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Chapter VIII
Royal Patronage
AN EDICT DATED the 15th day of the First Moon of the 1st year of Shin Lung, issued by the Empress Dowager Chek Tin and the Emperor Chung Chung, read as follows:--
"Since we have invited Grand Masters Wei-on and Shin-shau to stay in the Palace and receive our offerings, we have continued to study under them as far as we could find time after attending to our imperial duties. Out of sheer modesty, these two Masters recommended that we should seek the advice of Dhyana Master Hui-neng of the South, who had inherited the secret Dharma and the robe of the Fifth Patriarch as well as the ”Heart Seal” of the Lord Buddha.
"We hereby send Eunuch, Sit Kan, as the courier of this Edict to invite His Eminence to come, and we trust His Eminence will graciously favor us with an early visit, etc., etc."
On the ground of illness, the Patriarch sent a reply declining the royal invitation and craved permission to be allowed to spend his remaining years in the "forest."
(In due time Sit Kan, the imperial envoy, arrived at Tso-kai and interviewed the Patriarch as follows):
"In the capitol, Dhyana experts unanimously advise people to meditate in the ”crosslegged” position to attain Samadhi; they say that this is the only way to realise the ”Norm” and that it is impossible for any one to obtain liberation without going through this meditation
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exercise. May I know your way of teaching, Sir
"
"The Norm is to be realised by the mind," replied the Patriarch, "it does not depend upon the crosslegged position. The Vajrakkhedika Sutra says that it is wrong ”for any one to assert that Tathagata comes or goes, sits or reclines.” Why
Because Tathagata”s Dhyana of Purity implies neither coming from anywhere nor going to anywhere, neither becoming nor annihilation. All Dharmas are calm and void, such is Tathagata”s Seat of Purity. Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as ”attainment”; why should we bother ourselves about the crosslegged position
"
"Upon my return," said Sit Kan, "Their Majesties will ask me to make a report. Sir, will you kindly give me some hints as to your essential teachings, so that I may make them known, not only to Their Majesties, but also to all Buddhist scholars at the Capital. As the flame of one lamp may kindle hundreds of thousands of others, the ignorant will be enlightened and light will produce light without end."
"The Norm implies neither light nor darkness," replied the Patriarch. "Light and darkness signify the idea of alternation. (It is not correct to say) ”light will produce light without end”; since light and darkness are a pair of opposites, there must be an end as well as a beginning. The Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra says, ”The Norm has no analogy; it is not a relative term.”"
"Light signifies wisdom, and darkness signifies defilement. If a pilgrim of the Path does not get rid of defilement by wisdom, how is he going to free himself from the ”wheel of birth and death,” which is beginningless
"
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The Patriarch continued, "Defilement (klesa) is wisdom (bodhi); The two are the same and are not different from each other. To break up klasa by Bodhi is only a teaching of the followers of the ”Small” and ”Middle” vehicles. To those of keen intellect and superior mental attainment, such teaching is disapproved."
"What, then, is the teaching of the Mahayana
"
"From the point of ordinary men," replied the Patriarch, "enlightenment and ignorance are two separate things. Wise men who thoroughly realise Mind-essence, know that they are of the same nature. This sameness of nature, that is, this non-duality of nature, is what is called ”true nature”; it neither decreases in the case of an ordinary man and ignorant person, nor increases in the case of an enlightened sage; it…
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