Village Chief Wang and Lezhai Master learned that Zhu Fugui had donated mountain land to Zhang Shaofei to build a temple, and they donated their money to help.
After the temple was completed, it was collectively called Zen Hui Garden. Inspired by Zhang Shaofei's virtues, his fame spread far and wide. More and more monks and monks gathered together, and the occasion was unprecedented. It was called "the miracle of Lingnan, and the leader of Baiyue". In the uncivilized barbaric land of Lingnan, the Zen Wisdom Garden is not only the center of Zen wisdom, but also the place where literary style and education are cultivated. Due to Zhang Shaofei's popularization, the primitive and backward folk customs here gradually changed. The remote Tianlu Mountain has become the cultural center of Lingnan in the Central Plains.
Although Zhang Shaofei and Shenxiu both inherited the Zen methods of the Fifth Patriarch, they each had their own distinctive Zen style. Zhang Shaofei held high the banner of the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng's enlightenment and enlightenment, and advocated straightforward approach and direct insight into one's nature.
He believes that practice does not necessarily require meditating and contemplating the mind. One can directly understand and realize the wonderful effects of Buddha nature in daily life such as carrying water, chopping firewood, and plowing fields.
Shenxiu also advocates the traditional gradual meditation method, which expounds the gradual Zen of "always brushing diligently to avoid dust". The main method of practice is to sit cross-legged and meditate, focusing on tranquility.
Zhang Shaofei taught his disciples: "The teachings originally have only one purpose, but the people who study the Dharma are geographically different from the north to the south; there is only one kind of Zen, but people's understanding is different at different speeds. There is no sudden and gradual change in Zen, so why is it called What about sudden enlightenment? Just because people have different talents and different ways of understanding, they are called sudden enlightenment and gradual cultivation. All roads lead to Chang'an, and every door leads to Chang'an. No matter which road you take, Regardless of whether it is fast or slow, the final destination reached is the same Chang'an City."
Shenxiu's disciples, because they didn't know much about Zhang Shaofei, took it for granted that there was nothing outstanding about him, and they often made sarcastic and scornful remarks.
After Shenxiu heard about it, he said to them sincerely: "Junior brother Zhang Shaofei has the superhuman wisdom of knowing himself without a teacher, so he can realize the most superior Zen method. In this regard, I am not as good as him. What's more, my master, the Fifth Patriarch, is Is it an accident that I personally imparted the mantle of Zen to him? I only regret that I am old and weak, and the journey is far away, so I cannot go to Lingnan in person to consult with Junior Brother Zhang Shaofei. You are young and should go to Junior Brother Zhang Shaofei to learn as soon as possible , don’t stop at my place and delay your enlightenment.”
After all, who among the disciples is willing to abandon the great master who is virtuous, knowledgeable, and famous all over the world to follow a criminal official assigned by the imperial court?
As a Zen practitioner who has a thorough understanding of life, a heart like a mirror, and a wisdom that reaches the sky, Shenxiu deeply knows that although on the surface, his status in the Zen forest is much higher than that of Zhang Shaofei, as a Zen center, Yuquan Temple is far more popular than Tianlu Mountain. However, Zhang Shaofei's teaching method seemed to be more advanced than his own. However, where exactly is Zhang Shaofei? He didn't quite know.
One day, Shenxiu called for his most proud disciple Zhiyuan and said to him: "Zhiyuan, you are very smart and talented. You can go to Tianlu Mountain to listen to the Dharma on my behalf. You will do your best to the Dharma essentials taught by Junior Brother Zhang Shaofei." Write it down and tell me when you get back."
Zhiyuan was very happy when he heard that he was asked to go to Tianlu Mountain: "I met Master Zhang Shaofei when I was very young. I heard that his Zen Hui Garden has become a famous Taoist temple in Lingnan. I was also very happy. I want to see it.”
Shenxiu said: "Then go and prepare."
Just as Zhiyuan was about to leave, Shenxiu said again: "Zhiyuan, you have to be careful and try not to reveal that you are going from our Yuquan Temple, so as not to cause unnecessary misunderstandings."
Zhiyuan nodded solemnly. Watching his most loyal disciple gradually go away, Shenxiu murmured to himself: "Zhiyuan, you should come back early, my master is waiting for you..."
Zhiyuan accepted the master's orders, traveled through mountains and rivers, covered with stars and moon, "dede" ran to Tianlu Mountain...
When Zhiyuan first arrived at Tianlu Mountain, Zhang Shaofei, who was meditating in Zenhui Garden, suddenly opened his eyes, smiled and said, "Haha, there is a person who is eavesdropping on Buddhism."
Secretary Fa Hui, who was standing aside, jumped up: "Where is he, Master? I'll catch him!"
Zhang Shaofei paused for a moment as if listening, and said with confidence: "He is walking on the shore of Tianlu Mountain now, and is almost at the mountain gate."
Fahui threw his feet away and ran outside. Zhang Shaofei called out to him: "Fahui, don't act rashly! He has no ill intentions. Go ahead, go to the living room to receive him properly, and don't break up with him or tell others. Let him come and go freely in Zenhui Garden, Study law freely.”
Fa Hui nodded. When he walked from the abbot to the living room, Zhiyuan happened to come in. Zhiyuan put his hands together and saluted him: "Brother, I am a walking monk. I admire Master Zhang's virtues. I want to stay in Zenhui Garden to study Dharma. Is it convenient?"
Fahui smiled knowingly and said: "Welcome to Fahai. I will arrange food and accommodation for you. As for studying the Dharma, the master is indeed very smart, so you must listen carefully!"
Zhiyuan said: "Definitely!"
In the following time, Zhiyuan was really like an ordinary Zen monk who came here, following everyone to work, study Dharma, and practice Zen. He discovered that Zhang Shaofei's Tianlu Mountain sudden enlightenment Zen method was fundamentally different from Master Shenxiu's gradual cultivation Zen method.
At first, Zhiyuan was just like those Zen monks who had just come here because of their fame. Yes, the reason why everyone turned their bamboo sticks into horses and straw sandals into boats, braved the wind and rain, and traveled thousands of miles to rely on Master Zhang Shaofei, is because they hope to hear the profound Buddhist teachings, make rapid progress in practice, and make great progress. But when they finally arrived at Tianlu Mountain after all the hard work, they found that the situation was completely different from what they had imagined.
As the owner of Zen Huiyuan, Zhang Shaofei is the incarnation of Buddha in the Zen dojo. However, he rarely talked about Buddhism and did not teach Zen essentials. Every day, he just leads his disciples to work hard - clearing wasteland and farming. You must know that Zen monks leave their homes in order to escape life and death and become Buddhas and ancestors, not to become farmers! You must understand that people come to you from thousands of miles away to seek enlightenment and realize life, and they are definitely not here to be farmers! If you want to be a farmer, why should you become a monk?
In the past, when they were in other monasteries, their master would strictly instruct and urge them to do their homework every day - except for some necessary chores, they would spend all their time meditating. Even many Zen masters, such as Master Shenxiu, require their disciples to practice the art of "not falling on one's side" - not touching the mat, staying up day and night, and spending all twelve hours a day in sitting meditation.
It's good now that Zhang Shaofei never asked them to meditate. Every day they were just like ordinary people at home, doing endless chores and planting endless crops! If things go on like this, won't all the zazen skills you have learned become wasted? So, one day, when Zhiyuan and several new Zen monks were clearing land in the mountains, they all found a secluded place, sat in lotus position, and meditated.
Zhang Shaofei had a keen eye and could discern every detail. He came up the mountain and beat them with ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping with ping ping ping ping ping ping ping with with with bang with them, """"" Zhang Shaofei woke them up from their meditation!
"Come here, come here all!" Zhang Shaofei waved his hand and called Zhiyuan and the others to his side. He personally picked up a hoe and dug the land to clear up wasteland while saying, "I know you feel aggrieved. Some people even privately scolded me as a criminal."
"Master, you are a great master. How dare we disrespect you?"
"Look, are you not sincere?" Zhang Shaofei's eyes passed over the Zen monks one by one, and they all lowered their heads. "Are you complaining in your heart that I never let you sit in meditation after coming to Tianlu Mountain, which has caused your practice to become rusty and backward?"
Zhiyuan answered honestly: "We new disciples do think so."
"To tell you the truth, I just want you disciples who have just come to Tianlu Mountain to forget your past practice methods as soon as possible! Because the real Zen is not just about meditation, it is everywhere, all the time. Yes. Every gesture is in the dojo, clearing wasteland and farming, that is meditation!"
"Oh my God, this kind of land reclamation like today is actually cultivation?" Zhiyuan shouted out the question in everyone's mind.
"Yes, this is practice!" Zhang Shaofei replied decisively: "And, this is also sitting in meditation!"
Oh no? Zhiyuan was so surprised that he was speechless: Waving a hoe to open up wasteland is just sitting in meditation?
Zhang Shaofei knew his disciple's confusion. After smiling, he said slowly: "Actually, each of you has experienced it personally. When we concentrate on one thing and do it wholeheartedly, all our attention and all our thoughts are concentrated. At this point. At this time, there will be no distracting thoughts or delusions in my mind. Half a day seems to have passed in the blink of an eye."
"Yes, yes." Everyone said with deep understanding.
Zhang Shaofei smiled and said: "Isn't our daily practice just to get rid of distracting thoughts and subdue delusions? Working wholeheartedly is practice."
