Bodhidharma’s labour of nine years in China resulted in the initiation of a number of disciples, whom some time before his death he addressed as follows:  “Now the time (of my departure from this world) is at hand.  Say, one and all, how do you understand the Law?” Tao Fu (Do-fuku) said in response to this:  “The Law does not lie in the letters (of the Scriptures), according to my view, nor is it separated from them, but it works.”  The Master said:  “Then you have obtained my skin.”  Next Tsung Chi (So-ji), a nun, replied:  “As Ananda[FN#32] saw the kingdom of Aksobhya[FN#33] only once but not twice, so I understand the Law”.  The master said:  “Then you have attained to my flesh.”  Then Tao Yuh (Do-iku) replied:  “The four elements[FN#34] are unreal from the first, nor are the five aggregates[FN#35] really existent.  All is emptiness according to my view.”  The master said:  “Then you have acquired my bone.”  Lastly, Hwui Ko (E-ka), which was the Buddhist name given by Bodhidharma, to Shang Kwang, made a polite bow to the teacher and stood in his place without a word.  “You have attained to my marrow.”  So saying, Bodhidharma handed over the sacred Kachaya, [FN#36] which he had brought from India to Hwui Ko, as a symbol of the transmission of the Law, and created him the Second Patriarch.

[FN#32] A favourite disciple of Shakya Muni, and the Third Patriarch of Zen.

[FN#33] The:  name means I Immovable,’ and represents the firmness of thought.

[FN#34] Earth, water, fire, and air.

[FN#35] (1) Rupa, or form; (2) Vedana, or perception; (3) Samjnya, or consciousness; (4) Karman (or Samskara), or action; (5) Vijnyana, or knowledge.

[FN#36] The clerical cloak, which is said to have been dark green.  It became an object of great veneration after the Sixth Patriarch, who abolished the patriarchal system and did not hand the symbol over to successors.

6.  The Second and the Third Patriarchs.

After the death of the First Patriarch, in A.D. 528, Hwui Ko did his best to propagate the new faith over sixty years.  On one occasion a man suffering from some chronic disease called on him, and requested him in earnest:  “Pray, Reverend Sir, be my confessor and grant me absolution, for I suffer long from an incurable disease.”  “Bring out your sin (if there be such a thing as sin),” replied the Second Patriarch, “here before me.  I shall grant you absolution.”  “It is impossible,” said the man after a short consideration, “to seek out my sin.”  “Then,” exclaimed the master, “I have absolved you.  Henceforth live up to Buddha, Dharma, and Samgha."[FN#37] “I know, your reverence,” said the man, “that you belong to Samgha; but what are Buddha and Dharma?” “Buddha is Mind itself.  Mind itself is Dharma.  Buddha is identical with Dharma.  So is Samgha.”  “Then I understand,” replied the man, “there is no such thing as sin within my body nor without it, nor anywhere else.  Mind is beyond and above