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Dharma met Emperor Wu of Liang
I. The original text of the public case
Emperor Wu of Liang asked Master Dharma, "How is the First Meaning of the Noble Truth?" Mo Yun: "There is no saint." The Shang asked, "What merit does the monk of the Shuojian Monastery have?" Mo Yun: "No merit." The Emperor said, "To whom?" Mo Yun: "I don't know." "Emperor Buqi, Dharma crossed the river to Wei.
This is the first Zen case in the Biyan Record, which is very famous and has been heard by Zen scholars, and the story of Dharma Dongdu has become the historical root of the rise of Zen Buddhism in Middle-earth in the future.
The explanation of this public case has always been a matter of opinion, and there are many opinions, so I will only tell you my views.
There is no saint
Emperor Wu of Liang asked Dharma three questions, the first of which was, "How is the First Meaning of the Noble Truth?" ”
This question is the core key to this public case.
The so-called Noble Truth is a proper noun of Buddhism, and it is said that it is divided into the true truth and the conventional truth. The combination of the true truth and the conventional truth is the Noble Truth.
But in fact, these name analysis is a meaningless word game, and in the Zen case, these bells and whistles are not needed at all.
Emperor Wu of Liang simply asked, "What is the supreme principle of Buddhism?" ”
In the Zen case, a similar question is asked, "How is the First Noble Truth of the Dharma?" ”
Dharma replied, "There is no holiness!" ”
Translated into the vernacular, it is: "Empty and empty, no saints!" (Kuran means emptiness.) When Buddhism speaks of holiness, it mostly refers to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The original meaning of "Shakyamuni" is the sage of the Shakya tribe. ）
What does this mean?
Some people say that Dharma means that the highest state of the Dharma is that there is no distinction between all the saints.
But if this is the case, wouldn't Dharma have been more clear and straightforward when he said, "There is no difference between all the saints," and why would he be sloppy and say that "there is no holiness in the world."?
In fact, Dharma's meaning is very simple, he said "there is no holiness", referring to the world before Shakyamuni became a Buddha.
Shakyamuni founded Buddhism and was the first Buddha (the sutras say that before Shakyamuni Buddha, there were many Buddhas, but this is only a mythical story, not a historical truth). Then before Shakya, there was no Buddha in this world, and nature was "empty and empty, and there were no saints (Buddhas)."
This is really the simplest fact!
But, slowly! Why is this simplest fact the "First Meaning of the Noble Truth"?
There was no Buddha before Shakya, and his enlightenment depended entirely on self-realization and self-realization. After Shakya became a Buddha, people who believed in Buddhism and practiced Buddhism said that they were "learning Buddhism," but they should think about it: When Shakyamuni did not become a Buddha, who did he learn from when he became a Buddha?
After thinking about this question, it is natural to understand what the "first meaning of the Noble Truth" is.
Zen Buddhism emphasizes "self-nature and self-transit".
Liu Zuhui can say in the Tantra Sutra: "When you are lost, you cross yourself." He also said, "If the self-nature is enlightened, all beings are Buddhas; if the self-nature is confused, the Buddhas are all sentient beings", "My heart has its own Buddha, the self-Buddha is the true Buddha, if there is no Buddha's mind, where can I seek the true Buddha?"
Zen master Yaoshan wei said, "The eldest husband should depart from the Fa and purify himself." ”
These statements are nothing more than an emphasis on self-realization and self-realization.
There is also a saying in Zen Buddhism: "Buddhas do not cross all sentient beings, but all sentient beings cross themselves." That's what it means.
When Dharma said, "There is no holiness in the world," he was telling Emperor Wu of Liang that the highest principle of Buddhism is to become enlightened on his own, just like Shakyamuni's path to Buddhahood!
So much for.
A similar confucian saying
Goose Lake Arguments
In fact, Confucians have also spoken about this truth, and it has been explained more clearly and clearly.
Lu Jiuyuan and Zhu Xi debated at Goose Lake, and Zhu Zi advocated that in order to learn to be a sage, one must read the sages.
Lu Jiuyuan asked, "Before Yao Shun, what books could I read?" ”
Yao Shun had no books to read before, how did they become sages?
Lu Jiuyuan's question is similar to Dharma's "no saint".
Three monks who build monasteries have no merit
Emperor Wu of Liang did not understand Dharma's answer, so he asked the second question: "What merit does it have to be a monk at the Temple of Shuojian?" ”
The monks who built the temple were nothing more than to worship the Buddha, but Dharma had already told Emperor Liangwu the truth of "no holiness": If you want to become a Buddha, you must rely on yourself to become enlightened, so why should you ask God to worship the Buddha?
"Buddhas do not cross all sentient beings, all sentient beings cross themselves", this truth, Emperor Liangwu did not understand after all.
Zen Buddhism has a saying after a break, asking: Guanyin palm, who is asking for?
The bottom line is: it is better to ask others than to seek oneself.
This sentence alone fulfills the Zen Upanishads.
Fourth, who does not know
Dharma's second answer, Emperor Wu of Liang still did not understand, so he asked for the third time: "Who is to whom?" ”
Dharma: "I don't know." ”
Putting himself in his shoes, Emperor Wu of Liang must have thought that Dharma was prevaricating him: How can you not know yourself?
Unfortunately, Emperor Wu of Liang did not turn around and think about it: How could he ever know himself?
"If the self-nature is enlightened, all beings are Buddhas; if the self-nature is confused, the Buddhas are all sentient beings", if Emperor Wu of Liang knew his own nature, why did Dharma repeat it.
Know yourself
Zen Buddhism often teaches people to "know their true colors" and "appreciate the local scenery", both of which teach people to know themselves.
On the lintel of the ancient Greek temple of Apollo, there is also a sentence engraved: "Know yourself."
It can be seen that the East Sea and the West Sea are psychologically important.
V. Similar confucian sayings
Confucius lecture map
The "Confucius Language" records that Confucius once asked his disciples what benevolence and wisdom were. Zi Lu said: "The benevolent make people love themselves, and the wise make people know themselves." Zi Gong Yue: "The benevolent one loves others, and the wise man knows people." Yan Hui said: "The benevolent love themselves, and the wise know themselves." ”
Emperor Wu of Liang knew neither the people (missing Dharma) nor himself, and the level was only between Zilu and Zigong.
Emperor Wu of Liang's three questions became worse and worse the more they were asked.
His first question: "How is the First Noble Truth?" "It was a good question. Dharma replied, "There is no holiness in the world," which is directly sweeping away the sky and the dry sea to the bottom. Unfortunately, Emperor Wu of Liang could not understand it. Understand, the last two questions do not have to be asked.
The second question asks merit, which is "having the heart to do good, although the good is not rewarded", which has long been inferior.
As for the third question, it shows that he does not even know his true face.
Dharma saw that the point was not moving, so he crossed the river and went north.
6 Grandmaster washed my feet
Later, when The Zen Master Xuedou reappeared about this case, he looked around the zen hall and asked, "Is there still an ancestor here?" He replied, "Yes, summon the old monk to wash his feet!" ”
What does it mean that Xue Dou summoned the ancestor to wash his feet?
If you understand that "there is no holiness in the world", you know: There is no saint (Buddha), let alone a grandmaster?
When I was not yet a Buddha, I relied on self-realization and self-realization, and I did not seek anything from my ancestors; when I became a Buddha, I was a Buddha, I was a master, and I did not seek anything from my ancestors.
Since I don't want anything, I am not afraid to sin against them, there is no need to honor them, even if there is a real ancestor here, what is the harm in calling him to wash my feet with me?
Later, Zen Buddhism scolded the ancestors, which was nothing more than this.
Vii. Similar confucian sayings
Mencius
Confucianism has also spoken of this truth.
Mencius said, "Shun whoever is also, who is to whom!" If there is something to do, so be it! ”
Shun is a man, I am also a man, he can become a sage and a saint, I am not impossible! People who make a difference have such faith.
If this sentence were to be said by Zen people, they would say, "Who is Shakya, who is giving!" If there is something to do, so be it! ”
Mencius also said, "Those who wait for King Wen and then rise up, and so do all the people." Ruofu Haojie, although there is no King Wen, Yu Xing! ”
King Wen of Zhou and Shakya were the greatest masters, because they were able to rise up on their own without waiting.
Later, Wang Yangming said: "If you want to become a sage, first be a haojie." ”
Only with the grandeur of Haojie's waiting for nothing can we talk about becoming virtuous and holy.
If Mencius were to speak to Zen people, they would say, "Those who wait for Shakya and then become enlightened, ordinary people also." The man of Ruofu Haojie, although there is no Shakya, he is enlightened! ”
No wonder the "Zhou Yi Zhi Ci" said: "The world is the same way, consistent and worried." ”
Sure enough.
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