Aloka
JOURNAL - Page 2
ARTICLES INDEX Page -2
- Looking through conventions - We are educated and used to looking into the world through...
- The concept of truth - Since the beginning of time, one of the greatest objectives of human endeavour...
- The life beyond - Teachers of different faiths have in their teachings referred to life beyond...
- Sinhala Buddhism - Sinhala Buddhism like other such entities has undergone change over the years...
- On the Way to Nibbana - Nibbana is the one and only goal of Buddhist spirituality...
- Arahat Mahinda's gift to Sri Lanka - Pioneer educationist Marie Musaeus Higgins wrote this account
- Kamma and Free Will - Does everything happen in our lives according to Kamma...
- The supreme sacrifice of Dana - Dana in Pali means generosity or giving...
- Dhamma, Dhamma everywhere but is it for mindful assimilation? - This will enable you to understand how even Dhamma Thought of Purest Serenity, capable of generating unlimited power leading one to Enlightenment.
- Free thinking critique in Buddhism - This passage shows the Buddha's enlightened attitude towards both constructive and destructive criticism and the equanimity with which it has to be treated.
Looking through conventions
By Samanera Pajalo (Austria)
"... and there might be the truth in what the beggar is saying, and none at all in what is said by the rich man or the man in authority."
- J. Krishnamurti
We are educated and used to looking into the world through the coloured lens of labels and conventions. We are getting lost in the world by inflating our egos beyond what they actually are and by losing ourselves in what we have and what we think we are.
For years I have been living as a monk, without family, property, a profession and all the extreme sweet and bitter fruits which ripen through the normal life of a common man. Yet I am happy that I had tasted enough of that. One gets tired of running after this mirage made up by us and emphasized by society.
There is an advantage in having experienced life beyond the common superficial ideas and opinions. The wealthy environment of my childhood shattered the ideal that money equals happiness and freedom. Having grown up in the sceneries around "Sound of Music", it was clear to me that even the most beautiful environment cannot beautify the heart. The fact that my father is a doctor and that mother grew up in an aristocratic family, 'taught' me that none of that is a guarantee for a fulfilling life. A closer look may even reveal the opposite. I got to know many people, who have passed through universities, but at the same time they seemed to have missed the essence of life. Having had the freedom to travel extensively throughout Europe and America I realized that feeling at home is a matter of the heart and not a particular place. Having experienced a love relationship it was clear to me, that certain movies and books, in which we love to get lost, are stories too rare to become true in our own lives.
It's only experience and wisdom that can shatter these concepts of this 'happy', but false world.
Let's leave aside 'my' life and look around at this Island. What do we think about the businessman who drives his Mercedes Benz to the A/C cooled office at the World Trade Center, where he is connected with the whole world. Compare him with the farmer riding his old bicycle to the paddy field, to work in the heat of the sun, far away from any world-news. Isn't there a chance that he has a deeper understanding of reality; that he is living a more balanced, happier life. That he is more humble and wise than his 'fellow being' who is labelled as a 'VIP'. Might this simple man with his uncomplicated life not be the one who is more satisfied with what he has without being afraid of losing anything, including life itself. Could not he be the one who realized the deeper meaning of the 'Art of Living', far beyond the 'important and big' man who is bounded by silver chains, kept in golden cages, and caught up in the city' rat race?
"Since we have been in prison we got to know life", inmates of Bogambara jail once told me during one of my visits. I have a feeling that some of these so called 'criminals' are able to face life in a more honest way than many of us outside who are hiding the ego behind all their wealth, degrees and family status.
At such a place where there is no difference between a millionaire and a beggar, where one has no attached titles, only a number for identification, where everybody is treated the same, no matter whether you are a scholar or illiterate, there is a chance to let go of all the conventions, labels and pride that are nurtured in our minds and considered important by society. Only then will we be able to see life again through the eyes of an innocent child, only then will we realize that watching a golden sunset can be more precious than having a golden coin, that a smile from the heart can be more important than a complicated degree from the university, and that the murmur of a clear spring can tell us more than empty words from an empty mind.
If we really want to learn about life and if we really want to grow up in this world, we have to be able to look straight down to the heart through all the conventions and complications in ourselves and in those around us.
The Island - 2 Jan 02
The concept of truth
by Aryadasa Ratnasinghe
Since the beginning of time, one of the greatest objectives of human endeavour has been in the pursuit of truth, or the agreement with reality as the established fact. It was recognised that human existence had always been subject to a great deal of hazards and disappointments, unless based upon reliable information. The search for this phenomenon pertaining to human behaviour and conduct in life was woven into the fabric of truth.
The concept of revealed truth is as old as recorded history, and it implies that truth has to be seen through some sort of contact between man and a higher authority or divinity. Intuitive truth is much the same as revealed truth, except that the divine power, to have absolute knowledge, is assumed to rest with certain people rather than with an outside deity. However, truth is considered an established fact.
Empirical truth is that nothing should be considered or believed to be true, unless it has been borne by observation and experience. This concept has been modified to fit the needs of modern science and technology. According to Christianity, the Holy Bible says: "But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth" (Romans 2:2.)
As science progressed, it became increasingly evident that almost nothing in the world, as it seems to be, has come out of nothing. Buddha preached to the world the importance of truth as discovered by him, based on the Four Noble Truths, which is the crux of Buddhism.
He said "This is suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of suffering and this's the way leading to the cessation of suffering. These are the four truths I have discovered, which bring benefit, and advancement in the holy life, because they lead to dispassion, to fading, to ceasing, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment and, finally, to Nibbana", (the summum bonum in Buddhism). - Samyutta Nikaya.
At the time of the Buddha, India was undergoing a great spiritual revolution the world had not been aware of, or not seen before. Many youngmen of noble families left their homes in quest of truth, having renounced the world to achieve their objectives.
The 'sramanas' (ascetics) went among the people, teaching and preaching their doctrines, in search of a panacea for the evils of suffering, which is part and parcel of human life. It was at this time that the Buddha entered into the arena of such religious combatants, expounding his doctrine which none had discovered before.
The Four Noble Truths are the very important aspect of the teachings of the Buddha. Their importance has been stated in no uncertain terms by the Buddha. He has said that it is because we fail to understand the four Truths that we run on so long in this cycle of birth and death, which is known as the 'samsara'. The Buddha's first discourse on Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, to the five brahmin ascetics at the Isipatanaramaya in Varanasi (modern Benares), was primarily about the Four Noble Truths, the last of which is the Middle Path.
What are the Four Noble Truths? (i) suffering, (ii) cause of suffering (iii) the destruction of suffering and (iv) the path leading to the destruction of suffering. The first is to be comprehended, the second (craving) is to be eradicated, the third (Nibbana) is to be realised, and the fourth (the Noble Eightfold Path) is to be developed. These four truths exist in the world so long as humanity exists.
Buddha said: "Etamhi tumhe patipanna dukkhassantam karissatha, akkhato ve maya maggo annaya sallasnthanam". "(Dhammapada 20:3:275). It means that one who enters the path (the Middle Path) he will make an end to pain. Having learnt the removal of thorns (lust), so has the Buddha taught the Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path, discovered by the Buddha for the realisation of Nibbana, is comprised of (1) I'Samma ditthi' (Right understanding), (2) 'Samma samkappa' (Right thoughts), (3) I'Samma vaca' (Right speech), (4) I'Samma kammanta' (Right action), (5) 'Samma ajiva' (Right livelihood), (6) 'Samma vayama' (Samma vayama' (Right effort), (7) 'Samma sati' (Right mindfulness) and (8) 'Samma samadhi' (Right concentration). From a philosophical point of view these eight factors are the eight mental states found in the supra-mundane consciousness which has Nibbana as its goal.
One of the structures that had been developed by medical science in ancient India, was the fourfold structure of disease, diagnosis, cure and treatment, which easily correspond closely to the four Noble Truths.
In other words, suffering corresponds to illness, the cause of suffering to diagnosis, the end of suffering to cure, and the means of suffering to treatment as the end. In the Rohitha Sutta, Buddha states "In this very one fathom long body, along with its perceptions and thoughts, I do proclaim to the world, the origin of the world, the cessation of the world and the way leading to the cessation of the world" The 'world' implies 'suffering'.
Expounding the Four Noble Truths in various ways, the Buddha concluded the discourse on Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, for the well-being of mankind, with the forcible words: "As long, O bhikkus, as the absolute, true, intuitive knowledge, regarding these Four Noble Truths, under their three aspects and twelve modes, was not perfectly clear to me, so long I did not acknowledge that I had gained the incomparable supreme enlightenment. When the Truths became perfectly clear to me, then only did I acknowledge that I had gained the incomparable supreme enlightenment" ('anuttara sammasambodhi')
Buddhism is a philosophy based on personal experience and, therefore, it is rational in outlook and not speculative. Buddha discarded all authority and evolved a golden mean which was purely his own, and it is a way (magga) for the cessation of rebirth which involves suffering. Rational understanding, not speculative thought, is the keynote of Buddhism, which rejects blind faith in any unseen authority or a God or gods.
According to Buddhism, mere beliefs and dogmas cannot emancipate a person.
The Buddha, highlighting on the Four Noble Truths, to the five brahmin ascetics, in his first discourse mainly intended for them, he cautioned them to avoid the two extremes, i.e, 'kamasukkhallikanuyoga' (extreme sensualism) and 'attakilamatanuyoga' (extreme asceticism), because they are vulgar, ignoble, profitless and unworthy, and lead to nowhere, and they should not be resorted to by a recluse (one who has renounced the world to lead a celibate life), i.e., a 'pabbajitena'.
The Noble Eightfold Path has been traditionally divided into three groups, e.g., 'sila' (morality), 'samadhi' (meditation) and 'panna' (wisdom). Right speech, Right action and Right livelihood belong to morality; Right effort, Right understanding and Right concentration to mental development, and Right understanding and Right thought to wisdom.
When we look at the Four Noble Truths, we see that they are divided into two groups. The first two (suffering and cause of suffering) belong to the realm of birth and death. The second two (end of suffering and path to end suffering) can be symbolised in terms of a spiral directed upwards which have to be reached with endeavour. The Buddha has taught that craving or attachment to desire ('tanha' or 'raga') leads to suffering. Not only that we crave for pleasant experiences but also for material things which manifest in this world of sorrow.
Truth taught in Buddhism is par excellence.
The Island - 29 Dec 01
The life beyond
By Dr. Gamini Karunanayake, MBBS (Cey) D.I.H. (Eng)
All great saints and teachers of different faiths have in their teachings referred to life beyond the present. Rama Krishna, Gotama Buddha, Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammed, Sai Baba and many others including the great Rishis of Vedic India taught that, we should all live according to certain ethical standards that have been laid down, so that our present and future lives beyond would be happy, until we obtain final liberation and escape from the endless cycles of births and deaths (Samsara). Inspite of revelations by great teachers of the continuance of life after death; there are still some people who believe the present life is the last and therefore 'one should make the best use of it while it lasts' in a manner that suits their thinking.
Near death experience
Theosophical researchers, Scientists, Doctors of medicine, Yogis and other researchers, have published articles on the existence of life after death. In this article, material has been published from their writings. Dr. Raymond Moody has researched on "death bed experiences", (i.e. people who were pronounced as 'clinically dead' were revived and they spoke of their experiences while they were in a clinically 'dead' state). The majority of patients who 'died' said that, they left their bodies and hovered above their physical lifeless form, and observed the doctors trying to revive their body. Elizabeth Taylor, the beautiful and famous actress who nearly died of pneumonia had this particular experience. Similarly, there were other patients who were pronounced clinically 'dead', but later they were able to identify the doctors and nurses who attended on them. Some patients were able to rise above their prostate bodies and "see" and identify patients who were occupying other rooms in the hospital. In Dr. Raymond Moody's study, the patients who pronounced dead experienced going through a long dark tunnel at very high speed and meeting a 'being bathed in light' at the end of the tunnel, who lovingly welcomed them and had a conversation with them regarding their life "performance" in this world. Various important aspects in their life were reviewed in flash backs like on a TV screen. At the end of the meeting, the 'dead person' was made to understand that he or she had some more duties to attend to in this world and therefore it was best that life returned to his or her body. The 'being of light' at the end of the dark 'tunnel' was Jesus to Christians, and people of other faiths perceived the being of light as the leader of their faith. There are others who have ascended to heavenly planes, and seen the beauty of the inhabitants and the environment there. Some others have seen the misery and frustrations in other darker planes where beings were regretting for their lapses in this world.
What happens after death
Books say that when a person discards his physical body at death he gets onto his Spirit body or the Astral body which is very subtle (and is a look alike of the youthful physical body). Those who have performed charitable deeds and accumulated good Karma will ascend to the Higher Astral worlds where they will have a contented and happy life. The ordinary decent man will wake up in the Lower Astral plane which is a subtler counter part of the physical world, but it is more beautiful. Those persons who have been brutal and whose desires are utterly depraved will wake up in the grosser still lower level of Astral plane. Here the environment is grey coloured or dark, and living there is extremely unpleasant and miserable. The inhabitants will experience frustrations due to their inability to work out their physical passions through their Astral bodies which are not equipped for such fulfilment. This harrowing experience may well be termed a purgatory, but it is temporary and lasts until his depraved desires are worn out. The term Apaya (Niraya) used in Buddhist literature could correspond to this Grosser Astral plane.
In the ordinary lower Astral plane the inhabitants are able to communicate with certain people, especially friends and relations through a 'medium'. It is known that, Sir D. Baron Jayatillake a former head of the cabinet of Ministers was in regular communication, for over ten years with a well known Diplomat and Ambassador to an European country. Sir DBJ was living after his death in an Astral plane and he gave advise to the diplomat on matters relating to Buddhism, Philosophy, Psychology etc. and also on personal matters.
The communications were in the form of automatic writing from the spirit of Sir DB who on a few occasions gave demonstrations of telekinesis, that is, the movement of physical objects through space after dematerialising. (Reference Spiritual Inquiry for the youth by C. Shanmuganayagam). Later, the spirit of Sir DB informed the diplomat that he was moving into a higher plane of existence from where contact with the human world is not possible due to human society being so polluted. In Buddhist Literature, it is stated that persons who have reached the Devalokas would develop an aloofness from worldly attachments. However, liberated souls living in the higher heavens could come down to earth and communicate with spiritually advanced people. In the book - 'Autobiography of a Yogi' Swami Yogananda's guru Sri Yukteswar after his death came back to his beloved devotee in flesh and blood form to give a sermon on the after life in other planes of existence. Sri Sathya Sai Baba's mother Easwaramma, who died long years ago has been seen on several occasions in her physical form talking to Sai Baba in his Ashram. Swami Yogananda while lecturing on a topic of a spiritual nature had seen some of his devotees who died earlier, seated in the lecture hall, in their Astral bodies and were listening to his lecture.
Life in the higher Astral heavens
Books also say that, the Astral Cosmos is much larger than the physical Cosmos, and infinitely more beautiful. It is teeming with Astral beings who have arrived from the physical world. The environment their is extremely beautiful, and pleasant. There are beautiful flowers, streams, waterfalls etc. The fruit trees bear extremely delicious fruits. There are no snakes and insects but birds and butterflies are present. The climate is always a very comfortable spring time, with no extremes of temperature. The Astral inhabitants are not born from the wombs of a woman, but they automatically arrive in the youthful form and are welcomed into household occupied by persons who have similar spiritual and mental tendencies. As such there are no difference of opinion of serious nature and therefore there is always peace and harmony in the household and the community. Friends of previous lives in the physical world recognise each other in the Astral world. One can meet several fathers, mothers, brothers, wives, husbands and other relatives of previous lives. As such, it is difficult to decide whom to love in particular as all have been connected at sometime or other. That is why all religious teachers advise us to love everybody equally. Communication among all Astral world residents is by telepathy or thought transference. Astral persons can sometimes observe human activities, but certain human beings who are spiritually developed can view the Astral world e.g. Swami Yogananda was able to see the spirit of the mother of one of his devotees after she died of breast cancer. She was being escorted by Astral helpers to her new residence in the Astral world. Her cancer was fully cured. There is extremely melodious 'heavenly music' composed by famous musicians Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Kabirdas, Mirabhai who are now living in the Astral heavens. They are entertaining vast Astral audiences. Most of us living in the physical world are able to contact our dead relatives living in the Astral world. When we are in deep sleep Astral body detaches from the physical body and goes to the Astral planes. When we wake up, we are not able to recollect but the Astral beings know this and therefore they do not miss us so much. During the Second World war, the great Indian Saint Sri Aurobindo who is now living in the Highest of the Astral Heavens decided that he should stop Adolph Hitler from destroying the world. Hitler summoned a conference of his Military Generals to decide on whether he should first attack Russia or Britain. He told the Generals to decide on that issue and he himself retreated to another room to 'meditate'. It was at this stage that Sri Aurobindo intervened to influence Hitler's mind that he should first attack Russia and not Britain. This decision taken by Hitler against the advise tendered by his Generals resulted it disastrous consequences for Hitler and Nasi Germany. Thus Sri Aurobindo saved the world from the Nazi dictator. (Ref. Howard Murphet "Where the road ends").
The Causal or Brahma worlds
Astral inhabitants can reincarnate into the Physical or Causal worlds. There life span is about 1500 to 2000 years. Our being is composed of three parts. 1) Physical body, 2) Astral body, 3) Causal body. These three bodies are joined together due to the force of unfulfilled desire. The Causal body is composed of mind and ideas and is represented by a spark of light. In Buddhism, the beings in the Brahma lokas are of two types. Those with a body (Rupa) and those with mind only (Nama). Beings of the Physical world can go direct to the Brahma worlds, if they have developed their minds in meditation to a very high level. The beings in the Causal world are only one step away from total liberation or Nirvana. They have only to apply themselves to get rid of the remaining traces of desires to achieve liberation.
People who accumulate good or wholesome Karma by performing Dana, Seela, Bhavana (Charity, Morality, Meditation) need not unduly fear death, as they will be able to be happy in life beyond. Others who accumulate bad or unwholesome Karma will have to improve themselves sooner than later, to avoid the consequences in this very life, and in the life beyond.
The Island - 8 Dec 01
Sinhala Buddhism
by Nalin de Silva
Part I
Sinhala Buddhism like other such entities has undergone change over the years. When I say years with respect to Sinhala Buddhism it is much more than a few hundreds of years. Sinhala Buddhism has a history of more than two thousand three hundred years and fortunately we do not have to confine ourselves to the century after Anagarika Dharmapala. I have not gone through all the literature by
Anagarika Dharmapala and I do not believe in index reading and literature surveys in important topics such as these. I believe in understanding. In any event I am not worried if it was Anagarika Dharmapala who coined the word Sinhala Buddhism as coining a word to identify a phenomenon does not mean that the phenomenon came into existence with the coining of the word.
Even if it was Anagarika Dharmapala who coined the words Sinhala Buddhism and Sinhala Buddhist, the concepts have been there for ages. It is not necessary to have a word or a set of words to describe a concept . The babies identify various objects without knowing the names given to them by the society. They must be having some concept in the form of an image (citta rupaya-details in "Mage Lokaya"). The babies and small children, contrary to what some post modernists say do not live in a space created by the language(s). Buddhists have no problem in grasping what is going on as they know as Paticcasamuppavadins that sanskaras are constructed due to ignorance (avidya) of anicca, dukka and anatta.
Babies like the others are ignorant of anicca, dukka and anatta and construct concepts such as "mother", "milk", "food", "hunger" though these concepts may not have the same meanings as given by the words. Recently Dr. Gananatha Obeysekera attempted to find out who used the words "dhamma deepa" first to describe this island. Though there are at least two meanings to the word deepa (words have meaning only in a context and in a particular culture. The word chair is not used to describe those objects in the busses and trains on which we sit. However a child may refer to them as chairs to be "corrected" by the elders who would insist that the word chair is not used to describe those objects in busses and trains.) it may be that it was Anagarika Dharmapala who pioneered the use of the words 'dhamma deepa" in the sense of land or island of dhamma.
If it is so then what has any "applied" sociologist or "applied" social anthropologist got to say about that. As a Sinhala Buddhist I would be very proud of Anagarika Dharmapala for being creative unlike the so called intellectuals who have no creative ability at all. Most of the "intellectuals" produced by our seats of learning (are they seats of learning or seats of leaning, where students are taught how to lean on western concepts and theories - these seats, unlike other seats have chairs very often attached to departments of studies, but that is a different matter altogether.) at Peradeniya and other places are only barren Newtonian "paradigmers" who know how to "apply" theories of westerners to local situations.
Let us assume that it was Anagarika Dharmapala who coined the concepts of Sinhala Buddhist and Sinhala Buddhism. Does it mean that the concept was not there prior to Anagarika Dharmapala? If that was the case what was there before that? Did our ancestors called themselves just Buddhists without the adjective Sinhala. I know that a person like my friend and "old" comrade Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne who cannot see beyond his Marxist -Trotskyite nose would say that nations are products of capitalism and as such there would not have been any Sinhala nation before the British introduced capitalism to this country in the nineteenth century and that the Sinhala nation itself was created by Anagarika Dharmapala.
Even if we accept that argument then the question arises as to what that tribe living in this country who became Sinhala after the British introduced capitalism, called themselves during the Dutch or the Portuguese period, not to mention the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambadeniya, Gampola periods. On the otherhand how did the Portuguese and the Dutch refer to the inhabitants of the country?
Whether it was a tribe, a nation they would have had some name and however much some historians, anthropologists and sociologists may try to erase the word Sinhala or Sihala from history it has survived thousands of years of history. (One does not have to lean on the Marxist definition to identify a nation and we have argued on many occasions that the Sinhala nation came into existence at the time of king Pandukabhaya.)
Buddhism unlike the other "world religions" does not admit a creator God. Some go to the extent of saying that Buddhism is not a religion as a religion talks of a God who created the world. To them Buddhism is a way of life and they refer to it as Dahamma. However, these people go by (lean on) some definition of religion created in the west whose intellectuals at one time probably wanted to show that some of us did not have a religion. Some Indians have also fallen into this trap and claim that Hinduism is a way of life. All religions talk of death and what happens after death. For some, after death there is eternal life, for some others it is eternal life in heaven or hell after the final judgement. Some would argue that if there is life, eternal or otherwise, then it is rebirth or punabbava or some such thing.
Those who do not want to accept rebirth could claim that the soul does not die and it is only the body that "dies" and that the soul is eternal. The soul theorists of this form could get away from death by this definition but they cannot get away from birth and they are only theorising a semi eternity. This eternity has a beginning on one side but no end on the other side. It is not endless on both sides. It is like one form of the big bang universe which has a beginning but goes on expanding without an end, and not like the steady state universe that has no beginning, in the sense that it has existed for an infinite time and will exist for an infinite time. The western mind (the culture) has a problem with two way eternity and it is that mentality that admits big bang universe and not the steady state universe, more than the so-called agreements with observations. Needles to say that oscillating universes are not to the liking of the westerners.
The Buddhists, Hindus and Jains believe in rebirth, punabbava. I have a feeling that these punabbava theorists represent the other side of the coin of the eternal (one way) soul theorists. They do not want to claim that a person (sathva) is reborn as there is no soul. Hence they theorise about punabbhava without soul. I just cannot understand how these people talk of a sathva when there is no such sathva. They do not seem to understand that we cannot communicate or "know" without these "half baked" concepts and theories which are really the result of our ignorance (avidya) of anicca, dukka and anatta.
These concepts and theories are only "sammuthi sacca" and just as much we use the concept of sathva when there is no such sathva, it is not wrong to say of a rebirth of a sathva. There is a somewhat similar problem in Quantum Physics. There concepts in Newtonian Physics such as position and momentum are used to describe "particles" that are not perceptible to senses. But as Dr. Neils Bohr has said there is nothing that the western Physicists could do about it and will have to go on using those Newtonian concepts in Quantum Physics as well. We in South Asia could go further and say that the western Physicists will have to be satisfied with these Newtonian concepts until and unless they engage in yogic exercises or "bhavana" and develop their (mental) faculties to "experience" these "Quantum particles" directly.
Coming back to rebirth, sathva is reborn until he or she is liberated from the sansaric cycle. The Hindus are liberated when they unite with Brahman or rather when they "see" that they are united with Brahman (like Avidya for the Buddhists there is moha for the Hindus preventing them to "see" the unity with Brahaman. Once they are united with Brahman they do not die and live "eternally". (This eternity is not the same as the western eternity and is symmetric with respect to past and future though there appears to be some discontinuity). In any event all these religions think of non death as the ultimate objective. Whether eternal life in heaven or unity with Brahaman it is some sort of life, non death (or immortality say) that they are after, whereas in Theravada Buddhism the opposite is the case. The Sinhala Buddhists, for example, would not want to be reborn, either in the heaven or united with Brahman being conscious of it.
It is not death that has to be "defeated" but birth. The Buddha after attaining enlightenment (these phrases are not conceptually correct) said it was his last birth and he would not be born again. One might ask me what is Nibbana. Though there are people who claim that Nibbana could be expressed in words it is not within Theravada Buddhism to define Nibbana. If Nibbana could be defined or expressed in terms of other concepts then Nibbana itself becomes a concept. Only concepts are expressed in terms of other concepts and if Nibbana is another concept then Nibbana like all the other concepts should be a creation of the minds of the people. Moreover we should be able to know Nibbana the way we know the other concepts and there is no need for an eight fold path to attain Nibbana.
These people only claim that Nibbana could be expressed in words but never cite a Sutta where Buddha has either expressed Nibbana in terms of other concepts or said that it is possible to do so. These people are Olcott Buddhists and I will come to them later. The whole problem of rebirth could be explained in terms of "I" and "mine" and avidya. It is due to the recognition of a mind when there is no mind and I would say that Nibbana is attained when it is "realised" through the non mind (nethi manasa) that the non mind is a non mind.
This is not a definition of Nibbana but an attempt to create a theory (non theory) that is consistent within Sinhala Theravada Buddhism.(Please refer the preface to the third edition of "Mage Lokaya").
As far as I am concerned it is the beauty of the theory or the non theory of Theravada Buddhism that attracts me towards it though as a Theravada Buddhist I "know" that I should not be attracted to these theories (or non theories).
The Island 9 Nov 01
Sinhala Buddhism - Part II
The Buddhists and Hindus are reborn because of avidya and maya respectively and even the Christians and the Catholics would have to admit that they are either reborn after death or if they are not prepared to admit rebirth, that their souls continue to live after the physical bodies die. In any event it could be said that in general, religions are concerned with (continuation of) life after death (of physical bodies) of sathva (men and women). They teach (continuation of) life after death and also there are various rituals associated with them and "preach" some form of liberation. So not only Islam and Christianity but Buddhism and Hinduism are religions. Those who claim that Buddhism and Hinduism are not religions and are only ways of life are to my mind being misled by some western definition of religion and taken the cultural aspects of a religion to be the most important.
The Buddhists differ from followers of other "world religions" in trying not to be reborn. Their liberation is from birth and not from death. Needles to say that when one is liberated from birth, one is liberated from death as well. (I do not know when ideas such as "mara parajaya" (defeat of death) entered mainstream Theravada Buddhism, but it could be due to the influence of Mahayana that created the concept of "immortal" Buddhas in the form of Dharmakayas and other "kayas" and of immortal Bodhisathvas in effect. The Buddhists also do not have a creator God. These two aspects make Theravada Buddhism a peculiar "world religion" without any common "object"that the followers could share. The creator God in any one of the other world religions is common to all people following that religion though the God may have been only a tribal god in the distant past. When a religion gets itself promoted from a local religion to a world religion the creator god, if any, is promoted from a tribal god to a universal God. In Islam and Christianity those who embrace these religions also transfer their allegiance from the local (or the tribal) god to the (new) universal God of those religions. (Buddhists who are converted get a God with their conversion.) As others have observed not many people are converted to Hinduism. Hinduism spreads now mainly through the migration of Hindus to various other countries. The "world religions" other than Buddhism have not only a common creator God but a common object like Heaven or Brahaman with whom they could unite. These objects and the creator Gods are objective "bodies" that exist independent of men (or sathva in general) and this "objectivity" of the God and the Heaven (they are united in Brahman in Hinduism) make these religions "world" or even universal religions with objective bodies, however subjective they may appear to a materialist. Some materialists would like to call it "objective idealism" of the world religions. What about the other "world religion" Buddhism? There is neither an "objective" creator God in Buddhism nor an "objective" Heaven. The gods such as Shakra are not immortal creator Gods and their abodes such as Thavthisa and Thusitha are not "places of liberation". Nibbana cannot be expressed in terms of other concepts or words (I challenge anybody to express Nibbana in words. For this purpose I am not interested in negative concepts and nirpravadas and Nibbana has to be expressed positively in terms of some other concepts.) The Theravada Buddhists have, in general, "negative theories" (nirpravada) of Nibbana and liberation. Nagarjunapada and the Madhyamikes tried to provide with a theory for Nibbana by making Nibbana relative to the Sansara. Nibbana not being a concept cannot be relative to a concept such as Sansara and in the long run all that Nagarjunapada achieved with respect to Bharat Buddhism both literary and literally was Sunyatha, which made it easier for Shankaracharya later on to formulate the positive concept of Nirgun Brahman and win over the Buddhists in Bharat. In any event it has to be emphasised that there is no "universal" concept, either in the form of a God, a Nirgun Brahman or a Heaven in Buddhism for Buddhists around the world to rally round. There is no "place" for the Buddhists even after liberation to "get together". Thus from the beginning there is nothing in Buddhism, especially in Theravada Buddhism that makes it a so called world religion. In Mahayana Buddhism, with the concepts of Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Bodhisathvas and their abodes the situation is somewhat different and Buddhism in the form of Mahayana may have some ingredients that could make it a "world religion" where its followers the world over could rally round some positive concept. It should not come as a surprise that most of the western Buddhists are attracted to Mahayana Buddhism. Any attempt to make Theravada Buddhism a world religion is bound to fail and the attempt by Colonel Olcott and others to create a world Buddhism with the introduction of six colour Buddhist flag and similar concepts has not succeeded. One cannot even make a theosophical Buddhism or an intellectual Buddhism from Theravada Buddhism with its nirpravadas. People like Colonel Olcott succeeded not in making a "world Buddhism" out of Theravada Buddhism but by eliminating to a certain extent the Sinhala or jathikathva of the Sinhala Buddhism and Sinhala Buddhist culture.
Buddhism, especially Theravada Buddhism, from the beginning has always being a "local" religion(s). In that sense there is no Buddhism or Theravada Buddhist civilisation as such and always there have been Sinhala Buddhism, Thai or Siam Buddhism, Myanmar or Ramanna Buddhism etc. People like Toynbee when they say that there is no Theravada Buddhist civilisation or that the Theravada Buddhist civilisation has been fossilised they may be subconsciously thinking of this aspect of Theravada Buddhism. A civilisation first of all gives a sense of belonging to a large set of people and Theravada Buddhism is unable to provide the people with symbols and concepts to come together with some kind of bondage. It is not that Theravada Buddhist civilisation is fossilised but Theravada Buddhism cannot create a civilisation to begin with. It can only produce "local" cultures such as Sinhala Buddhism
The above should not be taken as a criticism of Theravada Buddhism(s). I like Theravada Buddhism for what it is and we should not try to make a world religion or an intellectual religion out of Theravada Buddhism. When Arhat Mahinda came to Sri Lanka more than two thousand three hundred years ago what was introduced officially to this country was a Sinhala Buddhism. Arhat Mahinda when asked by the king Devanam Piyathissa said that Buddhism would be established in the country only after a person born in this country enters the sasana as a Bhikku and preach Dhamma. Arhat Mahinda not only did not get rid of tree worshipping that was prevailing in this country at that time, but gave it a Buddhist touch by obtaining a branch of Sri Maha Bodhi for people to worship. The people on the other hand did not give up their pantheon of gods and instead made them Buddhist gods. Further they were able to accommodate any other god that came from India afterwards. What was established was a Sinhala Buddhism that would not have been found anywhere else in the world. I think the situation was no different in the other Theravada Buddhist countries.
However in the Sinhala Buddhism that was established in the time of Devanam Piyathissa the "war" was missing as most probably it was influenced by the Buddhism of the king Asoka of Bharat, the latter becoming a Buddhist after fighting a war and giving up war. In no time two horse traders who came from Bharat, probably from Sindh, captured Anuradhapura. Though king Asela was able to defeat the horse traders it was left to the king Dutugemunu to add "war" as a component of Sinhala Buddhism. In the process Sinhala Buddhism went through a kind of metamorphism. Post Dutugemunu Sinhala Buddhism was not the same as pre Dutugemunu Sinhala Buddhism and if not for the metamorphism that was introduced by the king Dutugemunu, most probably on the advice of Vihara Maha Devi, Sinhala Buddhism would have disappeared from this country long time ago. It has to be emphasised that only in Sri Lanka or Sinhale, the "missions" sent by the king Asoka was successful and it was due to two reasons. Firstly the Sinhala culture (with the Sinhala language) was compatible with Theravada Buddhism. This is shown by the answers given by king Devanam Piyathissa to Arhat Mahinda on trees that were mangoes and not mangoes and also on king's relatives and non relatives. I analysed these questions and answers about twelve years ago in an article (not a so-called research paper to collect points for promotions) published in "Divaina". I have now developed this analysis further taking into consideration the role of the observer within and outside a system (with connotations in Quantum Physics) and hope to publish it in my research journals "Divaina" and "The Island", in the near future, knowing very well that I would not get any points for my "promotions" from what are known as newspaper articles in the academic circles. Fortunately my wife and girlfriend, though an academic herself, continues to ignore these circulars on points and has no hesitation to promote me at home as well as at various fora. A culture that had produced a king who could think of somebody left when both the relatives and the non relatives were taken off from a set of human beings, unconsciously making use of the fourth case of "catuskoti" (four fold logic), that is very important to Theravada Buddhism, was ready for "anatma" of Theravada Buddhism that explained rebirth of sathva as that of neither the sathva nor of some other sathva. ("na ca so na ca anno" in the Pali of Ven. Buddhagosa Thero). What a contrast is it from the answers given by the present day rulers. The story is that when a politician was asked by a visitor from another country whether there were any jack trees other than that was before him he had answered that all the other trees have been fell and the last one before him was marked for the afternoon. When he was asked whether there were any people who were not his relatives he had said that the whole world is his relatives and so is the visitor who asked the question and as such the visitor could help him (the politician) with a foreign trip.
Secondly Theravada Buddhism survived in this country for so long because of the metamorphism that it went through during the time of king Dutugemunu. The king (and Vihara Maha Devi) introduced "war" as a part of Sinhala Buddhism to defend the country from invasions. However unlike the present day bell bottom Vihara Maha Devis and cardboard Dutugemunus they did not make war a holy war in defense of the country, the nation , or the sasana (religion) as in some other cultures. Thus there is war in Sinhala Buddhism but no holy war. The irony is that those who preach holy war and who have practiced holy war for thousands of years and who are fighting wars against terrorism want Sinhala people not to launch operations against terrorists in Sri Lanka.
The Island - 14 Nov 01
Sinhala Buddhism - Part III
We argued in these columns that there is no Buddhism as such and that there are Buddhisms such as Sinhala Buddhism more precisely Sinhala Theravada Buddhism, Siam or Thai Buddhism, Myanmar or Amarapura Buddhism etc. Sinhala Buddhism introduced officially to this country went through a metamorphism during the time of king Dutugemunu and post Dutugemunu Sinhala (Theravada) Buddhism having undergone some modifications introduced by Buddhagosha Thero existed without much problem or challenge until Colonel Olcott and the Theosophists came to Sri Lanka in 1880. Though the Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally the British had tried hard to suppress (post Dutugemunu) Sinhala Buddhism it was Colonel Olcott who managed to revise Sinhala Buddhism to such an extent that we may call the present day Sinhala Buddhism of most of the "Sinhala Buddhists", Olcott Buddhism. Today is a very important day for Olcott Buddhism in this country as its fate would be decided by the people at the general elections. We must realise that in less than four years we complete five hundred years of introduction of western Christian civilisation to this country and unless we are going to have annual elections that event would be remembered under the government elected today. Olcott Buddhism that has tried to erase the Sinhala part of Sinhala Buddhism and tried to establish some kind of an international Buddhism has survived with some form of assistance from the Anglican culture. What is being decided today is for how long this "sahavasa" (co-existence) could continue in this country.
Sinhala Buddhism from the very beginning has absorbed various concepts from other cultures. It is very probable that the religions of Nagas, Devas and especially Yakshas had number of gods either in the form of dead relatives (ne yakun) or some other "beings" and Sinhala Buddhism assimilated or absorbed all these gods into its culture. The Bodhi Vandana (worshiping of Bodhi) is nothing but assimilation of (Bharat) Buddhist concepts into Sinhala (Buddhist) culture. Not only the gods of the Nagas and the other tribes but even Vedic gods would have been absorbed to the Sinhala Buddhist culture. When these gods from other cultures, including those from Hindu culture later, (there was no Hinduism before Sankaracharya and Hinduism is seen by some as an amalgamation of Vedic religion, Buddhism and Jainism. Vedic religion with "yagas" and "homas" and animal sacrifices is different from Hinduism and some argue that the concept of Ahinsa was absorbed into Hinduism from Buddhism and Jainism.) were absorbed into the Sinhala Buddhist culture the Sinhala Buddhists wanted them to be (Sinhala) Buddhist gods. The gods thus absorbed were Buddhist gods after the assimilation and they (the gods)all worshiped Buddha. It was not a pantheon of Gods with Buddha at the head, as some western sociologists have pointed out, but a pantheon of gods that worshipped Buddha. It has to be emphasised contrary to what these western sociologists think, the Sinhala (Theravada) Buddhists, in general, did not consider the Buddha to be a god.
For the Sinhala Buddhists the Buddha was only an "uththareethara" "human being" who had "lived" and attained Nibbana.
The god Vishnu is a case in point, with respect to assimilation. Vishnu in Vedic religion and Hinduism is a form of Brahman and in that sense an immortal being. But in Sinhala Buddhism the god Vishnu is neither immortal nor a form of Brahman. The god Vishnu in Sinhala Buddhism is a Sinhala Buddhist god and a bodhisathva. He is not immortal as in Hinduism and Vedic religion and would attain Nibbana in the future. Though the same name Vishnu is used the Sinhala Buddhist god Vishnu is different from the god Vishnu in Vedic religion and Hinduism. Similarly Buddha has been assimilated into the Hindu culture in the form of an avatar of the god Vishnu.
Sinhala Theravada Buddhism has not only assimilated from Vedic and Hindu cultures but from Mahayana Buddhism as well. The Mahayana Bodhisathvas are quite different from Sinhala Buddhist Bodhisathvas. The Mahayana Bodhisathvas theoretically live indefinitely in Sukhavathi and other such abodes, and in a sense they are immortal. In fact certain Mahayana sects have made the Buddha also to be immortal. These concepts were most probably constructed as a response to an immortal Brahman but ultimately they had to give in to various forms of Hinduism that were developed later in Bharat. The above are examples for assimilations into one culture from a different culture and nobody could prevent these assimilations.
Post Dutugemunu Sinhala Buddhism was modified to some extent during the time of Buddhagosha Thero. During this period the Sinhala texts were translated into Pali and the former was displaced by the latter among the educated circles including the Bhikkus. Since then Sinhala Buddhist "academic" tradition has taken a back seat and as a result creation of knowledge within Sinhala Buddhism has been neglected. The Sinhala Buddhist academic tradition is yet to recover completely from this set back. However, the worst damage was done after the sixteenth century with the arrival of world colonialism. Towards the end of the nineteenth century a revival of Sinhala Buddhism began under the leadership of Bhikkus such as Mohottivatte Gunananda Thero and others like Anagarika Dharmapala. Sinhala Buddhism had been a living phenomenon from the time of the king Devanampiya Thissa and what Anagarika Dharmapala did was to give a name to this phenomenon, if that name had not been used at any time in the history prior to that. The five debates, the most prominent being the "Panadura Vadaya", were a turning point in the history of Sinhala Buddhism in this country. As a result of the Panadura Vadaya Colonel Olcott and the other theosophists came to this country.
It is clear that what is known as the Buddhist revival in the nineteenth century was not a homogeneous movement. There were two important trends in the movement. One was the trend led by Bhikkus such as Mohottivatte Gunananda Thero and Anagarika Dharmapala. The other was the trend of the theosophists. The former was a continuation of post Dutugemunu Sinhala Buddhism with necessary modifications and the resulting Buddhism could be called the Dutugemunu - Dharmapala Buddhism. The other trend resulted in the Olcott Buddhism. However, this does not mean that these two trends were independent of each other and that they were mutually exclusive. The Chinthana Parshadaya has undertaken an investigation into the differences in these two trends, studying articles written by Mohottivatte Gunananda Thero, Anagarika Dharmapala and others and the preliminary results establish that gradually Olcott Buddhism took the upper hand. It was not due to the arguments put forward by them but was a result of the social forces operating at that time.
Dutugemunu - Dharmapala Buddhism was a Sinhala Buddhism and it appealed to the Sinhala Buddhists. Anagarika Dharmapala and others considered themselves to be Sinhala Buddhists. On the other hand Olcott Buddhism was international in outlook and was more appealing to the westerners. In Olcott Buddhism there was no nationalism. Colonel Olcott himself considered himself to be a world citizen. They were theosophists first and Buddhists later. As far back as 1929 Mr. L.H. Mettananda who later became the principal of Ananda Vidyalaya, writing to "Swadesha Mithraya" from London has said that in the English Buddhist schools Theosophy was taught in the name of Buddhism. It is clear that the British preferred Olcott Buddhism to Dutugemunu - Dharmapala Buddhism and there was some kind of understanding between Olcott Buddhism and the British Anglican culture.
Colonel Olcott should be compared and contrasted with S. Mahinda Thero who came to Sri Lanka from Sikhim. Mahinda Thero was not an internationalist and very soon he became a Sinhala Buddhist. In otherwords he absorbed what was there in Dutugemunu - Dharmapala Buddhism and was to play a leading role in the independence movement. Even by the time of Mahinda Thero the Buddhists had lost most of the Jathikathva feeling and the Thero had to write poems to arouse the national feeling among the Sinhalas. I am not saying that this was entirely due to Olcott Buddhism but its non national character played a role in this unfortunate state of affairs.
What we have today is mainly an Olcott Buddhism. The politics is directed by Olcott Buddhism and not by Dutugemunu - Dharmapala Buddhism, except for brief periods of time, 1956 being one such moment. The Olcott Buddhists among the educated have turned out to be internationalists. International culture in this period is nothing but western culture and the educated Olcott Buddhists try to interpret Buddhism to the westerners. In the process they have created a so-called objective rational Buddhism that appeals to the west. This Buddhism is interpreted as the Buddhism when the so-called scholars talk of Buddhism betrayed. By Buddhism they mean this abstract imaginary Buddhism that exists in the minds of the educated Olcott Buddhists and probably the western Buddhists. They fail to understand that there is no Buddhism as such and that there are only Buddhisms.
We have a long way to go from Olcott Buddhism to Sinhala Buddhism. If not for the Olcott Buddhism no Sinhala person would have talked of injustices to the Tamils, when there is an aspiration of Tamil racism to deny the rightful place being given to Sinhala nation, Sinhala culture, Sinhala language and Sinhala history. Tamil racists and non national forces promote Olcott Buddhism to achieve their objectives.
The Island - 5 Dec 01
On the Way to Nibbana
Bhikkhu Professor Dhammavihari
Nibbana is the one and only goal of Buddhist spirituality. This is the final end in which the Buddha ended his noble quest for the termination of all samsaric ills. This he achieved here and now, in this very existence, at the very young age of thirty five. And he enjoyed the bliss and benefit of it for full forty five years, with no more to add to it. At eighty he had only to disclaim his physical body and part with it. After his physical death, he declared, that neither gods nor men will ever see him. His bodily relics, from wherever they are claimed today, are no more than symbolic items of veneration. No more proof of his physical presence or continuance.
But even at thirty five, the attainment of Nibbana carried with it the full implications of no more birth hereafter. In his joy of attaining this goal, the Buddha summed up his victory as follows - Ayam antima jati. Natthi 'dani punabbhavo =' This is my last birth. There is no more being born again for me.' One single Pali word which is used to refer to Nibbana seem to adequately illustrates this. It is nibbuti or no more revolutions or turning on of the wheel of life. Once Nibbana is reached, there is no further rolling on of the wheel of life. That is why it is said of Nibbana yattha vattam na vttati = where there is no more turning of the wheel.
Perhaps when held in contrast with the trikaya doctrine of the Mahayana, of the Buddha existing at three different levels of Dharma-kaya at cosmic level, Sambhoga-kaya at heavenly level and Nimana-kaya at down-to-earth level, this discontinuance of the life of Buddha Gotama after his physical death might look less glamorous. But we are sorry we can do no more about this. For nobody's sake is Buddha Gotama going to be born again.
This Nibbana, as far as the Theravada Buddhism goes, is also personal and individual. Nibbana is not a place where we can go and meet Buddha Gotama. In the Thervada tradition, Nibbana is the opposite of Samsara. According to the earliest utterances of the Buddha, he has only two things to speak of [pnnapemi] to the world - dukkha and the cessation of dukkha: dukkan ca aham pannapemi dukkhassa ca nirodham. It does not need much Commentary writing to indicate that dukkha and therefore the cessation of dukkha or dukkha-nirodha which is equal to Nibbana is also personal and individual. Let no imagination of the poets, of Sri Lanka or anywhere, distort this.
Out of this original two fold presentation of dukkha and the cessation of dukkha [out of the Four Noble Truths], the way to the cessation of dukkha is an invariable derivative. One would naturally ask the question 'How does one get there'? The answer is the Truth of the Way or magga sacca. And this is no more than personal development of each and everyone. We would consider it a gross howler to say that the Eightfold Path or Anyo atthangiko maggo is for the monk. It is for everyone who wishes to get to Nibbana.
This Eightfold Path is undeniably the Buddhist way to Nibbana. A complete outsider, i.e. a non-Buddhist from anywhere at any time, gets his first admission to Buddhism through this. The way begins with the entry into or acceptance of Buddhism. It implies a specific Buddhistness of approach. That is why the very first item of the magga sacca or the Noble Eightfold Path begins with samma-ditti. We choose to translate this term as corrected vision, by which we mean corrected in the Buddhist way. Note phrases like ujugata assa ditthi [= his vision straightened out] and agato imam saddhammam [= he has had an entry into this good doctrine] which occur as definitions of samma-hi in the Samma-ditthi Sutta at MN. I. 42.
A correct understanding of this initial step of samma-ditthi of the Eightfold Path, both with regard to its origin and its function, and an equally correct assessment of its role is very vital. It would, in our opinion, convince one that the religious and spiritual development implied in the Path or magga is sequential and successive and not concurrent as is sometimes believed to be by a certain school of interpreters of Buddhism.
In the interpretation of the Noble Eightfold Path, we are of the opinion that there are two serious errors that have crept in which are both misleading and damaging. One is the theory of concurrent development where the interpreters present the Path, comparing it to a cable with eight different strands twisted together [ The Noble Eightfold Path - Bhikkhu Bodhi, BPS. p. 13]. The other is to present the Noble Eightfold Path as being equal in size and content to the threefold total spiritual culture of Buddhism which goes under the name of tisso sikkha.
Inspite of the convincing statements presented, in anticipation as it were, of these possible misunderstandings, these errors have found their way in course of time. The earliest of these corrective statements we find in the Culavedalla Sutta of the Majihima Nikaya where Bhikkhuni Dhammadinna tells her erstwhile husband Visakha that while the threefold culture of tisso sikkha can contain within it the Noble Eightfold Path, the Noble Eightfold Path cannot contain within it the tisso sikkha [MN. I. 301]. Let us first take up this error of taking the Noble Eightfold Path as being equal to the tisso sikkha.
The threefold culture of tisso sikkha takes the pursuer of the path through all three stages [i.e. the complete set] of religious development in Buddhism, namely sila, samadhi and panna, up to the door step of release or vimutti in Nibbana. But the Noble Eightfold Path, it must be clearly noted, ends at the eighth item of samadhi. The Path itself proceeds no more. The pursuer of the Path needs, beyond this, the wisdom of nana [= panna] as the ninth item and the consequent release or vimutti as the tenth before he comes to be called the arahant or the accomplished one [Iti kho bhikkhave atthangasamannagato sekho patipado. Dasangasamannagato araha hoti. MN. III. 76.]
Therefore to treat these two items, the Noble Eightfold Path and the tisso sikkha as being equal? cutting up the Noble Eightfold Path into three segments to fit into the three divisions of the tisso sikkha is both unwarranted and misleading. Theri Dhammadina, in the Culavedalla Sutta quoted above, has warned us against doing this when she tells us that the three khandhas [ = sikkha ] cannot be contained within the Noble Eighffold Path [Na kho avuso Visakha ariyena atthangikena maggena tayo rhandha samagahita. MN. I. 301].
Let us now take up the theory of concurrent development of the Noble Eightfold Path where the interpreters present the Way, comparing it to a cable with eight different strands twisted together [ The Noble Eightfold Path - Bhikkhu Bodhi, BPS. p. 13 1. We find this completely contrary to the presentation of the Noble Eightfold Path in the early Buddhist texts in Pali.
In talking of the Noble Eightfold Path, the suttas refer to its first item samma ditthi as heralding or introducing the Path - samma-ditthi pubbangama hoti. Samma-ditthi is the fore-runner. This means that it stands as the first item in the list. The rest therefore necessarily come after. It is samma-ditthi which enables one to correctly judge wrong patterns of thought [miccha-sankappa] as wrong and correct ones [samma-sankappa] as correct. Samma-sankappa is unmistakably the second item in the Noble Eightfold Path, generated through samma-ditthi' which heads the series. Note how the Sutta correctly allocates the right place to each item. [Kathan ca bhikkhave samma-ditthi pubbangama hoti? Miccha-sankappa michcha-sankappo 'ti pajanati samma-sankappam samma sankappo' ti pajanati. Sa 'ssa hoti samma-ditthi. Mahacattarisaka Sutta MN. III.72]
It is also to be noted that the four following items of the Path [ 2, 3, 4 and 5 ], i.e. samma- sankappo or correct thoughts, samma-vaca or correct speech, samma-kammanto or correct action and samma-ajivo or correct livelihood are the major components of day to day living. In the perfecting of these, in pursuit of the transcendental goal, the Mahacattarisaka Sutta points out that the continuous and concurrent assistance of samma-ditthi, samma-vayamo and samma-sati is invariably needed [Itissime tayo dhamma samma-sankappam... anuparidhavanti anuparivaffanti seyyathidam samma-di.ffhi samma-vayama, samma-sati. Ibid. 73-75]. But a closer scrutiny of their behaviour makes it quite clear that in this context they are not equal in stature to their counterparts on the Path. They play a very different and very limited role here as supportive associates.
Another very important word which one must not miss in the study of the Noble Eightfold Path is the word pahoti [= is generated or produced] which is used with every second item in the list in relation to the preceding one, implying that the latter is produced by the former - Samma-ditthhissa bhikkhave samma-sankappo pahoti, samma-saankappassa samma-vaca pahoti... samma-satissa samma-samadhi pahoti. [loc.cit. 76.]. This definitely points in the direction of sequential development.
In a Digha Nikaya sutta called the Janavasabha [DN. II. 216 f.], Brahma Sanankumara is presented as addressing the devas of the Tavatimsa world and telling them of the seven contributory factors as 'well proclaimed by the Buddha' [yava supannatav' ime tena bhgavata janata passata...] which lead to the establishment of samma-samadhi. They are referred to as satta samadhi-parikkhara. Here too the sequential development of each succeeding factor from the preceding one is emphatically presented with the use of the same word pahoti as referred to above. Here too, as in the Mahacattarisaka Sutta, samma-samadhi is followed by the two additional items - samma-nana which is No. 9 and samma- vimutti which is No.10.
We are sorry Professor Rhys Davids has seriously misunderstood this portion of the sutta and incorrigibly blundered in its translation [Dialogues of the Buddha II. p. 250]. He has bungled in the translation of the word pahoti. He takes it to mean suffices to. This has compelled him to reverse the word order, putting the second noun as the first, making it the subject and taking the first as its object. This is his translation - Right intention suffices to maintain right views for Samma-ditthissa samma-samkappo pahoti. Maurice Walshe in his Thus Have I Heard [p. 299] gets it correct as "From right view arises right thought".
This sequential and successive development from stage to stage in the Noble Eightfold Path is evident from the sutta references given above. The quest for release in Nibbana, i.e. vimutti, does not terminate with samadhi as the last item of the Path. The development proceeds further as we have already indicated earlier from samadhi to nana as the ninth and from there to vimutti as the tenth, ending at the final goal of arahanthood. This is the termination in Nirvana of the samsaric process for all beings - the Buddha as well as all Buddhist followers.
Sun Island - 7 Oct 01
Arahat Mahinda's gift to Sri Lanka
Pioneer educationist Marie Musaeus Higgins wrote this account of the significance of Poson poya
The very important event which occurred on the Full Moon Day of Poson Maase (June) is the coming of the Thera Mahinda to Lanka. The Thera Mahinda was the son of the great Buddhist King Asoka (Dhammasoka) of Maghada in Jambudwipa (India).
King Asoka who was an ally and friend of the King of Lanka, Devanam-piyatissa, wished that he should become a Buddhist as himself. So Asoka asked his son Mahinda, who was a great Buddhist Arahat, to go to Lanka and preach the Dhamma to King Tissa and his people. Asoka spoke to Mahinda and his Theras thus: "Ye shall found in the lovely Island of Lanka the wonderful Religion of the Conqueror (Lord Buddha)".
Mahinda was to take with him the Theras Itthiya, Uttiya, Sambala and Baddasale. Mahinda had been for twelve years a monk at the time when King Asoka commanded him to go to Lanka.
Mahinda decided to visit his relatives first, before leaving India for Lanka, as he was sure that once there he would remain in Lanka till the end of his incarnation. So Mahinda preached to his relatives in India for six months and he visited his Mother Asandimitra and his Sister Sanghamitta (who was a nun).
He took besides the four Theras (a Buddhist monk who possesses the Iddhis), Sanghamitta's son the Samanera (a Buddhist monk who has not been fully ordained - a Novice), Sumana (mighty in the six supernormal powers) and the lay disciple Bhalluka with him and on the Full Moon Day of Poson Maase they rose into the air and alighted on the Mihintale Mountain in Lanka (about seven miles distant from Anuradhapura, the capital of Lanka). Here they waited for King Tissa who was just then on a hunting expedition and quite near. King Tissa saw a deer grazing at the foot of the Mihintale Mountain.
He sounded his bow-string, in order not to attack the deer when it was feeding, and when the deer took flight, the King chased it up the Mountain, and it ran to the place where Mahinda and His Theras were standing. It is said that this deer was really not a deer, but the Devaputra (the Deva-guardian of the mountain) of the mountain who had taken the shape of a spotted deer in order to guide King Tissa to the mountain to the Thera Mahinda.
When the Deva had accomplished this task, he, in the shape of the deer, disappeared and King Tissa saw to his astonishment the yellow-robed Mahinda standing there in the place of the spotted deer (Mahinda's six companions were not visible at the time, so as not to frighten the King).
Thera Mahinda called out to the King, after the latter had searched in vain for the deer: "Come here Tissa". More astonished than before was the King that the yellow-robed monk, whom he had never seen before, should know his name, and he thought at first that the yellow-robed monk must be a Yakka (a half demon who could change his shape whenever he liked). At that time Yakkas and Nagas (also half demons) are said to have lived in Lanka) in disguise. But he approached Mahinda and then the latter commenced a conversation with him which convinced him that this yellow-robed monk was a very learned man.
And the King's wise answers showed the Thera Mahinda that the King was ready to understand the new teachings which he had brought to him. King Tissa put his bow and arrow down, never to take them again for hunting and Mahinda said: "Out of compassion for you and your people we have come here." King Tissa then inquired whether there were more yellow-robed monks in Jambudwipa.
Mahinda showing now his six companions, said that the sky of Jambudwipa was glittering with yellow robes.
Mahinda now preached to King Tissa and his followers, who had come up the mountain by this time, his first sermon on "Conformity in Religion" and the king was so much impressed with the words of the wise Mahinda, that he invited the great Thera and his companions to his capital Anura-dhapura, where Mahinda began at once to teach the Dhamma.
Soon the whole Island of Lanka became Buddhistic, so convincing was the teaching of the first Missionary in Lanka.
King Tissa had the Island consecrated to Buddhism by Thera Mahinda and Buddhism became the religion of all Sinhalese over the whole Island (King Tissa and his subjects were Hindus by religion).
During his whole lifetime the Venerable Mahinda remained in Lanka, preaching and ordaining Sinhalese monks, and when he had completed his mission he passed into Pari-Nirvana. At the place where Mahinda and Devanampiyatissa first met, the successor of King Tissa, King Uttiya built the Ambastale Dagoba which stands yet on Mihintale Mountain and tell us about the great Thera Mahinda.
Even at the present day after two thousand years on the Full Moon Day of Poson maase, the event of Mahinda's "Coming to Lanka" and introducing Buddhism, is always spoken of because he was the first Buddhist Missionary and if it had not been for him the Sinhalese would never have known Buddhism.
Therefore let us think with love and gratitude of the Thera Mahinda, the son of the great King Asoka of India.
Sunday Times - 27 7 01
Kamma and Free Will
Deshabandu Alec Robertson
Former President of the Servants of the Buddha Society
Does everything happen in our lives according to Kamma is not a question that can be answered by a plain affirmation or denial, since it involves the whole question of free will against determinism, or, in familiar language Fatalism. The nearest simple answer that can be given is that most of the major circumstances and events of life are conditioned by Kamma but not all.
If everything, down to the minutest detail, were preconditioned either by Kamma or by the physical laws of the universe, there would be no room in the pattern of strict causality for the functioning of free will. It would therefore be impossible for us to free ourselves from the mechanism of cause and effect, it would indeed be impossible to attain nibbana. Refuting the erroneous view that whatever weal or woe or neutral feeling is all due to some previous action the Buddha states "So then, liars, slanderers, babblers, covetous, malicious and perverse in view. Thus for those who fall back on the former deed as the essential reason there is neither the desire to do nor the effort to do nor the necessity to do the deed or abstain from that deed". (Anguttara Nikaya 1,173). Life would therefore be merely mechanistic not much different from a machine.
In the sphere of everyday events and the incidents of life such as sickness, accidents and such common experience, every effect requires more than one cause to bring it about, and Kamma is in most cases the pre-disposing factor which enables the external influence to combine and produce a given result. In the case of situations that involve a moral choice the situation itself is the product of past Kamma, but the individual's reaction to it is a free play of will and intention. For example, a man, as the result of previous akusala Kamma either in the present life or some past birth, may find himself in a situation of desperate poverty in which he is tempted to steal, commit robbery or in some other way carry into the future the unwholesome actions of the past. This is a situation with a moral content because it involves the subject in a nexus or ethical potentials. Here, his own freedom of choice comes into play; he has the alternative of choosing further hardship rather than succumb to the temptation of crime.
That there are events that come about through causes other than Kamma is demonstrated by natural laws. If it were not so, to try to avoid or cure sickness would be useless. If there is a predisposition of a certain disease through past Kamma, and the physical conditions to produce the disease are also present, disease will arise. But it may also come about, that all the physical conditions are present, but through the absence of the Kamma - condition, the disease does not arise or that, with the presence of the physical causes the disease arises even in the absence of a Kamma-condition. A philosophical distinction is therefore to be made between those diseases which are the results of Kamma and those which are produced mainly by physical conditions; but since it is impossible to distinguish between them without a knowledge of past births, all diseases must be treated as though they are produced by merely physical causes. When the Buddha was attacked by Devadatta and was wounded in the foot by a stone, He was able to explain that the injury was the result of some violence committed in a previous life, plus the action of Devadatta which enabled the Kamma to take effect. Likewise, the violent death of Moggallana. There was the combined result of his Kamma and the murderous intention of the rival ascetics whose action provided the necessary external cause to bring it about.
If Kamma is a basic concept in the Buddha Dhamma yet there are many among Buddhists who harbour serious misconceptions about its place and function in the shaping of destinies of men. Thus the late Most Ven'ble Ledi Sayado, a profoundly learned and prolific writer of the later years of the last century and the beginning of the present, whose many works are looked upon as standard expositions of the Budda Dhamma states in his "Rupa Dipani" - Some people firmly hold the view that Kamma is the main factor in regulating the destinies of men. Thus they hold that the day and hour of death, the place and the manner of death of a person is preordained by past Kamma from the moment of his conception in his mother's womb. They hold that it is wrong, when people talk of death taking place through eating unsuitable food, or through going to uncongenial places, or through leading an unharmonious life. They hold that Gnana, knowledge or wisdom and Viriya, effort, follow the promptings of past Kamma.
These people ignore the part played by the other forces of nature such as bija niyama, the natural law relating to germination, utu niyama, the natural law relating to climatic conditions or changes of temperature; citta niyama, the natural law relating to thoughts and processes of thought; and Dhamma niyama, other natural laws. They ignore the very important role that present Kamma as distinguished from past Kamma, plays in the shaping of future destinies of human beings.
In the Milinda Panha, eight causes of vedana (feelings or sensations) are given. In the Samyutta Nikaya and the Anguttara Nikaya, these same eight causes are given as causes of death. They are:
1. Vaatasamuthanaam - hurt, ailment, or death caused by the upset of the wind element;
2. Pittasamuthanam - hurt, ailment, or death caused by the upset of the bile;
3. Semhasamuthanam - hurt, ailment or death caused by the upset of the phlegm;
4. Sannipatikam - hurt, ailment or death caused by the combination of the three causes above;
5. Utuviparinamajam - hurt, ailment, or death caused by the upset of climatic conditions or conditions of temperature;
6. Visamapariharajam - hurt, ailment, or death caused by one's own disagreeable acts;
7. Opakkamam - hurt, ailment, or death; caused by the specifically directed acts of oneself or of others;
8. Kammavipakajam - hurt, ailment or death caused by upapilika (suppressive) and upacchedaka (destructive) Kamma.
Of these eight causes, opakkama may be due either to past or present Kamma. Thus the Milinda Panha says:
"Kammavipakaja is wholly due to past Kamma", the remaining causes are all due to present Kamma.
The observation made by the Ven'ble Nagasena with respect to these eight causes is:
"Kammavipakaja is few. The rest are many. But unwise persons attribute vedana to only Kammavipakaja. Thus they hold views that distort the truth."
Also in the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha said:
"In this world, vedanas arise from eight causes, viz. Vatasamuthana, pittasamuthana, etc. I have myself experienced them. Wise men also attribute vedanas to these eight causes. Even so, some people attribute the cause of vedanas only to past Kamma. These people distort my intellect. They also distort the truth as known in the world. I therefore say that their belief is wrong".
The learned Sayadow gives the simile of flies and bad smell. Flies do not cause bad smell. It is because bad smell exits that flies appear. In the same way it is only when favourable circumstance are created by present Kamma that past Kamma produces resultants. The creation of the unfavourable circumstances can be prevented by Gnana and Viriya (knowledge and effort). In this world cases of hurt and death caused by specifically directed acts of oneself or others prompted by present Kamma predominate. Cases of actual hurt and death caused purely by past Kamma (without present Kamma providing a contributory cause) are very rare.
In the Dhammapada Commentary the story is related of the son of Mahadhana, the millionaire. It is told by the Buddha that this young man had sufficient parami (perfection of past kusala kamma of great strength) to enable him to become an Arahat during his lifetime. He, however, spent his time in orgies of drinking, gambling and the company of women, with the result that he not only lost all his inherited riches before his death but was doomed to be cast to the Apaya regions when he died. He did not employ his Gnana (wisdom) and Viriya (effort) towards his welfare.
Now let us discuss the question whether one is bound to reap all that one has sown in just proportion. In the Anguttara Nikaya the Buddha says:
"If anyone says Oh Bhikkhus, that a man must reap according to his deeds, in that case, Oh Bhikkhus, there is no religious life nor is an opportunity afforded for the entire extinction of Suffering (Dukkhas). But if any one says, Oh Bhikkhus, that what a man reaps accords with his deeds, in that case, Oh Bhikkhus, there is a religious life and an opportunity is afforded for the entire extinction of suffering."
In Buddhism, therefore, there is every possibility to mould one's Kamma. Here one is not always compelled by an iron necessity.
Who thought that Angulimala - a highway robber and a murderer of more than thousand of his fellow brethren - would become a saint, judging him by his external deeds? But he did become an Arahat and erased, so to say, all his past misdeeds.
Who imagined the Alavaka, the fierce demon who feasted on the flesh of human beings, would ever become a Saint? Yet he did give up his carnivorous habits and attained the first stage of Sainthood.
Who believed that Asoka who was stigmatised Chanda (the wicked) - on account of the atrocities caused by him to expand his empire, would ever win the noble title - Dhammasoka - or Asoka the Righteous. But he did completely change, his career to such an extent that today, "Amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history, their majesties and royal highnesses and the like, the name of Asoka shines and shines almost alone, as a star".
These are a few instances to illustrate the fact that a complete reformation of character could be brought about by our own actions, by one's present deeds.
It may so happen that in some cases a lesser evil may produce its due effect, while the effect of a greater evil may be minimised.
The Buddha says:
"Here, Oh Bhikkhus, a certain person is not disciplined in body, is not disciplined in morality, is not disciplined in mind, is not disciplined in Wisdom, is with little good and less virtue, and lives painfully in consequences of trifles. Even a trivial evil act committed by such person will lead him to a state of misery."
"Here, Oh Bhikkhus, a certain person is disciplined in morality, is disciplined in mind, is disciplined in wisdom, is with much good, is high-soured, and lives without envy."
"A similar evil act committed by such a person ripens in this life itself and not even a small effect manifests itself (after-death), not so say of a great one."
"It is as if, Oh Bhikkhus, a man were to put a lump of salt into small cup of water. What do you think, Oh Bhikkhus? Would now the small amount of water in this cup become saltish and undrinkable?
"Yes Lord"
"Any why?"
"Because, Lord, there was very little water in the cup, and so it became saltish and undrinkable by this lump of salt."
"Suppose. Oh Bhikkhus, a man were to put a lump of salt into the river Ganges. What think you, Oh Bhikkhus? Would now the river Ganges become saltish and undrinkable by the lump of salt?"
"Nay, indeed, Lord."
"And why not?"
"Because, Lord, the mass of water in the river Ganges is great, and so it would not become saltish and undrinkable."
"In exactly the same way, Oh Bhikkhus, we may have the case of person who does some slight deed which brings him to a state of misery; or, again, Oh Bhikkhus, we may have the case of another person who does the same trivial misdeed, and expiates in the present life, not even a small effect manifests itself (after death), not to say of a great one".
In the working of Kamma it should be understood that there are malefficient and benefficient forces to counteract and support this self-operating law. Birth (Gati), time or conditions (Kala), beauty (Upadhi), and effort (Payoga) are such aids and hindrances to the fruition of Kamma.
If for instance, a person is born to a noble family or in a state of happiness, his fortunate birth will act sometimes as a hindrance to the fruition of his evil Kamma.
If, on the other hand he is born in a state of misery or in an unfortunate family, his unfavourable birth will provide an easy opportunity for his evil Kamma to operate.
This is technically known as Gati Sampatti (favourable birth) and Gati Vipatti (unfavourable birth).
An unintelligent person, who, by some good Kamma, is born in a royal family, will, on account of his noble parentage, be honoured by the people. If the same person were to have a less fortunate birth, he would not be similarly treated.
King Dutugamunu of Ceylon acquired both good and evil Kamma. Owing to good reproductive Kamma he was born in the Tusita Heaven. It is believed that he will have his last birth in the time of the future Buddha Metteyya. His evil Kamma cannot successfully operate owing to his favourable birth.
King Ajatasattu who committed patricide became distinguished for his piety and devotion owing to his association with the Buddha. He now expiates in a state of misery as a result of his heinous crime. His unfavourable birth would not permit him to enjoy the benefits of his good deeds.
Beauty (Upadhi Sampatti) and ugliness (Upadhi Vipatti) are two other factors that act as aids and hindrances to the working of Kamma.
If by some good Kamma a person obtains a good birth, but is unfortunately deformed, he will not be able to enjoy the beneficial results of his good Kamma. Even a legitimate heir to the throne may not perhaps be raised to that exalted position, if he happens to be physically deformed.
Beauty on the other hand will be a valuable asset to the possessor. A good looking son of a poor parent will perhaps attract the attention of a kind person, and might be able to distinguish himself through his influence.
Asokamala, an ordinary girl, got married to Prince Saliya, the son of King Dutugamunu owing to her beauty.
Prince Kusa
Prince Kusa was subject to much humiliation owing to his ugly appearance.
Favourable and unfavourable time or occasion (Kala Sampatti and Kala Vipatti) are another two factors that aid or impede the working of Kamma.
In the case of famine all without exception will be compelled to suffer the same fate. Here the unfavourable conditions open up possibilities for evil Kamma to operate. The favourable conditions, on the other hand, will prevent operation of bad Kamma.
The fourth and the last is effort (Payoga). If a person makes no effort to cure himself of a disease or to save himself from his difficulties, his evil Kamma will find a suitable opportunity to produce its due effects. If, on the contrary, he endeavours on his part to surmount his difficulties, his good Kamma will come to his help.
When shipwrecked in deep sea, the Bodhisatta Maha Janaka made an effort to save himself, whilst the others prayed to the gods and left their fate in their hands. The result was that the Bodhisatta escaped whilst others got drowned. This is technically known as Payoga Sampatti and Payoga Vipatti.
It is evident from these supportive and counteractive factors that Kamma is sometimes influenced by external circumstances.
Buddhism urges the continual repetition of good actions, deeds of Metta and charity, and the continual dwelling of the mind on good and elevating subjects such as the qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, in order to establish a strong habit-formation along good and beneficial lines. The development and cultivation of noble and sublime qualities in this life itself brings out wonderful and stupendous results.
It is certain, that predominantly good Kamma will save us from most of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or help us to rise above whatever obstacles are set on our path. The need for human endeavour is always present, for in the very enjoyment of the fruits of good Kamma we are also generating a new series of actions to bear their own results in the future. It cannot be too often or too emphatically repeated that the true understanding of the law of Kamma is the absolute opposite of fatalism. The man who is born to riches on account of his past deeds of charity cannot afford to rest on his laurels. He is like a man with a substantial bank balance; he may either live on his capital until he exhausts it, which is foolish, or he can use it as an investment and increases it. The only investment we can take with us out of this life into the next is good Kamma; it therefore behoves every man who is, in the common phrase, "blessed" with riches to use those riches wisely in doing good.
If everyone understood the law of Kamma there would be an end to the greed of the rich and the envy of the poor. Every man would strive to give away as much as he could in charity - or at least spend his money on projects beneficial to mankind, practice Sila (virtue) and cultivate Bhavana (meditation). Thus we see that the picture drawn for us by the Supreme Buddha is one of progressive existence where one develops from ignorance to knowledge, from selfishness to altruism, depending on inward strength, diligence, effort put forth from time to time. This is the Doctrine of human perfection and happiness won through Virtue (Sila), Concentration (Samadhi) and Wisdom (Panna).
Sunday Island - 3 Jun 01
The supreme sacrifice of Dana
By Ven. Meegahwature Dhammagaveshi Thero
The Buddha says:
28 Oct 01
Dhamma, Dhamma everywhere but is it for mindful assimilation?
By M. I. Piyasiri
This will enable you to understand how even Dhamma Thought of Purest Serenity, capable of generating unlimited power leading one to Enlightenment, which normmally steel chains or any power on earth could not bind, were thinly veiled from our gullible minds by a self imposed Pali Language barrier due to our own ignorance of the very essence of Lord Buddha's Teachings MINDLESSNESS.
It is very clearly evident that the Dhamma (Buddha's Doctrine of Deliverance) is powerful Trans-Sansaric Mind Upliftment Program evolved by the Samma Sambuddhas to Command & Control the Vinnana (Sansara Karma Nana) Complex through successive Rebirth until Nibbana is realized. Thus Being Mindful *every moment) of one's Thoughts, Actions & Speech takes pride of place among the essential qualities for anyone who seeks to understand the Dhamma.
It is a common practice, at Buddhist Temple Ceremonies,for the Bhikkhus to recite all religious observances such as Five precepts, Eight precepts, Offerings to Buddha, Transference of merits, Chanting of protective stanzas etc., in the Pali Language and get devotees to repeat them faithfully afterwards whether they understand them or not. To those who do not understand Pali this becomes a futile exercise as well as an un-mindfully done activity which the Buddhas would not condone. They always stressed "be mindful of what you say or do". Thus these lay persons will never be able to meet the requirements of the first two stages of the Noble Eightfold Path, namely Right Understanding (view) and Right Purpose (thoughts) which are undoubtedly pure Mental or Mind based activities, required to clarify, establish and keep uppermost in one's own mind, Buddha's teaching & Commentaries explaining the Dhamma which guides one to the Noble Eightfold/Tenfold Paths through constant adherence and daily practice. Therefore it is obvious that unless these daily religious activities at the temples and at home are practiced in the Mother tongue or in a Language with which one is fully conversant with none of Buddhists, who do not understand the Pali Language, will ever get started on the path to Nibbana. Because of the very simple fact that they are not Mindful of what they speak or utter at each instant, as they are confused into uttering words without knowing their exact meaning or even the correct pronunciation.
The following is an Extract from the book titled, The Anapanasati Sutta by Ven. U. Vimalaramsi of Malaysia, Chapter-Prelude to Tranquil Wisdom (Samadhi) Meditation:
'These precepts are absolutely necessary for any spiritual attainments. They provide the mind with general mindfulness and awareness which helps one to have a peaceful mind that is clear from any remorse due to wrong doing. A peaceful and calm mind, is a mind that is tension-fee and clear. Thus, it is a very good idea to take these precepts everyday, not as some form of rite or ritual, but as a reminder for one's practice. Taking the precepts everyday helps to keep one's mind, speech and actions uplifted. There are people who recite these precepts in the Pali language. However . It can turn into an empty exercise if the meditator doesn't completely understand Pali. For the earnest meditator it is best to recite these precepts daily in a language that the meaning are clear without a doubt.'………
To quote directly from the Digha Nikaya Sutta number 16, section 5.27 " In whatever Dhamma and Discipline the Noble Eightfold path is not found, no ascetic is found of the first grade (meaning an Sotapanna), second grade (Sakadagami), third grade (Anagami) , or fourth grade (meaning an Arahant). But such Ascetics can be found, of the first, second, third, and fourth grade in a Dhamma and Discipline where the Noble Eightfold Path is found, and in it there are to be found Ascetics of the first, second, third and fourth grades. Those other schools are devoid of true Ascetics: but if in this one the Bhikkus were to live to perfection. The world would not lack for Arahants……..
It is mentioned in the Parinibbana Sutta that during the lifetime of the Buddha many mote Laymen and Laywomen became path attainers that the Bhikkhus and Bhikkunis when they Mindfully practiced the Dhamma on a daily basis.. Thus the common belief that one must be a Bhikkhu or a "Nun" in order to attain the stages of Sainthood is not true. Therefore the only reason one could attribute for the dearth of Path attainers in present times is this impregnable 'Language Barrier'.
The awakening of the followers of Buddha Dhamma to this unwholesome situation will rest with the Buddhist Intelligensia as well as the Maha Sanga Sabha. Who should come up with a timely solution so that during the next millennium we should be able to have many Laypersons who will attain various stages of Sainthood.
I now quote some extracts taken from the Introduction to the Book - Path of Purification by Ven. Bhikkhu Nanamoli, (a translation into English of the Pali book '(a translation into English of the Pali book 'Visuddhi Magga' by Rev Buddhaghosa,) which was sponsored &first published under the patronage of Mr. Ananda Semage of Colombo in 1956. Subsequently reprinted and donated for free distribution by the Corporate Body of Buddha Educational Foundation, Taiwan in June 1997.
'Why did Bhadantacariy Buddhaghosa come to Ceylon? And why did his work become famous beyond the island's shores? The bare facts without some interpretation will hardly answer these questions…Up till the reign of King Vattagaimini Abhaya (Walagamba) in the first century B.C the Great Monastery, founded by Asoka's son, the Arahath Mahinda, and hitherto without a rival for the royal favour, had preserved a reputation for the saintliness of its bhikkhus. The violent upsets in his region followed by his founding of the Abhayagiri Monastery, its secession and schism, changed the whole situation at home. Sensing insecurity, the Great Monastery, took the precaution to commit the Tripitaka for the first time to writing, doing so in the provinces away from the king's presence….In the first century B>C> probably the influx of Sanskrit thought was still quite small so that the great Monastery could well maintain its name in Anuradhapura as the principal centre of learning by developing its ancient Tripitaka commentaries in Sinhalese…. Still it is plain enough that by 400 A.C. a movement had begun, not confined to Ceylon, and that the time was right for the crucial work for a Pali recession of the Sinhalese Commentaries with their unique tradition. Only the right personality, able to handle it completely, was yet lacking. That personality appeared in the first quarter of the 5th century'…..The Visuddhimagga and its author. Beyond the bare hint that he came to Ceylon from India his actual works tell nothing about his origins or background. In the prologue to each of the four Nikaya Commentaries it is conveniently summarized by Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa himself as follows: ("I shall now take)the commentary, whose object is to clarify the meaning of the subtle and most excellent Long Collection
(Digha Nikaya)…. Set forth in detail by the Buddha and by his like ie. The Elder Sariputta and other expounders of discourse in the Sutta Pitakaya)- the commentary that in the beginning was chanted at the First Council) and later rechante (at the Second & Third ……and was brought to the Sinhala Island (Ceylon) by the Arahant Mahinda the Great and rendered into the Sinhala tongue for the benefit of the Islanders, - and from that commentary I shall remove the Sinhala tongue. Replacing it by the graceful language that conforms with Scripture and is purified and free from flaws. Not diverging from the standpoint of the Elders residing in the great Monastery (in Anuradhapura), who illumine the Elders' Heritage and are all well versed in exposition, and rejecting subject matter needlessly repeated, I shall make the meaning clear for the purpose of bringing contentment to good people and contributing to the long endurance of the Dhamma.
He was given apartments in the Brazen Palace, of whose seven floors he occupied the lowest. He observed the Ascetic Practices and was expert in all the Scriptures….It was during his stay there that he translated the Buddha's Dispensation…… When the rainy season was over….. and he had completed the Pavarana Ceremony, he consigned the books to the Senior Elder, the Sangharaja. Then the elder Buddhaghosa had the books written by the Elder Mahinda piled up and burnt near the Great Shrine. The pile was as high as seven elephants. Now that his work was done. And wanting to see his parents, he took his leave before going back to India.. He went to his Preceptor and cleared himself of his penance…..He himself knowing that he would not live much longer paid homage to his Preceptor and went to the Great Enlightenment tree. Foreseeing his approaching death, he considered thus: "There are three kinds of death: death as cutting off, momentary death and conventional death. Death as cutting off belongs to those whose cankers are exhausted (and are Arahants)…….Momentary death is that of each consciousness, which arise each immediately on the cessation of the one preceding. Conventional death is that of all (so-called) living beings. Mine will be conventional death.
There are several accounts explaining the background & activities of Ven. Buddhaghosa, the above version, mentioned in the introduction, has been taken from one of them titled " Buddhaghosupatti" composed in Burma by an Elder called Mahamangala, here it is also mentioned that an Elder (an Arahant, who 'Tamed' heretic hermit 'Buddhaghosa' in public debate, This same Elder is names as 'Arahant Revata' in another version ), living near Bodi Tree at Gaya, 'used to wonder. When the Buddha's teaching was recited in Sinhalese and the Magadhan people did not therefore understand it. Who would be able to translate it into Magadhan (Pali). And that it was he who sent his pupit, Ghosa, Who was given the name Buddhaghosa after Ordination as a Bhikkhu, to Sri Lanka to translate the Sinhala Tripitaka back to Pali, as a fulfillment of a penance.
Thus it is very clear that the language of recitation of the Buddha word is very crucial to its ultimate Understanding and Mindful Assimilation of the Dhamma, without which no one could become a Path Attainer. Arahant Revata realized this fact and got the Scriptures translated back to Pali for the benefit of the Magadhan and other Pali Speaking people.
Another point worth considering is are there any records of laypersons, who did not understand Pali Language. Becoming Path Attainers after Ven. Buddhaghosa;s who rendering of the Sinhala Buddhist Text in to Pali?
As much as we, Buddhists, are dedicated to preserving Tripitake Pali Texts in their pure from and at the same time supporting the continued interest of schlars in the study and teaching of the Pali Language in our Institutions of higher learning, we would like to humbly appeal to the unfathomable benevolence of the Maha Sangha to present at all Temple & Religious Ceremonies. Involving the general public and children. The Fundamental Dhamma Stanzas in a Language they Understand.
The Dhamma Vivarana Movement would like to solicit the support of present day Pali Scholars with vision and command of their mother tongue (with singular determination as Rev. Buddhaghosa) to take appropriate steps to translate the Pali Stanzas & Commentaries back to Sinhalese and other national languages so that they could be meaningfully used by the lay devotees in their daily religious activities. It is understood that some of these stanzas are already available in their daily religious activities. It is understood that some of these stanzas are already available in Sinhala and other Texts but apparently not officially encouraged or made use of at temple ceremonies, although these are largely patronized by the Public who do not understand Pali.
The one and only was open for us to maintain ourselves on the path to Nibbana in Sansara is by developing a Powerful Dhamma Vinnana through Dhamma Vivarana in this life.
Let us, therefore, hope that 'Dhamma Vivarana' (Mindful Practice of Dhamma) for the non Pali Speaking peoples of this world will re-commence, after the elapse of nearly 1583 years, with the New Millennium, and that there will be many 'Path Attainers' among us.
Free thinking critique in Buddhism
by Sita Arunthavanathan
Radio talk on SLBC on 26.8.99
Every world religion firmly believes that its Holy Scriptures contain teachings or revelations which should not be questioned or doubted. The Vedas for example say 'Whatever in the Vedas is absolute, it is an established fact (idam vedapramanyat siddham). As such no doubting or argument is necessary.
On the contrary, Buddhism is unique in this respect. The Tripitaka evinces much evidence to prove that Buddhism considers free-thinking and a critical outlook salutary and not detrimental to its progress.
The Buddha was the Enlightened one, the awakened one, the Teacher, a Torch-bearer to mankind. (ukkhataro manussanam). The Buddha described himself as only a guide. "Tumheni kiccam atappam akkhataro tathagag' - you yourself must tread the path, the Buddha merely guides the way. The Buddha was not a divine incarnate or a prophet. He was not an agent of God either. He was only a man who had attained wondrous spiritual attainments by developing the mental faculties. Under these circumstances there was ample room in Buddhism to develop a critical attitude towards your own religion.
If we examine the Dhamma itself, it was a 'Come and See' doctrine (ehi passiko). There was no compulsion to follow it or demanding, for blind, unquestionable belief or forcible conversion. It was left for each individual to examine the veracity and the clarity of the teaching, analyse, investigate and then follow the Dhamma. In the Brahmajala Sutta of the digha Nikaya the Buddha says:
"If anyone were to speak ill of me, my Doctrine or my Order of Monks, do not bear any ill-will towards him, be upset or perturbed at heart; for if you were to be so it will only cause you harm. If on the other hand, if one were to speak well of me, my Doctrine and my Order of Monks, do not be overjoyed, thrilled or elated; for if so, it would only be an obstacle in your way of forming a correct judgement as to whether the qualities praised in us are real and actually found in us."
This passage shows the Buddha's enlightened attitude towards both constructive and destructive criticism and the equanimity with which it has to be treated. In so many instances the Buddha had proclaimed: "I do not declare that all other Sramanas and Brahmanas cannot attain Liberation. Anyone who gets rid of the three defilements of Raga (passion), Dosa (animosity), and Moha (delusion) can do so." Buddha does not monopolize the Truth (Sachcha), nor declare that he alone has discovered the truth. His was a Doctrine devoid of all mythological, mystical and mythical adornment. Dhamma is only a conceptual framework showing the way to reality. It is a means - an instrumental mean and not an end. Dharma has only a relative value with regard to the intrinsic worth of its realization. Dhamma itself has to be abandoned, leave alone what does not constitute the Dhamma, (dhammopi pahatabbo pag'eva adhammo). The Buddha has preached the Dhamma comparing it to a raft to get to the other shore and thereafter not cling on to it or carry on the shoulder (kullupamam bhikkave dhammam desessami taranattaya no gahanattaya).
At the time Buddhism arose in India, Brahmanism was the leading religion. The Brahmins followed the vedas which derived their authority from the assumption that they were not products of humans (purusha) but revelations of a divine origin (apaurusheyya).
In the last and tenth Mandala or Book of the Rgveda called Purusha sukta (Hymn 129) there is a concept of wonder and doubt evolving with reference to Creation (visrishti) which etymologically means emanation and not creation.
It says, "Whence this creation has arisen; whether it has been made or not, he who surveys this world in highest heaven, he may knoweth. Or it may be that he knoweth not." These philosophical ideas reached efflorescence in the Upanishads which were the culmination of vedic studies. "Was creation spontaneous? Was Creation not spontaneous?" This was a dilemma in the later strata of the Rgveda. In the time of the Upanishads which were a kind of reaction against the formalism of the Brahmins who claimed to be the gods on earth by virtue of the fact that they were the custodians of the incantation to the gods and they alone could propitiate them. 'Devadinam jagat sarvam' - the universe if subject to the gods.
'Manthradhinam tadarvatam'- gods are subject to sacrificial incantations; 'Tam manthra brahmanadhinam' - these incantations are in the custody of the Brahmins. Brahmana mama devata' - hence the Brahmins are the real gods (on earth). Again, we find in the Upanishads the search for the Truth or reality of creation, "What is the First Cause? Is it Brahma? From wherefore are we Born? By what power do we continue to live? (kim karanam brahma kutahsma jatah - jeevana kenakva cha sampratishtah). By the time Buddhism arose the intellectual stance was anti-sacrifice in the earnest and relentless quest for immortality.
'Asatho ma sad gamaya' - lead me from non-reality to reality. 'Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya' - lead me from darkness to light. 'Mrityor ma amirtam gamaya' - lead me from death to the state of immortality. Buddhism with its teaching of Causality (patichcha samuppada), non-violence, culture of the mind as against the culture of animal sacrifice for spiritual attainments and free - thinking appealed to the intellectual Brahmins. There are numerous suttas where Brahmins engaged in argument with the Buddha on the superiority of their caste, spiritual duties connected with it and the inability of the low castes to attain spiritual heights, being finally convinced that the Buddha and his Dhamma were more superior. Many Brahmins joined the Sangha and became celebrities of the day. The Buddha's two chief disciples, Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Moggallana, Ven. Maha Kassapa, Ven. Punna and a host of other great elders were all Brahmins, not to mention the first five disciples.
Buddhism eliminates all views - ditthi and draws a distinction between ditthi and vision (dassana). Ditti (Drishti) includes all forms of concepts, ideologies, knowledge, dogmas, theories etc. whereas dassana encapsulates insight and wisdom. In Karaniya Metta Sutta we come across, "Ditthingcha anupagamma seelava dassanena sampanno" which means that 'the virtuous gains insight without entering into views. Right vision (samma ditthi) is the sheet anchor as it were of Buddhist deliverance, and the Buddha placed it at the very beginning of the Noble Eightfold Path, Sammaditthi Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya as its name implies, analyses the Right vision which constitutes the right understanding of the Dhamma Dogmatic adherence to speculative views is an obstacle to wisdom and becomes an obstruction to understanding your own religion. This is called ditthiparamasa raga and is very much condemned in Buddhism. When one is obsessed with views of one's own religion or tenaciously and passionately attached to one's own ideologies then it gives rise to religious suicide and political fanaticism respectively. They tend to think, "What I believe alone is the truth; all the rest constitute that which is foolish" (idham'eva sachcham magham ajnana). This is self-elevation (attukkamsana); the condemnation of other religions is called paravimbhana. Both these views are non-acceptable to Buddhism.
About 300 years after the demise of the Buddha, the Edicts of Asoka the Great reflected this same idea. Rock Edict XII of Bulner's Translation says:- "One should not only honour one's own religion and condemn the religions of others but one should also honour the others' religions so doing one helps one's religion to grow and renders service to the religions of others too. In acting otherwise, one digs the grave of one's own religion and also does harm to others' religions."
The Kalama Sutta of the Anguttara Nikaya aptly called the Buddha's Charter for Free Inquiry, is a mirror that reflects the Buddhist attitude towards developing a stance for free-thinking. This Sutta illustrates a teaching which is totally devoid of fanaticism, bigotry, blind faith, intolerance and dogmatism. The Kalamas of the township Kesaputta once approached the Buddha and complained that some religions praise their own religions and condeman those of others and that a doubt has arisen as to whom they should believe. Since they were in a dilemma they requested the Buddha to help them to sift the truth from the false.
This was Buddha's reply:
"Now look you Kalamas, do not be led by reports, traditions or hearsay. Be not led by the authority of religious texts nor by mere logic or inference; nor by considering appearances; neither by the delight in speculative opinions, nor by the idea, 'this is our teacher'. But oh Kalamas! When you know for yourselves that certain things are wholesome (kusala), right and good, then accept and follow them."
This reply reflects the lucidity and clarity of Buddha's teachings, lofty ideals and his greatness as a teacher. He admonished the Kalamas not to consider the teacher but the sanctity of his teaching.
In the Vachchagotta Sutta of the Majjihima Nikaya, Vachchagotta questioned the Buddha as to whether he had any theories. Buddha replied in the negative but stressed that though he was free from theories he knew the nature of materiality, how it arises and how it ceases.
In the Rohitassa Sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya the Buddha says, "In this fathom long body which is endowed with perception and consciousness I declare the world, the origin of the world, the cessation of the world and the path that leads to its cessation."
Buddhism accepts only sensory experience - empirical reality. Man form the central theme of study; it has more of psychology and less of metaphysics. In other words no theology but anthropology. Investigation of the Dhamma is a prime necessity for one who seeks the Truth. In developing Right Vision one should analyse the Dhamma carefully in its right perspective (yatha bhutha jnana dassana) in all the stages of the Path to Nibbana. To attain the goal in Buddhism, there is no blind following of theories, dogmas and adherence to the authority of religious texts etc:
All this clearly show that the free thinking critique in Buddhism was something novel and also highly advanced in comparison with the religions of the time. The advice given in the Kalama Sutta especially would have undoubtedly opened the eyes of the entire intelligentsia of the sixth century before the common era to broader vistas of free inquiry, intelligent assimilation of religious ideals and directed the way to truly enlightened thinking.
We are at the extreme end of the 20th century with its revolutionized but often confused thinking. Buddha's psychological analysis of how to accept or reject an idea, the stance to develop in constructive and destructive criticism, equanimity with which both should be faced and his advocacy of free thinking, remain profound and perennially relevant as an ideal standard for the over-changing, progressive universe of the next millennium, nay for all times far, far beyond.
The Island - 4 Oct 99