Viet: Đời Hạ Ngươn[2]. Hạ is Lower, and Ngươn or Nguyên, Đời, means Age, Era, Period. This is an Buddhist lexicon which means the Degenerate Era during which Buddha’s dharma loses all its power and, though many have learnt it, very few of them understand and practice it.
According to the Potato Peddling Monk (Sư Vải Bán Khoai), the Year of the Wood Rat (Giáp Tý) or the coming year of 1864 starts the Dharma Closing Lower Age[1] : The Lower Age[1] starts with the Year of the Wood Rat, No place over the world will be left in peace. Or the Wood Rat of the Lower Age[1] starts nowadays, the Heavenly Engine will set up the Upper Age. Or
The Wood Rat brings a lot of misery,
No peace reigns on the world daily.
(Sermons by the Potato Peddling Monk of the Seven Mountains, p. 6)
Sư Vải Bán Khoai is deemed one of the precursors to the Master Huynh Phu So, the founder of Hoa Hao Buddhism. Research on Sư Vải Bán Khoai (in Vietnamese) In the ‘Awakening Stanzas’ (Giác Mê Tâm Kệ), Lord Master has predicted the aweful frightening disasters which all the sentient beings must go through in the Lower Age[1]:
Today’s sufferings are not so multiple,
Tomorrow’s ones are feared much more terrible.
Evildoers will be eradicated, the good salvaged,
Bone mountains and blood rivers are horrible.
In the Mission Statement, Lord Master said: “The Heavenly Reporter concluded, the sentient beings over this world in this Lower Age[1] who are materialistic, and drowned in wealth and fame, have created their bad karma…” Thus there are a lot of Holy Spirits who will have descended to admonish the masses but hide themselves in waiting for their time,
“Mad and Crazy[3] endure silently and wait,
Disguised to lead the livings of the Lower Age[1]. “
(Awakening, Vol IV p. 637 )
“The world is to end at the Lower Age[1] ,
The upheaval disrupts all family bases.”
(The Oracles Vol. P 1 & 2)
From another source, the Dharma has four periods, that consists of:
1.-Authentic Dharma,
2.-Analytical Dharma,
3.-Simulated Dharma, and
4.-Closing Dharma
After the Shakyamuni Buddha entered nirvana, the Authentic Dharma period that followed this event lasted 500 years is called the Authentic Dharma, after which the two following periods, Analytical and Simulated, last 500 years, and the last period is the closing Dharma period which endures for 10,000 years. As this Age is characterized by the lower moral expectations which most sentient beings have about themselves and others, therefore, it is called Lower Age[1], or the Age that marks the world going to end, before the cycle restarts with the returning of the Upper Age.
Based on the sixth volume of Mahayana (Great Vehicle School), Buddhism which reached the Lower Age[1] period, the Dharma better spreads over the world and, even though many people enter the religion, they do not become Buddhas, therefore it is called the Dharma Closing Age.
The Fifth Patriarch Heng Ren who used his mind to mind communication method to appoint Hui Neng as the Sixth Patriarch, his heir, said: “The Cloak and the Bowl now are passed to you for this age, and it will not be useful to pass them on again. This period is called the Closing Dharma one, though people who listen to the Dharma are many, the real practisers are as rare as hen’s teeth.”
The Great Nirvana Sutra, Vol 7, said: “Buddha told Ga Ye (Vi: Ca Diếp): 700 years after I entered Nirvana, the Po Xún Demon (Vi: Quỷ Ba Tuần; Chi: 魔波旬; Pali: Māra–pāpman) will gradually confound my authentic Dharma. For example, if the hunter wears the Dharma cloak, the Po Xun Demon will do the same, feigning Bikkhu or Bikkhuni, or lay male or female Practitioners. They also pretend as the Stream-Entrant, and A Luo Han. The Demon borrowed the unwholesome figures to make itself wholesome figures, to corrupt my authentic Dharma.”
Source: xuefonet Extract – Closing Dharma Period.
Three Ages of Buddhism
The Three Ages of Buddhism are three divisions of time following Buddha’s passing:
1.-Former Day of the Law—also known as the Age of the Right Dharma (Chinese: 正法; pinyin: Zhèng Fǎ; Jp: shōbō), the first thousand years during which the Buddha’s disciples are able to uphold the Buddha’s teachings;
2.-Middle Day of the Law—also known as the Age of Semblance Dharma (Chinese: 像法; pinyin: Xiàng Fǎ; Jp: zōhō), the second thousand years, which only resembles the right Dharma;
3.- Latter Days of the Dharma—also known as the Degenerate Age (Chinese: 末法; pinyin: Mò Fǎ; mòfǎ; Jp: mappō), which is to last for 10,000 years during which the Dharma declines. In the Mahasamnipata Sutra, the three periods are further divided into five five-hundred year periods (五五百歳 Cn: wǔ wǔ bǎi sùi; Jp: go no gohyaku sai), the fifth and last of which was prophesied to be when the Buddhism of Gautama Buddha would lose all power of salvation and a new Buddha would appear to save the people. This time period would be characterized by unrest, strife, famine, and natural disasters.[6] The three periods are significant to Mahayana adherents, particularly those who hold the Lotus Sutra in high regard, namely the Tiantai and Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism, who believe that different Buddhist teachings are valid (i.e., able to lead practitioners to enlightenment) in each period due to the different capacity to accept a teaching (機根 Cn: jīgēn; Jp: Nikon) of the people born in each respective period.
Nguơn cuối cùng. Căn cứ vào luật tuần hoàn của lý Tam Nguơn được phân định và diễn tiến như sau:
1. Thượng Nguơn: gồm có Thượng Nguơn Thượng,
Thượng Nguơn Trung, Thượng Nguơn Hạ.
2. Trung Nguơn: gồm có Trung Nguơn Thượng, Trung Nguơn Trung, Trung Nguơn hạ.
3. Hạ Nguơn: gồm có Hạ Nguơn Thượng, Hạ nguơn trung, Hạ Nguơn Hạ.
Cứ thế mà luân chuyển mãi, hễ hết Hạ Nguơn Hạ thì chuyển sang Thượng Nguơn Thượng, Thượng Nguơn Trung dần dần xuống…
Hiện nay, nhằm vào Hạ Nguơn Hạ, sau đó sẽ chuyển sang Thượng Nguơn Thượng như bắt một đầu chu kỳ mới.
Trong Giảng Ông Sư Vãi Bán Khoai có nói:
“Hạ nguơn nay đã hết đời,
Minh Hoàng cầu Phật lập đời Thượng Nguơn”.
Đức Thầy cũng bảo trong bài Để Chơn Đất Bắc.
“Việc đời nhiều nỗi sầu bi,
Hạ Nguơn đã hết loạn ly cơ đồ.”
Trong quyển Giác Mê Tâm Kệ, Đức Giáo-Chủ có nói trước những tai-họa hãi-hùng mà chúng sanh sẽ phải trải qua trong thời Hạ-nguơn mạt kiếp:
“Khổ với thảm ngày nay có mấy,
Sợ mai sau dòm thấy bay hồn.
Trừ tà gian còn thiện chỉ tồn,
Cảnh sông máu núi xương tha thiết.”
Khùng-Điên ẩn-nhẫn tùy thời,
Có-cơn giả dạng dắt đời hạ-nguơn.
(Giác Mê Tâm Kệ p. 637)
“Hạ-nguơn nay đã hết đời,
Phong ba biến chuyển đổi dời gia cang.”
(Hai câu đầu của Sám Giảng[4] Quyển I)
“Hạ Ngươn[2] sanh chúng ám u,
Tây Phương Sắc Lịnh vân du Nam Kỳ”.
Hạ-nguơn lao khổ lắm ôi!
Tu sau mới được qua đồi chông gai.
(Vọng Bắc Hòa Nam)
Hạ-nguơn lòng dạ đổi dời,
Bây giờ khổ-não đến đời là đây.
(Từ câu 473 của Sám Giảng[4] Quyển III)
Đời Hạ-Nguơn hay chết tuổi xanh,
Như thuở trước Nhan-Hồi còn trẻ.
(Giác Mê Tâm Kệ p. 830)
Muôn thu thiên định nhứt kỳ,
Hạ-nguơn sắc-lịnh khai kỳ Long-hoa.
Rán vẹt phá sương mù trước mắt,
Chớ để cho quỉ dắt linh hồn.
Lão đây vưng lịnh Phật-tôn,
Lãnh cân thưởng phạt chư môn dữ lành.
(Thiên Lý Ca)
Khùng-Điên ẩn-nhẫn tùy thời,
Có-cơn giả dạng dắt đời Hạ-nguơn.
(Để Chơn Đất Bắc)
Việc đời nhiều nỗi sầu-bi,
Hạ-nguơn đã hết loạn-ly cơ đồ.
Bây giờ còn hỡi mờ-hồ,
Chẳng nghe dạy chỉ cơ-đồ về sau.
(Để Chơn Đất Bắc)
Note in English
This also means the Latter Days of the Dharma in the Three Ages of Buddhism. In contrast to the first two Ages, the Former and Middle Days, the first of which people may refer to the Golden One, the Latter Days has the characteristic of a Dark Era, during which Buddhism starts to decline in that its Dharma, however widespread across all areas of the planet were, has witnessed many learners but virtually no one who reached enlightenment as in the last Two Ages.
Nguơn cuối cùng. Căn cứ vào luật tuần hoàn của lý Tam Nguơn được phân định và diễn tiến như sau:
1. Thượng Nguơn: gồm có Thượng Nguơn Thượng,
2. Trung Nguơn: gồm có Trung Nguơn Thượng, Trung Nguơn Trung, Trung Nguơn hạ.
3. Hạ Nguơn: gồm có Hạ Nguơn Thượng, Hạ nguơn trung, Hạ Nguơn Hạ.
The person who are not restrained by reason nor judgement, very angry, mentally ill. However, if someone calls themselves Mad or Crazy, they may not be so, as they pretend to be so, and they do so for a certain purpose, such as avoiding the attention of others who may harm them if they find out who the latter are. In history, there were many characters who put on such such unusual masks as Mad or Crazy, Beggar, Drunkard, etc, so that they hide their identity more effectively lest they should risk being put in danger. These people might pursue a covert mission. In this case, Lord Master played this role for many reasons:
First, Lord Master has accomplished His full enlightenment and went back to the world as a Bodhisattva to save the world. Thus, given that a lot of people would obstruct His mission if they knew it straight away, He might not be able to test their level of moral practice, and to teach them when they realize they made a mistake.
Second, there were a lof authorities from different government levels would suspect Him of plotting their government if He attracted a lot of followers. In order to avoid the intelligence agents, He must pretend to be a commoner, a poor or disabled person.
Sám hay Sấm có nghĩa là sám hối, tiên tri.
Sấm Giảng Thi Văn của Đức Huỳnh Giáo Chủ là bộ pháp bảo, hàm chứa giáo thuyết căn bản, giúp người tín đồ PGHH hiểu biết tông chỉ và phương thức hành đạo.
Đức Giáo Chủ Phật Giáo Hòa Hảo khẳng định Ngài không lập một tôn giáo mới lạ. Ngài chỉ là vị thánh tăng vưng lịnh Đức Thế Tôn hạ giới xuống trần hưng truyền chánh pháp. Cho nên Ngài đã “nối theo chí Thích Ca ngày trước” và “rút trong các Luật các Kinh” để thành lập một giáo thuyết khế cơ, giản dị, dễ học, dễ tu cho căn cơ thấp kém của phần lớn chúng sanh trong thời Mạt pháp.
Tuy nhiên, dù cố giản dị đến đâu, một bộ Sấm Kinh chỉ vỏn vẹn khoảng 500 trang mà tóm lược cả “rừng kinh kệ” của chư Phật Thánh thì nội dung tất phải hàm súc cô đọng. Hơn nữa, về hình thức, lời lẽ có bình dị cũng không tránh khỏi việc cần sử dụng điển tích, điển văn, Hán ngữ, dụng ngữ Phật pháp, phương ngữ, …để diễn đạt tư tưởng. Đó là các lý do khiến người tu học đôi khi không dễ hiểu nếu thiếu phương tiện sưu tầm tra cứu.
道是天地万物的演化运行机制，中国哲学的信念之一。 认为道决定了事物“有”或“无”[2]、以及生物“生”或“死”的存在形式；[3] 从无到有、从有到无和周而复始的自然现象，是万事万物在道协同作用下所产生的结果； [4]“人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然”的理念[5] 有兩種解釋，主流是當時的「自然（itself）」不是今日的「自然（Nature）」，而是「自然而然」“道”雖是生長萬物的，卻是無目的、無意識的，它“生而不有，為而不恃，長而不宰”，即不把萬物據為己有，不夸耀自己的功勞，不主宰和支配萬物，而是聽任萬物自然而然發展著。疑後代禪宗則解釋為「道」效法「自然」（今日用語），應為誤解。[原創研究？]
另一种解释，坚信人受地的制约、地受天的制约、天受道的制约，道受自然的制约[8]；奉行顺其自然，无为而治的价值观[9]。
Tao is the evolutionary mechanism of heaven and earth, and one of the beliefs of Chinese philosophy. It is believed that the Tao determines the "being" or "non-existence" of things and the form of existence in which living beings "live" or "die"; The natural phenomenon of coming into being, from being to nothing, and repeating itself is the result of the synergy of all things in the Tao; [4] There are two interpretations of the concept of "man is the law of the earth, the earth is the law of the sky, the heaven is the law of the Tao, and the Tao is the law of nature" There are two interpretations, the mainstream is that "nature" at that time is not "nature" today, but "natural", although the "Tao" is the one that gives birth to all things, but it is purposeless and unconscious, it is "born without being, for the sake of not being ashamed, and growing without slaughter", that is, it does not take all things as its own, does not boast of its own merits, does not dominate and dominate all things, but allows all things to develop naturally. It is doubtful that the later generations of Zen Buddhism interpreted it as "Tao" and imitated "nature" (in today's terms), which should be misunderstood.
Another explanation is the belief that man is conditioned by the earth, the earth is conditioned by heaven, the heavens are conditioned by the Tao, and the Tao is conditioned by nature[8]; Pursue the values of going with the flow and doing nothing .