Change

Before we can change the world, we must change ourselves.  The unit of change is the individual, not the world.  The world is not going to be better if its individual citizens are still ignorant (having a wrong view), greedy, and filled with hatred and violence.

Families, communities, organizations, countries, and the world in general, may get better if each member realizes his or her responsibilities toward him-/herself and others, and acts accordingly.  Right perceptions of oneself and the surrounding world are necessary for the individual to improve, and the family is the first place where the individual can start the life-long improvement process.  Since humans are social learners, the family must provide a good environment for its members to live and grow.  Parents are examples for children, and they should set good examples in their words and deeds.  If parents are responsible, their children will learn to be responsible, too.  What parents think, say, and do will more or less influence their children.  If parents smoke and drink, their children will smoke and drink sooner or later.  If parents are caring, their children will learn to be caring and considerate for others.  If parents are selfish and greedy, their children can hardly avoid falling into that selfish and greedy path.

Some parents say their children imitate bad behaviors from their friends.  This is true.  But the parents need to teach their children values, and guide them in choosing friends.  Again, parents must provide a good environment for their children to grow and thrive.   

There are other factors that influence the individual, such as karma, and natural propensity.  However, even karma is not fixed.  It may be changed.  Human intervention is very important in preventing bad results.  That is why mind and character training and spiritual development should begin early in one's childhood, and should be part of one's life-long learning and training.

I don't want to use the terms "religion" and "religious."  I prefer the term "responsibility" and "responsible," and "kindness" or "compassion."  The Dalai Lama says, "If you cannot help others, at least do not harm them."  As a family member and a human living on earth, everyone should be responsible and kind, not only to him-/herself, but also to others, and the common environment.
  

The Emptiness Nature (Tanh Khong) and Nothingness (Chan Khong)

Buddhist Dharma is very profound, and that profundity reveals itself in the ideas of Emptiness and Nothingness.

Emptiness and Nothingness are fundamentally not the same, and only with Wisdom (Prajñā) can one grasp these ideas, and see all phenomena in the world in the Buddhist "unusual," or "against-the-current," way. 

In Buddhism, Emptiness refers to the nature of all existence, forms and phenomena.  They are empty, because they have no intrinsic and substantial (stable and permanent) value.  Their existence depends on many factors and the law of causality.  In other words, they are originally dependent.  Without ripe conditions or appropriate factors, they would not be able to form or exist.  For example, a mound of sand would not exist without its small grains of sand, piling up at one place at the same time.  If we use buckets, and move the sand away to another place, or dump it into the river or some creek, the mound of sand will no longer exist in front of our eyes.  

Because everything is made up of other things, they appear to exist, but they are subject to decay and destruction once their constituent elements (components) disintegrate.  Our body is a typical example.  When a body dies, all its elements decompose, and it becomes nothing.  We can no longer see that same body again.  What is more, within every second, the particles of the elements of the body are subject to minute changes, and the body is actually being replaced or dying in its own way.
Thus, the Emptiness Nature implies Dependent Origination.  Because this exists, that exists.  This and that are mutually dependent.  Both are empty, or illusory by themselves.  This and that have forms and designations, but neither is substantial.  They are constantly changing and tranforming according to internal and external factors.

Although all are unreal and illusory, unfortunately, we are used to thinking everything in the world is real: we are real, and what belongs to us or is related to us is real, too. We are so attached to this mirage world that we suffer a lot when we leave it, or lose things and people that used to belong to the world.  Such views, according to Buddhism, are false, and should be discarded in order for us to be liberated from all fetters of the Samsara, the cycle of birth and death.  This recognition is fundamental in all Buddhist teaching and practice method.  For example, Buddhist practitioners sit in meditation in order to transform their minds from  ignorance (the wrong view) to wisdom (the right view), namely, to see things as they actually are.  All meditation practice would not benefit one's liberation from the Samsara if one is still attached to the wrong view about "I/self" vs."others/people,"  "sentient beings" vs. "the saint/the Bodhisattva."  That is why an understanding of No Self is closely related to Emptiness, and Nothingness.  As long as a Buddhist practitioner is attached to his/her "Self," or sees it as real, s/he can hardly make any progress in spiritual development.  

While Emptiness is the Nature of all phenomena, Nothingness refers to the Nature of the True Mind.  The True Mind is like a clear and clean mirror.  While it reflects everything, it contains nothing in itself.  Huineng, the Sixth Partriarch, said:

Suchness is Nothingness (Suchness contains nothing)
How can it be contaminated?

Huike, the Fifth Partriarch, when enlightened, also confirmed:

The True Mind is free from all conditions/origination factors (It has no thought whatsoever;Chan tam vo niem; Dut bac cac duyen)
Yet it is always in full awareness. (Ro rang thuong biet)

The Founder Partriarch of Vô Ngôn Thông Thiền School--Part II

Thông Tuệ’s Stories about Famous Monks also mentioned that thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông once was the abbot of Hoa Nam Temple, Thiều Châu, where the Sixth Partriarch used to reside.  It was there that Vô Ngôn Thông taught the Dharma to Ngưỡng Sơn Huệ Tịch, who was then a seventeen-year-old novice.

It was recorded in Thuyền Uyển Tập Anh that, one day, Vô Ngôn Thông said to Ngưỡng Sơn: “Please bring the chair over here for me.” After the latter moved the chair over, the former said,” Now, bring it back.”  Ngưỡng Sơn did accordingly.   Vô Ngôn Thông then said,” Is there anything on this side?” “Nothing.” “Is there anything on the other side?” “None, either.”  “Younger brother?”  “Yes?” “Now you may go.”  Such exchanges were Vô Ngôn Thông’s tests to Ngưỡng Sơn.  Ngưỡng Sơn also studied the Dharma with Ðàm Nguyên, Ứng Chân, and Quy Sơn.  Later Ngưỡng Sơn Huệ Tịch and his master, Quy Sơn Linh Hựu, founded one of the five famous thiền schools in China, called Quy Ngưỡng  School (a combination of the master and the disciple’s name).

Founding the Famous Thiền School in Vietnam

In the 15^th Nguyên Hòa Year under the Tang Dynasty (i.e., in 820), Vô Ngôn Thông traveled from Canton to Giao Châu, Việt Nam, and stayed at Kiến Sơ Temple, Phù Ðổng Village, Tiên Du District, Bắc Ninh Province.  It was a newly built temple whose abbot was Lập Đức.

No record was found about the reason why thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông left Canton for Việt Nam.  Based on what he told the disciple whom he decided to entrust the lineage transmission, the reason  of his decision to leave the North and to go to the South was to find a disciple who was worthy for the transmission.

At Kiến Sơ, besides mealtimes, thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông spent most of his time sitting in meditation, facing the wall, and never said a word.  Many years had passed, and nobody paid any attention to him.  Only Lập Ðức recognized his special manners and behaviors, and thus devotedly took care of him.   Thanks to this care taking, Lập Ðức absorbed the sacred thiền of Vô Ngôn Thông's lineage, and was accepted as his disciple with the name  Cảm Thành.

Later Cảm Thành became the disciple who continued the lineage, and founded one of the most famous thiền school in Việt Nam, the Vô Ngôn Thông.  It was said that thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông demised in 826, six years after he left Canton for Kiến Sơ Temple.  Before he passed away, he called Cảm Thành in, and said:

In ancient time, the Buddha came to this life with a great purpose.  After He had completed His  Dharma responsibilities, He entered Nirvana.  He entrusted the True Mind, that is, the True Dharma Eye, the True Nature of Emptiness, and the Tam MuộI Method, to His disciple Mahākāśyapa (Ma Ha Ca Diếp), who became the First Partriarch.  Thus the Dharma was transmitted from one generation to another, from Bodhidarma, who left India and went through many difficulties to pass down Dharma transmission, to the Sixth Partriarch in Tào Khê, who realized the True Nature which Bodhidharma had  passed down to the Fifth Partriarch Hongren (Hoàng Nhẫn).   At that time, because humans did not understand well and have deep faith yet, the transmission had to  be in the rope-and-bowl form.  Gradually with growing profound faith, it was no longer necessary to rely on such forms, but just between the master’s mind and the disciple’s.  Nam Nhạc Hoài Nhượng had passed down the transmission to Mã Tổ Ðạo Nhất, who passed down to Bách Trượng Hoài Hải.   I received the transmission from Bách Trượng, and had stayed in the north long enough trying to find a disciple to continue the lineage, but had not found one, so I decided to go south and search.  Now I have found you.  This must be the result of ripe factors; therefore, listen to my gatha carefully:  

From the immense four directions, free to talk

About our ancestors, who originally came from India

Passing down the Dharma Eye treasure, called "Thiền"

A five-petal flower, a long-lasting seed

A thousand secret words, ten thousand true statements

Claim it our school; name it thiền

India is here; this is India!

There is only one from time immemorial, under the sun and the moon across the mountain
Attachment is doomed; do not blame Buddhas

An inch of mistake; a hundred or a thousand losses

Observe again; do not deceive the younger

Do not ask me any more.  I am  ‘Vô Ngôn’.”
(Vô Ngôn: quiet; taciturn; not relying on words)

Then he passed away with his palms together.   Cảm Thành cremated the body, and collected the ashes to put into a vase and worshiped it in a stupa on Tiên Du Mountain.  Although Vô Ngôn Thông passed away, his wish to find a disciple who understood the Mahayana tradition and who could continue his lineage in Việt Nam had come true.

From Cảm Thành in the 9^th century to the 13^th century Vô Ngôn Thông thiền school had become one of the major thiền schools thriving and influenctial in the history of thiền Buddhism in Việt Nam.   Many well-known Vietnamese monks such as Mãn Giác, Thông Biện, Minh Không,… were excellent disciples from Vô Ngôn Thông thiền school.

Source:

Bằng Hư.  The Story about the Founder Partriarch of the Famous Vô Ngôn Thông Thiền School in Việt Nam. (Chuyện về sư tổ sáng lập dòng thiền Vô Ngôn Thông nổi danh Việt Nam) 

http://www.daophatngaynay.com/vn/phatgiao-vn/con-nguoi-vn/9542-Chuyen-ve-su-to-sang-lap-dong-thien-Vo-Ngon-Thong-noi-danh-Viet-Nam.html  04/12/2011.

The Founder Partriarch of Vô Ngôn Thông Thiền School

Thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông was born in 759 in Canton, China.  His family name was Trịnh, and he entered the monastic life at Song Lâm Temple, Vũ Châu, when he was young.  He was calm, quiet, and very intelligent.  He learned fast, had a good memory, and a vast knowledge and wisdom.  That was why his contemporaries named him “Vô Ngôn Thông” (Thông means “thorough knowledge and immense wisdom”; Vô Ngôn means “wordless” or “taciturn”)

He was usually known by that name; and no one knows what his real Dharma name was.  In Stories About Famous Monks in the Lamp Transmission Records (Cao tăng truyền đăng lục) by Thông Tuệ in the Song Dynasty, he was also referred to as Thiền Master Thông (Thông thiền sư).

There are many legends about the time when thiền master Vô Ngôn Thông began his monastic training.  One story goes like this: One day after he (then a young monk) had just finished paying homage to the Buddha in the temple, a thiền master came up to him and asked, “What have you just paid homage to?”He replied, “The Buddha.”  The master pointed at the statue on the shrine, and said, “ Do you mean this is the Buddha?” He remained silent.  That night he dressed himself formally, and went to the thiền master’s room, prostrated himself in front of the master, and asked, “This morning you asked me one question, but I haven’t got your implication.” The master then asked, “How many times have you been in summer retreats?”  He replied, “Ten.”   “Have you actually entered monastic life?” asked the master.  This question puzzled him, and he could not answer.   The master reproached,” If you could not understand my question, it would be useless for you to spend one hundred summer retreats.” Vô Ngôn Thông immediately prostrated himself in front of the thiền master, and begged him to become his disciple.  

 However, the master did not accept Vô Ngôn Thông, but told the latter to go to Giang Tây to learn from thiền master Mã Tổ Đạo Nhất.  Unfortunately, when he came, Mã Tổ had demised.  Vô Ngôn Thông was referred to  thiền master Bách Trượng Hoài Hải, the enlightened disciple of Mã Tổ Đạo Nhất, in hope that Vô Ngôn Thông could learn the core of Mã Tổ’s teachings.  The young monk later became one of Bách Trượng’s best disciples, and passed down the Nam Nhạc Hoài Nhượng sect’s lineage transmission.

Another story tells us about his special enlightenment.  Other Thiền  masters usually got enlightened while they were contemplating on a certain koan under the guide of their own master, or in the middle of their dialogue with their master.  Vô Ngôn Thông’s case was different.  He got enlightened when he was listening to a dialogue between his master and another person.  As legend goes, one day a monk came to consult thiền master Bách Trượng, with a question.  The monk asked, “What is the fastest way to enlighenment in Mahayana Buddhism?”  Bách Trượng said, “When the earth mind is no longer clouded, the wisdom sun shines naturally” (tâm địa nhược thông, tuệ nhật tự chiếu).  Upon hearing this from his own master, Vô Ngôn Thông became enlightened.  Aftre that he returned to Hòa An Temple in his homeland Quảng Châu.

One day at Hòa An Temple, one man asked Vô Ngôn Thông: “ Are you a thiền master?”  “I have never learned thiền,” replied Vô Ngôn Thông.   After a while, he called the man, who replied, “Yes?” Vô Ngôn Thông pointed at an old mahogany tree in the yard but said nothing.   He meant thiền or thiền master is not to be defined, like the mahogany tree, just seeing it directly with your own eyes, and you will see, without using any concept or language.

(To be continued)

Source:

Bằng Hư.  The Story about the Founder Partriarch of the Famous Vô Ngôn Thông Thiền School in Việt Nam. (Chuyện về sư tổ sáng lập dòng thiền Vô Ngôn Thông nổi danh Việt Nam) 

http://www.daophatngaynay.com/vn/phatgiao-vn/con-nguoi-vn/9542-Chuyen-ve-su-to-sang-lap-dong-thien-Vo-Ngon-Thong-noi-danh-Viet-Nam.html  04/12/2011.