LESSON 4: HISTORY OF VIETNAM BUDDHISM (CONTINUED)

UNIVERSAL BUDDHISM 2

SRAMANA=THICH THIEN HOA.

COURSE V:  HISTORY OF BUDDHISM,

10 RELIGIOUS AND UNIVERSE OF CHILDREN

Lesson 4: HISTORY OF VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM (continued)   
(FROM TRAN HOUSES TO KING'S HOUSE OF NGUYEN)

V. BUDDHISM UNDER THE TRAN HOUSE (1225-1400).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.

1. General situation of Buddhism under the Tran dynasty  

The Tran dynasty succeeded the Ly dynasty, inheriting all aspects, a valuable heritage that the Ly dynasty built over two centuries ago. As for Buddhism, although at the end of the Ly dynasty, the court encountered many internal affairs and in the Zen school, there were few high-level monks as at the beginning of the Ly dynasty; but among the people, Buddhism is deeply imbued, everywhere are temples, there are Buddha statues to worship. Entering the beginning of the Tran Dynasty, there are many reasons why we believe that Buddhism will be further developed, especially the Tran kings who understood and adored Buddhism more than the early kings of the Ly Dynasty. Yet Buddhism in the Tran dynasty, which flourished only in the first 50 years, then stopped and regressed forever. Because the two reasons why Buddhism cannot progress are outside, the competition is intense, sometimes it is even a persecution of Confucianism; and within, the Buddhist doctrine was gradually interspersed with superstition, the superstition of the pagan cults, pagans, which the kings at the end of the Tran dynasty adored. Because of these superstitions, this superstition, Buddhism in the eyes of the scholars, especially the Confucian side, became a useless religion, dangerous for national life. Confucian scholars attacked Buddhism. The court opened monastic examinations on common teachings. Those monks who failed the exam must continue. Those who passed the examination were appointed Tri-palace (considered the work of the palace), Tri-official (considered the work of the temples), Tri-order (considered the work of the temples). It was a marked decadent phenomenon: monks had to take the exam to hold the post of worship at the royal palaces and temples. The irony is even more poisonous, 

2. The Tran rulers contributed to the spread of Buddha-Dharma 

As mentioned above, in the early Tran dynasty, there were many kings who were very devoted to Buddha-Dharma and made great contributions to the spread of Buddhism in the country. 

a) King Tran-Thai-Ton (1225-1258)  

Tran-Thai-Ton's name is Tran-Canh, her husband Ly-Chieu-Hoang. After being abdicated by his wife, Tran-Thai-Ton became the original king of the Tran dynasty. He is a king who understands the religion very deeply. When he first came to the throne, he took care of spreading Buddhism by setting up pagodas, casting bells and maintaining Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. He also composed two very valuable books and made a valuable influence on the propagation of Buddha-Dharma at that time, the volume: "Zen-principles of men" and the book "Lock-down". Practicing the "Zen-principles of men" is clear about the principles of meditation practice; also practice "Lock-damage" explains the action-general of suffering: birth, old age, sickness, death. Those two episodes, still handed down today. 

b) King Tran-Nhan-Ton (1278-1293) 

Trần-Nhân-Tôn was the third king of the Trần Dynasty. After defeating the Mongols forcefully, he passed on the throne to me and entered the monastery at Yen-Tu mountain. He used to go around here to eliminate superstitious forms of folklore, to set up monasteries, to give sermons, to expand dispensers to help the sick. After that he passed the Dharma back to Ton-Gia Phap-Loa and passed away in am Ngoc-Van while traveling. He is the primary organization of Truc-Lam. 

c) Tran-Anh-Ton (1293-1314) 

Tran-Anh-Ton is the fourth king of the Tran Dynasty, succeeding the king Tran-Nhan-Ton. He is a disciple of Dharma-Loa religion, so very adept in Buddha-Dharma. Imitating his father as Tran-Nhan-Ton, he enthusiastically spread Buddhism in the country. 

After being invited by the Tripitaka in China, he printed many copies and distributed them to the people, on the occasion of the emperor's ordination. He also imparted large colonies to perform ceremonies and distribute to poor people. 

However, by the time of Anh-Ton, Buddhism no longer retained the brilliant-nuanced nuance of the Tran dynasty. After this king's life, although the successive kings were still Buddhists, they no longer had pure and lucid faith. Paganism, cults transmitted from China have intruded in their beliefs. 

3. Phái Trúc-Lâm Yên-Tử and its ancestors

In the Tran dynasty, the famous monks were not as crowded as in the Ly dynasty. However, in this life Vietnamese Buddhism has also developed a new sect, Truc-Lam, developed from Yen-Tu mountain. And the ancestors in this sect are also the higher monks that the next generation cannot help but remember, whenever it comes to Buddhism about the Tran dynasty. Here we find out through their biography and career. 

a) Tue-Trung Thuong-Si

His name is Tran-Quoc-Toan, son of Hung-Dao-Vuong Tran-Quoc-Tuan. When the Nguyen Dynasty (Mongolia) invaded our country twice, he followed Hung-Dao-Vuong to fight against the enemy, established many feats and was granted the title of Tiet-Porcelain. He had piety since he was a child, but because he met the country, he had to go to the king to help the country. When the enemy was alone, he resigned to retreat to Phong-Ap, Van-Nien-Huong. 

When he was enlightened, he often set up a forum to teach, good-faith followers came to the audience. 

King Thanh-Ton respected him, his title was "Tue-Trung Thuong-Si" and entrusted King Tran-Nhan-Ton to Him. He wholeheartedly taught Nhan-Ton about the moral part and later Nhan-Ton created Truc-Lam sect and became the first ancestor of this sect, also thanks to the spiritual influence of Tue-Trung Thuong-Si. 

When approaching, he made the family members seat in the middle of the empty house, leaning on the chair and chair. The servants cried and cried, and he opened his eyes, and said, 

- Birth of common sense, what's so pitiful that disturbs our soul like that? 

The maids had to shut up; He closed his eyes and passed away. He was 62 years old. 

b) Trần-Nhân-Tôn, the first patriarch of the Trúc-Lâm Yên-Tử sect  (mentioned above).  

c) Phap-Loa religion-professor, the second ancestor of Truc-Lam sect

Dong family, Cuu-La village, Nam Sach government (now in Hai Duong province), He met with zenith, at 21 years old he met Dieu-Ngu (that is, King Nhan-Ton) praised that he had a legal eye, and was acquired as a disciple. He was enlightened very early. At the age of 25, he was destined to open the ceremony at Sieu-Type Pagoda, with a king and his family attending. After the opening ceremony, he called him the master of painting Yen-Tu and brought over two hundred classics to him. 

He meditated, ordained the monks and the rulers of them. Monks have Sangha, books are clearly starting from there. In one lifetime, he cast 1,300 Buddha statues, erected two preaching stations, five stupas, two hundred monks, and more than 15,000 monks and nuns, of whom 3,000 had obtained the dharma. In addition, he also composed two episodes "The book" and "Meditation weak only", now still handed down. Such a great industry, but unfortunately His life was very short, enjoying 47 years. 

d) Huyền-Quang Tôn-Sư, the third ancestor of Trúc-Lâm sect  

Mr. Ly, from Van-Tai village (now in Bac-Giang province), his father was Tue-To, had merit to fight Chiem-Thanh, but refused to become an official. He envisioned the singularity, but his innate intelligence, passed the status quo at 20 years old. Before passing the exam, his wife asked his wife for him, but she was rejected everywhere because of his singularity and the poverty of his family. But when he passed, the rich men scrambled to call for a daughter, and the king asked for the princess to give him, but he refused. Therefore, people have a folk verse: 

"Hardship then no one looks, 

By the time of passing, eight thousand conditions and conditions  .  "

Because he saw such a favorable situation, even though he was a great official and went on a mission to China, he was still not satisfied with that. One day, following King Anh-Ton's listening to the Dharma-Speaker preaching a sermon, he immediately became enlightened so he offered to resign, and then ordained with Dharma-speaker. 

After being impressed by Phap-Loa, he remained at Van-Yen pagoda in Yen-Tu mountain, monks and nuns attended thousands. He established temples, printed sutras, opened dharma-giving to the poor, and did a lot of merit. 

The three Truc-Lam ancestors above have created a great prestige, not only in the Sangha but also in the human world. But then unfortunately the successors of his father no longer match anyone.  

In summary, in the Tran dynasty, like the Ly dynasty, Buddhist history can be divided into two periods:

The first period was prosperous period including the first four kings (nearly 100 years); the second period is the period of decadence, including the following kings (about 80 years). 

BECAUSE. BUDDHISM UNDER THE LAKE OF HO HO (1400-1407), UNDER THE FOLLOWING TIME OF THE MINH HOUSE (1414-1427) AND UNDER THE LIFE OF LIFE (1428-1527)  

Buddhism gradually declined from under the Tran kings to the Ho dynasty and lasted until the end of the Late Le dynasty. For nearly two thousand years of Buddhism present in this country, we can say this period is the darkest period of Buddhism. 

For 7 years of usurping the Tran dynasty, Ho Quy Ly could not do anything, he was borrowed by the Ming dynasty to restore the Tran dynasty, dragged his army to attack our country, and set up a fierce domination for seven years. Although the seven years were short, the Ming dynasty had left a very disastrous consequence that 100 years later had not erased. Indeed, after invading our country, the Ming confiscated all the books and books in the country, including the Buddhist scriptures, brought them to Kim Lang, and burned numerous temples. 

On one side, the Minh Dynasty inflicted superstitious forms of the Taoist and Lama religions on the Ming side. 

Therefore, Buddhism lost all the pure nature of previous eras, and became a strange, heterogeneous religion. Buddha is not Buddha, ghost is not ghost. What a desolate, desolate scene that took place in the place of Zen! 

In the Le dynasty, Confucianism was very popular, the scholars rushed into the path of contemplation, absorbed in the thought of Song Nho. The teachings of the Buddha no longer make a name for profit, so they have been forgotten. Criticizing the state of Buddhism in this period, Venerable Thich Mat Thuat, in his book Vietnam History Buddhism, wrote very precisely the following: 

'' Religious practice, for the less educated, is only a succession according to the form (1); for the scholar, it is just a place for those who cheat on the list, to be depressed in the world, to be dissatisfied with their habits, that is, only the underdogs come to spend the days, borrow the temple scene, the bell, verse, and let go of life outside, not just understand the teachings of the Buddha and practice, and enlightenment, and then bring morality and enlightenment to others . '' 

Therefore in the post-Le dynasty can be said as "" degenerate Buddhism era "! 

VII. BUDDHISM IN THE SOUTHWEST, NORTH DISPUTES (1528-1802) 

After the reign of Hậu Lê, the reign of Emperor Chiêu Tôn and Cung Hoàng (1516-1527) was conquered by Mac Đản Dũng. But the loyalists of the Le dynasty opposed Mac Dang Dung and established the Le court in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An. After five and six years of fighting with the Mac, the Le dynasty relied on the Trinhs to reclaim Jiangshan. 

Trinh depend on himself that he has a lot of merit, and holds all the power in the dynasty. King Le only sat for the position, not the right. 

The surname Nguyen, because he did not want to submit to the Trinh family, so he fled to the South and hung in one direction. Since then our country has been divided into two: the North of the Gianh river is the Jiangshan of the Trinh family; south of the Gianh river is the Giang family of the Nguyen family. The two Trinh and Nguyen families wanted to expand their power to eliminate their opponents, so they went to build their land in all aspects. In terms of religion, both sides took Buddhism as the state religion and also zealously built temples to create numerous statues. 

Also during this period, there were chaos in China, and Buddhist sects were often pressured by the Lama, so some of the monks left their homeland, went to Vietnam to evangelize, people then they go to the North, people go to the South. As a result, our country has gained many new religious sects and many famous Chinese monks whose influence has been propagated till now. 

1. Buddhism in the time of the Trinh Lords

a) Buddhism in this period

Around the reign of King Le The Ton (1573-1599) in the North there was the Tao Dong sect, which was also a branch of the Bodhidharma sect of China. This school was transmitted by Chinese monk Tri Giao Nhat Cu. Presently the monks at Hoe Nhai, Ham Long, Tran Quoc pagodas in Hanoi are disciples of the Tao Dong sect. 

Around the time of King Le Hy Ton (1676-1705) there was a Lien Ton sect, founded by a Trinh royal family named Lam Giac Zen monk at Lien Phai pagoda (Bach Mai, Hanoi). At the same time Master Nguyet Quang also established that sect in Kien An. Lam Giac and Nguyet Quang are both disciples of the Lin Te clan in China. Presently the monks at Ba Da Pagoda (Hanoi) are disciples of the Lam Te tribe. 

In addition to the development of the two sects, Buddhism in the North was strongly supported by Lord Trinh: restored the monastery, invited the Tripitaka in China ... The monks at that time were also quite crowded, most famous. is Mr. Huong Hai Zen Master, which we will talk about below.

b) Hương Hải Zen Master

He was originally from the South, in the land of Lord Nguyen and a descendant of the world. His father was a god of Lord Nguyen. He graduated Huong Cong (bachelor) at the age of 18, was recruited to work in the Lord Nguyen government and then was appointed Tri Tri in Trieu Phong (today's Quang Tri). He was very devoted to Buddhism and often discussed the teachings with the monks. At the age of 28, he resigned from the mandarin, ordained as a Buddha. He went out to play in Tiem But La mountain outside Nam Hai, and then stayed behind the abbot. His conduct is very high, the people from near and far are admired. Lord Nguyen (Nguyen Phuc Chu 1691-1715) listened to his name, sent people to the island to invite him, and set up a temple for him to abide by. But after the doubt of Lord Nguyen, he left the South, built a boat to cross the sea with 50 disciples to the North and was admired by Lord Trinh and King Le. King Le Vu Ton (1706-1726) often invited him to come to the palace to ask questions. 

One day the king asked him: 

- I listen to meditation teachers and learn more widely, so please teach me about dharma sermons so that I can understand the path. He said: 

-The increase has four verses of this verse, please Your Majesty to mind: 

Original: 

Counterculture autism often view each 
massacre kind of thinking anhydrous 
Mac teachers dream Knowledge Center 
Future usually the result of the face area 

Translate: 

Listen again to what you see in the days 
Think carefully or Do 
n't seek knowledge in your dreams 
Is it possible to get a teacher (Dao) 

The king asked: 

- What is the intention of Buddha? 

He replied: 

Original: 

Swallow too long no 
picture Bass welded water 
Swallow invisible relics Expensive 
water saved photos. 

Translate: 

Swallow in the middle of the 
ball The ball is submerged in the water 
Swallow doesn't leave the mark. The 
water does not save the ball 

He often read verses to teach them, as follows: 

Original: 

About the tons of tu simulation area 
Learning about the heartless mind 
Tue at the complete cycle at the 
center of the Invisible center. 

Translate: 

Search for buffaloes, find footprints Buffaloes
still have buffaloes, they will never lose them 
Those who study religion do not doubtless, the 
mind will have the ability to find religion 

2. Buddhism in the time of the Nguyen Lords 

a) Buddhism in this period

While Buddhism in the outer region arose, at the same time Buddhism in the inner region flourished. Since Nguyen Hoang came to Thuan Hoa town, until the Nguyen Dynasty reunited the country, for more than two hundred years, the Nguyen family of Buddhism devoted themselves to devotion, statues, bell casting, and numerous monasteries. There were many monks from China, such as Te Yuan, Giac Phong, etc. from China to evangelize, among the Chinese monks, there was one monk whose influence is still passed down to now. Nguyen-Thieu Group. As for the Vietnamese monks, Lieu Quan was a Patriarch at that time, making Buddhism in the South at that time extremely brilliant. 

b) The fame increases 

-  Mr. Nguyen Thieu:  Mr. Ta, a native of Ta Huong Huong (Quang Dong). Ordained as a monk at the age of 19, he was ordained as a monk at the Bao Tu Temple, receiving ordination with the Venerable Doi-Khao Kho-Vien. In the third year of Canh Tri's reign, Le Huyen Ton (1665), he followed An Nam's merchant ship, residing in Quy Ninh government (Binh Dinh), set up Thap Thap Di Da pagoda, opened a Dharma teaching school, and then went back to Thuan. Hoa, established Hà Trung Pagoda, then came to Xuân Kinh (Huế), set up Quốc An pagoda and erected Pho Đồng tower. 

After that, he served Duc Anh Ton (Nguyen Phuc Trang 1687-1691) and returned to China, inviting monks and statues and statues. He went back to Quang Dong to invite Venerable Thach Liem and other monks and invited many classics, statues, statues and spiritual objects to return to the South. The Lord Nguyen immediately opened the ordination very solemnly at Thien Mu Pagoda. After that, Lord Nguyen bestowed him on the position of Abbot of Ha Trung Pagoda. 

One day, when he fell ill, he gathered his disciples, told him everything, and passed the following verse: 

President, invisible glass 

Intelligent, European useless 

Roads, non-animals 

Willow, willow 

General idea: The pure Dharma body is clear as a piece of a mirror without dust, like pearls of pearl, in a shiny light. Although the current events, things are different, but are the legal body manifest. The dharmakaya body is often silent, which is not without meaning, that is, the "righteous vacuum of magic". 

He finished writing the verse, sat quietly and passed away. 

- Mr. Lieu Quan:  Mr. Le, Thuy Thien Dieu, and a native of Bach Ma village, Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province (Song Cau now). He was orphaned at 6 years old, his father gave birth to him and became a monk with the Venerable Master, Chinese Chinese. For 7 years, the Venerable passed away. He went to Thuan Hoa with Giac Phong Lao ancestor (Chinese) at Bao Quoc pagoda. In 1691, he returned to his homeland to take care of his father and had to cut wood to make a living. Four years after his father passed away, he returned to Thuan Hoa and took novice ordination with Venerable Thach Liem (also Chinese). 

In 1699, he went to attend a ceremony throughout the Zen forest to nourish the practice. Through 1702, he came to Long Son, prayed to learn the method of meditation with the Venerable Prince Tu Dung (The ancestor of painting from Tu Dam Pagoda, Hue). 

As for chemistry, he was very diligent and not hard-working. Always he established the precepts, receiving them to increase. In 1740, he attacked Long Hoa to liberate the world, and from there, he returned to Thien Thai mountain, erected the workshop of am, hiding to practice, now that is the Zen temple. 

Lord Nguyễn Minh-Vương greatly respected his virtue and often invited him to enter into the talks. In the spring of 1742, he again attended the altar at Vien Thong Pagoda. At the end of the autumn of that year, when he fell ill, when he was about to die, he called his disciples to teach, "The predestined relationship is over, I'm going to die." Seeing his disciples crying, he taught that:

- What do you cry for! The Buddha was born and entered Nirvana, now I go to clear, about all there is room, you should not cry and do not be sad. 

Next, he wrote a poem, farewell: 

Original: 

Losing ten years middle world teenager 

No no, colors, magic, information 

Kim vow to fulfill the reason 

Ha all convulsive. 

Translate 

In addition to seventy years in the world 

No no, the color is all informed. 

Today contented about the old place 

Do graciously ask ancestor. 

When he finished writing, he told his disciples: 

"After I go, you have to think of the impermanence quickly, need to be diligent in studying, you should try to come, do not forget my words." 

By November 22 in the winter of Nham Tuat (1742) at the time of smell, he finished drinking tea, happily said goodbye to his disciples, and extinguished. 

When Lord Minh-Vương was convinced, he immediately gave him the title of "Dharma Master Hanh Thuy Chanh-Giac Vien-Venerable". 

VIII. BUDDHISM UNDER THE KING OF TRIEU NGUYEN NGUYEN  

Buddhist status in this period: 

The Nguyen Tay Son family, in a short time, ended the situation of the South and the North dividing and unifying the Son Ha about a term. But soon, Lord Nguyen Phuc-Anh defeated the Nguyen Tay Son family, took back the country and opened the Nguyen dynasty, taking the Gia Long reign. 

During this period, our country lived in a constant war, few people had time to think about reviving religious morality. Some temples were devastated, sutras, and scenes of desolation were so sad. King Gia Long ascended the throne, his first job was to restore order and security in the country, but there was no time to worry about reviving Buddhism. Through the reign of Minh Mang and Thieu Tri, they also began to renovate important temple temples, but in folklore, Buddhism's influence is dimmed every day. The monks still have, like Mr. Pho-Tinh Tinh Venerable, An-Thuy the great master, Dieu-Giac Venerable, Giac-Enlightenment. But because it's so few, you, like little stars in the dark sky, can't illuminate anything. 

By the time the French put their domination in this country, Buddhism became more and more decadent, losing all that is pure, sublime, but only as a deity, whose main task is to take care of the offerings. That's it. 

In order to have a general idea of ​​the badness of Buddhism in this period, we would like to quote the following highly accurate commentary, which the Venerable Thich Mat Thanh wrote in his brief book on Vietnamese Buddhism:  

"... Come here, from the king to the people, everyone is Buddhist in worship, praying, not knowing what else. And most of them only respect the teacher in the place of fame and title, even though the teacher is illiterate and lacking in spiritual practice. Because of that lousy, domestic monks once fell into the path of depravity, gambling, and alcohol infiltration before the bar of beauty. 

“In the Central Highlands of the North, the discipline of the elderly is still a bit serious, but in the Central region, most of them have a wife and children in a fair way, no more anxious. Especially in Cochinchina, it was even more chaotic ... Most of the monks only thought of fame and titles: asking for a certificate of Sangha, the Abbot, Sac-quad etc ... or just knew how to offer and pray. islands, witches, minions for kings, governors, rich households to make a living. And one more class, just keep yourself to be leisurely, have fun and play, tell me to be freed etc ..! 

"Therefore, the pagodas in the country have become separate family scenes, nothing is the corporate personality of a religion anymore. They live in Buddhism mostly as "ignorance" and "forget"! "Forget" to avoid having to know the duty - the main duty of a monk. 

“In the monks, so it is, outside the lay followers, they are bewildered and blindly believing, according to the need, few people understand morality. 

"In the history of Vietnamese Buddhism, we can type here a very large (!) Exclamation mark". 

C. CONCLUSION 

We have followed the footsteps of the first Buddhist evangelists in this country until modern times. In nearly twenty centuries of presence in the Vietnamese land, Buddhism has experienced so many ups and downs. These changes, not unilateral, always go hand in hand with the general transformation of the country. Every time the water maneuvered up, Buddhism also thrived; every time the water movement waned, Buddhism retreated. 

The second remark is that the regular soldiers are often sincere Buddhists, always supporting and encouraging the spread of Buddhism. In contrast, the kings who did not understand the religion and destroyed the religion were also the least successful in the rule of the country and the people. 

Due to these two remarks, we can conclude that Buddhism has been deeply immersed in the life of the Vietnamese people in the past. And from now on, in order for the country to settle down and have a brilliant future, the national leaders must give Buddhism an important position in all activities of the country. . END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.11/1/2020.