Āryadeva

The Fifteenth Ancestor, Venerable Kanadeva, visited the great master Nagarjuna. As he approached the gate, Nagarjuna, knowing he was a wise man, first sent an attendant to place a bowl filled with water before his seat.

The Venerable saw it and immediately threw in a needle, then advanced to meet him. They met joyfully, their minds in perfect accord.

He was a man from South India, of the Vrishala clan. Initially, he sought merit and also delighted in debate. When Nagarjuna, having attained the Dharma, traveled to South India to teach, the people of that land largely believed in merit. Hearing the master expound the wonderful Dharma, they gradually said to one another: 'For a person to possess merit is the foremost thing in the world. To speak idly of Buddha-nature—who can actually see it?'Nagarjuna said: 'If you wish to see Buddha-nature, you must first remove your arrogance.'They asked: 'Is Buddha-nature large or small?'Nagarjuna replied: 'Buddha-nature is neither large nor small, neither broad nor narrow. It has no merit, no retribution; it neither dies nor is born.'Hearing the superiority of this principle, they all turned their initial minds.

Among them, the one of great wisdom, Kanadeva,

visited the great master Nagarjuna. And so, they met joyfully, their minds in perfect accord.

Nagarjuna then shared half his seat with him, just as on Vulture Peak with Mahakashyapa.

The 'Jingde Chuandeng Lu'records that he traveled to Southern India. The people of that land mostly believed in merit-making. Hearing the Venerable One expound the wondrous Dharma, they said to each other: 'A person's meritorious deeds are foremost in the world. Mere words of faith in the Buddha—who can witness them?'The Venerable One said: 'If you wish to see the Buddha-nature, you must first eliminate self-conceit.'They asked: 'How large or small is the Buddha-nature?'The Venerable One replied: 'It is neither large nor small, neither broad nor narrow. It is without merit, without retribution, neither dying nor being born.'Hearing this principle of supreme excellence, they all recognized Nagarjuna and requested him to teach the Dharma. Without rising from his seat, he manifested the appearance of a moon-disc. The master addressed the assembly, saying: 'This is the Venerable One revealing the essence and form of the Buddha-nature to show us. How do we know this? Because the formless samadhi is like the full moon. The meaning of Buddha-nature is vast, empty, and luminous.'When he finished speaking, the disc-form vanished.

Again, seated on his original seat, he spoke a verse: 'The body manifests the form of a perfect moon, to express the substance of all buddhas. Expounding the Dharma without its form,'

'Using discernment that is not sound or form.'Because it is thus, master and disciple are inseparable; the life-vein is immediately connected.

The preceding circumstance is not ordinary. From the very beginning, they met in accord with the Way. Nagarjuna had not a single word to say; Aryadeva had not a single question to ask. Therefore, master and disciple are hard to preserve; how could host and guest be distinguished? Accordingly, especially Aryadeva, raising and expounding the ancestral style, came to be called the 'Aryadeva school'throughout the five regions of India. It is like holding snow in a silver bowl, or hiding an egret in the bright moon.

Because it is thus, at the time of their first meeting, he placed a bowl full of water before the seat. How could there be preservation of inside and outside, of internal and external? Already it is a full bowl, ultimately without deficiency. It is also still water, empty and luminous. Thoroughly penetrating and purely clear. Completely filled and spiritually bright. Therefore, dropping a single needle, they accord and meet.

It must be thoroughly penetrated to the bottom and the top. Neither upright nor biased. Arriving here, master and disciple are inseparable. They resemble each other but are not identical; they merge but leave no trace.

By raising eyebrows and blinking eyes, this matter is manifested; by seeing forms and hearing sounds, this matter is expressed. Therefore, sounds and forms cannot be named, and seeing and hearing cannot be discarded. Perfectly luminous and without characteristics, it is like clear water in empty vastness. Penetrating through spiritual principle, it resembles seeking the divine edge. Everywhere the edge is revealed, clearly communicating the mind and carrying it away. Water flows through, piercing mountains and soaking the heavens; a needle penetrates a bag and pierces a mustard seed. Yet water is never broken by things—how could it leave traces? The needle, for others, surpasses even the hardness of diamond.

Such a needle and water—how could they be other? They are precisely your own body and mind. When swallowed entirely, it is just one needle; when spit out, it is again clear water. Therefore, the way of teacher and disciple is thoroughly penetrated, and there is no self or other at all. Thus, when the life vein is fully connected and the illumination is vast and clear, it cannot be hidden in the ten directions.

It is like a gourd vine entwining a gourd seed. Climbing and descending, it is solely one's own mind. Yet even if people know the clear water, they must carefully perceive and understand that there is a needle at the bottom. If mistakenly taken, it will indeed pierce the throat.

Even though it is thus, do not create a duality. Simply swallow entirely and spit entirely, and carefully consider. Even if you feel pure and empty, it is precisely vast, penetrating, and solid. The three calamities of water, fire, and wind cannot invade it; the kalpas of formation, abiding, decay, and emptiness cannot shift it.

Therefore, to speak of this cause and condition, there is further humble language. Assembly, listen if you wish: 'With one needle, hook all the ocean's water; the fierce dragon finds nowhere to hide.'