HIEU HANH.ULLAMBANA DAY.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.

 

   

Today, on Tu Tu Day, Buddhists come to the monastery to make offerings to Vu Lan, we will say a few ethical stories with the meaning of filial piety so that you can understand and apply the word Hieu in accordance with the Buddha's teaching spirit.

We have long heard about Muc Kien Lien with the Yu Lan hospitality ceremony, which is the full moon day of the seventh month, the joyful day of the ten directions of the Buddhas and the Sangha. When it comes to Venerable Muc Kien Lien, everyone knows that he, along with the Venerable Buddha, is seen as the right and left arms of the Buddha. Xa Loi Phat is the first wisdom, and he is the first. The status of these two great disciples in the Sangha is very special. The masses respect their mighty virtue.

Muc Kien Lien has a mother named Thanh De. When she was still born, she often embraced an evil spirit, and did not respect the Three Jewels so when she died, she fell into a hungry demon. Falling into this species will always burn in the throat, because any food that is put in will turn into red fire. Not only that, but listening to the name of the food, the smell of the food, the sound of cutting boards or the sound of dishes, dishes, etc., also caught fire.

In the sutras that fire comes from greed, hatred, and delusion. Greedy mind, not letting go freely, causing guilt will inspire such retribution. Therefore, after becoming enlightened, thinking of his mother, Muc Kien Lien looked for magic powers everywhere. At last He met his mother in a deep hell, carrying a class of hungry demons. Loving his mother extremely, he returned to the human world to beg for a bowl of rice, hurriedly brought him to hell. But because of her stubborn greed, fear of the surrounding criminals taking it and eating it, she hurriedly hid her food. As soon as she picked up the rice, the rice turned into red fire and could not be used.

After seeing this scene, he felt so sad that he was so helpless. He hastily returned to report to the Buddha, urgently praying to the Buddha to show how to save his mother. The Buddha was at the request of Venerable Muc Lien, showing the method of offering them increase in the day of the fullness of life, or the day of Tu Tu Tu. Because on that day, the monks have settled down for three months, the spiritual merit of practicing fully, if offering offerings to all four things, there will be great merit. The four things are the four kinds of food, clothing, tools, medicine, in general, are essential items for the monks. The monks have happily accepted these offerings, they exercise the merit of their practice during their retreat, dedicating them to all sentient beings. Thanks to the special merit of the Saints increasing through the period of retreat, the concentration of prayer can transform the mind of the pretas.

Indeed, when Muc Lien Lien had just made an offering, the ten directions of the holy sages happily accepted the ceremony, including the Buddha. Thanks to the blessings of the Buddha and the monks, Ms. Thanh De developed the devotion to the Three Jewels, gave up her greedy heart, transformed the hungry demon karma to be born. All the demons around also received this aspiration to escape the karma of suffering in the demons, being born into a happier realm.

The important point we want to talk about here is the basis of kindness. The same rice bowl, the same person, but if my heart is not really open, still stubborn, wants to use that bowl of rice alone, it is not good enough to enjoy that bowl of rice. So when she got the bowl of rice, Mrs. Thanh De was afraid of the hungry devils begging, she embraced her heart and wanted to eat alone, so the rice bowl turned into fierce fire. Due to the obscure greed, the dark eyes, the distraught heart, and no chance to open her up, she was still besieged in prison. The more you are imprisoned, the more suffering you are from hunger and thirst, the more you suffer from hunger and thirst, the more greed grows, so the coal fire burns up your heart.

After receiving the support of the Blessed One and the Saints she gave birth. The word "Phat" is to open up, "Mind" is your heart, to generate mind means to open your heart. How to open? I am hungry. Seeing others hungry, I know they suffer as much as I do. If we can eat and share food with others to eat, we are full and they are full, we are less suffering, they also have less suffering. That's the way to open your heart. The Buddha taught us how to open up for everyone around, should not forget about others for ourselves. We suffer, we know people suffer as well as me, as hungry as us, so we love and help each other. Because thinking that should have nothing, is directed for everyone around. If I'm happy, I also wish everyone could be happy. It is the spirit of the Buddha's son, also known as Bodhi mind generation, that generates true mind for all living beings. That is the weakness of spiritual practice.

Now go back to the daily life of Buddhists. For example, in the old days you only took care of your family and yourself. In the village, it is good who can go to the temple. If we cannot go, then we do not know, as long as we go to the temple to be happy. But now that's not the case, I think the morality is too good, so I want the brothers around me to listen to the Dharma, understand the Dharma as I do. That is openness.

The reason we go to the temple, learn the Dharma is because we want to end our suffering and be happy. Buddhists do not want to be controlled by greed and negativity, do not want to be caught by the comforts of life, do not want to create unwholesome karma to suffer. We want to relieve those things, we should go to the temple, and at the same time encourage our friends to go to the temple to go in the same direction. Such a person knows how to generate Bodhi mind. In the Mahayana sutras, the Bodhisattvas get a bowl of fragrant rice, they immediately think that beings also need a bowl of fragrant rice to be happy, full. Therefore, they are devoted to the Bodhi mind, dedicating themselves throughout the world of living beings to enjoy this rice bowl. Thanks to such infinite immeasurable mind generation, they all become Buddhas. That is how we cultivate Buddha's mind. As such, I am not bound in the sphere of private authoritarian personalities. This spirit is essential to building a positive and positive society.

I think a small society, for example, in the communes of Phuoc Kieng, Hiep Phuoc, Long Phuoc, Phuoc Tho and so on. Some core Buddhists like that, learn to understand like that, see it clearly, apply like that, and then encourage you to be like that, how good it is. Society really needs people with generous heart for the majority, making up for the common. That is the spirit of openness, selflessness, is the true spirit of the Bodhisattva. That is how the Buddhists generate Bodhi mind.

Multiplying the story of Mrs. Thanh De, the Buddha taught: Due to heavy greed and evil born in hungry devils. The Buddha explained to Muc Kien Lien that his mother, due to heavy greed and evil for many generations, was born into a hungry devil when he died. Now, if we want to save her, we must rely on the collective strength, the majority of the group. Buddha says: Like a heavy rock, one or two people cannot carry it. However, if there are a large number of people, with a stronger force, the rock can be moved easily. Thus, our prayers, the focus of our attention must be like the second teaching of the Buddha. Heavy objects need to have many people working together to move to emerge.

Through this spirit, we see that prayer is not really superstitious, depending on the attitude and sincerity of the prayers. In Buddhism, there are also prayers. For example, I have a peaceful road, I also want everyone to go on a peaceful road. This is not superstitious, but rather realistic. With our sincere hearts and active support, we can direct our hearts to bless each other a lot.

Now speak straight into the spirit of filial piety. The Yulan festival in Buddhism is very important. Many pagodas hold a rose ceremony to make a deep impression on people. People who have roses are happy, people who don't have roses are in tears. I remember that year, around the twenty-first of July, when teacher Phuoc Vien was still giving birth at a Thai junction. Teacher invited me to attend Vu Lan ceremony, with large Buddhist families. During the commissioning ceremony, the Buddhist brothers sang filial words, the sisters put the flowers on. At that time, Tuyet set roses for people, but she herself set white flowers. So she cried while installing it, causing the friends she came to wear flowers to cry with. After that, she came to pay homage to the teachers and also asked for flowers.

You see in good there is restlessness, in happiness there is unhappiness. And it seems that the unhappy is more than the joy. Relative life. You guys are a little older, I see, who has a rose on? A row of monks sitting twenty-three dozen, and a rare number of monks with roses. Therefore, today to help with sadness, Buddhists invented yellow roses. So the teachers and teachers are equal with a brilliant and dignified yellow color, so that no one has to pity themselves. Through such small rituals, it also makes people easily emotional.

In the Zen Monastery, the Vu Lan ceremony is held more simply than the other places, precious in our hearts. Buddhists come to the temple to make offerings, then invite the teacher to talk to listen so that Buddhists understand and apply practice. Thus, there are less extra ceremonies, but the focus is on how the Buddhist understands the morality, through his deeds in the spirit of the Buddha.

Among the Buddhist teachings of filial piety, there are many Buddhists who can do it, but some have yet to do it. I mentioned a few things, you should try it out.

Firstly, for parents, advise trying to practice merit, do merit deeds, take refuge in the Three Jewels, believe in cause and effect, live a noble life according to the spirit of enlightenment and liberation. This may be applicable to some Buddhists who have been imbued with Buddhism. However, not everyone can do it. Many Buddhists say to me happily: "Teacher! Sometimes I have to run away from home and go to the temple, asking no one to go. Well, it's a solo act ”.

Here it is said to advise parents to bless, doing merit works is like this. For example, in addition to making offerings to monks and nuns, you can help or create conditions for your parents to help your neighbors, who are poor and lacking, to help them. If we cannot help with money, we can help with effort, in words and actions, bringing happiness to others. That is also how to cultivate good merit. Always encourage and comfort parents towards the Three Jewels, if there are more conditions, then take refuge in the Three Jewels and live the noble life of a Buddhist at home. In the house, everyone lives together, communicating with each other through the spirit of cause and effect, and the spirit of altruism is very good. If a Buddhist can cultivate like that, how good it would be to encourage his brothers in his ashram to do the same!

The second is to take care of the parents' life, how to make them happy and peaceful in old age. To have peaceful joy, life must be moral. Thanks to the moral understanding, the mind is not frustrated and upset by the business or other things. This point is the point that makes people very miserable. If we can do it, we will keep it for our eternity. If we lose it, we will suffer. So Buddha said: "If you want to keep it, you also suffer. Keeping from being lost is even more miserable ”. Okay then say it's mine. Whoever touches it is troublesome. While not, wanting to give is just a pain. But when it was okay to guard it, it turned into a very solid miserable building. Anyone can not touch it.

Therefore, Buddhists must take care of their parents' lives in a moral and intellectual direction. Releasing all ties by business life, approaching relationships with people around. Help peace of mind of parents by advising parents to let go of, do not worry about their children anymore. Each grown up must know how to take care of himself, leaving time for his parents to spare time to practice. When this life is full of relaxation, we can make everyone in the family have a calm, natural attitude towards those changes.

I am a Buddhist, when I am full, I am not too proud that I am blessed, when I am empty, I do not have too much self-esteem that I am less blessed, ungrateful, and lament God blames Buddha for not supporting me. If Buddhists apply this, their practice life is not hindered by any external conditions. If we do not mentally prepare like that, we will easily be in trouble.

I have gone through a few obstacles for all Buddhists to see. There are many people who can do business, so they go to the temple to worship this and that for their teachers, very happy. But after a while, the business was unprofitable and sadly stopped going to the temple. The teacher met and asked: "Why not go to the temple for so long?" Dear: "At this moment, I failed to do business, I did not have anything to offer to you at the temple, I am so embarrassed". If that business fails to last for a while, it will probably leave the temple. So from doing business that makes the spirituality retreat. When the business goes up, the mind goes up, when the business goes down, the mind goes down. How can we cultivate? Because no one can guarantee their business up forever. Buddhists come to you to learn to understand the Dharma, to apply the practice in such ups and downs, not to come just to worship. So understanding is a misunderstanding,

In short, Buddhists can do business or not, so they know because of the merit. Phuoc also took a car in the upstairs house. After all, he could walk in the cottage. How to keep the religion is precious. Keeping such a spiritual mindset will see the Buddha's teaching of the theory: "Riches are not true", what we are not real. It was not true that I wanted to keep, how to keep it. This life with so many uncertain events ahead, we see it all clearly. Wars, natural disasters, epidemics ... many things threaten people's lives. Then what does wealth, money, fame, position mean! In the sutras say a poisonous wind, a poisonous snake, a bullet is enough to cut off my life. Yet, people do not understand and make each other suffer, torturing each other all kinds of things in the world. We are Buddhists, know how to cultivate and must avoid such causes.

Buddhists want to take care of their parents' spiritual life, give them a peaceful joy, they must have a peaceful joy first. We are free of all. Freedom means that for the business, the gain, the loss, the joy and the sadness, what you experience must know it is not real. Like a child in a family of five, but it's not like you can teach all five. Sometimes our children loved him to fight again, destroying all his money and possessions.

That, the current social situation we see clearly today, children with a lot of money and pampering have plunged into drug scandal, an evils that society is drastically eliminating. Normally, for parents very much love, but when it comes to crushing attacks, it does not matter, just aims at their parents to mess around, sometimes not as expected, they even assault. In essence, he was not filial, but at that time he just thought how to have money to satisfy his crush. We do not blame society, but we have to rebuild education from the beginning, education is right here. To avoid immediate suffering, I have to take care and education of my children and grandchildren carefully. Must constantly teach carefully the good or the bad, and always pay attention to its life. But if for some reason they fell on such a path of misery, then we must calmly arrange, be calm before the scenes are lost, and calm with all the changes around. That is you calm down to pay off your karma and career. This is the weakness of the practice, you learn Buddha and then have to apply the Dharma to your life. To learn Buddha is to live a peaceful life. In this second spirit, I would like to emphasize the personal progress of the Buddhist. It is calm and peaceful for all conditions. Next, we encourage and create conditions for our parents and loved ones to be the same. I would like to emphasize the personal direction of the Buddhist. It is calm and peaceful for all conditions. Next, we encourage and create conditions for our parents and relatives to do the same. I want to emphasize the personal progress of the Buddhist. It is calm and peaceful for all conditions. Next, we encourage and create conditions for our parents and relatives to do the same.

Then what way can we be free? Run up to the temple to chant a sutra, pray to Buddha or ask your teacher to save me? Not that, but each person should see that all things in this world are not real. For example, a normal child loves me, now he is messing with me, saying insolent contradictions, making me angry. What should I do as a Buddhist? Must calmly teach it again. Explain to it good and bad with open love, not using power to force or suppress it. Not to burn incense to pray to Buddha to teach my children not to say that. Buddha on the pedestal cannot speak. Nor had to run to tell her grandmother: "Grandma! She taught her grandchildren, it must not tell me like that ". Saying that way, the child is more and more dutiful, because he imitates me. Must neutralize, self-stabilize,

In life, the relationship between parents and children is very important. If Buddhists practice, have a moral life, they will make their family happy. There are many problems that are sometimes very awkward, but thanks to our calmness, we are wise, slowly removing all is not difficult. Buddhists in the ashram, every month, they are told to listen to the Dharma by the teacher, so they should try to apply what they learn and understand in their lives so that their family is always happy and happy. That is how worthy of being a Buddha.

Each Buddhist must live always soberly, discreetly, honestly patient and able to endure. How patient and enduring? For the present situation, you must be patient with it. Actually what is happiness in the world? They were seventeen and eighteen years old and married. Having started a family, you must accept the family law. Husband and wife like children, how many obligations, all kinds of obligations. With all that coming, you will have enough gray hair, you will be old before your age. Many thirty-forty-year-olds, their faces wrinkled, sat tight with pillows and breathed out, not happy. If the person is impatient and can not bear it, it seems that someone stumbles into jumping into the river or into the hole. So from this misery overlap another misery.

Those who cannot bear it, often blame the pressing family situation. Saying that is also an argument. In the past, I wanted to get married myself, but no one came to force you to do that. Why at that time, and now I can't stand it? Actually, because when I was young, I did not know anything. This life is very ironic. So not keeping a calm mind, letting it be too much can easily lead to imbalance. My command post is brain imbalanced, then this body is out of use, useless. People who even know good or bad are still moral, and still alive. If they lose their minds, they cannot endure enough, you can see, it is sunny, they are still walking in the street, nothing. Those are unstable phenomena.

As a Buddhist, having religious activities, learning Buddhism, how can you practice to change yourself better and better. Not having to study Buddha to remember much or count the years, but to study the Dharma to see if I am wise, I have given up small selfish exercises. Studying the Dharma to generate a broad mind to seek enlightenment, liberation, forgiveness, love for people, things, etc.… If someone learns the Dharma but has not done those things, they must strive. You remember that Buddhists must be wise, have to be honest, have to be patient and have the stamina to eliminate all their bad karma. In the midst of this life, anyone who has a cowardice, can not stand it, is very bad. Many things went wrong but I couldn't bear it, so it became a big deal.

In addition, Buddhists must also have a virtuous lifestyle, self-contained in the precepts. Buddhists who apply Buddhism, we look at their demeanor, they will see clearly, tolerant, generous, dignified. Buddhist families who apply Buddhism, are imbued with Buddhism, look at their organization very well and happily. When the internal content already exists, it manifests itself clearly, no need to introduce advertising. These are essential to the life of lay Buddhists.

Buddhists remember, the law of cause and effect is very important in life. If we ignore cause and effect or do not believe in cause and effect, it will create negative karma, leading to extremely painful results. Whenever causing causes, we must take the fruit. Someone who is not wise enough has created any bad karma, to receive the corresponding retribution. For example, at first, he doesn't want to smoke cigarettes, but is seduced by his friends, he gets into it and then becomes crushed, then agonizing.

In life there are many unhappy cases like that, but can not be blamed for the situation. Mainly because involved parties are not determined, not sober. What your friends say, if we don't listen, it's fine. Because we are weak, when we are in pain, we also dare not take responsibility for our mistakes, and blame the surrounding situation. Buddhism does not accept such frail attitudes.

Here we talk more about cause and effect. The word "Cause" is the factor, "The result" is the consequence. If you learn the Dharma, knowing that causing bad causes will lead to bad consequences. To get good results, we never cause bad causes, obviously. Many people keep causing mess, not applying the spirit of cause and effect, causing more bad causes, less good causes. But when the consequences come, call to heaven, pray to the Buddha to save me. God could not be saved. That cause of my cause, but Buddha did not cause that but asked him to correct the results for us. So you must be wise, not to cause bad causes, then not to get bad results.

Every day we check from morning to afternoon, wake up to eat, talk, go to work ... see if we have made any mistakes, how is our mind, how is life? From morning to night, I have never had bad thoughts, that is, I do not cause evil and evil causes. It was a happy day, we have the right to put a white bean in a can, because knowing that we do not cause bad causes, there will never be a bad effect. Based on cause and effect, you don't have to spend money with fortune tellers. Because we don't cause bad causes, there is no devil who can do anything for us. If I have caused bad causes, no matter how much money I bribe the fortune tellers, I must bear the bad consequences. For example, the person who stubs or abuses other people's money, the fortune teller warns you: "Watch out in prison, listen to me". If he doesn't have compensation money, he'll go to jail no matter what,

So whoever denies the cause and effect, their life is very scary, no matter who they are now, the King of the King cannot escape the net of cause and effect. As for the issue of cause and effect, we Buddhists should be concerned. Study religion must communicate cause and effect. We ourselves are also concerned about cause and effect, so we try to cultivate. In the past, there was a monk who received this herd but did not cultivate, until he died, he had to repay his old debt by reincarnating as a rotten log, producing mushrooms and cats all year round for the creditors. Back then, people offered food to us, but I did not achieve anything, now they become a rotten tree to feed on mushrooms for people to eat.

Also, if someone is afraid of being harmed, we should not harm others, it is living in accordance with the law of cause and effect. If we want people not to rob us, we should not raise one's greed. If you want your family to be happy, don't damage your family's happiness. Those are the common rules, the worldly people even know the situation is Buddhists. For the problem of cause and effect, grasp the deep news, then arrange things in the family is not difficult. Those who live according to the law of cause and effect will demonstrate the righteous spiritual practice of the lay Buddhists.

Back to the problem of filial piety of the Buddha. Many people think that: As monastics, we cannot fulfill our piety, because we leave our parents to practice. But in the Buddhist scriptures, especially the sutras of cause and effect, the Buddha talks a lot about filial piety. The filial spirit of Buddhism is very sublime, it is the monastic order that we can fully perform filial filial piety, not being filial as many people mistakenly think. Because not only having to worry about a piece of rice for parents is enough to repay the grace of being born into nurture. But how to awaken parents, convert bad hearts into good hearts, help parents get rid of the suffering in evil paths is a filial son.

Buddhism teaches monks to strive to practice, bring merit to dedicate to parents to change their minds, lead them on the right path. That is what is called true filial piety. So it is impossible to say that monks and nuns do not fulfill their duties to their parents, but teachers and teachers are different from worldly people. With that understanding, we will cherish the word Hieu in Buddhism. Buddha taught Buddhists after taking refuge in the Three Jewels, saving time to settle down in his studies. Then guide parents to also guide the Three Jewels, preserve the five precepts. That is someone who knows how to thank his parents and repay them.

I would like to quote the story of Zen master Dong Son Luong Gioi, the Zen master of Cao Dong. A letter he sent to his mother when determined to leave home. This is a letter expressing the decisive heart to choose the path of religion, ordain a monk, not go the way of the world anymore. Poetry is written like this:

“To hear that the Buddhas are born, they all have bodies. All species grow also through the protection of heaven and earth. So without parents, there is no birth, without heaven and earth, growth is not possible, thanks to all nurturing and nurturing, the protection is protected by virtue. But all consciousness functions, all imaginary images belong to impermanence, divided between birth and death. Though heavy suckling, deep nourishment. If you bring in worldly possessions, it will be difficult to repay. Donating blood and flesh is also not reliable. In Hieu sutra says: Even if one day killing two or three animals to donate to parents is still filial piety, because they will bring each other into depression, endure forever and ever. If you want to repay your parents' deep gratitude, it is not equal to the merit of renunciation. Because it will cut off the river of love, samsara, overcoming the sea of ​​suffering, repaying parents for thousands of generations, and paying gratitude from the body forever. The four gifts of the three realms all returned. The sutras say that a son who ordained nine of them is born into heaven. I vow to give up my life and swear not to return home, bringing the ceiling for generations to quickly clear Bat Nha.

We wish parents to open their hearts happily, not to look forward to, learn from the example of father Tinh Phan and mother Ma Da, who will meet later in the Buddhist congregation, but now do not hesitate to leave each other. You do not have to forget the grace of nurturing, just because time does not wait for you. So in Hieu sutra said: "This body is not straightforward in this life, I will wait for another time to improve this body". Please do not remember to remember parents.

Chanting that:

"The willow of the pure spring number,
The session of the pure land of the week,
The human being attained no discipline,
Single self is saved in the world,
Can you chase poetry from love,
May the great Dharma report from grace,
Real tu sai rate equivalent frequency,
For example , a selfless self ".

Translated:

"Not yet showing the source of his heart to spend a few spring,
Thuong is so engrossed in indulgence, the
door is not very good for religious people,
Particularly for those who are vulgar forever sealed,
Write this letter from parents,
May the great legal report of grace,
No So I shed tears so much I miss,
Seeing at first I was not close ”.

He advised parents to reduce their feelings of love, as if they had no children in the family since the beginning so that he could practice religious peace of mind. Because only a practice of enlightenment or attainment can fully repay parents' grace. The second letter:

I left my parents, resisted walking the south, ten years passed. On the road I have been going through many miles, I wish you to bring your whole mind towards the Dharma, do not embrace the separation of love, do not stand by the door to look after the child. Everything in the house depends on the timing of the arrangement, with more work being more troublesome. The oldest part should be dedicated to being pious, learning to ask for the mirror Wang Tuong lies with. As for the students, they very much imitated Manh Tong crying bamboo shoots. Every human being in life must know how to cultivate himself and be filial in order to conform to heaven. Those who make monks in the door Otherwise, devote themselves to meditation to repay their parents. Today, two roads are far away, rivers and mountains, borrow ink to write a few lines to express their feelings.

Chanting that:

"Real demand for profit not need,
May make fun of non-subject subject to discharge,
Depression time melancholy end,
An love to dry love season.
Six senses of the world of flavor style guide,
One concept of non-birth hue school suit,
The reporter of the north road retired hope,
For as will be like death willow.

Translated:

No need for fame, not to demand Grapes,
Preference for the door to leave the map,
Affection and sorrow off,
An end of love for the dry.
The six senses of the aroma of embalming,
A thoughtless non-birth, the power of wisdom,
Please remind your old mother to stop looking forward,
For your dead child is like no.

Those are two letters he sent to his mother. Next we hear the mother's poems sent back to Him. This is a Buddhist mother who understands Buddha and applies the Buddha's words in a very special way in her life.

“The mother and you in the previous life had a predestined relationship to become a mother and daughter's love. Since holding the pregnancy in his heart, early afternoon prayed to the Buddha to pray to have a son. Full-term fetus's life is like a blind, childbirth is satisfied as a jewel. Not to mention the stench of impurity, not afraid to suck and suck. I have just become a person leading to school to study. Or when you come home late from the day, I stand with the door leaning expectantly. I write a letter, decide to leave home. Father is dead, mother is old, I am weak, I am poor, who do you rely on? I intend to leave my mother, do not mind any mother to forget me. Since the child took off, day and night, my mother often shed tears. Misery! Misery! Now I swear not to return to my hometown, my mother depends on my will. I do not dare to expect you to be like Vuong Tuong lying down, Dinh Lan carves a tree, I just hope you will be like Sun fake Muc Kien Lien to get rid of sadness and progress to Buddhahood. If the mother is not like that, I am guilty. I need to settle it. ”

Her letter was short, but her words were very definitive. Love and affection in this way are usually not nonexistent, but when I know my child's will to leave home, I am very satisfied. Do not expect me to do anything other than cultivate faithfully like Sun fake Muc Lien Lien to free my mother from suffering samsara. My mother's heart is so honest, if I just say it without being like that, I will be guilty. The only thing I have to do is cultivate so that I can be accomplished, and that my work is light, which is enlightenment.

After reading these letters, we see that he is a filial son, so he is a monk and still carries grace and piety, so he writes letters to his family and mother. And thanks to his blessed family, he had a noble, decisive mother with clear words, so that he could cultivate peacefully. She always wanted her son to become a religious practitioner, not expecting anything else. That is the spirit of filial piety in the Buddha's house.

In the past, there was a monk when he was ordained as a child. By the time he achieved karma, he remembered his old mother and returned to his old hometown. Over the past decades, the landscape has changed. He does not recognize the old house. Asked that his mother lived in a small hut on the old ground, selling tea to live every day. He quickly searched and met his mother again in a very pitiful condition. Your mother is too old and weak, and her eyes are so blurred that she cannot see me. He felt so sorry for his mother, so he approached and asked questions and offered to welcome him to the temple. The old woman was afraid that if she could not do anything about the temple, she was guilty. He assured: "You just need to recite Buddha's name is good, there is no guilt". The old lady was very happy and followed the Venerable Master to the temple.

After passing through the monks, he picked up his mother and arranged her to stay in a gallery. Every morning, he visited his mother but did not tell her that he was a son, and did not let the public know that the grandmother was his mother. After the visit was completed, he drew a circle of grass for the old woman to make. After finishing, go to recite Buddha's name. Just like that, he guided his mother to follow the Triple Gem. She lives very serene, happily. Day by day the old woman weakened, and one day she died. At that time, standing in front of his mother's coffin, he said: "Buddha taught, if there is a son in the family who practices enlightenment, the parents will be born in heaven." If this is not wrong, please fly your coffin into the air ”. Immediately the old woman's coffin flew up. And he was happy to know that his mother was born into the Heavenly Yard. Only then did the public know that the old woman was the mother of the Venerable Master, a great and powerful Abbot and the Teacher of many monks.

That is a way of filial piety in a Buddhist house. Guide mother firmly to practice faith in accordance with the Buddha's teaching. To keep the mother from abusing the homage of the alms. And especially every day guide her mother to practice, build up the merit of enlightenment and liberation for her. That is one of the ways to report filial filial piety. There are many other ways. As I read the behavior of Mr. Han Son, there is an event like this:

He was a monk at the age of twelve or thirteen. This time he loved his mother very much. Every time he had the opportunity to go home to visit his mother, he did not want to go. Tomorrow morning the mother has to leave. House in the countryside, brought out there are rivers and canals. Come out and then he encircled the mother's side refusing to go. That morning, when we arrived at the pier, my mother had to break up, seeing him all the time, she said: "What can a weak child like this do?" After saying that, she pushed him to the dock, fell into the water, and left. People around her resent her. They saved him, brought him to the temple From that incident, he endeavored to practice and later became enlightened. When he was enlightened, he realized his mother's secret will. If His mother was not so tough in the past, how could she ever shape her will?

The mother does not have the definitive, just let her child remain with her, how can you accomplish your karma? Then he realized how to teach his mother, the new lady. Because actually when He fell into the river, she left, but inside was like a dead man. She broke each piece of intestine, but withstood the liver. She must teach like that, in the future, she will have a son worthy of the dharma and benefit sentient beings. That is the teaching of a mother with an upward will, with great soul. And in return, Mr. Han Son was determined to practice and attain the religion, repaying the great merit of his mother.

During the season of filial piety, we reiterate some of the Buddha's teachings, for Buddhists to follow, to become a good son:

First, the Buddha taught not to do anything to harm us or to harm people. It's easy not to harm others, but what is it like not to harm me? As children of the Buddha, we understand cause and effect, understand the Buddha's teachings, but still cause negative karma, that is, we do not know how to love us. This type of people Buddha called self-harm. Although we are still happy, still have a fully normal life, but every mistake causes bad karma, then surely one day, bad consequences will come to us. Buddha said that was a person who did not know how to love him, who did not know how to practice. Because any cause will take the fruit. So the Buddha taught, first of all, we have to love us, do merit deeds, avoid committing harms to ourselves. That is kindness. This good cause will have the power to bring me good results. Try to cultivate good merits, stay away from bad causes. That is the original practice of the Buddha.

Second, Strive to demonstrate a lifestyle away from the two extremes. The first extreme is craving for the lowly pleasures. The second extreme is extreme. Buddha teaches Buddhists to demonstrate a moral and discerning lifestyle. Do not cause bad causes and then will bear negative consequences. We build from sincere mindfulness, with insight, clearly see the lowly pleasures in us, we leave without greed. Cultivating and building a pure and full moral life is the religious life. Practicing Buddhists have a religious life, although living in the midst of a complex life, but always demonstrating a wise life. This will avoid falling into lust for pleasure. Buddha said: More greed, more suffering. To spend a lot is to suffer a lot. It is the joy of the world that is the cause and effect of suffering.

The second extreme is avoiding extremes. Buddhists must have a relative life, should not be too biased. One side bias is persistent. Stubbornness is ignorance, nothing else. Looking at the family of a Buddhist practicing in the right spirit of the Buddha, we can see clearly a balanced, open-minded lifestyle, not relying on anyone's prejudice. As a result, all family members are happy, harmonious, and respect each other. Thus that family is a happy family.

Here Buddha wants to teach us to stay away from agents that can confuse us, fall into the path of misery. If we live a normal peaceful life, have a clear view, see the truth of the surrounding events, we will not mistake any events. Because we are not mistaken, we are not in a hurry to believe what we say, whoever asks what to do, we are not in a hurry to accept. We are always discerning, clearly seeing what is right and what is not. Right, do, not do not right. If a Buddhist is always awake like this, then he can arrange a stable family life, often master himself, not easily fall into the wrong path.

Third, We know how to choose a healthy lifestyle, know enough. From there, it leads to a pure mind and clear wisdom. This conduct must go through a training process to have like that. For example, the Buddhists have long been able to go to the temple, worked for blessings, and see people suffering and love, but have not chosen a place to head to. As for the Buddha's teachings, the practice you have heard, but have not done, is not very interested. Now taking one more step, we have to learn to understand the teachings, apply the Buddha's teachings to our life in order to have a healthy lifestyle, with a calm mind and clear wisdom. Life always knows enough, does not require, does not follow worldly material. Thus, the body and mind are stable, because there is less defilement in less work.

However, it is easy to say, but to do it very much. If my will is incomplete, not strong, when facing difficulties, hardships, and difficulties, it is impossible to overcome and overcome. In real life, if you have no arrangement, no will, you will not be able to build a peaceful and happy family. The same goes for entering the religion. In religion, there are many more difficult things in real life. Because as we all know, learning to be a human is difficult, learning to be a Buddha is more difficult. So a hundred people learn to be Buddha is not sure for a couple of people.

I remember a story like this: There used to be a couple of two or three years apart. The uncle was fifteen or seventeen years old, his nephew twelve thirteen years old. In the family, these two grandchildren are very fond of. Going out or doing something always has each other. The mother is also very pleased because she sees her brother as a good person and has a mind towards Buddhism, so she believes that her child will become a good person. There was a big change when the two of us were close to the time. His body died. The child did not know his uncle died, only found him lying there. In the morning, my grandchildren almost cried:

- Get up, wake up and play.

The heartbroken mother said:

- Your uncle is dead! Don't call me anymore.

Hearing his mother say he was dead, the baby asked in surprise:

- What is death, mom!

The mother said no. Since then, the nephew has stopped asking, just observing every single gesture of his mother. She wondered why her mother could not answer, but did not know who to ask. Until that day, a few Zen monks passed by the house. The mother is a Buddhist, so when the monks stopped by the house, she made offerings. The son noticed that the teacher seemed to be transcendent, every time he stopped by his mother to make offerings. He attentively listened to the responses between the teachers and his mother, with many very strange sentences, but did not know what to say.

One day my teacher stopped by, the mother was busy with work, the little boy ran out to ask him:

- What is tu? Can I become a monk?

The teacher replied:

- You can practice monkhood.

Hearing that, the baby happily asked his mother:

- Please let me follow the priest.

The mother rejoiced. Since then, the boy took steps to follow the priest, but in his heart is to settle the question before his mother has not answered. It is “Why die? Will I die? " So during his practice, this young monk was very focused on how to solve his suspicions. Finally, he realized: Everyone is governed by impermanence. With this body, if there is birth, there will be old age, sickness, and death. In short, everyone died. This road everyone must go through. A death sentence everyone must be sentenced, with no court of appeal. Perhaps, the monk determined to practice until the age of thirty, then became enlightened, fully mastered the problem of birth and death.

Here I want to talk about the fate of the monk from childhood. Due to a family event that a loved one dies, then he is concerned. That concern is nurtured until the day when the monks are ordained as monks, strive to practice, eventually become enlightened, attain enlightenment. Saying "enlightened" means that I am no longer deluded by an event ahead. Gaining religion is peaceful in the midst of changes, realizing that all the crazy wandering in the mind is not real, is false. That is the goal of spiritual practice of the Buddha's salvation.

From the Buddha's race plus the conditions, we have a relative to help us fulfill our spiritual aspirations. As precious Buddhists, due to their predestined relationship, they met in a neighborhood, a residence, have brothers and sisters, go to the temple, and learn to understand the Dharma. That is predestined to the Three Jewels. But from that favorable condition, you must continue to develop your own spiritual will to learn. If you don't, but depend only on external conditions, your spirituality will not be stable. When facing conditions and difficulties, you may have a rotten heart and cannot cultivate.

When the young monk knew that everyone had to die, he stopped afraid of death, and wondered about the death of his uncle. Since then, the Master realized that, each person must rely on themselves, cannot depend on others, because they can leave at any time. Speaking of which, I remember the story of when Buddha was still alive. There was a woman hugging the body of her only son who had just died, ran everywhere screaming and crying, looking for someone to save her son. No one can save it. Seeing her situation was so tragic, someone pointed out:

- Go to the Buddha! Buddha will save your son.

Obediently, she ran to the Buddha and pleaded with him to save her son. She would like to accept all conditions given by Buddha. Buddha said:

- Hey girl! Come to a house where no one has ever died, please come home with some ashes, I will save your child.

So happy, the other woman ran from village to village, there was ash, but she had never seen a family without a dead person. Finally she returned to the Buddha:

- How can I find a house where there are no dead people to ask for some ashes?

Buddha said:

- Also. In this world, change and death do not forgive anyone. Everyone must die. With this body, it must be ruined. It is not only your child that dies.

Hearing this, the young woman suddenly awoke, less saddened and brought her beloved child to bury properly. Then she followed the Buddha to listen to the dharma and developed a spiritual practice.

We too, with this body, we will certainly one day perish, we will die. Yet we do not worry about preparing anything for ourselves. Just worry about this, that story, husband and children story, career story, status story, fame ... I myself did not get anything, someday I fell and died. When you close your eyes, invite the teacher to chant the super sutras, is it super popular? How super floating. Normally, we refuse to practice, we are unprepared, until then, bad karma is pulled away, no one can save it. So every day we have to cultivate. In these mid-life changes, you must invest in yourself. That means having to practice diligently, having morality, that is to prepare yourself.

The phenomenon of death makes people afraid, people suffer. Because it was an insatiable loss, unpredictable. Now, just obey the Buddha's teachings. Right here, if you want to be safe, gentle, and don't suffer, you must try hard to cultivate. For monastic disciples, when they are already in the practice, only one thing is to practice how to become enlightened. It is a way of filial piety. The spirit of filial piety in the Dharma is to practice by oneself with results, then guide parents to guide the Three Jewels, as well as practice like themselves. Therefore, only a son who has practiced faithfully can repay his parents' great favor. If you are not successful, there is no way you can pay the godly merit.

Like Muc Kien Lien, if he is not faithful, there is no way he can save his mother. Because for many generations his mother had caused a bad karma, being beaten in the hungry devils. This species has a big belly like a fighting drum, but its neck is as small as a needle, so it is always hungry and hungry and cannot eat. So, hearing or smelling food but can't eat it, it gets angry. Due to anger, the fire burned in my throat, so it turned out that the food turned to coal fire, very painful and painful. If the false Religious monk Muc Kien Lien does not attest, how can he save his mother in such a hungry demon class.

So are we today. Buddhists must first understand the religion, and then depending on their circumstances and conditions, apply the religion. For example, Buddha taught life to be impermanent, everything will change. The dhammas are not real. Now that I am a Buddhist, should I see if this Buddha's teaching is correct? What is impermanence? It's a big change, not forgiving anyone. Just as a human being is born grows up, then grows old, gets sick, and eventually dies. This is the sequence of this body. Born. Grow up. Old. Illness. Died.

There are mothers who love their children so much that they want their children to grow up quickly, that is like wanting their children to die quickly. Is it? Every day, find delicious and nutritious food for your child to grow up quickly. Big quick for what? When you grow up, you will get old quickly, you will die quickly. You see that every year you sit on a chair of elementary school, you go to high school once. Not long time, sometimes people who are studying suddenly get married, some people drop out of school because of some circumstances, or someone who is studying falls dead ... all kinds of things. When I grow up, finish school or not, I will take care of family matters and children. Struggling to old age, to death. Very fast!

Like myself here, at the age of thirty some years old, this year is sixty years old! That's new. Every day I put my stick on the immense thorny grass, I don't think I've been here until now. Time passed so quickly. Sitting there waiting for a long time, but going for a while is very fast. Tet that new, it is the full moon in July already, they fall to December, then Tet again. Just like that, time does not stop ever.

Like in the morning you were going to go to the temple at six o'clock, now it is nine o'clock, ten o'clock. Who is here looking for me, grabbing it for me at six in the morning, and see where it is? How to hold back? The ticking clock passed, past ... Seven o'clock, eight o'clock, nine o'clock, ten o'clock. Not that it stopped, then eleven, twelve to six seven in the morning, but not today, but tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. Water that was far from its source never came back. You will see it like that.

Great change, nothing peaceful, nothing happy, and we don't worry about ourselves. Take care of yourself in the way that as I said, it takes a little practice, a capital of merit. Because in the end the path I go is alone. Does anyone come to death, calling his friend to die like that? Not available. He's afraid to see the grave! Seeing that, he's dead, he's afraid of ghosts ... You see life is like that. I say that doesn't mean to bring up the tragedies of life, but that's the truth. So Buddhists must know to prepare themselves by cultivating.

When we die, we just go alone, no one can replace it. Like a toothache, headache or pain anywhere in the body is only we feel that pain. Do not love you relatives, no matter how much they love you will not be able to replace at all. So in the Jizō Sutra, Buddha said: The body like father and son on the way to meet, cannot take turns suffering. Obviously so. Affordable relationship during this time, you are husband, wife, father, children, brothers, relatives ... but for how long? Not long. One day if we get sick, we don't have any medicine or happiness, everyone will go away. The way of blessing, my sinful way, I go. But no one can replace it.

Folk have many delusions that they do not know. As in the past, Buddhists came to the hometown to take refuge, the teacher led him to the Patriarch's table, told him to prostrate, and then he said:

- So today I take refuge. I will give you the legal name, now you are officially a Buddhist.

But the legal name written in Chinese can not be read, he said then stopped, went down again. That faction folds to store. When I died, I brought them out, baked two pieces of tile and sent them back to ashes and left them on my chest, someone said: There is this piece, the devil doesn't dare to ask. Because it knows itself as a disciple of Buddha, no one dares to touch it. Ladies and gentlemen, completely wrong. Karma leads us, and there are no demons to guide us. Those who create good karma are born in the good realm, and those who create evil fall down the road of evil. This passport is not readable under hell. So many monks who do not understand the morality, even teach Buddhists are wrong, is a great disaster for the Dharma. So it is important that Buddhists choose a healthy lifestyle. From there, nurturing a pure mind, insightful wisdom arises.

The spirit of the Buddhist is to put effort into spiritual practice, not expect or rely on the Buddha. We worship Buddha, we do not worship Buddha to be saved by the Buddha. Worshiping Buddha, worshiping Buddha means thinking of gratitude to Buddha. Every time we see a Buddha statue, we remember his example, his teachings and efforts to practice. Not to worship Buddha to rely on "I have worshiped the Buddha, no one can destroy me or do anything." See the Buddha as a talisman or a god, whatever general I invite to rest in the house. Thinking like that is wrong, is guilty of Buddha. Because He never taught me like that!

Buddhists, for the Dharma, for the practice life must be aware of themselves that all good merits are self-made and self-built. No one can cultivate to help you. The Buddha or his teacher just guides and reminds us, each person must be responsible for his or her own deeds. For example, being near your home, someone else's life is not serious, they commit some crimes. I know well, lovingly remind them: “You or you act like that, will lead to bad consequences. Do not go that way anymore, it will suffer from suffering ". We can only mention that, it can't be helped. That is the spiritual support in Buddhist life.

In everyday life, we try to avoid creating a gap between ourselves and people. How do people around us have sympathy, support, and remind each other to improve. Don't do anything offensive, offensive actions or language. It is the virtuous streak of Buddhists imbued with the Dharma. That way, you can feel everyone in your family, bring joy, trust back to your parents, know the direction of the Three Jewels.

And as I said, filial piety in Buddhism is that we know how to practice and we must guide our parents to practice together, towards the Three Jewels, to keep the five precepts so that this life is happy, the next life is even happier. . That is why we meet in the Buddhist assembly, continue to practice until the day of perfection. Remember, no success will be of any value that cannot be traded with sweat or tears. No Buddha naturally becomes a Buddha. How is the result like that. The cause and effect of the past are clear like that.

Today you sow good causes for the Dharma, which is the virtue of filial piety, you will surely reap good results tomorrow, and your children and grandchildren will also show their filial piety. We vow to bring this filial piety to our parents for many generations and as gifts to future generations and children, who also know how to set the example of filial filial filial filial filial filial filial respect as taught.END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.25/8/2020.