The so-called Zen research refers to actual experience. Research with other real meanings other than experience does not exist. Therefore, there is no real preaching in Zen teaching except for singing. If you ask: What is the experience? What to sing? That is the koan suggested by the ancients. The singing and experience of the koan is the singing and experience of the Buddha's heart. Anything called "Nian Nong" or "Ping Sing" are all public cases; otherwise, there is nothing else. If you try to read the huatou indicated by "Shang Tang" or "Xiao Shen" written by ancient and modern scholars, they are nothing more than public cases; there is no explanation or commentary outside the public cases. In particular, the most abundant Buddhist classics are "Quotations", which are all about the singing and playing of public cases. The verses with a unique Zen style are different from the verses in the classics. The meanings contained in the words are all koan. Zen teachings are promoted by koan in this way, and koan is used consistently. If compared with other religions: each sect has its own scriptures, each has its teachings based on the scriptures, and shows its stance based on the teachings of the scriptures, thus establishing one by one sect; but Zen Buddhism It claims to be a special biography outside the sect, and has no classics to rely on. However, the koan is just like how each sect under the sect relies on the classics. As far as the content is concerned: Of course, each has its own unique points, and they are all inconsistent, but it cannot be said to be completely foreign. There is no law in the koan. According to the experience of everyone in Gude, the special personality is emphasized, so the law of "drink" or "eh" appears. This law is made by one's own family, in order to promote the one's own law. At this time, the unique koan of Zen appeared here, and it became the basic active subject of Zen and became life. Therefore, Zen cannot be understood except for koan.
So, what is the significance of koan? In what sense is the koan the basic active body? Now we must further examine these two issues. Here, it is important to note that the explanation suggested by Xiande is a method of solving the problem. However, Xiande’s explanation is not casually cut off by people today according to their own consciousness. The original intention of the person who prompted the public case is not careless and casual. , so now let’s first examine what the ancients’ explanation was?
‘Someone asked: How could the Buddha be known as the publican by chance? He said: "Gongan" refers to the official records of the government. The place of law, the kingly way to control chaos, really depends on this. The public is the wise man who follows the same path as the sages and the whole world. The case is the main text of the sage's explanation of events. Wherever there is a world, there is no official government. If there is a public government, there is no official document. He takes it as a law and wants to eliminate the injustice in the world. The conduct of public cases is based on the use of principles and laws, and the application of principles and laws will lead to the uprightness of the world; the uprightness of the world will lead to the rule of kings. The opportunity of the husband Buddha is called public case, and the same is true. It is not just one person's conjecture, but the source of the spirit, the understanding of the clear purpose, the transcendence of life and death, and the transcendence of emotions. This is the ultimate principle shared by the scholars of the three generations and ten directions. And it cannot be explained in words, explained in words, explained in words, or understood. Like a drum painted with poison, everyone who hears it will be mourned; like a big fire gathering, it will burn if you stir it up. Therefore, Lingshan said it is called Biezhuan, which refers to this; Shaolin said it is directed to refer to this. Since the North and South divided the sects and the five sects, all the good teachers have followed their teachings and followed their instructions. When the guest knocks and the master responds, when the ox is returned and the horse is returned, he can speak softly and quickly, like lightning that can't cover his ears. . (Omitted in the middle) The person who is known as the elder in the world is the chief official of the jungle government; the person who compiled the lantern collection is the person who recorded the records of his encouragement and singing. The husband's public case: it is the torch of wisdom that holds dim emotions and consciousness; it is the golden grate that cuts through the veil of sight and hearing; it is the sharp ax that cuts off life and death; it is also the Zen mirror that discerns the faces of saints and mortals. The ancestor's intention is clarified by it, and the Buddha's mind is revealed by it. It completely transcends the key points of achieving the same realization, and it cannot go beyond this. '("Zhongfeng Guanglu" "Shanfang Night Talk")
Xiande's explanation is extremely clear, and the true meaning of koan can be said to be thorough; koan is the basic foundation of Zen The main body or life of the koan can also be clearly understood; at the same time, the mission of the koan can also be clearly and concisely indicated. According to this view, it can be said that the publican is the meaning of the "thesis" sung by the late emperors, and this thesis is filled with the truth realized by the sages; therefore, it can be used as a criterion to observe evil Zen and evil Dharma, and to cut off their If it is not correct, I will learn that there is a true method of Zen. The function of the koan is to thoroughly understand the origin of the Dharma and to conform to the wonderful purpose that appeared in the Buddha's state of liberation, so that it can enter the same state as the Buddha. In other words: it lies in the emotion that transcends our consciousness and breaks down the city of life and death built on emotion, so that we can obtain the true wisdom of no life and death and no distinction, and be like the Buddha in the state of playing samadhi. This is what Zhongfeng Xiande mentioned: "The torch of wisdom that candles the dimness of love, the golden grate that cuts through the shadows of sight and hearing, the sharp ax that cuts off life and death, the Zen mirror that discerns the faces of saints and mortals." Xiande mentioned the koan and tested it. Examples of scholars’ enlightenment can be seen everywhere in Zen records. To give a brief example, the Zen Master's topic records a discussion between Master Nianfo and Zen Master Duzhan: "One day, the Zen Master asked the Master: What sect is the Master?" The Master said: Jing Zong. The Zen master asked: How old is Amitabha? The Master said: He is the same age as me. The Zen master asked: How old is the Master? Said: The same year as Amitabha. The Zen master asked: Where is Amitabha now? The Master silently raised his left hand. ’ This is really a good discussion. If you are a person who has "integrated mind and Dharma" and "gained faith", Amitabha will definitely manifest in your body and mind. Is this the case? Is it a saint? This is also the reason why the koan of "Zen Mirror for Appreciating the Holy and the Ordinary" is used to judge by looking up and down the Zen mirror. In addition, the key to understanding the ancestor's state of mind and revealing one's own secrets is hidden in the koan. Therefore, Zen Master Huangbo said: 'Since you are a man, you should read a public case! ’ Zen, because you can see through the koan in this way, and the koan and yourself become an ‘individual body’, the truth can emerge. From this we can also understand how important public cases are.
The quotations of the founders of Zen are records of their inner experience of Zen. They are not only personal biographies, but also descriptions of Buddhism, because for them, people and Buddhism are the same, and people are Buddhism. , Buddhism is people. The opportunity for question and answer between them was later called a public case. What does that mean? Based on the interpretations of "Biyan Lu", "Yunqi Zhengyi Ji", and "Zhongfeng Guanglu" "Shanfang Night Talk", the general idea is: "Gongan is a document of the government, so it can distinguish right from wrong; the ancestors have The language and actions used by the machine are revealed, so the confusion can be judged. ’ In this way, the public case is a metaphor, the ancestor’s instructions are a metaphor, and the metaphors and the metaphors are very consistent.
It is said that there are more than 1,700 public cases contained in "Chuan Leng Lu", but I have never counted them. From these public cases, it is puzzling to see how the ancestors came to learn from them, raining sticks and thunder, rocks, fire and lightning, thorny sentences and hooks, and cliffs. Why can't it be solved? According to my opinion, there are several reasons:
1. Zen barrier
The Zen founders do not seem to have a specific doctrine that they adhere to. They often use it flexibly through enlightenment. The conclusions of other Buddhist sects are used as their starting point to express this indescribable and incredible realm of enlightenment by direct reference or allusion. For an unenlightened person, this kind of Zen philosophy is like an obstacle like a silver mountain and an iron wall, and it is fundamentally impossible to understand. For example:
A. A friend of mine, who is knowledgeable and memorized, came to visit Zen Master Huiming to repay his kindness and discuss the sect vehicle with his opponent. The master said: 'If you talk too much, the road will go further. Now I have something to ask: Just like all the saints and ancestors from above, are there still people who don’t understand? ’ Yan said: ‘If all the saints are virtuous, how can there be anyone who doesn’t understand? ’ The master said: ‘When a person returns to the source of his true self, everything in the ten directions of space will disappear. Today, Mount Tai is like this. How can we disappear? ’ Yan was at a loss. ("Chuan Leng Lu")
Note: One person sent his true message back to the source, and the void in the ten directions disappeared. Several words of death disappeared, and the "Surangama Sutra" came out. This can be said to be subjective idealism. Mountains, rivers, and earth (that is, the objective world) are all manifestations of my heart. When we enter the samadhi of inaction and not a single thought arises, the emptiness in the ten directions will immediately disappear, not to mention this Tiantai Mountain? Master Yan had never realized such Zen principles, so when asked by Zen Master Huiming, he had no choice but to remain speechless.
B. Zen Master Baojue of Xinhuitang, Huanglongzu, talked with Xia (Yi) Gong. When "Zhao Lun" said "all things are one's own" and "emotion and ruthlessness are one and the same", There was a dog lying under the incense table. The master hit the dog with a pressure ruler, and then hit the incense table and said: "The dog will go away if it is sentimental, but the incense table will live in ruthlessness. How can emotion and ruthlessness be integrated?" ’ The public cannot be right. The master said: "If you just start thinking, it will become the remaining dharma. How can you ever understand that all things are for yourself?" ’ ("Zhiyuelu")
"All things are for oneself" and "Emotion and ruthlessness are one" is a mysterious experience. When we experience the truth with our own eyes, the whole universe and myself become one. At this time, there is no distinction between subject and object, everything is lost, and emotion and ruthlessness are integrated. So what is the difference between a dog and a table? Mr. Xia had never had such a mysterious experience, so it was of course unpredictable.
C. A practitioner followed the Dharma Master into the Buddha Hall. The practitioner spat at the Buddha. The Dharma Master said: "Practice rarely go there, why would you spit on the Buddha?" ’ The traveler said: ‘There will be no Buddha to come to meet a certain person. ’ The mage is wrong. ("Chuan Leng Lu")
In this public case, the practitioner has pantheistic thoughts and believes that Buddha is present in everything in the universe. It's a pity that the mage doesn't understand and has nothing to say. Later, Master Yangshandai said in his next turn: "But those who practice spitting". He also said: "If the traveler has any words, he will go to Yi Dao and return to the place where I have no traveler." ’ This means: A practitioner has Buddha-nature, that is, he is a Buddha (but according to logic: there is still a distance between ‘having Buddha-nature’ and ‘becoming a Buddha’.) Where there is no Buddha, there is no practitioner. The practitioner spits on the Buddha, and you spit on the practitioner. This is the method of "treating the other person's body in his own way."
2. Copying obstacles
Copy the language, words or actions of Zen principles (including other related expressions of meaning). This can be divided into symbol barrier, metaphor barrier, proverb (or dialect) barrier, allusion barrier, name barrier, etc. The following are respectively explained:
(1) Symbolic obstacle: No matter it is symbolic language or symbolic action, what it symbolizes is nothing more than Zen principles. Zen principles are embedded in symbols. Understanding Zen principles is of paramount importance, but we must also understand the symbols themselves, otherwise the symbols will become an obstacle.
A. A monk asked Zen Master Zhaozhou Congjian: "When a student enters the jungle, he asks for instructions." ’ Zhou said, ‘Have you eaten porridge yet? ’ said: ‘Eat it. ) Zhou said: "Go and wash the alms bowl." ’ The monk had a great enlightenment after speaking. ("Chuan Leng Lu")
Later, Zen Master Yunmen took out this public case and showed it to the public, saying: 'By the way: Is there any instruction? No instructions? If the Tao gives instructions, ask him what he said? If there is no guidance from the Tao, how can this monk achieve enlightenment? ’ According to my opinion, porridge is a sticky thing, and Zhaozhou taught him to wash the alms bowl, instructing him to detoxify, and detachment means getting rid of attachments.
B. Zen Master Huanglong Huiji visited Yantou for the first time and asked: ‘What is the intention of the Patriarch’s coming to the west? ’ The head said: ‘Are you still going to rescue me? ’ The teacher said: ‘Explanation. ’ The head said: ‘Let’s save him. ’ Later he went to Xuanquan and asked, ‘What is the intention of the Patriarch’s coming to the west? ’ Quan picked up a stem of saponaria and said, ‘Is that so? ’ The teacher said: ‘No. ’ Quan put down the soap locust and made a washing gesture. The master then bowed and said, "Believe and know that there is no difference in the Buddha's Dharma." ’ Quan said, ‘What truth do you see? ’ The master said: ‘A certain person once asked Yantou, and he said: ‘Are you still trying to save the disease? So there is no difference. ’ Quan laughed. The teacher then has provinces.
("Zongjian Falin")
In this public case, Yantou teaches Huanglong to save ■, which is a symbolic language; Xuanquan puts down the soap locust and makes a washing gesture, which is a symbolic action; The meaning is to remove sticky substances, which is the same as Zhaozhou teaching monks to wash porridge bowls.
C. One day, Weishan pointed to the field and said to Yangshan, "That end is so high, and this end is so low." ’ He looked up and said, ‘But this head is high and that head is low. ’ Wei said: ‘You don’t believe it, but stand in the middle and look at both ends. ’ Yang said: ‘You don’t have to stand in the middle, and don’t stay at either end. ’ Wei said: ‘If this is the case, if you look at the water, the water can level things. ’ Yang said: ‘Water is also unstable, but it becomes flat towards high places and flat towards low places. ’ Wei Nai left. ("Zong Jian Fa Lin")
According to the realm of Zen practice, there are three levels: (1) the first level, (2) the second level, and (3) the final level. A fully enlightened person must break through all three levels. For example, passing from the mortal to the holy is the first pass, passing from the holy to the mortal is the important pass, and not being the holy is the prison pass. The Holy One is at the other end, and all the Holy Ones are at this end, and none of the Holy Ones are in the middle. As Yang Shan said, "You don't have to stand in the middle, and you don't have to live at both ends." ’ It symbolizes the state of breaking through all three levels. This is also symbolic language.
D. Shengguang cut off an earthworm with a hammer. Zen Master Xiangzihu Shenli said: "A certain person cut off an earthworm today. Both ends are moving. I don't know where the life is?" ’ Zihu picked up the tadpole and hit the earthworm’s left head, the right head, and the empty center. He threw the tadpole back and returned. ("Quotations of the Ancient Master")
Shengguang asked Zihu: 'Where is the life of the earthworm? ’ Yes, there is still side view. Zihu hit the left head, right head and center of the earthworm with a hammer, suggesting to him that the middle and both ends should be removed. This is a symbolic action.
(2) The metaphor barrier: The founders of Zen often used metaphors to illustrate Zen principles. In addition to understanding Zen principles, we must also understand the metaphor itself, otherwise it will also become an obstacle. For example:
A. Chan Master Mi from the Shenshan Mountain in Tanzhou was traveling to Dongshan when he suddenly saw a white rabbit walking by. Mi said: ‘How handsome! ’ Dong said: ‘What kind of life are you doing? ’ Mi said: ‘It’s as big as wearing white clothes and worshiping the prime minister. ’ Dong said: ‘Old boss, big boss, make these words! ’ Mi said: ‘What are you doing? ’ Dong said: ‘I have accumulated many hairpins and tassels, and I am temporarily depressed. '("Zongjian Falin")
In this public case, the white rabbit is compared to the white clothes. The white clothes are the common people who worship the tomb master directly, which is a metaphor for enlightenment through cultivation. This is the meaning of the monk's secret, but Dongshan But he refuted his statement. Dongshan said: "After accumulating generations of hairpins, I will be temporarily depressed." ’ What he means is: Everyone has Buddha nature, just like a family of officials. They were originally noble, but because they lost sight of their own treasures, they fell into lowliness. Although they are in various shapes, their bones still exist. First of all, you must know your own heart and realize your true nature. This is a method of enlightenment first and then cultivation, which is different from the method of enlightenment through cultivation. (According to this, this was originally the purpose of the Caodong Sect. "The Eyes of Man and Heaven" and "Zongmen Xuanjian Tu" contain odes to the five figures of Caoshan. The first ode in the middle verse says: "Although Bai Yi worships the prime minister, this is not surprising." , Those who accumulate hairpins should not talk about it when they are down. 'Note: 'When I first realized this principle, I stood up. ? ’ Shuang said, ‘It’s like a person in a thousand-foot well. If you can find this person without even a single inch of rope, you will be able to answer your question about coming from the west. ’ The monk said: ‘Monk Chang Chang was born in Hunan recently, and he also spoke Eastern languages ??and Western languages. ’ Shuang called the novice monk: ‘Pull out this dead body! ’ The novice monk looked up to the mountain. He looked up and asked Danyuan: "How to get the man out of the well?" ’ Danyuan said: ‘Hey, you idiot! Who is in the well? ’ He looked up and asked Weishan, Wei called: ‘Huiji! ’ (According to Huiji’s name, Yangshan Dharma) Yangyingnuo. Wei said: "Come out." ’ ("The Legend of the Lamp")
The man in the well is a metaphor for our true nature. Patriarch Bodhidharma came from the West to the East with the purpose of teaching people to see their true nature. But the self-nature is the essence, which is formless and formless, and cannot be expressed. We can only borrow manifestations. Weishan summons Huiji, and Huiji answers the promise. Isn't this the function of one's own nature?
C. Doctor Lu ■, the governor of Xuanzhou, asked Zen Master Nanquan: "The ancients raised a goose in a vase. The goose gradually grew bigger and could not come out of the vase." Nowadays, the vase is not allowed to be destroyed and the goose is not allowed to be damaged. How can a monk be born? ’ Nan Quan called: ‘Doctor! ’■Promise. Nanquan said: "Come out." ’■From then on, I opened the solution and thanked him politely. ("Quotes from the Royal Selection")
This koan is similar to the previous one. But while the previous one was a simile, this one is a metaphor, which is a bit different in terms of metaphor categories.
(3) Proverbs (or dialect) barriers: Zen koans are often mixed with dialects or proverbs from the Tang and Song Dynasties. Some dialects and proverbs have been lost for a long time and cannot be researched, or their meanings are even unclear. Although this has no major purpose, it is also a literary obstacle. For example:
A. Zhaozhou Congcheng asked the monk Touzi: "How does it feel to be alive after death?" ’ Touzi said: ‘You are not allowed to travel at night. You must arrive at dawn. ’ Zhou said: ‘My lord is white in the early morning, and black in the yigeng. ’ ("Chuan Leng Lu")
Zen Buddhism calls entering the realm of Nirvana as "the great death", and turning around from the realm of Nirvana (to the sea of ??life and death to save all living beings) is called "resurrection after death". Zhaozhou asked Touzi about this, intending to take the opportunity to test him. In fact, ‘great death’ and ‘resurrection’ can only be known by oneself, so why bother testing others? Touzi was a man of good knowledge, so he replied to Zhaozhou: "You are not allowed to travel at night. Toouzi must arrive at dawn." ’ The state of Nirvana can be reached without moving. Zhaozhou has been visited. A person is a person who has turned around from the realm of Nirvana, but Touzi said that he had not arrived yet and taught him to return to the realm of Nirvana. In other words, Zhaozhou asked Touzi: How is it when you go from being a saint to a mortal? But Touzi told him: he must transform from mortal to holy. This is the habitual technique of the founders of Zen Buddhism to "pull out nails and pull out wedges". So Zhao Zhounai said: "I will be white in the early morning, and black in the early morning."
’ What do these two sentences mean? (In many Zen classics, it is misinterpreted, and even Hou Bai Hou Hei is written as monkey white and monkey black. The recent Ding Fubao's "Buddhist Dictionary" and the Japanese Morohashi Tetsugu's "Dahanwa Dictionary" are rich in content. Hou Bai, Hou Hei, are all missing.) Its source is in Qin Shaoyou's "Huaihai Collection". There is an article by Shaoyou titled "Two Marquises". The original text is as follows:
When I heard that there were Hou Bai, there were countless people in Shanyin, and the people in the countryside hated him and were afraid of him, and no one dared to compare with him. One day, a young woman named Hou Hei was walking by the roadside. She pretended to be missing something, so she asked her about it. Hei said: "Unfortunately, Er fell into the well. It is worth a hundred gold. If you can get it, you should give half of it as thanks." Master, are you alone and unintentional? ’ Bai Liangjiu planned and said: ‘That woman died in Er, but if she gets Er, she will be dead, so don’t give her to her. ’ Because of Xu Zhi, he took off his clothes next to the well and let them down. The blackness and whiteness reached the water, so he took all his clothes and removed them urgently. He didn’t know what he had painted on them. Therefore, I now hear people calling Xiang Tsai, saying: "I have been waiting for white, and Yi Geng is waiting for black." ’
It can be seen from the above that Zhaozhou used these two Fujian proverbs to mean: ‘I originally wanted to make money from him, but unexpectedly, he made money from me. ’ If we haven’t investigated the meaning of these two Fujian proverbs, who can say that we have understood this public case?
In addition, there are errors in scriptures (including Buddhist scriptures), name-phase obstacles, etc. You will understand them as long as you consult a dictionary, so we will omit them here.
In short, the koan of the founders of Zen is the core of Zen. To see through the heart of Zen, we must break through the barriers of Zen theory and imitation. Just like when we see through the core of the body, we must use X-rays to break through the skin, bones, and flesh. obstacles are the same. Once upon a time, there was a public case: Jingnan Jiedu envoy Cheng Rui sent generals to Yunju Mountain to deliver offerings to Zen Master Daoying, and asked: "The World Honored One has a secret message, Kasyapa does not hide it." What are the secret words of the Lord? ’ Ying Zhao said: ‘Shang Shu! ’ The man promised. Ying said: ‘Is it possible? ’ said: ‘No. ’ Ying said: ‘If you don’t know how, the World-Honored One has a secret message; if you know how, Kasyapa will not hide it. '("The Legend of the Lamp")
Same reason: If you don't have eyes that can see through Zen theory and imitation like X-rays, the koans of the ancestors will also be secret words to you; conversely, if you have Like X-rays, eyes that see through Zen psychology and imitation, the koan of the founders will not be hidden from you.