Brief preaching of the Dhammapada Sutra - part 1

On the afternoon of June 20th, 2024, Junior Thich Tam Truong - Abbot of Hoang Phap Pagoda had a summary lecture of Dhammapada Sutra for monks and Buddhists during the rain season retreat.

The monk explained two poems No 1 and 2 which belongs to the chapter of Twin Verses:

1.      Mind precedes all knowables,

 mind's their chief, mind-made are they.

 If with a corrupted mind

 one should either speak or act

 dukkha follows caused by that,

 as does the wheel of the ox's hoof.

2.      Mind precedes all knowables,

 mind's their chief, mind-made are they.

 If with a clear, and confident mind

 one should speak and act

 happiness follows caused by that,

 as one's shadow ne'er departing.

Buddha preached these two verses from two stories "The woman and the evil doctor" and "Crying and wishing for heavenly matters.

By the dialogue between the Jain sect and the Buddha in Majjhima Nikaya of The Shorter Discourse on the Mass of Suffering (Cula dukkha kkhandha suttam), the Buddha clearly taught, in the three karma of body - speech - intention, intention karma is important. This karma is the owner of all actions, an action without consciousness cannot become karma.

The mind is the storehouse, known as eighth consciousness, store consciousness; Seventh consciousness is the ability to create and carry between senses and store consciousness; Consciousness is six senses including: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind.

When six senses contact with six objects, the six consciousnesses are born: Seeing beauty gives birth to liking and wanting to possess it. If one does not have it, that will feel suffering, leading to the body doing wrong things.

Indeed, all wrong actions in our lives are directed by consciousness, so people who want to correct wrong actions must first change the wrong thinking inside. Correcting the errors of perception is the basic condition for practitioners to achieve the path of enlightenment.

In fact, checking and controlling  the mind is very important. Buddhists must establish a good mind and know shame. This is the necessary foundation to advance on the path of Buddhist practice.

Some images recorded: