Zhidao said, "All sentient beings have two bodies, which are the so-called color body and the dharma body. The color body is impermanent, born and destroyed; The Dharmakaya is constant and unconscious. The scripture says, 'Life and death have been destroyed, and death is happiness', I don't know which body has entered into silence? That is the joy of being in this way? If it is said that it is a color body, when the color body is destroyed, the four major dispersions of earth, water, fire and wind are completely suffering, and since it is suffering, it cannot be said to be happiness; If the Dharma body is in silence, then the Dharma body is as unconscious as grass, trees, tiles and stones, so how can we enjoy true happiness? The dharma nature is the entity in the law of birth and death, the five aggregates are the mutual use in the law of birth and death, and the unity has five uses, and birth and death should be constant. Life is the use of the body of nature, and extinction is the use of the body and return to the body. If they are allowed to regenerate, then sentient beings with sentient beings will never perish. If they are not allowed to regenerate, they will be silent forever, no different from the unforgiving things. In this way, all the ten thousand dharmas will be limited by Nirvana, and life will not be attained, so what happiness will there be?"

The Sixth Patriarch said, "You are a disciple of Buddhism, why do you learn the rules of the outer path and talk about the supreme multiplication of the Dharma?" According to what you said, there is another Dharmakaya besides the color body, and apart from the birth and death of the color body, you can seek the extinction of the Dharmakaya. He also deduced that Nirvana is always happy, and it is necessary to have a certain body to be used. This is clinging to life and death, greedy for the happiness of the world. You should know that the Buddha regarded the blissful nirvana as suffering all day long because all the obsessed beings believed that the five aggregates and false harmony were self-beings, and they were vainly planning all the Dharma as external dust, greedy for life and tired of death, and delusional thoughts, and did not know that life was like a dream, false and untrue, and suffered the cycle of birth and death in vain. In order to have mercy on these foolish beings, the Buddha taught the state of true bliss in Nirvana. There is no visible aspect that arises in an instant, there is no phase that destroys in an instant, and there is no birth and destruction that can be destroyed, which is the state before Nirvana is clearly distinguished. Just before the extinction appears, there is nothing that can make you feel that it is extinction, and this is what is called constant happiness. There is no one who bears this kind of happiness, and there is no one who does not bear it. Where will there be a name for five purposes? What's more, you also say that Nirvana forbids all dharmas and makes them lifeless? This is slandering the Dharma. ”

The Sixth Patriarch said: "The supreme Nirvana, the harmony and clarity are always silent, and the ordinary fool says that it is death, and the people of the outer way cling to it are extinguished." The two-vehicle practitioner regards it as non-action, all of which belong to emotional attachment, which is the root of the sixty-two views. It is just a false name, how can it have true meaning? Only those who surpass ordinary people can reach everything without giving up. Because we know the five aggregates of color dharma and the false self in the five aggregates, it is only the appearance of all kinds of colors, all kinds of different sounds, and all equality is like a dream, and there is no need to generate any holy opinions, and there is no need to make a nirvana understanding, and the two sides and three times sit down together. The six roots of Chang should be of great use, but there is no idea of all uses. Consider all the dharmas separately, but there is no delusion of distinction. Even if the fire burns the bottom of the sea, and the wind of calamity instigates the mountains to fight each other, this Dharma music that is always extinguished is the reality of great nirvana. I am here to describe it so that you may abandon your unrighteous opinions. If you don't follow the words, you will be able to comprehend the Dharma with a small amount of Dharma. After listening to the words, Zhidao became enlightened and rejoiced and thanked him enthusiastically.

Xingsi Zen Master was born in the Liu family in Ancheng, Jizhou. He heard that the Sixth Patriarch Master of Caoxi was prosperous and had countless introducers, so he came to visit the Six Patriarchs and asked the Sixth Patriarch Master to say, "What should I do to avoid falling into the class?"

The Sixth Patriarch said, "What have you done?"

Xingsi said, "I don't even do the 'Noble Truths.'" ”

The Sixth Patriarch said, "Then what class do you fall into?"

Xing Si said, "If the noble truths are not done, what class can be left behind?"

The Sixth Patriarch valued him very much, so he ordered him to be the head of the temple.

One day, the Sixth Patriarch said to him, "You should educate one side and don't let the Fa-rectification be cut off." ”

Since Xingsi has inherited the six ancestors' Dunjiao Dharma, he returned to Qingyuan Mountain in Jizhou, Dahong Dharma, Shaolong Buddhism.

Huairang Zen Master, the son of the Du family in Jinzhou. At first, he went to Songshan to consult Hui'an National Teacher, and Master Hui'an sent him to Caoxi to study. When Huai Rang arrived at Cao Xi and bowed sincerely, the six ancestors asked him, "Where are you from?"

Huai Rang replied: "From Songshan." ”

The Sixth Patriarch asked, "What did it come from like this?"

Huairang said, "It would be wrong to say that it looks like something. ”

The Sixth Ancestor said, "Can I still cultivate the certificate?"

Huai Rang said: "Cultivation is not without certification, but pollution cannot be obtained." ”

The Sixth Patriarch said: "This is not polluted, it is the common protection of all Buddhas. If you are like that, so am I. The Indian Prajnadora prophesied: 'A foal will be born under your disciple, and no one will dare to do it.' Take this prophecy to heart and don't say it too soon!"

Huai Rang suddenly understood the moment, so he served by the side of the Sixth Ancestor for fifteen years, and gradually realized the mysterious intention of the Dharma. Later, he went to Nanyue Hengshan to expound the Zen teachings.

Yongjia Xuanjue Zen Master, the son of the Dai family in Wenzhou. Since childhood, he has studied scriptures and is proficient in the Tiantai meditation method. Because of reading the Vimala Sutra, I was able to invent the mind. Zen Master Xuance, a disciple of the Six Ancestors, visited him by chance and talked with him, and what Xuan Jue said could fit the will of the ancestors. Xuan Ce asked him, "Under which teacher did the benevolent one get the Fa?"

Xuan Jue said: "I listened to the Mahayana sutras and other sutras, each of which has its own teacher, and later realized from the Vimala Sutra the purpose of the Dharma transmission with the heart and mind, but I have not yet proved it for me. ”

Xuan Ce said: "Before the birth of the Weiyin King Buddha, it can also be said that there were people who had no teacher and realized themselves; After the birth of the Buddha of Weiyin Wang, those who have no teacher and realize themselves are all natural aliens. ”

Xuan Jue said: "I hope the benevolent can seal it for me." ”

Xuan Ce said: "I am a soft-spoken person, there is a Sixth Patriarch Master in Caoxi, and all parties go to participate in the study, and they are all people who have received the Fa-rectification. If you're going, I'll go with you. ”

So Xuan Jue and Xuan Ce came to visit the Six Ancestors. Xuan Jue walked around the six ancestors three times, vibrated the tin staff, and then stood still.

The Sixth Patriarch said, "A monk should have 3,000 prestige and 80,000 fine deeds, where does the great virtue come from, and why is he so arrogant and rude?"

Xuan Jue said: "The issue of life and death is a major event in life, because life is impermanent and comes and goes quickly. ”

The Sixth Patriarch said, "Why don't you realize that there is no life, and when you come to realize that life comes and goes, there is no such thing as being quick or not?"

Xuan Jue said: "If you recognize your own nature, your own nature has no birth and no death, and if there is no life and death, there is no delay at all." ”

The Sixth Patriarch said, "That's true! That's true!"

Only then did Xuan Jue have the prestige to bow and thank the master, and then he took his leave. The Sixth Ancestor said, "Isn't it too fast to go back like this?"

Xuan Jue said: "I haven't moved in the first place, so is there a slow speed?"

The Sixth Patriarch said, "Who knows that he will not move?"

Xuan Jue said: "It is the benevolent who gives rise to the difference in his own heart. ”

The Sixth Patriarch said, "You have already understood the meaning of lifelessness. ”

Xuan Jue said, "What's the point of being unborn?"

The Sixth Patriarch said, "If there is no meaning, who will separate?"

Xuan Jue said, "Separation itself has no meaning. ”

The Sixth Ancestor said, "Very good! Please stay one night!"

At that time, people called Xuanjue "a night's sleep". Later, he wrote "Song of the Preaching", which was circulated in the world.

Zen Master Zhihuang, when he first visited the Five Patriarchs, claimed to have received the true transmission of Buddhism, and had been practicing meditation in the nunnery for 20 years. When Zen Master Xuan Ce, a disciple of the Sixth Patriarch, traveled to Shuofang, Hebei Province, he heard the reputation of Zen Master Zhihuang, so he visited the nunnery where he lived and asked him, "What are you doing here?"

Zen Master Zhihuang said, "Settle down." ”

Xuan Ce Zen said: "What you are talking about entering into meditation is that you have the heart to enter? Or is it unintentional? If it is said that it is unintentional, all the grass, wood, tiles and stones without emotion should be determined; If it is said that there is a mind, then all sentient beings with sentient beings and knowledge should also be determined. ”

Zen Master Zhihuang said, "When I am in meditation, I don't see any mind or no mind. ”

Zen Master Xuan Ce said: "If there is no 'mind or no mind', that is, it is always in the concentration, and what is there to enter and exit the concentration? If there is a discrepancy to be said, then it is not a big decision. ”

Zen Master Zhihuang was speechless. After a long time, Zen Master Zhihuang asked, "Is the Zen master the inheritance of the patriarch's method?"

Zen Master Xuan Ce said: "The family teacher is the six ancestors of Cao Xi. ”

Zen Master Zhihuang said, "What do the six ancestors think of as meditation?"

Zen Master Xuan Ce said: "The meditation that the family master said, the Dharma body is always silent, and the sex and body are the same. The five yin originate, and its nature is empty; The six dust realms are not real, and the heart is not in and out, and it is not chaotic. Zen nature has no place to live, far away from the silence of Zen; Zen nature is not born or destroyed, and it is far from the idea of generating meditation. The mind is like vanity, and there is no amount of emptiness to be attained. ”

When Zen Master Zhihuang heard this, he came directly to pay homage to the six ancestors. The Sixth Patriarch asked him, "Where do you come from?"

Zen Master Zhihuang then recounted the precursor to meeting Zen Master Xuance. The Sixth Ancestor said: "It is indeed as Xuan Ce said. As long as your mind is like emptiness and you are not attached to empty views; The application is free and unhindered, whether it is moving or still, it is not distinctive, forgetting the difference between the saints, and the treatment of the extinguished energy, so that the nature is the same, and it is natural that it is always in the center. ”

Zhihuang realized that the gains in the past 20 years have been completely silent. That night, the officials and people of Hebei heard a voice in the air: "Zen Master Huang has attained enlightenment today!"

Later, Zhihuang thanked him for bidding farewell to the six ancestors, returned to Hebei, held a feast, and educated the monks and laymen. A monk asked the Sixth Patriarch Master, "Who has obtained the Dharma intent of the Five Patriarchs of Huangmei?"

The Sixth Patriarch said, "Those who know the Dharma can get it." ”

The monk asked again, "Can the monk get it?"

The Sixth Patriarch said, "I don't know the Dharma. ”

One day, the six ancestors wanted to wash the Dharma clothes taught by the five ancestors, but could not find good spring water, so they went to the place five miles behind the temple, and saw that the mountains and forests were luxuriant, and the rui qi was circling. Suddenly, a monk came to bow and worship, saying: "I am arguing, I am from the Xishu region." I came from far away, hoping to see the mantle of my ancestors. ”

The Sixth Patriarch showed him the mantle and asked, "What is the Venerable Master's mastery?"

Fang Fang said: "Good at sculpting. ”

The Sixth Patriarch said, "You try to make a statue to see." ”

Fang Wei was at a loss for a moment. After a few days, he made a statue of the Six Ancestors, about seven inches high, vivid. The Sixth Patriarch smiled and said, "You only know the nature of the statue, but you don't know the nature of the Buddha." The Sixth Ancestor stretched out his hand to defend the top and said, "Forever as a human being, Heaven is blessed." ”

There was a monk who gave an example of a poem written by the Wolun Zen Master:

The lying wheel has a trick to cut off all kinds of thoughts,

The mind does not climb to the external realm, and the bodhichitta grows day by day.

When the Sixth Patriarch heard this, he said to him, "This verse has not yet seen one's own mind, and if you practice according to it, you will be bound instead." ”

Therefore, the Sixth Patriarch wrote a verse for him:

Huineng has no tricks, no need to cut off all kinds of thoughts,

When the object mind keeps arising, how does bodhichitta grow?