Dazu Huike

Dazu Huike was the second patriarch of Chinese Chan, the successor of Bodhidharma and one of the most dramatic figures in the tradition. He first sought out Bodhidharma while the master was engaged in his nine years of wall-gazing, standing in the snow outside the meditation hall. When Bodhidharma refused to see him, Huike cut off his own arm at the elbow and presented it as evidence of his sincerity. Bodhidharma then agreed to teach him.

Huike's encounter with Bodhidharma is recorded as proceeding through a series of exchanges that paralleled Bodhidharma's famous encounter with Emperor Wu. When Huike said his mind was not at peace and asked Bodhidharma to put it at rest, Bodhidharma replied: "Bring me your mind and I will put it at rest." After a long search, Huike said: "I have searched for my mind and cannot find it." Bodhidharma replied: "There, I have put it at rest for you." This exchange remains one of the most celebrated encounters in Chan history and stands as a direct illustration of the method of investigating the nature of mind. Huike transmitted to Jianzhi Sengcan, continuing the lineage during a dangerous period of religious persecution.