Shen Xiu (606 ~ 706 AD) was a monk in the Tang Dynasty, a disciple of the fifth ancestor of Zen and the founder of Northern Zen. The common surname is Li, a native of Bianzhou Weishi (now Henan Weishi). Learn less about the history of Confucian classics and learn more.

Basic introduction of real name: posthumous title: Northern Sect Time: Tang Birthplace: Bianzhou Weishi Birth Time: 606 Death Year: 706 Major Achievements: The founder of Northern Sect of Zen learned from the scriptures: forbearing monks, his early experience, spreading to the north, the inheritance of Zen, historical records, related stories, and monks in the Tang Dynasty (606-706 AD). Li, a native of Bianzhou Weishi (now Kaifeng Weishi, Henan Province), has a common surname. Learn less about the history of Confucian classics and learn more. He read widely when he was young and became a monk at the end of Sui Dynasty. Later, when I met Dongshan Temple, a monk in Shuangfeng Mountain, qi zhou, I took "meditation" as my practice class, eliminating all other thoughts and making my mind calm and comfortable. I admire and say, "This is really my master." So I served Hongren, tempered myself with firewood and water, and studied Buddhism in Hongren. According to the research of scholars such as Li Yong and Hu Shi, the well-known story that Huineng and Shen Xiu fought for the mantle of the sixth ancestor of Zen based on Zen is probably untrue. According to the data recorded on the stone tablet of Tang Zhongyue's "Saman Interpreting as Zen Master's Behavior", Shen Xiu should be the orthodox heir of Dharma. The story of "Five Ancestors forbearing to pass on Huineng's vestments" in Six Ancestors' Tanjing is just a myth fabricated by Huineng's disciple Shenhui and Monk in order to compete with Beizong for the support of the royal family. Huineng of Nanzong and the disciples of Shenxiu of Beizong fought for the legal system, but ended in vain. Finally, Nanzong won because Huineng's disciples helped the court raise money successfully. At present, the status of the six ancestors is the result of the struggle for orthodoxy between the North and South sects and the rewriting of the genealogy. He experienced Shen Xiu's early Confucian classics in his early years and later became a monk. At the age of 50, he went to Dongshan Temple, Shuangfeng Mountain, qi zhou (northeast of Huangmei County, Hubei Province) to pay homage to the five ancestors of Zen Buddhism, forbearing to seek dharma, and then became a monk. He has been engaged in collecting firewood and carrying water for six years. Hongren is highly regarded, calling him "the first person to take a round photo" and "the host of the program" and "the professor". According to legend, Hong Ren paid for clothes and ordered his disciples to write poems. Beautiful show as a cloud: "Being a bodhi tree is like a mirror, so you should always wipe it, so as not to make dust." Hongren thought he didn't see his true nature and didn't pay for his clothes. After Hongren's death, he practiced in yuquan temple in Dangyang Mountain (now southeast of Dangyang County, Hubei Province) in Jiangling, and his reputation spread far and wide. Monks and customs from all over the world enjoy a high reputation. Wu Zetian, who is famous for her, sent an envoy to Luoyang in the first year of the ninth (700), and was later called to Chang 'an Inner Dojo, when she was over 90 years old. Deeply respected by Wu Zetian, he was ordered to set up Dumen Temple in Dangyang Mountain and build Hongji in his hometown of Weishi (now Kaifeng, Henan) to show his virtue. Tang Zhongzong acceded to the throne, more ceremony. Zhang Shuo, the head of the Secretariat, also asked him about Buddhism and held a ceremony to accept disciples. Tang Zhongzong and Tang Ruizong promoted Buddhism in the two dynasties, and were honored as "masters of Buddhism in Beijing (Chang 'an and Luoyang) and masters of Buddhism in san huang (Wu Zetian, Tang Zhongzong and Tang Ruizong)". In the second year of Shenlong (AD 706), he died in the Tiangong Temple in Luoyang. Tang Zhongzong named him "Master of Datong", and according to Shen Xiu's wishes, he buried Dumen Temple in Dangyang and gave him money to build a masonry tower (commonly known as stupa). Yan Guogong, the left prime minister, said that he was very sad for his inscription. Shen Xiu is the founder of the Northern Sect of Zen Buddhism, and he and his younger brother Huineng (the founder of the Southern Sect) are also called "learning from the south and practicing from the north". Disciples Puyi and Yi Fu (Xingsi) continued to develop their imperial clan style, which was very popular for some time. At that time, they were called "the Lord of the two capitals and the Lord of san huang", and almost all of them were beautiful women. Later generations called its legal system Beizong Zen. From his public display, we can see Shen Xiu's basic thought: "All Buddhism is from the heart; I will ask for it and run away from my father. " (See Jingde Dengchuan Lu, Volume 4) He inherited the practice of Dongshan since Daoxin, saying that "the body and mind are pure, and the body is the same as the Buddha". Therefore, he regards "meditation" and "staying in the heart to watch the net" as a convenience. After Huineng, the disciple came out to discuss the merits and demerits of the Southern Sect and the Northern Sect, with Meichan as the gradual progress and Huineng Zen as the breakthrough, so the Southern Sect was divided into the Northern Sect. The northern Sect of Zen declined after only a few generations. Daoxuan, a disciple of Puji, once spread Beizong Zen to Japan. To sum up, there are two ways, namely "epiphany" and "gradual correction". Zen once advertised "epiphany". It is not easy to have an epiphany, so the Sixth Ancestor said, "My method is to take root. "First-class root instrument doesn't count, but first-class smart people need to be on the root instrument. If you have an epiphany, you will have an epiphany in one sentence. Another way is "gradual repair". Take your time, step by step. -This is Southampton's northward movement. Fang Yun's Zen paintings are very beautiful, so the word Zen should always be erased to avoid getting dusty. Dongshan method originated from the belief of the four ancestors and was completed by the forbearance of the five ancestors. The fourth ancestor's Dongshan method of meditation, that is, "meditation", the practice mode of meditation is "extremely deep and prajnaparamita, a line of samadhi, who is chanting Buddha". The historical mission of chanting Buddha Zen is to make the Zen Buddhism "not written in words, but taught to others" become an acceptable practice of Zen Buddhism for ordinary practitioners through Buddhist scriptures and practice mode, which is known as the spread of history to the north. Shen Xiu, as the representative of Beizong Zen, faithfully inherited the Dongshan method of the fourth ancestor Daoxin and the fifth ancestor Hongren, and it has not changed at all, so Zen master Hongren once praised: "Dongshan method is beautiful. "The sixth ancestor is not from the four ancestors and the five ancestral Dongshan method, but the patriarchal clan system founded by the Buddha. He does not write words and teaches others not to preach. The six ancestors broke away from all the teachings of the Tathagata and restored the true colors of Zen, known as Nanton in history. This is the responsibility of the sixth ancestor, and it is also the reason why the fifth ancestor chose the sixth ancestor as a mantle. The Zen method has inherited the Zen master Shen Xiu, the four ancestors' Taoist mind and the five ancestors' forbearance, and has not changed at all. According to Deng Chuan in Jingdezhen, Shen Xiu made a demonstration to the public, saying: "All Buddhism is from the heart; I will beg outside my heart and run away from my father. According to the Tanjing, Huineng asked Shen Xiu's disciple Zhicheng how Shen Xiu was made public. Zhicheng said, "Always teach the public: Be prepared for danger in times of peace, and always sit or lie down. Wu Zetian asked the 90-year-old Shen Xiu Zen master, "What is the purpose of the master's preaching Buddhism?" Shen Xiu replied, "I am a poor monk." Wu Zetian asked: "What kind of classics is Dongshan Law based on? Master Shen Xiu replied, "Manjusri Prajna Sutra is a line of samadhi." . "In essence, the method of Zen master Shen Xiu's spreading to the north is a kind of Buddhist meditation since the fourth ancestor believed in Taoism," based on the Shurangama Sutra and Manjusri Bodhisattva Prajna Sutra "and" Who is a Buddhist ". Since the fourth ancestor's Taoist heart, the Buddhist meditation of "one is shurangama Sutra, the other is Manjushri Prajna Sutra Samadha". Its historical mission is to turn a kind of Zen "not written, but taught to others" into a Zen method acceptable to ordinary practitioners through Buddhist scriptures and practice patterns. In other words, the authentic Zen Buddhism from India has become an acceptable springboard for China people who have been influenced by various cultures. It is because of this springboard that I left my internship in Dongshan. Shen Xiu Zen Master has promoted the four-ancestor meditation for 80 years, and there are many disciples, including "70 people attending the church and 3,000 people" (you should know that Hongren, the fifth ancestor, personally recognized the Dhamma, but only 10, and of course some records are 13). Especially after the death of Zen master Shen Xiu, two disciples, Zen master Songshan Puji (65 1-739) and Zen master Xijing Yifu (658-736), with the support of the emperor, continued to carry forward the ancestral style of Buddhism and Zen, which was very popular for a while, including "Between the two capitals, both live in Shen Xiu" and "North Zongxia". It was not until the emergence of Mazu Road in nanzenji that the status of Buddhism and Zen in the north was shaken. It was not until the end of the Tang Dynasty that the "Anshi Rebellion" was promoted, but it gradually disappeared. Especially when people's roots gradually become heavier, then the pure land method appears, and many dying examples appear. When they saw the appearance of Amitabha, they listened to the Sanskrit ... which made the northern part of China, which was "ignoring appearance, valuing Buddha and being suspicious", gradually read Buddhism and lost more living space. Although Zen masters occasionally promoted it in the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was like the light of rice grains under the sun and the moon. At that time, the history of the dispute over Southampton's spread to the north, from emperors to ordinary people, lasted for hundreds of years, with unprecedented infighting. Slowly, all sentient beings chose Huineng's six-ancestor Zen method, and the Zen method of chanting Buddha and Zen gradually withdrew from the stage of this time and space program. The exit here has not been cut off, but is deeply buried in this time and space program and people's hearts, such as the dormant seeds of King Kong Tathagata, which will explode and be destroyed by all beings as long as the time is ripe. The above-mentioned teachers learned from Hongren, the fourth ancestor and the fifth ancestor, Zen master Shen Xiu and Shen Xiu's disciples, that is, the northern gradual meditation practice, mainly based on "not taking pictures, becoming a Buddha, having doubts,' who is a Buddha'". Although there are changes, this is the ancestor after all. (The above two parts, "Related Stories" and "Inheritance of Zen Method", are excerpts from the book How to Practice Buddhism and Zen written by Guijia. According to Records of the Historian, he was from Bianzhou Weishi, surnamed Li. Read less about the history of Confucian classics and become a monk at the end of Sui Dynasty. Later, he met the monk Hongren in Dongshan Temple, Shuangfeng Mountain, qi zhou. He meditated as a profession and sighed, "This is really my teacher. "I am tolerant of the past. I dedicated myself to firewood for my road. At the end of Wei Dynasty, there was a monk, Prince Ben Tianzhu, who entered the South China Sea to protect his family and defend his country, and got the wonderful method of Zen. The cloud was handed down by Sakyamuni, and there was a mantle to remember, and the world gave it to him. Damocles sailed from the mantle to Liang and Liang Wudi. The emperor asked something promising, and Dharma didn't say anything. Wei hid in Songshan Shaolin Temple and died by taking poison. When Wei sent Song Yun back to Qingling, he saw his disciples send him to his tomb, but only clothes and shoes. Dharma preached Hui Ke that he could taste his left arm to learn from it. Hui Ke preached faith, and faith preached tolerance. Hongren, surnamed Zhou, is from Huangmei. At first, Hongren and Daoxin lived in Dongshan Temple, so it was called Dongshan Method. As a teacher, Shen Xiu is tolerant of things and unusual things. He said: "I have many people. As for hanging round photos, no one is earlier than you. "Hongren died in Xianheng for five years, Shen Xiu went to Jingzhou and lived in Dangyangshan. Then he heard his name, chased him to the capital, shouldered him to the temple, kissed him and knelt down, and set up Dumen Temple in Dangyang Mountain to show his virtue. At that time, the maharaja had gone down to Kyoto, and when he heard the news, he sought an audience. He fell on his knees, and there were tens of thousands of them every day. Zhongzong acceded to the throne, especially respecting differences. Zhang Shuo, a calligrapher in China, asked him about it and retired as a disciple. He said, "The Zen master is eight feet long, with fine eyes and beautiful ears. He is a mighty weapon of Wang Ba. "At the beginning, Shen Xiu's classmate Huineng was a monk and a native of NSW. It is different from Shen Xiu industry. After Hong Ren's death, Huineng lived in Guangguo Temple in Shaozhou. In Shaoshan, there are many tigers and leopards. Once they left, they were amazed at the distance, salty. If there is a beautiful performance, it will be a day. Please catch up with the capital Hui Neng, and Hui Neng will make a firm statement. Shen Xiu invited him again by writing his own book. Hui Neng summoned the messenger and said, "I'm short and ugly, and I'm afraid the northern soil will not respect my law. We should also learn from my fate in the south and China, and we must not violate it. "I didn't cross the ridge and died. The whole world is preaching that Shen Xiu is a northern Sect and Huineng is a southern Sect. In the second year of Shenlong, Shen Xiu died, and literati came to the funeral. There is an imperial edict that says "Great Harmony Master". "Hong Yu Ji" was also placed in Wang Xiang's former residence, with inscriptions by Wang Fan, Zhang Shuo and scholar Lu Hongyi. After Shen Xiu's death, his disciples were generally quiet, upright, blessed and valued by people at that time. Related stories Zen is about not writing and teaching others not to pass it on. Therefore, the great virtue of Zen enlightenment, in addition to passing on the Dharma to the founder, left a few words and hardly said a word. Hong Ren, the fifth ancestor, is such a person. He decisively chose Huineng as the sixth ancestor. And this decisive choice is beyond ordinary people's understanding. When the fourth ancestor believed in Taoism, hundreds of people studied in Shuangfeng Temple in Xishan. In addition, the fourth ancestor disciple Hong Ren and Master Niu Toushan were also promoted. In addition, Emperor Taizong and Li Shimin invited four ancestors to Beijing for many times (although they didn't go, it was a terrible reputation in the eyes of the world). In addition, Zen has also developed to a level that conforms to people's practice habits at that time ... the sacred tree is deep, samadhi and "chanting Buddha." "But, after all, the Buddha's quotations from Mahayana are not authentic. When Huineng Jackson has nothing, where is the dust? "When YaZi appeared in front of the fifth ancestor Hongren, he decisively chose Huineng Jackson as the sixth ancestor. Huineng, the sixth ancestor, did not preach Tathagata Zen from the fourth or fifth ancestor (that is, the practice mode of "one line, three places, and" who reads Buddha "), but the patriarchal clan system initiated by Buddhism, did not write words, and taught others not to preach. Shen Xiu Zen Master (605-706) deserves to be recognized as one of the top ten disciples of Hongren, the fifth ancestor. In the eyes of ordinary people, a southerner who only stayed in Dongshan for a few years, who was illiterate and had a kitchen job, "snatched" the mantle of the Buddha. In addition, Shen Xiu Zen master is proficient in Confucianism, Taoism and righteousness, and has learned a lot of metaphysics from Laozi and Zhuangzi, and also got the True Story of Five Ancestors. At that time, Zen master Hongren once lamented: "The method of Dongshan lies in performance. "Wash the feet of life and lead them to sit together. In addition, Shen Xiu Zen Master has always been the first of the five ancestors, worshiping his other disciples and having his own disciples. Even Lunga's teacher records regard Shen Xiu as the seventh ancestor. (The Shurangama Sutra Teacher's Record asks the translator of Shurangama Sutra that Sakyamuni thinks that he is the ancestor, bodhidharma is the second ancestor, Hui Ke is the third ancestor, monk Gartis is the fourth ancestor, Daoxin is the fifth ancestor, Hongren is the sixth ancestor and Shen Xiu is the seventh ancestor. Especially after the Five Ancestors forbeared to perish, Zen master, as a "teacher", spread Zen to all parts of the country, and Shen Xiu was the largest and most extensive, which had a great influence in the hinterland of Beijing. In 700, Wu Zetian welcomed Master Miao into Beijing and bowed down in person. At that time, the sixth ancestor Huineng was not famous. For these reasons, a question before Shen Xiu Zen Master is: Are these practitioners who study Zen under his guidance really Zen? This is not a simple question of the personal fame and fortune of the six ancestors, but a question of whether all sentient beings have wisdom and are separated from Zen. When Wu Zetian asked Zen master Shen Xiu to be a Buddhist teacher, Zen master Shen Xiu said, "I don't have this qualification. I inherited the mantle from my brother, Zen master Huineng. " (In other words, I am not an authentic descendant. ) This is the first time that the name of Huineng, the sixth ancestor, reached the ears of the rulers, thus laying a theoretical foundation for the later unification of China by the Zen method of Nanton. With this heart, it is not an exaggeration for Shen Xiu Jackson to be called "the sixth ancestor". The teacher (the sixth ancestor) said to the public: "There is law, people have north and south, law is one kind, and there is late illness;" What's your name? There is no gradual change in law, and people are beneficial to dullness, hence the name. " However, Xiu Xiu's disciples often laughed at Nanzong's grandfathers for not knowing a word. What are their advantages? Xiu said, "He has no teacher's wisdom, and he understands Excellence. I am not as good as him. What's more, my fifth ancestor taught me how to dress in vain! I hate that I can't go far away and get close to my own country. If you don't stay here, you can go to Caoxi to decide. " From this record, we can see that Huineng was recognized and admired by Zen master Shen Xiu. )