Lord Buddha Sermons on the need for making good resolutions.

Lord Buddha Sermons on the need  for making good resolutions.

• Once when he was at Shravasti in Jeta's Grove the Exalted One said to the Brethren : 
• " Brethren, there is a great need of good resolutions to be made and observed for a pure and happy life.
• " I will tell you what your resolutions should be. 
• "Resolve that, 'all my life long may I support my parents. May I respect the head of my can. May I be of gentle speech. May I speak evil of none. Clearing my heart of the stain of selfishness, may I dwell at home generous pure-handed, delighting in giving up, may I be a proper man to ask a boon of, delighting in sharing gifts with others. 
• "'All my life long, may I be angerless, and, if anger arise, may I quickly check it " 
• Such are the seven resolutions Brethren, by undertaking and performing which you will attain the state of happiness and purity.

Mere Morality is not Enough. It must be Sacred and Universal : Buddha

Mere Morality is not Enough. It must be Sacred and Universal

• When is a thing sacred? Why is a thing sacred ? 
• In every human society, primitive or advanced, there are some things or beliefs which it regards as sacred and the rest as profane. 
• When a thing or belief has reached the stage of being sacred (pavitra) it means that it cannot be violated. Indeed it cannot be touched. It is taboo. 
• Contrary to this, a thing or a belief which is profane (apavitra), i.e., outside the field of the sacred, may be violated. It means one can act contrary to it, without feeling any fear or qualms of conscience. 
• The sacred is something holy. To transgress it is a sacrilege. 
• Why is a thing made sacred ? To confine the scope of the question to the matter in hand, why morality should have been made sacred ? 
• Three factors seem to have played their part in making morality sacred. 
• The first factor is the social need for protecting the best. 
• The background of this question lies imbedded in what is called the struggle of existence and the survival of the fittest. 
• This arises out of the theory of evolution. It is common knowledge that evolution takes place through a struggle for existence because the means of food supply in early times were so limited. 
• The struggle is bitter. Nature is said to be red in claw and tooth. 
• In this struggle which is bitter and bloody only the fittest survive. 
• Such is the original state of society. 
• In the course of ancient past someone must have raised the question, Is the fittest (the strongest) the best ? Would not the weakest if protected be ultimately the best for advancing the ends and aims of society ?
• The then prevailing state of society seems to have given an answer in the affirmative. 
• Then comes, the question what is the way to protect the weak ? 
• Nothing less than to impose some restraints upon the fittest. 
• In this lies the origin and necessity for morality. 
• This morality had to be sacred because it was imposed originally on the fittest, i.e., the strongest. 
• This has very serious consequences. 
• First, does morality in becoming social become anti-social ? 
• It is not that there is no morality among thieves. There is morality among businessmen. There is morality among fellow castemen and there is also morality among a gang of robbers. 
• But this morality is marked by isolation and exclusiveness. It is a morality to protect " group interest. " It is therefore anti-social. 
• It is the isolation and exclusiveness of this kind of morality which throws its anti-social spirit in relief. 
• The same is true where a group observes morality because it has interests of its own to protect. 
• The results of this group organisation of society are far-reaching. 
• If society continues to consist of anti-social groups, society will remain a disorganised and a factional society.
• The danger of a disorganised and factional state of society is that it sets up a number of different models and standards. 
• In the absence of common models and common standards society cannot be a harmonious whole, 
• With such different models and standards it is impossible for the individual to attain consistency of mind. 
• A society which rests upon the supremacy of one group over another irrespective of its rational or proportionate claims inevitably leads to conflict. 
• The only way to put a stop to conflict is to have common rules of morality which are sacred to all. 
• There is the third factor which requires morality to be made sacred and universal. It is to safeguard the growth of the individual. 
• Under the struggle for existence or under group rule the interests of the individuals are not safe. 
• The group set-up prevents an individual from acquiring consistency of mind which is possible only when society has common ideals, common models. His thoughts are led astray and this creates a mind whose seeing unity is forced and distorted. 
• Secondly the group set-up leads to discrimination and denial of justice.
• The group set-up leads to stratification of classes. Those who are masters remain masters and those who are born in slavery remain slaves. Owners remain owners and workers remain workers. The privileged remain privileged and the serfs remain serfs. 
• This means that there can be liberty for some but not for all. This means that there can be equality for a few but none for the majority.
• What is the remedy ? The only remedy lies in making fraternity universally effective. 
• What is fraternity ? It is nothing but another name for brotherhood of men which is another name for morality. This is why the Buddha preached that Dhamma is morality and as Dhamma is sacred so is morality.

Dhamma and Morality : Buddha and his Dhamma

Dhamma and Morality

• What is the place of morality in Dhamma ? 
• The simple answer is Morality is Dhamma and Dhamma is Morality. 
• In other words, in Dhamma morality takes the place of God although there is no God in Dhamma. 
• In Dhamma there is no place for prayers, pilgrimages, rituals, ceremonies or sacrifices. 
• Morality is the essence of Dhamma. Without it there is no Dhamma. 
• Morality in Dhamma arises from the direct necessity for man to love man.
• It does not require the sanction of God. It is not to please God that man has to be moral. It is for his own good that man has to love man.

The Purpose of Religion and the Purpose of Dhamma : Buddha and his Dhamma

The Purpose of Religion and the Purpose of Dhamma

• What is the purpose of Religion ? What is the purpose of Dhamma ? Are they one and the same ? Or are they different ? 
• The answer to these questions are to be found in two dialogues—one between the Buddha and Sunakkhatta and the other between the Buddha and the Brahmin Potthapada. 
• The Exalted One was once staying among the Mallas at Anupiya, one of their towns. 
• Now the Exalted One having robed himself in the early morning, put on his cloak and took his bowl and entered the town for alms. 
• On the way he thought it was too early to go for alms. Therefore he went to the pleasance where Bhaggava the wanderer dwelt and called on him. 
• On seeing the Blessed One Bhaggava got up, saluted him and said, "May it please you, sire, to be seated ; here is a seat made ready for you."
• The Exalted One sat down thereon, and Bhaggava taking a certain lowstool sat down beside him. So seated, Bhaggava, the wanderer, spake thus to the Exalted One : 
• " Some days ago, Lord, a good many days ago, Sunakkhatta of the Licchavis called on me and spake thus: 'I have now given up the Exalted One, Bhaggava. I am remaining no longer under him (as my teacher).' Is the fact really so, just as he said ? " 
• "It is just so Bhaggava, as Sunakkhatta of the Licchavis said," replied the Riessed One.
• " Some days ago, Bhaggava, a good many days ago, Sunakkhatta, the Licchavi, came to call on me, and spake thus : ' Sir, I now give up the Exalted One. I will henceforth remain no longer under him (as my teacher).' When he told me this, I said to him : ' But now, Sunakkhatta, have I ever said to you, Come, Sunakkhatta, live under me (as my pupil) ? ' 
• " ' No, sir, you have not.' 
• " Or have you ever said to me: ' Sir, I would fain dwell under the Exalted One (as my teacher) ?' 
• " 'No, sir, I have not.' 
• " Then I asked him 'If I said not the one, and you said not the other, what are you and what am I that you talk of giving up ? See, foolish one, in how far the fault here is your own.' 
• "'Well, but, sir, the Exalted One works me no mystic wonders surpassing the power of ordinary men' 
• " Why, now Sunakkhatta, have I ever said to you: ' Come, take me as your teacher, Sunakkhatta, and I will work for you mystic wonders surpassing the power of ordinary men ? ' 
• " 'You have not, sir.' 
• " Or have you ever said to me: ' Sir, I would fain take the Exalted One as my teacher, for he will work for me mystic wonders beyond the powers of ordinary men ? ' 
• "' I have not, sir.'
• " ' But if I said not the one, and you said not the other, what are you and what am I, foolish man, that you talk of giving up ? What think you, Sunakkhatta? Whether mystic wonders beyond the power of ordinary man are wrought, or whether they are not is the object for which I teach the Dhamma: that it leads to the thorough, destruction of ill for the doer thereof ? ' 
• '"Whether, sir, they are so wrought or not, that is indeed the object for which the Dhamma is taught by the Exalted One.' 
• " ' If then, Sunakkhatta, it matters not to that object whether mystic wonders are wrought or not, of what use to you would be the working of them? See, foolish one, in how far the fault here is your own.' 
• " 'But, sir, the Exalted One does not reveal to me the beginning of things.' 
• " Why now, Sunakkhatta, have I ever said to you: ' Come, Sunakkhatta, be my. disciple and I will reveal to you the beginning of things ? ' 
• " ' Sir, you have not ' 
• " Or have you ever said to me: ' I will become the Exalted One's pupil, for he will reveal to me the beginning of things ? ' 
• " ' Sir, I have not.' 
• " ' But if I have not said the one and you have not said the other, what are you and what am I, foolish man, that you talk of giving up on that account ? What think you, Sunakkhatta? Whether the beginning of things be revealed, or whether it be not, is the object for which I teach the Dhamma that it leads to the thorough destruction of ill for the doer thereof ? ' 
• " ' Whether, sir, they are revealed or not, that is indeed the object for which the Dhamma is taught by the Exalted One.'
• " ' If then, Sunakkhatta, it matters not to that object whether the beginning of things be revealed, or whether it be not, of what use to you would it be to have the beginning of things revealed ? ' "
• This illustrates that Religion is concerned with revealing the beginning of things and Dhamma is not. 

(2) 

• The other differences between Religion and Dhamma are brought out in the discussion between the Blessed One and Potthapada. 
• The Blessed One was once staying at Shravasti in Anathapindika's pleasance of the Jeta's wood. Now at that time Potthapada, the wandering mendicant was dwelling in the hall put up in Queen Mallika's park for a debate on general systems of philosophical opinion. 
• There was with him a great following of mendicants; to wit, three hundred. A dialogue took place between the Blessed Lord and Potthapada. Potthapada asked: 
• " Then, sir, if that be so, tell me at least: Is the world eternal ? Is this alone the truth, and any other view mere folly ? ' " 
• "That, Potthapada, is a matter on which I have expressed no opinion," replied the Blessed Lord. 
• Then, in the same terms, Potthapada asked each of the following questions: 

(i) ' Is the world not eternal ? '
(ii) ' Is the world finite ? '
(iii) ' Is the world infinite ?
(iv) ' Is the soul the same as the body ?'
(v) ' Is the soul one thing, and the body another ? '
(vi) ' Does one who has gained the truth live again after death ? '
(vii) ' Does he not live again after death ? '
(viii) ' Does he both live again and not live again, after death ? '
(ix) ' Does he neither live again, nor not live again, after death?'

• And to each questions the Exalted One made the same reply :— 
• " That too, Potthapada, is a matter on which I have expressed no opinion." 
• " But why has the Exalted One expressed no opinion on that ? " 
• " Because this question is not calculated to profit, it is not concerned with the Dhamma, it does not redound even to the elements of right conduct, nor to detachment, nor to purification from lusts, nor to quietude, nor to tranquillisation of heart, nor to real knowledge, nor to the insight (of the higher stages of the Path), nor to Nirvana. Therefore is it that I express no opinion upon it. " 
• " Then what is it that the Exalted One has determined ? ' ' 
• "I have expounded, Potthapada, what Dukkha is ; I have expounded what is the origin of Dukkha; I have expounded what is the cessation of Dukkha : I have expounded what is the method by which one may reach the cessation of Dukkha." 
• " And why has the Exalted One put forth a statement as to that ? " 
• " Because that question, Potthapada, is calculated to profit, is concerned with the Dhamma, redounds to the beginnings of right conduct, to detachment, to purification from lusts, .to quietude, to tranquillisation of heart, to real knowledge, to the insight of the higher stages of the Path and to Nirvana. There-fore is it, Potthapada, that I have put forward a statement as to that." 
• In this dialogue it is clearly put forth what is the subject matter of Religion and what is not the subject matter of Dhamma. The two are poles apart 
• The purpose of Religion is to explain the origin of the world. The purpose of Dhamma is to reconstruct the world.

What is Religion? - AND - How Dhamma Differs From Religion ?

What is Religion?

 

• The word " religion " is an indefinite word with no fixed meaning.
• It is one word with many meanings.
• This is because religion has passed through many stages. The concept at each stage is called Religion though the concept at one stage has not had the same meaning which it had at the preceding stage or is likely to have at the succeeding stage.
• The conception of religion was never fixed.
• It has varied from time to time.
• Because most of the phenomena such as lightning, rain and floods, the occurrence of which the primitive man could not explain, any weird performance done to control the phenomenon was called magic. Religion therefore came to be identified with magic.
• Then came the second stage in the evolution of religion. In this stage religion came to be identified with beliefs, rituals, ceremonies, prayers and sacrifices.
• But this conception of religion is derivative.
• The pivotal point in religion starts with the belief that there exists some power which causes these phenomena which primitive man did not know and could not understand. Magic lost its place at this stage.
• This power was originally malevolent. But later it was felt that it could also be benevolent.
• Beliefs, rites, ceremonies and sacrifices were necessary both to propitiate a benevolent power and also to conciliate an angry power. 
• Later that power was called God or the Creator.
• Then came the third stage that it is this God who created this world and also man.
• This was followed by the belief that man has a soul and the soul is eternal and is answerable to God for man's actions in the world.
• This is, in short, the evolution of the concept of Religion.
• This is what Religion has come to be and this is what it connotes—belief in God, belief in soul, worship of God, curing of the erring soul, propitiating God by prayers, ceremonies, sacrifices, etc.

How Dhamma Differs From Religion ?

• What the Buddha calls Dhamma differs fundamentally from what is called Religion.
• What the Buddha calls Dhamma is analogous to what the European theologians call Religion.
• But there is no greater affinity between the two. On the other hand, the differences between the two are very great.
• On this account some European theologians refuse to recognise the Buddha's Dhamma as Religion.
• There need be no regrets over this. The loss is theirs. It does no harm to the Buddha's Dhamma. Rather, it shows what is wanting in Religion.
• Instead of entering into this controversy it is better to proceed to give an idea of Dhamma and show how it differs from Religion.
• Religion, it is said, is personal and one must keep it to oneself. One must not let it play its part in public life.
• Contrary to this, Dhamma is social. It is fundamentally and essentially so.
• Dhamma is righteousness, which means right relations between man and man in all spheres of life.
• From this it is evident that one man if he is alone does not need Dhamma.
• But when there are two men living in relation to each other they must find a place for Dhamma whether they like it or not. Neither can escape it.
• In other words. Society cannot do without Dhamma.
• Society has to choose one of the three alternatives.
• Society may choose not to have any Dhamma, as an instrument of Government. For Dhamma is nothing if it is not an instrument of Government.
• This means Society chooses the road to anarchy.
• Secondly, Society may choose the police, i.e., dictatorship as an instrument of Government.
• Thirdly, Society may choose Dhamma plus the Magistrate wherever people fail to observe the Dhamma.
• In anarchy and dictatorship liberty is lost.
• Only in the third liberty survives.
• Those who want liberty must therefore have Dhamma.
• Now what isDhamma? and why isDhamma necessary ? According to the Buddha, Dhamma consists of Prajna and Karuna.
• What is Prajna ? And why Prajna ? Prajna is understanding. The Buddha made Prajna one of the two corner-stones of His Dhamma because he did not wish to leave any room for superstition.
• What is Karuna? And why Karuna? Karuna is love. Because, without it Society can neither live nor grow, that is why the Buddha made it the second corner-stone of His Dhamma.
• Such is the definition of the Buddha's Dhamma.
• How different is this definition of Dhamma from that of Religion.
• So ancient, yet so modern is the definition of Dhamma given by the Buddha.
• So aboriginal yet so original.
• Not borrowed from anyone, yet so true.
• A unique amalgam of Pradnya and Karuna is the Dhamma of the Buddha.
• Such is the difference between Religion and Dhamma.

Buddha's Teaching : Functions of Saddhamma ( II )

2. To make the world a Kingdom of Righteousness.

• What is the purpose of Religion ?
• Different religions have given different answers.
• To make man seek after God and to teach him the importance of saving his soul is the commonest answer one gets to this question.
• Most religions speak of three kingdoms.
• One is called the kingdom of heaven. The second is called the kingdom of earth and the third is called the kingdom of hell.
• This kingdom of heaven is said to be ruled by God. The kingdom of hell is described to be a place where the supremacy of the Evil One is undisputed. The kingdom of earth is a disputed field. It is not under the dominance of the Evil One. At the same time God's sovereignty does not extend to it. It is hoped that one day it will.
• In some religions the kingdom of heaven is said to be a kingdom in which Righteousness prevails no doubt because it is directly ruled by God.
• In other religions the kingdom of heaven is not on earth. It is another name for heaven. It can be reached by one who believes in God and his Prophet. When he reaches heaven all the carnal pleasures of life are placed within the reach of all those who are faithful.
• All religions preach that to reach this kingdom of heaven should be the aim of man and how to reach it is the end of all.
• To the question " What is the purpose of religion ? " the Buddha's answer is very different.
• He did not tell people that their aim in life should be to reach some imaginary heaven. The kingdom of righteousness lies on earth and is to be reached by man by righteous conduct.
• What he did was to tell people that to remove their misery each one must learn to be righteous in his conduct in relation to others and thereby make the earth the kingdom of righteousness.
• It is this which distinguishes his religion from all other religions.
• His religion emphasizes Panch Sila, the Ashtanga Marga and the Paramitas.
• Why did the Buddha make them the basis of his religion ? Because they constitute a way of life which alone can make man righteous.
• Man's misery is the result of man's inequity to man.
• Only righteousness can remove this inequity and the resultant misery.
• That is why he said that religion must not only preach but must inculcate upon the mind of man the supreme necessity for being righteous in his conduct.
• For the purpose of inculcating righteousness religion, he said, had certain other functions to undertake.
• Religion must teach man to know what is right and to follow what is right. 
• Religion must 'teach man to know what is wrong and not to follow what is wrong.
• Besides these purposes of religion he emphasised two other purposes which he regarded as of supreme importance.
• The first is training of man's instincts and dispositions as distinguished from offering prayers or performing observances or doing sacrifices.
• This the Buddha has made clear in his exposition of Jainism in the Devadaha Sutta.
• What Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, affirmed was that whatsoever the individual experiences—be it pleasant or unpleasant, all comes from acts done in former births.
• That being so, by expiration and purge of former misdeeds and by not committing fresh misdeeds, • nothing accrues for the future: as nothing accrues for the future, the misdeeds die away; as misdeeds die away, misery dies away : as misery dies away, feelings die away : and as feelings die away, all misery will wear out and pass.
• This is what Jainism affirmed,
• On this the Buddha asked this question: "Do you know that, here and now, wrong dispositions have been got rid of and right dispositions acquired?"
• The answer was " No." 
• " What is the use," asked the. Buddha, " of a purge for former misdeeds, what is the use of not committing fresh misdeeds, if there is no training of the mind to turn bad disposition into good disposition." 
• This was in his opinion a very serious defect in religion. A good disposition is the only permanent foundation of and guarantee of permanent goodness. 
• That is why the Buddha gave the first place to the training of the mind which is the same as the training of a man's disposition.
• The second thing to which he gave great importance is courage to stand by what is right even if one is alone.
• In the Sallekha-Sutta the Buddha has emphasised this point. 35. This is what he has said :
• "You are to expunge by resolving that, though others may be harmful, you will be harmless.
• " That though others may kill, you will never kill.
• "That though others may steal, you will not.
• "That though others may not lead the higher life, you will. 
• "That though others may lie, traduce, denounce, or prattle, you will 
• " That though others may be covetous, you will covet not. 
• "That though others may be malignant, you will not be malignant. 
• "That though others may be given over to wrong views, wrong aims, wrong speech, wrong actions, and wrong concentration, you must follow (the Noble Eightfold Path in) right outlook, right aims, right speech, right actions, right mode of livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.
• "That though others are wrong about the truth and wrong about Deliverance, you will be right about truth and right about Deliverance. 
• " That though others may be possessed by sloth and torpor, you will free yourselves therefrom. 
• "That though others may be puffed up. you will be humble-minded. 
• "That though others may be perplexed by doubts, you will be free from them.
• " That though others may harbour wrath, malevolence, envy, jealousy, niggardliness, avarice, hypocrisy, deceit, imperviousness, arrogance, forwardness, association with bad friends, slackness, unbelief, shamelessness, unscrupulousness, lack of instruction, inertness, bewilderment, and unwisdom, you will be the reverse of all these things.
• "That though others may clutch at and hug the temporal nor loose their hold thereon, you will clutch and hug the things that are not temporal, and will ensue Renunciation. 
• " I say it is the development of the will which is so efficacious for right states of consciousness, not to speak of act and speech. And therefore, Cunda, there must be developed the will to all the foregoing resolves I have detailed."
• Such is the purpose of religion as conceived by the Buddha.

Buddha's Teaching : Functions of Saddhamma ( I )

1. To cleanse the Mind of its impurities

• Once when the .Blessed Lord was residing at Shravasti, Prasenjit,the king  of the Kosalas, came to the place where he was staying and descending from his chariot, approached the Teacher with the deepest reverence.
• And invited him on the morrow to enter the city and partake of his hospitality, with a view to exhibit to the people the excellence of his person and doctrine, that they might believe in him.
• The Buddha having consented, on the morrow entered the city with all his disciples, and having passed through the four cross streets of the town, he came to the place appointed and sat down.
• After finishing the meal, he began, on the request of the king, to preach 
• in the midst of the four highways, whilst his auditors were very many
• At this time there were two merchants listening to him.
• One of them reflected, " What excellent wisdom on the part of the king to have such doctrines as these publicly preached! How wide their application, how searching their character ! "
•  The other reflected thus, " What folly is this on the part of the king, bringing this man here to preach!
•  "Like the calf that follows the cow, here and there, fastened to a vehicle she draws, by eating as it goes, so is- this Buddha following the king." The two merchants having departed from the city came to an inn where they put up.
• In taking some wine the good merchant was restrained and protected by the four guardian spirits that watch over the world.
•  The other on the contrary was incited by an evil spirit to drink on, till he was overpowered by sleep, and lay down in the road near the inn.
• Early in the morning, the merchants' wagons leaving the place, the drivers not perceiving the man lying in the road, crushed him to death by the wagon wheels.
• The other merchant, having come to a distant country, was selected by the genuflection of a sacred horse to succeed the king ; and he accordingly was appointed to the throne.
• After this, considering the strange turn, events had taken, he returned and invited the Buddha to visit him, and preach to his people.
• On which occasion the World-honoured One declared the reason of the death of the evil-minded merchant, and the prosperity of him who thought wisely, and then added these lines :
•  " The mind is the origin of all this is; the mind is .the master, the mind is the cause.
•  " If in the midst of the mind there are evil thoughts, then the words are evil, the deeds are evil, and the sorrow which results from sin follows that man, as the chariot wheel follows him (or it) who draws it,
•  " The mind is the origin of all that is ; it is the mind that commands, it is the mind that contrives.
•  " If in the mind there are good thoughts, then the words are good and the deeds good, and the happiness which results from such conduct follows that man, as the shadow accompanies the substance."
•  On hearing these words, the king and his ministers, with countless
• others, were converted, and became disciples.

Buddha's Teaching : What is Dhamma ( Part- V )

5 To believe that all compound things are impermanent is Dhamma.

• This doctrine of impermanence has three aspects.
• There is the impermanence of composite things.
• There is the impermanence of the individual being.
• There is the impermanence of the self nature of conditioned things.
• The impermanence of composite things has been well explained by the great Buddhist philosopher Asanga. 
• " All things," says Asanga, " are produced by the combination of causes and conditions and have no independent noumenon of their own. When the combination is dissolved, their destruction ensures.
• " The body of a living being consists of the combination of four great elements, viz., earth, water, fire and air, and when this combination is resolved into the four component elements, dissolution ensues.
• "This is what is called the impermanence of a composite entity."
• Impermanence of the living individual is best described by the formula—being is becoming. 
• In this sense a being of a past moment has lived, but does not live nor will he live. The being of a future moment will live but has not lived nor does he live ; the being of the present moment does live but has not lived and will not live.
• In short, a human being is always changing, always growing. He is not the same at two different moments of his life.
• The third phase of the doctrine of impermanence is somewhat difficult for a common man to follow. 
• To realise that every living being will die sometime or other is a very easy matter to understand.
• But it is not quite so easy to understand how a human being can go on changing—-becoming— while he is alive. 
• "How is this possible?" The Buddha's answer was, "This is possible because all is impermanent." 
• This later on gave rise to what is called Sunnya Vad.
• The Buddhist Sunnyata does not mean nihilism out and out. It only means the perpetual changes occurring at every moment in the phenomenal world.
• Very few' realise that it is on account of Sunnyata that everything becomes possible ; without it nothing in the world would be possible. It is on the impermanence of the nature of all things that the possibility of all other things depends.
• If things were not subject to continual change but were permanent and unchangeable, the evolution of all of life from one kind to the other and the development of living things would come to a dead stop.
• If human beings died or changed but had continued always in the 'same state what would the result have been ? The progress of the human race would have come to a dead halt.
• Immense difficulty would have arisen if Sunnya is regarded as being void or empty.
• But this is not so. Sunnya is like a point which has substance but neither breadth nor length.
• All things are impermanent was the doctrine preached by the Buddha.
• What is the moral-of this doctrine of the Buddha? This is a much more important question.
• The moral of 'this doctrine of impermanence is simple. Do not be attached to anything. 
• It is to cultivate detachment, detachment from property, from friends, etc., that he said "All these are impermanent."

Buddha's Teaching : What is Dhamma ( Part- IV )

4  To Give up Craving is Dhamma

• In the Dhammapada the Buddha says: " There is no greater benefit than. health and there is nothing more valuable than the spirit of contentment." .
• This spirit of contentment is not to be understood to mean meekness or surrender to circumstances. 
• Because that would be quite contrary to the other teachings of the Buddha.
• The Buddha has not said, " Blessed are they who are poor." 
• The Buddha has not said that the sufferer should not try to change his condition.
• On the other hand, he has said that riches are welcome and instead of listless suffering he taught Virya which is energetic action.
• What the Buddha meant when he said that contentment is the highest form of wealth is that man should not allow himself to be overpowered by greed which has no limits. 
• As the Bhikku Rathapala has said: " Rich men I see who, folly-led, never give, but still amass, athirst for pleasures new; the king whose conquests to the sea extend, for sway over empires overseas will pine, still craving, kings and subjects pass away; lacking, still lacking, they their bodies quit; never on earth can pleasures' measure be filled."
• In the Maha-Nidan-Suttanta the Buddha has explained to Ananda the necessity of controlling greed. This is what he said.
• "This it is, Ananda, that craving comes into being because of desire for gain, when desire for gain becomes a passion for possession when the spirit of possession gives rise to tenacity of possession it becomes avarice. 
• " Avarice or possession due to uncontrolled acquisitive instinct calls for watch and ward.
• " Why is this craving or greed to be condemned ? Because of this," said the Buddha to Ananda, " many a bad and wicked state of things arises—blows and wounds, strife, contradiction and retorts ; quarrelling, slander and lies." 
• That this is the correct analysis of class struggle there can be no doubt. 
• That is why the Buddha insisted upon the control of greed and craving.

Buddha's Teaching : What is Dhamma ( Part- II )

2 To Reach Perfection in Life is Dhamma

• There are these three perfections.
• Perfection in body, speech and mind.
• And of what sort is perfection in mind ?
• By the destruction of the asavas, realising in this very life himself, knowing it thoroughly—the heart's release, the release by insight which is free from the asavas, having attained it abides therein. This is called 
• "perfection in mind." These are the three bodily perfections.
• There are other perfections. The Buddha explained them to Subhuti.
• SUBHUTI : What is a Bodhisattva's perfection of giving ?
• the lord : Here a Bodhisattva, his thoughts associated with the knowledge of all modes, gives gifts, i.e., inward or outward things, and, having made them common to all beings, he dedicates them to supreme enlightenment ; and also others he instigates thereto. But there is nowhere an apprehension of anything.
• SUBHUTI : What is a Bodhisattva's perfection of morality ?
• The lord : He himself lives under the obligation of the ten ways of wholesome acting, and also others he instigates thereto.
• subhuti : What is a Bodhisattva's perfection of patience ?
• the lord : He himself becomes one who has achieved patience, and others also he instigates to patience.
• subhuti : What is a Bodhisattva's perfection of vigour ?
• The lord: He dwells persistently in the five perfections, and also others he instigates to do likewise.
• SUBHUTI : What is the Bodhisattva's perfection of concentration (or meditation) ?
• The lord : He himself, through skill in means, enters into the trances, yet he is not reborn in the corresponding heavens of form as he could ; and others also he instigates to do likewise.
• subhuti : What is a Bodhisattva's perfection of wisdom ?
• The lord : He does not settle down in any dharma, he contemplates the essential original nature of all dharmas ; and others also he instigates to the contemplation of all dharmas. 
• It is Dhamma to cultivate these perfections.

Buddha's Teaching : What is Dhamma ( Part- I )

I - To Maintain Purity of Life is Dhamma.

• "There are these three forms of purity... And of what sort is purity of  body ?
• "Herein a certain one abstains from taking life, from stealing, from sinful living. This is called ' purity of body.'
• " And of what sort is purity of speech ?
• "Herein a certain one abstains from falsehood...
• " And of what sort is purity of mind ?
• " Herein a monk, if he have some personal sensual desire, is aware: ' There  is in me sensual desire.' If there be none he is likewise aware of it. Also he is aware of how the arising of sensual desire not yet arisen comes about, and how it is abandoned when it has arisen, and how in the future there is no such arising.
• "If he have some personal malevolence, he is aware ; ' There is within me malevolence.' Also he is aware of the arising . . . and the abandoning thereof, and of how in future there is no recurrence thereof.
• " If he have some personal sloth-and-torpor . . . excitement and flurry . . . if he have some personal doubt-and-wavering, he is aware of the fact. Also of how (each of these) arises, is abandoned and recurs not again in future. This is called ' purity of mind.
• " He who is pure in body, speech, and mind, 
• " Sinless and clean and blessed with purity,—
• " *Sin-washer' is the name men give to him."

(ii)

• " There are three forms of purity . . . Purity of body, purity of speech, purity of mind."
• " And of what sort is purity of body ?"
• " Herein a certain one abstains from taking life, from stealing from wrong practice in sensual lusts. This is called ' purity of body'."
• " And of what sort is purity of speech ? "
• " Herein a certain one abstains from falsehood . . . from idle babble. This is called 'purity of speech.' "
• " And of what sort is purity of mind ? "
• "Herein a certain one is not covetous or malevolent of heart and has right view. This is called * purity of mind.' These are the three forms of purity."

(iii)

• There are these five weaknesses, which are a source of weakness to training. What five ?
• Taking life; taking what is not given; lustful, evil practices ; lying ; and indulging in spirituous liquors, which cause idleness.
• These are the five causes which lead to failure.
• When these five sources of weakness to training are put away, four arisings of mindfulness should be made to become.
• Herein a monk abides contemplating the body as body, strenuous, mindful and self-possessed, having overcome both the hankering and discontent common in the world.
• He abides contemplating the feelings as feelings ...
• He abides contemplating the mind as mind . . .
• He abides contemplating ideas as ideas, strenuous, mindful and selfpossessed, having overcome both the hankering and discontent common in the world.
• When these five sources of weakness to training are put away, these four arisings of mindfulness should be made to become.

(iv)

• There are these three failures. Failure in morals, failure in mind, failure in view.
• And of what sort is failure in morals? A certain one takes life, steals, is a wrong-doer in sensual desires, a liar, a slanderer, of bitter speech, an idle babbler. This is called " failure in morals."
• And of what sort is failure in mind ?
• A certain one is covetous and malevolent of heart. This is called " failure in mind."
• And of what sort is failure in view ?
• Herein a certain one holds the depraved, the perverse view that there is no (virtue in) alms giving, in sacrifice, in offerings : that there is no fruit, no result of good and evil deeds: that this world is not, that there is no world beyond: that there is no mother, no father, no beings of spontaneous birth : that in the world are no recluses and Brahmins who have won the summit, who have won perfection, who of themselves by their own in tuitional powers have realised the world beyond and can proclaim it. This, monks, is called " failure in view."
• Monks, it is due to failure in morals, failure in mind and in view that beings, when body breaks up after death, are reborn in the Waste, the Way of Woe, in the Downfall, in Purgatory. Such are the three failures.
• Monks, there are these three successes. What three ? Success in morals, success in mind, success in view.
• Now of what sort is success in morals ?
• A certain one abstains from taking life and the rest . . . from bitter speech and idle babbling. This is called " success in morals."
• And of what sort is success in mind ?
• Herein a certain one is not covetous or malevolent of heart. This is called " success in mind."
• And of what sort is success in view ?
• Herein a certain one has right view: he holds with certainty that there is (virtue in) almsgiving, in sacrifice, in offerings: that there is fruit and result of good and evil deeds: that this world is, that there is a world beyond: that mother, father and beings of spontaneous birth do exist: that in the world there are recluses and Brahmins who have realised the world beyond and can proclaim it. This, monks, is called " success in view." 
• It is owing to success in these three things that beings, when body breaks up after death, are reborn in the Happy Lot, in the Heaven World. Such, monks, are the three successes.

Buddha's Teaching : The Path of Virtue

The Path of Virtue

• The Buddha once explained to the Pariv-rajakas the Path of Virtue.
• He told them that the path of virtue meant the observance of the virtues called : 

(1) Sila; 
(2) Dana;
(3) Uppekha; 
(4) Nekkhama; 
(5) Virya; 
(6) Khanti; 
(7) Succa; 
(8) Adhithana ; 
(9) Karuna ; and 
(10)Maitri.

• The Parivrajakas asked the Buddha to tell them what these virtues meant.
• The Buddha then proceeded to satisfy their desire.
• " Sila is moral temperament, the disposition not to do evil and the disposition to do good ; to be ashamed of doing wrong. To avoid to do evil for fear of punishment is Sila, Sila means fear of doing wrong.
• " Nekkhama is renunciation of the pleasures of the world.
• " Dana means the giving of one's possessions, blood and limbs and even one's life, for the good of others without expecting anything in return.
• " Virya is right endeavour. It is doing with all your might whatever you have undertaken to do with never a thought of turning back, whatever you have undertaken to do.
• " Khanti is forbearance. Not to meet hatred by hatred is the essence of it. For hatred is not appeased by hatred. It is appeased only by forbearance.
• " Succa is truth. A person must never tell a lie. His speech must be truth and nothing but truth.
• " Adhithana is resolute determination to reach the goal.
• " Karuna is loving kindness to human beings.
• " Maitri is extending fellow feeling to all beings, not only to one who is a friend but also to one who is a foe : not only to man but to all living beings.
• " Upekka is detachment as distinguished from indifference. It is a state of mind where there is neither like nor dislike. Remaining unmoved by the result and yet engaged in the pursuit of it.
• "These virtues one must practice to his utmost capacity. 
• That is why they are called Paramitas (States of Perfection).

Buddha's Teaching : The Path of Purity

The Path of Purity

• The Parivrajakas once asked the Buddha to explain to them his Dhamma.
• And the Buddha was pleased to do so.
• He addressed them first on the Path of Purity.

" The Path of Purity," he told the Parivrajakas, " teaches that a person who wishes to be good must recognise some principles as principles of life.

• According to my Path of Purity the principles of life recognised by it are : 

Not to injure or kill : Not to steal or appropriate to oneself anything which belongs to another : Not to speak untruth : Not to indulge in lust : Not to indulge in intoxicating drinks.

• " The recognition of these principles, I say, is most essential for every man. For every man must have a standard by which to judge whatever he does. 
• And these principles according to my teachings constitute the standard.
• " There are everywhere people who are patit (fallen). 
• But there are two classes of the patit : the patit who has a standard and a patit who has no standard.
• " The path who has no standard does not know that he has fallen. Consequently he always remains fallen. 
• On the other hand a patit who has a standard tries to rise from his fallen state. Why? The answer is because he knows that he has fallen.
• "This is the difference between having a standard and having no standard for regulating a man's life. 
• What matters is not so much the fall of the man but the absence of any standard.
• " You may ask, ye Parivrajakas ! Why are these principles worthy of recognition as a standard of life.
• "The answer to this question you will find for yourselves, if you ask : "Are these principles good for the individual ? " also if you ask : " Do they promote social good ? "
• " If your answers to these questions are in the affirmative then it follows that the principles of my Path of Purity are worthy of recognition as forming a true standard of life."

Conversion To Buddhism

Two types of conversion.

In the Buddha's scheme of things conversion has two meanings.

1.        Conversion to the Order of Bhikkus called Sangh.

2.       Secondly, it means conversion of a householder as an Upasaka or lay follower of the Buddha's Dhamma.

• Except on four points there is no difference in the way of life of the Bhikku and the Upasaka.
• An Upasaka remains a householder. A Bhikku becomes a homeless wanderer.
• Both the Upasakas and the Bhikkus must observe in their life certain rules.
• Here again to the Bhikku they are vows the breach of which ends in punishment. To the Upasaka they are precepts. They must be observed to the best of his ability.
• An Upasaka can have property. A Bhikku cannot have.
• To become an Upasaka there is no ceremony.
• To become a Bhikku he must undergo a ceremony called Upasampada.
• The Buddha converted those who came to him according to their wish either as Bhikku or as Upasaka.
• An Upasaka could become a Bhikku whenever he felt like it.
• And a Bhikku had to cease to be a Bhikku when he committed a breach of the major vows or whenever he wished to give up his membership of the Order.
• It must not be understood that the Buddha converted only those whose names occur in the following pages.
• The instances are chosen only to show that he did not observe any distinction as to caste or sex in admitting persons to his Sangh or preaching his Dhamma.

Buddha and Angulimala

Buddha and Angulimala

Buddha and Angulimal

• It was in the 20th year that the Buddha converted the notorious murdererAngulimāla.
• Ahimsaka (Innocent) was his original name. His father was chaplain to the King of Kosala.
• He received his education at Taxila, the famous educational centre in the olden days, and became the most illustrious and favourite pupil of his renowned teacher. 
• Unfortunately his colleagues grew jealous of him, concocted a false story, and succeeded in poisoning the teacher’s mind against him. 
• The enraged teacher, without any investigation, contrived to put an end to his life by ordering him to fetch a thousand human right-hand fingers as teacher’s honorarium. 
• In obedience to the teacher, though with great reluctance, he repaired to the Jalini forest, in Kosala, and started killing people to collect fingers for the necessary offering.
•  The fingers thus collected were hung on a tree, but as they were destroyed by crows and vultures he later wore a garland of those fingers to ascertain the exact number. 
• Hence he was known by the name Angulimāla (Finger wreathed). 
• When he had collected 999 fingers, so the books state, the Buddha appeared on the scene. 
• Overjoyed at the sight, because he thought that he could complete the required number by killing the great ascetic, he stalked the Buddha drawing his sword. 
• The Buddha by His psychic powers created obstacles on the way so that Angulimāla would not be able to get near Him although He walked at His usual pace.
• Angulirnāla ran as fast as he could but he could not over take the Buddha. 
• Panting and sweating, he stopped and cried: “Stop, ascetic.” The Buddha calmly said: “Though I walk, yet have I stopped. You too,Angulimāla stop.” The bandit thought– “These ascetics speak the truth, yet He says He has stopped, whereas it is I who have stopped. What does He mean?”
• Standing, he questioned Him:
• “Thou who art walking, friar, dost say: ‘Lo I have stopped!’ And me thou tellest, who have stopped, I have not stopped!
• I ask thee, friar, what is the meaning of thy words?
• How sayest thou that thou hast stopped but I have not?”
• The Buddha sweetly replied:

“Yea, I have stopped, Angulimāla, evermore.
Towards all living things renouncing violence;
Thou holdest not thy hand against thy fellowmen,
Therefore ‘tis I have stopped, but thou still goest on.”

• Angulimāla’s good Kamma rushed up to the surface. He thought that the great ascetic was none other but the Buddha Gotama who out of compassion had come to help him.
• Straightway he threw away his armour and sword and became a convert. Later, as requested by him he was admitted into the Noble Order by the Buddha with the mere utterance –‘Come, O Bhikkhu!’ (Ehi Bhikkhu).
• News spread that Angulimāla had become a Bhikkhu. The
• King of Kosala, in particular, was greatly relieved to hear of his conversion because he was a veritable source of danger to his subjects.
• But Venerable Angulimāla had no peace of mind, because even in his solitary meditation he used to recall memories of his past and the pathetic cries of his unfortunate victims. 
• As a result of his evil Kamma, while seeking alms in the streets he would become a target for stray stones and sticks and he would return to the monastery ‘with broken head and flowing blood, cut and crushed’ to be reminded by the Buddha that he was merely reaping the effects of his own Kamma.
• One day as he went on his round for alms he saw a woman in travail. Moved by compassion, he reported this pathetic woman’s suffering to the Buddha. 
• He then advised him to pronounce the following words of truth, which later came to be known as the Angulimāla Paritta.

“Sister, since my birth in the Arya clan (i.e. since his ordination) I know not that I consciously destroyed the life of anyliving being. By this truth may you be whole, and may your child be whole.”

• He studied this Paritta and, going to the presence of the suffering sister, sat on a seat separated from her by a screen, and uttered these words. Instantly she was delivered of the child with ease. 
• The efficacy of this Paritta persists to this day.
• In due course Venerable Angulimāla attained Arahantship.
• Referring to his memorable conversion by the Buddha, he says:

“Some creatures are subdued by force,

Some by the hook, and some by whips,

But I by such a One was tamed,

Who needed neither staff nor sword."

The Teaching of the Dhamma

The Teaching of the Dhamma

“Happy is the birth of Buddhas. Happy is the teaching of the sublime Dhamma. Happy is the unity of the Sangha. Happy is the discipline of the united ones.” 

                                                                            –Dhammapada

भगवान तथागतांनी संगरव नावाच्या मनुष्याला त्याच्या प्रश्नाच्या उत्तरादाखल हा उपदेश केला . .

एकदा श्रावस्तीच्या जेतवन विहारात राहत असतांना भगवान तथागतांनी संगरव नावाच्या

मनुष्याला त्याच्या प्रश्नाच्या उत्तरादाखल हा उपदेश केला .

ज्यावेळी कामविकाराने मनुष्याचे चित्त व्यग्र होऊन जाते व कामविकाराच्या उपशमाचा

मार्ग त्याला माहित नसतो . अशावेळी त्याला स्वार्थ काय हे समजत नाही, परार्थ काय हे

समजत नाही आणि पुष्कळ दिवस परिचित असलेले प्रसंग त्याला आठवत नाही. गोष्टी

आठवत नाहीत. जेव्हा मनुष्याचे मन क्रोधाने पराजित झालेले असते किंवा आळसाने मंद

झालेलं असते, किंवा भ्रांत झालेलं असते , अशावेळी आपले आणि परक्याचे हित कशात आहे

हे मनुष्य यथार्थ रीतीने जाणत नाही आणि चिरकाल परिचित असलेल्या गोष्टी त्याला

आठवत नाही.

भांड्यातील पाण्यामध्ये नीळा किंवा काळा रंग टाकला असता त्यात आपली पडछाया दिसत

नाही, त्याचप्रमाणे ज्याचे चित्त कामविकाराने व्यग्र झाले असेल, त्याला आपल्या हिताचे ज्ञान

होत नाही. तेच पाण्याचे भांडे संतप्त झाले असता त्यांतून वाफा निघतील व पाणी उकळू

लागेल . अशावेळी मनुष्याला आपले प्रतिबिंब त्या पाण्यामध्ये दिसणे शक्य नाही. त्याचप्रमाणे

मनुष्य क्रोधाभित झाला असता त्याला स्वहित कशात आहे हे समजणे शक्य नाही . त्या

भांड्यातील पाणी जर शेवाळाने भरले असेल, तरी देखी; माणसांना आपले प्रतीबिंब त्यात

दिसणार नाही. त्याचप्रमाणे ज्याच्या मनाला आळसाने ग्रासले असेल, त्याला आपले हित

समजण्यासारखे नाही, मग परक्याचे हित समजणे तर बाजूलाच राहिले ! ते पाणी जरी

वाऱ्याने हलू लागले , तरी देखील त्यात आपले प्रतिबिंब दिसणार नाही . त्याचप्रमाणे ज्याचे

चित्त भ्रांत झाले असेल, त्यला स्वपरहित कशात आहे हे समजणार नाही. तेच पाणी जर

गढूळ झाले असेल, तरी त्यात देखील आपले प्रतिबिंब निट दिसणार नाही. त्याचप्रमाणे

ज्याचे चित्त संशयग्रस्त झाले असेल, त्याला आपले किंवा परक्याचे हिताहित समजणार

नाही. तेच पाणी जर स्वच्छ व शांत असेल, तर त्यात मनुष्याला आपले प्रतिबिंब स्पष्टपणे

पाहता येते. त्याचप्रमाणे ज्याचे चित्त कामछंद , व्यापाद ( क्रोध ) आळस, भ्रांतता आणि

संशयग्रस्तता या पाच आवरणांपासून विमुक्त झाले असेल ,त्यालाच स्वपरहित यथार्थ

रीतीने समजते .

 !!! नमो बुद्धाय !!!

Buddha's Teaching

One day the Buddha was walking through a village. A very angry and rude young man came up and began insulting him. "You have no right teaching others," he shouted. "You are as stupid as everyone else. You are nothing but a fake!"

The Buddha was not upset by these insults. Instead he asked the young man, "Tell me, if you buy a gift for someone, and that person does not take it, to whom does the gift belong?"
The young man was surprised to be asked such a strange question and answered, "It would belong to me, because I bought the gift."

The Buddha smiled and said, "That is correct. And it is exactly the same with your anger. If you become angry with me and I do not get insulted, then the anger falls back on you. You are then the only one who becomes unhappy, not me. All you have done is hurt yourself."