Chapter 6 Chapter 05 (1) Brief History of Zen Buddhism

5.1.1 General meaning of Zen Zen is a simplification of the transliteration of the Sanskrit word Dhyana, and the full translation is Dhyana; free translation, in the early days it was meditation, and later it was meditation. It can also be both sound and meaning, called meditation.This is a method of practice. In today's words, it is to use the method of deep thinking to transform the mind. The difference from now is that it emphasizes stillness and concentration (not through labor), that is, to sit quietly and think.What are you thinking about?Specifically speaking, there are many tricks. If you have lust, you need to practice the concept of impurity, sit quietly and think, and confirm that the one you love is a skeleton, covered in blood.In a nutshell, it is thinking. The original perception is all wrong. Only what the teachings say (the essence of the outside world, the true meaning of life) is true and perfect.In this regard, one of the characteristics of religion is that there is a huge gap between the ideas before and after the transformation, so it is very difficult to change from the old to the new.But it is very difficult, and success is expected, so we must use great strength in the practice method.This is the reason why Buddhism attaches great importance to meditation.

In fact, anyone who calls for a change in the attitude towards life cannot but emphasize the transformation of the mind, because the mind is the guideline of the attitude towards life.Thought transformation cannot be separated from mental activities, that is, the so-called deliberation, whether it is active deliberation or quiet deliberation.The distance before and after the change is large, and less thinking will not be effective, so more investment is required, that is, quiet thinking.Knowing this, we can know that meditation is not a magic weapon exclusive to Zen Buddhism; other schools also use it, but with different degrees of emphasis (for example, Faxiang School pays more attention to the discrimination of names and appearances), or different names (such as Tiantai School's name Zhiguan).It's not just the sects in the religion; for example, many sects in India also regard sitting meditation (or yoga) as an important practice method.It can be further enlarged. For example, Confucianism and Taoism in the Middle Earth are strictly speaking not religions, but Confucianism emphasizes righteousness, sincerity, and cultivation of awe-inspiring spirit. ), it’s all the way of letting go of one thing and one another in the heart, and transforming one’s thinking with meditation.The uniqueness of Buddhism is that the road is too long (going out of the world), and the changes are too great (reversing the reverse), so it is too difficult to achieve one's wish, so there are many tricks born from meditation.

5.1.2 Early Zen methods Buddhism was first introduced into China as a kind of Taoism.Taoism is a means to obtain a certain kind of wonderful life, and this means is mainly a method of practice (including ancestral sacrifices), or in other words, it is mainly a method of Zen.This situation is most obviously manifested in two aspects: one is the introduction of Zen classics, and the other is the popularity of Zen. An Shigao, the earliest scripture translator in China, came to Luoyang in the second year of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 148). Over the past 20 years, he has translated more than 30 scriptures and treatises. The "Thirty-seven Sutras of Zen Walking" and "Thirty-seven Classes of Zen Walking" are all about Zen.Later than An Shigao, Zhilou Jiachen also came to Luoyang to translate scriptures. The translations of "Prajna Dao Xingjing", "Banzhou Samadhi Sutra" and "Shoushurangama Sutra" talked about the principle of Mahayana Prajna's nature and emptiness, which is also related to Zen. of.Later, Zhiqian translated scriptures in the Wu area of ​​the Three Kingdoms, and the translations of "Chan Secret Essentials" and "Cultivation Convenience Sutra" also focused on Zen.

Later, there was Kang Senghui, who commented on the "Anpan Shouyi Sutra", explaining in detail the practice and magical effects of the six wonderful gates of Zen (numbering, following, stopping, contemplating, returning, and purifying) in the preface. The result of vigorously introducing Zen methods is naturally the popularity of Zen methods.Kang Senghui's "Anpan Shouyi Sutra Preface" said: At the end of the rest of my life,... Su Zuo is still alive, and I met Nanyang Hanlin, Yingchuan Piye, and Kuaiji Chen Hui.Yu Congzhi asked, the rules are the same, and there is no difference in justice.Chen Hui's annotations, Yu Zhu's discretion, he did not pass it on unless he was a teacher, and he dared not be free.

Mr. Tang Yongtong's "History of Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties" Chapter 5 and deduced: The disciples of Anhou (An Shigao) include Nanyang Hanlin and Yingchuan Piye.Chen Hui is a native of Kuaiji in the south.Kang Senghui is in Wu.According to Dao'an's Preface to the Great Twelve Gates, it was written in the Jianye Zhou Silishe in the seventh year of Jiahe.At the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Wei Dynasty, Zen Buddhism existed in the Jiangnan and Zhongzhou areas of Hebei, and the method of "keeping one" in the "Taiping Jing" was firmly derived from Buddhist Zen. The popularity of Shandong Zen can also be seen.

In addition, Huijiao's "Biography of Eminent Monks" mentioned more than 30 eminent monks practicing Zen, such as Zhu Sengxian, Bo Sengguang, Zhu Tanyou, Shi Huiwei, etc., are all very famous. 5.1.3 Beidi Chan Method During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Buddhism was promoted in Central China, and the atmosphere in the north and the south was different: the south emphasized righteousness, that is, the differentiation and analysis of Buddhist principles; the north emphasized practice, that is, the emphasis on Zen.Beidi's emphasis on Zen can also be seen from two aspects: translation of scriptures and practice.

Two master translators can be cited as evidence.One is Kumarajiva. Although his translation is mainly based on Prajna (which can also be regarded as the theoretical basis of Zen), he also translated "Zen Chan Samadhi Sutra", "Zen Dharma Essentials", "Zen Secret Essentials", etc. to promote Zen. legal texts.His disciple Seng Rui said in the "Preface to the Zen Sutra in Guanzhong": "Master Kumarajiva went from Guzang to Chang'an on December 20 of the year of Xin Chou, and Yu went to Chang'an on the 26th of the month. Receive Zen." It can be seen that Kumarajiva, the master of Prajna, also promotes Zen.The other is Buddha Bhathara (also known as Juexian), who once translated "Dharma Dora Nerve" and other classics promoting Zen, and gathered disciples to teach Zen.

During this period, there were many monks practicing Zen in the northern region, and there were also many accomplished famous monks.Like Buddha Sina, the teacher of Buddha Bhadra.Among the disciples of Buddha Bhatra, the famous ones are Xuangao, Baoyun, Huiguan and so on.Among them, Xuan Gao is especially famous.Huijiao's "Biography of Eminent Monks" said that he "excellently mastered the Zen method" and had "three hundred disciples".Kumarajiva's disciples, Dao Sheng, Seng Zhao, Dao Rong, and Seng Rui, are known as the Four Sages of the Shimen, and Jia Daoheng, Sengying, Huiguan, and Huiyan are known as the Eight Talents of the Shimen.Among them, Seng Rui, Huijiao, said in his "Biography of Eminent Monks" that he lamented that "although there are few scriptures, there is enough knowledge of cause and effect, and the Zen method has not been taught, so there is no place for the heart to live."In addition, foreign monks who came to Central China to promote Zen include Tan Wupi, Lenamati, and Buddha Shanduo (also known as Buddha); among Chinese monks who practiced Zen, there was Seng Chou (Buddha Shanduo praised him as At the top of Zen, Dao claims that he is comparable to Bodhidharma), Sengshi, Huichu, Sengzhou, Huitong, Daoheng, Sengda, Fachang, Sengwei, Tanzhun, Enguang, Huiming, Tanchong, etc.

During this period, the Beidi Chan Dharma was divided into different schools.One is mindfulness of Anpan, that is, the six wonderful doors of counting, following, stopping, observing, returning, and purifying. It can also be divided into four levels, called the four meditations.One is the concept of impurity, which focuses on destroying lust.One is chanting Buddha, that is, sitting quietly and thinking of the Buddha and the solemnity of the Buddha land.One is Shurangama Samadhi, which means to use the most rigid actions to complete the great cause of liberation. 5.2 Establishment of the clan

The situation of Zen practice discussed in the above three sections can also be regarded as the cause and condition for the evolution of Zen Buddhism after the Sui Dynasty.Among them, Buddha Bhatra also has a pedigree (Furuomira → Furuola → Tanmodara → Bhadra → Buddhasina → Buddha Bhatra), which can be regarded as the legendary succession of the mantle. Herald.However, the "zong" mentioned here refers to the Dunjiao Nanzong after the sixth patriarch Huineng, and there should be more direct reasons for establishing the sect.This is mainly the following types. (1) One reason is that it is not worthy of being called the reason. It is because the capital is large (there are many disciples and the law is systematic), and it will naturally follow the trend.Because the founding of sects has become a fashion (as early as the Western Land period), such as Sanlun, Pure Land, Tiantai, etc. It is like seeing the east family buy a horse, and the west family can’t help buying a car, so they also appoint ancestors, compile genealogy, and publicize internally. With external recognition, sects are formed.

(2) The other, which is actually the most powerful, is meditation as the surest and most effective way to liberation.The teachings of Buddhism are far-reaching, and due to in-depth study, people have their own views, forming different schools and even sects; but using precepts, concentration and wisdom as a means to achieve the goal of liberation is the common creed of all schools and sects.That is to say, in order to achieve liberation, we must pay attention to the Zen method; the result of paying attention to it is to carry it forward, so it is easy for a small country to become a big country, that is, to become a sect. (3) During the Six Dynasties period, the most prosperous Buddhist doctrine was the theory of prajna and emptiness. Dao'an was the one who promoted this theory in the early days, explaining the emptiness of nature and creating nothing.The meaning of this non-existence is "all dharmas are empty and silent in nature".Because abstract concepts are used to arrange formations in the conceptual world, different people are most likely to arrange them in different ways, so there are many different theories with the same name and different names.When it came to Kumarajiva, he integrated various schools, tended to be more thorough, and created the theory of emptiness after all.What is empty after all?It is "after all, all dharmas are empty and silent, like the muddy pan, neither existence nor non-existence, no birth and no death, affirming the way of speech, and destroying all mental actions" ("Mahayana Yi Chapter").This is difficult to understand, we might as well take its spirit and say that it is an attachment to get rid of all common sense.This is exactly the same path that Zen Buddhism takes to break all attachments, even to Buddha and Nirvana. (4) In terms of understanding and even practice, there are already many pioneers.Just to name a few of the most prominent. One is Zhu Daosheng, the great disciple of Kumarajiva.He is a native of Middle Earth. He was born in the Jin and Song Dynasties. He learned Buddhism from Sangha Devas and Kumarajiva.Huijiao's Biography of Eminent Monks says: Often take the essentials of entering the Tao, wisdom and interpretation as the foundation. ... After thinking about it for a long time, he realized what was beyond the words, but he sighed and said: "The image is full of meaning, but the image is forgotten when it is full of meaning; the words are used to explain the reason, and the words are rested when the reason is entered. Since the classics flow eastward, translators pay attention Obstacles, mostly stagnant prose, seldom see the perfect meaning. If you forget to catch the fish from the trap, you can talk about the Tao.” So he reviewed the truth and the vulgar, studied the cause and effect, and said that goodness will not be rewarded (the Tao is inaction, so the fruit will not be rewarded) , enlightened to Buddha. ...The other six volumes of "Ni Huan" first came to Kyoto, where he analyzed the manager, penetrated into the subtleties, and said that everyone can become a Buddha if he can't become a Buddha. ... After the Nirvana Daben came to Nanjing, it was said that Chanti had Buddha-nature, which was in line with what was said before. Zhu Daosheng is very talented, and he is honored as Shenggong. He is a famous master in the history of Chinese Buddhism. Even the legendary Shenggong said that the stubborn stone nodded, and it is still a scene of Tiger Hill in Suzhou.His epiphany and becoming a Buddha said that later Zen Buddhism would of course be taken over as a magic weapon.This epiphany, Mr. Tang Yongtong's "History of Buddhism in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties" has ambiguous meanings: (1) The sect is extremely wonderful, and the reason is beyond the imagination.The proof body of reasoning cannot tolerate class. Zhi Daolin and others say that enlightenment lies in the seven dwellings (seven steps to practice enlightenment), which is of course a fragmented talk. (2) The Buddha-nature exists originally, and becoming a Buddha by seeing the nature is the so-called reversion of the original.All living beings are endowed with this foundation for life, so it is explained that they have nature.The anti-truth is spontaneous and self-manifest, so the enlightened ones are self-enlightened.Because those who are enlightened are self-enlightened, it is different from those who have heard the teachings and have faith in practice. When one enters into the principle, one speaks and rests, one becomes enlightened and becomes a Buddha, once explained one has the Buddha nature, the self-nature is pure, and the liberation lies in the clear mind and seeing the nature, which is almost indistinguishable from what the later Zen masters advocated. One is Baozhi (or Zuo Baozhi), who is quite similar to the later monk Jidian. He was a person from the Southern Dynasties and the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Liang Dynasty. He became a monk and lived in Jiankang Daolin Temple to practice Zen.Huijiao's "Biography of Eminent Monks" says that he: At the beginning of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Tai Dynasty, it was suddenly like a secluded place, with no fixed place to live, no time to eat and drink, and the hair grew several inches.Often walking in the streets and alleys, holding a tin stick, with scissors and mirrors hanging on the end of the stick, or one or two bolts of silk.In the Jianyuan period of Qi Dynasty, there were slight signs of strangeness, no food for several days, and no appearance of hunger; speaking to others, if it was difficult to understand at the beginning, it would prove effective later; sometimes he wrote poems, and his words were like prophecies.The local scholars and common people in Beijing respect him.Emperor Wu of Qi said that he was bewitching the public, and he was stationed in Jiankang. When people saw him entering the market in Ming Dynasty, he was also imprisoned, and his ambition was still there. When Qi died and entered Liang, Emperor Wu of Liang respected him very much. He not only issued an imperial edict to praise his miraculous deeds, but also granted him the freedom to "enter and exit at will". "Five Lantern Festival" also records: In the second year of Tianjian, Emperor Wu of Liang asked: "My disciple's troubles have not been eliminated, how can I cure them?" The answer was: "Twelve." dawn. ... The master asked a Buddhist monk: "I have heard that the venerable called me a butcher, have you ever seen me kill?" He said, "See." The master said, "Have you seen it, have you seen it, have you seen it, have you seen it, have you seen it? If there is a view, it is the view of an ordinary person; if there is no view, it is the view of the voice; if there is no view, it is the view of heretics. How does the unexamined venerable see it?" The Buddhist monk said, "Do you have such evil views?" Master Chuiyu said: "I burn incense and choose fire all day long, and I don't know that I am a Taoist place." He also said: "The Dao is only in the present, and it is difficult to see at present; if you want to know the true body of the Dao, you can't do it without words." Hao, it’s still the Bodhi Way.” Answering the words of Emperor Wu of Liang is the same as the later Zen practice; the body is the dojo, and the Dao is only at the present time, which is just another way of saying that the heart is the Buddha. One is Dashi Fu, whose name is Xi, and some people say his name is Hong, who called himself Dashi Shanhui, and was born in the late Southern Dynasties.He didn't become a monk, but there were more weird things.He himself said that he was a "clone of Maitreya Bodhisattva" and came to "help all living beings". Later, he "feeled that the seven Buddhas accompanied him, Sakyamuni led him, Vimalakirti followed him, and only Sakyamuni spoke together."He went to the mountain to practice meditation and had a long fast without grains. The local officials didn't believe him and imprisoned him. So "states and counties are ashamed, far and near return."In order to set up an open meeting, he gave up his farm and house, sold his wife Liu's Miaoguang, and his sons Pujian and Pucheng.Therefore, there are many believers, and the level of piety is rare. Once, because they predicted that the world would be chaotic, they planned to set themselves on fire to eliminate the sins of all living beings. Many believers were willing to use their own bodies to replace them. , including Bhikkhuni and Upa Yi. There are several things that are closely related to Zen in Dashi's actions.One is to make a verse when plowing on the mountain, which is: "Hold a hoe empty-handed, ride a buffalo on foot. People pass on the bridge, and the bridge will not flow." The other is to teach the "Diamond Sutra" for Emperor Wu of Liang, "Scholar talents Ascend to the seat, press it with a ruler, and then get down." One is to answer Liang Wudi's question about where he came from, saying: "From nowhere, come from nowhere." One is the answer to Emperor Wu of Liang's refutation: "If the breath does not die, it will have color, and if it has color, it will be blunt. If so, the layman will inevitably become vulgar." Said: "Learning wealth There is nothing to gain, and there is nothing to avoid in the face of difficulties." There is also a legend that made the "Ming of the King of the Heart", which said that "the heart is the original consciousness", "the heart is the Buddha", "by observing your own heart, you know the Buddha is in it. , do not seek outside.”This kind of thought, speech and action, and later Zen masters' emphasis on self-nature, bizarre words and grotesque deeds are exactly the same. (5) The pioneers mentioned above can be said to be internal responses.There is also foreign aid, which is the style of study of the Six Dynasties with Taoism as the main body, such as metaphysics, clear talk, and laissez-faire.In China, how close is the relationship between Buddhism and Taoism? Who influences whom? Well, the problem is very complicated.Some people say that Zen is actually the metaphysics of the Six Dynasties in robes.This is an exaggeration, because Mazu, Zhaozhou and others did not marry wives, unlike Sun Chuo and Wang Xizhi who had children.Let's think about it calmly, there should be differences beyond appearance between marrying a wife and not marrying a wife. This difference cannot but have an ideological component, that is to say, there is a difference in the end.Of course, we have to admit that the two are related, or further, that they are quite closely related.To be related means to be close or connected.In addition to this connection, for convenience, it can be divided into three aspects. One is human interaction.Since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, famous monks and celebrities have been friends, communicated frequently, and respected each other. Records are almost everywhere.Here are just two people.One is Zhidun, named Daolin, known as Lin Gong.He was born in the last years of the Western Jin Dynasty, and was active in the south of the Yangtze River in the early years of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He was often mentioned and had contacts with him, such as Wang Meng, Wang Xiu, Wang Qia, Liu Bin, He Chong, Yin Rong, Yin Hao, Xie An, Xie Lang , Xi Chao, Wang Xizhi, Xu Xun, Sun Chuo, Li Chong, Yuan Hong, etc., are all great celebrities or celebrities.The other is Huiyuan, who was later than Zhidun.He has a greater reputation and has more contacts with celebrities or celebrities, such as Fan Xuan, Liu Yimin, Huan Huo, Tao Fan, Huan Yi, Xie Lingyun, Zong Bing, Zhou Xuzhi, Lei Cizong, Bi Yingzhi, Zhang Ye, Zhang Quan , Fanning and so on. Communication, most of them are like-minded, needless to say, whether they share ideas with each other; even if the smell is not completely congenial, as the old saying goes, if you are close to the vermilion, you will be red, and it is inevitable to be infected. The second is the connection of ideas.Let's start with Taoism.When talking about Chinese thought, it is usually said: the mainstream is Confucianism; Taoism is passive.Negative, there are reasons, some come from the social situation, that is, the reality makes people discouraged;Because there is a reason, it is not a whim behind closed doors, so Taoism, like Confucianism, also has a reason for existence.It can be roughly said like this: almost everyone, if they are warm-hearted, they should follow Confucianism, and if their hearts are cold, they should follow Taoism;Wear it inside, but don't throw it away.In this way, sometimes this situation will change. For example, in the period of the Six Dynasties, Shang Xuan talked about it, and Dao fought a big fight, and everyone saw it.Personally speaking, the same is true: Tao Yuanming is more cold than hot, but he still got hot for a while when he wrote Peng Zeling; Wang Anshi didn't want to be cold, but he was old and his official career was not smooth, so he couldn't get hot, so he had to ride a donkey on Zhongshan Road to write poems .The cold method is also the local wealth, at least it is a genetic disease, and you can't throw it away even if you want to.As it happens, some of the foreign Buddhist ideas (even quite important ones) have similarities or similarities with the local ones, so the good men know the good men, and they quickly hit it off.Co-productions are often on one person. For example, Zhi Dun once wrote notes for "Zhuangzi Xiaoyaoyou", and Yin Hao once wrote notes for "Xiaopin Prajna Paramita Sutra", which belong to this category.The combined content is mainly the following two aspects.One is metaphysics, Taoism teaches nothingness, and Buddhism teaches emptiness.Emptiness and emptiness, no matter how complex and subtle they are in words, even similar rather than one, are always incompatible with the enthusiasm of Confucianism. The spirits of the two are the same as far away from firewood, rice, oil and salt, or beyond firewood, rice, oil and salt, or in other words, although the body wears clothes and eats, the heart is always in the ethereal realm.This will easily transition to the second aspect, the aspect of life attitude, and the way to get rid of worldly affairs is the way.In this regard, there are countless discussions by celebrities and monks.Here are just two anecdotes that may be considered anecdotal.The nature is to show that the official is light and the road is heavy.One is that Ji Kang wrote "Letter of Breaking Friendship with Shan Juyuan". Although it is close to a game article (actually, the friendship between the two people is not bad), it is too sharp to list seven items.One is that Huiyuan wrote "Sramana Disrespect the King".Ji Kang is a famous scholar, Huiyuan is a famous monk, and they are one family in the "Tao". The third is the convergence of actions.This includes the behavior of the body and the behavior of the mouth.The aspect of the body is too wide, from the Leshan Forest to the Pure Land of Mindfulness, and so on.Here we focus on talking, which is the well-known talk.Sitting on a futon, holding a dust tail, with simple words and profound meaning, is admired and yearned by famous scholars and monks.Examples of this can be seen everywhere.Also only mention two.One is from a celebrity, see "Jane Ao": Wang Ziyou (named Huizhi) joined the army as Huan Cheqi (named Chong).Huan called the king and said: "Qing has been in the mansion for a long time, and he is better than the prime minister (meaning to take care of and promote)." Chu did not answer, looked straight up, and leaned on his cheek with his hand and said: "Xishan Dynasty is refreshing." Compared with Xishan refreshing, the official position is It's too vulgar.One is from a famous monk, see "Words": Gaozuo Taoist (Boshi Limituoluo) does not write Chinese.Or asked about this, Jian Wen (Sima Yu, Emperor Jianwen of the Eastern Jin Dynasty) said: "Respond to troubles with simplicity." This one went a step further and simply didn't say anything.Talking about the Six Dynasties, not to mention the bone marrow, just talking about the flesh and blood, simple and far-fetched, leaving room for reference, it is not far-fetched to say that it is the predecessor of "Tingqian Cypress" and "Deshanbang", right? (6) Discriminate and analyze cumbersome names, especially when the days are long, it is inevitable to be afraid, so it tends to the other end.I sometimes think that Buddhism follows the reverse, and it brings a hard fate from birth, because no matter how much you shout that all dharmas are empty, you can’t stop it from acting on the stage. .As a last resort, I have to say more, like various names; talk deeply, like chasing after Alaya consciousness.This leads to another kind of difficulty. If you have to be as brilliant as Master Xuanzang and Master Kuiji to be liberated, then, as most people say, you have to be content with not being liberated.But it is also difficult to give up liberation (assuming you agree with the Buddhist view of life).Squeezing a way out between the dilemmas is to use simple methods to seek relief. This is the Buli text of Zen Buddhism, which directly points to people's hearts and becomes a Buddha by seeing one's nature. (7) The simple method also brings a great advantage, that is, it is easy to popularize. For example, there are two kinds of examination systems, one is that you must thoroughly understand "Yogi's Groundwork" and "Consciousness-Only Theory" before you can pass the test, and the other is to participate in Huatou, and then hear the donkey bray, and feel that you know something , and passed the exam, there are a lot of people applying for the exam, most of them will apply for the latter one, right?Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, almost all monasteries have become Zen temples. Of course, Zen monks live in the Zen temples, and the number of them is overwhelming (this is the most important condition for establishing a sect). I think the main reason is this. 5.3 Legends of origin Strictly speaking, everything recorded in writing inevitably has elements of legend. "It is better to be evil than to be good." ("The Analects of Confucius Zi Zhang") More than two thousand years ago, the diplomat Zi Gong already had this suspicion.In the same way, we seem to be able to say: "The beauty of Xi Shi is not as good as it is." The records are inaccurate, sometimes because of inaccurate memory, and sometimes because of hearsay. The ancient Benji of a certain emperor (mostly praised), and today's big-character posters (mostly insulted), can be used as typical examples.Religion, more or less departs from common sense, and even treats a deer as a horse. In order to win believers, and the more the better, they have to turn to the gods for help.That is to say, for the sake of one's own status and future, one is often happy to have legends; if one does not have one or one is not enough, one has to do it oneself to make something out of nothing, or make it small into a big one, or make a deficiency into a whole.Buddhism, and part of it Zen, is of course not exempt from vulgarity at times.What happened during this period is difficult to know with certainty, so it is not necessary to say; the result is always a complete and beautiful genealogy that is difficult to verify.It's hard to prove, it's a legend.Legends are also history, the history of legends.The quality of this history can be roughly said as follows: the part of Western Paradise has many legends but few facts; the part of Middle Earth is basically factual, but there are elements exaggerated due to exaggeration, especially in the early period. 5.3.1 Lingshan for a while The Zen practice method emphasizes heart-to-heart communication.This wonderful method is best from the ancestors.According to legend, it came from the ancestors. Volume 1 of "Five Lantern Festival": The World Honored One presented flowers to the public at the Lingshan (the case is Lingjiu Mountain, also known as Jiufeng, four or five miles northeast of Wangshe City).At that time, everyone was silent, but Venerable Kasyapa broke his face and smiled.The World-Honored One said: "I have the eyes of Zhengfa, the wonderful mind of Nirvana, the reality without appearance, the subtle method, no written words, and non-teaching outsiders. One volume of "Jingde Biography of Lantern Records" says: Shakyamuni Buddha... After living in the world for forty-nine years, he told his disciple Maha Kassapa: "With my pure Dharma eyes, my nirvana wonderful mind, the reality without appearance, the subtle and correct Dharma, I will give it to you, and you should protect it." He also ordered Ananda, the deputy second, to pass on the transformation, and there was no order to stop it. Then he spoke the gatha: "The Dharma is impossible, and the dharma is also the dharma. Now that the dharma is impossible, how has the dharma ever been done?" At that time, the World Honored One had said this gatha, and he told Kasyapa: "I pass on the golden sangha pear garment. Entrust it to you, pass it on to make up for it, until the birth of Cishi Buddha, don't let it be corrupted." At the Lingshan meeting, Nianhua smiled, not only with mystery, but also with artistry.But the source is slim, because it is not found in Buddhist scriptures.Only "Zongmen Miscellaneous Records" records: Wang Jinggong (Anshi) asked Buddha Huiquan Zen Master, saying: "Where is the Zen saying that the World Honored One is holding flowers?" Quan said: "It is not recorded in the Tibetan scriptures." The three volumes of Wangwen Buddha's Sutra of Resolving Doubts, because of reading it, contain very detailed. The Vatican King went to Lingshan, offered the Buddha with golden polo flowers, sacrificed himself as a bed, and asked the Buddha to teach the Dharma for all living beings. , There are millions of human beings and heavens, all of them are at a loss, and only the golden tutuo smiles. The World Honored One said: "I have the eye of Zhengfa, the wonderful mind of Nirvana, the reality has no form, and I share it with Mahakasyapa." This scripture talks a lot. The emperor asks the Buddha, so it is hidden, and the world has never heard of it." This legend is also mysterious. Wang Jinggong passed away, so it is difficult to verify the truth.Taking a step back, even if it can be verified, it can only prove that it has been seen in words, not in fact.Regardless of this, just talking about Zen Buddhism, it is not bad to have such an origin, because: first, it is simple and subtle, and it can indeed show that it has been inherited successively; In "Fate", you can "meet the eye" and pass the eye to the eye. Why can't it be heart-to-heart at the Lingshan meeting and after the meeting? 5.3.2 Twenty-Eight Patriarchs of the Western Paradise There are many references to the Seven Buddhas in Buddhist classics, and their names are: Vipasin Buddha, Shiqi Buddha, Visabhu Buddha, Detaining Sun Buddha, Kanagamuni Buddha, Kassapa Buddha, and Sakyamuni Buddha. "Jingde Biography of Lantern Records" begins with the narration of the Seven Buddhas, and the purpose of course is to show the long history of Zen. However, mythical legends always neglect the facts. For example, Vaisha Buddha is the last statue (1,000th statue) of the solemn kalpa (a long period of past existence), and his lifespan is 60,000 years. The first long stage) has a lifespan of 40,000 years. Kassapa Buddha is the third one in the virtuous kalpa, with a lifespan of 20,000 years, but the fourth Buddha Shakyamuni has a lifespan of less than 100 years.The steep decline in this age can be proved from the negative side. It is the top six, which is more unbelievable than the miracle of the seventh. The legend of the Seven Buddhas also brought about an unreasonable consequence, which is to deprive Shakyamuni Buddha of the right to be the first patriarch of the Western Paradise.Another consequence of this is that Maha Kassapa, who smiled at the sight of flowers, became the first patriarch of the Western Paradise.There are twenty-seven other patriarchs, who are collectively called twenty-eight patriarchs. Their names are: the first patriarch Maha Kasyapa, the second patriarch Ananda, the third patriarch Shangna Hexiu, and the fourth patriarch Upafudo. Venerable, Venerable Fifth Patriarch Tidaka, Venerable Sixth Patriarch Michai, Venerable Seventh Patriarch Posumi, Eighth Patriarch Buddha Nanti, Ninth Patriarch Futamata, Tenth Patriarch Wagyu, The Eleventh Patriarch Funa Yeshe, the Twelfth Patriarch Ma Ming, the Thirteenth Patriarch Kapimara, the Fourteenth Patriarch Nagarjuna, the Fifteenth Patriarch Kanadeva, and the Sixteenth Patriarch Rahula Venerable Duo, Venerable Seventeenth Patriarch Sangha Nanti, Venerable Eighteenth Patriarch Gayasheta, Venerable Nineteenth Patriarch Kumarata, Venerable Twenty-one Patriarch Jayeta, and Twenty-one Patriarch Su Pantou Your lord, the 22nd Patriarch Manara, the 23rd Patriarch Helena, the 24th Patriarch, the Venerable Master, the 25th Patriarch, Poshesto, the 26th Patriarch, Namiduo The 27th Patriarch Prajna Dora, the 28th Patriarch Bodhidharma. With the pedigree of the Dharma, of course there must be a karma for the Dharma to be passed on. There are also many legendary records in books such as "Jingde Biography of Lantern Records".But because the time and place are far away, the reliability is not always high.In addition, not to mention most of the miraculous things, for example, Ma Ming and Nagarjuna are advocates of Mahayana teachings, and they are also recruited into the team that does not write words and communicates from heart to heart. It is always too reluctant.Another example is the question and answer between the Seventeenth Patriarch Sangha Nanti and his disciple Gaya Sheduo after hearing the wind blowing the copper bell in the temple. . ” This seems to be printed in the same version as the sixth patriarch Huineng’s “It’s not the wind, it’s not the flag that moves, the heart of the benevolent is moved”, which makes people suspicious.However, in the genealogy of the Western Paradise of Zen, the twenty-eight patriarchs are different from the legendary seven Buddhas. They are true people (some have legal heirs, see Volume 2 of "Jingde Biography of Lantern Records") and things do not have to be true. It is a legend. 5.4 Middle soil system To tell history, we should start from far to near.As a general rule, it is always far blurred and near clear.The result is that the far must be sketchy but the near can be detailed, and the far is less credible but the near is more credible.Introducing Zen Buddhism, from the West to the Middle Earth, is approaching.But the time in Middle Earth is not short, and there are differences between distances and nears.This can also be included in the general rule, that is, the early days (before the Sixth Patriarch Huineng) were less reliable.Generally speaking, starting from Bodhidharma, the masters of Zen and their deeds (including quotations), the main body (their people and the main experience) are true, and the branches and leaves will inevitably increase or decrease, or in the current popular words, after Art processing.How to identify?The situation is very complicated, roughly as follows: first, the early ones should be more suspicious and less trustworthy, and the later ones can be more trustworthy and less suspicious; second, it is acceptable if it does not deviate from common sense; Accept; Fourth, those who are so strange that they deviate from common sense, do not believe it. 5.4.1 The First Patriarch Bodhidharma The Middle Earth talks about Zen, at least in name (not necessarily in reality, because the sixth patriarch Huineng’s family business is bigger), of course Bodhidharma (grinding, also written as Mo) should be promoted as the first (Lenga sect is a different system, discussed in the next section).Because it ranks first, it has the privilege of monopolizing the title of "Patriarch" (for example, "Patriarch Zen").He also has the privilege of being the second patriarch: the twenty-eighth patriarch of the Western Heaven and the first patriarch of the Central Earth; no one else, even Shakyamuni Buddha, has received such a privilege.However, his deeds, as recorded in Daoxuan's "Continued Biography of Eminent Monks" and "Jingde Biography of Lantern Records", are not only unreliable, but also not miraculous. The wall contemplation Zen method he advocated is mind contemplation and has nothing to do with the face. He is from South Tianzhu. "Luoyang Jialan Ji" said that he was a Persian, which is obviously unreliable, because: 1, Nan Tianzhu said that there is a specific text, he is "the third son of King Xiangzhi", "surnamed Kshatriya" and so on; 2, he taught Zen. , believe in the "Langa Sutra", saying that it is based on the "Southern Tianzhu Yicheng sect", the Persians have no such convenience.In his era, let’s first talk about when he died (the cause of death includes two theories of a good death and poisoning), and there are two theories of AD 528 and 536 (about the end of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the beginning of the Eastern Wei Dynasty).I don't know when he was born, because I don't know how old he was. "Luoyang Jialan Ji" said that he was "Ziyun 150 years old", which obviously came from hearsay.He came to Zhongtu by sea via Guangzhou. There are two sayings about the time: the earliest is the end of the Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty, and the late is the seventh year of Emperor Wu of Liang in the Southern Dynasty (AD 526).According to the latter theory, the next year in Jinling, he discussed Buddhism with Emperor Wu of Liang: The emperor asked: "I have come to the throne, built temples and wrote scriptures, and taught monks invincible, what merits do I have?" The master said: "There is no merit." The emperor said: "Why is there no merit?" The master said: "This is but The small fruits of human beings and heaven have the cause of omissions, and they follow the shape like a shadow, although they are not real." The emperor said: "What is the real merit?" The answer was: "Pure wisdom is wonderful and perfect, and the body is empty and quiet. Such merits and virtues should not be sought in the world." The emperor asked again what is the first meaning of the Noble Truth, and the master said: "There is nothing holy." The emperor said: "Who is the one to me?" The teacher said: "I don't know." The emperor didn't understand. ("Jingde Biography of Lantern Records" Volume 3) What Emperor Wu of Liang sought was worldly blessings, and what Bodhidharma received was transcendental liberation, so they did not agree.So Bodhidharma went further north to Luoyang.Later, there is a legend that he faced the wall in Shaolin Temple in Songshan for nine years.This is unreliable, because he has already "transformed into the southern sky, with a sound of five seals" in South Tianzhu, so he doesn't need to face the wall to meditate; also, if he really met Emperor Wu of Liang, he hadn't been in the north for too long, and There is no such leisure.There are two legends worth mentioning when spreading the Dharma in the north.One is a question and answer with the great disciple Huike (formerly known as Shenguang): Guang said: "The seals of the Buddhas, can you hear them?" The master said: "The seals of the Buddhas are obtained from bandits." , and peace with you." Said: "If you find your heart, you can't get it." The master said: "I will be with you in peace of mind." (Ibid.) This is to clarify the principle of non-phase.Another one is to ask four accomplished disciples about their income: The assistant of Humanity and Taoism of the Shimen said to him: "As I see it, I don't hold on to the words, I don't leave the words, but I use it for the Tao." The teacher said: "You have my skin." The nun said: "What I understand now is like celebrating joy When I see the land of Aya Buddha, once I see it, I will never see it again." The master said, "You have got my flesh." Dao Yu said, "The four elements are inherently empty, and the five yins do not exist. Wherever I see, there is not a single dharma to obtain." The master said: "You have got my bones." Finally, Hui Ke stood on his seat after paying homage.The master said: "You have got my marrow." (Ibid.) This is without words, and can express the thoroughly broken spirit of Zen.Because Huike got the marrow, he gave the Dharma and cassock to Huike, saying: "Inner transmission of the Dharma seal, proof of the heart with the deed; Pay cassocks outside to set the purpose. "He died shortly after paying the Fa. The Bodhidharma Zen method is based on the four volumes of the "Langa Sutra". The main purpose is to clarify the non-appearance, use the non-appearance to destroy delusions, and use the non-appearance to reveal the reality (also known as Zhenru, Nirvana, Dharmakaya, etc.).To put it simply, it is to realize that all common sense perceptions are not real, and only the emptiness after breaking all these is real.How can such truth be obtained?To "watch from the wall".The meaning of wall contemplation is to make the mind be like a wall, which means that the mind is fixed in one and no delusions are allowed to invade.Wall contemplation is to observe the nature of the mind, or to observe the purity of the self-nature, which is to understand the pure nature of the mind from the point of view, to realize Nirvana, and to be liberated.Wall view is entered by the understanding of reason, so it is also called "introduction of reason", and there is also "entrance of action", which are collectively called "two entry".There are four kinds of behaviors, called "four behaviors", which are: 1, the practice of repaying grievances (practicing the Tao without complaining); 2, following the circumstances (not counting gains and losses); Fourth, it is called Dharma (all actions correspond to the Dharma).In short, it is necessary to break all attachments and seek the emptiness of prajna nature. 5.4.2 Langa School The previous section followed the path of Zen Buddhism, echoing what others say.This is also helpless, because the so-called Zen in this book refers to Southern Zen.Talking about Nanzong, one cannot forget one's ancestors in several classics, and it is inevitable to be reluctant to throw away the genealogy as waste paper. Even if necessary, a small note has to be added, saying that there are legends or even fabrications in it.这一节要岔开一笔，叙述一个来争家业的（按时间顺序说，是南宗争家业，详下），说达磨创立的是楞伽宗，也没有像南宗所说，一二三四五六地传给慧能。这个争家业的来头不小，不只有文契为证（如《楞伽师资记》和道宣《续高僧传》等所记）；还聘有律师，主要是胡适博士，写了《楞伽宗考》《菩提达摩考》《荷泽大师神会传》等文章。 所有材料似乎都承认菩提达磨地位的重要。问题来自他究竟传了什么法，传与什么人。据早期史料，他教人修习的只是《楞伽经》四卷，并且强调这就够了，所以说他们的宗派是“南天竺一乘宗”（意思是用不着分大乘、小乘），这一乘宗是“楞伽宗”。修持方法的二人，既要苦修，又须渐进，可见还是传统禅法的一路。这与南宗的直指人心，立地成佛，分别还比较隐蔽（因为顿悟之前也要参）。至于传承谱系，那就白纸黑字，明显到难于可此可彼了。根据《续高僧传》的道副传、菩提达磨传和僧可（一名慧可）传，达磨的传法弟子有僧副、道育、慧可、向居士、化公、廖公、和禅师、林法师；慧可传那禅师，再传慧满。这里值得注意的是，慧可的传法弟子是那禅师，不是僧璨。到同书的法冲传，说“达磨禅师后有惠可、惠育……可禅师后，粲禅师、惠禅师……”，才出现“粲禅师”。 民国初年，敦煌发现了写本《楞伽师资记》，是唐朝开元年间净觉和尚根据他老师玄赜的《楞伽人法志》所作。两书都是谈楞伽宗传法谱系的著作；后者名“师资”，记法统的意思更加明显。《楞伽师资记》用列传式的写法，传首加序码，以表示代次。共叙述八代，是： 第一，宋朝求那跋陀罗三藏（因为他是译《楞伽阿跋多罗宝经》〔简称《楞伽经》〕的）。 第二，魏朝三藏法师菩提达摩，承求那跋陀罗三藏后。 第三，齐朝邺中沙门惠可，承达摩禅师后。 第四，隋朝舒州思空山粲禅师，承可禅师后。 第五，唐朝蕲州双峰山道信禅师，承粲禅师后。 第六，唐朝蕲州双峰山幽居寺大师，讳弘忍，承信禅师后。 第七，唐朝荆州玉泉寺大师，讳秀；安州寿山寺大师，讳赜；洛州嵩山会善寺大师，讳安。 第八，唐朝洛州嵩高山普寂禅师，嵩山敬贤禅师，长安兰山义福禅师，蓝田玉山惠福禅师，并同一师学法侣应行，俱承大通和上（神秀）后。 这个传法谱系，与南宗的传法谱系相比，有三点值得注意：一是初祖不是菩提达磨；二是弘忍的传法弟子不是慧能，而是神秀等人；三是第七、八两代都不只一个人，可见还没有付法传衣的说法。 这个谱系与张说作的《大通禅师（神秀）碑铭》所说大致相同，那是：达磨，慧可，僧粲，道信，弘忍，神秀。第六代是神秀，不是慧能。 慧能的名字，第六代弘忍传（全抄玄赜《楞伽人法志》） 里曾提到： （弘忍）又曰：“如吾一生，教人无数，好者并亡，后传吾道者，只可十耳。我与神秀论《楞伽经》，玄理通快，必多利益。资州智诜，白松山刘主簿，兼有文性。莘州惠藏，随州玄约，忆不见之。嵩山老安，深有道行。潞州法如，韶州惠能，扬州高丽僧智德，此并堪为人师。但一方人物，越州义方，仍便讲说。”又语玄赜曰：“汝之兼行，善自保爱，吾涅槃后，汝与神秀，当以佛日再晖，心灯重照。” 慧（惠）能在十人之中，可证楞伽宗中有他一席地。可是地位远远低于神秀。还有更重要的，是在弘忍（的东山法）门下，学的是“楞伽义”，“此经唯心证了知，非文疏能解”，而不是《金刚经》的“应无所住，而生其心”。至于社会地位，慧能就更要甘拜下风，因为神秀是“两京（洛阳，长安）法主，三帝（武后，中宗，睿宗）国师”（张说《大通禅师碑铭》），是“九江道俗恋之如父母，三河士女仰之犹山岳”（宋之问《为洛下诸僧请法事迎秀禅师表》）。这时期，慧能在边远地区的岭南韶州传法，声势当然差多了。 可是神秀死（公元706）后不过三十年，慧能的大弟子神会于开元二十二年（公元734）在滑台大云寺设无遮大会，声称南宗的传法谱系是：菩提达磨传慧可，慧可传僧璨，僧璨传道信，道信传弘忍，弘忍传慧能，慧能成为第六祖。不久之后，由神会或其门徒作的《六祖坛经》流行，五祖弘忍以《金刚经》教六祖慧能，以传法信物袈裟付六祖慧能，就成为定论了。这是禅宗南统取代楞伽宗的过程。其所以能顺利完成，胡适博士认为应归功于神会的才学和胆量。其实，个人的才力终归是助因，主因应该是，顿悟的设想简便易行，适合更多人的口味。这有如飞机与火车对比，如果飞机票比火车票还便宜，为了早到目的地，人人都会坐飞机，火车站的售票处自然就冷落了。 5．4．3二祖慧可 上一节岔开一笔，谈楞伽宗，是想说明，禅法在中土，南宗建立霸业之前，曾经有这样一个相当长的阶段。专就这一阶段说，以神秀为代表的一系所说多真，以慧能为代表的一系所说多假。假，需要推翻吗？也不尽然，因为：一，《楞伽师资记》承认慧能是弘忍的弟子；二，《楞伽经》与《金刚经》，作为修持方法的依据，恐怕实际的差别没有名相的差别那样大；三，南宗崇顿悟，反对繁琐名相的辨析，是革新，为了托古改制，编造一些历史也情有可原。因为情有可原，由这一节起采取宽容的态度：基本上顺着旧传的谱系，依次介绍。 初祖菩提达磨传与慧可，慧可成为中土二祖。他俗姓姬，虎牢（在今河南）人。出家后法名神光，据说是向达磨求法，断臂以表示决心，老师为易名慧可，有的书也称僧可。他出家前读儒道书不少，是个知识分子，感到“庄、易之书，未尽妙理”。改读佛书，觉得气味相投，于是出家，探究大小乘经典。四十岁从达磨学禅法，除了断臂的传说（一说是被贼砍掉）之外，还有“天大雨雪，（神）光坚立不动，迟明积雪过膝”的传说。总之是非常用功。以后经过“安心”的问答，大概真得了达磨禅法的“髓”。于是达磨告诉慧可说： 昔如来以正法眼付迦叶大士，展转嘱累，而至于我。 我今付汝，汝当护持。并授汝袈裟，以为法信。……内传法印，以契证心，外付袈裟，以定宗旨。后代浇薄，疑虑竞生，云吾西土之人，言汝此方之子，凭何得法？以何证之？汝今受此衣法，却后难生，但出此衣并吾法偈，用以表明其化无碍。至吾灭后二百年，衣止不传，法周沙界。（《景德传灯录》卷三） 这段话里不但有了付法传衣的祖传规定，而且有了二百年后衣不再传（案为六祖慧能时）的悬记。这显然都是后来编造的，因为楞伽宗的史料中没有这些。但慧可有较深的造诣并不假，道宣《续高僧传》记他答向居士来书（内有“迷悟一途，愚智非别”，“得无所得，失无所失”等语）的偈是： 说此真法皆如实，与真幽理竟不殊。 本迷摩尼谓瓦砾，豁然自觉是真珠。 无明智慧等无异，当知万法即皆如。 愍此二见之徒辈，申词措笔作斯书。 观身与佛不差别，何须更觅彼无余。 末尾两句表示即心是佛，不必另求无余依涅槃，破得干净，算作南宗的二祖也不能说是强拉作亲戚了。 慧可生在南北朝晚期，活动区域在北朝。有的书说他受诬告，被官府杀死。可是《续高僧传》没有这样说，还说他赶上北周武帝灭法，如果是此事之后死的，他的年寿在九十岁以上了。 5．4．4三祖僧璨 僧璨，也写僧粲，在禅宗几祖中是个神秘人物，史料最少，《景德传灯录》说是“不知何许人也”。但在慧可传中说“有一居士，年逾四十，不言名氏，聿来设礼而问师（慧可）”，推测也是个知识分子。与师慧可的问答仍是老一套： “弟子（僧璨）身缠风恙，请和尚忏罪。”师曰；“将罪来，与汝忏。”居士良久云：“觅罪不可得。”师曰： “我与汝忏罪竟。宜依佛法僧住。”曰：“今见和尚，已知是僧，未审何名佛法？”师曰：“是心是佛，是心是法。法佛无二。僧宝亦然。”曰：“今日始知罪性不在内，不在外，不在中间，如其心然，佛法无二也。”大师深器之，即为剃发，云：“是吾宝也，宜名僧璨。” 其后当然是依例付法传衣，僧璨取得三祖的资格。后来，到了北周武帝灭法时期，他在安徽太湖县司空山一带活动。可记的事有这样三项。一是再向下付法传衣。二是写了“至道无难，唯嫌拣择”的《信心铭》。三是死法稀奇，《楞伽师资记》记载： 大师曰：“余人皆贵坐终，叹为奇异。余今立化，生死自由。”言讫，遂以手攀树枝，奄然气尽。 这类生时死时的花样，当然都是好事者编造的。 5．4．5四祖道信 与僧璨相比，道信的地位重要多了，因为不只事迹明确，而且住蕲州黄梅双峰山，开创了东山法门，为弘忍传法、慧能立宗准备了条件。他俗姓司马，原籍河内，后徙于蕲州广济县（在今湖北）。传说在隋文帝开皇年间，他向僧璨求法： 有沙弥道信，年始十四，来礼师曰：“愿和尚慈悲，乞与解脱法门。”师曰：“谁缚汝？”曰：“无人缚。”师曰： “何更求解脱乎？”信于言下大悟。服劳九载。后于吉州受戒，侍奉尤谨。师屡试以玄微，知其缘熟，乃付衣法。 （《景德传灯录》卷三） 其后，隋末唐初，他曾住吉州、蕲春等地，最后住黄梅双峰山三十多年，远近道俗（包括名僧）来求法的很多。这表示，在弘忍以前，黄梅双峰山已经成为有名的道场。 关于道信的禅法，《楞伽师资记》说了很多，反而不得要领，不知道宣《续高僧传》的玄爽传所说，玄爽从道信学得的禅法是“唯存摄念，长坐不卧，系念在前”。看来他的修持方法是静坐、观心、摄心，还是因定发慧的一路。