Chapter 35 Section 1 The Origin of Zen Buddhism and Its Spread in India

Zen is a central thesis of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism, and it is a major method of all the teachings of the Buddha.This is exactly what the "Avatamsaka Sutra" says, everything flows from this Dharma Realm, and everything returns to this Dharma Realm.From the perspective of an enlightened person, the so-called is clear and right, and all laws and methods are true.It's really seeing the color and hearing the sound, nothing more than this, raising eyebrows and blinking, it's full of mystery.But to those who are confused, the so-called mountains are mountains and waters are waters.We need to know, what are enlightened people enlightened about?This is Zen.Confused people, what are they deluded about?This is Zen.From this point of view, Buddhist Zen is indeed the grand master of all dharmas.That is to say, we believe in Buddhism, good men and good women who are determined to practice, and finally want to achieve the only goal.

Zen is the most important sect of Chinese Buddhism.It is a sect founded on the basis of the first patriarch Bodhidharma according to the "Langa Sutra" and the sixth patriarch Huineng according to the "Diamond Sutra".The emergence of Zen Buddhism also has its historical causes and conditions, that is to say: the law does not arise alone, it is born according to the situation, the way is not empty, and it responds when it meets the conditions.According to the "Brahma King Asking the Buddha Sutra", one day the Brahma King was in Lingjiu Mountain. In order to benefit all sentient beings, he asked the Buddha to give a Dharma and offered a golden pineapple flower to the Buddha.At this time, Shakyamuni Buddha agreed to his request and ascended to the throne.But after the Buddha ascended to the seat, he didn't say a word, he just held the pineapple flower in his hand and quietly showed it to the audience.Many disciples and Dharma protectors present at that time, seeing this scene, were thinking in their hearts that the Buddha would speak the Dharma once he ascended to Dharma sitting.It's very strange today. Why did you sit for a long time and just show us a flower? What's the reason?Everyone does not understand the main meaning of the Buddha holding flowers to show the public.At this time, an old bhikkhu standing beside the Buddha, named Venerable Maha Kassapa, after looking at it, he understood the meaning of the Buddha picking up flowers, and suddenly broke into a smile.We need to know why Venerable Mahakassapa broke his face and smiled when he saw the Buddha holding up flowers for public display?This means that he and the Buddha are one machine, one is teaching, the machine teaching is equivalent, and the pecking is at the same time.He was able to deeply and thoroughly comprehend my Buddha's subtle method of picking flowers, and tacitly understood the Buddha's mind, so after the Venerable Kasyapa smiled, the Buddha immediately said, "I have the Zhengdharma Eye Store, the wonderful mind of Nirvana, and the reality is inexhaustible." Physiognomy, the subtle method, entrusted to Maha Kasyapa."The Buddha hid the Dharma Eye and taught the Dharma to the Venerable Maha Kassapa. At the same time, the Buddha gave Kasyapa all the gold-thread cassock he wore and the bowl donated by the blue sky. First generation patriarch.What is the rationale behind these few French sentences spoken by Buddha Shakyamuni?It is the truth that the Buddha sighed three times after enlightenment under the bodhi tree, "all living beings on the earth have the wisdom and virtue of the Tathagata", which is the truth that the heart is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the heart.All the merits and virtues of the Tathagata's pure wisdom and wisdom are called Zhengfayanzang.The Dharma is the fundamental Buddha Dharma, and the eye treasury is the eye of great wisdom to choose the Dharma, which can illuminate all things and contain all dharmas. One dharma is all dharmas, and all dharmas are contained in this one dharma. Is it the wonderful mind of Nirvana?That is to say, the inexhaustible Miaozhen is like the heart.This is the wonderful mind that is true and all are true, and all dharmas are true.It is the same and can follow the fate, and the fate remains the same.It follows the fate of delusion, and becomes the sentient beings of the six realms, and it follows the fate of enlightenment, and becomes the four holy dharma realms.This is like ice being the same as water. With the condition of cold air, water freezes into ice, and with the condition of warm air, ice turns into water.This true heart is called Miao Xin, and the word Miao means inconceivable. Reality is the true appearance of nothingness and falsehood. This is Miaozhenruxin. one phase.One aspect of equality is the aspect of subtle wisdom and virtue.The Zhengfayanzang is based on the great function of the true heart, the nirvana wonderful mind is based on the true body, and the reality without form is based on the true nature and virtue. Together, it is based on the body, form, and In terms of three aspects, this wonderful truth is like the heart is really a kind of subtle, profound and secret supreme method, and this subtle method is called the method of the great chief minister of the one dharma realm.It is really the wisdom and virtue of the Tathagata who is not ambiguous, understands the common knowledge, has no form, no form, and is immortal.This kind of wisdom and virtue is not only possessed by the Buddha, but also by all living beings. Therefore, it is said that the mind is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the mind. This is the theory of Zen Buddhism.Simply called Zen.

We need to know that the Buddha held up flowers to show the public at the Lingshan meeting.After arriving at Mahakashyapa with a broken face and a smile on his face, the Buddha spoke a few words in French, which is the way of using words without words.The ancients said: "The Dao has no words, and the way is manifested through words, and the true heart has no appearance, and the appearance can clarify the heart", which is the truth.I think of Confucius, who once said to several disciples: "I have no words for my desires." The disciples said: "What should I do? If you don't speak, Master, then we little disciples will not be able to benefit from it."Confucius said: It doesn't matter, look at the sky, isn't it talking day and night?Isn't the solar terms of spring, summer, autumn and winter still going well?It doesn't speak all day long, so all things are also born, lived, changed and destroyed, and the cycle of tossing and turning starts again and again.You see, what God said.This fully demonstrates that speechlessness is the real way.Therefore, at the top of Miaogao, discussions are never allowed, and only at the top of the second peak, all the classics in the twelve volumes of the Tripitaka are revealed.