Buddha crossing a predestined person: Dharma and wisdom in life

Chapter 17 Learning to Let Go—Ordinary Mind Is the Way, Perseverance Is the Demon (5)
Yun Ju couldn't get away, so he raised one leg.Seeing this, Taoist Maoshan was speechless and froze on the spot—he couldn't raise both legs no matter what!

■Sentiment——

Zen Buddhism talks about "one" and non-distinction; Taoism talks about "two" and talks about Yin and Yang.This is the two sides of one thing, but the angle of observation is different, and there is no distinction between superior and inferior.But Maoshan Taoist priests who are not very deep in Taoism insist on distinguishing the superior, naturally they can only make fun of themselves.

fruit inspiration

After a young Zen monk became a monk, he practiced very diligently.In order to concentrate on his practice, he applied for permanent residence in the meditation hall.The meditation hall of the monastery is known as the place to choose the Buddha. Since it is "selecting the Buddha", it is definitely not easy to do.Sitting in lotus position (commonly known as double-disc) for more than ten hours a day is enough to discourage most people.Many people would rather grow vegetables, cook, and clean toilets than live in a meditation hall.The young Zen monk has already made up his mind.

However, he could endure the huge physical pain, but he couldn't get rid of the troubles in his heart, and his delusions were flying around and he couldn't control it.Reluctantly, he came to the abbot and asked his master how to subdue his desires.After listening to his request, the master did not explain any profound principles of Zen, nor did he even give instructions on how to practice. He just asked him to buy some oranges in the market.

He ate a full stomach of oranges, but he didn't let those troubles go away.The next day, Master asked him to buy bananas again.On the third day, it changed into pineapple again.This time, the young monk brought the pineapple in front of the abbot.The master asked him, "Why are you buying these pineapples?"

"Eat."

Master asked again: "Do you eat pineapple peel?"

"I only eat the pulp, not the peel."

The master suddenly became angry and shouted: "You idiot, since you don't eat the skin, why do you buy fruits with the skin these days?"

Upon hearing this, the disciple immediately became enlightened.

■Sentiment——

The beautiful lotus cannot be separated from the mud, and the practice cannot be separated from the desire.Want to be enlightened, is it desire?Looking forward to becoming a Buddha and becoming a patriarch, is it a desire?Like pineapples, oranges, bananas and other fruits, we don't eat the rough peel, but why do we need the peel?Because the delicious pulp needs to be wrapped with it.After we eat the pulp, we just discard the peel.The same is true for sitting meditation. We need to practice with the help of desire, to investigate with thoughts, and to replace all thoughts with one thought.This is not eating the peel, because it is not yet time to throw away the "peel" of desire, which is covered with sweet flesh.

The magic of Zen
A Zen master's monastery is in the county town, surrounded by private houses.

One day, the new county magistrate came to visit.The Zen master personally accompanied him to worship and visit the Buddha.The magistrate of the county is a Jinshi of Xinke, has read poetry and books, and is not interested in the illusory Zen.In the speech, the magistrate said challengingly: "The way of Confucius and Mencius can govern the country and the world. Excuse me, what is the use of Zen that you study all day long?"

The Zen master smiled slightly and said: "Zen can purify and nourish people's hearts, and make people's lives full of compassion and wisdom."

At this time, there was a fierce quarrel from the people near the temple. It was a couple quarreling.The county magistrate had an idea and said to the Zen master: "Master Zen, you Buddhists are compassionate, why don't you use the wisdom of Zen to resolve the conflict between the couple?"

After finishing speaking, the county magistrate stared at the Zen master proudly. Who knows, the Zen master took the county magistrate's hand confidently and said, "Let's go, let's go and have a look together."

They came out into the street, and came to the gate of the house where the noise came from, and the battle was raging inside:
"Which husband in the family is as worthless as you? You also take a pee and take a picture, do you still look like a man?"

"If you scold me again, if you scold me again, I will beat you!"

The Zen master stood at the gate of that house and said to the passers-by: "Everyone, come and see! Usually you have to buy tickets to watch bullfights and cockfights, and you even charge money for watching cricket fights. Now, there is a human fight inside. Look for nothing, no money."

When the husband heard the monk's yelling, he didn't want to make a fool of himself in public again, and threatened his wife in a low voice: "Don't make trouble anymore, so as not to be embarrassing. If you keep making noise, see if I won't kill you!"

The Zen master shouted loudly: "Ah, it's getting more and more exciting, and now we're going to perform a murder!"

A passer-by outside said: "Monk, what are you shouting about here? What does the husband and wife quarrel have to do with you as a monk?"

"Hee hee," the Zen master said with a smile, "how could it have nothing to do with me? Didn't you hear it said that people were going to kill people? As long as people died, they would invite monks to recite scriptures and perform deeds to save the dead. I will earn money as a monk. .”

The county magistrate threw off his sleeve and said angrily, "It's unreasonable, you want someone to die for money!"

The wife inside the gate also said strangely: "Master, we are neighbors, and our husband and wife are angry and bickering. It's fine if you don't persuade them. Why do you come to watch the fun and make sarcastic remarks instead?"

The Zen master said: "Why did I come to see the excitement? I have business to do. You think, we are old neighbors for many years, and you usually support me. And I have nothing to do, I can only read scriptures and do things. So, whether you were beaten to death by your husband, or your husband was so angry that you hanged yourself, I will come to perform a salvation, monk. Excuse me, which one of you will make an appointment first?"

The wife burst into laughter: "Master, do you have a reservation for saving the dead?"

The husband also said, "Who said I was going to beat her to death? Am I willing to do that? Did you hear me wrong?"

The Zen master turned to the county magistrate: "Look, the husband and wife are getting along well, why do they fight? You heard it wrong, right?"

■Sentiment——

The magical effect of Zen is omnipotent.As long as you use a smart Zen mind, the troubles and hardships in life will disappear with the wind.Song said:
The leaves fall and the autumn wind sweeps, and the moon lights up at night,
Several times the morning glow is bright, and the sunset is red several times.

Poet Wang Mojie

Wang Wei was born in a Buddhist family. His mother studied with Zen Master Cao Ji, a disciple of Master Shenxiu, for more than 30 years.Therefore, he learned Zen meditation since he was a child, and suddenly woke up when he recited the "Vimalakirti Sutra". Since then, he changed his name to "Wei", and the word "Majie".The combination of his name and characters is the most miraculous layman recorded in the Buddhist scriptures - Vimalakirti.

In the 28th year of Tang Kaiyuan, Wang Wei met Shenhui, a disciple of the sixth patriarch Huineng.

Wang Wei asked, "How can one attain liberation through meditation?"

God will say: "The minds of all living beings are originally pure. If you want to cultivate deliberately again, you will add delusional thoughts to the pure mind, and you will not be able to be liberated."

However, after all, Wang Wei was deeply influenced by the idea of ​​gradual cultivation of the Northern School. After thinking about it, he asked again: "What is Dinghui?"

God will say: "My mind is pure, clear and peaceful, and has countless magical effects. This is the study of Dinghui and so on."

Wang Wei suddenly realized.This thought influenced Wang Wei's literature and painting creation.

Tang Taizong Li Shimin once praised Wang Wei as the best poet in China since ancient times, but Wang Wei did not consider himself a poet.Indeed, poetry was only one of the art forms he excelled at.His painting and musical attainments seem to be more miraculous than poetry.

Once, when Wang Wei played the pipa, a musician accompanied him on the flute.He was very interested, and gradually entered a state of ecstasy. "Boom!" The accompanying bamboo flute finally couldn't bear the forceful force of Wang Wei's pipa and broke!

Another time, Wang Wei visited a temple.The master took him to a beautiful mural with a band of musicians on it.Wang Wei was able to tell which piece of music the band on the mural was playing.

Although Wang Wei's paintings have not been handed down, Su Dongpo, a master of the ages, said that he is "the only true landscape painter in China." Dong Qichang, a master of calligraphy and painting in the Ming Dynasty, summed up the evaluation of his predecessors and said: "The former author of You Cheng (Wang Wei's official title), Everything is done, and Du Shanshui's expressions are passed down, just a dust away."

It was Wang Wei who pioneered the freehand brushwork of Chinese landscape painting.It was Zen that endowed him with miraculous wisdom.

■Sentiment——

Only the Zen mind can comprehend the poetic soul of "Osmanthus fragrans fall in leisure".

Tranquility goes far.An extremely peaceful mind is an extremely sensitive mind.Only by being indifferent and quiet can one be integrated with everything in the world. "The universe is my heart, and my heart is the universe", they communicate with each other and blend with each other.Thus, the highest state of "harmony between man and nature" has been reached.

happy prescription
One day, Zen Master Wude was weeding in the yard, when three believers walked up to him, saluted him, and said: "People say that Buddhism can relieve the pain of life, but we believe in Buddhism for many years, but we don't feel happy. What's going on?" Zen Master Wude put down his hoe, looked at them peacefully and said, "It's not difficult to want to be happy, first of all you have to figure out why you are alive."

A said: "People can't die! Death is too terrible, so people have to live."

B said: "I work hard now, just so that I can enjoy a life full of grain and full of children and grandchildren when I am old."

B said: "I don't have such high expectations as you. I must live, otherwise, who will support the whole family?"

Zen Master Wude said with a smile: "No wonder you can't get happiness. All you think about is death, old age, and forced labor, not higher beliefs. Life without beliefs is of course very tiring and tiring."

The believers said disapprovingly: "Faith, it's easy to talk about it, but it can't be eaten?"

Zen Master Wude said, "Then what do you think makes you happy?"

A said: "If you have a reputation, you will have everything, and you will be happy."

B said: "With love, there is happiness."

C said: "With money, you can be happy."

Zen Master Wude said: "Then let me ask a question, why do some people feel troubled when they have a reputation, suffer when they have love, and worry when they have money?"

The believers were speechless.

Zen Master Wude said: "Faith is not empty, but is reflected in people's every moment of life. Only by changing the concept and attitude of life can life itself change. Fame must be appreciated by others to be happy; love It is meaningful to give to others; money is valuable only when it is given to the poor, and this kind of life is a truly happy life.”

■Sentiment——

People are born with desires, food, sex, wealth, reputation, status, happiness of children, etc., are all objects of desire, and there are even great desires, wanting to live forever.All the troubles and pains in life are, in the final analysis, caused by too many desires.Desirable but not available, distress; endless desires, distress; many desires lead to all kinds of disputes, distress; children and grandchildren do not live up to expectations, distress; eventually death is inevitable, distress.So many people live with very little joy and much sorrow.The best way to solve these troubles: quickly establish a correct belief in life!

Accumulate goodness to become virtue

The great writer Bai Juyi went to visit Zen Master Daolin, and seeing the Zen master sitting by the magpie's nest, he said: "It's too dangerous for the Zen master to live in a tree!"

Zen Master Daolin replied: "Prefect! You are in a very dangerous situation!"

After hearing this, Bai Juyi said disapprovingly, "I am an important official of the dynasty, what danger is there?"

Zen master Daolin said: "How can we say that there is no danger when the fire is intertwined and the sex is not stopped?" It means that there are ups and downs in the officialdom and intrigues: the danger is right in front of you.

Bai Juyi seemed to have some comprehension, so he changed the subject and asked again: "Excuse me, Zen master, what is the general idea of ​​Buddhism?"

Zen Master Daolin replied: "Don't do all kinds of evil deeds, and practice all kinds of good deeds!"

After hearing this, Zi Juyi thought that the Zen master would explain his profound principles, but he was disappointed when he said such ordinary words: "This is the truth that even a three-year-old child knows!"

Zen Master Daolin said: "Although a three-year-old child knows it, an 80-year-old man cannot do it."

■Sentiment——

Although the general idea of ​​the Dharma mentioned by the Zen master seems common and common, how many ordinary people can do it?If everyone could refrain from doing evil and only do good, where would there be evil in the world?

Deformed mentality

A believer said to Zen Master Moxian: "My wife is greedy and stingy, and she is not willing to give up even a little money for doing good deeds. Can you come to my house with compassion and explain to my wife, and do some good deeds?" "

Zen Master Moxian is a cheerful person, after listening to the disciples' words, he agreed very mercifully.

When Zen Master Moxian arrived at the believer's home, the believer's wife came out to greet him, but she was reluctant to even bring out a cup of tea for the Zen master to drink.So the Zen master clenched his fist and said, "Ma'am, look at my hands, they are like this every day, what do you think?"

The believer's wife said: "If the hand looks like this every day, there is something wrong and deformed!"

Chan Master Moxian said, "Yes, this is deformed."

Then, Zen Master Moxian stretched out his hand to form a palm, and asked, "What if Tian Tian was like this?"

The believer's wife said: "This is also deformed!"

Zen Master Moxian took the opportunity to say: "Ma'am! Yes, these are all deformities. They only know about greed and don’t know how to give. Live within your means.”

Under the metaphor of Zen Master Moxian, the wife of a believer suddenly understands how to behave, how to handle things, economic concepts, and how to spend money.

■Sentiment——

A clenched fist suggests being too stingy, and an open palm suggests being too generous.Some people are excessively greedy for money, and some people are excessively generous. These are not the proper meaning of Zen.People who are stingy and greedy should know that a happy relationship is the reason for making a fortune, because if there is no sowing, there will be no harvest.Those who give alms should do so without suffering or distressing themselves, otherwise, it is very impure almsgiving.

Zen words, Zen sounds, Zen things, Zen mind
There is a benefactor whose family is very wealthy, no one can match her in terms of wealth, status, ability, power, or beauty, but she is still depressed and has no one to talk to.So she went to ask Zen Master Wude how to be attractive and win the favor of others.

Zen master Wude told her: "If you can cooperate with all kinds of people anytime and anywhere, and have the same compassionate mind as Buddha, if you speak some Zen words, listen to some Zen sounds, do some Zen things, and use some Zen minds, then you can Be attractive."

After hearing this, the female benefactor asked, "How do you say Zen?"

Chan Master Wude replied: "Zen speech means speaking joyful words, truthful words, modest words, and beneficial words."

The female benefactor asked again: "How do you listen to the Zen music?"

Zen Master Wude replied: "Zen sound is to turn all sounds into subtle sounds, turn insulting sounds into compassionate sounds, and turn slanderous sounds into helping sounds. Don't mind, that's the sound of Zen."

The female benefactor asked again: "Then how do you do Zen things?"

Zen Master Wude replied: "Zen things are things of charity, charity, service, and things that conform to the Dharma."

The female benefactor went a step further and asked, "How is Zen mind used?"

Zen Master Wude replied: "The Zen mind is the mind that tolerates everything, the mind that benefits everything."

After hearing this, the female benefactor changed her previous arrogance, no longer boasted of her wealth in front of people, no longer relied on her beauty, she was always courteous to people, and she was especially considerate and caring towards her family members. Soon she was praised as "the most charming benefactor "Yes!

■Sentiment——

Zen is not just theory, it is life.With Zen in your life, you will have infinite power, you will be respected in front of people, you will appear noble wherever you go, and your life will become happier and happier.

life one way street

When Master Shinluan was 9 years old, he made up his mind to become a monk.He asked Zen master Cizhen to shave him, and Zen master Cizhen asked him, "You are still so young, why do you want to become a monk?"

Shinluan replied: "Although I am only 9 years old, my parents have both died. I don't know why people must die, why I must be separated from my parents. Therefore, in order to explore this truth, I must become a monk."

Zen Master Cizhen admired Shinluan's wish very much, so he said, "Okay! I am willing to accept you as an apprentice, but today is too late. I will shave you in the morning tomorrow!"

However, after hearing what the Zen master said, Shinluan said disapprovingly: "Master! Although you said that you will shave me tomorrow morning, I am still young and ignorant, and I cannot guarantee whether my determination to become a monk will last until tomorrow. Besides, you At that age, there is no guarantee that you will be alive when you wake up tomorrow morning."

After hearing this, Chan Master Cizhen not only didn't get angry, but clapped his hands and applauded happily, and said happily, "That's right! What you said is absolutely right. Then I will shave you right now!"

■Sentiment——

Life is a one-way street, and no one can get everything they want.In terms of the meaning of life, everyone should cherish their present, cherish the good times now, and let every day be full of enthusiasm and fun.Cherishing the present is a manifestation of wisdom, and it is everyone's lifelong practice and homework.Therefore, we should always remind ourselves: If I die tomorrow...

ride a cow to find a cow

Zen Master Da'an usually studied the classics quite a lot, but he never had access to the profound mind of Zen. He often felt ashamed of Zen Master Shitou. ,How to do it?"

Zen Master Baizhang replied: "You are like riding a cow looking for a cow!"

Chan Master Da'an didn't quite understand this explanation, so he asked, "How can I control myself?"

Zen Master Baizhang said: "Like a cowherd, he sticks to his stick to watch the cow, and prevents the cow from trampling on other people's crops."

(End of this chapter)