Chapter 57

"Where did Bodhidharma face the wall, and what did he turn his back to?"

Master Jiankong's voice slowly spread, and the entire crowd held their breath, waiting for Master Zhi Ren's answer. If taken literally, the answer would naturally be that he turned his back to the cave entrance.

The story of Bodhidharma facing the wall is almost a household tale. Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch, meditated for nine years in a natural stone cave on the top of Mount Song, which became a beautiful story in Buddhist history.

After meditating for nine years in the cave, when Bodhidharma left, the stone he faced during his meditation actually bore the image of his posture, faintly visible. Later generations called this stone the "Bodhidharma Wall-Facing Shadow Stone," and many literati left poems and writings about it, including a poem titled "Praise of the Wall-Facing Stone."

At Shaolin, there is a stone, said to be a person.

Clearly a person, clearly a stone.

What stone? The wall-facing stone,

What person? The wall-facing Buddha.

...

"Bodhidharma faced the wall, turning his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma!" Master Zhi Ren answered without hesitation.

"Where is the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma? Are you referring to the Second Patriarch Huike?" Master Jiankong continued to ask.

"Are you asking about the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma in Zen history, or the one who does so now?"

"What is the difference between the one in Zen history and the one now?"

"What is the difference between the past and the present? The Dharma has the life of the Buddha. Without the aspiration to seek and transform, and without those who have the heart to spread it, how can the Dharma be protected and passed on?"

"Amitabha, well said about facing the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma. Bodhidharma faced the wall in silence, not speaking. If he faced the wall with his eyes closed, the wall would break. I would like to ask: Since Bodhidharma faced the wall, why did he break the wall, and what is the wall that was broken?"

"Amitabha, breaking the wall when facing it, what is broken? What is broken is our obstacles, our attachments. Our attachments are our obstacles. Living in the world, we are surrounded by obstacles, and this requires breaking through them."

Master Zhi Ren smiled and slowly said, "Bodhidharma faced the wall, turning his back to where? He faced the wall for nine years to guide his disciples, to pass on the Dharma, and to spread the Dharma widely. Therefore, we must disregard life and death, face life and death, and take on the heavy responsibility of fearing life and death. We must face and take on this fear, not fear, and not avoid it. This is the meaning of Bodhidharma facing the wall. So, Bodhidharma faced the wall, and the Second Patriarch Huike cut off his arm to seek the Dharma. We say that Bodhidharma faced the wall, turning his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

As Master Zhi Ren finished speaking, the crowd applauded. Most of them were Buddhists who understood the story of the Second Patriarch Huike cutting off his arm to seek the Dharma from Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch, and joining the Zen lineage, earning him the title of "the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma."

Of course, there were also many puzzled faces, including those of Mo Yongxing, Zhang Hua, and Tong Min, who clearly had not heard this story.

Qin Yu, however, listened with great interest. The two masters' words were full of sharpness and Zen wisdom, and careful contemplation brought much insight.

"Amitabha, the Buddha is compassionate. Since we mentioned Bodhidharma facing the wall, I would like to ask: Where did Bodhidharma face the wall?" Master Zhi Ren began his counterattack.

"Facing the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma." Master Jiankong smiled, and the crowd was surprised. Master Zhi Ren had already said that Bodhidharma turned his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma, so why did Master Jiankong say the same thing?

"I don't understand much, but Master Jiankong is clearly wrong. Master Zhi Ren just said that Bodhidharma turned his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma, and everyone applauded in agreement. How can it now be that he faces the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma?" Zhang Hua nudged Qin Yu's side and asked.

"Facing the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma?" Qin Yu frowned. If Bodhidharma turned his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma, why would he also face him?

"Qin Yu, who is the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma?" Mo Yongxing asked.

"The one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma refers to the Second Patriarch Huike, but in Master Zhi Ren's words, it refers to those with a heart for the Dharma and great determination."

"Right, why didn't I think of that!" Qin Yu, after answering Mo Yongxing, suddenly had a flash of inspiration and slapped his thigh in surprise.

"What's with all the fuss?" Mo Yongxing was startled by Qin Yu's actions and voice. Qin Yu's voice was a bit loud, and the crowd, who were still pondering the Zen meaning in Master Jiankong's words, all turned to look at him.

"Has this young layman understood something? Why not share it with everyone?" Master Jiankong's gaze turned to Qin Yu, and he smiled kindly, encouraging him.

"I am just a layman, and my thoughts are shallow. I dare not show my ignorance before the master."

"The Buddha once said: All beings are Buddhas, and the true heart is in the boundless multitude. This means that there is a Buddha in everyone's heart, and once enlightened, one can directly point to the true heart, without distinction of high or low. Please, young layman, speak freely."

"Since that is the case, I will share my understanding, and if there are any mistakes, I hope the master will correct me."

Qin Yu bowed to Master Jiankong with his hands together, organized his thoughts, and then said, "Master Zhi Ren said that Bodhidharma faced the wall, turning his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma. In a narrow sense, this refers to the Second Patriarch Huike, because Bodhidharma did not speak or teach, and only Huike received his teachings, so it is said that Bodhidharma turned his back to Huike."

"In a broader sense, Bodhidharma turned his back to those with a connection to the Dharma and great determination. The Dharma is not lightly transmitted, and the Buddha saves those with a connection. Therefore, Master Zhi Ren said that Bodhidharma turned his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma."

Qin Yu paused for a moment and continued, "Buddhism emphasizes cause and effect, the past and the present. What you sow, you will reap. Bodhidharma turned his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma, which is the cause. With a cause, there is an effect. Turning his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma was to find a suitable person with a connection to the Dharma. Finding the Second Patriarch Huike, he naturally had to face the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma to transmit the Mahayana Dharma. This is the effect. Therefore, Bodhidharma faced the wall, turning his back to the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma, and also faced the one who cut off his arm to seek the Dharma."

The principle Qin Yu explained was actually quite simple, like getting on a bus. Getting on the bus is the cause, and getting off the bus is the effect. Because you got on the bus, you must get off.

"Excellent explanation of cause and effect. If you have time, why not sit down and discuss Zen with us?" Master Jiankong stroked his beard and laughed, inviting Qin Yu.

"I would be honored, masters."

A small monk brought a cushion, and Qin Yu thanked him, sat cross-legged, and formed a triangle with the two masters.

As Qin Yu sat down, the small monk began to disperse the crowd. Over the past few days, after Master Zhi Ren and Master Jiankong had each asked one question, they did not allow others to listen. Some regular visitors knew the rules and left, though reluctantly. Tourists who were not truly interested in the Zen discussions also left when the monk dispersed the crowd.

"These laymen might as well take a tour of our temple." The crowd quickly dispersed, leaving only Mo Yongxing, Zhang Hua, and Tong Min. Master Zhi Ren smiled at them.

Master Zhi Ren's words were polite but clearly meant to dismiss them. Mo Yongxing wanted to say more but was pulled away by Zhang Hua.

"Xiao Yu, we'll go for a walk. Call us when you're done."

"May I ask the layman's name?" After the three left, Master Zhi Ren asked Qin Yu.

"I am Qin, and my name is Yu."

"Do you know why the two of us are debating Zen under the Bodhi tree, and for so many days?"

"It must be because the Bodhi tree represents enlightenment in Buddhism." Qin Yu thought for a moment and gave his opinion.

"Not quite. Although the Bodhi tree is also called the enlightenment tree, we are far from the level of the Zen patriarchs. We have spent much time under the Bodhi tree, but enlightenment is difficult. The reason we debate Zen under the Bodhi tree is to wait for someone." Master Zhi Ren's gaze softened as he looked at Qin Yu.

"Wait for someone? You can't be waiting for me, right?" Qin Yu was not stupid. Master Zhi Ren's words hinted at something. If they were not waiting for him, they would not have told him this.

"Have you heard of the prophecy of Master Zhizhao under the Bodhi tree?" Master Zhi Ren did not directly answer Qin Yu but asked another question.

"Yes, it's about the prophecy that the Sixth Patriarch's physical body would become a bodhisattva and transmit the Dharma." Qin Yu nodded.

"Buddhism has a secret technique to predict the future, similar to the prophecy in Christianity. Master Zhizhao used this technique to foresee that 170 years later, the Sixth Patriarch Huike would receive the Dharma under the Bodhi tree and transmit the Mahayana Dharma, so he left the prophecy."

"Please, Master, speak clearly!"

Taoism also has secret techniques for prophecy, different from fortune-tellers who read faces to determine a person's fate, which can change due to certain reasons.

Prophecy, on the other hand, predicts specific events in the future, and these predictions are usually certain and do not change. Of course, this assumes that the person using the technique has the necessary skills.

"The Buddha is compassionate. Two months ago, on the night of March 2nd, the former abbot of Guangxiao Temple, Master Mingjue, observed the stars and noticed unusual activity in the Purple Star, with the Big Dipper shining brightly and the twenty-four constellations corresponding. The celestial signs were obscured, as if someone had stolen the celestial energy. Master Mingjue, at the age of ninety, used the secret technique to see a future scene and left a prophecy, passing away two days later."

"March 2nd night?" Qin Yu recalled for a moment, and a flash of insight crossed his eyes. March 2nd was the night he touched the ancient Bagua stele and received the Zhuge legacy.

"Could this celestial phenomenon be related to me?" Qin Yu remained calm. Since Master Zhi Ren had said this much, the answer would come if he continued to listen.

PS: There are few recommendations. It's said that the readers of Qidian are the laziest, and it's extremely difficult to get them to remember to vote. I don't believe it. If you have a vote, please give it to Jiudeng. Look at the weekly clicks and recommendations; I'm sweating just thinking about it.

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