Inspired by the broad-mindedness and infinite compassion of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, this stubborn shadow finally repented and became a Buddha on the spot.

This is Zen, the wisdom of Zen, the breadth and profundity of Zen, the attitude of Zen, the demeanor of Zen! It was the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng who cultivated the seeds of Zen sown by Bodhidharma Dongdu Aurora (China) into a towering tree and made it a forest.

When it comes to Zen, we have to start with Patriarch Bodhidharma, the first ancestor of Zen Buddhism.

Ladies and gentlemen, let us travel through time and space to trace the history of Bodhidharma's "crossing from the ocean to the east and sowing the seeds of Zen"——

In 527 A.D., when Bodhidharma's bare feet set foot on the solid land of Guangzhou in the South China Sea (known as the place of the first arrival), it was just when Emperor Wu of Liang was on the path of Buddhism.

However, Bodhidharma drifted to Songshan in Henan Province due to disagreement with Emperor Wu of Liang, and sat on the wall of Taigu Cave. Bodhidharma has been sitting for nine years. Bodhidharma is facing the wall, waiting for a person, this person is Hui Ke (second ancestor).

Hui Ke's original name was Shenguang, with a square head and big ears, and he was extremely intelligent. After he heard about Bodhidharma's face to the wall, he immediately went to ask the patriarch from the Buddha's hometown for the Dharma.

When Shenguang rushed to Songshan, he touched a nose of ash in Taikoo Cave - Nadharma sat facing the wall all day long, without saying a word, without moving or shaking, letting Shenguang beg in every possible way, telling thousands of times, and never even lifting his eyelids.

From spring to summer, from summer to autumn, from autumn to winter, Dharma faces the wall every day, and the divine light hits the wall every day. But he persevered, and his heart to seek the Tao was unswerving. In the blink of an eye, it was the cold winter wax moon, and Shenguang insisted on asking Bodhidharma to accept him as a disciple every day, but Bodhidharma still ignored it.

However, in order to seek the Supreme Dao, Shenguang made up his mind: If you don't agree to my request, I will stand outside the cave and never leave.

On this day, it is the ninth day of the lunar month, the weather is cold, the air is condensed, and the water is dripping into ice.

The wind was like a quick knife, and it cut small cracks on Shenguang's cheeks again and again; The cold air was like an ice snake, burrowing into the cracks between his feet and tormenting his nerves...... The divine light is also like Bodhidharma, motionless.

At night, heavy snow falls from the sky. The wind and snow hit the face and fell into the collar, and the divine light shivered from the cold.

But he insisted on standing outside the cave despite the bitter cold and the wind and snow.

The night is getting deeper and deeper; The snow is getting heavier and heavier; The wind is getting colder than ever......

The north wind was tight overnight, and the snow was still drifting at dawn.

The divine light that stood outside the Taikoo Cave all night was covered with snow, frost flowers, and ice pendants, like cold frost solidification and ice sculpture and snow building.

Bodhidharma's consciousness came out of meditation and glanced out of the cave.

So, he looked at the snowman-like light in his eyes and asked quietly, "What do you want to ask for after standing in the snow all night?" ”

Master Bodhidharma finally spoke! Shenguang was ecstatic and excited, and the two lines of tears, which I don't know whether they were bitter or salty, poured down......

After a while, Shenguang intermittently popped out a sentence from between his cold "gurgling" teeth: "Big ...... Master, Compassion ...... Kind...... Sadness, for ...... ...... for me Open...... Open the nectar method. ”

Patriarch Bodhidharma glanced at him and said slowly: "The supreme magic method of the Buddhas is the result of the eternal time, the things that are difficult to do, the unbearable feelings, the diligence of many lifetimes, and the refinement of the tribulation. With such a little endurance, you want to get it? ”

When Bodhidharma said this, he disapplauded: "Hmph! What do you count standing knee-deep in the snow? If you want to get my heart, unless it snows in the sky! ”

Red snow in the sky? It's impossible! In other words, there is no hope for the divine light to seek the supreme Bodhi.

Shenguang was hungry and cold, and at this moment, his heart, which was constantly twitching from despair, was even more painful.

He can endure the wind and snow, but he can't accept the reality of being rejected by Dharma.

At this time, a pine tree with dense foliage on the cliff was bent downwards because there was too much snow in the canopy.

The snow was still falling, the snow on the trees was still increasing, and the pine trees seemed to be unable to bear the weight anymore, and the trees could fall down at any moment......

With a "click", one of the longest branches on the tree snapped.

The entire tree was broken by the balance, and at that moment it shook violently, and the snow fell one after another.

Although the pine tree discarded a strong branch, it bought the life of the whole tree.

The divine light who witnessed all this was suddenly inspired: the Buddha Shakyamuni did not hesitate to kill himself in order to seek enlightenment from the Dharma.

If the Buddha can do it, why can't I?

In order to show his determination to seek the law to the death, and to show his sincerity from the bottom of his heart, Shenguang took out his ring knife and slashed at his left arm......

At this moment, a miracle appeared, and the blood gushing out from the severed arm of the divine light stained the snowflakes fluttering in the air red, and stained the white snow.

Shenguang was overjoyed and shouted at Patriarch Bodhidharma: "Master, look, look, it's snowing in the sky!" It's really snowing! ”

Patriarch Bodhidharma couldn't help but burst into tears.

He didn't expect that Shenguang would cut off his arm in order to seek the Fa.

He said very emotionally, "Yes, yes! When the Buddhas of the past generations first sought the Dharma, just like you now, they all forgot their bodies for the Dharma and sacrificed their lives for the Dharma. You have proved by your actions that you are fully qualified to continue the wisdom of the Buddha. ”

The name of Hui Ke was derived from this (from then on, Shenguang changed its name to Hui Ke).

This divine light broke an arm, and he trembled in pain, but he didn't say that he was in pain, but said, "Master, my heart is in pain, please rest assured for me." ”

It turned out that Shenguang was asking Bodhidharma in disguise for the true meaning of Buddhism and Zen.

Therefore, the heart he speaks of is not the heart in our usual sense, but our true heart, which, although formless, can think, delusional, speak, distinguish sounds, gestures, and raise eyebrows...... Omnipresent, omnipotent.

Buddhism's so-called clear mind, the three indistinguishable minds, Buddhas, and sentient beings, is talking about this heart.

Patriarch Bodhidharma heard Shenguang say that his heart was painful, his eyes were round, and he stretched out a big hand in front of him and shouted: "Take your heart, I will be safe for you!" ”

At the moment when Bodhidharma stretched out his hand in front of his eyes, Shenguang clearly felt that he had been struck by an invisible but tangible force.

He was stunned and amazed, as if he had realized something, but he couldn't say anything......

Bodhidharma's big hand stood out in front of him, and it stretched across the entire heaven and earth, and seemed to radiate a faint red light.

It kept asking for the divine light: take the heart, take the ...... Heart...... Come!

When we put our hearts into it, that sincerity is everywhere and omnipotent, but after using it, it disappears without a trace, without form. Where can you find such a heart?

Shenguang was stunned for a long time, and muttered, "Master, you asked me to bring my heart, but where is my heart?" I can't find it! ”

"Take your heart, I'll be safe for you!" Bodhidharma roared again.

His roar, like a thunderbolt on a sunny day, exploded in front of the door of the Divine Light Face, and suddenly shattered his cranky thoughts.

Yes, since you can't find your heart, why do you still have a heartache? Since your heart is empty, what are you going to do? Find the heart is not available, for you to feel at ease! The fog cleared and the sun shone brightly. Divine light, self-nature, heart, Tanaka Huiri, spiritual light.

God light him, and he is enlightened.

......

Flowers bloom and fall in spring and autumn.

On a bleak autumn day, Patriarch Bodhidharma said to Hui Ke: "I will pass away, and now I will officially teach you the four volumes of the Ranga Sutra and the robe." You are the second ancestor of Dongtu, and you should know the weight of the burden on your shoulders. Dongtu Zen lamp, rely on you to continue. ”

Hui Ke stood silently, and Patriarch Bodhidharma said:

I was originally in the soil, preaching the Fa to save the lost feelings.

One flower blooms five leaves, and the fruit is natural.

......

Along the mouth of the Pearl River when Master Bodhidharma arrived in China, tracing up the river to the Xijiang River, there is a tributary that rushes from the southwest, called the Xinjiang River. In the middle and upper reaches of the new river, a column of mountains twists and turns, the peaks are towering, the rock walls are steep, winding for more than 50 miles, like a dragon, lying on the riverside. Therefore, the locals call it Yongsan.

Beneath the peaks of the dragon's head, like a jewel carefully hidden by a giant dragon under its palate, a small village quietly exists.

Wolong leaps, soars into the blue sky and pours nectar, neon seven colors fly in the clouds; The jewel was born, the glory shines on Kyushu, and the charm is eternal.

In the land of Zhong Ling, when there are people who are outstanding and outstanding; The mountains and rivers are strange, and there are sages and saints who shine with the sun and the moon.

Therefore, for thousands of years, the local people have been saying that there is a dragon vein lurking under Longshan, and once the opportunity is ripe, a generation of sages will be born from here.