Xuan Wu settled down in Zen Hui Garden and talked with Zhang Shaofei for a whole night.
The content of the Zen wisdom words of Zhang Shaofei and Xuan Wu is no longer known, but the allusion of "one night's sleep" has been spread.
The meeting between Zhang Shaofei and Xuan Wu can be described as a one-on-one encounter, with arrows facing each other, spears facing quick spears, and needle points facing wheat awns.
Only when stones collide can blazing sparks burst out; only when clouds collide can a flash of light illuminate the sky. Zen does not require long speeches, but goes straight to the source of the heart; Zen practitioners do not need to be vague and meandering, but must be straightforward. Facing Zen Hui Master, Xuan Wu showed the demeanor of a Zen practitioner: concise, direct, not blindly following authority, and not restricted by rules and regulations.
It can be said that when the mind is free, people are free, and when the nature is clear, everyone will be clear. There is no endurance under the stick, and the teacher will not give in when the opportunity arises. Xuanwu stayed one night in Zenhui Garden, and early the next morning, he went down the mountain happily along Tianlu Mountain.
Passing by Gangling Village, the old fruit seller shouted eagerly: "Master, come, have a piece of fruit and a bowl of tea before you go on your way."
Xuan Wu kept walking and replied: "Thank you, uncle. I have drunk Master Zhang's Dharma milk to my heart's content, and I am neither thirsty nor hungry."
"But, someone is waiting for you here." Mo Daojun left early, and there were even more early travelers. It's my friend Fada. He still has a staff, a bowl, and a bamboo hat, and is dressed like a wandering monk. "Senior Brother Fada, you have been traveling for a year, and you have just been back for one day, and now you are traveling again?"
"Isn't it the same for you? After searching hard for decades, I just had a long talk with my beloved master all night, and then waved goodbye. It's really like a 'one night's sleep'!"
The two walked together on the top of the dangerous peaks of Lushan Mountain and at the bottom of the deep valley: the green pines reflected the blue pool, and the sun shone brightly. The breeze sweeps away the white clouds, and the eyes are too clear.
Not long after, the two of them arrived in Ganzhou. It's time to break up. Fada will continue to go north, travel to Kuangshan Mountain and cross the Yangtze River; Xuanwu will travel thousands of miles east to return to his hometown. A Zen person has no worries, just say goodbye after a cup of tea. So, the two came to the bank of Ganjiang River:
A copper bowl scoops water from the river, a tripod of stones stands as a stove, dead branches have their own fire properties, and tea is made after the smoke disperses.
The tea that had just been boiled was very hot to the mouth, so Xuan Wu cooled a cup of tea in front of him. As a result, the green mountains, green trees, blue sky and white clouds are reflected in the tea cup. He pointed to the tea and said: "The mountains, rivers, land, and all kinds of things are in it."
After hearing this, Fada picked up the tea cup, poured the tea back into the spraying Gan River, and then asked: "Where are all the myriad things?"
Xuanwu's words are clever, Fada's words are even better. As the ancients said, there is no establishment without destruction, no excitement without excitement. Inspired by each other, the two people are connected and connected, and the great Zen opportunities are like the torrential river, rolling in, covering the sky and the earth.
Xuanwu is a great master, and he has his own brilliance. At this time, a huge carp jumped out of the water, drew a streak of silver lightning in the air, and then fell back into the water. Xuan Wu shouted: "Fish, fish, fish!"
All kinds of things are reflected in the tea, the tea blends into the river, and carps swim in the river. Therefore, carp is the manifestation of all kinds of things.
What's even more mysterious is that a small boat came from nowhere, and a fisherman on the boat threw out a big net, and caught the big carp that had just been so proud of it, and fished it up on the bow of the boat. The fisherman laughed heartily while holding the dripping fish. He laughed so hard that the two Zen masters looked at each other, not knowing what to do. After laughing enough, the fisherman threw it back into the river.
An idea flashed in Xuanwu's heart and he jumped onto the boat.
Fada also had a tacit understanding and jumped up.
The fisherman said: "You two, my old man is driving a fishing boat and it does not carry passengers."
Xuan Wu laughed and said: "There is no harm in fishing boats to carry passengers; we can also catch fish in painted boats."
"A fishing boat is a ferry, and a fisherman is a boatman," Fada said.
The fisherman was also full of pride, stroking his long beard and chanting: "Cast the net to catch the bright moon, and the boat will be full of monks."
The rivers in Huaihan and Han are all flowing water. When a Zen guest meets, why bother asking.
The boat went down the river. I don’t know where this leaf boat came from, and now I don’t know where it is headed...
Fada said: "Old man, I have delayed your fishing."
Before the fisherman could answer, Xuanwu said: "Can fishing be delayed? The fisherman is not a farmer. The crops follow the seasons, and no one is idle during the farming season. When fishing, if you cast the net frequently, you may not get a big harvest; when the fish come, they will be caught in one catch. Can be fully loaded.”
The fisherman nodded frequently: "What the old man wants is the freedom, elegance and leisure of this business. One boat and one boat, walking alone, with clear eyes and quiet mind, clear water and wide sky."
"What a master of the world! What a Zen master." Xuanwu shouted, "Then, let's go a thousand miles down the river to the vast Poyang Lake!"
The fisherman said: "The creek leads to the big river, and the big river leads to the sea. Let's go to the Yangtze River and the East China Sea!"
As the saying goes, when it rises, it flourishes, and when it ends, it stops. They neither reached Poyang Lake nor went to the sea. Instead, after sailing four hundred miles along the current, they abandoned the boat and landed near Jizhou. Because Qingyuan Mountain on the right bank of Ganjiang River is the monastery of abbot Xingsi, the senior brother. However, when they climbed Qingyuan Mountain and came to the abbot of Jingju Temple, Fada did not enter the door. Instead, he pushed Xuanwu, who had never seen his senior brother before, in alone.
Zen practitioners are connected with each other. Of course Xuanwu understood what he meant. Therefore, he did not reveal his identity, but bowed according to the rules of a walking Zen monk before he asked: "What is the meaning of Buddhism?" This question may seem ordinary, but there is a needle hidden in it. If you touch it a little, it will prick your hand. Because, how can the great meaning of Buddhism be explained in words? This is why it is said that there is no establishment of writing and teaching outsiders.
But even though it cannot be explained clearly in words, the Zen master still has to say it. Otherwise, how can the student monks be inspired and enter the realm of Zen? Therefore, whether a Zen master's practice, views, and skills can clearly see his original mind and fully understand his nature can all be found in this sentence.
"What's the price of rice in Jizhou?" Xingsi asked unexpectedly.
Jizhou is the only place you must pass when coming to Qingyuan Mountain, but what does the price of rice in Jizhou have to do with the carelessness of Buddhism? What's even more strange is that after hearing this, Xuanwu inside the door and Fada outside the door both laughed and kowtowed to the senior brother respectfully.
It turns out that Zen, which is difficult to describe in words, is reflected in every corner of daily life. Although the price of rice in Luling is an ordinary and common life issue, it affects everyone near Luling. And this most basic thing in life contains the essence of Zen. If you taste the true meaning of life wholeheartedly and concentrate on it, you can practice Buddhism. Therefore, the sentence "The price of rice in Jizhou" can be said to be penetrated without leaving any trace, which naturally shows the essence of Zen - eating and dressing is Zen, shitting and peeing is Zen, the breeze and the bright moon are Zen, and labor and work are Zen. The simplest common sense is the truth of Zen. If you are hungry, you will eat; if you are sleepy, you will sleep; in summer, you will face cool shade and in winter, you will face fire. As long as you follow the laws of nature and comply with the laws of nature, you will experience the subtlety of Zen.
After coming down from Qingyuan Mountain, the two "Xuan" Zen masters took a dip in Kuanglu and said goodbye at the foot of the mountain. Fada watched Xuanwu gradually walk away, his figure blending into the vast wilderness... In the wilderness and among the white clouds, Xuanwu's chanting sound suddenly echoed:
Don't you see, you are a Taoist who has learned nothing but is idle, does not get rid of delusions and does not seek truth. The true nature of ignorance is the Buddha nature, and the empty body of illusion is the Dharma body. ... Traveling across rivers and seas, crossing mountains and rivers, looking for teachers and visiting Taoists is the practice of Zen. Ever since I recognized the Tianshan Road, I have understood that life and death have nothing to do with each other... One nature perfects all natures, and one dharma encompasses all dharma. All water appears in one month, and all water is captured in one month...
This "Song of Enlightenment" has echoed throughout the mountains and rivers for a long time.
The end of Fada's Zen staff is holding the bright moon of Tianshan Mountain; the edge of the bamboo hat is surrounded by the haze of Lushan Mountain; the waves of the Yangtze and Huaihe River are hidden in the luggage; under the straw sandals, the fragrant flowers of the Central Plains are dyed...
He crossed the Yangtze River, forded the Huai River, crossed the Yellow River, and arrived in Hebei. Because he heard that traces of senior brother Zhiyuan appeared in the land of Yanzhao. Also, this is the ancestral home of Zhang Shaofei. Since ancient times, there have been many generous and tragic people, marching in the vast Yanzhao where "the wind is rustling and the water is cold, and the strong men will never return once they are gone". What a magnificent feeling it must be!
One day, when he was passing by the foot of a mountain, he saw many people kneeling and worshiping at a cave halfway up the mountain, so he asked curiously. The local people said with great respect that there was a magical monk meditating in the cave.
Seeing that Fada didn't believe it, people kept telling him: "That Zen Master Zhihuang is from the same sect as Master Shenxiu, who is famous all over the country. They are both sons of the Fifth Patriarch Hongren who personally taught the essentials of Zen."
"After he learned the Fa in Huangmei, he returned to this cave and has been practicing meditation for more than 20 years."
"Every time he entered samadhi, it lasted as little as ten or eight days, or as long as a month. It is said that once, all the tits made their nests on his body..."
"..."
Fada still shook his head, because deep meditation is a skill of meditation, a form, not the content of meditation. When he came to the cave, he saw an old monk in his sixties, Zen Master Zhihuang, sitting there quietly.
Fa Da asked Zen Master Zhihuang and asked, "What are you practicing here?"
Zen Master Zhihuang said: "I am practicing meditation."
Fada asked again: "When you talk about entering concentration, do you mean entering concentration when the mind has thoughts? Or entering concentration when the mind has no thoughts?"
Zen Master Zhihuang was speechless and felt it was difficult to answer.
Fada continued to insist: "If you enter concentration without any thoughts in your mind, then the plants, trees, stones and other inanimate things around you should be able to enter concentration; if you enter concentration with thoughts in your mind, then everything with life and consciousness should be able to enter concentration." All sentient beings, such as cattle, sheep, rats and rabbits all over the mountains and fields, should also be able to enter concentration."
When Zen Master Zhihuang heard this, he knew that he had met an expert who was enlightened and insightful. He answered very cautiously: "When I entered concentration, I did not feel the mind of existence and non-existence. In other words, I forgot about existence and non-existence, and I don't know whether I have any thoughts."
He thought he answered perfectly.
However, Fada focused closely on the loopholes in his words and pointed out unceremoniously: "Since you can't feel the mind of existence and non-being when you enter samadhi, it is permanent samadhi. Since it is permanent samadhi, how can there be entering and exiting samadhi?" What about concentration? If there are exits and entrances, it’s not true meditation.”
Zen Master Zhihuang was speechless and ashamed. After all, he was an open-minded Zen practitioner, and he quickly asked: "Who is your master, who can teach such an outstanding disciple like you?"
Fada smiled and said: "Speaking of which, my master has a deep connection with you. He is Zhang Shaofei, a disciple of the Fifth Patriarch Hongren and a disciple of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng."
"Zhang Shaofei? Oh, I've heard of it. I wonder what he means by meditation?"
"My master, Master Zhang, said that the self-nature is profound and ever-quiet, with perfect spiritual clarity and unmoving nature. The five aggregates of form, feeling, thought, action, and consciousness are essentially empty; form, sound, fragrance, taste, touch, and dharmas. The six dusts are also illusory and unreal. Therefore, meditation refers to the psychological indifference and tranquility. It is not disturbed by the six dusts externally, and is not influenced by the five aggregates internally. No matter walking, standing, sitting or lying down, the whole body and mind neither deliberately concentrate nor do anything. Indulge in distraction and maintain a state of natural peace, emptiness and agility at all times. The nature of Zen is not rigid and unchanging, it neither arises nor dies, has no dwelling and no thoughts."
Zen Master Zhihuang couldn't sit still anymore, stood up, put his hands together and asked: "Master Zhang Shaofei... Master, has finally come out of the mountain? Where is he teaching Dharma now?"
"Lingnan Tianlu Mountain Zen Wisdom Garden. You..." Before Fa Da could finish speaking, Zen Master Zhihuang roared and ran out of the cave, running towards Lingnan in a puff of white smoke.
He ran a little further this time, running thousands of miles until he reached Zen Hui Garden and in front of Zhang Shaofei.
Zhang Shaofei asked him: "Looking at your appearance, you look like a northerner. Where are you from?"
"Hebei." "Oh, we are still half fellow villagers! My late father is from Hebei! How did you come to Lingnan?"
After Zen Master Zhihuang saluted Zhang Shaofei, he told the story of his meeting with Fa Da.
After listening to his narration, Zhang Shaofei was very happy. On the one hand, he was excited about Fa Da's rapid progress in practice, and on the other hand, he was moved by Zen Master Zhihuang's spirit of seeking the Dharma despite traveling thousands of miles and not being ashamed to ask questions from his subordinates. He immediately said: "Just like what Fada said you just talked about, as long as your mind is like empty space, and you are not rigid or attached to nothingness, you can keep your mind in a free and easy state, regardless of walking, stopping, or moving. , quiet, not deliberately. Please look at that big tree."
Zen Master Zhihuang looked in the direction of Zhang Shaofei's finger and saw that the trees everywhere were not much different from those in his hometown of Hebei. I don’t see anything uniquely Zen.
Zhang Shaofei said: "Look, whenever the breeze blows, the leaves rustle and sing; when the wind stops, they enjoy the sunshine freely, unrestrained and free. This is Zen! Forget about the mortal and saintly complex, and eliminate the energy and energy. By distinguishing between actions and unifying inner nature and external phenomena, one can be in meditation all the time.”
After hearing this, Zen Master Zhihuang suddenly understood and knelt down to salute. Later, he returned to Hebei and brought the Sixth Patriarch's Sudden Enlightenment Zen method promoted by Zhang Shaofei to the land of Yanzhao, playing a pioneering role in the future of Southern Zen's large-scale northward expansion.
