Besides, Zhang Shaofei crossed the river and came ashore. After bidding farewell to the elders, he traveled southward day and night.
When he was pounding rice at Tozenji Temple, he fell from a boulder and suffered pain in his waist and legs, so he walked more slowly.
After traveling for 20 days, he finally reached the foot of Dayuling Mountain at the junction of Jiangxi and Guangdong.
Looking up, I saw the mountains rising like tidal waves and the peaks rushing like waves. This continuous mountain range looked like a rough ocean.
A narrow path sometimes hangs on the top of the mountain, sometimes falls into the abyss, sometimes disappears, and is looming.
It is like a colorful bridge hanging from the misty clouds. It seems that along it, you can go to the fascinating paradise.
Zhang Shaofei didn't know whether it could lead to the enchanted paradise. What he knew was that he would follow this road, cross the Dayu Mountains, and then enter the Lingnan ground. He also knew that after reaching Lingnan, he would be safe.
Therefore, his heart, which had been tense for a long time, felt much more relaxed here, and his steps became much lighter when climbing the mountain.
Zhang Shaofei began to walk towards this colorful bridge. After walking for a long time, the paradise he longed for did not appear, but one was in sight in the distance...
Zhang Shaofei couldn't help but sigh: "It's been almost a year, and I've returned to Liuxuan Village again."
It was the time when the sun was setting. The urchin returning from herding rides upside down on the back of the buffalo, playing the piccolo while the old cow walks leisurely;
Wisps of smoke rise from the village, sometimes thick and sometimes light, sometimes straight and sometimes curved, tenderly calling the people working in the fields.
At the foot of the mountain, there is a lush bamboo forest, the old poles are as strong as iron, and the new bamboo is green and green;
When the wind comes, the green bamboo poles are swaying beautifully, dancing gracefully, with various styles and rustling sounds;
When the wind stopped, they immediately regained their composure. They were neither flattering nor vulgar, neither seeing off nor welcoming. They stood tall and graceful, peaceful and picturesque...
"The wind will thin the bamboos, but the wind will pass by and the bamboos will leave no sound." This is what the Zen master said.
"When things come, they appear in the mind; when things go, the mind is empty." This is what Zen practitioners do.
On the mountainside, the golden rapeseed flowers bloomed brightly, coloring the mountains and fields, fragrant the air, and even the gorgeous sunset seemed to be shining brightly because of them.
The gentle breeze carried the fragrance all over the mountain, blowing down three or five branches of yellow flowers. The wind dances the flowers, but the wind has no intention of spreading the fragrance and scattering the flowers; the flowers are dyed with charm, but the flowers have no intention of intoxicating the wind. Everything happens naturally, arises according to fate, and disappears due to fate, wonderful and harmonious.
Zhang Shaofei recited intoxicatedly, "The green bamboos are all Dharmakaya. The gloomy yellow flowers are nothing but prajna."
Zhang Shaofei was about to walk towards Liuxuan Village at the foot of the mountain when he suddenly heard the melodious sound of bells and chimes.
The Buddhist bell struck the blue sky, and the sky was filled with white clouds and shadows. The Buddha chime resonates in the wilderness, and the green trees on the four mountains are full of Zen.
Over there in the mountain stream, a small temple is hidden among the green trees - Shanjian Temple. That was the dojo of the abbot Wuwu Zangni, and the place where Zhang Shaofei first lectured on Buddhist scriptures.
He changed direction and walked towards the temple.
When Zhang Shaofei was about to enter the quiet mountain temple, there was a "squeak" of the door, and a young nun walked out of the temple. She carried the water basket and walked towards the mountain stream with her head lowered.
Zhang Shaofei hurriedly took a few steps, put his hands together and asked, "Little elder, are you..."
The little nun raised her head. ah! It's Xiuxi, Liu Xiuxi in bhikshuni attire. She also recognized Zhang Shaofei. After a moment's hesitation, she lowered her head and asked with one hand, "Poverty nun Huan Jing. May I ask the traveler, what instructions do you have?"
Zhang Shaofei bowed deeply and said, "Zhang Shaofei deeply admires Master Huanjing's ability to see through the impermanence of life and escape from the illusion of dreams."
Huan Jing's face turned slightly red and she murmured: "Now that I think about it, it's all because of your verses on the moonlit night that woke up the dreamer. I am very grateful."
At this time, Liu Xiubin and a man named Liu Weishu, who was in his fifties, came together.
Liu Xiubin shouted from afar: "Mei, is aunt in the temple?"
Huan Jing and Zhang Shaofei turned and looked in their direction.
Zhang Shaofei first shouted: "Ah, it's Brother Liu!"
Liu Xiubin was so surprised, as if he couldn't believe his eyes, and shouted without emotion: "Second brother, is it you? Is it really you?"
The two ran towards each other, and when they met, Liu Xiubin saw clearly that Zhang Shaofei was dressed as a monk, and smiled awkwardly: "Second brother, didn't you go to Huangmeidong Zen Temple to study Buddhism with Master Hongren? Isn't it just a few months? , have you fully acquired the true transmission of the Five Patriarchs, and have a clear understanding of Huangmei Buddhism?"
Zhang Shaofei didn't know where to start: "Oh! It's hard to explain in words. Brother, what are you..."
Liu Xiubin replied: "Liu Shanren insisted on dragging me to listen to my aunt's lecture on the Nirvana Sutra. Oh, look at me, I forgot to introduce it to you."
He pointed to Liu Weishu beside him, "This is Yuan Wai Liu. He is a descendant of Liu Bei. He builds bridges and roads, burns incense, chants Buddha's prayers, and helps the poor. People in the village call him Liu Shanren. Uncle Liu, this is me. Zhang Shaofei, who I have told you many times, is very knowledgeable about Buddhism. Last time, you went to Nanyue Hengshan to offer incense and missed the opportunity to meet him."
Liu Weishu cupped his hands in reply. Seeing that Zhang Shaofei was young, he didn't take it seriously.
Huan Jing said, "Go to the temple. My aunt is reciting the Nirvana Sutra." After saying that, she went to fetch water.
Zhang Shaofei and the others walked towards Shanjian Temple while talking.
Liu Xiubin was familiar with it. As soon as she entered the sutra hall, she shouted loudly: "Auntie!"
Master Wuwu Zangni was reciting sutras when he heard the shouting. He looked up and saw Zhang Shaofei and shouted happily: "Oh, isn't this Zhang Xingzhe? You are a rare guest! Sit down, please sit down."
Zhang Shaofei and Liu Weishu saluted her respectively and sat on both sides of the square table.
At this time, Huan Jing also returned with water and poured tea for them.
Master Wuwu Zangni asked Zhang Shaofei: "Didn't you go to Huangmei to worship the Fifth Patriarch and seek Dharma from him?"
Liu Xiubin was the first to say: "I have returned from my studies."
Liu Weishu said meaningfully: "I heard that the Dongshan Dharma of Master Hongren, the fifth generation founder of Zen Buddhism, is profound, profound and mysterious. You can master Huangmei's method in just a few months. It seems extraordinary!"
Zhang Shaofei said modestly: "I dare not." Zhang Shaofei briefly explained the whole story.
After hearing this, Master Wuwu Zangni sighed and said, "Since the elder allows you to come down the mountain, it means that you have a deep understanding of Zen. I wonder what the purpose of Dongshan Dharma is? Please give Zhang Xingzhe a brief introduction to the Zen method."
Zhang Shaofei said: "According to my understanding, the so-called Zen teachings are nothing more than 'directly pointing to the human heart, seeing one's nature and becoming a Buddha'. That is to say, everyone has Buddha nature, and Buddha nature is inherently quiet, and one can see one's nature clearly, that is, Become a Buddha.”
Liu Weishu looked at the black-haired young man in front of him steadily. He looked left and right, up and down, and felt that this young man did not live up to his name. He looked at Zhang Shaofei with doubts and asked: " When I was young, I once read "Mencius". Mencius advocated the theory of "good nature", and he also said: "Everyone can be like Yao and Shun." In this way, isn't the principle of Confucianism the same as that of Zen? "
Zhang Shaofei actually nodded and said: "Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, from a broad perspective, there is no fundamental difference."
Liu Xiubin said in a mocking tone: "Buddha said: It cannot be said, it cannot be said; Confucius said: What is it like, what is it like?"
"Unspeakable" is a term commonly used in Buddhist scriptures. Because the essence of Buddhism, the essence of Zen, is like a person knowing whether it is hot or cold when drinking water, so it cannot be said. "Ru Zhi He" appears many times in The Analects of Confucius. Liu Xiubin borrowed it to ask why, which was quite interesting.
