Mount Song’s Five Breast Peaks.
Shaolin Temple was built in the nineteenth year of the Northern Wei’s Taihe reign, when Emperor Xiaowen constructed it to house the Indian high monk Batuo. In the third year of the Northern Wei’s Xiaochang reign, the Indian high monk Bodhidharma came to Shaolin, meditating facing the wall at Five Breast Peaks for nine years, founding the Chan (Zen) school of Buddhism. During the early Tang dynasty battles when Li Shimin fought against Wang Shichong, Shaolin Temple’s warrior monks Zhijian, Tanzong, and ten others wielding staffs rendered great military service. From then on, Shaolin Temple’s reputation spread far and wide, and Shaolin martial arts became famous throughout the realm. Thereafter, when people visited Shaolin, they invariably felt their hearts stirred by past glories, spontaneously filled with solemn reverence and awe.
Liu Yan and the other two reached the foot of Five Breast Peaks, abandoned their horses, and proceeded on foot. Liu Yan still covered his face with a black cloth. Fang Pingzhai and Yu Tuan’er were both unfamiliar faces. These past few days, there had been many outsiders around Shaolin Temple, quite a few with strange appearances, so no one paid them any attention. Dongfang Xu followed behind the three. The entire group was dressed as martial artists. Upon entering through Shaolin Temple’s triple gates, the young novice monks at the entrance did not obstruct them, uniformly pressing palms together in salute. Passing through three courtyards, Dongfang Xu quickened his pace and led everyone into Shaolin Temple’s largest Buddha hall – the Thousand Buddha Hall.
The Thousand Buddha Hall of Shaolin Temple enshrined Vairocana Buddha. Behind Vairocana Buddha, the north, east, and west walls were all painted with murals of “Five Hundred Arhats Paying Homage to Vairocana,” magnificent in scope and solemn in sacred appearance. This hall was Shaolin Temple’s largest Buddha hall. At this moment, a space had been cleared in the center where an old monk in gray robes and straw sandals sat cross-legged, slowly speaking: “…Therefore, in this old monk’s heart, faith can ferry across all streams, vigilance can cross the sea, diligence can overcome suffering, and wisdom attains purity. All these constitute the Buddha mind.”
Dongfang Xu squeezed through the crowd to look. “This is Master Dahui. I don’t know what he’s talking about.” Yu Tuan’er curiously observed the bald monk. “Why do they all have no hair?” Fang Pingzhai also craned his neck to look, casually answering, “Monks are very busy, having hair is troublesome… Which of them do you think could become the abbot?” He pointed to several people sitting at the front of the crowd – precisely Dashi, Dacheng, Dabao, Puzhu, and the young novice Sanjie. Yu Tuan’er glanced over and pointed at Master Puzhu’s back. “Him.” Fang Pingzhai laughed heartily, waving his red fan. “Why?” Yu Tuan’er whispered, “Because he has hair.” Fang Pingzhai coughed. “I have hair too.” Yu Tuan’er frowned. “But you’re not a monk.” She tugged at Liu Yan’s sleeve, pointing at Master Dahui sitting in the center. “What is he saying?” Liu Yan shook his head. He didn’t believe in Buddhism and didn’t know what Dahui was talking about. Fang Pingzhai raised his red fan. “He’s telling a story, one written in the Agama Sutra about a conversation between Buddha Shakyamuni and Indra. Indra asked Buddha: How does one cross all streams? How does one cross the great sea? How can one abandon suffering? How does one attain purity? Then Shakyamuni answered: Faith can cross all streams, vigilance crosses the sea, diligence overcomes suffering, wisdom attains purity…” Yu Tuan’er interrupted him. “I can’t understand what you’re saying either.”
Fang Pingzhai sighed. “I think – actually, even if I explained it more clearly, you still wouldn’t-” Yu Tuan’er’s eyes widened, and Fang Pingzhai choked on his words. “Uh… actually, Indra was asking Buddha: How do you ferry across rivers? How do you ferry across the great sea? How can one not suffer? How can one attain purity? Then Buddha answered that believing in Buddha can ferry across rivers, not being indulgent can ferry across the great sea, being diligent and not slack can distance oneself from pain, and wise people can attain purity… Don’t you find this very boring and meaningless? Isn’t this saying that if you feel pain, it’s because you’re not diligent enough, and if your heart isn’t pure, you lack wisdom… Do truly diligent people really not feel pain? Actually, those whose hearts cannot be purified are mostly because they have too much wisdom…” Yu Tuan’er looked at him very impatiently. “Anyway, I just can’t understand what you’re saying. Stop talking.” Fang Pingzhai was left speechless. He had only begun his lengthy discourse when Yu Tuan’er turned away. Liu Yan said something in a low voice, and suddenly she beamed with joy. Fang Pingzhai shook his head repeatedly, slapping his head with his red fan. The world’s unrecognized talent, meeting the wrong person, pearls cast into darkness, jade mistaken for watermelon, gold seen as copper, ice water poured on a heated kang – it was no different. Alas! How helpless! Turning around, he saw that Dongfang Xu and his group were looking at him with great admiration. Fang Pingzhai waved his red fan but pretended not to notice, continuing to look ahead.
Master Dahui had finished speaking. The current topic in the Thousand Buddha Hall was “What constitutes the Buddha mind?” The last to speak was Master Puzhu. This dharma discourse competition had lasted exactly one month and thirteen days, with most of Shaolin Temple’s monks participating. After Puzhu’s final lecture concluded, the temple’s senior monks would select four high monks to test their martial skills in the hall. If their Buddhist cultivation was all profound, since Shaolin Temple was famous throughout the world for martial arts, the one with the highest martial skills among the four would assume the position of abbot.
Master Puzhu had handsome features, long black hair, and wore black monk robes. Among the crowd of old and young bald monks, he stood out like a crane among chickens. As soon as he stood up, the Thousand Buddha Hall became considerably quieter. Puzhu stepped into the center of the clearing and sat cross-legged. Unlike the other old monks who spoke slowly with eyes slightly closed, his cold gaze swept directly through the crowd. When people were touched by his gaze, they all felt a shock in their hearts, simultaneously closing their mouths, not daring to speak nonsense anymore. Although Puzhu had a resounding reputation, he didn’t observe the five precepts and had killed many people. If he became Shaolin’s abbot, there would inevitably be criticism, so today’s final dharma discourse was extremely important – it was Puzhu’s opportunity to explain his path of not observing the precepts.
“Amitabha.” After sitting down, Puzhu spoke only this one phrase. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, not understanding. The Thousand Buddha Hall was instantly so quiet a pin could be heard dropping. The crowd of old and young monks remained silent, but Yu Tuan’er asked, “What ‘Amitabha’?” As soon as she spoke, everyone’s gaze turned toward her, all thinking this young lady didn’t know who she was to dare speak aloud at Shaolin Temple’s abbot assembly – her courage was quite remarkable. Fang Pingzhai laughed heartily, waving his red fan. “He’s saying his Buddha mind is ‘Amitabha’ – just one Buddha’s name. Buddha is in the heart and needs no explanation. He is Buddha and Buddha is him. Though he kills, it is Buddha’s killing. When Buddha kills, it’s not killing people but eliminating demons.” In the silence, though Fang Pingzhai hadn’t raised his voice, everyone heard him. Each felt a chill in their heart – these words were full of provocation, clearly coming with ill intent. Yu Tuan’er’s delicate eyebrows furrowed, about to speak, when they heard Master Puzhu say coldly, “What is born was never truly born; what dies was never truly dead. All life and all things are thus. When people consider themselves alive, is this truly life from the perspective of all things? When people consider themselves dead, is this truly death from the perspective of all things? Life is not life – it’s merely called life; death is not death – it’s merely called death.”
“Amitabha.” Hearing Master Puzhu say “Life is not life, merely called life; death is not death, merely called death,” the monks sitting cross-legged on the ground pressed their palms together and chanted the Buddha’s name in unison, though whether in agreement or opposition was unclear. Fang Pingzhai shook his head repeatedly. “Utter nonsense! If life is not truly life and death is not truly death, if life and death have no difference from the perspective of the universe and all things, then please tell me – what crime is there in Monk Puzhu killing people? If anyone believes this fallacy, not only would monks be innocent of killing, but millions upon millions of people in the world would also be innocent of killing! Complete nonsense! Absolute rubbish!” He usually spoke in a rambling, verbose manner, but this time he spoke with righteous conviction, his words ringing with authority. Listeners couldn’t help but nod slightly. Though seeing through life and death showed breadth of mind, saying that killing was innocent because there was no difference between life and death was difficult for people to accept. Yu Tuan’er glanced at Fang Pingzhai, her face showing a smile. Clearly, Fang Pingzhai’s words had struck her heart, making her very happy.