The 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra

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(Also known as:) The Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra The Sutra of the 6th Patriarch, Whai-Nung (The full name is:) The 6th Patriarch great master Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra (Lok Tzoe Dye See Fard Bowl Tarn Ging) (Liu Zu Da Shi Fa Bao Tan Jing) (Tripitaka No. 2008) Compiled during the Tang Dynasty by FardHoy, the prentice of the master (Translated in...

Introduction to the Platform Sutra

By Fa Hai, Disciple Of Whai-Nung, The 6Th Patriarch

The Great Master was named Whai-Nung. His father was of the Lu family and had the personal name Hsing T'ao. His mother was of the Li family. The Master was born on the eighth day of the second month of the year Wu Hsu, in the twelfth year of the Chen Kuan Reign of the T'ang Dynasty (A.D. 638).

At the time, a beam of light ascended into space and a strange fragrance filled the room. At dawn, two strange Bhikshus came to visit. They addressed the master's father saying, "Last night a son was born to you and we have come to name him. It can be Whai above and below, Nung."

The father said, "Why shall he be called Whai-Nung?"

The Monk said, "'Whai" means he will bestow the Dharma upon living beings. 'Nung' means he will be able to do the Buddha's work." Having said this, they left. No one knows where they went.

The Master did not drink milk. At night, spirits appeared and poured sweet dew over him.

He grew up, and at the age of twenty-four he heard the Sutra and awoke to the Way. He went to Huang Mei to seek the seal of approval.

The Fifth Patriarch measured his capacity and transmitted the robe and Dharma so that he inherited the Patriarchate. The time was the first year of the reign period Lung Shuo, cyclical year hsin Yu (A.D. 661)

He returned south and hid for sixteen years.

On the eighth day of the first month in the first year of reign period I Feng (A.D. 676), the cyclical year Ping Tsu, he met Dharma Master Yin Tsung. Together they discussed the profound and mysterious, and Yin Tsung became awakened to and united with the master's doctrine.

On the fifteenth day of that month, at a meeting of all the four assemblies, the Master's head was shaved. On the eighth day of the second month, all those of well-known virtue gathered together to administer the complete precepts. Vinaya Master Chih kuang of Hsi Chi was the Precept transmitter.

Vinaya Master Whai Ching of Su Chou was the Karmadana. Vinyana Master T'ung Ying of Ching Chou was the Teaching Transmitter. Vinyana master Ch'i To Lo of Central India recited the precepts. Tripitaka Master Mi To of India was the Precept Certifier.

Construction of the precept platform had begun in the former Sung Dynasty by Tripitaka Master Gunabhadra. He erected a stone table which said, "In the future, a Bodhisattva in the flesh will receive the precepts in this very place."

Further, in the first year of the T'ien Chien reign of the Liang Dynasty (A.D. 502) Tripitaka Master Jnanabhaishajya came by sea from west India carrying a Bodhi-tree branch, which he planted beside the platform. He, too, made a prophecy, saying, "After one hundred and seventy years, a Bodhisattva in the flesh will proclaim the Supreme Vehicle beneath this tree. Taking measureless multitudes across, he will be a true transmitter of the Buddha's mind-seal, a Dharma Host."

Further, in the first year of the T'ien Chien reign of the Liang Dynasty (A.D. 502) Tripitaka Master Jnanabhaishajya came by sea from west India carrying a Bodhi-tree branch, which he planted beside the platform. He, too, made a prophecy, saying, "After one hundred and seventy years, a Bodhisattva in the flesh will proclaim the Supreme Vehicle beneath this tree. Taking measureless multitudes across, he will be a true transmitter of the Buddha's mind-seal, a Dharma Host."

In the spring of the following year, the Master took leave of the assembly and returned to Pao Lin. Yin Tsung, together with more than a thousand black-robed monks and white-robed layfolk, accompanied him directly to Ts'ao Hsi.

At that time Vinaya Master T'ung Ying of Ching Chou and several hundred students followed the Master and came to dwell there. When the Master arrived at Pao Lin, in Ts'ao Hsi, he saw the hall buildings were bleak and small, insufficient to contain the multitude. Wishing to enlarge them, he paid a visit to the villager, Ch'en Ya Hsien and said, "This Old Monk comes to the Almsgiver seeking a sitting cloths worth of ground. Is that possible?"

Hsien asked, "How big is the High Master's sitting cloth?" The master took out his sitting cloth and showed it to ya Hsien, who thereupon agreed. But when the Patriarch unfolded and spread out his sitting cloth, it completely covered the four borders of Ts'ao Hsi. The Four Heavenly Kings appeared and sat as protectors in each of the four directions.

it is true to this occurrence that the mountain range bordering the monastery is called "The Range of the Heavenly Kings."

Hsien said, "I know that the High master's Dharma power is vast and great. However, the burial ground of my great-grandfather lies on this land. In the future, if you build a stupa, I hope this area will remain undisturbed. As for the rest, I wish to give it all to be a forever treasure place. This ground has the flowing current of a living dragon and a white elephant. Level only heaven; do not level earth."

Later, the monastery was constructed according to his words. The Master roamed within these boundaries, and at places where the scenes of nature were fine he stopped to rest.

Accordingly, thirteen Aranyas were erected, among them the present Hua Kuo Hall. The site of the Pao Lin Bidhimanda was decided upon long ago by Indian Tripitaka Master Jnanabhaishajya, who, during his journey from Nan Hai, passed Ts'ao Hsi, where he cupped up the water with his hands and found it to be delicious. Surprised, he told his disciples. "This water is not different from that in India. It source would surely be an excellent site on which to build a monastery.

He followed the water and looked in the four directions. The mountains and waters encircled one another and the peaks were impressive, He signed and said, "This is just like Jewelled Wood Mountain in India."

He said to the villagers of Ts'ao Hou, "A pure dwelling may be built here. After one hundred and seventy years, the Unsurpassed Dharma Jewel will teach here. Those who attain the way in this place will be as numerous as the trees of this forest. it should, therefore be called 'Pao Lin.'"

At that time Magistrate Hou Ching Chung of Shao Chou reported these words to the Emperor who assented the conferred upon it the name 'Pao Lin Bodhimanda.' The construction of the pure halls began in the third year of the T'ien Chien reign if the Liang Dynasty (A.D. 504).

In front of the hall was a pond in which a dragon often swam, bumping and scraping the trees of the forest. One day he appeared, larger than ever, covering the area with a thick mist. The disciples were afraid, but the Patriarch scolded him, saying, "Hah! You can only make yourself appear in a large body, not in a small one. If you were a divine dragon, you could transform the great to the small and the small into the great.

The dragon suddenly disappeared, but he returned an instant later in a small body, skipping about on the surface of the pond. The Master held out his bowl and teased him, saying, "You don't dare climb into the old Bhikshu's bowl." At that moment the dragon swam in front of the Master, who scooped him out of the water with his bowl. The dragon couldn't move. Holding the bowl, the Master returned to the hall and explained the Dharma to the dragon.

The dragon then shed his skin and left. His bones. only seven inches long and complete with head, tail, horns, and claws were preserved in the temple. Later the master filled in the pond with earth and stones. Now, in that place, in front of the hall on the right side is an iron stupa.

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