ZEN MESTEREK ZEN MASTERS
« Zen főoldal
« vissza a Terebess Online nyitólapjára

位中淨符 Weizhong Jingfu (17th-18th c.)

七十一世位中淨符禪師
位中淨符 Weizhong Jingfu (17th-18th c.), Patriarch of the Seventy-first Generation
佛祖道影白話解 Lives of the Patriarchs
孫秀美 註釋 Explained by Jennifer Lin
比丘尼恆音 英譯 English translation by Bhikshuni Heng Yin
金剛 菩提海 Vajra Bodhi Sea (VBS): A Monthly Journal of Orthodox Buddhism, Nos. 361-362.

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/361/vbs361p011.htm
http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/362/vbs362p011.htm

Text: The Master was born in Luling, a son of the Liu family. He renounced his home at a young age, shaving his head and donning the dyed robes. He studied first under Master Yin of Boshan, and later under Master Xue of Bianshan, who instructed him to investigate the topic of the three negatives. Shortly thereafter the Master returned to his hometown and went into seclusion. When a flying bird dropped a pear held in its beak, the Master had an awakening. Later, in the  Records of the Transmission of the Lamp,  he read a public record in which a monk asked Venerable Jiufeng, "Who am I?" Venerable Jiufeng replied, "Whom are you asking?" The Master suddenly experienced a complete liberation and was able to fathom the words and teachings of the Buddhas and Patriarchs without doubts. He went to visit Venerable Baoshou Fang, who esteemed him highly and transmitted the Great Dharma to him. That was in the winter of the year  xingsi  of the Zhongzhen reign period (of Ming Dynasty). Adoring the marvelous scenery of Zhejiang, he settled at White Cliffs. In just a few years' time, he gathered a large following. He wrote  A Compendium of Dharma Lineages,  which won him widespread renown. Monks from the four quarters quickly flocked to him as the hundred streams flow into the great ocean. Showing signs of a slight illness, he entered complete stillness. His remains were housed in a stupa to the right of the monastery. Commentary: The Master,  Dhyana Master Weizhong Jingfu, belonged to the Seventy- first Generation. He  was born in Luling,  of the present-day Jiangxi Province,  a son of the Liu family.  Luling, known for its beautiful scenery, has produced numerous eminent figures, such as Ouyang Xiu, the great literati of the Song Dynasty. Wen Tianxiang, who fought against the invading Yuan at the end of the Song Dynasty, writing the Song of Righteousness and calmly giving up his life for a righteous cause, was also from Luling. There are two sayings, "The subtle spirit of Nature con- verges to nurture geniuses"; "Outstanding people come from auspicious places."' The efficacious energy of the universe converges in places of good mountains and good waters, and the people who grow up there tend to be more intelligent and excellent. Thus Dhyana Master Jingfu was very intelligent from birth. From a very young age, he knew he wanted to leave the home life in order to seek liberation from birth and death.  He renounced his home at a young age, casting off the bonds and fetters on worldly affections. He would not let himself be locked up in the cangue of a home. Thus he left the home life,  shaving his head and donning the dyed robes  of one who has renounced the home. Monks do not wear brightly colored garb, but rather robes that have been dyed. After leaving the home life,  he studied first under  Dhyana  Master Dao Yin of Boshan, and later  he went to study  under  Dhyana  Master Ming Xue of Bianshan, who instructed him to investigate the topic of the three negatives.  The purpose was to free him from attachments to self and others, form, and dharmas. Shortly thereafter the Master returned to his hometown,  Luling,  and went into seclusion. One day during his seclusion, an idiotic bird holding a pear in its beak happened to fly overhead.  When a flying bird dropped a pear held in its beak, the Master had an awakening.  The foolish bird had been look- ing everywhere for food. At last the bird found a pear, but could not bear to eat it right away, so it carried the pear in its beak with great effort. Its mouth probably grew sore from carrying the pear, and it somehow dropped the pear. As for the Dhyana Master, he was probably bored stiff from having been in seclusion so long. What's more, there was nothing good to eat. All of a sudden, a pear dropped down from the sky! In his de- light, he had a flash of insight and a small awakening; since it was not a great awakening, he had to continue to investigate. Later, in the  book,  Records of the Transmission of the Lamp,  which discusses the true accounts of the Patriarchs,  he,  Dhyana Master Jingfu  read a public record in which a monk asked Venerable Jiufeng, "Who am I,  myself, this student?"  Venerable Jiufeng replied  with a question,  "Whom are you asking?" "Your very own self is right here. What are you thinking so much for? If you don't even know your original face, whom can you ask? Who can tell you?" That is a case of looking for something to do when nothing is to be done; adding a head on top of a head. Upon reading that passage,  the Master  Jingfu was  suddenly  enlightened. He  experienced a complete liberation  of body and mind, as if emerging into light from a pitch-black barrel,  and  he  was able to fathom  completely  the words and teachings of the Buddhas and Patriarchs without doubts.  Having had a great enlightenment, Dhyana Master Jingfu knew he had to be certified by an eminent Sanghan for it to count,  so he went to visit Venerable Baoshou  Ming  Fang, who esteemed him highly,  regarding him as a great vessel of Buddhism and a "dragon and elephant" in the Dharma. Venerable Ming Fang gave his approval  and transmitted the Great Dharma to him. That was in the winter of the year  xingsi  [1641 AD]  of  Emperor  Zhongzhen 's  reign period  of the Ming Dynasty.

Adoring the marvelous mountains and waters of Zhejiang,  Dhyana Master considered its scenery beautiful, like that ofYosemite. It's quite wonderful that the Chinese people in California transliterated Yosemite, known for the scenic beauty of its mountains and waters, with the Chinese words meaning "excellent mountains and beautiful land." Thus  he,  Dhyana Master Jingfu,  settled  in Zhejiang. At which mountain?  At White Cliffs.  The character for "settled" is an allusion to birds flying to their trees at sunset and settling down to rest. Dhyana Master Jingfu settled down at White Cliffs to live and did not go elsewhere. Since he was a cultivator of the Way,  in just a few years' time, he gathered a large following.  Many admiring students flocked from every direction to convene beneath his Dharma seat, in order to inquire from him and receive his instruction.  He wrote  A Compendium of Dharma Lineages.  He explained in detail the lineages of the various sects in that book, which  won him widespread renown.  His fame spread throughout the country.  Monks from the four quarters quickly flocked to him as the hundred streams flow into the great ocean.  Later,  showing signs of a slight illness, he entered com­plete stillness. His remains,  his ashes,  were housed in a  stupa  to the right of the monastery. A verse in praise says: Hearing the Master's name-   Chiming jade and resounding brass.  Listening to the Master's words-   Flashing lightning and roaring thunder.  Brilliant were his eyes;    Empty was his heart.    Matchless was he, admired by all-   Majestic as a divine dragon. Commentary: Hearing the Master's name-the  name of Dhyana Master Jingfu -chiming jade and resounding brass.  This expresses that his achievements were outstanding. He was able to merge the accomplishments of various teachers. In the original quote, the word "proclaiming" instead of "resounding" was used and referred to the opening notes of a piece of music. "Chiming" refers to harmonizing the sounds.When a Chinese symphony performed,usually the resounding brass instruments would open  the piece, hence the phrase," proclaiming brass".When the "eight sounds" were all playing,each sounding distinctly,jade and stone instruments would be used to harmonize all the instruments so that they resonated together to the end of the piece,hence the phrase, "chiming jade".It's the same principle in our Buddhist ceremonies,for example,where we always begin with the bell and end with the  da qing ,the large,bowl-like instrument. Mencius in the past used the phrase"chiming jade and resounding brass"to praise Confucius, who had collected and absorbed the great scholarly accomplishments of the various philosophers. Here,the text praises Dhyana Master Jingfu for having studied with numerous masters and acquired the essence of their teachings. Thus, hearing his illustrious name was like hearing the rumbling of thunder;that's how renowned he was.  Listening to the Master's words, to the Great Master's teachings,was like experiencing  flashing lightning and roaring thunder -a scary experience.  Brilliant were his eyes; his eyes were full of spirit and seemed to glow. Empty was his heart.  However,Dhyana Master Jingfu had a very open mind and no attachments.He saw everything as empty,yet was not attached to emptiness either.   Matchless was he,admired by all. Everyone looked up to him,but no one could catch up with him. Majestic as a divine dragon. He had the awesome demeanor of a spiritual dragon-you can see its head ,but not its tail;people could not fathom his loftiness or profundity.  Another verse says :      Asking who am I? I am who?       He sought in vain for his donkey while riding upon it!       Mount Bo and Mount Bian he climbed with difficulty.       Five Peaks and Nine Peaks he ascended with ease.       In the beautiful White Cliffs,he built his aranya       And nurtured his brilliance among the flourishing green bamboo.       Jingfu universally transformed the trichiliocosm.       Mysterious and magical-the divine dragon's transformations. Commentary : Asking who am I? I am who ? He investigated the meditation topic,"who is mindful of the Buddha?""what is my original face?"  He sought in vain for his donkey while riding upon it! It was as if he were riding upon a donkey without realizing it,and searching everywhere for his donkey:" Oh, where is my donkey? Where has it gone?"He went looking everywhere for it.Instead of turning his attention inward,he went out daily searching, searching, searching...but could not find his original face(his true identity).Thus the verse says"in vain".He wasted his time and squandered his life in vain.His search was fruitless.So,cultivators of the Way must know how to let go of things and not get attached.Then they will  see  their original face right there. If, however, one emulates the dumb bird that only knew how to carry the pear but didn't know what it tasted like, then one is no better than the dumb bird! Mount Bo and Mount Bian he climbed with difficulty.  This is an allu­sion to a verse in the  Book of Odes  about someone climbing a hill to gaze in the direction of his parents, recollecting the advice his parents had given him when he set forth on his journey: to strive to make progress without ever resting. Dhyana Master Jingfu diligently heeded the instruction and admonish­ments of his two teachers, Masters Boshan (Mount Bo) and Bianshan (Mount Bian). No matter how difficult it was, he never slacked off. That's how dili­gent he was. Five Peaks and Nine Peaks he ascended with ease.  Due to his hard work, Dhyana Master Jingfu became accomplished very quickly. Whether it was Elder Five Peaks or Venerable Nine Peaks (Jiufeng), he was able to catch up with them. In the beautiful White Cliffs, he built his  aranya.  In the "Yosemite" of White Cliffs, he dwelt in the mountains and propagated the teachings. As more and more students flocked to him, his place soon became a large mo­nastic community. An aranya  is a pure Bodhimanda where people can cultivate. And nurtured his brilliance among the flourishing green bamboo.  Verdant bamboo grew abundantly in the mountains. In their midst, he con­centrated single-mindedly on his practice and nurtured his light. Dhyana Master  Jingfu universally transformed the trichiliocosm.  Don't assume that he only taught those disciples who studied with him; his influence was very profound, vast, and far-reaching. Mysterious and magical-the divine dragon's transformations.  Dhyana Master Jingfu's state of mind was as mysterious, profound, and unfathomable as the ten thousand transformations of a divine dragon.