Chapter V

Nansha for women

-ooOoo-

N gay since he made princes, the brothers Ananda and Anuruddha was not tempted by the female servant. Due to the less passionate nature of the pleasures of life and thanks to the spirit of fondness of pure life, after marriage all relations between them and the women seem no longer necessary.Especially Anuruddha, from the date of ordination, contact with women completely cut off. Not only Anuruddha absolutely does not look at a woman, but even a man very rarely deals with him, talking aloud except the Buddha.

It is not so, however, that the issue of women is not posed as a challenge to Ananda, and especially to the great monk, for duty, to daily contact with all sorts of people. Ananda has volunteered to bring his body dedicated to Buddhism.

In addition to caring for the Buddha and serving the Church, he also undertook the duty of caring for all Buddhists, whether male or female. If there are no Nanas, in Buddhism there may be only three classes of disciples, monks, novices and goodwill.

He was the hand that gave birth to the nuns system when the Buddha was in the money. According to Anuruddha Nakaya 8 (The Most Diligent Number 8) and Culavagga 10 (The Number 10), the beginning of the Bhikkhunī Sangha is as follows:

"When the princes of the Shakyamuni were ordained, the ladies, the princesses, and the poets all wanted to live a happy life under the guidance of the Buddha. Ladies and gentlemen, led by Empress Maha Pajapati Gatamì (ie, auntie, who is the model, who also nurtured the Buddha from birth until he grew up) At first the Buddha refused, knowing that the austere, frugal, homeless houses of the Dhamma could not fit into the divisions. Pajapati Gotamì patiently begs the Buddha to many times ...

When Nan Nan saw the Buddha's footprints swollen, dusty clothes, eyes dark and hollow, standing in front of the temple in a brainless way, asked:

- Why do you go out?

- Bachchan An Nan! Mother expected to live the ordained life, but the Buddha did not allow.

- How many models have asked the Buddha?

- The third time and still not be the model is sad and despair!

Ananda listening to the Buddha immediately requested to go personally. But the third time he was asked by the Buddha to refuse.

And the word of love did not allow A Nan to be passive, watching the Queen so pitiful. He comforted the Queen, and promised to find a convenient opportunity to ask the Buddha again.

Here the author should also explain the attitude of the Buddha. The Master rejected the exodus of the mother and the ladies of the Shakyamuni clan, because the monks' precepts were very strict and the life of the monks was very frugal. To say is almost ascetic to the noble age then. An Empress becomes a bhikkhuni to live in the desert, everyday food is the donation of donors. The ladies who are used to living in silk, always be the servants, how to know themselves, know how to organize and know humble, to give each other the courage in the life of the mendicant.

Besides, at the Buddha's time in money, the society of India was then placed in accordance with the political concept of Brahmanism, a religion that considers women's status very low in society, especially women he is a mendicant. And the woman has no right to form a separate community.

In addition, we may understand that the Blessed One rejects her mother's exile to three times in order to testify her determination, as well as allow her time to think again and again when she closes. I will not regret the royal life of the palace.

Return to the role of Nanami in this matter. On one occasion, Nan Nan asked the Buddha:

- The Blessed One, a woman who is devoted to the monkhood, takes the time to practice virtuous life, strictly rule the discipline and follow the example of the omniscient, that woman can later attain the result of the Holy Stream, the results of the Holy One or the Holy Liberation or not?

- Ananda Nan! The woman will later be the result of the Holy Grail!

Then Ananda repeated:

- Lord Buddha! If a woman has all these factors and the woman is Mahà Pajapati Gotami, the aunt, the mother, the one who has blessed the Buddha from the baby. Who was nurtured by the Buddha's own milk drops, When First Mahamaya (mother of Buddha) glacier. A woman like that deserves to be Exalted accept to be ordained, took no family life as a means to emulate and uphold the precepts of the Buddha taught, or not?

Here Ananda manifested two very good reasons. First of all, a woman, if she has the right view, determination and mind, can attain liberation in this life. The second reason, Queen Empress is meeting these qualities and she has great merit in preserving and nurturing the Prince of the Buddha, so for a sample such as only one output The new dharma can compensate for her merits.

The Buddha, before the true "defense" of A Nan Da has allowed the model Mahà Pajapati Gotami ordained. He then allowed Ananda to establish the Church of Women, but under strict conditions of membership.

Reading here, we have the feeling of Ananda thanks to intelligence and smart words that change the "thought" of the Buddha. But in reality, especially in depth, no one can change the "intention" of an all-knowing level. Because the thought of a Buddha is always associated with very subtle truths. This problem does not only occur to the Buddha, but also to the Buddhas in the past. And most Buddhas have allowed the establishment of the Buddhist nuns.

Queen Maha Pajapati Gotami was not allowed to leave without the intervention of Ananda, not to say that the Buddha did not know her gratitude. But the initial disapproval was to prove that the Buddha was an omniscient and that he knew everything, especially anticipating the long-term harm to Buddhism in the future.

Thus, the Buddha then appointed eight conditions where only the most virtuous and sincere women could be approved to enter the nuns. Eight of these conditions are also considered as definitive measures to prevent sexual attachment between men and women and should be strictly enforced.

Thus, the Buddha also stated: "The nunnery system in the Tathagata of the Tathagata will prolong properly in the next five hundred years."

Translator's words: The five-year lifespan of the nuns is found only in the Vinaya Pitaka, not in the Suttanta Pitaka or Abhidhamma Pitaka. In particular, there is no place in the Sali (Sanskrit sutras) to indicate that the life span lasted for a thousand years, as some scholars say. Most critics and scholars of Buddhism from the past have often referred to the decadent phenomena of the Buddhist nuns in the last five hundred years, rather than verifying the Buddha's words on temporal affairs. If there is a difference in the lifespan of the nuns, that would be the opinion of the later Buddhist Patriarch.

Later, when the Buddha gave the rules and regulations for the life of the nuns, Ananda asked the Buddha about the dignity of a worthy subject to guide the monk Bhikkhuni, the Buddha paid. the words:

- Which subjects know how to practice the eight rules that the Tathagata has prescribed is that subjects will teach the Lai teachings to the monk.

That is, the Buddha does not limit the bhikkhu's deity to a certain Arhatship, but he emphasizes only in the spiritual way. Although these eight qualities symbolize a saint, but if a supreme being attains special virtues such as Ananda, for example, can guide the monks.

The dignity is:

1. To be a teacher of the Bhikkhunī ordination must be virtuous (the precept must be clean).

2. Must understand the Dharma.

3. Belong to the precepts, especially the monk rule.

4. Must be able to speak French gentle (not profane) both clear and easy to understand. Do not make mistakes in pronunciation (because it is also a word that can be misunderstood).

5. Learn to teach the monk to the monk Ni from low to high, making them from the understanding to understand.

6. They must be welcomed by the Bhikkhunī Sangha (ie do not scare them) and love. Especially when the subject is a monk bhikkhuni mistakes and he plagued, then should not make the offender continue to fear.

7. Must be a subject from small to large has never committed adultery.

8. Must be a Su ordained Monk (ie bhikkhuni ordinance) at least twenty low.

(According to Angutfana Nikaya 8 52 = Maximal A Function 8 52).

And since that day, Sunnah was one of the earliest founders of the nuns system, and he sought every means to advance this system on the path of the path.

This is also the reason why Ananda has encountered some troubles.

There are two instances in which Bhikkhunīs are stubbornly opposed to Mahā Kassapa to demand the knowledge of Ananda (Samyutta Nikàya 16, 10, 11 = Acts 16, 10, 11). .

One of the two cases is mentioned in chapter two, entitled Ananda, a familiar name. According to the transcript, the result of this event is that two monks are difficult to teach. And they cite the fact that they were not able to endure the sight of a teacher who did not pay attention to them as human beings, but focused on them as two souls who should be saved. free.

More importantly, the case of Bhikkhu Ni named Kosambi, a name that Ananda was unfamiliar with.Bhikkhuni once said to Ananda: She is seriously ill, needs his visit. In fact, she secretly loves the arachnid, misses Ananda, and wants only to seduce the monk. When aware of this story, instead of avoiding him, he resolutely solved the problem in a noble way.

Nanda came straight to the bosom of the nun, and explained to her that his body was a combination of desirable substances. Of the three sources of suffering are Tham of Lives, Desire of Receiving and Compulsion. Then he analyzed the suffering of the three sources of suffering, to awaken the dark woman.

He said: Firstly, when we live, death will make us suffer, but death can not be avoided. Death is manifested by the old and the sick, and the old and the sick can not be avoided. When people feel they are getting older every day, people know that they are more and more going to die. Second: Whenever desire for enjoyment, dissatisfaction will cause us to suffer, but inevitable dissatisfaction, because man only prevents the evil karma coming (thanks to diligent practice), not prevent the evil fruit has created.When people face a karmic effect that produces good or evil, craving always causes suffering. If the good results, the desire to have more, if the evil desire to be avoided. Thirdly, selfishness will make us suffer, An impermanence is a law that no one can avoid. The morning sun rises in the east, then dusk in the west. Over and over again is the most accurate representation of the law of impermanence.Impermanence is fundamental to making the "temporary fall" never really exist, let alone permanent or permanent existence.

A true Buddhist monk is a person who knows how to transform three evil things into one, to crave, to enjoy and to fall into three kinds of dharmas: to be free from the two states of life and death, not to be entangled in all temptations pleasure in life and thought to the law of impermanence, things are constantly changing! The renunciant will replace lobha with the desire of tranquility, replacing the craving for enjoyment with the desire of virtue to create karma and replace self with selflessness.

In other words, he is able to bring his life into harmony with the common life of all creatures, to develop his virtue, to contribute to the common evolution of all sentient beings, and to bring The temporary position in one's life as a lamp to see the sense of No-self in the cycle of birth kill.

It means that one is ordained as living in the Dharma. And the knowledge that self is the power to maintain the wisdom to clear all wrong thinking, especially sex, almost their spirituality into a holy qualities, a dignity to achieve the prize. free from all suffering in this life and escape the scene of birth in the next life.

Nan also emphasized that sex is the main cause of the breakaway path of liberation. A Buddhist monk who let sex in his mind as if he was a boatman when the boat was watery without stopping in time.Those who sail before anything is submerged under the water.

After listening to such authentic teachings, Kosambi awakened. She immediately left the bed (where she was soon used as a sexy spot) to threaten her in front of Ananda, sincerely apologizing, then repenting, asking for Ananda to forgive.

Nandana immediately rejoiced at Bhikkhuni's repentance, and encouraged her, "In the community of the Noble Eightfold Path, whoever acknowledges faults and repentance repentance is the one who will advance, and will reach the goal of liberation. " (According to Anguttara Nikaya 4, 159).

This story has eloquently demonstrated the ability of the dark ones to bring them out of ignorance and desires in the sense of being able to sense (by the time and circumstance) of Ananda.

Another story is about the king of Persia (Pesenadi). These ladies think; "It is difficult to see the Buddha born!" It is difficult to be born human, it is difficult to have a good spirit in a healthy body. Free to the temple heard the French ".

The monks complained not so much, as was customary at that time: All the chiefs, the queen, and the queen of the king had to live for the rest of their lives in the forbidden house, like the fish of the pelican. They only see the Buddha or the monks when they follow the king, but they can not go to worship at any time they want as men.

Although living on silk, the highness does not bring spiritual happiness to them. They pulled together to see the king, and asked the king to find a Buddha or a qualification in the teachings. Immediately following the Buddha's words, the Immaculate Conception of the Buddha, presented the wishes of the Empress.

The Buddha finished listening, he first proposed a disciple in the house who achieved the results of A Na Ham to do that work, for that: "Let a higher degree of sermon is to encourage more people , especially the people are the ladies of the power.

Then the Persian king narrated to the ladies the reasons for the refusal of the lay saint, and asked them to consult together to suggest which subject is the most worthy of the theory. French.

Immediately the ladies thought, "There is only Ananda who is the keeper of the French Guard!" They then asked the king to invite him to attend the sermon.

The Buddha accepted the request of the king, of course. And since then, Nananda has been a frequent visitor to the teachings of the kings and deities of the kings of Persia.

One day in the palace suddenly a thief was stolen by a thief precious jewels. Musketeers everywhere, but still not find out. All things, the frequency, the fine women in the palace are nervous anxiety, fearing that they will be unfairly.

When Ananda came into the sermon as usual, the whole "royal princess" look depressed, not cheerful as French as before. When you ask the reason, you know the narrative.

With a compassionate heart, Ananda rushed to see the king, and offered the king a method for the king to retrieve the jewel of that jewel, not for the wrath of evil. picture the thief ...). At the same time to create a peaceful atmosphere in the palace, so that the lady, king can safely hear the French.

Nanda has proposed to the king of Persia like this:

The king must order the soldiers not to be scrutinized by anyone in the court. The royal family needs to be recruited, the craftsman builds a large tent, with only one entrance and one exit, in the center of the royal garden. In the tent there is a very old water jug. Anyone who works in the royal palace must also go to the tent in his vase, to prove his "sincerity" once in order, and to ban the two at the same time.This is the opportunity for the greedy repentant, to hide his crown and to put it in the bottom of the water, without fear of being caught, leading to loss of life.

As a result, the king's jade crown was found in this "honest" water jug! And the happy scene of the people immediately back in the ban. Of course, the thief is none other than one of the princes, repenting, giving back precious things, and being free from death! There was also a jug to demonstrate that no one could touch the bottom to suspect that he was in the tent behind him or that he was a crook.

This design makes the name of Nanjing, which is well known to become more famous. Particularly among the Buddhist ranks, Ananda has been praised by all the friars as one who knows how to reestablish goodness with a clever way of saving special evil deeds! (Jàtaka n.92).

And to put an end to the chapter on "The connection of the Nanas to women," he would like to recite the following form of dialogue between the nuns and the Buddha, shortly before the Buddha's passing:

- The Blessed One! After the Exalted Monk, we disciples have to treat women, especially to treat nuns, how?

The Buddha said:

- Do not look at their bodies.

Ananda asked again:

- But if a woman is too close to a subject, what should she do?

Buddha teaches:

- Do not open your mouth yourself.

Ananda asked again:

- Where did a woman come so close to a subject and start talking?

The Buddha stated the method:

- When listening to a woman talk, they must be vigilant, remember the idea of ​​horror and shameful sin, and use meditation, especially the quality of knowledge (Digha Nikaya 16: School A Function 16).

The above questions were raised by A Nanak when he was sure that the Buddha was about to enter Nirvana. And then he recalled the last words to all the brothers in preparation for the cremation.

In fact, the connection between the Dhamma and the monks, as well as the relationship between monks and monks, to Ananda during the twenty-five years of school, The Buddha's guidance, was not a special issue! It is worth emphasizing here that Ananda deliberately raised such questions, when the Buddha had not passed away, to hear the Buddha himself teach the last realities.

Now, Nananda is a monk who always lives in his knowledge, but the provocations of the female, Nan Da has inherited the opposite. And the warning of the Buddha before allowing the establishment of the nuns system, A Nan also has not forgotten (especially the Buddha's predictions about the life of Buddhist nuns in the Buddhist community can only clean about five hundred years later). So far, Nan Nan has been quietly concerned about the future of Buddhism. Then, with such fears, he posed the above questions to the Buddha to see it, not only as the final teachings, but also to reaffirm the Buddha's will, the existence of the sect. in the clergy community, to preserve a later law, for the successors of the nuns' system until the end of five hundred years.END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTMENT.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.12/10/2018.