|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Saturday, 8 November 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
'Seek deliverance within' by Aryadasa Ratnasinghe "Nought from the helpless gods
The Buddha, during his 45 years of missionary activities, preached to the world a unique philosophy, not taught before by any religious promulgator, to save mankind from the evils of suffering, which is part and parcel of life entailing misery. For the first time, in the history of world religions, Buddha proclaimed a salvation, which each individual could gain for himself, and by himself alone, without recourse to any personal god or gods, or any other superhuman power. The Buddha strongly inculcated the doctrine of self-reliance, of purity, of courtesy, of enlightenment, of peace and of universal love towards all living beings. Hence, Buddhism stands unique among other world religions as well as in the history of human thought, in denying the existence of a God, or a super-natural being or power, who is transcendent, all-powerful, and related to the cosmos as the Creator. There are monotheistic and polytheistic religions in the world professing the God-idea as the means of salvation. Another special feature in Buddhism, unlike all other religions, is the non-belief in a soul (atman), which is explained as an indwelling or animating principle within the body cavity, capable of thinking, feeling and desiring within the sphere of existence. In Christianity, it is fused with the idea of resurrection of the body after death. It is the glory of Buddhism that makes intellectual enlightenment as an essential entity, to lead the path to salvation, without any divine interference. According to Buddhism, if one were to lead a holy life, in conformity with the precepts of Buddhism, he could find his own salvation, because morality and wisdom are inseparable from one another. Buddha said that man is his own saviour and, therefore, he must strive hard to achieve the goal, by himself. Without a perfect understanding of the Law of Causality or Dependent Origination ('Paticca Samuppada'), no person can be truly moral, if he does not possess the necessary insight and knowledge to understand the true nature of existence. In this respect Buddhism differs from all other religions, where an Almighty God or gods are supposed to influence man to seek his salvation. Buddhism has been an admirable beacon for guiding the devotees to salvation or eternal blissful state known as 'Nibbana' (the summum bonum of Buddhism) by following the Noble Eightfold Path ('ariya attaniko maggo') with no divine help. Today, the intelligent people have doubts about the creation theory or the god-idea concerning the universal approach to deliverance after death. Prof. Saunders, Literary Secretary, YMCA (India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka) says: "Lord Buddha could be very easily singled out as the one person known to man who received homage from the greatest number of mankind." Swami Vivekananda alias Narendra Nath Dutt (1862-1902), the great Hindu philosopher of India, identifying Buddha as the 'Ideal Karma Yogi', says: "Show me in history any religious teacher who has soared so high above all. The whole human race has produced but one such person, such high philosophy and wide sympathy for mankind. This great philosopher, preaching the highest philosophy, yet has the deepest sympathy for the lowest animals, and never puts forward a claim for himself." The Swami goes on to say, "that Buddha is the ideal Karma Yogi, ever born in India, acting entirely, without motive, and the history of the human race shows him to have been the greatest man ever born, beyond compare, and the greatest combination of heart and brain, that ever existed". From this commentary, it is clear that Buddhism is the righteous way of life for peace and happiness, and a way to get rid of miseries and to find liberation, without any divine blessing. Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic, but a realistic philosophy, where man is considered responsible for all his actions either good or bad. There is no justification for calling Buddhists atheists, nihilists, pagans, heathens and communists, just because they do not believe in a Creator God. The Buddhist concept of god is quite different from that of other religions, either monotheistic or polytheistic, because Buddhists do not rely upon divine authority as a means of salvation. However, Buddhists do not repudiate polytheism because gods exist but they rank subordinate to the Buddha. Buddhist approach the divine mostly to overcome mundane obstacles, such as litigation, sickness, bad omens, to pass examinations, for prosperity, to dispel hoodoo etc., during one's lifetime, and nothing beyond. Buddhists worship god Vishnu (the Hindu god of the Holy Triad), next to Buddha, because they have great faith in the god for his sublime qualities, and due to the belief that he is the protector of the Buddha Sasana. The Hindus identify the Buddha as the ninth incarnation of god Vishnu (the Buddha Avatar). Today, intelligent men, who have reviewed all the available facts, deny this Hindu view, and have come to the conclusion that Buddha was a normal person who lived a princely life and renounced the world to find a panacea for the suffering of mankind. He was not divine. Buddhism, as a philosophy, unlike dogmatic theology, is based on anthropology and psychology, and teaches salvation through perfection, giving prominence to wisdom. But, from a theological point of view, such as in Christianity, salvation is based on faith. Salvation in Buddhism is thoroughly psychological transcendence within this world ('lokanirodha'). According to orthodox Buddhism, the whole world could be reduced to five categories, i.e., physical body, perception, volitional formation, sensation and consciousness. When one makes an effort to realise salvation, (i.e., Nibbana, as known in Buddhism), he does not pray to god for redemption. Writing about the Buddha, H. G. Wells (1866-1946), world famous writer and a member of the Fabian Society, says, "You see clearly a man, simple, devout, lonely, battling for light, a vivid human personality, not a myth. He has no divine qualities or super-natural power to send people to Heaven. Many of our best modern ideas are in closest harmony with his teachings. Buddha was more lucid upon our individual importance in service than Jesus Christ, and less ambiguous upon the question of personal immortality". Although the followers of many religions believe in the existence of heavenly abodes where life would be one of perpetual bliss, yet we have yet to hear that the devout followers of any particular religion were at all keen to give up their earthly existence and things that they possess, to be in heaven today itself. Religions that speak of the 'Will of God' have nothing by way of rational outlook based on scientific discovery. It is only a belief which cannot be reasoned out by argument. From a theological point of view, all sorrows and pleasures are in keeping with the will of God where man has no say over whatever happens. When a person dies by an accident, or survives after an accident, those who believe in the divine, say that God must have willed so. In the Anguttara Nikaya of the Buddhist canon, Buddha says, "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But, after observation, and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason, and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." From this saying, it is perfectly clear that man must not believe anything with blind faith over an unseen authority, i.e., God believed to be omnipotent and omnipresent. In this world of storm and strife, hatred and violence, the message of the Buddha shines like a radiant sun. Perhaps at no time that message has become more needed than today, when the world is facing a virtual disaster due to warfare and terrorism. The Creator God, who created everything from heaven and earth, seems to be helpless in bringing peace for the whole world promoting right thinking and right action. One day, a layman asked Buddha, "kasmim loko patitthito" (Where's the world situated). His reply was "dukkhe loko patitthito" (the world is situated in suffering). He pointed out to the layman, the three characteristics, 'anicca' (impermanence), 'dukkha' (suffering) and 'anatta' (soullessness) in all what have been found in this world. Buddha never spoke of a creator who could dispense with suffering to which every living being is subject to. He asked: "If one is his own saviour, how can another help him?" These words of the Buddha is an effective answer to those who are bereft of self-respect, who expect external help, who do not appreciate the value of one's human wisdom and one's labour, who have no power of inner virtue, who worship unseen forces, who pray, and to those who have servile minds. Buddha did not save anyone, but he indicated quite clearly the path to freedom from suffering in the 'samsara' (cycle of births). Therefore, he is not a saviour. It is, therefore, evident that the Buddha is neither a god not a saviour, but the most supreme human being who has appeared in human form, to lead man to salvation. It was the Buddha who demonstrated that the wise and the virtuous human being is nobler, more powerful and greater than the unseen god. The Buddha stated that even gods honour and respect men of high virtue and exalted moral quality. Therefore, it is evident that man is his own saviour, and no god can save him from suffering. "Arabhatha! nikkhamatha! yunjatha! Buddhasasane" (Start! Set out! Fight the battle of Buddha's Dispensation). |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904), British scholar and poet, famed for his
treatise, 'The Light of Asia', rendering the life and teachings of the
Buddha in blank verse, is remembered as one of the greatest men in
history, born of Christian parents, who contributed much for the spread
and welfare of Buddhism in the West. He was knighted in 1877, by Queen
Victoria, who was much impressed by his work.
