The Dwelling in the Dharma King's House - Upholding the Tathagatagarbha (continued and end)

Part 2: Maintaining the Tathagatagarbha

(A brief introduction to the Tripitaka)

The Patriarch Guishan taught, "If there are people of the middle class who are not yet able to immediately transcend, then put their whole mind into the Dharma, recite it by heart and search for the scriptures, examine the meaning thoroughly, then propagate it to guide the future, and repay the Buddha's grace."

From then, although lay people can propagate Buddhism, only Bhikkhus can undertake the task of transmitting the light and guiding future generations. If a Bhikkhu does not study the Dharma thoroughly, how can he be a teacher for others? "Maintaining the Tathagatagarbha" means one must firmly grasp the essentials of Buddhism, not too much, but not too little, at a level that is just enough to benefit oneself and others.

The Tripitaka today is not lacking but is even more massive because the two sects, the North and the South Buddhism traditions, have together preserved and developed it into a "Dhammārāma" - a garden of Buddhism with hundreds of blooming flowers. Those flowers have competed to spread their fragrance and beautify life from then until now.

To gain more objectivity in understanding, let’s take a look at the beautiful flowers in the Dharma garden -which are important sutras for both the Southern and Northern Buddhism sects. This will be more complete about the way of practice and cultivation for Vietnamese people. The sutras and treatises mentioned below have all been translated into Vietnamese.

 

A. Southern Buddhism:

* Sutras: 5 Nikāyas: Dīghanikāya (Long Collection), Majjhimanikāya (Middle Collection), Aṇguttāranikāya (Anguttara Nikāya), Saṃyuttanikāya (Samyutta Nikāya), Khuddākanikāya (Minor Collection).

Khuddhakanikāya includes:

n  Khuddakapāṭhapāḷi -Minor Verses.

n  Dhammapadapāḷi- Dhammapada.

n  Udānapāḷi -Self-Declared Sayings.

n  Itivuttakapāḷi -Thus Spoken By The Buddha.

n  Suttanipātapāḷi - Collection of Sutras.

n  Vimānavatthupāḷi - Stories of the Heavenly Palace.

 

n   Petavatthupāḷi - The Story of the Hungry Ghosts.

n  Theragathāpāḷi - Theravāda Verses.

n  Therīgāthāpāḷi - Theravāda Verses.

n  Jātakapāḷi - Birth Stories.

n  Mahāniddesapāḷi - The Great Exposition.

n  Cullaniddesapāḷi - The Lesser Exposition.

n  Patisambhidamaggapāḷi - The Way of Unhindered Understanding.

n  Apadanapāḷi - The Chronicles of the Noble Ones.

︎ Buddhavamsapāḷi - The History of the Buddha.

n  Cariyapitakapāḷi -The Storehouse of Conduct.

* Treatises: Milindapañhā (The Debate of King Milinda), Nettipakāraṇa (Buddhist Manual), Peṭakopadesa (Tripitaka Guide), Saddhammasaṇgaha (Summary of the Noble Truths), Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification).

* Vinaya: nine volumes

*Abhidhamma: Abhidhammaṭṭhasaṇgaha (Summary of the Noble Truths) and 7 Abhidhamma collections.

*Commentaries: Collections of commentaries on the suttas, vinaya, and abhidhamma (a very large number).

B. Northern Buddhism:

* Sutras:

n  Four Āgama collections: Dīrgha Āgama (Long Agama), Madhyama Āgama (Middle Agama), Saṃyukta Āgama (Miscellaneous Agama), Ekottara Āgama (Ekottara Agama).

n  Extensive sutras:

-Prajāpāramitāśūtra (Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra)

- Saddharmapuṇḍarikaśūtra (Lotus Sutra)

 

-Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsakaśūtra (Great and Extensive Avatamsaka Sutra)

-Mahāparinirvāṇaśūtra (Great Nirvana Sutra).

︎ Other Mahayana sutras such as the Sutra of the Eight Great Realizations, the Sutra of Forty-two Chapters, the Sutra of the Last Teachings, the Sukhāvatī-vyūha (Amitabha Sutra), the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha Mulapraṇidhāna śūtra (Ksitigarbha Sutra), the Vajracchedikā (Diamond Sutra), the Hṛdaya (Heart Sutra).

* Vinaya: There are Vinayas from many schools such as the Four Parts, Five Parts, Ten Recitations, Shanjian, and Mahasanghika.

* Treatises:

︎Consciousness-only system:

-Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra (Treatise on the Establishment of Consciousness-Only),

-Śatadharmaprakāśamukhaśāstra (Treatise on the Enlightenment of a Hundred Dharmas).

-Triṁśikā-vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-kārikā (Treatise on the Thirty Verses on Consciousness-Only).

 

Emptiness systems:

-Madhyamakakārikā (Middle Way treatise).

- Mahāprajñāparamitāśātra (Great Wisdom Treatise).

- Mahāyānaśraddhotpādaśāstra (Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna).

*Abhidharma:

Abhidharmakośaśāstra (Abhidharmakośaśāstra), Mahāvibhāsāśāstra (Great Vibhāśāstra), Yogacārabhumiśāstra (Yogacārabhumiśāstra) and seven abhidharma collections.

 

The above is a relative list, although it is not completed, it is adequate to give an overview of the flowers in the Dharma garden. Even though it seems like a lot, everyone of us has read a few books in this treasure trove, which is also very beneficial!

 

In conclusion:

"Dwelling in the Dharma King's house -Maintaining the Tathagata's treasury" is essentially the vow of the Bhikkhus, the disciples of the Buddha, the practice of learning and practicing the Dharma to increase Precepts - Concentration -Wisdom on the path to liberation in the future.

This is the hinge that opens the door to enlightenment, where each person will "light their own torch and go" because "Tathagata is only the guide"...

 

 

Tâm Cung

 

Translated into English by Huynh Thi Khanh Phung