Ancient trees have Buddhism.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.

  

We can imagine Buddhism as a huge tree with luxuriant branches. There was a big tree trunk, with the main branches, then stabbed the small branches, and finally the leaves on those small branches. Below the ground is a root system. Just as on the ground, this root system divides into many rootlets.
Buddhism comes to European and American people through many sects and denominations, making a new person feel very surprised, it takes a lot of time to learn the meaningless details. Even myself, after 30 years of studying Buddhism and practicing in different traditions, I still feel shy about the complexity of this religion. For a long time, I limited my understanding to the general aspect of Buddhism, and only delved into a few special sects. So, because my understanding is very general, hopefully what is presented here may help somewhat for beginners to learn Buddhism.
We can imagine Buddhism as a huge tree with luxuriant branches. There was a big tree trunk, with the main branches, then stabbed the small branches, and finally the leaves on those small branches. Below the ground is a root system. Just as on the ground, this root system divides into many rootlets.
Now, imagine a big tree rising from the ground and lifting and nourishing the branches and leaves. This tree body symbolizes the act of seeking refuge - the refuge - of Buddhists. This is a common action for all Buddhists, and is one of the most important aspects of all the work of studying and practicing Buddhism. Any doctrine, sect and practice of Buddhism is considered to originate from that important action, but every Buddha must recite it regularly, that is refuge. In Pali, that action is called "sarana-gamana" (refuge). "Gamana" means going to, finding out. "Sarana" means refuge, help, foster care, guidance. "Refuge" about a place that means going there for help, guidance and foster care. Usually, common, normal, that is what we do when we encounter a crisis in life, when we encounter a difficult reality that we cannot cope with. Therefore, I went to somewhere to ask for help.
What makes a religious person a Buddhist is not simply going to seek refuge. Usually, most of us go to seek refuge in something else, such as relying on friends, alcohol, careers, drugs, entertainment, family, professionals, sports, psychologists. , sex, travel, etc. What makes a person a true Buddhist is that he seeks refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha - called the Three Jewels Refuge. 
Thus, the three branches of female roots to nourish the tree are  Buddha ,  Dharma  and  Sangha. Each of these nouns has many different meanings. So, we can imagine that there are many other roots from three roots. However, within the limits of the article, we will only briefly mention three roots of this one.
The root of the middle is Dharma (Dharma). This noun has many meanings. In the Buddhist context, the most important meaning of Dharma is Nirvana, the ultimate goal of all Buddhists. Nirvana is the destruction of all things that lead to suffering and dissatisfaction. Every Buddhist strives on that path of suffering. That is the main meaning of France. But the French word also means the means, the way to help us achieve the ultimate goal, Nirvana. The thing to help us achieve that goal is a positive and sincere attitude, which in turn leads to the word "virtue". Thus, the second meaning of Dharma is Happiness, which is related to the good of each person. France is also what helps us develop virtue. Since then, the third meaning of Dharma is the teachings. The teachings that help us to Nirvana can be considered as Dharma, but usually,
The two roots of the other are Buddha-momentum (Buddha) and Sangha (Sangha). There are many different opinions about the meaning of Buddha's name. Everyone agrees that in history there have been many Buddhas, and the Buddha in the most recent era was Siddhattha Gotama, also known as the sage who wore it (Niem, Muni) Sakyamuni family (Sakya). The Shakyamuni tribe is probably a minority, having a different racial and cultural background than the Abelians (Aryan), the main population living in the region. Therefore, when Siddhartha went to the cities of Balares (Benares) and Ganges valley (Ganges), perhaps his appearance and manner of speech seemed a bit alien to the people. in the region. It is also possible that they did not value Him because they believed that He was a minority, less civilized. Despite his unfamiliar origins and such prejudices, after a time of preaching the Dharma, he sensed many people, including those of important status as kings and generals. leaders, wealthy merchants, and wise scholars during that time. All these people surrendered to Him, and viewed Him as a teacher. Therefore, when we take refuge in the Buddha, we respect him as the most noble teacher of the gods and humankind, the most perfect person. In other words, He is a true model for all Buddhists to follow. and see Him as a teacher. Therefore, when we take refuge in the Buddha, we respect him as the most noble teacher of the gods and humankind, the most perfect person. In other words, He is a true model for all Buddhists to follow. and see Him as a teacher. Therefore, when we take refuge in the Buddha, we respect him as the most noble teacher of the gods and humankind, the most perfect person. In other words, He is a true model for all Buddhists to follow.
The term "Sangha" means a group, a community, a congregation. The Sangha that all Buddhists admit is the Sangha-Sangha (Ariya Sangha, the Four Saints of the Sangha), which is a group of noble saints who have developed wisdom and virtue pure, attained Nirvana or on the road to Nirvana, often called holy fruits. What is important to know here is that the Sangha members are not just monks, nor are any monks who are members of the Asean-Sangha. On the absolute level, when a Buddhist takes refuge in Sangha, he does not take refuge in a group of monks or a group of other Buddhists. In fact, he took refuge in a consortium of supernatural beings, with pure wisdom and virtue, with a higher level, than ordinary people. However, the word "Sangha" often used to refer to other communities, such as the monastic community (monks and nuns, monks and nuns, monks and nuns, monks and nuns), the Sangha community (Sang-ba-di Uu-ba-Tac Sangha, the lay community has heard the Buddha preach the Dharma and has come to ask for refuge with him. There are some Buddhists who believe that perhaps the entire Buddhist community as a Sangha, as a symbol of the ideal of the Sangha, which they admit. However, in countries with a long tradition of Buddhism, Sangha is often seen as a community of monks. There are some Buddhists who believe that perhaps the entire Buddhist community as a Sangha, as a symbol of the ideal of the Sangha, which they admit. However, in countries with a long tradition of Buddhism, Sangha is often seen as a community of monks. There are some Buddhists who believe that perhaps the entire Buddhist community as a Sangha, as a symbol of the ideal of the Sangha, which they admit. However, in countries with a long tradition of Buddhism, Sangha is often seen as a community of monks.
These three main branches are to nourish the trunk, and from an act of refuge in the Three Jewels, create conditions for the establishment of Buddhism as an organized religion. There are many different methods to take refuge. Ultimately, we can say that there are many different ways of refuge because there are many different individuals, because in the history of Buddhism, the ultimate refuge is an individual decision, and each person has to I seek to practice in each person's own life. We can see every Buddhist is a leaf attached to a Buddhist tree. The leaves live on branches and branches attached to the sub-branches, the sub-branches originate from large branches that grow from the main trunk. From there, consider the main branches.
The main branches can be seen as being based on the scriptures that contain the teachings of Buddha and the great disciples. A main branch is called branch Thanh Van (Savaka). The monks in this branch practiced the teachings that everyone believed were the teachings of the Buddha to the monks and lay disciples. In the old days, there were many branches branching out from this branch of Thanh Van, but today only one branch remains. That branch is called  Theravada (Presbyterianism) means the preaching of the elders. Elder, or venerable, is a monk who has ordained at least 10 years and has wisdom. The Theravada sect is based on the practices passed down by these elders. The Dharma of the Buddha is rewritten in a classic collection in Pali. Although the Theravada monks study other types of scriptures, the basic foundation of teaching and practice is based on the Pali scriptures. The Theravada sect (commonly known as Theravada, or Theravada Buddhism) is present in Sri Lanka, Burma, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The second main branch splits out many sub-branches. All of these branches have a common feature that they accept the value of other classics that Thanh Van branch does not recognize because it is not the teaching of the historical Buddha. This branch is called the Mahayanabranch  (Mahayana, Mahayana). The number of Mahayana sutras is very large and no one can learn in a lifetime, and therefore, Mahayana Buddhists often refer to a few sutras, or just a sutra. For example, Zen Buddhism (Zen) is often understood that it is based on the transmission of the scriptures of the Old Tomb (original title "A La Da La Tomb" means the transmission of the dharma into Lang Gia island - Ceylon, a country has both branches of Theravada and Mahayana at that time. Pure Land sects rely on the scriptures that describe the purity of great purity so that we can be reborn there, continuing to practice the Dharma more easily than in this difficult world. There are many other small branches, such as Phap Hoa branch, based on the Lotus Sutra - a sutra that unites sects - including the Japanese group (Nichiren) and the Shining World Festival (Soka Gakkai) currently active in Japan and the United States. , and other places. Normally, these small branches are intertwined, influencing each other, very difficult to distinguish.
Mahayana Buddhism (Mahayana) was once extensively developed in China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia (Indonesia), but today there have been many changes. Indonesia is now a Muslim country. Buddhism has wiped out in mainland China. The majority of the Korean people follow the Christian religion, leaving only one third to follow Buddhism. Buddhism is on the decline in Japan and is being replaced by hundreds of new religious groups (sometimes only appear to be superficial). Buddhism in Vietnam is also weakened by past and present warfare, political and economic pressures, although Vietnam is a place where good efforts have been made to combine the Mahayana and Theravada branches. It can be said that there are risks that Mahayana Buddhism may decline in Asia in the next 25 years. A sad thing is this branch, once healthy and lush,
The third major branch is the Diamond branch  (Vajra). In fact, to be precise, it can be said that this branch is growing from the Mahayana branch, but because of its own characteristics, it can be considered a main branch. The sutras of this branch are based on mantras, so they are also called Tantric Buddhism. These are the classic types written in a special text, not clear for those who are not inherited, called nonsense. I cannot study or practice without the instructor, and the teachers have special lineage offerings for disciples with some spirituality to practice. Tantra is the main sect in Tibet and Mongolia (Tibetan word transmitted). There are also other tantric forms in China, and from there transmit to Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. Even other sects of Buddhism also have more or less the influence of Tantra, in the reasoning part as well as in the practice. For example, in Vietnam today, often see a very good, very special harmony of Nam Tong, many Northern Apostles (Pure Land and Meditation) and Vajrayana. Korean Buddhism is now a synthesis of Zen, Pure Land and a few traces of Tantra.
At this point, I presented the root branches, the main stem and the main branches of the Buddhist tree. Now let's see how this whole tree is constructed. It is made up of 2 main parts, wood meat and plastic parts. The wood part, the essence of Buddhism, is  Wisdom . The plastic part, to help the tree continue to exist by transmitting nutrients from the roots to other parts and to the branches, is  Compassion . No part of the Compassion resin flowing through, the whole tree will die quickly. Without Tue wood, the sap does not transmit and will evaporate quickly. Thus, no part is more important. Both parts combined to sustain the life of the Buddhist receptor. END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.1/6/2019.