General Buddhism: Course 5 - Lesson 4, Vietnamese Buddhist History (cont.)

Universal Buddhist Studies

SRAMANA. Thich Thien Hoa

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Fifth Course

History of Buddhism Spread,
10 Sects and the Universe Nhon Sanh.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.

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Lesson 4

Vietnamese Buddhist History Next
( From Tran Dynasty To The Early Kings of the Nguyen Dynasty).

V.-  Buddhism Under the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400).

1.-The general situation of Buddhism under the Tran dynasty:

The Tran dynasty succeeded the Ly dynasty, inheriting all aspects, a valuable heritage that the Ly dynasty built over two centuries ago. As for Buddhism, although at the end of the Ly dynasty, the court encountered many internal affairs and in the Zen school, there were few high-level Sangha as at the beginning of the Ly dynasty; but among the people, Buddhism was deeply imbued, where there are also temples, Buddha statues to worship. Entering the beginning of the Tran Dynasty, there are many reasons why we believe that Buddhism will be further developed, especially the Tran kings who understood and adored Buddhism more than the early kings of the Ly Dynasty. Yet Buddhism in the Tran dynasty, which flourished only in the first 50 years, then stopped and regressed forever. Because the two reasons why Buddhism cannot progress are outside, the competition is intense, sometimes it is even a suppression of Confucianism; and inside, the Buddhist doctrine was gradually mixed with superstition and superstition of the pagan and pagan religions that the rulers of the Tran dynasty loved. Because of these superstitions and superstitions, Buddhism in the eyes of the scholars, especially Confucianism, became a useless religion, dangerous for national life. Confucian scholars attacked Buddhism. The court opened the monks-class examinations on common teachings. Those monks who failed the exam must continue. Those who took the exam were then appointed as officials of the palace (considered the work of the palace), the mandarin-mandarin (considered the work of the temples), the royal court (considered the work of temples). What a marked decadent phenomenon: monks must take the exam to hold the post of worship at the royal palaces and temples. The irony is even more poisonous,

2.- The Tran rulers credited with spreading the Buddha-Dharma:

As mentioned above, in the early Tran dynasty, many kings were very devoted to Buddha-Dharma and made great contributions to the spread of Buddhism in the country.

a). King Tran-Thai-Ton (1225-1258):

Tran-Thai-Ton's name is Tran-Canh, her husband Ly-Chieu-Hoang. After being abdicated by his wife, Tran-Thai-Ton became the original king of the Tran dynasty. He is a very profound piety king. When he first ascended to the throne, he took care of spreading Buddhism by setting up temples, casting bells and maintaining Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. He also composed two very valuable books and made a valuable influence on the propagation of Buddha-Dharma at that time, namely, "Meditation-guiding the South" and "The Lock-ness". Practice Zen-Ton Chi Nam clearly talk about the practice of meditation; also set Lock-spoiled executive-minister of suffering: birth, aging, sickness, death. Two sets that, still today handed.

b). King Tran-Nhan-Ton (1278-1293):

Trần-Nhân-Tôn was the third king of the Trần Dynasty. After defeating the Mongols forcefully, he passed on the throne to me and entered the monastery at Yen-Tu mountain. He always traveled around here to eliminate the superstition of superstition in the folk, to establish monasteries, sermons, to give birth, to thicken medicine dispensers to help the sick. After that he passed the Dharma back to Ton-Gia Phap-Hoa and passed away in am Ngoc-Van while traveling. He is the patriarch of Trúc-Lâm clan.

c). Tran-Anh-Ton (1293-1314):

Tran-Anh-Ton is the fourth king of the Tran Dynasty, succeeding the king Tran-Nhan-Ton. He was a disciple of Dharma-speaker Ton-monk, so he was adept at Buddhism. Following his father's example, King Tran-Nhan-Ton, he enthusiastically spread Buddhism in the country.

After receiving the great Buddhist scriptures from China, he printed many copies and distributed them to Hoang Tran-Nhan-Ton, and he again set up large colonies to conduct pilgrimages and distribute them to poor people.

However, by the time of Anh-Ton, Buddhism was no longer holding the swcs-thai brilliant as early Tran life. After this king's time, the successive kings were still Buddhists, but they no longer had pure and lucid faith. Paganism, paganism from China had intruded in their beliefs.

3.- Phái Trúc-Lâm Yên-Tử and its ancestors: During the Tran dynasty, the famous monks were not as numerous as in the Ly dynasty. However, in this life, Vietnamese Buddhism has developed a new sect called Truc-Lam, developed from Yen-Tu country, and the ancestors in this sect were also higher-order monks. cannot remember, whenever it comes to Buddhism about the Tran dynasty. Here they monks find out through their biography and career:

a). Tue-trung Thuong-Si:

His name is Tran-Quoc-Toan, son of Hung-DaoVuong Tran-Quoc-Tuan when the Nguyen (Mong-Mongol) enemy invaded our country twice, He followed Hung-Dao-Vuong to fight against the invaders. deeds and was ordained to the Priest-Porcelain. He had piety since he was a child, but because he met the country, he had to go to the king to help the country. When the enemy was alone, he resigned from his position to retreat to Phong-Ap, Van -ien-Huong, dedicated to studying with the Zen master, a final disciple of the Vo-Ngon-Thong school.

When enlightened, he often set up a teaching forum, the followers of good faith came to the audience.

King Thanh-Ton respected him, his title was "Tue-Trung Thuong-Si" and entrusted King Tran-Nhan-Ton to Him. He wholeheartedly taught Saint-Ton about the moral part and later Nhan-Ton established the Truc-Lam sect and became the first ancestor of this sect, also thanks to the spiritual influence of Tue-Trung Thuong-Si.

When nearer, He made the family members in the middle of the empty can, sitting on the chair that passed. The servants cried and cried, and he opened his eyes, and said,

Birth of common sense, what's so pitiful that so many monks-souls?

The maids were silent; He closed his eyes and passed away. He was 62 years old.

b). Trần-Nhân-Tôn, the first patriarch of the Trúc-Lâm Yên-Tử sect (mentioned above).

c). Phap-loan religion, the second ancestor of the Truc-Lam sect:

Dong family of people, people of Cuu-la, Nam nam book (now in Hai Duong province), He was blessed, at 21 years old, he met with Mr. Article-Ngu (that is, King Nhan-Ton), praised for having legal eyes, and received recorded as disciples. He was enlightened very early. At the age of 25, he was destined to open the ceremony at Sieu-Type Pagoda, with a king and his family attending. After the opening ceremony, he called him the master of painting Yen-Tu and brought over two hundred classics to him.

He meditated, ordained the monks and the leaders of them. Monks have Sangha, books are clearly starting from there. In a lifetime, he cast 1300 Buddha statues, erected two preaching stations, five stupas, two hundred monks, and more than 15,000 funerals, of which 3,000 were obtained. In addition, he also composed two episodes, "The Book of the Sixties" and "The Weak Meditation", which are still handed down. Such a great industry, but unfortunately His life was very short, enjoying 47 years.

d). Huyen-Quang Ton -Su, the third ancestor of the Truc-Lam sect.

Mr. Ly, from Van-Tai village (now in Bac-Giang province), his father was Tue-To, had merit to fight Chiem-Thanh, but refused to become an official. He envisioned the singularity, but his innate intelligence, pouring the status quo at 20 years old. Before passing the exam, his mother asked his wife to ask him, but where he was denied, because of his singularity, and the poverty of his family. But when he passed, the rich men scrambled to call for a daughter, and the king asked for the princess to give him, but he refused. Therefore, people have a folk verse:

"No one looks hard,

to the time of the fall of the State, eight thousand predestined soldiers. "

Because he saw such a favorable situation, even though he was a great official and went on a mission to China, he still did not feel satisfied. One day, following King Anh-Ton's listening to the Dharma-Loa Ton-monk's sermon, he immediately became enlightened, so he offered to resign, and then ordained with Dharma-Speaker.

After being imparted by His Holiness Phap-Loa, he stayed at Van-Yen Pagoda, Yen-Tu Mountain, monks and nuns attended thousands. He founded the temple, printed sutras, opened the dharma assembly to give to the poor, doing a lot of merit.

The above three Truc-Lam ancestors have created a great prestige, not only in the Sangha but also in the human world, but then unfortunately the successors of his father have no one to match. again.

In short, in the Tran dynasty, as in the Ly dynasty, Buddhist history can be divided into two prosperous periods including the first four kings (nearly 100 years); the second period is the period of decadence, including the following kings (about 80 years).

VI.-  Buddhism Under the Ho Dynasty (1400-1407) And Under the Late Le Dynasty (1428-1527)

Buddhism gradually declined from under the late Tran kings to the Ho dynasty and lasted until the end of the Late Le dynasty. For nearly two thousand years of Buddhism present in this country, we can say this period is the darkest period of Buddhism.

In 7 years of cheating on the Tran dynasty, Ho Quy Ly could not do anything, the Ming dynasty rudely restored the Tran dynasty, dragged the army to fight the country, and laid a fierce domination for seven years, but for a short time, but the Ming Dynasty has left a very disastrous consequence that 100 years later has not erased. Indeed, after invading our country, the Ming Dynasty confiscated all the books and books in the country, including the Buddhist scriptures, brought them to Kim Lang, and burned the temple a lot.

On one side of sabotage, on the one hand the Ming Dynasty gave in our country superstitious forms of the Taoist and Lama religions.

Therefore, Buddhism lost all the purity of previous eras, making the vat become a bizarre, bizarre religion. Buddha does not come out Buddha ghost does not come out ghost. What a scene of desolate destruction that took place in the place of Zen!

By the time the Confucianism was in vogue, the scholars raced to contemporaries, absorbed in the thought of Song Nho. The teachings of the Buddha no longer benefit anyone, so they have been forgotten. Regarding the state of Buddhism in this period, Thich Mat Thuot, in the book Vietnam-Buddhism, the history of history was written as follows:

"Religious practice, for the less educated, is just a succession according to the form (1); to the rank-and-file, it's just a place for someone to get a reputation, to be bored with life, to be dissatisfied with life habits, meaning that only the cynics will come to spend their days, borrow the temple , bells, verses, but only gave up outside, not cherish to understand the teachings of the Buddha and practice, then devout, and then bring morality and enlightenment to tell other ".

So in the Late Le period can say "the age of Buddhism in decline"!

(1) To avoid speaking is a livelihood.

VII .-  Buddhism

After the reign of Hậu Lê, the reign of Chiêu Tôn and Cung Hoàng (1516-1527) was conquered by Mac Đản Dũng but the loyalists of the Lê Dynasty fought against Mạc Đản Dung and established the Lê dynasty in Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An. . After six years of fighting with the Macs, the Lê dynasty relied on the great labor of the Trinh family to reclaim Giang Son.

Trinh depend on himself that he has a lot of merits, holds all the power in the dynasty, King Le only sits for the position, just without the right.

The surname Nguyen, because he did not want to obey the Trinh surname, fled to the south and hung away from the south. Since then our country has been divided into two:

North of the Gianh River is the Giang Son of the Trinh family; South of the Gianh river is the Giang family of the Nguyen family; The Trinh and Nguyen families all wanted to expand their power to eliminate their opponents, so they went to build their lands in all aspects. In terms of religion, both sides took Buddhism as the state religion and also zealously built temples to create numerous statues.

Also during this period, in China there were often chaos, and the Buddhist religions were often pinched by lamas, so some monks left their homeland, went to Vietnam to evangelize, some came in. in the North, people go to the South. Thanks to that, our country

There are many new religious sects and many famous Chinese monks whose influence is still transmitted today.

1.-  Buddhism in the time of the Trinh Lords:

Buddhism in this period.- Around the time of King Le The Ton (1573-1599) in the North there was the Tao Dong sect, also a branch of the Bodhidharma sect of China. This school was transmitted by Chinese monk Tri Giao Nhat Cu. At present, monks at Hoe Lai, Ham Long and Tran Quoc pagodas in Hanoi are followers of the Tao Dong sect.

Around the time of King Le Hy Ton (1676-1705) there was a Lien Ton sect, founded by a Trinh royal family named Lan Giac meditation-monk at Lien Phai pagoda (Bach Mai, Hanoi). At the same time, Master Nguyet Qung established that sect in Kien An. The two Lam Giac and Nguyet Quang are both disciples of the Lin Te clan in China. Presently the monks at Ba Da Pagoda (Hanoi) are lam Te disciples.

In addition to the ptr above sects, Buddhism in the North was strongly supported by Lord Trinh: restored the monastery, invited the Ambassador in China ... The monks at that time were also quite crowded, the most famous was Mr. Huong Hai meditation -u, which we will say below:

Huong Hai meditation-master: -The former resource in the South, in the land of Lord Nguyen and the descendant lineage. His father was a god of Lord Nguyen. He poured Huong Cong (bachelor) at the age of 18, was recruited to work at the Nguyen government and then was appointed to be a branch in Trieu Phong (Quang Tri today). He very much admired Buddhism and often discussed the teachings with the monks. To 28 years old, he resigned from the mandarin, ordained as a Buddha. He went out to play in Tiem But mountain outside of Nam Hai, then set up to stay at the abbot. His conduct is very high, the officials are near and far away. Lord Nguyen (Nguyen Phuc Chu 1691-1715) listened to his name, sent people to the island to invite him, and set up a temple for him to abide by. But after the suspicion of Lord Nguyen, he left the South, built a boat to cross the sea with 50 dikes to the North and was admired by Lord Trinh and King Le.

One day the king asked him:

I heard the meditation teacher-professor learned much more, so please teach me how to teach him to understand the Dao. He said:

Increasing the four verses of this verse, please Your Majesty to mind:

Original:

Every counterculture autism often related
kidney damage kindness thinking anhydrous
Mac teacher knowledge trungtam dream
Future usually the result of the face area

Translate:

Listen again to what you see in the days
Think carefully or Do
n't seek the tide in your dreams
Is it possible to get a teacher (Dao)

The king asked:

What is the intention of Buddha?

He answered:

Original:

Swallow the field is not
Ainh aquascaping welding Terns
relics chi Expectations water
saved images.

Translate:

Swallow in the middle Do not
sink Under water
Swallow not to hide
Water does not save the ball

He often read good verses to teach them, as follows:

Original:

About the tons of tu simulation area
Learning about the heartless mind
Tue at the complete cycle at the
center of Invisible heathland.

Translate:

Searching for buffaloes, searching for legs
Fighting, there is no loss of buffalo For
those who study the religion, do not rely on
Heartless, the basic religion to find

2.-  Buddhism in the Nguyen Lords:

Buddhism in this period. -While Buddhism in the outer region arose, the Buddhism in the region also flourished. From the time when Nguyen Hoang came to Thuan Hoa town, until the Nguyen Dynasty reunited the country, for more than two hundred years, the Nguyen family of Buddhism respected devotion, carved statues, cast bells, and made many monasteries. there are many Chinese monks and nuns, like Mr. Te Yuan, Mr. Giac Phong. In China to evangelize, among the Chinese monks, there is a saint whose influence is still passed down to now is Tô Nguyên Thiều. Particularly for Vietnamese monks, at that time, Lieu Quan was an ancestor that made Southern Buddhism at that time extremely brilliant.

b.- The fame increases:

-Nguyen Nguyen Thieu: Mr. Ta, a native of Trung Huong (Quang Dong). Ordained as a monk at the age of 19, he was ordained as a monk at Bao Tu Pagoda, receiving ordination with the Lord Doi Khao Khoan Vien. The year of Canh Tri in the third year of Le Huyen Ton's reign (1665). He followed An Nam's merchant ship, stayed in Quy Ninh government (Binh Dinh), set up Thap Thap Di Da pagoda, opened a Dharma teaching school, later Thuan Hoa set up Ha Trung pagoda, then went to Xuan Kinh (Hue) to establish Quoc Pagoda An and erect Pho Dong tower.

After that, he served Duc Anh Ton (Nguyen Phuc Trang 1687-1691) and returned to China, inviting monks and statues and statues. He came back to Quang Dong to invite Venerable Thach Liem and other monks, together with many classics, statues, statues and spiritual objects to return to the South. I wish Nguyen immediately opened the instrument very solemnly at Thien Mu Pagoda. After that, Lord Nguyen bestowed him on the position of abbot of Ha Trung Pagoda.

One day, he fell ill, held a lecture to instruct everything and pass the following verse:

President, invisible glass

Minh minh, Chau bowl bowl

Way, non-animal

Liu Bei, no animals

General idea: The pure Dharma body is as clear and clear as a mirror of dust and dust, like pearls of pearls, in a shining light. Although the current events, things are different, but are the legal body manifest. The dharmakaya body is often silent, which is not zero, which means the "righteous magic vacuum".

He finished writing the verse, sat quietly and passed away.

Mr. Lieu Quan: Mr. Le, Thuy Thien Dieu, hometown in Bach Ma village, Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province (Cau river now). He was orphaned at the age of 6, gave birth to him and became a monk with the Venerable Master, the Chinese. For 7 years, Venerable Vien passed away, he went to Thuan Hoa with Giac Phong Lao ancestor (Chinese) at Bao Quoc pagoda. In 1691, he returned to his homeland to take care of his father, and he had to cut wood to make a living. Four years after his father passed away, he returned to Thuan Hoa, took the precepts of Sa-di with Thach Liem Hao (also Chinese).

In 1699, he went to attend a ceremony throughout Zen Lam to nourish the practice. Through 1702, he came to Long Son, prayed to learn the three-way meditation with the Venerable Prince Tu Dung (the ancestor of the painting of Tu Dam Pagoda, Hue).

As for the chemistry, he was very diligent and not hard-working. Always he established the precepts, receiving them to increase. In 1740, Mr. Tan Dan released the world border, and from there he returned to Thien Thai Mountain, set up a workshop, retreated to practice spiritually, nowadays, Thien Ton Pagoda.

Lord Nguyen Minh Vuong is very respectful of his virtue and often invites him to enter the talks. In the spring of 1742, he returned to attend the precepts at Vinh Thong Pagoda, at the end of that autumn, when he was ill, when he was about to die, he called his disciples to teach:

What do you cry for! the Buddha was born and entered nirvana, then I now go to clear, about all seats, you should not cry and do not be sad.

Next, he wrote a poem, farewell:

Original:

Losing the past decade world-middle school

No no, color, magic

Kim vow to fulfill the reason

Ha all convicted man-cardboard problem.

Translate

In addition to seventy years in the world

No no, all colors are right.

Today contentment about the old place

What kind of cardboard to ask.

When he finished writing, he told his disciples:

- "After I go, you have to think of the impermanence quickly, need to diligently study, you try to come, do not forget my words."

By November 22, in the middle of winter, Nham -tat (1742) at the time of smell, he finished drinking tea, was happy to say good-bye to his disciples, and to extinguish goods.

Lord Minh-Vuong was believed, immediately granted the title - "Dao Hanh Thuy Chanh Giac Vien - Ngo Hoa - Thuong".

VII.- Buddhism Under the Early Kings

Buddhist status in this period:

The Nguyen Tay-Son Dynasty, in a short time, ended the situation in which the North and the South divided and fought the most famous painting on a relationship. back to the first country for the Nguyen dynasty, took the Gia-Long reign.

During this period, our country lived in a constant war - few people had time to think about the religious revival - some temples were devastated, the sutras were lost, the scenery was wild. What a sad thing to spend. King Gia-Long ascended to the throne, his first job was to set up the security-order and order in the country, but also did not have time to think about the revival of Buddhism. , They also began to renovate the important temples, but in folklore, Buddhism affects each day dimmed and faded. The monks still have, like Mr. Pho-Tinh Hoa -Thong, Giac Ngo Hoa _Thang. But because it's so few, you, just like the stars falling in the dark sky, don't shine any light.

By the time the French put their domination in this country, Buddhism became more and more decadent, losing everything pure and sublime, but only as a deity, whose main task was to worship worship. never mind.

In order to have a general idea of ​​a badness of this period, we would like to quote the following highly accurate commentary, which the Most Venerable -Personalist _historicist wrote in the Vietnamese-Southern Buddhism book. comb:

“..Come here, from the king to the people, everyone is Buddhist mind is at the worship, the island, but not knowing anything else. And most of them only respect the teacher in the place of fame and titles, even though he lacks education and monastic life. Because of that lousy, domestic monks once invaded the road of depravity, gambling, and alcohol in the face of beauty.

“In the central highlands of the North, the discipline of the old monks outside still holds some seriousness, but in the Central region, most of them have a wife, have children in a civil way, do not bother. is in South-USA even more and more ... The measured part of the tank only thinks of fame and title: asking for the certificate of the Sangha, the abbot, the Sac, etc. or just know how to worship, lead, do for the kings, mandarins, rich households to make a living. There is one more class, just keep yourself to be leisurely, have fun and play, tell me to be free and so on!

"Therefore, the pagodas in the country have become their own family scenes, nothing is the corporate personality of a religion anymore. They live in Buddhism mostly as "ignorance" and "forget"! "Forget" to avoid having to know the main duty of a monk.

“Inside the monks, so it is, outside the layman-followers, they are bewildered, blindly believing, according to the need, few people understand morality.

"In the history of Vietnamese Buddhism, we can strike here a huge exclamation mark (!)."

C.-Conclusion

We have watched the footsteps of the first Buddhist evangelists in this country until modern times. During nearly twenty centuries of manifestation on this Vietnamese land, Buddhism has experienced so many ups and downs. These changes, not unilaterally, always go hand in hand with the general transformation of the country. Every time the water maneuvered up, Buddhism also thrived.

The second remark is that the common soldiers are often sincere Buddhists, who always support and encourage the spread of Dharma. On the contrary, the kings who had little understanding of religion and their religion were also the least successful kings in the rule of the country and the people.

Due to the above two observations, we can conclude that: Buddhism has been deeply immersed in the life of the people of Vietnam in the past. And from now on, in order for the country to settle down and have a radiant future, false leaders must give Buddhism an important position in all activities of the country. END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN  TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.26/1/2020.