This intense anxiety is obviously related to my professional experience. /kloc-started his career at the age of 0/8. In my 42-year journalism career, whenever there is a major news event, I will participate directly or indirectly in the rear when I am not in front. It goes without saying that I was a front-line reporter for the first ten years, and then I became an editor, so I have to participate in editing, reviewing manuscripts and writing comments. It is impossible to stay completely out of it. During the Wenchuan earthquake, I worked the night shift; I wrote an inscription when I was fighting SARS. How can you be so worried about rubbing your hands and stamping your feet on the screen? No way, you have retired and left the city where you work. It's really "far away from the rivers and lakes", so you don't have to ask important news ahead. When I realized this, I couldn't help but feel a sense of loss: a scholar, in this crisis, can neither help the poor like a medical staff nor help the poor like a volunteer, and even the only thing he is good at is no longer useful. This "useless" frustration instantly turned into a kind of unspeakable depression, which could not be solved or eliminated, and only frowned and took it to heart.
In those days, tossing and turning, sleepless nights, the only thing I can do is to wander in the circle of friends with my mobile phone. Suddenly, a message came into view, which was sent by a monk friend, saying that the monks in this temple wanted to "pray for the scriptures" for Wuhan and Hubei. In a flash, my heart thumped-since I can pray by chanting, what about copying the scriptures? It suddenly occurred to me that Zhang, a calligrapher friend who specializes in writing Confucian classics, once told me that in the eyes of Buddhists, everything is for Confucian classics. The merit of copying classics is more on the provision of classics. Yes, although our calligraphy is not as good as that of a master, at least we have been apprentices since childhood. We have studied with Mr. Ning Shulun, a famous scholar in Tianjin, for more than 40 years, and there is no problem copying classics. Besides, as long as it is sincere, writing well depends on the level, and wishing for blessings is a piece of ice heart that can be used for reference. What are you doing? Buddhas and Bodhisattvas should be able to see it. ...
This is an idea, Dalang. Although I am not a Buddhist, in order to show sincerity, I decided to cut my hair and change clothes, burn incense and bathe, collect my mind and recite the scriptures respectfully. It was the Lantern Festival, February 8th.
"Useless scholar, vowed to copy the scriptures. Only when the haze is swept away will the world become clear. " This is a poem that I improvised after I swore to copy the scriptures, and it is also a true portrayal of my mood at that time. The first scripture is the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra which I am most familiar with. The paper I used to copy the scriptures was also specially made for the Heart Sutra. In the center of the square paper, there is a sketch of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and the number of squares printed on the paper is exactly the same as the number of words in Heart Sutra.
I forwarded this first copy by taking photos. Send it to a few familiar Hubei friends first, with a few words of Lantern Festival greetings: "Lantern Festival, close the door. Copy the heart sutra and worship Guanyin. Pray for all beings and avoid the plague. Keep safe and welcome the new year. " To my surprise, these "nine-headed birds" reacted strongly and replied sincerely, far exceeding my expectation-they wrote "Zen love", "kindness and piety", "thank you for your piety" and "I cried when I saw your kindness in copying scriptures" ...
I seem to have received an invisible "blessing", and friends who replied to these messages one by one: "Scholars are useless and can only do what they can. I made a big wish to copy the scriptures every day and pray for all my friends in the epidemic area, including you! I believe that as long as you are willing enough, you can always touch God! " In order to show my determination to my friends, I also sent them a selfie with my head shaved.
(2)
The second scripture I copied was Tong Yuan, a Bodhisattva, which I am familiar with, and its length is comparable to that of the Heart Sutra.
It is necessary to say a few more words here-because my daughter Hou Yuesi went to Japan to study Buddhist art, our family was influenced by it and began to collect some works of art related to Buddhist art, one of which was a bodhisattva statue carved with wood. In addition, a few years ago, Li Jin held a series of exhibitions "I Expand My Home" in various places. Some of the rubbings of Buddha statues she printed need inscriptions, and I have copied "Tong Yuanzhang" many times. As a result, I became familiar with this passage-after copying this chapter, I thought it was obviously too narrow to send the newly copied passage to friends in Hubei, so I simply sent it to the circle of friends on WeChat, so that all friends who could see it could join hands to bless the front line of the Anti-Japanese War.
My mind is suddenly enlightened again-although I can't go to the front to fight the "epidemic", I can copy the classics widely, and pray for the front-line medical staff and all my loved ones to fight the "epidemic" in the circle of friends, for the land of Jingchu shrouded in plague, for the sick patients and their families all over the country, and even for the safety and health of the whole world. ...
From this thought, I suddenly feel that although I am in a small room, I have a deep attachment to Jingchu, with my heart attached to the people and my heart attached to Guangyu. Even that little hair cone adds magic and aura. I know that this is the psychological effect caused by the "giving" of religious holiness, just like giving the extraordinary to the ordinary, giving the Excellence to the ordinary, and injecting positive factors into negative emotions.
Since then, I have started my own journey of copying classics. Although every day is busy and trivial, you must spare one and a half to two hours to concentrate on writing books, spreading paper and ink, washing your hands and burning incense, and copying behind your back first. The scriptures copied every day are the homework done the night before-Buddhist scriptures, which are voluminous. I supported a whole set of the Qianlong Tripitaka in Shenzhen, and I usually read several volumes. However, now that I am in Beijing, I can't solve my thirst in the distance. Fortunately, my daughter has a lot of Buddhist classics on the bookshelf because of the professional needs of Buddhist art, which finally solved my urgent need.
This time, the reproduction of classics is strictly limited by material conditions. For example, there is a limit to the number of words on copy paper, and each copy cannot exceed 288 words. However, if there are few short and pithy scriptures like Heart Sutra and Tong Yuan Chapters, and most Buddhist scriptures are carefully worded, I can only select a section with clear theme and appropriate length from a large number of scriptures in advance as a backup text for copying the scriptures the next day. This makes the desk homework every night very important. Whenever the children fall asleep in turn, I go into the study and start reading the Bible. It often happens that once I plunge into the profound Buddhist cultural park, I will forget my joy and never come back. As a result, the text that was originally copied from scripture gradually evolved into a night school specializing in studying Buddhist scriptures and thinking about philosophical issues. Many Buddhist works that have only been heard before and have never been carefully read have gradually entered the door this time to explore their origins. This is no less than the unexpected gain that I got from swearing to copy the scriptures this time.
Of course, as far as copying classics is concerned, it is also a review and experience of my own calligraphy skills. When I first came into contact with calligraphy, I learned Yan Zhenqing's regular script and Su Dongpo's running script. Later, I studied under Mr. Ning Shulun, focusing on Wang Xizhi's Preface to Lanting and Preface to Saint Education. Mr. Ning's best calligraphy style is Zhao Mengfu. In this way, I have studied Zhao Ti for many years, from "Danba Monument" to "Luo Shen Fu", and I have written it many times. Zhao Mengfu also copied many scriptures, and the one I learned the most was the Heart Sutra he copied with a handsome running script. As for "Writing Classics", I remember that in the early 1980s, Shanghai Calligraphy magazine published an album "Writing Classics in the Tang Dynasty". As soon as I saw it, I immediately wrote at my desk, and my pen was imitated by God, so I had a preliminary understanding of "writing classics". This time, I made a vow to copy the scriptures, and the previous artistic accumulation was activated. Move your wrist every day to drive your fingers, meditate and look closely, find a beautiful form in the pointillist, and experience the charm of ink and wash in the subtle lines. It can be said that this trip to copy classics is a calligraphy practice that I have written the most, experienced the most and gained the most in many years. In the past, I always used busyness as an excuse to ignore the art of calligraphy, so that I became more and more alienated from the aesthetic feeling of writing. However, this trip to copy the classics has brought me back my long-lost aesthetic feeling of writing and creative pleasure.
(3)
It is really strange to say that since the daily lesson of copying classics was held, the anxiety, irritability and resentment that were difficult to get rid of before have been virtually improved; Sometimes it will lead to blood boiling and indignation, and the ever-present shadow-like depression will gradually weaken with the beauty of daily immersion in the flow of stippling.
Isn't it? When you feel the beauty of calligraphy in Linchi writing and immerse yourself in Zen, your soul is baptized unconsciously and your spirit is purified in silence; Your mind is released into the vast sky, and your mind is extended to the boundless horizon ... Naturally, your mood becomes clearer and your vision becomes wider and wider; You are no longer bound by the current confusion, and you are no longer worried about the unpredictability of the future. Because you believe that the low road has its own internal macro-order; Great changes hide the mystery of operation. When things are difficult, just wait; People in adversity, only self-improvement!
Day after day, I copied the classics. Copy each article and publish it immediately. The internet extends infinite power, so that friends from all directions can meet God and feel my sincerity; The network conveys the voices of friends and relatives, so that friends thousands of miles away for many years come to bless my wishes. There is instant feedback after each release, some like it, and some leave messages. At first, I received more praise for calligraphy. If my old colleague Hugh said, "Calligraphy is so elegant, smart and beautiful, and copybooks are so beautiful!" If Deng Jiaxiang, an old friend in London, said, "The Duke's calligraphy is becoming more and more successful, it is gratifying. It is even more rare to have a quiet meditation. " Followed by a Zen-like admiration. As Yao, a tea friend, said, "Copying merits belongs to all beings." For example, old colleague Yang Junhao: "A sincere heart can be used as a mirror." For example, Dong Chaojun, an old friend, said, "The Buddha said that it is good to live and respect all beings." Of course, many friends expressed their appreciation for my own copying of scriptures. If Academician Xu Yangsheng, President of Hong Kong University (Shenzhen University), praised me for "peace of mind, not bad!" For example, Zhao Zongbiao, deputy editor-in-chief of Taizhou Daily, left a message: "All documents are good, bodhisattvas have a heart, and scholars have feelings." Han, a famous essayist in Beijing and China, even noticed the subtle changes in fonts during copying: "Copying classics today has flattened many strokes. Heart, one string has no phase. " Wangtong, a primary school classmate in Tianjin, wrote a speech: "A 6 1 year-old man copies scriptures every day to pray for everyone. The handwriting is clear and neat, steady and proper, scrawled and calm as water. Thank you for copying Jing Jun! " ……
Every day, I receive these encouragement and blessings from all directions, and my perseverance and willingness are getting stronger and stronger. What is more gratifying is that with the joint efforts of the government and people of Qixin, unity is the city; With angels in white risking his life to fight the epidemic bravely, the epidemic situation in the whole country gradually eased with the pace of spring, and the menacing Jingchu disease began to fade step by step. Every morning when I see the news that the epidemic situation is improving, I feel in a good mood. Although reason tells me that all this has nothing to do with me, emotions do not accept the bondage of reason, and always subconsciously believe that all this has some mysterious relationship with my vows to copy scriptures.
At this time, I am willing to accept this "mysterious theory of karma"-since you were "endowed" with strength from the beginning by religious holiness, now you have completed your homework as you wish and gradually saw the expected result when you made your wish. As a reward for this sacred "gift", you naturally need to find a psychological basis to stabilize your mentality-this is not so much superstition. Isn't the purpose of copying scriptures to pray for the people? When you finally hope that this vision will come true, how can you not feel happy and happy, but be proud of it from the heart!
(4)
Copy the scriptures on March 6. From the fable of "The Blind Touch the Elephant" in the Great Nirvana Sutra.
With the improvement of the epidemic situation, my journey of copying classics has become increasingly relaxed, and the selection of classics has intentionally or unintentionally added a bit of humor. I found that the original impression of the difficult and serious Buddhist scriptures actually has an approachable, relaxed and humorous side. For example, on March 2nd, I copied a passage "The Buddha told Ananda a story" from the Book of the Cause of Wisdom and Fool. On March 6, the fable of "the blind touch the elephant" in the Great Nirvana Sutra was extracted. One day, when I was reading the Bible, I came across a grand occasion describing "the Buddha became a monk and returned to China" in "Pu Jing Yao". One of the proverbs made my eyes shine, and I immediately decided secretly: when this trip to copy the Bible is completed, I will end with this passage.
On March 1 1, the day before the relevant departments officially announced that "the current epidemic peak in China has passed", I solemnly copied this passage full of joy and expectation, and added such a quotation when forwarding it to my circle of friends.
Jingchu land, cherry blossoms are in full bloom; In the battle against the epidemic, the dawn is ahead. Copy the scriptures and pray for blessings, and the merits are complete. Today, I specially selected a passage from "Bodhisattva", wishing all people in the world: "The blind should see, the deaf should listen, the people should be detained, the sick should be treated, the dumb should speak, the madman should stand upright, and the bender should stretch. If they are poisoned, the poison will not work, and all the birds and animals will mourn ... "
This trip to copy the scriptures and pray for blessings begins on February 8 and ends on March 1 1, with 33 days (articles). These scriptures will be a special treasure of "collecting memories" and will always be treasured in my heart. Thank you for your company for more than a month. This experience of copying classics is bound to become an experience that I will often recall and relive in the future. Perhaps, a few years later, when I look back, I can comfort myself like this: "I was on the night shift during the Wenchuan earthquake;" When fighting SARS, I wrote an inscription; When the Boxers fought the epidemic, I copied the scriptures and prayed ... "