Chapter X. His Final Instructions

One day the Patriarch sent for his disciples, Fa Hai, Chih Ch'eng, Fa
Ta, Shen Hui, Chih Ch'ang, Chih Tung, Chih Ch'e, Chih Tao,Fa Chen,FaJu,
etc., and addressed them as follows: "You men are different from the
common lot. After my entering into Nirvana, each of you will be the
Dhyana Master of a certain district. I am, therefore, going to give you
some hints on preaching, so that you may keep up the tradition of our
School.

"First mention the three Categories of Dharmas, and then the thirty-six
'pairs of opposites' in the activities (of the Essence of Mind). Then
teach how to avoid the two extremes of 'coming in' or 'going out'. In
all preaching, stray not from the Essence of Mind. Whenever a man puts
a question to you, answer him in antonyms, so that a 'pair of
opposites' will be formed, such as 'coming' and 'going'. When the
interdependence of the two is entirely done away with there would be,
in the absolute sense, neither 'coming' nor 'going'.

"The three categories of Dharmas are:
Skandhas (aggregates), Ayatanas (places of meeting),Dhatus (factors of
consciousness).
The five Skandhas are:
rupa (matter), vedana (sensation), samjna (perception), samskara
(tendencies of mind), and vijnana (consciousness).
The twelve Ayatanas are:
Six Sense Objects (external). Six Sense Organs (internal). Object of
sight Organ of sight Object of hearing Organ of hearing Object of smell
Organ of smell Object of taste Organ of taste Object of touch Organ of
touch Object of thought Organ of thought
The eighteen Dhatus are:
The six sense objects, six sense organs and six recipient vijnanas.

"Since the Essence of Mind is the embodiment of all Dharmas, it is
called the Alaya (Repository) Consciousness. But as soon as the process
of thinking or reasoning is started, the Essence of Mind is transmuted
into (various)vijnanas. When the six recipien tvijnanas come into
being, they perceive the six sense objects through the six 'doors' (of
sense). Thus, the functioning of the eighteen dhatus derive their
impetus from the Essence of Mind. Whether they function with an evil
tendency or a good one depends upon what mood - good or evil - the
Essence of Mind is in. Evil functioning is that of a common man, while
good functioning is that of a Buddha. It is because there are 'pairs of
opposites' inherent in the Essence of Mind that the functioning of the
eighteen dhatus derive their impetus.

"The thirty-six 'Pairs of opposites' are: Five external inanimate ones:
Heaven and earth, sun and moon, light and darkness, positive element
and negative element, fire and water. Twelve Dharmalaksana (phenomenal
objects): Speech anddharma, affirmation and negation, matter and
non-matter, form and without form, taints (impurity) and absence of
taint, matter and void, motion and quiescence, purity and impurity,
ordinary people and sages, the Sangha and the laity, the aged and the
young, the big and the small. Nineteen pairs denoting the functioning
of the Essence of Mind: Long and short, good and evil, infatuated and
enlightened, ignorant and wise, perturbed and calm, merciful and
wicked, abstinent (Sila) and indulgent, straight and crooked, full and
empty, steep and level, klesa and Bodhi, permanent and transient,
compassionate and cruel, happy and angry, generous and mean, forward
and backward, existent and non-existent, Dharmakaya and physical body,
Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya.

"He who knows how to use these thirty-six pairs realizes the
all-pervading principle which goes through the teaching of all Sutras.
Whether he is 'coming in' or 'going out', he is able to avoid the two
extremes.

"In the functioning of the Essence of Mind and in conversation with
others, outwardly we should free ourselves from attachment to objects,
and inwardly, we should free ourselves from attachment to the idea of
the Void. To believe in the reality of objects or in Nihilism results
in fallacious views or intensified ignorance respectively.

"A bigoted believer in Nihilism blasphemes against the Sutras on the
ground that literature (i.e., the Buddhist Scriptures) is unnecessary
(for the study of Buddhism). If that were so, then neither would it be
right for us to speak, since speech forms the substance of literature.
He would also argue that in the direct method (literally, the straight
Path) literature is discarded. But does he appreciate that the two
words 'is discarded' are also literature? Upon hearing others recite
the Sutras such a man would criticize the speakers as 'addicted to
scriptural authority'. It is bad enough for him to confine this
mistaken notion to himself, but in addition, he blasphemes against the
Buddhist scriptures. You men should know that it is a serious offence
to speak ill of the Sutras, for the consequence is grave indeed! [you
can interpret the sutras but cannot say they are wrong]

"He who believes in the reality of outward objects tries to seek the
form (from without) by practicing a certain system of doctrine. He may
furnish spacious lecture-halls for the discussion of Realism or
Nihilism, but such a man will not for numerous kalpas realize the
Essence of Mind.

"We should tread the Path according to the teaching of the Law, and not
keep our mind in a state of indolence, thereby creating obstacles to
its understanding. To preach or to hear the Law without practicing it
gives occasion for the arising of heretical views. Hence, we should
tread the Path according to the teaching of the Law, and in the
dissemination of the Dharma we should not be influenced by the concept
of the reality of objects.

"If you understand what I say, and make use of it in preaching, in
practice, and in your daily life, you will grasp the distinguishing
feature of our School.

"Whenever a question is put to you, answer it in the negative if it is
an affirmative one; and vice versa. If you are asked about an ordinary
man, tell the enquirer something about a sage; and vice versa. From the
correlation or interdependence of the two opposites the doctrine of the
'Mean' may be grasped [teaching something of Zhongyong]. If all other
questions are answered in this manner, you will not be far away from
the truth.

"Supposing someone asks you what is darkness, answer him thus: Light is
the hetu (root condition) and darkness is the pratyaya (conditions
which bring about any given phenomenon). When light disappears,
darkness appears. The two are in contrast to each other. From the
correlation or interdependence of the two the doctrine of the 'Mean'
arises.

"In this way all other questions are to be answered. To ensure the
perpetuation of the aim and object of our School in the transmission of
the Dharma to your successors, this instruction should be handed down
from one generation to another."

In the seventh Moon of the year of Jen Tzu, the first year of T'ai Chi
or Yen Ho Era, the Patriarch sent some of his disciples to Hsin Chou to
have a shrine (stupa) built within the Kuo En monastery, with
instructions that the work should be completed as soon as possible.
Next year, when summer was well-nigh spent, the stupa was duly
completed. On the first day of the seventh Moon, the Patriarch
assembled his disciples and addressed them as follows: "I am going to
leave this world by the eighth Moon. Should you have any doubts (on the
doctrine) please ask me in time, so that I can clear them up for you.
You may find no one to teach you after my departure." [Spiritual master
can know when he is going to expire.]

The sad news moved Fa Hai and other disciples to tears. Shen Hui, on
the other hand, remained unperturbed. Commending him, the Patriarch
said, "Young Master Shen Hui is the only one here who has attained that
state of mind which sees no difference in good or evil, knows neither
sorrow nor happiness, and is unmoved by praise or blame. After so many
years' training in this mountain, what progress have you made? What are
you crying for now? Are you worrying for me because I do not know
whither I shall go? But I do know; otherwise I could not tell you
beforehand what will happen. [we have to attain what Shen Hui attained
- unperturbed in all circumstances whether bad or good]

"What makes you cry is that you don't know whither I am going. If you
did, there would be no occasion for you to cry. In Suchness there is
neither coming nor going, neither becoming nor cessation.

"Sit down, all of you, and let me read you a stanza on reality and
illusion, and on motion and quietude. Read it, and your opinion will
accord with mine.
Practice it, and you will grasp the aim and object of our School."

The assembly made obeisance and asked the Patriarch to let them hear
the stanza, which read as follows:

In all things there is nothing real,
And so we should free ourselves from the concept of the reality of
objects.
He who believes in the reality of objects Is bound by this very
concept, which is entirely illusive.
He who realizes the Essence of Mind within himself
Knows that the 'True Mind' is to be sought apart from phenomena.
If one's mind is bound by illusive phenomena
Where is Reality to be found, when all phenomena are unreal?
Sentient beings are mobile;
Inanimate objects are stationary.
He who trains himself by exercise to be motionless
(Gets no benefit) other than making himself as still as an inanimate
object.
Should you find true Immobility
There is Immobility within activity.
Immobility (like that of inanimate objects) is immobility (and not
Dhyana),
And in inanimate objects the seed of Buddhahood is not to be found.
He who is adept in the discrimination of various Dharmalaksana
Abides immovably in the 'First Principle' (Nirvana).
Thus are all things to be perceived,
and this is the functioning of Tathata (Suchness).
Treaders of the Path,
Exert yourself and take heed
That as followers of the Mahayana School
You do not embrace that sort of knowledge
Which binds you to the wheel of birth and death.
With those who are sympathetic Let us have discussion on Buddhism.
As for those whose point of view differs from ours
Let us treat them politely and thus make them happy.
(But) disputes are alien to our School,
For they are incompatible with its doctrine.
To argue with others in disregard of this rule
Subjects one's Essence of Mind to the bitterness of mundane existence.

Having heard this stanza, the assembly made obeisance in a body. In
accordance with the wishes of the Patriarch, they concentrated their
minds to put the stanza into actual practice, and refrained from
religious controversy.

Seeing that the Patriarch would pass away in the near future, the head
Monk, Fa Hai, after prostrating himself twice asked, "Sir, upon your
entering Nirvana, who will be the inheritor of the robe and the
Dharma?"
"All my sermons," replied the Patriarch, "from the time I preached in
Ta Fan monastery, may be copied out for circulation in a volume to be
entitled 'Sutra Spoken on the High Seat of the Treasure of the Law'.
Take good care of it and hand it down from one generation to another
for the salvation of all sentient beings. He who preaches in accordance
with its teachings preaches the Orthodox Dharma.

"As to transmission of the robe, this practice is to be discontinued.
Why? Because you all have implicit faith in my teaching, and being free
from all doubts you are able to carry out the lofty object of our
School. Furthermore, according to the implied meaning of the stanza by
Bodhidharma, the first Patriarch, on the transmission of the Dharma,
the robe need not be handed down. The stanza reads:

The object of my coming to this land (i.e., China) [Chinese are
fortunate that this Transmission Line was to be continued in Chinese
hands.]
Is to transmit the Dharma for the deliverance of those under delusion.
In five petals the flowers will be complete.
Thereafter, the fruit will come to bearing naturally.

The Patriarch added, "Learned Audience, purify your minds and listen to
me. He who wishes to attain the All-knowing Knowledge of a Buddha
should know the 'Samadhi of Specific Object' and the 'Samadhi of
Specific Mode'. In all circumstances we should free ourselves from
attachment to objects, and our attitude towards them should be neutral
and indifferent [Very Important]. Let neither success nor failure,
neither profit nor loss, worry us. Let us be calm and serene, modest
and accommodating, simple and dispassionate. Such is the 'Samadhi of
Specific Object'. On all occasions, whether we are standing, walking,
sitting or reclining, let us be absolutely straightforward. Then,
remaining in our sanctuary, and without the least movement, we shall
virtually be in the Kingdom of Pure Land. Such is the 'Samadhi of
Specific Mode'.

"He who is complete with these two forms of Samadhi may be likened to
the ground with seeds sown therein. Covered up in the mud, the seeds
receive nourishment there from and grow until the fruit comes into
bearing.

"My preaching to you now may be likened to the seasonable rain which
brings moisture to a vast area of land. The Buddha-nature within you
may be likened to the seed which, being moistened by the rain, will
grow rapidly. He who carries out my instructions will certainly attain
Bodhi. He who follows my teaching will certainly attain the superb
fruit (of Buddhahood). Listen to my stanza:

Buddha-seeds latent in our mind
Will sprout upon the coming of the all pervading rain.
The flower of the doctrine having been intuitively grasped,
One is bound to reap the fruit of Enlightenment.

Then he added, "The Dharma is non-dual and so is the mind. The Path is
pure and above all forms. I warn you not to use those exercises for
meditation on quietude or for keeping the mind a blank. The mind is by
nature pure, so there is nothing for us to crave for or give up. Do
your best, each of you, and go wherever circumstances lead."

Thereupon the disciples made obeisance and withdrew.

On the eighth day of the seventh Moon, the Patriarch gave a sudden
order to his disciples to get ready a boat for Hsin Chou (his native
place). In a body they entreated him earnestly and pitifully to stay.
"It is only natural that I should go," said the Patriarch, "for death
is the inevitable outcome of birth, and even the various Buddhas who
appear in this world have to go through an earthly death before
entering Nirvana. There can be no exception for my physical body, which
must be laid down somewhere."
"After your visit to Hsin Chou," entreated the assembly, "please return
here sooner or later."
"Fallen leaves go back to where the root is, and when I first came I
had no mouth," replied the Patriarch.
Then they asked, "To whom, Sir, do you transmit the Womb of the Dharma
Eye?"
"Men of principle will get it, and those who are mind-less will
understand it."
They further asked, "Will any calamity befall you hereafter?"
"Five or six years after my death," replied the Patriarch, "a man will
come to cut off my head. I have made the following prophecy of which
please take note:
To the top of the parent's head, offerings are made, For the mouth must
be fed. When the calamity of 'Man' befalls, Yang and Liu will be the
officials."

He added, "Seventy years after my departure two Bodhisattvas from the
East, one a layman and the other a monk, will preach contemporaneously,
disseminate the Law widely, establish our School on a firm basis,
renovate our monasteries and transmit the doctrine to numerous
successors."

"Can you let us know for how many generations the Dharma has been
transmitted, from the appearance of the earliest Buddha up to now?"
asked the disciples.

"The Buddhas who have appeared in this world are too many to be
counted," replied the Patriarch. "But let us start from the last seven
Buddhas. They are:
Of the last kalpa (the Alamkarakalpa): Buddha Vipasyin Buddha Sikhin
Buddha Visvabhu Of the present kalpa (the Bhadrakalpa): Buddha
Krakucchanda Buddha Kanakamuni Buddha Kasyapa Buddha Sakyamuni

"From the Buddha Sakyamuni, the Law was transmitted to the:
1st Patriarch Arya Mahakasyapa 2nd Patriarch Arya Ananda 3rd Patriarch
Arya Sanakavasa 4th Patriarch Arya Upagupta 5th Patriarch Arya Dhritaka
6th Patriarch Arya Michaka 7th Patriarch Arya Vasumitra 8th Patriarch
Arya Buddhanandi 9th Patriarch Arya Buddhamitra 10th Patriarch Arya
Parsva 11th Patriarch Arya Punyayasas 12th Patriarch Bodhisattva
Asvaghosa 13th Patriarch Arya Kapimala 14th Patriarch Bodhisattva
Nagarjuna 15th Patriarch Kanadeva 16th Patriarch Arya Rahulata 17th
Patriarch Arya Sanghanandi 18th Patriarch Arya Gayasata 19th Patriarch
Arya Kumarata 20th Patriarch Arya Jayata 21st Patriarch Arya Vasubandhu
22nd Patriarch Arya Manorhita 23rd Patriarch Arya Haklenayasas 24th
Patriarch Arya Simha 25th Patriarch Arya Basiasita 26th Patriarch Arya
Punyamitra 27th Patriarch Arya Prajnatara 28th Patriarch Arya
Bodhidharma (the first Patriarch in China) 29th Patriarch Grand Master
Hui K'u 30th Patriarch Grand Master Seng Ts'an 31st Patriarch Grand
Master Tao Hsin 32nd Patriarch Grand Master Hung Yen And I am the 33rd
Patriarch (the sixth Patriarch in China).
Thus the Dharma was handed down from one Patriarch to another.
Hereafter, you men should in turn transmit it to posterity, from one
generation to another, so that the tradition may be maintained. [the
above is the Line of Transmission for 40 sages--then it was one-to-one
Transmission]

On the third day of the eighth Moon of the year of Kuei Chou, the
second Year of HsienT'ien Era (A.D. 713), after taking food at the Kuo
En Monastery, the Patriarch addressed his disciples as follows: "Please
sit down, for I am going to say good-bye."

Thereupon Fa Hai spoke to the Patriarch, "Sir, will you please leave to
posterity definite instructions whereby people under delusion may
realize the Buddha nature."

"It is not impossible," replied the Patriarch, "for these men to
realize the Buddha-nature, provided they acquaint themselves with the
nature of ordinary sentient beings. But to seek Buddhahood without such
knowledge would be in vain even if one shall spend aeons of time in the
search.

"Now, let me show you how to get acquainted with the nature of the
sentient beings within your mind, and thereby realize the Buddha-nature
latent in you.
Knowing Buddha means nothing else than knowing sentient beings, for the
latter ignore that they are potential Buddhas, whereas a Buddha sees no
difference between himself and other beings. When sentient beings
realize the Essence of Mind, they are Buddhas. If a Buddha is under
delusion in his Essence of Mind, he is then an ordinary being. When
your mind is crooked or depraved, you are ordinary beings with
Buddha-nature latent in you. On the other hand, when you direct your
mind to purity and straightforwardness even for one moment, you are a
Buddha.

"Within our mind there is a Buddha, and that Buddha within is the real
Buddha. If Buddha is not to be sought within our mind, where shall we
find the real Buddha? Doubt not that Buddha is within your mind, apart
from which nothing can exist. Since all things or phenomena are the
production of our mind, the Sutra says, 'When mental activity begins,
things come into being; when mental activity ceases, they too cease to
exist.' In parting from you, let me leave you a stanza entitled 'The
Real Buddha of the Essence of Mind'. People of future generations who
understand its meaning will realize the Essence of Mind and attain
Buddhahood. It reads:

The Essence of Mind or Tathata (Suchness) is the real Buddha,
While heretical views and the three poisonous elements are Mara.
Enlightened by Right Views, we call forth the Buddha within us.
When our nature is dominated by the three poisonous elements
We are said to be possessed by Mara;
But when Right Views eliminate from our mind these poisonous elements
Mara will be transformed into a real Buddha.
The Dharmakaya, the Sambhogakaya and the Nirmanakaya -
These three Bodies emanate from one (the Essence of Mind).
He who is able to realize this fact intuitively
Has sown the seed, and will reap the fruit of Enlightenment.
It is from the Nirmanakaya that our Pure Nature emanates;
Within the former the latter is to be found.
Guided by Pure Nature, the Nirmanakaya treads the Right Path,
And will some day attain to the Sambhogakaya, perfect and infinite.
'Pure Nature' is an outgrowth of our sensual instincts;
By getting rid of sensuality, we attain the Pure Dharmakaya.
When our temperament is such that we are no longer the slaves of the
five sense-objects,
And when we have realized the Essence of Mind even for one moment only,

then Truth is known to us.
Should we be so fortunate as to be the followers of the Sudden School
in this life,
In a sudden we shall see the Bhagavat of our Essence of Mind.
He who seeks the Buddha (from without) by practicing certain doctrines
Knows not where the real Buddha is to be found.
He who is able to realize the Truth within his own mind
Has sown the seed of Buddhahood.
He who has not realized the Essence of Mind and seeks the Buddha from
without
Is a fool motivated by wrong desires.
I have hereby left to posterity the teaching of the Sudden School
For the salvation of all sentient beings who care to practice it.
Hear me, ye future disciples!
Your time will have been badly wasted if you neglect to put this
teaching into practice.

Having recited the stanza, he added, "Take good care of yourselves.
After my passing away, do not follow the worldly tradition, and cry or
lament. Neither should messages of condolence be accepted, nor mourning
be worn. These things are contrary to the Orthodox Teaching, and he who
does them is not my disciple. What you should do is to know your own
mind and realize your own Buddha-nature, which neither rests nor moves,
neither becomes nor ceases to be, neither comes nor goes, neither
affirms nor denies, neither stays nor departs. Lest your mind should be
under delusion and thus fail to catch my meaning, I repeat this to you
to enable you to realize your Essence of Mind. After my death, if you
carry out my instructions and practice them accordingly, my being away
from you will make no difference. On the other hand, if you go against
my teaching, no benefit would be obtained, even if I continued to stay
here."

Then he uttered another stanza:

Imperturbable and serene, the ideal man practices no virtue.
Self-possessed and dispassionate, he commits no sin.
Calm and silent, he gives up seeing and hearing.
Even and upright, his mind abides nowhere.

Having uttered the stanza, he sat reverently until the third watch of
the night.
Then he said abruptly to his disciples, "I am going now," and in a
sudden passed away. A peculiar fragrance pervaded his room, and a lunar
rainbow appeared which seemed to join up earth and sky. The trees in
the wood turned white, and birds and beasts cried mournfully.

In the eleventh Moon of that year the question of the Patriarch's
resting place gave rise to a dispute among the government officials of
Kuang Chow, Shao Chou and Hsin Chou, each party being anxious to have
the remains of the Patriarch removed to its own district. The
Patriarch's disciples, together with other monks and laymen, took part
in the controversy. Being unable to come to any settlement among
themselves, they burnt incense and prayed to the Patriarch to indicate
by the direction of the drift of the smoke the place which he himself
would choose. As the smoke turned directly to Ts'ao Ch'i, the shrine
(in which the body was kept) together with the inherited robe and bowl
was accordingly taken back there on the 13th day of the 11th Moon.

Next year, on the 25th day of the seventh Moon, the body was taken out
of the shrine, and Fang Pien, a disciple of the Patriarch, plastered it
with incense-clay. Recollecting the Patriarch's prediction that someone
would take away his head, the disciples, as a matter of precaution,
strengthened his neck by wrapping it with iron sheets and lacquered
cloth before the body was placed in the stupa.
Suddenly, a flash of white light rushed out from the stupa, went
straight towards the sky, and did not disperse until three days after.
The incident was duly reported to the Throne by the officials of Shao
Chou District. By imperial order, tablets were erected to record the
life of the Patriarch. The Patriarch inherited the robe when he was 24,
had his hair shaved (i.e., was ordained) at 39, and died at the age of
76. For thirty-seven years he preached for the benefit of all sentient
beings. Forty-three of his disciples inherited the Dharma
[Heart-to-Heart Seal ? no one knows except the recipients.], and by his
express consent became his successors, while those who attained
enlightenment and thereby got out of the rut of the ordinary man were
too numerous to be counted. The robe transmitted by Bodhidharma as the
insignia of Patriarchship, the Mo Na robe and the crystal bowl
presented by Emperor ChungTsung, the Patriarch's statue made by Fang
Pien, and other sacred articles, were put in charge of the keeper of
the stupa. They were to be kept permanently in Pao Lin Monastery to
guard the welfare of the temple.

The Sutra spoken by the Patriarch was published and circulated to make
known the principles and objects of the Dharma School. All these steps
were taken for the prosperity of the Three Gems (i.e., Buddha, Law, and
Order) as well as for the general welfare of all sentient beings.

End of the Sutra.

Bald eagle wrote: