Nāgārjuna

The Fourteenth Ancestor, the Venerable Nagarjuna, because the Thirteenth Ancestor was going to the Dragon King's invitation, received the wish-fulfilling jewel. The Master asked, 'This jewel is the supreme treasure in the world. Does it have form or is it formless?'The Ancestor said, 'You only know having form and being formless. You do not know that this jewel is neither having form nor being formless.'

You also do not yet know that this jewel is not a jewel.'Hearing this, the Master deeply awakened.

He was a person from Western India. He was also named Naga-mitra.

The Thirteenth Ancestor, at that time, conferred the precepts and transmitted the Dharma.

He arrived in Western India. There was a prince there, named Cloud Freedom. Hearing the Venerable's name, he invited him to the palace and made offerings. The Venerable said, 'The Tathagata has a teaching: a monk should not become intimate with the families of kings, great ministers, or those with power and influence.'The prince said, 'Now, north of my country's city, there is a great mountain. In the mountain, there is a stone cave. Master, could you practice Zen stillness there or not?'

The Venerable said, 'Yes.'Immediately, he entered that mountain and walked several li, where he encountered a great python.

The Venerable One advanced directly without looking back. A python came and coiled around the Venerable One's body. The Venerable One then bestowed upon it the Three Refuges. After listening, the python departed. The Venerable One was about to reach the stone cave. Again, an old man appeared, dressed in plain clothes, and joined his palms in greeting. The Venerable One asked, 'Where do you reside?'The old man replied, 'I was once a bhikshu. I greatly enjoyed tranquility and dwelt in seclusion in the mountains and forests. There were novice bhikshus who came frequently seeking instruction. However, I became annoyed by responding and gave rise to thoughts of anger and resentment. Upon death, I fell and became a python body, dwelling in this cave, and it has now been a thousand years. Just now, I encountered the Venerable One and obtained the hearing of the dharma of precepts. Therefore, I have come only to express gratitude.'The Venerable One asked, 'Are there any other people residing in this mountain?'He said, 'Ten li north from here, there is a great tree that shades and covers five hundred great dragons. That tree king is named Dragon Tree. He constantly expounds the dharma for the assembly of dragons. I too merely listen and receive.'The Venerable One then went there with his disciples. Dragon Tree came out to welcome the Venerable One and said, 'The deep mountains are solitary and desolate, a place where dragons and pythons dwell. Great Virtue, Most Venerable One, why do you trouble your spiritual feet?'The Venerable One said, 'I am not the Most Venerable One; I have come to visit a worthy one.'Dragon Tree silently thought, 'Has this master attained decisive nature and clarified the eye of the Way? Is he a great sage who inherits the true vehicle?'The Venerable One said, 'Although you speak in your mind, I already know your intention. Just prepare to leave home; why worry about whether I am a sage or not?'Dragon Tree, hearing this, repented, apologized, and left home. The Venerable One immediately granted him liberation. And the five hundred dragon assembly all received the full precepts.

From the 'Jingde Chuandeng Lu': He arrived in Western India. There was a prince there named Cloud Freedom. Respecting the Venerable One's name, he requested to make offerings in the palace. The Venerable One said, 'The Tathagata has taught that shramanas must not associate with the families of kings, ministers, and those in power.'The prince said, 'North of our city-state, there is a great mountain. In the mountain, there is a stone cave. Could the master meditate in tranquility there?'The Venerable One said, 'Yes.'He then entered that mountain. After walking several li, he encountered a great python. The Venerable One advanced directly without looking back. It then coiled around the master's body. The master therefore bestowed upon it the Three Refuges. After listening, the python departed. The Venerable One was about to reach the stone cave. Again, an old man appeared, dressed in plain clothes, and joined his palms in greeting. The Venerable One asked, 'Where do you reside?'He replied, 'I was once a bhikshu. I greatly enjoyed tranquility. There were novice bhikshus who came frequently seeking instruction. However, I became annoyed by responding and gave rise to thoughts of anger and resentment. Upon death, I fell and became a python body, dwelling in this cave, and it has now been a thousand years. Just now, I encountered the Venerable One and obtained the hearing of the dharma of precepts. Therefore, I have come only to express gratitude.'The Venerable One asked, 'Are there any other people residing in this mountain?'He said, 'Ten li north from here, there is a great tree that shades and covers five hundred great dragons. That tree king is named Dragon Tree. He constantly expounds the dharma for the assembly of dragons. I too merely listen and receive.'

The Venerable One then went with his disciples to that place. Dragon Tree came out to welcome the Venerable One and said, 'The deep mountains are solitary and desolate, a place where dragons and pythons dwell. Great Virtue, Most Venerable One, why do you trouble your spiritual feet?'The master said, 'I am not the Most Venerable One; I have come to visit a worthy one.'Dragon Tree silently thought, 'Has this master attained decisive nature and clarified the eye of the Way? Is he a great sage who inherits the true vehicle?'The master said, 'Although you speak in your mind, I already know your intention. Just prepare to leave home; why worry about whether I am a sage or not?'Dragon Tree, hearing this, repented and apologized. The Venerable One immediately granted him liberation. And the five hundred dragon assembly all received the full precepts. (T 2076.51.210a2-22). However, from then on, having followed the Venerable One for four years,

When he went in response to the invitation of the Thirteenth Ancestor, the Dragon King, he offered a wish-fulfilling pearl. The master asked, 'Is this pearl the supreme treasure in the world?'... The master, hearing this, deeply awakened.

He was finally listed as the Fourteenth Ancestor.

Finally, he was ranked as the Fourteenth Patriarch.

Nagarjuna studied heterodox paths and possessed spiritual powers. He often went to the dragon palace and saw the sutras of the seven buddhas. Upon seeing their titles, he understood the heart of the sutras, and ordinarily converted five hundred dragons. So-called Nanda Dragon King, Upananda Dragon King, and others are all bodhisattvas of equal enlightenment. They all received the entrustment of previous buddhas and enshrined the various sutras. Now, when the teaching of the great master Shakyamuni has exhausted its transformative connection with humans and devas, it will all be stored in the dragon palace.

Having such great majestic spiritual power, though he ordinarily conversed and interacted with the great dragon kings, he was not yet a true practitioner of the Way. He was merely studying heterodox paths. Only after once taking refuge with the Thirteenth Ancestor did he become truly great and clear-eyed.

Yet people all think: Nagarjuna is not merely the Fourteenth Ancestor of the ancestral gate. Because he is also the ancestral teacher of various schools, esoteric Buddhism takes him as its fundamental ancestor. Tiantai also takes him as its foundation. Yin-yang, sericulture, and others also take him as their foundation. These are all because he formerly studied various arts.

But after being listed in the ancestral position, disciples of the discarded various arts say, 'I too consider Nagarjuna as the fundamental ancestor.'This is then thinking it is Nagarjuna. They are demonic factions and animal-like beings who confuse right and wrong and cannot distinguish jade from stone. Only Nagarjuna's buddhadharma, and Kanadeva alone, are the true transmission. The rest are all discarded various schools. This should be understood through the present circumstances.

After being ranked among the patriarchs, the disciples of the various arts that were abandoned said, 'We too, Nāgārjuna, are the original patriarch.'This is thinking that he is Nāgārjuna. They are a demonic faction, beasts who confuse right and wrong and cannot distinguish jade from stone. Only Nāgārjuna's Buddha-dharma, and Kāṇadeva alone, are the true transmission. All others are the various schools that were abandoned. This should be known through the present circumstances.

Although he had guided and transformed five hundred dragon beings, when the Venerable Kapimala arrived, he went out to welcome him, bowing and paying respects, intending to test him. The Venerable, for a while, concealed himself and did not reveal the true lineage. Nagarjuna silently thought, 'Is this a great sage who has inherited the true vehicle?'He tried to discern this in his mind. The Patriarch said, 'Simply distinguish between leaving home and not. Why should you worry about whether I am a sage or not?'Upon hearing this, Nagarjuna felt ashamed and succeeded him as the thirteenth patriarch. This should be understood through the present circumstances.

It is said, this pearl is the supreme treasure in the world. Is this pearl with form or without form? Indeed, Nagarjuna knew it long ago. Should we consider it as with form or without form? This strongly moves and clings to views of existence and non-existence. Therefore, the ancestor indicated and said.

Indeed, even if it is a worldly pearl, when discussing true reality, it is neither with form nor without form—it is simply a pearl. Moreover, the pearl tied to the forehead of a strong man, the pearl wrapped in the topknot of a wheel-turning king, the pearl of the dragon king, the pearl in the drunkard's robe—all do not involve others'views, and it is difficult to discern them as with form or without form. However, the pearls mentioned so far are all worldly pearls. They are entirely not the supreme treasure on the Way. How much more so, one cannot even know that this pearl is not a pearl. Indeed, one must be meticulous.

Xuansha said, 'The whole body is a pearl—who can know it?'He also said, 'The entire ten-direction world is a single bright pearl.'Indeed, this should not be discerned using the views of humans and devas. However, even if it is a worldly pearl, it does not come from outside at all. All arise and appear from one's own mind.

Therefore, Lord Indra receives and uses it as the wish-fulfilling jewel treasure and the mani jewel treasure.

When sick, placing this pearl cures the sickness immediately. When worried, wearing this pearl removes worries naturally. Manifesting supernatural transformations also relies on this pearl. Among the seven treasures of a wheel-turning king, there is the mani jewel.

All precious treasures entirely arise from this. Their use is immeasurable. Thus, according to the karmic retribution of humans and devas, there are superior and inferior, distinctions and differences.

The wish-fulfilling jewel among humans is even called a grain of rice, yet it is considered a precious jewel. Compared to the jewel of the heavens, it is a constructed and established thing. Still, it is called a jewel. Likewise, the relics of the Tathagata, when the Buddha-dharma perishes, become wish-fulfilling jewels, raining down everything, and also become grains of rice to aid sentient beings.

Even if it manifests as the Buddha-body, manifests as a grain of rice, appears as the ten thousand dharmas, or appears as a single particle, the self-mind manifests and becomes a five-foot body, a three-headed form, a form with fur and horns, or the myriad phenomena in their various categories. Yet, one must discern that mind-jewel.

Do not, like monks of old, wish for tranquility and seclude yourselves in mountain forests. Truly, in the past there were such errors of not having attained the Way, and in recent times there are also such errors of not having attained the Way. Thinking that because mingling with many people, coming and going, is not peaceful, one should dwell alone in the mountains and forests and quietly sit in zazen and practice the Way. Many who speak thus and seclude themselves in mountain valleys, practicing recklessly, mostly tend to go astray. Why? Because they do not know the true reality and merely put themselves first.

Again, it is said, 'Great Plum Constant Zen Master also wore an iron hat and sat amidst pine smoke. Guishan Dayuan Zen Master also made friends with tigers and wolves and practiced at the bottom of clouds and mist. We too should practice like this.'Truly laughable. Know that all the ancients, having attained the Way and received the seal of approval from a true teacher, practiced thus temporarily in order to mature their path-practice while awaiting the right opportunity. Great Plum received the true seal of Mazu; Guishan did so after receiving the transmission from Baizhang. It is not a matter for foolish views. Ancients like Hidden Mountain and Luo Mountain never dwelled alone before attaining the Way. They displayed their virtuous conduct in their time and left their names for later generations. They are great sages with clear eyes, true persons who attained the Way. Those who, without reaching where they should reach, dwell in mountain valleys like monkeys are indeed the most lacking in the aspiration for the Way. If one's dharma-eye is not clear and bright, and one practices self-cultivation, one will become a sravaka or pratyekabuddha, a vain and ruined seed. So-called ruined seed means a burnt seed; it cuts off the Buddha-seed. However, all you virtuous ones,

If, after carefully practicing in the monastic community for a long time, seeking out teachers extensively, the great matter becomes completely clear, and you yourself have clearly discerned it, and thereafter you temporarily deepen your roots and solidify your foundation—even if this is said to be the ancestral instruction—in this particular school, Eihei's founding teacher especially warned against dwelling alone. This is to prevent people from going astray.

Especially, the instruction of the former teacher of two generations said: 'My disciples must not dwell alone. Even if they have attained the Way, they should practice in the monastic community. How much more so should those still studying and learning never dwell alone in any circumstance. Those who violate this rule are not of my lineage.'

Furthermore, Master Yuanwu said: 'The ancients, after attaining the essence, faced thatched huts and stone chambers in deep mountains, cooked their meals on broken-legged pots and ate. For ten or twenty years, they greatly forgot the human world, forever withdrawing from the dusty realm. In these times, we dare not hope for such.'

Furthermore, Huanglong Nan said: 'Rather than guarding the Way oneself and growing old in mountain forests, how could it compare to guiding others into the monastic community?'Modern great masters all do not prefer solitary dwelling. Moreover, people's capacities are entirely inferior to those of the ancients. One should only cultivate and practice the Way within the monastic community.

Even the ancients like this still, due to careless attention, arbitrarily preferred quietude. When newly studying bhikkhus came seeking instruction, they did not answer what should be answered and gave rise to anger. Truly know this: their body and mind are not yet harmonized. To separate from teachers and dwell alone in secluded places—even if expounding the Dharma like Nagarjuna—would only be the category of karmic retribution.

Because all of you have deeply planted good roots, you correctly hear and attain the Tathagata's true Dharma. It is said: 'Do not become intimate with kings and ministers.'Do not prefer solitary dwelling in secluded places. Only diligently advance in the practice of the Way, and thoroughly penetrate the source of Dharma. This is precisely the Tathagata's true oral instruction.

Today, in raising this timely causal circumstance, there is humble speech. Do you wish to hear it?

The solitary light, numinous and vast, constantly without obscurity. The wish-fulfilling jewel divides its illumination and comes.