Name: Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch · Volume 1 · Praise to the Dharma Treasure Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖大师法宝坛经 · 第一 · 六祖大师法宝坛经赞)
Author: 宗宝编

贊者告也，發經而溥告也。壇經者，至人之所以宣其心也(至人謂六祖篇內同)。何心邪？佛所傳之妙心也。大哉心乎！資始變化，而清淨常若，凡然聖然幽然顯然，無所處而不自得之，聖言乎明，凡言乎昧，昧也者變也。明也者復也。變復雖殊而妙心一也。始釋迦文佛，以是而傳之大龜氏，大龜氏相傳之三十三世者，傳諸大鑒(六祖諡號大鑒禪師)，大鑒傳之而益傳也。說之者抑亦多端，固有名同而實異者也，固有義多而心一者也。曰血肉心者，曰緣慮心者，曰集起心者，曰堅實心者，若心所之心益多也，是所謂名同而實異者也。曰真如心者，曰生滅心者，曰煩惱心者，曰菩提心者，諸修多羅其類此者，殆不可勝數，是所謂義多而心一者也。義有覺義、有不覺義，心有真心、有妄心，皆所以別其正心也。方《壇經》之所謂心者，亦義之覺義，心之實心也。

"Preface" means to proclaim—to announce and widely declare through the sutra. The *Platform Sutra* is how a sage reveals his true mind. **What mind?** The wondrous mind transmitted by the Buddha. How vast this mind is! It gives rise to all changes while remaining ever pure and still. Whether ordinary or sacred, whether hidden or manifest, there is no place where this mind is not present. The sacred speak of it as clarity, the ordinary speak of it as obscurity. Obscurity is change; clarity is return. Although change and return differ, the wondrous mind is one.

From the beginning, Shakyamuni Buddha transmitted this to Mahakashyapa, who passed it down through thirty-three generations to the Great Mirror (the Sixth Patriarch, posthumously named Chan Master Dajian). From the Great Mirror, it was further transmitted again and again.

Those who have spoken of it have done so in many ways. There are cases where the name is the same but the reality is different, and cases where the meanings are many but the mind is one. For example: the fleshly heart, the mind of conditional thought, the mind that gathers and arises, and the solid mind—along with many "mental factors"—these are examples of the same name but different realities. On the other hand, the true suchness mind, the mind of arising and ceasing, the afflicted mind, and the enlightened mind—such categories in the sutras are almost countless—these are cases of many meanings but one mind.

Among meanings, there is the meaning of awakening and the meaning of non-awakening. Among minds, there is the true mind and the deluded mind—all are ways to distinguish the correct mind. The "mind" spoken of in the *Platform Sutra* refers to the meaning of awakening and the true, essential mind itself.

昔者聖人之將隱也，乃命乎龜氏教外以傳法之要意，其人滯迹而忘返，固欲後世者提本而正末也。故《涅槃》曰：「我有無上正法，悉已付囑摩訶迦葉矣。」天之道存乎易，地之道存乎簡，聖人之道存乎要，要也者，至妙之謂也。聖人之道以要，則為法界門之樞機，為無量義之所會，為大乘之椎輪，《法華》豈不曰：「當知是妙法諸佛之祕要」，《華嚴》豈不曰：「以少方便疾成菩提」，要乎其於聖人之道，利而大矣哉。是故《壇經》之宗，尊其心要也。心乎若明若冥，若空若靈，若寂若惺，有物乎？無物乎？謂之一物，固彌於萬物；謂之萬物，固統於一物；一物猶萬物也，萬物猶一物也，此謂可思議也。及其不可思也，不可議也，天下謂之玄解，謂之神會，謂之絕待，謂之默體，謂之冥通，一皆離之遣之，遣之又遣，亦烏能至之微，其果然獨得與夫至人之相似者，孰能諒乎！推而廣之，則無往不可也；探而裁之，則無所不當也。施於證性，則所見至親；施於修心，則所詣至正；施於崇德辯惑，則真妄易顯；施於出世，則佛道速成；施於救世，則塵勞易歇。此壇經之宗，所以旁行天下而不厭，彼謂即心即佛。淺者何其不知量也，以折錐探地而淺地，以屋漏窺天而小天，豈天地之然邪？然百家者，雖苟勝之，弗如也。而至人通而貫之，合乎群經，斷可見矣。至人變而通之，非預名字不可測也，故其顯說之，有倫有義，密說之，無首無尾。天機利者得其深，天機鈍者得其淺，可擬乎？可議乎？不得已況之，則圓頓教也，最上乘也，如來之清淨禪也，菩薩藏之正宗也。論者謂之玄學，不亦詳乎？天下謂之宗門，不亦宜乎？《壇經》曰定慧為本者，趣道之始也。定也者，靜也。慧也者，明也。明以觀之，靜以安之，安其心可以體心也，觀其道可以語道也。一行三昧者，法界一相之謂也。謂萬善雖殊，皆正於一行者也。無相為體者，尊大戒也。「無念為宗」者，尊大定也。無住為本者，尊大慧也。夫戒定慧者，三乘之達道也。夫妙心者，戒定慧之大資也。以一妙心而統乎三法，故曰大也。無相戒者，戒其必正覺也。「四弘願」者，願度度苦也，願斷斷集也，願學學道也，願成成寂滅也。滅無所滅，故無所不斷也；道無所道，故無所不度也。無相懺者，懺非所懺也。三歸戒者，歸其一也。一也者，三寶之所以出也。說摩訶般若者，謂其心之至中也。般若也者，聖人之方便也。聖人之大智也，固能寂之明之、權之實之。天下以其寂，可以泯眾惡也；天下以其明，可以集眾善也；天下以其權，可以大有為也；天下以其實，可以大無為也。至矣哉般若也！聖人之道，非夫般若，不明也、不成也。天下之務，非夫般若，不宜也、不當也。至人之為以般若振，不亦遠乎！我法為上上根人說者，宜之也。輕物重用則不勝，大方小授則過也。從來默傳分付者，密說之謂也。密也者，非不言而闇證也，真而密之也。不解此法而輒謗毀，謂百劫千生斷佛種性者，防天下亡其心也。

In ancient times, when the sage was about to withdraw from the world, he entrusted Kāśyapa with teaching the essential meaning of the Dharma to those outside, fearing that later generations might cling to forms and lose their way, and hoping they would grasp the root and correct the superficial. Thus, the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* says: "I have entrusted all of my supreme Dharma to Mahākāśyapa."

The Way of heaven lies in simplicity, the Way of earth lies in directness, and the Way of the sage lies in essence. What is "essence" is the most subtle of things. The sage’s Way, being essential, becomes the pivotal gateway of the Dharma Realm, the convergence of countless meanings, and the foundational wheel of the Great Vehicle. Does not the *Lotus Sūtra* say: "Know that this sublime Dharma is the secret essence of all Buddhas"? Does not the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* say: "Through a small expedient, one quickly attains enlightenment"? Indeed, the essence of the sage’s Way is beneficial and profound.

Therefore, the tradition of the *Platform Sūtra* reveres the mind-essence. What is this mind? It is both clear and obscure, both empty and numinous, both still and alert. Is it a thing? Is it not a thing? If you call it one thing, it pervades all things; if you call it all things, it unifies them into one. One thing is like all things, and all things are like one thing—this is what can be pondered. But when it transcends thought and discussion, the world calls it mystery, spiritual insight, non-duality, silent realization, or hidden communion. All such concepts must be let go of, set aside, and set aside again. How can one reach that subtle place, that true attainment resembling the sage, without someone who truly understands?

If you extend this, nothing is impossible. If you explore and refine it, nothing is inappropriate. Applied to realizing one’s true nature, it brings the clearest vision; applied to cultivating the mind, it leads to the most correct practice; applied to honoring virtue and resolving confusion, it makes truth and falsity obvious; applied to transcending the world, it swiftly accomplishes the Buddha-way; applied to saving the world, it quickly soothes worldly troubles. This is why the tradition of the *Platform Sūtra* has spread widely without wearying people. Some say, "The mind itself is the Buddha," but shallow ones fail to appreciate its depth. They are like those who measure the earth with a broken awl and call it shallow, or who look at the sky through a roof leak and call it small. Is that truly the nature of heaven and earth?

Various schools may temporarily outshine it, but they cannot match it. The sage, however, penetrates and integrates it, harmonizing it with all scriptures—this is clearly evident. The sage adapts and transforms it, beyond labels and expectations. Thus his explicit teaching has order and meaning, while his implicit teaching has no beginning or end. Those with sharp spiritual faculties grasp its depths; those with dull faculties grasp its shallows. Can it be imitated? Can it be debated? If forced to describe it, it is the Perfect and Sudden Teaching, the Supreme Vehicle, the pure Chan of the Tathāgata, the true lineage of the Bodhisattva canon. Those who call it a profound study are not mistaken; the world calling it the Chan School is indeed fitting.

The *Platform Sūtra* says that concentration and wisdom are the foundation—this is the starting point of the path. Concentration is stillness; wisdom is clarity. With clarity, one observes; with stillness, one settles. Settling the mind, one can embody the mind; observing the path, one can speak of the path. Single-practice samādhi means the single mark of the Dharma Realm. It teaches that all good deeds, though diverse, are aligned with one practice. "No-form as essence" honors the great precepts; "no-thought as doctrine" honors the great concentration; "no-abiding as foundation" honors the great wisdom. Precepts, concentration, and wisdom are the universal path of the three vehicles. The wondrous mind is the great resource for precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Uniting these three with one wondrous mind is what is called "great."

The formless precept is the precept of inevitable enlightenment. The Four Great Vows are: to vow to save all beings from suffering; to cut off all causes of suffering; to learn the path; and to realize perfect stillness. What is extinguished cannot be extinguished further; thus nothing is left uncut. What is the path cannot be spoken; thus nothing is left unsaved. The formless repentance repents what cannot be repented. The three refuges are a return to the One. The One is the source from which the Three Jewels arise. The teaching of Mahāprajñā speaks of the mind’s supreme balance. Prajñā is the sage’s expedient and great wisdom. Through it, the sage can be still and bright, can adapt and be real. With stillness, the world can dissolve evil; with brightness, it can gather good; with adaptability, it can act greatly; with reality, it can be greatly non-active. How sublime is prajñā! The sage’s path cannot be clear or complete without prajñā. The world’s affairs cannot be suitable or fitting without prajñā. How far-reaching is the sage’s action when propelled by prajñā!

My Dharma is taught to those of the highest faculties—this is appropriate. Light tools cannot handle heavy tasks; great teachings given to small minds are out of place. The ancient silent transmission is what is meant by secret teaching. "Secret" does not mean speaking nothing, but rather hidden truth. If someone does not understand this Dharma and slanders it, it is said they will cut off the Buddha nature for hundreds of kalpas—this warns against losing one’s mind.

偉乎《壇經》之作也，其本正、其迹效，其因真、其果不謬，前聖也、後聖也，如此起之、如此示之、如此復之，浩然沛乎，若大川之注也、若虛空之通也、若日月之明也，若形影之無礙也、若鴻漸之有序也。妙而得之之謂本，推而用之之謂迹，以其非始者始之之謂因，以其非成者成之之謂果。果不異乎因，謂之正果也；因不異乎果，謂之正因也。迹必顧乎本，謂之大用也；本必顧乎迹，謂之大乘也。乘也者，聖人之喻道也。用也者，聖人之起教也。夫聖人之道，莫至乎心；聖人之教，莫至乎修。調神入道，莫至乎一相止觀；軌善成德，莫至乎一行三昧。資一切戒，莫至乎無相；正一切定，莫至乎無念；通一切智，莫至乎無住。生善滅惡，莫至乎無相戒；篤道推德，莫至乎四弘願。善觀過，莫至乎無相懺；正所趣，莫至乎三歸戒。正大體、裁大用，莫至乎大般若；發大信、務大道，莫至乎大志。天下之窮理盡性，莫至乎默傳；欲心無過，莫善乎不謗。定慧為始道之基也；一行三昧，德之端也；無念之宗，解脫之謂也；無住之本，般若之謂也；無相之體，法身之謂也。無相戒，戒之最也；四弘願，願之極也；無相懺，懺之至也。三歸戒，真所歸也。摩訶智慧，聖凡之大範也。為上上根人說，直說也。默傳，傳之至也。戒謗，戒之當也。

How magnificent is the *Platform Sutra*! Its foundation is upright, its manifestations effective; its causes are genuine, its results not false. The sages of old and the sages to come—they all arise in this way, teach in this way, and return in this way. Vast and flowing, it is like a great river pouring forth, like space opening wide, like the brightness of the sun and moon, like a form and its shadow without obstruction, like the gradual and orderly flight of the wild geese.

To realize it subtly is called the foundation; to apply it broadly is called the manifestation. To initiate what has no beginning is called the cause; to complete what has no completion is called the result. When the result is not different from the cause, it is called the true result; when the cause is not different from the result, it is called the true cause. When manifestations always heed the foundation, it is called the great function; when the foundation always heeds manifestations, it is called the Great Vehicle. The "Vehicle" is the sage's metaphor for the path; the "function" is the sage's way of establishing the teaching.

Among the sage's paths, none is higher than the mind; among the sage's teachings, none is higher than cultivation. To harmonize the spirit and enter the path, nothing surpasses the One Mark Samadhi of Calming and Contemplation; to guide goodness and perfect virtue, nothing surpasses the Single Practice Samadhi. To support all precepts, nothing surpasses No-Mark; to rectify all meditative concentrations, nothing surpasses No-Thought; to penetrate all wisdom, nothing surpasses Non-Abiding.

To give rise to goodness and extinguish evil, nothing surpasses the No-Mark Precepts; to deepen the path and promote virtue, nothing surpasses the Four Great Vows. To skillfully contemplate faults, nothing surpasses No-Mark Repentance; to correctly direct one's aim, nothing surpasses the Three Refuges. To rectify the great substance and master the great function, nothing surpasses Great Prajñā; to awaken great faith and dedicate oneself to the great path, nothing surpasses great resolve. To exhaust principle and fully realize one's nature in the world, nothing surpasses silent transmission; to keep the mind free from fault, nothing surpasses refraining from slander.

Concentration and wisdom are the foundation of the path; the Single Practice Samadhi is the beginning of virtue. The principle of No-Thought is liberation; the principle of Non-Abiding is Prajñā; the essence of No-Mark is the Dharma Body. The No-Mark Precepts are the highest of precepts; the Four Great Vows are the ultimate of vows; No-Mark Repentance is the supreme repentance. The Three Refuges are the true refuge. Mahā Prajñā is the great standard for both sages and ordinary people. For those of the highest capacity, it is taught directly. Silent transmission is the highest transmission. Refraining from slander is the proper precept.

夫妙心者，非修所成也，非證所明也；本成也，本明也。以迷明者復明，所以證也；以背成者復成，所以修也。以非修而修之，故曰正修也；以非明而明之，故曰正證也。至人暗然不見其威儀，而成德為行藹如也；至人頹然若無所持，而道顯於天下也。蓋以正修而修之也，以正證而證之也。於此乃曰，罔修罔證，罔因罔果，穿鑿叢脞競為其說，繆乎至人之意焉。噫！放戒定慧而必趨乎混茫之空，則吾未如之何也。甚乎含識溺心而浮識，識與業相乘循諸響，而未始息也。象之形之，人與物偕生，紛然乎天地之間，可勝數邪？得其形於人者，固萬萬之一耳。人而能覺，幾其鮮矣！聖人懷此，雖以多義發之，而天下猶有所不明者也；聖人救此，雖以多方治之，而天下猶有所不醒者也。賢者以智亂，不肖者以愚壅，平平之人以無記惛，及其感物而發，喜之怒之、哀之樂之，益蔽者萬端曖然。若夜行而不知所至，其承於聖人之言，則計之博之。若蒙霧而望遠，謂有也，謂無也，謂非有也，謂非無也，謂亦有也，謂亦無也，以不見而却蔽固，終身而不得其審焉。海所以在水也，魚龍死生在海而不見乎水；道所以在心也，其人終日說道，而不見乎心。悲夫心固微妙幽遠，難明難湊，其如此也矣。

The wondrous mind is not something attained or realized, for it is inherently complete and clear. Through confusion in clarity, clarity is regained; this is realization. Through turning away from completeness, completeness is restored; this is practice. Because we engage in uncontrived practice, it is called genuine cultivation; because we realize without forced illumination, it is called true awakening.

The enlightened one has no imposing presence, yet their virtue acts naturally. The sage appears unsteady, as if holding nothing, yet the Way shines throughout the world. This is because they practice through authentic practice and realize through genuine realization. Some then claim there is no practice, no realization, no cause, no effect, stitching together fabrications and confusion. How mistaken they are about the sage's meaning! If someone abandons discipline, meditation, and wisdom to pursue some vague emptiness, there is nothing I can do for them.

More tragically, sentient beings sink in mind and float on consciousness, letting awareness and karma chase echoes without rest. Forms emerge, shapes appear, and humans arise alongside all things—countless in this world. To be born as a human is rare indeed; to awaken as a human is even rarer! Though sages teach with countless explanations, the world remains unclear. Though they offer countless remedies, many still fail to wake.

The wise are confounded by intellect, the foolish blocked by dullness, and ordinary people numbed by neglect. When emotions arise from contact with things—joy and anger, sorrow and pleasure—these veil the mind with endless darkness, like walking at night without direction. When they hear the sage's words, they measure and argue, as if peering through fog at distant objects, saying it exists, saying it does not, saying neither exists nor doesn't, saying both exist and don't exist. Because they can't see clearly, they entrench themselves further, never gaining true understanding their whole lives.

The sea exists because of water; fish and dragons live and die in it but see no water. The Way exists because of mind; people speak of the Way all day but never see the mind. How sad! The mind is indeed subtle, profound, dark, and difficult to grasp—hard to approach, hard to understand.

聖人既隱，天下百世雖以書傳，而莫得其明驗，故《壇經》之宗舉，乃直示其心，而天下方知即正乎性命也。若排雲霧而頓見太清，若登泰山而所視廓如也。王氏以方乎世書曰：「齊一變至於魯，魯一變至於道。」斯言近之矣。《涅槃》曰：「始從鹿野苑，終至跋提河，中間五十年，未曾說一字。」者，示法非文字也。防以文字而求其所謂也。曰：「依法不依人」者，以法真而人假也；曰：「依義不依語」者，以義實而語假也；曰：「依智而不依識」者，以智至而識妄也；曰：「依了義經不依不了義經」者，以了義經盡理也。而菩薩所謂即是宣說大涅槃者，謂自說與經同也。聖人所謂四人出世(即四依也)護持正法應當證知者，應當證知故，至人推本以正其末也。自說與經同故，至人說經如經也。依義、依了義經故，至人顯說而合義也、合經也；依法、依智故，至人密說變之、通之而不苟滯也。示法非文字故，至人之宗尚乎默傳也。聖人如春陶陶而發之也，至人如秋濯濯而成之也。聖人命之而至人效之也，至人固聖人之門之奇德殊勳者也。

Once the sages withdrew from the world, though teachings were passed down through texts for centuries, no one could truly verify their meaning. This is why the *Platform Sutra* arose as a tradition—it directly pointed to the mind, and suddenly the world knew how to return to its true nature. It was like pushing aside clouds and mist to see the vast sky, or climbing Mount Tai to behold the boundless view.

Someone once compared this to worldly texts, saying: "When Qi reforms, it becomes Lu; when Lu reforms, it reaches the Way." This saying comes close.

The *Nirvana Sutra* says: "From the Deer Park to the banks of the Hiranyavati River, in the forty-nine years between, not a single word was spoken." This shows that the Dharma is not in words, and warns against seeking it through writing alone.

Thus it is said: "Rely on the Dharma, not on the person," because Dharma is true while people are merely temporary. "Rely on the meaning, not on the words," because meaning is real while words are merely borrowed. "Rely on wisdom, not on consciousness," because wisdom is ultimate while consciousness is deluded. "Rely on the sutras of definitive meaning, not on those of provisional meaning," because definitive sutras express the full truth.

When bodhisattvas are said to "proclaim the Great Nirvana," it means their own teaching is identical to the sutras. When the sages speak of four kinds of beings (the four reliances) who appear in the world to uphold the true Dharma, and who should be recognized, it is because recognition is necessary. Thus, the enlightened ones trace back to the root to correct the branches. Bodhisattvas' teaching being equal to the sutras means that when they explain the sutras, they do so as if they *are* the sutras. By relying on meaning and definitive sutras, they teach clearly and in accordance with truth. By relying on Dharma and wisdom, they teach in hidden ways, adapting and transforming without clinging to rigid forms.

Because the Dharma is not in words, the ultimate tradition values silent transmission. The sages are like spring—nurturing and bringing forth life. The enlightened ones are like autumn—purifying and ripening what has grown. The sages initiate the path; the enlightened ones embody it. Truly, the enlightened ones are the extraordinary virtue and remarkable achievement at the gateway of the sages.

Someone once compared this to worldly texts, saying: "When Qi reforms, it becomes Lu; when Lu reforms, it reaches the Way." This saying comes close.

Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖大師法寶壇經)

Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖大師法寶壇經)