Huineng’s Chinese name: Huineng Gender: Male Dynasty: Tang Years of birth and death: 638～713 Country: China Origin: Famous monks of all dynasties in China
Biographical documents
Huineng (638～713)
A monk in the Tang Dynasty of China and the founder of the Southern School of Zen. Also known as Huineng, his common surname is Lu. Originally from Fan Yang (now southwest of Beijing), he was exiled to Xinzhou, Lingnan (now Xinxing, Guangdong) with his father when he was young. After his father died, he raised wood to support his mother. I was moved by hearing someone recite the Diamond Sutra. I went to Huangmei Hongren to find a teacher and became a "practitioner" of pounding rice. My practice depends entirely on hearing and remembering. When the Fifth Patriarch chose his successor, he won the praise of Hongren with his verse "Bodhi has no tree, and the mirror is not a stand. There is nothing in the beginning, so how can it attract dust?" He received the secret teaching of Dharma robes and sent him to Lingnan. After 16 years, he came out to teach the Dharma. In the first year of Yifeng (676), he received full precepts. The following year, the method of enlightenment was taught at Baolin Temple in Shaoguan. Shenxiu, who competed with him for the status of Dharma successor, mainly promoted Dharma in the north and advocated "gradual enlightenment". Therefore, there are sayings that "the south is weak and the north is gradually growing", and "the south can be beautiful in the north". Huineng's teachings were compiled into the "Sixth Patriarch Altar Sutra" by his disciple Fahai. During his lifetime, Wu Zetian and Tang Zhongzong wanted to summon him to the capital, but they refused. After his death, Emperor Xianzong of Tang Dynasty gave him the posthumous title of "Zen Master Dajian". His disciples include Shenhui, Huairang, Xingsi and others.
Huineng, a Zen leader who was born as a commoner
Wuzu Mountain in the northeast of Huangmei County, Hubei Province was called Feng Maoshan in the Tang Dynasty. The mountain is densely populated with ancient trees, pines and bamboos. It is the Dongshan of the famous "Dongshan Dharma" in the history of Chinese Buddhism. In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, Hongren, the "Fifth Patriarch of the Eastern Land" of Zen Buddhism, established a residence here to teach the Dharma. One day in the first year of Longshuo (661), Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, a young man came from the mountains. He was wearing coarse clothes, hemp shoes, and was dusty from the world. He came directly to find Master Hongren. When he saw Master Hongren, he called him his disciple and bowed to him. Seeing his rustic appearance and vulgar behavior, Hongren thought he must be a pauper who came to beg, so he asked rudely: "Where are you from? What do you want to ask for when you come to worship me in the mountains?" The young man replied: "My disciple is from Lingnan and is a citizen of Xinzhou (the seat of governance is now Xinxing County, Guangdong). I have come all the way to worship my master. I don't ask for anything else but to become a Buddha." Upon hearing this, the master felt angry and shouted: "You are from Lingnan." , and how can it be worthy of being a Buddha?" The young man replied without any fear: "People are different from north to south, and there is no distinction between north and south in Buddha nature. Although the beast is not as noble as the master, what is the difference in Buddha nature? ”
What a question and answer! The questions were asked in a domineering manner, and the answers were given in a confident manner. Although this young man may be rustic, he has extraordinary understanding, courage and knowledge. Hong Ren, who is famous for his few words, is impressed by him. who is he? He was Huineng who would later become the founder of the Southern School of Zen Buddhism.
Huineng, whose common surname was Lu, was born in the twelfth year of Zhenguan (638) of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty and died in the second year of Xiantian (713) of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. It is said that his ancestral home is Fanyang (today's Beijing, Tianjin, and Baoding area), and his father's name is Xingxin. During the Wude period of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty was demoted to Lingnan for crimes and became a citizen of Xinzhou. But there is no reliable basis for this statement. Judging from the fact that when Huineng first met Hongren, his appearance and voice were similar to those of a wild animal, it is more likely that he was an indigenous person who had lived in Lingnan for a long time. The Fan Yang Lu family was a famous noble family in the Tang Dynasty. The connection between Hui Neng's family background and the Fan Yang Lu family was probably made up by Huineng in order to increase his social status after he became the leader of the church.
Huineng was an orphan in his youth, his family was poor, he sold firewood to support his mother, and he was illiterate. But he was gifted with enlightenment. One day while selling firewood and listening to someone reading the Diamond Sutra, he unknowingly had enlightenment. During the conversation, I learned that Master Hongren was teaching Dharma in Huangmei Dongshan, and I felt extremely envious. The man who read the scriptures was an ardent Buddhist. Seeing that Huineng had extraordinary qualifications and a heart for the Tao, he encouraged and helped him to go to Dongshan to seek the Dharma. Huineng received financial support and settled his old mother, so he resigned and went on the road, going through all kinds of hardships to worship Hongren and seek the way to become a Buddha and become an ancestor.
Hongren saw Huineng’s novel words and decided to accept him. Because of his humble background, he was sent to the dormitory to work as a rice pounder. Hui Neng was pounding rice in the mortar, and when he saw Hongren ascending the throne to preach in the lecture hall, he pricked up his ears and listened carefully, silently thinking about the Tao of Weiyan, and slowly understood. Sometimes I am immersed in the mysterious Zen philosophy and forget the environment and myself.
8 months of the monotonous life in the dormitory passed by in a flash. It happened that Master Hongren, in accordance with the usual practice, planned to select a disciple with the deepest experience in learning Zen to pass on the mantle and become his successor. He ordered each of his disciples to compose a stanza to observe their understanding of Buddha nature.
The monk Shenxiu composed a verse:
The body is like a Bodhi tree, and the mind is like a mirror stand.
Brush frequently to avoid dust.
As soon as this verse came out, the monks praised it as wonderful, and Shenxiu himself was secretly proud of it. When the news reached Huineng's ears, he smiled slightly and thought that such a verse was far from the true meaning of Buddha nature. When he had time, he asked a boy to lead the way to the south corridor. He also composed a verse and asked someone to write it on the wall. The verse says:
Bodhi has no tree, and the mirror is not a stand.
The Buddha nature is always pure, where is the dust!
Shenxiu’s verse affirms the existence of one’s own body and mind, and believes that one must practice diligently in order to gradually reach a pure state free from dust, which belongs to the traditional theory of gradual cultivation to become a Buddha. Hui Neng's verses, however, believe that the body, mind, and all things are illusory and unreal, and that only the Buddha nature possessed by everyone is the only real existence. This kind of thinking is consistent with the epiphany or Buddhist theory pioneered by Zhu Daosheng in the Liu and Song Dynasties in the Southern Dynasty. It is also consistent with his own statement that Buddha nature does not distinguish between north and south when he first came to Dongshan to meet Hongren. It was only after 8 months of silent teaching. Law, his thoughts are more thorough and subtle. It belongs to the same idealism as Shenxiu's thought, but it is much more thorough than Shenxiu in understanding; if applied to Buddhist practice, it is much simpler. A coolie who came from a poor background and was at the bottom of the monastery actually composed such a wonderful verse, which immediately caused a sensation. Various complex emotions such as admiration, surprise, jealousy, anger, hatred and so on suddenly enveloped the usually peaceful temple.
When Hongren saw Huineng's verses, he knew that he had truly grasped the essence of seeking Buddha, and he was determined to pass on the mantle to him. He was afraid that others would find out, so he deliberately remained silent. At three o'clock that night, he secretly called Huineng into the hall and taught him scriptures and Dharma. He also warned Huineng that because of his status, he had the important responsibility of spreading the Dharma. If he stayed in this hospital again, he would be harmed, and told him to leave Dongshan and return to the south as soon as possible.
Hui Neng followed Hong Ren’s instructions and set out southward that night. After going through many hardships and dangers along the way, he finally returned to Lingnan. From then on, he mingled among farmers and merchants, living among registered households, and disappeared for sixteen years. As time passed, the turmoil over the mantle and legal authority gradually subsided. Huineng was convinced that his life would no longer be in danger, so he dared to go to Nanhai (near today's Guangzhou City) to listen to Master Yin Zong's disciples.
One day, Yinzong asked everyone: Look, the flag hanging on the flagpole is moving or not when it is blown by the wind? Everyone had different opinions and there was a lot of discussion. Some say the flag moves; some say it's not the flag that moves, but the wind. Huineng suddenly stood up from his seat and said loudly: "Master! It's not the wind or the flag that's moving, it's just that everyone is thinking about movement and immobility. There is no movement or immobility in Buddhism." When Master Yinzong heard this, he didn't realize it. Creepy. Knowing that his Buddhist cultivation was not as good as Huineng's, he turned to Huineng for advice. He personally led his disciples to Huineng's residence and ordained him.
From then on, Huineng became famous and openly accepted disciples to teach. Soon he came to Caoxi, Shaozhou (today's Shaoguan City, Guangdong), recruited many disciples, founded many temples, and vigorously spread the new Buddhist doctrine he created.
Huineng’s missionary teaching has two characteristics in form. One is not to establish writing, and the other is to teach outsiders. The reason why he did not establish writing was because Huineng himself was illiterate. Unlike the eminent monks and virtuous men of other sects, most of them came from famous families and had high cultural literacy and were able to write books. At the same time, there were no restrictions on the status of the disciples Hui Neng accepted. , there are many poor and humble people who are also illiterate. Therefore, Huineng's teachings to his disciples were only passed down by word of mouth and from heart to heart. The teaching outside the teachings refers to the scripture teaching, which refers to Buddha statues, scriptures and various other dharma objects. The special teaching outside the teaching means that there is no need for complex props and forms such as Buddha statues and scriptures. Everyone has the Buddha nature in their hearts. The key to practice is to directly point to the human heart and become a Buddha after seeing the nature.
In terms of ideological system, Huineng’s theory has three pillars. The first is the true monism in the world view, that is, the theory of dependent origination of true nature. The second is the theory of Buddha nature in terms of liberation; the third is the idea of ??enlightenment in religious practice. True mind and true suchness are also called Buddha-nature, Dharma-nature, reality, self-nature, original nature, Dharmakaya, original mind, etc. Huineng believes that regardless of north, south, west, east, high or low, everyone has Buddha nature, which is always pure. He also believes that in the self-nature, all dharmas can be seen; the self-nature of all dharmas is called the pure dharma body. And so on, all explain from different angles that truth is the eternal, absolute, and highest spiritual entity, and it is also the entity of the universe and the origin of the world. Huineng affirms this entity and origin, and believes that everything else is illusory and empty.
This true mind monism or the true theory of dependent origination is the core of Huineng's thinking and the theoretical basis of his Buddhism. The other two pillars are derived from this. For example, the theory of Buddha nature in the theory of liberation is based on the fact that everyone has Buddha nature. Since all living beings have Buddha-nature, the way to become a Buddha does not involve external cultivation, and there is no need to go to the West to pray. As long as it is "directly directed to the human heart", one can "see one's nature and become a Buddha." This also determines that the Huineng sect advocates epiphany in religious practice. Because everyone has Buddha nature, it’s just that they are so charming that they don’t know it. To get rid of misconceptions is just a thought. With one good thought, wisdom arises. One lamp can eliminate a thousand years of darkness, and one piece of wisdom can destroy ten thousand years of foolishness. If this thought has not arrived, even if you practice diligently and "brush it diligently all the time", it will be in vain. The characteristics of Huineng's Buddhism are also reflected in his unique views on Zen and the Pure Land. The traditional Zen method advocates the concentration of the mind, but Huineng believes that the state of Zen can be experienced at any moment in walking, standing, sitting, lying, movement, and talking. Northern Zen Zen inherits the traditional Zen view and teaches people to look at the heart. It is believed that dividing the state of mind into two parts cannot harmonize with the nature of one's own mind and produce wisdom. Hui Neng taught people to start with no thoughts, and was not limited to the path of ***.
Huineng also had another view on the Pure Land Dharma of the time when monks and laypeople recited the Buddha's name and aspired to be reborn in the Western Paradise. He emphasized that "seeing the purity of one's own nature, self-cultivation and self-cultivation of the Dharma body, self-guided Buddha conduct, and self-cultivation of the Buddha's path." He once said to Wei Quan, the governor of Shaozhou: "There are two kinds of people, and there are no two kinds of Dharma. There are differences in confusion and enlightenment, and there are delays in seeing. Charming chants Buddha to seek rebirth there, and enlightened people purify their minds. So the Buddha said, follow your heart. Pure means that the Buddha land is pure. If you are ignorant of your own nature and do not know the pure land in your body, you will always wish to live in peace and happiness wherever you live. Why should you wish to be reborn? ”
The characteristics of Huineng Buddhism’s ideological system and preaching methods give its sect a strong civilian religious flavor. He believed that everyone has Buddha nature and all living beings can become Buddhas, breaking the monopoly of nobles and bureaucrats on becoming Buddhas and ancestors. He moved the paradise that everyone yearned for from the far west into everyone's heart. At the same time, he simplified the way of practice and eliminated complicated rituals. He even said, "If you want to practice cultivation, you can do it at home, not in the temple." This is tantamount to broadening the way to heaven, and is naturally welcomed by people from all walks of life. He affirmed the authenticity and eternity of "truth" and opposed the decadent and nihilistic thought that everything is empty. He was in line with the desire of the emerging common landowner class to make progress and protect their vested interests, so he was most supported by this class. But he also believes that merit does not lie in building temples, giving alms, and making offerings, but in the purity and uprightness of one's own nature, and not looking down upon everyone. This is obviously beneficial to the poor and humble working people and not beneficial to the noble exploiters. Huineng's theory could consider the working people, and his method of preaching without writing and teaching outside the church adapted to the needs of the poor people, so his sect attracted a large number of lower-class people. All of these are huge changes to traditional Buddhism and serious challenges to the old aristocratic sects. In fact, the fact that Hui Neng, a "monster" from a humble background, actually ascended to the throne of the leader of the church signifies a break with tradition. Later, he succeeded in preaching and became famous far and wide. Wu Zetian and Tang Zhongzong successively issued edicts to invite him to the court, but he always complained that he was ill. This was certainly a factor of fear of being persecuted by conservative believers when he went north, but it also did show that he had friends with those who tended to join forces and make friends with others. The difference between the great monks who are proud of being powerful reflects that he and his sect are unusual, thus winning the respect and love of the majority of believers. Huineng's huge advantages in theory and method enabled Huineng's followers to expand rapidly. He ascended the throne and preached sermons at the Dafan Temple in Shaozhou. There were more than 10,000 monks, nuns, Taoists and lay people under his seat. Wei Chu, the governor of Shaozhou, more than 30 bureaucrats and more than 30 Confucian scholars also came to listen to his sermons. He taught and practiced the Dharma in Shao and Guangzhou for more than 30 years, and often had no less than three to five thousand disciples. Zhicheng, one of Huineng's ten major disciples, was originally a disciple of Shenxiu of Beizong. Shenxiu sent him to Huineng's sect to eavesdrop on the teachings of the law. However, after listening to Huineng's explanation, Zhicheng thought it was clearer, deeper and easier to understand than Shenxiu's explanation, so he took the initiative to tell the truth about being sent to spy on the truth and refused to leave. The eldest disciple of Huineng's sect. Shenhui, another great disciple of Hui Neng, was intelligent by nature. He studied Guanqun Sutra and Lao Zhuang Sutra since childhood, and later paid attention to Buddhism. After becoming a monk, he recited Buddhist sutras with ease. When he was 14 years old, he heard that Master Huineng was promoting Buddhism in Caoxi, and scholars were flocking to the sea, so he traveled thousands of miles to pay homage. Not long after the conversation, he was impressed by Huineng and became his disciple, becoming Huineng's talisman. These examples all illustrate Huineng's high prestige and the huge appeal of his sect.
Huineng preached the Dharma without writing, but by speaking.
Because he used the colloquial language that was common at the time, was good at using vivid metaphors, and skillfully used simple dialectics, his lectures were extremely infectious and persuasive, and the effect was very good. For example, he explained the relationship between concentration and wisdom, saying: "What is concentration and wisdom like? It is like a lamp. If there is a lamp, there is light, and if there is no lamp, there is no light. The lamp is the body of light, and light is the purpose of the lamp." The mutual relationship is clearly explained. Another example is that he inspired his disciples to treat recitation of the Sutra correctly, saying: "If the mind turns to the Lotus, it will not turn to the Lotus; if the mind is right, it will turn to the Lotus, and if the mind is wrong, it will turn to the Lotus." He also said: "Recite in an empty space but follow the sound, and call the Bodhisattva with a clear mind." This explains in a simple and profound way the principle that chanting sutras must be focused and focused.
Huineng’s disciple Fahai recorded his teachings throughout his life, questions and answers with his disciples, and his last instructions before his death. He compiled it into a book and regarded it as a classic, which is called "The Supreme Mahayana Maha Prajna Paramita of Nan Zong Dun Sect" "The Altar Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng's Dharma Treasures at the Dafan Temple in Shaozhou" is also known as the "Altar Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch's Dharma Treasure", or the "Altar Sutra" for short. The altar refers to the Dharma altar where Huineng usually teaches Dharma. Huineng's disciples regarded Huineng as Buddha-like, and his Dharma words were like Buddhist scriptures, so they were called "Altar Sutras". The works of Chinese monks are called "sutras", and the "Tan Sutra" is the first and only one. After Huineng's death, his disciples taught the "Tan Sutra", and the teachings were passed down from master to master. If there is no "Tan Sutra", that is, there is no endowment and acceptance, and one will not be recognized as a disciple of the Southern Sect. It can be seen that the "Tan Sutra" has a significant and far-reaching influence in the history of Chinese Zen Buddhism.
During Hui Neng’s lifetime, his teachings could not go beyond Lingnan, and the foundation of the Southern Zen School he founded was mainly in the south. Later, Shenhui, a disciple of Huineng, went north to Luoyang to fight against the Shenxiu faction of Beizong and achieved great victory. From then on, the power of the Southern Zen School spread throughout the country. Hui Neng's disciples and re-disciples propagated the Zen sect founded by Hui Neng in different regions and based on their different understandings, forming many sects. The most important among them are the two lines of Qingyuan Xingsi and Nanyue Huairang. From these two lines, there are five families and seven sects. By the end of the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, Buddhist sects other than the Huineng Zen Sect declined one after another, and only the Five Schools and Seven Sects developed and grew. The history of Buddhism since then has almost become a history of Zen Buddhism.
Huineng’s influence is not limited to Buddhism. He has a huge and far-reaching influence on the entire ideological and cultural circles of China. As early as the Tang Dynasty, scholar-bureaucrats liked to indulge in Zen, and Zen principles penetrated into the poetry, paintings and philosophy of life of many literati. As the master of Zen, Huineng was particularly respected and admired by literati. The great writers Wang Wei, Liu Zongyuan, and Liu Yuxi successively wrote inscriptions for Huineng; in the 10th year of Yuanhe (815) of Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court specially named Huineng "Dajian Zen Master". After the Tang Dynasty, Zen thought continued to have a profound influence on the ideological and cultural circles, and the Zen thought materials absorbed in Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming Dynasties were the most abundant and obvious. It was actually the product of the combination of traditional Chinese Confucianism and Zen thought.
In the history of Zen Buddhism, Huineng is listed as the Sixth Patriarch of the Eastern Land, which means that Bodhidharma, who came to China to spread Zen Buddhism, is the first ancestor of Zen Buddhism in China. , Daoxin passed on to Hongren, and Hongren passed on to Huineng, so Huineng was the sixth generation founder of Chinese Zen. But in fact, until Hongren's generation, there was only Zen, not Zen. The real Zen Buddhism was founded by Huineng, who was the leader of the new sect of Zen Buddhism and the founder of Zen Buddhism. In the history of Chinese thought, he also occupies an important position. He is a cultural great man born from a commoner in Chinese history.