The central idea of the Sutra of the Altar of the Six Patriarchs is the theory of Buddha nature of "seeing nature to become a Buddha", or "the mind is a Buddha", and the practice concept of "enlightenment and seeing nature". The so-called "only preaching the law of sexuality, born to break the evil sect". Sexuality refers to the inherent possibility of Buddhahood for all living beings. That is, "Bodhi's self-nature is originally pure, but with this mind, he becomes a Buddha directly" and "Although people have north and south, Buddha nature has no north and south". This idea is in line with the Nirvana Sutra's statement that "all living beings have Buddha nature".

The Sutra of the Altar of the Six Patriarchs also advocates the idea of the Pure Land of Idealism. It is believed that "the East man-made sin Buddha survives in the West, and the West man-made sin Buddha survives in what country?" Whoever is not stupid about his own nature, who does not know the Pure Land in his body, wishes for the east and the west, and understands people everywhere." He also said: "The heart is not good, and the West is not far away; If you have an unkind heart, it is difficult to recite the Buddha and pass away. Huineng opposes leaving the world to talk about Buddhism, advocating that "Buddhism is in the world, not leaving the world, and leaving the world to find Bodhi is just like seeking the horns of a rabbit." He pointed out: "If you want to practice, you can get it at home, not at the temple." can do it at home, such as the kindness of the Oriental heart; If you don't cultivate in the temple, you will be evil in the hearts of Westerners."

Master Huineng said: "The public, the world's own body (referring to the human body, Buddhism believes that it is composed of the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind). It is a city with gates, and the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue are also gates, which are the five gates on the outside, and there is a gate on the inside, which is the meaning. The heart is the land, the nature is the king, the king dwells in the land of the heart, the nature is in the king, and the king is gone without the nature. When the nature is there, the body and spirit exist, and when the nature is gone, the body and spirit are destroyed. Buddhahood arises in nature, don't look outside the body. If your nature is confused, then you are a layman, if you are enlightened by your own nature, then you are a Buddha, if you are compassionate, then you are Guanyin Bodhisattva, if you are kind and generous, then you are the Bodhisattva of the Great Trend, if your heart is pure, you are Shakyamuni Buddha, and if you are fair and upright, you are Amitabha. If you care about the interests of people and me, you will come out of Mount Meru, and if you have evil thoughts, the sea will be surging, if you have troubles, you will have turbulent waves, if you have poisonous intentions, you will have evil dragons and hurt your body, and if you are full of vain views, you will come out with ghosts and gods, and if you chase fame and fortune, you will have fish and turtles running rampant, greed and anger will be hell, and ignorance and obsession will be animals. Virtuous knowledge, always practice the ten virtues, and heaven will come at hand; Remove the interests of people and me, and Mount Meru will fall immediately; When the evil thoughts are removed, the surging sea dries up immediately; When the troubles are gone, the waves cease; The poisonous mind is forgotten, and the fish, turtle and dragon that make trouble will be extinct. When you realize the Buddha-nature from your own mind and approach it, you will radiate the wisdom of your own nature. This kind of light shines on the six gates to the outside and purifies the six heavens, and destroys the six desires and the heavens. When one's own nature is illuminated inwards by the light, the three poisons of greed, hatred, and ignorance are immediately removed, and the sins of going to hell are also eliminated in an instant. To achieve such a state of inner and outer light, there is no difference from the Western Pure Land. If you don't practice like this, how can you reach the Western Elysium? ”

Master Huineng also said, "Good knowledge, if you really want to practice, you can practice at home, and you don't necessarily have to be a monk to come to the temple. Being able to practice at home is like the Oriental people who are kind; Not practicing in a temple is like a Westerner's heart is evil. As long as the bottom of your heart is pure, you have already reached the Western Pure Land in your own nature. ”

At that time, someone asked, "How do you practice at home?" I hope you will teach me more. The master said, "I will recite to you a verse from the Ode to the Void, as long as you follow the practice it says, it will be like being with me." If you don't practice in this way, even if you shave your hair and leave home, what good will it do to the Buddha's path!

"Ode to the Absence of Phases" says: Why keep the precepts with a peaceful heart? What is the use of practicing meditation? Kindness is filial piety to parents, and righteousness is compassion for each other. Let the humble and harmonious, and endure the evil. If you can drill wood to make fire, the silt will give birth to red lotus. The bitter mouth is good medicine, and the bad ear is the good word. Reform will give birth to wisdom, and protect the short-hearted non-virtuous. Daily use is often beneficial, and enlightenment is not due to money. Bodhi only seeks from the heart, why bother to seek the mystery from the outside? I heard that according to this practice, heaven is only in the present.

The Buddha has talked about more than 300 sutras, said the Dharma for 49 years, and the 12 scriptures of the Three Tibets are boundless, but these countless words are not directly related to the origin of Zen Buddhism. Legend has it that one day, the Buddha held up a flower at the Lingshan meeting to show the public, and everyone did not know why, only the Buddha smiled, and the Buddha said, 'I have the right Dharma eye, Nirvana, Nirvana, the reality without appearance, the subtle method, and give instructions to the Mahakalpa. The Buddha then gave the Dharma to the Mahakasya, and Zen Buddhism began to be passed down.

But Zen Buddhism gradually lost its market in India. Bodhidharma, the twenty-eighth patriarch of Indian Zen, fled alone and drifted to Guangzhou on a merchant ship. Came to Zhongyue Songshan.

Shenguang Huike, a native of Henan, a young man proficient in world studies, a monk in Longmen Xiangshan in his prime, and then entered the Shaolin Temple in Songshan, visited Bodhidharma, asked to teach, and asked for a disciple, Bodhidharma was not allowed, and Shenguang waited outside the door. It was a snowstorm, and after a long time, the snow was waist-deep. Bodhidharma saw that he was indeed sincere in seeking the Dharma and allowed him to enter. And asked him, "What have you come here to ask for?" ”

Shenguang replied: "The disciple's heart is not at peace, and the beggar is at ease." ”

Bodhidharma shouted: "Bring your heart, I am Ru'an!" ”

Shenguang was stunned and said, "You can't find your heart!" ”

Bodhidharma actually said at this time: "I am at peace with you! ”

Divine light and wisdom can suddenly be enlightened. The emptiness of afflictions, the absence of sinful karma, the extinction of the mind, and the absence of delusions and thoughts are enlightenment, which is the path of the Buddha. If you can understand the mind, the Buddha nature will be revealed at the moment.

We generally call Bodhidharma the ancestor of Chinese Zen Buddhism, and Hui Ke is the second ancestor.

Later, Hui Ke passed on the three rents of the monks, the monks passed on the four ancestors of the Daoxin, and the five ancestors of the Daoxin passed on the five ancestors of Hongren.

Shenxiu Botong Sanzang, the eldest disciple of the five ancestors Hongren, preached the scriptures and taught the Quartet, and the people at that time did not regard it as the descendants of the five ancestors. At this time, there was a Huineng from the south, whose roots were very beneficial, although he was in the land of the southern barbarians, and he was enthusiastic about seeking the law, and he did not lag behind.

When he met the Five Patriarchs, the Five Patriarchs tried him and said, "The southerners do not have Buddha nature. ”

At that time, Huineng replied, "People have north and south, but how can Buddha nature have north and south?" ”

After his rebuttal, the fifth ancestor knew that this person was a Dungen caste, which was very accessible. In order to test his will, he was asked to go to the firewood room to cook rice and avoid everyone's eyes and ears for the time being.

Later, the five ancestors ordered everyone to raise a side as the basis for passing on the Fa. At this time, the public thought that the mantle was none other than Shenxiu, so no one dared to compete with him.

At that time, Shenxiu pondered day and night, and finally proposed a side: the body is a Bodhi tree, and the heart is like a mirror platform; Always wipe diligently, don't make dust. This side, the five ancestors thought that although it was good, it was still not visible. So the mantle was not passed to him.

Hui Neng learned about this in the firewood room, and thought to himself, how about I also come to present a side? Then the central people inscribed the verses on the wall for him. The verse goes like this: 'Bodhi has no tree, and the mirror is not a platform; There was nothing in the first place, where to stir up dust. ’

The five ancestors saw it and knew that Huineng had already seen sex. For fear of jealousy, they were wiped away. Then go to the firewood room and knock on the door. Asked, "Is the rice cooked?" ”

Huineng replied: "It's ripe for a long time, just waiting for the ears to be sifted." ”

The five ancestors then knocked on the door three more times, and Huineng understood, so he went to the fifth ancestor's seat in the middle of the night and asked him to teach.

The five ancestors taught him the "Diamond Sutra", and when he 'should have no place to live and give birth to his heart', Huineng suddenly realized. The five patriarchs then passed on the mantle to him and ordered him to travel south to wait for the opportune time.

The fifth ancestor sent it to the river and said, "I'll send you by boat." ”

Huineng said: "When you are lost, you are a teacher, and when you are enlightened, you are self-conscious." Then he went to the south to Honghua on his own, and finally became the six ancestors of Zen Buddhism that shook the ancient and modern times.