Master Guifeng once said in the Tang Dynasty: “After Mahakashyapa got the firsthand transmission from Sakyamuni Buddha, the Dharma had been passed down all the way to Master Huineng (the Six Patriarch of Chan Buddhism). Ever since, only Heze Shenhui truly inherited and carried on the essence of Chan, while all other schools have been sidestepping. By analogy, the term ‘Mani Pearl’ means the Dharma transmitted by Sakyamuni Buddha, so we can say that Heze Shenhui is the sole heir of the Mani Pearl.”
Guifeng has certainly got a point in his way of analysis, but his remarks didn’t do proper justice to the school of Mazu Daoyi.
As the leading disciple of Master Nanyue Huairang (a distinguished apostle of Master Huineng), Mazu Daoyi had inspired a countless number of great masters, including Baizhang, Huangbo, Linji, Nanquan, and Zhaozhou. Now that Guifeng paid tribute solely to Heze Shenhui, how could his remarks be convincing?
Guifeng argued that only Heze had highlighted that “Zhi” (Knowing) is the essence of the Mind, while other schools focused merely on the “zuoyong” (function) of the Mind, that they don’t get the essence of Mani Pearl but only its reflection. Yet, what he didn’t realize is that there is actually no set doctrine in the Dharma, that all masters are just using expedients in accord with the various capacity of their disciples. Stressing on “Knowing” is direct teaching, while focusing on the mind’s functions is expedient teaching.
What is skillful means of teaching? It is leading one’s disciples to realize Mani Pearl through its reflection, through recognizing the shadows it casts down.
If one clings rigidly to the single word “Zhi” (Knowing), consider this: when the World-Honored One held up a flower at the assembly on Vulture peak, He neither uttered the word “Zhi” nor address the concept of “Knowing” – does that imply that the World-Honored One was inferior to Heze? Moreover, there are actually many instances where other schools speak directly of “Knowing”, that they don’t just speak exclusively of function.
Generally, I admire Guifeng’s insight deeply; yet this particular one fails to satisfy.
by Grand Master Lian Chi (蓮池大師), the Eighth Patriarch of Pure Land Buddhism
洪州不得珠體 – 錄自明末蓮池大師《竹窗隨筆》(初筆)
洪州者，馬大師也。圭峰敘:「如來傳法迦葉而至曹溪，曹溪之道，惟荷澤為正傳，諸宗皆屬旁出，如摩尼珠，惟荷澤獨得珠體。」其說析理極精，而品人不當。夫馬祖親承南嶽，南嶽親承曹溪，自後百丈、黃檗、臨濟、南泉、趙州，不可勝數之大尊宿，皆從馬祖而出，而獨推荷澤，何以服天下? 圭峰以荷澤表出「知」之一字為心，而諸宗於作用處指示，遂謂是徒得珠中之影。然古人為人解黏去缚，隨時逐機，原無定法。其言知者，正說也。其言作用處者，巧說也。巧者何? 欲人因影而知現影者誰也。如執「知」之一字，則世尊拈花，曾無知字，將世尊不及荷澤耶? 況諸宗直出知字處亦不少，豈專說作用耶? 圭峰平日見地極高，予所深服，獨此不滿人意。
Buddha Mind 