The next day, the Budai monk left the city of Hangzhou, all the way east, through Yuezhou, through Mingzhou (now Ningbo), and came to the east of Yinxian County.

In the eastern part of Yinxian County, it is a pure land of Buddhism, and the famous Asoka Temple and Tiantong Temple are located here.

According to legend, Emperor Ashoka of India (around the third century B.C.) built 84,000 pagodas to make offerings to the relics of Shakya Buddha, which were scattered in various parts of the southern Ganbu continent. Among them, China originally had 19 towers, and then because of the long history, I don't know what happened.

In the second year of Taikang in the Western Jin Dynasty (281 AD), the monk Huida dug a tower in this mountain.

The tower is not gold, jade, copper and iron, and is not rock, and is purple-black. The body of the tower is square, and the four sides are engraved with the story of the Buddha Bunsheng such as the change of the prince of Sata (that is, the story of sacrificing himself to feed the tiger), the change of the snake's eyes, the change of the brain, and the change of saving the pigeon. There is a hanging bell in the tower, and the Buddha relics are offered in the bell. Huida believed that this was the only remaining Buddha relics pagoda that Ashoka distributed to China, so he built a monastery to worship the pagoda, which is the origin of Ashoka Temple.

Tiantong Temple is located at the southern foot of Taibai Mountain (Tiantong Mountain) in Yinxian County. Taibai Mountain is one of the famous mountains in China, this mountain was called Taibai Mountain in the Jin Dynasty, and Tiantong Mountain in the Tang Dynasty.

In the Jin Dynasty, there was a monk Yixing, who once practiced in this mountain and knotted the hermitage.

According to legend, Taibai Xing incarnated as a boy, brought him food and water every day, Yixing thanked him for his merits, and named this mountain Taibai Mountain.

In the Tang Dynasty, when Fa Xuan lived on this mountain and recited the Lotus Sutra, the boy incarnated by Taibai Xing came to serve food and drink, and Fa Xuan called this mountain "Tiantong Mountain". The hermitage, where they lived, gradually became a Zen dojo that is famous throughout the country and occupies an important place in the history of Buddhism.

However, the Budai monk came all the way to the east of Yinxian County, neither to the Asoka Temple to worship the Buddha relics, nor to the Tiantong Mountain to visit the great monks, but first came to the inconspicuous and unfamous Cuiyan Mountain.

At that time, there lived a Ling Shen Zen master on Cuiyan Mountain, who was a native of Huzhou (now Wuxing, Zhejiang) and the heir of Xuefeng Yicun.

A year ago, he came to Mingzhou from Fujian and gathered dozens of Zen monks to follow him to participate in Zen.

Although the temple is small, the number of ceremonies is not missing at all.

Budai monk has just arrived, according to the rules of worshipping the mountain, after placing an order in the guest hall, he has to go to the abbot to meet the abbot monk.

As soon as he stepped into the abbot's door with one foot, Ling Zen Master asked, "Where did you come from?" ”

This question seems ordinary, but it contains a rolling Zen machine.

If you are not careful, you will hurt your hand and be killed under the sentence.

Monk Budai did not say that he was "from where he came from," but replied truthfully: "From Hangzhou." ”

Why is he so honest? Because he knows that Zen is the way life is, and being concise and clear is the best.

And, the more concise it is, the more variations it contains.

Sure enough, the wind and thunder rose on the flat ground, and the quiet waves set off huge waves, and Cuiyan made the Zen master suddenly say: "When the mountain monk meditated at night, he suddenly saw the bullfighting, faintly with the five colors of the dragon, or the spirit of the king, or the glory of the saint." Calculated on the fingers, the corresponding geography should be divided in Qiantang. What news did you get from Hangzhou? ”

Ling Shen Zen Master seems to be talking about feng shui and saying that Hangzhou Qian Biao is about to become a generation of emperors, and at the same time, he is also alluding to the extraordinary.

The Budai monk was not in a hurry and said: "In the past five hundred years, the king has prospered, and heaven and earth have sensed the saints. The poor monk did not observe the celestial phenomena, did not know the geography, but felt that there was an idler on Cuiyan Mountain. ”

Absolute learning is nothing for idle people, and there is no delusion or truth-seeking. The Zen practitioner has nothing to do in his mind, and he has no mind in things, which is the highest state.

Therefore, Cuiyan made the Zen master and the Budai monk smile at each other, and no longer inspected each other - there was nothing to do, and they went to drink tea leisurely.

April 16 is the day when monks end summer. Naturally, the life of Xia Anju was extremely monotonous, closed, and lonely, so the unrestrained Budai monk originally wanted to leave Cuiyan Mountain before the end of summer, but on the one hand, he had a very happy relationship with Ling Shen Zen Master, and it was a little difficult to part; Second, Cuiyan's Zen method is unique, and he also wanted to see his Zen style during his settlement, so he really settled down.

The three-month settlement period provides a great opportunity for monks to concentrate on their spiritual practice. The Zen jungle is the morning hall (the public gathers in the Dharma hall to listen to the abbot's general lecture), and the evening small ginseng (individual guidance in the abbot and other places in the evening), and the abbot monk is like a clever furnace maker, refining pieces of stubborn iron into steel.

Cuiyan ordered the staff to go to the hall, and a monk came out of the hall and asked: "Where there are words, they are all dirty." How is it an upward matter? ”

The cloth bag monk, who seemed to follow the crowd casually, watched Cuiyan Lingshen carefully to see how he answered.

Because he knew in his heart that the monk had asked the point.

Zen, the heart has a little understanding, such as people drinking water, cold and warm self-knowing, can only understand, not speak.

If you force words, there is a lot of ambiguity. Therefore, the ancients said: "Wherever there is a word, it is all dirty." ”

The so-called upward thing refers to the true road of absolute judgment - the supreme state of Zen.

Panshan Baoji Zen Master said: "All the way up, a thousand saints do not pass on; Scholars work like apes catching shadows. ”

The true avenue is a wonderful way that is not preached by a thousand saints, but it is not said by the Buddha and not preached by Bodhidharma.

Because, this kind of realm, which does not come out of the mouth, does not need to think, it is beyond the words and thoughts, and requires you to prove and know yourself, to reach the source and return to the source, and to realize the truth of silence as the essence.

Since you can't speak, see how you Cuiyan Lingshen answers?

Cuiyan Lingshen said: "Where there are words, they are all dirty. ”

Wonderful, wonderful! The cloth bag monk secretly applauded: "The answer lies in your question itself!" ”

However, the monk did not understand and continued to ask, "How is the provincial important place?" ”

Cuiyan Lingshen said: "The public laughs at you." "It's a great Zen machine, turn a blind eye and miss it in person, isn't it ridiculous!"

Another Zen monk said: "The ancients said: return a pill, and turn iron into gold; In a word, turn to sanctification. Scholars come up, please learn a little. ”

People, always, are always delusional and opportunistic.

Therefore, since ancient times, all kinds of "panaceas" have emerged in an endless stream; What "proverbs" are too numerous to mention!

What is the answer of Zen Master Cuiyan Ling? The Zen master flatly refused, saying, "No." ”

The Zen monk asked why not order? He replied, "I am afraid that you will fall into the eyes of all saints!" ”

The cloth bag monk on the side smiled knowingly. Because he knows that everything and the holy are like waves and water, the wind comes and the water changes the waves, and the wind and the waves become water, and there is no essential difference between the two, and the key is the thought of one's own heart.

The so-called "afflictions are bodhi, and there is no difference between mind, Buddha, and sentient beings" is this truth.

However, this Zen monk does not have the realm of a cloth bag monk, fails to understand the meaning of Cuiyan Lingshen, and still opposes the sage and the ordinary man in his thoughts, clings to the aura of truth, and fantasizes about turning the mortal into a saint under the enlightenment of the master. He pleaded pitifully and said, "Please tell me the truth." ”

Cuiyan made the Zen master infinitely compassionate and did his best to express the true meaning of Zen.

He said, "Waiter, order some tea." ”

Serving tea and pouring water is the heart of Zen! Leaving daily life, where is there any reason!

Another Zen monk saw the doorway, stood out from the crowd, and asked, "If you don't bring the saints, what can you show at the right time?" ”

Cuiyan made the Zen master smile humorously and said, "You must not tell others that I am Cuiyan Lingli." ”

The Zen monk was stunned for a moment, thought about it, realized something, and said: "No matter how beautiful the language is, it cannot describe and explain the true meaning of white Zen." So, what is going on in the sect (Zen Buddhism)? ”

Yes, Zen, it's indescribable and incredible, but there has to be something like that, right?

Cuiyan ordered the Zen master to say, "You pray." ”

Zen monk prayer means the end of the Q&A. However, you Cuiyan Lingshen hasn't answered people's questions yet! Sure enough, the monk said, "Scholars don't." ”

He meant not to grasp what it meant to let him pray. Cuiyan Lingshen scolded: "You are a monk, you can't even worship!" ”

When the Budai monk heard it clearly, he couldn't help but say: You worship, it is the role of self-nature! Zen is not mysterious. You know, every gesture is Zen.

……

The most unexpected thing for the Budai monk was that by July 15, the settlement ended, which is the so-called "summer relief". Solving the summer is also like the end of the summer, and a ceremony is to be held.

Cuiyan Lingshen went to the hall and said: "One summer with my brothers to speak East and West, do you see Cuiyan's eyebrows are still there?" ”

Legend has it that if you misspeak the Dharma, your sins will cause your eyebrows to fall off.

Looking back on the past 90 days of Xia Anju, Zen Master Cuiyan often spoke to the public, lest all his words have become words and vines. The sin of negligence in his speech may cause the loss of his eyebrows. Hence this question.

This is because the essence of Zen, the first meaning of Buddhism, is the ultimate truth, which can neither be expressed in words nor dissected by mental concepts.

Therefore, all the discussions, whether they are about the heart, sexuality, pause, or graduality, have to be said only for the sake of enlightening the scholars.

All the teachings are only the way to experience the truth, not the truth itself, which is like pointing to the moon.

The Buddha said, "All my teachings are like a finger pointing to the moon, so that you can find the moon more smoothly and quickly; And the finger itself is not the bright moon. Therefore, all words are metaphysical. ”

Zen Master Cuiyan is well aware of this principle, but in order to guide the public and inspire the monks, he has to widely preach the teachings of Zen and show the Zen machine.

Think about it, if the patriarchs of the past generations did not teach to others, everyone would not be able to get enlightenment, how can they see the nature of the mind and become enlightened?

After saying that, he was afraid that his disciples would mistake their fingers for the moon and the means for the end, and stubbornly adhered to the Zen method he said.

Cuiyan Ling Zen Master's question is like a thunderbolt on a sunny day, and there is a feeling that the sky is falling apart! It's like lightning and fire, and it's lightning fast! It's like the sword of King Kong, if you touch it, you will lose your life!

This sentence seems to be ordinary, and the fierceness of the Zen machine contained in it is better than the Deshan stick and Linji stick of the Weizhen Zen Forest. Therefore, at that time, all the people in the Dharma Hall were stunned and speechless.

Why is it difficult to answer? It must be known that Cuiyan is the ancestor of enlightenment, and his words are not reckless and casual, and he must have the means to stabilize the country in order to deal with it calmly;

It is necessary to have eyes on the door—a person who is fully enlightened—to understand His will.

So, is it really wrong for Cuiyan to ask?

Seeing that the public was silent, the Budai monk couldn't help but laugh and walked outside the Dharma hall by himself.

walked to the door and said: "Cuiyan Old Road, it's clear that he is a thief!" After saying that, he walked away without looking back.

Thief is a unique term used by Zen masters to praise each other's wit, and it is a humorous synonym.

Since the public case of the Cuiyan disciples at the end of the summer came out, it caused a sensation in the Zen forest of the world, people competed to study, and came to Cuiyan Mountain one after another, and paid homage to the Zen master, so he opened the Dharma seat, known as "Cuiyan Lingshen" in history.

Later, after the recommendation of the Budai monk, Qian Biao, the king of Wuyue, admired the Zen method of Cuiyan Lingshen, and invited him to Hangzhou, the abbot of Longshu Temple, to teach Zen until he passed away.

At that time, the Budai monk made a wish to invite a Zen master who could really speak the Dharma to Qian Biao, and it was finally completed (this is a later story).

After the summer, the Budai monk bid farewell to the Zen master Lingshen, walked down Cuiyan Mountain, came to the foot of Taibai Mountain in Dongxiang, Yinxian County, and visited the famous Tiantong Temple.

Tiantong Temple is abbot of Xianyue Zen Master, and promotes the Xuanfeng of Dongshan (Liangqi Zen Master, founder of Caodong Sect). Since then, for thousands of years, Tiantong Temple has been a world-famous Zen dojo and model jungle.

However, at this time, Tiantong Temple is not called Tiantong Temple, and the name is called "Yongshou Temple".

The Budai monk stood in front of the temple, but saw, the white clouds were ethereal, and the mountain peaks were faintly like fairy islands; The pine drips green, and the ancient temple covers the Zen rhyme.

He walked into the mountain gate, did not go to the Buddha hall to offer incense, did not go to the meditation hall to meditate, and did not go to the guest hall to place an order, but went straight to the dining hall.

It turned out that after walking for dozens of miles, he was no longer a pot-bellied, but a "flat-bellied" - he sang the "empty city plan" in his stomach.

He looked at the south of the day, and when it was close to the time of the lunch, he went directly to the dining hall and sat down in the best position to wait for the novice hall (to eat).

"Bang...... Bang...... Bang ......"

After a few knocks, hundreds of monks who practiced in the meditation hall of Tiantong Temple sat down and entered the hall in a long line.

Suddenly, they saw that on the abbot monk's usual seat, a strange monk with his chest and stomach bare-chested appeared.

The monk in charge of maintaining discipline rushed over and asked, "Where does the great virtue come from?" ”

Budai replied, "Where do I come from?" ”

Monk Value: What is the name of the place? He asked, "What monastery are you?" ”

"I'm a monk of He Temple."

The monk understood that this pot-bellied monk was deliberately ridiculing and making fun of himself. But he still patiently asked, "What's your last name?" ”

"My surname is Ho." The cloth bag monk still answered seriously.

The monks around couldn't help but laugh secretly.

The monk's face was a little unbearable, and he said, "Have you placed an order?" Do you have a degree? ”

This time, the head of the cloth bag monk shook like a merchant's drum.

Dare is a nameless and nameless wild monk who came to mix rice!

The Buddhism gate is wide, you can mix a meal, but you shouldn't occupy the dragon cave, the bird into the phoenix's nest, and occupy the chief position of the abbot and the great monk!

The monk's face was stretched and he said, "Do you know where you are sitting?" ”

"A place to eat." The Budai monk looked childlike and innocent, as if he really didn't know that it was rude for him to enter the main position.

The monk was almost angry with him, so he sarcastically said: "Do you know why Ershizhai porridge (morning porridge and afternoon fast) is called Yubang? Because the fish always wake up day and night, and do not fall asleep with their eyes closed, the temple carves wooden fish and strikes them to warn you of such a lazy person! ”

"Hehe......" Budai Monk actually laughed ignorantly, "It's fun, it's fun, it's fun!" I was drowsy and drowsy, but I knocked the wooden fish on the head! Do you think it's fun? So, if the other monks are drowsy, can they beat your board? ”

"Haha......" The monks couldn't help but laugh when they saw the excitement.

……

Seeing that he was entangled with him, the monk directly ordered him to leave the abbot's seat.

The cloth bag monk pretended to be stupid, but he didn't get up or leave there.

The monk was so angry that he stepped forward and grabbed him by the ear, trying to forcibly drag him up and drag him somewhere else.

Who knows, no matter how hard he pulled, the cloth bag monk still sat upright.

Hum! I see if you're afraid of pain! The monk exerted all his strength and desperately dragged the ears of the cloth bag monk, only to see that the ears were getting bigger and longer......

And the cloth bag monk is still smiling, and his body is not moving!

When the monks were amazed, the abbot and the monk Mi Zen Master arrived.

Seeing this, he didn't say a word, and immediately retreated from the crowd and reprimanded the monk for being rude.

The tantric master personally walked up to the Budai monk, bowed together, asked him to forgive the disciples for their abruptness, and respectfully asked him to fast on this throne.

During the Tang Dynasty, many Zen temples did not have a large hall at all, nor did they shape Buddha statues, because, in the eyes of Zen monks, the abbot was the Buddha!

……

When Master Huineng said this, he looked at the monks and pilgrims under the hall meaningfully, as if he was traveling through a time tunnel......

After a long silence, he spoke: "If you know your own nature, you will reach the Buddha land as soon as you realize it." ”

Therefore, the Zen master who has a clear mind and insight sees the Buddha; Therefore, the monks are as respectful to the abbot as a Buddha; The abbot is not the Buddha's seat.

Now, as the abbot, the tantric master has left the Buddha's position, and everyone doesn't know what to do. Seeing everyone's helplessness, the tantric Zen master smiled and said to the waiter, "Go and bring me a stool, and I'll accompany you in the last seat." ”

Since then, the pattern of the temple hall of Tiantong (Yongshou) has changed, and the position of the abbot is dedicated to the statue of the Budai monk, and a couplet is hung on both sides:

Mi Zu is now a large number of people who like to let the guest monks order the waiters to move their seats

Maitreya showed poverty and sat firmly on the main throne, when the picket dragged his ears and ears

It was from that time on, gradually, almost all the temples in the world were dedicated to the statues of the big-bellied cloth bag monks.

After fasting, the monks usually sing the Buddha's name to the Mahavira Hall to pay tribute to the Buddha - to thank the Buddha for his protection and thank the donor for his kindness.

On that day, the tantric master arranged the dedication ceremony after fasting in the Heavenly King's Hall. Dressed in a robe and holding a Zen staff, he made a circle in front of the statue of Maitreya - drew a circle in the air, and then chanted: "Never shining, but instead of a round Buddha." What do you say about the Tushi Heavenly Palace, the Longhua Sanhui, and the next life, and now he is the Dharma King. ”

Look at the long Tingzi Tianhe floating, a good son, and grow into a cloth bag monk. ”

He was silent for a long time, and then poked the Zen staff with a "bang": "Oh, those wonderful places are difficult to carve and chiseled, and they are incomprehensible." ”

After listening to the eulogy of the abbot monk, the monks of Tiantong Temple suddenly realized: dare to love, that big-bellied monk has a history!

However, they hurriedly searched all over the monastery, but there was no trace of the Budai monk again.

The Budai monk had lunch in Yongshou Temple (Tiantong), and quietly left Taibai Mountain without waiting for the ordinary monks to wake up. He came to the Hengshan Wharf by the sea, crossed the bay by boat, abandoned the boat at Hutou and landed, passed through Xiangshan County, and walked in the direction of Tiantai Mountain.

Tiantai Mountain, three miles north of Tiantai County, Zhejiang.

Tao Hongjing's "True Message" cloud: "The mountain is divided into bullfights, and the upper part should be on the platform, so it is called Tiantai." Tiantai Mountain is not a mountain, but a section of Shenxiu mountains and rivers that the main trunk of Xianxia Ridge enters Tiantai County, it is northeast and southwest direction, the mountain has eight layers, "Zhou Hui 800 li", it is the watershed of Yongjiang River, Cao'e River and Lingjiang River, it is composed of Chicheng, Waterfall, Folong, incense burner, Huading, Tongbai Mountain.

Here: cliffs, waterfalls into deep streams, water mist filled with rainbows; The peaks and peaks are stacked, and the colorful clouds are wrapped in strange peaks, looming like a fairy. Its extreme state, the beauty of Jiaxiang, the wealth of the poor mountains and seas, and the magnificence of people and gods.

However, the reason why Tiantai is famous all over the world is not only because of the beautiful mountains and rivers, but also because of outstanding people.

This person who made Tiantai Mountain forever go down in history is Zhiyi.

Zhiyi, known as the master of wisdom. The common surname is Chen, and his home is Jingzhou Huarong. His father was in the Liang Dynasty and was named the Marquis of Yiyang.

However, Zhiyi, who had read poetry and books since childhood, gave up his career and became a monk at the age of 18.

In the first year of Emperor Chen Wendi Tianjia (560 AD), Zhiyi worshiped Zen Master Hui Si as his teacher. He studied hard day and night, and took a picture of the Fahua, if Gao Hui is near the valley, he will reach all the Dharma, like the long wind traveling too empty.

In the first year of Taijian (569 AD), Zhiyi was invited to be the abbot of Waguan Temple to give a lecture on the Lotus Sutra, establish a new sect, interpret the scriptures, and lay the foundation for the teaching concept of Tiantai Buddhism. His exquisite speech once made Emperor Chen Xuan stop for a day and ordered the civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty to listen.

In the seventh year of Chen Taijian (575 AD), Zhiyi heard that Tiantai had a victory, so he came to meditate in seclusion and founded Garan (another name for the temple).

At that time, Tiantai Mountain was barren and desolate, cut off from people, and overgrown with weeds.

However, Zhiyi Ya is good at Lin Quan, and once sang with a cane: "Wouldn't it be happy to be deep in the mountains at night and take care of yourself." ”

Zhiyi's life, the east and the west are heavy, and the transformation is thousands of miles, and there are 35 large temples built.

He is the author of 29 books in 151 volumes. These masterpieces have been glorious for centuries and still shine today.

He founded the first Buddhist sect in China, the Tiantai sect, and because of his long-term residence in Tiantai Mountain, people named the sect he founded.

The most famous temple in Tiantai Mountain is Guoqing Temple. This was originally the founder of Tiantai Sect, Master Zhiyi, who built a platform here and built a dojo, and was named Tiantai Mountain Temple. In the first year of Sui Daye (605 AD), the amount of "Guoqing Temple" was given.

……