Just as the Sixth Ancestor Hui was spreading the Dharma in Baolin Temple, and the disciples had made great achievements, suddenly there was bad news one after another, and the senior brother Shenxiu and Yingyin were gone, and disasters that had not been encountered in a hundred years frequently invaded the Central Plains......

In the abbot of Baolin Temple, the sixth ancestor Huineng leaned on the quilt on the bed, listening to Fahai, who had just returned from Lechang, talk about the disaster relief.

Fahai reported to the Sixth Ancestor Huineng:

The 300,000 taels of treasury money allocated by the imperial court for the construction of the temple have all been purchased with grain, together with the food and clothing donated by the monks of each temple, and have been transported to the disaster area. Since the heavy rains, the drought has been lifted, and people in the affected areas are rushing to plant crops. This natural disaster has finally been overcome.

The Sixth Ancestor shuddered suddenly, was stunned for a while, and two lines of clear tears flowed down.

Fahai said, "Master, are you still sad for Uncle Yingyin? O sad God, Master! Since you have been seriously ill, your health has not been as good as before, but you have to mourn! ”

The Sixth Ancestor said: "I'm crying for you. You are a beautiful uncle, and you are lonely in the capital. ”

Fahai was stunned: "Master, when did you receive the murderous news?" ”

"Just now. I was in a trance just now, and I already felt it. Between heaven and earth, all living beings migrate, you come and go, life and death are impermanent! Fahai, go and summon Fada and them to the Mahavira Temple. ”

In the Daxiong Treasure Hall, the ten disciples of Fahai, Fada, Zhicheng, Zhiche, Zhidao, Zhichang, Zhitong, Fazhen, Faru, and Shenhui are arranged in two rows, and the six ancestors pass through the middle of the ten disciples who stand with their hands folded and sit on the Dharma seat.

The Sixth Ancestor looked at the disciples one by one, and said slowly: "Just now, we sacrificed to Master Shenxiu. I know that the Northern Chan sects think that I am a deviant and a heresy. There are also many of you who look down on your Shenxiu Master's Northern Zen. As the teacher of the three emperors, your master Shenxiu is a sect in both capitals, how can you be in vain? It's just that his theory of gradual enlightenment and my epiphany teachings have their own emphasis. The most commendable thing is that you are humble, open-minded, and morally lofty, and you can be a model for our monks! ”

The Sixth Patriarch took a breath and continued: "You ten disciples, different from other disciples, in the future, you will be the same as Xingsi and Huai to each abbot the dojo and promote one side. I want you to remember that those who study Buddhism and practice meditation should eliminate all good and evil thoughts, and only the innate and sufficient self-nature is the unique essence. Disciples of Buddhism should preach the scriptures and teachings on the basis of their true nature, and then establish all sects and sects. What I have said is up to you to know and understand. ”

Fahaidai replied, "Master, please rest assured, we will definitely follow it in the future." The Sixth Ancestor nodded.

Fada took half a step forward, as if something was wrong, and found that the Sixth Ancestor was closing his eyes and meditating, and quietly retreated.

The Sixth Patriarch closed his eyes and said, "Fada, is there anything wrong with you?" ”

Fada said: "My disciples have heard that some people accuse us of heresy in Zen Buddhism, which says that 'no writing is established, and no teaching is passed on outside the teaching'. How does Master explain this accusation? ”

The Sixth Patriarch opened his eyes and said, "If you don't set up words, you don't want to stick to the classics, not that you don't want the classics. Zen Buddhism focuses on going straight to the heart and emphasizing the wisdom of prajna, and in this sense, the entire Mahayana scriptures are the basis for the establishment of the Zen school. The reason why people accuse us is that some people are clinging to the emptiness of Buddha-nature, and even say that Buddha-nature does not need words. Since there is no need for words, then these people do not need words, because language is also audible words. You know, the word 'not standing' is also a text, or it hasn't left the text! ”

Fada listened and nodded yes again and again.

The Sixth Patriarch went on to say, "Nothing can go to extremes, let alone cling to the superficial phenomena of things. You have to practice according to what I have said, and you must not be unthinkable and get in the way of your clear mind. If you just listen to the Dharma or recite the Sutras, but don't practice according to the Dharma, it will give rise to more prejudices and evil thoughts. Therefore, you have to practice according to the Dharma, and not get attached to the superficial appearance of things. If you understand these principles and do and apply them accordingly, you will not depart from the purpose of this door. ”

……

The tree is 1,000 feet high, and the fallen leaves return to the roots.

The sixth ancestor Hui Neng achieved positive results in Baolin Temple, witnessing the yellow leaves of the old Bodhi tree drifting, and

Draw new branches, the peach blossoms in the orchard on the side of Baolin Temple bloom and thank, thank you and open, and in a blink of an eye it is the autumn harvest season, and Baolin Temple is full of fruits.

The Sixth Ancestor looked at the ripe fruit of the branch and smiled from the bottom of his heart.

Fahai and Likai (one of the disciples of the Sixth Patriarch in his later years) walked over and stood behind him and saluted: "Master." ”

The Sixth Ancestor turned around and shouted happily: "Fahai, Likai, have you returned from Xinzhou?" ”

"Yes, Master. The disciples have just returned to Baoling Monastery. ”

"How's it going?"

Fahai replied: "Fortunately, he did not disgrace his master's life. The pagoda you ordered to be built at Koonji Temple was completed last month. ”

The Sixth Ancestor nodded: "Okay, good." Fahai, Likai, this year, you supervised the construction of the tower in Xinzhou, and it was hard to complete it early. ”

Fahai, Likai said in unison: "The disciple is deserved." ”

The Sixth Ancestor picked two peaches with his hand, carefully wiped off the peach hairs, and handed them to Fahai and Likai. "Thank you, Master." The two of them gulped.

The Sixth Ancestor looked at them eating peaches, smiled happily, and asked, "Is it sweet?" Fahai said, "Sweet, very sweet." Master, you taste. ”

The Sixth Ancestor smiled, shook his head, and said, "Fahai, you say, what makes him happiest about the people who work hard to plant peach trees?" ”

Before Fahai could answer, the Six Ancestors had already drifted away.

On June 29th, the scorching sun was like an arrow, the heat wave hit people, and the autumn cicadas on the Bodhi tree in Baolin Temple were screaming in a chaotic manner, making people upset.

The sixth ancestor Hui Neng, as usual, meditated on the futon in the meditation room, less than three moments, suddenly felt that his heart was surging upward, he tried his best to hold his breath, and wanted to put his blood pressure back, but he felt very difficult, and his eyes were white and exploding. The sixth ancestor Huineng was stunned, knowing that the period of death was coming......

Dangdangdang...... The bell of Baoling Temple struck the silence of the mountains, and the monks hurriedly gathered in the Daxiong Treasure Hall. This day is the first day of July in the second year of Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty (713 AD).

In the main hall, the six ancestors sat on the throne, and hundreds of monks sat silently.

The Sixth Patriarch looked around for a week and said, "I summoned all of you today because I have something important to say. ”

The Sixth Patriarch paused for a moment before continuing: "In July last year, I instructed Fahai and Likai to build a pagoda in Xinzhou Guoen Temple, and urged them to complete it by July this year, but many people did not understand. I can tell you now. That pagoda was built by me to repay the kindness of my parents, because the poor monk will die in the next month, that is, in August. ”

All the monks were startled, stunned, as if they had misheard.

The Sixth Patriarch smiled and said, "You don't have to be surprised, while the poor monk is still alive for a month, if you have any questions about your cultivation, hurry up and ask them, and I will answer your questions." "Where did the monks bother to ask questions, and after the shock, there was great sorrow, and they all began to cry bitterly.