In this fourth session on the story of the Sixth Ancestor, Huineng (Eno), we move beyond the famous poems and into what happened next: the quiet transmission from the Fifth Ancestor, Hongren.
After the two poems were presented, the senior monk’s verse was publicly praised for encouraging steady practice and discipline. Privately, however, Hongren recognized something deeper in Eno’s understanding. In the middle of the night, he secretly transmitted the Dharma to him, giving him the robe and bowl — traditional symbols of succession — and instructed him to leave immediately.
This transmission was not public or ceremonial. It happened quietly because Hongren understood the human dynamics within the community. Naming an illiterate kitchen worker as successor over senior monks would likely provoke jealousy and conflict. Insight and realization are one thing; human emotions are another.
What Is Transmitted?
Zen transmission is not the passing of knowledge, authority, or enlightenment as a possession.
It is a recognition — mind recognizing mind.
Nothing is added. Nothing is granted. Rather, a teacher recognizes that a student has begun to see through the layers of concepts, labels, and fixed ideas that normally define our experience.
It is simply: I see that you see.
This recognition acknowledges a deepening freedom — the ability to experience reality directly without being trapped by ideas about it.
Symbols and Their Danger
The robe and bowl symbolize continuity — the living lineage from teacher to student.
Yet symbols can easily become dangerous.
What begins as a living realization can turn into:
- Possession (“my robe”)
- Authority (“I am the teacher”)
- Identity (“I am enlightened”)
When awakening becomes status or role, insight turns into something fixed and lifeless.
The tradition sometimes calls this “the stink of Zen” — when realization becomes spiritual identity rather than living experience.
The Human Dimension
This episode reminds us that Zen stories are not only mystical — they are deeply human.
Jealousy, hierarchy, fear, and insecurity all appear in the monastery once the transmission becomes known. These reactions show that awakening does not eliminate human emotions.
Instead, practice helps us see these emotions clearly and take responsibility for them.
Transmission does not create a superhuman being. Practice continues moment by moment, in uncertainty.
Recognition and Identity
This story invites us to reflect on our own lives.
We all seek recognition in some form — in our work, in our relationships, and in our roles. Roles are necessary, but difficulties arise when we cannot let them go.
Who are we without titles, roles, or recognition?
When status falls away, what remains?
These questions bring the ancient story into our own direct experience — where the real practice begins.
Zen Mindfulness Cambridge Zenways Italia 