TL;DR: Zen master Vạn Hạnh was a Lý dynasty monk linked to the story of Lý Công Uẩn. His verse Thị đệ tử speaks of impermanence, birth and death, and rise and decline.
Who was Zen Master Vạn Hạnh and what does the verse Thị đệ tử mean?
Zen Master Vạn Hạnh was a monk of the Lý era, tied to the tale of Lý Công Uẩn. His verse Thị đệ tử speaks of impermanence, birth and death, and rise and decline.
Who was Zen Master Vạn Hạnh?
According to Nam Hải dị nhân liệt truyện by Phan Kế Bính, edited by Lê Văn Phúc (1909), Vạn Hạnh was a monk at Tiêu Sơn temple, famed for his vast learning and his gift of prediction[1]. He once taught young students, among them Lý Công Uẩn, who later became Emperor Lý Thái Tổ[1]. The story goes that when Lý Công Uẩn was a boy, tied up by his teacher for failing to learn his lesson, he recited two lines: "In the deep night I dare not stretch my legs, For fear the mountains and rivers, the altars of state, might topple." Vạn Hạnh recognized the air of an emperor and so felt reverence[1].
What is the verse Thị đệ tử?
The verse Thị đệ tử (meaning "Instructing the Disciples") is a Chinese-character poem by Zen Master Vạn Hạnh, recorded in Thiền uyển tập anh, an anthology of biographies and poetry of Vietnamese Zen masters of the Lý dynasty[2]. The Wikisource note records it as a verse the master recited to his disciples when he was about to pass away.
The original Chinese text and Hán-Việt transliteration of the verse are transmitted as follows:
Thân như điện ảnh hữu hoàn vô, Vạn mộc xuân vinh thu hựu khô. Nhậm vận thịnh suy vô bố úy, Thịnh suy như lộ thảo đầu phô.
Meaning: The body is like a flash of lightning, existing then not, All trees flourish in spring, then wither in autumn. Let fortune and decline take their course, without fear, Prosperity and decline are like dew on the tip of a blade of grass.
Poetic translation by Ngô Tất Tố: The body is like a flash, existing then not, Trees are fresh in spring, sorrowful in autumn. Let fortune and decline take their course, do not fear, See there: dew of winter on the tip of the grass.
What is the philosophical meaning of the verse Thị đệ tử?
The verse expresses three main layers of meaning:
- Impermanence of the body: "Thân như điện ảnh hữu hoàn vô" compares the human body to a flash of lightning, a phenomenon that appears and vanishes in an instant. This is a basic Buddhist teaching on the impermanence of all things, especially the human body.
- The law of rise and decline of all things: "Vạn mộc xuân vinh thu hựu khô" uses the image of trees flourishing in spring and withering in autumn to express the law of ceaseless change in nature and life. All things pass through the stages of birth, abiding, decay, and extinction.
- A serene mind before rise and decline: "Nhậm vận thịnh suy vô bố úy" says to let fortune and decline run their course without fear, since both are as fragile as dew on the tip of a blade of grass.
How does the verse Thị đệ tử relate to Vạn Hạnh's political career?
The tale of Lý Thái Tổ in Nam Hải dị nhân liệt truyện says that Vạn Hạnh early on recognized the air of an emperor in Lý Công Uẩn, and links him to the prophecy that the Lý would take the throne[1]. This is a story told in the book, not verified history.
The verse itself does not mention the court; its content speaks only of impermanence and rise and decline.
What is the conclusion about the verse Thị đệ tử by Zen Master Vạn Hạnh?
The verse Thị đệ tử by Zen Master Vạn Hạnh is a Chinese-character verse of the Lý era on impermanence, birth and death, and rise and decline.
FAQ
Who was Zen Master Vạn Hạnh?
Zen Master Vạn Hạnh was a monk at Tiêu Sơn temple, famed for his vast learning and his gift of prediction. He once taught young students, among them Lý Công Uẩn, who later became Emperor Lý Thái Tổ[1].
What does the verse Thị đệ tử mean?
The verse Thị đệ tử expresses the Buddhist philosophy of impermanence, comparing the human body to a flash of lightning and the law of rise and decline of all things. The verse says to let fortune and decline run their course without fear.
How has the verse Thị đệ tử been transmitted?
The verse Thị đệ tử is recorded in Thiền uyển tập anh, an anthology of biographies and poetry of Vietnamese Zen masters of the Lý dynasty[2]. The verse has also been transmitted through translations by Ngô Tất Tố and other researchers.
References
- Phan Kế Bính and Lê Văn Phúc (ed.) (1909). Nam Hải dị nhân liệt truyện. Source: https://vi.wikisource.org/wiki/Nam_H%E1%BA%A3i_d%E1%BB%8B_nh%C3%A2n_li%E1%BB%87t_truy%E1%BB%87n
- Linh Sơn Culture and Education Association, Taipei (Vietnamese translation) (2000). Cảnh Đức truyền đăng lục (first part). Source: https://github.com/phineas-pta/linh_son_dai_tang_kinh
- Collective authors chaired by Mãn Giác, publication date not specified. Anthology of verses by Zen masters of the Lý era, including Cáo tật thị chúng by Mãn Giác and Thị đệ tử by Vạn Hạnh, with translation by Ngô Tất Tố. Source: https://vi.wikisource.org/wiki/C%C3%A1o_t%E1%BA%ADt_th%E1%BB%8B_ch%C3%BAng
- Nguyễn Hữu Tiến (1935). Phật giáo với Nho giáo. Source: https://vi.wikisource.org/wiki/Ph%E1%BA%ADt_gi%C3%A1o_v%E1%BB%9Bi_Nho_gi%C3%A1o
