GƯƠM BÁU TRAO TAY _ Handing Down the Precious Sword (Song ngữ)

One reason for my perplexity when studying the Diamond Sutra was that I expected to study, listen and learn the profound and scholarly teachings of the ancient mysterious Dharma. But, oh my goodness, the Diamond Sutra begins with a very normal, not to mention trivial and somewhat elementary, story: The Buddha, sensing he was hungry at mealtime, would put on his robe, retrieved his begging bowl and went to beg for alms. He did not deign to say a word, not even clear his throat to assert his authority. Just think, at that time there were thousands of people, great bodhisattvas, arahants, “dignitaries”, close disciples, all sitting there waiting eagerly for a profound teaching. But the Buddha just donned his robe, took his bowl and went into the city to beg for food. When he deemed the food enough, he came unhurriedly back to the “assembly”, took out his food, ate it, then put bowl and robe neatly away, washed his feet, took the cross-legged position, and breathed deeply… which means he entered … a dhyana absorption! Not one word was said. Not even a small murmur of instruction! I imagined, if I was there, hanging somewhere around outside in the corridors waiting to listen to the teaching, how I would be frustrated out of my mind and utterly dismayed! All of a sudden, Subhuti appears from among the seated crowd. Jumping up on his feet to a revered ceremonious bow to the Buddha, he said “It is very rare, World Honoured One! How well the Tathagata protects and thinks of all Bodhisattvas, how well He instructs all the Bodhisattvas”!
Like a big explosion catching everyone off guard, so came the impact of the delivered message in the lesson that no one had initially realized! From shock turned to discomfort. Oh my God, we didn’t pay attention carefully for the unspoken teaching given by the Buddha! Fortunately, Subhuti did! Otherwise, we’d be sorry to miss such an opportunity!

The Buddha has his own method of teaching: he does not speak, but he acts for us to see. This is a very new and modern instructional method to teach “life skills”, called “demonstration” which means to show, to give example to be followed. Once more, we see that learning and practicing Buddhism involve doing, not speaking. Do first, explain later. In fact, there may not be a need for speech at all. We understand now why the Zen masters required their disciples to cut wood, cook meals, fetch water, plant vegetable, and pound rice … without uttering one word of teaching. Until the student discovered an urgent need to be taught, then the teaching will be given but in a unique way: sometimes by capsizing a boat, sometimes a knock to his head, or a reply in riddles, or sometimes by an ambiguous answers like “give me your mind, I’ll pacify it”. The student at first will be stupefied… then later enlightened as if awaken from a delusion! At the end of the school, the student will not receive any diploma to show off, and the master has nothing to give him either. Because “the thing” inherently already exists within the pupil, the master only helps him to unearth it and experience the discovery of the “resolution” for himself. This process is called “counselling”, a contemporary method in psychotherapy and modern day medical treatments. The counsellor is like a midwife; she helps the mother to give birth but cannot give birth in her place. The child already exists in his mother’s womb.

(Quý Phật tử nào muốn tham khảo, học hỏi thêm về Anh ngữ, xin mở "song hành" _ 2 tab cùng lúc để đối chiếu. Phần Anh ngữ này được chép vào đây nhằm phục vụ cho những Dịch Giả tương lai)

Back to the lesson, everyone felt a rude awakening and suddenly realized that the Buddha had taught them their first lesson: eat when you are hungry, drink when you are thirsty. Eat when it’s time to eat. Those who say that they don’t need to eat do not know how to live, or they simply lie. Almost 2000 years later, Tran Nhan Tong, a king of the Tran dynasty of Vietnam and a great Zen master, founder of the Truc Lam Yen Tu school, also mentioned it in a poem of his “Cu Tran Lac Dao” (Cư trần lạc đạo) (To enjoy the path while living a worldly life): “when hungry, eat ; when tired, sleep” (Cơ tắc xan hề khốn tắc miên).

Even the Buddha was busy putting his robe and taking his bowl to go for the alms, let alone us! A special note worth mentioning here: Buddha, a World Honoured One, at the slightest hint of food would receive variety of delicious and exotic offerings bestowed upon him. His attendants have likely already prepared a savoury meal for him, to be served after the teaching. But alas no, the Buddha went out to beg the food himself, relying on no one. He did not eat the good food prepared for him, but lived by his own teachings. How can we not but be in awe and amazed? Some high-ranking monks (“dignitaries”) there… uneasily pondered, being served feasts of “delicious and exotic” vegetarian delights. Nowadays there are even vegetarian food creations that strikingly resemble prawns, fish, chicken legs… quite controversial! We are also amazed because the Buddha, a being of the highest status as the World Honoured One, with dozens of “venerable titles” and still was such a simple man! He still walked barefoot peacefully carrying his bowl. He stilled trudge along hot midday sun begging for alms, eating whatever food he was given. The Buddha walked serenely, naturally, aware of each step, not caught up by judgments or comments about him, around him. He only breathed with each step, easily, gently, feeling good! He did not choose rich households to beg, nor did he choose the poorer ones which might be kinder, or the people he were acquainted with to be sure that he would receive something. The Buddha unhurriedly went from house to house, there was no need to make any difference, no need to help only the rich or the poor! Everybody has problem, everybody suffers. The poor have poor’s problem, the rich have rich’s problem! But after a few hours walking, any food can become delicious one, easily digested if eaten mindfully, if chewed mouthful per mouthful. It seems the bowls were just big enough for only one person’s need, just so there was not too much food nor leftovers.

Nowadays it is very rare to see mendicants in town, but if one has the chance to see a monk in yellow robe, carrying a bowl, mindfully walking easy steps and begging his food at each doorstep, we can’t help but admire and being moved by the Monks of a thousand years past. At present, there is no need to go to each house begging for each meal, but it is still good for your health if you could walk a few hours per day. Simple food, with plenty of vegetable, beans, limited in fat, sugar and salt, are also very good for your health. Above all if your meals are taken in a good setting: leisurely enjoyed in a relaxing atmosphere, with simple and sufficient food, then every meal is good and healthy..

After his lunch, the Buddha put everything away neatly, washed his feet and sat down to meditate. Note here that he did not go straight to bed or participated into any heavy discussions, but sat peacefully, meditating. Maybe that is the best time to follow each activity of your body, to feel how your food is digested, absorbed, transformed into energy in each one of your cells. The teaching has been set in motion. If we are mindful and carefully observe the Buddha when he carries his bowl and went to each house, we would be likely to discover more insights and interesting details. For example, the mendicant was not the receiver but actually the giver. Here we cannot distinguish who is begging and who is giving. When the mendicant shows up at the door the householder is exuberant, feeling great joy and happiness, not only because the mendicant was the Buddha, but also the act of begging itself has another meaning: it gives a meaning of a gentle reminder and suggestion. The householder has the opportunity to look at himself, to hear some voice from the deepest place of his heart… perhaps he will forget it quickly, but the day will come when he remembers this moment of teaching. As for the wealthy, they may start to see that the barefoot, bareheaded monk, standing with his begging bowl at their doorstep was a crown prince who renounced his kingdom, his palace life and beautiful courtesans, and for whom? There might also be some who turned him out, shouted abuses at him, but they still received a grateful look, a sweet smile and the peaceful steps of the mendicant. At night, these men will remember, and surprised to hear another voice within their heart. There are poor people, who do not have enough to eat themselves let alone to give. But they can exchange a friendly expression, a compassionate smile. His respect, His equanimity betrays a lot of things. In fact, if one examine closer, when the Buddha got up and put on his robe, took his bowl… each one of his gesture has a dignified mannerism quite unlike ours. If someone still insists to question what the dissimilarity is between the Buddha’s action of preparing his robe and bowl compared to our own, it’s likely the Buddha will smile gently and say “oh yes, there is…”. The Buddha donned his robe and took his bowl with awareness, while we tend to make the same attempts quite hurriedly fetching the robe and haphazardly grasping the bowl…

Through the process of demonstration, every gesture, every movement should be observed closely and noted in detail so as we can replicate the teachings and actions. All along this teaching, we learn more than we can imagine: how to give but not giving, to hold precepts but not holding precepts, to be forbearing without being forbearing, as well as being temperate, content, diligent, mindful … while at all times remain in a serene, peaceful, relaxed, wise state of mind. No wonder Shubuti praised the Buddha “It is marvellous…The Tathagata blesses bodhisattvas with the best of blessings and entrusts bodhisattvas with the greatest trusts!”

2. Handing down the precious sword


Subhuti, sitting among the assembled peers, suddenly leapt up: “It is very rare, World Honoured One! How well the Tathagata protects and thinks of all Bodhisattvas, how well He instructs all the Bodhisattvas!”


At this point, I was again more perplexed. Subhuti is no stranger! He is one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, an arahant, famous for his delight in living alone, foremost in Emptiness. Nonetheless, he spoke as if… he was jealous of the Bodhisattvas… “You, Bodhisattvas, be ‘joyous’ for Lord Buddha has ‘favoured’ you and devoted his teachings to you this day!” “He minds you, protects and instructs you so earnestly as if He had never taught, entrusted, nor guided you, his greatest and closest disciples, before!” At first I was aghast, then it dawned on me that things were not as they seemed. Arahants, Worthy Ones, had attained the state of no-rebirth, how can they be jealous and give birth to such a mental affliction? Maybe here is an important teaching, dedicated especially to the bodhisattvas– enlightened beings who choose to remain sentient in this world, and who are ready to plunge into the world of suffering in order to provide salvation for others. Among the attendees are confirmed bodhisattvas, as well as some (religious or laymen/women) newly generated Bodhicitta who are not yet enlightened beings but are available to assist others attain enlightenment, and apply the Buddha’s teachings and doctrines in the process. They formed a new generation of Buddha’s disciples at the time He taught the Diamond Sutra. It was a formation of Bodhisattvas aspired and ready to engage as life saviours to those in need.

Was it like:

The Emperor, handing over his precious sword, at midnight calls for war and sets the day?

“Chín tầng gươm báu trao tay / Nửa đêm truyền hịch định ngày xuất chinh” (Đoàn thị Điểm)

A precious sword? Absolutely. The sword that was handed here was the sharpest, made of diamond, able to slice through all human suffering and destined misfortune of mankind. This task is entrusted to the “future” Bodhisattvas, the good men and women who aspires to throw themselves into life’s danger with zeal, eager to spread forth the liberating Dharma. As for the Worthy Ones who had eliminated all afflictions, who had laid the “burdens” down, it would also help that they chose to commit themselves to return to the samsaric world and continue upholding the Dharma source! I remember having read: “when the source is deep, the stream is long!” The source must be deep so for the stream to be long!

And what about going to war? The war here is not with other countries to defend one’s own or to occupy another but to be at war with ourselves, with the greed-aversion–ignorance foes inside each of us. Lao Tzu said: “those who conquer others are strong; those who conquer themselves are powerful”. It’s difficult to conquer oneself. One needs a precious sword for that.

The way Subhuti praised Buddha of “how precious, dedicated and mindful the Tathagata was taught to all the Bodhisattvas, protecting and instructing them so well” already expressed this. Nowadays, this is known as “creating motivation” as part of the participatory education. With the use of motivation, students study better, or else they might… fall asleep! Maybe everybody assembled there was just as stupefied, making them more open, more enthusiastic to absorb the teaching. Each of them vowed to strive to be a bodhisattva to deserve the Buddha’s protection and trust.

Subhuti then asked: “World Honoured One, if good men and good women want to achieve enlightenment, upon what should they rely? What should they do to control their mind?”

2500 years later, this question still resounds. Especially today when globalization and the “flat world” etc… have driven mankind to fierce disputes, struggles over power and interests that lead to wars, epidemics, and natural disasters… as we all have witnessed. Never men had been so “enflamed” and their minds so “wildly disarrayed” as much as they do now.

Indeed, to be enlightened, all you need is to focus on that mind. You must quiet it, subdue it and that’s it! Doing so one will be enlightened in the same way as Buddha did. As He said, ordinary people are not yet enlightened Buddhas, and a Buddha is an already enlightened ordinary man. That’s it. There’s nothing more. We need nothing more. All the disturbing elements in life, all sufferings and misfortunes come from that mind. One need only bridle it, pull it back, discipline it, coax it – in other word tame it as one would have tamed a wild horse or an angry bull— contain it somewhere and prevent it from wreaking further havoc!

Easier said than done. In fact, the mind is very difficult to control, train, subdue and settle. As powerful as Thai Thuong Lao Quân, and still was unable to discipline his riding bull from breaking loose from its cage and doing damage to the world! The bull used to smell Lao Quan’s magical medicine, which only made it even more violent! Even Tôn Ngô Không, with his 72 kinds of supernatural powers was sometimes desperate, helpless and had to ask Quan Âm Bodhisattva for help!

It is interesting to note here that Subhuti spoke of good men and women in general, and not of any men or women in particular. Firstly, they must be good, worthy. That is the primary condition to become a bodhisattva. The path leading to enlightenment recommended by the Buddha is an odd one, so strange but wonderful, hardly believable and certainly not an easy process to follow. That is why at the beginning, the Buddha hesitated a long time before giving his first sermon (turning the Dharma Wheel). It is clear today that Subhuti applied the technique of creating “motivations” to set a favourable environment for Buddha to pass on the precious sword. Another interesting point to note: there are no gender distinctions. Both men and women can become bodhisattvas! And think that this was 2500 years ago!

The Buddha answered Subhuti: “Well said, Subhuti. Well said. So it is, Subhuti, it is as you say. The Tathagata blesses bodhisattvas with the best of blessings and entrusts bodhisattvas with the greatest trusts…” How good to hear that! Even the Buddha had confirmed Subhuti’s foresight! How then would one dare be inattentive! The atmosphere of the assembly must have been different then, more conducive and ripe.

“You should therefore truly listen, Subhuti, and consider this well”. Listening is the first skill in the contemporary world of psychotherapy. To listen truly is not just to give ears carelessly or superficially, but to be attentive with all one’s mind, all one’s body. A good listener is someone who leans forward and looks the speaker in the eyes, nods his head in approval at agreeable points, ask questions when necessary and summarizes in his/her own words what was heard to confirm good understanding of the speaker’s intent. A good listener must be an understanding, emotional person. It is not surprising that in the Diamond Sutra, Subhuti, an arahant, who already attained the “no-rebirth” status, was still moved to tears! The word “truly” here also has the meaning of “examining/ scrutinizing thoroughly”, not just listening and trusting absent-mindedly. When we study Buddhism, it is interesting to note that the Buddha never imposed the teachings. He always said we must not believe immediately, but instead have to analyse, test and experience what He said for ourselves.

If we pay further attention still, we will see that the Buddha is speaking personally to Subhuti and only to him. “I shall tell you…” the Buddha said, which means “I shall not tell this to anyone else, because you are the one who knows how to ask important and ultimate questions. So I’ll tell only to you. Good men and women who want to achieve enlightenment should do things like this…like this”…

Just imagine how all of us would be attentive in this situation, how we all would prick up our ears in that forum! Everybody suddenly become astute eavesdroppers! Eavesdropping is a good way to… learn! The 6th patriarch Hue Nang naturally eavesdropped upon entering the temple, while daily pounding rice, cutting wood and cooking meals. Thanks to that, he immediately recognized that “fundamentally there is not a single thing” (Bổn lai vô nhất vật), while others remains lost in their quest. In classical text, when there is something secretive, private to share, one would say “This is how you do it … like this….” and that invites curiosity. Is that a special strategy the Buddha adopted to teach the Diamond Sutra? Are the Buddha and Subhuti playing their roles in the very modern participatory method?

Subhuti grinned widely: “Yes, yes, I very much wish to hear!”


https://thuvienhoasen.org/p26a22801/...ds-on-the-path

3. Vậy mà chẳng phải vậy!

Lại nói Tu Bồ Đề kính cẩn đặt hai câu hỏi với Phật: “…làm thế nào để an trụ tâm, làm thế nào để hàng phục tâm?” thì Phật bảo rằng không có gì khó cả, các vị Đại Bồ tát đều hàng phục tâm bằng cách như vầy… như vầy… “Ông hãy lắng tai nghe cho kỹ đây. Ta sẽ vì ông mà nói”. Tu Bồ Đề hớn hở: “Xin vâng, xin vâng. Con đang rất muốn nghe!”.

Hơn hai ngàn năm trăm năm sau, chúng ta cũng đang rất muốn nghe, cũng đang dỏng tai lên mà nghe, bởi chưa bao giờ con người sống trong sợ hãi, lo âu, căng thẳng như bây giờ, với chiến tranh dịch bệnh thiên tai đủ thứ! Con người mắc đủ thứ bệnh tật mà y học dù rất tiến bộ cũng lúng túng, bó tay… Các loại bệnh cứ xà quần, hết thứ này sanh thứ khác, bởi cái gốc của nó không ở cái thân xác kia, nên đi đủ thứ bác sĩ cũng không khỏi cho đến khi vớ phải một… lang băm! Y học đã phải bào chế ra nhiều thứ thuốc, nào an thần, nào thuốc ngủ, nào giải lo (anxiolytique), thậm chí những thứ thuốc cực mạnh để cắt đứt cơn suy nghĩ của con người, làm cho họ rơi vào trạng thái hôn mê ngắn hạn để được thảnh thơi đôi chút, xa rời đôi chút với những lo âu phiền muộn sợ hãi bao quanh!

Phật dạy: Muốn hàng phục tâm ư, muốn an trụ tâm ư? Chỉ cần “diệt độ” tất cả chúng sanh, loại nào cũng “diệt độ”, cho vào Vô dư Niết bàn sạch trơn, nhưng rồi thật ra… chẳng có chúng sanh nào đựơc diệt độ cả!

Ối trời! Thiệt là choáng váng! Chưa kịp trấn tĩnh, Phật đã nói tiếp: “Tại sao vậy? Tại vì Bồ tát mà còn có tướng ta, tướng người, tướng chúng sanh, tướng thọ giả thì… chẳng phải là Bồ tát! ”. Lúc đó hẳn một số người trong thính chúng cũng hoang mang, thôi không dám làm Bồ tát nữa và xin rút lui có trật tự! Chính Tu Bồ Đề cũng phải kêu lên: Con có thể hiểu không khó những lời Phật dạy, nhưng liệu năm trăm năm sau, người ta có thể hiều được không? Phật đã phải quở ngay: “Ông chớ nói thế!”. Bởi Phật tin tưởng ở tương lai, người ta có thể hiểu Phật nhanh hơn, phương tiện truyền thông tiến bộ hơn, và… đời sống con người càng… khổ đau hơn, dù vật chất có được cải thiện mà phiền não thì cứ gia tăng!

Tuy vậy, Phật cũng nói thêm: Sau này, ai được nghe Kim Cang mà “không kinh, không hãi, không sợ” thì người đó hẳn phải có nhiều “thiện căn”! Nửa thế kỷ trước đây, Edward Conzé, tiến sĩ tâm lý, nhà Phật học nổi tiếng, người đã dịch Kim Cang sang tiếng Anh, bảo bạn ông, một nhà trí thức thần học, khi đọc bản dịch đó đã kinh ngạc kêu lên: Điên, điên rồi! Nhưng Erward Conzé không thấy điên, lại còn khẳng định: hiệu quả sẽ đựơc chứng minh qua áp dụng vào đời sống hằng ngày! Nguyễn Du đọc đi đọc lại Kim Cang cả ngàn lần, đến khi có dịp đi sứ sang Tàu, nhìn thạch đài phân kinh của Thái tử nhà Lương mới than: Chung tri vô tự thị Chân Kinh! (Cuối cùng mới hiểu ra Kinh không chữ mới thật là Chân Kinh!).. Người xưa thì cũng đã nguyện “Nguyện giải Như Lai chơn thật nghĩa!”. Chắc hẳn phải có điều gì đó… bí ẩn!

Phật nói muốn hàng phục tâm thì có bao nhiêu loại chúng sinh, dù sinh từ thai, sinh từ trứng, từ thấp, từ hóa, từ có hình hoặc không có hình, từ có tưởng, hoặc không có tưởng, hoặc chẳng có tưởng mà cũng chẳng phải chẳng có tưởng… đều phải “diệt độ” tất cả, cho vào… “Niết bàn” sạch trơn! Rồi, tuy“diệt độ” vô số sô lượng vô biên chúng sanh như vậy mà thật ra… chẳng có chúng sanh nào được diệt độ cả!

Lâu nay ta vẫn nghĩ chúng sanh là beings, là êtres, là những sinh vật- gồm có cả con người trong đó – nên “diệt độ” hết chúng sanh thì ta ở với ai? Có sách nói phải diệt độ hết chúng sanh đi mà đừng kể công, ấy mới là lòng quãng đại, là chí nguyện của Bồ tát. Có sách lại bảo chúng sanh ở đây không phải là người, không phải là sinh vật mà là những tư tưởng, những ý nghĩ, những khái niệm! Người bình thường chúng ta nghe chữ “diệt độ” chúng sanh, rồi đưa hết vào “Niết bàn” cũng thấy ớn! Thực ra chữ “diệt độ” ở đây không có nghĩa là tiêu diệt mà là giúp đưa hết cả qua bờ Giải thoát.

Nghĩ cho cùng, cốt lõi có lẽ nằm ở hai chữ “chúng sanh”! Giải mã được từ khóa này thì hy vọng mở được “Càn khôn đại nã di tâm pháp” như Vô Kỵ dưới hầm sâu trong tiểu thuyết kiếm hiệp Kim Dung! Một hôm, tôi đem thắc mắc “chúng sanh” này hỏi một vị sư. Sư trả lời ngắn gọn: Tùy chúng duyên nhi sanh! Rồi thôi, chẳng nói gì thêm. Với tôi, thế là đã đủ, đã rõ! Vậy mà phải mất bao nhiêu thời gian trăn trở, kiếm tìm, suy gẫm.