Daily Chanting & Practicing the Buddha Dharma

Daily Chanting & Practicing the BUDDHA DHARMA

Vietnamese & English

Compiled by Bhikkhu Thích Trừng Sỹ

BRIEF INTRODUCTIONS

Daily Chanting Rites in Vietnamese and English compiled by Venerable Master Thích Trừng Sỹ are collected from the Buddha’s teachings which are very useful and practical accord with children and indigenous people living and working in the United States of America.

These Daily Chanting Rites are not only indispensably spiritual foods for practitioners, but also very effective approaches and contemplation of the Buddha’s teachings into their everyday lives. To recite, chant, and practice the Buddha Dharma from these Daily Chanting Rites, practitioners can enjoy the flowers and fruits of peacefulness, especially Dharma learning, Dharma practice, Dharma joy, and Dharma happiness right here and right now in the present life.

May you all be well and happy in the Dharma.

Namo the Original Master Sakyamuni Buddhaya.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS AND PAGES NUMBER

Discourse on the Summary, Essential, and Ultimate Teachings of the Buddha Before Entering Nirvana

Discourse on the Historical Buddha

Discourse on the Greatest Blessings

Discourse on Loving-Kindness / Metta Sutta

Discourse on Practicing Spreading Loving-Kindness and Compassion Daily to all Directions

Discourse on the Buddha’s Devotees

Recollection of Gratitude to the Buddha Jewels

Recollection of Gratitude to the Dharma Jewels

Recollection of Gratitude to the Sangha Jewels

Recollection of Gratitude to the Dharma Precepts

Five Ethical Trainings Chanting

Watering Seeds of Joy

Thiện Sinh Sutra Chanting

Discourse on the Right Confidences

The Three Refuges

The Happy Vesak Rites

Rite of Having Mindfulness Lunch

Rite of Memorial Prayers for the Enlightened Soul

Rite of Memorial Prayers for the Dead

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma SamBuddhassa

(3 times, Bell)

Respectfully pay homage to the Buddha: the World-Honored One, the Worthy One, the Exalted One, the Fully Awakened or Enlightened One (Bell).

Incense Offering

As wonderful as the lotus flower,

as bright as the northern star,

let us come back and take refuge in

the Teacher of gods and human beings.

The precious lotus blossoms on the enlightened pedestal

the halo shines in all directions.

Wisdom goes beyond the dharma realms,

Loving-kindness and compassion permeate all the mountains and rivers.

I have just seen the Buddha’s perfect countenance,

I respectfully offer the Buddha my whole sincere heart,

I forward wholeheartedly to praise for the Noble Triple Gem

Diligence in the Dharma path is well cultivated.

As the incense is lit,

sandalwood perfumes the air,

making an auspicious rainbow cloud.

I, your disciple, with all my respect

offer it to the Buddhas of the Ten Directions.

May we practice the precepts seriously at all times

May we practice concentration diligently,

May we offer the precious fruit of insight as our offering of incense of the heart.

We would like to respectfully offer the incense of ethics, meditation, wisdom, deliverance, and deliverance with right understanding to the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, harmonious and noble Sangha, Dharma guardians, good gods, proving our sincere minds. (Bell)

Touching the earth in deep gratitude to the Triple Gem

Praising the Buddha Jewel

The Buddha Jewel shines infinitely.

He has realized perfect understanding for countless lifetimes.

The beauty and stability of a Buddha sitting

can be in the mountains and rivers.

How splendid the Vulture Peak is!

How beautiful the light that shines forth from Buddha’s third eye,

Illuminate the six dark paths.

The Nagapushpa[1] Assembly will be our next appointment

for the continuation of the true teachings of practices.

We take refuge in the Buddha ever-present.

We, disciples of Gautama Buddha, wholeheartedly pay homage to the Buddha forever present in the three lifetimes and ten directions (Bell, one prostration).

Praising the Dharma Jewel

The Dharma Jewel is infinitely lovely.

It is the precious words spoken by the Buddha himself,

like fragrant flowers floating down from the heavens.

The wonderful Dharma is plain to see.

It is recorded luminously in three transparent baskets.

handed down from generation to generation in the Ten Directions,

so that today we can see our way.

We vow to study it with all our hearts.

We take refuge in the Dharma ever-present.

We, disciples of Gautama Buddha, wholeheartedly pay homage to the Dharma forever present in the three lifetimes and ten directions (Bell, one prostration).

Praising the Sangha Jewel

The Sangha Jewel is infinitely precious,
a field of merit where good seeds can be sown.
The three robes and the bowl are symbols of freedom.

Mindfulness trainings, concentration, and insight support each other.

The Sangha dwells in mindfulness day and night, providing the foundation for us to realize the fruit of meditation.
With one heart, we come home to the Sangha,

and take refuge in the Sangha ever-present.

We, disciples of Gautama Buddha, wholeheartedly pay homage to the Sangha forever present in the three lifetimes and ten directions (Bell, one prostration).

(Meditation practice around 15 minutes)

Open Verse

The Dharma is deep and lovely,

we now have a chance

to see, study, and to practice,

we vow to realize its true meaning. (Bell)

THE BEQUEATHED TEACHINGS SUTRA

Discourse on the summary, essential, and ultimate Teachings of the Buddha before entering Nirvana

Thus have I heard. On one occasion when the Shakyamuni Buddha set the Dharma Wheel in motion, for the first time, he taught and instructed Añña Koṇḍañña to become Venerable enlightened monk and for the last Dharma preaching, he taught and instructed Subhadra to become Venerable awakened monk.

Those who deserved to be taught were taught all by the Buddha. On the final night before passing away, in the forest, the Buddha lay between the twin Sala trees in the middle of a quiet night, the space was completely still without a sound, the Buddha briefly talked about the essentials of the Dhamma to his disciples as follows:

“Dear disciples, after the Tathagata passes away, you should revere and honor the precepts, as a poor person who obtains a treasure, as a person walking in the dark night meets light, as a blind person whose eyes get brightened. Be aware that the precepts are the best teachers for you, cultivation, application, and practice of the precepts into your daily lives are practical, valuable, and helpful works for you; even though having lived many years in the world any longer, the Tathagata also is not beyond the purpose of only teaching the precepts to you.” (Bell)

“Monastic people, who uphold the pure precepts, should not purchase, sell, exchange, trade in houses, invest forestry, agriculture, seafood, fisheries, not accumulate servants, attendants or raise animals, in a secular way, and should not cut down trees, burn, and destroy mountains and forests, consider fortune-telling, see astronomy, consult good and bad hours and days, observe the constellations of stars, resolve someone’s bad luck, and use feng shui. All of the above stated things are not suitable for you, keep far away from them like avoiding a pit of fire.”

“Therefore, you should live moderately in body, eat and drink with moderation, maintain a noble lifestyle and deliverance, do not participate in politics, lead the mission of political communication, do not train magical spells and create unethical elixirs, do not associate with unwholesome people, and not make friends with arrogant people.

Living diligently, assiduously, mindfully, attentively, stably, and calmly in every second and every minute in order to attain the path and fruition of liberation, you should not conceal your faults and show the charm to fascinate the masses. When receiving offerings from almsgivers, you must measure your virtue and merit, have little desire, know how to live just enough to practice, and should not hoard possessions to arouse the greedy mind.”

“The Tathagata has just said a summary of the precepts; the precepts are the fundamental foundations of liberation called Pātimokkha. People who observe the precepts can lead their peaceful and happy lives and benefit both themselves and other people right in the present life. Thanks to observing the precepts, meditation arises, thanks to practicing meditation, wisdom arises, and thanks to wisdom arising, you have the ability to recognize and transform suffering well.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, keeping the pure precepts is very important and necessary for your lives; those who keep the pure precepts diligent and perfect have merit and wholesome things, vice versa, those who keep the pure precepts non-diligent and imperfect, their merit and wholesome things do not easily arise. Therefore, you should know that the pure precepts are the most stable dwelling place of making a safe haven for all kinds of merit and wholesome things in you to arise.”

“Dear disciples, when keeping the precepts, you must cleverly control the five senses. Do not let them run after the five sensual pleasures: Greed for wealth, greed for sexual desire, greed for fame, greed for eating, and greed for sleeping, as a buffalo herder holding a whip or stick does not let buffaloes trample and eat rice seedlings of other people. Once you live loosely in the five senses, the five sensual pleasures will overpower and dominate your lives. Like a wild horse, if it is not controlled by the bridle, it will carry people plunging into a pit. Bandits only make people suffer for one life while the aggressors of the senses make people suffer for many lifetimes. Therefore, you should be careful of the harmful effects of the senses. Those who have wisdom guard the senses like guarding the enemies from letting them be free and loose.”

“Dear disciples, in the five human senses, the mind plays the most important role. Wholesome mind will lead you to wholesome deeds and thoughts. Unwholesome mind will lead you to unwholesome deeds and thoughts. The wholesome mind will benefit you and other people, vice versa, the unwholesome mind will lead to harmfulness for you and other people. Therefore, you have to try to develop your wholesome mind to benefit living beings, be careful to control your wrong mind. The wrong mind is very dangerous and more frightening than wild animals and poisonous snakes, like a person passionately holding a bowl of honey in his hand without paying attention to the abyss and pit by the roadside, like a crazy elephant without an iron hook and shackles, as a monkey or a gibbon meeting the forest trees freely jump up and down. To tame them is so difficult. Therefore, you try your best to subdue your neglectful and unwholesome minds. In order to keep and develop wholesome things, you constantly reflect on your mind by practicing meditation and following the in-breaths and out-breaths mindfully and consciously. When your mind gets calm, relaxed, and clear, at that time, you can resolve everything easily, well, properly, and quickly.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, when receiving edibles and drinkables from almsgivers, you should regard them as medicine. Delicious things you are not greedy for and bad tasting things you do not disparage and refuse. Eating and drinking are just enough to support and maintain the body from hunger and thirst. As a bee looks for a flower to suck the nectar, it finishes sucking the pollen, and then flies away, but it does not harm the scent and beauty of the flower. Likewise, when receiving various kinds of food and drinks from almsgivers, monastics are only enough for health to cultivate and do not get greedy and accumulate offerings too much, you will reduce the confidence of almsgivers’ Dharma protection. When receiving offerings from almsgivers, you strive to cultivate to create more merit and confidence for almsgivers, vice versa, if receiving donations from almsgivers, you are not diligent to cultivate, the merit of the receiver will decrease, and the merit of the giver will not increase. As wise people, you should constantly contemplate like that skillfully in receiving donations from almsgivers to benefit yourselves and other people right in the present life.”

“Dear disciples, in the daytime, you should make efforts to practice the right Dharma. Do not let time pass in vain. At the beginning of the night, at the end of the night, you should diligently chant and recite the Suttas to help yourselves be more lucid, in the middle of the night, you should practice meditation to recharge your spiritual batteries. Sleeping too much will make life useless. Be aware that the fire of impermanence is burning away human life. Try more effort to save yourselves. The sleepy greedy ghost and laziness are fiercer than enemies that always lurk and kill life. Be wary of afflictions tacitly sleeping in the mind is like being wary of a poisonous snake lying in a corner of a house. Use the iron hooks of virtuous conduct, meditation, diligence, mindfulness, and awareness to pull it out. When the poisonous snake is pulled out, you can be safe to sleep. If the poisonous snake is not yet out, you keep passionately sleeping, you are likened to shameless people.

Be aware to practice the senses of shame. The clothing of shame is number one and the finest adornment of all adornments. Those who know the senses of shame have the ability to control the unwholesome deeds. Therefore, you never forget and lose the senses of shame; the senses of shame are both the good virtues, and the useful, valuable amulets for life. To lose the senses of shame is to lose all good dharmas. People who have the senses of shame can create many merits and wholesome dharmas. People who have no a sense of shame are not different than people of lacking wisdom and cultivation, and cannot create any merits and wholesome dharmas in life at all.”

“Dear disciples, if someone offends your fame, honor, and prestige, you must skillfully follow mindful breaths by maintaining the constructive, harmonious, and reconcilable speech, remember to control yourselves, do not let your minds rise up into anger and resentment, it will burn up all forests of your merits, cultivation career, and Dharma path. Those who control their angry tempers can practice the virtues of patience. Those who practice the virtues of good patience are not only called wise people, but also called people with unrivaled strength. As people who drink cool and fresh water can help them reduce thirst. People do not practice the virtues of patience, their angry fire not only burns them, but also burns up all their merits and wholesome things. Anger is fiercer than wildfire. Be careful to control your angry minds. Of all the kinds of robbers of merit, the angry fire is the most dangerous enemy in life.”

“Worldly people, who live, remain jostling, scrambling, enjoying sensual pleasures, lack the methods of practicing and controlling their angry tempers. If they get angry, they can be forgiven. However, you are monastic people, who learn and practice the Dharma, have good practice methods, and can eliminate lust and sensual pleasures in the world. If you do not transform anger, you are truly blameworthy people. It is just like the clear sky, but there is thunder rising, it is not the appropriate thing for you.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, when becoming Monastics, shaving off your beard and hair, you yourselves should rub your heads and remember: Do not use secular cosmetics and adornments. You should put on monastic saffron robes over your shoulders, hold the bowls to go for alms, and use alms-food, meditation, mindfulness, and awakening to nourish and control your bodies and minds. When your arrogant mind arises, you are aware to recognize and control it, because arrogance is one of the negative psychologies, those having the thoughts of arrogance and conceit, which will burn you. Aware of that, as Monastics who vow to live their lives of peacefulness, freedom, and liberation, you should practice the Buddha Dharma well to recognize and transform them.”

“Dear disciples, you should watch out for the mentality of adulation and flattery which can cause obstacles for your cultivation, liberation, and Buddhist affairs. To prevent the mentality of adulation and flattery, you should regularly practice humility, modesty, righteousness, and integrity, which are the best way to develop the ability and level of your cultivation, and contribute to propagating the Dharma and benefiting for the many right in this world.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, you should know the more the cravings and nutritional needs arise, the more suffering and lust increase, vice versa, once the less the cravings and nutritional needs are, the more suffering and lust decrease. Those who do not have lusts and desires will not be controlled and dominated by the mentality of adulation and flattery, live their light and peaceful lives, and can lead to peacefulness and happiness in the present life.

Those who practice the virtues of knowing contentment can create a lot of merits and control the mind of greed and suffering, their minds and bodies are not dominated by the senses and the external scenes. Practicing the virtue of little desire and knowing contentment, you can obtain happiness right in the present life.”

“Dear disciples, if you want to recognize and transform suffering effectively, you have to regularly learn the virtues of knowing contentment; learning the virtues of knowing contentment has the ability to help you lead your light, calm, and stable lives. Those who know contentment sleep on the ground feel free, joyful, and happy, vice versa, those who do not know contentment even though abiding in heavens, still feel poor, anxious, and melancholy. People who know contentment live their peaceful, light, free, and comfortable lives, are not dragged externally and materially, vice versa, people who do not know contentment are full of intrigue, anxiety, sorrow, and suffering, are always dragged and dominated by the five sensual pleasures: Greed for wealth, greed for sexual desire, greed for fame, greed for eating, and greed for sleeping. Therefore, in order to live your lives of freedom, peacefulness, and happiness, you try to live your lives of knowing contentment and less desire.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, in order to live your calm and peaceful lives, you should keep far away from the noisy, boisterous places, and crowded assemblies. People who lead their quiet lives by meditation practice are revered and respected by gods and human beings. Living alone in secluded places where you can control your bodies and minds with mindfulness and awareness, you have the ability to recognize and transform suffering. Living together with crowded assemblies, and in noisy boisterous places, you are easily bothered and harassed by them. It is like a big tree with many birds gathering, they will damage its branches. Those who indulge in worldly pleasures will be bound and dominated by the world. Just as an old and weak elephant has fallen into the mud, so it is difficult for him to get out of the mud. Be clearly aware that, in order to eliminate afflictions, you should stay far away from the crowded, noisy, and boisterous assemblies by living in tranquil and quiet places to master the body and mind in mindfulness and awareness.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, in the process of cultivation, you try to practice right effort to achieve peacefulness and happiness right in life. If you do not practice right effort, you will encounter difficulties and obstacles for your practice. Cultivated people have right effort, just like a small stream constantly trickling on a rock for a long time, the rock may be worn and punctured, vice versa, cultivating people who do not have right effort are regularly lazy, just like people rubbing a tree to get fire, the tree is not hot yet, the fire does not yet start, but they have stopped. Although they wish for the fire, the fire is never found. Therefore, you should diligently practice the right effort to benefit many people.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, on the path of cultivation, knowledgeable people and effective Dharma protectors are good people with the ability to help you achieve well in life. Although relying on them to learn beautiful things, good ideas, and good life experiences from them, you should never forget to practice mindfulness daily. If you forget to practice mindfulness every day, defilements will easily infiltrate and overpower your body and mind, and you will lose all merits and good dharmas. Be well aware of that, you regularly practice mindfulness and awareness every day to recognize and transform your body and mind. Those who practice mindfulness stably and diligently will be never afraid of the five kinds of sensual pleasures: wealth, sexual desire, fame, eating, and sleeping, which overpower and dominate them, just as warriors entering a battle wearing armor to cover their bodies no longer fear the enemies’ bows and arrows. That is the virtue of practicing mindfulness and awareness.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, thanks to practicing and maintaining mindfulness and awareness, it is very easy for you to lead your minds to meditative concentration and single-pointedness. Diligence in meditation practice, you can master the mind and comprehend the arising and passing away of the mind, impermanence, and the changing of the world. At this time, the fluctuations, distractions, and distractions of the mind will be recognized and transformed, and insight will be reflected. Those who practice meditation well, their wisdom develops as quickly as those who keep a firm dike, the water in the dike overflows up easily. That is the practice of meditative concentration.”

Dear disciples, when you practice meditative concentration masterfully, the defilements are transformed and eradicated, liberated minds and liberated wisdom in yourselves become brightened, and insight gets arisen right away. Wisdom is likened to the strongest raft capable of ferrying you across the ocean of birth, death, and samsara. It is like the light of wisdom that dispels the darkness of ignorance, like a good medicine for healing all who are ill, like a diamond ax for cutting down the trees of afflictions. Wanting to have the true insight, you need to experience the process of practicing and obtaining “wisdom from hearing, wisdom from cultivation, and wisdom from thinking” to benefit yourselves and other people right in the present life. People with wisdom always have right view, clearly see the truth of everything brightening like daylight. That is the virtue of wisdom.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, in the life of daily cultivation, if you indulge in idle and useless joke discussions and debates, your mind will be scattered. You are monastic people, if you lead your lives of idle, aimless, and useless joke discussions and debates, you will be ridiculed and criticized by the world, and you will not attain wisdom and liberation. Abandoning your lives of idle joke discussions and debates, you will attain tranquility, peacefulness, and happiness right in the present life. This is the virtue of practicing not using idle and frivolous joke discussions and debates.

“Dear disciples, regularly do good things, say good things, and think about good things to create more wholesome merit, practice right effort and right patience to avoid distractions and laziness like avoiding enemies. Showing great compassion, great wisdom, and great courage, the Tathagata has proclaimed the Dharma very practically, presently, and usefully to benefit all living beings. Therefore, you live in your suitable place to diligently cultivate, practice the Dharma, contemplate life, do not let your life pass in vain, later on, you repent and regret that it has been too late. The Tathagata is the good Physician who knows how to diagnose the sickness of each person and prescribes medicine, but whether you drink it or not is not the fault of the Physician. The Tathagata is the spiritual Master who guides the best path to you; if you have already listened, but you do not go, it is not the guide’s fault.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, to the Four Noble Truths,

If you have anything not clear yet, you should ask about them at once. Do not harbor your doubts in your heart without clarifying them. The Tathagata will teach you the unknown matters.” After the World-Honored One repeated this three times, but his disciples were silent, no one asked him a question at all. At that time, Venerable Anuruddha contemplated the minds of the assembly and respectfully addressed the Buddha thus:

“Respectfully, dear the World-Honored One, even though the moon may grow hot, the sun may become cold, the Four Noble Truths well proclaimed by the Buddha himself never change.” (Bell)

The Four Noble Truths consist of the Truth of Suffering (dukkha), the Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudāya), the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (nirodha), and the Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering (magga).

“The Truth of Suffering (dukkha) is the reality of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, what one wants but does not get is suffering, hating each other but meeting together is suffering, to love each other but to be separated is suffering, clinging to the five aggregates of the body and mind is suffering.

The Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudāya) is the cause of suffering, including greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, ignorance, wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong concentration.

The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (nirodha) is Nirvana, the state of peacefulness and supreme happiness, ending all the causes of suffering.

The Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering (magga) is both the Middle Way of avoiding two extremes: sensual indulgence and extreme asceticism, and the Noble Eightfold Path including ethics, meditation, and wisdom interconnected very closely with right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This path is very practical, present, and effective, capable of leading people to peacefulness and happiness right here and right now in the present life. (Bell)

“Respectfully, dear the World-Honored One, to the Four Noble Truths, the Tathagata has finished teaching, among his disciples, no one has doubts about the Four Truths at all.”

At that time, those who did not have enough wholesome conditions yet to learn and practice the Buddha Dharma and heard the Buddha being about to enter Nirvana, their hearts were filled with sorrow. There were people who newly entered the Dharma to have enough wholesome conditions and heard the essential teachings of the Buddha, their minds were filled with joy and understood the Dharma lucidly, as a person walking in the dark night met light and clearly saw the way and the way home. There were also those who had realized the right Dharma eliminated afflictions, kept far away from the ocean of suffering, felt grieved, and uttered out: “How did the World-Honored One pass away so quickly?” Understanding the minds of everyone, out of great love and compassion, the Buddha advised his disciples additionally:

“Dear disciples, do not feel grieved, do not feel sorrowful. According to the law of impermanence, although the Tathagata lives in the world more than a lifetime, the Tathagata eventually must enter Nirvana. Meeting each other, there must be separation. Combining without disintegrating, converging without breaking up, is impossible. After the Tathagata passes away, take the Dharma as the best teacher for you, use the Dharma as the best refuge for yourselves, practice the Dharma to benefit yourselves and other people right in the present life. If the Tathagata lives long in the world, you do not practice the Dharma, then it will not bring any benefit to you at all. Up to this time, those who have enough wholesome conditions, the Tathagata has helped them all. Those who do not have enough wholesome conditions yet, the Tathagata has created favorable conditions for them to be helped. From now on, diligently practice the Dharma, you can see that the dharma body of the Tathagata has existed forever in the world.” (Bell)

“Dear disciples, you should contemplate that all phenomena and things in this world are changing and impermanent. There is a combination, then there is disintegration. That is the natural law. Do not be grieved at all. Such is life. You must strive to study the Buddha Dharma more diligently to attain enlightenment and liberation, and use the light of perfect wisdom to destroy the darkness of ignorance. All living things and living beings are fragile and unstable. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are present in this physical body. There is arising, then there is ending. There is life, then there is death. It is the law of impermanence. Abandoning this old physical body is like putting a burden on the ground. Keep your minds still. Now it is the time for the Tathagata to pass away. Try to diligently practice the Dharma more and more to benefit all living beings. These are my practical, essential, and ultimate teachings for you all.”

Namo The Original Master Sakyamuni Buddhaya.

(3 times, Bell, Bell, Bell)

DISCOURSE ON THE HISTORICAL BUDDHA

Thus have I known. Once the Sakyamuni Buddha, the historical person in the flesh and bone, ever lived on this earth for over twenty-six centuries ago, was born beneath an Ashoka tree, in Lumbini garden, a part of Nepal today, on the Full Moon Day of Vesak month, equivalently to May in 624 B.C.E. The Agama Sutra stated that:

“A Unique being, an extraordinary human, appears in this world, out of peacefulness for the many, out of happiness for the many, out of compassion and benefits for gods and human beings. It is mainly the Shakyamuni Buddha, who founded Buddhism, the path of awareness, loving kindness, compassion, wisdom, equality, and peace for all living things and living beings all over the planet.”

With the powerful vows to save living beings, the Buddha was born in the world very rarely. According to the honored Monk Anan’s telling words, first the Buddha lived in Tusita heaven until his longevity ended, and then, from the Tusia heaven to this world, he entered into the fetus of his holy mother Maya’s right hip. At that time, the halos illuminated brilliantly strangely, shone more than the Sunlight and the Moonlight, the world got in motion to welcome the Tathagata. When he entered into his mother’s fetus, there were the four gods guarding four directions without anyone causing a bother. His mother was ten full months pregnant. From when pregnant, she had the exalted virtue and conduct, generous loving kindness and compassion without the greedy mind with anyone.

While pregnant, she was delighted at ease, joy, with more health, without a little bit of sickness. She felt that she was carrying her holy fetus, as a precious pearl was no a bit of defect, perfect in the world. When he was born, his mother stood to give a birth. His birth did not touch the ground yet, gods went to welcome and receive him, and then lifted him to his mother with their praising words: “She gave the world a newborn Buddha perfectly and peacefully. His body when just born was not polluted by amniotic fluid, blood, was fully pure and clean, like bright and beautiful Mani gem. From space, there were two cool and warm water streams spraying and bathing him and his mother. Upon just being born, he himself stood steadily on his feet. Directing his face to the North, walking seven steps with a white parasol covering, he proclaimed that “I am the topmost in the world. This is my last life. I am not reborn in the world any longer, for seven full days later, my mother passes away and was immediately reborn up to a Tusita heaven[2] (Bell).

Prophet guesses Physiognomy and astrology

“At that time, there was a sage named Asita, right in mid-daytime, seeing gods in the realm of joyful thirty-third heaven, praising, starting to play celestial music, singing with melodious dances, and informing happy words: In Lumbini garden, there was a Shakyamuni Bodhisattva, no one surpassed him, just descended on earth to bring happiness to the world. He is the uppermost and topmost, stands foremost in human beings. Later on, renouncing royal family, becoming a monastic man, he set the Wheel of the Dharma in motion, roared the voice of the Dharma sound, and helped life. Hearing the event, the sage Asita immediately went to royal family of Kapilavastu, expected to visit a newborn prince. Just seeing respectful countenance of the newborn prince’s thirty-two good signs, the sage uttered out that: “Prince Siddhartha is the topmost person of double-legged living beings.” Finishing saying, he cried, felt sad about his longevity, now grew old, did not remain a chance to meet and witness the prince’s full enlightenment. The sage affirmed that, reaching the age of growing up, the prince left his secular life for monastic life, got perfect enlightenment in the world, set the Dharma wheel in motion, and the topmost purification, out of loving-kindness and compassion, loving living beings, and helping life have more benefits.[3]

No being interested in Enjoyment

When living in his royal palace, the prince was nurtured extremely specially. King Suddhodana, the prince’s father, built the prince three ponds of green, pink, and white lotuses. What the prince needed was severed wholeheartedly and thoroughly. Kinds of sandalwoods, high-grade aromas, and previous Kasi silk the prince used. Both whole day and night always had a parasol shielding him from heat, cold, dust, and fog. About material conveniences, his father king built the prince three beautiful, luxurious, and noble palaces, one for the winter, one for summer, and one for the rainy season. During four months in summer, whenever there were also female musicians turning around the prince to serve to sing, dance, and intone. Despite living in the wealthiest and happiest scenes in the world, finally, everyone got old, sick, and dead. When aware of this, the prince thought that he also grew old, sick, and dead, could not escape aging, sickness, and death. At that time, arrogance in him was immediately ended. He did not remain clinging to temporarily physical body, gave up worldly material things, was determined to leave secular life for monastic life, find out enlightenment, bring peace, joy, and happiness to the many right in the present life.[4]

Renunciation of his Royal Palace

The prince was clearly aware that family life always got tied, while monastic life was spacious like an immense sky. Therefore, he let go of his throne, beautiful wife, young child, abandoned a secular karma with many entanglements. He went to Rājagaha City of Magadha for living a monastic life. Bimbisara king, seeing the prince’s tall, nice, brilliant, leisurely, relaxed, mindful body, immediately gave a messenger to observe and follow the prince, and then came back to royal palace for report. When hearing this event, the king hurried to board a carriage, and paid a visit to him. He told the king that the cause of his royal family renunciation was because he did not desire to enjoy sexual pleasure. He saw very clearly craving to enjoy sexual pleasure is a big obstacle for his cultivation, so he made an effort to renounce it, was determined to leave his secular life for monastic life to find out the Dharma, live out of peacefulness and happiness for living beings.[5]

Searching Teachers for Dharma Learning

At the age of youth, abundant health, vigorous body, although prince Siddhartha’s father king did not agree with the prince leaving his secular life for monastic life, the prince who was determined to renounce royal family, shaved and gave up beard and hair, put a monastic robe on his shoulder, renounced his secular life to search teachers for Dharma learning, sought the truth, led to enlightenment, and transformed suffering. First, Siddhartha sought to see teacher Alara kalama and requested that: “Dear teacher, What the Dharma do you cultivate, obtain, and teach?” Alara kalama replied he attained The Third meditation – the Abode in which nothing exists at all. With determination to cultivate effort, mindfulness, awareness, meditation, wisdom, shortly afterward, Siddhartha reached enlightenment like teacher Alara and affirmed that: “Meditation of the abode in which nothing exists at all teacher Alara obtained has no the ability to lead to quietness, topmost wisdom, enlightenment, deliverance, and Nirvana. Confirmed like that, Siddhartha bravely left his teacher and kept going on the way to seek spirituality.”

The second teacher Siddharta met was Uddaka Ramaputta, obtained the fourth meditation – the Abode of Neither Thought Nor Non-Thought.” With determination to cultivate effort, mindfulness, awareness, meditation, concentration, wisdom, shortly afterward, Siddhartha reached enlightenment like teacher Uddaka. Recognizing Bodhisattva Siddharta’s outstanding talent, teacher Uddaka was happy to invite Bodhisattva to keep living there for looking after students together.” At that time, Bodhisattva perceived clearly that: “Meditation of the Abode of Neither Thought nor non-thought” teacher Uddaka obtained has no the ability to lead to calmness, topmost wisdom, enlightenment, liberation, Nirvana. Confirmed like that, Siddhartha bravely left his second teacher and kept going on the way to seek spirituality.”

Six Years of Asceticism

After saying goodbye to the two Brahmanical teachers, Bodhisattva practiced asceticism for six years, no one could compare with him. Because he ate so few, his legs and hands got as thin as blades of grass, dry and withered creeper. His feet were like the toenails of a camel. His spine exposed as a string of ball. His skinny ribs were like rafters of a decayed house. His eyes did not remain glistening and lay very deeply. His head skin got wrinkled as bitter melons changed white gray. Gusts of hot wind made it dry. His belly skin clinging closely to the spine was black and ugly. When going to the restroom, he fell down and faced down to the ground. His hair decayed and left out of his body. He himself massaged his body, whole legs and hands ached and pained a lot. Recognizing this, He was determined to give up the cultivation way of Brahmanical asceticism. He left out of Uruvela forest for going straight to Bodhgaya to focus his mind on meditation throughout forty-nine days and nights.”

“With his mind of concentration, he entered meditation in the shade of Bodhi tree, transformed sexual desire, left the unwholesome things, purified my mind, attained the first meditation; a state of the delight and joy, born by the detachment of desire, with applied thought, with sustained thought. He attained the second meditation; a state of joy and pleasure born by concentration without applied thought, without sustained thought, inner tranquillization, and single-pointed mind. He attained the third meditation; a state of joyfully abided equanimity, mindfulness, awareness, feeling of happiness he did not cling to. He attained the fourth meditation; a state of letting go of all concepts, neither suffering nor pleasure, absolute entirely purification in him grew. He realized that it was the way leading to enlightenment, peacefulness, and nirvana (Bell).

Enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree

With his mind of concentration, clearly purified tranquility, there was no longer pollution. The Buddha forwarded his mind to perfect wisdom and knew as it was true: “This is suffering belonging to body and mind; the body consists of four kinds: Birth, aging, sickness, and death; the mind consists of four kinds: Loving together has to be separated, angering together has to meet, desiring something but cannot achieve, the mind gets disappointed.” He knew as it was true: “This is the cause of suffering consisting of cravings, anger, delusion, wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration, and kinds of clinging.” He knew as it was true: “This is Nirvana–absolute peacefulness, topmost happiness–suffering and defilements are fully transformed.” He knew as it was true: “This is the right path consisting of morality, meditation, and wisdom interrelated very closely with Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.” He knew as it was true: “This is suffering, this is the cause of suffering, this is true happiness, this is the way of cultivation leading to the end of suffering.” By recognizing so, his mind was freed from leakage, cravings, leaky ignorance. He knew very clearly: “Rebirth is ended, holy conduct gets achieved, what should be done has been done, there is no remaining to turn back the states of this birth and death any longer.

Proclaiming the Truth

At that time, Brahma Shampati said respectfully to the Buddha: “Dear sir, would you please be happy to stay in this world in order to preach the Dharma to living beings, who are very lucky to hear your wonderful Dharma? Accepting the request of the Brahma, the Buddha contemplated and brought out vivid and specific examples as follows: “There are living beings with much defilement dust in mind, with less defilement dust in mind, and without defilement dust in mind. Thanks to hearing and practicing the wonderful Dharma, gradually they cultivate, transform bad karmas, lead minds to peacefulness and happiness right in the present life. Then, the Buddha thought that: “I will preach the Dharma to who is the first person?” I immediately think about teacher Alara, but he died seven days before. I keep thinking about the teacher Uddaka, but he just departed yesterday.”

The Buddha immediately thought about a group of five monks, who were ever fellow friends with him, cultivating asceticism in the Deer Park of Banaras. He set out to meet them there. In the First Sutta of Setting the Dharma Wheel in motion, he affirmed: “Dear disciples, those who do not obtain enlightenment, do not master the four Noble Truths, so they drift in the cycle of birth and death. When cultivating maturely, obtaining enlightenment, they will master the essence of suffering, the cause of suffering, true happiness, the path leading to the transformation of suffering.”

The Buddha’s Enlightenment Fruition

The Buddha attained perfect enlightenment in the world. This was his last life. From this time onward, he was not pushed by karma. Dear disciples, there is only the fully enlightened person appearing in the world, there is no peer and similar. I am the Tathagata, fully Enlightened One, and the perfect awakened One among two-leg species.” The following event cannot happen: In a world, there are not two Buddhas appearing at the same time. In a world, there is only the Buddha attaining the fully perfect enlightenment.”

“Dear disciples, for example, in a lotus pond, there are kinds of green, pink, and white lotuses being born in water, growing up in the water, reaching across the surface of the water, and reaching beyond the surface of the water, but through the process of growing and living in a water pond, all kinds of lotuses gradually bloom freshly. Likewise, born in the world, growing up in the world, I conquer the world, I am not dominated by lifestream. I am the Buddha, the perfect enlightened or awakened One. I become the person not controlled by greed, anger, delusion, and ignorance. I was born in the world, out of loving-kindness, compassion, peace, joy, and happiness for the many all over the planet” (Bell).

Transmitting the Dharma and following the truth lamp

After accepting the request of Brahma Sahampati, the Buddha set out to instruct Anna Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama, Assaji, Dasa, Dasa’s family, and friends, A total of 60 Arhats are first present in this world. He kept instructing three Vedic hermit heads of fire worship religion: Urivilia Kashyapa, Nada Kashyapa, Gaya Kashyapa, along with a thousand of their disciples. Most of the kings, religious and secular leaders at that time were instructed by the Buddha. They had a right and bright direction and took refuge firmly in the light of the Buddha’s enlightenment and awakening.

The Buddha and his disciples, who mainly depend on meditation and donors’ almsgiving and donation to nurture their minds and bodies, rely on the natural environment, their own enlightenment, joy, and happiness to instruct other people. Living their familyless lives, they who spend much time cultivating and serving living beings depend on sentiments of teacher and students, Dharma friends and fellow monastics, sentiments of protecting and spreading the Dharma to build the sisterhood and brotherhood and benefit living things and living beings (Bell).

Among them, the most virtuous, talented, and famous disciples of the Buddha are listed below:

The Ten Most Virtuous and Renowned MONKS include:

1. The honored Venerable Sāriputta – an outstanding wise Teacher with the spirit of building Brotherhood and Sisterhood and bringing the best harmony to the Sangha. He has great wisdom debating without any hindrance, responding, and solving all problems supremely intelligently, skillfully, flexibly, and quickly.

As the closest friend of the honored Venerable Moggallāna, when listening to and clearly understanding Venerable Assaji, one of the first five disciples of the Buddha, preached the dharmas of dependent origination, dependent arising, and impermanence, which the honored Venerable Sariputra fully understood. When entrusted by the Buddha to the construction of Jetavana Monastery, together with male lay devotee Sudatta Anathapindika, he was the one who directly managed the complete construction work.

As the Dharma Teacher who transmitted the novice monk’s ten mindfulness trainings and directly taught the Buddha Dharma to Rahula, Teacher Sāriputta has the virtues of humility, modesty, forgiveness, and joy in sharing what he has understood for other people to understand together happily.

2. The honored Venerable Moggallana – the closest friend of Venerable Sāriputta, has the supremely psychic power, using the psychic power to subdue many people. Venerable Moggallana, who was filial to his mother supremely and skillfully invited and made offerings to the largest Sangha.

3. The honored Venerable Mahākassapa – The supremely exemplary, virtuous, and austere Patriarch, capable of collecting, persuading, and leading the Sangha, and presided over the period of reciting the first Buddhist Council in the Suttas and the Vinaya – virtuous trainings after three months the Buddha entered Nirvana.

4. The honored Venerable Subhuti – the younger full brother of Sudata Anathapindika, had the virtues of loving-kindness, compassion, purity, and no argument, penetrated the nature of full emptiness, and applied contemplative meditation in daily life to benefit oneself and other people right in the present life.

5. The honored Venerable Puṇṇa Mantānīputta – A talented Preacher, who considered the Dharma as the foremost, preached the Dharma supremely persuasively and eloquently, diligently propagated the Dharma in all towns and villages, regardless of rich or poor families, considering everyone as his Bodhi relatives.

When going to a new region, he played the role in visiting the sick and taking care of the sick, learning the local language to teach the Buddha Dharma and benefit many people. The Dharma talks that he skillfully shared were always suitable for everyone’s abilities, levels, and knowledge.

He lived humbly, modestly, and rejoiced in the success of other people, lived with brotherhood of Dharma fellow friends, had the deep, right, and strong confidence in the Three Jewels without shaking and wavering.

6. The honored Venerable Mahākaccāyana – the talented, intelligent, and outstanding commenter, explained, annotated, and interpreted the Buddha Dharma eminently.

The Venerable Mahākaccāyana, having an uncle named Asita, the famous hermit in the region was invited by King Suddhodana to go to the royal family of Kapilavastu to see signs for newborn prince Siddhartha, a future Buddha.

Under the attentive, enthusiastic, and skillful guidance of his uncle Asita, the Venerable Mahākaccāyana learned and absorbed very quickly all that his uncle taught. After his uncle Asita passed away, remembering his uncle’s right encouragement, the Venerable had enough wholesome conditions to leave home for monastic life and become one of the ten chief disciples of the Buddha.

7. The honored Venerable Anuruddha – A cousin younger brother of the Buddha, one of his chief disciples, dedicated himself to meditation practice, and eventually attained divine eye power (dibba-cakkhu).

8. The honored Venerable Upali – The talented and virtuous attorney who practiced the most exemplary Vinaya precepts had the ability to bring harmony and reconciliation to the Sangha, and recited the Vinaya – virtuous disciplines during the first Buddhist Council under the presiding of the honored Venerable Maha Kassapa.

9. The honored Venerable Ananda – the Dharma teacher had the ability to listen deeply, absorb, thoroughly remember the Buddha Dharma in detail, had the merit to recite the Buddha’s teachings in the period of reciting the Sutta Pitaka in the first Council.

When the Buddha was 55 years old, Venerable Ananda was officially elected by the Sangha to be a 25 -year attendant regularly beside the Buddha. The Venerable was very good, loyal, dedicated, thoughtful, skillful, and successful in the three times of inviting the Buddha to allow women to leave their secular lives for monastic lives.

The Buddha happily agreed, accepted, and established an order of the first Buddhist nuns in the city of Vaishali in the world’s first Buddhist nun in human history.

10. The honored Venerable Rahula – The person who was the youngest one to renounce his secular for monastic life at the age of six in the Buddha’s time, had the ability to listen to and absorb the Buddha Dharma directly under the guidance of enthusiasm, dedication, and thoughtfulness from the two honored Venerable Sariputra and Venerable Moggallāna.

After learning and practicing the Buddha Dharma diligently, the Venerable Rahula transformed the body and mind very effectively and made the vow to practice the virtues of right, fine, and mindful patience and manners.

The Ten Most Virtuous and Renowned NUNS include:

1. The honored elder Nun Pa-jā-pa-ti Gotami – The One who had the highest Dharma age guided, established, led the Bhikkhuni Sangha, practiced ascetic cultivation supremely.

2. The honored elder Nun Khemā – The One who had perfect wisdom.

3. The honored elder Nun Uppalavanna – The One who attained supreme psychic power.

4. The honored elder Nun Nandā – The One who practiced meditation supremely.

5. The honored elder Nun Sakulā – The One who had a supremely clairvoyant vision.

6. The honored elder Nun Dhammadinnā – The One who preached the Dharma supremely.

7. The honored elder Nun Bhaddā Kaccānā or Bimbadevi known as Yasodharā – The One who attained supreme mind stillness.

8. The honored elder Nun Patacā – The One who was good at Vinaya Pitaka – the Basket of virtuous principles supremely.

9. The honored elder Nun Kisa Gotami – The One who practiced ascetic cultivation supremely, understood impermanence clearly.

10. The honored elder Nun Sigālakamātā – the One who had the stable and right confidence supremely (Bell).

The Ten Most Virtuous and Renowned Male Lay Disciples include:

1. Sudatta Anāthapiṇḍika – The male lay businessman who was rich in almsgiving made offerings of Jetavana Monastery to the Buddha and the Sangha, and protected the Triple Gem supremely.

2. His holiness, King Bimbisāra– The devout donor who expressed his heart to make offerings of the first Venuvana Bamboo Grove monastery to the Buddha and the Sangha.

3. His holiness, King Pasenadi – The devout donor who had the courage to prevent, abolish the custom of killing creatures to sacrifice to Brahminical idols solved and clarified the case of Ms. Sundarì who was killed by jealous religious leaders to slander the Buddha and the Sangha.

4. Herbalist Jīvaka – The good physician who was rich in compassion devoted to caring for the health of the Buddha, the Sangha, and everyone, including King Bimbisāra, King Ajātasattu, etc.

5. Citta – Male lay preacher who preached the Dharma fluently.

6. Hatthaka – The male lay practitioner who was good at mastering the Assembly diligently practiced the Four Most Effective Methods including almsgivings, loving speech, beneficial action, and cooperation.

7. Uggata – The male lay devotee who had the sincere heart to protect and uphold the Sangha.

8. Sūra-Ambaṭṭha – The male lay devotee who had strong confidence in the true Dharma with his immovable mind.

9 & 10. Tapusa and Balika – The two male lay devotees who made offerings of the first meal to the Buddha after he attained enlightenment in the seventh week. They were the first two people to take refuge in the Buddha and take refuge in the Dharma. At that time, the Sangha was not established in Bodhgaya yet.

The Ten Most Virtuous and Renowned Female Lay Disciples include:

1. Sujāta – The female lay devotee who made offerings of a bowl of milk porridge to the Buddha before he got enlightenment was the first woman to take refuge in the Buddha.

2. Visākha – The female lay devotee who wholeheartedly made offerings of Migāramātupāsāda hall to the Buddha and the Sangha protected, and upheld the Triple Gem supremely.

3. Khujjuttarā – The female lay devotee who had the ability to accurately hear and remember the Buddha Dharma clearly.

4. Uttarā – The female lay devotee who was good at meditation practice.

5. Sāmāvatī – The female lay devotee who had immense loving-kindness and compassion.

6. Kātiyānī – The female lay devotee who had strong confidence in the Dharma deeply.

7. Suppiyā. – The female lay devotee who was the first nurse was devoted to caring for sick people considerately and thoughtfully.

8. Nakulamātā – The female lay devotee who wholeheartedly practiced saying loving speech supremely.

9. Suppavāsā – The female lay devotee who made offerings of high-grade dishes to the Buddha and the Sangha.

10. Kāli Kulagharikā – The female lay devotee who had a wise and true heart heard and clearly understood what other people reported. (Bell)

As his disciples became more and more crowded, the Buddha encouraged and advised them as follows:

“Listen, disciples. Be diligent in your journeys. Out of peacefulness for the many, out of happiness for the many, out of compassion and benefits for life, you all do not go on the same way. Go forth to many different directions to propagate the Dharma and save living beings. Bring your own cultivation, peacefulness, and happiness to teach other people. The Tathāgata’s teachings are perfect in the beginning, perfect in the middle, perfect in the end, both in the meanings and in the letter. Proclaim your holy and peaceful lives to the many all over the planet. The Tathāgata will go to the direction of Uruvela to spread the truth.”[6]

“Listen, disciples, anciently as well as today, the Tathāgata only speaks of two main goals, that is, to identify suffering and transform suffering by applying and practicing the Noble Eightfold Path right here and right now in the present life. Listen, disciples, the Tathāgata does not dispute anything with life, only life disputes with the Tathāgata. To practice this well, wherever you preach the Dharma, you should nurture loving-kindness and compassion, and should not dispute anyone in life.”

The Buddha as the Teacher showing the Right Way

“Listen, disciples, as the Teacher, what I do is out of compassion, brings peace and happiness to living things and living beings all over the planet. This is a tree stump, this is a quiet place, be diligent in your meditation practice, do not be distracted, do not regret it later. These are my teachings. Try to practice them well. Listen, disciples, the spiritual tradition established by The Tathāgata is extremely beautiful, has great values, please keep maintaining.”

“The World-Honored One is the fully enlightened One, preaching the way to be enlightened. He mastered and preached the method to be mastered. He who obtains noble silence preaches the method to obtain noble silence. He who overcomes preaches the method to be overcome. He who attains Nirvana preaches the method to attain Nirvana.”

“Listen, disciples, there is the Noble Eightfold Path leading to Nirvana; The Tathāgata is present as the Teacher showing the way of peace for living things and living beings. What is taught, he has taught. What needs to be done, he has done. In this congregation, there are people who have attained holy fruition, some who are and will try to practice the Buddha Dharma. The Tathāgata is the Teacher who points at the right way to them.

Afterward, the Buddha taught very many different kinds of people, in all walks of society, such as kings, mandarins, merchants, servants, even cow feces pickers, murderers, and courtesans. His Dharma and Sangha have the capability to accept people coming from different castes, religions, skin colors, races, etc. Those who have enough wholesome conditions to cultivate, learn, understand, practice, and apply the Buddha Dharma in their daily lives mindfully and awakeningly can bring peacefulness and authentic happiness to themselves and to others right here and now in the present life.

The Buddha’s disciples mainly include two big assemblies: Monastics and lay people. Both of these assemblies that support one another as an image and its shadow make the key factors bring Buddhism into life, and help life add joy and lessen suffering.

Propagating the Dharma for 45 years, all that the Buddha has taught is like a handful of tree leaves in the palm of his hand, is to help people recognize suffering and transform it, and to help them live their lives of peace and happiness right in the present world. (Bell).

Testaments

“Listen, disciples, for forty five years, here and there, I have spread this Dharma, with thousands of nobly valuable sermons, for many different classes of people, from kings to the people, from high class to low class, from Buddhists to non-Buddhists. Those who have a good opportunity to learn, understand, apply, and practice the Buddha Dharma into their daily lives, have the ability to give up bad karmas, to develop good minds, to purify minds, to lead them to peacefulness, happiness, deliverance, and Nirvana right in the present life.”

Now was the time for his body to be sick. On the last day, the Buddha was in the Sala forest, and taught the following: “My body gets old and sick, my back is bent forward, my limbs are exhausted, my senses get gradually weakened, my skins are wrinkled, and my eyes are no longer clear as before. Listen, disciples, the truth is like that. The nature of old age lies in young age. The nature of death lies in life.”

“Listen, disciples, The Tathāgata who preaches the Dharma without distinction, never concealing anything in his hands at all. He thinks that: “Morality, meditation, and wisdom will be the perfect teachers and also the key teachings for the Sangha.” He does not think that he is the leader of the whole Sangha. The Sangha is subject to his guidance. He has announced the path of enlightenment. Now he is old and eighty years old, about to come to the time to abandon his life. His body is like an old carriage, within a short time being decayed. Then his mind will no longer cling to the aging sign, the feelings of anxiety and fear in him will not arise. He attains and dwells in the signless concentration. His body and mind are extremely comfortable and free.”

O disciples, in the great ocean of birth, death, and Samsara,

Be yourself swimming to the shore of liberation,

Be yourself lighting the torch to go,

Be yourself taking refuge in yourself

Be yourself taking refuge in your own island

Be yourself making the island for your own refuge

Be yourself taking refuge in your own stable cultivation.

Do not take refuge in anyone or anything else.

Use the Dharma as the lamp to illuminate yourself

Use the Dharma as the island for yourself

Use the Dharma as the best refuge for yourself

Use the Dharma to practice and benefit yourself and other people right in the present life.

Therefore, you are determined to take refuge in the right Dharma, not to take refuge in the wrong dharma, or anything else.[7]

To take refuge in the Dharma means to take refuge in the cultivation of your own ethics, meditation, wisdom, deliverance, and deliverance with right understanding.

Not to take refuge in the wrong dharma means not to take refuge in Brahma, gods, devils, monsters, heresies, wrong dharma, wrong teachings, wrong teachers, and bad friends.”

In Dīgha Nikāya, Maha-parinibbana Sutta 16, before entering Nibbana, the Buddha has advised his disciples: “Dear disciples, everything is impermanent and changing. Make great effort to cultivate and practice the Buddha Dharma more and more, to bring joy and happiness for yourselves and for other people right here and right now in the present life. These are my essential, practical, and key teachings for you all.” [8]

As well-cultivated people who are skillful in learning, understanding, applying, and practicing the Buddha Dharma in the daily life in a flexible, regular, and proper manner, like strong lions, you are not afraid of any sound and noise in life,

like the winds blowing, you are not afraid to get stuck in the net,

like fresh lotuses growing out of the mud and muddy water, but they are not polluted by the mud and muddy water; in the similar way, you live in the world, but you are not polluted by the world,

like the firmest islands of ourselves, you are not afraid of all the obstacles and storms of life,

like the mighty rhinos, you take the most stable and strongest steps forward in life.

As well-cultivated people who are skillful in learning, understanding, applying, and practicing the Buddha Dharma in the daily life in a flexible, regular, and proper manner, like the birds with full two wings soaring high in the sky to enjoy the vast space, you can live a life of freedom, lightness, serenity, and nobility.

When clearly understanding and practicing so, you are the most peaceful and happiest people in the world. From applying and practicing the Buddha Dharma into the daily life maturely and fluently, you have the ability to contribute to bringing flowers and fruits of authentic peace and happiness to the many right in the present life.

The Abandonment of Life

“When hearing the Buddha have entered Nirvana, the Malla people in Kushinagar, monastics and lay people were heartbroken, in agony and sadness, some cried with messy hair, others lamented themselves, and fell down to the ground. Standing in front of the scene of bidding farewell to the Buddha, monastics did not attain holy fruition yet, they could not stop the tears of mercies. Why the Buddha passed away so soon. He has gone, the Dharma eyes disappeared from this life. What a pity it was. For those who attained holy fruition dwelt in mindfulness and inner thoughts. “Everything in the world is impermanent. No one can avoid this separation moment.”

“No one told anyone, many people that gathered incense, flowers, musical instruments, precious silk, etc., brought them to the Sala forest, revered, commemorated, made cremation ceremony of the Buddha’s physical body for seven continuous days. Before sending off his body to the pyre, everyone made offerings to his relics with dances, lyrics of meditative flavors, garlands, and aromas. His body wrapped in precious silk consisted of five hundred layers, placed in a golden coffin. The burning pyre impregnated with precious aromas lifted his golden body. Hundreds of garlands of flowers were well decorated. The elder Monk Maha Kassapa and five hundred Bhikkhu disciples immediately coming back home from Pava place for exactly one week just arrived there.”

When the Honored elder Monk Maha Kassapa and all people paid homage to the World-Honored One, the fire started to burn. Fragrance radiates, the sky is upset, human minds got very sad. After the cremation ceremony, the Buddha’s golden body left many extremely precious relics. His relics divided into eight parts, contained in caskets of stone, dedicated to eight devout Buddhist kings, built worship Stupas in their countries, helped people have the opportunity to pay homage to his relics.

Existing on this earth for eighty years, about 544 B.C.E., at the age of 80, the Buddha who passed away peacefully lay on his right hip, left leg stretched out on right leg, his head turned to the Northern direction beneath two longevity trees in the Sala forest in Kushinagar District, India today.

To pay homage and profound gratitude to the World-Honored One, whose disciples themselves must live correctly with the Dharma by vowing not to do evil, to do good, to keep bodies and minds purified. All of us have to be gifts of cultivation, peace, joy, and true happiness to be dedicated to ourselves and other people right here and right now in the present life.

When chanting here, we disciples wholeheartedly pay homage to the Buddha, the wonderful Dharma, and the harmonious Sangha.

Namo the Original Master Sakyamuni Buddhaya

(3 times, Bell)

DISCOURSE ON THE GREATEST HAPPINESS[9]

MAHA MANGALA SUTTA

I heard these words of the Buddha one time when the World-Honored One was living in the vicinity of Savatthi at the Anathapindika Monastery in the Jeta Grove. Late at night, a deva appeared whose light and beauty made the whole Jeta Grove shine radiantly. After paying respects to the Buddha, the deva asked him a question in the form of a versa:

Many gods and human beings are eager to know

what is the greatest happiness

which bring about a peaceful and happy life.

Please, Tathagata, will you teach us?

These are the Buddha’s teachings. (Bell)

1/Keeping far away from bad and evil people

Always close to good and virtuous people

Honoring those who are worth honoring

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

2/ Knowing to choose a good environment

To do good things

Walking on the path of true goodness

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

3/ Diligently learning good jobs

Knowing to live a life of virtue

Knowing to speak loving speech

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

4/ Knowing to support and serve parents

Loving to take care of family

Knowing to do a proper occupation

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

5/ Living happily in almsgiving

Helping relatives and friends

Treating them flawlessly

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

6/ To avoid not doing evil

Not drunk and addicted

Diligently doing good

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

7/ Knowing humbly and politely in a manner

To learn about good things

To be grateful and know enough

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

8/ Knowing perseverance and

improvement

Contact with talented and virtuous people

Diligently studying together

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

9/ Living in diligence and awakening

Perceiving the Noble Truths,

Enjoying the Dharma joy

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

10/ Living in the world

The mind never wavered

Ending defilements at ease

This is the greatest happiness. (Bell)

Those who accomplish so

Wherever they go is safe,

Wherever they come is strong

Happiness for themselves and

Happiness for other people. (Bell)

May the Day be Well

May the day be well and the night be well.

The day and night whose six times are auspicious.

All the periods are peaceful.

May the Buddha and Bodhisattva bless and protect us.

The countenance of the World-Honored One,

like the full moon or like the orb of the sun,

shines with the light of clarity.

A halo of wisdom spreads in every direction,

enveloping all with love and compassion,

joy and equanimity.

Namo the Original Master Sakyamuni Buddhaya.

(Repeat x 3, Bell)

Practicing wholesome things daily

In the morning, say something wholesome,

In the afternoon, say something wholesome,

In the evening, say something wholesome,

We have a joyful day and night.

In the morning, think about something wholesome,

In the afternoon, think about something wholesome,

In the evening, think about something wholesome,

We have a joyful day and night.

In the morning, do something wholesome,

In the afternoon, do something wholesome,

In the evening, do something wholesome,

We have a joyful day and night,

We have a joyful year and life.

Namo Fully Enlightened Buddhaya (Bell)

Four Practitioner’s Vows

Sentient beings are numberless, I vow to save them all.
Defilements are endless, I vow to end them all.
Dharma cultivation is limitless, I vow to practice it.
The Buddha’s way is supreme, I vow to attain it.

Namo The Fully Awakened Buddhaya.

(3 times, Bell)

Discourse on Loving-Kindness

Metta Sutta[10]

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:

Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.

Peaceful and calm, wise and skillful,

Not proud and demanding in nature.

Let them not do the slightest thing

That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;

Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,

The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,

The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!
Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects her life

Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings:
Radiating kindness over the entire world:

Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down

Free from drowsiness,

One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views, practitioners do not fall into wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration,

The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,

Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world. (Bell)

Namo The Original Master Sakyamuni Buddhaya

(3 times, Bell)

Discourse on Practicing Spreading Loving-Kindness and Compassion Daily to all Directions

(Metta Sutta & Pubbaṇha Sutta)

May I be safe, well, happy, and peaceful.

May I be free from enmity, disease, grief, and suffering.

May I take care of myself happily, freely, and calmly.

May all beings in the eastern direction be safe, well, happy, and peaceful.