宋高僧傳 8.7

8.7

系曰：「五祖自何而識一介白衣，便付衣耶？」通曰：「一言知心，更無疑貳。況復記心輪間如指之掌。」忍師施一味法，何以在家受衣鉢乎？秀師則否。通曰：「是法寧選緇、白，得者則傳？周封諸侯，乃分分器，同姓異姓別也。以祖師甄別精麁，以衣為信。譬如三力士射堅洛叉，一摩健那射則中而不破；二鉢羅塞建提破而不度；三那羅延箭度而復穿餘物也。非堅洛叉有強弱，但由射勢力不同耳。南能可謂那羅延射而獲賞焉。」信衣至能不傳，莫同夏禹之家天下乎？通曰：「忍言受傳衣者，命若懸絲，如是忍之意也。又會也稟祖法則有餘，行化行則不足。故後致均部之流，方驗能師之先覺，不傳無私悋之咎矣。故曰知人則哲也，吁！」

The appraisal states: "How did the Fifth Patriarch recognize a mere layman and immediately transmit the robe to him?" The appraisal explains: "With a single word he understood his mind, without any further doubt or hesitation. Moreover, he knew the wheel of his mind as clearly as the palm of his hand." Since Master Ren expounded the single-flavor Dharma, why was the robe and bowl given to a layman? For Master Shenxiu, this was not the case. The appraisal explains: "How could this Dharma discriminate between monastic and lay? It is transmitted to whoever attains it. When King Wu of Zhou enfeoffed the feudal lords, he distributed ritual vessels, distinguishing those of the same surname from those of different surnames. The ancestral master discerned the refined from the crude, using the robe as a pledge of trust. It is like three warriors shooting at an adamantine target: the shot of the first, a Magana, hits it but does not pierce it; that of the second, a Praskandhi, pierces it but does not pass through; that of the third, a Nārāyaṇa, pierces it and further penetrates other objects. It is not that the adamantine target has strength or weakness; it is solely due to the differing force of the shots. Huineng of the South can be called one whose shot was like Nārāyaṇa's, and thus he obtained the reward." Since the robe of trust was not transmitted after Huineng, does this not resemble Yu of Xia turning the world into a family estate? The appraisal explains: "Master Ren said that the life of whoever received the transmission of the robe would hang by a thread; such was Ren's intention. Furthermore, while Shenhui was more than adequate in receiving the ancestral teachings, he was deficient in conducting pastoral transformation. Therefore, the subsequent arrival of the equal-ranks controversy subsequently verified Master Huineng's prescience; not transmitting the robe incurred no blame of selfish withholding. Thus it is said: 'Knowing others is wisdom.' Ah!"