The Circumstance of My Awakening
[1.1]Once when the Patriarch[1] was at
[1.2]Good Dharma Friends, bodhi[3] is our intrinsic nature, fundamentally pristine and clear. Simply use this mind, and directly realize buddhahood. Good Dharma Friends, listen to the circumstances leading to my awakening.
[1.3]My father, a native of Fanyang, was once a government official. He was striped of his title and banished to Xinzhou in Lingnan, where he settled as a commoner. To my great misfortune, my father passed away when I was just a young child, leaving my mother and me all alone. We later moved to the southern coast of Guangzhou where we made a meager living selling firewood in the market.
[1.4]One day, a customer came by to purchase firewood and left instructions to deliver it to his shop. Upon delivery and payment I went outside and saw a man reciting a sutra. The moment I heard the sutra my mind became enlightened. I then asked the man, “What sutra are you reciting?” and he replied, “The Diamond Sutra[4].” I asked further, “Where did you come from? Why do you recite this sutra?” Again he replied, “I just came from
[1.5]Hearing this, I felt a sense of familiarity, and with the good fortune of a customer giving me ten taels[6] of silver to provide for my mother, I was now free to pay homage to the Fifth Patriarch. After making arrangements for the care of my mother, I left and arrived at Huangmei in less than thirty days.
[1.6]The Fifth Patriarch asked, “Where are you from? What do you seek?”
[1.7]I replied, “I am a commoner from Xinzhou in the area of Lingnan. I have traveled far to pay homage to you. I seek to be a Buddha and nothing else.”
[1.8]The Fifth Patriarch spoke, “You are from Lingnan and also a barbarian! How do you expect to be a Buddha?”
[1.9]I replied, “Though people are said to be northerners or southerners, Buddha nature itself has no north or south. While a barbarian’s appearance is different from that of the Venerable Master, what difference is there in Buddha nature?”
[1.10]The Fifth Patriarch wanted to speak with me further, but when he noticed his many disciples beside him, he instead instructed me to join others in their work. But I said, “May I speak, Venerable Master? The inherent mind of this disciple continually gives rise to wisdom and he does not stray from intrinsic nature. It is a field of merit. What is it that the Venerable Master wants me to do?”
[1.11]The Fifth Patriarch remarked, “This barbarian’s capacities are quite developed. Say no more and go work in the mill!”
[1.12]I withdrew to the rear of the temple where a monastic told me to chop firewood and pound rice. This continued for eight months.
[1.13]One day the Fifth Patriarch suddenly came to see me, saying, “I know your understanding is ripe. I am, however, concerned that others may harm you, which is why I did not talk to you afterwards. Do you understand?”
[1.14]I replied, “I sense your intention. I dare not walk up to the Patriarch’s Hall, lest others may notice me.”
[1.15]One day, the Fifth Patriarch gathered all his disciples and said, “I want to speak to you on the great matter of life and death. You men spend the whole day cultivating your field of merit and do not seek to depart from the bitter sea of life and death. If intrinsic nature is obscured, how can a field of merit be of any help to you? Each of you should go examine for yourself the nature of wisdom, tapping the prajna that is the inherent mind. Each of you should write a gatha and show it to me. If it reveals you are awakened to the great meaning, I will then pass to you the robe and transmit the Dharma[7], naming you as the Sixth Patriarch. Go immediately without delay. Considering is of no use! It is apparent who has awakened to their intrinsic nature the moment they speak, even if they are in the heat of battle.”
[1.16]Having heard the Fifth Patriarch speak, the disciples withdrew and discussed among themselves, “Most of us need not exert ourselves to compose the gatha. What is the point of showing our work to the Venerable Master? Elder Shenxiu is our teacher and will certainly receive the lineage. Even if we are so bold as to write down our thoughts, it will simply be a waste of our energy.” All those who heard the discussion breathed a sigh of relief, saying, “From now on, we should look to Elder Shenxiu for guidance. Why trouble ourselves with writing the gatha?”
[1.17]Shenxiu thought to himself, “Considering I am their teacher, the other disciples will not submit their work, which means I should submit mine. If I do not, how can Venerable Master assess how deep or shallow my understanding is? If my intention is to seek the Dharma, it is honorable. If, however, my intention is to pursue the title, then my action is dishonorable, and I am no different from those who try to seize it falsely. If I abstain from submitting my work altogether, there is no chance for me to receive the teachings. This is a very difficult decision indeed!”
[1.18]There were three corridors in front of the Fifth Patriarch’s hall. These corridors were reserved for the imperial artist Lu Zhen[8] to paint a rendition of an assembly receiving the Lankavatara Sutra and the bloodline illustrations[9] from the First Patriarch[10] to the Fifth Patriarch so that the public may pay homage to them.
[1.19]After Shenxiu completed his gatha, he tried repeatedly to approach the Fifth Patriarch and show him his work. Every time he reached the Patriarch’s hall, however, he felt great anxiety and broke out in a sweat. He alternated between wanting to submit his work and not knowing if he should. Over the next four days, he made thirteen attempts in all. At last, he thought of a way, “Perhaps I shall write the gatha on the corridor wall. When Venerable Master reads it and likes it, then I will come out, make a bow, and admit that it is my work. If he thinks otherwise, then I have wasted the last few years here, and I do not deserve anyone’s respect! What progress in my practice can I speak of?” At the third watch of that night, he secretly went, with a lamp in his hand, to the south corridor and presented his insight. The gatha read:
[1.20]The body is a bodhi tree,
The mind, a bright mirror;
Diligently clean it at all times,,
So it does not attract dust.
[1.21]After he finished writing the gatha, he immediately went back to his room so no one would know. Shenxiu thought repeatedly, “If the Fifth Patriarch sees my gatha and approves, it means I am in accordance with the Dharma. If he says my work does not measure up, it is because my mind is still beset by delusion, hindered by heavy karma from my past lives and therefore not able to access the Dharma. It is difficult to fathom what this sage will say!” His worries kept him up, unable to rest sitting or standing for the whole night, well into the fifth watch.
[1.22]The Fifth Patriarch already knew that Shenxiu was only at the threshold of enlightenment and had not yet seen intrinsic nature. When day broke, the Fifth Patriarch invited Lu Zhen to the temple to work on his illustration. When the Patriarch accompanied Lu Zhen to the south corridor, he saw the gatha. He turned to Lu Zhen and said, “I apologize to you for having traveled the great distance to come here, but the walls need not be painted after all. The sutras say, ‘All phenomena are illusive.’ Save this gatha though, so others may study and recite it. Anyone who practices this gatha will not fall into the evil realms. Anyone who follows this gatha will reap great benefit.” He ordered his disciples to offer incense as a sign of respect and said, “Anyone who whole-heartedly recites the gatha will gain insight into intrinsic nature.” Those who read the gatha all exclaimed, “How excellent!”
[1.23]On the third watch, the Patriarch sent for Shenxiu and asked him, “Did you write the gatha?”
[1.24]Shenxiu answered, “It is indeed my work. But, I do not have the illusion that I will become the next patriarch. I hope Venerable Master will show compassion and tell me if your disciple has shown even the smallest amount of wisdom or not?”
[1.25]The Patriarch replied, “Your gatha shows you have not yet seen inherent nature. You have only arrived outside the gate, but have not yet entered. This level of understanding is not enough to attain ultimate bodhi. With ultimate bodhi, one effortlessly recognizes the inherent mind and that inherent, intrinsic nature neither arises nor ceases. At all times, observe your intrinsic nature in each and every thought. Myriad phenomena will not impede one another. Realize one truth, then all truths are known, and all states are suchness. The mind of suchness is true reality. If there is such seeing, it is the intrinsic nature of ultimate bodhi. You should take a day or two to contemplate this and write a new gatha to show me. If the new gatha reveals that you have entered the gate, I will pass on to you the robe and transmit the Dharma.” Shenxiu bowed and left. After a few days, he still could not come up with a new gatha. His mind was in a daze, and his entire being was unsettled as if in a dream. He could not find peace sitting down or moving about.
[1.26]Another two days passed and a little boy passed by the mill reciting Shenxiu’s gatha. Upon hearing the gatha, I realized its author had not seen inherent nature. Though I had not received any specific teachings, I did have a general idea of them. I asked the boy, “What is this gatha that you are reciting?”
[1.27]The boy replied, “You barbarians don’t know a thing! The Great Master told us, ‘The great matter of life and death is extremely important for everyone. Anyone who wishes to receive the robe and Dharma transmission should compose a gatha. If it reveals you are awakened to the great meaning, I will then pass onto you the lineage and name you as the Sixth Patriarch.’ The head monk wrote this formless[11] gatha on the wall of the south corridor; thereafter the Great Master instructed us to recite it. He says, ‘Practice accordingly and you will not fall into the evil realms. Practice accordingly and you will reap great benefit.’”
[1.28]I said, “Good sir, I have been grinding at this mill for the last eight months and have not walked up to the Patriarch’s hall. I hope you can take me to where the gatha is written so I may pay homage to it.”
[1.29]The young boy accompanied me to the exact location of the gatha so that I might bow before it. I said to him, “I do not read, please recite it for me.” It was then that Zhang Riyong, an Deputy Prefect of Jiangzhou, passed by and read the gatha out loud for me. Afterwards, I told him, “I also have a gatha. I hope you can write it down for me.” The Deputy Prefect replied, “You have also composed one. How unusual!” I turned to him and said, “If you are a seeker of ultimate bodhi, you must not slight beginners. The most junior person can have the most profound wisdom. The most senior person can have lapses in their wisdom. Looking down on others will result in boundless transgression.” The Deputy Prefect answered, “Please recite your gatha so I can write it down for you. If you are enlightened, you must not forget to teach me first.”
[1.30]I recited my gatha out loud, as follows:
[1.31]Essentially bodhi is not a tree,
Also, there is no bright mirror;
Inherently, there is no thing,
Where can it attract dust?
[1.32]After the gatha was written, many disciples were astonished and remarked, “How extraordinary! We should not judge a person by his looks. Why is it that, though he has not been here very long, he is now a living bodhisattva?” The Patriarch saw the crowd’s response and was afraid that someone might do me harm. He removed his shoe and erased my gatha, saying, “This author has not seen inherent nature either.” The crowd accepted his words.
[1.33]The next day, the Patriarch quietly stepped into the mill. He saw me pounding rice, with a stone pestle tied to my waist, and said, “Many seekers of the Way have risked their lives for the Dharma. You should be such a seeker!” He then asked, “Is the rice ripe for harvest?” I replied, “It has been ready for a while, just waiting for the sieve[12].” Using his staff, he struck the mortar three times and left. I instantly knew what he meant. On the third watch of the night, I went to his room. Using his robe as a screen so that others could not see into his room, he expounded upon the meaning of the Diamond Sutra. When he reached the point where it says, “Let the mind be present without an abiding,” I experienced the great enlightenment that all dharmas are none other than intrinsic nature. I said to the Patriarch, “Who could have thought intrinsic nature is inherently so pure and clear! That intrinsic nature is inherently neither created nor destroyed! That intrinsic nature is inherently complete! That intrinsic nature is inherently unmoving! Who could have thought that intrinsic nature can inherently manifest myriad phenomena!”
[1.34]From my exclamation, the Fifth Patriarch knew I had awakened to inherent nature. He told me, “Without knowing the inherent mind, learning the Dharma is useless. One who perceives one’s inherent mind and sees one’s inherent nature is a person of greatness, a teacher of heavenly and human beings, a Buddha.”
[1.35]At the third watch of the night, without anyone’s knowledge, the Fifth Patriarch transmitted to me the teachings of the Sudden School and the robe and bowl, saying, “You are now the Sixth Patriarch. Guard your practice well and ferry all sentient beings. Keep the teachings alive for future generations; do not let them come to an end. Listen to my gatha:
[1.36]Sentient beings come to plant seeds,
With them as a cause, they are reborn.
Without sentient beings, there are no seeds,
Without such nature, there is no arising.
[1.37]The Fifth Patriarch continued, “When the founding Patriarch Bodhidharma first came to this land, the people did not grasp the lineage and the teachings, so he used the passing of the robe to authenticate the lineage from one generation to the next. The Dharma, though, is transmitted from mind to mind, based upon one’s own enlightenment and understanding. From time immemorial, Buddhas have passed to Buddhas intrinsic nature, and Patriarchs have passed to Patriarchs the inherent mind. Because there has been such strife over this robe, do not continue handing it down. If you do so, the lives of future Patriarchs will hang by a thread. You must leave quickly now, for others may do you harm.”
[1.38]I asked, “Where should I go?”
[1.39]He replied, “Stop when you get to Huai. Take cover when you reach Hui.”
[1.40]I received the robe and bowl during the third watch. I told the Patriarch, “I am from the south and am unfamiliar with the mountain trails. How do I get down to the river?” The Patriarch told me, “You need not worry. I will take you there.” He accompanied me all the way to the Jiujiang post and instructed me to board a boat. While he was manning the oars, I said, “Venerable Master, please be seated. Your disciple should row.”
[1.41]The Patriarch answered, “It is only fitting that I ferry you across.”
[1.42]To this I responded, “While in delusion, you ferried me across. Upon enlightenment, I ferry myself. Both are ways to get across, but the process is different. Since I was born in the countryside and do not speak the language properly, I was thankful Venerable Master showed me the Dharma. Now that I am enlightened, it is only appropriate that intrinsic nature ferries itself[13].”
[1.43]The Patriarch remarked, “Precisely! Precisely! The Dharma will sprout from you henceforth. Three years after your departure, I will pass away. You should depart now and quickly travel south. Do not start teaching the Dharma too quickly because the Dharma is not easily accepted.”
[1.44]After I bade farewell to the Patriarch, I started my journey southward. Within two months, I arrived at the Dayu mountains. Behind me, several hundred men came in pursuit of the robe and bowl. Among them was a monk named Huiming. When he was a layman, his last name was Chen, and he was once a general of the fourth rank. Though naturally rough and boorish, he was very diligent in his pursuit of the Way. He was the first to catch up to me.
[1.45]I put the robe and bowl on a rock, saying, “This robe symbolizes trust[14]. How can you take it by force?” I then hid in the thicket. Huiming reached the rock but could not remove the robe and bowl. He then called out, “Fellow practitioner, I came here for the Dharma, not for the robe.” Upon hearing this, I came out and sat on the rock. Huiming bowed and said, “Please teach me the Dharma.” I replied, “Since you are here for the Dharma, remove all your conceptions and do not give rise to a single thought. I will then teach you.”
[1.46]After Huiming had done this for a time, I said to him, “Do not think of what is good or bad– what is your original face?” As soon as I had spoken, Huiming experienced a great awakening and asked further, “Besides the hidden and profound meaning imparted to me now, are there any others?”
[1.47]I replied, “If I could tell you, it would not be hidden. If you reflect within, the hidden and profound is close at hand.”
[1.48]Huiming remarked, “Though I had spent time at Huangmei, I had not awakened to my original face. Now thanks to your guidance, I realize it in the same way that one who drinks water knows for himself if the water is warm or cold. From now on, you are my teacher.”
[1.49]I replied, “If this is the case, you and I are fellow disciples of Huangmei[15]. Be on guard and vigilant in your practice.”
[1.50]“Where should I go?” Huiming asked further.
[1.51]I replied, “Stop when you reach Yuan and settle down in Meng.” Huiming bowed and left.
[1.52]After I reached Caoxi, I was again pursued by vicious men. For the next fifteen years, I found sanctuary with a group of hunters in Sihui, teaching them the Dharma whenever the opportunity arose. Often the hunters asked me to watch the nets, but each time an animal was captured, I would set it free. During mealtime, I would put vegetables into the same pot they cooked their meat in. When asked, I would reply, “I just want to eat the vegetables next to the meat.”
[1.53]One day, I reflected on the situation, “It is time for me to spread the Dharma. I cannot stay in hiding forever.” I left the woods and arrived at
[1.54]On one occasion, when a banner was flapping in the wind, a monk remarked, “The wind is moving.” Another monk rebutted, “The banner is moving.” Both stood their ground and would not budge. I jumped in the conversation and said, “The wind is not moving, and the banner is not moving. Your mind is moving.” Everyone was astonished.
[1.55]Yinzong invited me to a high seat of honor and asked me to speak about the deeper meaning of the teachings. When he saw that my explanations were thorough, straightforward, and not simply literal, he said, “You are certainly not an ordinary person. I have long heard that the successor of the Fifth Patriarch has arrived here in the south. Would that be you?”
[1.56]“I dare not say so,” I replied.
[1.57]Yinzong made a bow and asked that I show the assembly the robe and bowl I had inherited from the Fifth Patriarch. Yinzong asked again, “What instructions did the Fifth Patriarch leave with you.”
[1.58]I replied, “There are no specific instructions. We only discussed seeing intrinsic nature, not meditative states or liberation.”
[1.59]Yinzong asked, “Why not?”
[1.60]I explained, “Because they are dualistic, not the Dharma. The Dharma is not dualistic.”
[1.61]Yizong probed further, “How is it that the Dharma is not dualistic?”
[1.62]I answered, “You are currently expounding the Parinirvana Sutra, where Buddha nature is described as non-dualistic. Take the example of the question that King-of-Noble-Qualities Bodhisattva asked of the Buddha: Is someone who has violated the four major precepts, committed the five great violations, and even an icchantika considered cut off from all good roots and devoid of Buddha nature? The Buddha explained that there are two kinds of good roots—one permanent, the other impermanent. Buddha nature is neither permanent nor impermanent and therefore cannot be cut off. This is what is meant by non-duality. There is good and not good. Buddha nature is neither good nor not good, which is why it is called non-dualistic. In the world of the five aggregates and the eighteen elements, ordinary people see duality, enlightened people thoroughly understand that their nature is non-dualistic. This nature of non-duality is one and the same as Buddha nature.”
[1.63]Upon hearing, Yinzong was delighted. With joined palms, he said, “The way I interpret the sutras is like broken earthenware, while your declaration of the truth is like gold.” He then tonsured me and asked to be my disciple. From that point on, under the bodhi tree[16], I began to spread the teachings of the Dongshan[17] School of Buddhism.
[1.64]During the stay at Dongshan where I realized the Dharma, I faced many hardships and my life often hung by a thread. No doubt our paths have crossed over the course of many kalpas, which explains why I was able today to meet with you high officials, monks, nuns, and laymen. We must have, in our many past lives, made offerings to many Buddhas and planted good seeds such that we are able to listen to the wondrous teachings of the Sudden School. The teachings are handed down from ancestral patriarchs and are not my own. If you want to hear these teachings, you should clarify the mind. With these teachings, you yourself can clear up your doubts and become no different from sages of old[18].
[1.65]The assembly was delighted with the Dharma they had heard. They bowed and departed.
Discussion
1. Who was Huineng?
[1.1.1]Huineng was born during the Tang dynasty on the eighth day of the second lunar month in the year 638. He entered nirvana on the third day of the eighth lunar month in 713 at the age of seventy-six. His father’s name was Lu Xingtao, and his mother’s maiden name was Li. His father unfortunately passed away when he was only three, and Huineng was raised by his mother who was also a devout Buddhist.
[1.1.2]According to legend, two extraordinary looking monks arrived at their house when Huineng was born and offered to name the baby boy. The Chinese character hui (惠) means “to benefit,” while neng (能) means “able to.” The name Huineng connotes “To benefit all sentient beings; able to carry on the work of the Buddha.” The two monastics prophesied that when the boy grew up he would teach the Dharma, benefiting sentient beings everywhere.
[1.1.3] Huineng grew up in southern
[1.1.4]Many are familiar with the fact that the Sixth Patriarch was a woodcutter and naturally think of him as an illiterate[19]. This is not true. According to the Platform Sutra, the Sixth Patriarch had a sworn brother called Liu Zhilue, who was also a Buddhist. Liu’s aunt, a bhiksuni with the Dharma name of Wujin Zang[20], often recites the Parinirvana Sutra. One day, she asked the Sixth Patriarch to explain to her the meaning of the sutra, and it was, indeed, the supposedly illiterate Sixth Patriarch who interpreted the sutra for her. It is true that in the Platform Sutra, Huineng calls himself an illiterate. Huineng used that as a figure of speech, and it reflected what a humble person he was. Even nowadays, we may hear someone say this of him or herself, “I am not that good in such-and-such an area.” This shows humility and does not mean the person is truly ignorant. Huineng was very knowledgeable in various sutras, such as the Diamond Sutra, the Vimalakirti Sutra, the Lankavatara Sutra, the Surangama Sutra, the Parinirvana Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, the Brahma Net Sutra, and the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life. If we look at the breadth of the Sixth Patriarch’s knowledge and the skillful means he used to expound the Dharma, it is clear that he was not an illiterate.
2. What significance does the robe and bowl play in the passing of the lineage?
[1.2.1]The passing of the robe and bowl symbolizes the passing of the lineage from one generation to the next. This tradition dates back to the days of the Buddha. Once when the Buddha was residing at
[1.2.2]From the Buddha, to Mahakasyapa, to Ananda, to the twenty-eighth patriarch, Bodhidharma, the founding patriarch who brought these teachings to
[1.2.3]Why did the robe and bowl cause such strong reactions? The contention over these symbolic items stemmed from attachment to the Dharma, not unlike the attachment to the “self” that causes many to fight over wealth and fame. Because of the strife that the robe and bowl had caused, the Fifth Patriarch decided it was best not to continue with the tradition. Partly because of this change, the Sixth Patriarch had many outstanding disciples, and the Chan
3. Where did the Sixth Patriarch finally settle after receiving the transmission of the Dharma?
[1.3.1][pg.104]After the warm reception at
[1.3.2]”That little? That’s easy.” the land owner replied. “Which piece of land do you have in mind?”
[1.3.3]To the amazement of the land owner, when Huineng unfolded his sitting mat, it covered a large extent of the land in Caoxi. The land owner was delighted to have the chance to make an offering to such an accomplished monk and willingly donated the land to Huineng. It was on this land that Huineng built the Nanhua
4. How does someone “ferry” themselves and how can a teacher help?
[1.4.1]In the first chapter of the Platform Sutra, we learn that when the Fifth Patriarch escorted Huineng out of Huangmei, they had to cross a river. While the Fifth Patriarch was manning the oars, Huineng said, “While in delusion, you ferried me across. Upon enlightenment, I ferry myself.”
[1.4.2]How exactly can a teacher help us and how can we help ourselves? While a teacher can point us in the right direction, what we do with the guidance is up to us. In Buddhism, we describe the relationship between a teacher and a student as really three parts teacher-student and seven parts Dharma friends. Even if we are to meet a great teacher, if we do not apply ourselves, the opportunity is for naught.
[1.4.3]“Ferrying oneself” is what we mean by self-liberation, something we must do ourselves. In the Sutra of Bequeathed Teachings, the Buddha says, “I am like a good doctor who can diagnose ailments and prescribe the medication. If you refuse to take the medication, the fault does not lie with the doctor.” On another occasion, the Blessed One drew this analogy, “Like a good guide, I point out the right way. If you do not take it, the fault does not lie with the guide.” The Buddha is our teacher, our guide, but he cannot determine our future. We alone can determine if the road ahead is bumpy or smooth. We alone can settle the life of the mind and see that bodhi is the intrinsic nature of all of us.
[1.4.4]How should we liberate ourselves? First, we should nurture our compassion. In helping others, we also help ourselves. Through compassion, we experience firsthand the meaning of the Buddha’s teachings. When we help others, be it through donating to a worthwhile cause or through being generous with our time, we are cultivating good conditions for ourselves.
[1.4.5]There is a common saying in Buddhism that states, “Before completing the path to Buddhahood, first form affinities with others.” Forming affinities is a direct way to cultivate merit and virtue. Some people have likened the practicing of compassion to the burning of a candle. A candle burns itself out to give others light. Throughout history, there are many courageous men and women who gave everything for the benefit of others. The Buddha is one who practices compassion without hesitation. We have heard of how the Buddha, in a previous life, offered a piece of his own flesh to feed a starving eagle and how he gave his life so a mother tigress could feed her newborn cubs. The Buddha’s thirty-two marks of excellence are not the results of occasional acts of compassion, but continual practice over many kalpas.
[1.4.6]Second, we have to change our mindset from desire to generosity, from hatred to loving kindness and compassion, from ignorance to wisdom, from laziness to diligence. If we do not live the teachings, mere knowledge of them will not do us any good. The most important thing for today’s society is the ability to change our minds. When we are covered with dirt, we need to clean ourselves. When our clothes are soiled, we need to wash them. When our minds are dirtied, we must purify them. This is the first step towards self-liberation.
[1.4.7]Third, we must be able to refine our character. It is said that, “It is easy to move rivers and mountains, but it is very hard to change one’s character.” Just because it is difficult doesn’t mean it can’t be done. If you have a harsh and disagreeable temperament, but are willing to change, and arouse the energy to do so, you can create a kind and virtuous character. This kind of character is only built through constant self-development and effort.
[1.4.8]Fourth, we need to understand that life is not lived on one level alone. The world extends in many directions, not just simply in front of us. People nowadays know only how to forge ahead. The advent of technology seems to bring with it an unending quest for more speed and power. When we look at life on only one level, we see it as a narrow one-way street that never ends. If we learn to pause, reflect, and enjoy the multifaceted world, we will open up our lives tremendously. In life’s journey, there is a time to forge ahead and a time to step back.
[1.4.9]Some people look at Buddhism as an academic pursuit and not as a spiritual practice. Most sutras begin with “Thus I have heard” and end with “They accepted the teachings and practiced accordingly.” To understand the teachings without practicing them is like reciting half of a sutra. It is like hearing “Thus have I heard” without upholding “They accepted the teachings and practiced accordingly.” Thus, if we want to follow the Sixth Patriarch’s teachings about self-liberation across the sea of suffering, we should combine the “Thus have I heard” with “They accepted the teachings and practiced accordingly.”
5. How did Huineng reconcile himself with the precept of not killing during the fifteen years he lived among the hunters?
[1.5.1]When Huineng sought sanctuary among the hunters, he used every opportunity to teach them the Dharma and the practice of compassion. When the Sixth Patriarch was asked to watch the hunters’ traps, he would free the captured animals whenever possible. When the hunters cooked their catch, Huineng would add vegetables to the pot. These vegetables are what made up his dinner.
[1.5.2]The practice of vegetarianism has more to do with compassion than a rigid formulation of what can be consumed. If a vegetarian is full of greed, hatred, and ignorance, than his or her practice is really one of form and not of substance. One who really practices the Buddha’s teachings does not just focus on what constitutes vegetarianism but is also mindful of what one consumes as food. Huineng sets a good example of how one can observe the precepts in any circumstance.
6. In Buddhism, what does the term “hidden meaning” mean?
[1.6.1]Many of us have heard of “hidden” or “esoteric teachings” and the “esoteric
[1.6.2]After Huineng left Huangmei, Huiming caught up with him and wanted to reclaim the robe and bowl. When he could not even lift them off the rock, he asked Huineng to teach him the Dharma. Huineng told him that if he ceased judging the world in terms of good and bad, he could then see his original face. Huiming asked further, “Besides the hidden and profound meaning imparted to me now, are there any others?” The term “hidden” means the teachings cannot be explained with words but have to be found within oneself. Because of this, Huineng told Huiming that the truth cannot be discovered outside of ourselves.
[1.6.3]There is a Chan gongan which illustrates how the truth is always within us, waiting to be discovered. Once, Lingxun, a Chan student, went to the Chan master Guizong with the following question, “What does it mean to be a Buddha?”
[1.6.4]Guizong said, “I can’t tell you. Even if I were able to, you would not believe me.”
[1.6.5]“Teacher, I dare not question your answer,” Lingxun replied.
[1.6.6]“Good. Then I’ll tell you that you are a Buddha.”
[1.6.7]Lingxun was shocked and said, “I am just an ordinary man. Why do you say I am a Buddha?” Lingxun asked further, “Teacher, if you say I am a Buddha, how can I know this for myself?”
[1.6.8]His teacher answered him with the following verse:
Film over the eye,
Sky flowers tumble chaotically.
Take leave of all phenomena,
See all Buddhas.
[1.6.9]When we see through the film of confusion and appearance, it is as if a good pair of eyes are impaired by a disease. We simply cannot see into the reality of all phenomena. When we are no longer under their influence, we can then see Tathagata.
[1.6.10]When we do not truly know ourselves, we do not recognize truth resides within us. If we know how to look, then we’ll see we are Buddhas, too. On the one hand, we can say that the Dharma is obtuse and difficult to understand; on the other hand, we can say that the Dharma is direct and easily accessible. At Vulture Peak, when the Buddha held up a flower, it was a very public, open demonstration, yet all who were present did not understand except for Mahakasyapa who smiled in response. He knew that the “hidden,” or enigmatic, Dharma can only be revealed through mutual mind-to-mind transmission.
[1.6.11]In the Chan gongans, we often read about how Chan masters became enlightened in the most unlikely circumstances—in the midst of flowers blooming or flowers wilting, while listening to the creak of opening doors or the shattering sound as a bowl hit the floor. Sometimes, when people explain the Dharma to us, we simply cannot understand. When the causes and conditions are right, what seemed irrelevant can suddenly open our eyes and help us become enlightened to the truth. Let me illustrate this with a Chan story.
[1.6.12]Once there was an old monk with a large following. Among his many disciples was one who was most persistent in trying to understand the Dharma. He was quite argumentative in nature and regardless of how the monk explained the teachings, the disciple would not accept them whole-heartedly. The monk became exasperated in trying to help this disciple.
[1.6.13]One day, the disciple again requested to speak with his teacher to discuss the Dharma. Just at the moment when the monk was wondering how to help his student, a tofu peddler came in and saw his consternation. He asked, “Venerable, what’s troubling you today? Is there something I can do?”
[1.6.14]The monk explained, “I have a disciple who is both inquisitive and stubborn. He will be here later today.”
[1.6.15]The peddler wanted to help and offered a suggestion, “Let me deal with him.”
[1.6.16]The monk thought to himself, “Even I have trouble convincing this disciple. How can a peddler be of any help?” Considering it further, he became curious to see if another approach would make any difference.
[1.6.17]The peddler then asked for the monk’s robe. At the appointed time, he put on the robe and waited for the disciple to arrive. As the disciple stepped into the temple, he saw who he thought was the monk sitting on the high seat waiting for him. He thought to himself, “Ah, the monk is ready.” He then held up to the monk all ten fingers. When the peddler saw that, he responded with five fingers of his own. The disciple answered with three fingers, and the peddler responded with one. At this point, the disciple seemed quite happy and left with a bow.
[1.6.18]When he reached home, he told his friends, “The old monk is an excellent teacher! Today he helped me understand the Dharma.”
[1.6.19]“How?” asked his friends.
[1.6.20]“When I stood before him, I stretched out both hands to ask him how I can refrain from the ten unwholesome actions. He held out five fingers, telling me to observe the Five Precepts. Then I held up three fingers to ask him how to rid myself of the three poisons of greed, hatred, and ignorance. He answered with a single finger to tell me that the one mind is the answer. He made everything clear today.”
[1.6.21]In the meantime, the monk asked the peddler how the discussion concluded so quickly. The peddler answered, “Your disciple negotiates a tough bargain. As soon as he came in, he held out his ten fingers to ask me how much is ten squares of tofu.”
[1.6.22]The monk asked, “What did you say?”
[1.6.23]“I figured that each square of tofu is fifty cents, and ten would cost him five dollars. So I held up five fingers.”
[1.6.24]“Then what happened?”
[1.6.25]“He then signaled he only wanted to pay three dollars. I was very angry with him, so I jabbed my finger out at him. I guess he was embarrassed because he left quickly.”
[1.6.26]This story illustrates the “hidden” aspects of the Dharma. “Hidden” means that the teachings cannot be fully explained with language. We have to find them out for ourselves, from our own experiences. This describes the fact that the teachings are best communicated through mind-to-mind transmission. When we can help each other, looking past life and death, honor and insult, and ease and difficulty, then we are communicating “mind to mind.” This is the hidden meaning.
7. Why did the Fifth Patriarch advise Huineng not to rush into teaching the Dharma?
[1.7.1]After the Fifth Patriarch handed the robe and bowl to Huineng, he accompanied him to the lake shore and said, “The Dharma will sprout from you henceforth. Do not start teaching the Dharma too quickly because the Dharma is not easily accepted.”
[1.7.2]We can all learn from the Fifth Patriarch’s advice. Great achievements do not happen overnight. Even a skyscraper must start with a foundation and be built brick by brick. Cultivating virtue is also done step by step. There are countless causes and conditions which come together to shape the content of our lives. To be a person of greatness, one must study and work hard and create many good conditions. We need not be envious of others’ success; we just have to be diligent and patient in cultivating the necessary causes and conditions.
[1.7.3]There are many things in life that cannot be rushed. Consider the example of trees. A year-old tree is only good for firewood. The wood from a more mature tree can be used to make furniture. Only decades-old trees can be used for beams and pillars. After Hongren transmitted the Dharma to Huineng, he emphasized that when teaching the Dharma he must wait for the right time, and thus Huineng went into hiding among the hunters to wait until the right moment.
[1.7.4]Nowadays, patience is in short supply. People demand more speed in everything they do. We should wait for the correct causes and conditions to arise, but we become restless and then careless. My teachers used to say, “The Dharma isn’t fish or produce, don’t worry, it won’t rot.”
[1.7.5]Past masters were very patient. The Chan master Nanquan Puyuan lived in the same thatched hut for forty-years. His motto was, “Do not crack open an egg before it is ready to hatch. Do not remove the lid before the rice is cooked.” If an egg is cracked before its time, the chick will not live. In cooking rice, the lid should not be raised until the rice is thoroughly cooked. Even a hillside of flowers is not complete until there is a gentle breeze to bring out its fragrance. In our endeavors, we have to be patient for the right moment, or else success will remain elusive.
8. Huiming told Huineng that he came for the Dharma, not for the robe and bowl. What should be our motivation in learning the Dharma?
[1.8.1]The Vimalakirti Sutra speaks of a similar incident. Once when Vimalakirti was sick, the Buddha sent Manjusri, Sariputra, and various monks to visit with him. The room was crowded with people, but there was not a chair in sight. Vimalakirti saw the annoyance on Sariputra’s face and asked, “My respected guest, are you here for the Dharma or for a chair?” Sariputra caught himself and apologized.
[1.8.2]Some people attend Dharma talks out of curiosity. Others want to see if Buddhism can offer them wealth, protection, or longevity. Others think of Buddhism as a means of fortune telling. These are not proper motivations for approaching the Dharma.
[1.8.3]Once the great contemporary monk Yinguang gave a series of Dharma talks in
[1.8.4]Some people seek the Dharma just to be fashionable. They equate the obtuse and mystical with profoundity. I have heard exchanges like the following:
[1.8.5]“Where did you go?”
[1.8.6]“I was just at a Dharma talk.”
[1.8.7]“Was it good?”
[1.8.8]“Yes, very.”
[1.8.9]“How good?”
[1.8.10]“I don’t know. I didn’t understand it.”
[1.8.11]In the Chan annals, we have read time and time again how students had to prove they were worthy of their master’s teachings. Once the Chan master Fayuan and his friends traveled north to see if the Chan master Guixing would accept them as his students. When they arrived, they waited eagerly to meet with the Chan master. From morning until night, no one paid them any attention. Hungry and cold, many left in a huff, except for Fayuan, who remained undeterred. Late at night, a monk finally asked him, “Why are you here?”
[1.8.12]“I came here to learn the Dharma,” answered Fayuan.
Without any explanation, the monk poured a basin of water over Fayuan’s head and said, “Our teacher doesn’t have time for the likes of you. Clear off!”
[1.8.13]Fayuan did not give up. Respectfully, he told the monk, “I have journeyed thousands of miles from the south to be here. I will not turn back just because you douse me with water. I am going to stay here and wait.”
[1.8.14]Moved by his determination, the monk finally allowed him to stay and work in the kitchen. Life at that time was tough, and all of life’s necessities were in short supply, even something as simple as cooking oil. One day, Fayuan used some of the precious oil to cook noodles for the temple’s residents. When the abbot, Guixing, found this out, he sent for Fayuan and reproached him saying, “The oil is the property of the temple. How can you be so extravagant without first consulting with me. I want you to pay the temple back for the oil.” Fayuan was poor and could not pay for the oil. Guishong told him, “If you do not have any money, you can leave your robe behind as payment. You, however, must leave.”
[1.8.15]With nowhere to go, Fayuan decided to stay under the eave of the temple roof. He figured he could ask for alms and save up enough money to repay the temple. Half a month later, when the abbot found out he had permanently camped outside the temple, he again summoned him and asked him to pay the temple rent for his spot under the eave.
[1.8.16]After many similar tests, the abbot was satisfied with the strength of his character and eventually named him as the next abbot.
[1.8.17]Fayuan was not one who approached the Dharma simply for material gains. Some people pray to the Buddha so that they may thrive in their business. When they lose money in their deals, they blame the Buddhas for not looking out for them. They choose to conveniently forget about causes and conditions when things do not go their way. They view praying to the Buddhas as an insurance policy for their wealth. Others embrace Buddhism because it is trendy. Such perspectives are distorted and unreasonable. The Buddha was born into this world to teach us the way leading to the cessation of suffering, not how to become rich. To become a Buddhist means to be committed to practicing the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha teaches us we all have the capacity to be Buddhas. To have faith in the Buddha means to believe in ourselves and to believe that our nature is not lacking in anything. We practice to transform our delusion to wisdom. It is only when we approach the Dharma with the right mindset that our practice will have any meaning.
9. How did Huineng lead his life after enlightenment?
[1.9.1]Some of you may wonder what a life of enlightenment is like. When a Chan master is enlightened, does it mean he or she can walk on water and command the winds? Actually, being enlightened and having supernatural powers are two totally different things. Enlightenment is analogous to the shattering of darkness by light. What we did not see clearly before, we now do. We leave behind the past and come to the present moment. What we clung to before, we no longer desire. The occasion of enlightenment is a momentous one when heaven and earth shake. The old delusion is shattered and new clarity emerges. Self and the universe unite as one, and what we hear and see take on a different quality.
[1.9.2]According to the Platform Sutra, we learn that Huineng’s life of enlightenment was free and unencumbered. Insults could not rattle him. When he arrived at Huangmei and met the Fifth Patriarch for the first time, he was greeted by insults. Even though the Fifth Patriarch called him a barbarian, he was not the least perturbed. When the Fifth Patriarch assigned him to work at the mill to pound rice, he did not look at menial work as lowly and beneath him. Pounding rice is hard work, but Huineng did not have any complaints. In the eyes of an enlightened individual, work is not a curse but a blessing, and being of service to others is not a burden but a joy.
[1.9.3]Huineng did not look at hardships as suffering. For many years, he was continually pursued by vicious men who wanted to seize the robe and bowl from him. In his plight, he sought sanctuary with a group of hunters for fifteen years. He was not tormented by the persecutions. Even though his life was threatened on three separate occasions, Huineng was ready to give up his life for the Dharma.
[1.9.4]As tough as the first half of his life was, the latter half of his life was glorious. Just as he did not see hardship as suffering, he did not look at renown as glory. Empress Wu Zetian often invited Huineng to speak to the imperial court, showering him with precious gifts. Among them were a robe made of golden threads, a golden alms bowl, and a sutra-cover decorated with gems and pearls. Each time he came to the capital, she would give him many bolts of silk. She even rebuilt his old dwelling in Xinzhou and turned it into a temple, naming it as
[1.9.5]Huineng dedicated his life to spreading the Dharma and was never lax in his work. One who is enlightened is confident of his or her abilities and feels a special responsibility to spread the Dharma to help all sentient beings. An enlightened individual does not shirk responsibility in search of an easy life; instead, he or she never hesitates to shoulder others’ pain. In enlightenment, one finds a pure land in all circumstances.
[1] the Sixth Patriarch or Hui-neng
[2] the city of
[3] Bodhi is the capacity for being aware.
[4] Vajracchedika Sutra in Sanskrit.
[5] the Fifth Patriarch of the Chan
[6] a Chinese weight measurement
[7] The robe and Dharma here symbolize the lineage.
[8] a court artist
[9] illustrations of the Chan lineage, referred to as the bloodline
[10] This refers to Bodhidharma, the founder of the Chan
[11] absolute truth as having no differentiated ideas
[12] A tool to separate rice grains from their hulls.
[13] This speaks to the self-initiating and self-delivering nature of our inherent ability to enlightenment.
[14] The robe also serves as evidence of the passing of lineage.
[15] Another reference to the Fifth Patriarch.
[16] The bodhi tree planted on the grounds of the monastery. Legend has it that Hui-neng’s hair was also buried at this tree.
[17] Tung-shan means
[18] Sages of old here refers to past buddhas.
[19] While it was true that the Sixth Patriarch was not well schooled, he did know how to read, especially after enlightenment.
[20] WujinZang literally means “Boundless Treasure.”
[21] Tradition has it that his body has not been preserved by any artificial method but remains in a natural state of non-decay.
[22] Guoen means “National Treasure.”
