Chapter 15 12. Boxing

Master Jiexian, who was over a hundred years old, gave lectures on "Yoga Theory" specially for Xuanzang, and thousands of people listened to it at the same time.Fragrance and mist were lingering in the lecture hall, and Master Jiexian sat cross-legged after a few cases.Xuanzang, Juexian and other ten senior teachers sat on both sides, and the inside and outside of the hall were crowded with hosts, guests, monks and laymen from all over the world to listen to the lecture... Xuanzang secretly made up his mind not to learn Consummation and never to return.After that, Master Jiexian gave lectures on "Yoga Theory" specially for Xuanzang, with thousands of listeners.

The lecture hall was filled with incense and mist. Master Jiexian sat cross-legged after a few cases. Ten masters including Xuanzang and Juexian sat on both sides. … Although Master Jiexian is old, his voice is extremely loud.He said: "Today is the first lecture. The Bodhisattva instructed me to give lectures specially for eminent monks from China. He asked me to lecture on "Yoga". "Yoga" is the core classic of Mahayana Buddhism. The Buddhist scriptures written by the master. The main argument of the book is only consciousness..." Xuanzang held his breath, just about to listen to the master's lecture, how many difficult questions he had waiting to be answered!However, suddenly a Brahmin came to the door crying loudly, and then laughed and cried. Master Jiexian had to stop and asked Juexian to ask him why he was crying and laughing.

Juexian walked up to the man and asked: "My benefactor, today is the day when Zhengfa Zang gave lectures for Chinese eminent monks. Why are you laughing and crying here?" The man replied: "I am an East Indian. Three years ago, I made a wish in front of the statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in Buzui Luojia Mountain. I wanted to be a king. I say: "You still don't wish to be a king. You remember that three years later, the virtuous master of Nalanda Temple will give a lecture on "Yoga Theory" to Chinese eminent monks. You can go and listen to the lecture. If you can get enlightened, you will see the Buddha. Why go to What kind of king."

The man wept again and said: "Today I got the news that Master Jiexian gave a lecture to a Chinese eminent monk, so I rushed here. I didn't expect that what Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva said to me three years ago came true. Why didn't you make me happy? I was so happy that I cried what!" All the monks were amazed when they heard this. Juexian told Jiexian what the man said, and Jiexian asked him to come in and listen.Jiexian sighed and said to the monks: "The Bodhisattva was moved by Xuanzang's spirit, so he entrusted me with a dream and appeared in him again. Xuanzang is indeed an extraordinary person."

The story quickly spread, and more and more people came to listen to the lecture. The Nalanda Temple was unprecedentedly grand, and Xuanzang's reputation became more and more prosperous... In the evening, under the bodhi tree, Xuanzang sat cross-legged with eminent monks from various countries, and they were listening to Xuanzang's lecture on Chinese Buddhism.Each of them was fanning with a big plantain fan, but sweat was still dripping on their heads. Tianzhu was so hot that even after the sun had set, the heat still remained undiminished. "...Buddhism was transmitted from the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty in China. Buddhist monks from the Western Regions brought some Buddhist scriptures. However, at first it was only court Buddhism. Later, Master Dao'an and Kumarajiva came to Chang'an. Due to their influence, Buddhism It gradually penetrated into the folk. After returning to China from Tianzhu, Fa Xian cooperated with Kumarajiva, so there were early translated scriptures of Chinese Buddhism."

A monk asked, "I heard that there is an eminent monk named Huiyuan in China." "Yes, there was an eminent monk named Huiyuan in the Jin Dynasty of China. He was a disciple of Master Dao'an. After he became a teacher, he went south from Chang'an to Lushan. Huiyuan's southward travel made Chinese Buddhism spread from the north to the south. Huiyuan integrated Buddhism with Chinese Confucian political ethics and played a great role in the Sinicization of Buddhism." "How to Sinicize?" asked a monk. "Buddhism emphasizes compassion, while Chinese Confucianism emphasizes filial piety. Chinese Buddhism combines compassion with benevolence and filial piety, and thus is very popular among Chinese people. Therefore, Buddhism quickly became popular in China."

At this time, Master Jiexian and Master Juexian came over. Seeing the teacher coming, Xuanzang got up and bowed his hands together to worship Jiexian. After Jiexian returned the gift, he sat down with Juexian and said, "Please continue to talk, I want to hear it too." Xuanzang nodded and said: "In the Jin Dynasty of China, the northern and southern monks formed with Dao'an and Huiyuan as the core, which greatly promoted the development of Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism is already an absolute advantage." At this time, more and more monks gathered around to listen.Xuanzang went on to say: "In the Jin Dynasty, there was a great exchange of Buddhism between the Central Plains and the Western Regions. Thousands of monks stayed in temples, and there were many temples, and the number of monks doubled. Afterwards, after the development of the Sui Dynasty, in the Tang Dynasty, due to the emperor's attention, Buddhism The development of Buddhism has reached its peak. At this time, Buddhism already has a sect."

Master Jiexian listened attentively. Xuanzang also said: "Influenced by Master Huiyuan, Chinese Buddhism believes in karma and karma, and reincarnation in three generations. Therefore, it is very popular among the people, and Buddhism is spreading more and more widely." A monk asked: "China's Buddhism is really amazing. Let me ask, why did the master come to Tianzhu to seek scriptures?" Xuanzang replied without hesitation: "That's because there are not many Buddhist scriptures and fewer translations in China, so some serious differences cannot be resolved. For example, those represented by the Huiyuan School insist that the Buddha is real, the Nirvana Realm exists, and the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha It is possible to be reborn. Kumarajiva, who adheres to the Madhyamaka sect, believes that everything is empty, even the Buddha is empty. Is there a Buddha? Does the Pure Land of Amitabha exist? Until I went west, it was all a mass. With the fog that hangs over the Chinese monks, the belief in Buddhism is in crisis."

Xuanzang looked at Jiexianzheng Fazang respectfully, and continued: "Later, I heard from the monks who came to Chang'an from the Western Regions that "Yogi's Land Theory" can solve this problem. Yoga Treatise, so I risked my life to come.” A foreign monk heard this, bowed to Master Jiexian and said: "The same differences exist in Buddhism in our country. Master Jiexian please tell us whether there is a Buddha? Is there really a pure land? Can we go to rebirth?" Everyone turned their attention to Jiexian Zhengdharma and applauded.So Jiexian stood up and said:

"Everyone, what kind of tree is that tree above your heads?" "Bodhi tree." "Well, this is the one who practiced under the tree for seven days and seven nights and became a Buddha." "Buddha Sakyamuni." All the monks responded in unison. Jiexian nodded with a smile on hearing this, and put his palms together again: "Actually, all living beings can become Buddhas. The Buddha is in our hearts, but it is covered by dirt. Therefore, if we want to be pure in nature, we must practice. Only by grinding away the dirt can we reveal the true Buddha nature."

The monks nodded in admiration. A monk asked again: "Dare to ask Dafa Zang, what is a Buddha?" Jiexian Zhengfazang replied in a high voice: "A Buddha is one who can save himself and others after attaining enlightenment through practice. Only such a person can be called a Buddha. Buddha Sakyamuni is such a person, so he is recognized as a Buddha." A young monk asked, "May I ask the Master, what has he realized?" Jiexian replied: "Enlightenment is enlightenment. Sakyamuni practiced under the bodhi tree for seven days and seven nights, and realized the Four Noble Truths (four truths) and the Eightfold Path (eight ways to relieve suffering)." "Great Master, what are the 'Four Noble Truths'?" A foreign novice asked anxiously. "Good question." "The so-called Four Noble Truths means: the Buddha realized that life is like a sea of ​​suffering (Suffering Truth), the source of suffering is birth, old age, sickness, death and desire (Jiyi Truth), the way of liberation is to enter the realm of Nirvana that transcends life and death (Miedi), and the practice of precepts, concentration and wisdom Persistence is the means (truth of the Tao) to eliminate suffering. The eight ways to eliminate suffering are the Noble Eightfold Path.” "However..." Jiexian concluded again, "The truth of the Four Noble Truths is actually just one sentence: Dependent Origination, which means that all dharmas arise due to causes, so everything is selfless and impermanent. If you can realize this truth, there will be no existence." In this way, the source of troubles will be cut off, and you will not fall into the sea of ​​suffering." Jiexian looked around the crowd and said: "After the Buddha cultivated the right fruit, he first turned the wheel of Dharma in the Sarnath and taught these principles." "Great Master, what is the Noble Eightfold Path?" asked another foreign monk. Master Jiexian smiled and replied: "Good question. The Eightfold Path refers to the eight correct ways to cultivate the right fruit. It is to practice correctly according to the Buddhist outlook on life, thinking, language, behavior, lifestyle, Buddhist methods, ideas, and meditation. The so-called righteous See (life, physics), right thinking, right speech, right industry (behavior), right livelihood (lifestyle), right effort (Buddhist method), right mindfulness, right concentration (Buddhist meditation)." Seeing that Master Jiexian was sweating, Juexian said: "It's getting late, everyone, please go back to the meditation room to practice. Zhengfa Zang has already taught the scriptures for a day, and it's time for the old man to rest." "Yes, yes, thank you Zhengfazang." "Please rest Dharma Zang!" Everyone stood up and bowed to Jiexian. Jiexian also got up and made palms together to return the salute. In this way, the monks went back to the meditation room. Xuanzang and Juexian helped Master Jiexian to walk to Jiexian's bedroom. Xuanzang sighed: "The style of study at Nalanda Temple is really good. Jiexian Zhengdharma lectures here, just like Shakyamuni preached in the past. The grand occasion is unprecedented. I can really seek the real scriptures. Could it be that the Dharma Treasure is the reincarnation of the Buddha?" After hearing this, Jiexian quickly said: "Master, the award is too high. How can ordinary monks compare with the Buddha? I just want to spread Buddhism widely." Juexian also sighed and said, "Yes! Zhengfa Zang is a hundred-year-old fairy who sacrificed his life for the sake of promoting Buddha. He really deserves to be a living Bodhisattva today." "Treasure of the Dharma." "Treasure of the Dharma." When a few monks on the side of the road saw Jiexian, they bowed their heads respectfully and retreated to the sides. "Amitabha." Jie Xian also made palms together and returned the salute to them. Xuanzang admired Jiexian Zhengfazang's Buddhism, knowledge, and character. He secretly vowed to follow Dafazang to seek the true meaning of Buddhism. exactly: Master Jiexian not only gave lectures publicly, but also answered questions for Xuanzang alone. This morning, Jiexian asked Juexian to invite Xuanzang to come to his meditation room. "Juexian, please go and invite Master Xuanzang to come here. I want to teach him some Buddhist teachings." "Yes, mage." Juexian should go.After a while Xuanzang came, and after paying homage to Jiexian, Jiexian asked him to sit cross-legged beside him.Juexian also sat down on the other side. The master asked kindly: "Master, are you accustomed to living?" "Habit, thank you master for taking care of me in every way." Jiexian asked again, "Are there any doubts?" Xuanzang said: "After listening to your talk about Alaya Consciousness (Tibetan Consciousness), I have deepened my understanding. The truth that Alaya Consciousness is the root of all dharmas (things) has made me more firmly believe that it is true as Nirvana. The existence of Liang Realm." Jiexian nodded and said: "This is the essence of "Yoga Theory". It contains cause and effect, cause and condition, so it is momentary birth and momentary death." Xuanzang said, "Thank you, Master, for your guidance." Jiexian said again: "The purpose of "On Yoga" is actually only two words. Xuanzang, what do you think these two words are?" "knowledge." "Yes! Consciousness-only realm empty." Jie Xian praised, "You are indeed a rare person, you can suddenly understand it with a little bit of teaching, and you have already understood the core of "Yoga". No wonder the Buddha cares about you so much." "Master, I appreciate the award." Xuanzang said humbly. Jiexian smiled at him and nodded. Xuanzang also said: "There is a difference between whether there is Nirvana in China, which is directly related to the question of whether you can become a Buddha, otherwise everything is empty, and then we are contradicting ourselves. The master's advice confirmed my point of view. It is correct. So I will work hard to learn "Yoga Theory" well." Jiexian nodded and said: "The purpose of "Yoga Theory" is to 'Consciousness of Realm and Space'. What you said is indeed the key point of Buddhism. If everything is empty, then there is nothing to practice." Jiexian's affirmation further strengthened Xuanzang's view that solving this big problem is not only to distinguish Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, but also to distinguish the two major sects of Mahayana Kongzong and Youzong.The point of view he has always insisted on has finally been unanimously recognized in the birthplace of Buddhism, and Xuanzang's face was flushed with excitement. Seeing that Xuanzang was so excited, Jiexian knew that he must have some experience, so he said: "The mage is so happy, does he have a new understanding?" Xuanzang hurriedly got up and said: "Returning to the master, the disciple has realized the existence of the Nirvana state, so he is full of confidence in the realization of Nirvana for all living beings." "Very good! You really have realized the true meaning. I heard that you study very hard, but pay attention to your body, because Dongtu is still waiting for you to promote it." "Xuanzang followed the instructions of the master." "Okay, today I will invite you to have a Bozhai together, please don't be polite." The little recluse brought vegetarian food, melons and fruits, Master Jiexian warmly entertained Xuanzang, Juexian was by his side, and Xuanzang happily had lunch with the master. Master Jiexian was very happy, and he was indeed proud to have such a learned disciple. Xuanzang's study and exchange with Master Jiexian enabled Xuanzang to deepen his understanding of "Yoga".This laid the foundation for him to translate the 100 volumes of "Yoga Theory" after returning to China, to establish the Consciousness-only School, and to write "Cheng-Wei Consciousness Theory".