[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [傳法正宗記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078) › 6.18 # 傳法正宗記 6.18 傳法正宗記 6.18 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078.6.18) 弘忍尊者。蘄陽黃梅人也。姓周氏。其母孕時。數數有祥光異香發其家。及生性大聰明。有所聞見。無難易者一皆曉之。風骨絕異。有聖人之相。有賢者嘗見忍於閭巷。謂人曰。此兒具大人相。所不及如來者七種耳。七歲遇道信尊者出家得戒。尋受其法。繼居於破頭山。而教化益盛。是時天下慕其風學者。不遠千里趨之。咸亨中客有號盧居士者。自稱慧能。來法會致禮其前。尊者問曰。汝自何來。對曰。嶺南來。曰欲求何事。對曰。唯求作佛。曰嶺南人無佛性。若為得佛。對曰。人有南北佛性豈然。尊者知其異人。佯訶之曰。著槽厰去。慧能即退求處碓所。盡力於臼杵間。雖歷日月而未嘗告勞。一日尊者以傳法時至。乃謂其眾曰。正法難解。汝等宜各為一偈以明汝見。若真有所至吾即付衣法。時神秀比丘者號有博學。眾方尊為冠首。莫敢先之者。神秀自以為眾所推。一夕遂作偈。書於寺廊之壁曰。 > The Venerable Hongren was a native of Huangmei in Qiyang. His secular surname was Zhou. When his mother was pregnant with him, auspicious lights and unusual fragrances repeatedly emanated from her home. Upon being born, he was of great natural intelligence: whenever he heard or saw anything, whether difficult or easy, he understood it completely. His bearing was exceedingly extraordinary, bearing the marks of a sage. A worthy man once saw Ren in the lanes and alleys, and said to people: “This child possesses the marks of a great person; he lacks only seven marks compared to the Tathāgata.” At the age of seven, he met the Venerable Daoxin, left the household life, received the precepts, and soon received his Dharma. He succeeded him in residing at Mount Potou, and his teaching and converting grew ever more flourishing. At that time, scholars throughout the realm who admired his style flocked to him without regarding a thousand li as far. During the Xianheng era, there was a traveler known as Layman Lu, who called himself Huineng, who came to the Dharma assembly and paid homage before him. The Venerable One asked: “Where have you come from?” He replied: “I have come from Lingnan.” \[The Venerable One\] asked: “What matter do you seek?” He replied: “I seek only to become a Buddha.” \[The Venerable One\] said: “People of Lingnan have no Buddha-nature. How could you attain Buddhahood?” He replied: “People have north and south, but how could Buddha-nature be so?” The Venerable One knew he was an extraordinary person, but feigned a rebuke, saying: “Go to the stables.” Huineng immediately withdrew, sought a place in the pestle shed, and exerted his strength amidst the mortar and pestle; though months and days passed, he never spoke of toil. One day, the Venerable One, realizing the time for transmitting the Dharma had arrived, said to the assembly: “The true Dharma is difficult to understand. Each of you should compose a verse to illuminate your view. If anyone has truly attained something, I will entrust the robe and Dharma to him.” At that time, the bhikṣu Shenxiu was known for his extensive learning, and the assembly revered him as their leader, none daring to precede him. Shenxiu, considering himself to be the one recommended by the assembly, composed a verse one night and wrote it on the wall of the monastery corridor, saying: > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078.6.17) - [Next: 6.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078.6.19) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078~en-mt.6.18) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078.6.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078.6.18) · Pramāṇa