Inclusive Nature Of Buddhist Philosophy

PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY: When you understand the spirit of Buddhism correctly, you can follow and practise it while living in this workaday world.

In Buddhism, true renunciation doesn't mean running away from worldly affairs, leaving your family or taking to ochre clothes.

The chief disciple of Buddha, Sariputa, said that you might live in a forest fully devoted to ascetic practices but if your mind is full of impure thoughts and defilements, then you are not practising Buddhism. On the other hand, an ordinary person who is not observing ascetic disciplines but has his mind pure, is practising Buddhism in its true spirit.

A few people may like to lead a lonely life in a quiet place to practise Buddhism, for their own reasons. But it is certainly more praiseworthy and courageous to practise Buddhism living amongst your own people, helping them and to have empathy, mutual love and concern for all.

There is nothing wrong if a man spends some time away from the hurly and burly of life as a part of spiritual and intellectual training to come out stronger; such a person would be of greater help to fellow human beings. But if a man lives all his life in solitude without caring for family and community this is not in keeping with Buddha's teaching which is based on compassion and service.

What then was the objective of Buddha establishing Sangha and monasteries for monks? This was done for those who were willing to devote their entire lives not for their own spiritual and intellectual development but also to serve others. In the course of time, Buddhist monasteries became not only spiritual centres but also centres of learning and service.

An incident in Buddha's life shows how much importance he gave to family life. A young man, Sigala, used to worship six cardinal points of heaven: east, west, north, south, nadir and zenith - as instructed by his religious head.

When he met the Buddha to embrace his religious doctrine, Buddha told the young man that in his religious discipline the six directions were: east - parents, west - wife and children, south - teachers, north - friends, relatives and neighbours. At the bottom were others and at the top, seers.

These six family and social groups are treated as sacred in Buddhism and one could worship them only by performing one's duties towards them. Buddhism accords highest place to parents, like other religions.

In Hinduism, parents are referred to as Brahma. Second in the order comes Guru, or teacher. Every pupil is expected to respect and obey his teacher. Third is the sacred relationship between wife and husband. Both husband and wife need to respect each other and express their love and regard by caring and sharing.

The Buddha didn't forget to mention that a husband could gift clothes and jewellery to his wife - as a way of demonstrating the fact that he cared for her physical well-being, too.

It is clear that in order to practise Buddhism you are not expected to become a monk or retire to a forest or cave. You can practise it even while living with and caring for family and discharging your duties towards family members. Similarly, the caring and sharing is extended to entire society in which you live. It is through compassion that you evolve, and thereby raise your consciousness.

Know that you are free from Birth and Death

When conditions are right she manifests and when not, not. There is no coming, no going. Before she manifests we should not call her non-existing.

Before manifestation you cannot call her non-being. They are a pair of opposites. Meditating on the nature of creation and being may be the best way to understand God.

Theologian Paul Koenig describes God as the Ground of Being. Who then is the Ground of Non-being? This diminishes God.

In Buddhism both notions of being and non-being can describe reality. Similarly, above and below, there and here.

Nirvana is the absence of all notions, birth and death, coming and going, sameness and otherness. According to Buddhism, 'to be or not to be' is not a real question. Meditation takes us beyond fearlessness.

We're too busy, so we become victims of anger and fear. If we have really touched our nature of no birth or death, we know that to die is one of the root conditions to realise oneself.

We have to learn how to 'die' in every moment in order to be fully alive. We should be able to release our tensions. We are the karma we produce every day in our daily life.

A disciple in Vietnam wants to build a stupa with my ashes. He wants to put a plaque with the words 'Here lies my beloved teacher'. But I want to write: 'There is nothing here'. Because if you look deeply, there is continuation.

Treasure the time you are left with, for it is more for you to practice.

Generate energy of love, compassion and understanding so you can continue beautifully. Use your time wisely. Every moment produces beautiful thoughts, loving, kindness, forgiveness. Say beautiful things, inspire, forgive, act physically to protect and help. We know we are capable of producing beautiful karma for good continuations and the happiness of other people.

Buddha's disciple Sariputra Ananda and other friends went to see Anathapindika, a lay disciple, who was a businessman and dying. He had made time to come to dharma talks and weekly practice. They asked him whether the pain had diminished. He replied that it was increasing. The monks led him on a meditation on the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. After a few minutes there was no more suffering and he smiled.

When you sit close to a person who is dying, talk to him of happy experiences in his life. Touch seeds of happiness in him. The monks asked Anathapindika to look at his feelings and perceptions. "I am life without boundaries, this body is a residue".

Times of India