The envious are not at peace

People give according to their faith and as they are pleased. Whoever therein is envious of others’ food and drink, gains no peace either by day or by night. But he who has this feeling fully cut off, uprooted and destroyed, gains peace by day and by night.

Mala Vagga - The Dhammapada

The noble way of spiritual growth
 

by Kumudu Gunathilaka

The doctrine expounded by the Fully-Enlightened-One is not a religion. It is not an organised system of thought, nor a blind faith or inculcated worship.

It is the noble way of spiritual growth. It stands apart from philosophy, theories, beliefs, dogmatism, heathenism, paganism etc. It is the 'Ariya Dhamma', the eternal law.

Buddhists have no god to worship, no praying to offer, no priest to mediate, no ceremonial to observe, and no soul whose concern lies in the capricious hands of a nebulous being, lurking behind the glare of concepts and symbols.

Often quoted, but most misunderstood

The doctrine explains that god is a postulated guarantee of the ego's hope for reward. The ego itself is a condition of sorrow and not of happiness. The often quoted, but most misunderstood (Kalama Sutta) is not a vindication of rationalism, nor does it allow whimsical discrimination of rationalist skepticism.

"O Kalama, do not accept anything on hearsay, mine by tradition, on account of numerus, just because it accords with your scriptures, by mere supposition, by mere inferences, by mere considering the reasons; because it agrees with your preconceived notions, because it seems acceptable, or that the sage is respectable by us.

But Kalama, when you know for yourselves these things are immoral, blameworthy, censured by the wise, these things when performed and undertaken conduce to ruin and sorrow, then indeed you reject them.

Applies with equal force

When kalama, you know for yourself these things are moral, blameless, praised by the wise, these things when performed and undertaken conduct to well-being and happiness, then do you lire acting accordingly."

This advice of the Fully-Awakened One to Kalama shows the transparency of his doctrine, and applies with equal force to the modern world. The fully-Awakened-One saw through the jungle of views and told us to identify the wise ones.

A Buddhist does not seek refuge in the Buddha, in the sense that he will be saved by the extraordinary power of the Fully-Awakened-One. He gives no such guarantee.

It is not within his power to wash away the impurities of others. As a teacher he may be instrumental. But, we ourselves are directly responsible for our purification.

A Buddhist is not bound to follow the teaching, nor does he sacrifice his freedom of thought by becoming a follower.

He can exercise his freewill and develop his wisdom.

Expects no worldly favours

Buddhists do not worship an image expecting worldly favours. They pay their homage as a mark of gratitude, and reflects with the virtues of the Fully-Awakened-One.

Buddhism decries the existence of a supernatural power. It has neither divine revelation, nor divine messenger on prophet.

Buddhists know that they can never escape the decrees of karma other than by the selfless exercise of virtue. Buddhism is supra-cosmic psychology.

They have nothing to fear except what belongs to them from Karma. Karma is volition, wholesome or unwholesome.

The doctrine and discipline left behind by the Fully-Awakened-One are their teachers. Purity or impurity depends on the selfless-self. No one purifies another; no one defiles another.

Each individual, put forth his own effort and works out his own salvation, with diligence. 'Ariya Dhamma' provides the complete system of perfect transcendental psychology extant.

Between man and the higher power, the intermediatory is the 'priest', the breeders of priestcraft. It is wrong to call a bhikkhu as priest in the Buddha dispensation. The monk, the bhikkhu, the 'Thera' is a friend and a guide of the community. Buddhism remains free from the danger of central authority.

Attitude towards words

The Buddhists were the first to realise the significance of words, and how they are to be used. The Fully-Awakened-One's attitude towards words are exceptional.

"Milk comes from a cow, and from milk curds, it is not called by any other name, and so on .... For these Kitta, are merely names, expressions, terms of speech, designations in common use in the world.

Of these Thathagatha mates use indeed, but is not led away by them."

The Fully-Awakened-One has advised us to learn how to use words properly, and not allow us to be carried away by imposters to real knowledge, who are so keen to mislead us.

Buddhism is the highest expression of thought. The highest spiritual conceptions are to be found therein. Its moral code is one of the most perfect, the world has ever known. Buddhism is the highest aspect, or rather climax of 'Aryan' thought.

The Fully-Awakened-One has said that science is one of the superstitions. Science like pagan superstitions, has its worshippers. Science is useful to a certain point. Beyond that point it proves dangerous. Science has on conscience! The Dhamma supernal alone is the treasure eternal!

Buddhism is the noble way of living towards complete liberation for realization of Nibbana. Religions demand blind faiths. Its faithfuls are driven in blinkers. In contrast, free from such trammels, the doctrine is liberal, broad-minded. Each Buddhist is his own pontiff. He does not believe in "soul-saving" - saviours, who are unable to save their own souls.

Peacefully propagated

It has never made conventions by force, torture or guile. It is the only teaching propagated without drop of blood in the world.

Being the first missionaries, a Buddhist is an exemplar to the world, that it was peacefully propagated from Korea to Siriya to Greece and from Himalaya to Sri Lanka to the Javanese islands, in the civilized world at the time. Its spread was acclaimed in the lands as a civilizing, humanising moral and cultural influence that, for the first time, realised the brotherhood of man.

Though Buddhism is seemingly rational in on-look, it must be borne in mind that the Fully-Awakened-One decried sixty two variant heretical postulates, one being nationalism.

Direct spiritual experience

Those who have prospected beyond the borderlands of knowledge, teill us that the out-of-date modern is a nationalist, and that the contemporary of the future is spiritually oriented. We have to understand what this spirituality means. Buddhism is Vibajjavada, the analytical doctrine.

The truths found through direct spiritual experience by the Fully-Awakened-One coincides with the result of science.

It does not mean that he preached a scientific system of religion.

These truths were arrived at by methods diametrically opposed to those of science. While the 'Dhamma' proceeds inwards science proceeds outwards. Problems were complicated and multiplied by science. Buddhism is a way of implication and integration.

There the problem has ceased to exist.

How to judge a person's character

Four facts about a person, can be known from four circumstances. What are these four?

By living together with a person his virtue can be known, and this too only after a long time, not casually; by close attention, not without attention; by one who is wise, not by one who is stupid.

By having dealings with a person his integrity can be known, and this too only after a long time, not casually; by close attention, not without attention, by one who is wise, not by one who is stupid.

In misfortune a person's fortitude can be known, and this too only after a long time, not casually; by close attention, not without attention by one who is wise, not by one who is stupid.

By conversation a person's wisdom can be known, and this too only after a long time, not casually; by close attention, not without attention; by one who is wise, not by one who is stupid.

It was said: "By living together with a person, his virtue can be known." On account of what was this said?

Living together with a person, one comes to know him thus: "For a long time the actions of this fellow have shown weaknesses, defects, taints and blemishes as to his morals; and he was morally inconsistent in his actions and conduct. This fellow is an immoral person; he is not virtuous".

In another case, when living together with a person, one comes to know him thus: "For a long time the actions of this fellow have shown no weaknesses, defects, taints or blemishes as to his morals; and he is morally consistent in his actions and conduct. This fellow is virtuous; he is not an immoral person".

It was on account of this that is was said: "By living together with a person, his virtue can be known".

Further it was said: "By having dealings with a person, his integrity can be known." On account of what was this said?

Having dealings with a person, one comes to know him thus: "This fellow behaves in one way if he has to do with one person and in different ways with two, three or more persons. His earlier behaviour deviates from his later behaviour. The behaviour of this fellow is dishonest; he is not of honest behaviour".

In another case, when dealing with a person, one comes to know him thus: "In the same way as he behaves towards one, he behaves towards two, three or more people. His earlier behaviour does not deviate from his later behaviour. The behaviour of this fellow is honest; he is not a dishonest man".

It was on account of this that it was said: "By having dealings with a person, his integrity can be known.

Further it was said: "In misfortune a person's fortitude can be known". On account of what was this said?

There is a person afflicted with the loss of relatives, wealth or health, but he does not reflect thus: "Of such nature is life in this world, of such nature is the uptake of individual existence, that the eight worldly conditions keep the world turning around, and the world turns around these eight worldly conditions, namely: gain and loss, fame and disrepute, praise and blame, pleasure and pain". Not considering this, he is grieved and worried, he laments and beats his breast and is deeply perturbed when afflicted with loss of relatives, wealth or health.

In another case, a person when afflicted with the loss of relatives, wealth or health, reflects thus: "Of such nature is life in this world...and the world turns around these eight worldly conditions, namely: gain and loss, fame and disrepute, praise and blame, pleasure and pain". Considering this, he neither grieves nor worries, nor does he lament or beat his breast, nor is he perturbed when afflicted with the loss of relatives, wealth or health.

It was on account of this that it was said: "In misfortune a person's fortitude can be known".Further it was said: "By conversation a person's wisdom can be known". On account of what was this said?

When conversing with a person, one comes to know: "Judging from the way this fellow examines, formulates and brings up a problem, he is a stupid person, not a wise one. And Why? He does not utter words that are profound, calming, sublime, beyond ordinary reasoning, subtle, intelligible to the wise. When he speaks of the Dhamma, he is not able to explain its meaning, be it briefly or in detail. He is a stupid person, not a wise one".

Just as if, monks, a man with good sight, standing on the bank of a pond, were to see a small fish emerging and would think: "Judging from its emergence, from the ripples caused by it and from its speed, this is a small fish, not a big one" - similarly, when conversing with a person, one comes to know: "This is a stupid person, not a wise one".

In another case, when conversing with a person, one comes to know: "Judging from the way this fellow examines, formulates and brings up a problem, he is a wise person, not a stupid one. He utters words that are profound, calming, sublime, beyond ordinary reasoning, subtle, intelligible to the wise. When he speaks of the Dhamma, he is able to explain its meaning, be it briefly or in detail. He is a wise person, not a stupid one".

Just as if, monks, a man with good sight, standing on the bank of a pond, were to see a big fish emerging and would think: "Judging from its emergence, from the ripples caused by it and from its speed, this is not a small fish but a big one" - similarly, when conversing with a person, one comes to know: "He is a wise person, not a stupid one". It was on account of this it was said: "By conversation a person's wisdom can be known."

These, monks are the four facts about a person that can be known from the above four circumstances.

- Anguttara Nikaya