"Ask me what I want in my life, peace and happiness shine on the five continents. ”
This is the last sentence at the end of Master Nebula's will, "Sincere Confession", written a few years ago.
Master Xingyun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan, passed away on February 5 at the age of 97. On the morning of the 13th, the "Praise Ceremony for the Death of Master Xingyun" was held in Fo Guang Shan in Kaohsiung, and then led to the Tainan Daxian Temple for the "Tubi" (cremation) ceremony, and then it was permanently buried in the Wanshou Garden of Fo Guang Shan.
However, while the plan seemed reasonable, there was a flurry of unexpected ......
On the one hand, the Taiwan authorities obstructed the Buddhist Association of China from sending a condolence delegation to Taiwan to mourn Master Xingyun;
On the other hand, after Master Nebula's death, he originally planned to seal the shrine of his true body, but in the end, it turned into a "tubi" (cremation), a capricious decision.
You must know that once you choose the real body shrine, it means that there will be no cremation, and naturally there will be no "relics". But now it's cremating again?
"Sealing the shrine" means that after the death of the monk, the body is placed in a large vat, and charcoal and lime are put in to absorb water and oxygen, and the bacteria will stop their activities due to lack of oxygen, and the decay of the body will also stop. After 3-5 years, the body will become a "dried corpse", which will then be taken out for worship, that is, the body will become a Buddha statue.
What's really going on behind this series of events? One can't help but wonder if such an aftermath arrangement is in line with Master Nebula's wishes during his lifetime?
Master Nebula was a legendary monk who suffered from diabetes at the age of 32 and struggled with the disease in his later years.
When he was 85 years old, as early as 10 years ago, he once left a last word:
For the end of my life, I have no relics, and all kinds of red tape are free. ”
These words aroused the doubts of many people.
As we all know, relics are usually obtained after cremation by eminent monks and are regarded as "holy objects" in Buddhist culture.
So, why would the highly respected Master Nebula assert in advance that he had no relics?
Is this because of long-term diabetes?
The relics originated from the cremation of the Buddha after Nirvana, and the Sanskrit transliteration is relics, which means bones or bones.
According to legend, the relics were beads formed after the cremation of Shakyamuni's body after his death, and later also referred to the bones of high monks.
There are many types of relics, including bone relics, hair relics, and meat relics.
In the Buddhist classic "Fayuan Zhulin" compiled by the Tang Dynasty monk Shi Daoshi, the types of relics are described, which are divided into three types: bone relics (white), hair relics (black) and meat relics (red).
Generally speaking, when we talk about relics, we usually mean bone relics.
The Lotus Sutra mentions: "When everyone sees me extinguished, they make offerings to relics, and they are all longing for me, and they are thirsty and admiring." ”
The meaning of this sentence is that although the Buddha will not really disappear, he will let sentient beings see his nirvana, so that sentient beings in the world will have a desire and longing for him and yearn for the Dharma with all their hearts.
Therefore, the relics are regarded as the "credentials" of nirvana.
Therefore, since ancient times, various dynasties have regarded relics as supreme beings and made offerings, forming a tradition known as "relics worship".
We will not discuss the true appearance of the relics here, leaving it to the readers to judge for themselves.
However, Master Xingyun's sentence "I have no relics" made me wake up from a dream, and my heart was full of joy.
I can't help but sigh that Master Xingyun is really a great master of Zen Buddhism, breaking through the mysteries of Zen Buddhism in one word, and truly realizing Buddhism in daily life.
From his will, it can be seen that Master Nebula's wishes for the aftermath may be more inclined to choose the "True Body Shrine" rather than cremation to make relics. This also explains why he asserted early on that he had no relics.
We know that the body relics of the famous six ancestors of Zen Buddhism, Master Huineng, are enshrined in Nanhua Temple in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province.
However, now, the descendants of Master Nebula have built him a Nirvana Tower and carried out cremation for seven days and seven nights. Whether this practice is contrary to the original intention of Master Nebula is self-evident.
Master Xingyun is the 48th generation of the Rinzai sect and belongs to one of the five major schools of Zen Buddhism.
There is a famous saying in Zen Buddhism: "All blessings do not leave the square inch; Find it from the heart, and feel everything. ”
Zen Buddhism is good at the Yuandun Buddhism, which is in line with the teachings of the Lotus Buddhism, and is considered to be the most complete way of practice. Unlike the Pure Land, Tantra, Vinaya, and Sexuality sects, practitioners of Zen Buddhism eventually attain the Dharma of Non-Action.
Zen Buddhism emphasizes enlightenment, while sects such as Pure Buddhism focus on gradual enlightenment.
Rinzai Buddhism is a school of Zen Buddhism known for its freedom of Zen Buddhism, which is characterized by the flexibility of methods and the diversity of forms.
Under the guidance of the Rinzai sect, the apprentices' thinking direction will be consciously guided.
In the quotations of the Rinzai sect, the dialogue between master and apprentice is often beyond the ordinary, aiming to enlighten the minds of the **, so that they can gain new spiritual understanding after confusion.
These dialogues allow one to break through all bondage and realize that the Buddha is oneself and that everything but oneself, no matter how much wealth one has, is only bondage.
The Buddha once said, "If you know me by your colors and seek me by your voices, then such people are going astray and cannot really see what they are." ”
Reading all of the above, it is not difficult for us to understand what Master Nebula said before his death:
The Buddha did not seek to be peculiar and maverick, but he taught throughout his life to take pleasure in benefiting sentient beings, so that people could understand the inner nature in their daily lives. He emphasized the provision of services and care for the human society in life, rather than blindly worshipping relics. ”
Master Nebula's last words are a powerful testament to the true meaning of Zen Buddhism.
In Master Nebula's opinion, he didn't care if he had a relic or not.
It is far more important to be able to comprehend the wisdom and efficacy of the Dharma, and to find a foothold in the world through understanding the Dharma, than to have relics.
If we can have an open-minded mindset of "I have no relics", and not be troubled by the world, and not be bound by the world, then that is the state of true enlightenment.
Perhaps, the short sentence "I have no relics" is the last lesson that Master Xingyun left us.
I've understood the meaning, how do you feel it? List of high-quality authors