[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [六祖大師法寶壇經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008) › 1.8 # 六祖大師法寶壇經 1.8 六祖大師法寶壇經 1.8 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.8) 妙道虛玄不可思議，忘言得旨端可悟明。故世尊分座於多子塔前，拈華於靈山會上，似火與火，以心印心。西傳四七，至菩提達磨。東來此土，直指人心，見性成佛。有可大師者，首於言下悟入，末上三拜得髓，受衣紹祖開闡正宗，三傳而至黃梅，會中高僧七百，惟負舂居士，一偈傳衣為六代祖，南遯十餘年，一旦以非風旛動之機，觸開印宗正眼。居士由是祝髮登壇，應跋陀羅懸記，開東山法門，韋使君命海禪者錄其語，目之曰「法寶壇經」。大師始於五羊，終至曹溪，說法三十七年，霑甘露味，入聖超凡者，莫記其數，悟佛心宗，行解相應，為大知識者，名載傳燈。惟南嶽青原，執侍最久，盡得無巴鼻。故出馬祖石頭，機智圓明，玄風大震，乃有臨濟溈仰、曹洞、雲門、法眼諸公巍然而出，道德超群，門庭險峻，啟迪英靈，衲子奮志衝關，一門深入，五派同源，歷遍罏錘，規模廣大，原其五家綱要，盡出《壇經》。夫《壇經》者，言簡義豐，理明事備，具足諸佛無量法門，一一法門具足無量妙義，一一妙義發揮諸佛無量妙理。即彌勒樓閣中，即普賢毛孔中。善入者，即同善財於一念間圓滿功德，與普賢等、與諸佛等。惜乎《壇經》為後人節略太多，不見六祖大全之旨。德異幼年，嘗見古本，自後遍求三十餘載，近得通上人尋到全文，遂刊于吳中休休禪庵，與諸勝士同一受用。惟願開卷，舉目直入大圓覺海，續佛祖慧命無窮，斯余志願滿矣。至元二十七年庚寅歲中春日敘。 > The wondrous Way is profound, subtle, and inconceivable; forgetting words and grasping the principle, one can indeed awaken and realize it clearly. Therefore, the World-Honoured One shared his seat before the Bahuputraka Caitya and held up a flower at the assembly on Gṛdhrakūṭa—like passing fire to fire, sealing mind with mind. In the west, it was transmitted through twenty-eight \[generations\] down to Bodhidharma. Coming east to this land, he directly pointed to the human mind: seeing into one's nature and attaining buddhahood. There was Master Ke, who first awakened and entered upon hearing his words, and in the end made three prostrations and obtained his marrow; receiving the robe, he succeeded the Patriarch and opened up and propagated the orthodox lineage. Transmitted three times, it reached Huangmei. In that assembly were seven hundred eminent monks, yet it was only the lay pestle-pounder who, with a single gāthā, was transmitted the robe to become the sixth-generation patriarch. Fleeing south for more than ten years, he one day used the occasion of the wind and banner moving to stimulate and open Yinzong's correct eye. Thereupon the layman tonsured his hair and ascended the platform, fulfilling the advance prediction of Guṇabhadra and opening the East Mountain Dharma gate. Prefect Wei instructed the Chan monk Fahui to record his words, entitling it Platform Sūtra of the Dharma Treasure. The Great Master began at Wuyang and concluded at Caoxi, preaching the Dharma for thirty-seven years. Countless were those who partook of the taste of sweet dew, entering the holy and transcending the profane; those who awakened to the Buddha-mind school, whose practice and understanding corresponded, and who became great spiritual mentors, have their names recorded in the Transmission of the Lamp. Only Nanyue and Qingyuan attended him the longest, completely attaining that which has no handle. Therefore there emerged Mazu and Shitou, whose responsive wisdom was perfect and bright, causing the profound wind to shake greatly. Then the venerable masters Linji, Weiyang, Caodong, Yunmen, and Fayan arose toweringly; their virtue and Way surpassed the ordinary, their gates were sheer and precipitous, inspiring heroic spirits. Monks vigorously roused their determination to break through the barrier, entering deeply through a single gate; the five branches share the same source, having undergone every furnace and hammer, grand in their scope. Tracing the essential guidelines of the five houses, all emerged from the Platform Sūtra. Indeed, as for the Platform Sūtra, its words are concise and its meaning abundant; its principles are clear and its matters complete. It is replete with the immeasurable Dharma gates of all Buddhas; each single Dharma gate is replete with immeasurable wondrous meanings, and each single wondrous meaning unfolds the immeasurable wondrous principles of all Buddhas. It is right within Maitreya's pavilion; it is right within Samantabhadra's pores. Those who enter it skillfully are immediately equal to Sudhana, perfecting merit in a single thought-moment, equal to Samantabhadra and equal to all Buddhas. Alas, the Platform Sūtra was abridged too much by later generations, obscuring the complete intent of the Sixth Patriarch. In my youth, I once saw an ancient edition. For more than thirty years thereafter I sought it everywhere. Recently, the Superior Tong was able to search out the complete text; I then had it carved into blocks at the Xiuxiu Chan Hermitage in Wuzhong, so that all noble companions may share in its enjoyment. I only hope that upon opening the scroll, one will cast one's gaze and directly enter the ocean of great and complete enlightenment, continuing the boundless life of wisdom of the Buddhas and Patriarchs. With this, my aspiration is fulfilled. Prefaced in mid-spring of the gengyin year, the twenty-seventh year of the Zhiyuan era \[1290 CE\]. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.7) - [Next: 1.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.9) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.8) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.8) · Pramāṇa