韋公曰。和尚所說可不是達摩大師宗旨乎。師曰是。公曰。弟子聞。達摩初化梁武帝。帝問云。朕一生造寺度僧。布施設齋。有何功德。達摩言。實無功德。弟子未達 此理。願和尚為說。師曰。實無功德。勿疑先聖之言。武帝心 邪不知正法。造寺度僧布施設齋。名為求福。不可將福便為功德。功德在法身中。不在修福。
Wei says, “Monk’s words the objective of Bodhidharma?” Guru says, “Yes.” Wei says, “I heard when Bodhidharma first tried to illuminate Emperor Liang, the king asked, ‘Through my life, I built temples, fostered the ordainment of monks, gave to the needy and offered meals to the monks, what merits and virtues have I accumulated?’ Bodhidharma answered, ‘none whatsoever.’” Wei follows, “I don’t fully comprehend it. Please kindly explain.”
Guru says, “Truly no merit at all. Do not doubt the words of the former sages.” “Emperor Liang is deviant-minded and ignorant of the right dharma. Building temples, fostering monkhood, giving, and offering meals are intended to receive good fortune. Do not treat fortune as merit. Merit is in the dharma body, not in cultivation of good fortune.”
This story has been around for a long time. The emperor asked the First Patriarch, Bodhidharma, “I have built all these temples and made offerings to all these monks. Is there any merit for my good deeds?” Bodhidharma said none whatsoever. The Sixth Patriarch said there truly is no merit at all. Emperor Liang is known as the Buddha Heart Heavenly Prince. Even he didn’t know the right dharma. What is right dharma? The Sixth Patriarch said only the transcendental way is the right dharma. The worldly way is the deviant way, the heretical doctrine, the outside doctrine. In Buddha’s teachings, those relating to the supreme truth, are all transcendental. It transcends this world, exiting this burning house. It fulfills the Pure Land, Bodhisattvahood, Buddhahood, and Arhathood. All these are the right dharma. In Buddha’s teachings disseminated in this world, many are intended for expedient means. Only the transcendental is the right dharma. The worldly is the outside doctrine. Holding a compass to advise feng-shui is helping people, helping this world. It is not the right dharma. When I tell your fortune, telling you the good, bad, and so so in your life, it is only mundane. And therefore it is the heretics, the outside doctrine. This is what the Sixth Patriarch taught us.
Why did Bodhidharma say no merit and virtue at all? Because he was addressing the question from the perspective of buddha nature and dharma body. In the worldly sense, Bodhidharma could easily have a plaque engraved “Boundless Merit” and present it to the king. In worldly doctrines, Guru Bodhidharma would praise, “You are tremendous” or “You are the most rare and most devout Buddhist ruler”. Maybe the king would be so pleased that he makes an even more generous offering to Bodhidharma. But Bodhidharma is direct and unpretentious. He is speaking in terms of buddha nature. You all need to understand this.
Some say Grand Master Lu is the biggest heretic. I have helped people with feng-shui. I have also helped people with fortune telling. I have also spoken about the rules of conducting oneself. These are all outside doctrines. However, today I am talking about buddha nature, dharma body, and ways of cultivation. What I preach is the right dharma. Not outside doctrines. The transcendental is the right dharma. The right dharma always transcends the mundane. Anything worldly, of expedient means is heretic doctrines. People used to say that I was a psudo-Buddhist heretic. Does buddha need to be faked? I am buddha. I have witnessed and corroborated my buddha nature.
I have said this before, “I will never sue anyone.” Why? Because I will not do anything that is of heretic doctrine. Taking others to court will cause them great pain. I am a cultivator. And I only do things to bring people joy. If I sue someone, then it means that I have hatred in my heart and I am not at peace. This is an indication of the attachment to self. But Grand Master has reached the attainment of No-Self. Anyone is free to sue Grand Master, but I will never sue anyone. That’s me. I only practice the right doctrine. Those who sue are ordinary people. They are in the outside doctrine, not knowing the existence of the right dharma. All worldly phenomena are of heretic doctrine. Only to transcend the mundane is of right dharma. This is important for everyone to understand.
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