Reading Ouchi Seiran's "Lectures on the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch" (Part 1, Section 5: Huineng Composes a Gatha)

[Text of the Platform Sutra Lecture]

The Sixth Patriarch had been working in the mill for eight months when one day a young boy came by reciting a gatha. Upon questioning the boy, he learned it was composed by Senior Monk Shenxiu. He had the boy (the text says 'shonin' or 'superior person,' but it refers to the boy) lead him to the south corridor where the gatha was inscribed. At that time, a 'biejia' (something like a deputy to the governor) named Zhang Riyong was nearby. The Sixth Patriarch asked him to read it. After hearing it, he said, 'I also have a gatha. Please write it down for me, Biejia.' The Biejia was surprised and said with a tone of contempt, 'You, too, can compose a gatha? This is a rare event.' The Sixth Patriarch replied, 'If you wish to seek supreme bodhi, do not slight the beginner. Wisdom does not necessarily depend on one's status; there are those of low status who possess superior wisdom, and those of high status who are ignorant. If you slight people without regard for their wisdom, you will never cease to hold onto your own views, and you will incur immeasurable sin.' Whether these words—'If you wish to learn this supreme bodhi, you must not slight the beginner'—actually came from the mouth of the Sixth Patriarch or not, I do not know; but regardless of who said them, they are golden words. Learning should value the long duration of practice, but in religion, why ask about the length, shallowness, or depth of study? The essential point is to judge only by faith or lack thereof. There are those whose knowledge covers an entire generation and who are revered as masters for a hundred ages, yet who often stand at the brink of life and death, wandering and distraught. Even an illiterate village elder, however, may have an unshakable conviction that does not fear water or fire, and faces death with calm resignation. In religion, academic knowledge, titles, or high worldly status are not what is precious; the essential point is only faith. For those who possess faith, even a beginner is a great spiritual friend. The Biejia Zhang could not withstand the Sixth Patriarch's sharp tongue, so he changed the subject and said, 'Stop talking nonsense and just recite your gatha; I will write it down.' However, perhaps feeling something in his heart, he added, 'If you attain the Dharma, you must save me first. Do not forget this.' This was very thoughtful.
Comparing this section with the Wudeng Huiyuan, it is as follows:

In the Zhengzongji and other texts, 'having dust' is written as 'attracting dust,' which is incorrect. Also, in the Chuandenglu, 'no tree' is written as 'not a tree,' 'bright mirror' as 'mind mirror,' and 'where can dust be attracted' as 'how can it be wiped away.' None of these are smooth. The Wudeng Huiyuan has corrected it to the current text. Whether we speak of bodhi, a bright mirror, a tree, a stand, the body, or the mind, these are all merely provisional names and empty images of delusional discrimination. Shenxiu could not yet transcend this realm of delusional discrimination, saying that the body is like a bodhi tree and the mind like a bright mirror stand. Having seen the two as body and mind, he compared them to a bodhi tree and a bright mirror stand. Opposite to bodhi there must be defilement, and opposite to brightness there must be darkness. Having already acknowledged light and dark, he is concerned about defilement and bodhi. How can he not desire to leave the darkness of defilement and turn toward the light of bodhi? Therefore, he says one must practice diligently from time to time to wipe it clean so that dust does not settle. This is Shenxiu's way of understanding, and while it is the most urgent task for a beginner, to equate this childish technique with the true Dharma Eye Treasury of direct pointing and single transmission is a greater mistake than calling a donkey's saddle a grandfather's chin. Therefore, Huineng was not daring to refute Shenxiu's gatha; it was not worth refuting in the first place. Standing in a position as different as clouds and mud, he simply spat out the true face of all phenomena as it is, naked and exposed: 'Bodhi originally has no tree, the bright mirror is also not a stand.' It is not just that there are no idle furnishings like bodhi or bright mirrors; there is also nothing to acknowledge regarding defilement, life and death, the six realms, or the four modes of birth. There is no need for the three bodies, four wisdoms, ten powers, four fearlessnesses, eighteen unique qualities, thirty-two marks, or eighty secondary characteristics—those things used to trick old women and frighten children. If you look with the true eye, the sun rises and sets on the horizon, the mountains are deep before the gate, and the water is cold. In this, what defilement or bodhi is there to choose, and what life and death or nirvana is there to discuss? Regarding this state, Maitreya the Great Being said, 'Mountains are mountains, water is water,' and Huineng said, 'Originally there is not one thing.' 'Originally' refers to the beginningless and endless state of all phenomena in time. 'Not one thing' refers to the lively and unobstructed state of all phenomena individually in space. Do not ever misunderstand the three characters 'not one thing' as the so-called empty and silent state of the world. Since all phenomena are free and unobstructed, each is independent and honored; they do not accept the fabrication of others, nor do they rely on the arrangements of others. Why speak of pure or defiled, or discuss delusion or enlightenment? Therefore he says, 'Where can dust be attracted?' It is not just dust; look to see where one could attract purity, or where one could attract true enlightenment.
It is written that after he wrote this gatha, the assembly was all surprised and amazed. That is, of course, to be expected, but why did they let this bodhisattva in the flesh spend so much time—eight months—pounding rice? The assembly might have said, 'What a waste,' but it is doubtful whether the Sixth Patriarch said this himself from his own mouth. It is doubtful, but in fact, it must have been so. Therefore, the Fifth Patriarch heard of the high reputation of the rumor, and fearing that Huineng would be harmed by the jealousy of others, he wiped away the gatha of 'originally there is not one thing' with his shoe and said he had not yet seen his nature. Huineng originally did not need to see his nature. The Fifth Patriarch's 'wiping it away with his shoe' was, conversely, like cheering for Huineng's long life. Without knowing that, the crowd thought it was correct. Their lack of spirit is enough to show that there was not another person among them with blood under their skin. The Chuandenglu says, 'The Patriarch later saw this gatha and asked, "Who wrote this? He has not yet seen his nature." The assembly heard the Master say this, and consequently paid no more attention to it.'