Origin of the Sutra The Great Nirvana Sutta is a sutta to the end of Buddha Shakyamuni's life, from six months ago until his passing away, that is, the passing of Nirvana. First, let us learn about the meaning of the sutta: "The Great Bat Nirvana" (Maha-Parinibbana) . Maha in Pali means great (Chinese is Dai), pari is complete, nibbana is Nirvana. Parinibbana (translated into Chinese as Bat Nirvana) is the complete passing away (extinction complète), the complete and permanent cessation of the cycle of birth and death. It is the word used to indicate the departure, leaving the realm of the Buddhas of the Samyaksambuddha (samma sambuddha), the Buddha of Enlightenment (pacceka-buddha) and Arhat (arahant) (note 1), different from the death of ordinary people (marana) . In addition, the concept of "complete annihilation" ( parinibbuta ) is also used to designate the spiritual states of the Buddhas, Pratyekabuddhas and Arhats, when they were alive. Therefore, we see in the suttas two words: 1) sopadisesa parinibbana , complete annihilation, rooting of gonorrhea or, pollution, fetters, but still the physical aspects of life ( Han: useful medicine and nirvana) . 2) anupadisesa parinibbana , which is the complete passing away, even of the physical substances of life (Han: the immeasurable medicine of Nirvana). That is when the Buddhas, Pratyekabuddhas and Arahants leave the body and the world. Sopadisesa parinibbana is also known as kilesa parinibbana , complete abolition of defilements, fetters, and anupadisesa parinibbana as khandha parinibbana , the complete removal of aggregates. Thus, it is not only Shakyamuni Buddha that enters Nirvana, but the Great Nirvana Sutta (the word for designation of reverence) is a sutta to Shakyamuni's entry. To avoid any confusion, we have to say that there are two texts named Mahaparinirvana : - a post belonging to the Buddhist Theravada (note 2) ( Theravada ), originally written in Pali , and - an article of Mahayana Buddhism (Northern Buddhism), original text written in Sanskrit (sanskrit) , translated into Chinese and Tibetan . It must be said that it is one of the rare Sanskrit texts that still exist, most of which have been lost and are only left in translations into Chinese and Tibetan. The Original Sutta of the Great Nirvana , written in Pali (Maha-Parinibbana-sutta) , is the longest in the Tipitaka , belonging to The Ministry of Business (Digha-nikaya) . It is thought that the original scripture was formed decades after the passing of the Buddha, in Prakrit , a language very close to Pali , and then changed over a period of one or two centuries depending on the The catechism and organizational needs of the Sangha body. The sutta was passed down from generation to generation, and was only recorded around the 3rd century BC. The entire Pali Canon was recorded around the 1st century BC, but continues to be oral for many years. Restrictions on objective information in the Sutta Pitaka, on the principle of the Sutta are the teachings of the Buddha. In fact, everyone knows that these are just the records of Buddha's teaching. Therefore, like most suttas, the Great Nirvana Sutta begins with: "I sound like this" (Pali: evam me suttam , Han: Like a self-prose ), which means the beginning of the author - or rather writers - before recording what they have been heard, over and over. It is one of the memorable characteristics of the Pali canon. Before being fixed and reprinted as a scripture, as early as the 1st century BC, the prayer was passed down by word of mouth, recited, aggregated from generation to generation, and thus cannot be avoided. from being less or less, accidentally or intentionally changing. Moreover, many sentences are intentionally repeated many times, for educational purposes, to be memorized and learned to master by monks and nuns. The Mahayana Mahayana Sutta is translated from Pali into Sanskrit , then from Sanskrit into Chinese , so it is even more likely to be changed, with time and space. Therefore, as mentioned, we may think of the Pali Canon closer to historical, social events and to the original teachings of Buddhism. However, for the reasons mentioned above, we must be very careful about the historical and social information contained in the sutras, just as the Buddhist scientist André Bareau has humbly acknowledged: "All is only are hypotheses, the more suspicious it is to consider the more daring they become "and" Writing about Buddha's life is a hopeless building "... the Great Sutta of Pali, consisting of 6, meticulously retelling Shakyamuni Buddha's last trip with some of his disciples, in six months, from Rajagaha city, capital of Maghada, to Kusinara, a town small Mallan people, about 450 km apart (see map). He traveled through places like Nalanda, later becoming a famous Buddhist center, Patali-gama (becoming Pataliputta, the later capital of Maghada), and Vesali (capital of Vajji) (footnote 3) . At that time, he was old and frail, seriously ill, but did not stop preaching until he passed away, ie entering Nirvana, leaving his body cremated in a solemn way. We will turn to learn about three aspects: history - society, psychology - emotions, and teachings - the last teachings of the Buddha. About the sickness and the passing away of Buddha At that time, the Buddha was very old and weak, as his words said to Ananda: "Hey Ananda , I am now old, tired of the burden of time. I have reached the last days of my life, eight 50 years old. Just like an old car that can only run thanks to full support, the Tathagata's body can only walk thanks to medical treatment. " In Samyutta-nikaya (Samyutta-nikaya) , there is also a paragraph of Buddha talking about his health: "Indeed Ananda , old age replaced youth, sickness repelled health, death stopped life. Our skin is no longer as fresh and clear as before; our limbs are weak and our skin is wrinkled; our bodies are leaning forward; the change is visible in our senses too ... " At the end of the second volume, the Buddha's illness is described as follows: "While the Blessed One began to settle in the rainy season (note 4) in the village of Beluva, near Vesali, a serious illness arose, causing him to enter But he kept his mindfulness, awareness, and suffering painfully, and then he thought, "It is not right if we enter the Eightfold Path without notice. near death and talk to the Sangha; we must try to suppress the sickness, stay in the world by restoring vitality '. At level 4, his illness recurred, when he and his monks went to Pava, in the mango forest of ironman Cunda . He was invited by Cunda to eat, and the special dish he used alone was the dish sukkaramaddava (a wood ear fungus growing on sandalwood). "After that, the Blessed One was seriously ill and had hemorrhage, almost painfully dying. He was still mindful, aware, and tolerated the disease calmly." On the way to Kusinara, the Blessed One felt tired and wanted to rest. Sitting under a tree, he felt thirsty and wanted to drink water. After finishing drinking water, he taught the dharma to Pukkusa , a Mallan prince, and he, after taking refuge in the Three Jewels, offered him a pair of metallic colors. Dressed on his body, his skin color became transparent and bright. After that, the Blessed One went down to bath on the Kakuttha River, then he felt tired and lay down, leaning on his right hand, in a lion position. Finally, (item 5), he went to the sala forest of the Mallan family, near the town of Kusinara, lay down between two large sala trees in a lion position, and passed away at the end of the night (item 6). Although the sutta does not contain much detail about the Buddha's illness, we can also surmise that he suffered from a serious chronic digestive illness, since only digestive illness caused severe pain and hemorrhage, in the acute phase. While it is not possible to dismiss the colon cancer hypothesis, it is more likely to be a gentle disease, such as gastro-duodenal ulcer, or colite hémorragique. This disease may be triggered by the fungus he ate, because there have been scientific studies showing that the wood ear fungus (or "cat ear") has antiplatelet and blood thinning effects, Thus can cause bleeding in a digestive lesion. The reason for death may be hemorrhage, which causes fatigue, thirst and makes the skin pale due to anemia. Final, Of course, all of the above is just a reckless conjecture of a physician holding a sketchy and vague medical record, handed down from 2,500 years ago ... About Buddha's funeral Yes One thing that we see very clearly in the sutras is that the Buddha was greatly respected by the people while he was still alive. Typically: - When King Ajatasattu, of Maghada, at that time very powerful after conquering Kosala, with the intention of raising the soldiers to conquer the people of Vajjin, immediately sent a high-ranking mandarin to consult the Buddha (item 1). After hearing the Buddha analyze 7 reasons why the Vajjin people continued to be prosperous, immoral and invincible, the king gave up his intention to invade Vajji. This fact demonstrates the vast influence of Buddha on the field of politics, society, and the admiration and trust of the rulers at that time on him. - Wherever the Buddha is, he is welcomed with respect (note 5), such as the Sunidha and Vassakara deities of Maghada, the Licchavin princes , or the rich like Ms. Ambapali , the ironman Cunda., competing to invite him to eat, with very hearty feasts. - The above two chiefs also said, "Today, if Mr. Gotama can go to the city by any gate, we will call that gate Gotama 's door , if you cross the river by any wharf, we will call that wharf a wharf." Gotama "(end of product 1). - After Pukkusa , a Mallan prince, a disciple of Alara Kalama , saw his calm attitude with superiority over his teacher, he immediately took refuge in the Triple Gem, and offered to the Buddha a pair of bright yellow metallic tops (item 4). Therefore, we are not surprised to see his funeral being celebrated in a solemn way. And also for that reason, the funeral organization is no longer the work of the sangha but is entrusted to the laity, to the villagers to undertake (item 6). After the Buddha passed away in the sala forest, the Mallan people in Kusinara gathered together, reverently bowing to his physical body, with dances, music, flowers, and aromas for a week. His corpse was then carried through the gates, then questioned with five hundred layers of new cloth and cotton, placed in an oil-filled tin box, and then in another tin. Finally, the crate was placed on a fire platform consisting of many fragrant wood and cremated. Thus, according to the writers of the Sutta, the Buddha's funeral was celebrated not only in a solemn way, but also in a very special way, such as a cakkavatti , or dharma king (roi universel), rule the world not with violence or law, but with virtue and compassion. Presence of the Sakka master , of Brahma Sahampati, and many other deities in his funeral are a completely different thing from Brahmanism, because for this religion the human flesh is impure and must be avoided by the gods. The meaning of this presence is that, when a person reaches the Samyaksambuddha, he surpasses both the gods and Brahma, and when he enters the Eightfold Path, then even the spirits must come. prostrate place. The second difference is that his relics and physical relics, as well as those of the Samyaksambuddha, the Pratyekabuddha, the Arahant and the Zhuan Falun, will be worshiped in the stupas (thupa). . At the same time the localities where Shakyamuni Buddha was born, enlightened, converted the Dharma, and entered the Eightfold Path (Numbini, Bodh-gaya, Sarnath, Kusinara) will become holy places, pilgrimage sites for Buddhists, marking the beginning of a folk tradition. Immediately after the cremation, the scramble for the Buddha's relics by the kings and the patriarchs in the region almost caused a major war, but thanks to the skillful intervention of Brahman Dona , so amnesty His benefits were divided into 8 equal parts, plus the rest of the ashes and the relics urn, all into 10 towers built and worshiped each. We can see that the Buddha Shakyamuni was originally a royal prince, then lived a life of monkhood, alms, and eventually died and was cremated as a Zhuan Falun. . The solemn funeral celebration, as well as the relics of the relics in the stupa, were definitely not the will of a completely liberated person like Buddha. Therefore, we may think that the words attributed to him in this regard have been solemnly added by the writers of the sutta. Besides, in another paragraph, the Buddha said, "Hey, Ananda , it is not like that is respecting, worshiping, paying homage to the Tathagata. If a bhikkhu, bhikkhuni, male or female lay person goes Following the path of the Dharma, living harmoniously in the Dharma, and practicing rightly with the Dharma, one respects, adores and prostrates to the Tathagata. That is the ultimate prostration "(p. 5). About the supernatural phenomena In the sutta we see many supernatural, miraculous phenomena occur, though not as much as in the Mahayana Mahayana Sutta. These supernatural phenomena can be divided into two categories: one is the special ability, due to the supernatural power of the Buddha, and the other are supernatural phenomena in addition to the above. In the first type, we can list what happened at Patali-gama (Pataliputta), while two Maghada princes were building a fort to stop the Vajjin people, the Buddha used Hue to see thousands of gods. gather here. Later, when he came to the banks of the Ganges River during the high water season, he passed by on the other side, as people were stretching their arms, while others were looking for boats to cross the river (item 1). And when Ananda Asked him about the posterity of some monks, bhikkhunis, laity after the general par, he asked Hue to see the descendants of each person and answer clearly (product 2). By the time his illness arose in Beluva, the Buddha used mindfulness, awareness to regain pain, and maintain his life (item 2). But then he decided that, at the encouragement of the Demon King (Mara Papima), he would no longer sustain his life, and would die three months later, although he was able to extend his life if requested by Ananda. demand (item 3). When the Buddha's illness recurred, making him thirsty and wanted to drink water, the river water had just been stirred, cloudy and suddenly became clear. Another supernatural phenomenon occurred after the Buddha put on the metallic colors he was given: his skin color became clear and bright, obscuring the whole metallic clothes (item 4). And when he came to the sala forest at Kusinara and lay down between the two salas, the tree blossomed out of season, scattered and scattered all over his body, along with the flock, and the music of nothingness appeared to offer him. (item 5). Finally, before he died, he entered the first jhana, then the second jhana, then the third jhana, then the fourth jhana, and then without boundless origin, then awakening boundless land, then possessing the land, and then non-imaginary, , then kill the thought, then go back again until the fourth meditation, before entering the Bat Nirvana (item 6) (note 6). Immediately after the Buddha entered Bat Nirvana, the ground suddenly shook in an awful manner, causing the hair to stand upside down, along with the resounding sky. The same phenomenon happened when he had decided to kill three months ago and no longer sustain his life. At the same time that he passed away, Brahma (Brahma) and Master Sakka both uttered a poem, and with the devas to pay homage to him. While celebrating the Blessed One's funeral (article 6) there were also some supernatural phenomena: that when the eight Mallan chiefs tried to lift his body, it could not be carried, because the gods did not want to. his body was transported out of the city to the south but wanted to transport his body to the north of the city gate, then into the center, and then to the east of the city gate. And when they set the fire to burn the fire, it did not burn, also for the reason that the gods wanted the great disciple Maha-Kassapa to come with the monks to worship him first. Paying homage, the rig caught fire naturally. After the World Religion had burned out, the waterfalls from above poured down and from the ground sprayed out to shut down the rig. The presence of these supernatural and miraculous phenomena in a Sutta of the Theravada system may surprise us, but it can be properly explained in the following ways: - Right away After the Buddha's passing, and especially in the following centuries, there was a remarkable transformation, which is the appearance of a folk belief based on the worship of the Buddha through monuments. of him in stupas (thupa) and holy places. A typical sign is that his funeral is celebrated not by the sangha but by the laity. - Therefore we can surmise that supernatural and miraculous phenomena have been added and embellished by the composers of the sutta, in order to increase that devotion and belief and at the same time to dealing with contemporary opponents, is Brahmanism. - We can also see these supernatural phenomena as symbolic images, that is, figuratively used. For example, when the Buddha passed by on the other side of the Ganges, while others were looking for boats to cross the river, as he put it (end 1): "Those who have bridged, crossed the stream craving floods, Avoiding the swampy soil, achieving liberation.While ordinary people are tying rafts, To cross the small river, Then the wise ones, who have gone through the flood of craving, Cross the small river easily. " And when a person like the Buddha attains the Right Samyutta, or attains the Eightfold Path of Nirvana, there is a once-in-a-lifetime memory, it is not a terrifying earthquake, causing the heavens and earth to shake, all the world in ten directions. The image of sala in full bloom, scattered and scattered all over his body, along with the flock, and the music in the sky rose up, was it just a symbol of prostration? of nature to a supernatural intelligence level has risen above all, the sky people? psychologically, emotionally The Sutta of the Great Nirvana is perhaps the most emotional and of a "human" nature, because it causes a lot of emotion to the reader, and has a heavy sense of teachers and students. There are paragraphs that make readers suddenly feel choked, tears in their eyes, even crying. Seeing his beloved teacher grow old, sick, and suffer unbearable pain, Ananda , the close disciple of the Buddha, visited him and said, "I see the Blessed One has become stronger. But when I saw that the Blessed One was sick, I felt weak as a climbing branch. To me, the direction was not clear and all was dark "(item 2). And when Ananda Seeing his teacher's health decline, he went to the monastery, leaned on the doorstep and cried, "I am still a beginner, there is still much to practice. My beloved teacher is going to enter Nirvana. Right here, no one will guide me anymore! " (item 5). The Buddha was told, immediately sent someone to call his dear attendant, and comforted him: "Well, Ananda , do not be sad, mourn. How many times, I have not told you that all everything that is precious and good must be changed, corrupted, destroyed, how can it be different, Ananda ? What is born, existing, compounded, is impermanent, so how can one ever expect that: "That will always be so, and never disappear. "? After that, the Buddha praised the merit and praised the attitudes of the attendant: "Be courageous, Ananda , you will soon be free from smuggling or yourself." As at every funeral, many people mourn after the Buddha entered Bat Nirvana (item 6). There were monks and laymen who lamented, struggled or rolled back and forth: "The Blessed One ceases too soon! Goodness dies too soon! The worldly eye (dhamma cakku) disappears too soon!" who have not uprooted the craving root (avitaraga) , then settle in mindfulness, awareness, and say to yourself, "The actions are impermanent. How to avoid that?" Another touching and remarkable thing in the suttas is the kindness and dedication of an opposing teacher. with his disciples. Although the Buddha was old and sick, he did not manage hard, difficult, traveled a long distance of 450 km, in 6 months, through 15 localities, large and small, constantly lecturing, even if he felt either tired or just out of a serious illness. At the very last moment, when his illness was serious, he still tried to answer Brahmin Subhadda's questions , and then accepted him as his last disciple, who would become Arhat. . Most especially, he took advantage of the last moments to explain to those in the monk community who were a little questioned (item 6): "Hey monks! There may be, at least one, still. doubt or wonder about Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, religion (magga) or method (patipada), so please ask questions.To later, don't regret that: 'The guru is standing in front of us, that we couldn't ask him directly. " They finished keeping the bhikkhus keeping silent. After the Buddha repeated a second time, then a third time, the monks remained silent, saying, "You may not ask questions in respect of the guru. In that case, please ask one fellow practitioner asked, "The monks remain silent. Thus, the sutta shows us that the Buddha is first and foremost a compassionate, devoted, loving and close teacher. He was also full of kindness, when instructing Ananda to make the ironman Cunda dissolve regret, for inviting The Blessed One to eat wood ear mushrooms that cause serious illness, causing him to die (end of product 4). On the basis of the teachings of the Great Nirvana Sutra containing a brief and complete basis of the basic teachings of Buddhism, through the discourses of the Buddha Shakyamuni to the monks who accompany him, or on the occasion of gatherings Meet the local monks and laymen. The Sutta is also a collection of many suttas in other suttas, such as those similar to the Samyutta-nikaya and the Sangha Sutta. (Anguttara-nikaya). What was repeatedly mentioned by the Buddha is the precepts (sila) , samadhi (samadhi) , hue (pañña) , the three lessons that lead to smuggling: "This is the precept, this is samadhi, and the revelation. Results and great benefits if developed with the precepts, Hue will bring great results and benefits if developed with concentration, the mind developed with Hue will be freed from the illegal or (asava) , that is, illegal sex (kamasava) , smuggled property (bhavasava) , smuggled knowledge (ditthasava) and ignorance (avijjasava) "(footnote 7). He also repeated the reason why people are forever bound in samsara (sansara). This is because the four truths are not understood clearly: dukkha , the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to cessation of suffering (item 2). And with the monks living near Vesali, he also talked about the 37 assistants (bodhipakkhiya-dhamma) (footnote 8), which he realized and taught, and advised them to learn, practice, practice prosper and develop (end product 3). He especially emphasized the importance of the four foundations of mindfulness, saying to Ananda (end of product 2): "Hey Ananda , make your own island (dipa).(footnote 9) for yourself, to be a place of refuge for yourself, not to rely on others. Make Dharma an island for yourself, a place for yourself, not for another. How did a monk do that, Ananda ? As for the body, he is contemplating the body, with regard to feeling, the person is contemplating the life, with regard to the mind, he is contemplating the mind, with regard to the dharma, he is contemplating the Dharma, being diligent, aware, mindful, and admiring all craving, si in the world. Ananda, those who make their own islands, take Dharma as their islands, take refuge for themselves, rely on no one else, those diligent monks, right now and after I kill, will be the ultimate in my monks. " In another paragraph, we seem to hear the Buddha's advice to the people of Kalama village (item 4): "Monks, for example, there is a monk saying: 'I hear from the Buddha's mouth , learn from the Blessed One, or from a monk. This is the Dharma, this is the Law, this is the teacher's teaching, 'you should not accept, nor should you immediately reject these words. , which must learn thoroughly, compare, compare with Economics, Law. If you see fit Economics, Law, please accept it, if not then rejected the monks there. " But the characteristics, information The most important message about the teachings in the Great Nirvana Sutta is probably aniccata. of all compounded phenomena. All the events that took place, what was described in the sutta contained that silver of impermanent teachings: the old age, the sickness of the Buddha, and finally his passing, as well as all the What exists. Let us remember the last words of the Buddha: "All compounded phenomena are impermanent. Be diligent, don't be distracted" (item 2). And along with when he passed away , the master Sakka exclaimed the verse: "The onions are impermanent, There must be necrosis. They arise on their own . Teachings in the Mahayana Mahayana Sutra The differences of the two Theravada and Mahayana texts are mainly within the teachings. While the Theravada Sutta presents the basic teachings of Buddhism, with "Precepts, Concentration, Wisdom, 4 truths, 8 righteous paths, 4 mindfulness," etc., the Mahayana experience emphasizes the concept of "Ordinary". , Lac, Nga, Tinh ". In this sutta, the Buddha explains in detail about the Self or Buddha Nature or Tathagata, which is the constant, pure essence of all sentient beings, beyond the ordinary, dualistic thought. for. The essence is always static, present everywhere, but sentient beings are bound by afflictions, greed, and defilements, so they are invisible (Kim Cang Than 5th and the Tathagata Tathagata twelfth). In addition, the Buddha also taught that all four Buddhists (including Bhikkhus, Bhikshunis, men and women and lay men) have the duty to uphold the Dharma, that is, keep the Dharma from being carried. unjust because those who break the world, making people lose confidence, lost the opportunity to imbue Buddhism. Thus, the word Sang in respect to the Buddha respects the Sangha, which means the pure Sangha (footnote 10). Regarding the issue of Shakyamuni being born, taking seven steps and saying "Heaven and the Earth only the unique", he also made it clear that this is the Tathagata, the True Heart, the Buddha Nature, the indestructible body of Kim Cang, rather than the Fall of Prince Siddhartha (7th Gen. Four Generals). Finally, the Buddha also said that because the means depend on sentient beings and depending on the opportunity, sometimes he has to rise up in a simplified manner, not in the end, and call these sutras an immoral meaning. So sentient beings must only experience willow meaning, that is, to understand the ultimate goal of the sutta, that is, the Buddha Nature of sentient beings, with the wisdom of Bat Nha (the Fourth Noble Food). Thus, we realize that although based on the fact that the Buddha's destruction is the same, the teachings of the Mahayana Mahayana Sutras are closer to other Mahayana sutras than to the Dharma Sutra. teachings of the Theravada Nirvana. About the organization of the sangha Before the Buddha passed away, the anxiety of the sangha was expressed by Ananda 's question when he saw the Buddha who had just recovered from the illness: "For me, the direction is not clear and all is dark. But anyway, I am comforting myself that the Buddha will not enter the Eightfold Nirvana before giving instructions. market for the Sangha "(item 2). The Buddha answered, " Ananda , what are you waiting for me for the Sangha? While teaching the Dharma, I do not distinguish what is esoteric and what is not esoteric. unlike the teacher's clenched fist (acariya-mutthi) (footnote 11), and the Tathagata never thinks: 'I control the Sangha body' or 'the Sangha community depends on me'. then, Ananda , is there any reason for the Tathagata to instruct the mass organization? " Thus, it is clear that the Buddha did not have a successor to control the sangha, either because he did not want it or because no one was able to keep this responsibility. Among his great disciples, the person with the most intelligence and organizational talent was Sariputta (Sariputta), but older than him and who had passed away six months ago. The second person, Moggallana (Maudgalyāyana), has long been injured. Only Maha-Kassapa remains (Dai Ca Lettuce) is the most respected person, designated to lead mass monks to pay homage to the Blessed One. He also presided over the First Gathering in Rajagaha a few months after the Buddha's death (footnote 12). The need to gather the teachings of the Buddha became urgent when signs of divisional division began to appear. Immediately after the Buddha's extinction, Subhadda , an old monk who became an old monk, loudly declared: "Well, friends, don't be sad and cry. We have been completely liberated from the taste. In the past, we were troubled by thoughts like 'this is right, this is not right', etc. Now we can do what we want to do, not do. what we do not want to do "(article 6). In the last words of the Buddha about the sangha, there are two sentences worth noting: 1- "After I leave, Ananda , if the Sangha wants to, can put away the precepts of little things, trivial ". But when Maha-Kassapa and the other disciples asked Ananda these small and insignificant things, the attendant didn't know how to answer, because the Buddha at that time was so tired and so inconvenient. asked. Maha-Kassapa and the other disciples immediately rebuked Ananda for that, as well as for not pleading with the Buddha to stay on earth for a while longer. Ananda is also considered as having not yet ceased from all contraband, or has not attained Arahantship, so he has to return to his studies urgently in order to attend the Gathering with 500 other Arhat disciples. 2 - "Until now, you called each other with 'brothers', but after I left, it was not possible to continue like that. An older monk must call the young monk 'brother' or 'friends,' but a young monk must call his old monk 'Venerable' or 'Venerable'. " That verse tells us that during the time when Buddha was alive, there was no hierarchy within the sangha as it was later, and the reason for that division was also due to the need for a solid Sangha organization. with a clear hierarchy. It is likely that this verse has been attributed to the Buddha by the writers of the sutta. Buddha's attitude towards women In the Sutta, there is an exchange between Ananda and the Buddha, often used to present the Buddhist attitude towards women (item 5): - "White World Religion, they How do we behave toward women? - Hey Ananda , avoid looking at them .-- But Blessed One, if we see them, what should we do? - Hey Ananda , avoid talking to them. - Buddha, if we have to talk to them, they must do? - Hey Ananda , if talk, they must prevent and alert. " The strange thing is that the question poses nothing to the stories before and after (such as about the holy places, how to deal with the Tathagata's body), as if this paragraph was forcefully added. Someone explained the advice of the Buddha, saying that they were only for Ananda , a handsome, sentimental, cute monk, loved by the monks and nuns, and always ready to help. monks and nuns. Perhaps the Buddha said so to alert him, advised him to stay away from women, to preserve the virtue and avoid breaking into gender identity. But on a closer look, this explanation was not very satisfactory, because at that time Ananda so old (he was born on the same day as the Buddha), so physiologically as well as spiritually (he almost attained Arhat), how could he be attracted to sexuality? ? This exchange must have been "orchestrated" by the writers of the sutta, to remind the monks of the next generations to be self-aware, alert to the charm of women. In fact, the Buddha has a completely equal spirit, no disdain, no discrimination, and respect the women and regard them as enlightened ones. The evidence is two passages in the sutta: 1. When Ananda asked the Buddha about the posterity of some Bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, male laity, female laity (2nd), the Buddha said: "... Bhikshuni Nanda has eradicated the five lower fetters, and thus has been reborn and will enter the Eightfold Path, since there is no longer an end to this life (anagami) . Male layman Sudatta has eradicated the three lower parts of fetters, and minimizes craving, hatred and ignorance, thus attaining Nhatrang (sadakagami) , only coming back to this life again and will eradicate suffering. The laywoman Sujata has eradicated the three fetters, thus witnessing the sotapatti , will not be reborn in the evil path, and will attain the Mindfulness. The lay people Kakudha , Kalinga , Nikata , Katissabha , Tuttha , Santuttha , Bhadda and Subhadda has eradicated the five lower fetters, thus being reborn and will not return to this life, and from then on will enter the Eightfold Nirvana ... "(footnote 13). Thus, there is no evidence of enlightenment. What is the difference between men and women, monks and laypeople , it is an important thing to emphasize in Buddhism 2. When Ambapali female prostitutes (rather a courtisane], a girl (a 14) invited the Buddha along with a group of monks to come and have lunch the next day, the Buddha did not accept what she was a nun and accepted her invitation. when the prince Licchavin personally invited him to dinner that same day, he also refused because remarked before. for him, she Ambapali being a nymph is not important, the main thing is that she is a devout person who is devoted to the Dharma. This story demonstrates the spirit of equality, not attachment, appreciating the woman of the Buddha. Conclusion As we have seen, the Great Nirvana Sutta is a very rich and varied sutta, covering three aspects: history, affection and doctrine. The sutta helps us learn a great deal about the historical and social events surrounding the destruction of Shakyamuni Buddha, his final teachings, and the rapid transformation of Buddhism, from a path of study to a folk religion, very soon after the Buddha entered Bat Nirvana. In the suttas, there are rich emotional details, very "human", at the same time, there are supernatural and mysterious phenomena, added by the composers, to arouse beliefs or symbolic. The design that we should not take into account these supernatural aspects, but should only remember the basic, practical lessons, present throughout the sutta, that is, the impermanence of all phenomena, and the need to study diligently according to the Precepts, Dinh, Hue, is the path of liberation outlined by the Buddha. The sutta can be summarized by the verse he said, at the end of chapter 3: "My age is old, Life is over now. Those who remain, I am leaving. Ready to take my place. O bhikkhus . " ! Be mindful, mindful, Tri, concentration, photography. Who is diligent in the Dharma and this Law, Will leave the cycle of birth and death, end suffering. " ( Respect the Buddha, the Sangha and the incense of the father) |
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2) The word "originel" in Buddhism is still causing many misconceptions. To avoid the word "Hinayana Buddhism" (Hinayana) , which is disparaging, people often use the word "Theravada Buddhism" Theravada, Buddhism is still prevalent in Southeast Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, South Vietnam, etc.In fact, Theravada the pali (Sthaviravada sanskrit) means "the school of the people elders, elders "(Ecole des Anciens), only appeared when Buddhism began to divide into two sects: Theravada (Elder) and Mahasanghika (Great Assembly), after the Second General Assembly. at Vesali (see "Try to understand the appearance of Mahayana in the history of Buddhism, Trinh Nguyen Phuoc, http://cusi.free.fr/lsp/lsp0050.htm"). Theravada also divided into many schools, before becoming Theravada fixed until today. Therefore, to avoid all misconceptions, we should call Buddhism from its inception until about 2 centuries later as "originel Buddhism" or "ancient Buddhism" or "preliminary" (primitif) ), instead of "Theravada Buddhism," dedicated to Theravada today. 3) The journey of the life of the Buddha Shakyamuni: after leaving Kapilavatthu, he went through Kosala (Savatthi) and to Maghada (former capital Rajagaha, later Pataliputta) to find a religious teacher. After enlightenment at Bodh-gaya, and turning the wheel of dharma at Sarnath, he returned to live in Rajagaha in the early years. Next, he took Savatthi as the center of his activities (therefore, he was regarded as the people of Kosala). After he entered Nirvana, the role of the Buddhist center returned to Rajagaha. Regarding the last trip of the Buddha, looking closely at the map we will immediately see that Kusinara is located on the road towards Kapilavatthu (only about 200 km apart), making us inevitably wonder: is the Buddha Want to return to your country of origin? 4) About the time: the rainy season in India occurs in the months of September, October and November. At the beginning of the sutta we know that Ananda is behind the Buddha and fans for him, which means it is summer. . He arrived in Vesali at the beginning of the rainy season, which is about September. Thus, we have to depart from Rajagaha about 2-3 months ago (June - July), because the road to Vesali is quite far. When he died at Kusinara, the sala bloomed out of season, that is, in the winter, about 3 months after his decision, which is December. So the Buddha's journey can be estimated to last about 5 - 6 months. 5) In fact, during the Buddha's 45 years of preaching, he was not always well received. Because his teachings were against Brahmanism, many Brahmins hated him. One day he was scolded badly, some days he did not receive food when he begging for alms in a Brahman village, even one day the people in the village closed all the wells to protest his coming to the doctrine. lecturing. 6) After 4 status or level of meditation (jhana , absorptions) in gender identity (rupavacara, Sphere des FORMES materielles), then to 4 Origin (ayatana , recueillements) in the formless realm (arupavacara , Sphere des FORMES non materielles) is: no boundless origin (akasanancayatana, sphère des espaces infinis), boundless consciousness of origin (vinnanancaytana, sphère de la conscience infinie), non-possessive origin (akincannayatana, sphère du néant), nonfiction non-fiction origin (nevasanna-nassanayatana, sphère sans perception ni non-perception ). Some places do not divide like that, but consider the four states in the formless world as a transition after the fourth level of Zen. However, jhana , as well as ayatana, are not essential stages of achieving Nirvana. 7) Obstructions on the path of practice include: 4 contraband or (asava , écoulements mentaux toxiques) are illegal sex (kamasava , désir ) , smuggled property (bhavasava), devenir), pirated knowledge (ditthasava, opinions ) and ignorance (avijjasava, ignorance); The five hindrances (pañca nivarana , entraves) are craving (kammachanda , convoitise sensuelle), anger (vyapada , malveillance), drowsiness (thinamiddha , torpeur langueur), chanting (uddhaccakukkucca , inquiétude agitation), doubt (vicikiccha , doute); 10 fetters (kilesa , souillures mentales), divided into 5 lower fetters (orambhagiya samyojana , liens inférieurs) are wrong views (sakkaya ditthi), vue fausse de la personnalité), suspicion (vicikiccha , doute), precepts (silabbata paramasa , attachement aux préceptes), craving (kamaraga , désir pour le plaisir des sens), hatred (patigha , aversion), and The five fetters (uddhambhagiya samyojana , liens supérieurs) are rupas (rupa raga , désir d'existence des formes subtiles), immaterial greed (arupa raga , désir d'existence sans forme), arrogant (mana, orgueil) , election (uddhacca , inquiétude), ignorance (avijja , ignorance). 8) 37 assistant products (bodhipakkhiya-dhamma), including the Buddha's teachings, are factors that lead to enlightenment. They are divided into 7 groups: the four foundations of mindfulness (cattaro satipatthana , bases de l'attention) are the body shop (kaye kayanupassi , observer le corps), the longevity (vedanasu vedananupassi , observer les sensations), mindfulness (citte cittanupassi , observer la pensée), french shop (dhamme dhammanupassi , observer les objets mentaux); The four main needs (sammappadhana , efforts corrects) are the effort not to give up unwholesome dhammas that arise (samvara) , the effort to eliminate the unwholesome dhammas that have arisen (pahana), diligently giving rise to the unwholesome dhammas (bhavana) , diligently promoting the good dhammas that have arisen (anurakkhana) ; 4 ideals (iddhipada , bases de puissance surnaturelle) are sex (chanda , intention), mind (citta , pensée) , effort (viriya , effort), zeal (vimansa , investigation); 5 forces (pañca bala , forces) are also 5 bases ( pañca indriya , facultés), believers (saddha , foi de confiance) , effort (viriya , effort), mindfulness (sati , attention), concentration (samadhi), concentration), lily (pañña , sagesse profonde); 7 Bodhi part (satta bojjhanga, facteurs d'éveil) is mindfulness (sati , attention), dhamma (dhamma-vicaya , analyse des choses) , effort (viriya , effort), joy (piti , joie), contempt (passaddhi , sérénité), samadhi (samadhi , concentration), equanimity (upekkha , équanimité); and 8 Eightfold (ariya magga atthangika) is right understanding (samma ditthi , vue correcte), right thought (samma sankappa , Pensée correcte), right speech (samma Vacca, parole correcte), right action (samma kammanta , action correcte), right action (samma ajiva , moyen d'existence correct), mindfulness (samma sati , attention correcte) , right concentration (samma samadhi , concentration correcte). However, we may find that there are a number of assistants present in many different groups, such as "diligence", "reciting", "concentration", etc., so they are less than the total of children. the number 37 many. (9) The word dipa is sometimes translated as "the lamp", but according to the Buddhist scholars Walpola Rahula and Mohan Wijayaratna, the translation is wrong, because dipa means "island". Perhaps it is not an island in the sea, but an island in the middle of a large river, where people can stop by to avoid floods. (10) The word Sangha (sangha) is often understood in the narrow sense of the Sangha (bhikkhu sangha) . In fact, in ancient Pali sutras, sangha consisted of four components (the four): bhikkhu , bhikkhuni , bhikkhuni , upasaka , and laywoman . or favor di di (upasika) , and synonymous with ariya-sangha (often translated as "holy sage increase") and savaka-sangha (increased text). Ariya actually, does not mean saint (saint), but true, righteous, supreme (noble, sublime). Savaka (vocal) is not just the disciples who listen to the Buddha's lecture (auditeurs), but those who follow the teachings they have heard and learned. The word ariya-savaka is also used to designate all of the Buddha's disciples, renunciants or laymen, male or female, who have attained one of the four stages of liberation (see note 13). (11) This sentence is very important, because it is clearly affirmed that the Buddha taught all that he could teach, did not hide anything from his disciples, did not keep a secret. Whichever transfer, so that the latter can be exposed to light. It is the attitude of Theravada Buddhism, in contrast to Mahayana Buddhism, that because of the teachings that were so sublime and difficult to understand in the earliest stages of Buddhism, it was kept secret or was only kept secret. transmitted to a few disciples, for later presentation to the masses centuries later. (12) Contrary to the legend of Mahayana Mahayana, making Maha-Kassapa (Mahāshapa) venerated as the first Zen monk ancestor, this great disciple is in fact a serious man, austere, respected by the monks. In some Pali passages The Buddha spoke of him as an equal to himself. He was born into a noble Brahmin family, and was educated in the Veda tradition. He was forced to get married by his family, but the couple stayed together as brothers for 7 years. After that, the two of them agreed to become a monk, before taking refuge in the Buddha. At that time, Ananda and Anuruddha , two of Buddha's cousins, were both his disciples. According to the scriptures, because he lived in a remote area, so Maha-Kassapa did not live near the Buddha in the last years of his life. (13) According to the Pali canon , there are four stages of liberation, each divided into two states: on the way (magga, ), and went to the place (phala , fruit): 1- Sotapatti (Save, celui qui est entré dans le courant). To achieve this stage, must kill 3 out of 5 lower fetters, ie wrong views, doubts and restrictions. The person who attains the Save Project will not be reborn in a bad situation (evil), and if diligent practice will go to the next stage. 2 - Sadakagami (Nhat Lai, celui qui ne reviendra qu'une fois). To achieve this stage, one must eradicate part of the remaining 2 lower fetters, ie craving and hatred. The person who attains Nhat Lai will only be reborn one more time, and if diligent practice will go to the next stage. 3 - Anagami (Lai Lai, celui qui ne reviendra plus). Want to achieve this stage, must completely eradicate 5 lower section fetters (but still 5 upper fetters). The person who attains the Precepts will no longer have to be reborn, and if diligent practice will reach the final stage. 4 - Arahant (Arhat). In order to reach this stage, all fetters, including the remaining 5 fetters, must be eradicated, namely greed, non-attachment, arrogance, arrogance, and ignorance. So that is completely freed from the fetters, smuggled or (Arhat also known as khinasava , who eradicated the smuggled or), as the sutra often repeated: "Rebirth has ended. Pham Hanh has finished. What has to be done is done. There is nothing more to be done. " (14) Ms. Ambapali Formerly the most beautiful woman in Vajji, many princes were so fascinated that they fought with each other to compete for her heart. Later, the leaders of Vajji found a solution to appointing her as the main courtian (courtisane), reaching out to the regal and merchants. She became rich and luxurious, and owned many houses and lands, including a large mango forest near Vesali. Her only son will become a renunciant disciple of Buddha. END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.3/1/2020.  |
