did you recite?”And so they fought, saying, “You’re wrong! You’re wrong!”
until, finally, nobody knew who was right.
Sutra:The Master said, “Magistrate, listen well. Hui Neng
will explain it for you. When the World Honored One wasin Shravasti City, he spoke of being led to rebirth in theWest. The Sutra text clearly states, ‘It is not far fromhere.’ If we discuss its appearance, it is 108,000 miles
away, but in immediate terms, it is just beyond the ten
evils and the eight deviations within us. It is explained as
far distant for those of inferior roots and as nearby for
those of superior wisdom.”Commentary:
Shravasti is a city in India. Translated, it means “abundance
and virtue.” In Shravasti, the five desires were abundant: forfame, wealth, sex, food and sleep. The people of Shravasti had
the virtue of much learning and liberation: they had studied agreat deal and were not attached.
In this city of abundance and virtue, the Buddha spoke ofbeing led to rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Land of
Ultimate Bliss appears to be 108,000 miles away, but if you
discuss it in immediate terms, it is just beyond the ten evils and182

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

the eight deviations within us. Actually, The Amitabha Sutrasays that the Western Paradise is 10,000,000,000 lands away, but
the Great Master said 108,000 miles because he wanted tocounter the prejudices of those in the assembly. In terms of its
appearance, the Western Land is far away, but in terms of ourown nature, it is just beyond the ten evils and the eightdeviations.
Of the ten evils, three are committed with the body:1) killing, 2) stealing, 3) sexual misconduct. Three arecommitted with the mind: 4) greed, 5) hatred, 6) delusion (orwrong views). Four are committed with the mouth, a most dirty
thing: 7) foul language (talking about the affairs of men andwomen), 8) lying, 9) harsh speech, 10) slander.
The eight deviations are the opposite of the Eight-Fold Path.
Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Eight-Fold Path of 1) rightviews, 2) right thought, 3) right speech, 4) right action, 5) right
livelihood, 6) right vigor, 7) right recollection, 8) rightconcentration. The eight deviations, then, would consist ofdeviant views, deviant thought, deviant speech, deviant action,
deviant livelihood, deviant vigor, deviant recollection, anddeviant concentration.
The Buddha spoke of the Western Paradise as distant to thoseof common intelligence. To those of superior intelligence hespoke of the Western Paradise as being on the other side of theten evils and the eight deviations–within their own self-nature.
Sutra:“There are two kinds of people, not two kinds ofDharma. Enlightenment and confusion differ, and seeing
can be quick or slow. The deluded person recites the
Buddha’s name, seeking rebirth there, while theenlightened person purifies his own mind. Therefore the183The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Buddha said, ‘As the mind is purified, the Buddhaland ispurified.’”Commentary:
The two kinds of people are not white people and yellow
people, but wise people and deluded ones. There is only one
Dharma; deluded or wise, you cultivate the same Dharma.
Confused people recite the Buddha’s name and expect to bereborn in the Western Paradise, while the wise recite theBuddha’s name in order to purify their own minds. The puremind is the Western Paradise. If you understand that, then it is
not 10,000,000,000 lands away; it is right here. If you don’t
understand, you don’t know how many Buddhalands beyond
even that number it is. It is said,
Confused, a thousand books are few;
Enlightened, one word is too much.
When confused, you may study this Sutra, study that Sutra,
investigate back and forth and still not understand. When truly
awake, there is no need to study; one word is too much. But you
must truly understand. Do not pretend and say, “I don’t have torecite the Buddha’s name.” That is just laziness. Once a man
who was well-read said to me, “I have read many books, andnow I find that they are all wrong, so I no longer read books.” Hemeant that he had realized Buddhahood and he no longer needed
anything. This is extremely stupid behavior. Understanding
nothing, he faked understanding. You may try to brew tea in cold
water, forcing it to steep, but you will never get tea. How can you
brew tea in cold water? There are many strange people in theworld–an uncountable number.

184

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

Sutra:“Magistrate, if the person of the East merely purifies
his mind, he is without offense. Even though one may beof the West, if his mind is impure he is at fault. The
person of the East commits offenses and recites the
Buddha’s name, seeking rebirth in the West. When the
person of the West commits offenses and recites the
Buddha’s name, in what country does he seek rebirth?”Commentary:
Whether you are in the East or West, you must not commit
offenses. If you do, you won’t be reborn in any direction exceptthat of the hells, animals, or hungry ghosts.
If you recite the Buddha’s name and hope to be reborn in theWestern Paradise, you must also cultivate goodness. If you
cultivate Dhyana meditation, you must also cultivate gooddeeds. Unless you nurture merit and virtue, you cannot become
accomplished in your cultivation.
“Magistrate, if the person of the East merely purifies his
mind, he is without offense.” The pure mind has no confusion,no selfishness, and no profit-seeking. It is without jealousy,
obstruction, greed, hatred and delusion. Purify your mind andget rid of all deviant thought. Then you will be without offense.
“Even though one may be of the West, if his mind is impure,
he is at fault.” This is an analogy. The Sixth Patriarch is notsaying that Western people have impure minds, because those of
the Western Paradise are completely different from people ofthis world. They do not need to purify their minds, since theirminds are pure to begin with. They aren’t greedy, hateful, or
stupid and the three evil paths do not exist for them. Do not use
this passage to try to prove that the Sixth Patriarch said people of185

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

the West have impure minds. The people of the West haveneither purity nor impurity.
“The person of the East commits offenses and recites the
Buddha’s name to be reborn in the West. When the person of theWest commits offenses and recites the Buddha’s name, in whatcountry does he seek rebirth?” This is another analogy. Those of
the West never commit offenses. The Sixth Patriarch wanted tobreak attachments and so he asked, “If people of the East recite
in order to be born in the West, then when people of the West
recite, where do they seek rebirth?” If you wish to be reborn in
the West, you must first have no offenses. If you have offenses,
you will go nowhere but to hell.
If those of the East are reborn in the West, where are those of
the West reborn? Is there some other “para”-paradise for them?
Don’t be so attached.
Sutra:“Common, deluded people do not understand theirself-nature and do not know that the Pure Land is withinthemselves. Therefore they make vows for the East andvows for the West. To enlightened people, all places are
the same. As the Buddha said, ‘In whatever place one
dwells, there is constant peace and happiness.’“Magistrate, if the mind-ground is only without
unwholesomeness, the West is not far from here. If one
harbors unwholesome thoughts, one may recite theBuddha’s name, but it will be difficult to attain thatrebirth.
“Good Knowing Advisors, I now exhort you all to get
rid of the ten evils first and you will have walked one
hundred thousand miles. Next get rid of the eightdeviations and you will have gone eight thousand miles. If
186

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

in every thought you see your own nature and always
practice impartiality and straightforwardness, you will
arrive in a finger-snap and see Amitabha.
“Magistrate, merely practice the ten wholesome acts;
then what need will there be for you to vow to be reborn
there? But if you do not rid the mind of the ten evils, what
Buddha will come to welcome you?”
Commentary:
Deluded people do not know how to discipline their selfnature. They do not know that purification of their own mind is
the Pure Land. Sometimes they vow to be reborn in the East,
sometimes in the West. Those who are enlightened know that allplaces are the same. For them there is no north, east, south, orwest. They are comfortable everywhere, because they make nodiscriminations. But if you continually think evil thoughts anddo evil things, you will never arrive in the West.
“Magistrate, merely practice the ten wholesome acts; thenwhat need will there be for you to vow to be reborn there.” There
are people who do not dare to practice the ten good deeds41.
They say, “If I do the ten good deeds, demonic obstacles may
arise!” But they are not afraid of doing evil. They do not fear that
demonic obstacles will arise when they do evil because in doing
evil, they are demons themselves. People can certainly bemixed-up. They aren’t afraid of doing evil, but fear doing good!
“But if you do not rid the mind of the ten evils, what Buddha
will come to welcome you?” If all your life everything you do isevil and confused, if every pore from head to foot carries themonstrous karma of offensive acts, how can you be born in the
41.

i.e., the opposite of the ten evils.

187

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

West? Which Buddha will come to welcome you? If you do evil,
you may seek it, but you will never be born there, because you
are bound by your offensive acts. Although it is said, “You may
go to rebirth carrying your offenses,” that is just a manner of
speaking. You still must purify your own mind before you may
go. What Buddha is going to welcome a criminal?
Sutra:“If you become enlightened to the sudden dharma of
the unproduced, you will see the West in an instant.
Unenlightened, you may recite the Buddha’s nameseeking rebirth, but since the road is so long, how can you
traverse it?
“Hui Neng will move the West here in the space of an
instant so that you may see it right before your eyes. Do
you wish to see it?”
The entire assembly bowed and said, “If we could see
it here, what need would there be to vow to be reborn
there? Please, High Master, be compassionate and makethe West appear so that we might see it.”Commentary:
The assembly suddenly got greedy. They bowed and said, “If
we can see it here, then we don’t need to vow to be reborn in the
West! We all want you to be compassionate and let us see theWestern Paradise.”During the next lecture the Western Paradise will be moved
to the Buddhist Lecture Hall, but you will have to wait until then.

188Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

Sutra:The Master said: “Great assembly, the worldly
person’s own physical body is the city, and the eye, ear,
nose, tongue, and body are the gates. Outside there are
five gates and inside there is the gate of the mind. The
mind is the ‘ground’ and one’s nature is the ‘king’. The‘king’ dwells on the mind ‘ground.’ When the nature ispresent, the king is present, but when the nature isabsent, there is no king. When the nature is present, thebody and mind remain, but when the nature is absent, thebody and mind are destroyed. The Buddha is madewithin the self-nature. Do not seek outside the body.
Confused, the self-nature is a living being: enlightened, it
is a Buddha.”
Commentary:
The Sixth Patriarch said that he would move the Western
Paradise to the assembly, and I agreed to move it to the Buddhist
Lecture Hall. But if I were to move it, it would be a lot of workand trouble. So now we shall just change our own bodies into theWestern Paradise instead.
“Good Knowing Advisors, the worldly person’s own
physical body is the city...” Your very own body is the Western
Paradise. When your mind is pure, the Buddhaland is pure. The
pure Buddhaland is bliss. In the pure mind there are no defiled
dharmas, for the dharmas are purified when one is no longer
turned by their defilement.
“Outside there are five gates and inside there is the gate of themind.” The mind is called a “gate” because sometimes it thinks
and sometimes it doesn’t. “The mind is the ‘ground’ and thenature is the ‘king.’” The mind itself is the fine golden sand of
189

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

the Western Paradise and the nature is Amitabha Buddha. “The‘king’ dwells on the ‘mind-ground.’” Amitabha, your nature,dwells within your own mind. “When the nature is present the‘king’ is present, but when the nature is absent, there is no‘king.’” If you know that your own nature is constantly present,“such, such unmoving,” finally, completely, constantly bright,
then the king is present. If you understand the mind and see thenature, Amitabha Buddha manifests.
“The Buddha is made within the self-nature.” The Buddha is
to be cultivated within your self-nature. Your mind is the
Buddha. Your nature is the Buddha. If you work on your selfnature, you can realize Buddhahood. The self-nature and theBuddha-nature are not two, but one. Therefore, if you wish to bea Buddha, you must apply effort to realize your self-nature by
the purification of your mind and will, your heart and nature.
Break your bad habits and correct your faults. If you do not
get rid of the ten evils, the eight deviations, and your own
imperfections, you will never become a Buddha. Do not lookoutside!
“Confused, the self-nature is a living being.” If, in confusion,
you lose your self-nature, or perhaps forget about it, you are justa living being. “Enlightened, the self-nature is a Buddha.” If you
wake up and understand that bad dharmas should never bepracticed and all good dharmas must be practiced, then you cut
off bad and practice good. Just that is the Buddha.
Sutra:“‘Kindness and compassion’ are Avalokiteshvara42
and‘sympatheticjoy
andgiving’are
Mahasthamaprapta. ‘Purification’ is Shakyamuni, and‘equanimity and directness’ are Amitabha. ‘Others andself’ are Mount Sumeru and ‘deviant thoughts’ are ocean
190

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

water. ‘Afflictions’ are the waves. ‘Cruelty’ is an evildragon. ‘Empty falseness’ is ghosts and spirits.
‘Defilement’ is fish and turtles, ‘greed and hatred’ arehell, and ‘delusion’ is animals.
Commentary:“‘Kindness and compassion’ are Avalokiteshvara...” Do you
wish to be like Gwan Yin Bodhisattva? It’s easy! Practice thecompassionate way, practice the compassionate dharma, and becompassionate toward all living beings. One of my disciples
once said to me, “Your compassion is something new. I neverunderstood before what compassion was.” Not only thatdisciple, who is American, but many, many other Westerners are
ignorant about compassion. They are not taught compassion andso they are unfamiliar with it. It is said, “Even when right in frontof you, you do not recognize Avalokiteshvara.” Because you do
not understand compassion, you do not know Avalokiteshvara.
If you wish to know this Bodhisattva and be like him, thenpractice the compassionate dharma. With kindness, make people
happy, and with compassion, relieve their sufferings. This isgenuine happiness, not like worldly pleasures such as gambling,horse-racing, the movies, or dancing. Worldly pleasures are justa form of suffering. If you can lead others to true understanding
and awakening, then you give them true happiness. To put an
end to confusion, to cut off ignorance and manifest the Dharma
nature, that is true happiness.
42.

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, more well-known by the Chinese, “Kuan ShihYin,” “Contemplator of the World’s Sounds,” is the Bodhisattva of greatcompassion. He stands to the left of Amitabha Buddha. Mahasthamaprapta, “TheBodhisattva Who Has Attained Great Might,” stands on Amitabha Buddha’s right.
The three are known as the Three Sages of the Western Paradise.

191

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“‘Sympathetic joy and giving are Mahasthamaprapta.’” To
delight in giving is just Mahasthamaprapta. Kindness,compassion, sympathetic joy, and giving are the four unlimited
thoughts of the Buddhas. If you can give with joy, you are justlike Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, who practices great giving
and great sympathetic joy.
“‘Purification’ is Shakyamuni...” Your own purification of
the mind and will and heart, your own return to the original
source, to your originally wonderful, bright mind, perfectly
bright enlightened Tathagata store–all of that is just Shakyamuni
Buddha. Shakyamuni also means “able to be humane.”“‘Equanimity and directness’ are Amitabha...” If you can beperfectly impartial, without the slightest prejudice,compassionate and just towards all, this is just the behavior of
Amitabha. This is an analogy. Do not say, “Equanimity anddirectness are Amitabha!” In listening to Sutras and hearing
Dharma, avoid giving rise to such attachments. To say, “I heard
the Dharma Master say that equanimity and directness are
Amitabha,” is to slight Amitabha. If you are fair-minded, that isthe conduct of Amitabha Buddha.
“But the Sixth Patriarch said this!” you say. “Can’t webelieve him?”
Did he really say that? Why didn’t I hear him?
“‘Others and self’ are Mount Sumeru. This phrase isimportant. Nothing is higher than Mount Sumeru. You evaluate
yourself and others. You have your status and they have theirs.
Sumeru is a Sanskrit word which means “wonderfully high.” It
is wonderful because no one knows just how high it is.
Arrogance and pride, notions of self and other, are like Mount
Sumeru.

192

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

The analogies are to teach you to see Amitabha Buddha
within your own self-nature and to recognize the imperfections
there as well.
“...and ‘deviant thoughts’ are the ocean water.” Are you
afflicted? Your deviant thoughts are the salty ocean water andyour afflictions are the waves. Small waves do not cause muchdamage, but big waves may rise tens of feet high and sink ships.
How many ships lie on the bottom of the sea? No one knows.
The ships were invited as guests of the dragon king and escorted
to the sea’s bottom by the big waves. Just so, big afflictions
smother the brilliant wisdom of your self-nature. Take care not
to have affliction-waves.
“‘Cruelty’ is an evil dragon.” Cruelty: the wicked dragon
king sends a wave to swamp your ship and bring you to his
palace for a feast and some dragon wine.
“‘Empty falseness’ is ghosts and spirits.” You say, “I don’t
believe in ghosts and spirits. If they exist, why have I never seen
one?” They are empty and false; how could you see one? If you
try to catch a ghost, you cannot grab him. You may see what
appears to be a physical shape, but when you reach out to grab
it–he remains right where he was. He is just a shadow, empty andfalse. He is not actually there.
I will tell you about ghosts and spirits: ghosts are black,because they belong to the yin. Spirits are white, because they
belong to the yang. You may see them, but you cannot touchthem. They are empty and false.
“‘Defilement’ is fish and turtles.” Weariness of sense objects
is represented by fish and turtles.
I have explained Sutras for you for a long time and I havenever told you that greed and hatred are hell. It is not that greed
and hatred are hell, but thoughts of greed and hatred willcertainly send you to hell. You plant the seeds of hell now with
193

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutrathoughts of greed and hatred and in the future you will descend
into the hells.
“‘Delusion’ is animals.” When I explain Sutras I sometimes
say, “That person is as stupid as a pig.” Some people say, “Pigsare intelligent. They eat and sleep and they don’t do any work.”
These people think that not doing anything is intelligent. Suchpeople would like to be pigs. As soon as they eat they go to sleep
and when they wake up they eat again. When the time comes,
they are slaughtered for food.
Animals are stupid and yet, as meaningless as their lives are,they still wish to live. When you kill a pig, he screams, “I don’t
want to die! I don’t want to die!” He begs for his life, but you
don’t understand his language. What a pity. If you understood,
you might be merciful and spare him.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, always practice the ten
good practices and the heavens can easily be reached. Get
rid of others and self, and Mount Sumeru topples. Do
away with deviant thought, and the ocean waters dry up.
Without defilements, the waves cease. End cruelty, andthere are no fish or dragons. The Tathagata of theenlightened nature is on your own mind-ground, emitting
a great bright light which outwardly illuminates andpurifies the six gates and breaks through the six desireheavens. Inwardly, it illuminates the self-nature and casts
out the three poisons. The hells and all such offenses aredestroyed at once. Inwardly and outwardly there isbright penetration. This is no different from the West.
But if you do not cultivate, how can you go there?”194

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

Commentary:Previously, I spoke about the small waves which represent
the subtle thought process which takes place in the mind. You
are unaware of these thought-waves, but they are present
nonetheless. The big waves represent big afflictions and thesmall waves the extremely subtle ignorance within your mind
which runs in a current like waves on water. Are you ignorant or
not? With ignorance comes greed, hatred, and stupidity. You are
greedy because ignorance tyrannizes you. It says, “I want thatthing. Go get it for me!” and the greedy mind goes and gets it.
Beauty and wealth–if he doesn’t get them, he flies into a rage,
like one of my disciples who says, “I must have my way! Why
isn’t everything just the way I want it!” Ignorance, anger,
waves... Small waves are not important, but big waves may get
you an invitation to the dragon’s party.
Don’t be cruel; don’t hurt people; don’t be a venomous
dragon. If you end cruelty, the fish and turtles and dragons
disappear.
Your enlightened nature is the Tathagata. When you give riseto the light of great wisdom, it outwardly illuminates and purifies
the six gates, so that: the eye sees forms, but is not turned bythem; the ear hears sounds, but is not turned by them; the nose
smells scents, but is not turned by them; the tongue tastes, but is
not turned by tastes; the body feels, but is not turned by feeling;
and the mind perceives dharmas, but makes them disappear.
The bright light of wisdom breaks through the six desireheavens: 1) The Heaven of the Four Kings, 2) The Heaven of theThirty-three, 3) the Suyama Heaven, 4) the Tushita Heaven,5) the Nirmanarati Heaven and 6) Paranirmitavashavartin
Heaven.
When the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind are purified,you have broken through the six desire heavens.
195

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The causes, the seeds, of the six desire heavens are planted
within your six organs. If you are fond of beauty, you may bereborn in a heaven of beautiful goddesses. Turned by sounds,
you may be born in a heaven where you listen to music all day
long, much finer music than what is made by your guitars andmandolins.
“The smells in this world are so nice,” you say. “Certainly
the smells in the heavens are even nicer,” and so you are reborn
in a heaven full of good smells. When your nose is not turned bysmells, you smash that desire heaven, and so forth for theremaining five organs.
You ask, “When the desire heavens are destroyed, is the earth
destroyed as well?” Empty space itself disappears, how muchthe more so the earth.
“But where will I live?”
You can live in emptiness, and you need not return. That isthe very best way.
When you turn the light around and reverse the illumination,
when you investigate and awaken to the Tathagata of theenlightened nature, then the three poisons are wiped away andthe offenses of the hells are destroyed. At this moment you are
enlightened and understand that the nature of offenses isfundamentally empty. But unless you destroy ignorance, youroffenses are not removed.
“Inwardly and outwardly there is bright penetration. This is
no different from the West.” Inside and out, there is bright light.
Inside and out, there are no obstacles. The three evil destinies
and the three obstacles exist no longer, and their absence is theWestern Paradise. For this reason we do not need to move theWestern Paradise to the Buddhist Lecture Hall, and we do notneed to consult a travel agent for passports and visas. The
Western Paradise is right here. “But if you do not cultivate, how
196

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

can you go there?” Then it is very far away. It takes several days
just to go to the moon. The Western Paradise is ten billion
Buddhalands away, millions of times farther than the moon.
Then how do you go there? You purify your mind.
Sutra:On hearing this speech, the members of the great
assembly clearly saw their own natures. They bowed
together and exclaimed, “This is indeed good! May all
living beings of the Dharma Realm who have heard thisawaken at once and understand!”The Master said, “Good Knowing Advisors, if you
wish to cultivate, you may do so at home. You need not be
in a monastery. If you live at home and practice, you arelike the person of the East whose mind is good. If you
dwell in a monastery but do not cultivate, you are like theperson of the West whose mind is evil. Merely purify yourmind; that is the ‘West’ of your self-nature.”
Commentary:“Fundamentally, our own bodies are the Western Paradise,”
the assembly exclaimed, “But we did not understand because we
did not know how to use them.” Those present in the assembly
saw their nature: “Really good!” they exclaimed. “We havenever before heard such wonderful Buddhadharma.
Inconceivable! May all who hear it become enlightened
immediately and certify to the fruit.”
The Sixth Patriarch had made himself manifest in a layman’s
body in order to speak the Dharma. After his enlightenment, he
did not leave home, but went to live with hunters for fifteen years
instead. During that time he cultivated and worked hard. So he
197

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

said that it is not necessary to be in a monastery to cultivate theWay.
Sutra:The Honorable Wei asked further: “How shouldthose at home cultivate? Please instruct us.”
The Master said, “I have composed a markless verse
for the great assembly. Merely rely on it to cultivate andyou will be as if always by my side. If you cut your hairand leave home, but do not cultivate, it will be of nobenefit in pursuing the Way. The verse runs:
The mind made straight, why toil following rules?
The practice sure, of what use
is Dhyana meditation?
Filial deeds support the father and mother.
Right conduct is in harmony with those aboveand below.
Deference: the honored and the lowly in accord
with each other.
Patience: no rumors of the evils of the crowd.
If drilling wood can spin smoke into fire,
A red-petalled lotus can surely spring from mud.
Good medicine is bitter to the taste.
Words hard against the ear must be good advice.
Correcting failings gives birth to wisdom.
Guarded errors expose a petty mind.
Persist daily in just, benevolent deeds.
Charity is not the means to attain the Way.
Search out Bodhi only in the mind.
198

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

Why toil outside in search of the profound?
Just as you hear these words, so practice:
Heaven then appears, right before your eyes.
Commentary:
The Way must be walked.
If you do not walk it,
How is it the Way?
Virtue must be cultivated.
If you do not cultivate it,
How is it virtue?
The straight mind is without greed, hatred and stupidity.
Precepts are designed to protect you from these three poisons,but if your mind is straight, what function do the precepts serve?
The straight mind has no waves, no ignorance, and does not need
to toil at holding the precepts.
The straight mind is Ch’an. Ch’an is used to rid you of yourfaults. Someone says, “The Sutra says, ‘Why toil at following
rules?’ so I won’t hold the precepts.” Is that person’s mind
straight or not? He doesn’t care whether or not his mind isstraight and his “conduct sure,” he just cares about not having tofollow any rules. If his mind is not straight, how can he not holdprecepts? If he continues to be selfish, greedy, habit-ridden,
envious, and obstructive, how can his mind be straight?
Your parents gave birth to you. You should repay theirkindness by being filial and good to them.
The honored and the lowly, the master and the servant,should be courteous and polite to each other.
What is patience? Refusing to speak of the shortcomings ofothers, not slandering, not being jealous or obstructive: all that is
199

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

patience. Do not say, “This man is evil. I saw him shoplifting!”
The incident never occurred, but the rumor spreads. “He took theprecepts and then went out drinking!” It never happened, butsomeone started talking...
Do not discuss people’s bad points. Bring up their good
points. The impatient person never speaks of the good, only of
the bad. If you have no bad points, the impatient person will
create them for you.
In China, about four thousand years ago, wood drills wereused to make fire. Wood was drilled and drilled until fire flaredup.
If wood can make fire and the mud can grow a red lotus, thenit is not absolutely necessary to leave home in order to cultivate.
If you cut off your desire while still at home, you can havesuccess.
One who criticizes you is your Good Knowing Advisor. Just
as “bitter medicine” cures your disease, the critic’s words may
be unpleasant, but they are sound advice. “Do not be lazy,” says
the teacher. “Do not go to sleep!” The student says, “All you ever
do is watch over me!” Americans in particular respond that way,
because they are so remarkably independent. They don’t listen toanyone’s advice. They want to be unsurpassed and supremely
honored. “Right or wrong,” they say, “I listen only to myself. I
don’t care what anybody says. I may turn into a senseless blockof wood, but nonetheless I am going to stand on my own
principles.” I understand Americans. They don’t like to hearwords which are hard against the ear.
Correcting failings gives rise to wisdom. If you do notchange your faults, you are stupid. That need not be discussed indetail.
Guarded errors expose a petty mind. If you indulgently
cherish your problems and make excuses, saying, “No! You
200

Chapter III. Doubts and Questions

don’t understand. There were extenuating circumstances. It
wasn’t that way at all! I had to do it, you see...” you become yourown lawyer and argue your defense with flashy rhetoric. I have
many such disciples. They think that I am stupid and that they
can deceive me.
Do what you are supposed to do every day. Be just andbenevolent, always benefiting others. But do not say, “I gave
$100,000. I have bought Buddhahood!” “Charity is not themeans to attain the Way.” You have to cultivate by searching out
Bodhi only in the mind, not outside.
Although we have been discussing the Western Paradise, theverse refers to the Christian heaven as well. Heaven is not just inheaven. Heaven is right before your eyes.
Sutra:The Master continued, “Good Knowing Advisors, youin this assembly should cultivate according to this verse
to see and make contact with your self-nature and torealize the Buddha Way directly. The Dharma does not
wait. The assembly may now disperse. I shall now returnto Ts’ao Hsi. If you have questions come quickly andask.”
At that time, Magistrate Wei, the officials, and thegood men and faithful women of the assembly all attained
understanding, faithfully accepted, honored the teachingand practiced it.
Commentary:
How did the people in the assembly attain understanding?
Don’t pay attention to them! You must find a way to understandfor yourself and leave it at that.
201

CHAPTER IV.

CONCENTRATION AND WISDOM

Sutra:The Master instructed the assembly: “Good Knowing
Advisors, this Dharma-door of mine has concentration
and wisdom as its foundation. Great assembly, do not be
confused and say that concentration and wisdom are
different. Concentration and wisdom are one substance,
not two. Concentration is the substance of wisdom, andwisdom is the function of concentration. Where there is
wisdom, concentration is in the wisdom. Where there isconcentration, wisdom is in the concentration. If you
understand this principle, you understand the balanced
study of concentration and wisdom.
“Students of the Way, do not say that first there isconcentration, which produces wisdom, or that first there
is wisdom, which produces concentration: do not say thatthe two are different. To hold this view implies a dualityof dharma. If your speech is good, but your mind is not,then concentration and wisdom are useless because they
are not equal. If mind and speech are both good, the innerand outer are alike, and concentration and wisdom areequal.
“Self-enlightenment, cultivation, and practice are nota matter for debate. If you debate which comes first, thenyou are like a confused man who does not cut off ideas of
victory and defeat, but magnifies the notion of self and
203

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutradharmas, and does not disassociate himself from the fourmarks.”“Good Knowing Advisors, what are concentration
and wisdom like? They are like a lamp and its light. With
the lamp, there is light. Without the lamp, there isdarkness. The lamp is the substance of the light and thelight is the function of the lamp. Although there are two
names, there is one fundamental substance. The dharmaof concentration and wisdom is also thus.”
Commentary:
Concentration comes from holding precepts. With
concentration, one can bring forth wisdom. Precepts,
concentration, and wisdom are the three studies which have nooutflows. If you wish to obtain concentration, you must begin byholding precepts. That is:
All evil not done.
All good respectfully practiced.
The Sixth Patriarch said, “Although you are Good Knowing
Advisors, don’t be attached and say that concentration andwisdom differ. In this Sudden Teaching Dharma-door of mine,
concentration is wisdom and wisdom is concentration; although
there are two names, there is only one substance.
What is the function of concentration? Concentration
produces wisdom. When wisdom is produced, concentration iscertainly within it. If you understand that concentration andwisdom are one substance with two different functions, then you
understand “the balanced study of concentration and wisdom.”“If the speech is good, but the mind is not:” If your mind isfull of jealousy, obstruction, insolence, conceit, deviant views,
204Chapter IV. Concentration and Wisdom

greed, hatred, and stupidity, “concentration and wisdom areuseless,” they are not present, “because they are not equal.” But
if your “mind and speech both are good,” then your mouth says
what is in your mind, and “concentration and wisdom are equal.”
You should understand and cultivate on your own. Do notargue with people in order to show off your cultivation andadvertise yourself. To debate whether concentration or wisdom
comes first is to be “like a confused person who does not cut off
ideas of victory and defeat:”
In debate, thoughts of victory and defeat
Stand in contradiction to the Way;
Giving rise to the mind of four marks.
How can one obtain samadhi?
Attached to the mark of self, others, living beings, and a life,
how can you obtain samadhi? As soon as you argue, you have noconcentration and, consequently, no wisdom. This is extremely
stupid. When you argue, you give rise to the attachment to self
and dharmas and then the four marks arise. With attachment toself comes attachment to others; with attachment to others comes
attachment to living beings; with attachment to living beings
comes attachment to life.
The analogy of the lamp and light illustrates the identicalsubstance of concentration and wisdom. As a lamp produces
light, so concentration produces wisdom. As light is the functionof a lamp, so wisdom is the function of concentration. But
despite the discrimination, concentration and wisdom arefundamentally one.

205

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:The Master instructed the assembly: “Good Knowing
Advisors, the Single Conduct Samadhi is the constantpractice of maintaining a direct, straightforward mind in
all places, whether one is walking, standing, sitting, orlying down. As the Vimalakirti Sutra says, ‘The straightmind is the Bodhimandala; the straight mind is the Pure
Land.’“Do not speak of straightness with the mouth only,
while the mind and practice are crooked, nor speak of theSingle Conduct Samadhi without maintaining a straightmind. Simply practice keeping a straight mind and haveno attachment to any dharma.
“The confused person is attached to the marks ofdharmas, while holding to the Single Conduct Samadhi
and saying, ‘I sit unmoving and falseness does not arise in
my mind. That is the Single Conduct Samadhi.’ Such aninterpretation serves to make him insensate andobstructs the causes and conditions for attaining theWay.
“Good Knowing Advisors, the Way must penetrateand flow. How can it be impeded? If the mind does not
dwell in dharmas, the Way will penetrate and flow. The
mind that dwells in dharmas is in self-bondage. To saythat sitting unmoving is correct is to be like Shariputra
who sat quietly in the forest but was scolded byVimalakirti.”
Commentary:
You should not speak of directness, and act dishonestly. If
you greet rich people with smiles and compliments, saying,206

Chapter IV. Concentration and Wisdom“Welcome, welcome!” when in fact it is not the person you
welcome, but their money and power instead, that is flattery.
If you speak about the Single Conduct Samadhi, but you act
improperly, such hypocrisy betrays a crooked mind. But if youpractice keeping a direct mind, then your mind is theBodhimanda. You should manage all your affairs with a direct
mind and have no attachments.
A stupid person gives rise to a dharma-attachment. “I sit here
unmoving and I have no false thinking. This is the Single
Conduct Samadhi.” He is completely wrong. One who thinks
this way turns into a vegetable. The Way should flow without
obstruction. If you stop your thought, you turn into dead ashes
and rotten wood and become useless. You should “produce thatthought which is nowhere supported,” by attaching yourself
neither to emptiness, to existence, nor to dharmas. Attachment todharmas results in attachment to existence, and attachment toexistence results in perishing in emptiness. But when you areunsupported, the Way will circulate freely.
“The mind that dwells in dharmas is in self-bondage.” If you
get attached to the meditation-dharma and sit without moving,
you tie yourself up and become a prisoner. Shariputra, theforemost of Shakyamuni Buddha’s disciples in wisdom, sat in
the forest, quietly meditating, but the layman Vimalakirti
reprimanded him, saying, “What are you doing? What use areyou, sitting there like a corpse!”
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, there are those who teachpeople to sit looking at the mind and contemplating
stillness, without moving or arising. They claim that it
has merit. Confused men, not understanding, easily
become attached and go insane. There are many such
207

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

people. Therefore you should know that teaching of thiskind is a great error.”
Commentary:
The deluded person does not understand the principle. They
think, “I’ll just sit here and not get up. This is the way to attainskill in Ch’an.” They get attached to what they are doing, andthey go insane. For example, many people have come heresaying that they are enlightened. That is insanity.
There are many such people. Teachers from their number
say, “If you certify my enlightenment, I will certify yours.” Thatis a big mistake. In China in the T’ang dynasty, there were false
Buddhist Patriarchs who practiced “intellectual zen”–they had
clever answers but no foundation in actual cultivation. It is not
surprising that we find such people in America today. But these
imposters who falsely claim to be enlightened pave the way for
those of true enlightenment. No one knew about enlightenment,so the impostors said, “We are enlightened!”
Everyone then said, “So this is enlightenment!” and theyexamined them closely to see what enlightenment is like.
Suddenly a truly enlightened person comes and no one believes
in him. They think that the truly enlightened one is the same as
the impostors. You who now cultivate to become enlightened
will be forced to deal with the widespread influence of suchpretenders. That leads me to advise you that when you become
enlightened, you should not say that you are. That is the best
method.
This is the way of the world: true, true, false; false, false, true.
If you are true, they say you are false. If you are false, they say
you are true. Therefore you should not speak of true and false.
Tell people to go and see for themselves.
208

Chapter IV. Concentration and Wisdom

Unenlightened people will say that they are enlightened. If
you who have already become enlightened claim to beenlightened, then you are just like those who are not. Why?
People who actually are enlightened do not introduce themselves
saying, “Don’t you know me? I am enlightened! I am the same
as so and so, and he is enlightened. He is enlightened and I am
just like him.” Enlightenment and non-enlightenment are thesame, not different. Do not hang out a false name. Enlightened,
you are a human being. Unenlightened, you are still a humanbeing. The enlightened and the unenlightened both can realize
Buddhahood. It’s a question of time.
Do not advertise yourself. If no one knows you, that is thevery best! Then your straight mind is the Bodhimandala.
Sutra:The Master instructed the assembly: “Good Knowing
Advisors, the right teaching is basically without a division
into ‘sudden’ and ‘gradual.’ People’s natures themselves
are sharp or dull. When the confused person who
gradually cultivates and the enlightened person who
suddenly connects each recognize the original mind andsee the original nature, they are no different.
“Therefore, the terms sudden and gradual are shown
to be false names.
“Good Knowing Advisors, this Dharma-door of mine,from the past onwards, has been established from thefirst with no-thought as its doctrine, no-mark as its
substance, and no-dwelling as its basis. No-mark means
to be apart from marks while in the midst of marks. Nothought means to be without thought while in the midstof thought. No-dwelling is the basic nature of humanbeings.
209

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“In the world of good and evil, attractiveness andugliness, friendliness and hostility, when faced withlanguage which is offensive, critical, or argumentative,
you should treat it all as empty and have no thought ofrevenge. In every thought, do not think of former states.
If past, present, and future thoughts succeed one anotherwithout interruption, it is bondage. Not to dwell indharmas from thought to thought is to be free frombondage. That is to take no-dwelling as the basis.
“Good Knowing Advisors, to be separate from all
outward marks is called ‘no-mark.’ The ability to be
separate from marks is the purity of the Dharma’s
substance. It is to take no-mark as the substance.
“Good Knowing Advisors, the non-defilement of themind in all states is called ‘no-thought.’ In your thoughts
you should always be separate from states; do not giverise to thought about them.”
Commentary:
Basically, real Buddhism has no sudden or gradual Dharma.
Stupid people cultivate it bit by bit, whereas enlightened people
immediately cut off false thinking, bad habits, and involvementwith external objects and so understand the mind and see theirown nature.
From the time of Shakyamuni Buddha right up until thepresent, the Sudden Teaching Dharma-door which the Sixth
Patriarch transmitted established no-thought, no-mark, and nodwelling as its doctrine, its substance, and its basis.
Thoughts of the past, present, and future are continuous likewaves on water. To be attached to such thoughts is to tie yourself
up, to lock yourself up so that you cannot be free. You should not
be attached to any dharmas.
210

Chapter IV. Concentration and Wisdom

In your own clear, pure thoughts, keep constantly separate
from states and do not think about the external environment.
Sutra:“If you merely do not think of the hundred things, andso completely rid yourself of thought, then as the lastthought ceases, you die and undergo rebirth in anotherplace. That is a great mistake, of which students of the
Way should take heed.
Commentary:
While you should not produce thoughts with regard to
external states, that does not mean that you should completely
rid yourself of thought.
Attached to marks,
whatever you do is wrong;
But in non-activity
you fall into emptiness.
“What should I do?” you ask. It is just at this point that thegreatest difficulty arises, but if you handle it, just that is nothought.
If you want to have no-thought, then die. That is to have nothought. But if you die here, you will be reborn somewhere else.
That is really wrong! If you want to cultivate the Way, you
should pay special attention and take heed!
Sutra:“To misinterpret the Dharma and make a mistakeyourself might be acceptable, but to exhort others to do
the same is unacceptable. In your own confusion you do
211The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

not see, and, moreover you slander the Buddha’s Sutras.
Therefore no-thought is established as the doctrine.
“Good Knowing Advisors, why is no-thought
established as the doctrine? Because there are confused
people who speak of seeing their own nature, and yet they
produce thought with regard to states. Their thoughts
cause deviant views to arise, and from that all defilement
and false thinking are created. Originally, not one single
dharma can be obtained in the self-nature. If there issomething to attain, or false talk of misfortune andblessing, that is just defilement and deviant views.
Therefore, this Dharma-door establishes no-thought as
its doctrine.
Commentary:
You may be stupid yourself and not understand your mind
and nature. What is more you may slander the Buddha’s Sutras
and say that they are incorrect. For that reason, no-thought is set
up as the doctrine.
Some people say that they have seen the nature. They say
they are enlightened, but they have all kinds of thoughts about
externals, deviant views, and defilements.
But your own clear, pure origin, the wondrous, brightenlightenment nature has not one single dharma within it. It isthe clear, pure, source, the wondrous, bright, true nature.
Originally, there is not one single thing.
Some people speak of misfortune and blessing, saying,“Tomorrow you are going to die, unless, of course, you buy great
merit today by giving me a million dollars.” Hearing such talk,the victim immediately buys some merit and, naturally, he does
not die. He claims that the prediction was certainly efficacious,
212

Chapter IV. Concentration and Wisdom

but does not mention the fact that he was cheated out of a million
dollars.
Or someone says, “You have great blessings, but you are off
by just a little bit. If you create a million dollars worth of merit,
next term you can be president.”“The presidency is certainly cheap. If I buy it for a million,
I’ll still have several billion left,” says the victim, and he buys
the presidency. That is false talk of misfortune and blessings. It
is defilement and deviant views.
I will speak to you more about no-thought, no mark, and nodwelling. Without a mark, where do you dwell? Without
thought, what mark do you have? Isn’t that right? No-thought,
no mark, and no-dwelling: no-thought is no production, no markis no extinction, and no-dwelling is the fundamental absence of
production and extinction, of right and wrong.
No-thought, no-mark, and no-dwelling are the same as noright and no wrong, no good and no evil, no male and no female.
Without deviant thought, how could there be male and female?
This is truly marvelous. If you master this dharma there is nomark. Without the mark of self, who has sexual desire? Sexualdesire is just a thought; without thought there is no sexual desire
and no mark of a self and no attachment. Is this anything but true
freedom and true liberation?
No-thought, no-mark, and no-dwelling; no movement, no
stillness; no right, no wrong; no male, no female; no good, noevil: this is extremely miraculous. You need only use nothought, no-mark, and no-dwelling. Without a body, where do
you dwell? Right? This is wonderful. You should investigate it
in detail.

213

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, ‘No’ means no what?
‘Thought’ means thought of what? ‘No’ means no twomarks, no thought of defilement. ‘Thought’ means
thought of the original nature of True Suchness. True
Suchness is the substance of thought and thought is thefunction of True Suchness.
“The True Suchness self-nature gives rise to thought.
It is not the eye, ear, nose, or tongue which can think. The
True Suchness possesses a nature and therefore gives riseto thought. Without True Suchness, the eye, ear, forms,
and sounds immediately go bad.
“Good Knowing Advisors, the True Suchness selfnature gives rise to thought, and the six faculties,
although they see, hear, feel, and know, are not defiled by
the ten thousand states. Your true nature is eternallyindependent. Therefore, the Vimalakirti Sutra says, ‘If
one is well able to discriminate all dharma marks, then,in the primary meaning, one does not move.’”
Commentary:
The Patriarch addressed the assembly saying, “Good
Knowing Advisors, all of you with wisdom, when I say ‘no,’what is not? When I say ‘thought,’ what is the thought of? ‘No’means no two marks; further, not even one mark. ‘No thought’means no thoughts of defilement; no defiled, improper, deviant
thoughts of sexual desire.
“‘Thought’ means the thought of the True Suchness inherent
in each of us. This is the Tathagata Store nature, the Buddha
nature.”214

Chapter IV. Concentration and Wisdom

You ask, “Then if there is no thought, is there no True
Suchness?”‘No’ means no two marks; ‘thought’ means thought of the
Truly Such original nature.
Thought arising from the Truly Such self-nature is true
thought. The eye, ear, nose, and tongue cannot think. True
Suchness is the kind spoken of in Chapter III: “When your nature
is present, the king is present; when your nature goes, there is noking.”
Although thought does arise and seeing, hearing, feeling andknowing do occur at the gates of the six organs, there is noattachment when you use your True Suchness nature because
there are no deviant thoughts. The true nature is eternallyindependent. Because of the function of True Suchness, you arewell able to discriminate all dharma marks. Even so, you are notattached to any state and so in the final analysis you do not move.

215

CHAPTER V.

SITTING IN CH’AN

Sutra:The Master instructed the assembly: “The door of sitting
in Ch’an consists fundamentally of attaching oneself
neither to the mind nor to purity; it is not non-movement.
One might speak of becoming attached to the mind, andyet the mind is fundamentally false. You should knowthat the mind is like an illusion, and therefore there isnothing to which you can become attached.”
Commentary:
Ch’an is not necessarily just sitting in meditation. One may
practice Ch’an while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down.
In his “Song of Enlightenment,” the Great Master Yung Chia
wrote:In Ch’an while walking and while sitting,Speaking, silent, moving, still,His body is at peace.
If you know how, you can practice Ch’an at all times, not justwhile sitting in meditation. But do not become attached to themind or to purity. Becoming attached to the mind, you have two
minds, and becoming attached to purity, you have two purities.
Do not think, “I will sit here and not move.”

217

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Becoming attached to the mind, you have two false minds,
neither of which is the true mind. The mind is an illusion. Why
attach yourself to it?
Sutra:“One might say that to practice Ch’an is to attach
oneself to purity, yet the nature of people is basicallypure. It is because of false thinking that the True
Suchness is obscured. Simply have no false thinking, andthe nature will be pure of itself.
“If an attachment to purity arises in your mind, adeluded idea of purity will result. What is delusory does
not exist, and the attachment is false. Purity has no formor mark and yet there are those who set up the mark ofpurity as an achievement. Those with this view obstructtheir own original nature and become bound by purity.
Commentary:
Everyone’s self-nature is basically pure of itself, but when
you cling to purity, you add a head on top of a head and create
two purities, a true purity and a false purity. And so you strayfrom the original pure substance.
Though purity has no form or mark, you postulate a mark to
it and in so doing add a head on top of a head. When you consider
that to be skill, you obstruct your original mind and nature.
Cultivation is for the purpose of breaking attachments. You
should not be attached.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, one who cultivates nonmovement does not notice whether other people are right218

Chapter V. Sitting in Ch’anor wrong, good or bad, or whether they have other faults.
That is the non-movement of the self-nature.
“Good Knowing Advisors, although the body of theconfused person may not move, as soon as he opens hismouth he speaks of what is right and wrong about others,of their good points and shortcomings, and so he turns hisback on the Way. Attachment to the mind andattachment to purity are obstructions to the Way.”
Commentary:
You cultivate non-movement? Non-movement of what? You
shouldn’t just sit there and not move. You should cultivate nonmovement in the midst of movement; in the midst of your daily
activities, do not move. Do not insist on criticizing others andpointing out their faults. If you do nothing but censure andbrowbeat others, it is not non-movement.
Sutra:The Master instructed the assembly, “Good Knowing
Advisors, what is meant by ‘sitting in Ch’an?’ In thisunobstructed and unimpeded Dharma-door, the mind’s
thoughts do not arise with respect to any good or evil
external state. That is what ‘sitting’ is. To see theunmoving self-nature inwardly is Ch’an.
“Good Knowing Advisors, what is meant by ‘Ch’anconcentration?’ Being separate from external marks is‘Ch’an.’ Not being confused inwardly is ‘concentration.’“If you become attached to external marks, yourmind will be confused inwardly. If you are separate fromexternal marks, inwardly your mind will be unconfused.
The original nature is naturally pure, in a natural state of219

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

concentration. Confusion arises merely because states
are seen and attended to. If the mind remains unconfused
when any state is encountered, that is true
concentration.”
Commentary:
Sitting in one place is not necessarily “sitting.” You are said
to be “sitting” when your mind is no longer disturbed by external
conditions, be they good or bad. When you view the unmoving
self-nature inwardly, you are practicing Ch’an.
When you are not attached to external marks, you haveattained Ch’an. When inwardly you have no illusions or
scattered thoughts, you have attained concentration.
Detach yourself from external marks, and your efficacious,
bright, enlightened nature will be pure of itself. In that way you
will attain concentration.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, being separate from all
external marks is Ch’an and being inwardly unconfusedis concentration. External Ch’an and inward
concentration are Ch’an concentration. The Vimalakirti
Sutra says, ‘Just then, suddenly return and regain theoriginal mind.’ The Bodhisattva-shila Sutra says, ‘Our
basic nature is pure of itself.’ Good Knowing Advisors, inevery thought, see your own clear and pure originalnature. Cultivate, practice, realize the Buddha Way!”220

CHAPTER VI.

REPENTANCE AND REFORM

Sutra:
Seeing the scholars and common people of Kuang Chouand Shao Kuan and the four directions assembled on themountain to hear the Dharma, the Great Master took hisseat and spoke to the assembly, saying:“Come, each of you Good Knowing Advisors! This
work must begin within your self-nature. At all times, inevery thought, purify your own mind, cultivate your own
conduct, see your own Dharma-body and the Buddha ofyour own mind. Take yourself across; discipline yourself.
Only then will your coming here have not been in vain.
You have come from afar to attend this gathering
because we have karmic affinities in common. Now all of
you kneel and I will first transmit to you the five-foldDharma-body refuge of the self-nature, and then themarkless repentance and reform.”
Commentary:
Shao Kuan is the present day Ch’ü Chiang. Students andcommon people from north, east, south, and west went to Nan
Hua Temple on Pao Lin Mountain to hear the Great Master
explain the Dharma.
The Master said, “The work of sitting in Ch’an meditation,
the mind-ground Dharma-door, must arise from within your selfnature. Every thought must be correct, not deviant. Proper
221

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutrathoughts purify the mind; improper thoughts defile it. You
personally must cultivate this dharma-door; no one else can do it
for you. Your own Dharma body is simply your self-nature, andthe Buddha is within your own mind. If you take yourself acrossby receiving and keeping moral precepts, you will not havewasted your life. We meet here because conditions from former
lives have ripened. Now, put your right knee on the ground andI will transmit to you the five-fold Dharma-body refuge and themarkless repentance and reform.”
Sutra:
The assembly knelt and the Master said, “The first is
the morality-refuge, which is simply your own mind
when free from error, evil, jealousy, greed, hatred andhostility.
“The second is the concentration-refuge, which is justyour own mind which does not become confused whenseeing the marks of all good and evil conditions.
“The third is the wisdom-refuge, which is simply yourown mind when it is unobstructed and when it constantly
uses wisdom to contemplate and illuminate the selfnature, when it does no evil, does good without becoming
attached, and is respectful of superiors, considerate ofinferiors, and sympathetic towards orphans andwidows.”Commentary:
Pay attention! The morality-refuge is simply to have nothoughts of right and wrong, good and evil. In order to keep theprecepts you absolutely must not be jealous: neither should you
be aggressive, like a bandit.
222

Chapter VI. Repentance and ReformIf the mind remains unperturbed in all states, good and bad,that is the concentration-refuge.
Do not obstruct yourself with feelings of inferiority, but use
wisdom to destroy ignorance so that you may view the selfnature. Refrain from evil and practice good, but do not become
attached to the idea of merit as the Emperor Wu of Liang did.
If you do good, forget about it. Don’t run up to the Heaven of
the Thirty-Three and shout, “I gave $500.00! I gave $1,000.00!
My merit is higher than the heavens!” This is to be stupid like
Emperor Wu; it is not wisdom.
Respect your father, mother, teacher, and elders and neverspeak of their faults. Do not be like the boy who testified against
his own father. The police asked the father if he had stolen asheep:“No,” said the father.
“What do you mean ‘no?’” cried his son. “I saw you kill the
sheep, eat it, and sell its wool. How can you deny that you stoleit?”This is wrong. If you know that your father is guilty, when
the police come you should run. Refuse to testify! This is called“respecting your superiors.”
Be considerate to those beneath you. Don’t be mean to little
children and unsympathetic to widows. Mencius said, “A childwithout a father is an orphan and an old woman without ahusband is a widow.” Orphans and widows deserve pity andsupport.
Sutra:“The fourth is the liberation-refuge, which is simply
your own mind independent of conditions, not thinking of
good or evil, and free and unobstructed.
223

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“The fifth is the refuge of knowledge and views, which
is simply your own mind when it is independent of goodand evil conditions and when it does not dwell in
emptiness or cling to stillness. You should then study thisin detail, listen a great deal, recognize your original mind,
and penetrate the true principle of all the Buddhas. You
should welcome and be in harmony with living creatures;
and, without the idea of self or other, arrive directly at
Bodhi, the unchanging true nature.”
Commentary:
Is this clear? The absence of self-seeking is liberation. If you
are self-seeking, you can’t put everything down and socontinually scheme and plot. To be liberated, do not grasp atgood or evil.
If you say, “I will sit here and not study anything. I am
empty!” your state is useless like the emptiness inside a rubberball. It is not the emptiness of the void. These people sit all day
thinking of nothing and doing nothing. At mealtime they eat, andat bedtime they sleep and do not even dream. This is a pitiful
waste of time.
What should you do then?
You should study the Sutras in detail and listen to Sutra
lectures. Those who dwell in emptiness and cling to stillness
claim to study Buddhism. They do not listen to lectures or study
the Dharma, but if you ask them about it, they say they know itall.
You should welcome living creatures and be in harmony
with them. In the Chinese “to be in harmony with” is expressedby the phrase “to unite the light.” What does that mean? Alllamps give off light, but have you ever known lamplight to fightwith lamplight? Has a lamplight ever said, “You are brighter
224

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reformthan I am! That is no good. I am going to put out your light!”,
upon which it hits the other lamplight? Or the other lamp says,“Your light is too small. Either make it bigger or move out!”
None of that goes on between lights. Do you understand? Itapplies to everyone in the world. You practice your way and I
will practice mine, “without hindering one another.” You cannot
decide that someone’s reputation is too dazzling and try to ruin
him so that your own name will shine.
It is permissible for others to be jealous of me, but I am notjealous of anyone. The better you are, the better I like it. The
more success you have, the happier I am. Not to be jealous is to
unite the light.
You might say, “I am uniting the light with him, but he is notuniting the light with me.” If you were truly uniting the light withhim, you wouldn’t know that he wasn’t uniting the light withyou. Do you understand? If you unite the light with him, how can
you know that he is not uniting the light with you? He won’t
unite the light? That’s no problem. Just continue to unite thelight with him.
Welcome living creatures. If you like Great Vehicle
Buddhism, I will explain the Great Vehicle. If you like the Small
Vehicle, I will explain the Four Noble Truths of suffering,origination, stopping, and the Way. If you like the Bodhisattva
Way, I will explain the Six Paramitas: giving, morality, patience,vigor, concentration, and wisdom, and the Ten Thousand
Conducts which lead to realization of the Bodhisattva Way. If
you like the dharmas of the Pratyeka Buddhas, I will explain the
Twelve Conditioned Causes: ignorance conditions activity;
activity conditions consciousness; consciousness conditions
name and form; name and form conditions the six senses; the six
senses condition contact; contact conditions feeling; feelingconditions love; love conditions grasping; grasping conditions
225

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

becoming; becoming conditions birth; birth conditions old age
and death.
This is called uniting the light and welcoming living
creatures, responding to the needs of the individual. One of mydisciples looked in the dictionary and found that in Chinese to“welcome living creatures” means to help other people.
However, it is not just to help them, it is to induce them to leave
suffering and obtain bliss.
“Lacking the idea of self or other, arrive directly at Bodhi,
the unchanging true nature.” Having helped one person, you
cannot say, “I have taken a bhikshu across! How great is my
merit?” If one thinks like that, he hasn’t a dust mote of merit.
Once you have done something, it should be forgotten. If you
lead people to Buddhahood you should not be attached to themerit gained from it. Therefore the Diamond Sutra says “I musttake all beings across to Nirvana... and yet not a single living
being has been taken to Nirvana.”
You recite the Diamond Sutra from morning to night, but do
not understand its meaning in the least. “Look at ME!” you say.
There is still “me,” and “me” comes before everything else.
What Diamond Sutra do you recite anyway? The Diamond Sutra
speaks of having no mark of self, no mark of people, of others,of living beings or a life, because all dharmas are empty
appearances. Is there anything more wonderful? If you truly
understand, you arrive directly at Bodhi, the unchanging true
nature. This is called the refuge of proper knowledge and views.
You have been liberated from knowledge, views, andattachments.
No self, no other–Contemplate independence,

226

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

No emptiness, no form–
View the One Come Thus.
Without the mark of self: just that is the Bodhisattva
Avalokiteshvara. If you do not fall either into emptiness orexistence, you can see the Buddha.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, the incense of these refuges
perfumes each of you within. Do not seek outside. I will
now transmit to you the markless repentance and reform
to destroy the offensive actions done within the three
periods of time and to purify the three karmas.”
Commentary:
Repentance is to repent of past misdeeds and reform is torefrain from error in the future. If you receive it with a sincere
mind, this repentance and reform can wipe away the offenses ofthe past and prevent them from being committed in the future.
Purify your mind, and the transmission will purify the karma of
your body, mouth and mind.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, repeat after me: ‘May thisdisciple be, in past, present, and future thought, in every
thought, unstained by stupidity and confusion. May it be
wiped away at once and never arise again.’”

227

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
Defiled by stupidity, turned by stupidity, you soon become
quite stupid. It is most important, in every thought, not to go
down the road of stupidity but bring forth wisdom instead.
Bad karma is created out of ignorance. Completely repent
and reform of all offenses: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct,
greed, hatred, stupidity, filthy language, lying, harsh speech, andslander, and in an instant they will be wiped away. Do notcommit offenses out of stupidity and confusion.
Sutra:“‘May this disciple be, in past, present, and future
thought, in every thought, unstained by arrogance anddeceit. Now I completely repent of and reform all bad
actions done in the past out of arrogance and deceit andother such offenses. May their effects be wiped away atonce and may they never be perpetrated again!’”Commentary:
Arrogance:
Only knowing there is you;
Unaware that there are others.
Looking down on everything: “In the heavens and below, I alone
am honored.” “Deceit” is lying; it is also the self-deceit ofthinking that you are indispensable number one in the entire
world. “I am the highest. The President, the King, and the
Chairman cannot compare with me.” Do not be stained byarrogance or turned by deceit.

228

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

Sutra:“‘May this disciple be in past, present, and future
thought, in every thought unstained by jealousy. Now I
completely repent of and reform all bad actions done in
the past out of jealousy and other such offenses. May they
be wiped away at once and never arise again.’”Commentary:
Jealousy is the very worst thing! Cultivators see someone
who is more intelligent than they are and become jealous; theysee someone who learns faster and become jealous; they see
someone sitting “thus, thus unmoving” and become jealous; theysee someone eating more food and become jealous; they see
someone sleeping more and become jealous; they see someone
drinking more tea and become jealous; even to the point thatwhen someone has been sick for a long time they think, “Why
can’t I get sick, too?” Do not be defiled or turned by jealousy.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, the above has been themarkless repentance and reform. What is repentanceand what is reform? Repentance is to repent of pasterrors, to repent so completely of all bad actions done in
the past out of stupidity, confusion, arrogance, deceit,
jealousy, and other such offenses, that they never arise
again. Reform is to refrain from such transgressions in
the future. Awakening and cutting off such offenses
completely and never committing them again is called
repentance and reform.
“Common people, stupid and confused, know only
how to repent of former errors and do not know how to229

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

reform and refrain from transgressions in the future.
Because they do not reform, their former errors are not
wiped away, and they will occur in the future. If former
errors are not wiped away and transgressions are again
committed, how can that be called repentance andreform?
“Good Knowing Advisors, as you have repented andreformed, I will now teach you to make the four allencompassing vows.
I vow to take across the limitless living beingsof my own mind.
I vow to cut off the inexhaustible afflictionsof my own mind.
I vow to study the immeasurable Dharma-doorsof my own nature.
I vow to realize the supreme Buddha Wayof my own nature.
“Good Knowing Advisors, did all of you not just say,
‘I vow to take across the limitless living beings’? What
does it mean? You should remember that it is not Hui
Neng who takes them across. Good Knowing Advisors,the ‘living beings’ within your mind are deviant andconfused thoughts, deceitful and false thoughts,
unwholesome thoughts, jealous thoughts, vicious
thoughts: all these thoughts are ‘living beings.’ The selfnature of each one of them must take itself across. That istrue crossing over.”230

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

Commentary:
You must vow to take across the beings within your own
heart, to cut off the afflictions, and to study the Dharma-doors.
There is nothing higher than Buddhahood: vow to realize it.
Living beings are incalculably numerous, but you yourself
must vow to save them, for it is not the Sixth Patriarch who takes
them across. These good and bad living beings exist within yourown mind. The good ones seek unsurpassed Bodhi and produce
the Bodhi mind, while the bad ones must still be saved. Think itover and ask yourself, “Have I saved the living beings within myown mind? Am I proper in attitude and honorable in conduct or
am I jealous, obstructive, and otherwise ignorant?”
The living beings within the mind are limitless, but our first
concerns are the deviant and confused living beings, whichshould be taken across by means of proper wisdom; the deceitfuland false living beings, which should be taken across by meansof humility, and the unwholesome living beings, which should
be taken across by means of goodness. If you find that you havethese faults, vow to correct them, for if you do not they will dragyou into the inescapable and endless misery of hell.
Respect takes jealous living beings across. AlthoughBodhiruci was a Dharma Master, he envied other Dharma
Masters and viciously tried to poison Bodhidharma. Suchthoughts are living beings and you are making a serious mistake
if you do not take them across.
Sutra:“What is meant by ‘the self nature taking itself
across’? It is to take across by means of right views theliving beings of deviant views, affliction, and delusion
within your own mind. Once you have right views, use
231

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Prajna Wisdom to destroy the living beings of delusion,
confusion, and falsehood. Each one takes itself across.
Enlightenment takes confusion across, wisdom takes
delusion across, goodness takes evil across. Such crossing
over is a true crossing.
“Further, ‘I vow to cut off the inexhaustible
afflictions.’ That is to use the Prajna Wisdom of your own
self-nature to cast out the vain and false thoughts in yourmind.
“Further, ‘I vow to study the immeasurable Dharmadoors.’ You must see your own nature and always
practice the right Dharma. That is true study.
“Further, ‘I vow to realize the supreme Buddha way,’
and with humble mind to always practice the true and theproper. Separate yourself from both confusion andenlightenment, and always give rise to Prajna. When you
cast out the true and the false, you see your nature andrealize the Buddha-way at the very moment it is spoken
of. Always be mindful; cultivate the Dharma thatpossesses the power of this vow.”
Commentary:
Use Prajna wisdom to destroy the living beings of delusion,
confusion, and falsehood. Beat them to death! You ask, “But
isn’t that a violation of the precept against killing?” Here you
may violate the precept, just a bit. You are indeed hard to teach!
When you break precepts, you don’t worry about breaking them,but when you do not break precepts you worry about breaking
them.
Transform the bad beings within your nature so that the good
ones may dwell undisturbed and at peace. You may kill them;232

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

you may beat them to death. Such crossing over is true crossingover.
Afflictions never end, but you must cut them off. Actually,“cut off” means “change.” Change your afflictions into Bodhi.
Afflictions are actually Bodhi, and if you cut off all afflictions
you cut off Bodhi. If you cut off all afflictions you would
become a Buddha, and you don’t want to do that just yet, do you?
So leave just a hair’s worth of afflictions and transform the rest
into Bodhi. Use genuine Prajna wisdom to get rid of affliction
and cast out all vain, false, deviant, and ignorant thoughts.
Recognize your mind, see your original nature, and always
practice the right Dharma, not the wrong. You may study the
Buddhadharma in detail, but if you do not practice it, it is not true
study. True Buddhist studies includes both study and practice.
For example, people who used to smoke, drink, and take drugs
no longer do so once they have studied the Buddhadharma. They
do not even eat meat! Those who were lazy and did nothing but
sleep from morning to night and from night to morning, now
read and translate Sutras, listen to lectures, and meditate
vigorously without a thought of sleeping. If this were not true
study, why would they choose to work so hard?
All living beings can cross themselves over. No one needs totake them across.
The four vows in the text above are the basic vows which all
Bodhisattvas should make.
As to the humble mind, the Earth Store Sutra says,“The Buddha told Earth Store Bodhisattva, ‘Perhaps
there are kings of countries in Jambudvipa, or
noblemen, great ministers, great elders, great
Kshatriyas, great Brahmans, and the rest who
encounter the tired, the poor, and those who are
233

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

hunchbacked, crippled, dumb, mute, deaf, retarded,eyeless, as well as all others who are handicapped.
Perhaps these kings and great men will wish to give andwill be able to do so with great compassion, a humble
heart, and a smile. Perhaps they will give personallywith their own hands or arrange for others to give,
speaking gentle and sympathetic words. Such kings andothers will obtain blessings comparable to themeritorious virtue they would gain by giving to
Buddhas as numerous as the sand-grains in one
hundred Ganges Rivers.’”
Vow to realize the unsurpassed path!
A ten-thousand-story building
Is built from the ground up:
Once a person told an illogical tale. “In New York,” he said,“the skyscrapers are not built from the ground up. They are built
in empty space. They build the roof first.” Everyone racked theirbrains and grew very upset, but no one could figure out how abuilding could be built in empty space. When I was in New
York, I saw that the buildings were, in fact, built from the groundup. His story was nothing but a false rumor.
Another person said, “America is indeed beautiful! The
American clouds are not like clouds in other countries. They are
multicolored and entwined like garlands! The American moon istriangular and the American sun is square!” Do you believe this?
To realize Buddhahood, one must begin from the ground up,
with a humble mind. Do not brag, “Look at me!” Practice thetrue and proper Dharma with a contrite heart and modest
manner.
234

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform“Separate yourself from confusion and enlightenment.” Yousay, “Separating oneself from confusion is all right, but how can
one possibly separate oneself from enlightenment?” This refers
to deviant enlightenment, not right enlightenment. Those withdeviant enlightenment are slow to understand theBuddhadharma, but they don’t need to be taught how to gamble
or take drugs. They can do that on their own. You should keepaway from such evil enlightenment. The text here does not saythat you should avoid right enlightenment.
“You always give rise to Prajna.” When you separate fromdeviant enlightenment, you give rise to wisdom, understanding,and right enlightenment and constantly generate Prajna.
“When you cast out the true and the false, you see theBuddha-nature and realize the Buddha-way at the very momentof speaking of it.” The truth that you cast aside is relative, notactual. Once rid of the true and the false, the original True
Suchness-nature is manifest. You cannot say that this nature iseither true or false. Truth exists because there is falsehood andfalsehood because there is truth. The true nature, however, isneither true nor false. The Shurangama Sutra says,
Falseness itself manifests all truth;
The false and true are both false.
The Great Master
Enlightenment,” said:

Yung

Chia

in

his

“Song

of

When truth is not postulated,
falseness is basically empty.
Existence and non-existence both rejected:
what is not empty, make empty.
Real truth has no opposite.
235

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“Always be mindful; cultivate the Dharma that possesses thepower of this vow.” Having made these vows, you may practice.
Cultivate them in every thought.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, now that you have madethe four all-encompassing vows, I will transmit theprecepts of the triple refuge that has no mark. Good
Knowing Advisors, take refuge with the enlightened, thehonored, the doubly complete. Take refuge with theright, the honored that is apart from desire. Take refuge
with the pure, the honored among the multitudes.”Commentary:
Take refuge with the Buddha; the Buddha is enlightened.
Enlightenment is simply the Buddha. The Buddha is nothing but
enlightenment. The Buddha is “doubly complete” because hehas perfected both blessings and wisdom.
Take refuge with the Dharma which is “right” and proper. Do
not take refuge with deviant teachings, heavenly demons, orheterodox religions. Take refuge with the genuine
Buddhadharma which is the “honored that is apart from desire.”
Everyone has sexual desire and it actually kills people. Why
don’t we realize Buddhahood? It is because of desire, and thegreed, hate, and stupidity which accompany it. We study the
Buddhadharma in order to get rid of desire and cut off love. The
absence of lust is the honored that is apart from desire.
Take refuge with the Sangha; the Sangha is pure and its
members are called “pure fields of merit.” True, genuine
cultivators should maintain the precept against handling money.
Without money, you are pure; with money you are dirty.
236

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

Members of the Sangha who truly wish to cultivate should stayaway from money.
On the other hand, without money you cannot nourish theWay, you cannot cultivate. Although you need money, you
should not be attached to it and depend on its source, thinking allday, “Who has several million in the bank? I’ll go and beg fromhim. Then I can build a temple or a school or perhaps print an
edition of the Tripitaka as a meritorious activity.” That’s justprofit seeking.
While in Manchuria there was a short period during whichmoney and I parted company. I never touched money and for agood reason. Living in the temple where I lived when I left homewere forty or fifty bhikshus, but sometimes as few as ten. WhenI first arrived at the temple, the abbot was out begging and noneof the bhikshus knew me. “I know the abbot,” I said, and they
welcomed me.
After leaving home, I practiced austerities, but not the ones
you practice. You type, translate Sutras, and meditate, but in the
big rural temple where I lived, there was a lot of outside work to
be done. Sweeping the courtyard alone took an hour. My first job
was to clean the toilets, which weren’t flush toilets, but pit
toilets, and every day the waste had to be removed because thecultivators did not want to smell the odor. They gave this work
to me because I had just left home and had not yet cut off myattachment to smells. I did it every day and didn’t mind too
much.
I got up at two in the morning to prepare the hall for services.
When it snowed I swept the walkways so that they were clear atfour when everyone else got up. When the abbot returned andsaw me he said, “So you have come!”“Yes,” I said, “I have.”237

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

After I had formally left home, he called a meeting, wishingto elect me as manager, a position second only to the abbot.
When the abbot retires, the manager becomes the new abbot.
Everyone objected. “He has just left home,” they said. “How can
he possibly be manager!”“Very well,” said the abbot. “Let’s go before the image of
Wei T’ou Bodhisattva and draw names.” Oddly enough, they
drew three times and my name came up each time. No one saida word because I had been elected by Wei T’ou Bodhisattva
himself. Later, when the abbot wanted to make me an
administrator, I said, “All right, but I will not touch money.
Other people must handle and count it. That is my condition.”
Unusual things happened while I held this precept.
Whenever I went to the train station I would sit and wait forsomeone who knew me to come and offer to buy me a ticket. If
no one came I just waited, but strangely enough whenever I went
to the station someone came to buy me a ticket.
If you don’t handle money, you are pure. If you keep evenone cent, you are unclean. Take refuge with the Sangha, which
occupies the purest, highest, and most venerable position–“thehonored among the multitudes.”Sutra:“‘From this day forward, we call enlightenment ourmaster and will never again take refuge with deviant
demons or outside religions. We constantly enlighten
ourselves by means of the Triple Jewel of our own selfnature.’“Good Knowing Advisors, I exhort you all to takerefuge with the Triple Jewel of your own nature: theBuddha, which is enlightenment, the Dharma, which isright, and the Sangha, which is pure.
238

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform“When your mind takes refuge with enlightenment,
deviant confusion does not arise. Desire decreases, so thatyou know contentment and are able to keep away fromwealth and from the opposite sex. That is called thehonored, the doubly complete.
“When your own mind takes refuge with what isright, there are no deviant views in any of your thoughts.
Because there are no deviant views, there is no self, other,arrogance, greed, love, or attachment. That is called thehonored that is apart from desire.
“When your own mind takes refuge with the pure,
your self-nature is not stained by attachment to any stateof defilement, desire or love. That is called the honored
among the multitudes.”Commentary:
To lessen desire, it is not enough to be a vegetarian and toread Sutras. You must cut off all sexual desire:If one does not cast out thoughts of lust,
One never will escape the dust.
Unless you rid yourself of sexual desire you will never getout of the Triple World: the world of desire, the world of form,
and the formless world. “Contentment” means not being greedy.
Dying of poverty, dying of starvation, no matter what thedifficulty, you are never greedy.
“Separate from wealth and beauty.” Do you see how clearly
it says that you should not covet wealth, or the opposite sex, or
fame? That is to be doubly complete, perfect in blessings andwisdom.

239

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“States of defilement” here refers to all social and politicalsituations. You should not be molded by the society, but rathertransform it. Teach living beings; do not be taught by them.
Once, when I noticed that one of my students had been talking
on the phone for over an hour, I asked her what she was doing.
“I’m trying to convert my boyfriend to Buddhism,” she said.
“Really?” I said. “What is he now?”“He’s a Catholic,” she said.
“Be careful he doesn’t convert you.” I said. “His belief in
Catholicism is firm. Take care that he doesn’t take you across!”
Sure enough, not long afterward she ran off. Now what she
believes, whether she saved others or was saved by them, is
unknown.
The non-defilement of the self-nature is called “the honored
among the multitudes.” Living beings are all defiled. If you wish
to be an exceptional individual, you must leave desire behind. To
separate yourself from desire is to be a great hero and true
student of the Buddhadharma. Unless you correct your faults,
what little Buddhadharma you do know is useless.
Sutra:“If you cultivate this practice, you take refuge withyourself.
“Common people do not understand that, and so,from morning to night, they take the triple-refuge
precepts. They say they take refuge with the Buddha, butwhere is the Buddha? If they cannot see the Buddha, how
can they return to him? Their talk is absurd.
“Good Knowing Advisors, each of you examine
yourselves. Do not make wrong use of the mind. The
Avatamsaka Sutra clearly states that you should takerefuge with your own Buddha, not with some other240

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

Buddha. If you do not take refuge with the Buddha inyourself, there is no one you can rely on.
“Now that you are self-awakened, you should eachtake refuge with the Triple Jewel of your own mind.
“Within yourself, regulate your mind and nature;outside yourself, respect others. That is to take refuge
with yourself.”
Commentary:
Ordinary people do not understand the principle of taking
refuge. If you constantly say, “I take refuge with the Buddha,”just where is the Buddha? If you have never seen the Buddha,then how can you take refuge with him? If you say, “I have seen
him!” you are lying.
The Sutra tells you to take refuge with your own Buddha, notwith some other Buddha. The Buddha of your self-nature isalways present, but you didn’t know this because until now you
never had the instruction of a Good Knowing Advisor. Now thatyou have taken refuge, you should be clear about the Buddha ofyour self-nature.
Take refuge with enlightenment.
Take refuge with what is right.
Take refuge with the pure.
Take refuge with enlightenmentand don’t do stupid things.
Take refuge with what is rightand don’t do what is wrong.
Take refuge with the pureand don’t do unclean things.

241

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Take refuge with the Triple Jewel
within your own mind.
If you really understand the Buddhadharma, you will respect
not just your relatives and friends, but everyone, even people
you don’t know. Instead of slapping someone when you see him
and then throwing mud in his face, you must be the mostrespectful toward those who act the worst toward you. This is afundamental responsibility of students of Buddhism. You say,“You haven’t really been bad to me, so how could I be bad toyou?” Isn’t this extraordinary? It’s just to take refuge with the
Triple Jewel of your self-nature.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, now that you have taken
refuge with the Triple Jewel, you should listen carefully
while I explain to you the three bodies of a single
substance, the self-nature of the Buddha, so that you may
see the three bodies and become completely enlightened
to your own self-nature.
“Repeat after me,
I take refuge with the clear, pure Dharma-bodyof the Buddha within my own body.
I take refuge with the hundred thousand myriad
Transformation-bodies of the Buddha
within my own body.
I take refuge with the complete and full Reward bodyof the Buddha within my own body.
“Good Knowing Advisors, the form-body is an inn; itcannot be returned to. The three bodies of the Buddha
242

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

exist within the self-nature of worldly people, but because
they are confused, they do not see the nature within themand so seek the three bodies of the Tathagata outside
themselves. They do not see that the three bodies of the
Buddha are within their own bodies.
“Listen to what I say, for it can cause you to see thethree bodies of your own self-nature within your own
body. The three bodies of the Buddha arise from yourown self-nature and are not obtained from outside.
“What is the clear, pure Dharma-body Buddha? The
worldly person’s nature is basically clear and pure, andthe ten thousand dharmas are produced from it. The
thought of evil produces evil actions and the thought ofgood produces good actions. Thus all dharmas exist
within the self-nature. This is like the sky which is always
clear, and the sun and moon which are always bright, sothat if they are obscured by floating clouds it is brightabove the clouds and dark below them. But if the windsuddenly blows and scatters the clouds, there isbrightness above and below, and the myriad forms
appear. The worldly person’s nature constantly drifts
like those clouds in the sky.
“Good Knowing Advisors, intelligence is like the sun
and wisdom is like the moon. Intelligence and wisdom areconstantly bright, but if you are attached to external
states, the floating clouds of false thought cover the selfnature so that it cannot shine.
“If you meet a Good Knowing Advisor, if you listen to
the true and right Dharma and cast out your own
confusion and falseness, then inside and out there will be
penetrating brightness, and within the self-nature all theten thousand dharmas will appear. That is how it is with
243

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

those who see their own nature. It is called the clear, pure
Dharma-body of the Buddha.”
Commentary:Your physical body is like a house. You must not take refuge
in it, but rather take refuge with your own self-nature. Everyone
has the three Buddha-bodies within themselves, but because of
their delusion they don’t know it.
Break through the clouds of illusion! It is just because you
have not broken through them that you are deluded and have no
wisdom. But if you do away with troubles and ignorance andlisten to a Clear-eyed Advisor’s explanation of the orthodox
Teaching, your own nature will reflect all the dharmas, like aluminous crystal.
Those who see their nature and know their original mind arelike a clear sky:
The heart calm–
All worries go away;
The mind still–
Heaven has no clouds.
When your heart is upset there is chaos, but when your mind
is calm and resolved, everything is auspicious.
The pure heart
like the moon in water;
The quiet mind
like a cloudless sky;True wealth: the mind stopped,thought cut off;244

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

True field of blessing: all passions
put to an end.
You must end your delusion and greed, still the mind and cut
off thought. That is true wealth. Truly wealthy people are notgreedy. Those who are greedy are thereby poor. They may havea little money, but they are never satisfied.
The passions are just selfish desires and without them you are
a true field of merit.
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, when your own mind takes
refuge with your self-nature, it takes refuge with the true
Buddha. To take refuge is to rid your self-nature ofegotism and unwholesome thoughts as well as of jealousy,
obsequiousness, deceitfulness, contempt, pride, conceit,
and deviant views, and all other unwholesome tendencies
whenever they arise.
“To take refuge is to be always aware of your own
transgressions and never to speak of other people’s goodor bad traits. Always to be humble and polite is to havepenetrated to the self-nature without any obstacle. Thatis taking refuge.
Commentary:
If you turn the light around and reverse the illumination, youtake refuge with the true Buddha. Be careful not to envy others.
Would you like to know why you are so deluded? It is because
in past lives, life after life, you envied others. You envied theirintelligence and so now you are stupid; you envied their talentand so now you have none. You were jealous then and now you
are inferior.
245

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

You should not be devious and indirect. Get rid of egotism:“I, I, me, myself, everything revolves around me!” You should
not be deceitful, full of self-importance, and contemptuous ofothers.
To have deviant views is to misjudge every situation you
encounter and then go off in the wrong direction. Deviant views
are easy to come by. If you wish to take refuge, see your own
faults and quit talking about other people. Criticism is yin andpraise is yang. You should find the Middle Way.
Sutra:“What is the perfect, full Reward-body of the
Buddha? Just as one lamp can disperse the darkness of athousand years, one thought of wisdom can destroy ten
thousand years of delusion.
“Do not think of the past; it is gone and can never berecovered. Instead think always of the future and in every
thought, perfect and clear, see your own original nature.
Although good and evil differ, the original nature is nondual. That non-dual nature is the real nature. Undefiledby either good or evil, it is the perfect, full Reward-bodyof the Buddha.
“One evil thought arising from the self-naturedestroys ten thousand eons’ worth of good karma. One
good thought arising from the self-nature ends evils as
numerous as the sand-grains in the Ganges River. To
reach the unsurpassed Bodhi directly, see it for yourself
in every thought and do not lose the original thought.
That is the Reward-body of the Buddha.”

246

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

Commentary:
When you bring forth wisdom, not just ten thousand years,
but ten thousand eons of delusion are wiped away.
Do not regret the past or be anxious about the future. “Whatam I going to do next?” you ask. If you plant good causes, youwill reap good results; if you plant bad causes, you will reap bad
results. So do good things and good things will happen; do badand bad things will happen. Your thoughts should be proper,
perfectly lucid, and full of light, not deviant, selfish, and selfseeking, obstructive or jealous. If you are not afraid that others
will be better than you, it may be that you are a little better thanthey are. But if you fear that they will surpass you, then they are
all better than you.
The good and evil natures within the self-nature differ, but
the self-nature is not dual. The non-dual suchness self-nature is
the real nature. Yung Chia wrote in his “Song of
Enlightenment”:
Ignorance and the real nature
are just the Buddha nature;
The illusory empty bodyis just the Dharma body.
In the original, real nature, there is no good or evil. It is entirely
perfect and wonderful in itself, far reaching in its penetration,and broad in understanding.
One vicious thought, such as Bodhiruci’s desire to poison
Bodhidharma, destroys ten thousand eons of good karma,
whereas one good thought melts away evil karma as immense as
the number of sandgrains in the Ganges. One good thought cancause the realization of Buddhahood, and one bad thought iscause enough for going to hell. If you would like to know
247

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

whether you are going to become a Buddha or go to hell, take alook at what kind of thoughts you have.
To arrive at Buddhahood directly, see it for yourself in every
thought. Understand your own mind and see your own originalnature. Do not lose the original thought, the true thought, the true
nature.
Sutra:“What are the hundred thousand myriad
Transformation bodies of the Buddha? If you are free ofany thought of the ten thousand dharmas, then yournature is basically like emptiness, but in one thought ofcalculation, transformation occurs. Evil thoughts aretransformed into hell-beings and good thoughts into
heavenly beings. Viciousness is transformed into dragons
and snakes, and compassion into Bodhisattvas. Wisdom
is transformed into the upper realms, and delusion into
the lower realms. The transformations of the self-natureare extremely many, and yet the confused person,
unawakened to that truth, continually gives rise to evil
and walks evil paths. Turn a single thought back togoodness, and wisdom is produced. That is theTransformation-body of the Buddha within your selfnature.”
Commentary:
Having discussed the perfect full Reward-body which lacks
nothing and has nothing in excess, which obtains nothing andloses nothing and is neither defiled nor immaculate, increasing
nor decreasing, male nor female, good nor evil–but which isperfect Bodhi that returns to non-attainment–the Sixth Patriarch
248

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

asks, “What are the hundred-thousand myriad Transformation
bodies?”“We have one body,” you say. “How can we have a hundred
thousand myriad bodies? What do the Buddha’s transformationbodies have to do with me?”
These transformation-bodies are simply a hundred thousand
myriad thoughts and calculations. Shakyamuni Buddha cantransform himself to appear in any one of the ten Dharma
Realms. That is, he can become a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, aPratyekabuddha, an Arhat, a god, asura, human, hell-being,hungry ghost, or animal.
You might also say that you and I have a hundred thousand
myriad transformation-bodies. I have taken a hundred thousand
myriad disciples and all of them imitate their teacher incultivation. They see their teacher eating only one meal a day,before noon, and say, “I’m going to do that too.” I tell them, “Inever stick out my hand and beg. I don’t depend on externalsituations and neither should you. If no one makes offerings tome and I die, that’s just fine. Those who leave the home life
under me must follow my Three Conditions, as I do:
Freezing, I don’t beg,
Starving, I don’t scheme, andDying of poverty, I ask for nothing.
The disciples say, “All right! Even if we starve to death, we
won’t beg or scheme.”
Because they copy me, they are my transformation bodies. In
the future you will have transformation bodies, too. If you havea good way of doing things, you will have a hundred thousand
myriad good transformation bodies. If you have an evil, ghostly
way, you will have that many ghostly transformation bodies.
249

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“If you are free of any thought of the ten thousand Dharmas,
then your nature is basically like emptiness...”
One thought not produced,
The entire substance manifests.
If you do not give rise to a single thought, your original
Buddha nature appears. But aren’t you producing a thought? Are
you without false thinking? Are you not thinking, “What will I
eat tomorrow? What time will I get to bed tonight?” or, “I’mthirsty. I think I’ll have a cup of tea?”
Without false thinking, you are a Buddha. But if you can’t
cut off your false thinking, you must not claim to be a Buddha;
you must cultivate the Way. If you haven’t cultivated and say,
“Hey! I’m a Buddha!” you are just a dog of a Buddha. You can’t
simply say that everyone is Buddha, you have to cultivate andrealize Buddhahood. Without cultivation, people are people,
animals are animals, and dogs are dogs. But do not be offended.
Dogs also have the Buddha nature. They have to cultivate, that’sall.
Six roots suddenly move:
A covering of clouds.
When you see something and think it beautiful or hearsomething and think, “Music!” you are being influenced byexternals. Using the six sense organs, the six sense objects andthe six consciousnesses in this way, you cover yourself withclouds.
“Evil thoughts are transformed into hell-beings...” Suppose
you think, “How can I get famous? How can I succeed? I’ll starta riot, murder people, set fires, and loot the streets.”

250

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform“...and good thoughts into heavenly beings.” “Oh,” you say,
“I want to help people. You have no money? Here is a million to
help you get by.” Or you think, “No one makes offerings to theAmericans who have left home. I’ll make an offering.” Don’t
wait for America, such an affluent nation, to allow its new
Buddhist Sangha to starve to death: transform into the heavens.
“Wisdom is transformed into the upper realms, and delusion
into the lower realms.” With intelligence, you go up, but if you
are deluded, you fall.
The Superior one mounts on high.
The petty person travels a lower road.
“The transformations of the self-nature are extremely many,and yet the confused person, unawakened to that truth,
continually gives rise to evil, and walks evil paths.” The
confused person’s every thought is evil: “That person mistreatsme! I’m going to ruin him.” The Great Master Shen Hsiu was
one who walked evil paths by repeatedly sending hired killers
after the Sixth Patriarch.
“Turn a single thought back to goodness, and wisdom is
produced. That is the Transformation-body of the Buddha withinyour self-nature.” Do you understand? If you do, you are a Good
Knowing Advisor; if you don’t, you’re an evil knowing advisor.
Wouldn’t you rather be a Good Knowing Advisor?
Sutra:“Good Knowing Advisors, the Dharma body of the
Buddha is basically complete. To see your own nature in
every thought is the Reward body of the Buddha. When
the Reward body thinks and calculates, it is theTransformation body of the Buddha. Awaken and
251

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

cultivate by your own efforts the merit and virtue of yourself-nature. That is truly taking refuge.
“The skin and flesh of the physical body are like an
inn to which you cannot return. Simply awaken to thethree bodies of your self-nature and you will understandthe self-nature Buddha.”
Commentary:
You yourself must wake up and cultivate on your own. Do
not babble intellectual zen all day, “Yak, yak, yak!” talking but
never practicing. Talking a yard is not as good as practicing aninch. If you do nothing but talk, you are cheating people. So pay
no attention to whether my lectures are good or bad. Look
instead to see if I have ever cheated you.
The Sixth Patriarch tells you to awaken to the three bodies ofyour self-nature, so you say, “Then taking refuge with myself is
to take refuge with my body.” No. If you take refuge with yourbody you are just adding a head on top of a head, like Yajnadatta
in the Shurangama Sutra who ran everywhere looking for hishead. Your physical body is an inn where your self-nature
temporarily dwells. Therefore you cannot say, “My body is me.”Your body is not you. Then is it someone else’s? No your bodyis yours, it is not mine or his. It is yours, but it is not you. Don’t
I always say that if you live in a house, you can say the house is
yours but you certainly cannot say the house is you? If you saythat it is you, everyone will say, “He doesn’t even know who heis! He thinks his house is him, but it’s just a thing.” Your bodyis like a house; don’t mistake it for being you. Understand?
Don’t take refuge with the physical body, take refuge withyour self-nature. Awaken to the clear, pure Dharma-body
Buddha, the perfect, full Reward-body Buddha, and the hundred
thousand myriad Transformation-body Buddhas within your252

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reformown nature. By understanding the Buddha of your self-nature
you may perfect the three bodies.
Sutra:“I have a verse without marks. If you can recite andmemorize it, it will wipe away-accumulated eons ofconfusion and offenses as soon as the words are spoken.
The verse runs:
A confused person will foster blessings,
but not cultivate the Way;
And say, “To practice for the blessings
is practice of the Way.”
While giving and making offerings
brings blessings without limit,
It is in the mind that the three evils
have their origin.
By seeking blessings you may wish
to obliterate offenses;
But in the future, though you are blessed,
offenses still remain.
You ought to simply strike the evil
conditions from your mind;
By true repentance and reform
within your own self-nature.
A sudden awakening: the true repentance andreform of the Great Vehicle;
253

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

You must cast out the deviant, and practicethe right, to be without offense.
To study the Way, always lookwithin your own self-nature;
You are then the same in kindand lineage as all Buddhas.
Our Patriarch passed along only
this Sudden Teaching;
Wishing that all might see the natureand be of one substance.
In the future if you wish
to find the Dharma body;
Detach yourself from Dharma marks
and inwardly wash the mind.
Strive to see it for yourself
and do not waste your time,
For when the final thought has stopped
your life comes to an end.
Enlightened to the Great Vehicle
you can see your nature;
So reverently join your palms
and seek it with all your heart.
Commentary:“Don’t be nervous,” continued the Great Master, “I havesome good news! Don’t you know? I have a verse without
254

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

marks. Do you want to hear it? If you do, I’ll recite; if not, I’ll
just put it away.”“Yes!” everyone exclaimed, “we definitely do want to hear
it. Please be compassionate and recite it.”“If you can learn this verse by heart,” the Master said, “it willcause the confusions and crimes accumulated frombeginningless time, passing through limitless ages, life after life,
to be eradicated immediately. Where will they go? Do you mean
you still want to look for them? What a waste of effort!”
A confused person will foster blessing, but if you tell him tocultivate with vigor, he won’t do it. Although there are not many
students here, those present are extremely sincere. They do not
fear leg-pain, back-pain, any pain whatever. “I will endure thispain and cultivate the Way, even if it means giving up my life!”
they say. Such rare determination makes me happy, but I don’t
show my happiness by joking with you all day. It’s not that kindof happiness; it’s true happiness.
Deluded people say, “To practice for the blessings is practiceof the Way.” This is like the Emperor Wu of Liang who said, “I
have taken Bhikshus across and have built many temples. I havemade offerings and practiced charity and arranged vegetarianbanquets. What great merit I must have! It’s probably evengreater than Shakyamuni Buddha’s!”
Giving and making offerings brings limitless blessings, but
the origin of the three evils is within the mind. What are the threeevils? Greed, hate, and delusion.
Greed: “I think I’ll eat a few more peanuts and then I won’t
be hungry today.” Hate: “Hey! Who ate all the peanuts?”
Delusion: Hating the one who ate the peanuts which makes you
unreasonable and stupid. Cultivating blessings while neglecting
wisdom has made you so stupid that you can’t quit over-eatingand even have the gall to speak of it as a bitter practice.
255

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

You cannot get rid of offenses by cultivating blessings,
because although you obtain the blessings, the offenses still
remain. What you should do is rid the mind of all evil conditions,i.e. thoughts of greed, hate, delusion, jealousy, obstructiveness,conceit, obsequiousness, viciousness and deceitfulness.
“But they’re my old friends,” you say. “We’ve been together
for millions of years. How can I part with them?” Fine. If you
can’t part with them, then there’s nothing to do but follow themdown to hell.
To practice true repentance and reform is to understand theGreat Vehicle and immediately get rid of all evil thoughts. It isvery clear; no analogies are needed. You truly repent when you“get rid of the deviant and practice the right,” as the Sixth
Patriarch’s verse says. Then you may walk down the straight,
great bright road and be without offense.
“To study the Way, always look within the self-nature.” Ask
yourself, “What am I doing? Am I acting like a person or a ghost,an animal, a horse or a cow?” You are what you do. If you act
like a Buddha, you are a Buddha. The Buddha practices
friendliness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and giving. His
compassion is genuine, not false and greedy. He never thinks, “If
I am a little compassionate to you, you will be greatlycompassionate to me.”There are no ulterior motives in the compassion I have foryou. I would not give you a brick and expect a piece of jade in
return.
Cultivators, turn the light around, reverse its illumination,
and ask yourself, “Am I thinking like a demon or a Buddha? Am
I selfish or generous, self-seeking or charitable?” If you arecharitable you are the “same in kind as all the Buddhas.” If you
act like a Buddha, you are a Buddha, but if you act like a ghost,
how can you be a Buddha?
256Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform

By “our Patriarch” the Sixth Patriarch means Bodhidharma,
who transmitted only the Sudden Teaching Dharma-doorbecause he wanted everyone to see the Buddha nature andrealize the Buddha Way together.
“If you wish to find the Dharma-body,” then separate
yourself from all marks. Do not be attached, jealous, obstructive,
ignorant, afflicted, or snobbish. You cannot think, as the Buddha
did, “In the heavens and below, I alone am honored.” The
Diamond Sutra says, “One who has left all marks is called a
Buddha.” Apart from marks and unattached to self and todharmas, the mind-ground is cleansed.
“Strive to see it for yourself” and go forward with heroic
vigor. You’ll never succeed if you’re lazy and waste your time,saying “Wait, I’ll cultivate tomorrow. Wait, I’ll translate
tomorrow.” Even at lunchtime you say, “Wait, I’ll eat later.”Wait, wait, until it’s time to die and King Yama won’t listen to
you when you say, “Wait! I’ll die later.” If you are truly free, youcome and go in birth and death and yet are not subject to birthand death. King Yama has no control over you. This is like theThird Patriarch, Seng Ts’an, who said, “You see others sit inlotus posture to die and think it special. Watch this!” andgrabbed a tree branch with one hand and went to Nirvana, justhanging there. Wasn’t he free?
If you wait until your dying breath to cultivate, it will be toolate, “for when the final thought has stopped, your life comes toan end. Earlier, in Chapter IV, didn’t the Sutra say that you
should not cut off your thought, because when the last thought is
cut off you die and then undergo rebirth in some other place? At
the time of death there is nothing–no fame, no riches. Both yourhands will be empty and you’ll be forced to put down what you
can’t put down. No matter how dear your loved ones are, you’ll
have to part with them.
257

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Enlightened to the Great Vehicle
you can see the nature;
So reverently join your palms andseek it with all your heart.
See the nature and humbly seek to follow the unsurpassed
Way.
Sutra:The Master said, “Good Knowing Advisors, all of you
should take up this verse and cultivate according to it. If
you see your nature at the moment these words are
spoken, even if we are a thousand miles apart you will
always be by my side. If you do not awaken at the
moment of speaking, then, face to face we are a thousand
miles apart, so why did you bother to come from so far?
Take care of yourselves and go well.”
The united assembly heard this Dharma and there
were none who did not awaken. They received it withdelight and practiced in accord with it.
Commentary:
I think the Sixth Patriarch liked to talk and so he delivered
this Platform Sutra. If he hadn’t liked to speak, he wouldn’t havetaught any Sutra at all.
Now I am teaching it to all of you:“You are quite intelligent,” the Master said, “and you havegood roots. We have an affinity which goes back for many
lifetimes and many ages, and therefore we have met here today.”Of course, there were no foreigners in the Master’s Dharmaassembly; they were all Chinese. That I have met with so many
Americans must be a case of even greater affinity.
258

Chapter VI. Repentance and Reform“If you understand the verse I have recited,” said the Master,“you will ‘get rid of the deviant, practice the right, and bewithout offense,’ and although we are a thousand miles apart,you will be right beside me.”If my disciples understand and remember the Sutras I have
explained, they will be right beside me. But if instead they takeadvantage of external circumstances or get jealous and angry,
they will have studied the Way in vain. If they don’t understandthis verse, then even if we should stand face to face, we would
still be a thousand miles apart.
If they believe in me, although we are a thousand miles apart,
we are face to face. “Are you trying to make people believe inyou?” you ask. No! Why should I want you to believe in me?
You’re better off believing in yourself, because if you cultivate,
you do it for yourself. You don’t eat to make me full. All I do isteach you the methods. If you have come all this way just to bea thousand miles from me, why did you bother to come at all?
“Take care of yourselves.” Don’t look down on yourself andsay, “I’m not going to cultivate. I’m nothing but a dog anyway.”
See yourself as a person, not a dog, and go to a good place, nota bad one.

259

CHAPTER VII.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CONDITIONS

Sutra:The Master obtained the Dharma at Huang Mei andreturned to Ts’ao Hou Village in Shao Chou where noone knew him. But Liu Chih Liao, a scholar, received him
with great courtesy. Chih Liao’s aunt, Bhikshuni Wu
Chin Tsang, constantly recited the Mahaparinirvana
Sutra. When the Master heard it, he instantly grasped its
wonderful principle and explained it to her. The
Bhikshuni then held out a scroll and asked about somecharacters.
The Master said, “I cannot read; please ask about themeaning.”“If you cannot even read, how can you understand themeaning?” asked the Bhikshuni.
The Master replied, “The subtle meaning of all
Buddhas is not based on language.”
The Bhikshuni was startled and she announced to all
the elders and virtuous ones in the village: “Here is agentleman who possesses the Way. We should ask him tostay and receive our offerings.” Ts’ao Shu Liang, greatgrandson of the Marquis Wu of the Wei dynasty, camerushing to pay homage, along with the people of thevillage.

261

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

At that time the pure dwellings of the ancient Pao Lin
Temple, which had been destroyed by war and fire at theend of the Sui dynasty, were rebuilt on their old
foundation. The Master was invited to stay and soon thetemple became a revered place. He dwelt there a little
over nine months when he was once again pursued by evilmen. The Master hid in the mountain in the front of thetemple, and when they set fire to the brush and trees, heescaped by crawling into a rock to hide. The rock stillbears the imprints of the Master’s knees and of his robe
where he sat in lotus posture. Because of this it is called“The Rock of Refuge.” Remembering the Fifth
Patriarch’s instructions to stop at Huai and hide at Hui,he went to conceal himself in those two cities.
Commentary:
After receiving the mind-seal Dharma from the Fifth
Patriarch Hung Jen, the Sixth Patriarch returned to Shao Chou.
He thereupon went to Ts’ao Hou Village, the present day Shao
Kuan in Chü Chiang District. When he arrived in the vicinity of
Nan Hua Temple, which before had been Pao Lin Temple, no
one knew that he was the one who held the robe and bowl.
Liu Chih Liao was a wealthy retired official who enjoyedstudying the Buddhadharma. He welcomed the Masterreverently and made offerings to him. Chih Liao and his aunt,
Bhikshuni Wu Chin Tsang, “limitless treasury,” were the Sixth
Patriarch’s great Dharma protectors. Wu Chin Tsang liked torecite the Mahaparinirvana Sutra. This Sutra, in ten volumes,
was spoken by the Buddha just before he went to Nirvana.
Hearing the recitation, the Sixth Patriarch understood the subtle
principle and explained it to the Bhikshuni. Probably she
262Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions

couldn’t read very well, because she asked the Master, “What is
this word?”“Do you mean you can’t read it?” said the Master.
“No, I can’t,” she said.
“Well, I can’t either!” said the Master, “But if you ask about
the meaning I can explain it for you.”“If you can’t even read it, how can you know what it means?”
she asked.
The Master said, “The Buddha’s heart, the mind-Dharma, thewonderful principle of Sudden Enlightenment, has nothing to dowith words. Instead, it points directly to the mind so that we cansee our own nature and become Buddhas. Since it is not based on
language it doesn’t matter whether you can read.”
Bhikshuni Wu Chin Tsang thought that was very strange
indeed. She told everyone in the village, “Here is a gentleman
who has the Way! He is a virtuous Dharma Master. He may not
be able to read, but he’s enlightened, so we should makeofferings to him.”
Although she didn’t know a lot of characters, Wu Chin Tsang
was nevertheless an incredible Bhikshuni. She ate one meal a
day and never lay down to sleep, because she knew that the
Fourth Patriarch recommended these practices. Although herfamily was wealthy, she kept the precept of never holding
money. She studied and recited Sutras industriously, and when
the time came, she died sitting up in meditation. Many days,
many years have passed and her body still has not decayed.
Because she was vigorous and worked hard at cultivation andhad no sexual desire, her flesh transformed into indestructible
vajra. I saw the body in a temple in Chü Chiang. It is truly
awesome.
Among the villagers who paid homage to the Great Masterwas the great-grandson of Marquis Wu. Marquis Wu was very
263

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

intelligent. He was, in fact, as clever as a fox. He was a genius,
but he had a tendency to be jealous.
Bhikshuni Wu Chin Tsang promoted the Sixth Patriarch:“Do you know who he is?” she would say, “He’s the rightful
successor to the Fifth Patriarch! He holds the robe and bowl.”
One flower may be beautiful, but it looks much bettersurrounded by greenery. If no one had protected him, the Sixth
Patriarch would surely have been murdered by Shen Hsiu’sgang, or those of other religions. His Dharma assembly
flourished because his disciples and laypeople such as Bhikshuni
Wu Chin Tsang and her nephew, Liu Chih Liao, the scholar,
guarded and protected him. Vinaya Master T’ung Ying alsobrought several hundred of his students to study with the Master,and each student told his friends to come. So every day for lunch
there were between 1,500 and 2,000 people, seven or eight
hundred of whom were members of the Sangha.
Everyone made heartfelt offerings to help rebuild Nan Hua
Temple. Some gave ten thousand ounces of silver, some gave amillion. They asked the Master to live there and before long it
was a great Bodhimanda, big enough for several thousandpeople.
A little over nine months later, several hundred of Shen
Hsiu’s men left Huang Mei, passing through the Ta Yü mountain
range on their way to Nan Hua Temple. They traveled for overtwo months. If they hadn’t been intent on killing the Master andstealing the robe and bowl, they would have given up after acouple of days. Think it over: Sixteen or seventeen years had
passed since the transmission, and the Master had only been
staying at Nan Hua for nine months when the evil men returned.
It’s not easy to be a Patriarch, unless you are a phony. Real
Patriarchs live in great danger.
264

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions

The Sixth Patriarch had spiritual powers and he knew that notjust one or two, but several hundred men were after him. He hid
in the “Rock of Refuge” which is just big enough to hold one
person sitting in meditation. The evil men mingled in with thelarge crowd and stealthily set fire to the mountain. They burned
off the entire area, but never found the Master. While hiding, theMaster probably meditated with great intensity because thetexture of his robe and the marks of his knees can still be seen
imprinted in the rock. When I was at Nan Hua Temple I sat in therock for a time, but I wasn’t seeking refuge, I was just trying itout. When you sit inside it, no one can see you.

265

Bhikshu Fa Hai

Sutra:
When Bhikshu Fa Hai of Chü Chiang city in Shao Choufirst called on the Patriarch, he asked, “Will you please
instruct me on the sentence, ‘Mind is Buddha’?”
The Master said, “When one’s preceding thoughts are
not produced this is mind and when one’s subsequent
thoughts are not extinguished this is Buddha. The setting
up of marks is mind, and separation from them is
Buddha. Were I to explain it fully, I would not finish
before the end of the present age.
“Listen to my verse:
When the mind is called wisdom,
Then the Buddha is called concentration.
When concentration and wisdom are equal.
The intellect is pure.
Understand this Dharma teaching
By practicing within your own nature.
The function is basically unproduced;
It is right to cultivate both.”At these words, Fa Hai was greatly enlightened andspoke a verse in praise:266

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fa Hai

This mind is basically Buddha;
By not understanding I disgrace myself.
I know the cause of concentration and wisdom
Is to cultivate both and separate myself
from all things.
Commentary:
Bhikshu Fa Hai, also called Wen Yün, compiled and edited
the Platform Sutra from the Sixth Patriarch’s lectures. Although
I dare not say that he liked to be first, when he wrote this chapter
he certainly thought, “I am the Master’s number one great
disciple!” and consequently wrote about himself first.
“Great Master,” said Fa Hai, “I don’t understand the sentence‘This mind is Buddha.’ Please explain it.”
“Do not produce the former thought,” said the Master, “andjust that is mind. Do not extinguish the latter thought and justthat is Buddha. With neither production nor extinction, the mind
itself is Buddha. All appearances are set up by the mind, and if
you can set up all appearances and be separate from them, that is
Buddha.”The mind is called wisdom and the Buddha is called
concentration. When concentration and wisdom are equal, themind is Buddha and Buddha is the mind. They are one substance.
When thought is pure, then wisdom and concentration, mind andBuddha, are equal. If you understand the Sudden Teaching you
know that the Buddha is not separate from the mind and the mind
is not separate from the Buddha; concentration is not separate
from wisdom and wisdom is not separate from concentration.
You don’t understand because you have accumulated badhabits for many ages. The wonderful function of the self-nature
is basically unproduced and undestroyed, so when you cultivate
267

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

the mind, you cultivate the Buddha; when you cultivate theBuddha, you cultivate the mind. The same applies toconcentration and wisdom. You should cultivate them equally.
When you don’t understand, there are two: mind andBuddha, When you understand you know that they are originallyone. In cultivating concentration and wisdom, you should
separate yourself from all marks.

268

Bhikshu Fa Ta

Sutra:
Bhikshu Fa Ta of Hung Chou left home at age seven andconstantly recited the Dharma Flower Sutra, but when hecame to bow before the Patriarch, his head did not touch
the ground. The Master scolded him, saying, “If you do
not touch the ground, isn’t it better not to bow? There
must be something on your mind. What do youpractice?”“I have recited the Dharma Flower Sutra over three
thousand times,” he replied.
The Master said, “I don’t care if you have recited it
ten thousand times. If you understood the Sutra’s
meaning, you would not be so overbearing, and you could
walk along with me. You have failed in your work and do
not even recognize your error.
Listen to my verse:
As bowing is basically to cut off arrogance,
Why don’t you touch your head to the ground?
When you possess a self, offenses arise,
But forgetting merit brings supreme blessings.”
The Master asked further, “What is your name?”“Fa Ta,” he replied.
269

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The Master said, “Your name means ‘Dharma
Penetration,’ but what Dharma have you penetrated?”
He then spoke a verse:Your name means Dharma Penetration,
And you earnestly recite without pause to rest.
Recitation is mere sound,
But one who understands his mind is calleda Bodhisattva.
Now, because of your karmic conditions,
I will explain it to you:
Believe only that the Buddha is without words
And the lotus blossom will bloom from your mouth.
Commentary:
Dharma Masters Fa Hai (Dharma Sea) and Fa Ta (Dharma
Penetration) both received the Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma. Fa Ta
left home at age seven and constantly recited the Lotus Sutra, butwhen he met the Patriarch he didn’t bow properly, he justpretended. He had to make some sort of show of it since
everybody knew that the Great Master held Huang Mei’s robeand bowl. But the most respect he could muster was to throw
himself hastily on the ground, without even touching his head tothe floor, and in his heart he felt that his own merit certainly was
greater than the Master’s. “After all,” he thought, “I’ve recited
the Sutra over three thousand times.” When Fa Ta saw ordinary
people, he couldn’t even manage a half bow. He was like a richsnob who only sees other rich snobs and looks down on everyoneelse. The Sixth Patriarch took one look and knew that Fa Ta hadsomething on his mind.
270

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fa Ta

The Lotus Sutra is seven volumes long and, reciting quickly,
you could read through it once in a day, or three hundred andsixty-five times a year. Therefore Fa Ta had been reciting it forover ten years.
“I don’t care if you’ve recited it ten thousand times!” said theMaster. “If you really understood it you wouldn’t revel in yourown merit and could study with me. Not everyone can study witha Patriarch, you know. If you have obstructions and afflictions,
he may not want you.”
Therefore, if you come to study here but break the rules, you
are not welcome. In order to cultivate with me you must offer up
your conduct in accord with the teaching.
“So many recitations,” said the Master, “and you still don’tknow how conceited you are! No doubt you think your merit iseven greater than mine. Such pride is an offense. But if you could
forget your merit and consider your three thousand recitations as
no recitations, then your merit would be limitless andboundless.”“Speak up, Dharma Penetration!” the Master continued,“What Dharma have you penetrated?”Fa Ta was speechless.
“Not bad,” the Master said, “You work hard. However, yourrecitation is of no benefit because you don’t understand what theSutra means. If you could only understand your mind and see
your nature, you would be a Bodhisattva. You have come all thisway from Hung Chou because we have an affinity fromcircumstances in former lives. Now just believe that the Buddha
is without words, and the lotus blossom will bloom from yourmouth. Believe! The Buddha never said a thing, and if you recite
without understanding the principle, you are wasting your time.”
The Diamond Sutra says,
271

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

One who sees me by form
Or seeks me in sound,
Walks a deviant path
Not seeing the Tathagata.
The Buddha taught for forty-nine years in over three hundred
Dharma assemblies, but when he was about to enter Nirvana andhis disciples asked him about the Sutras, he said, “I never said aword.” Was he lying?
The Sixth Patriarch also taught that the Buddha said nothing,and if you believe this the Lotus will bloom from your mouth.
But how does one obtain such rare faith?
The Sutra’s principles exist in the minds of people; they canbe spoken by you; they can be spoken by me. Everyone has this
wisdom and everyone can speak the Sutras. The Buddha spoke
the Sutras for living beings and the Sutras flow from the mindsof living beings. Therefore the Buddha spoke without speaking.
This means that you should not be attached to Dharma or toemptiness. Nevertheless, you cannot say, “I don’t know any
Dharma. I’m empty!”
To understand that the Buddha spoke and yet did not speakis the most difficult and yet the easiest thing one can do. Can you
do it? If you can, the Buddha has not spoken. If you cannot, thenthe Buddha has said too much.
Sutra:Hearing the verse, Fa Ta was remorseful and he said,“From now on I will respect everyone. Your disciple
recites the Dharma Flower Sutra but has not yet
understood its meaning. His mind often has doubts. High
Master, your wisdom is vast and great. Will you please
explain the general meaning of the Sutra for me?”272

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fa Ta

The Master said, “Dharma Penetration, the Dharma
is extremely penetrating, but your mind does not
penetrate it. There is basically nothing doubtful in the
Sutra. The doubts are in your own mind. You recite thisSutra, but what do you think its teaching is?”Fa Ta said, “This student’s faculties are dull and dim.
Since I have only recited it by rote, how could I
understand its doctrine?”
The Master said, “I cannot read, but if you take theSutra and read it once, I will explain it to you.”Fa Ta recited loudly until he came to the “Analogies
Chapter.” The Master said, “Stop! This Sutra
fundamentally is based on the principles underlying thecauses and conditions of the Buddha’s appearance in theworld. None of the analogies spoken go beyond that.
What are the causes and conditions? The Sutra says, ‘All
Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the world
for the causes and conditions of the One Important
Matter.’ The One Important Matter is the knowledge
and vision of the Buddha. Worldly people, deluded by theexternal world, attach themselves to marks, and deludedby the inner world, they attach themselves to emptiness.
If you can live among marks and yet be separate from it,then you will be confused by neither the internal nor theexternal. If you awaken to this Dharma, in one moment
your mind will open to enlightenment. The knowledge
and vision of the Buddha is simply that.
The Buddha is enlightenment. There are four
divisions:
1. Opening to the enlightened knowledge and vision;
2. Demonstrating the enlightened knowledge and vision;
273

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

3. Awakening to the enlightened knowledge and vision;
and
4. Entering the enlightened knowledge and vision.
If you listen to the opening and demonstrating (of theDharma), you can easily awaken and enter. That is theenlightened knowledge and vision, the original true
nature becoming manifest. Be careful not to misinterpret
the Sutra by thinking that the opening, demonstrating,awakening, and entering of which it speaks is the
Buddha’s knowledge and vision and that we have noshare in it. To explain it that way would be to slander the
Sutra and defame the Buddha. Since he is already a
Buddha, perfect in knowledge and vision, what is the useof his opening to it again? You should now believe thatthe Buddha’s knowledge and vision is simply your own
mind, for there is no other Buddha.
“But, because living beings cover their brilliance withgreed and with the love of states of defilement, external
conditions and inner disturbance make slaves of them.
That troubles the World-Honored One to rise from
Samadhi, and with various reproaches and expedients, heexhorts living beings to stop and rest, not to seek outside
themselves, and to make themselves the same as he is.
That is called ‘opening the knowledge and vision of the
Buddha.’ I, too, am always exhorting all people to open to
the knowledge and vision of the Buddha within their own
minds.
“The minds of worldly people are deviant. Confusedand deluded, they commit offenses. Their speech may be
good, but their minds are evil. They are greedy, hateful,envious, given over to flattery, deceit, and arrogance.
They oppress one another and harm living creatures,
274

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fa Ta

thus they open not the knowledge and vision of Buddhas
but that of living beings. If you can with an upright mind
constantly bring forth wisdom, contemplating andillumining your own mind, and if you can practice thegood and refrain from evil, you, yourself will open to theknowledge and vision of the Buddha. In every thought
you should open up to the knowledge and vision of the
Buddha; do not open up to the knowledge and vision ofliving beings. To be open to the knowledge and vision of
the Buddha is transcendental; to be open to theknowledge and vision of living beings is mundane. If you
exert yourself in recitation, clinging to it as a meritorious
exercise, how does that make you different from a yak
who loves his own tail?”Commentary:
To be unconfused, be unattached. Do not get attached to
emptiness or fall into existence. If you suddenly awaken to thisdharma your heart will open to the knowledge and vision of the
Buddha.
If you listen to opening and demonstrating, that is, toinstruction on the principles of the Sutras, you can easily wakeup and understand the enlightened knowledge and vision. The
Buddha’s knowledge and vision is simply that of your own
mind, because your mind fundamentally is the Buddha.
What darkens your light?
Thoughts of greed
Create thoughts of love.
Greed is dirt,
And love defiled.
The impurities
275

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Of greed and love
Cause self-seeking
And make you a slave.
By now you should
Have become enlightened.
Stop depending on
Outer conditions
Which only make trouble within.
Without them there is
No trouble: there isPeace and purity.
There are many varieties of external conditions: eyes, ears,
noses, tongues, bodies, and minds; forms, sounds, smells, tastes,tangible objects, and objects of the mind; and the six
consciousnesses where sense-organs and sense-objects meet.
When you seek outside yourself, your mind is not at peace; youare upset and anxious, and your mind, originally the master,
becomes the body’s slave. The Buddhas trouble themselves toarise from Samadhi just to tell you not to seek outside yourself.
When you quit seeking outside, you are one with the Buddhas;
you open up to their knowledge and vision and become just likethem.
The deviant views and delusion of ordinary people causes
them to perform offensive acts. While their speech may be ascompassionate as the Buddha, their minds are as poisonous as asnake. Of the offenses they commit, greed, hate, and jealousy are
the worst. But when they shine the light within and straighten out
their own minds, they naturally are open to the knowledge andvision of the Buddha.

276

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fa Ta

Sutra:Fa Ta said, “If this is so, then I need only understandthe meaning and need not exert myself in reciting theSutra. Isn’t that correct?”
The Master replied, “What fault does the Sutra havethat would stop you from reciting it? Confusion andenlightenment are in you. Loss or gain comes fromyourself. If your mouth recites and your mind practices,you ‘turn’ the Sutra, but if your mouth recites and yourmind does not practice, the Sutra ‘turns’ you. Listen to
my verse:
When the mind is confused,the Dharma Flower turns it.
The enlightened mind
will turn the Dharma Flower.
Reciting the Sutra so long
without understanding
Has made you an enemy
of its meaning.
Without a thought
your recitation is right.
With thought,
your recitation is wrong.
With no “with”
and no “without”
You may ride foreverin the White Ox Cart.
277

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Fa Ta heard this verse and wept without knowing it.
At the moment the words were spoken, he achieved agreat enlightenment and said to the Master, “Until today
I have never actually turned the Dharma Flower; instead
it has turned me.”Commentary:
If you are confused, your recitation is of no benefit, but if you
are enlightened, there is merit. What does this have to do with theSutra? If you recite the Sutra and put it into practice as well, you
are truly reciting the Sutra and turning the Dharma wheel. You
set the Dharma Flower spinning. But if you recite the Sutra witha confused mind, the reciting turns you around so that, the more
recitation you do, the less you understand. After more than ten
years of work, Fa Ta was still unclear; he was a stranger to theSutra. Without false thoughts, recitation is a correct thing, butwith arrogant thoughts and conceit about your merit and virtue,
your recitation becomes deviant. You should pay no attention tohaving or not having merit, and recite as if not reciting. Do not
be attached, and you will always ride in the White Ox Cart. The
White Ox Cart is an analogy for The One Buddha Vehicle.
You ask, “If I recite as if not reciting, then may I not recite as
if reciting?” If you don’t recite it, you cannot understand theSutra’s principles, and it is not as if you were reciting it. The
phrase:Reciting as if not reciting,
Not reciting as if reciting,is to instruct you to be unattached. But you cannot say, “I’ll beunattached and forget about reciting the Sutra.”278

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fa Ta

After listening to the Master, Fa Ta wept without evenknowing it, but it wasn’t because he had been bullied or tricked.
Before, he had stupidly wasted his time reciting the Sutra
without obtaining the slightest benefit. Now, at the Master’s
explanation, he was so overcome with joy that he burst into tears,
just like friends or relatives do when they meet after a long
separation He cried because of his great enlightenment.
Sutra:Fa Ta asked further, “The Lotus Sutra says, ‘Ifeveryone from Shravakas up to the Bodhisattvas were to
exhaust all their thought in order to measure theBuddha’s wisdom, they still could not fathom it.’ Now,
you cause common people merely to understand theirown minds, and you call that the knowledge and vision of
the Buddha. Because of this, I am afraid that those
without superior faculties will not be able to avoid
doubting and slandering the Sutra. The Sutra also speaksof three carts. How do the sheep, deer, and ox carts differ
from the White Ox Cart? I pray the High Master will
once again instruct me.”The Master said, “The Sutra’s meaning is clear. You
yourself are confused. Disciples of all three vehicles areunable to fathom the Buddha’s wisdom; the fault is in
their thinking and measuring. The more they think, thefurther away they go. From the start the Buddha speaks
for the sake of common people, not for the sake of other
Buddhas. Those who chose not to believe were free toleave the assembly. Not knowing that they were sitting in
the White Ox Cart, they sought three vehicles outside thegate. What is more, the Sutra text clearly tells you ‘Thereis only the One Buddha Vehicle, no other vehicle,
279

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

whether two or three, and the same is true for countless
expedients, for various causes and conditions, and foranalogies and rhetoric. All these Dharmas are for thesake of the One Buddha Vehicle.’”Commentary:
The Lotus Sutra says,
If the world were filled
With those like Shariputra
Exhausting their thought to measure theBuddha’s wisdom,
They couldn’t fathom it.
Fa Ta questioned the Master: “Shariputra was the wisest of
the Buddha’s disciples. Now, if you filled the entire universe
with Shariputras, and they all tried to fathom the Buddha’s
wisdom, they wouldn’t be able to do it. Great Master, how can
you say that when common people merely understand their own
minds, they are open to the knowledge and vision of the
Buddhas? I am afraid that unless one had supreme wisdom andgood roots, one couldn’t avoid slandering the Sutra. Please becompassionate and tell me how the sheep and deer carts differ
from the White Ox Cart.”
The Master said, “The Sutra is perfectly clear on this point.
The Shravakas, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas cannot know
the Buddha’s wisdom simply because they do try to measure it.
If their minds did not have such calculating thoughts, they could
understand it. The Buddha spoke Sutras for common people, notfor other Buddhas. If you don’t believe the Sutras, you can get
up and walk out as you please. What is more, there is only One
Buddha Vehicle; there are no other vehicles, whether two
280

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fa Ta(Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas) or three (Shravakas,
Pratyeka Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas) or any number of parables,
causes and conditions, and uncountable expedient devices: allare spoken for the sake of the One Buddha Vehicle.”
Sutra:“Why don’t you wake up? The three carts are false,
because they are preliminary. The one vehicle is real
because it is the immediate present. You are merely
taught to go from the false and return to the real. Onceyou have returned to reality, the real is also nameless.
You should know that all the treasure and wealth isultimately your own, for your own use. Do not thinkfurther of the father, nor of the son, nor of the use. Thatis called maintaining the Dharma Flower Sutra. Thenfrom eon to eon your hands will never let go of the scrolls;
from morning to night you will recite it unceasingly.”
Fa Ta received this instruction and, overwhelmedwith joy, he spoke a verse:
Three thousand Sutra recitations:
At Ts’ao Hsi not one single word.
Before I knew why he appeared in the world,
How could I stop the madness ofaccumulated births?
Sheep, deer, and ox provisionally set up;
Beginning, middle, end, well set forth.
Who would have thought that within theburning house
Originally the king of Dharma dwelt?
281

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The Master said, “From now on you may be called themonk mindful of the Sutra.” From then on, although heunderstood the profound meaning, Fa Ta continued torecite the Sutra unceasingly.
Commentary:
Once you have returned to the real vehicle, even the real isnameless; you should discard the notion of reality. All thetreasure and wealth of the Buddhadharma is yours, originally. It
is the wind and light of your homeland; use it as you wish. But
do not think, “These were given to me by my father. I havereceived them as an inheritance.” You shouldn’t think of thefather, the son, or the use: just use them, that’s all. That isgenuine recitation of the Sutra. From the first to the last eon, yourhands won’t set the text down and you will recite it frommorning to night.
“Before I knew why the Buddha appeared in the world,” said
Fa Ta, “I had no way to stop the karmic process of this mad
mind. But now I know that the beginning Shravaka vehicle, themiddle Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and the Mahayana Bodhisattva
vehicle are nothing but expedient devices. They are not real.
Who would have guessed? Who would have guessed! Nobody!
Why, it’s just right here in the flaming house of the triple world,
the realm of desire, the realm of form, and the formless realm,that one can cultivate, realize Buddhahood and be a Great
Dharma King!”“Yes,” said the Master, “I see that you understand, and so
now you have the right to be called a Sutra-reciting monk.”
Fa Ta understood the doctrine, but he did not make themistake some people might have and think, “I understand it, so I
don’t have to recite it. I have reached the level where I:
282

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fa Ta

Recite and yet do not recite;
Do not recite and yet recite.
If this is the case, then can you:Eat as if not eating, andNot eat as if eating;or
Steal as if not stealing, andNot steal as if stealing;or even
Kill as if not killing, andNot kill as if killing?
Can you get away with this? Of course not! If you truly
understand and are unattached to what you do, you will notbabble intellectual zen and say that you recite without reciting.
Before you can make that claim, you must first have reached thatlevel of accomplishment.

283

Bhikshu Chih T’ung

Sutra:
Bhikshu Chih T’ung, a native of An Feng in Shao Chou,
had read the Lankavatara Sutra over a thousand times
but still did not understand the three bodies and the four
wisdoms. He made obeisance to the Master, seeking an
explanation of the meaning. The Master said, “The threebodies are: the clear, pure Dharma-body, which is yournature; the perfect, full Reward-body, which is yourwisdom; and the hundred thousand myriad
Transformation bodies, which are your conduct. To
speak of the three bodies as separate from your originalnature is to have the bodies but not the wisdoms. To
remember that the three bodies have no self-nature is tounderstand the four wisdoms of Bodhi. Listen to myverse:
Three bodies complete in your own self-nature
When understood become four wisdoms.
While not apart from seeing and hearing
Transcend them and ascend to the Buddha realm.
I will now explain it for you.
If you are attentive and faithful, you will never
be deluded.
284

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih T’ung

Don’t run outside in search of them,
By saying ‘Bodhi’ to the end of your days.
Chih T’ung asked further, “May I hear about themeaning of the four wisdoms?”
The Master said, “Since you understand the threebodies, you should also understand the four wisdoms.
Why do you ask again? To speak of the four wisdoms as
separate from the three bodies is to have the wisdoms but
not the bodies, in which case the wisdoms become nonwisdoms.” He then spoke this verse:
The wisdom of the great, perfect mirror
Is your clear, pure nature.
The wisdom of equal nature
Is the mind without disease.
Wonderfully observing wisdom
Is seeing without effort.
Perfecting wisdom is
The same as the perfect mirror.
Five, eight, six, seven–
Effect and cause both turn;Merely useful names:
They are without real nature.
If, in the place of turning,
Emotion is not kept,
You always and forever dwell
In Naga concentration.

285

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
Bhikshu Chih T’ung studied the Lankavatara Sutra because
Bodhidharma recommended it above all other texts for the Ch’an
School. Although he had read it over a thousand times, he still
had to ask the Master about the three bodies and the four
wisdoms. The Master always teaches Dharma of and from selfnature. “The clear, pure Dharma-body is your own originalnature,” he said, “and the Reward-body is your wisdom. The
transformation-bodies are your conduct, because you are what
you do; you are transformed according to what you practice. If
you try to explain the three bodies as something apart from yourself-nature, you have the bodies, but not the wisdoms. But when
you understand that the three bodies are devoid of self-nature,
you possess the four wisdoms of Bodhi.
“When you understand that the three bodies are immanent in
the self-nature, you realize the four wisdoms. Without being
separated from the conditions of sight and hearing, you ascend
directly to the Buddha-realm. Now, I have spoken this verse,”
the Sixth Patriarch said, “and you must truly believe it. Then you
will never again be confused like those people who go aroundsaying ‘Bodhi, Bodhi, Bodhi’ all day long, but who neverpractice or understand Bodhi. Don’t chatter ‘head-mouth’ zen!
You must truly understand the three bodies for it to count.
The Master continued, “Since you understand the threebodies, you should understand the four wisdoms as well. If you
try to explain the four wisdoms as something apart from the threebodies, then although you know the name ‘four wisdoms’ you do
not possess their actual substance or know their function. Your
wisdoms are non-wisdoms.”
The Buddha has four wisdoms. The wisdom of the great,
perfect mirror is the eighth consciousness (alayavijnana) when it
has been transformed from consciousness into wisdom. The
286

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih T’ung

eighth consciousness is also called the “store” consciousness,because it stores up all the good and bad seeds you have plantedin the past, all the good and bad things you have done in this andpast lives. If you have planted good causes, you reap goodeffects; if you have planted bad causes, you reap bad effects. As
the potential of all good and bad karma is stored in the eighth
consciousness, it also comes to be called the “field of the eighthconsciousness,” because whatever you plant in it eventually
sprouts.
When you are unable to use it, it is merely consciousness, butwhen you return to the root and go back to the source, the eighth
consciousness is transmuted into the great perfect mirror
wisdom, which in its essence is pure and undefiled.
The wisdom of equal nature is the seventh consciousness
when it has been transformed from consciousness into wisdom.
Before you understand, it is the seventh consciousness, but once
you are enlightened, it is the wisdom of equal nature. The
seventh consciousness is also called the “transmitting
consciousness” because it acts as a transmitter between the sixthand eighth consciousness. It is called “the wisdom of equal
nature” because the minds of all Buddhas and living beings areequal when the latter’s consciousness have been transformed
into wisdom. “The mind without disease” means that there is noobstruction, no jealousy, no greed, hate, or stupidity. Without
these defilements the seventh consciousness is transmuted into
the wisdom of equal nature.
The wonderful observing wisdom is the sixth consciousness
when it has been transformed into wisdom. It is the wisdom ofsubtle observation. The sixth consciousness, what we think of as
the ordinary mind, is the consciousness of discrimination; it
discriminates good and evil, right and wrong, male and female.
Such discrimination is not actually the work of intelligence, as it
287

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

seems to be, but is merely a kind of consciousness. When you
turn it into wisdom, it becomes wonderfully observing wisdom,which sees all realms without having to go through the processof discrimination. This wonderful observation is quite different
from mere discriminative thoughts.
When certified Arhats wish to use the wonderful observing
wisdom to know something, they must first sit quietly in
meditation and intentionally observe, for unless they
intentionally observe, their minds are no different from those ofordinary people. By intentionally observing, they can know theevents of the past eighty thousand eons.
Perfecting wisdom comes from the transformation of the first
five consciousnesses–eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body–into
wisdom.
“Five, eight, six, seven–effect and cause both turn.” The five
consciousnesses and the eighth consciousness are transformed in
the period of reaping effects and the sixth and seventh aretransformed in the period of planting causes. In transforming theconsciousnesses into the four wisdoms, first turn the sixth andseventh in the period of planting causes, and next the eighth andfive in the period of reaping effects.
“Merely useful names: they are without real nature.”
Although they are said to be changed in the realms of causes andeffects, there is nothing in reality which corresponds to them;
they are merely names and nothing more.
“If, in the place of ‘turning,’ emotion isn’t kept;” if, in theplace where your emotional feelings are being ‘turned’ you do
not use your common mind and become caught up in the‘turning...’“You always and forever dwell in Naga concentration.” At
all times you are in Naga samadhi. Naga means “dragon.”
Dragons can magically appear in big or small bodies because
288Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih T’ung

they have a great deal of concentration. As Fa Hai tells us in his
introduction to the Sutra, the Sixth Patriarch defeated a dragon
by saying, “If you are really a magic dragon, you should be able
to appear in a small body as well as a large one.” Then, when the
dragon turned up in a small body the Master dared him to climb
into his bowl. As the little dragon had a big temper and muchignorance, he jumped at the dare; but when he tried to jump out
again, he couldn’t do it. The Master explained the Dharma to thedragon and the dragon then went to rebirth.
The dragon may have been constantly in samadhi, but he had
not destroyed his ignorance and therefore lost his temper. “I’llshow you!” he said, “I’ll change my body into a little one rightnow!” If he had really been in samadhi he would have said, “Yousay I can’t appear in a small body? O.K. So what? I’ll just appear
in this large one.” But he lost his concentration and was ‘turned,’caught, and defeated by the Great Master.
Still, Naga samadhi is an inconceivable state. How dodragons get to be dragons? They study the Buddhadharma withmighty effort, morning to night, but they do not keep theprecepts. “Precepts are for common people,” they say. “I’mextraordinary. I’m not in the same category as they are, and I do
not have to keep precepts!” That’s how they turn into dragons.
Sutra:
Note: The transformation of consciousness into
wisdom has been described. The teaching says, “The first
five consciousnesses turned become the perfecting
wisdom; the sixth consciousness turned becomes thewonderfully
observingwisdom;theseventhconsciousness turned becomes the wisdom of equal
nature, the eighth consciousness turned becomes thewisdom of the great perfect mirror.”289

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Although the sixth and seventh are turned in the cause
and the first five and the eighth in the effect, it is merely
the names which turn. Their substance does not turn.
Commentary:
The above passage was not part of the original text, but wasadded later.
Sutra:
Instantly enlightened to the nature of wisdom, Chih
T’ung submitted the following verse:
Three bodies are my basic substance,
Four wisdoms my original bright mind.
Body and wisdom in unobstructed fusion:
In response to beings I accordingly take form.
Arising to cultivate them is false movement.
Holding to or pondering over them a waste of effort.
Through the Master I know the wonderful principle,
And in the end I lose the stain of names.
Commentary:
Chih T’ung understood the function of the three bodies andthe four wisdoms. “The three bodies are not to be found outsideof my own body,” he said, “and the four wisdoms, too, areproduced from my own bright, understanding mind. When thebodies and wisdoms interpenetrate, then I may dispense theDharma in accord with the needs of living beings–in accord withexternal conditions and yet not changing; unchanging, and yet inaccord with conditions. If you wonder, “How can I cultivate the290Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih T’ung

three bodies and four wisdoms?” that is nothing but false
thinking, false movement. The same is true of holding to themand being attached to them.
From beginning to end there is no stain of names. What is
unstained by names is the original self-nature, which isuntouched by worldly emotion. Unless you have no defilement,
you cannot return to the root and go back to the source, which isundefiled.

291

Bhikshu Chih Ch’ang

Sutra:
Bhikshu Chih Ch’ang, a native of Kuei Hsi in Hsin Chou,left home when he was a child and resolutely sought to see
his own nature. One day he called on the Master, who
asked him, “Where are you from and what do you
want?”
Chih Ch’ang replied, “Your student has recently been
to Pai Feng Mountain in Hung Chou to call on the High
Master Ta T’ung and receive his instruction on theprinciple of seeing one’s nature and realizing
Buddhahood. As I have not yet resolved my doubts, I
have come from a great distance to bow reverently andrequest the Master’s compassionate instruction.”
The Master said, “What instruction did he give you?
Try to repeat it to me.”
Chih Ch’ang said, “After arriving there, threemonths passed and still I had received no instruction.
Being eager for the Dharma, one evening I went alone
into the Abbot’s room and asked him, ‘What is my
original mind and original substance?’”“Ta T’ung then said to me, ‘Do you see empty space?’“‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I see it.’
“Ta T’ung said, ‘Do you know what appearance it
has?’
292

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih Ch’ang“I replied, ‘Empty space has no form. How could it
have an appearance?’“Ta T’ung said, ‘Your original mind is just like empty
space. To understand that nothing can be seen is calledright seeing; to know that nothing can be known is calledtrue knowing. There is nothing blue or yellow, long or
short. Simply seeing the clear, pure original source, theperfect, bright enlightened substance, this is what iscalled ‘seeing one’s nature and realizing Buddhahood.’ Itis also called ‘the knowledge and vision of the Tathagata.’“Although I heard his instruction, I still do notunderstand and beg you, O Master to instruct me.”The Master said, “Your former master’s explanation
still retains the concepts of knowing and seeing; and thatis why you have not understood. Now, I will teach you
with a verse:
Not to see a single dharma
still retains no-seeing,
Greatly resembling floating clouds
covering the sun.
Not to know a single dharmaholds to empty knowing,
Even as a lightning flash
comes out of empty space.
This knowing and seeing
arise in an instant.
When seen wrongly,
can expedients be understood?
If, in the space of a thought,
you can know your own error,
293

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Your own spiritual lightwill always be manifest.
Commentary:
Bhikshu Chih Ch’ang left home at the early age of seven oreight. When he called on the Sixth Patriarch, the Master
remembered his first meeting with the Fifth Patriarch, who had
asked him, “Where are you from and what do you seek?”“I’m from Hsin Chou,” the Master had said, “and I seek
nothing but Buddhahood.”“Hsin Chou people are barbarians,” the Fifth Patriarch had
said. “How can you become a Buddha?”“The Barbarian’s body and the High Master’s body are not
the same,” countered the Sixth Patriarch, “but in the Buddha
nature where is the distinction?”
Remembering this, the Sixth Patriarch asked Chih Ch’ang,“Where are you from? Just what do you think you’re doing?”
Chih Ch’ang had received instruction on seeing the natureand realizing Buddhahood, but he still had doubts. The Chinese
word for doubts is literally “fox doubt” because foxes are waryof everything. When a fox walks across the ice, he takes a step,
cocks his head, and listens: if the ice crackles he runs back toshore; if it does not, he keeps on walking and listening, walking
and listening. Although foxes are extremely intelligent, they arefull of doubts.
In his verse the Sixth Patriarch explains, “If you do not see asingle dharma and the ten thousand dharmas all are empty, you
still have the view of not seeing any dharmas; you still hold thatview. This is just like floating clouds covering the sun, because
if you truly do not see anything, you are free of the idea of notseeing.
294

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih Ch’ang“In the same way, if you don’t establish a single dharma anddon’t know a single dharma, but still have the knowledge thatyou neither establish nor know dharmas, you still hold on to an
empty, false kind of knowing. Your principles seem coherent,
but knowing and seeing still remain. This is like the great void:originally there is nothing there, but suddenly there is a flash oflightning. Now, do you see, or not?
“This ‘knowing and seeing’ arise in an instant.” Your seeing
nothing and your empty knowing, your view of not seeing andyour knowledge of knowing nothing, are there before your eyes.
You should understand right this instant that you are wrong
in holding to the idea of seeing nothing and knowing emptiness.
Then your original wisdom, your original intelligence, yourinherent Buddha nature which is the Tathagata’s Treasury will
always be manifest.
Sutra:Hearing the verse, Chih Ch’ang understood it with hisheart and mind, and he composed this verse:
Without beginning,knowing and seeing arise.
When one is attached to marks
bodhi is sought out.
Clinging to athought of enlightenment,
Do I rise above my former confusion?
The inherently enlightened
substance of my nature
Illuminates the turning
twisting flow.
295

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

But had I not entered
the Patriarch’s room,
I’d still be running, lost
between the two extremes.
Commentary:
When Chih Ch’ang heard this verse, he put it all down.
Having put it all down he didn’t say, “I put it all down!” If you
put it down, put it down; don’t keep saying, “I put it down!” If
you keep on saying that you’ve put it down, you haven’t reallydone it. If you truly have no knowledge or view and havereturned to the root and gone back to the source, why do you
keep a ‘knowing’ and a ‘viewing’?
Chih Ch’ang understood and spoke a wonderful verse:“Without beginning, knowing and seeing arise.” Without a head,
without a tail, the idea of seeing nothing and the knowledge of
emptiness arise from no beginning, without a causal basis orfoundation. Though one is attached to marks, Bodhi is sought
out. You should not be attached to marks, but now you havebecome attached to seeing nothing and knowing emptiness.
Previously, when I explained “no-thought,” I said that if you
think, “I have no thought,” just that is a thought. Isn’t it?
If you really are without thought, you are also without nothought. The concept of no-thought is just another thought.
In Ch’an (Dhyana) meditation, when we reflect on thequestion, “Who is reciting the Buddha’s name?” we search forthe “who” but don’t find it, because basically there is no “who.”
But people can’t understand, and keep looking for a “self,”saying “Who?” In your search, do not be attached to marks; donot be attached to the mark of self when you seek Bodhi.

296

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih Ch’ang

When you think, “I’m seeing emptiness and there is nothingat all!” you still have the thought of knowing; you still have thethought of seeing, and you don’t overcome your confusion. Thisis certainly not enlightenment.
“The inherently enlightened substance of my natureilluminates the turning, twisting flow.” The basic substance ofthe self-nature, which is enlightened from the beginning, is inaccord with the shift and flow of external conditions, and yet it
does not change. Understanding this, Chih Ch’ang finds the
middle way between the “two extremes” of ‘seeing’ nothing and‘knowing’ emptiness.
Sutra:
One day Chih Ch’ang asked the Master, “The
Buddha taught the dharma of the three vehicles and also
the Supreme Vehicle. Your disciple has not yet
understood that and would like to be instructed.”
The Master said, “Contemplate only your own
original mind and do not be attached to the marks ofexternal dharmas. The Dharma doesn’t have fourvehicles; it is people’s minds that differ. Seeing, hearing,and reciting is the small vehicle. Awakening to theDharma and understanding the meaning is the middle
vehicle. Cultivating in accord with Dharma is the greatvehicle. To penetrate the ten thousand dharmas entirely
and completely while remaining without defilement, andto sever attachment to the marks of all the dharmas withnothing whatsoever gained in return: that is the Supreme
Vehicle. Vehicles are methods of practice, not subjects fordebate. Cultivate on your own and do not ask me, for at
all times your own self-nature is itself ‘thus.’”297

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Chih Ch’ang bowed and thanked the Master andserved him to the end of the Master’s life.
Commentary:
The Master said, “Chih Ch’ang, the Dharma doesn’t evenhave one vehicle, much less four! People’s minds are what
differ. If you see, hear, and recite, you belong to the small
vehicle; if you understand and awaken, you belong to the middle
vehicle; if you practice in accord with the Dharma, you belong
to the great vehicle. When you understand all dharmas, when
they are perfected in your own mind without any obstruction,
and when you know that the ten thousand dharmas are the mind
and the mind is the ten thousand dharmas, and further when you
are not defiled by any state, then you belong to the Supreme
Vehicle. But you must cultivate on your own; I can’t do it foryou.
Eat your own food and fill yourself;
End your own birth and death.
From that time on, Chih Ch’ang served the Master. When hewanted a cup of tea, Chih Ch’ang brought it for him; when he
was hungry, Chih Ch’ang brought him food. He served theMaster right up until the Master’s death, at which time he left
Nan Hua Temple.

298

Bhikshu Chih Tao

Sutra:
Bhikshu Chih Tao, a native of Nan Hai in Kuang Chou,asked a favor: “Since leaving home, your student hasstudied the Nirvana Sutra for over ten years and has still
not understood its great purport. I hope that the High
Master will bestow his instruction.”
The Master said, “What point haven’t you
understood?”
Chih Tao replied,“All activities are impermanent,
Characterized by production and extinction;
When production and extinction are extinguished,That still extinction is bliss.
My doubts are with respect to this passage.”
Commentary:
Once in the past, during the period when Shakyamuni
Buddha was cultivating to plant causes for the attainment of
Buddhahood, he was a Brahman. Deep in the mountains hecultivated many Dharma doors so heroically that the god Shakra
was moved and said, “He works so hard! I wonder if I can breakhim?” and he transformed himself into a rakshasa ghost to test
299

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

the Brahman. He told him, “The Buddha known as ‘Free fromFear’ said, ‘All activities are impermanent, characterized byproduction and extinction.’”“Who said that?” said the Brahman.
The rakshasa ghost, who was hideously ugly, appeared andsaid, “I was just quoting a verse spoken by the Buddha who is
free from fear.”“But you didn’t recite the entire verse, only the first half.
Please complete it,” said the Brahman.
“I don’t have the energy because I haven’t eaten for several
days. Find me something to eat and I will speak it for you,” theghost said.
“What would you like?” asked the Brahman.
“I don’t eat anything but fresh, warm, human meat,” said theghost.
“In that case,” replied the Brahman, “you may speak theverse and then I will give you my own body to eat.”
The ghost stared at him. “Can you really do such an awesome
deed? Can you really give up your body for half a verse?”“I speak the truth; I do not lie,” said the Brahman, “and if you
don’t believe me I can ask the Buddhas of the ten directions tobear testimony to the fact. Now, recite the verse and then I will
feed you.”
The ghost quickly recited, “‘All activities are impermanent,characterized by production and extinction; When productionand extinction are extinguished, that still extinction is bliss.’
Now give me your body!”“Wait a minute,” said the Brahman. “Once you have eatenme there will be nothing left of the verse unless I write it down.
Let me carve it on this tree so that future generations may
cultivate according to it.” Then he stripped the bark from a tree
and carved the verse on its trunk.
300

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih Tao

The ghost said, “Can I eat you now?”“Just a minute...” said the Brahman.
“So you’re backing out, are you?” the ghost said.
“No, I’m not,” said the Brahman, “but what I have written on
the tree will eventually be worn away by the wind and rain. I
want to carve the verse in stone so that it will last forever. I’ll
gladly give you my body, but I must also leave theBuddhadharma for those of the future.”“Not a bad idea,” said the ghost.
The Brahman carved the words in stone and said, “All right,
I’ve done what I had to do. I give my body to you as an offering.
You may eat me now,” and he shut his eyes and waited for theghost to devour him. But just then the ghost flew up into empty
space, transformed himself back into Shakra and said, “Verygood! Very good! You are a true cultivator, one who gives up his
own body for the sake of the Buddha Way. In the future you are
sure to become a Buddha!”This is an event in a former life of Shakyamuni Buddha,
when, as a Brahman, he offered his life for half a verse.
Sutra:The Master said, “What are your doubts?”“All living beings have two bodies,” Chih Tao replied,“the physical body and the Dharma-body. The physicalbody is impermanent and is produced and destroyed. The
Dharma-body is permanent and is without knowing orawareness. The Sutra says that the extinction of
production and extinction is bliss, but I do not know
which body is in tranquil extinction and which receives
the bliss.
“How could it be the physical body which receives thebliss? When this physical body is extinguished, the four301

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

elements scatter. That is total suffering and sufferingcannot be called bliss. If the Dharma-body wereextinguished it would become like grass, trees, tiles, orstones; then what would receive the bliss?
“Moreover, the Dharma-nature is the substance of
production and extinction and the five heaps are thefunction of production and extinction. With one bodyhaving five functions, production and extinction arepermanent; at the time of production, the functions arise
from the substance, and at the time of extinction, thefunctions return to the substance. If there were rebirththen sentient beings would not cease to exist or be
extinguished. If there were not rebirth, they would return
to tranquil extinction and be just like insentient objects.
Thus all dharmas would be suppressed by Nirvana andthere would not even be production. How could there bebliss?”The Master said, “You are a son of Shakya! How can
you hold the deviant views of annihilationism andpermanence which belongs to other religions and criticise
the Supreme Vehicle Dharma! According to what you
say, there is a Dharma-body that exists apart fromphysical form and a tranquil extinction to be soughtapart from production and extinction. Moreover you
propose that there is a body which enjoys thepermanence and bliss of Nirvana. But that is to grasp
tightly onto birth and death and indulge in worldly bliss.”Commentary:“Is it the physical body which is extinct and the Dharma bodywhich receives the bliss?” Chih Tao wanted to know, “or is it the302

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih Tao

Dharma body which is extinct and the physical body which
receives the bliss?
“How could it be the physical body which receives the bliss?
The body is composed of the elements earth, air, fire, and water.
At death, the elements scatter and that is a state of unspeakablesuffering. You can’t call suffering happiness.”“Hey!” said the Great Master, “you are a disciple of
Shakyamuni Buddha. You have left home and are a member of
the Sangha. How can you harbor the deviant views and deviant
knowledge of non-Buddhist religions? You say that there is a
Dharma-body apart from the physical body and its extinction
and that there is a tranquil extinction apart from the process of
production and extinction. Isn’t this what you’re saying? You
also say that there is a body which enjoys the four virtues of
Nirvana: permanence, bliss, true self, and purity. In fact, yourtheories are nothing but niggardly attachment to birth and death
and worldly pleasure. Stuck in the mundane world, you cannot
possibly know transcendental bliss.”
Sutra:“You should now know that deluded people mistook
the union of five heaps for their own bodies anddiscriminated dharmas as external to themselves. They
loved life, dreaded death, and drifted from thought tothought, not knowing that this illusory dream is empty
and false. They turned vainly around on the wheel ofbirth and death and mistook the permanence and bliss of
Nirvana for a form of suffering. All day long they sought
after something else. Taking pity on them, the Buddha
made manifest in the space of an instant the true bliss of
Nirvana, which has no mark of production or extinction;it has no production or extinction to be extinguished.
303

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

That, then, is the manifestation of tranquil extinction. Its
manifestation cannot be reckoned; it is permanent andblissful. The bliss has neither an enjoyer nor a nonenjoyer. How can you call it ‘one substance with fivefunctions?’ Worse, how can you say that Nirvana
suppresses all dharmas, causing them to be foreverunproduced? That is to slander the Buddha and defame
the Dharma.”
Commentary:
The Buddha spoke for those who thought that their bodies
were actually made up of a union of the five heaps, and who
thought dharmas were something external to themselves. They
were attached to life and death because they didn’t know thateverything is like a dream, a bubble, a lightning flash, or a dew
drop–illusory. They underwent birth and death over and overagain, uselessly and pitifully spinning on the wheel of the six
paths of rebirth.
Some people thought that the wonderful virtues of Nirvana
were a kind of suffering, but the Buddha mercifully revealed tothem the true happiness of Nirvana, where there is no mark of
production and no mark of extinction. Further, there isabsolutely no extinction of production and extinction, because
right within production and extinction there appears the state of
non-production and non-extinction. That is the manifestation of
tranquil extinction.
You can’t say that the manifestation of tranquil extinction isso long or so short, so high or so wide. It’s a kind of permanent
happiness which is without an enjoyer or a non-enjoyer. If you
would like to have this kind of happiness, you should know that
there is no one who enjoys it or does not enjoy it. Why? It is the
manifestation of the original self-nature.
304

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih Tao

Sutra:“Listen to my verse:
Supreme, great Nirvana is bright
Perfect, permanent, still and shining.
Deluded common people call it death,
Other teachings hold it to be annihilation.
All those who seek two vehicles
Regard it as non-action.
Ultimately these notions arise from feeling,
And form the basis for sixty-two views,
Wrongly establishing unreal names.
What is the true, real principle?
Only one who has gone beyond measuring
Penetrates without grasping or rejecting,
And knows that the dharma of the five heaps
And the self within the heaps,
The outward appearances–a mass of images–
The mark of every sound,
Are equally like the illusion of dreams,
For him, views of common and holy do not arise
Nor are explanations of Nirvana made.
The two boundaries, the three limits are cut off.
All organs have their function,
But there never arises the thought of the function.
All dharmas are discriminatedWithout a thought of discrimination arising.
When the fire at the eon’s end
305

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

burns the bottom of the sea
And the winds blow the mountains
against each other,
The true, permanent, still extinct bliss,
The mark of Nirvana is ‘thus.’
I have struggled to explain it,
To cause you to reject your false views.
Don’t understand it by words alone
And maybe you’ll understand a bit of this.”
After hearing this verse, Chih Tao was greatly
enlightened. Overwhelmed with joy, he made obeisanceand withdrew.
Commentary:
The Sixth Patriarch said, “Listen. Great Nirvana is full,complete and bright. It’s permanent, unchanging, and constantly
illuminating. Ordinary people say that it is death, and those of
non-Buddhist religions say that it is annihilation. The twovehicles of the Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas think that it isnon-action; that it is uncreated and arises spontaneously. But
these are all discriminations which arise from emotion, and they
form the basis of sixty-two wrong views. What are the sixty-two
wrong views?
1. The heap (skandha) is big and I am contained in theheap.
2. I am big and the heap is contained in me.
3. The heap itself is me.
4. I am separate from the heap.
306

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Chih Tao

When each of the four above are applied to the five heaps–
form, feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness–theymake twenty. The twenty multiplied by the three periods oftime–past, present, and future–make sixty. Adding the two
extremes of permanence and annihilation makes sixty-two.
None of them are real; they are all empty and false.”
Then “what is the true real principle?” Only one who hasgone beyond measuring penetrates without grasping at or
rejecting them. Therefore he truly understands that the dharmaof the five heaps and the self within those heaps, the marks ofform and sound, are all like dreams, illusions, bubbles andshadows.
“For him, views of common and holy do not arise.” Hedoesn’t have the views of a common person, he doesn’t have theunderstanding of the sage, and he doesn’t try to explain the blissof Nirvana. “The two boundaries, the three limits are cut off.” He
is attached neither to the boundary of emptiness, nor to theboundary of existence. Therefore the three limits of the past,present, and future are cut off and he is not attached to them.
“All organs have their function, but there never arises thethought of the function.” The true suchness self-nature has theability to function in accord with external conditions and yet notchange. It’s responsiveness is inexhaustible and yet there is nothought of “Ah! I am functioning!” All “Dharmas are
discriminated without a thought of discrimination arising.” You
don’t think, “I am not making discriminations.” If you do think
that, you have the mark of discrimination. To be truly without
discrimination is to be without the mark of non-discrimination as
well.
“When the fire at the end of the eon burns the bottom of thesea and the wind blows the mountains against each other:” At theend of an eon, there are three disasters: flood, fire, and wind.
307

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“The true permanent, still, extinct bliss, the mark of Nirvana is‘thus.’” If you have attained true permanence and the bliss oftranquil extinction, then the mark of Nirvana is just as it was
explained above, and the three disasters cannot affect you.
The Great Master concludes by saying that he has spoken theverse to encourage his listeners to cast aside their present
knowledge and views. “When you no longer rely on the text inorder to explain the Sutras,” he said, “I will grant that you
understand just a little bit of what I’ve said.”

308

Bhikshu Hsing Szu

Sutra:
Dhyana Master Hsing Szu was born into the Liu
family, which lived in An Ch’eng district in Chi Chou.
Hearing of the flourishing influence of the Ts’ao Hsi
Dharma Assembly, Hsing Szu went directly there to pay
homage and asked, “What is required to avoid falling
into successive stages?”
The Master said, “What did you do before coming
here?”He replied, “I did not even practice the Holy Truths.”
The Master said, “Then into what successive states
could you fall?”He replied, “If one isn’t practicing the Four Holy
Truths, what successive stages are there?”
The Master greatly admired his capacity and madehim the leader of the assembly.
One day the Master said, “You should go elsewhere toteach. Do not allow the teaching to be cut off.”
Having obtained the Dharma, Hsing Szu returned toCh’ing Yüan Mountain in Chi Chou, to propagate theDharma and transform living beings. After his death hewas given the posthumous title “Dhyana Master Hung
Chi.”

309

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
Dhyana Master Hsing Szu walked and thought about things
at the same time. What did he think about? Do you know? I
know. He walked and thought, “Who is mindful of the Buddha?
Who is mindful of the Buddha?” and so he was called Hsing Szu,
“walking thinker.”At that time the reputation of the Dharma Assembly at Ts’ao
Hsi had spread all over China. Everyone knew that the person towhom the Fifth Patriarch had transmitted the robe and bowl was
spreading the Dharma there. People “drift away from the empty
and gather with the flourishing.” If there are only a few people
in your place, it will soon be empty. For instance, here there are
thirty people, but if there were only three or four people, soon
they would all run away. The more people there are, the more
will come from the outside. “There are a lot of people at the
Buddhist Lecture Hall!” “Hippies who go there cut their hair andshave their beards. It’s inconceivable. There must be something
happening there. Let’s go and see!”
The Dharma Assembly at Ts’ao Hsi flourished. “Gather withthe flourishing” can also be explained as “gather with the sages,”
because in Chinese the words “flourishing” and “sage” sound thesame. Many sages and common people came to support the
Patriarch.
Hsing Szu asked the Patriarch which Dharma door he shouldcultivate in order to avoid the successive stages of the gradualteaching. The sudden teaching does not have successive stages.
Therefore, what he actually asked was, “How do I cultivate thesudden dharma?” He must have heard someone say, “The Sixth
Patriarch is truly inconceivable. He has the five eyes and the six
spiritual penetrations. I went there and didn’t say a thing and heknew what I was thinking and asked me about, it!”310

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Hsing Szu

The Master regarded Hsing Szu highly. “What this man says
makes sense,” he thought. “He surely must have good roots.” Heappointed Hsing Szu head of the assembly and thereafter Hsing
Szu always walked in front, leading the others during theceremonies.
The Sixth Patriarch saw Hsing Szu as a vessel of the Dharma,a Dharma-door “elephant and dragon.” This means that he had
the capability of a patriarch, not a self-made patriarch, but one
who had received the Sixth Patriarch’s certification andpermission to teach. “Go and teach elsewhere,” said the Master.
“You should not stay here with me but should go in such andsuch a direction to be a teaching master. Do not let the Dharma
become extinct!”Hsing Szu received the robe and bowl and carried thetransmission of the lamp of the wonderful Dharma.
The posthumous title was conferred by the Emperor. Hsing
Szu was given the name Hung Chi, “extensive crossing,” just as
the Sixth Patriarch received the name Ta Chien, “great mirror.”311

Dhyana Master Huai Jang

Sutra:
Dhyana Master Huai Jang was the son of the Tu family in
Chin Chou. He first visited National Master An of Sung
Mountain, who told him to go to Ts’ao Hsi to pay
homage. When he arrived, he bowed, and the Masterasked him, “What has come?”
He replied, “Sung Shan.”
The Master said, “What thing is it and how does it
come?”He replied, “To say that it is like a thing is to miss thepoint.”The Master said, “Then can there still be that which is
cultivated and certified?”
He replied, “Cultivation and certification are notabsent, but there can be no defilement.”
The Master said, “It is just the lack of defilement of
which all Buddhas are mindful and protective. You arelike that, and I am like that, too. In the West, Prajnatara
predicted that a colt would run from under your feet,
trampling and killing people under heaven. You should
keep that in mind, but do not speak of it too soon.”
Huai Jang suddenly understood. Accordingly hewaited upon the Master for fifteen years, daily
penetrating more deeply into the profound and312Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Dhyana Master Huai Jang

mysterious. He later went to Nan Yao where he spreadthe Dhyana School. The title “Dhyana Master Ta Hui”
was bestowed upon him posthumously.
Commentary:
Huai Jang received the Dharma-transmission from the Great
Master and became the Seventh Patriarch. Huai means “tocherish.” What did he cherish? Jang, which means “to yield.” He
was never arrogant toward anyone, but kept his mind humble
and modest, respecting everyone above and below him. In his
mind he always cherished politeness. What this Dhyana Master
had, he appeared to be without; what was real appeared false.
Although he had the Way, it seemed as though he didn’t. He wasactually highly educated, but if anyone brought it up, he politely
insisted that he was really just a beginner.
He first went to study the Buddhadharma with National
Master An. National Master An sent him to study at Ts’ao Hsi,
because at that time everyone knew that Ts’ao Hsi was the placeof the true orthodox Buddhadharma. If you really wanted to
study and cultivate faith in the Buddhadharma you went to Ts’ao
Hsi. Now, in America, if you really want to study the
Buddhadharma, you should come and study the Sutras here.
Don’t fear difficulty! Don’t fear suffering! Don’t be lazy! Study
the Buddhadharma.
At that time at Nan Hua Temple, the site of the platform of
the Sixth Patriarch, there was Dhyana meditation and work on
the mountain slopes every day. Everyone got up at three-thirty inthe morning. At four o’clock they went to morning recitation,
which was very vigorous and lasted until five-thirty. Then theysat in meditation until sunrise. After they had eaten some ricegruel, there was another hour of meditation. At eight o’clock
they went out on the mountain slopes for two hours until ten
313

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutrao’clock. Because there were about two thousand people, in twohours they were able to do a lot of work. It was not like one or
two people doing the work and not being able to finish it.
At ten they returned from the slopes and rested until eleven,at which time they ate. From twelve to two they sat inmeditation, and at two o’clock they went back out on themountain slopes to work for two more hours. Then they returnedand sat in meditation for six hours until ten o’clock. Afterwards,
some did their own work, bowing in homage to the Sutras, or
performing repentance ceremonies, until midnight. Every day it
was this way.
The “wind of the Way” blew severely at Nan Hua Temple.
Everyone had to follow the rules. There were several thousandpeople and you never heard a person speak. No one spoke
because they feared that they might strike up false thinking andthen their work would not succeed. If you single-mindedly apply
effort, you never pursue any train of random thought
whatsoever. The Sixth Patriarch therefore established work incommon which was very rigorous.
When Dhyana Master Huai Jang arrived at Nan Hua Temple
he bowed, and the Master said, “What has come?” This is Ch’an.
In the Ch’an School, one never speaks of the principle outright.
He merely said, “What has come?” Ostensibly it was a Bhikshu,
but he said, “What comes?” At least he didn’t ask if it was aghost.
Huai Jang replied, “Sung Shan.” He meant, “I am from Sung
Mountain.”
The two were using the language of the Ch’an School–
repartee.
“Cultivation and certification are not absent, but there can be
no defilement.” Cultivation has that which is cultivated andcertification has that which is certified. Therefore cultivation and314

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Dhyana Master Huai Jang

certification are not non-existent. So cultivation and certification
can exist, but defilement cannot; that is, you cannot be stained.
The self-nature must be bright and light.
When Huai Jang said this, the Master replied that there wasno defilement, no filth in the self-nature. The defilements are
self-seeking, jealousy, greed, hate, and delusion. “Without these
defilements,” he said, “you are ‘thus’, just as I am. We two are
the same–equal.”
The Twenty-seventh Indian Patriarch, Prajnatara, thepredecessor of Bodhidharma, had said that a colt would run fromunder Huai Jang’s feet. Who was the colt? He was Huai Jang’s
Dharma successor, Great Master Ma Tsu “horse patriarch”
Tao I.
“Under your feet” means that the colt would be Huai Jang’s
disciple, because a disciple behaves as if he were under histeacher’s foot. “In the future,” Prajnatara had said, “a colt will
run out of your gate, trampling people all over the world. No
other Dharma Master will match his superb eloquence and vast
wisdom. None will defeat him. Under heaven, he will besupreme.”
Master Huai Jang became the Sixth Patriarch’s personal
attendant. Later he went to Heng Mountain in Nan Yao, which isin Hu Nan Province in south-central China, to propagate theDhyana School. After Huai Jang died, the Emperor gave him thetitle “Great Master Ta Hui,” “Great Wisdom.”315

Dhyana Master Hsüan Chiao

Sutra:
Dhyana Master Hsüan Chiao of Yung Chia was the sonof a family called Tai in Wen Chou. When he was young
he studied the Sutras and commentaries and was skilledin the T’ien T’ai Dharma-door of “Stop and Look.” Upon
reading the Vimalakirti Sutra, he understood the mindground. One day he happened to meet the Master’s
disciple Hsüan Ch’e and they had a pleasant talk. As
Hsüan Chiao’s words were consonant with the words ofall the Patriarchs, Hsüan Ch’e asked him, “Kind Sir,from whom did you obtain the Dharma?”
He replied, “I have heard the Vaipulya Sutras andShastras, receiving each from a master. Later, upon
reading the Vimalakirti Sutra, I awakened to the doctrineof the Buddha-mind, but as yet no one has certified me.”Hsüan Ch’e said, “That was acceptable before thetime of the Buddha called the Awesome-Voiced King. But
since the coming of that Buddha, all those who ‘selfenlighten’ without a master belong to other religions
which hold to the tenet of spontaneity.”“Then will you please certify me, Kind Sir?” said
Hsüan Chiao.
Hsüan Ch’e said, “My words are of little worth, but
the Great Master, the Sixth Patriarch, is at Ts’ao Hsi,
316

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Dhyana Master Hsüan Chiao

where people gather like clouds from the four directions.
He is one who has received the Dharma. If you wish to go,
I will accompany you.”
Commentary:
Yung Chia is the name of a place. Because everyone greatly
respected this Dharma Master, they addressed him after thename of his birthplace, according to Chinese custom. When he
was young Yung Chia investigated the Buddhist Sutras and thecommentaries written by the Patriarchs. When he read theVimalakirti Sutra, he understood the Dharma-door of his own
mind-ground. One day he had a chat with the Sixth Patriarch’s
disciple Hsüan Ch’e, and Hsüan Ch’e found that their views
were in agreement and that they both agreed with the principlesof the Patriarchs. Supposing him to be a member of his own
school, Hsüan Ch’e asked, “Who transmitted our Dharma toyou, Great Master Hsüan Chiao? Who certified you?”
When he learned Hsüan Chiao had enlightened himself byreading Vimalakirti Sutra, he said, “Before the time of
Awesome-Voiced King Buddha, that would have been all right.
But he was the first Buddha, and now, since his advent, anyone
who claims to be enlightened without a master’s certification is
simply not a Buddhist.”“Not a Buddhist? Oh no!” said Hsüan Chiao. “Then please
certify me!”I don’t know what certain people in America who certify
themselves and then lecture on The Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra dowhen they come to this passage of text. How do they explain it?
Awesome-Voiced King Buddha’s name means that thesound of his voice penetrates to the most remote places, throughthe wind and light to the original ground.
317

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“I can’t certify you,” said Hsüan Ch’e, “because I don’t havethe authority. Besides, it’s not certain that I myself am
enlightened. However the Sixth Patriarch is at Nan Hua Temple.
The Fifth Patriarch has transmitted both the Dharma andBodhidharma’s robe and bowl to him.”
Sutra:
Thereupon Hsüan Chiao went with Hsüan Ch’e to callupon the Master. On arriving, he circumambulated theMaster three times, shook his staff, and stood in front ofhim. The Master said, “Inasmuch as a Shramana has
perfected the three thousand awesome deportments andthe eighty thousand fine practices, where does thisVirtuous One come from and what makes him soarrogant?”
Hsüan Chiao said, “The affair of birth and death isgreat and impermanence comes quickly.”
The Master said, “Why not embody non-production
and understand that which is not quick?”He replied, “The body itself is not produced andfundamentally there is no quickness.”
The Master said, “So it is; so it is.”Commentary:
When the two arrived at Ts’ao Hsi, Hsüan Chiao marchedaround the Sixth Patriarch three times, pounded his tin staff into
the ground, and stood there as if angry.
The Sixth Patriarch politely asked, “How did you get here
and why are you so obnoxious? One who has left home has
perfected the three thousand awesome deportments and the318Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Dhyana Master Hsüan Chiaoeighty thousand fine practices, and yet you didn’t even bow tome.”
There are two hundred and fifty deportments for each of thefour body postures: standing, sitting, walking, and lying down.
These thousand comportments multiplied by the past, present,
and future make three thousand. There are actually eighty fourthousand fine practices, although the text here gives the number
as eighty thousand.
Hsüan Chiao said, “I act this way because birth and death isa serious problem and one never knows when the Ghost ofImpermanence will pay his inevitable call. It all happens very
fast, you know.” What Hsüan Chiao actually meant was, “I amtrying to end birth and death and I have no time for goodmanners. Besides, I’ve put that sort of thing down.”“Then why don’t you think of a way to embody andcomprehend that which is not produced and to understand what
is not quick?” said the Master. “You should be clear about the
principles of non-production and quickness.”“The body itself is not produced,” said Hsüan Chiao, “and,fundamentally the understanding is without quickness. That is, if
I clearly understand birth and death, then there is no birth anddeath, and if I maintain that clear understanding, then in fact
there is no quickness. Why then should I fear the Ghost ofImpermanence?”
Seeing that he understood, the Sixth Patriarch certified him
saying, “Right! Good work! It’s just as you say.”
Sutra:
Hsüan Chiao then made obeisance with perfect
awesome deportment. A short while later he announced
that he was leaving and the Master said, “Aren’t you
leaving too quickly?”319

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

He replied, “Fundamentally I don’t move; how can I
be quick?”
The Master said, “Who knows you don’t move?”He replied, “Kind Sir, you yourself make thisdiscrimination.”
The Master said, “You have truly got the idea of nonproduction.”“But does non-production possess an ‘idea’?” asked
Hsüan Chiao.
“If it is without ideas, then who discriminates it?” said
the Master.
“What discriminates is not an idea either,” he replied.
The Master exclaimed, “Good indeed! Please stay fora night.”
During his time he was called “The One Enlightened
Overnight” and later he wrote the “Song of Certifying to
the Way,” which circulated widely in the world. His
posthumous title is “Great Master Wu Hsiang,” andduring his lifetime he was called “Chen Chiao.”
Commentary:
The Master and Hsüan Chiao carried on some repartee:“Your eloquence indicates that you have truly understood theidea of non-production,” said the Master.
“How can non-production have an idea?” Hsüan Chiao
replied.
“Without ideas, who could discriminate it?” said the Master.
Hsüan Chiao said, “Although there is discrimination, it is notdone on the basis of the mind’s ideas; it is not the intellectengaging in intellection which discriminates. Rather, it is the
Buddha’s wonderful observing wisdom which has no need to320Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Dhyana Master Hsüan Chiao

resort to the process of reasoning and which yet knows
everything. Therefore, what discriminates is not an idea either.”“You’re absolutely right,” said the Master.
Hsüan Chiao stayed one night at Nan Hua Temple andbecame enlightened, so everyone called him “The One
Enlightened Overnight.” Later on, he wrote the “Song of
Certifying to the Way” which I am sure you all know. It begins:
Have you not seen the man of the Way
Who has cut off learning and, in leisure,does nothing
Who does not reject false thinking or seek
reality?
For him, the real nature of ignorance is the
Buddha nature
And the empty body of illusion is theDharma-body.
After he died, the Emperor gave him the title, “Wu Hsiang”
which means, “without marks,” and his contemporaries called
him “Chen Chiao,” “true enlightenment.”

321

Dhyana Master Chih Huang

Sutra:
Dhyana cultivator Chih Huang had formerly studied
under the Fifth Patriarch and said of himself that he had
attained to the “right reception.” He lived in a hut,
constantly sitting, for twenty years.
In his travels, the Master’s disciple Hsüan Ch’ereached Ho Shuo, where he heard of Chih Huang’s
reputation. He paid a visit to his hut and asked him,
“What are you doing here?”“Entering concentration,” replied Chih Huang.
Hsüan Ch’e said, “You say you are entering
concentration. Do you enter with thought or without
thought? If you enter without thought, then all insentient
things, such as grass, trees, tiles, and stones, should
likewise attain concentration. If you enter with thought,
then all sentient things which have consciousness should
also attain concentration.”
Chih Huang said, “When I properly enter
concentration I do not notice whether I have thought ornot.”
Hsüan Ch’e said, “Not to notice whether or not you
have thought is eternal concentration. How can you enterit or come out of it? If you come out of it or enter it, it is
not the great concentration.”
322

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Dhyana Master Chih Huang

Chih Huang was speechless. After a long while, hefinally asked, “Who is your teacher?”
Hsüan Ch’e said, “My master is the Sixth Patriarch at
Ts’ao Hsi.”
Chih Huang said, “What does your master take to be
Dhyana Concentration?”
Commentary:
Chih Huang practiced Dhyana meditation; his first teacher
was the Fifth Patriarch, Hung Jen. Formerly, when cultivators
left the home-life they would travel everywhere in search of a“bright-eyed knowing one.”
Hsüan Ch’e did public relations work for the Sixth Patriarch.
He traveled all over China saying, “My teacher is the Sixth
Patriarch, the genuine recipient of the robe and bowl!” When heheard about Chih Huang’s cultivation he went to visit him andsaid, “Hey! What are you doing here, huh?”
Chih Huang just said, “I am entering concentration.”“You say you are entering concentration,” said Hsüan Ch’e.
“Tell me, do you do it with the thought in mind that you want toenter concentration, or don’t you have such a thought? If you do
not enter it with such a thought in mind, then all inanimate
objects could also enter concentration, because they don’t havethought either. But if you do, then all living, conscious creatures
could enter as well.”
Chih Huang said, “When I enter concentration I don’t notice
whether I have thought or not. At that time I’m empty.”
Hsüan Ch’e said, “If you don’t notice whether or not you
have thought, then that is permanent concentration. How can you
come out of it or enter it? How do you go in? How do you comeout? If you can enter or leave it, it’s not the great concentrationof the Buddha.”
323

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Chih Huang was dumbfounded. “What am I going to do?” hethought. “I do go into concentration and come out of it.” He
couldn’t open his mouth for a long time. He knew that his own
words had no principle, that Hsüan Ch’e’s wisdom was higher
than his own, and that he had no means to debate with him.
Finally he asked, “Who is your teacher? Your eloquence issuperb. Surely your master is even more clever than you. Whotransmitted the Dharma to you?”“My teacher is the Sixth Patriarch, the Abbot of Nan Hua
Temple in Ts’ao Hsi,” said Hsüan Ch’e.
“What does he take to be Dhyana concentration?” Chih
Huang asked.
Sutra:
Hsüan Ch’e said, “My teacher speaks of thewonderful, clear, perfect stillness, the suchness of thesubstance and function, the fundamental emptiness of thefive skandhas, and the non-existence of the six organs.
There is neither emerging nor entering, neither
concentration nor confusion. The nature of Dhyana is
non-dwelling and is beyond the act of dwelling in Dhyana
stillness. The nature of Dhyana is unproduced andbeyond the production of the thought of Dhyana. The
mind is like empty space and is without the measure of
empty space.”
Commentary:
The Sixth Patriarch says that the original nature is wonderful,clear, perfectly still and unmoving. Its substance and function
both are “thus, thus unmoving, clear, clear, and illuminating.”
The five shadows, i.e. the five skandhic heaps of form, feeling,324

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Dhyana Master Chih Huang

perception, impulses, and consciousness are fundamentally voidand the six sense objects of form, sound, smell, taste, tangible
objects, and objects of the mind are also non-existent.
When you understand the wonderful function of the original
substance, there is no question of either dwelling or not dwellingin Dhyana. The Dhyana nature transcends that kind of “deadDhyana” which is attached to stillness.
The nature of Dhyana itself is unproduced and transcends
such thoughts as, “Here I sit in Dhyana meditation.”
Sutra:Hearing this explanation, Chih Huang went directly
to visit the Master. The Master asked him, “Kind Sir,
where are you from?” Chih Huang related the above
incident in detail. The Master then said, “It is truly justas he said. Simply let your mind be like empty space
without being attached to the idea of emptiness and thecorrect function of the self-nature will no longer be
obstructed. Have no thought, whether in motion or
stillness; forget any feeling of being common or holy, put
an end to both subject and object. The nature and markwill be ‘thus, thus,’ and at no time will you be out of thestate of concentration.”
Commentary:“What Hsüan Ch’e told you was correct,” said the Master.
“Just make your mind like empty space, but do not hold onto theidea of empty space. You will then function in an unhinderedway. When something presents itself, you will respond and when
it passes, you will be still. This is to be unobstructed.

325

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Whether moving or still, whether walking, standing, sitting,or lying down, have no thought. Do not think, “I’m a sage!” anddo not think, “I’m just a common person.” Forget about feelingholy or common; get rid of emotional feelings altogether. Be
without subject or object: do not have something which sees andsomething which is seen, something which makes empty andsomething which is made empty. You should know that when
you see brightness, your seeing is not bright; when you see
darkness, your seeing is not dark; when you see emptiness, yourseeing is not empty; when you see form, your seeing has noform; when you see existence, your seeing is not existent; andwhen you see non-existence, your seeing is not non-existent. The
Shurangama Sutra says, “When your seeing sees the seeing(nature), that seeing is no (longer) seeing. Your seeing nature isbeyond your seeing and your seeing cannot reach it.” Yourseeing nature should be separate from and unattached to yourfalse discriminating seeing and you should not hold onto thethought of seeing. If you adhere to the idea of subject and object,
maintaining that there is someone who sees as well as an
emptiness which is seen, you are left with just that knowledge
and vision. You should put an end to both subject and object.
Sutra:
Just then Chih Huang attained the great
enlightenment. What he had gained in twenty years
vanished from his mind without a trace. That night thepeople of Hopei heard a voice in space announcing,“Today, Dhyana Master Chih Huang has attained theWay.” Later, he made obeisance and left, returning to
Hopei to teach and convert the four assemblies there.

326

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Dhyana Master Chih Huang

Commentary:
All of a sudden, Chih Huang had a great, not a small,enlightenment and the skill he had acquired in twenty years ofdiligent cultivation completely left him. There was not a trace,
not an echo. Before he had entered samadhi thinking, “I amentering samadhi,” but now he had nothing at all. Everything
was empty. He had returned to the root and source of all
dharmas.
Although Chih Huang himself was in Ho Shuo, that night in
his native village on the outskirts of Peking, his neighbors,
disciples, and Dharma protectors all heard a voice in spacesaying, “You should all know that today Dhyana Master Chih
Huang reached enlightenment.”
Later, Chih Huang bowed to the Sixth Patriarch, took leaveand returned to Hopei to teach the Bhikshus, Bhikshunis,
laymen, and laywomen there.
Hopei is about fifteen hundred miles from Ho Shuo. That’s along walk.

327

One Member Of The Sangha

Sutra:
One of the Sangha asked the Master, “Who got the
principle of Huang Mei?”
The Master replied, “The one who understands the
Buddhadharma.”
The Sangha member said, “High Master, have you
obtained it?”
“I do not understand the Buddhadharma,” theMaster replied.
Commentary:
This member of the Sangha was truly a barbarian, an
uneducated savage. He rudely confronted the Master and asked,“Who got the robe and bowl of the Fifth Patriarch Hung Jen of
Huang Mei?” He knew very well that the Sixth Patriarch had it,
but he asked anyway. From this we know that among those whocame to the Master for instruction there were rude country
peasants as well as good disciples. He knew that his question
was insulting to the Master and what he meant by it was, “You
can’t even read. How can you be worthy of the robe and bowl?”
The Master said, “One who thoroughly comprehends the
Buddhadharma obtains that principle and the Fifth Patriarch’s
robe and bowl.”

328

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - One Member Of The Sangha“But High Master,” the Bhikshu said, “have you got it ornot?” He didn’t believe that the Master had received thetransmission.
The Sixth Patriarch didn’t say yes and he didn’t say no, he
simply said, “I don’t understand the Buddhadharma.” What do
you think? Was he telling the truth?

329

Bhikshu Fang Pien

Sutra:
One day the Master wanted to wash the robe which hehad inherited, but there was no clear stream nearby. He
walked about two miles behind the temple where he saw
good energies revolving in a dense grove of trees. He
shook his staff, stuck it in the ground, and a spring
bubbled up and formed a pool.
Commentary:
The Master walked about two miles behind the temple,
where he found a luxuriant grove filled with tall trees and good
vibrations. People who have opened their five eyes and obtained
the six spiritual powers can tell at a glance the geomantic
properties of any particular piece of land. So when the Master
planted his tin staff in the ground, the nine metal rings whichhung from the head of his staff echoed through the wood, and aspring gushed forth to form a clear, pure pool.
The public washing stream is about a third of a mile behind
Nan Hua Temple. Whether this present stream is the same sourcethat was used during the Sixth Patriarch’s time is uncertain.
Sutra:As he knelt to wash his robe on a rock, suddenly amonk came up and bowed before him saying, “I am Fang
330

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fang Pien

Pien, a native of Hsi Shu. A while ago I was in India,
where I visited the Great Master Bodhidharma. He told
me to return to China immediately, saying, ‘The
orthodox Dharma Eye Treasury and the samghati robe
which I inherited from Mahakashyapa has beentransmitted to the sixth generation at Ts’ao Hsi, Shao
Chou. Go there and pay reverence.’ Fang Pien has comefrom afar, hoping to see the robe and bowl that his
Master transmitted.”
The Master showed them to him and asked, “SuperiorOne, what work do you do?”
“I am good at sculpting,” he replied.
Keeping a straight face, the Master said, “Then sculpt
something for me to see.”Fang Pien was bewildered, but after several days hecompleted a lifelike image of the Patriarch, seven inches
high and wonderful in every detail. The Master laughedand said, “You only understand the nature of sculpture;
you do not understand the nature of the Buddha.” Thenthe Master stretched out his hand and rubbed the crownof Fang Pien’s head, saying, “You will forever be a fieldof blessing for gods and humans.”
The Master rewarded him with a robe, which Fang
Pien divided into three parts: one he used to wrap the
sculpture, one he kept for himself, and the third hewrapped in palm leaves and buried in the ground,vowing, “In the future, when this robe is found again, I
will appear in the world to be abbot here and restore
these buildings.”
Note: During the Sung Dynasty in the eighth year of
the Chia Yu reign period (1063 A.D.), while Bhikshu Wei
Hsien was repairing the hall, he excavated the earth and
331

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

found the robe which was like new. The image is at Kao
Ch’üan Temple and those who pray before it obtain aquick response.
Commentary:
Think about it: Bodhidharma had long since died in China,
but Bhikshu Fang Pien met him in India. That is not surprising,
however, because to this day no one knows exactly what
happened to Bodhidharma.
I will now tell you a true story. While I was living in
Manchuria I decided, for various reasons, to leave the home-lifeand cultivate the Way. The man I most respected was Wang
Hsiao Tzu, ‘Filial-Son Wang.’ When he was twenty-eight years
old his mother died and he practiced filial piety by sitting besideher grave. He built a small hut out of scrap lumber to protect
himself from the bitter Manchurian cold and lived there for three
years, according to the Confucian custom. When the first three
years were up he decided to stay for another three years, so in all
he practiced for six years.
During the second three-year period he did not speak, no
matter who came. Every day he sat in his hut, meditating andreciting the Diamond Sutra. Toward the end of the sixth year hehad a daydream. “In Ch’ien and Kuang Ling Mountains,” hethought, “there are cultivators who live for over a thousand
years. When I fulfill my filial obligations I’ll go there tocultivate.” The following morning, during meditation, he hearda Dharma Protector say, “Today an important guest will visityou.” He thought perhaps a great official was coming and hewaited until ten o’clock when he saw a monk approaching
wearing rag robes and carrying a bumble stick. Filial Son Wang
did not speak out loud, but in his mind he wondered, “Where is
he from?”
332

Chapter VII. Opportunities and Conditions - Bhikshu Fang Pien

The monk replied, “I’m from Kuang Ling Mountain.”
Filial Son Wang then thought, “What is his name?” Themonk told him his name and added, “In the Ming dynasty I wasa general and later I left home to cultivate. We two have a karmic
affinity for one another, and so when I heard that you wanted to
go to Kuang Ling Mountain, I felt I should advise you that themonks there cultivate solely for their own benefit. You, on theother hand, should cultivate for the good of all. After you havefinished your act of filial piety, build a temple right here andspread the Buddhadharma.”
Now, ‘Filial-Son Wang’ hadn’t spoken to the monk, and yet
the monk read the questions in his mind. That shows that themonk had the spiritual power of knowing others’ thoughts andhad obtained the five eyes and six spiritual penetrations. He said
he was from the Ming dynasty. ‘Filial-Son Wang’ lived during
the first years of the Republic, some three hundred years later. So
you see that Bodhidharma could easily have been seen insouthern India several hundred years after his disappearance
from China. That he met Fang Pien there and told him about therobe and bowl is a very ordinary matter–nothing strange at all.
Bhikshu Fang Pien knew how to make Buddha images. He
carved them in wood and molded them in clay. The Master very
solemnly said to him, “Please sculpt an image for me to see”
Caught off guard, Fang Pien just stood there in silence, but afew days later he had finished making a true image of thePatriarch. It looked just like the Master. The nose, ears, eyes, all
the features were exactly right. It was a perfect likeness rightdown to the finest detail.
When the Master saw the little statue of himself he couldn’t
help but smile. “Fang Pien,” he said, “you may know how tomodel clay, but you don’t know the Buddha nature. In any case,
333The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

you should leave home in every life, become a Bhikshu, and act
as a field of blessing for humans and gods.”

334

Master Wo Lun’s Verse

Sutra:One Bhikshu was reciting Dhyana Master Wo Lun’s
verse:
Wo Lun has the talent
To stop the hundred thoughts:
Facing situations his mind won’t move;
Bodhi grows day by day.
When the Master heard it he said, “This verse showsno understanding of the mind-ground, and to cultivate
according to it will increase one’s bondage. Then hespoke this verse:
Hui Neng has no talent
To stop the hundred thoughts.
Facing situations his mind often moves;
How can Bodhi grow?
Commentary:
The name of the reciter of Wo Lun’s verse is not given.
Perhaps he had no name or perhaps he didn’t want to be famous.
Dhyana Master Wo Lun could cut off his thoughts, but Wo
Lun himself, the cutter-off of thoughts, still remained. Thus he
335

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

had fallen into the second or third position. He was not in the first
position.
Upon hearing Wo Lun’s verse, the Great Master replied,
I haven’t a single talent,
Nor even the thought of cutting off thought.
My mind responds in a natural way:
Who cares whether Bodhi grows or not?
Here he expresses the same principle as in the verse he wrote
while still a layman at Huang Mei: “Originally there is not one
thing. Where can the dust alight?” The absolute is pure; whatneed is there to dust it off?

336

CHAPTER VIII.

SUDDEN AND GRADUAL

Commentary:“Sudden” refers to the immediate understanding of aprinciple. You may be suddenly enlightened to a principle, but
until you have been certified as one who is fully enlightened, you
still must cultivate that principle gradually by putting it into
practice in everyday life.
Sutra:
While the Patriarch was staying at Pao Lin Temple in
Ts’ao Hsi, the Great Master Shen Hsiu was at Yü Ch’üanTemple in Ching Nan. At that time the two schools
flourished and everyone called them, “Southern Nengand Northern Hsiu.” So it was that the two schools,
northern and southern, were divided into “sudden” and“gradual.” As the students did not understand thedoctrine, the Master said to them, “The Dharma is
originally of one school. It is people who think of Northand South. The Dharma is of one kind, but people
understand it slowly or quickly. Dharma is not sudden or
gradual. Rather it is people who are sharp or dull. Hencethe terms sudden and gradual.”
Nonetheless, Shen Hsiu’s followers continuallyridiculed the southern Patriarch, saying that he couldn’t
read a single word and had nothing in his favor. But Shen
Hsiu said, “He has obtained wisdom without the aid of a337

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

teacher and understands the Supreme Vehicle deeply. I
am inferior to him. Furthermore, my Master, the Fifth
Patriarch, personally transmitted the robe and Dharma
to him, and not without good reason. I regret that I am
unable to make the long journey to visit him, as I
unworthily receive state patronage here. But do not letme stop you. Go to Ts’ao Hsi and call on him.”
Commentary:
You all remember Shen Hsiu, the Great Master who was
obsessed with the deadly ambition to be a patriarch. He was anintelligent man, and yet he couldn’t cut off his desire for the
Patriarchate.
In the south, the Sixth Patriarch taught the “sudden” Dharma
to a flourishing assembly of over a thousand people. Shen Hsiu,
in Ching Nan, was busy teaching “gradual” Dharma to an evenlarger crowd of over ten thousand people. Originally, Shen Hsiu
had about two hundred followers, but every day more and more
people came. However, everyone knew that the Fifth Patriarch
had transmitted the robe and bowl to Hui Neng in the south. In
spite of the fact that Shen Hsiu had been teaching master under
the Fifth Patriarch and was extremely well-educated, he did nothave the transmission. Still, Shen Hsiu’s disciples advertised
him as the Sixth Patriarch and finally even sent an assassin to try
to kill the Master and seize the robe and bowl.
Because of the division into Northern and Southern schools,
students of the Way did not know where to turn. Should they
study with the Sixth Patriarch? He was illiterate and sometimes
his teachings seemed to contradict the scriptures. On the other
hand, Shen Hsiu didn’t have the robe and bowl.
Seeing their dilemma, the Master said, “There is only one
Dharma. People may come from the north or south but there is338

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradualactually only one non-dual Dharma door. Intelligent people
understand it all of a sudden and stupid people come tounderstand it gradually, but the Dharma itself is neither sudden
nor gradual.”
Still, Shen Hsiu’s men constantly made fun of the Sixth
Patriarch. “Hey, look at him!” they said. “He can’t even read.
The Southern School disciples are following an illiterate. That isperfectly ridiculous. What could they possibly learn from him?”Thus they slighted the Patriarch and his disciples, saying thatthey were ignorant, not having even one doctorate among them.
Shen Hsiu said, “Don’t talk like that! He’s an enlightenedman. He has obtained wisdom through his own effort, without
the aid of a teacher, and has a thorough grasp of the Supreme
Vehicle. Frankly, I’m not as good as he is; I do not possess his
enlightened wisdom. Our teacher, the Fifth Patriarch, passed thewonderful mind-seal Dharma on to him, and for a good reason.
It was no accident.”
Shen Hsiu was a National Master. He and Masters Lao An,
Chih Hsien, and Fa Ju were among the Fifth Patriarch’s ten great
disciples. As they had received invitations to the Imperial Palacefrom Empress Wu Tsai T’ien, they received state patronage.
Shen Hsiu told his disciples, “I can’t get away, as I receive state
aid here. But don’t let me stop you. You may go to Ts’ao Hsi tocall on the Great Master.”
Actually, Shen Hsiu was just testing his disciples to see
whether or not they would go. He said that the Sixth Patriarch
had more virtue than he, but what he really meant was, “If you
believe in me you won’t leave, even though he has more virtue.
But if you don’t believe, you’ll go as soon as I tell you to leave.
Go!”
No one went.
339

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:
One day Shen Hsiu told his disciple Chih Ch’eng,“You are intelligent and very wise. You may go to Ts’ao
Hsi on my behalf and listen to the Dharma. Remember it
all and take careful notes to read to me when you return.”
As ordered, Chih Ch’eng proceeded to Ts’ao Hsi andjoined the assembly without saying where he had comefrom. The Patriarch told the assembly, “Today there is a
Dharma thief hidden in this assembly!”
Chih Ch’eng immediately stepped forward, bowed,
and explained his mission. The Master said, “You arefrom Yü Ch’üan; you must be a spy.”“No,” he replied, “I am not.”The Master said, “What do you mean?”He replied, “Before I confessed, I was; but now that I
have confessed, I am not.”The Master said, “How does your Master instruct his
followers?”
Chih Ch’eng replied, “He always instructs us to dwellwith the mind contemplating stillness and to sit up all thetime without lying down.”
The Master said, “To dwell with the mind
contemplating stillness is sickness, not Dhyana. Constantsitting restrains the body. How can it be beneficial?
Listen to my verse:
When living, sit, don’t lie.
When dead, lie down, don’t sit.
How can a set of stinking bones
Be used for training?

340

Chapter VIII. Sudden and GradualChih Ch’eng bowed again and said, “Your disciple
studied the Way for nine years at the place of Great
Master Hsiu but obtained no enlightenment. Now,
hearing one speech from the High Master, I am united
with my original mind. Your disciple’s birth and death isa serious matter. Will the High Master be compassionate
enough to instruct me further?”Commentary:
Chih Ch’eng was a good disciple to Shen Hsiu, one of his
favorites. “You may represent me at Ts’ao Hsi,” Shen Hsiu said.
“I cannot go. If I were to go personally, Hui Neng would surely
recognize me and not speak the Dharma. Write down everything
he says without getting one word wrong. Then bring back yournotes and read them to me.”
When Chih Ch’eng asked for instruction at Ts’ao Hsi, hedidn’t say where he was from. “I’ve been here and there,” hesaid, beating around the bush.
That day there were several thousand people gathered to hear
the Dharma. The Sixth Patriarch announced: “Everyone should
be careful! There is a Dharma thief hidden in the assembly!”
Chih Ch’eng pushed his way through the crowd, bowed at
the Master’s feet and said, “I confess! I’m a spy. Shen Hsiu sentme here.”The Master explained the Dharma to Chih Cheng.
“Contemplating stillness is a kind of occupational disease,” hesaid, “It is not Dhyana. As to constant sitting in meditation, thisis a mere constraint on the body. What is the principle behind it?
When you eat, just eat; when you sleep, just sleep. Don’t lockyourself up.”
Shen Hsiu was just working on his stinking skin-bag. He
didn’t know how to work in the self-nature. That is sickness. The
341

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sixth Patriarch worked naturally in the self-nature, and he spoke
this verse to say,
You sit up when you’re alive,
You lie down when you’re dead.
Your body’s a bone-bag composed of four elements:
Why not work on the self-nature instead?
To dwell with the mind contemplating stillness contradicts
the principle of the Diamond Sutra, which tells us to “producethat thought which is nowhere supported.” The Sixth Patriarch
spoke this verse to break Chih Ch’eng’s attachment to marks.
Shen Hsiu taught people to dwell with the mind
contemplating stillness and the Sixth Patriarch said that that waswrong. Nonetheless, if you can do it, bit by bit, you will gain
benefit. If you always sit and do not lie down, although it is notvery natural, it will assist your body and mind in cultivation.
Then why did the Sixth Patriarch object to these practices? It was
because Chih Ch’eng had just come from Shen Hsiu and it wasnecessary to break his attachments before he could properly
receive the genuine Buddhadharma. In cultivation you should
not be attached to your work and think, “Look at me! I reallywork hard, constantly sitting and never lying down!” Suchthoughts will obstruct your progress.
If the mind “dwells,” it is attached. In order to be united withthe original wisdom of the self-nature, you must “produce thatthought which is nowhere supported,” as the Diamond Sutra
says. The Sixth Patriarch gave Chih Ch’eng this teaching inorder to break his attachments. If you can constantly sit and feelnatural and unforced doing so, then go ahead, but do not force
yourself. Force is not the way. You should work naturally.
“Good!” you say. “Then I don’t have to follow the rules.”342

Chapter VIII. Sudden and GradualThis does not mean that you can ignore the rules. If you lie
down when people sit, and sit when they lie down, you are not inaccord with Dharma and are just trying to show that you think
you are special. In general, you must follow the rules and benatural with yourself as well. But “being natural” does not meanthat you can break the rules. Is this clear?
Chih Ch’eng had studied nine years with Shen Hsiu. How
many years have you studied here? One year. And you think thatis a very long time. Cultivators may study for ten, twenty, or
thirty years with great effort. You can’t graduate in just a few
months.
As soon as the Sixth Patriarch spoke, his principles entered
Chih Ch’eng’s heart like water flowing into water: “thus, thus,”
like milk mixing with milk. There was not the slightest
difference between them. “The Patriarch’s heart is my heart,”
said Chih Ch’eng, “and my heart is the Patriarch’s heart. I am
suddenly united with the original mind because our minds arefundamentally one and the same.”“But I do not know when I will die,” Chih Ch’eng continued,“and I do not know when I will be born again. This matter ofbirth and death is most pressing. Please be compassionate andhelp me understand.”
Sutra:The Master said, “I have heard that your Master
instructs his students in the dharmas of morality,
concentration, and wisdom. Please tell me how he defines
the terms.”
Chih Ch’eng said, “Great Master Shen Hsiu says that
morality is abstaining from doing evil, wisdom is offering
up all good conduct, and concentration is purifying one’s
own mind. This is how he explains them, but I do not343

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

know, High Master, what dharma of instruction you
use.”
The Master said, “If I said that I had a dharma to giveto others, I would be lying to you. I merely use expedientsto untie bonds and falsely call that samadhi. Your
master’s explanation of morality, concentration, andwisdom is truly inconceivably good but my conception of
morality, concentration, and wisdom is different fromhis.”
Commentary:“I don’t have any dharmas at all,” said the Sixth Patriarch.
“I’d be cheating you if I said that I did. I have no special dharma
to give to people. For each individual I use an appropriate
teaching to untie his bonds. To ‘untie bonds’ means to breakattachments. The attachments of living beings bind them up. I
just untie their bonds and set them free of their attachments.
Fundamentally this teaching has no name whatsoever, but it ishypothetically called ‘samadhi.’ Thus, my view of morality,
concentration, and wisdom is special; it is not the same as Shen
Hsiu’s.”
Sutra:
Chih Ch’eng said, “There can only be one kind of
morality, concentration, and wisdom. How can there be adifference?”
The Master said, “Your master’s morality,
concentration, and wisdom guide those of the Great
Vehicle, whereas my morality, concentration, andwisdom guide those of the Supreme Vehicle.

344

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual

Enlightenment is not the same as understanding; seeing
may take place slowly or quickly.
Commentary:
When you become enlightened, in that moment ofenlightenment you attain your aim. Understanding, on the other
hand, is a gradual process. Thus perception may be sudden or
gradual, fast or slow.
Sutra:“Listen to my explanation. Is it the same as Shen
Hsiu’s? The Dharma which I speak does not depart fromthe self-nature, for to depart from the self-nature in
explaining the Dharma is to speak of marks andcontinually confuse the self-nature. You should knowthat the functions of the ten thousand dharmas all arise
from the self-nature and that this is the true morality,
concentration, and wisdom. Listen to my verse:
Mind-ground without wrong:
Self-nature morality.
Mind-ground without delusion:
Self-nature wisdom.
Mind-ground without confusion:
Self-nature concentration.
Neither increasing nor decreasing:
You are vajra.
Body comes, body goes:
The original samadhi.

345

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:“When I speak the Dharma,” said the Sixth Patriarch, “Inever stray from the self-nature. When you stray from the selfnature you become attached to marks and confuse the selfnature. All dharmas are composed of the substance of the selfnature and respond with unlimited function. Now, listen to this:Mind-ground without wrong:
Self-nature morality.
“The mind is like a piece of ground. Whatever you plant in it
grows there. If you plant a good cause, you reap a good result in
the future; if you plant a bad cause, you reap a bad result. Whenthe mind-ground contains no thoughts of greed, malice, envy, or
selfishness, it is without wrong thoughts, and that is the moralityof the self-nature.”
Master Shen Hsiu said that morality is to abstain from evil;that is almost the same as the Sixth Patriarch’s instructions toclear the mind-ground of wrong thoughts. But Shen Hsiu gave
morality another name, calling it the abstention from evil, while
the Sixth Patriarch spoke of the morality of the mind-ground, themorality of the self-nature.
Mind-ground without delusion:
Self-nature wisdom.
When your mind-ground is free of delusion, the conduct you
offer can be extremely good, just as Shen Hsiu instructed. But
Shen Hsiu merely passed out names. He did not speak ofmorality, concentration, and wisdom in terms of the self-natureand the mind-ground. Do not plant the causes of stupidity in themind-ground: that is the self-nature’s wisdom.
346

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual

Mind-ground without confusion:
Self-nature concentration.
When it is without confusion, the mind is purified. Shen
Hsiu’s instructions to purify the mind did not relate
concentration to the self-nature, whereas the Sixth Patriarch
always spoke Dharma from the mind-ground. His Dharma arosefrom the self-nature and did not come from outside. Shen Hsiu
spoke about external dharmas and was attached to marks. In
other words, Shen Hsiu spoke from outside the mind; the Sixth
Patriarch spoke from within.
Neither increasing nor decreasing:
You are vajra.
The brilliant light of the self-nature illuminates everything; itis miraculous, profound, and all-inclusive. The self-natureneither increases nor decreases; it is your very own
indestructible vajra.
Body comes, body goes:
The original samadhi.
You go away, you come back, and you’re in samadhi all thetime: standing, sitting, walking, and lying down.
Sutra:Hearing this verse, Chih Ch’eng regretted his former
mistakes, and he expressed his gratitude by saying thisverse:
These five heaps are
A body of illusion.
And what is illusion,
347

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Ultimately?
If you tend toward
True suchness
The Dharma is
Not yet pure.
Commentary:
The five skandhas are not real. The body, too, is false–merely
a combination of the four elements. Knowing this, you should
not attach so much importance to it by looking for good food,
good clothes, a nice place to live, or a good wife or husband.
How do the four elements combine to form your body? The
earth is the hard part of your body: the skin, nails, bones, andmuscles. Tears, mucus, saliva and excrement are the water andyour body heat is the fire. The circulatory and respiratory
systems are the wind. After you die, the body decomposes andthe earth returns to the earth, the water to the water, the fire to
the fire, and the wind to the wind. But where do you go? You
don’t know, do you? We are studying the Buddhadharma just tounderstand this question.
The body, then, is nothing but a transformation of the fiveskandhas and the four elements. And what, ultimately, is thisillusion?
If you tend toward true suchness, the Dharma is not pure yet,for you have not arrived at the root-substance and you have not
returned to purity. Why? Because you still have the thought, “I’dlike to go back to true suchness.” If you have even one thought,
you cannot penetrate the basic substance, because the basic
substance functions independently and freely, without
obstruction. There is no grasping or rejecting it, no thinking of
this or that.
348

Chapter VIII. Sudden and GradualSutra:The Master approved, and he said further to Chih
Ch’eng, “Your Master’s morality, concentration, andwisdom exhort those of lesser faculties and lesser wisdom,
while my morality, concentration, and wisdom exhort
those of great faculties and great wisdom. If you are
enlightened to your self-nature, you do not set up in yourmind the notion of Bodhi or of Nirvana or of theliberation of knowledge and vision. When not a single
dharma is established in the mind, then the ten thousand
dharmas can be established there. To understand thisprinciple is to achieve the Buddha’s body which is also
called Bodhi, Nirvana, and the liberation of knowledge
and vision as well. Those who see their own nature canestablish dharmas in their minds or not establish them as
they choose. They come and go freely, without
impediments or obstacles. They function correctly andspeak appropriately, seeing all transformation bodies as
integral with the self-nature. That is precisely the way
they obtain independence, spiritual powers, and thesamadhi of playfulness. This is what is called seeing thenature.”Commentary:“You’re right,” said the Master, “and your verse is not bad atall. You should know that my morality, concentration, andwisdom are not the same as Shen Hsiu’s. His teaching is forpeople of lesser wisdom.”
Here the Master describes the people of great wisdom forwhom his teaching is intended. “They have awakened to the selfnature,” he said, “and they don’t even entertain the notion of349

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Bodhi, Nirvana, or the liberation of knowledge and vision.”
None of these dharmas exist for them. Not a single thingremains.
Not one dharma established,ten thousand dharmas are empty.
Because such people do not set up the notion of a single dharma,
they can set up the ten thousand dharmas. Although not a single
dharma exists, the ten thousand dharmas are present all the same.
If you understand this principle, you may become a Buddha
on the spot. Then you may call it Bodhi, Nirvana, or theliberation of knowledge and vision. You may call it anything you
like. But first you must understand it. If you don’t understand it,
you can’t call it anything at all.
People of genuine enlightenment who have understood themind and seen the nature can establish dharmas or not establish
them. They come and go without obstruction. You say, “I’m thisway too. If I want to come to the Buddhist Lecture Hall, I come;
if I want to go, I go.” You’re wrong. The Sixth Patriarch was
speaking of freedom over life and death. With this kind of
freedom, if you want to live, you live; if you want to die, you candie any place, any time, like the Third Patriarch Seng Ts’an, whodied of his own will, hanging by one hand from a tree. That’s
why I often say to you, “Everything’s O.K.” If you are master of
this, you hold the power of life and death in your hands. Live ordie, as you please. No one can stop you. “Freedom to come andgo” is not like your coming and going from the Buddhist Lecture
Hall.
People who see the nature “function correctly and speak
appropriately, seeing all transformation bodies as integral withthe self-nature.” They don’t need to think, they just speak. But
they always speak with principle. If someone asks you about the350

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual

heavens and you reply, “On earth there are mountains andrivers,” or if they ask, “What’s a horse?” and you say, “Oxenhave two horns,” you are just confusing the issue and goingagainst common sense.
People who see the nature “obtain independence” just like
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. The “spiritual powers” that theyobtain are the six spiritual powers: 1) the heavenly eye; 2) the
heavenly ear; 3) the knowledge of others’ thoughts; 4) the
knowledge of former lives; 5) the knowledge of the extinction of
outflows; 6) psychic power.
One who has obtained the “samadhi of playfulness” sings,
but not like other singers; he eats, but not like other people. For
example, he may say, “Lunch time! Let’s eat!” and then run to
the table and eat every morsel of food in sight. Then he’ll say,“The food is still in the kitchen.” When everyone looks in the
kitchen the food is still there. He didn’t really eat it after all. Thatis a lot of fun.
Sutra:
Chih Ch’eng asked the Master further, “What ismeant by ‘not establishing?’”
The Master replied, “When your self-nature is freefrom error, obstruction, and confusion, when Prajna ispresent in every thought, contemplating and shedding
illumination, and when you are constantly apart from thedharma marks and are free and independent, bothhorizontally and vertically, then what is there to beestablished?
“In the self-nature, in self-enlightenment, in sudden
enlightenment, and in sudden cultivation there are no
degrees. Therefore, not a single dharma is established.
351

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

All dharmas are still and extinct. How can there bestages?”Chih Ch’eng made obeisance and attended on the
Master day and night without laziness. He was a native ofT’ai Ho in Chi Chou.
Commentary:
When there is nothing in your self-nature which isobstructive or confused, what is there to be established?
“Confusion” means “upside-down.” You should not think that if
your hand points to the earth it is upside-down down and if you
raise it above your head it is right-side up. There is actually nosuch thing as upside-down or right-side up.
“Prajna is present in every thought, contemplating andshedding illumination.” Similarly, the Master said earlier, “Youshould know that the self-nature constantly generates wisdom.”
Further, you should be separate from any attachment to dharmamarks, and then you will be free to come and go. Vertically, if
you want to jump, jump! Horizontally, if you want to movesideways, go ahead. Ascend into the heavens or plunge into thehells; visit the Western Paradise or the Eastern Crystal Azure
World. You can go anywhere and always be in accord with
Dharma. So what dharma is there to be established? That is why
the Master says that not a single dharma is established.
You should enlighten your self-nature by yourself. If you are
enlightened immediately, you will cultivate immediately andthere will be no question of sudden and gradual stages ofprogress. Therefore no dharmas are established: all dharmas are
empty–marked with still extinction. How can you arrange themin stages according to number one, number two, and so on?
Hearing the Master’s instruction, the former spy defected
and was converted to the Master’s teaching. He changed his352

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradualmind and reformed his conduct. That is called “going straight.”
He did whatever the Patriarch told him to do, no matter how
difficult, because he knew that the Sixth Patriarch had become apatriarch by doing bitter work, threshing rice at Huang Mei forover eight months. He thought, “I have an opportunity to serve a
Patriarch and I should work diligently.”353

Bhikshu Chih Ch’e

Sutra:
Bhikshu Chih Ch’e, a native of Chiang Hsi, had thefamily name Chang and the personal name Hsing
Ch’ang. As a youth he was an itinerant warrior. Whenthe schools split into the Northern and Southern,
although the two leaders had lost the notion of self andother, the disciples stirred up love and hate. The disciplesof the Northern School secretly set up Shen Hsiu as the
Sixth Patriarch. Fearing that the country would hear of
the transmission of the robe, they hired Hsing Ch’ang toassassinate the Master. But the Master had the power ofknowing the thoughts of others. He knew of this matter inadvance and set ten ounces of gold on his chair. Thatnight Hsing Ch’ang entered his room intending to kill
him. The Master just stretched out his neck. Hsing
Ch’ang swung the blade three times but could not harmhim.
Commentary:
Neither Shen Hsiu nor the Sixth Patriarch had thoughts of“self” or “others.” But their disciples agitated, stirring up
thoughts of love and hate in people. More specifically, Shen
Hsiu’s disciples did the agitating, denouncing the Southern
Patriarch as illiterate and incompetent.
354

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual - Bhikshu Chih Ch’e

The Sixth Patriarch’s disciples really believed in him. “You
can’t talk that way about our teacher!” they said. “He has
obtained wisdom without the aid of a master.”
It never occurred to the Sixth Patriarch’s disciples that theyshould kill Shen Hsiu, but Shen Hsiu’s disciples were jealous
and wanted to kill the Sixth Patriarch. They knew that the robeand bowl were in the South. The rumors flew. “That Hui Nengwould do anything: homicide, manslaughter. Why, in the olddays he was a confidence man and now he’s pretending to be a
Patriarch. How absurd.”
Others said, “He used to be a poor firewood gatherer in themountains. What talent could he have? The people in the south
have made him their leader, but it’s only talk.” They did
everything they could to ruin him. “At Huang Mei everyone
knew that he was a barbarian. He doesn’t know anything at all.”Shen Hsiu had several thousand men behind him, eventhough he did not have the robe and bowl. They each wanted tobe the Seventh Patriarch, and without a father how can there bea son? With Shen Hsiu as the Sixth Patriarch, the Seventh
Patriarch would surely be one of them. But they didn’t dare
make the news public because it was all too obvious that theposition rightly belonged to Hui Neng.
T’ang dynasty Buddhism was extremely complex.
Hsing Ch’ang’s family name had been Chang, but after heleft home the Master named him Chih Ch’e. As a boy, he robbed
from the rich and gave to the poor, always fighting for theunderdog. His martial skills were outstanding. Light and limber,he could leap twenty feet in the air in a single bound. They called
him “Flying Cat” Chang because he ran so fast and with suchagility that he could break into your house without a sound, justlike a cat. Not only could this cat walk silently, he could fly. But
355

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

you won’t find this nickname in any of the history books; youwould have to have been there.
Having unsuccessfully tried to capture the Master by burning
off the mountain behind Nan Hua Temple, Shen Hsiu’s men
decided to hire an assassin to kill the master and steal the robeand bowl.
The Sixth Patriarch could read minds, and so he was
expecting his visitor. He put some gold on his chair and waiteduntil midnight, when the sky was black and Hsing Ch’ang came
creeping up the stairs, down the hall, and into his room.
Was this a tense situation or not? What do you think the
Master did? He just stretched out his neck, and although hedidn’t say anything, he thought, “Go ahead and swing yoursword. Come on, kill me!” This is called “sticking your neckout.”
Hsing Ch’ang was oblivious to the Master. He wasdetermined to carry out orders and had nothing on his mind but
murder. “I don’t care if you’re a Bhikshu, an Arhat, or even a
Patriarch, I’m going to kill you!” he said, swinging at the
Master’s neck. He swung three times and nothing happened.
Now, just what do you think this means?
Sutra:The Master said,
A straight sword is not bent.
A bent sword is not straight.
I merely owe you gold.
I do not owe you life.
Hsing Ch’ang fell to the ground in fright. After awhile he came to and begged for mercy, repenting of his
356

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual - Bhikshu Chih Ch’eerror and vowing to leave home. The Master gave him thegold and said, “Go! I fear that my followers will come totake revenge. Change your appearance and return
another day and I will accept you.”
Commentary:
The Master said, “A straight sword is not bent,” that is, thestraight sword of the proper Dharma cannot be harmed bydeviant dharma. “The deviant cannot defeat the right; the rightalways overcomes the deviant. You may have a sword, but you
can’t harm me with it. I merely owe you the gold which I
borrowed in a past life,” the Master said, “I don’t owe you mylife because I never killed you.”
It was all too much for Hsing Ch’ang, and he fainted. Whenhe came to, the Master talked with him for a long time, “Why did
you want to kill me?” he asked.
“It wasn’t my idea,” said Hsing Ch’ang. “They told me thatyou were a scoundrel, a thief, and a hunter. They said that you
were nothing but a firewood gatherer who was pretending to bea Patriarch. Hearing this, I felt it was my duty to kill you, but
now I know that I was wrong. Why? If you had no virtue, mysharp sword would have sliced your head right off. Having met
you, I realized that the affairs of the world are of no greatinterest. Please let me leave home and bow to you as myteacher.”
The Master said, “Here, take this gold and go quickly. My
disciples are fond of me and they would kill you if they found out
about this. Go somewhere else and leave home. When you return
I will teach and transform you.”357

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:
Hsing Ch’ang received his orders and disappeared
into the night. Later he left home under another Bhikshu,
received the complete precepts and was vigorous inpractice. One day, remembering the Master’s words, hemade the long journey to have an audience. The Master
said, “I have thought of you for a long time. What took
you so long?”
He replied, “The High Master once favored me bypardoning my crime. Although I have left home andalthough I practice austerities, I shall never be able torepay his kindness. May I try to repay you bytransmitting the Dharma and taking living beings
across?
“Your disciple often studies the Mahaparinirvana
Sutra, but he has not yet understood the principles ofpermanence and impermanence. I beg the High Masterto be compassionate and explain them for me.
The Master said, “Impermanence is just the Buddha
nature and permanence is just the mind discriminating
good and evil dharmas.”“High Master, your explanation contradicts the Sutra
text!” Hsing Ch’ang replied.
The Master said, “I transmit the Buddha’s mind-seal.
How could I dare to contradict the Buddhas’ Sutras?”
Hsing Ch’ang replied, “The Sutra says that the
Buddha nature is permanent and the High Master has
just said that it is impermanent; it says that good and evildharmas, reaching even to the Bodhi Mind, areimpermanent and the High Master has just said that they
are permanent. This contradiction has merely intensified
your student’s doubt and delusion.”
358

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual - Bhikshu Chih Ch’e

The Master said, “Formerly, I heard Bhikshuni Wu
Chin Tsang recite the Nirvana Sutra. When I commented
on it, there was not one word or principle which did notaccord with the Sutra text. My explanation to you now is
not different.”
Hsing Ch’ang replied, “Your student’s capacity forunderstanding is superficial. Will the High Master please
explain further?”
The Master said, “Don’t you understand? If the
Buddha nature were permanent, what use would there bein speaking of good and evil dharmas? To the end of aneon not one person would produce the Bodhi Mind.
Therefore I explain it as impermanent. That is exactly
what the Buddha explained as the meaning of true
permanence.”
Commentary:
The Buddha explained the Buddha nature as permanent tothose attached to impermanence, and he explained it asimpermanent to those attached to permanence. If you say that the
Buddha nature is permanent, what good and evil dharmas remain
for discussion? Living beings would have all become Buddhas
long ago. Why should one bother to speak the Dharma to themin order to take them across? If the Buddha nature is permanent,
everyone would be a Buddha and there would be no need tocultivate. “So,” the Master said, “you see that my explanation of
the Buddha nature as impermanent is exactly what the Buddha
meant when he spoke of permanence.”359

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:“Furthermore, if all dharmas were impermanent, allthings would have a self-nature subject to birth anddeath, and the true permanent nature would not pervade
all places. Therefore, I explain it as permanent. That isexactly what the Buddha explained as the meaning oftrue impermanence.”
Commentary:
Basically, the Buddha nature is neither permanent nor
impermanent. That is the ultimate principle of the middle way.
Then why did the Sixth Patriarch say that it was impermanent?
Why did he say that the mind which discriminates good and evil
was permanent? He did it to cure Hsing Ch’ang of his
attachments. Once you are rid of attachment, you do not need theBuddhadharma. The Sixth Patriarch took advantage of an
opportunity to heal Hsing Ch’ang, but he wouldn’t necessarily
have explained it the same way to every one.
Sutra:“It was for the sake of common people and those who
belong to other religions who cling to deviant views ofpermanence, and for all those who follow the two-vehicle
way, mistaking permanence for impermanence
formulating the eight perverted views, that the Buddha in
the ultimate Nirvana teaching destroyed their prejudiced
views. He explained true permanence, true bliss, true
selfhood, and true purity.”360

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual - Bhikshu Chih Ch’e

Commentary:
Common people and non-Buddhists cling to false
permanence; Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas mistake
permanence for impermanence. These two groups each havefour perverted views, making eight in all.
Common people and non-Buddhists turn the four marks ofconditioned existence upside-down and say:
1. The suffering of conditioned existence is bliss;
2. Its impermanence is permanent;
3. Its impurity is pure; and4. Its “no-self” is “self.”
The Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas turn the four virtues of
Nirvana upside-down and say:
5. The bliss of Nirvana is suffering;
6. Its permanence is impermanent;
7. Its purity is impure; and8. Its “self” is “no-self.”
Sutra:“You now contradict this meaning by relying on thewords, taking annihilation to be impermanence andfixing on a lifeless permanence. In this way you
misinterpret the last, subtle, complete and wonderfulwords of the Buddha. Even if you read it a thousand
times, what benefit could you derive from it?”Hsing Ch’ang suddenly achieved the great
enlightenment and spoke this verse:
To those who hold impermanence in mind,
The Buddha speaks of the permanent nature;361

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Not knowing expedients is like
Picking up pebbles from a spring pond.
But now without an effort
The Buddha nature manifests;
The Master did not transmit it,
And I did not obtain a thing.
The Master said, “Now you understand! You should
be called ‘Chih Ch’e’ (breadth of understanding).”
Chih Ch’e thanked the Master, bowed, and withdrew.
Commentary:
Unless you understand that the Buddha’s dharmas are
expedient devices, you might as well collect rocks from thebottom of a pool: you’re useless.
Hearing the Master’s instruction, Hsing Ch’ang returned tothe source and went back home. Suddenly enlightened, heunderstood his mind and saw his nature. But his enlightenment
was not given to him by the Sixth Patriarch, and his attainment
was actually no attainment. He simply opened up to his own
inherent wisdom.
The Master gave him certification saying, “Now that you are
truly enlightened, I’ll give you the name ‘Chih Ch’e.’”362

Bhikshu Shen Hui

Sutra:A young boy thirteen years old named Shen Hui, who wasfrom a Kao family in Hsiang Yang, came from YüCh’üan to pay homage. The Master said, “The Knowing
One’s journey must have been difficult. Did you bring theoriginal with you? If you have the original, you should
know the owner. Try to explain it to me.”Shen Hui said, “I take non-dwelling as the originaland seeing as the owner.”
The Master said, “This Shramanera imitates the talkof others.”
Shen Hui then asked, “When you sit in Ch’an, High
Master, do you see or not?”The Master hit him three times with his staff and said,“When I hit you, does it hurt or not?”He replied, “It both hurts and does not hurt.”
The Master said, “I both see and do not see.”Shen Hui asked, “How can you both see and not see?”
The Master said, “What I see is the transgression anderror of my own mind. I do not see the right, wrong, good,or bad of other people. This is my seeing and not seeing.
How can you say it both hurts and does not hurt? If it
does not hurt you are like a piece of wood or a stone, but
if it does hurt you are just like a common person and will
363

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

give rise to hatred. Your ‘seeing and not seeing’ are two
extremes and your ‘hurting and not hurting’ areproduction and extinction. You have not even seen yourown nature and yet you dare to ridicule others.”
Commentary:
Shen Hui was an exceptional child. Precocious and brilliant,
he forgot his body for the sake of the Dharma. He could tell at a
glance that Shen Hsiu didn’t have the genuine Buddhadharma;
he set out for the Sixth Patriarch’s place, eighteen hundred miles
distant. His shoes fell apart and the rocks and slivers of glass on
the road cut into his feet, but he continued to walk, tearing up his
robe to bandage his bleeding feet and acting as if there were no
pain at all. When the Great Master saw him he knew that he had
undergone much suffering.
“Good Knowing Advisor,” he said, “your journey must havebeen difficult. Did you bring the original with you? Have you
attained your original face or not? Do you recognize youroriginal face? If you have the original, you should know theowner. If you have the original, the Buddha-nature, and if you
have understood your mind, seen your nature, you should know
the owner. The owner is the Buddha-nature. Tell me about it!”
But this unruly child had a mind of his own. “I take ‘notdwelling anywhere’ as my original face,” he said, “and myseeing nature as the host.”
The Sixth Patriarch said, “You’re just imitating the talk ofother people. You pretend to know what you do not know, tounderstand what you do not understand, and to see what you do
not see. This is nothing but verbal zen. It is not an expression of
the self-nature.
Shen Hui had a lot of gall. “When the High Master sits inmeditation,” he asked, “does he see or not?” This child was wild364

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual - Bhikshu Shen Huiand difficult to teach. The Patriarch, not being an ordinary
person, gave no ordinary answer. He hit Shen Hui with his staff
and shouted, “Does that hurt?”
It is not known whether the child was afraid, or whether hecried or not.
Shen Hui said, “It both hurts and does not hurt.”
The Master said, “I both see and do not see.”“How can this be?” said Shen Hui.
“I see my own mistakes,” said the Master. “I keep an eye on
my evil false thinking and immediately put a stop to it. I do not
see the faults of others: others’ evils, others’ obsessions, others’
conditions, others’ transgressions.” Students of the
Buddhadharma should take note of this. See your own errors, notthose of other people. Don’t be like a watchdog watchingsomeone else’s door. The dog doesn’t have anything of its own
and so it watches over other people’s things. Don’t be criticaland don’t gossip: see and do not see.
“I see and do not see,” said the Master, “but how can you
both hurt and not hurt? If you don’t hurt, you are just like a rock.
If you do hurt, then you’ll catch fire and get angry and afflicted,
just like an unenlightened common person. Seeing and notseeing are two extremes and hurting and not hurting are dharmas
of production and extinction. You haven’t even seen your own
nature and yet you have the nerve to come here and talk down tome?”Sutra:
Shen Hui bowed, apologized, and thanked the Master.
The Master continued, “If your mind is confused and you
do not see, then ask a Good Knowing Advisor to help you
find the Way. If your mind is enlightened, then see yourown nature and cultivate according to the Dharma. You
365

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

yourself are confused and do not see your own mind, andyet you come to ask me whether or not I see. If I see, I
know it for myself, but is that of any help to you in yourconfusion? In the same way your seeing is of no use to me.
Why don’t you know and see it for yourself, instead ofasking me whether or not I see?”Shen Hui bowed again over one hundred times,
seeking forgiveness for his error. He served the Masterwith diligence, never leaving his side.
Commentary:
The Master said, “Shen Hui, if your mind is unclear and you
cannot see the nature, then ask a Good Knowing Advisor toteach you how to work at cultivation. If your mind is enlightened
and you have understood the mind and seen the nature, then you
should cultivate according to Dharma. You haven’t even seen
your original mind, and yet you come to ask me whether or not
I have seen it. If I’ve seen it, that’s my own business, of no use
to you in your deluded condition. If you’ve seen the nature andobtained the original face, that’s of no use to me. Why not turnthe light around and reverse the illumination to find out whether
you’ve seen your own mind or not? Isn’t that better than asking
me? What difference does it make whether I’ve seen it or not?”After that, Shen Hui was really sorry. Why had he been so
incorrigible? Did he really have no conscience? His questioningof the Patriarch was like trying to sell dime novels to Confucius
or going to the home of Lu Pan, China’s first engineer andforemost carpenter, to do remodeling. He begged forforgiveness, saying, “I’m just a kid. I don’t know how high theheavens are or how deep the earth is. Please don’t hold it againstme.” From then on, Shen Hui waited on the Master, following
366

Chapter VIII. Sudden and Gradual - Bhikshu Shen Huialong everywhere the Master went to give lectures on the Sutras
and speak about the Dharma.
Sutra:
One day the Master addressed the assembly as
follows: “I have a thing. It has no head or tail, no name orlabel, no back or front. Do you all know what it is?”Shen Hui stepped forward and said, “It is the root
source of all Buddhas, Shen Hui’s Buddha nature!”
The Master said, “I just told you that it had no nameor label, and you immediately call it the root-source of all
Buddhas. Go and build a thatched hut over your head!
You’re nothing but a follower who pursues knowledge
and interpretation.”
After the Master’s extinction, Shen Hui went to Ching
Lo where he propagated the Ts’ao Hsi Sudden Teaching.
He wrote the Hsien Tsung Chi which circulated widely
throughout the land. He is known as Dhyana Master Ho
Che.
Commentary:
Everyone shut their mouths; no one said a word. Some ofthem didn’t speak because they knew and some didn’t speak
because they did not know. Seeing that no one was going toanswer, Shen Hui jumped out from the assembly and said, “Iknow what it is! It’s the origin of all Buddhas: my Buddha
nature!”“In the ranks of the Ch’an School,” said the Master, “you’renothing but a scholar. You have no genuine understanding.”

367

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

In a way the Master’s scolding was a compliment. It isn’teasy to be a Ch’an scholar of the school of those who know andinterpret.
When the Sixth Patriarch died, Shen Hui went to the capitalat Loyang to spread the Sudden Teaching of the Ch’an School.
He later wrote the Hsien Tsung Chi, a treatise on the Northernand Southern Schools, which exposed Shen Hsiu as a false
pretender and proclaimed the Southern Patriarch Hui Neng as
the real Sixth Patriarch, the recipient of the Buddha’s mind-seal.
Had Shen Hui not written this book, Shen Hsiu would havestolen the title of the Sixth Patriarch.
Shen Hui came to be known as Ho Che, which is the name ofthe place where he went to live.

368

Difficult Questions

Sutra:The Master saw many disciples of other schools, all withevil intentions, gathered beneath his seat to ask him
difficult questions. Pitying them, he said, “Students of theWay, all thoughts of good or evil should be completely
cast away. What cannot be named by any name is called
the self-nature. This non-dual nature is the real nature,and it is within the real nature that all teaching doors are
established. At these words you should see it for
yourselves.”
Hearing this, they all made obeisance and asked him
to be their master.
Commentary:
Not only did Shen Hsiu’s party want to murder the Great
Master, but those of other sects, such as the Consciousness Only
School, came to ask the Master difficult questions. “Which camefirst,” they would ask, “the Buddha or the Dharma? Where does
the Buddhadharma begin?” They had many questions.
The Sixth Patriarch said, “If you can speak the Dharma, thenit’s first the Buddha, then the Dharma. If you can listen to theDharma, then it’s first the Dharma and then the Buddha. The
Buddhadharma comes from the minds of living beings.”

369

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

On this occasion he saw that the crowd was full of spies andwould-be assassins. “Cultivators should not hold thoughts ofgood or evil,” he said, “What cannot be named by any name iscalled the self-nature. The self-nature is non-dual; it is also
called the real nature, the real mark. Within it all schools andsects are set up. It’s not enough just to talk about it, however.
You must understand and immediately give proof to the state ofno-mark.”
Hearing these words, the assembly realized that all theirthoughts had been bound up in good and evil and they weregreatly ashamed. They bowed down before him and said, “Fromnow on we’ll be different. Please, Great Master, be our teacher.”370

CHAPTER IX.

PROCLAMATIONS

Sutra:On the fifteenth day of the first month, during the firstyear of the Shen Lung reign (A.D. 705) Empress Tse
T’ien and Emperor Chung Tsung issued the following
proclamation:“We have invited Masters Hui An and Shen Hsiu tothe palace to receive offerings so that we may investigate
the One Vehicle in the leisure time remaining after our
myriad duties. The two Masters have declined, sayingthat in the South there is Dhyana Master Hui Neng, who
was secretly transmitted the robe and Dharma of theGreat Master Hung Jen who now transmits the Buddhas’
mind-seal.
“We now send Chamberlain Hsieh Chien with thisinvitation, hoping that the Master will remember us withcompassion and come to the capital.”
The Master sent back a petition pleading illness
saying that he wished to spend his remaining years at thefoot of the mountain.
Commentary:
The Ninth Chapter is entitled “Proclamations.”
Wu Tse T’ien was an empress during the T’ang dynasty. She
believed in the Buddha, but she wasn’t very orthodox. In fact,
371

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

she would do anything. But she believed in Buddhism and so she
invited all the high monks to the palace to receive offerings.
Her son, Emperor Chung Tsung, reigned only a short time
before the empress had him exiled to Lu Ling to be king there,
so that she could take the throne.
A proclamation was a letter from the emperor. When
ordinary people received a proclamation, they bowed to it as a
gesture of respect to the emperor, but people who have left home
don’t do this, of course.
Wishing to study the One Buddha Vehicle, the Sudden
Teaching Dharma door, the empress invited Masters Hui An andShen Hsiu to come to the palace to receive offerings. But theyrefused. “We do not have enough virtue,” they said, “You should
invite Hui Neng. He has received the Fifth Patriarch’s robe andbowl and is a true transmitter of the mind seal.”
The empress took the two masters’ advice and invited the
Sixth Patriarch to the capital, Ch’ang An. The invitation was
brought by a chamberlain, that is, by an official of the innercourt. The chamberlain, Hsieh Chien, was a eunuch. Eunuchs
began serving Chinese emperors during the Han dynasty.
The Sixth Patriarch wrote back “I am very ill.” Actually, hewasn’t ill at all; this was merely an expedient device, because the
Sixth Patriarch did not wish to visit a ruler. More specifically, he
did not wish to visit an empress. It would have been against therules. Wu Tse T’ien knew nothing about moral precepts and she
didn’t follow any rules. But the Sixth Patriarch couldn’t say,“You are an empress and I am a Patriarch and I don’t have to
visit you,” so he said, “I am old and sick.”
Sutra:
Hsieh Chien said, “The Virtuous Dhyana Masters at
the capital all say that to master the Way one must sit in372

Chapter IX. Proclamations

Dhyana meditation and practice concentration, forwithout Dhyana concentration, liberation is impossible. I
do not know how the Master explains this dharma.
The Master said, “The Way is awakened to from themind. How could it be found in sitting? The Diamond
Sutra states that to say that Tathagata either sits or lies
down is to walk a deviant path. Why? The clear pure
Dhyana of the Tathagata comes from nowhere and goes
nowhere and is neither produced nor extinguished. The
Tathagata’s clear pure ‘sitting’ is the state of all dharmas
being empty and still. Ultimately there is no certification;even less is there any ‘sitting.’”
Commentary:
For an illiterate, the Master was quite intelligent. He
answered, “You awaken to the Way from within your mind. You
can’t just sit there. You have to understand the principles of the
Buddhadharma and be enlightened to them. The enlightenmentis ‘understanding’ and the sitting is ‘practice.’ Practicing without
understanding is stupid; understanding without practice isnothing but intellectual zen.”
You must understand and practice. Don’t just sit, sit, sit forseveral decades without even understanding the principle ofenlightening your mind.
The Master added, “Since ultimately there is nothing to beattained or certified to, why be attached to sitting in meditation?”
Sutra:
Hsieh Chien said, “When your disciple returns to thecapital, their majesties will surely question him. Will theHigh Master please be compassionate and instruct me on
373

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

the essentials of the mind so that I can transmit them tothe two palaces and to students of the Way at the capital?
It will be like one lamp setting a hundred thousand lamps
burning, making all the darkness endlessly light.”
The Master said, “The Way is without light or
darkness. Light and darkness belong to the principle ofalternation. ‘Endless light’ has an end, too, because suchterms are relative. Therefore the Vimalakirti Sutra says,‘The Dharma is incomparable because it is not relative.’”
Hsieh Chien said, “Light represents wisdom anddarkness represents affliction. If cultivators of the Way
do not use wisdom to expose and destroy affliction, how
can they escape from the birth and death that have no
beginning?”
The Master said, “Affliction is Bodhi; they are not twoand not different. One who uses wisdom to expose anddestroy affliction has the views and understanding of thetwo vehicles and the potential of the sheep and deer carts.
Those of superior wisdom and great roots are completely
different.”
Hsieh Chien said, “What are the views andunderstanding of the Great Vehicle?”
The Master said, “The common person sees light anddarkness as two, but the wise person comprehends that
their nature is non-dual. The non-dual nature is the realnature. The real nature does not decrease in common
people nor increase in worthy sages. In afflictions it is notconfused and in Dhyana concentration it is not still. It isneither cut off nor permanent. It does not come or go. It
is not inside, outside, or in the middle. It is not produced
or destroyed. The nature and mark is ‘thus, thus.’ It374

Chapter IX. Proclamations

permanently dwells and does not change. It is called the‘Way.’”
Commentary:
Hsieh Chien wished for instruction on the essentials of theprinciple of using the mind to seal the mind. He said that the
Patriarch was like a lamp, setting a hundred thousand lamps
burning in the capital: bright, bright limitless light.
The Master said, “You shouldn’t see light and darkness as
different or affliction and Bodhi as different. Affliction and theenlightenment nature are one. Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas
destroy affliction by means of wisdom, but Buddhas andBodhisattvas are completely different from them. Ordinary
people see understanding and ignorance as two, but wise people
know that in essence they are one, not two. That non-dual natureis the real nature. In states of confusion, the real nature is notconfused; in Dhyana concentration, it is not still. It is both still
and moving; it both moves and is still. The nature and mark areboth ‘thus’. We call it the ‘Way.’”
Sutra:
Hsieh Chien said, “How does your explanation of theself-nature as neither produced nor destroyed differ fromthat of other religions?”
The Master answered, “As non-production and nonextinction are explained by other religions, extinction
ends production and production reveals extinction. Their
extinction is not extinction and what they call production
is not production. My explanation of non-production andnon-extinction is this: originally there was no production

375

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

and now there is no extinction. For this reason my
explanation differs from that of other religions.
“If you wish to know the essentials of the mind, simply
do not think of good or evil. You will then enter naturally
the clear, pure substance of the mind, which is deep andpermanently still, and whose wonderful abilities are as
numerous as the sand grains in the Ganges River.”Commentary:
Other religions see production and extinction as two. Theysay that extinction puts an end to production and that production
reveals extinction. Their explanation is not the ultimate one. As
I explain the terms, originally there was no production, and so
now there is no extinction.
The Master continued, “If you would like to know about thewonderful mind-transmission Dharma, the essential points of themind-ground Dharma door, I will tell you: simply do not thinkof good or evil. Then you will spontaneously understand the true
principle and enter into the pure substance of the mind.” Themind-substance is deep and constantly pure and still. Although
it is always still, within its true emptiness there is wonderfulexistence, and its wonderful abilities are innumerable.
Sutra:
Hsieh Chien received this instruction and was
suddenly greatly enlightened. He bowed, took leave, andreturned to the palace to report the Master’s speech.
That year on the third of the ninth month a proclamation
was issued in praise of the Master. It read:“The Master has declined our invitation because ofold age and illness. He cultivates the Way for us and is a376

Chapter IX. Proclamations

field of blessings for the country. The Master is like
Vimalakirti who pleaded illness in Vaishali. He spreads
the great fruit widely, transmitting the Buddha-mind anddiscoursing on the non-dual Dharma.
“Hsieh Chien has conveyed the Master’s instruction,
the knowledge and vision of the Tathagata. It must be due
to accumulated good acts, abundant blessings, and goodroots planted in former lives that we now have met with
the Master when he appears in the world and havesuddenly been enlightened to the Supreme Vehicle. We
are extremely grateful for his kindness which we receivewith bowed heads, and now offer in return a Mo Na robeand crystal bowl as gifts. We order the Magistrate of
Shao Chou to rebuild the temple buildings and convert
the Master’s former dwelling place into a temple to becalled ‘Kuo En,’ (Country’s Kindness).”
Commentary:
Hsieh Chien returned to the capital and submitted a written
report to the empress which set forth the principles the Masterhad discussed with him. The palace then issued a statement inpraise of the Master, saying he was the highest Master in thenation and one of unexcelled cultivation. They said that the Sixth
Patriarch was like the layman Vimalakirti, who was sick in
Vaishali.
“The Master propagates the ‘great fruit,’ the Mahayana
Buddhadharma, and transmits the ‘Buddha-mind,’ the mind-sealof all Buddhas. At Nan Hua Temple he expounds the non-dual
Dharma door, saying that production and extinction are one andthe nature and mark are not two. His knowledge and vision arethat of the Buddha. We must have done a lot of good things inpast lives in order to meet the Master now and suddenly awaken
377

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutrato the wonderful principle of the Supreme Vehicle. We bow to
his teaching every day and hold it respectfully above our heads.”
They offered the Master an expensive robe made of Korean
cloth which had been sent as tribute to the empress. It was apatchwork robe, with a Buddha image embroidered on eachpatch. Some say that the empress embroidered them herself, butthere is no way to know with certainty.

378

CHAPTER X.

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

Sutra:
One day the Master summoned his disciples Fa Hai, Chih
Ch’eng, Fa Ta, Shen Hui, Chih Ch’ang, Chih T’ung,
Chih Ch’e, Chih Tao, Fa Chen and Fa Ju, and said tothem, “You are not like other people. After my passage
into extinction, you should each be a master in a different
direction. I will now teach you how to explain the
Dharma without deviating from the tradition of ourschool.
“First bring up the three classes of Dharma-doors,
and then use the thirty-six pairs of opposites, so that,whether coming or going, you remain in theBodhimandala. While explaining all the dharmas, do not
become separated from your self-nature. Should
someone suddenly ask you about a dharma, answer him
with its opposite. If you always answer with the opposite,both will be eliminated and nothing will be left, since eachdepends on the other for existence.”
Commentary:
One day the Master called his room-entering disciples
together for a talk. They are called room-entering disciples
because they had received the transmission of the Master’s
Dharma and were therefore permitted to enter his room.
379

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The first of the ten was Fa Hai. You remember him. He
edited The Sixth Patriarch Sutra and was a great disciple. He put
his name at the head of the list here because, no matter what, he
had to be number one.
Chih Ch’eng was the Dharma-thief who later reformed andjoined the Master. Fa Ta was the arrogant, Bhikshu who had read
The Lotus Sutra over three thousand times but couldn’t bringhimself to put his head on the ground before the Master evenonce. Shen Hui was the thirteen-year-old child who had talked
back to the Master. There was also Chih Ch’ang, Chih T’ung,
and Chih Ch’e, also known as Flying Cat Chang; Chih Tao, Fa
Chen, and Fa Ju. These were the Master’s ten great disciples.
The Master said, “You ten men should each be a masterteacher in a certain direction and receive offerings there fromhumans and gods. I will now teach you how to spread theDharma without straying from the tradition of our Sudden
Enlightenment Dharma Door Teaching.
“In speaking the Dharma,” the Master went on, “the mostimportant thing is to base your speech on the self-nature. How
does one do this? Suppose someone asks you a question about
the Buddhadharma. Whatever his principle may be, it’s bound tohave an opposite. You should answer him with the opposite
dharma. For example, coming and going are relative concepts.
Without a coming there is no going; without a going there is nocoming. Coming is the prerequisite of going and going can only
result from coming. Since opposites depend upon each other forexistence, ultimately they both will be cast out, canceling eachother out so that nothing is left behind. There will be no coming
and no going, for there will be no place left to go.

380Chapter X. Final Instructions

Sutra:“The three classes of Dharma doors are the heaps, therealms, and the entrances. The five heaps are: form,
feeling, perception, impulses, and consciousness. The
twelve entrances are the six sense objects outside: forms,
sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, and objects of themind, and the six sense organs within: eye, ear, nose,
tongue, body, and mind. The eighteen realms are the six
sense objects, the six sense organs and the six
consciousnesses.
“The self-nature is able to contain all dharmas; it isthe ‘store-enveloping consciousness.’ If one gives rise to athought, it turns into consciousness, and the six
consciousnesses are produced which go out the six organs
and perceive the six sense objects.
“Thus the eighteen realms arise as a function of theself-nature. If the self-nature is wrong, it gives rise toeighteen wrongs; if the self-nature is right it gives rise toeighteen rights. Evil functioning is that of a living being,
while good functioning is that of a Buddha. What is thefunctioning based on? It is based on opposing dharmas
within the self-nature.”
Commentary:
The self-nature includes all dharma doors, and so it is called
the “store-enveloping consciousness.” This is the eighth
consciousness, which may be transformed into the wisdom of
the great perfect mirror. If you give rise to thinking andconsidering, the store–enveloping consciousness turns to theseventh consciousness which in turn produces the six

381

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

consciousnesses which go out the six organs and perceive the six
sense objects.
If you use the self-nature correctly, it is the Buddha-use, but
if you misuse it you are just a living being. How do the different
usages arise? They come from the opposites within the selfnature.
Sutra:“External insentient things have five pairs of
opposites: heaven and earth, sun and moon, light anddarkness, yin and yang, and water and fire.
“In speaking of the marks of dharmas one should
delineate twelve opposites: speech and dharmas,
existence and non-existence, form and formlessness, themarked and the unmarked, the presence of outflows andthe lack of outflows, form and emptiness, motion andstillness, clarity and turbidity, the common and the holy,membership in the Sangha and membership in the laity,
old age and youth, and largeness and smallness.
“From the self-nature nineteen pairs of opposites
arise: length and shortness, deviance and orthodoxy,foolishness and wisdom, stupidity and intelligence,
confusion and concentration, kindness and cruelty,
morality and immorality, straightness and crookedness,reality and unreality, danger and safety, affliction andBodhi, permanence and impermanence, compassion andharm, joy and anger, generosity and stinginess, advanceand retreat, production and extinction, the Dharma-bodyand the Form-body, the Transformation-body and the
Reward-body.”
The Master said, “If you can understand and use
these thirty-six pairs of opposites you can connect382

Chapter X. Final Instructions

yourself with the dharmas of all the Sutras and avoid
extremes, whether coming or going. When you act fromyour self-nature in speaking with others, you are separate
from external marks while in the midst of them andseparate from inward emptiness while in the midst of
emptiness. If you are attached to marks, you will add toyour wrong views and if you grasp at emptiness, you will
increase your ignorance.”
Commentary:“Opposite” means mutually dependent and mutually
opposed. Nineteen opposites arise as a function of the truesuchness self-nature. For example, if there was no long, there
would be no short. Long is the opposite of short and short is the
opposite of long. Long and short are relative terms and between
them is the Middle Way.
Kindness bestows happiness and is the opposite of cruelty.
Morality and immorality are opposites. Morality is the practiceof all good actions and the absence of all evil. Compassion pulls
living beings out of suffering and is the opposite of harmfulness.
Generosity means giving; if you can give, you are not stingy.
The Dharma-body pervades all places and is the opposite of theform-body.
Sutra:“Those who grasp at emptiness slander the Sutras bymaintaining that written words have no use. Since they
maintain they have no need of written words, they should
not speak either, because written words are merely themarks of spoken language. They also maintain that thedirect way cannot be established by written words, and383

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

yet these two words, ‘not established’ are themselves
written.
“When they hear others speaking, they slander themby saying that they are attached to written words. You
should know that to be confused as they are may bepermissible, but to slander the Buddha’s Sutras is not. Do
not slander the Sutras for if you do, your offense will
create countless obstacles for you.
“One who attaches himself to external marks andpractices dharmas in search of truth, or who builds many
Bodhimandalas and speaks of the error and evil ofexistence and non-existence will not see his nature formany eons.
“Listen to the Dharma and cultivate accordingly. Do
not think of the hundred things, for that will obstruct thenature of the Way. Listening without cultivating willcause others to form deviant views. Simply cultivate
according to the Dharma, and do not dwell in marks
when bestowing it.”Commentary:
People who are attached to emptiness say that they don’t
need anything at all. They say that it isn’t necessary to study theSutras. They say that they don’t use written words.
“Everything’s empty,” they say, don’t use words. Words arenothing but an attachment to marks! If that is so, then nobody
should even speak, because written words are simply the visible
manifestation of spoken language.
They also say, “The direct mind is the Bodhimandala. Do not
set up written words.” But unless you quit speaking altogether,you still have language, and the phrase “do not set up” is itself
made up of words.
384

Chapter X. Final Instructions“Your own confusion is your own business,” the Master
adds, “but do not slander the Buddha’s Sutras. You should notrefrain from thinking, for if you do, you fall into a useless, dullkind of emptiness. You should cultivate in the way I have
instructed you. Do not become attached to appearances.
Sutra:“If you understand, then speak accordingly, function
accordingly, practice accordingly, and act accordingly,
and you will not stray from the basis of our school.
“If someone asks you about a meaning, and thequestion is about existence, answer with non-existence; if
you are asked about non-existence, answer withexistence; asked about the common life, answer with theholy life; asked about the holy life, answer with thecommon life. Since in each case the two principles areinterdependent, the meaning of the Middle Way will arise
between them. If you answer every question with an
opposite, you will not stray from the basic principle.
“Suppose someone asks, ‘What is darkness?’ You
should answer, ‘Brightness is the cause and darkness thecondition. When there is no brightness, there is darkness.
Brightness reveals darkness and darkness reveals
brightness.’ Since opposites are interdependent, theprinciple of the Middle Way is established.
“Answer every question that way, and in the future,when you transmit the Dharma, transmit it in the way I
am instructing you. Then you will not stray from thetradition of our school.”

385

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Commentary:
If you answer every question with an opposite dharma, youwill not deviate from the basic principle of the Sudden
Enlightenment doctrine.
Sutra:In the seventh month of the year Jen Tsu, the firstyear of the T’ai Chi and Yen Ho reigns (ca 712 A.D.), theMaster sent his disciples to Hsin Chou to build a pagoda
at Kuo En Temple. He ordered them to hurry the work
and it was completed by the end of the summer of thefollowing year.
Commentary:
During the cyclical year Jen Tsu, the reign was renamed
twice. In the fifth month it was changed from T’ai Chi to Yen
Ho. In the seventh month the emperor abdicated in favor of his
son and in the eighth month the reign was renamed Hsien T’ien.
Hsin Chou was the Master’s homeland. His disciples built apagoda there so that the Master’s body might rest in it after his
death.
Sutra:On the first day of the seventh month he gathered his
disciples together and said, “In the eighth month I wish toleave this world. Those of you with doubts should ask
about them soon so that I may resolve them for you andput an end to your confusion, because when I am gone
there will be no one to teach you.”
Hearing this, Fa Hai and the others wept. Only Shen
Hui was unmoved and did not cry. The Master said,
386

Chapter X. Final Instructions“Little Master Shen Hui has attained to the equality ofgood and evil. He is not moved by blame or praise anddoes not feel sadness or joy. None of the rest of you haveattained that. All these years on the mountain–how haveyou been cultivating?
“Now you cry. Who are you worrying about? Are you
worrying that I don’t know where I’m going? I know
where I’m going. If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have beenable to tell you about it in advance. No doubt you arecrying because you don’t know where I am going, but if
you knew you wouldn’t need to cry. Originally the
Dharma nature is not produced or extinguished; it does
not come or go.”Commentary:
The Great Master rang the bell and beat the drum. The soundrang out, summoning all of his disciples to his side. “Payattention!” he said. “In the eighth month of this year I am going
to leave this world.”
Then here he is again! Fa Hai–number one! He didn’t evenlist the names of the other disciples; he just said, “Fa Hai and theothers.”
They all wept. Their eyes ran with tears and their noses ran
with snot, just like children who have lost their mother and haveno milk to drink. “Waaah! Waaah!” They cried like babies.
Some of them cried in secret, some cried openly, and some fakedtears, fearing it would be bad manners not to cry along witheveryone else. There was both truth and falsehood in thesituation; it was exactly like a play.
But the youngest of the babies did not cry. Was it because he
was too young to understand or care that he was about to lose hismother, or in this case, his teacher? Was it that?
387

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

No. Shen Hui was young in years, but old in wisdom. He
understood the principle of not moving in any state. Mencius
was forty years old before he reached that level. With anunmoving mind,
They praise: you are not pleased;
They scold: you are not annoyed.
They say you work hard, you are not moved.
They say you are lazy: no matter what
You are not moved.
However, when you are really being lazy and someone
scolds you, you can’t say, “I have samadhi. He doesn’t botherme at all.” You must have a true unmoving mind, like that oflittle Shen Hui.
The Sixth Patriarch called Shen Hui “Little Master.” In thefirst ten years after taking precepts one is called a “little master,”or “junior-seated.” From ten to twenty years one is “middleseated” and from twenty to thirty years one is “senior seated.”“Little Master Shen Hui is better than all of you,” the Master
said, “because he doesn’t have a discriminating mind. He has
truly turned his consciousness into wisdom.”
Shen Hui was not moved by praise or blame. “That Dharma
Master does not cultivate! All he does is run after women.”
Criticism like that didn’t bother him. “He really works hard. Not
only does he not sleep, he doesn’t even lie down. And he only
eats once a day. Such austerity!” Praise like that didn’t affecthim either.
If you don’t react, then people can slander you but it’s as if
nothing happened. “You’re a pig,” they may say. “Fine,” youanswer, “I’m a pig. No problem.” If you don’t react, then they
can praise you and it doesn’t matter either. “You have both
virtue and learning,” they may say, but you pay no attention.
388

Chapter X. Final Instructions

If you are pleased when someone praises your learning, thenyou really have no learning at all. If you get angry whensomeone scolds you, you have been influenced by an outsidestate. To be unmoved by any state is to neither grasp nor reject,neither love nor hate.
You can tell Little Master Shen Hui that he is good, but hewill not be happy; you can tell him he is bad, but he will not get
angry. He has no thoughts of misery or delight. There truly iscomplete understanding of the Middle Way. Rare indeed!
“You old ones,” the Master said, “you middle-aged ones,
none of you passes. None of you has out-waited the fire.”
When anger sets you ablaze, you should think, “Wait. Wait aminute. Wait a minute and then get angry.” Then you wait, andyour anger disappears. That is called “out-waiting the fire.” If
you don’t wait, the fire burns, but if you can wait, it will die out.
When steel is red hot, you can shape it into a vessel. But
unless you wait for the fire to burn it red hot, you can’t mold themetal; you haven’t out-waited the fire.
“You have been on the mountain for so many years,” said theMaster. “What have you been doing all this time? Huh? You
hear that I am going to complete the stillness and you cry likebabies; you’re all worthless. How have you been cultivating? Byeating and sleeping! Are you upset because you think I don’tknow where I’m going? I will tell you something! I do know. Of
course I know! There is no reason for you to worry about me. I
can take care of myself:
No big, no small,No within or without;
You cultivate, you understand:
You make the arrangements yourself.”

389

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:“All of you sit down, and I will recite a verse called‘The True-False Motion-Stillness Verse.’ If you take it up
and recite it, you will be of the same mind as I am. If you
rely on it to cultivate, you will not stray from the true
principle of our school.”
The assembly bowed and begged the Master to recite
the verse.
There is nothing true in anything,
So don’t view anything as true.
If you view anything as true,Your view will be completely false.
You can know what is true by yourself.
Being apart from the false is the truth of the mind.
When your own mind is not apart from the false
And lacks the truth, then where is the truth?
Commentary:“Now don’t be nervous,” the Master said. “Sit down anddon’t jump around. Don’t cry right in front of me like that.
Really, you are undisciplined disciples. Listen to my verse. It
discusses the true and the false and the principles of motion andstillness. If you can understand it and bear it in mind, you won’t
deviate from the Sudden Teaching.”“Turn the light around,” said the Master. “Shine it inside atyour own self-nature, and you can know the truth. To find yourtrue mind is simply to separate yourself from all the false forms
and images of this world. If there is no truth within your own
mind, where will you find the truth? The truth is not apart fromthe self-nature; apart from the self-nature there is no truth.”390

Chapter X. Final Instructions

Sutra:
Sentient beings understand motion.
Insentient beings do not move.
If you cultivate the work of non-movement,
Like insentient beings, you will not move.
If you seek the true non-movement,
In movement, there is non-movement.
Non-movement is non-movement, but
Things without sentience lack the Buddha-seed.
Fully able to discriminate among marks,
But unmoving in the primary meaning:
The very act of viewing in this way,
Itself is the function of true suchness.
Commentary:
Do not seek non-movement apart from movement, for it isjust within movement that stillness can be found. All sentient
beings move, but if you can be still while remaining sentient, thatis true non-movement. If, as a sentient being, you are able toclearly distinguish the marks of all dharmas, not with yourconsciousness but with wisdom, you can give proof to theattainment of the substantive principle of your self-nature andachieve the ultimate state. That is true, proper non-movement.
Sutra:
I tell you, students of the Way,
Apply your minds with effort and take care,
At the gate of the Great Vehicle
Do not grasp the wisdom of birth and death.
391

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

If there is response at these words,
Then let us discuss the Buddha’s meaning
together.
If there is no response,
Join your hands together and make others glad.
The basis of this school is non-contention.
Contention is not the meaning of the Way.
For in grasping at the Dharma doors ofcontradiction and contention,
The self-nature enters birth and death.
Commentary:
You are face to face with the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma;
do not continue to grasp at your understanding which binds you
up in birth and death, at the kind of wisdom that is still attachedto marks. If you can’t understand what I am trying to tell you,then put your hands together to please living beings. My schoolof Sudden Enlightenment is based on the cultivation of thepatience of unproduced Dharmas. There should be no debating.
When you argue with others you lose the meaning of the Way.
Debating, the thoughts of victory and defeat
Stand in contradiction to the Way.
Giving rise to the four-mark mind,
How can samadhi be obtained?
If you insist on arguing, your self-nature won’t escape therevolving wheel. Giving rise to the marks of a self, others, living
beings, and a life, you will certainly continue to undergo birthand death.
392

Chapter X. Final Instructions

Sutra:
When the followers heard this verse, they understoodits meaning and bowed down before the Master. They
made up their minds to practice in accord with the
Dharma and not to argue, knowing that the Great Masterwould not remain long in the world.
The Senior Seated Fa Hai bowed again and asked,“After the High Master enters extinction, who will inherit
the robe and Dharma?”
Commentary:
Fa Hai never forgets himself. No doubt he wanted the robeand bowl for himself.
Sutra:The Master said, “Since the time I lectured on the
Dharma in the Ta Fan Temple, transcriptions of mylectures have been circulated. They are to be called The
Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra. Protect and transmit themin order to take humankind across. If you speak
according to them, you will be speaking the Orthodox
Dharma. I will explain the Dharma to you, but I will nottransmit the robe, because your roots of faith are pureand ripe. You certainly have no doubts and are worthy of
the great Work. According to the meaning of thetransmission verse of the First Patriarch Bodhidharma,
the robe should not be transmitted. His verse said,
Originally I came to this land,
Transmitting Dharma, saving living beings.

393

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

One flower opens; five petals and
The fruit comes to bear of itself.”
Commentary:
The students didn’t have tape-recorders as we do, so theywrote down their notes with brush and ink and compared themamong themselves.
“You should take good care of these lectures,” the Mastersaid. “They are Dharma jewels. Print and distribute them and sotake living beings across. I know that you all believe in me, andso I don’t need to transmit the robe. Besides, the Great Master
Bodhidharma said that beginning with the Sixth Patriarch therobe should not be transmitted. He said, ‘I originally came to
China in order to transmit the right Dharma and take across allthese confused living beings. From me, this one flower, in the
future five petals will open–the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth andSixth Patriarchs. And the fruit will come to bear of itself; that is,there will be no need to transmit the robe. Transmitting theDharma will suffice.’This is why the Fifth Patriarch told the Sixth Patriarch, “As
the robe is a source of contention, do not transmit it. Should you
continue to transmit it, your life will hang by a thread.”“The fruit comes to bear of itself.” You should know that thefruit which ripens in this line is just all of you who have taken
refuge with me. The first character of your Dharma-names is“Kuo” and it means “fruit” or “result.” So don’t forget to ripen.
All of you should ripen right away. Most importantly don’t
be lazy! Bodhidharma gave you all predictions long ago. The
Sixth Patriarch himself said, “The Bodhi fruit accomplishes
itself.” They both knew that, in the future, there would be all ofyou disciples in America with the first name “Kuo,” fruit. The
394

Chapter X. Final Instructions

fruit they spoke of is just all of you. That fruit is you; you are thatfruit. The two are one.
Sutra:The Master added, “All of you Good Knowing
Advisors should purify your minds and listen to my
explanation of the Dharma. If you wish to realize allknowledge, you must understand the Samadhi of One
Mark and the Samadhi of One Conduct.
“If you do not dwell in marks anywhere and do notgive rise to hate or love, do not grasp or reject, and do not
calculate advantage or disadvantage, production anddestruction while in the midst of marks, but instead
remain tranquil, calm, and yielding, then you will haveachieved the Samadhi of One Mark.
“In all places, whether walking, standing, sitting, orlying down, to maintain a straight and uniform mind, toattain the unmoving Bodhimanda and the true
realization of the Pure Land. That is called the Samadhi
of One Conduct.”Commentary:“Wash your minds clean,” said the Master, “and get rid of
greed, hate, and delusion. If you wish to realize all knowledge,
you need to understand the Samadhi of One Mark, which
consists in not dwelling in marks, and the Samadhi of One
Conduct, which consists in not dwelling in conduct.
The Samadhi of One Mark: whether you are in a good place
or a bad place, whether moving or still, do not dwell in marks.
While in the midst of marks, do not give rise to dislike or tofondness.
395

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Neither love nor hate
Should move the mind;
The mind should not
Grasp or reject.
If you have a thought of love, you will grasp at the object of yourdesire. The twelve conditioned causes say, “love conditions
grasping, grasping conditions existence...”To reject means to cast away. If you hate something then you
reject it. Love and hate cause grasping and rejecting. Do not
calculate advantage and disadvantage. If you think, “What’s in it
for me?” you are just being greedy, self-seeking, and impure. Do
you understand? You should not have such thoughts.
You should remain tranquil, with nothing at all to do, andcalm, like water without waves. “No waves” means noafflictions, no love, no hate, no grasping, no rejecting, noadvantage, no disadvantage, no success and no failure. You
should be yielding, like empty space. Take a look: everythingcomes from empty space and yet empty space does nothing at
all. It does not set itself up as boss and say, “Go be born! Go
die!” Everything is born and dies within it, undergoingtransformations in a most natural way without the slightest
difficulty. Yield and be flexible. If you are flexible thenwhatever happens just happens. That’s the way it is. There is no
greed, hatred, or delusion; there is nothing at all. With few
wants, one is content, being without longing or self-seeking.
It is no use to think, “Wait until my book gets published. I
will be a famous scholar.”
You may want to do something strange to make the worldtake notice of you; but you should not have such ideas. You
should decrease your desires, no matter what they are, andalways be content.
396

Chapter X. Final Instructions

Knowing enough, you’re always happy.
Able to be patient, you’re at peace.
If you can be tranquil, calm, and yielding, and leave marks
while in the midst of them, if you can transcend the dust while inthe dust, just that is the Samadhi of One Mark.
The Samadhi of One Conduct: no matter where you are, in agood place, a bad place, a wholesome place, an unwholesome
place, a right place, a wrong place–walking, standing, sitting or
lying down–maintain a direct mind. The direct mind is theBodhimandala. Students of the Buddhadharma should not be
devious. Be direct in your thoughts, words, and deeds. Speak
your mind; don’t think east and speak west. The straight mind is
the Bodhimandala. If the cause is not straight, the result will becrooked. Your mind should be uniform and of one purity. You
who cultivate the Way: toward others, toward yourself, toward
everything, be straightforward. Don’t try to trick people out of
their money, no matter how poor you are. If you borrow a little
money and return it right away, you have not lost the virtue of agentleman, but if you borrow and don’t return it, your position isvery low.
Be an unmoving Bodhimandala with a straightforward mind,
for that is the realization of the Pure Land and is called theSamadhi of One Conduct.
Sutra:“One who perfects the two samadhis is like earth inwhich seeds are planted; buried in the ground, they are
nourished and grow, ripening and bearing fruit. The One
Mark and One Conduct are just like that.
“I now speak the Dharma which is like the falling of
the timely rain, moistening the great earth. Your
397

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Buddha-nature is like the seeds which, receivingmoisture, will sprout and grow. Those who receive myteaching will surely obtain Bodhi and those who practice
my conduct will certainly certify to the wonderful fruit.
Listen to my verse:
The mind-ground contains every seed;
Under the universal rain they all sprout
Flower and feeling–Sudden Enlightenment:
The Bodhi-fruit accomplishes itself.”
After speaking the verse the Master said, “Dharma is
not dual nor is the mind, and the Way is pure and without
marks. All of you take care not to contemplate stillness or
empty the mind. The mind is basically pure and does not
grasp or reject anything. Each of you work hard, and go
well, in harmony with circumstances.”
At that time, his followers made obeisance andwithdrew.
Commentary:
The timely rain falls just when it is needed. If it falls too soon,
it may drown the crops, and if it comes too late, they may witherand die. The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma is like the timely rain
which moistens all of the great earth. Your own inherent
Buddha-nature is like seeds which receive the moisture andflourish ripening into Bodhi-fruits. The Bodhi-sprouts become
Bodhi-fruits.
The Master went on, “You who understand my doctrine arecertain to obtain Bodhi. If you cultivate according to thismethod, you will surely obtain the wonderful Bodhi-fruit. Now
that I have spoken so much Dharma for you, you are probably all
398

Chapter X. Final Instructions

flustered, so pay attention while I speak this verse. Purify yourminds!
Your self-nature contains every seed;
At the timely rain they all sprout.
When sentient beings suddenly enlighten,
The Flower opens, the fruit is ripened.
And the Bodhi-fruit accomplishes itself.
The wonderful fruit of Bodhi ripens of itself. Bodhidharma
said, “The fruit comes to bear of itself,” and the Sixth Patriarchsaid, “The Bodhi fruit accomplishes itself.” They were speakingof all of you who have the Dharma name “Kuo” (fruit). You
should ripen throughout the world. All places should reap thisfruit. What fruit? The Bodhi-fruit. The Sixth Patriarch was afraidthat you might not have understood and so he spoke it veryclearly. “The Bodhi fruit accomplishes itself.” You should all
ripen on your own. I cannot help you. If you don’t ripen you are
just cheating yourselves. So ripen!
Isn’t this strange? Your Dharma names all begin with theword “fruit,” and our School’s transmission verse says also:
Contemplating, cultivating theever blissful fruit;
Personally transmitting theunconditioned teaching.
In the future all of you will personally transmit theunconditioned teaching.
The Master went on, “My Sudden Enlightenment Dharma
door is not two, it is one. What is the one? It is just the Sudden
Teaching. The mind is not two either; therefore it should returnto the one. The Way we cultivate is pure and without marks.
399

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra“Although it is without marks, don’t make the mistake ofcontemplating stillness because that is just another attachment.
Do not loiter in dull emptiness either, because the mind of living
beings is naturally and fundamentally pure. The original
substance of the mind is pure and immaculate, without graspingor rejecting.
“Work hard, all of you. Go forward and don’t be lazy. Go
where circumstances take you and build Bodhimandalas. Be
good, cultivate good conduct and work hard.”
Sutra:On the eighth day of the seventh month, the Mastersuddenly said to his disciples, “I wish to return to Hsin
Chou. Quickly ready a boat and oars.”
The great assembly entreated him earnestly to stay,
but the Master said, “All Buddhas appear in the world
and then are seen to enter Nirvana. This body of minemust return somewhere.”
The assembly said, “Master, you are leaving, butsooner or later you will return.”
The Master said, “Falling leaves return to the root.
There was no day on which I came.”
They further asked, “Who has received thetransmission of the Right Dharma-eye Treasury?”
The Master said, “The one who has the Way obtains
it; the one without a mind penetrates it.”Commentary:“Patriarch,” said the assembly, “you are leaving now, but wecan’t believe that you will enter Nirvana. Sooner or later you will
come back, won’t you?”400

Chapter X. Final Instructions

The Master said, “Just as leaves fall and return to the root of
the trees, I must go. Besides, there was no day on which I came.”
The Chinese text reads, “When I came I had no mouth,” butthis is a misprint for the word “day.” However, you can also
explain it as, “When I came I had no mouth.” On the day when
the Patriarch came into this world, he had no mouth; that is, he
had no words. He did not speak Dharma when he came and he
did not speak Dharma when he left; coming and going he did not
speak Dharma. The Dharma does not increase or decrease andalthough he spoke Dharma for so many years, he never spoke
Dharma at all.
There are no fixed Dharmas. You can explain it any way you
wish, as long as you are in accord with principle. But if you don’t
explain it correctly, you can explain your listeners right into thehells, and that is taking the unfixed Dharma too far.
The Patriarch’s disciples, unable to bear the thought of their
Master’s imminent departure, tried to delay him with questions
until the Master, in exasperation, probably decided that they
were just too much trouble. “I’m getting out of here,” heprobably thought.
The “Right Dharma-eye Treasury” refers to the robe andbowl. So many disciples, and yet not one of them knew who hadreceived the Dharma transmission. If they hadn’t been greedy
for it themselves, they wouldn’t have asked this question. Whyelse would they be “standing by the river and gazing out into thesea?” If you weren’t longing for the sea, why would you bestanding there? Everyone thought the robe and bowl was
extremely important, but the Sixth Patriarch was not a businessman. If he had been, at $65.00 a transmission, he could havemade a lot of money.
“Who got the transmission? The one who has the Way
obtains it; the one without a mind penetrates it. Whoever has no401

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

self-seeking mind understands my Dharma, because he has
obtained the Samadhis of the One Mark and the One Conduct.”
The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma is to be found in these verses
and these principles, and if you cultivate according to them you
will obtain his Dharma.
Sutra:
They further asked, “In the future, there won’t be any
difficulties, will there?
The Master said, “Five or six years after myextinction, a man will come to take my head. Listen to myverse:
Offerings to the parents with bowed head.
There must be food in the mouth.
When the difficulty of ‘Man’ is met,
The officials will be Yang and Liu.
Commentary:
Remembering the demonic difficulties which had beset the
Master during his lifetime–assassination attempts, arson,
thievery, and spying–the Master’s disciples wondered what
would happen when he was gone.
I know that the Sutra does not record all of the hardships the
Master underwent. There were at least six attempts made to steal
the robe and bowl and the thieves were armed and prepared tokill the Master, if necessary. So his disciples asked hopefully,“There won’t be any difficulties like that in the future, will
there? No one will want to kill us, will they? Will they try to kill
us instead of you?”402Chapter X. Final Instructions

While he was alive, they tried to take his life. After his death,they tried to steal his head. In those days it wasn’t easy to be
Patriarch. It’s not so difficult today, however, so don’t retreat.
The Sixth Patriarch’s verse was a prophecy. No one
understood it at the time, but later it came true. Five or six years
after the Master’s death, a Korean monk named Chin Ta Pei
hired Chan Ching Man of Hung Chou to steal the Patriarch’s
head and bring it back to Korea so that he could make offerings
to it.
Chan Ching Man was poor and hungry and so he took themoney because “there must be food in the mouth.” The Koreanmonk was no doubt very rich.
At the time of the “difficulty” of Chan Chin “Man,” theMagistrate was named Liu T’ien and the Governor was named
Yang K’an.
The flesh-body of the Patriarch was housed in the pagoda.
Having heard the Master’s prediction, his disciples had boundhis neck with sheets of iron for protection. Chan Ching Man
chopped at it with his knife, but he wasn’t able to remove theMaster’s head. He made a lot of noise, and when the Bhikshus
came running to catch him they saw a man wearing whitemourning clothes run from the pagoda. The Bhikshus reported
the incident to the police and within five days the thief wasarrested and brought to Nan Hua Temple to be tried.
“Why did you try to steal the Sixth Patriarch’s head?” they
asked.
“A Korean monk paid me to do it,” he said, “and I was
hungry, so I took his money.”
The Magistrate turned to the Master’s disciple Ling T’ao andsaid, “What do we do now?”403

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Ling T’ao said, “According to the law, he deserves to die, but
in the Buddha’s teaching there are no friends or enemies.
Besides, the Master predicted this would happen. Let him go.”
“The Buddha’s gate is indeed wide,” said the Magistrate, andhe set the criminal free.
Sutra:The Master also said, “Seventy years after mydeparture, two Bodhisattvas, one who has left home and
one who is a layman will simultaneously come from theeast to propagate and transform. They will establish my
School, build and restore monasteries, and glorify the
Dharma for its heirs.”
Commentary:
The Bodhisattva who had left home was Patriarch Ma Tsu
Tao I. He built many monasteries in China. It is said, “Ma Tsu
built the temples and Pai Chang wrote the rules.” Pai Chang was
Ma Tsu’s Dharma successor.
The Bodhisattva who had not left home was P’ang Yün, theenlightened layman. His entire family was enlightened, wife,
daughter, and son, and they all went to Nirvana. Layman P’ang
had been incredibly wealthy, but he built a big boat one day, put
all of his money in it, sailed out to sea, and dumped it overboard.
Some say that the two Bodhisattvas are Dhyana Master
Huang Po and layman P’ei Hsiu. You may explain it any way
you like, as long as you pick two people: a monk and a layman.
Layman P’ang gave all his money as a gift to use for
remodeling the Dragon Palace at the bottom of the sea. He
returned to his home and took up a lowly occupation, and in the404

Chapter X. Final Instructions

midst of their bitter poverty, the P’ang family cultivated theWay.
One day, Mr. P’ang sighed,It’s hard, it’s hard
It’s really just as hard as putting seeds
On all the leaves
Of trees in the yard.
“What do you know, old man?” said Mrs. P’ang. “It’s not
hard at all. In fact,
It’s easy, it’s easyIt’s easy, because I findOn the tip of every blade of grass
The Patriarch’s mind.”
She thought it was easy and he thought it was hard. Then theirlittle daughter came and disagreed with both of them:
It’s not easy,It’s not hard;
I eat when I’m hungry andI sleep when I’m tired!
“There’s nothing to it!” she said.
Although Mr. P’ang was married, he and his wife were likegood friends and did not carry on like ordinary men and women.
As a consequence, they became enlightened. Lay people should
all imitate their inconceivable purity.

405

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:
The assembly made obeisance again and asked, “Will
you please let us know for how many generations theteaching has been transmitted since the first Buddhas
and Patriarchs appeared in the world?”
The Master said, “The Buddhas of antiquity who have
responded to appear in the world are numberless anduncountable.”
Commentary:“Their number is incalculable,” said the Master. “Besides, I
never learned to read or write and I’m not very good atarithmetic. So let’s not count them.”
Sutra:“But now I will begin with the last seven Buddhas. In
the Past ‘Adorned Eon’ there were Vipashyin Buddha,
Shikhin Buddha, and Vishvabhu Buddha. In the present‘Worthy Eon’ there have been Krakucchanda Buddha,
Kanakamuni Buddha, Kashyapa Buddha, andShakyamuni Buddha.”
Commentary:
In the Adorned Eon (Alamkarakalpa) a thousand Buddhas
appeared in the world. The 998th Buddha of that kalpa was
Vipashyin Buddha. His name means “Victorious
Contemplation,” “Every Kind of Contemplation,” “Victorious
View,” or “Every Kind of View.” If you just remember“Vipashyin Buddha” that will do for general purposes.
“Shikhin Buddha.” Shikhin is translated as “fire.”“Vishvabhu Buddha” was the last Buddha of the Adorned Eon.
406

Chapter X. Final Instructions

We are now living in the Worthy Eon (Bhadrakalpa), socalled because many worthy sages will appear during it.
Of the thousand Buddhas of this eon, Krakucchanda Buddha
was the first. His name means “Worthy of Offerings,” because
he should receive the offerings of humans and gods. His namealso means “Adornment.”
The second Buddha was Kanakamuni, the third, Kashyapa,
and the fourth, Shakyamuni. These are the most recent Buddhas.
Sutra:“From Shakyamuni Buddha, the transmission went
to Arya Mahakashyapa, Arya Ananda, Arya
Sanakavasa, Arya Upagupta, Arya Dhrtaka, Arya
Miccaka, Arya Vasumitra, Arya Buddhanandi, Arya
Buddhamitra, Arya Parshva...”Commentary:
Shakyamuni Buddha, in the midst of the millions of humans
and gods who were circumambulating him, picked up a flower
and Mahakashyapa, the First Patriarch, had to smile. No one
knew what was happening when Shakyamuni Buddha said, “I
have the Right Dharma-eye Treasury, the wonderful mind of
Nirvana, the real mark, which is unmarked. This is the mind-tomind transmission, transmitted outside the teaching. I havealready given it to Mahakashyapa in mind-to-mindtransmission.”
The Third Patriarch, the Venerable Sanakavasa, was born
wearing clothes, and as he grew, his clothes grew along withhim. After he left home under Arya Ananda, his clothes changed
into a great Samghati robe. Just before he died, he said, “This407

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutrarobe will not decay until Shakyamuni Buddha’s Dharma iscompletely extinguished.”
The Tenth Patriarch, Arya Parshva, lived in his mother’swomb for more than sixty years. He was born with white hairand a white beard, just like Lao Tzu in China.
Lao Tzu lived in his mother’s womb for eighty-one years andwas born with white hair and a long white beard. They named
him “Lao Tzu” which means “Old Child,” but he was actually areincarnation of Mahakashyapa. He was reborn in China because
Shakyamuni Buddha had noticed that the Chinese had goodkarmic roots. Most of them did not believe in the Buddha,
however, so Mahakashyapa was sent to China to found thereligion of Taoism, which is the same as the Brahman religion ofIndia and which cultivates purity of conduct.
Arya Parshva, the Tenth Patriarch, was born with a liking for
cultivation. When he met the Ninth Patriarch, Buddhamitra, heleft home and the Dharma door of the Buddha’s mind-seal wastransmitted to him.
Sutra:“...Arya Punyayashas, Mahasattva Ashvaghosha,
Arya Kapimala, Mahasattva Nagarjuna, Arya
Kanadeva, Arya Rahulata, Arya Sanghanandi, Arya
Gayashata...”Commentary:
When the Eleventh Patriarch, Punyayashas, met Parshva heasked him, “How can I realize Buddhahood?”
Parshva said, “You wish to realize Buddhahood? It is justyour present non-realization.”

408

Chapter X. Final Instructions

Punyayashas said, “You say that my present non-realizationis the Buddha, but how can I know that?”
Parshva replied, “How can you know that your present nonrealization is not the Buddha?”With that question and that answer, Punyayashas became
enlightened and received the Dharma transmission. Later on, he
met the Great Master Ashvaghosha, the Eleventh Patriarch.
Mahasattva Ashvaghosha was extremely intelligent.
Punyayashas knew that Ashvaghosha’s conditions were ripe–he
was ready to become the twelfth Patriarch. When Punyayashas
went to teach him, Ashvaghosha asked, “How can I know the
Buddha?’”Punyayashas said, “You wish to know the Buddha? He is justyour not knowing.”
Ashvaghosha said, “Not knowing the Buddha, how can I
know that my not knowing is the Buddha?”
Punyayashas said, “If you do not know the Buddha, how can
you know that your not knowing is not the Buddha?”
Ashvaghosha said, “Ah! So this is the meaning of sawing!
You say this and I say that, and we hack at the principle likesawing through a piece of wood.”
Punyayashas replied, “Ah! So that is the meaning of wood!
But what is the meaning of sawing?”
Ashvaghosha said, “It’s just what you are! And what is themeaning of wood?”
Punyayashas said, “You have just been sawed open by me;
you have just been liberated by me.”Ashvaghosha was instantaneously enlightened. He left
home, received the transmission, and became the Twelfth
Patriarch. He was called Ashvaghosha, “horse cry,” because
when he spoke the Dharma all the horses cried out. He was a
Mahasattva, that is, a “great being,” a great Bodhisattva.
409

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, the Fourteenth Patriarch, is the one
who went to the Dragon Palace and brought back the
Avatamsaka Sutra. He was very, very wise.
Sanghanandi, the Seventeenth Patriarch, asked Gayashata,
the Eighteenth Patriarch, “How old are you?”
The child replied, “I’m one hundred years old.”“But you’re so young,” said the Patriarch, “how can you bea hundred years old?”“If I were a hundred years old and did not understand theBuddhadharma, I would not be as good as a one-day-old baby
who did.”
Hearing such an intelligent answer, the Seventeenth
Patriarch let the child leave the home life under him and latertransmitted the Dharma to him.
Sutra:“...Arya Kumarata, Arya Jayata, Arya Vasubandhu,
Arya Manorhita, Arya Haklena, Arya Aryasimha, Arya
Basiasita, Arya Punyamitra, Arya Prajnatara, Arya
Bodhidharma, Great Master Hui K’o, Great Master
Seng Ts’an, Great Master Tao Hsin, Great Master HungJen, and I, Hui Neng, am the Thirty-Third Patriarch.
Thus the transmission has been handed down frompatriarch to patriarch. In the future transmit it
accordingly from generation to generation. Do not allow
it to become extinct.”
The assembly heard and faithfully accepted what the
Master had said, bowed, and withdrew.

410

Chapter X. Final Instructions

Commentary:
Aryasimha, the Twenty-Fourth Patriarch, was a native ofCentral India. In his practice of the Buddhadharma, he traveled
to Kashmir. The King of Kashmir did not believe in the Buddha,
but instead followed two non-Buddhist leaders who were intent
on destroying Buddhism. As Bhikshus were not allowed within
the country, the King demanded of Aryasimha, “Have you ended
birth and death?”
Aryasimha wanted to convert the King. “I have ended it,” heanswered.
“The Buddha’s teaching says that practicing the Bodhisattva
way, you must give up your head, your eyes, your brains, andyour blood. You must give up whatever someone happens toneed. Now, I need your head. Give it to me! Since you haveended birth and death, you must give me your head. Can you do
it?”“I don’t even have birth or death,” said Aryasimha. “Whatdoes it matter if I lose my head? It’s yours. Take it.”
The King sliced off Aryasimha’s head but instead of blood,a milky white fluid ran out of his neck. The King’s arm fell to theground. No one cut it off; it fell off by itself because he had
murdered an Arhat. The King then put the two leaders of the
non-Buddhist religion to death, but there was nothing special
about their executions. They bled just like everyone else. The
King prohibited their non-Buddhist religion and spread theBuddhadharma widely.
Sutra:On the third day of the eighth month of the year Kuei
Ch’ou, the second year of the Hsien T’ien reign(A.A. 713), after a meal in Kuo En Temple, the Master
411

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

said, “Each of you take your seat, for I am going to say
goodbye.”Fa Hai said, “What teaching dharma will the High
Master leave behind so that confused people can be led tosee the Buddha-nature?”
The Master said, “All of you please listen carefully. If
those of future generations recognize living beings, they
will have perceived the Buddha-nature. If they do notrecognize living beings, they may seek the Buddha
throughout many eons, but he will be difficult to meet.
“I will now teach you how to recognize the living
beings within your mind and how to see the Buddhanature there. If you wish to see the Buddha, simply
recognize living beings, for it is living beings who are
confused about the Buddha and not the Buddha who isconfused about living beings.
“When enlightened to the self-nature, the living being
is a Buddha. If confused about the self-nature, theBuddha is a living being. When the self-nature is
impartial, the living being is the Buddha. When the selfnature is biased, the Buddha is a living being.
“If your thoughts are devious and malicious, theBuddha dwells within the living being, but by means of
one impartial thought, the living being becomes a
Buddha. Our minds have their own Buddha and that
Buddha is the true Buddha. If the mind does not have its
own Buddha, where can the true Buddha be sought?
Your own minds are the Buddha; have no further doubts.
Nothing can be established outside the mind, for theoriginal mind produces the ten thousand dharmas.
Therefore the Sutras say, ‘The mind produced, all412

Chapter X. Final Instructions

dharmas are produced; the mind extinguished, alldharmas are extinguished.’”Commentary:
The Great Master instructed his disciples to take their seats.
In Buddhism, everything has a fixed order. Those who takeprecepts first stand or sit in front of those who take them later. If
you have held precepts for even one day longer, you sit in front.
Once again Fa Hai, number one, heard that the Sixth
Patriarch was going, and so he acted as spokesman. He was theoldest, so naturally he was higher than everyone else. “WhatDharma will you leave with us, High Master, so that we canteach the deluded ones of future generations to understand themind and see the nature?”
The Master said, “If you want to find the Buddha, you must
look among living beings. If you recognize living beings, yourecognize the Buddha-nature.” Why does Never-Slighting
Bodhisattva bow before everyone he meets? Because he knowsthat everyone is a Buddha, he will accomplish Buddhahood
himself. If he saw everyone as a demon, he would become ademon.
See the Buddha within your own mind; don’t seek him
outside. If you wish to see the Buddha you must first respectliving beings and recognize them all as the Buddha; then you’ve
understood the mind and seen your nature. Confused living
beings do not recognize the Buddha, but the Buddha recognizes
living beings.
If you are biased and continually pick at other people’s
faults, even if you are a Buddha, you turn into a living being.
Living beings and the Buddha are a thought apart.
Buddha is mind; mind is Buddha. Right thoughts are theBuddha; deviant thoughts are the demon. Pure thoughts are the413

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Buddha; defiled thoughts are the demon. Take a look at yourthoughts. If you can keep your mind clean, that is the real
Buddha. Without a clear, pure, genuine Buddha-mind, where
can you go to find the Buddha? You’ll never find him. The
Buddha is made in your mind; do not seek him outside.
Nothing is separate from the self-nature. Nothing is separate
from your own mind. The ten thousand dharmas are all produced
from your mind, not from outside.
The Buddha spoke all dharmas
For the minds of living beings.
If there were no minds,
What use would dharmas be?
Sutra:“Now, to say goodbye, I will leave you a verse called
the ‘Self-Nature’s True Buddha Verse.’ People of the
future who understand its meaning will see their original
mind and realize the Buddha Way. The verse runs:
The true-suchness self-natureis the true Buddha.
Deviant views, the three poisons,are the demon king.
Commentary:
The most important part of the Platform Sutra is this lastverse. It explains everything extremely well. The Sixth Patriarch
left it not just for the people of his day, but for us, now, tocultivate according to its principles. He saw that you and I would
be here listening. We all have a share, and we should cultivate
414

Chapter X. Final Instructions

according to this verse because we are all people of future
generations, not animals. The animals of future generations will
have to be reborn as people before they can have a share. The
Sixth Patriarch spoke this verse for people, not animals. Animals
who wish to become Buddhas must first be reborn as humanbeings.
We should not lose this opportunity.
“The true-suchness self-nature is the true Buddha.” The selfnature is your mind. Your true-suchness self-nature is also called
the real mark, the Tathagata Store, the Buddha-nature, and yourown nature. True suchness is just your own nature which is thetrue Buddha.
“Deviant views, the three poisons, are the demon king.” If
you know the true Buddha, you should also know the demon
king. The demon king is just your deviant views: greed, hate, anddelusion, the three poisons. Greed for riches, greed for sex, greed
for anything at all is nothing but poison.
If, after you leave home, you are still greedy and selfseeking, that too is poison. If you scheme to get more disciples,that is poison.
So, you see, we have been here for a long time and not many
have taken refuge and become disciples. Those who take refugemust do it on their own. No one advises them. If I told you to takerefuge with me, you might wonder if I had the right to be yourteacher and Good Knowing Advisor. I don’t know myself
whether I am a Good Knowing Advisor, and so I do not go about
it in this way.
Sutra:
At times of deviant confusion
the demon king is in the house;
415

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

But when you have proper views
the Buddha is in the hall.
Deviant views, the three poisonsproduced within the nature,
Are just the demon kingcome to dwell in the house.
Proper views casting out
three poisons of the mind
Transform the demon into Buddha–
true, not false.
Commentary:“Deviant confusion” is ignorance. Ignorance creates loveand desire, and that is the demon king dwelling in your house.
If you have proper views and not the wrong ones of greed,
hate, and delusion, then your mind is pure and the Buddha is in
the hall.
The Buddha and the demon are both manifested from yourown nature. When you hold deviant views, the three poisonsarise, and the demon comes to dwell in your house. What is yourhouse? Your body.
Proper views spontaneously expel the three poisons, and thedemon immediately changes into Buddha. This principle isabsolutely true; it cannot possibly be false. You need only holdproper views, and that is the Buddha. Improper views are thedemon.
Sutra:
Dharma-body, Reward-body,and Transformation-body:416

Chapter X. Final Instructions

Fundamentally the three bodies
are one body.
Seeing that for yourself
within your own nature
Is the Bodhi-cause
for realizing Buddhahood.
The pure nature is originally produced
from the Transformation-body.
The pure nature is ever-present within
the Transformation-body,One’s nature leads the Transformation-body
down the right road.
And in the future the full perfection
is truly without end.
Commentary:
Although spoken of as three, the clear, pure Dharma-body,the perfect, full Reward-body, and the hundred thousand
myriads of Transformation bodies are fundamentally one. The
three bodies are simply transformations of your one body. Thisis called “Three in one, one in three.”Your seeing for yourself the true Buddha within your selfnature is a cause for your future realization of Buddhahood. It isa seed of Buddhahood. Having planted the Bodhi-seed, you willcertainly reap the Bodhi-fruit and become a Buddha.
The clear, pure self-nature originally arises from theTransformation-body. Your pure self-nature, your pure Dharmabody, is within your Transformation body.
In the future, your Bodhi self-nature will be perfected, andthe perfect, full Reward-body will be truly inexhaustible.
417

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:The root cause of purity
is the lust nature,
For once rid of lust,the substance of the nature is pure.
Each of you, within your natures;
abandon the five desires.
In an instant, see your nature–
it is true.
Commentary:
Everyone has sexual desire, but you do not need to be afraidof it. In The Shurangama Sutra we read about Ucchusma, the“Fire-Head Vajra” whose sexual desire was unbearably intensewhen he first began to cultivate. But he was able to discipline
and temper the fire of lust, transforming it into the fire of wisdom
and transforming himself into the “Fire-Head Vajra.”“The root cause of purity is the lust nature.” Proper thoughts
are the cause of purity in the nature, and deviant thoughts thecause of impurity. Therefore cut off the nature of sexual desire,
which means transform it. This certainly is not telling you tocastrate yourself. That’s not the answer. Just change yourthoughts and make them pure in nature. You don’t have to cut off
sexual desire. Don’t cut it off, transform it instead. Transform
lust into purity, which is simply proper knowledge and properviews. The lust within the nature is simply deviant knowledge
and deviant views.
“Once rid of lust, the substance of the nature is pure.” To get
rid of lust means to transform it. You don’t have to throw it
away, all you have to do is transform it. You don’t have to throw418

Chapter X. Final Instructions

it away, all you have to do is change your thoughts and direct
them to the pure nature. That is the clear, pure, substance of theself-nature, the Dharma-body.
The five desires are for wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep.
They may also be explained as forms, sounds, smells, tastes,tangible objects, and objects of the mind. In general, stay far
away from them; do not have deviant thoughts within your selfnature. Cultivate proper knowledge and proper views, andabandon the five desires. Once you leave the five desires, you
can see the nature in an instant and obtain your own truesuchness wonderful nature.
Sutra:
If in this life you encounterthe door of the Sudden Teaching
You will be suddenly enlightened to your selfnature,and see the Honored of the World.
If you wish to cultivate
and aspire to Buddhahood,
You won’t know where the truth
is to be sought
Unless you can see the truth
within your own mind,
This truth which is the causeof realizing Buddhahood.
Not to see your self-nature
but to seek the Buddha outside:
If you think that way, you are
419

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

deluded indeed.
I now leave behind
the Dharma-door of the Sudden Teaching
To liberate worldly people
who must cultivate themselves.
I announce to you
and to future students of the Way:If you do not hold these views
you will only waste your time.
Commentary:
Having encountered the Sudden Teaching of the Dhyana
School, you may become instantly enlightened and understandyour original mind and see your original nature. At that moment
you will personally meet the World Honored Ones, the Buddhasof the ten directions; you can see them all.
Unless you apply effort in the self-nature instead of looking
outside, you will never find the genuine Buddha. Understandyour mind and see your nature: that is the way to realize
Buddhahood.
If you do not turn the light around and seek within yourself,
but run outside instead to look for the Buddha, you are being
stupid, stupid, extremely stupid.
You must cultivate the Dharma of Sudden Enlightenment on
your own. Do not fail to cultivate. If you do not hold the notions
expressed in this verse, you are wasting your time. You’ll neverobtain the smallest advantage.

420

Chapter X. Final Instructions

Sutra:
Having spoken the verse the Master continued, “All ofyou should take care. After my extinction, do not act withworldly emotion. If you weep in sorrow, receive
condolences, or wear mourning clothes, you are not mydisciples, for that is contrary to the proper Dharma.
Simply recognize your own original mind and see yourown original nature which is neither moving nor still,
neither produced nor extinguished, neither coming nor
going, neither right nor wrong, neither dwelling nor
departing.”
Commentary:
The Master said, “Unlike common, vulgar, worldly folk, do
not make an emotional display of your feelings. Don’t behave
like that. Don’t weep tears like rain to irrigate the fields. My
disciples have to obey me! If you do such things, not only are
you not my disciples, but you are also contradicting theBuddhadharma.
“Do not strike up false thinking. Don’t fail to put it down.
Don’t fail to break through it. You must see through it, smash it,
and put it all down. Then you can be free.”“If we are not supposed to mourn, then what should we do?”the disciples wondered.
“Recognize your original mind. What is it like? It doesn’t
move and it isn’t still. It doesn’t come or go. It’s not right orwrong, good or bad, black or white, long or short. It doesn’t stayand it doesn’t leave. It’s neither here nor there. Work to see theself-nature; understand your mind. Then you will not havewasted your time.”

421

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Sutra:“Because I am afraid that your confused minds will
misunderstand my intention, I will instruct you again sothat you may see your nature. After my extinction,
continue to cultivate accordingly, as if I were still present.
Should you disregard my teaching, then even if I were toremain in the world, you would obtain no benefit.”He further spoke this verse:
Firm, firm: Do not cultivate the good.
High, high: Do not do evil.
Still, still: Cut off sight and sound.
Vast, vast: The mind unattached.
Commentary:“Firm, firm” means not moving: “thus, thus unmoving,”
clear, clear, and constantly bright. “Do not cultivate the good,”
does not mean that you should not cultivate good. It just meansthat you should not be attached when you cultivate the good.
Don’t be like that greedy-minded ghost Emperor Wu of Liang
who thought, “Look at all my merit!”“High, high,” means happy and cheerful, independent andcontent from morning to night. Do not do evil does not mean thatyou can think, “I am not attached to doing evil, so it’s no
problem.” Attached or not attached, you should not do evil.
What is evil? Killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
Of the ten-thousand evils
Licentiousness is the worst.
Do not walk downThis road of death.
422

Chapter X. Final Instructions

Do not walk this road. Do not do evil.
“Still, still: Cut off sight and sound.” This state is peaceful,comfortable, and happy. Still, still, quiet, quiet, you cut off sightand sound by not producing deviant thoughts at the gates of thesix sense organs. It is all right to have proper thoughts, but cut
off the deviant ones. Cut off deviant sights and sounds. For
example, if people are speaking improperly, don’t listen.
“Vast, vast: The mind unattached.” This mind’s capacity
extends throughout the universe and fills up heaven and earth. It
is high, great, broad, vast, limitless, and unbounded, and it is not
attached anywhere.
Sutra:
After speaking this verse, the Master sat upright until
the third watch, when suddenly he said to his disciples, “I
am going!” In an instant he changed, and a rare
fragrance filled the room. A white rainbow linked withthe earth, and the trees in the wood turned white. The
birds and the beasts cried out in sorrow.
Commentary:
The Master sat meditating with his disciples until the middleof the night, at twelve o’clock, when he said, “The time has cometo go. See you all again!” His energy was cut off and he nolonger moved. He had entered Nirvana. “He changed” meansthat he moved to a new house. Who moved? The flesh-bodyBodhisattva!
The forest turned white because the white rainbow lightshone on it. You could also say that the trees knew the Masterwas dead and so they expressed their grief by wearing the whiteclothes of mourning.
423

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

All the animals on the mountain cried uncontrollably. Grassand trees seem to be without feelings, but they put on mourning
clothes; birds and beasts ordinarily don’t understand very much,
but they showed forth a spiritual nature and wept.
Sutra:In the eleventh month, a dispute arose among theofficials, disciples, Sangha, and laity of the three
countries of Kuang Chou, Shao Chou, and Hsin Chou as
to who should receive the true body.
As they could not agree, they lit incense and prayedsaying, “The Master will be returned to the place
indicated by the incense smoke.”
The smoke went directly to Ts’ao Hsi and so, on thethirteenth day of the eleventh month, the reliquary andthe transmitted robe and bowl were returned there. In
the following year, on the twenty-fifth day of the seventhmonth, the body was removed from the reliquary andDisciple Fang Pien anointed it with incense paste.
Remembering the prophecy that his head would betaken, the disciples wrapped sheets of iron and lacquered
cloth around his neck for protection and then placed his
body in the pagoda. Just then a white light appeared
within the pagoda, shot up into the sky, and did not fadefor three days. The Magistrate of Shao Chou reported
this to the Emperor and received an imperial order toerect a stone tablet commemorating the Master’s conduct
in the Way.
The Master’s springs and autumns were seventy-six.
The robe was transmitted to him when he was twentyfour and when he was thirty-nine his hair was cut. For
thirty-seven years he spoke Dharma to benefit living
424

Chapter X. Final Instructions

beings. Forty-three men inherited his Dharma, and an
uncountable number awoke to the Way and oversteppedthe common lot. The robe of belief transmitted from
Bodhidharma, the Mo Na robe and precious bowl
conferred by Emperor Chung Tsung, as well as thelifelike image sculpted by Fang Pien and other articles ofthe Way, were entrusted to the attendant in charge of the
stupa and were permanently retained at the Pao Lin
Bodhimandala for the Bodhimanda’s protection.
The Platfom Sutra has been transmitted to set forth
the principles of our school, to glorify the Triple Jewel,
and to benefit all living beings.
Commentary:Those from Kuang Chou wanted to take the body to Fa Hsing
Temple. “The Sixth Patriarch had his head shaved here. He
should return here now to receive offerings.”
The Hsin Chou people all said, “The Great Master is a nativeof Hsin Chou. He should return there!” and those of Shao Chouinsisted that since the Patriarch had expounded his teaching there
he should not be returned to that place.
While the Patriarch was alive, they had never quarreled overhim, for he had been most independent. But now the Master had
completed the stillness and everyone felt as if they personally
had the right to remove his body and make offerings to it.
“Wasn’t the Sixth Patriarch originally from Hsin Chou? And
didn’t the Master himself say, ‘Falling leaves return to theroot?’”“But the Sixth Patriarch himself built Nan Hua Temple,” said
those of Shao Chou. “He really should return there.”“The Patriarch left home in Kuang Chou. He let his hair fall
there and his Dharma should all fall back to us!”425

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

The text says that “they could not agree,” and that indicatesthat the situation was extremely grave; it was a crisis. Everyone
was trying to take the body away by force. They argued andargued until one intelligent person said, “Stop! While he wasalive, we obeyed the Master’s instructions. Now that he has died,
we should still listen to him. Let’s ask the Master to decide!”“But he’s already dead,” they said. “How can he tell us where
he wants to go?”
“The Master has great spiritual powers,” he said, “And heknows all of our thoughts. It must displease him to see us here
fighting over the right to make offerings to his body. Let’s lightsome incense, and in whatever direction the smoke drifts, that iswhere the Master wants to go. Then no one can argue about it.”
The smoke went straight to Nan Hua Temple and there wasnothing that the people from Kuang Chou and Hsin Chou couldsay.
The lectures are now complete and the Sutra has been
explained. You have undergone much suffering, but I don’tknow whether you realized it was suffering or not. If you felt it
was suffering, you are just a common person, but if you did not
feel that it was suffering, then you are just a rock or a piece ofwood. Well, was it suffering?
As to my explanation, I don’t know whether I explained wellor badly, and I also don’t know if you listened well or badly.
Good and bad–get rid of them both! Explaining is just explaining
and listening is just listening.
We have met because of a karmic affinity. We have heard thestory of the Sixth Patriarch’s life and of his cultivation of theWay. You should not look for good or bad points, but lookinstead to see whether you believe. Advance down the right roadand retreat from the wrong.
426

Chapter X. Final Instructions

You should cultivate according to the Dharma. Memorize thelast verse of this Sutra and recite it often, for if you reflect on its
meaning you will certainly realize Buddhahood. And don’t
discriminate as to whether I explained the Sutra well or not. Just
look to see whether or not you cultivate. If you cultivate, what is
bad is good, but if you do not cultivate, what is good is bad.
Now I am going to ask you a question. The Sixth Patriarch
was an illiterate, and illiterates cannot have much knowledge.
How could someone who couldn’t even read speak a Sutra?
What does this mean?
[Student: “I think the Sutra shows that you don’t need a lotof scholarly learning in order to become enlightened. The
Sudden Teaching is just the mind, realizing the mind, and weshould do it.]Who else has a view? This is a democracy. Speak up!
[Student: “In the Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma explanation,
where could a word arise?”][Student: “The principles contained in the Sutra are so clear
and out in front, that, every time I try to say something about
them, I get tied up in dualism and feel hopelessly
overwhelmed.”]
Does anyone else have an opinion?
[Student: “Master, when the Sixth Patriarch was about toenter Nirvana, he said, ‘See you later.’ Where is he now?”]
He comes right from where you are speaking!
Now, why was it that the Master never learned to read?
During the time of the Sixth Patriarch, schools were notavailable to all, and to attend, you had to have money. The Sixth
Patriarch’s family was extremely poor, because his father was anhonest official who never took bribes. As a boy, even getting
food to eat was a problem for the Master, so of course hecouldn’t go to school. It was a question of environment, then. He
427

The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

never learned to read because his family was poor and because
schools were not available.
But there is yet another reason. Why did the Sixth Patriarchchoose to appear in a poor family? He did it to show us that even
illiterates can realize Buddhahood and become Patriarchs. Thus
he raised the hopes of those who could not read.
Seeing the Sixth Patriarch, everyone thought, “He neverwent to school but he cultivated and obtained the fruit of theWay. We can do it too!” It is not the case that if you can’t read,
you can’t cultivate. If you think, “Only educated people cancultivate,” you are holding a prejudice. The Sixth Patriarch
appeared to cause us all to lay down such prejudices. As I see it,these are three reasons why the Sixth Patriarch never learned toread. There’s one more thing you should recognize clearly about
the Sixth Patriarch. He was not lazy. He always practiced theBuddhadharma. He became enlightened and after his
enlightenment he spoke the Platform Sutra. Being able to read isjust worldly knowledge. The Sixth Patriarch understood his
mind, saw his nature, and opened up to his inherent wisdom.
Because this Sutra was spoken from the bright light of this
wisdom, its value is incomparable. It is the same as Sutras
spoken by the Buddha, so do not take him lightly just because hecouldn’t read.
The Sutra is now complete, and, after teaching it, I make thatstatement to all of you.

428

General Index
attachment 77, 88, 120, 130, 138, 150,

A

186, 192, 205–207, 213, 215, 218,

Adorned Eon 406
affliction 85, 98, 124–129, 135–136,

226, 239, 303, 344
Chih Ch’eng 342
Emperor Wu 180

155, 160–161, 167, 179, 191, 193,

195, 230–233, 271, 374–375, 396
and Bodhi 10, 24, 127, 382
hand analogy 127
pain 20age, Chinese/Western comparison 33

grasping and rejecting 120
Hsing Ch’ang 360
non-attachment 17, 39, 80, 130, 136
obstruction 175
to Bodhi 76
to dharma 150, 207, 297, 352
to mind 219
to purity 218–219
to rules 138
to sense-objects 130
to smells 237
to stillness 400
to words 384

alayavijnana, see eighth consciousness
alms 45
America, myths about 234
analogy 90, 123, 185–186, 192
lamp and light 205
sun and moon 243, 382
White Ox Card 278

anger 98, 389

Dharma Master Shen Kuang 12, 14, 20
Patriarch Hui K’o 21, 23

annihilation 305–306, 361

see sixty-two wrong views

Aranya 46
def. 47

Arhat 77, 169, 288
def. 77
five rebellious acts, killing of 112
merit 61

arrogance 176, 192, 228, 239, 269
repentance of 229

assassinatation 402
assassination
attempt by Hsing Ch’ang 354
attempts on Layman Lu 78

Avatamsaka Sutra 4, 240
Dragon Palace 410

Bbarbarian 58, 328
Hsin Chou 294
Hui Neng 60, 72, 74, 77–78, 102–
103, 144, 355

Patriarch Bodhidharma 11, 14
southeners 59

beheaded, Aryasimha 22
bhikshu, def. 10
birth and death 60–61, 72–73, 125,

257, 302–304, 318–319, 341, 343,
360, 392

431

General Index
affliction 124
Aryasimha 411
attachments 88
emotional love 86
ending 11, 38, 167, 319, 374
freedom of 13
is Nirvana 24, 127
Seng Ts’an 24
Shen Kuang 11, 14–15
the other shore 124transcending 45
verse 127, 298, 391

blessings 234

and misfortune 212–213
and wisdom 236, 239
difference with merit and virtue 180
field of 58–59, 331, 334, 377
getting rid of offenses 256
seeking 61, 174–175, 255verse 245, 253, 269

bliss 361

of Nirvana 303, 307–308
production and extinction 300–302
transcendental 303
verse 299, 306

Bodhi 9, 75–76, 79, 93–94, 126, 226
and affliction 10, 24, 126–127
and Prajna 116
clear and pure 52
hand analogy 127
supreme 69, 71, 74
tree 67, 72, 74, 112
tree branch, Jnanabhaishajya 42
verse 67, 70, 72, 75

Bodhimanda 29, 46, 94, 170, 264, 395,
425

Jewelled Wood 47
mind 207
Pao Lin 48

Bodhisattva
432

aid to Master Tao-hsin 95
def. 5
golden-armored vajra king 28
Master Gunabhadra’s prediction 41
Master Jnanabhaishajya’s prediction 42
past lives 140
Way 80, 92, 411

Bodhisattva-shila Sutra 141, 220
bondage 207
with dharmas 206
with thoughts 210

bowing 269–270
Brahma Net Sutra 3
Brahmanpast life of Shakyamuni Buddha 299–
301

religion of India 408

Buddhaappearing in the world 273
knowledge and vision 273–276, 279–
280, 293

Buddha nature 10, 58–59, 94, 137,

214, 250, 294–295, 333, 358–360,
367

verse 247, 321, 362

Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra 3
Buddha Way 129–131, 301
Buddhadharma 166
arises from difficulty 97, 101
being straightforward 397
China 1, 12
Great Vehicle, Mahayana 11
non-dualistic 111
origin of 369
original mind 90
protecting 79
study and practice 233
understanding 158
verse 157

Buddha-mind 377, 414

General Indexand certification 314–315
and money 236–237
at home 197–201
deviant 138–139
mind and Buddha 267–268
of blessings 174, 255–256
of good 422
of merit and virtue 177–180
of no-mark 154–167, 384
of non-movement 218–219
of patience 392
of Prajna 117, 126
of self nature 190
of true and false 390
proper knowledge & views 419
sudden and gradual 209–210

certification 316

Ccause and effect 247, 287
transformation of consciousness 287

certification 34, 95

false 208of Hsing Szu 311

Ch’an meditation 221, 296
Ch’an School 181, 199, 217–220, 286,
314, 367

misconception about 207, 218

cheating 212–213
Christian heaven 201
compassion 93, 165, 191–192
complete precepts 37, 39, 43, 358
concentration 266–268, 325

D

and wisdom 203–215
refuge 222–223

death 21, 24, 26, 249, 257, 303

352, 375

Defilement 193
defilement 129–131, 135–136, 140,

confusion 190–191, 220, 253–255,
and attachment 275
and emptiness 297
and enlightenment 86–87, 232, 234–
235

and Prajna 123
and recitation 278–279
and the pure mind 185
deviant 146–148, 416
in beliefs 38
verse 99, 148, 167, 277, 295, 345,
415

with marks 273

Consciousness Only School 369
criticism 163, 200
is yin 246

cultivation 36, 126, 162, 185, 205, 250,
427–428of Bodhidharma 19

142, 189, 240, 315

delusion 186, 218, 231, 245–246, 248
demon 164, 413, 415
and Buddha 416
obstacles 36

desire 126–127, 141–142, 159, 162,
167, 240

sexual, see sexual desire
thoughts of 142

deviant
dharma 357
enlightenment 235
knowledge and views 138
see confusion
thoughts 147, 190, 193, 230, 423
views 120, 135, 167, 212, 239,

245–246, 276, 302–303, 360,

433

General Index
415–416

Dharmabody 222, 301
bondage 151
def. 5, 9
doors 160
ending age 44, 164
Host, def. 42
nature 302
non-dual 339, 377
protectors 5, 104, 262, 332
Seat 5three classes of 379
transcendental 166–167
transmission 17
without words 83

Dharma Eye Treasury 331
Dharma Flower Sutra 272, 281
Dharmagupta Vinaya 41
Diamond Sutra 34, 54, 56, 85, 131–

133, 138–139, 226, 332, 342, 373
quote 33, 68–69, 84, 86, 150, 226,
257, 271–272, 342
discrimination 128, 187, 320
concentration & wisdom 205
of dharmas 307
of right and wrong 28

See sixty-two wrong views
sixth consciousness 287

Eighth consciousness 286–289, 381
Eighty Thousand Fine Practices 318
emotion and love 86–87
evil
and goodness 232

Ffive consciousness

transformation of 288–289

five desires 182, 419
five eyes 11

and six spiritual powers 330, 333

five heaps 129–130, 303–304, 307,
347, 381

production & extinction 302

five organs 196
five pairs of opposites (external insentient) 382
five periods of T’ien T’ai 8
Five Profound Meanings of T’ien T’ai 7–
8five rebellious acts 111–112
five schools of Buddhism 181
five (kinds of) terms not translated 115
five-fold Dharma-body refuge 221–224
four assemblies 37
four elements 301, 342, 348
related to body 348

Efour (divisions of) enlightenment 273–

Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra

Four Heavenly Kings 45
Four Holy Truths

quote 233–234

East Mountain Dharma Door 28
Eight Deviations 183
Eight Perverted Views 360–361
Eighteen Realms 381
listed 112

Eight-Fold Path 183
434

274

see Four Noble Truths

four marks 204–205
listed 361

Four Noble Truths 225
four serious prohibitions 111–112

General Indexfour unlimited thoughts 192
four vehicles 297
four virtues of Nirvana 303

and sexual desire 160
of Nirvana 304

hatredand hell 193–194
see ten evils
see three poisonsof Shravakas, Pratyeka Buddhas 361

four (all-encompassing) vows 230–233
four wisdoms 284–286, 290
transforming the consciousness into 288

head-mouth zen 91, 117, 121
see intellectual zen

hell 100

G
Ghost of Impermanence 14, 319
Good Knowing Advisor 34, 142
seeking one 145–148

good knowing advisorand evil thoughts 248
beings, see three evil paths
greed, hatred 193–194

humble mind 232–234
humility 176

and deceitful/false beings 231
is merit 175

imposters 34

Gradual Teaching 159, 310
Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom 287, 289,
381

Great Universal Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra
see Avatamsaka Sutra

Great Vehicle 10, 133, 256, 298, 374
and Supreme Vehicle 344
difference with Small, Middle vehicles
297

doubting 134
in China 11, 19
Root Nature 18

greed

and hell 193–194
and love 275–276
see ten evils
see three poisonsHhabits 27, 135, 150, 163, 190
happinessand compassion 191

hypocrisy 207

I
Icchantika 112, 137
ignorance 86, 100, 122, 195
and afflictions 124
and attachment to marks 383
and bad karma 228
and birth & death 86
and Buddhahood 85
and offenses 196
and sexual desire 159
and the white yang realm 22
see Twelve Conditioned Causes

impermanence 358–361
see permanence

intellectual zen 208, 252, 283, 373
intelligence
Americans 55
and consciousness 287
and the Western Paradise 183
and wisdom 243

435

General Index

J
Jataka tales 299–301
jealousy 177, 229

K

and birth & death 86
and Buddhahood 165
and greed 275–276
and hate 396
of living 303
see Twelve Conditioned Causes

lust 418

karma 99
and ignorance 228
and offenses 100
and the eight consciousness 287
body and mind 142
see three obstacles

Karmadana 40–41
knowing and seeing 293, 295–296

see sexual desire

M
Maha Prajna Paramita 115–118, 129
Mahaparinirvana Sutra 3, 137
and Bhikshu Chih Ch’e 358
and Bhikshuni Wu Chin Tsang 261–
262

L

Mahayana

Lankavatara Sutra 65, 92, 284

mani 81
Master Hua

see Great Vehicle
and Ch’an School 286

leaving home, reasons for 37–39
liberation

practicing austerities in Manchuria 237–
238

and Dhyana concentration 373
and no-thought 150–151
and original mind 149
and self-enlightenment 146
and self-seeking 224
and sexual desire 213
of knowledge and vision 349–350

meditationand non-attachment 136
and Patriarchs 24
freedom from 350

Middle Vehicle 298

life and death 304

living dead person 15
Lotus Sutra 271
and Bhikshuni Tsung Ch’ih 20
and Fa Ta 270–271, 380
and the poor son 82
doubts 279–281

love
436

and aching legs 10, 97, 174
and Ch’an 217
and Dhyana 157, 185
and the wonderful observing wisdom288

constraint to the body 341
non-attachment to 373
difference with Small, Great Vehicles
297

see Great Vehicle

Middle Way 86, 91, 360, 383, 385, 389
and extremes 152, 297
and self nature 118

Ming dynasty
and Filial Son Wang 333

Mo Na robe 377, 425

General Index

N

P

Naga concentration 288
National MasterParamita 116, 124patience 199–200

An of Sung Mountain 312–313
Shen Hsiu 339

nineteen pairs of opposites 382–383
Nirvana 3, 86, 124–125, 127, 137
as explained in The Diamond Sutra 226
entering, Bodhidharma 20
entering, Hung Jen 29, 101
entering, Seng Ts’an 257
entering, Tao Hsin 24, 27
entering, the Buddha 272
without residue 160–161

Nirvana Sutra 111

and Bhikshu Chih Tao 299
see Mahaparinirvana SutraOof unproduced Dharmas 392
see Six Paramitas

Patriarchateand Hui Neng 92, 96, 109
and Shen Hsiu 64, 78, 338
inheritance, Hung Jen 35

Perfecting Wisdom 285, 288–289
permanence 302, 308, 358–361
see four virtues of Nirvana
see impermanencesee sixty-two wrong views

persecution
of Buddhism by Emperor Wu 24

petty mind 198, 200–201
poisoningof Bodhidharma 18–19

One Buddha Vehicle
and Empress Wu Tse T’ien 372
and the White Ox Cart 278–281

One Important Matter 273
One Vehicle 281, 298, 371
see One Buddha Vehicle

opposites 380, 382

and the Middle Way 385
see five pairs of opposites
see nineteen pairs of opposites
see thirty-six pairs of opposites
see twelve opposites

other people’s faults 164, 413
outflows
and concentration 204
and the white yang realm 22
see six spiritual powers
see twelve opposites

politeness 176

and the self-nature 245

praiseis yang 246

Prajnasee Maha Prajna Paramita
see three kinds of Prajna
wisdom 88, 121–122, 129, 134–

135, 139, 160–161, 166, 232–
233
Precept Certifier 40

precept spirits 41
Precept Transmitter 39

and Karmadana 40–41
Chih Kuang, Hsi Ching 37

precepts 3, 172

against handling money 236
against killing 232
and concentration 204
and dragons 289

437

General Index
and the three poisons 199
keeping them 222
protecting 16
see complete precepts
see Precept Transmitter

prediction 43, 212

a division of Sutra text 139
by Bodhidharma 394
by Jnanabhaishajya 42, 48
of Hui Neng’s head 402–403, 424
transmission of Mahayana to China 9

production and extinction 124–125,
301, 304, 365, 377, 382
and Chih Tao 299–304
and other religions 376
and Paramita 124
and Shen Hui 364–365

no thought, no mark and no dwelling 213
verse by a ghost 300
see nineteen pairs of opposites

Q
Questions of Manjushri, Sutra of the 4

R

Samadhi of Playfulness 349, 351
Samghati robe 331
and Sanakavasa 407

Self-Nature’s True Buddha Verse 414
Seven Buddhas of antiquity 406
seven places Ananda looked for his
mind 16seven precious things 90
seven types of sutra titles 3–4
Seventh consciousness 287
sexual desire 126, 142, 159–160, 213,
236, 239, 418

and Ucchusma 418

Shurangama Mantra
and Hung Jen 29

Shurangama Sutra 40
and sexual desire 418
and the seeing nature 326
and Yajnadatta 252of true and false 235
of Vinaya Masters 40
see Shurangama Mantra

Single Conduct Samadhi 206–207
six consciousnesses 250
see Eighteen Realms

rainand dragons 133
and sages’ teeth 12

rakshasa ghost 299–300
Reward body 242, 251
Right Dharma-eye Treasury 400–401,
407

Rock of Refuge 262, 265

S
Samadhi of One Conduct 395, 397
Samadhi of One Mark 395, 397
438

six desire heavens 195–196
Six Paramitas 225
six sense objects 250, 325, 381–382
see Eighteen Realms

six sense organs 250, 381, 423
see Eighteen Realms

six spiritual penetrations
see six spiritual powers

six spiritual powers 330, 333, 351
six Sutra requirements 51–52
Sixth consciousness 287–288
sixty-two wrong views 306–307
Small Vehicle 298
difference with Middle, Great Vehicles

General Index
297

Song of Certifying to the Way 320–321
Southern School 338–339, 368
Stop and Look, T’ien T’ai Contemplation
316

Store-enveloping Consciousness 381
stupidity
see ten evils
see three poisonsSudden and Gradual 209, 337
Sudden Dharma 160, 188
Sudden Teaching 135–136, 145, 153,

158–159, 167, 204, 210, 257, 267,

310, 368, 390, 399, 420, 427
and Wu Tse T’ien 372
good roots 113
shallow roots 134
transmission of 91
Ts’ao Hsi 367
Sung Dynasty 41, 331

Supreme Vehicle 42, 298

and deviant views 302
and the Sixth Patriarch 338, 344
as explained by the Sixth Patriarch 297

Sutra 6

explaining correctly 7–8
four additional meanings 6other meanings 7
see seven types of sutra titles

TT’ang Dynasty recording 85–86
Taoism 408
Tathagata Store 214, 415
Teaching of Sudden Enlightenment 91
Teaching Transmitter 41
and Shen Hsiu 62, 64
T’ung Ying 40

ten Dharma Realms 249
ten directions 16
ten disciples of the Sixth Patriarch 379
ten evils 183
ten good practices 194
thirty-six pairs of opposites 379, 382
three bodies 284
three carts 279, 281
three classes of Dharma-doors 379, 381
three disasters 307–308
three divisions of the Tripitaka 41
three evil paths 4, 69
and the Western Paradise 185

three evils 253, 255
three karmas 227
three obstructions (obstacles) 161
three periods of time 6
three poisons 130, 194
and precepts 199
and the demon king 414–416

three (kinds of) Prajna 115
three realms 38–39
Three Refuges 5
three thousand awesome deportments
318

Triple Jewel 165

offerings to 171, 173, 180protecting & supporting 170
taking refuge with 238, 241–242

Triple Refuge 236–237
Triple World 40, 239, 282
True-False Motion-Stillness Verse 390
Ts’ao Hsi
Dharma Assembly 309–310

Tung Shan Dharma-door 112–113
Twelve Conditioned Causes 225, 396
Twelve Divisions of Sutras 139–140
twelve entrances 381
439

General Index

twelve opposites regarding marks ofdharmas 382
two boundaries 305, 307
two vehicles 305–306, 374

V
Vimalakirti Sutra 206, 214, 220, 316–
317, 374

Vinaya Master 40

W
White Ox Cart 277–280
wisdom of equal nature 285, 289
see seventh consciousness

Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra
4, 8

Wonderful Observing Wisdom 287–288,
320

see sixth consciousness

Worthy Eon 406–407

440

People & Places Index
A
Amitabha 187

Buddha 181, 182, 190, 192, 193
Sutra 183

An of Sung Mtn., National Master 312
Ananda 16, 154, 407
Aryasimha, Patriarch 22, 410, 411
Ashvaghosha, Mahasattva 408, 409
Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva 130, 190,
191, 227, 351

Awesome-Voiced King Buddha 316,
317

B
Basiasita 410
Bear's Ear Mountain 15, 17
Bodhidharma xviii, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23,

Chang Jih Yung, official 73
Chen Chiao 320
see also Wu Hsiang

Chen Kuan, reign period 25, 31
Chi Chou 309, 352
Chiang Hsi 354
Chih Hsien 29, 339
Chih Huang 322, 323, 324, 325, 326,
327

Chih Kuang 37, 39
Chih Tao 299, 301, 302, 306, 379, 380
Chih Te 29
Chin Chou, province 312
Chin Ta Pei 403
Ching Lo 367
Ching Nan 337, 338
Chü Hsi 32
Chung Tsung, Emperor 371, 372, 425

65, 94, 95, 154, 169, 171, 172,D

318, 331, 332, 333, 393, 394, 399,

Dhrtaka 407
Double Peak, Mtn. 27, 28

173, 180, 231, 247, 257, 286, 315,
410, 425

Bodhiruci 18, 21, 24, 231, 247
Buddhamitra 407, 408
Buddhanandi 407
Buddhist Lecture Hall 56, 188, 189,

E

C

Fa Chen 379, 380
Fa Hai 1, 31, 50, 266, 267, 270, 289,

196, 310, 350

Chan Ching Man 403

Eastern Crystal Azure World 352

F379, 380, 386, 387, 393, 412, 413

441

People & Places Index

Fa Hsing Monastery 425
Fa Hsing Monatery 109
Fa Hsing, Monastery 110
Fa Ju 29, 102, 339, 379, 380
Fa Ta 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 277,

278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 379, 380

Fan Yang, district 53
Fang Pien 330, 331, 332, 333, 424, 425
Flying Cat Chang 355, 380

Huai Jang 312, 313, 314, 315
Huai, district 95, 96, 262
Huang Mei 28, 33, 34, 35, 44, 55, 56,
57, 59, 106, 110, 111, 154, 261,
264, 270, 328, 336, 353, 355

Huang Mei, honorific 106, 107
Hui Neng 5, 29, 30, 31, 32, 52, 53, 54,
56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 72, 73, 74, 75,
79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 87, 89, 92,

95, 96, 97, 98, 101, 103, 104, 105,

see also Hsing Ch’ang

Fo T’o 10, 11, 24

106, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113,
182, 188, 230, 335, 338, 341, 355,

see also Yeh She

368, 371, 372, 410

G
Gayashata 408, 410
Gunabhadra 41

H

Hui Tsang 29
Hung Chi 309, 311
see also Hsing Szu

Hung Chou 269, 271, 292, 403
Hung Jen 28, 29, 30, 55, 65, 262, 323,
328, 371, 410

Haklena 410
Heng Mtn. 315
Ho Che 367, 368
Ho Shuo 322, 327
Hopei 326, 327
Hou Ching Chung, Magistrate 48
Hsi Ching (Ch’ang An) 37, 39
Hsi Shu 331
Hsiang Yang 363
Hsieh Chien 371, 372, 373, 374, 375,
376, 377

Hsien Tsung Chi 367, 368
Hsin Chou 53, 57, 59, 292, 294, 386,
400, 424, 425, 426

Hsing Szu 309, 310, 311
see also Hung Chi

Hsü Yün, verse 82
Hsüan Chiao 316, 317, 318, 319, 320
442

I
I Fang 29

J
Jambudvipa 133, 233
Jayata 410
Jnanabhaishajya 42, 43, 46, 47, 48

K
K'e Ta Ha Na Lu 28
Kanadeva 408
Kanakamuni Buddha 406
Kao Kuei Te Wang Bodhisattva 111, 112
Kapimala 408
Kashyapa Buddha 406

People & Places Index

Krakucchanda Buddha 406, 407
Kuang Chou 109, 110, 221, 299, 424,
425, 426

Kuang Hsiao Monastery 42, 110
Kuang Ling Mtn. 332, 333
Kuang T'ung 18, 21
Kuang Tung 102
Kumarata 410
Kuo En Temple 377, 386, 411

N
Nagarjuna 408, 410
Nan Ching 11, 172
Nan Hai 46, 53, 299
Nan Hsiung 102
Nan Hua Temple 5, 9, 31, 43, 45, 47,

171, 221, 262, 264, 265, 298, 313,
314, 318, 321, 324, 330, 356, 377,
403, 425, 426

L

Never-Slighting Bodhisattva 413

Land of Ultimate Bliss 129, 181, 182
Lao An 29, 339
Lao Tzu 408
Ling Nan 53, 57, 58, 168
Liu Chih Liao 261, 262, 264
Liu Chu Pu 29
Liu T'ien 403
Loyang 15
Lu Ling 372
Lu Mtn. 10, 11

OM
Ma Tsu Tao I 315, 404
Mahakashyapa 42, 154, 331, 407, 408
Mahasthamaprapta 190, 192
Maitreya 179
Malaya Mtn. 65
Manorhita 410
Mencius 223, 388
Meng Mtn. 106, 107
Mi To 40, 41
Miccaka 407
Mount Sumeru 119, 190, 192, 194

One Enlightened Overnight 320, 321

PP'ang Yün 404
P'ei Hsiu 404
P’ing Mao Mtn. 28, 97, 102
Pai Chang 404
Pai Feng Mtn. 292
Pao Lin 43, 44, 47, 48, 51
as place requirement 52
Bodhimanda 46, 48
Bodhimandala 425
Mountain 52, 221
Temple 262, 337

Parshva 407, 408, 409
Prajnatara 312, 315, 410
Punyamitra 410
Punyayashas 408, 409
Pure Land 186, 187, 206, 395, 397
see Land of Ultimate Bliss

R
Rahulata 408
443

People & Places Index

Range of the Heavenly Kings 45

S

Ssu Ma, Emperor 26
Sumeru Mtn.
see Mount Sumeru

Sadaparibhuta Bodhisattva 177
Sanakavasa 407
Sanghanandi 408, 410
Seng Ts'an 23, 24, 25, 137, 257, 350,
410

Shakra 299, 301
Shakyamuni Buddha 5, 8, 17, 43, 183,

192, 207, 210, 255, 303, 406, 408
day of leaving home 39
decay of robe 408
former incarnation 177, 299, 301
fourth Buddha 407
prediction by 9robe and bowl 92
rules 40
spiritual powers 65
transformation body 249
transmission of mind seal 42, 154, 407
Shao Chou 48, 51, 52, 261, 262, 266,

Sung Mtn. 312, 314
Sung Yün 19

T
T'ung Ying 40, 44, 264
Ta Chien
Great Mirror 311
Temple 52

Ta T'ung 292, 293
Ta Yü Mtn. 101, 102, 264
Tao Hsin 24, 25, 26, 27, 410
Tao Sheng 137
Three Kingdoms Period 48
Ting Fu Pao 39, 40, 50
Ts'ao Hou 47, 48, 261, 262
Ts'ao Shu Liang 261
Ts'ung Ling 19
Ts’ao Hsi 43, 44, 46, 108, 201, 281
Four Heavenly Kings 45
Jnanabhaishajya drinking water 47

284, 331, 377, 424, 425

Shao Kuan 221, 262
Shariputra 206, 207, 280
Shen Hsiu 29, 35, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66,

67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 78, 80, 84,
95, 96, 109, 144, 251, 264, 337,

Ts’ao Ts’ao, General 48
Tsung Ch'ih 20
Tung Ch'an Monastery 55, 59

338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344,U

364, 368, 369, 371, 372

Ucchusma 418
Upagupta 407

345, 346, 347, 349, 354, 355, 356,

Shen Kuang 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20
Shikhin Buddha 406
Shravasti 182
Shuang Feng Mtn. 59
Song of Household Affairs 32
Southern Neng and Northern Hsiu 337
Ssu Ma Ch’ien 26
444

V
Vasubandhu 410
Vasumitra 407
Vimalakirti 206, 207, 377
Vipashyin Buddha 406

People & Places Index

Vishvabhu Buddha 406

W

Yüan Kung 10
Yung Chia 217, 235, 247, 316, 317

Wang Hsiao Tzu 332
Wei Ch'ü 51, 52
Wei Hsien 331
Wei T'ou Bodhisattva 20, 238
Wen Chou 316
Wen Yün 31, 267
see also Fa Hai

Western Paradise 183, 184, 185, 188,
189, 190, 196, 197, 201, 352

see also Land of Ultimate Bliss

Wo Lun 335, 336
Wu Chin Tsang 261, 262, 263, 264, 359
Wu Hsiang 320
see also Chen Chiao

Wu of Liang, Emperor 169, 171, 172,173, 174, 180, 223, 255, 422

Wu of the Northern Chou, Emperor 24,
25, 26, 29, 48

Wu of Wei, marquis 261
Wu Tse T'ien 95, 372
Wu Tse T’ien 371

Y
Yajnadatta 252
Yama, King 14, 17, 257
Yang K'an 403
Yeh She 10, 11, 24
see also Fo T’oYin Tsung 36, 37, 39, 43, 109, 110,
111, 112

Yü Ch’üan Temple 340, 363
Yüan District 106
Yüan I 27
445