Correctly, Hui-neng is called Dajian Hui-neng Daishi (683-713) as a posthumous name. He was born in Guangzhou and he was the sixth successor from Bodhidharma. So, he was called the sixth master. When he was only three years old, his father was died. He lived in extreme poverty with his mother, which was likely cut firewood at the hill and sell them at the market.
One day at his twenty four years old, Hui-neng listened to one customer chanting Vajra sutra (the diamond pannya sutra) at the market. At that time, he felt something special to one passage of the sutra and asked the customer.
‘Where do you learn the sutra?’
The customer answered.
‘I took lessons from Zen master Khonin at Tozenin. Hundreds of monks and ordinary people gather to take lessons. Why don't you take it with us?’
Hui-neng said to him.
‘I cannot go to study because I should take care of my elderly mother.’
The customer said.
‘In that case, I will give you thirty silver to care for your mother.’
Hui-neng was surprised and answered.
‘I can’t come immediately, but I will ask someone to nurse my mother and will come back to see you.’
Later, Hui-neng had a chance to listen to the lecture of Nirvana sutra by a nun and began to study from Zen master Khonin. However it was not as a disciple. It was a training in kitchen work such as grinding flour and serving meals to seniors. He was small and powerless so he tried hard to grind flour on the mortar.
Eight months later, Zen master Khonin said to the disciples.
“I'm going to choose my successor, so everyone should submit your poem. I will decide the successor by whose poem is best.”
Hui-neng could not write and read characters, so he asked his colleague to write his poem, and submitted it to the master. The master approved Hui-neng's enlightenment as soon as he read the poem and gave him a Buddhist robe and a wooden bowl as a token of the successor. And the master said to him.
‘Leave here and go south. You should lie low for a time. In the near future you can go out into the world and spread Buddha’s dharma.’
Hui-neng left the temple during the night secretly, and was hiding in a fisherman's house. Four years later, he entered the Buddhist priesthood and became a formal priest. Then he became the chief priest of Cáoxī bǎo lín sì (曹渓寳林寺) and archived the great work as a Zen master.
Keep quiet
Our mind is often go far away and also moves alone.
It is non -shaped and hides behind closed doors.
Therefore, the people who could control to keep quiet
can free themselves from the restrictions of a temptation.
"Dhammapada" 37
I wrote this booklet for foreigners who want to take part in Zen meetings. Due to my moderate English skills, my vocabulary is inadequate and therefore the contents may be interpreted differently in Japanese. Nowadays, there is a phenomenon that young people are no longer concerned with religion in Japan. There is a similar situation with Christianity in western countries. However, Zen is very popular in western countries. In Moscow, since Zen meetings began last year, eighteen people have participated in the meetings each time.
Recently, I invited my two Russian friends to the International Zen Center in Kameoka city, Kyoto. They had Zen training for a few weeks and then returned to Russia. One of them is a teacher at a University, and the other is learning the ‘way of tea’ in order to become a tea ceremony teacher. They can speak Japanese and English, and furthermore, they can read classical Chinese. They will act as the bridge between Russia and Japan for Zen and the way of tea.
I want to provide young people who are interested in Zen with some materials to study, so I wrote this booklet following my previous one, ‘Preaching On The Street’.
I hope it is helpful and encourages them to explore Zen further. Sincerely yours, Giken Yoshitomi, Spring 2015.
PROFILE ・ Giken Yoshitomi
Giken Yoshitomi
7th July, 1956. Born in Saga City. Entered the Buddhist temple as a Buddhist disciple aged 15 years old under Daishin Osho tuition. Trained in Zen at Entuu-ji speciality monks hall in Imari City.
1983. Took up the post of Entuu-ji priest (Kurume city) belonging to the Rinzai Zen sect, part of Nanzen-ji Temples group.
1994. Passed the exam of the high missionary lecture class in Rinzai Zen sect.
1995. Took up the post of the Rinzai Zen sect missionary teacher
1577-1 Ooto, Miyanojin-town, Kurume-city, Japan 839-0803
The moss in the Japanese garden is beautiful especially in rainy season. We usually feel depressive in rainy season but, at the same time, we are pleasant to see wet moss and fresh leaves in the garden. We want to see a peace of mind inside the green of the moss and trees.
We put water into the stone basin at the edge of the garden. White sand patterns look like the river or sea and stones in the sand garden look like the islands on the sea. Japanese summer is hot and humid, therefore we want to see a peace of mind in the garden. That is a smart idea which Japanese people have been keeping on.
There is a Shishi Odoshi (threat against the wild boar) in the garden. Its sound represents the stillness. It would be interesting to express the stillness by the sound. “Kahn---“ There is little uselessness in the Japanese garden.
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I will give zen lectures,will go on a business trip.
Zen lecture
In Moscow 2013 Oct.29th
If they are lazy in the Olympic Games, we have no interest in them. We will have interest in them, because gathering players from all nations and playing game with all their might. Pepple seem to be refined enough to if playing game with all their might.
●坐禅会 毎週土曜日午前6：25～8：00 久留米市宮の陣町大杜1577-1圓通寺
初心者歓迎 参加費無料 詳細は電話でお問い合わせください。℡0942-34-0350
●学校やクラブなど団体研修 坐禅申し込み随時うけたまわります。
費用はご希望に応じます。宿泊はありません。出張講座もいたします。
●坐禅会 毎週土曜日午前6：25～8：00 久留米市宮の陣町大杜1577-1圓通寺
初心者歓迎 参加費無料 詳細は電話でお問い合わせください。℡0942-34-0350
●学校やクラブなど団体研修 坐禅申し込み随時うけたまわります。
費用はご希望に応じます。宿泊はありません。出張講座もいたします。
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