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Practise the Pure Dharma with Pure Intention

10/03/201807:13(Xem: 8533)
Practise the Pure Dharma with Pure Intention

 

 

PRACTISE PURE DHARMA WITH PURE INTENTION
By Dharma Teacher Andrew Williams

THỰC HÀNH TỊNH PHÁP TRONG TỊNH Ý

Bài viết: Dharma Teacher Andrew Williams

Việt dịch: Diệu Thông

 

To give the briefest conclusion that I can think of to the question- 'Do you think that sectarian diversity affects the stability of Buddhism as a whole?', I would have to say, 'Yes' and 'No'.

Để đưa ra kết luận ngắn nhứt mà tôi có thể nghĩ về câu hỏi - 'Bạn  có nghĩ là tính đa dạng của các tông phái đã ảnh hưởng đến sự ổn định của tống thể Phật giáo hay không ', Tôi muốn nói, vừa 'Có' vừa 'Không'.

 

My intention here is not to give a definitive answer, but to give readers 'food for thought', to enable each of us to be responsible and maintain pure intentions, to think for ourselves and develop genuine wisdom and compassion. 

Ý định của tôi ở đây là không cho một câu trả lời dứt khoát, mà chỉ nhằm trao cho người đọc ‘ thức ăn về tư tưởng’ hay ‘thức thực’ để mỗi người chúng ta chịu trách nhiệm và suy nghĩ về bản thân của chính mình. Vì vậy mỗi người chúng ta có thể phát triển khả năng trí tuệ bẩm sinh và lòng từ bi của mình .

 

In the spirit of the Dharma, rather than dwelling on any possible problems, we should mainly focus on solutions to any such problems. With the hope of maintaining the integrity and purity of Buddhism in this world. 

Trong tinh thần của Phật Pháp, chủ yếu là nên tập trung vào các giải pháp cho một vấn đề nào đó hơn là cứ gặp bất kỳ vấn đề nào xảy ra thì giải quyết.  Với tinh thần này hy vọng sẽ duy trì được tính trung thực và minh bạch của Phật giáo trên thế giới này.

 

Firstly, we should briefly address the answer of 'No'. The pure Dharma is just that, 'Pure', and can not be affected by any worldly or conditioned phenomena, including by people or groups of people. By the 'Pure Dharma' I mean the teachings and instructions on the path to enlightenment given by a fully enlightened Buddha, as well as the result of the path, enlightenment itself. We won't elaborate any further on this subject here and now, as it's very deep and profound, and falls under the category of unthinkable and inexpressible ultimate truth. 

Trước tiên, chúng tôi xin ngắn gọn cho câu trả lời 'Không'. Phật Pháp thuần thanh tịnh thì chỉ: 'thuần thanh tịnh’, hiện tượng thế gian hoặc nhân duyên nào do một số người hay tập thể gây ra không thể ảnh hưởng đến được. Đức Phật, Đấng toàn giác, đã huấn thị cùng hướng dẫn ta, con đường đi đến bờ giác. Ngài đã tự mình tìm ra con đường giác ngộ, nó  chính là ‘ Pháp tịnh' vậy.  Ngay bây giờ, chúng ta sẽ không bàn thêm nữa về chủ đề này, vì nó rất sâu sắc và rất thâm thúy, rồi ta sẽ bị rơi vào các tư tưởng không thể nghĩ bàn của Phật giáo  và cũng không diễn tả hết được.

 

So now let's look at the answer of 'Yes'. Although I feel that the so called 'diversity' itself may not necessarily affect Buddhism as a whole, due to the Dharma path being diverse because of the diversity in the understanding and habitual tendencies of living beings, the practise of the Dharma by individuals and groups of individual practitioners does affect Buddhism as a whole, depending on the individual practitioners understanding and intention. 

Giờ thì chúng ta hãy tập trung vào câu trả lời  'Có'. Mặc dù tôi cảm thấy cái gọi là 'đa dạng' chính nó có thể không nhất thiết ảnh hưởng đến tổng thể của đạo Phật. Do chúng sanh có được sự hiểu biết đa dạng và các thói quen có xu hướng đa dạng nên con đường Phật Pháp có khác nhau, cá nhân và tập thể thực hành Phật Pháp  có ảnh hưởng đến đạo Phật như một tổng thể. Sự thực hành tùy thuộc vào sự hiểu biết và ý nguyện của mỗi người.

 

If their understanding is sound and their intention is pure, then the stability of Buddhism will be affected in a positive way. It will be strengthened. But if their understanding is weak and their intention is impure, then the stability of Buddhism will be affected in a negative way. It will be weakened.

Nếu sự hiểu biết của họ là thanh trí tuệ và có tịnh ý, vậy sự ổn định của Phật giáo sẽ ảnh hưởng theo đường hướng tích cực. Sự dũng mãnh sẽ được tăng cường. Nhưng nếu sự hiểu biết của họ yếu kém và ý bất tịnh. Sự ổn định của Phật giáo sẽ bị ảnh hưởng theo đường hướng tiêu cực. Kéo theo là sự suy yếu .

 

The Buddha said that the Dharma in this world can only be destroyed from within. In other words, by we Buddhist practitioners, and our intentions. Not by any outside influences. Therefore, it is imperative that Buddhist practitioners all over the world practise the pure Dharma with pure intentions. 

Đức Phật dạy Phật giáo tự hủy hoại bằng giáo Pháp của chính mình.  Nói cách khác, là do chính chúng ta thực hành giáo Pháp đó, là do ý nguyện của chính ta vậy. Sự hủy hoại không do ảnh hưởng từ bên ngoài. Vì vậy, điều bắt buộc là các hành giả trong khắp mọi nơi trên thế giới nên phải thực hành tịnh Pháp với cả tịnh ý của mình.

 


We should be clear about our purpose, why we are practising Dharma, understand the Dharma methods clearly and precisely, and make genuine enthusiastic effort to put the methods into practise accurately. We should study and hear the Dharma, contemplate on the Dharma and absorb our minds with the Dharma. This way we can affect Buddhism in a positive way. But if we are lazy, have wrong intentions, and lack understanding in the Dharma methods and how to put them into practise, then we will affect Buddhism in a negative way. 

Chúng ta cần phải làm rõ mục đích của mình, lý do mình thực hành giáo Pháp, hiểu thấu rõ ràng và chính xác phương pháp, gắng sức thực sự, nhiệt tình thực hành phương pháp. Chúng ta nên học tập và luôn nghe Pháp,  để hết tâm trí hấp thụ Phật Pháp rồi quán chiếu. Bằng cách này, mới có thể mong Phật giáo ảnh hưởng theo đường hướng tích cực.  Nhưng nếu chúng ta lười biếng, có ý sai, và thiếu sự hiểu biết về việc hành trì giáo Pháp vàkhông biết  làm thế nào để đi vào thực hành, như vậy là Phật giáo sẽ ảnh hưởng theo đường hướng tiêu cực.

 

It may be helpful for us to contemplate on the fact that the Buddha himself would teach the pure Dharma using different and varying examples, words and phrases, depending on who he was teaching at any particular time. For instance, if he was teaching a king, he would use expression that the king could relate to. If he was teaching a farmer, he would use expression that the farmer could relate to, and so on and so forth. Likewise, the Buddha taught on many different levels, depending on the varying characters, and degrees of intelligence and mental development of his students. 

Quán chiếu là điều mang lại sự ich lợi cho chúng ta qua sự việc là Đức Phật đã truyền trao tịnh Pháp bằng cách sử dụng nhiều phương pháp khác nhau như qua thí dụ, qua lời nói, qua câu cú, mỗi mỗi trường hợp có khác và tùy từng cá nhân,  tùy từng thời điểm đặt biệt nào đó. Ví dụ, nếu Ngài giảng Pháp cho nhà vua, Ngài sẽ diễn giảng những gì có thể liên quan đến vị vua ấy. Nếu  cho một nông dân, Ngài sẽ diễn giảng những gì có thể liên quan đến  người nông dân ấy, vân vân và vân vân. Tương tự như vậy, Đức Phật tùy theo cá tính, mức độ của trí thông minh cùng sự phát triển tâm linhcủa tín đồ mà sự diển giảng có khác nhau.

 

Years ago, not long after my teachers requested me to start teaching, I asked one of them for some advice on teaching. He simply said that if I was to teach a plumber, then I should use examples related to plumbing. If I was to teach a football player, then I should use examples related to football. He said that if I taught the plumber using football examples, or the footballer using plumbing examples, it would not only be unhelpful, it may also be harmful. He also added that I should teach by example. 

Cũng lâu lắm rồi,  khi quý sư phụ có yêu cầu tôi giảng Pháp, để bắt đầu buổi giảng không lâu sau, tôi có yêu cầu một trong số các vị cho tôi vài lời khuyên để mọi người dễ tiếp thu bài giảng hơn. Thầy cho biết chỉ đơn giản là: nếu tôi dạy cho một người thợ sửa ống nước, tôi nên sử dụng các ví dụ về liên quan đến hệ thống ống nước. Nếu tôi dạy cho một cầu thủ bóng đá, tôi nên sử dụng các ví dụ liên quan đến bóng đá. thầy nói nếu tôi đã dạy cho thợ sửa ống nước mà cho ví dụ bóng đá hoặc cho cầu thủ bóng đá mà cho ví dụ hệ thống ống nước, nó sẽ không những chỉ vô bổ, mà còn có thể gây tác hại. Thầycũng nói thêm rằng tôi nên dùng ví dụ để dạy.

 

So we should study, practise and share the Dharma well, both individually and collectively, and not waste our time merely arguing over things that we may not yet fully understand. Such as which vehicle is the highest and purest vehicle, which teaching is the highest and purest teaching and so on and so forth. Just as we should remove the arrow and take the medicine, if we were shot by a poisoned arrow, rather than only wanting to know all of the related details. 

Vì vậy, ta nên học tập, thực hành và chia sẻ Phật Pháp, cho cả cá nhân lẫn tập thể, không lãng phí thời gian cho việc chỉ đơn thuần tranh cãi về những điều mà ta có thể không hoàn toàn thấu hiểu. Chẳng hạn như chiếc xe đó là chiếc xe cao nhất và chuẩn nhất, bài giảng này có tính cao siêu và thanh tịnh nhất vân vân và vân vân. Cũng giống như khi  ta bị một mũi tên độc bắn trúng, ta nên tìm cách rút mũi tên ra và tìm thuốc uống, hơn là tìm biết tất cả các chi tiết liên quan khác. 

 

Along with the articles from our virtuous writers, I hope that these words are somewhat helpful and beneficial on your path to enlightenment.

Cùng với những câu trả lời của các nhà đạo đức. Tôi hy vọng những lời trên sẽ mang đến nhiều điều hữu ích và lợi lạc cho quý vị trên bước đường đi đến bờ giác.

 

 

















 

duc phat mang kinh 9
PRACTISE THE PURE DHARMA
WITH PURE INTENTION
By Dharma Teacher Andrew Williams


To give the briefest conclusion that I can think of to the question- 'Do you think that sectarian diversity affects the stability of Buddhism as a whole?', I would have to say, 'Yes' and 'No'.

My intention here is not to give a definitive answer, but to give readers 'food for thought', to enable each of us to be responsible and maintain pure intentions, to think for ourselves and develop genuine wisdom and compassion.

In the spirit of the Dharma, rather than dwelling on any possible problems, we should mainly focus on solutions to any such problems. With the hope of maintaining the integrity and purity of Buddhism in this world.

Firstly, we should briefly address the answer of 'No'. The pure Dharma is just that, 'Pure', and can not be affected by any worldly or conditioned phenomena, including by people or groups of people. By the 'Pure Dharma' I mean the teachings and instructions on the path to enlightenment given by a fully enlightened Buddha, as well as the result of the path, enlightenment itself. We won't elaborate any further on this subject here and now, as it's very deep and profound, and falls under the category of unthinkable and inexpressible ultimate truth.

So now let's look at the answer of 'Yes'. Although I feel that the so called 'diversity' itself may not necessarily affect Buddhism as a whole, due to the Dharma path being diverse because of the diversity in the understanding and habitual tendencies of living beings, the practise of the Dharma by individuals and groups of individual practitioners does affect Buddhism as a whole, depending on the individual practitioners understanding and intention.

If their understanding is sound and their intention is pure, then the stability of Buddhism will be affected in a positive way. It will be strengthened. But if their understanding is weak and their intention is impure, then the stability of Buddhism will be affected in a negative way. It will be weakened.

The Buddha said that the Dharma in this world can only be destroyed from within. In other words, by we Buddhist practitioners, and our intentions. Not by any outside influences. Therefore, it is imperative that Buddhist practitioners all over the world practise the pure Dharma with pure intentions.

We should be clear about our purpose, why we are practising Dharma, understand the Dharma methods clearly and precisely, and make genuine enthusiastic effort to put the methods into practise accurately. We should study and hear the Dharma, contemplate on the Dharma and absorb our minds with the Dharma. This way we can affect Buddhism in a positive way. But if we are lazy, have wrong intentions, and lack understanding in the Dharma methods and how to put them into practise, then we will affect Buddhism in a negative way.

It may be helpful for us to contemplate on the fact that the Buddha himself would teach the pure Dharma using different and varying examples, words and phrases, depending on who he was teaching at any particular time. For instance, if he was teaching a king, he would use expression that the king could relate to. If he was teaching a farmer, he would use expression that the farmer could relate to, and so on and so forth. Likewise, the Buddha taught on many different levels, depending on the varying characters, and degrees of intelligence and mental development of his students.

Years ago, not long after my teachers requested me to start teaching, I asked one of them for some advice on teaching. He simply said that if I was to teach a plumber, then I should use examples related to plumbing. If I was to teach a football player, then I should use examples related to football. He said that if I taught the plumber using football examples, or the footballer using plumbing examples, it would not only be unhelpful, it may also be harmful. He also added that I should teach by example.

So we should study, practise and share the Dharma well, both individually and collectively, and not waste our time merely arguing over things that we may not yet fully understand. Such as which vehicle is the highest and purest vehicle, which teaching is the highest and purest teaching and so on and so forth. Just as we should remove the arrow and take the medicine, if we were shot by a poisoned arrow, rather than only wanting to know all of the related details.

Along with the articles from our virtuous writers, I hope that these words are somewhat helpful and beneficial on your path to enlightenment.






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Nguyện đem công đức này, trang nghiêm Phật Tịnh Độ, trên đền bốn ơn nặng, dưới cứu khổ ba đường,
nếu có người thấy nghe, đều phát lòng Bồ Đề, hết một báo thân này, sinh qua cõi Cực Lạc.

May the Merit and virtue,accrued from this work, adorn the Buddhas pureland,
Repay the four great kindnesses above, andrelieve the suffering of those on the three paths below,
may those who see or hear of these efforts generates Bodhi Mind, spend their lives devoted to the Buddha Dharma,
the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Quang Duc Buddhist Welfare Association of Victoria
Tu Viện Quảng Đức | Quang Duc Monastery
Senior Venerable Thich Tam Phuong | Senior Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang
Address: Quang Duc Monastery, 105 Lynch Road, Fawkner, Vic.3060 Australia
Tel: 61.03.9357 3544 ; Fax: 61.03.9357 3600
Website: http://www.quangduc.com ; http://www.tuvienquangduc.com.au (old)
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