傳法正宗記 6.9

6.9

Venerable Sengcan: it is not known what place he was from. At first, he met Huike as a retired scholar. The Venerable did not state his surname or personal name. Through their dialogue, he had an awakening, and thereupon took him as master and went forth. Patriarch Ke recognized his capacity, said that he had obtained a Dharma-jewel, and so gave him a name. During the Northern Zhou, he received the precepts at Guangfu Monastery. After receiving the precepts, he returned to his master. Two years later, he received the transmission of the Dharma. Patriarch Ke had once admonished him, saying, “Later there will surely be a calamity; you must retreat far away to avoid it.” The Venerable followed his words, and thereupon went to conceal himself on Mount Wangong in Shu (now called the Mountain Monastery of Shangu) for more than thirty years in all. His traces gradually became manifest, and students came to seek his Way. During the Kaihuang era of the Sui, there was a novice monk named Daoxin, who one day came to pay homage before his seat. He asked him, saying, “I beg the Great Master to reveal to me the Dharma gate of liberation.” The Venerable said, “Who binds you?” [Daoxin] said, “No one binds me.” [The Venerable] further said, “Since no one binds you, you are liberation itself; why seek further for liberation?” Daoxin immediately had an awakening, and wished to serve him as a disciple. After a long time, Xin went to seek the precepts in Luling; when he returned, the Venerable said, “You have received the precepts and your Way is also complete. I shall now depart. In the past, the Tathāgata’s Great Dharma-eye Treasury was entrusted down to me, and now I confer it upon you along with the robe and bowl. Take them all. Listen to my verse:”