Chapter 29 Section 10 Sticks, Zen sticks and tin sticks

The riddle of the Egyptian sphinx is: "Four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening. Guess what kind of animal it is?" The answer is: "Human." Crawl, adults walk on two legs, and old people rely on crutches for support.This crutch is the third leg of the elderly.There is no exception to the vegetarian diet. According to the sixth volume of "Miscellaneous Things about Everything You Bu Vinaya", when Sakyamuni Buddha was preaching on the Eagle Peak in Rajagha City, an old monk fell down while climbing the mountain.The Buddha listened to the old, weak or sick people among the bhikkhus holding sticks.This kind of stick is probably the crutch used by ordinary people.Later, when Chinese monks, especially Zen monks, often went out for a parade, they would put a horizontal branch on the lower half of the stick they held, which was about the length from the ground to their knees, as a way of wading through water. It is used to detect the depth of water, which is called "water exploration".This is about the practical development of the stick by the Yunshui monks in China, which is very suitable for tourism.As far as the author sees, the crutches used by modern and contemporary Dharma masters and old laymen are no different from those used by ordinary old people.

According to the records in volume 40 of the "Ten Chanting Laws", when Sakyamuni Buddha instructed his disciples to sit in meditation, some monks could not sit still, could not calm their minds and meditate, and were always drowsy.The Buddha instructed the monks to pour cold water on their heads with a basin.This kind of pot used to have no handle, so it fell on the head and was "dying in pain." The Buddha said: "You should use the handle!" However, pouring cold water on the head is not a long-term solution, so I came up with another idea. From the method of knocking his head with his hands by the Zen monk, and the method of pulling him with a felt ball, a kind of "Zen staff" was finally formulated and produced.It is a short stick used by Zen monks to poke sleepy sleepers.Because the tip of the stick is sharp, it often punctures the clothes, so the Buddha also stipulated: "The head of the stick should be wrapped with something!" It should be wrapped!" He also warned that when taking it, "should be respectful" and "should grasp the stick with both hands and put it on the top".The Zen sticks used by Sinicized Buddhist monks to sit in meditation are only made of thin sticks such as bamboo and reed, according to the records in the first and second volumes of "Shishi Yaolan", and one end is wrapped with cloth or felt to induce unconsciousness.This work is performed by "Xiazao".Those who leave the seat have not long been shaved, and Fala (the number of years of becoming a monk) is only one to nine years old.This kind of Zen staff is usually leaned against the side wall of the meditation hall, and the wrapped end is thrown upwards.

However, the utensils used in modern monasteries to wake up meditators are "warning sticks", referred to as "warning sticks" for short.It is a long and flat wooden plank, about one meter long and five to seven centimeters wide. The upper part is slightly wider, and the lower part is a handle.Sometimes a bamboo grate is used instead.Generally, the word "Xunxiang" is often written on the front of the upper end of the police policy, and the three characters "Jing Drowsy" are written on the back of the lower end to distinguish the front from the back.The warning policy is mastered by the older master generation, and it is used to correct bad performances such as laziness, dozing off, and improper posture when the monks sit in meditation.The usage is: first pat the opponent's right shoulder lightly, which is a warning; if you don't realize it, then you can pat the opponent again and beat hard.The educated monk clasped his hands together as a gesture of thanks when he woke up; the corrector held the warning policy horizontally, with the upper end facing left and the front facing upwards, and asked for interrogation.This kind of police stick or bamboo grate is also often used when chanting scriptures and asking questions and answers between master and apprentice.

Let's talk about the "tin stick" next, which starts with the monks from India going out to beg for food.Begging is the free translation of the Sanskrit word painapatika, and it is also translated as "separate guard", "begging bowl", "begging", etc., but it is quite different from begging or begging in the general market, and has a special meaning. It is a kind of etiquette to beg for alms from secular people for nourishing the body (a ritual is a standardized daily routine behavior of monks, including many rules, etiquette, and practices).This has two meanings: one is "self-interest", that is, to get rid of secular affairs for the convenience of practicing the Tao (in fact, it does not involve production); Opportunity for Ford.

According to the thirty-fourth and other records of "Genshuo All Youbu Vinaya Miscellaneous Things", when Shizi went out to beg for food, he had no experience at first, and entered people's homes silently, and was not welcome; the Buddha instructed to "be vigilant", so he went again Every now and then, he would "make noises and make a noise to enter", but it turned out to be even more unpopular; the Buddha also enlightened: "It is even more inconvenient to make noises, only this can be a warning?" It is even more unwelcome to come in.At this time, the Buddha said: "The door should not be opened, but it can be used as a tin rod." He also talked about the standard of the tin rod: "The head of the rod is equipped with a ring, round like the mouth of a lamp. A small ring is installed, and the sound of shaking is alert."

There is a volume of "Dao Ti Cheng Tin Cane Sutra", which records things about tin sticks in detail.Sinicized Buddhism generally understands, makes, and holds tin rods based on this.Below we also act accordingly. First of all, Shakyamuni Buddha told the bhikkhus that everyone should accept and hold the tin staff.All Buddhas of the past, present, and future and their disciples all hold tin sticks.This is because the tin stick can reveal the intention of sage wisdom. From this point of view, the tin stick can be called "wisdom stick"; it is also the foundation of merit and virtue. From this point of view, it can also be called "virtuous stick".It is "the form of a sage, the record of a sage, and the righteous building of Taoism." That is to say, it is a hand-held symbolic instrument, which is comparable to the king's scepter and the stag in the hands of celebrities in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. The nature of things such as the tail and the teacher's pointer is somewhat similar.According to the third volume of "Kaiyuan Shijiaolu", "Get Dao Ti Orange Tin Cane Sutra", also known as "Get Dao Ti Orange Sutra Twelfth Tin Stick", is a small part of a great scripture, "also directly Cloud "The Tin Cane Sutra".It is an out-of-translation scripture (translator and unknown scripture) that appeared in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.Some people in later generations suspect that it is apocrypha, that is, a scripture compiled by Chinese monks based on some foreign Buddhist materials or rumors and their own creation.The Jin Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties were the climax of the Qing Dynasty, and the status symbols such as Jianwei and Ruyi were very popular for a while.Chinese monks hope to have an iconic magic weapon in their hands, so it is also possible to upgrade the guard utensils, endow them with a more sacred meaning, and give classic explanations.According to Yijing, a monk in the Tang Dynasty, who reported his experience in Volume 4 of "Nanhai Jigui Neifa Zhuan", the Sanskrit name of Xizhang is "Chi Qiluo", which is the transliteration of Sanskrit khakharaka, and it is included in Volume 7 of "Translation Name Collection". It is translated as "Gap Qiluo".These two books both say that the free translation is "Xin Zhang", which means "Xi tin" as sound, so it is also called sound stick, sound stick or Ming stick in some Buddhist books.According to Yijing, the standard style of "the tin staff held by the West" is that there is only one iron coil on the head, with a large ring and a small ring on it; the middle is a wooden pole, which is as high as the shoulder; It is about two inches.The shape of the rings may be round or flat, the number may be six or eight, and the texture may be copper or iron. There are no strict requirements.Therefore, Yijing thinks that "the original intention" is just as he translated "The Fundamentals of Everything There is a Part of Vinaya Miscellaneous Things" Volume 34, which is used for shaking when guarding, which is equivalent to a peddler shaking at the door of customers. Just a bell.When there are vicious dogs barking, some monks will use this stick to beat the dog. The Buddha said: "You should not hit the dog with the stick", just raise the stick to frighten it; : "Take a piece of rice and throw it on the ground to order food!" When I arrived at the door of a non-Buddhist house, I shook my staff for a long time, but no one came out, what should I do?The Buddha said: "You shouldn't shake it for a long time. You can shake it two or three times. When no one asks, you have to go." Yijing believes that, as the Buddha said, "it's original intention", but it is used by the guard.He felt that in Sinicized Buddhism, it is not necessary to follow things up and expand the effect: "Why use hard work to work hard and work hard, and then restore the whole body to the iron, the head is set on the four legs, heavy stagnation will be held, it is very cold, It's not the original system."

Yijing's remarks are probably aimed at the situation of Sinicization of Buddhism.From the Jin Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty when the "Xizhang Jing" appeared, Buddhism has been developing towards Sinicization, and eminent monks have continued to travel long distances to Tianzhu to obtain the scriptures.Monks like Yijing and Xuanzang, who understand the situation in Tianzhu and have "righteous Dharma" in their hearts, must have objections to some practices of Sinicization of Buddhism.The tin rod of Sinicized Buddhism has long been transformed from the original purpose of knocking on doors and preventing dogs into a high-level scepter. This essential change, even if it does not mean turning decay into magic, it must be considered turning non-magic into magic!It goes a long way toward raising the status of monks.What a clever way to change it!It will not work after all to stick to the old and copy the foreign.Just look at the double-wheel twelve-ring gold and silver flower tin stick unearthed from the Famen Temple in Fufeng, Shaanxi Province (made by the Royal Wensiyuan under imperial edict), and you can get a glimpse of the magical effect of sinicizing Buddhism and improving the identity of the tin stick.

It should be said that the "Xi Zhang Jing" played a comprehensive role in summarizing and developing foreign classics and legends.It clearly states that there are two standard tin sticks: one is four-cobalt twelve rings, which was made by Sakyamuni Buddha; The saying is foreign, not fabricated), it was established by Kasyapa Buddha.It also summarizes the prestige of holding a tin stick. There are 25 things, and the content is quite messy.Among them, the regulations of "old age" and "worms in the ground" seem to have grown from the original use of sticks; The ground comes from the method of guarding.However, it is certain that the prestige of 25 things will improve the status of the tin staff.In later generations and even today, when there are religious affairs, mages often hold tin rods to express their status, show their majesty, and use them as magical instruments, which is good for it.

Turn around and add a few words about the Zen staff.From later generations to the present, in the minds of ordinary people, it seems to be a general term for all kinds of sticks in Buddhism, including sticks, tin sticks, etc. That kind of understanding is incorrect.There is also a kind of Zen stick used by martial artists often mentioned in ancient Chinese dramas and novels, which has nothing to do with the regular Buddhist Zen stick.Historically, this kind of Zen stick has also changed.For example, in the famous Yang Dingjian edition with 60 exquisitely engraved illustrations, there are five pictures of Lu Zhishen and his Zen staff.The Zen staff is a long stick with a small crescent on the head, I don't know if it has a blade.Lu Zhishen in the contemporary drama is carrying a weapon with one end resembling a flat shovel and the other a big crescent, which seems to have blades on both ends.The "treasure stick" used by Zhongsha Monk is similar to it.The shape of this kind of stick is farther away from the real Buddhist Zen stick, so I'm afraid it can only be called "convenient shovel" or "crescent shovel".