佛祖歷代通載 3.69

3.69

(26. Xinwei) The seventh patriarch, Vasumitra, was a native of northern India, of the Bhāradvāja clan. He consistently wore clean clothes, held a wine vessel, and wandered through villages and lanes, chanting or whistling, so people called him mad. When he met the Venerable Miccaka, who proclaimed the Tathāgata's past prophecy, he personally awoke to his past conditions, threw down the vessel, left home, and was conferred the Dharma. Traveling and teaching, he arrived at the country of Kāmala, where he widely promoted Buddhist affairs. Before his Dharma seat, a wise person suddenly appeared, who announced of himself, "My name is Buddhanandi; I now wish to debate doctrine with the master." The master said, "Benevolent one, if it is debate, it is not doctrine; if it is doctrine, it is not debated. If you intend to debate doctrine, it will ultimately not be a debate of doctrine." Buddhanandi, knowing that the master's doctrine was superior, felt deep admiration in his heart and said, "I aspire to seek the Way and be moistened with the flavor of sweet nectar." The Venerable One then tonsured him and conferred the complete precepts on him, and further addressed him, saying, "The Tathāgata's treasury of the eye of the correct Dharma I now transmit to you; protect and uphold it always." He then spoke a gāthā, saying: "The mind is identical to the realm of empty space, / manifesting phenomena that equal empty space. / When one realizes empty space, / there is neither right nor wrong phenomena." The Venerable One then entered the samādhi of the benevolent mind. At that time, Brahmā, Śakra, and the assembly of deities all arrived, paid homage, and spoke a gāthā, saying: "Among the holy patriarchs of the Fortunate Kalpa, / you hold the seventh place. / Venerable One, pity us: / please proclaim the buddhabhūmi for us." The Venerable One arose from samādhi and instructed the assembly, saying, "The Dharma I have obtained is because it is not existent; if you recognize the buddhabhūmi, it is because it transcends both existence and non-existence." Having spoken these words, he returned to samādhi and manifested the sign of nirvāṇa. Right at his seat, Buddhanandi erected a seven-jeweled stūpa to inter his whole body. This was the seventeenth year of King Ding, the xinwei year.