Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters

Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 1 of 74
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters

Translated and Commented by Nguyen Giac
This book is dedicated to: - my three teachers -- The Zen Master Thich Tich Chieu, and the late Dharma Masters Thich Thien Tam and Thich Tai Quang; - all my parents in this life and other lives; - a very special layperson who is urgently needing help from Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva; and all sentient beings. I am grateful to a lot of Zen monks and laypersons who translated the verses composed by ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters into the modern Vietnamese language, and made reference easy for later generations. Specifically, I am indebted to the Zen Masters Thich Thanh Tu, Tri Sieu Le Manh That and to layperson Tran Dinh Son, whose works I relied on while working on this book.
(Extracted from a book in progress. Please feel free to use for reference purposes. On the web: http://thuvienhoasen.org/ZenAncientMasters.htm All suggestions are welcome. Email: nguyengiac@yahoo.com -- California, 2006)
1 Sitting There are three ways of sitting in meditation. First, sit and keep your mind on breathing; Second, sit and chant the sutras; And third, sit and happily listen to the chanting of sutras. Sitting has three levels. First, sit in union; Second, sit in peacefulness; And third, sit without fetters. What does it mean to sit in union? That means your mind becomes one with your body. What does it mean to sit in peacefulness? That means your mind has no thought. What does it mean to sit without fetters? When all fetters are destroyed that means to sit without fetters. KHUONG TANG HOI (? 280) (COMMENT: When mindful of your breathing, you are also mindful of your mind. Later, you will see your mind becoming one with your breath. When mindful of your bodily movement, you are also mindful of your mind. Later, you will see your mind becoming one with your body. Looking at your mind, you see thoughts coming and going, just like waves rising and falling. When you see no thoughts occurring, your mind is peaceful just like a still lake.)
1 Ngi
C ba li ngi theo o. Mt l ngi s tc. Hai l ngi tng kinh. Ba l ngi vui nghe kinh. l ba. Ngi c ba cp. Mt l ngi hip v. Hai l ngi tnh. Ba l ngi khng c kt. Ngi hip v l g? L bm ly hnh khng ri, l ngi hip v. Ngi tnh l g? L khng nim ngh, l ngi tnh. Ngi khng c kt l g? L kt ht, l ngi khng c kt. KHNG TNG HI (Introduction to Kinh An Ban Th Bn dch TT Tr Siu L Mnh Tht.) (BNH:Khi nim hi th, bn cng ang nim tm ca bn. Sau , bn s thy tm bn tr thnh mt vi hi th. Khi nim cc hnh ng ca thn, nh lc ny l ngi, bn cng ang nim tm bn. Ri bn s thy thn v tm l mt. Nhn vo tm bn, bn thy cc nim n ri i, ht nh sng ln ri xung. Khi bn thy khng nim no khi, tm bn s an tnh nh mt h phng lng.)
2 Learning Monks! Offering your best efforts to Buddha, all learners only need to quit bad conduct. Be mindful while you chant, understand what you believe, practice the teachings you hear, and live in a quiet place near Dharma friends. Speak peacefully, timely; have no fears. Understand the meaning of Dharma, and get enlightenment; quit the ignorance, and constantly be mindful; be calm, and live with your mind unmoved. See all things as impermanent, non-self, uncreated, unconditioned. Thus learners are those who have no discrimination. TINH LUC (1112 1175) (COMMENT: See for yourself all things are impermanent, and non-self. Looking at the person you are now, you see it is different to millions of persons you were yesterday, and you see you are just a stream running swiftly, manifesting endlessly in different forms as waves rising and falling, as bubbles forming and popping. The waves and bubbles continuously appear large or small, high or low, hot or cold, clean or unclean; but at all times, water has no form, being unmoved, staying unconditioned. Just live like water, and you will catch a glimpse of Nirvana the state of uncreated, unconditioned peace. After that insight, you easily act, speak, and think mindfully, without discrimination. Just advance on the way to liberation; dont cling to this suffering world again, in this life or after.)
2 Hc o
Cc ngi! Tt c cc ngi hc o ly tm sing nng cng dng Pht, khng g khc hn ch cu dt c cc nghip c. Tm ming nim tng, tin hiu nghe nhn, ch vng v yn lng, gn thin tri thc. Ni ra li ha nh, ni phi thi ng lc, trong tm khng khip nhc. Liu t ngha l, xa la ngu m, an tr ch bt ng. Qun tt c php v thng, v ng, v tc (uncreated) v vi. (unconditioned) Ni ni la phn bit, y l ngi hc o TNH LC (1112 1175) Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Hy t thy vn php l v thng, v v ng. Nhn vo chnh bn by gi, bn thy n khc vi hng triu con ngi ca bn hm qua, v bn thy bn ch l mt dng sui chy xit, hin l v tn trong cc thn khc nhau, ht nh sng sinh ri dit, nh bt sng tro ln ri v tan. Sng v bt sng c lin tc xut hin, ln hay nh, cao hay thp, nng hay lnh, sch hay d; nhng lun lun, nc th khng c sc tng, bt ng, khng b to tc. Sau ci trc nhn , bn d dng hnh ng, ni, v suy ngh mt cch tnh thc, khng phn bit. Hy thng ng ti gii that; ng bm vo th gii au kh ny na, trong i ny hay i sau.)
3 Breathing Breathing in, you feel you are breathing in; breathing out, you feel you are breathing out. Breathing in, you know you are breathing in; breathing out, you know you are breathing out. While you breathe, you feel; then, you know. Feeling that means you feel the breath long or short. Knowing that means you are aware of the breath rising and falling, rough or smooth, slow or fast. KHUONG TANG HOI (COMMENT: Breathing meditation helps calm the mind easily; it is also a part of mindfulness meditation. There are many ways in breathing meditation. Some teachers prefer to count or follow the breaths. You should also try this way: With eyes half open, dont count, dont follow, just feel the breaths; Be alert, and feel the breathing. Just be like a baby, and feel the breathing. A baby can not think, can not count, can not put her mind on the breaths, but she lives mostly with a sense of feeling and she will cry when the room is too hot, or when she is hungry. Just feel the breaths, dont count or follow it. Remember that all methods of breathing meditation are helpful, and you can try many different ones. The Buddha said that breathing meditation cured many illness too.)
3 Th
Hi th ra, hi th vo t hiu, hi th ra, hi th vo t bit. ng lc y l hiu, v sau l bit. Hiu l hiu hi th di ngn. Bit l bit hi th sinh dit th t chm nhanh. KHNG TNG HI Bn dch TT Tr Siu L Mnh Tht. (BNH: Php thin nim hi th gip tnh tm d dng; n cng l mt phn ca thin qun nim. C nhiu php nim hi th. Vi v thy a cch m hay theo di hi th. Bn cng nn th cch ny: Vi mt m na chng, ng m, ng theo di, m hy cm nhn hi th; Hy tnh to, v cm nhn hi th. Hy ht nh mt em b s sinh, v cm nhn hi th. Em b khng th suy ngh, khng th m, khng th ch tm vo hi th, nhng em b sng hu ht l bng cm thc, v b s khc khi trong phng qu nng, hay khi b i bng. Hy cm nhn hi th, ng m hay theo di n. Hy nh rng tt c phng php nim hi th u tt, v bn c th th tp nhiu php nim hi th khc nhau. c Pht ni php thin hi th cng cha c nhiu bnh.)
4 Wisdom Learning the way of Buddha, you must have zeal; to become a Buddha, you need wisdom. Shooting an arrow to a target more than a hundred steps away, you must be strong; to hit the mark, you need more than strength. BAO GIAM (?-1173) (COMMENT: Wisdom, insight, right view... Just follow the Buddhas teachings, meditate for many years, and you will understand the Way.) 4 Tu Mun tin n tng tha ca Pht l phi sing nng, song thnh Pht chnh gic phi nh tr tu. V nh nhm bn ci ch ngoi trm bc, mi tn n c l nh sc mnh, song trng c ch khng phi do sc. BO GIM (?-1173) Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Tr tu, tu tri, chnh kin Hy theo li Pht dy, thin tp trong nhiu nm, v bn s hiu o.) * 5 Taming the mind Outwardly, stop all involvement; inwardly, stop all fabrication. Be alert -- have a mind unmoved by the form you see, by the sound you hear, by the odor you smell, by the flavor you taste. Constantly, watch the ox moving, listen to its hoofbeats. Constantly, in any movement, never keep your eyes away from the ox. Constantly, keep your mind on the ox while lying, sitting, standing and walking.
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 5 of 74 Constantly, keep watching inwardly. Its wrong to let it wander wildly.
QUANG TRI (circa 18th century) (COMMENT: Meditation is like taming an ox. How can you have a mind unmoved while living in this world? Just be like the water, not like waves or bubbles; the water is unmoved, uncreated, unconditioned while the waves rise and fall, the bubbles form and pop endlessly. Look at your mind an endless stream of thoughts. Keep watching the mind, and be like water, which equally flows all things thrown into that stream.) 5 Luyn Tm Bn ngai ngng cc duyn, bn trong dt cc vng. Kim sat ci nhn ca mt, ci nghe ca tai, ci ngi ca mi, ci nm ca li. Trong sut ngy, lc no mt cng cn ni qun s rong chy ca con tru, tai lng nghe tung tch ca con tru. Cho n nht c nht ng, nim nim u khng tch xa con tru. Nm, ngi, i, ng u tm vo con tru ny. Khng cho mt giy pht no l khng chiu ri vo. H li lng l tri phm. QUNG TR Bn dch C s Trn nh Sn. (BNH: Thin tp y ht nh chn tru. Lm sao bn gi tm bt ng trong khi sng trong ci ny? Hay sng nh nc, ch ng nh sng tro hay bt ni; nc th bt ng, v tc, v vi trong khi cc t sng sinh ri dit, bt ni ri tan hai thi. Hy nhn vo tm bn mt dng si bt tn ca cc nim. Hy c nhn vo tm hai, v c sng nh nc, bnh ng cun tri ht tt c nhng g nm vo sui.)

6 Watchful Watch yourself everyday, constantly. Watch yourself, be mindful, be alert. In this dream world, dont search for Dharma counselor; Watch yourself, and see the Buddhas face on your face. HUONG HAI (1628 1715) (COMMENT: Watch yourself, and see you are impermanent, non-self. Watch yourself, and see whether you are living in a dream. You are changing swiftly, endlessly. Yesterday, you had millions of different bodies, millions of different feelings, millions of different thoughts just like a stream flowing swiftly. Look back and see all those bodies, feelings, and thoughts just like dreams, like echoes, like mirages. Then look at the day before yesterday. Do you feel just like millions of lives away? Are those dreams? Think nothing, just observe. Just be alert, feel the breath, observe the body breathing. And feel the life and death flowing swiftly, endlessly in your whole body.) 6 Thm St Hng ngy qun li chnh ni mnh Xt nt k cng ch d khinh Trong mng tm chi ngi tri thc Mt thy s thy trn mt mnh. (Phn vn t k mi thng quan Thm st t duy t t khan Mc gio mng trung tm tri thc Tng lai din thng s nhan.) HNG HI (1628 1715) Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Hy nhn chnh bn, v thy rng bn l v thng, v ng. Hy nhn chnh bn, v xem c phi bn ang sng trong mt gic m. Bn ang bin i mau chng, bt tn. Hm qua, bn c hng triu thn khc nhau, hng triu cm th khc nhau, hng triu nim khc nhau y ht nh mt dng sui chy xit. Hy nhn li v xem tt c cc thn , cm th , v nim y ht nh m, nh ting vang, nh o nh.Ri hy nhn vo ngy trc ngy hm qua. Bn c cm thy nh l hng triu kip xa cch khng? C phi chng l m? Hy quan st, ng khi nim. Hy tnh to, hy cm nhn hi th, hy quan st thn bn ang th. V hy cm thy sng v cht ang tri chy mau chng, bt tn trong tan thn bn.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 7 of 74 7 Ma Xun

7 The Spring When spring goes, all flowers die. When spring comes, all flowers smile. Before the eyes, all things flow endlessly. Over the head, old age comes already. Dont say that with the spring gone, all flowers fall. Last night, in the front yard, a branch of mai flower. MAN GIAC (1052 1096) (COMMENT: Mai is a kind of flower that blossoms in springtime in Vietnam. Notice the contrast between the first and last line; also, the last line of the poem is a fragment sentence, without a verb, showing the state of unborn, unmoving, undying. While the stream manifests as endless waves rising and falling, the nature of water stays unmoved, uncreated. Now look at your mind, and see thoughts coming and going, arising and vanishing. The mind is just like a mirror that shows you the images of all things reflected. All images come and go, but the reflectivity is still there, unmoving, undying. Now, listen to the sound of two hands clapping, then listen to the sound of one hand clapping. Do you hear the soundless? The sound comes and goes, but the nature of hearing ability is still there even in your sleep, unchanging, unmoving, undying.) Xun i trm hoa rng, Xun n trm hoa ci. Trc mt vic i mi, Trn u gi n ri. Ch bo xun tn hoa rng ht, m qua, sn trc, mt cnh mai. (Xun kh bch hoa lc, Xun o bch hoa khai. S trc nhn tin qu, Lo tng u thng lai. Mc v xun tn hoa lc tn, nh tin tc d nht chi mai.) MN GIC (1052 - 1096) - Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Mai l mt lai hoa n vo ma xun VN. Hy ghi nhn s tri nghch gia dng u v cui bi th; thm na, dng cui l mt cu khng y , thiu ng t, cho thy trng thi ca bt sinh, bt ng, bt dit. Trong khi dng sui hin l nh l cc t sng bt tn ht sinh ri dit, tnh ca nc vn bt ng, v tc. By gi hy nhn vo tm ca bn, v thy nim n ri i, sinh ri dit. Tm y ht nh mt tm gng cho bn thy hnh nh vn php c phn chiu. Tt c cc nh n ri i, nhng tnh phn chiu vn , bt ng, bt dit. By gi, hy nghe ting v ca hai bn tay, ri hy nghe ting v ca mt bn tay. Bn c nghe ting v thanh? m thanh n ri i, nhng tnh nghe vn cn ngay c trong gic ng ca bn, khng di i, bt ng, bt dit.)
8 Dharma Friends Practitioners need dharma friends, who help you distinguish clearly between the clean and the unclean. First, colleagues living at will in forests and mountains can help you wipe out the mind of anger. Second, colleagues keeping precepts seriously can help you fade away the five desires. Third, colleagues with profound wisdom can help you escape from the shore of delusion. Fourth, colleagues with vast knowledge can help you solve the hard and doubtful issues. Fifth, colleagues of peace and serenity can help you easily advance. Sixth, colleagues of patience and modesty can help you remove arrogance. Seventh, colleagues of sincerity and frankness can help you avoid mistakes. Eighth, colleagues of vigor and zeal can help you attain the fruits of the Way. Ninth, colleagues unattached to possessions, eager to donate can help you destroy miserliness. Tenth, colleagues merciful and caring for all beings can help you liberate from the clinging to self and others. QUANG TRI (COMMENT: Buddha, parents, teachers, dharma friends, books We need so much help on the way to liberation, because we have to learn a lot, keep precepts strictly, find an environment adequate for learning and meditation. But only you can watch your mind, and only you can wipe out the three poisons desire, hatred and ignorance -- binding you in the cycle of rebirth.)
8 o Hu
V vy tu hnh cn c bn, mi phn bit r rng sch v d. Mt l bn b chn rng ni an nhn th c th gip lm ngng ci tm nng ny. Hai l bn nghim tr gii lut th c th lm phai nht ng dc. Ba l bn c tr tu rng ln mi c th gip ra khi bn m. Bn l hc hnh uyn bc mi c th gii quyt nhng iu kh khn nghi ngi. Nm l bn trm tnh, mc nhin mi gip thanh thn, tin th c. Su l hng khim tn, nhn nhc th gip tiu tr ng mn. By l hng bn lng thng, ni ngay mi c th c ch c cc li lm. Tm l bn ng dng mnh, tinh tn, mi gip thnh c o qu. Chn l hng xem thng ca ci, thch b th mi gip ph c tnh keo kit, bn xn. Mi l bn nhn t che ch cho mun vt mi gip ui tr c s chp ta chp ngi. QUNG TR (Thp Mc Ngu Tng) Bn dch C s Trn nh Sn. (BNH: c Pht, cha m, qu thy, cc bn o, kinh sch Chng ta cn rt nhiu h tr trn ng tu gii that, bi v chng ta phi hc nhiu, gi gii nghim trang, tm mt mi trng thch nghi hc v thin tp. Nhng ch ring bn mi c th nhn vo tm bn, v ch ring bn c th xa i tam c tham, sn v si tri buc bn vo vng lun hi.)
9 The Treasure Living in the world, happy with the Way, you should let all things take their course. When hungry, just eat; when tired, just sleep. The treasure is in your house; dont search any more. Face the scenes, and have no thoughts; then you dont need to ask for Zen. TRAN NHAN TONG (1258-1308) (COMMENT: Live with the water, not with the waves rising and falling; live with the nature of mirror to reflect, not with the images appearing and disappearing; and live with the essence of the mind, not with the thoughts arising and vanishing. When you see the essence of the mind, then you catch a glimpse of Nirvana the state of unborn, uncreated, unconditioned peace. After that moment, you know how to live with the mind unmoved while walking, standing, lying and sitting. How can you see the essence of the mind? Please, remember: You are never away from it, just like the water holds all the waves and is never away from the waves, just like the emptiness of the mirror hold all the images and is never away from the images. The essence of the mind is non-self, so it manifest as a great magician: your mind has no form, so it takes all forms you see as its forms; your mind has no color, so it takes all colors you see as its colors Now look out the window. When you see a bird, your mind now has the form of a bird; and when the bird flies, your mind flies too. Your mind is all things you see, all things you hear, all things you feel; the observer is all things observed. The Sixth Patriarch Hue Nang* told two monks arguing over the banner flying that that was not the banner moving, and also not the wind moving, but just their minds moving.) * Chinese: Hui Neng.
9 Kho Bu
trn vui o hy ty duyn i n th n, mt ng lin Trong nh c bu thi tm kim i cnh khng tm ch hi thin. TRN NHN TNGBn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Hy sng vi nc, ch ng sng vi cc t sng sinh ri dit; hy sng vi tnh sng ca gng, ch ng sng vi cc nh n ri i; v hy sng vi t tnh ca tm, ch ng sng vi cc nim sinh dit. Khi bn thy tnh ca tm, lc bn thy le mt tia ca Nit Bn trng thi ca an tnh bt sinh, v tc, v vi. Lm sao bn c th thy tnh ca tm? Xin hy nh: Bn cha tng bao gi ri xa n, y ht nh nc l tan b cc sng v cha h xa la t sng no, y ht nh tnh khng ca gng bao trm tan b cc nh v cha h xa la nh no. Tnh ca tm l v ng, nn n hin l nh mt nh i o thut: tm ca bn khng c hnh tng, nn n ly mi hnh tng m bn thy lm nh hnh tng ca n; tm bn khng mu sc, nn n ly mi mu sc bn thy lm mu sc ca n By gi, hy nhn ra ca s. Khi bn thy mt con chim, tm ca bn by gi c hnh tng mt con chim; v khi con chim bay ln, tm ca bn cng bay ln. Tm ca bn l tan b nhng g bn thy, tan b nhng g bn nghe, tan b nhng g bn cm th; ngi quan st l tan b nhng g c quan st. Lc T Hu Nng ni vi hai v s ang tranh ci v chuyn l c bay, rng khng phi l c ng, v cng khng phi gi ng, nhng thc s l tm ca h ng.)

10 Emptiness Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. Emptiness is form, and form is emptiness. Dont cling to any form or emptiness -Thats the true meditation. Y LAN (11th century) (COMMENT: Just look at your body, your feelings, your thoughts; they were changing swiftly since the day you were born. So you have had millions of bodies, millions of feelings, millions of thoughts -- which one is your true body, true feeling, true thought? Your body, your feelings, your thoughts can manifest as millions of forms, because forms are indeed emptiness just like illusions appearing in the mirror. If you cling to anything as form or emptiness, you are chasing the illusions.) 10 Khng Sc l khng, khng tc sc, Khng l sc, sc tc khng. Sc khng u chng qun, Mi c hp chn tng. (Sc th khng, khng tc sc, Khng th sc, sc tc khng. Sc khng cu bt qun, Phng c kh chn tng.) LAN Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Hy nhn vo thn ca bn, vo cm th ca bn, vo cc nim ca bn; chng bin i rt l mau chng k t ngy bn cho i. Do vy, bn c hng triu thn khc nhau, hng triu cm th khc nhau, hng triu tm khc nhau cu hi l, thn no l thn tht ca bn, cm th no l cm th tht ca bn, v tm no l tm tht ca bn? Thn ca bn, cm th ca bn, tm ca bn c th hin l ra thnh hng triu sc tng khc nhau, bi v cc sc tng u thc s l tnh khng, y ht nh cc o nh hin ra trong gng. Nu bn chp vo bt c th g nh l sc hay khng, bn li ang ui bt o nh thi.) 11 The Present The present is not the past; the past is not the present. That means past thoughts vanished, and the present thought is not the previous thought. That means every act in past lives and now has its own merit. That means the good deed now is not the bad act done before. That means the breath now is not the breath earlier, and the breath felt previously was not the breath sensed presently. KHUONG TANG HOI (COMMENT: Live with the present. Every act has its own merit, so you should not worry about the past. Just sit with eyes half open, feel your breath now, feel your body breathing now, feel your thought now arising and vanishing. Can you see this interval: while the previous thought vanished and the next thought doesnt arise yet? Try to gently stare that interval for all times in a day, or in two days, even when you are lying, sitting, standing and walking. Later, you can use this stare to cut off all wandering thoughts.) 11 Hin Ti Nay khng phi l trc, trc khng phi l nay, ngha l nim ngh trc dit, nim by gi khng phi l nim trc, cng c ngha vic lm i trc, vic lm i nay, mi t c phc. Cng c ngha vic thin nay lm khng phi vic c lm trc . Cng c ngha hi th by gi khng phi l hi th trc , hi th trc khng phi l hi th by gi. KHNG TNG HI - Bn dch TT Tr Siu L Mnh Tht. (BNH: Hy sng vi hin ti. Mi vic u c phc ring ca n, nn bn ng lo g v qu kh. Hy ngi vi mt m h, hy cm nhn hi th by gi, hy cm nhn thn bn ang th by gi, hy cm nhn nim trong tm bn khi ln ri dit i. Bn c th nhn thy khang cch ny khng: hy nhn vo ch khi nim trc dit v nim sau cha sinh? Hy du dng nhn khong cch trong mi thi trong sut mt ngy, hay trong hai ngy, ngay c khi bn nm, ngi, i v ng. Sau ny, bn c th s dng ci nhn ny ct ngang cc nim lang thang.)

12 Not Two Things All Buddhist gates are from your essence, and the essence of all things are from your mind. Your mind and all things are one, not two things. The fetters of samsara are all void. Blessedness and sinfulness, right and wrong all are illusions. CUU CHI (circa 11th century) (COMMENT: Nonduality. Not two things. Dont think, dont reason. Feel it, live it. Try to feel it even just half an hour, then you will believe in Zen. First, with eyes half open, be quiet, say nothing in your mind; feel the breath in and out, gently feel every breath. Later, see that your whole body is breathing just gently watch your whole body feel the breath, every breath. Later, see that your whole body and mind become one with the breath. Then let your whole body gently feel the world around. Because you are non-self, you feel that you become one with the wind around, with the sounds from the beach, with the trees along the street, with the birds flying, and with all things you see, your hear. In your mirror mind, all things appear equally, all things are illusions; only the reflecting mind is shining.) 12 Khng hai php Phm tt c cc php mn vn t tnh ca cc ngi, tnh tt c cc php vn t tm ca cc ngi. Tm php nht nh, vn khng hai php. Phin no tri buc, tt c u khng. Ti phc phi quy, tt c u huyn. CU CH Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Bt nh. Khng hai. ng ngh ngi, ng bin lun. Hy cm nhn, hy sng n. Hy th cm nhn n cho d ch na gi, ri bn s tin vo Thin. Trc tin, vi mt m h, gi tht lng l, khng ni g trong tm; hy cm nhn hi th vo v ra, hy du dng cm nhn tng hi th. Sau , hy thy rng tan thn bn ang th -- hy du dng quan st tan thn bn cm nhn hi th, tng hi th. Sau , hy thy rng tan thn v tm ca bn tr thnh mt vi hi th. Ri hy tan thn ca bn cm nhn th gii chung quanh. Bi v bn l v ng, bn cm thy rng bn tr thnh mt vi ngn gi quanh y, vi cc m vang t b bin, vi cc hng cy dc bn ng ph, vi cc con chim ang bay, v vi mi th bn thy, bn nghe. Trong gng tm ca bn, tt c xut hin bnh ng, tt c u l o nh; ch c tm phn chiu l ang chiu sng.)
13 Swallow Flying In the sky, the swallow flies; underwater its image shines. The swallow has no intention to leave any trace; the water, no purpose to keep any image. HUONG HAI (1628 1715) (COMMENT: When King Le Du Tong asked for a summary of Buddhist teachings, Zen master Huong Hai said this four-line poem. Watch the world, and see all things reflected in your mind. Follow the Buddhas words, Nothing should be clung to. Also dont cling to the happiness you are feeling now, even dont cling to this peaceful meditation you might get addicted to, even dont cling to any feel-good method or whatsoever. Dont cling to anything in this suffering world. Even the blissfulness you feel now in meditation will bind you in this suffering realm, if you cling to it; mostly, that blissfulness is not the Nirvana yet.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 12 of 74 13 Nhn Bay

Nhn bay trn khng Bng chm y nc Nhn khng du Nc khng tm lu bng. (Nhn qu trng khng nh trm hn thy Nhn v di tch chi Thy v lu nh chi tm.) HNG HI Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Khi Vua L D Tng hi th no l i Pht Php, Thin S Hng Hi c bi th bn cu ny. Hy nhn vo th gii, v thy mi th phn nh trong tm ca bn. Hy theo li Pht dy, Khng bm chp th g c. Cng ng m chp vo ci hnh phc bn ang cm thy by gi, cng ng m chp vo php mn thin nh an tnh m bn c th say m nghin ngp n, cng ng m chp vo bt k phng php cm-thy-thai-mi no hay bt c g. ng bm chp g vo bt c g trong ci au kh ny. Ngay c s an lc bn ang cm thy by gi trong thin tp cng s tri buc bn vo ci au kh ny, nu bn bm chp vo n; hu ht, s an lc cha phi Nit Bn u.)
14 The Mind of Emptiness Like a wall shaking, the body is frail. So sad for mankind, life is too short. If you attain the mind of emptiness and formlessness, you will be free from the world of coming and going. VIEN CHIEU (999-1090) (COMMENT: You can feel the frailness of your body now, even when you are healthy and strong. Try this: breathe in and out, gently and naturally; feel the breathing in and out, feel your whole body breathing; feel your whole body becoming one with the breath. Then you will see that your breath is so fragile, and your body is so vulnerable. The more you experience the bliss from meditation, the more you feel sorrowful for the plight of humankind. Recalling the Buddhas words saying that we have born and died countless times, you will feel grateful to countless parents, and will see all people around as your dear parents in past lives. Then you will feel your whole body deeply resonate with the Zen vow to save all sentient beings. How can we save others if we are not free yet? Zen master Vien Chieu said that leaners must attain the mind of emptiness and formlessness. Indeed, you will see that the mind essence is empty and formless. So all things in the world appear and disappear in the mind just like the clouds formed and dissolved in the sky, just like the images emerged and vanished in a mirror. So all the forms you see, all the sounds you hear, all the odors you smell, all the flavors you taste, all the senses you feel, all the thoughts you have are changing swiftly. So nothing has a self. So all things come and go, governed by the principle of dependent arising. Realizing the mind essence will free you from the world of coming and going.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 13 of 74 14 Tm Khng

Thn nh tng vch lung lay, au u ngi i lung xt thay. Nu t tm khng, khng tng sc, Sc khng n hin, mc vn xoay. (Thn nh tng bch d i th C th thng thng thc bt bi. Nhc t tm khng v sc tng Sc khng n hin nhm suy di.) VIN CHIU Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Bn c th cm nhn ci mong manh ca thn bn by gi, ngay c khi bn ang khe mnh. Hy th th ny: th vo v th ra, du dng mt cch t nhin; hy cm nhn hi th vo v ra, hy cm nhn tan thn bn ang th, hy cm nhn tan thn bn lm mt vi hi th. Ri bn s thy rng hi th ca bn rt mong manh, v thn ca bn cng d h v. Bn cng kinh nghim nim an lc trong thin nh, bn s cng cm thy bun cho thn phn kip ngi. Nh li li Pht ni rng chng ta sinh v cht v s kip, bn s cm thy mang n v lng ba m, v s thy mi ngi quanh bn nh l cc ba m ca bn trong cc kip trc. Ri bn s cm thy tan thn bn thm su rung chuyn vi li th nguyn Thin Tng s cu ht chng sinh. Lm sao bn c th cu ngi khc c nu bn cha gii that? Thin S Vin Chiu ni rng cc hc nhn phi t c tm khng sc tng. Thc s, bn s thy rng tnh ca tm l tnh khng v v tng. Th nn mi th trn th gii xut hin v bin mt trong tm ht nh my hp ri tan trn bu trI, ht nh nh hin ri bin trong gng. Th nn mi sc tng bn thy, mi m thanh bn nghe, mi hng v bn nm, mi cm th bn cm nhn, mi nim khi bn c u ang bin i mau chng. Th nn, khng php no thc c t ng c. Th nn, mi th ti ri i, theo ng lut duyn khi. Chng ng c tnh ca tm s gii that bn ra khi th gii ca n v i.)
15 Buddha Seed Having the Buddha Seed within, hearing the profound teachings, you should be eager to practice. After throwing all desires far a thousand miles away, then day after day you will enter more deeply the noble truth of liberation. TRI (circa 10th or 11th century) (COMMENT: Buddha Seed is another name for Buddha Nature. If you can throw all desires, then you wont cling to anything more. That also means when you throw away all existence and emptiness, all things binding you to this samsara world will fall apart. But it takes time. Even after you suddenly realize the Buddha Nature in your mind, you still have to practice continuously, day after day. Then you should read a lot of Buddhist scriptures from all traditions Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan and would see that many of these teachings already are parts of your everyday meditation.) 15 Buddha Seed mang ging Pht dng trong lng, Nghe ni li mu thch mong. Vt ngoi ngn dm nim tham mun, L nhim cng ngy cng bao dong. (K hoi xut t dng hung trung, Vn thuyt vi ngn duyt tng. Tham dc trut tr thin l ngoi, Hy di chi l nht bao dung.) Thin S TR Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Ht Ging Pht l mt tn khc ca Pht Tnh. Nu bn c th bung b ht mi thm kht, th bn s khng bm chp vo bt c g na. Th cng c ngha l khi bn bung x ht mi c v khng, th mi th rng buc bn vo ci lun hi ny s tan r. Nhng cn c thi gi. Ngay c khi bn ht nhin n ng Pht Tnh trong tm, bn vn phi lin tc tu tp hng ngy. Ri bn hy nn c nhiu kinh sch t nhiu truyn thng Pht Gio Nam Tng, Bc Tng v Ty Tng v s thy rng nhiu li dy trong mt phn c sn trong thin tp hng ngy ca bn.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 14 of 74 16 Bodhi Scenes Hidden in jewel, the melody sounds wonderful. See there, fully before your eyes, the heart of Zen Those countless scenes are all Bodhi scenes. Thinking of Bodhi, you will be far away ten thousand miles. TRI HUYEN (circa 12th century)
(COMMENT: The jewel stands for the Buddha Nature. Is the scene before your eyes the Pure Land? The Buddha Land is here, in front of us? Buddha said that you are what you think, that your mind makes this world. Just think this: you came to this world by the influence of karma, and you have the merit to be born as a human; if now you have enough the merit as a heavenly being, then you would sometimes see a heavenly scene before your eyes, and if your karma as a human is done, then you would die instantly to be reborn in a heavenly realm. Now, just think another way: countless scenes before your eyes are also your mind. You can feel that, realize that, and experience that.) 16 B Cnh Trong ngc n thanh din diu m, Ni kia y mt by thin tm. H sa cnh l B- cnh, Ngh n B- cch vn tm. (Ngc l b thanh din diu m C trung mn mc l thin tm. H sa cnh th B- cnh, Ngh hng B- cch vn tm.) TR HUYN Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Ngc ch cho Pht Tnh. C phi cnh trc mt bn l Tnh khng? C phi Pht y, trc mt chng ta khng? c Pht ni rng bn l nhng g bn suy ngh, rng tm bn hnh thnh th gii ny. Hy ngh th ny: nghip dn bn vo th gii ny, v bn c phc sinh lm ngi; nu by gi bn c phc cho mt v ci tri, bn s i khi nhn thy cnh ci tri trc mt bn, v nu phc nghip ci ngi ca bn xong, th bn s cht tc khc ti sinh trong ci tri. By gi, hy suy ngh cch khc: v lng cnh trc mt bn cng l tm bn. Bn c th cm thy nh th, chng ng nh th, v kinh nghim nh th.)

17 Existence and Emptiness Existence there you see all things existing. Emptiness there you see all things empty. Existence and emptiness are just like the moon underwater. Dont cling to existence nor emptiness. DAO HANH (? 1115) (COMMENT: How can we say this mountain or that river is emptiness? Just think this: They are impermanent, so they are somehow both existence and emptiness, and so there are no words adequate to describe them. You can experience that in another way: gently listen, deeply listen, dont try to listen to a specific sound, just listen with your mind vacant. You will feel that all the sounds come and go just like echoes, just like illusions, just like a dream last night. And if you cling to existence or emptiness, you are shackled to this world.) 17 C v Khng C th mun s c, Khng th tt c khng. C, khng trng y nc, ng mc c cng khng. (Tc hu trn sa hu, Vi khng nht thit khng. Hu khng nh thy nguyt, Vt trc hu khng khng.) O HNH Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Lm sao bn c th ni ngn ni ny hay con sng kia l Khng? Hy suy ngh th ny: Chng l v thng, nn cch no chng mang c c v khng, v nh th khng c li no thch nghi m t chng. Bn c th kinh nghim nh th trong mt cch khc: hy du dng lng nghe, su thm lng nghe, ng nghe mt m thanh c th no, m ch nghe vi tm rng vng. Bn s cm thy rng tt c m thanh n ri i ht nh ting vang, ht nh h o, ht nh gic mng m qua. V nu bn bm chp vo c hay khng, bn b xing vo ci trn gian ny.) 18 True Nature True nature, eternally, is the nature of emptiness. There is neither birth nor death. The body is born and died, but the nature of all things is never gone. THUAN CHAN (? 1101) (COMMENT: Look at a mirror. Images come and go, but the reflecting nature is always inaction, unmoved, uncreated, undying. Look at your mind. Thoughts come and go, but the mind nature is always inaction, unmoved, uncreated, undying. We all are actors in a big theater; we have played millions of different roles since endless time, born and died in millions of plays, and now its time to follow the Buddhas teaching to attain Nirvana -- the state of unborn and undying peace.) 18 Chn Tnh Chn tnh thng khng tnh, u tng c sanh dit. Thn l php sanh dit, Php tnh cha tng dit. (Chn tnh thng v tnh H tng hu sanh dit Thn th sanh dit php Php tnh v tng dit.) THUN CHN Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Hy nhn vo gng. Hnh nh n ri i, nhng tnh chiu vn lun v vi, bt ng, bt sinh, bt dit. Hy nhn vo tm bn. Nim sinh khi ri dit mt, nhng tnh ca tm vn lun lun v vi, bt ng, bt sinh, bt dit. Tt c chng ta u l din vin trong mt h trng ln; chng ta ng hng triu vai tr khc nhau t thi gian v thy, sinh ra v cht i trong hng triu v tung, v by gi l lc tu theo li Pht dy t Nit Bn trng thi ca an lc bt sinh v bt dit.)

19 Crossing the Ocean All things, originally, are just like nothingness. There is neither existence nor emptiness. Those who know that nature will recognize that sentient beings and Buddha are equal. The moon of Lankavatara is quiet; the vessel of Prajnaparamita, void. Realize the emptiness [of all things], and use this emptiness insight to apprehend the existence. Then you know how to live in the right contemplation, naturally at all times. HUE SINH (? 1063) (COMMENT: Lankavatara and Prajnaparamita are two Mahayana scriptures. Both are studied in most Zen monasterries. The right contemplation mentioned above is a part of the Noble Eightfold Path.) 19 Qua Bin Php gc nh khng php, Chng c cng chng khng. Nu ngi bit php y, Chng sanh cng Pht ng. Trng Lng-gi vng lng Thuyn Bt-nh rng khng. Bit khng, khng gic c Chnh nh mc thong dong. (Php bn nh v php Phi hu dic phi v Nhc nhn tri th php Chng sanh d Pht ng. Tch tch Lng-gi nguyt Khng khng hi chu. Tri khng, khng gic hu Tam-mui nhm thng chu.) HU SINH Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Lng Gi v Bt Nh Ba La Mt l hai b kinh Bc Tng. Hu ht thin vin u hc c hai kinh ny. Chnh nh ni trn l mt phn trong Bt Chnh o.) 20 Empty Mind The true nature is empty, nowhere to grasp. With an empty mind, you will see the self-nature easily. In the mountain burning, the jewels color is shining bright. In the kiln firing, the lotus blossoms beautifully. NGO AN (1019 1088) (COMMENT: The mountain burning and the kiln firing symbolize this suffering world. The jewel and the lotus symbolize the Buddha Nature, the Buddha within yourself, and the Nirvana you are never away.) 20 Tm Khng Diu tnh rng khng chng th vin, Rng khng tm ng vic d tin. Ti nhun sc ngc trong ni chy, L la hoa sen n tht xinh. (Diu tnh h v bt kh phan, H v tm ng c h nan. Ngc phn sn thng sc thng nhun, Lin pht l trung thp v cn.) NG N Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Ngn ni b nung chy, v l la chy tng trng cho th gii au kh ny. Ngc v hoa sen tng trng Pht Tnh, tc v Pht trong bn, v l Nit Bn m bn cha bao gi la xa.)

21 Mind Teachings Eternally dwelling in worlds, unborn and undying that is called Buddha. Understanding the mind teachings of Buddha, attaining enlightenment along with interpreting scriptures those are called Patriarchs. Buddha and Patriarchs are just one. Only the bookworm wrongly says they have high and low levels. Moreover, Buddha is awareness. Quiet since infinite time, dwelling eternally -- this awareness is. And all sentient beings have it. Because their passion defilements cover this awareness, all sentient beings follow the karma and fall into the cycle of rebirth then all the realms of samsara exist. THONG BIEN (? 1134) (COMMENT: After meditating for a while, you should read many Buddhist scriptures, go to many temples, talk to many different sectarian teachers, and find a tradition you feel comfortable most. Then you should formally take refuge in the Three Precious Ones -- Buddha, Dharma, Sangha and receive the precepts to make sure that we will never fall into lower realms, and will always move forward on the way to liberation.) 21 Tm Tng Thng tr th gian, khng sanh khng dit gi l Pht. R bit tm tng ca Pht, hnh v gii tng ng gi l T. Pht v T ch l mt, bi nhng k lm hc di ni c hn km m thi. V li, Pht l gic. Ci gic ny xa nay lng l thng tr. Tt c chng sanh u ng c l ny, ch v tnh trn che lp, theo nghip tri ln, chuyn thnh cc ci. THNG BIN Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Sau khi thin tp mt thi gian, bn nn c nhiu kinh Pht, i thm nhiu cha, ni chuyn vi nhiu v thy cc tng phi khc nhau, v tm mt truyn thng m bn cm thy thai mi nht. Ri bn nn chnh thc quy y Tam Bo Pht, Php, Tng v th gii bo m rng bn s khng bao gi ri vo cc ci thp, v s lun lun tin trn ng ti qu v gii that.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 18 of 74 22 T S Thin

22 The Way of Patriarchs Clinging to existence and emptiness only wastes your efforts. Buddhist learners should ask for the best the Way of Patriarchs. Its really hard if you search for the mind outwardly; Planting a cinnamon tree can not make it become a cypress tree. The tip of a hair contains the whole universe; A grain of rice, the sun and moon. When the great usefulness unveils, just hold at hands firmly. Who would distinguish anymore between the holy and the unenlightened, between the west and the east? KHANH HY (1066 1142) (COMMENT: How can the tip of a hair contain the whole universe? How can a grain of rice contain the sun and the moon? Just close your eyes and then open again. How can the whole sky fit into your eyes? Did you dream last night? How can all the universe fit into your dream, an illusion playing in your mind? Do you recall the story of not the flag moving, not the wind moving, just the mind moving? How can all things fit into your mind? And how can your mind carry all the huge boulders? Too heavy. But feel it. Look at it. Buddha said that you are what you think, that your mind makes this world. Look at the boulders, and see you are the boulders you see. In this realization, all things are equal.) Ung cng thi hi sc cng khng, Hc o g hn phng T tng. Ngoi tri tm tm tht kh thy, Th gian trng qu u thnh tng. u lng trm c cn khn thy, Ht ci bao gm nht nguyt trong. i dng hin tin tay nm vng, Ai phn phm thnh vi ty ng. (Lao sanh hu vn sc kim khng, Hc o v nh phng T tng. Thin ngoi mch tm nan nh th, Nhn gian thc qu khi thnh tng. Cn khn tn th mao u thng, Nht nguyt bao hm gii t trung. i dng hin tin quyn ti th, Thy tri phm thnh d ty ng?) KHNH H Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Ch gc l ht ci, nhng y dch l ht go cho d hiu v rt nhiu em thanh thiu nin cha thy ht ci bao gi. Lm sao u mt si tc c th cha c v tr? Lm sao mt ht go c th cha c mt tri v mt trng? Hy nhm mt li, v ri m ra li. Lm sao c bu tri cha va vn trong mt ca bn? Bn c m m qua khng? Lm sao c v tr cha va trong gic m ca bn, mt h o hin lng trong tm bn? Bn c nh cu chuyn khng phi phn ng, khng phi gi ng, ch l tm ng khng? Lm sao vn php cha va trong tm bn? V lm sao tm bn mang tt c cc tng khng l? Qu nng ch. Nhng hy cm nhn n. Hy nhn vo n. c Pht ni rng bn l nhng g bn suy ngh, rng tm bn hnh thnh th gii ny. Hy nhn vo cc tng, v hy thy bn l cc tng bn thy. Trong chng ng ny, vn php bnh ng.)

23 Weird Thing I have a weird thing not blue, not yellow, not black, not red, not white. Both monks and laypersons who like birth and dislike death are the outlawed. They dont know that birth and death though are different trails, but just only gain and loss. If you say birth and death are different ways, you cheat both Sakyamuni and Maitreya. If you know birth and death, death and birth, then you understand where I dwell. You all, Zen practitioners and future learners, should not accept patterns and guidelines. GIOI KHONG (circa 12th century) (COMMENT: All patterns and guidelines are the finger pointing, not the moon you want to see. If you dont have the guidelines, you dont know how to practice Zen. But when you cling to it as truth, you never understand the mind teachings. This is the gateless gate, and also the pathless path.) 23 Vic K c Ta c mt vic k c, Chng xanh vng en trng. C ngi ti gia, xut gia, Thch sanh, chn t l gic. Chng r sanh t khc ng, Sanh t ch l c mt. Nu cho sanh t khc ng, La c Thch-ca, Di-lc. V bit sanh t, sanh t, Mi hiu lo tng ch nu, Mn nhn, hu hc, cc ngi, Ch nhn khun mu php tc. (Ng hu nht s k c, Phi thanh hunh xch bch hc. Thin h ti gia xut gia, Thn sanh t vi tc. Bt tri sanh t d l, Sanh t ch th tht c. Nhc ngn sanh t d , Trm khc Thch-ca Di-lc. Nhc tri sanh t, sanh t, Phng hi lo tng x nc. Nh ng hu hc mn nhn, Mc nhn bn tinh qu tc.) GII KHNG Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Tt c khun mu php tc l ngn tay ch, khng phi mt trng m bn mun thy. Nu bn khng c cc hng dn , bn khng bit lm sao tp Thin. Nhng khi bn bm chp vo n nh chn l, bn s khng bao gi hiu c php mn tm tng ny. y l ca khng ca, v cng l ng i khng c ng i.)
24 The Sun Earth, water, fire, wind, consciousness those are originally emptiness. The clouds form and dissolve, but the Bodhi sun shines endlessly. This worldly body and the sublime nature can be said neither forming nor dissolving. If you need to distinguish, just see the flower in the firing kiln. DAO HUE (? 1172) (COMMENT: All things are made from the five elements: Earth, water, fire, wind, consciousness. They are all emptiness originally. They are empty, so they can change and transform.) 24 Mt Tri t nc la gi thc, Nguyn lai thy u khng. Nh my li tan hp, Pht nht chiu khng cng. Sc thn cng diu th, Chng hp chng chia la. Nu ngi cn phn bit, Trong l mt cnh hoa. (a thy ha phong thc, Nguyn lai nht thit khng. Nh vn hon t tn, Pht nht chiu v cng. Sc thn d diu th, Bt hip bt phn ly. Nhc nhn yu chn bit, L trung hoa nht chi.) O HU Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Vn php hnh thnh t ng i: t, nc, la, gi, thc. Chng u tn gc l Khng. V chng rng rang, nn chng c th bin i v chuyn ha.) * 25 The Moon Shining You dont need much time for practice to attain the complete enlightenment. Gaining wisdom is the best way; anything else, the exhausted effort. Having the jewel, the profound truth, is just like seeing the sun in the sky. The enlighted one is just like the moon shining above, lightening all the realms endlessly. If you need to know, just need to distinguish this:
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 20 of 74 Heavy fog blankets the high mountain in the afternoon. BAO GIAM (? 1173) (COMMENT: You then should take the four Zen vows. In Zen monasteries, practitioners recite the four Zen vows to save all sentient beings, to remove all the fetters, to master all the dharma teachings, and to attain the unsurpassed Buddahood. There are many good translations of the Zen vows, and you should find the one you can recite comfortably. The vows will lead you on the way to liberation.)
25 Trng Sng c thnh chnh gic t nh tu, y ch nhc nhn, tr tu u. Nhn c ma-ni l huyn diu, V th trn khng hin vng hng. Ngi tr khc no trng ri khng, Chiu soi khp ci sng khn ngn. Nu ngi cn bit, nn phn bit, Khi m man mc ph non chiu. (c thnh chnh gic hn bng tu, Ch v lao lung, tr tu u. Nhn c ma-ni huyn diu l, Ch nh thin thng hin kim . Tr gi du nh nguyt chiu thin, Quang hm trn st chiu v bin. Nhc nhn yu thc tu phn bit, Lnh thng ph s ta m yn.) BO GIM Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Ri bn nn pht t hong th nguyn ca Thin Tng. Ti cc thin vin, ngi tu s c bn li th nguyn Thin Tng cu tt c chng sinh hu tnh, an tt c phin no, hc tt c Pht php, v thnh tu Pht o ti thng. C nhiu bn dch tt ca bn th nguyn ny, v bn nn tm mt bn m bn c th c mt cch thai mi. Cc th nguyn s dn bn i trn ng gii that.)

26 Illusory Body This illusory body was originally born from emptiness and stillness, just like images appearing in a mirror. Realizing that all forms are all empty, instantly in this illusory body you realize the true form. BON TICH (1100 1176) (COMMENT: Empty. True form. Just look around. Are all things around you emptiness? And how can we realize the true form in this illusory body? How can we feel that, experience that, and live that? Just meditate.) 26 o Thn Thn huyn vn t khng tch sanh, Dng t trong gng hin bng hnh. Bng hnh gic r khng tt c, Thn huyn chp mt chng tng chn. (Huyn thn bn t khng tch sanh, Du nh cnh trung xut hnh tng. Hnh tng gic liu nht thit khng, Huyn thn tu du chng tht tng.) Ni k xong, S th tch, th 77 tui. BN TNH Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Khng. Tht tng. Hy nhn quanh. C phi vn php quanh bn u l khng? V lm sao bn c th chng ng tht tng trong o thn ny? Lm sao bn c th cm thy nh th, kinh nghim nh th, v sng nh th? Hy thin tp.) 27 Inaction Profound originally, the emptiness manifests itself visibly. A peaceful wind blows, and creates all the universe. Wish all human beings know the bliss of inaction, because attaining the inaction is coming home. CHAN KHONG (1045 1100) (COMMENT: Inaction is another name of Nirvana.) 27 V Vi Diu bn thnh thang r t by, Gi ha thi dy khp ta-b. Ngi ngi nhn c v vi lc, Nu c v vi mi l nh. (Diu bn h v minh t khoa, Ha phong xuy khi bin ta-b. Nhn nhn tn thc v vi lc, Nhc c v vi thy th gia.) CHN KHNG Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: V vi l mt tn khc ca Nit Bn.)
28 Like an Echo Live yourself a simple life. Only the morality is your duty. If you want to say the good words, just insistingly tell others one saying: When you see there is no self and others, the dust stops blowing; Day and night, up and down, there is no form to settle; Like a reflection, like an echo, there is no trace to point out. TRI (COMMENT: All things are playing in your mind. But when you look around and you can not see the mind. You can not say there is no mind, because the consciousness arises and vanishes. You can not say there is something called mind, because there is no trace of it. Thoughts come and go just like illusions. Now try this: Keep silent for a day, or even one hour, and feel the environment around. You would feel that all the sounds you hear are not the normal sounds anymore; you feel that they are all echoes in your mind.) 28 Nh Vang m bc t gi Ch c l v. Hoc ni li lnh Tha thit mt cu: Lng khng b ng, dt bi m, Ngy m ln xung, Khng hnh kh tr, Nh bng nh vang, Khng vt kh n. (m nhin t th, Duy c th v. Hoc vn thin ngn, Quyn quyn nht c, Tm v b ng, K tuyt hn mai, Nht d trc ging, V hnh kh tr. Nh nh nh hng, V tch kh th.) Thin S TR Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Vn php ang hin lng trong tm bn. Nhng khi bn nhn quanh, v bn khng th thy c tm. Bn khng th ni khng c tm, v thc vn sinh v dit. Bn khng th ni l c ci g gi l tm, v khng c vt tch no ca n. Cc nim n v i y ht nh o nh. By gi hy th th ny: Hy im lng trong mt ngy, hay ngay c trong mt gi, v cm nhn mi trng chung quanh. Bn s cm thy rng tt c cc m thanh bn nghe s khng cn l cc thanh m thng na; bn cm nhn rng chng u l cc ting vang trong tm bn.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 22 of 74 29 Wordless

Birth, aging, illness, death are normal since infinite time. While you want liberation, trying to untie only makes it tighter, searching for Buddha deludes yourself more, and asking for meditation also misleads you. Dont pursue Buddha and Zen. Tighten your lips be wordless. DIEU NHAN (1041 1113) (COMMENT: Dieu Nhan was a Zen nun. She had another way to express the truth. She made this poem before her death, saying that the truth should be said with no words. Dont cling to whatsoever, even to the meditation.) 29 Khng Li Sanh gi bnh cht Xa nay l thng. Mun cu thot ra M tri thm rng. M tm Pht, Lm cu thin. Pht, thin chng cu, Ung ming khng li. (Sanh lo bnh t T c thng nhin Dc cu xut ly Gii phc thim trin. M chi cu Pht Hoc chi cu thin Thin, Pht bt cu Ung khu v ngn.) Ni S DIU NHN Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: Ngi Diu Nhn l mt Thin Ni. Ngi c mt cch khc din t tht tng. Ngi lm bi th ny trc khi vin tch, ni rng tht tng nn ch ra bng v ngn. ng tr vo bt k php no, ngay c tr vo thin nh.)
30 Zen After seeing the mind essence, you have to keep the precepts purely. How is keeping the precepts purely? That means in twelve hours, stop all involvement outwardly, and still your mind inwardly. Because the mind is still, you are peaceful while seeing a scene. Your eyes dont slip outward when consciousness arises by the seen, and your consciousness doesnt slip inward by the scene you see. The outward and the inward dont interfere each other, so we call blockade. We say blockade, but it doesnt mean to block. The senses of ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are just like that. That is called the Mahayana precepts, the unsurpassed precepts, also the unequalled precepts. All the monks, young or old, must keep the precepts purely like that. Keeping the precepts firmly, then you practice Zen. The key of Zen is that you must drop all body and mind. First, while practicing the samatha meditation, you should often ask yourself some questions. Where did this body come from? Where did this mind come from? While the mind doesnt really exist, where did the body come from? While body and mind are emptiness, where did all things come from? All things dont really exist, because while there was no existence [at the beginning], where did existence come from? That existence was nonexistence, so there is no existence. A thing is not really a thing, then where does each thing depend on? If there is no where to depend on, then a thing is not a thing. This thing is not real, but also not unreal. When you realize the true nature, that is when you enter meditation. Practitioner should not become attached to meditating; meditation without a trace of meditation is called the unsurpassed meditation. Moreover, practicing the thoai dau (Chinese: huatou) should be unbroken, constantly ceaseless without any pause, also without any overturned thought, without any turmoil and without any dull feeling. Your mind must be transparent just like a diamond rolling on a tray, and luminous just like a mirror on a frame PHAP LOA (1284 1330) (COMMENT: Dont be scared by the confusing questions. Zen Master Phap Loa wanted to generate the great doubt in your thinking. The great doubt may help you to attain great enlightenment. Some koans will push you into a great doubt, some wont. A short koan is usually called thoai dau. You can practice thoai dau like this: Just say the name of a Buddha, and ask yourself that who just said that name, look in your mind to see that who just said that name, and you would fall into a great doubt. No
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 23 of 74 thoughts can exist in the great doubt. Just only the great doubt exists while you are lying, sitting, standing and walking. This will help you to see the nature of the mind.)
30 Thin Sau khi thy tnh, phi gn gi gii cho thanh tnh. Th no l gii thanh tnh? Ngha l trong mi hai gi, ngoi dt cc duyn, trong tm khng lon. V tm khng lon ng nn cnh n vn an nhn. Mt khng v ci s duyn ca thc m chy ra, thc khng v ci s duyn ca cnh m chun vo. Ra, vo khng giao thip nn gi l ngn chn. Tuy ni ngn chn m khng phi ngn chn. Tai, mi, li, thn, cng nh th. gi l gii i tha, l gii v thng cng gi l gii v ng ng. Tnh gii ny, d Tiu tng cho n bc i tng u phi gn gi. Nhn gi gii vng chc khng ng, k mi tp Thin. Ci yu ch ca Thin nh l thn tm u x. Trc tp nh tm, thng t suy xt: Thn ny t u m n? Tm ny t u m c? Tm khng tht c th t u c thn? Thn tm u khng th php t u m c? Php khng tht c, v khng c ci c, ci c c t u m c? Ci c c khng th khng c php c. Mi php chng phi php, th mi php nng vo u ? Khng c ch da nng th php khng phi mi php. Php ny khng tht cng chng phi khng tht. Chng c tht php, mi hay chng nhp thin. Ngi tu tp thin nh khng c chp dng cng, dng m khng c ch dng, gi l Thin thng tha. Ngoi tham thoi u khng cho gin on, min mt lin tc khng c k h, cng khng in o, khng tro c cng khng hn trm. Phi trong tro nh vin ngc ln trn mm, phi sng sut nh gng trn i PHP LOA Bn dch HT Thanh T. (BNH: ng s hi v cc cu hi rc ri. Thin S Php Loa mun khi i nghi tnh trong bn thi. i nghi c th gip bn i ng. Vi cng n s y bn vo i nghi, nhng mt s cng n khc th khng. Mt cng n ngn thng c gi l thai u. Bn c th tham thai u nh th ny: Hy nim tn ca mt v Pht, v t hi chnh bn rng ai va tht ln li nim , hy nhn vo tm bn xem rng ai va tht ln danh hiu , v bn s ri vo i nghi. Khng c nim no xut hin c trong i nghi. Ch c i nghi hin hu trong khi bn ang i, ng, nm, ngi thi. Nh th s gip bn thy tnh ca tm.)
31 Tnh Gic 31 Be awakened With the six consciousnesses deluded, you suffer long nights. Blinded by ignorance, you are dead drunk all the times. Hearing the bell, at dawns and dusks, you should be awakened and mindful. After purifying your lazy body, you will attain the transcendent body. VIEN HOC (1073 1136) (COMMENT: Dont be lazy. We have been lazy and ignorant for millions of years, and we are now lucky to hear the bell of Buddha. Meditate all day and night while lying, sitting, standing and walking. Always be awakened and mindful -- Thats the message from Zen Master Vien Hoc. But, how can the lazy body be conquered? Its a hard work, and only you can do it to save yourself. You should observe your body carefully. Eat healthy, eat little. Work and exercise everyday. Always remember that the law of impermanence is drifting us swiftly all day and night, and we have very little time in this life to practice Buddha Dharma to reach the shore. So, dont be lazy. That doesnt mean that you have to punish your body. The body is a raft, a vehicle; you have to take good care of it for a really hard trip. Observe all your bodily movements; thats a part of meditation. In a certain way, this kind of meditation might have originated some forms of martial arts. Also, you can have your own style Tai Chi Chuan for fun while meditating. Try this: breath in and out gently, move your right hand very slowly in any way you want while you observe and feel all the bodily movements. Then, with both hands. Then, with eyes open, stand up and move gently while you observe and feel all the bodily movements. Its so much fun for the children to practice their own style Tai Chi Chuan while meditating. Ask them to try it around five minutes a day. The practitioner would some time see that the mind and body become one.)
Su thc ti tm kh m di, V minh che y mi m say. Sm ti nghe chung lng tnh gic, Thn li dt sch, c thn thng. (Lc thc thng hn chung d kh, V minh b ph cu m dung. Tr d vn chung khai gic ng, Ln thn tnh st c thn thng.) Thin S VIN HC (1073 - 1136) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: ng li bing. Chng ta li bing v si m hng triu nm, v by gi may mn nghe ting chung ca c Pht. Hy thin nh c ngy v m, trong khi i, ng, nm, ngi. Lun lun tnh thc l li dy t Thin S Vin Hc. Nhng, lm sao c th chin thng tm thn li ny? l vic gian nan, v ch c bn mi c th t cu bn. Bn hy nim thn mt cch cn trng. Hy n thc n lnh mnh, hy n t thi. Hy lm vic v tp th dc hng ngy. Lun lun nh rng lut v thng ang cun tri chng ta nhanh chng c ngy m, v chng ta c rt t th gi trong kip ny tu tp Pht Php nhm qua b bn kia. Vy, ng li bing. Th khng c ngha l bn phi trng pht tm thn. Thn l chic b, l c xe; bn phi chm sc thn k cng c sc i mt chuyn rt l gian nan. Hy nim cc chuyn ng ca thn; l mt phn ca thin. Trong mt cch no , thin nh nh th c th sinh khi ra mt s mn v thut. Thm na, bn c th c kiu Thi Cc Quyn ring ca bn cho vui trong khi thin nh. Hy th th ny: th vo v ra du dng, di chuyn bn tay phi tht chm theo bt k hng no bn mun trong khi bn quan st v cm nhn tt c cc chuyn ng c th. Ri, k tip lm vi hai bn tay. Ri, vi mt m, hy ng dy v chuyn ng du dng trong khi bn quan st v cm nhn ton b cc chuyn ng c th. S rt vui cho tr em khi tp Thi Cc Quyn kiu ring ny trong khi thin nh. Hy yu cu cc thiu nhi th tp nh th nm pht mi ngy. Ngi tp s c lc thy rng tm v thn tr thnh mt.)

32 Butterflies With the spring coming back, butterflies and flowers meet here. Urged by timely passions, butterflies and flowers unite. All butterflies and flowers, since infinite time, have been illusions. You should keep your mind unmoved, despite all the butterflies and flowers. GIAC HAI (circa 11th century) (COMMENT: All passions tie us to this world, just like butterflies hovering around flowers. You see a beautiful woman, have a nice talk with her, and her lovely face might be imprinted in your memory for decades. While you grow old, while you are waiting to die in bed, her image in your memory is still young and lovely even she in real life must be an old woman with white hair and wrinkles. If you have a thought of clinging to that young and lovely image, you have no way to break free from this suffering realm. But you should not try to empty that image from your mind. Dont try to empty anything from your mind, because that is impossible and unsuitable. And because that image is empty in nature. Just realize the law of dependent origination, just see the emptiness nature of all things that is the way of meditation. Open your eyes, and see it.) 32 Bm Xun v hoa bm gp nhau y, Hoa bm phi cn hp lc ny. Hoa bm xa nay u l huyn, Gi tm bn cht bm hoa thy. (Xun lai hoa ip thin tri th, Hoa ip ng tu cng ng k. Hoa ip bn lai giai th huyn, Mc tu hoa ip hng tm tr.) Thin S GIC HI (Khong th k 11-12) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Tt c cc say m buc chng ta vo th gii ny, y ht nh bm ln quanh hoa. Bn gp mt thiu n p, ni chuyn vui a vi nng, v khun mt d thng ca nng c th in vo tr nh bn trong nhiu thp nin v sau. Khi bn gi i, trong khi bn ch cht trn ging bnh, hnh nh nng trong tr nh bn vn th tr v d thng cho d trong i thc, nng hn phi l mt b c tc bc v da nhn. Nu bn c mt nim chp gi ly hnh nh th tr v d thng , bn khng c cch no gii that ra khi ci au kh ny. Nhng bn cng ng tm cch xa i hnh nh trong tm bn. ng tm cch xa i bt c g trong tm bn, bi v iu bt kh v khng thch nghi. V bi v hnh nh trong bn cht li l tnh khng rng rang. Hy nhn ra nh lut duyn khi, hy nhn thy tnh khng ca vn php l thin o. Hy m hai mt bn ra, v nhn thy n.)

33 Be wise Wise persons dont realize the Way. Those who realize the Way are all foolish. Be a guest, lay straight, stretch your legs, dont mind what truth and untruth are. TINH KHONG (? 1170) (COMMENT: When you see the emptiness nature of all things, you know that the Way could not be described by words, and practitioner from this world of suffering must take a leap into the world of liberation. How can you describe to a blind person about colors? Just like after turning on a light, you see all things anew, and you dont mind about truth or untruth anymore. Truth and untruth are the stories of the old world, not belonging to the unspeakable world in front of your eyes now. How can you say about turning on a light? Just a snap of finger? That is why some Zen masters said that the Way must be a pathless way. Because all things, including the Way, are empty in nature, Zen Master Tinh Khong said, Wise persons dont realize the Way. Still you must be careful. After seeing the emptiness nature of all things, you still have to practice rigorously old habits take time to fade out, and your eyes take time to see the new world more clearly. Also, meditation is the insight of the present realized. Dont wait for whatever realization. In meditation, there is no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind; also in meditation, there is no future to wait for, there is no past to treasure. Just relax, and be mindful. You dont need to turn on anything, because the light of insight is already on.) 33 Hy C Tr Tu Ngi tr khng ng o, Ng o tc k ngu. Khch nm thng dui chn, No bit ngy v chn. (Tr nhn v ng o, Ng o tc ngu nhn. Thn cc cao nga khch, H thc ngy kim chn.) Thin S TNH KHNG (? - 1170) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Khi bn thy tnh khng trong vn php, bn bit o khng th din bng li, v hc nhn t th gii au kh ny phi nhy vo cnh gii gii that. Lm sao bn c th m t cho mt ngi m v mu sc? Y ht nh sau khi bt n, bn thy vn php u mi tinh khi, v bn khng bn tm v chn vi vng na. Chn v vng l chuyn ca th gii c, khng thuc vo th gii bt kh m t trc mt bn by gi. Lm sao bn c th ni v vic bt ln ngn n? Ch mt ci bng tay? l l do v sao mt vi thin s ni o phi l con ng khng li i. Bi v vn php, k c o, trong t tnh l rng rang, nn Thin s Tnh Khng ni, Ngi tr khng ng o. D vy, bn phi cn trng. Sau khi thy tnh khng ca vn php, bn vn phi thin tp ro rit cc thi quen c cn thi gian nht i, v mt bn cn thI gian nhn cnh gii mi r rng hn. Thm na, thin l ci nhn qun chiu vo ci hin tin hin l. ng ch bt c chng ng g. Trong thin nh, khng c mt, tai, mi, li, thn v ; cng trong thin, khng c tng lai no ch i, khng c qu kh no trn qu. Hy thai mi, v hy tnh thc. Bn khng cn phi bt ln th g c, v nh sng qun chiu bt lu ri.)

34 Originally Emptiness The four snakes hiding in your luggage are originally emptiness. The five aggregates forming this high mountain are also void. See the true nature illuminating unhinderedly, and dont mind about the Nirvana and birth and death. DAI XA (1120 1180) (COMMENT: Observe your body and mind, and see the emptiness nature of the four snakes and five aggregates. The four snakes symbolize the four elements of which all things are made: earth, or characteristic of solidity; water, or fluidity; fire, or heating; and air, or motion. The four snakes are working in your body. Treat them carefully; otherwise, they would make you sick. The five aggregates symbolize the five groups making up a human being: form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. The high mountain means your body and mind all things you believe you are. Just see the true nature of this high mountain for all times, day and night, and dont mind anything else. What is the true nature of this high mountain? It is void, it is originally emptiness. To see that, you dont need to do any ritual. Everything is changing instantly, everything empties itself instantly, everything is empty in nature. The Buddha once told his son, Rahula, that all things forming the body and mind should be seen with right discernment as This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self. Reading up to this page, you may get confused by so many meditation techniques we have discussed. If so, just remember only what Buddha taught Rahula here.) 34 Vn L Khng Bn rn chung rng trc gi khng, Ni cao nm un u ch ng. Chn tnh sng ngi khng chng ngi, Nit-bn sanh t mc che lng. (T x ng khip bn lai khng, Ng un sn cao dic bt tng. Chn tnh linh minh v qui ngi, Nit-bn sanh t nhm gi lung.) Thin S I X (1120 - 1180) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hy nim thn v tm ca bn, v thy tnh khng ca bn con rn v nm un. Bn con rn tng trng cho bn thnh t lp ra vn php: t, hay tnh cht cng; nc, hay tnh cht lng; la, hay hi nng; v gi, hay tnh chuyn ng. Bn con rn ang lm vic trong thn bn. Hy c x vi chng cn trng; nu khng, chng c th lm bn bnh. Cn nm un l nm tp hp cu thnh mt ngi: sc, th, tng, hnh, v thc. Ni cao tng trng cho thn v tm ca bn mi th m bn tin l bn. Hy nhn vo thc tnh ca ni cao ny trong mi thi, ngy v m, v ng bn tm g khc. Ci g l tnh thc ca ngn ni cao ny? N l rng rang, n vn l khng. thy nh th, bn khng cn lm nghi l no. Vn php ang bin dit chp nhang, vn php t lm rng rang chp nhang, vn php trong t tnh l khng. c Pht mt ln ni vi con ngi, Rahula, rng mi th hnh thnh thn v tm cn c nhn vi chnh nim nh Ci ny khng phi ca ti, ci ny khng phi ti, ci ny khng phi ng ca ti. c ti trang ny, bn c th bi ri gia qu nhu k thut thin nh chng ta ni ti. Nu th, ch cn nh li c Pht dy ngi Rahula ni y.)
35 The Iron Girl In this world of light and dust, its constantly free of light and dust. When the mind is completely still, it has no relation to anything in this world. Its essence is originally spontaneous; it reflects all things impartially. It holds all heavens and earth, reaches far beyond humankind, nurtures all things, helps all things bring forth the spring, makes the iron girl dance, and leads the wooden human to play a drum. TRUONG NGUYEN (1110 1165) (COMMENT: Is there any light without shadow? When you see something beautiful and have a thought of desire, or when you hear something offensive and have a thought of aversion, you fall into the world of light and dust the light casts shadows, dust particles appear, and you get stuck in this suffering world. Manifesting through the six senses, the light in you originally has no shadow and collects no dust. You can experience this: breathe in and out gently, watch your mind gently, see the stillness in your interaction with all things at all times, and then later you would see the unborn nature of the mind. How can the iron girl dance? How can the wooden human drum? Some Zen masters like to ask their guests, Hey, guest! What makes this corpse walking here? The unborn nature makes the iron girl dancing, leads the wooden human drumming, and induces a corpse walking. Because it is unborn, it is undying and non-self.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 28 of 74 35 C Gi St

ch bng trn, Thng la bng trn, Tm ph lng tt, Cng vt khng thn. Th vn t nhin, Hin vt khng thin, Ti bng tri t, Vt c nhn lun. Dng nui mun vt, Cng vt lm xun, ng ma gi st, nh trng ngi cy. (Ti quang ti trn, Thng ly quang trn, Tm ph trng trit, D vt v thn. Th t nhin. ng vt v ngn, Tng tng nh nghi, o thi nhn lun. nh c vn vt, D vt vi xun, Tc v thit n, c mc nhn.) Thin S TRNG NGUYN (1110 - 1165) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: C nh sng no m khng c bng? Khi bn thy g xinh p v khi nim mun nm gi, hay khi bn nghe li no knh chng v khi nim sn, bn ri vo th gii ca nh sng v bi trn ri. nh sng ht ra bng ti, ht bi dy ln, v bn kt trong th gii au kh ny. Hin lng xuyn qua su cn, nh sng trong bn nguyn khi khng c bng ti v dnh bi no. Bn c th kinh nghim th ny: hy ht th du dng, hy nhn tm du dng, hy thy ci vng lng trong mi tng tc gia bn vi vn php vo mi thi, v ri ti mt lc bn c th thy t tnh v sanh ca tm. Lm sao c gi st ma? Lm sao ngi g nh trng? Mt s v thin s a thch hi khch ti thm, Cho ngi! Ci g lm xc cht ny i ti y? T tnh v sanh lm c gi st ma, lm ngi g nh trng, v lm xc cht i b ti. Bi v bt sanh, nn cng bt dit v v ng.)
36 Birth and Death The true nature is profound and omnipresent; Its inwardness is originally emptiness and stillness. Not identical with birth and death, it functions unhinderedly. Thus birth comes from nowhere, and death goes to nowhere. DAO HUE (circa 12th century) (COMMENT: How can you see and hear its stillness? Sitting motionless and silencing all the noise? The stillness nature is not apart from the motion or the noise. You will touch it, feel it, see it, hear it when you realize the nonself nature of all things. Zen Master Thuong Chieu, my Dharma uncle, once was asked about the way of Zen. The old monk Thuong Chieu took a small pebble, threw it at a wall, and asked if the student heard the sound of the pebble hitting the wall. The student said, Yes, Master. I heard it. Zen Master Thuong Chieu said, Thats the Way.)

36 Sinh v T o Hu bo: - Chn tnh diu vin, th t khng tch, vn dng t ti, chng ng vi sanh t. Th nn, sanh khng t u n, t chng i v u. DAO HUE (~ 1190) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Lm sao bn c th thy v nghe tnh khng tch ? Ngi bt ng v tt ht mi ting n? Tnh vng lng khng ri khi s chuyn ng hay ting n. Bn s s chm n, cm nhn n, thy n, nghe n khi bn chng ng tnh v ng ca vn php. Thin S Thng Chiu, v s thc ca ti, mt ln c hi v Thin. V s gi Thng Chiu cm ln mt vin si nh, nm vo tng, v hi thin sinh c nghe ting vin si chm tng hay khng. Thin sinh p, Tha thy, con nghe ting . Thin S Thng Chiu ni, l o.)

37 In Front of Your Eyes The Way is formless, in front of your eyes, not far away. Reflect on yourself, and find the Way; dont expect elsewhere. Even if prayers could give you something, the given must be the untrue. If [you think] you are given the truth, then ask yourself which thing is that truth. Thus the Buddhas of three periods, the Patriarchs of successive generations, who transmitted the mind seal, all said like that. NGUYEN HOC (? 1174) (COMMENT: Buddha said the mind created these worlds; also, Buddha urged the hearers to practice the four foundations of mindfulness to liberate themselves. The Patriarchs said the Way is formless, and therefore pathless; also, the Patriarchs urged the Zen practitioners to realize the mind essence to liberate themselves. What is the difference? Another way to put that question: What is the difference between being mindful of body, feelings, mind and dharmas, and being mindful of the mind essence? We can answer like this: after realizing the mind essence, you see all things being manifested by the mind; in other words, you see the mindseal on all things. Also, in other words, being mindful of body, feelings, mind and dharmas exactly is being mindful of the mind manifesting.) 37 Trc Mt o khng hnh tng, Trc mt chng xa, Xoay li tm kim, Ch cu ni khc. D cho cu c, c tc chng chn. V c c chn, Chn y vt g? V th, Ch Pht ba i, Lch i T s, n th tm truyn, Cng ni nh th. (o v nh tng Xc mc phi diu T phn suy cu Mc cu tha c. Tng nhiu cu c, c tc bt chn, Thit s c chn, Chn th h vt S d Tam th ch Pht, Lch i T s, n th tm truyn, Dic nh th thuyt.) Thin S NGUYN HC (? - 1174) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Pht ni, tm hnh thnh ra th gii; Pht thc gic thnh chng tu tp t nim x t gii that. Cc T ni, o l v tng, v do vy khng li i; ri ch T thc gic thin gia hy chng ng t tnh ca tm t gii that. Ci g l d bit gia li dy ca Pht v ch T? Hi mt cch khc: Ci g l d bit gia php nim thn th tm php v php nim t tnh ca tm? Chng ta c th tr li th ny: sau khi Thy Tnh, bn thy vn php l tm hin lng; ni cch khc, bn thy tm n trn vn php. V ni cch khc, mt cch chnh xc, nim thn th tm php l chnh nim v tm ang hin lng.)

38 Echo in Sky Like wind whistling in the cypress trees, the underwater moon shines bright. It has neither shadow nor shape. Existence is just like that; Emptiness, an echo in sky. MINH TRI (? 1196) (COMMENT: The moon is a symbol of the mind. Just like the moon shining bright and helping us see all things, but the mind is not a thing you can point at; the mind has neither shadow nor shape. Existence is the mind manifesting; its true nature is the emptiness. How can you realize the true nature? Can you hear the sound of a pebble hitting a wall? That sound is the mind manifesting. Can you see a banner waving in the wind? The mind is flapping. Breathe in and out gently, be alert, and watch the mind.) 38 Ting Vang Gi tng, trng nc sng, Khng bng cng khng hnh. Sc tng ch th y, Trong khng tm ting vang. (Tng phong thy nguyt minh, V nh dic v hnh. Sc tng gi c th, Khng khng tm hng thinh.) Thin S MINH TR (? - 1196) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Mt trng l biu tng ca tm. Ht nh mt trng chiu sng v gip chng ta thy vn php, nhng tm khng phi l mt vt bn c th ch vo; tm khng c c bng ln hnh dng. Hin th l tm ang hin lng; tnh thc ca n chnh l tnh khng. Lm sao bn c th chng ng chn tnh? Bn c th nghe ting si chm vo tng? m thanh chnh l tm ang hin lng. Bn c th thy mt l c bay trong gi? Tm ang pht phi . Hy ht th du dng, hy tnh to, v hy nhn tm.) 39 Nowhere All things return to emptiness, nowhere to lean on. Serenely, True Thusness appears clearly before your eyes. Realizing that the mind is perfect in nature, you see nowhere to point it out. Like a lake showing the moon underwater, manifesting in every drop of water -- Keep your mind unmoved. BAO GIAC (circa 12th century) (COMMENT: All things are just like dreams, like echoes, like mirages, but we are still trapped in this world and burdened by suffering. Buddha said it was important to guard the mind carefully, just like thatching a roof for the rain of passions would not penetrate the house.) 39 Khng Mt Ni Mun php v khng khng th nng, Chn nh lng l hin t tng, Thu tt ngun tm khng ch ch, Nc tm bng nguyt bt ngh lng. (Vn php qui khng v kh y, Qui tch chn nh mc tin ky, t ng tm vin v s ch, Thy tm thy nguyt dn tm ngh. Bo Gic (Bn dch HT Thanh T) (BNH: Cho d rng vn php ht nh m, nh m vang, nh qung nng, nhng chng ta vn b kt trong th gii ny, v mang nng kh au. c Pht ni, iu quan trng l phi phng h tm cn trng, ht nh lp mi nh cc trn ma tham dc khng khng vo nh c.)
40 Cessation Arise from cessation, then expound the way of cessation. Arise from the unborn, then expound the way of the unborn. Being a human being, you should have firm resolve as high as sky; Dont step on the old footprints of Buddha. QUANG NGHIEM (1121 1190) (COMMENT: Dont step on the old footprints of Buddha? Why? Do we need to burn the scriptures, chop up the statues, and run away from the temples? No, Zen Master Quang Nghiem did not mean that. He just asked his students that they must practice hard, step into the land of cessation, and fade into the unborn before expounding the Way. That means you have to walk and have your own footprints. Buddha pointed out the Way, and we have to do the walking. Buddha used the simile of a cowherd counting the cows of others for those who recited the Sacred Texts and did not meditate to attain freedom from samsara. Also, Buddha said, Be a light unto yourself.) 40 Tch Dit La tch mi bn cu tch dit, c v sanh, sau ni v sanh. Lm trai c ch xng tri thm, Ch gim Nh Lai vt qua. (Ly tch phng ngn tch dit kh, Sanh v sanh hu thuyt v sanh. Nam nhi t hu xung thin ch, Hu hng Nh Lai hnh x hnh.) Thin S QUNG NGHIM (1121 - 1190) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: ng gim ln du chn xa ca Pht? Ti sao? Chng ta cn phi t kinh, ch tng, v chy ra khi cha? Khng, Thin S Qung Nghim khng ni th. Ngi ch yu cu hc tr ngi l phi tu tp nghim tc, t chn vo ci t khng tch, v thm nhp ci v sinh trc khi truyn ging Thin Tng. Ngha l, bn phi bc i v c du chn ring ca bn. c Pht ch ra ng i, v bn phi i ly. c Pht dng n d v mt ngi chn b lo m b ngi khc ch cho ngi tng kinh m khng chu thin nh that khi sinh t lun hi. Thm na, c Pht ni, Hy t thp uc m i.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 32 of 74 41 At Home

Having neither face nor color, The Way begins anew everyday. Look at all the worlds outside: You are at home everywhere. THUONG CHIEU (? 1203) (COMMENT: Just like a mirror, the mind is shining bright, showing all things, and helping you to see the birds flying and hear them singing. Just like a mirror, the mind is luminous, and has neither face nor color. The Way is simple: just like making a mirror free from dust, liberate the mind from the three poisons desire, hatred and ignorance. A clean mirror calmly reflects, doesnt hold anything; a liberated mind calmly reflects, doesnt cling to anything. So, a liberated mind is always anew. Look around, see the birds flying, and hear them singing. Is your mind manifesting as the images of birds flying, and the sound of birds singing? Look around: are you at home now?) 41 Ti Nh o vn khng nhan sc, Ngy ngy li mi ti, Ngoi i thin sa gii, Ch no chng l nh. (o bn v nhan sc, Tn tin nht nht khoa, i thin sa gii ngoi, H x bt vi gia.) Thin S THNG CHIU (? - 1203) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Ht nh tm gng, tm chiu sng, ph by vn php, v gip bn nhn thy chim bay v nghe chim ht. Ht nh tm gng, tm chiu sng, v khng c khun din hay mu sc no. o th n gin: c ht nh lau gng cho khi bi, hy a tm ra khi tam c tham, sn v si. Mt tm gng sch s lng l chiu nh, khng chp gi g c; tm gii that cng lng l chiu nh, khng tr vo bt c vt g. Do vy, tm gii that th lun lun mi. Hy nhn quanh, hy thy chim bay, v hy nghe chim ht. C phi tm bn ang hin lng nh l hnh nh chim bay, v ting chim ht? Hy nhn quanh: c phi bn ang nh by gi?)

42 The True Body The Thus Come One attained complete enlightenment, Realizing the dharma body where all things were equal. Whether you turn on your heel or not, the irises in your eyes shine bright. The True Body becomes all phenomena; All phenomena become the True Body. The red cinnamon tree stands beautifully in the Palace of the Moon. In the one circle, the red cinnamon tree stands tall. Y SON (? 1213) (COMMENT: You can turn a mirror any direction, and see it always reflects equally. After realizing the true mind, you see that all phenomena become one with you. All things are your mind manifested you are what you think, you are what you feel, you are what you see, you are what you hear The moon here symbolizes for the mind; the red cinnamon tree, for the nature of the mind. Many Zen masters prefer using the symbol of a calm lake surface serenely reflecting the sky. The latter symbol can be used to describe the two qualities of a meditative mind: serene, and awake. Buddha said meditation had two approaches: samatha, and vipassana. Samatha meditation, also known as concentration meditation, helps you calm the mind; Vipassana meditation, also known as insight meditation, helps you see things as they are. Both should be developed in tandem to help you to have a mind of serenity and luminosity. If you get confused by so many words, you can just remember the image of a calm lake surface. Or just remember the two words serene, awake serene, serene, awake, awake serene, awake serene, serene, awake, awake) 42 Chn Thn Nh Lai thnh chnh gic, Tt c lng bng thn. Xoay li chng xoay li, Trong mt con ngi nm. * Chn thn thnh vn tng, Vn tng thnh chn thn. Cung trng cnh qu , Qu ti mt vng. (Nh Lai thnh chnh gic, Nht thit lng ng thn. Hi h bt hi h, Nhn tnh ng t thn. * Chn thn thnh vn tng, Vn tng thnh chn thn. Nguyt in vinh an qu, an qu ti nht lun.) Thin S Y SN ( ? - 1213 ) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Bn c th xoay tm gng bt k hng no, v thy n lun lun chiu nh bnh ng nh nhau. Sau khi nhn ra chn tm, bn thy rng vn php tr thnh mt vI bn. Vn php l tm bn hin l -bn l nhng g bn suy ngh, bn l nhng g bn cm xc, bn l nhng g bn nghe Mt trng biu tng cho tm; cy qu , ch cho bn tnh ca tm. Nhiu Thin S lI thch dng biu tng cho mt h an tnh lng l phn chiu c bu tri. Biu tng sau c th dng m t hai phm cht ca tm thn nh: vng lng, v tnh thc. c Pht ni thin nh c hai li tip cn: ch, v qun. Thin ch, cn gI l thin tnh lng, gip bn gi tm cho an; Thin qun, cn gi l thin chnh nim, gip bn thy cc php nh n l n. C hai nn tu tp cng lc gip bn c tm va vng lng, va tnh thc. Nu bn thy nhiu ch rc ri, bn c th ch cn nh ti mt h tnh lng. Hay ch cn nh hai ch lng, tnh lng, lng, tnh, tnh lng, tnh lng, lng, tnh, tnh)

43 Leaving the World Oh monks! The ancient masters said, Keep seeing that the five aggregates are emptiness, the four elements are non-self. Keep seeing that the true mind has no form, neither going nor coming. Keep seeing that the self-nature did not come when you were born, will not go when you die. Keep seeing that the true mind is always serene and allembracing, and that your mind and all scenes are one. Seeing that constantly, you will soon attain enlightenment, gain freedom from the three periods, and become those who leave this world. It is important to you not to cling to anything. THONG THIEN (? 1228) (COMMENT: Keep seeing that constantly. Many ancient Zen masters in Vietnam asked the practitioners to do like that. Its very hard to practice that way; however, after you have the first glimpse of that insight, you will keep seeing like that comfortably, and will enjoy the world differently. Buddha once held up a flower before the monks. All the monks were silent, awaiting his word; except one, only Mahakasyapa smiled. Then Buddha said that he just gave the true dharma transmission to Mahakasyapa. That was the beginning of Zen tradition. Why? Because the other monks saw the flower as flower, as something that the Buddha held up, as something was seen by them? Because only Mahakasyapa saw the flower as flower, as something that the Buddha held up, as something was seen by him, and as something his mind manifesting? Because Mahakasyapa became one with the flower? Watch your mind. Dont say a word.) 43 Xut Th - u chng nghe ngi xa ni: Ch xem nm un u khng, t i v ng, chn tm khng tng, khng i khng li, khi sanh tnh chng n, khi t tnh chng i, yn tnh trn lng, tm cnh nht nh. Ch hay nh th, lin chng liu ng, khng b ba i rng buc, bn l ngi xut th. Cn thit chng c c mt my may th hng. i S THNG THIN (? - 1228) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hy c nhn nh th lin tc. Nhiu Thin S ti Vit Nam thi xa vn bo Thin Sinh lm nh th. Rt kh tu tp nh th; tuy nhin, sau khi bn ln u thy c th kin , bn s gi ci nhn lin tc d hn, v s hn thng th gii ny khc i. c Pht mt ln a cao mt bng hoa trc cc v s. Tt c cc s u im lng, ch c Pht ni; ch tr mt s, Ngi Ma Ha Ca Dip mm ci. Ri c Pht ni rng Pht mi trao truyn chnh php cho Ma Ha Ca Dip. l khi u ca Thin Tng. Ti sao? C phi v cc s khc thy hoa nh l hoa, nh mt vt m c Pht cm a ln, nh mt vt c h nhn thy? C phi v ch duy ngi Ma Ha Ca Dip thy hoa nh l hoa, nh mt vt m c Pht cm a ln, nh mt vt c Ma Ha Ca Dip nhn thy, v nh mt vt m tm ca Ma Ha Ca Dip ang hin lng? C phi v Ma Ha Ca Dip tr thnh mt vi hoa? Hy nhn tm ca bn. ng ni mt li.)

44 Illusions All things in this world of illusion are all illusions. Meditating in this world of illusion is all illusion. Dont cling to both kinds of illusions; thus you destroy all illusions. HIEN QUANG (? 1221) (COMMENT: Everything is like a dream, a mirage, an echo, an illusion. Buddha said so. Then why do we have to meditate? Because we have to wake up from this dream. We should not stay longer in this suffering world. We have to cross the samsara river to reach the nirvana shore. Meditation is like crossing the river; however, if we think meditation is something ultimately real, then we still get stuck in the dream. So, meditate like an ox, made out of mud, crossing a river. The more you meditate, the faster the ox vanishes. See that for yourself.) 44 Huyn Php huyn u l huyn, Tu huyn u l huyn, Hai huyn u chng nhn, Tc l tr cc huyn. (Huyn php giai th huyn, Huyn tu giai th huyn, Nh huyn giai bt tc, Tc th tr ch huyn.) Thin S HIN QUANG (? - 1221) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Vn php u nh m, nh qung nng, nh vang, nh huyn. c Pht ni nh th. Vy, ti sao chng ta phi thin nh? Bi v chng ta phI tnh thc ra khi gic m ny. Chng ta khng nn lu hn trong th gii au kh. Chng ta phi vt dng sng sinh t ti b Nit Bn. Thin nh cng ht nh vt sng; tuy nhin, nu chng ta ngh rng Thin l ci g thc s l thc, th chng ta s vn kt trong gic m ny. Do vy, hy tu thin nh mt con tru vt sng, m tru ny lm bng bn. Bn cng thin nh, th con tru cng tan bin nhanh hn. Hy t chng ng nh th.)
45 Song of the Buddha Mind Buddha! Buddha! Buddha! Impossible to be seen! Mind! Mind! Mind! Impossible to be told! When the mind arises, Buddha is born. When Buddha is gone, the mind vanishes. There is never a place where the mind is gone while Buddha remains. There is never a time when Buddha is gone while the mind remains. If you want to understand the mind of Buddha, and the mind of birth and death, just wait for Maitreya and ask him. There was no mind anciently; there is no Buddha now. All unenlightened beings, holy beings, human beings, heavenly beings are just like flashes of lightning. The mind nature is neither right nor wrong. The Buddha nature is neither real nor unreal. Suddenly arising, suddenly ceasing, anciently leaving, now coming, you all waste your time with thinking and discussing. In that way, you would bury the Vehicle of the Patriarchs, and cause the devils to hound in the house. If you want to find the mind, stop searching outward. The nature of the mind is naturally still and void. Nirvana and the birth-death cycles are illusionary shackles. The fetters and Enlightenment are hollow oppositions. The mind is Buddha; Buddha is the mind. That profound meaning shines bright since endless time. When spring comes, the spring flowers blossom naturally. When autumn comes, the autumn waters reflects the sorrow clearly. Removing the false mind, and keeping the true nature is similar to a person who searches for the reflections and misses the mirror. He doesnt know that reflections come from the mirror, and that the false appear from the truth. That the false come is neither real nor unreal. That the mirror reflects is neither wrong nor right. There is neither sinfulness nor blessedness. Dont mistake wish-fulfilling gem for white jewel. Gems could have scratches; Jewels, defects. The mind nature is neither rosy nor green, neither gained nor lost. Seven times seven is forty-nine.
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 36 of 74 The six perfections and the ten thousand conducts are waves on the ocean; The three poisons and the nine kinds of sentient beings, suns in the sky. Be still, be still, be still; Go down, go down, go down. The essence of all phenomena is the Buddha mind. The Buddha mind and your mind are one. Such is, naturally, the profound meaning since endless time. Walk in Zen, sit in Zen, then you will see the lotus blooming in fire. When your will becomes weak, just strengthen it. When your place is peaceful and suitable, just stay there. Ah ah ah! Oh oh oh! Sunken or floating, bubbles on the ocean are all empty. All deeds are impermanent; All phenomena are void. Where can you find the sacred bones of your late master? Be mindful, be mindful, be awake; Be awake, be mindful, be mindful. Keep four corners in contact with the ground; dont let things tilt. If someone here trusts like that, he can start walking from the crown of Vairocana Buddha. Shout! TUE TRUNG THUONG SI (1230 1291)
(COMMENT: This poem says a lot. Any comment here would hurt its poetic beauty.)
45 PHT TM CA Pht! Pht! Pht! Khng th thy Tm! Tm! Tm! Khng th ni. Nu khi tm sanh l Pht sanh Nu khi Pht dit l tm dit. Dit tm cn Pht chuyn khng u Dit Pht cn tm khi no ht? Mun bit Pht tm, sanh dit tm i n sau ny Di-lc quyt. Xa khng tm, nay khng Pht Phm, Thnh, ngi, tri nh in chp. Tm th khng th cng khng phi Pht tnh chng h cng chng tht. Bng dng dy, bng dng dng Xa qua nay li lung ngh bn. u ch chn vi tha T tng Li khin yu ma nh mnh lng. Mun tm tm, ng tm ngoi Bn th nh nhin t rng lng. Nit-bn sanh t buc rng sung Phin no B- i ch rng. Tm tc Pht, Pht tc tm Diu ch sng ngi sut c kim. Xun n, t nhin hoa xun n Thu v, hin r nc thu su. B vng tm, gi chn tnh Nh ngi tm bng m qun knh. u bit bng c t ni gng Chng r vng t trong chn hin. Vng n khng tht cng khng h Gng nhn khng cong cng khng thng. Cng khng ti, cng khng phc Lm snh ma-ni cng bch ngc. Ngc c vt ch chu c t Tnh vn khng hng cng khng lc. Cng khng c, cng khng mt, By ln by l bn mi chn. Tam c cu tnh nht trong khng Lc vn hnh sng trn bin. Lng, lng, lng, chm, chm, chm
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 37 of 74 Ci tm mun php l tm Pht. Tm Pht li cng tm ta hp L y nh nhin sut c kim. i cng thin, ngi cng thin Trong l la rc, mt hoa sen. kh mt th thm kh c ni an tin hy an tin. Chao! Chao! Chao! i! i! i! Bt trong bin c ni chm rng. Cc hnh v thng tt c khng Linh ct Tin s ch no thy? Tnh tnh thc, thc tnh tnh Bn gc p t ch chinh nghing. Ngi no ni y tin c n Trn nh T-l ct bc i Ht! TU TRUNG THNG S TRN TUNG (1230 - 1291) -- Bn dch HT Thanh T
(BNH: Bi th ny ni nhiu qu. Bt k li bnh no ni y u s lm tn thng v p thi ca ca n.)

46 All Phenomena All phenomena are unborn. All phenomena are undying. If you see that constantly, all Buddhas are before your eyes constantly. TRAN NHAN TONG (1258 1308) (COMMENT: We were born and will die. We were born some decades ago, and will die in a certain future. How could the Zen masters say all things unborn and undying? We all live in this world, weep the tears of sorrow sometimes, have the laughter of joy other times, feel the breath coming and going endlessly, and see babies being born and old people dying. How can we say all things unborn and undying? That is Nirvana, a state that Buddha referred to as unborn, unageing, unmade, and undying. Buddha once compared the impermanence of life to a flickering lamp, and said that to live a single day realizing the deathless state was better than to live a hundred years in ignorance. Watch your mind, and see the state of unborn emptiness. Watch the thoughts coming and going, and see the unmoving mind. Keep seeing like that. An ancient Zen master in China once blew out a candle, and his student became suddenly enlightened. What happened there? Lets see the story. Two monks had a dharma conversation. The student asked a lot of questions, heard some answers, then left when it was dark outside. The master offered a lighted candle. When the student took the candle, the master blew it out. The student became suddenly enlightened. What did they talk in the dharma conversation? About the unborn mind? About the unmoving mind? The day was gone, and the night was coming; what was not gone, and what was not coming? Now, look at the candle. The light was lit, and then was extinguished; what was not lit, and what was not extinguished there? Ask the ancient monks. Was that the non-self seeing? Or when the student saw the light and then saw the dark, he realized that in the deathless seeing there was just the seen?) 46 Vn Php Tt c php chng sanh Tt c php chng dit Nu hay hiu nh th Ch Pht thng hin tin. (Nht thit php bt sanh Nht thit php bt dit Nhc nng nh th gii Ch Pht thng hin tin .) S T PHI TRC LM TRN NHN TNG (1258 - 1308) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Chng ta sanh ra v s cht i. Chng ta sanh vi thp nin trc, v s cht trong mt tng lai no . V sao cc thin s ni vn php bt sanh, bt dit? Chng ta u sng trong th gii ny, c nhng lc khc bun, c nhng lc ci vui, cm nhn hi th vo v ra v tn, v thy tr em sinh ra i v ngi gi cht i. Lm sao chng ta c th ni tt c cc php khng sanh v khng dit? l Nit Bn, mt trng thi c Pht m t l bt sinh, bt lo, v tc v bt t. c Pht tng so snh tnh v thng ca cuc i nh ngn n lp le, v ni rng sng mt ngy m chng ng cnh gii bt t th tt hn l sng mt trm nm v minh. Hy nhn vo tm bn, v hy thy trng thi ca Tnh Khng bt sinh. Hy nhn cc nim n v i, v hy thy tm bt ng. Hy c nhn hai nh th. Mt Thin S Trung Quc thi xa tng thi tt mt cy n cy, v v mn ca ngi ht nhin gic ng. Chuyn g xy ra ni y? Hy nhn vo chuyn ny. Hai v s va php m xong. V s hc tr a ra nhiu cu hi, nghe mt s cu tr li, ri lui v khi tri ti. V thy a cho ngn n cy thp sng. Khi v mn cm cy nn, v thy thi pht tt. V hc tr ht nhin n ng. H ni g trong cuc php m trc ? C phi v tm bt sinh? C phi v tm bt ng? By gi, hy nhn vo cy n cy. Ngn la c thp ln, v ri b thi tt; ci g khng c thp ln, v ci g khng b pht tt ni ? Hy hi cc v s thi xa . C phi l ci thy, m ci thy ny th v ng? Hay l, khi hc tr thy sng v ri thy ti, v hc tr chng ng rng trong ci thy bt t th ch c ci c thy thi?)
47 The Great Way The Great Way is immense and boundless, restraining nothing. The self nature is serene, neither virtuous nor evil. Yet a thought of choice arises, instantly creating a number of faults, and separating sky from earth. Holiness and unholiness are from same root; Right and wrong have no two ways. Thus sinfulness and blessedness are originally void; The cause and effect relationship is ultimately unreal. All human beings already complete the Great Way; All that we have is already perfect. The Buddha nature, and the true body of all phenomena are just like images and shadows, apparently appearing and disappearing, neither one nor many. The nose points straight down; The eyebrows lay across your face, above your eyes. Yet its very hard for you to see them. You have to examine why the ancient masters said, The three thousand dharma-gates point to one heart; countless profound activities come from the original mind. Thus you already complete the gates of precepts, meditation and wisdom; just observe yourself. Having a cough, uttering a hem, raising eyebrows, winking an eye, grabbing something, walking around what is the essence of those actions? Yet what is the mind you are using to know about that essence? The mind essence is empty and bright; so what is right, and what is not? Reality is the essence; Buddha is the mind. What essence is not reality? What mind is not Buddha? Mind is Buddha; Mind is reality. Originally, reality is not reality; reality is just mind. Originally, mind is not mind; mind is just Buddha. Learners! Days and months are flying by. Life is not waiting for you. Why you are eating rice and soup, and dont realize the use of bowl and spoon? Observe! PHAP LOA (1284 1330) (COMMENT: Time is flying fast. We should practice hard to end the three poisons. Watch the mind and see the essence, even when Having a cough, uttering a hem, raising eyebrows, winking an eye, grabbing something, walking around This approach later led to koan practice,
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 39 of 74 pushing the practitioner into a great doubt to clear all the thoughts for the mind essence being recognized. Buddha said that he only taught practically about the suffering, and the end of suffering. Buddha also said that it was very precious to be born as a human being. So, practice hard, dont waste this life.)
47 i o i o rng sut no c rng buc, bn tnh lng l khng thin khng c. Bi do chn la cht sanh nhiu li, va khi my may cch xa tri t. Phm thnh vn ng mt mi, phi quy u c hai ng. Cho nn bit, ti phc vn khng, cu cnh nhn qu chng tht. Ngi ngi sn , k k trn thnh. Pht tnh Php thn nh hnh nh bng, ty n ty hin, chng tc chng ly. L mi dui thng xung, chn my nm ngang mt, trn mt m khng d g nhn thy. Cn phi tm xt, u chng nghe ni Ba ngn php mn ng v tc vung, h sa diu dng u ngun tm nn ni: Ca gii ca nh ca tu, ng khng thiu st, cn phi phn qun ni mnh. Phm nhng ting ho ting tng hng, nhng my chp mt, tay cm, chn i, y l tnh g ? Bit c tnh ny, y l tm g ? Tm tnh rng sng, ci no phi, ci no chng phi ? Php tc l tnh, Pht tc l tm. Tnh no chng phi l php ? Tm no chng phi l Pht ? Tc tm tc Pht, tc tm tc php. Php vn chng phi php, php tc l tm. Tm vn chng phi tm, tm tc l Pht. Cc nhn gi ! Ngy thng d dng qua, mng ngi khng ch i, sao cam n cho n cm m chng r vic bt vic mung ? Tham ! Thin S PHP LOA (1284 - 1330) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Thi gian qua nhanh. Chng ta hy tinh tn dit tam c. Hy nhn vo tm, v hy thy t tnh, ngay c khi ang ho, tng hng, nhng my, chp mt, tay cm, chn i Php tu ny sau dn ti php tu cng n, y ngi tu vo mt nim nghi ln qut sch tt c cc nim, chng ng t tnh ca tm. c Pht ni ngi ch dy mt cch thc dng v kh, v v dit kh. c Pht cng ni rng thn ngi kh c. Do vy, hy tinh tn tu hc, ng ph mt i ny.)
48 Daisies Clinging to nothing, forgetting body and life, I sat quietly so long that the cold chill spread the bed. As years passing by in mountain, without a calendar, I saw daisies blooming and knew the autumn coming. HUYEN QUANG (1254 1334) (COMMENT: Buddha urged us to cling to nothing. That means we should not cling to anything, even to the scriptures or the Zen masters; Clinging to anything means clinging to a form of self-grasping. How can we cling to nothing? We live in this world, have in blood the three poisons, and always cling to something. We are taught from childhood to take pride in our glorious nation, in our blessed religion, in our famous Zen masters, in being successful, and so on. We are proud of something in the past, of the trophy we won yesterday, of the beautiful poems we wrote last year, and of the sweet memories we had with those we loved. We are also resentful of something in the past, of the childhood poverty we lived in, of the criticism unfairly against us, and of the bitter memories we had when our loved ones leaving. We also desire for something in the future, for the fame or the glory. We live here now, but our thoughts wander in dream after dream towards an exciting future. And we are scared of some future unknown, uncertain. Also, living in this world, we have to practically think of the future, have to write a book of prayers for someone we love, have to chant the sutras with our children daily to nurture their spiritual future, and so on. We have to plan, have to think of the future, or have to save money to buy a car next month. We must plan something for the future, but we should not cling to anything in the future. Just be serene and awake.) 48 CC HOA Vong thn vong th d vong Ta cu tiu nhin nht thp lng Tu vn sn trung v lch nht Cc hoa khai x tc trng dng. HOA CC
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 40 of 74 Bng qun thn th chng h vng Lng l ngi lu lnh thu ging Nm ht trong non khng sn lch Nhn xem cc n bit trng dng (Ngy 9 thng 9 m lch gi l tit trng dng) Thin S HUYN QUANG (1254 - 1334) Bn dch HT Thanh T
(BNH: c Pht dy chng ta gi tm v s tr. Ngha l chng ta ng dnh mc vo bt c g, cho d l kinh in hay cc v Thin S; Cn nh, dnh mc vo bt c g, c ngha l dnh mc vo mt hnh thc ng chp. Lm sao chng ta c th khng dnh mc vo bt c g? Chng ta sng trong th gian ny, mang tam c sn trong mu, v lun lun dnh mc vo nhng g . Chng ta c dy t th u l hy t ho v t nc vinh quang ca mnh, v tn gio n sng ca mnh, v cc Thin S ni ting ca chng ta, v thnh cng, v vn vn Chng ta t ho v nhng chuyn g trong qu kh, v cc gii thng thng c hm qua, v cc bi th hay chng ta vit nm ngai, v v k nim ngt ngo chng ta c vi nhng ngi chng ta yu thng. Chng ta cng bc bi v nhu chuyn qu kh, v tui tr ngho kh m chng ta tri qua, v cc li ch trch bt cng nhm vo chng ta, v v cc k nim cay ng khi nhng ngi chng ta yu thng ri b ra i. Chng ta cng thm mn c nhng g trong tng lai, mun ni ting hay vinh quang. Chng ta sng ni y by gi, nhng cc nim trong tm chng ta c lang thang t gic m ny sang gic m kia, v hng mt tng lai ho hng. V chng ta s hi nhng tng lai cha r, bt nh. Thm na, sng trong th gian ny, chng ta phi thc dng ngh v tng lai, phi vit mt cun sch cc bi kinh cu nguyn cho ngI m chng ta yu thng, phi tng kinh vi cc con chng ta hng ngy vun trng tng lai tm linh ca chng, v vn vn. Chng ta phi nh k hach, phi ngh v tng lai, hay phi ginh tin mua mt chic xe vo thng ti. Chng ta phi hach nh cho tng lai, nhng nh ng c dnh mc vo bt c g trong tng lai. Hy bnh lng, tnh thc.)

49 Seeing the Buddha If you want to see the Buddha, just perceive in sentient beings who, ignorantly, dont know that everyone has their own Buddha. Remember that a Buddha never deludes sentient beings. Being aware of the self-nature, a sentient being is Buddha; Unaware, Buddha is a sentient being. Upholding the self-nature equally, a sentient being is Buddha; Slipping the self-nature unrighteously, Buddha is a sentient being. Your mind already has Buddha; why still looking for Buddha elsewhere? Thus the sutras said, When the mind arises, all phenomena arise; when the mind vanishes, all phenomena vanish. Thus unenlightened beings are Buddhas, and afflictions are Bodhi. The previous thought unenlightened makes you an unenlightened being; The next thought enlightened makes you a Buddha. The previous thought clinging to scenes is affliction; The next thought unclinging to scenes is Bodhi. HUONG HAI (1628 1715) (COMMENT: Should we cling to the present? Some might say living mindfully in the present is wonderful. That is true: Buddha said that its very rare to be reborn as a human, and its very rare to hear the Buddhas teachings. Now we have both. Some might feel that we should not say its wonderful now, because Buddha urged us to escape from this burning house as soon as possible. It is true that thousands of people are killing each other in this world, millions of children are living in poverty and many in slavery, and we can feel the unhappiness anywhere we look at, even at our aging bodies. We should not fall into the sectarian argument. Everything should be practically considered. Look at your mind: everything instantly empties itself; how can we say we should stay with the so-called wonderful present? When the mind still clings to any trace, you get stuck in this samsara world -- just like an ox trying to escape from the burning house through a window, with all its head and body already outside, but its tail finds no way to get through that window. In the blissful realization, there is no past, no future, no present; but, does a thought last ten thousand years?) 49 Thy Pht Mun cn thy Pht c nhn ni chng sanh, ch v chng sanh m khng t bit c Pht, ch Pht u c lm m chng sanh. Ng c t tnh ca mnh th chng sanh l Pht, m t tnh ca mnh th Pht l chng sanh. Gi c t tnh ca mnh bnh ng th chng sanh l Pht, t tnh mnh gian him th Pht l chng sanh. Tm ta sn c Pht, cn tm Pht ni no? Nn kinh ni: Tm sanh th cc php sanh, tm dit th cc php dit. Phm phu tc l Pht, phin no tc l b-. Nim trc m l phm phu, nim sau gic l Pht. Nim trc chp cnh l phin no, nim sau ly cnh l b-. Thin S HNG HI (1628 - 1715) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Chng ta c nn tr tm vo hin ti? Mt vi v c th ni rng sng tnh thc trong hin ti l tuyt vi. iu ng: c Pht ni thn ngi kh c, v Pht Php kh nghe. By gi chng ta c c hai. Mt vi v c th cm thy rng chng ta khng nn ni hin ti l tuyt vi, bi v Pht thc gic chng ta that ra khi nh la cng sm cng tt. S tht l nhiu ngn ngi ang git nhau trn th gian ny, nhiu triu tr em ang sng ngho kh v nhiu em sng cnh n l, v chng ta c th cm nhn s au kh bt c ni no chng ta nhn ti, ngay c trong tm thn ang lo ha ca chng ta. Chng ta khng nn ri vo cuc tranh lun b phi. Nn cu xt mi th mt cch thc dng. Hy nhn vo tm bn: mi th ngay tc khc t ha thnh khng; lm sao chng ta c th ni chng ta nn an tr vi ci gi l hin ti tuyt vi? Khi tm vn cn dnh vo bt k cht t vt no, bn vn kt trong ci lun hi ny y ht nh mt con tru tm cch thot ra khi nh la xuyn qua mt ca s, vi tan b u v thn ra ngai ri, nhng ui th khng cch no qua khi ca s. Trong nim chng ng hn hoan, khng h c qu kh, khng h c tng lai, khng h c hin ti; nhng, c phi mt nim ko di ti vn nm?)
50 Bodhi Precious jewels are hidden in the stone. Lotus grow from the mud. Once enlightened, you will know that the world of birth and death is Buddha land. MINH LUONG (circa 17th century) (COMMENT: Is the world of birth and death truly Buddha land? Is samsara truly nirvana? Buddha sidestepped the philosophical side, and urged his students to practically master the mind. Buddha once asked Rahula to let the mind be like a river receiving and flowing, or be like a fire receiving and burning all things thrown into. Nothing could be clung to in that river or fire. Flowing all things, burning all things What would remain after that? The emptiness? Its very hard to have a mind being like a river or a fire. Again and again, we cling to something we treasure, to the image we regard as beauty, or to the admiration we expect after a victory. Consciously or unconsciously, we cling to something most of the time. Sometimes you knew that. You attended a concert, listened to your favorite music, and went home with joy. Then you sat meditation as usual, and went to sleep comfortably, happily. Did you hear some nice melody hovering around you after the concert, on the way home, in sitting meditation, while trying to sleep, or even many days later? Or, you held a hand of a beautiful girlfriend decades ago, and now still feel her trembling hand in your palm when the pleasant memory comes back We love to cling to something, we love to stay in this samsara. How can we live with the insight that everything empties itself? A powerful tool is koan practice. Zen Master Duy Luc always asked his students to pick a hard koan that could generate a great doubt to wipe out all things in the mind, to wipe out even the Buddha image in your mind to realize the self-nature. He wrote dozens of books on koan practice, taught in many Zen temples in Vietnam and abroad, had a huge impact on many Buddhists, and just passed away few years ago. Try a koan. Who is reading this line? A river, or a fire, or the emptiness?)
50 B
Ngc qu n trong Hoa sen mc t bn Nn bit ch sanh t Ng vn tht B-. (M ngc tng ngoan thch, Lin hoa xut n Tu tri sanh t x, Ng th tc B-.) Thin S MINH LNG Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: C phi ci sinh t tht s l ci Pht? C phi phin no thc s l Nit Bn? c Pht trnh bn kha cnh trit hc, v thc gic mn phi thc dng lm ch c tm. Mt ln, c Pht yu cu ngi Rahula hy tm nh mt dng sng n nhn v cun tri i, hay l gi tm nh ngn la n nhn v thiu ri mi th nm vo. Khng c php no c th dnh mc vo c trong dng sng hay ngn la . Cun tri tt c cc php, thiu ri tt c cc php Ci g s cn li sau ? Tnh Khng? Rt kh gi tm nh sng hay nh la. C lin tc, chng ta mi dnh mc vo nhng g chng ta trn qu, vo cc hnh nh chng ta xem l p, hay vo s tn thng m chng ta mong i sau mt chin thng. Mt cch thc hay v thc, chng ta u dnh mc vo nhng g hu ht thi gian. i khi bn bit th. Bn d mt bui ha nhc, nghe cc ca khc bn yu thch, v v nh vi nim vui. Ri bn ngi thin nh thng l, v ri ng mt cch thai mi, hnh phc. Bn c nghe mt vi m iu du dng vy quanh bn sau bui ha nhc, trn ng v nh, khi ngi thin, trong khi d gic ng, hay ngay c nhiu ngy sau ? Hay bn nm tay mt bn gi xinh p nhiu thp nin trc, v by gi vn cn cm thy bn tay nng run ry trong bn tay ca bn khi k nim m du tr li Chng ta a thch dnh mc vo iu g , chng ta yu thch li ci lun hi ny. Lm cch no chng ta c th sng vi ci nhn rng vn php t tr thnh khng? Mt cng c mnh lit l php tu cng n. Thin S Duy Lc lun lun yu cu hc tr ca ngi chn mt cng n kh, c th khi ln mt nim nghi ln nhm qut sch mi th trong tm, qut sch ngay c hnh nh c Pht trong tm ca qu v nhn ra t tnh. Thy vit hng chc sch v php tu cng n, dy nhiu Thin ng ti Vit Nam v hi ngai, c nh hng ln trn nhiu Pht T, v mi vin tch vi nm trc. Hy th mt cng n. Ai ang c dng ch ny? Mt dng sng, hay mt ngn la, hay l Tnh Khng?)

51 Manifesting Appearing clearly all day and night, the self nature manifests suitably. Seeing the true eternity acting through the six senses, you will move across, up and down among all phenomena with complete enlightenment. CHAN NGUYEN (1647 1726) (COMMENT: Many Zen masters believe that koan meditation solely might not be helpful. While reviving the 700-year-old Truc Lam Zen School to become the largest Zen school in Vietnam now, the well-known Zen Master Thanh Tu gave his dozens of Zen monasteries a new curriculum in which the koan study is only a part. This Zen master emphasizes mindfulness of the mind with an approach he called Tri Vong, meaning Knowing the False urging meditator to watch the mind, to be mindful of the false thoughts, and not to wander with them. While the false thinning out, the emptiness, or the True Mind, would be realized. Then meditator should live with this realization all day and night; this stage is called Song Voi Ong Chu, meaning Living With The Chief.) 51 Hin L By hin r rng c sut ngy, y l t tnh mc ph by. Chn thng ng dng su cn thy, Mun php dc ngang gic ng ngay. (Hin hch phn minh thp nh th, Th chi t tnh nhm thi vi. Lc cn vn dng chn thng kin, Vn php tung honh chnh bin tri.) CHN NGUYN (1647 - 1726) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Nhiu Thin S tin rng php tu cng n n c c th khng li ch. Trong khi hi phc dng Thin Trc Lm c t 700 nm trc tr thnh Thin phi ln nht VN by gi, v Thin S Thanh T ni ting trao cho hng chc Thin vin ca ngi mt gio trnh mi, trong hc v cng n ch l mt phn thi. Thin S ny nhn mnh s tnh thc ca tm vi php m ngi gi l Tri Vng, ngha l nhn bit cc vng thc gic thin gia hy nhn tm, hy tnh bit cc vng nim, v ng lang thang vi chng. Khi cc vng mng dn i, th Tnh Khng, tc Chn Tm, s c nhn ra. Ri th thin gia hy sng vi chng ng ny c ngy m; giai on ny gi l Sng Vi ng Ch.)

52 Following the Emptiness Orginally, from the void of origin, following the emptiness to come and then to leave along the emptiness, we originally neither come nor leave. How can birth and death bother us? NHU TRUNG LAN GIAC (1696 1733) (COMMENT: Birth and death? The world-renowned Zen Master Nhat Hanh answered, No birth, no death. Currently the most famous Vietnamese Zen master, he has established many Zen monasteries worldwide, authored dozens of books on Buddhism, and promoted world peace via Engaged Buddhism. He emphasized breathing meditation, and wrote many beautiful poems on mindfulness. He said in a dharma talk in The Peace Walk 2002: Breathing in--I feel I am alive. Breathing out--I smile to life. Is Zen Master Nhat Hanhs explanation on birth and death different from the ancient Zen Master Nhu Trung Lan Giacs? Should you have your own explanation and your own experience on life?) 52 T Khng M Ti Vn t khng gc T khng m n Li t khng m i Ta vn khng n i T sanh lm g ly. (Bn tng v bn Tng v vi lai Hon tng v vi kh Ng bn v lai kh T sanh h tng ly.) Thin S NH TRNG LN GIC (1696 - 1733) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Sinh v t? Nht Hnh, v Thin S ni ting th gii, tr li, Khng sng, khng cht. Hin l v Thin S Vit Nam ni ting nht, ngi lp nhiu Thin vin khp th gii, san hng chc sch v Pht Gio, v ku gi ha bnh th gii xuyn qua Pht Gio Dn Thn. Ngi nhn mnh php thin hi th, v vit nhiu bi th hay v tnh thc. Ngi ni trong mt bui php thai trong Cuc i B Ha Bnh 2002: Th vo Ti thy ti sng Th ra ti mm ci vi i. Gii thch ca Thin S Nht Hnh v sinh t c khc vi gii thch ca Thin S Nh Trng Ln Gic thi xa khng? Bn c nn c gii thch ring, v nn c ring kinh nghim ca bn v cuc i?)
53 Dharma Heir Understanding that the Great Way has no words, entering the gate of nonduality, completing the countless teachings Who would be that future dharma heir? TINH TUYEN (1674 1744) (COMMENT: The meditation traditions in Vietnam mostly came from China centuries ago. Some Zen schools transformed into new ones, and the teaching from Bodhidharma reincarnated in new forms and in new historical contexts. In the twentieth century, a different tradition came without any koan. The Theravada Buddhism spread to Vietnam, first from Cambodia and later from Thailand, and revealed Vipassana meditation as a powerful tool to calm the mind and an understandable way to liberation. Is there any difference between Zen and Vipassana? Are they different approaches to master the mind? Do they belong to the countless teachings that we have to practice? And, is there only one taste of liberation?)

53 Ngi Ni Dng Php o c khng li Vo ca chng hai Php mn v lng Ai l k sau. (Ch o v ngn Nhp bt nh mn Php mn v lng Thy th hu cn.) Thin S TNH TUYN (1674 - 1744) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Cc dng Thin ti VN hu ht t Trung Quc truyn sang t nhiu th k trc. Mt vi dng Thin chuyn ha thnh cc Thin phi mi, v gio php t B t Ma li ti sinh trong cc hnh thc mi v trong han cnh lch s mi. Trong th k hai mi, mt truyn thng khc truyn sang m khng c cng n. Pht Gio Theravada, cn gi l Nam Tng, truyn sang Vit Nam, trc tin l t Cam Bt v sau l t Thi Lan, v em vo php Thin Vipassana, cn gi l Thin Minh St, nh mt cng c mnh lit an tm v nh mt li i ti gii that c th hiu c. C d bit no gia Thin Tng v Vipassana? C phi l nhng php khc nhau lm ch tm mnh? C phi hai php ny nm trong v lng php mn m chng ta phi tu tp? V, c phi ch c mt v ca gii that?)
54 Nothing Attainable All things are formless, unborn, undying. Thus there is nothing attainable. Thus truly the Buddha spoke. HAI QUYNH (1728 1811) (COMMENT: Watch your mind. Is the mind formless? The image comes and goes; the mind sees the image coming and going. The sound comes and goes; the mind hears the sound coming and going. Because the mind is formless, it can reflect all things coming and going in countless forms. Also because it is formless, the mind could manifest as the image you see, and as the sound you hear. The image is a state of the mind. Similarly, the sound is a state of the mind. See that. A student once asked Zen Master Tich Chieu about Zen. This old monk, also my root teacher, pointed to the front yard of the temple, and said, The puddle is the Buddha.)

54 V S c Cc php khng tng Chng sanh chng dit Bi khng ch c L tht Pht ni. (Ch php khng tng Bt sanh bt dit D v s c Th chn Pht thuyt.) Ni xong, S ngi yn lng th tch. Thin S HI QUNH hiu T PHONG (1728 - 1811) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hy nhn vo tm. C phi tm khng c hnh tng? Hnh nh ti v i; tm nhn thy hnh nh ti v i. m thanh ti v i; tm nghe m thanh ti v i. Bi v tm khng hnh tng, tm c th hin l cc php ti v i trong v lng hnh tng. Cng bi v l v tng, nn tm c th hin l nh l hnh nh m bn thy, v nh m thanh m bn nghe. Hnh nh l mt trng thi ca tm. Tng t, m thanh l mt trng thi ca tm. Hy thy th. Mt ln, mt hc tr hi Thin S Tch Chiu v Thin. V s cao tui ny, cng l bn s ca ti, ch vo sn trc ca cha, v ni, Vng nc trc sn l Pht.)

55 The Highest The highest class person practices the teachings of inaction. The second class person cultivates blessedness and wisdom. The third class person does good and avoids evil. The fourth class person is proficient in the Three Baskets of Buddhist Scriptures. TUONG QUANG (1741 1830) (COMMENT: Who could step into the realm of inaction -- the profound mind of Nirvana? Was that Venerable Mahakasyapa, who smiled when Buddha twirled a flower before the assembly of monks, and in another occurrence was invited by Buddha to share the seat? This Zen poem divides practicing Buddhists into four groups: the highest class are those who drop all things, transcend all good and evil; second are those who practice the Bodhisattva Way, cultivate both blessedness and wisdom; third are those who practice the normal way doing good and avoiding evil; and fourth are those who memorize Buddhist Scriptures and dont practice the Buddhas teachings. We should ask the following question here: who has gone beyond both good and evil? In The Dhammapada, Buddha says in verse 39 that the person who drops all good and evil has no fear at all, in verse 97 that the person who destroys causes for all good and evil is the ultimate human, in verse 126 that the person who does not cling to all good and evil attains Nirvana, in verse 267 that the person who throws out all good and evil is called a monk, and in verse 412 that the person who transcends the ties of all good and evil is called by Buddha a brahman. Just be compassionate, do good deeds, and see that nobody has ever done anything and that nothing has ever been done.) 55 Bc Nht Ngi bc nht tu php v vi Ngi bc nh phc tu y Ngi bc ba lm thin cha c Ngi bc t tam tng tinh thng. (Nht ng nhn tu v vi php Nh ng nhn phc tu song tu Tam ng nhn hnh thin tr c T ng nhn tam tng tinh thng.) i S TNG QUANG (1741-1830) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Ai c th bc vo cnh gii ca v vi ca Nit Bn Diu Tm? C phi l ngi Ma Ha Ca Dip, v s mm ci khi Pht cm hoa ln xoay nh trc tng chng, v trong trng hp khc c Pht mi chia s chung ch ngi? Bi th Thin ny chia Pht T lm bn nhm: bc nht l nhng v bung b vn php, siu vt c thin c; bc nh l ngi tu B Tt Hnh, vun trng phc v hu; bc ba l tu php bnh thng lm lnh v lnh d; v bc t l nhng v thuc Kinh Pht m khng tu theo li Pht dy. Chng ta nn hi cu ny: Ai vt qua c thin v c? Trong Kinh Php C, c Pht ni trong on 39 rng ngi bung b c thin v c th khng s hi g, ni trong on 97 rng ngi ph hy cc nhn duyn cho mi php thin v c l ngi ti thng, ni trong on 126 rng ngi khng tr vo tt c php thin v c th thnh tu Nit Bn, ni trong on 267 rng ngi nm b ht mi php thin v c th c gi l mt v s, v ni trong on 412 rng ngi vt qua s tri buc ca mi php thin v c th c Pht gi l mt v B La Mn. Hy t bi, hy lm vic thin, v hy thy rng khng c ai tng lm bt c g, v rng khng h c vic g tng c lm.)

56 Mind Only Realizing that the mind is void, and the scene is still, you will go beyond the holy and unholy. If your thought clings to scenes, sensations will arise, and ten thousand fetters will restrain you. The heavenly beings, human beings and all phenomena are ultimately in here. The I and the others are just one originally, the mind only. THONG VINH (circa 19th century) (COMMENT: The scene is still? How can we know and experience that the scence is quiet, silent, soundless, and transquil? The world always has some noise. Listen to your mind; you could hear that the mind always makes some noise. Nearly thirty years ago, I asked Zen Master Tich Chieu, Why the Shurangama Sutra says that the existence of all phenomena is the mind nature, and that the mind nature is the existence of all phenomena? The Zen master replied, All the waves are water.) 56 Duy C Tm Thi Tm khng cnh lng vt thnh siu phm nhim tnh sanh mun mi tri buc Tri ngi cc php trn ti trong y Ta ngi mt th gc ch l tm. (Tm khng cnh tch vit thnh siu phm nhim tnh sanh vn oan h phc Thin nhn ch php tn ti k trung B ng nht th nguyn bn duy tm.) i S THNG VINH 19 th century Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Cnh vng lng? Lm sao chng ta c th bit v kinh nghim rng cc cnh vn ang vng lng, im lng, v thanh, v tch mch? Th gii lun lun c vi ting ng. Hy lng nghe tm ca bn; bn c th nghe rng tm lun lun gy ra vi ting ng. Gn ba mi nm trc, ti hi Thin S Tch Chiu, Ti sao Kinh Lng Nghim ni rng ton tng tc tnh, v rng ton tnh tc tng? Thin S tr li, Ton sng tc nc.)

57 The Serene Mirror Serene, serene that mirror has no shades. Luminous, luminous that diamond has no features. Clearly, clearly it is not a thing; it is not nothing. Tranquil, tranquil it is emptiness; it is not emptiness. NGUYEN THIEU (1648 1728) (COMMENT: The mind nature is serene and luminous; however, the mind nature is not a thing, and not nothing. How can we realize the mind nature? Many Zen masters say that that is gateless, that everyone has to jump into it alone, and that there is no step-by-step to enter it. Why gateless? Because it is originally emptiness, and it is not a thing. Lets suppose you have meditated for a long time, and now you know how to keep your mind pure and calm, but you could not realize the mind nature. The koan some Zen masters prefer to give you in this case might be At the top of a 100-foot pole, how can you step forward? After practicing breathing meditation for a while, you can feel the breath smoothly coming and going, feel some parts of your body moving accordingly to the spreading breath, see the thought emptying itself when you watch it; now try this approach: listen to the silence. You know that we always hear something, even in city or in forest, the lovely sound or the unpleasant noise. Sometimes we hear from the past we love to recall, the songs we wrote decades ago or the sweet voices of our childhood friends. Now listen to the silence, to the state of mind before any sound arising. If you hear some weird sound in the head, just ignore it; only listen to the silence before the sound arising. Feel the breath spreading in and out you body, and listen to the silence. Any sound coming and going is just a state of mind; the silence before the sound is also a state of mind. You are listening to the mind, and you are listening to the nature of listening. The Shurangama Sutra taught this way of meditation. Just listen to the state of mind before the sound arising. This is not different from the Thoai Dau Meditation, or Huatou Meditation, when you observe the mind before any thought arising. Now listen to the silence all day and night. Try it.) 57 Gng Lng L Lng l gng khng bng R r chu chng hnh R rng vt phi vt Vng v khng chng khng. (Tch tch knh v nh, Minh minh chu bt dung, ng ng vt phi vt, Liu liu khng vt khng.) Thin S NGUYN THIU (1648 - 1728) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Bn tm, cn gi l t tnh, th vng lng v chiu sng; tuy nhin, bn tm khng phi l mt vt, v cng khng phi khng c g. Lm sao chng ta c th chng ng bn tm? Nhiu Thin S ni rng y l khng ca, rng mi ngi phi nhy vo t ny n c, v rng khng c li i tng bc vo. Ti sao khng ca? Bi v n vn l rng rang, v v n khng phi l mt vt g. Gi thit rng bn tp thin t lu ri, v by gi bn bit cch gi cho tm thanh tnh v bnh lng, nhng bn cha c th chng ng c bn tm. Cng n m mt s Thin s la chn trao cho bn trong trng hp ny c th l Ni nh u so trm trng, lm sao ngi c th bc ti trc? Sau khi thin tp hi th mt thi gian, bn c th cm thy hi th du dng n v i, cm thy mt s ni trong thn chuyn ng theo hi th ang lan ta, thy nim t bin mt khi bn nhn ti; by gi hy th cch ny: lng nghe s vng lng. Bn bit rng chng ta lun lun nghe ting g , d trong thnh ph hay trong rng, m thanh d thng hay ting n kh chu. i khi chng ta nghe t qu kh m chng ta a thch nh li, cc ca khc m chng ta vit nhiu thp nin trc hay l ging ni ngt ngo ca cc bn thi th tr. By gi hy lng nghe s vng lng, nghe trng thi ca tm trc khi bt k m thanh no khi dy. Nu bn nghe vi m thanh k d trong u, c b mc chng; ch lng nghe s vng lng trc khi m thanh khi dy. Hy cm thy hi th lan ta vo v ra thn bn, v hy lng nghe s vng lng. Bt k m thanh no n v i u ch l mt trng thi ca tm; s vng lng trc khi m thanh khi dy cng l mt trng thi ca tm. Bn ang lng nghe tm, v bn ang lng nghe tnh nghe. Kinh Lng Nghim dy cch thin tp ny. Hy lng nghe trng thi ca tm trc khi m thanh khi dy. Php ny khng khc php Thin Tham Thai u, khi bn nhn vo tm trc khi nim khi. By gi hy lng nghe s vng lng sut mi thi. Hy tp th i.)

58 Practice You should know that the way of Zen must be asked, investigated and enlightened by yourself, neither by others nor by things. Layman Pang once asked Zen Master Mazu, Who is companionless among all phenomena? Mazu said, After you swallow all the water in West River in one gulp, I will tell you. Is that the answer? Or something marvellous here? Or pointing directly to the person not making friends with all phenomena? Or implying in that the secret not for transmission? Investigate every bit of that koan, seek to get to the ultimate; dont distort intentionally, dont explain wrongly with your own opinion, also dont throw it all away. Even busy at work, you should keep your mind on the koan like that; even at leisure time, keep investigating like that. Disregard the spot almost-cooked, disregard the spot near-raw; also dont discuss that the person going to the ultimate, and the story of the ultimate is whether one or two, whether existence or non-existence, whether unholy or holy, whether reasonableness or sensibleness, whether secularness or Buddhist dharma. Keep observing your mind like that, then suddenly you would see the mind blossom vastly -- and you will get enlightened profoundly, and laugh joyfully. THACH LIEM (circa 17th century) (COMMENT: Zen Master Thach Liem had a heart of a loving grandmother, and gave very clear instructions on how to do koan practice. Just investigate a koan all day and night. Always keep your mind on the koan, watch it, observe it, investigate it, but dont cling to any thought. No further comment should be given here.) 58 Thin Tp Nn bit rng thin o qu t mnh tham cu, t mnh gic ng, chng phi do ngi khc, do s vt vy. Chng thy Bng Cng hi M i S rng: Ci ngi chng lm bn cng vn php y, l ngi th no? i S ni rng : Bao gi ngi ung mt hi ht c nc sng Ty Giang, ta s ni vi ngi. Li ni y, c phi l cu tr li chng ? Hay t ra mt c vi mu nhim g khc chng? Hay ch thng ci ngi chng cng vn php lm bn chng ? Hay c ci b mt chng truyn, ng trong y chng ? Th em ra suy gm tng l, tm cho n cu cnh; chng kh xuyn tc mt cch cng p, em thc ring m gii ngha quy qu, li chng nn nht thit b qua; nn lm sao trong bn rn cng cu cnh nh th, nhn h cng cu cnh nh th, du gp cnh nghch b tc chng thng cng cu cnh nh th; mc k ch sng gn chn, ch chn gn sng, li ch bn n con ngi i n cu cnh v cu chuyn cu cnh y l mt l hai, l c l khng, l phm l thnh, l l l tnh, l i l php Pht; dng tm n , ri bng nhin trong tr m mang rng ri, i gic ng v ci xa ln. THCH LIM (~ 17th century) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Thin S Thch Lim c qu tim ca mt b c yu thng con chu, v cho hng dn r rng v cch tp thin cng n. Hy kho st mt cng n st mi thi. Lun lun ch tm vo cng n, nhn n, quan st n, kho st n, nhng ng dnh vo bt k nim no. Khng nn a thm li bnh no ni y.)

59 Going Home Over seventy years in this realm, living harmoniously with emptiness and existence, I now fulfill the vow, prepare to go home, and dont need to ramble about for the way of Patriarchs. LIEU QUAN (? 1743) (COMMENT: When you realize the true nature of phenomena, you see that emptiness and existence are inseparable. Living harmoniously with emptiness and existence is indeed living with the realization that emptiness is inseparable from existence. From that realization, wisdom arises along with compassion, and you understand that wisdom is inseparable from compassion. You are inseparable from the world. Buddha says that we all have had countless lives, and that we and all sentient beings have been former relatives in some ways. In another explanation, we should see that all beings have been our fathers or mothers in previous lives. Think of that, have that feeling, see that feeling spreading throughout your body and the world, and wish for all beings to be happy and liberated.) 59 V Nh Hn by mi nm ci ny, Khng khng sc sc thy dung thng Hm nay nguyn mn v qu c No phi bn ba hi T tng. (Tht thp d nin th gii trung Khng khng sc sc dic dung thng Kim triu nguyn mn hon gia l H tt bn man vn t tng.) Thin S LIU QUN (? - 1743) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Khi bn nhn ra tnh tht ca vn php, bn thy rng Khng v C khng h tch ri nhau. Sng ha hp vi Khng v C thc s l sng vi chng ng rng Tnh Khng th khng h la xa ci ng Hu, ci ng Th. T chng ng , tr tu khi ln cng vi t bi, v bn hiu rng tr tu th khng tch ri t bi. Bn khng h tch ri vi th gii. c Pht ni rng chng ta u tng tri qua v lng kip, v rng chng ta v tt c chng sinh nguyn l quyn thuc xa xa trong cch no . Trong mt gii thch khc, chng ta nn xem rng tt c chng sinh tng l cha hay l m chng ta cc kip trc. Hy ngh nh th, hy c cm gic nh th, hy thy cm gic lan ta tan thn chng ta v khp th gii, v hy c nguyn cho tt c chng sinh hnh phc v c gii that.)

60 Six Words Sitting still on Dai Hung Mountain so many years, my body is ending; but truly the way is not. Holding the six words constantly, being preordained, I now pass them on to future generations, revealing the way of Zen. PHO TINH (circa 19th century) (COMMENT: Nowadays, a majority of Vietnamese Buddhists practice the Pure Land teachings, keep holding the six words -- reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha and wishing to be reborn in the Pure Land. Many of them practice together Zen and the Pure Land. Is Zen different from the Pure Land school? The debate is still going on. Some, including Zen Master Pho Tinh, say the two schools are not different.) (To be continued) 60 Su Ch Nhiu nm ngi tnh ni i Hng Qu tht thn cng o chng cng Su ch chuyn tr thn th k Truyn mi i sau sng T tng. (Kinh nin tnh ta i Hng phong Tht th thn cng o bt cng Lc t chuyn tr thn th k Lu truyn hu th hin tng phong.) i S PH TNH (circa 19th century) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hin nay, a s Pht T Vit Nam tu theo php Tnh , lin tc th tr su ch nim danh hiu Pht A Di v nguyn sinh vo ci Tnh . Trong , nhiu ngi song tu c Thin Tng v Tnh . C phi Thin khc vi Tnh ? Cuc tranh lun vn ang tip din. Mt s v thy, trong c Thin S Ph Tnh, ni rng hai tng phi ny khng khc g nhau.)
61 The Mind Seal The mind seal of Buddhas is unfeigned, encompassing the universe, neither deficient nor excessive, neither going nor coming, neither gaining nor losing, neither one nor difference, neither infinite nor finite, having nowhere to arise or vanish, and neither far apart nor close by. It is grudgingly named like that, just only for comparison with unreal circumstances. T-NI-A-LU-CHI (VINITARUCI) (? - 594) (COMMENT: We came to this world, and will be gone some day. Millions of children around the world are suffering from hunger and abuse, while other millions enjoy the luxury and comfort. The suffering is real. Then, what is companionless among all those phenomena? What is unmoving while we come and go? Could we swallow all the water in a river in one gulp to have the answer? Look at the river: the waves arise and vanish, but the nature of water is unmoving; the waves constinuously transform into countless forms, but the wetness always encompasses all them. Look at the mirror: the images appear and disappear, but the nature of mirror is unmoving; the images constinuously transform into countless forms, but the luminousness always encompasses all them. Look at that and feel that, with all things in front of your eyes, and with all feelings in your body. If you think that explanation is too abstract, you can try something more concrete. You know, Zen should be fun. Now relax, breathe gently, and feel the breaths coming and going. Feel that. Gently feel the breaths coming and going. Try to see as an outsider that the body, not your body, is breathing, while the breath is transforming endlessly. You would feel that the breath becomes one with your body, and then later the breath becomes one with your body and your mind. Now you feel that you are the river and all the waves; also you feel you are the mirror and all the images. You feel that the breath is tranforming endlessly, and your body and your mind too. You feel that you have no self at all, and you are changing constinuously. The question here is: what is unmoving alongside all the waves and images? Now watch your mind: thought comes and goes, tranforming endlessly. Now see the mind seal unborn, uncreated, undying.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 53 of 74 61 Tm n

Tm n ca ch Pht, khng c la di, trn ng thi h, khng thiu khng d, khng i khng li, khng c khng mt, chng mt chng khc, chng thng chng on; vn khng c ch sanh, cng khng c ch dit, cng chng xa la, m chng phi chng xa la. V i vi vng duyn m gi lp tn y thi. T-NI-A-LU-CHI (VINITARUCI) (? - 594) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Chng ta ti th gii ny, v s c ngy ra i. Hng triu tr em khp th gii ang th kh v i v lm dng, trong khi nhiu triu ngi khc hng dng xa hoa v tin nghi. au kh c thc. Vy, php g khng cng mun php lm bn? Php g bt ng trong khi chng ta ti v i? Chng ta c th hp mt ngm cn ht dng sng c cu tr li khng? Hy nhn dng sng: cc t sng khi ln v bin mt, nhng tnh ca nc vn bt ng; sng lin tc chuyn ha thnh v lng hnh tng, nhng tnh t lun lun bao trm tt c. Hy nhn vo gng: nh hin ra v bin i, nhng tnh ca gng vn bt ng; nh lin tc chuyn ha thnh v lng hnh tng, nhng tnh sng lun lun bao trm tt c. Hy nhn vn php trc mt bn, v hy cm nhn nh th, vi tt c cm xc trong tan thn ca bn. Nu bn ngh rng gii thch nh th qu tru tng, bn c th th nghim c th hn nh sau. Bn bit, Thin nn l vui ch. By gi hy thai mi, th du dng, v hy cm nhn hi th vo v ra. Hy cm nhn nh th. Hy du dng cm nhn hi th n v i. Hy th thy nh mt ngi ng ngai nhn vo thn, nh khng cn l thn ca bn, ang th, trong khi hi th chuyn ha khng ngng ngh. Bn s cm nhn rng hi th tr thnh mt vi thn ca bn, v ri hi th tr thnh mt vi thn v tm ca bn. By gi bn cm nhn rng bn l dng sng v l tan b sng; bn cng cm nhn rng bn l gng v l tan b nh. Bn cm nhn rng hi th ang chuyn ha khng ngng ngh, v thn bn v tm bn cng nh th. Bn cm nhn rng bn khng c t ng no c, v bn ang thay i lin tc. Cu hi ti y l: ci g bt ng xuyn sut tt c sng v nh? By gi hy nhn tm bn: nim n v i, chuyn ha khng ngng ngh. By gi hy nhn vo du n ca tm bt sinh, v tc, bt dit.)
62 This Land, This Mind People elsewhere rumor, falsely say our Patriarch came from the West. It is true that the Patriarch transmitted the Eye Treasure of Dharma, named it Zen, and foresaw it as a flower with five petals and countless seeds. It is true that tens of thousands of auspicious people have fathomed the secret words, practiced the teachings of mind, and realized the originally spontaneous purity. The West is this land; this land is the West. Oh -- anciently and now, the sun and the moon; anciently and now, the mountain and the river. Its wrong to touch it [this land or this mind]; thus Buddha will be misunderstood. Such a tiny mistake leads to hundreds, thousands of losses. You should observe skillfully; dont deceive future generations. Otherwise you ask me, the answer is that I originally have no words. V NGN THNG (? - 826) (COMMENT: Did Zen Master Vo Ngon Thong say a lot of words, or without any word? Did Buddha say a lot of words, or without any word? The name Vo Ngon Thong means Understanding without a word. You should try that way. Listen to your mind. Listen gently to your mind right now. You would hear some voices, some sounds, some noises. When you hear something, you know you are hearing the manifestation of the mind. All the sounds from the birds, the cars, the winds, and so on are all your mind. Also, all the sounds from your memories, your imaginations, your dreams, and so on are all your mind. Listen. Breathe in and out gently, and listen to the mind. You might remember the koan that asks about your face before you were born. You can try another version: listen to where before a sound arises; listen to your mind before it manifests. Try that. Dont say that it ever has a sound or a word.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 54 of 74 62 t Ny, Tm Ny

Cc ni n I, Di t huyn truyn, Rng Thy T ta, Gc t Ty Thin. Truyn php Nhn tng, Gi l Thin. Mt hoa nm cnh, Ht ging lin min. Thm hp li mt, Mun ngn c duyn. u gi tm tng, Thanh tnh bn nhin. Ty Thin ci ny. Ci ny Ty Thin, Xa nay nht nguyt, Xa nay sn xuyn. Chm n thnh tr, Pht t thnh oan, Sai ho ly, Mt trm ngn. Ngi kho qun st, Ch la chu con, Ngay nh hi ta, Ta vn khng li. (Ch phng ho ho, Vng t huyn truyn, V ng thy t, Thn t Ty thin. Truyn php nhn tng, Mc v chi thin, Nht hoa ng dip, Chng t min min. Tim ph mt ng, Thin vn hu duyn, Hm v tm tng, Thanh tnh bn nhin. Ty Thin th , Th Ty Thin. C kim nht nguyt, C kim sn xuyn. Xc thnh tr, Pht t thnh oan, Sai chi ho ly, Tht chi bch thin. Nh thin qun st, Mc trm nhi tn, Trc nhiu vn ng, Ng bn v ngn.) V NGN THNG (? - 826) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: C phi Thin S V Ngn Thng ni nhiu li, hay khng mt li? c Pht ni nhiu li, hay khng mt li? Tn ngi V Ngn Thng mang ngha Hiu bit khng qua li ni. Bn nn th cch ny. Hy lng nghe tm bn. Hy du dng lng nghe tm bn ngay lc ny. Bn c th nghe ra vi ging ni, vi m thanh, vi ting n. Khi bn nghe ra mt ting no, bn bit bn ang nghe tm hin lng. Tt c m thanh t nhng con chim, nhng chic xe, gi thi, v vn vn u l tm bn. Thm na, tt c nhng m thanh t tr nh ca bn, t tng tng ca bn, t gic m ca bn, v vn vn u l tm bn. Hy lng nghe. Hy th vo v ra du dng, v lng nghe tm. Bn c th nh ti cng n hi v khun mt ca bn trc khi bn sinh ra i. Bn c th th mt phin bn khc: hy lng nghe ni trc khi mt m thanh khi ln; hy lng nghe tm bn trc khi n hin lng. Hy th nh th. ng ni rng n c mt m thanh hay mt ch no.)
63 Fire There is fire in the wood. The fire is there, then the fire is born. If you say the wood has no fire, how could you make fire by friction? KHUNG VIT (933 - 1011) (COMMENT: Fire in the wood? Some Zen masters prefer to say that you have been a Buddha since long, long time ago.) 63 La Trong cy sn c la, C la, la li sanh. Nu bo cy khng la, C xt lm g sanh. (Mc trung nguyn hu ha, Hu ha, ha hon sanh. Nhc v mc v ha, Ton toi h do manh.) i S KHUNG VIT (933 - 1011) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: La trong cy? Mt s Thin S li thch ni rng bn tng l mt v Pht t khi tht xa xa lm vy.) * 64 The Rise and Decline Human body is like a lightning flash, appearing then disappearing. All trees bloom in the spring, then decay in the autumn. Live accordingly with the rise and decline, and have no fear. The rise and decline just like a drop of dew on a blade of grass. VN HNH (? - 1018) (COMMENT: See your body as a vehicle, and know that it will wear out over time. Buddha says in The Dhammapada that the body grows old and decays, but the Dhamma does not. You should believe in Buddha, and live the undying Dhamma with your whole body and mind. Keep trying this constantly: feel the Dhamma with your whole body, breathe in and out with the Dhamma, shower your whole body and mind with the Dhamma. Then you will have no fear. How can we feel the Dhamma?
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 55 of 74 Watch your mind constantly, and feel the whole life around. See your mind just like an ox. Meditation is like taming an ox, but you dont need to tame anything; just watch the ox constantly. You know you see the mind when a thought arises. Until you see the ox has no head, no body, and no tail, then you know how to feel the Dhamma. Try that.)
64 Thnh Suy Thn nh bng chp c ri khng, Cy c xun ti, thu m hng, Mc cuc thnh suy khng s hi, Thnh suy nh c ht sng ng. (Thn nh in nh hu hon v Vn mc xun vinh thu hu kh, Nhm vn thnh suy v b y Thnh suy nh l tho u ph.) Thin S VN HNH (? - 1018) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hy nhn thn bn nh mt c xe, v bit rng n s h mn vi thi gian. c Pht ni trong Kinh Php C rng thn gi i v h hai, nhng Chnh Php khng nh th. Bn hy tin vo c Pht, v hy sng Chnh Php bt dit vi trn thn tm ca bn. Hy th cch ny lin tc: hy cm nhn Chnh Php vi tan thn, hy th vo v ra vi Chnh Php, hy tm gi trn thn tm bn vi Chnh Php. RI bn s khng s hi g. Lm sao chng ta c th cm nhn Chnh Php? Hy nhn vo tm lin tc, v hy cm nhn ton b i sng quanh bn. Hy thy tm nh mt con tru. Thin nh th ht nh thun ha tru, nhng bn khng cn phi thun ha g c; hy quan st con tru ny lin tc. Bn bit l bn thy tm khi mt nim khi ln. Cho ti khi no bn thy con tru khng u, khng mnh, v khng ui, th bn bit cch cm nhn Chnh Php. Hy th nh th.)

65 Illusory Originally there is no place [for the six senses dwelling]. Any place is true dharma. True dharma is thus illusory. Illusory existence is not nothing. NH HNG (? - 1051) (COMMENT: If you say that you are living in a dream, then what is outside this dream? Is this world illusory? Dont try to answer that question. Just practice hard, and dont mind anything else. Buddha said, I am awake. We are not awake yet, so we should leave that question for Buddha.) 65 Huyn Xa nay khng x s X s l chn tng, Chn tng nh th huyn Huyn c l khng khng. (Bn lai v x s X s th chn tng Chn tng nh th huyn Huyn hu tc khng khng.) Trng Lo NH HNG (? - 1051) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Nu bn ni bn ang sng trong mt gic m, th ci g ngai gic m ny? C phi th gii ny l huyn? ng c gng tr li cu hi . Hy tinh tn tu tp, v ng bn tm g khc. c Pht ni, Ta tnh thc. Chng ta cha tnh thc, do vy nn cu hi ny li cho c Pht.)
66 Being Luminous After realizing that your body and mind are originally serene, you will see the supernatural powers manisfesting in front of you. From there emerge all the conditioned and the unconditioned; countless worlds appear -- immeasurably. Though revealed fully in space, all phenomena are really formless. All your old days, however ancient, can not compare with today. Being luminious, always at any place, anywhere. CU CH (circa 11th century) (COMMENT: Your body is changing, and your mind is jumping all the time. Meditating over time, you would some day realize that the mind is originally serene. See that the water is serene, unchanging, unmoving, despite the waves rising and falling, and despite the bubbles forming and popping. Now a question: Is your body originally serene while you grow up and get old? Can you feel that your body is truly quiet and unmoving while you are walking, standing, lying and sitting? Can you feel that your body is truly quiet and unmoving all day and night just like you are sitting in meditation? When you see the self-nature, then you realize that you are emptiness, that nothing could be called as the you or the I. And then you will see you are truly quiet and unmoving. Now look out the window. The snow is falling, and a bird is flying. Despite that, can you see that everything is truly quiet and unmoving? Everything is luminous in your mind, and truly quiet and unmoving.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 57 of 74 66 Rng Ngi

Gic ng thn tm vn lng yn, Thn thng cc tng bin hin tin. Hu vi v vi t y c, Th gii h sa khng th lng. Tuy nhin y khp ci h khng, Mi mi xem ra chng tng hnh. Mun i ngn i no snh c, Chn chn ni ni thng rng ngi. (Gic liu thn tm bn ngng tch Thn thng bin ha hin ch tng Hu vi v vi tng th xut H sa th gii bt kh lng. Tuy nhin bin mn h khng gii Nht nht quan lai mt hnh trng. Thin c vn c nan t hung Gii gii x x thng lng lng.) Thin S CU CH (circa 11th century) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Thn bn ang bin i, v tm bn ang nhy lung tung hai. Thin nh mt thi gian, bn c th mt hm chng ng rng tm vn tch lng. Hy thy rng nc vn tch lng, bt bin, bt ng, cho d sng c tro ln v ln xung, v cho d cc bt sng hnh thnh v v tan. By gi ti cu hi: Thn ca bn vn tch lng trong khi bn trng thnh v gi i? Bn c th cm nhn rng thn bn thc s tnh lng v bt ng trong khi bn i, ng, nm, ngi? Bn c th cm nhn rng thn bn thc s tnh lng v bt ng c ngy m ht nh bn ang ngi thin nh? Khi bn thy t tnh, ri bn chng ng rng bn vn l tnh khng, rng khng g c th gi c l bn hay l ti. V ri bn s thy bn thc s tnh lng v bt ng. By gi hy nhn ra ca s. Tuyt ang ri, v mt con chim ang bay. Bt k nh th, bn c th thy rng tt c cc php u thc s tnh lng v bt ng khng? Vn php sng chiu trong tm bn, v thc s tnh lng v bt ng.)
67 Like a Dragon Above -- there is not a piece of tile to cover the head. Below there is not a piece of ground to thrust a stick into. While you either change clothes and come straight, or carry the staff and go; while all the time you turn, move and touch, just be like a dragon leaping and hitting the target. TNH KHNG (? - 1170) (COMMENT: The image of dragon, king of animals, is used only for the emperors in Vietnam. Legends say that the dragon always hits the target correctly. Similarly, Zen practitioner has a target to hit -- keep watching the mind correctly.) 67 Nh Rng Trn khng ming ngi che, Di khng t cm di. Hoc i o thng n, Hoc xch trng m i. Khong chuyn ng xc chm, T rng vy p mi. (Thng v phin nga gi, H v trc chy a. Hoc dch phc trc ngh, Hoc sch trng nhi ch. Chuyn ng xc x gian, T long dc thn nh.) Thin S TNH KHNG (? - 1170) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hnh nh con rng, vua ca lai th, c dng ring cho cc hang ti Vit Nam. Truyn thuyt k rng rng lun lun tn cng mc tiu chnh xc. Tng t, Thin c mt mc tiu nhm vo lin tc qun st tm ng php.) 68 Stone Horse *
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 58 of 74 (COMMENT: Can a stone horse show teeth, eat grass, and neigh all the time? Even if you do all things like a crazy horse, the Buddha Nature inside your mind is unmoved like stone. Be careful here: the Buddha Nature is truly emptiness in nature. Buddha Nature is just like the water holding all the waves and never away from the waves, and just like the emptiness of the mirror holding all the images and never away from the images. Seeing the Buddha Nature? You can see a thought, but you can not see the nature of the mind. And when you see a thought, dont just see the tail of the thought; in other words, dont just see the tail of the ox. Observe the unborn mind, and see the land before a thought arises. That is Zen.)
68 Nga Nga nhe rng cung, n m ngy thng ku. ng ci ngi ng qua, Trn nga khng ngi i. (Thch m x cung nanh, Thc miu nht nguyt minh. trung nhn cng qu, M thng nhn bt hnh.) Thin S I X (1120 - 1180) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Mt con nga c th nhe rng, n c, v h hai sao? Ngay c nu bn lm mi th nh mt con nga in, Pht Tnh trong tm bn vn bt ng nh . Hy cn trng ni y: Pht Tnh thc s l Tnh Khng. Pht Tnh ht nh nc m gi tt c sng v khng bao gi ri sng, v ht nh tnh khng ca gng m gi tt c nh v khng bao gi ri nh. Thy Pht Tnh? Bn c th thy mt nim, nhng bn khng th thy tnh ca tm. V khi bn thy mt nim, ng ch thy c mi ci ui ca nim; ni cch khc, ng ch thy ci ui con tru. Hy qun st tm v sinh, v hy thy vng t trc khi mt nim khi ln. chnh l Thin.)
The stone horse shows crazy teeth, eats young rice leaves, neighs through days and months, and lopes along with people on the road. Riding on the [stone] horse, the man does not walk. I X (1120 - 1180)
69 Not for Profit To make a profit leads to implant a desire. To have a desire leads to want a profit. A bodhisattva doesnt do anything for profit or for desire. The bodhisattva acts -- not for profit and not for desire. TN HC (? - 1190) (COMMENT: Motivated by compassion, a bodhisattva vows to take countless rebirths to save all sentient beings from the suffering cycle of birth and death. Recited in every meditation session, the four bodhisattva vows later will become your blood and flesh, guide you through the darkness of ignorance.) 69 Khng V Li C li t c nhim, c nhim t c li; c li c nhim B-tt chng lm; khng li khng nhim, B-tt mi lm. Thin S TN HC (? - 1190) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Pht khi bi t bi, b tt pht nguyn ti sinh v lng kip cu tt c chng sinh ra khi kh nn sinh t lun hi. c tng c trong mi thi thin nh, bn li nguyn ln ca bc b tt sau ny s tr thnh mu tht ca bn, hng dn bn i xuyn sut bng ti v minh.) * 70 Not a Word Understanding the mind and body completely, you will open the eye of wisdom, transform marvelously, and reveal the auspicious appearances. While walking, standing, sitting and lying, you stay peaceful effortlessly, transform correspondingly, manifest countless bodies -- appearing all over in space but having no form to be identified. With nothing in the world comparable to, the sacred light illuminates endlessly. The unthinkable meaning is professed constantly; However, there is not a word deserving. NGUYN HC (? - 1174) (COMMENT: Not a word deserving? Many Zen masters dont use words. Some prefer to keep silent, and some others threaten to punch those who ask for words. Do you see the mountain out there? Observe it, observe the mountain. Because your mind has no form, now you see your mind manifesting in the form of that mountain. Because you are
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 59 of 74 non-self, now you see you are what you see, and also you see you are what is seen. Sometimes you see that, but you rarely recognize that moment. Sometimes you stop by a meat market, see a butcher chopping a chicken, and feel that you are the chicken being chopped apart.)
70 Khng Mt Li Thn tm liu ng mt tu m, Bin ha linh thng by tng bu. i ng ngi nm ring vng vng, Ha thn ng hin u tnh c. Mc du y dy c h khng, Xem ra no thy c tng g. Th gian khng c vt snh, Thng hin linh quang sng khp ni. Lun lun din ni khng ngh bn, Khng c mt li cho tha ng. (Liu ng thn tm khai tu nhn, Bin ha linh thng hin bo tng, Hnh tr ta nga c trc nhin, ng hin ha thn bt kh lng. Tuy nhin sung tc bin h khng, Quan lai bt kin nh hu tng. Th gian v vt kh t hung, Trng hin linh quang, minh lng lng. Thng thi din thuyt bt t ngh, V c nht ngn d vi ng.) Thin S NGUYN HC (? - 1174) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Khng mt li tha ng? Nhiu Thin S khng dng li. Mt s v a gi im lng hn, v mt s khc e da nh nhng ai hi tm li. Bn c thy ngn ni ngoi kia khng? Hy nhn n, hy nhn ngn ni. Bi v tm bn khng hnh tng, by gi bn thy tm bn hin l trong hnh tng ngn ni . Bi v bn l v ng, by gi bn thy rng bn l ci bn thy, v cng vy bn thy rng bn l ci c thy. i khi bn thy nh th, nhng bn him khi nhn ra khanh khc . i khi bn gh vo mt tim bn tht, thy mt anh th cht mt con g, v bn trc cm rng bn l con g ang b cht ri ra .)
71 Outside the Scriptures The profound Way of Buddha and Patriarchs should be transmitted specially outside the scriptures. If you want to see the distinction, just look for the fog under the sunrise. MINH TR (? - 1196) (COMMENT: Word is word, and Zen is Zen. Words can not carry the wordless, so Zen is transmitted outside the scriptures. Can you put the reality into words? Still, you need scriptures, because you need a finger pointing to the moon. Just like you hear a bird singing, and you try to put all the sounds into words, you know something is left outside the text. When you walk in a forest, and hear birdsong around, do you feel that you are hearing your mind echoing?) 71 Gio Ngoi Gio ngoi nn bit truyn, Lu xa Pht T su. Nu ngi cu phn bit, nh nng tm khi my. (Gio ngoi kh bit truyn, Hy di T Pht uyn. Nhc nhn dc bin ch, Dng dim mch cu yn.) Thin S MINH TR (? - 1196) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Ch l ch, v Thin l Thin. Ch khng th ch c ci khng ch, cho nn Thin c truyn ngai kinh in. Bn c th a hin thc vo ch khng? D vy bn vn cn ti kinh in, bi v bn cn ngn tay ch vo mt trng. Ht nh bn nghe ting chim ht, v bn tm cch ghi li tt c ting ht vo trong ch, bn bit ngay l c nhiu th b b ri ngai ch ngha. Khi bn i b trong rng, v nghe ting chim ht chung quanh, bn c cm nhn rng bn ang nghe tm bn ang vang vng?)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 60 of 74 72 Foolish

Autumn comes with cool air, pleases people. The talented men look at the moon and make poems. I am a Zen monk, feel ashamed for being foolish, and have no words for the mind transmission. TNH GII (? - 1207) (COMMENT: Look at the moon, and make no poems. Gently breathe in and out, gently look at the moon, gently see the moon with your whole body. The moon is also a symbol for the mind. Gently feel the whole life around and inside you as your mind manifesting. See it, hear it, smell it, touch it, taste it, know it. You will tremble blissfully when you see that the rain falling on you is truly your mind showering on you. How can you look at the moon and make poems?) 72 Si n Thu v mt m thch trong lng, Tm u ti cao ht thong dong. Ca thin nhng thn ngi si n, Bit ly cu g truyn tm. (Thu lai lng kh sng hung khm, Bt u ti cao i nguyt ngm. Kham tiu thin gia si n khch, Vi h tng ng d truyn tm?) Thin S TNH GII (? - 1207) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hy nhn vo mt trng, v ng lm bi th no. Hy du dng th vo v ra, hy du dng nhn mt trng, hy du dng nhn trng vi tan thn ca bn. Mt trng cng l biu tng ca tm. Hy du dng cm nhn cuc i bao quanh v bn trong bn nh l tm bn ang hin lng. Hy nhn n, nghe n, ngi n, s n, bit n. Bn s run ry hnh phc khi bn nhn thy rng trn ma ang ri trn ngi bn thc s l tm bn ang ma ro trn bn. Lm sao bn c th nhn vo trng v lm th c?)

73 Tathagata Being on earth, having human body, you have in your mind the Tathagata Store illuminating profoundly in all places. Searching for the mind, however, you will only find emptiness. THNG CHIU (? - 1203) (COMMENT: You have something in your mind? Even if you think you have something called the Tathagata Store in your mind, please drop all you have. Gently drop the mind, and observe the unborn mind. Sit down, gently breathe in and out; even if you think you have something called as the unborn mind, just drop all you have.) 73 Nh Lai i lm thn ngi, Ni tm Nh Lai tng. Chiu soi cng khp ni, Tm li cng rng. (Ti th vi nhn thn, Tm vi Nh Lai tng, Chiu diu th v phng, Tm chi cnh ti khong.) Thin S THNG CHIU (? - 1203) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Bn c nhng th g trong tm bn? Ngay c bn ngh rng bn c g gi l Nh Lai Tng trong tm, xin lm n bung b ht tt c nhng g bn c. Hy du dng bung b tm i, v hy qun st tm v sanh. Hy ngi xung, hy du dng th vo v ra; ngay c nu bn ngh l bn c ci g gi l tm v sanh, hy bung b mi th bn c.) 74 Dharma of Equality You should know that Buddha attains the omniscient wisdom, examines all the meanings, has no doubts about the dharma of equality, bears no mind and no appearance, doesnt leave and doesnt stop, passes beyond all measures and boundaries, stays away from the two sides, dwells in the middle way, and surpasses all the words. Y SN ( ? - 1213 ) (COMMENT: Decades ago, I asked my root master Tich Chieu about precepts for Zen practitioners. The old monk replied that only one precept needed to be kept in mind: see the equality of all things.) 74 Bnh ng - Cc ngi nn bit, Nh Lai thnh ng Chnh Gic, i tt c ngha khng cn ch no qun st, i vi php bnh ng khng c nghi hoc, khng tm khng tng, khng i khng dng, khng lng khng ngn, xa la hai bn, tr trung o, vt ngoi tt c vn t. Thin S Y SN ( ? - 1213 ) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Nhiu thp nin v trc, ti hi bn s ca ti l Thy Tch Chiu v gii ca Thin gia. V s gi ny tr li rng ch c mt gii cn gi trong tm: hy thy tnh bnh ng ca vn php.)

75 Urgently Practice If you practitioner have enough eyes, you must urgently reflect, transform your body, leap out of the cycle of birth and death, cut instantly the net of sensuous desire. Male or female, you can practice the Way; wise or foolish, you will have a place to succeed. While you dont understand the Buddhas mind and Patriarchs intention, first keep the precepts and chant the sutras. Until you see that Buddha is also voidness and Patriarch is also emptiness, you understand that there is not any precept truly needed to be kept and there is not any sutra truly needed to be chanted. Then you realize that this illusionary form is also the True Form and this unholy body is also the Buddha Body. Then you will transform the six consciousnesses into the six supernatural powers, convert the eight afflictions into the eight freedoms. So it is said; but when you get into this bodily form, it is very difficult to get away. TRN THI TNG (1218 - 1277) (COMMENT: The famous King Tran Thai Tong led Vietnam in several years of military victories. Later he entered a temple, became a monk, and left many remarkable writings about the Way of Zen.) 75 Gp Tu Nhc th tc gia c nhn, trc tu to cp hi quan. Phin thn khiu xut t sinh kha; n ch lit khai n i vng. Tng nh nam, tng nh n tng th kham tu; nhm c tr nhm c ngu tn giai hu phn. Nhc v t Pht tm t , th tin bng tr gii nim kinh; cp Pht dic phi, T dic phi tc gii h tr kinh h nim. C huyn sc dic danh chn sc, x phm thn d th php thn; ph lc tc vi lc thn thng, du bt kh tc bt t ti. Tuy ngn nhm ma nhi nhn nhn k nhp gi sc thn l, kh d th nan nan. (PH THUYT SC THN) Nu ngi tc gia mt, cn phi sm gp hi quang, chuyn thn nhy khi vng sanh t, khong khy tay ct t li i n. D l nam hay n thy u tu c; du rng tr hay ngu trn u c phn. Nu cha t c Pht tm, T , hy trc nng tr gii tng kinh. n lc Pht cng chng phi, T cng chng phi, th gii g tr, kinh no tng. Ni sc huyn cng l chn sc, thn phm cng l thn Pht. Ph su thc lm su thn thng, do tm kh (Tm kh l: sanh ,lo ,bnh, t, cu chng c, thng yu chia la, on th chung hi, thn nm m hng thnh.) thnh tm t ti (Tm t ti: Mt thn hin nhiu thn nh s vi trn. - Thn nhiu nh vi trn khp cc ci Pht. - Thn ln ca Pht n cc th gii. - Pht hin v s thn. - su cn h dng. - Pht t tt c php vn nh khng c. - Pht thuyt php t ti.). Tuy ni th y, m mi ngi vo trong sc thn ri, b tht kh thay ! TRN THI TNG (1218 - 1277) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: V vua ni ting Trn Thi Tng lnh o Vit Nam trong nhiu nm vi cc chin thng qun s. Sau ngi vo cha, tr thnh mt v s, v li nhiu bn vn xut sc v Thin o.)

76 Encouraging Some people bury their heads in the joy of eating and drinking, and waste their life away. Some people practice the Way incorrectly, and can not get enlightenment. They dont know that in everyone the Bodhi Mind is already perfect, and the virtuous Prajna is already complete. Despite being a hermit, completely or partly, despite being a monk or a layperson, you will get enlightenment if you realize the original mind. That is originally not male or female, so you dont have to cling to the appearance. Those who dont understand turn into three teachings tentatively; those who already understand know that they have realized the same one mind. Those who constantly reflect inwardly will all see the self-nature and become buddhas. TRN THI TNG (1218 - 1277) (COMMENT: Human life is precious. Practice the Way correctly and constantly. Dont waste even a day in your life. The death may come tonight or tomorrow. Actually, the death is chewing you in every moment; it is present in your every breath, and is not apart from life. Reflect inwardly, watch your every breath constantly, and see what is beyond the birth and death. Is there the self-nature? When you say you are seeing something you call the self-nature, that things gone instantly. When you say you are feeling the cold wind of the impermanence, and you say that nothing should be called as the self-nature, just observe who is feeling and who is saying there. Is there any difference between the one who is feeling and the one who is saying? Dont think. Just observe.) 76 Sch tn Hoc c ngi vi u trong n ung, qua mt mt i. Hoc c ngi trn ng tu hnh lm ln, m khng thc tnh. u bit, tnh gic B mi mi vin thnh, no hay cn lnh Bt-nh ngi ngi y . Ch lun i n tiu n, thi phn ti gia xut gia. Chng cuc ngi tng k tc, ch ct nhn c bn tm. Vn khng c nam n, u cn chp tng. Ngi cha r di chia tam gio, liu c ri ng ng nht tm. Nu hay phn chiu hi quang, u c kin tnh thnh Pht. Hoc hu mai u khit phn nhi khng qu nht sinh; hoc hu thc l tu hnh nhi bt tnh gi . Khi thc B gic tnh c c vin thnh; tranh tri bt nh thin cn nhn nhn c tc. Mc vn i n tiu n, hu bit ti gia xut gia. Bt cu tng tc nhi ch yu bin tm, bn v nam n h tu trc tng. V minh nhn vng phn tam gio, liu c ng ng nht tm: Nhc nng phn chiu hi quang, giai c kin tnh thnh Pht. (PH KHUYN PHT B TM) TRN THI TNG (1218 - 1277) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Thn ngi qu gi. Hy tu hc ng n v lin tc. ng ph d mt ngy trong i. Ci cht c th ti m nay hay ngy mai. Thc s, ci cht ang nhai bn trong tng khonh khc; n hin din trong tng hi th ca bn, v n khng cch bit vi i sng. Hy qun chiu vo tm, lin tc xem tng hi th, v hy nhn thy ci vt qua sinh t. C ci t tnh hay khng? Khi bn ni bn ang thy ci m bn gi l t tnh, th n lp tc bin mt ri. Khi bn ni bn ang cm nhn ngn gi lnh ca v thng, v bn ni rng khng c g nn gi l t tnh, hy quan st xem ai ang cm nhn v ai ang ni . C d bit no gia ci ai ang cm nhn v ci ai ang ni hay khng? ng suy ngh. Hy quan st.)
77 At Ease with Birth and Death When the mind arises, birth and death arise; when the mind vanishes, birth and death vanish. Originally emptiness birth and death in nature are void. Illusionary manifestation this unreal body is being gone. When you see affliction and bodhi fading, hell and heaven will themselves wither, the fire oven and the boiling oil will cool soon, and the mountain of knives and the tree of swords will break up all. The hearers meditate; I dont. The bodhisattvas give dharma talks; I tell the truth. Life is itself illusionary, and so is death. The four elements are originally empty; where did they emerge from? Dont behave like a thirsty deer chasing the mirage, and searching east then west endlessly. The Dharma Body neither comes nor goes; the True Nature is neither right nor wrong. After arriving home, you should not ask for the way anymore. After seeing the moon, you need not to look for the finger. The unenlightened persons erroneously fear of birth and death. The enlightened have fully insight, and live at ease. TU TRUNG THNG S (1230 - 1291) (COMMENT: Tue Trung was not a monk, but he was a prominent Zen master. His poetry is so beautiful and powerful. Just like Zen itself.) 77 Sng Cht Nhn M Thi Tm m sanh ch sanh t sanh Tm m dit ch sanh t dit. Sanh t xa nay t tnh khng Thn huyn ha ny ri s dit. Phin no B- thm tiu mn a ngc thin ng t kh kit. L la du si chng mt lnh Cy kim ni ao lin gy ht. Thanh vn ngi thin, ta khng ngi B-tt ni php, ta ni tht.
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 64 of 74 Sng t di sng, cht di cht Bn i vn khng, t u khi. Ch nh nai kht ui sng nng Chy ng tm ty khng tm ngh. Php thn khng n cng khng i Chn tnh khng phi cng khng quy. n nh, nn bit thi hi ng Thy trng, u nhc tm tay y. K ngu in o s sng cht Ngi tr thy sut nhn thi vy. SANH T NHN NHI D Tm chi sanh h sanh t sanh Tm chi dit h sanh t dit Sanh t nguyn lai t tnh khng Th huyn ha thn dic ng dit. Phin no b- m tiu ma a ngc thin ng t kh kit Hoch thang l thn n thanh lng Kim th ao sn lp ti chit. Thanh vn ta thin ng v ta B-tt thuyt php ng thc thuyt. Sanh t vng sanh, t vng t T i bn khng tng h khi. Mc vi kht lc sn dng dim ng tu ty tr v tm d Php thn v kh dic v lai Chn tnh v phi dic v th. o gia tu tri bi vn trnh Kin nguyt an nng kh tm ch Ngu nhn in o b sanh t Tr gi t quan nhn nhi d. TU TRUNG THNG S (1230 - 1291) - Bn dch HT Thanh T
(BNH: Ngi Tu Trung khng phi l mt v s, nhng ngi l mt Thin S ln. Th ca ngi p v y sc mnh. Y ht nh Thin vy.)

78 At the Mountain Cottage, Feeling Inspired I Nobody ties you; why do you ask for liberation? Having no unholy thought, you dont need to search for the holy. The monkeys are relaxing; the horses, tired; and the humans, old. The cottage in the clouds looks like years ago, and so does the Zen stupa. II Thoughts, rightful and wrongful, are falling off just like flowers in the morning. Fame and wealth are chilled in my mind just like cold, rainy nights. The flowers are dying; the rains, gone; and the mountains, serene. A bird chirps a sound, and the spring is leaving again. TRN NHN TNG (1258 - 1308) (COMMENT: Realize that you have no self. While lying, sitting, standing and walking, constantly see that you have no self, and that nothing has a self. Then you can see there is not a you being tied. Since then, after that realization, you know something about the working of the mind, and meditation naturally becomes your flesh. Still, however you realize that, bad habits are hard to quit; but you already know how to calm the mind naturally. Also, monkeys and horses are symbols for the clinging thoughts. Watching the mind, Zen practitioner sees all the thoughts disappear like flowers falling off in the morning.) 78 Phng Ni Khi Hng I Ai tri li mong cu gii thot Chng phm no phi kim thn tin Vn nhn, nga mi, ngi lo Nh c vn trang mt chng thin. II Phi quy nim ri hoa bui sm Li danh tm lnh vi ma m Ma tnh, hoa tr, non vng lng Chim ku mt ting li xun tn. SN PHNG MN HNG I Thy phc cnh tng cu gii thot Bt phm h tt mch thn tin Vin nhn m quyn nhn ng lo Y cu vn trang nht thp thin. II Th phi nim trc triu hoa lc Danh li tm ty d v hn Hoa tn v tnh sn tch tch Nht thanh iu hu xun tn. TRN NHN TNG (1258 - 1308) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hy chng ng rng bn khng c t ng. Trong khi nm, ngi, ng v i, hy lin tc thy rng bn khng c t ng, v rng khng th g c t ng c. Ri bn c th thy l khng h c mt ci ti no ang b tri buc. T , t sau chng ng , bn bit mt phn v vn hnh ca tm, v thin nh t nhin tr thnh da tht ca bn. D vy, bt k mc bn chng ng, cc thi quen xu vn kh t b; nhng bn bit cch an tm mt cch t nhin. Thm na, kh v nga l biu tng cho cc nim bm chp. Nhn vo tm, ngi tu thin thy tt c cc nim bin mt nh hoa ri bui sng.)
79 Message The ten thousand attachments are cut; this one body is at ease. Living over forty years, I see life is just a long dream. My message to all is that dont ask anymore. The other side is the infinity with moon and winds. PHP LOA (1284 - 1330) (COMMENT: Is this life a long dream? Even after we wake up? What is the difference among the dreams you had last night and the years in your childhood? Do you feel that you are reincarnating every morning after the sleep? Do you feel that you are reincarnating every moment after the breath? Then, observe to see who is truly the person that you are among millions of the persons that youve been. There is not a real you -- just like there is not a real bubble among millions of bubbles forming and popping in the ocean. Is there something called the infinity? Is there something called the infinity threading all millions of persons youve been? You know youve been changing endlessly. And you know you are the thoughts being manifested. Lets breathe in and out gently, and observe the working of the mind. If there is the infinity, it must be there, neither coming nor going. Dont give it a name.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 66 of 74 79 Li Nhn

Mun duyn ct t, mt thn nhn Hn bn mi nm gic mng trng Nhn bo mi ngi thi ch hi Bn kia trng gi rng thnh thang. (Vn duyn ti on nht thn nhn T thp d nin mng huyn gian Trn trng ch nhn hu t vn Na bin phong nguyt cnh man khoan.) Thin S PHP LOA (1284 - 1330) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Cuc i l mt gic m di? Ngay c sau khi chng ta thc dy? Nhng g khc nhau gia cc gic m bn c m qua v nhng nm th u ca bn? Bn c cm thy rng bn ang ti sinh mi bui sng sau gic ng? Bn c cm thy rng bn ang ti sinh trong tng khonh khc sau hi th? Ri th, hy quan st xem bn thc s l ai trong s hng triu nhn vt m bn l trong i. Khng c mt ci bn thc no y ht nh, khng c mt bt nc thc no gia hng triu bt nc thnh hnh v v ra trn mt bin. C ci g gi l v tn khng? C ci g gi l ci v tn xuyn sut hng triu nhn vt m bn tng l hay khng? Bn bit, bn ang bin i v tn. V bn bit bn l cc nim ang c hin l. Hy th vo v th ra du dng, v quan st vn hnh ca tm. Nu c ci v tn, n phi , khng n khng i. ng t tn cho n.)
80 Mountain Temple The night is calm, and autumn wind breezes by the veranda. The mountain temple leans on tree shadows quietly. Zen is done, and the mind becomes the oneness. The crickets chirp; for whom the sound goes? HUYN QUANG (1254 - 1334) (COMMENT: Oneness or diversity? Living as water, or living as millions of bubbles? The bubbles are in different sizes, forming and popping endlessly. The water is not associated with any measure, neither coming nor going. Then, for whom the sound goes? When your mind becomes the oneness, the sound is you; it is your mind being manifested. In truth, we can not say oneness or diversity. Everything is just it is. There is not a word adequate to describe when you see all things are just the one mind. If a Zen master put a water vase in front of you, and ask you to say without giving it a name, what would you say?) 80 Cha Ni Gi thu m vng thi hin ngoi Cha ni im lm gi c may c thnh thin tm mt khi R r ting d gi ku ai ? SN V Thu phong ng d pht thim nha Sn v tiu nhin chm lc la D th thnh thin tm nht phin Cung thanh tc tc v thy a. Thin S HUYN QUANG (1254 - 1334) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Mt hay nhiu? Sng nh nc, hay sng nh hng triu bt nc? Bt nc c nhiu kch thc ln nh khc nhau, thnh hnh v v ra khng ngng. Nc th khng lin h ti bt k kch thc no, khng n khng i. Vy ri, m thanh cho ai? Khi tm bn tr thnh mt, m thanh l bn; n l tm bn ang hin l. S thc, chng ta khng th ni mt hay nhiu. Mi th th c nh n l. Khng c mt ch thch hp m t khi bn thy mi th ch l mt tm. Nu mt Thin S t mt bnh nc trc mt bn, v yu cu bn ni m khng cho n m tn gi, bn s ni g?)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 67 of 74 81 Sitting Still

At the South Shrine, sitting still in front of an incense burner, I am serene all day, have not a thought. Not that I am blocking the mind or purging the false thoughts, Just that there is not a thing I could ponder. HNG HI (1628 - 1715) (COMMENT: Sitting still, sitting still, sitting still. Try sitting still even when you are lying, sitting, standing and walking. Try sitting still even when you are talking, singing, thinking, and writing. Try sitting still for a day, and then every day. Words dont help very much; sitting still helps a lot.) 81 Tnh Ta i nam tnh ta mt l hng Lng l sut ngy nim l khng Chng phi dt tm tr vng tng Ch v khng vic ng o lng. Nam i tnh ta nht l hng Chung nht ngng nhin nim l vng Bt th tc tm tr vng tng Ch duyn v s kh t lng. Thin S HNG HI (1628 - 1715) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Ngi lng l, ngi lng l, ngi lng l. Hy tp ngi lng l ngay c khi bn ang nm, ngi, ng v i. Hy tp ngi lng l ngay c khi bn ang ni, ht, suy ngh, v vit. Hy tp ngi lng l trong mt ngy, v ri mi ngy. Ch khng gip nhiu; ngi lng l mi gip nhiu.)
82 Always There Even when the clouds cover and make illusions appear, the sun is always in the sky, circular and bright. If the wind comes and blows the clouds away, you will see countless worlds brightened, unobstructed. THY NGUYT (1637 - 1704) (COMMENT: Always there? The eternity? The countless heavens? Or any eternal soul? We should be careful here. Words are very slippery here. Buddha says all things are changing endlessly, and there is not any eternal soul. Buddha also says Nirvana is the eternal bliss, is the unborn and undying, and is the state of mind when all desires are burnt out. Dont step on words. Just practice carefully, watch the mind continuously. The eternity is in front of your eyes now, and has no form. Also, the eternity has no past and future in itself. Watch the present moment, and see your one thought lasting three thousand years. That is Zen. Oops a lot of words here.) 82 Thng Tr Sng trn thng gia h khng Bi b my m vng khi lng Mt phen gi thi my t tn Th gii h sa sng chiu thng. (Vin minh thng ti thi h trung Cng b m vn vng khi lung. Nht c phong xuy vn t tn, Hng sa th gii chiu quang thng.) THY NGUYT (1637 - 1704) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Thng tr? Ci v tn? Cc ci tri v lng? Hay bt k mt linh hn vnh cu no? Chng ta nn cn trng ni y. Ch ngha rt l trn trt ni y. c Pht ni vn php bin i khng ngng, v khng h c mt linh hn vnh cu no. c Pht cng ni Nit Bn l nim an lc vnh cu, l ci bt sanh v bt dit, v l cnh gii ca tm khi tt c tham c t chy. ng gim ln li ni. Hy tu tp cn trng, hy quan st tm lin tc. Ci vnh cu ang trc mt bn, v khng c hnh tng no. Thm na, ci vnh cu khng c qu kh v tng lai trong n. Hy quan st ci hin gi, v hy thy mt nim ca bn di ti ba ngn nm. l Thin. A ni y li nhiu li ri.)

* 83 Sun of Wisdom Seeing existence, you see all things exist; Seeing emptiness, you see nothing exists. When existence and emptiness are not established in your mind, the sun of wisdom appears high in the sky. TNG DIN (1640 - 1711) (COMMENT: Just say neither existence nor emptiness. Realizing the emptiness nature of the mind, seeing all things as images reflected in the mind, we have no words to say whatsoever. Thought comes from nowhere, and disappears. Be serene, and watch your mind without a thought. Then existence and emptiness dont bother you anymore.) 83 Mt Tri Tr Tu Cn c mun duyn c ng khng tt c khng C khng hai chng lp nh nht hin ln cao. (ng hu vn duyn hu Ty v nht thit v Hu v cu bt lp Nht cnh bn ng b.) TNG DIN (1640 - 1711) Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: ng ni l c hay khng. Nhn ra tnh khng ca tm, thy vn php nh nh hin trong tm, chng ta khng c li no ni. Nim ti khng t u, v ri bin mt. Hy lng l, v hy quan st tm bn vi khng mt nim. Ri c v khng s khng lm bn bn tm na.)
84 Seeking the Mind Holding a drum at waist, facing skilled listeners, and relaxing both hands, I beat the drum of mind. Tapping, tapping, seeking the mind, I see the mind is the tapping sound. Seeking the mind, hearing the mind tapping, I tap to seek the mind. Drumming sound composes rhymes, and the wind in cypress trees responds. Tapping the mind -- the way of the mind is to be serene and reflective. Always unrestrainedly, the bright moon and the cool wind exist there. Now you know you can not find the mind; stop seeking the mind. Stop, stop! Now you know the mind can not be found. Even if you could find the mind, that is not the true mind. Carrying a luminous lamp and asking for the fire, you make things upside down. Youd better stand in front of the window and sing a song. THANH M (~ 19th century) (COMMENT: It is so much fun to be enlightened. It is so much fun to enjoy the enlightenment. Get enlightenment first, then you will see that beating a drum, singing a song, or dancing crazily is not different from sitting still. Some people mistake Zen for some kinds of relaxation meditation, and can not see the difference. Dont have that mistake; however, you can bring a dragon-killing sword into a kitchen to chop vegetables.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 69 of 74 * Thi nh, tm ta chng th tm, Tm tm du c, chng chn tm. Mang n xin la thm in o, Th ng bn song ht khc ngm.
( Kin knh yu c i tri m, Th th v vi phch c tm. Tp tp tm tm tm tc tp, Tm tm tm tp, tp tm tm. * C thanh hp vn tng thanh ha, Tch chiu tm tng tc tp tm. Minh nguyt thanh phong trng t ti, Tm tm bt c, tc tm tm. * Ch ch ! ng tm bt kh tm, Tm tm tng c tc phi tm. Tng ng cu ha t in o, Bt nhc song tin th nht ngm.) THANH M (~ 19th century) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: S rt vui khi gic ng. S rt vui khi vui hng gic ng. Hy gic ng trc, ri bn s thy rng nh trng, ht mt ca khc, hay nhy ma in cung th khng khc g vi ngi lng l. Mt s ngi nhm ln Thin vi vi php nh th gin, v khng th thy d bit. ng nhm nh th; tuy nhin, bn vn c th mang thanh kim git rng vo nh bp xt rau vy.)
84 Tm Tm Ngang lng eo trng i tri m, Dui thng hai tay, nh trng tm. Tp tp tm tm, tm tt tp, Tm tm, tm tp, tp tm tm. * m thanh hp vn, m trng ha, Tch chiu tm tng, tc tp tm. Trng sng, gi thanh thng t ti, Tm tm chng c, ngh tm tm.
85 The Lamp From the lamp of mind, the Buddhas eyes manifest, and clearly pass on the way, the four eyes gaping. Keep transmission of the lamp, shine endlessly, and empower Zen foresters to help human beings. CHN NGUYN (1647 - 1726) (COMMENT: Light the lamp, clear the darkness, follow the Buddha, and become a walking temple. When you realize the emptiness nature, the compassion arises naturally. Keep the light shining, and help others attain liberation. Nothing is more precious than entering the Bodhisattva Way.) 85 Ngn n Mt ngn n tm mt Pht sinh, Truyn nhau bn mt ng phn minh. Ngn n mi ni sng v tn, Trao gi thin lm dy hu tnh. (Nht im tm ng Pht nhn sinh, Tng truyn t mc c phn minh. Lin phng tc dim quang v tn, Ph ph thin lm th hu tnh.) CHN NGUYN (1647 - 1726) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Hy thp ngn n, xua bng ti, theo c Pht, v tr thnh mt ngi cha di ng. Khi bn nhn ra tnh khng, th t bi khi dy t nhin. Hy gi ngn n sng hoi, v hy gip ngi khc gii thot. Khng c g qu gi hn l bc vo B Tt o.) * 86 Going Home Emptiness, emptiness, existence, existence -- Ive gone beyond their boundary over seventy years in this world. The vow done, I am going home today and dont have to scurry about to ask for the patriarchs. LIU QUN (? - 1743) (COMMENT: If someone asks you to show the emptiness in this mountain, in that river, and in other things around, what can you do? You can not reply that the emptiness is something outside or inside the
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 70 of 74 existence; It is nowhere to be found and shown. If someone asks you to show your true nature, what can you do? You can not reply that your true nature is in your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind; It is nowhere to be found and shown. Now, look at the mountain there. The mountain is your mind being manifested; if it is not, then you are a dead body now. Now, listen to the birdsong echoing from the mountain. The birdsong is your mind being manifested; if it is not, then you are a dead body now. All things are your mind being manifested. Thus, what can you say about emptiness or existence? Remember, the Shurangama Sutra says that the existence of all phenomena is the mind nature, and that the mind nature is the existence of all phenomena.)
86 V Qu Hn by mi nm ci ny, Khng khng sc sc thy dung thng Hm nay nguyn mn v qu c No phi bn ba hi T tng. (Tht thp d nin th gii trung Khng khng sc sc dic dung thng Kim triu nguyn mn hon gia l H tt bn man vn t tng.) Thin S LIU QUN (? - 1743) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Nu c ai yu cu bn cho thy ci tnh khng ang trong ngn ni ny, trong dng sng kia, v trong cc php quanh y, bn c th lm g? Bn khng th tr li rng ci khng l ci g nm ngoi hay trong ci c; N th khng u c tm ra v cho thy. Nu c ai yu cu bn cho thy chn tnh ca bn, bn c th lm g? Bn khng th tr li rng chn tnh bn nm trong mt, tai, mi, li, thn hay ; N th khng u c tm ra v cho thy. By gi, hy nhn vo ngn ni kia. Ngn ni l tm bn ang hin l; nu n khng phi, th by gi bn ch l mt xc cht. By gi, hy lng nghe ting chim vng t ni. Ting chim l tm bn ang hin l; nu n khng phi, th by gi bn ch l mt xc cht. Vn php l tm bn ang hin l. Do vy, bn c th ni g v khng vi c? Hy nh, Kinh Lng Nghim ni rng ton tng l tnh, v rng ton tnh l tng.)
87 Seeing the Nature That spot is empty; its nature is originally emptiness. Such are all things; all have the nature of emptiness. Beyond the sky and earth, so vast is the universe. Though shining countless worlds, so serene is the cold light. It neither increases at the enlightened, nor decreases at the unenlightened. It appears square or round in receptacles at ease. When the water is still, the moon appears in thousands of rivers. As the flower blossoms, the whole universe glows in red. CHN NGUYN (1647 - 1726) (COMMENT: If someone asks you about the afterlife, what should you do? Just ring a bell, and tell the questioner to show where the sounds gone. It doesnt mean that there is nowhere or somewhere for the sound dwelling. It means that all phenomena are just the one mind. Buddha says Nirvana is the extinction of desire, of hatred and of illusion. If we dont understand the working of the mind, we can not extinguish the fire of desire, of hatred and of illusion.)
Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 71 of 74 87 Kin Tnh

Mt im rng rang th vn khng, Mun iu to ha y c ng. Bao la th gii ngoi tri t, Lng nh hn quang ci ci trong. Thnh chng thm phm chng bt, Vung trn ty mn mc dung thng. Nghn sng nc lng trng in bng, Hoa n khp ni rc sc hng. Nht im h v th bn khng, Vn ban to ha gi c ng. Bao la th gii cn khn ngoi, Trm tch hn quang st hi trung. Ti Thnh bt tng phm mc gim, Phng vin ty kh nhm dung thng. Thy trng nguyt hin thin giang n, Sc nh hoa khai i a hng. CHN NGUYN (1647 - 1726) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Nu c ai hi bn v ci hu t, bn nn lm g? Hy g mt ting chung, v yu cu ngi kia ch ra ni u ting chung i. Nh th khng c ngha l khng c ni no hay c ni no ting chung an tr. N c ngha l vn php ch l mt tm. c Pht ni Nit Bn l khi chm dt tham, sn v si. Nu chng ta khng hiu vn hnh ca tm, chng ta khng th dp tt la ca tham, sn v si.)

88 The Buddhas Within When your unreal body stands in front of a mirror, you see the body and the image shown in mirror look alike. Its impossible if you want to accept the body and reject the image, because the body is also unreal. The body originally is not different from the image; you could not accept one and reject the other. While you want to accept one and reject the other, you are very far away from the truth. Also, while you like the holy and dislike the unholy, you are bobbing up and down in the sea of birth and death. Similarly, when the affliction appears in your mind, the blissfulness can not be found anywhere. If you dont discriminate against any appearance, you will enter the Way quickly. Buddhas of the three times are in your body. Covered by external phenomena, and blurred by habit, you are deluded by yourself. When your mind has no thought, you are all the Buddhas of the past. When your action comes from serenity, you are all the Buddhas of the future. When you respond to circumstances naturally, you are all the Buddhas of the present. When you are pure and dont cling to the six fields of the senses, you are the Apart From Defilement Buddha. When you come and leave freely, you are the Supernatural Power Buddha. When you are peaceful and happy in any place, you are the Unconstraint Buddha. When your mind is pure and luminous, you are the Shining Light Buddha. When your mind is firmly trained in dharma, you are the Indestructible Buddha. Just one true nature, but you are manifesting in countless forms. HNG HI (1628 - 1715) (COMMENT: Decades ago, I asked Zen Master Tich Chieu, Should I recite the name of the Buddha every day? My master replied, You only recite the name of the Buddha correctly if your hands also recite the name of the Buddha -- and so do your feet.) 88 Ch Pht Trong Ta - Vng thn ti gng soi bng, bng vi vng thn ging nhau. Ch mun thn b bng, th thn c thc u no ! Thn vn khng khc g bng, mt khng, mt c c sao ? Nu mun ly mt, b mt, hng cng chn l cch xa. Li mn Thnh ght phm, ni chm trong bin sanh t. Phin no nhn tm nn c, tm khng phin no u ? Chng nhc phn bit ly tng, t nhin c o chng mau. Ba i ch Pht u trong thn ta, ch v tp kh lm m m, ngoi cnh lm ngn tr, khin ta t m i. Nu trong lng ta c v tm l Pht qu kh. Trong lng l m khi tc dng l Pht v lai. Ty c ng vt l Pht hin ti. Ta thanh tnh khng nhim lc trn l Pht Ly Cu. Ta ra vo khng g lm tr ngi l Pht Thn Thng. n u cng an vui l Pht T Ti. Mt tm trong sng l Pht Quang Minh. Tm o bn chc l Pht Bt Hoi. Ta bin ha v cng ch do mt chn tnh m thi. Thin S HNG HI (1628 - 1715) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Nhiu thp nin trc, ti hi Thin S Tch Chiu, Con c nn nim Pht hng ngy khng? Thy ti tr li, Con ch nim Pht ng c, nu tay con cng nim Pht v chn con cng nim Pht.)
89 The Three Studies You all become monks and nuns because you are tired of birth and death. Leaving parents, spouses and children, you depart home to seek the Way, and revere Buddha as the holy teacher. To follow the shortcut path of Buddhas now is to follow the teachings from sutras. And sutras teach only the three studies -- discipline, meditation and wisdom. The Commentary on Liberation says, The practice of discipline, meditation and wisdom is called the Way of Liberation. Discipline means to abide in noble deportment. Meditation means to be undisturbed. Wisdom means to be enlightened. TRN THI TNG (1218 - 1277) (COMMENT: The three studies -- discipline, meditation and wisdom say nothing about koan practice. Its true that Buddha did not teach the koan practice. Also, many Zen monasteries these days dont teach the koan practice. But Zen is life, and life is full of koans. Actually, you are facing koans anywhere and anytime. Sometimes someone calls your name, and you suddenly see that you have no name. Sometimes you watch a mountain, and suddenly see that you are the mountain. Sometimes a flower falls in front of you, and you suddenly see that you are already dead. Sometimes you are walking, and suddenly see that every step is truly the emptiness. You dont need to do koan practice formally; however, koans are part of your life already. Koan is in your every breath; feel that with your whole body and mind.)

89 Gii nh Tu Phm tt c ngi tu hnh u do hai vic: chn sanh, t. B cha m, v con, xut gia cu o, phng th c Pht lm thy. Noi theo ng tt ca ch Pht, ch c kinh m thi. Song trong kinh ni ra, duy gii, nh, tu. Lun Gii Thot ni: Gii, nh, tu gi l o gii thot. Gii l ngha oai nghi. nh l ngha chng lon. Tu l ngha gic tri. TRN THI TNG (1218 - 1277) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Tam hc gii, nh v tu -- khng ni g v tham cng n. S tht l c Pht khng dy tham cng n. Thm na, nhiu Thin vin by gi khng dy tham cng n. Nhng Thin l i sng, v i sng th y khp cng n. Thc s, bn gp cng n mi ni v mi thi. i khi c ai gi tn bn, v bn ht nhin thy rng bn khng c tn. i khi bn nhn ngn ni, v ht nhin thy rng bn l ngn ni. i khi mt cnh hoa ri trc mt bn, v bn ht nhin thy rng bn cht. i khi bn ang i b, v ht nhin thy rng tng bc thc s l tnh khng. Bn khng cn chnh thc tham cng n; tuy nhin, cng n l mt phn trong i ca bn. Cng n nm trong tng hi th ca bn; hy cm nhn nh th vi ton thn v tm.)

90 The What Is You are asking me; that is your mind manifesting. I am replying you; that is my mind manifesting. If you have no mind, how can you know to ask me? If I have no mind, how can I know to reply you. Your mind is manifesting right at the time you are asking me. Since the time without beginning, this mind has manifested in all your actions all the time. According to circumstances, this mind is manifesting while you are facing me now, talking and asking; this mind is the true nature. What is asking here? What is talking here? What is having the ability to put a question here? CHAN NGUYEN (1647 1726) (COMMENT: What is asking here? What is talking here? Even when you see it, you still have no words to say about it. That is the gateless gate.) THE END 90 Ci ng Th ng hi ti tc l tm ng. Ti p ng, tc l tm ti. Nu ng khng tm, nhn u bit hi ti ? Nu ti khng tm, nhn u bit p ng ? Chnh ngay khi ng hi ti, tc l tm ng. Tm ny t v thy kip cho n hin gi, mi hnh ng, to tc, trong tt c thi cng nh ngay y, i din hin dng, ty c thu bung, i i tha hi, chng phi tnh l g ? Ci g tha hi y ? Ni nng l ci g ? Ci g hay bit hi ? CHN NGUYN (1647 1726) - Bn dch HT Thanh T (BNH: Ci g ang hi ni y? Ci g ang ni ni y? Ngay c khi bn thy n, bn cng khng c li no ni v n. l v mn quan vy.) HT

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Teachings From Ancient Vietnamese Zen Masters Page 1 of 74

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