The Dhyana lineage of Buddhism was passed down from the Buddha Shakyamuni to his disciple Mahakasyapa.  When the Buddha was asked to teach about the secret truth concerning enlightenment, he held up a golden flower.  Only Mahakasyapa understood the meaning of the transmission concerning the true nature of reality.  He smiled and accepted the flower.  This lineage, like many others, is the mind to mind transmission of the realization. It is the recognition of one’s Buddha nature which is indescribable and beyond conventional explanations.  The lineage was then successively passed down from Shakyamuni Buddha in the following order (from teacher to disciple) in India:

1) Mahakasyapa
2) Ananda
3) Shanavasa
4) Upagupta
5) Dhritaka
6) Mikkaka
7) Vasumitra
8) Buddhananda
9) Buddhamitra
10) Parshva
11) Punyayashas
12) Ashvagosha
13) Kapimala
14) Nagarjuna
15) Aryadeva
16) Rahulata
17) Samghanandu
18) Samgayashas
19) Kumarata
20) Jayata
21) Vasubandhu
22) Manorhita
23) Haklena
24) Aryasimha
25) Vasiasita
26) Punyamitra
27) Prajnatara
28) Bodhidharma

Bodhidharma went to China through the command of his teacher Praj natara. He was also invited by the Imperial Court of the Chinese Emperor.  Upon arriving at the Imperial Court of EmperorWu Ti, the Master Bodhidharma and the Emperor had a discussion which set the tone for Bodhidharma's activity in China.

The Emperor Wu Ti inquired to Bodhidharma, “How much merit have I accumulated for enlightenment?” The Emperor believed his activities of building temples and giving money would've impressed the Indian master.

Bodhidharma simply answered, “None.”  The Emperor did not understand how, after building huge temples and numerous statues, no merit for enlightenment was accumulated on his behalf. 

Even though the Emperor performed many meritorious acts, none was dedicated for enlightenment but became merely world merit, completely exhaustible.  Furthermore, the only actual merit for enlightenment is the practice of the dharma.  Gaining loads of merit and virtue alone does not led to enlightenment.  The Emperor only wished to benefit himself and was not a Mahayana practitioner.

In this way, the Master Bodhidharma saw the Emperor was not a suitable disciple left the Imperial Court. He crossed the Yangtze River by only using a stick. 

Bodhidharma transmitted the lineage to Hui K’o, who became the second holder of the lineage in China.  Hui K’o was renowned for his determination to receive the dharma. 

The lineage was passed down through the following successors in China:

1) Bodhidharma (28th Indian lineage holder, 1st lineage holder in China)
2) Hui K’o
3) Seng ts’an
4) Tao-hsin
5) Hung Jen
6) Hui Neng

Hui Neng, a commoner from southern China, approached the 5th Patriarch Hung Jen to receive the dharma.  Hung Jen scolded Hui Neng, “You are from Kwangtung (in the South), a barbarian!  How can you expect to become enlightened?” 

Hui Neng replied, “Although there are northern and southern men, north and south make no difference to their Buddha-nature.”  He became Hung Jen’s disciple and heir to the lineage. Shen Hsiu (who was one of Hung Jen’s closest disciples but did not get the transmission from the Patriarch due to his lack of understanding) established the Northern School of Ch'an, but this declined very rapidly.

The lineage of Dhyana is known as Ch’an in China and Zen in Japan.  Ch’an Buddhism places emphasis on the Lankavatara Sutra, which expounds the teachings on Buddha-nature.  Realization is the direct “seeing” one of one’s original or true nature. One's true nature has always been that of the Buddha himself, but obscured by our subtle defilements.  Also, Ch'an stresses the Middle Way doctrine and Prajna-paramita, along with the avoidance of the extremes of nihilism and eternalism. 

Meditation is the strongest tenant of this school.  As the lineage grew, koans (statements or riddles) were used to develop realization. Koans are asked by a Master to his disciples, as a rhetorical means for them to analyze their mind.  For instance, one might ask, “Who is the one reciting the Buddha’s name?”  When analyzed, the student will not find a simple or conventional answer based upon the relative truth. Instead the question jolts the student to recognize their true nature.

Hui Neng is famous for the Platform Sutra, a text which outlines Ch'an philosophy. After his death the Ch'an lineage developed into the Sudden School (Rinzai) which placed emphasis on koans as established by the Master Lin Chi and the Gradual School (Soto) established by Master Tsao Tung who placed emphasis on meditation.

The Sudden School believed enlightenment could be attained through more direct means, while the Gradual School felt more preparation was necessary beforehand. However, it is generally accepted today that to achieve realization through the methods of the Sudden School, one must already have gone through the necessary stages. Although, at some points in history, a few radical Ch'an groups appeared believing that enlightenment could be achieved without much accumulative effort.

Master Chao-chou was another master of the lineage who expressed reality by using koans and affirmed that Buddha nature cannot be conceptually grasped.  The Master Dogen (1200-1253 CE) brought the Soto Zen lineage to Japan, and taught widely that, “All is Buddha but we just have to realize it!” 

Ch’an Buddhism came to use the method of “shouts and blows,” which was instituted by the Master Ma-tsu in order to jolt the student out of any dullness or excitement while meditating; he would make sure his students did not let their mind wander or use bad posture.  Calligraphy, landscaping, flower arrangements, poetry and artwork are important components of Ch'an/Zen expression. 

In Japan, the lineage was incorporated into the training of warriors in the military.  The “Japanese Tea Ceremony,” that is the making/ painting of the pottery and the destruction of it, developed as apart of Ch'an tradition and demonstrates impermanence.

Ch'an/Zen Buddhism was introduced into the West by D.T Suzuki, and was later followed by many others.

Zen also influenced one of the founding fathers of Tibetan Buddhism in the west, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Trungpa Rinpoche had a close friendship with and great respect for Dr. Suzuki. Rinpoche incorporated Zen training and practices into what is now known as the Shambhala tradition.

Bodhidharma

Before becoming a monk, Bodhidharma had originally been a prince, the third son of King Syandria. Bodhidharma gave up his comfortable palace life while still a child. He went to Prajnatara’s monastery and became his disciple. Prajnatara belonged to the religious descendants of Mahakasyapa, senior disciple of Sakyamuni. One day Bodhidharma approached Prajnatara for advice, raising to him the question: "In which direction should I travel to spread your teachings since I have now fully mastered Mahayana tripitaka?"

"China is exactly where you should go," said Prajnatara. Then he added, "Once you're in China, do shun its southern part. For the Emperor there will not benefit Buddhism because of his audacious ambition and pride."

Thus Bodhidharma embarked on his voyage to China, sailing in a boat across the sea. He had drifted on the rough sea for three years before he landed in Canton (Guangzhou). Bodhidharma's arrival was reported to the Emperor in Nanjing, the imperial capital of the Liang Dynasty.  Emperor Wuti promptly dispatched an envoy to Canton in order to take Bodhidharma to the imperial court.

To pay due respect to his Indian guest, the Emperor granted an immediate audience to Bodhidharma. Since the Emperor was a Hinayana follower whereas Bodhidharma was a staunch Mahayana monk, both the Emperor and Bodhidharma were at their differences due to their religious outlooks.

In one interview, the Emperor Wu Ti inquired to Bodhidharma, “How much merit have I accumulated for enlightenment?” The Emperor believed his activities of building temples and giving money would've impressed the Indian master.

Bodhidharma simply answered, “None.”  The Emperor did not understand how, after building huge temples and numerous statues, no merit for enlightenment was accumulated on his behalf. 

Even though the Emperor performed many meritorious acts, none was dedicated for enlightenment but became merely world merit, completely exhaustible.  Furthermore, the only actual merit for enlightenment is the practice of the dharma.  Gaining loads of merit and virtue alone does not led to enlightenment. And, of course, the Emperor was only looking to benefit himself by gaining merit.

Doctrinal discrepancies drove Bodhidharma and the Emperor into fierce debates.  Now Bodhidharma was awakened to the fact that in the territory of the Empire of Liang he could hardly expect to spread Mahayana Buddhism. Therefore he decided to leave for the northern part of China and before long bade farewell to the Liang ruler.  Departing, Bodhidharma first traveled out of the city of Nanjing.  Coincidentally a celebrated Chinese Buddhist monk, Shengguan, happened to be preaching Buddhism at the town of Yuhuatai.

A vast crowd rallied around Shengguan, listening to his religious discourse. Bodhidharma edged his way through the crowd until he was standing in the front row and almost directly facing Shengguan who was talking from the pulpit.  Bodhidharma inadvertently nodded when Shengguan was expounding Buddha's teachings purely and shook his head when Shengguan was straying from the true teachings of the Buddha.  Before long, Shengguan became aware of Bodhidharma's varying facial expressions of approval and disapproval of different parts of his discourse, and grew irritated.

Shengguan suddenly stopped preaching and turned to look at Bodhidharma. He demanded, "Why did you repeatedly shake your head when I was offering my sermon?"

Bodhidharma would have launched into an debate with Shengguan, but decided to not discuss dharma with a proud man.

After Bodhidharma left, a scholar in the crowd called out to Shengguan, "Don't you know him? He is the famous Indian monk, Bodhidharma, an erudite master of Buddhism."

Surprised over Bodhidharma’s identity and feeling ashamed of his own rude manners toward him, Shengguan abruptly left in pursuit of Bodhidharma in order to offer an apology.  However, Bodhidharma was already a long distance away.

On reaching the southern bank of the Yangtse River, Bodhidharma saw that there no one was around and neither was there a ferry boat or a bridge. After turning about, he suddenly saw a tree standing not too far away from the bank, in its shade sat an old woman.  A sheaf of reeds lay by her.   Bodhidharma wondered if she was also waiting for the incoming ferry boat.

"But," he said to himself, "she looks decrepit and worn out, how come she comes here to take the ferry boat all by herself?"

When he was still gazing at her, he suddenly noticed that she was beckoning him. Promptly he obeyed and hurried over.  Soon he was in her presence and bowed respectfully to her before he began to talk to her.

"Madam, is there anything I can do for you," Bodhidharma asked politely?

"Don't you think it is more appropriate," said she, smiling, "that you ask me to help you with crossing the river?"

"How do you know I want to cross the river, " asked Bodhidharma, in astonishment?

Instead of giving a direct answer to his question, the old woman said, "Take a reed out of this sheaf, walk to the bank, lay the reed on the water, and step onto it. Then it will carry you safely across the river to the other bank."

"Now take the reed with you," said she, "and off you go to the river's bank."

He complied readily. Having returned to the bank, he stood himself nearest to the water and spread the reed on the water.  Instantly the stalk of the reed grew thicker and longer until it looked like a log. Now Bodhidharma, cheerful and energetic, was ready to cross the river. The reed moved away from the bank and sped up, plowing the water like a sailboat in the direction of the opposite bank, and soon Bodhidharma reached the other shore.

Having jumped off the reed, it shrunk and changed into a dragonfly, which flew back across the river to where the old woman was.

While Bodhidharma dashed across the river on the single reed, the monk Shengguan arrived. Shengguan watched the entire amazing episode.

Immediately Shengguan darted to the old woman sitting under the tree. Being so rash as not even ask for her permission, he scooped up the sheaf of reeds lying by her. Then he ran quickly with the sheaf of reeds back to the bank, threw it into the river, and swiftly stepped on to it, believing that the sheaf of reeds would ferry him swiftly across the river just as that one reed did so for Bodhidharma. But, contrary to his expectation, the sheaf of reeds sank quickly below the surface of water after Shengguan stepped on to it. With the sinking sheaf, he was pulled down to the depth of the river.  He almost drowned.

Wild with anger, Shengguan walked up to the old woman and howled, "Madam, I haven't done anything to offend you, have I? Why did you play such a nasty trick on me? You gave that monk a magic reed that helped him cross the river safely. But you left me a sheaf of cursed reeds which almost took my life. Your trick almost drowned me. Now you must apologize to me!"

Facing his incrimination calmly, she said, "That monk came to me and very politely asked me to help him cross the river. So I gave him a magic reed which worked wonderfully, as you've just seen. But you did not come for my help, did you? What you did was rob me of that bundle of reeds. You treated me with the least respect. In that case, how could you expect me to have those reeds endowed with my magic power? You said I must apologize to you? Why? Have I to offer apology to a Buddhist monk who has robbed me? Shame on you because you have done things that are against Buddha's teachings.  The Buddhist vinaya, as far as I know, never allows a monk to commit robbery or to be presumptuous."

Now Shengguan felt really ashamed for what he had done. He immediately withdrew from her presence and intended to go back to the imperial capital. He strolled weakly in its direction. After taking a few steps, he looked sheepishly back where he thought the old woman must have remained.  But to his amazement she was nowhere to be found. She disappeared altogether. 

The old woman was a deity, a bodhisattva, incarnated in human form.

After Bodhidharma crossed the Yangtse River, he traveled on foot all the way to Henan Province.  In 527 CE, he came to the Shaolin Buddhist Monastery on Mount Song.  The landscape of Mount Song pleased him and the monastery was very quiet.  All the monks living in it were pious Buddhist; the monastery itself was virtually a "Pure Land" or "Sukhavati" most conducive to realizing his desire of attaining Buddhahood.  So he settled down there.

After having successfully formulated the basic tenet of the Chinese Ch'an lineage during his long course of higher contemplation lasting for over nine years in the monastery, Bodhidharma began to teach Ch'an. First to the monastic population and then he taught the general public.  Engraved on a stone still standing in the monastery is a representation of Bodhidharma sailing across the Yangtse River by poising himself on the stalk of a reed.

Bodhidharma passed the lineage onto Hui K'o. Hui K'o was known for his devotion. Bodhidharma refused to teach Hui K'o time and time again. Hui K'o was so willing to receive the transmissions that he would cut off his arms to do so.

The Third Zen Patriarch Seng Tsan
     
"If the mind is not diverse, all things are united into a single whole. If the eyes do not sleep, dreams will automatically disappear."
     
The birth date of the Third Patriarch, Seng Tsan, is unknown, but it is documented he passed into Nirvana in 606 CE. No one knows why he was secretive about his origins. Even at the age of forty, he refused to answer all questions relating to his birth place, date, or family background. We do know, however, that he was a wealthy landed gentry in northern China. He then become a monk, renown for his poetry and intelligence.

In 551 A.D., Seng Tsan went to pay homage to the Second Patriarch, Hui Ko.

When they met, Seng Tsan said to Patriarch Hui Ko: "Master, I haven't been healthy; I have a lot of bad karma. Master, please purify my bad karma."

Hui Ko responded: "Please bring your bad karma to me, and I will purify it for you."

Seng Tsan said, "I looked for the bad karma, but I couldn't find it."

Hui Ko responded: "I already purified your bad karma. Now, take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and Sangha, and be a monk in my monastery."  So, Seng Tsan became a fully ordained monk in Hui Ko's Kwang Fu Monastery. From then on, Seng Tsan served as the personal attendant to Hui Ko, who appreciated his devotion, contributions, achievements, and admired his great potential.
     
In 553 A.D, Hui Ko secretly summoned Seng Tsan to his personal quarters and said:  "I received from Bodhidharma his Mind Transmission, Dharma Seal, Robe and Begging Bowl. Today, I officially transmit all of this to you. You are my Dharma Heir now. Please propagate the Dharma and keep our Chinese Ch'an Lineage alive. Provide this Mind Transmission to the next appropriate, deserving disciple."

Hui Ko continued: "However, even though you have received Mind Transmission now, you should not propagate the Dharma at this time. You should stay in a mountain solitary retreat for a while."

Seng Tsan requested: "Master, you have foreseen some difficulties in my future. Please explain them to me."

Hui Ko answered: "It is not I who had this insight; it was communicated by Bodhidharma. Based on Bodhidharma's prediction, these difficulties should happen to you in the future."
     
In 578 A.D, during northern Chou dynasty, the Emperor was determined to destroy Buddhism in China. Many monasteries and temples were wiped out and monks were killed. Seng Tsan followed his Master's instructions and successfully survived the catastrophe by hiding for more than ten years in a remote cave in the mountains of the An Whey Province. Not until the Sui dynasty, in 590 A.D, did Seng Tsan assume his role as the Third Patriarch. Then he began to teach the Dharma and built his own monastery.
   
There is a stone tablet which commemorates Seng Tsan and his teachings; the inscription summarizes the essence of his Dharma: "Simultaneously practice stillness (Chi) and mindfulness/awareness (Chao). Maintain your awareness, and let go of all your preconceptions. Then, Absolute Truth will naturally manifest. This is called ultimate Liberation."
     
Seng Tsan also composed for his disciples a poem called Faith In Mind (hing sing ming). This poem became one of the most important and famous teachings of the Chinese Ch'an Lineage. "Faith In Mind" contains the two meanings of "believing in" and "realizing" the mind. The poem emphasizes the methods of practice. Seng Tsan shows us how to transform our ordinary discriminating mind into the Buddha mind ond which is beydiscrimination; in other words, how a disciple can go from existence to emptiness, from defilement to purity. Seng Tsan tells us what kind of mental attitude we should avoid during the course of practice: we should not give in to our likes and dislikes, neither trying to get rid of our vexations nor seeking enlightenment. The poem also contains special phrases, many which became important in the Tsao Tung (Soto Zen) Lineage. The phrase "One thought for ten thousand years" points out to the student that a student should have non-moving thought during meditation, accompanied by clarity.

One night, Seng Tsan secretly summoned his disciple, Tao Hsin, to a mountain cave behind the monastery. He gave Tao Hsin his secret teachings, Mind Transmission, Robe, and Begging Bowl, and made Tao Hsin his Dharma Heir and the Fourth Patriarch. After this transmission, Seng Tsan went to Kwangdong and continued to teach at the monastery of Lo Fu Shan Mountain. He gave a final seminar under a great tree in front of the monastery in Kwangdong. After he finished this Dharma Talk, he said farewell to his disciples. Sitting in a lotus meditation posture, with his hands in a mudra, he passed into Nirvana.

The Fifth Patriarch Hung Jen
     
First Lifetime:
Before being born as Hung Jen, there was a man who lived in DzansTu Village, of the Huang Mei County in Hubei Province. His name was Chang Huai, and was raised in a wealthy Taoist family. He had eight wives. At the age of seventy-five, Chang Huai met the Fourth Patriarch Tao Hsin. He studied under the Patriarch's guidance at the monastery for six years.  He worked diligently planting pine tress and took very good care of them.  Later, the monks nicknamed him the "Best Pine Tree Planter." One day, he dressed up in his best robe, and went to see the Fourth Patriarch. After he prostrated to the Fourth Patriarch, he asked: "Master, I have studied and practiced with you for many years, please give me now your Mind Transmission."

The Fourth Patriarch pondered the question, and finally said: "You are too old to be my Dharma Heir. If you want to be the next Patriarch, you should go home, reincarnate, and return to me. You will have to recite to me the following stanza when we meet again in your next life; this will be our secret signal!"
     
     'Meet a lady from Chou Village;
     Set aside your robe and cane;
     Visualize your consciousness as a pear in her eating bowl;
     Jump into the river and rid yourself of the old body.'
     
Hung Jen followed Tao Hsin's instructions. He left the monastery and walked about ten miles.  When the sun was setting, he noticed a young lady by the river, washing her clothes and an eating bowl.  He bowed to her and asked: "Young lady, what is your family name and the name of this village?"

The young lady answered: "My family name is Chou and I am the daughter of a wealthy landlord from Chou Village.  This small river dock is called Digan.”

Heng Jen realized this was his auspicious coincidence. He immediately removed his robe and set aside his cane; then jumped into the river to drown. Hung Jen transferred his consciousness into a pear in the young lady's eating bowl.  She ate the pear and became pregnant immaculately. When her parents discovered their daughter was pregnant, they became angry. Her parents beat her, and threw her out of the house. The young lady left home and sought shelter in an abandoned nunnery, where she gave birth to her son.  Her son was to become the Fifth Patriarch of the Ch’an lineage.

    Lifetime as the 5th Patriarch:
     
When Hung Jen was young, he accompanied his mother and helped her beg for food. They were very poor, and consequently Hung Jen was undernourished, skinny, and weak. He appeared to be mute, since he never spoke a word. In 609 CE, during the season of the wheat harvest, mother and son went to the town of Jiangsu to beg for food.

On the way home, they picked up the wheat left in the fields by the farmers. The farmers surrounded the little boy and ridiculed him: "You silly little mute boy!"

One farmer said to Hung Jen: "Little mute boy, if you call me ‘father' I will give you a bundle of wheat."

Hung Jen stood up and fearlessly looked them in the eyes saying: "Who are you that I should call you Father?  This is nonsense! Someday, in the very near future, the people of China, including you, will bow to me and call me the Patriarch."

This was the first time in his life that Hung Jen actually spoke. His mother was so happy that her son was well. Later, mother and son returned to Digan. This town was later renamed "Mouth Opening" a name which the citizens of this town are still proud of today.
     
At Digan, mother and son met the Fourth Patriarch, Tao Hsin, who immediately asked him: "What is your name?"

Hung Jen replied. "I have no name."

Tao Hsin continued: "So, you don't have name?” (this time, the word "name" in chinese has changed, refering to Buddha Nature or the Tathagatagarbha)

Heng Jen replied: "Yes, I do have a name."  Tao Hsin then asked him if he still remembered the 4-line stanza, which Hung Jen easily remembered and recited.
     
Now Tao Hsin confirmed Hung Jen as his Dharma Heir, and decided to take him as his disciple.  Tao Hsin asked his attendant to give Hung Jen's mother money, so that she would not have to beg again. Later, a shrine was built near the bridge, to honor this sacred place where Hung Jen left his mother to become a Buddhist monk.  The shrine was named "Saying Good-by To Mother" (Li Mu Dun), and still exists today.

     
Hung Jen, the Fifth Patriarch, loved his mother very deeply, and though he became a monk, he never stopped honoring her. In fact, in the Fifth Patriarch's Monastery in Huang Mei, Hubei Province, there is a very unique temple built to his mother; her statue is located in the center of the front shrine, with one statue of Kwan Yin on her right side and another one on her left. The local villagers come and pray to the Fifth Patriarch's mother, and light an incense for her. Later, an Emperor named the temple "Holy Mother Temple" (Shung Mu Den).
     
When Hung Jen studied at the Fourth Patriarch's monastery, he did farm work during the daytime, and at night, he meditated and studied Buddhist Sutras (The Lankavatara Sutra, The Diamond Sutra, and the methods of practice and meditation of all past patriarchs).  He was appreciated and praised by the Fourth Patriarch not only because he learned all the teachings of the patriarchs from the past, but also because he was able to develop new methods to teach and awaken the disciples. Later, he was put in charge of the monastery.

In 651 CE, Tao Hsin officially named Hung Jen his Dharma Heir, gave him the Mind transmission, his Robe and Begging Bowl.  Later that year, Tao Hsin passed into Nirvana, and Hung Jen built a stupa for Tao Hsin, assumed his role as the Fifth Patriarch and continued to propagate the Dharma.  Because Hung Jen's teachings were easy to understand and his methods were effective, many people came to study at his monastery.  The monastery became too small to accommodate all the students. Therefore in 654 CE, a new monastery was built 15 miles away. The new monastery could accommodate 1,300 people. Every year, countless people came to pay homage and to receive teachings.
     
Hung Jen, the Fifth Patriarch was the first to reorganize and change the monastic life from that of a traveling, mendicant monk to that of a permanent, non-traveling, self-supported, working monk.  All monks, including the Abbot, had to work on the farm during the day, and study sutras and practice meditation during the night. Hung Jen's main teaching is "Your Mind is Buddha Mind. When you discover your Original Nature it is no different from the Buddha's."

Hung Jen emphasized Sudden Awakening in daily life, rather than studying a whole lifetime in a monastery to get enlightenment. Mundane activity was not different from meditation. Because his method was so simple and easy to practice, many monks and laymen became enlightened.
     

Hung Jen found his Dharma Heir, the famous Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng, and transmitted his Dharma to him.  In 675 CE, Hung Jen passed into Nirvana. The Tang Emperor, Dai Dzong, bestowed on Hung Jen the title Da Man Chan Su (Fully Enlightened Great Zen Master).  Later, his disciples compiled his teachings and commentaries into one book called Dwui Sang Sung Lun (Highest Ch’an Buddhist Teaching).  This was the first time that a Chinese Ch’an Master's teachings were organized and recorded; his teachings provided a step-by-step path to Enlightenment for his disciples.

The Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng

His Holiness Hui Neng, who became the great Sixth Patriarch of Ch'an (Japanese Zen) was a poor illiterate peasant boy from Hsin Chou of Kwangtung.  One day, after he had delivered firewood to a shop, he overheard a man reciting the following line from the Diamond Sutra:

"Depending upon nothing, you must find your own mind."

Instantly, Hui Neng became realized. The full verse said: "All Bodhisattvas should develop a pure mind which clings to nothing whatsoever; and so he should establish it."

The man who recited this sutra encouraged Hui Neng to meet the Fifth Zen Patriarch, Hung Jen, at the Tung Chian Monastery.  Hui Neng said to the Fifth Patriarch: "I am a commoner from Hsin Chou Kwangtung (today, near Canton in the south of China). I have traveled far to pay you respect, and I ask for nothing but Buddhahood."

"You are a native of Kwangtung in the South, a barbarian? How can you expect to be a Buddha," asked the Patriarch?

"Although there are northern men and southern men, north and south make no difference to their Buddha Nature. A barbarian is different from Your Holiness physically, but there is no difference in our Buddha Nature."

Master Hung Jen immediately accepted Hui Neng as his disciple, but he had to hide this fact from the very educated northern monks at the monastery. At the time of the Fifth Patriarch, Ch'an was still influenced by Indian Buddhism, which did not emphasize direct awakening, but stressed the importance of study and metaphysical debates. To protect Hui Neng, the Patriarch sent him to the kitchen to split firewood and pound rice for eight months.

One day the Fifth Patriarch told his monks to express their wisdom in a poem.  Whoever had true realization of his original nature would be ordained the Sixth Patriarch. The head monk, Shen Hsiu, who was the most learned, wrote the following:

"The body is the wisdom-tree,
The mind is a bright mirror in a stand;
Take care to wipe it all the time,
And allow no dust to cling."
     
The poem was praised, but The Fifth Patriarch knew that Shen Hsiu had not yet found his original nature. On the other hand, Hui Neng couldn't even write, so someone had to write down his poem, which read:
     
"Fundamentally no wisdom-tree exists,
Nor the stand of a mirror bright.
Since all is empty from the beginning,
Where can the dust alight?"
     
The Fifth Patriarch pretended that he wasn't impressed with this poem either, but in the middle of the night he summoned Hui Neng. The Fifth Patriarch gave him the insignia of his office, the Patriarch's robe and bowl. Hui Neng was told to leave for the South and to hide his enlightenment and understanding until the proper time arrives for him to propagate the Dharma.
     
The monks were jealous and ignorant, believed that the transmission was material, and decided to get back the robe and the bowl. After pursuing Hui Neng for two months, they found him on top of a mountain and wanted to kill him. Their leader was Hui Ming. Of all the monks who pursued Hui Neng, he was the most skillful. Hui Ming had been a general of the fourth rank, and was hot tempered and rough mannered.

When Hui Neng was about to be overtaken, he threw the robe and the begging bowl on a rock, quickly hid, and then said, "This robe is nothing but a symbol. What is the use of taking it away by force?"

When Hui Ming arrived at the rock, he tried to pick up the robe and bowl, but was unable to do so. He cried out, "Lay Brother, Lay Brother, " (for Hui Neng had not yet formally joined the  monastic order), "I come for the Dharma, not for the robe. "

Hui Neng emerged from his hiding place and sat down on the rock. Hui Ming made obeisance and begged him to teach. Hui Neng said, "Since the object of your coming is the Dharma, refrain from thinking of anything and keep your mind empty. I will then teach you." They meditated together for a considerable time, then Hui Neng asked Hui Ming, "When you are thinking of neither good nor evil, at this particular moment, what is your original nature (Buddha Nature)?"

As soon as Hui Ming heard this, he instantly became enlightened.  Hui Ming then further asked, "Apart from those esoteric sayings and esoteric ideas handed down by the Fifth Patriarch from generation to generation, are there any other esoteric teachings?"

Hui Neng replied, "What I can tell you is not esoteric. If you turn your light inward, you will find what is esoteric within you."
     
Hui Neng's statement was used as a koan (question) from then on - "what did your original face look like before you were born? " 

Koans represent truths that can't be understood by logic. Hui Neng's koan cuts through concepts and speculations about one's nature. It is shocking to discover that there is no concept which can fit such a question. The question shakes one's assumptions, this begins the" waking up" process. As in his first poem, Hui Neng's "original face" (buddha nature) is empty:
     
       "When you hear me speak of emptiness, don't become attached to it,
        especially don't become attached to any idea of it. Merely 'sitting' still
        with your mind vacant, you fall into notional emptiness.
     
        The boundless emptiness of the sky embraces the 'ten thousand things' of
        every shape and form - the sun, moon and stars; mountains and rivers;
        bushes  and trees; bad people and good; good teachings and bad; heavens
        and hells.  All these are included in emptiness.
     
       The emptiness of your original nature (Buddha Nature) is just like that. It
       too embraces everything. To this aspect the word 'great ' applies. All and
       everything is included in your own original nature."
     
Hui Neng later became The Sixth Patriarch, the founder of the Dhyana (Ch'an) School of Sudden Awaking, which emphasized that sudden enlightenment was possible in one lifetime, given the right teacher, the right disciple and right method. The Sixth Patriarch's teaching emphasize non-duality and oneness of everything.  Hui Neng became the most famous Ch'an (Zen) master in Chinese history. After his death, his works were collected and classified as the only Chinese Buddhist sutra, called The Sixth Patriarch's Platform Sutra. His new school of Sudden Awaking is the only major surviving Dhyana School of Chinese Buddhism. Later, Hui Neng's disciples spread the Dharma all over Asia.

Hui Neng defined Sitting Meditation (Ch’an) as: "In the midst of all good and evil, not a thought is aroused in the mind - this is called Sitting. Seeing into one's original nature, not being moved at all - this is called Ch'an." He taught that Sitting Ch'an should be practiced at all times, not just during formal sitting. He stressed it is the attitude of mind that is important, as this way the truth can be found.