能大師言：「善知識！淨心念摩訶般若波羅蜜法。」大師不語，自淨心神，良久乃言：「善知識靜聽：惠能慈父，本官范陽，左降遷流嶺南，作新州百姓。惠能幼小，父亦早亡。老母孤遺，移來南海。艱辛貧乏，於市賣柴。忽有一客買柴，遂領惠能至於官店，客將柴去。惠能得錢，却向門前，忽見一客讀《金剛經》。惠能一聞，心明便悟。乃問客曰：『從何處來，持此經典？』客答曰：『我於蘄州黃梅縣東馮茂山，禮拜五祖弘忍和尚，現今在彼，門人有千餘眾。我於彼聽見大師勸道俗，但持《金剛經》一卷，即得見性，直了成佛。』惠能聞說，宿業有緣，便即辭親，往黃梅馮茂山禮拜五祖弘忍和尚。」
The Master said: "Wise friends! Purify your minds and focus on the teaching of the Great Perfection of Wisdom."
The Master remained silent, calming his own mind and spirit. After a long while, he spoke: "Wise friends, listen quietly. My late father was originally an official from Fanyang, but he was demoted and exiled to Lingnan, where he became a commoner in Xinzhou. I lost my father when I was very young. My elderly mother and I, left alone, moved to Nanhai. In our poverty and hardship, I sold firewood in the marketplace. One day, a customer bought some firewood and asked me to carry it to an official shop. After the customer took the wood and I received the money, I was leaving through the gate when I saw someone reciting the *Diamond Sutra*. The moment I heard it, my mind became clear and I instantly understood. I asked him, 'Where did you come from to obtain this scripture?' He replied, 'I went to Huangmei County in Qizhou, to Mount Fengmao in the east, to pay homage to the Fifth Patriarch, Venerable Master Hongren. He has over a thousand followers there. I heard the Master teach both monks and laypeople that just reciting this single volume of the *Diamond Sutra* is enough to see your true nature and directly realize Buddhahood.' Upon hearing this—by the karmic affinity from past lives—I bid farewell to my mother and set out for Mount Fengmao in Huangmei to pay homage to the Fifth Patriarch, Master Hongren."