Issue 268

In the eleventh lunar month, a dispute arose among the officials, disciples, Sangha, and laity of the three counties of Guangzhou, Shaozhou, and Xinzhou as to who should receive the true body. As they could not agree, they lit incense and prayed, “The Master will be returned to the place indicated by the incense smoke.” The smoke went directly to Cao Xi and so, on the thirteenth day of the eleventh lunar month, the reliquary and the transmitted robe and bowl were returned there. In the following year, on the twenty-fifth day of the seventh lunar month, the body was removed from the reliquary and Disciple Fang Bian anointed it with incense paste.

Those from Guangzhou wanted to take the body to Guang Xiao Temple, claiming, “The Sixth Patriarch had his head shaved here. He should return here now to receive offerings.” Those from Xinzhou argued, “The Great Master is a native of Xinzhou. He should be returned to his hometown!” Those from Shaozhou insisted, “Being the founding patriarch of Nanhua Temple, it is the right thing to return the Great Master to Nanhua Temple.” While the Patriarch was alive, they had never quarreled over him,. But now that the Master had entered stillness, all were contending for their rights to claim his body and make offerings to it. Since the Sixth Patriarch was a native of Xinzhou and he had mentioned ‘Falling leaves return to the root,’ it made sense to return his body to Xinzhou. Since the Sixth Patriarch founded Nanhua Temple, it was reasonable to return his body there. Since Guang Xiao Temple was where the Sixth Patriarch ‘let fall’ of his hair to be a left-home monastic, it was rational to return his body to Guang Xiao Temple and ‘let fall’ of the dharma there. Everyone had their own opinion; everyone stood their ground. The dissension was almost turning to a fray.

At that moment, one intelligent person said, “Stop! When the Great Master was alive, we obeyed his teachings. Now that he has died, we should still listen to him. Let’s ask the Master to decide!”

“But he’s already entered Nirvana,” they said. “How can he tell us where he wants to go?”

The intelligent one said, “The Master had great spiritual powers. Whether alive or in stillness, he knows all of our thoughts. He’s surely displeased with us fighting over the right to make offerings to his body. Let’s light some incense, and whichever direction the smoke drifts will be an indication of where the Master wants to go. Let us follow the Great Master’s directive.” Everyone agreed, “Good! Good! Let’s follow the Master’s wishes!”

Hence, they lit some incense. The smoke drifted directly towards Nanhua Temple. Those from Guangzhou and Xinzhou were convinced. Hence, the true body of the Sixth patriarch was moved to Nanhua Temple for people to venerate and make offering to.

From the words ‘Vying for the true body, not arriving at a consensus’ in the sutra text, we can tell how grave the tension was at that time. Everyone wanted to take possession of the Master’s true body. Hence, they lit an incense and prayed, “Sixth Patriarch Bodhisattva! In your great kindness and compassion, please manifest your spiritual power. In whichever direction you have the incense smoke drift to, we will bring you to there.” The smoke headed towards Cao Xi and so, on the thirteenth day of the eleventh lunar month, the reliquary, together with the robe and bowl transmitted from Patriarch Bodhidharma, were brought to Nanhua Temple. The following year, on the twenty-fifth day of the seventh lunar month, the body was removed from the reliquary. Disciple Fang Bian mended the recessed parts with a paste made from incense powder, incense ash, and soil. Fang Bian was among those who had received the Sixth Patriarch’s dharma transmission. He was very good at sculpting Buddha images.

Remembering the prophecy that his head would be taken, the disciples wrapped metal sheets and lacquered cloth around his neck for protection and then placed his body in the stupa. Just then a white light appeared in the stupa, shot up into the sky, and did not fade for three days.

The disciples remembered that the Sixth Patriarch had said that, five to six years later, someone will come to take his head. So, they covered the Sixth Patriarch’s neck with metal sheets and lacquered cloth.

The Magistrate of Shaozhou reported this phenomena to the Emperor and received an imperial order to erect a stone tablet commemorating the Master’s conduct in the Way. The Master had seen seventy-six springs and autumns. The robe was transmitted to him at the age of twenty four. His hair was shaved off at the age of thirty-nine. For thirty-seven years he spoke Dharma to benefit living beings. Forty-three people inherited his Dharma. An uncountable number transcended the common lot and enlightened to the Way. The robe of faith transmitted from Bodhidharma, the Mo Na robe and precious bowl conferred by Emperor Zhongzong, the life-like image of the Sixth Patriarch sculpted by Fang Bian, and other articles of the Way, were all entrusted to the attendant in charge of the stupa and were permanently retained at Bao Lin Bodhimanda for safeguarding. The Platform Sutra has been transmitted to set forth the principles of our school, to glorify the Triple Jewel, and to benefit all living beings.

The Magistrate of Shaozhou reported this propitious phenomena to the Emperor, about the Great Master’s emanating white light for three days. The emperor issued an imperial order to erect a stone tablet to record what the Master has been through when cultivating the Way in the world. The Master lived for seventy-six years. At age twenty-four, the robe was transmitted to him. At age Thirty-nine, he had his hair shaved. He spoke the dharma for thirty-seven years to benefit living beings. Forty-three people inherited his Dharma. An uncountable number awoke to the Way, transcending the common lot. The robe of faith transmitted to him from Patriarch Bodhidharma, the Mo Na robe and crystal bowl conferred to him by Emperor Zhongzong, the life like image of him sculpted by Fang Bian, as well as other articles of the Way, were all entrusted to the attendant in charge of the stupa and were permanently retained at Bao Lin Bodhimandala for the Bodhimanda’s protection. The Platform Sutra has been propagated to manifest the principles of our school, to glorify the Triple Jewel, and to benefit all living beings.

The Platform Sutra is now completely explained. During this time, you have been through much suffering. However, I don’t know whether you realized it was suffering or not. If you felt it was suffering, you are just a common person, as the Great Master had said. If you did not feel that it was suffering, then you are a rock or a piece of wood. Well, was it suffering or not?

As to my sutra explanation, I don’t know whether I explained it well or not, and neither do I know if you listened well or not. However, let us not dwell on whether it is good or not. I do the explaining and you do the listening. There is nothing good or not good about it. We are here together because of our affinities. We have heard the story of the Sixth Patriarch’s life and of his cultivation of the Way. Dwell not on what is good and not good. Instead, forge ahead if it is the Way and retreat if it is not the Way. If it tallies with the Way, then cultivate accordingly. If it is not in accord with the Way, then don’t do it. Memorize the last verse spoken by the Sixth Patriarch, reflect on it constantly, and cultivate in accordance with it. This way you will certainly realize Buddhahood. You don’t have to figure out whether I explained the Sutra well or not. Instead, look to see whether you are cultivating the Way or not. If you do cultivate the Way, what is not good turns good; if you do not cultivate, what is good is likewise not good.

Let me ask you a question. The Sixth Patriarch was an illiterate, and illiterates do not have much knowledge. How come he was able to speak a Sutra?

Student: I think the Sutra pointed out that you don’t need a lot of scholarly learning to become enlightened. The Dharma Door of Sudden Teaching is primarily applied to the self-nature and mind-ground, and we should cultivate as such.

Student: Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra stated, ‘Not establishing even one dharma; therefore, not even one word can be uttered.’

Student: The principles contained in the Platform Sutra are very clear. However, every time I try to speak of them, I cannot describe them with words.

Student: Master, when the Sixth Patriarch was about to enter Nirvana, he said, ‘See you later.’ Where is he now?

Answer: He comes right from where you are speaking!

Now, let me talk about the question regarding the Sixth Patriarch’s illiteracy.

During the time of the Sixth Patriarch, school education was not readily available to all. To attend, you need to have money. The Sixth Patriarch’s family was extremely poor. Because his father was an honest official who never took bribes, he died penniless and his family was left impoverished. When the Master was young, even getting food to eat was a problem. So of course he had no means to attend school. It was due to these two reasons that the Sixth Patriarch was illiterate.

Then, why did the Sixth Patriarch choose to appear in a poor family? He did it to show us that even illiterates can realize Buddhahood and become Patriarchs. Thus he raised the hopes of those who could not read. Seeing the Sixth Patriarch, people thought, “He never went to school but he cultivated and obtained fruition of the Way. We can do it too!” We should not let go of cultivation because of illiteracy. Do not be self-defeating, thinking, “Only educated people can cultivate the Way.” The Sixth Patriarch manifested to cause us all to set aside such prejudices. This is the way I see it.

There’s one more thing you should recognize clearly about the Sixth Patriarch. He was not lazy. He always practiced the Buddhadharma. That is why he became enlightened. After his enlightenment he spoke the Platform Sutra. Illiteracy pertains to worldly knowledge. Although the Sixth Patriarch was illiterate, he recognized his self-nature and clearly understood his mind. Hence, he utilized his inherent great wisdom. Because this Sutra was spoken from the bright light of this wisdom, its value is incomparable. It is the same as Sutras spoken by the Buddha, so do not take him lightly just because he couldn’t read. The Sutra explanation is now completed. I hope each one of you clearly understand this point.