廬山蓮宗寶鑑 10.30

10.30

昔永嘉大師往曹溪禮拜六祖印證心地，述證道歌云「自從認得曹溪路，了知生死不相干。」是故天下禪宗出乎曹溪之源，目曰曹溪路也。何期愚人妄指人身有浹湷雙關，作曹溪一派。又妄說「六祖云寧度白衣千千萬，不度空門半箇僧。」如斯之輩，非特惑於後人，是亦誣於先聖。豈不聞永嘉云「第一迦葉首傳燈，二十八代西天記。法東流，入此土，菩提達磨為初祖，六代傳衣天下聞，後人得道無窮數。」又豈有度白衣而不度空門乎？於戲！邪妄之徒不知來歷，竊祖師之名，同魍魎妖孽，見解迷誤善人，正是一盲引眾盲，相牽入火坑也。吾知祖宗實德，是以稱而傳之。吾知闡提薄福謗辱吾宗，是以恐而懼之。吾尚知而大懼，汝謗聖師之道、誑後學之人，安得不益懼於吾乎？汝速宜磨滅改而正之，無貽我羞之為愈也。

In the past, Great Master Yongjia went to Caoxi to pay homage to the Sixth Patriarch and verify his mind-ground; he composed the Song of Realising the Way, which says: 'Ever since I came to know the path of Caoxi, I have fully understood that birth and death have nothing to do with it.' For this reason, the Zen school throughout the world originated from the source of Caoxi, and it is designated 'the path of Caoxi'. Who could have expected foolish people to falsely point to the body having the 'moistening and washing double passes' and make of them a 'branch of Caoxi'? Moreover, they falsely say: 'The Sixth Patriarch said, "I would rather deliver millions upon millions of laypeople than half a monk of the gate of emptiness."' People like this not only mislead later generations, but also defame the former sages. Have they not heard Yongjia say: 'First Kāśyapa was the foremost to transmit the lamp, recorded across twenty-eight generations in the Western Heavens. The Dharma flowed east and entered this land; Bodhidharma was the first patriarch. Across six generations the transmission of the robe was heard throughout the world, and later people who attained the Way are countless.' How could he have delivered laypeople while not delivering those of the gate of emptiness? Alas! Heterodox and deceitful people do not know the origins; stealing the names of the patriarchs, like mountain elves and monsters, their views mislead good people. This is truly the blind leading the blind, pulling each other into the fire pit! I know the true virtue of the patriarchs, and therefore praise and transmit it. I know that icchantikas of meager merit slander and insult our school, and therefore I am fearful and apprehensive. If even I, knowing this, am greatly afraid, how can you—who slander the way of the holy masters and deceive later students—not be even more fearful than I? You should swiftly wipe this away, correct it, and make it right; leaving no shame upon me would be the best.