Chapter 19 Chapter 18 City of Nothingness

In many cases, the initial feelings come through hue.When we saw that man's handsome appearance and his smiling face like a flower, a string in our hearts was plucked.Afterwards, when I looked at that person again, I had different emotions, and my heart also followed his actions, giving birth to a trace of affection. But the emotional foundation of these buildings is not solid.The essence behind the hue is an important factor in determining whether love lasts. Tsangyang Gyatso was born in a Buddhist family, and his parents have high quality.Although he is somewhat disinterested in Buddhism now, he is a Buddhist believer after all. What he pursues is always the spiritual world that has infiltrated his body for more than ten years.Such Cangyang Gyatso, a woman who is illiterate, is difficult to communicate with her.

So Tsangyang Gyatso was soon disappointed with this relationship, he said: Although the flesh has touched, Unaware of the depth of emotion; If you don't draw a picture on the ground, It can measure the degrees of stars. (Translated by Xiao Tiyan) Cangyang Gyatso was very annoyed. Although it was a smooth love affair, he still had a glimmer of hope in his heart.But now, he was dissatisfied. He asked himself: Are we just lovers with lust?Why can't I see what's really on your mind?Do you love my soul, or just my body?If the relationship is just an exchange with a piece of meat, why should it last long?

In the precepts in Buddhism, there is actually no clause to abstain from the relationship between men and women.The most basic precepts in Buddhism - the "Five Precepts", are no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, and no drinking.Among them, the commandment related to men and women is "not to commit sexual misconduct". Here, "prostitution" refers to sexual behavior full of sensuality, a very material pleasure of feeling pleasure only through physical physical interaction.Although it can make people feel spiritual happiness, such happiness is built on a material basis and fundamentally deviates from the purpose of Buddhism.Therefore, Buddhism should abstain from prostitution. Those who become monks cannot have sexual behaviors that rely on their bodies, and lay Buddhists at home should not have sexual behaviors that betray their family members.

The "Three Realms" of Buddhism also pointed out that the world we live in is the "desire realm", because there are desires for men and women, and desires for food.The desire here is the desire based on the material basis, so it also refers to the carnal desire based on the body.But Buddhism does not mention the emotion between men and women.That's because it's hard for someone to truly appreciate the gap between true emotion and desire.Some people fall into the emotional trap because of the hormonal response of the body; some people fall into the trap of carnal desire because of the emotion.In any case, it is difficult for people in the world to grasp the relationship between "love" and "desire", so Buddhists also habitually abstain from "love between men and women" when implementing this precept.

Desire is the material life that we must get rid of; truth is the treasure that we can keep.During his love with the wine brewer, Cangyang Gyatso understood this truth.What he wants is not the vain material desire, but the most precious true feelings.This true love is not as simple as being nice to the other party, it should be an understanding of the other party's heart.Cangyang Gyatso regretted it at this time, and should not have accepted this relationship so hastily.What she brought to him was not wonderful love.Even though she was beautiful and incomparable, she was far from his ideal love.Annoyed, he wrote:

Meet the girl who met, exudes fragrance; But like picking up a piece of white jade, Throw it by the road again. (Translated by Gao Ping) Recalling the situation when he met the wine brewing woman, he was angry.He vented his grievances on the proprietress of the restaurant: meet your lover, It is the thread led by the mother of the restaurant; If you owe a debt, You can afford it! (Translated by Gao Ping) Fortunately, Cangyang Gyatso was able to wake up from it in time, otherwise he would continue to sink, and he would really owe evil debts for this life. Buddhism pays attention to the reincarnation of cause and effect, and any event may become a cause, which will lead to future retribution.If you plant a good cause, you will get a good result; if you plant a bad cause, you will get a bad result.If Tsangyang Gyatso indulges in lust, he will create a bad cause, and he will suffer bad retribution in the future or the next life.But Cangyang Gyatso was in a fit of anger. He believed that the evil cause was caused by the proprietress of the restaurant, and she also planted an evil cause for it. The evil debt he owed for the future now needs to be borne by the proprietress!

These are obviously Cangyang Gyatso's angry words, which are similar to the dirty words of Zen masters, and they are just expressing the emotions at that time.After expressing it, the emotion will pass, and I won't pay much attention to it.He still came to this restaurant, accepted the proprietress' apology, and faced the brewing lady frankly. Lovers who get together and part ways can still be friends when they meet, just like Cangyang Gyatso and Jiaoniang, although they broke up, they have a sweet past after all, so there is no need to hate each other deeply and not to be seen.

Feelings should be a weightlifting that you can afford and let go, don't let yourself fall into a weight-bearing game.If you overestimate your abilities, you will hurt yourself.People always have to have a correct evaluation of their feelings. If you are too extreme, you may lose the beauty that may exist. Cangyang Gyatso and Jiaoniang were very clear about the reasons for the failure of their relationship, and when they met, they still looked at each other and smiled. For this matter, the proprietress herself has been guilty for a long time.She knew that what Dang Sang Wangbo said was just a passing joke, she didn't mind, what she minded was that she underestimated his request for affection.Cangyang Gyatso's requirements for lovers are actually very high, which can be called perfect: not for money, not for desire, have common hobbies, value friendship, and have the appearance of a fairy, even in the communication between the two of them.The relationship Tsangyang Gyatso wants is like a utopia.

Not only the proprietress, but even Tsangyang Gyatso was also suspicious.He suddenly felt that the world he was in was empty and meaningless.Anyone who has suffered a serious injury is prone to such world-weary emotions.Cangyang Gyatso has experienced the life and death of his parents, the mutation of his identity, the repression of a puppet, and the betrayal and blow of his feelings. He is not satisfied in any aspect of his life. Proud place. What is the meaning of this life?What's the point of this world?He doesn't know at all, what he knows is that he is not as good as the whole world, and the whole world is not as good as him.His mind wandered in the smell of wine and he didn't know where to go, he felt like he was in a city of nothingness.

Buddha said: Everything we are in is nothingness, even the body we are in is nothingness.To use a standard Buddhist terminology, this nothingness is "the four elements are all empty". We usually know that "the four elements are empty" means that everything is nothingness, but many people don't know what the "four elements" are.Buddhists believe that the world is composed of four elements: earth, water, fire and wind.These four elements sound familiar?In the movie "The Fifth Element", the four basic elements of Western civilization are also mentioned, which are exactly the same as those of Buddhism.The concept of the four elements of Buddhism is inherited from the founding thought of Hinduism.The difference is that although Buddhism believes that the world is material, it also proposes that these substances are nothingness.

Such a theory sounds extremely contradictory, but in fact it is nothing more than a speculative technique practiced by Buddhism.Buddhism believes that the world has a physical appearance, but inside the appearance, there is its own nature.It's like our body is a material phase; our spiritual will is the self-nature hidden in this material phase.Because of this self-nature, we are all different and the world is rich and colorful.But it is precisely because of this true nature and self-nature that we are troubled a lot. Therefore, if we want to liberate our minds and get rid of many troubles, the first thing to do is to get rid of the obsession with the opposite.Only in this way can we know that self-nature dominates our behavior and thinking, and only then can we know the strength of self-power.This is why Buddhism says "the four elements are all empty".Matter is nothingness, only the self is the most real.Wisdom can only be found when one realizes one's own nature. But this is only one aspect.When we regard the "form" of our true nature as "emptiness", then what our self-nature lives in is a city of nothingness.Since the self-nature exists by virtue of nothingness, how can it be said that it is real?We can only say that the self-nature is also empty.Now not only "the four elements are all empty", but even "nature is empty".In this way, isn't this world an empty space? But Buddhism says that everything is empty cognition, it is obstinate empty, it is bad karma.Since we can perceive the self-nature and the true nature, it means that they exist, and they originally have the attributes of matter.Therefore, "emptiness" is "form". Buddhism's view of form and space is very convoluted, and even those who are well-organized are easily confused.But it is this kind of detour that makes speculation not only fun, but also full of wisdom.When a person can straighten out such obsessive thoughts, his heart can truly understand the principle of "form is emptiness, emptiness is form", and the heart will be completely free.Don't be obsessed, don't be nostalgic, don't abandon, don't leave.Be at ease with the situation, live freely in the material world, without hindrance. I don't know if Tsangyang Gyatso really understands the transformation of "form" and "emptiness" in "appearance" and "sex". At least at this time, he feels that his world is illusory.He is using his body to perceive the illusory material world, while his mind is exploring the wisdom that is difficult to be perceived by others. Therefore, many descendants think that he has done it, and that he has the wisdom of being unobstructed in the world.The world likes his poems, his frankness, his freedom and casualness, and they also like him.So everything about him should be beautiful, and there should be nothing missing.Therefore, they believed that after he thoroughly realized the concept of form and space in Buddhism, he looked back at the world with his unrestrained behavior.His way of joining the world is the most sincere concern for the world. In fact, Jigong can be regarded as one of the living Buddhas who have seen through the transformation of color and space.His "wine and meat pass through the intestines, and the Buddha's heart stays in it" is the best embodiment of colorlessness and emptiness.All foreign objects can't enter his eyes, so he doesn't care about the luxury and neatness of the appearance.Since foreign objects do not enter his eyes, all things are the same.There is no difference between luxury, cleanliness and filth, and there is no difference between rich and poor.He can enjoy good things with peace of mind; he can also enjoy inferior things.He feels the coming and going of things in the world, but he doesn't care about everything. The poem by Zen master Wumen in the Song Dynasty said it well: "There are flowers in spring, moon in autumn, cool wind in summer and snow in winter. If there are no troubles to worry about, it is a good time in the world." There is great beauty in the world, but only the freedom of the heart , in order to make people feel the beauty all the time.It is this kind of freedom of mind that monks seek. But how many people can cultivate to this point? Is Tsangyang Gyatso one of them?Maybe.After saying goodbye to at least two absurd relationships, he saw through the hypocrisy of the world.He knew that behind all these smiling faces, there might not be a kind heart.Even a good heart without wisdom is like a walking corpse. So he sat in the restaurant and drank alone, he also sang with everyone, and he toasted to each other, but his heart took a step back.He no longer actively wants to integrate into the real world.He began to observe and feel the emotions of the world with his heart, to judge the authenticity of their emotions, and to perceive their wisdom.He wants to find a true relationship, not built on any material. Taking a step back may really open up the sea and the sky.During this time, Tsangyang Gyatso felt relieved.Drink when you have wine, sing when you have songs, and laugh when you have fun, with the style of "wine and meat pass through the intestines, and the Buddha keeps it in his heart".At least at this time, he is already very much like a living Buddha who has attained enlightenment.However, there is still a trace of obsession in his heart, and that is the pursuit of true temperament. People who really see through everything, why should they be obsessed with the truth.Love is for people, if there is one, there is one, and if there is no one, there is no one.When you meet a loving person, you can feel the truth, but you won't get into his heart.True practice should come and go like the wind like this.Laugh at the world, but not obsessed with the world. Cangyang Gyatso has to continue to experience hardships before he can understand this.