The meaning of welcoming Maitreya Spring. 1- Maitreya Spring Lunar New Year according to the cultural traditions of Vietnam, China or other Asian countries in general is the first day of the first lunar month, coinciding with the birth day of Maitreya. Spring is associated with the virtues of compassion and wisdom of a Bodhisattva named Maitreya - the future Buddha appearing in this world. Maitreya means Tu Thi, which means great compassion, bringing happiness to sentient beings. He has spent many lives manifesting countless forms in human life to preach liberation. Maitreya's wish is to turn a world of suffering and crime into a peaceful life; transform a chaotic world into a world of harmony; transform the impure world into the Pure Land. Maitreya's ideal is to save suffering and bring joy, always guiding humanity to a beautiful future, building a truly happy life. For that reason, spring is called Maitreya Spring, which is the common wish of everyone. 2- Maitreya Buddha statue model The Maitreya Buddha statue model that is popular everywhere is the portrait of the Great Venerable Father, whose name is Khe Thu - one of the incarnations of Maitreya Bodhisattva appearing at Nhac Lam Pagoda, district Fenghua, Zhejiang province - China. His face always has a tolerant smile, long ears, big belly and chest, holding a meditation staff and cloth bag. Maitreya Buddha in everyone's memory is the joyful Buddha, this image exudes happiness and luck, very worthy of a spring symbol. The smile on Maitreya Buddha's face shows immeasurable kindness, regardless of age or gender, everyone who sees this face wants to smile. The appearance of long ears shows kindness to everyone, ears that are good at listening, happy with every sound, everyone who praises them, smiles, everyone who criticizes and scolds them, they also laugh, being at ease with all attitudes of people. The appearance of a big belly shows that Maitreya Buddha has great compassion, tolerant of everything in the world. For the wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor, the rich and the poor, He has an egalitarian mind without attachment. The chest is open, showing the strength of courage, sincerity, and incomparable equality. The cloth bag represents the containment of countless wonderful dharmas, giving away what is available to sentient beings. History records that: Whenever he got something for alms, he often redistributed it to others. Therefore, every time children see Him, they gather around to receive food and play happily. That image was later portrayed through a statue of Him sitting and smiling freely with six children climbing on top of him and playing innocently. 3- The Venerable's Father Based on "Minh Chau Phung Hoa Street, Khe Thu District", the story records that: The Venerable's appearance often carried a cloth bag around the world, people used to call him the Great Venerable's Father. He called himself Khe Thu, from Minh Chau, Phung Hoa district, China. This strange monk, his mouth often smiles, his belly is very big, he speaks animatedly, and wherever he goes, he uses land to build a house to sleep and rest. He walked here and there aimlessly, depending on the place to be at peace, sometimes burying himself in the snow and sleeping. Snow does not cling to the body, living a very carefree life. At that time, a layperson named Tran asked him: What is the Dharma name of the Venerable? He immediately replied: "The self is one and the same, the void has no obstacles. Having opened the ten directions, enter the time of contemplation and freedom." Meaning: "I only have a cloth bag, like empty space. Open and cover all ten directions, enter and feel free." This magical cloth bag is called "Hundred treasures of the universe." – a bag containing all the treasures in heaven and earth. He often carried this cloth bag, putting all his personal possessions and food items in it, so he was called the Great Venerable Father. Layman Tran asked again: Does the Venerable have any luggage? He spoke verses and replied: "The entire Sanskrit family of the eight heavens, alone and alone, travel thousands of miles." Thanh mu dou nhan thieu, lingered on white cloud head." Roughly translated: “A bowl of rice is shared with thousands of families, and friends are friends many miles away. Blue eyes look so human, white clouds ask for directions.” The Venerable Father's behavior is extremely generous, his life is free of attachments, he is in harmony with nature, heaven and earth, he is in harmony with everyone with compassion without attachment. The Great Venerable Father, depending on the time, when he meets someone who has an affinity with the Buddha Dharma, he will explain the principles of Zen. "Photo of Duc Truyen Dang Luc" - volume 27 says: Once the Venerable walked behind a monk, patted his shoulder and said: "Give me a silver coin". The Zen monk said: "Tell me the truth, I will give you money." He immediately put down the cloth bag, rubbed his hands and stood. Another day, a Venerable named Bach Luc asked: "What is Bo Dai?" He immediately let go of the cloth bag. Again asked the Great Venerable Father: "What does it mean for you to do that?". He immediately picked up the cloth bag and left. The act of letting go and carrying a cloth bag is the introduction to meditation of a wise person who has realized the truth. Letting go and grasping are both free, not attached to the signs of both sides: Existence and Emptiness, Birth and Death and Nirvana, etc. The practitioner Achieve such a mind, integrate the truth of the middle path, and freely enter the world to save lives. There was once a time when the Great Venerable Bo told a Zen monk a verse explaining the essence of the Buddha Dharma to directly perceive the true mind, saying: "Only the Tam Tam Tam shows the Buddhas of the Ten Directions, the dark world mascots, the Tung Chi, can be used." All beings are not necessarily the same as the true mind..." Roughly translated: "Mind, Mind, Mind is Buddha. Magical magic throughout the ten directions. Capable of all things, Everything is beyond the true mind..." In the third year of Luong Trinh Minh (917), the Venerable Khe Thu passed away at Nhac Lam Pagoda, he sat on a rock and passed away peacefully. When he was about to pass away, he recited a verse: "Maitreya's true name is Maitreya, his clones are hundreds of billions of billions." The time is the time, the time is the cause, the time the cause is unconscious.” Roughly translated: "I am Maitreya, manifesting thousands of bodies. Often we teach people, but people don't know." After he finished speaking, people learned that this wandering Venerable was the reincarnation of Maitreya Bodhisattva. Later, in other places, people still saw monks with the appearance of the Great Venerable Bo, carrying a cloth bag on his shoulder, leisurely walking on the road. At Nhac Lam Pagoda, the relics of Bo Dai Venerable's body named Khe Thu are still preserved. 4- Maitreya belief Maitreya Buddha is a Bodhisattva revered by many peoples, Maitreya belief is popular not only in China and India but all other countries. Maitreya is the future Buddha, originating from India, from the mystical scriptures about the appearance of a future Buddha savior. In fact, in terms of the actual history of Buddhism, China's first belief was not Avalokiteshvara or Amitabha but the belief in Maitreya Buddha. At the beginning of the Han Dynasty in China, scriptures related to Maitreya Buddha were translated a lot. The idea of ​​praying for birth in Maitreya Pure Land appeared during this period. The belief in Maitreya is received with great reverence by the Chinese, this is clearly recorded in the inscription: "Mai Mait Hoi Kien Ky" in Xinjiang China. Based on «Tu Tri Thong Giam» - in the historical text, it is recorded that: In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, this belief was very popular, Master Xuanzang was the first figure to worship Maitreya belief, this It was also the motivation that prompted Huyen Tsang to study abroad in India and study the content of the work "Yoga Master Dialect" thoroughly. Bach Ju Yi (772-846), a poet of the Tang Dynasty, organized a study conference, called "Nhat Thoi Thuong Thang Association", the purpose of which was to pray for rebirth in the realm of Maitreya. Bach Cu Di wrote in his letter of determination: "Looking forward to Tu Thi's appearance, calling Tu Thi's name, wishing to come to the next world and be reborn at the right time." Meaning: "Admiring the statue of Maitreya, reciting Maitreya's name, praying that I will end my life and be born in Maitreya Pure Land." According to Dharma Master Huyen Trang, Maitreya means Tu Thi; But Maitreya is translated according to sound, Tu Thi is translated according to the meaning of a word Maitreya (Sanskrit). Before the Tang Dynasty, Maitreya belief was very popular, but from the middle of the Tang Dynasty onwards, it gradually faded away. Because that belief gives Chinese people a desire to look forward to the future with a sense of freedom and happiness, protesting the brutality of the current regime. Therefore, the Chinese ruling class at that time did not accept that ideological influence. Emperor Huyen Tong ordered a ban on spreading Maitreya beliefs. To this day, the Maitreya belief is popular in all countries because this Buddha symbolizes the idea of ​​peace. He made a great vow to become Buddha in this world in the future to bring liberation to humanity. 5- Welcoming Maitreya Spring From the awareness of Maitreya's behavior and morality, Buddhists welcome spring, go to temples to worship Buddha, perform good deeds, vow to practice, and eliminate afflictions and disasters. personal and family tribulations and pray for national peace and prosperity. This is a healthy concept that is consistent with the path to building human happiness. In an era where science prevails, people's materialistic tendencies are strong, and moral values ​​are crushed by the polluted conscience of sentient beings. From then on, conflicts and injustices arise between people, groups and groups, religions and religions, and country and country, leading to steadfast struggle. People who study Buddhism must realize that Buddhism always uses compassion and wisdom to neutralize sadness and hatred in the human world. Welcoming the Spring of Maitreya, people who study Buddhism do not have to go to the pagoda just to pray for blessings in their personal lives, such as money and fame, but must develop a broad mind to learn according to the vows of Maitreya Buddha. It is a heart that is attached to others, cultivates compassion and patience, strives to practice spirituality, spreads teachings to humanity, and helps reduce suffering in life. Everyone must always develop a mind to make good connections with the Three Jewels and cultivate the aspiration to Pray for Enlightenment. Welcoming the Maitreya spring like that can receive the source of Dharma happiness in Buddha's teachings.END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ). GOLDEN ZEN BUDDHIST MONASTERY= VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=VENERABLE THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.11/2/2024.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY = VENERABLE THICH CHAN TANH.