Besides, Shenxiu lived in seclusion in Dangyang Mountain, Jingzhou, and devoted himself to studying Buddhism, and gradually realized how wise the five ancestors were to pass on the robe to Huineng! Huineng is indeed Huigen Tiancheng, the only candidate for the Six Ancestors.

Thinking of this, Shenxiu was relieved and stepped out of the thatched hut, only to see two Zen monks running quickly towards the thatched hut in the forest, shouting from afar: "Master, master." ”

Shenxiu saw that the two monks were very angry, so he asked, "Are the two ......?"

The two Zen monks said in unison, "We are disciples of Master Faru, see Master." The two Zen monks knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

Shenxiu returned the salute and said, "Oh, you are Faru's disciples. How is Senior Brother Faru doing now? ”

The two monks knelt down again: "Master, his old man's soul has returned to the West Heaven!" Shenxiu was stunned, and two lines of tears slowly flowed.

Zhicheng came out of the house and let the two Zen monks who had come from afar into the room. Shenxiu and the two teachers and nephews sat down separately, and Zhicheng poured tea.

The elder Zen monk said: "Before the master passed away, he instructed the two of us to find you, ask you to go out of the mountain, take care of his protégé, and lead Jiangbei Zen school. ”

Shenxiu said: "Senior Brother Huineng is preaching the Dharma in Shaozhou Baolin Temple, why don't you go to him?" ”

Another Zen monk said, "He? He is illiterate, what is his ability? ”

Shenxiu Zhengse said: "Huineng junior brother Huigen is natural, looking at the world, who can compare?" Unfortunately, the distance between the north and the south is long, and I am too old to go and ask him for advice. You young disciples, why don't you hurry up and listen to the teachings! ”

The elder monk said: "My uncle has lived in seclusion for many years, and I don't know anything. Jiangbei Zen Forest, to Huineng Master...... Uncle Shi, the prejudice is very deep. Invite him to lead the Jiangbei monks, I am afraid that it is salt in the oil pot, and it must be fried. ”

Another Zen monk knelt down in front of Shenxiu and begged: "Uncle Shi, except for you, there is no one who is suitable to lead the Jiangbei Zen Forest. For the sake of our master, go out of the mountain to take care of your disciples. ”

Shenxiu shook his head: "I swore many years ago that I would not leave disciples, not teach the Fa, and not write books and speak, so as not to mislead others, so I ......"

The elder Zen monk also knelt down and cried, "Since the death of the Master, we have no one to control us, and we are in danger. Uncle, you have pity on the poor disciples, uncle! ”

The two Zen monks burst into tears and kept kowtowing. Zhicheng was moved to tears, and also knelt down: "Master, your old man is merciful, promise the senior brothers!" ”

Shenxiu burst into tears and nodded helplessly.

The two Zen monks from Zhongyue Songshan invited Master Shenxiu out of Dangyang Mountain from his state of seclusion. Originally, Shenxiu, who had been in retreat and practiced penance for 15 years and had attained enlightenment, had no intention of propagating the Dharma for a long time. He lived in isolation, built a thatched house on the mountain seven miles east of Yuquan Temple, perched in the shade of pines, drank the breeze, and was leisurely. If it weren't for this sudden change, then he would have been hiding in obscurity until he died in the mountains.

After the death of the Fifth Patriarch Hongren Master, his Dongshan Dharma system was inherited by another big disciple, Faru. However, there are unforeseen circumstances, and only three years after the Dongshan Dharma banner was erected in the Central Plains, in the first year of Tang Yongchang (689 AD), Faru, who was only 52 years old, died suddenly. His untimely death not only made it difficult for the traditional lineage to continue, but also many of his disciples who remained in Zhongyue Songshan suddenly became orphans waiting to be fed. In order to continue the Dongshan Method, and also for the disciples to have a good home, the Fa is like a dying will:

When going to Jingzhou Yuquan Shenxiu Zen Master to consult. As a result, hundreds of Zen monks came from thousands of miles to take refuge, and Shenxiu had to open the door to accept them and teach Zen teachings. Because of his advanced and virtuous years, he has a deep understanding of his skills, and his profound and difficult Zen is as simple and clear as common flowers and plants in his mouth. Song Zhiwen wrote in the "Yingxiu Zen Master Table": "...... The shape is growing, and the Hongyi is deeper. Apprentices from the two capitals, believers from all over the world, traveled thousands of miles and went to Wumen together...... The way of Jiujiang is like a parent, and the women of the three rivers look up to the mountains. "You can imagine how high Master Shenxiu's reputation was at that time.

It wasn't long before the Yuquan Temple, where he was abboted, became the center of Zen learning in the country. Compared with Caoxi Huineng, which is located in the remote Lingnan, his prestige can be said to be skyrocketing.

One day, eight or nine wandering monks came to Yuquan Temple, and the leader was actually Yingyin! These monks, who were spurned by the people for setting fire to the mountain, reappeared after many years of hiding. Master Shenxiu avoided them, and strictly ordered the guest hall not to allow them to place orders.

Ying Yin led his brothers to kneel down outside the abbot door of Master Shenxiu, and pleaded bitterly, "Master, we know our mistake! Back then, we did something that violated morality because of a mistake in our thoughts. However, we have already paid a heavy price for it. Not only did Dongchan Temple not allow us to go back, but other temples didn't welcome us. The world is so big that there is no place for us. Over the years, we have been like lost dogs, wandering the world and suffering a lot...... Fortunately, Huineng did not die in the fire, isn't he out of the mountain now? So, we didn't hurt him, causing irreparable consequences. The Buddha said, 'Put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the ground', and he said, 'The sea of suffering is boundless, and turning back is the shore.' We've put down the butcher's knife, we've turned back! Besides, Master Shenxiu, we were also sincere at the beginning, and we were dedicated to fighting grievances for you, so we ......"

Their weeping and weeping finally touched Shenxiu's compassionate heart and allowed them to stay on the mountain and mend their ways.

Besides, on the side of Baolin Temple in Shaozhou, although Ying Xing was reading Buddhist scriptures, his small eyes kept glancing around. He was amazed to find that Master Huineng was sorting out the kapok robe that symbolized the lineage of Zen Buddhism! Huineng wrapped the robe and walked out of the abbot.

Ying Xing, who had been quietly observing from the side, asked curiously, "Master, what are you going to do?" ”

"I'll go and wash the robe handed down by the five ancestors."

Ying Xing breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I'll go fetch water, I'll wash you here." ”

Huineng shook his head: "My business, I still do it myself." ”

Huineng held a Zen staff and stepped out of the chamber. He walked out of the mountain gate with his robe, intending to go to Cao Xi Huan to wash.

Cao Xi twists and turns, zigzags and turns, floats with splendid mountain flowers, reflects the blue sky and white clouds, draws an arc in front of Baolin Temple, and then sprinkles joy and sings songs to the distance.

By the stream, a few small novices were washing clothes. They were so diligent that they even washed the clothes they wore on them - you pry them, I splashed a basin, and as a result, everyone was drenched all over their bodies. They were carefree, and seemed to be more joyful and lively than the clear Cao Xishui, and the large and small pebbles on the river beach seemed to be condensed by their giggling laughter:

Cao Xishui, like a string or a hook. Such as the string chanting Bodhi song, such as the hook does not lead the white clouds, the Zen rhyme is quiet and quiet.

Huineng quietly left. First, he didn't want his arrival to make the laughter and laughter of his disciples come to an abrupt end; Second, this robe is a sacred thing that was brought from India by the Bodhidharma Patriarch, in case there are people washing clothes and things in the upper reaches of the stream, and the dirt goes down the stream, will not the robe be desecrated?

Huineng turned and walked towards the mountains behind the temple. Walking and stopping, searching and seeking, Master Huineng walked and observed, and unconsciously walked four or five miles away, and came to a dense and quiet mountain forest.

Here, the ancient trees are towering, the green shade is turned, the grass is green, and the air is swirling. For some reason, a faint smile appeared on the corner of Huineng's mouth. With a solemn expression, he stood in the middle of a clearing, closed his eyes and was silent for a moment, and then shook the Zen staff in his hand and poked it into the ground.

He didn't seem to use any force, but the staff was all plunged into the depths of the earth. What's even more incredible is that as the Zen stick is pulled out, a clear spring gushes up, and in a moment it converges into a small clear pool of water - this is the famous "Zhuo Xi Spring".

Hundreds of years later, Su Shi, a great writer of the Song Dynasty, came to pay homage to the true body of the six ancestors twice. On the bank of Zhuo Xiquan, his literary thoughts flowed and he wrote "Zhuo Xiquan Ming". Huineng took a handful of spring water to taste, it was mellow and clear, and the spirit was uplifted. He crouched down and carefully rinsed his robe......

"Amitabha." Suddenly there was a Buddha horn behind him. Huineng turned around, and a young monk bowed and asked, "May I ask the old master, how to get to Baoling Temple?" ”

Hui Neng saw that he looked like he was traveling a long way, holding a wet robe in his hand, stood up and asked, "Where are you from?" ”

Who knows, when the monk saw the robe in Hui Neng's hand, he exclaimed, fell to his knees with a plop, and shouted excitedly: "Disciple Fang Bian, meet the Sixth Ancestor Master!" ”

Huineng was a little puzzled: "Argument? Your name is Fang Fang? Have the two of us met? ”

"No, never, disciple, this is the first time to get close to the master."

"Then how do you know the poor monk?" Huineng asked.

Fang Fang said: "The disciple is from the Xishu clan, and in order to seek Buddhism, he traveled to India, the hometown of the Buddha, a few years ago. There, I met a miraculous monk. The disciple asked him to teach the Dharma. He said that the Dharma Eye Collection inherited by Buddha Shakyamuni and the robes passed down from generation to generation by the ancestors have already arrived in China. Now, it has been passed down to the sixth generation, and the six ancestors are currently promoting Zen Buddhism in Caoxi, Lingnan. His old man ordered his disciples to return to China and came to Cao Xi to seek the Fa. Therefore, when I saw this solemn and holy kapok robe just now, I guessed that you were the Sixth Patriarch Master. Master, can you give me a closer look at the robe? ”

"Absolutely." Huineng shook the robe, and the water droplets fell one after another, like crystal pearls, just like the magical light emitted by the robe......

Where can Fang Fang still take care of admiration, but the five bodies are thrown to the ground, kowtowing like pounding garlic......

Huineng smiled slightly and said, "Fang Fang, is there rice on the ground?" ”

Fang Fang was stunned for a moment, looked at the ground, and said, "No! ”

Huineng said, "Without rice, how can you eat rice like a chicken?" ”

Fang Wei understood that the Sixth Ancestor was joking, and stood up embarrassedly.

Huineng pondered and asked, "Fang Fang, you value this robe so much, so what have you always done?" ”

Fang Wei didn't understand the intention of the six ancestors, and replied truthfully: "The disciples have passed on the skills of statue sculpture from generation to generation. Before I became a monk, I made a living by making statues of gods. After becoming a monk, he often made Buddha statues for the devotees. ”

"No wonder you don't stop praying to a robe of the Dharma!" Huineng said, "Then, Fang Fang, please make a statue for me to see." ”

In fact, the original intention of the six ancestors is to say that the true Buddha is formless, the reality is invisible, and how can a person create the true image of the Buddha!

Fang couldn't understand the Zen machine in it, and said excitedly: "The blessing of the disciple He Shixiu is that he has the honor to make a statue for the master!" Thank you Master for your trust! ”