It was not by chance that during Trần Dynasty in Vietnam – which was called Đại Việt in that era - the tradition of reciting the Buddha’s name remained as a method of spiritual practice in many of the monasteries. Although during this period of the birth of Trúc Lâm Zen tradition, of which meditation was the main staple to behold the Buddha nature and attain enlightenment (v. kiến tánh thành Phật), it is remarkable that the Buddha recitation was still assured and recommended widely by the Trúc Lâm Zen masters in all areas and levels of practice, and that people were encouraged to continuously practice at all time, and in all places and situations of life.

(Translator’s note: “Trúc Lâm” – literally translated to “Bamboo Forest” and “thiền” is Zen in Japanese or Ch’an in Chinese. According to Zen master Thích Thanh Từ, Thiền Trúc Lâm is the predominant Zen tradition during the Trần dynasty, and is known widely as Vietnamese Zen sect.) 

 

All through the time from when Buddhism reached Vietnam until the Lý dynasty, there was already established formation, integration, and expansion of all areas of Buddhism, namely Zen (v. Thiền), Pureland (v. Tịnh), and Tantric (v. Mật) in the development of spiritual activities of the Vietnamese society. Therefore, the Buddha recitation procedure was more likely a favorite of the Vietnamese Buddhists for a long time beforehand. The unique goal of this practice is to maintain an unconfused and focused mind in order to seek entrance to the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha.

 

In China, this method of practice was initiated by Master Huệ Viễn (ch: Hui-Yuan) during the start of the 5^th century, but with special emphasis placed on contemplation. In Vietnam, during the Lý dynasty, roughly in the year 1057 AD, a high-ranking officer of Emperor Lý Thái Tông had constructed a statue of Amitabha Buddha at two-and-a-half-meter in height right on Lạn Kha mountain, in the Tiên Du district of Bắc Ninh province. This statue remains to this day and is a part of Phật Tích temple in Bắc Ninh. There was also an accompanying commemorative stone at Phật Tích temple with detailed explanation as to how and when this statue was erected.

Besides that, we also found in the scholastic collection named “Thiền Uyển Tập Anh” many writings depicting the highly revered Amitabha Buddha of Pureland; such as the story of Master Không Lộ erecting Amitabha statue for respectful worship; or that of Zen Master Tịnh Lực reciting the Buddha’s name in intense yet effortless absorption and concentration (skt: samadhi) to reach a state of heightened and expanded awareness. This master also taught his disciples to seek enlightenment from within; he taught that in order to eradicate all previous unwholesome karma, one has to recite the Buddha’s name with total absorption, intense concentration and one-pointedness. Therefore, it is surely concluded that the reciting method according to the Pureland sect had spread widely and was commonly practiced before and during the Lý dynasty; it can also be affirmed that this method has become very familiar in all the spiritual skill level of the entire Đại Việt population. (Translator’s notes: “Thiền Uyển Tập Anh” – literally translated to “The Most Widely Admired and Outstanding People of Zen Garden” – is a historical and literal collection of writings about various Zen traditions and great Zen masters of the era).

During the Trần dynasty, strongly developing Buddhism necessitated the merging of all sects into a Unified tradition whereas Zen meditation was encouraged to be the chief ideology for the Congregation’s activity and development. Nevertheless, all religious masters as well as political leaders – including famous emperors Trần Thái Tông, Trần Thánh Tông, Zen master/High official Tuệ Trung, and the three earliest Trúc Lâm patriarchs – still inherited and supported the existing traditional method of practice such as recitation and integrated them into the study and practice of their own disciples in various monasteries. 

Based on numerous scholarly texts and multi-volume collection works like “Khóa Hư Lục”, “Tuệ Trung Thượng Sĩ Ngữ Lục”, “Tam Tổ Thực Lục”, and “Cư Trần Lạc Đạo Phú” produced during the heightened period of Unified Buddhism during the Trần dynasty, We can surely see the long process of development and propagation of Thiền Trúc Lâm and its effect on many areas in the lives of the people. Also through these outstanding scholastic works, we can understand the spiritual devotion and religious commitment involved in the various means of practice such as recitation, chanting, rites and rituals, incantation, repentance, etc… but with meditation as the valuable insignia - characteristic and indicative of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism.

This ideal Vietnamese Zen (v. Thiền), under the tutelage of many great ancestor-masters has established itself permanently in the spiritual and meditative practice for numerous Buddhist followers, with the sole objective of attaining the level of enlightenment right here right now in this lifetime. There are innumerable methods of practice; however, the final aspiration always remains in seeking salvation during one’s own lifetime. From the initial time of Vietnamese Zen, the great patriarchs - from Emperor Trần Thái Tông, Master Tuệ Trung, Kings Trần Thánh Tông and Trần Nhân Tông, to Master Pháp Loa, Huyền Quang, and various others after them – always upheld the same values and consistent point of view on this matter.

The way to meditate may differ in the individual’s fundamental ability, natural disposition and mentality but the true principles remain unequivocal. In all the scholastic works mentioned above, the authors first approached and discussed all different perspectives of meditation. In some of those works, special reference to the practice of reciting Buddha’s name(s) as a means of meditative absorption in which the practitioner went from lowest to highest levels, from the fairly basic to the most complicated steps, all suitable and appropriate for each individual’s ability and aptitude. The ultimate goal is to behold the Buddha-nature and attain enlightenment (v. kiến tánh thành Phật).

In reality, during this period in history of our country, the whole nation was on the decisive quest to make it more prosperous, free, democratic, strong and safe… not just in term of territorial borders, but in many social aspects and cultural areas. No surprise at all when we learned that first Emperor of the Trần dynasty, King Trần Thái Tông, also a well-known enlightened Zen master, had quoted: “Turn the needs of others into your own needs, let others’ thinking influences your own thought.” This was what he promoted to himself and encouraged others to follow. It is necessary for everybody to maintain the pure and uncontaminated heart in order to truly share thoughts wants and needs with loved ones around us and with society at large. There was none other than the attempt at the goal to build a stronger and safer nation, and better secular and spiritual lives.

The purpose of recitation of Buddha’s name is to eliminate bad thoughts from one’s thinking process and replace them with a purer, more unadulterated heart. In the chapter called “regarding Recitation of Buddha’s name” (v. Niệm Phật luận) in the mega-volume collection “Khóa Hư Lục”, it is advised that since mankind lives in a constant changing world full of variation and evolvement, the first and foremost need is to maintain kind thoughts in one’s mind. When kind thoughts occupy one’s mind, evil thoughts have no chance to enter. What thinking would be kinder than repeatedly reciting the Buddha’s name; by doing so fervently and persistently, there is no room for any evil or bad karma from the body, the mouth, and the mind. In this same chapter “regarding Recitation of Buddha’s name” (v. Niệm Phật luận), King Trần Thái Tông also wrote: “While reciting the Buddha’s name – 1. by sitting erect; doing no evil deeds; thusly one eliminates karma of the body; 2. by chanting out loud; saying no evil words; thusly one eliminates karma of the mouth; 3. and by paying attention to the chant; thinking no evil thought; thusly one eliminates karma of the mind”. According to this emperor/Zen master Trần Thái Tông, realistically, there are three types of beings in the world who are endowed with three distinct wisdoms and capacities - the supremely high, the moderate, and the low intellect - that correspond well with three levels or ways of Buddha recitation.

The first level was for the supremely profound-wisdom beings who realized their own Buddha nature; who lived in the mundane world full of impurities, but not contaminated by them; and who needed little or no more practice. They are the already enlightened ones; they live an untainted life; they are the beings with sharp and keen faculties, endowed wisdom and body of Buddha; they live their quiet existence, and are considered living Buddhas.

The second was for those beings with moderately endowed wisdoms and capabilities in society. These beings still need to make effort in gathering up good contemplation to eradicate evil thoughts, and not allow other bad ones to come forth. Eventually they also would attain the higher supreme-wisdom level but only with great effort and unwavering practice. They have to rely on constantly reciting the Buddha’s name, with perseverance and urgency, in order to chase away evil thoughts, leaving behind only good ones. When only good thoughts surface, they can be led to the right path, so that at the end, they too can realize the true happiness in the pure land of Nirvana.

And the last method was reserved for beings with lowly endowed wisdom and intellectual, who numbered the highest in the world. These beings can only aspire to direct their mind towards the pureland, hoping to get rid of some impurities of mundane life. By diligently reciting the Buddha’s names, anticipating meeting Buddha, wanting to be reborn in the land of Buddha; and by practicing fervently, continuously, assidiously without insolence or laziness; when passed away, they would have a probable entrance into the land of true happiness; whereas they can reach bodhi statehood and Buddhahood with further devoted and persevering practice.

Though the levels of wisdom and capability may differ in individuals, the ultimate objective is still the same – to enlighten. In the above three ways of Buddha recitation, Trần Thái Tông placed great value and emphasis on the third level, because its foundation based on solid groundwork, and very suitable to the general public. He encouraged everyone to start out the process to self-clean by applying this third level of practice to their daily lives. The first two levels were fairly easy in term of specifics but one has to be at the highest superlative wisdom in order to reach these levels – it is unlikely that a mundane normal being is capable of such supremacy. “There are three distinctive ways, but the end result is uniquely identical… The lowly endowed beings used recitation as the steps, diligent practice as the ladder to carry them higher up, into the pure land of salvation. With tireless effort, incessant endeavor, they would surely gain entrance into the land of pure happiness. Being a human in this lifetime may mean that they possess all three types of karmic hindrances: of body, words, and thought. With lowly wisdom, shouldn’t it be less complicated to just use recitation as the easy path to gain entrance to precious Buddha realm? What else is more natural than the third level of lowly endowed-wisdom beings?” wrote the sage Trần Thái Tông in his massive collection “Khóa Hư Lục”.

Therefore, Buddha recitation remains one of the favorite practices to gradually eliminate one’s own accumulated bad habits, and gain more meritorious inclination, so that one would have inner peacefulness. It was just radical to aim at the lowly third level of lesser-wisdom beings. Their objective was to constantly keep Buddha closed in their mind. By fervently concentrating on only one object as such: this method is part of what is called “chỉ” (translator’s note: “chỉ” in sanskrit is samatha, meaning silence, quietness, calmness, tranquility, or absence of passion; it is also defined as silencing the mind, putting to rest the active mind, or auto-hypnotic state. It is a state of no distraction, and total concentration). Then reaching further, going deeper to contemplate and see one’s own actions, both good and bad, then self-repent for the wickedness and malevolence: this method is termed “quán” (translator’s note: “quán” in sanskrit is vipassana, meaning to pass through; it normally indicates a state of deep contemplation to observe, to examine, and to reflect, and mentally look inwards; it is used to dispel distractions and defilements). When one reflects the truth, mentally notices one’s own wrong doings and vows to correct them, one is in this state of “quán”. By applying both the “chỉ” and “quán” concurrently - this practice method is none other than the first steps of meditation.

The application of traditional Buddha recitation in meditative practice proved that Thiền Trúc Lâm masters had skillfully redirected the public toward meditation by going from the lowest, perhaps easiest level to look inwards on oneself and behold one’s Buddha nature. The gradual shift from the predominantly incantation of Pureland sect to a more mindful meditation tradition of Trúc Lâm Zen was cleverly instituted by the king and early patriarchs of Vietnamese Zen. Numerous writings mentioned this gradual conversion. For example in the chapter/verses 34b4-6 of “Thượng Sĩ Ngữ Lực,” author Trần Tung posted a poem titled “Thị tu Tây phương bối” that went like this:

“Tâm nội Di Đà tử má khu” (From the bottom of my heart, I see Amitabha)

“Đông tây nam bắc pháp thân chu” (His dharmic body shines in four directions)

“Trường không chỉ kiến cô luân nguyệt” (Throughout the sky, just a lone moon)

“Sát hải trừng trừng dạ man thu.” (The pure universe in an autumn night)

Or the method of incantation and recitation in the viewpoint of Zen was elaborated by Emperor/Master Trần Nhân Tông in his “Cư Trần Lạc Đạo Phú”, chapter 2:

“Pureland is a clean mind; don’t doubt the path to the Western paradise;

Amitabha is the bright light, no hardship finding the way to Sukhavati.”

We can concluded that even from the beginning of the Trần dynasty, Emperor Trần Thái Tông had taken initiative in promoting Buddha recitation in the manner of Zen meditation, but his method mentioned in the “Niệm Phật Luận” did not indicate which Buddha’s name to intone. Later, when “Tuệ Trung Thượng Sĩ Ngữ Lục” literature work of Zen master Tuệ trung, and “Cư Trần Lạc Đạo Phú” masterpiece of Emperor Trần Nhân Tông came on board, we have no doubt that Amitabha Buddha was the name being recited  Overall it was very clear that the method, the name, the idealogy, and the comprehension in all works of King Trần Thái Tông, Zen master Tuệ Trung, King Trần Nhân Tông, and many others afterwards all pointed to a well disseminated practice of recitation with a touch of zen meditation blended in.

 

Not much more needed to be elaborated. The decision to integrate recitation firmly rooted in the process to eradicate all bad and evil thinking, until the time when one reaches the ultimate point of “no-thought”. This “no-thought” essence is the highest achievement in Zen, and is the purpose for all practitioners to attain. Just as the Master Vĩnh Gia Huyền Giác (665-713 AD) in his masterpiece “Chứng Đạo Ca” had spoken of: “Reaching the no-thought state, Getting to no more rebirth.” This was how King Trần Thái Tông quoted and concluded his chapter of “regarding Recitation of Buddha’s name”. From this moment on, the recitation of Amitabha Buddha’s name became part of the meditation method and has been steadily embraced by monastic and lay members in many Vietnamese Zen meditation centers and monasteries. In final words, the meditation practice of Thiền Trúc Lâm which arose during the Trần dynasty in Vietnam, incorporated Buddha’s name recitation in a manner of individual’s conditioning disposition and can be very satisfactory. It was with this mode of practice in mind, the masters/patriarchs of Trúc Lâm Zen geared their tradition toward building more peaceful and happy spiritual and mental lives for the people of Đại Việt, at the same time contributed to the developing, prospering and safe-guarding of our religion as well as our nation.

Nguồn: http://daitangkinhvietnam.org/tong-phai-phat-giao/tinh-do-tong/1954-phuong-thuc-niem-phat-doi-tran.html