PH-3: FOUNDATION OF THE BOYS.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.

CORE ERRORS OF THE HEADS.

In 1961, a group of Dharma practitioners of the Siriraj Hospital staff in Bangkok invited a great Thai monk named Buddhadasa Bikkhu to lecture for three days. The content of these three lectures was recorded and printed into a booklet. In 1984, a Buddhist Thais translate this book into English titled  "Heartwood from the Bodhi tree"  ( The core of the root Bodhi ) and until 2011, the book was a nun French is Jeanne Schut translated into French with the title  "Le coeur du message du Bouddha"  ( The heart of the Buddha's message ).

Buddhadasa ordained in 1926 when he was just twenty years old. After a few years studying in a temple in Bangkok, he realized that "purity cannot be found in big cities", so left the temple and returned to his hometown in southern Thailand. He renovated an abandoned temple and in 1932 turned it into a very famous Dharma teaching center called  "Suan Mokkhabalarama"  ( The Garden of Enlightenment ), one of the first places in Thailand. Lan teaches Vipassana meditation.

He was very enthusiastic and persistent in studying the Tripitaka and the Pali commentaries. He advocated to find the original purity for Buddhism. However, he also researched and studied other religions and maintained a very open relationship with them.

In terms of preaching and promoting the Dharma, he advocates pointing out the essential, practical and essential things to help practitioners eliminate suffering and attain enlightenment directly and quickly. . He did not raise concepts that are philosophical and purely religious, because in his opinion this is not practical. Because of this point, many people often misunderstand and consider him to belong to the group of Western scholars and practitioners who advocate "rationalizing" and "scientificizing" Buddhism, which is the forerunner of this tendency. is an English Zen master named Stephen Bachelor.

His openness and wisdom on the Dharma were officially recognized by the Unesco agency in 2006, 13 years after his death. Please also make a small note that Unesco not only recognizes architectural works and historical sites as the cultural heritage of humanity as people often understand, but also selects many literary works, music, poetry, philosophy, religion ... including language and folk customs and see it also belong to the cultural heritage of humanity.

Below is the translation of the first talk in Part I of the book. The generous translator would like to add a few small notes in the hope that it can help readers easily follow the original. These notes are presented in italics and enclosed in brackets.

Part I

The main points
of the Buddha's teachings

Reunion between us today was an interesting opportunity, so I think it should also raise the topics most important so that we can summarize the point of the basic teachings of the  Dhamma  (Dharma) . So the topic of today's talk will be "The most essential points of the Buddha's teachings", with the hope that if you fully understand those points, you will definitely be able to walk a long distance. a long way to study. In fact, if you do not master these vital points, it is very difficult for you to avoid all confusion: you will always wonder why there are so many things  (teachings)  to learn. So far, they keep multiplying to the point where they can't remember them all, understand them all, and bring them to all applications (The Dharma is too much and too diverse) . This is the most common cause that has caused many people to give up on the Path: they feel discouraged and then their interest in the Dharma will gradually fade away. They feel that it becomes a burden to carry on their shoulders and do not know how to handle it anymore.

Basic teachings of the Buddha

First, I will reiterate a few key points of the Buddha's teachings to help you review your knowledge. These are the true "fundamental" and needed to help you understand the  Dhamma  (Dharma)  rightly more. I would like to repeat and emphasize the meaning of the word "basic", because there are many things of understanding that are not "fundamental", if not some more erroneous commentaries  (meaning is that there are many kinds of teachings added) . These are misinterpretations increasingly deviating from the Buddha's teachings. No matter how much these commentaries retain the Buddhist character, they are mere additions and will eventually be eliminated from the Buddha's teachings.

So that something can be considered as belonging to "fundamental" teaching of the Buddha, it has to meet two of the following conditions:  first, to help eliminate  dukkha  (suffering)  and second that everyone can verify it for themselves  (that is, to end suffering)  without having to rely on anyone else  (Buddhism is a belief of self-reliance) . These are the two most important elements of the "foundation" or "basis" of the Buddha's teachings.

The Buddha did not mention anything that is not intended to cause  dukkha  (suffering)  to end, for example the topics related to rebirth. One might ask the Buddha the following questions: What is rebirth? How does it work? Consequences of  kamma  (karma) what? But all these questions have nothing to do with the end of suffering, and that is also the reason why the above-mentioned questions are not part of the Buddha's teachings. . Furthermore, for a person to ask questions like these, of course they will have no choice but to blindly believe the answers they receive from someone who these people cannot test for themselves, and only know how to give answers based on their own feelings or repeat what has been heard by others. Therefore, the topics will separate little by little from  Dhamma , and eventually become completely alien to  Dhamma., and will also have nothing to do with the purpose of  stopping dukkha  .

On the contrary, if we can get rid of these  (useless) questions  , we might also wonder: “Is Dukkha  really exist? "And" What needs to be done to make  dukkha  stop? " For those questions, the Buddha will be ready to answer, and those who listen to his teachings will also understand the truth in every word of those answers and no longer need. blindly believe too. He will understand more and more transparently until a time when he will fully understand. When knowledge reaches the perfect level that enables one to permanently release the  dukkha  , then that knowledge will be called ultimate knowledge. (means enlightenment) . Once the ultimate knowledge has been reached, he will also understand that even in the present, there is no "person" who is alive  (because of selflessness, no "I" exists at all. ) ; he will also understand and without the slightest doubt that there is no "I" and also cannot have anything of the "I"  (enlightenment and liberation are very simple though. and easy to understand but profound:  gaining ultimate knowledge will find that "no one" is alive and that nothing belongs to "anyone's" - including body and mind their own - and that is enlightenment and liberation). The sense of an "I" and "I" can only manifest when we dullly let go of the deceitful nature of sensory perceptions deceiving us  (sutras the sensory experience of the pentagon does not properly represent reality, because these are just expressions of knowledge that are subjective, conventional and have been highlighted by the streaks of karma, and that is. their "deceit" nature - meaning they are dishonest and always deceive us when we look at reality) . If there is no "individual" born  (no-self) , then all will never "anyone" die at all and will never "have" reborn at all. Hence  rebirth is  a completely comical matter and has nothing to do with Buddhism (This topic is quite delicate and complicated, please note that Buddhadasa still deals with the problem of rebirth between different lives, but when having to explain about "reincarnation" he only mentioned  the "reincarnation". "I" of the "I" in the mind of each person in the present life  It is a very subtle point regarding Buddhadasa's policy and teaching method that few people understand or pay attention to. the additional note is that Tan-tra Buddhism, meanwhile, advocates looking directly at death in order to take initiative).

The purpose of the Buddhist teachings is to help us understand that there is no "self" that is, there is nothing that can be called an "individual". The feeling of the existence of a "human individual" is just a false understanding of a dazed mind. It is simply one body and one mind, and both are just the operation of natural processes. The operation is no different than mechanical movements to process and process the data. If they function in a wrong way, the result will also be a dull and completely stupid understanding of reality: it means believing in the true existence of an "individual. "Man, into an" I "and into things that belong to his individuality. (satipanna /  truth-discerning awareness /  awareness or awareness)  helps to recognize reality. It is a basic and true insight, a very transparent realization that proves that there is no "self" and that nothing belongs to the "self".

Based on that fact one can understand that the problem of rebirth or anything like that is not a subject within the field of Buddhist teachings. Better to just ask questions like, "Is there a  dukkha  ?" Or "How can I put out  dukkha ?" Once one has understood what the root cause of  dukkha  is then one will find a way to get rid of it too. But what is that root cause of  dukkha  ? That is the form of delusion  (ignorance)  mistakenly believes in the existence of "I" and "mine".

The problem related to "I" and "I"  (the concept of anattā)  is the most essential problem in Buddhist teachings. These are things that must be eliminated as possible  (that is, self and mine must be removed) . Hence all understanding has to be focused on. The study as well as the practice of the entire Buddhist teachings is also there, without an exception. I ask you to try to remember that.

If one delves into the basics that underpin  Dhamma  , one will also find that they are not so much. In a lecture the Buddha also said that there is only one handful That is why I do not preach ”. The reason for the long and generous reiteration of this sutta is because Buddhadasa borrowed the same discourse as his teaching motto, that is to teach only what is really necessary to help the practitioner eliminate suffering and attain the rescue. He has found every way to help the practitioner not to get lost on the Path and not to fall into the dependent and redundant niches. Therefore, as noted in a note above that some Western scholars including some Thai Buddhists think Buddhadasa advocates "simplifying" Buddhism, and that is a mistake) That is to teach only what is really necessary to help the practitioner get rid of suffering and achieve liberation. He has found every way to help the practitioner not to get lost on the Path and not to fall into the redundant and dependent corners. Therefore, as noted in a note above that some Western scholars including some Thai Buddhists think Buddhadasa advocates "simplifying" Buddhism, and that is a mistake) That is to teach only what is really necessary to help the practitioner get rid of suffering and achieve liberation. He has found every way to help the practitioner not to get lost on the Path and not to fall into the redundant and dependent corners. Therefore, as noted in a note above that some Western scholars including some Thai Buddhists think Buddhadasa advocates "simplifying" Buddhism, and that is a mistake). The Buddha walked across a forest, he bent down to pick up a handful of leaves and asked the monks who were following him if there were more leaves in his hand than leaves in the branches of the forest. All the bhikkhus answered in unison that the leaves on the branches of the forest were countless times more than the leaves in His hand. You look at those metaphors to understand what the Buddha meant: leaves in the forest are numerous. The Buddha meant that what he discovered was as much as leaves in the forest, but what needed to be taught and put into practice was no more than holding leaves in his hand. (The Buddha contemplated the nature of reality, fully understood the operating laws of all phenomena in the universe, but he only chose the most practical knowledge to be able to directly bring the solution. escape for all sentient beings) .

In short, what above shows that the main principles that need to be brought out to practice in order to eliminate  dukkha  are no more than a handful of leaves, while there are countless numbers of everything else. in this world. We must see the great advantage of that meager, because it will not go far beyond our own ability to learn and absorb. This is the first important point that we must be conscious of in order to build a solid foundation of understanding for the entire Buddhist teaching.

WHAT IS THE CORE ERRORS OF THE
GOVERNMENT IS NOT

Introduction of translator:

Emptiness is a very important and essential topic in Buddhist teachings, but also complex, profound and elusive, as evidenced by the concept that the concept of emptiness was also understood differently between Theravada Buddhism and other study Mahayana Buddhism.

Emptiness is also the most unique and unique concept in Buddhist teachings. Indeed, there is no civilization, a system of ideas, a philosophy, a religion, or a science that has raised this concept outside of Buddhism. It is a concept that transcends all religions, including "Buddhism" in the form of popular "beliefs". Today the concept of emptiness, as well as some other concepts of Buddhism, continues to be thinkers, philosophers, scholars, scientists ... in all areas of the world. amazing .. .

CORE ERRORS OF THE HEADS

Part III

How to practice to stay in emptiness

In the last second lecture, I explained what emptiness is. So today it is thought that it is only necessary to present the practices to help stay in emptiness - something that everyone can practice, even those who have not learned much about the Buddhist scriptures. Teach or have no high educational background.

Salutatory

In order to be able to understand what "permanent residence in emptiness" is, it is necessary to thoroughly study the meaning of a few words such as: "understanding", "doing", "seeing transparency", "staying in ... "," Becomes empty ". Here are the common definitions of these words:

Understanding = means understanding emptiness

Doing = means doing emptiness

Contemplating transparency = means contemplating the transparent emptiness

Permanent residence in ... = means permanent residence in emptiness

To become emptiness = means to become emptiness in emptiness, or to become emptiness.

So what are the distinct and subtle aspects that can help distinguish the above words and expressions? How should we understand the meaning of each word and of each expression according to the contexts and circumstances when they are mentioned?

Learn emptiness

If we say that we  "understand emptiness" , then immediately people will think that we have had the opportunity to learn and research on this topic. But if we don't try to think further, we will not be able to understand emptiness properly. In the sense in the  Dhamma  (Dharma) , the word "knowledge" is not an understanding through research, listening to lectures, or through anything else like that. If only based on knowledge as mentioned above  (ie thanks to learning) then even if we have the result that we have fully understood, it is not a perfect understanding. In general terms, the words "know" and "understand" simply reflect what is gathered through reading, listening to lectures, thinking or logical  (reasonableness) . With regard to emptiness, all of the above ways cannot help bring true understanding. "Understanding emptiness"  means being aware of emptiness with a mind when it is really empty (In Zen it is called intuitively understanding - or contemplating - but it must be said that Buddhadasa's explanation above is much more specific and understandable. looking for indirect means to stop conventional thought and understanding to "intuitive perception", but many people are "stuck" because of not fully understanding what "intuitive perception" is because it is just a way of getting them to come back to conventional terms) . In order to be able to understand what emptiness is, emptiness must be felt at the moment of being aware of it  (intuitively if it is to be said in meditation) : that is the moment when a direct perception occurs. which is called "understanding emptiness".

There may also be situations such as when something is heard a couple of times and then continue to think more about it, and eventually the mind gets used to the logical way of thinking. of it should assume that it is true, and in fact it can also happen that is true. However, it is still not the understanding that we mentioned above  (ie "knowledge" directly above learning) . What just explained is just an understanding and insight into the common sense of the words. So I would like to ask you to keep in mind the particular meaning of the word "knowledge" in the Buddhist teachings ("Knowledge" in Buddhist teachings is an intuitive "knowing" or "seeing" that transcends conventional words and expressions, such as the smiling Ma-ha Caesar when Buddha held up a flower, Buddha and Lettuce both did not say a word) .

"Knowing Dhamma"  means that Dhamma  truly exists and that we are also aware of that existence. Also, understanding emptiness means that the awareness of emptiness is manifesting. That is why I always advise everyone to be constantly aware of emptiness whenever it appears in their mind, even though it is not very perfect and comprehensive emptiness. In fact, emptiness is not revealed many times a day, and although it is not truly unsustainable and absolute, it is still worthwhile for us to follow and learn. If from the beginning  (in practice)  we know to be interested in that form of emptiness  (though not yet perfect) then we can also generate some enjoyment when we feel empty  (a little whimsical feeling) , and that will also contribute a lot to help us achieve true emptiness  ( later) . In short, "understanding emptiness" means to be aware of emptiness when it appears (The above explanation of the "understanding" in the Dharma above is both simple and precise, and most of all, "ingenious" than the way Zen masters use koan to explain the same "understanding. to know ”that, and to call it intuitive perception, insight, perception… Buddhadasa's ingenuity and splendor is the use of very common terms to explain what is so sublime and Koans are just "inexplicable" explanations, so while they help many people, they may have left many others in confusion. carry if they are not enough to grasp) .

For the expression  "  voir clairement la vacuité / seing emptiness clearly" is similar to the one above. That is the way of seeing more and more transparent and accurate. Whenever we are aware of the  emptiness of the mind itself  , we should also reflect on it, concentrating our attention on it until a clear, sharp vision, and insight are attained. he would also be called a "deep understanding" (Buddhadasa will expose more depth and detail to the emptiness or  emptiness of the mind itself  in the following paragraphs, because that is nirvana. Of course, this note is meant to remind the reader to pay attention to the emptiness of the mind itself most can see the process of the practice leading to nirvana, which Buddhadasa will describe below. Indeed when it comes to the visualization of emptiness our natural reaction is to release the emptiness of all things and forget that our own mind is also an emptiness) .

For the interpretation of the sentence  "  raliser la vacuité / realize the emptiness"  is similar to the case just presented. That is the moment of execution (glare of intuition) . For the conventional way of speaking, we can sure that we  perform is emptiness, but in reality, the  mind (spirit) done that. Knowledge  (consciousness) plays the subject role to "consciously" and "realize" emptiness (Increasing precision: "we" can realize emptiness, but in fact the mind does, and in that consciousness the intellectual component plays the role of execution. moreover, we will also see the composition of the words "we", "consciousness" ... and even "knowledge" if we consider emptiness as something else that it can accomplish. of our is a way of "waving chopsticks" to base on it - that is, the composite things - as a whole to identify itself as "we" or "ours") .

The term  "residing in emptiness" (demeurer dans la vacuité / abiding with the emptiness)  is translated from the Pa-li  sunnatavihara , and means "living and breathing within the constant awareness of emptiness".

After all, what do the sentences  "be emptiness" or  "become empty" (être vide / being empty)  ? These sentences imply that there is no feeling of "I" or "mine", because they are just a feeling arising from clinging  (as opposed to emptiness) . Getting rid of that feeling means "becoming empty". But what is empty? Again, it is empty consciousness  (if you say that "I" is empty or "we" are empty, then the "I" will still emerge), it has shed the feeling of "I" and "mine" in both its gross and subtle forms. If consciousness has become so empty when the subtle form of the "I" ceases, then it can be said that consciousness is "emptiness". That expression also coincides with the policy of other Buddhist sects  (the schools of meditation) , because according to these sects consciousness is emptiness, emptiness is consciousness; emptiness is Buddha, Buddha is emptiness, emptiness is Dharma, Dhamma is emptiness. All is just one. The infinite variety of things that we know is just emptiness. I will try to further analyze below on the word "empty" to shed more light on this word.

So what is emptiness

The word "emptiness" or the word "emptiness" is really meant to designate two different things, or rather two different characteristics.

First of all, it specifies the characteristic of all phenomena  (again, this is also the main understanding of emptiness according to the Mahayana schools) . I ask you to remember that all phenomena are emptiness. Also keep in mind that every time I say "all phenomena" it means to include all physical as well as mental objects; Absolutely all, from a grain of dust to  Nibbana (When it comes to all phenomena, our first reaction is to think about what happens around us, that's just because the feeling of the "ego" that dominates us is so strong - yes it is. If the "I" control is relaxed, we will also be able to react more naturally and more easily to understand that ourselves and what appears in our mind are only are phenomena, and are no different than other "meaningless" and "empty" phenomena in the universe. Be aware very clearly that a dust also contains emptiness or the absence of the self, that is, the absence of a permanent and independent entity. Gold, silver, and diamonds all share the same property of that absence of an unchanging entity. Mental objects - such as thoughts, feelings, and emotions - all possess the character of emptiness, the absence of a permanent and independent entity  (independence here means not being in itself, it is just a consequence of the interaction and the interaction between many other phenomena that cause its existence, and that its temporary existence is just a born phenomenon and it will be compatible. interact and connect with other phenomena to become another cause giving rise to other phenomena) . Research and practice Dhamma  also has the same characteristic, that is, the absence of a permanent and independent entity. For the realization of the Path, the fruit of the Path and  nirvana, all of them have the same characteristic - just because we can't see it. A sparrow flying above us also has the character of emptiness, but only because we do not see that emptiness of it only. I hope that you always think about this to contemplate, contemplate, reflect, until you can see that all contain this characteristic of emptiness and to understand that before. we are completely ignorant of the event. In short, who are the people to be blamed? Is it ourselves or not? For example, the very familiar riddle of Zen meditation is as follows: "An old knowledge also tells himself that he is Dharma. That communion manifests its emptiness, emptiness that it shares with everything else, Dhamma (Dhamma)  about that event, also did not hear those statements of emptiness. This is the first meaning of the word "emptiness" related to all phenomena.

The second meaning of the word "emptiness" concerns the characteristics of the mind when the mind has eliminated all grasping and clinging. You should keep this in mind: the mind in the ordinary state is always empty of the "I", but the reason it is not aware is that it is empty simply because it is constantly disturbed and disturbed. covered by  pensée conceptuelle / conceptual thought is born and nurtured by sensory contact. In short, knowledge is unaware of its own emptiness and the emptiness of all phenomena. But every time the mind fully expels what covers it - that is, ignorance and things that grasp and cling to false thoughts - and completely shuns them, thanks to emptiness. -close that it will become emptiness.

Hence there are two types of emptiness interrelated: "emptiness of non-clinging consciousness" and "emptiness of all phenomena"  (emptiness of "inner" and "outer" emptiness) . Because of the fact that all true phenomena are characterized by the absence of the "I", that is, a permanent and independent entity that can be grasped or clung to, we also ask that is able to see the truth about emptiness. Indeed, if they are not empty of their self it is impossible to realize their emptiness  (a very logical inference).. However, even though all phenomena are so empty, we see them as not-empty. Consciousness obscured by a closed cover makes it dazed so it keeps grasping everything and clinging to all to see it as self. A grain of dust does not forgive! A tiny speck of dust is still considered an independent entity, and so a "other" is a "other person" that is definitely not "me". We stick the "that person's" forehead with a certain label, and we apply other labels to the things around us and inside us - this is this, that is that - and so on. We see that everything contains an eternal and independent entity (Our way of "thinking" and "seeing" is a way of breaking reality into fragments to identify and name each "piece" to see it as "each" one, bring a "real be "separate) .

For that reason it is very important to correctly understand what the word "emptiness" is. Briefly it means first of all to understand that emptiness is not just  a characteristic of consciousness  when it does not cling to anything  (the characteristic of a mind that realizes emptiness) . That first aspect of emptiness is an object of knowledge which it realizes for itself. As for the second aspect of emptiness, it is the  characteristic of consciousness itself when it is empty  and has fulfilled the truth of emptiness  (consciousness has become righteousness) . So when the mind sees the emptiness of all things, the mind itself dissolves all and leaves only emptiness (when all phenomena become emptiness in consciousness, consciousness is also a phenomenon, so it will also become emptiness like the emptiness of other phenomena that it perceives, what remains is a emptiness not comprehensive and absolute) . Consciousness will become emptiness and will find that everything is nothing but empty, from a grain of dust to  nirvana . When this fact is fully realized, physical objects, humans, animals, time, space, ie all kinds of  dhamma , will all dissolve into emptiness. That is the meaning of the word "emptiness".

The cessation of the ego

What I have presented so far is probably enough to help you understand for yourself or realize that the meaning of the word "emptiness" is equivalent to the absolute break of "I" and " my ", the complete destruction of the feeling that I am an individual human being separated from the world.

The "I" is just a mental construct. It will appear when there is grasping and clinging happening in the mind. Yet we do not look at creation as something empty but we see it as an "I", the reason is because that grasp and clinging in the mind is dominated by dulling. Because the mind is lethargic - that is, unaware of the truth - naturally there will be clinging. We never intentionally create clinging or intentionally give birth to "I". When the mind is in a daze, it is inevitable to feel all kinds of phenomena that appear as independent entities, it is not necessary to need any subjective intention. (If the "I" is a "willful" event it is relatively easy to eliminate it, but if the "I" is a consequence that spontaneously emerges from a dazed mind it will be very difficult can remove it) .

If realizing a true understanding and seeing all things truly are like that, then also will realize emptiness is nothing but complete cessation of the self. Hence it is possible to raise the principle that the "emptiness" is also the absolute cessation of the self. So here we should also find out whether "the absolute off thinking" really mean .. . 3 =END=NAM MO AMITABHA BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).GOLDEN PRAYED AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.11/10/2020.