Chapter 36 Section 2 Zen Buddhism taught by Bodhidharma and its spread in China

(1) Master Bodhidharma In order to continue the Buddha's wisdom, Mahakasyapa made the Dharma water flow constantly, that is, the Zhengdharma Eye Store and the Mantle Bowl were handed down to Venerable Ananda, the second generation patriarch of the Western Paradise.Then Ananda passed on the Dharma to Venerable Shangna, and the Dharma lamp continued to burn until the twenty-seventh generation of Venerable Prajna Dora, who passed on the Zhengfayanzang and the mantle to Master Bodhidharma, and became the twenty-eighth monk of the Western Paradise. On behalf of the ancestors.At that time, he asked Master Bodhidharma to say: 60 years after my extinction, I hope you will pass on this Dharma eye treasury and mantle to China to Shaolong Buddha seed, benefiting all sentient beings.Master Bodhidharma is a native of South India, a member of the Kshatriya caste.His father's name was Xiangzhi.Master Bodhidharma is the third son of Xiangzhi.In the first year of Datong (520 A.D.) of Emperor Wu of Liang, Master Bodhidharma, adhering to the teachings of Prajna Doro, sailed eastward on a merchant ship.First to the South China Sea.At that time, Xiao Ang, the governor of the South China Sea, immediately wrote a form and reported it to Emperor Wu of Liang.When Emperor Wu of Liang learned that a virtuous and eminent monk, Master Bodhidharma, had come to India, he admired him very much.So he sent people to the South China Sea to welcome him to Jinling (Nanjing) to promote Buddhism and save all living beings.Emperor Wu of Liang believed in Buddhism very much, and he promoted the Dharma, aroused the mind of Bodhi, prospered the Three Jewels, built temples to teach monks, and made alms.Every five miles, a temple is built, and every ten miles, a nunnery is built, and many good men and women are sent to become monks and nuns.He himself is also very proficient in Buddhism, but he only knows how to practice with respect, and pursues the blessings of human beings and heaven, but he doesn't know how to practice away from appearance to prove Buddhahood and Bodhi.As soon as Emperor Wu of Liang saw Master Bodhidharma, he asked for a lecture on the essentials of the Dharma.

Question: I have built temples, taught monks, wrote scriptures, and propagated Buddhism all my life. Is there any merit or virtue?The ancestor said: There is no merit, it is just the fruit of man and heaven, and the cause of leakage is like a shadow following the body. Although it seems to be there, it is not. The emperor said: What is real merit?The ancestor said: Pure wisdom is subtle and harmonious, the body is empty and silent, and it cannot be obtained. Such merits and virtues are definitely not something that can be obtained by the world's powerful methods. The emperor said: How is the first truth that the sage seeks?The ancestor said: "There are no sages and sages."

The emperor said: "Who is against me?"Zu said: I don't know. Bodhidharma and Emperor Wu of Liang asked questions and answered each other, but it was a pity that they couldn't fit Emperor Wu of Liang.Due to the small size of teachings, Emperor Wu of Liang did not understand the fundamental principles of Master Bodhidharma.Zen Master Bodhidharma thought that the opportunity was not right, so he left Jinling and went to Luoyang.This is really like-mindedness, a thousand words are few, words are not speculative, half a sentence is more.Later, Emperor Wu of Liang told his master Zen master Zhigong about the above questions and answers. The Zen master was surprised when he heard it, and said to his majesty: Master Bodhidharma's teaching is really good. Great power appears, come again with wish.Emperor Wu of Liang felt remorseful in his heart when he heard what Zen Master Zhigong said. He felt ashamed that he didn't know Mount Tai and missed it in person. He immediately issued an order and sent many soldiers and horses to chase after him. He must invite Master Bodhidharma back. , Undertaking support.Zhigong said: Your Majesty has thousands of troops and horses, and you can't turn back.As soon as Master Bodhidharma walked to the river, he looked back and saw many soldiers and horses chasing after him. At a critical moment, the master broke a reed and threw it into the river. He stepped on the reed to cross the river and walked away.When I arrived in Luoyang, I lived in the Shaolin Temple in Songshan Mountain, where I faced the wall for nine years and went deep into meditation.Later, the ancients wrote a pair of couplets: "Where to go across the river with a reed, nine years to face the wall and wait for people."

Mount Song is one of the Five Sacred Mountains in China, and Shaolin Temple has a history of 1,455 years.It is located at the foot of Songshan Mountain between Zhengzhou and Luoyang, Henan Province.During the Tang Dynasty, there were as many as 2,500 monks living in the temple.In addition to the great virtues of Zen Buddhism, the monks here also have monks who are famous for martial arts and boxing.Everyone calls this kind of boxing Shaolin boxing, and enjoys the honorable title of monk and soldier.The monk soldiers once helped Tang Taizong Li Shimin to win on the battlefield.In the Ming Dynasty, it also participated in the fight against Japanese pirates. This is the holy place where Master Bodhidharma faced the wall.Therefore, Shaolin Temple in Songshan Mountain is a well-known ancient temple in the history of Chinese Buddhism.Master Bodhidharma brought Zen Buddhism to China from India and is known as the first generation founder of Chinese Zen.Then Master Bodhidharma passed on the Dharma Eyes and the mantle to Master Huike, the second patriarch.

(2) Master Huike The second ancestor, Master Huike (AD 487-593), whose real name was Shenguang and lay name Ji Wulao, was born in Dongdong, Luoyang, Henan Province. In his childhood, he studied Confucianism and literary books, and his understanding was very deep.After becoming a monk, he became more proficient in Buddhist Mahayana and Hinayana teachings.Once when he was studying Zen, he seemed to see a virtuous and eminent monk instructing him to go to the south to pay tribute to the great virtuous teacher.Therefore, Master Huike later went to the Shaolin Temple in Songshan Mountain, Luoyang, Henan Province to attend the rites of the ancestor Bodhidharma.What happened was like this. One day, when Master Shenguang was lecturing the Dharma, he suddenly saw an Indian monk listening to the Dharma.Master Shenguang thought, could this be the well-known Bodhidharma?So while he was preaching, he paid great attention to the monk. When he talked about important points, the master Bodhidharma suddenly smiled.Shen Guang was amazed when he saw it. Why did the master laugh? Could it be that he was laughing at what I said?Then I had an idea, wait until the lecture is over, send someone to ask him to ask, if the speech is reasonable, forget it, if you can't answer, knock out a pair of sharp teeth in his mouth without politeness.At the end of the lecture, when Shen Guang came down to ask questions in front of the incense burner, he suddenly saw a pair of white teeth that were as white as silver, neatly placed on the incense plate.Shen Guang was surprised and ashamed when he saw it, and overwhelmed my arrogance and delusion, knowing that this is a virtuous and sage, extraordinary.After taking out the cassock, I immediately looked for Master Bodhidharma everywhere, but I don't know where he went.Later, I heard that the master had gone to Shaolin Temple in Songshan to repair the face-wall temple.Shen Guang knew that his knowledge was poor and his morality was poor, so he let go of his body and mind, pleaded guilty, and begged for Dharma rectification. He tracked down and came to Shaolin Temple to pay homage to Master Bodhidharma.I saw the master sitting alone facing the wall, practicing meditation.In order to seek the Dharma, Shen Guang stayed there.Every morning and evening, I personally attend to the left and right, serve in the military service, and ask for the teaching of Buddhist essentials. I always think that I will get the compassionate teaching from Bodhidharma.After a long time, the master always practiced meditation on his own, without saying a word, which made Shen Guang's heart burn like a fire, and he was extremely anxious.This kind of situation is exactly what the ancients said, "A person who seeks the Dharma is like thinking of a good doctor when he is sick, thinking of delicious food like a hungry person, like bees relying on honey, and we are also like this. We are willing to hear the nectar." The listener looks at it like a thirsty drink, concentrates on the semantic meaning, eagerly hears the Dharma and is delighted, such a person can speak." Shenguang is desperate and brave, forgetting his body for the Dharma, and can't wait to seek the truth.One day, when it was snowing heavily and the sky was freezing cold, Master Shenguang knelt down in front of Master Bodhidharma with the thought of seeking the Dharma sincerely in his heart. His body had reached his waist; but Master Bodhidharma was still indifferent, and did not enlighten him a word.At this time, master Shenguang was impatient and wise, so he pulled out the precept sword worn by the monk and cut off his left arm resolutely, the blood flowed all over the place, and the white snow was dyed like bright red blood.Shenguang's sincerity and spirit of seeking the Dharma with a broken arm touched Master Bodhidharma's compassionate heart.He opened his mouth and asked: "Benevolent man, why did you cut off your left arm?" Shen Guang said, "Please rest assured, master!" Bodhidharma stretched out a hand and said sharply to Shen Guang: " Let my heart be with you."At the moment when Bodhidharma stretched out his hand, Shen Guang returned to the light and realized the origin of one mind, so he replied casually: "If you look for the heart, you can't get it." The ancestor said: "I will be at ease with you." where.Where exactly?Sincerely, he is formless and has no form. There is nothing in the first place, so how can he get it out!Since Shenguang has fully realized the true heart, Master Bodhidharma said that I have already settled your heart. This is called high mountains and flowing water, and you have your own bosom friend.Bodhidharma gave Shenguang the Zhengfayanzang and his robe and bowl, and gave him a Dharma name, Huike.At the same time, he also passed on the four volumes of the "Langa Sutra" brought from India to Master Huike. The "Langa Sutra" is the essence of the Dharma that my Buddha talked about, it is the Dharma door of the heart of my Buddha Tathagata, to enable all sentient beings to enlighten and enter the Buddha's knowledge.Especially for Tathagata Zen theory, Master Bodhidharma said four more verses when he taught the Dharma to Master Huike: "I am originally from this land, and I teach the Dharma to save the maze. One flower blooms five leaves, and the result will come naturally." Master Huike shouldered the burden at the moment and received the Dharma lamp heart seal from Master Bodhidharma, becoming the second generation patriarch of Chinese Zen.In China, Master Bodhidharma taught all living beings with the patriarch Zen, that is, without language and writing, he taught outsiders, pointed directly at people's hearts, and achieved the supreme method of becoming a Buddha by seeing one's nature.This is the dividing line between Tathagata Zen and Patriarch Zen.Master Bodhidharma carried forward the sacred teachings in China, and used Zen to guide all sentient beings.The great things have been completed, and what has been done has been done. On October 15, the ninth year of Datong in the Liang Dynasty, he sat peacefully in the Qiansheng Temple of Yumen, and showed his extinction, and passed away in Nirvana.Later, his disciples buried Master Bodhidharma's body in Dinglin Temple in Xiong'er Mountain.What makes us feel strange is that in the following year, there was an envoy from the Liang Dynasty named Song Zhi. On his way back from the Western Regions, he passed Congling, and happened to meet Master Bodhidharma on the opposite side, with a handy shovel on his shoulder. An Arhat straw sandal was hung on the bell, and he returned to India on the road to the Western Regions.The envoy also greeted the master and exchanged a few greetings.After the envoy Liang returned to his country, he told the story of Conglin's meeting with Master Bodhidharma to the emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Everyone felt that this was a strange event. Why did they see him passing by when they clearly buried Master Bodhidharma's body in Dinglin Temple? Congling went back to India?In order to understand this strange thing, everyone came to Xiong'er Mountain and opened Master Bodhidharma's coffin. They were shocked. There was no corpse in the coffin, only an Arhat straw sandal.At that time, the emperor and the public believed in the supernatural power of the first ancestor Bodhidharma, which is incredible.This also proves that the deeds of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifesting their powers and incarnations according to Buddhism are true and true.In fact, it is the truth that life has never been born, and there is nothing to go.Because Emperor Wu of Liang admired the master's lofty morality, he specially engraved an imperial stele and wrote an inscription to praise the master Bodhidharma.Emperor Xuan gave him the posthumous title of Master Yuanjue.It is said that Master Bodhidharma had a very long lifespan and was 150 years old when he passed away.

Zen Buddhism is the most influential sect in the history of Chinese Buddhism.Since the beginning of the fifth century AD, before Master Bodhidharma came to China from the east, Zen has been introduced to China.At the end of the later Han Dynasty, Master An Shigao, an eminent monk from the Anxi Kingdom, came to China. From the second year of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty to the reign of Emperor Ling Jianning, he translated more than 30 classics, such as "An Ban Shou" The doctrines disseminated in the Yijing and the Twelve Gate Sutras all introduce the Hinayana Zen, while the Zen translated by Master Kumarajiva and others belong to the Mahayana Zen.The Zen taught by Master Bodhidharma is called the best Zen.From the end of the Han Dynasty to the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Southern Dynasties, during these hundreds of years, the cause of translating classics has developed greatly.Not only foreign masters come to China to participate in the translation, but also many great virtuous and eminent monks in China continue to translate and comment on Buddhist scriptures, and a large number of Buddhist scripture commentaries have appeared.In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Master Dao'an also commented on many scriptures and advocated Zen, so the atmosphere of practicing meditation has become more prosperous since then.

(3) Master Sengcan Master Sengcan, the third ancestor (AD?——606 years).Born in the Northern Qi Dynasty, he was originally a devout Buddhist layman.When he was in his 40s, he once saw Master Huike, the second patriarch, and asked respectfully: "My disciple has serious crimes and is seriously ill. So I came here to beg the monk to be merciful and repent my karma according to the law."The second patriarch replied: "I will confess my sins to you." Master Sengcan immediately came back to the light and suddenly realized: "If you seek sins, you can't get them." Patriarch said: "I will confess my sins to you."At the same time, Master Huike enlightened and said: "You must live in accordance with the Three Jewels of Buddhism, Dharma, and Sangha, and practice according to the Dharma." After questioning and answering, the second patriarch knew that Sengcan's knowledge, vision, correct understanding was very profound, and he was a Buddhist instrument.He attached great importance to him, ordained and became a monk for him, and took a Dharma name called Sengcan.Since then, his illness has gradually improved.In order to appreciate the deep kindness and kindness of the master who confessed his sins, Master Sengcan laid down his body and mind, served the towel and vase under his ancestors, and served as a waiter for two years.Later, Master Huike hid the Zhengfa Eye and the mantle and passed it on to Master Sengcan as the third patriarch of Zen Buddhism, and said: "The heart is the Buddha, and the heart is the Dharma. The Buddha and the Dharma are originally the same, equal and equal. "The truth.After Master Sengcan obtained the Dharma, he lived in Wangong Mountain in Shuzhou to promote Zen Buddhism. He used to travel to Sikong Mountain in Taihu Lake.

(4) Master Daoxin The fourth patriarch, Master Daoxin (580-615 A.D.), whose common surname was Sima, was from Qizhou. When he was a novice monk, he had long admired the prestige of Master Sengcan.Once when I saw the San Patriarch, I asked for a lecture and said, "May the monk be merciful and give me a method of liberation. The San Patriarch said: "Who is here to bind you?" : "Since no one binds you, what relief do you ask for!" Daoxin realized what he said.Thanks to Master Dharma Rain, he served under Master Sengcan for nine years.One day, the third patriarch proposed a mysterious theory to test him. After passing the inspection, he knew that his opportunity was ripe, so he handed down the Zhengfayan Tibetan and the mantle to Master Daoxin as the fourth generation patriarch of Zen Buddhism.He also taught Master Daoxin the theory of "Confidence Ming".The general idea is: Our illusory physical appearance is not real, and all dharmas arise and die, and there is no self in the first place. We must know that we are illusory and true, so that we can realize the source of original enlightenment.The fourth patriarch lived in Lushan Mountain Temple in the Daye Year of Emperor Yangdi of Sui Dynasty for more than ten years, and later went to Shuangfeng Temple in the northwest of Huangmei County, Hubei Province, where he spent 30 years expounding the patriarchal style.Master Daoxin's Zen thoughts are: Hundreds of Dharma Doors all return to the square inch; Hengsha's wonderful virtues are always in the flow of the heart.All the gates of precepts, samadhi, wisdom, and supernatural powers are all self-sufficient, and they are not separated from your heart.All troubles and karma are originally empty and silent.The avenue is empty and empty, and there are no thoughts and no worries.The Zen theory of the fourth patriarch inherited the Zen principles of the first patriarch.And further development.

(5) Master Hongren Master Hongren, the fifth patriarch (602-675 AD), was born in Huangmei, Hubei.According to legend, he was a flower planter in Potou Mountain in his previous life.One day, I saw the Fourth Patriarch and asked, "Can I hear the wonderful way of Buddhism?" Master Daoxin said, "You are already very old. , so that your wish can be fulfilled."Hongren paid his respects and left. Later, he was reincarnated. When he was young, he went to visit the Fourth Patriarch. Master Daoxin asked Hongren, "What's your surname?" He replied, "My surname is Buddha."The fourth patriarch said again: "It seems that you don't have a surname anymore?" Hongren said: "There is no surname because of the emptiness of nature." Master Daoxin heard this and knew that he was a dragon elephant of the Famen, so he sent him to become a monk.And he handed down the Zhengfayancang and the mantle to Master Hongren, who became the fifth generation patriarch of Zen Buddhism.After the fifth patriarch obtained the Dharma, he lived in Potou Mountain, and later went to Dongshan Temple in Huangmei County to promote Zen.The fourth patriarch, Master Daoxin, and his disciple, Master Hongren, lived together in Dongshan Temple successively, expounding on the traditions of the sect, so they are called Dongshan Dharma Gate.Master Bodhidharma's Zen was passed down to the era of the fifth patriarch Hongren and had already formed a sect.Because of Master Huangmei Hongren's great promotion of Dharma, he was deeply believed and worshiped by the public. At that time, there were more than 1,000 disciples under his sect, which evolved into a large-scale Buddhist organization, and Master Hongren was the Dharma-correct monk.Under Hongren's sect, there was a head monk named Shenxiu who assisted the Fifth Patriarch in promoting Zen.Starting from the Five Patriarchs, in order to adapt to the development needs of the environment at that time, he used the "Diamond Sutra" to teach his disciples and guide all living beings with the prajna reality and vacuum principles; Mo's two-line and four-entry principles of Zen have been carried forward invisibly.

The formation of Zen thought and its sects has a historical process.From the first Patriarch Bodhidharma to the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, the mantle is passed down from generation to generation, the Dharma Eye is hidden, and the heart is connected.It is exactly what Master Bodhidharma said, "One flower blooms with five leaves, and the fruit will be born naturally", and it is also what the ancients said, four or seven in the west, two or three in the east, four or seven refers to the twenty-eight ancestors of India in the west, and two or three refers to the east. Six Patriarchs of Earth China.This is the history of the development of the Zen legal system from India to China, and it is also the fundamental source of our Chinese Zen.Ever since the sixth patriarch Huineng, in order to eliminate disputes, he only passed on the Dharma seal, not the mantle.