靈瑞弘曇 Lingrui Hongtan (17th c.)

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七十一世靈瑞弘曇禪師
靈瑞弘曇 Lingrui Hongtan (17th c.), Patriarch of the Seventy-first Generation
佛祖道影白話解 Lives of the Patriarchs
宣化上人講於一九八五年八月十五日 Commentary by the Venerable Master Hua on August 15, 1985 (宣化 Xuanhua, 1918-1995)
王隆琴　英譯 English translation by Linda Wang
金剛菩提海 Vajra Bodhi Sea (VBS): A Monthly Journal of Orthodox Buddhism, No. 348.

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/348/vbs348p016.htm

Text:

TheMaster'sname was Hongtan; his title was Lingrui. He was born into the Su Family in the City of Zhu, Qin Province. The Master had no particular inclinations other than the aspiration to transcend the world. When he grew older, he became even more vigorous in this pursuit.
When High Master Songru Daomi was practicing the Way in Wo District, the Master left home and sought to have his head shaved. One day he approached High Master Songru. Even before he had a chance to bow, however, Master Songru let out an imposing roar that resolved all of the Master's doubts. Master Lingrui jumped for joy. He then proceeded southward to visit High Master Wu at Tiantong.
High Master Wu was standing on a rock at the time. Master Lingrui drew a circle and presented it to the High Master.As Wu observed the Master, the Master bowed in respect. Wu suddenly struck the Master on his head, so the Master shouted. Wu beat the Master again. The Master yelled again.
Afterwards, the Master left and returned to Wo District. There High Master Songru instructed the Master to propagate the Dharma at Bao'en, Bodhi, and Zhuoxi onasteries.
In the winter of the year xinhai [1671]during the Kangxi reign period, the Master died while sitting in meditation. The Master was born on the sixteenth of the eleventh month in the year renyin [1602] during the Wanli reign period. He lived to the age of seventy. A stupa housing his whole body was built to the right of Bao'en Monastery.

Commentary:

The Master was a Patriarch of the 71st generation of Caodong Sect. His title was Dhyana Master Lingrui. His name was Hongtan. Tan 曇 refers to the night-blooming cereus. The cereus is an auspicious and rare flower, symbolizing the rarity of this Dhyana Master.

The Master's name was Hongtan. In Chinese the word hui, meaning to shun the use of, is used before the name to signify that one should avoid saying his personal name. Why was the author afraid to mention the Master's name? Out of respect. However, his title was Lingrui (Efficacious Portent), because the cereus is an auspicious portent and a rare flower. He was born into the Su Family in the City of Zhu, Qin Province. This Dhyana Master was a native of Shandong, Qin Province. The people of Qin Province are tough and like to fight. They have stubborn dispositions. The City of Zhu is a town in the province. His family name was Su.

The Master had no particular inclinations. Ever since he was born, he didn't like anything in particular. It's not that he had no habits whatsoever. He didn't care about much, other than the aspiration to transcend the world. All he thought about every day was leaving home. Nothing else was important to him. When he grew older, he became even more vigorous in this pursuit. When he got older, he became even more resolved and diligent in pursuing this goal. He was not greedy for the conditions of this world. He didn't want any of the five desires: wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. When High Master Songru Daomi was practicing the Way in Wo District, the Master left home and sought to have his head shaved. At this time, Dhyana Master Hongtan left home and requested to have his head shaved and become a monk.

One day he approached High Master Songru. He headed to where the Abbot sat. Even before he had a chance to bow, just as he was about to prostrate, however, Master Songru let out an imposing roar. High Master Songru Daomi let out a loud bellow, showing his might the way lions roar. That resolved all of the Master's doubts. That shout chased away all his doubts. He suddenly understood everything he didn't understand before. Master Lingrui jumped for joy. He was so happy that he practically jumped. He didn't literally jump, but he was so happy that he looked as if he wanted to jump.

He then proceeded southward. Then he went to study in the south. He went to visit High Master Wu at Tiantong. He went to Tiantong Monastery to see the High Master there. High Master Wu was standing on a rock at the time. Master Lingrui drew a circle and presented it to the High Master. The Dhyana Master was quite playful, drawing a circle and presenting it as a gift to High Master Wu.

As Wu observed the Master. The Master drew a circle in thin air and High Master Wu was tricked into checking out what he was drawing. When High Master Wu was not paying attention, the Master knelt and bowed in respect. He prostrated to High Master Wu. High Master Wu thought, "This person is extremely naughty; he deserves a beating." Wu suddenly struck the Master on his head. He took his Dhyana staff and struck the Master on his head! So the Master shouted. Since the Master yelled, Wu beat the Master again. The Master yelled again. Since he was beaten, he let out another cry. That test was not easy to pass.

Afterwards, the Master left and returned to Wo District. He went back to Wo District to see High Master Songru Daomi. There High Master Songru instructed the Master. At that time, High Master Songru saw that the Master had completed his studies and had truly understood, so he transmitted the Mind-Dharma to him. He instructed the Master to propagate the Dharma at Bao'en, Bodhi, and Zhuoxi Monasteries, and many other places.

In the winter of the year xinhai [1671] during the Kangxi reign period, the Master died while sitting in meditation. We should pay attention to this passage. Pay attention to what? Pay attention to how he died while sitting in meditation. This is called "sitting liberation," entering perfect stillness while sitting. Not everyone can do this. If you usually lack skill, you can forget sitting and dying free of disease—you can hardly lie there and die. You feel as if you cannot die and cannot live because you're embroiled in illness and pain. Thus, you can tell whether someone has true skill when he is at the brink of death. If you climb on conditions and beg from everyone, then you will lose your bearings when you're about to die. You certainly won't know where you came from and where you'll go. You'll have wasted your time coming to this world. Why do monks and nuns leave home and practice in bitterness? Why do they endure what others cannot endure, yield what others cannot yield, eat what others cannot eat, and suffer what others cannot suffer? Why should they not fight, not be greedy, not seek, not be selfish, not pursue personal advantage, and not lie? Why should they be this way? To leave the cycle of birth and death.

Leaving the cycle of birth and death doesn't happen just with a few words. You must have true skill. True skill is the ability to sit and die with a smile on your face like this Master did. He passed away while sitting in the full lotus posture and joking with everyone. See how free and at ease he was. To cultivate is to cultivate to the extent that you understand your own coming and going. I know where I came from and know that I will head to a bright spot and not a dark place. I'm not going to the three evil paths of hells, hungry ghosts and animals. I'm also not ascending to the heavens. Instead I'm going to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is the Pure Land of Eternal Tranquility and Light.

If you want to go to the Pure Land of Eternal Tranquility and Light and attain the most supreme Nirvana, the Nirvana of non-residue, then you must constantly check on yourself. You cannot have the slightest flaw, the slightest bit of pretense. You must be grounded in every step of studies; otherwise, your habits and flaws are hard to correct. People always selfishly seek for things outside; for that reason, they fight and covet things, and waste an entire lifetime. Such a life is not particularly meaningful. You may fight for and hoard money; but in the end, you cannot take any of it with you. Sex is empty at death. You may covet fame, but you have to return your fame when you die. You may have a huge appetite for tasty foods now, but when you die you won't recognize any taste. If you're greedy for sleep now, when you die you may hibernate underground. You may sleep forever and never awake. Wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep are the five roots of the hells, and you should not be greedy for any of them.