"Okay! Okay!!" Elder Hua Qing was deeply happy that Zhang Shaofei had such a high level of understanding and his cultivation was not inferior to his own. He immediately explained the Diamond Sutra to Zhang Shaofei.
In the flickering light, Elder Huaqing sat upright like a mountain, and the verses of the Diamond Sutra flowed out of his mouth naturally like clouds from Xiu and water from mountain streams: I heard this: At one time, the Buddha was in Savatthi. The only tree in the country was given to the Garden of Solitude, together with the great bhikkhu, 1,250 people...
This scripture is like the emotion deep in the human soul since ancient times, like the inner murmur of the cosmic spirit alone.
The same scripture, read from the mouth of Elder Hua Qing, is so different!
Zhang Shaofei was stunned at first, and then his blood boiled with excitement.
As the sound of chanting continued to come, his heart gradually calmed down again, and a peaceful smile appeared on his face.
Elder Huaqing's chanting sounds like flowing clouds and flowing water, like a troubadour singing in harmony with nature.
"Subhuti, a Bodhisattva should not abide in the Dharma, but should practice giving. It is called giving without clinging to form, giving without clinging to sound, fragrance, touch, and Dharma. It should be noted that Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva should give in this way and should not dwell in appearance..."
In a daze, Zhang Shaofei seemed to see a golden lotus growing out of the elder's chanting mouth, and the slowly coming verses turned into the light of the golden lotus...
The lotus gradually expanded and filled the entire world. The huge golden lotus gradually faded into a dreamlike outline. The images of Buddha Sakyamuni and Venerable Subhuti gradually emerge on the stamens.
Buddha: "Subhuti, what do you mean? Is the space in the east conceivable?"
Subhuti: "No, World Honored One."
Buddha: "Subhuti, is it possible to contemplate the four dimensions of space above, south, west, north, and below?"
Subhuti: "No, World Honored One."
Buddha: "Subhuti, a Bodhisattva who has no abiding appearance can give out blessings in a way that is inconceivable. Subhuti, a Bodhisattva should only abide as taught. Subhuti, what do you mean, can you see the Tathagata in person?"
Subhuti: "No, World Honored One, one cannot see the Tathagata through the physical form. Why, the physical form mentioned by the Tathagata is not the physical form."
Buddha: "All appearances are false. If you see all appearances that are not appearances, you will see the Tathagata."
Zhang Shaofei blinked his eyes, and the dreamlike scene disappeared - all appearances were false. The voice of Elder Huaqing reciting the Diamond Sutra is still flowing slowly:
… All Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas should have a pure mind like this. They should not have a mind to dwell in form, nor should they have a mind to dwell in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. They should have a mind that has nothing to dwell in...
When Zhang Shaofei heard "There should be no place to live but the mind is born", it seemed as if he was suddenly shocked by an electric shock, and his whole body trembled violently! All kinds of beautiful scenery appeared in his mind——
Sacred Snow Mountain: Snow lotus blooms on the snow mountain;
The beach at sunset: fine waves kiss the beach;
Vast grassland: the winding rivers in the natural form of the grassland;
Picturesque forest: bursts of pine waves are so refreshing...
Elder Hua Qing’s voice echoed across heaven and earth: All conditioned dharmas are like bubbles in a dream, like dew or lightning, and should be viewed as such.
At some point, Zhang Shaofei knelt down in front of Elder Hua Qing. Elder Hua Qing caressed Zhang Shaofei's head and asked kindly: "This "Diamond Sutra" is the initiation sutra of Zen Buddhism. It clarifies the principle that all dharmas are empty and selfless. Do you understand?"
Zhang Shaofei nodded vigorously, with tears in his eyes. At that moment, he completely understood that any Buddhist teachings are inseparable from one's own nature.
So, Zhang Shaofei confessed his heart to Elder Hua Qing: "I never thought that my nature is unsullied and pure; I never thought that my nature is without birth and death; I didn't think that my nature is inherently pure. I thought that my own nature is originally self-sufficient and perfect, neither increasing nor decreasing. I did not think that my own nature was unshakable and equal. I did not think that all kinds of Buddhist teachings are derived from people's own nature. Produced..."
"Ah, you have truly understood the nature of Buddhism. If you don't understand the essential issues, there is no benefit in studying Buddhism. If you understand your own nature and your original appearance, you are called a man, a teacher in heaven, and a teacher in the world. That is the Buddha." Later, Elder Huaqing taught Zhang Shaofei one by one the secrets of the Dunjiao method and the five local sects - Yunmen, Weiyang, Linji, Caodong, and Fayan.
Zhang Shaofei listened, and as he listened, his whole body seemed to be floating, and he moved to a Buddhist realm where the golden wheel and the red light were everywhere, and all the chaos and ignorance were swept away...
"The Dharma was taught at three o'clock, but no one knew it, so he preached the teaching immediately." This has since become a popular story in Zen Buddhism.
After Elder Hua Qing imparted the secret to Zhang Shaofei, he took off his cassock, took out the golden bowl, and handed it to Zhang Shaofei: "You came to Dongchan Temple to purify your body and mind and seek enlightenment. In just eight months of inspection, , although you have not yet been fully ordained or ordained in Buddhism, various signs have shown that your Dharma connections have been exhausted, your merits have been fulfilled, and you have reached the other shore. In the past, Bodhidharma came from India, and people did not believe in him, so he taught Sacred objects such as cassocks and golden bowls are used as evidence and tokens of the true transmission of our Buddha. It has been passed down to Huike, Sengcan, Daoxin, and then to my elder for five generations. The method of teaching is to communicate heart to heart. Let them understand and understand that since ancient times, all the Buddhas have taught is the true nature, and what each generation of ancestors has secretly taught is the original mind. Tonight, I will teach you this sacred object. From now on, you will be the sixth generation of our Buddhist Zen Forest. A young master."
Zhang Shaofei took the cassock and the golden bowl and said gratefully: "Thank you, elder."
