Buddhist message of morality

Premasara Epasinghe

Vesak is the most important sacred day for the Buddhists all over the world. On this important day it is interesting to study the vision and knowledge, and follow the great philosophy that leads to calm insight and enlightenment. It moulds your character in an inner transformation with an in-depth study of the Middle Path

It is known as the Eight-fold Path, which consists of right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. These factors can be categorized into three stages of training: morality, mental culture and wisdom.

The Buddha is an orator par excellence. Picture by Saman Sri Wedage

There are about six-hundred-million Buddhists in the world today. Majority of them are in Asian region. Prince Siddhartha was born on the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day in 623 B.C. in Lumbini. His father was Suddhodana who ruled in Kapilavatthu, on the foothills of the beautiful, panoramic, Himalayan Range in modern Uttara Pradesh. Prince Siddhartha’s beloved mother was Mahamaya Devi, a princess of the Koliya clan who were the rulers of Devudaha.

Young prince Siddhartha married Yasodhara or Bimba, daughter of his mother’s brother, Suppabuddha. They had a son, Rahula, 13 years after their marriage. At 29, he went in search of real happiness; this is called Abhinikkhamana the ‘Going Forth’.

Futility of extremes

Prince Siddhartha realized the two extremes the enjoyment of pleasures and self-mortification will in no way help achieve vimukthi from the state of dukkha. Later on 588 BC, the Vesak Full Poya Day, he attained Enlightenment and became fully Awakened One, Exalted One, and was known as Buddha or Samma Sambuddha.

As the three great events in the life of the Buddha, birth; enlightenment; and demise after the noble ministry that lasted 45 years at Kusinara in the Sala Grove Upavartana that belonged to the royalty of the Malla, occurred on the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day. Therefore, it is renowned as the most sacred Full Moon Poya Day to the Buddhists world over.

This year’s Vesak festival is more significant as this is the first Vesak we celebrate after the annihilation of terrorism in the country. Today peace has dawned to the resplendent island. The temples will be filled to the capacity. There will be many devotees who observe Sil. As usual there will be many pandals and dansals throughout the country.

One of the cardinal principles of Buddhism is to shower the blessings of metta or universal compassion to all beings. Violence in any form under any pretext whatsoever is absolutely against the teachings of the Buddha. Out of all the religious leaders in the world, the Blessed One has made an enormous, terrific impact on human civilization by discovering the Middle Path. Buddhism is not only a religion, but a way of life. The teaching of this great being, mahapurusha, is contained in the Four Noble Truths: dukkha - suffering; samudaya - arising or origin of dukkha; nirodha - cessation of dukkha; and Magga - way leading to the cessation of dukkha.

Shining wisdom

Buddhism is undoubtedly a religion of wisdom. In this world of storm and strife, hatred and violence, the message of the Buddha shines like a radiant sun. The immortal message helped us immensely to fashion our thoughts and actions according to the Buddhist way of life.

Today the need of the hour is to follow the message of the Buddha Dhamma. The knowledge in Buddhism is the key to higher path which brings calmness and peace to life.

Buddhism can be considered as the way of a living. It will derive the highest benefit from the life of the Buddha. The Blessed One did not preach to win converts. He enlightened the listener and wanted his followers to judge carefully and he or she is satisfied about what Buddha taught, if she or he agrees to follow Buddha teaching. In Kalama Sutta of Anguttara Nikaya, the Buddha stated not to believe anything just because you have heard. This clearly proves a point.

There is no blind faith in Buddhism. His eternal message has thrilled the humanity. Humans are their own masters. There is no external higher being or power that sits in judgment. Even the advanced science and technology have proved the truth expounded by the Exalted One.

There are many instances, where lay devotees had a direct dialogue with the Blessed One. He was a great communicator. Once when the Buddha was residing at Kapilavattu in the Banyan Tree monastery, a Sakyan named Mahanama approached the Buddha and questioned him on becoming a virtuous layperson.

Observing precepts

The Buddha replied thus: “A lay follower who abstains from destruction of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false, speech, from consuming intoxicants, is virtuous. This is the basic principle, known as Panchaseela that all Buddhists all over the world should follow.

The Buddha encouraged harmonious and peaceful living. According to Anguttara Nikaya, once a Koliyan named Dighajanu raised a question.

“Oh! Blessed One, can you explain the way that will lead to ones welfare and happiness, both in the present life as well as the future life?”

The Buddha replied thus: “Dighajanu, there are eight skills, when thoroughly practised that will lead to one’s welfare and happiness.

They are persistence in one’s work, protection of one’s property and wealth gained righteously, good friendship, wisely balanced living, faith in the Buddha’s Enlightenment, adherence to five precepts, generosity and having wisdom about impermanence.

In Parahada Sutta, eight questions are raised with relevance to sea and the Buddha’s teachings. In answering the fourth question raised by Asura, the Enlightened One replied that there is no caste, creed, colour or race in Buddhism. The Buddha Dhamma is universal and belongs to everyone. In Buddhism, there is no social discrimination.

The Exalted One called upon men and women to build their new world on the basis of love and kindness. The Blessed One was a fountain of compassion. He treated his own son Rahula and vicious Devadatta in the same loving kindness.

Far and wide

It should be noted the Buddha was the first religious universalist. He told his first disciples to spread the Dhamma far and wide.

“Go forth for the good of many for the happiness of many. Out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the good and the happiness of gods and men. Let no two of you go in the same direction.”

The Buddha influenced the entire society by the power of his word. He was an orator par excellence. He knew the magic of world.

He was also a great social reformer. He stated a man becomes a Brahmana or Vasala not by birth, but by deeds.

The status of women in pre-Buddhist society was pathetic. They were relegated to a status lower and interior to that of men. It was the Buddha, who opened the way for women to become lay devotees (upasika) and Nuns (Bhikkhuni). In the religious history of humanity, the Buddha accorded women a place in the society.