Seeing that Zhang Shaofei was even more embarrassed, the elder laughed again: "I'm just kidding you! Master Hongren is the fifth generation founder of Zen Buddhism and the most famous monk today, with more than a thousand disciples. The master teaches monks and laymen Disciple, as long as you uphold this Diamond Sutra, you can understand your mind, see your nature, and attain enlightenment. So wherever I go, I take the sutra with me, and whenever I have free time, I take it out and read it."
Zhang Shaofei was very envious and could not help but murmur to himself: "Diamond Sutra... one should have no place to live but his heart... Huangmei... the Fifth Patriarch Hong Ren..."
The elder said: "Young man, are you interested in Buddhism?"
Zhang Shaofei nodded: "I just heard you reciting the "Diamond Sutra", and my heart suddenly became bright, as if I had an enlightenment. Although I can't explain the reason, I feel like I have understood the mountains, woods, and It is the most real thing for us people. However, this thing is so ordinary, and it is unbelievable to say it..."
The elder couldn't help but clasped his hands together and said in surprise: "Amitabha, you are enlightened!"
Zhang Shaofei didn't believe it and said: "No way, I don't know anything about Buddhism, and I am a country boy..."
The elder interrupted Zhang Shaofei: "There is no distinction between high and low among people, only the root of wisdom. I, the Buddha, have said that all living beings have Buddha nature. Everyone is equal before the Buddha's Dharma, and all living beings are equal. Even small insects and birds can attain enlightenment. Not to mention you. I see that you are talented, intelligent and have good roots. If you can go to Huangmei Dongshan Temple to worship the Fifth Patriarch Hongren as your teacher, learn deeply about Buddhism, meditate on Zen and gain enlightenment, you will definitely achieve great success."
Zhang Shaofei was very excited and happy when he heard what the elder said, but then he fell into deep thought, looking extremely distressed, and couldn't help but sigh melancholy.
The elder asked with concern: "Young man, what is there in your heart that you can't let go of?"
Zhang Shaofei said: "My father passed away very early, and my mother and I were the only ones dependent on each other. My family was poor, so we had to rely on me to collect firewood and sell it to make a living. If I didn't collect firewood, I would end up without rice. My mother couldn't live without me. Drive me."
"Young man, in my opinion, it's not that your mother can't live without you, but that you can't live without your mother.
From the bottom of your heart you are afraid of leaving your mother and losing your mother's love and care! "
Zhang Shaofei was startled, and after thinking about it carefully, the elder's words made sense.
The elder said sincerely: "Young men should pursue the path of life and the truth of the universe at all costs!"
I'm not boasting. I'm thousands of miles away, but you didn't stop me? Let's do this. I will support you with ten taels of silver first, which will be used for your mother's daily expenses. "
Seeing what Zhang Shaofei wanted to express, the old man waved his hand and said: "Goodbye, young man, don't refuse just yet. I'll be the first to support you, the physical Bodhisattva. You go back and settle down with your mother, and then go to Huangmei Dongshan Temple." Find Master Hongren. I believe that the Fifth Patriarch will treat you well."
With that said, the elder went back to his room and took out a cloth bag, took out an envelope of silver and handed it to Zhang Shaofei.
Zhang Shaofei burst into tears of gratitude and kowtowed.
The old man said: "Young man, I can't afford to give you such a great gift."
Zhang Shaofei said: "Uncle, I just met you by chance, but you are so generous to support a stranger. From you, I see the mind of a Buddhist. Don't worry, I will follow the example of the ancients, practice hard, and promote Buddhism." , in return for your perfect virtue."
The elder stroked his long beard and said, "Okay, okay, I saw the right person."
Besides, the shopkeeper was waiting in front of the counter for Zhang Shaofei to come out to take medicine. After a pack of cigarettes, he still didn't see anyone, so he turned around to see if there was any accident.
The shopkeeper walked to the hall and saw an old man and a young man standing there, chatting in a lively manner. When he saw the words on the elder's bag, he smiled and said, "No wonder you two hit it off right away. It turns out that you are fellow villagers." !”
"Fellow?" Zhang Shaofei and the elder asked the shopkeeper almost at the same time.
The shopkeeper said: "Uncle, the words 'Qiu County Zhang Ji' are written on your bag, which means your surname is An and you are from Qiu County."
Before the elder could express anything, Zhang Shaofei knelt down for the second time and said, "Shopkeeper Zhang, it's really you! You are really the shopkeeper Zhang who runs a grocery store in Qiu County!"
This time, it was the turn of the elder and the shopkeeper to stare at each other.
The elder scratched his scalp: "Young man, who are you? How do you know me?"
Zhang Shaofei said excitedly: "More than ten years ago, you showed me and my mother the way. We first went to the pawn shop, and then to the drug store."
The elder patted his head and said, "Yes! I remembered it! Your father's surname is Zhang..."
The shopkeeper joked: "Not only is his father's surname Zhang, but his surname is Zhang too."
"Uncle Zhang, thank you. Over the years, my mother and I have often talked about you. My mother said that you are a great and kind person."
The elder said: "I am Zhang Daocheng. Brother Zhang, how did you get from Qiu County to Xihai?"
So Zhang Shaofei told Zhang Daocheng about the past.
Zhang Daocheng said: "It is human nature for fallen leaves to return to their roots. Feiwazi, I came back from Huangmei this time and came to the West Sea to pick up some goods. I have hired a ship to transport the goods. After loading all the goods tomorrow, I will return to Qiu County. . If you finish your work, you can take my boat." Zhang Shaofei was so moved that he didn't know what to say.
Zhang Daocheng said with a smile: "This is just a way of doing merit!"
Only then did Zhang Shaofei remember buying Ganoderma lucidum. He took out the prescription written by the imperial doctor from his bag and handed it to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper took the prescription and looked at it, and said to Zhang Shaofei with some embarrassment: "I'm afraid you don't have enough money to follow this prescription."
Zhang Shaofei couldn't help but feel shocked, and asked hurriedly: "Shopkeeper, how much silver will it cost?"
"Based on the purchase price, it costs thirty taels of silver." The shopkeeper told the truth.
"What a blessing, the money is just enough. Fortunately I didn't take a boat, otherwise..." Zhang Shaofei said embarrassedly.
Zhang Daocheng asked in surprise: "You walked to the West Sea."
"Yeah." Zhang Shaofei nodded.
The shopkeeper looked at Zhang Shaofei doubtfully and asked, "Even so, you can't save so much money?"
Zhang Shaofei said seriously: "This is my silver reward for uncovering and eliminating the 'water monster'."
The shopkeeper and Zhang Daocheng asked almost at the same time: "Reveal the list and eliminate the 'water monster'?"
So, Zhang Shaofei told the two of them how he had uncovered and eliminated the 'water monster'. After hearing this, the shopkeeper was moved and said: "I will entertain you to stay in my guest room tonight, so that you can return to Qiu County with Uncle Zhang tomorrow."
Zhang Daocheng said to the shopkeeper, "Let's do this. You will follow this recipe later, and I will pay for the rest."
The shopkeeper said with admiration: "Uncle Zhang is really a good and kind man."
Zhang Daocheng said generously: "It's just a way of doing merit."
"Listen to the Sutra and understand the Tao", this is the core essence of this chapter, especially the sentence "There should be no abode, but the mind" in the Diamond Sutra, which had a great influence on changing Zhang Shaofei's life.
Zhang Shaozhang immediately had an epiphany and expressed his opinion——
The verse "One should have nothing to live in, but one's mind should be born" tells people a method of practice, which is a second-class method, because the first-class method has no words.
How to fix it? Let you "have nothing to live in, but to have a mind." You should have nothing to live in anytime and anywhere, and have a pure mind at any time. Be calm and calm. Things should be as they come, and the past should not be left behind.
To illustrate its meaning, "smile when you meet and don't think about it afterwards", that is: this mind has nothing to do, it is like a mirror, if you have a state of mind, it will be reflected, but after you use it, it will be gone.
It can also be described with two sentences from "Cai Gen Tan": "The wind comes and thins the bamboos, but the wind passes by but the bamboos leave no sound; the wild geese cross the cold pond, the wild geese leave and leave the pond without leaving a trace. Therefore, a gentleman's heart begins to appear when things come. When things go away, the mind becomes empty.”
If anyone can always maintain this kind of state of mind to deal with the world, his body and mind will be so pure and comfortable, carefree and free of worries.
"Green mountains are not old, but are white-headed by snow. Green waters are worry-free, but their faces are wrinkled by the wind." There are many artistic conceptions.
People are inherently free and carefree, so where do the worries come from? Is it for the snow? However, the snow melts without leaving a trace. Where is the snow?
Is it because of the wind?
But the wind blows without a shadow, where is the wind? It is really sad and ridiculous that people just want to cocoon themselves and look for trouble.
Among the many classics of Buddhism, the Diamond Sutra is very well-known. It is the essence of the six hundred volumes of the Mahaprajna Sutra and the essence of Buddhism.
There is a saying often circulated in Buddhism, "The Lotus becomes the Buddha, the Shurangama leads to enlightenment, the Vajra breaks the appearance, and the Huayan leads to wealth."
This is the importance of the Lotus Sutra, Shurangama Sutra, Diamond Sutra, and Avatamsaka Sutra. People's lives are becoming more and more stressful. Both those who are Buddhists and those who are not Buddhists are trying to find a way to calm their body and mind and give their tired body and mind a break.
Therefore, if you want to learn Buddhism, you must read and understand these four classics.
Among these four classics, the Diamond Sutra has the least text. It is concise and concise. No matter which sect or school you study, there is no one who cannot fail to learn it. It should be said that life is a profound art. People who understand life must not only have a down-to-earth spirit of hard work, but also be able to enjoy life easily.
Learn to take breaks while busy and combine work with rest, which is particularly important in today's stressful life.
The "Diamond Sutra" can indeed make life wise and free and easy.
…
The elder Zhang Daocheng was stunned when he heard Zhang Shaofei explain the meaning of this sutra and his own feelings.
He knew that although this sutra could enlighten people's great wisdom, its meaning was subtle and its realm was profound, making it difficult for ordinary people to understand its truth.
Three years ago, he went to Huangmei Dongshan Zen Temple to meet Master Hongren, the Fifth Patriarch. Hongren told him that he should worship, uphold, read and recite the Diamond Sutra. Over time, he could realize the Buddha's heart seal and become a Buddha.
Zhang Daocheng immediately invited a copy of the "Diamond Sutra" to take home, burned incense, read and recited it every day, and worshiped in the morning and evening. Although he worshiped, read and recited this sutra for three years, he still did not understand its essence. He did not expect that this young mountain boy could understand it at once. He was really amazed! And expressed his feelings for most of his life——
