釋氏稽古略 3.109

3.109

乙巳神龍元年四月。帝降御札召曹溪六祖入京。其辭曰。朕延宗秀二師宮中供養。每究一乘二師並推讓云。南方能禪師密受忍大師衣法。可就彼問。今遣內侍薛簡馳詔迎請。願師慈念速赴上京。祖表謝辭以疾。簡曰京城禪德皆云欲得會道當習禪定。若不因禪定而得解脫者未之有也。未審師所說法如何。祖曰。道由心悟豈在坐耶。簡曰。弟子回朝主上必問。願師指示心要令得明道。祖曰。道無明暗。簡曰明喻智慧。暗況煩惱。倘不以智慧照破煩惱生死憑何出離。祖曰。若以智慧照煩惱者。此是二乘小機。簡曰何謂大乘見解。祖曰。明與無明其性無二。無二之性即是實性。實性在凡不減。在聖不增。住煩惱而不亂。居禪定而不寂。性相如如名之為道。簡曰師說不生不滅何異外道。祖曰。外道將滅止生。以生顯滅。滅猶不滅。生說無生。我說本自不生。今亦無滅。所以不同外道。汝欲知心要。但一切善惡都莫思量。自然得入清淨心體。湛然常住妙用恒沙。簡禮辭歸闕表上祖語。帝咨美久之。尋遣使賜祖磨衲袈裟鉼鉢絹五百匹。諭天子嚮慕之意（傳燈）。

In the yisi year, the first year of Shenlong, in the fourth month, the emperor issued an imperial decree summoning the Sixth Patriarch of Caoxi to enter the capital. Its text read: 'We have invited the two masters [Shen]xiu and [Hui]an into the palace to receive offerings. Whenever We investigated the One Vehicle, both masters deferred and said: "Chan Master Neng in the south secretly received the robe and Dharma of Great Master Ren; one should inquire of him." Now We dispatch the palace attendant Xue Jian to gallop with the edict to welcome and invite you. We hope the Master will compassionately reflect on this and swiftly come to the imperial capital.' The Patriarch submitted a memorial expressing gratitude and declining on account of illness. Jian said: 'The Chan worthies in the capital all say that if one wishes to understand the Way, one must practice dhyāna-concentration; there has never been one who attained liberation without relying on dhyāna-concentration. I wonder, what Dharma does the Master preach?' The Patriarch said: 'The Way is awakened to from the mind—how could it lie in sitting?' Jian said: 'When your disciple returns to court, the Sovereign will surely inquire. I ask the Master to point out the essentials of mind so that he may clarify the Way.' The Patriarch said: 'The Way is without light and darkness.' Jian said: 'Light symbolizes wisdom, and darkness corresponds to affliction. If one does not use wisdom to illuminate and break through affliction, what can one rely on to transcend birth and death?' The Patriarch said: 'To illuminate affliction with wisdom belongs to the inferior capacity of the Two Vehicles.' Jian said: 'What is the Great Vehicle's view?' The Patriarch said: 'Light and ignorance—their nature is non-dual. The non-dual nature is precisely the true nature. The true nature does not decrease in the ordinary person and does not increase in the sage. It abides in affliction without distraction, and dwells in dhyāna-concentration without cessation. The suchness of nature and characteristics is termed the Way.' Jian said: 'The Master speaks of non-arising and non-ceasing; how does this differ from non-Buddhists?' The Patriarch said: 'Non-Buddhists use ceasing to halt arising, and use arising to reveal ceasing. Ceasing is still not ceasing, and of arising they speak of non-arising. I preach that it is fundamentally without arising, and now is also without ceasing; this is why it is not the same as non-Buddhists. If you wish to know the essentials of mind, simply do not deliberate on any good or evil, and you will naturally attain entry into the pure essence of mind, clear, constantly abiding, its wondrous functions [as numerous as] the sands of the Ganges.' Jian bowed, took leave, and returned to the palace to present the Patriarch's words. The emperor praised them for a long time. Soon he sent an envoy to bestow upon the Patriarch a patchwork monk's robe, a jug and bowl, and five hundred bolts of silk, expressing the Son of Heaven's longing admiration (from the Chuandeng [lu]).