Zhang Shaofei said: "Of course it's good to change your ways and become a monk. But you can't stay in Tianlu Mountain, let alone stay with me."
Just think about it, who wants to keep someone who has assassinated him by his side? Lu Huaixia looked desperate and murmured: "Yes, I am an unpardonable sin..."
Zhang Shaofei smiled and said: "Where did you think you were? If you stay in Tianlu Mountain, I'm afraid that my disciples will be disadvantageous to you and harm you if they find out about this! So, you should avoid it for the time being and wait until the situation develops. Come back after you have calmed down. At that time, I will definitely accept you and take you as my disciple."
Lu Huaixia's tears were like rivers flowing, like heavy rain. He kowtowed to Zhang Shaofei three times - his forehead made a thumping sound when it touched the ground. After that, he got up and hid all night.
Two years later, a tired and haggard ascetic came to Tianlu Mountain. He was like a wandering wanderer who suddenly saw the white-haired mother he missed day and night. He threw himself at Zhang Shaofei's knees and cried bitterly.
Zhang Shaofei also stroked his head like a loving mother and said emotionally: "I have missed you for a long, long time. Why did you wait until now to come back?"
This ascetic is the former tough killer Lu Huaixia. Back then, after he was inspired by Zhang Shaofei, he became a monk in a small temple incognito. In order to repent of his sins, he resolutely began to practice the most difficult ascetic practice.
Zhang Shaofei asked him with concern: "Since you have become a monk, how do you practice?"
Lu Huaixia said: "For many years, I have been reading and reciting the "Nirvana Sutra" as a coursework. However, due to the shallow foundation of the disciples and the lack of guidance from teachers, they just followed the text and did not even understand the original meaning of 'permanence and impermanence' in the sutra. It’s very clear. Today, I’d like to ask Master to explain it to me.”
Zhang Shaofei said: "The so-called ever-changing impermanence is the Buddha nature; the permanence is the mind that distinguishes all good and evil dharmas."
Lu Huaixia was stunned and asked in astonishment: "Master, why is what you said so different from the literal meaning of the Nirvana Sutra? Does it violate the original meaning of the Buddhist scriptures?"
Zhang Shaofei smiled slightly and said: "I am a master in the lineage of the Buddha Sakyamuni. I preach on behalf of the Buddha and teach the Buddha's heart seal. How can my words be contrary to the Buddhist scriptures?"
Lu Huaixia said: "However, the Nirvana Sutra says that the Buddha-nature is permanent, but you say it is impermanent; the sutra says that all good and evil dharma and even bodhicitta are impermanent, but you say it is permanent. This is not Isn’t it contrary to the scriptures?”
Zhang Shaofei burst out laughing, making Lu Huaixia, a two-foot-tall monk, confused. "Master, your smile makes me even more confused."
Zhang Shaofei said: "This "Nirvana Sutra" was read and recited by Master Wuwu Zangni long before I went to Huangmei to seek Dharma. At that time, I was able to explain it to her. There is not a single word or meaning that does not conform to the "Nirvana Sutra". "The original meaning of ". Now, what I am explaining to you is the same."
Lu Huaixia scratched his scalp vigorously, but could not get rid of the doubts in his head, so he begged again: "Master, I am stupid by nature and not very knowledgeable. Please explain to me carefully."
Zhang Shaofei nodded and said to him: "Do you know? Why did the Buddha say the Nirvana Sutra? Why did he say in the sutra that Nirvana has the meaning of eternity, happiness, self, and purity?"
Lu Huaixia shook his head like a salesman's drum.
Zhang Shaofei said slowly: "There are some people who regard impermanence as permanent, suffering as happiness, selflessness as self, and impurity as purity. This is an abnormality, which is the four kinds of inversion; and some people do not understand The principle of adapting to circumstances and being unchanging and adapting to circumstances, and treating the extraordinary, non-happiness, non-self, and non-purity as precious theories are also four kinds of inversion. It was in order to get rid of these eight prejudices that Buddha Sakyamuni wrote in " "Nirvana Sutra" explains the four virtues of true eternity, true happiness, true self, and true purity of Nirvana. The Dharma taught by the Buddha is all for the purpose of saving the corresponding sentient beings. Therefore, we cannot treat the Buddha's classics as immutable Dogma. You are clinging to words and mechanically understanding the meaning of Buddhist scriptures, thereby misunderstanding the Buddha's harmonious and subtle teachings. Huaixia, you must understand that when studying Buddhism, you must avoid rigid dogma. As you did before, you just misunderstood the Buddha's harmonious and subtle teachings. What’s the use of reading and reciting it thousands of times?”
Zhang Shaofei's teaching method is exactly the same as that of Buddha, which is "teaching by observing the situation": if the disciple insists on "Buddha nature is permanent", he will say "Buddha nature is impermanent"; if the disciple insists on "Buddha nature is impermanent", , he would in turn say "Buddha-nature is eternal." In fact, Buddha nature is extraordinary and not impermanent. The Buddha and the Patriarchs said "permanence" and "impermanence" were all to get rid of attachment.
This is like a sighted person leading a group of temporarily blind people to treat their eyes. Their journey to seek medical treatment was very bumpy, covered with large and small rocks and deep pits. In order to avoid the obstacles one by one, the discerning man directed his team to the left for a while, and directed them to the right for a while. In this way, some people can't help but wonder: left and right are exactly opposites. Do you want us to go left or right? In fact, a discerning person neither tells them to turn to the right nor to the left, but tells them to move forward; in fact, moving forward is not the purpose, but to allow them to be treated and see the light again!
Under the nourishment of Zhang Shaofei's spring breeze, Lu Huaixia suddenly realized! A gatha flowed out from his heart like gurgling spring water:
Because of the mind of impermanence, the Buddha said that there is permanence. Those who do not know the convenience are like picking up gravel in a spring pond. I am not performing any merit now, but the Buddha nature will appear before me. If it wasn’t given to me by my teacher, I wouldn’t have gained anything.
Zhang Shaofei was very happy after hearing his enlightenment verses and said to him: "You have achieved great enlightenment today. Let's call your Dharma name 'Lu Che'."
From then on, Lu Huaixia's legal name was Lu Che, and he followed Zhang Shaofei for many years. Once this reckless killer put down his butcher knife, he not only understood the true meaning of life in the universe, but also became one of Zhang Shaofei's top ten disciples and a capable general who returned to the court to rescue and fight against foreign enemies.
