Having Transmitted the Dharma to Someone,
He Appears to Enter Nirvana

传法有人　示入涅槃

After that there was a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth time. Each of those six times, he ingested the poison. One day, Patriarch Bodhidharma said to Dharma Master Shen Guang, "I came to China because I saw people and other beings with a propensity for the Great Vehicle. That is why I brought the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma to China. Now I have already transmitted the Dharma to someone who will continue the line. I am not going to stay here any longer. I am ready to die now."

以后又有三次、四次、五次、六次，吃了六次毒药，达摩祖师就对慧可说：“我到中国来，是因为中国有大乘根性的众生，所以我把大乘佛教带到这儿来。现在已经传法有人──有人接续我这个法了，我就不留在这儿，现在就要死了。”

Great Master Hui Ke (Dharma Master Shen Guang) asked Patriarch Bodhidharma, "In India, did you transmit the Dharma to your disciples? Did you also give the robe and the bowl as certification?"

慧可大师就问达摩祖师，说：“你在印度有没有传法的徒弟？是不是也要给袈裟，用衣钵袈裟来做凭据？”

"I transmitted the Dharma in India," replied Bodhidharma, "but I did not use the robe and the bowl as a token of faith. That is because the people of India are straightforward. When they cultivate and attain the fruition, they know they must be certified. If no one certifies them, they do not say, 'I have attained the Way! I have certified to the fruition! I have given proof to Arhatship! I am a Bodhisattva!' They do not speak like that. People there are upright and straight.

"Chinese people, however, are different. In China there are many beings with a propensity for the Great Vehicle, but there are also many people who lie. Having not yet cultivated to successful completion, such people claim to have the Way. Having not yet certified to the fruition, such people claim to be certified sages. That is why the robe and bowl must be used here as a token of certification. Therefore I will transmit the robe and bowl to prove that you have received the transmission. Guard them well and take care."

达摩祖师说：“没有！在印度，我们传法是传法，但是不用衣钵袈裟来表信。因为印度的人心都很直率，他修道，得道就说得道，有人证明他是开悟得道，就是得道了；如果没有人证明，自己不会说我得了道，我证了果，我又是阿罗汉，我又是菩萨了。没有人会这么讲的，所以那里的人都很正直。中国人不同，中国大乘根性的众生是多，可是打妄语的人也多。修道道业还没成，他说成道了；没有证果，他说证果了，所以要用衣钵袈裟来表信。那么现在传给你这个衣钵袈裟，你好好保持着。”

With the transmission of the Dharma from Patriarch Bodhidharma, Dharma Master Shen Guang received the name Hui Ke, which means "Able Wisdom," evidence that his wisdom was truly up to the task; it was sufficient. Dharma Master Shen Guang, that is, Great Master Hui Ke, listened to Patriarch Bodhidharma's instructions and thereupon understood the Dharma transmission he had received.

达摩祖师传法给神光法师后，就为他改名字叫慧可，说他的智慧真可以了，够了。神光法师──就是慧可大师，听达摩祖师这样地吩咐他，也就明白传法的意义。