"When the Fifth Patriarch passed down the cassock and the golden bowl to Huineng, he said, 'There is no need to pass down the cassock because of disputes. There is no need to establish writing, teach outsiders to pass it on separately, pass on the rules from generation to generation, pass on the heart to the heart, and understand and understand by oneself. .' The elder believes that Zen and Hui are from the same sect and branch. In order to pass down the rules from generation to generation, they are passed on from heart to heart. Now, whether he has become a monk or a layman who has not yet been ordained, no matter he is now No matter how high your status in the temple is, it is still very humble. You can write down the state of mind you have learned through many years of practice in verses of Zen wisdom. Whose verses can best describe the nature of Buddha’s wisdom and are most consistent with the essence of Zen wisdom? Righteousness is the highest state reached. This elder taught him the secret of Zen wisdom. The sacred objects passed down from generation to generation of the Hui sect - the cassock and the Golden Sutra - were also taught to him. In other words, from now on, that person will be the Hui Sect. Master. You must remember that the verses you write must flow from your own nature, and it is useless to think about it. Because people who truly understand the Buddha-nature and wisdom-nature can show it in their words. It is a natural manifestation. It's not about deliberately carving or seeking. Okay, let's go and do it." After Elder Hua Qing finished speaking, he left the hall and returned to the abbot's room.
The monks gathered in small groups and discussed.
Indeed, Elder Hua Qing's words really excited all the monks and laymen in Dongchan Temple and caused an uproar.
How many winter nights when the wind blows on the old trees and snow hits the cold windows; how many scorching and unbearable summer days are faced with red fish and green chimes, green lights and yellow scrolls, and hard work. People are motivated and work hard in order to achieve great things and achieve positive results...
Now that the opportunity has come, how can it not stir up waves in their inner lake that has always been like still water?
In the hall, in the Zen room, in the monk's residence, in the mill, in the vegetable field, under the bodhi tree...in every corner of Dongzen Temple, the big and small monks each have their own thoughts:
Some people feel that their literary talents are low and that no matter how they write, they cannot compare to their second senior brother Faru, so they are too lazy to use their brains;
Some people are flipping through books, thinking hard, searching till they can't find a word;
Those who are too lazy to study on weekdays can only hesitate and sigh;
Those who are slightly talented in literature are troubled by their inability to write verses that provide insight into the wisdom of Zen...
Yingyin, Huiming, Faru and monks with a certain status in the temple gathered together, and what they were talking about was of course the mantle that Elder Hua Qing was about to pass on.
Yingyin asked: "Brothers, have you thought about your gatha?"
Huiming said: "The elder said that it is useless to think about it. You need to realize the wisdom of Buddha. I have been looking for a long time, but I can't find my Buddha nature."
Yingyin said: "Then you don't want to become the Huimen Grandmaster? Wow, if you can inherit the elder's mantle, all the monks in the temple will have to obey the call. No, not just Dongchan Temple, Huilin all over the country, and all Huimen people. It’s so majestic and glorious that you’re the only one who’s taking the lead!”
Huiming curled his lips and said, "You're such a fiery bear, but you also want to become the Grandmaster of Huimen? Just dream of your spring and autumn dream!"
Yingyin's endless fascination and longing were broken, and he said unconvinced: "What's wrong with me! Isn't it just that my face has been disfigured? The second ancestor Huike still only has one arm!"
Faru said implicitly: "Yes, it has nothing to do with appearance."
"That's right." Yingyin became excited. However, he suddenly thought that Faru's words were repeating what Zhang Shaofei said when he came to Dongchan Temple. As a result, his disfigured and twisted face took on a grotesque look.
Seeing that Ying Yin's expression was not right, Huiming changed his words and said, "Senior brother Ying Yin, you are also a well-known figure in the temple, so please read a verse for everyone to listen to."
"I can't do it, but you can? You can compose a song and listen to it!" Yingyin retorted.
Huiming didn't have that many tricks up his sleeve, so he said honestly: "I'm not like you, who is literate and sophisticated. Before I became a monk, I was a fourth-grade general. I only knew how to fight and kill. Fortunately, I was saved by an elder and converted to Buddhism. . I just want to eliminate all my bad karma, and I will be satisfied if I don’t fall into the lower realms in my next life.”
The elegant middle-aged Zen master Xuan Zhen said: "Buddha said, put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha immediately. Brother Huiming, why do you belittle yourself?"
Huiming said: "Senior Brother Faru, you and Senior Brother Xuanzhu are both the elder's favorite disciples. You are both qualified to inherit the elder's mantle. You should give it a try."
Faru said: "I have thought of a song, but I don't know if it is good or not."
Xuanzang also said: "I have been practicing under the guidance of the elder for many years. If I don't understand Zen at all, it will be a waste of time. Therefore, I also have a few jingles in my heart."
The monks all said, "Don't drag your beards across the river - be modest! Speak out and let everyone judge."
Just when Xuan Zhen was about to speak, a seven or eight-year-old novice monk, the child who often followed Fa Ru, rushed to say: "I think you all should stop wasting your efforts. The verses you compose can surpass Fa Ru Er's." Senior brother?"
When the monks heard this, they fell silent.
Xuan Hao let out a long sigh and said: "Yes, I am so obsessed with it. How could I forget my second senior brother? It's a sin, it's a sin."
Huiming said: "Brother Faru read a lot of poetry and books before he became a monk. He was erudite and proficient in Confucianism and Taoism. After he became a monk, he was even more diligent. The elders admired him very much. He once said that there were seven to eight hundred monks in the temple. , for the study of Buddhism, no one is as good as Faru."
The young novice monk said: "Elder Hua Qing's mantle originally belonged to the second senior brother Fa Ru!"
Xuan Hao also sighed, as if relieved, but also helpless and said: "That's fine, it's logical and natural, so as not to hurt everyone's dissatisfaction with each other."
Yingyin said in a sour tone: "Yes, who can compare to him? He is the elder's favorite disciple and the second senior brother in the temple. After the elder, he is the only one. He is near the water tower!"
Xuan Zhu said seriously: "You can't say that. The second senior brother's character, knowledge and conduct are all ranked first in the whole temple. Only he has the qualifications to become the Huimen Grandmaster. Otherwise, if it were anyone else, he would be the best." Including me, Xuanzang, there must be some people in the entire temple who are dissatisfied."
After saying that, Xuan Zhen glanced at Faru from the corner of his eye. At the same time, Faru was also targeting him.
Huiming said: "Yes, I think everyone shouldn't overestimate their abilities and compose verses! Give up this mentality! Faru is our second senior brother, and most of the Buddhist dharma we know was taught by him. Except for the elders, Who can compare to him?"
He glanced at Yingyin, and then said: "If someone uses other means to obtain the mantle, I, Huiming, will be the first to be unconvinced. If you snatch it away, I will snatch it back for Senior Brother Faru!"
Xuan Zuo nodded: "The position of future grandmaster belongs to none other than the second brother Fei Ruru. In the future, we will just follow him and continue to practice."
All the monks were convinced, and they all clasped their hands and said yes.
…
As the second senior brother of Dongzen Temple, Faru was already a talented and elegant man. After entering Buddhism, he became the second disciple of the Fifth Patriarch. In addition to the first disciple Shenxiu, he often performed duties on behalf of his master and had a high level of understanding. He knew that this was the most critical moment in his life, so he summoned several of his most confidant monks behind the big rock in the back mountain.
