Chapter 38 Virtue without virtue
original text
Virtue is not virtue, but virtue; Virtue without losing it (2) means no virtue (3). Suntech does things without thinking (4); Thinking without doing anything (5). Ren Shang did not consider this; Shangyi has thought it over. If the ceremony doesn't respond, throw your arm. So, you lose your virtue, you lose your virtue, then you lose your benevolence, then you lose your righteousness, then you lose your righteousness. Those who are polite to their husbands are loyal and the first in troubled times. If you had known it before, it would have been a brilliant and stupid beginning for Tao. Therefore, a gentleman is thick but not thin; Actually, it is not in China. So shoot this somewhere else.
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People with "virtue" do not show external virtue, so they actually have "virtue"; People with "virtue" show external "Tao", so there is no "virtue" in fact. People with "virtue" conform to nature without intention, while people with "virtue" conform to nature with intention. The benevolent has no intention, but the righteous has intention. The saluter tried to do something but didn't respond to him, so he raised his arm and forced others to lead him. Therefore, without morality, there must be virtue, without virtue, there must be benevolence, without virtue, there must be righteousness, and without righteousness, there must be courtesy. "Li" is the product of the lack of loyalty and is the beginning of disaster. The so-called "prophet" is nothing but the void of "Tao", from which ignorance begins to emerge. Therefore, a gentleman is sincere but not shallow; Simple heart, not wasted. Therefore, we should abandon shallowness and vanity and adopt simplicity and honesty.
To annotate ...
(1) There is no virtue without virtue: there is no virtue, and it is not expressed as "virtue" in form. The meaning of this sentence is that virtuous people do not show formal virtue because they let nature take its course.
(2) Being virtuous without losing virtue: People with virtue adhere to the formal "virtue", that is, they do not break away from the formal virtue.
(3) No virtue: No real virtue can be embodied.
(4) Suntech does everything without thinking: with heart and purpose. No thought, that is, no intention to act. Virtuous people conform to nature and have no intention of doing it.
(5) Thinking without doing anything: This sentence corresponds to the previous sentence, that is, virtuous people are willing to act naturally and intentionally.
(6) throwing at the arm: grab the arm and stretch the arm; Throwing means strong traction.
(7) thin: not thin enough.
(8) first: start, start.
(9) Prophet: Prophet, seer.
(10) Hua: Xu Hua.
(1 1) What I want: stand firm and simple.
(12) Thin: refers to the decline of etiquette.
For example, Liang Wudi and Dharma talk about Zen.
The concept of governance. Cherish and respect human life. He issued a decree that in any death penalty case, the prisoner refused to accept the permission to appeal and defend himself, and the death penalty could only be executed after he personally examined and approved it, and no one had the right to kill. This has reduced and avoided many unjust, false and wrong cases. It is said that whenever he reviews these death penalty cases, his mood is very heavy, full of pity, even tears, and his love for life is beyond words.
The greatest thing Liang Wudi did when he believed in Buddhism was to give his life to Tongtai Temple (now Nanjing Jiming Temple) for four times, regardless of his power, national security and the opposition of courtiers. What gave him life? Not only give up the authority and dignity of the emperor, but also give up your body and become a monk in the temple (it should be said that it is the most thorough abandonment). His amazing move really posed a problem for the minister of the Qing Dynasty. Since ancient times, has anyone abandoned the emperor who millions of people dreamed of becoming a monk? Fortunately, no one who is an official in the imperial court is a layman. The bigger the official, the smarter, the smarter, and the more scheming: what is there to worry about if the emperor doesn't become an emperor or a monk? If it is abdication or abdication, he has not publicly announced his successor! It seems that he still wants to be emperor, which may be a test for ministers. I declare myself emperor. How did you perform? If there is an affair, won't it be exposed? Therefore, the wily ministers who are famous for their prudence have come up with a perfect solution. Since your majesty's body has been given to Tongtai Temple, for the sake of peace, everyone is happy, so we have to redeem it with money. This is not only the face of Liang Wudi, but also the honor of Tongtai Temple, because getting this money can better develop the Buddhist cause. To tell the truth, what is Liang Wudi's real intention to give up living in Tongtai Temple? This is an eternal mystery, and many wise men in ancient and modern times can't guess the answer. Of course, we can't let the ancients talk, so we have to be suspicious. The only hope seems to be known only by Liang Wudi.
Because Liang Wudi governed the country according to the classic Buddhist thought and adopted many policies and measures to care about people's livelihood and seek happiness for the people, the country's political stability and economic development showed a situation of unity and peace, and this auspicious cloud even drifted overseas. As Yuan Wu Keqin said in the first volume of Biyan Record in the Song Dynasty, "When Dharma saw the root of Mahayana here, it crossed the sea", which means that Dharma was very happy to learn that Mahayana Buddhism was spread in East India, so it crossed the sea to the east.
Dharma (528 or 536), also referred to as "Dharma", is a South Indian, the ancestor of Zen in China. Zen is the transliteration abbreviation of Zen in Sanskrit DbYane. It was originally translated as "ideological cultivation" and "abandoning evil", and later it was usually translated as "meditation": "determination" means that the mind focuses on a situation without chaos. Speaking of Zen, if you want to find the root, you must start with the Buddhist story: Tathagata, Ye Jia, Smile. According to legend, Sakyamuni Buddha presided over the Dharma Meeting at Jiu Feng, the spirit of Shecheng, the king of ancient India, and thousands of people gathered under the Buddha's seat to show it. The Buddha just held a golden fragrant flower in his hand and was speechless. The public didn't know what the Buddha meant, but Mahakaya, one of the ten disciples of the Buddha, smiled. As soon as the Buddha saw it, he immediately announced to the public: "I am dharma-abiding, invisible, nirvana, unreal, subtle in practice, without words and teachings, and I have entrusted Mahayana." And make a cloud: "The law cannot be done, but it cannot be done." How do you use the law when you can't pay back the money today? "After the Dharma, the Buddha took Ye Jia to Duozi Tower, ordered Ye Jia to ascend the throne, and put the golden thread of Sangjiali on Ye Jia. I have told you again and again that you should protect it and pass it on to the future, and you can't let it rot. This is the story of Zen Buddhism's "double teaching of clothes and methods". Mahakaya became the ancestor of western Zen, and it is said that Dharma is the 28th ancestor of western Zen.
Dharma traveled across the ocean to China to spread Indian Buddhism and Zen Buddhism. He brought a cotton cassock, saying it was an ancestral certificate of Zen Buddhism. The essence of Dharma Zen is to simplify Mahayana Zen and Mahayana Zen, which were originally introduced to China from Indian Mahayana Buddhism, and put forward the practice methods of "rational entry" and "practical entry". Fate is also called "wall view" or "sitting view", that is, sitting quietly on the wall to achieve the realm of "abandoning the false and returning to the true" and "nothing more than oneself". It is said that Dharma once sat quietly on the wall of Shaolin Temple for nine years and remained silent all day. At that time, people called it "Brahman on the wall". Behaviors include "complaining behavior" (giving up all resistance psychology), "following fate behavior" (giving up the psychology of distinguishing right from wrong), "inaction behavior" (giving up all demands and wishes) and "acting according to Buddha", which can achieve "pointing directly at people's hearts and understanding Buddha's nature".
Dharma came to Guangzhou on September 21st, the seventh year of Liang Dynasty (526). At that time, Xiao Ang, the secretariat of Guangzhou, was also a Buddhist. He warmly welcomed the arrival of Dharma and reported to Liang Wudi in time. Liang Wudi was very happy when he heard that Dharma was a Buddhist monk in India. He immediately ordered Xiao Ang to send someone to escort Dharma to Nanjing. On October 1, 2008, Dharma arrived in Nanjing. After a short rest, Liang Wudi cordially met him and discussed the relationship between ancient Indian Buddhism and Zen Buddhism, which is recorded in many Buddhist classics. Now, an excerpt from Five Lights is as follows:
The emperor asked, "Since I acceded to the throne, I have been building temples and writing scriptures, but learning from monks can't win discipline. What merits have I made? " The ancestors said, "There is no merit". The emperor said, "Why is there no merit?" Zu said, "Everything has a reason, just like the shadow, although it is not true." The emperor said, "What is true merit?" The founder said, "Pure wisdom is wonderful, but my body is empty. If it is merit, don't seek the world. " The emperor asked again, "What is the first meaning of the imperial edict?" The ancestors said, "the outline is not sacred." The emperor said, "Who is my man?" Zu said, "I don't know." The emperor doesn't understand. The ancestors knew the timing was wrong. It was September 19, and they sneaked back to Jiangbei.
According to my shallow understanding of Zen, this passage of Dharma and Liang Wudi on Zen mainly has the following five meanings: First, Liang Wudi asked Dharma, since I became emperor, I have written Buddhist scriptures, built Buddhist temples, trained and developed monks, and at the same time, I have done more good deeds, made good marriages and kept myself clean. May I ask what are the advantages? According to the secular view, there should be great merits. Ordinary believers, even if they are afraid to put a penny into the merit box of the Buddhist temple, say that they have merits, and Liang Wudi has invested so much money. ! To the surprise of ordinary people, Dharma actually said, "These have no merit." . Second, Liang Wudi was puzzled, so he questioned and asked, "Why is there no merit?" This is related to the understanding of the concept of "merit". Dharma said: "These are just worldly blessings, because blessings are different from merits, and goodness is omitted in external practice, just blessings. If you can't prove yourself, there will be no merit. " So, charity, chanting Buddha, building temples, etc. Although all people do good deeds, they can get karma, but there are blessings and no merits. In the end, it is impossible to leave the sea of life and death, as Huineng, the sixth ancestor of Zen, said in the Tanjing. Confessions: "Charming cultivation of blessings is not monasticism, only that cultivation of blessings is Tao;" There is no end to giving, and three evils are created in the heart. It is planned to cultivate blessings and eliminate crimes, and the blessings of future generations are still there. " How can I become a Buddha? Thirdly, Liang Wudi went on to ask, "What is true merit? In order to practice Buddhism? " Buddhism said: "The real merit is' pure and wise, empty body', that is to say, being able to see the truth from one's own nature is a merit, and all beings can see the virtue equally. There is no delay between thoughts, and it is as natural as it is, and it has its own real wonderful use. This is merit. Merit is in the dharma body, not in the matter of cultivating happiness. Bottom line: the heart is the Buddha, and the Buddha is in the heart. Merit depends on inner cultivation, being clear-minded and seeing nature, and achieving positive results. If the mind feels dust is sentient beings, and if the heart feels dust is Buddha, it will reach the highest realm of eternal spirit. Fourthly, Liang Wudi asked, "What is the first realm of the highest truth of a Taoist? "? Buddhism said: "Realm is not a realm, and the world is unbounded. The world is a realm of no phase and no holy road. " Fifth, Liang Wudi was at a loss, so he asked Dharma aggressively, "Since there is no holiness, who is the person talking to me now? " !" He knew that in Dharma's eyes, "nothing". What emperors are there? ! Even so, Buddhism is still a bodhisattva, guiding the situation, pointing out the maze and saying, "I don't know." What a Zen-filled answer! It means: I am not me, and you are not you. The world is empty, harmonious, quiet and mysterious. "King Kong Prajna Sutra" said: "All phases are illusory, and all phases are separated, that is, the names of the Buddhas." If Liang Wudi can realize this, his merits will be complete. Unfortunately, Liang Wudi is persistent and hopeful, Jaken is in his heart, and he doesn't know the real legitimacy. Dharma now knew that he could not transform the emperor, so he bid farewell to the posthouse.
Dharma stayed in Jinling for a few days and visited Xiao, a flying white calligraphy written by the famous calligrapher Xiao Ziyun on the wall of Xiao Temple. He looked at the wall for a long time and was deeply shocked by the magic of China's calligraphy. Then he quietly walked out of the city and came to the Yangtze River. I saw the autumn wind blowing, and the reeds on the shore fluctuated with the wind. He picked a reed and threw it into the river, flew to the river, and his foot just landed on the reed pole. I saw a reed pole like a boat, sailing to Jiangbei through the wind and waves.
Looking at the river on the reed pole, Dharma couldn't help thinking of the parting advice given to him by the twenty-seventh ancestor Prajna Dorota: "After crossing the water, you will meet sheep again. You live alone and cross the river secretly. Two elephants are pitiful, and two tender osmanthus flowers last for a long time. " I landed in Yangcheng last year and sneaked across the river today. As master said.
After several days of meditation, Liang Wudi realized something, so he sent for Dharma. When people arrived at the post office, they did not see Dharma, saying that they had gone to the river. Chasing to the river, I saw that Dharma had reached the river, with his feet on the reeds, leisurely, long-sleeved in the wind, and it was too late to regret. Since then, it has left the eternal myth of "Dharma crossing the river with a reed".