Lao zi

From Bvd

Part Four Chapter on Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi

Chuong Bon Lao Tu va Trang Tu

The reason this chapter is called "Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi* has to do with the extent to which Lao Zi's philosophy is evident in the Venerable Master's instructions and practices. In Reflections in Water and Mirrors Reversing the Tide of Destiny, the Master's critique of Venerable .Mahakashyapa states: Transforming and appearing as Lao Zi, he roamed through China; Welcoming those who had affinities to ascend to the other shore. Obviously the Master recognized Lao Zi to be a transformation-body of Venerable Mahakashyapa. Although Lao Zi left behind only five thousand words, they have been profoundly cherished and enjoyed by generations of cultivators and ordinary people. Much of what the Venerable Master said and did accords with Lao Zi. For instance Lao Zi said: Proper words may appear to be the opposite. Truthful words are not pretty; pretty words are not truthful. Being proper has value; being pretty is cheap Counteracting is the movement of the Way; gentleness is the function of the Way. The Venerable Master often used reverse psychology to prod living beings. One example is when the Master was asked about exterminating house pests and insects. The Master replied:

I am an insect, I am an ant. It doesn't matter if you kill me, but you shouldn't kill them.If you want to exterminate insects, first exterminate me.

That is how based in equality the Master's compassion was!

Ly do chuong nay duoc goi "Lao Tu va Trang Tu" vi co lien he nhieu den triet ly cua Lao Tu hien dien trong nhung khai thi va thuc hanh cua HT. Trong Thuy Kinh Hoi Thien, HT de noi ve canh gioi cua Ton Gia Ma Ha Ca Diep: Hoa than thanh Lao Tu, rong choi khap Trung Hoa; Don ke huu duyen dang bi ngan. Di nhien HT nhan ra Lao Tu la hoa than cua Ton gia Ca Diep. Mac dau Lao Tu chi de lai 5000 loi, nhung loi nay da duoc nhieu the he hanh gia va pham phu tran quy sau xa va thich thu. Nhieu dieu HT noi va lam phu hop voi Lao Tu. Vi du Lao Tu noi: Loi that co ve nhu trai nghich. Loi that khong dep; loi dep khong that. Chan chanh thi co gia tri; ve dep thi re tien. Phan la dong cua Dao, nhu la dung cua Dao. HT thuong dung tam ly tuong phan de thuc tinh chung sanh. Mot vi du la khi duoc hoi ve viec giet con trung trong nha, HT tra loi:

Toi la mot con con trung, toi la con kien. Quy vi giet toi cung khong sao, nhung quy vi khong nen giet nhung con con trung do. Neu quy vi muon diet con trung, truoc het hay diet toi.

Dieu do cho thay tam tu bi binh dang cua HT nhu the nao!

All his life the Master used the Six Great Principles of not fighting, not being greedy, not seeking, not being selfish, not pursuing selfbenefit, and not lying to teach and transform living beings. (Actually these are the Five Precepts). Many people didn't take them seriously, thinking that even a child of three knew those things. What need to discuss them? Still, I don't know how many times the Master said, "Any success that I have had in my life is due to abiding by these Six Great Principles. Anyone who wants to cultivate the Way should follow these Six Great Principles." Didn't Lao Zi also say, "My Way is easy to understand and easy to practice and yet there isn't anyone who understands and practices it!" He also said, "People say that my Way seems unfathomable, but that's because they have just discovered it. If they acquaint themselves with it for longer, they will fathom its subtitles." He also said, "The Great Way is level, easy for everyone to traverse."

Suot cuoc doi HT dung Sau Dai Tong Chi: Khong Tranh, Khong Tham, Khong Mong Cau, Khong Ich Ky, Khong Tu Loi, va Khong Noi Doi de giao hoa chung sanh (that ra day chinh la Nam Gioi). Nhieu Phat tu khong xem nhung tong chi nay mot cach nghiem tuc, nghi rang ngay ca dua tre len ba cung biet nhung dieu nay. Nhu vay con can noi them gi nua ? Tuy nhien, toi khong biet HT da noi bao nhieu lan: "Bat cu thanh tuu nao ma toi co duoc trong cuoc doi la nho tuan theo Sau Dai Tong Chi. Bat cu nguoi nao muon tu Dao can theo Sau Dai Tong Chi nay." Lao tu khong tung noi "Dao cua ta de hieu va de hanh nhung khong co ke nao hieu va hanh!" hay sao ? Ngai con noi, "Nguoi ta noi Dao cua ta co ve qua sau tham, nhung do chi vi nguoi ta moi kham pha. Neu ho lam quen lau hon, ho se do den cai vi te cua no". Ngai cung tung noi, "Dai dao binh dang, ai cung co the len duong de dang."

Basically cultivation is quite simple: 'The Way is right there with you; don't seek afar for it." But people are always looking for shortcuts; they scout around trying to find "secret dharmas" to cultivate. It's really a case of people getting more and more muddled. Shouldn't we realize that "the secret lies with us." It's in being able to pursuit of material desires and attachments of the discriminating mind; it's in refraining from anger and refusing to lie. Those are instantaneous "secret dharmas"; that is the Way!

Tu hanh ve can ban rat de dang: "Dao co san ngay do, dung tim cau dau xa." Nhung nguoi ta luon luon tim con duong tat; ho chay loanh quanh de tim "mat phap" de tu hanh. Dieu nay that su lam cho con nguoi cang ho do them. Chung ta khong nen nhan thuc rang "Bi mat nam ngay trong chung ta" hay sao ?. No nam ngay trong viec theo duoi duc vong vat chat va chap truoc cua tam phan biet; no nam ngay cho che ngu nong gian va tu choi noi doi. Do la nhung "mat phap" tuc khac; do la Dao!

Those Six Great Principles, experienced by the Master through his lifelong asceticism, were fervently set forth by him with the hope of contributing to the good of the world and the benefit of humankind. But people did not take them seriously; even made fun of them. It is truly as Lao Zi put it in Chapter 41: "When the superior person hears of the Way, his is moved to practice it. When a mediocre person hears of the Way, he accepts and rejects at random. When an inferior person hears of the Way, he makes fun of it. The Way is found in not ridiculing and not being self-satisfied."

Sau Dai Tong Chi do, da duoc HT kinh nghiem trong suot doi kho hanh; do chinh ngai hang hai lap ra hy vong dong gop cho dieu thien cua the gian va giup ich nhan loai. Nhung nguoi ta khong xem nhung dieu do mot cach nghiem tuc; co khi con che dieu. Dung nhu Lao Tu da viet xuong trong Chuong 41: "Khi ke thuong nhan nghe duoc dao, ho dem thuc hanh. Khi ke pham phu nghe ve Dao, ho co khi chap nhan co khi choi bo. Khi ke ha nhan nghe ve Dao, ho lien che dieu. Dao co the tim duoc trong viec khong che dieu va khong tu man."

Throughout his life, the Venerable Master advocated a philosophy of non-contention that was identical to Lao Zi's non-contention. The Master often mentioned the verse:

Contention, thoughts of victory and defeat, is in opposition to the Way.Once the four marks arise in the mind; how can samadhi be attained?

Trong suot cuoc doi minh, HT da xien duong triet ly khong tranh giong nhu su khong tranh cua Lao Tu. HT thuong de cap bai tho:

Tranh, tu tuong thang bai, la nguoc voi Dao.

Khi bon tuong khoi len trong tam; lam sao dac dinh duoc ?

Those who are truly non-contending don't get angry. They have reached the level of being able to forgive and are truly forgiving. The Master brings up another verse:

It's easy to get rid of other things, but our temper is hard to change.

Those who can truly refrain from anger have attained a priceless gem.

Further, if we can not blame others, then everything will go our way.

Afflictions will never arise and so resentment will never find us.

By always picking at others 'faults, it's impossible to end our own suffering.

Nhung nguoi that su khong tranh thi khong nong gian. Ho da dat den muc do co the tha thu va that su tha thu. HT con noi len bai tho nua:

Buong bo nhung viec khac thi de, nhung tanh nong cua minh thi kho thay doi.

Nhung nguoi that su khong nong gian da duoc vien ngoc vo gia.

Hon nua, neu chung ta co the khong buoc loi ke khac, thi moi chuyen se theo y chung ta.

Phien nao khong bao gio khoi len va san han khong bao gio kiem chung ta.

Luon tim loi nguoi, thi khong the cham dut dau kho cua chinh minh duoc.

Now isn't that an extremely simple instruction? True non-contention amasses boundless and infinite merit and virtue. But the Venerable Master would no doubt omit Lao Zi's conclusion: "Rare are those who know me; honored are those who can fathom me; such is a sage's rare jade that he keeps wrapped in coarse cloth."

In addition to the Master's Six Great Principles, there are two verses worthy of believing and putting into practice. They are:Let us truly recognize our own faults and not discuxs the faults of others.

Others 'faults are just our own;

to be one with everyone is great compassion.

Everything is a test to see what we will do.

Not recognizing what's before our eyes, we have do start anew.

Nhu vay do khong phai la loi day vo cung don gian hay sao ? That su khong tranh dem lai vo so cong duc. Nhung HT da khong co gi nghi ngo khi bo di cau ket luan cua Lao Tu: "That hiem ke biet ta; vinh du cho nhung ke co the hieu thau ta; do la ngoc thach hiem quy cua thanh nhan goi trong vai tho."

Them vao Sau Dai Tong Chi cua HT, co hai bai tho dang duoc tin tuong va thuc hanh. Do la:

Chan than nhan loi minh, khong ban luan loi nguoi,

Loi nguoi la loi minh;

Dong the tuc dai bi.

Tat ca la thu nghiem de xem minh se lam gi.

Khong nhan ra truoc mat, phai lam lai tu dau.

In the Analects and Mencius the sages tell us that when things don't go our way, we should look within ourselves. Also the superior person seeks within himself; the petty person looks at others. Also when the superior person makes a mistake, he takes responsibility for it. When a petty person makes a mistake, he blames heaven. (Xun Zi). The Venerable Master's guidance was also to turn around and seek within yourself.

Trong Luan Ngu va Manh Tu cac thanh nhan noi voi chung ta rang khi su viec khong theo y minh, chung ta hay nhin lai chinh minh. Ngoai ra nguoi quan tu tim kiem ben trong minh; ke tieu nhan tim kiem tu nguoi khac. Them nua khi nguoi quan tu lam sai lam, thi tu nhan trach nhiem. Khi ke tieu nhan lam sai lam, thi trach troi. (Ton Tu). Su huong dan cua HT cung quay tro lai va tim trong chinh minh.

It's true that people were sometimes stunned by the Master's teachings, like the time on February 10, 1993, when he wore masks during his visits to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. It turned out to be because his disciples had violated the practices of taking only one meal a day at noon and always wearing the precept sash. It was with a sense of grief that the Master wore the masks when he returned to the City. He commented:

Before I went to Taiwan I knew that all the principles I had established from the founding of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas onward would be wiped out; I knew people would not honor them. That has caused me a tremendous lose of hope and I cannot face you all. And so I'm wearing a mask to avoid having to look you all straight in the face.

Dung la co nhung luc nguoi ta kinh ngac ve loi day cua HT, chang han nhu vao ngay 10 thang 2, 1993, khi ngai deo vai che mat luc tro lai Van Phat Thanh Thanh. Moi biet ly do la vi nhieu de tu cua ngai da vi pham hanh an ngay mot bua luc ngo va hanh luon mac ao gioi. Voi long dau buon HT deo vai che mat khi tro lai Thanh Thanh. Ngai nhan dinh:

Truoc khi toi di Dai Loan toi biet tat ca nhung ton chi toi thiet lap tu ngay thanh lap Van Phat Thanh Thanh se bi quet sach; toi biet nguoi ta se khong ton kinh cac tong chi nay. Dieu nay da lam cho toi vo cung that vong va khong the doi dien voi tat ca quy vi. Do do toi deo vai che mat de tranh nhin thang vao mat quy vi.

The Master's stance is unprecedented in Buddhist history. Never has a teacher donned a mask. Actually it is we disciples who violate the precepts who should be covering our faces, not our teacher. My own aside on this is that it verifies that the Venerable Master has reached the state of "no self."

Truong hop nay cua HT la chua tung co trong lich su PG. Chua bao gio co vi Thay deo vai che mat. That ra chung ta la nhung de tu da vi pham gioi luat thi dang le phai che mat cua minh lai, chu khong phai Thay cua chung ta. Su phan xet cua rieng toi ve van de nay la dieu nay xac nhan rang HT da den canh gioi "vo nga".

Another example of teachings that stunned the disciples took place in the spring of 1992 at the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas when an unprecedented During that meeting the Master said: I painfully beat myself. I have beaten myself several times to the point of knocking my self unconscious. Because I lack virtuous conduct, the disciples I teach end up like this. If the power of repentance and reform is real, then whatever mistakes have been made, I vow to take upon myself. But if you don t speak truthfully, and are only hoping to fall into the hells a little faster, then I have no way to save you. Tell the truth; use your true mind to repent and reform and then all the retributions for offenses that you should have to endure in the hells I will count as mine.

Mot vi du khac ve loi day da lam kinh ngac de tu xay ra vao mua xuan nam 1992 tai VPTT khi co buoi Dai Hoi Vo Gia xua nay chua tung co duoc to chuc tai chua. Trong buoi hop mat do HT noi rang: Toi da dau long tu danh minh. Toi tu danh toi nhieu lan den muc bat tinh. Boi vi toi thieu duc hanh, nen cac de tu toi day moi ra nhu the nay. Neu luc sam hoi la chan that, thi bat cu loi lam nao da gay nen, toi nguyen tu minh nhan lanh tat ca. Nhung neu quy vi khong noi loi chan that, va dang mong vao dia nguc som hon mot chut, thi toi khong co cach nao de cuu quy vi. Hay noi su that, hay dung tam chan that cua quy vi de sam hoi thi tat ca qua bao nghiep chuong ma dang le quy vi se tho nhan trong dia nguc, toi se nhan chiu het.

As far as I know, there has never been a teacher who beat himself because his disciples were not filial. It really leaves a person profoundly grieved and pained at heart. The Venerable Master's practical application of the principle: "Others' mistakes I take as my own; to be one with everyone is called Great Compassion" can be perceived at a glance. It is just as described in the Twenty-fifth Chapter of the Flower Adornment Sutra:

Theo toi biet, chua co vi Thay nao tu danh minh vi de tu khong hieu thuan. Dieu nay that vo cung dau long. HT da ap dung dao ly "Loi nguoi la loi minh; dong the tuc Dai Bi" co the nhin la thay ngay. Dieu nay da duoc mot ta trong Pham 25 cua Kinh Hoa Nghiem:

I should, for the sake of living beings, universally undergo all their sufferings on their behalf so that they will be able to quickly escape the deep abyss of endless births and deaths. I should, for the sake of living beings in all worlds and in all evil destinies, universally undergo all their sufferings on their behalf throughout all time to come.-.I would rather undergo all beings' sufferings myself than to ever allow beings to fall into the hells. I prefer to stand in for all beings who are in the dangerous and difficult situations of being in the hells, among the animals, or among the asura kings so that I can rescue and ransom all beings in the evil paths, enabling them to escape and attain liberation.

Toi nen vi chung sanh, chiu het tat tat ca dau kho cua ho de ho co the thoat duoc vuc tham cua sanh tu vo tan. Toi nen vi tat ca chung sanh trong tat ca the gioi va trong cac neo ac, chiu the tat ca cac dau kho cua ho suot den vi lai. Toi tha chinh minh chiu kho the cho tat ca chung sanh hon la de cho chung sanh doa vao dia nguc. Toi tha chiu the cho chung sanh dang bi nguy nan vi o trong dia nguc, trong loai suc sanh, hoac trong cac vua A Tu La de toi co the cuu chuoc cac chung sanh trong neo ac, giup ho thoat ra va duoc giai thoat.

I remember when Elder Layman Li Bingnan was still alive, one time a disciple presented a long whip and asked his teacher to beat him with it. Instead the Elder took the whip from the disciple saying: "Will everyone please rise. When the students fail to learn, it is the teacher's fault. I will take this whip away with me and beat myself with it." That. too, caused people to be profoundly moved. In the Analects. Confucius said, "Chastise yourself more and blame others less. In that way you will avoid resentment." (Venerable Weiling, Chapter Fifteen). King Tang of the Shang said as he made sacrifices to Heaven, Please do punish the people for my mistakes, and if the people err, the offense is mine." (Xiaoyue, Chapter Twenty) The words and actions of these sages are similar. They all act as models, subduing themselves, only in that way are they able to influence others. The Venerable Master has another verse:

Vast, proper energy fills heaven and earth.

Transform what is great and learn from the sages and worthies.

When you fail in your endeavors, seek within yourself.

Turn the light around and shine within; don't exploit conditions.

Act like an old fool; don't be clever.

Diligently sweep the dust from your mind; get rid of craftiness.

If you can constantly spur yourself on in this way,

It won't belong before the Buddhadharma fills the universe.

Toi nho khi Lao Cu Si Ly Bingnan co song, co lan mot de tu dua mot cay roi dai va nho Thay danh minh. Thay vi lam theo, Lao Cu Si lay cay roi tu nguoi de tu va noi: "Xin moi nguoi dung day. Khi hoc tro khong hoc, do la loi cua Thay. Toi se lay cay roi nay va se dung no de tu danh minh." (HT Weiling, pham Muoi Lam). Vua Duong cua doi Shang noi rang khi cung Troi, "Xin dung phat dan cua toi vi loi lam cua toi, neu dan cua toi lam sai lam, loi la do chinh noi toi.) (Xiaoyue, Chuong 20). Ngon va hanh cua nhung vi thanh nhan nay deu tuong tu nhau. Ho la guong mau, tu che phuc minh, va chi bang cach do de anh huong nguoi khac. HT co mot bai tho khac:

Chanh khi rong lon bao trum troi dat.

Chuyen hoa quang hoc hoi tu thanh hien.

Khi lam khong thanh, hay tim lai chinh minh.

Quay anh sang tro lai chieu soi ben trong, dung khai thac nhan duyen.

Lam nhu ke kho, dung qua khon ngoan.

Cham chi quet di bui bam trong tam, bo di toan tinh.

Neu luon luon nhac nho minh nhu vay,

Se khong lau Phat phap tran day vu tru.

Finally, let's discuss the Master's philosophy of kowtowing. The Master once remarked that the secret to his life's cultivation was bowing to others and taking losses. The Master often would say to his new disciples in refuge, "As my refuge disciples, you must learn to be patient and not to contend. If people beat you, you should buy to them. If they scold you, you should bow to them. Always be willing to take a loss." "If people scold me, you ought to bow to them. No matter who slanders me, you shouldn't defend me."

Cuoi cung, hay thao luan triet ly cua HT ve le lay. HT co lan nhac rang bi mat cua suot doi tu hanh cua ngai la lay ke khac va chiu phan thua thiet. HT thuong noi voi nhung de tu moi quy y, "La de tu cua toi, quy vi phai hoc kien nhan va dung tranh. Neu nguoi ta danh dap quy vi, quy vi hay chap nhan. Neu nguoi ta la mang quy vi, quy vi hay lay ho. Hay luon san sang chiu su thua thiet. "Neu nguoi ta la mang toi, quy vi nen lay ho. Dau nguoi ta lang ma toi nhu the nao di nua. Quy vi khong nen bao chua cho toi."

The Master frequently bowed to his own disciples in America. If his disciples were disobedient, he would kowtow to them, and then they would behave. In his early years in the United States, one night when the Master was giving a lecture at Wonderful Words Hall in the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, not a single left-home person was willing to go up on stage to speak. After the lecture was over and the assembly was filing out of Wonderful Words Hall and returning to the Buddha Hall, the Master knelt by the door and watched everyone walk out. He was reproaching himself and giving a wordless teaching. That's really "Space Age cultivation," where the teacher bows to his disciples. It shows the Master has realized the spirit of nonself. Moreover, the Master often led the assembly by personally kneeling to listen to lectures given by guest Dharma Masters at the Sagely City. He certainly was not haughty, as certain rumors might say. The Master started bowing to all living beings from the time he was twelve (he wasn't bowing to the Buddhas). Every day he bowed to heaven, earth, his parents, teachers, elders, insects, ants, and so forth, making a total of 1,670 bows. This was certainly not something ordinary people could do.

Tai Hoa Ky, HT thuong lay de tu cua minh. Neu co nhung de tu khong vang loi, ngai se lay ho, va ho se sua doi. Trong nhung nam dau tai Hoa Ky, co mot toi no HT dang giang tai Dieu Ngu Duong o Van Phat Thanh Thanh, khong mot nguoi xuat gia nao muon len buc de phat bieu. Sau buoi giang, trong khi dai chung tuan tu ra khoi Dieu Ngu Duong tro ve Phat Dien, HT quy ben cua va nhin moi nguoi di ra. Ngai tu phat minh va day bai hoc khong loi. Do that la "Tu hanh trong thoi dai khong gian", khi Thay lay de tu cua minh. Dieu nay cho thay HT da dat duoc tinh than vo nga. Tuy nhien, HT thuong huong dan dai chung bang cach tu minh quy va lang nghe nhung bai thuyet phap cua khach tang tai VPTT. Ngai chac chan khong kieu ngao, nhu mot so tin don co the noi nhu vay. HT da bat dau lay chung sanh tu luc ngai 12 tuoi (Ngai luc do khong lay Phat). Moi ngay ngai lay troi, dat, cha me, thay, nguoi lon tuoi, con trung, kien, v.v... tong cong 1670 lay. Dieu nay chac chan nguoi thuong khong lam noi.

Nowadays Buddhists only know how to bow to the Buddhas outside. They don't bow to the Buddha in their minds, nor do they repent and admit their errors before their parents and all living beings, thus their practice is not perfect. We ought to learn to bow to our parents and all living beings every day. We should constantly "seek within ourselves, reflect upon ourselves, and listen to our own natures" Let us "strive to emulate those who are worthy, and examine ourselves when we see those who are not worthy."

Ngay nay cac Phat tu chi biet lay Phat ben ngoai. Ho khong lay Phat trong tam cua ho, cung khong sam hoi va nhan loi cua minh truoc cha me va chung sanh, do do su thuc hanh khong vien man. Chung ta phai hoc lay cha me va tat ca chung sanh moi ngay. Chung ta nen lien tuc "Tim cau ben trong minh, phan chieu tro lai, va lang nghe tu tanh". Chung ta hay "Co gang bat chuoc thanh hien xua, tu xet minh khi thay nhung nguoi khac chua la thanh hien".