In recent days, because of the rain, there are very few people selling firewood in the firewood market in the county, and the firewood market has become a world of firewood dealers.

The old shopkeeper of the inn tiptoed and looked at the intersection. A few firewood dealers said behind him: "Old shopkeeper, it is raining heavily today, and Huineng must not have gone to cut wood." You just buy ours. ”

The old shopkeeper said, "Go, go!" When it gets dark, I have to wait to buy Huineng's firewood. ”

A hawker said, "Our firewood was also cut by Huineng and their people from the same mountain, so why didn't they buy him?" ”

"The firewood that people Huineng chops is hardwood that grows in the cracks of the rocks on the mountain, and the fire is strong and burned. And you, in order to make more money, are all half-rotten and half-rotten cork purchased at a low price to fool people. Therefore, for more than ten years, our inn has been burning firewood cut by Huineng. Okay, okay, you see, isn't Huineng coming! ”

Huineng came over with a load of firewood. The innkeeper greeted him and complained, "Why are you late today?" Let me wait. ”

Huineng put down his burden, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said with a smile: "Uncle, today is not the day to send firewood to your inn." How did you get to Chai City? ”

"The inn was inhabited by a group of foreign merchants who came to buy goods locally, and there were many people eating and drinking, so they used up the firewood that had been left."

Huineng pointed to the firewood and said: "That's right, what I brought today is the firewood on the ground, although the appearance is wet by the rain, but the inside is already dry, and it can be burned immediately." ”

The old shopkeeper smiled and said, "Good, good! I knew that with your Hui Neng, there would be good firewood from my old man. Let's go, give me the firewood and send it to the store. ”

Huineng still smiled honestly, nodded, picked up the firewood, and followed the old shopkeeper to the inn.

Familiar with the door, after Huineng sent the firewood into the stove, he came to the front hall and took a bowl of tea handed by the little second brother, and poured it into his stomach.

The shopkeeper laughed at him: "You drink water like a donkey?" ”

Huineng also laughed at himself: "I am as thirsty as a donkey, and when I drink tea, I naturally drink like a donkey." ”

The old shopkeeper handed over the firewood money to Huineng. He put it in his pocket before he counted them, bowed to the old shopkeeper and said, "Thank you, uncle, for always taking care of me." ”

The old shopkeeper said, "Each other, burning your firewood over the years has saved us a lot of money." Huineng, the inn has been full these days, you can send me a few more loads of firewood. ”

Huineng nodded and walked towards the door of the store. On a stool near the door of the inn, a guest was muttering a sutra by the light of the door: The Buddha told Subodhi: All Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas should subdue their hearts in this way. All sentient beings and the like: if they are oviparous, if they are viviparous, if they are wet, if they are incarnated, if they are colored, if they are colorless, if they are thinking, if they are not thinking, if they are not thinking, if they are not thinking, they are all extinguished......

As if a god sent a ghost, Huineng inadvertently heard a few verses, and inexplicably felt very cordial, and seemed to be a little familiar. Thoughtfully, he stopped and stood by to listen.

As the sound of the meridian came slowly, his face became more and more peaceful and tranquil, and his heart was like standing still...... Suddenly, he felt as if his heart was quietly opening and merging into the scriptures: If there are countless and infinite beings who have been destroyed, and there are no beings who have attained the degree of destruction, why is that? Subodhi! If a bodhisattva has the appearance of self, the appearance of people, the appearance of sentient beings, and the appearance of the long-lived, he is not a bodhisattva......

The guest finished chanting and stood up gently. Huineng hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Master, I'm sorry. ”

The guest turned around. At that moment, Huineng was stunned, as if he had a sense of déjà vu, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it.

The guest kindly asked, "Young man, what is the matter with you?" ”

Huineng hurriedly said, "Master, may I ask, what scripture are you reciting?" ”

"The Diamond Sutra, I also just heard it from the Zen master of Jintai Temple."

Huineng was very envious, and couldn't help but say to himself in his heart: "The Diamond Sutra ...... It should have no place to live and its heart should be born...... Jintai Temple...... Zen Master Silent Sky ......"

The guest said, "Young man, are you interested in the Dharma?" Can you remember what I just recited? Can you understand? ”

Huineng nodded: "Yes." I just heard you recite the Diamond Sutra, and my heart suddenly brightened, as if I had opened my mind. ”

The guest looked at Huineng in amazement and thought, "Wouldn't it?" The old man thinks he has a good memory, he never forgets it, and he can recite every word without missing a word after listening to it, but he knows what he says but doesn't know why......

Seeing that he didn't believe it, Hui Neng said, "I can really remember, if you don't believe it, I'll read it from beginning to end." ”

The guest nodded.

So, Huineng recited exactly what he had just heard.

After hearing this, the guest said with emotion: "I see that you are smart and very good-rooted, if you can go to Jintai Temple to seek guidance from Zen Master Shankong, go deep into Buddhism, and participate in Zen enlightenment, you will definitely have great achievements." ”

Huineng was very excited and happy to hear the guest say this, but then he fell into deep thought, looking extremely distressed, and couldn't help but sigh melancholy.

The guest asked with concern, "Young man, what is there in your heart that you can't let go?" ”

Huineng said: "My father died very early, and only me and my mother depended on each other. My family is poor, so I can only rely on selling firewood to make a living. I don't have any rice to eat a day without firewood, and my mother can't do without me. ”

"Young man, it seems to me that it is not that your mother cannot do without you, but that you cannot do without your mother. You are afraid in your heart to leave your mother, afraid of losing her love. Huineng was stunned, thinking about it, the guest's words were very reasonable.

"Young people, you should do whatever it takes to pursue the road of life and the truth of the universe! In this case, if you aspire to seek Buddhahood, I will first subsidize you with ten taels of silver for your mother's daily expenses. ”

When the old man saw what Hui Neng wanted to say, he waved his hand and said, "Don't, young man, don't shirk yet, even if I take the first step to offer to you, the Bodhisattva of the Flesh." You go back and settle your mother, and then go to Jintai Temple to ask for a Zen master. I am sure that Zen Master Silent Sky will definitely guide you. ”