The Dharma transmission verses of the Seven Buddhas are very important. Each verse tells us that the body and mind are unreal, so we shouldn't take them seriously. The body is a temporary combination of the four elements, and the mind is intangible and formless. So we shouldn't take the false as real, and cling to our bodies and minds; we shouldn't want to always gain advantages and never take losses. Actually, the body just causes us to create limitless offenses in life after life.

However, if you truly understand how you came to be a person, then your offenses are basically nonexistent. Offenses are nothing to begin with, but because of our attachments, we become deluded, create karma and receive retribution. If you had no delusion, then you wouldn't create karma and receive retribution. Delusion is ignorance and lack of understanding. The first verse is that of Vipashyin Buddha. What does it say?

The body is born from the unmarked,
Just as the myriad phenomena are created by illusion.
The mind and consciousness of an illusory person are originally non-existent;
Offenses and blessings are both empty, abiding nowhere.

 The body is born from the unmarked: Where does this body come from? It has no form, and no actual substance. The four elements make up the body. Therefore he said, "The body is born from the unmarked; it was just born. Just as the myriad phenomena are created by illusion:What is it like? It's like a magician who conjures up something from nothing. Is this conjured object real? No, it's false. Similarly, our body is also false. Therefore, the second line says that it's like an object conjured up by illusion. This is saying that the body is unreal.

Since it's unreal, why can't you take it when someone scolds you? If someone hits you, you're even less able to take it. A little praise makes you incredibly happy, while a few caustic words make you have a fit. Why are you like this? Aren't you letting yourself be deceived by the false? If you haven't anything, where can the dust alight? Why do you have so many vexations? You asked for them yourself. When someone scolds you, why don't you treat it as a song? Just think: "He's speaking Japanese, and I don't understand. He's speaking Spanish or Portuguese, and I don't know what he's singing."

If he scolds you and you don't scold back, then how could this be scolding? If he could scold you, you just treat it as music. Wouldn't that be fine? There's no need to get angry. When someone hits you, treat it as if you bumped into a doorframe while walking--wouldn't that be okay? When you bumped into the doorframe, you got hurt, but who are you going to hit back? If you hit the doorframe, you'll just hurt your hand. If you don't hit it, then there's nothing the matter. You'll feel pain for a little while, but that's no big deal!

The mind and consciousness of an illusory person are originally non-existent. An illusory person has no mind, no consciousness, and no awareness. Offenses and blessings are both empty, abiding nowhere. What are offenses? What are blessings? You shouldn't cling to them. You cling to your body and mind, but this is a complete mistake! If you didn't cling to them, how free and wonderful it would be! You wouldn't be shackled by them. This is the Dharma transmission verse of Vipashyin Buddha, and it teaches one to understand that the body and mind are fundamentally false and illusory.