VAP POYA

Death and rebirth

Rajah KURUPPU

From the earliest of times, men have speculated on the question why they are born and why they die. In ancient times, phenomena such as rain and fire were attributed to gods associated with them.

There was a creator god responsible for birth and another for destruction. With the passage of time, there developed the concept of one God, all powerful and omnipotent, who is responsible for our birth and who would judge our life at death and regard or punish us for our good and harmful actions, respectively.

The answer in Buddhism for our birth is that we are caught in a cycle of births and deaths called Samsara, in which beginning is inconceivable. The Buddha declared that it is because of our delusion of the true nature of things, we have the desire for life at the moment of death where ordinary people grasp for life.

Consequently we are reborn and continue our journey in Samsara with all its unsatisfactory features characterized by anicca, dukkha and anatta (impermanence, dissatisfaction and absence of a permanent, unchanging, eternal, self or soul).

Buddhist standpoint of birth

Man consists of mind and body. From a Buddhist standpoint what happens at death is that the physical body ceases to function. But what happens to the mind which is other part of man? A mind is a flow of thoughts. It has no location in the physical body and the Buddha did not indicate where the mind is actually located.

With the death of the physical body, the mind does not cease nor the mental forces and energies.

In fact in Buddhism, it is said that the will, the desire, the thirst to live is the greatest force and the greatest energy in the world and does not stop with death but continues to manifest itself in another form, producing re-existence which is called re-birth.

Presented differently, the most precious thing for all living beings is their own lives.

They would fight to the last or run away to save their lives. Proceeding from the known to the unknown, it could be presumed that at the moment of death although man is physically weak to resist death, he would mentally attempt to survive and is unlikely to face death with calm resignation.

The desire for life is so strong that the man will mentally grasp (upadana) another viable place such as the fertile ovum in a mother’s womb since the present body can no longer support his life. Thus the psychological process of life (bhava) will continue in the newly found place and birth (jati) would soon follow.

This is the process explained in the Buddhist law of Dependent Origination. Conditioned by craving, grasping arises; conditioned by grasping, becoming arises; conditioned by becoming, birth arises; conditioned by birth, old age, disease and death arise.

The last thought

The first mental strings of the new being in the womb of the mother will be the first thought. The process continues with the last thought of the previous life followed by the first thought of a new life. The distance between the place one has died and the new place of birth is of no consequence.

Once the Buddha, in reply to a question, said that to think of two cities: one close and other far away; it takes the same time. Similarly the time taken for the new birth, which follows the last thought of the previous life is the same, irrespective of distance.

Thus from a Buddhist standpoint, one is born not at the time that the mother delivers the baby but at the time that mental activity in a rudimentary form commenced in the womb.

Experiments have shown that if the mother is tensed and worried during pregnancy, it has an adverse impact on the baby.

It is also said that if the mother listens to a particular music frequently during the pregnancy period, sometimes when the same music is played after birth, there appears to be an element of recognition of that music by the baby.

There is another interpretation of rebirth called gandhabba where it is argued that at death, the deceased looks for a suitable place to be re-born.

However, this position does not appear to be consistent with the doctrine of kamma, an important part of the Dhamma. One’s birth and existence in the new life is largely determined by one’s Kamma, both in the previous life and the lives before and the last thought of the previous life.

One does not have a choice regarding the next birth. If there as a choice even a person who has led a life of villainy and extreme selfishness would desire a rebirth in a comparatively favourable environment.

In this connection, it should be noted that there is a possibility of one being born as a spirit whose existence is very brief between one human life and another. Such a case is mentioned by well known Buddhist scholar, Francis Story, in his book ‘Rebirth as Doctrine and Experience’.

In such a case, there is no interruption in the flow of thoughts from one life to another. The spirit life is a recognized plane of existence among the 31 planes of existence mentioned by the Buddha.

Past linked with present

It is also said in the Dhamma with regard to rebirth that one’s character is conditioned not only by one’s parents and the environment in which one lives, but also by past actions of previous lives.

The past actions of previous lives, both wholesome and unwholesome, are recorded in the mind and they influence one’s character and talents in this life. One’s knowledge, skills and spiritual progress developed in one life could be carried to the next.

It is indicated in the Dhamma that the Buddha at a very tender age engaged in the meditation on the breath (Anapana Sati) adopting the correct posture. He was not trained to do so in that life but that was a skill developed in previous lives.

This is why some children reveal talents at a very early age not gathered in that life. We notice some children take to music, swimming or meditation with alacrity which could be attributed to talents developed in previous lives.

It is also mentioned in the Dhamma that the last thought of this life plays a crucial role regarding the next place of birth. If one has made a serious effort to develop and maintain a purified mind then in all probability a wholesome thought would be the last thought.

The development of wholesome thought is an important ingredient in the practice of the Dhamma.

According to the Dhamma, all living-beings, humans, animals and others, are subject to death. The arahants or even the Buddha are not exempt from this law of nature. According to Buddhism, the cause of death is birth. Once born, one has to die. It is like a bullet fired from a gun.

Once fired, the bullet has to find its destination. The only way to avoid death is not to be born; and the only way not to be born is to overcome the desire for sense pleasures and life. The arahants who have totally eradicated the desire for sense pleasures and life and possess a fully purified mind will never be born again.

The explanation of the Buddha in this regard as indicated in Majjhima Nikaya, Sutta 43, is as follows: “How is there is no rebirth in the future? By the cessation of delusion; by the arising of knowledge (vijja); by the cessation of craving, there is thus no re-birth in the future.”

So long as man is attached to existence through delusion and craving, death is not his end. He will continue his career in the rough waters of Samsara with its painful nature. It is only through the eradication of delusion and craving for sense pleasures and existence, the will to live, that the cycle of existence ceases.

Symbol of compassion

Rupa BANDUWARDENA

There blossomed forth into the universe the one human being Sakyamuni Gautama Buddha to relieve the humanity steeped in ignorance since life was begun on this earth. The great truth of life, the absolute, eternal, the supreme and the universal truth was unfolded to the world.

“The people suffer, because they are born,” he, by his super normal vision, insight, wisdom and intelligence was able to discover the cause of repeated births in the never ending cycle of Sansara.

This process, with all its sufferings, was the target and the gist of his teachings. Reaching Nibbana the state of non-existence, meaning no further birth, facing death for the last time bringing sansaric wondering and the journey to a close, was the highest goal to be achieved.

Thathagatha the perfect one gave the world this universal truth in no uncertain terms, to be followed by the matured intelligent, the pious and the interested. Thus he gifted to the humanity this unique teaching of his, that revolutionized the human thought making a profound contribution towards the moral and spiritual progress.

Mission of compassion

The Buddha was the noblest being born to the earth. He, as prince Siddhartha, with all the riches, power, glory and regal splendour, gave up his claim to the throne. Then as an ascetic he led an austere life, the conquest was made, the summit of bliss was reached. He realized the four noble truths and the eight-fold path and found the path of liberation, the greatest discovery of the master mind filled with compassion.

Overwhelmed by boundless and limitless compassion for the welfare of the humanity he spent all his life journeying in the kingdoms of North India. He could have led a life of ease but he attached no importance to his physical comfort, he walked all over from village to town showing the people, the way to a happier, nobler and righteous life.

To fulfill his mission he walked through the streets with the begging bowl and showed the way to liberation from suffering to millions, the entire humanity in Jambudweepa. Among the examples, too numerous to be mentioned, the story of Puthigathathissa is an outstanding one.

When the monk was in unbearable pain caused by skin disease with the wounds giving out a bad smell, his friends and companions left him alone. The Blessed One personally attended on him getting him washed, having his soiled clothes changed and comforting him with kind words, restored him to good health.

Brilliant Dhamma techniques

With his overflowing metta, he made the grief stricken mothers Kisa Gotami and Patachara almost gone out of their proper senses, realize the universal truth of death and thereby, come back to normal accepting the true facts. Kisa Gotami’s only child, stung by a snake, was dying and this unbearable sad event took her to Buddha for a remedy with the dead child in her arms.

He wanted her to bring a few mustard seeds from a house where no one had died which was far from being possible. Then she realized the bitter truth that death was universal, sparing none and that was inherent in every one born to this earth. Patachara’s case was even sadder.

She lost both her children husband parents and all her possessions. Losing all her senses, she ran wildly, in the streets without her clothes on, until she met the Buddha, who brought her back to sanity by convincing her that sorrow is inherent in sansaric existence.

The Buddha said: “Long time have you suffered the death of your loved ones and while you were thus suffering, you have shed more tears than there is water in the four oceans. If you could have got over then, why not now?” Rajjumala, the harassed slave girl by the household, taking a rope with her was on her way to commit suicide.

She was rescued from the unwise act and brought before the Buddha who with his boundless metta advised her thus: “Sister you cannot find solace at the end of a rope, come join the order of bhikkhunis where you find solace.” Angulimala the dreaded murderer was subdued by Buddha by a few soothing words meaningful to the greatest height, to his deranged mind.

Angulimala, who was responsible for the ugly beastly act of his, threw away his sword and became a bhikkhu and later an arahant. The Buddha at his enlightenment fully understood the true nature of the world and its beings which was of true benefit to others.

Devadatta is another character that shows the depth of his compassion to the Buddhists. Devadatta was the worst enemy of the Buddha. To the great master there was no such person and no enmity at all.

With his overwhelming compassion, he sympathized with him and permitted him to enter the order of Sangha and went further in predicting that he will be a Pacceka Buddha, one day - this is the best example to show that the Buddha was the most truly and completely compassionate being in the entire universe.

The Buddha, over time, turned sinners into meritorious men. With his wonderful psychological techniques of Dhamma, turned the proud into humble, disobedient into obedient, enlightened the ignorant and inspired one and all. His compassion was endless.

Bliss of compassion

Metta or loving kindness, universal love or compassion, originates in one’s mind particularly in the minds of the enlightened ones. The Buddha is a symbol of compassion manifesting the spirit of Maithri.

It is a natural flow that radiates all over when one is deeply and sincerely wish for the happiness and wellbeing of all living beings without discrimination. Who else? It is Thathagatha the perfect one only symbolizes in all its perfection.

This is an important concept in the teachings of the Buddha inherent in him and if forms the basis of his doctrine.

It is only by loving kindness that one can eliminate ill-feeling towards others. It is only the loving hearts with loving kindness can be happy at the success of the others which means that there is no envy or jealousy whatsoever.

Buddhist prose:

Devadatta’s destiny

Sachitra MAHENDRA

He was beavering away hours and days on meditation and now he achieved it, at last! He attained the goal of concentration to some extent, though it’s much lower than Sotapanna stage. He was drinking in the mental rapture. And then the celestial spirit appeared.

It was Mara, the Evil One. He was also known as the Death.

Mara took pains to introduce himself: “I’m Mara. At your beck and call, sir.”

Devadatta hardly fell for this kind of flattery. Even so he didn’t mind for the Death to carry on talking.

“We can do wonderful things together. I know your cousin disgraced you no end. First he left your sister to take the world for a ride. And later he took her son away. What kind of a father or brother-in-law he is. And all the same the world is after him, like there’s no other recluse. Time we had done something.”

Still seated in the meditative posture, Devadatta listened to the Death talk about his sister Yashodhara and her son Rahula. The monk could not be fooled by anyone - at least not completely.

That he knew as a sure thing. He could sense what Mara is up to. He was of course chosen to bell the cat. They say your enemy’s enemy is your friend - Devadatta took quite a liking to the truth as old as the hills.

Mara was using Devadatta as a cat’s paw certainly, and Devadatta wondered if he should actually mind that.

He too was hell-bent on getting the better of the Buddha. Even as a prince, Siddhartha was over the top. He was such a pain at times. Siddhartha posed every threat of outsmarting his peers. Now the opportunity waits, offered on a plate, to make things different.

Even so Devadatta was on tenterhooks.

* * *

Devadattha loved the sight of trees in rows. That always provided shelter to him, a child, to scheme against his snobbish cousin. He was thoughtful looking at Esathu tree at the monastery’s backyard, when the attendant’s voice interrupted him.

“Elder Sariputta is here to see you.”

This is a visit he did not look ahead to. So the elder had the wind of what occurred the previous evening.

Developed minds do not require espionage. The monk gave instructions to the attendant.

“Invite him in, and look into his needs. I’ll be right back.”

Devadatta reached for outer robes, dressed up arranging them properly and paced out to welcome the elder at the front.

“Good day Venerable.”

“Good day to you too Venerable. Hope you are doing fine. I’m here on an important mission.”

“I guess I can figure.” Devadattha said.

“As an elder, you got to have second thoughts about this. We are not supposed to give in to Mara, you know.”

“Precisely.” Devadatta nodded his head in agreement.

“I know your feelings about the Buddha. But you cannot do something aghast like this. You will have to suffer so much.”

“I understand Venerable. I’ll think over it.”

“I hope you will, then. Got to leave now - I’m on an alms round now.”

“As you wish fit, Venerable.”

Devadatta stood up and bowed in respect to Sariputta. Although Devadatta is older in ordination, Sariputta is considered officially senior for being an arahant.

Devadattha fell into silence. Then the Mara appeared, once again.

“Did you give it a thought sir?”

“I’ve been thinking of it, Mara.”

“We can do it together sir. Just think what the Buddha has done. He left your sister and child alone. And took the child too from her later, without even asking. Can you tolerate that kind of things?”

Why does Mara keep on telling the same thing over and over again? Devadatta knew it was one way of convincing people.

“So how are you going to help me?”

“It’s nothing sir. Get closer to the king as a first step.”

Devadatta shook his head.

“That’s not going to work.”

“How do you know?”

“I know that.” King Bimbisara was in a higher mental plane that cannot be easily shaken by external forces. Devadatta knew this anyway, though Mara shall not know.

“Ok. But every question has an answer. Only thing is you should not give in.”

Mara said, still pained by the humiliation he and daughters had on the day Siddhartha Gothama enlightened.

“Enough homilies, Mara. Get on with your suggestions.”

“Make friends with Ajasatta, his son, then.”

Devadatta was thinking over it. Mara sensed the issue.

“You are a saint now sir. You have psychic powers, which even the other religious leaders can’t claim. Why don’t you work one of them?”

How can this evil being know his powers and abilities? Amazing, but disgusting. He had to think fast, and then had to take a decision throwing caution to the winds.

Devadatta was on a roll with the course of time. Ajasatta became a follower. He could talk around the prince not only to grab the kingship from father, but to send him to gaol too.

Still and all things went on the downside as well. The large rock he threw with heavy effort caused only a little pain in the Buddha’s foot-thumb.

The tusker, though fed with 16 pots of alcohol, astonishingly went calm before the Buddha.

The royal archers never carried the royal order - they chose to be the Buddha’s followers. There were moments Devadatta felt a little discomfited, though he could hardly get himself to regret. Suddenly he would want to back down, and the next moment he would thrust the thought aside. The Death was there always making sure his prot‚g‚ does not walk back the path.

But seasons change and so do men. It should be no exception even in Devadatta’s case.

* * *

“I know I’ve wronged you. I have an apology to make.” Devadatta said.

The Buddha remained silent. The monk took it for assent.

“I was a misguided man. I would have had time to amend things. But now it’s too late, now that I’m going to die soon.” It sounded all but a monologue. It was soothing in a way having to confess all thoughts that way.

“No Devadatta,” astonished, the monk looked at the Buddha, “you have never been too late. Take refuge in the Triple Gem, Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. You will have to suffer for what you have done: trying to kill, physically hurt a Buddha and driving a wedge among the monk order. But remember this. You are not a loser.

You have strong virtues that will make you a Pacceka Buddha (private Buddha) in the future.”

Devadatta’s mind became clear.

He officially took refuge in the Triple Gems. He was ready, and took leave of the Buddha. The next moment turned out to be crucial. Devadatta could smell a whiff of smoke and waited for earth to split open.

Trying to gain back concentration, he saw the Death, putting on a helpless look, amid the burning hellfire. The monk smiled.

When it was finally time, Devadatta once again tried to read into the Buddha’s words: “You are not a loser.”

Rewarding rain retreat

Premasara EPASINGHE

Before the dawn of the month of Vas, the rainy season, commencing from Esala, continues with Nikini, Binara. The Buddhist monks attend to their daily religious activities in indoors, confined themselves to their abodes, perform meditation, deliver sermon, meet their lay devotees at their respective temples.

The peak of the rainy season ends with offering a katina cheevara and the month of Vap is also known as the month of Katina.

The word katina means unbreakable. It is considered like a solid rock, the merit you gain in offering the Katina Cheevara for the Bhikkhus who have receives Higher Ordination or Upasampada, have the sole right to receive the Katina Cheevara or Katina Robe. The word Vas can be defined as the ‘rainy retreat’.

Flowers blooming

In our Sinhala culture, the season begins with the inter monsoonal rainy season considered as the cultivation season. The environment is pleasant and lively. The trees and flowers bloom. The people are happy energetic and get themselves involved in cultivation. For the peaceful co-existence, the tank, village temple and the advice of the Buddhist monks play a vital role.

Therefore, they pay the gratitude for those upasampada bhikkhus with the highest offer, which they consider as the higher merit they accrue by offering the katina cheevara to the Buddhist monks.

It is the firm belief of Buddhists that those who participate in Katina ceremonies, through this merit lived a happy life in this world as well as in the other world, when they cross the border.

The appointment of Sariputta Maha Thera as one of the Chief Disciples of the Blessed One took place on this important day of Vap Purapasalosvaka Poya. The other Chief Disciple was Moggallana Maha Thera.

Giragga samajja

He is one of the ten major disciples of the Gautama Buddha, the Enlightened One. Born in India in a village to the North of Rajagaha in Magadha, he and his best friend who grew up together Mugalan, became a follower of the famous Ascetic Sanjaya Bellattiputra.

Before joining him (Sanjaya) Sariputta and Moggallana went to witness a festival called giragga samajja. Thousand and thousands spectators watched this event. After witnessing this event, they realized, that these people who watched this Gala Event will not be in existence after hundred years. They realised the Truth of Impermanence.

Impermanent life

For example, I had the proud distinction of commentating from Pakistan, the 1996 World Cup between Australia verses Sri Lanka.

Just imagine, for a moment, none of us, the cricketers, umpires, spectators, match referees, commentators or millions of viewers who witnessed this World Cup, will not be there by the year 2096.

This proves that our lives are impermanent. Therefore, we must find a path to attain the Bliss of Nibbana and perform good deeds.

Sariputta and Moggalana both had hundred disciples each. Later all of them became the followers of the Blessed One.

Sariputta was regarded as the most brilliant disciple of Sakyamuni, Gautama Buddha. Another noteworthy significant event that took place on Vap Poya was the future Buddha to be born in Khetumati Kingdom, Maitriya Boddisatva in his long Sansaric journey, entered the monk order in an earlier birth on this Day.

Tracing the proud Sri Lankan history, Parakramabahu the Great performed the Katina Religious Ceremony in a grand scale, with pomp and glamour during the Vap season. With the attack of Kalinga Maga, Polonnaruwa kingdom fell into shambles and people were settled in Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Kurunegala, Gampola, Raigama and Kotte kingdoms respectively.

According to the history of Sri Lanka, the Buddhists centred round the monk and the temples and continued the tradition of offering Katina robe during the end of rainy season of Vap.

The Buddhist monks were their philosophers, guides, advisors and teachers.

Emperor Asoka

Going back to the golden era of Anuradhapura period, during King Devanampiya Tissa’s regime, the king sent an official delegation to meet Emperor Asoka, India’s foremost patron of Buddhism and the first monarch to rule over united India. He was also the emperor of India and the founder of Maurya dynasty.

Tracing the Buddha’s time

Padma EDIRISINGHE

An idle question could be, ‘Why are books written?’. Some are written just to get rid of the writers’ itch while many are written with a specific purpose. Dr Vijaya Dissanayake, author of ‘A Revision of Dating the Buddha’ did have this specific Purpose in mind when he ‘debuted’ his book. A noble motive explicit in the title itself.

In fact, the scholarly enterprise of ‘Dating the Buddha’ does not begin with him. It has preoccupied the attention of academic luminaries of both the Eastern and Western worlds (strangely mostly Western scholars) for years that it is difficult even to give a clear tabulation of the whole exercise.

Just to attempt some clarity in the resultant confusion, according to this book we can locate ‘three chronologies’: the long chronology, the short chronology, the median chronology.

It is the median chronology that the author advocates. In fact the sub title of his book is ‘A Triumph of Median Chronology of the Dipavamsa’.

Some titles tell all and these do. It is not only the media chronology that the author extols but the Dipavamsa too.

The writer sounds so convincing thanks to a generous vocabulary, a talent for elegant phraseology and a richness of facts that one begins to cry about the things that the writer cries about.

Reading this book one begins to cry over the stepmotherly treatment of Dipavamsa (fourth Century), our first historical chronicle overshadowed by the much more polished second chronicle, the Mahavamsa (sixth Century).

The author himself describes the Dipavamsa as short, repetitive, inelegant, rather unscholarly and stodgy chronicle written in Pali verses yet contains a mass of invaluable information brought to Sri Lanka from the archives of the great Mauryan Empire by Ven Mahinda.

To get back to the three chronologies perhaps the longest could be reckoned as 544 BC (according to the book leaving aside incredible elongations by some Northern Buddhist states), marking the passing away of the Thathagatha.

In fact a person could query as to why bother of dating the Buddha when in 1956 we have already held the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations of 2500 years thus officially recognizing this year. But it seems that there will be a replay of the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations in 2017 celebrating the event going by Geiger’s calculation of 483 years or so.

At the other end is the short chronology spawned by a strong tradition in Tibet influenced by Shravasthi Vada which places Buddha’s entry into Nirvana to around 380 AD, which the eminent French savant Etienne Lamotte places almost on an equal footing with the long chronology.

Now going by the Dipavamsa and historians and scholars of the Western world, what the writer advocates through this book is the median chronology that places the passing away to a time phase circa 400 BC.

It is the lineage of the Maha Theras given very accurately in the ‘inelegant’ Dipavamsa that buttresses the author’s ideas.

Anyway what makes the book very interesting is not only this aspect but the wealth of information divulged in the process of presenting it.

There is perhaps the bouquets he gives to Western scholars for exerting themselves on digging up the life and times of the Buddha which come as a surprise.