Column: Introduction to the Basic Knowledge of Buddhism

Buddhism emphasizes the equality of all living beings. In fact, the living beings here are not just us, but also include all life in the three realms and six realms, and even flowers and plants. trees.

So many eminent monks and great virtues were able to suddenly become enlightened by referring to various natural scenes, and they also left many famous quotes.

For example, someone once asked an eminent monk what the feeling of enlightenment is, and the eminent monk said seven words - clouds in the sky and water in the bottles.

After another eminent monk became enlightened, he looked at the surrounding environment and sighed - the green bamboos are all Dharmakaya, and the lush yellow flowers are nothing but prajna.

In addition, an eminent monk summed up the three levels of Zen meditation, which are the three realms - the first level, looking at mountains as mountains, and looking at water as water; the second level, looking at mountains as not mountains, looking at water It’s not water; the third level is to look at mountains as mountains and water as water.

An eminent monk also realized the true meaning of practice from a conversation with a thousand-year-old tree. We might as well take a look at the way of practice of the big tree, and we might as well compare it. Who is wiser than this tree?

The winner may not be us.

01

Loneliness is also a kind of practice

The eminent monk asked the big tree: You have been standing here alone for thousands of years. Do you feel lonely?

The big tree replied: I am rooted in the earth, with the blue sky above my head, my back to the valley, and my face to the river. I feel very happy and not lonely.

In fact, each of us is born lonely. Although we may receive and send countless people in our life, including relatives, friends, strangers, and enemies, in the final analysis, for us It is said that they are all passers-by, and few people can accompany you from beginning to end.

Parents will grow old and leave first, and can only accompany us for the first half of our lives. Children will grow up, fly away, and can only accompany us for the second half of our lives - and this is only in terms of time. In fact, Everyone has his own life, and the one who spends the most time with you is probably your significant other.

Some people are afraid of loneliness, and their way of coping is to keep socializing, to meet more new friends, and to participate crazily in various gatherings, endless parties and drinking bureaus. Playing and singing every night.

But none of these can truly relieve loneliness. Li Taibai has long said that raising a glass to relieve sorrow will make it worse. In the dead of night, when people wake up drunk, when the event is over and friends leave, they end up performing opera on the occasion. When people disperse, it will only make you more lonely.

So we must learn to face loneliness, learn how to face our true nature, and be able to clearly know what we want. As for relatives and friends, we welcome them when they come and when they go. We don’t hold back on time, everything is fate.

02

Wind and rain are also opportunities

The eminent monk asked the big tree: Do you hate the violent storm, thunder and lightning? They will probably destroy you.

The big tree replied: I don’t hate them. The storm is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity. I can grow from a weak seed to the behemoth I am today, and it is completely inseparable from the wind. Rain and sun, so I'm grateful for them.

For plants, natural disasters such as violent storms are just like suffering and troubles for us. They are both a risk and an opportunity - this is the truth that troubles are Bodhi in Buddhism.

For example, a wind and rain will blow down and overturn the weak plants, and they will never recover. But for the strong ones, they will temporarily bend in the strong wind and fight desperately in the heavy rain. Take root underground and use the power of Mother Earth to resist.

After the wind and rain, there is a rainbow. The wind can make the branches and leaves grow more lush, and the rain can bring water and nutrients to the plants. Every time after experiencing the wind and rain, it will make itself stronger, and a tree Thousand-year-old trees have to go through countless ups and downs in their lifetime, and those who cannot withstand the test have long been eliminated.

Isn’t it true that we humans are like this? When faced with difficulties and pain, some people just see challenges and dangers, and then they escape, retreat, compromise or even surrender. It seems safe, but it is also tantamount to rejection. The possibility of becoming stronger.

Others saw opportunities, saw the sunshine behind the dark clouds, the dawn after darkness. They faced the difficulties, constantly tempered and changed themselves amidst the challenges, and transformed themselves from body to body. Spirits become stronger.

Different attitudes towards wind and rain also determine the height and thickness of one's life. Flowers that always hide in the greenhouse avoid wind and rain, but it is impossible to appreciate the rainbow.