Buddha crossing a predestined person: Dharma and wisdom in life

Chapter 7: A Clash at the Head——If you don’t write about it, you will pass it on outside the classroom (1)
Buddha holding flowers, Kasyapa smiling

According to legend, the Buddha held up a flower to show the public at the Lingshan meeting, but the public did not know what he meant.Only the great disciple of the Buddha, Kassapa ("Ye" pronunciation: Se, Se, that is, the elderly monk standing on the side of the Buddha statue in the main hall), Venerable, from the Buddha's smile, he immediately realized the most sacred meaning of life in the universe. truth.He couldn't help but smile knowingly.

Shakyamuni Buddha held the flower stem with his thumb and forefinger, and the other three fingers were slightly raised——his hand is like a beautiful and pure flower bud that is about to bloom!The Buddha showed the nasturtium in this elegant gesture, and then said to Kassapa:
"I have the eyes of the righteous Dharma, the mind of nirvana, the reality without appearance, the subtle method, no written words, non-teaching, and entrusted to Maha Kasyapa."

Shakyamuni Buddha untied the gold-threaded cassock on his body and put it on Kassapa.The Buddha earnestly told Kassapa: "I have passed on the secret of Zen to you. You must protect it well and pass it on to Ananda in the future. It must be passed on from generation to generation. Don't let it be cut off!"

Later, a student monk asked Chan Master Lingshan: "What does the Buddha mean by holding flowers?"

Lingshan said: "Once a word is spoken, it is hard to chase after it."

The student monk asked again, "What does Kasyapa's smile mean?"

Lingshan immediately replied: "Mouth is the door of disaster."

Shakyamuni Buddha taught the teachings all his life, and when he was about to pass away, Manjusri Bodhisattva asked him to speak again for everyone.

The Buddha smiled serenely and said, "I have been alive for 49 years, but have I ever taught a single sentence? Now you ask me to teach it again. Have I ever taught anything?"

■Sentiment——

The Buddha holds the flower, and Kasyapa smiles.Lingshan's explanation is: words are spoken, like four horses are hard to chase, and what is chased back must not be the original meaning.Truth cannot be spoken, it is truth in the heart, and it becomes false when it is spoken.Therefore, Zen Buddhism often uses a wordless way to teach the Dharma.

In the "Langa Sutra", Bodhisattva Dayi asked one hundred and eight questions to the Buddha. The entire Buddhist scriptures are the Buddha's answer to Dahui. Obviously, the questions are like flowing clouds and the answers are like rain, but in the end the scriptures say "Don't say a word Don't answer a single word", which is the same as the reason why the Buddha claimed that "I have lived for 49 years and never said a single word".

fingers and moon

Wu Zang Ni said to Huineng one day: "I have studied Buddhist scriptures for many years, but there are still many things I don't understand."

Huineng: "You tell me, I'll listen to it, maybe I can help you."

Endless Zang Ni couldn't help laughing: "How can you help me? You are illiterate, and you haven't even read Buddhist scriptures. How can you understand the truth in them?"

Hui Neng replied: "Buddha and writing have nothing to do with each other."

He saw Wu Zangni looking at him in surprise, and further said: "Buddha nature is like the bright moon in the sky, and words are like our fingers; fingers can point out the bright moon, but fingers are not the bright moon itself, and you don't have to look at the moon." through the fingers."

Endless Zang Ni read the Buddhist scriptures to Hui Neng, and Hui Neng really solved her many years of doubts.

■Sentiment——

Hui Neng in history was indeed illiterate and illiterate, and of course he had never read Buddhist scriptures. Therefore, Wu Zang Ni would naturally not believe him.But Huineng's metaphor is really penetrating: Buddha nature is like the bright moon, words and language are like fingers, since you can recognize the bright moon, why use your fingers?Hui Neng realized the Buddha-nature by using this simple skill of clarifying the mind and seeing the nature.Therefore, "If you don't write words, you can teach outsiders" has become the basic teaching of Zen.There are many typos in the Zen scripture "Tanjing", which shows that Zen does not pay much attention to words and languages.

"Who will drag a dead body for you?"

Gao Feng Miaozu was a Zen master in the Southern Song Dynasty.One day, his master suddenly asked him, "Who will drag a dead body for you?" The poor guy didn't know how to answer, because the master was very strict and often beat people.Later, one day he remembered in a dream that another master of his had asked him to understand the meaning of the so-called "all dharmas return to one, where does one return to?", which kept him awake for six days and nights.

In such a state of extreme inner tension, one day he saw the inscription written by the Fifth Patriarch Fayan on his portrait, one of which said:

A hundred years and thirty-six thousand dynasties,
It's this man who came back to Yuanyuan!
This made him suddenly break the eternal mystery of "who is dragging the dead body?"He's completely changed, he's become a completely different person.

In his quotations, he tells us about his mental journey in those days:
"One night, when I was sleeping soundly, I suddenly noticed the question 'Where does everything return to one?'. My attention was so focused that I neglected to sleep, forgot to eat, and couldn't discern Things, day and night. When I set the napkin, set the bowl or go to the toilet, whether I walk or stop, whether I talk or stay silent, my whole life is full of this "Where does it go?" Problem. My mind never thinks of anything else, even a little bit of something unrelated to the problem. I feel like I'm stuck or glued, and no matter how hard I try to get rid of it, I can't move at all. Although I am among many people or gatherings, I always feel as if I am alone. From morning to night, from night to morning, my senses are so clear, so peaceful, so above everything, Absolutely pure and spotless. There is only one mind from beginning to end, the outside world is so peaceful, and I forget the existence of others so much. Six days and six nights passed like an idiot, and finally when I followed everyone to the Three Pagodas (Buddhas) Ossuary) during lectures, I accidentally looked up and saw the poems of the Fifth Patriarch Yanshi. This made me suddenly wake up from the state of trance, and the question asked by the former teacher was 'Who will drag a dead body for you?' I also suddenly realized the meaning of this world. I felt that this boundless space seemed to be broken into pieces, and the earth was completely destroyed. I forgot myself and this world, which seemed to be a mirror reflecting another world. I have tried a few koan that I know, and found them to be very clear, and I am no longer confused by the magical effect of prajna (transcendent wisdom)."

Later, when Gao Feng met his former teacher, the teacher asked him, "Who will drag a dead body for you?" Hit me." The teacher said, "Why can't I hit you?" Gao Feng rushed out.

The next day, the teacher asked him, "Where do all dharmas return to one?" Gao Gao replied, "A dog licks the hot oil pan." The teacher asked him again, "Where did you learn these non-Buddhist words? "Gao Feng replied to him again: "The monk is about to doubt it." The teacher left happily.

■Sentiment——

"Who will drag a dead body for you?" and "Where does one return to?" are both famous Zen koan.Gao Feng's teacher inexplicably asked Gao Feng the question of "the corpse dragger", which is a bit like the "nonsensical" movie starring Zhou Xingchi today.If you want to answer this question according to ordinary people's way of thinking, you will inevitably fall into the trap of logic and never get out. This is why Gao Feng thought hard for six days and six nights but failed.Zen Buddhism opposes logical arguments and advocates sudden enlightenment.Therefore, after the epiphany, Gao Feng did not answer the teacher's question logically, but ignored it.One of the teachings of Zen Buddhism is against literal language.

man who fell into the well
A young student monk asked Chan Master Xingkong: "What is the meaning of Patriarch's coming from the West?"

Zen Master Xingkong replied: "If someone falls into a well that is thousands of feet deep, and you can rescue him without relying on anything, I will tell you."

The student monk sighed, and said, "Recently Chan Master Chang in Hunan passed away. He is like you, and his words are always contrary to common sense."

Zen Master Xingkong asked Chan Master Yangshan Huiji to drive out the monks.

Yang Shan was puzzled by the teacher's words, and couldn't help but ask Chan Master Danyuan, "In your opinion, how can we save the man in the well?"

Chan Master Danyuan asked back, "Idiot, who is in the well?"

Yang Shan couldn't answer, but he didn't give up. He ran to ask Chan Master Wei Shan again, "Teacher! In your opinion, how can we save the man in the well?"

Chan Master Weishan unexpectedly shouted—Yangshan's name: "Hui Ji!"

Yang Shan immediately responded subconsciously: "Yes."

Zen Master Weishan said, "Come out of the well."

■Sentiment——

There is no such thing as a thousand-foot-deep well in the world.However, the student monks are not capable enough to understand what the Zen master said, and think that what the teacher said is not common sense.In fact, Zen Buddhism likes to use this kind of words and deeds that "contrary to common sense" to awaken the lost.Xingkong said that those who "fall into a thousand-foot-deep well" refer to people who have lost their true nature. To save them, of course, you can't use ropes or the like, but you have to give them a slap in the face to make them enlightened.The meaning of the patriarch's coming from the west is to save people from the "well".

one and two
There is a temple on a high mountain, and there is an old monk in the temple who tells stories.The old monk said: "Once upon a time, there was a Zen master who said two gathas, 'Two people walk together on a rainy day, and the rain does not drench one person alone'. Can you explain the truth?
A disciple said: "One of them is wearing a coir raincoat, the other is not."

The second disciple said, "Because one walks in the courtyard and the other walks under the eaves."

Another disciple said: "The sun in the east and the rain in the west, when one person does it, the other gets wet."

You argue, you quarrel, and almost everyone can cite a good reason, but the result is the same: one person is soaked in water, and the other has no rain.

The old monk laughed, enough laughing, and made the bald heads blare: "Are all of you bald ladles filled with paste? Everyone is obsessed with the superficial words of 'no one's soaked', as if If you are entangled in kudzu, of course you will not be able to discover the truth. In fact, 'don't get wet', doesn't it mean that both people get wet?'

The disciples suddenly said: "Oh——"

"Oh, you are so big!" The master tapped the shiny heads not with fingers, but with a Zen stick.

"Oh! I understand!" A disciple realized the mystery of why Zen does not have words.

"Wow, there is really a person who doesn't get wet!" Someone suddenly realized the self-nature - the protagonist in our heart, never wavering, never dry or wet!
■Sentiment——

Zen does not like words, and it is even more opposed to word games, because we do not need words to reflect on our nature (Buddha nature).On the contrary, with words, there is an extra layer of barrier between us and our nature, which only adds to the confusion.For example, the above verse, because of different understandings, can have many interpretations, and all of these interpretations can be said to be correct.It is precisely because they are correct that they are likely to lead people astray and deviate from Buddha nature.

What is the body of the void
A monk asked Chan Master Shoushan: "What is the substance of space?"

Shoushan replied: "The old monk is at the bottom of your feet."

The monk asked, "Why is it under the feet of the scholar?"

Shoushan said, "I know you are blind!"

■Sentiment——

The ancients regarded emptiness as an objective reality, and the monk asked what (the body of emptiness) supports this emptiness.The real meaning of this question is not related to the body of the void, but to the monk's own state of mind, which he has achieved after a long period of meditation.Like many Buddhists and ordinary people, he naturally thinks that although it cannot be defined, there is one thing that can always be regarded as a supporter without a supporter.

The monk's question was quite difficult to understand. If Shoushan were a philosopher, he would discuss it in detail.However, because he is a Zen master who attaches great importance to practice in contact with daily experience, he only mentions the spatial relationship between himself and his disciples.If another question is asked of him without understanding this, he will be disgusted.So he dismissed the questioner with contemptuous words.

If you want to go, you can go, if you want to sit, you can sit

Once, a monk said to Shoushan: "Students have been addicted for a long time, please pick them up."

Shoushan replied curtly, "I don't have the time to spare."

The monk was naturally dissatisfied with this answer, so he asked Shoushan again: "Why is the monk so?"

Shoushan replied: "If you want to walk, you can walk, if you want to sit, you can sit."

■Sentiment——

It is very simple, he is completely free.He doesn't have to think about anything.Between his actions and thoughts there is no moral or intellectual intermediary, no "heart" intervening, and therefore no problem to disturb his inner peace.Shoushan's answer merely expresses this point exactly.

"Bring your heart, and I will give you peace!"

Shenguang, the second patriarch of Zen Buddhism, whose dharma name is Huike, was born in Wulao, Henan.Since the age of 32, Shenguang practiced tranquility meditation in Xiangshan, Longmen, Luoyang for eight years. He saw a godman instructed him to seek the way to the south, so he went to Songshan to find Bodhidharma.

When Hui Ke met Patriarch Bodhidharma, he raised the question of peace of mind.It turned out that when Huike was studying Buddhism and sitting in meditation, his heart was always disturbed and he couldn't calm down.For this reason, he felt very painful and disturbed, so he asked Bodhidharma to reassure him.

Bodhidharma asked: "All the seals of the Buddhas have never been found elsewhere. Why did you come to me?"

Shen Guang said: "I can't feel at ease, please give me a way to ease my mind, Master!"

Bodhidharma said: "You bring your heart, I will give me peace!"

Shen Guang thought for a long time and said, "I wanted to find my heart, but I couldn't find anything."

Bodhidharma said, "Then, I am relieved for you."

■Sentiment——

The crux of Huike's "uneasy mind" is that he pursues and puts down the fleshy mind and delusional mind as his original mind.Bodhidharma "Bring me your heart, I'll give you peace!" This stern shout was like lightning flashing across the dark night sky, like a sharp knife cutting through the mess, Huike was shocked when he heard the sound, and suddenly realized the relationship between the original heart, the delusional heart, and the fleshy heart. The difference—in fact, the heart is also a vain name, and all kinds of thoughts are just illusory functions.

"You got my marrow"

Master Bodhidharma from India came to China to teach Buddhism and wanted to return to China after a few years.Before returning to China, all the disciples were called together to take the exam.The first person to take the test was the deputy monk Dao. He said:

"We should not be obsessed with words, nor should we abandon them, because words are a tool for seeking Tao."

"You got my skin," said Bodhidharma.

Then there was a nun named Zongchi who said:

"The Buddha Kingdom is nothing more than that, once you see it, you never want to see it again."

"You got my meat."

Disciple Daoqing said:
"Earth, water, fire, and wind, the four elements are empty, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body, the five aggregates are not real, and there is no single dharma in the whole world."

"You got my bone".

Monk Huike didn't say a word until the end, and only saluted Master.Dharma said:

"You got my pith".

So Bodhidharma handed over the cassock of imitated inheritance to Shen Guang, and also gave him four volumes of the Langa Sutra.Shen Guang became the second ancestor of Zen, but in fact he was the first ancestor of Chinese Zen.Tang Dezong granted him the title of "Great Patriarch Zen Master", and the Dazu is the first ancestor.

■Sentiment——

Zen is opposed to written language, because written language cannot accurately express thoughts and is prone to distortion.Zen Buddhism advocates pointing directly at people's hearts and relying on self-nature awareness.Although Daoqing and others understood the meaning of emptiness, they could not leave all kinds of dharmas in their state of mind. Only Huike really got nothing and never said anything, so he got the highest approval of Bodhidharma.

Shenguang Broken Arm
One snowy night, Shen Guang visited Bodhidharma, hoping to get a lecture, but Bodhidharma ignored him.Shen Guang was not disappointed, because he knew that all the great spiritual leaders in the past had to go through many heartbreaking tests in order to seek the Tao.He stood in the snow hoping to get Bodhidharma's attention, until the snow covered his knees.

Finally, Bodhidharma saw him and asked him, "You have been standing in the snow for a long time, what do you want?"

Shen Guang said: "I came here to seek advice from the monk, and hope that the monk will open the door of compassion and save the suffering people."

Bodhidharma replied: "Only after long-term tempering, enduring the most unbearable things in the world, and doing the most difficult things in the world, can you experience the supreme and wonderful way of the Buddhas. How can little virtue and little wisdom understand it? It's just labor in vain. That's all."

Shen Guang immediately cut off his left arm with the sharp blade he was carrying and placed it in front of Bodhidharma to express his sincerity in pursuing the wonderful ways of the Buddhas.So Bodhidharma said: "The seals of the Buddhas cannot be obtained from other places."

Enlightenment.

■Sentiment——

It is said that the Buddha once sacrificed himself in the mouth of a man-eating devil in a certain life in his previous life in order to obtain the Tao.In the same way, because Zen is practical, Zen also expects us to sacrifice our lives with the same determination for enlightenment and eternal peace.Because Zen tells us that when we have this determination, its door will open.In the history of Zen Buddhism, there are many examples of people who are willing to lose a part of their body to seek the Tao, the truth is more important than life.Why didn't Master Bodhidharma say at the beginning, "The seals of the Buddhas should not be obtained from others"?Why did you have to stimulate Shenguang to break his arm before he was willing to speak out?In fact, it was through the broken arm that Shenguang discovered the fragility and brevity of life.Only by abandoning the flesh can one obtain the eternal nature.

broken leg
Yunmen is a great Zen master in the late Tang Dynasty, a disciple of the Sixth Patriarch, and the founder of Yunmen School.He lost a leg in order to realize the truth of life that gave birth to the whole universe and included himself.

He wanted to pay homage to Muzhou, the great disciple of Linji under his teacher Huangbo, but he was not received until the third time.

Muzhou asked, "Who are you?"

He said: "I am Wen Yan." Wen Yan is his common name, and Yunmen is the legal name he later adopted.

When the seeking monk was allowed to enter the gate, Muzhou grabbed him and shouted, "Speak! Speak!"

Yunmen hesitated, so Muzhou pushed him out the door and said, "Ah! You useless thing!"

When the door was closed quickly, it broke one of Yunmen's legs.

However, Yunmen was enlightened by this.He realized the great fact of life.

■Sentiment——

The excruciating pain of the broken leg reminded Yunmen that it was under the cruel blow of this pain, in absolute isolation and helplessness, that he realized the life truth of life and the universe.What is lost is a leg, but what is gained is the whole world.He was no longer an anxious and begging monk, and the realization he gained more than compensated for the loss of his broken leg.Later, Muzhou asked Yunmen to visit Master Xuefeng, and the two had a tacit understanding at the first sight. From then on, Xuefeng taught Yunmen the Zen Buddhism one by one.Yunmen became Xuefeng's heir.

"Bring your sin karma, and I will repent for you!"

Sengcan, the third patriarch of Zen Buddhism, was a layman before he joined the second patriarch, and was suffering from wind disease. He thought it was the sin of his previous life, so when he saw the second patriarch, he begged to repent for his sins.The second patriarch's answer was equally shocking in the rhetorical question:

"Bring your sin, and I will confess it to you!"

The third patriarch came to a little enlightenment, and then asked again: "I met the monk today, and I know what a monk is, but what are the Buddha and the Dharma?"

"Your heart that wants to repent is the Buddha and the Dharma. What is the difference between the Buddha, the Dharma, and the mind?"

The third patriarch suddenly realized when he heard it, and said: "I just realized today that the so-called sin is neither inside nor outside, nor in the middle.

Soon, the wind disease recovered.

■Sentiment——

(End of this chapter)