The Buddha Conquered The 3 Brothers Of The Kassapa Family.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH. THE BUDDHA COLLECTED 3 KASSAPA Brothers Here, there are three ascetic brothers, worshiping the Fire god. The eldest brother, Uruvela Kassapa, has 500 disciples, the next brother, Nadi Kassapa, has 300 disciples, and the youngest brother, Gaya Kassapa, has 200 disciples. The Uruvela, Nadi, and Gaya languages ​​indicate where each person resides. These three practice Brahmanism, worshiping the Fire God. They live in huts made of branches and leaves. The shirt they wearmade of bark. Long hair tied in braids or pulled on the top of the head. They do not go for alms but receive the offerings of the people from the villages in the region. They cook for themselves. They also raise animals to eat and to sacrifice. The ascetic Uruvela Kassapa was over 100 years old but still very healthy. He was a master of the three Vedas, lived an exemplary life of virtue, and was confident that he had attained arahantship. He was greatly respected by his two younger brothers. His sermons were attended by a large number of local people. The Buddha visited this person first. Venerable Uruvela Kassapa saw that the young monk, who was still in a state of majesty, also fell in love with him. After talking for a while, he was surprised to find that there were ideas in the Vedas that he had not yet grasped. This recluse showed him the depths of the Atharvaveda and Rigveda. Even more strange is that when it comes to the subjects of linguistics, literature, history, and eighteen Brahmin sacrificial practices, there is nothing that this recluse does not understand. At noon that day, the Buddha accepted the invitation to receive a birthday with Uruvela Kassapa. Folding the kashāya into four to spread as a sitting instrument on the grass, the Buddha sat majestically in silence. Uruvela Kassapa also kept dignified silence to spend his meal next to the samana guest. That afternoon, while conversing with Uruvela Kassapa, the Buddha asked: - Hey sage, sage, tell me why the fire god can bring us liberation? - Samon Gotama, after a moment of silence thinking, Venerable Kassapa replied: fire is the primordial nature of the universe. Fire originates from Brahma. Therefore, in the temples, the image of Brahma is always placed in the central position. The Atharvaveda speaks of fire worship. Fire is life. Without fire, there is no life. Fire is light, warmth, and energy that gives rise to plants, animals and people. Fire breaks the darkness, breaks the cold, brings joy and growth to all things. Food is made pure by fire. Man, through fire, returns to be united with Brahma. Since fire is life, fire is Brahma. The fire god Agni is just one of thousands of manifestations of Brahma. In the fire academy, the fire god Agni is often represented as having two heads: one end represents the fire commonly used every day and the other represents the fire of sacrifice and return to the original. There are forty-four fire sacrifices. The fire-worshiping Taoist must keep the precepts, must austere, and must practice diligently to be qualified to maintain the Fire God and clarify the path to liberation. - Venerable Kassapa, the Buddha continued to ask: what do you think about those who believe that water is the first nature of life, water originates from Brahma, and water has the ability to make people become pure to become about union with Brahma (Brahma)? Uruvela Kassapa was silent. He thought of the millions of people who, at this very moment, are bathing in the waters of the Ganges (Gangā) and in other sacred rivers and lakes, hoping to wash away all their sins and karma so that they can become healthy again in the future. back to Brahma. Moments later, he said: - Samon Gotama, water does not really help us to escape. Water goes down, while fire rises. When I die, my body rises to smoke through fire... - Venerable Kassapa, you say that I am not right. The white cloud that is flying in the sky is also water. Water can also fly up. Smoke is also water vapor. Both clouds and smoke will have to return to the earth. Things, as you know, are always in circulation. – But all things have a source, and it is possible to return to that origin. - Venerable Kassapa, all things depend on each other to exist. Venerable sir, look at the leaf in my hand. The seed is the kernel, the earth, the water, the heat, the cloud, the sun, the time, the space, etc. are all predestined for this leaf to be present. Without one of those conditions, this leaf will be different or fail. All species of earth, plants, and animals are subject to that law of dependent origination. The origin of a thing is the universe. Venerable, please observe carefully. There is never a single cause that can lead to an effect. There must be enough conditions and harmony to bear fruit. The idea of ​​a single cause is first an illusion due to the hopelessness of accepting the lack of comment. Venerable sir, this leaf in my hand is created by all the dharmas in the universe, including the venerable's perception. The Brahmin ascetic was silent. It was dark. The ascetic Uruvela Kassapa invited the Buddha to sleep in his hut. But the Buddha offered to spend the night alone in the firehouse. The Brahmin ascetic said: – A few days ago, a large snake entered the fire hospital, and it did not go away no matter what. Samon Gotama should not spend the night in it, it could be dangerous. Because of that snake, we have had to set up an outdoor altar to worship for a long time. Please stay the night here for safety. - Peace of mind. I asked to spend the night in the firehouse. It's probably okay. - Sammon wants to spend the night at the firehouse, so please feel free. He can stay there as long as he wants. That night the Buddha rested in the fire hospital. On the main altar, the fire is fed by many lamps, each with many wicks. In the left corner there is a large pile of wood, perhaps this is the wood of the sandalwood used to burn up when performing the ceremony. The Buddha thought that if there was a snake in the fire house, it would be hiding in the woodpile. He chose the opposite corner, folded his robes into four, spread it out as a sitting chair, and began to meditate. Late at night, the Buddha saw a huge snake lying around in the middle of the fire, he spoke softly and said: - Snake, go out to the forest to stay safe, don't stay here, it will be in danger of life. The Buddha's voice was filled with compassion and understanding. The snake slowly slithered towards the door. The Buddha also leaned back on the seat. When the Buddha woke up, the late-night moonlight shone through the window into the place where he was lying. He sat up, picked up his shirt to shake the dust, then put on his robe, walked out of the fire institute, and went to the edge of the forest to meditate. At dawn, the fire institute caught fire, for unknown reasons. The disciples of master Kassapa saw the fire, panicked and shouted, then ran to find a jar into the Nairanjana River to draw water to water. But all efforts were in vain. Their firehouse burned fiercely, there was no way to save it. The ascetic Uruvela Kassapa was mourning the virtuous and talented monk whom he had just known since yesterday morning. In the meantime, the Buddha appeared. While walking meditation on a high hill, when he saw the fire burning, he returned. Seeing the Buddha, the ascetic Kassapa happily ran over and grabbed his hand. - Fortunately, fortunately, the recluse Gotama is safe, it's okay. I'm so glad. - Thank you, I am still safe. The Buddha knew that today was the day the ascetic Uruvela Kassapa preached the Dharma. It is said that among those who listened to the Dharma, in addition to five hundred disciples and monks, there were also nearly a thousand people from villages and hamlets. The time for the sermon is set at noon, after the meal time. Knowing that his presence in the sermon would make the leader uncomfortable, the Buddha took his bowl and went into the village to beg for alms. At noon, he sat on the bank of a lotus pond. Walking meditation around the lake, then sitting quietly in the shade of an old tree. In the late afternoon, the ascetic Kassapa came to: - Samon Gotama, today at mealtime we waited forever but did not see him. Why don't you come? - Thank you, venerable sir, I want to go sightseeing around here, and let you be at ease while preaching. - Yesterday the recluse Gotama talked about the presence of the leaf as a collection of many causal factors. He said that human beings are also formed by a combination of causes and conditions. Then, when the causes and conditions dissolve, where do people go? - We have long been stuck with the idea of ​​self (atma) as a permanent self. We are used to thinking that when the body disintegrates, that self still exists and can return to its origin, Brahma, to dwell with him. This, venerable Kassapa, is a fundamental mistake that has misled so many generations. - Venerable Kassapa should know: All dharmas arise from cause and effect and also die from cause and effect. This arises because that arises, this dies because that ceases. That is the principle of dependent origination that I discovered through meditation. In reality, nothing is uniform and constant. There is no self, whether a great self or a minor self. Venerable Kassapa, have you ever contemplated the body, feelings, thoughts, mental formations and consciousness? Man exists because of the collection and operation of those five aggregates. These are fluctuating currents, in which no element is permanent. The ascetic Uruvela Kassapa was silent for a long time, then asked: - Is that the recluse Gotama advocates nihilism? - Not. The notion that everything is nothing is also a wrong view like that of a permanent and unchanging self. Venerable Kassapa, look at this lake. I did not say that the water, lotus leaves, and lotus flowers in the lake are nothing. I am only saying that water, lotus leaf, lotus flower are all phenomena that are caused by the combination of causes and conditions, and that in their own nature there is no such thing as an unchanging and permanent entity. - So, if there is no self, no "atma", then what is the need to practice to attain liberation? Freeing whom? Who is liberated? The Buddha looked into the eyes of the Brahmin ascetic. The look was as bright as the rays of the sun but as soft as the moonlight. He smiled and said: – Venerable Kassapa, try to find the answer yourself. The next day, we will continue the story. The two returned to the base. Uruvela Kassapa gave up his retreat for the Buddha to spend the night. He spent the night in the hut of a great disciple. Venerable Uruvela Kassapa was loved and respected by his disciples. In the following days, the Buddha did not go outside for alms because every morning the ascetic Kassapa also brought food offerings on the spot. However, every afternoon after his life, he also went to meditate at the edge of the forest or by the lake, and then went to a shady place to sit and meditate. Every afternoon, Kassapa went to find the Buddha to talk. He became more and more aware of the greatness of the Buddha's wisdom and virtue. One day it rained heavily all night. The next morning, the Nairanjana River overflowed its banks, flooding the villages and houses in the area. The forest where the ascetic Kassapa and his five hundred disciples were practicing was also flooded. However, everyone ran to the high place, no one was swept away by the water. As for the recluse Gotama, no one saw his face. The ascetic Kassapa urged many boats to search. Finally, the Buddha was seen standing on a hilltop. The water rises very quickly and goes down quickly. Monks in Mr. Kassapa's congregation have begun rebuilding the burnt-out firehouse and the huts that have been swept away or disfigured by the water. One afternoon, the Buddha and the ascetic Kassapa stood on the bank of the Nairanjana River and talked. The ascetic Kassapa asked the Buddha: The other day, the recluse Gotama talked about contemplating the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. I have tried the practice of contemplation and found that all five lines of phenomena namely body, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are constantly changing, none of which is permanent. But I still don't understand that if we don't have a self, then why bother to practice? Freeing whom? Who is liberated? – Kassapa, do you recognize that suffering is a fact? – I accept suffering as a fact. – Do you recognize that all suffering has a cause, just like all things in the universe, everything is caused by a combination of causes and conditions? - I accept that all suffering has a cause. - When the causes of suffering are present, suffering is present; So when the causes of suffering are absent, is suffering also absent? Of course, when the causes of suffering are gone, suffering is also gone. - Venerable Kassapa, suffering no longer means liberation, it is not necessary to have a self to have liberation. Venerable sir, the root cause of suffering is ignorance, the proximate cause of suffering is craving. Everything is impermanent and we think it is permanent, that is ignorance. Everything has no self, but we think there is a self, that is ignorance. From ignorance arises craving, aspires to this and that, and then arises love, hate, greed, anger, fear ... and many other afflictions and sufferings. The path to liberation is the way of contemplating reality to realize the impermanent, non-self, and dependent origination of all things and all things. The path to liberation is the way to eradicate ignorance. Ignorance ceases, then craving ceases; When craving ceases, defilements cease and suffering ceases. That is liberation. Uruvela Kassapa was silent. A moment later he asked: - Samon Gotama, I know that what you say is what you realize, not just reasoning. According to him, the path and fruition of liberation can only be brought about by contemplation. So are all the rites of worship and prayers completely in vain? The Buddha pointed to the other side of the river and said: - Kassapa, if someone is standing on one side of the river and wants to go to the other side, what should he do? – He has to wade across the river or use a boat to row to the other side. – That's right. But what if someone wants to cross the river but refuses to wade, does not use a boat, and just builds an altar to sacrifice and pray, what do you think? – I think that person is impractical, and I do not know when he will be able to cross the river. - Likewise, the Buddha said, if we do not practice contemplation to eliminate ignorance, craving and defilements, we will not reach the shore of liberation, even if we make sacrifices and supplications throughout our lives. The ascetic Uruvela Kassapa suddenly bowed down at the Buddha's feet. He sobbed and said: - Dear Teacher, I have made mistakes most of my life, now please accept me as your disciple so that I have the opportunity to learn and practice the path of liberation. – Good luck! But what about his disciples? - Please give me the opportunity to contact them. Tomorrow afternoon, I will ask you for my decision. Two days later, Uruvela Kassapa and all 500 disciples shaved off their hair and beard and put on their robes. They threw into the Nairanjana River all the buns, images and sacrificial implements, then assembled before the Buddha, knelt down, and shouted in unison: "I take refuge in the Buddha, who shows me the way in this life. "I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of love and enlightenment. “I take refuge in the Sangha, the group of people who vow to live a mindful life. After the ordination ceremony, the Buddha preached to 500 new bhikkhus about the Four Noble Truths, No-Self, contemplation of the breath, body and mind, alms-food and seclusion. The next day, the ascetic Nadi Kassapa and 300 disciples also came to the place. Yesterday they panicked when they saw hundreds of buns and worshiping tools floating in the Nairanjana River; they thought that some accident had happened to the training center of Uruvela Kassapa. After hearing the explanation, they all agreed to apply for ordination and sent someone to inform Mr. Gaya Kassapa. The three Kassapa brothers loved each other very much and shared the same ideal, so in just seven days, all three brothers and 1,000 disciples left home to follow the Buddha, bringing the number of Buddhist disciples to 1093. Then the Buddha led them all to the top of Mount Gaya-Sisa, not far from Uruvela, and preached the third sutra, the Adittapariyaya (Fire Sutra). After hearing this sutra, all 1003 new bhikkhus attained Arahantship. The Buddha resided at Gaya-Sisa for three consecutive months to teach new monks. The Buddha said the Fire Sutra (Aditta-Pariyaya): All, bhikkhus, is burned. How is it, bhikkhus, that all is burned? The eye is in the fire, the form is in the fire, the eye consciousness is in the fire. Feelings (feelings), whether pleasant or painful, or not pleasurable or painful, arising from eye-contact, are in the fire. Where did that fire come from? From the fires of craving, anger, delusion, birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, sorrow and despair. The Tathagata declares so. Visualize this, bhikkhus, a mature disciple of the sage is bored with eyes, forms, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, whatever sensations may be perceived - joy , suffering, or neither pleasure nor pain. In the same way, the mature disciple of the sage is bored with the ear, sound, nose, scent, tongue, taste, body, touch, mind, mind, consciousness, mind-contact, despite the sensations received. whatever it is--pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. Due to boredom, he no longer has attachment; due to the absence of attachment, that person is liberated. He will know for himself that he is no longer reborn, that the holy life is complete, that what needs to be done has been done, and will never return to this state again. When the Buddha finished speaking, all the bhikkhus attained arahantship, freed from all defilements.END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).BUDDHIST DHARMA WHEEL.GOLDEN MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.11/9/2021.