..續本文上一頁ch afterward became the insignia of the Patriarchate, thus constituting Hui-k”e as the Second Patriarch. There is a tradition that Bodhidharma soon after returned to India, but the place and time of his death is unknown.

　　There is no doubt that at first and for a long time the "Sudden Awakening" Ch”an school was a hard one to attend. It was well over the border of asceticism and self-denial, with no marks of sympathy between Master and disciple to make it bearable, but from that hard school rose a succession of great Masters and deep experiences and an extraordinarily virulent social influence.

　　Concerning the teachings of Bodhidharma and the Ch”an sect, Dr. Suzuki quotes the following passage:

　　"The Master (Bodhidharma) first stayed in Shao-lin Temple for nine years and when at last he taught the Second Patriarch it was in this manner. Externally keep yourself away from all relationships, and internally cherish no hankerings in your heart. When your mind becomes like an upright wall (that is, resistant to the entrance of discriminative ideas) you will enter into the path. At first Hui-k”e tried in various ways to explain (to himself) the reason of mind-only but failed to realise the truth itself. The Master would say: ”No, no,” but would do nothing to explain it or make clear what Mind-essence in its undifferentiated, no-thought, state might be. Later on Hui-k”e said to the Master, ”Now I know how to keep myself away from all relationships.”

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　　[paragraph continues] When the Master asked him to demonstrate it, Hui-k”e replied: ”I know it always in a most convincing manner but to express it in words--that is impossible.” Thereupon said the Master, ”That is the Mind-essence itself that is transmitted by all the Buddhas. Have no doubt about it.”"

　　The story runs that Hui-k”e before he was finally successful had tried again and again to gain Bodhidharma”s consent to become his Master, even waiting at his gate one cold winter”s night while the snow fell to his knees, and was finally successful only when he cut off his right arm to show the earnestness of his desire. Hui-k”e was very learned in the Chinese classics and also in the common lore of Buddhism; he seems to have come to Bodhidharma at first more to win his approval than with any great expectation of added instruction, but after he had attained his deep experience with Bodhidharma, he made light of his great learning, became very humble minded and earnestly” sought for perfect enlightenment. After the passing of Bodhidharma, Hui-k”e did not at once assume leadership as the Second Patriarch, but withdrew to a hermitage in the mountains and lived quite humbly with the lowest classes of society. He did not shun preaching but tried to do it quietly and inconspicuously. He was finally murdered by an envious Master whose disciples Hui-k”e had unintentionally drawn away.

　　The Third Patriarch was Seng-ts”an ( -606) about whom very little is known. One tradition has it that he suffered from leprosy and therefore retired to a hermitage in the mountains. There is a record of his transmitting the begging-bowl and the robe to Tao-

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　　hsin (580-651). Tao-hsin was also a recluse and very little is known of him except that he left a composition which has always been highly valued by disciples of Ch”an Buddhism.

　　The Fifth Patriarch was Hung-jen (605-675). It is recorded of him that he was a near neighbor or relative of Seng-ts”an and came to be with him when quite young. With his assumption of the Patriarchate there was introduced a decided change in the character of the presentation of Ch”an Buddhism. Hitherto the Patriarchs had been of a retiring disposition, or else the times had changed making it possible for the Masters to work more publicly and assemble disciples. At any rat…

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