The Wave Samurai

■Book 111 - Roving Over The World

■Written by GrandMaster Sheng-yen Lu

 

Lian Hua Jing Xiang and her fellow disciples from Osaka`s Lei Zhang temple sang a lovely song for me.

The song was entitled \`the Wave Samurai\`. The lyrics are as follows:

\`Seeing my past-life teacher this life, I am able to read my teacher`s mind although we had parted long time ago.

Sincerely I made a vow to follow my teacher`s footstep to liberate all sentient beings,

The lotus flowers from True Buddha School are blooming everywhere now. 

Even facing the stormy sea, standing on sheer precipice and overhanging rocks, and walking on thorny undergrowth,

The courage and brightness given by Living Buddha Lian Sheng will always remain in my heart

The compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is very magnificent. She can have spiritual responses with anyone, anywhere and anytime.

When Grandmaster opened the key in my heart, I was able to recall my past cultivation and how I walked the Bodhi path.

I am will to risk my body, and my life just to march forward the Mantra of `Om Guru Lian Sheng Siddhi Hom` forever permeate in Japan.\`

This song reminded me of:

\`Wave\`

I am just like a wave. In fact life is like a wave, going through the process of forming and breaking, similar to transmigations. 

\`Samurai\`

I have a samurai spirit in my salvation work. Moving ahead, and fearing nothing, I do what I have to do without much words.

My Japanese friend told me: \`Samurai spirit is nothing but action.\`

\`What action?\`

\`There is no answer to that, it is just action. Action is the real intrinsic value of Samurai spirit, it is the most authentic.\`

His answer led me into deep thinking. I thought of the Chinese Zen Buddhism. Zen discarded the action element and concentrated on the verbal element.

Verbal Zen is nothing but telling tales and fiddling with words. In fact, there was no action at all. Hence Zen Buddhism has fallen into its own traps.

Words spoken by tongues are superficial.

The real Zen spirit should be action orientated. 

When the fifth patriarch of Zen Hong Ren taught the oral tradition of Vajra Sutra to six patriarch Hui Neng

he only mentioned:

\`No ego.\`

\`No people.\`

\`No sentient Beings.\`

\`No longevity.\`

After explaining these terms, the dharma was considered passed to the next generation. But the fifth patriarch Hong Ren stressed to Hui Neng that he must \`Put the dharma into action!\`

After learning the dharma, Hui Neng hid himself among the hunters for nine years, he put the Zen Buddhism into practice. Thereafter he returned to Nan Hai`s Fa Xing temple, taught the Dong Shan dharma, and finally returned to Bao Ling temple, before he died at Cao Xi`s Nan Hua Temple.

The six patriarch of Zen Buddhism were Bodhidharma , Hui Ke, Zeng Can, Dao Xin, Hong Ren and Hui Neng. The essence of the \`six patriarch sutra\` is basically action, and not words and debates. 

I noted most people learn Buddhism superficially. They attended forums and engaged in debates.

Very few people really cultivate diligently. It is very sad to note that the time spent on argument is more than that on actual cultivation.

Dharma is not for argument; it is to be put into practice.

As a samurai, I cultivate Tantra everyday.

I perform the ritual, as well as use the tantra.

I believer salvation work must be earnest and down-to-earth.

I must immerse myself in the nature and give sermon happily.

I indulge in deep thought and long meditation.

I work happily.

I write, and I paint.

I tour the whole world.

Slowly I tasted the true meaning of Japanese Samurai spirit. It is a special feeling that is so different from other patriotism. The intrinsic quality of Samurai is more like a rhino.

The wave reminded me of transmigation.

Since time immemorial, human beings have been transmigating in the six realms of existence just like a moving wheel.

It`s said in the Xing Di Guan Sutra:

\` Human beings transmigrate in the six realms of existence, just like a moving wheel without beginning and end.\`

(The six realms of existence are Heaven, Human, Asura, Hell, Hungry ghost and Animal.)

I was asked:

\`Why do you call yourself \`Flower Light self-mastery\` Buddha ?\`