Sincerely almsgiving will escape evil .VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.

In the dharma of generosity, great or small merit does not necessarily depend on whether the gift is large or small but also depends on the attitude of giving. If giving alms with a pure mind, even if the donation oil is small, it will also bring great benefit. This Precursor story shows us that.

While staying at the Ky Vien monastery (Jetavana), the Buddha told this story to show the benefits of the Dharma offering.

The story tells that there is a homeowner living in Xa-guard (Sāvatthi), after listening to the Tathagata sermon, taking them happily should invite them the next day to come to his house. In front of the house, he built a large and splendid pavilion, then arrived on time. With five hundred Bhikkhus, the Buddha came and sat on the beautiful seat for himself. After offering many items to the Buddha and the Sangha, the believer invites the congregation to come again tomorrow to make offerings. For seven consecutive days like that, he invited the congregation to come and make full offerings, then on the seventh day, he would offer to you the requisites of a bhikkhu. During this offering ceremony, the lord offered the Buddha a special pair of shoes worth one thousand dong, two other pairs worth five hundred dong each for his two upper-class disciples, Xa-Loi-Phat and Muc-kien-Lien, each of which was offered a pair worth one hundred dong. After the offering ceremony, he and the masses sat down in front of the Buddha. Then by loving-kindness, Germany The Ton said dedicating:

- Hey, believer, he made a generous and joyful offering. In the past, before the birth of the Buddha, someone asked to offer a Bich Chi Buddha (Pacceka) a pair of shoes as a result of this offering that he found a refuge in the ocean with no place. reside. Now that he has made offerings to the entire assembly of Buddha the requisites of a bhikkhu, has that not been able to give him a safe place of refuge?

In the dharma of generosity, great or small merit does not necessarily depend on whether the gift is large or small but also depends on the attitude of giving. If giving alms with a pure mind, even if the donation oil is small, it will also bring great benefit. This Precursor story shows us that.

Then, according to the request of the believer, the Buddha told the predecessor story.

Ancient times, this Ba-la-complaint (Benares) was called Ma-li-ni (Molini). While Pham Du (Brahmadatta) was the ruler of this country, a very wealthy Brahmin named Tang-old (Sankha) built six alms houses in six places - four doors into four houses. the middle of the house was a house, and a house was right at his door. Every day, he gave six hundred thousand dong to the beggars very generously.

One day, he thought to himself: "My treasure will come to an end, then I will have nothing to give.

Now, while the wealth is still rich, we should build a boat to go to the Golden Land to bring back the jewels ”. Thinking that, he built the ship and equipped the machinery. When he said goodbye to his wife and children, he said:

- Your mother and daughter should take care of the almsgiving until I get back.

Saying that, he grabbed his umbrella, put on his shoes, along with the baremen faced the harbor and left at noon.

At that time, the Buddha, Bich Chi, was meditating on the mountain of incense (Gandha-madana), seeing this Brahmin on his way to find the golden life, thought: "This great master is looking for continents. treasure, do not know if there are obstacles in the sea that hinder him or not - surely there will be. If you see me, you will certainly offer me shoes and umbrella. And with this blessing of offering, Later on he will find shelter when his ship is in distress at sea. I will help you. " Thinking that, Buddha Bich Chi flew through the air and descended a place not far from the Brahmin, then went to meet him, letting his bare feet step on the hot sand like a layer of embers burning in the sun burns the wind. Seeing this, Brahmin thought, "This is a good opportunity for me to make merit. I must sow this seed of merit right now."

Dāna is one of the basic practices of a Buddhist disciple. Almsgiving helps us to get rid of the greedy mind; increase compassion, mind of equanimity; and it is also work that helps us to cultivate merit.

Very happy with his heart, he quickly went to pay homage to Bich Chi Buddha and said:

- Dear Venerable, invite You to cross the street and think under this tree for a moment.

Then when the Buddha, Bich Chi, came under the tree, the Bodhisattva brushed the sand for him, spread his clothes on the ground and invited him to sit on it. Then Bo-slaps take perfume to wash His feet and then apply perfumed oil. Bodhisattva took off his shoes, carefully cleaned, soaked perfume and offered his shoes and umbrella to him, politely instructing him to wear shoes and umbrellas when walking on the road. up. In order to please the Bodhisattva, the Bich Chi Buddha accepted this offering. And when the Bodhisattva admired the Buddha of Bich Chi to increase his faith, this Buddha used the divine powers to fly back to the Mount of Túy Sơn. On his side, the Bodhisattva, feeling extremely happy, went to the harbor and uprooted.When they walked on the ocean, on the seventh day their ship had a hole in it and they could not drain. water overflowed. Everyone cried bitterly, fear for your own life. Each person prayed to his own god. Bo-slaps choose a servant, apply oil on himself, eat butter mixed with sugar to delight and give it to the servant to eat. Then he climbed onto the mast, pointed in one direction and shouted, "Our city is over there." Throwing away the fear of turtles and fish, he and his servants jumped further. Seventy yards Everyone died. The Bodhisattva and his valet started across the sea, and swam continuously like that for seven days. gender, only gargle with salt water.

At that time, there was a goddess named Ngoc Khoa (Mani-mekhala,) ordered by the four emperors: "If a ship sinks, and tribulation happens to those who have taken refuge in the Three Jewels, those who have virtue. virtuous, or those who are filial to your parents, you must save them ".

In order to save people like that, the goddess stayed in the sea. During seven days, the goddess did not need to observe, but until the seventh day, she used the divine eye to look across the sea, and when observing so she saw this Brahmin Tang-old virtue. The goddess thought: "This man has been in the sea for seven days, if he dies, I will be guilty." With such a fear, the goddess held a golden plate full of eclipse, as fast as the wind. Go to the Bodhisattva, abide in space and say to Him:

- Dear Ba-la-Mon, it has been seven days then you do not eat or drink anything, now let's eat this.

Brahmin looked at the goddess and replied:

- Please put the food away, I'm keeping the world boy.

The servant came to the Ba-la-subject but could not see the goddess, only heard the voice, so thought: "This Brahmin is talking and whispering, I think because he may be weaker. Seven days without food or drink, now suffering and afraid of death. I must console you. " Thinking so, this man read the first verse:

Dear Ba-la-subject of the sage

Master many disciples, learned

Why in the middle of no one

Hoaringly respond to a whisper?

Brahmin heard that, knowing that his servant could not see the goddess, so he said:

- Hey, it's not like I'm afraid of death, but I'm talking to other people.

Then he recited the second verse:

Golden light appears

For us, she bestowed it

Luxury, golden plate of food set

I refuse her, rejoice.

The servant read the third verse:

 If you see a miracle

Please be a favor, don't hesitate

Stand up, put your hands together to pray

Ask that goddess or goddess.

The believer only offered to Buddha Bich Chi a pair of shoes and an umbrella, but the result was escaping from accidents when the ship crashed at sea. A pair of shoes, an umbrella is not a great gift, but the believer's mind when making offerings is extremely respectful and clear, and it is through this that the believer attains great merit in making offerings. mine.

- That's right.

Brahmin said and asked the goddess through the fourth verse:

With kindness she looked at me

Tell me to take it.

Are you a goddess or a woman?

Incredible, dear, answer me.

The goddess replied:

I am a goddess, an extraordinary force

Go to this place, in the middle of the ocean

Full compassion, joy

He met the road with me mercy.

Food and drinks resting place

Look at the traffic everywhere

Please be my master, Tang-old

Because you want to satisfy him.

Hearing that, the Great Master thought, “This holy woman in the middle of the ocean offers me this and that. Why does the goddess want to give me those things? Was it because of my merit or was it only because of her own power that the goddess did so? Okay, I will ask what should be. ”And he asked rhymes:

So the queen herself is here

Take control of this gift.

Slim person, beautiful forehead

Blessed do we get results like this?

The goddess heard that, thinking: I think this Brahmin asked that because I thought I did not know anything about his good deeds. Then I will tell him:

On the hot street, dear aunt

Exhausted, thirsty, aching leg pain.

He stopped offering offerings

That blessing now gets its share.

Upon hearing that, the Great Master thought: "Really! In the midst of this insurmountable ocean, the offering of the shoes became a great blessing. Oh, how good it is to make offerings to a Bich Chi Buddha! "Thinking like that, he felt extremely happy, so he soaked on the ninth verse:

Please the wooden boat for the solid pile

Sea crossing impermeable, windy ice

The land of Manila, today comes

Can vehicles be used here?

The goddess was very happy to hear these words, and using her divine powers to manifest a ship made of gold, nearly four hundred meters long, three hundred meters wide, ten meters deep; The three masts were made of pearls, the zipper was gold, the sails were silver, and the oars and rudders were all gold. After that, the goddess filled seven kinds of jewels onto the ship and picked up Bo-slaps to put on that magnificent ship. The goddess did not pay attention to the servant, however Bo-slaps shared his blessing. This man was very happy, and the goddess also picked him up and took him aboard. Then the goddess brought the ship back to the city of Ma-ni, and after entering all the jewels into the house of the Brahmin, the goddess returned to her residence.

In the dharma of generosity, great or small merit does not necessarily depend on the large or small donation, but depends on the attitude of giving. If giving alms with a pure mind, even if the donation oil is small, it will also bring great benefit.

With perfect wisdom, the Buddha soaked up the last verse:

Goddess of joy, joy

Demonstration ship god to bestow

Bringing Tang-old with his valet

Go to the capital is so beautiful.

And the Brahmin lived the rest of his life at home, constantly giving generosity and keeping morality, until the common network, was born with his servant to heaven, living with the gods.

At the end of this dharma talk, the Blessed One declared the Saints. At the conclusion of the Saints, the believer attains the result of the Reserve. Then The Ton identified the predecessor:

- At that time, the United States Sac (Uppala-vaṇṇā) was a goddess, A-nan was a servant, and I was Ba-la-subject Tang-old.

Comment:

Dāna is one of the basic practices of a Buddhist disciple. Almsgiving helps us to get rid of the greedy mind; increase compassion, mind of equanimity; and it is also work that helps us to cultivate merit.

In the dharma of generosity, great or small merit does not necessarily depend on the large or small donation, but depends on the attitude of giving. If giving alms with a pure mind, even if the donation oil is small, it will also bring great benefit. This Precursor story shows us that.

The believer only offered to Buddha Bich Chi a pair of shoes and an umbrella, but the result was escaping from accidents when the ship crashed at sea. A pair of shoes, an umbrella is not a great gift, but the believer's mind when making offerings is extremely respectful and clear, and it is through this that the believer attains great merit in making offerings. mine.

The story with a simple and gentle content, but through it we can draw a valuable lesson about how to practice giving, a job that perhaps each of us has ever done. END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).GOLDEN AMITAHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.8/8/2020.