禅诗：菩提本无树 Chan Poems: Originally, There is no Bodhi Tree

慧能（638-713）是中国佛教传统里最重要的任务之一。传统上，他被认为是禅宗六祖，也是禅宗的最后宗师。据说，他认为提倡佛教实践方式应该是即时与直接的；从这个角度来看，他可以说是南禅‘顿悟’派的创立者。

据说五祖弘忍大师（601-674）决定竞选六祖。弟子只要以一首诗来阐述他们对般若（智慧）的深刻了解就行了。大弟子神秀写了以下一首诗在墙上：


身是菩提树，心为明镜台；

时时勤拂拭，勿使惹尘埃。

五祖论述神秀的诗时认为它不能深入地进入世间有情众生的佛性‘空’及宇宙多样性的核心。这是因为在讲到现象的生灭、静垢，与戒定慧三学的增减时，还是含有二元观。

轮到慧能时，由于他不识字，所以一位师弟替他写在墙上：

菩提本无树，明镜亦非台；

本来无一物，何处惹尘埃。

虽然五祖认为慧能的是也没触到物性要点，但是从他把法衣长袍与化缘钵传给慧能就表示他的赞许。

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Huineng (638–713) is one of the most important figures in the Chinese Buddhism tradition. He has been traditionally viewed as the Sixth and Last Patriarch of Chan Buddhism. He is said to have advocated an immediate and direct approach to Buddhist practice and enlightenment, and in this regard, is considered the founder of the ‘Sudden Enlightenment’ southern Chan school of Buddhism. 

It is said that the fifth Patriarch Hong Ren (601-674) decided that he would choose the next Patriarch by means of a competition. Monks could write a poem about developing Prajna (wisdom) to show their depth of understanding. The most senior monk Shen Xiu wrote the following poem on the wall.

The body is the Bodhi tree;

The mind like the bright mirror.

Diligently wiping out the dust;

Let no dust alight.

The Patriarch commented that Shen Xiu’s work was not profound enough to penetrate utmost into the Emptiness of the Buddha-nature of sentient beings and the multiplicity of the cosmos. This is because it still involves the dualistic view of phenomena in terms of arising and ceasing, impurity and purity or increasing and decreasing in terms of three-fold training of morality, concentration and wisdom.

Next Huineng got a junior monk to write poetic reply on the wall for him since he was illiterate:

Originally, there is no Bodhi tree;

Neither is there the stand of the bright mirror.

Originally, everything is empty;

Where could the dust alight?

Although the Patriarch commented that Hui Neng’s poem also hadn’t seen the essential nature, he apparently felt that Hui Neng could make the grade when he passed the robe and begging bowl to Hui Neng.