釋氏稽古略 1.364

1.364

七祖婆須蜜尊者　北天竺國人也。姓頗羅墮。遇彌遮迦出家受法。行化至迦摩羅國。忽有智有來前。稱名佛陀難提。今與尊者論義。須蜜曰。仁者論即不義。義即不論。若擬論義終非義論。難提以其義勝遂求度。須蜜特命四果聖人。為其授戒。未幾乃命之曰。如來正法眼藏今以付汝。汝其傳之。慎無斷絕。聽吾偈曰。心同虛空界。示等虛空法。證得虛空時。無是無非法。已而須蜜起身作十八變。乃入慈心三昧。時梵王帝釋及諸天眾俱來作禮。而說偈言。賢劫眾聖祖。而當第七位。尊者哀念我。請為宣佛地。須蜜從三昧起。示眾曰。我所得法而非有故。若識佛地離有無故。語已還入三昧。示涅槃相。難提即於本座起七寶塔。祕其全體。當此周定王之世也（正宗記）。

The Seventh Patriarch, the Venerable Vasumitra, was a native of Northern India, of the Bhāradvāja clan. Having met Miccaka, he renounced the household life and received the Dharma. Traveling to convert beings, he arrived in the kingdom of Kāmarūpa. Suddenly a wise person came before him, claiming the name Buddhanandi, intending to debate doctrine with the Venerable One. Vasumitra said, 'Humane one, if there is debate, there is no doctrine; if there is doctrine, there is no debate. If one intends to debate doctrine, it is ultimately not a doctrinal debate.' Buddhanandi, recognizing his doctrinal superiority, thereupon sought renunciation. Vasumitra specifically ordered sage disciples of the four fruits to administer the precepts to him. Before long, he instructed him, saying, 'The Tathāgata's treasury of the true Dharma eye is now entrusted to you; you must transmit it, taking care that it not be severed. Listen to my verse: / Mind is identical to the realm of empty space; / It demonstrates phenomena equal to empty space. / When one realizes empty space, / There is neither right nor not-Dharma.' / Thereupon Vasumitra rose, performed the eighteen transformations, and entered the loving-kindness samādhi. At that time, King Brahmā, Śakra, and the assembly of devas all came, paid homage, and spoke a verse, saying: / 'Among the holy patriarchs of the Auspicious Kalpa, / You occupy the seventh place. / Venerable One, have pity on us, / And please proclaim for us the Buddha-stage.' / Vasumitra arose from samādhi and demonstrated to the assembly, saying, 'The Dharma I have attained is because it is not existent; if one recognizes the Buddha-stage, it is because it is free from existence and non-existence.' Having spoken, he returned into samādhi and manifested the appearance of nirvāṇa. Right at his seat, Buddhanandi erected a seven-jeweled stupa and concealed his whole body within it. This was during the era of King Ding of Zhou (Zhengzong ji).