"Water" and Zen

Longyan

Water is the source of life. Without water, there would be no human beings, and even the world could only be desolate and dead forever. Water not only gives human life, but also enlightens human wisdom. Every nation and country has left countless proverbs and quips about water. Perhaps it is because of the hot climate of Indian Peninsula produced by Buddhism that water is closely related to people's lives. Most of the jungle temples in China are surrounded by mountains and rivers, which are integrated with nature. Buddhism and Zen are far away from the hubbub and not secular, so there are more opportunities to think about the fundamental meaning of life. Water, inspiring and thought-provoking, naturally left a deep impression on Zen. Therefore, water is closely related to Buddhism and Zen.

According to Buddhist records, when Buddhist scholar Tipo asked to see the venerable Dragon Tree, Dragon Tree ordered his disciples to hold a bowl of water to show Tipo. Tipo kept silent and threw a needle into the water, which immediately touched the dragon tree. The disciples asked him why. Dragon Tree explained, "Those people who are also rich in water follow Fiona Fang, and remove things one by one. Diffuse, clear and unpredictable. Instead of learning wisdom week, it is better to show it when it is full. He threw a needle, so he was extremely poor. " Dragon Tree compares water to her wisdom, while Tipo is confident that she can fully and properly understand this idea. In fact, as early as before, water had an indissoluble bond with Buddhist wisdom.

Buddhism, like many nationalities in the world, regards water as the basic element of the world, and thinks that the world is composed of four elements: earth, water, fire and wind, but these four elements are still formed by karma and combination, and there is no self. The river is surging and flowing, never looking back. Reminds people of the fleeting short life. Confucius once stood by the river and sighed: "The deceased is like a husband, not giving up day and night!" Buddhism also regards life as endless water. For example, Mahayana Sutra says, "I can't stop thinking about my impermanence, just like lightning and water, and also like painting water." Moreover, the passage of life is not only fleeting like water, but also like a bubble that is disillusioned in an instant. "Za Agama" says: "All the monks are like heavy rain bubbles, and they all go out together. A discerning scholar pays close attention to the differences between ideas. When observing the differences in thoughts, what if there is nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing? There is no conclusive reason for this bubble. " The Mahayana Sutra also says: "If a practitioner is a law of birth and death. For example, blisters rise quickly and come out quickly. Cycle is like a wheel. Everything is the same. " There is a saying in Buddhist scriptures that the five elements are empty, and there are five metaphors: bubble, foam, flame, banana and illusion. From Confucius' lament, we can see his sentimentality and nostalgia for life, but Buddhism has different views. Therefore, the three major Buddhist practices are printed as "impermanence, all practices have no self, and all beings suffer", which means that everything, including life, is in an eternal flow, even if it is such a short process, it is also a sea of suffering tortured by desire. Although life is so short and unpredictable, it is not worth nostalgia. It's just a pain, a torment. Buddhists believe that the greatest pain in life lies not in the passing of life, but in the endless cycle of life and death. The ultimate goal of practice is to transcend the sea of suffering and break the cycle forever. Buddhists think this is liberation, also called "cutting off the flow of life and death".

In fact, Buddhists sometimes compare Buddhism to water. For example, the Buddhist scriptures talk about Ananda's superior memory. They say, "Buddhism is an ocean of water, and you will never forget it." Zen is also called Huineng's Zen theory as "a drop of water from Cao" or "a drop of water from Cao Garden". The most comprehensive summary of the relationship between water and Buddhism is "Asking the Sutra of Bodhisattva", in which "water is a metaphor for the ten good methods of Bodhisattva". It says: The water related to our life and practice is pure, clear and quiet. It can grow everything, remove all dirt, heat is cool, thirst is moist. Therefore, it is used as a metaphor for the virtue of bodhisattva. Bodhisattva is silent in body and mind and merciful to all beings. So use Buddhism and water to help all people, let their good buds grow and evil be removed. There are wonderful similarities between water and bodhisattva practice. First, flow to the next one. Bodhisattva is always kind, gentle and docile, and can adjust all beings with pure water so that they can be watered. Let all its good roots grow. For example, the flood running all over the ground, running underground, all seeds, roots and buds grow without exception. Second, a good method. Bodhisattva widely plants all bodhi seeds and often irrigates them with fixed (meditation) water to make them grow and become exotic fruits. For example, there are all kinds of medicinal trees and fruits on the earth, which grow by irrigation with water. Then lush, thrive. Third, believe in joy and happiness. Bodhisattva naturally believes in the three treasures (Buddha, Dharma, and Monk) and is willing to discover worldly laws. A pure heart leads to joy, which can make all beings feel happy. Everyone believes in joy and leads to joy. Such as flood, self-flow, rejuvenation and moistening things. Fourth, the root of bad habits. Bodhisattva soaked all sentient beings and the roots of troubles with meditation, which shows that it has been destroyed and there is no rebirth. For example, floods soak the earth, and the roots of plants and trees are rotten. Fifth, there is no impurity in itself. Purifying Bodhisattva is a way to stay away from greed, ignorance and other impurities and protect the roots. For example, the source of the flood is not miscellaneous, but it is very pure. Sixth, rest troubles and heat. Bodhisattva uses cold water to get rid of all sentient beings' troubles, heat and tenderness. For example, in Xia Yue, the extremes of the earth are inflammation and steam, and people are also very hot. If they have no water, they will be cool. Seventh, stop the desire for love. Desire is five desires, and people who are thirsty for love are born in the dust with love, and they want to drink water when they are thirsty. Because all sentient beings, Bodhisattva yearns for what she loves, that is, enlightenment, so that she will not love if she wants dust. Like cool water, it can drive away all thirst. Eight, the depth is boundless. Bodhisattva accumulates wisdom by practicing all good dharma, which is profound and boundless. All demons are heretics, and their margins are immeasurable. For example, a flood is deep and wide. Do you know its limit? Nine, high and low. Bodhisattva is merciful to all sentient beings, and fights with its roots to make it obvious, beneficial, satisfying and not annoying. For example, the flood flows everywhere. If you compare it with it, you will know that it can be sufficient without damage. Ten, rest in peace. Bodhisattva moistens all sentient beings with the water of wisdom, so that all sentient beings can get rid of rough habits and become soft-hearted, rest in peace forever and enter a clean environment together. Like floods. Flowing, nourishing all the rough and evil places of dust, making them moist and clean again. This passage sums up the merits and demerits of the Bodhisattva with the characteristics of water use, but it is easy to explain.

Zen is also called "Zen", "developing" and "holding", which translates into meditation and thinking practice. Refers to the state in which the mind is focused on an object, which is extremely quiet and balances meticulous thoughts. Zen was originally practiced by Mahayana, Hinayana, Taoism and ordinary people, but its purpose and thinking object were different. Meditation such as Zen is generally called meditation; Or take Zen as a kind of concentration, then meditation is called Zen thinking. Meditation is one of the "three studies" of abstinence, determination and wisdom, and it is also one of the "six paramita" of Mahayana. Only by keeping precepts and purity can you get meditation silence, and meditation silence can get the development of true wisdom. Buddhism is also known as meditation and Zen River. Because meditation water can extinguish the heart fire (worry), it is compared to river water. Accumulate meditation, clear your heart every time, and eliminate heart fire. "One Heart Biography" is as follows: "Long flowing into the sea, washing the nether world endlessly; Always pay attention to the Zen River, it is endless and annoying. " Meditation is called "Zen River". It is like the water in Zhan Ran, and it is also called "Zen Wave" because it likes to think about waves. "Soul Collection", Volume 9, says: "Meditation and waves are involved, and the enlightenment is delicious." In terms of practice methods, there is a "water view" in Zen practice, which is one of the "sixteen views" of Zen. Out of the "infinite life view sutra". It is also the point of view of water and water phase. Seeing the reflection of ice and thinking of the land of bliss is to observe the clarity of water first, then think of ice, think of the reflection of ice, and think of the inside and outside of the pure land of glass. There is also the theory of "viewing water" in the fifth volume of the Shurangama Sutra, also known as "water rubbing the ground three times" and "water wheel viewing", which is slightly different from the above practice methods, that is, observing the body with tears, spitting and convenience, just like water, but no different from fragrant sea. If the observation of Buddhism is successful, water will be natural, and water can appear inside and outside the body at will. This is the so-called water fixation. Teenagers in the moonlight practice the concept of water, saying, "If you blindly use the water cycle, you will be impatient and complete Bodhi, and think first." In Zen, there are also many monks who are enlightened by water. For example, the good price of Dongshan, after years of efforts, has never really understood. One day, it suddenly dawned on him that he wrote a poem on the waterfront, which read between the lines: "Don't look for him, stay away from me. I'm going alone today, and I have to meet a canal everywhere I go. The canal is me today, and I am not the canal today. You need to attend a meeting to get the contract. " "Tao" refers to Buddha's nature, and "I" refers to mind, saying that there is no Buddha outside the heart, and there is no need to seek outside, so it is natural to go straight into the heart. Of course, water is only a fuse of his enlightenment, not so mysterious.

From Zen to Zen is a great development. As the name implies, Zen is a Sect with Zen as its Sect. Therefore, Buddhism focuses on cultivating the mind, communicating with the heart and directly conveying the impression of Buddhism, so it is also called Buddhism. Different from what we usually understand, China has always regarded the meditation system as Zen, including Tiantai, Sanlun and Hill, not limited to the Dharma Sect; However, since the middle Tang Dynasty, the Dharma Sect has flourished, and Zen specifically refers to the Dharma Sect. So we also regard Buddhism as the ancestor of Zen. Early Zen thought that the nature of the heart was static, and it was only covered by guest dust. In the way of practice, it emphasizes "being calm and calm." As Tang Bao said, "A scholar at the beginning of life will make him stop thinking, stop knowing the waves and make the water crystal clear." Enlightenment without thinking, silence without thinking without thinking. "Guifeng Zongmi's meditation experience is:" The sun is empty, and it is disturbing; "At the bottom of the pool, the image is clear." It is really exquisite to illustrate the process of meditation with the Ming Che of water and the swaying of waves. In addition to such remarks in Zen Buddhism, there are also many expositions in early Buddhist classics. For example, the Great Bodhisattva Sutra also said, "Like water without mud, it is quiet and clean. It is also a relief. Quiet and clean is really a relief. " Later, Yongming Yanshou's Record of Jing Zong summed it up most comprehensively, with the saying that "water is honest and ten meanings", namely: 1. The clarity of the water body means that all beings are as true as their hearts. Self-cleaning, round and clear, originally without dyeing, just like the clarification of water. Second, the mud becomes turbid, which means that all beings are as true as their hearts. Although their sex is pure, they are polluted by ignorance and become mistakes. Clear water is turbid. Third, turbidity is pure, which means that all beings are sincere, although they are ignorant, they are pure and natural, and remain unchanged at first. Although water is turbid, its pure nature has not been lost. Fourth, the mud is clear, that is, all beings are really covered by ignorance and their bodies are chaotic. If the confusion of ignorance can be removed, it will be pure and natural. Still turbid water, remove its mud, and then it is reflected on the internet. 5. If it turns cold into ice, it is difficult to use it, which means that the sincerity of all sentient beings is in harmony with ignorance, so it is possible to change the law of the nine realms at the expense of knowledge. It turns into ice when it meets water, but it is difficult to use. Sixth, although it is difficult to use, it is said that all beings are as true as their hearts. Although it is used with ignorance, it is true and its unchangeable essence does not exist. Although water is difficult to use, it does not lose water. Seven, warm and harmonious, that is, all beings are sincere, although there is ignorance, but if there is no ignorance, then this knowledge is still net. Water turns into ice and melts when it is warm, which has its own characteristics. Eight, the fluctuation of the wind does not change, that is, all beings are really like hearts, and the waves fluctuate with the ignorance of the wind, but their immortality naturally remains unchanged. Water fluctuates with the wind, but its static state remains unchanged. Nine, high and low dribbling, immobile self-nature, that is, all beings are sincere, follow the fate, and often Zhan Ran is immobile. It is better to argue with water everywhere, drain it and note it, but not move. Ten, with Fiona Fang, do not lose self-nature, that is, all living beings are as true as the heart, and generally there are laws. Do not lose yourself. Still water follows Fiona Fang without losing its self. Understanding Buddha's nature from the process of development and change, and clarifying the relationship between Buddha's body and use, if we do not use water as a metaphor, I am afraid it is difficult to achieve such an effect. Buddhism's emphasis on the quietness of water is similar to Zhuangzi's. Zhuangzi said in the article "Heaven": "When the water is still, candles need eyebrows. Even if you are accurate, the master will choose the method. The water is still bright, but the spirit is good. The sage is calm, the mirror of heaven and earth, the mirror of everything. " "De Chong Fu" also said: "People can stop people from running water, but they can't stop water." However, Zhuangzi only talked about the issue of cognition, and did not rise to the level of ontology.

The difference between Zen and Taoism is that they are not attached to a certain characteristic of water. Unlike Taoism, which emphasizes that the softness of water is a sense of strength. I think everything is illusory. For example, someone asked Mazu, "Water without bones and muscles can win ten thousand ships. How about this? " Mazu's answer to him is: "There is no water and no boat here. What are you talking about? " A metaphor used by Buddhists is "Shui Yue", and Zen master Yongjia Xuanjue said, "There is water in January, and January is taken by Shui Yue." We are talking about the relationship between "one and many", especially the relationship between Buddha nature and individual mind. More often than not, what is said is false, and I will enforce the law. For example, Mahayana Buddhism requires "universal sentient beings", but the Buddha's light is like a Zen master, but it says "all sentient beings are there, just like the moon in the water." The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to realize Buddha's nature and reach the realm. Zen master Hu Dayi said: "Buddha's nature is like the moon in the water, which is not desirable."

Generally speaking, the difference between Nanzong Zen and Beizong Zen is that Huineng changed the "pure heart" of Beizong Zen into "pure heart". On the line of practice, Huineng believes that "the Tao is true and the heart is straight", and Huineng says that practitioners should take "no mind as the religion, no phase as the body and no cover as the foundation". I don't value or even oppose concentration. Zen master Zhicheng of Jizhou once said: "Born to sit and not sit, die without sitting and not sitting. What is the purpose of doing homework? " Discipline, determination and wisdom are the same thing, and there is no need for strengths, let alone persistence. The Zen master, who praised goodness and was lenient, said, "For example, Jiang, Hu, Huai and Han have their own names. Although the name is the same, water is no different. Since Dharma is Dharma, Dharma cannot be separated from Zen. How can we make a difference in the middle? " So the flow of water is comfortable and the shape of things is the most suitable. The Zen master Sikong Benjing said: "The four great masters are like water, and they are straight when they encounter twists and turns. It doesn't matter whether it is clean or not, so there will never be two opinions. Touching the ground seems to be careless. What's wrong with the world? "

Nan Zongchan pointed to the nature of mind and became a Buddha with an epiphany. Actually, there is no need to ask. The relationship between heart and Buddha is like water and ice. Guifeng Zongmi said, "Water is like ice, but it is not easy to get wet. If you can understand this nature, it is a dharma body. " In the method of practice, it is to discard the false and retain the true. He said: "When the ice disappears, the water becomes wet, and only in this way can irrigation be carried out. If you make a mistake, your mind will connect and you will start to connect with the light. There is no other way but to cultivate one's mind. " According to the Record of Fingering the Moon, a monk asked Zhong Hui: "According to the cloud, the Buddha's nature remains unchanged, and his mind is impermanent. What else is there in this cloud? " Zhong will say, "You don't keep your word. For example, water freezes in cold months, and when the weather gets warmer, ice is released into the water. When all beings are fascinated, they are determined to win; When all beings are enlightened, they are liberated from their thoughts and become nature. Ruthless without Buddha, don't talk about the idealism of the three realms. It's like you're obsessed with scripture, and I don't violate it. " Some people compare ice water to the relationship between life and death, such as Hanshan. He said: "If you want to know the difference between life and death, compare ice to water, water will become ice, and ice will return to water. When you die, you live, when you are born, you die again. Ice and water don't hurt each other, and life and death are mutually committed. " Zen masters aim at practicing and are no longer obsessed with relieving the pain of this life. Life is empty and unreal, so be it, be straightforward. Persistence in liberation is also a kind of bondage, and Zen master has a new understanding of the metaphor of water and floating. For example, the wise Zen master of Ruifeng said: "Teachers are born and destroyed, and it is normal to go to school." When asked how to return to the water after drowning, Zen master Luopu Yuan 'an said, "If you don't have mud, the ichthyosaur can jump."

Confucianism advocates vigorous and enterprising, indomitable, so it emphasizes the persistence of water. For example, Mencius Li Lou recorded a dialogue between Mencius and his disciple Xu Bi. "Asked Xu Bi, Zhong Ni called water" water is water ". How can he get it from the water? Mencius replied, "The bandits never give up day and night and fall behind in the Pacific Ocean. If you have this, you can take it. If there is no foundation, the rain will gather in July and August, and the ditches will be full. If it dries up, it can stand still. Therefore, I have heard that gentlemen are ashamed. " We can see that Mencius actually melted Confucius' aesthetic comprehension, even the ultimate understanding of water, and gave water more social ethics. It is significant that different families have different understandings of water.

From Founder Zen to Lights-on Zen, there is also a new understanding of meditation. The so-called light-splitting meditation mainly refers to the meditation after the five factions split the lights. An important feature of this kind of meditation is that it advocates nature, is not artificial, and advocates no practice, no permission, no life and no sex. The understanding of water has entered a new level. Zen master Wei Xin of Qingyuan once said: "Thirty years ago, when the old monk did not participate in meditation, he saw mountains as mountains and water as water. Later, I saw the knowledge with my own eyes and had a place to go. Seeing mountains is not mountains, and seeing water is not water. Now I must have a rest. According to the past, mountains are just mountains and water is just water. " The second stage is to deny our separation. It can be said that everything is empty and everything is the same. The third stage is the negation of the second stage, which is a kind of "separation" realized by denying "no difference" The mind is Buddha, and all beings are Buddha. The idea that I am one with Buddha and that heaven and man are one is actually to maintain its true, fundamental and concrete unity in the true sense. And the existence of this true individuality is the highest state that Zen master wants to achieve in meditation and enlightenment. Yan Wen, the Zen master of Yunmen, also said, "Monks should not dream that heaven is heaven, earth is earth, mountains are mountains, water is water, monks are monks, and vulgarity is vulgar." In this ideological atmosphere, the unrestrained, free and lively nature of water is deeply compatible with Zen, and the discussion of water by Zen masters is no longer limited to the natural attributes of water, not to mention many moral attributes of Fu Hui. For example:

"Lingyin Song Qing Zen Master": Q: What happened when the tauren didn't see his fourth ancestor? The teacher said: green mountains and green waters. Say, how about seeing you later? Green water and green hills.

Master Hong Zhi of Dalongshan: Q: How subtle is it? The teacher said: the wind sends the acoustic pillow, and the moon moves the mountain bed. Q: When the body is corrupt, how to strengthen the dharma body? The teacher said: the mountain flowers are like brocade, and the stream is blue.

"The True Governor Lu Miao Awakens the Taoist Zen Master": The monk asked, "The geese fly over the sky, and the shadows sink into cold water. The goose has no trace of meaning, and the water is not heavy. Nothing? " The teacher said, "It snows on both sides of the reed flower, and the river will flow down one day."

"Danxia Zichun Zen Master in Dengzhou": "Bao Yue's lumen, Chengtan photo. Water has no intention of dipping in the moon, and the moon has no intention of shining. If you forget Shuiyue, you can call it off. "

For questions such as "how about Buddhism" and "how did the ancestors come from the west", the Zen masters' answers are flexible and free, not sticky. Yaoshan only said, "The clouds are in the blue sky and the water is in the bottle." Jiashan kindly said, "The green hills don't move, but the rivers flow." The mountain view Zen master of Yong 'an said: "Bamboo density can't stop flowing water, and mountain height can't stop wild clouds." Master Yao Xing said, "The water in the south is vast and the wind in the north is abundant." Zen master Jing Qin, Shuangfeng, Shaozhou: "Listen to the flowing water behind the temple at night and watch the front mountain of Yun Qi by day." Mingzhou Xuedou knows the master: "It rains all night, and the whole city flows." Hongzhou Baizhangchao Zen Master: "The cave is deep and the clouds come out late, and the meandering water flows late." Many similar remarks are full of vivid vitality, without understanding "Buddha nature", "nirvana" and "truth as" as a silent noumenon, something beyond human beings and life. The flow and relaxation of life have been fully affirmed.

In this seemingly simple attitude towards life, there is actually a critical force. Master Yan Baozong, a Confucian scholar

Said: "The wind is smart and has not left the dust. Put a needle in a bowl of water. The founder has been facing the wall for nine years and has not seen anyone. " "Wind Enlightenment" refers to the famous case-solving of Six Ancestors "not driven by wind, not driven by wind, but by heart". "Pour water into a needle" refers to the story of Dragon Tree and Tipo mentioned earlier. Nine-year Face Wall is about Dharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. The Zen masters all denied it. They never believe in all external authority, but only listen to the inner guidance, that is, "pack up your spirits and be your own masters." This is a very valuable spiritual wealth in China's traditional society, which advocates authority and emphasizes superiority and inferiority.

We can see that the analysis of the meaning of water is actually an excavation of people's hearts. Happy mountain and happy water, talk about Zen, talk about people themselves. As long as we make new discoveries about life, our new understanding of water will not stop.