"The sun has set on the Western Mountain. Let's stay in the temple tonight." The Sixth Patriarch graciously persuaded him to stay, and his love for talents was beyond words.
So Xuanjue settled down in the temple and held candle-light talks with the Sixth Patriarch until Dongfang Lubai.
The night conversation between the Sixth Patriarch Huineng and Xuanjue sparked the spark of Bodhi; the collision of meditation created the light of Prajna wisdom that penetrated the soul.
As I write this, the author's mind keeps flashing back to the unforgettable stories of free and easy Zen practitioners since I joined the Sixth Patriarch Cultural Research Association of Zen Buddhism in the late 1990s and came into contact with and studied Zen culture. They are like roaring in the Zen sea. The coming waves hit my heart, my heart is not at peace...
I couldn't help myself because of my love, so I happily wrote these stories into the book for your enjoyment.
Story one:
Li Bo, a poet of the Tang Dynasty and the governor of Jiangzhou, lived in seclusion in Lushan and Songshan with his brother Li She in his youth. He was determined to write poems and essays. He read many historical classics. He was rich in knowledge and understood hundreds of schools of thought. He was the best in ancient and modern times. He was known as "Li Wanjuan". The famous talented man Bai Juyi once served as his assistant - Jiangzhou Sima.
One day, Li Bo came to Guizong Temple in Lushan Mountain in the south of the city and asked Zen Master Zhichang: "It is said in the Buddhist scriptures: A mustard seed contains Sumeru. How can a tiny mustard seed, smaller than the tip of a needle, accommodate a Mount Sumeru? It is really a lie!"
Yes, an object as big as one foot cannot fit into a nine-inch-nine container, let alone putting an endless mountain into a mustard seed smaller than the tip of a needle! Mustard seeds and Sumeru, what kind of state is this?
Zen Master Zhichang didn't answer but asked: "I heard that Li Shishi has read thousands of books, and his knowledge covers the past and the present. However, your abdomen and chest are no more than the size of a coconut. Where are all the thousands of books? What are the ancient and modern times recorded in the book? How do you place and display thousands of years of history and tens of thousands of miles of scenery in your body?"
From the words of Zen Master Zhichang, Li Bo suddenly realized the mysterious purpose of "mustard seeds accept Sumeru".
Story two:
Still in Lushan, time shifted to the period of confrontation between the Northern Song Dynasty and the Southern Tang Dynasty. Cao Han, the general of the Song Dynasty, was ruthless and murderous. He waved his flag, and the tiger and wolf troops of the Song Dynasty rushed towards the south of the Yangtze River and towards the beautiful Lushan Mountain...
It is said that the people nearby hid in Yuantong Temple. So, Cao Han roared in with his army. However, there is only one old monk in this huge temple - the abbot, Zen Master Yuande. Others have already dispersed.
Zen Master Yuande sat on the high throne. Not only did he not stand up to greet him, he did not even raise his eyelids.
This is clearly contempt!
General Cao Han was furious, pulled out his cold sword with a swipe, and shouted: "Monk, haven't you heard of a general who kills without blinking an eye?"
Zen Master Yuande slowly opened his eyes, looked at him for a while, and then slowly said: "How did you know that there are still monks who are not afraid of death!"
Even Cao Han, who has been in battle for a long time and has killed many people, has never seen that kind of calmness and peace of mind.
He looked around and said, "If you are not afraid of death, why have all the monks fled?"
Zen Master Yuande said: "If you beat the drum, you will come back."
Cao Han went to play the drum.
He knocked for a long time, but didn't even see anyone.
Zen Master Yuande looked at Cao Han with calm eyes: "You have murderous intentions, and there is murderous intent in the drums."
After saying this, Zen Master Yuande stood up and played the drum with his own hands.
The sound of the drum had an indescribable peace and tranquility, and even the anxious Cao Han felt a calmness that he had never experienced before.
After a while, the monks returned to the temple one after another.
Cao Han and his soldiers couldn't believe it, but they had to believe it.
Story three:
Also in the Song Dynasty, Song Huizong learned that Zen Master Furong Daokai had a handsome character, extraordinary virtues, and miraculous Zen methods, so he gave him purple clothes and personally gave him the title: "Zen Master Dingzhao."
What an honor it is to be given a title and commendation by the Emperor! However, Zen Master Daokai refused to accept it.
He said: "As a monk, I just concentrate on studying Buddhism and practicing Zen. What's the use of all this worldly fame and fortune?"
There are such people in the world who don’t know how to praise!
Song Huizong felt that the dignity of the royal family had been damaged and his authority was challenged, and he couldn't help being furious. He made a decree and ordered Dali Temple to take Dao Kai into custody and investigate and deal with it seriously!
Either go to heaven or go to hell. However, Zen Master Daokai would rather go to jail than be moved by fame and fortune.
So, he accepted the punishment calmly, put on shackles and chains, and embarked on the long road of exile in the desert.
Story four:
In the first year of Zhidao in the Song Dynasty, Zen Master Ruilu Yu'an was about to pass away. After he bathed and changed clothes, he walked into the coffin and had the lid closed. People often say that the final decision is made after the coffin is sealed. Although Zen Master Yu An’s coffin was closed, the legend came:
Three days later, as usual, the disciples wanted to cremate their master, so they opened the coffin lid. I saw Zen Master Yu'an lying on his side just like the Buddha Sakyamuni when he passed away.
When the disciples saw their master's remains, they couldn't help but burst into tears.
At this time, Zen Master Yu'an, who had been dead for many days, came back to life. He walked out of the coffin, ascended his seat to preach, and sternly admonished his disciples: "From now on, anyone who opens my coffin will not be mine." apprentice!"
After saying that, he returned to the coffin and passed away in silence.
…
This is the Zen person, this is the style of the Zen person: great wisdom and courage, free and easy and magical. Fame and fortune, life and death are all fleeting.
"In a room on the top of a thousand peaks, half of the room was filled with clouds for an old monk. Last night the clouds went away with the wind and rain, but in the end it was not like the old monk was idle." Zen Master Guizong Zhizhi said.
Zen is a pure land of the soul and a home of the soul. Come back, return to your free, unrestrained, carefree nature. The world of Zen has a long history, is deep and vast, empty and smart.
The Prajna wisdom it contains and the enlightenment thinking it expounds can allow us to directly access the true meaning of life in the universe, grasp the laws of development of things, integrate with the principles of nature, and correspond to the great road of heaven and earth.
…
Enlighten wisdom, comprehend life, activate thinking, and inspire the heart - in the eloquent narration, experience the philosophy of nature, feel the true meaning of life, comprehend magical wisdom, and realize the transcendence of Zen.
The stars hang down over the vast plains, and the moon surges across the river. The dragon enters the sea to increase his morale, and the tiger returns to the mountain to increase his majesty. Throughout the ages, all enlightened Zen masters have stood tall and proud as kings. The investigation and legal battle between them was a battle between sticks and drinks, which was beyond the reach of stone and fire, and the lightning and light collided with each other to create a brilliant machine that would shine through the ages.
Zen is like a person drinking water, knowing whether it is cold or warm; having interesting insights and understanding of the heart.
Dear readers, please understand with your heart, you are also a free and easy Zen practitioner.
…..
Besides, Xuanjue stayed one night at Baolin Temple, and early the next morning, he went down the mountain along the lively Caoxi River.
Passing by Caohou Village, the old woman selling glutinous rice cakes called out eagerly: "Master, come here, eat a glutinous rice cake and drink a bowl of tea so that you can go on your way."
Xuanjue kept walking and replied: "Thank you, mother-in-law. I have drunk the milk of the Sixth Patriarch to my heart's content, and I am neither thirsty nor hungry."
The old woman said: "But there is someone waiting for you here."
Mo Daojun leaves early, and there are even more early travelers. It's my friend Xuance. He still has a staff, a bowl, and a bamboo hat, and is dressed like a wandering monk.
"Senior Brother Xuance, you have been away for a year, and you have just been back for one day, and you are going out again?"
"Isn't it the same for you? After searching for decades, I just spent a whole night chatting with my beloved master and waved goodbye. It's really a 'one night's sleep', so free and easy!"
