Chua Duoc Su

Another year has passed with many changes in the world and among people. Plants and trees grow, sprout, and then wither and fall according to the four seasons. We all go through the four stages of birth, aging, sickness, and death, but everyone hopes for a brighter tomorrow than today, and a new year with many new and more favorable opportunities than the previous year. Therefore, in the last days of the year, no matter where you are, no matter what the circumstances, you all prepare materially and spiritually to welcome the New Year. Because everyone believes that the beginning of a new year is the starting point for dreams and beliefs, the beginning of action programs, and also the premise for hopes of success in life and in the spiritual path. Above all, it is the dream of peace and happiness, from the external circumstances to the body and mind inside each person.

Indeed, spring is the season of warm weather, of all things reviving after the cold, bleak winter months. Spring also makes your heart soften, expand, blend with the earth and sky, and sympathize with everyone. For Buddhists, spring is the right time to go on pilgrimages and visit monasteries. Some of you who are still focused on blessings go to the temple to pray to Buddha for health, happiness, and good luck in life. You think of Buddha as an enlightened being, a place of refuge in your soul, but also a source of comfort, a precious spiritual encouragement for a human life.

The first days of the year are also an opportunity for you to visit relatives and friends, to give each other good wishes, to drink wine together, a cup of tea, so that the love of fellow countrymen will have the opportunity to grow, and the feelings between people will have the opportunity to be more closely connected. You will find your heart is filled with the earth and sky and people, and you will know how to live with love for your fellow countrymen. You also know how to respect and protect the living environment around you, because all things are extremely close to you.

However, this is the kind of happiness or joy of the world; the various forms of entertainment are only temporary, because even the happiness of reunion will eventually give way to the sadness of separation. No matter how bustling the New Year days are, when you return to the worries of everyday life, you will feel even more lonely and empty. Especially for those who are old and lonely, when their children and grandchildren leave one by one, the brief reunion will only exacerbate the sadness and loneliness in their souls. Even the happiness that Buddhists experience when they visit the temple only exists when they can admire the Buddha's face and serene smile, and immerse themselves in the peaceful atmosphere of the temple. Then, when they return home, they are again caught in the whirlpool of existence, again immersed in the mundane world, and bound by the chains of fame and wealth of the world. Because, in every joy there is a shadow of suffering, because that joy is borrowed from the outside, and because it is not lasting, not sure of reality. Just like the spring of heaven and earth, it only exists for three months and then, according to the cyclical law, gives way to the hot summer. Buddhists call it the joy of birth and death, joy in impermanence.

A spring with a new opportunity has true meaning, and to make joy and happiness last longer, as a Buddhist, you must also understand that every time spring comes and the new year comes, in Zen it is also called Maitreya spring. The reason is that Maitreya's birthday falls on the first day of the new year. The image of Maitreya Bodhisattva is plump, with a big belly, a plump and benevolent face, a comfortable smile with the children surrounding him, expressing boundless happiness. The children represent the six senses that always follow him around and make trouble, just like the worldly scene that is always present around you. But unlike us, although he still receives fate, he is not attached, not contaminated. Maitreya Bodhisattva has a happy smile even though he is surrounded by six thieves, because he is the Great Joy and Great Forgiveness. Joy is not joking and laughing as is common in the world, but is the sincere joy and praise for the success and happiness of others. Forgiveness is not turning away from the unfortunate situations of life, but wholeheartedly helping others without attachment; it is a pure state of mind before the Dharma and before the ups and downs of life. Knowing how to let go is the only way to truly love others, to sympathize and forgive their shortcomings, and to work for the benefit of living beings.

Because of the great renunciation, the six thieves become the six supernatural powers, so he always has a complete and eternal joy, which is Great Joy. This joy is the premise of absolute happiness, a happiness that liberates from the cycle of birth and death. With the virtue of renunciation, with an open and joyful smile, with a full face, a plump body, expressing the true nature of carefree freedom with the six thieves, he completely reveals a state of peaceful renunciation; whoever looks at him will have a joyful mind. Maitreya Buddha symbolizes boundless and eternal happiness; in him radiates a peaceful spring sky.

Thus, your true happiness does not come from the outside, but from the renunciation within yourself. In daily life, you let go of disputes, unsatisfactory things, seeing them as just rain, clouds that pass by, and then disappear. At that moment, you feel somewhat at peace. Taking a step forward, you contemplate the worldly scene as just a false combination of causes and conditions; the mind does not start to discriminate when the senses come into contact with the objects. Knowing that all ideas are false, step by step, you let go of all attachments to you. Only by letting go will you realize that Nirvana is present and not somewhere far away, and Spring with new opportunities is also right here and now!

From this point of view, you can see that a person with the virtue of joy and forgiveness is a person with a happy spring sky. Letting go is letting go without regret, without being attached to anything, letting go of what has passed, without being entangled in the mind, resolutely letting go like a breeze, like an echo, like a swallow flying over a lake, like a breeze passing through a bamboo branch, like someone who has wronged you, you let go and forgive, not holding on to blame, not demanding, not letting the mind hold grudges. Like that, you and the other person will sympathize and be happy. Thanks to that, it is easy to create for each other a spring of peace and true happiness. Therefore, those who, when things like power, position, fame, and wealth are out of reach, remain calm and unperturbed, without the slightest regret, truly demonstrate a free and easy heart, taking fame and love lightly, like a rose petal falling from the hand to the ground. Such people are filled with a happy spring, leisurely and at ease in the midst of a life of suffering and misery.

Enlightened saints see fame, wealth, and love as dust stuck in their eyes, so they are always comfortable, at ease, and happy in the face of life's ups and downs, through the advice of the ancients:

- Talent and beauty in the world are nothing more than a drop of dew, like trees growing on rocks; fame and money harm the spiritual heart like dust stuck in the eyes.

When you know how to take fame and wealth lightly, despise power and position, and give up desires. When fame, wealth, and love fall away, it is like shaking off the dust from your clothes. You will certainly create for yourself a spring of eternal happiness and will enjoy the beauty of the endless spring sky.

Similarly, those of you who understand that this body is a temporary combination, that the existence and disappearance of this body is like a drop of dew in the morning, will be liberated from birth and death. This body lives through breath, breathing out without inhaling is entering another life. Life is fragile like dew on the tip of a branch in the early morning, like a rosy cloud at sunset. Today, being happy and together is not certain to be there tomorrow. The separation from relatives to become a mortal, the health of the previous moment is hard to predict the next moment, which is a common thing in the world. Life changes quickly in an instant. This body is not real, so money and fame are things you create, outside of your body, things that depend on you; how can they last?

Looking back at the past years of life, you see that you have experienced many happy and sad situations, good and bad. When you encounter favorable and happy situations, you are excited and proud, but when unfortunate events occur, you are sad and discouraged, sometimes even blaming heaven and others. A person who knows how to practice does not expect to always be lucky and successful in everything, because it can easily make you arrogant, nor is he afraid of difficulties and obstacles, because a strong will helps you to progress in your practice. Realizing that these are obstacles on the path of practice, but they are also valuable lessons, if you know how to take this opportunity to re-examine your practice and your understanding of Buddhism; if you know that delusions and afflictions are fetters that have long lain dormant in your consciousness but are false and not real, to practice more diligently.

Thus, you can turn any situation into an opportunity for inner advancement. Knowing how to turn obstacles into favorable conditions, knowing how to take advantage of favorable circumstances to make your path of practice smoother, you can realize the true meaning of happiness. Clearly seeing that life is impermanent, you must also understand its positive meaning, because impermanence is also the most essential condition to maintain and develop all things. The heart beats, the blood flows, the breath goes in and out... are impermanent, but if not, you cannot exist. If the mind is not impermanent, how can you transform your mind from evil to good? If karma is not impermanent, how can you practice to transform bad karma into good karma? Therefore, Bodhisattvas and sages who realize the principle of impermanence are people who thoroughly understand the illusory nature of all things and are not confused and miserable by impermanence. They do not abandon impermanence, looking for permanence somewhere far away, but right in the impermanence, realize the true permanence, from the movement to live with an eternal, unmoving mind. That is the true meaning of practice, the eternal youth of the inner mind, a new opportunity, and also the aspiration of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Therefore, the Buddha taught:

- Do not seek the past, do not wish for the future, reside in the present.

Residing in the present is the content of mindfulness. You often like to recall happy and sad things that have happened, or dream of a bright tomorrow, but never know how to be satisfied with the present situation. Because you are not satisfied with what you have, you are always suffering and always chasing an unreal shadow of happiness. People who know the way do not seek peace from the outside or a happy realm in the future, because happiness is not the result of searching and chasing, but of stopping, living fully here and now.

Mindfulness is being aware of every change in the body and mind, inside and the scenery outside. If at some point you have realized that spring comes and goes, body, mind, and scenery are all dependently created, arising, and ceasing in each moment, while knowledge is always present, never arising and ceasing, then you must live meaningfully. You are living in an era where science has made great achievements, so all around you is a chaotic field of colors and sounds. Without diligent practice, you can easily get caught up in that chaos, unable to find peace. Right in the moving machine of all things, you still calmly meditate; even in difficult circumstances, you still strive to progress in your practice.

Regarding suffering, you know that it is a necessary material to stimulate your efforts, because only through suffering can you find a way to escape suffering. Regarding illness, you know that life is impermanent, the human body is not permanent, life is only in a breath, so you do not let time pass in vain. Before death, you know that it is the beginning of another life, the end of a life, and the manifestation of new karma in the next life. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural; only when death comes can there be birth, just as only when there is a cold winter can there be a warm spring. Creating the cause of happiness, you are prepared to deal with all circumstances, even death is not something to be afraid of. Thus, whatever step of practice has results, you will have happiness right at that step, because happiness is in the present and in your own mind and body. The spirit of being happy in the present is very simple but extremely wonderful and familiar to everyone.

Living in this world, you must follow the eternal laws of the universe. Anything that has a form, including your body and life, and belongings, cannot escape the law of impermanence. Only the truth is eternal with time and vast with space. Only the truth is the true refuge of all Buddhists. Even though you go through the ups and downs of life, if you practice diligently, you will not be swayed and dragged away. With a peaceful mind, you will feel at ease anywhere, anytime. With a pure mind, all dharmas are Buddha realms, the four seasons of the human world are just eternal spring. The consciousness of body, mind, and environment is a combination of causes and conditions. Worldly pleasures are all illusions and not real; you should not seek happiness from the pleasures of the senses, nor should you hope for peace from the gods who bestow blessings and curses.

When you understand the laws of the universe, you will feel that the past year is not just to add longevity, or to pray for new opportunities to have many successes, but as a Buddhist, you must do something for the religion, for yourself to increase morality, practice to have more awareness, high self-control, if so, then a new year, with such opportunities will be truly worthy. If you have one more year of life, but live uselessly, meaninglessly, then that spring, although a new opportunity with many successes, is meaningless to you, but is also a waste, worthless. Therefore, you must understand that your life is always lurking under impermanence; it can capture you at any time. Because of that fragility, it is said that humans are always facing dangers.

Therefore, passing a year is to celebrate being one year older. But that joy must be combined with your practice and virtue. That is what Buddhists must try to do, remember and review themselves, do not let a year pass without any progress, until the day you close your eyes and still do not add any good karma, then it is a waste of a life that is called a Buddhist disciple. Therefore, the Venerables often say:

- A life does not know reciting Buddha's name

A human life is so wasted

You are a Buddhist; you have chosen for yourself a truly noble and beautiful path. Thus, you did not abandon all your own greed, anger, and selfishness, so after a year, you have not made any progress; your life of practice is still stagnant, which is your sadness. You must try to make this year, next year you will rise to be more worthy, do not let it pass in vain. That is the meaning of new fortune, that is to be happy to live another year, also happy that you have done good things for yourself, for everyone in the past year.

Hopefully, all of you must clearly see the value of your life. It is not because you have a high social status or abundant material means that you are valuable. Value lies in the fact that your inner self is always bright, and you always share with everyone. With compassion, you bring enlightenment and happiness to everyone. Only then will life be meaningful and valuable. Don't just wander around somewhere for one or two insignificant reasons, and then your life will pass by in vain. That is sad. According to the teachings of the Venerables:

- Long or short life is not important, but what is important is that you know how to use it in all circumstances and situations.

How can you always be mindful and advise everyone to be conscious? Buddhists are happy with their duties, not living for the sake of living. People compete with each other, fight with each other, and resent one another for necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter. That life is meaningless, even worse than death. I hope you do not fall into that tragic situation.

Everyone must be aware of the value of their life. Living a life of study and practice is a moral life, living with enlightenment, living with compassion, not letting any part of it decline; only then is it worth living. Living one year with one opportunity is worth one year; living two years is worth two years. You should not look down on it and waste your own value. Many people just let their lives drift away following fame and profit, not knowing how to improve themselves, not knowing how to be aware, and even slandering you to abandon the path of practice, criticizing this nun, condemning that teacher. Some people are bold enough to criticize Buddhism; there are people who live meaninglessly, worthlessly. Hopefully, in this new year, all of you must prepare for each passing day to be a precious day; do not let it drift away, do not let the years pass by in vain. Only then will you be worthy of being a person seeking liberation, seeking enlightenment.

So in this new year and new opportunity, you must promise to reduce gossip and try to practice more, determined in this one year to be worthy, practice to get results, so that everyone believes in you, understands you, and sees your good points. You want liberation, it does not come to you easily, but it requires you to have enough ability, enough talent and virtue, enough language to guide and teach people, then the great work will be successful. Therefore, you must prepare. Each of you must see yourself as having the duty to practice and study, and must work together to contribute to building the place where you are practicing. You must see that the path of spreading the Dharma that the master and ancestors built and expanded is arduous. Now it is you, you have the duty to continue to preserve and expand it more and more.

To do so, your aspiration must be stronger, and your practice must be more and more diligent. If you let it drift away, where will the work of maintaining and developing Buddhism overseas go? You should not entrust the responsibility of propagating the Dharma to the monks and nuns, and think that you, as Buddhists, have no responsibility in propagating the Dharma. If so, your sin is extremely great. Therefore, the Venerables often kindly remind you to strive to practice and try to understand thoroughly what the Buddha and the Patriarchs taught. To increase your spiritual power day by day, you must look, must see, must sow trust in those around you. Never look down on yourself, but must examine yourself to be truly worthy of being a Buddhist. If you can do so, you will have shouldered the Buddha Dharma with the monks and nuns. Otherwise, the Buddhas and Patriarchs' dedicated teachings will be in vain, and in the end, there will be no significant results. That is where the Venerables hope that all of you must be aware and prepared so that tomorrow you will be faithful Buddhists who practice exactly as the Buddhas and Patriarchs have taught and outlined. Because if the Dharma that the Buddhas and Patriarchs outlined was wrong, it would have already disintegrated. But after 2569 years, it still exists, proving that it is an extremely useful Dharma for humanity, so you must nurture it and make it grow further. I firmly believe that if all of you make sincere efforts to practice, the Buddha's Dharma of liberation guided by the Vietnamese in this country will be expanded and spread more widely. Not only will it expand within the Vietnamese community, but it can also spread to the indigenous people.

Buddhism is a religion with a clear origin a solid support from ancient times until now. You are a disciple of Buddha, but you do not practice and introduce it to everyone to practice together; that is a big mistake. You must see the goodness and beauty of your ancestors. They have practiced and attained enlightenment; you must apply your practice to achieve the same results, then teach that goodness and beauty to your children and grandchildren, to those in society who want to understand and know about Buddhism in your country. Only then will the sect be illuminated, and you will be worthy of being a Buddhist of Vietnamese Buddhism. If you practice without knowing how far you have practiced, then you are not qualified to guide anyone. As a Vietnamese monk, nun, or Buddhist, if someone asks you what Vietnamese Buddhism teaches or how to practice, you would not know the answer. That is a great humiliation. The path that the Venerables have prepared for you to take is a very long and far road; you Buddhists must try to have enough strength and ability to move forward. Do not let the career your ancestors built fade away, do not let grass grow and moss cover it, causing the path of developing the Dharma to be forgotten by everyone.

In short, in a new year with a new opportunity, you must demonstrate the ability and character of a true Buddhist; you must make an effort to practice and introduce the Buddha's teachings to everyone, which is the common responsibility of Buddhists. I hope all of you must understand, grasp, and practice it; do not be negligent, and especially do not stand outside and only contribute criticisms and condemnations like before.