六(liu)(liu)祖(zu)(zu)惠(hui)能大師(公元638——713年),俗(su)姓盧,唐新州(zhou)(今廣東新興縣)人,中國禪(chan)宗(zong)杰出(chu)大師。24歲聞《金剛經(jing)》開悟而辭母北(bei)上(shang)湖(hu)北(bei)黃梅謁(ye)五(wu)祖(zu)(zu)弘忍,以(yi)一首“菩提本無樹,明鏡(jing)亦非臺。本來無一物,何處(chu)惹塵埃(ai)。”法偈得五(wu)祖(zu)(zu)認(ren)可,夜(ye)授《金剛經(jing)》,密(mi)傳禪(chan)宗(zong)衣缽(bo)信物,為第六(liu)(liu)代(dai)(dai)祖(zu)(zu)。惠(hui)能在曹溪(xi)大倡頓悟法門(men),主張不立文字,教外別傳,直指人心,見(jian)性(xing)成(cheng)佛(fo)。他用(yong)通俗(su)簡易的修持方法,取(qu)代(dai)(dai)繁瑣(suo)的義學(xue),形成(cheng)了影響久遠的南(nan)宗(zong)禪(chan),成(cheng)為中國禪(chan)宗(zong)的主流。六(liu)(liu)祖(zu)(zu)惠(hui)能的思想,集中體現于《六(liu)(liu)祖(zu)(zu)法寶(bao)壇經(jing)》。
俗家(jia)姓盧,其父早亡,家(jia)境貧(pin)困,惠(hui)能以賣(mai)柴(chai)奉(feng)養母親。在賣(mai)柴(chai)回(hui)家(jia)的(de)(de)路上聽(ting)到有人誦念《金(jin)剛經》而產(chan)生學(xue)習佛法之(zhi)心(xin)。670年(nian)離(li)家(jia)學(xue)法,672年(nian)惠(hui)能到黃梅(mei)東(dong)山寺(si)(si),后(hou)到南海(今廣(guang)州(zhou))法性寺(si)(si)(今光孝寺(si)(si)),不久,惠(hui)能就(jiu)在法性寺(si)(si)菩提樹(shu)下開(kai)演(yan)東(dong)山法門。其后(hou)不久,即移居曹溪寶林寺(si)(si),韶(shao)州(zhou)(今廣(guang)東(dong)韶(shao)關)刺使韋璩久仰慕惠(hui)能的(de)(de)道風,請他講法,聽(ting)眾超過千人。所說法語(yu),由弟子(zi)法海記(ji)錄,整理(li)為《壇(tan)經》傳于后(hou)世。唐玄宗先(xian)天二年(nian)(公元713年(nian))惠(hui)能圓寂(ji),終年(nian)七十六歲。
惠(hui)能禪學思(si)想的(de)(de)(de)主要特點是(shi)“識心見性(xing)(xing)”和“頓悟(wu)成(cheng)佛(fo)”。前者(zhe)是(shi)他的(de)(de)(de)心性(xing)(xing)本體論,說明(ming)“心”、“性(xing)(xing)”是(shi)眾生成(cheng)佛(fo)的(de)(de)(de)依(yi)據:后者(zhe)是(shi)他的(de)(de)(de)宗(zong)教修(xiu)行方(fang)法論,提出宗(zong)教修(xiu)行的(de)(de)(de)原則和方(fang)法,
首(shou)先,惠能認(ren)為,人(ren)(ren)(ren)的“心”,“性(xing)(xing)(xing)”即為佛性(xing)(xing)(xing),因此,“一切(qie)眾生(sheng)皆有佛性(xing)(xing)(xing)”,人(ren)(ren)(ren)人(ren)(ren)(ren)都(dou)可成佛,他(ta)說,人(ren)(ren)(ren)的本(ben)(ben)性(xing)(xing)(xing)是(shi)清(qing)凈無染的,“人(ren)(ren)(ren)性(xing)(xing)(xing)本(ben)(ben)凈”;“但能離相,性(xing)(xing)(xing)體(ti)清(qing)凈”;“自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)性(xing)(xing)(xing)常清(qing)凈”。他(ta)所謂的清(qing)凈,是(shi)指那(nei)種除去了煩惱,癡迷染污而(er)達至的純真、清(qing)潔(jie)、寂靜的狀態。既然惠能在心性(xing)(xing)(xing)論上(shang)提(ti)(ti)自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)性(xing)(xing)(xing)本(ben)(ben)自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)具(ju)足,那(nei)么,在修行方法(fa)論上(shang)必然是(shi)“自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)悟(wu)自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)修”、“不(bu)假外求(qiu)”。他(ta)說:“善知識,見自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)性(xing)(xing)(xing)自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)凈,自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)修自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)作(zuo)自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)性(xing)(xing)(xing)法(fa)身,自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)行佛行,自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)作(zuo)自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)成佛道”;“救世度人(ren)(ren)(ren)須自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)修”。要覺(jue)悟(wu)解(jie)脫,應依(yi)靠自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)己(ji)的力量,在主體(ti)自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)身用(yong)功夫,而(er)不(bu)能遺其(qi)內而(er)執其(qi)外。“自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)性(xing)(xing)(xing)心地(di)以智慧觀照,內外明(ming)澈,識自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)本(ben)(ben)心,若識本(ben)(ben)心,即是(shi)解(jie)脫”;“聞其(qi)頓教,不(bu)假外修,但于自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)心,令自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)本(ben)(ben)性(xing)(xing)(xing)常起(qi)正見,煩惱塵勞(lao)眾生(sheng),當時盡悟(wu)”。同時,在提(ti)(ti)倡“自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)悟(wu)自(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)修”的大(da)前提(ti)(ti)下,惠能還提(ti)(ti)出了一些具(ju)體(ti)的修行方法(fa)。
(1)無(wu)(wu)念(nian)(nian)為宗(zong)。他(ta)說:“我(wo)此法(fa)門,從上以(yi)來,頓漸皆(jie)立(li)無(wu)(wu)念(nian)(nian)為宗(zong),無(wu)(wu)相為體(ti),無(wu)(wu)住為本。”“悟般若三昧,即是無(wu)(wu)念(nian)(nian)。何名無(wu)(wu)念(nian)(nian)?無(wu)(wu)念(nian)(nian)者,見一(yi)(yi)切(qie)法(fa),不著一(yi)(yi)切(qie)法(fa);遍一(yi)(yi)切(qie)處,不著一(yi)(yi)切(qie)處。”
(2)定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)等(deng)學。惠(hui)能反對以(yi)(yi)前(qian)禪(chan)法(fa)(fa)中割裂定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)、慧(hui)的(de)做法(fa)(fa),主(zhu)張定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)一致(zhi),他說:“我(wo)此法(fa)(fa)門(men),以(yi)(yi)定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)為本,第一勿迷言定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)別(bie)。定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)體一不(bu)二(er),即(ji)定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)是慧(hui)體,即(ji)慧(hui)是定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)用。即(ji)慧(hui)之時(shi)定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)在慧(hui),即(ji)定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)之時(shi)慧(hui)在定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)。”這種“定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding)慧(hui)等(deng)”的(de)主(zhu)張,實際(ji)上是抬高慧(hui)而(er)貶(bian)低舊有意義上的(de)禪(chan)定(ding)(ding)(ding)(ding),提倡(chang)一種活潑的(de)、不(bu)拘形式的(de)、自由自在的(de)新禪(chan)法(fa)(fa)。
(3)頓悟(wu)成佛(fo)。惠能的新禪法就是─頓悟(wu)成佛(fo),就是“明心見性”。“我于忍和尚處,一(yi)聞(wen)言下(xia)大悟(wu),頓見真如本性”,“故知不悟(wu),即(ji)佛(fo)是眾生,一(yi)念若(ruo)悟(wu),即(ji)眾生是佛(fo)”,“前念迷(mi)即(ji)凡(fan),后(hou)念悟(wu)即(ji)佛(fo)”,強調(diao)只要一(yi)念覺悟(wu),即(ji)可頓入佛(fo)地,
總之(zhi),惠能南宗禪(chan)(chan)(chan)的顯著特(te)點(dian)就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)(shi)禪(chan)(chan)(chan)與般(ban)若(ruo)(ruo)的一(yi)體不二,“識心見性”就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)(shi)體認(ren)人(ren)和事物(wu)本(ben)來面目,而事物(wu)的本(ben)來面目,就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)(shi)實(shi)(shi)相(xiang)(xiang)般(ban)若(ruo)(ruo);“頓悟成佛(fo)”也還(huan)是(shi)(shi)(shi)頓現菩提般(ban)若(ruo)(ruo)之(zhi)智,在這(zhe)里,參禪(chan)(chan)(chan)就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)(shi)求證般(ban)若(ruo)(ruo)實(shi)(shi)相(xiang)(xiang),實(shi)(shi)相(xiang)(xiang)般(ban)若(ruo)(ruo)就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)(shi)禪(chan)(chan)(chan)悟,般(ban)若(ruo)(ruo)就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)(shi)禪(chan)(chan)(chan)的糟(zao)髓(sui)所在。
1958年8月21日,毛澤東(dong)在(zai)中(zhong)共中(zhong)央政(zheng)治局北(bei)戴河(he)擴大會議上講話(hua)時對與會者介紹(shao)說:唐朝(chao)佛教《六祖壇(tan)經》記(ji)載,惠能和尚,河(he)北(bei)人,不識字,很有學問,在(zai)廣東(dong)傳(chuan)經,主張一切皆空。這是徹底(di)的(de)唯心論,但他突出了主觀能動性。
唐憲(xian)宗謚號(hao)大鑒禪師。