Incense and Forgotten Memories

A tale about the Fifth Patriarch Hongren and a miraculous rebirth, illustrating the concept of "obscuration by ignorance" and the power of wholesome seeds carried across many lifetimes.

The clear waters of a stream reflected the image of a young woman washing clothes. The babbling of the flowing water mingled with the cheerful song of birds, creating a scene of rare tranquility in a time of turmoil. The young woman was a gentle soul, yet her life stood at a mysterious and challenging crossroads. From the edge of the forest, an elderly monk with a dignified bearing and eyes as deep as if they held the entire universe walked slowly toward her. It was the Fourth Patriarch Daoxin.

The monk stopped before the young woman and spoke in a voice that was warm yet full of authority:

"Good layperson, do you live nearby? Tonight, I ask permission to stay for one night."

Startled, the young woman quickly wiped her hands on her garment and bowed respectfully:

"Yes, my home is in that village over there. But... I must ask my parents first."

The Fourth Patriarch smiled, his gaze seeming to see straight into her heart, and then said something that sounded vague yet carried a profound meaning:

"I am asking only you. Do you agree?"

Confused, yet sensing a strange trustworthiness in the monk, she nodded:

"Yes, if it is your wish, I agree."

The monk nodded, then unexpectedly turned and walked toward a large ancient tree nearby. Beneath its shade, he sat cross-legged and closed his eyes in meditative concentration. Within a brief moment, his breath grew fainter and then ceased entirely. He had passed away right there, leaving behind a great secret for the world. The young woman knew nothing of this; she continued her washing and returned home. A few weeks later, she discovered she was pregnant. The whole village buzzed with gossip, and her parents were saddened and ashamed. No one believed her vague explanations. She was cast out, living in coldness and the deepest misery.

Time passed, and the baby was born. The boy grew up healthy and unusually intelligent, yet he still had to endure the contemptuous looks of the villagers. Then one day, the Fourth Patriarch Daoxin, though already "departed," returned to find the boy in the form of a guardian spirit or through some other mysterious means (according to legend, he had been reborn or had planted a wholesome connection). In truth, according to the dharma talk, this was a case of the Fifth Patriarch Hongren being reborn. One day, while the boy was playing with his friends, a fortune-teller happened to pass by and, upon seeing him, exclaimed in astonishment:

"Heavens! This child has an extraordinary appearance, almost like the Buddha himself! He will surely become a great sage one day."

At that moment, the Fourth Patriarch Daoxin (or another eminent monk acting as a guide) appeared. He called to the boy:

"My child, come follow me and become a monk."

Without a moment's hesitation, the boy left his playmates behind and ran to grasp the monk's hand. His mother, though still carrying much resentment and pain, agreed when she saw her son's joy and that he was being accepted by an eminent monk. She had grown weary of the world's scorn, and she believed this was her son's special destiny.

At the monastery, the boy quickly recovered his memories of his past life thanks to the deeply cultivated seeds from his previous practice. He was not obscured for long by the "veil of ignorance" as ordinary people are. In a short time, he reattained his former level of realization, received the robe and bowl, and became the Fifth Patriarch Hongren. This story clearly illustrates the concept of "obscuration": when a sage is reborn, the newly formed brain causes them to completely forget their old memories. However, their habits, character, and potential for practice (their seeds) remain, waiting for the opportunity to blossom. Unlike the case of spirit possession, where memories remain vivid, obscuration is a complete transition into a new body, requiring time to "awaken" one's true identity.

The dharma talk also mentions the past-life connection between the Fifth Patriarch and the Chan master Foyin Liaoyuan. Both were enlightened Chan masters, but because one had attained a higher realization while the other still harbored subtle thoughts of desire, when one passed away, the other had to hurriedly "chase after" him by being reborn early, in time to support his friend. As a result, one became Su Dongpo, the gifted poet who had a turbulent official career, while the other became Foyin, the pure Chan master. Their relationship stands as evidence of the quiet mutual support among sages, even when their outward circumstances and ways of life appear so different.

The Meaning of the Story

This story helps readers understand the Buddhist concept of "obscuration by ignorance": when we are reborn, we forget all our old memories because the new brain has not yet fully developed, yet the forces of karma and the wholesome seeds from many past lives continue to shape our character and destiny. It also emphasizes the importance of continuous practice and mutual support among fellow practitioners, while explaining strange phenomena in Buddhist history, such as miraculous births or the rapid rebirths of eminent monks. These are not blind supernatural miracles, but the results of cause and effect (karmic law) and steadfast power of vow.

Compiled from the dharma talk of Venerable Thich Chan Quang