BUDDHIST SPECTRUM

Answer to anger

Lionel WIJESIRI

An angry person is ugly and sleeps poorly. Gaining a profit, he turns it into a loss, having done damage with word and deed. A person overwhelmed with anger destroys his wealth. Maddened with anger, he destroys his status.

Relatives, friends, and colleagues avoid him. Anger brings loss. Anger inflames the mind. He doesn’t realize that his danger is born from within. An angry person doesn’t know his own benefit. An angry person doesn’t see the Dhamma.

A man conquered by anger is in a mass of darkness. He takes pleasure in bad deeds as if they were good, but later, when his anger is gone, he suffers as if burned with fire. He is spoiled, blotted out, like fire enveloped in smoke.

When anger spreads, when a man becomes angry, he has no shame, no fear of evil, is not respectful in speech. For a person overcome with anger, nothing gives light - Kodhana Sutta

Pure and simple

Some call it fury, rage, resentment or wrath. In simple terms, it’s known as anger. Generally anger is destructive because it generates a sense of grievance towards the subject that brought about the anger.

Buddhist teachings are very effective when it comes to dealing with anger. The followers of Buddha are required to purify themselves of anger. That is why Buddhism provides dedicated teaching on how to manage anger.

Anger happens all the time. It is always there and it comes up at the slightest opportunity. We definitely need some kind of medicine so that our anger doesn’t control us and make us act in ways that harm others and ourselves. The solution is not to wait until the anger gets big, because then it’s difficult to control. For example, once our garden is taken over by weeds, it’s hard to get them out.

Weeding the unwanted

We have to remove the weeds when they’re still few in numbers. We have to work on our anger each day, step-by-step applying the antidotes to reform the way we look at situations. When we are familiar with new ways of looking at situations, anger won’t arise in a situation where it normally would, or if it does, it’s much smaller than before

In short, we must develop patience. We must develop a state of mind that enables us to actively respond to a situation without losing control of our emotions. It involves not retaliating or taking revenge. When our mind is seeking revenge, we are not acting freely. We are acting under the control of our anger and deranged mind.

A well-developed patience enables us to make a resolute response. External disturbances can be what other people are saying or doing. Internal disturbances are our own preconceptions.

In other words, patience involves having a clear and calm mind in confront of suffering, harm, and all of our beliefs being challenged. Having that calm mind gives us the opportunity to wisely choose behaviours that could help in the situation.

The snare of Mara, in the form of anger, dwells in the cave of the heart: cut it out with self-control, discernment, persistence, right view. Free from anger, free from greed and without longing, your anger abandoned and free from fermentation, you will be unbound.

- Kodhana Sutta

****************

Calmness: the Buddha’s advice

* Recognition of anger is the first step. Mindfulness is the teaching of Buddha that helps manage anger by being aware that it exists and needs patience to face the problem.

* Practice patience. To lay the ground, we must first tame the mind. To tame the mind, it is extremely important to do the basic samata [tranquility meditation] practice, which develops calmness.

* Develop compassion. If you have a warm heart that feels the need to help others, serve, respect and share, you can experience a feeling that makes you happy. You will realize that to live with compassion and love will make your life more meaningful each day.

* Stay away from provocative situations that trigger anger. A situation that made you angry should not be pursued but try to divert your attention to other things that can pacify anger

Blossoms at his feet

Gauthami Prajapathi:

Our Lord sat waiting.
He knew she will come with her retinue of exalted Bhikkunis.

Five hundred Arahath Theris, Making the last journey.
The whole world knew and trembled at her resolve.
She was coming to set her eyes upon the majestic figure
For the last time. An august assembly awaited.
The Arahaths Sariyuth, Mugalan, Rahula, Nanda and Ananda and many others.
So many are seen not many times. In homage they awaited Her arrival.
A sea of flame round the Master, A sea of robes yellow,
The swirling sea within stilled forever.
All round was gold, gold that shone in purity.
The lustre spreading to Heavens and hells.
The world stood still
She came and lay down prostrate at His feet;
Happiness more than what a mortal mother would ever feel,
Pulsated within her.

”Oh Master I took you to my breasts,
When your mother my fair sister left her treasure behind;
For me to succor; having passed in to Thavathimsa.
Milk in my breasts, filled and overflowed.
My love for you pierced to the very marrow of my bones.
My own Nanda and Sundari, ladies of the court took care
I didn’t leave your side”.

”With Deep devotion, and a mother’s love, I dressed you,
Turned you around to put clothes on you.
I rubbed your body, massaged your limbs,
Set the silk strands of hair in curls round your head.
I Fed you; even shared your meal from the same golden plate.
Forgive me Master!
Though I knew within me, I forgot
That thou were the heavenly lotus that springs
Once in so many kalpas of time”.

”I took your hand, and walked you to the Ashram of Wiswamitra,
Who teaches even the Gods. No! Thou were the teacher not he!
Not only the science of the earth but of the whole universe, Thee recounted.
And arithmetic came easily,
Teacher and Mother, Learnt at your feet, the measures,
That counts even the number of world systems;
Numeracy of the drops of water in the great oceans
Mysteries of nature you laid bare. My life’s blood rejoiced in wonder,
Of what Thee spake so gently”.

”My wondrous boy grew into manhood,
For the first time fear, cold fear gripped my heart,
When you challenged Devadatta, Nanda, Arjuna and Anuruddha
And other Sakya Lords, for the fair hand of sweet Yasodara, my niece.
My heart trembled within me, when each contest I watched in apprehension
But there was none in the whole of Jambudweepa,
Who could excel you in the sports of the warrior and royal Princes.
You won Yasodhara as your own”.

”Suddhodana imprisoned you in a prison of pleasure,
Hand picked jewels adorned Thy court,
Yasodhara the most precious jewel of them all.
I knew that even brazen chains will not stay Thee.
Didn’t I count, each day when I bathed you, the marks thirty and two?
And observed the lesser signs that foretold of your greatness.
You were born to master the world of men and Gods and all heavens,
Not for you the reign of a mortal king! Not even as a Chakravarti!”

”When you departed to save the world
Grief like death clung as a pall on the walls of the palace.
The precious jewels of your court put on mourning clothes
Fasted, wept and pined.
I for one kept steadfast in the belief, that you will come one day
To save us and liberate us from the bondage of suffering”

”In your infinite compassion
You allowed me a Sothapanna at the time;
And these sisters and Yasodhara to enter the Sasana.
We have fullfilled what was to be done,
Our minds are freed and not conditioned by wrong views taken
On Vedana, Sanna, Sankara and Vinnana.
We are free of the five upadanas – Rupa and the four namas.
Nama Rupa holds no sway over us!
We are at peace with the attended Anicca, Dukka ad Anatta.
We have broken all fetters that bind us to Samsara.
This is my last sight of you!”

“Oh Compassionate Lord! Grant me leave to enter deathlessness!”
Earth, heavens and all world systems shook.
The rays of the sun did not fall on that saintly visage.
For so many Devas thronged the sky overhead in homage of the Mother

”Thou art the most senior Bhikkuni in my Sasana.
I have pronounced so, and this was the culmination of thy Paramis,
Having lived six score years thou now passes in to the Deathless.
Perform Prathiharya for the benefit of the Puthujana”
Five hundred and one – Arahath Bikkunis,
Rose to the sky and performed the Prathiharya,
Some Puthujanas wondered whether the Saintly Mother was a Buddha too!
Buddha in his infinite wisdom showed the world that woman,
Can stand on par with their brethren.
In silence the whole order of Bikkus and Bikkunis rose
Paced behind Maya’s sister in contemplation, of duties of motherhood,
Performed in reverence of the Master.
A Buddha never follows behind another, this is the practice.
But yet the Master paced behind Arahat Gauthami;
Who walked ahead, Radiant in her happiness, for duties done well perfect.
Heaven and earth shook for the third time.
Kings and Gods mixed together on earth.
It is said in the scriptures that, the miracles wrought by nature,
On that day was like that for a Buddha.
The Lord with His disciples paced around the funeral pyre.
Five hundred and one fires were set ablaze
And consumed the mortal remains of those who dispelled Avidya.
When the fires subsided no relics remained,
Except the one where the great Arahath theri was cremated.
Pearl-like the relic bones appeared atop the ashes.
The holy relics were gathered in to Buddha’s arms bowl,
And were entombed as the Buddha directed,
For veneration as long as the Sasana remained.

- Ananda Lecamwasam

Kamma, the mind force of will

Dr. Senarath Tennakoon

In the Anguttara Nikaya the Buddha has indicated thus: “Volition (cetana), O, Monks is what I call action (kamma) for through volition one performs action by body, speech or mind.” Kamma is essentially volitional action that can be moral or immoral (good or bad). The results of volitional action are called kamma vipaka. The formation of kamma occurs in the seven javana thought moments according to Buddhism. There are two types of kammic actions namely wholesome actions (kusala kamma) and unwholesome actions (akusala kamma).

The mental forces that initiate kusala kamma are the lofty ones like non greed (alobha), non delusion (amoha) and those that produce akusala kamma are greed (loba), hate (dosa), delusion (moha) etc. In the Majjima Nikaya the Buddha has stated that the Beings are the owners and heirs of their kamma. The beings arise from their kammic womb. They are bound to their kamma and they take refuge in their kamma Whatever kamma they perform, good or bad they will be their heirs. It is kamma that makes beings high or low (Chullakammavibanga Sutta).

None could escape from his or her kamma. Every person incessantly performs kamma during the waking hours. One’s kamma is responsible for one’s mental and physical health status, longevity, physical features, social status etc. In the Majjima Nikaya, Kamma Vibanga Sutra, four persons have been highlighted. Every person who does bad kamma does not necessarily get a low birth existence. In the Majjima Nikaya Saliyaka Sutta the Buddha has declared that because of low and evil actions (adamachariya and vishamachariya) beings are born in low spheres (dugathi).

In the Vissudi Magga the operational aspects (kammic causality) are beautifully described. Accordingly, no doer of the deed can be identified, none ever reaps their fruits, empty phenomena roll on and this view along is correct and true (Vissudi Magga). There are conditions and a beginning cannot be seen just like the seed and the tree. In Anguttara Nikaya, Chatukka Nipatha the Buddha has observed that one should not think about the effects of kamma (kamma Vipaka). In the Ambalattikarahulovada Sutta the various kammic actions that could arise from the body, speech and mind have been mentioned together with their classification into wholesome and unwholesome ones. It is in the Vasetta Sutta that the Buddha has made an insightful analysis if the kamma. There he has stated that the universe and the beings exist because of kamma.

The being is bound to Samsara by the kamma. But it should be noted that everything is not the outcome of kamma. In the Anguttara Nikaya, Girimananda Sutta the Buddha has declared a person becomes ill not because of his past bad kamma, but may be because of some changes in one’s body elements (vatha, pitha and sema). But there can be illnesses caused by previous bad kamma. Kamma is action; mental action yet not all action of the mind or of the body is kamma (Dhammapala, 1969) Kamma is a process of mental action with craving. The Buddha has declared “Cetanam aham bhikkhave kammam vadami (meaning “I say On Bhikkus (monks) that kammic action is volition.” Kamma is seen through its effects (vipaka).

In the absence of reactionary conditions in one’s life this type of kamma might get extinguished without producing effects. (ahoshi kamma). The second type of kamma is able to produce its effect in one’s next life (upapajjavedaniya kamma). The consciousness (chetana) that arises in all seven javana thought moments is highly charged with energy and becomes the rebirth linking consciousness (patisandi vinnana) and this in the next life can manifest the kamma effects. The third variety is known as the (apara pariya vedaniya kamma) where the effects can appear at any time between the third birth until one attains Nirvana-that is throughout the Samsara. Even the Buddha and Arahats are not exempted from the effects of this type of kamma, provided that the reactionary conditions arise before their demise (parinirvana). The killing of father, the killing of mother, injuring the Buddha, killing emancipated one’s, (Arahats) and causing dissension among those who are working for emancipation (savaka sanga), are the five serious types of bad kamma that could result in one to suffer in avichi hell. These fall under the second variety of kamma (vedaniya kamma).

Again the kamma has been categorized into four types according to its generative power or its function.

These are regenerative kamma (janaka kamma) which determines one’s next birth, supporting kamma (uppasthambaka kamma) that supports the janaka kamma which can stimulate dormant kamma to bring some unexpected benefits etc, the suppressive kamma (upapilaka kamma) that blocks or suppresses the effects of other kamma and fourthly the destructive kamma which nullifies the effects of janaka kamma.

Book Review:

Communication study on the Buddha

When the Buddha said ‘my teachings are for the wise, and not for the fools’, it may well seem just another statement. But it is not so, one may discover upon serious study. The Buddha did not deliver the truth he realized immediately after the enlightenment.

What he discovered was too deep to deliver.

It is in this backdrop the Buddha had to employ a number of techniques to deliver his message. Sometimes he answered a question by another. Some questions were set aside because they were not conducive for the enlightenment. Generally he brought up similes to explain particular teachings.

The Buddha’s mode of delivering the message therefore stands unique and interesting. There have been scholars studying those techniques; Daya Siriwardena is the latest in the line.

Not only was Daya Siriwardena fortunate to work with the Budusarana founder Editor Piyasena Nissanka, but he too became the editor of the country’s leading Buddhist periodical. His book Budunvahansege Deshana Krama Asrita Janasannivedana Vidhi for that matter holds authority in studying the Buddha’s communication modes in delivering the truth. Siriwardena discusses the significance of studying the Buddha’s life and teachings in today’s education of communication.

The chapters flow smoothly raising a number of concepts: meaning of communication, who will be getting benefits from the right kind of communication, responses from the audience and its influences. Siriwardana’s language is simple, which is quite apt especially when you try to convey deep teachings to a common audience. Unlike many works, Siriwardene has taken pains to cite examples – along with the source - to add a meaning to his concepts.

Author first examines the techniques the Buddha had employed to convey his messages, and secondly how it influences the modern audience. The Buddha, mode of the discourse, basic teachings, listener and the result of the teachings are scrutinized as a result.

Author then brings out four major qualities of the Buddha’s unique communication: the message is presented methodically, use of symbols with which the audience is familiar, guiding towards the personal aspects of the audience and the social requirement.

Siriwardene makes use of both eastern and western scholars such as Professors K. N. Jayatilleke, Gunapala Malalasekara, Wimal Dissanayake and Wilbur Lang Schramm in the study.

Daya Siriwardana has a BA from the University of Peradeniya and an MA from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. He has also contributed to Dinamina, Silumina and Janatha in various capacities.

Many works have been published on the Buddha’s communication technique. And yet this work by Siriwardane offers simple and interesting reading, which is worthwhile.

- Sachitra