傳法正宗記 2.46

2.46

尊者聞之。乃悟其緣。謂婆須蜜曰。吾師提多迦嘗言。如來昔遊北天竺謂阿難曰。此國吾滅後三百餘年。當有聖人。姓頗羅墮。名婆須蜜。出為禪祖當第七世。斯如來記汝。汝應出家。其人遂置器禮於尊者。傍立而言曰。我思往劫。嘗為施者。獻一如來寶座。彼如來記我曰。汝於賢劫當得佛法為第七祖。今之所會乃其緣也。尊者大慈。幸見度脫。尊者即為其剃度。以圓戒德。尋命之曰。我方老邁。將般涅槃。如來正法眼藏今以付汝。汝當傳之無使斷絕。聽吾偈曰。

When the Venerable One heard this, he understood his karmic conditions and said to Vasumitra, "My master Dhītika once said that when the Tathāgata was travelling in Northern India in the past, he said to Ānanda: 'More than three hundred years after my nirvāṇa, in this country there will be a noble person with the family name Bharadvāja and the personal name Vasumitra. He will come forth to be a Chan patriarch, being the seventh generation.' This is the Tathāgata's prophecy concerning you; you ought to leave the household life." That person then set down the vessel, bowed to the Venerable One, stood to the side, and said, "I reflect on past kalpas: I was once a donor who offered a jewelled seat to a Tathāgata. That Tathāgata prophesied to me, saying: 'In the Fortunate Kalpa you will attain the Buddha's Dharma and become the seventh patriarch.' Today's meeting is indeed that condition. May the Venerable One in his great compassion grant me liberation." The Venerable One immediately shaved his head and ordained him, perfecting his preceptive virtue. Soon he instructed him, saying, "I am now old and about to enter parinirvāṇa. The Tathāgata's treasury of the eye of the true Dharma is now entrusted to you. You must transmit it and never let it be severed. Listen to my verse:"