Master Rihui: Basic Knowledge of Buddhism Chapter 2 Observation of the Five Aggregations in the World Chapter 3: The Dharma of Consequences and Generations of All Responses to All Responses to All Responses to All Responses

The fifth day of practice

In order to avoid going astray on the path of meditation, we should talk about several psychological barriers that ordinary people often suffer.The so-called obstacle is to enter the right path;Therefore, obstacles themselves are astray.Here, I would like to remind practitioners that practitioners should not ignore it.

First, the psychology of being quiet and irritating—

Dahui Zonggao said [1]:

like (people )Taking the quiet place as right and the troubled place as wrong means destroying the worldly appearance and seeking the truth, and seeking nirvana away from birth and death.When it is quiet and irresistible, it is just enough to focus on it. Suddenly, the news is filled with quietness. Its strength can be hundreds of billions of times better than bamboo chairs and futons.

Also said [2]:

Chad is peaceful in body and mind, and must work hard, and he must not hide from the quiet place.It is called the deep pit of liberation in the teachings, which is very great!You must teach me to be like a gourd on water, free and unrestrained, and enter the purity and filth without any hindrance. Only then can you get close to me at the monk's school. What's the use of me if I just hold my child and don't cry?

The disadvantages of greed and quietness among pedestrians are terrible!When the old man saw this person in person, he had such a disease. He was trapped here and could not move forward or retreat.If you enter, your mind will be weak;As long as you retreat, you are unwilling to give up, it becomes a difficult and stalemate.

These two passages of Dahui Zonggao earnestly teach people not to be greedy for quiet places and seek quietness in quiet places. This is a deep pit of liberation and is very terrible!You must be free and free in quiet places, unrestrained, and clean places, without any loss of time on the cushion.Only by working hard in this way can you be powerful.He also solemnly pointed out that if he could work hard like this, he would be assigned to his disciples.If you only want to be greedy for peace, you will be hugging a child who doesn’t cry and cannot enter his door.If you can't enter his door, it means you can't enter the door of Zen.

Second, the concept of forcibly concentrating the mind—

Nowadays, some people teach meditation to remove distracting thoughts, which makes people force themselves to concentrate.Little do you know that the mind cannot be controlled.As the "Platform Sutra" says:

A monk named Zen Master Wolun said in a verse:

There are tricks to lie down the wheel, which can cut off hundreds of thoughts, but will not arise when facing the environment, and Bodhi will last longer day by day.

division (Sixth Patriarch )Hearing it, he said, "This verse does not understand the mind. If you follow it, you will add bondage."So he showed a verse:

Huineng has no tricks, keeps thinking about the environment, and has aroused his mind. How long does Bodhi last?

The Sixth Patriarch Huineng criticized the verses said by Walun very seriously, and pointed out that it is difficult for people to restrain their minds and suppress distracting thoughts, but people cannot understand their minds and nature, but instead increase their bondage.Later, Dahui Zonggao even taught people [3]: "Stop movement and return to stop, stop movement more and more", which can also be said to be a different saying of this teaching.It shows that the method of controlling mind and mind is wrong.

As for the verses spoken by Master Huineng, it is something that has already understood the mind and even realized it. It is not known to us ordinary people. The old man is resentful of him and he does not force himself to understand others.

Regarding the question of mind-calculating, Jingshan Zonggao answered Xu Shouyuan's book and comments [4]:

There is a kind of fabricated man who is not solid in his own heels, and he only teaches people to calm their minds and sit down and teaches them to be breathless. This generation is called truly pitiful (Those )……

This mind has no entity, how can it be restrained?Where is the place to be taken?

Among them, saying that the mind has no substance, that is, saying that the mind has no self-nature.Therefore, we know that this is a meaning of dependent origination without self-nature, and explains the principle that the mind cannot be restrained.

The mind originates from dependent origination. The law of dependent origination must have no self-nature. Without self-nature, it is emptiness, and emptiness means nothing. This is the teaching of the Prajna Sutra and it is also the uncommon rule of the Madhyamaka School of the Holy Nagarjuna.The mind body is neither real, but empty and empty Dharma without everything. How can it be absorbed?How to settle down?Therefore, this question is made by the mountain so that the questioner can know that he can correct his mistakes.

Furthermore, if the mind cannot be restrained and wants to restrain, then this originally empty mind has gained into reality before the ordinary people's defilement and ignorance, and then uses the power of hardening to restrain the mind to make the gain of reality stronger;As Master Sixth Patriarch said, "If you do it accordingly, you will be tied up", it has become a stubborn and stubbornness that is difficult to break.There is nothing more obstacle to entering the Tao!This Jingshan is so powerful that he criticizes his mistakes and says that this generation is truly pitiful!

Jingshan also said in his letter to Zong Zhige [5]:

Nowadays, people do not understand the truth... so they try to concentrate their minds and concentrate their thoughts;Conquer things and return to emptiness, close your eyes and hide your eyes;As thoughts arise, they are broken and broken, and they are born after careful thinking. Even if they are stopped, such a view is to fall into the void and the heretics, and the soul is dead, and they are indifferent and ignorant.If you plug your ears and steal the bell, you will only deceive yourself.

Jingshan said here that he was concentrating his mind and calming his mind, and that he said that concentrating his mind and sitting in peace is the same thing, which is the view he criticized that "rest the mind, rest the mind, and use the mind to the heart" [6] is obviously invisibly falling into the path of having a heart that can be obtained.Goode said: "Looking for ox, visiting the traces, and studying Taoism is unintentional.”〔7〕What is possible now to seek a heart that can be obtained by having a heart that can be obtained by seeking a heart that cannot be obtained?Therefore, Jingshan made severe criticism.Although the heretics who fell into obscene in their criticism are not known in detail, they may refer to those who practice the state of no thought.Perhaps this old man agreed with the theory of Master Cheng Shi, and since he did not agree that ordinary people could obtain this concentration, nor could they be included in the four meditations, he was demoted to him by the heretics who had fallen into obscurity and the dead.

Jingshan is on the path of meditation, and has experienced many ups and downs;Therefore, he was merciless in correcting the disadvantages.Look at his deeply compassionate sentence "I once pleaded with a prodigal son" [8], how touching it is!

However, how can practitioners resist the inverted delusions that are coming and going, and they are still chaotic?How can we resist the noisy state where good luck can cause discrimination and troubles?

In response to these questions, the old man still took some heartfelt words from Jingshan to tell his Zen friends.In his letter to Restoring the Rich Rich Privy Councilor Jishen, he said [9]:

If you want to intercept the (The place of enlightenment )，Only when this thought is broken can one realize life and death, and only when one is enlightened is realized;But don't wait to break it.If you have the intention to be broken, there will be no time to be broken forever.But turn your delusions into the bottom of your mind, think about the bottom of your mind, and like to live and hate to die.Knowing and understanding is the heart, and being happy and silenced, so I press it for a moment, just press it down, look at the topic of the conversation... "No", this word is to destroy many evil knowledge and awareness...

If you don’t leave your daily use, try to do this, and you will see it in half a month or ten.

Note: This is about half a month and tenth day, which is to see the power, not to realize the truth.

Jingshan said in another letter to restore wealth [10]:

If you want to be truly quiet, you must be the heart of life and death.If you don’t need to practice kung fu, and your mind will be broken, you will be calm...

If you believe that the monks in the mountain are in trouble, try to see that the dog has no Buddha nature... If you feel the strength, you don’t need to let go.When you need to sit in meditation... you must not make you drowsy or get restless... Then you realize that these two diseases are present, but you only mention that the dog has no Buddha nature. These two diseases do not need to be relieved with force, and you will stand in a daze right now.After a long time, the moon is deeper, and you will realize that you will save your energy. This is the place where you can achieve your strength.There is no need to do the kung fu in silence, just this is kung fu.

In his letter to Zhao Daofu, he said [11]:

Only then did I realize that when I was thinking about the dust and work, I didn’t have to try to relieve myself, but just thought about it, gently turn the conversation, save infinite effort, and also gain infinite power.

Looking at Jingshan Zen, if you want to achieve true quietness - a place of rest - it is a matter after entering the Tao.Before entering the Tao, I will not agree to any practice of focusing on the mind and meditation, but only teach you to read the topic.All diseases that are easily caused by practice are only used to resist and dissolve them with one sentence. Using a single verbal medicine can cure all the diseases of life and death. This is enough.Not only that, he also pointed out in his reply to Chen Shaoqing's book [12]:

The sage said: Those who have the intention to distinguish and consider the present mind will all be dreams.Remember, when you cannot avoid it, you must not be more imaginative.When you don’t imitate your mind, everything will be ready.You don’t have to pay attention to profit or dullness. You don’t have to do things that are profitable or dull, nor do you do things that are quiet or chaotic.Just when I couldn't avoid it, I suddenly lost my cloth bag and laughed unconsciously.

Therefore, it is extremely easy to teach ginseng koans in Jingshan.For example, when raising the topic, teaching does not use many tricks, but do not interrupt your walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, and do not distinguish between joy, anger, sorrow and happiness.In other words, no mental and conscious efforts are allowed.This is the fundamental style of Zen since the beginning, but Jingshan has inspired it, sweeping away the cleverness of the predecessors and breaking out of the predecessors' case.In the instructions or answering questions, there is always no ambiguity at all, and there is no need to bother to identify right and wrong for those who ask for help, and to teach practical methods to study.This not only allowed those who had ambition to gain great benefits at that time, but also allowed those who later became following and continued the Buddha's wisdom. This old man's achievements are great!

The old man also thought that Jingshan’s Zen method was the most stable way.Caodong's silent Zen is not wrong, it is easy to use the calmness of the mind as the ultimate tranquility, and to use the ability to cut off the hundred thoughts as the ultimate tranquility, and fall into a deep pit that cannot be killed or lived.If this happens, it will be difficult to treat it, so you dare not learn from it.Note!The Buddha's way of enlightenment only eliminates the common truth and allows you to enter the ultimate truth. Even if you practice the ultimate truth, you will continue to be in the world.As the verse of the "Siyi Brahma Sutra" says [13]:

Wherever the world is, (Buddha )All of them are the Central Committee;

What the world is greedy for, (Buddha )Get liberation from it.

Later generations do not understand this meaning, so they are calm and self-righteous, but what can they do!

Third, the illusion of fear of emptiness—

The saints of the Three Vehicles all enter the Tao by seeing emptiness and selflessness. The first truth is quiet and nirvana, and it is realized by the saints of the Three Vehicles.The ultimate emptiness of breaking the world's valley is an uncommon idea of ​​Buddhism.Although the two Arhats only perfectly practice the Tagala's selflessness, they are not unaware of the Dharma without self. Because the Dharma without self is not perfectly practiced, they are called the Two Vehicles - the Shravaka Vehicle and the Sarvaka Vehicle.Bodhisattvas do not, but to become a Buddha, they will fully practice the two kinds of emptiness and selflessness.This principle is very rich in the Great Prajna Sutra. The explanation of the Great Prajna Sutra of Saint Nagarjuna, the Great Wisdom Treatise, also puts forward many clear explanations.The old man really doesn’t know why Buddhists are afraid of falling into emptiness?Many smart people often talk about emptiness, either angry or jealous or jealous, saying that this is a dangerous theory, and cited the teachings: "It is better to see that there is like Mount Sumeru than to be as empty as mustard seeds." They also refer to the Yogacara-Only jealousy as the basis for emptiness, but do not distinguish which one is to get rid of emptiness?What is emptiness?Such a terrible and unreasonable thing, how can he understand the uncommon interests of "Prajna", "Deep Secret", Madhyamaka and Consciousness-Only?

However, this is no wonder, because this situation is not the case now, but has been around for a long time.For this reason, Jingshan solemnly pointed out in his letter of punishment in Xu Dunji's letter of punishment [14]:

There is another type of person who has heard the knowledge say such things, and then he uses his mind and consciousness to measure his mind and consciousness and says: If this is the case, will he not fail?The ten scholars and officials had five double-part views.

Miaoyue had no choice but to say to him: You have never had time to be empty, why fear it?If the boat has not overturned, you must jump into the water first.Seeing that I didn't appreciate it, I would not hesitate to speak...

Is this just afraid of losing the bottom, and I am still empty?

If your eyes are not empty, what will you observe the color?If your ears are not empty, what will you listen to?...If the mind is not empty, what will distinguish all things?Doesn’t Buddha say anything?No eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, no color, sound, smell, taste, touch and method... (you )He said, "I am smart and intelligent, and I am not hiding it by others.” (You )Try to look at the here, if you have the determination, you will be able to find it, and stay in the grass trench and be outside the door;If you are sure that you can't show it, don't talk too much or say too much.

He also said in his letter to Chen Mingzhong [15]:

The Buddha preached all dharmas, in order to save all minds, I have no minds, so why use all dharmas?The Dharma is originally impossible, and the mind has no mind. Both the mind and the Dharma are empty, which is the true form.Nowadays, most people who study Taoism are afraid of failing. Those who do such explanations mistakenly recognize convenience and take the disease as medicine, which is very pitiful!

Besides, the Buddha is a perfect practitioner (Putgaro )、The two emptiness of dharmas are realized by realizing the realm of true emptiness;The two Arhats have also fully practiced emptiness in humans and understood one part of emptiness in Dharma, but they have not been able to fully practice emptiness in Dharma, but they have not fully understood it.The Great Wisdom Treatise says, [16]: "The Dharma nature has the part of the Śrāvaka: - You should know that there is also the part of the Pratyekabuddha - meaning this is what it means.Therefore, Buddhism is originally a way to show the law of emptiness and selflessness, and the path of Buddhism is to cultivate the path of emptiness and selflessness.If a Buddhist is afraid of failing, in addition to cultivating some blessings from humans and heavenly beings, he will seek to enter the Tao and liberation, then he will be a matter of seeking fish from the tree of fate!

I remember that Master Mazu Daoyi, a lay Buddhist Pang Yun, was a disciple of whom he was sympathetic and afraid of failing. He once had two exhortational quotes [17]:

Don’t bother with the loss, and you won’t be evil.I hope that everything is empty and not to be real.

And there is a verse presented to Master Ma and said [18]:

When there are gatherings in all directions, everyone has no learning. This is the place to choose a Buddhist temple, and the mind is empty and the return is the first.

Dear Zen friends, what a "heart is empty and the return is the first time"!Who can get this lead?Try it hard.

Notes:

〔1〕See "Quotes of Dahui", "Taisho" 47·918.

〔2〕Same as the previous book, see page 895.

〔3〕See Volume 31 of "Shiyue Lu", page 41.

〔4〕The same note is given in one book, see page 924.

〔5〕The same note is given in the book, see page 933.

〔6〕The same note is given in the book, see page 923.

〔7〕See Volume 31 of "Shiyue Lu", page 14.

〔8〕The book is the same note, see page 922.

〔9〕Same as before, see page 921.

〔10〕Same as before, see page 922.

〔11〕Same as before, see page 924.

〔12〕Same as before, see page 923.The word "avoid" in the sentence is the same as the word "avoid".

〔13〕See "Taisho" 15:52.

〔14〕The same note is given in the same book, see the middle and lower pages of eight or ninety.

〔15〕Same as before, see nine ○In eight pages.

〔16〕See "Taisho" 25·644.

〔17〕See Volume 31 of "Zhiyuelu", page 32 of "People of Zhiyue".

〔18〕Same as Volume 31, page 26.