ESSENTIAL
THEMES OF
BUDDHISTS LECTURES
Venerable Sayadaw Ashin U Thittila
---o0o---
II.
Talks involving Sila in particular
11. BUDDHISM IN BURMA
In Buddhist Burma the
Burmese, who have inherited such a sublime ethical code of compassion and
altruism, used to be remarkable for an acute sense of humanity, and
therefore they were well known to Westerners as one of the happiest people
in the world.
We often hear, however,
the complaint that some of them have changed their attitude towards their
religion, Buddhism. which has been a great source of their happiness,
peace and culture, In Buddhist Burma there are certain sore spots of which
the following appear to be the most significant: (1) Lack of metta (loving
kindness), (2) neglect of religious principles and (3) change from the
spirit of compassion and tenderness, which Buddhism teaches. to that of
harshness and selfishness.
In the world as a whole
there is enough money and material, and no lack of intellect. But what is
it that is lacking? The will to do good, metta, is not strong enough to
prevail against the powers of darkness, the world is disturbed and men
distrust each other. What can we do to help? To increase metta in the
world is the worlds supreme need. The lack of metta is the major cause of
war. Apart from military conflicts there are many other conflicts, racial,
political, economic and even religious conflicts. The chief cause of
nearly all these conflicts is the lack of metta.
Since the end of the first
Great War there have been many organizations termed international; many
authors have written on this subject of internationalism. Idealistic
workers who dream and hope for a better future have started many
international movements. We had the League of Nations founded in 1920. but
they failed to maintain peace. Why? Because most of them have dealt with
mere external and material adjustments. too much attention has been paid
to the material and too little to the spiritual side of life. Materialism
alone cannot give happiness and peace - which we all desire. It is not
materialistic ideology but the Buddhist way of life that is suitable for
Burma which is still looked up to by the entire Buddhist world as the home
of pure Buddhism. What is needed most in Burma is the practice of the
noble principles of Buddhism which teaches the upholding of the laws of
morality, fair dealing, honour, truth, right and refinement.
Neglect of religious
principles is one of the fundamental causes of war. One of the most
important ethical teachings of the Buddha is 'non-killing' or
non-violence'.
Aggressiveness, urge to
destroy or kill is a natural instinct common to both animal and man, but
there is a great difference in the way in which instincts function in men
and animals. In the case of animals and primitive men the impulse of
violence is no doubt a protective and preservative device both for the
individual and for the species. Animal needs are only those which are
essential for self-preservation. they are nor to blame for their acts, for
they are regulated by nature. But in the case of man it is quite
different, he has a larger number of instinctive urges than animals hate.
Man by virtue of his possessing higher capacities of memory, imagination,
thought, reasoning, self-respect, moral conscience and religious faith,
should think of the consequences, immediate as well as remote, of his
actions before he performs them, that he may know beforehand how far they
are conducive to his personal. social and spiritual security and welfare.
His higher and more lasting interests should not be sacrificed on the
altar of the momentary gratification of selfish desires.
Man, and not the animal,
has often to choose between cruelty and sympathy, which cannot be both
exercised at the same time with regard to the same object. Which one shall
he choose? It is not difficult to decide that even from the point of view
of one's own personal health and happiness, one should follow the path of
love and sympathy rather than that of cruelty and violence. For he is more
of a human being while walking along the former path than while going
along the latter. Moreover, no man, party, community or race can be sure
of being equally strong and powerful at all times to live successfully by
violence. In order, therefore, to be on the safe side and to safeguard
against becoming a future object of wrath of a forthcoming stronger man,
party. community or race. he or it should keep his or its violent tendency
under control, and set a right and desirable example for the future
behaviour of mankind.
It is a truism that he who
lives by the sword perishes by the sword. A cruel man, party, community or
race is bound to be treated cruelly when he or it becomes weak in course
of time and others come into power. It is also true that cruel persons
live a miserable life and die a miserable death. A tyrant lives a life of
perpetual danger. Aggressive individuals and communities live in perpetual
fear of other individuals and communities. The gains and victories of
violence, although quickly achieved, are short-lived and are maintained at
a heavy cost, therefore, even from a purely selfish point of view, the
path of violence is not secure and desirable.
Human society flourishes
better when it is based on love, sympathy and co-operation than when based
on acts of violence which the Buddha asked us to avoid. Acts of violence
are diseases of humanity. Cruel and selfish individuals or communities who
trample over and crush the natural rights of others, are like poisonous
germs or diseases in the body. A healthy and happy social life demands
that all its members should live with others amicably and should help and
protect each other.
in the ideal society, the
key-note of the stronger members is loving care and renunciation for the
weaker ones, and that of the weaker ones is love and co-operation. In this
age. when scientific discoveries and inventions have greatly increased the
powers of man to do both good and evil, there is a great need for
organizing education that is based on rational, just and moral principles
for developing a keen social and humanitarian consciousness in every child
so that the inhuman, barbarous and violent activities of men threatening
the very destruction of humanity itself may not recur. Nobody likes to be
harmed, injured or killed by another. if somebody does so. he violates the
basic social principle. He is antisocial, and therefore a criminal.
Social solidarity and
material gains are not the only objects of human life, the material and
spiritual sides of life are interdependent and interrelated, so the
importance of both must be realized. Material life is lived not only by
human beings but also by animals. Men by virtue of possessing higher
capacities should live a higher and nobler life in which peace and
goodwill rather than struggle and destruction prevail. As a moral being
guided by moral
conscience, man should
rise much above an animal. He should become a being of a higher world in
which higher values are preferred to mere material life and material gain,
in which every human being is regarded as an equal and never as inferior
to another, and in which truth, justice. honesty. fellowship and freedom
are the intuitively accepted principles of action.
12. B.B.C.
EUROPEAN SERVICE GENERAL NEWS TALK,
ECUMENICAL DEVELOPMENTS: DIALOGUE
The word 'dialogue', used
in connection with the ecumenical movement, means conversation or
discussion between separated Christian churches in order to pave the way
for greater harmony between them. According to his first great letter or
encyclical. however, addressed to the bishops. clergy, people of the
Catholic Church and 'to all men of goodwill'. the present Pope has
considered it on a wider scale than the ecumenical dialogue between
Christians. I therefore would like to take the opportunity to contribute
to a series of talks on the general theme of the ecumenical movement from
a Buddhist point of view.
The teaching founded by
the Buddha is known as Buddhism. All the teachings of the Buddha can be
summed up in one verse:
'To refrain from all
evil,
To do what is good,
To purify the mind,
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.'
The evil thoughts are to
be eliminated and the virtuous thoughts to be increased. Mere ceasing from
evil is not enough. a noble effort is needed to replace evil by good. All
this constitutes self culture, and in the course of this culture the
individual, through his kind thoughts, words and deeds, helps all his
neighbours and makes them happy.
Thus Buddhism is not
individualistic, it is not a negative treatment. it is indeed a positive
philosophy in which an ethical and moral code is enunciated to a great
degree. In fact Buddhism is largely devoted to ethico-moral discipline,
and through that discipline one can attain deliverance. As such it can be
supplementary to any religion, and in fact it did act as a supplement to
other religions. In China and Japan, for example, Buddhism supplemented
the local religions; it did not expel local faiths, it merely stimulated
people to moral awakening, ethical excellence and philosophical
understanding. In this way Buddhism may be said to be a moralizing agent
and a civilizing force.
Buddhism being an
ethico-moral discipline should have no quarrel with any other religion, no
religion worth the name should oppose ethico-moral discipline which is a
synonym of Buddhism. It is on this basis that Buddhists will be willing to
enter into genuine dialogue with the members of all other religions, in
fact the Buddhists of Thailand have already taken the first step towards
it.
An inter-religious
conference was held in Bangkok under the auspices of the Ministry of
Religious Affairs of Thailand on the 26th October 1964. The conference was
officially opened by the Prime Minister of Thailand, who said that the
circumstances of the world at present were such that no religion could
isolate itself from another. It is therefore of great importance that all
religious people, no matter to what faith they belong, should come and
work together for the security and development of both their religions and
their countries. He was convinced of the fact that there is nothing to
fear from sincere people of any faith, who are no threat to anybody or
anything. What is to be feared, he said, is the kind of people who have
intrinsically no religious principle in mind. The Prime Minister requested
the co-operation of all religious people, asking them to safeguard their
religious members and the people against dangerous political ideologies
that seek to destroy all religions.
The religions whose
ministers were present at the conference were Buddhism, Christianity,
Islam, Hinduism. Sikhism and Brahmanism. The Director of Religious Affairs
there, said that the purpose of the conference was to promote co-operation
among the various religions, to promote unity among all people with faith
in religion, to build moral strength and to exchange views and opinions on
religious matters. The theme of the conference was 'Religion in the Light
of Life', in which the representatives of all the religions took part and
freely expressed their views and opinions. The conference was such a great
success that the Director-General hoped to be able to arrange a second of
its kind on a greater scale, if possible international, sometime in 1965.
To have proper moral
discipline, to promote co-operation and unity among men. Buddhism
emphasizes the importance of metta, universal and all-embracing love.
Metta means much more than brotherly feeling or kindheartedness. though
these are part of it; it is active benevolence, a love which is expressed
and fulfilled in active ministry for the uplifting of fellow beings. The
Buddha said.
'As a mother even at the risk of
her own life loves and protects her child, her only child, so let man
cultivate all-embracing love without measure towards all beings'.
This is the model of what
man should be to man.
Metta goes hand in hand
with helpfulness and willingness to forego self-interest in order to
promote the welfare and happiness of mankind. It is metta which in
Buddhism is the basis for social progress. It is this metta that attempts
to break all the barriers which separate one from another. There is no
reason to keep aloof from others merely because they belong to another
religion; any religion worth the name is not confined to any one country
or any one particular nation. it is universal. Religion is an education of
the heart, with a view to refining our nature and elevating us in the
scale of human beings. Religion is not merely theory, but practice. and
the heart, like the body, becomes healthy and strong by practical
exercise. No doctrine merely held in the mind as an intellectual belief
has any driving force. no doctrine is of any value unless and until it is
applied.
The Buddha said,
'A beautiful thought or word
which is not followed by a corresponding action, is like a bright flower
that has no scent, that will bear no fruit'.
Practice of the moral life
is the very core and essence of religion. It is action and not
speculation. it is practice and not theory that counts in life. The will
to do, followed by the doing. is the actual virtue, the will does not
count much unless it is fulfilled. To put one's high ideas and concepts
into practice is religion in the best sense.
The world has found itself
as one body; yet the fact of physical unity and economic interdependence,
though of very great value. is not by itself sufficient to create a united
family, for this we require a human consciousness of community, a sense of
personal interrelationship among men. Science proves that the fundamental
structure of the human mind is uniform in all races; what differences
there are, are due to historical circumstances and stages of development.
Without recognition of the oneness of the world of today in all its
aspects. spiritual as well as social, there will never be harmony among
religions.
In order to pave the way
for harmony among religions, we must realize the oneness of the world and
understand that we are one family. Life is a mighty wheel of perpetual
motion. This great wheel contains within it numberless small wheels,
corresponding to the lives of individual men, each of which has a pattern
of its own. The great wheel and the smaller wheels, the whole world and
individual men, are intimately and indissolubly linked; the whole human
family is so closely knit together that every unit is dependent upon all
others for its growth and development.
To bring Out the goodness
in us, each one of us has to try to reproduce in his own wheel of life
that pattern which is in harmony with the pattern of the great universal
wheel. For all the wheels to revolve in harmony the highest good in each
must be developed; this is possible by the performance of daily duties
with kindness, courtesy and truthfulness. The ideal that is placed before
us is that of mutual service and practical brotherhood. In all our
thoughts, our emotions, our words and our deeds, we act and react upon one
another; in a very real sense each one of us is responsible for the whole
community. Men, being in need of each other, should learn to love one
another, bearing one another's burdens: mutual service is a perpetual call
upon humanity, for we are bound alike by the bonds of humanity.
Wherever there is a good
man, a truly upright and noble man, pure in his motives and compassionate
in his heart, whatever his faith may be, that man is one whom the Buddhist
will revere. At the time of death, whatever may have been his creed. the
Buddhist knows that he will receive the just result of his actions in the
new birth: not according to his faith or any religious ceremonies he may
have performed, but on the merits of thought, word and deed, the good he
did to those around him, the integrity with which he acted and reacted. He
may have been a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, theist or atheist, it
makes no difference.
In the universal Law of
Cause and Effect, that man's actions will produce good in the world to
himself as well as to others, and in time he also will attain the goal of
deliverance - may in fact be nearer to it than many who are mere professed
Buddhists. It is on this basis also that the Teaching of the Buddha
embraces the members of all other faiths, and the followers of the Buddha
are able to extend the hand of brotherhood to all humanity.
13. A BUDDHIST
VIEW OF WORLD PEACE
In the world as a whole
there is enough money and material and there is no lack of intellect, yet
something is missing. What is it? The answer is the spirit of fellowship,
and it is this lack of active fellowship which is the major cause of war.
Apart from military conflicts, there are of course many other kinds of
conflict such as racial, political, economic, even religious conflicts,
and the cause of nearly all of them is the lack of the spirit of
fellowship.
In a conflict each side
has its own conceit. but to hide it both parties have their own nicely
written labels such as, 'New World Order', 'Civilizing the Backward
Peoples', 'Co-prosperity in East Asia'. etc.. and in almost every conflict
each side blames the other, both parties claiming that they are right.
They even use the name of religion to justify their actions, and will try
to persuade God to take their side, although without seeming to make any
attempt to be on God's side. They claim that there is only one God.
apparently forgetting that if there is only one God, there must be only
one family of men, and they treat one another not just as strangers but as
enemies.
Since the end of the first
world war there have been many organizations called 'international'. Many
authors have written on the subject of internationalism, and idealistic
workers hoping for a better future have started many international
movements, but all without exception have failed to maintain peace. Why?
In the first place they have not, for one reason or another, been able to
carry out their plans: secondly. they received insufficient support from
the public; and thirdly, most of them have dealt only with the purely
external, material adjustments, paying too much attention to the material
side of life and too little to the spiritual side. The two sides are
interdependent and interrelated, and the importance of both should be
recognized.
Then came the second world
war, unparalleled in history for destruction. The world is still in a
state of chaos, devoid of peace and real happiness, and once again
idealistic workers, lecturers and writers are producing books and
introducing new international organizations. Will they be successful in
maintaining peace? It is possible to predict whether they will be
successful or not; they will be successful if the leaders and workers can
carry through their plans in a spirit of world fellowship, otherwise they
will never be successful, there will be further wars, even more dreadful
than the last.
The peace which we all
desire, peace in our hearts and in our minds, peace between neighbours and
among nations, is not a miracle which it is God's task to perform. it can
only come about as a result of a reconstruction of thought. feeling and
action by means of the spirit of fellowship, and such is the duty of all
mankind.
Taking all nations as one
whole there is in the world sufficient wealth and ability to abolish
poverty, unemployment, hardship and cruelty of any kind from all
countries. It is possible for all men to be able to do what work is
necessary, if only they would learn to understand each other better by
drawing closer. The discovery of power and energy could be of great
service to humanity, and men could be inspired to noble conduct if only
all the scientists, poets and artists of all countries would come
together. A powerful spiritual influence, helping all men to make the
world a happier place. could be given by every religion if all of them
were to act together as members of one family.
Buddhism teaches that
misery and suffering are not the result of the wrath of a god, or gods,
but are the direct consequences of man's ignorance of his own nature and
of his surroundings. in attempting to discover a way of appeal on which to
base morality. Buddhism teaches that there is no such appeal to any
external authority in the form of a deity, but only to the natural desire
of the human heart. Therefore. knowing that certain actions such as
selfishness, violence and laziness tend to disorganize society, and to
cause unhappiness to its members, a man will try to avoid injuring others
if he sees clearly that his interests are bound up with those of others.
The real spirit of
fellowship which is lacking in the world today can be promoted only
through religion. Religion is an education of the heart with a view to
refining our nature and elevating us in the scale of human beings; it is
not merely theory but practice, and the heart, like the body, becomes
healthy and strong by practical exercise. No doctrine merely held in the
mind as an intellectual belief has any driving force; no doctrine is of
any value unless and until it is applied. The Buddha said, A beautiful
thought or word which is not followed by a corresponding action, is like a
bright flower that has no scent'. Such will bear no fruit.
Practice of the moral life
is the very core and essence of religion, for it is action and not
speculation, practice and not theory that counts in life. The will to do,
followed by' the doing. is the actual virtue; the will of itself does not
count much unless it is fulfilled. Thus to put one's high ideas and
concepts into practice is religion in the best sense. Religion is
obviously not confined to any one country or to any' particular nation or
race. it is universal; and it is certainly not nationalism which, in other
words, is merely another form of caste system but founded on a wider
basis,
The world has found itself
as one body, yet the fact of physical unity and economic interdependence,
though of very great value, is not by itself sufficient to create a united
family'; for this we require a human consciousness of community', a sense
of personal interrelationship among men, the spirit of fellowship. To have
this spirit of fellowship we must realize the oneness of all life, and
understand that we are one family'.
According to Buddhism life
is a mighty wheel of perpetual motion, and this wheel contains within it
numberless smaller wheels corresponding to the lives of individual men,
each of which has a pattern of its own. The great wheel and the smaller
wheels, the whole world and individual men, are intimately and
indissolubly linked; the whole human family is so closely knit together
that even unit is dependent on the others for its growth and development.
In all our thoughts, words and deeds we act and react upon each other, so
in a very real sense each one of us is responsible for the whole
community. Men, being in need of each other. should learn to love each
other and bear one another's burdens. This mutual dependence is a
perpetual call on humanity, for we are bound alike by the bonds of
humanity.
Science proves that the
fundamental structure of the human
mind is uniform in all
races; what differences there are, are due to historical circumstances and
stages of development. Without recognition of the oneness of the world in
all its aspects. spiritual as well as social, economic as well as
political, there will never be peace. A genuine spirit of world fellowship
is the only logical basis of all true and high civilization, and of world
peace.
14. WORLD FELLOWSHIP
THROUGH BUDDHISM
We are living today in a
world torn between despair and hope. Our despair is due to many causes,
the most serious of which is the constant fear of war; for although
humanity wills peace, and the desire for peace exists everywhere
throughout the world, instead of trying to give effect to that almost
universal desire for peace each country has been arming to the limits of
its capacity. Already more than half the national incomes of the world are
being used for the preparation of war, and the maximum of our energy.
ingenuity, finance and organization is being turned in the direction of
discovering how we can kill our fellow beings more ruthlessly. To
strengthen our military' power is not to guard the blessings of peace, but
to run in the armaments race which must inevitably end in war. Many of us
still remember the first great European war, and only recently country
after country has been the victim of cruel, barbarous and unjustifiable
tyranny. What will be the future of humanity if the present tendency of
each country is continued?
Nevertheless we are not
without hope, for there are at the same time idealistic writers, lecturers
and those who work for the general good of mankind and who dream and hope
for a better future, and many present day' publications bear the term
'inter national'. The World Congress of Faiths I regard as an important
movement, because it deals not just with mere external adjustments in
material needs, but with the fundamental spiritual realities of life. It
is the aim of this congress to promote world fellowship through religion,
and it is now my present task to show how Buddhism can help in achieving
this aim.
Sabbapapassa
akaranam,
Kusalassa upasampada.
Sacittapariyodapanam.
Etam buddhana sasanam.
To refrain from all
evil.
To do what is good,
To purify the mind.
This is the teaching of the Buddhas
(Verse No. 183 in Dhammapada)
In order to understand the above verse we
should first understand what is meant by evil, and evil, bad roots; also
what is meant by good and good roots.
What, now, is that which is bad?
Bodily action (kaya kamma)
1. Destruction of any living creatures
is bad.
2. Stealing is bad.
3. Sexual misconduct is bad.
Verbal action (vaci kamma)
4. Lying is bad.
5. Tale bearing is bad.
6. Harsh language is bad.
7. Frivolous talk is bad.
Mental action (mano kamma)
8. Covetousness is bad.
9. Ill will is bad.
10. False views are bad.
What are bad roots?
Greed (lobha) is a bad
root; hatred (dosa) is a bad root; ignorance (moha) is a bad root;
therefore the above ten kinds of bad actions are due to greed, hatred or
ignorance. These three roots are like three great currents of force, for
they' are sweeping each one of us down along the road to misery, just as
the swift current of a river will carry with it all the logs which have
fallen into it.
GREED
The first mentioned root,
that of greed. is desire; desire for sensual pleasures, wealth, rank. etc.
This greed is in all of us like a raging thirst. The greedy man always
says, 'I want', I must have', I cannot do without'. He may well be heard
to say that if he were as rich as some neighbour whom he envies, he would
be perfectly satisfied; but give him the particular amount of wealth he
has set his mind upon, and he will find some still richer man to envy',
and be as discontented as ever. A certain Persian poet has written, 'A
small coin of silver makes a beggar contented; Faridun, with his kingdom
of Persia. is only half satisfied'.
Our tendency to remain
discontented in spite of success and prosperity is due to the insatiable
nature of our desires; and we are depressed by the fear of losing our
possessions. at the same time being dissatisfied so long as there is
someone in the world richer than ourselves. What is beyond our reach seems
valuable until we obtain it, but when possessed it loses its value. This,
unfortunately, is the character of most men, greed making us selfish so
that we think only of our own need for gratification. The selfish man aims
at obtaining as much happiness as he can for himself, and does not care
whether other people are happy or miserable. In order to acquire his
object he tries to appropriate as large a share as possible of the good
things of the world, and whenever he has an opportunity of doing so he
enjoys himself. even when his enjoyment is obtained at the expense of his
fellow men. All over the world we find the selfish taking an unfair share
of everything and trying their best to use others as a means of attaining
their pleasure.
Greed is like a thick fog
such as there is in London sometimes, when we cannot see our way clearly
before us; or sometimes at sea on a foggy day when people cannot see what
lies ahead and two ships may collide, perhaps both sinking. Men, when
blinded by desire, are carried away by a powerful current, not realizing
whether they' are going, and where there are many who are blinded by
desire for the same things, there is jealousy and rivalry. As they act to
satisfy their desires, so they hurt and harm one another with resultant
suffering.
HATRED
The second current which
equally leads us to misery is hatred. ill will or anger. It is that
tendency within us which resents an action of another which challenges our
right to what we desire. Our general tendency' is to try' and dominate
others, and we want others to obey' our will while suppressing their own;
so when someone opposes his will against our's our action is like that of
a dog with a bone when another dog approaches. We are irritated in many
ways, and although our irritation may at first be slight, if it is allowed
to go on day by day it grows into a deep hatred. When a man is angry he is
beside himself, as the saying goes, being swept along by a torrent of
hatred, and it is due to this anger that disputes arise between one
individual and another, between one nation and another. Such people as are
blinded by anger cannot see that hatred ceaseth not by hatred, but by
love; they regard war as the only ultimate way of settling national
disputes, and the armies of great nations are larger than they were ever
before in the history of the world, yet there seems little prospect of the
establishment of the reign of universal peace. Although the principle that
might is right no longer prevails in the relations between individuals, it
is still considered natural to appeal to it when one nation quarrels with
another; and although war remains as the greatest relic of barbarism in
the midst of modern civilization, the 'progress' of science is every year
leading to the discovery of more and more powerful instruments for the
destruction of human life and property'
In many countries of the
present day conscription prevails, and the younger members of every family
are compelled by law to serve a term in the army. Under such circumstances
war spreads far wider desolation than when it is waged between a limited
number of men who have voluntarily adopted the profession of army life, as
a consequence of which a countless number of families in every war are
reduced to destitution by the destruction of their property', or by the
loss of those on whom they depended for support. All this is the result of
hatred.
IGNORANCE
The third current which
carries us to misery is ignorance, delusion. The state of greed as well as
that of hatred is always accompanied by ignorance. because ignorance is
the primary root of all evil. It is far more subtle than greed and hatred,
and when a man is hypnotized by it he cannot distinguish between right and
wrong. he can see no good in any noble action; nothing is safe from his
scoffing and sneers. neither a sense of duty'. nor filial love, nor
sacrifice in any' form can win a word of praise from his lips. On the
contrary, he wants to be praised. and he is hurt if he is not properly
appreciated. for he thinks much of himself and continually plans to feed
his ambitions for personal happiness. The spirit of loving-kindness and
charity is absent from him, he is deaf to all prayers and appeals for
mercy, he has no sense of duty towards his fellow men. If he helps others
he does so in order that he may get them into his power and thereby
increase his gains, for under the influence of delusion he is determined
to have what he wants, no matter who suffers, and he dislikes all those
who hinder him or get ahead of him. He may occasionally gain advantages
from those who cannot avoid coming into contact with him and who fear to
provoke his resentment, but such advantages are conferred without
goodwill, and those who can do so will be inclined to avoid his society.
When perhaps the majority' of men turn against him. and the world does not
want him any longer, he then blames them, saying. 'What I have done is
perfectly right, but people are too ignorant to realize it or too wicked
to agree to it'. he does not know that it is the poison in himself which
has upset the world.
An old story may serve as
an illustration in connection with ignorance which arouses hatred. Once a
big bear with her three little cubs was looking for something to eat in
the jungle when they saw a beehive in a trough under a tree, from one
branch of which a big log was hanging just over the trough. The bears
wanted to get at the honey, but as the log was in the way the mother bear
pushed it away so that they could all get at it, and they began to eat.
Suddenly the log swung out and came back, hitting the mother bear on the
head. Growing very angry' she knocked it away violently so that it went
out much further than before, and causing it to come back with such force
that it struck one of the little cubs, killing it. The mother, now
furious, struck at the log with all her might, and swinging out it came
back with a great rush striking her again on the head and killing her.
Who killed the bear?
Strictly speaking it was her ignorance. her delusion which made her think
that the log was her enemy. Through her ignorance hatred arose to make her
fight against the log which had hit her, although the log could not hurt
her unless she set it in motion, but the poor old bear did not know that.
When a man is carried away by the current of ignorance he becomes brutal
and barbarous, any sense of a common humanity fades from his mind.
It is due to these raging
torrents of greed, hatred and ignorance that nations fight with nations,
kings fight with kings. priests with priests; the mother quarrels with the
son, the son with the mother, the father with the son, the son with the
father; brother quarrels with brother, brother with sister, friend with
friends. We talk about peace, yet we create confusion; we long for
happiness, yet we obtain unhappiness, why? Because we are like logs
carried helplessly along by the currents of greed. hatred and ignorance.
If we are to revive the sense of a common humanity and find happiness, we
must step outside these torrents. How may this be achieved? The Buddhist
technique is to still the raging torrents of greed, hatred and ignorance
by a careful self-culture; 'Save thyself by thyself are the words of the
Buddha. and he laid down a specific course of practice in mental and
physical actions for the successful outcome of this self-culture.
To plan our good actions
we should first understand what is meant by good and good roots.
What, now, is that which
is good?
Bodily action (kaya kamma)
1. To abstain from killing is good.
2. To abstain from stealing is good.
3. To abstain from sexual misconduct
Verbal action (vaci kamma)
4. To abstain from lying is good.
5. To abstain from tale-bearing is good.
6. To abstain from harsh language is good.
7. To abstain from frivolous talk is good.
Mental action (mano kamma)
8. Absence of covetousness is good.
9. Absence of ill will is good.
10. Right understanding is good.
What are good roots?
Absence of greed,
unselfishness, is a good root; absence of hatred, love, is a good root
absence of ignorance, wisdom, is a good root. These three roots are also
called the seeds of nobility, seeds within each one of us that with
careful, determined cultivation will grow into sublime powers. These
powers lie latent in us, but they cannot grow until we discover them and
make our hearts soft and warm with love so that they may grow to
fulfillment.
ABSENCE OF GREED
(Unselfishness)
For this we must forget
ourselves and substitute the world for ourselves. There is no evil in
wanting universal happiness and peace, the evil arises when our desires
are only for ourselves and not for others, or not in the sacred interests
of truth. When we desire such things as we can share with others, our
desires become wiser and more unselfish. The cultivation of unselfishness
includes not only a feeling in the heart, although that internal feeling
is essential, but also the performance of those outward actions by which
that feeling is manifested: and it also includes the desire to put others
perfectly at their ease, to save them from every kind of discomfort and to
do all that we can to promote their happiness. The unselfish man puts
himself in the position of others and tries to identify himself with all,
regretting what he has done wrongly or has omitted to do, having an
earnest desire to do better in the future and make amends for the wrong
that has been done. He desires not to make himself a burden on his fellow
men, but to be a blessing to them by making them happy, so that his
unselfish disposition promotes social intercourse and adds to the pleasure
of others. He appreciates benefits conferred on him and feels joy at the
kindness of his benefactor to whom he has a great desire to return those
benefits, or to give something more when possible. By being unselfish we
develop in ourselves the sense of sympathy, and we cannot enjoy happiness
worthy of the name without being in sympathy with our fellow men. Our
happiness soon pails upon us if we have no congenial companions for whom
we can feel an affection, for in every case our happiness is rendered more
intense and more permanent by being shared with friends. The best way to
be happy, therefore, is to make others happy; every kind act is twice
blessed. blessing him who gives and him who takes. If we are to promote
the spirit of fellowship we should forget our '1' in the service of all,
we should do everything we can for the sake of others. In short, whatever
deed we do, whatever word we utter and whatever thought we think, should
be for the good, peace and happiness not only of ourselves, but others.
The result of this is peace, happiness and friendship.
ABSENCE OF HATRED (Love)
To promote the spirit of
world fellowship we must make the sublime seeds, the seeds of
loving-kindness, grow in our hearts and minds till we are all love. To
love one another we should realize that we are all brothers, and
brotherhood must be applied with justice, for justice is a natural law. No
judge has the right to use his power over a criminal to a greater extent
than that permitted by the law of the court, which should be the
representative of the natural law of justice.
If we do any harm to
someone we shall be paid back in the same coin; rather as when we throw a
stone into a pond, causing ripples to spread out over the surface until
coming up against the edge of the banks. The water then moves back again
until reaching the stone that has disturbed it. In just the same way the
effects of our actions come back to us, and if our actions are good we
shall have good effects, while bad actions will likewise produce bad
effects. To produce good actions love is essential, so we must love
everyone, no matter what may be the colour of his skin, whether he is rich
or poor, wise or foolish, good or bad; and we should love not only human
beings but all beings in the world.
In the Metta Sutta, the
discourse on loving-kindness, the Buddha says, 'As a mother, even at the
risk of her own life, protects her child, her only child, so let a man
cultivate goodwill without measure among all beings. Let him cultivate
goodwill without measure towards the whole world, above, below, all
around, unstinted, unmixed with any feeling of differing or opposing
interests. Let him remain steadfastly in this state of mind all the while
he is awake, whether he be standing. walking, sitting or lying down. This
state of heart is the best in the world.'
Most of us have not yet
learned this lesson, and therefore the sense of a common humanity is
absent from our minds, the world is full of pain and cruelty and all wild
animals flee from us. There are a few who have learned this lesson, they
love everybody and everything, no wild animal flees from them and even a
tiger will roll at their feet as a pet cat does at our's. Why do our pet
animals love us? Because we love them. If we learn this lesson our enemies
will become our friends and wild animals our pets.
WISDOM
Wisdom is the power of
seeing things as they truly are, and how to act rightly when the problems
of life come before us. The seeds of wisdom lie latent in us, and when our
hearts are soft and warm with love they grow into their powers.
When a man has stilled the
raging torrents of greed, hatred and ignorance, he becomes conscientious,
full of sympathy, and he is anxious for the welfare of all living beings.
Thus he abstains from stealing, and is upright and honest in all his
dealings; he abstains from sexual misconduct and is pure, chaste; he
abstains from tale- bearing. What he has heard in one place he does not
repeat in another so as to cause dissension; he unites those who are
divided and encourages those who are united. He abstains from harsh
language, speaking such words as are gentle, soothing to the ear and which
go to the heart. He abstains from vain talk, speaking what is useful at
the right time and according to the facts. It is when his mind is pure and
his heart is soft by being equipped with this morality and mental
development that the sublime seed, wisdom, grows. Knowledge of the
properties of the magnetic needle enable the mariner to see the right
direction in mid-ocean on the darkest night when no stars are visible. In
just the same way wisdom enables a man to see things as they truly are,
and to perceive the right way to real peace and happiness, Nibbana.
15. PARAMI: PERFECTIONS
A Bodhisatta is a Buddha
in the making, and is thus a being practising over an incalculable period
of world cycles to attain to the highest level in ethical, intellectual
and spiritual achievement. As a Bodhisatta, in each succeeding birth he
practises the ten perfections (ten parami), a prerequisite for
Buddhahood.
One need not think that
the Bodhisatta ideal is reserved only for supermen; what has been
accomplished by one could also be accomplished by another. given the
necessary effort and enthusiasm. We should endeavour to work
disinterestedly for the good of ourselves and others, having for our
object in life the noble ideal of service and perfection.
The ten perfections are:
1. Generosity, giving (dana)
2. Morality (sila)
3. Renunciation (nekkhamma)
4. Wisdom (panna)
5. Energy (viriya)
6. Patience (khanti)
7. Truthfulness (sacca)
8. Determination (adhitthana)
9. Loving-kindness (metta)
10. Equanimity (upekkha)
1. DANA
Generosity, giving, is the
first parami. It confers upon the giver the double blessing of inhibiting
the immoral thoughts of selfish ness on the one hand, and of developing
the pure thoughts of selflessness on the other hand.
The object in giving is to
eliminate the craving that lies dormant within oneself; apart from which
there are the attendant blessings of generosity such as the joy of
service, the ensuing happiness and consolation and the alleviation of
suffering.
He makes no distinction in
extending his love with supreme generosity, at the same time not
forgetting to use his judicious discrimination in doing so. If, for
instance, a drunkard were to seek his help, but he was convinced that the
drunkard would misuse his gift, the Bodhisatta would not hesitate to
refuse him, for such generosity would not constitute parami.
If, however, someone
should seek his help for a worthy purpose. he would express his deep
obligation for the opportunity offered, and willingly and humbly render
him every possible aid. free of the smallest trace of any forced air of
dignity or without making any false pretexts.
A Bodhisatta is always
ready to oblige others, but he will never stoop to beg a favour for
himself. in abundance he gives. irrespective of caste, creed or colour,
but selfishly he seeks nothing, for he is neither selfish nor
self-possessive. He exercises this virtue of dana to such an extent that
he is prepared to give away not only his wealth and other cherished
possessions, but also his kingdom, his wife and children, even his limbs.
He is ever ready to sacrifice his own life wherever such sacrifice will
benefit humanity.
2. SILA
The second parami is
morality, the purity of his conduct. If he be living the life of a
recluse, he would try his best to observe the sila that pertains thereto;
if, however, he leads the household life he would adhere to the five
elementary principles of regulated behaviour, even in spite of his
interests being at stake.
He would not kill, steal,
lie or slander, and he would avoid unchastity, harsh speech. frivolous
talk and intoxicants. He would endeavour to observe these elementary
principles as strictly as possible, for to transgress one of them means
creating fresh troubles and obstacles on the road to enlightenment.
However, it must not be understood that a Bodhisatta is wholly infallible
and totally free from evil. (see Jataka No. 318). for one who had already
attained complete perfection would have reached Buddha- hood.
3. NEKKHAMA
The third parami is
renunciation. It implies both renunciation of worldly life and pleasures
by adopting the ascetic life, and practising the cultivation of jhana
whereby the temporary inhibition of the hindrances towards progress. (wish
for sense pleasure, ill will, sloth/torpor, distraction/remorse, doubt) is
achieved. Though he may sit in the lap of luxury. immersed in worldly
pleasure, the idea comes to him that household life is like a den of
strife, but by comparison the homeless life is like the ever free and open
sky. Realizing thus the vanity of worldly life he voluntarily forsakes his
earthly possessions, and wearing the simple ascetic dress he tries to lead
the holy life in all its purity. Here he practises morality to such a high
degree that he becomes practically selfless in all his actions; neither
fame nor wealth, honour nor worldly gain being capable of inducing him to
do anything contrary to his lofty principles. Sometimes the mere
appearance of a grey hair (see Jataka No. 9) is sufficient to compel a
Bodhisatta to leave his uncongenial atmosphere in order to lead the
independent, solitary life of a hermit, but the practice of renunciation
is not as a rule observed by a Bodhisatta. In the Kusa Jataka (No.
531) for instance, the Bodhisatta was subject to much humiliation owing to
his unrestrained desire to win the love of the beautiful princess,
Pabhavati.
4. PANNA
The fourth parami is
wisdom. It means right understanding of the real nature of the world,
seeing things as they are in reality. The Bodhisatta strives to acquire
knowledge from every possible source, although never at any time does he
show any desire to display his knowledge, nor is he ever ashamed to plead
his ignorance. What he knows is always at the disposal of others, and that
he imparts to them unreservedly.
5. VIRIYA
The fifth parami is
energy. It does not mean only physical strength as is ordinarily
understood, but mental vigour or strength of character, which undoubtedly
is far superior to the former and is defined as the relentless effort to
work for others both in thought and deed. Firmly established in this
virtue he develops self-reliance and makes it one of his prominent
characteristics, viewing failures as steps to success; oppression merely'
doubling his exertion and danger increasing his courage.
6. KHANTI
The sixth parami is
patience. Patience here means endurance, the highest form of endurance in
the face of suffering which may be inflicted upon oneself by others; and
it means the forbearance of others' wrongs. A Bodhisatta practises
patience to the extent that not even when his hands or feet are cut off
will he become provoked.
7.
SACCA
The seventh parami is
truthfulness. By sacca is here meant the keeping of one's promises, and is
one of the salient characteristics of a Bodhisatta. According to the
Haritaca Jataka (No. 431), no Bodhisatta in the course of his life to life
wanderings ever spoke an untruth: although he may at times violate the
other precepts, he makes truth his guide and holds to it firmly. He
considers well before he makes a promise, but once a promise is made he
fulfills it at any cost. In the Mahasutasoma Jataka it is stated
that the Bodhisatta even went to the extent of sacrificing his life in
order to fulfil a promise.
He is trustworthy, sincere
and honest. He speaks as he acts, and as he acts so he speaks. There is
perfect harmony in his thoughts. words and deeds, and he never descends to
flattery to win the hearts of others; neither does he exalt himself to win
admiration.
8.
ADHITTHANA
The eighth parami is
determination. It may be interpreted as resolute determination, for this
will-power forces all obstructions out of his path, and no matter what may
come to him in the form of grief or disaster he never turns his eyes from
his goal. He could easily be persuaded to do good, but not so could he be
tempted to do anything contrary to his lofty principles. He will be as
soft as a flower or as firm as a rock, as occasion demands.
9.
METTA
The ninth parami is
loving-kindness, in this case loving-kindness is much deeper than
goodwill, friendliness or kindness, It is this metta that prompts a
Bodhisatta to renounce personal salvation for the sake of others, such is
the great regard in which he holds all his fellow beings, irrespective of
caste, creed or colour. And since he is the embodiment of universal love
he fears none, neither does he instill fear into any; even the wild beasts
in lonely jungles are his loving friends, for he ever cherishes in his
heart a boundless love for all that live.
10.
UPEKKHA
The tenth parami is
equanimity. This literally means discerning rightly, viewing justly, or
looking impartially, i.e.. without attachment or detachment, without
favour or disfavour; and here the term is not used in the sense of
indifference or neutral feeling. It is the most difficult and the most
essential of all the ten parami. especially for the layman who has to move
in an ill-balanced world with fluctuating fortunes, where slights and
insults are the common lot of humanity. Likewise are praise and blame,
loss and gain, but under all such vicissitudes of life a Bodhisatta tries
to stand unmoved, like a firm rock, exercising perfect equanimity. In
times of happiness and in times of adversity, amidst praise and amidst
blame, he is evenly balanced.
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Contents
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Source:
Nibbana.com,
http://www.nibbana.com
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Update : 01-02-2003
