These are recorded in the early texts as true stories, but their meaning goes beyond their original context. The first story illustrates that in practice, knowledge and intelligence do not necessarily guarantee enlightenment and the second story shows that even a slow person can attain enlightenment. Although Shakyamuni Buddha, Mahakashyapa, and Shariputra were people of great learning, Ch'an has less to do with great learning than with the problem of the mind that is filled with attachments. Enlightenment can be reached only when one's mind is rid of attachments.

It is said that twenty-eight generations of transmissions occurred from the time of Mahakashyapa to the time of Bodhidharma, who is considered the First Patriarch of Chinese Ch'an. His teachings were transmitted through a single line for five generations until the time of the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng (638-713), whose many disciples established many branches, some of which still survive today. I am the 62nd lineage holder of Ch'an from Huineng and the 57th ─ generation in the Linji (810?-866) tradition. In the Caodong lineage, I am the 50th ─ generation descendant of the co-founder, Master Dongshan (807-869).