Meaning of the Three Ways of Buddhism.

Oi or Bai Bai, a ritual popular in the people, means to express gratitude and respect to the gods, the gentleman who publicly destroy the mountain, protect and the family ancestors continuation. The Vietnamese people are deeply influenced by Chinese culture, so the prostrations, from form to content, from the ancestors of grandparents at home to the gods, gods, gods, Tombs, shrines are affected as well.

Meaning of the Three Ways of Buddhism

Most religions have prostrations but with different rituals and meanings. With Buddhism, the meaning and the prostrations are different from other religions. Buddhism originated in India. In this country, people often pay tribute to someone they admire by knelt down to the ground, placing their forehead on his feet. The Buddha is a guru, the enlightened one who was revered in Indian society at that time. When the Buddha is still in the world, every time hear or say anything, Buddhist monks often clap their hands bow three times and ask or sit listening to the French. The Buddha accepted this way as a longstanding custom of Indian society. However, he did not set the prostration ceremony to the disciple's discretion. After the Nirvana, this form of ritual and veneration is maintained in his disciples. The maintenance of this form with the purpose of always watching the Buddha as in the world. The monks recite the sutras when they recite their teachings. Disciples in the house also follow the Buddhist monks as Lord Buddha.

Why bow to three prostrations, not two prostrations, four prostrations or five prostrations? The third prostration is the triple throne ceremony of the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. People see gold, silver, diamonds, diamonds, dollars, and the world is precious. But the fact that these things do not bring true happiness, do not save people from the birth of disease. But with the trinity of the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha have the capacity to lead man out of all afflictions and out of samsara.

The Buddha is enlightened, is awakened from sleep. The Buddha was enlightened and completely liberated. He is a teacher, a guide to all sentient beings from samsara. So the Buddhist prostrate first bow is to show respect, admiration and gratitude to the Buddha, as well as the vow to follow his example that spiritual practice to the temple. Dhamma is the Buddha's words to the disciples, then written in words, called the Sutra and the Law. The comment is the discussion of Bodhisattvas, disciples of the Buddha to clarify the Buddha's teachings. So the Buddhist prostration of the second dharma is to show respect, gratitude and remembrance of the teachings of the Buddha, the teachings, if we practice will have the ability to take us. from the suffering tank, to the shore of liberation. Rising is a group of at least four people living together, We leave the monkhood to cultivate, to keep all the rules of the Buddha, with the aim of practicing liberation for himself and for all sentient beings. Thus, the third prostration is the Sangha, from the Sangha to the bhikkhus, who practice their righteous deeds, purity of morals, and solemn precepts, in honor and gratitude. He had lived the ideal life, had sacrificed his family's money and fame, had seen treasure like poisonous snakes, fame as ripped sandals, beauty as traps, good food dressed as beautiful chains bound to volunteer to replace the Buddha lead the sentient beings on the path.

In addition to the Buddhist, Dhamma and Sangha ceremonies mentioned above, the three prostrations also carry the meaning of prostrating three precious treasures within us and in each sentient being, for sentient beings together with the Buddhas share a clear mind ( Buddha Tanh), a compassionate and equal nature (Dharma nature), and a pure virtue, harmony (Pure Nature).

There are many ways to bow. Indians as well as China have different ways of prostration. Vietnamese Buddhists usually follow the "first five" method, which is how the two hands, two feet and the head hit the ground. This is the most honorable way of bowing in all prostrations. At the prostration, the Buddhists stand up straight, their legs close together, their hands together close together to fit close together (not the lotus shape) represents the one-pointed. When the Buddha bowed someone to put his arms in front of his chest. Some people put their hands on their foreheads before bowing down to the top five, ie, when bowing to their knees, lifting their hands as if lifting the feet of the Buddha and lowering their backs to place their foreheads over their laps. hand. For women, usually knees bent back and prostrate, not standing,

In Buddhism and the law must also apply. About the above we have presented. We prostrate the Three Jewels with all the heart to pay homage to gratitude, respectfully grateful to the Buddha, respectfully grateful for the Fa, and sincerely grateful to the Sangha. What about our mind while we bow? What are you thinking? Remember who, what scene, what? Or to mind not think, do not expect anything? To answer this question, let us recall the poem "Quan Hieu Thuy", which we recite before paying homage:

Ability ceremony, ceremony stillness basis, 
Induction incredible nan directing traffic, 
Nga try ashrams as Emperor Zhou, 
the Buddhas medium current image, 
Nga current picture Buddhas themselves money, 
Investments continue the network interface ceremony.

Translated into:

Buddhists, beings are often empty, 
the empirical sense can not think, The 
net of imperialism, the 
ten Buddhas are bright light, 
Before the body of the image, 
bowed to vows to take refuge.

Thus, the essence of the Buddha and sentient beings is "quietly" quiet, temporarily called the mind. Only from the moment of initiation, is beginning to be caught up in the ignorance, then the new consciousness, new thinking, new distinction of "we" and "not" New born love love hate, create karma, pay the fruit, turn within the birth of no birth to see the way out.

Buddha mercy beings confused "... in the Bodhi mind without pure, in the context of liberation that is bound ..." (the word repentance), to teach religious beings to end the ring Virtually meditate, meditate, recite the Buddha, recite, aim to reduce the morbidity of the ape, the horse, reduce the habits of attachment, discrimination, love hate, the word from the heart. When the mind has "determined" the wisdom of the pagoda has the opportunity to reveal, to enjoy the taste of nectar Dharma. That is the special point of Buddhism. If only to teach people to eat healthy, many other religions have done, the Buddha appeared to be overwhelming, there is nothing special worth being worshiped. It is because He has "received" the unmanaged nature and led himself to the path of sentient beings for 49 years,

The inner enemy drowning in the line of ignorance is the mind that kills this constant thought. So if you want to report to the Buddha, obedient Buddha, at least during the prostration to follow the Buddha's teachings, do not think anything, only follow the action only, the feast is only down, Stand up, just know to stand up, hand clasping is only know hand, v ... v ... there is no thought of anyone, no idea of ​​anything. Every thought that raises the pollution, then the "unidentified", then the word "unity of ignorance" drifted into the line of ignorance forever.

In summary, "The ceremony, the ceremony of non-naturalization", that is, the prostrate and the prostrate, the nature is calm equality. All generals are all equal expression, no distinction, not see the prostrate themselves and the people to make themselves prostrate. If the bow is still attached to the mind a little bit, or a little thought to the ancestral line, although thin as a silk thread is not right. The mind must be in a state of purity. Vietnamese Buddhism has practiced this proverb from the past, the notion of no more meaningful and consistent with the Bat Nha more. END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.19/8/2018.