LESSON 1: HISTORY OF BUDDHISM OF INDIA

UNIVERSAL BUDDHISM 2

SRAMANA=THICH THIEN HOA.

COURSE V:  HISTORY OF BUDDHISM,

10 RELIGIOUS AND UNIVERSE OF CHILDREN

Lesson 1: HISTORY OF BUDDHISM.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.

A. OPENING 

Desire for the absolute, despise the relative; wishing for everlasting life, abandonment of impermanence, Vietnamese in particular and Asians in general have been trained for thousands of years in an ideological attitude like above, should have underestimated history, a discipline that follows closely the impermanence of change, whose purpose is to faithfully record what was lost in the darkness of time- space. 

This concept of contempt for history has brought us a great deal of harm. We have lost so many valuable lessons that our forefathers bought at a very expensive price; we have lost a lot of contact with the past, have lost our sympathy with the ancients, and are lost in the present because we don't know which path to follow and which way to follow. It is often true: A people of the past are not, it is difficult to have a future. 

Particularly within the scope of our Buddhism, to find the right origin, try to trace the path of missionation of our fathers, rebuild the model of a glorious era of Buddhism, that are extremely difficult and tiring jobs. 

But although tired, difficult-difficult, maybe not seeing traces of old people that we now do not avoid, keep closed and closed eyes? The ancients despised history; today, on the contrary, we have to give it an important position. Only when we can clearly see the origin, development, prosperous times of a religion, can we understand its true value. Especially if we are the ones responsible for spreading the teachings of Buddha-da, then more than anyone else, we must study the history of Buddhism to understand the prosperity and the causes of success and failure. of the public activities of the righteous Dharma across the five continents, in order to imitate the good deeds of the Dao, to abandon the bad and harmful to the Dao, so that the Buddha Dharma will be propagated forever with time. 

So first, let us return to our source, sequentially following in the footsteps of the mission, since the beginning of the new Shakyamuni Lord in India, gradually passing to China, then to Vietnam Nam, to finally have a general idea of ​​the state of Buddhism in our country and in today's complex world. 

B. BACKGROUND 

BUDDHISM IN INDIA 

I. THE OPENING OF THE SOURCE OF THE PRIMARY-CA  

1. The dark social situation and complex ideology in India when Buddha was born 

In terms of social injustice more than 2,500 years ago, Indian society is probably one of the most unjust social and political regimes. The people of India at that time were divided into many different classes, so they could be classified into the following main classes: 

a) Brahman  (Brahmanes) includes the clergy, who hold the right to dominate the spirit, in charge of rituals and worship. They claim to be high-class people, born from the mouth of Brahman (Brahma) or Pham-Thien who holds the leadership of the national spirit, so they have the right to be revered and respected. the happiest life. 

b)  K - murder - Kastryas (Kastryas) is a noble-kingly row of kings, claiming to be born from the arms of Pham-Thien, on behalf of Pham-Thien holds the right to dominate the people. 

c)  Vaisyas (Vaisyas) are household-owned merchants who believe that they are born from Pham-Thien corn, and are responsible for domestic economics (trading, planting, national income tax). 

d) Thu-da-la  (Soudras) is an inferior goods, slaves believe they were born from the heels of Pham-Thien, so the task of making miserable life for the upper levels. 

In addition to the four upper classes, there is also a humble class of people, the Baalah (Pariahs) like the barbaric people, considered to be marginalized in human society, on animal-like treatment, extremely humiliating and dark. 

These five classes wore clothes of different colors. Each class lived according to the rules of the hereditary system, must not change careers or marry each other, and must not move to other places. According to Ba-la-Mon law, only three upper levels have the right to read the sutras and study the religion, while the two lower levels will forever be slaves to the three upper levels. 

Ba-la-Mon subjects enjoy how much pleasure, then the lower-class crowd down under misery, humiliation-much. Social injustice is indescribable. Between people, there is not a sympathetic bridge, the source of love is choked, one class for another class is the enemies that are exploited as much as possible.  

In terms of religion, philosophy, ideology, the Indian society at that time also took place an extremely complex scene. Regarding beliefs, those who worship the fire god worship the mountains, the river, the worshipers of the wind, the lightning, and the sun. Regarding philosophy, the one who thinks that Pham Thien is the basis of the universe, thousands of things, who thinks the earth is the basic, who thinks that water is the basic, who thinks the wind is the basic .. There are factions going further, from concrete to abstract, to create theories: Time Commentary, Methodology, Spatial Commentary, Advocacy of Unity, Duality, Pluralism ... including one Hundreds of different factions, always lashing out against each other.  

In short, the Indian society at that time was a material society, groaning under the yoke of injustice, oppression, and spiritually turning around in madness. ideological theory confused, so-ta. That society is longing for love and equality, expecting to be radiant in the light of wisdom. In that situation, Shakyamuni Buddha appeared at the right time to save the sorrowful world. 

2.  Shakyamuni Buddha, the teacher of loving-kindness and compassion: 

a) Christmas -calendar  year . 

As we said at the beginning, we Buddhists do not consider the historical issue to be important; again undergo a long time from the time of the Buddha's appearance up to now, the documents are lost, so there are many different theories about the Buddha's birth calendar. 

However, today in order to have a complete unity on the Buddhist calendar, the Second Congress of the World Buddhist General Assembly held in East China in 1952, agreed that the second full moon of February The land of India (the full moon day of the fourth lunar month) in 624 before Jésus Christ was born as the birth-day of Shakyamuni Buddha. Thus, up to this year (1964), the Christmas Buddha has been 2588 years (1964 + 624). But if we see the Buddha-calendar 2508 (counting to the 19-calendar-year calendar as 1964) it is because the International Buddhist Association took the year of Buddha's entry into Nirvana as the first year of the era, not the year of birth (2588-80 years of Buddha's life = 2508). 

b) Nationality and lineage 

At that time, the country of India consisted of many small states, when they drew into battle with each other like the Warring States of China. However, the Great War still brought back Ma-master-da (Magatha) like the Zhou dynasty in China to the vassal countries. The country is the largest south of the Ganges River (Gange) as the center of all India. In the north of India, near the foot of the Himalayas (now Népal) there is a country called Ca-Pi-la-defense (Kapilavastu). The king-ruler of this country is the Pure-Sanskrit King (Sudhodana) of the Kassrya-class (Kastrya) of Kieu-all-la (Gotama) who is a great aristocrat in India. Queen-Queen, wife of King Tinh-Sanskrit Ma-Gia (Maha-Maya) to forty-five years old to get pregnant. 

According to Indian custom, near the date of birth, Hoang-Hau returned to her parents' home, A-Nậu-Thích-Ca (Anucakya) in the Gou-ly (Koli). One morning, Queen-Queen went out for a walk in the flower garden of Lam-Pi-ny (Lumbini) and the eco-prince there. The Crown Prince was named Siddharta (Siddharta) and according to Indian custom, he took his mother's surname Shakyamuni (Cakya). After the birth of Prince-Prince Tat-Dat-7 was 7 days, Queen Ma-Gia weight. The queen's sister, Ma-ha Ba Xa Ba De (Maha-Prajapati) replaces her to nurture Crown Prince Tat-Dat-Da to grow up. 

Crown Prince Tat-Dat-Da, later known as Shakyamuni Buddha, the merciful Master and the wisdom of Buddhism. 

c) Shape-and-substance 

The prince's appearance had more special features than ordinary people: He had thirty-two precious generals and eighty beauty. So when watching his General, the A-Da-A-Dao (Asita) predicted that he would later become Buddha, master of all three, and lead the way for sentient beings to escape from the suffering of samsara. 

In his infancy, his intelligent nature and his virtue of virtue were clearly manifested. The wise-trained, talented martial artists are being taught to Prince-Phan; and soon Prince-prince became a full-fledged martial artist, no one else can match.  

At the same time as his talents, his virtues were also developed very quickly and deeply. His love spreads, enveloping everyone. 

And also due to the intelligent nature sees clearly the false nature, impermanence of things, and infinite compassion, unable to sit still to see the groaning, suffering of the world, so the soul-soul His will never be at peace. Day and night, he always thinks about the method of saving sentient beings. 

King Tinh-Sanskrit, in order to comfort his children, build up a magnificent palace, display all kinds of songs and dances to surround the crown prince, and even married him a beautiful wife. is her Da-Du-Da-La (Yosodhara) but the Prince-Prince still not relieved the immense sadness of the world. 

d) Renunciation

When he was nineteen years old (some said he was 29 years old) after leaving the Pure Land of a royal grandson named La Mosta (Lahula), the prince decided to leave the royal family and give up his life. vinh-hoa rich-precious, escaped from the royal castle, cut his hair into the deep forest, hoping to be quiet in order to find a way to save sentient beings from suffering and bring them to the edge of enlightenment - Far happy. Initially, he had to seek and study with the most famous Indian-Indian ascetics of that time, but then he realized that their truths and spiritual practices were also not transcendent. From there, he went into hiding in the Snow-Son mountain range, having to cultivate on his own to find the liberation that he desired. In six years of asceticism, he has not yet obtained any satisfactory results. Then he went to the mountain of the Head-Statue (Gajasirsa) on the banks of the Ni-row-boat. After finishing the shower, His life bowl of milk porridge (question-lake) of a few female-female offerings. Then he went under the tree Tat-la-pita (Pippala, later people called the Bodhi tree means tree Enlightenment, to commemorate the enlightenment of the Buddha under that tree). He meditated there and swore, saying: 

"If we sit here and do not witness the direct result, then even though the meat is broken, I will never stand up." 

d) The enlightenment and the discourse of fertility

He meditated under the tree of Bat-la-la, until the fortieth day of the ninth day of dawn, when he was suddenly surprised, he saw the truth of the universe and the origin of their life and death. -born. He became a Buddha with the name Sakyamuni Buddha (Cakya Muni). 

After becoming enlightened for a period of forty-nine years (There is a place of forty-five years) the Buddha traveled throughout the Ganges basin, bringing his supreme doctrine to sentient beings, regardless of old and young. , male and female, rich and poor, cowardly, color, race, intellectual or ignorant. 

Thanks to his boundless compassion and immeasurable sacrifice, he taught the Dharma teachings on five hundred congregations, turned countless multitude of births, and escaped from the delusion of suffering. And so Buddhism was founded in the world. 

e) Buddha entered Nirvana

In 554 years BCE (as of 1964 ie: 1964 + 554 = 2508 years) Buddha is now 80 years old. Realizing that his wish was fulfilled, his fertility task was complete, one day, the Buddha gave his disciples again, gave thorough wills, and then left the world peacefully. , simple on a hammock hooked between two cotton plants (Çala) outside Europe into Cau-thi-la (Kusivagarâ). 

In this way, an extremely great life appeared and disappeared as a miraculous stream of light when marking three major stages in a very simple and meaningful way: 

- Born next to a tree 

- Achieving a tree 

- And die in the middle of two branches! 

II. HISTORY OF BUDDHIST BUDDHISM IN INDIA 

1. The four periods of the canonical scriptures

After the Buddha entered Nirvana, the disciples of the Buddha continued to take turns raising the enlightened torch to lead the birth and continue the career of "transmission" to this day.

Let us first talk about the four classical assembly periods in India.

a) The first aggregation period .

Four months after the Buddha entered Nirvana, Ma-Ha Ca-Lettuce (Maha Kasyapa) replaced the Buddhist monk who had summoned a conference of about 500 great disciples of the Buddha, at the citadel of Prince-Xa (Rajagrika) to recite the teachings that the Buddha taught. In this first conference, Mr. Ma-Ha Ca-Lettuce was exalted in the chair of the chair; Ananda, a disciple who often followed the Buddha and listened to him for a long time, was sent to recite the teachings of the Buddha; while He Uu-Ba-Ly (Upali) is the disciple most disciplined and strict discipline, was appointed to coincide with the rules. This conference ended after seven months of work and 500 great disciples all recognized it as the true words of Buddha. 

This congress is known as "The first episode-episode".  

b) The second set-up

About a hundred years after Buddha's death, because of disagreements about the precepts, the monks split into two groups, meeting separately in Vaisaly and Vajji. 

The Sangha assembly met in Vaisaly due to the summons of Elder Yasa at the age of 165, including 12,000 monks, but only 700 of them could vote. This conference was convened under the chairmanship of Mr. Revala and unanimously voted: "It is not advisable to make amendments to the Buddha's precepts that were taught, even though the Buddha was told that if monks and nuns agree with each other that the Tathagata's rules and regulations are of little importance and cannot be maintained anymore, they are allowed to correct them . "  

Meanwhile, the monks in Vajji meeting under the chairmanship of the great Vajjiputra agreed to amend. In this second episode, the focus is only on resolving the rules. However, monks also divided into two distinct factions. The sect of Yasa summoned and kept the Buddha's precepts, called the Theravada (Théravadins) or Upper-seated. 

Faculty by Vajjiputra amendments to the ten laws of Buddha, it is called the Sect-head of the Mahayana (Mahasanghikas). 

Since then, Buddhism has divided into two distinct factions and is the root of the twenty-later sects. 

c) The third episode-episode

More than two centuries after the Buddha's death (274 years before the Chinese calendar), Emperor Asoka again summoned a thousand wise and powerful elders to assemble the suttas at Pataliputra. that is, Bihar and Patra today) under the presiding of Maudgalyayana-Lien Tu-God (Mogaliputta Tissa). After nine months of work, the conference has successfully completed the canonical collection, in addition, it also regulates the Sangha, eliminating the male religious, breaking the gender, and disciplining the law. . 

d) Fourth installment

About 600 years after the Buddha's death, that is, in the first century AD, King Ca-Ni-Sac-Ca (Kaniska), an Indian Emperor, had a dharmapala, no less than the King. Ashoka, summoned 500 Bodhisattvas, 500 Bhikkhus, and 500 people at the house-stay, in Ca-Dec-Di-La to assemble the sutras under the chairmanship of the two Mr. Revelation-Ton-Jia and The Huu. 

This episode is called the fourth episode-episode. 

In the four episodes, the first two episodes do not need the record, that is, just recite, see what the Buddha's words were said, or consider what the meanings are right with the Dharma. 

It was not until the third and fourth period that it was used for writing in writing. In this record, monks are divided into two sects: the Southerners are written in Pali, and the Sects are written in Sanskrit. 

2. South-North and North-Buddhism

As mentioned above, because the sūtras are recorded in two languages: Pali and Sanskrit, Pali-speaking lands are spread as well as Pali sects are spoken, while those in Sanskrit-speaking classics are Sanskrit-texts are recited. If Central India is used as a base, then the southern lands of India and spread to the countries of Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Ai-Lao, and Cao-Mien ... all follow the Pali canon. , so it is also called South-Buddhism. 

And the lands of Central India, North India-India and spread to Népal, Tibet, China, China, Cao-Ly, Japan-Bon ... are based on Sanskrit scriptures, and called North-Buddhism Buddhism. 

South-North or North-Buddhists worship the same master, Shakyamuni Buddha, and follow the weak points that Buddha taught. However, depending on the radical, psychological and cultural influences and the lives of people there are differences between the South and the North, the method of practice and the promotion of the teachings are singular and copper. The North-South mostly goes toward the rampage, developing, free-form without any formal fuss. South-way, then there is the old-fashioned way, loyal to Theravada Buddhism, respect-form. Therefore there are two sects: Hinayana Buddhism in the South and Mahayana Buddhism in the North. 

3. The development of Mahayana and Hinayana

Here because we are still in the history of spreading Buddhism, we are not in a hurry to mention the difference between the Mahayana and Hinayana teachings. Let us put aside the problem and talk about how the two sects' development in India is. 

a) The development of the Hinayana sects

As we all know, the cause of Hinayana is divided into many sects, because in the second episode, on the issue of the disciplines, there are disagreements. two factions: One faction consists of the elders called Upper-coordinates-set; and one faction composed mostly of young monks, but very numerous, called Dai-them-set. 

During the period of 100 years after the second set-up period, Dai-them-in turn divided into eight denominations as follows: 

 

So is from a main sect is  Dai-them-set  which in turn divided into eight branches (plus 9 sets). Meanwhile, the upper-co-ordinators initially lived peacefully in the mountains of Ca-tower-di-la, but with time, also gradually divided, and finally including the following: 

   

In a nutshell, on the side of the Venerable-Set, from the radical (Upper-Vessel) to the branch, including a total of 11 sets. 

If there are a total of both the Venerable-Venerable and the Venerable, the Hinayana sect includes a total of 20. 

b) The development of the Mahayana school 

Although the teachings of the Buddha include both Hinayana and Mahayana, but in the first four, five centuries of the Buddhist calendar, because of the roots of monks and Indian followers. more Hinayana, so the Hinayana sect is thriving. But from the first century CE, or sixth to the Buddhist calendar, Mahayana teachings began to flourish in northern India and gradually spread in the North. 

The first merit, by which the Mahayana Buddhism flourished, belonged to His Holiness. 

Mr. Ma-Minh, a native of North India, born in the first century-west of the calendar, was originally a pagan at first, had a knack for arguing, after arguing that he was defeated by Mr. Haughty-Ton-Jia, Refuge under Buddhism. He himself is the author of the Mahayana, Mahayana Mahayana Mahayana Commentary, and thanks to the powerful protection of King Ca-Ni-Sac-Ca, he has revived and transmitted -a strong power of Mahayana teachings. 

One hundred years later, following the career of Lord Ma-Minh, there was Long-Tho Lord in the country of Pi-Dat-La (South India) who had a very good natural disposition. of Brahmin, Phe-da ..., mastering all the astronomy, geography, medicine, numerology. Initially, he followed Hinayana, after he studied the Mahayana teachings and made the commentaries of the Innate, The Twelve, Tri-degrees ... to break down the wrong ties, specify the Chief Justice of Mahayana, and travel to foreign countries to serve foreign clothes. Mahayana so that day more and more radiant. 

Following on from Mr. Long-Tho, there are two disciples, Mr. Long-Trí and Ðề-Bà, who have made great contributions to the development of Mahayana. 

After the Buddha entered Nirvana more than 900 years, that is, about the fourth century AD, there were two brothers who were Infinite-First and The-Body, born in North India, first according to Brahminism. , after the refuge under the Buddha. 

Mr. Vo-Before was his brother, enlightened to the Mahayana teachings first, and He-The-Body initially studied the doctrine of Hinayana, after he was Mr. Vo-Previous to guide him to Mahayana. From then on, the two brothers actively promoted the meaning of the Mahayana Mahāyāna and made the ministries: Show-Ocean Saint-doctrine, Photographer-Mahayana ... Both of them advocated of Duy-consciousness, justify the reason: "Three realms of idealism, all things only". Therefore, the doctrine of the two of them called Dharma-General Duy-learning-method, and they were considered as the ancestors of Dharma-General Duy-formula-learning. 

Their influence continued to spread to the 10th century AD and made the Mahayana Buddhism in India flourish, and eclipsed the Tale-teaching doctrine. redundant. 

4. The decline of Buddhism in India

About two thousand years after Buddha's passing away, Buddhism in India faded away and almost no longer resounded. The cause of that decline can be attributed to the following three reasons: 

a) Dao Ba-la-Mon, before the time the Buddha appeared to be a single-religion religion in India. But since Buddhism was born and more and more thriving because of the spirit of compassion, equality and the bright light of wisdom, Brahminism gradually lost its beauty and strength. retreat into darkness forever. But those religious leaders were not discouraged, on the one hand they were revising their doctrine, on the other hand, purifying their ranks and relying on the power of the government, gradually taking them back. old and very anti-Buddhist position. 

b) Islam is a religion in Turkey (Turquie) when it invaded India by military force, used fierce tactics to destroy the Dharma and harm Buddha. education by beating towers, destroying temples, burning sutras, killing Buddhists. Therefore, Buddhism has almost no place in India anymore. 

c) The third reason is internal reasons. If only for the two foreign-aforementioned reasons, Buddhism in India would not have been so easily annihilated so quickly. The decline of Buddhism in India was also the decline of the Sangha, the Buddhist monk lacked the schooling and the spirit of progress of the Indian Buddhist leadership at that time. 

If vandalism on the outside does not have indirect interruption on the inside, then Buddhism in India will not take place in the desolate state of devastation as we have seen in five centuries. before. 

C. CONCLUSION  

The Buddha taught: there is birth, there is destruction, there is destruction. So after fifteen centuries of flourishing, Buddhism in India gradually became decadent as well. The law of impermanence governs all the things of this life. 

And also due to the variable-translation law, one defect here and the other accretion, the diving wave in one place to flourish in another. Buddhism has moved from the center of India to spread, flourishing in other countries, first around India, then to China and gradually spread throughout the world. . HET = NAM MO BON SU THICH CA MAU NI PHAT. (3 LAN). THE TRAVELER THAT HOI PHAT VIETNAM TREN THE GIO.TINH THAT KIM LIEN.THICH NU CHAN TANH. AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY.9 / 1/2020.END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.9/1/2020.