This morning, Zhang Shaofei was sifting through the pounded rice attentively in the husking room in the backyard of Dongchan Temple. Suddenly, a clear and elegant child's voice came from outside the door:
As a Zen wisdom tree, your heart is like a bright moon mirror.
Take care of them diligently at all times, and your Zen wisdom will shine brightly.
Zhang Shaofei stopped what he was doing, listened, listened, and walked out involuntarily.
Ah, this elegant childish voice originally came from the mouth of the little novice monk who always followed Faru.
Zhang Shaofei stepped forward and said, "Little elder, although the verse you just recited was very good, you have not yet truly seen the wisdom of the Buddha."
The little novice monk said disdainfully: "You're a menial worker, what do you know? This verse was written by Venerable Dharma. How can it be good? If you haven't seen the wisdom of the Buddha, how come even the elders take the lead in worshiping? You? Is this servant who doesn't know shit any better than the second senior brother?"
After the little novice monk finished speaking, he glared at Zhang Shaofei angrily.
Zhang Shaofei was not as knowledgeable as the young novice monk, so he apologized: "I'm sorry, little elder, I didn't know that the verse was composed by the second senior brother. But why does the elder want to worship this verse?"
The young novice monk said quite proudly: "It's too polite to say that you don't understand shit! You don't even know about the elders passing on the mantle, so what do you know!"
Zhang Shaofei seemed a little surprised and asked: "The elder really wants to pass on the mantle?"
The young novice raised his head and said, "Of course!" Then he repeated to Zhang Shaofei what Elder Huaqing said that night - all the people in our Dongchan Temple, whether he has become a monk or not, A ordained layman, no matter how high his status in the temple is, is still very low, he can use Zen verses to describe his state of mind that he has learned through many years of practice. If someone's verses best express the nature of Buddha's wisdom, are most in line with the essence of Zen wisdom, and reach the highest state, I will pass on the secret of Zen wisdom to him, and I will also pass on this sacred mantle and bowl to him. In other words, in the future, that person will be the master.
After the little novice monk repeated the original words of Elder Hua Qing, he looked at Zhang Shaofei with pride, put his hands on his waist, and said with great dignity, "This verse was composed by the second senior brother. He still accepts me Inspired by it, I wrote it on the south wall.”
Zhang Shaofei bowed to the young novice and said: "Little elder, where is the verse written by the second senior brother? Can you please take me there? I also want to pray to the second senior brother's verse."
The little novice monk curled his lips and said, "I won't take a servant like you with me. You have to go by yourself."
Zhang Shaofei pleaded: "Little elder, I have been in the temple for almost eight months. I have been working in the backyard. I have never been to the front and I don't know the way. Please lead me there." After that, Zhang Shaofei bowed again. .
Seeing Zhang Shaofei's sincerity, the young novice said, "It's unlucky for me to meet a servant like you who doesn't know anything. Let's go, I'll take you there."
Zhang Shaofei followed the young novice and walked towards the south corridor of Dongchan Temple.
Under the south corridor, where Faru wrote the verses, there is still an incense table, surrounded by many monks and laymen. Some are offering incense and worshiping; some are pointing and commenting on the verses on the wall. Most of them, however, are complimentary.
Zhang Shaofei and the young novice monks crowded forward and listened in the crowd to the monks and laypeople's comments on the verses on the wall.
There was a tall and thin man in the crowd, wearing brightly colored official uniforms, who stood out. Together with the monks who all wore gray tiles, he stood out like a flock of chickens, silently reciting the gatha on the wall.
A pilgrim shouted: "Oh, isn't this Wang Biejia? You are the father-in-law of our Jiangzhou people, and you also come to offer incense?"
In Jiangzhou, apart from the governor, Wang Biejia was the most powerful lay scholar. He said: "I heard that Faru will use this verse to obtain the mantle of Elder Huaqing. Although I am an official of the imperial court and located in Zhenjiang Mountain, I am still a disciple of Buddhism. Can I not come to congratulate you?"
Zhang Shaofei came to the incense table, straightened his clothes, and knelt down to worship three times devoutly. After getting up, he saluted Wang Biejia again, then pointed to the blank wall next to the verse and said, "Master Zhang, I also have a verse in my heart. Could you please write it on the wall for me?"
Wang Biejia looked at Zhang Shaofei and saw that he was clothed in coarse black clothes and had unkempt hair. He was a vulgar servant in the temple. He thought he was trying to be lazy and said angrily: "You have your own hands and feet. You can write it yourself." Why bother others when it’s a trivial matter like writing a few words?”
Zhang Shaofei said helplessly: "I have no choice!"
Wang Biejia asked: "What is the meaning of this statement?"
Zhang Shaofei spread his hands and said frankly: "I have never been to school and I am illiterate."
This morning, Zhang Shaofei was sifting through the pounded rice attentively in the husking room in the backyard of Dongchan Temple. Suddenly, a clear and elegant child's voice came from outside the door:
As a Zen wisdom tree, your heart is like a bright moon mirror.
Take care of them diligently at all times, and your Zen wisdom will shine brightly.
Zhang Shaofei stopped what he was doing, listened, listened, and walked out involuntarily.
Ah, this elegant childish voice originally came from the mouth of the little novice monk who always followed Faru.
Zhang Shaofei stepped forward and said: "Little elder, although the verse you just recited is very good, you have not yet truly seen the wisdom of the Buddha."
The little novice monk said disdainfully: "You're a menial worker, what do you know? This verse was written by Venerable Dharma. How can it be good? If you haven't seen the wisdom of the Buddha, how come even the elders take the lead in worshiping? You? Is this servant who doesn't know shit any better than the second senior brother?"
After the little novice monk finished speaking, he glared at Zhang Shaofei angrily.
Zhang Shaofei was not as knowledgeable as the young novice monk, so he apologized: "I'm sorry, little elder, I didn't know that the verse was composed by the second senior brother. But why does the elder want to worship this verse?"
The young novice monk said quite proudly: "It's too polite to say that you don't understand shit! You don't even know about the elders passing on the mantle, so what do you know!"
Zhang Shaofei seemed a little surprised and asked: "The elder really wants to pass on the mantle?"
The young novice raised his head and said, "Of course!" Then he repeated to Zhang Shaofei what Elder Huaqing said that night - all the people in our Dongchan Temple, whether he has become a monk or not, A ordained layman, no matter how high his status in the temple is, is still very low, he can use Zen verses to describe his state of mind that he has learned through many years of practice. If someone's verses best express the nature of Buddha's wisdom, are most in line with the essence of Zen wisdom, and reach the highest state, I will pass on the secret of Zen wisdom to him, and I will also pass on this sacred mantle and bowl to him. In other words, in the future, that person will be the master.
After the little novice monk repeated the original words of Elder Hua Qing, he looked at Zhang Shaofei with pride, put his hands on his waist, and said with great dignity, "This verse was composed by the second senior brother. He still accepts me Inspired by it, I wrote it on the south wall.”
Zhang Shaofei bowed to the young novice and said: "Little elder, where is the verse written by the second senior brother? Can you please take me there? I also want to pray to the second senior brother's verse."
The little novice monk curled his lips and said, "I won't take a servant like you with me. You have to go by yourself."
Zhang Shaofei pleaded: "Little elder, I have been in the temple for almost eight months. I have been working in the backyard. I have never been to the front and I don't know the way. Please lead me there." After that, Zhang Shaofei bowed again. .
Seeing Zhang Shaofei's sincerity, the young novice said, "It's unlucky for me to meet a servant like you who doesn't know anything. Let's go, I'll take you there."
Zhang Shaofei followed the young novice and walked towards the south corridor of Dongchan Temple.
Under the south corridor, where Faru wrote the verses, there is still an incense table, surrounded by many monks and laymen. Some are offering incense and worshiping; some are pointing and commenting on the verses on the wall. Most of them, however, are complimentary.
Zhang Shaofei and the young novice monks crowded forward and listened in the crowd to the monks and laypeople's comments on the verses on the wall.
There was a tall and thin man in the crowd, wearing brightly colored official uniforms, who stood out. Together with the monks who were all wearing gray tiles, he stood out like a flock of chickens, silently reciting the gatha on the wall.
A pilgrim shouted: "Oh, isn't this Wang Biejia? You are the father-in-law of our Jiangzhou people, and you also come to offer incense?"
In Jiangzhou, apart from the governor, Wang Biejia was the most powerful lay scholar. He said: "I heard that Faru will use this verse to obtain the mantle of Elder Huaqing. Although I am an official of the imperial court and located in Zhenjiang Mountain, I am still a disciple of Buddhism. Can I not come to congratulate you?"
When Zhang Shaofei came to the incense table, an old voice rang in his ears...
He busily adjusted his clothes and knelt down to worship three times devoutly. After getting up, he saluted Wang Biejia again, then pointed to the blank wall next to the verse and said, "Master Zhang, I also have a verse in my heart. Could you please write it on the wall for me?"
Wang Biejia looked at Zhang Shaofei and saw that he was clothed in coarse black clothes and had unkempt hair. He was a vulgar servant in the temple. He thought he was trying to be lazy and said angrily: "You have your own hands and feet. You can write it yourself." Why bother others when it’s a trivial matter like writing a few words?”
Zhang Shaofei said helplessly: "I have no choice!"
Wang Biejia asked: "What is the meaning of this statement?"
Zhang Shaofei spread his hands and said frankly: "I have never been to school and I am illiterate."
Wang Biejia said contemptuously: "You don't even know the Chinese characters, but you can still compose a verse? I really encountered something strange today, even a donkey dung egg wants to shine."
When Feng Gang saw that Zhang Shaofei was about to write a verse, he thought that he didn't know the heights of heaven and earth. He said sarcastically: "Before entering Dongchan Temple, I heard that this man was a firewood collector at home. When he came here, he was a handyman who mainly grinded rice. Donkey dung. If the egg can emit light, why do people need the night pearl? Even if you can say a few jingles, I'm afraid it won't make any sense. The layman Zhang Da is a guest of Jiangzhou and an official of the imperial court. He has been tainted by your crooked verses for no reason. Excellent calligraphy."
"Ah, so that's it." Wang Biejia took a breath and said, "You come to compose a verse too? It's strange, it's strange!"
Zhang Shaofei did not care about Feng Gang, and said neither arrogant nor humble: "Master Zhang, since you are a layman, you should know that the Buddhist scriptures say that all living beings are equal and there is no distinction between superior and inferior. If a person wants to be enlightened, When you reach the supreme road, you should not despise beginners. People with low status may have extraordinary wisdom; while people with high status may be blind to the mountains and make mistakes in judgment due to their prejudices. People who study Buddhism, if they despise Others will have immeasurable sins.”
Feng Gang said contemptuously: "This is a lowly person."
"The people below have the wisdom of the superior, and the people above have the wisdom of the inferior." Zhang Shaofei said confidently.
Wang Biejia was startled when he heard Zhang Shaofei's extraordinary words, but he still felt strange: "How can you compose a verse if you don't know how to read?"
Zhang Shaofei put his index finger against his chest and replied: "Don't be ridiculous, this is what I did."
Wang Biejia: "Do you compose verses with your heart?"
Zhang Shaofei nodded: "Exactly."
Wang Biejia was very surprised. He looked Zhang Shaofei up and down and said, "Hey, I made a mistake! You may seem ordinary, but your conversational skills are extraordinary! Since you are good at eloquence, maybe you have truly become enlightened. Well, please Read out the gatha and I will write it on the wall for you."
Some monks who liked to watch the fun saw Wang Biejia and Zhang Shaofei talking like this and thought: This time Zhang Shaofei will make a big fool of himself in front of everyone, so they came out to encourage: "Wang Biejia, since this servant wants to make a verse . Just write it on the wall for him."
"This..." Before Zhang Shaofei could say anything, Wang Biejia, who had been in the officialdom for many years and had extensive knowledge, already felt that a violent thunderstorm would soon arise in Dongchan Temple, so he put down the brush and inkstone in his hands.
Zhang Shaofei asked anxiously: "Wang Farewell, won't you write for me?"
Wang Biejia explained: "Write, write, but instead of writing with a brush dipped in ink, let's write with ashes first."
Zhang Shaofei thought to himself: As long as you can write out my verses and let everyone know, that will be enough.
Wang Biejia's words were reserved: "Okay, you can tell me. If you have obtained the Dharma, you should first save me. Don't forget what I said."
"Yes." Zhang Shaofei took a breath and read out the first verse in his heart word for word: "Zen wisdom has no tree."
