BUDDHIST SPECTRUM

Buddhist message of loving kindness

Some glimpses into Karaniya Metta Sutta:

Premasara EPASINGHE

The ten verses or stanzas in the Karaniya Metta Sutta, the message of peace and universal kindness, was recited by the Buddha to some 500 monks who went to the jungle to practise meditation, but returned to the temple, disturbed and frightened by certain spirits.

The Buddha then advised them to go back to the same place, armed with the sword of Metta (loving kindness) for their protection. It is one of the most popular Suttas recited by the Buddhists all over the world.

The Buddhists believe that the intrinsic power of this. This discourse on loving kindness or goodwill (Karaniya Metta Sutta) helps them overcome problems if they practise and recite this sutta regularly. To distinguish from Metta Suttas, it is traditionally known as Karaniya Metta Sutta, as its first verse or stanza begins with karaniyamaththakusalena yan tan santan padan abhisamecca.

Transmitting the message

The main objective of Karaniya Metta Sutta is to transmit the message and guide the individuals to live in peace. Well of course, the peace referred in the Sutta is the inner peace, which one develops within. It is a state that can be achieved with skill, hard work and endures when it is properly put into action. Peace is not a commodity.

An in depth study into Karaniya Metta Sutta advocates the gradual way of practice for the attainment of that state of peace. The practice comprises virtue (sila), concentration (Samadhi), and wisdom (panna).

The last two lines in the third verse or stanza in Karaniya Metta Sutta sums up the philosophy behind the discourse on loving kindness.

Sukhino ‘va khemino hontu, sabbe satta bhavantu sukhittata, which means may all beings be happy and safe may their hearts be wholesome and be happy.

According to Buddhagosha’s Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), the characteristic of metta is the notion of welfare or bring, happiness towards others. Metta signifies patience, tolerance, inoffensiveness, concord, and non-violence. It also denotes receptivity, appreciation, broadmindedness and open-mindedness.

Getting rid of evil

The Karaniya Metta Sutta will help you eliminate bad habits. Improve one’s character and personality, to be peaceful, calm, relaxed and understand you. One’s self and those around you.

Karaniya Metta Sutta begins with friendly and universal wish: May all beings be well, safe and happy (verse or stanza number 4 and 5).

Digha va ye mahantava
majjima – rassa – kanuka thula (4)
Dittha va yeva Addittha
Ye ca dure vasanti avidure
Bhuta va sambhavessi va
Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhi-tatta (5)

Boundless kindness

Whatsoever living beings there are, feeble or strong, long, stout or medium, short, small or large, seen or unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born and those who are to be born may all beings, without exception, be happy minded.

These verses show universal kindness, compassion without exception.

It should be noted that merely reciting this Sutta, people have experienced the peaceful effect it has on their mind, that is why Karaniya Metta Sutta is so dear and popular.

According to Anguttara Nikaya Mettanisansa Sutta, those who follow Karaniya Metta Sutta sleeps and wakes happily. They do not see bad dreams, and they are dear to human beings and non-human beings.

Further, no fire, poison or weapon can harm them. The people who recite and practise Karaniya Metta Sutta get their minds quickly concentrated.

The expression of their faces is pleasant, charming and serene. Such men and women who follow and practise Karaniya Metta Sutta, faces a peaceful and unconfused death. He will be born in the Brahma or heavenly abode.

Karaniya Metta Sutta is an important Sutta for the devotees to recite to radiate their loving-kindness to every living being. By doing so they can overcome any disturbances, find peace and happiness for themselves and help others to live peacefully by practising this great noble virtues. These are listed in verses 1-3 as follows:

Verse 1

1. To be capable of practice
2. Upright
3. Very upright
4. Easy to instruct
5. Gentle
6. Not arrogant

Verse 2
1. Content
2. Easy to support
3. With few duties,
4. Simple life style
5. With senses calmed
6. Prudent
7. Courteous
8. Not overly attached to families.

Measureless Metta

According to verse 3, we should not commit the slightest wrong for which wise men may rebuke him. Thus, ‘beings’ are the object ‘Metta’ and its slope is measureless beings as depicted in verses 7 and 8: Mata yata niyam puttam and Mettamca sabba lokasmin.

Let one cultivate a boundless mind of friendliness (Metta) towards all beings. For the entire world.

Meditating on Metta makes the mind truly extensive and all embracing, and thus free it from its prison wall of egocentricity, ill-will, anger, hate, aversion, hatred, enmity, animosity, hostility, jealousy and meanness.

In a world of strife and combat what we need today is the ‘freedom of the mind by friendliness’.

May all beings be well and safe. May they be happy.

With Metta!

Establishing Sri Lankan Buddhism

Rupa BANDUWARDANE

Thanks to the royal patronage of Emperor Asoka who decided to send missions abroad at the conclusion of the third Buddhist council held at Pataliputra headed by Moggaliputtatissa Thera to propagate Dhamma.

According to ancient chronicles special importance was attached to the one sent here. It was in the form of a precious gift from the Emperor to his royal and loyal friend King Devanampiyatissa that Dhammadutha mission was sent to Sri Lanka.

Thera Mahinda accompanied by the monks Itthiya, Uttiya, Sambala, Baddasala, Samanera Sumana and Upasaka Bhanduka arrived from Vedisagiri, alighted on the Missaka (mountain) Pawwa on Poson Full Moon Day, the present Mihintale.

It so happened that King Devanampiyatissa, the ruling monarch, was on a hunting spree with his retinue during the festive season, chasing a deer when Thera Mahinda called him Tissa.

The astonished king looked around and saw Arhath Mahinda who said, “O great king, we are disciples of the king of Truth, from compassion towards thee we come from Jambudweepa.” The alarmed king looked up amazingly. A saintly figure in saffron robes, a shaven head, a serene look on his face, summed up the entire visit as follows:

Samanamayam maharaja
Dhamma rajassa savaka
Tameva anukampaya
Jambudipa Ithagata

The bow and arrow in his possession fell down to the ground and in the conversation that followed, Arhath Mahinda tested the king’s intellectual capacity to understand the truth of the spiritual message, and preached to him the above mentioned Sutta.

This was hailed as the first IQ Test recorded anywhere in the world. The king accepted Buddhism followed by the people at large.

The Missaka Pawwa and the area occupied by Arhath Mahinda came to be popularly called Mihintalawa, resting among the misty hills. The king converted the whole area into an abode of Bhikkhus, with caves as dwelling places for them.

Later the king donated the Mahameghawanna gardens to Arhath Mahinda where Mahavihara, the centre of Theravada doctrine was later constructed, with Anuradhapura becoming the citadel of Buddhist civilization, about 12 miles away from the sacred spot. Missakapabbata, what we call Mihintale today was known as Chetiya-pabbata.

It was here that the king was converted to Buddhism. This well renowned place was marked by Ambastale Dagaba which is said to have been constructed by King Mahanaga.

Mihintale was also identified as Chetiyagiri consisting of three peaks with dagabas in each peak. The most famous being the Kantaka Chetiya. The king Devanampiyatissa is said to have built a monastery and also a hospital at the foot of the mountain with a stone canoe where patients had been treated with medicinal oil.

A number of ponds (pokuna) the most renowned being the Nagakpokuna and Kaludiyapokuna provided water as well as scenic beauty to the place. There is documentary evidence of all these places in Mahavamsa well supported by archaeological ruins.

From the bottom of the hill, granite flight of steps were constructed for the devotees. A flight of 1,840 steps are said to lead to the summit of the rock. Though our heritage rests firmly on the foundation of Buddhism laid on this venerated sacred spot the advent of Kalinga Magha and the consequent drift to the south west followed by the Western rule, the centre of the new civilisation too suffered in silence.

This rocky structure, the marvelous creation of ancient kings, beginning with Devanampiyatissa, once more received the dedicated attention of the subsequent Governments, mostly for the pilgrims who flock there daily, mostly on Poson Full Moon day. The pilgrims were greatly benefited by the Aloka Puja begun by the ANCL in 1963.

Ever since Mihintalawa was illuminated annually and to this day it remains the most glittering sacred spot venerated by all Buddhists and respected by all others, said to be of great historic, religious and cultural significance as Sinhaladipa turned Dharmadweepa had the good fortune of being blessed with the immortal dowry of the great master - his doctrine and the message of the Dhamma.

Tradition of Gupta art

Rohan L. JAYATILLEKE

During the aforesaid period of intense and extensive intellectual activity and art in Eastern plains, Buddhist monks and pilgrims from far and near and distant parts of Asia, inclusive of China South East Asia, Nepal and Tibet made a beeline to Bihar and Bengal to study Buddhism.

Nalanda Maha Vihara of Nalanda was the iconic centre of Buddhist learning in Bihar. Having completed their studies these monks from distant lands carried back the Buddhist and cultural legacy of India to their own countries.

This region of Bihar was ruled by the Pala dynasty and some parts by the Sena dynasty.

These kings supported Buddhism and many a stupa and Vihara came into enliven the skyline. The Buddha Gaya Maha Vihara edifice of around 175-feet in height is the voice of the voiceless Indian artistry, with hundreds of statues of Buddha, Bodhisatvas in the niches including two statues of female Bodhisatvas in the right and left of the facade of this monument.

The Pala School of art flourished in Southern Bihar and gradually this art tradition moved on to Bengal too. During the reign of Senas, who commenced their years in the 11th century transformed Bengal to be the centre of art in the entire region.

Sadly by the end of the 12th century, the Turkish invaders from Afghanistan destroyed almost all of the Buddhist and Hindu monuments in the Eastern Gangetic plains.

In fact they put to the sword as many as 15,000 monks students and 1,500 monk teachers of Nalanda Maha Vihara and also set fire to the entire structure including the many-storied libraries of Nalanda Dharmaganj (Dhamma Mart) which comprised of three monumental edifices called Ratnasagara (Ocean of Jewels), Ratnadadhi (Sea of Jewels) and Ratnaranaska (Jewel-adorned) were set ablaze and the fires lasted over seven months. Nalanda Maha Vihara was the Oxford University of Buddhism in India.

The great stupa of the early Pala period at Paharpur in present Bangladesh carry fine terracotta figures in plaques at the base of the monument. The recently Archaeological Survey of India, excavated base of a large stupa in South Tripura, datable to the 9th-10th centuries has most excellent lively scriptural figures. There are also large number of metal images excavated from the Pala and Sena periods, from both Bihar and Bengal.

The earliest art of the Pala period is of the late Gupta carvings.

However more detailed carving of the lotus (symbol of wisdom) pedestal and jewellery indicate a departure from the early style. In the perfectly developed Pala-Sena tradition, the figures are more stylized rather than naturalistic. They follow the guidelines of complex iconography, which was born during this period of Indian art.

Five-fold precepts

To inculcate virtue in man,
The Blessed-one proclaimed,
The precepts, five, for the laity,
Enabling peaceful, subdued lives,
Which strengthen co-existence and harmony,
In the entire world

Abstinence from killing
The first precept laid down
Weakens conflict and atrocious crimes
Sowing seeds of compassion
It enables, refraining from killing
For every being fears death and hold life dear

Taking what others own
Without their knowledge or will
Be waiting the loss, the victim goes astray
Hatred towards the doer arises,
Threat, and dishonour greets him
Refraining from ruthless, streaking
brings no discord

Uttering what is not true
Makes one a liar throughout life
None will ever believe a liar’s words
This ignoble act raises displeasure
Shattering human bonds
And snapping away togetherness

Misconduct in one’s lay life
Brings agony and insecurity to dear ones
Civilized society debars him
Drenched in lust and sensual pleasures
Ethics of life is disregarded
Shunning immorality paves way to
progress and happiness

Fore-runner of ill-health and poverty
Energizer of quarrels and senseless acts
Alcoholism degenerates every aspect of life,
Bringing insecurity to the family and self
Unknowingly it in-fames the whole society,
Abstaining it, develops a peaceful harmonies
and a delightful environment.

- Dayaseeli SENARATNE