When the Buddha Could Not Intervene: A Lesson on Self-Awareness and Religious Authority

There is a story in the Nikaya scriptures that startled me: the Buddha himself, the World-Honored One, came three times to advise a group of monks who were quarreling, yet they remained stubborn. He did not grow angry, did not impose his will, but simply and gently walked away. What is it that keeps Buddhism free of religious authority? Why is self-awareness the key to resolving every dispute?

When the Buddha Could Not Stop the Quarrel: The True Dharma or the Age of Decline?

Many people believe that during the Buddha's time, the era of the "true Dharma," people were noble and practicing was easy. But this scripture shows that even then there were monks who competed, divided, and wielded "the weapons of tongue and speech." Thầy Thích Chân Quang observed: "We should not assume that in the era of the true Dharma people lived nobly... But now we see that even then there were flaws, attacks, and conflicts. How different is that from our own time?"

"We see that people in the past were like this, and we today are the same. Whether our practice is hard or easy, people in the past were no different from us."

Whether one attains the path does not depend on the era, but on whether we grasp the correct way of practice and have sufficient merit. Do not feel inferior for living in an age of decline; instead, seek a suitable method to gather and steady the mind.

Practicing Self-Awareness: Letting Go of the Ego to Live in Harmony

When the Buddha came, the monks replied: "World-Honored One, please stop, do not trouble yourself; let us bear the responsibility ourselves." Thầy Thích Chân Quang said this holds a great lesson: "Do not use the practice of dwelling happily in the present moment as a weapon to protect your own ego." We often use our spiritual practice as an excuse to avoid hearing feedback. But a person with true spiritual strength will listen calmly.

"Let go of your own mind and live in accordance with the minds of these venerable ones."

That is the sentence I remember always. Living in harmony does not mean thinking identically, but knowing how to lower the ego in order to love one another. The three monks in the garden shared how they let go of their own minds, lived according to the minds of their fellow practitioners, and looked at one another with kind eyes. Different in body, yet one in mind.

Buddhism Without Religious Authority: Freedom or Laxity?

The Buddha advised three times and then walked away, without punishing anyone. Thầy Chân Quang analyzed: "The Buddha's remarkably gentle way of handling this shows that Buddhism has no religious authority." Some say Buddhism is loosely organized, lacking discipline. But the foundation of Buddhism is self-awareness. Those who come come willingly; those who leave are free to go. No one can force another's mind.

"Religious authority, if it exists, brings benefit or harm depending on the leader. If the leader is a true practitioner, the directives issued will bring order and vigor to the Sangha's study and practice. If not a true practitioner, the religious community will fall apart."

History shows this: National Master Ngọc Lâm ordered the recitation of the Shurangama Sutra, and the Zen tradition declined. National Master Huệ Trung on White Cliff Mountain made the Zen tradition of the Song dynasty shine brilliantly. Thus religious authority is neither good nor bad in itself, but there must be a balance between self-awareness and organization.

Listening to Criticism: The Test of Spiritual Strength

When we are criticized, how do we react? Thầy Chân Quang taught: "Listen calmly, do not argue back at once. If what they say is true, correct yourself; if it is slander, still keep your mind calm." This is the test of spiritual strength. A person of true attainment will not react strongly or with disdain, but will simply listen and examine themselves.

"The petty person blames others; the average person blames themselves; the great person blames neither themselves nor others."

Lao Tzu once said this. When things go wrong, we tend to assign blame. But a sincere practitioner will look inward. If someone calls us greedy, we sit and examine the mind, and may truly find greed there. That is an opportunity to correct ourselves.

A Practical Lesson: Listening and Self-Awareness

Through this scripture, I remember a great lesson: do not use the ego to cover up our shortcomings. Do not use the name of practice to escape responsibility. Listen to others, whatever they may say. And remember that the path to liberation is the path of self-awareness. No one can practice in our place. But we can learn from the Buddha's example: gentle, patient, never imposing, yet always guiding.

Please do not let petty quarrels destroy a harmonious mind. Begin with a smile, a listening ear, and a heart of compassion. We do not practice to be better than anyone, but to love more.