TUYN TP TRUYN RT NGN

Tc gi: Thch Nht T

Dch gi: Nguyn Gic
A Collection of Very Short Stories
By Thch Nhat Tu
Translated into English by Tam Dieu and Nguyen Giac

AUTHOR:
Thng Ta Tin S Thch Nht T
Ph vin trng, Hc vin Pht gio Vit Nam ti TP. HCM
Tng bin tp Tp Ch o Pht Ngy Nay
TRANSLATORS:
C s Tm Diu
Ch bin trang mng Pht gio
Th Vin Hoa Sen - http://thuvienhoasen.org/
C s Nguyn Gic
Nh th, ngi vit truyn ngn
Ven. Dr. Thich Nhat Tu
Deputy Rector of the Vietnam Buddhist University, HCMC Campus
Editor-in-Chief of Buddhism Today Magazine
Layperson Tam Dieu
Editor-in-Chief of the Buddhist website:
Th Vin Hoa Sen - http://thuvienhoasen.org/
Layperson Nguyen Giac
A poet and short story teller
*



ENGLI SH VI ETNAMESE
Several Ways to Use a Raft
Before reaching the other river bank, the noble spiritual
master struggled to overcome the hardship: it was hard to
move around with the rising flood tides, and thus it
seemed impossible to cross the river.
After six years of practicing with all methods, including
ascetic way, the master finally got enlightened, completed
his spiritual quest and crossed all the rugged waterfalls of
this side.
Feeling compassion for people living with no clear future
at the other shore, the master worked hard to make
hundreds of rafts with different shapes and colors to offer
help for them.
Those who came from other shore to receive the rafts
included many poets, artists, tourists, interior decorators,
salespersons and monks.
Many people, however, did not want to have a ratf to cross
the river; they felt happy with the flooding river and dared
not to dream further their current conditions.
Thank you Master for your compassion, a tourist said
while gazing at a raft. This raft is so beautiful. He gave
praises, put his luggage onto the raft, traveled here and
there on the rivers till death, and never thought of crossing
to the other shore.
The river stretching to the blue sky so much beautiful,
a poet said while he stepped onto the raft, paddled around
years and months and tirelessly enjoyed the cool breeze
and blue moon. Traveling on the raft among the scenic
view, he and his colleagues made hundreds of loving and
soulful poems.
This good raft will be more beautiful if I decorate if, an
interior designer thought, then he spent several days to buy
materials to make the raft look like a marvelous castle
floating on the river. He and his wife and children were
very happy to live in the raft that was decorated by his
artful hands. He and his family did not paddle far, just
Cc Cch S Dng Chic B
Trc khi sang c b bn kia sng, v o s cao
thng tng b con sng lm cho kh ly: no l
nc lt ca sng dng ln qu cao khng th vn
chuyn y d dng v nht l khng th vt sang
b kia sng c.
Sau su nm cng phu tu tp, bng mi phng php,
k c phng php kh hnh p xc, cui cng v o
s gic ng, thnh tu o qu, vt qua khi thc
l ca sng bn ny.
V thng tng n nhng ngi cn li bn kia
sng sng trong tnh trng khng bit n ngy mai,
khng qun gian kh lm hng trm chic b vi kch
c hnh th v mu sc khc nhau, gi tng cho nhng
ngi cn bn kia sng.
Trong s nhng ngi bn kia sng n nhn cc chic
b, c cc nh thi s, nh ha s, nh du lch y, nh
trang tr ni tht, nh thng bun v cc tu s na.
Nhng c nhiu ngi khng thm nhn b sang
sng v h cm thy hi lng vi tnh trng l lt ca
sng m khng cht bn tm m tng g cao xa hn
tnh trng sng hin nay ca h.
"Cm n v o s c lng thng tng," nh du
lch trm tr nhn chic b ri ni. "Chic b p tht."
ng khen nc n, ri cht hnh l ln b, i du lch
y trn vng sng nc cho n cui i m khng
bn lng cho sang b bn sng.
"Cnh tr sng nc gip tri xanh tht l tuyt!" nh
th tc cnh sanh tnh, ln thuyn cng bn b thng
ngon gi mt trng thanh trn sng nc c nm ny
sang thng n, m khng chn. Nh chic b v cnh
tr p, ng v bn b ng thuyn vi ng sng tc
hng trm bi th tnh t c hn v su sc.
"Chic b tt ny s tuyt p nu ta trang tr thm cho
n!" nh trang tr ni tht thm ngh ri b ra nhiu
ngy mua thm nhiu vt liu trang hong cho chic b
ging nh mt ta lu i lng ly di ng trn sng
stayed around this shore.
Thank the master for your generosity, a salesperson
thought. I will become rich with this good raft, when I
take the tourist to travel around, he dreamed. Then he
made a lot of money with his job as a tour guide on the
vast and beautiful river.
The scenic view is so much beautiful. I have to make a
painting, an artist, while ignoring the raft, sat on the river
bank and sketched on paper a raft traveling on vast river.
His painting was so wonderful that it was auctioned off
with very high price.
I have to reach the other shore and await for other people
to cross the river, a monk said, stepped onto the raft,
invited many people to follow him and paddled hard. After
reaching other shore, the monk gazed the helpful raft,
pushed it back to other shore and silently wished,
Wishing you could take many more people to this
peaceful shore. Then he continued onwards.
Some travelers who had been on the same raft with the
monk said, We have to keep this raft for souvernir
collection. Why do we have to discard it? I helped us a
lot.
Why do we have to keep it as souvenir? We should carry
it home and worship it, a person said.
A very sound suggestion, the crowd clamored and
praised. You said correctly.
While they lifted the raft onto their shoulders, the monk
already left out of sight. The crowd quietly watched each
other, then looked at the other shore where the poets,
artists, salespersons and interior designers on their
rafts were struggling with the strong winds and high tides,
whle others without rafts were swept away in the flood
waters.
nc. ng v v con v cng hnh phc trn chic b
c bn tay kho lo ca ng chm sc. ng v gia
nh khng cho thuyn i xa m ch quanh qun bn
b ny.
"Cm n v o s tt bng!" nh thng bun thm
ngh ri m tng, "ta s lm giu bng chic b tt
ny, a ngi du lch y v a ngi sang
sng!" Ri ng sng v lm giu bng ci ngh ch
ngi i y thng ngon cnh sng nc bao
la di tri trong xanh tuyt p.
"Cnh tr tht l tuyt vi! Ta phi v cnh nn th
ny!" nh ha s, khng thm nhn chic b, thong th
ngi xung trn b sng, ly giy v bt ra v cnh
chic b ngao du trn sng nc bao la. Tranh ca anh
tuyt vi n ngi ta bn u gi rt cao.
"Ta phi sang sng, cn ch ngi khc sang sng
na," v tu s vi v ln trn chic b v mi nhiu
ngi cng ln, nhanh tay cho sang sng. Sau khi
sang sng, ngm nhn chic b gip mnh thot l,
ng th chic b tr li bn kia b, ri khng qun
thm nguyn: "mong sao mi ch thm nhiu ngi
sang sng na nh!" Ni xong, ng tip tc ln ng.
Mt s hnh khch i cng b vi ng t v bt mn,
ni: "Chng ta phi gi chic b ny lm k nim. Ti
sao chng ta li b n? N gip chng ta nhiu lm!"
"Ti sao ch gi lm k nim, chng ta hy cng
nhau vc v nh m th ch," mt ngi khc bt ng
v ln ting ngh.
"C l lm!" c m ng ha theo ri khen, "anh ni
ng!"
Trong khi h cng nng chic b ln vai, v tu s i
mt dng. m ng lng l nhn nhau, ri nhn v b
kia sng thy cnh cc nh thi s, nh ha s, nh
thng bun, nh trang tr ni tht ang chng chnh
trn mt nc phong ba trc cn gi d, v ri nhn
thy cnh nhng ngi khng c b ang ln hp v b
sng nc cun tri!
Praying for Blessing from the Goddess of Sam Ly B Cha Sam Ph H
Mountain
In the yearly sacred season of the Goddess of Sam
Mountain, thousands of people come to her shrine in Chau
Doc Province to pray, asking for help to be successful in
business, and to have a healthy baby. Some offered
prayers and asked for protection from bad luck, and for
higher positions in government. And so many other
wishes.
In the crowds coming to the shrine, there was a young
Buddhist who believed in the law of cause and effect, and
disbelieved the blessing power of the so-called angels
from other religions.
When he came to the gate of the shrine, a crowd of
children swarmed around him. A child said to him, Dear
older brother, please buy some lottery tickets from me.
The Goddess here is so awesome; you will have what you
ask for.
My lottery tickets are more powerful. I prayed her this
morning and asked her to turn my tickets into big winners.
Please buy from me! Another child said to the young
Buddhist.
Dear my older brother, another child intercepted.
Please buy from me. In this whole yearly sacred season, I
keep a vegetarian diet. I have prayed the Goddess every
day. Many of my customers already became millionaires.
The young Buddhist felt sorry for the kids, bought a
lottery ticket from each of them, and said gently, Thus
you all must be millionaires before them, right?
The children thought for a while, and glanced at each
other... until the Buddhist faded away at the bottom of the
hill.
n ma va B Ni Sam, Chu c, hng ngn ngi
l lt ko nhau v ly B, cu mua may, bn c, lm
n thnh t v sinh con theo mun. Nhiu ngi cn
cu B ph h cho c tai qua nn khi, thng quan
tin chc. V cn nhiu iu van xin, cu nguyn thm
kn khc na.
Trong s nhng on ngi n ving n B c mt
v Pht t tr tui, vn tin nguyn l duyn khi v
khng tin vo quyn lc ban phc, ging ho ca thn
thnh ca cc tn gio khc.
Va bc n cng n, nm by em trai bn v s
xm quanh anh. Mt a trong nhm mi rao: Anh i,
mua v s i. B y linh lm: cu g c ny.
"V s ca em linh hn anh . Sng nay em ly B
v cu cho ngi mua trng s c c. Mua gim em
i! Mt a khc xen vo.
"Anh i, mt a khc ngt li, Hy mua ca em. C
ma va B nm nay, em n chay. Ngy no cng ly
B ph h. Ngi mua v s ca em tr thnh triu
ph nhiu lm. B phn bua.
Anh Pht t thng l tr con ngho kho, mua u ca
mi em mt t v s, ri t tn ni: Nh vy, cc em
phi l nhng ngi tr thnh triu ph trc tin
ch!?
Bn tr suy ngh hi lu, ri lic nhn nhau ng ngc . .
. cho n lc anh Pht t mt dng t pha chn i.
God Had to Win the Election
After a nation on earth had celebrated the election of a
President and members of the Senate and the House of
Representatives, hundreds of millions people swarmed
around statues and pictures of God and said, We dont
recognize you. We want you to be elected.
Thng Phi c C
Sau ngy cng b kt qu bu c tng thng v hai ta
thng v h ngh vin ca quc gia tri t, hng trm
triu ngi vy qun bn tng v hnh ca Thng
v ni: Chng con khng tha nhn Ngi. Chng con
mun Ngi c c!
From the high clouds, God heard the outcries, felt
unhappy, and then assigned the Kitchen God to survey
why human beings didnt recognize him. The Kitchen God
traveled by airplane to earth to survey the opinions. After
stepping out of the airplane, the Kitchen God fell down
amidst the swarms of people who were carrying gifts and
flowers and heading toward a landing helicopter.
The Kitchen God rose up and asked an old traveler, Why
do the hurry so? Who is getting great hospitality over
there?
You are so weird! The old traveler told the Kitchen
God. The just-elected senator comes over there, and
many people think he would become a governor of this
state in a near election. They bring gifts and flowers to
welcome him. I am doing so, too.
Really? The Kitchen God disappointedly said.
Then he sadly came out of the airport, heading toward a
taxi counter where he could prepay for a taxi.
I want to buy a taxi fare to the Holy Shrine of the earth,
the Kitchen God told the counter clerk.
Sorry, Sir! No taxi today! The clerk explained. All the
taxi drivers have to join a meeting to elect the president of
the taxi union.
But, customers are gods... the Kitchen God complained
and tried to convince the clerk.
No way, Sir, the clerk said, and joyfully explained
Election is the most important event these days. The
elected president of an organization is very powerful.
After winning this election, he or she could win the
senatorial election and then the governorship election...
Disappointedly, the Kitchen God boarded a bus to the
Holy Shrine of the earth, where he came at 9:30pm and
saw only the police officers, not believers, line stretching
from the gate to the main hall with their loaded guns and
sophisticated bomb detectors.
Why do you block the believers from going into the
T my tng my xanh, Thng nghe thu c li
ku ca, cm thy khng vui, bn cho To qun xung
trn nghin cu ti sao thin h khng tha nhn ngi.
To qun vng lnh p my bay xung a cu
thm d kin. Va bc xung my bay, To qun b
m ng mang y hoa thm v qu chen ln v lm
ng t ng. m ng ht h i nhanh v pha chic
trc thng c nhn va h cnh.
To qun bn ln ngi dy ri hi mt ngi hnh
khch gi, Ti sao h vi v n th? H n ai vy?
"Anh ng ngn qu!" Ngi hnh khch gi ni vi
To qun. "ng thng ngh vin va c c n!"
Ngi hnh khch ni tip, "ng y s c th tr thnh
thng c ca mt bang trong vi tun bu c sp ti.
H mang hoa v qu ti cho n ng. Ti cng vy!"
"Th !" To qun ni mt cch tht vng.
Ni xong, To qun bun b i ra khi sn bay, hng
v quy Taxi tr-tin-trc.
"Bn cho ti mt v i n n Thnh a ca tri t,"
To qun ni vi ngi bn v.
"Xin li anh, hm nay khng c Taxi!" Ngi bn v
gii thch. "Tt c ti x u bn hp bu chn v
ch tch ca cng on Taxi."
"Nhng khch hng l Thng kia m!" To qun
phn nn v c gii thch.
"Ch c ngha l g!" Ngi bn hng p li. "Bu c
l quan trng hn ht ca ngy nay. Chc ch tch hi
on rt c quyn uy. Khi c c chc v ny, ngi
ch tch c th c c chc thng ngh vin v ri
thng c na v.v" Ngi bn hng vui v gii thch.
V cng tht vng, To qun nh n xe bus i v
Thnh a ca tri t. Ti ni 9.30 ti. Thay v thy
tn , To qun ch thy ton cnh st tri di t
cng vo trong n; trn tay h ton l v kh ti tn v
c my mc pht hin v bo cht n t xa.
"Ti sao cc anh khng cho tn vo n cu nguyn
Shrine to pray God? The Kitchen God asked the police
chief.
Oh, you dont know that the just-elected President is
coming here, the police chief said.
The entrance of the Shrine will be closed at 10pm, when
the God has to go to bed. The time now is 9:30pm. If the
President cannot come before 10pm, what would happen
then? He would disappoint and go back home, right? The
Kitchen God said.
Its okay! The police chief replied. Its a normal thing
to miss an event; however, the God must be waiting for
the President. The God wont sleep until he meet and give
blessings to the just-elected President.
God has to wait for a worldly person? The Kitchen God
complained. Why does God have to wait for a worldly
person? The Kitchen God slipped some more words of
displeasure.
Worldly! The police chief hardened his voice. You
dared to say that the President was a worldly person! The
President was elected by voters; he must be supreme. God
has to wait for him, even if he comes late.
The Kitchen God thought over and over about those
arguments, and started doubting on the concepts of the
worldly and the Creator God. The Kitchen God felt no
need to enter the Shrine or exchange words with the
people waiting in front of the gate; he sadly returned to the
heaven.
Dear His Holiness, my Creator God! The Kitchen God
wrapped his armes around his chest and said to the God, I
just returned here from the world. I think the worldly
people have reasonable correct ideas. You have to be
elected by votes.
Elected? The God showed unhappiness. You said that
I need to be elected by votes.
A worldly person who got elected by votes transformed
himself into the God of the worldly, and then became
more powerful than His Holiness the Creator God. That
Thng ?" To qun cht vn anh cnh st trng.
"Anh khng bit sao, ngi tng thng va c c ca
chng ta s n!" V cnh st trng t tn tr li.
"Nhng ca n s ng vo lc 10 gi ti, khi y
Thng phi i ng. By gi 9.30 gi ri. Nu
tng thng khng ti trc 10 gi th chuyn g s xy
ra? H phi i v trong v vng !" To qun ct vn.
"C g u!" V cnh st trng tr li. "Thin h phi
v l chuyn thng thi!" Anh ni tip. "Thng s
phi ch tng thng. Ngi s khng i ng cho n khi
tip v ban phc cho v tng thng mi c c ny!"
Anh t tin gii thch.
"Thng phi ch mt ngi phm tc!" To qun
bt mn than. "Ti sao Thng phi ch ngi
phm ch!" To qun bung nh thm mt cu trch
mc.
"Phm tc!" V cnh st trng gng ging. "Anh dm
bo tng thng l ngi phm tc ! Tng thng l
ngi c dn bu. Tng thng l ti thng. Thng
phi ch ng, nu ng c n tr!" V cnh st
trng khng nh.
To qun suy ngh hi lu v cu ni trn, ri bt u
nghi ng v khi nim phm tc v Thng . Khng
cn vo n v khng cn hi thm kin thin h v
cc tn ng ngoi cng n, To qun bun b tr
v tri.
"Ly Ngi, Thng ca con!" ng knh cn khoanh
tay trc Thng tha, "Con va tr v t tri t
v con thy rng thin h ni ng v h c l."
To qun khng nh, "Ngi phi c c!"
"c c!" Thng khng vui bo, "Ngi bo sao,
ta phi c c !"
"Ngi phm c c tht s tr nn ti thng hn
Ngi v tr thnh Thng ca loi ngi!" To
qun tr li. "y l iu con hc c t tri t!"
To qun khng khi kt lun.
was I learned from the worldly, the Kitchen God replied
with those assertive wors.
Brought into Heaven
An aging Buddhist sadly visited many temples, and asked
the monks why so many bad things happened to her, who
has done a lot of good things for society. For mostly every
charitable trip she took, an accident or a bad event would
happen to her.
Dear Master! She respectfully said to a high monk.
Why does my life have so many bad things, especially
while I was joining a charitable trip. For a small thing I
helped people, a small accident happened to me; for a
large scale one, a bigger accident happened. Seemingly,
the law of cause and effect, and the law of right and wrong
did not exist. Why did the Buddha and the bodhisattvas
not help the philanthropists?
Her tears fell over her wrinkled face where she still had
some blood-stained scratches from a car accident in one of
her largest charitable trips last month.
Dear old lady. Calm your mind, please. The high monk
said. We are monks, who are considered as field of merits
in the three realms. Many of us entered the temples as a
child, studied the scriptures, meditated daily, did so many
good things for society, and still got illness and bad
incidents.
Dear old lady! The high monk continued. The karma or
the cause-and-effect process is not the fruits of this one
lifetime. It is a chain of interacting events in many
lifetimes in the past, the present and the future.
The high monk explained, The bad incidents we have in
this lifetime are the bitter fruits from the bad seeds and
bad trees we planted in past lives. The charitable things
you do today are the good seeds sown in the land where
many bad trees and fruits from past lives are growing;
while the good seeds are still immature, the bad seeds
from past lives now turn into bitter fruits... Believe me.
You surely will have good merits, either in this lifetime or
later.
The old lady folded her hands, bowed to the high monk,
c Rc v bn Phm Thin
Mt v pht t ln tui bun b tm n nhiu cha
hi v sao b lm nhiu vic t thin x hi m vn b
nhiu tai ng, nn ch. Hu nh mi chuyn t thin
u em li cho b mt s c, mt tai nn.
"Knh bch thy!" B cung knh tha vi mt v
thng ta, "Sao i con lun gp nn, nht l trong
khi lm t thin. Lm t thin nh th con gp tai nn
nh. Lm t thin ln th con gp tai nn ln." B h
ging t cu hi, "Th khng c nhn qu thin c
sao? Hay Pht v B-tt khng ph h ngi lm
lnh?"
B ngn ngo ri nc mt, trn i m gy g cn
rm mu m do tai nn b lt xe trong mt chuyn t
thin ln nht trong i b, thng va ri.
"C hy bnh tm!" V thng ta an i, "Chng ti l
tu s, nhng ngi c xem l rung phc ca i,
tu hnh t nh n ln, lm bit bao vic lnh li ch
cho nhn qun x hi, m vn b gp tai ng v bnh
tt."
"C !" V thng ta dy tip, "Nghip bo hay nhn
qu o c khng ch l hoa tri ca mt i ngi.
N l mt chui tng quan v cng phc tp ca
nhiu i, bao gm qu kh, hin ti v tng lai."
V thng ta gii thch, "Tai ng ca chng ta i
ny l nhng tri ng m chng ta gieo ht v trng
cy xu c nhiu i trc. Vic lm t thin hm
nay ch l nhng ht ging ngt mi gieo trong mnh
t c nhiu cy tri xu i trc, nn chng cha
kp tr qu phc th cy c trong qu kh cho tri
ng ri... C hy tin ti, ri y khng sm th mun,
trong tng lai ca kip ny hay kip sau, c s hng
qu phc!" V thng ta khng nh.
B knh cn chp tay cho v thng ta ra v, nhng
lng vn khng thy tha mn v cu tr li. Ci tai
nn trt tay, lch mi v tho y trn i m gy g ...
khng lm cho ngi pht t ln tui ny nn lng lm
and went home, with unresting thoughts clinging in her
mind. The aging Buddhist still eagerly worked for charity
events, despite that that accident dislocated her nose and
one of her arms, and scarred her slim cheeks. The monks
in any temple she came to ask all gave her the same
answers -- with some different details or different
words.
One day, upon taking advice from friends she came to ask
a young scholar monk who had just completed post-
graduate study in the land of Buddha with the same
question.
Dear Master, my life is so unlucky. Please look at scars
and pus on my face; they were from a car accident last
month when I joined a charitable trip, she asked for an
explanation from the scholar monk.
Dear old lady, what happened to the people in the same
vehicle with you? The young scholar monk asked her
with a compassionate voice.
Dear Master, some people still have to stay in the
hospital, some become paralytic, and some are gone. Its
very sad. I was the oldest person in that vehicle, and the
least injured person, she said.
That is your precious merit, which has come from your
lifelong charitable work, the monk said.
She raised eyebrows, then said, Is that so?
Let me tell you a story from India. The monk said
unhurriedly. Just like every year, during the months of
June and July 1999, hundreds of vehicles transported
Hinduism believers to their holy sites to pray and worship.
So many sad incidents happened in these holy trips: Three
cars were hit by a big lorry truck, and all occupants in
those three cars died without a body intact; Two cars
plunged into the Ganges River, and all occupants died.
After that incident, many relatives of the victims quit their
belief, thinking that the gods and heavenly beings of
Hinduism had no power at all; however, many others
showed their happiness that their relatives had been
received by the Creator God or Lord Brahma into Heaven,
where they would sit in the same table with angels to help
vic thin. Nhng hu nh khi i n cha no, n v
thng ta no hi thm, b cng ch nghe c cu
tr li tng t, vi vi chi tit v cch din t hay
minh ha khc nhau, ci cch tr li ny khng lm du
c ni bng khung v thc mc ca b.
Hm n, nghe bn b pht t ni nhiu v mt i c
tr tui va tu hc bn x Pht tr v, b n thm
v y v cng t mt cu hi tng t:
"Tha thy, sao i ti gp nhiu bt hnh qu. Thy
hy xem, gng mt y tho v cha lnh m ny l
do tai nn b lt xe trong mt chuyn lm t thin x
hi thng trc y!" B phn bua v yu cu v i
c tr gii thch.
"Cn nhng ngi lm t thin cng i chung mt
chuyn xe b lt th no?" V tu s tr hi b vi mt
ging t i.
"Tha thy, vi ngi vn cn nm vin, vi ngi bi
lit, v vi ngi cht!" B va k va khc, "Ti cho
h qu!!!" B khng qun nu chi tit, "Ti l ngi
gi nht trn xe v cng l ngi b thng nh nht."
" l phc bu ca c y, ci phc bu do sut
i lm t thin khng mt mi!" V tu s nhn mnh.
B nhng mt t v ngc nhin, ri ni, Vy sao!
"Ti k cho c nghe chuyn lm phc n ." V
tu s t tn ni. "Cng nh mi nm, vo thng 6 v
thng 7 nm 1999, hng trm xe ch tn n gio tr
v thnh a ca h chim bi v cu nguyn. Bo
ch ghi li nhiu chuyn thng tm. Ba chic xe trong
s b xe hng ng, cht khng cn mt ngi ton
thy. Hai xe b ri xung sng Hng khng tm c
xc v.v Trc s c , nhiu thn nhn ca nhng
ngi b cht bun b t b o v ngh rng thn v
tri ca n gio khng linh, nhng nhiu ngi khc
biu t nim hnh phc nh, "Ngi thn ca ti
c Phm Thin, ng sng th, rc v ci trn ri.
Ri y, ngi thn ca ti s ngi chung bn vi cc
v thn linh khc ph h nhn sanh v chng ta
tn th!"
the worldly people and they in turn should be worshipped
by us.
The young monk told his conclusion to the old lady: Dear
old lady, now you see that it is very important to see
things as they are, and to draw a point of view, especially
when we want to step on the virtuous path of Buddhism.
The old lady felt moving, and her tears fell happily on her
scarred bony cheeks. Then she smiled beemingly and said,
That means that Buddha and bodhisattvas dont want to
receive me now. The Holy Beings want me to do more
charitable deeds.
The young monk put his palms together in front of his
chest and bowed to the old lady. She bowed back to him
and went home with joyful mind and deep belief in
causality.
K xong, v tu s tr khng qun kt lun cho b c:
"C thy y, cch thc nhn nh v nh gi vn
tr nn v cng quan trng n th, nht l i vi con
ng vun bi i sng o c!"
B c bi ngi xc ng ri li ri nhng git thnh
thot trn g m cm xng v y tho. Ri, ming b
n mt n ci tht ti, tht duyn dng v ni:
Ngha l Pht v B-tt cha mun rc ti! Cc ngi
mun nhn nh ti hy tip tc lm vic thin!
V tu s tr chp tay, gt u cho b c. B c vui v
cho thy ri ra v vi mt tm lng thanh thn v tin
su nhn qu.
The Conference of Gods on the Issues of the Year 2000
In the last months of 1999, the Gods from the large
religions in the world met to talk about the issues of the
year 2000.
Among those coming to the conference there were
internationalized Gods, such as from India, China, Israel,
Jerusalem City, and the Middle East.
Also coming there were national and local Gods; however,
these lower-tier Gods were not allowed to get inside the
meeting hall and they had to wait outside for the meeting
results.
The president of the conference on the issues of the year
2000 was Indias God, who was the oldest among Gods.
The secretary of the conference is Chinas God.
Dear my peer Gods, the Indias God started the
conference. Within few more months, the year 1999 will
be gone and we will face the year 2000, which was the end
of the world as stated by some holy scriptures by some
Gods. Do you all Gods here have any idea about this final
end, and about how to make it a reality?
That will be the day of final judgement, the Middle
Cuc Hp ca Cc Thng v Nm 2000
Vo nhng thng cui nm 1999, cc v Thng ca
cc tn gio ln trn th gii gp g nhau t chc
cuc hp v nm 2000.
Bui hp n, cc Thng cp quc t, chng hn
nh, ca n , ca Trung Quc, ca Do thi, ca
thnh Gia-du-xa-lem v ca khi Trung ng u c
mt.
Ngoi ra, cn c cc Thng cp quc gia v a
phng u n ng . Nhng bt hnh thay, cc
Thng cp nh ny khng c d hp, v ng
cp x hi thp km ca mnh. H phi ng ngoi
phng hp ch kt qu.
Ch ta ca cuc hp cp cao v nm 2000 l Thng
ca n , v Thng c tui ln nht. Th k
ca cuc hp l Thng ca Trung Quc.
"Knh tha qu Thng ng nghip!" Thng
ca n khai mc cuc hp, "Ch cn vi thng na,
nm 1999 s tri qua v nm 2000 s n, ci nm m
kinh thnh ca mt s Thng ghi rng s tn th.
Qu Thng ng nghip c kin g v ci ngy
ny v c bin php g bin n thnh hin thc,"
Easts God said hastily.
That was said by my holy scripture everybody knew
that, Israels God said. The core issue now is, as the
President of Gods Conference said, how to make it a
reality.
That has been my work for over 50 years, since the year
India became independent from Britain and when Pakistan
became a new country, The Middle Easts God said.
When Pakistan became independent, I started urging
these people to make war with India.
This God continued, From a bloody Siachen battle in
1960 to the Kargil war in 1999, I almost succeeded in
persuading them to use nuclear bombs to destroy each
other; however, I failed because the US did not support
that war, and the G-8 countries and India were very busy
with their elections. Thus, I failed.
Those efforts were not worthy to mention! The
Jerusalem Citys God said. You all may still remember
the Second World Ward, in which I helped my believers in
Germany and Italy, and united with Japans God to make
bloody wars in all the world. After the US dropped two
nuclear bombs in Japan, those three countries were
crushed badly.
Inevitably, it failed, Chinas God said. That time was
still far away from 2000, and the then efforts were not
pushed hard enough. My holy scripture did not mention
about the end of world; thus I dont want to discuss about
a plan to make it a reality.
We should have catched the preys from afar, the
Jerusalem Citys God said. Recently, I wanted to make a
big incident in Kosovo. The US jumped in there, and you
all know that I failed in there. And some years ago, I
pushed the Iraq government to conquer Kuwait and use
nuclear weapons there, but the US again intervened and
destroy my plan. The US scientists destroyed the weapons
of mass destruction from Iraq, and put sanctions measures
against this country; thus, the Muslim countries dared not
to help Iraq. The US again put a stick on the wheels.
Its worth it, the Middle Easts God teasingly smiled. If
" l ngy phn xt cui cng," Thng khi
Trung ng vi v ni.
"y l iu kinh thnh ca ti ni trc, ai m khng
bit!" Thng Do Thi ct ngang. "Vn trng
tm, nh Thng ch ta ni, l lm th no bin
n thnh hin thc."
"y l cng vic m ti lu tm hn 50 nm nay,
k t n thot khi ch thng tr ca Anh v chia
Pakistan thnh mt nc c lp trn bn th gii,"
Thng Trung ng phn trn. "Khi Pakistan hin
hu nh mt nc c lp, ti khng ngng kch
ng thin h ca ti nc ny gy chin vi n
."
Thng ny k chi tit, "T mt trn Siachen m
mu vo nm 1960 cho n cuc chin Kargil vo nm
1999 va qua, ti gn thnh cng trong vic kch hai
nc ny s dng bom ht nhn tiu hy nhau.
Nhng n lc ny tht bi, do Pakistan khng c
s ng h ca M v khi G-8 v n li bn rn
trong cuc bu c. Ti nh bt lc!"
"N lc c chi u m ni!" Thng thnh Gia-
du-xa-lem so snh. "Chc qi v vn cn nh th chin
th hai, ti h tr c lc cho con chin ca ti
c v , v ngoi ra, ti cn phi hp nhp nhng vi
Thng x Thn o, gy chin tranh m mu trn
ton cu. Nhng ri chuyn khng i n u. M ch
di ht nhn vo x Thn o, ri ba cng quc ny
b qun i ng minh nh bi tan tnh!"
"Bi l phi!" Thng Trung Quc ni, "Thi im
n nm 2000 u m n lc ht mnh! Kinh
thnh ca ti khng h ni n chuyn tn th, do ,
ti khng mun tham gia bn k sch bin n thnh
hin thc."
"Chng ta phi bt mi t xa ch!" Thng thnh
Gia-du-xa-lem bin h. "Gn y," ng k, "Ti mun
lm ln chuyn Kosovo. M nhng tay tip v ri
nh qu ng nghip thy, ti khng thnh cng!"
Thng ny dn chng thm, "V mt ln vo my
nm trc, ti kch Iraq nh chim C-qut v th
bm ht nhn vo nc ny, nhng M li can thip v
you asked my help at the time, you'd be successful then.
The Middle East is in my jurisdiction, not yours.
Why do you argue with each other? The President of
Gods said. We meet here to think about a plan, not to
argue or boast about any achievement.
It would be easy, the Jerusalem Citys God said happily
and confidently. All we Gods should try to urge our
believers to make wars among them, then the Third World
War will come and the earth will explode into
bloody fragments.
We have not much time left for a successful plan. The
Israels God said in a worried manner. Now the members
of the United Nations Security Council were divided into
three dissenting groups; they cannot agree on any issue,
and they are very happy to fight against each other. How
could we push them to have a majority of votes.
Yes, thats right! The Gods clamored, clicked their
tongues, and nodded their heads thoughtfully.
What should we do now? A God said.
Thats OK, I have a plan! The Jerusalem Citys God
happily said. My priests in the world have built up large
flocks of thousands of doctoral degree holders. I will tell
my priests to give orders to them to create a theory to
explain the end-of-world incident of year 2000, just like
the Y2K incident of the computers.
What does that mean? We dont understand. Some Gods
surprisingly asked.
That means we should explain the doomsday as a
philosophical symbol, not as a literal incident in which the
world would be destroyed and come to an end, the
Jerusalem Citys God explained.
You said quite reasonably! The President of Gods
happily said. I has been labeled as the Creator of the
world, the Protector of the world, and the Destroyer of the
world. If I dont want to destroy the world, it must still be
protected and maintained by me. Thus, it must be the same
ph m. Cc khoa hc gia nc ny ph hy cc v
kh st hi tp th ca Iraq v cm vn nc ny lm
cho khi Hi gio khng dm ng h Iraq." Thng
ny kt lun mt cch chn chng, "Cng li M cht
gy bnh xe na!"
"ng i lm!" Thng khi Trung ng ci
chc tc. "Nu anh cu vin ti lc th mi vic
xong ri." ng bung nh thm mt cu, "Trung ng
l x s cai tr ca ti ch u phi ca ng!"
"Sao qu v li ci v vi nhau!" Thng ch ta
can. "Chng ta hp l bn gii php ch u phi
ginh cng v ci ln,"
"D thi," Thng thnh Gia-du-xa-lem ni. "Qu
Thng ng nghip hy c gng xi gic thin h
ca mnh gy chin vi nhau v cuc gy chin ny s
dn n chin tranh th gii th ba. Lc , th qu a
cu ny ch cn l mnh vn ca bi m pha vi mu
mu!" Thng ny ni mt cch t tin v tm c.
"Nhng thi gian cn qu t lm sao chng ta c th
thnh cng?" Thng Do Thi cht vn. "Hin nay,
hi ng bo an lin hip quc c n ba nhm. Ba
nhm u ph k hoch v quyt nh ca nhau. Nhm
ny ng th nhm kia chng kch lit. Lm sao ly
c biu quyt ca a s?" Thng ny phn trn
ni kh khn.
"ng, ng!" Cc Thng ng nghip u chc
li v gt u suy ngh.
"Lm sao by gi?" Mt v Thng cht ln ting.
"Khng sao, ti c cch!" Thng thnh Gia-du-
xa-lem vui v ni. "Ch chn ca ti di th c n
hng ngn tin s gii, lm vic di trng. Ti s bo
v ch chn ra lnh cc v tin s ny to nn mn "gii
thch hc" l gii s c tn th nm 2000, theo cch
thc l gii s c Y2K ca my vi tnh vy."
"Ngha l lm sao, chng ti khng hiu!" cc Thng
khc ngc nhin hi.
"Ngha l gii thch ch "tn th" theo ngha biu tng
with the incident of year 2000.
That means that you got all the advantageous bargain on
the explanation of the doomsday incident, all the other
Gods clamored.
While the discussion came to nowhere, an outside voice
from a local God provocatively reached into the hall,
How could that immature plan success? If there is no
doomsday plan, then you all should kill yourselves first.
Arrest him please! The President and the Secretary of
the Conference gave out the order.
Many Gods rushed out of the hall, catched that small local
God, and beat him up badly. Painfully, this local God
detonated his concealed suicide bomb. A huge explosion
shook the earth. All the Gods in the hall died, and their
bodies came to pieces. Many local Gods waiting outside
also died, and the rest had to run to find a hiding place to
avoid prosecution by worldly courts.
Then the year 2000 passed safely. Thus the end of the
doomsday event.
trit l, ch khng theo ngha en ca t: th l i, tn
l chm dt, l b hy dit ht," v Thng thnh
Gia-du-xa-lem gii thch cn k.
"C l y!" Thng ch ta ni. "Ti c mnh
danh l ng to dng nn th gii, ng duy tr th
gii v ng hy dit th gii. Nu ta khng mun hy
dit th th gii vn cn nm trong s bao bc v duy
tr ca ta. S c nm 2000 cng vy," Thng ch
ta tm c v cng.
"Nh vy tt c mn hi ca cuc gii m ngha "Tn
th" thuc v mn hi ca ng sao!" cc v Thng
ng thanh ln ting.
Chuyn bn ci khng i n u, bng vng vng t
ngoi vng vo l ting ca mt v Thng a
phng: "K hoch non nh vy lm sao thnh cng
c." ng c ch ni tip vi mt ging khu khch
v chc tc, "C g u, nu k hoch tn th khng
xong, th cc anh phi t st trc ch!"
"Bt anh y li!" Thng ch ta v th k ra lnh.
Cc Thng xm chy ra khi phng hp, nho ti
v Thng a phng nh b, chp ly ng ri
nh ti bi. Trong cn au n, v Thng ny
bm nt "mn t st" trong ngi ng. Mt ting n
khc lit vang ln, rung chuyn c a cu. Cc v
Thng d hp trong phng cht tan xc. Cc
Thng a phng khng c d hp, mt s
cng b cht, s cn li chy trn khi b truy n can
h.
Ri nm 2000 tri qua trong bnh yn! S kin tn th
chm dt!
Greetings to the Master
The abbot of a temple in a large city in Vietnam died. The
funeral ritual for the venerable monk was simple and
gracious. Later, a young adult monk was appointed as the
new abbot there.
Almost a year bassed by. In a morning, a middle-aged
female Buddhist visited the temple with the intention of
meeting her old master. Coming in the room of the abbot,
D ... d, con knh bch Thy!
Ti mt ngi cha thuc cp bc trung trong mt thnh
ph ln ca Vit Nam, v Ha thng tr tr qua i.
L tng nim v tng tng v Ha thng ny rt n
gin nhng khng km phn trn trng. Sau khng
lu, Gio hi b nhim mt v i c tr tui ln
lm tr tr ngi cha .
Gn mt nm tri qua, vo mt bui sng n, mt ch
she saw a young and small monk who looked like the
attendant monk she had met last year.
The woman said, My dear young brother, please let me
see the abbot of the temple. I did not see him almost a
year.
The young monk invited her to have a seat, poured the tea
into a cup for her, and asked the woman what she wanted
from the visit. She said she wanted to see the venerable
old monk to have an advice about how to calm her rushing
mind.
The young monk said that she should try to keep mindful
attention in every thought and in every body movement.
He said that when she saw her thoughts scramble about
something, she should try to breathe in and out slowly and
deeply, and should tell herself that she should not hurry
because the hurries would lead to something wrong.
The monk gave her more advices on how to calm her
mind, such as the method of alternative thinking and the
method of delayed thinking. With method of alternative
thinking, instead of making any hasty decision, she should
focus on another issue, try to imitate the calm manner of
Buddha, and quiet her rushing mind.
With method of delayed thinking, she should think over
and over about the issue in a necessary time, and should
not shorten the time; any immature decision would lead to
disadvantage later.
While listening to the young monk, the female Buddhist
felt impatient; she insisted the young monk to let her see
the venerable old monk.
Dear young brother, please tell the venerable old monk
that I am Dieu Vien and have come here to visit my old
master. She said gently. Dear young brother, please
understand that I am very busy.
Dear elder sister, please wait for a moment. The abbot
will come to see you right away, the young monk said.
Then the young monk got into the inner room, put on his
brown dress, stepped out again and sat on the simple chair
pht t tui trung nin n cha ving thm v Ha
thng. Bc vo phng tr tr, ch gp mt v tu s
nh ngi, tr trung ging nh v th gi ch gp nm
trc.
Ch bo, "Em lm n cho ch gp Ha thng tr tr."
Ch pht t phn trn, "Gn mt nm ri ch khng n
thm Ha thng!"
V tu s vui v mi ch ngi, rt nc mi ch ung,
hi thm mc ch ca ch n gp tr tr. Ch bo ch
n gp Ha Thng xin Ha thng mt li
khuyn v cch khc phc tm tnh vi v ca ch.
V tu s tr khuyn ch c gng ch tm v tnh thc
trong tng hnh vi c ch ca tm v ca thn. Khi no
thy tm nn nng v mt vic g th phi bit tm
mnh ang b bc chy vi la vi v m c gng ht
th tht su v tm nim rng ta khng nn vi v, v
vi v thng dn ti sai lm.
V tu s gp ch vi cch khc khc phc tm,
chng hn nh phng php thay th v phng php
tr hon v.v Phng php thay th l thay i ch
t duy. Ngha l thay v bm vo s nn nng quyt
nh lm mt vic g, ta tp trung vo mt ch khc,
chng hn nh phong thi ung dung ca c Pht,
c gng bt chc ngi v t b tnh vi v.
Phng php tr hon nhm suy t v tnh thi gian cn
thit mt cch ti thiu ca mt s kin hay vn . S
nhy vt v thi gian c th dn n s chn "hp" ca
cng vic v c th gy nhiu bt li v sau.
Nghe v tu s tr gii thch, ch Pht t cm thy st
rut v cng v ni n thy cho ch gp Ha thng.
"Em lm n tha vi Ha thng c Diu Vin ti
thm Ha thng." Ch bung thm mt cu nh, "Em
thng cm, ch bn lm!"
"Xin ch vui lng ch cho mt cht, thy tr tr s ra
lin!" V tu s tr tui t tn p.
Ni xong, thy bc vo bung trong, mc o trng
nu vo, thong th bc ra ri ngi xung ngay chnh
which he had just risen from.
The female Buddhist became more impatient, asking
hurriedly, Is the abbot busy, or he is not in the temple
now? Why does he not come here?
Dear elder sister, the venerable old monk you want to see
already passed away a year ago, the young monk said.
You said the venerable monk already went to the land of
Buddha? When? How could I not know that? She asked
hastily.
The young monk told about the illness from which the
venerable abbot died last year, about the reverence shown
to him by the Buddhists from the four directions, and
about how he had been cared meticulously by many fine
medical doctors. The female Buddhist wept, wiped her
tears, faulted herself for not often visiting the temple and
thus had not known about his passing.
She said movingly to the young monk, Dear young
brother, would you please let me see the new abbot.
Dear elder sister, I was appointed by the Sangha Body as
the new abbot, the young monk replied leisurely. What
can I do to help you?
Knowing that the young monk was the new abbot, she
embarassingly shifted the way she spoke, Yes, yes... dear
master, dear master, please accept my repentance.
No problem, the monk said gently. Words for etiquette
just are words for social communication. Dont let those
words cling in our minds.
The young abbot then talked to her about how to calm the
rushing mind, continuing where he had been disrupted. He
taught her the mindfulness of breathing and body, and
advised her to visit the temple more often. Hearing the
teaching, she felt so much happy. After the abbot finished
the lesson, she bowed and left.
Saying farewell and watching her walk out of the room,
the young abbot thought, Life is so strange. People are
respected for their names and positions. If you have a
ci gh n s m thy va ng dy.
Ch pht t tr nn xt rut hn, vi v hi: "B Ha
thng tr tr bn hay Ha thng khng c cha?
Sao khng thy Ha thng ra?"
"Tha ch, Ha thng tr tr qua i cch y mt
nm ri!" v tu s tr khoan dung ni.
"Em bo sao, Ha thng v ci Pht ri h? Hi no
vy, sao ch khng hay?" ch hi dn dp.
V tu s tr k li cn bnh ngt ngho cp i mng
sng ca Ha thng vo nm ngoi, trc s knh tic
v nh thng v vn ca pht t bn phng, mc d
Ha thng c cc bc s gii ngy m thay
nhau chm sc. Ch pht t nghe thy k, nghn ngo
ri nc mt, t trch mnh khng thng xuyn ti
cha nn khng bit g v tin t trn ca Ha thng.
Va lau nc mt, ch va nghn ngo ni vi v tu s
tr: "Thi th, em lm n cho ch gp v tr tr mi!"
"Tha ch, bn tng l ngi c Gio hi b lm tr
tr thay th Ha thng !" v tu s tr khoan thai ni
tip, "Bn tng c th gip ch c g khng?"
Bit v tu s trc mt mnh l v tr tr mi ca cha,
ch bn ln i ging: "D, d ... con knh bch thy ..."
ch lng ta lng tng by t xin li v s tht l. "Bch
... bch thy, cho con xin sm-hi!"
"C sao u!" v tu s bung nh. "Ngn ng xng h
l cch mc c trong giao t thi, c g u m phi
tm chp mc!"
S ch ngi ngng v thy lin chuyn sang ti v
cch khc phc "tm vi v" cho ch nghe, m khi ny
thy ang ni d dang. Sau , thy tn tnh dy cho
ch cch tu thin qun st hi th, hnh vi ca bn thn
v khuyn ch sing nng i cha hn. Nghe thy ging
gio l, ch cm thy thch v cng. Sau bi ging, ch
cho thy ra v.
Tin ch ra khi ca phng, nhn di theo tng bc
chn ca ch, v tr tr tr thm ngh: "Cuc i ny l
repected name or are in a high position, your advice would
be trusted deeply and followed joyfully; otherwise, that
same wise and reasonable advice might not convince
anybody. Behaving that way, people have lost so many
good chances to learn in life!
tht, con ngi ta trng vng ci "danh" v ci "chc
v" n th. Cng li dy ca mt ngi, nu li dy
khng c khoc ln mnh n mt ci danh, mt
chc v, cha chc ngi nghe chu tin v lm theo,
d li dy c ng v su sc, nhng nu li ni
c khoc ln o ca mt ngi c chc v, th ngi
ta mi chu nghe: nghe mt cch tm c v hoan h
lm theo! y mi bit, theo cch ny ngi ta b l
rt nhiu c hi hc hi trong giao t v trong cuc
sng!"
Shaking Head or Nodding Head
After twenty years of isolation, the government of
Vietnam started letting the Buddhist monks and nuns to
study abroad since early 1990s. Those who were lucky to
be helped financially went to France and Japan, those with
less financial help went to China, and those with least help
went to India, where Buddhism was founded. Among over
twenty five religious students going to study in India in
1994, there is a young, energetic, studious monk.
The first day he went to the market to buy some needy
things, he came to find a rickshaw (1), which had the look
like a xe ko in the south-western provinces of Vietnam.
How much to go from here to the Camp Market? He
asked the rickshaw driver.
ch ru-pe -- that meant ten Indian rupees (2) the
driver replied.
Eight rupees, the young monk haggled; he knew that
the official price for that distance would be only five
rupees.
The rickshaw driver shook his head. The monk stepped
away because he thought that the driver did not agree with
that price of eight rupees.
Come here, come here... please, the driver called out.
After hearing the call, the monk asked again for sure,
Eight rupees, that means eight rupees.
The driver shook his head. Thinking that the driver
disagreed, the monk turned his back and stepped forward
Lc u v Gt u
Sau hai mi nm b quan ta cng, chnh ph Vit
Nam bt u cp h chiu cho php cc tu s Pht gio
i du hc vo nhng nm u thp nin 90 ca th k
20. Ngi c phc c vin tr tt th i Php, i
Nht, ngi km hn th i Trung Quc v ngi t
ngun vin tr hn na th i n , x s khai
sanh ra nh o vng Gic Ng. Trong s hn 25 v i
n vo nm 1994, c mt v tu s tr tui, nng
ng v hiu hc.
Ngy u tin ra ch mua nhu yu phm, thy gi mt
chic xe rickshaw p [1], hi ging vi chic xe ko
cc tnh min Ty Nam b Vit Nam.
"T y i ra ch Camp bao nhiu tin?" thy hi v
p xe.
"ch ru-pe," tc "mi ng rupee", [2] anh p xe
tr li.
"t ru-pe," tc "tm ng c khng?" thy mc c,
v thy bit rng gi chnh thc ch c nm ng rupee
thi.
Anh p xe lc u nm by ci. Thy b i v ngh
anh khng chu gi tm ng.
"Come, come" tc "li y, li y!" anh p xe gi vi
theo thy.
Nghe anh gi, thy hi li cho chc: "Tm ng h!"
"tm ng nghe!" thy ni thm.
Anh p xe li lc u lia la. Thy thm ngh anh dp
fast. Then the driver called out to the monk.
Bt-th, please hop in the rickshaw! the driver said the
the monk.
That means eight rupees, right! the monk asked again.
The driver shook his head again and again. Unhesitatingly,
the monk walked ahead, despite the driver said again and
again, Bt-th, bt-th... dear master, please hop onto the
rickshaw, please.
A week later, the monk started learning Hindi language
and Indian culture, and then understood that when an
Indian shook his/her head that meant he/she wanted to say
I agree with you; however, a Vietnamese would express
his/her agreement by nodding head. Also bt-th
meant please get on [the rickshaw] while the monk
mistook it for you haggled so bad in Vietnamese.
[1] There are two types of rickshaws, with or without
motor; they are cheap and popular means of transportation
in India.
[2] The rupee is Indian currency. In 1994, a rupee was
equal to 330 Vietnamese dong; and a U.S. dollar was
equal to 36 rupees.
xe tht kh hiu nn quay lng i nhanh. Anh p xe
li gi vi theo.
"Bt-th" ln xe!" anh p xe mi thy.
"Tm ng phi khng?" thy li hi.
Anh p xe li lc u vi ci. Thy b i thng mt
nc m khng ng ngoi li, mc cho anh p xe mi
gi nhiu ln, "bt-th, bt-th" mi [thy] ln xe, mi
[thy] ln xe.
Mt tun l sau , thy bt u hc ting Hindi v vn
ha n , thy mi hiu ra rng "lc u" l du hiu
biu t "s ng " ca ngi n, m ngi Vit Nam
thng th hin bng ci "gt u," v "bt-th" l
"mi ngi [ln xe]" m thy c tng anh ni ting
Vit theo ging t: "[tr gi] bt th."
[1] C hai loi Rickshaw, loi Rickshaw p v loi
Rickshaw my. y l 2 phng tin giao thng tng
i r v ph bin n .
[2] Rupee l n v tin t ca n . Gi mt ng
Rupee vo nm 1994 tng ng 330 ng Vit Nam,
v khong 36 ng Rupee mi bng mt ng la
M.
Stay Around With Black and Red, if You Are
Awesome
Once upon a time, there was a family; the husband was
Dragon, and the wife was Nymph. They had five sons.
The couple named their children in a chronological order:
Yellow, Blue, White, Red and Black.
Yellow, Blue and White were very filial to their parents,
and devoted to their younger brothers. After Dragon and
Nymph had passed away and left a huge estate, Red and
Black thought of killing the three older brothers to steal
the whole fortune.
Red was so cruel, even to his brothers or anybody. He
could swear and show his violent behavior anytime. He
neither believed in Buddha, holy beings and the next life,
nor trusted in his parents, brothers, relatives and
neighbors. He only thought of money and his present
C Ngon Sng vi Thng en, Thng
V chng anh Rng v ch Tin c nm a con trai.
Anh ch t tn con mnh bng cc mu sc. a u
lng tn Vng, th hai tn Xanh, th ba tn Trng, th
t tn v a t tn en.
Vng, Xanh v Trng ht mc hiu tho vi cha m v
nhng nhn em mnh. Sau khi v chng anh ch Rng
v Tin qua i, li mt gia ti kt s. en v c
tnh tranh ginh, tm cch hi cc ngi anh, cng
nhau ot gia ti cha m li cho c nm anh em.
c tnh hung hn, khng bit n tnh ngha anh
em. N chng t ai. H mun chi l n chi. H mun
bo ng l n bo ng. N chng tin c Pht, thnh,
thn linh, cha m, anh em, b con, lng xm v cuc
sng i sau. N ch bit n tin bc v cuc sng vt
worldly life.
Black was skillfully deceitful; he showed affection to his
brothers on the outside while thinking of the evil thoughts.
He actually hired some bad guys to mug and batter his
three eldest brothers.
Seeing the bad behaviors of the two youngest brothers,
Blue and White felt sad, left home, worked hard and
became rich fast. Yellow was still poor, patiently staying
around with the two bad younger brothers.
Dear Yellow, why do you cling to the estate that you
cannot inherit, bearing the burden of staying around Black
and Red? Blue wrote in a letter to Yellow. You see that
I and White now have own houses and great careers. You
are the eldest of our family; you would have succeeded
long ago.
All members of my own family are now very happy,
White advised in a letter to his older brother Yellow. I
wish you leave soon and look for a new career; our parents
will help you, just like they did for me and Blue.
Several years passed. Despite receiving a lot of letters
from Blue and White, and despite the bullying from Black
and Red, Yellow kept silent and continued to stay in the
house their parents had left behind.
One day, knowing that Yellow just installed a telephone,
Blue and White gave him a call.
Brother Yellow, you are still OK now? We worry for
you. Blue and White tried to convince the eldest brother
to leave away from the two youngest brothers. Red and
Black are two thugs; why dont you desert them to find a
paradise.
I dont see any bullying from them. Yellow said.
What did you say? Not bullied? Blue and White gave
out the questions. Did you get anything from that house,
which you would have inherited from our parents?
I have a lot now: the meaning of life, Yellow
philosophically replied. Living in a bullying environment
cht hin ti.
en th khc hn v xo lanh hn. N t v thng
knh anh em trc mt v b ngoi nhng bn trong
th tri ngc. Sau lng, n thu c bn cn du ng
v hng m thu chm mn, chn ng hnh hung
cc ngi anh ca n.
Bt nhn trc cnh tng tranh ginh v m hi ca
hai ngi em, Xanh v Trng r nhau b nh ra i.
Khng bao lu, nh tnh cn c, thng minh v tho
vc, c hai lp c c nghip v tr nn giu c,
trong khi Vng vn ngho kh nh ngy no v vn n
nhn chung vi hai a em bc c.
"Anh Vng ! ti sao anh li tic nui ci gia ti m
mnh khng th hng c, m cam nh chung vi
hai thng en v ?" Xanh vit th thuyt phc anh
Vng. "Anh khng thy sao, em v Trng nay c
nh ca v s nghip ring ri. Anh l anh hai, sao t
th!"
"Gia nh em by gi sng lm!" mt li khoe trong
mt l th do Trng vit gi cho anh Vng. "Em mong
anh sm mnh dn t b ngi nh , ra i tm s
nghip mi nh ti em, ri cha m s thng m ph
h anh, nh ph h em v anh Xanh."
Nhiu nm tri qua, mc d nhn khng bit bao nhiu
l th ca Xanh v Trng, anh Vng vn khng tr li,
vn tip tc trong ngi nh cha m mnh li, trc
s hung hn v v l ca hai ngi em en v .
Mt hm, khi bit c anh Vng va gn in thoi,
Xanh v Trng gi v hi thm anh.
"Anh Vng, anh vn khe nh hm no ch? Ti em lo
cho s phn ca anh," Xanh v Trng by t, " v
en l hai thng cn , sao anh khng t b chng m
ra i tm thin ng mi!" Xanh v Trng c thuyt
phc.
"Anh khng thy anh b chng bc hi cht no!" Vng
tr li dt khot vi hai ngi em ca mnh.
"Anh ni sao, anh khng b bc hi ?!" Xanh v Trng
while keeping a blissfully calm mind is a precious wealth.
What do you want more?
Oh, you are crazy. We dont understand why you bear
and consider bitterness as sweetness; you have empty
hands now. Blue and White lamented, argued and tried to
convince his eldest brother. If you could bear a burden,
you should follow us to leave that house and make a new
career. Why are you are so inactive now?
Dear my brother! You should not mistake where you are
living as a paradise. The true paradise exists only in hell.
Happiness exists only in suffering. The unfettered mind
exists already in the fettered mind. This worldly suffering
is actually where you live with the awesome morality. I
learned that way of living from our parents when you were
still very young. Yellow explained his position. If you
are awesome, you should return here to live with Black
and Red. Here is the place where you will see paradise,
hell and Nirvana.
Unable to convince the eldest brother, Blue and White
dropped the telephone set, could not eat and drink
anything for the whole day, lied on their beds and thought
over and over about Yellows words, If you are
awesome, you should return here to live in the same house
with Black and Red.
The words of Yellow sent Blue and White into sleep, in
which their lips whispered, Yes, yes! Brother Yellow is
right. Happiness truly exists only when the mind is calm,
unmoved and relaxing.
hi vn li. "Th anh c g trong ci nh , ci
nh l ra anh phi hng quyn k t c, theo di chc
ca cha m chng ta."
"Anh c nhiu lm ch: ngha ca c cuc i,"
Vng tr li nh nh. "Sng trong cnh b bc hi m
tm mnh vn bnh thn v an vui th khng phi l
c ci ti sn v gi, th ci g cc em mi gi l ti
sn ch?" Vng trit l.
", anh in ri!" Xanh v Trng than th. "Ti em
khng hiu sao anh li chu ng ni ci th cai ng
m cho l ngt ngo; mt bn tay trng m cho l gia
ti c!" Xanh v Trng thc mc. "Anh m c gan
chu ng th hy bt chc ti em lm li s nghip
bng s ra i v n lc ca chnh mnh. Ti sao anh li
bc nhc v th ng n th!"
"Cc em ng lm ngh rng ni m cc em ang l
thin ng. Thin ng ch c mt ni a ngc.
Hnh phc ch c mt trong kh au. Phin no chnh
l gii thot. Kh au l chnh b-; trn gian l ci
sum xu o mu. l iu m anh hc c t cha
m, khi cc em cn qu nh." Vng thong th gii
thch. "Cc em c ngon th v y sng vi thng en
v thng ! a ngc, thin ng v nit-bn u
nm ." Vng khng khi vi lp trng ca mnh.
Bit anh Vng trc sau nh mt, Xanh v Trng bun
b bung in thoi xung. Hm , hai anh em khng
n ung g, nm di trn chic ly vng, suy ngh min
mang v cu ni khng khi ca anh Vng, "C ngon
th sng chung vi thng en v thng !"
Ci suy ngh v cu ni ca anh Vng a Xanh v
Trng vo gic ng. Trong gic ng thip, h lm bm
ni th tho trn hai i mi "ng, ng! Anh Vng
ni rt ng! Hnh phc ch tht s ng tr khi tm
khng giao ng v bnh thn."
Prison and Hell
There was an ancient golden Buddha statue in an ancient
temple that had been put in the list of cultural historical
heritages. One day when the monk went outside, a thief
visited the temple and stole the statue.
T Ngc v a Ngc
Mt ngi cha c c xp vo hng di tch vn ha
lch s, c mt tng Pht c bng vng. Hm n, nhn
nh s i vng, tn o chch n thm cha v
nh cp tng Pht.
Running hastily, he dropped a piece of paper with his
name and address on it. A police interrogator came to see
the thief, and put out many questions. The thief claimed
innocence and said that he did not steal the Buddha statue.
Finally, the old monk appeared, and asked to discuss with
the thief privately in the main hall of the temple. Within
few minutes, the old monk came out and gave the police
the name of an antique jewelry store in a famous large
city.
Showing admiration and surprise, the interrogator said,
How did you, an old monk, do it? We threatened to put
him in prison and could not make him confess.
The old monk replied, I only told him that the karma of
stealing a Buddha statue will push him into the
Uninterrupted Hell.
Trong vi v, hn nh ri giy t c tn v a
ch ca mnh. B tnh nghi, hn c cc vin cnh st
thanh tra n tra vn. Tn o chch mt mc khng
chu khai v khng tha nhn y n cp tng Pht.
Cui cng, v s gi ca ngi cha xut hin v yu
cu c ni chuyn mt mnh vi hn. Ch trong vi
pht, v s gi i ra v a cho cc vin thanh tra tn
hiu ca mt tim mua bn vng bc v c trong
mt thnh ph ln, ni ting.
V cng ngc nhin v t v khm phc, mt vin
thanh tra hi, "lm sao thy c th lm c vic ny?"
"Chng ti," anh ni tip, " da hn rng lut php s
bt giam hn vo t ngc nhng hn vn ngoan c
khng chu th ti!"
V s gi n tn p, "Ti ch bo anh ta rng nghip
trm cp tng Pht s y anh vo a ngc v gin!"
Divine Power and Weak Point
There was a just married couple who were living so
happily in love, sharing, respect and understanding. When
one of them fell ill or met some hardship at work, the
other said words of consolation and tried to ease his or her
pain.
One day, after working long depressing hours, the wife
returned home with so much tiredness and stress. The
husband made a glass of lemonade for his wife, used a
iced face towel to wipe her face, and told her the stories
about the beautiful Ha Long Bay surrounded by vast ocean
scenery, about the Non Nuoc Temple in the middle of a
poetic lake, and many other stories unrelated to her office
work.
Listening attentively to the stories, she felt happy and
energetic again.
My darling, you are truly my divine medicine, she said
and smiled gracefully.
He breathed a sigh of relief, My dear, you are truly my
weak point.
Sc Thn v im Yu
Hai v chng va mi kt hn sng v cng hnh phc
trong s tn trng, hiu bit, thng yu v chia s
nhau. Mi khi, ai gp phi kh khn, bnh tt ... ngi
kia s tn tnh gip cho ngi ny c khuy
kha v bt i ni au.
Mt hm n, t vn phng lm vic tr v sau nhng
gi cng thng vi bn ng nghip, nng tr nn mt
nhc, r ri v cng thng. Chng lin pha mt ly
nc chanh cho nng ung v dng khn lnh lau
mt nng, ri huyn thuyn k cho nng nghe, no l,
cnh p ca vnh H Long gia bin ngn, no l cnh
cha Non Nc ang ngm mnh trong h nc nn
th, v cn nhiu chuyn khc na ... khng lin l g
n cng vic vn phng ca nng.
Say m nghe chng k, nng ti tnh ra, nng ng v
vui v nh mi khi.
"Anh yu du ca em, anh qu tht l thuc thn ca
em!" Nng khen chng vi mt n ci ti xinh v
duyn dng trn mi.
Chng th pho nh nhm, "Cn cc cng ca anh, em
tht s l im yu ca anh!"
A thousand offspring in a single birth
Four men are waiting anxiously in a hospital where their
wives were in the delivery rooms.
Ten minutes later, a female nurse stepped out, and said
happily to the fisrt man, Congratulations to you! You
have twins!
This is a strange coincidence. The man proudly said. I
am working in a two-way transportation.
About half hour later, the nurse stepped out again and said
to the second man: Congratulations to you! You have
triplets.
This a strange coincidence. The man said and smiled
happily. I am a manager of a three - star hotel in a lagre
city.
One hour later, while the two first men happily talked to
each other, the nurse came out and spoke to the third man
who was sitting anxiously in a corner of the room, Dear
Sir, you and your wife now have quadruplets.
Really? You say quadruplets. The man spoke
skeptically.
Is there another coincidence? The female nurse said.
That man replied, Unbelievable! I am working in the
company that has the name Four Seasons Foods.
Then the fourth man became the focus of all the people in
the room. The man felt dizzy and fell unconscious to the
floor. The nurse rushed to him, and helped him to regain
consciousness.
Rising up from the floor, he murmured words of
desperation and regretfulness, I am working for a
company that specializes in millennium-related computer
problems. Oh dear! I should have never worked for it.
* * *
The way of thinking expressed by the fourth man reflected
Mt ngn con song sanh
Bn ngi chng ang hi hp ngi ch i v tin
khai hoa n nhu ca nhng b v ang lm bn ca
mnh trong phng ch ca mt nh thng sn ph ni
ting.
Mi pht sau, c y t i ra, vui v ni vi ngi n
ng th nht:
"Xin chc mng ng! ng l cha ca hai chu sanh
i."
"Tht l s trng hp l lng!" Ngi n ng hnh
din phn trn, "ti lm trong cng ty giao thng hai
chiu y m."
C y t i vo trong ri na ting sau, c i ra v ni
vi ngi n ng th hai:
"ng l cha ca ba chu tam sinh!"
"Tht l trng hp khng th tng tng!" ng va
ci va mng r ni, "ti l ngi qun tr ca mt
khch sn ba sao trong thnh ph ln."
Mt ting sau, trong khi hai ngi n ng u ang
vui v tm s th c t li i ra, chc mng ngi n
ng th ba, mt ngi ang ngi hi hp trong mt gc
phng:
"Tha ng, v ca ng va sanh bn chu trai khu
khnh!"
"Thit khng ? C bo v ti sanh bn ?" ngi n
ng na tin na ng ni.
"Li c trng hp na sao!" C y t vi vng hi.
Ngi n ng ni tip, "ti khng th no tin c!
Ti lm trong mt cng ty mang tn Thc Phm Bn
Ma."
Khi nghe tin ny, mi ngi bt u dn ht s ch
sang ngi n ng th t. ng tr nn chong vng
ri ngt xu trn nn phng. C y t vi chy n bn
the approach of linking some coincident occurrences into
some false truths. He thought that he would have one
thousand children born in a single birth after he was
surprised earlier by the three chanceful incidents. That was
so absurd. How could a pregnant woman carry one
thousand offspring? He actually believed that and he
actually fell unconscious to the floor. It was so silly and so
miserable. Actually, his wife gave birth to a newborn only.
We mostly behave like that. We often claim some
speculations or arguments as the truth of some
phenomenon; Ditto the general public, and the majority of
philosophers who have represented the most respected
scholars in society.
The philosophies from the East and the West, from the
past and the present would be wrong if they claimed some
logical arguments as the truth. Many of them unite truth
with logical arguments: if it is logical, it must be true.
In reality, there are on earth hundred thousands of
occurrences that happen logically and against the truth.
Truth is the being, and truth is that things exist from
moment to moment despite all the logical or illogical
speculations. Truth exists beyond the logical or illogical
traits. Truth is the truth of things that exist as they exist.
That is the interaction and interdependence of all beings.
Life has so many random and purposeless happenings
which are interpreted by many thinkers as the Will of the
Creator God, whose true face has never been seen by
anyone.
People put so many characteristics into the idea of Creator
God to advocate for their own speculations. Thus, they say
that God is the absolute reality, that God exists beyond the
speculation and perception of human beings, that God
remains beyond all values, that God is limitless while
words and knowledge of human beings are limited, and
that it is wrong to employ the limited to explain the
limitless; in short, they say that human beings cannot
understand the Creator God.
Actually, Creator God never existed. God only existed in
the history of human imagination, firstly in the form of the
unexplained phenomenon, and later in the form of
ng, ng dy.
Mt hi lu sau khi tnh dy, ng lm bm lp i lp li
mt cu ni y v tht vng, chn chng v n hn:
"Phi m ti khng lm vic cho cng ty in ton
thin nin k!!!" "Phi m ti khng lm vic cho cng
ty in ton thin nin k!!!"
* * *
Cu ni thng tht v n hn ca ngi n ng th t
"Phi m ti khng lm vic cho cng ty in ton
thin nin k!!!" phn nh mt cch in hnh v sinh
ng ci thi "ng ho tnh logic ca cc ngu
nhin thnh chn l ca cc s kin." ng lm ngh
rng ng s l cha ca mt ngn a tr song sinh, ch
v b n tng bi ba trng hp ngu nhin ca nhng
ngi n ng khc! Tht l v l lm sao! Bng d
con ngi no li c th cha ng mt ngn a con.
y th m ng li ngh l tht ri ht hong v t xu.
Tht l khi hi v ng ti nghip ng. S tht th v
ng ch sinh mt m thi.
Phn ln chng ta cng vy. Chng ta thng c
khuynh hng nh ng tnh cht hp l ca cc suy
lun, gi thuyt thnh chn l ca cc s kin. Khng
ring g s ng qun chng, m i a s cc trit gia,
nhng ngi i din cho tng lp tr thc ca x hi
trong cc thi i, cng vy.
Lch s trit hc th gii ng Ty v kim c tr
nn sai lm khi nhn chn l qua gc ca logic.
Chn l c h ng ho vi logic. Ci g c logic ci
l chn l.
Trong thc t c hng trm ngn s kin c logic
nhng tri ngc vi chn l v cng, v ngc li.
Chn l l nhng ci nh chng ang l, d cho chng
c cha ng cc thuc tnh ca logic hay khng. Chn
l vt ra khi tnh logic v phi logic. Chn l l chn
l ca cc s vt nh chng ang hin hu. l tnh
tng duyn v tng thuc ca mi hin hu.
Cuc i cha y dy s tnh c v ngu nhin nh
vy ! Nhiu ngi c khuynh hng l gii s ngu
religious and philosophical theories.
If there was the first cause of universe, then what had been
the cause of that beginning? That question shows the
contradictions of all speculations about a non-existent
God.
If God has existed, he must be the most inhuman and most
barbarous being, who has created the unequal
discriminations among his creations, has divided his
children into warring races from which they must fight
against and oppress each other, has created the natural
disasters and diseases and plagues; in short, did God think
that human beings surrounded by suffering would beg him
for mercy?
Oh, the so-called Creator God, who is worshipped by so
many people because of misunderstanding the nature of
interaction and interdependence in universe, is so evil, so
unfair and so hateful. In the history of humanity, there
have been so many bloody wars in the name of the non-
existent God.
Thus, when people cannot have the Right View, all things
become ruinous and painful.
THE END
nhin nh mt s an bi ca Thng hay ng To
vt, mc d cha ai trong s h thy bit mt mi
tht ca v Thng hay ng To vt ny.
Ngi ta gn cho Thng nhng thuc tnh
bin h cho gi nh ca mnh. No l Thng l
thc ti tuyt i. Thng vt khi mi gi nh,
suy t v din t ca con ngi. Thng siu vt
mi gi tr. Ngn ng v kin thc ca con ngi tht
l gii hn trong khi thng l v hn. Ly ci hu
hn l gii v ci v hn l mt sai lm. Ni chung,
con ngi khng th hiu c Thng ...
Nhng tht ra Thng no c hin hu bao gi.
Thng xut hin trong lch s tng tng ca loi
ngi lc u di hnh thc ca nhng g khng l
gii c, v dn d tr nn tn ngng ho v trit l
ho.
Nu c mt nguyn nhn khi thu ca v tr th ci g
l nguyn nhn ca ci khi thu ? Ch cn mt cu
hi nh vy thi cng cho thy c tnh mu thun
ca cc gi nh v mt Thng bt tht.
Nu thng c mt th tht s ng l ngi tn nhn
v v nhn o nht. ng to ra giai cp trong cc
to vt ca ng. ng phn chia con ci ca ng thnh
nhiu mu da v chng tc chng u tranh v cai
tr nhau. ng to ra thin tai, l lt, bnh tt, tai nn,
au kh cho ton th th to khi c ai cu khn van
xin, ng ban cht n hu.
i, ng thng m ngi ta tn th do hiu sai v
bn cht duyn khi v tng thuc ca v tr tht l
him c, bt cng v ng gh tm. Trong lch s nhn
loi c bit bao nhiu cuc chin m mu ch v h
nhn danh ng Thng bt tht .
i s sai lm trong nhn thc lm cho vn tr
nn v cng ti t v au thng!
THE END