THE WAY OF ZEN IN VIETNAM
THIỀN TÔNG VIỆT NAM
Video by NGUYÊN GIÁC
Video and drawings by Nguyên Giác -
Music: Song “Pretend” composed and performed by Trần Duy Đức.
With photos from Pixabay.com
Music in the video's first half; Text recitation in the second half -- Nửa phần đầu video là nhạc; Nửa phần sau là giọng đọc. This video is made to help those in Vietnam who want to study English and Buddhism. Below is the text in video.
ENGLISH
Poem 3: Sitting by Khương Tăng Hội (? – 280); Translated into Vietnamese by Lê Mạnh Thát
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 with the union of mind and body. Second, sit in peacefulness; And third, sit without fetters. What does it mean to sit with the union of mind and body? 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 is what it means to sit without fetters. KHUONG TANG HOI (? – 280)
NOTE: 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. Your breaths will become very subtle and almost disappear; then you will see that body and mind become oneness and peacefulness. Thus, practicing mindfulness of breathing leads to practicing the four foundations of mindfulness. The suttas said that when your body is immersed in happiness, you are entering the first jhana; also, in SN 36.11 Sutta, Buddha said that speech ceased and stilled for someone who attained the first jhana. When your mind has not any thought and when your whole body and mind immerse in the blissful silence, you are entering the second jhana; also, in SN 36.11 Sutta, Buddha said that the placing of the mind and keeping it connected ceased and stilled for someone who attained the second jhana. How can all thoughts vanish? Don’t try to stop any thought; it will disappear when you observe and see its nature of emptiness. The suttas (e.g., MN 52, MN 64) said that from the first or second jhana, you can observe and feel the wind of impermanence flow constantly through your whole body and mind. In that state of mind, you are letting go of all things. All fetters will gradually fade and vanish. .