六祖大師法寶壇經 1.21

1.21

「惠能安置母畢，即便辭違。不經三十餘日，便至黃梅，禮拜五祖。祖問曰：『汝何方人？欲求何物？』惠能對曰：『弟子是嶺南新州百姓，遠來禮師，惟求作佛，不求餘物。』祖言：『汝是嶺南人，又是獵獠，若為堪作佛？』惠能曰：『人雖有南北，佛性本無南北；獵獠身與和尚不同，佛性有何差別？』五祖更欲與語，且見徒眾總在左右，乃令隨眾作務。惠能曰：『惠能啟和尚，弟子自心，常生智慧，不離自性，即是福田。未審和尚教作何務？』祖云：『這獦獠根性大利！汝更勿言，著槽廠去。』惠能退至後院，有一行者，差惠能破柴踏碓。經八月餘，祖一日忽見惠能曰：『吾思汝之見可用，恐有惡人害汝，遂不與汝言。汝知之否？』惠能曰：『弟子亦知師意，不敢行至堂前，令人不覺。』

already have], and you will achieve buddhahood directly and completely. Good friends, listen well! This is the story of how I practiced and attained the Dharma.

“My father was a native of Fanyang (Zhuo Xian, Hebei), but he was banished to Lingnan and became a commoner in Xinzhou (Xinxing Xian, Guangdong). I have been unfortunate: my father died early, and my aged mother and I, her only child, moved here to Nanhai. Miserably poor, I sold firewood in the marketplace.

“At one time, a customer bought some firewood and had me deliver it to his shop, where he took it and paid me. On my way out of the gate I saw someone reciting a sutra, and as soon as I heard the words of the sutra my mind opened forth in enlightenment. I then asked the person what sutra he was reciting, and he said, ‘The Diamond Sutra.’ I also asked, ‘Where did

you get this sutra?’ He said, ‘I have come from Dongchansi (“Eastern Meditation Monastery”) in Huangmei Xian in Qizhou (Qizhun, Hubei). The Fifth Patriarch, Great Master Hongren, resides at and is in charge of instruction at that monastery. He has over a thousand followers. I went there, did obeisance to him, and received this sutra there. Great Master [Hongren] always exhorts both monks and laymen to simply maintain the Diamond Sutra, so that one can see the [self]-nature by oneself and achieve buddhahood directly and completely.’

“My hearing this was through a karmic connection from the past. Someone then gave me ten liang of silver to pay for my aged mother’s food and clothing and told me to go to Huangmei to do obeisance to the Fifth Patriarch. I then left my mother for the last time and departed. In less than thirtyodd days I arrived at Huangmei, where I did obeisance to the Fifth Patriarch.

“The patriarch asked me, ‘Where are you from, and what is it you seek?’ I replied, ‘Your disciple is a commoner from Xinzhou in Lingnan, and I have come this far to pay reverence to you. I wish only to achieve buddhahood and do not seek anything else.’ The patriarch said, ‘If you’re from Lingnan, then you must be a hunter. How could you ever achieve buddhahood?’ I said, ‘Although people may be from north or south, there is fundamentally no north and south in the buddha-nature. Although this hunter’s body is different from Your Reverence’s, how can there be any difference in the buddhanatures [within]?’

“The Fifth Patriarch wanted to speak further with me but, seeing that his followers were gathered all around, he told me to go with them to work. I said, ‘If I might address Your Reverence, your disciple constantly generates wisdom in my own mind. To not transcend the self-natures is equivalent to the field of blessings. I wonder what work Your Reverence would have me do?’ The patriarch said, ‘Some Glao barbarian! You’re very sharp! Don’t say anything else! Go to the work shed.’43 I then retired to a chapel in the rear [of the monastery].

“A practitioner had me break up kindling and tread the hulling pestle. After more than eight months of this, the patriarch came unexpectedly one day to see me. He said, ‘I thought your views might have been of use, but I was afraid there were evil people who might have harmed you. That was why I haven’t spoken to you. Do you understand this?’ I replied, ‘I understood

your intentions. I have not dared go by the main hall, so as to not remind people.’46

“One day the patriarch called all of his followers together [and addressed them, saying], ‘I preach to you that life and death is the great concern for people of this world. But you spend all your time seeking only the fields of