Bodhi has no tree, and the mirror is not a stand.
There is nothing there, so how can it cause dust.
——Tang Dynasty (Huineng)
Wang Wei’s Zen poems and Zen practice
It is often said by later generations that "poetry and Zen are the same, and there is no difference." ". Poetry, poetic thoughts, Zen interest and Zen ideas are inherently easy to blend. Especially in the Tang Dynasty of my country, influenced by the prosperity of poetry in society, Zen monks often used verses in enlightenment, teaching, and general discussions and questions. This further illustrates the close connection between Zen and literature. From the perspective of poetry creation, the traditional "poetry expresses ambition" and "poetry is related to love and beauty". But whether it is expressing one's ambitions or fate, they all use the language of the soul. Therefore, in a sense, the Zen theory of "seeing one's nature" will inevitably affect the poetry world.
Wang Wei’s Zen Practice and Zen Poems
Chinese Zen Buddhism has a strong literary nature, and Zen literature contains quite a lot of literary elements. It can be said that the development of Zen Buddhism is closely related to literature. Close relationship, had an important impact on each other. Zen in literature has a unique and important expression in the content and form of Chinese literature. Chinese Zen culture more clearly reflects the characteristics of traditional Chinese thought and culture.
The core of Zen theory is the theory of "seeing nature", that is, the original nature of all living beings is pure and complete; by intervening from the original nature, one can become a Buddha; only "one's own nature can be saved" without the need for Seek outward. This is a further development of the "original purity of mind" theory of Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism's "all Buddha-nature" and "Tathāgatagarbha" thoughts. It is also a further development of the Buddhist mind-nature theory and the traditional Chinese theory of human nature (mainly the Confucian theory of "good nature"). ) are the product of fusion. This theoretical thought of Zen Buddhism must have an inextricable connection with literature.
In fact, as later generations often say, "Poetry and Zen are the same, but there is no difference." Poetry, poetic thoughts, Zen interest and Zen ideas are inherently easy to blend. Especially in the Tang Dynasty of my country, influenced by the prosperity of poetry in society, Zen monks often used verses when enlightening, teaching, and generally discussing questions and answers. This further illustrates the close connection between Zen and literature. From the perspective of poetry creation, the traditional "poetry expresses ambition" and "poetry is related to love and beauty". But whether it is expressing one's ambitions or fate, they all use the language of the soul. Therefore, in a sense, the Zen theory of "seeing one's nature" will inevitably affect the poetry world. Creation in the Tang Dynasty gradually prospered from the beginning of the Tang Dynasty to the prosperous Tang Dynasty, forming a situation where hundreds of flowers were blooming. This echoed the development of Zen Buddhism and showed that the two had similar ideological backgrounds. There were many poets in the prosperous Tang Dynasty who were keen on Zen, such as Wang Wei, Du Fu, Li Bai, etc. They are all typical in their practice of Zen as a poet or in their combination of poetry and Zen. Of course, their expressions are different. Yang Juyuan, a poet of the mid-Tang Dynasty, said in his poem:
The origin of silence lies in Yuansi, and searching for strange things will lead to Zen wisdom.
Wang Wei was in the water and the moon when he was certified, and Du Fu was crazy and left the world behind.
The people of the Tang Dynasty had already seen the huge influence of Zen on the creations of Wang Wei and Du Fu. In the history of Chinese poetry, Wang Wei is known as the "Buddha of Poetry". During his lifetime, friends commented that he was a "contemporary poetry craftsman and a master of Zen philosophy." "Like Zen" and "into Zen" are the words used by later generations to evaluate his poetry. In the prosperous poetry world of the Tang Dynasty, Wang Wei's poetry achieved special achievements with his unique creative style and artistic features, which had a significant impact on that time and future generations.
Wang Wei's boyhood was a period when "Dongshan Dharma" was flourishing and widely spread in the Central Plains. His mother, Mrs. Cui, "learned from Zen Master Dazhao when she was more than 30 years old. She practiced Zen and lived happily in the mountains and forests, seeking tranquility." His mother had a profound influence on him, and many of his friends had close ties with the Zen masters at that time, such as Pei Di and Cui Xingzong, who practiced Zen with him. Wang Wei's enthusiasm for practicing Zen is related to his personal circumstances and personality. He was born during the "Kaiyuan Dynasty", and like the scholars at that time, he was determined to serve his time with his political talents. This kind of heroic ambition is often shown in the high-spirited works he wrote in his early years. However, his official career was not smooth, especially the dismissal of the famous prime minister Zhang Jiuling (736, the 24th year of Kaiyuan), which he had favored for promoting his talents, which dealt him a great blow. He is "quite good at Taoism in his middle age" ("Zhongnan Bieye"). After being in his forties, he became keen on practicing Zen and Buddhism. He said: "No matter how sad you are in your life, you can't find it in Buddhism" ("Sigh of White Hair"), and seek sustenance in Buddhism. His character was relatively weak and he was not so firm in his principles. In the second half of his life, he chose the path of being both an official and a private person. In fact, he took the name "Mojie" obviously to express his respect for the layman Vimalakirti.
The "Old Book of Tang Dynasty" originally said that he "lived in the capital, eating with dozens of monks every day, and enjoying mystical talks. He had nothing in his house, save a mortar for medicine and a rope bed for sutra cases. He retired from the court. After that, I burned incense and sat alone, doing meditation and recitation." He also said in "A Letter to My Brothers and Sisters in the Mountain" that "there are many Dharma couples in the mountain, and they form a group by themselves in meditation". He made friends with many people in what was later called the "Zen sect".
It can be seen from the above that Wang Wei was strongly influenced by the emerging Zen Buddhism in the era when it became a powerful social trend. It prompted him to use Zen thoughts and insights to understand life and social dynamics. There are many opinions now that the influence of Zen is mainly reflected in three aspects in Wang Wei's poetry: incorporating Zen language into poetry, incorporating Zen interest into poetry, and incorporating Zen method into poetry. In fact, strictly speaking, the first aspect is not Wang Wei’s original creation. Because since the Six Dynasties, many poems with Buddhist themes have mostly used Zen language.
This kind of poetry is mostly written in the form of metaphysical poetry. It can only be said that Wang Wei also has creations in this area. But the performance is dull, but there is no artistry. For example, this poem "I am both ill and I am sending this poem to the scholars and also two poems for teaching." I will only copy one poem for my detailed observation:
As soon as I think about the dust, my body will be revealed in the morning. If you see the underworld and the world like this, where can you put me and other people?
The obstacles are solid, and the fun is empty and peaceful. Cleanse the mind and resolve the hangovers, enlighten the way and correct the confusion.
I get sick because of the fruit of love, and feel poor from greed. Color and sound are not false, illusion is my reality.
How could Sida be sent away? Wan Shu is safe in the dust. Hu Sheng but sleeps high, no one knows who is next to him.
Victory means no food, and Li Qi is willing to pay. If there is no difference between you and me, let’s talk about sparseness and intimacy.
This poem has a new concept of Zen in terms of content, but the beginning says that only when you have delusional thoughts, you are obsessed with the existence of a self; if you look at the five yin and the eighteen realms in this way, then the law and the self Two empty. This is still the traditional Mahayana Buddhist view. But as mentioned below, with "I", people are my masters. If you insist on "emptiness", it must be an external reality. Therefore, "cleansing the mind" and "enlightening the Tao" are just a kind of delusion. However, although this poem has such fresh ideas, it is only expressed in Zen language, and the whole poem behaves like a verse. Ji Yun once said, "Poetry has a Zen flavor, but does not want to be Zen words." This can be used to criticize this type of works. Some of Wang Wei's poems with a harmonious artistic conception often damage the perfection of the works due to their use of Zen language. For example, "Passing Xiangji Temple":
I don't know Xiangji Temple, but I have entered Yunfeng several miles away. There are no people walking on the ancient trees, and there is no clock in the deep mountains.
The sound of the spring is swallowed by dangerous rocks, and the sun is cold and green. In the dusk, the music of the empty pool is used to calm the poisonous dragon.
This poem gives people a solemn and cold state from the perspective of scene selection and coloring, and effectively expresses the detached and quiet mood of visiting a Buddhist temple. But in the conclusion, the allusion of "Dragon Controller" is used to preach "An Zen". Another kind of literal Zen. It should be said that it was a failure! I remember reading a sentence before, which also criticized Wang Wei. The language was harsh, but it was also quite pertinent: If Wang Wei had many Buddhist words and later generations would praise him for being good at Zen, wouldn't it be Zen? Special words Zen ear. If it weren't for Tao and Li, it would be beyond writing. I can’t remember who said this. The criticism is harsh, but it is more realistic to point out that Wang Wei's poems mostly use Buddhist language, which is a kind of literal Zen.
Of course, Wang Wei is known as the "poetry Buddha" of his generation, and there are still works with "elegant lyrics and elegant tone" that do not use Buddhist language but have strong Zen principles and Zen interest. They are not only unique in the art of poetry, but also open up a new world of artistic expression of poetry. The important point is that he organically integrates the concept of "seeing nature" into the situation of the poem, expressing the realm of the sameness between things and myself.
Zen Buddhism attributes "all things" to "one mind". For example, Wang Wei described the "Panana in the Snow" from his imagination. Someone once commented like this:
The poet has wonderful views and thoughts. How can the place of residence be limited to shengmo! For example, in Wang Wei's painting, bananas in the snow, if you look at it with your discerning eye, you will know that the expression is embodied in the object, but the common theory ridicules it that it does not know the cold and heat.
This kind of "expression is attached to things" is the unique way of thinking expression in some of Wang Wei's poems. To bring all things into one mind and to "clearly see one's own nature" does not require the use of passionate and intense lyricism, but what is written is a world created by the soul. This is better reflected in his landscape poems. For example, "Zhongnan Bieye"
He was quite good at Taoism in his middle age, and in his later years he came to the southern border of the mountains. Every time I go alone when I am happy, I know my victory in vain.
Walking to a water-poor place, sit and watch the clouds rise. Occasionally, I visited Lin Sou, chatting and laughing for a long time.
This is a poem that has always been considered very Zen. The "white clouds and flowing water" here are not only objective scenery, but also symbols of the poet's mind. They vividly set off the poet's free and happy mind. The white clouds and flowing water described by Wang Wei are the scenery reflected in his mind, and their free and unwinding shape also hints at the poet's mentality. For example, Wang Wei often uses the image of "white clouds" in his poems.
Long and distant mountains at dusk, returning alone to the white clouds. ("Returning to Wangchuan")
The period of empty forest alone and white clouds. ("Early Autumn in the Mountains")
When you ask about Zhongnan Mountain, you know that there are white clouds beyond. ("Reply to Pei Di")
Looking back at the lake, the mountains are green and white clouds roll around. ("Wangchuan Collection·Jianhu")
And so on, the meaning in his poems goes far beyond the physical images. He uses "white clouds" to show his heart. Xu Zeng, a layman in the Qing Dynasty, once commented on Wang Wei, saying, "Poetry to the extreme is just to express one's own ambition, just like Tao Yuanliang of the Jin Dynasty and Wang Youcheng of the Tang Dynasty."
In addition, in Wang Wei's poems, Objective scenery is often used as a reflection of the soul, and the objective is used to reflect the subjective. For example, in the poem "Deer and Chai":
No one can be seen in the empty mountain, but the sound of people's voices can be heard. Returning to the forest, the light shines on the moss again.
There are no human traces, no human voices, no sunlight, only the reflected brilliance, thus expressing the emptiness of the mountains and forests at sunset. This poem is written in an empty and dark scenery. But it gives people the impression of "lightening and getting stronger, getting closer and getting farther", because the mood expressed in it is worth savoring. You can also take "Mountain Dwelling in the Dark Autumn" as an example:
After the new rain in the empty mountains, the weather is late and autumn comes. The bright moon shines among the pines, and the clear spring flows over the rocks.
The bamboo noise returns to Huan Nu, and the lotus moves off the fishing boat. The spring fragrance rests at will, and the king and grandson can stay.
The main performance feature of this poem is to use movement to describe stillness, and all the images show how the "empty mountain" is beyond the hustle and bustle of the world.
Therefore, a fresh and vivid evening scene in the mountains reflects the word "empty". The "empty mountain" in "Mountain Residence in Autumn Twilight" is obviously not an empty mountain, but a feeling of the soul. This feeling shows the inner emptiness and tranquility. This is the same as the "empty mountain" in "Lu Chai". There are often such quatrains in his "Wangchuan Collection".
The hibiscus flower at the end of the wood has red calyx in the mountains. There is no one in the stream. They open and close one after another.
The sweet-scented osmanthus falls when people are idle, the night is quiet and the spring mountains are empty. At the beginning of the month, the mountain birds startle, and at the beginning of the month they sing in the spring stream.
............
Here, movement is stillness, and stillness is movement; reality is emptiness, and color is emptiness. The essence is beyond them, they are one. This is to obtain "stillness" from "movement", to obtain virtual scenery from real scenes, to obtain the essence from complex phenomena, and to obtain eternity from the instant intuition. Flowers bloom and fall, birds chirp in the spring stream, but in this moment of epiphany of nature, you feel the presence of immortality.