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Today is Bak Pasalosvaka Poya
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Seminar of three days - subject - Present trends of Buddhism in India.
Publication of a book - "2,550 years of Buddhism in India" at Kolkata.
February 2006 - at Kolkata (Calcutta) "International Conference on Humanism" on February 11 - 12 and 13.
First Week of March 2006 - at Buddha Gaya - Seminar of three days on "Contribution of Foreign Buddhist Monasteries in spreading Buddhism in India" and "Contribution of Anagarika Dharmapala in the revival of Buddhism in South-East Asia".
Laying the foundation stone for a Bhikkhu Training Centre.
First Week of April 2006 - New Delhi - Inauguration of program by President of India/Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Pirith ceremony at Buddha Jayanthi Park.
Public meeting at Ram Leela Maidan and a colourful procession; (venue to be decided in concurrence with the Archaeological Survey of India).
May 2006 - Vesak/Purnima/Vaisakha Month 2006 - at all Maha Bodhi Centres in India. celebration of Buddha Jayanthi 2,550th on a large scale and Buddha Purnima Centres too will conduct celebrations and ceremonies.
First Week of June 2006 - at Lucknow - Seminar of three days (topic to be decided later), Ordination Ceremony of at least 10 Indians as Samaneras.
First Week of July - at Bhubanewswar - seminar of three days on "History of Buddhism in Kalinga".
Second Week of July - August - Rainy season - Vas ceremonies.
First Week of September 2006 - at Shravasthi meditation camp of seven days.
First Week of October 2006 - at Lumbini (Nepal Terai).
Seminar for three days on "Unknown Buddhist Places in Nepal".
First Week of November 2006 - Inauguration of three day seminar on "Development of Buddhist Studies in Universities and Colleges in India" to be inaugurated by President/Prime Minister of Sri Lanka or His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
First Week of December 2006 - at Kushinagar (Kusinara) inauguration of new centre of Maha Bodhi Society of India.
Closing ceremony at Kolkata - Laying of the foundation ceremony for All Religions Study Centre with special emphasis on Buddhism.
In addition, the Maha Bodhi Society of India is now taking steps for the translation and publication of Tripitaka in Hindi in collaboration with the Governments of India and Sri Lanka.
The Sixth Great Buddhist Council was held at Rangoon, Myanmar (Burma) to mark the Buddha Jayanthi of 2,500 in 1956.
Therefore action should now be taken by the Buddahsasana Ministry to hold the Seventh Great Council of Buddhism at Anuradhapura in 2006 to mark the 2,550th Buddha Jayanthi and arrange composite plans to celebrate this event at all Buddhist Viharas, schools and other Buddhist institutions.
Buddhism and humanistic psychology
Abraham Harold Maslow is one of the most internationally respected American psychologists. He is best known for his self-actualization theory of psychology, which argued that the primary goal of psychotherapy should be the integration of the self.
Maslow was the leading architect of the humanistic psychology, which is sometimes called the "third force" and universally accepted today as a valid theory by leading psychologists.
The humanistic psychology is a movement in psychology that believes man, as an individual, is a unique being and should be recognized and treated as such by psychologists and psychiatrists.
The movement grew in opposition to the two mainstream 20th-century trends in psychology- behaviourism and psychoanalysis.
Humanistic psychologists believe that behaviourists are over-concerned with the scientific study and analysis of the actions of man as an organism, to the neglect of basic aspects of man as a feeling and thinking individual.
System of values
Humanists also take issue with the deterministic orientation of psychoanalysis, which assumes that man's early experiences and drives determine his behaviour.
Humanists tend to believe that the individual is responsible for his life and actions and may at any time creatively change his attitudes or behaviour through awareness and will. The humanist is concerned with the fullest growth of the individual in the areas of love, fulfilment, self-worth, and autonomy; maturation is considered a process during which one establishes and follows one's own system of values.
Maslow proposed a hierarchy of needs or drives in order of decreasing priority or potency but increasing sophistication: physiological needs, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, and self-actualization. Only when the more primitive needs are met can the individual progress to higher levels in the hierarchy. The person reaching self-actualization will have fully utilized his potential.
Following the writings of Jean-Paul Sartre and other existential philosophers, many humanistic psychologists like George Kelly -the American psychologist, adopted the existential view of the importance of being and the meaning of life.
The Swiss psychiatrist and early leader of existential psychology, Ludwig Binswanger, stressed the concept of "world design," which he considered the totality of a person's being. The perception affects an individual's personality and leads him to direct his behaviour to satisfy the needs of the total self.
Binswanger described the various "modes" of being-in-the-world. The single mode is the individual who chooses to live within himself, the loner. The dual mode occurs when two people unite in feeling for each other. Thus, "You" and "I" become "We." The plural mode is when an individual interacts with others. Finally, the mode of anonymity occurs when an individual loses himself in a crowd or disassociates his feelings from others.
Basic nature of man
The American psychologist Rollo May believed psychology had neglected the basic nature of man as a being who does the experiencing and to whom the experiences happen. To May, man's awareness of his own mortality makes vitality and passion possible.
The Buddhist approach is very similar to the humanistic ideas of Maslow and others. Buddhism accepts the idea of the healthy 'inner core' - the Bodhisattva nature. We are born with the software for enlightenment; Buddhahood is our natural birthright.
Buddhahood is essentially beyond the rational and is therefore very difficult to define or explain adequately. Perhaps the best way of doing so is to say that Bodhisattva nature is clear perception - we see the world as it is and not in the limited sense based upon samskaras.
Our Buddha nature lies beneath the bitter roots of lobha (greed), dosa (hate) and moha (delusion).
Buddhism also accepts that present actions can determine future perceptions.
Samskaras are sets of 'mind patterns', such as habits and memories, which exist outside of consciousness. These samskaras can, and very often are, negative. One of the purposes of Buddhist practice is to replace these negative samskaras with positive ones.
Positive samskaras
One such way to achieve this is to relate to a rupa of a Bodhisattva, a physical and symbolic representation of a human quality, such as compassion.
The action and ritual towards the rupa will help to establish positive samskaras. In a similar way keeping 'good company' will also help nurture our Bodhisattva nature. In other words, those with whom we associate will influence us either positively or negatively. Hence our development can be assisted or hindered by other people - human contact and association is necessary for our development.
There are many precepts within Buddhism but most lay Buddhists take five. If the Buddhists live according to the five precepts, then they are living in accordance with their Bodhisattva nature; they are in harmony with the Buddhist thinking and, according to Maslow, such actions and acts will be stored in the psyche and influence future development.
There is a great deal of common ground between the approach of humanistic psychology with that of the Buddhist approach.
Both recognize the essential human core, which is good and requires nurturing in order for this to be realized. The Buddhist approach is far richer and deeper in both its approach and implications. The idea of the Bodhisattva is part of a large and complex system, which has been refined and added upon over many centuries.
The main difference between the two approaches is meditation: to the Buddhist this is an essential practice and one in which the Bodhisattva nature is tended and nourished. Meditation requires one to reach beyond the identity and idea of the limited self and to encounter the Bodhisattva nature directly.
Afghanistan - bygone day citadel of Buddhist education
Buddhism flourished in Afghanistan a predominantly Buddhist province in the North Western India for a long time. The Encyclopedia of Buddhism makes an enlightening, an illuminating reference to the glory that was Buddhism in Afghanistan some two thousand years ago.
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"In historical times the country was traversed by Alexander the Great; Strabo called it 'Ghandharis' (ERE.I, 158f.) In the early Christian eras, Buddhism prevailed in a large part of modern Afghanistan, e.g., Gandhara, east; Kandahar, South; Black, North, Tukhar, north-east; etc. The introduction of Buddhism was under the dynasty of Indi-Scythian Kings, most powerfully illustrated by Kaniska.
"Many centres with archaeological remains have been discovered both by scientists working in the field, and from literary research. Owing to the once conservative closeness of the Afghan authorities, largely because of their faith, archaeological study had not been possible until 1922, in which year a French mission was allowed to secure rights for excavation.
Nearly all of the information of Buddhist interest that is available has been due to the researches of the members of this archaeological mission, notably Alfred Toucher, Joseph Haekin, A and Y. Goddard and J. Carl.
In 1951-2 K.de B. Codrington and F.R. Alchin (of the London School of oriental and African studies) did some field work. More recently, in 1956 an Italian Archaeological Mission inspired by G. Tucci further investigated this earlier phase of the culture of Afghanistan (see Alessio Bombai and Umbarto Scerrato in E.W., New Series, X. Nos. 1-2).
'Buddhism once flourished exceedingly in Afghanistan but was showing signs of decline by the 7th century AC. In some parts traces survived even as late as the 9th century A.C. But by the close of the same century Islam had completely displaced the earlier religion.
"An inscription of Asoka Written in Greek an Aramaic was recently discovered in Kandahar".
(Encydopaedia of Buddhism: Volume one pp. 239, 240.)
With the changes now taking place provinces in and around Afghanistan are re-emerging as headquarters of Buddhist education and Buddhist Culture.
Judging by the rapid progress now being made by disciplined and devoted writers, artists, painters, Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis Afghanistan will be the focus of attention by a greater part of the globe as never before.
From a soldier in the Pakistan Armed Services Pervez Musharraf worked his way, step by step, to head the Forces as its Commander-in-Chief, and eventually become Chief of Army Staff and President of Pakistan.
His effective leadership endeared him to the people wherever he led them. He became their adorable leader. His people admired him since he eschewed brute-force leadership.
He was of the view that people should follow the precepts of panca sila.
By the time he made this pronouncement he had thoroughly studied the true significance of the Panca-sila of the non-aligned nations which emphasised on peaceful co-existence and non-interference in the affairs of others. President Musharraf began diverting his attention on building unity of the people. In this laudable endeavour he left no stone unturned to rally the people of the great sub-continent of India together for all times.
Before regaining of political independence in 1947 all people inhabiting this massive landmass lived together, worked together peacefully and harmoniously.
The unity and homogeneity of the peaceful and peace loving and innocent inhabitants was thoroughly shaken up by the machination of the British Raj whose only aim was to create divisions among the people.
Those born before independence in 1947 will remember the unending atrocities the departing British committed during their last phase of their ignominious rule in India.
He passed a storehouse of authentic information on which basis he began to build a new Asia under his dynamic leadership.
Already, those born on Indian soil before bifurcation were looking upto Pervez Musharraf as the new leader befitting the occasion. The people too have endorsed his Panca-sila as the concept of the highest esteem.
People took guidance by their own history. The Indian people, more than any other community, took cognizance of this position admirably. The Indians went back to the place where their peace, progress and prosperity had retarded at the time of the transfer of power from the British to the Indian.
Referring to Panca-sila, Dr. G.C. Mendis in "The Early History of Ceylon" says, Its lofty moral code helped them to develop an ethical turn of mind.
Its religious practices such as the observance of the Five Precepts, gave them a sense of discipline and its teaching of kindness to men and animals and the noble examples set by the Sangha, helped wean them away from family feuds and tribal warfare which hindered their agricultural activities." (Revolt in the Temple Pg. 49).
President Pervez Musharraf thought quite rightly that to disseminate the concepts of Panca-sila he should utilize Buddhist culture-art, panting and sculpture and ensure the participation of the people.
This endeavour will also help discourage people to mobilise themselves in anti-national and anti-cultural activity.
He plunged into the subject of culture, opening the new province of Afghanistan where Indian people and those who become Pakistani after bi-furcation worked in solid comradeship.
Afghanistan situated in the North-Western region of the Indian subcontinent was the home of a myriad of Viharas, Dagabas, Bodhigharas and Sanghawasas. In all these entities a flourishing Buddhist culture was evident from the time of Emperor Asoka.
Afghanistan, the citadel of Buddhist education had students from many parts of Western Asia. Mongolia, China, Korea and Japan. Among those flourishing Universities were Nalanda, Vikramashila, Odantapuri where students from many parts of he world studied and disseminated Buddhist culturel everywhere.
Referring to Afghanistan, Professor P.V. Bapat in "2500 years of Buddhism" states: Salutary indeed is that all those engaged in the noble effort are guided by the Panca-sila.
As the only way for peace, unity and prosperity.
Value of Pirith
Pirith chanting has become an extremely popular religious ritual in countries where the Theravada traditions are predominantly prevalent.
Just after the tsunami disaster which hit many part of the island several months ago, all Buddhist temples held pirith chanting ceremonies to protect the people and the land from anymore disasters of the nature.
It is also interesting to note that the State revived an age old tradition of pirith chanting on a boat when they held the 'Nilwala Harasara' in Matara several months ago.
A novel project was also implemented by a Buddhist organisation to accommodate travelling monks reciting pirith suttas inside a gaily decorated pavilion fixed on to the rear side of a lorry, to offer merit to victims who lost their lives in the disaster and bestow blessings on those who survived.
'Paritta' in Pali, 'paritrana' in Sanskrit and 'Pirith' in Sinhala means protection. This protection is to be obtained by listening to the paritta suttas and is intended to banish evil, avert illness or danger from malefic influences and to promote health, prosperity and well-being.
All important functions held in Buddhist homes and by the State at various times in Sri Lanka begins with the recitation of pirith by Buddhist monks. It is traced back to the Buddha himself, especially to the events related in the Khanda-suta of the Anguttara Nikaya.
The parittas are discourses (suttas) taken from the earliest collection. Of the twenty-nine (29) discourses, three are well known, Mangala, Ratana and Karaniya metta suttas which are recited at ceremonies and in households. There are selected discourses that deal with moral life.
The Ratana sutta deals with the invocation of blessings that can be enjoyed following truthful words (sacca-kiriya) relating to the three gems (ratana).
The Karaniya-metta sutta (loving kindness) inculcates the virtues of life of loving kindness (metta) and the Mangala sutta (blessings) describes the life of social harmony culminating in the attainment of ultimate freedom (nibbana). At the end of each recital of sutta, the reciters bless the listeners with the words, 'etena sacca vajjena sotthi te hotu sabbada' which means by the power of the truth of these words may you ever be well.
Some Buddhists have even committed to memorize these suttas and children attending Daham pasalas are familiar with these discourses.
When somebody in the household is gravely ill the monks are invited to recite pirith at his/her bedside in order to bring mental happiness to the sick person as well as to the other household members.
At present, many medical practioners seems to believe that the causes for most of the bodily diseases in humans were the direct result of the failure of mental state. I wish to recall what Dr. W.E.A. Fonseka, former President, All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, told me once. when he was working in government hospitals, he used to perform surgical operations on patients while chanting pirith.
This clearly indicates that pirith chanting has a therapeutic effect. A good example is the Angulimala piritha recited by monks when a woman is in her last stages of pregnancy or while in labour.
The idea being that Angulimala, who had committed a large number of murders made an asseveration of truth in the presence of a woman who had been in labour for seven days, that he had never wilfully destroyed any life, after he became a disciple of the Buddha. This confession is said to have enabled the woman to ease her suffering and give birth to her child. This traditional belief is continued even today.
Pirith chanting wholly depends on the purpose for which it is being held. Sometimes it's being conducted for short periods and in other instances for long hours like all night or for seven days continuously. Before the commencement of the actual ceremony, certain preliminaries have to be completed.
An elaborately decorated 'Mandapaya' (pavilion) has to be constructed to accommodate the reciting Bhikkus. A table has to be placed in the centre of the mandapaya. A pot of water with its mouth covered with a clean white cloth has to be kept on the table.
The other items that will be accommodated on the table are the relic casket, the 'pirith pothvahanse' or the Book of Protection written on ola leaves and the sacred thread (pirith nula). The relic represents the Buddha, the pirith pothvahanse represents the Dhamma and the reciting Bhikkus represent the Ariya-Sangha, Arhant disciples of the Buddha.
The end of the thread drawn round the interior of the pavilion, is twisted round the casket, the neck of the pot of water and tied to the cord of the ola-leaf book. While the discourses are being recited the monks and the listeners hold the thread. The purpose is to maintain an unbroken communication from the water to the relic, to the pirith potha, the officiating monks and to the listeners seated on mats while the recital continues.
After the formal preliminaries are over, the chanting begins in a steady tone, with the more popular discourses being recited initially, reaching its crescendo after midnight, when Atanatiya sutta is recited.
The ritual is concluded early morning with the distribution of pirith water and pieces of sanctified thread among the devotees. The devotees drink a little of the water given and the rest they sprinkle on their heads. The thread is tied round their wrists or necks by an officiating monk.
It is quite an invigorating story to know how Mangala sutta became a part of the paritta collection. During the Buddha's time, people in India met at a wayside resting place, to discuss the issue of blessings. They could not find the true meaning of this term and they met for 12 long years.
Yet their arguments or debates did not produce any results. Thereafter the question was taken up for discussion at a deities' meeting presided over by Sakra, the king of gods. Sakra in his reply said, if I were to provide an answer to this query, it's like trying to lit a fire with a firefly's light.
Therefore, I advise you to approach Samma Sambuddha - the Omniscient one, who is residing near Savatthi at Jetavana in Anathapindika's monastery. He could give you a comprehensive answer for your quest.
When the night was far advanced a certain deity approached the Blessed One, respectfully saluted him and placed the question which has baffled the men and deities for long years to find the true meaning of the term 'Mangala.'
Wholesome volition
Living at Savatti in Jeta's wood
At Anatapindikaramaya, the
Blessed One
Exhorted the Bikkhus.
Be determined to dwell in virtue,
In the Patimokha precepts,
Restrained in conduct and habitation,
In serenity and insight,
Training to erase the slightest fault.
If a Bikkhu wishes
For dear companions in the holy life,
Their honour and esteem,
He should practise the precepts,
Be serene in mind,
Meditating to gain insight,
Dwelling in empty huts,
To fulfil virtue, concentration and
wisdom.
For his wants of robes,
Of almsfood, abode and medicine,
Let him fulfil the precepts
Leading to virtue, concentration
and wisdom.
And if he should wish
Great blessings to those who
brought him,
Robes, almsfood, medicine,
Places of rest,
Let him fulfil the precepts,
Leading to virtue, concentration
and wisdom.
If he wishes to vanquish "
Fear and dread, rise above fear
and dread,
Let him fulfil the precepts
Leading to virtue, concentration
and wisdom.
If he wishes to achieve,
Bliss in the four janas,
The liberations from materiality
and form
Become a stream winner bound for
freedom,
With the three fetters broken,
never more
At risk of perdition but ripe for
enlightenment,
Let him fulfil the precepts,
Leading to virtue, concentration
and wisdom.
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