Ethics in Buddhist life.

On the occasion of this year's Buddha's Birthday, we would like to present the theme of "Buddhist Life", a theme that Shabaghaka himself preached many times, but specifically and clearly in the suttas. The Buddha told his son La Rahula after Rahula was ordained. These texts are translated in the Second Sutra of the Sutra, Sutta No. 61 and 62 and in the third Sutta, 147th Sutra.

This sutra has been inscribed by King Asoka in the fourth century BC, inscribed on the inscription Bhàbrà, calling on all monks and laymen to recite the Sutra.

We are not sons of Buddha like Rahula, but are the spiritual children of the Buddha. Words of wisdom and wisdom of the Buddha. The wisdom and wisdom of the Buddha to Rahula, nearly three thousand years ago in India, is also a teaching for all of us, Buddhists of Vietnam, monks as well as in Vietnam. Male, female as well as young as well as old.

Today, on the solemnity of the Vesak Day, let us reflect together on the teachings of the Buddha on the Buddhist way of living.

 The Buddha said, "Hey, Rahula, what do you think? What is the purpose of the mirror?"

Rahula replied: "The Blessed One, the purpose is to reflect"

Likewise, the Buddha said: "Rahula, after reflecting on many occasions, practice one's self, after reflecting on many occasions, practice speech, reflecting on many times, .

Lifestyle is the way of life is always reflective, not let go, not liberal. The mirror that the Buddha says is not a mirror, but a mirror of the soul that reverts to all his thoughts, words, and deeds in accordance with the way of life; The Buddhist way of living, that is, Rahula's teachings, harmful or harmful to you; To the person, whether beneficial or not, for himself and for the person, bring happiness or cause misery for himself and for him.

Why does the Buddha advise us to reflect more than once?

It is due to the process of karma, which can be divided into three stages: the first stage is the period of consciousness, also called the mind. Often, we call it will. Today's example is Buddha's Day. But right from yesterday and before, there was a desire today to Buddhist pagoda, listening to lectures, do many Buddhist and other good. But there are also sure that only a small number of people on the Buddha's birthday wish to go see the fortune-teller, see the math, looking forward to "on the bridge" a trip to wealth, fortune.

At this stage of the will, we must also reflect on whether or not we want to be right or wrong, whether it is right or wrong with our Buddhist way of life, our own good and for the good or for the good. No, bring happiness or cause pain, to yourself and to the person or to both.

If at the stage of the will, you reflect on the day of the Buddha's birthday that the fortuneteller sees math as inappropriate, is exemplifying the superstitious superstition for his wife, children, friends and others. Be firmly to give up that desire. On the contrary, for the intention to go to the temple, Buddhist ceremony, listening to lectures, doing many Buddhist and other good. Reflected by the counterparts, it is good to bring peace to ourselves and to others, now and in the future, then firmly to the will, but also to the great majority. You have such good intentions, so today we have good reason to preach in a crowded and exuberant society like this.

If all we do, every word we say, all our thoughts are reflected carefully from the stage of will, as the Buddha taught Rahula, how many mistakes, Crimes and misfortunes did not occur in this painful world.

The Buddha said, "Rahula, if you reflect on me." This body I want to do, this body can lead to self-harm, can lead to harm, can lead to both. , This career is akusala, leading to suffering. Such a career, Rahula, you definitely do not do. Rahula, if after reflecting, he knew: "This body I want to do, this body can not lead to self harm, can not bring harm, can not bring harm. Hai, this career is good, brought to peace, bring good karmic results, a good deed is good, Rahula, you should do.

Phase two is the one phase that has started to do, is doing. At this stage, the stage of employment is evolving, we continue to reflect: this is whether we are fit or not fit the lifestyle, Buddhist lifestyle, cause damage to themselves, for Others, for both or not, or vice versa, bring peace to themselves, to others, to both or not? If through reflection, it is not harmful to yourself, to people, to both, then let us resolutely continue to do that, despite obstacles.

Just like today, you rejoice here to Buddha, listen to sermon, do good deeds and Buddhas, in your heart feel peace, happiness, wisdom of the growth. If you think so, then you can rest assured, continue on this Buddha's birthday as well as on other Buddhist holidays, or whenever conditions permit.

On the other hand, there are things that you are doing, doing, but in the process, you find it not good for yourself, for people, not for both, even if the original intention is good enough. Again, you should end the job right away.

The Buddha told Rahula: "Rahula, when you are in a career, you need to reflect on the body as follows: This body I am doing, my body leads to harm. This leads to harm, both to the harm, to the distress, to the suffering, to the painful consequences. But if, Rahula, while reflecting, you know as follows: the karma we are doing now does not lead to self-harm, no. To bring harm to people, not to harm them both, this good kamma is good, leading to peace, bringing good results, Rahula, you need Must continue to do. "

Stage three is the stage when something is done. We also need to reflect on whether the work we have done is appropriate or not in line with the Buddhist way of life, whether it causes harm to ourselves or to human beings, whether it causes damage or not. , Bring peace and happiness or not to yourself and to others or to both. If you reflect and realize that you have done harm to yourself and others or to both, then we must sincerely eat, repent, honestly reveal fault with the guru or with the My fellow practitioner, my partner. Then, resolving the determination from now do not do such a harmful thing again. But if, through reflection, find that what we have done is in line with the Buddhist way of living, bringing happiness to oneself and others, or both,

It was the Buddha himself who warned Rahula to do the same, after each of his actions: "Rahula, after your completion of a career, you must reflect on your self as follows: "This karmic act, we have done, our kinship leads to self-harm, leads to harm to others, leads to harm both, this kamma is akusala, it leads to suffering, If, while reflecting, Rahula, you know as follows: This body we did, brought to harm, brought to harm, both to harm, this kamma is akusala to cause pain Suffering, bringing retribution pain. Such a ritual, Rahula, you must speak, must be revealed, must be presented in front of the masters, or in front of the monk Pham Hanh. After having said, expressed, presented,

"Again, while reflecting, Rahula, you know as follows: This body I did, not to bring harm, not to harm people, not to harm both, pro-life This is good, brought to peace bring good results. Therefore, Rahula La, your home to stay in the joy, self-study day and night in the French.

For every work of the body, that is, even when it is desired, or when it is done, or after it is done, the Buddha advises Rahula as well as all Buddhists. Should be considered, whether good or bad, if good, then study day and night to grow those good deeds. And if it is not good, then try to day and night to get rid of, remove, precaution, repent, repent, so that the evil deeds that never again.

Not only for the work of the body, but also for the word, for every budding thought in the mind, the Buddha also advised us to reflect on whether it is good or evil. If it is good, then learning to promote growth, if it is not good, then tireless efforts to eradicate, remove. And only after so many reflections on our work, words and thoughts, can we advance to all of our three karmic, karmic, karmic, and career paths. Clean and bright, completely integrated with Buddhist lifestyle, Buddhist lifestyle. We, gradually, follow the teachings of the Buddha, as stated in the Dhammapada:

"Do not do all the evil,
Achievement of good deeds,
Mind keep clean,
The Buddha teaches."

The mind of purity, must be the constant and leading concern of every Buddhist, monk or layman. Why? Ladies and gentlemen, this is because, usually, people think first and then say, do, we all meditate on the first verse of the Dhammapada:

"The leading French,
Italian master, the creation,
if with the pollution,
speaking up or action,
suffering brain following steps,
as wheel drag objects"

Meaning: The mind is immoral, unclean, full of greed, speech, action with such mind will also unwholesome, unclean, full of greed, and bring about painful consequences.

On the contrary, as the Dhammapada says:

"If pure intention,
Say or action,
Happiness step behind,
As the ball does not leave the picture."

The Buddhist way of living, the Buddhist way of life, is the way of life with pure mind. That is also a happy lifestyle. A happiness that I create for myself, not for others, neither parents nor children can do. That is the idea of ​​verse 43 in the Dhammapada:

"What mother, father, children
Can not do,
Eight main directions to do,
Do better!"

The main mind is mind, good heart, pure heart.

On the contrary, the man with the akusala citta is also the most unlucky person in the world, a greater misfortune than the evil he gives to him. The Dhamma Sutra writes:

"Injustice
harms the enemy, the enemies of the enemy,
not with deviant mind,
evil for self."

Why does the Dhammapada say so? This is because the akusala citta is the enemy within, the enemy is insidious, and therefore the fearsome enemy.

There is a question: How to keep the mind is always good clean? How to keep the mind does not think evil, think bad? How to avoid greed, less greed, but still ignore greed is wrong, suffering?

That is a very legitimate question, the Buddha once said: "Loyalty to mankind!" (Kinh Kandakara, Middle II Corps 51). Someone who smokes is harmful to smoking, drinking alcohol is harmful but still drinking. That is the power of habits, a scary power. Just as a person goes on forever in the dew, the shirt is also dewy. Want to dry your clothes, how many days to expose? For the same mind. Mind who think evil or think good is a habit. Which has become habit, especially bad habits, it must be elaborate, take time to remove.

First of all, you must create a good environment with good environment, good intellectuals, as the Buddha says. In the Great Sutra of 110, the Buddha introduces us to what is the unwholesome way of life. An evil person, a person full of akusala, such as no faith, shameless, fearless, hearing less, lazy, lost mind, less intellectual. An inconvenient person thinking like the wrong person, thinking to harm themselves, thinking to harm others, thinking harm both. Negative people speak like the wrong man: Lie, say double-edged, speak evil words, say frivolous. Negative people act like nefarious, killing, taking no pleasure, sexual misconduct. So,

Buddhists often come here to the Buddha, listen to the teachings of Phat reading, together to talk ethics, doing the Buddha and good deeds, that is to create a good environment to eliminate evil thoughts, arise Healthy thoughts, good thoughts. It is difficult for a person to do it, or to start working. But if there are organizations, many people work together and make many times, become familiar, and then the hard work will also be completed well.

Having a good environment, having good friends, we have to work on ourselves.

Jing An (the 20th Sutra, Sutra No. 1), teaches us the right way to nourish good thoughts, eliminate evil thoughts. Kinh An Trú said there are five measures all:

The first is the pursuit of good and evil. Take, for example, the compassionate thought of the anger of the Buddha using the example of a carpenter, using a wedge or good thought to strike another wedge.

- Second measure: To reflect on the disastrous consequences of evil thoughts will lead to evil and punishment. Just as one observes that he is wearing a dead dog's body around his neck, afraid of it, throw it away. Just as today, smokers think that smoking can cause both themselves and their children (smoke cigarette) to get cancer, scared to quit smoking.

The third measure is to try, to forget the evil one, not to think of it again. For example, a Buddha closed his eyes so that he would not have to see something that could motivate him to do evil.

- Fourth: Stop the evil idea, let it weaken. The Buddha uses the example of a person running, moving on, then moving to standing, then sitting, and lying down. I can take the example of smoking to illustrate the Buddha's words. An addict, see the cigarette pack immediately grab, withdraw the match, inhale the two three steam always. Now see the pack, drill the bag, and when the bag is taken, rqa drill, matchmaking, or match, then drill a breath, etc. .. Because, every time Stopped like that, we all can reflect, remember the doctor's advice on how cigarettes cause cancer, how the message of the wife costs money, etc. so that can Stop smoking.

- Fifth measure: is to use the will, the power to control evil thoughts, do not let it arise, Buddha example a healthy person falls a weak person.

The above are the five measures to control and eliminate the concept of evil, as taught by the Buddha in the Sutra. These are practical and specific teachings that everyone can apply in their daily lives. One thing we need to keep in mind is that all thoughts are impermanent, whether evil or good, if they are not nourished by corresponding thoughts and especially by corresponding actions. I take the example of smoking cigarette smoking. This smoking concept is nourished by thoughts such as smoking as harmless, smoking addiction, smoking a cigarette that can be reduced by a few seconds, such as a seven-second laugh, and so on. If we do not adopt the concept of smoking with such thoughts, on the contrary oppose it, eliminate it with thoughts such as smoking cigarettes, smoking lungs, smoking costs money, etc. Then the concept of smoking can gradually no longer dominate us as before. And we can move on to quit without difficulty.

One more thing, we also need to keep in mind that good thoughts are generally stronger than evil thoughts, as light is stronger than darkness. The evil thoughts that dominate us are because we do not know it is ac. If it is found to be evil, it will naturally disappear. Therefore, the Buddhist scriptures advise us to always be aware of what we are thinking, what we say, what we do and what we think, what we say is good or bad. For peace or suffering for yourself and for you. Some people think evil without knowing that they are evil. It is very difficult for a human being to practice good deeds. Just as someone who does good does not know how to do good, it is very difficult to grow good.

The life of the Buddhist must be a life of consciousness, good is good to promote good things inherent, learn the good things do not have. At the same time must know evil is evil to remove the evil that has committed and protect the evil has not started. In short, to increase the goodness inherent, to learn the good things have not, remove the evil inherent, avoid evil has not: it must be the diligent lifestyle of all our Buddhists.

It is also the definition of "right livelihood," Samma and yama, in the Noble Eightfold Path the Buddha advised all Buddhists that we should practice. "The holy disciples live diligently and diligently renounce the immoral dharma, attain the good deeds, persevere diligently effort, do not give up the burden on good." (Tang Chi II, p. 18).

Over here, we have said using the ancient concept of evil chasing evil. You may ask what kind of good thoughts?

The Buddhist scriptures often teach the practice of "Eight Chiefs" by right knowledge, right thinking, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, Eight methods to build a perfect Buddhist lifestyle, practical application to real life. A good man of course must be a man with righteous thoughts, righteous thoughts, righteous thoughts, three righteous karma, right livelihood, a mindful mind, and a meditation on the feet. lemon.

It is wrong to have someone who accuses us of Buddhism as destroying all human emotions, such as non-human beings! On the contrary, it is possible to say that Buddhism is the most human way of life because it enables all people to strive to be perfect men and women in this world. Most virtuous virtues of compassion and wisdom. Human beings have great wisdom and compassion: it must be the direction of all of us, because that is the model, the person who is perfect from the Buddhist point of view.

It is a concrete direction, no distant future, the Buddha and his many generations of disciples enlightened to show that the perfect model is not a structure that utopian has not. Is, is, will be the living people, the reality if trying to strive the way. The Noble Eightfold Path that the Buddha pointed out.

The immortal value of Buddhism is that it outlines the concrete path that helps each one of us become perfect man, happy and free man, intellectually and lovingly human wide.

That is also the message that the Buddha left us: the message that calls us all to strive to become perfect people, the people of the Three Noble Truths, Liberated minds and liberated minds, worthy of the student of the Buddha, the spiritual child of the Buddha.

In this world of hatred, let us live without hatred, set the example of loving life. In this shadowed world, the darkness of war-threatening, and the unethical lifestyle, let's light up the light of wisdom, understanding and understanding.

Society does not look at us, judges us through the books of the Buddha and the Buddha, but looks at us, evaluates us through our concrete person, through our specific work and words, Is loyal or contradictory to the idea of ​​compassion and wisdom of Buddhism.

The Buddha, too, seeks us to judge us not by the statue, the Buddha, whether the Buddha's words are true or not, but the particular daily life of the Buddhist monk we have. It is a Buddhist way of living, Buddhist lifestyle or not. If indeed we live, behave, act in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha, then the Buddha has entered Nibbana three thousand years ago, but he is always by our side, follow the instructions , Encourages us.

On this solemn Buddhist Day, we hope that is the belief of all of us, and we will all live by that belief.

We wish all of you a full season of Compassion and Wisdom. END=NAM MO AMITABHA BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH GIAC TAM.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN AMITABHA PURELAND=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.18/4/2017.