With humility, love and reverence, Lord Buddha is bestowed with many titles and duly venerated as: Bhagavat -Blessed One; Gautam Buddha -Gautam who became Buddha; Sakyamuni -Sakya who became Muni –enlightened; Sugata -Well Gone; Tathagata -Thus Gone; Samyak Sam-Buddha -Perfectly self-enlightened; Anuttara -Unsurpassed; Loka Vid -Knower of the World; Purusa Damaya Sarathi -Charioteer of a person to be tamed; Sastadeva Manusyanam -Teacher of Gods and humans; Vidya Carana Sampanna -Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, and many more.
Shankaracarya (788-820 AD), a saint of
Hindu theology, revered Lord Buddha in the highest esteem and wrote: “I adore
Buddha who is the leading Yogi in this Kali Yuga.”
It was Shankaracarya who affirmed Lord
Buddha as the 9th incarnation of Lord Vishnu and thereafter Lord
Buddha is revered as the 9th incarnation of Lord Vishnu of Hindu
pantheon by the followers of Sanatan Hindu Dharma.
Addressing Lord Buddha, the poet-saint
Jaydeva writes: “You are Lord Vishnu himself; you have assumed the form of
Buddha; glory onto you; O Lord of the universe; O Hari.”
Lord Buddha ushered the ancient
teachings of Vedas and Upanishads to their culmination phase with most logical
conclusions and delivered completely a new platform of spirituality for
liberating humanity from suffering.
Lord Buddha was born as Siddhartha
Gautam, an ordinary human being. As Siddhartha Gautam, Buddhahood in Nirmankaya
was attained and became Buddha, a perfect being, the perfect embodiment of
virtues.
Lord Buddha founded sublime Buddha
Dharma, which he unreservedly bequeathed to humanity.
Lord Buddha did not arrogate himself as
divine and there is no such deification. This noble example has been the
greatest strength of Buddha Dharma and the source of highest inspiration to everyone.
Innovative thoughts and tireless effort
enabled Siddhartha Gautam to be enlightened and become Buddha.
Lord Buddha taught people on how to
realize the same awakening that he realized.
The teachings of Lord Buddha are based
on reasons and rationales.
Lord Buddha says the gates of success
and prosperity are open to all who care for their life and aspire for higher ideals.
Lord Buddha freed himself from instinctive
mind subservient to sensual objectives, both cognitive and emotive, and completely
renounced Ego.
Lord Buddha showed a path that gives
meaning to life.
Lord Buddha presented no new astounding
philosophical theories. He simply explained truth that concerns emancipation,
and expounded the unique path of deliverance.
Lord Buddha proclaimed to the world that
latent inconceivable potential and creative power are inherent in everyone to
be enlightened and become Buddha just like him.
Lord Buddha’s primary message is; “Man
can gain his deliverance –Nirvana, by his own exertion without depending on any
external entity, which does not independently exist.”
Lord Buddha radiated the light of sublime
Dharma, like a beacon, dispelling the darkness of ignorance in all directions. He
drew all sentient beings forward toward the light of deliverance closing the
gateway to lower realms of life, the lower state of existence.
Having awakened with truth, enlightened
with truth, knowing the truth and being the embodiment of truth, Lord Buddha
discovered that suffering is universal, its cause is universal, and so is the
remedy.
Lord Buddha’s universal teaching
exhorts goodness and goodwill at everyone’s heart, and convinces everyone to embrace
human values for harmony and happiness.
Truth, love, compassion, harmony, justice
and freedom are the timeless values on which Lord Buddha grounded his
teachings.
Lord Buddha eternally radiates Buddha Nature -the
enlightened nature and enables others to discover the same Buddha Nature in
them for which he exerts everyone to practice Bodhi Citta -the altruistic wish
for the welfare of all sentient beings.
Lord Buddha says the intellect, that
enables us to discern what is right, in combination with positive emotion,
provides us motivation.
A graceful balance of intellect and positive
emotion wanting others to feel good is needed for one's own integrity and sense
of personal worth.
Positive emotions are life force but
without intellect they are blind. One must be intellectually right and
emotionally proficient to live a fulfilling life in harmony and happiness.
With social conscience one must be
cognizant of one's action on others' wellbeing.
People with right balance of intellect and emotion have
unshakable confidence in themselves.
Lord Buddha says; “Life is not just about yourself;
it's about balance. Look out for your well-being in that of others.”
Lord Buddha’s precepts are timeless and
eternally pristine. His noble example is the source of inspiration to all.
Lord Buddha is the perfect model of all
virtues.
Lord Buddha inspires everyone with his
iron-will, historic renunciation, perfect purity, profound wisdom, universal
love, boundless compassion, selfless service, magnetic personality, and exemplary
skills.
Lord Buddha’s serene and peaceful
countenance is a soothing sight to pious eyes. His message of peace and tolerance
is welcomed by all with indescribable dignity. His Dharma is revered by all and
it continues to be resilient and relevant, and benefit everyone alike.
Lord Buddha did not carve a place for
himself in his Dharma by laying down conditions. Lord Buddha says:
“Dharma must be its own successor.
Principle must live by itself, not by
authority.
If a principle needs an authority, then it is
not a principle.
If it becomes necessary to invoke the name of
founder to enforce the authority of Dharma, then it is not a Dharma.”
Such was the view of Lord Buddha on his own
position regarding his Dharma.
Lord Buddha did not promise to give
salvation. He said he is Marga Dahta -way provider, and not Moktsa Dahta -giver
of salvation.
Lord Buddha did not claim that he was a
divine being or a God. He repudiated all such descriptions.
Lord Buddha maintained that he was no
more than a natural son of Suddhodhan and Mahamaya.
Lord Buddha says his Dharma is a
discovery and not a revelation.
Dharma of Lord Buddha is a discovery through
enquiry and investigation into the conditions of human life on earth.
Buddha Dharma is based on understanding
the human instinct and ways to mould the instinct and disposition that
developed as a result of history and tradition which are detriment to living a
wholesome life.
Lord Buddha asserted that he was one of
the human beings born on earth and his teaching is the teaching of a man to men.
Lord Buddha never claimed infallibility
of his teaching.
Lord Buddha says; “His teaching is the
true way to salvation, as He understood it; and His teaching is open to anyone
to question it, test it, and find what truth it contains.”
Lord Buddha delivered his teachings to
all-alike including kings, the distressed, the un-touchable scavengers, the poverty-stricken
societies, and misguided lots.
Lord Buddha rejected the very structure
of caste system. At the time of Lord Buddha, the societies belonging to lower
caste were considered unworthy even for salvation. To this dogma, Lord Buddha
says, “My doctrine makes no distinctions between high and low, rich and poor;
it is like a sky, it has room for all; like water, it washes all alike.”
Lord Buddha did not say whatever he
taught is complete, ultimate and finite. He asked his disciples to continue to
discover the ways to alleviate suffering. For this reason, Buddha Dharma
continues to evolve and remain relevant with time that advocates selfless
service benefiting every other sentient being.
Lord Buddha gives absolute liberty to
the world of thought and intellect for search of absolute truth. It is the
freedom given to his followers is keeping the sublime teaching of Lord Buddha alive
and evolving.
The fervent wish of Lord Buddha to his
followers is that they continue to innovate and find new height for Dharma and
remain relevant.
Lord Buddha says Dharma must continue
to evolve for being relevant.
At the time of Lord Buddha, there were
great scholars of high metaphysical subjects but apathetic to societies inflicted
by poverty, social discrimination and suffering. This made Lord Buddha
disinterest to metaphysics.
Lord Buddha wished people to focus on alleviating
the suffering rather than discussing metaphysics and being apathetic to the
social ills and suffering.
Lord Buddha says suffering arises from
myopic vision. Our thoughts are determined by preconditions as how things
should be. Clinging to preconceived idea and misjudgement are detrimental to
knowing the truth.
Through objective enquiry,
investigation and introspection we know the truth and acquire ownership of the
same.
Lord Buddha tells us not to accept
things, even his ideas without being convinced that the ideas are right.
Buddha Dharma is not a belief system
but a process of observation, introspection and self-enquiry.
Buddha Dharma is a journey of
awareness; from the awareness of the object to the awareness of the
subject.
Buddha Dharma is a journey from
impermanent to permanent and from suffering to happiness.
Buddha dharma enriched with fundamental
qualities of divinity establishes amity and harmony across societies and
nature.
Buddha Dharma creates awareness of the
phenomena and appeals introspection to intellect and positive emotional feeling
for compassion.
Being aware
means being Buddha. Hence Buddha means awareness. It is the awareness that prevents
evil arising in our mind. Invoke Buddha for invocation is the door to
awareness. Invoke with mind rather than chanting. If Buddha is not present in
mind, chanting earns no merit. When we invoke Buddha, we actually call on our
own mind for introspection.
Our mind is
the source of all virtues and destroyer of all evils.
Our mind is
the door to all realms of life and the bridge over Samsara to the other shore,
the Nirvana. Those who know where the door is don’t worry about reaching it. Those
who know where the bridge is don’t worry about crossing it.
Dealing with intellect and emotional
feeling, Lord Buddha gives his profound teachings on Buddha Nature and Bodhi
Citta.
Lord Buddha asserted; “Be light unto
yourself. Hold fast to the truth. Look not for refuge to anyone besides Buddha
Nature inherently present in you.
Know that certain things are
unwholesome and wrong. Discard them. When you know that certain things are
wholesome and good; accept them and adhere to them wholeheartedly.”
The unique concept of Nirvana evolved
with the teaching of Lord Buddha. Nirvana is neither nihilistic nor sinking in
the bottomless oblivion.
Nirvana means living in every present
moment with awakened consciousness observing the flow of phenomena as they are.
Nirvana refers to dwelling in a
non-reactive state witnessing the reality of phenomena amidst flux of mind and
matter.
Having attained Nirvana does not mean
we exit Samsara leaving it behind.
Attaining Nirvana means attaining
universal nature of existence having realized the transcendental wisdom which
is neither influenced nor affected by action or change, and therefore not
subject to suffering.
The concept of Nirvana is a step
forward and not a replacement of Hindu concept of Moktsa explained by Vedas and
Upanishads.
Moktsa (Moha+Kshaya) means the end of
delusion.
There is a seamless continuity between
the teachings of Vedas and Upanishads, and the teachings of Lord Buddha.
There is endless connectivity and
continuity between Vedas and Upanishads, and Buddha Dharma.
Lord Buddha delved vastly on the
subject of mind and attachment to sense objects.
Lord Buddha transformed the ancient
wisdom and taught them in a pragmatic term stressing on reasons and rationales
which otherwise were kept secret from the general mass of people.
Vedas and Upanishads have profusely dealt
on the subject of mind.
Bhagvad Gita (6.5) says, “One must
deliver himself with the help of his mind.
For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of
liberation.”
Mind absorbed in sense objects is the
cause of bondage and the mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of
liberation (Amrita-Bindu Upanishad -2).
Padma Purana says; “Citta-Vriti-Nirodha
-self-control, control the flickering mind from incessantly generating fleeting
thought.” Further, it says:
“Indriyani vasa Kritva yatra tatra vasa
Narah;
Tatra tasyam Kuruktsetram Prayagum Puskarum
tathah.
If you are able to control your mind,
then you need not go visiting holy places. Wherever you are, the place is
holy.”
Th principal philosophy of mind is a
common thread of Hindu Dharma and Buddha Dharma.
Bhagvad Gita (6.15) extols; “Practicing
constant control of body, mind and action, one attains spiritual abode of peace
and happiness. Such a man is freed from all desires.” Further it says “One who
is righteous will never come to grief; either now or in future.”
Lord Buddha did not reject everything
of Hindu Dharma and taught something new, something not known. Lord Buddha also
did no claim that he was preaching a new Dharma.
What Lord Buddha did say was that he is
preaching Arya Dharma –the ancient, eternal noble Dharma.
The path of Lord Buddha is Arya Path
–the noble path, the Dharma with methods of practicing it, which is practical and
relevant to all, at all times.
Lord Buddha crystallized and emboldened
the vast pool of knowledge in Vedas and Upanishads, and took it forward.
Lord Buddha recognised suffering is
everywhere and with everyone.
Everyone, high or low, rich or poor, is
liable to experience either physical or mental suffering, or the combination of
both. To him this universality of suffering was important.
Lord Buddha probed into the fathom of
suffering and came up with universal response for living a humane life.
Lord Buddha says; “Suffering can be annihilated
and lasting happiness can be experienced by living in amity and harmony within
and with others. A meaningful life can
be realized with balance of thought, word and wholesome action with right
understanding, right intent, right feeling and right attitude and
behaviour.”
Buddhism grew up and flourished within
the multiple folds of Hindu Dharma. Buddha Dharma is a product of the process
of thinking, which had long been nurtured.
Lord Buddha charted a new path for the
reason that at the time of Lord Buddha, the Hindu Dharma was dominated by Karma-Kanda
-the rites, rituals and ceremonies. The societies were dominated and dictated
by Charvakas -the sensualists, and Vedantiests -philosophers and intellectuals,
high castes and priests, who were not concerned for social harmony, well-being and
happiness of the societies.
Lord Buddha felt distressed when he
found people did not know the real meaning of Dharma and therefore the meaning
of life. The indescribable human
suffering was being perpetuated by no other than human beings themselves.
Lord Buddha took forward the teachings
of Vedas and Upanishads, and applied for overcoming suffering of all sentient
beings.
Lord Buddha taught his Dharma in the
language of the people, which everybody could understand. His teaching was
simple, clear and practical.
Lord Buddha stressed that people must
discover the truth by themselves and not by proxy. That is not possible.
The teachings of Vedas and Upanishads,
and that of Lord Buddha agree so far as the goal of life and means of reaching
that goal are concerned.
The fundamental difference is between
the theory and practice.
Lord Buddha delved more on practice,
the ways and means of reaching the goal of life, and less so on meta-physics of
it and beyond.
Vedas and Upanishads, in their flurry
of theories, say; "The world is only an illusion, Maya. The Samsara is phenomenal
and unreal. Samsara is simply a world of appearance.
Behind this phenomenal world, there is
the world of reality and that world of reality is Brahmn, from which this
phenomenal world is projected.
Brahma Satya -Brahmn is real and it is
eternal. Everything changes but Brahmn remains same and Sanatana -eternal.
Brahmn is the source, as well as end of
everything.
Brahmn is Nirguna -without form and
thus no attributes can be assigned.
Brahmn is unconditioned, un-compounded,
uncreated, unborn, and without beginning and end.
Prajnanam Brahmn -Brahmn is consciousness,
the world of consciousness.
Ayam Atma Brahmn -Atma -the Self is
Brahmn.
Brahmn is revered both in form and
formlessness."
Transcending the Vedas and Upanishads,
Lord Buddha says; “Life has two realities: the outer one and inner one, and the
desires of the two are different.
The outer reality is instinctive and
intuitive desire, and passion fuelled by Ego for sensual pleasures.
The inner reality is the desires of realizing
eternal happiness in this life right here on earth by living in amity and
harmony within and with others.
Life is existence. Two things we should
do in life: we should live our life most devoutly and live our life most
divinely.
To be happy and successful in life, we need
right perception and inspiration. With right perception, we will have right
understanding, set free from sensual desires and passion, and have right
feeling for others.
We need inspiration from excellence -those
who understood the truth and tried to bring everyone to his level.
A truly inspired person is always motivated
to work for mutual happiness and prosperity for all."
Our attitude toward others is a result
of our way of thinking and living. We think that whatever happens to others
will not happen to us and we apply different standards to evaluate others.
The others are either seen someone
deserving respect or an unwelcome identity. We divide the world between us and
them due to persistent cussedness of human nature, moral blindness and spiritual
affliction.
Lord Buddha urges everyone to direct
all efforts to live in a state of harmony, free of negative emotion and
discrimination.
Awareness and mindfulness for goodness
of others will be there only when we are in harmony within and with others.
Lord Buddha says; “There are two
mistakes one can make. Firstly, not starting the journey and secondly, not completing
the journey. Everyone should start the journey but completing the journey is
not essential. It is better to travel well than to arrive.
Suffering is universal misfortune of
mankind. So long there is ignorance, suffering will continue. If someone is
seeking liberation from suffering, one should destroy ignorance, which is the
cause of suffering.
For coming out of ignorance one should have
right understanding of the Four Noble Truths. The truth reveals itself with
transcendental experience when one practices the Noble Eightfold Path with
which one overcomes suffering here in Samsara.
All the troubles originate from
ignorance. Because of ignorance, man is deluded into thinking what is unreal as
real. Thinking unreal as real, man is attached to the unreality of Samsara.”
To Lord Buddha, the discussion on
metaphysical issue on Self -Atma or Atta in Pali is speculative and imaginary.
Lord Buddha considered the topic of
Atma as awilderness
of opinions and did not reveal the nature of Atma. Instead Lord Buddha placed
Buddha Nature in place of Atma characterised by Bodhi Citta out of which the
universal human values outflows.
Lord Buddha avoided on being definitive
on the philosophy of Atma. It is because at metaphysical level the subject and
object loses their identities and become one.
Instead, Lord Buddha exhorted his
disciples to depend on their Karma -action for their deliverance rather than
debating on subjects which do not have discrete existence.
Laying foundation for self-reliance, Lord
Buddha says; “You should exert, the Tathagatas are only teachers.”
Lord Buddha has pointed out the path, with
a strong message on self-reliance, or self-dependence, and it is left for us to
follow.
Lord Buddha, in His last words to
Ananda, says; “Be ye the lamp unto yourself. All conditioned things are subject
to decay. Attain your goal by diligence”.
Emphasizing the importance of
self-reliance and diligence, Lord Buddha exhorts us to depend on ourselves for our
deliverance.
First of all, one should have right
perspective for life which one can have with right understanding. Right
perspective inspires and motivates to work diligently.
Lord Buddha did not consider life out
of context. Lord Buddha looked at life inclusive of social, economic and
political aspects, besides being spiritual. This is the greatness of Lord
Buddha.
Lord Buddha says; “One should live a
life suffused with virtue and righteousness. By living a life guided by moral values
and spiritual principles, one experiences peace, harmony and happiness within
and among others.”
Lord Buddha did consider material
welfare but did not consider material welfare as an end in itself. He emphasized
that material welfare should be only a means to an end –a higher and noble end.
Human suffering arises from lack of
basic physical amenities and spiritual sufficiency. With simultaneous
elimination of both, the ever-persisting human suffering can be alleviated.
Physical suffering is characterised by poverty.
To alleviate poverty one requires: (i) Food -sufficient to prevent hunger and
maintain good health; (ii) Clothing -sufficient to appear socially decent and
conducive to protect body, (iii) Housing, which gives shelter with sufficient
safety and security, and (iv) Medicine and Health Care, which cures and prevent
diseases.
But, a person enjoying superfluous
material wealth could still be living with spiritual poverty. The spiritual
poverty cannot be eliminated by supply of goods and services; nor can happiness
be measured by the scale of quantity of goods being consumed.
Lord Buddha says hunger is an obstacle
to spiritual progress and gives due attention to elimination of hunger.
One evening Lord Buddha was about to
begin Dharma talk, an elderly farmer rushed into the hall who was late as he
had to search his lost cow and had not eaten his meal whole day. Seeing the old
farmer, Lord Buddha asked to offer a meal and delayed Dharma talk.
When the farmer had the meal, Lord
Buddha said, “Respected friends, if I had begun my Dharma talk while our
brother was still hungry, he would not be able to concentrate. That would not
be right.
There is no greater suffering than
hunger. Hunger wastes our bodies and destroys our well-being, peace and
happiness. We should never forget those who are hungry.
It is a discomfort to miss one meal,
but think of the suffering of those who have not had a proper meal for days or
weeks. We must find ways to assure that no one in this world is forced to go
hungry.”
On poverty, Lord Buddha says; “Poverty
in all its dimensions can be eliminated by acquisition of seven noble wealth:
(1).Faith in wholesome moral qualities, (2).Morality and righteousness, (3).Being
ashamed of morally reprehensible act, (4).Being afraid of morally corrupt act,
(5).Being receptive and ever striving to enhance personality and character,
(6).Being generous in giving and caring others, and working selflessly for the
good of others, and (7).Having insight of the nature of phenomenal existence.”
On happiness, Lord Buddha says; “There are four things which are conducive to a man's happiness:
1…Uttbana-Sampada
–Competence: One should be skilled, earnest and energetic in whatever
profession one is engaged.
2…Aarakkba-Sampada: Taking care of wealth
earned righteously. One should neither hoard wealth avariciously nor should he
be extravagant.
3…Kalyana-Mitta: One should be good friend being faithful, virtuous and intelligent, selflessly helping along the right path of virtue and righteousness.
4…Samajivikata:
Selflessly volunteering in social welfare activities caring those who are in
Vikata –problem.
To a layman, happiness comes with four virtues:
(1)...Sradha: Faith and confidence in moral, spiritual and intellectual values.
(2)...Sila: Ethical conducts -adhering to Panch Sila -abstinence from being the cause of death of other beings; abstinence from stealing and cheating; abstinence from adultery, abstinence from falsehood, and abstinence from substance abuse.
(3)...Caga: Practicing generosity, voluntarism and self-sacrifice for the welfare of others and environment without expecting any return.
(4)...Patina: Developing wisdom and positive attitude and behaviour.
There are four levels of happiness
attainable by a lay person:
(1)...Atti-Sukha:
Happiness of possessing enough material resources for economic security, earned
by just and righteous means.
(2)...Bhoga-Sukha:
Happiness of spending wealth earned sincerely on meritorious deeds and sharing it
with others for their benefits.
(3)...Ananna-Sukha:
Happiness of not being in debt.
(4)...Anavajja-Sukha:
Happiness of living a faultless life with integrity, and free of corruption.”
Everyone has natural desire to be happy. For
happiness one should continue to build capacity to pursue moral excellence and
demonstrate ideals with action.
There exists causal and reciprocal
relation between material poverty and spiritual poverty.
Focussing only on eliminating material
poverty is self-defeating.
Cultivating skills and moral qualities,
and balancing the two is the starting point for to be happy.
Lord Buddha wishes us to create a value based society. In a value-based society, there is fairness and
justice and life is in peace and harmony. The hatred is conquered by love, greed
by contentment, and evil by goodness. Enmity,
jealousy, and ill-will are conquered by compassion, good-will, and generosity.
Buddha Dharma strives at creating an
environment for balanced growth in material and spiritual wealth where one’s
potential could be fully realized.
In an environment suffused with spiritual
and moral values, everyone is able to earn a living according to their skills
and aptitudes in a righteous manner.
In Buddha Dharma, meeting basic
material requirement is a virtue. But indulgence in insatiable greed that
brings about disharmony in the nature and society is a crime which causes
suffering for self and others.
Lord Buddha says, “Santustha Paramum
Dhanaum, -Contentment is the greatest wealth.”
But the contentment advocated by Lord
Buddha does not imply to sustain or endure poverty.
Lord Buddha did not value poverty.
What Lord Buddha advocated was that we
should understand our needs in right perspective and commit for its fulfilment by
righteous means.
Values and ethics of Buddha Dharma tell
us to practice self-introspection, self-consciousness, awareness and
mindfulness, and cultivate a feeling of prosperity -the right feeling, the
feeling of plenty.
The basic economic thought in the teaching
of Lord Buddha is the ethical-economic; the idea that anything beyond basic
necessity is plentiful at which one can experience happiness.
High standard of life does not
necessarily guaranty happiness. It is the high quality of life that gives
happiness.
Resource creation not the resource
consumption gives happiness.
Happiness is an eternal desire and
people have always been in the quest happiness. But happiness can be found only
when happiness of all is placed above that of an individual. One cannot find happiness
out of deprivation, imbalances, and unfairness.
Ever since the dawn of human history every
great personality has spoken on happiness.
The views of some are worth appreciating:
“Morality, righteousness, and
traditional values cause happiness. One should uphold the importance of family
values, especially the virtues of goodness and benevolence (Confucius 600-400
BC).”
“For happiness, man should be part of
this world but without considering this world is his. For happiness one should
be simple and become one with others at a deeper level (Laotse 600-400 BC).”
“The immortal soul is a part of the
cosmic divinity. The highest happiness for man is in the realization of cosmic
divinity through philosophical search (Pythagoras 562-496 BC)."
“Harmony is the basis of soul’s
well-being. Justice creates harmony.
Thought, desire and will are the
activities of soul. When these three are in harmony within and with others’ and
their environment, happiness will be achieved.
Highest good should be the ultimate aim
of man (Plato 427-347 BC).”
“Happiness means life flourishing; a feeling of life
flourishing and the state of mind at that instant. That
happy state of being arises from individual experience of rightly putting
inborn talent and natural acceptance, into practice.
Happiness
should be earned with exercising one’s abilities and potential to the fullest
extent.
For happiness, one should: (1) focus on
happiness-producing thoughts that bring about peace and harmony, and (2)
evaluate events and situations as positive, instead of negative and remain
undisturbed when confronted with downturn events or disasters (Aristotle
384-322 B.C).”
“Whom enough is too little, nothing is
enough. It is the positive thinking and reflection on positive goal of life
supports living a balanced life.
The sole aim for a person’s life is to achieve
happiness, by destroying listlessness (Epicure 341-270 BC).”
“The highest aim of a person is to
reunite his soul with the divine soul from whence it came.
Happiness arises by liberating the soul
imprisoned by suffering and enabling it to return to its home in the light
world.
The individual soul is the arena where
eternal rivalry between good and evil takes place in search of happiness
(Plotinus 204-270 BC).”
“Happy is he who is active, gifted,
zealous and likes doing what he does and is capable of doing (Augustine 354-430
AD).”
“As we all want to be happy so we
behave morally well and impeccably, as morality is constituent of happiness
(Immanuel Kant 1724-1804).”
To be happy we have to have inner
positive energies to transform and transcend unsatisfactory emotional state of
being. That positive energy lies in right understanding of one's own being and
environment we live in.
In the pursuit of happiness, the danger
lies in romanticising happiness and narrowing its domain to faith, belief and traditions.
Happiness is not gotten as gift; we
have to work for it.
By inherent nature we are motivated in
life when we are connected to the sense of purpose. We find happiness in engaging
to that sense of purpose. But we continue to miss out the sense of purpose due
to lack of right perspective for our life.
It is the right perspective of life that
actually determines happiness.
Lord Buddha says; “Happiness is
experienced in living a life with positive thought and emotion, renouncing the
feeling of deprivation.
Happiness is experienced with a mind
that does not wander and go on to subjects that create tension, and a mind that
does not generate thought which destroy freedom and create fear or feeling of
deprivation.
Happiness is experienced with a mind
that can be controlled at will.
Happiness is experienced with a trained
mind,
Happiness can be experienced with a
mind that remains aware and mindful, keeps on developing itself, discovering
itself within itself the secret of life, the problem of life and the reality of
life.
Happiness can be experienced with a
pure mind as the root of all virtues is the pure nature of mind.”
In life, every choice we make and every
action we do, we either benefit or pay the price for it. The result of the past
and present generates cause of which the results will mature in the future. The
future becomes present and then, the past. This chain of existence in the cycle
of birth and death caused by Karma -cause and effect eternally continues.
Lord
Buddha says:
“Past is
dead and gone. Future is not yet come. Present is only what one has that
determines the future.
Do not
pursue the past. Do not lose yourself in the future.
Past no
longer exists. Future has not come yet.
Look deeply
at life as it is, here and now.
Be diligent
today.
To wait
until tomorrow is too late.
Death
comes unexpectedly. No one can bargain with death.
By oneself evil is done, by oneself one is
defiled.
By oneself evil is left undone, by oneself
one is purified.
Purity and defilement depend on oneself, no
one can purify another.”
Lord Buddha’s teaching begins with ordinary
mind and ends with enlightened mind, and between the two unfolds timeless
teachings.
Lord Buddha places mind at the forefront
and says; “It is the mind that fashions our actions, shapes our destiny, and
leads us either towards suffering or happiness.
Do not commit unwholesome action. Cultivate
the wealth of virtue and tame your mind. This is the teachings of all
Tathagatas.”
World is not a projection of mind, but
it is not totally independent of mind either.
Find out all about human nature and nature of all things, and realize Suchness
in which body, mind, and the cosmos are in harmony and unperturbed."
Suchness is One. Suchness is Brahmn.
Suchness is Sunyata. Everything emerges from Suchness and to Suchness everything
dissolves.
Vedas
and Upanishads say; "In every being there is inmost self. That inmost self
is one, which makes its one form manifolds and exists in all. He is the Supreme
Ruler.
That inmost self is Param
Atma -the absolute eternal Self, which is ever resplendent and primordially pure.
It is realised by unceasing practice of truthfulness, austerity, right action,
and endurance.
Eternal happiness belongs
to wise who perceive the inmost self inherently present within and beholds the
same inmost self in all beings."
The mistake we make is that we turn our
thoughts outward, away from inmost self, to the world of supernatural, the God,
which Lord Buddha says non-existent.
Lord Buddha tells us to direct our
thoughts and emotions inwards in search of Buddha Nature, which is within
us.
Buddha Nature is the blissful
consciousness, primordially pure, eternal, and it is embodied in every being.
Buddha Tattva, Buddha Bhavana or Buddha
Bhav or Buddha Nature is no other than pure consciousness, which when realized
and lived with it, the life on earth becomes blissful.
Whoever realizes the Buddha Nature
becomes embodiment of peace, love, and compassion.
To realize Buddha Nature inherently
present within, Lord Buddha advises to practice Bhavana.
Practicing Bhavana
means developing positive thought, feeling, attitude and behavior.
Practicing Bhavana
does not necessarily means meditation per se but includes in its ambit.
Bhavana has four
practice domains:
1.
Maitri
Bhavana
The unending
suffering arises from wishing for own happiness.
The enduring happiness
arises from wishing for others' happiness.
Maitri Bhavana
means wishing for others' happiness and thereby extending unconditional love
and benevolence for all sentient beings.
Maitri Bhavana
emerges from the feeling of empathy on others' emotions, thoughts and feelings.
It is developed through empathetic awareness, creative thinking, imagination
and visualization.
Being aware and
concerned of suffering of others, there arises a sense of empathy, giving rise
to Karuna -compassion.
Maitri Bhavana
destroys egoistic feeling and eradicates jealousy.
With Maitri
Bhavana we transcend hatred and intolerance.
With Maitri
Bhavana there will be equanimity -the harmony within oneself and with
others.
Maitri Bhavana
gives us strength for dedication, benevolent actions, feeling of contentment,
joy and happiness.
Lord
Buddha says; "Goodwill toward all beings is true Dharma. Cherish boundless
goodwill in your heart for all that lives.”
Teaching
Maitri Bhavana Lord Buddha placed human value at the core of his teaching and taught
noble ideal of selfless service.
2.
Samatha
Bhavana
With Samatha
Bhavana we attain and maintain calm abiding characterized by a state of
equanimity and tranquility, at which un-interrupted awareness and attention is
maintained.
When
we renounce the grasping disposition of selfishness we attain sinless calm
state of mind at perfect peace and goodness.
Practicing
Samatha Bhavana means dwelling in equanimity -harmony within, with others and
nature at a state of awareness and mindfulness with which even inadvertently
the sinful mistakes are not made.
3.
Vipassana
Bhavana
Vipassana Bhavana
is popularly translated as insight. Once Samatha Bhavana is attained, the
practitioners progress into Vipassana Bhavana.
Practicing
Vipassana Bhavana means practicing insight, contemplating on the way things
appear and the way they really are.
4.
Panna
Bhavana
Panna Bhavana
means experiential wisdom. It arises with right understanding of the teachings
of Lord Buddha including the truth of phenomenal existence and impermanence,
and the experience in walking the Eightfold Noble Path shown by Lord Buddha.
Lord
Buddha says; “Search for truth with sincerity and persevere in your search. At
the end, you will find the Truth.”
On Truth, referring to himself, Lord
Buddha says;
"The subject on
which I meditate is Truth.
The practice to which
I devote myself is Truth.
The topic of my
conversation is Truth.
Look, I have become
the Truth.”
Practicing Bhavana, one becomes
conscious even at unconscious state of mind and do not make inadvertent
mistakes.
At unconsciously conscious state of
mind one will be aware and mindful of what is being done either consciously or
unconsciously. It enables to do right thing only and there will be no
suffering.
When one attains the unconsciously
conscious state of mind, one becomes enlightened.
Lord Buddha emphasize that everyone
should strive earnestly to avoid being deceived by one’s Ego.
Lord Buddha redefined renunciation.
Lord Buddha says renunciation does not mean running
away from mundane life and becoming an ascetic. Truly renunciation means
getting rid of impure thoughts and defilements, and living a righteous life.
For practicing Dharma, renunciation
is necessary but it does not imply denunciation of worldly life.
Renunciation does not mean going away
from home to homeless life.
One should renounce attachment but not
Karma –action.
Whatever is one’s way of life, one
should execute rightful action with vigour and full devotion being free of
preconceived notion on the result of one’s action and longing for result.
Renunciation implies to let go off the attachment
–the emotional bond that binds us to Samsara.
It is the emotional bond, the longing for
preconceived outcome of thought and deed holds everyone clinging, which binds
to the wheel of Samsara.
The purpose of renunciation is harmony
and happiness. One should renounce pretentiousness and
adore humility with right understanding and right perspective for life.
Renunciation should not be associated
with the gloom of harsh asceticism, or with
bleak damnation of the rest of humanity and it should not result from the feelings
of loss and grief.
Renunciation
is a primary step in practicing Dharma on which Vedas and Upanishads says; “The
basic necessities for practicing Dharma are
(1) Taap -austerity, (2) Tyag -renunciation, and (3) Tapasya -devotional
endeavour.
Lord Buddha initiated the noble idea of
going on retreat as an appropriate pragmatic and practical way of practicing
renunciation. It is possible for everyone. Everyone can practice renunciation
by way of going on retreat leaving behind the mundane world temporarily.
In retreat one experiences the feeling
of the emotional bond we live with and the joy of being free from the emotional
bond.
Practicing retreat enhances confidence that
renouncing the world is not too difficult. But one must not go for it solely to
enjoy positive joyful experience of leaving the world behind.
To enable us to transcend emotional
bond that binds us to Samsara, Lord Buddha personally practiced, perfected and
presented the practice of Bhavana, for good of humanity to be at peace and harmony.
Lord Buddha says that Dana -an act of
giving, has the power to change our attitude and outlook.
As long as we live in human realm, we
should be generous. It is the generosity, the spirit of being generous, that
creates goodwill and wellbeing of self and others.
More than Dana, the intention and
degree of loving kindness and compassion associated with Dana is important. Whatsoever
is given, it must be given selflessly to a genuinely needy recipient.
Generosity activates Buddha Nature
inherently present in us which unfolds Bodhi Citta, and the underlying power to
deliver harmony and happiness.
Generosity frees everyone from
attachment, the emotional bond that ties to Samsara.
In practicing generosity, the recipient
is important, because helping those who do not have problem does not solve any problem
and does not bring happiness to anyone.
Giving selflessly for the well-being of
others genuinely wanting to receive, we experience confidence; we grow in
self-esteem, and self-respect. We experience joy out of our intention that is being
transformed by the selfless act of giving.
Generosity creates spaciousness in our
mind and heart, and it is with that spaciousness of mind and heart, we derive
the strength to accept things as they are.
The spacious mind is the root of
contentment, tolerance and forgiveness.
If we have spacious mind and heart, we
are not afraid. The fear factor itself is eliminated.
It is the fear that gives rise to attachment
and compels us to cling on to pleasant experience.
When we have spacious mind and generous
heart, the vast array of experiences comes and goes and we remain confident in
all circumstances.
Practicing generosity frees our minds
from the conditioned forces of craving, clinging and attachment.
Generosity frees our mind from
projecting incompleteness or creating a feeling of deprivation. It is by
practicing generosity we are able to create harmony and extend welfare to all
beings and free them from all forms of suffering.
If we are always looking for things to
be complete, we miss the degree to which we are complete.
In a single act of giving selflessly,
fear and attachment are annulled.
Giving selflessly to a genuinely needy
recipient unfolds all the four immeasurable: love, compassion, sympathetic joy
and equanimity.
Selflessly giving material possession,
contributing positive thought, wishing for wellbeing of others, and volunteering
for social welfare activities enhances the value of life.
What we do in our life, the choices we make
and the values we hold matters.
What we think and do in this Samsara
matters to us and others alike.
With a selfless act of giving we renounce
aversion and ill-will, abandon desire and attachment, and clinging to pleasure
that creates fear of losing it.
With selfless act of giving we let go
the discrimination that creates a sense of not being in harmony with others.
No matter how much or how little we
have, if we feel we have enough, we will always have something to give.
Lord Buddha disapproves the fabrics of
caste system and all forms of social discrimination and inequality. This has been the ground of Buddha Dharma for
promoting social harmony.
Rejecting the social discrimination
Lord Buddha says; “Every human, through sincere and dedicated practice, can
attain enlightenment.
The station to which a man is born
determines only his designation.
Lineage does not enter into a man’s
being. It is not the lineage that makes a man good or bad. High ideal is important
and not a noble birth.”
Rejecting the caste system, Lord Buddha
accepted people of all castes and creeds in his Sangha on equal human ground.
Lord Buddha says; “No castes, no
inequality, no superiority, no inferiority; all are equal. Identify yourself with others and commit: As
they; so, I. As I; so, they.
What makes a person great is not his
birth but his action.”
Lord Buddha describes an outcaste as: “One
who is irritable, rancorous, vicious, detractive, perverted in views, and
deceitful is an outcaste.
Whoever harms living beings, in whom, there
is no compassion for living beings is an outcaste.
Whoever, being rich, does not support societies
or undertake social responsibilities is an outcaste.
Whoever when questioned about what is good
conceals what is wrong is an outcaste.
No one is an outcaste by birth.
A man does not become Brahmin by his
birth. In whom there is truth and righteousness, he is blessed, and he is a
Brahmin.”
Taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and
Sangha is a primary practice. But no one
should take refuge with the hope that Lord Buddha will save. Lord Buddha gives no such guarantee.
In Buddha Dharma, Lord Buddha only
inspires us with his teachings and it is we ourselves are responsible for our
salvation.
One may seek refuge in Lord Buddha, but
without having surrendered one's freedom of thought.
In Buddha Dharma, everyone is free to exercise
one's own free will and develop one's knowledge to the extent of becoming Buddha.
By making offerings, venerating and
paying obeisance to Lord Buddha in a sanctum sanctorum one should not aspect favour.
Being in front of the image of Lord
Buddha one should feel being in the presence of living Buddha and thereby derive
inspiration from his noble personality. Breathe in deep his boundless
compassion, and commit to follow Lord Buddha’s sublime teaching and benevolent noble
example.
What Lord Buddha expects from his
disciples is not the obeisance to him but the reverence to his teachings.
Lord Buddha says; “He honours me most who
practices my teaching best. He who sees Dharma, sees me.”
In Buddha Dharma, Dharma literally
means virtue of righteousness that liberates from suffering.
In Buddha Dharma, there is no practice of
praying for salvation. Lord Buddha does not grant favour to those who pray to
him for favour.
In Buddha Dharma one should not pray for
to be saved, but rely on one's own endeavour.
Lord Buddha says; “The onus is entirely
on you, you yourself have to work out your destiny, and not that somebody else
will be responsible for what you do or what you are. People have to save
themselves.”
Lord Buddha has shown us the way out
from suffering. It is we who have to make progress along the way. There is no
such thing as grace or miraculous schemes in Lord Buddha’s teachings.
Lord Buddha disowns that he is a
saviour.
Lord Buddha says there is no mystical
force controlling man’s destiny. The destiny of man is determined by his will
and his deed. A sense of purpose and positive attitude helps but it is entirely
the choice and effort determines the destiny.
The butter lamps offered to Lord Buddha
symbolizes wisdom dispelling darkness.
The prayers in reverence to Lord Buddha
extend only to the extent of wishing the light of wisdom arising in us and all
living beings, both in this life and in lives to come.
Reverence to Lord Buddha only provides
inspiration and not a boon. It provides right perspective to our life, and
enables us to exploit the potentials inherently present in us. It helps us to
be less vulnerable to the ups and downs of our life.
Buddha Dharma recognizes the infinite
latent potential inherently present in us and teaches that we can gain
deliverance by our own effort, independent of mediating priest or divine being,
which is not other than our own thought.
Buddha Dharma appeals more to intellect.
Buddha Dharma is unique for owing to its rationality, practicability, and
universality.
Buddha Dharma has no dictum.
Buddha Dharma teaches how to generate noble
thoughts and emotional feelings with which we realise Buddha Nature and
generate Bodhi Citta.
The cardinal virtues of Buddha Dharma are
the positive attitude and behaviour, the pursuit of others’ well-being by positive
means, and the fervent wish to live a noble life in harmony with others and
nature.
Buddha Dharma nurtures ambition without
limit. It does promote the idea of improving one’s own well-being, but it
should never be to the detriment of others.
The primary emphasis of Buddha Dharma is
on mutual prosperity and mutual happiness.
Buddha Dharma does not believe on independently
existing principal divine creator or God. But it does not deny the phenomenon
of life after death.
Buddha Dharma is not nihilism that nothing
exists outside our perceptions, but it is also not eternalism that there is
eternal entity that exists independently and exists by itself.
Tolerance is highly cherished ideal of Buddha Dharma. That is why Buddha Dharma spread without force or exertion. Violence in any form, under any pretext whatsoever, is against the teaching of Lord Buddha.
Emperor Asoka of India, having embraced
Buddha Dharma, wrote in one of his edicts carved on rock; “One should not honour only one's own Dharma and condemn that of others. One
should honour all other Dharma with same merit. In
doing so, one helps one's own Dharma to grow and renders
service to the Dharma of others.”
The greatness of Buddha Dharma emanates
from the enlightenment of Lord Buddha. As a human being, Lord Buddha proved
that every human being could be enlightened. There is potential of self-enlightenment
in every being.
Lord Buddha wishes us to put our
individual potential and all his teachings on test.
To be a follower of Buddha Dharma means
living with Bodhi Citta –righteous thought. Not simply having Bodhi Citta but
practicing it in all sense.
Lord Buddha says; “One should be offering
merits accrued by body, speech and mind, for the wellbeing of others.”
Being a follower of Buddha Dharma one should
appreciate and be happy at others’ success and not let pride and jealousy to
arise.
A follower of Buddha Dharma is one who dedicates
and wishes that all beings may be enlightened.
The most appealing wish of Lord Buddha
is:
“May all beings be happy and secure and
their hearts be wholesome!
Seen or unseen, those dwelling far or near,
those who are born, or who are to be born, may all beings be happy!
Cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings,
just like a mother who would protect her only child even at the risk of her own
life.
Let the thought of boundless love and
compassion pervade the whole world, above, below and across without any
obstruction, without any enmity.”
Lord Buddha is the source of
inspiration and innovation. A life with no inspiration is a life of stagnation.
With right inspiration, innovation and motivation, we can liberate noble
thoughts and pursue positive ambition, and give new meaning to life and make it
relevant.
Reasons and rationales, and innovation
and experience and are basics of Buddha Dharma.
Lord Buddha through his teachings tells
us to experience life. It is the experience that makes us real being and it is
the experience that reveals the true meaning of life. The experience may be
pleasant or unpleasant.
Lord Buddha urges us to experience a
truthful life, a life with honesty and truthfulness.
Living a truthful life is the purpose
of our life and we must cherish basic moral and ethical values.
Lord Buddha says; “Ehi-Passika -Come and See." Lord
Buddha did not say come and believe."
Lord Buddha’s teaching is like a raft for crossing over
a river, and not for getting hold of and carrying on one's back.
Lord Buddha's teaching is meant to carry man to safety,
to cross over Samsara, and experience the bliss of being in harmony within,
with others and nature.
In Buddha Dharma, it is not necessary even to know whether the teaching is from Lord Buddha, or
from someone else. The story of Pukkusati
(Majjhima-Nikaya, Sutta no. 140) validates this fact.
Once, Lord Buddha arrived to a potter's place where a
young recluse had takenshelter. Seeing the young recluse Lord Buddha asked: "O
Bhikkhu, in whose name you left home? Who is
your Master? Whose doctrine do you follow?
The young recluse answered; “O friend, there is a great
recluse called Gautama, he is an Arahant, a fully-enlightened one. In the name of that Blessed One, I have become a
recluse. He is my Master, and I revere his doctrine.”
Lord Buddha asked; “Have you ever seen that Blessed One?
If not, would you recognize him when you see him?”
The young recluse answered; “I have never seen that
Blessed One. Nor would I recognize
him, if I see him.”
Lord Buddha then without divulging his
identity, said: “O Bhikkhu, I will teach you Dhamma. Would you listen and pay
attention?”
In assent the young recluse said: “Very
well, friend.”
Then Lord Buddha delivered a remarkable discourse.
At the end of the discourse the young recluse whose name was Pukkusati, realized that the person who spoke to him was Lord Buddha. He bowed down at the feet of Lord Buddha and apologized for calling him friend unknowingly and begged to ordain and admit him in his Sangha.
Lord Buddha asked him to come with alms-bowl
and robes. ImmediatelyPukkusati
went out in search of alms-bowl and robes, but unfortunately died in an
accident before he could be ordained. When the news reached Lord Buddha, it was
announced that Pukkusati had already seen Truth, and attained penultimate stage
of realizing Nirvana, and that he was born in a realm where he would become an
Arahant and finally pass away, never to return to this world again.
When Pukkusati listened to Lord Buddha and
understood his teaching, he did not know who was speaking to him, or whose
teaching it was. From this episode, it is clear that one can have the teaching
on truth from any one.
The sense of equanimity –the oneness,
comes from deep within.
Deep in us, one moment is not separate
from another. That is the nature of our inner consciousness, which is one
across all, timeless, unconditioned, uncreated and pure.
All beings have same inner consciousness.
It is one and from that oneness comes out the feeling of equanimity, harmony,
love and compassion.
Everyone has the potential to recognise
one's own inner consciousness. He, who realises the inner consciousness,
realizes the truth.
Buddha Dharma tells us to live in
harmony, as all are one, in this eternal now, without lamentation to the past,
which is gone, and without hope for future, which has not come yet.
What is important in life is positive
intent and emotion. If someone is pursuing positive intent and emotion with
integrity and humility, that person is an enlightened person.
It is with our Karma we suffer and
remain bound to Samsara, and with our Karma we are liberated from Samsara and
experience eternal happiness in this life here on earth.
Our past Karma -thought and deed, have
shaped our present, and our Karma of now will determine our future.
The balance sheet of our Karma is carried
over from one lifetime to the next, passing through the latent state between
death and rebirth in ever flowing stream of consciousness.
Lord Buddha says; "With Karma of
now, we can rescind our past Karma; discredit if past Karma were negative and
reshape the present as well as the future.
With diligence, we should arouse innate
Buddha Nature and extricate ourselves from negative Karma.”
“Obeisance
to the Supreme Being; who founded Buddha Dharma.
May
those who hear, Generate Bodhi-mind, and
Live their
lives devoted to Buddha Dharma.”
