What is going on with "The Return of the Ancient Buddha"?
The return of the ancient Buddha means that he has attained pure Bodhi and entered Nirvana, but he sympathizes with the suffering of all sentient beings, and uses his supernatural power to return to the six paths, transform into a Bodhisattva or a Dharma master, and teach the Dharma to save all sentient beings.
Such a resurrected ancient Buddha looks the same as an ordinary person on the outside, but in his heart he is in the pure state of Nirvana, without any pain or trouble. There is no trace of ignorance. No need to attain enlightenment again. Just like the gold in the ore, once it is smelted into pure gold, it will never become a gold mine again.
The Return of the Ancient Buddha: The Story of the Return of the Ancient Buddha Amitabha and Dingguang Buddha
This koan tells the story of Master Yongming Yanshou, the sixth generation founder of the Pure Land Sect, and Monk Long-Eared Monk more than a thousand years ago. The story is that Master Yongming Yanshou is the return of Amitabha. Amitabha is an ancient Buddha who has achieved enlightenment long ago.
The long-eared monk is the return of Dingguang Ancient Buddha. Dingguang Ancient Buddha, also known as Randen Ancient Buddha, belongs to the ancient Buddha of the past and is the first of the thousands of Buddhas born in the past solemn kalpa.
Master Yongming Yanshou was born in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, during the turbulent times between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the establishment of the Song Dynasty. During that period, Buddhism experienced the "Huichang Dharma Disaster" campaign to exterminate Buddhism by Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty. Showing signs of decline.
The prosperity of the eight sects of the Tang Dynasty can no longer be seen. Master Yongming Yanshou emerged from the world at a time when Buddhism was declining and waiting for reconstruction.
The master was deeply respected by Qian_, King of Wuyue at that time, and respected him as his national teacher. One day, the King of Wuyue wanted to hold an unobstructed meeting - that is, a thousand monks' house. As long as monks came to provide food, the emperor would provide equal support.
Although it is said that the offerings are equal, the tables are always divided into upper and lower seats. No one wants to sit on the upper seat, and everyone modestly pushes it back and forth.
Unable to give in, everyone thought that since Master Yongming was the emperor’s teacher, of course they would invite Master Yongming to sit in the chief position. However, Master Yongming was also very humble and refused to sit in the chief position.
While pushing and pulling, a long-eared monk dressed in rags came. His ears were very big and long, and his ears were drooping. No one recognized him, and everyone saw that he was giving way. , he was not polite and sat down in the chief seat.
When he sat down, of course King Wu Yue was too embarrassed to rush, but he felt very uncomfortable. The national preceptor did not sit in the chief position, but was seated by an unknown monk, but he was a monk after all, so It’s inconvenient to speak.
After the Qian Seng Zhai, everyone dispersed, and the King of Wu Yue asked Master Yongming: "I am going to fast today, is there any saint who will come to support me?" King Wu Yue thought that if there was a saint who came to serve, His blessings will be great. Master Yongming said: "Yes!" He said: "Who is it?" "It is Dingguang Ancient Buddha who is here to make offerings today." "Which one?" "That's the long-eared monk sitting in the chief chair."
After hearing this, King Wu Yue felt very happy and quickly sent people to chase him. The people who were sent asked around all the way: "Have you seen a monk with very big and long ears? Which way did he go?"
Later, I found out that the long-eared monk was in a cave. He practiced cultivation inside, and after finding him, people sent by King Wu Yue paid homage to him and invited him to come to the palace to make offerings.
The long-eared monk said: "Amitabha talks too much!" - Amitabha talks too much, revealing my identity! The long-eared monk passed away after saying this. When these people saw the long-eared monk passing away, they stayed there: "The ancient Buddha Dingguang was found, but he passed away."
Think about what he just said about "Amitabha's Rape", saying that the long-eared monk The person who belongs to the Dingguang Ancient Buddha is Master Yongming. Then "Amitabha" is not talking about Master Yongming. It turns out that Master Yongming is the return of Amitabha! Go back quickly and report to King Wu Yue: Ancient Buddha Dingguang is gone, but Amitabha Buddha is still there.
When King Wuyue heard the news of Dingguang Buddha’s passing away, he was of course very disappointed, but he was overjoyed to know that Master Yongming was the return of Amitabha Buddha.
I hurried to see Master Yongming and walked out quickly. When I reached the door, a messenger ran in from the outside in a panic and almost bumped into King Wu Yue. The King of Wuyue asked him: "Why are you so worried?" "Master Yongming has passed away!"
This is a very legendary koan in the history of Chinese Buddhism. Later, the world regarded the master's birthday as the eleventh day of the lunar calendar. The seventeenth day of the month is designated as Amitabha’s Christmas Day.
Extended information:
The return of the ancient Buddha - Manjushri Bodhisattva
Manjushri Bodhisattva is a symbol of great wisdom, which can reveal wisdom and improve understanding. In particular, it can help Buddhists achieve academic success, officials and businessmen increase their wealth and happiness.
Manjushri Bodhisattva is one of the parents of Buddha. Manjushri Bodhisattva, also known as Manjushri Dharma Prince, is a symbol of wisdom. He has a purple-gold body and is shaped like a boy. He is crowned with a five-knot hairdo and holds a diamond sword in his right hand. It represents the sharp sword of wisdom, which can kill all demons and cut off all troubles. He holds a green lotus in his left hand, with a Vajra Prajna Sutra scroll on the flower, symbolizing supreme wisdom, and his mount is a lion.
Manjushri Bodhisattva is the first among all Bodhisattva disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha, so he is also called Prince Manjushri. The image of Manjusri Bodhisattva is a figure holding a sword and riding a lion, which represents the sharpness of his teachings.
Holding the diamond sword in his right hand to cut off the troubles of all sentient beings, and awakening all obsessed sentient beings with the fearless roar of a lion, this is the basic image of Manjushri Bodhisattva.
Manjushri Bodhisattva corresponds to the causes and conditions of sentient beings in the Saha world, and also appears in various forms.
Generally, the statues of Manjushri Bodhisattva include monk-shaped Manjushri, one-bundled Manjushri, five-bundled Manjushri, eight-bundled Manjushri, and six-character Manjushri.
The main body is the five-character Manjusri with five buns. Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva are the first bodhisattvas above Vairocana Buddha, and are collectively known as the Three Saints of Huayan. Among the Buddhist classics, there are many classics directly named after "Manjushri", such as "The Prajnaparamita Sutra Spoken by Manjushri", "Manjushri's Aspiration Sutra", "Manjushri's Universal Samadhi Sutra", etc.
Manjushri Bodhisattva is one of the most respected Bodhisattvas by Chinese monks and laymen. Together with Guanyin Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, they are collectively known as the four major Bodhisattvas. In temple statues, Manjushri Bodhisattva is also opposite to Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Manjushri rides a lion, Samantabhadra rides a white elephant.
All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who transform themselves into fruits, are all endowed with supreme wisdom. In particular, Manjushri Bodhisattva is the representative of supreme wisdom. Because Manjushri Bodhisattva is the Tathagata of the Fruit of the Three Worlds.
In the "First Surangama Samadhi Sutra" it is said: Manjushri Bodhisattva became a Buddha in the past and was named Dragon King Buddha. In the "Yangjumala Sutra" it is said: Manjusri Bodhisattva, a Buddha in the north, is called the Joyful Treasure Accumulator Buddha.
In the "Baoji Sutra" it is said: Manjushri Bodhisattva will become a Buddha and will be named Universal Seeing Tathagata. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, it is said that Manjushri is the mother of all Buddhas in the ten directions and the teacher of all Bodhisattvas.
In the Preface to the Lotus Sutra, it is said: Countless kalpas ago, twenty thousand Buddhas of the Sun, Moon, and Lamps appeared in the world: the last of them, the Buddha of the Sun, Moon, and Lamps, had eight princes before he became a monk. With great power and virtue, they each led the four heavens. Later, when they heard that their father had become a Buddhist monk, they all gave up their thrones, became monks, practiced Buddhism, and developed Mahayana thoughts. They all became Dharma masters.
At that time, when the sun, moon and lanterns were shining, there was Miaoguang Bodhisattva under the Buddha's seat. He had held the Lotus Sutra of Wonderful Dharma for eighty small kalpas and often gave lectures to people. The sun, moon, and lanterns illuminated the Buddha and preached the Lotus Sutra to him.
After the Buddha passed away, the eight princes of the Buddha all took Miaoguang Bodhisattva as their teachers. Miaoguang Bodhisattva taught the eighth prince, making him strengthen his bodhicitta, and finally became a Buddha one by one. His last Buddha was named Lantern Buddha.
The Deng Deng Buddha is the master of Sakyamuni Tathagata. The Miaoguang Bodhisattva at that time is now Manjushri Bodhisattva. Therefore, Manjushri Bodhisattva is not only the master of the Buddha, but also the ancestor of the Buddha.