[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) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt) › 1.21 # 六祖大師法寶壇經 1.21 English (machine translation) 1.21 - **Language:** English ### [1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.21) ''After Huineng had settled his mother, he immediately took his leave. In less than thirty days, he arrived at Huangmei and paid homage to the Fifth Patriarch. The Patriarch asked, "Where are you from, and what do you seek?" Huineng replied, "Your disciple is a commoner from Xinzhou in Lingnan. Having come from afar to pay homage to the master, I seek only to become a buddha and seek nothing else." The Patriarch said, "You are a person from Lingnan, and moreover a southern barbarian; how could you be capable of becoming a buddha?" Huineng said, "Although humans may be from the south or north, buddha-nature fundamentally has no south or north. This barbarian body is different from that of the upādhyāya, but what difference is there in our buddha-nature?" The Fifth Patriarch wished to speak further with him, but seeing that his disciples were all around them, he ordered him to join the assembly in work. Huineng said, "Huineng informs the upādhyāya: your disciple's own mind constantly gives rise to wisdom; not straying from svabhāva is itself a field of merit. I wonder what duties the upādhyāya instructs me to do?" The Patriarch said, "This southern barbarian has exceedingly sharp faculties! Say no more; go to the stable yard." Huineng retreated to the rear courtyard, where a practitioner assigned Huineng to chop firewood and tread the pestle. After more than eight months, the Patriarch suddenly saw Huineng one day and said, "I thought your view was usable, but feared evil people might harm you, so I did not speak with you. Do you know this?" Huineng said, "Your disciple also understood the master's intention, and has not dared to walk to the front hall, so that people would not notice."' - [Previous: 1.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.20) - [Next: 1.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.22) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1) ## Translations (1) - [The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-bdk.1.21) — John R. McRae 2000, English ## Linked texts (1) - [六祖大師法寶壇經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008.1.21) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2008~en-mt.1.21) · Pramāṇa