傳法正宗記 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.1

Compiled by the Śramaṇa Śākya Qisong of Dongshan, Tengzhou, Song dynasty

Biography of the Venerable Mahākāśyapa, First Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Ānanda, Second Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Śāṇakavāsa, Third Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Upagupta, Fourth Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Dhītika, Fifth Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Miccaka, Sixth Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Vasumitra, Seventh Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Buddhanandi, Eighth Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Buddhamitra, Ninth Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Pārśva, Tenth Patriarch of India
Biography of the Venerable Puṇyayaśas, Eleventh Patriarch of India

2.3

Biography of the Venerable Mahākāśyapa, First Patriarch of India

2.4

The Venerable Mahākāśyapa was a native of Magadha and belonged to the brāhmaṇa caste. His father was named Yinze, and his mother was named Xiangzhi. When he was born, his appearance was exceptionally handsome, and his body was golden in color, casting a radiance to a great distance. A physiognomist said, 'This boy's past virtue is pure and preeminent; according to the Dharma, he ought to leave the household life.' His parents were worried and plotted together, saying, 'Only a beautiful wife can tie down his heart.' When he grew slightly older, they earnestly sought a match for him, but the Venerable One declined. Pressed without alternative, he deceived them, saying, 'Unless you obtain a maiden whose body is golden like mine, she cannot be my partner.' His parents then employed a brāhmaṇa's scheme: they cast a golden statue of a woman and had it carried around the kingdom in a carriage, seeking one among the onlookers. As it turned out, they indeed found a golden maiden like Kāśyapa, and thereupon took her as his wife.

Previously, after the parinirvāṇa of Vipaśyin Buddha, the assembly built a stūpa with his relics. On the image of that stūpa, the golden color on the face was chipped and damaged. At that time, Kāśyapa happened to be a goldsmith. There was a poor woman holding a single gold coin who asked to have it beaten into leaf, wishing to repair it. When Kāśyapa heard this, he was delighted to repair it for her; they thereupon made a mutual vow to be husband and wife without sexual desire life after life. By virtue of this reward, for ninety-one kalpas their bodies were always golden. Later, they were reborn in the Brahma heaven. When their lifespans in that heaven ended, he was born into this wealthy brāhmaṇa family, and when they became husband and wife here, their bodies were still like this. Thus he was originally named Kāśyapa, which means 'Drinker of Light,' taken from the meaning of his golden color. (Translations in this record where the meaning of the Sanskrit term corresponds to the Chinese words are like this. There are many instances like Kāśyapa; or they have already been transmitted in our country's earlier catalogues, so I do not venture to check them lightly against Sanskrit philology.)

Yet both were pure; though wedded, they never had the intention of man and woman. In the end, he also earnestly requested to leave the household life. His parents consented, and he thereupon became a śramaṇa, entering the mountains to cultivate himself through dhūta practices. By chance, a voice in midair announced to him, saying, 'The Buddha has already appeared in the world; please go and take him as master.' The Venerable One at once hurried to the Bamboo Grove Monastery (Veṇuvana) and paid homage with earnest reverence. The Tathāgata then shared his seat and bade him sit, at which the great assembly was astonished, wondering why he was granted this. The Tathāgata knew this, so he explained their past karmic connections to resolve the assembly's doubts. Soon after, he preached the Dharma to him, and the Venerable One attained the Way right on his seat.

Because he had accumulated superior virtues and his wisdom was lofty and far-reaching, the Tathāgata once said, 'With all the great kindness, great compassion, four dhyānas, samādhis, and immeasurable merits that I now possess to adorn myself, the monk Kāśyapa is likewise adorned.' One morning, the Buddha entrusted the True Dharma to him, enjoining him to transmit it from one to another and not let it be severed; he also conferred the golden-threaded kāṣāya robe upon him, bidding him pass it on to Maitreya.

When the Tathāgata entered Mahāparinirvāṇa, the Venerable One happened to be on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa. At that time the earth quaked and light shone forth; knowing it immediately through the divine eye, he said to the assembly, 'Alas, the Buddha has entered nirvāṇa! The eye of the True Dharma is extinguished; the world is empty and void.' Together with his disciples, he hastened to the city of Kuśinagara. When he reached the twin sāla trees, the Tathāgata had already manifested passing and had been placed in a golden coffin. The Venerable One wept bitterly, whereupon his sincerity moved the Tathāgata's feet to emerge from the coffin to console his sorrowful longing. Soon after, he brought sandalwood and white cotton fabric to aid in the cremation.

Afterward, the Venerable One said, 'The adamantine relics should be given to gods and humans as their field of merit. We monks ought to devote ourselves to compiling [the teachings] so as to benefit future generations and serve as their great light.' Thereupon, by spiritual powers he ascended to the summit of Mount Sumeru and recited a verse:
'Let the disciples of the Tathāgata not yet enter nirvāṇa;
Those who have attained spiritual powers should go to the compilation.'
He then struck a golden bell. The verse was heard everywhere by means of the bell's sound, so five hundred arhats (some say one thousand) all gathered at Pippala Cave. Only Ānanda, because his defilements were not yet exhausted, was not permitted to participate immediately. He stayed outside the door, contemplating all night; at dawn he attained true realization. He then knocked on the door to inform them. The Venerable One said, 'If that is so, you may enter through the keyhole by your spiritual powers.' Ānanda arrived as he had said.

At that time they discussed among themselves: 'Which of the three Piṭakas should come first?' The Venerable One said, 'The sūtras should come first.' He then addressed the noble ones, saying, 'This monk Ānanda is foremost in retention and constantly attended upon the Tathāgata. The Dharma he heard was like water poured from one vessel to another without anything left behind. He should be instructed to compile the Sūtrapiṭaka.' Next he instructed Upāli to compile the Vinayapiṭaka, and again instructed Ānanda to compile the Abhidharmapiṭaka (other traditions say he instructed Katyāyana). Afterward, the Venerable One entered the samādhi of knowledge based on vows to examine what was compiled, and indeed there were no errors.

However, the Venerable One had lived in the world for only forty-five years [after ordination]. In the end, since the compilation was completed and his preaching of the Dharma to deliver people was immeasurable, he reflected that he was growing frail and old, and that it was fitting to enter meditative absorption on Mount Kukkuṭapāda to await Maitreya. Therefore he instructed Ānanda, saying, 'Formerly, when the Tathāgata was about to enter parinirvāṇa, he entrusted the eye of the True Dharma to me in advance. I am about to withdraw; I now entrust it to you again. Transmit and maintain it well; do not let it be severed.' He then recited a verse:

2.5

Phenomena are originally phenomena of the Dharma; / There is neither phenomenon nor non-phenomenon. / How within a single phenomenon / Could there be a phenomenon or a non-phenomenon?

2.6

Ānanda thereupon made obeisance and received his instruction. He further reflected that the Tathāgata's relics were all among the heavens, and wishing to go bid farewell to them, he quickly mounted the void and visited all the stūpas and shrines. Having paid homage, he returned. Furthermore, by a prior agreement, he had to take leave of King Ajātaśatru. When he arrived at his gate, it happened that the king was asleep. He therefore said to the gatekeeper, 'Mahākāśyapa is about to enter meditative absorption on Mount Kukkuṭapāda, and so has come to take leave. When the king awakens, report this.' He thereupon, during the reign of King Xiao of the Zhou dynasty, retired into that mountain, sat upon grass, and thought to himself: 'Now I wear the robes made of rags and hold the Buddha's saṃghāṭī robe; it will certainly endure for fifty-seven koṭis and sixty hundred thousand years until Maitreya appears in the world without decaying.' He then spoke to the mountain, 'If King Ajātaśatru and Ānanda come together, you should open for them, and close again after they leave.' Thereupon, in stillness, he entered the meditative attainment of cessation. At that time, the great earth quaked for this reason, and King Ajātaśatru also dreamt that a pillar of his palace suddenly snapped. When he awoke, the gatekeeper indeed reported the Venerable One's words. Hearing this, the king wept and sighed in lamentation. He immediately went to the Bamboo Grove Monastery, paid homage to Ānanda, and asked him to go along with him. When they reached Kukkuṭapāda, the mountain indeed split open; the Venerable One's absorbed body sat dignified within. The king, weeping and making obeisance, ordered fragrant firewood, intending to cremate him. Ānanda said to the king, 'He must not be burned. This Mahākāśyapa is currently sustaining his body through dhyāna absorption, awaiting Maitreya's descent to birth; only after conferring the Buddha's saṃghāṭī robe will he enter parinirvāṇa.' Hearing this, the king revered him with even greater diligence. When the king and Ānanda withdrew, the mountain closed as before.

2.7

Biography of the Second Indian Patriarch, the Venerable Ānanda

2.8

The Venerable Ānanda was a native of Rājagṛha, belonging to the kṣatriya caste. He was the son of Prince Droṇodana and a cousin of the Tathāgata Śākyamuni. He was originally named Ānanda, which here means 'Celebration of Joy,' or 'Delight.' Because the Venerable One was born on the night the Tathāgata attained the Way, the royal household had a great celebration and was joyful, and therefore named him so. He possessed extraordinary marks, and his intelligence and discernment were beyond those of ordinary people. In his youth, hearing that the Tathāgata had appeared in the world, he felt moved by the illusory nature of worldly life; since the Tathāgata had originally left the Śākya clan to leave the household life and attain the Great Holy Way, he went to ask to become his disciple. The Tathāgata consented and preached the Dharma for him, whereupon he attained the fruit of srotāpanna. When the Tathāgata wished to have someone attend upon him, the Venerable One was uniquely recommended by the great assembly because his wisdom was skillful and he knew what was fitting for the time, thoroughly matching the Sage's mind. Moreover, in his past lives he had great merit with the Buddha; thus he could remember all the teachings he heard, like water poured from one vessel to another without any loss. Therefore the Tathāgata once praised him as foremost in retention. When the Tathāgata was approaching parinirvāṇa, the Venerable One happened to be outside the sāla grove, confounded by Māra. The Tathāgata immediately ordered Mañjuśrī to take a dhāraṇī to release him. The Venerable One thereupon returned together with Mañjuśrī and paid homage to the Tathāgata. After the Tathāgata passed away, Mahākāśyapa gathered the arhats at Pippala Cave to compile the Dharma-piṭaka. Solely because the Venerable One possessed great wisdom, had heard much, had constantly attended upon the Tathāgata, and had heard the Dharma most comprehensively, he addressed the assembly to request him to compile the Sūtra and Abhidharmapiṭakas. Accepting the instruction, the Venerable One recited a verse:

2.9

The assembly of monks and retinue, / Separated from the Buddha, lack adornment, / Just as in the void of space / A host of stars lacks the moon.

2.10

Soon after, he made obeisance to the great assembly, mounted the Dharma seat, and said, 'Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was at such-and-such a place, preaching such-and-such a sūtra teaching, down to devas and humans faithfully accepting and upholding it.' At that time Mahākāśyapa asked the assembly again, 'Is what Ānanda said mistaken?' They all said, 'It is no different from what the World-Honoured One preached.' When Mahākāśyapa was about to enter meditative absorption on Mount Kukkuṭapāda, he entrusted to him the eye of the True Dharma conferred by the Tathāgata, bidding the Venerable One transmit it without letting it be severed. From then on, he traveled and transformed various regions through the Dharma. One day, the Venerable One arrived in a bamboo grove and initially heard a monk erroneously reciting a verse: 'If a person lives for a hundred years / Without seeing a water crane, / It is not as good as living for a single day / And being able to behold it.' The Venerable One sighed at this, saying, 'The Tathāgata is the eye of the world's True Dharma; why has he passed into extinction so quickly, causing these living beings to lose their reliance and become confused about the sacred teachings?' He then said to that person, 'This is not the Buddha's intent; you must not rely upon it. You should listen to me expound the correct verse: 'If a person lives for a hundred years / Without understanding the dharma of arising and ceasing, / It is not as good as living for a single day / And being able to understand it.'' That monk reported this to his master, but the master on the contrary said that Ānanda was frail and old, and his words were erroneous and absurd—how could one believe them? 'You may recite it as before.' When the Venerable One on another day heard him reciting his former verse again, he asked him why it was so and why he did not follow what he had taught. That monk then related his master's view. The Venerable One, because they did not value his own words, was all the more deeply moved; thereupon he entered samādhi, wishing to seek a venerable sage to bear witness to it, yet in the end he could find none. Thereupon he reflected: 'The Buddha and all the sages have already entered nirvāṇa; whence can I clarify it?' At that very moment the earth quaked; shortly after, a light suddenly radiated forth, and suddenly a senior noble mahāsattva manifested, expounding a verse for them and bearing witness, saying:

2.11

The verse that person chants / Is truly not the word of the Buddhas. / Now you have encountered the Joyful Venerable One; / You may rely upon him and understand it.

2.12

That master and disciple, seeing the mahāsattva's wondrous marvel, received his words and immediately recited what the Venerable One had spoken, whereupon they attained the second fruit. Having obtained this confirmation, the Venerable One was all the more self-vigilant, considering that the body is fragile like a cluster of foam, let alone in frail old age—how could it endure long? Wishing to proceed to nirvāṇa, and because King Ajātaśatru had once lamented not witnessing the parinirvāṇa of the two venerable sages, the Buddha and Kāśyapa, and had therefore made a pact with Ānanda that when he was to pass into extinction, he hoped he would indicate the appointed time, the Venerable One accordingly went to inform him. Reaching the king's gate, the gatekeeper declined him, saying that because the king was asleep, he dared not report it. However, the king in his dream happened to see a parasol adorned with the seven jewels, with tens of millions of people surrounding and gazing up at it; suddenly a violent wind and rain arrived, blowing and snapping its handle, and the jewels all fell to the ground. The king was startled awake, just as the gatekeeper reported Ānanda's arrival. Hearing this, the king cried out and wept bitterly, his grief moving heaven and earth. He immediately went to the city of Vaiśālī, where he saw the Venerable One sitting in the middle of the Ganges. The king hurried to pay homage to him and recited a verse:

2.13

I bow my head to the Honoured One of the Three Realms, / Who has abandoned me and arrived here. / Relying briefly on the power of your compassionate vows, / Please do not yet enter parinirvāṇa.

2.14

At that time, the King of Vaiśālī was also at the riverbank, and he also recited a verse:

2.15

How swiftly the Venerable One / Returns to the arena of quietude and extinction! / We pray you will remain for a moment / To receive our offerings.

2.16

The Venerable One, seeing that the kings of both countries had come to urge and entreat him, likewise spoke a verse:

2.17

"May the two kings abide well in dignity; / do not feel bitter sorrow and yearning. / Nirvāṇa is truly pure, / because it is free from all realms of existence."

2.18

Thereupon the Venerable One reflected to himself, 'If I remain partially in one country and enter extinction there, the nations will surely dispute over it, which would not be right. Here I should deliver sentient beings with impartiality.' He then went to the midstream of the Ganges wishing to enter nirvāṇa. At that time, the great earth shook in six ways. Previously, there had been five hundred ṛṣis dwelling in the Snow Mountains; at this time, they came together flying through the air, bowed at the feet of the Venerable One, and said, 'Now we are destined to realize the Buddha's Dharma through the Elder; we pray to be ferried across upon seeing you.' The Venerable One silently assented. He immediately transformed the Ganges River entirely into golden ground, and thereupon expounded the essentials of the Great Dharma for them. The Venerable One reflected again, 'The disciples I delivered in former times should also assemble.' In an instant, five hundred arhats descended from the sky. They caused the ṛṣis to leave the household and receive the precepts, and the ṛṣis soon all attained the four fruits. Among that host of ṛṣis, however, were two arhats: one named Śāṇavāsa, and one named Madhyāntika (also called Modiantadi). The Venerable One knew that they were both great vessels of the Dharma, and instructed them, saying, 'In the past, the Tathāgata entrusted the Eye of the True Dharma to Mahākāśyapa. Kāśyapa entered samādhi and entrusted it to me. I am now about to enter extinction, and transmit it to you. Receiving my teaching, you should listen to this verse:'

2.19

"Originally the Dharma was entrusted, / having entrusted it, one speaks of no Dharma. / Each must awaken for oneself; / having awakened, there is no absence of Dharma."

2.20

He further addressed Śāṇavāsa, saying, 'Skillfully carry out conversion, protect and uphold the True Dharma, and do not let it be severed.' He addressed Madhyāntika, saying, 'The Buddha's past prophecy states that in the five hundred years after his extinction, you should broadly proclaim the Great Dharma in the country of Jibin; later you should go there to establish the teaching and conversion.' Soon afterwards, the Venerable One leaped into empty space and performed the eighteen transformations. Entering the wind-wheel swift samādhi, he divided his body into four portions: one was given to Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, one to the palace of the Sāgara dragon king, one to King Ajātaśatru, and one to the King of Vaiśālī. Those who received them each erected a precious stupa to make offerings to them. This corresponded to the time of King Yi of Zhou.

2.21

Biography of the Third Patriarch of Tianzhu, the Venerable Śāṇavāsa

2.22

The Venerable Śāṇavāsa was a native of the country of Mathurā. He was also called Śanavāsin, of the Vaiśya caste. His father was called Linsheng ('Forest Triumph'), and his mother was called Jiao-she-ye (Kauśeyā). After remaining in the womb for six full years, he was finally born, and his body naturally bore a robe that grew along with his physique. In Sanskrit it is called śāṇaka-yuga, which here means 'natural garment'. Originally in the Western Regions there was an auspicious herb that always grew in superior places; when a holy person who had attained the Way appeared in the world, the herb transformed into nine branches in response to it. When the Venerable One was born, the herb transformed just as expected. At first he served the ṛṣis of the Snow Mountains. When his master among the ṛṣis sought deliverance from Ānanda, the Venerable One was among those who left the household. Soon he realized the Way and became an arhat. Thereupon his fetal robe transformed into a nine-strip Dharma robe. Before this, when the Tathāgata was traveling and converting, he once arrived in Mathurā. Seeing a luxuriant grove, he turned to Ānanda and said, 'The name of this grove's ground is Urumuṇḍa. Nearly one hundred years after my extinction, there will be a monk named Śāṇavāsa who will expound the Dharma and deliver people here.' After Ānanda entered extinction, the Venerable One, traveling and converting with his Dharma, arrived here and intended to reside there. Just then, two fire dragons jointly occupied the land, and suddenly brought about wind and rain to display their might. The Venerable One then entered the samādhi of loving-kindness to subdue them, and told the dragons, 'The Buddha prophesied of old that this would be a saṅghārāma; you should relinquish it.' Because of the Buddha's prophecy, the dragons joyfully relinquished it. The Venerable One thereupon established a monastery and expounded the Dharma, widely delivering humans and devas, fully fulfilling the Buddha's words. After a long time, the Venerable One wished to transmit the Dharma. He entered samādhi to observe in which country the holy person prophesied by the Buddha as his successor would reside. Emerging from samādhi, he used his supernatural powers to go alone to the country of Caṭi and visited the house of the elder Śūdra Shanyi. After Shanyi met him and made prostrations, he asked the reason for his coming. The Venerable One said, 'I was born solitary, so I have come to seek a companion.' Shanyi said, 'I indulge in worldly pleasures and have no leisure to accompany you. When I have a son, I shall dedicate him to the Dharma.' The Venerable One praised him and departed. Later, Shanyi indeed had sons: the first was called Upakīla, the second was called Upayama, and when he raised a third, it was called Upagupta. The Venerable One knew he was surely a vessel of the Dharma, and again went to Shanyi, telling him, 'This third son, Upagupta, fits the Buddha's prophecy and should inherit my transmission of the Dharma; you should renounce him [to the Order].' Because of the Buddha's prophecy, Shanyi dared not refuse him. Thereupon Gupta followed him and left the household. The Venerable One asked him, 'How old are you?' He replied, 'I am seventeen years old.' The Venerable One said again, 'Is your body seventeen, or is your nature seventeen?' Gupta then said, 'Master's hair is already white; is your hair white, or is your mind white?' The Venerable One said, 'Only my hair is white, not my mind.' Gupta then said, 'My body is seventeen, but my nature is not seventeen.' The Venerable One regarded him as an even rarer vessel. When he received the precepts and realized the Way, the Venerable One instructed him, saying, 'In the past, the Tathāgata entrusted the Eye of the Great Dharma to Mahākāśyapa. Kāśyapa entered samādhi and entrusted it to my master Ānanda, down to me. I now bestow it upon you. Transmit it well and do not let it be severed. Listen to my verse:'

2.23

"It is neither Dharma nor mind; / there is no mind and no Dharma. / When one speaks of this mind and Dharma, / this Dharma is not the mind's Dharma."

2.24

Soon after, the Venerable One went to dwell in seclusion at Mount Xiangbai (White Elephant) in Jibin, wishing to reside by himself in dhyāna serenity. Before long, while in samādhi, he saw that Gupta's five hundred disciples were haughty and disrespectful, so he went to correct them. When he arrived, Gupta happened to be away, so he sat on his seat. Gupta's disciples did not know who he was, and were all indignant and unyielding, racing to inform Gupta. When Gupta returned and saw his master, he hurriedly bowed to him, yet his disciples' haughty minds remained as before. The Venerable One then pointed upward with his right hand, and fragrant milk poured down from the sky. He then asked Gupta, 'Do you recognize this?' Gupta said, 'I cannot fathom it.' Gupta immediately entered samādhi to observe it, but still could not understand it. He then inquired, 'What samādhi is this auspicious sign?' The Venerable One said, 'This is called the dragon-swift samādhi; of the five hundred samādhis such as this, you do not yet know any.' He further said to Gupta, 'The pratyekabuddhas do not know the samādhis of the Tathāgata; the arhats do not know the samādhis of the pratyekabuddhas; I do not know the samādhis of my master Ānanda; how could you know my samādhis now? As for this samādhi, the mind neither arises nor ceases; abiding in the power of great loving-kindness, they revere one another. Only those who attain this can know it.' When Gupta's disciples saw his miraculous power, they all bowed in submission, repented, and apologized. Śāṇavāsa again spoke a verse to instruct them, saying:

2.25

"Thorough realization is neither this nor that; / the ultimate sage has no long or short. / If you eliminate your haughty minds, / you will quickly attain arhatship."

2.26

Because of this, all of Gupta's disciples attained realization of the four fruits. The Venerable One soon leaped into empty space, performed the eighteen transformations, and consumed himself with the fire of samādhi. This was during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou. Gupta then took his relics and built a precious stupa in an excellent place on Mount Jialuo, joining with humans and devas to make offerings to it.

2.27

Biography of the Fourth Patriarch of Tianzhu, the Venerable Upagupta

2.28

The Venerable Upagupta was a native of the country of Caṭi. He was also called Youbo-jueduo, or Wupo-jueduo. His family name was Śūdra, and his father was named Shanyi. When he was just seventeen, he encountered the Venerable Śāṇavāsa coming to his house to convert and guide him, and consequently left the household under him. When he reached twenty, he realized the Way and became an arhat. He then traveled widely to convert others. At first he arrived in Mathurā to preach the Dharma; the multitude gathered in great numbers, and all who heard it attained realization of the Way. Just as the Venerable One was preaching the Dharma, the devas rained down flowers and the earth spirits all appeared; even the palace of Māra was shaken by it. Pāpīyān became anxious about this, and came to cause trouble. Using his demonic powers, he repeatedly manifested flowers and jade maidens, wishing to confound those who were listening to the Dharma. The Venerable One immediately entered samādhi to examine the cause. Māra took advantage of his being in samādhi to take a necklace of jewels and bind it around his neck. When the Venerable One arose from samādhi, he knew what Māra had done; he then took the corpses of a human, a dog, and a snake, transformed them into a garland of flowers, and addressed Pāpīyān with soft words to comfort him, saying, 'The necklace of jewels you gave me was a most precious gift; I have a garland of flowers to offer in return.' Māra was overjoyed, stretched out his neck to receive it, and it immediately reverted to the three putrid, foul corpses. Māra detested it greatly and spoke to the Venerable One, saying, 'Why do you use corpses against me?' The Venerable One said, 'You used unwholesome things wishing to confound my assembly of the Way; I have matched your intention with this object—why do you loathe it?' Māra then exhausted his own supernatural powers but could not remove it. He ascended to the six heavens of desire to inform the lords of the heavens, and also visited the Brahmā King seeking release. The deities each said, 'The transformations wrought by that disciple of the Ten Powers—how could those belonging to our heavens be able to remove them?' Pāpīyān said, 'What shall I do?' The Brahmā King said, 'You may take refuge in the Venerable One; you will surely be able to eliminate it.' He then spoke a verse to instruct his conversion, saying:

2.29

"If one falls on account of the ground, one must rise by leaning on the ground; seeking to rise apart from the ground is fundamentally impossible." Pāpīyān accepted his words, descended from the heavens, and again hastened to the Venerable One, bowing and repenting with utmost sincerity. The Venerable One said, 'The former sage commanded me to subdue you. Even so, if through this you turn toward goodness, you will be able to serve the Buddha and not fall into the evil destinies.' Hearing this, the demon rejoiced and said, 'The Venerable One has brought great benefit to me; please remove these putrid corpses for me.' The Venerable One said, 'Will you refrain from harassing the True Dharma?' Pāpīyān said, 'I submit and obey your instructions; I dare not do so.' The Venerable One immediately released him from them. He then said to Pāpīyān, 'You once beheld the Tathāgata; now you may try to manifest him so that I may gaze upon him.' The demon said, 'Manifesting him is certainly no trouble; I only ask that the Venerable One need not pay homage.' He then went into the woods and transformed into the Tathāgata, his wondrous marks dignified and solemn, emerging from the grove with his retinue. As soon as the Venerable One saw him, his mind was filled with joy, as if truly beholding the Great Sage, and without realizing it he threw his body to the ground and bowed to him. The demon could not bear his veneration; trembling and shaking, he lost his composure. By the time the Venerable One arose from bowing, he no longer saw the honored form of the Buddha. Pāpīyān himself bowed at the feet of the Venerable One and spoke a verse, saying:

2.30

"I bow my head to the Honored One of Samādhi, / at the feet of the Great Loving-kindness of the Ten Powers. / I now vow to dedicate myself, / may there be no weakness or inferiority."

2.31

Four days later, Pāpīyān led a great host of devas, came again to pay homage, offered praises, and departed. Yet of all the Venerable One's guidance and conversion, the latter-day sages who attained realization through him were the most numerous. Originally, each time he liberated a person, he placed a tally in a stone chamber. That chamber was eighteen cubits long and twelve cubits wide, and the tallies filled it completely. In the past, the Tathāgata had prophesied that the Venerable One would be the patriarch of the fourth generation of the Dharma transmission, stating that although he lacked the primary marks and secondary signs, the people he would transform and liberate would be no different from those in the days of the Tathāgata. By this time, the Great Sage's words had been verified. At the very end, there was the son of an elder named Gandhahastin, who persistently begged the Venerable One to leave the household life. The Venerable One asked him, saying, "Do you leave the household life in body, or do you leave the household life in mind?" Gandhahastin said, "I have come to leave the household life neither for the sake of body nor mind." [The Venerable One] said, "If not for body or mind, who then leaves the household life?" [He] replied, "He who leaves the household life is free of self and what belongs to self. Because there is no self and no what belongs to self, the mind is without arising and ceasing. When the mind is without arising and ceasing, that is the constant Way. The Buddhas are also constant; the mind has no physical form, and its substance is likewise so." The Venerable One said, "You will attain great awakening; your mind will naturally comprehend and penetrate. You ought to rely on the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha to carry on and glorify the noble lineage." Thereupon he shaved his head and administered the full precepts to him, further telling him, "Your father once dreamed of a golden sun when you were born; for this reason you may be named Dhītika." Soon afterwards, he said to him, "The Tathāgata's great treasury of the eye of the true Dharma has been transmitted and received in succession down to the present. Now I entrust it to you once more. Listen to my verse:"

2.32

"The mind is inherently the original mind; / The original mind has no phenomena. / Where there are phenomena, there is the original mind; / It is neither mind nor original phenomena."

2.33

Soon afterwards, he leapt up into empty space, manifested the eighteen transformations, returned to his seat, crossed his legs, and passed away. This was during the reign of King Ping of the Zhou. Dhītika then used the tallies from the chamber to cremate him, collected his relics, and erected a stupa to make offerings to them.

2.34

Appraisal: Other books record a great deal about the deeds of Upagupta; why is this account so brief? The answer is: this is merely concerned with the essential beginnings and ends of the entrustment and transmission. After the Tathāgata, in terms of transforming and guiding people successfully, only the Venerable Upagupta had the most. Yet his deeds are so numerous that I fear even all bamboo slips and silk scrolls could not hold them, and who could write them all down? As for the tallies in the chamber, they merely recorded those who attained the noble fruit; they did not necessarily exhaust all those he transformed.

2.35

Biography of the Fifth Patriarch of India, the Venerable Dhītika

2.36

The Venerable Dhītika was a native of Magadha. His family name is not known. Originally named Gandhahastin, in his youth he encountered the Venerable Upagupta actively teaching and transforming in Mathurā, and followed him to leave the household life. Because his responses were thoroughly attuned to the principle, Upagupta regarded him as a vessel [of the Dharma], shaved his head, and administered the full precepts to him. When the Venerable One was first born, his father once dreamed that a golden sun came out from their house, brightly illuminating heaven and earth; there was also a jewelled mountain facing the sun, and from the mountain peak spring waters poured forth in all four directions. By this time, the Venerable Upagupta interpreted it for him, saying, "The jewelled mountain is my body. The flowing springs are the inexhaustible Dharma. The sun emerging from the house is the mark of your entering the Way. Its illuminating heaven and earth is the radiance radiating from your wisdom." Therefore he changed his name to the present one. In Sanskrit it is Dhītika; here it means 'comprehending the true measure', taking the meaning from the dream. Moreover, the Tathāgata had prophesied this in the past, and by this point it was all verified. The Venerable One, having received his master's explanation, joyfully received his command and bowed to him, praising him with a verse:

2.37

"Lofty and towering is the mountain of the seven jewels, / Constantly pouring forth springs of wisdom. / Turning into the true flavor of the Dharma, / Able to liberate all who have affinity."

2.38

The Venerable Upagupta also answered with a verse:

2.39

"My Dharma is transmitted to you; / You shall manifest great wisdom. / The golden sun emerges from the house, / Illuminating heaven and earth."

2.40

Afterwards, the Venerable One took the Dharma as his duty and travelled about teaching and transforming. Soon he arrived in Central India. It happened that in that country there were eight thousand great ṛṣis, whose leader was named Miccaka. Hearing of him, [Miccaka] led the assembly to visit the Venerable One, bowed to him, and said, "I remember in the past being born with the Venerable One in the Brahmā Heaven. I met the ṛṣi Asita, who transmitted ṛṣi arts to me, while the Venerable One realized the fruit and attained the status of an arhat. Since that separation, six kalpas have already passed." The Venerable One said, "What you refer to, O ṛṣi, is truly as you say. Yet in your pursuit of ṛṣi arts, where will you ultimately arrive?" [Miccaka] said, "Although I have not yet encountered the Supreme Sage, the Venerable Ṛṣi Asita once prophesied to me, saying: 'Six kalpas from now, you will attain the taintless fruit through a fellow student.' Does our encounter today not fulfill this?" The Venerable One said, "Since you know this, you may leave the household life at once. The ways of ṛṣis are a lesser path, incapable of leading people to liberation. I have been teaching and transforming for a long time, and I also wish to rest. If you truly aspire to the Great Dharma, why should you delay yourself?" Miccaka was pleased with his words and immediately requested to leave the household life. At that time, Miccaka's followers, seeing their revered ṛṣi act in this way, were all indignant, saying, "Why is Dhītika worthy to be a master, that you should follow him to leave the household life?" The Venerable One, knowing the discord in the assembly's minds and wishing them to develop faith, emitted light, stepped into empty space as if treading on level ground, and covered the assembly of ṛṣis with a magically created jewelled canopy. Furthermore, fragrant milk poured from the tips of his fingers, within the milk lotuses appeared, and within the lotuses Buddhas were manifested. When the assembly of ṛṣis saw his extraordinary spiritual transformations, they all submitted and requested to leave the household life. The Venerable One accepted them, telling them, "Even so, you must maintain right mindfulness and rely on the Buddha, allowing the monk's deportment to form naturally without requiring contrivance." The assembly of ṛṣis followed his words, and indeed their beards and hair fell away naturally, and kāṣāyas appeared upon their bodies. Soon after, they received the precepts and all became noble beings of the four fruits. Soon afterwards, the Venerable One addressed Miccaka alone, saying, "In the past, the Tathāgata secretly entrusted the great treasury of the eye of the true Dharma to Mahākāśyapa, and it has been transmitted in turn down to me. I now entrust it to you; you must pass it on and maintain it so that it is never severed. Listen to my verse:"

2.41

"Penetrating the Dharma of the original mind, / There is no phenomenon and no non-phenomenon. / Being enlightened is the same as not being enlightened; / There is no mind and also no phenomena."

2.42

After reciting the verse, the Venerable One leapt up into empty space, displayed the eighteen transformations, used the samādhi of fiery radiance to incinerate himself. At that time, it was during the reign of King Zhuang of the Zhou. Miccaka and the assembly gathered his relics, built a stupa on Mount Pañca, and made offerings to them.

2.43

Biography of the Sixth Patriarch of India, the Venerable Miccaka

2.44

The Venerable Miccaka was a native of Central India. His family name is not known. After he and his assembly of immortals all took the Venerable Dhītika as their master, were liberated, and realized the noble fruit, he traveled through various regions teaching and transforming through the Way he had attained. One day he arrived in Northern India. Suddenly he saw auspicious clouds like golden color above the city battlements. He turned and said to his attendants, "This is the atmosphere of the Mahāyāna. In this city there must be an extraordinary person who will succeed to my Dharma." When he entered the country and reached the marketplace, there was indeed a person holding a wine vessel who came to meet Miccaka and asked him, saying, "From what direction has the Venerable One come, and where do you wish to go?" [Miccaka] answered, "I come from my own mind, and wish to go to no place." [The man] also asked, "Do you know what is in my hand?" [Miccaka] answered, "This is an unclean vessel carrying what is pure." [The man] also asked, "Does the Venerable One know me?" [Miccaka] answered, "'I' does not know; 'knowing' is not 'I'." Miccaka further said to him, "You may state your family name and personal name yourself; I will afterwards reveal your original causes." That person then recited a verse, answering him:

2.45

"I am now born in this country, / And again remember the days of former times. / My original family name is Bharadvāja, / And my personal name is Vasumitra."

2.46

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:"

2.47

"No-mind is nothing that can be attained; / To speak of attainment is not called the Dharma. / If you understand mind is not mind, / Only then do you comprehend the Dharma of mind-to-mind."

2.48

After reciting the verse, the Venerable One immediately entered the lion's athletic samādhi, vaulted into empty space to the height of seven tāla trees, returned to his seat, transformed into fire, and incinerated himself. Devas and humans grieved deeply, their lamentation moving heaven and earth. That time was during the reign of King Xiang of the Zhou. Vasumitra then gathered his relics, stored them in a casket of the seven jewels, erected a stupa, placed them in its upper tier, and made offerings to them.

2.49

Biography of the Seventh Patriarch of India, the Venerable Vasumitra

2.50

The Venerable Vasumitra was a native of Northern India. His family name was Bharadvāja. He regularly wore clean clothes and carried a wine vessel, wandering in the villages and lanes while humming and whistling at his ease. People could hardly fathom him, and some called him mad. When he met the Venerable Miccaka and clarified his past conditions, he threw away the vessel and followed him to leave the household life. Soon afterwards, he received the transmission of the Dharma. After Miccaka had passed away, he broadened his teaching and transformation. When he arrived in the country of Kamara, just as he was performing great superior deeds, suddenly there was a wise man who hurried before his seat and said of himself, "My name is Buddhanandi; I have come to debate doctrine with the Venerable One." Vasumitra said, "Kind sir, debating is not doctrine, and doctrine is not debated. If you intend to debate doctrine, it is ultimately not doctrinal debate." Buddhanandi, considering his principle superior, willingly submitted to him, and said, "I wish to seek the Way and partake of the taste of amṛta." The Venerable One then ordained him, specially commanding noble beings of the four fruits to administer the precepts to him. Before long, he instructed him, saying, "The Tathāgata's treasury of the eye of the true Dharma is now entrusted to you. You must transmit it and carefully avoid severing it. Listen to my verse:"

2.51

"The mind is identical to the realm of empty space, / Manifesting Dharma equal to empty space. / When one realizes empty space, / There is neither this nor not-Dharma."

2.52

Afterwards, Vasumitra vaulted into the air and displayed the eighteen transformations, then entered the samādhi of loving-kindness to proceed into tranquil cessation. At that time, Śakra, Brahmā, and the hosts of devas all came to pay homage, and spoke a verse, saying:

2.53

"Patriarch among the noble assembly of the Fortunate Kalpa, / Holding the seventh position, / May the Venerable One have pity on us / And please expound the Buddha-stage."

2.54

Vasumitra remained in samādhi for seven days; because of this, he emerged and instructed the assembly, saying, "The Dharma I have attained is not existent; if you know the Buddha-stage, it is free of existence and non-existence." Having spoken, he entered tranquil cessation again and displayed the sign of nirvāṇa. The heavenly hosts, hearing the Dharma, all rejoiced and bowed to him, scattering heavenly flowers. That time was during the reign of King Ding of the Zhou. Buddhanandi built a jewelled stupa over his original seat to enshrine his whole body.

2.55

Biography of the Eighth Patriarch of India, the Venerable Buddhanandi

2.56

The Venerable Buddhanandi was a native of the kingdom of Kāmarūpa, surnamed Gautama. At his birth, an uṣṇīṣa protruded from the crown of his head, radiating brilliance outward. By nature exceptionally intelligent, he could commit texts to memory at a single glance. At the age of fourteen, he longed to leave home, dedicating himself solely to cultivating pure conduct. When the Venerable Vasumitra came to his country, Buddhanandi approached him one morning with questions, was thoroughly convinced by his superior truth, and thereupon relied on him as his teacher. Soon he received the entrustment of the Dharma, and he too led disciples in extensive travels to transform beings. When he first arrived in the country of Tiga, prior to this a son had been born into a Vaiśya family of that realm, named Buddhamitra. Though already fifty years of age, his mouth had never spoken, nor had his feet ever walked. His parents could not fathom the cause, and both grieved over him. Someone asked practitioners of meditation in that kingdom, but the meditators could not resolve it, telling the parents: "A great being transmitting the Buddha's mind-seal will arrive here before long; you may ask him." When the Venerable One entered the kingdom and passed by the gate of the Vaiśya house, a white light suddenly appeared, radiating above their dwelling. The Venerable One pointed to it and said to his assembly: "In this house there must be a sage. With no spoken words from his mouth, he is truly a vessel of the Great Vehicle. Not walking the four crossroads, he knows what is defiled. He will surely succeed me in greatly flourishing the teaching. Among those he delivers, five hundred will attain sagehood." He further said: "That the light penetrates upward signifies that he will receive the Dharma from me; that the light illuminates downward signifies that he will bring forth an extraordinary person. The one brought forth by him will be named Bhikṣu Pārśva, whose mind is as vast as the earth, and who shall succeed me as the third generation." Thereupon the master of the Vaiśya household came out and asked where he had come from and what he required. The Venerable One said: "I have come seeking a person, not requiring any goods." The master said: "How could our house have an extraordinary person worthy of your seeking? We have only one son, who neither speaks nor walks, already fifty years of age. If the Venerable One desires him, we will certainly not begrudge him to you." Buddhanandi said: "What you have spoken of is precisely what I seek." His parents immediately brought the son and gave him over. When the Venerable One brought him to the monastery, the son suddenly spoke on his own, took seven steps, joined his palms, and spoke a verse, asking:

2.57

"Father and mother are not kin to me; / Who is the closest kin? / The Buddhas are not my Path; / Who is the supreme Path?"

2.58

The Venerable One immediately answered him with a verse, saying:

2.59

"Your words are kin to the mind; / Father and mother cannot compare. / Your conduct accords with the Path; / The mind of all Buddhas is just this. / Seeking outward for a Buddha with marks / Does not resemble you. / If you recognize your original mind, / It neither unites nor departs."

2.60

Hearing the Dharma, Buddhamitra rejoiced greatly and paid reverence with deep earnestness. The Venerable One thereupon granted him renunciation, summoned the assembly of worthy and noble ones to bestow the precepts upon him, and later instructed him, saying: "The Tathāgata's Dharma-eye was secretly transmitted down to me; I now entrust it to you. Pass it on in succession and do not allow it to be severed. Listen to my verse:"

2.61

"Empty space has neither inside nor outside; / The Dharma of mind is also like this. / If one completely realizes empty space, / One reaches the principle of Suchness."

2.62

Having been fortunate enough to receive the Dharma verse, Buddhamitra vaulted his body into the great void, scattered precious flowers, and spoke a verse in praise, saying:

2.63

"My master, among the Chan patriarchs, / Is appropriately the eighth; / Innumerable beings transformed by his Dharma / Have all attained arhatship."

2.64

Having entrusted the Dharma, the Venerable One abruptly rose from his seat and stood tall. Manifesting great spiritual transformations, he emitted eight rays of wondrous light from his abdomen, illuminating the great assembly. Those illuminated by it numbered nearly five hundred, who all attained the second fruition. He then entered parinirvāṇa. This took place during the reign of King Jing of Zhou. The assembly then erected a precious stūpa at that site to enshrine his whole body.

2.65

Biography of the Venerable Buddhamitra, Ninth Patriarch of India

2.66

The Venerable Buddhamitra was a native of the kingdom of Tiga, of the Vaiśya clan. Mitra's parents had long wondered about his condition throughout his life until they met the Venerable Buddhanandi, who explained his past conditions, saying: "In past lives this child was clearly awakened; within the Buddha-Dharma he wished to bring great benefit and compassionately rescue all living beings. Therefore he made a vow: 'Wherever I am born, may I not be entangled in the love and affection of parents, but attain liberation in accordance with wholesome conditions.' That his mouth did not speak signified that the Path is empty and tranquil. That his feet did not walk signified that phenomena have no coming or going." Thereupon his parents' doubts completely vanished, and they gladly had him take Buddhanandi as his teacher. Having received the Dharma, he traveled to transform beings, arriving in Central India. Prior to this, there was an elder in that country named Gandhahasti. Gandhahasti had a son named Duṣprasaha. Although Duṣprasaha ate grain food, he had no waste or impurity. At this time, Gandhahasti brought him to pay reverence to the Venerable One and said: "This child remained in the womb for sixteen years in all. At his birth there were many extraordinary dreams. We also met a seer who read his features and said: 'This boy is no ordinary vessel; he will meet a bodhisattva who will deliver him.' Now meeting the Venerable One is surely that condition. We wish for him to leave home." Gandhahasti then said to his son: "You have now left home; do not feel joyous in mind because I am here in affection, nor grieve when I return home." The Venerable One immediately said: "Where I am now, how could there be self and other? With all outflows already extinguished, how could grief arise?" Mitra therefore delivered him. Before long, he entrusted the Dharma to him, saying: "The Tathāgata's great treasury of the Dharma-eye I now entrust to you. Transmit it and do not let it be broken off. Accept my teaching and listen to my verse:"

First 66 of 83 passages. Read on

Linked texts (1)

傳法正宗記 — Classical Chinese