傳法正宗定祖圖 1.2

1.2

Now, Bodhidharma was truly the twenty-eighth patriarch of the Buddha's unique teaching. Together with Mahākāśyapa, they are the direct successors descending from Śākyamuni Tathāgata. When it was transmitted to China, the passage of years and generations accumulated into great distance, and genealogical records fell into error. Students, having meager knowledge, could not trace and scrutinize its origins. The truth was consequently not believed, and divergent opinions arose in abundance, which has been quite the case from antiquity to the present. Throughout his life, Qisong considered this a great distress. He happened to examine the right and wrong and rectify the lineage of patriarchs. Just as his book was about to be completed, it coincided with the promulgation throughout the empire of the imperial chart depicting the patriarchs transmitting the Dharma and conferring the robe. Although those who study Buddhism all took pride in this, they still listened indistinctly without comprehending the sovereign's intent. Qisong rejoiced at this, and privately said to those of understanding: "Our Buddha took the essentials of the true Dharma as the principle of the one great teaching, and took the secret transmission and reception as the patriarchs of the one great teaching. This principle is indeed the source of the Way of the sages and worthies, and the wondrous origin of Heaven, Earth, and living beings. These patriarchs are indeed the great model for ten thousand generations of those who cultivate precepts, samādhi, and wisdom, and the true verification of the teachings of the twelve divisions of scripture. Ever since books and transmissions fell into disorderly obscurity and corruption, the world has doubted this for nearly hundreds and thousands of years. Today, the supreme Great Sage has specially promulgated the chart to rectify its patriarchal lineage. However, regarding the sage's teaching of the Way, it is certainly only a sage who can rectify it. How could this be only the great good fortune of the Buddha's followers for ten thousand generations? It is also the great good fortune of Heaven, Earth, and living beings!" Qisong therefore, without avoiding the punishment for his presumption and foolish arrogance, dared to risk death in citing the old matters, elaborating upon the supreme sage's intention, and reverently composing this commentary to the Patriarch Chart, which also refers to the chart of the patriarchs transmitting the Dharma and conferring the robe previously promulgated. Yet, among those things that first threw our patriarchal lineage into disorder and bewildered the empire's scholars, none surpasses the Fufazang zhuan. Among those things that rectify its patriarchal lineage and cut off ten thousand generations of dispute, none surpasses the Chan scripture. The Chan scripture precedes the Fufazang zhuan; sixty-two years earlier, its beginning and end were already complete, and the twenty-eight patriarchs had already appeared during the Jin dynasty. The Fufazang zhuan appeared only after Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei (Emperor Zhenjun) abolished the teaching, defectively claiming only twenty-four generations, and only then appeared during the Wei dynasty. When tested against the Chan scripture, the Fufazang zhuan is indeed shown to be erroneous. As for the Tathāgata's secretly transmitting the treasury of the true Dharma eye exclusively to Mahākāśyapa, this is manifested in the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, the Da zhidu lun, the Chan scripture, and its preface. If one seeks it with inner comprehension, the Buddha's subtle purport is present therein. His Majesty's sagacious nature is lofty and wondrous, uniquely apprehending what lies beyond words. This is truly a natural endowment and a prophecy of the Buddha. Therefore, his elucidation of the Chan patriarchs conforms elegantly with the scriptures, and it is fitting that it be handed down for ten thousand generations as an eternal, definitive judgment on the three trainings. The Buddha's disciples follow and revere it, and the world no longer doubts. Those listed in the chart, from Śākyamuni Buddha and Mahākāśyapa down to the Sixth Patriarch, Chan Master Dajian of Caoxi, total thirty-four figures. In addition, there are ten worthies of Confucianism and Buddhism whose words regarding our patriarchal lineage have traditionally had evidential backing, who are arranged to the left of the various patriarchs. Respectfully following the Chuanfa zhengzong ji, I proceed to the imperial palace to submit this, troubling the sovereign's attention, unable to bear the utmost fear and trepidation. Respectfully prefaced.