Anh vũ khôn hơn người…chưa khôn, What a clairvoyant parrot!

Note: mở ngoặc, đây là bài khai thị thuần theo các giáo chỉ và khuyến tu của nhà Phật nhằm giúp những người tu được tinh tiến trên con đường học đạo, ngoài ra không mang hàm ý nào khác. Vì thế rất mong các trí tuệ thuộc hàng đỉnh cao đừng bơi móc và gán ghép theo hướng khác như cách mà các trí tuệ hay làm, đóng ngoặc.

Patriarch Bodhidharma went to Nan Ching, where he listened to Dharma Master Shen Kuang lecture sutras. When this Dharma Master spoke, the heavens rained fragrant blossoms, and from the earth rose a golden- petalled lotus for him to sit upon. However, only those people with good roots, who had opened the five eyes and the six spiritual penetrations, were able to see. Now! Isn't this wonderful?

After he had listened to the sutra, Bodhidharma inquired, "Dharma Master, just what are you doing?"

"Why, I'm explaining sutras," came Shen Kuang's reply.

"Of what use is your explanation of sutras?"

"I'm teaching people to end birth and death."

"Oh?" said Bodhidharma, "So you teach people to end birth and death! Exactly how do you end birth and death? In this sutra you explain, the words are black and the paper is white. What do you use to teach people to end birth and death?"

Upon hearing this, Dharma Master Shen Kuang had nothing to say. What did he have to teach people to end birth and death? For a moment, he fumed in silence. Then, although heavenly maidens had rained down flowers and the earth had given forth a golden-petalled lotus, Dharma Master Shen Kuang, nonetheless, got angry. This is what was meant by, "the Buddhadharma existed in China, but it was as if it wasn't there at all."

Whenever Dharma Master Shen Kuang became angry, he used his heavy iron beads to level whatever opposed him. In response to Bodhidharma's question, he flushed with resentment and raged like a tidal wave smashing a mountain. As he whipped out his beads he snapped, You're slandering the dharma" and cracked the Patriarch across the mouth, knocking loose two teeth. Bodhidharma neither moved nor spoke. He hadn't expected such a vicious reply.

There is a legend about the teeth of holy men. You mustn't ask about the principle, however, because it's too inconceivable. According to the legend, if a holy man's teeth fall to the ground, for three years it won't rain. At this time Patriarch Bodhidharma thought, "Oh, for three years it will not rain. People will starve! I've come to save sentient beings not to kill them!" So Bodhidharma didn't allow his teeth to fall to the ground. Instead he swallowed them and disappeared down the road. Although he had been battered and reviled, Bodhidharma couldn't go to the government and lodge a complaint against Dharma Master Shen Kuang. Those who have left home must be especially patient; how much more must a Patriarch forebear.

Walking along Bodhidharma met a parrot imprisoned in a wicker cage. This bird was much more intelligent than Dharma Master Shen Kuang; recognizing Bodhidharma as the Patriarch, he chirped:

"Mind from the West.
Mind from the West.
Do me a favour and teach me a way
To escape from this cage."

Although Bodhidharma had no response among people, this parrot recognized him. Hearing the plea for help, the Patriarch whispered a secret expedient teaching to help this bird end suffering:

"To escape from the cage; 

To escape from the cage; 

Put out both legs, 

Close both eyes, 

This is the way

To escape from the cage."

The parrot listened carefully and said, "Alright! Good! Now, I understand," and stuck out his legs, closed his eyes, and waited.

Every day, when the owner returned home, he first chatted and played about with his little bird. This time, he walked up to the cage and looked in..."oh!" He was shocked. There on the bottom of the cage lay his pet. The owner was on the verge of tears, and soon became hysterical; he couldn't have been more upset if his own son had died. He pulled open the cage door and scooped up the bird, which lay, still and quiet, in his palm... The body hadn't yet chilled. The owner looked with disbelief at the little body in his hand. He peeked at it from the left... he peeked at it from the right...It didn't even quiver. Slowly, he opened his palm... PHLLRTTPHLRTTPHLLRTT!!! The bird broke loose the hand and winged away!

Now, like the parrot, we are in a cage*. How do we escape***? You may say, "I'm really free. If I want to eat, then I eat; if I want to drink, I drink. I don't have to follow rules. I can do anything. This is real independence.

Don't think you are quite so clever. This is neither freedom nor independence. It's just confusion. 

Moral: "Like the parrot, this is to be free⁽¹⁾."

(As explained by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua)

Chú giải:

*cage: được hiểu là vòng luân hồi mà con người đang bị quẩn quanh trong đó, ví như con chim sống trong lồng (samsara)

***escape: thoát khỏi vòng luân hồi, ví như con chim sổ lồng

(1): free from the samsara; tu học để thoát ly luân hồi

Con chim nhận ra Ngài và hỏi:

“Tây lai ý,

Tây lai ý,

Thỉnh nhữ giáo nhã

Xuất lung kế”

Tạm dịch:

“Với ý chỉ từ phương Tây⁽²⁾,

Với ý chỉ từ phương Tây⁽²⁾,

Xin Ngài dạy con,

Kế sách thoát khỏi lồng này”

Bồ-Đề-Đạt-Ma bèn dạy cho chim kế rằng:

“Xuất lung kế,

Xuất lung kế,

Lưỡng thối trường thân,

Lưỡng nhãn bế,

Thử tiện thị nhữ xuất lung kế”

Tạm dịch:

“Kế thoát lồng,

Kế thoát lồng,

Hai chân duỗi thẳng,

Mắt nhắm nghiền,

Chính là diệu kế bay thoát lồng”

Chú giải:

(2): “Tây” đây là chỉ Thiên Trúc - cõi của chư Phật