Buddhist Spectrum

Religious education - Vital for a better society

H R U D BANDARA

Today we are facing a turbulent time in history. Unlikely in our times, today’s youth are exposed to a highly sophisticated techno electronic environment that has been a fertile ground to germinate seeds of evil. The gods have gone dead. Quest for material well- being is more pronounced today than any other time in history.

Their desires are shaped and sharpened by western cultures whereas DVDs, Mobile phones, SMS, e-mail, Web sites, and the Internet are by far norms of the day. Television, FM channels and print media are playing an influential role not only as informative materials but also the tools of changing the minds of children.

Windows

Religious education is now gaining ground in the whole world. Illustration by P Wickramanayaka

No barriers around this pearl of ocean and windows are wide open for east-west wind that has already eroded the cultural fortitude. We now seem to go away from most of the so-called developed western countries where religion has lost its importance and significance.

At this juncture our youth are being brainwashed religion-wise. Our children are targeted by multinationals to retain and expand their markets threatening to be lost in the future in the west. That so called globalization, a marketing mafia created by developed countries to market their outdated products, has shown their ugly heads all over the world.

It is not an exaggeration to say that we all are in a rat race from which an escape is hardly possible; all bring about hopeless solitude eventually. This is mainly due to lack of understanding and disrespect to each other.

As observed by us recognizing human being at every stage by the right angle is very important in managing them in any activity. Strikes, go-slows, picketing, work to rule and boycotting lectures are frequent in most places and the universities owing to lack of tolerance and empathy.

Despite being highly educated, equally professionally qualified and holding key position in large organizations, some people lack noble qualities that are essential for the management of human resources. Each individual discerns the virtues such as living kindness, compassion, gratification, honesty and caring.

We live in such an environment where a neighbour feels a strange inner sense of satisfaction whenever disaster strikes to the other. Some behave with no respect or regard to the other.

They are self-centered and becoming more and more self-seeking by going from bad to worse. Nepotism, family bondism and corruption have been adopted and patronized gradually in the society during the past decades and has become the order of the day. People are such because right religious foundation has not been inculcated in the childhood minds.

Indecency

By and large the country slowly heads from decency to indecency in many facts. It is really awful that our teenage girls half clad in western outfits are found on the roads, busses, and everywhere. Girls in embarrassed dresses are performing in various programs on television day and night viewed by their own parents and siblings. It seems to be a trend during this decade to imitate arousing scenes from Hindi and English movies in some of the local films and teledramas.

There is a bad influence on our national culture from these provocative scenes that indulge sex. Most programmes show anti social activities such as evil, murder, violence, rape, passion, crime, greed, and robbery. It is the youth who watch most of these programs being the target market of this syndrome.

It should be noted that the western world today faces severe social and cultural problems than the past. Rape and molestation in solitary places are on the very high increase in the United States.

Children are cold blooded and killing is a just a matter of thing. The abortion rate in young girls is on the high side in the western world and also many a single parent especially girl with a baby is becoming normal. Divorce rate is increasing in arithmetic progression. It is therefore our responsibility and vested interest to be vigilant on such issued and take precautionary measures at the right time.

As a nation we are as usual always waiting till it is too late to nip in the bud. Recent murder at a Colombo condominium at midnight is an eye opener for parents that the devil has come at the doorstep.

It is of paramount importance to realise that house and school will most necessarily be venues for this. By and large we have been witnessing a moral and cultural degradation in all spheres during the past few decades.

Despite all, there is a visual change in the society in recent times particularly of the young generation. Of course it is a beacon of hope. There is a tendency that the youth strives to learn Buddhist teachings and ethics.

They are willing to bring about good virtues into their lives towards a better tomorrow in accordance with five precepts. The recent social change is reflected not in the youth but in various other ways in the society.

Recognition

Fifty percent of the books published in Sinhala deal with Buddhism or related themes. Certain radio and television channels have given due recognition by broadcasting Buddhist programs on Poya days. Print media have also effectively contributed to this worthy cause by giving prominence for religious articles on such importance days. It is heartening that many children observe Sil, participate to meditation programs and fruitful activities carried out by temples.

Unfortunately these youth represent a small segment of the society. Although their endeavour is noble it does not come to limelight and unable to capsize the whole scenario. No economic development will be meaningful unless we preserve and promote our religious and cultural values.

There is a wrong notion in modern society that the ‘positive thinking’ concept was born in the West. Some believe that the Buddhist teaching is negative and it does not encourage people for material wellbeing.

In fact Buddhism is opposed to the melancholic, sorrowful and gloomy attitude of mind that is considered a hindrance to the realisation of life. It is clearly explained in the Sigalovada sutta about the six directions that one should follow for the prosperity of his family as well as the society.

The Buddha reached not only wellbeing of the one but citing far ahead that long term sustainability to save and reinvest wealth for future need.

The four stages of introduction, growth, maturity and decline of the product life cycle are well versed in Buddhist teachings.

The Buddha looked into the far beyond the modern marketing and did not revolve around simply the product or an organisation but individual, who changes and the most extravagant to understand. The concept of ‘impermanence’ in Buddhist teaching describes anything that exists in the universe gets destroyed one day.

Therefore the product of life cycle is fully based on Buddhist philosophy. Nowadays in modern business world we talk about corporate plans for the organisation to give the right direction .The Buddha did show the right direction to the man in his first sermon that the Noble Eight-fold Path some 2500 years ago.

Suffering

There is a wide spread misconception about Buddhist teaching in the world that it advocates negativity, gloomy aspects of life and the suffering. Some wrongly imagine that it is at all about the life of a Buddhist melancholy or sorrowful. No religious leader had previously been able to delve such consummate insights into the suffering of human.

At the same time his anguish at human suffering and his awareness that there is no escape from the dead ends found inside themselves. Buddhist teaching is a vision well above the science and unique on its own right. In modern strategic plans it is frequently referred ‘SWOT analysis’.

That comprises strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is crystal clear that the Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha on suffering, cause of the suffering cessation of the suffering and the middle path would have been the food for this theory.

Religious education plays a very important role in the life of everybody particularly children. Our ancient country had always given this priority and early education was based on in and around the temple.

It is with a deep awareness and a serious concern about the responsibilities that are vested on the hands of parents, teachers and the clergy to guide in the right direction according to Buddhist teaching. We feel here that it is virtually becoming a missing link in our society today.

It is this that has inevitably led to violent youth activities. Therefore Dhamma Schools have an important role to play in reforming the minds of the children towards the good. Our teachers and Buddhist clergy can take an example from this commitment and dedication and campaign for awareness.

In this context one of the greatest contribution a Dhamma teacher could make in today’s society is to emulate values of virtues and avoidance of hatred. It is a universally accepted fact that teachers are by far the most influential group of people in our life. Unlike any other profession a teacher can either construct or destruct a generation.

Interest

Today all over the world there is a growing interest in Buddhism and its philosophy. The Buddhist population of the world now is over 500mn and mostly found in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Tibet, China, Japan, Mongolia, Korea, Formosa, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Russia, Australia and America.

During the past 2,500 long years, teaching of the Buddha have lost nothing but indeed gained more and more meaning and cogency. The opportunity to the child to be guided and instructed along correct vales and principles is important. In this context Dhamma Schools thereby have to play the predominant role in moldering a young mind for the better tomorrow.

Temples therefore are to be equipped with to impart this knowledge. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has a historical role to take the much needed step to streamline the Dhamma education in Sri Lanka. It is prudent and timely to formulate a strategy recognising the charitable services rendered by Dhamma School teachers for the uplift of the children.

Various kinds of people in different cultures all over the world are getting closer to Buddhism with open minds to quench the thirst of knowledge in Dhamma. Buddhist publications in English are very few and we have to fulfill this long felt national need by catering to the vacuum.

(The writer holds a BSc and is the Deputy Principal of Dhammawijayaramaya English Dhamma School, Kurunegala)

Early Buddhism in Sri Lanka

KAMALIKA PIERIS

There is reason to believe that Buddhism came to Sri Lanka during the lifetime of Gautama Buddha. G.P.Malalasekera in ‘Pali Literature of Ceylon’ (1928) said that there was evidence to indicate that Buddhism had been known before the arrival of Mahinda. He noted that there was a cultured community in Sri Lanka during the time of the Buddha and Buddhism would have come in.

Ven. Walpola Rahula Thera in ‘History of Buddhism’ (1956) takes the view that Sri Lanka would have known about Buddhism during the time of the Buddha himself, since there was regular contact between India and Sri Lanka during that period.

Siran Deraniyagala (1997) says that Buddhism appears to have manifested itself early in Sri Lanka either through rapid diffusion or the influence of long distance trade or a combination of both. Excavations have shown that Anuradhapura had an urban culture from the 10th century BC.

E.W. Adikaram in his ‘Early history of Buddhism’ (1946) has also concluded that Buddhism existed in Ceylon before the arrival of Mahinda. He took the view that Mahinda came to set up the monastic order.

He said that it was only after the conversion of Devanampiyatissa that Buddhism became the state religion in Sri Lanka. Historians now think that the meeting between Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa was pre-arranged. Communication would not have been a problem. The Magadhi language, which Mahinda spoke, would have been similar to Sinhala. The Asokan inscriptions are similar to Sinhala inscriptions of the 3rd century BC.

Buddhism was one many Indian philosophies reached in Sri Lanka. Hettiarachchi says there is conclusive evidence that Brahmanism, Jainism and other religious schools such as Ajivakas and Paribbajakas existed in Sri Lanka as in contemporary India. Y. Karunadasa noted that Sinhala monks had access to non-Buddhist literature including Jain literature.

The Buddha had also looked at the Indian philosophies of the time, including the Vedas, Upanishads and the atheistic Sankhya doctrine. Some of the doctrinal elements in Buddhism had been discussed earlier in the Upanishads and Brahamanas. Buddhism developed as a corrective to the major schools of thought the Brahamana agama and its rejoinder the sramana sampradaya’.

Buddhist monasteries in India were less orthodox than those of the Brahmans. They included grammar and medicine in their teaching. The Sinhalese would have known the impact of Buddhism on India.

Buddhism gave an empiricist tradition to India. This empiricist tradition eventually disappeared from India but was preserved in the Theravada Buddhism of Sri Lanka. Buddhism never rejected the material world. It showed how to analyse the experiences of the material world.

It gave ethical guidelines regarding social living. Cleanliness is highly praised in Buddhist literature. Sigalovada sutta is on family and social relations. Buddhism contains considerable political philosophy. Kutadanta sutta explains the nature of socio-economic process and the need for planning in the state economy.

Chakkavattisihanada sutta explains the poverty, poverty related crimes, revolution and their causes. Agganna sutta discusses the origin of social class.

Buddhism also looked at state administration. Thapar says that the Buddhist account of the origin of the state was possibly the earliest expression of the theory of social contract.

However, Hettiarachchi points out that there was no Buddhist law governing politics. Buddhists adopted pre-existing customs and laws and modified these according to the Buddhist ethics. Buddhism introduced the concept of righteousness to the royal administration. The ideal Buddhist king was a righteous monarch who eschews violence and conquered through righteousness.

Buddhism was not opposed to trade. To start with, Buddha’s followers in north India included members of the mercantile community. Wealthy merchants and bankers attended on the Buddha.

Indian coins had images of the Bodhi tree and stupa. Buddhism was never a hindrance to trade and commerce either in Sri Lanka or elsewhere. Sudarshan Seneviratne found that Buddhism in south India was an urban phenomenon, closely associated with traders and other urban groups.

Buddhism was linked to trade in Sri Lanka as well. Buddhist symbols were used on Sinhala coins. Coins showing the birth, enlightenment, dhamma and death of Buddha were found at the Mahagama excavations in Ruhuna. The same markings also appeared on inscriptions and seals.

Munasinghe points out that Sri Lanka coins dated to the 1st century BC carried Buddhist symbols, though they are now called Lakshmi coins. The coins known as ‘elephant and swastika’ coins display the symbols of Bodhi tree and chaitya. External trade was used to support Buddhism.

Dalada Pujavali states that King Parakramabahu IV ordered that an ad valorem tax of a quarter percent on all merchandise passing though the seaports be set aside as payment to the Tooth Relic. It was a Sinhala merchant who in the time of Silakala (522-535) brought in a copy of a Mahayana work from India.

The writings of E.W. Adikaram, S. Deraniyagala, Ven S. Beligalle Dhammajoti Thera, T .Hettiarachchi, S. Kiribamune, T .Ling, G.P. Malalasekera, Brig S. Munasinghe, Walpola Rahula, R. Thapar and a talk given by Y. Karunadasa, have been used for this essay.

ABHIDHAMMA IN A NUTSHELL - XXIX:

The other Fetters and two types of Nibbana

Shamika Soysa

The three Fetters of Sakkhaya Ditti, Vichikiccha and Seelabbathaparamasa, which are eradicated by attaining the first stage of sainthood was explained in the last episode. This episode would describe rest of the seven fetters.

The Second Stage of Sainthood - Sakhadhagami

The aspirant who enters the second stage of sainthood attenuates the fourth and fifth Fetters.

4. Kamaraga - Sense-desire

This is basically as same as Lobha or attachment which has been mentioned previously. This is one of the roots of Thanha or craving.

5. Patigha - Hatred or illwill

This is also as same as Dvesha which has been explained previously. Even by attaining Sakhadagami these two fetters are not completely eradicated. It indicates how evil these mentalities are. Sakhadhagami means “Once-Returner” as he returns to this world only once before attaining Arhathship.

The Third Stage of Sainthood - Anagami

The Anagami person completely eradicates the above two fetters of Kamaraga and Patiga. Anagami means “Never-Returner”, one who never returns to this world or any celestial realms.

After death the Anagami Ariya would born in Suddhavasa Brahma Loka or Pure Adobes which is reserved for Anagamis and Arhaths.

The Fourth Stage of Sainthood - Arhath

The Ariya who enters the fourth stage of Sainthood eradicates rest of the five fetters and get rid of all bonds.

6. Ruparaga - Attachment to Realms of Form

Anagami Ariya person still have the attachment to Form and Formless Realms. By attaining Arhathship the attachment to Form Realms is also eradicated.

7. Aruparaga - Attachment to Formless Realms

Similarly the fetter of attachment to Formless Realms is also eradicated.

8. Mana - Pride

This is the fetter of mental state that features self is Supreme than another (Seiya Mana), Equal to another (Sadhisa Mana) or Minor than another (Heena Mana) based on undue facts as explained in Chethasika Paramaththa.

9. Uddachcha - Restlessness

Uddachcha is the unsettled state of mind as explained in few places of this series.

10. Avijja - Ignorance

The last fetter is Avijja which is the ignorance of Four Noble Truths. It is clear that many evil mentalities we go through in our everyday life are completely eradicated only by attaining Arhathship or in other words by reaching Nibbana.

Two Types of Nibbana

Among the many illustrations of Nibbana, here, two types of Nibbana will be briefed.

Even the Buddha attained Nibbana at the last stages of his life and he had to suffer from sickness. There are many stories about Arhaths who had to suffer even after attaining Nibbana. Firstly they are due past Kammas. Secondly, those sufferings were caused due to the existence of aggregates (skhandha).

At the age of 35 Sidhuhath Bosath attained Nibbana and became the Buddha while these aggregates remain. At the age of 80 Buddha passed away by getting rid of the suffering caused by aggregates as well.

Upadhi means Skhandha or Aggregates. When one enters Arhathship that is called Sopadhisesa NIbbana Dhathu as Skhandha remains. When Arhath passes away it is called Anupadhisesa Nibbana Dhathu as Skhandha which caused suffering also gets destroyed forever. Thus concludes short briefing on the Reality of Nibbana. It must be again mentioned that the above explanation is extremely brief and the interested readers are recommended to read more advance texts on this topic.

Final Episode

Now that the illustration of the Four Realities is complete. In the next Final Episode everything would be summarized in conclusion.

Reference:

Abhidharmaye Mulika Karunu by Ven. Renukane Chandhawimala Thera, A Manual of Abhidhamma by Narada Maha Thera

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