We are all in the torrent of the world, running for life every day, haunting with troubles, unable to start, and the story of Huineng may give an answer.
As a woodcutter (who made a living by chopping wood), Huineng could not read a word, but his ideas were highly respected by later generations of literary heroes, influencing the entire Oriental culture, Wu Ze had been summoned several times, but he politely refused, he had a Buddhist classic "Altar Sutra" that was handed down to later generations, which was the only work called "Sutra" except for the Buddhist quotations of Shakyamuni.
Reading this article, it is recommended to calm down, combine your own experience and experience, and feel it, rather than understanding it word by word.
1. Dharma Guru
Before introducing the Six Patriarchs Huineng, please follow me to understand the story of The Dharma Ancestors, because this is the starting point of the story and the beginning of our study of the "heart".
In the first year of Emperor Liangwu's reign (537), an exotic monk came to Guangzhou by boat from the distant Tianzhu Dynasty, and he was Dharma Zushi, who planned to find someone in this land, a person who would not be deceived.
So Dharma Ancestor chose to wall in a cave not far from the Shaolin Temple of Songshan Mountain, and this side was nine years, until hui ke appeared.
Hui Ke, whose original name was Shen Guang, traveled thousands of miles to Mount Song in order to seek supreme wisdom from Dharma Guru to relieve the hardships in his heart. But Dharma Guru did not pay any attention to Hui Ke at all, and if he wanted to gain something, he had to stand the test, which was an unchangeable truth everywhere.
You say you are sincere, then please show me.
Cold and summer, the blink of an eye has been a year, Dharma every day to face the wall, Hui Ke every day to ask for advice, the second time to hit the wall, so do waiting for when is a head, Hui Ke is anxious, so he gritted his teeth and decided to let go, you do not agree to take me as an apprentice, I will stand in front of the cave and do not go, it will be consumed until you agree.
Even if it's a stone, I'll have to warm you up.
Second, the heart
On this day, the snow on Mount Song was heavy and the sky was freezing, and a snowman appeared outside the cave facing the wall of Dharma, this snowman was not Hui Ke's pile, he was Hui Ke, because he stood outside the cave all night.
Dharma Guru withdrew his consciousness from his meditation, looked at Hui Ke outside the cave, and asked plainly, "You stood in the snow all night, what do you want to ask for?" ”
Hui Ke saw the master speak and said ecstatically, "The monk is merciful and opens the nectar method for me." ”
The supreme dharma of the Buddhas is a long-lasting, difficult to do, unbearable feelings, diligent in the past, and refined and cultivated. With such a little respect, a little diligence, you want to get, ahem! What do you gain by standing in the knee-deep snow, unless there is red snow in the sky.
Dharma Guru replied dismissively to Hui Ke, who stood outside the cave. As the saying goes, when Dharma Guru opened his mouth, it already showed that he had begun to accept this tough descendant in his heart (the character was not tough and could not be rejected for a year without flinching, still insisting), but this was far from enough, if you want to open the supreme wisdom, you have to accept a greater challenge.
The snow is all white, where is the reason for red, isn't it difficult for people? In other words, a grumpy person who has long since rolled up his sleeves and stopped doing it, you are not insulting my personality, you are insulting my intelligence. But for those who are sincere, there is still "I" in their hearts,
The levels set by Dharma's ancestors, like examinations, are a means of selecting talents who have inherited the mantle, to filter out those who are dishonest and mediocre, but the question writer and the main examiner are Dharma himself.
Snow, red snow? How to solve this problem? The tired and hungry Hui Ke fell into contemplation, and suddenly, his expression became solemn, and he seemed to have an answer in his heart. Only to see Hui Ke slowly pull out the ring knife he carried, and the knife fell in his hand, slashing at his left arm, and suddenly blood gushed out and spilled on the white snow.
Dharma Guru was already moved to tears and said emotionally, "You are qualified to continue the wisdom of the Buddha." "In this land, he finally found the man.
Hui Ke also calmed down her excitement and asked, "My heart is in pain, please ask Master to reassure me." "In fact, this problem in every era, the ordinary we need to solve. The mind can generate fear, worry and greed, make people irritable or anxious, how can we rest on our minds? Everyone has their own choice of answers, and even if they don't choose that, it's a choice.
Dharma: "Bring it, I'll be safe for you." ”
The dialogue between the two is full of Zen and wisdom, and Dharma has been guiding this new disciple to open the door of wisdom. Hui Ke had some understanding, but did not know where the door was, Dharma looked at the disciple who had been blindfolded, and pressed forward step by step, reaching out to Hui Ke and saying: Take your heart.
Hui Ke replied with a question, "Master, you asked me to take the heart, but where is the heart?" I can't find it! ”
"Peace of mind for you!" Dharma roared, pulling Hui Ke back from his wild thoughts, yes, since the heart can't be found, what else am I worried about?
The snow in the sky had stopped, the sun was shining, and Hui Ke felt extra free and smooth, and he realized.
When you stop pursuing external objects and take your mind back, you will suddenly become enlightened, and it is extremely difficult to understand and do it. There is a classic Confucian saying, "If things are not going well, seek yourself instead", which is quite similar to the mood.
Thus, Dharma Guru passed on the mantle of the Buddha to Erzu Huike, and the seeds of enlightenment took root in this great land, until the Six Patriarchs Huineng, Zen Buddhism began to truly flourish, and his influence spread throughout all fields, until today.
In the Six Patriarchs Huineng, you can not understand the Four Books and Five Sutras, you can even be illiterate, and you do not need to sit and meditate day by day, you can open the door to enlightenment, focus on the present moment, and you are a Buddha.