Modern Buddhist Scriptures

The second volume of this book constructs a world of Zen practice, which is based on "awakening of mind and nature". It does not pursue physical immortality or boundless magic power, but realizes the essence of life through meditation. The practitioners here are called "enlightened ones", and their realms are divided into ten heavens: The First Level of Heaven and the First Enlightenment Heaven: Feel the distracting thoughts in your heart and learn to focus. Second Heaven: Clear Mind: The heart is like a bright mirror, illuminating the origin of emotions. Third Heaven·Undwelling Level: Let go of attachment and flow freely. The fourth heaven, the sea of ​​compassion: arises the great compassion without cause and the great compassion of the same body. Fifth Heaven·Light of Wisdom: Understand the interconnection of all things and understand the origin. The Sixth Heaven: The Heaven of Freedom: Entering and exiting life and death is like visiting a garden and viewing flowers. Seventh Heaven, Formless Realm: Beyond all conceptual distinctions. Eighth Heaven: Wonderful Use Gate: adapt to circumstances and benefit all living beings. Nine Heavens·Perfect Enlightenment: The light of the heart shines everywhere and becomes one with the Dharma Realm. Tenth Heaven [Unawareness Heaven]: The awakened person needs to actively forget the first nine realms and let all the crops in his heart wither. Only in "nothing" can we find the "root of emptiness" that has never been sown. Ways of practice: Zen farming and symbiosis: Every enlightened person has a "heart field". Awakening is cultivated through farming. The growth of crops reflects the realm of cultivation. The "heart fields" of awakened people in different realms will grow exclusive crops. For example, light blue meditation grass will grow in the heart field of the first awakening day, and non-interpretation flowers will bloom all over the heart field of perfect enlightenment. Dialogue with all things: Have a "silent dialogue" with mountains, rivers, vegetation, wind, rain, clouds and mist, and understand the wisdom of different forms of existence. Dream cultivation method: explore the subconscious mind in lucid dreams and resolve the knots of the past. Retrograde test: Take the initiative to experience the "waterfall of troubles" and refine your concentration in the emotional whirlpool. The world of Zen practice consists of seven major Zen realms: Echoing Valley: Every word will be echoed by the wisdom of the valley. Mirror Lake Center Island: The lake reflects the true inner state. Wordless Scripture Forest: Trees naturally grow into patterns of wisdom. Yunqiao Zen Temple: a place of practice floating in the clouds. Time Sand Plain: A place of enlightenment where the speed of time can be adjusted. All Living Beings Teahouse: All things can take form, drink tea and discuss the Tao. The Holy City of Heart Light: A splendid city built by the common thoughts of the awakened ones. Social form: Conflict-free economy: resources flow on demand, and there is a "mind exchange" system (for example, using the crops in your heart or the insights gained from talking to all things in exchange for needed resources) Resonance between master and disciple: establishing a "heartstring connection" between master and disciple, which goes beyond verbal teaching. The Four Seasons Dharma Assembly: Spring birth, summer growth, autumn harvest, and winter storage each have their own practice themes. Reincarnation Station: Those who voluntarily reincarnate can prepare for the next journey here. Advanced features: Zen and art integration: practice integrates music, chess, calligraphy, painting, gardening and cooking. Group practice network: sharing the experience of enlightenment through the "heart network". Transformation of worries: Negative emotions can be turned into "crystals of wisdom". Time and space folding: High-level awakened persons can experience multiple timelines. Life goals: awakening, freedom, compassion. Resources: Meditation, awareness, opportunity. Danger: loss, persistence, laziness (lostness may be caused by being trapped by one's own echo in the Echo Valley, and the corresponding solution can be to use the water of the island in the center of the Mirror Lake to see one's own mind) Achievement: Perfection in the moment. Ultimate realm: The highest achievement in Zen practice is "cultivation without practice" - no need to practice deliberately, every breath, every step, and every encounter is Zen. The awakened person will eventually turn into a "permanent heart light" and become the eternal background radiation of the Zen world, silently nourishing those who come after. The "light of the mind" in the Zen world may be the "dark matter of consciousness" in the real universe. When an awakened person reaches enlightenment, his or her heart light will simultaneously enhance the "quantum coherence" of the real world, making the butterfly effect more benign. Practicing Zen seems to be exploring a way of living that is close to perfection. Practicing Zen is never about pursuing a standard answer to a "perfect way to live," but rather about learning to maintain a three-part self-consistent Zen mind amidst the imperfections of seven-part worldly things. Just like the people in Wuxiang Zenwuzhai, Chen Mo did not win the first place in the bidding, but realized the original intention of the design; Lin Hui did not raise her son as "other people's child", but put down her anxiety and slowly grew up with her child. The so-called "close to perfection" means that after accepting all imperfections, you can still smile, drink a cup of tea, listen to the sound of the wind, and live in every practical moment. Do you think this sense of solidity in living in the present is the state closest to "perfection" in the eyes of Zen practitioners?