Chen Caozhi stayed at Dong'an Temple to participate in its Buddhist observances. That evening, after bathing and eating a vegetarian meal, he entered the Robe and Bowl Quarters in the main hall for a late-night conversation with Zhi Daolin. Chen Caozhi was thoroughly versed in the Confucian and Xuanxue classics, and had also read through the Buddhist texts then in circulation on "Prajna," "the practice of wisdom," and "the seal of the Way." With the Platform Sutra and Diamond Sutra he had studied and recited in his previous life as well, it was truly no exaggeration to call him learned in Confucianism, Xuanxue, and Buddhism. As they talked, Zhi Daolin marveled at Chen Caozhi's learning and penetrating understanding. He considered it wisdom carried over from a former life, not knowledge acquired entirely through study, and respectfully asked Chen Caozhi to write down the questions and answers between the eminent monks in his dream, spreading the Dharma for posterity and earning great merit.
After a moment's thought, Chen Caozhi said, "Master Zhi, the two monks I dreamed of were transmitting a Buddhist scripture called the Diamond Prajna Perfection Sutra, about five thousand characters long. I can still remember it. How about I write out that sutra?"
"Excellent," Zhi Daolin said delightedly. He ground the ink for Chen Caozhi himself, showing the sincerity with which he sought the scripture.
In the final years of the Eastern Jin, Kumārajīva, an eminent monk from the Kucha Kingdom in the Western Regions, had come to Chang'an at the invitation of Yao Xing, ruler of Later Qin, to translate Buddhist scriptures. The Diamond Prajna Perfection Sutra was translated during that period. Chen Caozhi was now bringing this Mahayana Buddhist classic into circulation in the Central Lands several decades early. As for the Platform Sutra, a record