景德傳燈錄 2.40

2.40

The twenty-fifth patriarch, Baśiasita, was a native of the kingdom of Jibin. His surname was Brahmin. His father was Jixing (Śānticaryā) and his mother was Chang'anle (Nityasukha). At first, his mother dreamed of obtaining a divine sword and consequently became pregnant. After he was born, he clenched his left hand; upon meeting the Venerable Siṃha, his past causes were manifested and he secretly received the mind-seal. Later he went south and reached Central India. The king of that country was named Jia-sheng (Jayasena), who arranged offerings with full etiquette. At that time, there was a non-Buddhist titled Venerable Non-Self, who had previously been revered by the king. He was intensely jealous of the Patriarch's arrival and wished to debate doctrine with him, hoping to prevail over him to secure his own position. He then said to the Patriarch before the king, “I understand silent debate without relying on words.” The Patriarch said, “Who knows victory or defeat?” He said, “I do not contend for victory or defeat, but only grasp its meaning.” The Patriarch said, “What do you consider to be the meaning?” He said, “No-mind is the meaning.” The Patriarch said, “Since you have no mind, how can there be meaning?” He said, “I say no-mind: this should be called non-meaning.” The Patriarch said, “You say no-mind, which should be called non-meaning; I say non-mind, which should be meaning, not a name.” He said, “When it should be meaning, not a name, who can discern the meaning?” The Patriarch said, “Your name is non-meaning; what name is this name?” He said, “In order to discern non-meaning, this name is called no-name.” The Patriarch said, “Since the name is already non-name, the meaning is also non-meaning. Who is the one who discerns? What thing should be discerned?” In this manner, after fifty-nine exchanges back and forth, the non-Buddhist was struck dumb and submitted with conviction. At that time, the Patriarch suddenly faced north, joined his palms, and sighed deeply, saying, “My master, the Venerable Siṃha, has met with disaster today; how lamentable!” He then took leave of the king, journeyed south, reached Southern India, and went into seclusion in a mountain valley. At that time, the king of that country was named Tiande (Devapuṇya), who welcomed and made offerings to him. The king had two sons: one was fierce and violent with abundant physical strength; the other was gentle and chronically afflicted with illness. The Patriarch then expounded cause and effect for him, and the king immediately resolved his doubts. There was also a sorcerer who envied the Patriarch's Way, and secretly placed poison in his food and drink. The Patriarch knew of it and ate it, while the sorcerer suffered the calamity in turn; he then threw himself before the Patriarch to leave household life, and the Patriarch granted him full ordination. Sixty years later, Crown Prince Desheng (Jayavijaya) ascended the throne. He again had faith in non-Buddhists and brought troubles upon the Patriarch. The crown prince Punyamitra was imprisoned for offering remonstrance. The king hastily asked the Patriarch, “My country has always been free of sorcery and deceit. What school is that which you transmit?” The Patriarch said, “Your Majesty's kingdom has truly had no heterodox teachings from the past. What I have attained is the Buddha's school.” The king said, “Twelve hundred years have passed since the Buddha's nirvāṇa; from whom did you obtain it?” The Patriarch said, “The Mahāsattva Kāśyapa personally received the Buddha's seal; handed down through generations, it reached the twenty-fourth patriarch, the Venerable Siṃha. I obtained it from him.” The king said, “I have heard that the bhikṣu Siṃha could not avoid execution; how could he transmit the Dharma to later people?” The Patriarch said, “Before my teacher's disaster arose, he secretly bestowed on me the robe of faith and the Dharma verse to manifest the lineage succession.” The king said, “Where is that robe?” The Patriarch immediately took the robe out of his bag and showed it to the king. The king ordered it burned; the five colors shone brightly, and when the firewood was consumed, it was just as before. The king immediately repented, paid homage to Siṃha, and having clarified the true lineage, pardoned the crown prince. The crown prince then sought to leave household life. The Patriarch asked the prince, “When you wish to leave household life, what matter will you undertake?” The prince said, “If I leave household life, I will not undertake those matters.” The Patriarch said, “What matters will you not undertake?” The prince said, “I will not undertake mundane matters.” The Patriarch said, “What matters will you undertake?” The prince said, “I will undertake Buddha matters.” The Patriarch said, “The prince's wisdom comes from heaven; it must surely be the descent of a holy one.” He then permitted him to leave household life. For six years he attended upon him. Later, when he received the karmavācanā of full ordination in the royal palace, the great earth shook and there were many miraculous signs. The Patriarch then directed him, saying, “I am already decrepit and decayed; how could I linger long? You should well guard the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye and universally deliver all beings. Listen to my verse:”