Bless you all, Amitabha.
Our Chinese Buddhist practice is the method of practice. It can be said that Zen and the Pure Land are the most convenient and easy to follow the path. Then when Zen Buddhism developed into the Song Dynasty, that is to say, among the Buddhist sects, it almost reached the highlight moment when it became unique. However, due to the change of dynasties after the Song Dynasty, it entered the Yuan Dynasty. It is well known that the Yuan Dynasty, because of its ethnic and cultural differences, mostly advocated Tibetan Buddhism. In this way, on the whole, Han Buddhism in the Yuan Dynasty can be said to have gradually entered a downturn.
But in this depressed situation, there is such a Zen master, who can be said to have used his clear Zen enlightenment, and even the noble character of the prajna and monks to achieve his goal. He impressed an entire dynasty, that is, the Yuan Dynasty.
Several emperors before and after the Yuan Dynasty paid their respects to this great Zen master. They also canonized and conferred titles on several occasions, and even posthumously made him a national master. Under such influence, Mongolia, which originally had only Tibetan Buddhism, and Yunnan, which had Southern Buddhism, actually had the spread of Zen Buddhism, and a number of Zen monks appeared one after another. Let me tell you that this Zen master is Zen Master Zhongfeng Mingben, a native of Hangzhou.
It is often said that famous teachers have produced great disciples since ancient times. His master was Zen Master Gaofeng Yuanmiao, who was an accomplished monk. The most outstanding feature of his life was practicing Buddhism. We know that Tutu means asceticism. He was forced to undergo seventeen years of solitary life and death in Xitianmu Mountain. It can be said that he was also a very extraordinary man among the Zen sects of the Song Dynasty.
Zen Master Zhongfeng Mingben is the most outstanding disciple of the Toutuo Zen Master. He has almost the same character as his master. He has been very poor in his life and is famous all over the world. However, He was afraid of fame in this world. Everyone should know that at that time, many large and powerful officials came to welcome him and inspire him with virtue. As a result, in order to avoid the burden of fame and fortune, Zen Master Zhongfeng Mingben did not have a fixed residence for more than thirty years.
Our Buddhist teachings talk about impermanence. In the time of Buddha, it was also said that a monk could not stay under a tree for more than three days. Therefore, Zen Master Zhongfeng Mingben sometimes lived on a boat, and sometimes he wandered up and down the Yangtze River and both sides of the Yellow River. Sometimes he even found a monastery to live temporarily. Everyone responded and gathered together to talk about the Dharma. , sometimes they are recognized again, and then they leave again. Therefore, the temples and nunneries he built are all called "Huanzhu nunnery".
We are talking about nunnery again. I live in Baihua nunnery now. The nunnery is a typical folk self-organized association to live in, and it is a dojo to live in. Generally, temples are built by imperial decree. Therefore, because he has a very special connection with the Dharma during his travels in the Jiangnan area, such a grassroots folk promotion method has been given a good name by people, called Jiangnan Ancient Buddha.
Of course, when we hear about such a detached Zen master, he must be tense and lifeless, but he is not the kind of ascetic who is completely silent. He also has the clear breeze and bright moon of a Zen person, and the harmony and unimpededness of a great practitioner.
In particular, he had very high attainments in secular literature and calligraphy. It can be said that he was a highly respected spiritual leader by many princes, nobles, celebrities and literati at that time. In other words, when he takes in all living beings, he actually covers all walks of life.
The one I would like to mention is the well-known great calligrapher Zhao Mengfu. Zhao Mengfu and he had a profound relationship as both teachers and friends. They often exchanged letters to discuss Buddhism and exchange their experiences.
Zen Master Mingben also wrote him an article called "Essay on Encouragement", which was actually a kind of admonishment and sermon to him. He said that the ancients achieved this state of Tao through learning and learning. The so-called Zen tea, Zen calligraphy, and Zen poems and songs are all the same. They are real, and there is indeed a Dharma and a Tao.
But he said that those who came after them were no longer good at their time. They had no reputation for learning Taoism, but in fact their hearts were focused on talent, abandoning the basic and chasing the last, and they did not have the true enlightenment of Zen. So he wrote this to encourage Zhao Mengfu, fearing that it would become an obstacle to his path. It can be said that the two of them were close friends on the path. There is also a very high level of Dharma in this world!
Zen Master Zhongfeng Mingben left many quotations, collections, and even thousands of poems and verses throughout his life. He had a profound and extensive influence on later generations of Zen, especially the Pure Land Sect and Amitabha Buddha. .
The 108 "Poems in Praise of the Pure Land" written by him can be said to praise the Pure Land exclusively and partially, and urge the world to seek survival in the West. Let me read a poem to you. He said that there is no law in the Great Dream House, all laws are empty, and there are thousands of differences wherever there is no way. Cause and effect are not chaotic. Looking back at the separation of nature. It means reciting Amitabha, and reciting the corresponding recitation of Amitabha. Nian Nian reopens the white flower. In the future, lotus flowers will be born in the Seven Treasures Pond. Therefore, Mount Putuo, Baihuahua, is also called Xiaobaihua Mountain.
After listening to the poem, everyone hopes that we will also encourage us as Zen Master Zhongfeng Mingben encouraged us in the poem, saying to recite Amitabha as soon as possible to give up the suffering of Saha, recite Amitabha as soon as possible and obtain the Western happiness. This is the true Dharma, the righteous Dharma, and it is also the easiest Dharma to practice and the easiest Dharma to succeed.
Namo Amitabha!