Thinking about the fact that there are Arhats in these last days, I won’t be lonely

A few days ago, I took a child to visit an ancient temple. The ancient temple has a rich history and overlapping remains. Everywhere, many memorable or difficult-to-remember deeds have happened.

There is a mountain behind the ancient temple, and there is a pagoda on the top of the mountain. The children asked me where the road is, which is the shortcut to the mountain pagoda?

I don’t know, because I have been here many times, always in a hurry, and never interested in finding this shortcut.

This time, we won’t ask or invite anyone. Let’s walk around the mountain temple by ourselves and see if we can find the way up to the mountain pagoda.

Finally found it.

It turns out that there is a courtyard next to the ancient temple, which enshrines the stone statues of the Eighteen Arhats. Next to the courtyard is the road. But at this time, it was getting dark and it was raining lightly. We were interested After getting calm, I decided to pay my respects to the Arhats and leave.

All Arhat statues sat in a circle, with three huge incense burners in front of them. Although it was raining, there were stacks of tinfoil ashes left over from burning ingots and paper money piled inside the burners, still smelling pungent. Smell of chemical blue smoke.

"Does Buddhism still exist in these last days?" the child asked.

"Some, just like these eighteen Arhats, it is said that there are four more who saw the Buddha and received the precepts, received the Buddha's instructions, meditated freely, and lived long lives, that is to say, they are still alive, as long as they As long as there is an Arhat in the world, Buddhism will not decline." I said to the children with certainty at that time.

"Since it is said that there are still Arahants from the Buddha's era alive in this world, according to which scripture and who is it?"

"Where are they?"

< p> "In what physical and mental form do they exist in the world?"

"How can we see them?"

"If we cannot see them, then what is the meaning of their existence? Where..."

Faced with so many questions, I was choked for words.

The children continued to ask: "How is the birth, death, and Nirvana of Arhats different from those of us ordinary people? Where were they born and where did they die? Since Arhats have seen the Tao and even reached Nirvana with more or less remnants, then they Has the Ruju life already formed the denial and betrayal that he advertises? ”

Faced with these questions from the children, I suddenly thought of the "Agama" chapter.

Regarding these issues, the Sutra has recorded a conversation between the "Buddha" and "Vache Gautama":

One day, the heretic Wache Gautama came to the Buddha. Asked: "Gotama, where will the liberated bhikkhu be born?" - "The liberated Arahant" refers to the Arahant.

The Buddha replied: "Wacha Gautama, it cannot be said that he will be reborn."

"Gautama, then he will not be reborn."

"Wacha Gautama. "Wache Gautama, it cannot be said that he is not born."

"Then, Gautama, he is born but is not born."

"Wache Gautama, it is said that he is not born. "It cannot be born."

"Gautama, it is neither born nor unborn."

"Wacha Gautama, it is said that it is neither born nor unborn. No."

After hearing these illogical and unbelievable answers from the Buddha, Wacha Gautama was puzzled. When he was confused, he said frankly: "Gotama, I am confused by this question. I'm at a loss, I'm confused by it."

"That's enough, Wacha Gautama! Don't be confused, don't be confused. This Dharma is vast and subtle, not easy to understand, profound and beautiful, and cannot be just used. It is understood based on logic. It is profound and rational, and only the wise can know it. As a heretic, you have other beliefs, another pursuit, another discipline, and follow another teacher. Therefore, it is not easy for you to understand. Tuo, I will ask you next, and you must think carefully before answering: Wacha Gauta, if a fire burns in front of you, will you notice the fire burning in front of you?"

"Gautama, if there is fire burning in front of me, I will notice the fire burning in front of me."

"But, Wacha Gautama, if someone asks you: The fire in front of you , Why does it burn? How will you answer? "

"Gotama, I will answer, because of the fuel of vegetation, the fire in front of me burns.

"

"But, Gautama Gautama, if the fire before you goes out, will you realize that it has been extinguished?"

"Gautama, if in my presence The fire in front of me is extinguished, and I will be aware of its extinguishment."

"But, Vacha Gauta, if someone asks you: In which direction did the fire go, east, west, north, south? How will you answer? ? "

"This question is not appropriate here. Gautama, because there is vegetation fuel, fire can burn, and when the fuel is burned out, there will be no more. If the fuel is burned out, it is said that fire ”

“That’s it, Wacha Gauta! Abandon, eradicate all forms, feelings, thoughts, formations and consciousness, they will no longer exist and cannot exist in the future like palm stumps. Reborn.

Wacha Gautama, the saint is liberated from the five aggregates. His dharma is as unfathomable as the ocean. He should not be said to be reborn, nor should he be said to be non-born or non-born. ”

From the perspective of the fundamental principles of Buddhism, we cannot say that the Arahant is reborn, because all the causes and conditions for rebirth have been eradicated; nor can we say that the Arahant has been eliminated, because there is nothing to be eliminated. Things - birth and death in worldly cognition, for Arahant, are no longer within the scope of his establishment.

This principle is similar to what quantum physicist Robert Oppenheim said when he described the "position of the electron." He said: "If we ask, does the position of the electron remain unchanged? , we must answer: no; if we ask, the position of the electron changes due to changes in time, we must answer: no; if we ask, the electron is in a stationary state, we must answer: no; if we ask, the electron In movement, we must answer: No."

However, even when someone asked about what happens after death, the Buddha gave what seemed to be the same answer, but what the Buddha said was , there are still fundamental differences.

What is said in the world is aimed at the object no matter what, standing on the ontology, description and logic, arrangement and rendering.

Buddhism emphasizes "not-self" from the beginning. Even the Buddha's consistent attitude towards such issues is "this is useless" and "this is a false argument."

He does not "seek truth" and thinks that the attempt to "seek truth" is ultimately incomprehensible and only increases troubles. He only says no, this is not the case, and that is not the case. While denying it, we only have to face it. Regarding the reality of our own body and mind, we point out that nirvana is the complete end of troubles and the non-reappearance of greed, hatred and delusion that cause us troubles and pain.

Moreover, language cannot express the true nature of this highest state. What language expresses is our hesitation and hesitation on this side, rather than the freedom and liberation on the other side. Even the attempts and expressions of the true nature are all. My own delusions and distracting thoughts about "not-self" and "liberation".

I think this may be the most appropriate conclusion.

"Just as a flame is swayed by the wind and never continues to burn after it is extinguished, similarly, an Arahant is liberated from the two dharmas of form and mind and never reappears after disappearing." I finally read out a paragraph of mine. I have memorized it for a long time, but I still have no verses that I have mastered.

"Did the Arhat really disappear and cease to exist?" the child asked again.

The Sutras say that for a person in annihilation, there is no form that can be said to be one’s own. When all causes and conditions are eliminated, all the basis for discussion also disappears.

"Udhana" explains this complex issue thusly:

Like sparks jumping out of a furnace, they are extinguished one by one,

No one knows where they went.

He who has attained ultimate liberation,

He has crossed the sea of ??desire,

He who has enjoyed the joy of silence,

There is no trace to be found .

From a metaphysical point of view, Nirvana is the ultimate liberation from suffering; from a psychological point of view, Nirvana is the elimination of the self; from a moral and ethical point of view, Nirvana is the quenching of greed, hatred and delusion - but so and so Talking horizontally and vertically is just talk.

"So, are the four Arhats you mentioned still living in this world?"

"The Buddha said that all actions are impermanent. He emphasized this day and night before his death. Regarding this matter, it does not seem to make sense to allow Arhats who have freed themselves from the five aggregates and attained Nirvana to stay in this world forever, but I still believe, or rather believe in... These Arhats are still with us, silently Accompanying us throughout our lives."

Why?

Because...because...whenever I think of the Arhats in this last world, I won't be lonely.

(Tencent Buddhism)