Minh Tich
(September, 2006)
***
(FREE, NOT FOR
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FOREWORD
At the beginning of the daily dharma recitation in the Vietnamese
Mahayana tradition, we find these four-line verses:
Dharma is profound and wondrous beyond
compare
Hard to find in a million lifetimes
Now that I have heard, kept and obeyed
I make a vow to understand fully
Nhu Lai's words
It has been my greatest fortune to have heard and believe in
Sakyamuni Buddha, even if I am living more than two millennia after His time.
Since my immersion in the Sea of Chân Như (Sea of True Thusness), I
have been feeling greatly at peace, and even if I still hold plenty of desires
normal to an average human being, I have complete faith in the ultimate goal
that Sakyamuni Buddha has taught sentient beings throughout his sutras that
have been handed down to this day.
It seems that up till now, there is still a need for a very short
and concise introduction to the wonder of Dharma as expressed in the
above-mentioned verses. That is why I humbly set myself on the task of writing
this document, with the wish that it could give the beginner an over-all
picture so that he or she can make the resolve to look more deeply into the matter
and make a vow to start on the road of self-cultivation.
I reverently present this offering to the Buddhas, and wish to
relay and transfer any merit hereof to all sentient beings so they can attain
the fruit of Bodhi.
I sincerely welcome and appreciate comments from everyone, hoping
their input would be incorporated into later, and hopefully, better editions.
On the occasion of
Sakyamuni Buddha's Birthday
One
WHAT IS BUDDHISM?
Buddhism is not only a religion in the usual sense of the word,
which is faith. It is at the same time philosophy, science, psychology and
ethics. Simply put, it is a total way of life, comprising theory and practice.
These two intertwine and do not obstruct each other. Words are in smooth
coordination with deeds. This is a special characteristic of Buddhism.
Sakyamuni Buddha appeared on this earth more than two thousand five
hundred years
ago, and was a crown prince with all the glory, riches and attributes befitting
a person of his stature. But seeing the sufferings all around him, he left
behind all the material wealth and went on a search for a way to liberate
humans. When he was 35 years old, he attained Supreme Bodhi, and after that he
spread his teachings for 45 years before entering Nirvana, never to be reborn
again into the cycle of birth and death.
The content of Sakyamuni Buddha's teachings can be summed up in one
phrase: Just as sea water has only one taste, that of salt, THE BUDDHA'S DHARMA
HAS ONLY ONE TASTE, THAT OF LIBERATION.
Sakyamuni Buddha teaches that all sentient beings have BUDDHA
NATURE, the capacity to transcend the life-and-death cycle, end all sufferings
and be one with Non-Being, or Nirvana, just like Himself. However, due to
UNINTELLIGENCE, like dark clouds covering the sun, the urge to activation
appears, causing KARMA, the reason for the unceasing cycle of birth and
rebirth. The main characteristic of this reincarnation cycle is SUFFERING,
which is the result of the ever-growing ACCUMULATION of physical and
psychological elements. But if we use our wisdom, we can CEASE this process of
continuous suffering. The path leading to this ceasing is THE WAY, comprising
eight branches, called THE EIGHTFOLD PATH. If we practice this method
unceasingly, after innumerable lifetimes, we will finally reach BUDDHAHOOD, an
inexpressible state of peace, bliss, and permanence, THE ONLY REAL, TRUE SELF.
This is the content of THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS, explained in the first sermon the
Buddha taught humans after He attained Buddhahood, called THE TURNING OF THE
DHARMA WHEEL SUTRA.
The second sutra is THE NO-SELF PRINCIPLE SUTRA, pointing out the
most erroneous and persistent view that humanity holds, insisting that our self
is real. Actually, what we call SELF is nothing more than an impermanent and
ever-changing combination of physical and psychological elements, namely, BODY,
SENSATIONS, THOUGHTS, URGE or WILL, and CONSCIOUSNESS. The four last elements
comprise PSYCHE, the non-material part of the total entity. While we are still
living, these FIVE ACCUMULATIONS are temporarily combined with one another. But
as soon as a being dies, the physical component begins to disintegrate, and the
four remaining elements lose the basis for existence and disappear into thin
air, except for the remnant of a field of force with the urge to be reborn to
settle old counts , to pay its debts, or to have more
fun. This field of force is also highly impermanent, going through the four
stages of transformation, namely actualization, sustenance, disintegration and
disappearance. But it has the capacity before disappearing to transmit its
characteristics to its successors. That is why we have the illusion of
continuity, a semblance of something called "the soul", while in reality it is only a rapid succession of
"throbs of life". This is called THE LAW OF IMPERMANENCE, the basic
law applying to the whole realm of phenomena.
Another extremely important sutra is THE MIDDLE PATH SUTRA OF
STANCE AND CIRCUMSTANCES, explaining another basic law of the realm of
phenomena, and that is THE LAW OF INTER-CONNECTIVITY. All phenomena are the
result of combination and derivation. THIS exists because THAT exists. If this
extinguishes, that extinguishes also. That is the reason why human beings can
destroy suffering to reach peace and bliss.
Another extremely important law is THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT.
This applies to the physical world as well as the psychological world. Thus, if
you sow a bad seed, you will reap a bad fruit, either within this very
lifetime, or in another subsequent one, unless you really repent and reform.
To summarize, these are the basic concepts in Buddhism: SUFFERING,
NON-REALITY, IMPERMANENCE, NO-SELF, CAUSE AND EFFECT, INTER-CONNECTIVITY,
KARMA, and NIRVANA.
***
Two
WHAT IS BUDDHISM ?
( II )
In the preceding note, we have pointed out the most basic concepts
in Buddhism, namely SUFFERING, NON-REALITY, IMPERMANENCE, NO-SELF, THE FOUR
NOBLE TRUTHS, INTER-CONNECTIVITY, KARMA, CAUSE AND EFFECT, THE EIGHTFOLD PATH
and NIRVANA. In this note, we will present Buddhism from a more practical point
of view.
There is a very famous four-line verse as follows:
DON'T DO BAD DEEDS
FOLLOW AND PRACTICE GOOD DEEDS
PURIFY YOUR THOUGHTS AND DESIRES
THAT IS WHAT THE BUDDHAS TEACH
These precepts are not particular to Buddhism alone, but are quite
common in other religions, as well as in secular humanist ethics. The
difference is in Buddhism, these are not just maxims, but are thoroughly
explained using the law of cause and effect.
Why do we have to do the above? What if we don't do them? Isn't it
true that everybody is running after fame and fortune, disregarding all
so-called "moral" precepts? Why can't I take care of my own self, of
my family, of my loved ones? Isn't it a wise thing to take full advantage of
others so that we can have wealth and well-being?
To counter the above-mentioned arguments, this is what Buddhism has
to say:
First off, what we think is worldly happiness is actually
SUFFERING. Even if in the short run, it looks like happiness, to begin with, it
is not permanent. Secondly, human beings are never satisfied with what they
have. "Greed is a bottomless pit", we are always looking for more. If
we have a happy family and a big house, we begin to look elsewhere for fun, or
to gain more wealth. The urge is too strong. We simply cannot stop.
This is taking the most desirable case. In reality, we usually have
to trade off something for another. "You cannot have a cake and eat it too
". And before you know it comes the end of old age, illness and death, with nothing
left for you to enjoy. That is not to say a life away from the ones you love, a
life painfully bound to the ones you hate, a life burning with desire, with the
fear of losing what you possess, etc...
So SUFFERING is a fact of life that you simply cannot deny.
Happiness is elusive and fragile, while suffering can be touched, seen, heard,
and exists everywhere around you.
Why worry about others and not take care of our own selves? The
Buddha teaches, THERE IS NO SELF! What we think is our self is actually
something very futile and impermanent. Every nanosecond, countless cells die in
our body, to be replaced by new cells. This is a fact confirmed by science. As
for our psyche, what we erroneously think is "the soul", a permanent
thing, is actually nothing more than a passing combination of sensations,
thoughts, desires, and consciousness. This combination has no innate nature,
and changes according to moods. In our dreams, for example, can we control our
actions? We want to open our eyes in vain. Someone we long to hold may suddenly
tear away from our embrace.
Why shouldn't we rob and oppress others to gain what we want? Because the realm of phenomena is ruled by THE LAW OF CAUSE AND
EFFECT. In physics, this is clear enough. When we throw a ball in the
air, it will fall down as a result of the law of gravity. Cold water freezes.
Water warmed to boiling point evaporates, etc... The same applies in the world
of psyche. If you drink too much liquor, you get drunk. A murderer will be
punished. A robber will go to jail, etc...
You might say, there are countless cases
where bad people enjoy the good things in life, while good people have to bear
all kinds of hardships. The Buddhist answer is: The fruit you are reaping now
may be the result of the seed you sow in this life or in one of your past
lives, and the seed you are sowing now will result in the fruit in this very
life or later, in one of your coming lives.
Nonsense ! Has anyone been able to tell his or her
past lives? I will not believe in reincarnation as long as it is not proven by
science.
There are indeed people who reason that way. And yet, there are
sages who actually experience past lives, not only of their own, but of others
as well. But these almost never divulge their knowledge. For now, suffice it to
say believing in this requires a leap of faith which will naturally come to
people who keep on questioning, studying and practicing Dharma.
So to repeat the words of the Buddhas: DO GOOD DEEDS, AVOID BAD
DEEDS, MAKE YOUR THOUGHTS AND DESIRES PURE.
***
Three
IS BUDDHISM POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?
One of the most commonly heard criticisms leveled against Buddhism
claims that Buddhism is pessimistic, negative, and nihilisitic.
It is true that Buddhism has many characteristics that are very
different from those in other religions, and the organization of religious
practice on a worldwide scale is extremely loose, resulting in the
above-mentioned observation from those not actually practicing the religion.
Why is such an erroneous observation so popular and widespread?
In the first place, Buddhism is extremely relaxed as far as
practice is concerned. You do not need to go to the pagoda every week and
listen to sermons given by the monks to be called a Buddhist. Buddha is in your own psyche. You may never
go to the pagoda, and yet you are still a Buddhist if you practice
self-cultivation at home. No one can claim he or she is the final authority on
the Buddha's words and impose his or her
interpretations on others. If the monks do not study the sutras thoroughly,
they might miss things that a serious layman understands more fully. There is
no infallible system of authoritative power in Buddhism. Buddha gives each and
everyone complete choice in deciding his or her own destiny. Even those who are
cultivating in the monastic order could go back to the home life if they feel
they are not yet fully prepared to continue on the path.
Thus, there are many people who call themselves Buddhists but who have almost no
knowledge of the basic tenets of Buddhism, and as a result, they have little
faith. This makes them easy prey to other spiritual tendencies, which sometimes
are no more than a special class of superstition. Some, lonely in their old
age, and lured by the attention given by some new friend, are ready to leave
Buddhism to join another faith.
Such is the case in practice. On the theoretical side, many people
think the mentioning of suffering in Buddhism is tantamount to a negative and
pessimistic outlook on life. Especially the teaching of no-self is a great
menace to those who are not highly developed mentally. Their fear is further
exacerbated by the erroneous view equating Nirvana with nothingness. Some other
important concepts in Buddhism related to the extinguishing of desires and the
habit of eating vegetarian food are also unappealing to the hedonistic tendency
in humans.
As far as the participation in worldly affairs is concerned,
Buddhism does not make it a point to take an active part in building schools,
dispensaries, old age homes, etc... and the monks in
the true tradition usually stay away from politics, thus strengthening the view
that Buddhism is not interested in social progress. Finally, to some people,
the religions practiced in the West seem more fashionable in this modern age of
Western hegemony.
The above opinions are not without justification, but they
originate from a philsophical approach that is diametrically opposed to
Buddhism. In the Dhammapada, the Buddha has said: "The road to fame and
fortune is one, and the road to Nirvana is another one". Starting from
such opposing viewpoints, it would take much time to arrive at any concurrence
of thoughts. For now, it should be enough to make a couple of points as
follows:
In answer to a question asking what Buddha actually is, a
respectable Vietnamese monk has said a very apt and meaningful phrase:
"BUDDHA IS THE SMILE". Indeed, we only need to look at any image of
any Buddha, be it Sakyamuni, Amitabha or another, to see the total absence of
suffering or stress. Maitreya, the future Buddha, is even more joyful. When we
enter a pagoda, behold the statues, inhale the aroma of incense, hear the rhythmic sound of bells and wooden tocsins, all our
worries evaporate. And this is only something that is extremely easy to do. If
we go a step further and take refuge in the Triple Gem, as well as practice the
five precepts, we will have our body and psyche in peace and bliss, an
indescribable happiness yearned for by all besieged with illness and worry.
All the above is concerning only one own individual. But if he or
she makes a vow to help others reach happiness like himself
or herself, the happiness is infinitely multiplied. "Help yourself first, then help others.” Gain wisdom yourself, then
help others gain wisdom. Save ourselves, then save
others. Be enlightened, then help others get
enlightened. Each of us will then be master of his or her own destiny, and be
master of circumstances. Can there be a more realistic, optimistic ideal than
that?
***
Four
TAKING REFUGE IN THE TRIPLE GEM
The first thing to do to become a Buddhist is to take refuge in the
Triple Gem. It consists of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
Buddha is a common name for a person who has attained
enlightenment. In our universe, up till now, there is only one historical
Buddha, and that is Sakyamuni Buddha, and to distinguish Him from the others,
we call Him the Buddha. The Buddha has mentioned a future Buddha who will
appear on this earth, called Maitreya Buddha. But in the limitless
mega-universe, there are innumerable Buddhas, dwelling in other realms, such as
Amitabha Buddha, Aksobhya Buddha, etc... There have been Buddhas in the past,
there are Buddhas in the present, and there will be Buddhas in the future.
Sakyamuni Buddha taught that all sentient beings will finally reach
enlightenment and become a Buddha, but the time it takes may be innumerable
lifetimes.
Dharma is Reason, comprising all the laws in nature and in human
affairs. Dharma is the truth of science, and is forever valid, whether there
are Buddhas or not. But only the Buddhas have total knowledge of Dharma to
explain to sentient beings. We are extremely fortunate in that even if we are
not living at the time Sakyamuni Buddha was on this earth, we can have access
to His teachings through His Sutras. Dharma has many dharma doors through which
one can enter. Zen is one dharma door. The
Dharma of the Buddhas and
the dharmas of the mundane world are not separate, but are intimately
intertwined, the way a lotus is connected to the mud whence it blooms.
"All the dharmas of the world are the dharmas of Buddha". "The dharmas of
Buddha are not separate from the dharmas of the world". However, Dharma of
Buddha also includes other dharmas which are not part of the phenomenal realm.
If we make a vow to cultivate ourselves according to Dharma, there is a
possibility that one day we might get a glimpse of these special, wondrous
dharmas.
Concerning Sangha, there are different opinions. At one end is the
view that it is comprised of only the people who have made a vow to adhere to
strict rules reserved for the religious order, i.e. only monks, nuns, and religious
novices are included. At the other end is the view that Sangha may consist
solely of the laity. In the middle ground is the view that there are four kinds
of people making up Sangha, namely monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Among
these, anyone who has an understanding of Dharma and are willing to share it
with others are called people of Good Learning. Anyone can be a person of good
learning, if he or she makes the efforts to understand fully and practice
according to Dharma.
Normally, when a person wants to become a Buddhist, he or she will
take part in a ceremony at a pagoda, where he or she makes a vow to take refuge
in the Triple Gem, and a monk or a nun will give him or her a
dharma name. Afterwards, there will not be any other official ceremony, but the
Buddhist will repeat his or her vow to follow the path pointed out by the
Buddha in the daily practice at home. The verses are as follows:
- I willingly take refuge in Buddha, and
make a vow to explain to all other sentient beings the great path, so they can
develop their highest psyche.
- I willingly take refuge in Dharma, and
make a vow to explain the meanings of the Sutras, so that they can develop
their intelligence to be as large as the ocean.
- I willingly take refuge in Sangha, and
make a vow to help all sentient beings see the principle of the great
community, without any obstructions whatsoever.
***
Five
THE FIVE ABSTENTIONS
(THE FIVE PRECEPTS)
Taking refuge in the Triple Gem is making a vow to follow the path
of Buddha. To put this into practice, we have to follow the five precepts. They
are the five things we should abstain from doing, because committing them would
lead to bad karma which will surely result in bad consequences later on. The
contents of these five precepts are explained in the UPASAKA SUTRA, contained
in the Majjhima
Nikaya of the Agama Period. In it, Sakyamuni Buddha teaches the method of
cultivation for lay people, and affirms that if he or she adheres to the five
precepts and cultivates the four augmentative psyches increasing the effect, he
or she will "...EASILY ACCOMPLISH AND REST PEACEFULLY IN BLISS RIGHT IN
THIS LIFETIME ", and after death
will not descend into the three bad realms, namely hell, ghosts, and animals,
but will reap the fruit of Entering the Stream of Sages, and will stay seven
lifetimes at the longest in the realms of humans and angels before reaching the
boundary of complete liberation from suffering."
Concerning the first abstention, the Buddha teaches "...TO
STAY AWAY FROM KILLING, to stop killing, to throw away arms, to know shame and
mortification, to learn empathy and compassion, to protect all sentient beings,
including insects. He or she DESTROYS THE ROOTS OF THE THOUGHT OF
KILLING..."
We can see clearly the Buddha's unequivocal admonition about this,
and no one can deviate from His teaching to justify the act of killing.
Naturally there would be unintentional killing that is beyond our control, for
example the trampling on insects when we walk. But this is not due to our
expressed will to kill, and thus does not constitute bad karma. However, to
avoid to the maximum this situation, the Buddha admonishes the monks and nuns
not to go begging for food during the summer season when insects flourish the
most. Similarly, when we drink water, innumerable microbes get swallowed into
our stomach and die, and a mantra is recited in this case to liberate them from
suffering.
The second precept admonishes us to "... STAY AWAY FROM TAKING
THINGS NOT GIVEN US, to stop from taking things not ours, to develop the habit
of giving, to find joy in giving, and give without the thought of being
reciprocated..." Buddha teaches to DESTROY THE ROOTS OF GREED and nurture
compassion, helping all sentient beings in hardship and disaster.
The third precept admonishes us to "...STAY AWAY FROM WRONGFUL
SEX, to stop committing wrongful sex, to protect anyone, be he or she in the
custody of the father, the mother, or the parents, or the sister or brother, or
the parents-in-laws, or the family of the in-laws, or someone of the same sex,
or the wife or husband of someone else, including those in sexual dementia, or
those engaged in the sex profession. He or she DESTROYS THE ROOTS OF WRONGFUL
SEX."
We can see how thoroughly the Buddha teaches the laity about this
subject, showing how well He understands human nature.
The fourth precept admonishes us to "... STAY AWAY FROM LYING,
to stop lying, to find joy in speaking the truth, to stay fast in the habit of
telling the truth, to be totally reliable, and never to look down on others. He
or she DESTROYS THE ROOTS OF LYING."
This is related to the karma of the speech, something extremely
important that we usually overlook because we think it is not so important. In
reality, we can realize how important this is when we study the seriousness
that the laws in any country attaches to perjury. The
Buddha goes one step further and teaches us to CULTIVATE OURSELVES SO THAT
TELLING THE TRUTH BECOMES A HABIT.
Lastly, the Buddha teaches us to "...STAY AWAY FROM USING
INTOXICANTS, to stop using intoxicants, TO DESTROY THE ROOTS OF THE DRINKING OR
DRUG TAKING HABIT." He sees very clearly the bad effects of taking these
substances, because they cause us to lose control over our actions and easily
lead us to committing bad deeds. There is, however, a slight difference between
the kinds of wrongdoings. The first four are called "crimes by
nature", meaning they are unquestionably bad. As for the last one, it is
not bad by nature, but because of the inherent danger, the Buddha determines
that it is an abstention to be practiced. Staying away from taking drugs is
another way of saying to yourself: "do not destroy your mind ".
We should be aware of the fact that the five precepts are called
THE FIVE ABSTENTIONS and not THE FIVE PROHIBITIONS. This means the Buddha
admonishes us of the danger lurking leading to bad karma, but lets us have
complete freedom in doing what we want. A PROHIBITON, on the other hand, means
an absolute adherence to a rule which might not be reasonable. This blind
adherence is related to wrong view, something not approved of in Buddhism. If
we keep clinging to a wrong prohibition, we are not completely free from
bondage. Naturally, taking advantage of this freedom to commit wrong deeds is a
way of fooling oneself, and can never be a good thing.
In the Upasaka Sutra, Buddha also reminds us about THE FOUR
AUGMENTATIVE PSYCHES, which assist in our cultivation. They are TO THINK OF
BUDDHA, TO THINK OF DHARMA, TO THINK OF SANGHA, and TO THINK OF ABSTENTION. The
first three have been mentioned in the note "Taking Refuge in the Triple
Gem". The fourth one is the subject of this note. These should always be
on our mind.
Let us repeat the phrase that Sakyamuni Buddha constantly
reiterates throughout the Sutra:
"...OWING TO MINDFULNESS... HIS OR HER PSYCHE IS CLEAR AND LIMPID, HE OR SHE HAS JOY AND REACHES THE
Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem and practicing the Five Precepts
are the doors opening the way for the practitioner to enjoy a life in peace and
bliss right in the present, and a future reincarnation into the higher realms
of humans and angels. Is there any reason to procrastinate any longer?
***
Six
THE THREE KARMAS
Karma is a central concept in Buddhism. All sentient beings possess
Buddha-nature, the capacity to attain enlightenment and reach Nirvana like the
Buddhas. Nirvana is complete serenity and peace, and no disturbances whatsoever
can interfere with this sublime state. Nirvana is right here and now, not in a
distant land far from our reach. After
Sakyamuni attained Bodhi, He lived another 45 years on earth, but He was
already in Nirvana. Even if He still lived a life like any other human being,
He nevertheless did not cause more karma in His actions, and had transcended
the vicious cycle of life-and-death, since He had completely destroyed craving
originating in unintelligence, and had rid Himself of all defilements .
As for us ordinary human beings, we keep on causing new karma every
nanosecond of our lives, mostly bad karma prompted by craving. There are three
main kinds of karmas, in the guise of DEED, SPEECH, and THOUGHT.
DEED covers all actions we take, whether good or bad, which will
bear fruit in the future. The most serious actions are killing, stealing, and
wrongful sex.
SPEECH covers four categories, namely lying, slandering leading to
conflict, speaking coarse language leading to anger in others, and speaking
useless words leading to confusion of the mind in others. We human beings are
extremely prone to the karma of speech, because we are not totally aware of the
serious consequences, and because we cannot control ourselves. Writing is also
included in this kind of karma.
THOUGHT is the kind of karma which starts right from the moment a
figment of an idea forms in our mind. This is the most serious karma that we
should be well aware of, because that is where all human actions originate.
If we want to have our body and psyche in peace and bliss, we must
always try to do good deeds and avoid bad deeds, and do our best not to cause
harm to living things, including ourselves. That is the essence of the term
"CULTIVATION". We should use our good karmas to make offerings to the
Buddhas. They are as follows:
1- OFFERINGS OF DEED: We
offer to RELEASE LIFE, GIVE ALMS, AND SHOW RESPECT to
the Buddhas.
2- OFFERINGS OF SPEECH: We offer to SPEAK TRUTHFUL WORDS, JUST
WORDS, HARMONIOUS WORDS, and KIND WORDS to give praise to the Buddhas.
3- OFFERINGS OF THOUGHT: We offer not to have thoughts about GREED,
ANGER, and WRONG VIEW, signifying IGNORANCE, so that we can behold the perfect
image of the Buddhas.
***
Seven
FAITH
Faith is the starting point of all religions. So it is with
Buddhism. We must have faith if we want to make firm progress in our
cultivation. All the great masters of Buddhism have great faith, allowing them
to accomplish extraordinary deeds. An example is Master Hsuan Tsang, a Chinese
monk whose total and unwavering faith in the Triple Gem made him overcome great
obstacles on his long journey across deserts and mountains, streams and
jungles, to finally arrive in India, and bring back with him numerous sutras
and shastras to China, starting a glorious era in Buddhist development in the
Eastern Land. We should understand that faith in Buddhism may originate both
from a wondrous kinship of spiritual sentiment, or from an attitude of great
doubts about all the mysteries of life. That is why there is the saying
"The more you are in doubt, the more chance you meet Dharma." This is
the reason why Buddhism has such great appeals to many intellectuals in the
Western tradition of science and logic. Indeed, all the teachings of Sakyamuni
Buddha are in total accord with scientific findings, although there are in
addition profound realities that still elude science at the present state of
development, but no doubt will be discovered in the future. Because
Buddhism is not a system of purely speculative theories without any practical
basis. It comes directly from the actual experiences of a Great Sage,
who is capable of encompassing all realms of physical and spiritual phenomena,
and who sees everything in its true light through His Buddha Eye, the direct
result of his unceasing practice in innumerable lifetimes of the Six Paramitas,
especially the Prajna Paramita.
According to Buddhist teachings, there are two kinds of faith:
Right Faith, comprising belief in the Principle of Cause and Effect, and belief
in the Triple Gem. The opposite of this is Wrong Faith. In the Wondrous Dharma
Lotus Sutra, Sakyamuni Buddha proclaims that Dharma and Buddha Wisdom are
extremely profound and hard to comprehend. Only those with developed
intelligence can see clearly, while those with lesser intelligence develop
doubt. Faith originating in the precision of science and logic, and proven in
reality, simply cannot be refuted. This is the right kind of faith.
Faith is the first step in Buddhist cultivation. Without it, there
can be no accomplishment, and no progress can be made. That is why it is the
very first component of the Five Roots and the Five Powers (Faith, Steadfast
Striving, Mindfulness, Concentration, and Wisdom). Of the 52 stages that a
Bodhisattva goes through before reaching Buddhahood, the first one is also
Faith. In the
Those who think Buddhism is only a system of philosophical,
psychological, and ethical thoughts, simply miss out the most important
element, and can never hope to see all the wonder and marvel of Buddhism.
***
Eight
MAKING RESOLVES
With faith as the first element, we have to vow and make a resolve
to cultivate ourselves according to the teachings in the sutras. This is
especially important for those who make the Mahayana resolve to help all
sentient beings attain the Bodhi fruit. In the Pure Land School, where great
emphasis is put on the power from an outside source, vows is the third
attribute, which signifies a solemn wish to be reborn into Amitabha's Pure
Land, and a steadfast concentration on this wish since the time of Taking
Refuge in the Triple Gem till the time of passing away. For those cultivating
the
I make a resolve to save countless sentient
beings.
I make a resolve to end boundless
perturbations.
I make a resolve to learn innumerable
dharma doors.
I make a resolve to attain the
unsurpassable
*
I make a resolve to save the innate nature
of sentient beings.
I make a resolve to end the innate nature
of perturbations.
I make a resolve to learn the innate nature
of dharma doors.
I make a resolve to attain the innate nature
of the
***
Nine
PRACTICE
The natural step after making resolves is practice. To cultivate in
the Buddhist way is not a theoretical exercise, but involves serious efforts to
lead everyday life in right conduct. In the
Once you have made a resolve and strive to make it a reality, you
are practicing. Depending on the special disposition and attributes of each
individual case, the degree of practice differs. For those cultivating at home,
it is the adherence to the Five Precepts. For those leading a monastic life,
the practice is more stringent, involving more rules and regulations. If
someone makes a resolve to practice the
Ten
REPENTANCE
Due to unintelligence, we have committed innumerable bad karmas in
action, speech and thought, since time immemorial. If we want the bad deeds to
be cleansed of bad effect, we have to repent. We should tell of our bad deeds,
and make a resolve to correct ourselves so we will not repeat them in the
future. Our psyche will then be clear and at peace, and the bad effects
evaporate. In the Great Collection Sutra, there is the following sentence:
" Just as a piece of garment which has been soiled for a
hundred years is cleansed one day owing to washing, just so bad karmas caused
in a hundred thousand lifetimes, owing to the power of Buddha Dharma, with
right meditation, will be cleared in due time. "
In the monastic sangha, twice a month, on the first and the
fifteenth day of the lunar month, all the monks congregate and recite the Book
of Abstentions, and those who have committed bad deeds
must repent in the open to be cleared. Anyone aware of others' wrongdoings are also supposed to tell this to the congregation to help
the wrongdoer correct himself.
As for those practicing the Five Precepts at home, there is
included in the daily recitation the following verse:
Bad effects start from one's psyche, if one
uses psyche to repent,
Psyche will be at peace, and bad effects
absolved,
"Bad effects absolved, psyche at
peace", all is clear,
That is called true repentance.
Namo Eliciting Repentance Great
Bodhisattva.
Why do we have to repent everyday? Because everyday, we have to
face all kinds of situations to survive, making us commit all kinds of bad
karmas. Moreover, throughout innumerable lifetimes, we have committed
innumerable bad karmas. Owing to our repentance, our good seeds will have a
chance to develop, all the bad karmas will settle down, and will evaporate in
due time. The most important thing in human beings is the consciousness. We
must use our awareness and judgment to the utmost in every situation to decide
on the good or evil nature of each action, and try to avoid bad deeds the best
we can. We should know that hiding our sins will not help, but make the bad
effects accumulate in our psyche, causing us to be in a constant state of worry
and fear. The only way out is to confess and then repent. Our psyche will then
find peace again. For the laity, it is not specifically stated that we have to
confess to anyone in the monastic order. We can confess to someone we have
complete trust in. This person, in this particular case, can be considered the
embodiment of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion.
Eleven
THE THREE STUDIES
The three studies are subjects we have to put to practice
constantly to cultivate ourselves, namely ABSTENTION, CONCENTRATION, and
INTELLIGENCE.
Concerning ABSTENTION, we have explained in note five about the
precepts that the laity follows. In addition, to avoid killing animals, we
should eat vegetarian food as much as possible. This will greatly enhance our
health and reduce the possibility of cardio-vascular problems as well as
various kinds of cancer. We should also try to take the main meals in the
morning and around
As for CONCENTRATION, this is a method to keep one's mind at rest
and in focus, and while sitting in the lotus position, we should direct our
mind to one subject of meditation, such as thinking about breathing, about
compassion, etc... There are many methods of concentration which are outside of
Buddhism, such as yoga, or "zen"
by some modern gurus, with the purpose of gaining certain extraordinary powers.
But they are all partial, and do not lead us to the ultimate liberation that
Buddhism offers, since they cannot do away with the ego, and in many cases
actually reinforce it.
The main characteristic which differentiates Buddhism from the rest
is in Buddha Dharma. The other systems aim at particular realms which are still
within the phenomenal universe, but all of them elevate the Great Self as the
ultimate reality, and thus are not a part of Buddhist teachings, the only true
reality of which is Non-Being.
The study and practice of true Buddhism
lies in INTELLIGENCE.
We need to study carefully Sakyamuni Buddha's teachings as explained in the
Sutras that have been handed down to us. There are two systems. One is the
Hinayana tradition, where the sutras are written down in Pali, and then
translated into Burmese, Thai, Vietnamese, etc... The other is the Mahayana
tradition, where the sutras are written in Sanskrit, and then translated into
Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, etc... The sacred teachings in
the Hinayana, or Southern, tradition have equivalents in the sutras of the
Agama period in the Mahayana, or Northern, tradition. But Mahayana Buddhism
also has many other sutras not seen in Hinayana Buddhism, such as the
Avatamsaka Sutra, the Suramgama Sutra, the Lankavatara Sutra, the Saddharma
Pundarika Sutra, etc... The sutras in Pali are usually short, easy to understand,
and rather down to earth, and have been translated almost completely into
various Western languages. Many sutras in the Mahayana tradition, on the other
hand, have not been translated, and their meanings are very profound, leaving a
gap in comprehending all the wonder of Buddha Dharma in the West. In this
respect, the translation of the sutras in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and
Vietnamese into English would prove to be extremely meaningful.
In any case, there are many points of concurrence between the two
traditions of sutras, which set them apart from the sacred books of other
religions. These have been explained in the first two notes of this document.
The three studies are equally important and should not be
separated. We have to put all three into practice if we want to be a true
Buddhist. However, not everyone has the same disposition or attributes, and The
Pure Land School which emphasizes faith in Amitabha Buddha has great appeals,
and is very beneficial to those who follow it.
Twelve
THE FOUR IMMEASURABLE PSYCHES
The four immeasurable psyches are four psychological states
bringing about immeasurable benefits. They are EMPATHY, COMPASSION, SHARING OF
JOY, and RELEASE.
EMPATHY is feeling for others, and coming to all sentient beings
with open arms as a friend, ready to be present and share moments of misfortune
and grief. Anyone having empathy is a truthful, reliable person, worthy of
total trust by others when these need to expose their trials and tribulations.
A person having empathy is not self-interested, but always thinks about the
welfare of his or her friend, and is sincerely concerned with the friend's
well-being.
COMPASSION is being charitable to humans and animals. A
compassionate person always comes to anyone in trouble, regardless of whether
or not they know him. A person of great compassion is ready to give his or her
belongings, even his or her own life, to help others. For those in desperate
situations, a compassionate person becomes a true gem. That is why in the
SHARING OF JOY is the special psychological state which makes a
person happy to share the good fortunes of others. This seems at first sight to
be easy to do, but in reality it is extremely hard. Only selfless people can
possess this quality. Generally, we have a tendency to be jealous with others,
we don't want others to be better than ourselves, and we usually play down
others, even speak maliciously of others in the secret wish that they might
become less fortunate than ourselves and be inferior
to ourselves. A person who is willing to share the joy of others is always
happy, because he or she makes the happiness of others his or her own.
RELEASE is forgiveness, the willingness to let go of the mistakes
of others. This is also very difficult to do, because we see plenty of examples
in life where hate and revenge rule, causing all kinds of crimes, sometimes
extending across many generations , lands and races.
Of the four immeasurable psyches, EMPATHY stands first, because
from empathy, the remaining qualities can easily develop. That is why Maitreya
Buddha, the future Buddha of this earth, is called AJITA, the good friend of
all sentient beings.
***
Thirteen
THE SIX PARAMITAS
THE SIX PARAMITAS are six elements that help a Bodhisattva progress
along the path to Buddhahood. These basic qualities specific to Mahayana
Buddhism are as follows:
GIVING
ABSTENTION, or DISCIPLINE
FORBEARANCE, or PATIENCE
STEADFAST STRIVING,
or EFFORT
CONCENTRATION, or MEDITATION
INTELLIGENCE, or WISDOM
GIVING is the generosity in offering wealth, understanding, even
one's own life if necessary, to come to the rescue of those in trouble. There
are three types of giving, THE GIVING OF MATERIAL THINGS, such as food,
clothing, shelter, etc..., THE GIVING OF DHARMA, offering right understanding
to help others find spiritual refuge, and THE GIVING OF FEARLESSNESS, providing
others with fortitude in facing danger. The giving of fearlessness is the
natural result of the giving of Dharma, because if one understands Dharma fully
and practices it assiduously, one is always protected by good influence, and
has no reason to be afraid of anything at all.
ABSTENTION is avoiding all bad deeds, doing only good deeds,
setting good examples for others to follow.
FORBEARANCE is having great patience, never getting angry with
others, and treating others with the same kindness and gentleness, making the most wicked people reform and change their behavior.
STEADFAST STRIVING is unceasingly exerting efforts to improve
oneself, never slackening for a moment. This is such an important quality that
Sakyamuni Buddha says in His last sermon: " Anyone
who makes steadfast efforts in following my rules and regulations will destroy
the life-death cycle and stop suffering."
CONCENTRATION is the complete focus of thoughts with the purpose of
attaining Bodhi, and not gaining extraordinary capacities which nevertheless
still binds a person to the life-death cycle.
Lastly, INTELLIGENCE, or WISDOM, or prajna-paramita, is the
complete understanding of the profundity of Dharma as explained in the sutras,
the apogee of which is THE TRIPLE DHARMA SEAL: NON-BEING, NO MANIFESTATION, NO
ACTIVATION. This is an extremely important characteristic which differentiates
Buddhism from others faiths. That is why standing first in the line of
Bodhisattvas is MANJUSRI BODHISATTVA, THE GREAT BODHISATTVA OF WISDOM. Once we
have gained intelligence, all the other dharmas begin to take on new meanings
which are completely different from the practice based on instinct, or on the
pedantic study of books.
***
Fourteen
TRANSFER OF MERITS
Transfer of merits means offering the effects of the good deeds
that a person receives to The Triple Gem and to others, and not personally
enjoying the benefits thereof. This is a very important trait in Mahayana
Buddhism, related to the practice of the
In the daily practice of the Northern tradition, at the end there
is always the recitation of the following verse:
I vow to take these merits
and transfer them to everyone
so that myself and others
can accomplish the Buddha way.
We should know that a bodhisattva is not far away, but could be
ourselves, if we believe fully in Buddha and practice the six paramitas. We
should understand that in principle, a bodhisattva is anyone or anything that
helps a sentient being in calamity overcome fear and worry to attain peace and
bliss. This is the content of the word "Multifarious Bodies" in
Buddhism. Bodhisattvas can take on innumerable forms, and appear in innumerable
fashion. If a good psyche starts within ourselves to help someone in need or
danger, we are at that particular moment a bodhisattva. But to become a
Bodhisattva who will not degenerate into the lower level of sentient beings,
the indispensable element is HAVING FAITH IN BUDDHA AND DHARMA. Only then can a
person enter the first stage of the Bodhisattva hierarchy. From then on, he or
she might reach higher levels, after adhering to the right conduct. As for us
ordinary human beings, to be a Bodhisattva who will not degenerate is already a
tremendous step forward. To have unchanging faith, we have to try to understand
the best we can the deep meanings of the sutras, and practice the Five
Precepts. We will then enter the Stream of Sages, the first of four stages on
the way to complete liberation.
***
Fifteen
THE
In the last fourteen notes, we have tried to explain the basic
elements of Buddhism, in theory as well as in practice.
In this last note, we will try to introduce an extremely wondrous
concept in Buddhism, called THE SEA OF CHÂN NHƯ, or THE SEA OF TRUE
LIKENESS, or THE BODHI SEA.
THE
Because it does not appear, does not disappear, it is there but not
there. Because it is not permanent, not impermanent, it is not caught up in the
useless debate of being the sole truth or not. Because it is not oneness, not
otherness, there is no reason to compete for the supremacy of any symbol to the
detriment of other symbols. Because it does not come, does not go, it is CHÂN
NHƯ. It is the very essence of TRUE NON-BEING, MIRACULOUS BEING. Now you
cannot see it, and now you see everything in wondrous forms, to be comprehended
only by those who have reached the fruition point of the way. In this wondrous
realm, "form is not different from no form, no form is not different from
form, form is no form, no form is form, and so it is with sensations, thoughts,
will, and consciousness...". In this wondrous realm, PERTUBATION IS BODHI,
LIFE-DEATH IS NIRVANA, Buddha is not different from sentient beings. To
understand this is to be on the way to PRAJNA, THE SUPREME WISDOM, or SUPREME
INTELLIGENCE, which consists of:
THE WISDOM TO SEE EVERYTHING AS EQUAL
THE WISDOM TO OBSERVE THINGS IN THEIR TRUE
AND WONDROUS NATURE
THE WISDOM TO ACT IN A NATURAL WAY AS IF BY
SECOND NATURE
THE WISDOM TO REFLECT THE WHOLE
MEGA-UNIVERSE IN ITS ENTIRETY AS IN A MIRROR
To have prajna paramita is to enter the
***
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my heartiest thanks
to Gary McMillen for his kind review, comments and suggestions in editing the
manuscript, to Khoi Pham for his constant support and encouragement, and to Dan
Pham for his technical help. I also would like to show my profound gratitude to
friends and relatives who have wholeheartedly shown their approval of my
endeavor and helped in the publication and distribution of this document.
The shortcomings and inadequacies of this
document remain my own responsibilities.
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