Buddhist Spectrum

From heart to head

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The Buddha simply says that there are actions leading to pleasure and actions leading to pain. Karma is not a respecter of persons; it's simply an issue of actions and results. Good people may have some bad actions squirreled away in their past. People who seem horrible may have done some wonderful things. You never know. So there's no question of a person's deserving or not deserving pleasure or pain. There's simply the principle that actions have results and that your present experience of pleasure or pain is the combined result of past and present actions. You may have some very unskillful actions in your past, but if you learn to think skillfully when those actions bear fruit in the present, you don't have to suffer.

Brahma Vihara

A principle applies to the question of whether the person who's suffering "deserves" your compassion. You sometimes hear that everyone deserves your compassion because they all have Buddha-nature. But this ignores the primary reason for developing compassion as a brahma-vihara in the first place: You need to make your compassion universal so that you can trust your intentions. If you regard your compassion as so precious that only Buddhas deserve it, you won't be able to trust yourself when encountering people whose actions are consistently evil.

At the same time, you have to remember that no human being has a totally pure karmic past, so you can't make a person's purity the basis for your compassion. Some people resist the idea that, say, children born into a warzone, suffering from brutality and starvation, are there for a karmic reason. It seems heartless, they say, to attribute these sufferings to karma from past lives.

The only heartlessness here, though, is the insistence that people are worthy of compassion only if they are innocent of any wrongdoing. Remember that you don't have to like or admire someone to feel compassion for that person. All you have to do is wish for that person to be happy. The more you can develop this attitude toward people you know have misbehaved, the more you'll be able to trust your intentions in any situation.

Entire world

The Buddha illustrates this point with a graphic analogy: Even if bandits attack you and saw off your limbs with a two-handled saw, you have to feel goodwill starting with them and then spreading to include the entire world. If you keep this analogy in mind, it helps to protect you from acting in unskillful ways, no matter how badly provoked.

The fourth principle to remember concerns the karma you're creating right now in reaction to other people's pleasure and pain. If you're resentful of somebody else's happiness, someday when you get happy there's going to be somebody resentful of yours.

Do you want that? Or if you're hard-hearted toward somebody who's suffering right now, someday you may face the same sort of suffering.

Do you want people to be hard-hearted toward you? Always remember that your reactions are a form of karma, so be mindful to create the kind of karma that gives the results you'd like to see.

Role of Causality

When you think in these ways you see that it really is in your interest to develop the brahma-viharas in all situations. So the question is, how do you do that? This is where another aspect of the Buddha's teachings on causality plays a role: his teaching on fabrication, or the way you shape your experience.

Fabrication is of three kinds: bodily, verbal, and mental. Bodily fabrication is the way you breathe. Verbal fabrications are thoughts and mental comments on things - your internal speech. In Pali, these thoughts and comments are called vitakka - directed thought, and vicara, evaluation. Mental fabrications are perceptions and feelings: the mental labels you apply to things, and the feelings of pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain you feel about them.

Any desire or emotion is made up of these three types of fabrication. It starts with thoughts and perceptions, and then it gets into your body through the way you breathe.

This is why emotions seem so real, so insistent, so genuinely "you." But as the Buddha points out, you identify with these things because you fabricate them in ignorance: you don't know what you're doing, and you suffer as a result. But if you can fabricate your emotions with knowledge, they can form a path to the end of suffering. And the breath is a good place to start.

Comfortable anger

If, for example, you're feeling anger toward someone, ask yourself, "How am I breathing right now?

How can I change the way I breathe so that my body can feel more comfortable?"

Anger often engenders a sense of discomfort in the body, and you feel you've got to get rid of it. The common ways of getting rid of it are two, and they're both unskillful: either you bottle it up, or you try to get it out of your system by letting it out in your words and deeds.

So the Buddha provides a third, more skillful alternative: Breathe through your discomfort and dissolve it away. Let the breath create physical feelings of ease and fullness, and allow those feelings to saturate your whole body.

This physical ease helps put the mind at ease as well. When you're operating from a sense of ease, it's easier to fabricate skillful perceptions as you evaluate your response to the issue with which you're faced.

Here the analogy of the lump of salt is an important perception to keep in mind, as it reminds you to perceive the situation in terms of your need for your own goodwill to protect yourself from bad karma.

Part of this protection is to look for the good points of the person you're angry at.

Sentimental perceptions

And to help with this perception, the Buddha provides an even more graphic analogy to remind you of why this approach is not mere sentimentality: If you see someone who's been really nasty to you in his words and deeds but has moments of honesty and goodwill, it's as if you're walking through a desert - hot, trembling, thirsty - and you come across a cow footprint with a little bit of water in it.

Now what do you do? You can't scoop the water up with your hand because that would muddy it. Instead you get down on your hands and knees, and very carefully slurp it up.

Notice your position in this image. It may seem demeaning to have your mouth to the ground like this, but remember: You're trembling with thirst. You need water.

If you focus just on the bad points of other people, you're going to feel even more oppressed with the heat and the thirst. You'll get bitter about the human race and see no need to treat it well. But if you can see the good in other people, you'll find it easier to treat them skillfully.

Their good points are like water for your heart. You need to focus on them to nourish your own goodness now and in the future.

If, however, the person you're angry about has no good qualities at all, then the Buddha recommends another perception: Think of that person as a sick stranger you've found on the side of the road, far away from any help.

You have to feel compassion for him and do whatever you can to get him to the safety of skillful thoughts, words, and deeds.

'Vegetarianism' as expounded in Buddhist teachings

PROFESSOR M. SIVASURIYA

The article by The Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera published in a newspaper critically analyses Vegetarianism as understood and interpreted be the majority of Buddhists which, in my view, need not necessarily by absolutely correct in all that he had stated in his article.

I would like to present my views in this regard which may not be in unison with the 'understanding' of the majority of our Buddhists but may yet be so wit devout Buddhists who have imbibed the 'teachings' of the Noble Buddha in the correct spirit of understanding.

I agree with the Venerable Dhammananda Thera that one should not judge the purity or impurity of man simply by observing what he eats. I agree with the Maha Thera that "there are kind, humble, polite and religious people amongst non-vegetarians", but I would rather condone the statement that a pure religious person, inter-alia, must practise vegetarianism.

Let me now discuss some aspects of the Maha Thera's article. He states that 'there is no strict rule in Buddhism that the followers of the Buddha should not take fish or meat. The only advice given by the Buddha is that they should not be involved in killing intentionally or they should not ask others to kill any living being for them. However the Maha Thera accepts the fact that 'those who take vegetable food and abstain from animal flesh are praiseworthy'.

It is often stated that the Buddha did not advocate vegetarianism for the monks but did advise them to avoid taking ten kinds of meat which included humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, etc. I find it just impossible to believe/accept that the Buddha, the Apostle of 'Ahimsa' (Compassion) and 'Mettha' (Loving Kindness) would have made the above statements.

Nothing could express the boundless compassion that the Buddha had for living beings that these following words by him on 'loving kindness'. In the Metta Sutta or Sutta of Loving Kindness the Buddha talks about a mother protecting her only child. He instructs us to protect every other being in a similar way. It is the way of Buddhism to demonstrate compassion and loving kindness for everyone regardless of who or what they are or have been. He emphasised his point even further by stating 'As a mother would risk her own life to protect her only child, so should one to all living beings cultivate a boundless heart'.

Let me quote from the Dhammapada: "All tremble at violence; all fear death; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill".

To elaborate further let us remind ourselves of the First of the five Precepts: 'I take the precept to abstain from the destruction of living beings'. It seems quite clear that a true Buddhist resolves never to kill, which necessarily implies that one also resolves never to be a party to any deed involving the killing of a living being, regardless of whether the act of killing is done by oneself directly or done indirectly, by another person (such as a butcher or a fisherman), on behalf of oneself. Any Buddhist who eats meat or fish may argue that bad karma only attaches to the person who has actually killed the animal. Can they really free themselves from karmic guilt by participating in killing by proxy? It is obvious that the butcher is slaughtering the animal (cow, pig or goat) because 'you' want its flesh/meat to satisfy your appetite.

The first precept has another religious aspect. Buddhism teaches us that there is not a single being in this world that has not been our father, our mother, husband, wife, sister, brother, son and daughter in the descent of the ladder of cause and effect, through countless rebirths. In other words, the creature that is cow today may in the past rebirth may have been our mother. The roasted chicken you are going to eat for lunch today might have been the flesh of your brother or sister during the last birth.

Those who frown on vegetarianism like to quote from the Amaganda Sutta. The word 'amaganda' means 'the stench emanating from fish and meat'. Superficially, the Amaganda Sutta appears to be an attack on vegetarianism in the sense that a pure vegetarian diet will remain unsatisfactory unless there is psychological purity as well.

It might be stated here that Devadatta (Buddha's cousin) confronted the Master, The Buddha, by making demands for the reform of the Order of Monks by insisting upon five reforms one of which was that monks must abstain from fish and meat. The Buddha much to Devadatta's displeasure turned down his proposals and this decision of the Buddha has been frequently misconstrued as a rejection of vegetarianism. But what the Buddha rejected was the "package deal": it was a case of accepting all the five proposals or rejecting them all.

It is pertinent to point out that during the final phase of his life, the Buddha categorically condemned the consumption of meat. In the Sanskrit version of the Mahaparinirvana the Buddha declared "I instruct disciples from today onwards they should stop the eating of meat". This important instruction is mysteriously missing in the Pali version of this sutra! Some commentators have questioned the authencity of the Sanskrit version and even suggested that this particular statement has been interpolated into this sutra.

On the contrary, there is good reason to suspect that this significant saying has been deliberately deleted from the Pali version by non-vegetarians.

The Lankavatara Sutra makes a strong case for vegetarianism. Amongst the principal arguments that have been advanced against eating meat one that seems very valid seems to be "One must refrain from eating flesh as he, himself originated in flesh and also because the killed have to suffer in terror.

The Lankavatara Sutra also eloquently denounces non-vegetarianism in no uncertain terms. In a situation like this should one stick to the letter of the texts or try to enter into the spirit of the teachings?

Any thought, word or deed that directly or indirectly results in the destruction of life is surely contrary to the spirit of Buddhism where much emphasis is placed on purity, non-violence, compassion and respect for life. The spirit of the Dharma is heavily weighted in favour of Vegetarianism. Though people may be vegetarians for several different reasons it becomes an expression of our spirituality when it is inspired by loving kindness and compassion.

I would be happy and grateful to hear the comments/views of the Venerable Mahanayake Theras of the Asgiriya and Malwatte Chapters in this regard and hope they would kindly respond.

Why should you read the suttas?

John T. Bullitt

They are the primary source of Theravada Buddhist teachings.

If you're interested in exploring the teachings of Theravada Buddhism, then the Pali canon - and the suttas it contains - is the place to turn for authoritative advice and support.

You needn't worry about whether or not the words in the suttas were actually uttered by the historical Buddha (no one can ever prove this either way). Just keep in mind that the teachings in the suttas have been practiced - with apparent success - by countless followers for some 2,600 years.

If you want to know whether or not the teachings really work, then study the suttas and put their teachings into practice and find out firsthand, for yourself.

They present a complete body of teachings.

The teachings in the suttas, taken in their entirety, present a complete roadmap guiding the follower from his or her current state of spiritual maturity onwards toward the final goal. No matter what your current state may be (skeptical outsider, dabbler, devout lay practitioner, or celibate monk or nun), there is something in the suttas to help you progress another step further along the path towards the goal. As you read more and more widely in the Pali canon, you may find less of a need to borrow teachings from other spiritual traditions, as the suttas contain most of what you need to know.

They present a self-consistent body of teachings.

The teachings in the Canon are largely self-consistent, characterized by a single taste [Ud 5.5] - that of liberation. As you wend your way through the suttas, however, from time to time you may encounter some teachings that call into question - or outright contradict - your present understanding of Dhamma.

As you reflect deeply on these stumbling blocks, the conflicts often dissolve as a new horizon of understanding opens up. For example, you might conclude from reading one sutta [Sn 4.1] that your practice should be to avoid all desires. But upon reading another [SN 51.15], you learn that desire itself is a necessary factor of the path.

Only upon reflection does it become clear that what the Buddha is getting at is that there are different kinds of desire, and that some things are actually worth desiring - most notably, the extinction of all desire.

At this point your understanding expands into new territory that can easily encompass both suttas, and the apparent contradiction evaporates. Over time you can learn to recognize these apparent "conflicts" not as inconsistencies in the suttas themselves but as an indication that the suttas have carried you to a frontier of your own understanding.

It's up to you to cross beyond that boundary.

They offer lots of practical advice.

In the suttas you'll find a wealth of practical advice on a host of relevant real-world topics, such as: how children and parents can live happily together [DN 31], how to safeguard your material possessions [AN 4.255], what sorts of things are and are not worth talking about [AN 10.69], how to cope with grief [AN 5.49], how to train your mind even on your deathbed [SN 22.1], and much, much more. In short, they offer very practical and realistic advice on how to find happiness, no matter what your life-situation may be, no matter whether you call yourself "Buddhist" or not. And, of course, you'll also find ample instructions on how to meditate [e.g., MN 118, DN 22].

They can bolster your confidence in the Buddha's teachings.

As you explore the suttas you'll come across things that you already know to be true from your own experience. Perhaps you're already well acquainted with the hazards of alcoholism [DN 31], or perhaps you've already tasted the kind of refined pleasure that naturally arises in a concentrated mind [AN 5.28].

Seeing your own experience validated in the suttas - even in small ways - can make it easier to accept the possibility that the more refined or "advanced" experiences that the Buddha describes may not be so farfetched after all, and that some of the more counter-intuitive and difficult teachings may not, in fact, be so strange.

This validation can inspire renewed confidence and energy that will help your meditation and your understanding forge ahead into new territory.

They can support and energize your meditation practice.

When you read in the suttas about other people's meditation experiences, you may begin to get a feel for what you have already accomplished in your own practice, and what still remains to be done. This understanding can provide a powerful impetus to apply yourself even more wholeheartedly to the teachings.

Reading them is just plain good for you.

The instructions contained in the suttas are entirely of a wholesome nature, and are all about the development of skillful qualities such as generosity, virtue, patience, concentration, mindfulness, and so on. When you read a sutta you are therefore filling your mind with wholesome things.

If you consider all the harmful impressions with which the modern media bombard us day in and day out, a little regular sutta study can become an island of sanity and safety in a dangerous sea. Take good care of your mind - read a sutta today and take it to heart.

www.accesstoinsight.org

The greatest happiness

A. Olendzki

Sukho viveko tutthassa
sutadhammassa passato

avyapajjham sukham loke
panabhutesu samyamo

sukha viragata loke
kamanam samatikkamo

asmimanassa yo vinayo
etam ve parama sukhan ti

Happiness is solitude, for one who’s content,
For one who’s heard Dhamma, for one who can see.

Happiness is hurting nothing in the world,
Showing restraint among all living creatures.

Happiness is non-attachment to the world,
Having overcome all sensual pleasures.

But getting free of the conceit that ‘I am’
This is the greatest happiness of all.
Udana 2.1

These verses are said to have been uttered very soon after the Buddha’s awakening to Mucalinda, the Nage (Serpent) King, after he coiled seven times around his body and spread his hooded head to protect the Awakened One from rain.

This mythical imagery aside, the poem offers a cogent definition of happiness at four different, gradually intensifying, levels of scale.

The ascetic monk finds happiness in dwelling alone in the forest, far from the web of social responsibility, immersed in nature, and no longer hankering for the alluring things of the world. Such contentment is aided by having heard the Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha, which praises the value of being content with very little.

When this simple lifestyle is further augmented by a deep commitment to ethical restraint, non-violence, and an attitude of loving care toward all living beings, the happiness deepens to encompass the heart. The experience of kindness itself, as a wholesome mental state, is a source of great joy and well-being.

Even greater levels of happiness are accessed by fundamentally uprooting the primal compulsions of desire: the urge to acquire, consume, or grasp what is gratifying; and the impulse to ignore, reject or destroy what is regarded as hateful. The overcoming of this craving constitutes the cessation of suffering.

The last and final obstacle to the highest happiness of all is the unconscious reflex of concocting a view of self that stands at the center of all that one thinks, says, and does.

The Buddha here describes, no doubt for the first time, the experience of insight that stands as the culmination of the ascetic path and is the unique defining feature of his teaching.