The next day, Budai monk left Hangzhou City and headed east, passing Yuezhou, crossing Mingzhou (now Ningbo), and came to the east of Yinxian County.
The eastern part of Yin County is a pure land of Buddhism, where the famous Ashoka Temple and Tiantong Temple are located.
According to legend, King Asoka of India (around the third century BC) built 84,000 pagodas to support the relics of Sakyamuni Buddha and placed them in various places in Nanfangbuzhou. Among them, there were originally nineteen pagodas in China, but due to the long history, their end is unknown.
In the second year of Taikang in the Western Jin Dynasty (AD 281), the monk Huida dug a pagoda in this mountain.
The tower is neither gold, jade, copper, iron, nor rock, and is purple-black in color. The body of the pagoda is square, with stories engraved on each side of the Buddha's life such as the story of Prince Sattva (that is, the story of sacrificing one's body to feed a tiger), the transformation of snake eyes, the transformation of brains, and the transformation of saving pigeons. There is a hanging bell in the pagoda, and the Buddha's relics are enshrined in the bell. Huida believed that this was the only remaining Buddha relic pagoda sent to China by King Asoka, so he built a jinga to worship the pagoda. This is the origin of Ashoka Temple.
Tiantong Temple is located at the southern foot of Taibai Mountain (Tiantong Mountain) in Yin County. Taibai Mountain is one of the famous mountains in China. It was called Taibai Mountain in the Jin Dynasty and Tiantong Mountain in the Tang Dynasty.
In the Jin Dynasty, there was a monk, Yixing, who practiced in Jiecao Hermitage on this mountain.
According to legend, Taibai Star transformed into a boy and brought him food and water every day. Yixing was grateful for his merits and named the mountain Taibai Mountain.
In the Tang Dynasty, when Faxuan lived in this mountain and recited the Lotus Sutra, the boy who was the incarnation of the Taibai Star came to provide food and drink. Faxuan then called the mountain "Tiantong Mountain". The thatched hut where they lived gradually became a nationally famous Zen monastery that occupied an important position in the history of Buddhism.
However, Budai monk came all the way to the eastern part of Yin County. He neither went to Ashoka Temple to worship the Buddha's relics nor went to Tiantong Mountain to pay homage to the eminent monk. Instead, he first came to the inconspicuous and unknown Cuiyan Mountain.
At that time, there lived a Zen master Lingcan on Cuiyan Mountain. He was a native of Huzhou (now Wuxing, Zhejiang) and the heir of Xuefeng Yicun.
A year ago, he came to Mingzhou from Fujian and gathered dozens of Zen monks to practice Zen with him.
Although the temple is small, the etiquette cannot be lacking at all.
The Budai monk had just arrived. According to the rules of worshiping the mountain, after placing orders in the living room, he had to go to the abbot to pay homage to the abbot.
As soon as he stepped one foot into the abbot's door, Zen Master Lingcan asked, "Where are you from?"
This question may seem ordinary, but it contains a lot of Zen wisdom.
If you are not careful, you will injure your hand and be beaten to death.
Budai monk did not say where he was from, but answered truthfully: "From Hangzhou."
Why is he so honest? Because he knows that Zen is the true nature of life, and simplicity and clarity are the best.
Moreover, the more concise it is, the more changes it contains.
Sure enough, wind and thunder broke out on the ground, and the calm waves stirred up huge waves. Cuiyan ordered Zen Master to suddenly say: "While the mountain monk was sitting in meditation at night, he suddenly saw among the bullfights, there were faintly colored dragons and dragons, which may be the aura of a king or the glory of a saint. . Counting on a few fingers, the corresponding geography should be at Qiantang. What news did you get when you came from Hangzhou? "
Zen Master Ling Shen seems to be talking about Feng Shui, saying that Hangzhou Qian Liu will become a generation of emperors, and at the same time insinuating that Budai Monk is extraordinary.
The Budai monk said calmly: "In the past five hundred years, kings have risen, and the heaven and earth have sensed the emergence of saints. The poor monk did not observe the sky or predict the geography. He just felt that there was an idle man on Cuiyan Mountain."
A Taoist who has learned nothing but is idle does not get rid of delusions and does not seek truth. Zen practitioners have nothing to do with their minds and have no concerns about things, which is the highest state.
Therefore, Cuiyan ordered Zen master and Budai monk to look at each other and smile, no longer checking each other - they had nothing to do and went to drink tea leisurely.
April 16th is the day when monks celebrate summer. Naturally, the life in Xia Anju was extremely monotonous, isolated and lonely. Therefore, the free-spirited Budai monk originally wanted to leave Cuiyan Mountain before the end of the summer. However, on the one hand, he and Zen Master Lingcan were so happy that they couldn't part with each other; Cuiyan's Zen method was unique, and he wanted to see his Zen style during his stay, so he really settled down.
The three-month residence period provides a great opportunity for the monks to concentrate on their spiritual practice. The Zen Jungle has morning sessions (everyone gathers in the Dharma hall to listen to the abbot's sermons) and evening sessions (individual guidance at the abbot and other places in the evening). The abbot is like a skilled furnace maker, forging pieces of stubborn iron into steel.
Cuiyan ordered his disciples to go to the hall, and a monk came out of the hall and asked: "Every word or sentence is full of stains. How can we do good things?"
Budai monk, who seemed to be following the crowd casually, carefully observed Cuiyan Lingshen to see how he would answer.
Because he knew in his heart that the monk had got the point right.
Zen, the mind has a clear understanding, just like a person drinking water, knowing whether it is cold or warm, it can only be understood, but cannot be expressed in words.
If you force it into words, there will be lots of ambiguities. Therefore, the ancients said: "Every word or sentence is full of stains."
The so-called "upward things" refer to the true path of utterance and absolute determination - the highest realm of Zen.
Zen Master Panshan Baoji once said: "On the way up, thousands of sages will not pass on; scholars are busy with their bodies, like an ape catching shadows."
The true way is the wonderful way that thousands of sages have not taught. It is not taught by the Buddhists and not taught by Bodhidharma.
Because this kind of state cannot be spoken or thought. It goes beyond words and thoughts. It requires you to realize and understand yourself, to return to the original source, and to realize the silent true nature.
Since I can't put it into words, let's see how you, Cuiyan Lingshen, respond?
Cuiyan Lingshen said: "Every word or sentence is full of stains."
Wonderful, really wonderful! Budai monk secretly applauded: "The answer lies in your question itself!"
However, the monk did not understand and continued to ask: "How can we save important points?"
Cuiyan ordered Shen to say: "Everyone is laughing at you." It would be ridiculous to turn a blind eye to a great Zen opportunity and miss it in person! "
Another Zen monk said: "The ancients said: A grain of returning elixir can turn iron into gold; a word of wisdom can transform an ordinary person into a saint. Come up and ask a teacher for a lesson."
People are always like this, always trying to take advantage of others.
Therefore, since ancient times, various "miracle medicines" have emerged one after another; there are too many "mottos and wise sayings"!
How did Zen Master Cuiyan Lingcan respond? The Zen master flatly refused and said, "No."
The Zen monk asked why not order it? He replied: "I'm afraid you will fall into the eyes of mortal saints!"
The Budai monk on the side smiled knowingly. Because he knows that the ordinary and the holy are like waves and water. When the wind comes, the water changes into waves, and when the wind is calm, the waves become water. There is no essential difference between the two. The key is one's own thoughts.
The so-called "afflictions are Bodhi, and there is no difference between the mind, the Buddha, and all living beings." This is the truth.
However, this Zen monk did not have the realm of Budai monk and failed to understand the meaning of Cuiyan Lingshen. He still opposed sages and ordinary people in his thoughts. He was obsessed with the aura of truth and fantasized about transforming mortals into saints under the guidance of his master. He begged pitifully: "Master, please tell me the truth."
Cuiyan ordered Zen Master to express his infinite compassion and express the true meaning of Zen to the best of his ability.
He said: "Waiter, please order some tea."
Serving tea and pouring water is the heart of Zen! Without daily life, there is no truth!
Another Zen monk saw the way, stood out from the crowd, and asked: "If you don't bring the saints, what will you do when the opportunity arises?"
Cuiyan Lingshen Master smiled humorously and said, "You must never tell others about my Cuiyan spiritual power."
The Zen monk was stunned for a moment, thought for a while, realized something, and then said: "No matter how beautiful the language is, it cannot describe or explain the true meaning of Zen. So, what are the things in the sect (Zen)?"
Yes, Zen, although it is indescribable and incredible, it must be there, right?
Cuiyan ordered Chan Master to say: "You go ahead and pray."
The Zen monk prays, which means the end of the question and answer. However, you, Cuiyan Lingshen, haven’t answered my question yet! Sure enough, the monk said: "Students don't know how to do it."
What he means is that he does not understand what it means to ask him to pray. Cuiyan Lingshen scolded: "You are a monk and you don't even know how to pray!"
Monk Budai heard this clearly and couldn't help but nod his head and said: Your worship is the function of your own nature! Zen is not mysterious. You know, every move and every move is Zen.
…
What surprised Budai the most was that the residence ended on July 15th, which was the so-called "Xia Xia". Jie Xia also needs to hold a ceremony just like Jie Xia.
Cuiyan ordered Shen to go to the court and said, "I've been chatting with my brothers all summer. Do you think Cuiyan still has my eyebrows?"
It is said in the Zen forest that if one misunderstands Buddhism, his sin will cause his eyebrows and beards to fall off.
Zen Master Cuiyan looked back on the past ninety days of Xia Anju and often preached sermons to the public, fearing that all his sermons would become a vine of words. The sin of inappropriate speech may cause eyebrows and beards to fall off. Hence this question.
Because the essence of Zen, the first meaning of Buddhism, is the ultimate truth, which cannot be expressed by words or analyzed by thinking concepts.
Therefore, all discussions, whether talking about the heart, talking about nature, talking about suddenness, or talking about gradualness, are just for the purpose of enlightening scholars and have to be said.
All teachings are just ways to experience the truth, not the truth itself. This is like pointing the finger at the moon.
The Buddha said: "All my teachings are like a finger pointing to the moon. The purpose is to help you find the moon more smoothly and quickly; but the finger itself is not the bright moon. Therefore, all words are physical."
Zen Master Cuiyan is well aware of this principle. However, in order to guide the public and inspire monks, he has to preach the Zen teachings widely and show the meaning of Zen.
Just imagine, if the ancestors of the past generations did not teach people, we would not be able to get enlightenment. How can we understand our minds, see our nature, and achieve enlightenment?
After saying that, he was afraid that his disciples would mistake their fingers for the moon, and mistake the means for the ends, and stick to the Zen method he said. Then at the end of summer, he posed the question "It's not even when the eyebrows have fallen" as a clever demonstration. Showing the flexible foundation of Zen Buddhism.
Cuiyan Lingshen’s question was like a bolt from the blue, and it felt like the sky was falling apart! Like a flash of lightning, lightning fast! It's like King Vajra's sword. If you touch it, you will lose your life!
This sentence may seem ordinary, but the Zen meaning contained in it is even more powerful than the powerful Tokuyama stick and Linji stick in the Zen forest. Therefore, everyone in the Dharma Hall was stunned and speechless.
Why is it difficult to answer? It should be noted that Cuiyan is the founder of enlightenment, and his words are not said casually. He must have the means to stabilize the country in order to deal with it calmly;
Only those who have a clear vision and a thorough understanding can understand his will.
So, is Cuiyan’s question really eternally correct?
Seeing the silence of the crowd, Budai monk couldn't help but laugh and walked out of the Dharma hall.
He walked to the door and said, "Old Cuiyan, he is obviously a thief!" After saying that, he walked away without looking back.
Thief is a unique term used by Zen masters to praise each other's wit. It is a humorous nickname.
Since the news of this public case about Cuiyan teaching disciples in the late summer, it has caused a sensation in Zen forests all over the world. People have come to Cuiyan Mountain to pay homage to Zen Master Lingcan. Therefore, he spread out his Dharma table, which is known as "Cuiyan Lingcan" in history. .
Later, after being recommended by Budai monk, King Qian Liu of Wuyue admired Cuiyan Lingshen's Zen method and invited him to Hangzhou to be the abbot of Longce Temple and teach Zen method until his death.
At that time, Budai monk made a wish to hire a Zen master who could truly teach the Dharma to Qian Liu, and it finally came true (this is a story later).
After the Xia Dynasty, Monk Budai said goodbye to Master Lingcan and walked down Cuiyan Mountain to the foot of Taibai Mountain in Dongxiang, Yin County, where he visited the famous Tiantong Temple.
Tiantong Temple is abboted by Zen Master Xian Yue, who promotes the Xuanfeng of Dongshan (Zen Master Liangzi, founder of Caodong Sect). For thousands of years since then, Tentong Temple has been a world-famous Zen dojo and model jungle.
However, the Tiantong Temple at this time was not called Tiantong Temple, but was named "Yongshou Temple".
The Budai monk stood in front of the temple, but he saw misty white clouds, the mountain peaks were vaguely like fairy islands, the green pines dripped green, and the ancient temple concealed the pure Zen charm.
When he stepped into the mountain gate, he did not go to the Buddhist hall to offer incense, nor to meditate in the meditation hall, nor to hang out in the living room, but went straight to the dining hall.
It turned out that after walking dozens of miles, he no longer had a big belly, but had a "flat belly" - singing the "empty city strategy" in his belly.
He looked south of the sun, and as it was approaching lunch time, he went directly to the dining hall, sat down in the best seat, and waited for the novice monk Xingtang (to get rice).
"Bang...bang...bang..."
After several bangs of fish bangs, hundreds of monks practicing in the Zen Hall of Tiantong Temple stopped to take their seats and filed into the Zen Hall in a long queue.
Suddenly, they saw a strange monk with his chest and abdomen exposed where the abbot usually sat.
The monk responsible for maintaining moral integrity rushed over and asked, "Where did the great virtue come from?"
Budai replied: "Where do I come from?"
The monk was stunned: What is the name of this place? He asked again, "Which temple are you a monk from?"
"I am Monk He."
The monk understood that the pot-bellied monk was deliberately teasing and making fun of himself. But he still asked patiently: "What's your last name?"
"My surname is He." Budai monk still answered seriously.
The monks around him couldn't help but laugh secretly.
The monk's face was a little confused. He said: "Have you placed the order? Do you have an ultimatum?"
This time, Budai monk's head shook like a salesman's drum.
Daqing is a nameless wild monk who comes to make a living!
Buddhism is a broad sect, and you can have a meal, but you should not occupy the chief position of the abbot and the great monk!
The monk had a long face and said, "Do you know where you are sitting?"
"A place to eat." Budai monk looked as innocent as a child, as if he really didn't know that it was against etiquette for a guest to take the host seat.
The monk was almost angry to death, so he satirized him and said: "Do you know why Ershizhai porridge (morning porridge and lunch meal) is called fish bang? Because the fish is always awake day and night and will not close its eyes and fall asleep. The temple carves wooden fish and knocks them. Just to warn lazy people like you!"
"Haha..." Budai monk actually laughed ignorantly, "It's fun, fun, so fun! I was drowsy, but I hit the wooden fish on the head! Do you think it's fun or not? Then, if other monks are drowsy, can they be hit? Is it your board?"
"Haha..." The monks watching the fun couldn't help but laugh.
…
When the monk saw that he was entangled with him, he directly ordered him to leave the abbot's seat.
The Budai monk pretended to be stupid and just stayed there without getting up or leaving.
The monk was so angry that he walked up to him, grabbed his ears, and tried to forcefully drag him to another place.
Unexpectedly, no matter how hard he pulled, Budai monk still sat in place.
snort! Let me see if you are afraid of pain! The monk used all his strength to tug at Budai Monk's ears. The ears grew bigger and longer...
But the Budai monk still had a smile on his face and his body remained motionless!
While the monks were astonished, the abbot and Zen Master Mi arrived.
When he saw this, without saying a word, he immediately shouted away everyone and reprimanded the monk for being rude.
Master Mi personally walked up to Budai monk, put his hands together and bowed, asking him to forgive his disciples for their abruptness, and respectfully asked him to fast here.
During the Tang Dynasty, many Zen temples did not have main halls at all, nor did they build Buddha statues, because in the eyes of Zen monks, the abbot was the Buddha!
…
When the Sixth Patriarch Huineng said this, he looked meaningfully at the monks and pilgrims under the hall, as if they were traveling through a time tunnel...
After a long silence, he finally spoke: "If you know your own nature, you will reach the Buddha's land as soon as you realize it."
Therefore, a Zen master who knows his mind and sees his nature sees himself as equal to the Buddha; therefore, the monks respect the abbot as if he were a Buddha; and the place next to the abbot is the Buddha's position.
Now, as the abbot, Mi Zen Master has left the Buddha's throne, and everyone does not know what to do. Seeing everyone's confusion, Zen Master Mi smiled and said to the waiter: "Go and bring me a stool. I will accompany you at the bottom."
Since then, the layout of the dining hall of Tiantong (Yongshou) Temple has changed. The statue of Budai monk is enshrined in the abbot's position, and a couplet is hung on both sides:
The Mizu showed great joy and asked the guest monks to order the waiters to move their seats.
Maitreya showed his poverty and sat firmly on the throne while the pickets were dragging their ears.
From that time on, gradually, statues of the pot-bellied Budai monk were enshrined in almost all temples and halls in the world.
After lunch, as usual, the monks will go to the Mahavira Hall to pay homage to the Buddha by singing the name of the Buddha - to thank the Buddha for his protection and to thank the benefactor for his kindness.
On that day, Zen Master Mi arranged the post-fast dedication ceremony in the Heavenly King Hall. Wearing a cassock and holding a Zen stick in his hand, he made a circle in front of the statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva - drew a circle in the air, and then chanted: "I never show a dazzling appearance, but instead I look like a round tutu. What do you mean by Tushita?" The Heavenly Palace and the Longhua Three Associations will be reborn in the future, and the Dharma King will appear before you."
Look at the long tingling floating in the sky. The good boy has grown up to be a Budai monk. "
He was silent for a long time, and then he poked the Zen staff with a "dong" sound: "Hey, those wonderful things are difficult to carve out, and they are incomprehensible."
After listening to the abbot's eulogy, the monks of Tiantong Temple suddenly realized: Damn, that pot-bellied monk has an origin!
However, they hurriedly searched the whole temple, but there was no trace of Budai monk again.
The Budai monk had lunch at Yongshou Temple (Tiantong) and quietly left Taibai Mountain before the ordinary monks woke up. He came to the Hengshan Pier on the seaside, took a boat across the bay, abandoned the boat and landed at Hutoudu, passed by Xiangshan County, and walked towards Tiantai Mountain.
Tiantai Mountain is located three miles north of Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province.
Tao Hongjing's "Zhen Gao" says: "The mountain is divided into bullfights, and the upper part should be a place to stay, so it is named Tiantai." Tiantai Mountain is not a mountain, but a section of beautiful mountains and rivers where the main trunk of Xianxia Ridge enters Tiantai County, running northeast and southwest , the mountain has eight layers, "circling eight hundred miles", is the watershed of Yongjiang River, Cao'e River and Lingjiang River, and consists of Chicheng, Waterfall, Folong, Xianglu, Huading and Tongbai mountains.
Here: there are steep cliffs, waterfalls plunge into deep streams, mist fills the air with rainbows; there are mountains and mountains, and colorful clouds wrap around the peaks, looming like a fairy. Its majestic shape, the beauty of auspiciousness, the richness of mountains and seas, and the magnificence of humans and gods.
However, the reason why Tiantai is famous all over the world is not only because of the beautiful mountains and rivers, but also because of the outstanding people.
This figure who made Tiantai Mountain immortal in history is Zhiyi.
Zhiyi, known as the wise master in the world. His common surname is Chen, and he lives in Huarong, Jingzhou. His father once served in the Liang Dynasty and was named Marquis of Yiyang.
However, Zhiyi, who had read poetry and books since childhood, gave up his official career and became a monk at the age of 18.
In the first year of Tianjia reign of Emperor Chen Wen (AD 560), Zhiyi became a disciple of Zen Master Huisi. He studied hard day and night and illuminated the Dharma flower. It was like a high beam of light coming to a deep valley and reaching all the Dharma signs, like a long wind traveling in the sky.
In the first year of Taijian (AD 569), Zhiyi was invited to be the abbot of Waguan Temple. He gave lectures on the Lotus Sutra, created new sects, interpreted the scriptures, and laid the foundation of the Tiantai sect's teachings. His exquisite speech once made Emperor Chen Xuan suspend the court for a day and ordered all the civil and military officials of the court to come and listen.
In the seventh year of Chen Taijian (AD 575), Zhiyi heard that Tiantai was successful, so he came to live in seclusion and meditate, and founded Jialan (another name for the temple).
At that time, Tiantai Mountain was desolate, deserted, and overgrown with weeds.
However, Zhi Yi, who was elegant and fond of Linquan, once carried a staff and chanted: "In the quiet night of the mountains, the clear spirit shines on yourself, wouldn't you be happy?"
During his lifetime, Zhiyi established vassal states in the east and west, connected thousands of miles, and built thirty-five great temples.
He has a total of 29 works, reaching 151 volumes. These masterpieces have been brilliant throughout the ages and still shine brightly today.
He founded the first Buddhist sect in China - Tiantai Sect - because he lived in Tiantai Mountain for a long time, people named the sect he founded after Tiantai Mountain.
The most famous temple in Tiantai Mountain is Guoqing Temple. It was originally the founder of the Tiantai Sect, Master Zhiyi, who erected a tower and built a dojo here, which was named Tiantai Mountain Temple. In the first year of Sui Dynasty (AD 605), he was awarded the title "Guoqing Temple".
…
