A sage

Not by silence (alone) does he who is dull and ignorant become a sage; but that wise man who, as if holding a pair if scales, embraces the best and shuns evil, is indeed a sage. Dhammattha Vagga - The Dhammapada

Proposals for skilful dying

WE publish part I of the 'proposals for skilful dying' again as requested by many readers of 'Buddhist Spectrum'.

There is an age-old tradition in Sri Lanka that came about through the knowledge and awareness of the potency of neardeath kamma.

The story of Dhammika Upasaka who requested the Sangha to recite the Satipatthana Sutta when he was on his deathbed, and the story of the Venerable Thera who ingeniously changed his father's fearful sign of destiny by providing conducive circumstances for him to perform a good deed at the very last moment, are just two examples.

The salient principles of this tradition are:

* Reminding the dying person of the meritorious deeds he or she had performed earlier in life. One could keep a special notebook where the dates and nature of significant meritorious deeds one had performed are recorded. When one is dying, someone could read the list out to one.

* Providing the dying person with the opportunity to perform a good deed, e.g. listening to Pali chanting if one understands or appreciates it, listening to Dhamma talks, making flower puja [offering] on one's behalf as in the Venerable Thera's story, encouraging one to mentally recite the Three Refuges continuously as a mantra, or to engage undistractedly in any meditation practice one is most familiar with. These are only a few examples. Perhaps you can think of more creative alternatives.

Persuading and helping the dying person to let go of all attachments to his or her beloved ones and possessions, and also to harbour no regrets or remorse over anything that has been done.

To this end, the dying person's beloved ones should be told not to wail and lament at his or her deathbed, for this may consolidate his or her attachments and/or grief.

We have already seen the fatal consequences of near-death attachment and remorse in the stories of Venerable Tissa who became a flea, the bhikkhu who was reborn as a dragon king, and Queen Mallika who was reborn in Avici Hell. There are many other ways of helping a dying person die in peace.

A great example

A commendable, practical application of the above principles can be seen in the intriguing account of Venerable Dr Rastrapal Mahathera's personal experience, first published in 1977, twenty years after it had occurred during his fifth year as a bhikkhu.

At that time, he had been requested to go to the bedside of a dying gentleman, Abinash Chandra Chowdury, age 56, who was renowned as a devout Buddhist. Here is an edited extract from the Venerable Mahathera's personal account:

When I reached his house, I found the place packed with his relatives and friends. It was then about 8.30 p.m. There was a hush of silence enveloping the house as the people around were all in suspense.

I started chanting a couple of suttas and when I finished, I heard Mr Chowdury uttering feebly and intermittently, but with much devotion, "Buddha... Dhamma... Sangha... Anicca... dukkha... anatta...... metta...... karuna...... mudita...... upekkha...... "

I observed that his condition was fast deteriorating. I placed my hand on his right forearm and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"My time has come for leaving this world," he replied. "There is no hope of life for me any longer, Bhante."

"But upasaka, you're only 56," I said, trying to console him, "and you can't possibly die so early in your life. A life devoted to virtue, which is a source of inspiration to your fellow villagers, cannot be cut short so early...Now would you like to take the five precepts and listen to some suttas?"

"Yes, Bhante," he replied.

I administered the five precepts and recited a few suttas, which he listened to with great devotion. After pausing a while, I felt curious to know whether he had any vision appearing before him for his eyes were closed all the time I was by his bedside. I kept on asking him about it at short intervals. Each time he told me that he did not have any vision at all.

At about 11.30 p.m. he muttered something. We all could make out that he was relating a vision of the bodhi tree at Buddhagaya where Gotama had attained full enlightenment.

This was perhaps a memory of his visit there. Then I asked him, "Are there any objects there?"

"Yes, Bhante!" he exclaimed. "My [deceased] parents are there. They're offering flowers to the Vajrasana [Diamond Seat on which Gotama sat when he attained enlightenment] under the bodhi tree." This he repeated twice.

"Upasaka, ask them whether they would like to take the five precepts."

"Yes, Bhante. They're already waiting with their palms placed together with fingers pointing upwards."

After administering the five precepts, I again asked him whether his parents would like to listen to some suttas and on getting an affirmative reply, I recited the Karaneeya Metta Sutta.

I felt thrilled at the turn of events, and so too, I think, were the others present who were watching the scene with great excitement, as this was something quite unprecedented for them.

It was then clear to me that the vision he had of his parents indicated that he was going to take birth in the human world-and that also on a higher strata because the bodhi tree appeared in the vision too.

But I felt that a man of his devotion deserved a still higher plane of existence for his next birth; so I went on asking him whether he was having any other visions.

A little while later, I found a change coming over him. He seemed to have turned worldly-minded and asked his relatives to free him from his debts. It was then 1.40 a.m. At that moment I asked him whether he was perceiving any other vision.

"I see long hair!" he exclaimed feebly.

"Do you see eyes?" I asked.

"No, I don't," he replied, "because it is covered from head to foot with dark hair."

I could not make out what this apparition signified, but I beg to disagree with Ven Dr Rastrapal here.

I think this vision signifies an impending rebirth in the world of spirits where his departed parents had probably been reborn.

I felt that if death came to the gentleman at that moment, he would be reborn in some lowly plane of existence. (On a later date when I asked for clarification of this vision from Venerable �anissara Mahathera and another learned monk, Venerable Silalankara Mahathera [then Sangharaja of the Bangladesh Sangharaja Bhikkhu Mahasabha], both were of the opinion that the dying man might have gone to the world of petas [ghosts] if he had died then.)

So in order to drive out the apparition, I started chanting the suttas, which had the desired result, for the dying man exclaimed that it had vanished when I asked him about it.

Nevertheless his worldly attachments seemed to persist. He next asked his relatives to remove from under his bed a new mattress that he wanted to be kept for his only son who was then staying at a distant place-in Calcutta, India.

He did not want the mattress to be burnt together with his dead body, as was the custom among some Buddhists at Chittagong in Bangladesh.

Then he again lapsed into a state of extreme exhaustion.

"Upasaka, what are you experiencing now?" I asked.

"I see two black pigeons, Bhante," he replied.

At once I realised that it was a vision of the animal world where he might be reborn after death. The time was then 2.00 a.m. Since I didn't want him to pass away into the lowly animal realm, I again started to recite the suttas.

When I had finished reciting, I asked him, "Are you seeing any more visions?"

"No, Bhante," he replied.

I then resumed discourses on the Dhamma and after a while, I asked him several times whether he was seeing any other visions. At last he exclaimed, "I see a heavenly chariot coming towards me!"

Although I knew that no barrier could stand in the way of the heavenly chariot, still, in honour of the devas, I asked his relatives around his bed to make way for its approach.

Then I asked him, "How far is the chariot away from you?"

He made a gesture with his hand to indicate that it was by his bedside.

"Do you see any one in the chariot?" I asked.

"Yes," he nodded, "celestial men and women."

"Ask them whether they want to take the five precepts," I told him, for I had read in the scriptures that devas obey and respect not only monks but also pious devotees. On his conveying their assent, I administered the five precepts.

After that I again asked, through him, whether they would like to listen to the Karaniya Metta Sutta, and with their consent, I recited the sutta.

Then I asked whether they would like to listen to the Mangala Sutta which I recited when they gave their consent.

However, when I again asked whether they would like to listen to the Ratana Sutta, the dying man waved his hand to signify that the devas did not wish to listen to this sutta.

"They want you to go back to your vih...ra [monastery]," he told me. I then realised that the devas were getting impatient to take him away to heaven, but I wanted to intercede and prolong his life on earth.

Perhaps the devas were afraid that they might have to make way for other more powerful devas who might come to listen to the sutta.

So I told Mr. Chowdury, "Listen, upasaka. Tell them to go back because it is not time for you to die yet. You're only 56.

They've come to take you to heaven by mistake. I myself and all others present here will transfer our merits to them. In exchange, we beg them to spare your life."

After this there was a pause for about ten minutes and the dying man's posture seemed to indicate that the devas were in a thoughtful mood; but in the end he said, "They don't agree to your suggestion. They want you to go back to your vihara."

His relatives at that moment became disconsolate and wanted me to stay on till his end came, fearing that some bad apparitions might appear in my absence to take him to the lower realms. The devas, however, insisted that I should go. When his relatives realised that they could not retain me any longer, one of them beckoned me to another room.

I pretended that I was leaving the house, but slipped into the other room and waited to see from there his passing away into devaloka. After a while he exclaimed, "Bhante is sitting in the other room. The devas want him to leave that room also and go to his vihara!"

The part two of this article was published on October26.

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Buddhist metaphysics and the quantum theory:

Is there any correlation or relativity?

BY UPALI Munasinghe

SCIENTISTS have not been able to fully trace the origins of the nature's energy and power streams. Although varied ideas and assumptions had been put forward their apparently are certain inexplicable loop holes.

The Buddha was able to fill the gaps and expound apt explanations in that context. However, he had stated to his chief attendant monk Ananda thus: "Ananda, the Universe is limitless, life itself is boundless and it may be useless to trace their diverse complexities."

There is therefore perplexity as to what has so far been traced - whether it is fulsome or complete in its composition.

However, it may be possible for future scientists to delve further and arrive at a conclusion on the origins of life and the living.

According to what has so far been traced it is the atom that is the source and origin of energy. When the atom is split further what is left is the energy that exists in indivisible units.

With this evaluation it would become easy to solve or discern the most deeply intense workings of the nature's ever increasing substantial forces.

This reminds us of the dictum that nature is the simplest concept of truth.

Research into the theory of physics would indicate that the vacuum stage produced by the extinction of the thought processes could create a powerful strength that could visit any place or space of the universe-terrestrial or outer terrestrial.

This inestimable force of nature is so powerful that if it could be properly grasped by the developed human mind, it will not be possible to limit the miraculous aspects ad properties that could be formed or caused by such mental strength.

Delving deep into the possibilities that could accrue of such a quantum stage, one could point out to the fact that a deep undisturbed mental aspect of Buddhist meditation or an immovable faith in a godly concept could bring about an indivisible quantum energy which is really a forceful aspect of the nature itself and its environments.

This state of mind could be achieved whilst being specifically and pointedly immersed in a deeply soothing musical rendering as well and so could it be in an extremely mentally frightening mood. This could be both gainful and destructive in its effectiveness depending on the bright or dark glow of the quantum position held at the concerned moment.

What we hear as sounds through our ears are reverberations emerging from our own mental focus points that travel at about 32,000 decibels per second which could produce a unit of energy that could radiate or throw out a bluish glow at a speed of 30 million sparkles of light per second - which many heighten up to an invisible x-ray glow as well. Such states could reflect on the instantaneous thinking processes in the human mind.

It is in the light of this feeling that mind analyst writer Napoleon Hill in his book "The Law of Success" had stated the possibility of a futuristic time when people could see without eyes, hear without ears and speak without a tongue; could be evinced in keeping with the developing aspects of the quantum state.

It is apparent that this aspect of the highest quantum mental state had been achieved by the Buddha - and it is in that context He was recognised as an all knowing personage endowed with a limitless vision pertaining to ground realities and terrestrial-extraterrestrial formations as well.

This aspect has been quoted by the Indian Maharshi Yogi - a post graduate physics degree holder from Calcutta University - now residing in America in a document entitled "The field of all possibilities".

This Yogi is reputed to have introduced the Transcendental Meditation (TM) system which as gained some popularity world over. His teacher also had been one endowed with a high mental development.

It has been recorded that this Maharshi Yogi had performed a miraculous feat by which he was able to dispel a huge mistfall that was about to disorganise and cancel one of his largely attended seminars held near New York City.

It was in a far off ancient epoch that the Buddha was recorded as one who had performed greater miraculous feats such as the instantaneous taming of the wildly fatal Nalagiri elephant, Angulimala the serial murderer and the liberation of the downtrodden Sopaka and a host of other space travel incidents.

There is another humanistic incident recorded as follows: "along with his chief attendant monk Ananda, the Buddha was on his way to deliver a sermon when he had to cross a large river and while waiting for the boatman to come from the other side, a worldly spurious priest of the Niganta clan had walked over the water level intending to despise the Buddha.

He is then said to have told Ananda that the miracle was worth only two coins - the boatman's fee - not worth the performance. We should avoid such lowly performances."

The Buddha had performed varied highly regarded miracles only when and where it was extremely necessary for the benefit of humanity.

In view of the modern scientific knowledge that disapproves telepathy, and when we consider how the Buddha was able to foresee the sorrowful plight of Sopaka it could be evinced that His highly developed quantum state had contributed to his all knowing enlightened mind that could flash out a discerning force of light to fathom the darkest corners and brighten the hidden aspects bringing out both physical and spiritual perceptions.

Reasoning out these aspects, it may be possible to deduce that Nirvana - much cherished state - itself is the ultimate perception of a soul less state and an end result of an evolutionary progression - a quantum state of existence where an indivisible unit of energy development has taken place.

It could be known as the highest pinnacle of the quantum evolution - which will not repeat itself - henceforth or thereafter.

Before the achievement of this pinnacle during the progression course of the quantum state of mental achievement, the Buddha was able to perform physical and spiritual miracles for the sake of humanity merely as landmarks of his achievements.

In view of the quantum state of the mind developed with a selfless compassionate focus that encompassed all other streaks of thought or mental feelings he was able to achieve that static stage of the quantum development.

In that context it is no exaggeration to state that the Buddha was an all-knowing spiritually endowed personage devoid of any other physical cravings or comforts.

With all his achievements, the Buddha was self-effacing and humble enough to state that what he had achieved through his all encompassing quantum state of mind may be merely a few drops in the vast ocean of human achievements.

Once when the Buddha was wending his way through a shrubland he had clasped a fistful of leaves from a nearby shrub and declared to his attendant monk as follows: Ananda, if all the leaves in the shrubs are compared to my vision and knowledge, be it known that I have expressed and shown out only a handful as per what I hold now in my palm.

Dealing further with the Sopaka story it was revealed that he was suffering immensely from helplessness and fear under the impact of a dead body over him and in that apparent unredeemable state he was in a vacuum stage of mind - almost senseless - which seems to have attained a minus quantum state.

The Buddha in his own accomplished high quantum state of mind was able to visualise the suffering of Sopaka and thus afford him relief.

As mentioned earlier, it is apparent that excessive fear, grief and mental/physical affliction could produce some pointedly effective quantum state in the sufferer's mind in accordance with the findings of most mindanalyst scientists.

Angulimala, the misled misdirected youngster was of a pointedly adroit decision to fulfill his mission of collecting and cutting off thousand human fingers for a necklace and his sole mental acumen was directed on that goal on the basis of the newly acquired quantum state which was of course in a minus proposition compared to the highly progressed plus quantum attainment of the Buddha who was able to utilise his far flung compassionate magnetism to tame and liberate the evil doer.

This same compassionate magnetism of the Buddha that had emerged from the indivisible quantum stage of his great visionary state of mind helped him to heal that decomposingly sick Puthigattatissa monk.

Corpuscles and all other cells of the human body could also get affected by quantum energy which resemble atomic particles which could overtake the body's decaying matter and restore its earlier functional capacity.

All these facets prove the fact that the universal energy and positive power contained in the quantum state could contribute to the maintenance of the original physical attributes.

Although the Buddha had acquired the highest pinnacle of the quantum state in both mind and body he was not averse to go along with the normal functions of human beings and it was with that frame of mind, that he decided to let loose his highly developed miraculous quantum state of atomic and varied neutronic and protonic elements and take leave of the universe as any other human being.

These quantum states could be of minus or plus propositions in keeping with the degree of its progression on a set goal.

It is assumed that most gruesome murder plunder and rape etc. are plotted and carried out devoid of any compunction by their perpetrators whose mental state is productively focused by a temporal trait of a quantum state.

Mind analyst Harold Sherman also has commented on the relevance of these aspects in his book, "How to take yourself apart and put yourself together again", stressing that things of the same quality attract those of similar quality and quantum.

Taking all these factors into consideration it can be surmised that the Buddha's attainment of Nirvana - the sublime and unique state of nonreturn - could be equated to the highest stage of the indivisible quantum state.

This assumption in no way reflects any irreligious sentiment that would defile the great sanctity of the Buddha.