Health is not just a choice, it is a life journey and the journey of your mind. Let me explain this by telling one of my simple stories.
My Story – Attending An Open Debate On Buddhist Sutras and Practice At Shaolin Temple
Let me recall one of my life stories.
On August 24, 2011, in Guangdong, the skies were high with scattered clouds, and the heat of summer had not yet faded. I flew from Guangzhou to Luoyang and then took a taxi to Dengfeng. At that time, the Shaolin Temple was entering autumn, with occasional light rain. I was invited by China Buddhist Online and the National Buddhist Association to participate in a Chan (Zen) debate at the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song.
The organizers arranged transportation, food, and accommodation for me. I stayed in a monk’s residence in Lee Village, about one mile northeast of the Shaolin Temple, sharing a room with lay Buddhist Li Hujiang. The debates on the following days were broadcast live on local television and national Buddhist platforms.
The next day, after breakfast, we gathered in the Great Chan Hall of Shaolin, where monks and laypeople sat together, totaling over six hundred attendees. There were eighteen debaters, including Li Hujiang and myself as lay Buddhists, with the remaining sixteen monks selected from major Buddhist colleges across the country.
The draw determined that I would debate the next day, so I spent the first day observing. The debate topics were: “Master Bodhidharma said, ‘Vast and without characteristics of any form.’ What does this refer to?” and “Why are there six realms in dreams, but upon awakening, the great thousand worlds disappear?” My only recollection is that it was lively and entertaining, but not particularly exciting or inspiring.
To add to the atmosphere of the debate, that evening the monastery hosted a large-scale martial arts performance by the warrior monks. There were over a thousand performers and more than ten thousand spectators. The event was brilliantly illuminated, set against the vast mountain scenery, creating a spectacular scene.
The next morning, just after nine o’clock, the first debate began. The topic was: “What was my original face before my parents were born?” Although it seems simple, it directly addresses the essence of Buddhist teachings. My opponents were four Buddhist monks, whose knowledge I found to be rather superficial. Having just completed interpretations of the ten major Buddhist scriptures and being well-versed in the Tripitaka and twelve other sections, I felt as confident as if I had a hundred thousand strong soldiers at my disposal, and I didn’t take the four monks seriously. Although I won numerous accolades on the spot, this arrogance was my downfall, as it cost me the opportunity to compete against more debaters in the following days.
That night, in the inner courtyard of Shaolin, a Shaolin warrior monk with profound martial skills performed internal martial arts for us. Unfortunately, I had never been involved in this field and had no intention of learning it. A monk and a layperson from a Buddhist temple in Yuzhou visited me in my room at Shaolin and expressed great admiration for my performance. They were affiliated with a temple and expressed a desire to invite me to their temple to give lectures, hoping to attract more followers for donations and revive their sacred site. However, I left without notice two days later, leaving their hopes unfulfilled.
That night, there was a brief rain. In the early morning, there was some fog in the valleys of Mount Song. The trees in and around the temple were not dense, adding a touch of worldliness to the freshness of the morning.
After breakfast, we gathered on time in the Great Chan Hall, again with over five or six hundred people. The masters remained the same, with Shaolin Temple Bishop Shi Yongxin and others sitting in the chairman’s position, but there were more laypeople, including teachers and students from the Shaolin Culture Research Institute of Zhengzhou University.
In the morning debate, other debaters took the stage. The topic was: “Regarding the heart imprinted in the snow, what is this ‘heart’?” It was an excellent topic. The one who imprints the heart can do as they wish, freely roaming in the sea of Buddha’s teachings. Unfortunately, the insights of the five debaters were mediocre, lacking any profound or captivating expressions. By then, all eighteen debaters had presented, and in my view, the so-called “talents” in Chinese Buddhism were few and far between, a truly sad observation!
That afternoon, it was my turn for the second debate. The topic was: “A single leaf can block sight of the sacred mountain. When one’s true nature is seen, is the sacred mountain still visible?” The debater monks were Yuan Shang, Miao Li, Fa Wei, Wu Xue, and others, and I was the 12th debater.
As the monks sat opposite me, their exchanges were dull, often conceding with phrases like “I don’t understand” or “I am not clear,” creating a very tedious atmosphere.
Seeing this, I thought, since we are here to “debate” the scriptures, it would be inappropriate if everyone kept silent, failing to fulfill the very essence of a “debate.” In Buddhism, while modesty is indeed a strategy and a necessary lesson for practitioners, taking responsibility for the Buddha’s teachings and shouldering a Buddhist’s mission is also essential, especially in contemporary China. If Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch, had also given way, would Zen Buddhism have uniquely dominated for hundreds of years?
With these thoughts, I decided to change the dull atmosphere and get the monks to really start “debating,” casting aside concerns of winning or losing. As I frequently interjected, striking at various points, the applause from the audience of five to six hundred people gradually grew thunderous.
Buddha said, “Everyone inherently possesses the wisdom, virtue, and characteristics of the Tathagata, but it is due to delusion and attachment that they cannot realize it.” Each of us is originally like a shining mirror, our wisdom and brightness undifferentiated. However, due to the delusions of greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt in our minds, the true nature of the Five Aggregates is obscured. This is like “a single leaf blocking the view of the sacred mountain,” preventing us from seeing our true selves and causing us to lose our way in the world.
Due to my proactive approach, the debaters on the floor were unable to counter, and the monks in the audience shot questions at me like arrows. In the midst of this exchange, the Great Chan Hall became even more noisy and filled with applause! I, being humble, have no reason for pride. But singing in the mountains, do not blame me for my fervor: even if six hundred people were against me, or if all the venerable masters on the dais joined in, I would still be able to respond with ease.
At that time, I was sitting under the Bodhi tree statue, thinking to myself as if speaking to all beings: because I am sitting here, I am no longer myself, but a voice for Buddha, enlightening beings in the six realms.
A guest asked: Since you see Buddha in your heart, can you tell us about the Buddha’s way?
I replied: We practitioners are like climbing the Song Mountain at Shaolin. The journey is the path up the mountain, with beautiful scenery all the way, but often “a single leaf blocks the view of the sacred mountain.” When we finally reach the summit, it is also the moment of “seeing the nature of the mind.” When one sees their true nature, what is the Buddha’s way? “From the peak, all other mountains look small.” (I thought to myself: Why is there still a “small” in this? – This arrogance must not persist.)
A guest further inquired: “Could you describe the experience of becoming a Buddha?”
I replied, “The Buddha said: ‘Everyone is a Buddha.’ When I see the Buddha, I see all of you as Buddhas. If you ask about the Buddha’s way, I say: When I climbed Mount Shaolin, I saw that the mountain was not a mountain; when I descended, I saw the mountain was still a mountain. This process can only be understood by those who have experienced it. This is enlightenment.”
What I mean is that every person is like a shining mirror, their wisdom and brightness no different from the Buddha’s. It’s just that the surface of the mirror has gathered dust, which represents our greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt, obscuring the mirror’s brightness. When we clean away this dust and remove these afflictions, our wisdom and brightness become visible again, returning to our original nature, which is enlightenment.
At that moment, an elderly Buddhist monk stood up from the crowd, his eyes blazing with anger, and rebuked me: “We have practiced in Shaolin Temple for decades and still have not achieved enlightenment. How can you laypeople frivolously claim to be enlightened?” The old monk was calmed and taken away by others.
The second debate ended. At that time, out of the five or six hundred people, more than half surrounded me, showering me with praise and calling themselves “comrades.” The other debaters were scattered and left aside.
The judges held a special meeting to decide whether to let debater me, number 12, continue in the third round. Some masters might have thought: if number 12 continues to debate, it could bring shame to Chinese Buddhism, and some might even lose their positions in the Chinese Buddhist Association; if number 12 does not continue, although there might be dissatisfaction among the judges and audience, such voices would quickly disappear. In the end, the committee decided: number 12 should step down.
When this decision was made, I was walking along the corridor outside the Great Zen Hall. Master Benru, the chief judge, caught up with me from behind and said, “They’ve decided not to let you continue debating. Without your participation in the debate, there won’t be much to see!” I replied: The decision is right; the whole of Buddhism should not be compromised for one person.
Later, we learned that Shaolin Temple became the first Buddhist temple to raise the red flag of the Communist Party, abandoning worship of Sakyamuni Buddha in favor of Marx and Lenin, further indicating the degradation of Chinese Buddhism. This was a disgrace for Shaolin Temple and the greatest shame in over two thousand years of Chinese Buddhism. But that’s a story for another time.
After dinner, on my way back to the monks’ quarters, the organizing committee called, inviting me to come to the temple early the next day for a photo with the teachers and students and asked me to submit my travel receipts to Shaolin Temple for reimbursement, and they also offered to arrange a car to take me down the mountain. I refused all of these. I am a layperson and prefer to avoid worldly matters.
The next morning, I took a taxi out of Luoyang by myself.
In the misty clouds of Mount Song, a voice chased after me, saying, “Hurry! Be careful.” – I had neither a monk’s robe nor a bowl and was just a mortal afraid of death; why would a Shaolin warrior monk be after me?
Thus, my time at Shaolin ended without a formal goodbye!
The above story tells about the truth of enlightenment, the returning to the real nature of oneself, which is like a shining mirror, with the full brightness from birth.
The same is with the main idea of my medical book – Each Person Is Their Own Best Doctor (Traditional Chinese Medicine In Practice).
Yingxiong Feng
莲龙故事一则
公元2011年8月24日，广东日高云淡、暑夏未退。从广州飞往洛阳，再转车登封。是时少林入秋、间有微雨。莲龙应中国佛教在线之邀，前往嵩山少林参加辩禅，主办者安排交通食宿，住宝寺东北一里外李村僧舍，与李湖江居士同室。
第二日早餐后，聚少林大禅堂，僧俗共坐，凡六百余众。辩手十八人，末学与湖江兄为居士，余者十六人均选自全国各大佛学院。
抽签结果，末学次日才有辩赛，首日观摩，辩题分别为“达摩祖师云：“廓然无相”，指什么?”、“梦里为何有六趣，觉后反而无大千?”记忆中唯有热闹二字，无甚精彩。
为烘托辩经，当晚院方主办大型武僧表演，舞者过千，观者逾万，流光溢彩，山景浩瀚，场面壮观。
次日早，九时刚过，首辩开始。辩题为：“父母未生前，如何是我本来面目?” 虽是显浅，却直指佛家宗旨。对手为四位佛僧，机锋之间，觉其知识尚浅。末学刚完成十大佛经演释，胸中三藏十二部，如十万雄兵，根本未将四僧放在眼里。虽然当场赢得无数喝彩，却因此一傲字为忌，丧失日后对垒更多辩手之机会。
当晚，于少林内院，有功夫深厚之少林武僧，为我等表演内家功夫；可惜末学素来与此道无缘，无心修学之。时有豫州佛寺捐客，一僧一俗，约末学于少林僧房，对末学之表演，大加赞赏。并与其依止僧寺联络，有意邀约末学往贵寺讲经，以助其广纳信众、重兴宝刹云云。不想末学二日后不辞而别，给捐客白留了空想。
夜里，下了一阵小雨。早起，嵩山斜谷中有些雾色，寺院上下树木并不成林，清新中多了些俗气。
早餐后，依时共聚大禅堂，又是五六百余众。师傅们未变，释永信等坐主席位，只是居士众里多了郑州大学少林文化研究院之师生们。
上午辩经，为其他辩手，辩题为：“雪印心珠，何为心珠?” 很好的题目，印心者，可随心所欲，畅意佛海。可惜五位辩手，见识平平，未有精辟之情怀可舒。当时十八位辩手均已过堂，在末学看来，中国佛教之“人才”，真是寥寥可数，悲哉！
是日午后，末学二辩。辩题为：“一叶障目，不见灵山，若见自性时，还见灵山否? ”法师辩手为圆上、妙理、法伟、悟学等，末学为12号辩手。
围坐在末学对面，诸位法师交锋之间，打拳作揖，时时一味谦让，说“我不懂、我不通”，气氛甚是沉闷。
观此，末学想，既然我等是来“辩”经的，都不开口了，岂不难当此一“辩”字？于佛门而言，虽然谦让亦是一策，且是修行人必修之课，但是当仁不让，荷担如来家业，更是当下中华所需。如果当时六祖慧能也让了，还会有禅宗独步江湖千百年？
想到此，末学决意扭转当时之沉闷局面，让经师们真正“辩”起来，并将输赢抛掷脑后。由于末学频频出手，处处“伤”人，五六百观众之掌声渐渐轰隆隆起来。
佛言：“人人本具如来智慧德相，但以妄想执着而不能证得。” 我们每一个人，本来皆是一面面闪闪发光的镜子，智慧光明无异无别，但是由于心行之中，贪嗔痴慢疑，蒙蔽了五蕴自性，如“一叶障目，不见灵山”，使我们看不到真正的自己，在尘世间迷失了。
由于末学主动出击，场内辩手无力抗辩，场外法师们的发问，如“弓箭”般，纷纷向末学射来，对答之间，大禅堂越发喧闹与喝彩！末学鄙贱，本无有一丝可骄傲的地方。但上山唱歌，休怪末学疯狂：就算六百人对我一人，主席台所有老师傅同时上场，末学都能从容应对的。
当时，末学盘坐在菩提树像下，心中所思，如对众生言：因为坐在此处，我已非我，唯有代佛宣法，启发六道。
有客问道：既然你心中见佛，可为我等说说佛道如何？
末学言：我等修行人，如攀登灵山。去时是上山的道，一路风景，但时时“一叶障目、不见灵山”。待到我们到达顶峰，也是“明心见性”，见自性之时，佛道如何？一览众山小。(怎么还有个“小”在？-此傲不可长。)
客人追问：请把成佛的体验说说？
末学言：“佛言：人人是佛。当我见佛之时，我见汝等，人人是佛。若问个中佛道如何？我言：我登灵山之时，见山不是山；我下灵山之时，见山仍是山。这个过程，只有过来人，才能悟个中味，此为开悟。”
当时，有一佛僧老者，从大众之中站出，双眼喷火，怒斥末学：“我等在少林寺修行了数十年，仍不能开悟。你等俗人，怎么就妄言开悟？” 老僧被人按捏下去。
二辩结束。当时五六百人，有过半观众围着末学，赞许声中，纷纷自称“同志”。其他辩手，零零落落，被丢在一旁。
是否让12号辩手接着辩第三场，裁判师傅们开了个特别评议会。可能有师傅们想：如果让12号继续辩下去，中国佛门会颜面扫地，甚至还会有人因此在中国佛协丢官；如果不让12号继续辩下去，虽然评委们和观众有不服的，但这种声音很快就会消失。最后，评委会决定：让12号下台。
当大会作出这个决定后，末学正走在大禅堂外的走廊上。作为主评委的本如法师，从后面碰上末学，对末学说：“他们已经决定，不让你再辩下去。没有你的辩禅，也就没有什么可看的了！”末学言：这个决定是对的；不能因为我一个人而坏了整个佛门。
后来，我们知道，少林寺成为第一所在寺院内升起共产党红色血旗的佛教寺院，不拜释迦，而拜马列，更说明中国佛教已经崩坏，这是少林寺的耻辱，也是中国佛教两千多年来最大的耻辱。此是后话。
晚饭后，在回僧舍之路上，组委会来电话，请末学明日早到寺院与师友等合影留念，并嘱托把往来票据交少林寺报销云云，还说可以派车送末学出山，末学均拒绝了。末学本是俗人，世俗的事就免了吧！
明日一早，自打了个出租车，出了洛阳。
嵩山云海中，有个声音追着告诉我：“快走！小心。”- 末学既无袈裟，亦无衣钵，还是个怕死凡夫，何来个少林武僧追杀我呢。
如此，少林一会，不辞而别！