119 Cover Covid 19 The Role Of Buddhism In Healing

Bảo Anh Lạc Bookshelf 119

COVID-19 THE ROLE of BUDDHISM in HEALING

Ven. Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương

HƯƠNG SEN Publishing

HƯƠNG SEN BUDDHIST TEMPLE

19865 Seaton Avenue, Perris, CA 92570, USA Tel: 951-657-7272, Cell: 951-616-8620

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://www.facebook.com/Huong.Sen.Riverside/ Web: www.huongsentemple.com

First Edition 2026 by Huong Sen Buddhist Temple in the United States.

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CONTENTS

Foreword

Chapter 1: Religions Joining Hands Against the Pandemic

The Positive Interreligious Response to Pandemic Prevention
Understanding Our Interconnectedness

Chapter 2: International Buddhism Supporting the

Community

Countries and Regions Joining Hands Against the Pandemic
- Taiwan
- United States of America
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Japan
- Thailand
- Bhutan
- India

Vietnam

Global Connections Through the Pandemic

Chapter 3: The Triple Gem – A Spiritual Anchor

Quarantine as a Favorable Condition for Practice
- Principles of Strict Isolation
- Time for Long-held Aspirations
- Time to Live Fully with Loved Ones
- The Best Times for Intensive Spiritual Development
The Triple Gem as the Spiritual Home
Message Amidst the Pandemic – H. the Dalai Lama
Heartfelt Reflections – Most Thich Nhu Dien
Faith in the Buddha – Most Thich Tri Quang
Tearful Confessions on a Full Moon Night – Thich Phap Hoa
Contemplating the Buddha’s Teachings During the Pandemic – Thich Tanh Tue
- Prayers for the End of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Buddha’s Birthday – Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương
- Pray for The Coronavirus Pandemic on the Buddha’s Birthday (English Version)

Chapter 4: Spreading Love and Optimism

Cultivating Compassion and Understanding
Generosity and Sharing (Dana)

Patience, Contentment, and Optimism
- Patience (Kshanti)
- Contentment

The Story of the Contented Person
The Story of the Discontented Person
The Story of Bottomless Greed
- The Spirit of Optimism

Chapter 5: Awakening to Suffering, Sickness, and Death

Illness and the Causes of Disease
Ten Contemplations When Seriously Ill or Facing Death
Mindfulness of Death
Sudden Death
- The Milinda Panha Sūtra
- Nine Types of Premature Death (Medicine Buddha Sūtra)
Four Classes of People Who Fear or Do Not Fear Death

Four Classes Who Do Not Fear Death
Four Classes Who Fear Death

Chapter 6: Dependent Origination, The Four Dharma Seals, and Karma

Contemplating Dependent Origination
Contemplating the Four Dharma Seals (Suffering, Impermanence, Non-self, and Emptiness)

Suffering (Dukkha)
Impermanence (Anicca)
Non-self (Anatta) and Emptiness (Sunyata)

Cause and Effect, Retribution, Individual Karma, and Collective Karma
- Cause and Effect
- Karmic Retribution, Individual Karma, and Collective Karma

Chapter 7: The Role of Buddhism in Healing

Prostration
- Definition
- Seven Ways of Bowing to the Buddha
- Bowing to the Triple Gem and Honorable Beings
- Prostration as Humility
- Benefits to Body and Mind
Listening to the Dharma

Definition
Story of a Heavenly Being Who Escaped Death by Taking Refuge
Story of a Thief Who Attained Stream-Entry Just by Hearing the Dharma
Benefits of Listening to the Dharma
- Chanting Sūtras

Definition
Medicine Buddha Sūtra
Water Repentance Sūtra
Paritta (Chants for Protection and Peace)
Girimananda Sūtra (Sūtra on Healing Illness)

Meditation Practices for Healing the Fear of Covid-19
- Definition
- Meditation Posture
- The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana)
- Meditation to Heal Fear and Subdue Grief
- Meditation to Assist in Healing Covid-19
- Meditating to Awaken to Impermanence, Non-self, Suffering, and Emptiness
- Breath-Counting Meditation Leading to the Serenity of Meditative Absorptions
- Body and Mind During Ten Days of Hospitalization: Contemplating the Buddha’s Teachings
Buddha Recitation (Nianfo)
- Definition
- The Six Recollections (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, Precepts, Generosity, Devas)
- Reciting the Names of the Buddhas of the Three Times
- Reciting Amitabha Buddha’s Name
- Reciting the Name of Avalokiteshvara
- Reciting Medicine Buddha’s Name

A Miraculous Story of Recovery from COVID-19 through Buddha Recitation

Mantra Recitation
- Definition
- Auspicious Mantra for Eradicating Disasters
- Seven Buddhas’ Mantra for Eradicating Sin
- Rebirth in the Pure Land Dhāraṇī
- Medicine Buddha Mantra (for healing power)
- Six-Syllable Great Bright Mantra (Om Mani Padme Hum)
- Great Compassion Mantra (Dharani)
- The Ten Small Mantras
- The Five Sections of the Śūraṅgama Mantra
- Various Tibetan Mantras
- A Story of Miraculous Recovery Through the Great Compassion Mantra
The Power of Precepts in Eradicating Sickness
- Definition
- Attaining the Wish for Health Through Strict Precepts
- The Blessing Power of Ven. Angulimala for Pregnant Women
- Refusing to Sacrifice the Elderly for the Economy Out of Respect for Life
Repentance to the “Corona Virus Bodhisattvas”
- Definition

Ordinary Beings Easily Commit Sins, Therefore Must Repent Often
The Continuity of Karmic Retribution
Establishing a Repentance Altar (Mandala)
Benefits of Repentance
Text for Open Confession and Repentance
Constant Reminders for the Mind
Repentance Chant for the Deceased

The Great Physician King: Healing the Physical and Mental Illnesses of the World

Chapter 8: Spiritual Support for the Dying

Methods of Spiritual Assistance and Healing for the Dying
Managing Family Affairs on Behalf of the Deceased
Letting Go of Attachment to the Physical Body
Guidance on Dwelling in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to Endure Pain
Guidance on the Principle of Non-self to Endure Mental Agitation
Guidance on the Principle of Formlessness (To See the Tathagata)
Contemplating Impermanence of the Ten Recollections for Immediate Relief
The Four Objects of Indestructible Faith (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, Precepts)
The Six Clear Teachings

Faith in the Triple Gem and Generosity
Rebirth Without Attaining Meditative Absorption at Death (If Precepts are Kept)
Contemplating Dependent Origination, Passing Away, and Entering Nirvana
Eradicating the View of Self to End Suffering and Disease
A Mind Free from Desire and Attachment, Transcending Past, Present, and Future
Non-attachment to the Six Sense Faculties
Euthanasia or Assisted Dying for Terminal Illness
Ten Stories of Rebirth in the Pure Land

Chapter 9: Conclusion References

Bao Anh Lac Bookshelf

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FOREWORD

he Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, persisted globally for over two years. Originating on November 17, 2019, in Wuhan, China, it evolved with great complexity, spreading across the world. By mid- April 2021, it was temporarily brought under control through the support of vaccines such as Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO)¹, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated in a press release that, according to the latest data, approximately 15 million people worldwide died during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, according to the Worldometers portal (as of April 28, 2023)², the global death toll was recorded at 6,860,779 (approx. 7 million) with 704,753,890 infections (approx. 700 million).

Whether 7 or 15 million, the loss is staggering and terrifying—

WHO estimates that 15 million people worldwide have died due to COVID-19. (M.Q. according to Nature)

World Health Organization (WHO) https://www.who.int

The United Nations agency working to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.

Source: https://bvbnd.vn/who-uoc-tinh-co-da-co-15-trieu-nguoi-tren-the-gioi- da-chet-vi-covid-19/

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01245-6

Coronavirus Tracker. Report Coronavirus cases. https://www.worldometers.info/Coronavirus/country/us/

so much so that the media was filled with urgent warnings:

“In these times, being lonely or haunted is not as scary as ‘Co- ro-na.’ The threat of guns or ‘mouth-karma’ (harmful speech) pales in comparison to the need for a ‘mouth-mask.’ Brutality and dancers are nothing compared to the impact of Wuhan.”

Indeed! This global crisis emerged and caused the world to fall into chaos and fear because the mysterious specter of the virus could appear at any time and in any place—from the deepest alleys to the most luxurious cities. Humanity found itself walking a tightrope between the fragile boundaries of life and death. In the face of our generation’s greatest global crisis, every citizen had to follow the guidance of governments, doctors, and health experts: practices in maintaining a clean and pure environment, isolation, social distancing, avoiding large gatherings, wearing masks and protective gear, and washing hands frequently with soap.

Due to the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, followers of the Buddha—heeding the guidance of spiritual masters—used this time to reflect on the impermanence of life and the fragility of existence. We learned to live slowly and mindfully: prostrating to the Buddha, chanting Sūtras, meditating, reciting mantras, repenting, practicing vegetarianism, and offering prayers for the United States, Vietnam, and the world, so that the calamity of the plague might swiftly pass.

During the two years of the pandemic (2019–2021), the author (Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương), along with the nuns of Hương Sen Temple, connected and shared the Dharma via electronic media. We took turns chanting online and livestreaming Dharma talks daily on the Facebook Fanpage: “Huong Sen.” Our goal was to share the Buddha’s teachings as a compass, helping fellow Buddhists near and far remain calm, peaceful, and steadfast in their practice, while standing in solidarity with the nation and the world to wisely and actively combat the pandemic.

Rich and diverse topics were covered, such as: A History of World Pandemics, Preventing the Coronavirus (Covid-19), Guidance from Medical Experts, The Golden Standard of Quarantine, Prophetic Predictions of the Pandemic, Religions Connecting to Support the Community, The Triple Gem as a Spiritual Anchor, Practicing During the Pandemic, The Role of Buddhism in Healing, Buddhist Methods for Assisting the Dying, The Final Moments of Covid-19 Patients, Commemorating the Deceased, Gratitude for Those Who Sacrificed During the Pandemic, Gratitude for the “Good Spiritual Friend” Covid-19, and The Value of Buddhism in the Pandemic... These topics or chapters formed the content of the daily “Applied Dharma” livestream lectures at Huong Sen Temple.

Banner: Daily Applied Dhamma Discourse Program During COVID-19

Time passed with many demanding Buddhist activities. It was not until early 2025 that the author had the opportunity to edit and compile these materials into two Vietnamese volumes and in 2026 two English versions titled:

1. COVID-19: THE ROLE OF BUDDHISM IN HEALING (Covid 19 – Vai Trò Phật Giáo trong Việc Chữa Lành)

THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IN THE TWENTY- FIRST CENTURY (Đại Dịch Coronavirus trong Thế Kỷ 21)

It is my hope that these books will introduce readers to the practical, simple, yet profound teachings (Dharma) of the Buddha. These teachings are applicable for healing the sicknesses of both body and mind when we face the storms of impermanence—be they pandemics, disasters, tsunamis, or earthquakes. Covid-19 served as a “spiritual friend” to all humanity—a wake-up call for the world to cherish and appreciate the moments we are living, and to do good deeds that benefit ourselves, others, and the global community.

The book also records the events of the Covid-19 pandemic as they unfolded on this planet from 2019 to 2022, featuring images and valuable lessons of human sacrifice, the awakening of life perspectives, the courage to overcome challenges, progress in spiritual practice, and the mutual love shown in the collective fight against the disease.

I sincerely thank the practical use of AI, the global electronic news sites, reference materials, books, newspapers, and the authors (both named and anonymous) whose writings, translations and photos of Covid-19 are included in these works.

I also express my gratitude to Bhikṣuṇī Nhuận Tường, Jason Quach, Nguyên Hà, Vũ Đình Trọng, and all the hands that helped in the editing, design, printing, and publishing to make these works a reality.

As much of the information was collected online, there may be omissions in citations. I humbly ask for the compassion and guidance of the Sangha, spiritual friends, readers, and authors, so that future editions may be further perfected.

May the world be at peace and the people be joyful.

May war, disease, and calamity soon vanish from this planet.

Namo Medicine Buddha, the Lord of the Eastern Pure Land, Who Dispels Calamity and Prolongs Life.

Huong Sen Temple, Spring in California, 2026 Respectfully,

Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương

Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương Gives Daily Afternoon Online Dharma Talks on Spiritual Practice During COVID-19 Distancing.

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Chapter 1

RELIGIONS JOINING HANDS AGAINST

THE PANDEMIC

1.1. THE POSITIVE INTERRELIGIOUS RESPONSE TO PANDEMIC PREVENTION

lobal activities and productivities—involving our economy, politics, education, tourism, religion, and society—were brought to a halt due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Like many other sectors of life, interreligious communities (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and local folk religions) were significantly affected by Covid-19. Social distancing mandates, lockdowns, and other legal restrictions fractured social ties, forcing religious leaders and practitioners to change their daily practices and avoid large gatherings in temples, churches, and shrines.

We live in a world of connectivity, driven by advanced Technology 4.0 and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Though social distancing mandates prevented in-person gatherings, various religions found other ways to remain connected to their respective followers—through digital social media. By utilizing a virtual bridge through technological means, religious officials were able to provide emotional support to their followers— including encouragement, psychological stability, and guidance on maintaining spiritual practice—all while strictly adhering to pandemic protocols.

During this life-threatening time, people of faith turned to their deities for prayer. Buddhists prayed to the Medicine Buddha and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. Hindus sought the Hindu Deities. Christians looked toward God and the Virgin Mary. And Muslims prayed to Allah. All sought guidance and spiritual support from high-ranking clergy and leaders through remote rituals (via Zoom and other online means) and, in many cases, through new forms of social relief and charity to assist those in need.

Many Buddhist temples, Christian churches, Jewish synagogues, and mosques utilized social media such as livestreaming, Facebook, Zoom, and YouTube for spiritual guidance. Although not in person, prayer, blessings, pilgrimages, festivals, retreats, lectures, and Buddhist studies continued remotely, contributing significantly to stabilizing the public’s mental health.

Through these digital means, followers of various religions gathered on screen to pray collectively for the end of Covid-19, the recovery of the infected, and for doctors and scientists to swiftly find new methods to terminate this disease.

Many religious organizations collaborated with local governments and medical facilities in social service activities such as online fundraising and donating medical supplies: disinfectants, air-purifying masks, face shields, gloves, nucleic acid test kits, ventilators, patient monitors, infusion pumps, ambulances, and consumables. Many religious infrastructures were offered as communal food distribution centers and free Covid-19 testing clinics.

Buddhist temples all around the world were proactively providing essential supplies such as masks, hand sanitizers, and free meals to affected families and frontline workers.

The Big Picture Across Asia

As reported in Giac Ngo Online,³ the pandemic influenced religious communities across Asia—the cradle of Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Taoism, Hinduism, and Christianity—to find other methods of religious practice.

Indonesia: Major Islamic organizations (Ulama Council, Nahdlatul Ulama, and Muhammadiyah) called for followers to pray at home.⁴
Philippines: The Catholic Bishops’ Conference requested the faithful to celebrate Palm Sunday via television, radio, and internet, altering the traditions of approximately 80 million ⁵
Sri Lanka & Thailand: Buddhists were asked to observe

Benjamin Schonthal & Tilak Jayatilake, Religion Amidst the Pandemic: The Case of Buddhism, translated by Nguyên Hiệp.

https://giacngo.vn/ton-giao-giua-dai-dich-truong-hop-phat-giao-post59507. html

Nadirsyah Hosen, “When Religion Meets Covid-19 in Indonesia: More than a Matter of Conservatives and Moderates,” Indonesia at Melbourne, 28 April 2020,

https://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/whenreligion-meets-covid-19-in- indonesia-more-than-a-matter-of- conservativesand-moderates/.

Xianne Arcangel, “Catholic Church Celebrates Palm Sunday Mass Online amid Coronavirus Crisis,” CNN Philippines, 5 April 2020. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/4/5/Catholic-Church-celebrates- PalmSunday-mass-online-amid-coronavirus-crisis.html/.

Vesak (the Buddha’s Birthday) at home.⁶ H.H. the Dalai Lama also issued a similar statement.⁷

These changes were vital, as large religious gatherings had previously caused major spikes in Covid-19 transmission. For example, at one point in Malaysia, nearly two-thirds of confirmed cases originated from a week-long gathering of the Tablighi Jamaat.⁸ Similar spikes occurred in India⁹ and South Korea¹⁰ following large religious conferences.

Comparative Statistics (as of July 2020)

According to Johns Hopkins University:

Highest Cases in SE Asia: Indonesia (>80,000), Philippines (~59,000), Singapore (~47,000).

Kok Xinghui, “Covid-19 Brings Spiritual Battle to Christians in Singapore and Hong Kong,” South China Morning Post, 23 February 2020, https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/healthenvironment/ article/3051932/ coronavirus-spurs-singapore-and-hong-kongchristians.

Emily De Maio Newton and Karen Jensen, “Buddha’s Quarantine Birthday,” Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, 9 May 2020,

https://tricycle. org/trikedaily/vesak-2020/. “Observe Vesak at Home - Maha Nayaka Theras,” Sunday Observer, 3 May 2020,

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2020/05/03/news/observe-vesak-home-

%E2%80%93-maha-nayaka- theras.

Ananthalakshmi and Joseph Sipalan, “How Mass Pilgrimage at Malaysian Mosque Became Coronavirus Hotspot,” Reuters, 17 March 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-malaysiamosque- idUSKBN2142S4.

Devjyot Goshal, Aftab Ahmet, and Alasdair Pal, “The Religious Retreat That Sparked India’s Major Coronavirus Manhunt,” Reuters, 3 April 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-corona-virus-indiaislam-insigh- idUSKBN21K3KF

Laura Bicker, “Coronavirus: South Korea Religious Leader to Face Probe over Deaths,” BBC News, 2 March 2020,

https://www.bbc.com/ news/world-asia-51695649.

Buddhist-majority Countries: Thailand (>3,000), Vietnam (>380), Myanmar (337), Cambodia (165), and Laos (19).

Deaths: Indonesia led with 3,797. While Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos recorded zero deaths at that time.

In Beijing, Protestant churches raised thousands of dollars for PPE in Wuhan.¹¹ Taoist temples performed cleansing rituals and prepared land for field hospitals. In India, Hindu monks prescribed health-boosting traditional methods like Ayurveda and Yoga.¹² Religious leaders in Myanmar used helicopters to sprinkle holy water and pray over infected regions.¹³

Even governments have adopted unique methods to combat the virus and influence social distancing. For instance, in Indonesia, one city deployed a group of young people dressed as ghosts to scare residents into staying indoors.¹⁴

The lives of most monks in Sri Lanka remained consistent with tasks such as studying the Sūtras, eating, performing rituals, and temple maintenance—daily routines that easily adapted to

Ian Johnson, “Religious Groups in China Step Into the Coronavirus Crisis,” The New York Times, 23 February

https:// www.nytimes.com/2020/02/23/world/asia/china-religion- coronavirusdonations.html.

Aarti Betigeri, “In India, Praying the Covid Away,” The Interpreter, 24 March 2020,

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/theinterpreter/in-india- praying-covid-away.

For example, “Burmese Monks Protect Myanmar from the Coronavirus by Chanting Buddhist Suttas Aboard a Helicopter,” Burma Dhamma Blog, Insight Myanmar, 17 March 2020. https://insightmyanmar.org/burmadhammablog/2020/3/17/burmese-monks protect-myanmar-from-the-coronavirus-by-chanting-buddhist-suttas-aboard-

“‘Ghosts’ Used for Virus Patrol in Indonesia Town,” BBC News, 13 April 2020,

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52269607.

the “stay-at-home” orders issued by the government. However, in other parts of Asia, the situation was different because there (unlike in Sri Lanka), monks must enter neighboring towns and villages daily to beg for alms to survive.¹⁵

The Contribution of Vietnamese Religions

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), along with Catholic and other religious organizations, contributed hundreds of billions of VND to the fight. In 2021, from April to August, the VBS contributed 382.5 billion VND (approx. $14 million USD) and mobilized over 1,250 volunteers for frontline service.¹⁶ The Sangha also donated 25 high-end ventilators, 400 oxygen concentrators, 10 ambulances, and medical supplies to hotspots like Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, and Binh Duong.

Furthermore, over 350 priests and monastics volunteered in field hospitals after undergoing medical training. Other religions, such as Protestantism, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Cao Dai, and the Muslim community, contributed billions of VND to the National Vaccine Fund.

1.2. UNDERSTANDING OUR INTERCONNECTEDNESS

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, has delivered many speeches on the power of global interreligious connection which

Randy Thanthong-Knight, “Thailand’s Downturn Means Even the Monks Are Going Hungry,” Bloomberg Quint, 23 April 2020. https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/thailand-s-downturn-means-even- themonks-are-going-hungry

Kim Út, Religions Join Hands to Fight the Pandemic (Các tôn giáo chung tay chống dịch).

https://tuoitre.vn/cac-ton-giao-chung-tay-chong-dich-20210828150111496.htm

also carried through during the Covid-19 crisis¹⁷:

“All religious traditions concern human beings. Despite differences in time, place, and philosophy, all teach the importance of love... Just as we train children in physical hygiene to stay healthy, we also need to maintain ‘mental hygiene.’”

Our survival and happiness depend on the happiness and survival of others. The Dalai Lama emphasizes:

Interdependence as a Law of Nature: Even tiny insects survive through Human existence is so dependent on others that the need for love is at the very core of our being.
A Shift in Consciousness: People are realizing that nuclear weapons are too dangerous and that we must become more
Global Responsibility: This is not a time to think only of “my country” or “my community.” We must work for the benefit of all eight billion people currently

When the pandemic became complex, the priority shifted to saving lives. Disagreements, conflicts, or wars between religions or nations became secondary. The spirit of “when one horse is ill, the whole stable refuses grass” transformed into “if one horse is ill, the whole stable may die of infection.” Thus, solidarity and mutual protection became more apparent.

Message from His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, regarding

Covid-19

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a33678/thu-cua-duc-dat-lai-lat-ma-ve-dai-dich- coronavirus

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Chapter 2

INTERNATIONAL BUDDHISM SUPPORTING

THE COMMUNITY

2.1. COUNTRIES AND REGIONS JOINING HANDS AGAINST THE PANDEMIC

uddhism offers a path of compassion and the relief of suffering. Despite different sects and cultural backgrounds,

at its core, love and the practice of “Dana” (generosity) exist to promote mutual support during the pandemic. Buddhist communities worldwide could not ignore the devastating impact of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as it spread from Wuhan across the globe.

Monastics and lay Buddhists established emergency relief funds, used technology for information exchange, organized online prayer sessions (via Zoom), provided psychological healing through meditation, and donated medical equipment to hospitals. Their primary goal was to strengthen the public’s spirit to face the crisis with stability.

2.1.1. TAIWAN

The Tzu Chi Foundation, a massive Buddhist humanitarian organization headquartered in Taiwan with over 10 million members globally, launched the “Flatten the Curve” project.¹⁸

Medical Aid: Distributed millions of masks and medical supplies to frontline workers.
Social Support: Initiated programs for those economically impacted by the pandemic.
Spiritual Guidance: Published “Daily Reminders” encouraging mindfulness, vegetarianism, and viewing the pandemic as an opportunity for spiritual awakening. They emphasized the protection of Tara; a deity associated with health and protection.

2.1.2. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

In the U.S., monastics and laypeople offered online classes to help disciples cope with the pandemic.

Community Service: Asian American Buddhists sewed masks for hospitals and nursing homes and prepared nutritious meals for medical staff.
The American Buddhist Confederation (ABC): Based in New York, the ABC donated millions of masks, gloves, and protective suits to hospitals like Mount Sinai and Elmhurst. They raised over $460,000 for medical ¹⁹

Pierce Salguero, Buddhist Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic in Historical Perspective, Translated into Vietnamese by Trần Như Mai. https://quangduc.com/a71642/dap-ung-cua-phat-giao-truoc-dai-dich- covid-19- tu-goc-do-lich-su-buddhist-responses-to-the-covid-19- pandemic-in-historical- perspe

The Buddhist Association of the United States (BAUS) Actively Combats the Covid-19 Vietnamese translation by Trần Trọng Hiếu. The Interfaith Center of New York.

American Buddhist Confederation Donates COVID-19 PPE to New York Healthcare Facilities

Local Temples: Temples in California (such as Dieu Ngu, Dieu Phap, Hue Quang, Huong Sen, Phước Quang, Huong Tich, and An ..) provided essential goods and held daily online chanting and Dharma talks to reduce public anxiety.

2.1.3. SOUTH KOREA

With a population that is nearly 50% Buddhist (10.7 million), South Korea demonstrated effective cooperation between the government and religious groups.²⁰ The spirit of harmony between Christians and Buddhists contributed significantly to the country’s success in pandemic prevention, following WHO guidelines on testing and social distancing.

https://giacngo.vn/lien-minh-phat-giao-hoa-ky-tich-cuc-chong-dich-covid- 19-post52333.html

Professor Tavivat Puntarigviva, Buddhist Perspectives on the Covid-19 Crisis. Vietnamese translation by Thich Van Phong. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36909/goc-nhin-phat-giao-ve-khung-hoang-covid- 19-tavivat-puntarigvivat-thich-van-phong-dich-viet

2.1.4. SRI LANKA

Buddhist monks and organizations were at the forefront of social welfare.²¹

Charity: Provided food for patrolling police, rice for the poor, and even fed stray ²²
Protection Rituals: Conducted Paritta (Pirit) chanting— traditional protection Sūtras believed to dispel danger and The Ratana Sutta (Jewel Discourse, Kinh Châu Báu), historically used during plagues in ancient India, was chanted at the Sacred Temple of the Tooth.
“Sacred Water”: Protective water (pirit paen), blessed during chanting, was sprinkled from helicopters over affected ²³
Through electronic communication portals (such as Facebook), many monks and nuns would continue their daily schedules—including Dharma talks, leading prayer services

Neena Mahadev, “Conversion and Anti-Conversion in Contemporary

Sri Lanka: Pentecostal Christian Evangelism and Theravada Buddhist Views on the Ethics of Religious Attraction,” in Proselytizing and the Limits of Religious Pluralism in Contemporary Asia, ARI - Springer Asia Series, eds. Juliana Finucane and R. Michael Feener (Singapore: Springer, 2014), 211–235, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4451-18- 5_11.

Jeffrey Samuels, “Buddhist Disaster Relief: Monks, Networks, and the Politics of Religion,” Asian Ethnology 75, no. 1 (2016): 53-74.

Charles B. Jones, “Modernization and Traditionalism in Buddhist Almsgiving: The Case of the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu-Chi Association in Taiwan,” Journal of Global Buddhism 10, no. 0 (2009): 291-319.

Cāmara Sampat, “koviḍ aramudalaṭa asgiri saṁgha sabhāven ru miliyana 5-k [5 million Rupees to the Covid fund from the Asgiri Sangha Council],” 27 March 2020,

http://www.ada.lk/religion.

Regarding the chanting of protective Sūtras (parittas) in Thailand, see Justin McDaniel, The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk: Practicing Buddhism in Modern Thailand (New York: Columbia University Press, 2013), 72-90.

for peace, and chanting mantras—at fixed times. This allows Buddhist followers to participate regularly every day, just as they did before the pandemic. The prayer book for peace that was most frequently recited during the pandemic is the Girimananda Sutta. In this Sūtra, the Buddha instructs a severely ill monk on the practices that can alleviate his suffering.²⁴ For example, at a small hermitage of five nuns in Kandy, the sisters chanted these prayers for peace daily at 5:00 PM, broadcasting them via loudspeakers so that local residents could listen or follow along in mindfulness.²⁵

The chanting of prayers for peace was also elevated to a national level, meaning every temple organized such In mid-March 2020, as infection rates began to rise in Sri Lanka, the abbots of the two largest and oldest monasteries organized a week-long national chanting ceremony at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy— the most sacred Buddhist site on the island—alongside Elder Monks (Maha Theros) from across the nation. Monks and lay Buddhists continuously chanted prayers for peace together to pray for the swift eradication of the pandemic and for the peace and prosperity of the nation and its people.
By early April 2020, the leader of the Sri Lankan Sangha himself²⁶ called upon all monks and nuns across the island

“Girimananda Sutta: To Girimananda,” Kinh Kỳ-lợi-ma-nan or Kinh Girimananda (The Anguttara Nikaya or The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, 60)., trans. Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013.

http:// www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.than.html.

Telephone interview with a Buddhist nun in Kandy, 17 April

Asela Kuruluwansa, “Ratana Sutta to Be Chanted at Sri Dalada Maligawa,” Daily News, 16 March 2020, http://www.dailynews.lk/2020/03/16/local/214540/ratana-sutta-be-chanted- sridalada-

“Ratana Sutta: The Jewel Discourse” (Sutta Nipata 2.1), trans. Piyadassi Thera,

to chant these scriptures every evening. The recitation of these protective verses was also carried out regularly in Thailand and Myanmar—two other countries following the Theravāda Buddhist tradition.

Beside chanting Sūtras, the Sri Lankan Sangha also advised Buddhists to safeguard their body, speech, and mind, as well as to observe the precepts and practice meditation as a way to fundamentally resolve the Covid-19 crisis. A monk from Kandy expressed:
“One of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism is to live by restraining (saṅvara kara gena) the The precepts help restrain the body, and doing so over a long period will assist in eliminating this pandemic... By restraining the body and speech, the state of the world can be improved, and we can escape this situation.
(Even till this day), we find it difficult to control the body: it is like a factory operating day and night. In the frantic search for wealth, powerful nations like the United States, China, and India are burning, spinning like a mill... Is there no restraint there? Consequently, crises like this The Buddha’s teachings involve training the mind and building an environment where people can live long lives without illness because they develop their own immunity. Through the mental development of oneself, society benefits. Personal development leads to social development; the decadence of individuals causes the decadence of society.”²⁷
In many cases, the onset of the pandemic is linked to environmental degradation, the root cause of which is the result of human greed and a lack of Non-

Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,

http:// www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html.

Telephone interview with a Buddhist Monk in Kandy, 18 April

vegetarian eating habits and the killing of living beings are also cited as key reasons, as Covid-19 originated from a food market in China. A nun highlighted the connection between Buddhist thought and dietary habits:

“Buddhism teaches people to control their greed, anger, and delusion—things that are constantly increasing. Our lives depend on our eating habits; what we eat affects our lives.”²⁸

Another monk scholar from Kandy explained that the pandemic, much like social conflict, arises from “imbalances” (samaviṣamatāvayan) in the environment, leading to a decline in virtues such as One solution to the current multifaceted crisis—regarding health, the environment, and human greed—is to draw inspiration from “traditional” or “village” lifestyles. These environmentally sustainable ways of living offer their own natural methods for healing and maintaining health.
Similar ideas have appeared frequently in Sri Lankan newspapers and on the social media accounts of prominent politicians—many of whom have urged Sri Lankans to start backyard This is seen both as a way to overcome the island’s food distribution issues and as a step toward local self-sufficiency.
Philosophy: Monastics emphasized that “restraining the body” (precepts) helps control the spread of the virus, and suggested that the pandemic arose from environmental imbalance caused by human greed.

2.1.5. JAPAN

Soka Gakkai International (SGI), based in Tokyo with 12 million members, mobilized its global network.²⁹

Telephone interview with a Buddhist nun in Kandy, 17 April

Pierce Salguero, Buddhist Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic in

Logistics: Members in Italy, Malaysia, and the S. donated masks. In Japan, SGI leaders offered hotels to be used as 14- day quarantine facilities for citizens returning from abroad.

Practice: Chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for global ³⁰ Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (I take refuge in the Lotus Sūtra of the Wonderful Law)³¹ is to pray and do everything possible to improve the situation. Consequently, by donating medical equipment and with many local chapter leaders lending their hotels to be used as quarantine hospitals, they were able to contribute to the government’s prevention efforts while simultaneously being financially protected.³²
Individual Efforts: The “Eli Japan” pharmacy, run by Itsumi Fiwara and her family, sewed thousands of masks for local residents.

2.1.6. THAILAND

As the national religion, Buddhism in Thailand acted as a pillar

Historical Perspective.

https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/buddhist-responses-to-the-covid- 19-pandemic-in-historical-perspective. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36487/dap-ung-cua-phat-giao-truoc-dai-dich- covid-19-tu-goc-do-lich-su

Rising from Crisis: Responding to the Pandemic. https://www.sokaglobal.org/in-society/initiatives/rising-from-crisis-1.html

Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō () “Devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sūtra” or “Glory to the Dharma of the Lotus Sūtra” in It can also be interpreted as “I take refuge in the Lotus of the Wonderful Law. https://www.google.com/search

Pierce Salguero, Buddhist Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic in Historical Perspective.

https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/buddhist-responses-to-the-covid- 19-pandemic-in-historical-perspective

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36487/dap-ung-cua-phat-giao-truoc-dai-dich-covid- 19-tu-goc-do-lich-su

of support.

Global Meditation: The Dhammakaya Foundation used YouTube to gather 3 million members to accumulate “one million minutes of collective meditation” to heal the ³³
Innovative Solutions: Monks in Bangkok wove recycled plastic and cotton to create face masks, often adding protective mantras to the fabric.

2.1.7. BHUTAN

The Himalayan Kingdom relied on both strict science (border control/testing) and spiritual rituals. With very few cases and no deaths early on, many citizens believed the protective deities of Bhutan were shielding them. The King and the clergy worked in total unison.

2.1.8. INDIA

International monks residing at holy sites like Bodh Gaya and Sarnath used television to broadcast Dharma talks to ease public fear.

Vietnam’s Support: The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) sent medical equipment worth 8 billion VND and donated

100 ventilators and 50 oxygen concentrators (worth 14 billion VND) to the Indian government.³⁴

Pitcha Dangprasith and Lillian Suwanrumpha, “Thai Monks Make Virus Masks from Recycled Plastic,” Agence France-Presse (via The Jakarta Post), accessed 17 April

https://www.thejakartapost.com/seasia/2020/03/24/thai-monks-make- virusmasks-from-recycled-plastic.html.

Xuân Khu, The Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam donates medical equipment to support India in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic (Giáo hội Phật giáo Việt Nam trao tặng thiết bị y tế hỗ trợ Ấn Độ phòng, chống dịch COVID-19)

https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/giao-hoi-phat-giao-viet-nam-trao-tang-thiet-bi-y- te-ho-tro-an-do-phong-chong-dich-covid19-20210518133542303. htm

Philosophy: Ambassador Pranay Verma noted that the Buddha’s message of kindness is the bond that unites India and Vietnam in this

2.1.9. VIETNAM

Having been present and accompanying the nation for over two thousand years, Vietnamese Buddhism plays a vital role in spiritual life and is an indispensable element of the national culture. Recently, in the face of the complex developments of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has joined hands to prevent and control the spread of the disease and protect the people’s health in various ways.

Financial contributions: Beyond contributing approximately

382.5 billion VND (about 14 million USD, calculated from April 27, 2021 to August 26, 2021)³⁵ to the pandemic fund, Buddhist dignitaries, followers, and volunteers participated in prevention efforts and supported citizens in quarantined and lockdown areas.

Monastics on the front line: Young monks and nuns “shed their saffron robes to don white lab coats” and joined the front lines. Approximately 1,250 monastics applied to volunteer on the front lines. Among them, 150 served at Field Hospitals No. 10 and 13 in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as in Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Long An. All in support for those in isolation and lockdown zones.

Temples as isolation centers: Many temples and places of worship—such as Vietnam Quoc Tu, Pho Quang Temple (HCMC), the Buddhist Cultural Center (Bình Dương), the Vietnam Buddhist Academy (Huế), Keo Temple (Thái Bình),

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha contributes over 300 billion VND to the pandemic fight (Giáo hội Phật giáo Việt Nam ủng hộ hơn 300 tỉ đồng chống dịch)

https://dangcongsan.vn/tu-tuong-van-hoa/giao-hoi-phat-giao-viet-nam-ung-ho- hon-300-ti-dong-chong-dich-590855.html

Ích Minh Temple (Bắc Giang), Trịnh Yên Tử Temple, Cung Trúc Lâm, Trúc Lâm Zen Monastery, Ba Vàng Temple (Quảng Ninh), and Vĩnh An Temple (Bến Tre)—were repurposed into care centers for Covid-19 patients and isolation facilities.

Spreading “meals of love” in pandemic hotspots: With the spirit of “the intact leaf protects the tattered one,” tens of thousands of compassionate meals were provided. Executive Boards or individual temples donated up to 5 million meal portions to vulnerable people in pandemic zones, front-line medical staff, field hospitals, and isolation facilities in Ho Chi Minh City. For instance, Vĩnh Nghiêm Temple served 10,000 to 20,000 portions daily, and Tường Nguyên Temple cooked over 20,000 daily portions for field hospitals donations including food and water to those in need.

In summary, many Buddhist Sanghas across various countries have committed themselves alongside their governments to fight the pandemic. While each country follows different traditions— Theravāda, Mahāyāna, or Vajrayāna—whether traditional, post- traditional, local, or global, they have all actively cooperated with health agencies and local authorities. They have helped and provided relief to their citizens, communities, and other nations through various similar methods during this period of epidemic distress.

Representatives of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha presenting gifts to Field Hospital No. 10 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Buddhism was founded by the Buddha over 2,600 years ago and continues to exist and flourish today because it remains consistent in community attachment and to the nation—offering unique, direct, and specific responses to infectious diseases.

In modern Asian cultures, Buddhist monasteries are among the most socially integrated and connected organizations; therefore, they often exert significant influence in mobilizing the masses to respond to public health issues.

2.2. GLOBAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

The pneumonia pandemic caused by the Coronavirus (SARS- CoV-2) has left the entire globe “reeling” due to its dangerous nature and “lightning-fast” spread.³⁶ The world is witnessing a multi-faceted decline caused by the impacts of Covid-19— making us more conscious of globalization as we realize that a problem occurring anywhere on this planet is a shared problem for the entire world.

In this global interconnection, we quickly recognize past mistakes—such as allowing the virus to spread carelessly and failing to implement strictly thorough prevention, correction, and timely intervention—which resulted in one infected location leading to the spread across 217 countries worldwide. Better measures must be introduced and practiced rather than standing by and blaming the ignorant and the foolish. Let us begin dialogues to disseminate and spread what is right to those around us and to communities across the globe. Let us build relationships to bind the people of the world together and ensure

Khánh Linh, What is the status of COVID-19 three years after the WHO declared it a pandemic? (COVID-19 ra sao sau 3 năm WHO tuyên bố đại dịch). https://dangcongsan.vn/tieu-diem/covid-19-ra-sao-sau-3-nam-who- tuyen-bo- dai-dich-636336.html

that outbreaks like Covid-19, or similar epidemics, do not occur in the future.

Adeveloping perspective, formed during the Covid-19 pandemic, shows that many countries should “under a new normal” adapt and live alongside the disease rather than stay locked in the fight and ignorant of well-being. The pandemic continues to pose many serious challenges that require world politics and national leaders to adapt in order to survive and develop.

Many changes are taking place. As society becomes more aware of globalization and how a problem occurring in one area is a shared problem for the entire world, interconnectedness between the local and the global becomes essential—this connection aligns with the Buddhist spirit regarding the principle of Coexistence. This diverse interaction between the local and the global is a characteristic very much in line with the Buddhist spirit regarding the principle of Coexistence (Dependent Origination), the relationship between environment (y- báo) and individual (chánh-báo), and collective karma (cộng nghiệp).

For nearly two years, the globe has endured the havoc wreaked by Covid-19, which has claimed nearly 7 million³⁷ to 15 million³⁸ lives and infected over 700 million people worldwide³⁹. From the emergence of Covid-19 on November 17, 2019, until mid-

Coronavirus Report coronavirus cases.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

WHO estimates that 15 million people worldwide have died from COVID-19. (M.Q. According to Nature).

World Health Organization (WHO) https://www.who.int

The United Nations agency working to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.

https://bvbnd.vn/who-uoc-tinh-co-da-co-15-trieu-nguoi-tren-the-gioi-da- chet-vi-covid-19/

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01245-6

2021, world health organizations were finally able to produce vaccines such as Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech. Almost everyone in the world had to be vaccinated, thereby temporarily halting the spread of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) across the globe. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama⁴⁰—a living Buddha and spiritual teacher to the world—emphasized our global interconnectedness as follows:

“Although people are very excited about their technological developments, they are gradually realizing that the use of nuclear weapons is too dangerous. By the end of the 20th century, humanity—in general—had become more humane.

We are social animals. We have a sense of community; because without it, individuals cannot survive. From the moment of birth, we depend on our mother’s care; and our mothers cared for us without question. Mothers have demonstrated the importance of humans having an altruistic attitude. Even animals survive based on mutual care.”

As Buddhists, we believe that the whole world is interdependent through the principle of ‘Dependent Origination.’ That is why I often speak of global responsibility. The outbreak of this terrible Coronavirus has shown that what happens to one person can quickly affect everyone else. But it also reminds us that a compassionate gesture or a positive action—whether working in hospitals or simply observing society from a distance—still has the potential to help many people.

Since the news of the Coronavirus in Wuhan, I have prayed for my brothers and sisters in China and everywhere else. Today, we can see that no one is immune to this Coronavirus. We are all anxious for our loved ones, for the future of the global economy, and for our own homelands. But prayer alone is not enough.

Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama, “Prayer is Not We Need to Fight the Coronavirus with Compassion.”

https://vn.dalailama.com/news

This crisis shows that we must all take responsibility in the areas where we can. We must combine forces with the brave doctors and nurses who are demonstrating through empirical science on how to resolve this situation and protect our future from such threats.

In this time of panic, it is important that we think about the challenges—and the long-term conditions—of the globe. Satellite images of our world clearly show that there are no real boundaries on our blue planet. Therefore, we all have a duty to care for it and act together to prevent climate change and other destructive forces. This pandemic serves as a warning and reminder that only through global cooperation can we cope with unprecedented challenges.

We must also remember that no one escapes suffering, and we should extend our arms to others—the homeless, those without assets, without families—to protect them. This crisis shows us that we are not separate from one another even though we live far apart. Thus, we all have a responsibility to practice compassion and help one another.

As a Buddhist, I believe in the law of Impermanence. Eventually, this virus will pass, just as I have seen wars and other terrible threats pass in my lifetime; we will have the opportunity to rebuild our global community as we have done many times before. I sincerely hope that everyone can stay safe and calm. In this time of danger, it is important that we do not lose faith and hope in the positive efforts that many people are making.”

In short, the speed of the SARS-CoV-2 spread made us realize that an issue anywhere on the planet is a common issue for the whole world. This global interaction aligns with the Buddhist principle of Dependent Origination (Pratītyasamutpāda)— the idea that all things are interconnected.

H.H. the Dalai Lama emphasized that while technology is great, our survival depends on community and altruism:

Interdependence: “What happens to one person quickly affects everyone else.”
Beyond Prayer: “Prayer alone is not enough... we must combine it with science and the courage of medical ”
Formlessness: Satellite images show no real borders on our “Blue Planet.” We have a collective duty to care for it and each
Impermanence: “Like all wars and threats I have seen in my life, this too shall pass. We will have the opportunity to ”

Buddhism teaches us that we are not separate, regardless of distance. This crisis is a reminder to practice compassion and help the homeless and the propertyless, ensuring no one is left behind.

***

Chapter 3

THE TRIPLE GEM

– A SPIRITUAL ANCHOR

3.1. QUARANTINE AS A FAVORABLE CONDITION FOR PRACTICE

umanity across the planet is currently experiencing profound spiritual tremors. From wealthy superpowers to

small, developing nations, the specter of death loomed everywhere. The phrase “Stay Home or Die” became a global command.⁴¹ Social distancing was not just a legal mandate but a vital necessity to curb the spread of COVID-19 and protect human life.

In Vietnam, on March 31, 2020, a nationwide social distancing order was also issued: “Implement nationwide social isolation for 15 days starting from 0:00 on April 1, 2020, according to the principle of family isolating from family, village from village, commune from commune, district from district, and province from province. Workshops and production plants must ensure

COVID-19 and Flu Data. COVID-19 County Check. https://covid19.ca.gov/vi/isolation/

safe distancing, wear masks, and perform disinfection and sterilization according to regulations.” ⁴²

In India, on March 24, 2020, Prime Minister Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown for 1.3 billion people because anyone going outside faced the risk of bringing Covid-19 back home.

March 23, 2020, the German government and medical centers issued a joint stay-at-home notice, minimizing the right to travel and strictly prohibiting gatherings and meetings. German Chancellor Angela Merkel went into isolation after encountering a doctor infected with Covid-19 and governed the country remotely; British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also infected with the Coronavirus.

Across the globe, many countries were implementing isolation methods. We had been accustomed to living in close, friendly proximity:hugging and rejoicing when meeting, shaking hands, sitting together to chant Sūtras, listening to the Dharma, eat, and converse, etc. The pandemic shifted our way of living as Covid-19 reigned over the entire world with more than half of humanity having gone into retreat. Serious prevention methods were issued by the government and health departments: instructed to take shelter at home, practice social distancing, and isolate from family members within the home using the “2-meter safe social distance” measure.

In the current era of the Coronavirus disaster, taking care of oneself and isolating in a single room might seem selfish, but it is a meaningful and effective action to protect others. Thus, there was an illustration in a newspaper of a child carrying a backpack to school who, upon stepping out the door, quickly turned back and said to his father: “Staying home and not going

Publicly disclosing the receipt and allocation of contributions supporting COVID-19 prevention and control.

https://moh.gov.vn

to school is a noble act to save the country.” This was precisely true for the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stay still, it’s not too hard, is it? Stay still, and the plague will pass.

Slow down, relax, and live more deeply, Such a small thing benefits the nation and brings peace to the home.

(Thích Đồng Trí)

3.1.1. PRINCIPLES OF STRICT ISOLATION

Governments worldwide enforced strict lockdowns:

USA: States issued urgent stay-at-home Emphasized isolation from others was the only way to reduce infection rates.⁴³

COVID-19 and Flu Data. COVID-19 County Check. https://covid19.ca.gov/vi/isolation/

Vietnam: National isolation followed the principle of “family from family, village from village, province from ”

India: Prime Minister Modi ordered a 21-day total lockdown for 1.3 billion people.
Europe: Leaders like Angela Merkel and Boris Johnson managed their nations while navigating the realities of infection and isolation.

Though humans are social beings accustomed to handshakes and communal gatherings, the pandemic forced us to retreat into the “safe distance of 2 meters.” While isolation may seem like an act of selfishness, it shoud be regarded as a profound act of compassion to protect the community. As the saying goes: “Staying at home is the best way to save the country.”

3.1.2. TIME FOR LONG-HELD ASPIRATIONS

For a dedicated Buddhist, quarantine is not a barrier but a

supreme opportunity (Thắng duyên). It is a time to:

Study deep Dharma doctrines and research
Practice mindfulness, listen to one’s breath, and “renew” the
Reflect on personal habits that impact the environment and collective karma.

Like a car that needs maintenance after decades on the road, our bodies and minds—exhausted by 50-60 years of “running”— need this time to recharge. Global figures like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs balanced work with meditation; we should use this period to “upgrade” our inner energy.

Many times, we have complained about being too busy, caught in the whirlpool of life’s work to the point of having no time to invest in our intellect—such as studying the Sūtras, meditating, reading, writing, exercising, or taking online classes based on our interests. We should see isolation as more than just a preventive measure and utilize this social distancing to equip ourselves, supplement our knowledge, cultivate our “inner strength,” train our bodies, enrich our souls, and fulfill the things we have lacked or long cherished but could not yet achieve.

Each day contains 24 hours of living. Among others, there are prisoners who know how to make the most of their time doing beneficial things while incarcerated. They view the prison as a “Pure Land”⁴⁴ to train their minds; therefore, it would be a great waste if we did not know how to utilize this time of isolation.

If we know how to cherish this opportunity, we will feel that life does not provide enough time for all the work we wish to do. Conversely, if we view being confined to a room as boring—in ways such as eating, sleeping, and watching the time drag on while we wearily wait for the day we can “leave the cage and spread our wings”—simply because we do not know how to fill the time, we may tend to become negative. This can lead to depression or even having suicidal thoughts for some, as they feel profoundly lonely.

3.1.3. TIME TO LIVE FULLY WITH LOVED ONES

Social distancing from the world often means moving closer to the family. In the modern “Industry 4.0” era, especially in the fast-paced life of the U.S., family members often live like strangers. Quarantine provides a rare chance to share homemade meals, share joy and sorrow, and truly be present for those we love.

Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương, American Prisoners and A Buddhist Nun, 6th edition, Hong Duc Publishing House, 2020. https://www.dieungu.org/a40179/nu-tu-va-tu-nhan-hoa-ky

3.1.4. THE BEST TIME FOR INTENSIVE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

In Buddhism, “living alone” (solitude) is a tradition for spiritual growth. Whether in a forest, a house, or even a prison cell, any space can become a Bodhimaṇḍa (Đạo tràng) for practice.

Internal Strength: While those unaccustomed to solitude may feel depression or fear, a practitioner enjoys the concept of being in the “here and now.”
The Buddha’s Warning: In the Anguttara Nikaya, the Buddha taught that when humanity is consumed by greed and wrong views, the heavens do not rain, crops fail, and disease ⁴⁵

In the Buddha’s time, when an epidemic occurred, a householder asked the Buddha why villages were devastated, why there was drought and plague, and why so many people were dying. The Buddha replied: “Brahmin, today people are infatuated by illicit lust, conquered by unrighteous greed, and dominated by wrong views. Because they are infatuated by illicit lust, conquered by unrighteous greed, and dominated by wrong views, the sky does not rain regularly. Therefore, food is hard to find, crops fail, they are blighted by pests and reduced to mere chaff. Consequently, many people die.

This is the cause, Brahmin, this is the reason why today humanity is being destroyed and visibly diminished—villages are no longer villages, towns are no longer towns, cities are no longer cities, and nations are no longer nations.

Furthermore, Brahmin, today people are infatuated by illicit lust, conquered by unrighteous greed, and dominated by wrong

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha (Anguttara Nikaya), The Book of the Threes. Vietnamese translation by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. https://phatphapungdung.com/phap-bao/kinh-tang-chi-bo-chuong-3-ba- phap- html

views. Because of this, the Yakshas (demons/spirits) release fierce non-human beings. Consequently, many people die.

Thus, the Buddha pointed out that the reason epidemics tear villages apart is that the populace lack in knowledge on how to live in solitude, isolation, and practice; they allow themselves to be overwhelmed by lust, anger, delusion, and wrong views.

Conversely, if we know how to remain calm, live in tranquility, isolate, “stay at home” (an cư), walk alone in truth, and return to the Triple Gem within our own hearts (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha)—while cultivating morality and precepts and restraining greed, anger, and delusion—then the pandemic will soon disappear. For a peaceful mind is the most miraculous antibody; it is the substance that maintains the body, prevents disease, improves health and longevity, and leads to a life of peace and happiness.

The Remedy: Returning to the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) within our own hearts and subduing greed and anger acts as the most miraculous “antibody” for the soul.

3.2. THE TRIPLE GEM AS THE SPIRITUAL HOME

In the Sūtra on the Ultimate Extinction of the Dharma,⁴⁶ the Buddha prophesied a time when people would lose faith, leading

The Connected Discourses (Samyukta Agama), Discourse The Signs of the Destruction of the Dharma. https://suttacentral.net/sa640/vi/tue_sy-thang?lang=en&reference=none&highl ight=false

to irregular weather, crop failure, and widespread plagues. To transform this negative collective karma, there is no path more supreme than taking refuge in the Triple Gem.

The Buddha said when the True Dharma is about to perish, women will be diligent and frequently perform meritorious deeds, while men will be lazy and fail to practice the teachings. They will look upon monastics as if looking at dirt or sand, lacking faith as the teachings begin to fade.

“At that time, the devas (heavenly beings) will weep with sorrow; the rain and sun will be erratic, the five types of grain will fail, epidemics will spread, many will die, and the populace will suffer. Authorities will be harsh and act against morality, preferring chaos. Evil people will be as numerous as the sands of the sea, while the virtuous will be few—perhaps only one or two. As the eon comes to an end, days and months will shorten, and the human lifespan will decrease; at forty years old, hair will already be gray. Men, consumed by lust, will die young from exhaustion or live only to sixty. Men will die early while women live long—to seventy, eighty, ninety, or even a hundred. Floods will rise unpredictably, and because people lack faith, they will not be forewarned. Sentient beings of all kinds, regardless of status, will be submerged in the sea to be swallowed by fish and turtles...”

Just as the Buddha prophesied, because the human heart lacks practice and because killing, stealing, lust, and lying arise— creating much evil karma and depleting merit—natural disasters, tsunamis, earthquakes, and even disastrous events such as the Covid-19 pandemic occur. To transform this karma, there is no path more supreme than relying on the Triple Gem—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha—the three most precious refuges in this impermanent, sorrowful, and disaster-filled world.

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of love and
I take refuge in the Sangha, the community of those who vow to live a life of mindfulness.
Refuge in the Buddha: I vow for all lifetimes never to take refuge in heavenly deities, gods, or demons.
Refuge in the Dharma: I vow for all lifetimes never to take refuge in evil spirits or heterodox paths.
Refuge in the Sangha: I vow for all lifetimes never to take refuge in harmful friends or evil groups.

Through the merit of taking refuge in the Triple Gem, the practitioner will avoid the three lower realms:

Refuge in the Buddha: Not falling into
Refuge in the Dharma: Not falling into the realm of Hungry
Refuge in the Sangha: Not falling into the realm of

Why is relying on the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha considered supreme? In the Sūtra on the Merit of Receiving the Three Refuges and Five Precepts,⁴⁷ the Buddha taught: “One who receives the Three Refuges bestows the gift of fearlessness upon all sentient beings; therefore, the merit of taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is immeasurable.”

Amidst the turbulence of the Covid-19 Pandemic, millions upon millions have fallen because of a tiny virus, invisible to the eye but capable of choking the breath—forcing even the strongest of young men to succumb, let alone the elderly and weak. Many have begun to contemplate, taking time to look back, live slowly, enjoy small ordinary things, and find a solid spiritual refuge to

The Buddha Speaks the Sūtra on the Merit of the Three Refuges, Five Precepts, and the Compassionate Heart. Chinese translation: Originating

spread love and understanding into the world.

Being alone at home in silent practice to reflect on the value of the Triple Gem, one should visualize the transcendent and serene image of the Buddha. Radiate the energy of compassion and wisdom so that you yourself become calm and deep, giving rise to love for all people and beings in the same circumstances around you.

Dharma is the calming of the heart to listen to the Sūtras and chants, letting the meaning of truth penetrate the very marrow of one’s bones. The Sūtras speak of the true nature of life— impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self—teachings that cultivate morality, concentration, and wisdom (Sila, Samadhi, Prajna).

Sangha is the living example of the bodily, verbal, and mental conduct of virtuous Monks and Nuns that resonates within us. They guide us in meditation, Sūtra study, chanting, and repentance for our mistakes, encouraging us to practice diligently amidst the virus pandemic through electronic media such as Facebook, YouTube, Zoom, Instagram, and Twitter.

As children of the Buddha, we can share our practice experiences to help others and guide them toward the Triple Gem. We can also use online technology to connect and build a community with like-minded individuals.

The Buddha taught that taking the Three Refuges bestows “fearlessness” upon all beings. Amidst the storm of COVID-19, where wealth, cars, and even physical health prove fragile, the Triple Gem remains unshakable.

Buddha Recitation radiates wisdom and

from records of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the translator’s name has been lost. Vietnamese translation: Lay Bodhisattva Precept-holder (Upasaka) Nguyên Thuận.

https://www.buddhamountain.ca/VT0072.php

Dharma Study helps us realize the nature of impermanence (Anicca) and the non-self (Anatta).
Sangha Connection (even via Zoom/Facebook) keeps us diligent and positive.

Therefore, the Coronavirus pandemic serves as an opportunity for us and those around to truly return to the refuge of the Triple Gem—seeking ways to cultivate ourselves, develop compassion, and connect through the arms of love.

3.3. MESSAGE AMIDST THE PANDEMIC

H. THE DALAI LAMA

From Dharamshala, March 30, 2020, the 14th Dalai Lama issued a message of hope⁴⁸:

A Message from His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, regarding Covid-19.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a33678/thu-cua-duc-dat-lai-lat-ma-ve-dai-dich- coronavirus

My dear brothers and sisters,

I am writing these words in response to the earnest pleas from many people around the world. Today, we are experiencing an exceptionally difficult time due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition, further problems humanity must face include the severe impact of climate change. On this occasion, I would like to express my admiration and gratitude to every government across the globe, including the Government of India, for the steps they are taking to overcome this great challenge.

Ancient Indian philosophical traditions speak of the existence, duration, and destruction of the world over time. Among the causes of destruction are armed conflict and disease, which aligns with what we are experiencing today. However, no matter how great the challenges we face, living beings—including humans—have shown a resilient capacity for survival.

No matter how difficult the situation, we should trust in science and human wisdom, coupled with the determination and courage to overcome current problems. Facing threats to our health and well-being, it is natural to feel anxious and fearful. However, I offer this sincere advice as a comfort to you now: “There is nothing to worry about. If there is something to be done—do it; if it cannot be done yet, then no amount of worrying will help.”

Everyone is currently doing their best to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. I applaud the coordinated efforts of nations to limit this threat. In particular, I appreciate the initiative India has taken with the countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), establishing an emergency relief fund and a technological program to exchange information, knowledge, and assessments to address the spread of Covid-19. This will also serve as a model for dealing with similar crises in the future.

I understand that as a result of the necessary worldwide lockdowns, many people are facing immense difficulties due to the loss of their livelihoods. For those without a stable income, this is a daily struggle for survival.

I earnestly appeal to the authorities to do everything possible to support the less fortunate members of our community.

I also reserve special gratitude for the medical staff—doctors, nurses, and other support workers—who are working on the front lines despite the danger to save lives. This is truly an act of compassion.

With sincere feelings for my brothers and sisters across the world who are undergoing these difficult days, I pray for the pandemic to end quickly so that peace and happiness may soon return.

With my sincere prayers,

Dalai Lama (Vietnamese Translation by Lạc Tâm)

His Holiness emphasized that no matter how difficult the situation is, we should place our trust in science and human wisdom... My sincere advice is: If there is something you can do, do it. If there is nothing you can do, worrying won’t help.

His Holiness also praised the medical workers, the “frontline heroes” and noted that their service is a direct act of compassion (Karuna). He reminded us that satellite images show our “Blue Planet” has no real borders; thus, we must act with global responsibility.

“As a Buddhist, I believe in the law of impermanence. This virus will pass... we will have the chance to rebuild our global community once again.”

3.4. HEARTFELT REFLECTIONS

Most Thích Như Điển

In a letter sent from Hannover, Germany, on May 5, 2020, Most Venerable Thích Như Điển, Abbot of Viên Giác Pagoda, shared profound thoughts as the world came to a standstill due to the pandemic:

VIETNAMESE UNITED BUDDHIST CONGREGATION

German Chapter e.V. (Founded in 1979 in Hannover)

Vien Giac Ancestral Temple: Karlsruher Str. 6, 30519 Hannover, Germany.

Tel: +49-511-879630 | Fax: +49-511-8790963

Website: www.viengiac.de | Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hannover, May 5, 2020

Reflections Amidst the Global Covid-19 Pandemic To:

Our Fellow Countrymen and Buddhist Devotees Near and Far, Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa Ladies and Gentlemen,

For over three months now, since the 2020 Lunar New Year (Year of the Metal Rat), the world has come to a standstill across all sectors: employment, transportation, education, and social gatherings. This includes religious matters, particularly regarding large congregations for prayer. Host governments have implemented various social distancing measures to ensure public health against the rapid spread of this disease. While some countries are beginning to push back the tide of illness and death, a vaccine has yet to be finalized. Consequently, Vien Giac Ancestral Temple in Hannover and Vien Duc Monastery must also comply with these government recommendations.

Therefore, major celebrations such as the 2,644th Birthday of the Buddha (Buddhist Era 2564), originally scheduled for June 5–7, 2020, are cancelled. However, the three-month Rains Retreat (Vassa) for Monks and Nuns will still commence on the morning of June 6, 2020. The Vesak celebration at Vien Duc Monastery on May 17, 2020, is also suspended.

From July 1–10, 2020, the temporary ordination programs and intensive retreat courses at Vien Giac Temple are postponed. Nevertheless, Sunday services at the temple will continue with maximum capacity restrictions.

The 32nd European Buddhist Study Retreat (July 20–29, 2020) is also cancelled. However, the Pavarana day (End of Retreat) for Monks and Nuns will still be held on the morning of July 29, 2020. Regarding the Avalokiteshvara Festival and the Ullambana Great Festival (August 28–30, 2020), the Temple intends to move the Ullambana dates to September 11–13, 2020 (provided that restrictions on large gatherings are fully lifted).

Facing the shared hardships of humanity, we immediately recall the Eighth Realization taught by the Buddha in the Sūtra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings:

“The cycle of birth and death is like a burning fire, fraught with boundless suffering and affliction. We should resolve to follow the Mahayana path to liberate all beings; vowing to take upon ourselves the infinite sufferings of all sentient beings so that they may all attain ultimate peace and happiness.”

Thus, this is a profound opportunity for us to practice the Bodhisattva Way in the world—to aid sentient beings through various means: maintaining a lifelong vegetarian diet, observing the Eight Precepts, performing regular repentance, and chanting Sūtras and mantras. These are the most essential “medicines” during this period.

We sincerely wish you and your families peace and joy; may all illness and suffering quickly dissipate, and may you always find auspiciousness according to your wishes.

On behalf of Vien Giac Ancestral Temple and Vien Duc Monastery,

Most Venerable Abbot Thích Như Điển

A World at a Standstill: The Most Venerable observed that since the 2020 Lunar New Year, all activities—from economy and transportation to education and religion—had to be suspended to ensure safety. Vien Giac Pagoda and Vien Duc Monastery in Germany strictly complied with government quarantine regulations.
Cancellation of Large Gatherings: To protect public health, major festivals such as the Buddha’s Birthday (Vesak) and the 32nd European Dharma Study Retreat were canceled or held as limited internal events.
Practicing the Bodhisattva Path in Adversity: He recalled the teachings of the Sūtra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings regarding the vow to save sentient beings and endure suffering on behalf of all species. He emphasized: “This is an excellent opportunity to practice the Bodhisattva

path through lifelong vegetarianism, observing the Eight Precepts, repentance, chanting Sūtras, and reciting mantras...” These are the most vital spiritual “medicines” for overcoming this period.

3.5. FAITH IN THE BUDDHA

Most Thich Trí Quảng

Facing the intense pandemic situation in Ho Chi Minh City in August 2021,⁴⁹ Most Venerable Thích Trí Quảng provided powerful instructions to reassure Buddhists:

The city of Vesāli⁵⁰ was suffering from a plague, and the people were in a state of panic and fear. With intense faith in the Buddha, the female lay follower Āmrapālī said that the Buddha and His Sangha possessed transcendent health, supreme mental stability, and immense wisdom; they did not worry or fear anything. Therefore, only the Buddha and the Holy Sangha could escape and cure the epidemic.

Speaking of practitioners not being afraid, I remember a time when some monks asked me why I wasn’t afraid when death was imminent. I replied that being afraid still leads to death, while not being afraid might lead to death or might not. However, if one is not afraid and has faith in the Buddha, then when one’s lifespan ends, one will go to the Buddha. If one’s lifespan has not yet ended, one will certainly not die. The Buddha said that those whose time has come cannot be saved. Similarly, a patient whose

Most Venerable Thich Trí Quảng, “Do Not Fear; Stay Calm to Overcome s”

https://giacngo.vn/khong-lo-so-binh-tinh-de-vuot-qua-kho-khan-post58175. html

This is the content preached by the Most Venerable Trí Quảng during the Covid-19 pandemic, when numerous community infections impacted all sectors of human life, and Ho Chi Minh City, along with many other localities, had to

illness is not yet severe but who is too terrified will lose their resistance, making it easy for the virus to attack. Conversely, a person who is ill but has firm meditative concentration (samadhi) creates the resistance to repel the virus.

When the Buddha and the medical delegation led by the Divine Physician Jīvaka arrived at Vesāli, a heavy rain fell and washed away the plague. History records it this way, but in reality, it was the Buddha’s virtue and holy mind shining into the hearts of the people in that city, making them believe the Buddha could save them—and in practice, they were cured. That is the power of faith. I believe that while medicine cures one part, healing through the mind is more important.

Reading the Medicine Buddha Sūtra (Bhaisajyaguru), I have firm faith in the Buddha. Thus, if Monastics and Buddhists alike firmly believe we can overcome the pandemic, we will do so quickly. Without the power of faith, the protective barrier of the body and mind is shaken, making success in anything difficult because failure has been accepted within oneself from the very beginning.

When the Buddha first arrived in Vesāli, even before He began treating the illness, the people’s spirits rose, which already cured 50%. The remaining 50%—what we today refer to as those who have lost their resistance or have underlying conditions—required medicine to become healthy and increase their resistance, and those who could not breathe needed assistance from ventilators. Doing so helps these patients gain the resistance to fight the disease within their own bodies.

I believe we do not have a specific medicine to cure the Coronavirus, but if we have a strong spirit, good health, and

implement social distancing.

https://giacngo.vn/8g30-sang-mai-19-6-truong-lao-hoa-thuong-thich-tri- quang-giang-ve-su-cau-nguyen-trong-phat-giao-post57041.html

strong resistance, repelling this virus will not be difficult. The Buddha and the Holy Assembly did it. The Divine Physician Jīvaka did it. We follow their model to heal ourselves.

Monastics and Buddhists need to be calm and wise to see clearly that if there is no contact, there is no infection; that alone is enough to stop the epidemic. In reality, a person who is not yet ill but comes into contact with a patient is immediately infected. Therefore, we isolate ourselves and heal ourselves; once healthy, we can help the weak to recover as well.

Regarding the rainy season retreat (Vassa) at Hue Nghiem Temple, for over a month, the monks have not left the temple, focusing only on practice and living on a simple diet, yet they remain healthy. I believe that retreats across the country are the same. Staying in one place, maintaining a steady spirit without agitation, and keeping good health and resistance will defeat the epidemic.

I pray that the Monastics and Buddhists of Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces currently facing the pandemic will continue to repel this formless, lurking virus. If we are weak, it attacks. If we keep our body and mind healthy, it must retreat. Monastics and Buddhists, please remain steadfast; let the strong help the weak so that we may all overcome the pandemic together easily.

May the Buddha bless the Monastics and Buddhists in Vietnam and abroad, as well as the people of Vietnam and the world, to soon escape the pandemic.

Namo Bhaisajyaguru (Homage to the Medicine Buddha).

Most Venerable Thích Trí Quảng emphasized:

The Power of a Concentrated Mind: He shared that fear is the very thing that weakens the immune system. “Fear leads to death, but fearlessness might lead to life; if one is fearless and has faith in the Buddha, one only passes

when their karmic lifespan is truly exhausted.” A steadfast, concentrated power creates a protective barrier to repel viruses.

The Lesson from Vesali: He cited the ancient story of the Buddha visiting the city of Vesali during a By simply letting the faith in the Buddha’s virtue shine through, the people’s morale soared, helping to heal 50% of the illness even before medicine was administered.
Self-Quarantine and Practice: He encouraged monastics and laypeople to stay in one place, maintain an unshakeable spirit, live simply, and keep the body and mind healthy to protect themselves and assist those who are

3.6. TEARFUL CONFESSIONS ON A FULL MOON NIGHT - Ven. Thích Pháp Hòa

Having just finished the Pure Land chanting service, I went online to check for updates on the Corona virus. Suddenly, as I read the news, tears began to well up in my eyes.

At this moment, I can only cry knowing the number of deaths in China and the unimaginable number of patients. “The reports only list a portion of the truth; the number of those who have died is far greater.”

Friends, life has reached the point of karmic retribution for this impermanent human existence!

Do you still want to struggle for superiority, engage in gossip, envy, slander, calculation, cruelty, wealth, fame, or blasphemy? Can any of those things buy back our lives and our health? Certainly not!

The things I just mentioned are merely mundane means of interaction that give rise to karmic obstacles in this world. We

cannot take anything with us except for three things: merit, virtue, and sin. Yet, most sentient beings carry their sins with them, which is why they fall into the evil realms and wander up and down through the six paths of birth and death.

Looking back, I feel ashamed of myself because I have not yet cultivated much or done anything significant for sentient beings. This pandemic is a whirlwind striking the heart of every person; a wake-up call to realize that everything is far too impermanent—nothing is lasting. We are born empty-handed, only to be burdened by the “eight sufferings” of sickness, old age, grievances, and the separation of birth and death.

Please stop for a single moment to reflect, so that the flame of love, compassion, and wisdom may sprout within your heart. Let it warm your soul and dispel the terrible cold of human cruelty. I have heard the cry of a weeping heart as humanity all around me is shrouded in a mournful white, filled with the cries of those staying and those passing during this pandemic.

I pray the Buddha has mercy and delivers these souls to liberation, that they may not suffer or fall into the six paths of birth and death—O Buddha, the suffering is too great! I further pray that those currently ill may have their ailments eliminated and regain their health and peace. From this, I make a personal vow to try and try my absolute best.

I use the sounds of the verses and Sūtras, the merit of reciting the Great Compassion Mantra, and I maintain a virtuous mind, radiating loving-kindness through the suffering-relieving energy of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, directing my whole heart toward my beloved sentient beings who are suffering through this calamity.

I question myself: “When will the pandemic finally end?” It is a question without an answer and a prayer that will cease so that people may return to a peaceful life. I hope that after the

pandemic, there will be an awakening in everyone to look back at human life, to cultivate a virtuous heart together, and to find serenity, health, joy, wisdom, and auspiciousness.

I beg and implore you to limit the act of killing. No matter how delicious a meal is, once it passes the tongue, it is gone; yet it leaves behind the resentment of the beings who were killed. Taking their “internal organs” to eat meat creates a cry of injustice that reaches the blue sky; the unsettled spirits cannot move on, and their resentment toward the world will surely seek retribution. Please use the merits of your spiritual practice to dedicate to them. If not, this world will suffer.

I pray that everywhere people live in peace and virtue, awakening and progressing in their practice toward the perfection of the Buddha Path. Share and spread this to connect with and soothe the pain of this world. Infinite gratitude.

May you have a peaceful and happy night of reciting the Buddha’s name. Wishing you peace and happiness. “A sound sleep through the night.”

Regarding the previous letter, Venerable Thích Pháp Hòa expressed his choked emotions regarding the immense losses of humanity via social media:

Awakening to Impermanence: He called on everyone to stop the struggles for win-loss, gossip, and fame, as these cannot buy or fufil life. Upon passing, humans only carry with them their blessings, merits, and
Compassion and Purity: He earnestly appealed to everyone to limit eradication, as the resentment of slaughtered beings creates heavy karmic retribution. He vowed to use Sūtra verses and the recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra to direct healing energy toward those in distress.
Hope After the Pandemic: He hoped that after this great disaster, people would truly awaken to cultivate their moral heart, living more peacefully and wisely.

3.7. CONTEMPLATING THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS DURING THE PANDEMIC

Thích Tánh Tuệ

Namo Sakya Muni Buddha

Dear Most Venerable Monastics and Dharma Friends,⁵¹

...Having studied the Dharma, surely all of us as Buddhists understand that every phenomenon, whether good or bad in the present, originates from the karmic impressions of sentient beings. When sentient beings know how to practice, cultivate their inner selves, and direct positive energy toward others, all living things, and the environment, they will attract peaceful and beautiful circumstances. Conversely, if sentient beings create evil karma and engage in killing, they will attract natural disasters, man-made calamities, and spreading epidemics.

Once the karmic retribution has ripened, it is unavoidable. However, while receiving that retribution, not all sentient beings must endure the same degree of suffering. Because among sentient beings, there are those who create only evil karma, those who create both evil and good karma, those who create much good and little evil, and those who create much evil and little good; therefore, the resulting retributions differ accordingly.

Even within an environment of natural disasters and suffering, some beings are not affected by the surrounding circumstances

Thích Tánh Tuệ, Contemplating the Buddha’s Teachings During the

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a33622/tu-duy-loi-phat-day-nhan-mua-dich

and escape the fate of misery and lamentation. In Dharma terms, this is known as Individual Karma (Biệt nghiệp) within the Collective Karma (Cộng nghiệp) of sentient beings. Being born together in this Sahā World is our collective karma; however, each person has a different level of merit and living conditions, thus experiencing results of suffering or happiness based on their past or present actions.

The first cases of infection to reach Bhutan were an American couple traveling together. When their health was tested, the husband was positive and the wife was negative. Even between a husband and wife, their Individual Karma was clearly different. After the testing was completed, both were immediately taken out of Bhutan by private aircraft.

Only spiritual practice, only our own wholesome karma (merit) can truly save us!

Today, as the Corona pandemic rages fiercely, let us reflect on the Buddha’s teachings. Let us abandon greed and the obsession with frivolous things; from there, let us cultivate morality and true love so that we may together overcome the difficulties and tribulations of this life.

Namo the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha—the Eternally Present Triple Gem. May you be peaceful by day and peaceful by night, everywhere and always.

Như Nhiên Thích Tánh Tuệ

Based on the above letter, Venerable Thích Tánh Tuệ focused on explaining the pandemic through the lens of the Law of Cause and Effect and Karma:

Collective Karma and Individual Karma: The spreading pandemic is the “collective karma” of humanity due to the negative karma of killing and environmental destruction. However, each individual has their own “individual karma”

based on their merits. He cited the story in Bhutan, where a husband tested positive while his wife remained negative despite being together, to prove that personal merit can save oneself.

Practice as the Only Salvation: He emphasized: “Only practice and only wholesome karma (merit) can save us.” This is the time to abandon greed and vanity to cultivate morality and true love.

3.8.a. PRAYERS FOR THE END OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ON BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY - Ven. Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương

“Phật đản” (Vietnamese) means Vesak, the birthday of Prince Siddhārtha Gautama, the son of King Śuddhodana and Queen Maya. He was born in the Lumbini Royal Garden on the eighth of the fourth lunar month in 624 BC. Later he attained enlightenment and became Sakyamuni Buddha.

Buddhist followers around the world celebrate the Buddha’s birthday on the fourth lunar month. However, according to the cultures, customs, and circumstances of each country, this date can be different for convenience, as in the United States where it is often held on a Sunday when people are off from work and have time to attend the festival in the temple.

The Scripture on the Main Conduct of the Buddha (Kinh Phật Bản Hạnh Tập)⁵² narrates that according to ancient Indian custom, pregnant women must return to their parents’ homes to give birth, so on April 8th Queen Maya was on her way home. At that time, it was clear, sunny, and the flowers were blooming.

The Sūtra of the Collected Past Deeds of the Buddha (Sanskrit:

Abhiniṣkramaṇa Sūtra). http://daitangkinh.org/images//lspbdtk/T012/

The queen and her maids stopped at Lumbini, the Royal Garden, to rest. As soon as the imperial queen leaned over the fragrant uḍumbara flower branch, Prince Siddhartha was born. He was bright, gentle, and began seven holy steps on the warm ground. Amazingly with every step, pink rose lotus flowers bloomed under his feet. Then he looked up at the four directions and uttered a cry echoing throughout the sky: “In heaven and earth, the True Self is the most valuable.”

The sky became clear and the sacred rain of eight merits came down. The earth quaked in six ways. When that happened, all species detached from greed, anger, and ignorance. The hungry and sick people seemed to forget their problems. Angry and embittered people suddenly were awakened, and everyone felt tranquility in all their six senses. Animals seemed to escape their fear. Hungry ghosts found themselves full enough. So, it came to be that all species enjoy the peace and happiness from the wonderful birthday of the Bodhisattva Siddhartha.

After that, King Śuddhodana invited the ascetic Asita to see Prince Siddhartha’s statue. Asita said that when he was mature, he would be ordained, become a Buddha who spread dharma, and transform countless people. Bodhisattva had eighty small good marks and the thirty- two great good marks. Such marks are not of a universal monarch, but of Buddha’s figures. Ascetic Asita was sad because he could not live enough long to hear the Buddha’s sermons. Asita dropped himself on the ground and sobbed.

Asita watched King Suddhodana release prisoners and animals, make offers to the Brahmins, build the temple, and do charity work to earn merit so people could remember the April 8 occasion of the Buddha’s birth. The Saha world had enough good merit to have the birth of the saint.

The Bodhisattva was born to show the “True Self,” i.e., the true nature of mind, Bodhi Nirvana, marvelous essence and the ultimate truth which is mentioned in Mahayana scriptures such as the Lotus Sūtra, Śūraṅgama Sūtra, and so on. If the world had no suffering, craving, jealousy, war, hatred, and ignorance, then he would not appear in the world.

The Buddha descended to this world to bring the Bodhi torch to light the enlightened path for us who can return to “the True Self.” Happily, his classic Tripitaka is still here and with the modern and effective communication methods of mass media, the dharma is now available to many. Fortunately, the sangha appeared for the noble cause. Four kinds of Buddhist groups (monks, nuns, male and female lay Buddhists) collaborated together, gave up their respective egos to return “the True Self.” Happily, Buddhists worship the Three Jewels and offer their lives as a pink lotus to serve for the sake of many.

From left: Bhikṣuṇī Viên Trang, Bhikṣuṇī Viên Tiến,

Ven. Master Bhikṣuṇī Giới Hương, and Bhikṣuṇī Viên Chân celebrating the Buddha’s Birthday with a birthday cake

at Hương Sen Temple, on April 6, 2021.

This year, the Buddhist Calendar 2565–2021 fell in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak around the world. According to Worldometer statistics, as of April 6, 2021, the world has a total of 85,493,383 cases of SARS- CoV-2 virus infection causing acute respiratory infections, COVID-19 with 1,850,243 deaths. The United States is still the country most affected by the COVID-19 epidemic with more than 31.1 million cases and more than 560,000 deaths, followed by India and Brazil.

Since March 2021, Moderna vaccines, Pfizer/ BioNTech... have been disseminated and many people have received the vaccine, but the epidemic is still complicated, persistent, and not definitive.

At this very difficult time, we as Buddhists must follow the guidance of the government, doctors, and medical experts to keep a clean, pure, and safe environment. This is also a way to welcome and to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday.

Following CDC guidelines, wearing masks, and keeping a safe social distance, we can organize a Buddha’s birthday ceremony at the temple with a small group of people.

We wear masks, gloves, and protective gear and must wash our hands often with soap often, and repent and prostrate to eliminate the negative karma.

We should also spend much time in chanting, meditating, and contributing prayers for the United States, Vietnam, and the world to soon recover from the pandemic.

May all of us have a calm mind, rich in energy, confidence, optimism, and a sense of responsibility together to overcome the common karma of this difficult period.

Each of us always sincerely maintains the precept- meditative- wisdom that the Blessed One has given to mankind. This is the message of happiness and the only pure path to transform and

lead us to a peaceful and liberated world.

Namo the Manifested Physical Body of the Sacred Omen, the Lord of the Sahā World, our Original Teacher Sakyamuni Buddha—may He witness and prove.

Hương Sen Temple, April 14, 2021

Thích Nữ Giới Hương

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ven. Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương mentioned that:

Vesak in the Time of COVID-19

In 2021 (Buddhist Era 2565), the Buddha’s Birthday fell in the midst of the global pandemic. As of April 6, 2021, over 85 million infections and nearly 2 million deaths were recorded globally. The U.S. remained the most affected, followed by India and Brazil.

Despite the rollout of vaccines like Moderna and Pfizer, the pandemic remained persistent and complex. During this difficult time, Buddhists should follow the guidance of governments and medical experts to maintain a pure and safe environment—this itself is a way to honor the Buddha.

Safe Celebration: Due to social distancing, we can organize small, internal ceremonies at the temple.
Protective Measures: We must wear masks, gloves, and wash hands frequently, while also practicing repentance and prostration to eliminate negative karma.
Spiritual Dedication: We should dedicate time to chanting and meditation, praying for the S., Vietnam, and the world to swiftly overcome this plague.

May we all maintain a calm mind, resilience, and optimism to overcome our collective By upholding the path of Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom given to us by the Buddha, we follow the only pure path toward a world of peace and liberation.

***

Chapter 4

SPREADING LOVE AND OPTIMISM

ccording to ABC News,⁵³ COVID-19 caused 63% of people aged 18–24 to experience anxiety or depression;

25% of that group increased their substance use, and approximately 25% contemplated suicide. These are the results of a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

It is not just the youth; people of all ages in the United States, Vietnam, and across the globe have been impacted by the pandemic outbreak. This has left many feeling lonely, insecure, depressed, hopeless, fearful, and frustrated. As we live on and continue moving forward, everyone deeply needs love, understanding, and protection, as well as guidance to maintain the spirit of patience, contentment, and optimism to overcome these circumstances.

Nhật Minh, according to ABC News: The pandemic is the greatest mental burden for young people returning to [normal] life.

https://vnexpress.net/dai-dich-ganh-nang-tinh-than-lon-nhat-cua-nguoi- tre-4238391.html

4.1. CULTIVATING COMPASSION & UNDERSTANDING

Life in this world is like a theater—a play featuring both sides of every coin. There are ups and downs, life and death, wealth and poverty, honor and shame, happiness and suffering. These are but creations of the mind; they are not ultimate reality or the final truth. Therefore, one need not cling too tightly or become overly attached to them in this life or the next. Human beings should avoid conflict and war, and instead live with love, in harmony with the environment, and with mutual social support.

Regardless of the situation, we must refine our capacity for true love and sympathetic understanding to collectively overcome the difficulties, misfortunes, and karmic forces of life—especially during the current global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. We must empathize, share, and love one another to hold hands and pass through this great disaster.

Among the Buddhist saints, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is honored as the “Giver of Fearlessness.” She teaches us to recite her name to grant the gift of fearlessness when we are surrounded by despair, fear, anxiety, and the terror caused by the invisible coronavirus.

Understanding is empathizing with the suffering, misfortune, and fear of others. Love is thinking of those around us more than ourselves, recognizing that many others are less fortunate and suffering more than we are. Love is an inherent quality within every person—a peerless strength capable of rebuilding what has fallen and soothing the pain and mortality of society. It is the spirit of “the elder supporting the younger” or the Vietnamese proverb, “When one horse is ill, the whole stable refuses grass.”

Fear is a psychological effect—a state of insecurity and terror regarding infection rates and death tolls. Each of us must strive to overcome the fear caused by a psychological

crisis. In Buddhism, the root of all suffering, including fear, originates from ignorance—a lack of awakening, lack of clear understanding, and a failure to perceive the true nature of all things and phenomena.

While COVID-19 is a dangerous reality that spreads rapidly and carries a high mortality rate, the attitude of a Buddhist— grounded in the spirit of enlightenment—should not be one of panic or excessive terror. Instead, one should follow preventive measures while practicing mindfulness to radiate love and protect those around them.

To overcome these fears, we must remember what the Buddha taught us:

What is love for sentient beings? It is the “heart of non- killing”—not creating any karma of harm, so that sentient beings may feel at peace in our presence.

Buddhist scriptures tell of a bird that flew near the shadow of a monk and still felt terrified. Yet, when it perched on the Buddha’s shoulder, it felt peaceful with warmth, as if protected by a mother. The bird did not fear the Buddha because, over many lifetimes, He had never killed or eaten the flesh of animals; thus, the bird could sense and benefit from the Buddha’s energy of love.

The Brahma Net Sūtra states: “A disciple of the Buddha should maintain a heart of compassion and practice the act of releasing captive beings. All men are my fathers; all women are my mothers. I have been born from them life after life; therefore, all sentient beings in the six realms are my parents. To kill and eat them is to kill one’s own parents and one’s own self... If one sees someone killing animals, one should find a way to rescue them and relieve their suffering.”

The emergence of the Coronavirus pandemic in the world today is due to the karmic burden of killing, which has become excessively heavy among modern sentient beings. This karma of killing stems from the mind of greedy desire: greed for food leads to the indiscriminate slaughter of sentient beings to satisfy one’s appetite; and greed for lust leads to the karma of killing, scraping, and destroying innocent fetuses. These two causes are precisely the primary reasons for the current epidemic crisis.

In the Sūtra on the Merit of Receiving the Three Refuges and Five Precepts,⁵⁴ the Buddha taught:

“One who receives the Three Refuges bestows the gift of fearlessness upon all sentient beings; therefore, the merit of taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is immeasurable. [However], the merit of upholding the Three Refuges is not equal to the merit of a person who, even for just a brief moment, opens their heart in compassion to rescue and help sentient beings.”

H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama,⁵⁵ once declared “The best religion in the world is the religion of love.”

“We should not rely on faith alone but analyze the problems we encounter under the light of reason. I am now 85 years old, and that is what I have done throughout my life. In the Buddhist context, we should think of all sentient beings as being as kind as our own mothers. Similarly, we can view all seven billion people living today as our brothers and sisters. We are all the same in the way we are born and the way we will die.”

The Buddha Speaks the Sūtra on the Merit of Taking the Three Refuges and Five Precepts out of a Weary Heart. Chinese translation: Originating from records of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the translator’s name has been lost. Vietnamese translation: Lay Bodhisattva Precept-holder (Upāsaka) Nguyên Thuận.

https://www.buddhamountain.ca/VT0072.php

Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, “Compassion.” https://vn.dalailama.com/news

Therefore, offer others a piece of useful advice, a meaningful verse of scripture, a sincere word of comfort, or a warm, selfless heart of compassion. It is the essence of love and mutual respect that binds people together and brings benefits to both ourselves and others in this world.

In the Metta Sutta (Discourse on Loving-Kindness),⁵⁶ the Buddha teaches us how to cultivate love and understanding. The origin of the Metta Sutta dates back to when the Buddha was residing in the city of Savatthi. A group of 500 monks received a meditation subject and entered a forest for the summer retreat. The tree deities in the forest were unhappy and created disturbances to make the monks leave. Troubled, the monks reported this to the Buddha, who taught them to recite the Metta Sutta to send loving-kindness to the tree deities, causing the forest to become peaceful. After this three-month retreat, all 500 monks attained Arhatship. From then on, this Sūtra has been used as a protective chant (Paritta). The text is as follows:

“Those who wish to attain eternal peace should learn to be upright, humble, and use words of loving-kindness.

Those who know how to live simply yet happily, with a gentle and calm lifestyle, having few desires and not following the crowd. They will not do anything that the wise might criticize.

And this is what they should always keep in mind: May all people and all beings live in safety and happiness, with hearts that are gentle and at ease.

May all living beings on earth live in peace—the weak and the strong, the tall and the short, the large and the small, those we can see and those we cannot see, those near and those far, those already born and those yet to be born.

The Discourse on Love (Metta Sutta) from the Sutta Nipata, Part I. Translated by Thich Nhất Hạnh. This Sūtra teaches the methods for cultivating The compassionate way of life is the most beautiful way of life; that radiant verse was extracted from this Sūtra.

May no being kill another, may no one despise the life of another, and may no one out of anger or ill-will wish for anyone to suffer or face hardship.

Just as a mother protects her only child with her own life, let us treat all beings with loving-kindness.

Let us spread our unlimited loving-kindness to embrace the whole world and all beings, from above to below, from left to right—a loving-kindness unobstructed by anything, our minds no longer lingering on any bit of resentment or hatred. At any time, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, as long as we are awake, let us vow to maintain the mindfulness of loving-kindness. A life of loving-kindness is the most beautiful way to live.

Not falling into wrong views, gradually eliminating desires, living a healthy life and attaining enlightened wisdom, the practitioner will surely transcend the cycle of birth and death.”

The seed of love exists within everyone; let it sprout, bloom, and bear fruit through a compassionate heart and kind hands applied during this COVID-19 pandemic.

In the current pandemic, the value of compassion has become more important than ever. Compassion helps us understand and empathize with those around us, transmitting energy of love, courage, and diligence to others—especially those facing difficulties who need support. It helps the community become more united and overcome this challenge more strongly.

We owe special gratitude to medical workers—doctors, nurses, and other support staff—the “angels in white blouses” on the front lines who risk danger of saving lives. That is truly an act of compassion and selfless service to the world.

4.2. GENEROSITY AND SHARING (DANA)

One must personally practice a heart of fearlessness and the virtue of compassion, bestowing peace upon others and the surrounding society when hundreds of millions are infected or in suffering. Those who are healthy face job loss, reduced income, halted markets and transportation, and economic collapse. Anxiety is clearly visible on people’s faces—fear of the invisible virus, fear of a sneeze or cough, fear of hunger, fear of not having enough food, fear of illness, fear of lacking oxygen tanks to breathe, and fear of death without money for burial. Because there are many types of suffering in the world, the Buddha taught three types of generosity (Dana):

Material Wealth (tài-thí): There are two types:
1. External Wealth (ngoại tài): Money, necessities, medical supplies, masks, disinfectants, “Zero-dong” rice ATMs, free burials, free oxygen-assist ..
2. Internal Wealth (nội tài): Organ donation, humanitarian blood donation to help hospitals treat COVID-19, and caring for patients in field hospitals or quarantine
Dharma Sharing (pháp-thí): Sharing the Buddha’s teachings, guiding people to find steadiness in their hearts through more practice and more repentance.
Fearlessness (vô-úy-thí): Encouraging and standing by people to help reduce anxiety, fear, and Helping them believe in the Triple Gem, the power of karma, and cause and effect to find meaning in life and remain optimistic amidst the storm, not worrying or fearing that “whatever will be, will be.”

Let us set a wholesome intention to volunteer and practice these three virtues: material giving, Dharma giving, and the gift of fearlessness. Let us create digital information exchange programs to understand circumstances and provide necessary counseling and support.

Put the interests of others before your own. Always help everyone and take pride in sharing with others to alleviate their suffering.

To bring joy and rescue others from suffering in these volatile times, there are many small actions that yield great results— even sharing gentle words, deeds, and thoughts, or comforting and caring for the sick... these are all ways of “giving” that touch the heart of the “receiver,” helping them find increased faith to deal with the pandemic. This is the time for all of us to care for our relationships regardless of whether they are strangers or acquaintances, friends or foes. Whatever can contribute to prevention, fighting the disease, and the survival of the community, we should exert our full effort to practice love and generosity, as this will save many lives.

The Buddha taught that this heart of sharing is the “cause” for which we will later reap immeasurable benefits and supreme retribution—always having companions, having beauty, wealth, strength, wisdom, and a long life, as follows:

“One who gives food, O monks, gives four things to the receiver. What are the four? Long life, beauty, happiness, and strength. Having given long life, the giver shares in a long life, whether among Devas or humans. Having given beauty... happiness... strength, they share in beauty, happiness, and strength among Devas or humans.” ⁵⁷

“I remember ninety-one eons from the past until now, I have never seen a person who gave to a monk and became depleted or diminished.

O Village Chief, look at those who are wealthy today, with

Anguttara Nikaya, 59, Translated by Most Ven. Thich Minh Chau. https://thuvienhoasen.org/images/tang-chi-bo-kinh.pdf

much money, many relatives, and houses full of servants—know that such a household has long loved to practice generosity, truthfully accumulating merit...”

“...therefore, one should attain this benefit.”⁵⁸

While practicing generosity, the Buddha taught that one should maintain a joyful and impartial mind, cherishing all twelve species of sentient beings rather than thinking only of the human realm or of oneself and one’s relatives:

“You have used the Bodhisattva mind, with singular focus and determination, to practice broad and wise giving. Indeed, sentient beings survive because of food and drink; without them, they would surely die.

O Householder, you shall receive great fruit and widespread fame; your great retribution and renown shall reach the ten directions; you shall attain the nectar-flavor of the Dharma (Amrita).

Why is this? Because Bodhisattvas often use an impartial mind to practice generosity, always maintaining a heart that remembers all species of sentient beings. They exist because of food and drink—having sustenance means being saved, lacking it means death. O Householder, that is the Bodhisattva mind that practices broad generosity from a place of peace.”⁵⁹

“O monks, the giver, before giving, is glad in mind; while giving, the heart is purified in faith; after giving, the giver feels joyful.”⁶⁰

Samyukta Agama (The Connected Discourses), Sūtra 914, translated by Venerable Tuệ Sỹ and Venerable Đức Thắng.

Ekottara Agama (The Numerical Discourses), Sūtra 5, translated by Venerable Tuệ Sỹ and Venerable Đức Thắng.

“Thus, this is the source of merit, the source of wholesome deeds, the food of peace belonging to the heavenly realms. It is the ripened fruit of happiness, leading to the heavens, bringing about delight, joy, happiness, and peace.”⁶¹

4.3. PATIENCE, CONTENTMENT, AND OPTIMISM

4.3.1. PATIENCE (Kham Nhẫn)

Kham means to endure, and nhẫn means to forbear. Patience is the act of forbearance, endurance, perseverance, acceptance, and flexibility within the new conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new circumstances of social distancing, even when things do not go as we wish.

Through patience, we give rise to love and refrain from the karma of killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lying, thereby gaining protection for ourselves and others. As the Buddha taught in the Samyutta Nikaya (Satipatthana):

“O monks, how is it that in protecting others, one protects oneself? It is through patience, through harmlessness, through loving-kindness, and through compassion. In this way, O monks, in protecting others, one protects oneself.

O monks, ‘I will protect myself ’ is a foundation of mindfulness that must be practiced. ‘I will protect others’ is a foundation of mindfulness that must be practiced. In protecting oneself, O monks, one protects others. In protecting others, one protects oneself.”⁶²

Anguttara Nikaya III, The Book of the Devas, Section on Giving (Dana), published by the Vietnam Institute of Buddhist Studies, 1996, p. 91. https://giacngo.vn/bo-thi-va-cung-duong-nhu-phap-post15034.html

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses) 21: Sāmanta Sutta (The

Thus, maintaining a heart of patience, harmlessness, and compassion possesses great power, helping us and others remain flexible and steadfast in dealing with and overcoming the pandemic. Avoid flares of temper, irritability, stress, and anger.

A Vietnamese proverb says: “One act of forbearance brings nine acts of goodness.” This means being patient with verbal arguments, the unappealing behaviors of others, or the external circumstances brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Furthermore, we must practice patience regarding the Five Desires: wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. Due to COVID- 19’s global infiltration, unemployment rates increased as well as ignorance among all—“forced” to wear masks may make people feel insecure when the only importance should be being healthy and virus-free. We should not seek promotions, fame, or praise when doing charity, as status is nonessential; dealing with the Coronavirus is what matters. We eat and sleep just enough to survive. Since restaurants and markets are closed, we must patiently adapt to the space, time, conditions, and abilities we currently possess.

By learning to adapt to all needs and circumstances, we persevere in eating, living, and working in one place to avoid infection and stop the spread. We must have the patience to live in isolation (solitude) and the endurance to face the dangerous challenges of the virus. Live simply, without seeking fine food or beautiful clothes—accepting just enough to get through the day, diligently washing hands and wearing masks. Focus on the conditions you have in hand and the true meaning of present life.

Connected Discourses on the Foundations of Mindfulness). Mindfulness (Satipatthana Samyutta).

https://suttacentral.net/sn47.21/vi/minh_chau https://thuvienhoasen.org/a35901/13-phat-tu-doi-tri-dich-benh

4.3.2. CONTENTMENT (Biết Đủ)

Contentment means having few desires, not seeking more, and being satisfied with what one has. Greed is often bottomless. The poet thơ Ưng Bình Thúc Giạ Thị⁶³ once said:

“Knowing enough, even with nothing, one has enough; so retreat when the opportunity to retreat arises.”

Through contentment, we only satisfy the minimum basic needs for life without needing things to be extravagant, delicious, beautiful, exotic, or luxurious. We can stay away from unnecessary things like excessive shopping, travel, gourmet dining, parties, or entertainment. By knowing enough, we do not compete for fame or the five desires, and instead, we dedicate time to more important things: practice, repentance, chanting, meditation, and spreading love, understanding, and care. Consequently, when we “see enough,” we often feel peaceful and happy in material simplicity, yet rich in spirituality and affection.

4.3.2.a. The Story of the Contented Person

During the Ming Dynasty,⁶⁴ there was a teacher who lived in poverty but offered incense and thanks to heaven every day for his blessings. His wife, puzzled, asked: “We eat thin porridge for all three meals; how can that be considered a blessing?”

The teacher replied: “Living in a time of peace without the disaster of war is the greatest happiness. Daily having clothes

A New Year Dialogue with Do Hong Ngoc (Năm Lại Mới Trò Chuyện với Bác Sĩ Đỗ Hồng Ngọc). https://tranbathoaimdphd.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/nam-lai-moi-tro-chuyen- voi-bac-si-do-hong-ngoc/

Admin, Those who know contentment find joy even in poverty; those who do not know contentment remain sorrowful even in wealth. https://tuthienthat.vn/biet-du-thi-ngheo-kho-cung-vui-khong-biet-du- thi-giau- sang-cung-van-buon-2/

to wear and food to eat, without freezing in winter or starving, is the second happiness. Having no disease in the body, no calamity, and no relatives in prison is the third happiness. Since we have all three, is that not a blessing?”

4.3.2.b. The Story of the Discontented Person

There was a fisherman’s wife who initially only wanted a new washbasin. But after getting it, she wanted a wooden house. Once she had the house, she wanted to be a noble lady, then an empress, then the queen of the sea until finally, she wanted the golden fish to satisfy every whim. When the golden fish appeared, everything she had vanished (she had exceeded her limits). It is like blowing a bubble too large until it eventually bursts.

4.3.2.c. The Story of Bottomless Greed

A Zen master traveling the world⁶⁵ fell gravely ill in a certain mountain region. He was rescued and cared for by an old woman who owned a tea shop. Although she did not know his identity and her shop was poor with few customers and no money, she still wholeheartedly cared for and healed him.

Greed – An insightful and meaningful story (Collected). https://tuyengiao.hagiang.gov.vn/thong-tin-chuyen-de/khoa-giao-van- hoa-van- nghe/nhung-cau-chuyen-cuoc-song-y-nghia/long-tham-mot-cau-chuyen-hay- co-y-nghia2.html

It took three months for the Zen master to recover.

Moved by the tea shop owner’s kindness, the Zen master spent a week before his departure digging a well next to the shop so the old woman could have convenient access to water without having to carry it from the stream.

Unexpectedly, once she began using the well water to brew her tea, it took on an extraordinary fragrance and tasted so delicious that anyone who drank it once felt compelled to return. Word of the wonderful tea spread far and wide, and the shop was soon swarmed with customers. The old woman suddenly became wealthy.

A few years later, the Zen master happened to pass by and visited his benefactor. Seeing her grand and prosperous establishment, he was very happy for her. However, when he asked about the well, the old woman complained:

“This well water is excellent, but there isn’t enough for me to use. Since the number of customers grows every day, I am constantly running out of water to sell. Could you dig another well for me that provides much more water?”

The Zen master shook his head and said, “It costs you nothing; you have made so much money from this source of water provided by heaven, and yet you are still not satisfied?”

The old woman replied indifferently, “Since the water doesn’t cost a penny to buy, isn’t it better to have as much as possible?”

The Zen master said nothing. He simply wrote one sentence on the wall:

“The heavens and earth are vast, but human greed is even more immense.”

Then he quietly walked away and never returned. From that day on, the well water gradually dried up.

Through these three stories, we see how good people—like the poor old woman and the fisherman’s wife—can become bad simply because of their own bottomless greed. In times of poverty, they lived with kindness and gratitude without calculating money. But once wealthy, they thought only of making more, “asking for the fairy after receiving the elephant” to satisfy their desires, calculating only for “me” and “mine.” This is one of humanity’s greatest flaws.

In contrast, in the first story, the teacher’s family was poor and lacked rice, sipping only thin porridge for three meals a day. Many looked at him and thought he was unsuccessful, yet he felt happy because he knew contentment. His soul was pure, light, and joyful because he was healthy, peaceful, loving, and more mentally clear than many other unfortunate people.

There is a very beautiful saying: “Do not cry because you have no shoes to wear; cry because there are people who have no feet to stand on!” Thus it is said: “With contentment, the poor are happy; without it, the rich are miserable.”

The same applies to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite many deprivations, if we simply change our perspective and our mindset, our situation will naturally change. To know contentment is to “have enough.” If you seek until you feel “enough,” when will that ever be? To find leisure amidst a pandemic is to be at leisure; if you wait for leisure to come to you, when will it ever arrive?

Therefore, the Buddha taught us to have “few desires and know contentment” (Thiểu dục tri túc). Why did the World- Honored One teach this? Because our desires and cravings are a bottomless pit. They are the root of the “Three Poisons”: greed, anger, and ignorance.

By knowing contentment, we avoid much suffering. It is enough to have thin porridge to maintain the body for spiritual practice.

If one is consumed by greed, when the pandemic comes, one leaves with empty hands, carrying only the negative karma of greed, anger, and ignorance. A person with Right View will live comfortably with few desires in all circumstances, adapting easily to social distancing and a lack of material comfort(s).

Patience and contentment benefit the individual, family, community, and nations. This practice is based on voluntary joy and Right View—agreeing with and practicing the guidance of medical experts and authorities regarding isolation and social distancing to reduce illness and transmission.

With patience and contentment, one truly realizes that “know enough is enough.” We should maintain a clear vision of which practices benefit ourselves and others in the present, then plan and resolutely put them into action. Practice patience and contentment in mindfulness, remaining still and peaceful amidst the storms of illness and death.

4.3.3. THE SPIRIT OF OPTIMISM

Optimism does not mean “completely ignoring difficult situations”⁶⁶ or the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the contrary, an optimistic mindset means approaching and facing crises and challenges with the faith that “everything will eventually be alright.”

Through such Right Thought and optimism, we make these life-threatening problems somewhat more “breathable,”⁶⁷ manageable, and easier to solve because we do not give up, lose heart, or fear failure.

What is Optimism? The Meaning of Optimism in Life https://glints.com/vn/blog/cach-song-lac-quan-la-gi/

What is Optimism? The Meaning of Optimism in Life https://glints.com/vn/blog/cach-song-lac-quan-la-gi/

For example, a mother sent her two sons to buy cooking oil. The younger son went and accidentally spilled half the bottle; he came home crying, “Mother, I spilled half the oil!” Meanwhile, the eldest son also went and also fell, spilling half the bottle. But as he ran into the kitchen, he laughed excitedly and said, “Mother, I fell, but luckily I still have half a bottle for you to cook with!”

This story shows that while the oil lost was the same, the younger son’s negative thinking led to suffering, whereas the older son’s optimistic thinking made the problem feel lighter and more manageable.

Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic has occurred and impacted all nations deeply. It continues to evolve in complex ways, causing a severe global economic recession. Almost all social sectors—health, education, labor, employment—have been affected, with many businesses going bankrupt or suspended. The pandemic affects every nation, whether rich or poor.

In underdeveloped countries, education and the economy are paralyzed, and hospitals are overwhelmed. Crematoriums run 24/7 yet cannot keep up with bodies waiting in line. These impacts cause people to fall into crisis, negativity, fear, and depression. However, many remain optimistic, dedicating themselves to charity, joining the front lines, serving as spiritual pillars who bring laughter and stability to many.

Thus, while the pandemic is the same, it is the Right View or Wrong View, the positive or negative thinking of each person, that makes the difference.

There is a story from Italy about this spirit of optimism: In the chaotic atmosphere of the Coronavirus, a principal of a high school in Milan, Italy,⁶⁸ took the time to write a letter to his

Translated by Trương Văn Dân, “The Touching Letter from an Italian Principal to Students During the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

students, calling on them to remain calm. He urged them to use the school closure to read “good books,” such as those by Manzoni or Boccaccio.

The principal, Domenico Squillace of Alessandro Volta High School, wrote:

“Dear students, there is nothing new under the sun, I want to say that. But during these days when the school is closed, I feel the need to speak. What I want to tell you is to stay calm, do not let yourselves be pulled into collective delirium, and continue— with precaution and caution—to live a normal life.

Take advantage of these days to go for a walk, to read a good book. If you are healthy, there is no reason to lock yourselves in the house. There is no reason to hoard at supermarkets and pharmacies; leave the masks for the sick, for they are the only ones who need them.”

“The speed at which a disease can travel from one end of the world to the other is a child of our era; there are no walls that can stop them. Centuries ago, they moved in the same way, just a little more slowly.”

The principal continued: “Our genetic instinct, when feeling threatened by an invisible enemy, is to see it everywhere. The most dangerous thing is to view our fellow human beings as a threat or a potential enemy. Compared to the plagues of the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, we now possess modern medicine. I have faith in its progress and precision; let us use rational thought to preserve the most precious assets we possess: our social fabric and our humanity. If we cannot do that, it means the pandemic has truly won!”

https://www.dire.it/…/426499-coronavirus-lalettera-del-p…/… https://thanhnien.vn/xuc-dong-buc-thu-cua-thay-hieu-truong-o-y-gui-hoc-sinh- nhan-mua-dich-covid-19-185930458.htm

Through this story, we see that amidst the chaos of a pandemic storm, there is a great need for an optimistic spirit, a tranquil soul, clarity, and Right View—acting as a guiding torch, much like Principal Domenico Squillace did for his students.

Optimism is vital; it can help us and those around us overcome hardships, strengthen solidarity, and foster empathy within the community to find meaning in life and perform positive actions even in the midst of a pandemic that threatens humanity.

***

Chapter 5

AWAKENING TO SUFFERING, SICKNESS, AND DEATH

he COVID-19 pandemic has served as a profound mirror, reflecting the fundamental truths of suffering-suffering

(dukkha-dukkha) that the Buddha taught over 2,600 years ago.

When the body is infected with a disease, it can rapidly lead to death (at any moment) if vaccines and antibiotics are not administered in time. The death certificate arrives without an appointment, as illustrated in the following poem about “Paper and Life”⁶⁹:

A birth certificate marks the beginning of a life.

Một tờ khai sanh là bắt đầu cả đời. Một tờ tốt nghiệp là phấn đấu cả đời. Một tờ kết hôn là giày vò cả đời. Một tờ tiền là nhọc nhằn cả đời.

Một tờ giấy khám bệnh là đau khổ cả đời. Một tờ li dị là tự do cả đời.

Một tờ báo tử là kết thúc cuộc đời. (unknown author)

A diploma marks the struggle of a life.

A marriage certificate marks the torment of a life.

A banknote marks the hardship of a life.

A medical report marks the suffering of a life. A divorce decree marks the freedom of a life. A death certificate marks the end of a life.

In this chapter, we explore how facing the realities of illness and mortality can lead to a deeper spiritual awakening and inner peace.

5.1. ILLNESS AND THE CAUSES OF DISEASE

Depending on culture, geography, religion, and education, illness is understood in different ways.

In some places, people believe that diseases are caused by demons or spirits and seek protection through mystical means. In other circumstances, they view illness as karmic retribution and seek intervention from divine beings. In certain regions, many believe that illness results from specific manifestations of subtle energies. For modern people, illness is caused by the invasion of external germs, while Buddhists define illness as an imbalance of the Four Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, and Air)— being too hot, too cold, too much, or too little.

The world’s medical community defines Covid-19 as “an infectious respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2. ‘CO’ stands for Corona, ‘VI’ for virus, and ‘D’ for disease.”⁷⁰ Thus, Coronavirus occurs when the SARS-CoV-2

What is COVID-19? https://www.cdc.gov/covid/about/index.html

germ invades the lungs and disrupts the harmony of the Four Elements; one wishes to breathe but cannot. The disease causes us pain, discomfort, loneliness, and fear if we do not remain steadfast in our practice.

From a spiritual perspective, infection and death due to viral invasion are governed by the cycle of Cause and Effect (Karma), as well as the Individual Karma and Collective Karma of each person. Even the Buddha himself could not save a patient if their karma was fixed. They must rely on doctors for treatment, follow health measures mandated by medical authorities, and cultivate the mind through repentance.

Even the Buddha, during his lifetime, sought examination and treatment from the physician Jivaka when he was ill. At the age of eighty, he suffered from dysentery and manifested his entry into Nirvana just like anyone else. However, in the Cula- kammavibhanga Sutta (The Shorter Exposition of Action)⁷¹, the Buddha spoke to the young man Subha Todeyyaputta about the cause of illness resulting from the karma of killing as follows:

“Here, Student, some woman or man is a killer of living beings, cruel, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings. Due to having performed and completed such action, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell.

If, on the dissolution of the body, after death, instead of reappearing in a state of deprivation... he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn, he is short-lived. This is the way that leads to a short life span: being a killer of living beings... merciless to living beings.

Majjhima 135. Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta (The Shorter Exposition of Action, Tiểu kinh Nghiệp phân biệt). Vietnamese translated by Thích Minh Châu.

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-trungbo/trung135.htm

But here, Student, some woman or man, abandoning the killing of living beings, abstains from killing living beings; with rod and weapon laid aside, gentle and kindly, he abides compassionate to all living beings. Due to having performed and completed such action... he reappears in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world.

If... he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn, he is long-lived. This is the way that leads to a long life span: abandoning the killing of living beings... abiding compassionate to all living beings.”

Thus, illness is caused by the habit (karma) of causing pain and harm to the lives of animals, and death during illness is caused by a bloody-handed nature and the killing of sentient beings. Conversely, those with wholesome karma—such as cherishing life, releasing captive beings, practicing altruism, sparing lives, and loving all sentient beings—will suffer little to no illness and enjoy health and longevity. Therefore, only spiritual cultivation, wholesome karma, and the transformation of one’s karma can truly save us amidst this Covid-19 pandemic!

In Buddhist philosophy, sickness is not merely a biological accident but a phenomenon deeply rooted in the law of Cause and Effect (Karma) and the imbalance of the four elements (Earth, Water, Fire, and Air).

Physical Causes: Lack of hygiene, improper diet, and exposure to environmental toxins.
Mental Causes: The “Three Poisons”—Greed, Anger, and Ignorance—which weaken the spirit and, consequently, the body’s natural resilience.
Karmic Causes: Retribution from past actions, specifically the karma of killing or harming other living beings.

5.2. TEN CONTEMPLATIONS WHEN SERIOUSLY ILL OR FACING DEATH

At one time, the Blessed One was staying at Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s Park.⁷² At that time, the Venerable Girimananda was gravely ill, suffering in deep pain. Out of compassion, the Blessed One taught Venerable Ananda the Ten Perceptions to share with Girimananda. These are: the perception of impermanence, non-self, foulness, danger, abandonment, dispassion, cessation, world-weariness, the fleeting nature of all formations, and mindfulness of breathing.

What is the perception of impermanence? Here, Ananda, a monk goes to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut and meditates on the impermanence of the Five Aggregates: form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, mental formations are impermanent, and consciousness is impermanent. This, Ananda, is called the perception of impermanence.
What is the perception of non-self? Here, Ananda, a monk meditates on the non-self nature of the six internal and external sense bases: the eye is non-self, forms are non-self; the ear is non-self, sounds are non-self; the nose is non-self, odors are non-self; the tongue is non-self, tastes are non- self; the body is non-self, tangibles are non-self; the mind is non-self, mental objects are non-self. This is called the perception of non-self.
What is the perception of foulness (impurity)? Here, Ananda, a monk reflects on this very body from the soles of the feet up and from the crown of the head down, bounded by skin and full of diverse impurities: hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow,

Anguttara Nikaya. The Sūtra on Healing for Venerable Girimananda (Girimànanda Sutta)

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a38291/kinh-giai-benh-girima-nanda-sutta

kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spittle, mucus, oil of the joints, and urine. This is called the perception of foulness.

What is the perception of danger? Here, Ananda, a monk reflects: “This body is the source of much pain and many ” Within this body, many types of diseases arise: diseases of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body; headaches, mumps, diseases of the mouth and teeth; coughs, asthma, catarrh, heartburn, fever, stomach ailments, fainting, dysentery, swelling, influenza, leprosy, boils, scrofula, epilepsy, skin fungus, itching, rashes, dermatitis, blood disorders, diabetes, hemorrhoids, cancer, fistulas; illnesses arising from bile, phlegm, or wind; afflictions caused by climate, improper posture, injuries, or karmic results; and the suffering of cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and defecation. This is called the perception of danger.
What is the perception of abandonment? Here, Ananda, a monk does not tolerate, but abandons, dispels, and wipes out thoughts of sensual desire, ill-will, and harmfulness that have This is called the perception of abandonment.
What is the perception of dispassion and cessation? Here, Ananda, a monk reflects: “This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all assets, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, and ” These are called the perceptions of dispassion and cessation.
What is the perception of world-weariness? Here, Ananda, a monk avoids clinging to or yearning for anything in the This is called the perception of world-weariness.

8. What is the perception of the fleeting nature of formations?

Here, Ananda, a monk feels weary, ashamed, and repulsed by all conditioned things. This is called the perception of the fleeting nature of all formations.

What is mindfulness of breathing? Here, Ananda, a monk goes to the forest, sits cross-legged with a straight back, sets up mindfulness in front of him, and breathes in and out Breathing in long, he knows: “I breathe in long.” Breathing out long, he knows: “I breathe out long.”
Venerable Girimananda heard these ten perceptions and practiced them; consequently, his illness was immediately

Regarding this sutta, for those hospitalized or suffering from severe symptoms of COVID-19, the Buddha provided ten subjects of meditation to stabilize the mind and reduce physical agony:

Impermanence: Realizing that this sickness is a changing
Non-self: Understanding that the “self” does not own this
Impurity: Recognizing the nature of the physical
Danger: Seeing the inherent vulnerability of
Abandonment: Letting go of sensual
Detachment: Releasing the need for
Cessation: Seeking the peace where suffering
Disenchantment: Withdrawing from the distractions of the
Mindfulness of Breathing: Using the breath as an
Focusing on the Buddha’s Virtues: Drawing strength from the Enlightened One.

5.3. MINDFULNESS OF DEATH (Maranasati)

During the pandemic, many felt that death was “too close.” Buddhism teaches that death is certain, but the time of death is uncertain. Instead of fearing it, we practice Mindfulness of Death to:

Value the Present: To live each day meaningfully and
Reduce Ego: Understanding “titles” and
Prepare the Mind: Ensuring that our final thoughts are filled with peace and faith rather than regret and

Death is the common call from the King of Death; it is a shared fixed karma and the common denominator for all of us. Death occurs when the life faculty ceases, no longer sustaining the four elements (earth, water, fire, and air), causing them to dissolve and return to their respective sources.

According to medicine⁷³, death is the permanent cessation of all vital activities such as respiration, metabolism, or cell division. There are two types of death:

Clinical death, which clinical examination methods allow to be determined as death (heart stopping, breathing ceasing, loss of consciousness, etc.).
Biological (True) death, when tissues can no longer function and begin to decompose.

In human society, the nature of death and human perception of it have been concerns for the worlds of religion and philosophy for millennia.

Everyone must die at some point. Only with great luck and immense merit do we die peacefully when our lifespan is

Open Encyclopedia: Wikipedia, https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki

exhausted. However, most of us cannot know for certain when the “Covid-19 King of Death” will arrive, especially in cases of sudden death or untimely death (dying young).

Death reminds us of the ephemeral nature of our short life, forcing us to reflect on ourselves and advising us to live more meaningfully. It tells us not to waste time pursuing trivial things, useless activities, empty words, ignorant conservatism, or mediocre material possessions—for these ultimately only cause us suffering. Therefore, we must prepare to face death in accordance with the Dharma, with mindfulness and alertness. Just like setting out on a long journey, one must be calm and let go, as the Venerable Sariputta⁷⁴ exclaimed:

“I do not delight in death, I do not delight in life; I shall lay down this body with clear comprehension and mindfulness. I do not delight in death, I do not delight in life; and I await the time, like a hireling waiting for his wages.”

Sariputta’s mindset was one of complete readiness for death; like someone who has worked for 80 years, receiving wages now is a natural matter.

Because death is something that has not yet arrived, many people wonder and seek the Buddha’s wisdom for an explanation, as the Layman Mahānāma⁷⁵ asked: “Venerable Sir, I have thought: ‘If I were to die at this time, what would be my destination, what

Verses of the Senior Monks (Theragatha), Sariputta, Vietnamese translation by Venerable Indacanda. https://suttacentral.net/thag17.2/vi/indacanda

Nguyên giác, Từ Huyền Thoại tới Tâm Kinh, Nhà Xuất Bản Ananda Viet Foundation, 2021.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a35895/7-ngua-hoanh-tu-tang-tho-niem-tu

Connected Discourses (Samyutta Nikaya), 21: [Translated into Vietnamese by] Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

Nguyên giác, Từ Huyền Thoại tới Tâm Kinh, Nhà Xuất Bản Ananda Viet Foundation, 2021.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a35895/7-ngua-hoanh-tu-tang-tho-niem-tu

would be my place of rebirth in the next life?’”

“Do not be afraid, Mahānāma! Do not be afraid, Mahānāma! Your death will not be an evil one! Your death will not be an evil one! Mahānāma, for one whose mind has long been thoroughly practiced in faith, thoroughly practiced in virtue, thoroughly practiced in learning, thoroughly practiced in generosity, and thoroughly practiced in wisdom; for such a person, even though this physical body—composed of the four elements, born of parents, nourished by rice and porridge—is subject to impermanence, destruction, fragmentation, and dissolution; even though this body here is eaten by crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, jackals, or various types of creatures; yet, if that person’s mind has long been practiced in faith, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom, then that mind rises upward and goes to distinction.

Suppose, Mahānāma, a person were to sink a jar of ghee or a jar of oil into a deep lake and break that jar. Here, the shards and fragments would sink into the water, but the ghee or oil would float and rise to the top.”

Thus, the Buddha explained that regardless of the manner of death, a true practitioner will not fall [into lower realms], just as when a jar of oil, milk, or ghee is broken in a deep lake, the jar shatters and sinks, but the oil, milk, and ghee float up.

The Buddha⁷⁶ also taught further that human life is as short as a single breath; accidents can arrive at any moment, and danger always lurks. One must be diligent in practice to abandon unwholesome states and increase wholesome states as follows:

Numerical Discourses (Anguttara Nikaya), 20. [Corresponding to the]

https://suttacentral.net/an6.20/vi/minh_chau

Nguyên giác, Từ Huyền Thoại tới Tâm Kinh, Nhà Xuất Bản Ananda Viet Foundation, 2021.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a35895/7-ngua-hoanh-tu-tang-tho-niem-tu

“Here, O monks, when the night has ended and the day has settled, a monk reflects as follows: ‘Many are the causes of death for me: a snake might bite me, a scorpion might bite me, or a centipede might bite me. Thus, I might die. That would be an obstacle for me. I might stumble and fall. The food I eat might make me ill, or bile might disturb me, or phlegm might disturb me. Sharp winds like swords might disturb me. And thus, I might die. That would be an obstacle for me.’

O monks, that monk should reflect as follows: ‘If I still have evil, unwholesome states that have not been abandoned, if I should die today, they would be an obstacle for me.’ O monks, if while reflecting thus, the monk knows: ‘I have evil, unwholesome states that have not been abandoned...’, then, O monks, to abandon those evil, unwholesome states, that monk must exert intense desire, effort, diligence, exertion, perseverance, mindfulness, and clear comprehension. Just as, O monks, if one’s clothes were on fire or one’s head were on fire, one would exert intense desire, effort, diligence, and exertion to extinguish that fire.”

In the Ekottara Agama, the Buddha⁷⁷ taught mindfulness of death to awaken to the Principle of Emptiness (Sunyata) as follows: “A monk, with body and mind upright, sitting cross-legged, establishing mindfulness in front, with no other thoughts, focuses diligently on the mindfulness of death. Death is disappearing here and being born there; passing through various paths, life flows on without stopping, the faculties dissolve like decaying wood; the life faculty is cut off, relatives are separated; no form, no sound, and no appearance. Thus, O monks, this is called mindfulness of death; one then achieves full great rewards, all wholesome things are complete, the nectar of immortality is attained, one reaches the unconditioned, immediately gains

Ekottara Agama (Numerical Discourses), Chapter on the Ten Recollections (Shì Niàn), Sūtra No. 3. Chinese Translation: Tripitaka Master Gautama Saṃghadeva. Vietnamese Translation: Venerable Thích Đức Thắng - Edited & Annotated: Venerable Tuệ Sỹ.

spiritual powers, eliminates distracted thoughts, attains the fruits of a recluse, and personally reaches Nirvana. Therefore, O monks, you must always contemplate without leaving the mindfulness of death, and you will attain these wholesome merits. Thus, O monks, you should learn this.”

In the Connected Discourses (Samyutta Nikaya)⁷⁸, the Buddha answered Mahānāma that true practitioners remain alert and clear-minded in the face of death because they are fully endowed with faith, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom, as follows:

“Sitting to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said to the Blessed One: —’Venerable Sir, this Kapilavatthu is prosperous and wealthy, densely populated, and crowded with people. In the evening, after I have visited the Blessed One or the esteemed monks and enter Kapilavatthu, I encounter wild elephants, wild horses, wild people, large speeding chariots, and small speeding carts. At those times, Venerable Sir, my mind becomes muddled regarding the Buddha, muddled regarding the Dhamma, and muddled regarding the Sangha. Then, Venerable Sir, I think: “If I were to die at this moment, what would be my destination, and where would I be reborn in the next life?”’

—’Do not be afraid, Mahānāma! Do not be afraid! Your death will not be an evil one. Your death will not be an evil one. Mahānāma, for anyone whose mind has long been thoroughly practiced in faith, practiced in virtue, practiced in learning, practiced in generosity, and practiced in wisdom; for such a person, though this physical body—composed of the four

Samyutta Nikaya, 21, Vietnamese translation by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://suttacentral.net/sn55.21/vi/minh_chau Samyutta Nikaya 55.22: https://suttacentral.net/sn55.22/vi/minh_chau

Nguyên giác, Từ Huyền Thoại tới Tâm Kinh, Nhà Xuất Bản Ananda Viet Foundation, 2021.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a35895/7-ngua-hoanh-tu-tang-tho-niem-tu

elements, born of parents, and nourished by food—is subject to impermanence, fragmentation, and dissolution; though it be eaten here by crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, or jackals; yet, because the mind has long been practiced in faith, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom, that mind rises upward and reaches distinction.

Suppose, Mahānāma, a person were to sink a jar of ghee or oil into a deep lake and break it. The shards would sink to the bottom, but the ghee or oil would float and rise to the top.’”

In the Numerical Discourses (Anguttara Nikaya),⁷⁹ the Buddha taught that life is fragile and can end at any moment due to many lurking accidents. One must practice with the same diligence as if one’s head were on fire, needing to extinguish it immediately:

“Here, monks, as the night ends and the day settles in, a monk should reflect as follows: —’Many are the causes of death for me: a snake might bite me, a scorpion might bite me, or a centipede might bite me. Thus I might die, and that would be an obstacle for me. I might stumble and fall; the food I eat might make me ill; bile, phlegm, or sharp internal winds might disturb me. And thus I might die; that would be an obstacle for me.’

Monks, that monk should then consider: —’If I still have evil, unwholesome states that have not yet been abandoned, and if I were to die today, they would be an obstacle for me.’

If, upon reflection, the monk realizes: ‘I have unwholesome states not yet abandoned...’, then, O monks, to abandon those evil states, that monk must exert intense desire, effort, diligence, and persistence without turning back, with mindfulness and clear comprehension. Just as if one’s clothes or head were on fire, one would exert the utmost effort and mindfulness to extinguish it.”

Anguttara Nikaya, 20, Vietnamese translation by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

Thinking of death and destruction, we will not be attached to life. Consequently, the mind becomes joyful and concentrated. Because we know the true nature of things, we are not bound.

If we do not contemplate death and its inevitability, we will be unprepared and lose mindfulness when death arrives— especially when family members, friends, or we ourselves pass away due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, prepare your psychological luggage for a peaceful death. If we allow our lives to chase after material things, we will die anxious and full of regret. Conversely, if we live wholeheartedly serving others with a heart of compassion, we can die with a peaceful and happy mind. Thus, the best method to prepare for death is to live a life of dedicated service to humanity with all one’s love.

Most of us are obscured by karma and various emotions, preventing us from seeing our true nature. Karmic retribution continues to bind us to the endless cycle of birth and death. Therefore, everything is precarious, depending on how we live and think at this very moment. Our current way of life affects all our future existences.

This is the urgent reason why we must prepare our path with an intelligent attitude. We must avoid the tragedy of spinning painfully within the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination.⁸⁰

The English translation for this section is as follows:
Dependent Origination: The Twelve Links are specifically as follows:
1. Ignorance (Avidya): Incorrect perception of life. Failing to see clearly that life is a sea of suffering or the Four Noble Truths; failing to see that the nature of all things and phenomena is Impermanence and Non-self.
2. Volitional Formations (Samskara): Actions that create karma through body, speech, and these formations can be wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral.
3. Consciousness (Vijnana), which serves as the foundation for a new life: Consciousness selects parents according to the wholesome or unwholesome nature of one’s previous actions.
4. Name and Form (Namarupa): The entire psychological and physical makeup of the new embryo, composed of the Five

This existence is the only time and place for us to prepare. We can only truly prepare by returning to the True Mind.

The Patriarch Padmasambhava (Lien Hoa) taught: “Human life is short, there is no time for the mind to wander. One must see, hear, and contemplate without distraction to seek enlightenment. There are three tools—learning, reflection, and practice—that can help us see the truth of who we are and manifest the joy of liberation called the wisdom of non-self.”

Life and death are a transition. The Buddha does not interfere with the path of karmic force; He only explains its structure and impact. The origin of rebirth is greed, anger, and delusion. Life is inherently precarious, the body is always prone to illness, time flows ceaselessly, the hour of death is uncertain, and the place of rebirth is unfixed. Live with restrained precepts and in purity.

The Six Sense Bases (Sadayatana): The complete set of sense organs and their objects (6 sense faculties + 6 sense objects).
Contact (Sparsa): When the six sense faculties begin to interact with the external world.
Feeling (Vedana): Sensation, perception, or reception. For example: love, like, jealousy, envy, fear, happiness, sorrow, disappointment, regret, discomfort, anger, etc.
Craving (Trishna): Desire arising from the senses, such as the eyes liking beauty, the nose liking fragrance, the ears liking pleasant sounds, the tongue indulging in sweetness, or the body liking soft touch. It also includes the Five Desires: Wealth, Fame, Beauty, Fine Food, and
Clinging (Upadana): Grasping or seizing for
Becoming (Bhava): The totality of what we call existence, life, and the
Birth (Jati): Daily life including sensual pleasures, craving, or
Aging and Death (Jaramarana): Where there is birth, there must be

The Buddha’s experience of enlightening the principle of Dependent Origination, including the Twelve Links, is recorded in the Vinaya Pitaka (Basket of Discipline), in the Mahavagga (Great Section).

https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki

5.4. SUDDEN DEATH (Bất Đắc Kỳ Tử)

The pandemic has resulted in a global death toll of 7 to 15 million people, including the elderly as well as the young. Those who die from the pandemic while still young are said to have suffered an untimely death, an early death, or a death out of season, before their natural lifespan for this life was exhausted. The pandemic was characterized by many “sudden deaths”— people who were healthy one week and gone the next.

5.4.1. The Milinda Panha Sūtra⁸¹

Mentions seven classes of people who die prematurely due to exhausted merit or violent conditions. It also explains how a cause like Coronavirus can cut off a life span prematurely, much like a young mango falling or being plucked from a tree, as follows:

“Great King, these seven classes of people die out of season, even while their lifespan still remains. Which seven?

Great King, a person suffering from hunger who, unable to obtain food, suffers internal damage and dies out of
Great King, a person suffering from thirst who, unable to obtain water, finds their heart withered and dies out of
Great King, a person bitten by a snake who, tormented by the venom and unable to find a healer, dies out of
Great King, a person who has consumed poison and, while their primary and secondary organs are burning and they cannot find an antidote, dies out of
Great King, a person who falls into a fire and, while being

Milinda Panha (The Questions of King Milinda), translated into Vietnamese by Cao Hữu Ðính.

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-natien/natien00.htm

burned and unable to find a means to extinguish it, dies out of season.

Great King, a person who falls into water and, unable to find support, dies out of season.
Great King, a person wounded by a sword or fallen ill who, unable to find a physician, dies out of season. Great King, these seven classes of people die out of season, even while their lifespan still remains.”
- Nine Types of Premature Death (Medicine Buddha Sūtra)

The Medicine Buddha Sūtra lists nine types of “accidental” or “untimely” deaths (hoạch tử), highlighting the importance of spiritual protection and medical care as below,

The Venerable Ananda asked: “What are the nine types of untimely death?” The Bodhisattva Saviour of Souls (Kyū-Thoát) replied:

First, a sentient being falls ill—even a mild illness—but has no physician, no medicine, and no one to provide care. Or, they meet a physician who gives the wrong medicine, causing a death that should not have Furthermore, while ill, they believe in the frivolous talk of omens and disasters from demons and heretics, becoming terrified and losing their inner peace. They seek out fortune-tellers to find the source of calamity, then slaughter animals to offer to spirits and pray to ghosts for blessings and longevity, but in the end, they cannot obtain it. Because of their delusion and adherence to inverted, false views, they suffer an untimely death and fall into hell for ages without escape.
Second, being executed by royal
Third, being obsessed with hunting, gambling, wine, or lust, and through excessive indulgence, having one’s vital energy

stolen by ghosts.

Fourth, dying by
Fifth, dying by
Sixth, being eaten by wild
Seventh, falling from a high mountain.
Eighth, being killed by poison, sorcery, curses, or harmful spirits of the dead (vampires/corpse-demons).
Ninth, dying of starvation and

“These are the nine types of untimely death spoken of by the Tathagata. As for other types of untimely death, they are immeasurable and cannot all be named. Furthermore, Ananda, King Yama is the master who records the registers of names, ages, sins, and merits in the world. If any sentient beings are unfilial, commit the five heinous crimes, insult the Triple Gem, break the laws of the land, or violate the precepts, King Yama will punish them according to the severity of their sins. Therefore, I advise sentient beings to light lamps, make banners, release captive beings, and cultivate merit so they may escape suffering and avoid disasters.”

In the book “Investigation into the Medicine Buddha Sūtra,”⁸²the Buddha teaches that we must avoid dangerous conditions that threaten our lives: “If one encounters a drunken elephant, a wild horse, a mad ox, speeding vehicles, venomous snakes, pits, flood, fire, war, a drunkard, a wicked person, or other evils... a person of wisdom will know to avoid those causes and conditions to preserve their life...”

Chúc Phú, An Investigation into the Medicine Buddha Sūtra (Khảo Biện về Kinh Dược Sư).

https://giacngo.vn/khao-bien-ve-kinh-duoc-su-post38425.html

5.5. FOUR CLASSES OF PEOPLE WHO FEAR OR DO NOT FEAR DEATH

The Buddha categorized our psychological response to the end of life into two main groups:

A. Four Classes Who Do Not Fear Death

Those who have no regrets because they have lived
Those who have abandoned cravings for the body and the
Those who have attained wisdom, understanding that death is just a transition.
Those with unshakeable faith in the Triple Gem, knowing they are moving toward a better destination.

B. Four Classes Who Do Fear Death

Those who are deeply attached to sensual pleasures and material
Those who have committed many unwholesome deeds

and fear retribution.

Those who have not heard the True Dharma and view death as total annihilation.
Those who are filled with doubt and confusion about the nature of life.

***

Chapter 6

DEPENDENT ORIGINATION,

THE FOUR DHARMA SEALS,

CAUSE AND EFFECT, AND KARMA

he phenomenal world is constantly changing. From a speck of dust or a mustard seed to an atom, insects, animals, humans, nations, galaxies, the Coronavirus—everything changes within each kshana (moment), exhibiting impermanence and non-self. All are creations of the mind and are linked through the connections of Dependent Origination, Karmic Retribution, and Cause and

Effect across the past, present, and future.

6.1. CONTEMPLATING DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

In the context of the SARS-CoV-2 spread, the philosophy of Dependent Origination (Pratītyasamutpāda) and symbiosis becomes even clearer. The correlation between oneself and others, or one nation and many others, is tightly knitted. If one person is sick, those around them become infected. If one person is healthy, the whole family and society are healthy. We cannot exist as independent entities in isolation from the world around us.

In the Avatamsaka Sūtra, the Buddha taught:

“All phenomena arise due to causes and are interdependent; when this arises, that arises; when this ceases, that ceases. No phenomenon can exist independently... even between the smallest grain of dust and the vastest world in the universe, there is an intimate correlation.”⁸³

The “Inexhaustible Treasury” Chapter of the Avatamsaka Sūtra also describes the phenomenal nature of the world of Dependent Origination as follows:

“It is the world being finite, infinite, both finite and infinite, and neither finite nor infinite; the world being permanent, impermanent, both permanent and impermanent, and neither permanent nor impermanent... where the world comes from and where it goes; how many worlds are formed and how many worlds are destroyed; from where the world arrives and to what place it departs; what is the first beginning of birth-and-death, and what is the final end of birth-and-death.”⁸⁴

Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương, The Essenrial Teachings of the Avatamsaka Sūtra. Introduction by Most Venerable Thích Như Minh. https://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao- anh- lac/8313-75-hoa-tinh

The Great Expansive Buddha Flower Adornment Sūtra, Chapter 22: The

By his transcendent wisdom, the Buddha saw the nature of phenomena as neither arising nor perishing; however, due to the harmony of causes and conditions, the world, mountains, and rivers appear to exist continuously. This is called Dependent Origination (phenomena arising through conditions).⁸⁵ When conditions end, the world, sentient beings, and karmic fruits vanish.⁸⁶

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination:

Ignorance (Avidya): The root of suffering; lack of
Mental Formations (Samskara): Volitional actions or
Consciousness (Vijnana): The spark of life/awareness.
Name and Form (Nama-rupa): Mental and physical
Six Sense Bases (Sad-ayatana): Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body,
Contact (Sparsa): Interaction between senses and
Feeling (Vedana): Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral
Craving (Trsna): Desire or thirst for

Inexhaustible Treasuries.

https://quangduc.com/a76113/phap-ngu-kinh-hoa-nghiem-tap-1- https://thuvienhoasen.org/a40140/tinh-hoa-kinh-hoa-nghiem-thich-nu-gioi- huong

The Book of The Kindred Sayings (Kinh Tương ưng), II, trang 2; IV, 53-4; Dialogues of the Buddha, II, p. 52. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương, The Cycle of Life (Vòng Luân Hồi), Hồng Đức Publishing,

https://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/1900-vong-luan-hoi-thich-nu-gioi-huong

Clinging (Upadana): Attachment to the object of

Becoming (Bhava): The process of existence/rebirth.
Birth (Jati): Manifestation of
Aging and Death (Jara-marana): Leading to sorrow and

In the Pāli scriptures, this is summarized: “When this is, that is; from the arising of this, that arises. When this is not, that is not; from the cessation of this, that ceases.” Understanding this prevents us from blaming the Coronavirus and helps us master our minds, avoiding the tragic cycle of these twelve links.⁸⁷

This means the Twelve Links are the causes for the arising of humans and the world, as well as the causes leading to the destruction of sentient beings and worldly phenomena, as the Buddha specifically explained:

“Monks, I will teach you the arising and the passing away of the world. What is it? Dependent on the eye and forms, eye- consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling arises. With feeling as condition, craving. With craving, existence. With existence, birth. With birth, then aging, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair arise. This is the arising of the world.”

“Dependent on the ear and sounds... the nose and odors... the tongue and tastes... the body and tactile objects... the mind and mental phenomena... The meeting of the three is contact. [The chain continues]... This is the arising of the world.”

“And monks, what is the passing away of the world? Dependent on the eye and forms... With feeling as condition, craving. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same

The Book of The Kindred Sayings (Kinh Tương ưng), II, p.23. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

craving comes the cessation of clinging. With the cessation of clinging, the cessation of existence... birth... aging, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. This is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering. This, monks, is the passing away of the world.”⁸⁸

Therefore, this eloquently proves that “All phenomena that arise and cease have a cause” or “When this exists, that comes to be.”⁸⁹ If we awaken to this—knowing all things have causes and effects—we will be liberated, free from sorrow and pessimism regarding the Coronavirus. This is why the Venerable Ananda praised the doctrine of Dependent Origination, and the Buddha declared:

“Deep is this Dependent Origination, and deep does it appear! It is because of not awakening to and not penetrating this doctrine that this generation has become like a tangled skein, a knotted ball of thread, like matted munja grass and rushes, unable to pass beyond the states of woe, the unhappy destinations, the ruin, and the cycle of samsara.”⁹⁰

In this current time of the Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining a balanced body and mind is vital. When the mind gives rise to anxiety, afflictions, greed, anger, and ignorance—creating negative causes—the body becomes restless, and the mind

The Book of the Kindred Sayings (Samyutta Nikāya), IV, Part I: Kindred Sayings on the Six Sense-Spheres, § 107 (iv): The World, pp. 53–54. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

The Middle Length Sayings (Kinh Trung bộ), III, pp. 151-2. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

Dialogues of the Buddha (Dīgha Nikāya), II, No. 15: Mahānidāna Sutta (The Great Discourse on Causation), pp. 50–51. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

easily falls into wrongdoing, causing suffering to revolve within the cycle of rebirth.

Understanding Dependent Origination means not blaming the Coronavirus, but rather mastering one’s own mind and avoiding the tragedy of being bound to the exhausting rotation of these twelve causal links. With a steady spirit, one achieves a state of optimism in all circumstances to help oneself and others.

In the Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddha teaches in great detail that the body consists of the six sense bases (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind), external phenomena are the six objects (form, sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental objects), and the discriminating mind consists of the six consciousnesses. These bases, objects, and consciousnesses constitute our life. The senses, the environment, and the mind are all interdependent, arising and ceasing together.⁹¹

The Ekottara Agama describes Venerable Sariputta visiting the layman Anathapindika during his illness, guiding him in the meditation on Dependent Origination (also known as the “Foremost Practice of Emptiness”) as follows:

“Sariputta said: ‘If a virtuous man or woman mindfully contemplates the Triple Gem—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—there is no case where they would fall into the three evil realms. Such a person will surely go to a good realm, being reborn in heaven or among humans.’”

“Furthermore, Householder, do not let consciousness arise based on form (sound, odor, taste, touch, or mental objects). Do not let consciousness arise based on this life or the next. Do not let consciousness arise based on craving. Why? Because with craving as condition, there is clinging; with clinging, existence;

The Middle Length Sayings (Majjhima Nikāya), I, No. 38: The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving (Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta). https://suttacentral.net/mn38/vi/minh_chau

with existence, birth, death, and immeasurable sorrow. This is the five aggregates of clinging.”

“There is no permanent self, person, lifespan, or soul. When the eye arises, it arises, yet we do not know from where it comes. When the eye ceases, it ceases, yet we do not know where it goes. It does not exist, yet the eye is born; having existed, it then ceases; all occur due to the gathering of causes and conditions.”

“This is called the law of Dependent Origination: ‘When this exists, that exists; when this is absent, that is absent.’That is: with ignorance as condition, volitional formations; with formations, consciousness... [through to] death and immeasurable sorrow. The ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are the same. They do not exist, yet they are born; having existed, they cease... all due to the gathering of causes and conditions. Householder, this is called the Foremost Practice of Emptiness.”⁹²

This principle of Dependent Origination implies that the six sense bases (our body), the six objects (the environment), and the six consciousnesses (the mind) do not exist independently. Stephen Batchelor once remarked on the Buddha’s awakening to Dependent Origination, noting that He was not merely a recluse meditating in deep forests, but a teacher who frequently traveled to villages and towns to guide the people. He was the first and most important teacher in human history to transcend the role of a mere statesman, always seeking ways to help society function based on objective natural laws and the environment.⁹³

This means that humans, the environment, and nature arise and

Ekottara Āgama (Numbered Discourses), Fascicle 51.8: Meditation on Dependent Origination, also known as the “Foremost Practice of Emptiness.” Translated [into Vietnamese] by Thích Tuệ Sỹ and Ven. Thích Đức Thắng. Kinh.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36252/kinh-cho-nguoi-benh-nang-va-can-tu

Stephen Bachelor, https://stephenbatchelor.org/

cease together, interbeing and resonating within the chain of the twelve links.⁹⁴ Buddhist Dependent Origination shows that life and the world are formed by a series of interrelations, where the arising and vanishing of elements depend on other factors acting as conditions.

The Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya summarizes the essence of Dependent Origination in four famous lines:

“When this exists, that exists. With the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not exist. With the cessation of this, that ceases.”⁹⁵

In the context of Covid-19 and the application of Dependent Origination, we cannot completely isolate ourselves from the world. Instead, we must maintain remote connections and exist according to the guidance of medical professionals and spiritual teachers. Our existence is only possible when we recognize the interdependence between ourselves and everyone else, and by extension, the entire globe. We need a “co-existing connection” and a sense of interdependent community. The shared experience of one person or one country serves as a lesson for others.

Therefore, everyone has a mutual responsibility to care for the community and society, as the Vietnamese proverb says:

“When the lips are thin, the teeth are cold.”

“O gourd, love the pumpkin,

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination: Ignorance, Volitional Formations, Consciousness, Name and Form, The Six Sense Bases, Contact, Feeling, Craving, Clinging, Becoming, Birth, and Aging and Death. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/1900-vong-luan-hoi-thich-nu-gioi-huong

The Middle Length Sayings (Majjhima Nikāya), I, No. 38: The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving (Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta). https://suttacentral.net/mn38/vi/minh_chau

Though of different species, you share the same trellis.”⁹⁶

All phenomena have an interdependent relationship. They operate according to the principle of “following conditions” (tùy duyên), functioning by leaning on one another. Thus, we must live responsibly, with a duty to connect and care for ourselves and the planet; in return, the natural environment will provide us with a life of peace and harmony.

Because life has suffering and the Coronavirus pandemic, we finally take the time for social distancing to contemplate the Buddha’s teachings—to learn the law of Dependent Origination to escape suffering and understand how it governs our lives and the lives of all.

6.2. CONTEMPLATING THE FOUR DHARMA SEALS (SUFFERING, IMPERMANENCE,

NON-SELF, AND EMPTINESS)

Coronavirus (CoV) is a group of viruses that can cause various illnesses, including pneumonia and the common flu. Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by a strain of the coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2.⁹⁷

When the Coronavirus invades the body, it causes pain and can lead to death if one is not vaccinated or does not receive timely antiviral treatment. Thus, if there is a body, there is the suffering of illness and death.

The Four Dharma Seals (Suffering, Impermanence, Non-self,

A lesson on the precious way of living with loyalty and mutual https://voh.com.vn/song-dep/moi-ho-rang-lanh-436327.html

What is COVID-19?

https://www.gleneagles.com.sg/vi/conditions-diseases/coronavirus/ symptoms- causes

and Emptiness): These four characteristics are always present, governing the body, mind, and environment of our lives.

6.2.1. SUFFERING (Duḥkha)

Duḥkha refers to feelings of sting, discomfort, pain, and dissatisfaction. Etymologically, Kha refers to the axle hole of a wheel, and Duḥ means unstable or disordered.

Three types of suffering:

Physical suffering: Imbalance of the four
Psychological suffering: Sorrow, anxiety, and
Biological suffering: Sleep deprivation and

During the pandemic, statistics showed someone died every few minutes. Before death, patients endured physical agony: lung damage, shortness of breath, nausea, fever, and loss of taste. This is the Suffering of Sickness.

The Four Noble Truths (Tứ Diệu Đế):

The Truth of Suffering: Birth, old age, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, and association with the disliked are all suffering.
The Truth of the Cause of Suffering: Craving, attachment, and the delusion of “me” and “mine.”
The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering: Nirvana—the total eradication of the roots of suffering and
The Truth of the Path: The Eightfold Path (Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration).⁹⁸

The Book of the Kindred Sayings (Saṃyutta Nikāya), V, p. 420: The Discourse on Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta).

To free ourselves from the suffering of COVID-19, we must see its origin. While governments implement measures for social stability, as practitioners, we must remain calm. Suffering arises because we cling to impermanent things, like our physical bodies.

Tenzin Gyatso, H.H. the Dalai Lama⁹⁹ said: “Sometimes, friends ask me to use ‘miraculous powers’ to help solve certain problems in the world. I always tell them that the Dalai Lama has no miraculous powers. If I had such powers, I would not have to suffer the pain in my legs or my throat. We are all the same human beings. We all experience the same fears, the same hopes, and the same uncertainties.

From a Buddhist perspective, every sentient being is acquainted with suffering and the truths of aging, illness, and death. But as human beings, we have the capacity to use our minds to subdue anger, greed, and fear.

In recent years, I have emphasized ‘emotional disarmament’: trying to see things realistically and clearly, without the blurred confusion of fear or rage interfering. If a problem has a solution, then we must make the effort to implement and solve it; if there is no solution, then we need not waste time worrying about it.”

He emphasized that even he has no “magical powers” to stop physical pain in his own legs or throat; we are all human. He advises “emotional dismantling”—looking at things realistically without the blur of fear. If a problem has a solution, solve it; if it doesn’t, do not waste time worrying.

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-vbud/vbkin015.htm

Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama: “Prayer is not We must fight the Coronavirus with Compassion.”

https://vn.dalailama.com/news

6.2.2. IMPERMANENCE (Anicca)

Impermanence is the essential nature of all things; everything is in a constant state of flux, and nothing exists eternally. Both the physical body and the mind are impermanent and ever-changing. In the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha explains the relationship between impermanence and suffering as follows:

“Anurādha, what do you think: Is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, Blessed One.”

“Is that which is impermanent suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, Blessed One.”

“Of that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine. This is I. This is my self ’?” “No, Blessed One.”

“Is feeling... perception... mental formations... consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, Blessed One.”

“Therefore, Anurādha, any kind of form whatsoever—past, future, or present; internal or external; subtle or gross; low or high; far or near—all form should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine. This is not I. This is not my self.’”¹⁰⁰

The Coronavirus snatches away lives in the blink of an eye. Patients would pass away without a chance to share their final words, or with only brief messages relayed through doctors and nurses. Goodbyes are waved through glass from a distance. Tears of separation from loved ones fall into silent, piercing pain. The terror and loneliness of patients facing death is boundless. Bodies are cremated in silence without traditional ceremonies—drums, music, flowers, or incense’—even without

Saṁyutta Nikaya (Kinh Tương ưng), IV, pp.382-3. https://hoavouu.com/p16a12023/7/bo-tat-va-tanh-khong-trong-kinh-tang-p-li- va-dai-thua

family by their side. No opportunities to invite the saffron robes of the Sangha to offer prayers, or even the chanting of Sūtras to guide the soul—all due to the fear of infection. Human life passes in an instant.

Our body of this moment is not the same as the body of the next. Science has proven that our cells are constantly changing; every seven years, old cells are completely replaced, forming a “new” body without us even realizing it.

Impermanence shifts in every kshana (moment), yet we rarely notice. Only sudden, powerful, and tragic events like the COVID-19 pandemic wake us up to the Three Marks of Existence (impermanence, suffering, and non-self). Even the most advanced and wealthy nations fell into panic and collapsed. To this day, the situation is not fully resolved. The virus remains everywhere as scientists struggle to tame it. It continues to mutate and transform, proving its impermanent nature.

Beyond the pandemic, humanity faces the Three Calamities

and Eight Hardships¹⁰¹:

The Three Calamities and the Eight Obstacles (Tam tai bát nạn):

The Three Calamities (Tam tai): These refer to three types of collective disasters. There are two categories:

The Three Great Calamities (Tam đại tai): These are major disasters involving the elements, which can affect realms from the human world up to the celestial
1. Water Calamity (Thủy tai): Floods that can destroy up to the Second Dhyana realm; only the Third Dhyana realm and above remain
2. Fire Calamity (Hỏa tai): Fires that destroy everything from the Desire Realm up to the First Dhyana realm of the Form Realm; the Second Dhyana realm remains untouched.
3. Wind Calamity (Phong tai): Destructive storms and winds that can reach the Third Dhyana realm; only the Fourth Dhyana realm is beyond its reach.
The Three Lesser Calamities (Tiểu tam tai): These are three smaller-scale disasters that can affect millions of people or the entire
1. Famine (Cơ cẩn tai): The calamity of starvation, which occurs when

The Three Great Calamities: Disasters of Water, Fire, and Wind that can destroy worlds.
The Three Small Calamities: Famine, Plague (Epidemics), and

We shudder at the sight of what these calamities destroy. The labor of generations, the sweat, and the tears vanish into piles of rubble and ash in an instant. For over two years (2020–2022), the globe was paralyzed. Restaurants, theaters, and schools would

the average human lifespan decreases to about 30 years.

Epidemic (Ôn dịch tai): The calamity of spreading plagues and diseases (such as the current pandemic), occurring when the average lifespan decreases to about 20 years.
Warfare (Đao binh tai): The calamity of weapons and war destroying the world, occurring when the average lifespan is around 10 years. (According to the Buddhist Dictionary by Doan Trung Con)

The Eight Obstacles (Bát nạn): Also known as the Eight Difficulties or Eight Conditions where it is difficult to see a Buddha or hear the Dharma (sa. aṣṭāvakṣaṇāḥ). These situations hinder a practitioner’s path to enlightenment:

Hell Realms (Địa ngục): Being born in a state of intense
Animal Realm (Súc sinh): Being born as an animal, governed by instinct and ignorance.
Hungry Ghost Realm (Ngạ quỷ): Being born in a state of insatiable
Long-lived Heavens (Trường thọ thiên): Being born in celestial realms with extremely long lifespans. This is an obstacle because the lack of suffering leads to complacency, making one forget the truths of birth, old age, sickness, and death.
Remote Borderlands (Biên địa): Being born in isolated regions far from the centers of Dharma, where there is no opportunity to learn the
Sensory Deficiency (Căn khuyết): Being born with impaired senses (such as being blind, deaf, or mute) that make it difficult to receive the
Sophistry and False Views (Tà kiến biện thông): Possessing worldly intelligence and eloquence used to justify distorted or unwholesome views that lead away from the
Life in a Buddha-less Age (Như Lai bất xuất sinh): Being born during a time between the appearance of Buddhas, when the Dharma is not present in the world.

https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/

close indefinitely. Spiritual activities were restricted; churches and temples shut their doors.

Living in isolation caused many families to experience discord or violence. Debts mounted as jobs were lost. We saw death all around us, near and far while insecurity occupied our thoughts, sometimes leading to depression. People began to say, “Let’s just live day by day.” This is the law of impermanence for everyone, sparing no one. Such is life.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, many have come to understand the principle of impermanence. Everyone knows that what is impermanent leads to suffering. In the Dhammapada, the Buddha taught:

“Better than a hundred years lived without seeing the rise and fall of things is a single day lived by one who sees their rise and fall.” (Dhammapada, Verse 113) ¹⁰²

Understanding impermanence is a vital “medicine” to dispel greed, anger, and ignorance. It is the key to understanding the nature of all existence so that we may face it with steadfastness and acceptance.

6.2.3. NON-SELF AND EMPTINESS

Non-self (Anattā) means there is no “I,” no permanent essence, and no independententity to be found in any phenomena. The “Self” is merely a temporary name given to a combination of causes (the Five Aggregates)¹⁰³; it will dissolve and change in a short time.

The Dhammapada, Verse Vietnamese translation by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://quangduc.com/a7724/2-kinh-phap-cu-tieng-anh-hoa-thuong-thich- minh-chau

The Five Aggregates: form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and

https://giacngo.vn/quan-chieu-ngu-uan-post31242.html

For example: “Miss A” is only a temporary manifestation of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. When the Coronavirus strikes and she passes, her body returns to the elements (flesh to earth, blood to water, breath to wind, warmth to fire). There is no eternal, independent “Miss A”—nothing to possess, nothing to hold onto.

The concept of “Emptiness” (Suññatā) means non-existence or the absence of a permanent substance. Because of impermanence and non-self, reality leads to a state of “emptiness.”

The Buddha frequently gave discourses on non-self because the attachment to a “real self” gives rise to greed, anger, and ignorance for that self, creating the karma of rebirth and suffering for oneself and others. If one understands non-self, it carries the same meaning as “emptiness.” The terms differ, but the meaning is the same.

In the Culasunnata Sutta (Lesser Discourse on Emptiness) and Mahasunnata Sutta (Greater Discourse on Emptiness), the Buddha taught Venerable Ananda to wisdom-perceive “non- self” in relation to “emptiness”: because of non-self, there is emptiness; because of emptiness, there is non-self. The Buddha gave the example of abiding in the tranquility of emptiness as liberation through the wisdom-perception of non-self as follows:

“Ananda, indeed, what you have heard is correct, correctly remembered, correctly reflected upon, and correctly upheld. Ananda, both in the past and now, I always abide in [the concept of] emptiness, which is the fullest abiding.

Just as in the Palace of Migara’s Mother, there are no elephants, cattle, horses, or mares; no gold or silver; no assembly of men and women; there is only the quiet community of monks. Even so, Ananda, a monk does not attend to the perception of the village or the perception of people, but only to the solitude of the forest.”

His mind is delighted, joyful, steady, and focused on the perception of the forest. He understands: “The afflictions conditioned by the perception of the village or people are not present here. There is only this one affliction: the solitude of the forest.” He understands: “This perception is empty of the village.” He understands: “This perception is empty of people.” Whatever is not present there, he regards as empty. As for what remains, he understands: “Because this exists, that exists.” Thus, Ananda, this is for him the entry into a true, undistorted, and pure realization of emptiness.¹⁰⁴

According to Buddhism, the fundamental characteristics of human existence are established as impermanence, suffering, and non-self—meaning no independent essence, or emptiness. These four characteristics are a philosophical view indicating that the basis of suffering is impermanence and transient brevity. Impermanence and non-self are objective symbols in the realm of relative existence; therefore, the world is empty.

“Empty is the world! Empty is the world!” taught the Buddha. “Lord, why is it said that the world is empty?”

“Ananda, it is because this world is empty of a self or anything belonging to a self; therefore, it is said that the world is empty.”¹⁰⁵

Similarly, in the Samyutta Nikaya, the Five Aggregates (our body and mind) are described as suffering, impermanent, non- self, and empty as follows:

“Monks, form is impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering.

The Middle Length Sayings, III, 121. Culasunnata Sutta, pp 147-8. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

The Book of the Kindred Sayings (Saṃyutta Nikāya), Vol. IV, Part I: Kindred Sayings on the Six Sense-Spheres, § 85 (ii): Empty (Suñña Sutta), p.

https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

What is suffering is non-self. What is non-self should be seen with correct wisdom as it really is: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Feeling is impermanent... perception... mental formations...

Consciousness is impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is non-self. What is non-self should be seen with correct wisdom as it really is: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’”¹¹⁰

The Milinda Pañha (The Questions of King Milinda)¹⁰⁶ analyzes the characteristic of non-self within each of us as follows:

King Milinda initiated the conversation by asking: — “Venerable sir, what is your name?”

— “People know me as Nagasena, and my fellow monks call me by that name. However, whether my parents named me Nagasena or another name, such as Viranasena, Surasena, or Sihasena... these are but mere names, designations used for social distinction. Within these names, there is no ‘I’ or ‘mine,’ as wrong views and ego-attachment often mistakenly assume.”

The King, astonished, turned to his entourage and the monks to exclaim:

“Hear this, five hundred officials and eighty monks! Remember the words of Nagasena today. He says a name is merely given by parents and used by friends, but there is no ‘I’ within it. Can I believe such a thing?”

The King then turned back to Nagasena:

“Venerable sir! If there is no ‘I,’ then when devotees offer robes, bowls, food, lodging, and .. who receives these

Milinda Pañha (The Questions of King Milinda), translated Vietnamese by Cao Hữu Ðính dịch.

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-natien/natien01.htm

offerings? Who upholds morality and virtue? Who meditates? Who practices the path, attains the fruits, and enters Nirvana? If there is no ‘I,’ who keeps the precepts? Who breaks them? Who kills, steals, or lies? If it is so, then no one creates good or evil karma, and karma itself does not exist. There would be no retribution for deeds. If someone were to kill you, would they not be committing the sin of killing? If so, there are no teachers, no preceptors, and even the name Nagasena does not exist? Who, then, is Nagasena? Please explain this to me.”

“Great King, I have heard you ”
“Is the one who hears me Nagasena?”
“No, Great ”
“Then who is Nagasena? Is the hair on the head Nagasena?”
“No, Great ”
“Is it the nails, teeth, skin, flesh, or marrow?”
“No, Great ”
“Are the Five Aggregates (Form, Feeling, Perception, Formations, Consciousness) Nagasena?”
“No, Great ”

— “Is there something outside the Five Aggregates that is Nagasena?”

“No, Great ”
“Venerable sir, I have asked about the thirty-two parts of the body, the five aggregates, and the eighteen elements, and you have denied them I see now that in each part asked, there is no Nagasena, and Nagasena is not in the whole.”

Venerable Nagasena analyzed each of the body’s parts to show that “Nagasena” is only a conventional name. This demonstrates non-self and emptiness.

Consider another example of sound as non-self: The Buddha told a story of a king who, captivated by the sound of a lute,¹⁰⁷ ordered his court to find the sound. They chopped the lute into a hundred pieces but found nothing. The sound arises from many conditions: wood, strings, pins, the soundbox, and a skilled player.

The ministers reported: “This sound requires many factors. When these conditions meet, sound is produced. If they are absent, there is no sound. The sound your majesty heard has long passed; it has changed and ceased.” The King thought: “What use is this deceptive thing! A lute is a deceptive object of the world, yet it causes people to be so infatuated.”¹⁰⁸

Thus, in ultimate reality, the sound does not come from anywhere or go anywhere. The body, mind, environment, life, and the Covid-19 pandemic are the same. Upon dissection, we see that all substances and designations are merely temporary appearances that eventually vanish.

We realize life is non-self (no independent subject), and dependent origination (arising when conditions meet, ceasing when they fail). Wealth, property, and family are temporary refuges; only our spiritual practice and karma remain with us.

The Dhammapada¹⁰⁹ teaches that whoever perceives the world

Saṃyukta Āgama, 1169 and Saṃyutta Nikāya, No. 35.246. Translated [into Vietnamese] by Ven. Thích Tuệ Sỹ and Ven. Thích Đức Thắng.

Nguyên Giác, From Myth to the Heart Sūtra, Ananda Viet Foundation Publishing, 2021.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a35895/7-ngua-hoanh-tu-tang-tho-niem-tu

Saṃyukta Āgama (Kinh Tạp A-hàm), Fascicle 43. Original Chinese translation preserved in the Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō (Đại Chánh Tạng), consisting of 50 fascicles and 1,362 suttas.

https://vanhoaphatgiao.net/kinh-tap-a-ham-quyen-43

Commentary on the Dhammapada (Dhammapada-atthakathā), Verses 277, 278, and Translated [into Vietnamese] by Viên Chiếu Zen Monastery.

as suffering, impermanent, and non-self follows the Buddha’s path of purity:

All conditioned things are impermanent.

When one sees this with wisdom, one tires of suffering.

This is the path to purity.

(Dhammapada, Verse 277)

All conditioned things are suffering. When one sees this with wisdom, one tires of suffering.

This is the path to purity.

(Dhammapada, Verse 278)

All phenomena are non-self.

When one sees this with wisdom, one tires of suffering.

This is the path to purity.

(Dhammapada, Verse 279)

In the Pāli Canon, the Buddha taught: “What is impermanent (anicca) is suffering (dukkha); what is suffering is non-self (anattā)... Is it then correct to perceive: ‘This is mine; this I am;

Original English: Buddhist Legends, by Eugene Watson Burlingame. https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-phapcu-ev/ttpc20.htm

this is my self?’”¹¹⁰

“They are non-self, impermanent, without essence... ‘Emptiness’ is the truth of the universe, the fundamental law of Dependent Origination.” Knowledge of emptiness is knowledge of non- substance: “Suññatānupassanā ti anattānupassanā va.”¹¹¹

Facing the Coronavirus pandemic, it is like an invisible ghost of death. We witness loved ones departing, and our desires for long life and health are unfulfilled. Life can vanish in a single moment (ksana). Birth and death are unavoidable; we must accept the truth of impermanence, suffering, non-self, and emptiness.

Through analysis and examples, the Buddha identified the presence of these truths in this life. He showed that attachment— clinging to self, others, and objects as real—without right view is the cause of suffering. Impermanence is inherent in the nature of all things. This is our nature, and this is Right View.

6.3. CAUSE AND EFFECT, KARMA, INDIVIDUAL KARMA,

AND COLLECTIVE KARMA

6.3.1. CAUSE AND EFFECT

Cause and effect: the cause is the origin (the seed), and the effect is the result (the fruit). Whatever seed is planted will produce that specific fruit; it cannot produce another. Just as planting a

Samyutta Nikaya (Kinh Tương ưng), 21-2; Early Buddhist Philosophy, Alfonso Verdu, Delhi: Motilal, 1995, p. 11. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

Visuddhimagga (Luận Thanh tịnh đạo), II, p. 695. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh- lac/8519-bo-tat-va-tanh-khong

mango seed yields a mango, and planting a longan seed yields a longan.

For a long time, humanity has abused and destroyed nature, ruined the environment by damming rivers, depleted resources, created nuclear bombs and biological weapons, polluted the air, and killed countless vulnerable animals to satisfy personal desires. Yet, when natural disasters or pandemics occur, we often react as if we are innocent bystanders, disconnected from these environmental degradations, blaming others.

During the days of social distancing, we have time to think about the cause of the Coronavirus, about declining morality and environments, and about the law of cause and effect in the global spread of the virus. The outbreak may be a high price that each of us must pay, sharing a part of the responsibility to actively adjust our health care, tied to an ethical way of living, self-cultivation, and respect for the natural environment.

Buddhists believe in cause and effect. As the cause is, the effect will be. If we act with a wholesome mind, we will receive wholesome, genuine results. Conversely, if we act with ill intent, we will receive bad results of suffering, calamity, and disease. The law of cause and effect is like a repeating circle that never ends, for we continue to create causes while paying for effects. While paying for an effect, we continue to create new causes. Thus, cause and effect in the past, present, and future connect in an unbroken chain within the cycle of samsara, as the Buddha once declared:

If you want to know the CAUSE in the past, Look at the EFFECT you enjoy in this life.

If you want to know the EFFECT in the future, Consider the CAUSE you sow in the present.

To see the seed of yesterday, observe the fruit today.

To see the harvest of tomorrow, look at what you sow today.

For effective disease prevention, we must live according to the law of Cause and Effect. We should avoid the “bad causes” of worry, depression, anger, hatred, violence, inhibition, stress, unhealthy eating, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, drugs, and alcohol. These lead to negative consequences, such as increased cortisol levels in the blood, mental disorders, memory loss, and a weakened heart, liver, lungs, and immune system.

Instead, let us practice “good causes”: vegetarianism, drinking fruit juices, wearing masks, maintaining regular hygiene, spiritual practice, meditation, chanting, and keeping an optimistic, harmonious, and uplifting spirit. These will produce positive effects for our health, resulting in a strong immune system and a steady, pure psychological state. Each of us believes in cause and effect and possesses the ability to move toward a healthy lifestyle. As the Buddha taught in the Dhammapada¹¹²:

The Dhammapada (Kinh Pháp Cú). Multilingual Edition: Vietnamese

- English - French - German. Vietnamese Translation by Most Venerable Thích Thiện Siêu. English Translation by Most Venerable [Narada Mahathera

/ Acharya Buddharakkhita]. Narada, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1963, 1971. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a10366/12-pham-tu-nga-the-self-157-166

Evil deeds are easily done, but they are not beneficial to us. Wholesome and beneficial deeds are indeed very difficult to do!

(Dhammapada – Verse 163)

By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled.

By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one purified.

Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another. (Dhammapada – Verse 165)

6.3.2. KARMIC RETRIBUTION, INDIVIDUAL KARMA, AND COLLECTIVE KARMA

Karmic Retribution: “Karma” refers to the intentional actions (wholesome or unwholesome) of body, speech, and mind (the cause), which lead to “retribution” (the result). Karma and its fruition constitute the law of cause and effect. Thus, “karmic retribution” and “cause and effect” are different terms with the same meaning: karmic causes lead to karmic results. Everything created by karma is generally referred to as karmic fruit.

Because of differences in karma, each person has distinct characteristics, personalities, status, circumstances, happiness, suffering, wealth, and beauty. As taught by the Buddha in the Majjhima Nikaya:

“With the divine eye, purified and surpassing that of men, I see

beings passing away and being reborn. I perceive how they are high or low, beautiful or ugly, fortunate or unfortunate in accordance with their karma...

Those who performed unwholesome actions of body, speech, and mind... are reborn in a state of misery, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. But those who performed wholesome actions of body, speech, and mind... are reborn in a happy destination, in the heavenly world.”¹¹³

Karma is categorized into individual karma, collective karma, old karma, and new karma.

Individual Karma (Biệt nghiệp): The specific karma of an individual, which differs from person to
Collective Karma (Cộng nghiệp): The shared karma of a Similar or nearly identical individual karmas combine to form collective karma, creating a shared life in tribes, groups, communities, societies, nations, or realms. This results in similarities, relationships, and mutual influences. However, even within a nation, one province may differ from another; thus, within collective karma, there is individual karma, and within the similarities of individual karma, there is collective karma. For example, individuals may have the individual karma of cancer, depression, or COVID-19 infection, but their collective karma might be that of being Vietnamese or American, which differs from the collective karma of Indians or Sri Lankans.
Old Karma: Karma created in the past or many lifetimes

Madhyama Āgama (Trung A-hàm), Śuka Sūtra, 170; Majjhima Nikāya (Trung Bộ), Cūḷakammavibhaṅga Sutta (The Shorter Discourse on the Analysis of Kamma), No. 135.

https://www.phatgiaobinhdinh.vn/mPost/872/can-hieu-dung-ve-nhan-qua- nghiep-bao

ago.

New Karma: Karma created in the

The Dhammapada provides many examples of old and new karma to illustrate the law of cause and effect. For instance, in a story regarding life, death, and karma from previous lives¹¹⁴:

Long ago, when the Buddha was at the Jetavana Monastery in Savatthi, there lived a wealthy Brahmin. He had a twenty-year- old son who had just married. In the spring, the couple went for a walk in a garden. Seeing a beautiful flower on a high branch, the husband climbed up to pick it for his wife. Unfortunately, the branch broke, and he fell, suffering a fatal injury. As the family wailed in grief, the Buddha came to comfort them. He explained:

Life is like a ripening fruit, Always fearing the moment it falls.

Once born, there is suffering; Who among us shall not die?

Driven by the source of attachment and desire, One enters the womb.

Life is as fleeting as a flash of lightning, Flowing day and night without stopping.

This body is a dead thing;

Truyền Bình, Understanding the Covid-19 Pandemic and the Methods of Remedy (Hiểu rõ về Đại dịch Covid-19 và Cách Đối Trị). https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36944/hieu-ro-ve-dai-dich-covid-19-va-cach-doi-tri

The spirit has no form.

It relies on death to be reborn; Merits and sins do not disappear.

Death is not the end;

The craving for life is a long delusion.

One reaps the joy or suffering one has made.

Though the body dies, the spirit does not dissolve.”

The Buddha further explained the Old Karma of the son: in a past life, he was a boy who shot a sparrow with a bow. Three onlookers had encouraged him, saying he would be a “little hero” if he hit it. That boy was reborn as this son who fell from the tree. Of the three onlookers, one was now a Deva, one was a Dragon King, and the third was the wealthy Brahmin himself. Because the Brahmin had cheered for an act of killing in the past, he now had to endure the grief of losing his son.

The spirit creates the three realms¹¹⁵ Wholesome or unwholesome, Across the five destinations.¹¹⁶

Whatever the heart secretly plans, there it will go.

Whether material or spiritual, All stems from past aspirations.

Whatever seed you sow, That is the fruit you shall reap.

The Three Realms: The Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless

The Five Realms of Existence: Hell, Hungry Ghosts, Animals, Humans, and Heavenly

The Interaction of Karma and the Pandemic

Observing the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and humanity, we cannot explain the vast disparities in its impact without standing on the Buddhist perspective of Karmic Force, Collective Karma (Cộng nghiệp), and Individual Karma (Biệt nghiệp).

Therefore, this Covid-19 pandemic is certainly linked to the doctrines of Karma and Cause and Effect. This coronavirus calamity is likely not a random natural occurrence; at its deepest level, it is the manifestation of retributions resulting from unwholesome causes sown by the community in this life or many previous lives. Due to Collective Karma, Covid-19 spares no one—anyone can be infected.

Collective Karma caused the pandemic to surge globally, regardless of whether a nation is rich or poor, small or large. However, in reality, it is not entirely uniform because Individual Karma intervenes. There are healthy individuals (Individual Karma) who take careful precautions yet contract Covid and die; conversely, there are those with weak bodies or underlying conditions who are not crushed by Covid-19 and recover, while someone with only a minor cough might pass away. Some depart in great pain and exhaustion, while others leave this world peacefully, consciously, and with a clear mind. Even within a single temple, one nun may fall ill while another does not; one monk may be infected while another’s body resists the virus despite exposure. These are the distinctions of Individual Karma.

Economies have been exhausted, companies bankrupted, and workers laid off, yet some found more work online or participated vigorously in anti-pandemic efforts at field hospitals. Some found joy because isolation allowed for more practice such as finishing incomplete books or learning via digital media; meanwhile, others fell into despair, depression,

or suicide because they could not endure loneliness and social distancing. According to Buddhism, all these differences are due to Individual Karma.

There are 214 countries and territories¹¹⁷ (Collective Karma) where the United States, India, and France were most heavily infected, with deaths accounting for 15% of the global total.¹¹⁸ The Covid-19 pandemic originated in China and was very close to one of the current major outbreaks, India. Yet, nations with a majority Buddhist population—such as Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan—or small territories like the British Virgin Islands and Western Sahara, were not as severely affected, while great powers suffered greatly. All these differences do not fall outside the circle of Cause and Effect, Karma, Individual Karma, and Collective Karma.

In the Cūḷakammavibhaṅga Sutta (The Shorter Discourse on the Analysis of Kamma),¹¹⁹ the Buddha affirmed to the young man Subha Todeyyaputta that illness and death result from the karma of killing, while health and longevity result from saving lives and practicing generosity:

Distribution of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in select countries worldwide as of December 22, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1111696/covid19-cases-percentage-by- country/

https://vncdc.gov.vn/cap-nhat-tinh-hinh-dich-covid-19-ngay0162020- nd15728.html

As of December 22, 2022, the countries with the highest share of COVID-19 cases worldwide included the United States, India, and France with the S. accounting for just over 15 percent of cases worldwide. This statistic shows the distribution of COVID-19 cases worldwide as of December 22, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1111696/covid19-cases-percentage-by- country/

Majjhima Nikaya. Cùlakammavibhanga sutta (Tiểu Kinh Nghiệp Phân Biệt).

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-trungbo/trung135.htm

“The young man Subha Todeyyaputta approached the Blessed One and asked: — ‘Venerable Gotama, what is the cause and condition why among human beings, inferiority and superiority are found? We see some who are short-lived and some who are long-lived; some who are sickly and some who are healthy; some who are ugly and some who are beautiful... what is the cause?’ — ‘Student, beings are the owners of their kamma, heirs to their kamma, born of their kamma, related to their kamma, and have kamma as their refuge. It is kamma that differentiates beings into low and high states.’”¹²⁰

Karma is the reason human life is created with myriad differences. In this discourse, the Buddha emphasizes that humans are the owners of their actions; we create our own paths and cannot blame others for our poverty or misfortune. We possess the capacity to understand right from wrong, and that understanding is the master that decides our happiness or suffering today and tomorrow.

In the Mahākammavibhaṅga Sutta (The Great Discourse on the Analysis of Kamma),¹²¹ the Buddha explains four types of people and how their habits (killing vs. non-killing, wrong view vs. right view) lead to their respective rebirths. While fixed karma is difficult to change, if we sincerely repent, practice, and perform wholesome deeds, the retribution can be transformed or lightened. This is the “miraculous transformation of karma” through one’s own actions.

There is a type of person who is accustomed to killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, lying, covetousness,

Majjhima Nikaya, Cùlakammavibhanga sutta (Tiểu kinh Nghiệp phân biệt).

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-trungbo/trung135.htm

Majjhima Nikaya, Mahākammavibhaṅga (Ðại Kinh Nghiệp Phân Biệt) Karma Cannot Be Understood in a Simple Way.

https://budsas.net/uni/u-kinh-trungbo/trung135.htm

harboring ill-will, and holding wrong views. After the breaking up of the body, after death, such a person is reborn in a state of misery, a bad destination, a lower realm, even in hell.

There is a type of person who is accustomed to killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, lying, covetousness, harboring ill-will, and holding wrong views. Yet, after the breaking up of the body, after death, such a person is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.
There is a type of person who is accustomed to refraining from killing, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from lying, and who is free from covetousness, free from ill-will, and holds right views. After the breaking up of the body, after death, such a person is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly
There is a type of person who is accustomed to refraining from killing, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from lying, and who is free from covetousness, free from ill-will, and holds right views. Yet, [despite this], after the breaking up of the body, after death, such a person is reborn in a state of misery, a bad destination, a lower realm, even in hell.

Thus, whoever creates wholesome karma by keeping the precepts or creates unwholesome karma by breaking them must receive the corresponding retribution. However, if we know how to sincerely repent, practice, and perform wholesome deeds, the retribution can naturally be transformed or lightened. In Buddhism, this is called the “miraculous transformation of karma” (chuyển nghiệp) resulting from one’s own actions. Nevertheless, there are “fixed karmas” (định nghiệp) that are difficult to change, even if one intentionally tries to flee from them.

***

The Story of Venerable Maudgalyayana and the Sakyan

Clan

Venerable Maudgalyayana could not save the Sakyan clan when their fixed karma was already set, from the story “King Virudhaka Massacres the Sakyan Clan”¹²² as follows:

“In ancient times, the Buddha resided at the Jetavana monastery in the Kingdom of Shravasti, preaching the Dharma to heavenly beings and humans. At that time, the second son of the king, named Virudhaka, at the age of twenty, led his followers to force his father into exile and killed his elder brother, Prince Jeta, to seize the throne.

An evil-minded official named Jali said to King Virudhaka:

‘When you were a prince visiting the Kingdom of Shakiya (your maternal side), you were once insulted by the Sakyan At that time, you vowed: “If I become King, I will settle this offense.” Now the opportunity has come; your military is strong, so you should seek revenge for the old grievance.’

Virudhaka listened and prepared his troops to invade the Kingdom of Shakiya. The Buddha had a second great disciple named Maha Maudgalyayana. Seeing that King Virudhaka intended to massacre the Shakiya people to avenge the old grudge, which would harm the four assemblies of disciples, he was filled with great compassion. He went to the Buddha and said: — ‘Now that King Virudhaka is besieging Shakiya, I believe innocent people will die unjustly. Therefore, I intend to use four means to save the people of Shakiya:

Place the people of Shakiya in the void (space).
Hide them in the middle of the

Ekottara Āgama (Tăng Nhất A-hàm), Fascicle 2, “Chapter on Equal Vision” (Phẩm Đẳng Kiến), from page 301. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a17844/vua-luu-ly-va-dong-ho-thich

Hide them in the middle of the Iron Mountains (Chakravada).

Place them in the midst of a great nation elsewhere, so King Virudhaka will not know their location.’

The Buddha replied: — ‘Maudgalyayana, I know you have the power and virtue to protect the people of Shakiya. However, sentient beings have seven things that are unavoidable. What are those seven things? One is birth, two is old age, three is sickness, four is death, five is sin (offense), six is merit, and seven is causal conditions. These seven things, even if my heart wishes to avoid them, it is impossible. Though your supernatural powers can perform such feats, how can past karma and offenses be avoided?’

Maudgalyayana prostrated to the Buddha and withdrew. However, following his own intention, he took four or five thousand faithful followers, placed them in his alms bowl, and set them among the stars in the void. King Virudhaka attacked Shakiya, killed about three hundred million people, and then led his army home.

At that time, Maudgalyayana went to the Buddha, prostrated, and proudly said: — ‘King Virudhaka attacked Shakiya, but I relied on the Buddha’s authority to save four or five thousand people. Now those people in the void have all escaped the calamity.’

The Buddha asked: — ‘Have you checked the people in the bowl yet?’ He replied: — ‘No, I haven’t!’ The Buddha said: — ‘Check the people in the bowl first.’

Maudgalyayana obeyed and used his spiritual power to bring the bowl down. To his shock, all of them had died. Maudgalyayana wept in sorrow and returned to the Buddha, saying: — ‘All the people in the bowl have died! Supernatural power cannot save them from the karmic offenses of their past lives.’

The Buddha told Maudgalyayana: — ‘The seven things I mentioned before, even if the Buddha, Saints, deities, or immortals have the power to hide or multiply their bodies, they still cannot be avoided.’

Then, the World-Honored One spoke these verses:

Neither in the sky, nor in the mid-ocean, Nor by entering a mountain cave,

there found a place on earth

Where one may escape from the consequences of an evil deed.

Sentient beings are afflicted by harm, Paying the debt of old age and death.

The compassionate and wise are liberated, Not dwelling on the faults of anyone.

After the Buddha finished his sermon, countless people in the assembly understood the principle of impermanence. They were saddened by the inevitability of karmic retribution and joyfully attained the fruit of Srotapanna (Stream-enterer).”

Through the story above, we see that when karma is fixed, even the Buddha accepts it and cannot save anyone. He taught that there are “Seven fixed karmas that are difficult to transform: birth, old age, sickness, death, offense, merit, and causal conditions.”¹²³ Neither the Tathagata nor the Saints can save or intervene; only repentance and practicing wholesome karma

Treasury of Buddhist Legends (Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā), Puppha Vagga (The Chapter on Flowers). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

can offer hope for transformation.

Thus, all phenomena—good or bad—arise from the karmic force of sentient beings. The physical cause of the Coronavirus infection is an infection in the nose, sinuses, or throat, leading to acute pneumonia, resulting in 700 million infections and about 7 million¹²⁴ (WHO says 15 million)¹²⁵ deaths globally. That is the physical cause and effect of the external body. Meanwhile, the internal psychological cause and effect that governs external retribution is karmic retribution.

The Coronavirus pandemic dominating the human planet is a result of the laws of cause and effect and karma (collective and individual karma). If we follow the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) to practice, we can hope to gradually resolve our karma. In cases where practice does not allow us to escape karma and we must depart due to the pandemic, we should still keep our minds steady, clear, and serene, letting go in accordance with the Dharma and returning to impermanence.

The suffering of illness and weakness originates from wholesome and unwholesome karma, originating from the mind. If one knows how to cultivate the mind and carefully guard body, speech, and mind according to the Dharma, then peace will come. Conversely, if one is heedless and harms others, suffering will

https://theravada.vn/tich-truyen-phap-cu-pham-hoa-vua-vidud-abha-tra-thu- ho-thich-ca/

According to Worldometer statistics, as of April 26, 2023, at 01:46 GMT, the world had recorded a total of 686,647,374 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing the acute respiratory disease Covid-19, including 6,860,779 deaths. https://bvbnd.vn/who-uoc-tinh-co-da-co-15-trieu-nguoi-tren-the-gioi-da-chet- vi-covid-19/ https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01245-6

The WHO estimates that 15 million people worldwide have died due to COVID-19. (M.Q. Source: Nature)

https://bvbnd.vn/who-uoc-tinh-co-da-co-15-trieu-nguoi-tren-the-gioi-da-chet- vi-covid-19.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01245-6

follow, as taught in the first two verses of the Dhammapada¹²⁶:

Mind is the forerunner of all states. Mind is chief; mind-made are they.

If one speaks or acts with an impure mind,

Suffering follows one

as the wheel follows the hoof of the ox.

(Dhammapada, Verses 1)

Mind is the forerunner of all states. Mind is chief; mind-made are they.

If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows one

like a shadow that never leaves.

(Dhammapada, Verses 2)

he Dhammapada, Verses 1 and Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Illustration by Artist P. Wickramanayaka. Poetic translation by Tâm Minh Ngô Tằng Giao appended at the end. https://dieuphapam.net/topics/423-bai-ke-kinh-phap-cu-voi-hinh-ve-minh- hoa.3187

***

Chapter 7

THE ROLE OF BUDDHISM IN HEALING

ur Original Teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha, is a saint of this world because the Dharma he left behind can heal all physical

and mental illnesses of sentient beings; thus, he is called the Great Physician King (Mahābhiṣak).

He is known as the Physician King because he possesses “All-Knowing Wisdom” (Sarvajñā) and the “Divine Eye,” allowing him to see the root cause of every physical and mental ailment and treat it fundamentally. He prepared 84,000 types of medicine (Dharma doors) to counteract all illnesses—heavy or light, coarse or subtle. His medicine is highly effective in saving lives, bringing peace to the mind, and leading patients out of the ocean of birth and death toward liberation and joy. For over 2,600 years, his medicine (the Buddha-Dharma) has crossed the borders of India to many countries, suiting different temperaments (khế cơ) and aligning with the ultimate truth (khế lý), regardless of race, language, or age.

During social distancing, when we cannot go to a temple or a retreat center, we can practice effective and simple healing methods at home, such as prostration, listening to the Dharma, chanting Sūtras, meditation, Buddha recitation, mantra chanting, keeping precepts, and repentance.

7.1. PROSTRATION (LỄ LẠY)

7.1.1. Definition

Prostration consists of the ritual (lễ) and the act of bowing (lạy). To prostrate is to bend the body down until the five limbs touch the ground¹²⁷ to show reverence to holy and virtuous beings such as Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Saints, Sages, parents, and ancestors. Every religion has its own form of bowing; the physical form may vary by culture, but the essence is a yearning for and deep respect for the divine.

7.1.2. Seven Ways of Bowing to the Buddha

According to the scriptures, there are seven ways to prostrate¹²⁸:

Arrogant Prostration (Ngã mạn lễ): Bowing out of habit without sincerity influences the mind to wander to external Due to this, the five limbs do not truly touch the floor, and the bow is performed begrudgingly, while still holding onto feelings of superiority.
External Harmony Prostration (Xướng hòa lễ): The mind is not One bows quickly when others are watching but becomes lazy when alone. The heart is distracted, and

The Five-Point Prostration (Five-Limb Posture): Touching the forehead, two hands, and two knees to the ground.

Bảy cách lạy Phật

https://quanam.us/hoc-phat-hanh-nghi-trang-bia/01-ton-kinh-phat/

only the mouth follows the chanting—doing it merely as a formality.

Sincere Body and Mind Prostration (Thân tâm cung kính lễ): Upon hearing the Buddha’s name, one immediately visualizes the Buddha with a sincere heart. The five limbs (forehead, two knees, and two hands) touch the ground in heartfelt reverence.
Pure Wisdom-Developing Prostration (Phát trí thanh tịnh lễ): Realizing the realm of the Buddha according to the capacity of the mind. Bowing to one Buddha is bowing to all Buddhas of the ten directions. One bow is a bow to the entire Dharma realm, for the Dharma body of all Buddhas permeates everywhere.
Universal Penetration of the Dharma Realm Prostration (Biến nhập pháp giới lễ): Contemplating that one’s own body, mind, and all phenomena have never left the Dharma Buddha-nature and sentient beings are equal. Thus, bowing to one Buddha is simultaneously bowing to all Buddhas throughout the ten directions.
Right Contemplation Prostration (Chánh quán lễ): Bowing to the Buddha within oneself. One does not seek a Buddha outside, for every sentient being possesses the same equal Buddha-nature.
Ultimate Reality Equality Prostration (Thật tướng bình đẳng lễ): The first six types involve a “subject” (the one bowing) and an “object” (the one being bowed to). This final method transcends dualism. There is no distinction between self and other, or sacred and profane. As Manjusri Bodhisattva described in his verse:

“The nature of Buddhas and sentient beings is fundamentally empty and still, The spiritual connection is inconceivable. The Dharma realm is like a net of jewels, Where the Buddhas of the

ten directions radiate brilliant light. My body manifests before the precious throne, Bowing down, I vow to take refuge.”

In the “Ultimate Reality,” there is no “me” or “other”; there is no perceivable “self” bowing nor a “World-Honored One” receiving the bow. This is the highest meaning of prostration, aligning with Prajna (Wisdom).

Master Ấn Quang taught: “To receive real benefit from the Buddha-Dharma, one must seek it through reverence. One part of reverence eliminates one part of karmic debt and increases one part of merit and wisdom. Ten parts of reverence eliminate ten parts of karmic debt and increase ten parts of merit and wisdom.”¹²⁹

Therefore, the more reverence and depth we bring [to our practice], the more profound and subtle our realization of the principles (Ji-li / Sự-Lý) of the Buddha-Dharma becomes. We do not abandon the Phenomenal Form (Sự) simply because of Formlessness or Ultimate Reality (Thật tướng); rather, we practice the formal rituals of prostration while simultaneously penetrating the profound inner meaning. This is the perfection of both Merit and Wisdom.

7.1.3. Bowing to the Triple Gem and Honorable Beings

Buddha Jewel: We bow because, through the Buddha, we know the path to enlightenment.
Dharma Jewel: We bow because the teachings lead to love and understanding.
Sangha Jewel: We bow because of the virtue of the community living in purity.

Patriarch Yin Guang taught that one must prioritize utmost sincerity and

https://voluongtho.vn/view/10-dieu-cúng-kinh-khi-doc-sach.htm

In the Pali Canon, ¹³⁰ the Buddha often taught the practice of the Six Recollections (Anussati) so that one may find peace and safety throughout the six periods of the day and night: Recollection of the Buddha, Recollection of the Dharma, Recollection of the Sangha, Recollection of Virtue (Precepts), Recollection of Generosity, and Recollection of Devas.

Thus, in addition to the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), a lay practitioner should also remember to uphold the precepts (Recollection of Virtue), practice giving and making offerings (Recollection of Generosity), and reflect on the law of cause and effect leading to the heavenly realms while observing the Eight Precepts (Recollection of Devas).

While the world prizes gold and fame, these are temporary. The Triple Gem is the most precious because it has the spiritual power to guide us out of the cycle of birth and death.

7.1.4. Prostration as Humility

Bowing is an act of self-correction, humility, and the destruction of arrogance. We lean on the deep virtue of the Buddha to reduce our ego and express gratitude to the one who points the way in our lives.

7.1.5. Benefits to Body and Mind

Beyond spiritual benefits, prostration is a form of physical exercise. Standing straight, joining hands (Anjali Mudra), and moving the body rhythmically down to the floor and back up benefits the bones, muscles, and blood circulation.

Physical: It improves heart and lung function, regulates blood pressure, and boosts the immune system against

Aṅguttara Nikāya (Tăng Chi Bộ), The Book of the Ones, Chapter on the Single Dhamma (AN 1:296–305).

https://budsas.net/dlpp/bai94/index.htm

Mental: It transforms pride into humility. By aligning with the energy of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, we cultivate a peaceful state of mind, which is a highly effective “Buddhist healing” for the modern world.

7.2. LISTENING TO THE DHARMA

7.2.a. Definition

“I take refuge in the Buddha, the One who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the Path of love and understanding.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the Community of those who vow to live a life of harmony and awareness.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

Dharma refers to the Tripitaka (Sūtras, Vinaya, and Abhidharma); it is the path of love (compassion) and understanding (wisdom). The Pāli and Sanskrit/Chinese Tripitaka are the most precious Dharma treasures in the world that the Buddha left behind to heal the ailments of humanity. Because the Dharma is so valuable, in the Anguttara Nikaya, the Buddha emphasized five benefits of listening to the Dharma as follows:

“At one time, the Blessed One was staying at Kimbila, in the Veluvana. He addressed the bhikkhus:

Bhikkhus, there are these five benefits of listening to the Dharma. What are the five?

One hears what has not been heard before,
One clarifies what has been heard,
One dispels doubts,

One makes one’s views upright,
One’s mind gains pure ”¹³¹

Because of such benefits, Buddhists should frequently listen to the Dharma, follow the models of the sages, expand their knowledge, and practice the teachings. The Dharma helps shatter doubts, ensures correct practice according to the True Dharma, and achieves faith in the Triple Gem and firm Right View—conditions necessary for healing the suffering of body and mind.

The pandemic is a major disaster and catastrophe for global collective karma. However, if we take advantage of the opportunity social distancing provides, activities such as isolation, work leave, listening to the Dharma (Learning Wisdom), reflecting deeply (Thinking Wisdom), and practicing cultivation (Cultivational Wisdom)allows us to grasp the key to healing that the Buddha has handed to us.

Those who understand the Path feel they do not have enough time for learning, reflection, and practice. Those who do not understand the Path do not know how to “kill time,” leading to negativity, boredom, and even thoughts of suicide. Therefore, Right View regarding the healing power of the Buddha-Dharma is very important.

A follower of the Buddha who wishes to have acccurate knowledge to establish Right View must read, listen, and reflect deeply on the Buddha’s teachings; from there, they open the treasure house of life, creating a compass of love and understanding for themselves and others.

Vietnamese Tipitaka, Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses) Vol. II, Chapter 5 (The Book of the Fives), Kimbila Vagga, Section on “Listening to the ” Published by the Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute (VNCPHVN), 1996, p. 708.

https://theravada.vn/tang-chi-bo-ii-chuong-nam-phap-pham-kimbila/

Despite the pandemic and isolation, the media offers an abundance of means for studying the Buddha’s teachings. We can listen to the Dharma at any time, 24/7, on the internet: Facebook, Zoom, YouTube, Google, TikTok, etc. The silver lining of the pandemic is that it does not hinder our activities for religious practice: listening to the Dharma and healing our body and mind. Here are three stories about the benefits of listening to the Dharma:

7.2.b. The Story of a Heavenly Being Who Escaped Death by

Taking Refuge

The Suriya Sutta¹³² tells the story of a deity (Devaputta) named Suriya, who was seized by Rāhu, the Lord of the Asuras. The young god Suriya then recollected and practiced the teachings of the Blessed One, Shakyamuni Buddha. The Buddha then spoke to Rāhu, instructing him to release Suriya, as this deity had now become a follower of the Buddha who listens to the Dharma and practices accordingly. Consequently, the King of the Asuras granted freedom to the deity of Suriya.

I pay homage to the Enlightened One, the Hero of all time. You are the Liberated One, perfectly transcended.

While I am bound, let me take refuge in You.

Then the Blessed One, for the sake of the heavenly being Suriya, spoke this verse to Rāhu, King of the Asuras:

Chapter 2: Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), The Book with Verses (Sagāthā-vagga). I: The First Chapter (Devaputta-saṃyutta), 10. Suriya Sutta (The Discourse on the Young God Suriya). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. https://suttacentral.net/sn2.10/vi/minh_chau?lang=en&reference=none &highlight=false

Suriya has taken refuge in the Tathagata, the Arahant.

Rāhu, release Suriya, for the Buddhas have compassion for the world.

You who travel through space, do not swallow Suriya, In a dark world, he has brought light.

7.2.c. The Story of the Thief Who Attained Stream-Entry

Just by Hearing the Dharma

In the Dhammapada Commentary,¹³³ the Buddha tells of two thieves who accompanied a group of lay Buddhists to the Jetavana Monastery, where the Buddha was preaching. One of the two thieves listened attentively to the Dharma and had an awakening, immediately attaining the fruit of Stream-entry (Sotapanna). Meanwhile, the second thief was busy stealing money from the house of a layperson.

After the sermon, the two thieves returned to the house of the second thief, who had just stolen the money. The wife of the second thief jokingly said to the first thief: “You are so ‘wise,’ you have nothing to cook in your house.”

Hearing this, the first thief thought to himself, “This woman is so foolish that she thinks she is very wise.”

Then, along with some relatives, the first thief went to meet the Buddha and recounted the event. The Buddha then spoke as follows:

The fool who knows his foolishness is wise at least so far.

But a fool who thinks himself wise

The Dhammapada, Verse Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a35901/13-phat-tu-doi-tri-dich-benh

is called a fool indeed.

(Dhammapada, Verse 63)

Consequently, all the relatives of the first thief also attained the fruit of Stream-entry. Even with karma as heavy as a thief’s, through activities in maintaining focus on listening to the Sūtra and distancing himself from defilements, he attained the fruit of sainthood.

Thus, the first thief and his relatives became saints by listening to the Dharma; he appeared foolish (because he had no money) but was actually “wise.” Meanwhile, the second thief and his wife had money to spend but created bad karma, bearing the consequence of debt and becoming cattle to pay it back in this life and the next: they thought they were “wise,” but were actually “foolish.”

7.2.d. The Benefits of Listening to the Dharma

How should one listen to the Dharma to have a majestic presence shining like the sun? The Buddha taught the layperson Mahanama sixteen points¹³⁴ as follows:

“Mahanama, if a lay follower (Upasaka) possesses right faith and establishes it in others;

Himself observes pure precepts and establishes others in pure precepts;

Himself practices generosity and teaches others to practice generosity;

Himself goes to temples and stupas to meet the Shramanas, and also teaches others to meet the Shramanas;

Saṃyukta Āgama (Kinh Tạp A-hàm), 929, Section on All Matters (Nhất Thiết Sự). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Ven. Thích Tuệ Sỹ and Ven. Thích Đức Thắng.

https://suttacentral.net/sa929/vi/tue_sy-thang.

Himself diligently listens to the Dharma and also teaches others to listen;

Himself upholds the Dharma and teaches others to uphold it; Himself observes the meaning and also helps others observe it;

Himself knows the deep meaning to practice accordingly— practicing the gift of Dharma and heading toward the Dharma— and also teaches others to understand the deep meaning, practicing accordingly toward the Dharma and giving the Dharma.

Mahanama, one who accomplishes these sixteen things is called a lay follower who can find joy in himself and make others joyful.

Mahanama, if a lay follower accomplishes these sixteen things, then all people in the assemblies of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Householders, and Shramanas will come to them. In these assemblies, their presence is radiant. Just like the sun, its light shines in the morning, noon, and afternoon. Likewise, for any lay follower who accomplishes these sixteen things, their majesty shines at the beginning, middle, and end.”

In general, among all types of giving, the Gift of Dharma (Dharma-dāna) is supreme. Giving the Dharma is offering help to others in understanding the True Dharma heals the body and mind for themselves and others. The Buddha taught two types of giving:

“Bhikkhus, there are these two kinds of giving. Which two? The giving of material things and the giving of the Dharma. These, bhikkhus, are the types of giving. The supreme among these two kinds of giving, bhikkhus, is the gift of the Dharma.”¹³⁵

Aṅguttara Nikāya (Tăng Chi Bộ), The Book of the Fives (Chương 5), Dāna Vagga (The Chapter on Giving), 2.141–150. On Generosity. Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https:// suttacentral.net/ an 2. 141- 150 / vi/ minh_chau

To make the gift of Dharma effective and available for the public to listen to in order to heal themselves and others, we need to implement the Four Means of Integration (Sangaha-vatthu)¹³⁶ as follows:

“Bhikkhus, there are these four means of integration: giving, kind speech, beneficial action, and impartiality. The supreme among types of giving, bhikkhus, is the gift of the Dharma. The supreme among types of kind speech, bhikkhus, is to continue preaching the Dharma to those who desire it and listen attentively. The supreme among beneficial actions, bhikkhus, is for those without faith, to encourage, establish, and settle them in full faith; for those without virtue, to encourage, establish, and settle them in full virtue; for those who are stingy, to encourage, establish, and settle them in generosity; for those with bad wisdom, to encourage, establish, and settle them in full wisdom. Bhikkhus, the supreme in impartiality is the impartiality between a Stream- enterer and a Stream-enterer, a Once-returner and a Once- returner, a Non-returner and a Non-returner, an Arahant and an Arahant. Bhikkhus, this is the power that integrates.”

7.3. CHANTING SŪTRAS

7.3.1. Definition

Chanting (Tụng) is reading aloud, preferably accompanied by a bell, wooden fish, or chime to make the session more solemn. Sūtras (Kinh) are the Buddha’s teachings. Any Sūtra can be chanted; the essential point is to remind us to return to our Buddha-nature, guard our body, speech, and mind against evil, perform good deeds, purify our intentions, and create wholesome karma to avoid the retribution of killing and suffering.

The Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses), The Book of the Fours (Catukka Nipāta), IV. The Chapter on Wheels (Cakka Vagga). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-tangchibo/tangchi04-0406.htm

When sitting to chant, the body, speech, and mind are all gathered in mindfulness—free from agitation or indulgence. Sitting upright and balanced—with joints, ankles, feet, and toes aligned—allows blood to circulate freely. This is an excellent way to enhance health, ward off aging, and strengthen immunity against COVID-19.

The mouth practices mindfulness, refraining from foul language or gossip, and speaking only “words of gold and silver.” Breathing becomes regular and the chanting is rhythmic and unhurried; this causes the circulatory and respiratory systems to create a resonant vibration—facilitating oxygen exchange in the alveoli and assisting the body’s immune response in the respiratory tract.

The mind must focus on every word and verse uttered to subdue distractions and delusions and give rise to concentration (Samadhi) and wisdom (Prajna). Consequently, greed, anger, and afflictions are eliminated, leading to a state of peace and self-mastery. Through this, the immune system is perfected, and the essence, energy, and blood (tinh, khí, huyết) within the body are healed.

According to the Mahāyāna tradition, while the world faces the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, one should chant Sūtras that are appropriate to the timing and situation (khế cơ) and aligned with the truth of relieving suffering (khế lý), such as the Medicine Buddha Sūtra, Universal Door Chapter, Amitabha Sūtra, Ksitigarbha Sūtra, Repentance of the Great Compassionate Names, Compassionate Water Repentance, and Emperor Liang Repentance. These Sūtras represent the vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to bestow joy and relieve suffering, as follows:

7.3.2. Medicine Buddha Sūtra

“O Manjusri! When that World-Honored Medicine Buddha Lapis Lazuli Radiance Tathagata attained Bodhi, by the power of his

fundamental vows, he observed that sentient beings encountered various sicknesses and sufferings such as jaundice, emaciation, fever, typhoid, or were afflicted by sorcery and poison, or met with untimely and premature deaths. Wishing to eliminate these sufferings and fulfill the desires of sentient beings, he entered a samadhi called ‘Eradicating the Sufferings and Afflictions of All Beings.’ While in this samadhi, a great light radiated from his usnisa, and from within that light, he spoke the Great Dharani:

Namo bhagavate bhaiṣajyaguru vaiḍūryaprabharājāya tathāgatāya arhate samyaksambuddhāya tadyathā: Oṃ bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajya-samudgate svāhā.

When this mantra was spoken from the light, the great earth shook and a magnificent radiance shone forth, causing all sentient beings to be freed from sickness and pain and to enjoy peace and happiness.

O Manjusri! If you see any people suffering from illness, you should wash and bathe them to keep them clean. For their sake, chant this mantra 108 times with a single-minded heart over their food, medicine, or germ-free water before giving it to them to drink; then their sicknesses and sufferings will all be eradicated.

If anyone seeks something and chants this mantra with a sincere heart, they will obtain their wishes: they will be free from illness, gain longevity, and after death be reborn in the Pure Lapis Lazuli world, never to fall back, eventually attaining the fruit of Bodhi. Therefore, Manjusri, if there are people who earnestly respect and make offerings to the Medicine Buddha Lapis Lazuli Radiance Tathagata, they should constantly uphold this mantra and never forget it.”¹³⁷

The Medicine Buddha Sūtra Chanting Ceremony for Blessing and Peace, compiled by Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing 2020.

7.3.3. Water Repentance Sūtra

“We, named... with our perverted natures, have been sinking toward the four unhappy realms; our true nature obscured, we have been wandering endlessly within the six paths. Our karma of body, speech, and mind has been unrestrained due to indulgence in greed, anger, and ignorance. We have acted recklessly, creating boundless karmic obstacles, following evil and heterodoxy, and committing many errors...

We vow that by the merit of repenting these sins of killing, in every lifetime we shall obtain a body as firm and durable as a diamond, live infinitely long, remain far from resentment and hatred, and no longer harbor thoughts of killing.”¹³⁸

The Water Repentance Sūtra is a method of repentance for the living and can also be performed on behalf of the deceased. This method is titled the Compassionate Water Repentance— abbreviated as Water Repentance—meaning the water of compassion used to wash away past mistakes and to reconcile with karmic creditors, thereby cleansing the COVID-19 infections.

Life is currently threatened by the Coronavirus pandemic, and many patients die in lonely silence without a single relative by their side. It is encouraged to chant the Compassionate Water Repentance in place of those spirits. And if seeking to pray for their rebirth, chant the Amitabha Sūtra, Ksitigarbha Sūtra, Ullambana Sūtra, or the Sūtra on the Profound Kindness of Parents. If you know relatives or strangers who are in the

https://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/phat-phap/nghi- le/8560-duoc- su-kinh

The Compassionate Water Repentance Ritual (Lapis Lazuli Samadhi Water Repentance). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Huyền Religious Publishing House.

https://daibaothapmandalataythien.org/tu-bi-thuy-sam-phap-viet-dich-ht-thich- huyen-dung

hospital or quarantined at home with COVID-19, chant Sūtras for peace and healing such as the Universal Door Chapter, Medicine Buddha Sūtra, etc.

In the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, monks and laypeople often chant specific verses known as Parittas (Protection Chants) to safeguard against illness and calamity, or the Girimananda Sutta, which possesses the power to heal, overcome disease, and maintain health through the majestic power of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

7.3.4. Paritta Protection Suttas

“By the majestic power of the Buddha, may all bad omens, unfavorable things, unpleasant sounds of birds or beasts, adversities, and dissatisfying dreams be completely dispelled.

By the majestic power of the Dhamma, may all bad omens, unfavorable things, unpleasant sounds of birds or beasts, adversities, and dissatisfying dreams be completely dispelled.

By the majestic power of the Sangha, may all bad omens, unfavorable things, unpleasant sounds of birds or beasts, adversities, and dissatisfying dreams be completely dispelled.

May all beings who have encountered suffering be free from suffering; may those who have encountered fear be free from fear; may those who have encountered sorrow be free from sorrow.

May the Devas rejoice in the merits we have created, so that all happiness may be achieved.

Let all people practice generosity, uphold the precepts, and always find joy in Meditation (Buddha Recitation). Now that the Devas have arrived, we invite them to return to their realms.

All the Perfectly Enlightened Ones maintain power, the Solitary Buddhas (Pratyekabuddhas) also have power, and the Arahants

also have power; I seek to bind this protection through the complete radiance (of those powers).”¹³⁹

7.3.5. Girimānanda Sutta (Sutta on Healing Illness)

“Ananda, if you go to the bhikkhu Girimānanda and repeat to him these ten perceptions, it is possible that after hearing them, the bhikkhu Girimānanda’s illness may immediately subside.

What are those ten perceptions? They are the perception of impermanence, the perception of non-self, the perception of impurity, the perception of danger, the perception of abandonment, the perception of detachment, the perception of cessation, the perception of disenchantment, the perception of the conditioned as transitory, and mindfulness of in-and-out breathing...

Then the venerable Ananda, having learned these ten perceptions from the Blessed One, went to the venerable Girimānanda and repeated them. At that time, after hearing them, the venerable Girimānanda’s grave illness immediately subsided. The illness of the venerable Girimānanda was cured by such an event.”¹⁴⁰

Sūtra verses and chants flow from the source of compassion and the wisdom of the Buddha; therefore, if we chant and practice them, the merit is boundless. They have the power to dispel disasters and resolve hardships.

When chanting, our three karmas of body, speech, and mind are purified because we do not intend evil or unwholesome things. As soon as the chant begins, Devas, Dharma Protectors, and Bodhisattvas descend to provide protection; thus, the retreat center, the place of chanting, or the private home all become

Pakiṇṇakaparitta – The Concluding Liturgy of the Blessing and Protection Sūtras.

https://theravada.vn/pali-kinh- tung-sau-cung-cac-kinh-cau-an/

Anguttaranikàya (Tăng Chi Bộ), Kinh Giải Bệnh Girimānanda (Kinh Kỳ- Lợi-Ma-Nan).

blessed, pure, and solemn.

Chanting in the early morning around 5:00 or 6:00 AM is the purest time. After a night of rest, when busyness and afflictions have settled, chanting or reading Sūtras will be most effective, profound, and deeply understood—just as temples ring bells, meditate, and chant at dawn before the morning star appears.

If you are unwell and cannot chant aloud, you may read silently or simply stabilize your mind to contemplate the Sūtra verses and the Buddha’s teachings. This will still bring great effectiveness and miraculous healing results.

Concentrating the mind on the Buddha’s words, combined with boundless reverence and unshakeable faith, uproots delusions to generate the power of Samadhi. This power can push back karmic obstacles, heal the body and mind, and give birth to wisdom. Consequently, wherever the Sūtra resonates, beings of both the light and dark realms—including insects, creatures under the earth, on the earth, in the sky, and across the ten directions—receive benefits, guidance, and awakening. Even the Coronavirus species may, through this, establish a connection with the Triple Gem within those prayers, agreeing to leave the patient’s body.

“Chanting is for dwelling the mind in the sublime Dhamma, to understand the Buddha’s teachings and then practice them. The miraculous use of the Buddha-Dharma lies right here. Diligently reciting the scriptures without practicing them creates only a tiny amount of merit and can hardly bring about superior results.”¹⁴¹

Every Sūtra is precious; the important thing is that we sincerely understand and practice it to receive the benefits. The words

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a38291/kinh-giai-benh-girima-nanda-sutta

Chúc Phú, Critical Analysis of the Medicine Buddha Sūtra (Khảo Biện về Kinh Dược Sư).

https://giacngo.vn/khao-bien-ve-kinh-duoc-su-post38425.html

taught by the Buddha in the scriptures are in harmony with the Truth and the capacity of sentient beings.

7.4. MEDITATION PRACTICES FOR HEALING THE FEAR OF COVID-19

Sakyamuni Buddha is a Great Teacher and a Saint of humanity, famous for transmitting the “leakless” (anasrava) method of Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom. The teachings he left behind consists of nothing but these three pillars.

Meditation is one of those three legs. This is a method of stabilizing the mind; through stillness, clear wisdom arises, possessing the ability to heal many illnesses, balance the psyche, and escape the feelings of fear and suffering caused by COVID-19.

7.4.1. Definition

Mindful and wakeful meditation means dwelling in the “here and now,” as Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh often said. Meditation helps reduce stress, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic brings much anxiety and danger to the lives of ourselves, our families, and our fellow beings.

There are many ways to meditate, but the simplest and most popular methods abroad are mindfulness meditation, breath- counting (anapanasati—observing the breath as part of the “Contemplation of the Body” in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness), and the Pure Land meditation of Buddha Recitation.

7.4.2. Meditation Posture

The connection between meditation practice and health has existed in the Buddhist tradition for a very long time. Many scientists, psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and commercial institutions have emphasized the great contribution of mindfulness meditation in reducing stress, disorders, and anxiety. This is because meditation is a form of exercise that creates a balanced environment for the body, mind, and surroundings. Meditation allows the brain to rest and restores calmness, bringing peace both internally and externally.

Therefore, meditation is considered an invaluable tonic for the psychosomatic system, aiding in quiet relaxation, increasing work productivity, improving the body’s immune function, lowering blood pressure, enhancing cognitive function, restoring physical health, and dispelling many illusory fears, panic, stress, suspicion, and anxiety.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a golden opportunity for us to truly let go of busyness, live patiently, and have plenty of time to sit serenely in meditation, contemplating the nature of life and the Coronavirus that is invading the human planet.

Due to isolation and social distancing, the environment is quiet and free from the bustle. We should choose an appropriate time to sit upright, facing a statue of the Buddha. Adjusting the posture to the full-lotus position (crossing both legs with both soles upward), half-lotus (one leg on top, one below), or on a chair (both legs hanging down) all bring immense benefits. Most importantly, keep the back, head, neck, joints, and spine as straight as a wall. Place both hands lightly on the legs, with the tips of the thumbs touching to allow energy to circulate. Keep the eyes open, looking down at a distance of about half a meter. Let the whole body relax naturally and gradually settle the mind—just like a glass of muddy water left still, where the sand and mud naturally sink, and the water becomes clear. Because the body is aligned in a straight line, breath and blood circulate effectively; the body actively engages in oxygen exchange in the alveoli and increases respiratory secretions, which is very effective for control against SARS-CoV.

Thus, meditation is a proven healing method that is currently popular not only in Buddhism but also in other religions or secular settings like schools, offices, nursing homes, the military, and hospitals. They practice meditation as a useful manual for living at any time or space.

7.4.3. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna)

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness consist of: contemplation of the body in the body, contemplation of feelings in feelings, contemplation of the mind in the mind, and contemplation of phenomena in phenomena. Meditation following the breath belongs to using wisdom to contemplate the body in the body.

“What are the four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu lives contemplating the body in the body, contemplating feelings in feelings, contemplating the mind in the mind, contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, and mindful, to overcome greed and distress in the world.

“Contemplation of the body—mindfulness of breathing: Bhikkhus, how does one live contemplating the body in the body? A practitioner goes to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty house, sits down cross-legged, keeps the back straight, and directs mindfulness to the front. Mindfully he breathes in, mindfully he breathes out. When breathing in a long breath, he clearly knows: ‘I am breathing in a long breath’; when breathing out a long breath, he clearly knows: ‘I am breathing out a long breath.’ When breathing in a short breath, he clearly knows: ‘I am breathing in a short breath’; when breathing out a short breath, he clearly knows: ‘I am breathing out a short breath.’ He trains himself: ‘Feeling the whole body, I shall breathe in’; he trains himself: ‘Feeling the whole body, I shall breathe out’; he trains himself: ‘Calming the bodily formations, I shall breathe in’; he trains himself: ‘Calming the bodily formations, I shall breathe out.’ Just as a skilled turner or his apprentice, when making a long turn, knows: ‘I am making a long turn,’ or when making a short turn, knows: ‘I am making a short turn,’ so too for the practitioner.”¹⁴²

When practiced gradually, mindfulness of the body, feelings, mind, and phenomena (The Four Foundations of Mindfulness)¹⁴³ will lead to the mindfulness required to overcome the greed and distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the world.

We walk the middle path of moderation and harmony. We live in harmony with the environment and society. Instead of fear, despair, boredom, we actively sit in meditation and actively join society in fighting COVID-19. In-person meetings may be scarce, but opening online Zoom meditation classes provides convenience and effectively increases the number of people who are stable, optimistic, and healthy.

The physical earth is always changing. All are governed by the laws of birth-old age-sickness-death, arising-staying-changing- ceasing, formation-duration-destruction-emptiness, and the principle of dependent origination. When one exists, all exist. When one ceases, all cease. Therefore, if we meditate and radiate steady energy, love, and understanding to all species, they too will feel that energy and find stability. Just as lighting one lamp provides a flicker of light, but a thousand lamps shine much brighter. Let us sit in meditation together so that more energy can be radiated, helping a world invaded by COVID-19 to find peace.

This is Vipassana (insight wisdom)—wakefully observing

Majjhima Nikaya (Trung Bộ Kinh), Satipatthàna sutta (Kinh Niệm xứ). https://quangduc.com/a33515/thien-su-tinh-lang-cua-tam

Satipatthàna sutta (Kinh Tứ Niệm Xứ), preached by Most Bhikṣuṇī Hải Triều Âm

https://daibaothapmandalataythien.org/kinh-tu-niem-xu-tkn-hai-trieu-am

whatever is happening, every reaction, emotion, and movement of the body and mind, like a mirror reflecting objects coming and going without the slightest judgment or comparison.

There are many ways to practice mindfulness meditation, from simple to advanced levels. One of the easiest and simplest ways is to count breaths to anchor the mind—this is contemplating the body in the body. When breathing in and out, count one. Breathe in and out, count two... until the ten. After reaching ten, return to one, two, and so on until ten. Repeat this cycle from one to ten. The purpose of counting is to tie the mind to the numbers and the breath, so it does not wander.

Once proficient in this introductory exercise, move to the second stage: following the breath. Perceive the flow of air entering through the nostrils and leaving through the nostrils (or mouth). When the mind leaves the breath (wanders), use mindfulness to recognize this immediately and pull the mind back to the breath. Pay attention to the flow entering and exiting, from the nose down to the đan điền (lower dantian—about three finger-widths below the navel) and from the đan điền back to the tip of the nose. Feel the warmth or coolness of the air.

Whether counting or following the breath, one should apply abdominal breathing (diaphragmatic breathing) like an infant. When inhaling, the belly expands; when exhaling, the belly flattens.

To practice this contemplation of the body, find a quiet place. You can sit on a chair or a cushion/zafu. Sitting before a Buddha statue enhances the meditation but is not required. Relax with a straight back. Place the right hand in the palm of the left, with the thumbs touching. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Focus on the rise and fall of the chest and abdomen. Additionally, you can note the coolness of the air during inhalation and the warmth during exhalation. Be relaxed and natural. Gently follow the breath in and out.

During practice, following the breath may be interrupted by the habit of wandering thoughts. Gently return to the breath. You can practice this simple technique for 15 minutes or more daily. Practice is only effective when done consistently.

Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh, the world-renowned master of mindful breathing, taught:

“Life is only available in the present moment, so with every step, let us return to the present moment to gain more steady energy and ease. Then, each step will help us touch life and its wonders deeply. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh once wrote: ‘I vow that with every step I will focus on my breath and the contact between my feet and the miraculous earth... The wonders of life are present right in this moment, from the flower bud, the pebble, the stream, the squirrel, the bird’s song, to the moon, wind, and stars. I know that I am alive, that I have two healthy legs walking with ease on the earth—this is a miracle, a great supernatural power.’”¹⁴⁴

Happiness can be found in the “here and now.” We do not need a lot of money or even a luxury home to be considered happy. We can live simply, practice mindfulness, and become happy with every moment we breathe. We feel ourselves breathing, looking at the grass or the blue sky, fully enjoying the peace of each kshana while we are healthy and living with loved ones.

Money, power, and indulgence do not give us happiness. To achieve psychological balance during this pandemic, we must practice mindfulness in daily life. We need to live more slowly and think more deeply. Sometimes work and worries pull us far away from our inner selves. The COVID-19 pandemiccan act as an opportunity to help us stabilize our minds and understand where the true values of life lie. Mindfulness helps us return to our true nature. We need to observe ourselves—from body to

Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh, The Art of Mindful Living. https://plumvillage.org/mindfulness/mindfulness-practice

speech and mind. We must know how to master ourselves in life and not let negative circumstances pull or dominate us.

Zen Master Kōshō Uchiyama, of the Japanese Soto Zen lineage,¹⁴⁵ said of their practice:

“When we practice zazen, does it mean all thoughts must stop and the head must be empty? No, of course not. As long as we are alive, it is natural for thoughts to arise, even during zazen. The important thing is to let them come and go without following them or trying to suppress them. Treat them like clouds in the sky—they come and go automatically. If a thought arises, simply do not follow it, do not be attached, and do not grasp it; there is no need to worry about destroying it.”

Zen Master Kōshō Uchiyama taught us that when practicing daily meditation, we should always maintain the mind in mindfulness. Be gentle with wandering thoughts; simply observe them and watch them drift away like clouds in the sky. We remain as the serene and liberated master who quietly observes.

By practicing in this manner, we develop calmness and equanimity, eliminate anxiety and fear, and minimize the disturbances caused by social media. This practice increases concentration and cognitive function while improving our internal immune system. Additionally, mindfulness meditation motivates us to actively engage in positive habits such as physical exercise, healthy eating, and reducing or quitting the use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. According to scientific studies, these habits help strengthen immunity, lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and protect against Coronavirus. This is the significance of the contribution of Right Concentration (Sammā-samādhi) to individuals and society.

Tâm Thái, The Sixth Patriarch Huineng – The Dharma Door of No- Thought (Wunian) (Lục tổ Huệ Năng - Pháp môn Vô Niệm.) https://www.buddhismtoday.com/viet/phatphap/phapmon_vo_niem.htm

Mindfulness meditation, also known as Right Concentration, is one of the paths of the Noble Eightfold Path¹⁴⁶ taught by the Blessed One to end suffering and attain happiness. When Right Concentration is combined with maintaining the purity of body, speech, and mind—namely, keeping the precepts (Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood)—it helps us form a sturdy defense against the Coronavirus and many other diseases, providing the clarity to resolve life’s difficult challenges.

Both the Pāli and Sanskrit canons emphasize that mindfulness meditation not only reduces mental stress but also directly heals many physical ailments. For instance, in the Girimānanda Sutta¹⁴⁷ of the Theravada tradition (codified in the 1st century BCE), the Venerable Girimānanda recovered his health after listening to and practicing the mindfulness taught in this sutta. Similarly, the Vimalakīrti Sūtra of the Mahayana tradition (appearing around the 2nd century CE) speaks of the lay practitioner Vimalakīrti, who realized the nature of Emptiness (Śūnyatā) and mastered the illnesses of the body. He manifested illness to teach the Bodhisattvas that “Because sentient beings are ill, I am ill.”¹⁴⁸ Furthermore, the Samādhi mantras of Vajrayana Buddhism (appearing from the 5th century CE)

The Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Summarized as the threefold training: Wisdom (Paññā) – Virtue (Sīla) – Concentration (Samādhi).

Aṅguttara Nikāya 60: Girimānanda Sutta. This sutta is famous for listing ten perceptions (such as impermanence and non-self) that act as a spiritual salve for physical pain

Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra, translated into Vietnamese by Thích Huệ Hưng.: The famous quote “Because sentient beings are sick, I am sick” (Tùng chúng sinh bệnh, thị cố ngã bệnh) illustrates the Great Compassion (Mahākaruṇā) of the Bodhisattva, connecting individual health to the collective state of the

https://www.matthuongnhindoi.org/index.php/phap-am/ii-kinh-van-phat-trien/ kinh-duy-ma-cat

possess the ability to harmonize the subtle energies within the body to effectively heal diseases.

In summary, despite the differences in the form of mindfulness practice across various Buddhist traditions and cultures, the results of meditation generally lead to the power of healing or disease prevention. Correct meditation is a spiritual method that is highly compatible with the science of psychiatry and psychotherapy. Practicing meditation during a pandemic is perfectly suited to the requirements of isolating from the Covid-19 bacteria and halting the large-scale spread of the virus.

7.4.4. Meditation to Heal Fear and Subdue Grief

The Buddha taught: “Bhikkhus, what are the tasks most worth doing? We must know how to be mindfully aware of our every thought and movement: when walking forward or backward, be clearly aware; when looking straight or looking around, be clearly aware; when bending or stretching limbs, be clearly aware; when wearing robes or carrying the alms bowl, be clearly aware; when eating or drinking, be clearly aware; when defecating or urinating, be clearly aware; when walking, standing, sitting, lying, waking, sleeping, speaking, or remaining silent, be clearly aware.”¹⁴⁹

The method of mindfulness and clear awareness helps us clearly recognize our thoughts, words, and actions without giving rise to a mind of clinging or chasing after them; we simply observe and contemplate.

The pandemic can cause many people to fear and worry about the present and the future. To create a stable social psychology, we need a correct perception of the COVID-19 disease. Therefore, it is necessary to access media that provides complete information

Satipatthàna sutta (Kinh Tứ Niệm Xứ), preached by Most Bhikṣuṇī Hải Triều Âm.

https://daibaothapmandalataythien.org/kinh-tu-niem-xu-tkn-hai-trieu-am

about the Coronavirus and promptly acquire knowledge on prevention and create a wave of social psychological stability based on mindfulness. Equipped with awareness and knowledge, we can maintain a preventive mindset and peace in the face of the epidemic.

Buddhists can apply the principles of the Dharma and meditation to reduce fear and anxiety. Practicing meditation allows one to enjoy the peace of the in-and-out breath in the present moment and focus on positive things in life.

If we know how to practice, we will be steadfast, and there will be nothing to fear regarding the attack of the Coronavirus. Meditating, living slowly, and contemplating with awakening reveals that worldly life is like a play of a hundred-year human lifespan. Life and death, sickness and health, wealth and poverty, honor and shame, happiness and suffering are all just fleeting appearances—coming and going due to karma—and are not ultimate reality. Therefore, we stabilize our minds in practice and do not cling too tightly or be overly influenced by the epidemic or external impermanent circumstances. Because the infiltration of the Coronavirus is beyond our control, H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama advised: “If something can be done—then do it, no need to worry. If nothing more can be done, worrying will not help.”¹⁵⁰

According to Giác Ngộ newspaper, the Buddhist media agency in Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon saw 599 patients pass away in just two days (August 21–22, 2021). Thus, every hour in Saigon, more than 12 people died due to the Delta variant. Most Venerable Thich Trí Quảng,¹⁵¹ head of the City’s Buddhist

Message from His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, regarding

COVID-19.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a33678/thu-cua-duc-dat-lai-lat-ma-ve-dai-dich- coronavirus

Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of August 23, 2021: Never before has it

Sangha, reassured fellow Buddhists through meditation and steadfastness:

“We remember at the beginning of summer, the epidemic only started at a small mission center which we did not notice, then it expanded to one, then two points, and gradually spread until July 18, when Ho Chi Minh City announced over 4,000 cases. This made the Sangha and Buddhists somewhat unsettled.

Everyone wants the COVID-19 epidemic to end quickly to return to normal life. However, the more we worry and desire, the less we understand the origin of the virus, the way it causes disease, and the way to prevent it, which only allows the epidemic to grow stronger.

Epidemics arise from the evil karma of humans, creating a social environment that becomes degenerate. According to the Buddha, everything originates from the mind, so we must think about destroying the virus at its root right from the human mind. If we become more unsettled and fearful, we create the ideal conditions for it to develop further.

Therefore, we need to be calm and wise to know clearly what we must do to prevent this epidemic. First, we know COVID-19 is a respiratory infection, primarily transmitted from person to person. Thus, if we isolate person from person, the virus cannot be transmitted; that is the most important thing to know.”

7.4.5. Meditation to Assist in Healing COVID-19

In the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Discourse on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness), the Buddha teaches us to contemplate the body in the body, which includes mindfulness, clear awareness, and focused attention on following the breath-counting. The goal is to help us dwell the mind at the tip of the nose and return to been like today.

https://giacngo.vn/tphcm-sang-23-8-2021-chua-bao-gio-nhu-hom-nay- post58235.html

reality, “here and now.” Peace is found in every breath.

Practicing walking meditation and following the breath step- by-step within a pure garden space during social distancing in the COVID-19 season is an effective meditation method to improve the body’s immune function, lower blood pressure, and enhance cognitive function to combat the pandemic and alleviate suffering.

Breath meditation is easy and readily available at our own nostrils; there is no need to look far. Its immense benefits bring the fundamental and necessary peace of life, such as stabilizing our mind, living slowly, and reducing cravings, afflictions, and delusions. The body also settles, wandering less, becoming light and leisurely in mindfulness to avoid mistakes. Life becomes safe, controlled, and wakeful, free from chaos, fear, and despair.

The breath helps us anchor the mind in every movement: “Breathing in short, I know I am breathing in short. Breathing in long, I know I am breathing in long,” “washing hands, I know I am washing hands,” “turning on the water, I know I am turning on the water—” slowly and cleanly, thus preventing infection and dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic between oneself and others. Breath meditation is an important Dharma door and an effective physical and psychological medicine that the Blessed One, the teacher of humanity, has left for us.

In Buddhism, illness is caused by the body, the mind, and karma.

Physical illness is caused by an imbalance of the four elements: Earth (flesh, tendons, bones, marrow, kidneys...), Water (blood, pus, sweat, ..), Wind (breath), and Fire (body heat). Excess cold is due to a lack of fire, causing aches and pains. High fever is due to a lack of coolness, making the breath obstructed like a blazing fire. Too much earth leads to obesity. Too much water leads to edema and weakness... therefore, the four elements must be balanced—neither too much nor too little. Eating in moderation, exercising, walking, and meditating on the body are ways to avoid physical illness.

Mental illness is caused by clinging to the delusions of greed, anger, and ignorance as one’s own Because we take them to be real, we are driven to create karma. “I love, I hate, I suffer, I am happy, I am depressed, anxious, or hopeless [due to fear of COVID-19],” these are all deluded attachments. Recognizing that negative mental states are not real, we must not let them dictate our karmic actions; instead, we must nourish positive states and strengthen psychological health through love, understanding, forgiveness, friendliness, diligence, patience, and altruism. Health of the mind leads to health of the body. A negative mind is easily corrupted—leading to alcohol or drug abuse— resulting in a sickly body and premature death. Conversely, a stable and uplifting mind influences the internal organs, leading to longevity and resilience in facing the pandemic.
Karmic illness is caused by the karma of killing, causing pain to the bodies and minds of people or animals. Now, one experiences the retribution of that bad karma, causing the body to be This “karmic disease” is described by the Buddha in the Cūḷakammavibhanga Sutta (The Shorter Exposition of Action)¹⁵²:

“The student Subha Todeyyaputta went to the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him... Sitting to one side, he said to the Blessed One: -- Master Gotama, what is the cause and condition why human beings are seen to be inferior and superior? Master Gotama, we see some who are short-lived and some who are long-lived; some who are sickly and some who are healthy; some who are ugly and some who are beautiful; some who are powerless and some who are powerful; some who are poor and

Majjhima Nikaya, 135. Cùlakammavibhanga sutta (Tiểu Kinh Nghiệp Phân Biệt) https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-trungbo/trung135.htm

some who are wealthy; some who are low-born and some who are high-born; some who are ignorant and some who are wise. Master Gotama, what is the cause and condition why human beings are seen to be inferior and superior? -- Student, beings are the owners of their actions (karma), heirs of their actions; they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, and have their actions as their refuge. It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior. -- Here, student, some woman or man is a killer of living beings, murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings. Due to such karma... after the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. If... he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is short-lived. This is the way that leads to being short-lived... namely, being a killer of living beings.”

Due to harming, beating, torturing, and killing sentient beings, and failing to cultivate a heart of compassion or practicing the release of life, illness is formed by our own past or present habitual actions, not by anyone else.

The above scripture distinguishes very clearly: a weak and sickly body is due to evil karma—”killing, cruelty, blood- stained hands, a mind specialized in harming and wounding, lacking compassion for all types of beings due to harassment, beating, torturing, and killing sentient beings, not cultivating a compassionate mind, and not knowing how to release life to save creatures.”

Conversely, those who create good karma—such as practicing generosity, releasing life, being vegetarian, reciting the Buddha’s name, chanting Sūtras, maintaining mantras and repentance, meditating, being altruistic, and helping others—will receive blessings in their current life: longevity, wealth, health, and happiness.

Illness is one of the eight types of suffering that we humans must face. Buddhism has a saying, “The body is ill, but the mind is not ill.” This means that while the body is subject to birth, staying, changing, and ceasing due to past or present karmic retribution, the mind remains steadfast and fearless. This is because the “Buddha-mind” is our true self, while the physical body is merely temporary karmic retribution that will depart with impermanence. The meditation practices of Buddhism help us contemplate the true nature of this life so that we may live peacefully, sacrificially, and with meaningful service.

7.4.6. Meditation to Awaken to Impermanence, Non-Self, Suffering, and Emptiness (The Four Dharma Seals)

Practicing deep breathing and focusing on the breath is a simple yet very effective way to awaken to the truth that life is impermanent, non-self, suffering, and empty. Inhale through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth as if you are blowing through a straw (input through the nose and output through the mouth).

Simply focusing on the breath in this way helps us concentrate on the present and live in the present. The present is the only moment in which we can truly live and maintain control. The past, even if it was only a minute ago, and the future, even if it is only a second away, are both beyond our control.

Breathe very gently (soft) to awaken to the fact that life is impermanent, non-self, suffering, and empty. Concentrate the mind on the breath until you see yourself and the breath as one. In mindfulness and wakefulness, follow the breath until you no longer perceive the environment, body, and mind as separate— they are one. Mindfulness of breath is also mindfulness of the body and mindfulness of the mind. The breath becomes gentle and crystal clear. Body and mind merge into one with the breath and thus become invisible, weightless, and serene. Radiate this energy of serenity to your entire body and those around you.

Within the breath, meditation reveals impermanence (the change of in and out, out and in; nothing remains the same), non-self (there is no “me” or name, only the rising and falling of breath at the nose and abdomen), emptiness (exhaling without inhaling or inhaling without exhaling is death, emptiness, because the life faculty clings to a short breath), and suffering (during the Covid-19 pandemic, microbes invade the lungs making it hard to breathe; the breath is infected, leading to pain and fear).

Thus, from sitting in meditation to following the breath, one transitions to contemplating the Four Dharma Seals (impermanence, non-self, suffering, and emptiness). Through the breath and through the infections and deaths of Covid-19, it is proven once again that life is very impermanent. Life is here, and then death is here. If we truly realize this obvious truth, we will be able to focus more on each breath and each moment of our present life to achieve the ultimate goal and true purpose of anyone’s life: happiness. To be at peace and self-mastered, to live serenely, so that even if life ends in a minute or a second, there is no regret. Because regret changes nothing when one’s karmic force has arrived.

7.4.7. Breath-Counting Meditation Leading to the Serenity

of Meditative Absorptions

During the Buddha’s time, the holy ones practiced breath- counting and attained the stages of the first, second, third, and fourth jhanas (meditative absorptions). These states of serenity and stillness are beautifully described in the Majjhima Nikaya¹⁵³ and Anguttara Nikaya¹⁵⁴—for example, the practitioner feels their whole body saturated with concentrated happiness, and the skin of the entire body feels as if rubbed with bathing powder (the first jhana, where initial and sustained attention are stilled).

In the second jhana, the practitioner feels the wind of impermanence flowing continuously through the body and mind; the practitioner lets go of everything, all out-flows and afflictions.

Upon attaining the First Jhana, speech is
Upon attaining the Second Jhana, initial and sustained attention (vitakka-vicara) are stilled.
Upon attaining the Third Jhana, rapture (piti) is
Upon attaining the Fourth Jhana, the breath becomes very subtle and is stilled.

For a monk who has eradicated all out-flows, greed is destroyed, anger is destroyed, and ignorance is destroyed. In the Rahogata Sutta (Living Alone)¹⁵⁵, the Buddha taught:

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses) 52: Aṭṭhakanāgara Sutta (The Discourse at the City of Aṭṭhaka). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://suttacentral.net/mn52/vi/minh_chau

Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses) Vol. III-A, 411–419, “The Blessed One’s Path to Enlightenment.” Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu, 1981.

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-thuctai/thuctai04.htm

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses) 36: Vedanā-saṃyutta (The Connected Discourses on Feeling), Part Two, 11. Rahogata Sutta (The

“And how, bhikkhus, is mindfulness of the body developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and great benefit? Here, a bhikkhu goes to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut and sits down cross-legged, keeps his back straight, and establishes mindfulness in front of him. Mindfully he breathes in, mindfully he breathes out...”

Whether in the Sutta on Living Alone or the Girimananda Sutta (The Discourse to Venerable Girimānanda on the Healing of Illness - Kinh Giải Bịnh),¹⁵⁶ the Buddha taught mindfulness of the in-and-out breath to resolve illness. He guided the Venerable Girimananda to be mindful of the long and short breaths, awareness of the whole body, and calming the bodily formations.

“Here, a monk, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down cross-legged, keeps his body erect, and establishes mindfulness before him. Mindfully he breathes in, mindfully he breathes out.

-When breathing in a long breath, he knows: ‘I am breathing in a long breath.’

When breathing out a long breath, he knows: ‘I am breathing out a long ’

-When breathing in a short breath, he knows: ‘I am breathing in a short breath.’

-When breathing out a short breath, he knows: ‘I am breathing out a short breath.’

Discourse on Staying Alone). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://suttacentral.net/sn36.11/vi/minh_chau.

Anguttaranikàya (Tăng Chi Bộ), The Girimānanda Sutta: The Discourse to Venerable Girimānanda on the Healing of Illness. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a38291/kinh-giai-benh-girima-nanda-sutta.

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in experiencing the whole body.’

He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in calming the bodily ’
He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in experiencing ’

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in experiencing pleasure.’

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in experiencing the mental formation.’

He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in calming the mental ’

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in experiencing the mind.’

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in gladdening the mind.’

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in concentrating the mind.’

---He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in liberating the mind.’

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in contemplating impermanence.’

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in contemplating fading away.’

-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in contemplating cessation.’-He trains himself: ‘I will breathe in contemplating relinquishment.’

O Ānanda, this is called Mindfulness of Breathing. After hearing this, the grave illness of Venerable Girimānanda immediately subsided. In this way, the illness of Venerable Girimānan da was cured.”

Essentially, Venerable Girimānanda relied on the breath to pacify both body and mind. The Coronavirus is expelled with the out-breath, and fresh air is brought into the lungs with the in-breath. By practicing this gradually, the illness is cured, the body becomes healthy, concentration arises, and wisdom shines.

The ancients said: “When the spirit is still, wisdom shines.” Just as a glass of muddy water becomes clear when left undisturbed, when the dust settles, the water becomes transparent. When transparent, one can see clearly through to the other side. Thus, the Buddha taught: “Concentration gives birth to Wisdom.”

Not only followers of the Buddha, but everyone requires concentration (concentration/focus) to foster creativity and enhance efficiency. Everyone needs to quiet the mind, whether through sitting or walking meditation, to achieve results in both spiritual and secular life, as affirmed in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta “Monks, whoever should develop these four foundations of mindfulness in such a manner for seven years... or even seven days, can expect one of two fruits: either final knowledge (Arahantship) in this very life or, if there is a residue of clinging, the state of non-returning. Monks, this is the only way for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the destruction of suffering and grief, for reaching the right path, for the realization of Nibbāna.”¹⁵⁷

Sitting meditation replenishes the essence and spiritual energy of both the soul and the universe. The practice of meditation has such a miraculous and transcendent effect. Therefore, the more one exerts effort in meditation during this Corona pandemic, the better.

In April 2020, the Dhammakaya organization in Thailand utilized YouTube to call upon approximately 3 million members worldwide to join together for “Meditation against Coronavirus.” They aimed to accumulate one million minutes of collective meditation on April 22, 2020, as an act to “heal the world’s wounds.”¹⁵⁸

Satipatthàna sutta (Kinh Tứ Niệm Xứ), preached by Most Bhikṣuṇī Hải Triều Âm.

https://daibaothapmandalataythien.org/kinh-tu-niem-xu-tkn-hai-trieu-am 158.Pitcha Dangprasith and Lillian Suwanrumpha, “Thai Monks Make Virus

A passage found on the internet (author unknown) describes a patient hospitalized for ten days who contemplated the Buddha’s teachings throughout. They sincerely repented, prayed, stilled their mind, and increased their SARS-CoV-2 immunity, miraculously escaping death as follows (in the next section):

7.4.8. Body and Mind During Ten Days of Hospitalization:

Contemplating the Buddha’s Teachings

Being in the hospital is like going on a retreat; you live with yourself and experience life and death. I will travel for ten days with my body and mind. Carrying a small bag, I entered the hospital room and began to encounter my life and my illness. From this perspective, it was a precious opportunity; I could no longer use work busyness as an excuse to escape. This ten- day retreat was an invaluable chance for me to settle down and reconnect with my body and mind.

Because it was my first time being hospitalized, everything was new, and the experiences were completely different from daily familiarity. The eyes saw only people and events related to illness; the ears heard only moans and sad sighs; the nose smelled only medicine and sickness; the tongue tasted only bitterness; and the body touched only the cold surfaces of medical equipment or the sting of needles. The mental and physical experience of the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—was very strange and uncomfortable.

I suffered much during that time, but the most miserable challenge was physical pain. This pain would not let me sit, lie down, or sleep, and sometimes make it hard to breathe. The feeling of suffocation when ravaged by fierce pain cannot be described in words for a doctor to understand. This agony

Masks from Recycled Plastic,” Agence France-Presse(via The Jakarta Post), accessed 17 April 2020, https://www.thejakartapost.com/seasia/2020/03/24/thai-monks-make-virus masks-from-recycled-plastic.html.

was perhaps similar to the pain described by Khemaka in the Samyutta Nikaya:¹⁵⁹ “This pain is as if a butcher were using a sharp knife to slash the belly of a living ox to pull out its internal organs.” I was shocked at how accurately the scripture described my state.

Pain as a Koan: This unbearable pain made me wonder: What kind of teaching can help me overcome this intense suffering? Beyond physical pain, I had to face the uncertainty of the illness. Death is unavoidable, and the issue of death often appeared in my mind, bringing much anxiety.

In this situation, as I sought to face pain and death, I began to reflect more deeply: What teachings of the Buddha can I rely on for the rest of my life? How did the Buddha guide the sick and the dying? These questions whirled in my mind like a “hua tou” (thoại đầu)—a word or phrase to contemplate in Zen Buddhism, often called a “koan.”

Seeking Inspiration from the Scriptures: After leaving the hospital, I began to examine the suttas to find a practice suitable for the sick and dying. I found a group of suttas in the Samyutta Nikaya recording the Buddha’s teachings on facing illness, pain, and death. I was surprised to discover a concise, simple, and systematic presentation. The more I analyzed them, the more I rejoiced in the Buddha’s wonderful healing meditation methods.

7.5. BUDDHA RECITATION

7.5.1. Definition

Recitation (Niệm) means to remember or contemplate. Reciting

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses) 143: Anāthapiṇḍikovāda Sutta (Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.143.than.html

the name of Amitābha Buddha—remembering and chanting his name aloud or silently—is also a way to heal from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It involves contemplating the golden physical form and virtues of Amitābha Buddha, the Pure Land patriarchs, Great Strength Bodhisattva (Mahāsthāmaprāpta), and the assembly of saints, striving to follow in their footsteps and relying on the protective spiritual power of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas during this global pandemic.

Buddha Recitation is the easiest practice to implement, the most effective, and can help transcend karmic debt most rapidly within every single thought.

7.5.2. The Six Recollections (Lục Niệm: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, Precepts, Generosity, Devas)

The Buddha taught: “Bhikkhus, there are these six objects of recollection. Which six? Recollection of the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the precepts, generosity, and the devas.”¹⁶⁰

Anyone who successfully cultivates these six recollections will be led to tranquility, supreme knowledge, enlightenment, and Nirvana.

Recollection of the Buddha (Buddhānussati): Reciting Namo Sakyamuni Buddha. Namo means respectful Sakya means “Capable of Kindness.” Muni means “Sage of Silence” (silent and undisturbed by the six senses or afflictions). A Buddha is an “Enlightened One” possessing:
- Self-enlightenment: Attaining awakening by oneself.
- Enlightening others: Teaching others the method of

Aṅguttara Nikāya (The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha). Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2012, p. 862. Cited in: Thích Trung Định, The Six Recollections.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a30841/sau-tuy-niem

Perfected Enlightenment and Conduct: Fully complete wisdom and merit for self and The Buddha possesses ten titles: “The Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, Accomplished in True Knowledge and Conduct, Fortunate One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Leader of Persons to be Tamed, Teacher of Devas and Humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.” Contemplating these virtues eliminates karmic obstacles and illnesses.

Recollection of the Dharma (Dhammānussati): The Dharma consists of the Buddha’s teachings (Tripitaka). It is the Truth that transforms suffering into joy: “The Dharma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be realized by oneself, timeless, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be experienced by the wise for ”¹⁶¹
Recollection of the Sangha (Saṅghānussati): The Sangha is the monastic community that preserves and explains the Reciting the Sangha means remembering purity and harmony to make one’s own mind pure and harmonious: “The disciples of the Blessed One are practicing the good way... the straight way... the true way... the proper way... they are the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”¹⁶²
Recollection of the Precepts (Sīlānussati): Precepts are the ethical foundation that prevents evil and purifies the ¹⁶³

M.Hare, The Book of the Gradual Sayings (Anguttara Nikāya or More- Numbered Suttas), Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2006, p. 206. Thích Trung Định, The Six Recollections.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a30841/sau-tuy-niem

Aṅguttara Nikāya (The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha). Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2012, p.863. Cited in: Thích Trung Định, The Six Recollections.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a30841/sau-tuy-niem

Bhadantācariya Buddhaghosa, Visuddhi- Magga, Translated into English:

They lead to lack of regret, serenity, and the attainment of concentration and wisdom: “The precepts are unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unmottled, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, leading to concentration.”¹⁶⁴

Recollection of Generosity (Cāgānussati): This includes material giving, Dharma giving, and the gift of fearlessness: “While others are obsessed with the stain of stinginess, I dwell with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.”¹⁶⁵ The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to share necessities and oxygen (material), share teachings (Dharma), and provide companionship to reduce fear (fearlessness).

Recollection of the Devas (Devatānussati): “Devas” refers to the celestial beings inhabiting the various heavenly realms. These beings possess great merit through their practice of the Eight Precepts and generosity, and having aspired to enjoy a life of longevity and peaceful bliss, they were reborn in the heavenly planes.

We practice the Recollection of Devas as follows: “There are the Four Heavenly Kings, the Devas of the Heaven of the Thirty- Three (Trāyastriṃśa), the Yāma Devas, the Tusitā Devas, the Devas who Delight in Creation (Nirmāṇarati), the Devas who Bhikkhu Náóamoli. The Path of Purification, Buddhist Publication Society, Columbo, 2010, p. 186-88. Thích Trung Định, The Six Recollections. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a30841/sau-tuy-niem

M.Hare, The Book of the Gradual Sayings (Anguttara Nikāya or More- Numbered Suttas), Motilal Banarsidass. Delhi. 2006. p. 206. Thích Trung Định, The Six Recollections.

M.Hare, The Book of the Gradual Sayings (Anguttara Nikāya or More- Numbered Suttas), Motilal Banarsidass. Delhi. 2006. p. 207. Thích Trung Định, The Six Recollections.

Wield Power over others’ Creations (Paranirmita-vaśavartin), the Devas of Brahma’s Retinue (Brahmakāyika), and many other Devas in even higher realms.

When one recollects the Faith (Saddhā), Virtue (Sīla), Learning (Suta), Generosity (Cāga), and Wisdom (Paññā) present within oneself—just as these qualities exist within those Devas— one’s mind is not dominated by greed, hatred, or delusion. By recollecting the Devas in this way, the mind becomes upright.”¹⁶⁶

Living in this Saha world, which is filled with the calamities of the Eight Difficulties¹⁶⁷ and Three Calamities¹⁶⁸. Therefore,

Anguttara Nikāya (The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha), Translated into English: Bhikhu Bodhi, Wisdom publications, Boston, 2012, 862

The Eight Hardships (Bát nạn)

Also known as the Eight Places of Difficulty or Eight Conditions of No Leisure. These refer to the eight states where sentient beings endure suffering and are hindered from the Dharma:

Hell: Being reborn in hell due to evil karma, suffering unceasingly, unable to see the Buddha or hear the Dharma.
Hungry Ghosts: Rebirth as a hungry ghost due to greed and stinginess, suffering immense hunger and thirst.
Animals: Rebirth as an animal due to ignorance and illegal/immoral
Long-life Heavens: Rebirth in heavens with extremely long lifespans; this longevity is an obstacle as one becomes complacent and unable to see the Buddha or hear the Dharma.
Uttarakuru (The Northern Continent): A place of supreme worldly pleasure; because people are obsessed with enjoyment, they do not seek the Dharma or practice.
Defective Senses: Being born human but being blind, deaf, or mute, making it difficult to see, hear, or study the
Worldly Intelligence and Sophistry: Being very clever and skilled at secular or heterodox arguments, leading to a lack of faith in the True Dharma and an inability to practice for liberation.
Born Before or After the Buddha: Due to heavy karmic obstacles, one is born during a time when no Buddha is present in the

The Three Calamities (Tam tai)
The Three Great Calamities:

we should frequently practice the Recollection of Devas, as they represent the karmic cause and effect of longevity and the enjoyment of blessed prosperity.

“It is truly astonishing and wonderful! The Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One—He who sees and knows—has discovered the horizon of liberation and opened the doors to the Deathless. He leads sentient beings to purity, allowing them to transcend sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, and to attain Nibbāna; and that path is the Six Recollections.”¹⁶⁹

By focusing diligently on these six subjects—Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, Virtue, Generosity, and Devas—our minds gradually sever afflictions and anxieties, becoming pure and majestic. This spiritual power possesses the sublime capacity to dispel external Coronaviruses. Therefore, the Six Recollections offer miraculous benefits to anyone who applies them in practice.

Water Calamity: Floods that overflow and destroy up to the Second Dhyana realm; only the Third Dhyana realm and above are beyond the reach of the water’s
Fire Calamity: Fires that harm sentient beings from this Desire Realm up to the First Dhyana heaven in the Form Realm; only the Second Dhyana realm and above are beyond the reach of the fire’s
Wind Calamity: Windstorms and hurricanes that harm up to the Third Dhyana realm; the Fourth Dhyana realm and above are beyond the reach of the wind’s

The Three Small Calamities:
1. Famine Calamity: The disaster of hunger and thirst; this occurs when the human lifespan decreases to approximately 30 years.
2. Plague Calamity: The spread of epidemic diseases; this occurs when the human lifespan decreases to approximately 20 years.
3. Warfare Calamity: Wars that destroy the world; this occurs when the human lifespan reaches approximately 20 years. (According to the Buddhist Dictionary by Đoàn Trung Còn)

Aṅguttara Nikāya (The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha). Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2012, p.862. Cited in: Thích Trung Định, The Six Recollections.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a30841/sau-tuy-niem

7.5.3. Reciting the Names of the Buddhas of the Three Times

Past Buddha: Amitābha Buddha. His method is upholding the Buddha’s
Present Buddha: Sakyamuni His method is Precepts-Concentration-Wisdom.
Future Buddha: Maitreya Buddha. His method is Loving- kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity (often known as the Laughing Buddha).

Amitābha means Infinite Life and Infinite Light. Reciting his name is to remember one’s own infinite lifespan and wisdom to dispel the darkness of ignorance and the pandemic. Just as alum purifies cloudy water, Buddha Recitation purifies the six senses and the six external objects. Sakyamuni Buddha introduced the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhāvatī) where Amitābha currently dwells, teaching that anyone who upholds his name with a single-minded heart for one to seven days will be met by Amitābha at the moment of death and reborn in that Pure Land.

The Buddha Shakyamuni introduced the Land of Amitabha¹⁷⁰ as follows:

“At that time, the Buddha addressed the Elder Shariputra: ‘Passing from here through hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha-lands to the West, there is a world called Ultimate Bliss (Sukhāvatī). In that world, there is a Buddha named Amitabha who is currently teaching the Dharma.’

...If there is a good man or a good woman who hears the name of Amitabha Buddha and holds fast to that name—whether for

The Pure Land Liturgy – The Amitabha Sūtra, compiled by Bhikkhunī Thích Nữ Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing House, 2022. https://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/phat-phap/kinh-ta-ng-ca-a- cha-a-hs/6211-6-kinh-a-di-da-20

one day, two, three, four, five, six, or seven days—with a mind that is single-pointed and unconfused, then when that person’s life comes to an end, Amitabha Buddha and a multitude of Holy Beings will appear before them. At the moment of death, their mind will not be overturned, and they will immediately attain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss.

...Shariputra! If any good man or good woman hears and maintains this Sūtra and hears the names of these Buddhas, they will all be protected and remembered by all the Buddhas, and they will never retreat from the path to Unsurpassed, Right, and Perfect Enlightenment.”

7.5.4. Reciting Amitābha Buddha’s

Amitābha represents returning to one’s inherent enlightened Amitabha (A-di-đà) means Infinite Life and Infinite Light, which signifies returning to our own inherent, luminous Buddha- nature.

Pure Land (Tịnh Độ): “Pure” means purified and “Land” refers to a realm or country. A Pure Land is a purified realm free from greed, hatred, and delusion—a world without pandemics,

tsunamis, the Three Calamities,¹⁷¹ or the Eight Difficulties.¹⁷²

The Three Calamities (Tam tai)
The Three Great Calamities:
1. Water Calamity: Floods that overflow and destroy up to the Second Dhyana realm; only the Third Dhyana realm and above are beyond the reach of the water’s
2. Fire Calamity: Fires that harm sentient beings from this Desire Realm up to the First Dhyana heaven in the Form Realm; only the Second Dhyana realm and above are beyond the reach of the fire’s
3. Wind Calamity: Windstorms and hurricanes that harm up to the Third Dhyana realm; the Fourth Dhyana realm and above are beyond the reach of the wind’s
The Three Small Calamities:
1. Famine Calamity: The disaster of hunger and thirst; this occurs when the human lifespan decreases to approximately 30 years.
2. Plague Calamity: The spread of epidemic diseases; this occurs when the human lifespan decreases to approximately 20 years.
3. Warfare Calamity: Wars that destroy the world; this occurs when the human lifespan reaches approximately 20 years. (According to the Buddhist Dictionary by Đoàn Trung Còn)

The Eight Hardships (Bát nạn)

Also known as the Eight Places of Difficulty or Eight Conditions of No Leisure. These refer to the eight states where sentient beings endure suffering and are hindered from the Dharma:

Hell: Being reborn in hell due to evil karma, suffering unceasingly, unable to see the Buddha or hear the Dharma.
Hungry Ghosts: Rebirth as a hungry ghost due to greed and stinginess, suffering immense hunger and thirst.
Animals: Rebirth as an animal due to ignorance and illegal/immoral
Long-life Heavens: Rebirth in heavens with extremely long lifespans; this longevity is an obstacle as one becomes complacent and unable to see the Buddha or hear the Dharma.
Uttarakuru (The Northern Continent): A place of supreme worldly pleasure; because people are obsessed with enjoyment, they do not seek the Dharma or practice.
Defective Senses: Being born human but being blind, deaf, or mute, making it difficult to see, hear, or study the
Worldly Intelligence and Sophistry: Being very clever and skilled at secular or heterodox arguments, leading to a lack of faith in the True Dharma and an inability to practice for liberation.

Born Before or After the Buddha: Due to heavy karmic obstacles, one is born

Anyone who recollects the Buddha with the triad of Faith, Practice, and Vow (Tín-Hạnh-Nguyện)—meaning deep faith, diligent practice, and an earnest vow toward the Land of Ultimate Bliss (the realm without suffering)—will attain rebirth. When the mind is pure, the Pure Land appears in the present moment. This Pure Land method is highly prevalent in Mahayana Buddhism across many countries worldwide.

There are four methods of practice as follows:

Oral Recitation (Trì danh niệm Phật): Stabilizing the mind by using prayer beads and counting the number of
Real-Mark Recollection (Thật tướng niệm Phật):

Contemplating one’s own inherent Amitabha nature.

Visualization by Contemplation (Quán tưởng niệm Phật): Contemplating the environment (y báo) and the majestic inhabitants (chánh báo) of the Pure
Visualization by Image (Quán tượng niệm Phật): Focusing one’s gaze on a statue or image of the Buddha’s sublime features to contemplate.

The benefits of Buddha-Recollection are manifold. As Master Cíyún (Từ Vân Sám Chủ)¹⁷³ taught: “If anyone can take refuge in the Triple Gem and uphold the name of a Buddha, they will receive ten superior benefits in this present life:

Day and night, they are constantly protected by all devas and powerful hidden guardian spirits.

during a time when no Buddha is present in the world

The Ten Benefits of Buddha-Recollection. Compiled by Dharma Master Yiren, verified by Dharma Master Yinguang. Translated [into Vietnamese] by Như Hòa. Excerpted from The Revised Guide to the Western Pure Land (Trùng Đính Tây Phương Công Cứ).

https://www.chuahoangphap.com.vn/tin-tuc/chi-tiet-niem-phat-duoc-10-dieu- loi-ich-122/

They are constantly protected by twenty-five Bodhisattvas, such as
They are constantly remembered and protected by all Buddhas; Amitabha Buddha always radiates light to embrace and receive them.
No evil ghosts, yakshas, or rakshasas can harm them; venomous snakes and poisons cannot take
They will not encounter disasters involving water, fire, enemies, weapons, shackles, imprisonment, or untimely
Past karmic transgressions are extinguished; the souls of those they previously harmed are liberated and no longer seek
They enjoy auspicious dreams and see the sublime form of Amitabha
The heart is always joyful, the complexion is radiant, vitality is full, and all undertakings are auspicious.
They are always respected and honored by the world and its people, just as they would honor the Buddha.
At the moment of death, the mind is without fear and Right Mindfulness is present; Amitabha Buddha and the Holy Beings appear with a diamond pedestal to guide them to rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss to enjoy supreme joy for all eternity.”

“Within the Tripitaka, the Buddha taught many Dharma doors. However, He specifically and earnestly encouraged sentient beings to practice the Pure Land method, as presented in the Amitabha Sūtra, the Infinite Life Sūtra, the Contemplation Sūtra, the Lotus Sūtra, the Avatamsaka Sūtra, the Nirvana Sūtra, and others. Not only did He describe the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss clearly in the Amitabha Sūtra, but in the Infinite Life Sūtra, He explained Amitabha Buddha’s power of Vows and the deep karmic connection between the beings of this Saha world and this Buddha. It was also in the Infinite Life Sūtra that Shakyamuni Buddha affirmed that for sentient beings in the distant future, no method is as effective for liberation from the cycle of birth and death as the Pure Land method. When the Dharma disappears from the world, only the Infinite Life Sūtra will remain for an additional 100 years before the Dharma Ending Age concludes. If a practitioner does not read or believe the words of the Buddha in the Infinite Life Sūtra, it is truly difficult to attain the path of enlightenment and liberation.”¹⁷⁴

In reality, while every Buddha and Bodhisattva manifests in the world with different meritorious deeds, their essence is identical. Therefore, reciting the name of Amitabha, Shakyamuni, Maitreya, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, or the Medicine Buddha all yields equal and vast merit.

7.5.5. Reciting the Name of Avalokiteshvara

The Buddha said to Akshayamati Bodhisattva¹⁷⁵: “O virtuous man! If there are immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of sentient beings suffering various afflictions, if they hear of this Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and single-mindedly call upon his name, Avalokiteshvara

The Buddha Speaks of the Infinite Life Sūtra of Adornment, Purity, Equality, and Enlightenment of the Mahayana Vehicle. Original Chinese Compilation by Lay Master Xia Lianju. Translated into Vietnamese by Most Venerable Thích Đức Niệm and Layman Minh Chánh. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House,

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a15649/kinh-vo-luong-tho

The Avalokiteśvara (Universal Gate) Sūtra Chanting Ceremony for Blessing and Peace, compiled by Bhikkhunī Thích Nữ Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing 2022.

https://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/phat-phap/nghi-la-ha- ng-nga- y/6313-i-2-kinh-pho-mon

Bodhisattva will immediately perceive their voices, and they will all be liberated...

O virtuous man! Do not be afraid. You should single-mindedly call upon the name of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. This Bodhisattva is able to bestow the gift of fearlessness (vô úy) upon sentient beings. If you call upon his name, you will be delivered from these enemies.”

When the merchants heard this, they all spoke up and called out: “Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva!” Because they called upon the Bodhisattva’s name, they were immediately delivered.

That Great Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara bestows fearlessness in times of urgent danger and terror; therefore, in this Sahā world, everyone calls Him the “Giver of Fearlessness.”

7.5.6. Reciting the Medicine Buddha’s Name

The Medicine Buddha is the Physician of all physicians, for He not only heals the illnesses of the body but also the mental ailments of sentient beings. Therefore, we should sincerely uphold the mantra and recite the sacred name of the Medicine Buddha, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.

His full title is “Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light King Buddha” and we often recite: “Namo Tiêu Tai Diên Thọ Dược Sư Lưu Ly Quang Vương Phật.”

What is the meaning of His title? Tiêu tai means to eliminate calamities and hardships; diên thọ means to prolong lifespan; Dược Sư is the Master of Medicine; Lưu ly (Lapis Lazuli) is a substance that is transparent and bright; Quang is light; Vương is king; and Phật is the Awakened One—one who is self-awakened, awakens others, and has perfected the conduct of awakening.

Among the Twelve Great Vows of the Medicine Buddha, four (6th, 7th, 11th, and 12th)¹⁷⁶ specifically address the healing of the sick:

The Sixth Vow: “I vow that after I attain Buddhahood, if there are sentient beings whose bodies are weak or disabled, whose minds are ignorant or frantic, upon hearing my name, their bodies shall become healthy, their disabilities shall be healed, all sickness and suffering shall vanish, and wisdom shall ”
The Seventh Vow: “I vow that after I attain Buddhahood, if there are sentient beings suffering from incurable diseases, without a physician to save them, without medicine to treat them, without relatives to care for them, and experiencing every kind of suffering, upon hearing my name, their illnesses shall cease, their bodies and minds shall find peace, and they shall practice with diligence until they reach the fruit of enlightenment.”
The Eleventh Vow: “I vow that after I attain Buddhahood, if there are sentient beings who fall into the misery of hunger and thirst, and out of the need for food commit sinful and evil actions, upon hearing my name and single-mindedly meditating on it, I will first provide them with delicious food, and later guide them with the flavor of the Dharma, allowing them to dwell forever in boundless peace.”
The Twelfth Vow: “I vow that after I attain Buddhahood, if there are sentient beings so poor they have no clothes to wear, enduring rags and cold day and night, experiencing a hundred miseries, upon hearing my name and single- mindedly meditating on it, through my majestic virtue, they shall receive beautiful clothes and all necessary ornaments

The Medicine Buddha Sūtra for Blessing and Peace, compiled by Bhikkhunī Thích Nữ Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing House. 2022. https://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/phat-phap/nghi-la-ha- ng-nga- y/6313-i-2-kinh-pho-mon

for the body.”

Thus, the title of the Medicine Buddha carries a complete meaning: He is a Fully Enlightened Buddha, the King of Physicians, who rescues sentient beings from all suffering— most notably the suffering of illness and the suffering of death.

7.5.7. A Miraculous Story of Recovery from COVID-19

through Buddha Recitation

Let us recount the story of Ms. Bui Thi (Texas, USA),¹⁷⁷ who contracted COVID-19 and recovered through a combination of medication and Buddha Recitation. She described the painful feelings of the virus and the miracle of reciting the names of the Medicine Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva as follows:

“For many days, I lay glued to my bed, my whole body aching, my breath sometimes gasping; it felt as if someone had sucked all the energy out of me. There were moments I could not sit up and could not eat anything for three consecutive days. One night, while in a daze, I saw a stream of cool, soft light even though all the lamps were off. In my delirium, I remembered the descriptions of Amitabha Buddha’s light. I told myself, “Is that day coming so soon?” The next morning, I was glad to wake up. However, I still could not walk or eat. I tried to drink a little milk and took fever medication, then just lay on my sickbed looking out the window. The sky was still clear blue, and there was a very beautiful strip of white cloud right in my line of sight. Suddenly, I felt a strange connection with that cloud. I tried to wake myself up to be alert, to look at the sky, and to pray.

I don’t remember how many times I called the names of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and the Medicine Buddha. I only knew that I believed the Tathagata was

Bùi Thị, America: A Great Lesson on Impermanence, Texas, https://giacngo.vn/bai-hoc-lon-ve-su-vo-thuong-post54775.html

manifesting through that white cloud out there, and then I fell completely asleep. When I woke up, I felt as if someone had blown energy into me. Most importantly, the aching throughout my body had almost completely subsided, and I could stand up and walk. The pain ended as if someone had cut a lump of pain right out of me. Suddenly, I craved an orange. After eating one, my throat felt cool and refreshed, and I clearly felt that juice running throughout my empty body. That was the most delicious orange I have ever had in my life. No, accurately, it was the drop of nectar from Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.

After that day, I was almost out of the critical stage and recovered bit by bit, day by day. Halfway through, a friend from another state sent me anti-inflammatory lung support medicine. Her whole family had been infected earlier in the season and used this prescription sent from Vietnam very effectively. The medicine was prescribed by a Vietnamese doctor to treat COVID-19 patients in Vietnam at that time. After taking it for a few days, I felt my lungs were no longer congested. Every morning, I could sit up to practice breathing and pray, walk gently, and prepare herbal steam for myself. Each time I bathed with the scent of herbs, I had a very mixed feeling, as if I had the power of bilocation—that this body was in the West, but there was another body in the East. Precisely, there was no space at all, only the here and now. After each steam session, I felt a little stronger. Those oranges, lemongrass, ginger, and herbal leaves supported my immune system and my will tremendously...”

Why can Buddha Recitation help sentient beings transcend karmic debt? Because this method was not only spoken by Sakyamuni Buddha but is also the path spoken by the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times in the Amitabha Sūtra, the Infinite Life Sūtra, and many other scriptures. Furthermore, Sakyamuni Buddha appointed: “Twenty-five Bodhisattvas shall protect that person, ensuring they are free from illness and suffering; whether human or non-human, none can take the opportunity to harm them. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, regardless of day or night, they shall always be at peace.” And: “If there are sentient beings who believe in this Sūtra and recite Amitabha Buddha’s name, vowing to be reborn, then Amitabha Buddha in that Land of Ultimate Bliss will immediately send twenty-five Bodhisattvas to protect the practitioner... at all times and in all places, never letting evil ghosts or evil spirits have a convenient opportunity to harass them.” (The Sūtra of the Ten Rebirths).

Thus, the Buddha-Dharma in general, and the practice of Buddha Recitation in particular, is very efficacious and miraculous in rescuing people from the suffering of illness and transforming the karmic disaster of the Coronavirus.

7.6. MANTRA RECITATION

7.6.1. Definition

Trì means to recite diligently and incessantly without interruption. Chú, thần chú, mật chú (mantra) are the secret words of the Buddhas.

The Buddha’s teachings consist of the Exoteric (Hiển giáo) and the Esoteric (Mật giáo). The Exoteric teachings include the Sūtras, Vinaya, and Abhidharma, which anyone can listen to (Văn), reflect upon (Tư), and practice (Tu). The Esoteric teachings consist of Mantras, which only the Buddhas fully understand; even Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Sravakas find them difficult to penetrate. Every mantra possesses inconceivable spiritual power and merit, capable of eliminating karmic obstacles, dispelling disasters, and increasing blessings and wisdom; hence, they are called “Spirit Mantras” (Thần chú).

A single mantra can be the name of a Buddha or a summary of an entire Sūtra; therefore, the efficacy of mantras is extraordinary.

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra teaches that when Venerable Ananda encountered danger with Matangi, the Buddha immediately sent Venerable Manjusri with the Śūraṅgama Mantra to rescue him, and Ananda escaped the peril instantly.

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, as human karma is shallow and time is pressing, mantra recitation is very appropriate because mantras are shorter than Sūtras yet possess immense and inconceivable power. When reciting, the mind must be concentrated (Định) for the recitation to flow smoothly and clearly (like a continuous stream).

Usually, one recites 3 times, or 21, 49, 108, or 1,000 times—or as many as possible. Popular mantras during this COVID-19 season include:

7.6.2. Disaster-Dispelling Auspicious Mantra (Efficacious for eliminating hardships and bringing luck)

Nẵng mồ tam mãn đa, Mẫu đà nẫm, A bát ra để, Hạ đa xá ta nẵng nẫm, Đát điệt tha. Án, khê khê, khê hế, khê hế, hồng hồng, Nhập phạ ra, nhập phạ ra, Bát ra nhập phạ ra, bát ra nhập phạ ra, Để sắc sá, để sắc sá, Sắc trí rị, Sắc trí rị, Ta phấn tra, ta phấn tra, Phiến để ca, Thất rị duệ, Ta phạ hạ.

7.6.3. Seven Buddhas’ Sin-Eradicating True Words (Efficacious for eliminating karmic obstacles)

Ly bà ly bà đế, cầu ha cầu ha đế, đà ra ni đế, ni ha ra đế, tỳ lê nễ đế, ma ha già đế, chân lăng càn đế, ta bà ha.

7.6.4. Rebirth in Pure Land Dhāraṇī (Transforms karma to enable rebirth in the Pure Land)

Nam-mô a di đa bà dạ, đa tha dà đa dạ, đa điệt dạ tha. A di rị đô bà tỳ, a di rị đa tất đam bà tỳ, a di rị đa tì ca lan đế, a di rị đa tì ca lan đa, dà di nị dà dà na, chỉ đa ca lệ ta bà ha.

7.6.5. Medicine Buddha Mantra (Efficacious for healing)

Nam mô bạt già phạt đế, bệ sát xã, lũ lô thích lưu ly bác lặc bà, hắc ra xà giả. Đát tha yết đa da, a ra hắc đế. Tam miệu tam bột đà da, đát điệt tha. Án, bệ sát thệ, bệ sát thệ, bệ sát xã, tam một yết đế tóa ha.

7.6.6. Six-Syllable Great Bright Mantra (Only six syllables, yet inconceivable power)

Án Ma Ni Bát Di Hồng – Om Mani Padme Hum

Great Compassion Mantra (Mahā Karuṇā Dhāraṇī)

Thiên thủ thiên nhãn, vô ngại Đại-bi tâm đà-la-ni. Nam mô hắc ra đát na đa ra dạ da.

Nam mô a rị da bà lô yết đế, thước bát ra da, bồ đề tát đỏa bà da, ma ha tát đỏa bà da, ma ha ca lô ni ca da.

Án tát bàn ra phạt duệ, số đát na đát tỏa.Nam mô tất kiết lật đỏa, y mông a rị da, bà lô kiết đế, thất Phật ra lăng đà bà.

Nam mô na ra cẩn trì hê rị, ma ha bàn đa sa mế, tát bà a tha đậu du bằng, a thệ dựng, tát bà tát đa, na ma bà già, ma phạt đạt đậu, đát điệt tha.

Án, a bà lô hê, lô ca đế, ca ra đế, di hê rị, ma ha bồ đề tát đỏa, tát bà tát bà, ma ra ma ra, ma hê ma hê, rị đà dựng, cu lô cu lô, kiết mông độ lô độ lô, phạt xà da đế, ma ha phạt xà da đế, đà ra đà ra, địa rị ni, thất Phật ra da, dá ra dá ra.

Mạ mạ phạt ma ra, mục đế lệ, y hê di hê, thất na thất na, a ra sâm Phật ra xá lợi, phạt sa phạt sâm, Phật ra xá da, hô lô hô lô, ma ra hô lô hô lô hê rị, ta ra ta ra, tất rị tất rị, tô rô tô rô, bồ đề dạ, bồ đề dạ, bồ đà dạ, bồ đà dạ, di đế rị dạ na ra cẩn trì địa rị sắc ni na, ba dạ ma na, ta bà ha.

Tất đà dạ, ta bà ha.

Ma ha tất đà dạ, ta bà ha.

Tất đà du nghệ, thất bàn ra dạ, ta bà ha. Na ra cẩn trì, ta bà ha.

Ma ra na ra, ta bà ha.

Tất ra tăng a mục khê da, ta bà ha. Ta bà ma ha, a tất đà dạ, ta bà ha. Giả kiết ra a tất đà dạ, ta bà ha.

Ba đà ma yết tất đà dạ, ta bà ha.

Na ra cẩn trì bàn đà ra dạ, ta bà ha. Ma bà lị thắng yết ra dạ, ta bà ha.

Nam mô hắc ra đát na, đa ra dạ da.

Nam mô a rị da, bà lô yết đế, thước bàng ra dạ, ta bà ha. Án, tất điện đô, mạn đa ra, bạt đà dạ ta bà ha.

7.6.8. Ten Small Mantras

Cintāmaṇi Cakra Dhāraṇī (Như Ý Bảo Luân Vương Đà La Ni) The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel-Wheel King Dhāraṇī. Used to turn the wheel of Dharma and fulfill the spiritual and material needs of sentient

Nam mô Phật-đà Nam mô Đạt-ma Nam mô Tăng-già.

NammôQuánTựTạiBồ-tátMa-ha-tát,cụđạibitâmgiả.Đátđiệttha. Án, chước yết ra phạt để chấn đa mạt ni, ma ha bát đẳng mế, rô rô rô rô, để sắt tra thước ra a yết rị, sa dạ hồng phấn ta ha.

Án, bát đạp ma chấn đa mạt ni, thước ra hồng. Án, bát lặc đà, bát đẳng mế hồng.

Jvāla Mahāvigra Dhāraṇī (Tiêu Tai Kiết Tường Thần Chú) The Auspicious Mantra for Eliminating This is critical for your discussion on the pandemic, as it is specifically used to avert calamities and transform bad luck into auspiciousness.

Nẳng mồ tam mãn đa, mẫu đà nẩm. A bát ra để, hạ đa xá ta nẳng nẩm. Đát điệt tha. Án, khê khê, khê hế, khê hế, hồng hồng, nhập phạ ra, nhập phạ ra, bát ra nhập phạ ra, bát ra nhập phạ ra, để sắc sá, để sắc sá, sắc trí rị, sắc trí rị, ta phấn tra, ta phấn tra, phiến để ca thất rị duệ, ta phạ ha.

Guṇaratna Śīla Dhāraṇī (Công Đức Bảo Sơn Thần Chú) The Merit-Precious Mountain It helps the practitioner accumulate merits as vast as a mountain, providing the “spiritual capital” needed to overcome karmic illness.

Nam mô Phật-đà Nam mô Đạt-ma Nam mô Tăng-già.

Án, tất đế hộ rô rô, tất đô rô, chỉ rị ba, kiết rị bà tất đạt rị, bố rô rị, ta phạ ha.

Cundī Dhāraṇī (Phật Mẫu Chuẩn Đề Thần Chú) The Cundī Mother-Buddha Invokes the power of the “Mother of Seventy Million Buddhas” for purification and the fulfillment of all vows.

Khể thủ quy y Tô tất đế, đầu diện đảnh lễ Thất câu chi. Ngã kim xưng tán Đại Chuẩn Đề, duy nguyện từ bi thùy gia hộ. Nam mô tát đa nẩm, tam miệu tam bồ đề, câu chi nẩm, đát điệt tha. Án, chiết lệ chủ lệ Chuẩn Đề, ta bà ha.

Ārya Amitāyur Niyama Prabharāja Dhāraṇī (Thánh Vô Lượng Thọ Quyết Định Quang Minh Vương Đà La Ni) The Dhāraṇī of the Holy Infinite Life King of Determined Radiance. Specifically recited for longevity and the stabilization of life-energy, which is essential for those recovering from severe viral infections.

Án, nại ma ba cát ngỏa đế, a ba ra mật đạp, a ưu rị a nạp, tô tất nể, thiệt chấp đạt, điệp tá ra tể dã, đát tháp cả đạt dã, a ra ha đế, tam dược tam bất đạt dã, đát nể dã tháp. Án, tát rị ba, tang tư cát rị, bót rị thuật đạp, đạt ra mã đế, cả cả nại, tang mã ngột cả đế, ta ba ngỏa, tỷ thuật đế, mã hắt nại dã, bát rị ngỏa rị tá hắt.

Bhaiṣajyaguru Vaiḍūryaprabhāsa Dhāraṇī (Dược Sư Quán Đảnh Chơn Ngôn) The Medicine Buddha Empowerment As you noted in your chapter on healing, this mantra is used to purify the “inner medicine” of the practitioner to cure physical and mental ailments.

Nam mô bạt già phạt đế, bệ sát xả, lũ rô thích lưu ly, bát lặt bà, hắc ra xà dã, đát tha yết đa da, a ra hắc đế, tam miệu tam bột đà da. Đát điệt tha. Án, bệ sát thệ, bệ sát thệ, bệ sát xả, tam một yết đế tóa ha.

Avalokiteśvara Ekādaśamukha Dhāraṇī (Quan Âm Linh Cảm Chơn Ngôn) The Avalokiteśvara Spiritual Resonance Used to establish a “heart-to-heart”

connection with the Bodhisattva of Compassion for

immediate protection.

Án, ma ni bát di hồng, ma hắt nghê nha nạp, tích đô đặt ba đạt, tích đặt ta nạp, vi đạt rị cát, tát nhi cáng nhi tháp, bốc rị tất tháp cát nạp, bổ ra nạp, nạp bốc rị, thưu thất ban nạp, nại ma lô kiết, thuyết ra da, tóa ha.

Sapta Atītabuddha Karasaniya Dhāraṇī (Thất Phật Diệt Tội Chơn Ngôn) The Mantra of the Seven Buddhas for Eradicating Transgressions. Used to purify past karma that may be manifesting as current suffering or pandemic- related

Ly bà ly bà đế, cầu ha cầu ha đế, đà ra ni đế, ni ha ra đế, tỳ lê nễ đế, ma ha dà đế, chơn lăng càn đế, ta bà ha.

Sukhāvatī-vyūha Dhāraṇī (Vãng Sanh Tịnh Độ Thần Chú) The Pure Land Rebirth Mantra. Specifically used to pull out the roots of karmic obstacles and ensure a peaceful transition or a “Pure Land” state of mind in the

Nam mô a di đa bà dạ. Đa tha dà đa dạ. Đa điệt dạ tha. A di rị đô bà tỳ, a di rị đa, tất đam bà tỳ, a di rị đa, tỳ ca lan đế, a di rị đa, tỳ ca lan đa, dà di nị dà dà na. Chỉ đa ca lệ, ta bà ha.

Śrī Mahādevī Dhāraṇī (Thiện Nữ Thần Chú) The Mantra of the Great Goddess (Lakṣmī). Invokes auspiciousness, prosperity, and the harmonious flow of energy in the environment.

Nam mô Phật-đà Nam mô Đạt-ma Nam mô Tăng-già.

Nam mô thất lỵ, ma ha để tỷ da, đát nể dã tha, ba lỵ phú lầu na giá lỵ, tam mạn đà, bạt xá ni, ma ha tỳ ha ra dà đế, tam mạn đà, tỳ ni dà đế, ma ha ca rị dã, ba nể ba ra, ba nể tát rị phạ lặt tha, tam mạn đà, tu bác lê đế, phú lệ na, a rị na, đạt mạ đế, ma ha tỳ cổ tất đế, ma ha Di Lặc đế, lâu phả tăng kỳ đế, hê đế tỷ, tăng kỳ hê đế, tam mạn đà, a tha a nậu, đà la ni.

7.6.9. Five Sections of the Śūraṅgama Mantra (Transforms heavy demonic obstacles and karma)

These mantras and many others belong to the Esoteric method; they must be chanted continuously and fluently like a stream to generate strong concentration power. Only with concentration (Samadhi) can one eliminate karmic obstacles. When this power is present, reciting the mantra over a glass of water or within a retreat hall produces truly miraculous and inconceivable effects—much like one who drinks water and knows for themselves whether it is warm or cold; it cannot be guessed.

Reciting the Buddha’s name or Mantras is intended to subdue the evil mind, restore the wholesome mind, conquer the demonic mind, and resolve grievances—not to control or manipulate others according to unwholesome thoughts. With the vow to aid sentient beings suffering from the Coronavirus pandemic, the practitioner must maintain a pure mind during practice for the results to be significant.

We can recite, bow, and repent on our own, or use social media and technological means such as Facebook, YouTube, Zoom, or TikTok to follow along with temples and retreat groups. We have many opportunities to listen to Sūtras and practice during this pandemic to resolve karma and attain purity for ourselves and others.

7.6.10. Tibetan Mantras

H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, has appeared frequently in the media to advise Buddhists to remain steadfast in mantra recitation and meditation against the global COVID-19 attack.

In an article in Time magazine on April 14, 2020, he interpreted the Coronavirus crisis through the principles of Dependent Origination, suffering, and impermanence, calling on Buddhists to radiate love and hope. In another message specifically for Chinese and Tibetan Buddhists, he urged the chanting of the Tara Bodhisattva mantra for protection against the virus.

1. Six-Syllable True Words (Chenrezig - Avalokiteshvara): Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ. (108 times or as many as possible). Helps purify delusions, anger, and ignorance to realize vast compassion.

Vajrapani Mantra: Om Vajra Pani Hum Phat. (7 times). Aims to dispel internal and external obstacles, specifically harmful spirits, and realize the indestructible Vajra
Vajrayogini Mantra: Om Om Om Sarva Buddha Dakiniye Vajra Varnaniye Vajra Vairochaniye Hum Hum Hum Phat Phat Phat (36 times). To purify bondage and impurity, realizing the union of Great Bliss and Emptiness.
Vajra Body, Speech, and Mind Mantra: Om Ah Hum. (7 times).
Guru Rinpoche Mantra: Om Ah Hum Benza Guru Padme Siddhi (7 times).
Medicine Buddha Mantra: Tadyatha Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze [Bekhandze] Radza Samudgate (8 times). Aims to transform obstacles and increase perfect health.
Green Tara Mantra: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. (21 times). Helps overcome fear and anger, protecting us from
White Tara Mantra: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayur Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Ye Svaha. (7 times). Increases longevity, merit, and wisdom, specifically dispelling the obstacle of untimely death.
Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī (Namgyalma): Om Bhrum Svaha / Om Amrita Ayur Da De (7 times). Increases longevity and merit.
Amitāyus Buddha Mantra: Om Ah Ma Ra Ni Ze Vin Ta Ye Svaha. (7 times). Increases longevity, merit, and wisdom.¹⁷⁸

7.6.11. A Story of Miraculous Recovery Through the Great Compassion Mantra

Every night after finishing meditation and concluding the session, I always recite the Great Compassion Mantra seven times.¹⁷⁹

In July 2009, after returning from a nephew’s wedding, a lump the size of a thumb appeared on the back of my neck. It was hard, painless, and not red, but it caused a very uncomfortable, tight sensation. I visited an oncology specialist who confirmed it was a benign tumor. However, after three hospital visits, surgery could not be performed. I felt very frustrated and kept touching and squeezing the lump, which caused it to grow even larger.

One day, after watching a VCD about the miracles of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and the Great Compassion Mantra, I resolved to rely on that spiritual power to treat my ailment. Instead of the usual seven recitations, I increased it to

On the first day of reciting 21 times, my head felt tingly and numb; by the second and third days, I gradually grew accustomed to it. On the fifth day, after prostrating to the Buddha, meditating, and reciting the mantra 21 times, I went to sleep and had a dream. In the dream, I saw myself sitting on a stone bench along a road shrouded in mist. I saw a middle-aged woman leading a bicycle toward me. She pointed at the lump

Collection of the 42 Mantras of Esoteric Buddhism (Vajrayana). Compiled from Vajrayana Dharma Instruments [Pháp Khí Mật Tông].

Tuyển Tập 42 Câu Chú Mật Tông ( Kim Cang Thừa). https://www.facebook.com/PhapKhiMatTong.

Hương Đức, Continuous Miraculous Responses through the Recitation and Guidance of Others in the Great Compassion Mantra (Linh ứng liên tiếp nhờ trì tụng và hướng dẫn mọi người trì chú Đại Bi).

https://phatgiao.org.vn/linh-ung-lien-tiep-nho-tri-tung-va-huong-dan-moi- nguoi-tri-chu-dai-bi-d84465.html

and said, “You must treat this and get rid of it; how can you just leave it like that?” She told me to get on the bicycle so she could take me for treatment. I obediently sat on the back seat. After a short distance, I asked:

“Auntie! Who are you that you are so kind to me?” The woman turned her face back, smiled, and said:
“Do you really not recognize me?”

Looking at her face, I was startled because it was the face of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva that I gaze upon with reverence every day. Suddenly, I woke up, filled with both joy and apprehension.

The next morning, I told my wife and children:

“Today, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva will come to treat my ”

They heard me but seemed skeptical. When I checked, the lump was still exactly the same. I felt a bit hesitant, but I remained determined to recite the Great Compassion Mantra and the name of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva all day long. By 4:00 PM, I stopped reciting because my mind felt too strained, so I turned on the TV.

While watching TV, I suddenly heard a “pop” at the back of my neck and felt a sensation like water flowing down my throat. I hurriedly reached up to touch it and realized the lump had burst. Blood and mucus were flowing out, sticking to my hand and collar. The wound then healed on its own without requiring any further care. After this event, my entire family acknowledged the miraculous response of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and the Great Compassion Mantra.

7.7. THE POWER OF PRECEPTS IN ERADICATING SICKNESS

7.7.1. Definition

Precepts are very important in the spiritual life of both monastics and laypeople. They help restrain the body, speech, and mind, keeping one away from evil and increasing wholesome deeds. By restraining and training the mind and building a peaceful environment over a long period, a disciple of the Buddha develops immunity and a defense against the Coronavirus.

The purification of an individual’s precepts helps purify the surrounding community (the law of magnetic fields). The moral decay of one person affects society. Therefore, through precepts, we can maintain a healthy, peaceful, pure, and immune body and mind, possessing the majestic virtue to protect those around us—especially in the context of this COVID-19 pandemic.

What does upholding the Five Precepts involve?

Abstaining from
Abstaining from
Abstaining from sexual
Abstaining from
Abstaining from alcohol and intoxicants (drugs).

Upholding precepts is also called Great Giving because it bestows peace upon oneself and those around them. In the Anguttara Nikaya (Chapter on Giving)¹⁸⁰, the Buddha taught:

Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses), Book of the Eights, Chapter on Giving, Section (XI) No. 39: “Streams of Merit.” Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a33936/thanh-tuu-ngu-gioi-vang-sanh-tay- phuong- tinh-do

“Bhikkhus, there are these five gifts, great gifts, known as original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated then and now... What are the five? Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple abandons the destruction of life and abstains from it... abandons taking what is not given... abandons sexual misconduct... abandons false speech... abandons the use of intoxicants... This, bhikkhus, is the fifth gift, a great gift...”

In the Ekottara Agama,¹⁸¹ the Buddha speaks on the merit of the Eight Precepts (Uposatha), which has the power to transfer merit to sentient beings in distress:

“What is the eightfold fast? 1. No killing, 2. No stealing, 3. No sexual activity, 4. No lying, 5. No alcohol, 6. No eating at improper times, 7. No sitting or sleeping on high and luxurious beds, 8. Abstaining from singing, dancing, and using perfumes. This is called the fast of the Noble Ones.”

The Blessed One said: “That person vows: ‘By this eightfold fast, may I not fall into hell, the hungry ghost realm, or the animal realm; may I not fall into the eight hardships... may I serve my parents rightly... and bestow this merit upon all sentient beings to help them attain the Supreme Path.’”

7.7.2. Attaining the Wish for Health Through Strict Precepts

In the Akankheyya Sutta (Discourse on Wishing)¹⁸², the Buddha taught the benefits of keeping the precepts:

“Bhikkhus, live full of virtue, full of the Patimokkha... see danger in the slightest faults. If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I be dear

Ekottarika Āgama (Numerical Discourses), 43.2: “The Eight Teachings,” Chapter on Rohitassa, the Son of Devas.

https://suttacentral.net/ ea43.2/vi/tue_sy-thang

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses) 6: Ākaṅkheyyasutta (The Discourse on What One Might Wish). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://suttacentral.net/mn6/vi/minh_chau.

to and loved by my companions in the holy life!’ ‘May I receive requisites such as robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal offerings!’‘May the actions of those who provide these requisites bring them great fruit!’ ‘May my departed relatives think of me with a joyful heart and thereby receive great benefit!’ ‘May I overcome delight and discontent... fear and dread!’”

That bhikkhu must perfectly fulfill the precepts, persevere in internal tranquility, not neglect meditation, and be accomplished in insight—then such wishes will be fulfilled as desired.

Thus, precepts are wholesome states—the morality of everyone. Use wholesome states to transform unwholesome ones. Unwholesome states are the karmic retributions of natural disasters, floods, fires, diseases, and pandemics. Therefore, the Buddha taught that if we wish for peace, health, and the subduing of fear, we must strictly maintain the precepts. When precepts are kept strictly, those wishes will be satisfied.

7.7.3. The Blessing Power of Ven. Angulimala for Pregnant

Women

One day, while the Venerable Angulimala¹⁸³ was on his alms round in a village, he heard the cries of a young woman in labor who was unable to give birth. There were no doctors around, and he feared for the lives of both mother and child. Witnessing this, Angulimala hurried back to the monastery and asked the Blessed One:

“World-Honored One! I have just met a woman in difficult labor, suffering greatly on the road. Please show me how I can help her stay safe.”

The Blessed One then instructed him:

Majjhima Nikaya (Trung Bộ Kinh) Angulimàla sutta. Translated into Vietnamese by Thich Minh Chau.

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-trungbo/trung86.htm

“O Angulimala! Go to that woman and make this solemn vow of truth: ‘Since I was born, I am not aware of having intentionally killed any living being; by this truth, may you give birth easily and may your infant be safe!’”

Hearing this, Venerable Angulimala hesitated, for if he spoke as the World-Honored One suggested, would he not be lying, given that he had previously killed many people? But the World- Honored One compassionately explained and instructed him: “O Angulimala! ‘Since I was born’ refers to the day you were born into the lineage of the Noble Dharma (your ordination).”

Obeying the World-Honored One, he immediately went before the woman in labor and made the vow: “Since I was born (ordained), I am not aware of having intentionally killed any living being; by this truth, may you give birth easily and may your infant be safe!”

Angulimala followed the Buddha’s instruction to make this vow of truth to dedicate merit to the woman in her critical moment. As soon as the words were finished, the cry of a baby rang out, proving the miraculous and marvelous power of the truthful vow and the virtue of Venerable Angulimala. Later, Venerable Angulimala exerted himself in practice, realized the Four Noble Truths, and attained Arahantship through supramundane wisdom.

The story shows that by leaving his murderous past behind, since the day of his ordination, the monk Angulimala wholeheartedly repented, ceased his evil karma, and remained pure in upholding the precepts of non-harming, truthfulness, and many others.

Precepts possess power, majesty, and miraculous efficacy, enabling one to bestow that energy upon others as mentioned in the Akankheyya Sutta. Venerable Angulimala gained the power to bring happiness to sentient beings from the moment he joined the Sangha. Consequently, both the mother and child were safe, and the monk became a useful and respected person in society.

Therefore, during the global outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there is a great need for virtuous and ethical people to transform calamities and bring peace to every individual.

7.7.4. Refusing to Sacrifice the Elderly for the Economy Out of Respect for Life

President Donald Trump’s “Stay at Home” order on May 23, 2020 aimed to curb the spread of the Coronavirus flu in the United States naturally, it came with an economic price. Unemployment rose, and economic losses could be estimated in the tens of trillions of dollars. Most nations in the world accepted the economic sacrifice to save lives.¹⁸⁴

However, it was different in the United States. Facing the need for reelection in November 2020, if the economy remained this way, the hope for reelection would be very slim. Therefore, President Trump suggested that the lockdown decree could be canceled, meaning life would return to normal. In that case, two situations could occur:

First: When the isolation order is canceled, the Coronavirus flu will spread rapidly, and at that point, it would be impossible to cure, leading to mass deaths.

Second: Perhaps the flu will also spread but at a moderate speed. Young people with endurance will not die. As for the elderly, if a few thousand die, it would be “fine,” because the economy will recover.

Mr. Dan Patrick—Lieutenant Governor of Texas, age 69, an ally of President Trump—said in a Fox News conversation that American grandparents are willing to die from the Corona flu to

Thiện Quả Đào Văn Bình, Sacrificing the Elderly to Save the Economy, California, March 25, 2020.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a33639/hy-sinh-nguoi-gia-de-cuu-van-kinh- te-

save the economy. He condemned the lockdown and the closing of non-essential businesses. He said if the lockdown lasted three months, the U.S. economy would collapse, and he did not want the whole nation sacrificed. He even said he was willing to sacrifice his own life for the economy.

Meanwhile, Mr. Andrew Cuomo—Governor of New York— held the opposite view. As a state heavily affected by the Corona flu with 20,875 infected and 157 dead, Mr. Cuomo said:

“My mother is not expendable and your mother is not expendable and our brothers and sisters are not expendable, and we’re not going to accept a premise that human life is disposable, and we’re not going to put a dollar figure on human life.”

Buddhist Thiện Quả Đào Văn Bình¹⁸⁵ raised the question: What do we think of the policy of “sacrificing the elderly to save the economy”?

“As a Buddhist with a spirit of compassion, we cannot sacrifice one class for the welfare of another. In human history, there was a tragic period of Hitler’s racial purification policy. On July 26, 1933, through a series of decrees, Hitler ordered the ‘sanitization’ of the race so there would be no more blind, mute, deaf, deformed, or disabled people... madness. To Hitler, anyone who was not part of the ‘pure Aryan’ race was expendable. Every person has the right to live, whether they are elderly, disabled, blind, or deaf. That is humanitarianism or the humanitarian ideal. As leaders of a country, we have the responsibility to protect the lives of all people, not sacrifice one group to save another.

As Buddhists, the necessary action in a great disaster is not to panic, not to discriminate, to endure patiently, to pray and

Thiện Quả Đào Văn Bình, Sacrificing the Elderly to Save the Economy, California, March 25, 2020.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a33639/hy-sinh-nguoi-gia-de-cuu-van-kinh- te

develop a wholesome mind, and simultaneously to trust in scientists, doctors, pharmacists, and the correct decisions of the government.”

For modern society, especially advanced nations like the USA, Canada, Russia, Germany, France, England, etc.humanity has more than enough capability to prevent and stop the virus from causing harm. We should use preventive methods rather than destroying a large number of the elderly so that the young may live. Leading experts widely agree that such extreme measures would cause social imbalance and negative physical, mental, and financial impacts—and they advise governments against it.

In Buddhism, non-killing is the first precept established by the Buddha, holding the primary position. Human and animal life is precious. Instead of killing, we should practice life-release and abolish the death penalty. Therefore, the precept against killing (even regarding the elderly, sick, or disabled) is the foundation for establishing morality and character for humanity in general and Buddhists in particular.

7.8. REPENTANCE TO THE “CORONAVIRUS BODHISATTVAS”

7.8.1. Definition

Repentance (Sám hối): Sám is to feel remorse for past errors;

hối is the vow not to repeat them. There are two types of repentance:

Wholesome/Positive Repentance: Acknowledging past mistakes, feeling sincere remorse, and vowing never to repeat them. This is good and constructive.
Negative Repentance: Constant regret, crying, and agonizing over one’s mistakes without attempting to rebuild

one’s life. This is harmful and should be avoided. Time is precious; one should vow to let go of the past and put all enthusiasm into positive actions.

We call the Coronavirus “manifested Bodhisattvas” sent to wake us up to the impermanence of life. A Bodhisattva is a hero who helps us achieve our ultimate purpose. This includes those who hinder or challenge us so that we may attain the Way—just as Devadatta was a “Bodhisattva” whose obstruction helped Sakyamuni Buddha persevere. COVID-19 is a Bodhisattva appearing to alert us to the fleeting nature of human existence so we may practice sooner. Furthermore, a virus is a living being with Buddha-nature, manifesting in this pandemic according to the cycle of cause and effect. We need to repent and untie this karmic knot with these “Coronavirus Bodhisattvas,” much like an offender who knows how to apologize.

The Buddha taught: “There are two types of precious people in the world. First, the one who has never made a mistake. Second, the one who makes a mistake but knows how to admit it.”¹⁸⁶

7.8.2. Ordinary Beings Easily Commit Sins, Therefore Must

Repent Often

In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva said: “If the sins of sentient beings had form, even all of space could not contain them.” The Water Repentance states: “Every time an ordinary person moves their feet or takes a step, they commit a sin.”¹⁸⁷

To be pure, light, joyful, and long-lived—and to avoid SARS- CoV-2—we must repent. We repent for the bad karmic forces of killing, stealing, lying... in this life and past lives committed

Toàn Không, Repentance. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a18468/sam-hoi

Toàn Không, Repentance. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a18468/sam-hoi

through body, speech, and mind out of ignorance.

Now the Coronavirus rages globally. Hospitals lack beds. Cemeteries have mass graves. This is the ripening of collective karma resulting from killing (ahimsa). While people rush for vaccines and Paxlovid, these are physical treatments. A powerful spiritual medicine is repenting for karmic obstacles, vowing to practice, being vegetarian, and resolving the knot of resentment with these invisible yet aggressive viruses.

7.8.3. The Continuity of Karmic Retribution

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra¹⁸⁸ teaches the “Continuity of Distinctive Karmic Fruit” as follows:

“Pūrṇa, because of the ties of thoughts and mutual affection, lovers who cannot be parted continue to be born in this world as parents and children in an unending cycle, based on the root of desire and craving. Greedy and loving thoughts grow together until greed becomes insatiable; thus, all types of beings—born from eggs, wombs, moisture, or transformation—prey upon and devour one another according to their strength, based on the root of the greed for killing. A person eats a sheep; the sheep dies and becomes a person, and the person dies and becomes a sheep. In this way, through ten types of births, they die and are born, devouring each other. Evil karma is thus born and continues until the end of time, based on the root of the greed for stealing.

One person owes their life to another, and the other pays their old debt to the first. Due to these causes and conditions, they pass through hundreds of thousands of eons in the cycle of birth and death. One person loves another’s heart, and the other cherishes

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra. Translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Shramana Pāramiti. Translated into Vietnamese by Layman Tâm Minh Lê Đình Thám. International Buddhist Institute, Reprinted by Religious Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000, pp. 292–3.

the first’s form; because of these causes and conditions, they pass through hundreds of thousands of eons bound together. It is solely because the roots of killing, stealing, and lust are the causes and conditions that the fruits of karma continue.”

Thus, from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct, countless different wholesome and unwholesome karmas are created. While experiencing the results of these karmas, one simultaneously creates endless cycles of resentment and gratitude, debt, and repayment. Therefore, within the same environment of natural disasters and pandemics, some people are not infected, some do not survive, some escape suffering, while others are infected and tormented by SARS-CoV-2 with fever and respiratory distress. In Buddhist terms, this is Individual Karma (Biệt nghiệp) within the Collective Karma (Cộng nghiệp) of sentient beings.

Globally, nearly seven million (6,860,779)¹⁸⁹ people shared the collective karma of death, and 700 million (686,647,374) shared the collective karma of infection. Within this collective karma, there were individual karmas: those who were infected but recovered, or those whose bodies were not tormented by the virus. Therefore, whether one is pure or defiled, possesses merit or has exhausted it, the resulting retribution—health, illness, recovery, death, suffering, or joy—depends on the karma created in past lives or the present life.

A clear example is the story of SARS-CoV-2 in Bhutan. Bhutan is located between the two most populous countries, China and India. In Bhutan, daily prayer ceremonies led by monks, nuns, and lay Buddhists continued with the faith that this would protect them from the threat of Covid-19. With only 20 cases and zero deaths (as of May 15, 2020), many citizens of this Himalayan

According to statistics from Worldometers, as of April 26, 2023, 01:46 GMT, the world has recorded a total of 686,647,374 cases of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), including 6,860,779 deaths. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/+

Kingdom believed they were protected by guardian deities.¹⁹⁰ While the collective karma of China and India resulted in very high infection and death rates, the individual karma of Bhutan remained largely unaffected.

Another instance involved the first infection case in Bhutan: an American couple traveling together. Upon being tested, the husband was positive while the wife was negative. Even as a married couple, their individual karmas were clearly distinct. Therefore, only repentance, the eradication of negative karma, and spiritual practice can truly save us.

7.8.4. Establishing a Repentance Altar (Mandala)

Repentance has two aspects: Ritual/Form (Sự) and Principle/ Meaning (Lý).

7.8.4.1. Ritual Repentance (Sự sám hối):

Establishing a Repentance Altar: Inviting virtuous monks to witness. We kneel, confess errors, and promise not to repeat them.
Contemplative Repentance: Setting up an altar with Buddha and Bodhisattva We sincerely bow and visualize them witnessing our confession. Repentance is effective until we see auspicious signs, like light or a vision of the Buddha.
Repentance of the Great Names (Hồng danh sám hối): Reciting and prostrating to the names of 108 Buddhas to eliminate 108 afflictions. The 108 afflictions arise from the 6 senses + 6 objects + 6 consciousnesses = 18, multiplied by the 6 fundamental afflictions (greed, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt, wrong view).

The Story of Bhutan’s Fight Against COVID-19 while Positioned Between the Two Most Populous Nations. Source: Voice of Vietnam (VOV). https://vov.gov.vn/cau-chuyen-chong-covid-19-o-bhutan-khi-nam-giua- 2-nuoc-dong-dan-nhat-dtnew-171376

Vipassi Buddha declared 91 eons ago¹⁹¹: “If anyone recites and bows to the names of the Buddhas, for many eons they will not fall into the three evil paths.” The Ratnakuta Sūtra¹⁹² teaches that even for those who commit the “Five Heinous Crimes” or “Ten Evil Deeds,” if they prostrate and recite the Buddha’s name, their sins will be eradicated. Most temples hold these “Great Name Repentance” ceremonies on the 14th and 30th of the lunar month.

7.8.4.2. Repentance through Contemplation of Reality (Lý sám hối):

Contemplating the Non-arising of Mind:

The Mind is fundamentally never born and never ceases.

Thus, the Diamond Sūtra¹⁹³ teaches: “The past mind cannot be grasped, the present mind cannot be grasped, and the future mind cannot be grasped.” Therefore, which mind commits a sin? For this reason, the Sūtras teach:

Sin arises from the mind, So use the mind to repent. When the mind is purified,

The sin is instantly extinguished.

Homage to the Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva.

Long Discourses 14, The Great Discourse on Traces Left Behind https://suttacentral.net/en/sujato.

The Ratnakuta Sūtra

https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/maha-prajnaparamita-sastra/d/ doc225896.html

Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương, Key words in the Vajracchedikā Sūtra. https://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/en/254-arts

When sin is extinguished and the mind is pure, both are found to be empty. This is the true nature of repentance.

Namo Bodhisattva Mahasattva of Seeking Repentance.

2. Contemplating the Non-arising of Phenomena (Dharmas):

This involves observing that all external phenomena arise falsely due to causes and conditions and will quickly vanish. As the Diamond Sūtra teaches: “All that possesses marks is illusory” (Phàm sở hữu tướng giai thị hư vọng). Therefore, sin is fundamentally empty.

The Heart Sūtra¹⁹⁴ teaches: “[All things are] neither born nor destroyed, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing.” They are not changed by time nor moved by space; they have always been thus. This is called the True Mark, Suchness, or Buddha-nature. Once the True Mark is realized, false appearances no longer exist. Since sin is a false appearance, where could it find a place to dwell? Therefore, if one truly repents and abandons wrongdoing, the “form” of the sin is fundamentally empty.

7.8.5. The Benefits of Repentance

Everyone makes mistakes. One who errs but knows how to repent is more precious than one who wears an outward mask of purity while being full of faults. Repentance brings many benefits: a clear conscience free from remorse, and the ability to receive noble virtues (like a cup that has been washed clean). This leads to the elimination of karmic obstacles, retribution obstacles, and affliction obstacles, giving rise to merit and

194.The Daily Chanting Liturgy, Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương, NXB Hồng Đức Publishing, 2022.

https://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/phat-phap/nghi-la-ha- ng-nga- y/6313-i-2-kinh-pho-mon

progress toward liberation and peace.

May karmic obstacles, retribution obstacles,

And affliction obstacles

the three obstacles be eliminated.

May new connections, old connections, and karmic debts all connections be liberated.

A fellow practitioner, Thiện Nhân, shared the following text for repentance on the “Thiện Lợi” Facebook page:

7.8.6. The Text for Open Confession and Repentance

(To be recited before the Altar of the Buddha)

My name is: ................................................................................

Dharma name: .............................................................................

Currently residing at: ..................................................................

Today, on the (day) ....... of (month) ......., (year) , Standing

before the Altar of the Buddha, I sincerely and openly confess and repent:

I (we), due to the karmic retribution of ignorance, disbelieving in cause and effect, and not understanding the Buddha- Dharma, have drifted through the cycle of birth and death since beginningless eons. The unwholesome karma we have created, if it had a physical form, would be so vast that the entire empty space of the universe could not contain it. Driven by these three karmic doors—ignorance, greed, and anger—we have killed humans and harmed animals, whether by our own hands, by ordering others, or by rejoicing in the harm done by others. Thus, we have fallen and drifted incessantly within the three evil realms.

In this life, though we have obtained a human body, we are still

surrounded by unwholesome karma, living in ignorance and failing to seek the Buddha-Dharma. Consequently, we have now been infected with the Corona disease.

Being infected, our entire bodies are exhausted, aching, and struggling to breathe; we cannot eat or sleep, and our physical and mental strength is depleted. In this situation, we truly feel the pain and suffering that all sentient beings—including the Coronavirus Bodhisattvas—have endured when we, out of ignorance, harmed or killed them. Their struggle and agony were no less than what we feel now.

Today, before the Triple Gem and our Ancestors, we sincerely repent for all transgressions and karmic obstacles we have caused since beginningless eons—whether direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional. We prostrate and beg for forgiveness before the Buddhas, our Ancestors, and all the Coronavirus Bodhisattvas.

We pray that the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Ancestors arise with great compassion to witness our repentance. May you use your Dharma-eyes and majestic power to protect us, giving us the opportunity to repent, cease evil, practice good, abstain from killing, embrace vegetarianism, and transform our current karma. Please help us turn toward the World-Honored One’s teachings, truly practicing Buddha-Recollection to move toward enlightenment and liberation.

We also pray that the Coronavirus Bodhisattvas arise with compassion, joy, and equanimity to forgive the karmic offenses we have committed against you and your kin. From now on, we vow to follow the wholesome path and single-mindedly recite the name of Amitabha Buddha to accumulate merit, dedicating it to you and your relatives, so that you may rely on the compassionate light of Amitabha Buddha and be reborn with us in the Western Pure Land. This repentance comes from the depths of our sincere hearts, not from a deceitful desire to simply recover quickly.

From this day forward, we vow to daily purify our body and mind, reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name to dedicate merit to all sentient beings throughout the universe, our ancestors, our parents from many lives, and all the Corona Bodhisattvas currently residing within our bodies. May everyone let go of all resentment and join us in reciting the Buddha’s name to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Homage to the Bodhisattva Who Dispels Calamities and Brings Auspiciousness.

Homage to the Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva.

The Verse of Untying Knots

Untie the knots Untie the knots

Untie the knots of enmity.

The karmic obstacles of many lifetimes are now all dissolved. Wash clean the worldly heart and give rise to sincerity,

Before the Buddha’s altar, we pray for the knots to be untied.

Medicine Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Medicine Buddha who dispels calamity and prolongs life, Medicine Buddha who grants wishes according to the heart.

Namo Lord of the Eastern Realm, Compassionate One of the Full Moon, Medicine Buddha who Dispels Calamity and Prolongs Life. (3 times).

7.8.7. Constant Reminders for the Mind

People may deceive each other with words or actions, but the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas know even a single rising Therefore, repentance is only effective if it comes from a sincere and pure mind.

Once you repent, you must truly act on Do not be deceitful; even if it costs your life, you must follow through. This is a test of your sincerity toward the Buddhas and the “Corona beings,” as they can sense the thoughts of those who are sick.
While ill, you must completely abstain from non- vegetarian food and eat only vegetarian meals. You must practice meditation, recite the Buddha’s name, and chant The Coronavirus beings will observe your sincerity; if you are sincere, the SARS-CoV-2 will voluntarily forgive you and leave.
Symptoms like a sore throat, dry cough, fever, or loss of taste will occur. You must not harbor thoughts of “eliminating” the Coronavirus beings or use insults against them, as this will make the illness more complicated.
Maintain a repentant heart, do not panic, and consume fluids and vitamins to maintain immunity. Keep the house ventilated and play a Buddha-name recitation machine 24/7. Dedicate your practice 2-3 times a day as mentioned above.

If you repent and practice with all your heart, you will recover in a few days. Recovery time and the presence of lingering effects depend on your personal karma and the sincerity of your repentance.

7.8.8. Prayer for the Deceased (Cầu Siêu)

Before the altar, the incense smoke rises,¹⁹⁵

The Ritual for the Spiritual Deliverance of the Deceased [Nghi thức Cầu Siêu Chư Hương Linh]. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương, NXB Hồng Đức Publishing,

https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/phat-phap/nghi-le/8704- cung-thai- nhi

With a heart of utmost sincerity from this moment.

Five-colored auspicious clouds surround us, Protecting humanity and the many wandering souls.

We know the saying “Death is a return, life is a temporary stay,”

For in this world, who can live forever?

Because of the weight of love and deep gratitude,

We feel compassion for our fellow beings of the same origin.

Born unfortunately in the Dharma-ending age, Suffering a hundred kinds of hardships beyond measure.

In life, struggling and wavering; In death, the body is not whole when handed to the god of death.

Now we pray with all our hearts,

Asking the Compassionate Buddha to save these spirits.

We rely on the enlightened Buddhas

To pity humanity in this fleeting, impermanent life.

Wherever there is birth, there is sorrow, The cycle of reincarnation is full of calamities.

That which has form will perish; all is impermanent “Being” and “non-being” are but fleeting shadows.

Even with talent and beauty, a hundred years pass the same;

A fleeting life does not easily last long. Wandering souls drifting here and there,

Strive to listen to the Sūtras to attain liberation.

Hurry to take refuge in the Triple Gem,

Let the willow branch water wash the worldly heart. Bathed in the profound grace of the Buddha’s virtue, All karmic obstacles will gradually vanish.

Now the time of the soul wandering in illusions is over, Hurry back to the wondrous landscapes of the Western Realm.

Let the souls rely on the fragrant incense smoke

To find peace and leisure in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. (ooo)

7.9. THE SUPREME PHYSICIAN HEALING THE WORLDLY ILLNESSES

OF BODY AND MIND

The pandemic has eroded self-confidence, bringing feelings of fear, failure, anxiety, and a sense of never having enough. Therefore, the Buddha is like a Supreme Physician (Great King of Medicine), capable of healing and treating the illnesses of body and mind for everyone.

Namo Lord of the Eastern Realm, Compassionate One of the Full Moon, Dispeller of Calamities and Prolonger of Life, Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light King Buddha. (3 times)

“Medicine” (Dược) refers to the remedy; “Master” (Sư) refers to the teacher. He is the physician-teacher who treats the mental illnesses of sentient beings. There is the Medicine Buddha in the East. There is Shakyamuni Buddha in this Sahā world; He possesses 84,000 Dharma gates (meaning 84,000 methods of practice) to treat the 84,000 afflictions of sentient beings.

The vow of the Buddhas states: “In times of rampant pestilence, I shall manifest as medicine (herbs) to cure even the most chronic diseases; in times of famine, I shall manifest as food to save those suffering from hunger and cold. I vow never to refuse any beneficial (practical) deed.”

The Buddha is a Saint amidst the world, and He manifested severe illness three times. The first two times were during the rainy retreat at Vesālī in Beluva village, as described in the Saṃyutta Nikāya (Satipaṭṭhāna Saṃyutta, Ambapāli Chapter)¹⁹⁶:

“While the Blessed One was staying for the rainy season, a severe illness arose, and fierce pains—nearly deadly—ensued. There, the Blessed One remained mindful and clearly comprehending, without complaining.”

At age 80, after receiving the bowl of mushroom soup from the lay disciple Cunda, He suffered from dysentery. This was the third and final manifestation, providing the cause for this physical body of the four elements (earth, water, fire, and wind)

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses) II, Chapter 47: Connected Discourses on the Establishments of Mindfulness, I: Ambapāli Chapter, 9: “Sickness.” Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2015, p. 566. https://suttacentral.net/sn47.9/vi/minh_chau

to fall into disharmony and dissolve, returning to the four elements. The Buddha¹⁹⁷ relinquished the life-force of his body, as the scriptures teach:

“After eating the meal of Cunda the smith, the Blessed One was afflicted by a severe illness, an illness of bloody flux, with sharp pains ending in death. But the Blessed One, mindful and clearly comprehending, bore it patiently and was not overwhelmed.”

“Mindful, clearly comprehending, patient, and enduring the illness” is the spirit of the Saints when approaching the suffering of the physical body. The body is sick, but the mind is not. As the Saṃyutta Āgama¹⁹⁸ teaches:

“O Bhikkhus, the worldly physicians do not truly know the way to treat the root of birth, nor do they truly know the way to treat the roots of aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Whereas the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, is the Supreme Physician; He knows truly how to treat those roots. Thus, the Tathāgata is called the Supreme Physician (Great King of Medicine).”

Understanding the Buddha’s steady spirit when facing the disharmony of the four elements helps us realize why He is hailed as the Supreme Physician. A Saint has only a sick body, but no longer suffers from a “sick mind” like ordinary people. In the Treatise on the Precious King Samadhi, the Buddha taught ten contemplations—excellent living mantras—specifically two:

Digha Nikaya (Trường Bộ Kinh). Mahàparinibbàna sutta (Kinh Ðại Bát-Niết-Bàn)

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-truongbo/truong16.htm

Samyukta Āgama (Connected Discourses), Volume 2, Sutra 389: “The Physician.” Translated from Chinese into Vietnamese by Thích Đức Thắng; Edited and Annotated by Thích Tuệ Sỹ.

https://www.budsas.org/uni/u-kinh-aham-tap/tap15.htm

Regarding the body: Do not seek freedom from illness, for without illness, desires easily arise.

Regarding worldly life: Do not seek freedom from adversity, for without adversity, arrogance and pride will

We all want to be healthy, yet sickness still comes. Without illness, a strong body easily breeds endless desires. In satisfying those desires, one creates countless afflictions and karmic debts—borrowing and paying in a continuous cycle. Thus, the Buddha taught: “When thinking of the body, do not pray for it to be free of illness; consider illness as a divine medicine or celestial elixir to treat desires and increase your persistence and diligence in practice.”

Likewise, when thinking of the Covid-19 pandemic, do not pray for its non-existence. This Sahā world is a realm subject to the Three Calamities and Eight Hardships¹⁹⁹; even if you pray, they will occur. Disasters are always lurking due to the collective and individual karma of humanity.

According to the law of cause and effect, the hardships that arise are due to individuals and communities sowing unwholesome seeds (such as killing or harming living beings) at some point in the past or present; now, the retribution of SARS-CoV-2 has arrived as a harmful act of vengeance. The only way forward

The Three Calamities and Eight Hardships
The Three Great Calamities:
1. Water: Floods destroying up to the Second Dhyana
2. Fire: Fires destroying up to the First Dhyana
3. Wind: Storms destroying up to the Third Dhyana
The Three Minor Calamities:
1. Famine: Occurs when human lifespan decreases to about 30
2. Pestilence (Epidemics): Occurs when human lifespan decreases to about 20 years.
3. War: Global destruction occurring when lifespan is around 10
The Eight Hardships (Conditions where one cannot see the Buddha or hear the Dharma):
1. Hell: Constant is to adopt scientific preventive measures alongside spiritual repentance and practice.

We should encourage many people to take refuge in the Triple Gem to find a solid foundation, uphold moral precepts, chant Sūtras, sit in meditation, and contemplate the nature of phenomena (suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non- self). We must repent for our mistakes and engage in charity to transform both collective and individual karma.

Hardships exist to awaken humanity to practice rather than remaining arrogant and prideful. Therefore, even though the Buddha is the Enlightened One and the Great Physician King, he manifested pain, illness, and physical suffering, yet his mind remained persistent and steadfast, transcending bodily sickness to maintain mindfulness and wisdom.

Hasten to do good; Restrain the mind from evil. He who is slow to do good Delights in evil. (Dhammapada, Verse 116)

If a man commits evil,

Hungry Ghosts: Suffering from hunger and
Animals: Driven by ignorance and lack of
Long-life Heavens: Where lifespan is so long that one is obstructed from practice.
Uttarakuru (The Northern Continent): Where life is too pleasurable to seek the Dharma.
Disability (Blind, Deaf, Mute): Inability to receive the
Worldly Wit and Sophistry: Being too clever or stuck in false
Being born before or after a Buddha: Living in an era where the Dharma is not present Let him not do it again and again.

Let him not delight in it,

For the accumulation of evil is painful.

(Dhammapada, Verse 117)²⁰⁰

Thus, the Great Physician King has provided the specific medicine for unwholesome karma, natural disasters, earthquakes, tsunamis, and pandemics: the Buddha-Dharma. Let us apply the Dharma, keep the precepts to create wholesome karma, resolve to maintain pure fasts, and practice sincerely. Instead of killing—regularly practice life-release; instead of stealing— regularly practice generosity; instead of sexual misconduct— regularly live with virtue; instead of false speech—regularly practice upright and loving speech. Instead of letting the mind live in delusion—regularly practice seated meditation, uphold mantras, recite the Buddha’s name, and repent. This will bring great majesty and the power of blessing to resolve karma for ourselves and those around us.

The Corona Mantra

Pray (chanting, meditation)
Abstain from Killing (No killing of sentient beings)
Purify the Karma (Cleansing the spiritual debt)
Do Not Poison the Body (Avoiding intoxicants and harmful

Dhammapada, Chapter 9: Evil (Pāpavagga). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Illustrations by Mr. P. Wickramanayaka. Poetic translation by Tâm Minh Ngô Tằng Giao.

https://loiphatday.org/kinh-phap-cu-09-pham-ac/

substances)

Speak Only Goodness (Practicing Right Speech/Auspicious words)
Adopt a Pure Vegan Diet (Consuming plant-based nutrition)

Banner by Như Nhiên – Thích Tánh Tuệ

***

Chapter 8

SPIRITUAL SUPPORT FOR THE DYING

he world seems covered in the mourning colors of death due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One moment, a person

is standing, talking, and laughing, but the next, they are severely infected with the Coronavirus and quietly lay down to depart for the other side of the world. Life is very impermanent; no one knows who will stay and who will go. Therefore, we must focus even more on our spiritual practice, and every family should prepare Sūtras for supporting those who are frail, ill, or passing away. The purpose is to provide guidance and steer the consciousness of the dying to dwell in Faith, Practice, and Vow, directing their spirit toward the path of liberation without fear when their karmic connection to this life has ended.

8.1. METHODS OF SPIRITUAL ASSISTANCE AND HEALING FOR THE DYING

In the Pāli/Nikāya canons²⁰¹, the Sanskrit/Chinese Agamas²⁰², and the Zen tradition, there are many Sūtras regarding assistance for both laypeople and monastics at the moment of “near-death karma.” There are various healing methods such as:

contemplating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to endure physical pain
explaining Non-Self to soothe a turbulent mind; thoroughly understanding Signlessness to perceive the Tathagata
meditating on Impermanence or the Ten Recollections to be reborn in the Non-Returning Pure Land
giving rise to the Four Unshakable Faiths
practicing the Six Clear Dharmas
understanding that even if one does not attain meditative absorption at the moment of death, they can still be reborn if they have not broken the precepts
contemplating dependent origination, passing away, and entering Nirvana
awakening to the Eradication of Self-View; having a mind free of desire and attachment across past, present, and future
letting go of clinging to the six senses, six objects, six consciousnesses, five elements, and four dhyanas

Chúc Phú. Assisting the Dying According to the Nikāya Discourses. Based on the Pāli

https://www.vomonthientu.org/p29a1395/do-nguoi-hap-hoi-theo-kinh-tang- nik-ya

Stories of Rebirth in the Pure Land. Compiled by Venerable Master Chin Translated [into Vietnamese] Cư Sĩ Như Hòa, https://www.adidaphat.net/khaithi/4871/Ke-Chuyen-Vang-Sanh

using peaceful passing or assisted passage for terminal illness
managing family affairs on behalf of the deceased
letting go of attachment to the physical body,

The goal of these healing methods is to help the dying remain alert and rejoice in their spiritual practice and the wholesome deeds they have performed, thereby attaining rebirth in a happy realm or the Pure Land. Except for those who have mastered meditation, who know the date and time of their passing and are masters of their own life and death, it is very difficult to maintain self-control without profound spiritual cultivation. Because of this, there are cases of death with joyful devotion and cases of passing away in a state of torment. As the Sūtra on the Simile of the Cloth²⁰³ teaches: with a defiled mind, one is reborn in an evil realm, while a happy realm opens to a mind that is pure and serene.

Depending on one’s understanding, practice, merit, and the pull of karmic force at the moment of near-death karma, each dying person experiences different states of mind—such as regret for unfinished business in the world, the aspiration for loved ones to assist in recitation, or complete letting go.

“An impure mind leads to an unhappy .. A pure mind leads to a happy destination.” (See: Majjhima Nikāya, Volume 1, Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu, Religious Publishing House, 2012, p. 61.)

https://www.vomonthientu.org/a1395/do-nguoi-hap-hoi-theo-kinh- tang-nik-ya

8.2. MANAGING FAMILY AFFAIRS ON BEHALF OF THE DECEASED

The Anguttara Nikaya²⁰⁴ tells the story of Nakula’s family. The husband was terminally ill, and the wife helped him distinguish which matters were worth worrying about (which she would resolve) and which should be let go. Their dialogue was as follows:

Husband: “O Householder (wife), mother of Nakula, after I pass away, will you be unable to support our children and maintain our household?”

Wife: “Dear Householder, I am skilled at weaving cloth and carding wool. After you pass away, I can support the children and maintain the household.”

Husband: “O Householder, mother of Nakula, after I pass away, will you go to another family (remarry)?”

Wife: “Dear Householder, do not think such things! You know that during the sixteen years we have lived as husband and wife, how I have practiced the Holy Life (celibacy/ virtue).”

Husband: “O Householder, after I pass away, will you no longer wish to see the Blessed One or the Sangha?”

Wife: “Dear Householder, do not think such things! After you pass away, I will wish to see the Blessed One even more and the Sangha even more.”

Husband: “O Householder, after I pass away, will you fail to keep the precepts fully?”

Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses) II, Chapter 6: “The Need to Remember,” 6.16: “Nakula’s Parents.” Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2015, pp. 43–45.

https://suttacentral.net/an6.16/vi/minh_chau

Wife: “Dear Householder, do not think such things! As long as the white-robed female disciples of the Blessed One can attain internal tranquility, I shall be one of them.”

Husband: “Will you fail to achieve entry into this Dharma and Discipline, fail to find stability and comfort, fail to overcome doubt and hesitation, and still need to rely on others to live the Teacher’s word?”

Wife: “Dear Householder, do not think such things! As long as the white-robed female disciples of the Blessed One achieve entry into this Dharma and Discipline... I shall be one of them.”

After these complete answers from the wife, affirming she would fulfill her responsibilities to the children, the family, and the Triple Gem, the husband passed away peacefully.

8.3. LETTING GO OF ATTACHMENT TO THE PHYSICAL BODY

The Blessed One praised the laywoman Nakulamātā²⁰⁵ for knowing how to guide a dying person who still harbored attachments as follows:

“If the dying person says: ‘I still have love and longing for my parents,’ then one should say: ‘Venerable, you must die regardless. Whether you harbor longing for your parents or not, you will die. Thus, it is better for you to let go of your longing for your parents.’”

“If he says: ‘I have love and longing for my wife and children,’ he should be told: ‘Venerable, you must die regardless... It

Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses), Volume 1. Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2015, p. 63.

is better for you to let go of your longing for your wife and children.’”²⁰⁶

8.4. GUIDANCE ON DWELLING IN THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS

OF MINDFULNESS TO ENDURE PAIN

The Samyutta Nikaya recounts that Venerable Anuruddha was seriously ill and in great pain. He shared how he endured the pain as follows:

“My illness is not subsiding; it is truly hard to bear. The pain throughout my body is increasing and not lessening.” “Though my body suffers such pain, I still endure it with mindfulness and clear comprehension.”

The monks asked Anuruddha: “Where does your mind dwell that you can endure such great suffering with mindfulness and clear comprehension?”

Anuruddha told the monks: “The mind dwells in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness; therefore, even when I move and my body is in pain, I can endure it with mindfulness and clear comprehension. What are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness? They are: contemplating the body in the body, contemplation of feelings, the mind, and phenomena. This is called dwelling in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which allows one to endure all bodily pain with mindfulness and clear comprehension.”

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Volume 2. Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2013, pp. 771–772.

8.5. GUIDANCE ON THE TRUTH OF NON-SELF TO ENDURE A TURBULENT MIND

In some Sūtras,²⁰⁷ the Buddha asks the sick person if there is anything they wish to say or do, such as expressing repentance if they have broken a precept. Even when suffering intense pain from near-death karma and feeling their limbs dissolving, if they wholeheartedly repent and contemplate the truth of non- self, they can endure the pain and be reborn in a peaceful realm.

Such was the case of Venerable Assaji, who was very ill—to the point that it seemed his spiritual efforts had vanished because he was in too much pain to focus his mind (Samadhi). The Buddha taught that even if one cannot enter Samadhi at the moment of death, as long as they have no regrets and have not broken the precepts, the patient should contemplate that there is nothing called “self” (Non-Self) or “other-than-self” within form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. By not clinging to these phenomena, even while ill, one can move upward toward liberation and peace.

The story²⁰⁸ goes as follows:

Buddha: “Assaji, do not have regrets.”

Assaji: “World-Honored One, truly I do have regrets!”

Samyukta Āgama (Connected Discourses), Sutra 540: “The Discourse for the Seriously Ill and the Dying.” Translated into Vietnamese by Thích Tuệ Sỹ and Thích Đức Thắng. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36252/kinh-cho-nguoi-benh-nang-va-can-tu https://suttacentral.net/sa540/vi/tue_sy-thang

Samyukta Āgama (Connected Discourses), Sutra 540: “The Discourse for the Seriously Ill and the Dying.” Translated into Vietnamese by Thích Tuệ Sỹ and Thích Đức Thắng.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36252/kinh-cho-nguoi-benh-nang-va-can-tu https://suttacentral.net/sa540/vi/tue_sy-thang

Buddha: “Have you broken the precepts?”

Assaji: “World-Honored One, I have not broken the precepts.”

Buddha: “If you have not broken the precepts, why do you have regrets?”

Assaji: “World-Honored One, before I was ill, I practiced much and attained the tranquil joy of bodily stillness. I practiced Samadhi much. But today, I cannot enter that Samadhi. I wonder if this Samadhi has been lost?”

Buddha: “Now I ask you, answer as you wish. Assaji, do you see form as self, different from self, or within each other?”

Assaji: “World-Honored One, no.”

Buddha: “Do you see feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as self, different from self, or within each other?”

Assaji: “World-Honored One, no.”

Buddha: “If you do not see form as self... if you do not see feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as self... then why do you have regrets? ... If a disciple does not see form as self [etc.], but simply knows it as such, then desire is completely eradicated; anger and ignorance are completely gone. When all out-flows are exhausted, the mind is liberated. One knows: ‘Birth is ended, the holy life is established, what had to be done is done, there is no more rebirth in the future.’”

Upon hearing this teaching, Venerable Assaji’s mind was liberated from out-flows. Filled with joy and elation, his physical illness was immediately cured.

8.6. GUIDANCE ON THE PRINCIPLE OF FORMLESSNESS (TO SEE THE TATHAGATA)

The Samyutta Nikaya²⁰⁹ presents the Buddha’s guidance to the dying monk Vakkali as follows:

Buddha: “Vakkali, do you have any doubt or remorse?”

Vakkali: “World-Honored One, truly I have much doubt and much remorse!”

Buddha: “Vakkali, do you have anything to reproach yourself for regarding the precepts?”

Vakkali: “World-Honored One, I have nothing to reproach myself for regarding the precepts.”

Buddha: “Vakkali, if you have nothing to reproach yourself for regarding the precepts, then what is your doubt and remorse?”

Vakkali: “For a long time, World-Honored One, I have wanted to come and see the Blessed One. But my body does not have enough strength to come and see the Blessed One.”

Buddha: “Enough, Vakkali! What is there to see in this foul body? Vakkali, he who sees the Dharma sees me. He who sees me sees the Dharma. Vakkali, in seeing the Dharma, one sees me. In seeing me, one sees the Dharma.”

Sharing this same meaning, in the Diamond Sūtra²¹⁰, the Buddha

Saṃyutta Nikāya, Chapter 1: Connected Discourses on the Aggregates (Khandhavagga) – Section on the Teachers of the Dhamma. https://theravada.vn/tuong-ung-bo-iii-chuong-i-tuong-ung-uan-pham- thuyet- phap

Keys Words from the Vajracchedikā. Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing 2018.

https://viengiac.info/2020/12/loi-gioi-thieu-phap-ngu-trong-kinh-kim-cang/

taught:

“If one sees me by my form, Or seeks me by my voice, That person follows a heterodox path And cannot perceive the Tathagata.”

8.7. CONTEMPLATING IMPERMANENCE OF THE TEN RECOLLECTIONS FOR

IMMEDIATE RELIEF

In the Anguttara Nikaya,²¹¹ the Buddha taught that the perception of impermanence or the ten recollections have the power to help a patient’s condition “subside immediately” as follows:

“Ananda, if you go to the bhikkhu Girimananda and recite the ten perceptions, it is possible that after hearing them, his illness may subside immediately! What are the ten?

The perception of impermanence
The perception of non-self
The perception of impurity
The perception of danger
The perception of abandonment
The perception of detachment
The perception of cessation
The perception of disenchantment toward the whole world
The perception of impermanence in all formations

Aṅguttara Nikāya (Tăng Chi Bộ Kinh), 10.60. Kinh giải bệnh, Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses), Book of the Tens, Chapter VI: “One’s Own Mind,” Sutta No. 60: Girimānanda Sutta. Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a40126/an-10-60-girimananda

Mindfulness of in-and-out breathing.

And Ananda, what is the perception of impermanence? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu goes to the forest, or to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut and observes: ‘Form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, formations are impermanent, consciousness is ’ Thus he dwells, contemplating impermanence in these five aggregates of clinging. This is called the perception of impermanence.
And Ananda, what is the perception of non-self? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu... observes: ‘The eye is non-self, forms are non-self; the ear is non-self, sounds are non-self; the nose is non-self, odors are non-self; the tongue is non-self, flavors are non-self; the body is non-self, tangibles are non-self; the mind is non-self, phenomena are non-self.’ This is called the perception of non-self.
And Ananda, what is the perception of impurity? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu observes this body from the soles of the feet upward and from the top of the hair downward, bounded by skin and full of various impurities: ‘In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, contents of the stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, and urine.’ This is called the perception of
And Ananda, what is the perception of danger? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu... observes: ‘Much suffering is in this body, much For in this body, many kinds of diseases arise. Such as eye-disease, ear-disease, nose-disease, tongue-disease, body- disease, headache, external ear-ache, mouth-disease, tooth- ache, cough, asthma, catarrh, fever, decrepitude, abdominal pain, fainting, dysentery, griping, cholera, leprosy, boils, scabs, tuberculosis, epilepsy, skin disease, itching, ringworm, vitiligo, scabies, jaundice, diabetes, hemorrhoids, pustules, ulcers; diseases arising from bile, from phlegm, from wind; diseases resulting from a conflict of humors; diseases produced by change of climate; diseases caused by over-exertion; diseases produced by a surgical accident; diseases resulting from the ripening of karma; cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, and urination.’ Thus he dwells, contemplating the danger in this body. This is called the perception of danger.

And Ananda, what is the perception of abandonment? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu does not tolerate a thought of sensual desire that has arisen; he abandons it, dispels it, destroys it, and brings it to an .. he does not tolerate a thought of ill-will... a thought of cruelty... he does not tolerate any evil unwholesome states that continue to arise. This is called the perception of abandonment.

6) And Ananda, what is the perception of detachment?

And Ananda, what is the perception of cessation? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu... reflects: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, detachment, ’
And Ananda, what is the perception of disenchantment toward the whole world? Here, Ananda, regarding whatever in the world are engagements and clingings, mental standpoints, adherences and underlying tendencies, the bhikkhu abandons them, not being enchanted by them, not clinging to them. This is called the perception of disenchantment toward the whole
And Ananda, what is the perception of impermanence in all formations? Here, Ananda, the bhikkhu is repelled by, ashamed of, and disgusted with all formations. This is called impermanence in all formations.

10) And Ananda, what is mindfulness of in-and-out

breathing? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu... sits down cross-legged, keeps his back straight, and establishes mindfulness in front of him. Mindfully he breathes in; mindfully he breathes out. Breathing in long, he knows: ‘I am breathing in long.’ Breathing out long, he knows: ‘I am breathing out long’... ‘Feeling the whole body, I shall breathe in,’ he trains himself. ‘Feeling the whole body, I shall breathe out,’ he trains himself. ‘Calming the bodily formation, I shall breathe in,’ he trains himself. ‘Calming the bodily formation, I shall breathe out,’ he trains himself... ‘Contemplating impermanence... contemplating detachment... contemplating cessation... contemplating relinquishment, I shall breathe in/out,’ he trains himself.

Ananda, if you go to the bhikkhu Girimananda and recite these ten perceptions, it is possible that after hearing them, his illness will subside immediately.”

Then Venerable Ananda, having learned these ten perceptions from the Blessed One, went to Venerable Girimananda and recited them. And as soon as he heard them, the grave illness of Venerable Girimananda subsided immediately. Venerable Girimananda was freed from that illness.

8.8. THE FOUR OBJECTS OF INDESTRUCTIBLE FAITH

(Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, Precepts)

Prince Mahanama²¹² said to the Blessed One: “World-Honored One, how should a wise layperson who is sick, in pain, and gravely ill be exhorted by another wise layperson?”

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Chapter 55: Connected Discourses on Stream-Entry (Sotāpatti-saṃyutta), Veludvāra Chapter, 55.3: “Dīghāvu.” Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. https://suttacentral.net/sn55.3/vi/minh_chau

From this question, the Buddha taught an important method to support the dying: “Mahanama, a wise layperson who is sick... should be guided with the Four Unshakable Faiths (assāsaniya dhamma) as follows:

Buddha: Be at peace, for you have unshakable confidence in the Buddha: ‘He is the Arahant, Perfectly Enlightened, Accomplished in True Knowledge and Conduct, Fortunate, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Leader of Persons to be Tamed, Teacher of Devas and Humans, the Buddha, the Blessed ’
Dharma: Be at peace, for you have unshakable confidence in the Dharma: ‘The Dharma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be realized by oneself, timeless, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be experienced by the wise for themselves.’
Sangha: Be at peace, for you have unshakable confidence in the Sangha: ‘The disciples of the Blessed One are practicing the good way... the straight way... the true way... the proper .. They are the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.’
Precepts: Be at peace, for you possess the virtues loved by the Noble Ones—unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unmottled, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, leading to concentration.

A wise layperson who is sick, Mahanama, should be exhorted by another wise layperson with these four consolations.”

These four are also known as the Four Factors of Stream- entry (cattaro aveccappasādā). By accomplishing these four, the dying person will not fall into states of woe, but will be a Stream-enterer, tending toward, leaning toward, and inclining toward Nirvana.

8.9. THE SIX CLEAR DHARMAS (Six Perceptions Partaking in Knowledge)

The devout Buddhist Dighavu had attained the fruit of Stream- entry. When he became gravely ill and knew he would not survive, he asked his father, Jotika, to go to the Bamboo Grove monastery and invite the Buddha to their home out of compassion.

The Buddha visited Dighavu and advised him to establish unshakable faith in the Triple Gem, uphold the precepts, and practice contemplation. Just after the Buddha left, the layperson Dighavu passed away. The Buddha declared that Dighavu had been reborn in the Pure Land of the Non-Returner (Anagami), the third of the four stages of sainthood²¹³. The dialogue was as follows:

Buddha: “Dighavu, can you endure? Can you get by? Are your painful feelings decreasing, not increasing?”

Dighavu: “World-Honored One, I cannot endure, I cannot get by. My fierce pains are not decreasing, they are increasing.”

After inquiring about the illness, the Buddha re-emphasized the Four Unshakable Faiths and taught further on the Six Clear

The Four Stages of Sainthood:
Sotapanna (Stream-enterer): One who has entered the stream of the Noble
Sakadagami (Once-returner): One who will be reborn only once more before total liberation.
Anagami (Non-returner): One who will not return to the cycle of birth and death due to karmic results.
Arahant: The highest stage, one who has eradicated all defilements and ended the cycle of rebirth.

Online Buddhist Dictionary. Hosted by the Buddhist Information Portal of the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam.

https://phatgiao.org.vn/tu-dien-phat-hoc-online/bon-qua-thanh-k27591.html

Dharmas.

Dighavu: “World-Honored One, as for these six dharmas partaking in knowledge taught by the Blessed One, they are all found within me, and I practice them fully. World-Honored One, I dwell contemplating these six perceptions:

Contemplating impermanence in all formations...”
Contemplating the perception of suffering in
Contemplating the perception of non-self in
Contemplating the perception of abandonment.
Contemplating the perception of detachment.
Contemplating the perception of ²¹⁴

“However, World-Honored One, I have this thought: ‘I do not want the householder Jotika to fall into distress (vighàta) here when I die.’” “Dīghāvu, do not apply your mind in such a way! Look, Dīghāvu! To what the Blessed One is saying to you, apply your mind well.”

Then the Blessed One, after instructing the lay disciple Dīghāvu with these words of guidance, rose from his seat and departed. Not long after the Blessed One had gone, the lay disciple Dīghāvu passed away. Then many bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, paid homage, and sat to one side.

Sitting there, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: “World- Honored One, the layperson named Dīghāvu has passed away after hearing the Blessed One’s brief guidance. What is his destination? Where has he been reborn?” “Bhikkhus, the lay disciple Dīghāvu was wise! Dīghāvu practiced in accordance with the Dharma and the following of the Dharma, and did not

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Volume 2

Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2013, p. 724.

trouble Me with disputes over the Dharma. Dīghāvu, having destroyed the five lower fetters, has been spontaneously reborn to attain final Nirvana there, without ever returning to this world again.”²¹⁵

Thus, to guide a person near death—whether lay or monastic— the Buddha advises listening to them, comforting them, and resolving their lingering worries or attachments. One should restate the precepts the dying person has taken and conduct a repentance ceremony if they choose to confess²¹⁶. Remind the dying person to abandon affection and clinging, to let go of what is unnecessary, and to place unshakable faith in the Triple Gem, the precepts, and the Six Clear Dharmas of contemplating impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self.

8.10. FAITH IN THE TRIPLE GEM AND GENEROSITY

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Chapter 55: Connected Discourses on Stream-Entry (Sotāpatti-saṃyutta), Veludvāra Chapter, 55.3: “Dīghāvu.” Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. https://suttacentral.net/sn55.3/vi/minh_chau

In current monastic funerals, there is a section for Uposatha (Posadha), which is the recitation of the

In reality, the recitation of the Precepts is far more meaningful if the dying person can still hear the Dhamma-laws. At that moment, the mind of the dying has the potential for a positive transformation, which is the primary goal of Spiritual Assistance (Trợ niệm).

In lay funerals, there is typically no section for reciting the Precepts. In our view, if a layperson has taken the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts, these should be recited to them as they are dying.

If the dying person acknowledges that their observance of the Precepts has been deficient, they should be guided toward sincere Repentance (Sám hối).

Even Devadatta, despite committing grave offenses, was able to open a path toward Sainthood because of his repentant heart at the end of his life.

According to the Samyutta Nikaya²¹⁷, at the moment of his passing, the lay disciple Citta was surrounded by devas who offered spiritual assistance—devas of the gardens, the forests, the trees, and the medicinal herb forests.

The exchange between the devas and the householder Citta was as follows: “Householder, make a vow: ‘In the future, I will become a Wheel-Turning Monarch (Cakravartin).’” Citta replied to them: “That is impermanent; that is not lasting. That must be abandoned and transcended.”

Afterward, although lying on his sickbed, at the request of the many devas and his kinsmen, Citta spoke about firm faith in the Triple Gem and then instructed: “All that can be given within the clan, all must be offered and distributed to those who uphold the precepts and possess a virtuous nature.”

When the householder Citta had established in his friends and blood relatives a pure confidence in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, and encouraged them to practice generosity, he immediately passed away.

Thus, even while dying, at the request of the devas and kinsmen, the lay disciple Citta still exerted himself to give a final Dharma talk. For this reason, Citta was praised by the Buddha as one of the ten most excellent upasakas (male lay disciples), with the title: “Foremost in Teaching the Dharma.”²¹⁸

The perspective of sharing the personal belongings of the dying, or performing acts of charity with the property of the dying, frequently appears in the Northern (Mahayana) scriptures. This is a rare instance where such a practice also appears within the Nikāya

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Volume IV: The Book of the Six Sense Bases (Saḷāyatanavagga). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://phatphapungdung.com/phap-bao/kinh-tuong-ung-bo-tap-4-thien- sau-xu-111625.html

8.11. REBIRTH WITHOUT ATTAINING MEDITATIVE ABSORPTION AT DEATH

(IF PRECEPTS ARE KEPT)

The Samyutta Nikaya²¹⁹ describes the Buddha visiting to comfort a venerable monk.

“After sitting, the Blessed One said to the Venerable Assaji: ‘Can you endure, Assaji? Can you get by? ... Are there signs of decrease, not increase?’

‘World-Honored One, I cannot endure! ... There are signs of increase, not decrease!’

‘Assaji, do you have any doubt or remorse?’

‘Certainly, World-Honored One, I have much doubt and much remorse!’

‘Assaji, do you have anything to reproach yourself for regarding the precepts?’

‘World-Honored One, I have nothing to reproach myself for regarding the precepts.’

‘Assaji, if you have nothing to reproach yourself for regarding the precepts, why do you have doubt or remorse?’

‘Previously, World-Honored One, after striving to calm my illness, I lived with bodily mindfulness, yet I did not attain Dhyana (Meditation). Even without attaining Dhyana, I thought: “I shall not fall back.”’

Those Shramanas or Brahmins who persevere in meditation,

Saṁyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses on the Aggregates), 88. Assaji. https://suttacentral.net/sn22.88/vi/minh_chau https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36252/kinh-cho-nguoi-benh-nang-va-can-tu

who are concentrated in meditation—even if they do not attain Dhyana, they will think: ‘We shall not fall back!’

‘Assaji, what do you think: Is form permanent or impermanent?’ ‘Impermanent, World-Honored One!... Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?... therefore... seeing thus...’ ...he does not return to this state again.’ He knows it clearly in this way.

When experiencing a pleasant feeling, he knows clearly: ‘It is impermanent’; he knows clearly: ‘It should not be clung to’; he knows clearly: ‘It should not be rejoiced in.’ When experiencing a painful feeling, he knows clearly: ‘It is impermanent’; he knows clearly: ‘It should not be clung to’; he knows clearly: ‘It should not be rejoiced in.’ When experiencing a neither-painful- nor-pleasant feeling, he knows clearly: ‘It is impermanent’; he knows clearly: ‘It should not be clung to’; he knows clearly: ‘It should not be rejoiced in.’

If he experiences a pleasant feeling, he feels it without attachment. If he experiences a painful feeling, he feels it without attachment. If he experiences a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he feels it without attachment.

If he feels a feeling that ends with the body, he knows clearly: ‘I am feeling a feeling that ends with the body.’ If he feels a feeling that ends with life, he knows clearly: ‘I am feeling a feeling that ends with life.’ He knows clearly that: ‘When the body breaks up and life comes to an end, right here, all that he feels, all that he rejoiced in, will become cool!’

Just as, Assaji, an oil lamp burns based on oil and a wick, and when the oil and wick are exhausted and no further fuel is brought, that lamp goes out. So too, Assaji, when a bhikkhu feels a feeling that ends with the body... a feeling that ends with life... after the body breaks up at the end of life, right here, all that he feels, all that he rejoiced in, will become cool!”

8.12. CONTEMPLATING DEPENDENT ORIGINATION, PASSING AWAY,

AND ENTERING NIRVANA

A young monk fell ill and, near death, was compassionately visited by the Buddha²²⁰. The sick monk said to the Buddha:

“I ordained at a young age not long ago; I have not yet attained the states of a Superior Man or supreme vision. I think to myself: when my life ends, where will I be born? Therefore, I feel remorse.”

The Buddha said:

“I will ask you; answer as you wish. Bhikkhu, because there is the eye, there is eye-consciousness, is that not so?”

The sick monk replied: “World-Honored One, that is so.” “Bhikkhu, what do you think? Because there is eye- consciousness, there is eye-contact; and with eye-contact as cause and condition, there arises feeling—either painful, pleasant, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—is that not so?”

“World-Honored One, that is so.” (The same was said for the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind).

“Bhikkhu, if there were no eye, would there be eye- consciousness?” “World-Honored One, no.” “If there were no eye-consciousness, would there be eye-contact? If there were no eye-contact, would there be the cause and condition for feeling—painful, pleasant, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant— inside?” “World-Honored One, no.” (The same was said for

Samyukta Āgama (Connected Discourses), Sutra 1025: “Sickness” (Tật Bệnh).

https://suttacentral.net/sa1025/vi/tue_sy-thang Nguyên Giác, Kinh cho Người Bệnh Nặng và Cận Tử.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36252/kinh-cho-nguoi-benh-nang-va-can-tu

the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind).

“Therefore, bhikkhu, you must contemplate the Dharma well in this way, so that at the time of death it will be good, and the future life will also be good.”

Then the Blessed One taught, instructed, enlightened, and gladdened the sick monk, then rose and departed. Not long after, the monk passed away. At the moment of death, his senses were serene, his appearance pure, and his complexion radiant. Many bhikkhus then went to the Buddha, paid homage, and said: “That young monk was gravely ill and has now passed away. At his death, his senses were serene, his appearance pure, and his complexion radiant. World-Honored One, where will this monk be born? What is his rebirth? What is his future?”

The Buddha told the bhikkhus: “That monk who has passed away was truly a treasure. He heard My teaching and understood it clearly; he was not afraid of the Dharma and has attained Parinirvana. You should make offerings to his relics.”

Then the Blessed One declared this monk to be foremost.

8.13. ERADICATING THE VIEW OF SELF TO END SUFFERING AND DISEASE

The Samyutta Nikaya and Majjhima Nikaya record the Buddha compassionately visiting his ordained and lay disciples who were ill, teaching that the eradication of “self-view” transforms all suffering and illness:

“Bhikkhu, istheeyepermanentorimpermanent?” “Impermanent, World-Honored One...” “The ear... nose... tongue... body... Is the mind permanent or impermanent?” -”Impermanent, World- Honored One.”

“That which is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, World-Honored One.”

“That which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change— is it right to regard it as: ‘This is mine, this is I, this is my self ’?”

“No, World-Honored One.”

“Seeing this, bhikkhu, the well-taught noble disciple becomes disenchanted with the eye... ‘...he does not return to this state again.’

When the Blessed One spoke thus, that bhikkhu was gladdened and had faith in the Blessed One’s words. And while this instruction was being given, there arose in that bhikkhu the dust- free, stainless Eye of Dharma: “Whatever is subject to arising is all subject to cessation.”²²¹

In another passage of the Samyutta Nikaya,²²² the Buddha taught:

“And bhikkhus, what is the path leading to the eradication of self-view? Here, a well-taught noble disciple who has seen the Noble Ones... does not regard form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. ...He does not regard feeling... perception... formations... He does not regard consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. This is called the path leading to the eradication of self-view. The path leading to the eradication of self-view means: The observation that leads to the eradication of suffering.”

221.. Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Volume 2: The Book of Causation (Nidānavagga). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2013, p. 143. https://phatphapungdung.com/phap-bao/kinh-tuong-ung-bo-tap-2-thien- nhan- duyen-111621.html

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Chapter 22: Connected Discourses on the Aggregates (Khandhavagga), V: “Be an Island unto Yourself” Chapter, 22.44: “The Path.” Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. https://suttacentral.net/sn22.44/vi/minh_chau

In the Majjhima Nikaya, the Bhikkhuni Dhammadinna²²³ taught: “Here, friend Visākha, a well-taught noble disciple... does not regard form as self [etc.]. In this way, friend Visākha, there is no self-view.”

In another passage of the Majjhima Nikaya²²⁴, the Buddha taught the origin and the eradication of self-view: “Bhikkhus, this is the path leading to the arising of self-view: One regards the eye as: ‘This is mine, this is I, this is my self.’ One regards forms... eye-consciousness... eye-contact... feeling... craving... the ear... nose... tongue... body... mind... phenomena... mind- consciousness... mind-contact... feeling... One regards craving as: ‘This is mine, this is I, this is my self.’

But bhikkhus, this is the path leading to the eradication of self- view: One regards the eye as: ‘This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.’ One regards forms... eye-consciousness... eye- contact... feeling... craving... the ear... nose... tongue... body... mind... phenomena... mind-consciousness... mind-contact... feeling... One regards craving as: ‘This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.’”

8.14. A MIND FREE OF DESIRE AND ATTACHMENT, TRANSCENDIN PAST,

PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses), Sutra No. 44: “The Shorter Series of Questions and Answers” (Cūḷavedalla Sutta). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. https://suttacentral.net/mn44/vi/minh_chau

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses), Sutra No. 148: “The Six Sets of Six” (Chachakka Sutta). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu

https://phatphapungdung.com/phap-bao/kinh-trung-bo-148-kinh-sau- sau-111037.html

The Saṃyukta Āgama²²⁵ recounts the story of the Buddha visiting the Venerable Vakkali, who was seriously ill, as follows:

The Blessed One sat down and asked Venerable Vakkali:

“Are your painful illnesses stable and bearable? Is the aching in your body increasing or decreasing?” (Spoken in full as in the Yamaka Sutta previously...) until: “...my painful illnesses feel as if they are increasing rather than subsiding.”

The Buddha said to Vakkali: “Now I ask you, answer me as you wish. Have you attained a mind that is unstained, unattached, unpolluted, liberated, and free from delusions?”

Vakkali replied to the Buddha: “My mind is unstained, unattached, unpolluted, liberated, and free from delusions.”

The Buddha asked: “How have you attained a mind that is unstained, unattached, unpolluted, liberated, and free from delusions?”

Vakkali replied: “Regarding past forms perceived by the eye, my mind has no lingering regret; regarding future forms, I have no fantasies; regarding present forms, I have no grasping or defilement. Regarding past, future, and present forms perceived by the eye, I have completely cut off thoughts of sensual desire and craving; I am desireless, ceased, stilled, tranquil, detached, and liberated. Because my mind is liberated, it is unstained, unattached, unpolluted, free from delusions, and dwelling in right absorption. The same applies to the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Regarding the phenomena of the past perceived by the mind, I have no regret; regarding the future, no fantasies; regarding the present, no grasping. In the phenomena of the

Samyukta Āgama (Connected Discourses), Sutra 994: “Vañgīsa’s Praise of the Buddha.” Translated into Vietnamese by Thích Tuệ Sỹ and Thích Đức Thắng.

https://suttacentral.net/sa994/vi/tue_sy-thang

Nguyên Giác, Kinh cho Người Bệnh Nặng và Cận Tử. https://thuvienhoasen.org/a36252/kinh-cho-nguoi-benh-nang-va-can-tu

past, future, and present, thoughts of desire and craving no longer exist; I am desireless, ceased, stilled, tranquil, detached, and liberated. Because my mind is liberated, it is unstained, unattached, unpolluted, free from delusions, and dwelling in right absorption. May the World-Honored One grant me the ultimate benefit today by listening to my verses.”

8.15. NON-ATTACHMENT TO THE SIX SENSE FACULTIES

The householder Anāthapiṇḍika was a devout Buddhist who built monasteries and made many offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha²²⁶; consequently, there are 18 scriptures in the Nikāyas that mention this great benefactor. Among them is the Anāthapiṇḍikovāda Sutta (Instructions to Anāthapiṇḍika)²²⁷.

When Anāthapiṇḍika was in excruciating pain on the threshold of life and death, the Venerable Sāriputta came to encourage the layperson to let go and practice non-clinging (na upādiyissāmi) as follows:

“Venerable Sāriputta, I cannot endure, I cannot get by. My painful feelings are increasing, not decreasing; the increase is evident, not the decrease. Just as if a strong man were to split my head open with a sharp sword, so too, terrifying winds blow through my head causing sharp pain.

Venerable Sāriputta, I cannot endure, I cannot get by... Just as

Nyanaponika Thera & Hellmuth Hecker, Great Disciple of the

Buddha, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Edited. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2003. p.360. Nguồn: Nguyệt san Giác ngộ Online

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses), Sutra No. 143: “Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika” (Anāthapiṇḍikovāda Sutta). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/ a1047/ 143-kinh-giao-gioi-cap-co-doc- anathapindikovada-sutta

if a strong man were to wrap a tough leather strap around my head and tighten it, so too, I feel a terrifying headache.

Venerable Sāriputta, I cannot endure, I cannot get by... Just as if a skilled butcher or his apprentice were to slash my belly with a sharp carving knife, so too, a terrifying wind slashes through my belly.

Venerable Sāriputta, I cannot endure, I cannot get by... Just as if two strong men were to grab a weaker man by the arms and roast him over a pit of glowing coals, so too, a terrifying heat arises in my body. I cannot endure, I cannot get by. My sufferings are increasing, not decreasing.”

“Therefore, Householder, you should train yourself like this: ‘I will not cling to the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind, and I will have no consciousness dependent on the six senses.’ Householder, you should train yourself like this.

Therefore, Householder, you should train yourself like this: ‘I will not cling to forms, sounds, odors, flavors, tangibles, or phenomena, and I will have no consciousness dependent on the six objects.’ Householder, you should train yourself like this.

Therefore, Householder, you should train yourself like this: ‘I will not cling to eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose- consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, or mind-consciousness, and I will have no consciousness dependent on the six consciousnesses.’ Householder, you should train yourself like this.

Therefore, Householder, you should train yourself like this: ‘I will not cling to the earth element, and I will have no consciousness dependent on the earth element.’ ... ‘I will not cling to the water element... the fire element... the wind element... the space element... I will not cling to the consciousness element, and I will have no consciousness dependent on the consciousness element.’ Householder, you should train yourself like this.

Therefore, Householder, you should train yourself like this: ‘I will not cling to form... feeling... perception... formations... I will not cling to consciousness, and I will have no consciousness dependent on the consciousness element.’ Householder, you should train yourself like this.

Therefore, Householder, you should train yourself like this: ‘I will not cling to the Realm of Infinite Space, and I will have no consciousness dependent on the Realm of Infinite Space.’ ... ‘I will not cling to the Realm of Infinite Consciousness... I will not cling to the Realm of Nothingness... I will not cling to the Realm of Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception, and I will have no consciousness dependent on it.’ Householder, you should train yourself like this.

Therefore, Householder, you should train yourself like this: ‘I will not cling to this world, and I will have no consciousness dependent on this world.’ ... ‘I will not cling to the other world, and I will have no consciousness dependent on the other world.’ Householder, you should train yourself like this.

Therefore, Householder, you should train yourself like this: ‘I will not cling to what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, sought, or pondered by the mind, and I will have no consciousness dependent on those things.’ Householder, you should train yourself like this.”

When he heard this, the householder Anāthapiṇḍika wept. Then Venerable Ananda asked him:

“Householder, are you struggling to stay afloat, or are you sinking (into death)?”

“Venerable Ananda, I am not struggling to stay afloat; I am sinking into death. Even though I have served the Teacher for a long time and have been close to monks who practiced mental power, I have never heard a Dharma teaching like this.”

“Householder, such a teaching is not usually given to white- robed laypeople. It is given to those who have gone forth.”

“Then, Venerable Sāriputta, please give such teachings to white- robed laypeople. There are clansmen born with little defilement who, if they do not hear the Dharma, will fall away; but if they hear it, they can understand the (True) Dharma.”

After instructing Anāthapiṇḍika, Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Ananda rose and departed. Not long after they left, Anāthapiṇḍika passed away and was immediately reborn in the Tusita heaven.²²⁸

8.16. EUTHANASIA OR ASSISTED DYING FOR TERMINAL ILLNESS

The householder Anāthapiṇḍika suffered physical pain but was able to endure it, cutting off attachments to let go of the “suffering aggregate of the body” and was reborn in Tusita. However, within the Sangha, there was a monk named Channa who, when terminally ill and unable to bear the excruciating pain any longer, asked the Buddha for permission to use a knife to take his own life. The Buddha taught the perspective of non- clinging. This was implicitly understood as an agreement to help the monk escape the pain at the end of his life and depart in peace.

The story is recorded in the Samyutta Nikaya as follows: “Bhikkhu, if you do not understand My teaching on the purpose of pure observance of the precepts, then how do you understand My teaching?

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses), Volume 2, Sutra No. 143: “Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika” (Anāthapiṇḍikovāda Sutta). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2012, pp. 604–605.

“World-Honored One, I understand the Dharma taught by the Blessed One as having the purpose of total stillness, without clinging.”

“Good, good, Bhikkhu! You understand My teaching as having the purpose of total stillness, without clinging.”²²⁹

Thus, the perspective of non-clinging can also be broadly understood as not clinging to the means of death, such as “Voluntary Euthanasia” (gentle death, mercy killing) or Physician-Assisted Suicide. Helping a patient end their life aims to reduce the duration of physical suffering.

If local laws, the patient, and the family all agree, a doctor or healer may perform the act of ending the patient’s life through painless means, or as the monk Channa did, by intentionally ending his own life faculty to achieve liberation.

Venerable Sāriputta questioned the destination and future life of Venerable Channa, and the Buddha explained: “Sāriputta, in such an event, I do not say Channa is at fault. Sāriputta, whoever discards this body and clings to another body—that person, I say, is at fault. But the monk Channa did not do so.”²³⁰

The Buddha affirmed this because Venerable Channa had previously achieved the insight: This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self²³¹.

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Volume 2: The Book of Causation (Nidānavagga). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2013, pp.143–144. https://phatphapungdung.com/phap-bao/kinh-tuong-ung-bo-tap-2-thien- nhan- duyen-111621.html

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Volume 2: The Book of Causation (Nidānavagga). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2013, pp.153. https://phatphapungdung.com/phap-bao/kinh-tuong-ung-bo-tap-2-thien- nhan- duyen-111621.html

Saṃyutta Nikāya (Connected Discourses), Volume 2: The Book of Causation (Nidānavagga). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable

The effort to practice and achieve a mind of non-clinging (na upādiyissāmi) carries significant meaning during life and especially at the moment of death. Therefore, “when clinging is broken, the chain of the 12 links of dependent origination²³² falls apart, and the dying person touches the doorway to liberation.”

To date, Vietnamese law does not permit euthanasia or assisted dying. Article 101 of the 2009 Penal Code stipulates²³³ that “inciting or helping another person commit suicide, or providing the right to die, is a violation of this law.” However, several countries in the world have approved laws for euthanasia or assisted dying, such as Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Argentina, and various states in the US.²³⁴

Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2013, pp.152. https://phatphapungdung.com/phap-bao/kinh-tuong-ung-bo-tap-2-thien- nhan- duyen-111621.html

Chúc Phú. Assisting the Dying according to the Nikāya Canon. https://www.vomonthientu.org/p29a1395/do-nguoi-hap-hoi-theo-kinh-tang- nik-ya

Article 101 of the 2009 Penal Code stipulates. https://hdgmvietnam.com/chi-tiet/chet-trong-an-binh--44054

A broad majority of Americans, 72%, continue to believe that doctors should be legally allowed, at a patient’s and a family’s request, to end a terminally ill patient’s life using painless means. While support for legalized euthanasia is strong across nearly all subgroups of Americans, men, young adults, Democrats and liberals are especially likely to favor Support drops below a majority only among weekly churchgoers.

A broad majority of Americans, 72%, continue to believe that doctors should be legally allowed, at a patient’s and a family’s request, to end a terminally ill patient’s life using painless means. While support for legalized euthanasia is strong across nearly all subgroups of Americans, men, young adults, Democrats and liberals are especially likely to favor it. Support drops below a majority only among weekly churchgoers. https://news.gallup.com/poll/235145/americans-strong-support- euthanasia- persists.aspx

8.17. TEN STORIES OF REBIRTH IN THE PURE LAND

Venerable Pukkusāti: Pukkusāti had long revered the Buddha and went forth on his own, though he had never formally met the Buddha. During a journey, both stayed in the house of the potter Bhaggava. There, Pukkusāti met the Buddha for the first time, heard the Dharma, and requested While searching for a robe and bowl to formally receive the precepts, a charging cow struck and killed him²³⁵. The Buddha confirmed that Pukkusāti had attained the Third Stage of Sainthood (Non-Returner).

The Poor Woman and the Roasted Rice: A poor woman was roasting rice when she learned that Venerable Kassapa had just emerged from seven days of deep meditation. She gave her small portion of rice to him. Rejoicing in her wholesome deed, she was bitten by a poisonous snake on her way home and Because she died with faith in the Triple Gem and joy in her merit, she was immediately reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three as the goddess Lājā.²³⁶
Venerable Soṇa’s Father: He had been a hunter but went forth as a monk in his old On his deathbed, his past

Kinh Trung bộ, tập 2, Thích Minh Châu dịch, NXB Tôn Giáo, 2012, tr.588.

Chúc Phú, Assisting the Dying according to the Nikāya Canon ( Độ Người Hấp Hối Theo Kinh Tạng Nikāya).

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a25033/do-nguoi-hap-hoi-theo-kinh-tang-nik-ya

The Commentary on the Dhammapada (Dhammapada Atthakatha), Volume
Translated [into Vietnamese] by the Viên Chiếu Buddhist Monastery. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2012, pp. 135–137.

Chúc Phú, Assisting the Dying according to the Nikāya Canon ( Độ Người Hấp Hối Theo Kinh Tạng Nikāya).

https://giacngo.vn/do-nguoi-hap-hoi-theo-kinh-tang-nikaya-post35558. html

evil karmas appeared as terrifying visions, causing him great fear. Venerable Soṇa had his father carried near a stupa, cut flower branches, and asked him to offer the flowers to the Buddha statue and the Bodhi tree. Miraculously, the terrifying visions disappeared, and the father was reborn in heaven.²³⁷

The Brahmin Dhānañjāni²³⁸: He felt anaffinity for Venerable Sāriputta after a previous teaching. On his deathbed, he invited Sāriputta to visit. Sāriputta contemplated that the Brahmin was very attached to the Brahma Realm²³⁹, so he taught him the path to co-habitation with Brahma (the Four Sublime Abodes: Love, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity). Dhānañjāni passed away and was reborn in the Brahma ²⁴⁰
The Four Holy Sites: In the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, it is recorded that there are four sacred sites known as the Four Places of Inspiration (saṃvejanīyāni ṭhānāni cattāri): the place where the Tathāgata was born, the place where the Tathāgata attained Supreme Enlightenment, the place where

Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw, The Workings of Helicon Publishing and Penguin Books Ltd: 1996, p.196.

Chúc Phú, Assisting the Dying according to the Nikāya Canon ( Độ Người Hấp Hối Theo Kinh Tạng Nikāya).

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses), Volume Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2012, p. 225.

Chúc Phú, Assisting the Dying according to the Nikāya Canon ( Độ Người Hấp Hối Theo Kinh Tạng Nikāya).

The path to co-residing with Brahmā requires the perfection of four noble qualities: Loving-kindness (Mettā), Compassion (Karuṇā), Sympathetic Joy (Muditā), and Equanimity (Upekkhā).” (Ibid, p. 234)

Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Length Discourses), Volume Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Hanoi: Religious Publishing House, 2012, p. 235.

the Tathāgata first turned the Wheel of Dhamma, and the place where the Tathāgata entered Parinibbāna²⁴¹. If anyone passes away with a heart of deep faith and joy while visiting these sacred sites, they will, after the dissolution of the body at death, be reborn in a happy destination, a heavenly realm²⁴². It is important to remember that only by passing away (kālaṁ) during a pilgrimage to these sacred sites (Cetiyacārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā)²⁴³ with a heart of deep faith and joy (pasannacittā) in the Triple Gem, will one be reborn in the heavenly realms (saggaṃ lokaṃ)²⁴⁴

Dharma Master Tu Vô²⁴⁵ was a man of great hardship throughout his life and was illiterate; during an ordination ceremony at the Cực Lạc (Ultimate Bliss) Temple, he resolved

Kinh Trường bộ, Kinh Đại Bát Niết Bàn, Thích Minh Châu dịch, NXB. Tôn Giáo, 2013, tr.328.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a8200/4-duc-phat-dan-sanh

Bhikkhu Thanissaro translates this phrase [regarding the sacred sites] as: ‘on such a pilgrimage.’ Author Maurice Walshe translates it as: ‘while making the pilgrimage.’ Cf: The Long Discourses of the Buddha – Mahā-parinibbāna Trans. Maurice Walshe. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1995, p. 264. Source: Chúc Phú, Assisting the Dying according to the Nikāya Canon.”

Three factors must be fully present for one to be reborn in the heavenly

First: being in the process of visiting the sacred sites. Second: possessing a heart of profound, unshakable faith. Third: passing away while engaged in that pilgrimage.

For if one visits a sacred site but the heart does not give rise to profound faith, even if one dies on that very spot, rebirth in heaven is not guaranteed.

In another case, if one has visited a sacred site and gave rise to faith at that time, but at the moment of death the mind is distracted or scattered (tâm tư tán loạn), one likewise cannot be reborn in the heavenly realms.

Stories of Rebirth in the Pure Land (Kể Chuyện Vãng Sanh). By Venerable Master Chin Translated [into Vietnamese] by Lay Practitioner Như Hòa. https://www.adidaphat.net/khaithi/4871/Ke-Chuyen-Vang-Sanh

to help care for the sick. Before the ordination ceremony had even concluded, Master Tu Vo knew in advance that the time for his rebirth had arrived, so he focused intensely on reciting the Buddha’s name for rebirth. Before passing away, he reminded the assembly: “To speak without being able to act is not true wisdom.”

Layman Trịnh Tích Tân was a businessman who happened to hear the elderly Dharma Master Đàm Hư preach, which filled him with joy and Later, he retired from business to study and lecture on the Amitabha Sūtra; he traveled to many places to preach the Sūtra and encourage people to recite the Buddha’s name. He passed away while sitting, with a body free of illness. One day, after finishing a lecture, he told the assembly: “I must go now!” He truly attained a liberated and self-mastered passing! His younger brother, who previously thought his brother was too deluded in studying Buddhism, awakened after witnessing this serene passing and began to diligently and honestly recite the Buddha’s name. Three years later, the younger brother fell slightly ill and passed away while reciting the Buddha’s name with a clear and peaceful mind.
The Trương family, lay followers at Tram Son Temple, were extremely impoverished; the husband worked as a rickshaw The wife performed volunteer service during Buddha-recitation ceremonies at Trạm Sơn Temple, and all day long, from morning to night, her recitation of the Buddha’s name was never interrupted. She knew the time of her rebirth in advance; on that day, she instructed her husband to care for their children, and then sat serenely on her bed and passed away. This is an excellent example for us students of Buddhism of being self-mastered before the hour of rebirth.
Dharma Master Đế Nhàn taught the method of Buddha-recitation to an elderly lay follower who was a pot-mender and was illiterate. Obeying the instructions, the old man focused single-mindedly on reciting only the phrase: “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” When he was tired from reciting, he rested; after resting, he continued reciting. He recited for about three to four years and succeeded. He passed away while standing, and remained standing for three days after his passing [to wait for the elderly Dharma Master De Nhan to arrive to handle the funeral arrangements]. It was truly a state of complete self-mastery! Master De Nhan praised the old man: “Compared to the great Dharma Masters who lecture on the Sūtras and preach the Dharma, or the presiding abbots, [your achievement] surpasses them by far, far indeed!”

Near his passing, Bàng Long Uẩn (Pang Yun)²⁴⁶ told his daughter Lingzhao to go outside and see if the sun was at high noon and then come back and tell him. Lingzhao went to look and returned, saying: “The sun is at high noon, but there is a solar eclipse.”

He went out the door to look. Lingzhao then took his seat, sat in the full-lotus position with joined hands, and passed away. He came back inside, saw her, smiled, and said: “My daughter is so clever!” He then delayed his own passing until seven days later.

The news of his passing reached his home and was told to his wife (Pang Yun’s wife). She said: “Foolish daughter, ignorant old man, leaving without giving notice—how could you do such a thing?”

She went out to inform her son, who was working in the field. She said: “Long Cong and Lingzhao are gone, my son!”

Biographies of the Chinese Zen Masters (Trung Hoa Chư Thiền Đức Hành Trạng), tập 1.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/cu-si-bang-long-uan

The son, who was plowing the field, replied: “Yes!”

After a long silence, he passed away while standing. She said: “Why is this boy so foolish as well?”

After arranging for her son’s cremation, she bid farewell to her relatives and disappeared without a trace. The entire family had awakened to the Zen sect and became masters of their own life and death.

The ten stories above show that at the moment of near-death karma, having a clear spirit, rejoicing in the wholesome deeds performed during one’s lifetime, having faith in the Triple Gem, dwelling in right mindfulness on the Buddha’s name, or realizing the Dharma of Zen will help the rebirth be gentle. It allows one to know the time of departure in advance and move freely toward a peaceful realm, no longer trapped in the cycle of the six paths of reincarnation or falling into lower realms.

Thus, the nature and the transition of consciousness at the moment of near-death karma are crucial. Among those infected with COVID-19, some know in advance that they are weakening and will die, while others depart unexpectedly; therefore, we should prepare mentally and advise those who are dying to keep their consciousness dwelling in Faith, Practice, and Vow with the Triple Gem and the healing contemplations of the World- Honored One. In this way, we will not be afraid when our karmic connection has ended, remaining steadfast and rejoicing in the realm of rebirth.

***

Chapter 9

CONCLUSION

or more than two years (from December 2019 until the end of 2022), the entire globe trembled and society collapsed

as it endured the ravages of the invisible SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. From this, the whole world had the opportunity to realize the effective healing value of the Dharma Treasure of Sakyamuni Buddha.

The Buddha-Dharma is a potent medicine, a therapeutic prescription for all the sufferings of human life. The Buddha- Dharma consists of a massive heritage of the Tripitaka (Sūtras, Vinaya, and Abhidharma) from the 6th century BCE to the 21st century today, continuing to transcend time (26 centuries) and space (global) to effectively benefit all species and things everywhere in the world.

The Buddha is revered as the Great Physician King because his teachings are excellent medicine with the power to treat physical pain and mental suffering. The Buddha-Dharma specializes in treating negative mental illnesses such as sadness, anxiety, disappointment, depression, distress, internal psychological knots, suicidal ideation, etc., by eradicating the causes of the COVID-19 disease—such as ignorance, greed, anger, delusion, hatred, selfishness, pride, jealousy, doubt, and attachment. It helps cultivate a moral, wise, and healthy lifestyle, which is an

essential condition for building peace and happiness, limiting the risk of infection, promoting Coronavirus prevention, and reducing harm to health and human life.

The healing methods of Buddhism provide benefits such as improving memory, enhancing clarity, curing insomnia, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease, reducing stress and anxiety, and building immunity to COVID-19. Through these practices, the brain is rejuvenated and becomes more creative, gray matter is increased, focus on life goals is improved, fear of the Coronavirus is overcome, and psychological mastery (over greed, anger, and delusion) is achieved. This protects and perfects health, preventing and treating diseases to maintain a healthy body as a vehicle for liberation and for saving sentient beings.

The Buddha-Dharma consists of precepts that protect oneself and others, philosophies of dependent origination, impermanence, non-self, suffering, and emptiness, and practices of Precepts- Concentration-Wisdom, internal tranquility, and the accomplishment of insight. The Buddha-Dharma is goodness and the morality of all people. Let us use wholesome Dharma to transform unwholesome dharma. Unwholesome dharmas are the karmic retributions of natural disasters, floods, fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, diseases, calamities, and pandemics. The Buddha-Dharma helps us transform bad collective and individual karma into good, firmly overcoming the trials of the human condition.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has affected many aspects of social life, including the economy, education, health, religion, politics, tourism, psychology, and social order. Global life was turned upside down, activities were paralyzed, and fear rose high, impacting the spirituality of Buddhists. However, it also brought an opportunity to strengthen compassion, develop integration, and seek peace of mind and hope in life. The pandemic also helps us understand the world (cosmology) and the true meaning of life (human philosophy). We will live in harmony and change our perceptions positively, always maintaining faith, hope, and firm Right View in every situation.

The Coronavirus pandemic is also a litmus test for a positive will for all of us. It brings fear—the fear of facing illness and death present before our eyes, a feeling as if one could touch and see it.

This is the phenomenon of birth-old age-sickness-death or arising-staying-changing-ceasing; it is the eternal law of impermanence for human life. Humans cannot resist the power of Mother Nature, calamities, pandemics, karmic retribution, or the law of cause and effect. However, amidst the impermanence and suffering of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can still limit or overcome the pain in body and mind and improve a bad situation if we single-mindedly practice the Buddha-Dharma— reciting the Buddha’s name, chanting Sūtras, sitting in meditation, visualization, being vegetarian, repenting, releasing life, practicing generosity, and performing meritorious deeds to enhance internal strength. Depending on the level of effort and time of practice, we will attain a steady consciousness, a healthy spirit, and a liberated will that is not entangled by the SARS- CoV-2 bodily illness or dominated by suffering; thus, death will no longer be an obsession.

If everyone knew how to practice the healing methods of Buddhism—adjusting perceptions, correcting behaviors, changing lifestyles, training themselves, and practicing the methods of Precepts-Concentration-Wisdom—it would limit the number of deaths or infections which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO),²⁴⁷ totaled approximately 15

The WHO estimates that 15 million people worldwide have died due to COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency working to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the ”

million deaths in the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, or according to Worldometers (April 28, 2023)²⁴⁸, reached 6,860,779 deaths and 704,753,890 infections worldwide.

Buddhism is a method of living and liberation. Buddhists come to Buddhism with the wise understanding that the existence, flux, change, fragility, and dissolvability of human beings are the root of suffering (dukkha), impermanence (anicca), and non-self (anatta). This is the Truth of the Four Noble Truths: Suffering (due to COVID-19), the Origin of Suffering (caused by greed, anger, and delusion creating karma), the Cessation of Suffering (when greed, anger, and delusion are transformed, the pandemic ends and peace and happiness are attained), and the Path to the Cessation of Suffering (practicing the Eightfold Path leads to liberation). The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the truth of Suffering, the cause of Suffering, the result of the Cessation of Suffering, and the Buddha’s method for transforming Suffering.²⁴⁹

(Sources: WHO Official Website; Nature Journal Article d41586-022-01245-6; BVBND Health Portal).

Coronavirus Report coronavirus cases. https://www.worldometers. info/coronavirus/country/us/

The Doctrine of the Four Noble Truths: Suffering, the Origin of Suffering, the Cessation of Suffering, and the Path to the Cessation of

The Four Noble Truths is the English translation of the Sanskrit Catvary Aryasatyani. Arya means Noble, high, or miraculous; Satya means Truth or reality. The Four Noble Truths are also referred to as the Four Ultimate Truths, the Four Holy Truths, or the Four Miraculous Truths.

The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha): The actual state of human
The Truth of the Origin of Suffering (Samudaya): The source or causes that lead to the state of suffering.
The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha): The end or termination of
The Truth of the Path (Magga): The way or method of practice leading to the end of suffering.

The doctrine of the Four Noble Truths is discussed in various scriptures: the Saccavibhanga Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya III), the Dhammacakkappavattana

The Four Noble Truths are immensely beneficial, relevant, and practical in this life filled with pandemics. This was the first teaching (the First Turning of the Dharma Wheel) given by the World-Honored One to humanity at Sarnath, Varanasi, India, and its value remains present to this day.

Therefore, the temple roof, the monastic lifestyle, and the Buddha-Dharma are truly a refuge for the soul—a place to discover and develop one’s own mind. It is a place close to the hearts of many, where the interests of others are placed before one’s own, and where healing can occur to help oneself and others become useful, positive, and holy in this world.

Thus, the wise person, In the midst of misfortunes Does not panic or tremble,

But knows how to analyze the benefits.²⁵⁰

Indeed, more than two years have passed, and the pain of the loss of human life remains; the COVID-19 pandemic has come and gone according to the eternal law of impermanence in the universe. However, through this, we have gained an experience of contemplating the reality of the Four Noble Truths through the invisible COVID-19 virus. We have experienced the healing lesson of transforming karmic force and witnessed immediate cause and effect, which makes us more mature, thoughtful, meaningful, humane, and noble.

Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya and Samyukta Agama), and scattered throughout the Pāli and Chinese canons.

Central Propagation Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha

Basic Buddhist Studies, Correspondence Program (1998-2002), Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House.

250.Anguttara Nikaya, Vol. 2, Chapter 5, No. 9: The Kosala Sutta https://www.chuahoangphap.com.vn/thu-vien-kinh-sach/chi-tiet-vua- pasenadi- ba-tu-nac-206/index-2413/

Just as from a heap of flowers,

Many garlands can be made,

So, by one born as a mortal,

Many good deeds should be done

(The Dhammapada, Verse 46) ²⁵¹

In short, the book with nine chapter to show a Holistic Path

from Global Crisis to Spiritual Liberation

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic served as a global “wake-up call,” a modern manifestation of the first noble truth of suffering. However, as this work has illustrated, within that suffering lay the seeds of profound awakening and collective healing. By traversing the nine chapters of this book, we move from the external world of international cooperation to the internal sanctuary of the mind.

1. The Power of Interconnectedness (Chapters 1 & 2)

The pandemic proved that no nation or religion is an island. From the inter-religious “joining of hands” to the specific humanitarian efforts in Taiwan, India, Vietnam, and the USA, we witnessed the practical application of Dependent Origination. We learned that the safety of one is inextricably linked to the safety of all.

2. The Sanctuary of the Triple Gem (Chapters 3 & 4)

When the world retreated into quarantine, Buddhism reframed isolation not as a prison, but as a “favorable condition for practice.” By taking refuge in the Triple Gem, practitioners transformed social distancing into “precious time” for spiritual development. Through the cultivation of Dana (Generosity)

The Dhammapada (Verses of the Dhamma). Translated [into Vietnamese] by Most Venerable Thích Minh Châu. Verse 46. https://www.buddhismtoday.com/viet/kinh/pali/phapcu1.htm

and Kshanti (Patience), the poison of panic was transmuted into the medicine of optimism.

3. Wisdom as the Ultimate Medicine (Chapters 5 & 6)

By contemplating the Four Dharma Seals (Suffering, Impermanence, Non-self, and Emptiness), we moved beyond the symptoms of the virus to address the “root disease” of ego- attachment. Understanding Collective Karma allowed us to take responsibility for our shared environment, while mindfulness of death served not as a source of fear, but as a motivation for meaningful living.

4. The Diverse Tools of Healing (Chapter 7)

The heart of this work lies in the practical “Spiritual Pharmacy” of Buddhism. We have explored:

Physical Devotion: The humility of
The Sound of Truth: Chanting the Medicine Buddha and

Girimananda Sūtras.

Mental Discipline: The Four Foundations of Mindfulness and Breath Meditation.
Vibrational Protection: The recitation of Mantras and the names of Buddhas like Amitabha and
Ethical Integrity: The protective power of the

5. Transition and Transcendence (Chapter 8)

Finally, for those facing the ultimate transition, the Dhamma provides a “Spiritual Support System.” By letting go of attachment to the physical body and dwelling in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the dying process is transformed into a journey of liberation. The ten stories of rebirth serve as clinical proof that a mind free from desire can transcend even the most severe physical illness.

Final Reflection: The Great Physician King

In conclusion, the Buddha is the Great Physician King, and the Dhamma is the universal prescription. This pandemic has shown that while medical science saves bodies, spiritual wisdom saves spirits. As we emerge from this crisis, let us carry forward the “Garland of Good Deeds” created during this time, ensuring that our recovery is not just biological, but a total transformation of the human heart.

***

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Scriptural Sources:

Anguttara Nikaya (The Numerical Discourses): The Kosala Sutta, Kimbila Sutta, Suriya Sutta, and Chapter on Giving.
Majjhima Nikaya (Middle Length Discourses): Cūḷakammavibhanga Sutta (No. 135), Mahākammavibhaṅga Sutta (No. 136), Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (No. 10), and Akankheyya Sutta (No. 6).
Samyutta Nikaya (Connected Discourses): Vakkali Sutta, Assaji Sutta, and Anāthapiṇḍikovāda Sutta.
Dhammapada: Verses 1, 2, 53, 63, 116, 117, 163, and
Mahāyāna Sūtras: Medicine Buddha Sūtra, Amitabha Sūtra, Infinite Life Sūtra, Diamond Sūtra, Heart Sūtra, and Compassionate Water Repentance.

Commentarial and Contemporary Sources:

Bhadantācariya Buddhaghosa: Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification).
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh: Teachings on Mindful Breathing and “Here and Now.”
Thich Minh Chau: Vietnamese translations of the Nikaya canons.

H. the 14th Dalai Lama: Messages on the COVID-19 Crisis and Compassion (2020).
World Health Organization (WHO): Global Mortality Statistics (2022-2023).

REFERENCES

The Sūtra on the Discourse of the Great Vehicle of Infinite Life with Adornment, Purity, and Equal Original Chinese text: Master Xia Lianju (compiled). Vietnamese translation: Ven. Thich Duc Niem & Layman Minh Chanh. Religion Publishing House, Hanoi, 2009.
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra. Chinese translation: Vietnamese translation: Layman Tam Minh Le Dinh Tham. International Buddhist Academy Publication, 1983. Religion Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000, pp. 292-3.
The Great Expansive Buddha Flower Adornment Sūtra (Avatamsaka Sūtra). Chapter 22: The Inexhaustible
Anguttara Nikaya (The Numerical Discourses). Vietnamese Buddhist Vol. II, Chapter 5, Kimbila Chapter, section on Listening to the Dharma. VNCPHVN Publishing, 1996.
Majjhima Nikaya (The Middle Length Discourses). Volumes 1, 2, and Vietnamese translation: Ven. Thich Minh Chau.
Samyutta Nikaya (The Connected Discourses). 21. Vietnamese translation: Ven. Thich Minh Chau.
Ekottara Agama (The Increased by One Discourses). Chinese translation: Gautama Vietnamese translation: Ven. Thich Duc Thang. Edited and Annotated by Ven. Tue Sy.

Madhyama Agama (The Middle Length Discourses). Parrot Discourse (Suka Sutta), 170; Majjhima Nikaya, Shorter Exposition of Action (Cūḷakammavibhanga Sutta),
The Vietnamese translation: Ven. Thich Minh Chau.
Dhammapada Verses 277, 278, 279. Vien Chieu Zen Monastery. Original work: Buddhist Legends by Eugene Watson Burlingame.
The Chapter 9: Evil. Vietnamese translation: Ven. Thich Minh Chau. Illustrations by Artist Mr. P. Wickramanayaka.
Poetic translation by Tam Minh Ngo Tang
Theragatha (Verses of the Elder Monks). Vietnamese translation: Ven. Indacanda.
Ritual of the Medicine Buddha for Peace. Compiled by Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing
The Compassionate Water Repentance Vietnamese translation: Ven. Thich Huyen Dung. Religion Publishing House.
Pakiṇṇakaparitta – The Concluding Chant of the Protection Sūtras (Paritta).
Most Ven. Thich Tri Quang. “No Fear, Remain Calm to Overcome ” Giac Ngo Magazine.
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai “Prayer is not enough. We need to fight the coronavirus with Compassion.”
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana).

Explained by Ven. Abbess Hai Trieu Am.

Tam Thai. Sixth Patriarch Huineng - The Dharma Door of No-Thought.

The Vimalakirti Sūtra. Translated with respect by Thich Hue Hung.
Ten Benefits of Buddha Recitation. Compiled by Dharma Master Yat Ren. Reviewed by Dharma Master Yin Kuang. Vietnamese translation: Nhu Hoa. Excerpted from The Re- edited Guide to the Western Land.
Ritual of the Universal Door Chapter for Peace. Compiled by Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing House,
Collection of 42 Mantras of Vajrayāna
Huong Successive Miracles through the Recitation and Instruction of the Great Compassion Mantra.
Message from H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, regarding COVID-19.
Stories of Rebirth in the Pure Ven. Thich Chin Kong. Vietnamese translation: Layman Nhu Hoa.
Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. The Essential Teachings of the Flower Adornment Sūtra. Introduction by Ven. Thich Nhu Minh.
Pure Land Session – Amitabha Sūtra. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing House, 2022.
Nguyen Giac. From Myth to the Heart Sūtra. Ananda Viet Foundation Publishing,
Nguyen Sūtras for the Seriously Ill and Dying.
Chuc Phu. Investigation into the Medicine Buddha Sūtra. Giac Ngo
Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. The Cycle of Rebirth (Samsara). Hong Duc Publishing House, 2008.

Truyen Binh. Understanding the COVID-19 Pandemic and How to Counter It.
Buddhism & The Coronavirus (Collection of various articles on the COVID-19 pandemic).
Thich Trung Dinh. The Six Recollections.
Thien Qua Dao Van Binh. Sacrificing the Elderly to Save the California, March 25, 2020.
Reflecting on the Buddha’s Teachings During the
Key Words from the Vajracchedikā.. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. Hong Duc Publishing House, 2018.
Thich Dong Tri. Using Isolation Time Wisely - The Most Effective Way to Avoid the Corona Pandemic.
Chuc Guiding the Dying According to the Nikaya Canon.
Memorable Retreat Seasons in the Life of the
Kim Ut. Religions Joining Hands to Fight the Pandemic. Tuoi Tre
Pierce Salguero. Buddhist Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic in Historical Perspective. Vietnamese translation: Tran Nhu Mai.
S. Buddhist Alliance Actively Fighting COVID-19. Vietnamese translation: Tran Trong Hieu (Source: The Interfaith Center of New York).
Tavivat Puntarigvivat. Buddhist Perspectives on the COVID-19 Crisis. Vietnamese translation: Ven. Thich Van Phong.
Xuan Khu. The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Donates Medical Equipment to Support India in COVID-19 Bao

Tin Tuc.

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Supports Over 300 Billion VND for Pandemic Dang Cong San Newspaper.
Khanh How is COVID-19 after 3 years since the WHO declared it a pandemic? Dang Cong San Newspaper.
Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Ly. The COVID-19 Pandemic: Political Challenges for the World.
Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương. American Inmates and A Buddhist Nun. 6th Edition. Hong Duc Publishing House, 2020.
Anālayo. Mindfully Facing Disease and Death: Compassionate Advice from Early Buddhist Texts. Cambridge: Windhorse, 2016.
Pham Duc Thanh Dung. “Countering Corona: Calmly Healing Before Getting Sick.”
Benjamin Schonthal & Tilak Religion Amidst the Pandemic: The Case of Buddhism. Vietnamese translation: Nguyen Hiep. Giac Ngo Magazine.
Fragrance of the Path in Life (Hương Đạo trong Đời). Applied Dharma Writing Collected by Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương, 2022.
Dharma Fragrance (Hương Pháp). Applied Dharma Writing 2022, edited by Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương, 2022.

DICTIONARIES

Dictionary of Vietnamese-Chinese Buddhist Buddhist Institute Academy Publishing, Hanoi, Vietnam, 1992.
Collection of Commonly Used Buddhist Minh Thong, Jan 2002. Website: buddhismtoday.com

HOURLY UPDATES ON COVID-19 INFORMATION

Newsbreak: Coronavirus Topics
Worldometers: COVID-19 Data (USA and Global)
Statista: Distribution of COVID-19 cases by
***

BAO ANH LAC BOOKSHELF

Revised by Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương

Books and scriptures can be purchased on Amazon or downloaded digitally at: www.huongsentemple.com/tu-sach-bao-anh-lac

The Vietnamese Books

Bồ-tát và Tánh Không Trong Kinh Tạng Pali và Đại Thừa (Bodhisattva and Sunyata in the Early and Developed Buddhist Traditions)
Ban Mai Xứ Ấn - Nhật Ký Mười năm Tu học trên đất Phật (1995-2005) (The Dawn in India: A Ten-Year Diary of Buddhist Discovery (1995–2005)
Sārnātha - Vườn Nai – Chiếc Nôi Phật Giáo (Sārnātha -

Deer Park–the Cradle of Buddhism)

Quy Y Tam Bảo và Năm Giới (Take Refuge in Three Gems and Keep the Five Precepts)
Vòng Luân Hồi (The Cycle of Life)
Hoa Tuyết Milwaukee (Snowflake in Milwaukee)
Luân Hồi trong Lăng Kính Lăng Nghiêm (Rebirth in Śūrangama Sūtra)

Nghi Thức Hộ Niệm, Cầu Siêu (The Ritual for the Deceased)
Quan Âm Quảng Trần (The Commentary of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva)
Nữ Tu và Tù Nhân Hoa Kỳ (A Nun and American Inmates)
Nếp Sống Tỉnh Thức của Đức Đạt Lai Lạt Ma Thứ XIV (The Awakened Mind of the 14^th Dalai Lama)
A-Hàm: Mưa pháp chuyển hóa phiền não (Agama – A Dharma Rain Transforms the Defilement), 2 tập
Góp Từng Hạt Nắng Perris (Collection of Sunlight in Perris).
Pháp Ngữ của Kinh Kim Cang (Key Words of Vajracchedikā- Prajñāpāramitā-Sūtra)
Tập Thơ Nhạc Nắng Lăng Nghiêm (Songs and Poems of Śūraṅgama Sunlight)
Nét Bút Bên Song Cửa (Reflections at the Temple Window)
Máy Nghe MP3 Hương Sen (Hương Sen Digital Mp3 Radio Speaker): Các Bài Giảng, Sách, Bài viết và Thơ Nhạc của Thích Nữ Giới Hương (383/201 bài); Lectures, Books, Articles and Poems by Gioi Huong (383/201 songs)
DVD Giới Thiệu về Chùa Hương Sen, USA (Introduction to Huong Sen Temple)
Ni Giới Việt Nam Hoằng Pháp tại Hoa Kỳ (Sharing the Dharma - Vietnamese Buddhist Nuns in the United States)
Tuyển Tập 40 Năm Tu Học & Hoằng Pháp của Ni sư Giới Hương (Forty Years in the Dharma: A Life of Study and Service—Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương), Thích Nữ Viên Quang, TN Viên Nhuận, TN Viên Tiến, and TN Viên Khuông

Tập Thơ Nhạc Lối Về Sen Nở (Songs and Poems of Lotus Blooming on the Way)
Nghi Thức Công Phu Khuya – Thần Chú Thủ Lăng Nghiêm (Śūraṅgama Mantra)

Nghi Thức Cầu An – Kinh Phổ Môn (The Universal Door Sūtra)
Nghi Thức Cầu An – Kinh Dược Sư (The Medicine Buddha Sūtra)
Nghi Thức Sám Hối Hồng Danh (Ritual of Repentance and Invocation of Sacred Names)
Nghi Thức Công Phu Chiều – Mông Sơn Thí Thực (The Evening Chanting Ritual – Offering Food to Hungry Ghosts)
Khóa Tịnh Độ – Kinh A Di Đà (The Amitabha Buddha Sūtra).
Nghi Thức Cúng Linh và Cầu Siêu (Ritual of Offering to the Spirits and Praying for the Deceased)
Nghi Lễ Hàng Ngày - 50 Kinh Tụng và các Lễ Vía trong Năm (Daily Chanting Rituals and Annual Ceremonies)
Hương Đạo Trong Đời 2022 (Tuyển tập 60 Bài Thi trong Cuộc Thi Viết Văn Ứng Dụng Phật Pháp 2022, The Path of Life 2022 (Collection of Sixty Essays from the 2022 Applied Buddhist Philosophy Writing Contest)
Hương Pháp 2022 (Tuyển Tập Các Bài Thi Trúng Giải Cuộc Thi Viết Văn Ứng Dụng Phật Pháp 2022 (Collection of Winning Entries from the 2022 Applied Buddhist Essay Writing Contest)
Giới Hương - Thơm Ngược Gió Ngàn (Giới Hương – The Virtue Fragrance Against the Thousand Winds), Nguyên Hà

Pháp Ngữ Kinh Hoa Nghiêm (Dharma Teachings of the Avatamsaka Sutra (Buddhaavatamsaka-nāma mahāvaipulya- sūtra) (2 volumes)
Tinh Hoa Kinh Hoa Nghiêm (The Essence of the Avatamsaka Sutra)
Phật Giáo – Tầm Nhìn Lịch Sử Và Thực Hành (Buddhism: A Historical and Practical Vision). Hiệu đính: Thích Hạnh Chánh và Thích Nữ Giới Hương
Nhật ký Hành Thiền Vipassana và Kinh Tứ Niệm Xứ (Diary: Practicing Vipassana and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Sutta)
Nghi cúng Giao Thừa (New Year’s Eve Ceremony)
Nghi cúng Rằm Tháng Giêng (The Ceremony of the First Month’s Full Moon)
Nghi thức Lễ Phật Đản (The Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony)
Nghi thức Vu Lan (The Ullambana Festival or Parent Day)
Lễ Vía Quan Âm (The Avolokiteshvara Day)
Nghi cúng Thánh Tổ Kiều Đàm Di (The Death Anniversary of Mahapajapati Gotami)
Nghi thức cúng Tổ và Giác linh Sư trưởng (The Ancestor Day)
Nghi Lễ Chẩn Tế Mười Hai Loại Cô Hồn (Offering Food to the Twelve Ghosts)
Kỷ Yếu Lễ Tưởng Niệm Thánh Tổ Kiều Đàm Di tại Chùa Hương Sen năm 2024 (The Yearbook of the Commemoration of Mahapajapati Gotami at Huong Sen Temple in 2024)

Nghi Thức Cầu Siêu Chư Hương Linh Thai Nhi (Prayer for the Souls of Unborn Babies (Miscarriage, Abortion, Termination, Stillbirth)
Kim Quang Minh Kinh Sám Trai Thiên Khóa Nghi (The Golden Light Sutra - Heavenly Course)
Phật Giáo và Thánh Tích Sri Lanka (Buddhism and Holy Buddhist Places in Sri Lanka)
Đấu Tranh Bất Bạo Động Là Nền Tảng Xây Dựng Hòa Bình Toàn Cầu (Nonviolent Struggle - the Foundation for Building Global Peace)
Vũ Trụ Luận dưới lăng kính Khoa học và Phật Giáo

(Cosmology under the Lens of Science and Buddhism)

COVID-19: Vai trò Phật Giáo trong Việc Chữa Lành

(COVID-19: The Role of Buddhism in Healing)

Đại Dịch Coronavirus trong Thế Kỷ XXI (Coronavirus Pandemic in the Twenty-First Century)
Đóng góp của Phật Giáo cho Hòa Bình Thế Giới và Hòa Hợp Xã Hội (Contribution of Buddhism for World Peace & Social Harmony).
Phật Giáo Toàn Cầu - Đặc Biệt Liên Kết Với Sri Lanka (Global Spread of Buddhism with Special Reference to Sri Lanka)
Phật Giáo Sri Lanka từ Thế Kỷ 19-21 (Buddhism in Sri Lanka during the Period of 19th to Twenty-First Centuries)
Ngày Nhà Giáo Việt Nam 20/11 – Tri Ân Người Khai Trí (Vietnamese Teachers’ Day November 20 - Gratitude to the Master Guiding the knowledge)
Lịch Sử Giáo Dục Phật Giáo ở Sri Lanka: Sự Phục Hồi của Ni Đoàn Tỳ-kheo-ni (History of Buddhist Education in Sri Lanka: Revival of The Bhikkhuni Sangha)

Sự Tiến Hóa của Vũ Trụ, Con Người và Nghiệp Báo (The Evolution of the Universe, Humans and Karma)
Vũ Trụ Luận dưới lăng kính Khoa Học và Phật Giáo (Cosmology through the Lens of Science and Buddhism).

Phật giáo Nga thế kỷ XXI – Cánh cửa Tâm linh (Russian Buddhism in the Twenty-First Century – The Door to Spirituality)
Phật Giáo Châu Phi Thế Kỷ XXI (Buddhism in Africa in the Twenty-First Century)
Phương Pháp Chữa Lành Bằng Tuệ Giác Kinh Đại Bảo Tích (Healing Methods through the Wisdom of the Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra)
Trí Tuệ Cổ Xưa và Bài Học Ứng Dụng Hiện Đại qua Kinh Hiền Ngu (Ancient Wisdom and Modern Practical Lessons through the Wise-Foolish Sūtra)
Triết lý Phật Giáo và Bài học Thực tiễn qua tác phẩm “Thoát Vòng Tục Lụy” (Buddhist Philosophy and Practical Lessons found in “Transcending the Worldly Attachments”)
Tíchtruyện Kinh Pháp Cúvà Ứng Dụng (2 tập) (Dhammapada Stories and Practical Applications)
Khóa lễ Ngũ Bách Danh (Hundred Names of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Ceremony)
Nghi Tụng Kinh Di Giáo (Reciting the Buddha’s Bequeathed Teaching Sutra)
Nghi Tụng Sám Sám Hối Sáu Căn (Reciting the Repentance of the Six Senses)

Nghi Tụng Quy Sơn Cảnh Sách (Reciting Master Guishan’s Admonitions)
Nghi Thức Lễ Xuống Tóc Xuất Gia (The Tonsure and Ordination Ceremony)
Nghi Thức Truyền Sa-di-ni Giới (The Ritual for Conferring the Śrāmaṇerikā)
Nghi Thức Truyền Giới Thức-xoa-ma-na (The Ritual for Conferring the Śikṣamāṇā (Probationary Nun) Precepts)
Nghi Thức Truyền Năm Giới, Mười Giới và Bồ Tát Giới Tại Gia (The Transmitting Ceremony of Lay Precepts (The Five, Ten and Lay Bodhisattva Precepts)
Nghi Thức Truyền Bồ Tát Giới Xuất Gia (The Ritual for Conferring the Monastic Bodhisattva Precepts)
Phật Giáo Bhutan Thế kỷ XXI (Bhutan Buddhism in the Twenty-First Century)

1.2. The English Books

Bodhisattva and Sunyata in the Early and Developed Buddhist Traditions
Rebirth Views in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra
Commentary of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva
The Key Words in Vajracchedikā Sūtra
Sārnātha the Cradle of Buddhism (From an Archeological Perspective)
Take Refuge in the Three Gems and keep the Five Precepts
Cycle of Life

Forty Years in the Dharma: A Life of Study and Service— Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương
Sharing the Dharma-Vietnamese Buddhist Nuns in the United States
A Buddhist Nun and American Inmates
Daily Monastic Chanting
Weekly Buddhist Discourse Chanting
Practice Meditation and Pure Land
The Ceremony for Peace
The Lunch Offering Ritual
The Ritual Offering Food to Hungry Ghosts
The Pureland Course of Amitabha Sutra
The Medicine Buddha Sutra
The New Year Ceremony
The Great Parinirvana Ceremony
The Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony
The Ullambana Festival (Parents’ Day)
The Marriage Ceremony
The Blessing Ceremony for the Deceased
The Ceremony Praising Ancestral Masters
The Enlightened Buddha Ceremony
The Uposatha Ceremony (Reciting Precepts)

Buddhism: A Historical and Practical Vision. Edited by Dr. Thich Hanh Chanh and Ven. Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Gioi Huong
Contribution of Buddhism for World Peace & Social Harmony. Edited by Dr. Buddha Priya MahaThero and Ven. Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Gioi Huong
Global Spread of Buddhism with Special Reference to Sri Lanka. Buddhist Studies Seminar in Kandy Edited by Dr. Ven. Kahawatte Siri Sumedha Thero and Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Gioi Huong
Buddhism in Sri Lanka During the Period of Nineteen to Twenty-First Centuries. Buddhist Studies Seminar in Edited by Prof. Ven. Medagama Nandawansa and Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Gioi Huong
Diary: Practicing Vipassana and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Sutta
Prayer for the Souls of Unborn
Nonviolent Struggle - the Foundation for Building Global Peace
History of Buddhist Education in Sri Lanka: Revival of the Bhikkhuni Sangha
The Essential Teachings of Avataṃsaka Sūtra
Russian Buddhism in the Twenty-First Century – The Door to Spirituality
Buddhism in Africa in the Twenty-First Century
Buddhism and Sacred Sites of Sri
COVID 19 - The Role of Buddhism to Heal

The Coronavirus Pandemic in the Twenty-First Century
Healing Methods through the Wisdom of the Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra
Ancient Wisdom and Modern Practical Lessons through the Wise-Foolish Sūtra
Buddhist Philosophy and Practical Lessons found in “Transcending the Worldly Attachments”
Dhammapada Stories and Practical Applications (2 volumes)
The Dawn in India: A Ten-Year Diary of Buddhist Discovery (1995–2005)
ĀGAMAS-The Dharma Rain Transforming Afflictions, 2 volumes
The Five Hundred Names of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Ceremony
The Evolution of the Universe, Humanity, and Karma
The Cosmology through the Lens of Science and Buddhism
The Transmitting Ceremony of Lay Precepts (The Five, Ten and Lay Bodhisattva Precepts)
Bhutan Buddhism in the Twenty-First Century

1.3. The Bilingual Books (Vietnamese-English)

Bản Tin Hương Sen: Xuân, Phật Đản, Vu Lan (Hương Sen Newsletter: Spring, Buddha Birthday and Vu Lan, annual/ Mỗi Năm)
Danh Ngôn Nuôi Dưỡng Nhân Cách - Good Words Nurture a Good Manner

Văn Hóa Đặc Sắc của Nước Nhật Bản - Exploring the Unique Culture of Japan
Sống An Lạc dù Đời không Đẹp như Mơ - Live Peacefully though Life is not Beautiful as a Dream
Hãy Nói Lời Yêu Thương - Words of Love and Understanding
Văn Hóa Cổ Kim qua Hành Hương Chiêm Bái - The Ancient and Modern Culture through Pilgrimage and Worship
Nghệ Thuật Biết Sống - Art of Living
Dharamshala - Hành Hương Vùng Đất Thiêng, Ấn Độ, Dharamshala - Pilgrimage to the Sacred Land, India
The Great Contribution to World Peace and Social Harmony of Emperor Ashoka and Emperor Trần Nhân Tông - Sự Đóng Góp cho Hòa Bình Thế Giới và An toàn Xã Hội của Hoàng Đế A-Dục và Vua Trần Nhân Tông

1.4. Translated Books

Xá Lợi Của Đức Phật (Relics of the Buddha), Tham Weng Yew
Sen Nở Nơi Chốn Tử Tù (Lotus in Prison), many
Chùa Việt Nam Hải Ngoại (Overseas Vietnamese Buddhist Temples)
Việt Nam Danh Lam Cổ Tự (The Famous Ancient Buddhist Temples in Vietnam)
Hương Sen, Thơ và Nhạc – (Lotus Fragrance, Poem and Music)
Phật Giáo - Một Bậc Đạo Sư, Nhiều Truyền Thống (Buddhism: One Teacher – Many Traditions), Đức Đạt Lai Lạt Ma 14^th & Ni Sư Thubten Chodren

Cách Chuẩn Bị Chết và Giúp Người Sắp Chết - Quan Điểm Phật Giáo (Preparing for Death and Helping the Dying – A Buddhist Perspective)

2. Buddhist Music Albums From Poems of Thích Nữ Giới Hương

Đào Xuân Lộng Ý Kinh (The Buddha’s Teachings Reflected in Cherry Flowers)
Niềm Tin Tam Bảo (Trust in the Three Gems)
Trăng Tròn Nghìn Năm Đón Chờ Ai (The Thousand-Year Full Moon Awaits)
Ánh Trăng Phật Pháp (Moonlight of Dharma-Buddha)
Bình Minh Tỉnh Thức (Awakened Mind at the Dawn) (Piano Variations for Meditation)
Tiếng Hát Già Lam (Song from the Temple)
Cảnh Đẹp Chùa Xưa (The Magnificent, Ancient Buddhist Temple)
Karaoke Hoa Ưu Đàm Đã Nở (An Udumbara Flower Is Blooming)
Hương Sen Ca (Hương Sen’s Songs)
Về Chùa Vui Tu (Happily Go to Temple for Spiritual Practices)
Gọi Nắng Xuân Về (Call the Spring Sunlight)

Đệ Tử Phật (Buddhist Disciples)
Hoa Phước Đức (Flower of Merit)
Vu Lan Báo Hiếu (Filial Piety in the Vu Lan Season)
Nương Bóng Từ Quang (Refuge in the Buddha)

Please visit: http://www.huongsentemple.com/index.php/kinh- sach/tu-sach-bao-anh-lac

***

About the Author

orn in 1963 in Bình Thuận, Vietnam, Dr. Bhikṣuṇī Giới Hương entered the monastic life at the age of fifteen under the tutelage of the renowned Master, the Most Venerable Bhikkhunī Hải Triều Âm. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from Sài Gòn University in 1994, followed by fifteen years of intensive study in India, culminating in a Ph.D. in Buddhist Philosophy from the

University of Delhi in 2003.

Since relocating to the United States in 2005, she earned a second Bachelor’s in Literature from the University of California, Riverside (2015). Today, she shares her expertise as a lecturer at the Vietnam Buddhist University in Ho Chi Minh City and various Buddhist centers across the United States.

Finding inspiration in the profound silence of Dharma contemplation, Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương is a prolific author, translator, and lyricist. Under her Bảo Anh Lạc Bookshelf, she has published an impressive collection of 134 titles in both English and Vietnamese as of April 2026.²⁵²

In April 2010, she founded the Hương Sen Temple in Perris, California, where she currently serves as Abbess. This ten-acre sanctuary, nestled in the semi-desert of southern California, was officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit in June 2011. Today, the temple is home to the Abbess, six resident Bhikṣuṇī disciples, and their three canine companions: Rosie, Bruno, and Rudy.252.. https://huongsentemple.com/index.php/vn/kinh-sach/tu-sach-bao-anh-lac

PLEASE READ THE WHOLE BOOK WITH COLOFRUL PHOTOS: COVID-19 THE ROLE of BUDDHISM in HEALING: 119-Covid_19-The_Role_Of_Buddhism_In_Healing.pdf

Bảo Anh Lạc Bookshelf

BOOK COVID-19: The Role of Buddhism in Healing - Ven. Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương

Chapter 1: Religions Joining Hands Against the Pandemic

Chapter 2: International Buddhism Supporting the

Chapter 3: The Triple Gem – A Spiritual Anchor

Chapter 4: Spreading Love and Optimism

Chapter 5: Awakening to Suffering, Sickness, and Death

Chapter 6: Dependent Origination, The Four Dharma Seals, and Karma

Chapter 7: The Role of Buddhism in Healing

Chapter 8: Spiritual Support for the Dying

Chapter 9: Conclusion References

FOREWORD

1. COVID-19: THE ROLE OF BUDDHISM IN HEALING (Covid 19 – Vai Trò Phật Giáo trong Việc Chữa Lành)

Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương

1.1.

THE POSITIVE INTERRELIGIOUS RESPONSE TO PANDEMIC PREVENTION

The Big Picture Across Asia

Comparative Statistics (as of July 2020)

The Contribution of Vietnamese Religions

1.2. UNDERSTANDING OUR INTERCONNECTEDNESS

2.1.

COUNTRIES AND REGIONS JOINING HANDS AGAINST THE PANDEMIC

2.1.2. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

2.1.3. SOUTH KOREA

2.1.4. SRI LANKA

2.1.5. JAPAN

2.1.6. THAILAND

2.1.7. BHUTAN

2.1.8. INDIA

2.1.9. VIETNAM

2.2. GLOBAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

3.1.

QUARANTINE AS A FAVORABLE CONDITION FOR PRACTICE

Stay still, it’s not too hard, is it? Stay still, and the plague will pass.

(Thích Đồng Trí)

3.1.1. PRINCIPLES OF STRICT ISOLATION

3.1.2. TIME FOR LONG-HELD ASPIRATIONS

3.1.3. TIME TO LIVE FULLY WITH LOVED ONES

3.2. THE TRIPLE GEM AS THE SPIRITUAL HOME

3.3. MESSAGE AMIDST THE PANDEMIC

3.4. HEARTFELT REFLECTIONS

VIETNAMESE UNITED BUDDHIST CONGREGATION

Hannover, May 5, 2020

Most Venerable Abbot Thích Như Điển

3.5. FAITH IN THE BUDDHA

3.6. TEARFUL CONFESSIONS ON A FULL MOON NIGHT - Ven. Thích Pháp Hòa

3.7. CONTEMPLATING THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS DURING THE PANDEMIC

3.8.a. PRAYERS FOR THE END OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ON BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY - Ven. Dr. Bhikṣuṇī TN Giới Hương

Vesak in the Time of COVID-19

4.3. PATIENCE, CONTENTMENT, AND OPTIMISM

4.3.1. PATIENCE (Kham Nhẫn)

4.3.2. CONTENTMENT (Biết Đủ)

4.3.2.a. The Story of the Contented Person

4.3.2.b. The Story of the Discontented Person

4.3.2.c. The Story of Bottomless Greed

4.3.3. THE SPIRIT OF OPTIMISM

5.1. ILLNESS AND THE CAUSES OF DISEASE

5.2. TEN CONTEMPLATIONS WHEN SERIOUSLY ILL OR FACING DEATH

8. What is the perception of the fleeting nature of formations?

5.3. MINDFULNESS OF DEATH (Maranasati)

5.4. SUDDEN DEATH (Bất Đắc Kỳ Tử)

5.4.1. The Milinda Panha Sūtra81

5.5. FOUR CLASSES OF PEOPLE WHO FEAR OR DO NOT FEAR DEATH

A. Four Classes Who Do Not Fear Death

B. Four Classes Who Do Fear Death

CAUSE AND EFFECT, AND KARMA

6.1. CONTEMPLATING DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination:

6.2. CONTEMPLATING THE FOUR DHARMA SEALS (SUFFERING, IMPERMANENCE,

6.2.1. SUFFERING (Duḥkha)

Three types of suffering:

The Four Noble Truths (Tứ Diệu Đế):

and Eight Hardships101:

6.2.3. NON-SELF AND EMPTINESS

6.3. CAUSE AND EFFECT, KARMA, INDIVIDUAL KARMA,

6.3.1. CAUSE AND EFFECT

6.3.2. KARMIC RETRIBUTION, INDIVIDUAL KARMA, AND COLLECTIVE KARMA

The Story of Venerable Maudgalyayana and the Sakyan

THE ROLE OF BUDDHISM IN HEALING

7.1. PROSTRATION (LỄ LẠY)

5.4.1. The Milinda Panha Sūtra⁸¹

and Eight Hardships¹⁰¹: