Righteousness and Happiness. 11. LIVE FOLLOWING THE bodhisattva's ideal. Both of these movements are meaningful to the life of modern people. The first is the inward movement, returning to what Buddhism often calls the true face of oneself, one's true self. The second is the outward movement, which Buddhist books often call the benefit of saving birth. Virtue is doing all things for the benefit of all sentient beings. Rebirth is the liberation of all sentient beings from all unhappiness, especially the greatest unhappiness that is life and death in samsara. The essence of this extroversion is to identify oneself personally with all people, all beings in the cosmic world. Both of the above trends represent the two great virtues of Buddhism, wisdom and compassion, and the Buddha is a saint praised and revered by Buddhists worldwide as the most perfect expression of the two virtues. that wisdom and compassion. I would like to analyze in turn two more trends of Buddhism, which I believe have a great exitstential dimension for our present times. 1. Introversion: Return to your true self. What can we think about the chaotic life, chasing after material pleasures is a prominent feature of societies with a high level of material civilization, and also of developing, but Which civilization makes mesmerize and dazzle? What hidden power lies behind social evils such as drugs, teenage crime, prostitution, masochism and sadism, homosexuality, mental illness, individual or collective suicide etc... ? Behind all that chaotic lifestyle is the tendency of unhappy people to want to get rid of their narrow and selfish self, to get rid of a persistent and constant state of insecurity and anxiety that English calls by The common noun is anxiety. But why is there such a constant insecurity and anxiety that modern people want to find oblivion in a chaotic lifestyle, sometimes losing their humanity. Is it that people think that, because they are full of worries and boredom on the inside, they have to look outside to find material pleasures? Do people think that the more material possessions and comforts they possess, the happier people will be, and all inner worries will be eliminated. This illusion is not new, but is timeless in ancient India, There used to be a Materialist school (Carvaka) that advocated like that. And in the city of Athens at the time of Socrates, there were philosophers belonging to the Sophist school, who also advocated a lifestyle of maximum material pleasure as an ideal way of life, worthy of man's dream. Buddhism says it is the illusion of people who are thirsty but also eat salty food, and the more salty they eat, the more thirsty they become. Buddhism points out that inner insecurities and worries can only be solved within, not outside. The Buddhist method of Zen practice – which Westerners are used to calling Zen Buddhism is a method to help people return to their inner self to fundamentally resolve all worries and insecurities. of the interior. Our inner being is like the surface of a lake, being turbulent and turbid by the winds of lust that follow the external environment. We worry about our insecurity precisely because we live with that inner turmoil every day, while the whole layer of deep, calm lake water we forget as strangers, not ours. The purpose of Zen is not beyond showing us the proper methods to make the surface of our inner calm no longer wavering, no longer wavering, so that we can look deeply into the vast inner layers, in silence is our true mind, our true heart. The interior of a person, from the surface to the depths, once made quiet, will be as clear as a mirror, will be a source of peace and happiness, will be truth, light, and nirvana. Meditation methods are many because of human nature, there are many differences, some people are stupid, some people benefit, some people are heavy on greed, some people have a lot of anger and delusion; or vice versa. However, the ultimate goal to be achieved by all methods of Zen practice is to calm the mind, to calm and clear the mind, to turn the inner mind from agitation to calm, from confusion to clarity. Clear mind, that is Prajna wisdom, is what English books often call Transcendental wisdom. Having the wisdom of Prajna, that is, becoming a Buddha, the Saints who see all know all (Omnicient). A king that international historians often know as a hero who led the Vietnamese army and people twice to defeat the Mongol invaders in the 13th century, the army that had stormed the wars. European and Asian markets at that time. That king Tran Nhan Tong. That king, after defeating the Mongols, refused to stay on the throne to enjoy the glory of victory, but ceded the throne to his son, became a Buddhist monk, and founded the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect. His Buddhist works exude many unique ideas. One of those thoughts is verbatim in his words. "Buddha is in the house, I don't have to look far, Humanity should be in order, so I'm looking for a new Buddha, cup or Buddha himself". That is, according to Tran Nhan Tong, our true self is the Buddha, and it is because we forget our duty and root that we are sentient beings, with confused minds and uncontrollable suffering. happy. The constant worry and insecurity in our hearts is rooted in the fact that we forget our true self, the Buddha, and live with our false self as sentient beings. Buddhism of Tran Nhan Tong as well as of Tran dynasty in general is a very clear introverted Buddhism. very lively. From kings to mandarins, generals, soldiers, and commoners, if everyone believes that they are Buddhas, they will become Buddhas, so even in the present, they must live worthy of the Buddha in them, live with them. Buddha's virtues such as compassion, wisdom, courage, fearlessness... then ask if any foreign invaders, including the warlike Yuan Mong army, could invade Vietnam's territory without being attacked. defeat. There is an old saying: "The sea of ​​suffering is boundless, in the beginning of the river". Meaning: "The sea is vast, but when you turn around, you will see the shore". Turn your head back to your inner self, turn your head back to live with your true self, and that real person is the Buddha with full two virtues of wisdom and compassion. That is the remedy that Buddhism can offer to modern people, people today are wandering like lepers on the streets, searching for truth and happiness, even though they know that search is hopeless. Buddhism says: Well, look no further. Come back to yourself, to your true self. Tran Nhan Tong, the king-Zen master that I introduced above, has two verses in Chinese: "Gia Trung Huu semi-retirement trilogy For the mindless scene asking Zen". Meaning: "In the house ready jade, stop searching. Quietly face the scene and ask for Zen". Pearls are available in the house, no need to look any further, just like saying that you are Buddha already, stop praying for Buddha, look for Buddha anywhere else. And because he is already a Buddha, so no matter how attractive or changing the external environment is, it cannot be influenced. The human mind remains calm. If it is calm, then it is clear, nothing is not seen, not known. And that's Zen, there's no need to learn Zen. 2. Extroverted tendencies: A completely selfless, selfless, positive, dynamic, rich life. Humans, after a long and fruitless search, finally know how to return to themselves, suddenly find that what they call themselves actually doesn't exist. Both body and mind are just one stream, a series of mental and physiological phenomena that change continuously from moment to moment and within or behind that continuous flow, there is no such thing as a soul. or the eternal self. The Suragama Sutra, an important Mahayana sutra, illustrates the doctrine of no-self of Buddhism with a very vivid and specific example: "It is like a hundred thousand seas in vast silence, but leaving all things aside. and then accept to pick up a bubble to make me ...". Accepting this body and mind is me, Just as the sea forgets itself to be the sea and then accepts a wave to be the sea. People realize the Buddha's principle of no-self, discover that they are not a bubble, but a vast ocean, that they are one with everyone, all sentient beings, all sentient beings, and from this wisdom-filled awareness, one emanates a great love, a great compassion, vowing to do all that is possible for the benefit of all sentient beings, of all beings. Living like this, in Buddhism, is called living according to the Bodhisattva ideal. It is the ideal of living in harmony with everyone, all sentient beings, in accordance with the principle that everyone, all sentient beings are equal, the same body. I believe that the Bodhisattva ideal, as presented above, is an ideal of great practical value to the modern world, because the major religions of the world can accept and realize the bodhisattva ideal of Buddhism to different degrees, and with different names. Christianity says: “Love others as you love yourself.” Islam says: “Muslims in the four seas are brothers.” Buddhism says: “Love all sentient beings as a mother loves her only child.” All these different words speak to the same content, which is a great, all-encompassing love. people without distinction of race and ethnicity, color and sex, etc.. That great love must be the most prominent feature of a new moral order, so necessary for modern society and the world. , in the West as well as in the East Buddhism advises people to return to their true self, but our real self is not self. It is not limited to this limited impermanent body and mind, it is the same with all people, all sentient beings and all other sentient beings. And living in harmony with everyone, all sentient beings is the selfless and selfless way of life according to the Bodhisattva ideal. In short, look inward to find your true self. But after discovering that his true self does not exist without me, is not self, is one with everyone and all other sentient beings, so Buddhism advocates an active and active life. extreme, extroversion is not to seek and enjoy trivial and immoral material pleasures, but to benefit and bring happiness to everyone and all species In both introversion and introversion This externality, highlighting the doctrine of no-self of Buddhism, it is no different from the red thread that runs through the entire teaching, Buddhist ethics and practice. When the Buddha was still in the world and even after he passed away, wherever Buddhism was present, the ideal of selflessness and altruism was always the immutable standard of Buddhist ethical life. monastics as well as lay people. That ideal shines brightly on Theravada Buddhism as well as developed Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism as well as Northern Buddhism, both during Buddha's life and forever after. Anyone who denies that reason, living against that ideal, cannot be considered a true Buddhist, let alone an Arahant. Still, there are people who write critical books, the Arahant's ideal is narrow-minded selfishness. They do not understand that in order to become an Arahant, the prerequisite is to eliminate all thoughts of self, to be enlightened about selflessness and selflessness. Let's listen again to the Buddha's exhortation to his first class of disciples: "Bhikkhus, you need to practice for the sake of the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the welfare of the many. life, for the happiness of gods and humans..." (Mahavagga, 19) It should be recalled that, as early as 300 BC, at a time when Mahayana Buddhism had not yet flourished, Emperor Asoka was in India. India has sent many missionaries carrying the message of Shakyamuni Buddha to Syria, Greece, Egypt and North Africa and many other remote parts of the world. According to legend, a missionary mission of Asoka went to Vietnam, and there was a stupa built here. Mission in a faraway country, despite language barriers, customs, etc., is an act that is not only selfless but also courageous. And how many people have gone without returning in the missionary career of the world's major religions. The basic shortcoming of modern man is that he has lost his true self, but chases after the false Self with cravings that can never be satisfied. Modern people in Western civilized society can live a life of complete material comfort, but only lack one thing, happiness and inner peace to truly enjoy all the wealth. material goods and comforts. Yes, material possessions and comforts, material pleasures cannot be an end in themselves, and an end Because, at the very least, man must have calmness and serenity of mind to be able to do so. enjoy physical or mental pleasures. But for a long time, due to his chaotic and extroverted life, out of harmony with himself, With nature and society, people of Western civilized society have lost that calmness and serenity of the soul, which is a prerequisite and basic for a true and true happiness. As early as the time of ancient Greece, Socrates outlined all the nonsense of a lifestyle that worshiped material pleasure as unique and ultimate. We can read this astute critique of Socrates in Plato's foreign policy Phillebus. During the conversation, Socrates led his opponent, Protarchus, to this absurd conclusion that man only needs maximum pleasure, nothing else, including reason, intelligence, memory. , knowledge and correct concepts. That is, according to Protarchus, human beings as long as they enjoy maximum pleasure, do not need anything else, including intelligence, reason, memory etc.. Socrates said: " Thus, there is no memory how he can remember that he had enjoyed pleasure: because immediately after enjoying the pleasure he could no longer remember anything, and moreover, because he also did not have the right conception. , he also did not think that he had enjoyed pleasure, and because he also lacked the ability to reason, he also lost the ability to perceive that he would enjoy pleasure in the future. He must live the life of an oyster or of any other living animal whose abode is the bottom of the sea, whose soul is hidden in a hard shell. Is that all, or can we think of something else?" Protarchus: "We cannot think otherwise". Socrates: "If so, can we not think that such a way of life is desirable?" Protarchus: "O Socrates, your arguments deafen me..." I quote the conversation of Socrates to say that this modern man, living a highly materialistic civilized life at the end of the twentieth century can still continue to think as childishly as Protarchus of Athens twenty-five centuries ago. century. Of course, Buddhism on the one hand condemns life following lowly material desires, on the other hand, it does not have to promote a life of poverty and austerity. the ascetic body, only making the body sick and the human mind dull. The Buddha exhorts us to avoid both the extremes of pursuing material pleasures and living an ascetic life. The Buddha advised his students as well as everyone else to live a healthy, simple, upward-oriented lifestyle, shining with morality, morality and wisdom, a lifestyle where everyone, rich or poor, ordained. or at home, in the East or the West can live or aim for. Such a lifestyle will bring inner calmness and clarity of mind, enabling people to see things as they really are. Thanks to that, people can live in harmony with themselves and master themselves, live in harmony with society, with nature. And in that harmonious rhythm of life, with themselves, with society and nature, can people find true happiness. If everyone accepts and lives this way of life, this whole world of war and unrest will soon become a world of peace and happiness, the coming XXI era will become the era of human, the era in which human values ​​are the measure, the standard of all values, the boundary line that distinguishes between truth and falsehood, success or failure, right view or wrong view. An era in which man becomes the ultimate judge, evaluating all social and political systems, seeing which is superior, full of vitality, which is outdated, must resolutely reform itself or not. is to withdraw from the historical arena. The tendency to introspect, to return to one's true self cannot be misinterpreted, is negative, withdrawing into an ivory tower. Above, I mentioned another trend of Buddhism, the tendency to go outward leading to a positive altruistic life, for the benefit of all people, all sentient beings. In the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism, there are teachings of the Buddha, advising his disciples to actively propagate the salvation of birth, and especially to practice the Four dharmas to be close to sentient beings, to benefit. for sentient beings, close to everyone, benefit everyone. The four photography dharmas are loving speech, which is gentle speech, easy to hear; almsgiving means helping sentient beings in terms of providing material goods, explaining the Buddha's teachings and teachings, protecting and protecting sentient beings if necessary, and rejoicing with all that is beneficial. for sentient beings; Taking advantage and finally being partners means working together with sentient beings, etc.. Four photography, loving speech, giving, taking advantage, and being partners are like that, they represent the active altruistic lifestyle of Buddhism. . (See Tang Chi I, 387). Along with the Four Laws, Buddhists who are enlightened about the doctrine of no-self also strive to practice and practice the Four Immeasurables, that is, to expand their compassion, joy, and equanimity, covering all sentient beings everywhere. ten directions. At the same time also practice the practice of the six perfections, i.e. generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom. These six virtues are cultivated and practiced to perfection, thoroughly will help those who live according to the Bodhisattva ideal, can completely abandon the narrow, selfish Self, live in harmony with all sentient beings, everyone. That is the way of life of Buddhists who are enlightened about the principle of not-self of Buddhism. That lifestyle is nothing negative. On the contrary, it is very active, dynamic and rich and diverse. Hopefully it proves attractive to modern people, to modern society. 12. BUDDHISM WITH NATURAL LIFE After the second world war, mankind lived in fear of an atomic world war, turning the earth into an eternal cold winter, in which all living things including humans , animals and plants were destroyed, no one survived. In recent years, the fear of a nuclear war destroying humanity has been compounded by a new fear of an environmental catastrophe. This calamity can bring humanity to annihilation even faster than the scourge of war. As a bio-environmentalist said, if in 50 years, the world does not simultaneously stand up to protect the environment on this earth, the common house of mankind may be destroyed, the living environment of We will be ruined, nothing can save us. Through the latest documents of the United Nations Environment Protection Organization and some other related international organizations, we can know. Every year in the world, hundreds of millions of tons of humus soil with agricultural value are destroyed due to deforestation and improper land handling. Every year, about 3,000 square kilometers of fertile agricultural land are lost to the construction of houses and roads, in developed countries alone. In poor third world countries, the natural environment is destroyed in a different way. Farmers burn forests for farming, cut trees for firewood for cooking; In some timber exporting countries, deforestation has reached a terrible scale, because it is carried out with modern technical means. For example, in Thailand less than 50 years ago, the forest area accounted for 80% of the country's area, today, that proportion is only 20%. Many precious plants, along with some birds and wild animals, are missing. People in many villages are in a situation of lack of water to eat and drink, there is only one way to leave the village. Droughts often occur. The fertile layer of many agricultural areas was destroyed, crops failed, leaving farmers destitute and poor. In short, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres in Western countries with a high level of development, as well as in poor and backward third world countries, the problem of habitat destruction is raised. urgent and urgent, especially in recent years. Although in the Buddha's time in the world, environmental protection was not a problem, but the Buddha with his lucid wisdom and compassion to save suffering, with the responsibility of the Master, needed to create an environment that To study suitable for his monastic and lay disciples, the Buddha actively sought to build for himself and for the Sangha a lifestyle in harmony with nature, an appropriate practice direction. to enlightenment and Nirvana. The Buddha was a unique teacher who was born under the Tree of Worry at Lumbini, practiced meditation until enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, preached the Dharma for the first time in the Deer Park in Bala. complained, and finally entered Nirvana under two Sala trees at Kusinara. In his 45 sermons on saving birth, he left us with the image of a master walking from village to village, from town to town, After returning from his alms round, he often sat in a nearby forest to rest or preach the Dharma, or meditate until the afternoon. That image of the Buddha is recorded in the following verses: One bowl eats a thousand houses, One body travels ten thousand miles Because of the problem of birth and death, the teaching of the past day. (Nhat Ba Thien Gia San, Her body of ten thousand years of travel, Ky of birth and death, Teaching the spring and autumn). In his sermons, he often used metaphors found in nature, in animals and plants, and thus the images evoked very vividly and fresh as if he were living in the open sky. Referring to the difference between good and evil dharma, His Holiness taught: "That far is the distance between the earth and the sky. That far is the distance between this shore and the other shore. That so far is far, the distance between sunrise and sunset, but still far, even further is the distance between the dharma of the good and the dharma of the wicked" (Tang Chi p. 410). Talking about the scent of a virtuous person is compared to the scent of a fragrant flower, but there is a difference between the two: "Not one What flower scent does it fly against the wind Only the scent of virtuous people against the wind blowing everywhere." The Buddha often used the image of the sea to compare with the Dharma: "O Paharada, the great sea has only one taste, that is salty. In the same way, this Dharma Paharada of mine also has only one taste, which is liberation." (Increase III, p. 57). The noise of the fool, the silence of the wise are compared to the ocean. The sea near the shore is noisy, and the sea off is calm: "As in the center of the ocean, the waves are unborn. The sea is completely still. In the same way, bhikkhus, Stand still, not moving, Not moving. confused about what in life". The Buddha always praised the mountains and forests, and considered them to be the ideal refuge for monastics to practice the path. "Villages or forests, valleys or high hills where the La-han dwells That land is lovely." "Love is instead of mountains and forests Where mortals do not like the taste of greed because they do not seek pleasure". When he saw a bhikkhu living in the forest, he was very happy: "Here, Nagita, I see a monk living in the forest, sitting in the forest without attaining concentration. Nagita, to him, We thought, "This venerable one has not yet attained samadhi, but will achieve samadhi, and will protect his meditative mind." Therefore, Nagita, I am delighted to be staying in the forest of the bhikkhus. it". (Tang Chi II, p. 336). Here we just need to listen to some verses and poems of the great disciples of the Buddha, when they have attained fruition, speak out in praise of the mountains and forests to realize that life between the mountains and nature is the abode, the most suitable environments for the attainment of right wisdom. Lord Sabbaka declared: "When I see the stork, Spread its pure white wings Fear the dark cloud Seeking a hidden place to hide, Then it is the Ajatarani River that brings joy to me. Undelighted, When found here On both banks There are rows of Jambu trees Brightening the riverbanks Behind the great cave Hear the frogs Skillfully escaping the snakes Crying for joy With a cry Now is not the time to let loose with the mountains and forests It's safe the river Ajatarani Comfortable and peaceful It's fun and enjoyable." Venerable Kassapa, who lived his whole life in the mountains, explains why he loves the mountains: " The land is lovely With garlands of flowers The name of Karari Spreads all over the place, With elephants howling pleasingly Those mountains I like. Cool clear lakes Beautiful blue clouds Covered by bugs In-da shepherd's name Those rocky mountains Delight my mind. Like a few green hills, a beautiful tower, a castle, and an interesting howling gibbon That hill I like. Immersed by the wet rain The land is pleasing to the eye. The hills and mountains are made by hermits as a place of refuge. Vong speaks the sound of peacocks. Those hills and mountains I like. Filled with flowers and thorns, Like the sky covered with clouds. Full of all kinds of birds and mountains I like. Under the rock of the cave, there are clear streams and rivers. There are monkeys and deer. There are hybrids living nearby. Trees cover the water. The hills and mountains are my favourite.” Buddhists not only see nature as a kind mother who nourishes them with food. , clothing, housing etc.. but also see nature as an endless source of inspiration, enlightenment and liberation. Flowers fall, leaves fall. Winter is over, spring is back. Are these the vivid lessons of nature that teach us that life is impermanent, all dharmas are impersonal, not worthy for humans to indulge in. The enlightened Zen masters of the Ly and Tran dynasties have left us poems describing natural scenes, beautiful words, beautiful images, and wonderful profound meanings. Let's re-enjoy the poem of Zen Master Man Giac in the Ly dynasty: "Spring is full of flowers and flowers, Spring is full of flowers. The old sage is too old. most daring tomorrow". (Spring leaves a hundred flowers to fall, Spring to a hundred flowers to smile In the immediate future, the old head will come. Don't think that spring will fade and all flowers will fall. Last night in the yard in front of an apricot branch). Spring comes to spring, flowers bloom, flowers fade, everything in life passes before your eyes, and the hair on your head turns gray. In that panorama of impermanence, Zen master still feels that life is immortal in the scene of apricot flowers blooming after the end of spring night. Tran Nhan Ton was the king and Zen master of the Tran dynasty. The scenery in many of the king's poems has the color of reality, reflecting the truth of impermanence and non-self of Buddhism. Like the following Thien Truong Van Vong; "Tien hamlet, hamlet, hamlet, post-neighbourhood, self-sacrifice, semi-nature, semi-husband, Duong Bien. Mu dong enemy ly yuu goes to Bach Highway parallel to Phi Ha Dien". Translation: In front of the hamlet and back of the village, like smoke in a cage, the evening shadow seems to be empty. The stork flute and the buffalo come back. White storks are thrown into the field in pairs. The scene behind or in front of the village is as hazy as in smoke, as if there is no shadow in the sunset, Following the sound of the flute of the shepherds, the buffaloes were all returned, but the field was bustling with pairs of storks flying down to land on the field. Buddhism both upholds a lifestyle in harmony with nature, and promotes a lifestyle in harmony with people. When asked by Dandapani what he preached, the Buddha immediately declared: "According to my teaching, in the world with gods, demons and Brahmas, with assemblies of recluses, brahmins, Gods and humans, don't argue with anyone in the world.” (Middle Division III 109-l09s) Another statement shows the Buddha's non-disputing attitude: "Monks, I don't dispute with you. In life, only the world disputes with Me. Those who speak the Dharma have no dispute with anyone in the world”. again, promote compassion for animals and plants, an attitude that creates sympathy between humans, animals and nature. In the Sutra Sutra, Central Part I, No. 3, the Buddha taught not to pour excess food on green grass and in the water with insects, for fear of harming the grass and insects. He taught monastic disciples to use cloth to filter the water to prevent killing living creatures. During the rainy season, the Buddha advised the monks not to go out for fear of stepping on grass or insects that proliferate a lot on the ground and in the air when it is wet. He affirms that not killing is giving without fear, giving without hatred, giving without harm: "The noble disciple gives up killing, gives fearlessness to immeasurable beings, gives no hatred to immeasurables. immeasurable sentient beings, without harming immeasurable beings." (Angzhi III, 229) He stated very clearly, He did not accept for his own sake or for his disciples' sake to kill sentient beings to offer food. He advised his lay disciples not to engage in human trafficking or meat trade. In Buddhism, there are practices that speak of the Buddhist tradition of loving people, animals, and plants: The tradition of releasing birds, releasing fish, releasing lanterns, being vegetarian, and enjoying the eight mandarins are beautiful images of Buddhist monks and nuns. compassion for people and animals of Buddhism. In order to cultivate that compassion, the Buddha taught his monastic and lay disciples to practice the Four Immeasurable Minds: Cultivating loving-kindness to counter anger, cultivating compassion so as not to harm people or animals, practice joy to eliminate jealousy and practice equanimity to destroy hatred. It is love, compassion, joy and equanimity that are the four forces that build understanding between people, between people and nature, between humans and animals. And building such an environment is really good for our planet in the past as well as in the present, instead of waging wars, destroying people, destroying animals and destroying nature. course. The teachings of compassion are truly vast, encompassing all kinds of living beings, as the Compassion Sutra in the Minor Discourses 196-152 states: "May all those, Sentient beings, have life. The weak or the strong Leave no one, Body long or short, Middle and low, large and small, Species seen, not seen, Species living far away, not far away, Species living now, Species to be born, Hope All living beings Live happily and peacefully, May no one, Deceive or deceive anyone, No one despises At any place, Not because they are angry with each other. Not because they think they are against. Some people want to hurt each other. Like a mother's heart For her child's whole life to protect her only child. The same goes for all sentient beings. Cultivate the mind, Without limit of vastness; Practice loving-kindness In all worlds. Cultivate the mind Unlimited wide Above and below Also the whole breadth No restriction of bondage No hatred, no enmity. While standing or walking While sitting or lying down Long as long as you are awake Remain mindful of this This way of life To be mentioned by the world Is the ultimate way of life..." The Buddha taught one to practice. Loving kindness has the following benefits: "Peaceful sleep, peaceful waking, no nightmares, being admired by others. Being loved by non-human beings, and being blessed by Gods". (Increased Chi III, p 11) A person who has compassion for nature and animals, how can he still have malice towards other people and fellow human beings? Buddhists treat nature like their mother, rely on nature to nourish their body, to seek liberation and enlightenment, not to exploit nature to satisfy their greed... Buddhists coming to nature like a bee to a flower, sucking the pistil of the flower but not harming its color and fragrance (Dhampa Sutra stanza 49). "Just as the bee takes only the pistil, Not harming the fragrance of the flower, So too the recluse enters the middle of the village." For monastics, the Buddha paid special attention to silence so that they could focus on meditation and practice. The Sangha of Bhikkhus of the Buddha is a pure assembly, preferring silence, away from noise. The Buddha advised the bhikkhus to choose an abode "Not too far, not too close, Convenient for going and coming. Not crowded during the day, not noisy at night. little contact with flies, mosquitoes, wind, heat from the sun and hissing snakes..." (Angzhi III, p. 314) King Ajatasattu with Jivaka's introduction went to see the Buddha. near the assembly of 1250 bhikkhus without making a sound, the sound of his throat cleared, the king was afraid to know if Jivaka would betray him. The new king assured to go to see the Buddha. One time, the owner of Sandhana (The Department of the IV, p. 38), visited the assembly of non-Buddhist monks. Sandhana noted the difference between the two assemblies: " It is quite different, when the non-Buddhist religions gather, gather, make noise, raise their voices, raise their voices, they live discussing frivolous matters... peaceful land, The mountains and forests are quiet, far away with little noise, with the wind blowing, away from the eyes of the world, suitable for quiet cultivation. King Pasenadi of Kosala witnessed the teachings of the Blessed One, attended by hundreds of people. If someone coughs on one of the people sitting above him, he lightly taps his knee and says: "Be quiet, venerable sir, don't make noise, the Blessed One, our teacher is preaching the Dharma." The whole assembly was crowded. people, respectfully listening to the Buddha's teaching in silence, forming a wonderful learning atmosphere for Buddhists The Buddha encouraged his monastic disciples to live a life of few desires, knowing enough. He taught the bhikkhus, as a reason to observe the life span of clothing, "just to prevent cold, prevent heat, prevent the contact of mosquitoes, wind, heat from the sun, reptiles; the life of alms food, only for this body to live long and for maintenance, to prevent this body from being pitied, to support the holy life; Using the sieve only to prevent cold, prevent heat, prevent the contact of flies, mosquitoes, wind, heat of the sun... just for the purpose of living alone in peace.... life using pharmaceuticals treatment, just to prevent the feelings of suffering that have arisen, to be completely separated from suffering..." (Central Central I, p. 98). Only with such a life of minimal sexual content can a practitioner live. Living a healthy life upward, attaining enlightenment and liberation. Thus, Buddhism celebrates a lifestyle in harmony with nature, in harmony with humans, praising compassion, encouraging compassion for people and animals. , promoting the conduct of minimal education, contentment, living a healthy and simple life, with the aim of building an ideal study environment for people as well as for monastics. We Buddhists today should learn to follow the life of the Master, live close to nature, love nature, near plants and flowers, breathe in clean air, and if possible, live away from noisy places. , dust. Even if you live in the middle of a city, like this Ho Chi Minh City, if you have some land near your house, plant trees and create shade. Let's bring nature into the house, upstairs with flower trellises, ornamental plants. Especially the pagodas, Zen monasteries, Venerables, Venerables or Abbots, monks and nuns, please make each scene of the temple like a clean, quiet oasis, full of flowers and cool breezes. In this noisy and densely populated city, to do so is to evangelize and practice religion, because tranquility on the outside leads to peace in the soul. Silence in the soul is liberation, is freedom. All that matters is that monks and nuns are fully conscious, creating for all Buddhists the best and most religious environment to help the intellectual progress and peaceful life of everyone coming to the temple. It is a good harmony between the natural environment and the human environment. Of course, the scene where the temple is located in a place of beautiful scenery, airy, full of flowers, is already an oasis of purity for secular people. But the scene of that pagoda adds to the rhythm of the muffler, the sound of bells ringing low and high, the sound of chanting, reciting the Buddha's name and especially the presence of monks and nuns, dignified and liberated, full of majesty and virtue, said speak words full of compassion and illuminating wisdom. We believe that the abbots living in our temples and monasteries have the ability and consciousness to create and arrange such an environment full of intellectual value. By the way, I would like to make some comments on an issue related to the environment and the landscape of Buddhist temples. It is a matter of picking fortune on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. Ital kanji is a blessing, a good thing, according to Buddhism, doing good and right; Today, you will reap the benefits of tomorrow, which means you will receive good retribution later. Picking Loc is not a group of people, a group of people coming to the temple, picking leaves in the temple garden! We do not know from where, based on which Buddhist scriptures, people draw up such a false perception and custom about reaping benefits. I propose to replace the custom of breaking trees and destroying temple gardens during Tet with a movement to bring new trees to plant in the temple garden called planting buds. There are trees with very religious names such as Buddha's hand, Seven Buddhas, Arhat trees, etc. Temples should have ready-made plants with such names, so that during Tet, Buddhists can take the effort to plant in the area. temple garden. If Buddhists have a garden at home, they should keep such plants ready, and then bring them to the temple on a convenient occasion. We do not forget to mention the jackfruit tree, which is often grown in Vietnamese and Chinese temples. Jackfruit tree, the Chinese call it paramita, the original Sanskrit word is Paramita. We Vietnamese people call it jackfruit tree. In the temples in the North, it has long been a custom to use jackfruit wood for making mules and utensils for worship, treating jackfruit wood as sacred wood. Buddhists, not only during the New Year, throughout the year, on convenient occasions, plant buds instead of picking them, not only in pagodas but also in home gardens, not only jackfruit trees and trees. Seven Buddhas, the Arhat tree that all kinds of trees can grow. Because where there are trees, there is shade, there is wind, there are flowers, there are birds, there is life. Today is the right day Vu-lan, the day of retribution for the four great favors of Buddhists, and the special filial piety of those who have a filial heart. Today is also the Fourth Order of the Sangha after three months of settling down in summer, called the Joyful Day of Gods and Humans, because we have witnessed three months of ardent and diligent study of the monks and nuns. The Buddha taught that there is nothing better than helping people of all kinds to listen to the Buddha's teachings, to practice good and good deeds in terms of body and mind. And to do so, let's first try to build this Van Hanh Zen Monastery into a good environment for monks and Buddhists to study. An environment in which Buddhists can come to worship Buddha, chant sutras, sit in meditation, listen to the Dharma, receive the Eight Precepts, attend lectures, view exhibitions, attend cultural performances, work some social relief work v. v ... an appropriate and beneficial monastic environment for everyone to come to the Zen Monastery, not only that, lay Buddhists who return to their homes also try to build their families into an environment. In the right circumstances, in accordance with the spirit of the religion, how we build our own environments, we bring Buddhism into our family and help everyone in the family enjoy the good effects of Buddhism. Buddhism. By doing so, we think we have played a part in our responsibility to protect the environment. This is also a nice gesture, with the most meaning to repay the four great favors, pay filial piety to parents and relatives in seven generations, on the occasion of Vu Lan's return and the day of Tu's rejoicing. END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=BUDDHIST DHARMA WHEEL GOLDEN MONASTERY= VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.23/2/2023.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH.