According to "Huayang Guozhi", Deng Zhi, the general of the Shu Han Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period, saw many black apes in Yuanshan when he was conquering Fuling. Deng Zhi was good at bows and crossbows, so he shot apes with his own hands. The ancients believed that killing animals for no reason would result in retribution. There are two versions about Deng Zhi shooting the ape recorded in "Huayang Guozhi":
First, Deng Zhi shot the black ape with a crossbow, and the black ape drew out the arrow. Deng Zhi has self-knowledge to tell her own destiny: "I have violated the nature of all things to respect nature, and I will die soon!" Deng Zhi is a person who knows that he has done wrong things and knows how to reflect on himself. Accept that he himself will be punished by death.
Another story is "Drawing the Arrow" painted by Mr. Feng Zikai. Deng Zhi shoots the female ape with a bow and crossbow, and the offspring pulls the arrow for the mother, and uses branches and leaves to stop the bleeding and treat the wound. Deng Zhi saw that the mother and son of the black ape depended on each other, cherished each other, and helped each other without fear of danger in times of crisis. The true feelings of the mother and son of the black ape moved him, and he regretted his reckless and cruel behavior, so he threw his bow and arrow into the water and never hunted again.
Both theories express Deng Zhi's repentant state of mind after shooting the ape. If he knew this earlier, why did he do it in the first place! But being able to repent is a kind of awakening. When you find out that you have done something bad, you know your mistake and decide not to do it again, which is also a kind of improvement. From then on, cherishing material life is compassion.
When craving ceases, ignorance will disappear. Suffering ceases only when craving is exhausted.
Lou Shide, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, was knowledgeable and virtuous. His younger brother is also very talented. Once his younger brother was sent to serve as the governor of the state, and he went to bid farewell to Lou Shide after taking office. Lou Shide said: "I was a prime minister, and I was envied by many people in the court. If you go to be a state shepherd now, there must be people who will be jealous and slander behind your back. What should you do if you are hurt by evil words or evil people? The younger brother replied: "Please don't worry, I just use the word 'forbearance', so I can save my life." Lou Shide asked again: "If someone slanders and scolds you in person, how do you react?" Brother Said: "I don't pay attention to him, just smile." The elder brother said: "If you smile, people get angry and immediately spit in your face, what should you do?" The younger brother said: "It's very simple, I don’t care about it with him, just wipe off the drool.” Lou Shide said, “I’m very worried about you doing this…” The younger brother asked, “I just wiped off the drool, and didn’t bother with him. Why are you still not at ease?” Lou Shide said: “People spit on you when they are so angry, and you wipe off the saliva, wouldn’t they be even angrier. So, you’d better not wipe it off, let the saliva stay on your face and dry naturally." This is the koan of the idiom "spitting on one's face and dry itself ".
In the time of the Buddha, Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyanīputra wanted to promote Buddhism in the country of Luna, which had a barbaric folk customs and was aggressive and ruthless. The Buddha asked the Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyanīputra: "If you go and the people of that country scold and slander you, what should you do?" The Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyanīputra replied: "World Honored One! If they scold and slander me, I will understand and thank them; because they didn’t beat me, they were very polite to me.” The World Honored One asked again, “If they beat you further, what should you do?” “World Honored One! Me, but I was not killed, so I am still very grateful!" Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyanīputra replied calmly. The World Honored One finally asked the Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyanīputra: "If you were beaten to death, what should you do?" The Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyanīputra said, "World Honored One! This body is originally a body of karma. I have created countless bad karma in my previous life, and in this life I will be punished. There are old age, sickness, and death. If I sacrifice my life for the Dharma because of this, I will have no regrets!" Because of Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyanīputra's spirit of "enduring humiliation", it finally influenced the people of the Luna Kingdom, and they have since believed in the Dharma.
Forbearance, also translated as patience, Buddhist terms, has the meaning of patience, forgiveness, etc., and also has the meaning of wisdom. Forbearance in the six paramitas is explained as patience; forbearance in the four preliminaries is the meaning of wisdom.
Japanese scholars Taken Sakurabe and Kenjun Sagi believe that in Sanskrit, forbearance has dual meanings, which can be interpreted as endurance, support, recognition, etc., that is, endurance humiliation in terms of willpower. In addition, it can also be interpreted as meaning and joy, hobbies, which are a kind of wisdom, related to knowledge and wisdom.
When taken as the meaning of patience, it means that in the face of adversity, the state of mind remains peaceful, does not want to hurt others, and does not allow hatred and attachment.
When interpreted as wisdom, forbearance refers to the wisdom that can increase good dharmas and understand the Four Noble Truths.
The fruit of humiliation
It is said in the Buddhist scriptures that the practice of patience and endurance humiliation can lead to righteous rewards. like: "A person who endures humiliation has a good appearance, a good-looking skin color, the most beautiful appearance, soft hands and body, and a fragrant and clean breath. People are happy to see their appearance and never tire of it."
A monk asked the Buddha: "Did you create the Dharma of Dependent Origination or someone else?" The Buddha said: "The Dharma of Dependent Origination was not created by me, nor was it created by others. Whether the Tathagata appears in the world or does not appear in the world, the dharma world is permanent. Tathagata realizes this truth by himself, becomes enlightened, and speaks this truth for all living beings. That is: there is this and that, this thing arises, so that thing arises. Because of infatuation, there is determinations. Because of determinations, there is the cognition of distinguishing objects. There is the cognition of distinguishing objects, so that there is birth, old age, sickness, death, worry, lamentation, and affliction. When infatuation ceases, determinations will cease. When determinations ceases, the cognition of distinguishing objects will cease. If so, birth, old age, sickness, death, worry, lamentation, and afflictions will all cease." - "Saṃyukta Āgama. 299"
The sutra says: "Bodhisattvas have four dharma laziness: 1. wish to be born in a pure world; 2. wish to perform Buddhist deeds among the pure people; 3, wishing to become a Buddha, do not explain the shravaka pratyekabha; 4, wishing to become a Buddha, have an infinite life span. There are four kinds of vigor: 1. wishing to be born in an impure world; 2. performing Buddhist deeds among impure people; 3. becoming a Buddha and teaching the Three Vehicles; 4. To achieve Buddhahood, attain a moderate life expectancy. "So Sakyamuni Buddha made a vow in the causal place to become a Buddha in the evil world of the five turbidities and liberate all living beings. If it were not for this cause and condition, the sentient beings who gathered in the evil world of the five turbidities would not have the opportunity to listen to the Buddha's teachings and be liberated from life and death.
The Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka-sūtram has ten volumes in total. This sutra introduces the origins of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, and Aya Tathagata. It also explains the reasons and conditions for the appearance of Sakyamuni Buddha in the world.
I wish to become a Buddha and liberate sentient beings in the evil world of five turbidities. If it were not for this cause and condition, the sentient beings gathered in the evil world of the five turbidities would not have the opportunity to listen to the Dharma and be liberated from birth and death. - Master Yi Yi <<Preface to the Sutra of Sadness>>. There are ten volumes in total of "The Sutra of Sadness and Blossoms", which is a Mahayana Buddhist classic and was translated into Chinese by Beiliang Tanwuchen. This sutra introduces the origins of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, and Aya Tathagata], and also explains the reasons and conditions for the appearance of Sakyamuni Buddha in the world.