The
Concept of Personality Revealed
Through The Pancanikaya
Ven.
Thich Chon-Thien
Institute of Buddhist Studies
Saigon, Vietnam, 1995
---o0o---
Part One:
General Introduction
I.1
Chapter 1
Introduction
-ooOoo-
I.1.1: TITLE AND CLARIFICATION OF THE TOPIC
Education is often
understood as what has made up culture and civilization of a country. It
includes creative works as the source of civilization, and its various
roles of building and developing society as the source of the culture of a
people. Education, culture and civilization all are products of man’s way
of thinking. People of all times always wish safety, peace and happiness
to themselves. A system of human education or culture must therefore bring
safety, peace and happiness to human beings. Such a system of education,
or such a course of culture, must be based on an ideal system of
educational philosophy, psychology, and an ideal pattern of education.
These important educational problems, in the author’s opinion, must come
from an ideal theory of personality which can tell the truth of man, life
and the unseparable relationship between them.
As people could know, the
civilization of human beings of nowadays is in crises. The developed
countries have centered on developing light and heavy industries,
especially the heavy ones. The developing countries are on their ways to
industrialization. They are all concerned much about the development of
economy -ie. concerned much about production and advantages - and in the
process almost ignoring the development of a moral and spiritual way of
life. This course of development relating to the craving (tanhà) and
grasping (upàdàna) of human beings has brought to this world cold and hot
wars, the serious pollution of the environment and ethical, social crises.
The contemporary educators, religious leaders, ecologists etc., all over
the world have warned us of the danger of mass-destruction through atomic
and chemical wars, and air, land and water pollution.
There are also other
values of the current education that need to be re-evaluated and clarified
through the Lord Buddha’s teachings, such as:
1.The problem of
competition:
The civilization of the
twentieth century is based on the spirit of competition. For Westerners,
this spirit can help them have a fast development of economy and culture.
But, in reality, it has caused the crises as mentioned above. So it must
be reviewed.
Competition itself is an
effort of a man who wants to be stronger or better than others, while his
main problem is as to how to be better than what he is now, as Lord Buddha
taught:
-." If one man conquer
in battle a thousand times thousand men, and if another conquer himself,
the latter is the greatest of conquerors". (1) (Dhp. 103)
-(" Yo sahassam
sahassena sangàme manusse jine Ekanca jeyyamattànam sa ve
sangàmajuttamo").(2) (Dhp. 103 )
-" One’s own self -
conquered is better than all other people; not even a god, a gandharva,
not Màra with Bràhman could change into defeat the victory of a man who
has vanquished himself, and always lives under restraint" (3) + (4).
(Dhp. 104 - 105)
( "Attà have jitam seyyo
yà cà’yam itarà pajà Attadantassa posassa niccam sanatacàrino" (5)
" Neva devo, na
gandhabbo, na màro sahabrahmmunà Jitam apajitam kayirà tathàruùpassa
jantuno".) (6)
2. The problem of training
only a social man:
The economic and
industrial development requires a system of education emphasizing the
training of a social man, or a man of power, while an education of
humanness requires a man himself.
For a man himself, he
should know who he really is, and how to attain happiness in the
here-and-now. With regard to this, Lord Buddha said:
-" Self is the lord of
self, who else could be the lord ? With the self well subdued, a man
finds a lord such as few can find". (7) (Dhp. 160)
(" Attà hi attano nàtho
ko hi nàtho paro siyà Attanà’va sudantena nàtham labhati dullabham") (8)
- " Let the wise man
guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very artful, and
they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guarded bring happiness".
(9) (Dhp.36)
-(" Sududdasam sunipunam
yatthakàmanipàtin-am cittam Rakkheyya medhàvi cittam guttam sukhàvaham")
(10)
-" We live happily
indeed, though we call nothing our own ! We shall be like the bright
gods feeding on happiness". (11) (Dhp. 200)
(" Susukham vata jìvàma
yesam no natthi kincanam Pìtibhakkhà bhavissàma devà àbhassarà yathà") (
12)
3. The problem of a
pattern of education:
The contemporary educators
tend to create a pattern of education. This means giving a fixed nature to
a man, and stopping his process of becoming. It sounds like making shoes
of one size for all people of different sizes. So, there must be something
wrong in that pattern. For the truth of man, Lord Buddha declared:
- " All forms are
selfless"...
- ("Sabbe dhammà
anattà"... )
4.The problem of
interrelationship among things:
If a man cannot realize
the interrelationship among things, he cannot realize the truth of man and
life. His ignorance will cause him and his life lots of troubles, as it
does in the case of environmental pollution. In this case, education
should help men understand the truth of every existing thing to protect
environment as well as men. The Buddhist doctrine of Dependent Origination
(Paticcasamuppàda)and the Five aggregates (Pancakkhandha) may be theories
of this education for environment that will be discussed in the following
pages.
5. Education for lasting
peace for the world:
Peace is the absence of
war. In schools, the science of history only mentions the events and
apparent causes of peace and war, but not the motives coming from men’s
mind. So, it cannot help human beings build up the lasting peace for the
world.
According to Lord Buddha’s
teachings, the root causes of all evil deeds, including wars, are greed
(lobha), ill-will or hatred (dosa), and ignorance (moha). So, the best
thing to be done to extinguish all wars is dealing with greed, ill-will,
and ignorance by practising Dhamma as He taught:
-" Victory breeds
hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up both victory
and defeat, he, the contended, is happy"(13) (Dhp. 201)
(" Jayam veram pasavati
dukkham seti paràjito Upasanto sukham seti hitvà jayaparàjayam"; (14)
-" We live happily
indeed, not hating those who hate us ! Among men who hate us,we dwell
free from hatred !" (15) (Dhp. 197)
(" Susukham vata jiìvàma
verinesu averino Verinesu manussesu viharàma averino") (16)
-" We live happily
indeed, free from greed among the greedy ! Among men who are greedy let
us dwell free from greed !" (17) (Dhp. 199)
(" Susukham vata jiìvàma
ussukesu anussukà Ussukesu manussesu viharàma anussukà") (18)
6. A system of educational
philosophy:
Educational philosophy is
used to serve educational purposes in opening a good course of education
for men’s happiness. It is based on three spheres: epistemology, axiology
and ontology. The current system of educational philosophy, as well as
philosophy in common sense, is created by self-thought which is untrue,
therefore it meets with crisis.
The truth of Dependent
Origination (Paticcasamuppàda) Lord Buddha realized will show the way to
come out of the crisis which is the operation of non-self thought, or the
operation of wisdom (panna or vijja) leading to the cessation of
ignorance. This operation will be discussed in next chapter (I.2.)
7. Education to remove
individual problems:
It may be said that all
schools of thought from the old days are classified in three spheres:
a. The third person
sphere: All thoughts claiming that there exists the first cause of this
universe are called thoughts of the third person - the person people are
talking about. Since the role of mastering life of human beings has been
lost in this sphere, this thought sphere is called alienation.
b. The second person
sphere: All thoughts claiming that truth exists in nature or the phenomena
are called thoughts of the second person - the person people are talking
to. This thought sphere is also called alienation because of the same
reason as given above.
c. The first person
sphere: All thoughts claiming that a human being is the master of his own
life, or life is for human beings’ happiness, are called thoughts of the
first person - the person is talking. This thought sphere is humanist. It
includes Buddhism, Existentialism, Phenomenology and world organizations
for human rights that help a man awaken and turn back to himself. But here
a man is still facing the hot problems caused by the contradiction between
orders coming from his thinking and his desiring. This appears like the
contradiction between the "Id" and the "Superego" discovered by Sigmund
Freud. In the author’s mind this contradiction may only be resolved by the
doctrine of Paticcasamuppàda which suggests a way to come out of
self-thought, desire and sufferings caused by them. This doctrine may also
suggest many interesting thoughts on education that the author is going to
mention next (in "I.2".).
8. On educational
psychology:
Educational psychology is
a branch of study examining theories of personality, human behaviours, the
growth of children, adolescents and adults, also examining the nature of
teaching, learning, the tools of research and evaluation, and the way of
helping men resolve their problems for their happiness. With regard to the
aim of understanding man, and of helping man be happy, many teachings of
Lord Buddha recorded in Pancanikàya are available:
- "This is the case,
monks, where an uninstructed average person, taking no account of the
pure ones, unskilled in the dhamma of the pure ones, ..., recognizes
extension as extension, he thinks of extension, he thinks (of self as)
extension, he thinks, "extension is mine" - he rejoices in extension.
What is the reason for this ? I say that it is not thoroughly understood
by him".(19).
- ("Idha, bhikkhave,
assutavà puthujjano ariyà-nam adassàvì ariya-dhammassa akovido
ariyadhamme aviniìto sappurisànam adass-àvìsappurisadhammassa akovido
appurisad-hamme aviniìto, pathavim pathavito sanjànàti, pathavim
pathavito sannatvà pathavim mannati, pathaviyà mannati, pathavito
mannati, pathavim me ti mannati, pathavim abhinandati; tam kissa hetu:
aparinnàtam tassàti vadàmi"). (20)
" And, monks, the
Tathàgata also, Perfected one, Fully self - awakened one, intuitively
knows extension as extension; from intuitively knowing extension as
extension, he does not think of extension, he does not think (of self)
in (regard to) extension, he does not think (of self) as extension, he
does not think, "extension is mine" - he does not rejoice in extension.
What is the reason for this ? It is because he, having known that
delight is the root of anguish, knows that from becoming there is birth,
and that there is old age and dying for the being. Consequently I say,
monks, that the Tathàgata, by the waning of all cravings, by dispassion,
by stopping, by abandoning, by completely renouncing, is wholly self -
awakened to the incomparable Full self - awakening".(21)
("Tathàgato pi,
bhikkhave, araham sammàsambuddho pathavim pathavito abhijànàti, pathavim
pathavito abhinnàya pathavim na mannati, pathaviyà na mannati, pathavito
na mannati, pathavim me ti na mannati, pathavim nàbhinandati; tam kissa
hetu: nandì dukkhassa muâlanti iti viditvà, bhavà jàti, bhuùtassa
jaràmarananti. Tasmàtiha, bhikkhave, Tathàgato sabbaso tanhànam khayà
viràgà nirodhà càgà patinissaggà anuttaram sammàsambodhim abhisambuddho
ti vadàmi") (22)
And " There are, monks,
cankers that should be got rid of by vision, there are cankers that
should be got rid of by endurance, there are cankers that should be got
rid of by avoidance, ... by elimination, ... by development." (23)
(" Atthi, bhikkhave,
àsavà dassanà pahàtabbà, atthi àsavà samvarà pahàtabbà, atthi àsavà
patisevana pahàtabbà,atthi àsavà adhivàsanà pahàtabbà, atthiàsavà
parivajjanà pahàtabbà, atthi àsavà vinodanà pahàtabbà, atthi àsavà
bhàvanà pahàtabbà") (24)
9. A theory of
personality:
The personality theory is
the central point of education in general, of educational psychology in
particular, on which the content of education, methods of teaching and
counseling are based. The educational psychologists and theorists
therefore always do their best to form it. The current personality
theories by Freud, Carl Jung, Eric Fromn, Adler, Maslow, Lewin, Skinner,
Allport, Carl Rogers, etc,. are useful and very well-known, but very
limited; they cannot say the true nature of man and life, because they
regard them as having a fixed nature while in fact they are impermanent
and selfless.
In Buddhism, over fifteen
centuries ago, and more than that, there were at least three personality
theories formed, such as Abhidhamma of Theravada Buddhist Sect,
Abhidharmakosa of Sarvastivàda Sect, and Vijnànavàda of Mahayanist Sect.
All of them are mental analyses which divide a person’s mind into healthy
or good mental factors. (kusala cittas), unhealthy mental factors (akusala
cittas) and neither healthy nor unhealthy mental factors. All of them also
relate to the practice of meditation as a means to realize one’s mind and
to release sufferings.
In this work, the author
only mentions the personality theory taught directly by Lord Gotama
Buddha, and recorded in the Pancanikàya. Lord Buddha did introduce it in
different forms: sixfold-sense-fields (salàyatana); sixsense-organs and
six sense-objects; six sense-organs, six sense-objects and six
consciousnesses; five aggregates (pancakkhandha); and Dependent
Origination (Paticcasamuppàda). The writer believes only the doctrine of
Dependent Origination and of the five aggregates can say what a person
really is, and can show the way to come out of individuals’ problems and
social crises. Let us now follow some of Lord Buddha’s teachings regarding
to the root purpose of education of the modern time:
- " How, brethren, the
untaught many - folk have this view: "This body is mine: I am this: this
is myself !" Of such an one the body alters and becomes otherwise. Owing
to the altering and otherwiseness of body, sorrow and grief, woe,
lamentation and despair arise in him.
- So also with regard to
feeling, perception, activities and consciousness.
- And how, brethren, is
there no grasping and no worry ?
- Herein, brethren, the
well-taught Ariyan disciple has this view: "This body is not mine: I am
not this: this is not my self". Of such an one the body alters and
becomes otherwiseness. But in spite of altering and otherwiseness of
body, sorrow and grief, woe, lamentation and despair arise not in him.
So also with regard to feeling, perception, activities and
consciousness". (25)
- (" Katham ca,
bhikkhave upàdà - paritassanà hoti. Idha, bhikkhave, assutavà puthujjano
ruøpametam mama esoham asmi eso me attàti samanupassati. Tassa tam
ruøpam viparinamati annathà hoti, tassa ruøpaparinàmannathàbhàvà
uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupàyàsà
Vedanam etam mama // la
//...
Sannam etam mama //
Sankhare etam mama //
Vinnànam etam mama //...
- Katham ca, bhikkhave,
anupàdà aparitassa-nà hoti. Idha, bhikkave, sutavà ariyasàvako ruùpam
netam mama neso ham asmi na me so attàti samanupassati. Tassa tam rupam
viparinamati annathà hoti, tassa ruøpavipar-inàmannathàbhàvà nuppajjanti
sokaparide-vadukkhadomanassupàyàsà.
Vedanam netam mama...
Sannam netam mama
Sakhàrà netam mana...
Vinnanam netam mama...")
(26)
For the Enlightened One,
as the above quotation shows, a human being is nothing but the five
aggregates flowing on and on. His point of view of educating men is
showing them the truth of suffering, its cause, its cessation and the way
to the cessation of suffering from those aggregates. Such a theory of
personality and education will be discussed throughout this Ph. D. Thesis
entitled "The Concept of Personality revealed through the Pancanikàya.
I.1.2:
SCOPE OF THE TOPIC
There are many things
relating to the topic, but in this work the author has concentrated only
on the following:
- A concise description
of Indian society and thought before the advent of Lord Buddha.
- A summary of Lord
Buddha’s way to the ultimate truth.
- The doctrine of
Dependent Origination or Paticcasamuppàda and its operation, just on the
basis of the Pancanikàya.
- Personality Theories
and the five aggregates or Pancakkhandha on the basis of the
Pancanikàya.
- The Buddhist concept
of personality and a new course of education.
The term "personality" has
a lot of meanings as used by western psychologists and personality
theorists. It is used in the sense of "social skill or adroitness" in the
terms of "personality training" or "personality problem". It is also used
in the sense of "the most outstanding or salient impression" a person
creates in others, in terms of "agressive personality" "submissive
personality" or "a fearful personality". It may be used in the sense of
"social stimulus value" of an individual, or in the sense of "individual
aspects of behaviour" etc. In this thesis, personality only means what a
man really is, or what a man consists of in a realistic and practical way
of analysis by Lord Buddha Gotama.
For the term "concept" or
"theory", it is commonly understood as what is opposite to a fact. It is
just a speculation concerning reality that is not yet known to be so. In
this topic, theory or concept has a quite different sense, because it is
not created by pure speculation or by way of thinking of duality. It means
the declaration of what a man really is by the One who himself realized
the truth of man and life. Here, theory, or concept, is therefore very
close to the fact, it appears as a shadow of reality.
Pancanikàya is the term
showing Suttapitaka belonging to the Tipitaka of Theravàda Buddhist Sect.
It lies in the Pàli literature from the time of Lord Buddha to the time of
the King Asoka.
The Tipitaka, in Pàli,
includes Vinayapitaka, Suttapitaka and Abhidhammapitaka. Vinayapitaka
contains rules and regulations of the Buddhist Sangha such as rules for
reception into the Order, for the periodical confession of sins, for
activities in rainy seasons, for abiding, clothing, medical remedies, and
for the Sangha activities.
The Abhidhammapitaka is a
supplement to the Sutta. It includes the Dhammasangani, the Vibhanga, the
Kathàvatthu, the Puggalapannatti, the Dhàtukathà, the Yamaka and the
Patthàna. These works were formed by Lord Buddha’s disciples at the time
of the Third Council held during King Asoka’s reign, in the third century
B.C.
The Suttapitaka is the
direct teaching of Lord Gotama Buddha during forty five years of His life.
It consists of five
collections called Pancanikàya: (27)
Long Sayings
(Dìghanikàya), Middle Length Sayings (Majjhimanikàya), Kindred Sayings
(Samyuttanikàya), Gradual Sayings (Anguttaranikàya), and Minor Sayings
(Khuddakanikàya). (28)
In this work, the author
only refers to the above Pancanikàya, and specially examines the doctrine
of Dependent Origination (Paticcasam-uppàda) and of the Five Aggregates
(Pancakkh-andha) as the basis on which the personality theory is formed.
His purpose is to introduce a new regard to things seeing that: a man, not
as a permanent entity, cannot separate from his society and environment;
without society or environment, he cannot exist; in other words,
environment or society appears as a part of his own body. This is
different from the current personality theories claiming that a man is an
entity independent from nature. From this new regard, a new course of
education may be opened for solutions for the current social crises. For
that purpose, this work will be done under the form of an applied and
fundamental research. It will start with chapter 2 (I.2) on the doctrine
of Dependent Origination as the truth of life.
References :
(1) : The Dhammapada,
tr. by Max Muller, sacred Books of the East, verse No. 103.
(2) : The Dhammapada, Devanàgari, first Edition, 1977, Department of
Buddhist studies, Delhi University, verse No. 103.
(3) : The Dhammapada, tr. by Max Muller,..., verse No. 104, 105.
(4) : The Dhammapada, Devanàgari,...,verse No. 104.
(5) : Ibid, verse No. 105.
(6) : The Dhammapada, tr. by Max. Muller,..., verse No. 160.
(7) : The Dhammapada, Devanàgari,..., verse No. 160.
(8) : The Dhammapada, tr. by Max. Muller,..., verse No. 36.
(9) : The Dhammapada, Devanàgari,..., verse No. 36.
(10) : The Dhammapada, tr. by Max. Muller,..., verse No. 200.
(11) : The Dhammapada, Devanàgari,..., verse No. 200.
(12) : The Dhammapada, tr. by Max. Muller,..., verse No. 201.
(13) : The Dhammapada, Devanàgari,..., verse No. 201.
(14) : The Dhammapada, tr. by Max. Muller,..., verseNo. 197.
(15) : The Dhammapada, Devanàgari,..., verse No. 197.
(16) : The Dhammapada, tr. by Max. Muller,..., verse No. 199.
(17) : The Dhammapada, Devanàgari,..., verse No. 199.
(18) : "Discourse on the Synopsis of Fundamentals", Middle Length
sayings, Vol. I, PTS, London, 1987, p.3.
(19) : "Mùlapariyàya-sutta", Majjhima-Nikàya, Vol. I, PTS, London, 1979,
p.1.
(20) : "Discourse on Synopsis of Fundamentals",..., 1987,pp. 7-8.
(21) : "Mùlapariyàyasuttam",..., PTS, London, 1979, p.6.
(22) : "Discourse on All the Cankers", Middle Length Sayings, Vol.I,
PTS, London, 1987, p.9.
(23) : "Sabbàsavasuttam", Majjhima-Nikàya, Vol. I, PTS, London, 1979,
p.7.
(24) : Kindred Sayings, Vol. III, PTS, London, 1992, p.18.
(25) : Samyutta-Nikàya, Vol. III, PTS, London, 1975, pp. 18-19.
(26) : 1, 61.p2, Atthasàlini, Ed. by P.V. BAPAT, R.D. VADEKAR, Published
by Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona., 1942.
(27) : There is a difference of opinion in the Theravàda tradition with
regard to the range and number of treastises falling under
theKhuddaka-Nikàya. One tradition holds that the Khuddaka-Nikàya
consists of only 15 treatises. The range of the present work has been
limited as per the second tradition excluding the Vinaya-pitaka and the
Abhidhamma-pitaka.
-ooOoo-
I.2
Chapter 2
Dependent Origination as the Ultimate Truth of Life
-ooOoo-
As usual, before coming to
examine the ultimate truth Lord Buddha Gotama realized in the sixth
century B.C. it is worthwhile to mention Indian society and thought before
His advent.
I.2.1 :
INDIAN SOCIETY AND THOUGHT BEFORE THE ADVENT OF LORD BUDDHA.
General
introduction:
Indian society is the one
which gave birth to one of the oldest civilization of the world. It was at
first a "Bronze Age" formed about 3,000 B.C. according to the
archaeological information. The settled people in India, such as Mundian,
Sumerian,......, especially Dravidian, were possible to form an
agricultural civilization called the indus civilization. According to A.K.
Warder, in his book titled "Indian Buddhism" (Delhi 1991, p.17), this
civilization spread Eastwards into the Ganges valley and South-East across
Gujarat. Its main centres were two great cities, one in Punjab, and the
other in Sindh. Mentioning the religion of Indus people, Warder wrote:
"In religion the Indus
people appear to have had a cult of a Great God, some of whose
characteristics suggest that he was the prototype of the modern S ùiva
(who has always been especially popularamong the Tamils): on the one
hand he seems to symbolize creation and fertility, on the other hand he
may appear in the role of an ascetic, or a yogi developing his
supernatural powers". (1)
In the period of time from
the 16th century B.C. to the 13th century B.C., the Indus civilization
came to collapse when the Ariyan people possibly from the Caucasia
(belonging to Armenia, U.S.S.R.) entered India. They passed Hindu - Kush
mountains, arrived at Punjab. Here the Dravidians firmly fought against
the Aryan, but they failed. The Ariyans turned to be influenced by the
agricultural civilization of the Dravidians; they followed the way of life
of the Dravidians, settled in villages, towns and cities. The Dravidian,
on the other side, were influenced by the thoughts of the Ariyan as
nomads. These two civilizations were combined and made up in a new one
during the period of time of the "Iron Age", around 1,000 B.C. to 800
B.C..Regarding this historical event, A.K. Warder wrote:
"According to the
archaeological evidence Aryan people entered India at the time of the
collapse of the Indus civilization (about 1,600 B.C.). In fact they were
probably barbarian invaders who conquered the Indus people and destroyed
their cities. These Aryan spoke an early form of Sanskrit called "vedic"
after the earliest extant Indian texts (the Veda) which can at present
be read. The earliest of these Vedic texts of the Aryans were perhaps
composed two or three centuries after theconquest". (2)
Dr. Chandradhar Sharma
claimed that:
"The Vedas are the
oldest extant literary moment of the Aryan mind. The origin of Indian
philosophy, as an autonomous system, has developed practically
unaffected by external influences. Unfortunately our knowledge of the
Vedic period is, even to this day, too meagre and imperfect". (3)
The thoughts introduced in
the Vedas, especially in the Rig-Veda were therefore under the colours of
the Aryans. They seemed to have originated from the Caucasia of the very
old days, from the places where the Aryan nomads paused after they passed
many mountainous regions, lonely deserts or immense plateaus, in shining
sky, heavy rains, snowy storms, or under the torches flickering in late
nights. Those thoughts are of the boundless and powerful universe which
relates to human beings. They became more and more practical and closer
and closer to men when they mentioned gods of earth, of trees, of cows of
the Dravidians in the very old time of the agricultural civilization.
A.K. Warder added:
"During the period of
the Paurava Empire the ancient Vedic texts were collected, many more
were composed, and older and newer texts were formed into a Canon of
scriptures collectively called the Veda. In actual fact there was not a
single Canon, but several recensions belonging to as many schoolsof
priests....... The canon is therefore the collected learning of the
brahmans or priests. It consists of poetry, songs, ritual and
philosophy". (4)
There were a lot of
changes in Indian society in the beginning of the "Iron Age", so A.K.
Warder continued:
"From the Veda
effectively codified under the Pauravas, and from the compositions
attributed to this group of thinkers of about the 9th century B.C.,
orthodox and conservative thought in India has since derived its
religion, its ritual, its philosophy, its heroic epic, its ancient
historical traditions, its laws, its geometry, its astronomy and its
linguistic science. All this constitutes what is generally known as
"Brahmanism; as a civilization, a way of life, a religion and much else.
In a sense this formative of Brahmanism was a "heroic period" that of
the most famous heroes celebrated in the epic". (5)
Here, the earliest period
of time of the Vedas may be called the Vedic period, and the next period
of time, when the Indian thoughts became more practical and scientific,
the Post Vedic period. The Indian thought of these two periods are
described clearly by Benimadhab Barua in his work titled "A History of
Pre-Buddhistic Indian Philosophy". It may be summarized as follows: (6)
-- At the early time of
Indian culture, Vedic Sages opened the pages of hymns mentioning
cosmological problems and considering water as the original matter
ofthings. Then another question arose: What came into being immediately
after water before created things?
For this question,
Aghamarsana, who was known as the first philosopher of India, replied:
that was the year, the time principle which is the lord of birth and
death.
-- Heranyagarbha said it
was the Golden germ.
-- Narayana claimed it
was Purusa. Etc.
Then, again another
question was put up: from what did water spring up?
-- Ghamarsana said it
was from night or chaos.
-- Prajapati Paremesthin
replied: I may know it, or perhaps I may know it not.
-- Brahmanaspati
claimed: it was from nothing.
-- Anila's answer was
from Air element.
And so forth...
The philosophical
questions gradually came into being after the Vedic period of time. They
became clearer and clearer, and more and more scientific. This clearly
tells us that the conception of selfness of things were more and more
emphasized. From the philosophical question asked from the early time of
the Vedas: How can I unite with nature, god or Brahman? came to the
question asked by later Brahmana teachers that: Who am I? (or Who is he?).
The answer to this
question related to metomophosis from a physical or organic man to a
physiological man, then to a psychological man, then to a metaphysical
man, then lastly to a spiritual or religious ethical man (7).
-- I am Naramaya: I am
an individual being as all animals on earth and all creatures of the air
are. All organic or inorganic beings are formed from Purusa (the Sun or
the solar substance).
-- I am Annamaya
(embryonic man): a man is composed of food or five elements, produced
from the essence of food digested by the father communicated to the
mother and established in the womb.
-- I am Pranamaya
(physiological man): a man born of the parents, brought forth by the
mother, a living body, that is to say, a body imbued with life, composed
of food or elements nourished by food, reduced at death to an anatomical
man, a corpse dissolved hereafter into elements or returned to the
physical world.
-- I am Manomaya
(psychological man): is a conscious individual who can perceive through
the senses, who dreams, imagines, thinks, fells, wills and who perceives
duality and plurality among things.
-- I am Vijnànamaya
(metaphysical man): a man who is endowed with nothing but the inherent
conscious sentient principle or soul, a thinker who realizes the unity
of cause in the variety of appearance.
-- I am Ànandamaya
(spiritual or religious - ethical man): a blessed soul united with
divine. It seems to appear to us that early Vedic sages lived very
naturally and closely to nature - this relates to the way of life of the
Aryans as nomads -. The limit between man and nature didn't appear
clear. Their philosophical questions were therefore centered on "who is
he?" and"How can I unite with him?" But after that period of time, the
Brahmana teachers turned to think and think of the "I" (the first
person), of the self of things as entities, then the colours of Indian
thoughts started turning practical - this relates to the settled way of
life of the agricultural civilization of the Dravidian. This is the
reason why the author of this work call this period of time of Indian
philosophy the Post Vedic philosophy. This period existed until the time
when the six Schools of thought appeared.
Six Schools of
thought under the time of Lord Buddha:
Under the time of Lord
Buddha, the Masters of the Six Schools of thought in India were best
known. They all opposed to the doctrine taught by Lord Buddha, and were
classed by Buddhists as the Six Heretics or Sophists (cha-titthiyà). They
were known as Purana kassapa, Makkhali Gosàla. Ajita kesa - Kambala,
Pakudha Kaccàyana, Sanjaya Belatthaputta and Nigantha Nàtaputta.
Purana
Kassapa: (8)
He was known as a naked
ascetic, died in 572 B.C...His doctrine, according to the Sutta of
Samannaphala (Length Sayings, Vol.I), is called Akiriyavàda, or Ahetuvàda
(the doctrine of non-action). For him, when we act or cause other to act,
it is not the soul that acts or cause others to act. The soul really is
passive (niskriya), out of the result of good or bad actions - the reality
is also beyond both good and evil.
Makkhali -
Gosàla (or Maskarin Gosala): (9)
In the Jaina Bhagavati
sutra and itscommentary,Makkhali Gosala theory is summed up as the
doctrine of transformation, but in Buddhist texts, Sàmannaphalasuttam, it
is considered as "theory of purification through transmigration (samsàra -
suddhi). For this point of view, both fools and wise alike will reach
perfection by gradual transformation. All beings will attain, and must
attain, perfection in course of time.
Ajita Kesa -
Kambala: (10)
His philosophy is
materialism, it may be called annihilationism or non-eternalism. He
claimed that there is no individuality after death. When a living body
constituted of the four elements dies, earth element returns to the earth,
water to the water, heat to the fire, air to the air, and the sense
faculties pass into space. Everybody ceases to be after death.
Pakudha
Kàtyayana: (11)(orKakuda Kàtyàyana):
Hisphilosophy is seen in
sàmannaphalasu-ttam as the doctrine of seven categories (satta - kàya -
vàda); in Jaina sutra Kritanga it is described as the doctrine of soul as
a sixth (atma - sastha - vàda). For his view, there is no act of killing,
or hearing, knowing, or instructing in reality. That is only the act of
separating from one another the elements constructing their organic unity.
When a man with a sharp sword cleaves a head in twain, he does not thereby
deprive anyone of life, a sword only penetrated into the interval between
seven elementary substances. This way of reasoning is very dangerous. It
can cause men to destroy ethics and make disorder of society.
Sanjaya
Belatthaputta (12):
Sanjaya Belatthaputta is
classed by Buddhist text as the best known sceptic. He was a master of
Sàriputta, the chief of disciples of Lord Buddha, before the latter became
a disciple under the guidance of Lord Buddha. His doctrine is known as
Agnostics, Sceptics or Eel Wrigglers. Lord Buddha says, when Sanjaya and
his disciples are asked a question on this or that, they equivocate and
wriggle like an eel and their reason will fall into one or another or all
of the following four cases.
Case 1 and 2:
We neither know the good
(kusala) nor the evil (akusala) as it really is. In such case, if we
make a positive declaration either with regard to good or evil, we may
be led away by conceit or pride, or influenced by ill-will and
resentment. Under these conditions we may be proved wrong, and that may
cause us the pain of remorse and ultimately a hindrance to the
tranquility we aim at. Or in the second place, we may fall into a
grasping condition of heart (upàdana) which will culminate in a similar
disturbance of peace.
Case 3 and 4:
We neither know the good
nor the evil as it really is. There are persons who are clever, subtle,
expert, controversialists, hair splitters (vàda - vedhi - rupa), who go
about, as it were, shattering the dogmas of others. But we, on the other
hand, are dull and stupid. Hence, if we make a definite statement with
regard to good or evil, they may join issue with us, ask us for reasons,
and point out our errors. This may cause us as before, the pain
toremorse and disturb our imperturbability. Thus, fearing being wrong in
an expressed opinion, the falling into a grasping condition of heart, or
the joinder of issue, we declare nothing to be either good or evil, but
on a question being put to us on this or that, we answer thus:
-- Is A B? -- No.
-- Is A not B? -- No.
-- Is A both B and not B? -- No.
-- Is A neither B nor not B? -- No.
Such is a reason of a
wriggling eel !
Nigantha
Nàtaputta: (13)
Nigantha Nàtaputta's
doctrine is described in Samannaphalasuttam as fourfold self - restraint.
When he was asked by King Ajàtasattu that, "Can you, Nigantha Nàtaputta,
point to such a reward visible here and now as a fruit of the homeless
life?" Nigantha Nàtaputta said, your majesty here a Nigantha is bound by a
fourfold restraint. What four? He is curbed by all curbs, enclosed by all
curbs, cleared by all curbs, and claimed by all curbs. And as far as a
Nigantha is bound by this fourfold restraint thus the Nigantha is called
self-perfected, self-controlled, self-established".
All the above Indian
thoughts, from Vedic thought, were evaluated and classified in Buddhist
text as follows:
-- Eighteen kinds of wrong
view concerning the past:
* Eternalism: 4 kinds of
wrong view.
* Partly Eternalism and partly non-eternalism: 4 kinds of wrong view.
* Finitism: 2 kinds of wrong view.
* Infinitism: 2 kinds of wrong view.
* Eel wrigglers: 4 kinds of wrong view.
* Chance - originationism: 2 kinds of wrong view.
-- Thirty nine kinds of
wrong view concerning the future.
* Conscious post -
mortem survival: 16 kinds of wrong view.
* Unconscious post - mortem survival: 8 kinds of wrong view.
* Neither - conscious nor - unconscious post - mortem survival: 8 kind
of wrong view.
* Annihilationism: 7 kinds of wrong view.
-- Five kinds of wrong
view concerning the present:
* Claimer of nibbàna in
the here and now: 5 kinds.
For those 62 kinds of
wrong view, Lord Buddha declared:
"This, monks, the
Tathàgata understands: these view points thus grasped and adhered to
will lead to such and such destinations in another world. This the
Tathàgata knows, and more, but He is not attached to that knowledge. And
being thus unattached He has experienced for himself perfect peace, and
having truly understood the arising and passing away of feelings, their
attraction and peril and the deliverance from them, the Tathàgata is
liberated without remainder. These, monks, arethose other matters
profound, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, excellent beyond
mere thought, subtle, to be experienced by the wise, which the Tathàgata
having realized them by his own superknowledge, proclaims, and about
which those who would truthfully praise the Tathàgata would rightly
speak". (14)
(" Tayidam, bhikkhave,
Tathàgato pajànàti: "Ime ditthàna evam gahità evam paramatthà evam
gatikà bhavissanti evam abhisampàrayàti". Tanca Tathàgato pajànàti,
tatoca uttaritaram pajànàti, tanca pajànanam na paràmasati, aparàmasato
c'assa paccattam yeva nibbuti vidità, vedanàna samudayanca atthagamanca
assàdanca àdiìnavanca nissarananca yathàbhuùtam viditvà anupàdà vimutto,
bhikkhave, Tathàgato.
" Ime kho te, bhikkhave,
dhammà gambhiìrà duddasà duranubodhà santà panità atakkàvacarà nipunà
panditavedaniìyà ye Tathàgato sayam abhinnà sacchikatvà pavedeti, yehi
Tahtàgatassa yathàbhuccam vannam sammà vadamànà vadeyyum".) (15)
Evaluation of Indian
thought by Indian thinkers: S. Radhakrishnan, a contemporary Indian
thinker, gives an evaluation of Indian thoughts in his work titled "Indian
philosophy" that :
" The Indian never felt
that the world was a field of battle where men struggled for
power,wealth and domination. When we do not need to waste ourenergies on
problems of life on earth, exploiting nature and controlling the forces
of the world, we begin to think of the higher life, how to live more
perfectly in the spirit. Perhaps an enervating climate inclined the
Indian to rest and retirement. The huge forests with their wide leafy
avenues afforded great opportunities for the devout soul to wander
peacefully through them, dream strange dreams and burst forth into
joyous songs... It was in the asramas and tapovanas or forest hermitages
that the thinking men of India meditated on the deeper problems of
existence". (16)
S. Radhakrishnan added:
" The philosophic
attempt to determine the nature of reality may start either with
thinking self or the objects of thought. In India the interest of
philosophy is in the self of man where the vision is turned outward, the
rush of Fleeting events engages the mind. In India " Atmamam viddhi",
know the self, sums up the law and the prophets. Within man is the
spirit that is the center of everything.
...Indian psychology
realized the value of concentration and looked upon it as the means for
the perception of the truth". (17)
S. Radhakrishnan's
comments, as quoted above, are so clear and interesting.
Generally, the essence of
Indian thought is so. On the basis of that thought, the author thinks, a
good courseof Indian education might be built.
Ancient Indian
education:
Let's now follow the
assessment of S.D. Dev, in his book entitled "Education and Career":
" The Vedas construed
man a spark of the divine, potential God. Education made man the meeting
point of Heaven and Earth. In the Upanishadic language the task of
education was to draw out the lustre of the heavenly fire and to fill
the Earth with it. According to Badarayana of the Brahma Sutra the
purpose of education was to produce men of wisdom, holiness and
sanctity... Aim of education in Ancient India has, however, been
character building to increase strength of mind with a view to expand
one's intellect, to enable the people to stand on their own feet and to
produce men of wisdom, holiness and sanctity". (18)
S.D. Dev also wrote:
" The Indian seers
clearly perceived that education is necessary for man to lead an ideal
life. Aim of education in ancient India was to train the boys and girls
to take initiative, to accept discipline, responsibility and leadership,
to behave, to appreciate the difference between right and wrong and be
familiar with accepted social and moral codes of behaviour and finally
to possess a healthy sense of the richness of his country's past
history, to enable him to serve his fellow men and women...
The illumination,
insight and guidance whicheducation gives to us effects a complete
transformation. "If one human being is superior to another", says a
Vedic thinker, "It is not because he possesses an extra hand or eye, but
because his mind and intellect are sharpened and rendered more efficient
by education. Devoid of education, says Bhartrihari, we are mere beasts;
education elevates us into human beings. Life without education is,
therefore, utterly futile and worthless". (19)
From what S. Radhakrishnan
and S.D. Dev expressed, as quoted above, the author recognizes that the
central point of the thought and education of ancient India lies in the
self of human being where exists wisdom or the spirit that is the center
of everything. This is also a crucial point, in the author's opinion,
opening a new course of modern education or culture for peace and
happiness of men. However, "What is that true self", and "how to
cultivate, or produce, wisdom from that true self" are other problems. It
is the same for the way of meditation: one may ask: What is that way of
meditation? What people could get from it? The right answer for those
questions still existed as a dream of India until the time when Lord
Buddha Gotama attained Enlightenment under the "Bodhi - tree" at Bodh
Gaya. Then the great dream of great India really came true.
As the discourse of
Brahmajàla said, the Indian sages and thinkers were obsessed by their
attachment to knowledges and feelings therefore they couldn't know and see
truth and the Way to Truth. Only Lord Buddha did not attach to His
knowledge and feeling, so He realized Truth, Enlightement. This fact will
be examined in next part.
I.2.2 :
LORD BUDDHA'S WAY TO THE NOBLE TRUTH
About Lord Buddha
Gotama:
The man who realized Noble
Truth and became the Buddha was the prince, Siddhattha by name. He was
born in 624 B.C. according to the source of information taken from the
World Buddhist Conference held in Tokyo in 1952 - at the park Lumbini in
the Kingdom of Nepal of today. His father, Suddhodana, belonging to
Khattiya social class, Sàkya family, was the king of Kapilavatthu. His
mother, the queen Mahàmàyà, died a week after giving birth to Him. Right
after the birth, a wise sage, named Asita, read His body and foretold in
general that: there were thirty two special marks on His tiny body which
say that He would lead His homeless life as a wandering monk and would
become a fully - enlightened Buddha, a teacher of Gods and Men.
The discourse of Nàlaka of
Suttanipàta (Khuddakanikàya Collection) recorded Asita's words as follows:
-- Then remembering his
own migration he was displeased and shed tears; seeing this the sakyas
asked the weeping Isi whether there would be any obstacle in the
prince's path ?". (20)
(" Ath' attano gamanam
anussaranto akalyaruøpo galayati assukàni, disvàna Sakyà isim
avocumrudantam: "no ce kumàre bhavissati antaràyo".) (21)
-- "Seeing the Sakyas
displeased the Isi said: I do not remember anything (that will be)
unlucky for the prince, there will be no obstacles at all for Him, for
this is no inferior (person). Be without anxiety". (22)
(" Disvàna Sakye
isimavoca akalye: "nàham kumàre ahitam anussaràmi, na càpi - m - assa
bhavissati antaràyo, na orak' àyam, adhimanasà bhavàtha".) (23)
-- "This prince will
reach the summit of perfect enlightenment. He will turn the wheel of the
Dhamma, he who sees what is exeedingly pure (i.e. Nibbàna), this prince
feels for the welfare of the multitude,and his religion will be widely
spread". (24)
(" Sambodhiyaggam
phusissat' àyam kumàro, so dhammacakkam paramavisuddhadassì vattes' àyam
bahujanahitànukampi, vitthàrik ‘ assa bhavissati brahmacariyam".) (25)
-- "My life here will
shortly be at an end, in the middle (of His life) there will be a death
for me; I shall not hear the Dhamma of the incomparable one, therefore I
am afflicted, unfortunate and suffering". (26)
(" Mamanca àyu na ciram
idhàvaseso, ath' antarà me bhavissati kàlakiriyà, so' ham na sussam
asmadhurassa dhammam, ten' amhi atto vyasanagato aghàvì".) (27)
Siddhattha grew up to be a
very splendid young man, was good at His studies, excellent at all kinds
of sportsand martial arts, was very handsome, just and kind. He married
Yasodharà, the most beautiful girl of His time, when he was eighteen years
of age. His only son, Ràhula, was born when He was twenty nine years of
age.
Siddhattha made four
fateful trips to the outside world, out of the Kingdom. On the first trip,
He met an old man; on the second, a sick man; on the third, a corpse being
carried away to be cremated on the burning ghat; and on the fourth, a
wandering holy monk. He did receive a vital shock on the above trips which
made Him come to the most important decision of His life: He left His
throne for leading His life as a wandering ascetic monk to look for truth.
He was twenty nine years old then.
He came to study under two
most distinguished Samana teachers of the time: Àlàra Kàlàma and Uddaka
Ràmaputta. Àlàra kàkàma taught Him how to attain the jhàna of Nothingness;
Uddaka Ràmaputta taught Him how to attain the jhàna of Neither perception
nor non - perception. He obtained in a short period of time what Alàra and
Uddaka obtained, but He was still unsatisfied with His attainment, because
He knew he was then hindered by ignorance (avijjà)
Siddhattha then went into
the jungle near Uruvelà and practised the forms of asceticism with the
sage Kondanna and his four friends. He spent six years living alone and
naked in forests, slept on beds of thorns, burned in the heat of midday
sun, and suffered cold at night, until the day He starved Himself into a
state of extreme emasculation. In this period of time of
practisingasceticism, there were three thoughtful images arising in His
mind once. They were recorded that:
"Moreover, Aggivessana,
three similes occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before: It is as
if there were a wet sappy stick placed in water; then a man might come
along bringing any upper piece of fire stick and thinking: "I will light
a fire, I will get at". What do you think about this, Aggivessana? could
that man,... light a fire, could he get heat ?" - No good, Gotama.
In like manner,
Aggivessana, whatever recluses or Brahmanas dwell not aloof from
pleasures of the sense that are bodily, then if that which is for them,
among the sense pleasure, desire for sense pleasure, infatuation with
sense pleasure, fever for sense pleasure if that is not properly got rid
of subjectively nor properly allayed, whether these worthy recluses and
brahmans experience feelings which are acute, painful, sharp, severe,
they could not become those for knowledge, for vision, for the
incomparable self - awakening, and whether these worthy recluses and
brahmans do not experience feelings which are acute, painful, sharp,
severe, they could not become those for knowledge, for vision, for the
incomparable self - awakening. This, Aggivessana, was the first parable
that occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before.
Then, Aggivessana, a
second parable occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before. It is
as if, Aggivessana, a wet sappy stick were placed on dry ground, far
from water...Then, Aggivessana a third parable occurred to me
spontaneously, never heard before. It is as if, Aggivessana, a dry
sapless stick were placed on dry ground, far from water,...
In like manner,
Aggivessana, whatever recluses or brahmans dwell aloof from pleasure of
sense that are bodily, then if that which is for them, among the sense -
pleasures, desire for sense pleasures, affection for..., infatuation
with..., thirst for...,fever for sense pleasures - if this is well got
rid of subjectively, well allayed, then whether these worthy recluses
and brahmans experience feelings that are acute, painful, sharp, severe,
indeed they become those for knowledge, for vision, for the incomparable
self - awakening; and whether these worthy recluses and brahmans do not
experience feelings that are acute, painful, sharp, severe, indeed they
become those for knowledge, for vision, for incomparable self -
awakening. This, Aggivessana, was the third parable that occurred to me
spontaneously, never heard before". (28)
("Api-ssu mam,
Aggivessana tisso upamà patibhamsu anacchariyà pubbe assutapubbà:
Seyyathà pi, Aggivessana, allam kattham sasneham udake nikkhitam, atha
puriso àgaccheyya attaràranim àdàya; aggim abhinibbattessàmi, tejo
pàtukarissàmìti Tam kimmannasi, Aggivessana: api nu so puriso amum allam
kattham sasnehamudake nikkhittam uttaràranim àdàya abhimanthen-to aggim
abhinibbatteyya tejo pàtukareyyàti. No h'idam, bho Gotama, tam kissa
hetu: adum hi, bho gotama, allam kattham sasneham, tanca pana udake
nikkhittam, yàvad eva ca pana so puriso kilamathassa vighàtassa bhàgì
assàti - Evameva kho, Aggivessana, yehi keci samanà và bràmanà và kàyena
c'eva kàmehi avupakatthà viharanti, yoca nesam kàmesu kàmacchando
kàmasneho kàmamucchà kàmapipàsà kàmaparilàho so ca ajjhattam na
suppahìno hoti na suppatippassaddho, opakkamikà ce pi te bhonto
samanabràmanà dukkhàti pàpà katukà vedanà vediyanti abhabbà và te nànàya
dassanàya anuttaràya sambodhàya, no ce pi te bhonto samanabràhmanà
opakkamikà dukkhàti akatukà vedanà vediyanti abhabbà và te nanàya
dassanàya anuttaràya sambodhàya... Aparà pi kho mam, Aggivessana, dutiyà
upamà patibhàsi anacchariyà pubbe assutapubbà:... Aparà pi kho mam
Aggivessana tatiyà upamà patibhàsi...") (29)
Then He practised holding
breath for a long time until there were violent pains in His body and
head. He realized this way of practising could not answer to his main
problem; if He went on abusing His body in that way, He would die before
He could find the answer. He then took food again in order to have enough
strength to make a new start of practice. His five fellow
asceticswitnessed His change and declared, "Gotama has taken the easy
life !" then they kept themselves far away from Him.
Siddhattha was then so
lonely in the midst of the immense ocean of sufferings of birth and death.
He started thinking again and again of a middle way between the luxurious
and the ascetical ways that He had not practised. He recalled an incident
during a "ploughing Festival" when, as a child of six or seven years old,
He sat under a rose - apple tree and entered meditative absorptions. He
said to himself that, "Might that be the way to Enlightenment ?"
Siddhattha went on to
Uruvelà and stopped at a place nowadays called Bodh Gaya in the modern
Indian state of Bihar, He determined to sit under the Bodh-tree and
practised his own way of meditation until He could find the exact answer
to the question of dealing with suffering in life.
The discourse of
Ariyapariyesana recorded:
_" Then I, monks, a
quester for whatever is good, searching for the incomparable, matchless
path to peace, walking on tour through Magadha in due course arrived at
Uruvelà, the camp township. There I saw a delightful stretch of land and
a lovely wood land grove, and a clear flowing river with a delightful
ford, and a village for support nearby. It occurred to me, monks,
"Indeed it is a delightful stretch of land... Indeed this does well for
striving of a young man set on striving". So I, monks, set down just
there, thinking,"Indeed thisdoes well for striving". (30)
(" So kho aham,
bhikkhave, kim kusalagavesì anuttaram santivarapadam pariyesamàno
Magadhesu anupubbena càrikam caramàno yena Uruvelà senànigamo
tadavasarim Tatth'addasam ramanìyam bhumibhàgam pàsàdikan ca vanasandam,
nadin-ca sandantim setakam supatittham ramanìyam samantà ca gocaragàmam.
Tassa mayham, bhikkhave, etadahosi: Ramaniìyo vata bhuùmibhàgo pàsàdiko
ca vanasando, nadì ca sandati setakà supatitthà ramanìyà, samantà ca
gocaragàmo, alam vat'idam kulaputtassa padhànatthikassa padhànàyati. So
kho aham, bhikkhave, tatth'eva nisìdim, alam - idam padhànàyati".)
After entering deep into
meditative concentration (samàdhi), He practised insight meditation
(vipassànà) and thereby attained three special kinds of knowledges
(Tevijjà)
1) He remembered many
former existences of Him self.
2) He gained knowledge
of the workings of kamma: How those who acquire bad results of kamma by
doing evil actions are born in miserable states, and how those who
acquire good results of kamma by doing good actions are born in happy
states.
3) He gained the third
and highest knowledge of the destruction of the cankers (or taints, or
defilements: àsavas). Three àsavas are often mentioned: sensual desire,
desire for existence and desire for non-existence.
These three perfect
knowledges appeared in the last night when Siddhattha attained
Enlightenment under the Bodhi-tree as the Bhaya bheravasyttam
(Majjhimanikàya, Vol.I.)
-- "Thus with mind
composed, quite purified, quite clarified, without blemish, without
defilement, grown soft and workable, fixed, immovable, I directed my
mind to the knowledge and recollection of former habitations: I
remembered a variety of former habitations, thus: one birth, two births,
three..., four..., a hundred..., a hundred thousand births and many an
eon of integration - disintegration; such an one was I by name, having
such and such a clan, such and such a colour, so was I nourished, such
and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine, so did the span of
life end...
This brahman, was the
first knowledge attained by me in the first watch of the night;
ignorance was dispelled, knowledge arose, darkness was dispelled, light
arose, even as I abided diligent, ardent, self-solute.
-- Then with mind
composed quite purified,...I directed my mind to the knowledge of the
passing hence and the arising of beings...I comprehend that beings are
mean, excellent, comely, ugly, well-going, ill-going, according to the
consequences of their deeds, and I think: Indeed these worthybeings who
were possessed of wrong conduct in body, who were possessed of wrong
conduct of speech, who were possessed of wrong conduct of thought,
scoffers at the ariyans, holding a wrong view, incurring deeds
consequent on a wrong view - these, at the break up of the body after
dying, have arisen in a sorrowful state, a bad bourn, the abyss, Niraya
Hell. But those worthy beings who were possessed of good conduct in
body,...of speech,...in thought, who did not scoff at the ariyans,
holding a right view... at the breaking up of the body after dying, have
arisen in a good bourn, a heaven world... This, brahman, was the second
knowledge attained by me in the middle watch of the night; ignorance was
dispelled, knowledge arose..."
And:
" Then with mind
composed, quite purified, .. I directed my mind to the destruction of
the cankers. I understood as it really is: this is anguish, this is the
arising, this is the stopping of anguish, this is the course leading to
the stopping of anguish.
I understood as it
really is: There are the cankers, this is the arising of the
cankers,...this is the course leading to the stopping of the cankers.
Knowing this thus, seeing thus, my mind was freed from the canker of
sense pleasures,... from the canker of becoming,... from the canker of
ignorance... This, brahman, was the third knowledge attained byme in the
last watch of the night; ignorance was dispelled, knowledge arose,
darkness was dispelled, light arose even as I abided diligent, ardent,
self-resolute". (32)
(" So evam samàhite
citte parisuddhe pariyodàte anangane vigatupakkilese mudubhuùte
kammaniye thite ànejjappatte pubbenivàsà-nussatinànàya cittam
abhininnàmesim. So anekavihitam pubbenivàsam anussaràmi,
seyyathidam:ekampi jàtim dve pijàtiyo, ... jàtisatasahassampi, anekepi
samvattakappe aneke pi vivattakappe; amutr' àsim evannàmo evamgotto evam
vanno evamahàro evam sukhadukkhapatisamvedì evamàyupariyanto, so tato
cuto amutra udapàdim, tatra p'àsim evannàmo evamgotto evamvanno
evamàhàro evam sukhadukkhapativediì evamàyupariya-nto, so tato cuto
idhupapanno ti. Iti sàkàram sauddesam anekavihitam pubbenivàsam
anussaràmi. Ayam kho me, bràhmana rattiyà pathame yàme pathamà vijjà
adhigatà. Avijjà vihatà vijjà uppannà. Tamo vihato àloko uppanno. Yathà
tam appamattassa àtàpino pahitattassa viharato.
" So evam samàhite citte
parisuddhe pariyodàte anangane vigatupakkilese mudubhuùte kammaniye
thite ànejjappatte sattànam cutuapapatananàya cittam abhininnàmesim. So
dibbena cakkhunà visuddhena atikkantamànusakena satte passàmi cavamàne
upapajjamàne...
" So evam samàhite citte
parisuddhe... abhininnàmesim. So,idam dukkhanti yathàb-hutam abbhannàsim
.Ayam dukkhasamudayo ti yathàbhuùtam abbhannàsim. Ayam dukkhanirodhoti
yathàbhutam abbhannàsim. Ayam dukkhanirodhagàmini patipadàti
yathàbhuø-tam abbhannàsim....
Ayam kho me, bràhmana,
rattiyà pacchime yàme tatiyà vijjà adhigatà, avijjà vihatà vijjà
uppannà, tamo vihato àloko uppanno. Yathà tam appamattassa àtàpino
pihatattassa viharato".) (33)
The above attainment of
the Noble Truth was also recorded in the discourse of Ariyapariyesana as
follows:
"It occurred to me,
monks: This Dhamma won to by me in deep difficult to see, difficult to
understand, tranquil, excellent, beyond dialectic, subtle, intelligible
to the learned. But this is a creation delighting in sensual pleasure,
delighted by sensual pleasure, rejoicing in sensual pleasure, this were
a matter difficult to see, that is to say, causal uprising by way of
condition. This too were a matter difficult to see, that is to say, the
tranquillising of all the activities, the renunciation of all
attachment, the destruction of craving, dispassion, stopping, nibbàna".
(34)
(" Tassa mayham,
bhikkhave, atadahosi: Adhigato kho me ayam dhammo gambhìro duddaso
duranubodho santo panìto atakkàvacaro nipuno panditavedaniìyo. Àlayaràmà
kho panàyam pajà àlayaratà àlayasammudità. Àlayaràmàya kho panapajàya
àlayaratàya àlayasammuditàya duddasam idam thànam yadidam idappaccayatà
paticcasamuppàdo, idam-pi kho thànam duddasam yadidam
sabbasankhàrasamatho sabbupadhipatinissaggo tanhakkhayo viràgo nirodho
nibbànam".) (35)
The Truth of Dependent
Origination (Paticcasamuppàda) was described in Kindred Sayings, Vol.II
(Samyuttanikàya, Vol.II) as follows:
" Then to me, brethren,
came this thought: "What now being present, does decay - and - death
come to be ? What conditions decay - and - death ? Then to me thinking
according to law came to pass comprehension of insight: let there be
birth, then there is decay - and - death. Decay - and - death is
conditioned by birth... let there be ignorance, then activities come to
be, activities are conditioned by ignorance. Such verily is this
"activities are conditioned by ignorance", and the rest. Even so is the
coming to be of this entire mass of ill.
Then, brethren, to me
came the thought: What now being absent, does decay - and - death not
come to be ? From the ceasing of what is there ceasing of decay - and -
death?
Then to me, thinking
according to law, came to pass comprehension of insight: let there be no
birth, then decay - and - death ceases. From ceasing of birth comes
ceasing of decay - and - death.
And thus also came to me
comprehension of insightinto the like concerning birth, becoming,
grasping, craving, feeling, contact, sense, name - and - form,
consciousness, activities, ignorance. Such verily is this "ceasing of
activities because ceasing of ignorance, and the rest. Even so is the
ceasing of this entire mass of ill". (36)
"Tassa mayham,
bhikkhave, etadahosi // kimhi nu kho sati jaràmaranam hoti kimpaccayà
jaràmarananti // Tassa mayham bhikkhave, yoniso manasikàrà ahu pannàya
abhisamayo // jàtiyà kho sati jaràmaranam hoti jàtipaccayà
jaràmaranan ti // .
Iti hidam avijjàpaccayà
sankhàrà // sankhàrapaccayà vinnànam // pe // Evam etassa kevalassa
dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti //
Tassa mayham, bhikkhave,
etadahosi // Kimhi nu kho asati jaràmaranam " na hoti kissa nirodhà
jaràmarananirodhoti // Tassa mayham, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikàrà ahu
pannàya abhisamayo // jàtiyà kho asati jaràmaranam na hoti jàtinirodhà
jaràmarananirodhoti //
Tassa mayham, bhikkhave,
etadahosi // Kimhi nu kho asati jàti "na hoti // bhavo // upàdànam //
tanhà // vedanà / phasso // salàyatanam // nàmaruùpam // vinnànam /
sankhàrà na honti // kissa nirodhà sankhàranirodho ti //
Tassa mayham, bhikkhave,
yoniso manasikàrà ahu pannàya abhisamayo // Avijjàya kho asatisankhàrà
na honti avijjànirodhà sankhàranirodho ti // ... (37)
Evametassa kevalassa
dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti // ")
So, Dependent Origination
realized by Lord Buddha Gotama, which had not been heard before in India,
is a very special doctrine determining the difference between Buddhism and
other religions and philosophies. It is this which opens what is called
Buddhist Pàli Tipitaka or Pàli Suttapitaka in a narrow meaning. It is this
which shows the truth of men and nature, and the truth of men's suffering
and the way of ceasing it. Therefore, it may be considered as the source
of a good course of education or culture suggesting a new course of
research for the true meaning of personality which says that the meaning
of Dependent Origination really is the Buddhist concept of personality; to
understand what a man really is, one should understand what Dependent
Origination is. It is unnecessary to examine separately the concept of man
as the existence of the Four Elements (Catu-dhàtu), or as a Satta, a
puggala, attà, jiva etc. which denote, ‘ego-entity', because all these
concepts are implied in the term Nàma-ruùpa, the fourth element of the
Dependent Origination - This is what the author is going to discuss about
in next chapters.
REFERENCES:
(1) : A.K. Warder,
"Indian Buddhism", Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Pvt. LTD. Delhi,
1991, p.18.
(2) : Ibid. p.18.
(3) : Chandradhar Sharma, A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy,
Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Pvt. LTD, Delhi; 1991, p.18.
(4) : Ibid., p.20.
(5) : Ibid., p.21.
(6) : Benimadhab Barua, A history of Pre-Buddhistic Indian Philosophy,
Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, Varanasi, Patna, 1970; p.6.
(7) : Ibid., p. 45.
(8) : Ibid., p. 277.
(9) : Ibid., p. 304.
(10) : Ibid., p. 293.
(11) : Ibid., p. 281.
(12) : Ibid., p. 325.
(13) : Ibid., p. 378.
(14) : " The Discourse on The Supreme Net," Long Discourses, tr. by
Maurice Walshe, Wisdom Publication, London, 1987, p.87.
(15) : " Brahmajàla-sutta", Dìgha-Nikàya, PTS, London, 1975, p. 36.
(16) : S. Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Delhi, Oxford University
Press, 1989, p. 22.
(17) : Ibid., p,.28.
(18) : S.D. Dev, Education and Career, Printed in India, Printing Press,
New Delhi-110005, pp. 4-5.
(19) : Ibid., pp. 8-9.
(20) : " The Discourse on Nàlaka," Suttanipata, verse No. 691, tr. by F.
Max Muller, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 1992, p.125.
(21) : "Nàlakasuttam Nitthitam", Sutta-nipàta, Khuddaka-Nikàya, PTS,
London, 1990, p.134, verse No. 691.
(22) : "The Discourse on Nàlaka",..., verse No. 692, p.125.
(23) : "Nàlakasuttam Nitthitam",..., p. 134, verse No.692.
(24) : "The Discourse on Nàlaka",..., verse No. 693, p.125.
(25) : "Nàlakasuttam Nitthitam",..., p.134, verse No.693.
(26) : "The Discourse on Nàlaka",..., verse No. 694, p.125.
(27) : "Nàlakasuttam Nitthitam",..., p.135, verse No.694.
(28) : "Mahàsaccakasuttam", Middle Length Syings, Vol. I, PTS,London,
1987, pp.295-296.
(29) : "Mahàsaccakasuttam", Majjhima-Nikàya, Vol. I, PTS, London, 1979,
pp. 240-241.
(30) : "the Discourse on Ariyapariyesana", Middle Length Sayings, Vol.
I., PTS, London, 1987, pp.28-29.
(31) : "Ariyapariyesana-sutta", Majjhima-Nikàya, Vol.I, PTS, London,
1979, pp.166-167.
(32) : "The discourse on Bhayabherava", Majjhima-Nikàya, Vol. I, PTS,
London, 1987, pp. 28-29.
(33) : "Bhayabherava-sutta",Majjhima-Nikàya, PTS, London, 1979,
pp.22-23.
(34) : "The Discourse on Ariyapariyesana",..., pp. 211-212.
(35) : "Ariyapariyesana-sutta",..., p. 167.
(36) : Kindred Sayings , Vol. II, PTS , London , 1990, pp.6-7.
(37) : Samyutta-Nikàya, Vol. II, PTS, London,1989, pp. 10-11.
---o0o---
Contents| Part 1
| Part 2 | Part 3
| Part 4 | Part 5
| Biography
---o0o---
Source :
BuddhaSasana Home Page
---o0o---
Layout: Nhi Tuong
Update : 11-12-2002
