Artistic Techniques in the Works of Truc Lam Zen Sect

Spiritual intuition helps people to easily receive the message of the work, no matter what form it is expressed in. Every time they read and approach Zen literary works, learners will feel and explore the artistic world displayed through each layer of meaning of the language. The "direct pointing to the true heart" of a Zen practitioner is the "spiritual intuition" of the person approaching Buddhist literature. The conciseness, condensation, and openness of Zen literary works will express all the deep layers of meaning contained through the system of language, materials, and poetic materials that make up the works. All of these have created a literary value with a unique identity of Vietnamese Buddhist literature, of which the works of the Truc Lam Zen sect are a testament.

3.3. ARTISTIC METHODS IN THE WORKS OF TRUC LAM ZEN SCHOOL

3.3.1. Allusion

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According to Doan Anh Loan, in the Anecdotes and the Art of Using Anecdotes , the word “Anecdotes” appears in the Book of the Later Han, chapter Dongping Xinwang Shang’s biography . Dongping Xinwang Liu Shang, while performing a ceremony to receive favors, wrote a memorial saying , “ Your Majesty’s great virtue is great and he loves his blood relatives. Every time he holds a banquet, he changes his expression to a happy one, the empress personally bows to greet him, the incident becomes an anecdote.”… The Great Chinese Dictionary considers “anecdote” to be “Ancient stories from ancient times or anecdotes of ancient origin cited in literary works” [cited 152, 19 - 20]. From there, the author of this book comes to the conclusion that “Allusions are words about old stories, old legends, thoughts, and images in old books that the author uses as a means to express ideas in a concise and meaningful way. Allusions include: 1. Words or groups of words taken from stories in the classics, stories, foreign books... about

historical figures, historical events, places, and ideas in life. 2. Good words

"A group of words that borrow ideas or words from a previous person's verse or poem, or are quoted from idioms, proverbs, folk songs with stories that have been passed down or are famous" [152, 20].

Based on the above definition and criteria for classifying allusions and on the origin of the allusions used by the authors of the Truc Lam Zen sect, we classify the allusions examined as follows:

- Regarding Buddhist allusions, they are words or groups of words, Buddhist terms, Zen idioms... talking about Buddhist stories, Zen anecdotes, historical figures, Bodhisattvas, Zen masters; times of Dharma teachings; places of Dharma assemblies; places of ordination, enlightenment, and nirvana; typical images in Buddhist scriptures, taken by Zen authors as a means of expressing ideas in a concise and meaningful way. Those words or groups of words are quoted from stories that happened during the time of the Buddha in the Tripitaka , or stories taken from the Dharma talks of Patriarchs and Zen masters recorded in the colloquial sayings of the Sutta Pitaka.

- Similarly, Confucian allusions are allusions originating from classical documents and books of Confucianism. They include words and idioms conveying old stories taken from the Book of Poetry, the Book of Rites, the Analects, and teachings of Confucian philosophers such as Confucius, Xun Zi, etc. on the morality of being human and being a Saint, which were incorporated by poets and writers of the Zen sect into their works.

- Lao-Zhuang allusions are allusions originating from ancient sources of Lao-Tzu and Zhuang-Tzu, including words, idioms, and sentences extracted by Zen writers from Lao-Tzu and Zhuang-Tzu books . Through stories and revered characters such as Lao-Tzu and Zhuang-Tzu, the quoted content often expresses the philosophies and views of ancient people on the universe, nature, and human beings to be incorporated into Zen works with high artistry.

- Finally, there are allusions that originate from various sources. They can be words, groups of words, verses, poems, paragraphs, sentences of famous Chinese authors of ancient literature, history, Hundred Schools of Thought, with stories and artistic imagery. These allusions have quite attractive stories, are deeply ingrained in people's subconscious, and are used by the author as an effective means of expression.

Therefore, allusions are one of the typical artistic techniques used in medieval literature in general, and Zen poetry and literature in particular. The use of allusions is not only a rhetorical device but also contributes to enhancing the ability to express the conciseness and succinctness of literary language as well as artistic images. Allusions become a method of creating Zen literature in the direction of spiritual intuitive thinking and the perception of beauty for the recipient of the work. Based on the works of 6 authors of the Truc Lam Zen sect anthologized in Ly - Tran Poetry and Literature for survey and statistics, Zen writers use allusions originating from the above sources.

Surveying 204 allusions out of 197 works of the Zen sect, we found 116 Buddhist allusions in 45 works, accounting for 56.86%; 10 Confucian allusions in 8 works, accounting for 4.90%; 10 Lao-Zhuang allusions in 11 works, accounting for 4.90% and 68 allusions from different sources (39 from ancient literature, 25 from historical records, 4 from Hundred Schools of Thought), in 35 works of the Zen sect, accounting for 33.33%. Obviously, the use of Buddhist allusions in works with a rate of over 50% compared to the allusions of Confucianism, Lao-Zhuang, or other sources; proves that the works of the Zen sect have a strong Zen Buddhist color, accurately reflecting the Buddhist worldview and outlook on life under the perspective of realizing Zen principles. (Please see Appendix 2).

Interestingly, the use of Confucian and Lao-Zhuang allusions by Zen authors in their works is similar in quantity, then using allusions from other sources as mentioned above. That is consistent with the spirit and policy of Dai Viet Buddhism as mentioned in chapter 2, "Buddhism does not depart from worldly enlightenment", focusing on the study of the internal and external scriptures in propagating Buddhism. Especially in accepting different sources of cultural and ideological ideas as a means of conveying the content that Zen authors need to reflect in their works. The use of allusions originating from Buddhist scriptures, Confucianism, Lao-Zhuang and ancient literature, historical records, and Hundred Schools of Thought of China, selected skillfully, skillfully, and attractively in Zen literary works is one of the achievements in artistic techniques. Let us analyze some of the above allusions to clearly see how this artistic technique is used in Zen works.

In the chanting part of this chanting verse , Tran Thai Tong used the allusion “Lu Lang rice price” extracted from a famous Chinese Zen saying. It is a story between a monk asking monk Hanh Tu (Hui Neng’s student) about the main idea of ​​Buddhism, as well as the key points of Zen. The monk replied, “What is the price of rice in Lu Lang now?” The monk did not know, so he confessed that it was immeasurable. Monk Tu meant that Buddhism is mysterious, cannot be asked, cannot be immeasurable. Because the core of Zen is the reality of what is happening in life: “now” and “here”. Therefore, the learner must take it with a sincere heart and not speculate or calculate. Thanks to the use of this allusion in such a context, the monk enlightened the monk. Thus, through the story of the allusion, the author transformed a content containing a difficult-to-grasp Zen philosophy for the learner, into a very concrete, vivid, easy-to-understand image that happens every day. This is the skill of the writer.

Tue Trung used allusions from Zen koans extracted from Chinese Zen sayings. These Zen sayings are often figurative, impressing readers with a paradoxical way of speaking and a tone of breaking attachments. For example, in the Thi hoc poem , the verse “Do tuong linh dich kho tuong ma” [333, 232] (H 208) (Gach dem dem dat) [333, 232] was extracted by Thuong si from the Ma Chuyen tac kinh koan in Canh Duc truyen deng luc, volume 5, which Zen scholars know quite well: During the period of Duong Khai Nguyen (731 - 741), Dao Nhat was the abbot of the Dharma transmission institute, who practiced sitting in meditation every day. Zen master Nam Nhac Hoai Nhuong knew that he was a Dharma vessel, so he came to ask: “Venerable sir, what do you pray for?” Dao Nhat replied , “To become a Buddha.” Master Hoai Nhuong then took a brick and rubbed it on the stone slab in front of Ma To Dao Nhat’s hermitage. Dao Nhat asked , "What do you do?"

"So?" The Master replied, "Grinding a brick to make a mirror. " Dao Nhat continued to ask , "Can grinding a brick become a mirror?" The Master said, "If grinding a brick does not become a mirror, can sitting in meditation become a Buddha?" Dao Nhat asked , "Then what is correct?" The Master replied, "Like a cart driver, when the cart is not moving, should he whip the cart or whip the ox?" Dao Nhat remained silent. The Master said again , "Do you learn to sit in meditation or to sit in Buddhahood? If you learn to sit in meditation, Zen is not a matter of sitting or lying down. If you learn to sit in Buddhahood, Buddhahood is not fixed in form. Things change and are impure, so there is no need to hold on or let go." Clearly, the image of "grinding a brick into a mirror" is an allusion used in Tue Trung's poetry to teach his students, suggesting to the listener to understand the entire meaning of the poem as an explanation to understand a Zen message.

Tran Nhan Tong and Huyen Quang are two authors who used Buddhist allusions in their works written in Nom quite skillfully and creatively. The poem "Cử trần lạc đạo phủ" is an achievement in the use of allusions in many aspects such as clarity, ease of understanding and Vietnamization of allusions. In the fourth meeting, the author wrote "Accumulating human thoughts, cultivating morality, who knows this is not Thích Ca; Holding precepts, cutting off jealousy and greed, being honest is Di Lac." [333, 506] (N 209). We see that there are two allusions to Thích Ca and Di Lac originating from large, popular and easy-to-understand sutras. When reading, students perceive the practice of Buddha Thích Ca from his ordination, enlightenment, preaching and saving sentient beings, and Nirvana recorded in many familiar Nikaya or Mahayana sutras . Di Lac is the Bodhisattva prophesied by Buddha Thích Ca to become a future Buddha (Nhat sinh bo su) mentioned in the Lotus Sutra . According to the Maitreya Sutra and Maitreya Sutra , he came from Brahmanism, was converted by Buddha, and used the body of a Bodhisattva to preach the Dharma in the Tusita heaven. He practiced compassion, joy, and equanimity and vowed not to eat sentient beings, so he was also known as Tu Thi. These two Buddhist scriptures are expressed in two parallel verses in terms of structure, words, and symbolic meaning between the Buddha - Bodhisattva and sentient beings, so that readers can compare themselves, easily understand, and direct their minds to practice. It proves that the technique of using allusions has the effect of creating high artistic aesthetics from the content of the message to the form of expression in the verse according to the structure of the Vietnamese language.

We also see the Vietnamization in the use of allusions in the Nom poem " Living in the world and enjoying the path"

quite clearly through examples such as: Trieu Lao Tea, Thieu Duong Cake, Ong Doan Lion, Thay Buffalo

Huu, Vuong Lao cut the cat,... For example, in the 9th meeting of the poem, Tran Nhan Tong wrote: "Trieu Lao tea, Thieu Duong cake, the group of Zen disciples are still hungry and thirsty." [333, 509] (N 210). The story of "Trieu Lao tea" was Vietnamized from the story between Zen master Trieu Chau and the monks who came to study Zen and learn the Dharma, recorded in Canh Duc Truyen Dang Luc as follows: Master Trieu Chau was practicing Zen with Master Pho Nguyen at Nam Tuyen temple. One day, he fell down in the snow and cried out "Help!". Another monk came and stood beside him. Master Tri Chau asked "Have you been here long?" The monk replied "Yes, it has been a long time". The monk said "Have you had tea". Another monk came and the monk also asked "Have you been here long". The monk immediately replied "Not long". The monk again said "Have you had tea". The Tri Su was surprised and asked "Whether it has been a long time or not long, the master always says to drink tea". The monk heard and called Tri Su. The Tri Su immediately said "Yes". The master taught us to drink tea. The principle of Zen is to grasp reality, and reality now is drinking tea. Therefore, reality has no before, no after; long or short. To understand this principle is to grasp the essence of Zen. This is the way Zen master Zhaozhou opened his mind.

Shaoyang Cake is an allusion quoted from the story between Zen Master Wenyan and Master Shaoyang in Jingdezhenglu. One day, the master pointed to Zen Master Yun

Yen said: "This monk often asks the disciples of the Ming Sect how many cakes they have eaten today.

"cakes?" Answer: "Five cakes." Then asked : "How many cakes did the monk eat today?" Answer: "Please come into the room and have some tea." How poetic, the monk opened the way by offering cakes, no different from inviting us to drink tea. It seems that Zen is the present life with what is happening around us in the spirit of "Ordinary mind is the way" that monks often advocate to open the mind of those who are new to Zen.

The obstacles in the practice are few, just like the difficulty of fish passing through the Dragon Gate. Thanks to that, the poem becomes impressive to those who study the path.

When praising the merits of Tue Trung's practice, Tran Nhan Tong inserted the allusion Chiem chi tai tien [333, 485] (H 212) (Looking back, I see what is ahead) into the poem Praise to Tue Trung Thuong si. The author took the idea from the Analects , chapter Tu Han : "Nguong chi di cao, Toan chi di kien. Chiem chi tai tien, Hot yen tai hau" (Looking up, I see what is higher, Digging in, I see what is harder. Suddenly, just in front, looking back, I see what is behind). Clearly, Tran Nhan Tong borrowed the meaning of Confucius's words praising the "way" of the universe and life to generalize the personality and virtues of the enlightened person of Tue Trung. Without many words, readers can still see the portrait of the pillar of Zen.

The Butterfly Dream is a famous allegory of Lao Tzu, originating from the book Trang Tu, chapter Te vat luan , which was included by Tran Thai Tong in the poem Thu thoi vo thuong ke with the verse "Hồ diep mong cu cu" [333, 211] (H 213) (The butterfly soul sinks in a dream). This allegory has the story of Trang Tu saying that he dreamed that he turned into a butterfly flying around the sky and earth. When he woke up, he felt confused, not knowing if he dreamed that he turned into a butterfly or the butterfly turned into him. The story from then on implied the illusion of life. Trang Tu's butterfly dream image was included by the Zen author in his work to say that life is like a dream. Using this allegory not only gives the reader a strong feeling about the constant change of all things but also brings a sense of regret and sadness between the gains and losses of a person's life.

Tuong Hu was sad, so he retired and lived in seclusion. Under the bamboo grove in front of his house, he opened three narrow paths for his close friends Cau Trong and Duong Trong to come and visit. As for "Tay Ho Xu Si" (West Lake Hermit), he was a character named Han The Trung, whose pen name was Luong Than during the Song Dynasty, a native of Dien An, famous for his martial arts. During the resistance war against the Kim Dynasty, seeing that Tan Coi advocated peace and the imperial court was weak, he resigned from his position, brought wine and traveled to Tay Ho to relax. After his death, he was given the name Trung Vu. Huyen Quang borrowed the two allusions "Tuong Hu" and "Tay Ho Xu Si" as the subject for the two descriptive and real lines of the first stanza, expressing his feelings before the turbulent times, when people's hearts often changed.

And there are many attractive allusions with high artistic value, when included in the works of Zen, which will have an effective effect on literary expression, creating sentences and poems that are more solemn, vivid, attractive, ensuring the necessary conciseness. Thanks to