"You go prepare the boat first." The Sixth Patriarch looked at Fa Hai, "I am about to return to my roots."
When Fahai heard this, he immediately understood that the Sixth Patriarch was going back to his hometown in Xinzhou, so he had no choice but to nod his head and said, "Master, let me prepare the boat."
After Fahai left the Mahavira Hall, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng saw that his disciples still had doubtful expressions, so he continued to teach: "Disciples, you must get rid of your delusional thoughts and keep your inner peace and purity. If you want to gain omniscience, Wisdom must understand the samadhi of one phase and the samadhi of one line.”
A young disciple who had just arrived stood up and asked, "What is one-phase samadhi?"
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng explained: "If you are not obsessed with those tangible things, do not have any feelings of disgust or love, do not have thoughts of greed and abandonment, and do not care about success or failure, your heart will be free from worries, comfortable, leisurely, and quiet. Being indifferent and detached from things is called one-phase samadhi."
The young disciple asked again: "Then, what is Thichhāng Samadhi?"
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng explained: "No matter where you are, no matter walking, standing, sitting or lying down, if you have a single and pure heart and maintain a peaceful mind, then you will have a good life every day and a good place everywhere, and you will be happy." To truly have a pure land of bliss. This is called the Three Flavors."
Everyone realized: "That's it."
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng said: "If you have these, just like seeds buried in the ground, the buds of Bodhi will naturally grow and bear the fruits of Bodhi."
Everyone agreed: "Master's sermon for us today is like timely rain from the sky, nourishing our hearts."
The Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng raised his long eyebrows and said: "The Buddha nature you originally possess is like a seed in the ground. When it is moistened by rain and dew, it will sprout and grow. Those who inherit the purpose of my Zen method will definitely receive good things." Promote the right path and bear the true fruit of Buddhahood. Let me send you another verse."
Everyone: "Master, please enlighten me."
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng recited another verse:
The mind contains all kinds of things,
The rain is all adorable.
I suddenly realized the beautiful love,
The Bodhi fruit is self-sustaining.
After reciting the admonition, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng told his disciples that people's original intentions are just like the teachings, and there are no two kinds. He encouraged everyone to work hard individually and act flexibly according to their different situations when promoting the Dharma in the future.
Fada, who was sitting in front, couldn't help but raise the doubts that had been stuck in his mind for a long time:
"Excuse me, Master, how many generations have it been since the Buddha began to teach the Dharma?"
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng: "Since ancient times, countless Buddhas have appeared in the world to teach the Dharma. In the early days of our Zen sect, when the Blessed One was picking up flowers, Kassapa smiled. In the solemn kalpa, there were Vipassana Buddha, Vipassana Buddha, and Visa Buddha. Floating Buddha. During the virtuous kalpa, there were Detention Sun Buddha, Kunagamuni Buddha, Kassapa Buddha, and Sakyamuni Buddha. They are collectively called the Seven Buddhas. The first ancestor of Sakyamuni Buddha is Maha Kassapa. The second ancestor is the Venerable Ananda, the third ancestor is the Venerable Shanna Hexiu, the fourth ancestor is the Venerable Upajuda, the fifth ancestor is the Venerable Tiduka, the sixth ancestor is the Venerable Michaka, and the seventh ancestor is the Venerable Vasumitra. Those are the Eighth Patriarch Buddha Tuo Nanti, the Ninth Patriarch Fu Tuo Mido, the Tenth Patriarch Wai, the Eleventh Patriarch Fu Na Ye She, the Twelfth Patriarch Ma Ming, and the Thirteenth Patriarch Kabimo. Venerable Luo, the fourteenth ancestor Nagarjuna, the fifteenth ancestor Janadeva, the sixteenth ancestor Rahourata, the seventeenth ancestor Sanghananti, the eighteenth ancestor Gayasheta, The 19th ancestor Kumarado, the 20th ancestor Anyeduo, the 21st ancestor Poxiu Pantou, the 22nd ancestor Manara, the 23rd ancestor Helena, The twenty-fourth Patriarch, Venerable Master Shizi, the twenty-fifth Patriarch, Venerable Vasestuo, the twenty-sixth Patriarch, Venerable Mido, the twenty-seventh Patriarch, Venerable Prajna Dora, the twenty-eighth Patriarch, Venerable Bodhidharma, two The 19th Patriarch, Master Huike, the 30th Patriarch, Master Sengcan, the 31st Patriarch, Master Daoxin, the 32nd Patriarch, Master Hongren, I am considered the 33rd generation ancestor. All the above-mentioned Patriarchs have their inheritance and are initiated by their hearts. I hope that you can pass it on from generation to generation in the future, so that the teachings of Buddhism will not be interrupted or lost."
After hearing this, all the disciples' eyes were opened.
When the Sixth Patriarch Huineng saw that no disciples were raising new questions, he asked everyone to disperse.
One day, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng walked around the Baolin Temple in the morning frost.
The gentle breeze blew, and a few yellow leaves from the tall Bodhi tree drifted down and landed in front of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng.
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng bent down and picked up a yellow leaf from the ground, stared at it for a long time, and chanted to himself: "Oh, the fallen leaf returns to its roots!"
At this time, Fahai and Shenhui were walking towards this side while talking about things in the temple.
Fahai stepped forward and reported: "Master, the ship you ordered your disciples to take care of yesterday is ready."
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng said: "Shenhui, Fahai, it's time for us to set off and return to Xinzhou."
Shen Huiba blinked: "When will we set off?"
Sixth Patriarch Huineng: "Today."
God will be surprised: "So soon?"
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng said: "It's not too soon, it's time."
Fahai asked: "Master, how many people do you want to take?"
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng said: "We will only take six people with us, and you and Shenhui will also accompany us. We will start by water."
…
At the mouth of Caoxi River, all the monks of Baolin Temple were neatly dressed and came to see Master off.
The mountain wind blows the plum trees on the slopes on both sides of the bank.
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng was wearing a golden-red cassock, leaning on a tin staff, and boarded the boat.
Six monks, including Shenhui, Fahai and Zhichang, carried their luggage and boarded the boat.
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng looked affectionately at Caoxi, a treasure land where his Buddhist career flourished, and at the crowds of disciples on the bank. He chanted: "The leaves fall back to their roots, and they have no mouth to speak when they come. The appearance of the Buddhas is like showing Nirvana, and there are What comes and goes must be the same, and this body of mine must return somewhere."
The disciples asked: "Who taught Master the Dharma Eyes?"
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng replied: "Those who have the Dao will succeed, and those who have no intention will succeed." After saying this, he waved goodbye to all his disciples.
The wooden boat that the Sixth Patriarch Huineng was riding set out from Shaozhou and passed through the plum trees on both sides of Cao River. The boat slowly left the shore and went down the Beijiang River.
Clear green water, dotted white sails, green mountains, brilliant wild flowers, deep blue sky, patches of white clouds... everything is so natural and beautiful. Even the old figure of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng standing on the bow of the boat is integrated into this harmonious nature.
The water of the river is as green as satin, and the cliffs on both sides seem to be cut.
The blue sky is vast and water birds are soaring.
The beautiful scenery is endless, but what appears before the eyes of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng are the scenes of his life: listening to sutras at Jintai Temple, going to Dongchan Temple in Hubei to seek refuge with the Fifth Patriarch, receiving the holy robes and golden bowl handed down from his ancestors, and later hiding in his heart. Ji, Sihui, Xinzhou for more than sixteen years, until after his comeback, he was ordained at Faxing Temple in Guangzhou, and the "Sudden Enlightenment" method was opened at Baolin Temple in Shaozhou. In the blink of an eye, it has been more than thirty years.
This long journey of life is so tortuous and difficult! After thinking about it, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng could not help but feel a lot of emotions and emotions.
The boat traveled on the river for many days, from the Beijiang River straight down to the Pearl River, and then upstream. When we arrived at the entrance of Antelope Gorge, it was already the setting sun and the sails were alight.
When the clouds were setting all over the sky, the boat in which the Sixth Patriarch Huineng and his companions were passing passed the ancient city of Duanzhou and anchored at a pier in the west of the city.
Seeing that it was already getting late, the boatman pointed to the small boat that was being tossed about by the wind and waves, and said to the Sixth Patriarch Huineng's disciples: "Master, it is getting late now, and there is a strong wind blowing on the river. The waves are so big that it is not big for a boat to sail at night." It’s safe. We might as well dock the ship, cook a meal first, rest for a night, and set off again tomorrow morning, okay?”
The Sixth Patriarch Huineng nodded: "Okay, donor, let's have a night's rest first. You have been on the boat for a few days and you are tired enough."
Shenhui said to the Sixth Patriarch Huineng: "People say the scenery here is picturesque. Why don't we take the opportunity to go ashore and browse the beautiful scenery in the city?"
