From the Sixth Patriarch's Altar Sutra:
Let's understand in detail what it is, consolidate the knowledge, in the light of my previous topic. I created the topic not only for myself, but also for the benefit of others, so that a correct understanding could be formed."The Patriarch covered us with his robe so that no one could see us and began to explain the Diamond Sutra to me. After he came to the sentence: "One should sincerely use one's consciousness without any attachments" (before this sentence, the context of the Diamond Sutra is as follows:" One should give without being attached to color, sound, smell, taste, touch, thought"), I had an extra-verbal Great Insight that all Dharmas (phenomena) are inseparable from Self-Nature. And then I exclaimed, " Who could have expected that Self-Nature (my own Nature) is inherently pure! Who could have expected that my own Nature (Self-Nature) is not originally born and destroyed! Who could have expected that my own Nature was originally self-sufficient! Who could expect that the Self-nature does not initially change! Who could have expected that Self-Nature could produce all the Dharmas!» The patriarch realized that I understood my original Nature and said to me, " If you do not know your consciousness, there will be no benefit from studying the Dharma. One who knows his original consciousness and sees his original Nature can be called a Great Hero, a teacher of people and Heaven, a Buddha."