Giới-định-tuệ & Những Thuật Ngữ Pàli Đã Được Dùng Trong Những Pháp Thoại

Nội Dung Chính

PÀLI TERMS USED IN THE DISCOURSES – NHỮNG THUẬT NGỮ PÀLI ĐÃ ĐƯỢC DÙNG TRONG NHỮNG PHÁP THOẠI

PÀLI TERMS USED IN THE DISCOURSES – NHỮNG THUẬT NGỮ PÀLI ĐÃ ĐƯỢC DÙNG TRONG NHỮNG PHÁP THOẠI

To understand the discourses, the reader should be familiar with some basic teachings of Buddhism. The explanations given or the points selected for explanation do not attempt to give a complete picture of the teachings of the Buddha, but they should enable the reader to understand the discourses included in this collection.

Để hiểu được những Pháp Thoại, độc giả nên quen thuộc với những giáo lý cơ bản của Phật Giáo. Những lời giải thích đã được đưa ra hoặc những điểm đã được lựa chọn cho việc giải thích, là không nhằm nỗ lực để cung cấp cho một bức tranh hoàn chỉnh về những lời dạy của Đức Phật, tuy nhiên chúng sẽ có khả năng làm cho độc giả được liễu tri những Pháp Thoại đã được kết hợp vào trong bộ sưu tập nầy.

The Theravàda Buddhist scriptures can be divided into “Three (Ti) Baskets (Pitaka)” and are therefore called the Tipitaka in Pàli, the language in which they were originally written.

Những kinh điển của Phật Giáo Nguyên Thủy có thể đã được chia ra làm “Ba (Tam) Giỏ (Tạng)” và như thế đã được gọi là Tam Tạng bằng Pàli ngữ, ngôn ngữ đầu tiên mà chúng đã được viết ra.

The three baskets are:
1. Vinaya – pitaka: the book of monastic discipline.
2. Suttanta – pitaka: the books of discourses of the Buddha and his major disciples.
3. Abhidhamma – pitaka: the books ultimate truths, an analysis of physical and mental phenomena into their ultimate components.
Scholarly training (Pariyatti) in Theravàda Buddhism consists of the study of these scriptures. Practical training (Patipatti) with which these discourses mainly deal, is concerned with the practice of Sìla (morality), Samàdhi (concentration) and Pannà (insight) and cultimates in the attaining of the four stages of Nibbàna (Pativedha). The word Dhamma can have many different meanings, but in the context of these discourses it is always used as meaning the teachings of the Buddha.

Ba giỏ kinh điển đó là:

Tạng Luật (Vinaya – pitaka): những quyển sách về giới luật của tu sĩ.
Tạng Kinh (Suttanta – pitaka): những quyển sách về những Pháp Thoại của Đức Phật và những Đại Đệ Tử của Ngài.
Tạng Vô Tỷ Pháp (Abhidhamma – pitaka): những quyển sách về những Chân Lý tối thượng, sự phân tích về những hiện tượng tâm sinh lý vào trong những nguyên tố cùng tột của chúng.

Huấn dụ về học thuật (Pháp Học) trong Phật Giáo Nguyên Thủy gồm có sự nghiên cứu về những kinh điển nầy. Huấn luyện trong sự thực hành (Pháp Hành) mà với những Pháp Thoại nầy giải quyết một cách chủ yếu, đã có liên quan với việc tu tập về Giới (Đức Hạnh), Định (Định Thức) và Tuệ (Tuệ Giác) và tiến đến tột đỉnh trong việc thành đạt bốn giai đoạn của Níp Bàn (Pháp Thành).

Từ ngữ Dhamma (Pháp) có thể có nhiều ý nghĩa khác nhau, nhưng trong bối cảnh của những Pháp Thoại nầy, nó luôn được dùng tới với ý nghĩa là những lời dạy của Đức Phật.

Sìla – Giới:

For the monks, the training in morality consists of the observance of 227 rules. The collection of these rules is called the Pàtimokkha and is part of the Vinaya. Lay – people have to observe five or eight rules of training: the five Sìlas (panca – sìla), or the eight Sìlas (uposatha – sìla).

Đối với những vị tu sĩ, huấn dụ trong đức hạnh gồm có việc tuân thủ về 227 điều luật. Sự kiết tập về những điều luật nầy đã được gọi là Biệt Biệt Giải Thoát Giới và là một phần của Tạng Luật.

Người cư sĩ phải thọ trì năm hoặc tám điều luật của việc huấn dụ: năm giới luật (Ngũ Giới) hoặc là tám giới luật (Bát Quan Trai Giới).

Panca – sìla:

1. To abstain from killing any living being,
2. To abstain from taking what is not given,
3. To abstain from sexual misconduct,
4. To abstain from telling untruths,
5. To abstain from intoxicating drink, drugs.

Ngũ Giới:

Tránh xa việc sát bất luận hữu sanh mạng,
Tránh xa việc lấy vật không được cho,
Tránh xa việc tính dục tà hạnh,
Tránh xa việc nói không thật,
Tránh xa việc ẩm tửu, những chất say.

Uposatha – sìla:

1. To abstain from killing any living being,
2. To abstain from taking what is not given,
3. To abstain from sexual indulgence,
4. To abstain from telling untruths,
5. To abstain from intoxicating drink, drugs,
6. To abstain from eating solid food after midday,
7. To abstain from dancing, singing, music, and unseemly shows; from the use of garlands, perfumes, and urguents; and from things that tend to beautify and adorn;
8. To abstain from high and luxurious seats.

Bát Quan Trai Giới:

Tránh xa việc sát bất luận hữu sanh mạng,
Tránh xa việc lấy vật không được cho,
Tránh xa việc đắm say tính dục,
Tránh xa việc nói không thật,
Tránh xa việc ẩm tửu, những chất say,
Tránh xa việc thọ thực nặng sau nữa ngày,
Tránh xa việc nhảy múa, ca hát, nghe nhạc, và những buổi trình diện khiếm nhã; xa việc dùng những tràng hoa, những hương liệu, và những thuốc thoa xức; xa những vật dùng để tô điểm và trang sức.
Tránh xa việc ngồi những nơi cao và sang trọng.

The field of Sìla is, of course, much wider. These precepts are but the absolute basics of Right Conduct (Carana) a Buddhist lay – person is expected to observe. The purpose of Sìla or Carana is to bring physical and verbal action under control.

Phạm vi hoạt động của Giới Luật thì, hiển nhiên là, rất rộng lớn. Những điều học chỉ là những điều cơ bản tuyệt đối của Chánh Hạnh (Đức Hạnh) người cư sĩ Phật Giáo đã buộc phải thọ trì. Mục đích của Giới Luật hoặc Hạnh Kiểm là nhằm để mang lại sự kiểm thúc về Thân Hạnh và Ngữ Hạnh.

Samàdhi – Định:

Concentration of the mind and control over the mind. The Buddha taught forty techniques to achieve Samàdhi, of which Ànàpàna is one. The Buddha taught that Sìla is a pre – requisite for Samàdhi.

Định mục của tâm thức và luôn kiểm soát tâm thức. Đức Phật đã chỉ dạy bốn mươi kỷ thuật để thành đạt Định, và Sổ Tức là một trong những điều đó. Đức Phật đã chỉ dạy rằng Giới Luật là một điều kiện tiên quyết cho Định.

Pannà – Tuệ:

Pannà, the understanding through personal experience of the characteristics which the Buddha said were in the nature of all conditioned things, i.e. Anicca (impermanence), Dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), and Anatta (absence of a permanent personal entity such as an ego, self or soul), is achieved through Vipassanà meditation. In Vipassanà meditation the mind is set to a perfect state of balance, and then the mind’s attention is projected to the changing nature (Anicca), or the unsatisfactory nature (Dukkha) or the impersonal nature (Anattà) of all physical and mental phenomena.

Tuệ, sự hiểu biết thông qua kinh nghiệm cá nhân về những đặc tướng mà Đức Phật đã nói đã là thực tính của tất cả hiện tượng hữu duyên, có nghĩa là Vô Thường (bất thường), Khổ Đau (bất duyệt ý), và Vô Ngã (sự vắng mặt của một thực ngã thường hằng, như là cái tôi, tự ngã hoặc linh hồn), đã được thành đạt thông qua Thiền Minh Sát. Trong Thiền Minh Sát, tâm thức được thiết lập ở một trạng thái quân bình hoàn hảo, và bấy giờ sự chú tâm đã được hướng vào đặc tính thay đổi (Vô Thường), hoặc đặc tính bất duyệt ý (Khổ Đau), hoặc đặc tính phi bản ngã (Vô Ngã) của tất cả những hiện tượng tâm sinh lý.

Sìla, Samàdhi, and Pannà are called the three Sikkhàs, the threefold training. In addition to this threefold division, we often also find a twofold one: (1) Carana: right conduct (Sìla) and (2) Bhàvanà: mental development (Samàdhi and Pannà). Another method of enumeration is (1) Dàna (generosity, otherwise included in Sìla); (2) Sìla, and (3) Bhàvanà.

Giới, Định và Tuệ đã được gọi là Tam Học, một bộ ba huấn dụ. Ngoài sự phân tích bộ ba nầy ra, chúng ta thường cũng tìm thấy được một bộ hai: (1) Đức Hạnh: chánh hạnh (Trì Giới) và Tu Tiến: sự tiến hóa tâm linh (Định và Tuệ). Một phương pháp liệt kê khác, đó là (1) Xả Thí (sự rộng lượng, nếu không được kết hợp vào trong Giới Luật); (2) Trì Giới, và (3) Tu Tiến.

What is normally called a being, i.e. Devas, Brahmàs, humans, animals, etc. is seen in Buddhism as nothing but a combination and continuous arising and dissolution of mental and physical phenomena. “Mind” in Pàli is Nàma and “Matter” is Rùpa.

Cái mà đã thường được gọi là một Hữu Tình, có ý nghĩa là Chư Thiên, Chư Phạm Thiên, Nhân Loại, Súc Sanh, v.v. đã được nhận thấy trong Phật Giáo chẳng là chi cả, mà chỉ là một sự hợp thành và sự phát sinh liên tục và sự hoại diệt của những hiện tượng tâm sinh lý. “Tâm Thức” trong Pàli là Danh và “Vật Chất” là Sắc.

Mind and matter (Nàma and Rùpa) are both impermanent or unstable. “But in expounding the theory of Anicca, the Buddha started with the behaviour that makes matter, and matter as known to Buddha is very much smaller than the atom that science of today has discovered. The Buddha made it known to his disciples that everything that exists, be it animate or inanimate, is composed of Kalàpas (very much smaller than atoms), each dying out simultaneously as it becomes. Each Kalàpa is a mass formed of the eight nature elements, namely, solidity, liquidity, heat, motion, colour, odour, taste, and nutriment. The first four are called material qualities which are predominant in a Kalàpa. The other four are merely subsidiaries that are dependent upon and born out of the former. A Kalàpa is the minutest particle in the physical plane – still beyond the range of science today.

Tâm Thức và Vật Chất (Danh và Sắc) cả hai là vô thường hoặc bất định. “Tuy nhiên trong việc giảng giải chi tiết về lý thuyết Vô Thường, Đức Phật đã bắt đầu với cách vận hành điều mà tạo ra vật chất, và vật chất như đã được biết bởi Đức Phật là vô cùng cực tiểu so với nguyên tử mà khoa học đã khám phá ra. Đức Phật đã làm cho những môn đệ của Ngài được biết đến nó, rằng tất cả mọi sự vật mà hiện hữu, đó là hữu sanh mạng hoặc là vô tri vô giác, đã được hợp thành bởi những Tổng Hợp (vô cùng cực tiểu so với những nguyên tử), từng mỗi cái diệt đi cũng đồng thời phát sinh lại. Từng mỗi Tổng Hợp là một khối hình thành của tám nguyên tố thường nhiên, cụ thể là, chất cứng rắn, chẩt lỏng, chất nóng, chất chuyển động, màu sắc, mùi hơi, vị nếm, và bổ phẩm. Bốn chất đầu tiên được gọi là những chất liệu đặc trưng được chiếm ưu thế trong một Tổng Hợp. Bốn chất khác đơn thuần chỉ là những chất thứ yếu mà phụ thuộc vào và sinh ra của chất đầu tiên. Một Tổng Hợp là hạt cực tiểu trong bình diện thuộc vật lý – vẫn vượt ra ngoài lãnh vực của khoa học ngày nay.

“It is only when the eight nature elements (which have merely the characteristic of behaviour) are together that the entity of a Kalàpa is formed. In other words, the co – existence for a moment of these eight nature elements of behaviour makes a mass, just for a moment, which in Buddhism is known as a Kalàpa”(*). A being is also defined as the coming together of the five aggregates (Panca khandha). In this case, one aggregate is Rùpa or matter, while Nàma or mind is divided into four aggregates: (1) Vinnàna: consciousness, (2) Sannà:perception, (3) Vedanà: sensation, feeling, (4) Sankhàra: force of past action. (It can be seen from this that the term Nàma is wider than the English term “mind”).

“Một Tổng Hợp chỉ được hình thành là một khi tám nguyên tố thường nhiên (thuần túy chỉ là đặc tính vận hành) đồng kết hợp trọn vẹn vào nhau. Nói một cách khác, đồng cùng hiện hữu trong một thời điểm của sự vận hành của tám nguyên tố thường nhiên nầy, chỉ trong một khoảnh khắc, mà trong Phật Giáo đã được biết đến như một Tổng Hợp(*). Một Hữu Tình cũng được miêu tả như là sự đồng cùng diễn tiến của năm khối nhóm (Ngũ Uẩn). Trong trường hợp nầy, một khối nhóm là Sắc hoặc là vật chất, trong khi Danh hoặc Tâm Thức thì đã được phân tích vào trong bốn khối nhóm: (1) Thức: sự ý thức, (2) Tưởng: sự tri giác, (3) Thọ: sự cảm giác, sự cảm xúc, (4) Hành: năng lực của hành động quá khứ. (Nó có thể được nhìn thấy tại nơi đây, rằng thuật ngữ Nàma thì rộng lớn hơn thuật ngữ của Anh ngữ “Tâm Thức”.)

[(*): Sayagyi U Ba Khin, Dhamma Texts, 1985, p.92]

[(*): Giáo Thọ U Ba Khin, Những Văn Bản Giáo Pháp, 1985, trang 92]

Sankhàra (or Kamma in popular terminology) is the force left behind by actions in the past, the “past” meaning here billions and billions of lives in samsàra, the cycle of births and deaths. Samsàra causes us to experience sense impressions. What we see, hear, taste, smell, feel or think – in other words the contact of one of the six organs of sense with an object, (mind being regarded as an organ of sense) – arises mainly because of the force of past Sankhàra or Kamma. What is not necessarily connected with our past Kamma is how we deal with these sense impressions.

Hành (hoặc Nghiệp Báo trong thuật ngữ phổ thông chuyên môn) là năng lực đã được để lại ở phía sau bởi những hành động trong thời quá khứ, “quá khứ” tại đây có ý nghĩa là hàng tỷ tỷ của những kiếp sống ở trong Vòng Luân Hồi, vòng luân chuyển của những sự sanh và chết. Vòng Luân Hồi tạo cho chúng ta sự trải nghiệm những ấn tượng về mặt tinh thần. Điều mà chúng ta thấy, nghe, nếm, ngửi, cảm xúc hoặc là nghĩ suy – nói một cách khác, sự tiếp xúc của một trong sáu giác quan với đối tượng, (tâm thức đã được coi như là một cơ quan của ý thức) – phát sinh một cách chủ yếu là bởi do năng lực của Hành hoặc Nghiệp Báo quá khứ. Điều mà không nhất thiết phải bị liên hệ với Nghiệp Báo quá khứ của chúng ta, là làm thế nào chúng ta xử lý được những ấn tượng tinh thần nầy.

There are three possible ways of reacting to a sensory contact or sense impression: Kusala (skilful reaction), Akusala (unskillful reaction), and Abyakata (neutral reaction). Practically speaking, neutral reaction is possible only for an Arahat, i.e. for someone who experiences no wanting (Lobha) or dislike (Dosa) and whose mind is not clouded by any form of delusion (Moha) about the Four Noble Truths as taught by the Buddha. Every intelligent being, however, is capable of Kusala rather than Akusala reactions. In order to be able to react skillfully, one has to have control not only over one’s physical and verbal actions, but also over one’s mind. Every physical and verbal action begins in the mind and the action that results in Sankhàra or Kamma is the mental volition accompa – nying this physical and verbal action.

Có ba phương hướng có thể xảy ra của việc tạo tác đối với một xúc giác hoặc một ấn tượng tinh thần: Thiện (sự tạo tác khôn khéo), Bất Thiện (sự tạo tác không khôn khéo), và Vô Ký (sự tạo tác trung tính). Nói một cách thực tiễn, việc tạo tác trung tính chỉ có thể có là đối với một bậc Vô Sinh, có nghĩa là đối với một vị lịch duyệt không còn tham muốn (Tham) hoặc không còn ác cảm (Sân) và tâm thức của người mà không bị mê mờ bởi bất luận một hình thức nào của sự si mê (Si) về Tứ Thánh Đế như đã được chỉ dạy bởi Đức Phật. Tuy nhiên, mỗi Hữu Tình tri thức, thì có khả năng tạo tác những Thiện Hạnh hơn là Bất Thiện Hạnh. Nhằm để có thể tạo tác một cách khôn khéo, người ta cần phải không những chỉ là luôn kiểm soát về Thân Hạnh và Ngữ Hạnh, mà cũng cần phải luôn kiểm soát cả về Ý Hạnh. Từng mỗi Thân Hạnh và Ngữ Hạnh được bắt đầu từ trong tâm thức, và hành động đưa đến kết quả trong Hành hoặc Nghiệp Báo là tác ý tinh thần tùy thuận theo Thân Hạnh và Ngữ Hạnh nầy.

Initially Ànàpàna meditation is but a tool to concentrate the mind. At this stage no attention is given to sensations, thoughts, emotions, and similar mental phenomena. The attention of the mind is meant to stay with the simple awareness of the physical touch of air brushing over the skin below the nose, above the upper lip. In the case the three unwholesome roots, i.e. Lobha (greed), Dosa (anger, aversion), and Moha (delusion), are held in abeyance and what is left are the three Wholesome Roots: Alobha (non – greed), Adosa (non – anger), and Moha (knowledge, understanding). This momentary concentration of the mind on physical phenomena results in a temporary mental purity which in Buddhism is called Samàdhi.

Khởi nguyên, Thiền Sổ Tức chỉ là một công cụ cho định mục tâm thức. Ở giai đoạn nầy, không có sự chú ý quan tâm đến những cảm giác, những nghĩ suy, những cảm xúc và những hiện tượng tương tự về mặt tinh thần. Sự chú ý của tâm thức là có nghĩa an trú với sự tỉnh giác chuyên nhất vào sự tiếp xúc vật lý của gió lướt qua trên da ở dưới lỗ mũi, và ở trên môi trên. Trong trường hợp nầy, ba căn Bất Thiện, có nghĩa là Tham (sự tham lam), Sân (sự tức giận, sự ác cảm), và Si (sự lầm lạc), đã tạm thời bị đình chỉ và đã để lại ba căn Thiện, đó là : Vô Tham (không tham lam), Vô Sân (không tức giận) và Vô Si (kiến thức, sự liễu tri). Việc định mục của tâm thức ở trong khoảnh khắc nầy, trên những kết quả hiện tượng vật lý trong chốc lát của sự tinh khiết tinh thần mà ở trong Phật Giáo đã gọi là Định.

To come to a lasting purity of mind, according to Buddhism, matter and mental aggregates have to be observed in the light of their constant change (Anicca), their unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha), and the absence of an “I”, a lasting personality or soul (Anattà). By experiencing these characteristics, or indeed, any one characteristic, a person can attain freedom from all attachment, and thus reach the end of suffering.

Đi đến sự tinh khiết lâu dài của tâm thức, nương theo Phật Giáo, những khối nhóm vật chất và tinh thần phải được thẩm sát dưới ánh sáng của sự thường hằng thay đổi của chúng nó (Vô Thường), sự bất duyệt ý của chúng nó (Khổ Đau), và sự vắng mặt của cái “Tôi”, một cá tính lâu dài hoặc linh hồn (Vô Ngã). Do trải qua kinh nghiệm những đặc tính nầy, hoặc thực tế là, bất luận một đặc tính nào, mộtngười có thể đạt đến sự giải thoát khỏi mọi sự chấp thủ, và vì thế đi đến sự chấm dứt khổ đau.