Continued from "Zen Characters: The Six Ancestors Huineng Dajian Zen Master (7) Xue Jian's Visit to the Ancestors"
Last time, it was mentioned that although Xue Jian failed to invite Huineng to Beijing, he received Huineng's teachings and realized the Zen method. After bidding farewell to Master Huineng, he returned to the palace and played what Huineng said truthfully. To this end, the imperial court also sent Huineng a grinding robe, a crystal bowl and other items to thank him for his great contribution to the propagation of the Dharma among the people.
Huineng went out of the mountain from the eighth day of the first month of the first month of Yifeng (676) in the Faxing Temple in Guangzhou, and returned to Caoxi Baolin Temple in February of the second year to officially open the glorious era of Caoxi Zen Buddhism, until the second year of Xiantian (713) returned to Xinzhou Guoen Temple and passed away, and a total of 37 years of propagation of the Dharma and Lisheng.
Huineng Law Heir
During the period of Cao Xi's teachings, Huineng cultivated a large number of Zen disciples, laying a solid foundation for the development of Zen Buddhism. Among these disciples, Qingyuan Xingsi, Nanyue Huairang, Heze Shenhui, Nanyang Huizhong, Yongjia Xuanjue and so on are the most famous.
After they obtained the Fa, they all became a family, among which Qingyuan Xingsi and Nanyue Bad made the two families the most prosperous. Qingyuan Xingsi passed on the stone Xiqian (700~790), Nanyue Huairang passed on Matsu Daoyi (709~788), and in the hands of the stone and Matsu, Zen Buddhism began to reach its heyday.
Matsu Dao passed on Baizhang Huaihai (720~814), Baizhang Huaihai passed on Weishan Lingyu (771~853), Weishan Lingyu passed on Yangshan Huishan (815~891), Weishan Lingyou and Yangshan Huishan Master and apprentice founded Weiyangzong together, and bloomed the first petal of "one flower blooms five leaves".
Baizhang Huaihai passed on Huang Bai Xiyun (unknown ~ 855), Huang Bai Xiyun passed on Rinzai Yixuan (unknown ~ 867), and Rinzai Yixuan founded the Rinzai sect.
Shi Xi moved to pass on Yaoshan Weiyan, Yaoshan Weiyan passed on Yunyan Tansheng, Yunyan Tansheng passed on the good price of Dongshan, and the good price of Dongshan passed on Cao Shan Ben Lin (840~901), Cao Shan Ben Lin created Cao Dong Sect.
Shi Xiqian passed on the emperor's enlightenment, the emperor's enlightenment passed on Longtan Chongxin, Longtan Chongxin passed on Deshan Xuanjian, Deshan Xuanjian passed on Xuefeng Yicun, Xuefeng Yicun passed on Yunmen Wenyan (864~949), and Yunmen Wenyan founded Yunmen Sect.
Xuefeng Yicun also passed on the Xuansha Master, the Xuansha Master passed on the Luohan Guichen, and the Luohan Guichen passed on the Dharma Eye Wenyi (885~958), creating the Dharma Eye Sect.
At this point, the "one flower and five leaves" of Chinese Zen Buddhism have all been formed, which are the five schools of Chinese Zen Buddhism. However, after entering the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, after the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, Zen Buddhism gradually entered a decline, which was not unrelated to the political environment and economic level at that time.
Among them, the Weiyang Sect, the Yunmen Sect, and the Fayan Sect have only been passed down for 200 years, and only the Rinzai Sect and the Caodong Sect have continued to this day.
The Rinzai sect flourished again after the Xinghua Preservation Award, the Southern Courtyard Hui Hao, the Fengxue Yannuma, the Shoushan Province Nian, the Fenyang Shanzhao, and the Shishuang Chuyuan (986~1039). Shishuang Chuyuan passed on the Yang Qi Fanghui (992~1049), forming the Yang Qi faction of the Rinzai sect, and Shishuang Chuyuan passed on the Huanglong Huinan (1002~1069), forming the Huanglong sect of the Rinzai sect.
Because of the resurgence of the Yang Qi School and the Huanglong School, Chinese Zen Buddhism is also known as the "Five Schools and Seven Sects". The above is the general context of Chinese Zen Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, and the early Song Dynasty, and it is also the transmission relationship of Chinese Zen Buddhism during its heyday.
From the perspective of the whole development context, Huineng's contribution to Chinese Buddhism lies not only in the prosperity of the Southern Sect, but also in his overall influence on Chinese Zen Buddhism. Among the three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in China, Huineng has the status of Confucius and Lao Tzu in the "Shi" family, which stems from his great contribution to Zen Buddhism.
And what is the wisdom of Zen Buddhism? It is still necessary to find out in the daily life of him and his disciples. For this reason, let's take a look at the stories of Zen that have been handed down!
Shaozhou Fahai
Although Shaozhou Fahai is not as famous as those disciples who founded the sect among the Huineng Dharma heirs, he is the author of the "Altar Sutra". He has been serving by Huineng's side, recording the Buddhist principles, French and birth causes spoken by Huineng (including the content of the Dafan Temple), and collating them into the "Six Patriarch Masters Dharma Treasure Altar Sutra", which was later referred to as "Six Patriarch Altar Sutra" or "Altar Sutra".
This scripture compiled by Fahai in Shaozhou has become the only scripture that can be called a "Buddhist scripture" in Chinese Zen Buddhism, and has spread overseas, playing a role in promoting Chinese Zen Buddhism to become "Zen Buddhism in the world".
So, let's take a look at what the Huineng Zen method looks like in the eyes of Shaozhou Fahai.
Fahai is a native of Qujiang, Shaozhou, so it is also called "Shaozhou Fahai". Here is how the names of Zen masters are composed, so that they can be better understood when faced with a large number of Zen masters.
About the Dharma name of the Zen master
The Dharma name of a Zen master is usually two words, but there are not too many words that can be used as Dharma names, usually "wisdom, purity, law, circle, wisdom, emptiness, passage, Tao, wonder" and so on. Since there were many temples and monks at that time, there were many cases of duplicate names.
In order to distinguish who is who, the name of the Zen master was expanded to four words, special words + Dharma name. Special characters are also two words and usually come in multiple combinations.
Like what:
Place name + legal name, this is the case with Shaozhou Fahai, Shaozhou is the place name, and Fahai is the legal name.
Mountain name + Dharma name, the temple is usually in the mountain, so the mountain name is also similar to the place name, but it is more specific than the place name, Huang Bai Xiyun, Huang Bai is the Huang Bai Mountain, Xi Yun is the name of the law.
The name of the temple + the name of the law, the name of the temple still refers to the belonging of the place, which is more specific than the name of the place and the name of the mountain. For example, "Luohan Guichen", Luohan refers to Luohan Temple, "Qingliang Wenyi", Qingliang is Qingliang Temple.
Nickname + Dharma name, such as Fayan Wenyi, Wenyi is his Dharma name, he was "Qingliang Wenyi" during his lifetime, and after his death, Zhou Shizong was called "Dafa Eye Zen Master", and later called Qingliang Wenyi Zen Master Fayan Wenyi.
In short, the expansion from a two-character Dharma name to a four-character Dharma name is to make it easier to distinguish who is whom, and as for the first two specific characters, there are many types, not only the above four, but here are just examples.
Qujiang in Shaozhou is not far from Caoxi Baolin Temple, and Caoxi is also in Shaozhou, which should belong to different districts and counties. When Fahai heard that Huineng opened the altar to promote the Dharma in Baolin Temple, he came over as soon as possible, and he was also the first group of people to follow Huineng, so he had the opportunity to sort out the "Altar Sutra" as a "secretary".
The first thought is not born is the heart, and the second thought is not extinguished is the Buddha
When Fahai saw Huineng for the first time, he asked, "What is the Buddha? ”
Huineng said: "If the previous thought is not born, it is the mind, and if the second thought is not extinguished, it is the Buddha; when all aspects are formed, it is the mind, and when it is separated from all aspects, it is the Buddha." Of course, it can also be said that dwelling in the phase is "the mind", and detachment is "the Buddha"; there is "the mind" and emptiness is "the Buddha". ”
If you continue to talk about the "duality" of this relative concept, you won't be able to finish it, so you should listen to one of my poems. ”
So, Huineng said a poem:
That is, the heart is famous and wise, that is, the Buddha is fixed, the wisdom is fixed, and the mind is pure. To understand this method, from your habits, with the original without life, double cultivation is positive. ”
In order to comprehend Huineng's answer, the key falls on the first two sentences: "The first thought is not born is the heart, and the second thought is not extinguished is the Buddha", first of all, we must figure out what is thought, what is the mind, and how is it a Buddha?
Thoughts are thoughts that arise from the mind climbing to all the external conditions of the present, and "previous thoughts" are thoughts that have already passed, and since they are thoughts of the past, of course they have been detached from the current situation. Therefore, "antecedents" are delusions, which can also be said to be illusory and unreal.
For example, I often feel that I am eating hot pot, but I think that the soup pot I ate last time is better, and I shouldn't come to eat hot pot today.
Or, while still on probation, I feel that this job is too tiring, too hard, and far worse than the previous job, hey, I shouldn't change jobs.
All these are "antecedents" that arise from detachment from the present situation, and they are delusions that deviate from reality and only increase their troubles. On the contrary, if you don't have nostalgia and nostalgia for the past, and only focus on the present, this time is a sincere show, it doesn't matter if it's good or bad, it doesn't matter if it's high or low.
In fact, Hui Neng said this when he enlightened Hui Ming on the way south, but the words were different, but the meaning was similar.
Hui Neng lit up Hui Ming and said, "Don't think about good, don't think about evil, when it's right and what, which is the original face of Ming's seat?"
"Don't think about good, don't think about evil" is "the previous thought is not born", that is, the heart of the present, that is, the "true face" of people, that is, the true heart and the original heart. Sincerity is the real-time mind of "unborn thoughts," and that "delusional mind" is all kinds of other thoughts that are detached from the present state.
Since obsessing with "antecedent thoughts" is delusional and delusional, then the "later thoughts" that are free from delusions are enlightenment. "Buddha" does not refer to some superhuman ability, but is just a title, which is synonymous with "enlightenment".
Why is "thought" detached from the present? Because when identifying the current situation, all we call on past experiences and feelings to compare and evaluate the present moment is destined to be "previous thoughts" at any time, that is, the manifestation of past cognition in the present.
This is unavoidable, and it is destined by the way people perceive the world and the outside world. When a person climbs the external environment, the first thoughts that arise are all "antecedent thoughts", and they are all the products of the mind after "identifying" the external environment.
If, when a "pre-thought" arises, and then you realize that this "pre-thought" is not a true mind, but a variety of things that arise from a dependent condition, and it is an inevitable and wonderful use of the mind, then this delusion cannot be regarded as absolutely correct.
The "awareness" that arises with the "previous thoughts" is the so-called "later thoughts." When complaining that this job is not as good as the previous job, immediately warn: "This idea is one-sided, subjective, past, and untrue." Focus on the present, do what is in front of you, and stop playing delusions!"
There are countless kinds of "former thoughts", such as the reluctance to remember the last soup pot when eating hot pot, and the reluctance to give up the previous job after changing jobs. And there is only one kind of "afterthought", that is, "any thought in my present moment is not absolutely correct this idea".
Antecedents are specific and varied thoughts, and afterthoughts are constant awareness.
Because the "previous thoughts" are all living in the realm, so they are born with the realm, of course, there are countless kinds, and if you are lost in the previous thoughts, it is trouble. And the "afterthoughts" are all detached, not this or that, but just constant awareness, that is, Bodhi. It can also be said that the "front thought" is in the phase, and the "back thought" is not.
If we keep this kind of constant awareness and awareness, and know that the idea of any dwelling state is not absolutely correct, then we are "imperishable," and of course we will always be in the state of enlightenment.
Double cultivation is positive
If you understand the meaning of these two sentences, it will be easier to understand what Huineng said later:
"Becoming all is the mind, and leaving everything is the Buddha"
Phases are born from the heart, and all phases are the products of the "heart", and "the heart gives birth to the phase" is inevitable. Therefore, it is not terrible to have any thoughts, but it is terrible to live in the thoughts and believe in them. If you don't dwell in the appearance, you are an enlightened person, and you are called a "Buddha". Therefore, the key to why Huineng became enlightened when he heard that "there should be no dwelling and his mind is born", not "not having a mind".
You know, any thought is a dwelling phase, and there is no way to do it. Because it is through the "heart" that people know the world, there must be life.
The human heart is like a mirror, and in order to perceive the world and understand the outside world, we must use this mirror to reflect it. Then what is destined to be obtained is a "mirror image", of course, not reality. Therefore, "everything is the mind", this sentence expresses the relationship between the subjective world and the objective world of people.
But at the same time, if you know that the manifestation of your "mind" is not the truth, you can't cling to your own opinions, and you can treat everything dialectically, then you are "a Buddha who is separated from everything."
Therefore, understanding that the present aspect is the spontaneous use of the "mind" and that maintaining the "awareness" of the mind at the same time is enlightenment. Sincerity is pure, and awareness is constant and unchanging. Therefore, only by "holding on to wisdom" can we maintain "constant tranquility".
It is inevitable that "thoughts" arise with the environment, which is the embodiment of the wonderful use of "mind", and it is the mind or Buddha nature that is at work. It's as natural as "butterflies love flowers, bees collect honey, dogs gnaw bones and cats catch fish".
Realizing this is "wisdom". Therefore, do not deliberately suppress any thoughts that arise from you, and do not get rid of them as hateful "bandits". As long as it is a thought, it cannot be absolutely right.
Because this is how human beings understand the world, all thoughts are the embodiment of Buddha nature, the proof of human life, and the result of the mind. Since it is the wonderful existence of the heart, wisdom is also the manifestation of "being".
On the other hand, it is also necessary to know that although these thoughts are "bandits", they do not have to be removed and cannot be removed. They are not the truth, but just people's cognition and feedback when dealing with the external environment. Keeping this kind of vigilant mind in mind at all times is "determination". Since we always know that wonderful things are illusory and unreal, it must be the manifestation of "emptiness".
What Hui Neng said about "fixing wisdom and holding on to it" means not clinging to emptiness, nor clinging to being, neither inside nor outside, nor in the middle. It does not deny all existence, nor does it cling to the absoluteness of all mental cognitions.
When Fahai heard this, he was enlightened, and after he became enlightened, he also composed a poem to express his experience:
That is, the mind is a Buddha, and it is self-bending without enlightenment. I know that the cause of wisdom is to double cultivate and separate from all things. ”
"Seeing the true heart is the Buddha, I didn't understand it at the beginning and worked hard. ”
Later, Huineng was invited by Shaozhou Thorn Shi Weixuan to Dafan Temple to speak, and Fahai also went to record, and the content of the record is one of the main contents of the "Altar Sutra".
After the death of Master Huineng, Fahai compiled the words and deeds of Master Huineng and the principles of law into the "Six Patriarch Masters Dharma Treasure Altar Sutra", which is the "Altar Sutra" that can still be seen today, which has made a significant contribution to the development of Zen Buddhism.
To be continued......
Zen Characters: Six Ancestors Huineng Dajian Zen Master (9) Huineng Dharma Heir