Stories from Ancient China: Huineng's Supernormal Ability of Precognition and Retrocognition

As the reputation of Huineng, the sixth patriarch in Zen Buddhism, became well known in Guangdong and Guangxi of ancient China, many monks and lay people as well as high officials and eminent people were eager to hear his words on Dharma, Sakyamuni's Law. As Huineng's name became more and more respected, monks of Shenxiu's School of Northern Zen Buddhism in Yuquan Temple were extremely troubled. Although Shenxiu himself hadn't paid any attention to it, his disciples were disconcerted and wanted to make trouble for Huineng. They thought of many ways. One monk by the name of Zhiming had an idea. He said he had a layman friend called Zhang Xingchang, who was fond of helping victims of injustice and had excellent martial arts skills. They could use him to give Huineng a lesson.

Although they felt it wasn't a good way, they couldn't think of any other means. So they told Zhiming: "Just go through the motions to warn Huineng to be more conservative and do not make things out of control." Zhiming went to see Zhang Xingchang and told him many negative things about Huineng and told him to teach Huineng a lesson. Zhiming promised Zhang ten lings (A ling is 50 grams) of gold as a gift when he had carried out the assignment.

After packing his travel bag, Zhang Xiangchang hid a sharp knife in his clothes and pressed forward day and night towards Caoxi. As usual, Huineng taught Dharma in the temple. He saw a person with thoughts of killing under the spacious clear sky and hurried towards Caoxi.

Huineng immediately knew what was going on. He didn't say anything and continued to teach Dharma. That night, Huineng hung ten lings of gold on a chair besides his bed and left his door unlocked. He blew out the candles and went to sleep calmly.

Having agreed to the plan Zhang Xiangchang hid outside the Baolin Temple. When evening arrived, he climbed over the fence and entered the temple. After waiting for two more hours, he then gently pushed open the door of abbot's room. He even heard breathing coming from a window. As he raised his sharp knife, he remembered Zhiming words not to make too much trouble. So he lowered his knife. He then thought that since he was there, why not take care of it more thoroughly. He thought if he killed Huineng, they might give him more gold.

Just a momentary slip without considering the serious consequences, Zhang had an evil thought and took a big stride forward. He raised the sharp knife and stabbed at Huineng's neck. Hearing a sound, Zhang felt like his knife was striking a stone. His knife sprang back and his palm went numb. Without giving it a second thought, he stabbed at Huineng two more times, but he was repelled both times. When he was ready to strike again, Huineng said: "You nervy scoundrel, why are you still holding that killing knife! A righteous sword will do no evil and an evil sword will not do a righteous act. You are being used by others to assassinate a decent person. How could you even think you could harm me? I owed you only ten lings of gold and do not owe you a life!"

Zhang was stunned and hastily threw his knife on the ground. He knelt on the ground and bow repeatedly, asking for forgiveness. He said he was willing to become a monk to serve Huineng for the rest of his life. Huineng handed over the gold to him and said: "Leave here quickly. If my disciples find out you are an assassin, they will hurt you. If you wish to become a monk, come back some other time in a different outfit." Zhang thanked him tearfully. He later became a monk.

On July 1st, the second year of Tang Xuanzong (713 AD), Huineng gathered all the monks and told them: "I will be leaving this world in August. If you have any questions, ask me now." After a few days, a monk asked: "Grand Master, will there be a calamity later?" "After I pass away, someone will try to steal my head. What will happen? A monk from Xinluo will want my head to honour me. He will hire a poor person by the name of Zhang Jingman to steal my head. But Zhang will be caught and tried by two officials named Yang and Liu."

On August 3rd, Huineng stopped talking. He sat straight until after midnight, then said: "I am going!" He passed away peacefully.

Was Huineng's head stolen after he died?

According to historical data, nine years after he died, a monk from Xinluo by the name of Jin Dabei, who heard of Huineng's reputation, thought of getting his head to honour him. He thus hired a person by the name of Zhang Jingman to steal Huineng's head. Zhang Jingman was a dutiful son and destitute. In order to support his elderly mother and his family, he promised to steal the head. But when he went to the Baolin Temple, the affair fell through and he was arrested. It was just like Huineng's had predicted, two officials in charge of trial had the last names of Yang and Liu.

What is Precognition and Retrocognition? In the Falun Dafa book Zhuan Falun it says: "It is that someone is able to tell another person's future and past. With a strong capability, one is able to tell the rise and fall of a society. With a greater capability, one can see the law of all cosmic changes. This is the supernormal ability of Precognition and Retrocognition." Many prophecies in history, such as: Centuries by Nostradamus, the Frenchman; Notes Left by Ge An by a Korean; and Tui Bei Tu from the Tang Dynasty all made accurate predictions of what happened in history. These authors actually possessed the supernormal capabilities of precognition and retrocognition.

They predicted what has happened in the world today. These prophecies also predicted heaven will soon eliminate the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Falun Dafa practitioners have such a clear understanding of the tremendous change in the cosmos that they make great efforts to spread the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party to persuade people to quit the CCP and its associated organisations in order to establish a bright future for people of the world.