The Life of the Buddha
Radhika Abeysekera
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Foreword
Preface
[01]. Invitation of the
Gods
[02]. Queen Mahaa Maayaa's dream
[03]. The birth of a Prince
[04]. Ploughing festival
[05]. The story of the swan
[06]. His marriage
[07]. The four signs
[08]. The Great Renunciation
[09]. The ascetic Gotama
[10]. Sujaataa's wish
[11]. Enlightenment
[12]. The seven weeks after enlightenment
[13]. His first sermon
[14]. The teachings of the Buddha
[15]. The Parinibbaana of the Lord Buddha
[16]. What they say about Him and Buddhism
Bibliography |
THE SMILE OF THE
BUDDHA
Why dost Thou smile sweet Master?
What hast Thou seen,
That brings Thee such a serene calm?
What is Thy secret unexplored,
That lights Thy countenance?
The world has known the Doctrine
Twice a thousand years - and five hundred more -
And yet the world knows not
The meaning of the cloudless smile.
The features, all unruffled and alight,
Must veil a mind of untold depths.
And yet, and yet, I wish
We understood the meaning of
The inscrutable smile!
The Buddha smiles, my son, because He
knows
The end of toilsome round, and all life's woes.
What's won is won not ever lost again;
Its fruit is sure - beyond this present pain.
The goal is sure for you, that's won by me;
'Tis this that lends to Buddha's serenity.
(Bhikkhu Kassapa, Sri Lanka)
"The gift of Truth excels all
other gifts"
I was the first reader of the Life of the
Buddha written by Mrs. Radhika Abeysekera. She presents the Dhamma to
children in a very attractive way. On the day I was in Winnipeg, I understood the value of
her voluntary gift of Dhamma (Dhammadana) to the children.
The results of her Dhammadana resolved my questions about
the Dhamma knowledge and disciplined behaviour of the children of the Winnipeg Buddhist
community.
To teach the life story of the Lord Buddha would not take
much time in modern times. Let the children study it in detail later, when they understand
the Dhamma better. Radhika presents in brief the points of the Dhamma that the beginner
needs to know in more detail later.
Her attempt to attract children by giving them an idea of
the correct path is more helpful than detailing the life story of the Lord Buddha. When
children understand the facts of the teaching, they will eventually be persuaded to read
for themselves the other necessary parts of the life story of the Lord Buddha.
The important points of the Dhamma which should be known
by children are well expressed using few words in this book. When children ask more about
the Lord Buddha, then their parents should draw them to know more. That is the easy way to
teach Dhamma to children.
This is the beginning of her writing career. Let us hope
she continues to write more books to reintroduce our children to Buddhism. We appreciate
her silent mission in the Dhammadana that excels all other gifts. May all beings be well
and happy!
Ven. Kurunegoda Piyatissa (Maha
Thero)
New York Buddhist Vihara
Kew Gardens. New York. U.S.A.
November 11, 1991
When we first came to Winnipeg, Manitoba, there was no
facility available to send our children to learn the teachings of the Buddha. In May of
1989, the Vietnamese community, which had just purchased a temple, very generously gave us
permission to use their new temple. Due to the Dharma Daana of the Vietnamese community,
for the first time in the history of Winnipeg, Manitoba, we were able to organise a Vesak
celebration with Attangasila (observing the 8 precepts) and Bhakthi Gita (devotional
songs) by the children. As part of the celebration I told the Sri Lankan children the
story of Angulimala.
Both our children (ages 6 & 3 ) were fascinated by the
story. Realising that they were ready for the teachings of the Buddha I started the Full
Moon (Poya) Day Program. The Poya Day Program consisted of a Gilanpassa puja followed by a
class for the children. As the other Sri Lankans in Winnipeg too could benefit by the
program, it was open to all interested persons.
This book is the result of my Poya day classes. Our
congregation grew from six children and a handful of adults to ten children and about
fifteen adults. Now the children had acquired a fair knowledge of the teachings of the
Buddha. However, they had no permanent record of what I taught them. I was afraid that as
quick as they were to absorb the teachings of the Buddha, they would forget. In addition,
our son, who is an avid reader, was asking me for more and more information about the
teachings of the Buddha. Though I had many excellent books in both Sinhala and English,
most of them were too advanced for him to read and understand on his own. This first book
summarizes some of what I have taught in class. I intend to document the rest of what I
have taught in subsequent books.
To benefit most from this book, a child should have some
formal teaching of Buddhism. However, to make the book interesting to first-time readers,
I have included all of the subjects that my class found most interesting. The brief
description of the heavens and the life span in them resulted in many questions from the
children, and led to the talk on the 31 planes of existence. It was also their questions
that led to the class on rebirth, kamma and the advent of the Maithreya Buddha. It is
hoped that the first-time readers too would be inspired to question, read and find out
more about the teachings of the Buddha after reading this book.
Many people helped directly and indirectly in the
production of this book. First, it is thanks to the Vietnamese community of the Chan Dao
Buddhist Association that we Sri Lankans have a place to worship. May they all partake in
the merits of this gift of Dhamma. I also would like to thank Venerable Piyatissa (Mahaa
Thero) of the New York Buddhist Vihara for checking the book for the accuracy of its
material and writing the foreword. The
Venerable Piyatissa has been a great help to us since we
came to North America, and helped us to celebrate Vesak in Winnipeg in 1990.
I also want to thank Sarath, my husband, who helped to
edit and publish this book, and our son, Chamal, who read the book many times to ensure
that it can be read and understood by a child of eight.
This is the second edition of The Life of the Buddha. My
good friend, Adrienne Bouchard Langlois, has offered her expertise in editing the contents
of this second edition. It was also her inspiration that led to the use of technology in
reproducing the pictures used in this book. Her encouragement and effort are a constant
source of inspiration in my work. Her valuable contribution to this second edition is
gratefully acknowledged.
May you all partake in the merit of this Dhamma Daana.
Radhika Abeysekera
Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canada
November 19, 1996
Second edition - November, 1996
First edition - November, 1991
[01]. Invitation of
the Gods
Our Bodhisatta (1) was born in Tusita Heaven
(2) as a Deva (3) by the name of Svetaketu. The Devas in Tusita Heaven were happy. The
time had come for the Bodhisatta to be born in the world for the last time. The Devas
invited the Bodhisatta to be born on earth.
The Bodhisatta looked down at the world to make sure that
the five requirements necessary for His final birth in the world were met. These five
requirements are as follows:
1. The right time - The life span of human beings at a
time a Buddha is born is between 100 and 100,000 years. If the life span is very short,
human beings want to enjoy their short life to the fullest and tend to be very fond of
material things. If the life span is very long, they tend to forget the impermanence of
life. At this time the Bodhisatta found that the life span was one hundred and twenty
years.
2. The right continent - All Buddhas are born in India
(known as Jumbudipa at the time of the Buddha). This is because the people of India are
spiritually more advanced than people in other countries, and so are more ready for a
Buddha.
3. The right area - The city of Kapilavatthu was chosen as
the city of the future Buddha, as there was a just and good king and many righteous people
living there.
4. The right caste - A Buddha is always born in a high
caste - Either a royal caste or a priestly caste. This is necessary, as often persons born
in a low caste are not accepted by society.
5. The right mother - The mother of a Buddha has to be
very pure. She is a person who has resolved to be a mother of a Buddha and observed the
five precepts for many countless past lives. The chosen mother was Queen Mahaa Maayaa,
wife of King Suddhodana of Kapilavatthu.
The Bodhisatta saw that the five requirements were met.
(1). Bodhisatta - One on his way to perfection. This
is the name given to a person who is trying to be a Buddha.
(2). Tusita Heaven - One of the seven happy planes of
life. The Devas in the Tusita Heaven have a life span of 576,000,000 human years. All
Bodhisattas who have completed the ten perfections await the right time for their last
birth in Tusita Heaven. The next Buddha, the Maithreya Buddha, is at present a Deva by the
name of Natha in the Tusita Heaven.
(3). Devas - Heavenly beings known in English as gods
or divine beings.
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[02]. Queen Mahaa
Maayaa's dream
One night Queen Mahaa Maayaa had a dream. She dreamt that
the Devas from the four directions of the earth took her to Lake Anotatta on top of the
Himalayan mountain. She was bathed in the lake and dressed in heavenly clothes and
ornaments. A white baby elephant carrying a white lotus flower in its trunk trumpeted, and
after circling around her three times, entered her body.
The next morning she told King Suddhodana of her dream. He
consulted some wise men who, on hearing the dream said, "The Queen will have a wise
and noble baby boy." The king and queen were very happy for they had no children and
were longing for a child.
[03]. The birth of a
Prince
According to the custom of that time, Queen Mahaa Maayaa
decided to visit her mother so that she could be with her at the time of the birth of her
baby.
On the way she stopped at the Lumbini Pleasure Garden to
rest. Under a sweet-scented Sal tree, on a full moon day in the month of May, in the year
623 B.C., the Prince was born.
The baby Prince took seven steps, and a lotus flower burst
through the ground to receive His feet. He made the following announcement:
"Aggo hamasmi lokassa -
"I am the Chief in the world
Jettho hamasmi lokassa - There is no equal to me
Settho hamasmi lokassa - I am Supreme
Ayamanthima jathi - This is my last birth
Natthi dani punabbhavo. - " No rebirth for me."
It is said in the Anagata Vamsa that the next Buddha,
Maithreya, will make a similar announcement at His birth.
The ministers took the Queen and the baby back to
Kapilavatthu and King Suddhodana. Many wise men came to see the baby. They said that one
day the Prince would either be a King of the world or a Supreme Buddha. The baby Prince
was named Siddhaartha Gotama. Siddhaartha means "wish fulfilled" and Gotama was
His family name.
Seven days after the birth of the Prince, Queen Mahaa
Maayaa died. She was born as a Deva by the name of Matu-deva putta in the Tusita Heaven.
Her sister, Mahaa Prajaapathi Gotami, took care of the Prince.
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[04]. Ploughing
festival
Every year there was a big festival at the time the rice
fields were ploughed. One day King Suddhodana took the little Prince to the ploughing
festival. The Prince fell asleep. Seeing that the Prince was sleeping, His maids joined in
the festivities of the day.
When they came back they found the Prince deep in
meditation. He was meditating on His breathing in and breathing out. This meditation is
known as breathing meditation (Aanaapaana Sati Meditation). This form of meditation is
very important, as it was this meditation that was later used by the Buddha to attain
enlightenment (*).
(*) enlightenment - the supreme
knowledge that leads to the end of rebirth.
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[05]. The story of the
swan
The Prince grew up to be a kind and gentle boy. One day He
was walking in a grove when a swan that had been shot down fell near Him. The Prince
picked up the swan, pulled out the arrow, and placed some soothing herbs on its wound. He
then carried it back to the palace. His cousin, Devadatta, ran after Him to claim the
bird, as it was he who had shot it down. Prince Siddhaartha refused to give Devadatta the
bird.
Devadatta, angry at not getting the bird he had shot,
complained to King Suddhodana. After listening to the young Princes, the King decided to
have their dispute settled in court. At first the jury were angry that a children's petty
dispute should be brought to court. However, King Suddhodana insisted on their settling
the dispute saying, "These are our future rulers. It is best that this should be
settled in court."
Devadatta gave his side of the story first, saying that he
had shot down the bird, and that as such, the bird belonged to him. Prince Siddhaartha
agreed that it was Devadatta who had shot down the bird, but said that it was He who had
saved its life by applying soothing herbs. Prince Siddhaartha said, "If the bird had
died, then it would have belonged to you. I saved its life by attending to it. Life
belongs to the saviour of life, not to the destroyer."
After listening to Prince Siddhaartha's defence, the jury
agreed with him that life belongs to its saviour, not to its destroyer. The bird was given
to Prince Siddhaartha.
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[06]. His marriage
The Prince grew up in luxury. He was a good student,
obedient, kind and generous. The gentle Prince was liked by all.
It was time for the Prince to be married. Prince
Siddhaartha chose His own cousin, Princess Yasodharaa, as His bride. She too, wanted to
marry Him.
At first Princess Yasodharaa's father, King Suprabuddha,
did not want his daughter to marry Prince Siddhaartha. He knew that some wise men had said
that one day the Prince would give up His wealth and royal position and become a Buddha.
He did not want Prince Siddhaartha to give up his daughter and kingdom. However, Princess
Yasodharaa wanted to marry Him and no other. The Prince and Princess were married with
great ceremony. Both Prince Siddhaartha and Princess Yasodharaa were sixteen years old at
the time of their marriage. They were very happy together.
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[07]. The four signs
The Prince and Princess led an idyllic life together. King
Suddhodana made sure that they had every luxury. He did not want the Prince to see or feel
any sorrow, for he did not want Prince Siddhaartha to give up His kingdom and become a
Buddha. King Suddhodana wanted his son to be the next king.
One day when the Prince was out riding with Channa, His
charioteer, He saw a very old man. The man was very feeble, hunched over, and could hardly
walk. Having never seen old age before, the Prince inquired from Channa as to what had
happened to the man. He then found out from Channa about old age and that it would someday
happen to all of us. The kind-hearted Prince was very sad and thoughtful about this
new-found information.
On another day when He was out with Channa He saw a very
sick man in great pain. The Prince, who had never seen such grave sickness, inquired from
Channa as to what was wrong with the man. He was even sadder when He heard about sickness
and pain and that it could happen to anyone.
The Prince was again out with Channa when He saw the
funeral of a man. The dead man's friends and relatives were crying and carrying him for
his burial. Having never faced death before, the young Prince was horrified to find that
death was something we all had to face.
For many days the young Prince was disturbed by these
sights: Old age, Sickness, and Death, common to all living beings. "Was there any way
he could stop this life of old age, sickness and death that all mankind had to face? Was
there any way that he could deliver mankind from pain and sorrow?" The young Prince
pondered these questions.
The sad and thoughtful Prince was again out with Channa
when He saw an ascetic, a person who had renounced the world and all his belongings and
taken the life of a monk. What serenity, what peace of mind! The ascetic's face looked
calm, free from worries. This, then, must be the answer, thought Prince Siddhaartha. He
made up His mind to give up all of His wealth and kingdom to become an ascetic. He decided
that He wanted to find a way to end this sorrow of old age, sickness and death, so that He
could help mankind.
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[08]. The
Great Renunciation
Prince Siddhaartha was twenty-nine years old. It was a
full moon day in the month of July. The Prince had decided that this was the day when He
would leave the palace and become an ascetic, when the news came that Princess Yasodharaa
had given birth to a baby boy. The first word that the Prince said when he heard of the
birth of His son was "Raahu". Raahu means an obstacle. The baby prince would
make Prince Siddhaartha's decision to leave the palace and His loved ones even more
difficult. An obstacle to His leaving had arisen. The baby was named Raahula, by his
grandfather.
Prince Siddhaartha went to His wife's sleeping chamber to
look at her and His new-born son. Both were asleep. The princess's hand was covering the
baby's face. The Prince knew that His wife would wake up if He tried to move her hand to
see the baby's face. It would then be very difficult for Him to leave. "I must leave
quietly and find a way to end this recurring life of old age, sickness, and death,"
thought the Prince. "I must find this happiness for mankind, my wife, and son. Then I
will come back to see my son."
The Prince took one last look at His beloved wife and son.
He then called Channa, His charioteer, and left the palace on His horse Kanthaka. He
crossed the river Anomaa and handed all His jewellery and rich clothes to Channa. He asked
Channa to take them back to His family and tell them that He had gone to find a way to end
death.
The Deva king Sakka handed Him the robes and bowl of an
ascetic. His faithful horse Kanthaka did not want to leave Him. The sorrow of parting was
too great for it. Kanthaka died of a broken heart and was born as a Deva in the Taavatimsa
Heaven (1). Channa went back to break the news of the Great Renunciation to the king.
After the renunciation Prince Siddhaartha was known as the ascetic Gotama.
All Bodhisattas must be married and have a child in their
last birth before enlightenment. It has been so with all the Buddhas of the past and will
be so with all the Buddhas of the future. Otherwise, because a supreme Buddha is such a
perfect being, so God-like, He would be mistaken for a God (Brahma). They in the Brahma
world (2) do not marry. The Buddha, however, is above all Gods. He is the perfect being,
teacher of Gods and humans, and incomparable.
(1). Taavatimsa Heaven - One of the seven happy planes
of life also known as the Heaven of the thirty-three Devas. It was in this Heaven that the
Buddha taught the Higher Teachings (Abhidhamma) for three months.
(2). Brahma world - There are sixteen happy planes of
life where the beings have pleasures, but not the pleasures of the senses. Usually, those
who have achieved the spiritual levels of the mental absorptions (Jhaanas) are born in
these planes of life.
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[09]. The
ascetic Gotama
The ascetic Gotama went to two well-known teachers to seek
a way to defeat death. They were Alaara Kalaama and Uddaka Raamaputta. Very soon the
ascetic Gotama had mastered all the knowledge of His teachers. However, neither of them
could teach Him the way to end the cycle of birth and death.
The ascetic Gotama left the two teachers and was joined by
five of His friends who were also searching for the truth. They were Kondanna, Bhaddiya,
Vappa, Mahaanaama and Assaji. Together the friends gave up sensual gratification and tried
to find the truth through self- mortification. At this time in India it was thought that
the way to purify one's mind was through self-mortification. That is, by giving up eating,
drinking and even breathing.
The ascetic Gotama tried all of this. His body wasted away
due to lack of food. His beautiful golden skin became darkened and withered. His hair fell
out for lack of nourishment. He had by now reduced the amount of food He ate to one
mustard seed per day. He was so weak He could hardly move. The Devas said, "Surely
the ascetic Gotama has passed away."
The ascetic Gotama realised that He would not reach His
goal through self-mortification. Slowly, He started to take nourishment again. He decided
to follow the middle path: to avoid the luxuries He had as a prince and also to avoid the
extreme sacrifice of His body. His five friends left Him, thinking that the ascetic Gotama
had given up His holy life and search for the Truth.
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[10].
Sujaataa's wish
The ascetic Gotama set off on His own and reached the
river Neranjara. He started to meditate under a tree.
In this area there lived a noble lady by the name of
Sujaataa. She had taken a vow to the Deva whom she believed lived in this tree, and had
prayed for a good son. On having her prayer answered, she prepared a dish of milk rice and
went to the tree to offer it to the Deva. On seeing the ascetic so calm and beautiful she
offered it to Him, thinking that He was the Deva. She said, "May your wishes be
fulfilled just as mine have been."
The ascetic Gotama ate the food, put the bowl into the
river, and tested His mind-power by saying, "If I attain the supreme knowledge of
enlightenment today, may this bowl float upstream." The bowl floated upstream. This
encouraged Him further.
Thereafter He went to Gaya and sat under a tree to
meditate, determined to achieve the supreme knowledge on that day
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[11].
Enlightenment
It was a full moon day in the month of May. Remembering
how, as a small boy, He had meditated on breathing in and breathing out at the ploughing
festival and reached the first mental absorption (Jhaana), the ascetic Gotama decided to
use this form of meditation.
Maara, the feeling of desire and attachment, seeing that
the ascetic Gotama was about to achieve the supreme knowledge, tried to tempt Him with
images of His wife and other pleasures. However, the ascetic Gotama was determined and
continued His meditation. Finally, He attained the Supreme knowledge known as
enlightenment. He attained it in three stages by realising the Four Noble Truths.
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[12]. The
seven weeks after enlightenment
In the first week after enlightenment the Gotama Buddha
meditated on His new-found knowledge and enjoyed His new-found happiness.
In the second week He paid respect to the Tree that had
given Him shade during His long struggle for enlightenment, by standing at attention and
gazing motionless at it. The Tree is now known as the Bodhi Tree: The Tree of Knowledge. A
sapling from this original tree is now in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is the oldest
documented tree in the world.
In the third week, seeing that the Devas were still in
doubt as to whether He had attained enlightenment, He created a golden bridge with His
powers and meditated while walking up and down on it.
In the fourth week he created a jewelled chamber and
meditated on the higher teachings (Abhidhamma). At this time His mind and body were so
pure and perfect that an aura of six colours emanated from His person. They were blue,
yellow, red, white, orange and a mixture of the five. Today the Buddhist flag is made up
of these colours.
Each colour represents one noble quality of the Buddha as
follows:
Blue - confidence
Yellow - holiness
Red - wisdom
White - purity
Orange - absence of desire
Mixed - all of these qualities
In the fifth week the beautiful daughters of Maara -
Tanhaa, Rathi and Ragaa - tried to disturb His concentration by dancing.
In the sixth week He was meditating under the Mucalinda
tree when there was a heavy rain. Mucalinda, the king of serpents, coiled round the body
of the Buddha seven times and held his large hood over the Buddha's head so that He would
not get wet.
In the seventh week the Buddha was meditating under the
Raajaayatana tree when two merchants by the name of Tapassu and Bhallika offered him rice
cake. This was the Lord Buddha's first meal after enlightenment. The two merchants took
refuge in the Buddha and the Dhamma, and became the first lay disciples of the Gotama
Buddha.
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[13]. His
first sermon
The compassionate Gotama Buddha decided that He should
teach His new-found knowledge to mankind so that they too could defeat the cycle of birth
and death.
He saw that His first two teachers, Alaara Kalaama and
Uddaka Raamaputta, had passed away. He chose His five friends next, and went to Isipatana
where they were residing.
When the five friends saw the Buddha they decided to
ignore him. They thought that the ascetic Gotama had given up the holy life, as He had
moved away from extreme self-mortification. However, they could not ignore the radiance of
His presence.
It was the full moon day in the month of July. At the deer
park in Isipatana, the Buddha delivered His first sermon after enlightenment. Dhammachakka
is the name given to His first sermon. The meaning of Dhammachakka is "The
establishment of wisdom". However, it is often referred to as the "Wheel of
truth". After hearing it His friend Kondanna reached the first stage of spiritual
development known as Sotaapatti (1).
The Dhammachakka sutta is very important, as in this first
sermon the Buddha taught us about the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Path.
The Middle Path is what the Buddha followed to attain
enlightenment. He gave up the extreme of wealth and luxuries He had had as a Prince and
the extreme self-mortification of torturing His body by withholding the necessities for
life. Instead, He used the Middle Path. He catered to the needs of His body rather than to
the wants of His mind. This Middle Path that leads to the end of suffering is comprised of
the Noble Eightfold Path - namely:
1. Right Understanding
2. Right Thinking
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration
Following The Eightfold Noble Path leads to the
understanding of the Four Noble Truths which results in Nibbaana. The Four Noble Truths
are:
1. Dukkha - That which is difficult to endure - suffering
or dissatisfaction
2. Cause of Dukkha - craving and attachment
3. End to Dukkha - Nibbaana (no more rebirth)
4. The way to end Dukkha - following the Eightfold Noble Path.
(1). Sotaapatti - The first stage of saintliness, also
known as "stream enterer". Those who have attained Sotaapatti will attain
Nibbaana within seven more births.
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[14]. The
teachings of the Buddha
During the next forty-five years the Buddha preached His
new-found knowledge to help mankind and the Devas. He was known as Satthaa Devamanussaanam
- teacher of Devas and humans. Some special features of the teachings of the Buddha are as
follows:
1. The Buddha wanted us to study, investigate and
understand His teachings, only accepting them when we found them to be moral and conducive
to the well-being and happiness of mankind. The Buddha said, "Do not accept anything
on mere hearsay, tradition, rumours, inference, preconceived notions, supposition, or
because it seems acceptable. Do not accept anything because the ascetic who taught it is
respected by all ...".
Buddhism appeals more to the intellect than the emotion.
It is concerned more with the character of the devotees than with their numerical
strength. When the millionaire Upaali visited the Buddha with the idea of condemning His
teachings, the Buddha patiently taught him the Dhamma. Impressed with His teachings,
Upaali wished to join His followers. However, the Lord Buddha advised him saying, "It
is well for a distinguished man like you to make a thorough investigation." Upaali,
overwhelmed with joy at this unexpected statement said, "If I had become a follower
of any other teacher they would have proclaimed the fact that I, Upaali the millionaire,
had changed teachers. The more pleased am I." Upaali became a Buddhist by conviction
but the Buddha with His boundless compassion advised him to support his former religious
teacher as before.
2. The Buddha advised us that at no time should we ever
insult or condemn the religion of another. Intolerance is the greatest enemy of religion.
Denouncing unfair criticism of other faiths the Buddha states, "It is as a man who
looks up and spits at heaven. The spittle does not soil the heaven, but comes back and
soils his own person." On another occasion the Buddha said, "If you find truth
in any religion, accept that truth."
3. The ordinary precepts that Buddhists follow are not
commandments but modes of discipline (sikkhaapada) that they take of their own accord. In
Buddhism we are not forced or commanded to do anything. We follow the teachings of the
Buddha of our own free will because we understand and believe in them.
4. Buddhism teaches non-violence. In the Dhammapada (Law
Verses) the Buddha said:
"All fear the rod,
Life is dear to all.
Feeling for others as for yourself
You should neither slay,
Nor cause others to slay."
Following, understanding and accepting the teachings of
the Buddha, Buddhists take the first precept 'paanaatipaataa veramani sikkhaapadam
samaadiyaami' which means 'I undertake to observe the precept of abstaining from
destroying living beings'.
To the unique credit of Buddhism, it must be said that
throughout the peaceful march of 2600 years, no drop of blood has been shed in the name of
the Buddha, and no mighty monarch has wielded his powerful sword to spread the Dhamma.
5. The Buddha taught us to be compassionate to all living
beings. In the Karaniya Metta Sutta the Buddha said:
"As a mother protects her only
child,
Even at the risk of her own life,
Let one cultivate boundless thoughts of loving kindness.
Towards all living beings."
6. The Buddha taught us that we must show love and
kindness to our enemies and those we do not like. He did not believe in revenge and an eye
for an eye. In the Dhammapada the Buddha said:
"Conquer anger by loving kindness.
Conquer evil by good.
Conquer the stingy by liberality.
Conquer the liar by truthfulness."
7. The Buddha advocated equality for all mankind. He
attempted to abolish slavery and the degrading caste system in Indian society. He
declared:
"By birth is not one an outcaste,
By birth is not one a brahmin.
By deeds is one an outcaste,
By deeds is one a brahmin (1)."
According to the Buddha's teaching, caste or colour do not
prevent one from becoming a Buddhist or joining the order of the Sangha (Buddhist monks).
Fishermen and scavengers, together with warriors and brahmins were freely admitted to the
order of the Sangha and given positions of high rank.
Upaali the barber was chief disciple in matters pertaining
to the discipline of the Sangha (Vinaya). Sunita, who was honoured by kings as an Arahanth
(2), was a scavenger. Rajjumala and Punnaa were slave girls.
8. The Buddha also raised the status of women
by starting the order of the Nuns. He saw the good in both men and women. Gender is no
barrier to spiritual development and religious service. At that time in Indian society
women were often treated as inferior to men. When Queen Mallikaa gave birth to a baby
girl, the Buddha comforted the distraught King Pasenadi by saying,
"A female child may prove even
better than a male offspring."
9. Rebirth and kamma are also integral parts of Buddhism.
According to the teachings of the Buddha, life does not end at death. One is reborn
instantaneously. Though many great teachers of the East advocate rebirth, it is not a
belief exclusively for the East. Many great men in the West believe in rebirth. Among its
advocates we have scientists like Thomas Huxley, who was responsible for introducing
science to the 19th century British school system, Professor Gustaf Stromberg, the famous
Swedish astronomer, Professor Julian Huxley, the distinguished British scientist,
philosophers like Pythagoras and Plato, poets like Shelley, Tennyson and Wordsworth, and
American industrialist Henry Ford.
Our life is a result of our kamma. We are not brought to
this world by anyone but ourselves. It is the result of a cause. The cause is delusion
(avijja). To understand this theory, we need to develop our minds through meditation.
Kamma means action. Vipaka means results. Good actions
cause good results. Bad actions cause bad results. The Buddha said, "Whether you are
in the sea, the air, or in a cave, you cannot hide from the effects of your bad
kamma." That is the Law of Kamma. It must be stressed, however, that it is the
intention behind the action and not just the action alone that sets off the reaction
(vipaka). As Buddhists we refrain from bad actions and perform good actions because we
know that one day, either in this birth or in a future birth, the effects of our actions
will come back to us. We know that not even the Buddha can save us from the effects of our
bad actions.
As Buddhists, we understand that due to the Law of Kamma,
bad things can happen to a good person just as good things can happen to a bad person. We
see the bigger picture. We go back into our past lives and understand that these are the
results of our past bad actions. As such, we do not blame any divine powers for our
misfortunes. Knowing that we are now paying for the results of our past bad actions, we
take heed and ensure that we improve and not make the same mistake again. We learn from
our misfortunes by doing good and avoiding bad actions.
10. The Buddha taught us that you are your own saviour. No
all-powerful God can help us to attain Nibbaana. No God can help us to escape from the
effects of our own actions. As such, you make your own destiny. Mind is supreme. In
Buddhism we learn to control our minds and our destiny. We rely on no one but ourselves.
The Buddhas show us how. They are our teachers. It is up to us to follow Their teachings
of the Noble Eightfold Path, to control and purify our minds through meditation and attain
our own salvation. The teachings of all Buddhas can be summed up in three lines:
"Do no evil, Do good,
Purify the mind."
(1). Vasala sutta
(2). Arahanth - One who has attained Nibbaana
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[15]. The
Parinibbaana of the Lord Buddha
The Buddha was eighty years old. The time was near for the
passing away (parinibbaana) of the Lord Buddha. The Buddha had advised Venerable Aananda,
His attending monk, that He would be passing away in three months.
The Buddha proceeded to walk to the city of Kusinaaraa. On
the way a man by the name of Pukkusa heard His Dhamma (1) and offered Him two golden
robes. As directed by the Buddha he robed the Buddha with one and Venerable Aananda with
the other. When the Buddha was robed Venerable Aananda was surprised to see that the skin
of the Holy One was exceedingly bright, so that the golden robe appeared dull in
comparison. The Buddha informed Aananda that the Tathaagata's (2) skin becomes clear and
exceedingly bright on two occasions: the night on which He attains Buddhahood and the
night on which He passes away. He then announced that on the third watch of the night He
would pass away in the Sala grove of the Mallas.
It was a full moon day in the month of May. The Lord
Buddha reached the Sal garden of the Mallas and saw that the twin Sal trees were in full
bloom even though it was out of season. He then said, "It is not thus that the
Tathagata is respected, venerated, honoured and revered. Whenever a Bhikku or Bhikkuni,
Upaasaka or Upaasikaa lives in accordance with the Teachings, conducts himself dutifully
and acts righteously, it is he who respects, reverences, venerates, honours and reveres
the Tathaagata with the highest homage."
The Buddha then lay down on a couch prepared by Aananda,
on His right side with His head facing north. At this time, Subhadda, a wandering ascetic,
came to Him to clear up a doubt. Happy with the Buddha's teachings, he took refuge in the
Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, and requested permission to be a monk. He was the last
personal disciple of the Buddha.
Just before the Buddha passed away many disciples came to
pay their respects to Him. One monk, however, did not come. Instead, he remained in his
abode, deep in meditation. On being asked the reason for his absence the monk said,
"Lord, I knew that Your Reverence would pass away shortly and I thought that the best
way to honour the Teacher was by attaining Arahantship before the passing away of Your
Reverence." The Buddha, pleased with his reply, said: "Excellent, excellent! He
who loves me should act as this monk. He honours me best who practises my teaching
best."
Finally, the Buddha addressed His disciples and said these
words: "Subject to change are all component things. Strive on with diligence."
These were His last words. It was the full moon day in the month of May in the year 543
B.C. In the third watch of the night the Blessed One passed away.
(1). Dhamma - His teachings
(2). Tathaagata - Another word for Buddha
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[16].
What they say about Him and Buddhism
It is now over two thousand five hundred years since the
passing away of the Lord Buddha. The teachings of the Buddha remain true, a monument to
His greatness. This is what some well- known persons, who have studied His teachings, say
about Him and His teachings.
"The religion of the future will be a cosmic
religion. It should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both
the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the
experience of all things, natural and spiritual, and a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers
this description. If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs,
it would be Buddhism." -- Prof. Albert Einstein
"Buddhist or no Buddhist, I have examined every one
of the great religious systems of the world; and in none of those have I found anything to
surpass in beauty and comprehensiveness the Noble Eightfold Path of the Buddha. I am
content to shape my life according to that path." -- Prof. Rhys Davids
"Alone of all the great world religions, Buddhism
made its way without persecution, censorship or inquisition. In all these respects its
record is enormously superior to that of Christianity, which made its way among people
wedded to materialism and which was able to justify the bloodthirsty tendencies of its
adherents by an appeal to the savage bronze-age literature of the Old Testament." --
Aldous Huxley
"Of the great religions of history, I prefer
Buddhism, especially in its earliest forms, because it has had the smallest element of
persecution." -- Lord Bertrand Russell
"To go to Him for refuge, to sing His praise, to do
Him honour and to abide in His Dhamma is to act with understanding." -- Poet of
ancient India
"Indian pacifism finds its complete expression in the
teaching of the Buddha. Buddhism teaches ahimsa or harmlessness towards all beings. It
forbids even laymen to have anything to do with the manufacture and sale of arms, with the
making of poisons and intoxicants, with soldiering or the slaughtering of animals."
-- Aldous Huxley
"In Gotama the Buddha we have a mastermind from the
East second to none so far as the influence on the thought and life of the human race is
concerned, and sacred to all as the founder of a religious tradition whose hold is hardly
less wide and deep than any other. He belongs to the history of the world's thought, to
the general inheritance of all cultivated men, for, judged by intellectual integrity,
moral earnestness and spiritual insight, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest figures of
history." -- Sri Radhakrishnan (Gotama The Buddha)
"The Greatest Man ever born." -- Great Poet
Tagore
"In the Buddha you see clearly a man, simple, devout,
lonely, battling for light, a vivid human personality, not a myth. He too gave a message
to mankind universal in character. Many of our best modern ideas are in closest harmony
with it. All the miseries and discontents of life are due, He taught, to selfishness.
Before a man can become serene he must cease to live for his senses or himself. Then he
merges into a greater being. Buddhism in different language called men to
self-forgetfulness 500 years before Christ. In some ways He was nearer to us and our
needs. He was more lucid upon our individual importance in service than Christ and less
ambiguous upon the question of personal immortality." -- H. G. Wells (Three Greatest
Men in History)
"The more I know Him the more I love Him." -- Fausboll (Danish scholar)
"I know nothing more grand in this world than the
figure of the Buddha. It is the perfect embodiment of spirituality in the visible
domain." -- Count Kaiserling (Travel Diary of a Philosopher)
"The Buddhist moral code is one of the most perfect
which the world has ever known." -- Prof. Max Muller
"The scriptures of the Saviour of the World,
Lord Buddha - Prince Siddaartha styled on earth -
In Earth and Heavens and Hells Incomparable,
All-honoured, Wisest, Best, most Pitiful (Compassionate);
The Teacher of Nirvaana and the Law." -- Sir Edwin Arnold (The Light of Asia)
"May the Dhamma last as long as my sons and grandsons
and the sun and the moon will be, and may the people follow the Path of the Dhamma, for if
one follows the path, happiness in this and in the other world will be attained." --
Emperor Asoka of India
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Bibliography
Baptist Egerten, The Advent of a Supreme Buddha, Colombo,
Sri Lanka: Tusitha Printing, 1974.
Naarada Mahaa Thera, The Buddha and His Teachings,
Colombo, Sri Lanka: Messrs Apothecaries' Co., 1973.
Maithreya Ananda Balangoda Mahaa Naayaka Thera, The Life
of the Buddha for Young people, Singapore: Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, 1985.
Siridhamma Venerable, The Life of the Buddha, Kuala
Lumpur: Buddhist Missionary Society, 1983.
Upali Group, Budu Maga, Sri Lanka: Lakmini R. Wijewardene,
Upali Group of Companies, 1990.
Yogavacara Rahula Bhikkhu, The Way to Peace and Happiness,
Colombo, Sri Lanka: Mrs. H. M. Gunasekera Trust.
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Update : 01-05-2002
