The Buddhist Attitude of Mind

   Among the founders of religions the Buddha was the only teacher who did not claim to be other than a human being, pure and simple. The Buddha was not only a human being; he claimed no inspiration from any god or external power either. He attributed all his realization, attainments and achievements to human endeavour and human intelligence. A man and only a man can become a Buddha. Every man has within himself the potentiality of becoming a Buddha, if he so wills it and endeavours.

   Man's position, according to Buddhism, is supreme. Man is his own master, and there is no higher being or power that sits in judgment over his destiny.

   'One is one's own refuge, who else could be the refuge?' said the Buddha. He admonished his disciples to 'be a refuge to themselves', and never to seek refuge in or help from anybody else. He taught, encouraged and stimulated each person to develop himself and to work out his own emancipation, for man has the power to liberate himself from all bondage through his own personal effort and intelligence. If the Buddha is to be called a 'savior' at all, it is only in the sense that he discovered and showed the Path to Liberation, Nibbana. But we must tread the Path ourselves.

   It is on this principle of individual responsibility that the Buddha allows freedom to his disciples. In the Mahaparinibbana-sutta the Buddha says that he never thought of controlling the Sangha (Order of Monks), nor did he want the Sangha to depend on him. He said that there were no esoteric doctrine in his teaching, nothing hidden in the 'closed-fist of the teacher'.

   The freedom of thought allowed by the Buddha is unheard of elsewhere in the history of religions. This freedom is necessary because according to the Buddha, man's emancipation depends on his own realization of Truth, and not on the benevolent grace of a god or any external power as a reward for his obedient good behavior. The Buddha even told his disciples to examine himself, so that he might be fully convinced of the true value of the teacher whom he followed.

   The Buddha was always eager to dispel doubt. Even just a few minutes before his death, he requested his disciples several times to ask him if they had any doubts about this teachings, and not to feel sorry later that they could not clear those doubts. But the disciples were silent. What he said then was touching: 'If it is through respect for the Teacher that you do not ask anything, let even one of you inform his friend.'

   Not only the freedom of thought, but also the tolerance allowed by the Buddha is astonishing to the student of the history of religions. In the third century B.C., the great Buddhist Emperor Asoka of India, followed this noble example of tolerance and understanding, honoured and supported all other religions in his vast empire.

   This spirit of tolerance and understanding has been from the beginning one of the most cherished ideals of Buddhist culture and civilization. That is why there is not a single example of persecution or the shedding of a drop of blood in converting people to Buddhism, or in its propagation during its long history of 2,500 years. It spread peacefully all over the continent of Asia, having more than 500 million adherents today. Violence in any form, under any pretext whatsoever, is absolutely against the teaching of the Buddha.

   The question has often been asked: Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy? It does not matter what you call it. Buddhism remains whatever it is whatever label you may put on it. The label is immaterial. Even the label 'Buddhism' which we give to the teaching of the Buddha is of little importance. The name one gives it is inessential.

What's in a name? That which we call a rose,

By any other name would smell as sweet

Source: What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Sri Rahula