What the Sixth Patriarch Huineng said at Dafan Temple was recorded by his close disciple, Zen Master Fahai. Later the sutra developed and became a treasure in the Buddhist world, the "Sixth Patriarch's Dharma Treasure Altar Sutra".
Zen Master Fahai (650-730), whose surname was Zhang and whose courtesy name was Wenyun. A native of Qujiang County, Shaozhou. When he was young, he was a Confucian scholar. He was very talented and studied Buddhist scriptures. He first became a monk in Helin Temple. When he visited the Sixth Patriarch Huineng for the first time, he modestly asked: "I have a question that is very confusing. What does it mean to be the mind and the Buddha?"
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng replied: "Things before righteous thoughts arise are called true minds; after righteous thoughts arise and continue to disappear, this is a Buddha. Those who can become all dharmas and all their appearances are true minds; those who can stay away from all dharmas and all their appearances are Buddhas. . If I were to tell them all, it wouldn’t be possible no matter how much time it takes.”
When the Sixth Patriarch Huineng said this, he paused and then said, "You'd better listen to my verse."
"Okay." Fahai looked at the Sixth Patriarch Huineng respectfully, and saw the verses coming out of the Sixth Patriarch's mouth:
That is the name and wisdom of the heart,
That is to say, Buddha is samadhi.
Maintain concentration and wisdom.
Peace of mind.
Understand this method,
By changing habits.
Use nothing to make a living,
Double cultivation is righteousness.
After listening to the teachings of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, Zen Master Fahai's eyes shone with hope. The layers of fog in front of his eyes were brushed away by an invisible hand, revealing a bright light.
Zen Master Fahai seemed to have entered a state of great enlightenment. Later, he wrote a verse to express his deep feelings about this verse:
That is, the mind is originally a Buddha,
Without enlightenment, one surrenders oneself.
I know the cause of concentration and wisdom,
Double cultivation separates from all things.
Zen Master Fahai read a lot of books before his ordination. After entering Buddhism, he was diligent and eager to learn. He had certain writing skills and his handwriting was beautiful and powerful. Whenever the Sixth Patriarch Huineng lectured on Buddhist scriptures and Zen methods to the believers, he was the recorder. of.
This time, Zen Master Fahai recorded the Buddhist teachings taught by the Sixth Patriarch Huineng at Dafan Temple, which became the "Sixth Patriarch's Sayings" that began to take shape.
Shaozhou Governor Wei was extremely talented in literature and had obtained "The Sayings of the Sixth Patriarch" recorded by Fahai. After reading it carefully, my heart was surging and I was red with excitement: "Master Fa Hai, the Sixth Patriarch taught that the self-nature itself is pure, and he strives to make the mind see the nature, and actually blends Tianzhu's Zen with our teachings. . This view of unifying Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism is unprecedented. The Zen methods described in it are explained in simple and easy-to-understand terms, and the stories are wonderfully explained, which makes people feel enlightened and enlightened. But in the eyes of the official, you count like this The record of bowls being bowls and dishes being dishes seems a bit monotonous.”
Zen Master Fahai blinked and asked, "Wei Governor, what do you mean?"
Governor Wei: "My ancestor's achievements are comparable to those of Mount Tai, but he is such an ordinary person. His life is as tortuous as a long river, and it is also very philosophical. If you organize this and leave it to the world, it will definitely be of great significance. Little warning effect.”
Zen Master Fahai spread his hands with a look of helplessness on his face: "What Governor Wei said is absolutely true.
It's just that the poor monk has done his best, and it can be said that Jiang Lang has done his best. "
Governor Wei: "Since you think you have exhausted your talent, you can meet up with talented people to supplement and enrich you."
"Although there are many monks in Baolin Temple, they all agree that my talent is among the best, and I ask myself that it is nothing more than that." Zen Master Fahai looked troubled, "Who do you want me to find in the temple?"
Governor Wei had a smile on his face: "If you can't find it in the temple, just look for it outside the temple!"
Zen Master Fahai: "Outside the temple? Even if people outside the temple are as talented as a scholar, but they don't understand the principles of Buddhism and Zen, aren't the things they write about playing the piano to others?"
Governor Wei: "That's not necessarily the case. Let's do this. I'll recommend someone to you."
Zen Master Fahai: “Who?”
Governor Wei pointed at his heart: "Me."
"You?" Zen Master Fahai stared at Governor Wei for a while with astonishment, then shook his head and said, "No, no."
Governor Wei: "Why not? Do you dislike the fact that the official has no literary talent and does not understand the principles of Buddhism and Zen?"
Zen Master Fahai: "No."
Governor Wei: "Then, which one is it for?"
Zen Master Fahai: "As the governor of Shaozhou, you are the highest official of a state. There are many state affairs. You have to take care of everything. You have to take care of everything. How can you have time to do these Buddhist things? You are not afraid of people ridiculing you. Don’t you do your job properly?”
Governor Wei smiled and replied: "It's not that we are not doing our job properly, but that we are doing a great cause in an upright and upright manner."
Now, it was Zen Master Fahai's turn to be puzzled. He blinked his confused eyes and said, "The more you talk, the more confused the poor monk becomes. You might as well explain the truth to me in detail."
"Okay." Governor Wei said loudly, "Buddhism advocates punishing evil and promoting good. This is in line with our purpose of being a human being. Abandoning violence, promoting righteousness, simple folk customs, and improving social order are beneficial to society and the people. .”
"..."
After Governor Wei brought "Quotations of the Sixth Patriarch" back to his government, while managing the state capital, he burned the midnight oil and worked hard at night. He spent a lot of time arranging the "Quotations of the Sixth Patriarch" in terms of text and sentences, and enriching the content. After reviewing it repeatedly, if you are satisfied, then return it to Zen Master Fahai.
Zen Master Fahai received the revised manuscript from Governor Wei. In the following days, he added the life of the Sixth Patriarch and the details of his study of Zen in Dongchan Temple. He also added a lot of French and added a lot of French to the solemn Dharma. It is full of wit and humor. After several revisions, it was finally finalized and named "Dharma Treasure Altar Sutra", also known as "Sixth Patriarch Altar Sutra".
…
Besides, Huizhan, who has always been inseparable from his master, made an exception this time and did not follow his master, the Sixth Patriarch, to Dafan Temple in Shaozhou.
Because he was going to a place further away—Xijing Chang’an to receive the ordination.
As time goes by, he has grown from a naughty little novice to a graceful young monk.
After he went north to Xijing and received full ordination, on his way back to Caoxi, he stopped by the Jingju Temple in Qingyuan Mountain, Jizhou, Jiangxi, where his elder brother Xingsi abboted.
At this time, Qingyuan Xingsi's "rice price" public case had already caused a sensation in the Zen forest, and countless monks and monks were vying to investigate it. In the history of Zen Buddhism, this public case had a great influence, and it is still often studied by Zen practitioners to this day.
Xingsi eventually became a great master with his profound enlightenment and exquisite Zen method.
Back then, when Xiao Huizhan arrived in Caoxi, Xing Si had already left, so she didn't know him. Xingsi asked, "Where are you from?"
Huizhan replied quite proudly: "I am from Caoxi."
Caoxi is the place where Xingsi became a saint and became enlightened under the training of his master, the Sixth Patriarch;
Caoxi is a holy place in the eyes of Zen monks all over the world!
Xingsi couldn't help but raise his head and glance at the young monk.
Caoxi is the hometown of Zen. The Zen monks who came from there should be soaked in the nourishment of Zen, right?
Therefore, Xingsi asked: "What did you bring?"
Of course Huizhan knew that the senior brother was not asking for a gift, but the same thing the Sixth Patriarch had asked him. Is it like seeing your true nature? It is inherently spontaneous, formless and formless, how to express it? So Huizhan stood up and shook his body to show that there was nothing.
However, Xingsi didn’t agree and said with a smile: “It’s still carrying bricks and rubble!”
Originally from nature, there is nothing. The reason why Hui Zhan shakes his body is because he still believes that there is self-nature.
And this, in Xingsi's opinion, is just rags, garbage, bricks and tiles!
Hui Zhan Bingxue was smart and immediately understood that she was a spirit turtle pulling its tail - although it covered up the traces of crawling, it left the mark of its tail sweeping back and forth. After all, he is young and has a sweet temperament, and he is always competitive.
So, he immediately asked: "Do you have real gold here, great monk?"
Huizhan is using real gold as a metaphor for Buddhism.
However, it would be completely wrong to regard Buddhism as a fixed, concrete and tangible thing.
Because the teachings taught by the Buddha are lively, lively, and random—the teachings are conveniently set up according to the instincts of all living beings, so there are countless Dharma doors.
Buddha is a great medical king who will prescribe different medicines according to each patient's different conditions and constitutions.
At the same time, there is no distinction in Buddhism, let alone high or low. Buddhism is about applying medicine to the disease. As long as it is right for the disease, a piece of grass is the best medicine.
Therefore, Xingsi said lightly, "If so, where would you put it?"
Yes, although the gold dust is precious, it will form a haze in the eyes; although the Buddha Dharma is wonderful, attachment will cause illness.
From this, Huizhan understood the profoundness, mystery and majesty of the Zen Sea.
After he returned to Caoxi, he read the Tripitaka carefully and asked the Master for advice on six important questions. Under the enlightenment of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, he finally understood it and became fully enlightened.
