Author: Tao Qing Hsu (Hsu, Tao-qing)
Zen master Hong Ren
(A.D.601-674) was the fifth generation of Chinese Zen. He directed a large Zen
temple where many disciples learned Zen from him. One of his disciples named
Shenxiu was the chief professor who also taught Zen. However, his heart had not
yet been confirmed by the heart of the Zen master Hong Ren.
All the disciples thought
that the chief professor Shenxiu would be the sixth generation of Chinese Zen.
And they expected it to be true. One day, Zen master Hong Ren asked his
disciples to write down verses on the wall about what they have enlightened in
wisdom.
All disciples invited Shenxiu
to write verses. Then, Shenxiu wrote verses:
The Body is Bodhi tree.
The heart is like a stand
of the bright mirror,
Which have to be often
wiped diligently, and
Do not make it provoked by
dusts.
The dusts meant annoyance,
trouble, or mistake. The verses meant that we should remove any annoyance,
trouble and mistake. It looked reasonable. All disciples agreed with it
cheerfully, and thought that everyone should follow the verses to practice.
They all thought that the sixth generation of Chinese Zen must be Shenxiu.
At that time, Huineng
passed by there from kitchen where he worked and felt curious what they were
talking about. A colleague told him what verses Shenxiu had written.
Hearing that, Huineng had
verses in heart and asked his colleague to assist him to write down the verses
on the wall:
There is no tree in the
Bodhi originally.
The bright mirror is also
not a stand.
There is nothing in the
original.
Where the dust could be
provoked?
All disciples read these
verses curiously, did not understand what they meant, and were all stunned.
Zen master Hong Ren came
here and had read the verses on the wall. He knew that Huineng had enlightened
his natural wisdom. At the midnight, Zen master Hong Ren spoke Diamond Sutra
for Huineng and imparted the Zen to him, including the golden-thread dresses
and bowl. From the moment, Huineng was confirmed by Zen master Hong Ren and
became the sixth generation of Chinese Zen. That is because his self spirit was
awakened naturally.
Those who have such
knowledge gain the Dao quickly.
Basically, there is no
wrong for the two verses. But, do you know the difference of the verses said
above between Shenxiu and Huineng? Shenxiu has not yet seen his self nature.
However, Huineng has already seen his self nature. The self nature is the
Buddha nature. That is what the difference between them, and such difference
has decided their different destiny and future.
What is the difference? In
a word, it is the difference of the general person and the Bodhisattva. It is
also the difference of distinguishing wisdom and no-distinguishing wisdom. It
is only the difference by a thought. It is so simple. However, it is very
hardly to be understood by the masses.
What is the difference
between distinguishing wisdom and no-distinguishing wisdom? For the general
people, they are good at the distinguishing intellect, especially the elite.
The ability of analysis, research and debating is the distinguishing intellect.
But, it is not the no-distinguishing wisdom.
The distinguishing wisdom
could help us distinguish what is the true virtue and what is the true evil,
and we know that we should do the true virtue and not do the true evil. So, to
have the distinguishing wisdom is a good thing. For the general people, they
may have the distinguishing wisdom. But, it is not enough, if we want to learn
Buddha.
To learn Buddha, we must
realize the no-distinguishing wisdom on the basis of distinguishing wisdom.
Only we are in the state of no-distinguishing wisdom, we will realize the
wisdom without binary opposition. That is the top supreme wisdom.
If we want to realize such
wisdom, we have to realize the emptiness nature. However, it is hardly to
realize it for anyone. So, Shenxiu may have the distinguishing wisdom. But, he
does not have the no-distinguishing wisdom. That is why he cannot be the leader
of the sixth generation of Chinese Zen.
For the masses, some people
even do not have the distinguishing ability to distinguish what is good and
what is evil, let alone to have the distinguishing wisdom. That is why they do
the evil things and even do not have the feeling of shame.
Perceiving the sky, land
and the world, to have a thought of the impermanence, it would lead us to
realize these natures and essences are emptiness. The essences of the
impermanence is the emptiness nature. The changing of phenomenon is the
impermanence, this is like the illusion, and is not real, and this is the
perceive of fake. The essences of the impermanence is the emptiness, this is
the real and permanence, and this is the perceive of truth. From that, we
extend to realize that the nature and essence of our spiritual awakening is
also emptiness. Then, what they mean for us? It is the wisdom of no obstacle,
and which is the all wisdom, including the distinguishing wisdom and the
no-distinguishing wisdom. The changing of phenomenon and the corresponding
impermanence are belonging to the distinguishing wisdom. The essences of
the impermanence is the emptiness, this is the truth and permanence, and is
belonging to the no-distinguishing wisdom. The essences of all of them
are the wisdom of emptiness nature. That is, the fake and the real are one, the
illusion and the truth are one. Huineng realize it and that is why he can be
the leader of the sixth generation of Chinese Zen.
Supplementary note: Dao is transliterated from Chinese, meaning
way and method, deeper meaning as a system of learning or religion. Dao is Tao, which is transliterated from Chinese. The original meaning of
Dao is the way and it is extended to be the truth of life that we can learn and
practice in our lives.
