菩提達摩，菩提是個覺，達摩是個法，從這個覺法大師這地方來論。因為菩提達摩在印度，他是第二十八代祖師，他為什麼不在那兒做祖師，跑到中國來呢？因為在以前授佛記，佛預先曾經說過，到第二十八代的時候，這個大乘佛法應該傳到震旦，震旦就是中國。
所以菩提達摩由印度坐船到中國的時候，當時中國的佛法似有似無，好像有佛法，又好像沒有佛法。為什麼這樣講呢？因為當時有佛法只是在那兒做表面上的工作，誦經啊、研究經典啊、講經啊，甚至於連拜懺都沒有，這是當時一般的學者就拿著佛法當學問來研究。當學問，就是互相討論研究。所以神光法師，就是二祖慧可，當時就講經說法，講經講得很有感應，講得天華亂墜。天華亂墜並不是人人都看得見的，當時因為也有有善根的人，他就得到天眼。五眼六通，五眼是得到了，六通還談不到，就看見慧可大師一講經，天上就有天女散花，地湧金蓮，從地裏頭湧出金蓮了，神光法師就坐在金蓮花上來講經，你看真是很神氣，這就是研究經典。
所以達摩祖師一看中國的大乘根性成熟了，應該把這個大乘的佛教帶到中國，於是乎也不怕這個路程遙遠、這種旅行的辛苦，來到了中國。你說到了中國怎麼樣呢？中國當時的人看不起外國人，說這是摩羅叉來了，摩羅叉和尚。講話也不懂，語言也不通，所以小孩子一看見達摩祖師就跑了，為什麼呢？看他那麼長的鬍子，就很害怕；大人呢？一看小孩子跑了，就以為這個印度人是不是來抓小孩子來的！所以就叫小孩子更不要接近他了。你看不要說是度大人，他連小孩子都度不到，都沒有人敢接近他。
於是乎到廣州，再從廣州到南京。到南京就去聽神光法師在那兒講經。達摩祖師一看，這個法師在這兒講經，他就聽經。聽完了經，他就問法、請法，說：「法師，你在這兒做什麼呢？」
神光法師說：「我講經呀！」
達摩祖師說：「你講經做什麼？」
神光法師說：「我講經教人了生死呀！」
達摩祖師說：「噢！你教人了生死，生死怎麼樣了法呢？你所講的經，黑的是字，白的是紙，你用什麼教人來了生死？」
神光法師一聽，問得他也沒話講了，心想：「自己用什麼教人了生死呢？」就惱羞成怒，發了脾氣了。
哦！你看他講得天華亂墜，地湧金蓮，也一樣發脾氣，所以我就說似有似無嘛！發了脾氣怎麼樣子呀？他就拿起他這個武器，他的武器是什麼呢？就是一串念珠。他這個念珠，不是我這個星月菩提，我這個不太重，很輕；他那個念珠是用鋼鐵造的，用鋼鐵造的這個念珠做什麼呢？就是預備同人打的時候，就用這個念珠來做兵器、做武器。他這時候一發脾氣，這法師若發了脾氣，那不得了啊！那簡直像洪水，山崩地裂似的，他說：「你現在來謗法！」拿起念珠照著達摩面上就打了一念珠。
雖然達摩祖師大約會武術，因為他未加防避，想不到他會這麼樣子厲害，說不過就要動粗了，所以就把達摩祖師的牙給打掉兩顆。
因為他是聖人，據說祖師、聖人的牙被人打掉了，他若是吐在地上，據一般的傳說––是這樣子不是這樣子，你不要問我，我是這麼樣講，我們先講明白了，不要說為什麼？什麼理由呀？沒有理由，講就是講，沒有理由的，你不要問––吐到地下
，就要三年不下雨。
達摩祖師一想：「噢！這若三年不下雨，你說要餓死多少人哪！我來度眾生、救眾生，這不是殺眾生了嗎？」於是乎把這兩顆牙像吃油餅似的，把它吃到肚裏頭去；油餅沒有那麼硬，他就像吃骨頭似的，吃到肚裏頭去了，吃到肚裏頭於是乎就走了
。外來的人被人欺負也就算了，打掉牙也不能到政府那兒去告這個神光，出家人要忍辱嘛！況且他是個祖師，更應該忍辱，於是乎就走了。
走到半路上，遇到一隻鸚鵡鳥；這隻鸚鵡鳥在籠子裏邊罥著，可是這隻鳥比神光法師就聰明得多，牠認識菩提達摩是一位祖師，牠就說了：
西來意，西來意，請你教我出籠計。
你看達摩祖師對人沒有知音，對於這個小鳥，遇到一個知音。什麼叫知音呢？就是認識他。
達摩祖師一聽，這個小鳥這樣請教他，他也就很高興，就教牠一個方便法，這不是實法，這是權法。他說：
出籠計，出籠計，兩腿伸直兩眼閉，這便是你出籠計。
這好像秘密的妙訣，這是秘密法，所以他說話沒有那麼大聲，我現在講的恐怕比達摩祖師說的聲音要大，他一定告訴那個小鳥說：「出籠計，……這便是你出籠計。」他一定是這樣講的，為什麼呢？他若講得聲音大了，被旁人聽見，這個方法也行不通了。所以你看這個地方，這位祖師用心良苦呀！
方法教會了，這小鳥說：「好了，這可以，我現在明白怎麼樣是出籠計了！」於是乎，小鳥看見牠的主人遠遠地來了，這時候牠就把這個方便法用出來。腿也伸直，眼睛也閉上了，就等著主人來親近牠。
這主人天天回來都要看一看、玩一玩牠，這是他最心愛的一隻小鳥，可以和他談話，又可以給他消愁、解悶，所以回來先要看看這隻鳥。這主人回來一看，哇！甚至於就要哭起來了！怎麼呢？這小鳥在籠子裏頭，躺在那地方不動彈了。啊！他比兒子死了都焦急，他兒子若死了，他恐怕都沒有看得那麼重要。於是乎他把這籠子門打開，把小鳥拿出來放到手上，這還是熱的，熱呼呼的沒有涼，因為牠是假裝死，所以牠身上的暖氣不會沒有的。那麼這主人把小鳥放在手裏轉著看，嗯！不動了，翻過來看，調過來看，看來看去，把手打開看看？噢！把手一打開，你說小鳥怎麼樣？呼！飛了！飛了！這隻小鳥的出籠計靈了。
可是我們現在都在籠子裏呢，我們這個出籠計怎麼辦呢？我們人哪，你不要以為自己是自由的，不要誤解自由，說是我願意吃就吃，我願意喝酒就喝酒，願意做什麼就做什麼，我不守規矩也可以，這就是自由，那簡直太混帳了，那叫誤解自由。你真正自由，要能生死自由，我願意飛到天空就飛到天空，我願意鑽到地裏頭就鑽到地裏頭去，你要有這個本事，才是自由，好像那隻小鳥似的。
神光法師把印度來的和尚打掉了兩顆牙，這和尚也沒有來反攻他，以為這回是得到好處了，勝利了，把外國和尚都給打了。可是把外國和尚給打了，無常鬼卻來了，這無常鬼戴著一頂高帽子，到這裏來說：「法師，你今天壽命應該盡了，閻羅王派我來請你去，你今天就應該死了。」
啊！神光法師一聽，「噢！怎麼我還要死嗎？我也要死嗎？我講經講得天華亂墜，地湧金蓮，講得這樣好，還不能了生死嗎？那麼這個世界上到底有沒有人了生死呢？」就問無常鬼。
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Bodhidharma was the twenty-eighth patriarch in India. Well, why didn't he stay in India and be a patriarch? Why did he go to China? The Buddha had already predicted that it would happen that way. The Buddha made a prophecy that at the time of the twenty-eighth patriarch the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma will be transmitted to China.
Patriarch Bodhidharma went by ship to China. At that time the Buddhism that existed in China was questionable. The Buddhadharma seemed to exist but really didn't. Why do I say that? It's because people only dealt with Buddhism on a superficial level. Few recited the Sutras or studied and lectured them and bowing in repentance was virtually non-existent. It was just a few scholars who considered Buddhism to be a subject for research and debate.
Consider Dharma Master Shenguang, who later became the Second Patriarch Huike, lectured on the Sutras and spoke the Dharma at that time. He got tremendous responses from his Sutra lectures. When he spoke, heavenly flowers would shower down. Now of course not just anyone could see those heavenly flowers, but there were those with good roots who had opened the Heavenly Eye. There are Five Eyes and Six Spiritual Penetrations. Some people had opened the Five Eyes; but no one had attained the Six Spiritual Penetrations. Anyway, there were those who could see heavenly maidens scatter flowers and golden lotuseswell up from the earth while Great Master Huike was explaining the Sutras. Dharma Master Shenguang would sit there upon a golden lotus and explain the Sutras. Would not you say that was a pretty special atmosphere in which to be investigating the Sutras?
Patriarch Bodhidharma saw that in China there were those whose roots in the Great Vehicle Dharma were ripe and that he should take the Great Vehicle Buddhadharma to China. Fearing neither the distance nor the hardship of travel, he went to China. Now what do you suppose happened when he got to China?The Chinese looked down on foreigners at that time and called them barbarians--in this case a barbarian monk. He didn't talk like that, he didn't speak the same languge. The children would run away when they saw the barbarian monk coming. Why? Well, his long beard scared them. What about the adults? As soon as they saw the children running away, they jumped to the conclusion that the Indian was probably a kidnapper and warned their children not to get near him. You see? Not to speak of rescuing adults, he couldn't even save the children. Nobody dared approach him.
Since no one in Guangzhou recognized that he was a patriarch, he didn't stay on in Guangzhou but went on to Nanqing. When he got to Nanqing he went to listen to Dharma Master Shenguang lecture on the Sutras. When he arrived, the Dharma Master was lecturing, and so the Patriarch Bodhidharma listened. After the lecture he asked a question: “Dharma Master what are you doing here?”
Dharma Master Shenguang answered,“
I'm lecturing on the Sutras.”
Patriarch Bodhidharma said, “Why are you explaining the Sutras?”
Dharma Master Shenguang said, “I lecture on the Sutras to teach people how to end birth and death!”
Patriarch Bodhidharma said, “So you teach people to end birth and death, do you? Well, what'the method for ending birth and death? As to the sutras you lecture, what's black is the words and what's white is the paper. What do you use to teach people to end birth and death？”
When Dharma Master Shenguang heard that, he was left speechless. He thought, “What do I use to teach people to end birth and death?” That made him furious. He got angry. Look at that! When he lectured sutras flowers rained down from the heavens and a golden lotus welled up from the earth, yet he still could lose his temper. That's why I said Buddhism seemed to be there, but wasn't.What happened when he got angry? He took out his weapon.
What was his weapon? It was a string of recitation beads. However, his recitation beads were not like my stars and moon Bodhi” which are quite light. His recitation beads were made of iron--hard and heavy. Why did he have recitation beads like that? They served as his weapon. Now he had encountered Patriarch Bodhidharma and gotten mad at the things he said. Let me tell you that when this Dharma Master got angry, it was terrible. It was like being hit by a tidal wave or caught in a landslide.“You are slandering the Dharma!” he shouted, and then cracked Patriarch Bodhidharma across the face with his beads.
Patriarch Bodhidharma was caught off guard. It hadn’t occurred to him that the Dharma Master would be so violent. Anyway, it ended up that two of Patriarch Bodhidharma’s teeth got knocked loose.
He was a sage, and there’s any old saying about what happened if someone knocks out the teeth of a Patriarch--a sage--and he spits those teeth out on the ground. The saying goes...now don't ask me if this is true or not, I'm just telling it like I heard it. Let's get it clear first that I don't want you to ask why.There isn't any reason. It's just an old saying--no reason for it. Anyway, it's said that if he spits them out on the ground, it won't rain at that place for three years.
Patriarch Bodhidharma thought, “Suppose it really doesn’t rain for three years, imagine how many people will starve to death! I came here to save people, not to kill them!” And so he swallowed them as if they were a couple of oil cakes. After swallowing them, he left. When a foreigner is bullied, he just as to let it go. Although someone had knocked two of his teeth out, he couldn’t report it to the authorities or file a suit against Dharma Master Shenguang. Left-home people have to be patient. How much the more should he, a patriarch, forebear. And so he just left and made his way to Henan.
The parrot was trapped in a cage, however, the bird was much smarter than Dharma Master Shenguang. It recognized that Bodhidharma was a patriarch, and called out,
Mind Come from the West,
Mind Come from the West,
Please teach me how to get out of this cage!”
Patriarch Bodhidharma hadn't found a single person who understood him, but he met a parrot who recognized him.
When Patriarch Bodhidharma heard the parrot's request for instruction he was delighted. And so he taught the bird a method--a provisional one, not an actual one. He said,
To escape the cage,
To escape the cage,
Stick both legs out straight and close your eyes.
That is the way to escape the cage.“
It was like a secret devise, an esoteric dharma, and so he whispered it. In explaining this to you, my voice is probably a lot louder than Patriarch Bodhidharma's was at the time. I'm sure he must have whispered it. Why? Well, if he said it out loud, someone might have heard him and then the method wouldn't work. From this we can see that the Patriarch was very dedicated and cautious.
Having been taught the method, the parrot said,“Fine. Now I know what to do. I understand how to get out of this cage.” Then, when the parrot saw his owner coming from afar, he put the method into use, stretching out his legs and closing his eyes, he waited for his owner to come near. Every day when the owner returned, he always came to check on his bird and play with it. He was extremely fond of his parrot. He would talk to it and
returned and saw the bird, he was shocked to the point of tears. What was wrong? The bird was lying on the floor of the cage unmoving. The owner was more frantic than if his own son had died. He opened the door of the cage and placed the bird in the palm of his hand, grasping it lightly. It was still warm; the body hadn’t cooled yet. That was because it was only pretending to be dead, and so of course its body temperature hadn’t cooled off. Well, the owner turned his hand this way and that looking at the bird, which didn’t move. Turning his hand this way and that, he saw that the bird really did seem to be dead, except that the body was warm. Slowly the owner opened his palm to have a better look. Well, what do you suppose happened? The parrot was instantly alert and phlrrrttt! it flew away. The parrot had escaped from its cage!
But we are still in a cage. How do we get out of our cage? You shouldn't think that we people are free. Don't mistake the meaning of freedom. Don't assume that freedom means being able to eat when you want to, drink alcohol when you want to, or do whatever else you feel like, including not following the rules. That's ridiculous! That's a misinterpretation of freedom. To be truly free, you must be free of birth and death, and then, if you wish to fly into space you can fly into space, and if you wish to burrow into the earth, you can burrow into the earth. If you can do that, you will gain the kind of freedom that the little bird gained.
Dharma Master Shenguang knocked out two of that Indian monk's teeth, and since the monk didn’t retaliate, the Dharma Master figured he had the advantage; that he'd won the victory. He'd put a barbarian monk in his place. But not long after he struck the barbarian, the Ghost of Impermanence, wearing his today. King Yama is inviting you to go. The time has come for you to die.”
When Dharma Master Shenguang heard that he cried, “What? I still have to die? When I lecture the Sutras I speak so well that flowers drift down from the heavens and a golden lotus wells up from the earth, and yet I still haven't ended birth and death? Tell me,” he asked the Ghost of Impermanence, “is there anyone in this world who has ended birth and death?”
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