Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra, Altar Sutra

Chapter 29
This article tells the story of Shenxiu and Huineng sects respectively in Caoxi and Shenghua in Jingnan. They are called Nanneng and Beixiu in the world, so there are two sects in the north and the south.Although the two suzerains did not distinguish each other, their disciples developed a love-hate relationship, and the disciples of the northern sect Shenxiu and the southern sect Huineng had differences and disputes.Zhicheng, a disciple of the Northern School, came to listen to the Dharma, and Huineng noticed it. Regarding the long-term meditation method of the Northern School of "staying in the heart and contemplating the pure, long-term sitting without lying down", Huineng criticized the disadvantages of the Northern School of Zen, thinking that sitting often restricts the body. , It is useless to reason, and then he taught Zhicheng the Nanzong Zen method, so that he could realize it immediately, and taught the discipline, concentration and wisdom, and believed that the discipline, concentration and wisdom are innate in the self-nature.Then he explained that Tuo Zhiche, a member of the northern sect, came to assassinate Huineng, the sixth patriarch, and enlightened him for the master.There is also the reason why the gods will come to participate in the ceremony, from being arrogant at the beginning to worshiping and repenting to the Sixth Patriarch later.

Original
At that time, the patriarch lived in Caoxi Baolin, and Master Shenxiu lived in Yuquan Temple in Jingnan.At that time, the two sects flourished, and everyone said that the south can be the best in the north, so there are two schools in the north and the south.And scholars don't know Zongqu.The master said to the crowd: "The Dharma book is one, and people have north and south; the Dharma is one kind, and there are chronic diseases when you see it."What is the name suddenly?There is no sudden gradualism in the law, and people are inclined to be blunt, so it is called sudden gradualism.

Ranxiu's disciples often ridicule the patriarch of the Nanzong sect because he doesn't know a word, so what's his advantage?
Xiu said: "He has gained the wisdom without a teacher, and he has a deep understanding of the superior vehicle, which is not as good as mine."Besides, my teacher, the Fifth Patriarch, personally passed on the method of clothing, is it in vain?I wish I could go far and get close, and accept the country's favor in vain.You and others don't stay here, you can go to Caoxi to participate in the battle.One day, Zhicheng, a member of Mingmen, said: You are smart and wise, so you can go to Caoxi to listen to the Dharma for me.If you hear something, remember it with all your heart, and tell it for me.

Zhicheng ordered to go to Caoxi, and attended with all the people, without saying where he came from.At that time, the Patriarch told the crowd: "There are people who steal the Dharma today, and they are lurking in this meeting."Zhicheng immediately went out to worship and made a statement.The master said: You came from Yuquan, so it should be carefully crafted.

Confrontation: No.

The teacher said: Why not?
Confrontation: If you don't say it, you are right, if you say it is not.

The teacher said: What if your teacher is showing it to the public?
Conversation: often point out to instruct the public, stay in the mind and observe tranquility, sit for a long time without lying down.

The master said: Staying in the mind and contemplating tranquility is sickness, not Zen.What is the benefit of sitting for a long time?Listen to my verse:
Born to sit but not to lie down, die to lie down and not to sit; What is a good job with a stinky bone⑤?
注释
①Jingnan Yuquan Temple: The ancient version is Jingnan Dangyangshan Yuquan Temple. "Jingde Biography of Lantern Records" was written as Dumen Temple in Dangyang Mountain, Jingzhou.

②Wisdom without a teacher: The Buddha's wisdom that is enlightened alone without a teacher refers to the wisdom that is naturally achieved without relying on other people's power and without waiting for others to teach.Just like the wisdom attained by the Buddha, it is not acquired by teachers or external forces; it is also like a sage who is enlightened by fate (only awakened), who observes the cause and death of all dharmas, and realizes enlightenment without waiting for the teacher to teach.

②Zhicheng: Zen Master Zhicheng, a native of Taihe, Jizhou.When he was young, he served Zen Master Shenxiu at Yuquan Temple in Dangyang Mountain, Jingnan.

④ secret work: spies, spies.

⑤ Two sentences of "one body": People should see their nature clearly, and realize the Buddhahood as soon as they are enlightened. They don't need to work hard on the smelly skin, but are obsessed with the form of meditation. lie down.

Translation
At that time, Master Huineng was at Baolin Temple in Caoxi Mountain, and Master Shenxiu was at Yuquan Temple in Jingnan.Therefore, at that time, the two major sects flourished and taught, and they were called "Southern Energy and Northern Beauty".However, people who learn Taoism and practice Zen do not know their meaning and purpose.Master Huineng said to the crowd: "Buddhism is originally a kind of sect. Because the people who preach the Dharma have north and south, there is a distinction between the southern and the northern sects; Buddhism is one kind, and it is only when the understanding is fast or slow that there is a difference." The distinction between sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment. What is sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment? There is no distinction between sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment in Buddhism itself. Only when people's faculties are sharp and dull can they be divided into sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment, so it is called sudden enlightenment."

However, Master Shenxiu's disciples often ridiculed Master Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of the Southern Sect: "If you don't know a word, how can you be superior?"

Master Shenxiu said: "Huineng has obtained the wisdom that does not need to be taught by the master, and he can understand the wisdom of the highest level. I can't compare with him. And my master, the fifth patriarch, Master Hongren, personally passed on the mantle and teachings to him. Is it a waste of effort? I just wish I could go far away to communicate with him more, and receive the country's favor for me here for nothing. You don't always stay by my side, you can go to Caoxi Mountain to visit and learn." Master Shenxiu said to his disciple Zhicheng that day: "You are smart and have a lot of wisdom. You can go to Caoxi Mountain to listen to Master Huineng's teachings for me. If you hear something, try your best to remember it and tell me when you come back."

Zhicheng was ordered to come to Caoxi Mountain, and followed the crowd to learn from Master Huineng, without explaining where he came from.At that time, Master Huineng announced to the public: "Today there are people who eavesdrop on the teachings and hide here." Zhicheng immediately came out to pay respects and pay homage, stating all the reasons for coming here.Master Huineng said: "If you come from Yuquan Temple, then you are a spy."

Zhicheng said, "I am not."

Master Huineng said, "How do you know you are not?"

Zhicheng said: "If I didn't explain why I came, I could be called a spy, but if I did, it wouldn't be considered a spy."

Master Huineng said, "How did your master, Master Shenxiu, teach the public?"

Zhicheng said: "Master often teaches and teaches the public to keep their original mind, visualize purely, sit in meditation for a long time, and don't sleep."

Master Huineng said: "Staying in the mind and observing the tranquility is wrong. This is not Zen practice. Sitting in meditation for a long time and restricting the body will not help you understand the true meaning of Buddhism. Listen to my gatha." The gatha says:
Born to sit but not to lie down, to die to lie down and not to sit;
A stinky bone, what is meritorious service?

Original
Zhicheng bowed again and said: "My disciple has studied Taoism for nine years at Master Xiu, but he has not obtained enlightenment."Now that the monk said it, he agreed with his original heart.Life and death are important matters for disciples, and monks are merciful and teach them even more.

The teacher said: I heard that your master taught others the Dharma of precepts, concentration and wisdom, but I haven't examined what your teacher said about precepts, concentration and wisdom, and how they behave②?Tell me about it.

Cheng said: Master Xiu said: Doing evil is called precepts, doing good is called wisdom, and self-purification is called concentration.He said so, how did the untrial monk teach people?
The teacher said: If I say that there is a law to give to others, I will be deceiving you.But let's untie it according to the direction, and use the pseudonym Samadhi.As your teacher said, precepts, concentration and wisdom are really inconceivable; what I have seen, precepts, concentration and wisdom are different.Zhicheng said: There is only one kind of precepts, concentration and wisdom, how can we make a difference?

The teacher said: Your teacher precepts Dinghui to connect Mahayana people, and I precept Dinghui to connect with the highest vehicle people. The understanding is different, and I see that there are delayed diseases.Listen to me, are you the same as him?What I say is inseparable from the self-nature.The theory of leaving the body is called phase theory ③, and the self-nature is often confused.It should be known that all dharmas are used from the self-nature, which is the dharma of true precepts, concentration and wisdom.Listen to my verse:
There is nothing but self-nature precepts in the mind, self-nature wisdom without ignorance in the mind, self-concentration in the mind without chaos, self-contained diamonds that neither increase nor decrease, body and body come from the original samadhi.

Sincerely heard the verse, and regretted it, I presented a verse saying:

The illusion of the five aggregates, what is the illusion?
Returning to the truth, the law is not clean.

Teacher Ranzhi.Fu Yucheng said: Your teacher precepts Dinghui and advises wise people with small roots; I prescribe Dinghui and advises wise people with large roots.If one realizes the self-nature, neither Bodhi Nirvana nor enlightenment can be established; there is no one method to obtain, and all laws can be established.If you understand this meaning, it is also called the body of the Buddha, also called Bodhi Nirvana, and also called the knowledge and view of liberation.A person who sees his nature can get it if he is standing, and he can get it if he is not.Come and go freely, without stagnation or hindrance.Follow the application, respond to the words and answer, see the incarnation universally, and stay inseparable from the self-nature, that is to say, you can get supernatural powers at your own pace ④, and play Samadhi ⑤, which is called seeing the nature.

Zhicheng enlightened his master again and said: How can we not establish righteousness?
The teacher said: Self-nature has no non-existence, no ignorance, no chaos. Prajna contemplates every thought, always leaves the appearance of dharmas, is free and unrestrained, and has everything vertically and horizontally. What is there to stand for?Self-nature self-enlightenment, sudden enlightenment and sudden cultivation, there is no gradual progress, so all methods are not established.What is the order of the extinction of all dharmas?

Zhicheng worships, and is willing to serve as a servant, unremitting day and night.

注释
① Enlightenment: Enlightenment by matching with the original mind, understanding and experience of the original mind.

②Precept, Ding, Wisdom, and Action: Action originally refers to the appearance of doing things, that is, the state of all minds when they recognize objects.Here it can be simply interpreted as "specific content", that is, the specific content of precepts, concentration and wisdom.

③Speaking of phases: That is, speaking that is obsessed with illusory and unreal phenomena is not speaking with truth.It's a talk of living.

④Supernatural power: God means "unpredictable", and Tong means "no hindrance".Unfathomable and unimpeded power, the so-called supernatural power or power.Generally speaking, there are six kinds of supernatural powers: supernatural powers, celestial eyes, celestial ears, other minds, fate, and omissions.

⑤ Game Samadhi: Buddhas and Bodhisattvas swim in supernatural powers and transform people for self-entertainment, which is called games.Samadhi means samadhi, and it is a different name for meditation, that is, to focus the mind on one state.Playing samadhi is like a game without a mind, with no worries in mind, free will, and free access to the Dharma.That is to say, those who have gained nothing can advance and retreat freely without restraint.

Translation
Zhicheng paid homage to Master Huineng twice and said: "My disciple, I have been studying with Master Shenxiu for nine years, but I have not obtained the certificate of enlightenment. Listening to what you said today, the master, is in line with my original heart. My disciple believes that liberation from life and death It is a big event, I hope Master will be merciful and give me some teachings."

Master Huineng said: "I heard that your master taught disciples the method of discipline, concentration and wisdom. I don't know how your master talks about the appearance of discipline, concentration and wisdom? Tell me about it."

Zhicheng said: "Master Shenxiu said that all evil deeds should not be pretentious, called precepts, following all good thoughts is called wisdom, and one's own pure thoughts are called samadhi. That's what Master Shenxiu said. I don't know what teaching method you use to teach the public, master?"

Master Huineng said: "If I said that I have teachings for you, I would be deceiving you. I just expedite the teachings according to different situations, released the shackles, and borrowed the false name of practicing Samadhi. The precepts, concentration, and wisdom that your master said are really inconceivable; I The precept, concentration and wisdom he knows are different from him." Zhicheng said: "There should only be one kind of precept, concentration and wisdom, why is there a difference?"

Master Huineng said: "Your master's precepts, concentration and wisdom guide people with Mahayana roots, and my precepts, concentration and wisdom guides people with superior roots, their comprehension and understanding are not the same. There are speeds and slowness in seeing self-nature. Listen to me. Is it the same as what he said? The teaching method I said is not separated from the self-nature. Speaking without the self-nature is called teaching on the attachment to the appearance, and one's own mind is often confused. You must know that all things and phenomena come from the self-nature. This is the true method of precepts, concentration and wisdom. Listen to my gatha." The gatha says:
There is nothing but self-nature precepts in the mind, self-nature wisdom without ignorance in the mind, self-concentration in the mind without chaos, self-contained diamonds that neither increase nor decrease, body and body come from the original samadhi.

After listening to the gatha, Zhicheng regretted it and thanked him, so he presented a gatha and said:

The illusion of the five aggregates, what is the illusion?
Returning to the truth, the law is not clean.

Master Huineng praised and affirmed.He also told Zhicheng: "The precepts, samadhi, and wisdom your master mentioned are for people with small abilities; the precepts, samadhi, and wisdom I talk about are for those with large abilities. If you have enlightened your own nature, you don't need to establish Bodhi. Nirvana, there is no need to establish the understanding and insight of liberation; there is no one law to be obtained, and all laws can be established. If you understand this original meaning, you are called Buddha, also called Bodhi Nirvana, and also called the knowledge and view of liberation. These names can also obtain the law, and you can also obtain the law without these names. Freedom to come and go, no lingering, no hindrance. Use freely, operate according to the situation, answer randomly according to the language, fully see all the incarnations without leaving the self-nature, this is changing according to the situation , Free and unimpeded supernatural powers have reached the realm of play and samadhi, which is called the nature of insight."

Zhicheng once again thanked the master and said: "What is the righteousness of non-establishment?"

The master said: "The self-nature has no right and wrong, no ignorance, no distraction, always use wisdom to contemplate, always transcend the appearance of the law, be free and unrestrained, and have everything vertically or horizontally. What Dharma can be established? Self-enlightenment of self-nature, There is no gradual order in enlightenment and sudden cultivation, so there is no need to establish any Dharma. All dharmas are dead, so what order is there?"

Zhicheng pays homage to Master Huineng and is willing to serve Master, morning and evening.

Original
Seng Zhiche, a native of Jiangxi, originally surnamed Zhang, first name Xingchang, was a young man.Since the division between the north and the south, although the two suzerains died, the disciples competed for love and hatred.At that time, a member of the northern sect, who established himself as the sixth patriarch, but he was afraid that the patriarch's clothes would be known to the world, so he ordered Xingchang to come to assassinate the master.

The teacher's heart is clear, and he can foresee the event, that is, put ten taels of gold in the seat.At nightfall, Xingchang entered the ancestral house and wanted to do harm.The master relaxed his neck, and Xingchang swung the blade three times, all of them were unharmed.

The master said: A righteous sword is not evil, and an evil sword is not righteous. It only costs you gold, not your life.

Xingchang was frightened, and after a long time, Fang Su begged for repentance and was willing to become a monk.The master then said to Jin, "Go now, lest the disciples turn over and harm you."You can change form in the future, and I will accept it.Xingchang issued a decree to escape at night, and later became a monk and became a monk, with precepts and diligence.

One day, remembering the teacher's words, he came to pay respects from afar.The teacher said: I have missed you for a long time, why is it too late for you to come?
Said: Yesterday, the monk gave up his sins. Although he is a monk and practices asceticism today, it will be difficult to repay virtue, but he can only pass on the Dharma!The disciple often reads the Nirvana Sutra, but does not understand the meaning of permanence and impermanence③, so he begs the monk to be merciful and explain it briefly.

The teacher said: What is impermanent is the Buddha nature; what is permanent is the mind that distinguishes all good and evil dharmas.

Said: What the monk said is contrary to scriptures.

The teacher said: I teach the Buddha's heart seal, how dare I violate the Buddhist scriptures?
Said: The Buddhist scriptures say that the Buddha’s nature is permanent, but the monk says it is impermanent; good and evil, and even bodhicitta, are all impermanent, but the monk says it is permanent.

The teacher said: "The Nirvana Sutra, I used to listen to Ni Zhuang Zang read and recite it once, and then I explained it. There is no word or meaning that is inconsistent with the scriptures.Even for you, there is no other way to say it.

Said: The amount of knowledge of scholars is ignorant, and I hope the monk will give a lecture.

(End of this chapter)