One child talked about angels, and another child was fascinated and said, "It's good for angels to live in heaven." "What is heaven like?" The man asked. "I don't know what it's like. It's probably better than hell. Otherwise, why do people want to go to heaven after death?" They whispered about the difference between heaven and hell. After listening to their words, I suddenly felt that heaven and hell should not be so far away. Maybe in our lives.
This reminds me of a story in a Zen book. The story goes like this:
A samurai, with superb skills, feels that only by practicing can he understand and get the truth. He doesn't like Zen preachers very much. He thinks it is ridiculous and incredible for a Zen master to sit like that and teach people the so-called truth.
So, he decided to visit a famous Zen master in Bai Yin at that time and ask him if heaven and hell, which people often say, existed.
He proudly came to the Zen master in Bai Yin. Without saluting, he asked, "Is there really a heaven and a hell?" It looks arrogant.
Bai Yin smiled gently and asked, "What do you do?" The samurai held out his chest and said, "I am a samurai."
Bai Yin laughed and said contemptuously, "Are you a samurai?" It looks suspicious. "What kind of person would ask someone like you to be their bodyguard? Look at your appearance, pretend to be like that, but your face is like a beggar, without any samurai spirit. You'd better put down your sword and learn to be a man first. "
A samurai is also a very respected person. How many times have I heard that? A little angry, he put his hand on the hilt and decided that if the Zen master said he had no dignity, he could teach him a lesson.
Bai Yin looked at him without flinching, still looking contemptuous, and continued, "Oh, do you still want to draw your sword?" ? I'm afraid your sword is rusty. Still too blunt to kill an old man like me, let alone a vicious gangster? The person who invited you is really blind. "Say that finish, I shook my head with infinite regret, as if carrying a great heart for others.
The samurai couldn't bear it, and drew his sword to teach the arrogant and ignorant man a good lesson.
Bai Yin haha laughed: "The gate of hell is open!" Look at the samurai without the slightest fear.
The samurai was surprised when he heard the words of the Zen master. He felt that he really violated the spirit of the samurai, and that the Zen master had a deep foundation in Taoism, so he looked at the Zen master in shame.
Bai Yin smiled gently and said, "Are you still you?"
The samurai became more and more ashamed. Yes! As a samurai, you must always know who you are. If you stand in a clear position, you will never be defeated. This is the spirit that a samurai must have, but now he has nothing.
The samurai felt his ignorance, put away his sword in shame and bowed deeply to the Zen master.
"That's how the gates of heaven open." Bai Yin went over and looked at the warrior.
The samurai bowed again.
"Do you understand?" The Zen master asked.
The samurai had nothing to say, nodded and bowed to the Zen master again.
I like this story very much, because the Zen master said it very well and thoroughly, and the samurai is also a man of some understanding, who can wake up in the words of the Zen master. Imagine if the Zen master met a slacker and couldn't listen to him anymore, wouldn't it be a waste of life if he killed him with a sword? Of course not, because if you were really killed, there wouldn't be such a good story, which made us understand a lot.
This is just a story in a book, which has a certain didacticism and expanded the influence of Zen, but it still makes us understand that it has not deviated from life, and anything can be reflected in life, even if it is as far away as heaven and hell.
So, what is the paradise of life? Perhaps what Zen master wants to say is that people should have an enlightened, kind and intelligent heart and know when they can bring joy and beauty to people.
So ... what is the hell of life? I think maybe a person forgot his true self at a certain moment and did something that made others and himself miserable and meaningless for some injustice, and got himself into trouble.
Think again about the heaven and hell that the Zen master said in the story. They are so close that we can't tell them apart. Being so close to an idea really makes people feel that it really needs a kind of wisdom to realize the beauty of life.
Think about myself again, sometimes I take a step to understand my mistakes, but there is no medicine for regret. I really hope that a Zen master can talk to himself, but at that time, can I really be enlightened as soon as possible like a samurai? I dare not say, let alone promise.
Perhaps the preciousness of life lies in that people die too easily and miss the beauty when they grow up! Therefore, we are eager to live in heaven, live carefree, free from cold reception, darkness and torture, and enjoy privacy with the people we love, without regret or pain.
In fact, heaven and hell are the sunshine and darkness in people's hearts. With more sunshine in my heart, everything can be illuminated, many meaningful things can be done, and wonderful life can be brought into play. On the contrary, you will miss and lose a lot.
In fact, think about it, life is slowly distinguishing between heaven and hell, and blooming beautifully when you are alert.
Let our hearts be full of sunshine and live a happy and healthy life in the paradise of life!