History of the Pastoral (Mahà Moggalàna).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.
Part I
-ooOoo-
1. Adolescence
In a small village, near the capital of the kingdom of Ma Kiet Da (Magadha, now in the Indian state of Bihar), in the old days there was a baby born, named Kolita Moggallàna. That child was later the Venerable Bishop of Mahāyapa (Mahà Moggallàna).
Kolita Moggallàna belongs to the lineage of Mudgala, ie "Astronomer". In linguistic terms, the term Moggalàna comes from the word Mudgala (a series of very ancient astronomical studies).
Kolita's village is not populated with poor people, but mostly for the Brahmanic inhabitants. The birth of Kolita was a son of a high-class family, and most senior dignitaries in the village belonged to this family.
As a prince from a "Noble" class and a family of revered people, the father of Kolita at that time was no different from the emperor.
So Kolita grew up in a luxurious setting without missing anything. That boy Kolita educated completely in the tradition of Brahmanism, a tradition based on the law of cause and effect, based on all actions. Of course, that educational tradition upholds the belief that this life must depend on daily worship rituals.
The Kolita family had a special relationship with another Brahmin family in the neighboring village. On the day Kolita was born, the Brahmin family also celebrated the birth of another baby boy named Upatissa (later the Venerable Sir).
Both boys grew up to be very close friends, no one could separate them. Do anything, both agree with each other, when playing as well as when bored. People see where the Kolita boy is also seeing Upatissa boy there. The friendship of the young couple is not only durable in childhood, but also lasts for a lifetime, when both are eighty years old.
Characteristics are the couple who never disagree, never have the slightest resentment, even in the case of awkwardness or grievances.
However, the two boys' characters are different. While Upatissa is an aggressive, bold and resourceful person, Kolita is a very conservative young man, and only knows how to preserve and develop what he already has. Besides, the position of the young couple in the family is also completely misleading. Kolita is the eldest and also the only child, Upatissa has three brothers and three sisters. But this youthful friendship is so deep that both of them seem not to think about women, despite their youthful youth and no shortage of anything.
Each young man has a number of retainers to enjoy, learn and practice physically and mentally. When enjoying and sports in the rivers, the Kolita group rode a horse, and the Upatissa group used the palanquin.Meaning two young men, it is inevitable that the youth immersed in rich and resinous life.
At Vuong Xa citadel (Rajgaha), the capital of Ma Kiet Da (Magadha), there is a very sacred festival every year, called "The Spirit of the Spirit" (before the sacrifice of the mountain god, after which the people have a festival fun). Of course, this young dude was also invited.
The organizers gave them honor seats, from which Kolita and Upatissa could easily view the entire performance scene. The young people laughed at the excitement and also agitated before the hard times.Acting ability of talented actors has made them both passionate and passionate enough to receive the invitation to enjoy the third fair day. But in the following day, when the arts suddenly turned to the Deathly Hallows tragedy between life and the myth of salvation, the couple suddenly found no interesting peak.Although they had listened to the eloquent speaker announcing the fascinating program of the third day, they still did not find it interesting.
And on that second night, the couple Kolita and Upatissa were struggling and not resting. The images in the past two days kept haunting young people. While waking up, Kolita thought: "What are the visions that we have seen at the fair? What more deserves to let us sit and watch? Just like that, we will collect What good interests will it take for a while, it will be those glamorous actors who will grow old, they will become the characters of the tragedy they have closed in. Then death will force them to die. , and continue the endless journey of destruction because of their aspirational initiative? And so do we! These amateurs cannot help themselves solve the problem of life and death, then whatever they can wake up Who found the way to liberation? See, we wasted time,
Upatissa too, after the second fair, came back that night, the man could not close his eyes. Ideas like Kolita came to him. Upatissa pondered a lot about the mysteries and myths described in tragedies that relate to the reality of rebirth (Samsara) and false pleasures that always conceal the nature of suffering by disguising themselves The present life is what stimulates people to enjoy rather than care for the future, to another life. Upatissa asked herself: "Is this false pleasure the cause of people not realizing illusions and darkness before the truth?".
On the morning of the third day, when both of them attended Kolita's ceremony, asked Upatissa:
- Are you sure there is something bothering? Why aren't you as happy as before?
Upatissa honestly replied:
- I wonder what is the benefit of pleasures in sound and scenery? Those things are meaningless and worthless. The thing to do is to look for a way to liberate, free from the harsh destruction of the Law of Impermanence, finding a way to get rid of the untrue beliefs about life, a test that is full of A fake, who becomes a victim will fall into the chasm, or go on a meaningless circle? It was the thing that lingered in my mind and started to think! But there you are, Kolita! Are you obviously thinking something else but not having fun?
Kolita replied:
- The things you just expressed are my feelings! Why do we have to sit here to witness the false unfortunate scenes ?. We must seek a path to purity, peace!
When Upatissa heard the close confession of her best friend, he was happy to agree:
- This is a very good thought that arises naturally to us, without any prejudice! So instead of wasting a lifetime to bind with useless benefits, we try to find a doctrine that helps us find the way to liberation. And to do that, we have to give up our homes and possessions to become homeless, go on pilgrimages across the four heavens, not to let the material pleasures bind, freedom to seek freedom, like a bird. Thousands take off!
Since then the young men have decided to live a life of Taoist priests (Like today we see some monks traveling across the roads of India in search of a Guru, a Guru - language. India means the Master to lead me to cultivate a certain place of prayer ...).
When Kolita and Upatisa expressed their decisions to entourage subordinates, young people were all accepting, and most participated in that great missionary journey. The subordinates of Kolita and Upatissa also escaped from their families, leaving the Brahmin class (*) they wore on their bodies, cutting their hair, shaving, and wearing earth-colored cloths, one thing plain clothes of the traveling mendicants. They all put aside the class discrimination manifestations and privileges of the Brahmanic family, to enter the classless life of the Magi.
2. The local leader is in the path
A case of strange coincidence is then Thai Prince Si Dat (Siddhattha) obeyed the king's wife married, ie he entered the second phase of the last life as a person.
Kolita and Upatissa leave behind the enjoyment of the world to begin the life of a pure inner monk and find a way to liberate. Together with the entourage group, they opened a period of bringing themselves to cultivation under the guidance of some Masters. Likewise, the Bodhisattva did it later with five Kieu Tran Nhu (Pànca Kondanna), before he became a Buddha.
At that time in ancient India, there were many Churches who raised many different philosophies. Some advocates of Ethical doctrine (morality is useless) and others promote Destiny theory, and others spread the thoughts of Materialism.
Sometimes Kolita and Upatissa noticed the mistake of such doctrines, so soon no longer bothered to study.
However, in Vuong Xa citadel (Ragagaha), there was a relatively good Patriarch. His name is Sanjaya.According to Indian history, he is Sanjaya Belatthaputta recorded in the Buddhist scriptures, which is one of the six greatest presenters (also known as the Six Masters) except the Buddha.
Sometimes Kolita and Upatissa led two entourage groups to come to teach him and make the reputation of Sanjaya resound.
What is the philosophy of Sànjaya, history books and scriptures not clearly stated. When we studied, we found only a few basic ideas of Sanjaya reiterated, but for Indian intellectuals at the time, it could be called sufficient to help them understand the mind of Sanjaya theory.
Unlike other Hierarchs, who have raised certain doctrines and beliefs on some standard issues, Sànjaya teaches what he calls "the most profound dialectics" by a method. easier to understand.
He relied on four questions:
Whenever one of these questions is asked by the Indian thinkers, Sànjaya responds with one of the following four answers:
However, Sanjaya added that: "For questions such as one of his four answers, there is no way to be considered a worthy solution, because such questions are sentences. The question of two-way contradiction cannot be resolved (Conflict duality), so it is better to be a scholar than not to judge about such matters. " according to the "Paradoxical paradox" (or Conflict of dualism) fallacy found in the Classical Pàlì ( Nikjaa Majjhima: Trung A Hàm, paragraph 63), only argument number four has a similarity to Sànjaya theory, meaning that the argument relates to "What will happen to a Good God after death." defending one of the four rationalistic fallacies as a solution of their school (as true, not true, right and wrong, both right and wrong), Sànjaya does not allow me to entangle in any of the four arguments!
In particular, he could be stuck between unverifiable certification and dogmatic theory. For example, there are some Hierarchs who use experimental science to confirm that in addition to the material world, there is no invisible world, no celestial beings, no law of cause and effect, no rebirth after death. Thanks to that attitude, he became different from the contemporary Church leaders.
In other words, he advocated that: For problems that cannot be interpreted, a Patriarch should keep the attitude of "Avoid impartial" and never unintentionally let the bias biased toward confirmation or him. skip even in theory. Therefore, we can see that Sànjaya seems to be firm in the way of sophistication, and it seems that he wants to "turn" the "Thinking Testimony" theory into the "Ineffective Argument" theory. It means that he is like the specificists of today because of the things he preaches expressing the thought of "Existence of Dialectic" rather than "Proven Reasoning". The Vong Binh Sa (Bimbisàra) of the Kingdom of Ma Kieta ( Magadha) at that time once told the Buddha the king's conversation with Taoist Sanjaya as follows:
"One day, when I came to visit the Congregation of Sanjaya from the Belattha family and asked: Can you tell me a blessing of the life of virtue in this life?" - If I knew Dai Vuong, like Dai Vuong knew, for the question of whether there is a world other than this world, I would have answered it if I thought yes, I said yes! I do not deny it and it is true, I do not deny it anymore, in short, I still do not say whether or not there is a world other than this world. A Taoist's money, or the result of good and bad deeds in this life, or what the Good God will become after die in any part of the question, I will answer as before! - That is, White virtue, (according to Diigha Nikàya: School A Ham, No. 2 story written by TW Rhys Davids). But Kolita and Upatissa, who had not found a better Guru at the time, had to pay attention to Sànjaya, thinking that his philosophical viewpoint had a more nuanced nuance than what other Church leaders had. , so they came to receive him as a teacher.
But after a short time, both noticed. Sànjaya will not deserve their will: A method of treating suffering and afflictions.
In addition, you may have a premonition that there must be a life other than this earthly life, there must be sentient beings who have souls but not bodies (such as Chu Thien). The deeper they go into the invisible world, their understanding seems to be beyond the knowledge of the Clergy of the skeptical school.
Then one day, Sànjaya suddenly announced that his best disciples were reborn in this heaven and heaven (Samyutta Nikàya 44.9: Journal of a function, paragraph 44.9 ). This completely contradicts his skeptical standards.
So one day Kolita and Upatissa came to Sanjaya and asked him, "Do you still have uneducated secret doctrines, different from what you both learned?" Sànjaya replied: "Only that and the two disciples have already finished our doctrine!" Hearing that the pair of investigators can't do anything but decide to leave Sanjaya, continue to find the path of truth. Young people think that because they want to seek liberation, they have just escaped from their families, but their purpose is not to learn the art of avoiding "Unbelievable" problems in vain.
So for the second time, you have to recreate the life of your beloved. This time, regardless of time, they traveled through India, from North to South, from East to West. They were willing to endure the suffocation of the bright sunny road dust and the scorching heat of a tropical homeland. They drenched in the wind and sometimes publicly announced to the pedestrians who had been searching for their religion:
"We are victims of birth, old age, sickness, death, victims of sadness, mourning for suffering, afflictions and despair. We are victims of depression. We persist in seeking the Path of Liberation. then they will eventually discover the cause of suffering! " (Majjhima Nikàya No 28: Trung A Ham 28). Of course, while in such a desperate way, Kolita and Upatissa met many Brahmanic masters who are famous "wise" people, young men who had lost their way to avoid many lively discussions about Religion. about preaching, about heaven, about hell, about the meaning of life, about the way of salvation. But thanks to the rare intelligence and learned "Inexperienced" art of Sànjaya, Kolita and Upatissa have quickly realized the absurdity of these vague "wisdom" houses. . While none of the Hierarchs were able to solve their profound questions, the young men could easily respond when questioned.
No history of the book states that Kolita and Upatissa, after Sànjaya, have been married to anyone, but it is certain that the young couple are able to avoid meeting the theologians like the Prophet Lady and the one who obtained the divine power. high, or meet two Divine Masters in the "Super-Impossible". The Bodhisattva himself also had a time as a disciple of this school. According to data concerning their lives, the friends Kolita and Upatissa have not gained much from these monks in their meditation practice. to the realization of liberation, just as the Bodhisattva was once attained as a Zen disciple.
We try to understand the cause of the problem; There are two tendencies for those who are enlightened or practice. One is to attain inner peace and purify the mind by going into meditation (Samàdhi), the second is to seek a clear doctrine, to interpret every aspect of life, including good value. The meaning of meditation Most people who achieve peace of mind by meditation are often stopped there and cannot advance to the end. Because they once entered into the magic of meditation, they mistakenly thought they had come to the goal of liberation. And no matter how supreme the meditation is, the "Great Bliss of the Right Path" only extends to some of the Millennium (for humans it is called a great life), then "Determination of happiness" is also must dedicate, return meditation of the enlightened mind back to the cycle of birth and death as before.
In previous lives, this must have happened many times to the Bodhisattva (Sakyamuni Buddha) as well as to Kolita and Upatissa. Despite this lifetime, the couple did not recall such enjoyment of meditation, but it seems that intuition still makes them understand that meditation and meditation are not the final goal, but just a liberation. temporarily in the cycle of constant suffering.
Therefore, their first aspiration was to find the Liberator to specify the "Cause of Cessation and Death", indicating why the Mind and Wrestling are tied together in this complex cycle of birth and death! But that clarity is not possible without a Buddha. An Enlightened One! So they have to continue their journey, continuing until the path of seeking religion leads them to a Buddha.
In ancient times, without a Buddha appeared, elaborately their liberation path was often unsuccessful, because they only found out a certain method of meditation, gathered, attained meditation, and enjoyed lost, then after all, don't remember meditation. Their range of motives in this life, which was the "Spiritual Call" they themselves did not explain, made them unable to sit still before meeting the Buddha.
At the same time, the Buddha began to roll the wheel of Dharma ( Dhammacakka ) to save sentient beings.And the investigative work of Kolita and Upatissa must move into the final stage.
The point to emphasize here is to suppose that when the Bodhisattva, who has not yet become a Buddha, is diligently practicing great vows, using meditation that was once a young age, in order to proceed to the enlightened door, Kolita friends and Upatissa cannot ask for meditation to find a higher level of liberation.Because they have never experienced the peak of meditation as the Buddha has been through, and they do not have the potential to liberate themselves like the Buddha.
This is the most subtle obstacle to the Thinh Van cuoc goods! We can call this obstacle the "Boundary of Bliss and Suffering", "The aura of the pillars of the pillars that obscure the door of liberation". Except for the omniscient one, whoever comes close to that blissful aura also stops. As a person who spent years drifting back, he found his old house, but just sat in front of the door, feeling happy for a while and then turned away. They should have "a macaw" to enter into the house of liberation, then the practitioner will do the "Resting" of those who cross the road. Then they "set off" on another reincarnation direction. But the case of Kolita and Upatissa was different. Sometimes this futuristic feeling at that time was like two reflecting mirrors. They suddenly found that they had to ask the Buddha.
3. Find the truth
At that time Kolita and Upatissa were completely unaware that there was a Buddha. They naturally gave up the life of the two monks and returned to their hometown of Ma Kiệt (Magadha), after about twenty years of wandering wandering to find their religion.
This happened not long after the Buddha began to turn the dharma (First sermon) in the garden of Loc Gia (Isipatana Migadaya), Ba la complaint (Benares).
However, couples Kolita and Upatissa have not given up hope to find a liberator. After returning to their homeland, they decided to part with each other, each in a direction that hoped to double the path, so soon it would be fruitful. They both made a promise that everyone who found the path of immortality would immediately inform the other person.
At that time both Kolita and Upatissa were about forty years old, and aimed at the Buddha to allow the first group of disciples to spread the truth. The delegation of the Tathagata, the sixty-one, was all Saints.The purpose of this group of the Sangha is to proclaim the doctrine of peace and evolution in humanity. Also the Buddha, He personally came to the King of Xa (Ragagaha) to continue the king of the country Ma Kiet Da (Magadha) named Bimbisàra (Binh Sa Vuong) and received the Truc Lam temple (Veluvana Vihàra) offered by the king. Buddha was present at this temple, Kolita and Upatissa had just returned to Vuong Xa city, temporarily staying in the hospital of Sanjaya. One day Upatissa went to the street, and Kolita stayed at home. Suddenly he found his best friend returning with a very happy face that he had never seen before. Upatiss's performance at that time was completely different: dignified and radiant!Kolita immediately asked: - Hey you! Your face is very satisfied, you are very pure, have you found the way of Liberation?
Upatissa answered:
- That's right, sir! Dharma freed from death has been discovered.
Then Upatissa recalled that: On the street he met a very liberal Sa Mon style. This Sa Mon made him feel emotional, then he did not hesitate to ask the Monk who he was. That monk was Elder Assaji one of the first disciples of the Buddha and also one of the sixty Saints of A La Han. Assaji the elder also confirmed that He was only a disciple of the Venerable Master. Sakyamuni family.
When Upatissa asked Sa Mon Assaji to give teachings, he said that he could not speak much, because he had only been ordained for a few months. And He only revealed that He had just learned four profound truths (Four Noble Truths) but beyond the Enlightenment, the human beings could not be fully aware.
But Upatissa immediately implored him to teach, though a weak part was enough for me to spread the path.
Elder Assaji recalcitrantly recalls a saying of the Buddha's words that:
Translate :
Shelving this subject after being uttered by the Buddha has become a saying that encompasses the liberating doctrine, and becomes the fundamental philosophy of Buddhism through many centuries.
Upatissa heard the language of the gods immediately attained the Dharma label ( Dhamma Cakkhu ) in the mind of the result of the Incarnation, the Tu Da Da ( Sotàpatti) . Then when he told Kolita to listen, he also had the same result. It means that both are enlightened that "Anything born must be dissolved." Seeing the truth of this verse illuminates, it is indeed a miraculous event. For us today, these four verses above cannot be fully understood, so we hear that we have not received any meaning yet. The depth and breadth of that Buddhist phrase, can only manifest to those who have lived many times in the practice of renouncing the temporary senses of life, and practicing wisdom to clearly see the impermanence ( always dominated by conditions of conditions
Moreover, this verse of verse has a miraculous effect on those who are intellectually keen, and who have mastered the dharmas of contemplating the conditions of conditions. Plus the couple Upatissa and Kolita are ready to be aware of the Dharma, so the words spoken by the elder Assaji "Like a drop of water pouring into the cup of water is full". automatically detects, makes the person who hears the Liberation of Nirvana clearly, beyond the ordinary life of the god of death always dominates.
Only in the glare, the Dharma of light enlightens, the enlightened intellectual arises, they see clearly the unborn eternity!
It is also worth mentioning here that the three closest disciples of the Buddha are A Nan Da (Ananda), Xa Loi (Upatissa Sariputta) and Muc Kieu Lien (Mahà Moggallàna) who have attained the Importance (Tu Da Hap ) not by listening to the Dharma from the mouth of the Buddha, but from the Sa-mons who inherited Buddhism: Ananda, by the priest, an Arahant named Punna Mantàniputta, Upatissa Sariputta (Xa Loi Phat), then the chief Old Assaji, and Kolita Moggallàna (Section Kieu Lien), because the friend has just obtained Tu Da Hap, he has not reached the Holy Fruit of Arhat (referring to Upatissa - Xa Loi Loi). In order to achieve such a miraculous enlightenment, Kolita Moggallana must have a belief in the intellect of her best friend and faith in the truth of no bluntness. And of course that is a fact, no doubt halfway!Listening to the miraculous language shelf, Kolita Moggallàna immediately asked the residence of the Buddha, the Omniscient. When Upatissa recounted the Buddha's stay at Truc Lam Tinh Vihara (Jetavana Vihàra) not far away, Kolita Moggallàna immediately expressed her wish to go to the Master's presence immediately. But Upatissa calmly suggested: "Hey, friend! So come and see Mr. Sànjaya and inform him that we have found immortal religion, if he finds it charming, he will also enter into the light of truth as we are. If a teacher has not shown his predestined relationship, then he will think again, maybe after that he will ask us to bring him to the Buddha's eyes. , he will definitely witness the result ". We should first go to see Mr. Sànjaya and inform him that we have found immortality. If the teacher sees the charm, he will also enter into the light of truth as we do. That is one way we show gratitude to the teacher for a while for us to study the religion. If the teacher does not show his predestined relationship, he will think again, maybe later he will ask us to bring him to the Buddha's eyes. That way when you hear the dharma in the Enlightenment's needle, you will certainly attain the result. " We should first go to see Mr. Sànjaya and inform him that we have found immortality. If the teacher sees the charm, he will also enter into the light of truth as we do. That is one way we show gratitude to the teacher for a while for us to study the religion.If the teacher does not show his predestined relationship, he will think again, maybe later he will ask us to bring him to the Buddha's eyes. That way when you hear the dharma in the Enlightenment's needle, you will certainly attain the result. "
After that, the couple go to the Church of Sanjaya and say:
"Teacher, did you have a great Enlightenment in your life who is making a righteous decision to make your disciples live a clean and liberating life? Invite me to join you in the audience. Omniscient! "
But Sànjaya was not interested in the sincere requests of the two disciples. On the contrary, he encouraged Kolita Moggallàna and Upatissa to lead their former entourage to create a new school, on par with him. If this partner agrees, they will become the great Masters and the beneficiaries of the Church leaders.
But Kolita Moggallàna and Upatissa have expressed their determination, no longer want to cling to any title in life, no matter how noble. Sometimes intellectuals have repeatedly repeated their unshakeable determination, letting the old teacher see that there is no way to distract them.
In the end, Cardinal Sanjaya was disappointed. He was deeply distressed by the departure of these two outstanding disciples. He sadly exclaimed that:
- I can't do it! I can't do it! I have been a Master for many years. We have a lot of followers. I cannot become a disciple! So it is like bringing a large lake in exchange for a mediocre narrow crater!
For the time being, his soul is in conflict between two aspirations: The desire to attain the Eucharist and the desire to enjoy high status. And the second desire (favoring desire) prevailed, making him completely disregard the wise disciples' advice.
At that time, Sànjaya had about five hundred disciples. When these followers learned that Kolita Moggallàna and Upatissa had decided to take refuge in the Buddha, they all wanted to follow. Half of them wanted to think, "Then Khojaya will be left alone", so he can't hold back, just walk a distance, then come back.
But late, the diocese of Sànjaya before the loss of his disciples, was afflicted, frustrated and confused, so he succumbed to the fresh blood and died. END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.4/8/2019.
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