Righteousness and Happiness. 13. THE YEARS, A HEALTHY, HEALTHY, HAPPINESS LIFE For the past few years, we have been taking advantage of many lectures on the topic of Buddhist Ethics. Last March, on the tenth and eleventh days, also here, the Vietnam Institute of Buddhist Studies held an international conference with the theme: Buddhist Ethics in Modern Times. The conference, in addition to the delegation of professors from the Federal Republic of Germany, also gathered a large number of Venerables, Venerables, Venerables, Buddhists, professors, scientific researchers, prominent political and social activists. Closing the seminar, we affirmed a truth that, although proclaimed by our Buddha more than two and a half thousand years ago, still bears all its actual value. * To live ethically is to live peacefully and happily. recognized by sociology in the world. Most notable is the assessment of Albert Schweitzer, the German Indianologist. He wrote: “The Buddha created the most complete inner morality, and in this field, the Buddha spoke moral truths of immortal value, a morality that is not unique to the land. India but also of the human race in general. The Buddha is one of the greatest, brilliant ethicists (Indian Thought he Its Development, p.117–Indian Thought and Its Development) Before giving a specific lecture on the five precepts we would like to see. A brief look at some of the practical benefits of living according to the five precepts in modern times. * The benefits of the five precepts in the present life: People who live a good life and keep the five precepts never feel the burden of fear and shame. On the contrary, this burden rests upon the hearts of the wicked, a person who breaks the five precepts day and night, making him not eat well, sleep restlessly... People who live a good life and keep the five precepts often have a worthy position in society, have prestige and fame, and come to attend meetings. every meeting with confidence and dignity. On the contrary, those who live an evil life, break the five precepts because they lose the trust of others, so they cannot be assigned worthy positions by society. unconfident. The virtuous person observes the five precepts, lives and works creatively and joyfully, and gets along with everyone near or far. On the other hand, a person who lives an evil life, breaks the five precepts because he is constantly tormented by his conscience, always feels anxious and afraid, so he cannot live happily and creatively. Those who live a good life, keeping the five precepts, die calmly and soberly, because when we are close to death, we often think back to the good deeds we regularly do in life, reminisce about the people we have helped, think of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha as the Three Jewels, the three treasures that always guide us in our lives. good and noble life. Those who live virtuously and keep these five precepts will surely be reborn in good realms after death. On the contrary, people who live evil lives and break the five precepts not only live anxiously but also die in a state of fear and confusion. He unconsciously recalled the evil deeds he had done in his life, the images of the people he had killed or cruelly treated, and with the same fear and anxiety, he passed away. reborn in the evil realms such as animals, hungry ghosts, and hells. (See Tang Chi II, p. 211). If you live according to the five precepts, you will live a long life: That is the Buddha's teaching, but also a truth affirmed by the Eastern wise men. We posterity, should not be quick to criticize as superstition. Currently, modern medical science has discovered that human cells are very sensitive to ethical or unethical lifestyles. It is an unethical life that weakens white blood cells, making those cells weak, unable to protect the body, so the body is prone to disease. The nervous system is unbalanced by evil and unwholesome actions and thoughts, unable to control the healthy growth of cells. From there are born cancer cells, which grow disorganized, creating malignant tumors. At the same time, the evil, unwholesome emotions accompanied by fear, anxiety, etc... stimulate the endocrine glands to secrete into the blood all kinds of poisons. While good feelings, Good thoughts stimulate the endocrine glands to secrete into the blood many nutrients, making the whole body healthy, mentally refreshed. Those are the findings and affirmations of the faculty of modern medicine, showing us the direct connection between the moral life and the health of the human body. A connection that the Eastern sages talked about, thousands of years ago. It can be affirmed, according to the Dhammapala Jataka, that a good life, keeping the five precepts of Buddhism, can help people live a long and healthy life, both physically and mentally. The Buddha affirmed that if he does not keep the five precepts, a male layperson will live a life of anxiety and fear. On the other hand, if the five precepts are strictly followed, the male layman will no longer be afraid of fear. Having accomplished these five dharmas, bhikkhus, male laypeople have no fear. What is the year? Abstain from killing, abstain from taking what is not given, abstain from sexual misconduct, abstain from lying, abstain from intoxication with wine, yeast and cooking wine. The Buddha also repeated the idea just now, in the form of a verse so that we can easily read and remember: Who kills living beings, And lies in the world, Takes wealth not given, Goes to other people's wives, And people forever infatuated Drinking wine yeast, cooking wine, ... Called the five worlds of evil Common net, born evil wisdom. Fall into hell. As we have seen, living breaking the five precepts, the Buddha called living according to the five evil precepts, and when that person lives in fear, when he dies, he has to go to hell. On the contrary, if that person lives strictly according to the five precepts, then when he lives, he will not be worried or afraid, but after death, he will be reborn in good realms: "Whoever does not harm living beings, does not lie in this world, does not marry of not giving, Do not go to his wife.” (Tang Chi III, p. 1 19) The Buddha then preached to the Dighajanu householder about four dharmas: 1. Living fully resourceful, ie doing really well, really skillful in his profession. 2. Know how to preserve property made by honest profession, not to lose or waste. 3. Be nurtured and live ethically. The Buddha called it making friends with good. The Buddha said: “For those who are fully virtuous, they are fully trained in virtue. For those who are full of almsgiving, then fully learn to give alms. For those who are full of wisdom, they learn to have full wisdom.” (Increased Chi III, p. 121). 4. Finally, the Buddha advised homeowners to know how to live a balanced and harmonious life, not passionate about women, not passionate about alcohol, "not passionate about gambling, not associating with evil people". The Buddha compared the four taboos above to four doors, if opened, all property will be scattered, but know how to close it, that is: "Not infatuated with women, not drunk with alcohol, not addicted to gambling, and know how to associate with good people, the property in the house will be more and more abundant and rich" . (Angzhi III, p. 118) Having been explained by the Buddha about the benefits of living according to the five precepts, let's find out how the content of the five precepts is, and what people living in the present age should accept. How to wake up to the five precepts? * Perceiving the content of the five precepts in the current situation: I. Precepts to kill: At the top of the five precepts is the precept to kill, asking people not to kill themselves or tell others to kill. On the contrary, it is required to respect the sacred value of life, for Humans as well as for all species. Protecting respect, upholding the value of life, which is a central concept of Buddhist ethics. The great contribution of Buddhism is to value all life forms, not just human life forms. The Buddha condemned all forms of destruction of life, while in the world the Buddha condemned the Brahmin's practice of sacrifice, for killing to worship dozens or hundreds of goats, sheep, and cows at one time. The Buddha also criticized the hunting pleasure of kings. And of course, the Buddha opposed war in all forms, except in the case when an entire nation or nation was invaded and had to defend itself. In Vietnam, Buddhist kings such as Ly Thai To, Ly Thanh Tong, Ly Nhan Tong, Tran Thai Tong, and Tran Nhan Tong led the people's resistance against the invasions of the Song and military armies. Nguyen Dynasty. However, due to Buddhist law, if you are a monk or have ordained, you are not allowed to hold a weapon. To take up arms in battle, a monk must return to the world. do what the book often says: "Take off your robes, put on your battle robes". The Buddhist precepts for monastics are always stricter than those for lay people. During the Buddha's time in India, monks were begging for alms every day to live, therefore, in the law, monks were not allowed to cut down trees, destroy trees, or dig soil, because doing so could kill people. small creatures. The Pali Canon speaks of rudimentary life-forms (Ekindriya Jiva, or Sappanaka uda) living in trees and grasses and also in water and earth. (In the laws - Vinaya Pitaka book III p.126 and Vinaya book 14 p.125, there are such specific and detailed regulations). It is the expression of the Buddha's compassion, a compassion that embraces all life forms on this earth, whether large or small, visible or invisible, as said in the Compassion Sutra of the Pali Canon. "The species seen, not seen, The species that lives far away, not far The species that is now living, The species that will be born May all sentient beings live happily and peacefully. Practice loving-kindness, In all the worlds, Cultivate train the mind, Unlimited and wide, Above and below, Even the breadth, No restriction, no bondage, No hatred, no enmity, Like a mother's heart, To her child, Lifetime take care of, Your only Son, Likewise to all sentient beings, Cultivate the mind without limit of vastness." The Buddha said that compassion is the best state of mind in this world, and advised his students, all Buddhists whether walking, standing, or lying down, sitting, to rest their mindfulness in their hearts. words, compassion has no limit there. In the Pali Canon, The Buddha often advised his bhikkhus and disciples to practice the four Immeasurables, i.e. loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, unlimitedly extending to all sentient beings in all four directions, no matter how small. great or great, visible or invisible, are all covered in those four boundless vast and boundless love, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Only recently, the West has created a new discipline called "Environmental Ethics", which asks the question of protecting plants, water, air and animals. That is a commendable step of science. Japanese Buddhist scholar Hajime Nakamura writes: "According to Buddhism, man is just a sentient being, with no right to indiscriminate and unrestricted exploitation of animals. plants and animals are also a part of nature" (Hajime Nakamura - Encyclopedia of Bioethics-Volume I. Free Press. New York, pp.371). The previously fertile soil is becoming more and more barren, the chemical and biological composition of the soil is imbalanced. Sea water is also seriously polluted, even in some areas, many rivers, lakes and ponds can no longer support fish, shrimp, crabs and any other aquatic species? It was only recently that agricultural scientists began to wake up and sound the alarm, demanding a return to composting, and a ban on the use of pesticides and herbicides on a large scale. In general, Western agricultural science has a clear trend, protecting and maintaining ecological balance in soil and water, plants, in order to create a stable yield, providing a small amount of agricultural products. but with higher nutritional quality. A second question you might ask about the precept to kill is to eat fish, Does it contradict the Buddhist doctrine of compassion? You all know well that during the Buddha's time in the world, the Buddha did not ask monks not to eat meat and fish. Donors can eat whatever they offer, whether meat, fish, or eggs, they can be used without distinction. Currently, in countries following Theravada Buddhism, such as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, monks still follow that Buddhist tradition, but they only eat one meal a day, if it's too late, they won't eat anymore. . In contrast, in Northern Buddhist countries such as Vietnam, China has a large number of monks who eat long, but eat many meals. In countries like Tibet and Mongolia, although they follow Northern Buddhism, the monks there still eat salty foods. A large part of Japanese and Korean monks also eat salty foods. Why? The Buddha was a very practical teacher. He knew that in the world there are regions, During the year there are many months of snow covered everywhere, plants cannot grow, how can monks be vegetarian? Therefore, Buddhism proposes the theory of pure meat. Meat can be eaten, if we did not witness or hear of the animal being slaughtered, we also know that the animal was not slaughtered for us to eat. Such meat is called pure and edible meat. Of course, in any places, for those who have the conditions to be vegetarian and feel that vegetarianism is delicious and has real health benefits, they should be vegetarian. This problem should not be imposed but should be resolved according to the circumstances and preferences of each person. According to Buddhism, not vegetarianism will lead to liberation, nor will eating salty foods lead to reincarnation. The question is greed or not greed. There are people who eat meat without being greedy, there are people who are vegetarian but greedy. Greed for food, as well as greed for wealth, fame, money, Sleep and rest lead to reincarnation. If you are not greedy, you will be liberated, first of all, free from attachment to the things you desire. Thanks to that, the body and mind are light and comfortable. Although you are not a vegetarian, only vegetarian for certain days, but you should cultivate for yourself and your children and grandchildren the love for animals, especially the pitiful and precious animals. useful as dogs, cats, cows, horses etc. You and your children and grandchildren, your friends should learn and practice to be compassionate, which in the Compassion Sutra, the Buddha mentioned as high as the best mood in this world. If that state of mind is maintained and nurtured in every moment of your life, you can be sure that happiness in this life and the next will come to you without being separated from you, just like a shadow. according to the figure, resounding without leaving the sound, the wheel follows in the footsteps of the ox pulling the cart: "The mind leads the dharmas, the mind dominates, the mind creates, If with a defiled mind, Speak or act, Suffering follows Like a chariot, traction leg". (Dharma Syntax 1) "The mind leads the dharmas, the mind is the master, the mind creates If with pure mind, Speak or act, Peace follows, Like a shadow that does not leave the picture". (Dharma Rule 2) Pure mind, in the Dhammapada, is loving-kindness, compassion that the Buddha praised as the best state of mind in this world. Once, the Buddha preached to him Anathapinika about the merit of giving. The Buddha said: "Giving alms and making offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha is of great merit. But there is greater merit than building a monastery for the Sangha. There is greater merit than building a monastery by taking the Three Refuges. : take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. Having more merit than taking the Three Refuges is keeping the five precepts. More meritorious than keeping the five precepts is keeping the mind of compassion, even for a moment. But the merit above all is the profound observation of the principle of impermanence of things.” (Angzhi IV, pp. 264-265) In the above passage, we see very clearly that the Buddha attaches great importance to the practice of loving-kindness, compassion and keeping the five precepts. If we do as in the Compassion Sutra, if all our lives when we walk, stand, lie down, and sit, we also keep the same thought of compassion, truly pitying everyone and all species, then our merit will be immeasurable. boundless quantity. And loving-kindness, at its lowest level, is not killing, not killing, and not encouraging killing. And what is the positive side of the non-killing precept? In the past, we used to narrowly understand the positive side of the precept of not killing, which is to release living beings, that is, on big festivals, organizations buy fish and bring them back to the river. buy caged birds and let them fly free... We have no objection to such nice gestures, having symbolic value. But we would like to suggest a broader understanding of what is the positive side of the killing precept. It is to cherish, to protect, to enrich, to enhance the quality of life at all levels, in all its forms. If that is understood, then participating in movements against war, protecting peace, fighting riots and violence, and encouraging harmony and dialogue in international, regional, national and local spheres are all possible. showing the positive side of the precept of not killing; as well as participating in the campaign to protect the environment in the international, regional, national, local, to the district, ward, neighborhood... Because protecting the living environment is also protecting the environment. life improves quality of life. We understand that the living environment is not limited to air, land and water, but also includes lifestyles, living habits, sanitation or hygiene, poisoning society or making society healthy. We personally each of our families. We very much hope that every Buddhist temple, Zen monastery, even every Buddhist family will be big or small centers of Buddhist ethics, expressed in daily life, as centers of Buddhism. of love, compassion, joy, equanimity, centers of unity and harmony, centers of a simple, healthy and virtuous way of life. That is to protect life and improve the quality of life. That is the positive side of the killing world. Buddhist civilization must create models of people who know how to live in harmony with everyone, care about everyone, deeply and sincerely sympathize with everyone's joys and sufferings. II. Precepts do not take what do not give. Within this precept, not only the obvious acts of theft, but also such acts as smuggling, corruption, fraud, swindling in business to gain illicit profits, abuse. or appropriation of public property, etc. In industrialized countries and some other countries, the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources, especially non-renewable resources, such as metal ores, oil mines or are as difficult to restore as timber forests, rare animals must be convicted as acts of appropriation of the property of posterity. Gandhi said, "To eat a piece without eating is to take that portion of the other person's food". In that spirit, Buddhists should avoid and criticize wasteful drinking and parties, meals that are supposed to feed 20 people, but only three or four people eat. It's bragging, it's wasteful, it's lack of compassion for the poor, the hungry, at home and around the world. We should remember that, eating a piece without eating, that piece of food will become poison, poisoning the body, giving rise to many diseases. It is the disease of the full-eater: intestinal diseases, stomach diseases, digestive diseases, blood pressure diseases, obesity and many other diseases. The positive side of the precept of not taking what is not given is: a) Living honestly, honestly, absolutely not infringing on the property and property of others, even if it is a needle or thread. b) Living well enough, content with their assets, obtained through their own labor, not thinking how to get richer by deceptive, unjust and unethical ways of doing business. It should be noted that Buddhism is not opposed to getting rich, if it is to get rich properly. Buddha once told Mr. Alone that, rich people have the joys of having wealth, created by their own labor, having wealth to do good deeds, having wealth, so they don't have to be in debt. . But the Buddha concluded that those joys, while justifiable, are still far behind the joys of a person who lives a good life, without being reprimanded by his conscience. (Tang Chi IV, pp. 264 - 265) c) Live by giving alms and always ready to help others in all aspects. Giving is of many types: Giving is helping the needy with material possessions. It is the most common form of almsgiving. The Dharma giving is teaching the Dharma to those who do not yet know the Buddhadharma. It is the kind of generosity praised by the Buddha as the best. Dharma giving is to bring the good, the right, the good and the beautiful that we have learned from the Buddha Dharma and share it with others who know and benefit like us. Some people narrowly understand that only monks do the giving. Not that, monks preaching the Dharma is a form of giving. If there is someone in this lecture hall, sharing the content of our lecture today with family, children, friends, and friends, then ladies and gentlemen, it is also a Dharma donation. Using all forms to propagate the Buddhadharma, that is the Dharma giving. Teaching every hour like us today is a given, explaining to another person just one word of the Buddha's teaching is also a dharma gift. In the above paragraph, I have recalled a Buddha saying that a contemplation of impermanence, greater merit than making offerings to the Buddha and Sangha, greater than building temples and monasteries, more than taking the Three Refuges, the Five Precepts, etc. .. So we recommend that you at least learn the doctrine of impermanence, which is one of the Three Seals of Buddhism, and explain to everyone about that doctrine of impermanence. Your merit is truly immeasurable. Why? Because only when we understand the principle of impermanence, can we get rid of greed, hatred, and delusion, and open the door to the peaceful Nirvana. Nirvana is the realm of no greed, no anger, and no delusion. But if you want to be free from greed, hatred and delusion, you must deeply understand the principle of impermanence. The third form of giving is fearless giving. Protecting, sheltering, and comforting those who are unfortunate, in trouble, her own body, then she is fearless giving, that is, the giving of fearlessness. Gratitude is sharing the joy of others. The reverse side of giving and rejoicing is jealousy, envy, no joy in the success of others. In the Four Immeasurable Minds mentioned in the Pali Canon, there is rejoicing. That is the happy happiness, ready to share the joy of everyone, all sentient beings. Joy (rejoicing) is always accompanied by loving-kindness. Because compassion is the willingness to bring joy to others. But sharing joy also means providing joy, bringing joy. In the Buddha's book, there is also another form of giving, called reverence, giving, that is, a humble attitude, showing respect to everyone, even those who are younger than you, who do not have equal social status. me. Arrogance is an unacceptable attitude in Buddhism. Because in the eyes of the Buddha, all sentient beings have Buddha nature and have the ability to become Buddhas, so they are all equal. Moreover, if I respect people, then people will respect me. That is the attitude of reciprocity in life, the law of nature. III. The precept not to commit adultery People often jump from one extreme to another. Someone laughed at a disciple of Confucius as " Humanity's transition from barbarism to civilization is due to the institution of the family. A mother's love for her children plays a big role in the stability of the family institution. People feel comforted, less lonely, are initially educated about love for their fellow human beings, in the mother's embrace, in the mother's lullaby. However, the indiscriminate sexual life of modern people has destroyed that family institution of man, making people, even though they do not have to return to a barbaric life, live immoral lives, losing all their humanity. . It's a scary thing, but it has to be said, not said. Only animals have promiscuous sex. But people also began to have sex indiscriminately, and even flaunt it on the screen openly, without shame. That is the vicious circle of people called civilization, called modernity. Feeling that living as a human is suffering, then you plunge your head down to live as a human being and then feel more miserable. But Buddhism has pointed out for us humans a way out of the present miserable life, a moral lifestyle, directed upwards according to the five precepts, the ten virtues, a lifestyle that avoids both extremes: passion and lust. normal, as well as living an ascetic life. For monastics, Buddhism requires a holy life, giving up all forms of lust. This is not austerity. This is the minimum requirement of a truly liberated life, towards perfect enlightenment. But for lay Buddhists, Buddhism does not place such high demands. Buddhism only requires them to have legitimate sexual relations, with their official husband and wife. The husband and wife relationship is a relationship that is both loving and meaningful, the mainstay of all other relationships in the family, such as the parent-child relationship, the brother-sister relationship, and more broadly, the relationship between husband and wife. close relatives. If the pillar is strong and healthy, all other relationships in the family will also be strong and healthy. Stable and healthy family relations are the basis of a stable and healthy society. Keeping the right precept of “do not commit adultery”, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers play a huge role, it can be said to be decisive in the career of healthy living, and social stability, as well as education and foster future generations IV. The precept of not lying means the precept forbidding false speech. For Buddhism, lying is harmful in many ways. Firstly, lying negatively affects social stability. Lies destroy that stability. People can only live together in an atmosphere of mutual trust, trusting that in communication, everyone tells the truth. If everyone is lying, then it is a sign of social dissolution and disintegration. Second, on a personal level, lying has the disastrous effect of a chain reaction. That is, one lie leads to another lie and another, even more serious lie, until I myself am also surrounded by a veil of lies created by me. Such a person is increasingly separated from the goal of liberation and enlightenment, falling more and more into the cycle of sin, which is difficult to remove. A person who has lived unreal with others, and with himself, will never find the truth, let alone realize the truth. In the sutra "The Precepts of Lahula in the Am-brah Forest" (Central Division II, p. 122), The Buddha left some water in the basin and said to Rahula, "Rahula, do you see some water left in the basin?" "Yes, venerable sir". "So little, Rahula, is the recluse virtue of those who know and yet lie, and lie without shame." Then the Buddha threw some water out of the basin, turned the basin over again, and turned it over and said, "Rahula, do you see that this basin is empty?" "Yes, venerable sir." "Similarly empty, Rahula is a recluse of one who knows to lie and is not ashamed." Then in a later passage of the sutta, the Buddha again asserts: "Rahula, for those who know to lie, there is no shame, in my time I say that he has no evil deeds that he does not do. Therefore, Rahula, I am determined not to lie, even said to play. So, Rahula, you have to study." I hope you, about your family, also teach your children and grandchildren like that, that is, absolutely not to lie, even if it's to play. Nowadays, people lie to each other too easily. In the home, the mother who wants to calm her child down, not crying, also lies. Even though the guest has not eaten at home, to refuse a fake invitation from the host also lies: "Sorry, I went in. That's right." People call it polite lying. But, ladies and gentlemen, politeness, in its true sense, is not lying. Especially parents with young children. even more should not lie. Because, shouldn't look down on children. They all know. One day, they themselves will lie back to their parents, to their friends, just as we lied to them. So, it's okay to let them cry, cry a little like exercise to strengthen the lungs. Of course, there are cases where we just can't tell the truth. But if you can't tell the truth, keep quiet, don't lie. Lying, like snacking, will get used to your mouth and cause no small harm. Buddhists not only must not lie, but also must not speak divisive words, causing disunity. On the contrary, Buddhists always speak the word of harmony, to unite those who are already divided, and to further unite those who are already in harmony. The bad motives for saying division can be hatred, jealousy for the success of others, an evil mind that wants to cause suffering to someone we don't like, wants to cause conflicts among others, contradict each other and misunderstand each other. When bad speech, divisive talk is also a lie, then the two sins of lying and divisive talk add up to create serious evil karma, which can decide that the person who violates the precept is reborn in the evil realm, the suffering realm. The positive side of the precept of not saying division is to speak in harmony, which comes from the motivation of loving-kindness and compassion. According to the Buddha's book, people who speak in harmony often have many loyal friends, in this life as well as in the next. Buddhists, not only should not lie or speak divisively, but also must not speak harshly, harshly, or hurt others. Blaming others with bitter words, cursing, berating people or mocking people with malicious words are all evil words about words that Buddhists definitely do not commit, even if they are against their will or not. consent. In any case, a Buddhist must be patient, empathize with the weaknesses of others. Buddhists know how to speak at the right time, at the right time, speak useful words, avoid bullshit, say nonsense. For monastics, the Buddha often advised to speak only words that are true, beneficial to the hearer, words related to the Dharma and the Law of Buddhism, words directed towards enlightenment and liberation. . The monk's words must be as valuable as gold, silver, and jewels given to the listener, but given at the right time, at the right time. A lay Buddhist who has studied Buddhism should also take advantage of telling people useful and ethical words, words that are humble, polite, easy to listen to, and easily absorbed into people's hearts. A Buddhist who has studied Buddhism must also take advantage of the opportunity to speak the Dharma, whether with one person, two people, or a large number of people. V. The precept not to drink alcohol and other intoxicants The harm of alcohol is well known, But everyone drinks. Even in our country. Drinking and drinking has become a fad, a fashionable thing, indispensable in all small or large parties, even family parties. In the press, the rate of traffic accidents, drunken crimes also increased to an alarming level. Teenagers in our country drink and smoke a lot, see it as a sign of old age and core life. Scientific experiments show that alcohol heats the body, but does not provide any nutrients to the body. Most of the alcohol or beer you drink will evaporate into vapor. We stand close to the drinker as if we've been hit in the face by the vapors of alcohol. This proves that drinking alcohol or beer is burned in the body and then evaporates into a vapor that radiates out, with no benefit for the nourishment and regeneration of cells. Although alcohol consumed in small doses is less likely to stimulate the nervous system, and can be used as medicine, but if you drink a lot, drink it every day, it will be harmful, even though you don't drink to the point of drunkenness. According to a British Medical Journal, daily beer drinkers are 12 times more likely to develop bowel cancer than non-beer drinkers. Pregnant women who drink alcohol are prone to premature birth and brain pain. Drinking alcohol also damages brain cells, even in adults. For all of the above reasons, Buddhism considers the prohibition of alcohol as one of the five basic precepts. In the Sigalovadasutta Sutta, the Buddha declared alcoholism as one of the six causes of house breaking down. The Buddha said: "Householder, there are six dangers to being in love with alcohol. Property loss, controversy, many diseases, injury to honor, revealing clothes revealing hidden secrets, and wisdom. power is damaged. O householder, there are six dangers of being addicted to alcohol." In the Buddhist scriptures, there is a story about the rich young man Mahadhanasettin squandering a great deal of wealth in drinking, so much so that in his old age he had to beg to earn a living. Bad alcoholism, drunkenness is the clue of many family disasters: Husband and wife quarrel, fight, spoiled children. Drunk people no longer know right from wrong, can commit all kinds of crimes, including murder. Buddhists, from an early age, must be educated about the need to take care of their own health, and keep their minds pure and healthy, in order to promptly respond to all changes and situations. uncertainty of life. Buddhists need to realize that squandering health, mentally deluded by a loose and debauched lifestyle is a sin that often has to pay dearly with one's whole life. So, In today's sermon on Buddha's birthday, we have presented in detail how the content of the five Buddhist precepts should be perceived in the eyes of modern people. Our Vietnam has transformed in this era of renewal and opening, the moral life has really deteriorated in recent decades, but not so bad. Although Western material civilization has penetrated into our country and negatively affected a part of our people, especially for each class of teenagers, it still faces strong opposition from education. family, religion, school, government support. So the situation of our social morality is not so pessimistic, as some people worry. However, we need to be aware of our responsibilities, fathers, mothers, elders, in the face of a rapidly changing situation. The direction of change can be good or bad depending on our efforts. The direction of our activities can be: – Each person conducts himself a good life, observing the five precepts of the Buddha. – Make every effort to build the family economy through legitimate activities, participate in the construction of the country's economy and the people's welfare. – Join cultural and social movements, poverty alleviation, charity, fight against injustice and negativity that can lead to social instability and moral degradation. – Propaganda uphold all traditional ethical values, including Buddhist ethics, as we do today on this pulpit, as you will do at home, with this lecture of ours. . Over the course of about an hour, we have tried to present to all of you the definition of the five precepts as taught by the Buddha, outlining the benefits that keeping these five precepts brings to those who sincerely practice. We also try to analyze both the positive and negative aspects of each gender and its application in the lives of individuals, families, countries and societies. What matters is that we try to apply these five precepts of the Buddha to our personal and family lives. With such application, we can build a civilized and healthy society, really happy and peaceful. (Speech on the occasion of Buddha's Birthday 2537-1993 at Van Hanh Zen Monastery) 14. BEAUTIFUL IDEAS WITH SPRING Spring comes as a signal to us that a good future is approaching, just like the dawn of dawn. A new, bright day is approaching. Although it is not enough to dispel the remaining night, the light of dawn is a sign of joy and confidence, because it signaled that the darkness was receding, making way for the sunlight to warm and illuminate all things. We are welcoming a national spring with such confidence in our homeland. Although there are still many difficulties to overcome and overcome, Vietnamese society has made positive changes in order to promote the national cultural and moral traditions and to integrate into the general progressive trend of the world. ; and we believe that a good future is coming for the people and country of Vietnam. That is the signal of Spring for all of us Vietnamese. For Buddhists, Spring is also a signal of good omens, of good karma approaching, welcoming us, good doers, like relatives and friends joyfully welcoming the return of Buddha. such a foreign visitor: "Long-time guests separated from home, Safely return from afar, Relatives and friends, Welcome. Likewise, the blessings of karma, Welcoming those who do good, This life and the next, Like relatives to welcome." (Phap Cu, 219-220) The departed visitor returned to the country, contributing his efforts to building the homeland. In the same way, the blessings return to those who do good, giving voice to life more beautiful, making life more fresh. Together with the joy of the country that is undergoing good changes, Vietnamese Buddhists the more we believe and make more efforts in a good life, a moral life and upholding our moral beauty, because we understand that only a good life and a moral life can be built. a good society, a truly developed and stable country.On this occasion, we would like to introduce to you the sutta "Rahula Precepts", As a method of ethical living of Buddhists, paving the way for happiness and peace of self, family and society, a sutta was inscribed in the inscription by King Ashoka and asked both the monks and nuns to Households and lay people need to recite and practice daily. This sutta (Sutta No. 61, Central) was taught by the Buddha to the Venerable Rahula when he was still a novice, practicing as a monk. Sa-mon conduct is a way of life that specializes in training body and mind based on the Buddha's Law of Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom. The sutta is summarized as follows: That day, the Buddha visited Venerable Rahula, who was living in the forest of Ambalatthika. Venerable Rahula welcomed his Guru with a joyful mind and a few necessary rituals. such as preparing a seat, drawing water to wash his feet, paying respects to the Guru... Then the Buddha, while washing his feet, used a metaphor." when people don't pay attention to guarding their words, when people lie without shame, it means people can do worse things, like elephants in battle But if it is not well preserved and protected, the elephant will not give up any cruel actions. Finally, the Buddha again used the example of a "mirror" to train the Venerable Rahula in the method of purifying the three karmas—body, speech, and mind—by examining and reflecting on each of his actions many times. the three karmas, before doing, while doing, and after doing, make the three karmas pure, not falling into illegal, unethical actions. The Buddha advised Venerable Rahula to practice this method, because it is the method of purifying the three karmas that any recluse or brahmin, whether in the past, present or future, If they want to dignify and purify their three karmas, they all practice this method. Thus, the ethical life of a Buddhist, as described in the Rahula Sutta, is a life dedicated to protecting and cultivating the three karmas, not allowing the three karmas to fall into evil and unwholesome actions. A Buddhist is a person who vows to follow the Buddha's path of enlightenment, so any action against enlightenment, against the ability to self-improve that enlightened personality is recognized by Buddhists. and immediately seek to remove it. The ethical life of a Buddhist is one of knowing what to do and what not to do. Do not do all evil, Accomplish good deeds, Keep your mind pure, It is the Buddha's teaching. (The Dhammapada, 183) The above verse clearly outlines a lifestyle that Buddhists need to choose. To find happiness, Buddhists not only give up evil, but also have to do good things, because only good deeds in the body, good words in the mouth, and good thoughts can build a virtuous, happy and healthy life. The ethical life of a Buddhist begins with giving up evil and doing good. There are ten acts commonly mentioned in the Buddhist teachings related to the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, including: - Killing living beings, taking what is not given, wrongdoing in sensual pleasures, belonging to bodily karma. – Lies, double-tongued, cruel words, frivolous talk; belonging to the profession. - Greed, anger, wrong views; karmic. These ten actions, if done, are called bad or unwholesome, if they don't do or give up, they are called good, and the method of purifying the three karmas as mentioned in the Rahula Precepts Sutta is the life of abandoning the ten evils. and do these ten good deeds. Of course, Buddhists will never confuse the two lifestyles of good and evil because the teachings of the Buddha always clearly demarcate the boundary between good and bad. The following few definitions will help shed light on the Buddhist attitude of choice. "Sir, what is unwholesome? Venerable, killing is unwholesome, taking what is not given is unwholesome, committing misconduct in sensual pleasures is unwholesome, lying is unwholesome, saying two nets is unwholesome, say Evil words are unwholesome, frivolous talk is unwholesome; lust is unwholesome, anger is unwholesome, wrong views are unwholesome. Abstaining from taking what is not given is good, abstaining from sexual misconduct is good, abstaining from lying is good, abstaining from double-tongued speech is good, abstaining from evil speech is good, abstaining from frivolous speech is good; giving up lust is good, giving up anger is good, giving up wrong views is good" (Central Part I, Sutra of Right View, No. 9). SOLUTION OR Ethical LIFE IS PROMOTED IN Sutta I. Life Abandoning All Evil. by examining and reflecting on the three karmas of body, speech, and mind. "Hey, Rahula, when you want to do a body, speech, or mind kamma, reflect as follows: 'This body, speech, and mind karma I want to do. ; This karma of my body, speech, and mind can lead to self-harm, harm to others, harm to both. If, while reflecting, you know, Rahula, that the bodily, verbal, and mental actions you wish to do may lead to self-harm, harm to others, harm to both, that physical, verbal, and mental kamma is unwholesome, leading to suffering. pain, bring suffering results, this time Rahula, a body, speech, mind like that he definitely should not do. "Hey Rahula, bring the retribution of suffering". If, while reflecting, you know, Rahula, that the bodily, verbal, and mental actions you have done can lead to harming yourself, harming others, harming both, that body, speech, and mind kamma is unwholesome, leading to suffering. , bringing the retribution of suffering, this time "Rahula, such a body, speech, and mind karma you need to worry, be precious, bored, you need to speak up, you need to reveal, you need to present first good guru before his wise companions. After being anxious, depressed, bored, speaking up, showing his way, he needs to guard in the future" (Trung Bo Kinh I, No. 61, No. 61). Sutra precepts of Lahou-La in the forest of Ambala). II. The lifestyle of doing good by examining and reflecting on the three karmas. "Hey Rahula, when you want to do a body, speech, or mind, reflect as follows: "This body, speech, and mind karma I want to do; body, mouth, This mental karma of mine can not lead to self-harm, harm to others, harm to both, time body, speech and mind this karma is good, leads to peace, brings peaceful retribution. Hey Rahula, if while reflecting, you know that the body, speech, and mind you want to do can't lead to harming yourself, harming others, harming both; That body, speech, and mind kamma is good, leads to peace, brings about peaceful retribution, at this time Rahula, such a body, speech, and mind karma you should do. "Hey Rahula, when you are doing a body, speech, or mind karma, you need to reflect as follows: "Body, speech, and mind this karma I am doing; Body, speech, and mind can't this karma of mine lead to self-harm, harm to others, harm to both, time body, speech? This karmic intention is good, leads to happiness, brings peaceful retribution." Rahula, if, while reflecting, you know that the body, speech, and mind karma you are doing cannot lead to self-harm, harm people, harm both; That body, speech, and mind kamma is good, leads to happiness, brings about peaceful retribution, at this time Rahula, such a body, speech, and mind karma you need to continue to do. "Hey Rahula, after completing a body, speech, or mind, you need to reflect as follows: "This body, speech, and mind I have done; This karma of my body, speech, and mind cannot lead to self-harm, harm to others, harm to both. Hey Rahula, if while reflecting, you know that the body, speech, and mind you have done can't lead to self-harm, harm to others, harm to both; That body, speech, and mind kamma is wholesome, leads to happiness, brings happy retribution, at this time Rahula, you need to dwell in joy, continue to practice day and night by yourself in wholesome dharmas. Trung Bo Kinh I, No. 61, Sutra precepts of Lahou-La in the forest of Ambala). The solution or ethical lifestyle as suggested in the above passages is very basic and clear. Ethics here is synonymous with giving up evil and doing good, is a practical lifestyle that considers choosing both good and bad, without being vague and imaginary. Because the karma will lead to evil, suffering and good karma leads to good, peaceful; Therefore, living a virtuous life, giving up evil and doing good, also means living a happy life. There are many different opinions around the concept of happiness, but Buddhism emphasizes the happiness of a life of abandoning evil and doing good. Indeed, with a clear and unmistakable standard of good and evil, a Buddhist can decide his own fate of suffering or happiness through a good or bad life, as the Buddha pointed out: "If with Contaminated mind, Speaks or acts, Suffering follows, Like a car, a union of ten good or ten bad karmas associated with body, speech, and mind is essential while practicing this method of purifying these three kammas. - Consideration and reflection on the three karmas is very important in the method of purifying the three karmas, because it is only through reflection and reflection many times that it is certain what should be done and what should not be done. It can be said that the core of the sutta is here, ie the consideration and reflection on what you want to do, are doing or have done by body, speech, and mind; for without consideration or reflection on the three kammas, there can be no defense or practice of the three kammas. Similarly, an honest consideration of the three karmas, good or bad, is essential in order to stop evil, if any, and to encourage good deeds. – Good or evil does not come easily to us if it is not due to the gradual accumulation in life. A life filled with evil is due to man's disdain for the petty evils accumulated for a long time in life. Similarly, Buddhists are filled with good, it is due to the attitude of appreciating the good, even if it is very small, which is nurtured over the years in the way of doing good: "Do not despise evil, Think that it has not yet come to you. , Like water dripping drop by drop, Then also the pot is full. A fool fills up with evil, By accumulating gradually." and: "Do not despise the good, Think that it has not yet come to you, Like water drip by drop, Then the pot is also full, The wise are filled with good, By accumulating gradually". - The practical nature of the sutta leads us to believe that the Buddha's teachings are not for anyone, but for everyone. for those who know how to appreciate and find benefits and happiness in a good and ethical life. The ethical solution proposed in the sutta is practical and easy, related to people's daily life (speech, thought and action), so everyone can apply. – Last and most important is the application of the suttas to the daily life of Buddhists. The sutta talks about the good life, the moral life; but morality does not exist in the suttas, morality exists only in those who diligently practice the teachings of the sutras. Therefore, teaching about morality is necessary, but more important is still living a real ethical life with regular review and reflection on the three karmas, body, speech, and mind. We have just introduced to you the Rahula Sutta with practical ethical solutions that can be easily applied in the daily life of each of us Buddhists. We also have some suggestions to help you see clearly how important the practice of purifying the three karmas is for life. The rest is just a matter of whether each of us is determined to do it or not. Of course, we strongly believe that each of us Buddhists is trying our best to practice the Buddha's teachings, especially the issue of moral cultivation is very necessary for human life and society today. Indeed, we need to calm down and realize that, although there have been quite good changes, Vietnamese society has many problems that require each of us Vietnamese to pay more attention to hope. solvable. But what we are most concerned about is that the traditional cultural and ethical lifestyle is in danger of being pushed back, affecting our children's generations, because it makes the Vietnamese people lose their originality. Vietnamese people have very special cultural and moral roots. What is the cause of the above problem, if not the indifference and contempt of Vietnamese people towards personal morality leading to indifference to family and social morality? Why are Vietnamese children not good? Why do Vietnamese children lack or do not respect their parents and teachers? Why do Vietnamese children become criminals? The answer is many, but surely our children would not have made the above mistakes if we adults had not shown too loose in our personal lives that affected our psychology or learn, their imitation? The issue is demanding more attention on the ethical lifestyle and upholding the morality of each of us Vietnamese. We have had, in the nation's history, really happy and peaceful Springs that the carpet woven into that Spring is nothing but a good life, a moral life of a nation is highly promoted. degree. A glimpse into the past shows that the Vietnamese people have cultivated morality through a life of abandoning the ten evils, practicing the ten good deeds of body, mouth, and mind, and have enjoyed all the peaceful springs. healthy and prosperous through that lifestyle. Those were the spring seasons of the Ly and Tran dynasties. We used to have kings who gave up their thrones and left home. resolutely live a moral life and advise people to cultivate morality through a lifestyle of doing the ten good deeds, which affects the moral life of the entire people and the peace of the country. History has turned the page. During the Ly and Tran dynasties, they went back to the past. But is the example of the Ly and Tran dynasties necessary for our present life to reflect on our own lifestyle, like the Buddha's "mirror" in the Rahula Sutta. necessary to examine the three karmas of each of us, body, speech, and mind? We hope that each of us Buddhists will bring with us the "mirror" that the Buddha gave to Venerable Rahula more than 25 centuries ago. And that is the signal of the beginning of Spring that we cordially want to send.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.25/2/2023.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH.