Buddha's buffalo. From the familiar image to humans to the symbolism of domestication, buffalo herding is truly a prime example to include in the teaching method of Buddhism. Therefore, buffalo herding has been mentioned many times during the Buddha's teachings when he was still alive. Buffalo herding has also continued to be present in the teaching methods of the patriarchs and Zen masters for generations and in many countries. In Asian agricultural countries such as India, China, Vietnam, etc., for thousands of years, the buffalo is a familiar, close and helpful image as an important part of daily life. of farmers. Buddhism originated in India and spread to neighboring countries in Asia. Therefore, in the canonical tradition as well as in the way of teaching from the Buddha's time until later, there is an image of a buffalo appearing. From the familiar image to humans to the symbolism of domestication, buffalo herding is truly a prime example to include in the teaching method of Buddhism. Therefore, buffalo herding has been mentioned many times during the Buddha's teachings when he was still alive. Buffalo herding has also continued to be present in the teaching methods of the patriarchs and Zen masters for generations and in many countries. * The buffalo is like a crazy mind The process of taming the buffalo makes it from its aggressive, brutal and barbaric nature like a wild animal to become gentle, patient, Diligence and submission to man is a process that is not only educational in the empirical pragmatic world of the world, but also symbolic in terms of spiritual education and transformation in the home world. Buddha. In that sense, the ignorance of sentient beings, of humans, and the ignorance of the buffalo, arise from the same ignorance. Both of them failed to realize their true mind. Both of them live according to their crazy delusions from countless lives. Both were ordered by the ignorant master without knowing it. But both are inherently Buddha-nature or transcendental awareness. Both can achieve enlightenment and liberation. Both are Buddhas will become. That's why, in the Mahayana Treatise on Origin of Faith, Bodhisattva Ma Minh has pointed out that the minds of sentient beings contain two wonderful meanings: one is the true mind, the true mind, which is like no birth and death; The second is the hope that the mind of birth and death is crazy. Buffalo is like a crazy mind. A practitioner of mind transformation is like a shepherd who herds an ox, manipulating the mind of birth and death in order to tame it. Therefore, the process of cultivation is the process of transforming the mind, from hope to truth, from birth and death to non-birth, from delusion to enlightenment, from living beings to Buddhahood. But the process of transforming that mind, depending on the base of the cultivator, there are declines, highs and lows, deep and shallow. Depending on the basis and the object, sometimes the Buddha taught to take control of body, speech, and mind through the method of precepts as a standard. Sometimes the Buddha taught the magic to point directly to the view of self-nature through wisdom as the main thing. In most of the sutras of the Thanh Van Vehicle, the Buddha showed the method of taming the body and mind through the way of precepts. Like the following story from the Monk Nhat A Ham Sutra, which later in the Treatise on Great Wisdom, Bodhisattva Nagarjuna also narrated in book 2, chapter 3 explaining the old lady. (Please open parentheses to note the noun Ba Gia Ba. In Sanskrit is Bhagavat. The Chinese pronunciation is Bac Gia Pham, Ba Gia Pham, Ba Gia Ba. The Chinese translation is Huu Duc, Huu Thanh Danh, This is one of the 10 titles of the Buddha, including: Tathagata, Devotion, Right Understanding, Happiness, Good Practice, Worldly Interpretation, Unsurpassed One, Master of Man, Master of Heaven and Humanity. , Buddha, World Honored One.) * The Buddha preached the Dharma: from 11 ways of herding buffalo. It is said that, that year, King Tan Ba ​​Sa La (Bimbisàra) of the country Ma Kiet Da (Magadha), a country in central India during the Buddha's time , has generated the mind to protect the four offerings to the Buddha and 500 Bhikkhus for a full 3 months of summer residence. Therefore, the king needed the supply of buffalo milk from many domestic buffalo farmers. At the end of the retreat season, because he wanted to create blessings for the buffalo herders, King Tan Ba ​​Sa La called all the buffalo herders to come and meet the Buddha. When informed by the king, many buffalo herders said to each other that, on the occasion of coming to see the Buddha, they would try to see if the rumor that the Buddha was the All-Wise One, knowing everything, was true or not. Then they discussed it together. Many of them say that Samana Gotama was born in the line of Kingslayers, grew up to learn and master everything, from the four Vedic books to astronomy and numerology, from philosophy to religion, from From education to society, from logic to problems, he knew everything. We cannot put these problems to the test of him. Only herding buffalo, which he had never known from childhood to adulthood, was a problem that could make it difficult for him. Such a decision, The buffalo herders together went to Truc Lam Monastery, where Buddha and 500 monks were living. Arriving at the place, the buffalo herders saw the large assembly of monks, lay people, Brahmins, Kingslayers, etc., sitting neatly and neatly in silence. In front of that large assembly, on the Vajra throne, the Buddha was sitting in meditation. Looking at the general of the Buddha's good light, bright majesty, compassionate appearance, and free-spirited style like the majestic Mount Sumeru, the buffalo herders immediately started to respect. They approached, walked three times around the Buddha, in the respectful manner of India at that time, and then sat down together to one side. At that time, the representatives of the buffalo herders asked the Buddha: - Dear Samana Gotama, how many achievements does the buffalo herder have to make the buffalo herd more and more secure? The Buddha calmly replied: - Gentlemen, there are eleven things for the buffalo herdsman to make the buffalo herd more numerous and secure. What is eleven? They are knowing the form, knowing the signs, knowing how to dissect, know how to cover wounds, know how to smoke, know the way well, know where the buffalo is suitable, know well how to cross the river, know the safe place, know how to keep milk, know how to raise buffaloes. God. If the buffalo herder knows these eleven things, he can make the buffalo herd more numerous and secure. - Why is it called knowing color? To know black, white, and mixed colors. - Why is it called knowing generals? It is knowing if the buffalo has good generals or not, when it is with other buffalo herds, people will know that. - Why is it called dissecting? As a buffalo is sucked blood by all kinds of worms, the wound will open, dissect time to eliminate harm, time to be happy. - Why is it called knowing how to cover the wound? Is knowing how to take cloth, grass, and leaves to prevent mosquito bites. - Why is it called knowing how to smoke? Smoked is to get rid of mosquitoes, When buffaloes see smoke in the distance, they aim to go home. - Why is it called knowing the way? Know the way the buffalo goes back to good or bad. - Why is it called knowing where the buffalo is suitable? Is knowing how to make buffaloes proliferate, safe, less sick.. - Why is it called knowing how to cross the river? Know where is easy to enter, easy to pass, no bad waves, poisonous insects. - Why is it called knowing a safe place? Know the place where there are no tigers, lions, insects, poisonous animals. - Why is it called knowing how to keep milk? The mother buffalo cherishes the young buffalo so she gives milk. Because the milk is partially retained, the mother buffalo is happy, the next time is not dry, the buffalo owner and the buffalo herder are useful every day. - Why is it called knowing how to raise a king buffalo? Protect the big bull, because it keeps the buffalo herd, so it must be raised not to be sick, given sesame oil, decorated with peanuts, signaled to the horn-and-iron, knows how to rub, praise, etc.. When the buffalo herders heard the Buddha teach about the eleven skillful ways of herding buffaloes, they were greatly impressed. They think to themselves, even a professional buffalo herder with extensive experience can only know three or four things are the same, how can they know eleven ways to herd buffalo. The buffalo herding that he knew so well, how could he not know about other things. Therefore, they believe that the Buddha is the Omniscient One. * Up to 11 ways to advance religious career Human buffalo herders asked about how to herd buffalo, the Buddha taught the Bhikkhus eleven ways to confine body and mind, advance to cultivate the path of karma. The Sagittarius Sutra in the Sangha Nhat A Ham recounts the Buddha's teaching to the bhikkhus as follows: "In the same way, just like an ox herder, a bhikkhu accomplishes the eleven dharmas without losing the weather and is completely unimpeded. A monk who accomplishes eleven such dharmas, right in the law, get many benefits. What is eleven? Here, a bhikkhu knows form, knows signs, knows how to brush, covers wounds, smokes, knows good fields where grass is abundant, knows what is lovely, knows how to choose the way, knows where to cross rivers, knows respect Elder bhikkhus, depending on the time, pay respects. What is a bhikkhu who knows form? Here, a bhikkhu knows the four great rupa, and also knows the four great rupa. That is called a bhikkhu who knows form. What is a bhikkhu who knows the sign? Here, bhikkhus know the general stupidity, know the general wisdom; know the truth. Thus, the bhikkhu knows the sign. What is a bhikkhu who knows how to brush? Here, when a bhikkhu arouses the thought of sensual thoughts, he immediately knows renunciation, is not close, and is forever free of sensual thoughts. When anger, harm, and evil and unwholesome thoughts arise, they immediately know how to let go, have no body weight, and never have aversion to all things. Thus, bhikkhus know how to brush. What is a bhikkhu who knows how to cover a wound? Here, bhikkhus, when the eye sees form, does not arise and perceives, nor does it pre-contaminated, but purifies the eye-sense; eliminate evil and unwholesome dharmas, sorrow and lamentation, the mind is not covetous, in which guard the eye-faculty. In the same way, when a bhikkhu hears a sound with the ear, the nose smells incense, the tongue tastes the taste, the body is smooth, the mind knows the dhamma, but it does not arouse perception, nor is it contaminated, but purifies the mind faculty. Thus, the bhikkhu knows how to cover the wound. How, bhikkhu knows how to smoke? Here, a bhikkhu recounts to others the dharma he has heard. Thus, bhikkhus know how to smoke. How does a bhikkhu know a good field where there is plenty of grass? Here, the bhikkhu knows the eight qualities of the Noble Path as he really does. Thus, the bhikkhu knows that the field is good where there is a lot of grass. How, a bhikkhu knows what is lovely? Here, a bhikkhu hears the dhamma that the Tathagata has spoken, and immediately loves it in his heart. Thus, a bhikkhu knows what is lovely. How, a bhikkhu knows how to choose the way? Here, bhikkhus for 12 sets of sutras know how to choose and practice. That is, the contract, the night, the life resolution, the shelf, the predestined relationship, the end, the equal measure, the example, the birth sutra, the theory, the spectrum, the dharma monk. Thus, the bhikkhu knows how to choose the path. How does a bhikkhu know where to cross the river? Here the bhikkhu knows the four foundations of mindfulness. That is a bhikkhu who knows where to cross the river. How does a bhikkhu know to eat just enough? Here, bhikkhus, brahmins and upasakas, who have faith, come to visit. Bhikkhus are not greedy for food, can know enough to stop. That, bhikkhus, is enough. How does a bhikkhu, at any time, respect the elder bhikkhu? Here, a bhikkhu is constant with virtuous actions by body, mouth, and mind towards the elder bhikkhus. Thus, bhikkhus serve the elder bhikkhus from time to time. A bhikkhu who accomplishes eleven such dharmas, The use of buffalo cart to symbolize the Mahayana chariot has many profound meanings. Firstly, the buffalo is a domestic animal. The image of the buffalo is associated with people's lives. It goes into the daily life of each person, each family. Taking the buffalo as the animal pulling the Mahayana cart speaks of the universality, universality, and popularity of the ideal of becoming a Buddha. Second, the buffalo is an animal with the power to pull the cart to transport many goods, many people, and never tire of it. The Mahayana buffalo carriage can therefore carry many sentient beings to travel the long way from ordinary people to Buddhahood. Third, the buffalo, as mentioned above, represents the ignorant mind of sentient beings. The path to Buddhahood begins from the mind of sentient beings to the mind of a Buddha, from the stage of a being from the beginning of the preliminary awakening of bodhichitta until the completion of enlightenment and liberation. Therefore, the chariot carrying sentient beings from this side (trial bank) of ignorance, suffering and suffering to the other shore (belief) of enlightenment and happiness must be the vehicle of the mind of sentient beings, ie the buffalo carriage, and then return. transformed into the mind of enlightenment, the complete vehicle of the Buddha vehicle. * The buffalo in the Buddha's last teaching Even on the night of Nirvana in the forest of Sala trees (Salavana) in the city of Kushinagar, the Buddha, in his final advice to the Bhikkhus, also It was taught: "Bhikkhus, having always kept the pure precepts, it is still necessary to know how to control oneself, not to let the five senses wander after the five desires. Just like a buffalo herder, holding a whip to watch, is the core to keep. Buffaloes don't eat rice from people's houses." Using the action of holding a whip to keep an eye on the buffalo so that it does not eat the wheat of the comparator to illustrate the act of self-control not letting the five senses follow the five desires is an example that is both concrete, flexible, and economical. second, profound. This also speaks to the way of teaching, the very practical, very lively and effective way of education of the Buddha. He presented an image that in the audience not a single person did not know, did not understand. With regard to the five desires in the minds of sentient beings that are always ready to arise for manipulation, a practitioner should be careful in every moment like a shepherd who looks after a buffalo to not let it eat someone's grain. If the herdsman has a loophole for a moment, the buffalo will eat rice paddy immediately. If a cultivator does not control himself in every thought, word, and action, the five desires will have the opportunity to manipulate. Just like in the Sutras forty-two chapters, the Buddha also kindly reminded: A person who practices the Way is like a buffalo carrying a heavy load in the deep mud. He is so tired that he does not dare to look to the sides. After coming out of the mud, he can rest. The recluse must always contemplate sex rather than mud. Only a mind of the Way can be free from suffering." When Bodhidharma brought Zen from India to China at the beginning of the 6th century C.E. Like a tree planted in the right land and with good climate, he flourished and flourished.He left a legend for the future of Zen in China through the verse: Ngo Ban Lai Tu Tho, Transmission of the Law of Love. One flower opens five leaves, The result is spontaneous. (I came to this country, Transmit the Dharma to save the deluded. One flower blooms with five petals, The result is spontaneous.) That myth was fulfilled exactly two centuries ago. Later, during the Tang Dynasty, a flower pointed to the Cao Khe Zen of the Sixth Patriarch Hue Neng. The five wings represent the five major schools of Zen that began with the Six Patriarchs: Lin Te, Cao Dong, Guiyang, Yunmen, and Phap Nhan. Two of the five schools of Zen above, Lam Te and Cao Dong, were later transmitted to Vietnam and developed very strongly, especially Lam Te Tong until now. China is an agricultural country. The Zen masters were all directly or indirectly related to the farmer's lifestyle and activities. Therefore, Zen Master Bach Truong advocated self-sufficient monasteries to live, cultivate and practice the religion. He said "one day not working, one day not real," one day not working, one day not eating. In the context of that country and society, the image of the buffalo is very close in the Zen house. Therefore, very early on, Chinese Buddhism illustrated the process of enlightenment in ten buffalo paintings of both Mahayana and Zen Buddhism. Zen Masters, Among the ways of teaching Zen, the buffalo and herding are often mentioned. According to the story, one day Zen master Ma To asked Zen master Thach Cung: - What are you doing here? - Herd. - How's the blanket? - Whenever it runs into the pasture, it pulls back with its nose, so it's a good shepherd. Or like the story of Zen master Dai An consulting with Zen master Bach Truong: - I have a desire to know the Buddhadharma, how is it? - It's like riding a buffalo to find a buffalo. - How do you understand? - Like a man riding a buffalo home. - Then how to keep the contract before and after? - Like a buffalo herder holding a whip to keep his buffalo, don't let his rice crop be violated. Or, one day, Mr. Dai An ascended the road to teach them: "Dai An lived in Qui Son for thirty years, ate rice in Quishan, urinated on Quishan, but did not study Zen Quishan. Day and night he only watched a water buffalo. If it gets lost in the grass, grab it by the nose and pull it back. As soon as they trespassed into the rice fields, they immediately took out a whip. Pitiful! Buffaloes that have been tamed for a long time become mature and obedient to those who teach them luck. Now the black buffalo has turned into a white buffalo, it can be touched and touched clearly in front of him, and he doesn't go away all day." In the above story, Zen master Dai An mentioned the black buffalo and the white buffalo. The white buffalo indicates the mind of enlightenment. If you don't chase it away all day, your mind has been tamed and no longer wanders around in the world. There are many more Zen stories related to buffaloes like that, but that's the story of China's Zen dynasty. Vietnam is also an agricultural country. Buddhism was introduced to Vietnam earlier than China, because it was through merchants. by sea direct from India to Jiaozhi, Giao Chau. During the Three Kingdoms period, Zen master Khuong Tang Hoi from Giao Chi went to Kinh Chau of Dong Ngo to spread Buddhism. In the past, most of the temples in Vietnam had arable land, either the fields were self-exploited by the monks, or were granted by the court, or donated by the Buddhist community. In particular, the pagodas in each village have land for self-cultivation. Some pagodas also raise buffaloes and cows to plow fields or use manure to fertilize crops. The image of the buffalo, therefore, is even closer and closer to Zen subject. In the Tran Dynasty, in Zen Buddhism in Vietnam appeared an outstanding character. That is Tue Trung Thuong Si Tran Tung, an enlightened Zen master whose behavior is so useful that it is difficult for the human eye to understand. The stories about this Zen master are quite numerous and thrilling, but here I would like to mention only a few poems he wrote that mentioned the buffalo. Post Reporter Taurus, as follows: Randomly Quy Son won the lion, Hoang Vu committed to the cow man. King Duc Trach Drilled like a sea, Depending on the fate of Tat a Thuy Thanh Spring. Truc Thien has translated as follows: Suddenly, the direction of Non Quy was relaxed, the Wilderness had to keep the buffalo to play. The king of Germany is as wide as a river and sea. Spring will return to fresh grass. The most single-handed person in the world, if you are a bull, Teng is jealous of the future. Similar to Cao Khe's capital, the city brought the water level to the bridge. Dai Lan translates as follows: Alone trying to keep the ground buffalo, Nosing to lead him back without rest. As soon as I arrived at Cao Khe, I let go of everything, Immense water flowed and foamed. Studied oxen, learning the precious and heartless way. Accumulated in the current cow, No mind, the path is heterogeneous. Translation: Looking for buffalo to be tracked, Studying the precious way is heartless. The buffalo mark is still there, No mind is easy to become. Mindless is not indifferent, insensitive, indifferent, nothing is needed to know. Such carelessness is no different from wood and stone. No-mind is seeing the emptiness of the mind's birth and death, seeing the nature. So in the Vajrayana Prajna Sutra, the Buddha taught: "Having seen the generals without signs, that is, seeing the Tathagata." To see the emptiness of dharmas is to see the nature, which is to see the Buddha. Mind does not arise, so dharmas do not arise. Therefore, there is no entanglement or attachment to the world. That is the mindless state of the Buddha. Everyone has the body of a buffalo in their hearts. That buffalo is tame or aggressive, white or black is up to each person. Let the buffalo have pure black mind, it will constantly cause troubles and sufferings for themselves and others. Knowing how to blanket, tame and transform, it will be tamed, turning black into white. Seen from this perspective, Buddhism is indeed popular and practical: it teaches nothing but buffalo herding. But to reach the realm like a shepherd sitting on a buffalo, clamoring to sing the usual song, or leisurely playing the Thien Thai flute is not easy. One has to live close, compassionate, rolling, toiling, taking care of it with every weed, every puddle of water, running around after it in the alleys or the banks of the fields and lakes, sometimes having to resort to it. whip to show prestige, use the jaws to tie the mouth, use the rope to bind, then it will submit to obey. Once the buffalo has learned to obey, the new shepherd will be at ease on the vast grasslands. When enlightenment has melted away with the sound of the shepherd's flute, there is no longer a black or white buffalo, a Buddha's buffalo or a worldly buffalo, because it is necessary for the law to have no property. HET=NAM MO BON SU THICH CA MAU NI PHAT. 3 LAN It's not easy to sing the usual song, or leisurely play the tune of the Thien Thai flute. One has to live close to it, to be considerate, to roll around, to work hard, to take care of it with every weed, every water, to run around and follow it in the streets, alleys or the banks of the ponds and lakes, sometimes resorting to use. whip to show prestige, use the jaws to tie the mouth, use the rope to bind, then it will submit to obey. Once the buffalo has learned to obey, the new shepherd will be at ease on the vast grasslands. When the passion for enlightenment has melted away with the shepherd's flute, there is no longer a black buffalo or a white buffalo, a Buddha's buffalo or a worldly buffalo, because it is necessary for the law to have no property. It's not easy to sing the usual song, or leisurely play the Thien Thai flute. One has to live close to it, to be considerate, to roll around, to work hard, to take care of it with every weed, every water, to run around and follow it in the streets, alleys or the banks of the ponds and lakes, sometimes resorting to use. whip to show prestige, use the jaws to tie the mouth, use the rope to bind, then it will submit to obey. Once the buffalo has learned to obey, the new shepherd will be at ease on the vast grasslands. When the passion for enlightenment has melted away with the shepherd's flute, there is no longer a black buffalo or a white buffalo, a Buddha's buffalo or a worldly buffalo, because it is necessary for the law to have no property. One has to live close to it, to be considerate, to roll around, to work hard, to take care of it with every weed, every water, to run around and follow it in the streets, alleys or the banks of the ponds and lakes, sometimes resorting to use. whip to show prestige, use the jaws to tie the mouth, use the rope to bind, then it will submit to obey. Once the buffalo has learned to obey, the new shepherd will be at ease on the vast grasslands. When enlightenment has melted away with the sound of the shepherd's flute, there is no longer a black or white buffalo, a Buddha's buffalo or a worldly buffalo, because it is necessary for the law to have no property. One has to live close to it, to be considerate, to roll around, to work hard, to take care of it with every weed, every water, to run around and follow it in the streets, alleys or the banks of the ponds and lakes, sometimes resorting to use. whip to show prestige, use the jaws to tie the mouth, use the rope to bind, then it will submit to obey. Once the buffalo has learned to obey, the new shepherd will be at ease on the vast grasslands. When enlightenment has melted away with the sound of the shepherd's flute, there is no longer a black or white buffalo, a Buddha's buffalo or a worldly buffalo, because it is necessary for the law to have no property. sometimes it has to use a whip to show its prestige, use a clamp to tie its mouth, use a rope to bind it, and then it will submit and obey. Once the buffalo has learned to obey, the new shepherd will be at ease on the vast grasslands. When the passion for enlightenment has melted away with the shepherd's flute, there is no longer a black buffalo or a white buffalo, a Buddha's buffalo or a worldly buffalo, because it is necessary for the law to have no property. sometimes it has to use a whip to show its prestige, use a clamp to tie its mouth, use a rope to bind it, and then it will submit and obey. Once the buffalo has learned to obey, the new shepherd will be at ease on the vast grasslands. When the passion for enlightenment has melted away with the shepherd's flute, there is no longer a black buffalo or a white buffalo, a Buddha's buffalo or a worldly buffalo, because it is necessary for the law to have no property.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.9/10/2021.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH.