Thirteenth Patriarch: Venerable Kapimala
Fourteenth Patriarch: Venerable Nagarjuna

Fifteenth Patriarch: Venerable Kanadeva
Sixteenth Patriarch: Venerable Rahulata

Seventeenth Patriarch: Venerable Sanghanandi
Eighteenth Patriarch: Venerable Gayasata

Nineteenth Patriarch: Venerable Kumarata
Twentieth Patriarch: Venerable Jayata

Twenty-first Patriarch: Venerable Vasubandhu
Twenty-second Patriarch: Venerable Manorhita

Twenty-third Patriarch: Venerable Haklenayashas
Twenty-fourth Patriarch: Venerable Simha

Twenty-fifth Patriarch: Venerable Bashyashita
Twenty-sixth Patriarch: Venerable Punyamitra

Twenty-seventh Patriarch: Venerable Prajnatara
Twenty-eighth Patriarch: Venerable Bodhidharma This chapter lists the teachers who became the patriarchs of the Eastern Land.

The Patriarchs of the Eastern Land

The "Eastern Land" refers to China.

First Patriarch: Great Master Bodhidharma
Second Patriarch: Great Ancestral Zen Master Huike

Third Patriarch: Zen Master Sengcan, "Mirror of Wisdom"
Fourth Patriarch: Zen Master Daoxin, "Great Physician"

Fifth Patriarch: Zen Master Hongren, "Great Fullness"
Sixth Patriarch: Zen Master Huineng, "Great Mirror"

The Seven Buddhas

Ancient Buddhas have manifested in this world for ages beyond number; they are too numerous to be known or counted in their entirety. In recent times, it has been said that during the Auspicious Aeon original: "賢劫" (Bhadrakalpa); in Buddhist cosmology, an era in which 1,000 Buddhas appear. there are one thousand Tathagatas A title for a Buddha, meaning "One who has thus come.". Up until the time of Shakyamuni, only seven Buddhas have been formally recorded. According to the Long Agama Sutra: "The power of the seven Buddhas' diligence emits light that destroys the darkness. Each sat beneath a tree and therein achieved Perfect Awakening." Furthermore, Manjushri The Bodhisattva of Wisdom. served as the ancestral teacher to these seven Buddhas. When the "Great Master of Golden Flower and Sublimely Wise" Refers to the Mahasattva Fu (Fu Dashi), a famous 6th-century Chinese lay Buddhist. ascended the peak of Mount Song, his practice was so sincere that he moved the seven Buddhas to lead him from the front, while Vimalakirti A legendary lay contemporary of the Buddha known for his profound understanding of non-duality. followed behind. This record of the transmission begins with these seven Buddhas.

Vipashyin Buddha The 998th Buddha of the preceding "Glorious Aeon."
His verse says:
"The body is born from within the state of no-form,
Like a phantom conjuring various images.
The mind and consciousness of a phantom person are fundamentally non-existent;
Sin and merit are both empty, having no place to rest."

The Long Agama Sutra states: This Buddha appeared in the world when the human lifespan was 80,000 years. He was of the Kshatriya The warrior and ruling caste of ancient India. caste, and his surname was Kondanna. His father was Bandhumat and his mother was Bandhumati. He resided in the city of Bandhumati and sat beneath a Patali tree. He held three assemblies for teaching the Dharma, delivering 348,000 people. He had two foremost disciples: the first was named Khanda and the second Tissa. His attendant was named Ananda, and his son was Fangying.

Shikhin Buddha The 999th Buddha of the "Glorious Aeon."
His verse says:
"The arising of all good teachings is essentially an illusion,
The creation of all evil karma is also an illusion.
The body is like a cluster of foam, the mind is like the wind;
The phantom appearance has no root and no real nature."

The Long Agama Sutra states: This Buddha appeared in the world when the human lifespan was 70,000 years. He was of the Kshatriya caste, and his surname was Kondanna. His father was Mingxiang ("Bright Aspect") and his mother was Guangyao ("Radiant Glory"). He resided in the city of Guangxiang ("Radiant Aspect") and sat beneath a...