PH-6: Know and don't know. 6.

Know and don't know.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.

When he first became enlightened, the Buddha said: " Strangely all sentient beings have the wisdom of the Tathagata, which is obscured by ignorance so they cannot be discovered ". And the Buddha's vow is to show sentient beings to enlightenment of their own Buddha view, that is, the Buddha wants to show us that there is a view of us equal to Buddha. That is why it is the responsibility of the student and practitioner of Zen to realize how to live with his or her knowledge of Buddha.

Socrate, a " enlightened " Western philosopher was inscribed on the gate of the Delphes Temple: Know yourself, similar to the Reflection Reflection of the Patriarchs or the Autistic Reflector on the destiny of the Senior Lieutenant Tue. Why should we turn to ourselves? Because we can know many things but never know who we are. Today we try to address this problem: Knowing and not knowing.

One philosopher said: The most painful thing in this world is that people don't know two things:

1- People don't know that they don't know anything.

2- People don't know they are nothing.

At first hearing this, we might think it was ridiculous, but if we think about it, it is startling. We know a lot, but those are the things we don't need to know. And the most important thing to know, I don't know at all. For example, as I can tell, where in the world war happened; where there are natural disasters or floods; Or who is a famous model in the world… But “ Who am I? "Is very vague. There is a poet who wrote like this: I have traveled many places and so many I see I thought I knew everything, but I only know that I do not know a thing. there!

Go everywhere to finally realize that you don't know a thing. The ugly truth! Thus, we should not feel guilty that we do not know this, that ... We live in life, everyone knows a little according to their karma, enough to contribute to life to make it better. For example, a doctor may not know about poetry, about music; The writers and poets may not know how to close the tables or chairs ... But those are just the known and not knowing temporarily. And what we need to know most is why we are born, where will we go when we die? And what do I live in this world for? ...

In the last paragraph of the above poem, there are sentences like this:

I
struggled all year round the slave The school life for me was not easy
But the teacher's life was so strict,
Now the hair turns gray, alas! I'm still a little kid.

People call life a school, a place for us to learn. But unfortunately! We don't know how to study, so we've been messing around all our life and still can't learn anything. Learning in life means that when confronted with circumstances or people around us, we can draw lessons and truths to avoid mistakes, stumble, or make our own life. more rich. The practitioner also sees life as a school to train his or her mind.

As Buddhists, we can use Buddha's eyes to show us how to observe this life, to see that life is not very interesting, because it is governed by four mountains: birth, old age, sickness. , died. Then add love that must leave, hate, meet, pray but cannot ... The Buddha shows us the things we are passionate about and are chasing such as talent, fame, fortune ... just bubbles, illusions. In the end, when the eyes were closed, only two empty hands and a pity were left. Another philosopher said: “ People go on with their eyes closed and walking in this world. Only once awakely opened his eyes, but alas, when they opened it, they were squeezed right away. That is when we are about to die."We usually only wake up in the last minute of our life, when we can't move anymore. However, Buddha also taught that this world is not a place of suffering.

If we know the cause of suffering, we can get rid of it. Suffering is not arranged by fate or destiny, nor is it caused by heaven or earth or by parents, but by ourselves. Because ignorance is obscured, we do not know the truth of things, we live wrongly by wrong view, create countless karma and then drag ourselves into suffering by this karma. Therefore, we need to work every second, every minute, to transform false views, to make our lives now and also worthwhile.

The things we often wish, learn, think, distinguish ... sometimes are all unnecessary things. Buddha calls these delusions that we must boldly let go of. The sentence " Strange! "Of Buddha can make us reassuring because we believe that we have a pure, peaceful mind. To live with this mind, all troubles will disappear, all suffering will be removed, all anxiety and insecurity is a child's play. And living with this mind, there is no need to know many things outside, no need to look anywhere, no need to read any books and no need to learn from anyone ... just look. in my current mind only. After listening to the Five Patriarchs teaching Kim Cang Sutra to the sentence: " Ung in no place, born of mind " also uttered a series of unexpected questions:

I doubt the pure self-nature of the past,
I doubt that the self-nature is not born without ceasing.
I doubt the self-nature is self-sufficient
.

We want to know many things in the world without knowing that mind is the owner of all knowledge, mind is knowing. Without mind, what do we perceive all things with? Yet we often roam around the outside, distinguish between good and bad, then hate, take away ... and create all kinds of good and evil. The Patriarchs said that it is forgetting to follow things Now, we must realize and firmly believe that our old mind is already pure, it only becomes " cloudy " when we are influenced by the external scene. We must know how to keep our mind in its pure self so no defilements cannot arise. In addition, we need to know that our mind does not arise and ceases, only when we accept things arising and passing as the body and mind, we will follow the arising and passing away. We know so well, we do not have to be afraid when the false body and mind temporarily expires and disintegrates.

In the old days, a layman came to ask a Buddhist monk:

- When I die, where is my mind?

The Venerable Master replied:

- Living unknown but worrying about dying?

Layman said:

- I already know how to live, so I just want to know how to die!

The Venerable Master asked:

- So where are you from? And where does life come from?

The layperson remained silent, not knowing the way to answer. The Venerable Master hit him on the shoulder a few times and said:

- Where are you running here? The layperson immediately awoke.

Our mind has no form, it exists, but we don't know it. A story often heard in the Zen house:

One day Mr. Ba Trượng followed Ma To to the field to play and saw a flock of wild ducks flying by. Ma To asked:

- What is this?

Ba Truong replied:

- The wild ducks.

Ma To asked:

- Where is it going?

Ba Truong:

- It passed.

Ma To then grabbed the tip of Mr. Ba Trượng's nose and twisted it strongly. Mr. Ba Truong was in pain so he shouted. The Patent Code said:

- Why don't you say it flew over?

Ba Trượng immediately understood.

We are always following the scene, dominated by the scene ... but never remember our own view, awareness. The Buddha often reminds us that: Seeing nature, hearing nature does not change according to the body. Our body changes from small, big, to old ... but the nature of seeing doesn't. There are those who sit in Zen, suddenly find that the body and mind are calm or lose the whole body, which is frightened. But where did this fear come from? The knowing never lost! This body does not move our nature. Nature transcends space and time.

It is also important that our mind can produce all kinds of dhammas. That is, my circumstances are created by mind. Which means how our mind will manipulate the circumstances that suit it. Suffering is only due to the mind. The mind arises the things that arise, the mind ceases the things that cease. Grasping this, we have to prepare our mind so that it is good, then our scene will follow well, " Pure mind of Buddha". We can convert suffering into joy, turn afflictions into Nirvana. For example, a person comes to disparage me of everything. Normally, whenever the self is touched, the reason will be blurred, and the consciousness will "head out". I will be angry, will hate, will be angry etc. I don't pay any more attention, just do it so mad. And so, it may cause scenes like: bullies, fighting, even killing each other ... But if we remember that the old mind is pure, which does not arise, which does not change, but has the power to create. Everything, when we hear people say badly about us, we just laugh and everything will be cool. Let's put aside the ambiguity, right, left, and bad things, then we can realize and live with our mind.

A certain king had three beautiful wives. He lived very happily with all three. One day, suddenly he wanted to know who of these three wives was the most beautiful. He asked the gods, no one dared to speak. The king invited a master to come see which one was the most beautiful. When he brought the first wife in, the general said nothing; to the second person, he rolled his eyes but didn't speak; and to the third person he was quiet, but he did not answer the king who was prettier than anyone. In the end, he told the king that the three ladies were equally beautiful. The king thought that the general wanted to hide himself, so he found a way to force the general to speak. Someone told the king a plan, allowed to write three letters in the name of three wives, invited the general teacher to come. If he goes to any woman first, that makes her more beautiful. After receiving the three letters, the general went to his father's place first. The king, after learning the results, cut off the master's head. And then, the king tried his best to love and hold her father. The other two wives felt that they were jealous, so they planned to kill her father together. The king learned that the culprit who poisoned his beloved wife was the other two wives, so he killed them. In the end, the king becomes "Orphan"  just because he wanted to know.

In life, we love to know crap. If we know how to reduce and let go of all the knowledge that causes anger, right or wrong, then very good. This will make our pure mind clear and we can live a very pleasant life. Always remember that our minds are pure, we should not cloud it.

A magician specializing in Duy Thuc came to ask about Mr. Hue Hai:

- What mind does the Zen master use to cultivate?

The Venerable Master replied:

- I don't use any mind to cultivate. And there is also no religion to cultivate.

The magician continued:

- If we say there is no mind to use and there is no religion to practice, why do we combine them daily to lecture?

The Venerable Master replied:

- If an old monk has no land to stick to where to fit them, if he does not have a tongue, where should he advise?

The Venerable Master has denied everything, does not recognize the four elements, nor accepts the delusion, does not get stuck in language, has no human form ... Listeners do not know any way to understand, just because he lives with mind, though no shadow, but cover all over. Therefore, if we live with a pure mind, we don't need to use any mind and any path to cultivate.

In the Bat Nha Sutta there is a saying: " no eye, atrium, billion, real, body, mind " means " without eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind ". Ng Ngamang Son was a child, when he heard this recitation, he wondered with the monk. The monk could not answer and asked Ngàng Sơn to ask the Zen masters. The new Zen masters reiterated that they specialize in Mind, but that mind is not the body, so you have to let go of all these to realize your own mind.

In " Journey to the West " there is a section where the Tripitaka goes to get sutras while going through a forest, the Tripitaka tells Wukong:

- Disciple, watch out for youkai.

Wukong replied:

- I chanted the Prajñā sutras all the time, but I don't remember.

Tripitaka:

- I recite, how can I forget.

Hearing that, Sun Wukong replied:

- I read but I forgot, in the Bat Nha Sutta there is a sentence " no eye, ear, billion, real, body, mind ". Without ears, eyes, nose, tongue, body, mind, where did this ghost-afraid mind come from?

At that time, the Tripitaka was startled, out of fear for the body, but forgot that it was necessary to forget the body to meet the mind. Because this body is the four elements, created by karma. If we are too attached to this body, then when we just come out of this body, I will grab another to cling to. Therefore, there will be samsara all the time, unable to live with the immense mind, the mind that can create all of its worlds. The Buddha also said: " I never said a word from enlightenment to the day of death " to indicate that the dharmakaya does not speak, must turn off all language and thoughts to realize one's own mind. Just silently accept it, if it says it, it won't be.

Back to the above story of Zen master Hue Hai. When he heard that Zen master Hue Hai said that he did not have a tongue to speak, the monk was very angry, claiming that he was lying. Then the Zen master replied:

- I don't have a tongue to honestly say, so why should I lie.

The monk said:

- Really can't understand the Zen master's words.

Zen master Hue Hai also replied:

- I do not understand, too.

The Zen master pointed it very carefully. Saying not understanding, not knowing is showing clearly. Because mind is knowing, is understanding. It is not an object of understanding. All of our thoughts and actions come from the mind.

The Dhammapada once said:

Italy leads the
Italian methods of mastery and intention.
If with the mind of defilement
Speaking or acting
Suffering will follow
Like a car following a tow.

And:

Those with pure intentions
Speak up or act
Blissfully follow behind
Like a shadow without leaving the picture.

The mastery mind that we know has become the "object", not the master anymore. Those who want to live with the religion, if they want to return to a pure mind, they must let go of all, the mind manifests itself. And when you have received the mind, you can still speak. And when you have not received it, it will be wrong whether you hold it or say anything. The difficulty is that. In the Zen house, there are some very nice answers. For example, someone came to ask Mr. Zhao Chau:

- Unable to lead, simple and simple. Having said that, distinguishing is simple, what is that?

Mr. Zhao Chau replied:

- Someone has asked this question for five years and the elder is still confused.

Hearing this answer, someone will certainly doubt Mr. Zhao Chau. But in fact, Mr. Zhao Chau gave a very clear answer. The "confusing" place means that the language cannot be spoken. If it is said, it will not go there.

Or as the Bodhidharma's Patriarch when he went to China to meet Luong Vo De, too. Luong Vo De asked:

- Tramp the temple, increase the level, do many good deeds. Is there any merit?

The team replied that:

- There is no merit at all!

Although King Luong Vo De, who is knowledgeable about Buddhism, once stood out to teach sutras to the courtiers. When the king preached there was a rain of flowers falling. But before the answer of the Patriarch, the king also proved confused because he did not know what Zen family meant. Here, we need to differentiate merit completely different from merit. Blessings are compounded blessings, good deeds are blessed, but they will be used up. So, still in samsara, there is no merit, that is, what makes us return to our own true Buddha nature. The Bodhisattvas practice, creating infinite merits to see where beings need it to appear without being bound by karma, that is, if you want to come, come, you want to go. While all beings come here are dragged away by karma. If the karma is wholesome, it will produce peaceful and peaceful results. And evil karma will produce evil results, evil results. But if we know how to cultivate, master our own mind, then karma will turn into a aspiration. However, there are also cases when, as a result, governed, our aspiration turns into karma.

Nam Tuyen one day visited the monk at Ba Truong mountain. Mr. Ba Trượng just asked:

- Did the saints before have any dharma that cannot speak to people?

Mr. Nam Tuyen answered:

- Yes.

Mr. Ba Trượng continued to ask:

- What is the dharma that cannot be said?

Mr. Nam Tuyen answered:

- Not mind, not Buddha, not matter.

Ma Toi has a very good saying when directing people: That is mind is Buddha. That means our pure mind is Buddha. That mind is in each of us. Therefore, we do not need to pray, find any Buddha outside. We do prostrations and praise to the Buddhas outside because they show us the Buddha in our mind. Someone asked:

- Why shouldn't we worship Buddha?

One Zen master replied:

- Do not bow to the Buddhas outside because those Buddhas are like a piece of beautiful white clouds covering the cave door, making the birds forget their way back to their nest.

In the Diamond Sutra also write:

Disadvantage of the opinion of the fall
Di, the sound of the ego
Thi Nhan's evil practice.
Inability to know Tathagata.

To see the Tathagata, we have to look inside ourselves, but look out even if we look at the Buddha, we cannot see. The outward appearances are all illusions, the essence is to see your own mind. Even though it is Buddha, his body is still the body of birth and death. Therefore, when sitting in Meditation, any image that comes is not accepted. If we cultivate well, always remember our own mind, " Ma lai ma ma ma ma ma ma re buddhisma " means ghosts come dead ghosts, Buddhas come dead Buddha, we will not be moved. In addition, if we can live with the mind, we will find ourselves very rich. On the contrary, if anyone does not believe, they will find themselves in need and need all kinds of things. So returning to the mind is the only and correct way of liberation, no one can help us but ourselves.

All sages whether East or West also said: " Knowing others is temporarily called wisdom. But knowing oneself is the wise man ”. Because we know ourselves, we can conquer our bad in order to create happiness. In the Dhammapada, the Buddha also taught: “ Victory over a thousand troops is not equal to victory over yourself. Victory is the most glorious victory ”. Therefore, in life, when encountering obstacles, we need to let go of immediately to return. Just let go of like that, from time to time we become a person who has the bravery, calm before all events, and the mind is always peaceful.

Under the Buddha's time, a benefactor often came to offer food to the monks. One day, she was sending a maid to distribute food offerings. The woman accidentally dropped her honey jar. She was afraid to turn pale. Seeing the pity, Mr. Xa-Loi-Phất advised her owner not to scold her. That female benefactor said:

- Da White Ton fake, this is not worth anything. I don't mind about it. Bigger things that I have yet to shake. Because while I was about to stay here, news at home, the bandits took all the property and killed my husband and children.

This female benefactor has successfully contemplated impermanence, the world of nature is impermanent. The power of awareness can make us a strong person. Therefore, Buddhism does not " invite " us to cultivate to reach Nirvana, but train us to have the courage to accept all disasters with a calm mind. There is a poem like this:

Afflictions of family friends
Disaster of the land of Dong
Thi concurrently successful and defeated
Necessarily successful in failure.

Afflictions, every house will have, every country has calamity, and if we think about it, all successes and failures in life are ultimately zero. When we have such a reflection on life, we can easily accept everything that comes to us with a peaceful mind.

In the past, there was the Bang Uan family in China - a very famous family with a couple and two children who both attained enlightenment. His family was very rich, but he took all the gold and gold poured into the river, accepting a poor life. The daughter had to weave flutes to support her father, while the son had to hoe the ground to support his mother. The whole family always got together to talk about innocence, so they lived very well and died very well. Linh Chieu, the daughter won the seat of the father to die. Seven days later, Bang Uan leaned his head on Yu Du's knee and died. The wife heard the news, ran to report to her son who was working in the field. He immediately stood up to death. She finished buried in the mountain to die.

The family is rich and put their possessions into the river, and then lives a frugal life. People must think they are crazy or stupid. But since they have found their treasure, they are willing to make a trade. Meanwhile, the people around, the rich are busy worrying about getting richer, the poor keep complaining to heaven and earth. If we know the religion, then we can cultivate if we are rich or poor. We all need to make an effort to live back to our own selves, first for ourselves to be happy, then to let those around us influence it. From there to be a multiplication, more happiness in this world.

Back to the story of King Luong Vo De. The king asked the next question to Bodhidharma:

- What is the first holy god?

The team replied that:

- Guo holy.

Meaning: " Nothing is holy ".

This answer has surprised many people. Because sentient beings are human beings, everyone who cultivates wants to be transformed into a holy, a Buddha. But if we can see from the other side that all sentient beings have a pure mind ready, we don't need to differentiate between what is holy and what is. In fact, Saint is just a temporary noun only. The Prajñā sutras also say "no sign of immeasurable cessation" means that there is no place of attainment, so the Bodhisattva mind does not obstruct, because he does not obstruct, so he is not afraid, because he is not afraid, so he is far away from all confusion. thought and reached the end of Nirvana. Then three generations of Buddhas also followed this dharma that is witnessing the superiority of righteousness, right awareness.

In short, we live in earth, we need to realize our Buddha mind, then even within bondage we have liberation. And from this liberation, we can have liberating relatives and can guarantee that our next life will continue liberation. We must try to practice awareness so that we can neutralize ourselves, our relatives, neighbors, and friends, so that our next life will meet again in happiness, not being dragged by karma. And finally, please borrow the ending sentence from the story of King Luong Vo De to end today's talk. The king asked to Bodhi: 6.END=NAM MO AMITABHA MONASTERY=GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.12/10/2020.