He Transmitted the Dharma to Three People;
His Body Is Empty and Gone

传法三人　全身空无

After the Patriarch transmitted the Dharma to Great Master Hui Ke, he also accepted many other Chinese disciples. While he sat facing the wall for nine years at Bear's Ear Mountain, it's not known how many people came to take refuge, pay their respects, and bow to him as their teacher. Among them were three individuals whom Patriarch Bodhidharma mentioned when he was about to pass into stillness. He said, "I came to China and transmitted my Dharma to three people. One received my marrow, one received my bones, and one received my flesh." That is why he himself had no physical body. He divided his body up and gave it away to others.

除了慧可法师，达摩祖师到中国后，收了很多中国徒弟。当时他在熊耳山那儿面壁九年，不知多少人去皈依、顶礼，拜他做师父。其中得法的有三人，他临圆寂时说：“我到中国来，法传了三个人。一个得到我的髓，一个得到我的骨头，一个得到我的肉。”所以他自己也没有身体了，把身体都分给人了。

Great Master Hui Ke received Patriarch Bodhidharma's marrow. Chan Master Dao Yu received Patriarch Bodhidharma's bones. The third was Bhikshuni Zong Chi (Dao Ji). Do you remember her? When I lectured on the Dharma Flower Sutra didn't I tell you about how a blue lotus flower grew from her mouth after she died? That Bhikshuni received Patriarch Bodhidharma's flesh. She consumed Patriarch Bodhidharma's flesh; Dhyana Master Dao Yu chewed up Patriarch Bodhidharma's bones, and Patriarch Hui Ke drank Patriarch Bodhidharma's marrow. In the end, Patriarch Bodhidharma had no body at all. And so don't look for him in America; you won't find him.

那么谁得到他的髓？就是慧可大师，得到达摩祖师的髓。道育禅师，得到达摩祖师的骨。道济比丘尼，就是总持比丘尼，我讲《法华经》时，不是说有一位比丘尼死后，口里生出一朵青莲花来吗？就是这位比丘尼。她得到达摩祖师的肉，把达摩祖师的肉都给吃了；而道育禅师把达摩祖师的骨头都给啃了；还有慧可祖师把达摩祖师的髓都给喝了；所以达摩祖师连身体都没有了。因此各位不要在美国找，找不着了！