A Story of Master Xu Yun’s Disciple Ju Xing

Abian went to the firewood shed at the back and settled there. He was very hardworking, getting up before dawn every day. Without needing any instructions, he took the initiative to clear the land and plant vegetables, fertilizing and watering them. He was originally a tenant farmer, and his skills in farming were excellent. He also volunteered to help with the temple’s construction, carrying dirt and stones. He worked from morning until evening without resting, and never spoke a word. When others spoke to him, he would not respond.

‘Deaf!’ People started calling him this instead of his name, but Abian did not mind, never arguing.

Abian had been working for over a month when one day, his wife arrived carrying their child, accompanied by his brother-in-law, mother-in-law, and several other relatives, about seven or eight people in total. They crowded into the firewood shed, talking loudly.

The abbot, Sheng Kong, hurried over and said, ‘Abian! I took you in to work here, but how did you bring your wife and children to live in the temple? This is a Buddhist temple; we can’t have women and family members living here!’

Abian replied, ‘I didn’t want them to come, but the landlord reclaimed the land and drove my family out. They have nowhere else to go.’

Sheng Kong said, ‘What should we do? How can a Buddhist temple house women and family members?’ While they were talking, no one noticed that Master Xuyun had already arrived at the door of the vegetable garden’s firewood shed.

‘Sheng Kong,’ Xuyun said, ‘This family is homeless and destitute. Let them stay here in the temple!’

Sheng Kong hurriedly replied, ‘Master! How can a Buddhist temple accommodate women?’

Xuyun said, ‘This is about sheltering refugees, and the circumstances are different! Just have them build a small thatched hut on the back mountain of the temple! If Abian prefers to stay in the vegetable garden’s hut, that’s fine. If he wants to stay in the back mountain, that’s also fine! Let them all work here at the temple!’ The family of eight expressed their heartfelt gratitude and bowed in thanks.

Xuyun said, “You don’t need to thank me! This is mutual help. We also lack manpower. If you don’t mind the simple life here at the temple, you can share the communal meals with us monks! Whatever we have, we all share—if there is rice, we eat rice; if there isn’t, we drink porridge.”

Abian was deeply moved and knelt down, saying, “Master, you have saved my family’s lives!”

Xuyun said, “Abian, please don’t say that. It is human nature to help one another, and as disciples of the Buddha, we should help others even more!”

From that moment on, Abian and his family of eight worked as laborers at the Zhusheng Temple. They were all grateful to Xuyun and worked diligently. They cultivated the back mountain, turning it into vegetable plots, growing large, healthy cabbage and a variety of vegetables, beans, and fruits that supplied the entire temple. They also kept the temple spotless. Abian lived in a small thatched hut, separate from his wife.

Two years passed quickly. One day, Abian took the opportunity when Xuyun was visiting the mountain and knelt down, bowing repeatedly without stopping. Xuyun asked, “Abian, what do you want?”

Abian said, “Master, please teach me how to chant the Buddha’s name! I am so stupid and illiterate, I don’t know how to chant!”

Abian continued, “In this life, I am suffering and foolish. I must have committed sins in a past life and did not cultivate properly. That is why I am like this. Now, I want to learn Buddhism and practice the path, hoping that in my next life, I will not fall into such a state again!” Xuyun smiled and said, “What kind of practice do you want to follow?”

Abian said, “I am illiterate, ugly, and foolish! How could I know what kind of practice to follow? I only ask you, Master, to teach me a simple and easy method. I often hear you give sermons that are profound, but I don’t understand a word. However, I heard you say that if one focuses the mind and chants the Buddha’s name diligently, one can be reborn in the Western Pure Land. Please, Master, teach me how to chant the Buddha’s name!”

Xuyun said, “Abian, you already have a sincere and undistracted heart, which is rare and precious! I will teach you to chant the name of Amitabha Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva. I will teach you the Pure Land method.”

Abian thanked him. Xuyun taught him how to diligently chant the names of Amitabha Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva. From then on, Abian focused his mind on chanting, day and night without interruption. Even when he was working in the fields, planting vegetables and hoeing the soil, he continued to chant the Buddha’s name in his heart without stopping.

In the first year of the Xuantong era, after Master Xuyun returned to the mountain with the Dragon-Treasure Sutra, he held a ceremony to transmit the precepts. Abian also came to ask for the precepts and to become a monk. At that time, he was only twenty-one years old.

Xuyun said, “You wish to become a monk and receive the complete precepts! Very good. I know you are very sincere and diligent in chanting, but you still have family members. How will you handle that?”

Abian replied, “Our family of eight has all agreed. Today, we all wish to shave our heads and become monks to practice. We earnestly ask for your permission, Master!”

“Amitabha Buddha! Rare! Rare!” Xuyun said. “A very good cause and condition! Very good! Very good! Good child! I grant you permission!”

Xuyun gazed at the young man before him, who was overjoyed and bowing repeatedly. The old monk seemed to vaguely see himself many years ago, kneeling before Elder Miaolian at Gushan Yongquan Temple, asking to receive the precepts. Tears welled up in his eyes. How deeply he felt! Sixty-five years had passed! The past was blurry, like a dream. Suddenly, turning back, where was it? Over the decades, drifting from place to place, he had transmitted the precepts to many disciples, but never did he expect such a miracle to occur with this ugly, impoverished young man.

Xuyun, lost in thought, gazed at the youth, forgetting to tell him to stop bowing. He allowed him to continue bowing without interruption. It wasn’t just three kneels and nine prostrations—perhaps he would have bowed a hundred times! Abian, clumsy with words, could not express his gratitude. He was so overwhelmed with emotion that he could only shed tears and continue bowing.

Xuyun saw his own shadow from many years ago in Abian. But upon closer inspection, Abian was Abian, and Xuyun was Xuyun!

“Please get up!” Xuyun smiled and said, “No need to bow so much! If you bow to me so much, it would be better to bow to the Buddha instead!” How could he make him understand? This simple-minded youth bowed many more times before he was willing to rise.

“Abian!” Xuyun said, “From now on, you should change your name to Ribian (Daily Discernment). The character ‘Bian’ in your new name sounds the same as the ‘Bian’ in your original name. Once you receive the complete precepts, I will give you a Dharma name.”

“Ribian!” Abian was overjoyed, “I am Ribian!”

“It’s just a placeholder name!” Xuyun said. “You are not Ribian, nor are you Abian!”

“Master! I don’t understand!” Ribian looked up in confusion.

“I am not Xuyun, and Xuyun is not me!” the old man said. “Do you understand?”

“Still don’t understand!”

Xuyun said, “I have taught you to chant the Buddha’s name, and I have also taught you meditation. Now, I want to teach you that you are not you! I want you to realize in your heart that ‘I am not I.’ Let go of the notion of self in your heart, break the attachment to the ego, and have no further desires. If you do this, you will naturally understand. Do you understand?”

“Still don’t understand!”

“You will gradually understand as you study slowly,” Xuyun said. “I know that you diligently chant the Buddha’s name, with your heart fully devoted! Many people cannot match you! This is also the virtue of your simple and sincere nature. Smart people are often too clever, and their intelligence leads them astray! They frequently cannot concentrate on their practice! Ribian, good child, you are doing very well, do not feel inferior or develop an attitude of retreat! And do not try to imitate the clever people.”

“I have always been dull-witted; I can’t learn to be clever,” Ribian replied.

“Being dull-witted is good!” Xuyun said. “You will not be misled by intelligence!”

After Ribian received the complete precepts, Xuyun gave him the Dharma name “Juxing” (Diligent in Practice). From then on, he became known as the monk Juxing! Juxing shaved his head and wore monastic robes. Every day, he automatically performed various tasks such as planting vegetables, applying fertilizer, carrying manure, transporting soil, and cleaning… just as he had done before receiving the precepts. He also continued to sincerely and wholeheartedly chant the names of Amitabha Buddha and Avalokiteshvara, and did not speak to anyone. He suffered from severe hearing loss, and others called him the “deaf monk.”

By the fourth year of the Republic of China, his hearing had worsened, and he became even more silent. Whether planting vegetables or working, he was always chanting the Buddha’s name in his heart, and if anyone called him, he could not hear.

One day, Xuyun called him and said, “Juxing, you have been diligently practicing for four years, and your state of mind is quite good, but your experience is too limited. You should now go down the mountain to learn from others! You should visit the famous mountains and places of practice in the world. When you are ready to return, you may come back. If you encounter a better opportunity, you can follow the circumstances and make your own way!”

Juxing bowed and wept, saying, “Master! I will not go!”

“Why won’t you go?” Xuyun asked.

“Master, I want to serve you for the rest of my life!” Juxing replied.

Xuyun felt a pang in his heart, but he put on a stern expression and scolded, “Go! How can I teach you to let go of the self and break attachments if you forget that? Go quickly! I don’t need you to serve me!”

Juxing did not dare to disobey and cried as he packed his belongings. When Xuyun sent him off at the mountain gate, he saw the young monk’s reluctant and sorrowful expression, and his own heart also felt heavy. But he knew that he must not show his emotions, to avoid causing his disciple to cling to attachment and sentimental feelings. So, Xuyun merely said gently, “Go, we will meet again if fate allows.”

With his staff and hat, Juxing set off, just like Xuyun had done years ago, on a journey to visit the famous mountains for his pilgrimage.

In the ninth year of the Republic of China, Xuyun began the reconstruction of Yunqi Temple. Suddenly, Juxing (formerly Ribian) returned, kneeling in front of Xuyun.

“Master! I have returned!”

Xuyun was overjoyed and asked, “You’ve returned? How wonderful! What famous mountains did you visit during your travels, and why have you come back?”

Juxing replied, “I’ve visited the famous mountains all over the world, but they were all much the same! I heard that Master was rebuilding Huating Temple, and knowing that you are short of help, I’ve returned.”

Xuyun said, “It’s good that you’ve come back! What do you plan to do here?”

Juxing said, “Master, I’m dull and foolish, and I can’t even read. What great task can I do? I’ll just serve you and do the heavy, menial work that others can’t or won’t do.”

Xuyun said, “Since you have made such a determined resolve to practice diligently, very well! You should stay at both Yunqi Temple and Shengyin Temple.”

Then Xuyun asked, “Now that you’ve returned, have you gone to Ji Zu Mountain to visit your family?”

Juxing answered, “No, I haven’t gone! I won’t go.”

“Why not?”

Juxing replied, “Everyone in my family has already left home to practice. What is there to be attached to?”

“Even just to visit would not be a problem.”

Juxing shook his head, saying, “I won’t go! I won’t go!”

From then on, he worked hard every day at both temples, performing the most labor-intensive tasks: digging soil, moving stones, building walls, constructing houses, planting vegetables, planting trees, chopping trees, gathering firewood, harvesting rice, plowing fields, weeding, cleaning, carrying manure, fertilizing, cooking, chopping firewood… all the most arduous tasks were done diligently by him! He never had a moment of rest, nor was there a single moment when he did not chant the Buddha’s name in his heart. While working, he would chant, and sometimes when mending his robe for the Master or fellow monks, each stitch would be accompanied by a chant of the Buddha’s name. At night, he would chant the Diamond Sutra, the Medicine Buddha Sutra, and the Pure Land Sutras, one word, one bow. In the mornings, when the first bell rang at dawn, he was always the first to go to the hall to join the chanting. His diligent and hard practice was unmatched in the entire temple. He was deaf and almost mute, not speaking a word.

Xuyun observed Juxing and felt an immense sense of satisfaction. He knew that this young man’s progress had far surpassed that of any other monk by tenfold or more! During the construction of the Haihui Pagoda, Xuyun was overseeing the work, and Juxing was carrying stones and building walls. When Juxing saw Xuyun, he suddenly spoke, innocently, like a child, saying, “Master! When the Haihui Pagoda is finished, may I stay to guard the pagoda?”

Xuyun looked at Juxing and did not immediately reply. He knew that this was a prophetic statement! He realized that Juxing was about to pass away!

“Is it okay?” Juxing continued to ask, “Master! Is it okay?”

Xuyun’s heart tightened, and tears almost welled up in his eyes. He forced a nod and said, “It’s fine.”

“Thank you, Master!”

“Everything is up to fate,” Xuyun said. “It cannot be forced.”

“I understand!”

Then, Xuyun specially authorized Juxing to preside over the spring ordination for that year. The new disciples who received the precepts asked Juxing for a teaching. Juxing said, “I became a monk halfway through my life, and I cannot read a single word. I only know to chant the name of Amitabha Buddha.”

Xuyun nodded with a sigh and thought to himself, “To only know to chant the name of Amitabha Buddha, as long as one is as diligent and unwavering as him, even one chant is enough to achieve enlightenment! If one is self-assured and distracted, even chanting thousands of volumes of scriptures would be of no use. I never expected that this child’s progress would be so rapid. He has already attained the true fruit before anyone else!”

Past memories resurfaced in Xuyun’s mind, and he knew that Juxing’s act of offering robes to the community was a sign that he would soon pass away. That night, Xuyun chanted scriptures for Juxing. Juxing came to the door, knelt, and greeted Xuyun.

“Master! I am leaving! I’ve come to bid farewell!”

Juxing bowed to the ground, unable to hold back his tears, and cried, “Master, after I leave, who will serve you?”

Xuyun said, “Good child! You must do what you need to do. Don’t let me delay your great task.”

“Master…” Juxing choked on his words, “Master…”

“Quickly go!” Xuyun said, “I am here, chanting for you!” Juxing bowed once more and then left, heading towards the back garden of the temple.

Later that night, the abbot’s assistant conducted a room check and found that Juxing was missing.

“Where is Juxing?” the abbot’s assistant asked. “How come he’s gone? Didn’t he offer a meal to everyone yesterday? Could it be that he left the mountain today? Everyone go look for him!”

The monks searched the entire temple but found no trace of him. One monk said, “Maybe he said goodbye to us yesterday during the meal. Perhaps he secretly left the mountain today to return to lay life and marry his wife.”

Another monk replied, “Stop talking nonsense! Juxing is not that kind of person! If he wanted to renounce the path, why would he return to the temple to work so hard for these years? If he wanted to return to lay life, he would have done so long ago.”

“That’s true!” the monks agreed. “We shouldn’t slander Juxing! It’s a sin! It’s a sin!”

The abbot’s assistant said, “What are you all saying? Why aren’t you still searching? I’m worried that he couldn’t bear the hardship and might have taken his life! Hurry, go search!”

They found the vegetable storeroom, but the door was locked. Looking through the window, no one was visible. They continued calling out, “Juxing! Juxing!” When they reached the back garden, they suddenly saw a bright white light flashing in the drying yard. It flashed several times, illuminating the entire garden and shining into the night sky! The white light was dazzling.

“What is this light?” Everyone was startled and trembling. Villagers living outside the temple also saw it. Many of them had sought refuge with Xuyun during past disasters, and since then had nowhere else to go, so they stayed and formed a village. These villagers were deeply grateful for Xuyun’s kindness. That night, just after the first watch, when everyone was still awake, sitting outside to enjoy the coolness under the melon vines and bean trellises, telling ghost stories, suddenly a white light shot up into the sky from the temple, dazzling them. The villagers were greatly alarmed.

“It’s bad! The temple is on fire!” they cried out. “Quick, save Master Xuyun from danger!” Hundreds of villagers rushed into the temple, but they saw no fire! They shouted in panic, “Master Xuyun! Master Xuyun! Where are you?”

While the villagers searched for Xuyun and tried to save the temple, they saw no sign of a fire. They reached the back garden and saw the group of monks standing there in a daze.

“Where is the fire?” the villagers shouted. “Where is Master Xuyun? Why are you all here?” The monks were also startled and confused. “Where is the fire?”

“We saw the white light shooting up from the temple!” the villagers said. “We thought the temple was burning, so we rushed to save Master Xuyun!” “There’s no fire!” said Monk Xuyuan. “The white light flashes on and off, but it’s not a fire. Look, the light came up from the drying yard.”

The monks and villagers hurried to the drying yard and lit some torches to illuminate the area. “Ah! Master Juxing!” Monk Xuyuan exclaimed. “So you’re here! We’ve been searching for you everywhere! What are you doing here?”

Everyone saw him! Juxing was sitting upright, his hands in a prayer gesture, his legs crossed, motionless. His eyes were half-closed, a gentle smile on his face, and he ignored everyone.

“Juxing!” Xuyuan wanted to approach and pull him.

“Wait!” Old Master Xuyun had arrived with another group of monks and villagers. From a distance, he saw Juxing sitting there. He hurriedly stopped everyone, saying, “Do not move Juxing! Stay back!”

Everyone quickly stepped back, and Xuyun, holding his staff, approached Juxing. He addressed the crowd, “Juxing has already passed into nirvana! He himself emitted the true fire of meditation, burning himself to ashes. The white light you saw earlier was his true fire light! I had been chanting sutras for him in the meditation room, and I felt my whole body burning, which made me realize that he had succeeded! I was afraid you might not understand and disturb him, so I rushed here…”

Regardless of whether they were monks or laypeople, everyone was shocked when they heard Xuyun’s words. They looked closely at Juxing, who was still wearing his robe, sitting upright, facing west, with a bell in his left hand and a wooden fish in his right. His face appeared as if still alive, with a gentle smile, but there was no breath or movement.

“This… is this really… the self-emitted true fire?” Everyone couldn’t believe it. “This clearly looks like the living Juxing monk!”

Xuyun said, “Do not get too close, for fear that the wind from your clothing will disturb his ashes. Step back!” Xuyun moved forward alone to take a closer look. Under the light of the torches, he saw that Juxing’s wooden fish and its handle had already turned to ash, and the bell’s handle had become charred. But Juxing’s body and robe remained unchanged. His monk’s shoes had also turned to ash. The rice stalks and the meditation mat where he sat had long been reduced to ashes.

Everyone was both astonished and joyful, and they all put their palms together and chanted Buddha’s name.

“Juxing!” Xuyun knelt down with his palms together in reverence and said, “Congratulations! You have already transcended my attachments and attained the great Arhat fruit! Through your auspicious signs, your dharma body shows the world the perfect attainment of the unborn dharma and the completion of the paramita of patience! Please accept my three prostrations!” As a teacher, Xuyun bowed to his disciple Juxing! Naturally, everyone followed and bowed in unison!

“Juxing!” Xuyun suddenly burst into tears, choking with emotion, and said, “I am so happy for you! I am not worthy of your accomplishments! Even in the future, I could never reach your level!” After Xuyun had finished bowing, Juxing’s physical body emitted a strange, wonderful fragrance! The scent, which resembled sandalwood and heavenly orchids, filled the air. Everyone could smell it and was deeply moved, shedding tears as they chanted the Buddha’s name!

“Juxing!” Xuyun prayed, “Please maintain your auspicious signs for one more day. Tomorrow, I will invite the Governor and dignitaries from Kunming, as well as members of the press, to come and view your dharma body. Let the reporters take photographs to spread your example of the Buddha’s law!”

Xuyun then instructed, “Tonight, you must assign monks in shifts to guard Juxing’s dharma body! No one is allowed to touch it, and there should be no loud noises!”

“Understood!” the monks quickly replied.

The next day, Governor Tang Jiyao, Finance Minister Wang Zhucun, Water Resources Bureau Chief Zhang Zhuoxian, and others arrived after hearing the news. A photographer from the Kunming Daily followed, along with the families of prominent officials, local social leaders, and Buddhist laypeople from Kunming. They all came to pay respects! It caused a huge sensation in Kunming; thousands of people climbed the mountain to offer their bows. Everyone was moved, and many were astonished. The Kunming Daily published a front-page article with photographs, causing an uproar throughout Yunnan. “Who says there is no Buddhist dharma? Who says one cannot attain Buddhahood and Bodhisattvahood?” Everyone said, “Look! Master Juxing is the best proof of the Buddha’s law!”

“This is really strange!” Tang Jiyao said. “If Juxing had burned himself with rice straw, how could his whole body have turned to ash without falling down? How could he still maintain his original appearance? How is it that his robe hasn’t turned to ash? Clearly, this wasn’t a fire caused by ordinary flames!” Xuyun replied, “Master Juxing emitted the true fire of meditation from within his heart, which burned his body and created this miraculous sign!”

Tang Jiyao said, “Incredible! The handles of the bell and wooden fish have turned to charcoal! Master, is his entire body truly ash?”

Xuyun said, “Yes!” He then bowed to Juxing, saying, “Juxing! Your merit is complete! Let us send you into the Haixue Pagoda!”

Xuyun extended his hand, trembling, and gently took the small bell from Juxing’s hand. He then said, “Juxing, Juxing! With your perfect practice, the sound of this bell remains! As I strike it, you may peacefully leave for the Western Paradise!” Xuyun lightly tapped the bell, and the clear sound of the bell rang three times. Suddenly, Juxing’s entire body shook, and it turned to ash and collapsed!

Xuyun knelt with his palms together and bowed. Governor Tang Jiyao and the thousands of onlookers also knelt and bowed! “Amitabha!” Everyone was deeply moved, tears streaming down their faces: “Amitabha!” Xuyun, with tears flowing from his face, could no longer distinguish whether they were tears of sadness or joy!

(Source: Internet)