【第三折】
Third Fold
弘忍和尚問惠能曰：「汝何方人？來此山禮拜吾，汝今向吾邊，復求何物？」
惠能答曰：「弟子是嶺南人，新州百姓，今故遠來禮拜和尚，不求餘物，唯求作佛。」
大師遂責惠能曰：「汝是嶺南人，又是獵獠，若為堪作佛！」
The master then scolded Huineng, saying: "You are a man from Lingnan, and a mere barbarian at that – how could you possibly become a Buddha?"
惠能答曰：「人即有南北，佛性即無南北；獵獠身與和尚不同，佛性有何差別？」
Huìnéng replied, "People may be from the north or south, but the Buddha-nature knows no north or south. A tribal barbarian's body may differ from a monk's, but what difference could there be in their Buddha-nature?"
大師欲更共語，見左右在旁邊，大師便不言，遂發遣惠能令隨眾作務。時有一行者，遂差惠能於碓坊踏碓八個餘月。