Nhng C s Ni Ting Trong Pht Gio Th Gii

Tm Thi ---o0o--Ngun http://www.quangduc.com Chuyn sang ebook 30-8-2009 Ngi thc hin : Nam Thin namthien@gmail.com Link Audio Ti Website http://www.phatphaponline.org Mc Lc
C S Pht Gio Duy Ma Ct Phu nhn Thng Man C s Thin Tng C s Hu Nng C s Bng Un

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C S Pht Gio
Hng ng pht t thng c chia l pht t ti gia v pht t xut gia. Cc pht t ti gia thng c gi l c s. Trong lch s o Pht c ghi li chuyn mt s cc v c s ni ting, tuy cc v y khng xut gia nhng v phng din tu hnh, thu hiu o l th khng thua km g cc v xut gia. C nhiu v c s ni ting nhng bi ny ch xin nhc n ng Duy Ma Ct, b hong hu Thng Man, c s Hu Nng lc cha xut gia v sau n gia nh ng Bng Un. ---o0o--Duy Ma Ct Ngi ni ting nht l c s Duy Ma Ct, cng c khi c gi l Tnh Danh, mt v trng gi, cng thi vi c Pht Thch Ca, c ghi li trong kinh Duy Ma Ct. Kinh ny k: v nhn thy c s Duy Ma Ct c bnh, c Pht ch nh mt s cc i t nh X Li Pht, Mc Kin Lin, i Ca Dip, Tu B , Ph Lu Na ... cng mt s cc v B Tt nh B Tt Di

Lc, ng T Quang Nghim, B Tt Tr Th ... i thm c s, nhng mi v u ln lt t chi, v trc , mi v u c dp gp c s, v trong khi i p cc v thy c s Duy Ma Ct t ti trnh gic ng cao hn mnh nhiu v ch r cho tng ngi nhng s thiu st trn con ng tu tp. Sau khi cc v ni trn t chi th sau cng c B Tt Vn Th S Li, ngi thng c coi nh tng trng cho tr cn bn, tr v phn bit, bc thng th i tr trong hng B Tt, mi dm nhn trch nhim i thm c s Duy Ma Ct. Phn chnh ca kinh l phn i thoi gia hai v . Nhng cu i p rt l thm cao v cho chng ta hiu chnh ca kinh l khi no Tm tnh th tnh. Kinh cng cn ch r l u cng l o trng, u cng tu c, d l nh, ch, ngay trong nhng hon cnh i nghch, khng thun tin, cho nn nhng pht t ti gia cng vn c nhim v tu tp, v vn c th c o qu. ---o0o--Phu nhn Thng Man Ngoi kinh Duy Ma Ct m s ng chng ta bit n, cn c kinh Thng Man cng ni v s thm hiu php mn ca mt c s, v c bit l mt n c s. l phu nhn Thng Man, con gi ca vua Ba T Nc, sng cng thi vi c Pht. Kinh k rng sau khi b trnh by vi c Pht v nhng s hiu bit ca b v thm l ca Pht php th c c Pht ngi khen l "ngi i vi Pht php thm su". chnh ca kinh l ging v Nh Lai Tng, nhng nh cng biu hin c tinh thn ca i Tha v s bnh ng trong vic hnh o chng c gia xut gia v ti gia, gia nam v n. ---o0o---

C s Thin Tng
Sau y l chuyn v cc c s ca Thin tng. Nhng trc khi ni v cc v th cng nn ni r v Thin tng v danh t Thin thng c dng ch rt nhiu ng li tu tp khc nhau trong o Pht nn em li nhiu s hiu lm. Ngoi o cng c nhiu mn Thin, v ngay trong o Pht cng c nhng mn Thin khc nhau. Ch Thin trong bi ny ch ni v mn Thin Tng, l mn Thin c truyn t c Pht xung cc T S, theo mt ng li tu tp ring bit, khc hn nhng mn Thin ca Nguyn Thy (Tiu Tha), tu theo nhn v ng, v i Tha, coi ng, php u khng. Theo nhiu tc phm th Thin Tng cn c nhiu tn khc nh: Nh Lai Ti Thng Thin, Nh Lai Thanh Tnh Thin, Chn Nh Tam Mui, t Ma Thin, T S Thin ... Ni vn tt th Thin Tng bao gm

trong hai cu : "Trc ch nhn tm, Kin tnh thnh Pht", tc l ch thng tm ngi, thy tnh thnh Pht. ---o0o--C s Hu Nng Trc ht nn nhc v chuyn mt c s Thin Tng c bit, v v tuy sau ny c xut gia nhng khi cn l c s v y c o v c truyn ngi T S Thin. l chuyn Lc T Hu Nng (638-713) (tn Trung Hoa: Hui Neng, tn Nht: Eno). Khi ngi n xin lm t vi Ng T Hong Nhn th c giao cho nhim v l b ci, gi go. Sut hn 8 thng tri ti cha, cha c th gii nn ngi ch lm c cng vic , khng c bc chn ti nh trn, tc ni cc tng tu tp. Hn nm trm tng ti cha chng ai ti ngi c s m yu sing nng gi go. Ring Ng T sau my cu i p khi Hu Nng ti xin lm t sm bit ngi c s c nhng tri kin khc thng. Sau v c nh kim ngi truyn y php cho lm T th su nn ngi yu cu t nu ngi no thy mnh hiu o th lm bi k trnh ln ngi xt trnh . Trn nm trm tng ti cha ch c thy ging php l Thng Ta Thn T mi dm trnh bi k, m trnh mt cch kn o (coi Kinh Php Bo n). Sau th Hu Nng cng trnh mt bi k 4 cu. Ng T c bi k thy ngay l ngi c s hn ng gio th rt nhiu nn hn ring gp v em kinh Kim Cang ra ging. Khi thy Hu Nng i ng, Ng T mi ni rng : "Chng bit bn tm, hc php v ch, nu bit c bn tm mnh, thy c bn tnh mnh, tc gi Trng Phu, l thy ca Tri, Ngi, l Pht " v truyn y bt v trao cho nhim v lm v T th su ca Thin Tng ti Trung Hoa. Sau khi nhn y bt v sng n danh c 15 nm, Hu Nng gp ngi n Tng ti cha Php Tnh. Sau cuc i thoi, ngi n Tng knh phc v xung tc cho Hu Nng v tn th Hu Nng lm thy. Ti lc c s Hu Nng mi chnh thc th gii c tc. Trong lch s Thin Tng th T Hu Nng gi mt vai tr ti quan trng v t ra mt nn mng vng chc cho Thin Tng. im ng lu l khi cn l c s m Hu Nng ng v c chp nhn lm t, cho nn chng ta thy rng vic ng o hay khng, khng nht thit phi l c xut gia ri mi ng o c. Ngoi ra cn nhiu cc c s Thin khc ni ting, nhng trong bi ny xin ngng ni y v ni v c s Bng Un. ---o0o---

C s Bng Un Tiu s : ng Bng Un (tn Trung Hoa l P'ang Yun, theo cun A Man of Zen, ca R.F. Sasaki, Y. Iriya v D.R. Fraser) ngi huyn Hnh Dng, Trung Hoa, t l o Huyn (Tao-hsuan) sinh khong nm 740 v cht nm 808. ng sng ti Hnh Dng vi v v hai con: mt trai tn Kenh-huo, mt gi tn Linh Chiu (Ling-Chao). Tt c gia nh tu theo Thin Tng, v u c coi nh ng o ht. Sau khi n ng, ng v nh ly thuyn ch ca ci em xung sng, cn nh th cng dng xy cha. ng ct mt tht nh tu. C Linh Chiu thng theo hu h, chuyn vic ch tre bn so bn nui cha. Ngi con trai th lo vic trng trt nui m. ng Bng Un thng i nhiu ni tham vn cc v thin s ni danh thi . Theo Thin Tng th vic i tham vn l phng php cn thit hc hi v trao i nhng kinh nghim tu tp, cc thy cn khuyn khch tr ca mnh phi i tham vn, ch khng c ngn cn. ng Bng Un gp nhiu Thin S ni ting nh Thch u, M T, n H v u c cc v y coi nh ng chng c. Khi gp Thch u, ng c coi nh gii ng, nhng sau c gp M T th ng mi thit trit ng v li vi M T hn mt nm. ng c lm chng ba trm bi th v o v c truyn tng rng ri. ng c dp gp v quan chu Vu Cng (Tr. Hoa: Yu Ti) v v ny nh ng m c ng o nn theo hc ng cho n khi ng cht. Nh vy ng Vu Cng ghi chp nhng mu chuyn, nhng bi th v vit cun "Bng Un ng lc" m c dch thnh cun " A Man of Zen The Recorded Sayings of Layman P'ang". Sau y l vi mu chuyn v cuc i ca ng: ng c lm bi k: "C trai khng ci - C gi khng g C nh chung hi hp - ng bn li v sanh." " Mt hm ngi trong am, ng cht ni: Kh kh, mi t u m trn cy vut. B Un p: D d trn u trm c, T s. C Linh Chiu tip: Cng chng kh, cng chng d, i n th n, mt ng kh. " "ng ngi hi Linh Chiu: "C nhn ni: "Sng sng u trm c, sng sng T s l sao?" Linh Chiu tha: "Ln ln gi gi tht ra li y." ng hi: "Con th no? " "Sng sng u trm c, sng sng T s"

ng bn ci." ng c lm bi k: "Tm nh, cnh cng nh - Khng tht, cng khng h C cng chng qun - Khng cng chng c Chng phi hin, thnh - Xong vic phm phu D li d Tc nm un ny c chn tr Th gii mi phng ng mt tha Php thn khng tng no c nh Nu b phin no vo B Chng bit ni no c Pht a ? " Cu chuyn v ci cht ca ng rt l c bit v c truyn tng trong nhiu ti liu v sau. " Sp tch, ng bo Linh Chiu ra xem mt tri ng ng v cho ng hay. Linh Chiu ra xem vo tha : "Mt tri ng ng, m c nht thc.". ng ra ca xem. Linh Chiu ln ta ca ng, ngi kit gi chp tay th tch. ng vo xem thy ci, ni :" Con gi ta lanh li qu !". ng bn chm li by ngy sau mi tch. Tin ng tch a v nh cho b hay. B ni :" Con gi ngu si, ng gi v tri, khng bo tin m i, sao nh vy ?". B ra bo tin cho con trai ang lm ngoi ng. B ni: "Long Cng vi Linh Chiu i ri con !". Ngi con trai ang ba rung p: " D !". Ri lng thinh giy lu bn ng m tch. B ni :" Thng ny sao ngu si lm vy!". Lo thiu con song, b i t bit thn thuc ri bit tch. " (Trung Hoa Ch Thin c Hnh Trng, tp 1) Cu chuyn ny i vi cc v Thin s th khng c g l lm, v trong cc chuyn v i cc Thin s thng k cc v khi sp tch u bit trc v khi ra i rt l t ti, thng u sa san trc, ti khi ra i u ngi kit gi, cn dn cc t xong xui mi tch. Nhng y c c bit l chng nhng ring ng Bng Un, m con gi v con trai cng ra i mt cch rt an nhin t ti. Thi bnh tnh ca b cng c bit khng km vy. C mt gia nh m ng ng o nh vy th l mt chuyn tht him c. Ngi sau ny ni ng ng l mt Duy Ma Ct. ---o0o--Tu hnh:

ng Bng Un i tham vn nhiu v thin s , nhng trong c hai v ni ting nht l Thch u Hy Thin (Tr. H: Shih-T'ou Hsi-ch'ien, Nht: Sekito Kisen) v M T o Nht (Tr.H.: Ma-Tsu Tao-i, Nht: Baso Doitsu). Hai v ni ting nht thi v u l t i th hai ca Lc T Hu Nng. Sau y l phn ghi v nhng cuc i thoi : " ng n yt kin Ha Thng Thch u, hi :" Chng cng mun php lm bn l ngi g?" Thch u ly tay bm ming ng. ng bng nhin tnh ng. Mt hm Thch u hi :" T ngy ng thy lo tng n nay, hng ngy ng lm vic g?". ng tha :" Nu hi vic lm hng ngy tc khng c ch m ming". ng lin trnh bi k : Hng ngy khng vic khc Ch ti t bit hay Vt vt chng b, ly Ch ch no tri by ta g lm hiu Ni g bt trn ai Thn thng cng diu dng Gnh nc, b ci ti. Thch u ha kh, bo :" ng lm c s hay lm xut gia ?". ng tha :" Xin cho con theo s nguyn, khng co tc xut gia." (Trch trong "Trung Hoa Ch Thin c Hnh Trng, tp 1") Cu hi :" Chng cng mun php lm bn l ngi g ?" c ngha rt thm su trong Thin tng. Php y ch v mi s vt, vt cht cng tm linh trong th gian. Nhng phm nhn nh chng ta, cha phi l thnh, th lun ham lm bn vi mun php, rt thn thit v khng lc no ri cc php. Chng ta lm thn vi cc php n ni kinh in gi l "nhn gic lm con". Chng ta chp th, cnh n l chng ta nhn v khi nim phn bit, suy ngh, tnh ton. Nhng nim , do cnh ngoi gy ra, to nn ci "tm" m mi chng ta coi l iu quan trng nht trong cuc i. Phng php chnh yu ca Thin Tng l "i cnh khng sanh tm", cnh n ta khng lm bn, khng chp th khi tm s khng cn b lon ng, in o na. y cng l im m nhiu ngi hay hiu lm v phng php tu ca Thin Tng. Phn ng chng ta, khi ni ti thin, l ch ngh ti vic ngi xp chn, nhm mt c khng ngh n g ht. D nhin l mt khi gi cho tm mnh khng cn ngh ngi bung lung na, bng cch tp trung t tng, d l tp trung t tng vo vic khng ngh g, th cng

c iu tt. Nhng nu cho rng nh vy l thnh cng trong vic tu tp th qu l mt s hiu lm. Thin Tng cng c cho rng ta thin l cn thit, trong bc u ai cng phi qua giai on , nhng nu cho rng nh vy l cu cnh th khng ng. Tu thin l trong bn oai nghi (i, ng, nm, ngi) lc no cng phi r vng tm v thy c bn tnh ca mnh. Trong Kinh Php Bo n, Lc T Hu Nng dy rng :"o do tm m ng, u phi do ta." Thin Tng, vi phng php "ch thng tm ngi" (trc ch nhn tm) mun chng ta phi t tm hiu ci tm mt cch r rng. Cu chuyn v t Hu Kh (Tr.H. Hui-k'o, Nht: Eka), tc v t Trung Hoa th hai, cho thy phng php c o ca Thin Tng. "Mt hm Hu Kh ti bch vi t t Ma :"Bch Ha thng, tm con chng an, xin Ha thng dy con "php an tm". T t Ma nhn thng bo: "em tm ra ta an cho". Sau mt thi gian tm tm m khng thy bng dng lin bch T: "Con tm tm khng c". T bo " Ta an tm cho ngi ri". Ngay Hu Kh ng. " Cu chuyn nghe qua tht l gin d, nhng ch r php tu rt quan trng trong vic tu ca Thin Tng. Thin Tng i hi mi chng ta phi t lc, sng vi kinh nghim ring ca chnh mnh v tm hiu ci "tm" l g. Nu chng ta, thay v lc no cng hng ngoi, chy theo danh v tng, by gi quay vo trong tm hiu tm mnh, v thy c ci tm lng xng, duyn theo cnh, bin i tng pht, tng giy, m Thin Tng gi l "vng tm". Lc T Hu Nng c ni r php mn ca T gm c: V nim, V tng v V tr. Lc t ch r V nim l "Trong cc nim tng ca mnh, tm thng la cnh, chng v i cnh m sinh tm". Nh vy khi ng Bng Un bit : " khng lm bn vi mun php ", tc l bit gi cho tm la c cnh, khng cn chp, chy theo cnh, th khi i cnh, ci vng tm chng th sinh. Cu hi chng t ng thu hiu phng php an tm ca Thin Tng, nhng ng mun bit r l ti ri th t c g, nn hi ngi l "ngi g ". Ha thng Thch u ly tay bm ming ng, v ngay ng ng. Trong bi k ni trn, ng trnh by r rng nhng iu ng hiu v thc hnh. Cu "vn vt chng b, ly" tc l ng chng cn thy c g th, x. Bc u ca ng tu, nh chng ta thng bit, l phi b ci ny, ly ci kia nh b iu c v lm iu thin, b vng theo chn, b t theo chnh ... l giai on cn dng phng php i tr, dng ci hay tr ci d, nhng ti trnh cao hn, li b lun thin, b lun chn ... Th d nh khi cn thy mnh sng vi cc iu thin, chn, tnh ... v coi nh mnh c o, thy nhng ngi khc l vng, u, th vn l cn chp hai bn, vn cn c ci phn bit, tm vn cn khi nim, vng tm vn cn . ng Bng Un bit "khng cng mun php lm bn" l ngoi khng chp cnh, trong th "vn vt chng b ly" l trong khng

cn chp ci vng tm, t ra ng xng ng c Thch u n chng. Nhng theo Thin Tng, ti mc cao hn na tc l sau khi thy mnh khng cn c tr phn bit na, th phi b lun c ci tr bit mnh khng phn bit i i y, v ngi ny mi tht l ngi "khng tu, khng chng" m c Pht ni ti trong kinh "Bn Mi Hai Chng" (chng 11): " Cng mt trm triu c Pht, khng bng cng mt v khng nim, khng tr, khng tu, khng chng" . Chng ta nn suy ngh v ti sao c Pht li ni mt ngi "khng tu, khng chng" li xng ng c cng hn c mt trm triu c Pht. Ring v hai cu cht rt l c bit v c truyn tng rt nhiu : "Thn thng cng diu dng Gnh nc, b ci ti." Hai cu ni r c s c o ca Thin Tng. Phn ng hiu rt sai lm v vic tu hnh ca Thin Tng. Nu ta tu Thin v khi gp mt ngi no th cu hi u tin ca h gn nh chc chn l : "Tu c thy c g cha ?". Quan nim chung l tu Thin phi c thn thng, hoc kh nng c bit no . Nhng ngi tu m b a vo con ng t o l ti ham thy nhng php l, nh thy ho quang sng rc, thy gp v n, v kia, bit c nhng tin kip hoc tng lai ca mnh hay ca ngi, bit c ngh ca ngi khc, iu khin c hi th, tim, bit bay, i trn mt nc ... Nu chng ta tin rng nhng ngi c o l phi c nhng thn thng nh vy tc l khng hiu r o Pht. Ngoi o, nht l t o, vi nhng phng php tu tp c bit h cng c th thc hnh c nhng thn thng . Chnh v bit nhng a thch ca s ng nn ngoi o, t o v nhng ngi li dng danh ngha o Pht thnh cng trong vic d d nhng ngi ham c nhng thn thng, php l. Ngi hiu r gio l o Pht khng bao gi b dn dt lc ng v bit r rng nhng thn thng, php l khng c ch li g cho vic tu hnh c. c Pht thng nghim cm cc t, d khi tu hnh m c c nhng thn thng no th cng khng c em ra trnh din hoc phi t b i, v nu em nhng iu khuyn d ngi ta theo, tin o Pht l mt vic tri o. o Pht l o gic ng, gii thot ch khng phi gii tr. Ngoi ra Thin Tng quan nim thn thng mt cch r rng v hp vi tn ch ca o Pht. T Lm T ch rng bt c lc no i sc, thanh, hng, v, xc v php m khng b dnh mc vo nhng th th l lc thng. Ngi "khng lm bn vi mun php" chnh l ngi khng cn b nhng vng nim li cun v nh vy mi thy c bn th nh nh, khng ng, ca mnh. Ngi mi thc l an nhin, t ti trong mi hnh ng. ng

Bng Un nm vng v hiu r ng li ca Thin Tng nn ng ni thn thng ca ng l "gnh nc, b ci ti". Chc c ti y nhiu ngi s thc mc: nu tu Thin ch l gnh nc, b ci ti th ai chng lm c, cn g phi tu cho mt cng, tu l phi c c nhng thn thng, bin ha hoc t ra phi c vi php l lm cho thin h thn phc. Cu ni ca ng Bng Un khng phi l mt cu hi hc hoc khim tn, m l mt cu chng t ng thy ng tn ch ca Thin Tng vy. Thin Tng ni bt chnh v i st vi i sng thng ngy, thc tin, khng phi l ci g huyn b, xa vi. Chn l ca s vt lc no cng hin ngay trc mt chng ta ch khng phi ni xa xm. Sau bui i thoi , ha thng Thch u n chng ng Bng Un ng o v hi ng c nh xut gia khng, nhng ng t chi v ch mun sng mt cuc i c s. Sau l cu chuyn vic ng theo hc vi M T: " ng n tham vn M T, hi :" Chng cng mun php lm bn l ngi g ?". M T bo :" i ming ng ht ht nc sng Giang Ty, ta s ni vi ng". Ngay cu ni ny, ng ng c huyn ch. ng dng ch M T hai nm. " (Trch trong "Trung Hoa Ch Thin c Hnh Trng, tp 1") Ngay khi ng t cu ni ca M T ng trnh lin bi k: " Mi phng ng t hi Mi mi hc v vi y l ni tuyn Pht "Tm khng" thi u v " (Trch trong "i Hu Ng Lc") Ti gp M T, ng li hi li cu m ng hi Thch u, nhng ln ny thay v b bm ming th ng c tr li. Tuy vy i vi chng ta, cu tr li cng khng ch r g hn v cng kh hiu nh trc. Nhng i vi ng th cu tr li rt qu bu v gip ng hon ton ng o. Nu mun thy c ngha ca cuc i thoi , chng ta nn tm hiu M T hn l suy ngh v cu ni . Sau ny cu tr li c dng lm cu thoi u (cng cn gi l cng n) cho nn khng phi l cu tm hiu. M T l mt v t gi vai tr rt quan trng trong lch s Thin Tng, v cc t i sau ca ngi to nn nhng mn phi ni ting. Sau i M T o Nht l cc v : B Trng Hoi Hi (724-814), Hong B Hy Vn (?-850) v sau l v t ni ting Lm T Ngha Huyn (?-867), v lp ra dng Lm T m cho ti nay vn cn tip tc ti Trung Hoa, Nht Bn v Vit Nam. Ngi truyn o ti Giang Ty, v ngi thi coi Giang Ty nh trng thi Pht nn ng Bng Un ni :"y l ni tuyn Pht". t ca ngi rt ng v c ti 84 ngi ng o, mt con s him c. Cu ging dy ni ting ca M T l "Tc Tm Tc Pht", ngi ging nh sau

"Phm ngi cu php nn khng c ch cu, ngoi tm khng c Pht, ngoi Pht khng c tm, khng ly thin chng b c, hai bn nh sch u khng nng cy". Chng ta thng ch thy ci tm duyn theo bng dng su trn, theo kinh in gi l "vng tm", ch khi no chng ta hiu r ci vng tm th mi thot khi vng sanh t lun hi. M T dy rng "Vng tng tr tc l v sanh. Php tnh sn c, c chng nh tu". Chng ta cn hiu rng mi ngi u c sn Chn Tm, ch khng phi v tu tp c o ri mi c. M T mun ch cho chng ta thy Tm tc l Pht, nu i tm Pht ngoi Tm l lm mt iu v ch m cc thin s ni l "mang Pht i tm Pht". M T cn dy "Tm bnh thng l o. Sao gi l tm bnh thng ? - Khng to tc, khng phi tri, khng th x, khng on thng, khng phm thnh". Nhng bi k ghi trn ca ng Bng Un cho thy ng tu hnh y theo ng li ca M T v xng ng lm t ng ca M T vy. Cu kt ca bi k l "Tm khng, thi u v". Sau khi t Tm Khng, ng thi u trng tuyn Pht v tr v. Phi chng tm khng l tm trng rng, chng c g ht, tr nh g, . Nh vy phi chng l tri ngc vi li dy ca M T "Tm bnh thng l o", th lm sao m thi u ? Nhng cn hiu l Tm Khng c ngha tm khng cn nhng vng tng, ti mi ng ngha bnh thng. Bit c "tm khng" cng cn c ngha l thy ci bn th ca vng tm vn n l khng, cho nn t Hu Kh ni vi t t Ma "Con tm tm khng c". Qua cu chuyn k trn chng ta thy qu ng Bng Un chng ng trn vn. ng i tham vn rt nhiu thin s, nhng cuc i thoi vi gn hai mi v, cng rt nhiu bi th, u c c dch ra Anh vn trong cun "A Man of Zen", m rt tic cha c dch t Hn vn ra Vit vn. Tm gng sng ca c s Bng Un nhc nh chng ta l d trng hp ti gia, v khng hoc cha c phng tin xut gia, chng ta khng nn ngh l sng vi gia nh, phi lm n sinh sng th u c th tu hnh g c, thnh thong n cha cng l, rng tu mt cht ly phc c l ri. Chng ta cho rng vic tu hnh l vic ca cc tng, mnh u c phn m tnh ti. Nhng kinh in i Tha ch r l kin khng ng. Ring v Thin Tng th li cn nh quan nim mt cch mnh hn na. Trong cun "Su ca vo ng Thiu Tht" t B t Ma ni thng :" Nu thy tm mnh l Pht th khng cn ct tc co ru (xut gia), hng o trng (c s) vn l Pht. Nu khng thy tnh, ct tc co ru, vn l ngoi o". Nu c iu kin th vic xut gia vn l hn, nhng cn ti gia th khng phi l khng th tu hnh c. Ti liu trch dn :

- A Man of Zen, the recorded sayings of layman P'ang, do Ruth Fuller Sasaki, Yoshitaka Iriya v Dana R. Fraser dch t Hn vn. - Kinh Duy Ma Ct. - Kinh Thng Man, Nht tha i phng tin. - Kinh Php Bo n. - Trung Hoa ch Thin c hnh trng, tp 1 ca TS Thch Thanh T. - Su ca vo ng Thiu Tht ca t B t ma, do Trc Thin dch. - i Hu ng lc do TS Thch duy Lc dch. Xin nh km ph bn gm vi bi th ca ng Bng Un, bng ting Anh, trch t cun A Man of Zen qu v c thm ti liu. Rt mong v no c kh nng s dch thng nhng bi th ca ng Bng Un t Hn vn, thay v dch li bn Anh vn c th s khng din t ht c. From the book " A Man of Zen, the Recorded Sayings of Layman P'ang" by Ruth Fuller Sasaki, Yoshitaka Iriya and Dana R. Fraser. SELECTED VERSES 1 1 Of a hut in the fields the elder, I'm the poorest man on earth! Inside the house there's not one thing; When I open my mouth it says "empty, empty." In the past I had bad friendsI saved them all, made them priests; Sitting together in harmony, I always have them hear of the Mahayana. At mealtimes carrying bowls for them, I serve them one and all. 2 People have a one-scroll sutra Without form and without name. No man is able to unroll and read it, And none of us can hear it. When you are able to unroll and read it, You enter the principle and accord with the Birththless. Not to speak of becoming a bodhisattva,

You don't even need to become Buddha. 3 I've long dwelled in the mountains, Having left the castle town. My thatch house had three roomsEach room was twelve feet long. In one room lived Skandhas Five, In another lived Dusts Six-Four [Elements];2 I myself lived in the innermost room, At ease all day with nothing to do. Last night on the moonless twenty-fifth,3 At dusk those two got drunk drinking liquor And started to get out of hand. They quibbled words in various ways Till I couldn't take any moreSo I set my house on fire. Skandhas Five turned to ashes and embers; Of Dusts Six, not two or one was left. Everything I had was completely lostOnly the bare ground remained. Now I am stark naked, Without clothes to cover my body. I'm no longer troubled by thievesLoafing, I sleep at ease....4 4 White-robed, I don't adhere to appearances; The true principle arises from Emptiness. Because my mind's without obstruction Wisdom goes forth to all directions. I only consider the lion's roarI don't let wild jackals yap! Bodhi is said to be most marvelous, But I scold it for being a false name. 5 Some people despise old P'ang, But old P'ang does not despise them. Opening my gate, I await good friends,

But good friends do not stop by. As is my mind's endowed with the threefold learning_ 5 Consciousness-dusts do not mix with it;6 This one pill cures the ten thousand illsI've no need for the many prescriptions. 6 Traveling the path is easy, Traveling the path is easy! Within, without, and in between I depend upon innate Wisdom: Innate Wisdom being non-sentient, the dharmas are not born; Birthless, I enter the true Principle. Not form, not mind, a single radiance streams forth; In the mind-ground appears the Udumbara tree7 of Emptiness 7 It is called Wisdom, And Wisdom is the honored. Mind and Wisdom interfusing, you penetrate the Origin, And the ten thousand things likewise return into the Gate of Non-duality. Existence is not existence- the Principle is always present; Nothingness is not nothingness- Nothingness is the root of existence. All Buddhas of the future also will be thus; Those of today are the same as the ancient World-honored One: Throughout the three realms8 there is no other Way; What Buddha imparted to Buddha is being transmitted today. 8 Without no other, within no self. Not wielding spear and shield, I accord with Buddha-wisdom. Well-versed in the Buddha-way, I go the non-Way. 9 Without abandoning my ordinary man's affairs, The conditioned10 and name-and-form all are flowers in the sky: Nameless and formless, I leave birth-and-death. 9 I have a great robe Not of this world's silk. It can't be dyed by any color, Being crystalline, like white floss.

No scissors were used to cut it, No thread was used to stitch it. I keep it always close about me, But there's no man who of himself has seen it. It shelters a Trichilial Cosmos11 from heat and cold, Covering over sentient and non-sentient alike. Should you be able to obtain this great robe, Having donned it, you straightaway enter the palace of the King of Emptiness. 10 Thinking, thinking, with bowed head thinking, thinking and unconsciously sighing, Both his eyebrows turn toward that Surpassing Land; He sits among the ten thousand things, Knowing nothing at all. If his six consciousnesses resemble his eyebrows,12 He will attain the miraculous. If his six consciousnesses despise his eyebrows, He can be said to be a brainless fool. If he discards his eyebrows, He'll be scorned by men of the world. Even though he be a crafty six-consciousness fellow, In the end he'll become just a beggar.

Notes:

1. The selections (25) that follow are representative of the style, content, and variety of P'ang best. 2. The five skandhas and six senses are personified in these two lines. The six senses are sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and perception. The "four" inserted after Dusts Six may simply have been added to fill out the number of characters in the line, or it may refer to the four elements, which are earth, water, fire and air. 3. The 25th day of the lunar calendar.

4. I have omitted the two lines that follow and conclude this verse. Their meaning is not clear, and the verse seems better without them. 5. Threefold learning: observing precepts (morality), meditation, and wisdom. 6. Consciousness-lusts: the cognitions of the six senses. 7. Udumbara tree: a legendary tree said to flower once every three thousand years. 8. The three realms of desire, form, and formlessness. 9. A reference to Chapter 8 of the Vimalakirti Sutra, where Vimalakirti says to Manjusri: ''When a bodhisattva goes the non-Way this is called being well-versed in the Buddha-way." 10. Skt. samskrta: that which is formed through causes and always produces effects; also, whatever is produced, continues, changes, and is destroyed. 11. A thousand to the third power, i.e., a billion worlds, which are said to constitute the domain of a Buddha. 12. The word "eyebrows" from here on apparently means one's original nature. ---o0o--Ht