傳法正宗記 9.4

9.4

The preface states: Good spiritual friends of collateral branches have already been recorded in other books. That they are presented again here is because they all derived from the orthodox lineage; although the direct and collateral lines differ, their Dharma is one. The Zhou dynasty enfiefed states of the same surname to honor their lineage; in the principle of affection among kin, Wen, Wu, Cheng, and Kang were the principal line. Comparing this to the direct succession from Mahākāśyapa, one can understand it. These transmissions begin with Madhyāntika and end with Chan Master Shenhui of Yizhou, totaling two hundred and five persons.