[05]

Chapter five

The activities of Sangha.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.

-ooOoo-

MA Bhikkhu-stilts is always mindful that you must cultivate to liberate and help sentient beings to liberate or to say, in other words, self-sufficiency and forgiveness. People often look at the form of manifesting the virtue that assigns the form of expression that the Mahayana or the Hinayana. It is easy for everyone to recognize that it is difficult for me to not be able to improve myself, but I also want to teach the word first. Despite the compassionate mind, the monk wanted to give to others, he had to achieve some achievements on the path of study. Level A-la-Han, the highest result in the Holy fruit is often described as an indifferent, a "dry tree", not entangled with everything, seemingly separate from the normal life. The truth is not that, the above description is only on the meaning of the phenomenon that applies to a case where "a person who has completely cleared the debt". But, running out of debt doesn't mean there's nothing left to do; and despite being in debt, paying debts does not mean that it is not divided to the poor. Meaning of self-sufficiency, diligent cultivation to liberate a Bhikkhu-stilts is the enemy to win, but the meaning of his forgiveness is also parallel.

As a Sangha member, the Bhikkhu-stilts in addition to their efforts to liberate themselves, also have the duty to build and promote the liberation of the Sangha, making the Sangha old with the Buddha. and Dharma, making the full meaning of the Triple Gem that I put my life into and rely on. If the Triple Gem is the true nature of reality, the Three Jewels are the inherent of all beings. There are things that sentient beings, because of their confusion, have not shown the Three Jewels, the Bhikkhu-stilts must help sentient beings to express, and think after all, that is just the natural functioning of the immeasurable power of Three Jewels only. Summarizing the activities of a monk is to practice, learn, help fellow practitioners to grow together and help all beings to advance in Buddhism.

The activities of Sangha are depicted scatteredly in the Sutra, especially in Vinaya, the Maha Vagga and the Culla Vagga in the Bhikkhu-stilts Patriarch (Patimokkha) and in the ministries of Sangha-ma (Sanghakamma ) ... Within the limits of this book, we only briefly introduce the organizations and activities of the Sangha in the Buddha's time, ignoring the cumbersome details or being suspected of being added. after the Buddha passed away.

* * *

Monks and nuns have soon separated from the wandering life of the Sa-monks at that time to gradually go into the life of settling on the form of each group, the number is uneven, but there are many the monks asked permission from the Buddha to withdraw into the deep forest to be inhabited, and accepted by the Buddha, many asked to go far to propagate the Buddha Dharma as monks to increase, many living around the Buddha to conveniently cultivate according to the requirements of themselves, many of them live together in the monasteries in many localities scattered throughout the countries in the North Indian region ... When the precepts have become the living system of the monks - in different places depending on the locality, but on the general still the same, in accordance with the moral spirit.

1. Schedule every day

In the morning, after the practice, a form of walking has a collective personality and meditation, the monks go begging for alms as well as the Buddha himself went begging for alms. You go alone, except for some Presbyterian or Buddha who often have followers (according to the Buddha, usually Ananda, sometimes Rahula, or another author). You go all the way, in the order of the house, regardless of the rich and the poor, and go to the cowardly to receive the offerings of homeowners. When the alms were finished, the returnees came to stay or went somewhere to rest and have lunch as the only meal of the day. After the meal, you collect things, sit and think for a moment and then go to a deserted place like an empty house, a big tree ... to sit in the lotus position, practice meditation.

Unless a homeowner invites and interacts with the Sangha, the law does not allow monks to enter the hamlet too early or too late, so the monks often use the time before and after the alms to Visit somewhere to teach. Sutra recounts many cases of the Buddha realizing that it is still early for the alms-time, He often comes to lecture at the pagan travelers, or in the houses of the Vietnamese, the master. Central Vietnam 88 tells the story of Ton, Ananda went begging for food in Sàvatthi city, when he returned to meet King Pasenadi (Persian), Kosala rode an elephant out of the city, the Venerable preached to the kings, the action and the mind onions. Central Ministry of Business, 98 told the fake Religious Sariputta after qifu gangui realization in Rajagaha (United Kingdom) to preach to Brahmin Dhananjari about the illegal, unrighteous thing ...

Near the end of the afternoon, they returned to stay to listen to the Buddha, or the great elders, giving teachings. Also while teaching, Buddha felt tired, gave way to the elders. Venerable A-nan (Ananda) lectures to make fun, excited people who hear the Buddha praise (Central, 134); Sāriputta preached on the defilements, the righteous view (Central I), on the attitude and behavior of a bhikkhu for fellow practitioners, with lay Buddhists in practice ... (Trung Ministry, 64)

After the Dharma, the Bhikkhu-stilts often discussed with each other the doctrine and experience of practice. You learn from each other, learn from each other; there is something difficult to tell the Buddha, or the Elders to be explained. The Buddha Sutra (Jakata Nikàya) has about five hundred stories about the precursor of the Buddha, recounted by the Buddha to teach the monks, usually the monks practice in the Dharma on a matter. something, a certain thing ..., and the Buddha came, heard and preached. Trung Bộ, 43, recounted the venerable Sàriputta preaching to the Venerable Maha Kotthita (Great verse-thi-na) about the special wisdom (duppannàra), wisdom, consciousness, feeling, pure consciousness, tam Huu. The Central Vietnam, 13 tells the bhikkhus of the Dharma discussing the Dharma, finally, thanks to the Venerable Maha Kaccayàna, who explains clearly ...

The residence of monks and nuns is often the place of consultation of kings, princes, Brahmin, monks, good men and women ... Doing many scripture cases of results After consulting with the Buddha, many asked to join the Sangha, many enlightened laymen ...

In the evening, alternating with each soup, the monks slept and then woke up to meditate and walk (Business). Calculated, you only sleep about four, five hours in twenty-four hours a day.

Such gatherings occupied most of the time in a monk's day. Study spiritual content including Gender - Dinh - Tue (Three studies), will be discussed in the next section. Here, we take a look at some outstanding activities and organizations, defining the nuances of Sangha such as Yet-ma, Bo-Tat, An settle, Tu quoi, etc.

2. Sangha and Yay-ma (Sangha Kamma)

Sangha-ma is a special procedure and organization of Buddhism in the Sangha. The purpose and cause of organization and this procedure can be easily identified when considering its form and content.

It is reported that after robbing the throne of his father, Bimbisàra (Qin-grandma-sa-la), King Ajàtasattu (Â-soap-like) of the country of Magadha declared war on Vajji (Bat-da). The king sent the great venerable Vassakàra (Vu Xa) to consult with the Buddha about the power of the Vajji to see if it was possible to march into the country. Of course the Buddha never wanted war, so he cleverly used the way to ask Ananda about each point he raised, which could determine the prosperity of the nation.According to Venerable Ananda, Vajji responded to the seven points that proved to be very stable.Vassakàra finished listening to table with King Azatasattu to abolish the advance. Seven points or seven conditions make a nation strong but soon the Buddha raised the monks:

- Regularly gather and gather to discuss the Dharma. 
- Gather in a spirit of harmony and dissolve in a spirit of harmony and work in a spirit of solidarity. 
- Do not abolish the old rules, do not enact new laws, according to the issued gender education. 
- Respect, serve the bhikkhus Elders, obey the teachings of them. 
- Not attracted by craving. 
- Making your stay always is a free place. 
- Living peacefully on Mindfulness, creating peace for fellow practitioners.

The above details are clearly stated in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Mahayana Nirvana Sutra, clearly emphasizing the characteristics of harmony and purity in the Sangha. The Ministry of monks and nuns is formed in order to meet the above requirement, but the organization procedure to follow the content of the Patriarch is even more necessary, which is the reason for forming the Sangha-ma.The reason for this is even more urgent because of another incident mentioned by the Azerbaijani scriptures: The Chu-na Sutra states that when the Patriarch of the Jainism is the Niganthan Nātaputta, the This sect's disciple disputed fiercely. Believed that, fake Religion Ananda horrified fear, asked the Buddha to teach the dharma to bring harmony in them monks. The Sutra Sutra states that when he heard the news, Venerable Sariputta gathered the monks, repeating the doctrinal controversy after the Buddha entered Nirvana.

Such incidents have shown that the Sangha has grown, especially in terms of quantity, need to have strict and clear rules, institutions, and operating procedures to maintain the homogeneity. harmony between the monks. That means Sangha-ya-ma must perform in the large and small community activities of the Sangha in every residence, locality throughout the area in North India at that time.

Sangha (Sanghakamma) is a compound noun of Sangha (Sangha) and Yet-ma (Kamma), Sangha or Sangha, Sangha, only for disciples of the Buddha. Sangha is also understood as a unit of monks living in a world (Sāra), Kamma or Yet-ma, that is, action or all actions, or acts of intention. Isaac is also understood as karma, a conscious action that results in a action taken by the agent. This action may be due to an individual (karma) or a collective (plus karma). The Sangha here understands in the sense of a Bhikkhu-stilts community, living in a world, so Yet-ma means collective victory. Since then Sangha-ma-ma, often called Yem-ma, is understood to be a decree, a decision, dealing with matters in a monk community. In a constitutional sense,

Again, Yet-ma in the sense of karma relates to the three elements of body, speech, and mind: an action of creating karma is to have the intention, to speak out by mouth, to be performed by the body, to express righteousness. mindfulness, right speech, righteousness, from there practice other parts of the Noble Eightfold Path. In addition to guiding the practice of practice just like the Dharma, Bhikkhu-stilts-Yay-ya expresses the actions of a whole group. Individual actions are individual; the intention of the individual is difficult to understand the consensus of the collective, only the speech is said to the collective, only the words are spoken to the collective, declared by the collective; The decision to approve by verbal action is considered a collective action, valuable action. The words here are words of pre-collective action, a representative asks for a general opinion and gives a general opinion. That is the way to proceed to Bhikkhu-stilts-Y-ma. Thus in the life of the Bhikkhu-monk community, everything belonging to the individual is related to the collective (and this is almost always) and the collective need to be acted upon to increase them to be voted, ie must work White-ma. A lot of cases have to implement Ye-ma: the ordination of ordination, the designation of the precepts, the organization of gender theory, the abstinence, the self-sufficiency, the taking of new medicine, the sharing of objects, etc. The book of the Book of Ghosts only distinguishes men There are 131 cases of medicine. In order to carry out the procedure of Yet-ma, the Sangha must meet the minimum quota depending on the case: dividing supplies, etc. .. The Book of Yet Ma Only male discrimination has 131 cases of Bethlehem. In order to carry out the procedure of Yet-ma, the Sangha must meet the minimum quota depending on the case: dividing supplies, etc. .. The Book of Yet Ma Only male discrimination has 131 cases of Bethlehem. In order to carry out the procedure of Yet-ma, the Sangha must meet the minimum quota depending on the case:

- The Sangha consists of four members to work out all measures except the case of the Dharma life-threatening life (Upasampada), committing the Sangha (Abhàna: impeachment of a monk) and the Fourth (Paràvàna: the end date The settling season increases their remarks).

- The Sangha consists of five positions to work out all measures except for the case of Yet-ma Tho, a fully-ordained, austerity Sangha at the residence in urban areas (Anvasa), the five Sangha are allowed to perform. Ye-ma took the ordination.

- The Sangha consists of ten people to work on all things except for the case of the Sangha.

- The Sangha consists of twenty people to do all the dharma.

When Yeshem was done with the full increase of quorum, it was called Sangha ma-ma. A representative of Tang will present the incident, ie, transparently (Natti) and then seek the opinion of the Sangha, also known as Yet-ma (Anussàvanà). Depending on how much or how important, the representative of the Sangha, after working on the incident, will ask the Sangha one or more times, there are three types of Dharma Sangha:

- Single Bach (Natti Kamma): only once is enough, no need to ask for opinions.

- Bach Nhi (Natti Dutiya Kamma): once worked together and once asked for opinion.

- The Fourth Quarter (Natti Catuttha kamma): once worked together and asked for voting.

The Book of the Only Men of Male discernment in the 131-monks of the Yeth-ma (the case, the incident) has fourteen dharmas, seventy-eight dharmas of dharma, and thirty-nine dharmas.

After the representative asked Sangha to vote in the form of a question with a request to answer the pros or cons: anyone who is silent means approving, who does not approve it. Things are accomplished if all Bhikkhu-stilts present agree; If there is an unsatisfactory opinion, it is considered unsuccessful.Keep in mind that the Increase quorum does not include those who are involved in the incident (for example, monks are asking for a thing, or are being incriminated).

In general, a Yet-ma is considered an accomplishment that needs to meet four conditions:

- The increase in number is set for each type of medicine.

- The school is clearly defined and lawful.

- The forms of Bethlehem are properly implemented (monolithic, transparent or white) depending on the type of the Devil.

- All members present agree, but those who are in the same residence are absent because there are good reasons to have a representative to report and have a request to follow the decision of Sangha

Organizing and implementing Sangha-ma is to make the Sangha strong. In the first part of this chapter we have mentioned the Sangha organization spirit similar to the spirit of organizing a nation when mentioning that Buddha asked Ton Ananda to Vajjì. The spirit that the Buddha wanted to bring to the Sangha was related to the spirit of organizing the activities in the political form at that time. At the time of Buddha, in addition to some countries that had advanced to monarchy like Magadha and Kasala ... there were still many lands under the Tribal Councils of many famous tribes: Sakyas, Mallas , Licchavis, Vajjis ... Although no longer can find the documents and constitutions of the above political institutions to base, but through the incident mentioned in the Mahaparinibbàna (Great Bat-Nirvana), The great god Vassakàra immediately believed that Vajji was very strong through the questions of the Buddha and the answer of the author Ananda, proving that the political spirit that the Buddha mentioned was very popular at that time. For one thing, there is the Sangha, the main sense of understanding that normally transforms and evolves into pure harmony. Procedures seem to be cumbersome, questionable, seemingly unsuitable for an Selfless teaching; but in terms of organization, the procedure is extremely necessary to guide the practice, to form a unified block of Sangha as a template for each monk and for the Buddhist masses (or not Buddha death) judgments about Sangha to let them admire and trust their lives. The main meaning in common sense has changed and evolved into pure harmony. Procedures seem to be cumbersome, questionable, seemingly unsuitable for an Selfless teaching; but in terms of organization, the procedure is extremely necessary to guide the practice, to form a unified block of Sangha as a template for each monk and for the Buddhist masses (or not Buddha death) judgments about Sangha to let them admire and trust their lives. The main meaning in common sense has changed and evolved into pure harmony. Procedures seem to be cumbersome, questionable, seemingly unsuitable for an Selfless teaching; but in terms of organization, the procedure is extremely necessary to guide the practice, to form a unified block of Sangha as a template for each monk and for the Buddhist masses (or not Buddha death) judgments about Sangha to let them admire and trust their lives.

In a community of pure harmony, like the law of the Buddha, all deviant trends and ego do not have the opportunity to develop, and they are easily discovered. For an individual, at some point will be harmonious, consistent with the precepts, will feel there is no bond at all, even all organizations, procedures, laws for self will dissipate. when that individual is on the edge of enlightenment.

3. Dad-slapped (Uposatha)

Dad-sa-tha-tha is understood that the ceremony is held twice a month, through which the bhikkhus gather to be read again and consider what they have violated. but repenting, purifying me.

Before Buddhism appeared in India, the Vedas established two worship periods for homeowners: the Black (Darsa - the first) and the White Japanese (Pourramàsa - the Full Moon). Before the sacrifice day (Soma), the landlord must be pure, abstain from keeping himself pure, such as fasting, resting, abstaining from sexual intercourse, living alone in a room with fire burning throughout the night ... It's called Vrata (vrata, Sanskrit, meaning preparation, preparation, starting). Vrata day is also known as Upavasatha day (Pali: Uposatha) - Olahas - whose root is "Upa" means "near", close to the holy life, "Vas" is living and living. Upavasatha (Uposatha) became Japanese for the Brahmin followers, and the meaning of the day became popular throughout the mendicant sects not the official Brahmin. Ni-kien-tu (Nigantha) read Posadha and Pàli read Uposatha. The Commentary explains that Posadha is the meaning of the verb "Pus" meaning "to grow" and the verb "Dha" means "to put", "to maintain"; Since then, Han translates as "Head of Pure Land", that is, raising purity.

Chapter Uposatha of Mahàvagga II tells that King Bimbisara (Qin-ma-la) of Magadha (Ma-master-da), the great disciple of the Buddha realized that congregations are not Buddhism often gather on holidays and preach to the people, very popular with people, admire. The king thought to himself, "If only the gurus (ie monks) will join together on the fourteenth, the fifteenth or the eighth of each month!". The king went to the Buddha and expressed his wish. The Buddha approved and allowed the monks to meet on these days. But, due to the high level of meditation of the monks, Buddha disciples, almost the time of your meeting is silence and meditation. That incident caused King Ajatasattu to say it when he saw in a full moon night, one thousand two hundred and fifty monks, had the presence of the Buddha,a whole group sat silently: "No sound, no sneeze or cough! Udajibha, my son can stand a quiet collective like this!" (School of Economics II).

The day of the Sabbath is done so as not to please many homeowners who often go there, to monitor the teachings of the congregations to learn and study the teachings of the masters. Perhaps due to the objective request and perhaps due to many cases of violation of virtue, the Bhikkhu-stilts need to maintain the precepts more closely, so the Buddha taught: "The monks, I allow the He was the patriarch of Patimokka.

Many documents say that before the Bhikshutra discourse was considered essential during the Upasatha day, the bhikkhus also reunited, reciting the Buddha's teachings, telling the stories. The story of His Birth, reading the verses, the words of Buddha's teaching is to be done, not to do ... Later, when the precepts form quite well, the Uposatha day for the bhikkhus is a pure day. , gender theory.

To prepare Bo-slapped, great, some work needs to be done: (*)

1. Clean the ceremony area.

2. Light the lantern.

3. Carpet.

4. Prepare water for drinking and washing.

(These four parts may be done by the householder of the monastery, or done by one or more monks.)

5. The white work of sending sex, the net theory of Bhikkhu-stilts absent for good reason (ie the Bhikkhu-stilts sent to transfer the Bhikkhu-stilts absent to ask permission to leave).

6. The transparency of the purity of Bhikkhu-stilts is absent (ie the Bhikkhu-stilts are sent to say that Bhikkhu-stilts are absent without breaking the precepts).

7. Seasoning, Bo-slap season: usually consists of three seasons: winter, summer and rainy season. Each period has six or eight Bo-slaps ...

8. Count the number of monks present.

9. Bhikkhu-stilts nuns: nuns send people to visit Sang to become teachers, if convenient, the Sangha appoints people to teach ...

(*) Note: According to Nanamoli Thera, The Pàtimokkha (English translation from Pali), The Social Science Press of thailand, Bangkok 1966.

Father-in-law is considered to follow the law if:

- Quorum Increase from four or more.

- You sit one arm apart.

- All Bhikkhu-stilts stay in the same outline must gather, if any is absent, then must send sex and the net theory.

- All monks present must be completely pure, no one violates the precepts.

The Culla Vagga IX set said that once, in Sàvatthi before the Sangha was large, Sun Jia Ananda had invited the Buddha theory but the Buddha was silent. After the third visit of the author, Ananda, the Buddha said: "Hey, Ananda, the congregation is not completely pure." Elder Moggalàna (Item-contemplation) develops divine powers; Consistent observation throughout the congregation and see a Bhikkhu-stilts that is rotten, happy, full of greed ... Elders have invited anyone who does not purify, then leave the dharma, invited three times but The monks did not move. Finally, the Elder had to pull the monk out. Then the new syndrome is considered completely pure.

The Buddha said: "Hey, hey, monks, like the ocean, do not contain a corpse, a dead body. Every corpse, dead body can be thrown into the ocean, dead, and dead. quickly pushed to the shore, thrown into the dry ground, also, the monks, whoever rot, greed ... (non-virtue), Sangha will not live with him, please quickly gathered together, that kind of people came out, and even if he sat in the midst of them, he was far from them and increased them away from him ... Tang Chi III and Trung A-jaw, 37 had stated the Buddha's words: "The monks, cannot and do not have the fact that Tathagata conducts Dad-slaps and reads the Precepts in a Syndrome not completely pure".

Therefore, in order to attend the Catechism period, on the previous days, the monks had to repent (Parisuddhi) all their mistakes to be able to declare themselves pure and deserve to read about Gender. duty

After being prepared and meeting the above conditions, the Bodhisattva ceremony was conducted. In the early years, Bo-slapped was done very simply but the later the form became more complicated. We would like to quote the following in the Venerable "The Weakness of Weakness". Thich Tri Thu, Vietnam Buddhist High School published in 1991, in which, some details may differ slightly from other documents, but most of the documents are not much different; Thereby, we get a general idea of ​​the Slavic activity:

"... Venerable Dharma teacher Yay-ma the world asks:

- Has the meeting been met?

"Only na answer:

- Increase meeting.

- Harmony?

- Harmony.

- Who has not been ordained?

- Out. - Do the monks do not come and send sex and the pure theory?

....

"The monk asked again:

- What is this meeting for?

- Yet-ghost theory.

....

"Venerable Bach Yay-ma:

- Venerable Venerable, please listen: Today is the day ... month ..., the day of Dad-slapping, they increase the gender theory. If the time is right for the Sangha, the Sangha approved the harmony of gender theory. This is a word of transparency.

"Venerable, now is the season ... this season has ... the slap-period. In this half-hour, a Bo-slapping is passing, there are two Bo-slaps that have passed and there are still three periods. The father and the slap are coming in. Old age and death are coming, Dharma is about to die, Dear virtues, just need to be enlightened, be diligent in need of diligence. to pray diligently to attain supreme Superior Bodhisattva, let alone other good deeds.Everyone is in good health, try to cultivate well, Why don't you need to, can't wait to be old! Today is over, life is falling like fish lack of water, it is not fun!

"Venerable Sirs, I will now say Balaam, the Venerable. Listen, engrave it carefully. If you know that you have committed it yourself, then show it and repent, whoever does not commit it Because of the silence, I know the pure virtues, like a person asked by anyone, they must follow the truth and answer it, likewise, the monks in them are asked, remember well I have committed that without revealing, Bhikkhu-stilts have sinned for hope, the Buddha taught that the intentional delusion is a law of morality, that the monks remember well that they are guilty, want to be pure, they need to grow, Giants are peaceful.

"Venerable, I have finished the title, now ask the Venerable here is pure? (Three times.) The Venerable here is pure, because of silence. I acknowledge that."

This is followed by the reading of the Balinese-Rustic Patriarch, consisting of 150 dharmas, including seven types (discussed in the Study section). After each type of dharma, the Venerable said three times: "I have finished reading (...) France ... Now ask the Venerable in here there is purity? ... The Virtue in here is pure, because of the silence (ie no one has revealed his violation).

The forms of procedures for carrying out a Bo-slap term as well as the content of the Balinese-wood-marquee theory even in the time of the Buddha have changed depending on the locality, circumstances and time of the Ministry of Mahavagga. the year of the world of Balakamas is as follows:

1. Only the title theory, the rest says: "As Sang often hears".

2. Theory of titles and four French Ba-la-di (Pàràjika), the rest of the theory that: "As Sang often hears".

3. Theory of titles, four French Ba-la-di, thirteen French Sangha-lady-exam-sa, (Sanghadi-sesa), the rest said: "As Sang often hears".

4. Theory of titles, four Dharma-la-dias, thirteen dharma-monks and nuns, and two Uncertain dharmas (Anyata).

5. Theory of the whole world of Balakamas. Gender theory in four ways is a brief theory and is only allowed to be done when Increasing them at the residence is under threat: 1) by the government, 2) by robbery, 3) by a fire, 4) due to floods, 5) by humans, 6) by non-human species, 7) by wild animals, 8) by snakes, 9) due to other dangers that threaten their lives (like houses about to collapse ...) , 10) due to the dangers of Bhikkhu's life beyond the previous reasons.

When the stay of not enough four Bhikkhu-stilts, but only three, two or one, then these people still prepare the full parts for the day of the father-slapped, then sit and wait to see if there are any Sangha to give enough The number of ceremonies or not (In the time when the Buddha was very crowded, the monks did not have a certain stay, just gathered somewhere to ask for the ceremony). If no one comes, then you will perform the rivalry of the gender theory (Parisuddhi-Uposatha) in case there are only two or three persons, by each one pointing at the other but declaring that you are pure; or perform mindfulness of gender theory (Adhitthànà uposatha) in which there is only one person, by telling himself to be pure.

Father-slapped day, according to the Buddha's method, it is clear to un-cast the moral life of the monks, to build a pure solidarity in the Sangha community, clearly showing the background the precepts of Gender in the Three Study Paths of About-Dinh-Tue.

4. Settlement (Vassavasa)

In part III of this book discussed the settling time (Vassa - vasa) of the monks who were disciples of the Buddha. Settlement is a common practice of congregations of the time to avoid rain (Rain-Retreat), but especially in Buddhism, monks live together in groups of five, seven, a few or a few hundred taste ... in the Ava or Anama.

The Buddhist settlement season is of outstanding significance as the time for the monks to live in harmony, to advance to study such as studying, discussing the Dharma and practicing meditation. In addition to the time of qifu gangui, is considered to practice practice, the Bhikkhu-stilts are not arbitrarily out of the world if there is no special affair is the case must be submitted before Increase them by the implementation of the Sangha - Old Ye-ma. The settling season is also a time for lay Buddhists to practice the monks, to learn and to be close to holy life. The Buddhists at home often bring food, medicine, supplies to offer monks ...

The residence time is three months; starting from the first day of the month of Asàdha (Âsàdha - A-sa-da). According to Xuanzang's calculation, in the Ocean of West Region, it was May 15 in the Chinese calendar (ie around mid-June of the solar calendar). People also differentiate pre-settlement and post-settlement periods (less than one month's time); The post-settlement period was divided into the center of residence (one month after the start of the post-settlement period) and the post-settlement period (one month after the beginning of the Middle Security settlement). Divide as above just to validate cases of immigration early or slow depending on the circumstances of the Bhikkhu-stilts, even if settling in early or slowly settling time still must be three months.

The majority of monks often do not live in a fixed place, they often go here and there; When the season is settled, you will ask to settle in a convenient place, near the place where you are practicing.Therefore, in a stay of land that wants to organize settlements, the Bhikkhu-stilts of permanent or semi-boarding, or the homeowner offering facilities for a retreat, must prepare amnesty, supplies, and plan more. things to pick up some Sangha to settle down. The Buddha insisted that every resident of settlements must have a venerable lawyer to look after and administer the violations of the law.

Because settling is the time for the monks to live in harmony and purity to advance in the study, so beyond the conditions, it is too necessary (only allowed through two cases of absence: less than seven days and seven from days to forty days, more than forty days as if being demolished, not being told to settle for a season, you have to put aside some work to focus on studying, practicing, specifically Zen determined. Even, Trung A-jaw also tells the fake Religion lineages like A-na-law (Anurudha), Nan-da (Nanda), Kim-Bhikkhu-la (Kimbila) keep the almond speech, which just keeps silent Be quiet and make a sign when you need to express your words, not utter a word during the settlement season.

Settlement season is the longest time of the year for which the study significance is most prominent.This is an important time of the year that the spirituality is most prominent. This is an important time, convenient times to progress, and the number of settling seasons is counted as the number of ages of a monk's life. In the sense of always being diligent, the higher the number of ages, the closer it is to the Ultimate Realization.

5. Self (Pavàràna)

Self-esteem is the ceremony held in the last season of the settled season, Sanskrit is Pràvaràna, which is a Sino-Vietnamese version of Bat-hoa-la or Bat-lac-a-lac-noa. Pràvaràna means invitations. The old Chinese translation is Tu Tu (self: self: four: wear; later translated as arbitrary, sometimes).

Sign Quy Truyen, volume 2 contains: "The Sanskrit language is Pràvaràna, translated as arbitrary; it means to satisfy the heart; it also means to let others raise what they have violated." she-lac-noa, translation vi Arbitrary, heron Bao su means, she tells her to forgive the intention to appoint the director's office. Buddha Learns From The Dictionary, Khai Minh Thu Bureau, Taiwan, explains the word of the Fourth, saying: "Make them bhikkhus purify, others confess their sins that they have violated, I confess those sins. with bhikkhus "(Pure piety of the four-day period of crimes committed by the crimes, against the pretentious monks and young children, and explain the word at will:" Because of the intention of others, it is a question of affection. " my mistake is called arbitrary "

Thus, Self or Sometimes, or Arbitrary is the work of a Bhikkhu-stilts to let other monks wear out to raise all their mistakes so that they can repent before them. It is clear that this is a form of criticism, the collective criticizes an individual and an individual who has received a defect, expressed regret and promised to correct it if he made a mistake.

Repentance (Parisuddhi) is carried out regularly twice a month before Bo-Tat, in which a monk criticizes himself and points out his own mistakes, obviously self-criticism. Self-sufficiency (Pavàràna) is held once a year at the end of the settling season, in which a Bhikkhu-stilts criticizes other monks. It can be said repentance, and self-meaning in turn means self-criticism and criticism.

Let us see a passage about the Four-day Buddha's day in the early years to form the Sangha in the Samyutta Sutra:

"On the full moon day of Bo-Tat and Tu Tu, The Ton sits outside; the monks silently sit around him. The Buddha looks around them and opens the words: The monks, Now the monks, now I invite the monks to say, what do the monks have criticized Me or not, about the body, or the words? " Then the Sangha consists of five hundred Arhat.

"Sun-author Xá-profit-waving up the upper hand and clasping hands to the Blessed One and white:" The White World, we have nothing to criticize The Religion on body or words. White World Religion, the path has not arisen, The Sun makes birth run; the path is unknown, The Sun makes it known; The path has not been preached, World Religion preached. The Religion knows the way, understands the religion, is skillful about the religion. And the White World, the disciples are now those who practice the religion and will attain the later virtue. And the White World, please invite The Sun to speak, So what is there to criticize me or not, about body or words? "

"The Sun replied:" This Xa-profit-waving, I have nothing to criticize You about yourself or about words. This Xa-profit-waving, You are great intellectual ..., advertising ..., speed position ..., position ..., wise ..., enter ... This Xa-profit- waving, such as the Head of King Luan Lu, sincerely transports the dharma wheel that was transported by his father; So this Xa-profit-waving, Thought genuine transport of the Supreme Dharma has been transported ".

"False religion Xa-profit-waving white:" White World Religion, World Religion has nothing to criticize children about body or words. So the White World, for this five hundred Bhikkhu-stilts, Does Sun have any criticism about body or words? "The Sun replied:" This Xa-profit-waving, in about five hundred Bhikkhu-stilts, sixty Bhikkhu-stilts is the level of intelligence, sixty Bhikkhu-stilts are steps Winning position, sixty Bhikkhu-stilts is the order the liberation part, and the rest is the liberation Wisdom ".

The Fourth Meeting ended after the Venerable Vangìsa built the upper house and asked the Buddha for permission to read the verse of praise and self-respect ...

According to above, we see self-reliance in the first years, when the Sangha was founded, consisting of five hundred A-la-Han dwellers around Buddha. The Fourth Self was so light, simple and full of meaning of a pure, harmonious group. This is the activity of a community of those who have attained the Eucharist, not bound by the Generals. The following modalities and contents are added in the Fourth and in all other activities because of many cases of violation of the precepts, lack of purity, and the prevention of such cases.

6. Life of Health Care (Kathina)

Kathina (Kathina) was performed after the Fourth Day, ending a season of retreat. The Bhikkhu-stilts after three months of settling down, advancing in gathering, deserve to receive a new medicine is a ca-thi-na, in addition to the three y according to the law.

The laws often lead to the initiation of ca-na-na life as follows: On the end of a settled season, some monks rushed to Sàvatth to meet the Buddha. The rainy season is not over, the roads are muddy, all three y on every monk are wet; The journey is very difficult, causing fatigue. Seeing that, the Buddha taught that from then on, after each season of retreat, the monks should take ca-na-na to receive the five benefits in a limited time of four or five months:

1. In addition to the three robes, the bhikkhus are stored in cloth, he is more than ten days in preparation for using the cloth or medicine to sew the medicine or to receive the new y, that is ca-na.

2. There is no need to carry all three at the same time as the law requires.

3. Be allowed to live in many homeowners, as long as not too crowded.

4. Get real life in groups of four or more.

5. Being able to enter the village before or after a meal does not need to inform another monk.

The prattyasamutpāda of the life of the y-thi-na is also said by the Five-part law that once the three ys of the Elder A-na-law (Anurudha) are torn, the elder cannot sew all three at a time. For cloths are not allowed to be stored for more than ten days by law, and must be worn for one day at the time of sewing. On that occasion, the Buddha allowed the monks to take ca-na-na. Central A-jaw, 19, has stated the above and more details that the Elder A-na-law was standing out of the Buddha and eight hundred Bhikkhu-stilts to sew all three in a day. After that, the Buddha's teaching of the A-na-law preached on the merit of the ca-thi-na (in fact, the content of the sermon only speaks of the practice of cultivating until attaining Arahantship of one Bhikkhu-stilts should take ca-thi-na medical life.

The two patterns above are still unclear so we can conclude that this is the origin of the yogi. The Buddha's advice that we should take ca-na-na in two stories makes us think that the life of the yogi is inherent before but has not yet been disseminated. Again, the three y-elders of A-na-law were given by the Buddha and eight hundred monks for one day and could not be called y-thi-na because the life of y-thi-na is only one life only If the following story is seen as the origin of the practice of ca-thi-na, then his meaning must be taught by the Buddha, but why should the Elder Amanda-law raise it? Moreover, the content of the elder's sermon did not mention specifically about ca-na.

The meaning that we clearly realize about ca-thi-na is to multiply many facts, whereby some things in the precepts have hindered the monks, so the Buddha created the medical life. ca-na, is considered to relax those laws. The medical life of ca-thi-na after settling season is considered to evaluate a step of advancement in the practice of a monk, deserving to be reduced to be bound in the form of some precepts.

Capernaum is also known as the Sanskrit, which is a transcription of Sanskrit "Kathina", meaning solid, stable. Ca-thi-na may be interpreted in the figurative sense of perseverance in virtue, so translated as merit. Medicine ca-thi-na is carrying the style of one of the three y according to the law (uất-multi-la-antenna, ie y Thượng, an-Đà-hội, ie, y and up-to-the-y-y-y at the end). The use of some clothes. Medical life, medical discharge have the French monk-old Yay-ma.

Buddha prepared the life of y ca-thi-na as said, so that the Bhikkhu-stilts could receive five favorable things, in order to expand a number of laws not rigid. The ca-thi-na is also a means of donation of lay Buddhists to express their respect, admiration and merit for the monks who are studying. Since then, y ca-thi-na also means to encourage the diligence of the monks after every retreat.

* * *

Scattered in the previous chapters and in this chapter we see some basic features of the Sangha's activities: the ordination of ordination, study, preaching, Yet-ma, peaceful life, etc. There are many other forms that we can learn more thoroughly through the Sutra Pitaka, the Vinaya ... The forms and content of activities sometimes bring complicated and complicated features; but looking more deeply, they all show a poor, pure, harmonious and essential lifestyle; both the result and the preparation for the growth of gender, concentration and wisdom to lead to liberation. The Sangha is an organization, and even if it is the ultimate goal of liberation, it must still be based on form, it must use all means and measures to stabilize. The confusing, cumbersome, if any, are just selected forms, favorable for the practice, the environment for the monks to dwell on their mind. This meaning lies in the Precept,END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.13/5/2019.