chapter II

Ananda, a familiar name

-ooOoo-

T Daniel St. Ananda often said proceedings in the opening work of the Buddhist sutras is one thing that everyone knows Buddhists. For example, "I am Ananda have heard this: One day, the Buddha dwelt, etc."

When Buddha was born money, he officially recognized the dignity behalf Him worthily of Ananda, by allowing him to preach in this place, or to say religion in place, with the topic that the Buddha was before.

Therefore, after the passing of the Buddha, the apostles who did not enter into the kingdom were still watching what Nananda was referring to as the Prophet of the Buddha.

There are also a number of other great apostles allowed by the Buddha to represent the sermon, most notably Sàrìputta and Moggallana, according to Anguttaranikaya. 115, see the two books "The Life of the Blessed Phat" and "The History of the Blessed Sacrament", with the same translator), but Ananda was the most inherited Buddhist, and he was capable recounts most of the longest of the Buddha.Meanwhile, the great apostles, who often substitute the Buddha, reinterpret the short or medium term.

And next to the dignity equivalent to the great sutras of Sutra or Mogul, Ananda is also an excellent disciple who has the same blessings as the Buddha. The Buddha at the birth of money in many cases, also featured A Nan Da as such.

Happily as the Buddha once said in front of the Sangha: "King Pasenadi, after hearing the dhamma of Ananda has become the king of intelligence, good intellectual, as he was the Tathagata.(Majjihimanikaya 88: Central A Function No. 88).

In other places, the Buddha also said: "When all the nobles, Brahmins, ordinary people and Taoists were happy to see a King of the Holy King, then monks, nuns, good men, women are also filled with joy, when seeing such Nanjing.

Or another passage the Buddha said: "When Buddhists say on a visit, they just see the figure of Ananda is enough. If Ananda handsfree sermon to them, the better, and author use him busy, do not greet them a voice, they are completely happy, never bothered responsibility. Yet the well-being is of an order of upcoming entrance Deliverance! " (According to Digha Nikaya 16: A School of Functions 16)

One day, a layman asked his Master: "How can a Buddhist, after giving proper respect to Buddha and Sangha, may be worthy of the Dharma?" the Buddha once again mentioned Ananda in answer:

- Hey layman! If you want to offer the Dharma, come to the Dharma, go to the Ananda, because he is the keeper of the Dharma Guard!

Immediately, the layman invited him to his son's home and offered him a precious leaf. He later returned to Ananda and brought back to Sarabutta, because he thought: "It is he who is acquainted with Sariputta."

But similarly, at the session of the retinue, Sariputta thought: "It is the Buddha who is the cause of the Bao Pho treasure." Then relieved Soup Y bring it precious to the Buddha. (Jàtaka Sutta 296).

Another time, the Buddha featured Ananda after the great disciple had just finished answering a question from the Buddha, and went elsewhere. The Buddha declared before some of them increased:

- Bhikkhus! Nanami is the one who is moving up the higher levels of Buddhism. And apart from him, it is hard to find such a memory Saunders. (According to Anguttara Nikayaa 3.78 - The increase of function 3.78)

In Chapter 3, chapter 72, there is a saying: There is a non-Buddhist layman listening to Ananda, then taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Dharma, taking refuge in the Sangha. When he understood the truth, he praised: "It is true that chanting is true, and it is not true that Ananda did not adhere to his Dharma, nor misrepresented the teachings of others. Just know straight up the expression of the truth, but what the most hidden potential, he did not ignore.

King Pasenadi, after his second visit with Prince Kosala, heard A Nanna-lecture, praised:

- His Majesty, if it is permeated with the Dharma of Ananda, is to enter the noble truth. Because the words of Ananda are a loving and loving word for all people. Such words can not be heard from the mouth of a person who is outside the path. (According to Majjhima Nikaya 90 = Central A function 90).

Often, when a person is overly praised, too much sympathy, and too many privileges, he or she will experience gratuitous jealousy, grievances, grievances, and grievances. . But Ananda did not see that case. He has no enemies, nor is anyone hated. This unique advantage, actually due to good health from many previous lives. In other words: Ananda's "happy no enemy" was not only in this life, which he had created in many previous lives.

Ananda is highly praised, because he knows to humble himself, giving his life to the Dharma. All honors did not make him arrogant, conceited. He said to himself, "All the virtues you have earned are the gift of the Buddha, because the pure, the high, the iniquity can not appear in him. There are no enemies, and no one is jealous. "

If a person only knows how to keep secret, keep away from any contact with the outside world, and have no enemies, then that is natural. Such as the case of Anuruddha, brother Ananda. (Anuruddha, after his ordination, spent all day and night practicing, not contacting anyone but the Buddha.)

But Ananda who daily have to deal with all kinds of people, to hear, see and know all the problems ... which he is not man hate, hatred by others, not conflict socially, without being noticed, watched ... is indeed a fantasy as he has miracles.

Although Nan Nan was so diligent and pure, he was sometimes rebuked by the Buddha (or great elders). The rebuke was completely different with the criticism, though, because when the Career true reminder that when he is stimulated to sense heart, let the virtuous noble than being un casting, and thus, power inner training is solid. Who appreciate the reminder so who easily become pure, and their life naturally everyone adored.

Many of the cases of Buddha's rebuttal were directed at the way of social communication, social ritual, or community discipline, rather than being blamed for not being noble, or because he did not understand. France.

Please mention a few cases as follows:

Once the Buddha suffered a burning pain in his stomach, Nanan was told "sticky rice will help the Buddha from the disease," he went to find porridge material to bring Buddha.

The Blessed One later rebuked him:

- The priests, gurus use cooking materials in the practice is not appropriate.

Then the Buddha's law: "A bhikkhu, he will sin, if the monk himself cook." (According to Mahàvagga No. 6, 17, in the Vinaya)

From then on, Ananda remembered the law, and sternly said, "The commandment of the Buddha is the foundation of the virtuous life."

One day, Nan Nan went to beg for almsgiving, and was reminded by one of his companions: "The Buddha has approved the ordained monk who must always carry out the triple y, when he goes to the village." Ananda immediately grateful to the friend, and confessed that: "Son Increase only forget, not intentionally disobey the Buddha." Then he obediently went to the monks. And since then, the rules on how to dress the monk's solemn appearance out of the monastery, approved by the Buddha, have been carried out in every detail. (Mahàvagga 8, 23 = Bhagavad Gautama No. 8, 23).

Recalling this period for the lay Buddhists, at home and at home, found that: "A degree of memory as Ananda Da, whose last life is incarnation, will enter into the retreat as Ananda, But also can omit some postures in the life of virtue, let alone human beings as we do not always be aware and know yourself.

Therefore, the Blessed One repeatedly remarked to the monks: "Do not despise small acts, especially the daily dignities of ordained life, because it is these small virtues that will As the foundation for all spiritual endeavors, and the Holy Spirit later, the law will bring about complete virtues, and absolute virtue will bring humility and liberation. "

Mahākassapa Mahākassapa also rebuked Ananda, as in the following two cases:

One time, there were thirty disciples of Ananda massacred, because the precepts of the Buddhist monks are too strict. Elder Maha Kasyapa rebuked Ananda for not training the thoughtful precepts before leaving home.

The elder said, "Ananda was the beginning instructor of these young disciples, why he did not train them to harvest the jinn, to teach them how to eat and to teach Let them know diligently. "

"He accidentally ruined his youth and ruined the faith of the new monks, so much so that he gave up, was it because Ananda was young, so inexperienced?" At the age of 80, Ananda was over 50 and Ananda was only 50 years old. (According to Samyutta Nikàya 18,11 = Book A Function 18.11).

Because of the increase, before the heavy rebuke, Ananda has happily replied:

- Although there are two types of hair increase, the increase is still prolonged as long as serving the Sangha as a young man, so Elder Gerard Ca lettuce is young, inexperienced.

Here, we can understand that: Ananda has too much faith in the service of his church, and has despised the lust of the thirty new disciples! He did not justify his lack of responsibility for the criticism of an elder. Let us not forget that Atananda has not yet attained Arhat, so in him there are still more crude afflictions. The answer of Ananda to the Elder Mahatma Guppa is obviously because of these crude troubles suddenly burst forth, not by the stubborn nature of intentional blasphemy.

The second case of Mahà Kassapa's admonition to Ananda is in another context:

At one time Ananda asked the elder to accompany him to teach in a nunnery. After a moment of waiting, the President of Ca Lettuce has accepted. But when the sermon was finished, a monk in the heart of linguistic stubborn love content commented: "Elder Dai Ca lettuce keep talking alone to not let Sun Nan, who is handsome, knowledgeable wide, utter a word! " Bhikkhu Ni is also the example of the Elder as the seller of diamonds, to praise the needle before the man who made it! (alluding to Ananda).

On the way back, Ananda understood the idea, and asked the Elder Maha Kashima to forgive the other Bhikkhu. But the elders rebuked him, saying,

- Ananda! Why do not you remember the end of the six sense-doors? He let the compliments affect his conduct (Samyatta Nikàya 16.10 - A function 16.10).

This means that the Elder Mahatma Gupta was clever enough to rebuke Ananda who was so zealous in bringing spiritual benefits to the nuns, who despised the danger of private attachment, not from the body of Ananda. Yes, but from another person (referring to a monk). This rebuke has greatly benefited Ananda.

Nevertheless, the two cases of Ananda have been reminded by the Great Ca Dai Tawk that the research of the life of the Buddha's followers is misunderstood. On the contrary, through these rebukes, Maharaja Maharaja demonstrated his compassion, just as Ananda manifested his always virtuous qualities. Because both of them are very intimate with each other. It can be said that they are two monks up the age difference, but the most similar in the line Thinh Van disciples.

On another occasion, Ananda was criticized for the following story:

Ananda asked Buddha: "How is the voice of the Buddha in the deep universe?"

The Buddha replied: "The voice of an omniscient can not be measured, it can be heard in all the worlds of the Great World, can touch all the Brahma [1] and cover the three worlds. It is also permeated with all living things, from the shortest to the longest life, with the longevity of the sun. "

Ananda hear the Buddha answered so happy, thought the Buddha's words everywhere as everywhere, no where there is no echoes of Enlightenment, so he praised:

- What a blessing to me! It is good for me, to be a disciple in attendance for an omniscient, omniscient.

Bhikkhu Dhanna complained complacent Nanjing with such compliments, critique:

- Ananda! What is the benefit to the omnipotence of the Buddha? If you do not practice holiness and omniscience.

Then it is from that criticism that the bhikkhu Dzogchen goes beyond the problem. For example, he criticized Ananda only look at the body of the Buddha and satisfied with the power, not to cultivate the body, speech, the mind to be pure liberation, to become all-powerful. The Buddha heard this story, then unjustified for Ananda as follows:

- Hey! It's not like that! Assuming that Ananda has reached the end of life right now, and despite not attaining the Noble Truth higher than the Sunnah, Ananda was born as the king of the heavens seven times, thanks to the results of the retreatment of his past lives, Or he will be born king of this country seven times, not to be broken down four more evil paths. Hey! And this is the last life of Ananda, so that he is liberated (According to Anguttara Nikaya 3,80 = the highest increase A function 3, 80).

The Buddha predicted the evolutionary schedule of such ananda, in the presence of the great mendicant, to prove that: The faith of the Master to Ananda is indeed sure. He also knows that these words will not make Ananda the Great, or neglect the practice.

And, the Buddha uttered these words with the reason: First, Ananda was a common man with little virtue, and for a long time he was liberated. Second, criticism also increases his inferiority. Thirdly, in an indirect way, the Buddha needs to defend Ananda, so that after each criticism, his mind is free from anxiety, and at the same time the Buddha encourages Ananda to try harder, because The fruit of liberation will come to you in that life.

The Blessed One has given such predictions to those who always try and still fear him, and continue to be samsara, rather than those who are easygoing and willing.

But in the following story, the Buddha aimed at the consciousness of Ananda, to reprimand and rule a law:

The number one time, the Master ordered Ananda to oversee the distribution of the cloth, and to dress up the monks, Nananda had done this work well, should be praised by the Buddha. "A nanny is a skilled man, even in the field of sewing!" A morally sufficient man is a man who knows how to sew his own piece of yarn, Now is criticized as the cost of offering sacrifices of good men and women "(According to Mahàvagga 8 12+ Dai Lai 8 12)

Then a while, when the Buddha and his disciples were staying near the Kapilavastu capital. One day, the Teacher found in a monastery there are many coordinates, inquired Ananda, is it where there are monks gathering meeting?

Ananda immediately confirmed, and he also told the Buddha that:

- White virtue Master! Just then they were together. The Buddha did not praise: "A worthy subject is the maintenance of his y leaves, avoid wasting cloth of the credit. So the disciples held a conference to congress to be able to show the same method of sewing.

Then Nan Nan told us how to work together to make fun for the Buddha heard. He did not know that each time they sewed together like a layman, the diligent effort of the monks was greatly reduced, because of the fact that sitting together to work gave birth to nonsense talk.

Thus the Buddha made the commandments, the end of bad habits for the clergy, the assembly is like the world, as follows:

"A bhikkhu, who deserves to be criticized, is a person who likes meetings in real life, or is happy when he is in his seventh year, to work and talk. How can find peace in the monk, can not recognize the purity of life alone, can not become relaxed in a quiet place, and can not do good mind consciousness.

Whoever desires in frivolous gatherings, he will not find true peace just arise when separated from all interests gathering. Even those who have settled in meditation, who are later "absorbed in gathering", will later be subjected to control, unable to completely control the mind.

Also suppose that their meditation, which existed for a while, was merely a gesture of praise, not a retreat in meditation. So meditators in one place (meaning a net or a common flat) will often encounter many difficulties in achieving the fruit of liberation, because meditation is the same meditation that depends on meditation. The conditions of the world, especially the condition must have meditation with him.

Therefore, the Buddha, after explaining the harmfulness of the gathering nature, concludes:

- There is no form of meeting desire without causing suffering (dukkha). (Dukkha refers to all unsatisfactoriness from coarse to subtle (because of transgression of the law of impermanence.) When meeting, it must be solved. Tan "(farewell) will cause affliction.For the break up in a short time, because the affliction is very subtle, hard to see, so people despise. It is an anguish that can make those who break the risk of longevity fall into the four paths of evil, even to the highest realm is the divine realm where the separation is also The heavenly beings in this realm sad, lost all aura.

Impermanence is one of the three immutable principles of Buddhist law.

Later, the Buddha also pointed out a practical method, which he only directed to Ananda, the Buddha taught him that:

- Since it is the duty of the Buddha to be in touch with all sorts of people, he should always practice the seventh of the Noble Eightfold Path. Taking it as the basis for the other seven generations is Right View, Right Action, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Effort.

The Buddha uses this teaching, because Ananda has a very fast minded mind, although he has not yet entered the realm, but his nature of mindfulness, combined with his immorality, has made he emits as some gesture, like a saint.

The Buddha also knows that: To Ananda, He just states that the stimulus is Ananda can enter the Right Concentration. Therefore, the relevant teachings guide him, apply the Dharma most appropriate, from which he can practice round the Noble Eightfold Path, without a method that makes him obstinate.

To ordinary people, Right View is the beginning, the basis of the Noble Eightfold Path. Then, when the body, speech, and penetrating through Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Pure Land, they begin to use Mindfulness to keep the mind to step into the Right Concentration without becoming insistence, upon achieving the meditation.

But for Ananda, a man of extraordinary memory, a man with a brachial head covering most of the eighty-four thousand of the Buddha's teachings, Mindfulness is the door to the entrance, ) is that he can attain all kinds of dharmas, beyond every concept, every form or name, every dignity or ultimate level.

In addition, the Buddha also stimulated the generosity of Ananda, especially the loving kindness towards the Master, and affirmed that:

"This kindness is not only discovered with the condition that Ananda became a disciple of the Buddha."

We can see here that the Master has specifically guided the Path to the Path, with the two methods of Sufism and Dhamma, to help him cut off all worldly constraints. one last time.

Therefore, when concluding, the Buddha reiterated the relationship between him and him (ie the Dhamma or Gratitude!) To reinforce his concept as follows:

- Ananda! From many past lives and even flying now, between him and the Tathagata have only a friendship, affection and friendship, but never have hateful or hateful karma. The infinite relationship has made us enjoy the blessings of countless past lives, the last of his liberation virtue, can not be separated from the absolute direction of the Tathagata.

- Ananda! If Tathagata is a potter and he is a work, then the potter is completely satisfied by having given his best to make a satisfactory work (Italy The Buddha did not consider Ananda as a disciple whose heart was not strong enough!)

And with the teachings, encouragement, and "confirmation of the coming of the Lord," so the Buddha strengthened the faith and thought of Ananda, until the last moment, before he entered Nirvana.

The previous life story will make us realize the relationship between Buddha and Ananda more deeply: It is the 40th story in the Birth of the Story:

At that time, his predecessor, Prince Nananda, had left the throne, leaving the monastic life with the Bodhisattva. Like the Crown Prince Siddhartha did in the last life in the garden, before the Buddha.

One day, the Bodhisattva knew that his friend, who had encountered so much difficulty in finding food, had saved the salt. An act contrary to the law of consecration of the row of the great.

The Bodhisattva immediately rebuked:

- Hey you! You have the courage to let go of the throne, let go of all the riches of a kingdom, why now you start to save every grain of salt?

This criticism has made the Ananda Daan precursor. He replied:

- Hey man! The criticism of my friends caused me much misery. These criticisms made me feel bitter, depressed just like someone hit with a blunt knife blade! (Italic knife, the victim before death is very painful.) Using the sharp knife to cut the victim died immediately, the pain also followed the disappearance.

But Bodhisattva (Buddha's predecessor) hurriedly replied:

- Taoist! Between sincere friends, honest words, no reservations, esteem, like a potter carefully before the unbaked pots. A good friend is someone who can give a critique at any time. Remembering only such constructive criticisms and encouraging sentences, one who lived a life of virtue, trained a strong heart. As a pure white clay, molded and cooked into fine porcelain.

After that, the antecedent Achan Da apologized to the Bodhisattva and asked him, for compassion, to continue guiding him.

At that time, the cultivation practices, compared with the pure clay filter, and molded into the best solemn porcelain, has been used society is very suitable to compare the multi sensitive or angry people with the perishability of the fragile porcelain not yet ripe.

A potter always cherishes the jar, just wet, not dry, cautiously, cautiously, afraid to break. Then, after firing through the first fire, they carefully searched, found, wrinkled or cracked, before being put into the furnace, firing nine times last. The skilled potter also knows his work, when he burned out by knocking repeatedly to hear the "stain" in the sound. When the sound is louder, louder, and always the same, they are happy to bring it to market for sale.

Similarly, one becomes perfect only when they experience all the trials and attain the highest and most meritorial dignity to enter the Chant. (In Buddhism, there are two words: Chanting and Fruitfulness.) The Noble Truth is the person who not only excludes all doubts in the Noble Eightfold Path, but also transforms himself into a proper life. according to the Noble Eightfold Path, with a spirit of peace, good direction).

Then after that past life, the antecedent Ananda has enjoyed peace, rebirth in the heavens Brahma (According Jàtaka n.406 = Birth of the story No. 406). And in other past lives, he also thanks to the direction of the Buddha's predecessor, which reaped many blessings (Majjhima Nikàya n. 122 = Central A function 122). All of the antediluvian precursors enjoyed, not because of the miracle, but because of his high-endurance, persistence, always listening to the words of the Bodhisattva teach, and inscribe the golden words in the heart, to practice happily.END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.12/10/2018.