Buddhist Spectrum

Buddhist ethics for spiritual development

Dr. Senarath Tennakoon

There is no Buddhist term which exactly corresponds to ‘ethics’ as a branch of philosophy concerned with the analysis and evaluation of conduct in the way the subject is classified in the West. Instead the various rules of moral conduct are subsumed under the rubric ‘sila’, which denotes internalized moral virtue and its expression in practice as abstention from immoral conduct. As far as monks are concerned, the ‘Vinaya’ provides an externally enforced code for the regulation of communal life. (Keown, 2003)

Sila is a moral precept or morality as in the Five Precepts (pancha sila). The purpose of these precepts is to guide human behaviour and cultivate virtue. The five precepts are to refrain from harming living things, to refrain from taking what is not given, to refrain from misuse of the senses, to refrain from lying-wrong speech and to refrain from intoxicating drinks/drugs. One day, ‘Dhammika’ the lay follower of the Buddha asked the Buddha, how a householder should live and the Buddha advised him that a layman should adhere to the five precepts and should live a life of chastity in peace with his wife (Dhammika Sutta).

The practice of the five precepts is not a moral law, but one should practice these willingly for ones own moral well-being and good behaviour. In addition to following the five precepts, eighty precepts (Uposita Sila or Attanga Sila) is observed by devout Buddhists on Full Moon and New Moon days and on any convenient day, with the aim of keeping away from normal lay life activities for twenty four hours.

During this time they strictly devote to a religious life of spiritual development and peace of mind. Meditation is an integral part of it.

The eight precepts include-abstaining from taking food at inappropriate times, abstaining from dancing, singing, music and unseemly shows, from the use of garlands, perfumes and unguents, from things that lead to beauty and finally abstaining from occupying high and luxurious seats, in addition to the previously stated five precepts. The Pancha Sila and the Attangika Sila are prescribed for the householders. But for the morality of the Buddhist monks and nuns the precepts are more and elaborate.

For the morality of the novice, who wish to leave household life and become Buddhist monks, by taking the three refugees they have to observe ten precepts. This is called Samanera Sila. In the ten precepts the seventh of the eight precepts is taken as two and one more is added as the tenth. This tenth precept is to refrain from handling money/gold and silver. The morality of the Buddhist Monks is known as Higher Sila (Adhi Sila).

After the age twenty on full ordination, a Bhikku is expected to follow four distinct kinds of Higher Morality. This includes; 227 rules of the Vinaya Pitaka (Pattimokkha Sanvara Sila), morality specific to self restraint (Indriya Sanvara Sila), morality pertaining to purity of priesthood life (Ajeeva Parisudda Sila) and morality pertaining to the use of necessaries of life (Paccaya Sannissita Sila).

The discipline to which a Buddhist nun (Bhikkuni Sila) is stricter than that of the monks. Her regulations consists in principle of 500 articles, double those of the monks, but in practice their number vary between 290 and 355 depending upon the school (Keown, 2003).

There are important discourses (suttas) of the Buddha which are aimed at spiritual development of the layman for the establishment of a high quality happy life. The Maha Mangala Sutta, Parabava Sutta, Vyaggha Pagga Sutta, Dhammika Sutta and Sigalovada Sutta are well known among the Buddhists.

The Maha Mangala Sutta (Discourse on Blessings) offers a comprehensive treatment on Buddhist ethics aimed at moral and spiritual progress for the welfare of the individual, family, and the community. The context of this Sutta is quite interesting.

It is said that when the Buddha was dwelling at the monastery of Anathapindika at Jetavana in Sravasti, a certain deity whose surpassing splendour illuminated the entire Jetavana at dawn, approached the Blessed One, saluted Him and asked what constituted a real blessing viz:

Bahu deva manussa ca mangalayani acintayam

Akankamana sottanam bruhi mangalamuttamam (Many deities and men, yearning after good, have pondered on blessings. Pray tell me what are the supreme blessings?).

As a response to this request the Buddha offered an insightful description of thirty eight declarations on Buddhist ethics. These are:

1. Do not associate with fools. Associate with the wise and honour those who are worthy of honour.

2. Reside in a suitable location. One should have done meritorious deeds in the past and should plod on the right course/direction in life.

3. One should have vast learning, perfect in arts and handicraft, and be a highly trained disciple uttering pleasant speech.

3. One should support ones father and mother, cherish ones wife and children and be engaged in peaceful occupations.

4. One should be liberal, practice righteous conduct, rendering assistance to relatives, and performing blameless deeds.

5. One should cease and abstain from evil, and intoxicants and be steadfast and diligent.

6. Reverence, humility, contentment, gratitude and timely hearing of the Dhamma are supreme blessings.

7. Patience, obedience, meeting the Samanas (holy men) and religious discourses on the Dhamma are supreme blessings.

8. Self control, chastity, comprehension of the Noble Truths and the realization of Nibbana are supreme blessings.

9. He whose mind does not flutter, by contact with worldly contingencies, the mind that is free from sorrow, stainless and secure are supreme blessings.

10. Those who have fulfilled these conditions are victorious everywhere and attain happiness everywhere. For them these are the highest blessings.

The Buddha in the Maha Mangala Sutta has set forth thirty eight blessings (Sutta Nipata) that are conducive to happiness and well-being. The ideals of these blessings focus on the life of the householder for leading a life of noble quality, beginning with the ‘avoidance of bad company’ and ending with a pure mind that is free from sorrow and taint (Kuddika Nikaya). This Sutta is one of the most popular suttas in Theravada Buddhist countries and a fundamental text on Buddhist layman ethics (Pemaloka, 2012).

Sigalovada Sutta is essentially a code of discipline for lay Buddhists. The Buddha one early morning encountered young Sigala, a householder’s son who was in wet cloths saluting with joined wet hands; the six directions-the East, the South, the West, the North, the Nadir and the Zenith. When questioned by the Buddha, Sigala replied that his father while dying had instructed him to do so.

The Buddha explained to Sigala the doctrine on Aryan discipline for saluting the six quarters (Sigalovada Sutta). There are four vices that should be eradicated namely, killing, stealing, lying and adultery.

The four ways in committing an evil deed led by desire, anger, ignorance and fear should be avoided. One should not pursue the six sources of dissipating wealth. These are:

indulgence in intoxicants, sauntering in streets at unseemly hours, frequenting theatrical shows, indulgence in gambling, association with evil companions and addiction to idleness. The Buddha declared that one by avoiding these fourteen evils encapsulates the six quarters, and enters the path leading to victory in both worlds, and one is favoured in this world and the world beyond.

Further, the Buddha in His discourse emphasized on associating with real friends such as; a friend who is helpful (upakaraka mitta), shares ones weal and woe (Samana sukka dukka mitta), gives good counsel (atthakkhayi mitta) and who sympathizes (anukampaka mitta) while avoiding the associatioon of enemies in the guise of friends.

There are four types of such ‘false friends’ namely those associate for gain (annadatthuhara), render lip service (vaci parama), who flatter (anuppiyabhani) and who cause ruin (apaya sakha). This Sutta also deals with the subject of the proper management of wealth. The income should be divided into four portions: the first portion for day-to-day expenses; the second for carrying out ones business; the third for improving ones business and the fourth for safe keeping.

Finally the Buddha identified the six quarters that were misidentified by Sigala thus-East as Parents, South as Teachers, and West as Wife, Husband and Children, North as Friends and Associates, Nadir as Employees, and Zenith as Monks and Brahmins. The Buddha also postulated the duties assigned to the occupants of the six quarters. Each category has been assigned five duties. For instance the parents have to guide their children, look after their education, and hand over their inheritance in due course. The children have to honour and respect their parents and keep up the good name of their family. In all these suttas the emphasis is on sila or morality.

The advantages of Sila are:

1. A well behaved and virtuous person is efficient
2. Such a person becomes wealthy
3. His fame spreads far and wide
4. He is respected by all and honoured by all
5. He sleeps well and awakes well untroubled by bad dreams
6. He would be liked by all-devas, humans and non-humans.
7. The devas will protect him
8. He becomes acceptable to all beings
9. Being respected by the people he becomes honourable
10. He is appreciated by all

11. He faces a peaceful death without mental confusion and he’ll born in a meritorious abode. One who disregards sila (morality) would decline in all these virtues. The Buddha has metaphorically stated how one should behave and cultivate virtue thus:

“Kikiva andan chamariva valitan
Payanta puttan, nanayancha ekatan
Tateva silan anurakkamanaka

Supesala hotta sagarava:” - Like the hen protecting her eggs, like the samara Deer protecting its tail, like the parents protecting their only child, like the one-eyed person protecting the single eye, sila should be protected (Gamage, 2003).

One day a Kolyan named Vyagghapajja requested the Buddha to enlighten him on leading a successful life here and thereafter.

The Buddha instructed him to fortify with four achievements (sampadas), namely Uttana sampada (achievement of indefatigable effort, meaning that a businessman should never be lazy but be active all the time with encouragement), arakkha sampada (the achievement of awareness which means that one should protect hard earned wealth preventing decay and degradation from natural disasters as well as by human errors and misdealing), kalyana mittata (one should have a set of good reliable companions/friends who could advice him in his business as well as in his day-to-day life matters.

If it is impossible to find good companions one should do ones business alone) and Samajeevakat (lead a simple life) meaning that one should spend his hard earned money carefully and balance the inputs and outputs, income and expenditure.

The Buddha once explained to the millionaire Anathapindika, His chief benefactor that for a happy, peaceful and successful family life there should be sufficient income (attha sukka), enjoy wealth (bhoga sukka), free from debts (anana sukka) and lead a harmless life (anavajja sukka).

Meditation for daily life :

Sabba Loke Anabiratha Sanna - Part II

Start practicing it briefly. Sit comfortably, with the body erect. Then the laziness in the body leaves you. Now realize “I am not seated”. Close your eyes and realize where you are seated. Next become conscious of your posture. Be well conscious of it. Understand well that you are now seated on the floor. Now contemplate as follows: This eye is impermanent. The eye that is impermanent and sorrowful and is subject to change is not ‘I’. Not mine. Does not belong to me. It is not my soul.

The visual objects seen with the eye are impermanent. The objects subject to change are not ‘I’. Not mine and not my soul. This ear is impermanent. The ear that is impermanent and sorrowful and is subject to change is not ‘I’. Not mine. Does not belong to me. It is not my soul. Soul The sound heard with the ears are impermanent. The sound subject to change are not ‘I’. Not mine and not my soul. This nose is impermanent. The nose that is impermanent and sorrowful and is subject to change is not ‘I’. Not mine. Does not belong to me.

It is not my soul. The smell felt with the nose is impermanent. The smell felt with the nose is not ‘I’. Not mine and not my soul. This tongue is impermanent. The tongue that is impermanent and sorrowful and is subject to change is not ‘I’. Not mine. Does not belong to me. It is not my soul. The taste felt with the tongue is impermanent. The taste felt with the tongue is not ‘I’. Not mine and not my soul.

This body is impermanent. The body that is impermanent and sorrowful and is subject to change is not ‘I’. Not mine. Does not belong to me. It is not my soul. The touch felt with the body is impermanent ///. The touch felt with the body is not ‘I’. Not mine and not my soul. This mind is impermanent. The mind that is impermanent and sorrowful and is subject to change is not ‘I’. Not mine. Does not belong to me. It is not my soul. The objects felt with the mind are impermanent. The objects felt with the mind are not ‘I’. Not mine and not my soul.

Wish for the Samadhi to leave you. Now open the eyes. As you keep on practicing it will be possible to carry out the meditation fully. Therefore it will be possible to do it completely after some time when you do it with effort without getting in to a hurry. At the same time think of generating an aversion to eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. Quiet If we get used to thinking of our sense organs in this manner don’t we become quiet? Doesn’t the state of hurry get reduced? Why? We have some work to do. Even if we are seated we are doing some work. We are thinking of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind wisely.

No one knows what we are doing. No one sees what we are doing. Don’t you now see that one’s internal matters are not visible to anyone? There is nothing to keep talking. There is no time to keep on talking about unnecessary things.

Thus things like loneliness, solitude do not come up. If one gets used to this you can think of the sense organs while remaining seated where you are. We need not get into a hurry thinking that there is a big crowd. A quiet environment gets built up effortlessly. We are doing a correct thing with the mind. If we do something wrong with the mind the noise starts again.

When you keep on doing the correct things with the mind your mind gets quenched. Becomes calm. Unnecessary words do not come out of him. A large group can remain together. Why? Because we generate dislike for the eye. We generate dislike for the visible object also.

We are thinking in a manner which generates disgust. When you are idling do not keep on talking unnecessary things. Think of the reality of your life. Misery has arisen in our life due to this eye, ear, nose tongue, body and mind. Raga causes the mind to burn. Dosa and Moha also cause the mind to burn. Various tormenting fires arise in the mind. Inconveniences arise in the mind.

Torments arise. Humans live in torment. That is misery. If you do not have mindfulness, if you do not use wisdom you get overcome by these agonies and suffer further. You cannot escape. When there is no wisdom there are two torments.

If you use wisdom you can think of getting rid of those torments while experiencing those torments. You think how those torments arose. Then you develop dislike for the entities that caused the torments so that you can prevent their coming up again. That is what is called using wisdom. Torments can be there for everyone. Repentance can be there. The mind can catch fire. Do not get excited at such times. Think as to who caused the fire or who caused this sorrow. That thought can be generated with the help of the Dhamma preached by Buddha. Buddha has explained to us that the sorrow has arisen due to the eye.

That knowledge is necessary. What we mentioned is a way to adapt that knowledge of Dhamma to our life. By thinking so, the delight in the entire world ceases. The adaption of the Dhamma to our life occurs.

That is how the Dhamma gets adopted to one’s life. Can’t this be done while standing? Can’t it be done while walking, seated or lying down?

It can be done while being in any of these four postures. If one gets used to this will his life become calm or disturbed? Life becomes calm. When you do this will the fire get quenched instantaneously? No. It does not get quenched immediately. When one starts doing it the fire begins to get quenched.

The nature of fire starting again starts getting obliterated. Objects Therefore generate mindfulness well and think in the manner of getting rid of the liking for this eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, visual objects, sounds, odors, tastes, touch and mind objects.

A good time to think in the manner of getting rid of this liking is when a problem arises in mind. Then practice it. It can be practiced at other times also. One is not inclined to do this when one is generally at ease. When a discomfort arises, identify it and ponder on what originated it. Any discomfort entering the mind is due to Raga, Dosa or Moha.

That is the fires of Raga, Dosa and Moha are caused by the sense organs eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. We must accept that fact through the Dhamma. We were not aware of such a thing. We cannot imagine how Raga arises due to the eye.

How do we know? Can we think of it? We cannot. Is it taught at school? No. From where did we learn it? From Dhamma. If there is confidence in what one learnt in Dhamma, when Raga arises he thinks “This is what Buddha explained to us about its arising due to the eye”.

He can recollect that. That is how thinking with wisdom is associated with Saddha. That is why Suttas have to be studied over and over again.

That is why Dhamma has to be listened to again and again. Discussions That is why we should participate in Dhamma discussions again and again.

When we listen to Dhamma again and again, participate in Dhamma discussions frequently, if there is some Saddha in us it gets enhanced. If there is some Saddha which has not arisen it arises.

It arises and gets completed. Based on that Saddha we can develop the thinking with wisdom. If Dhamma comes to our mind when some mental agony comes up, isn’t it due to Saddha. Will an individual without Saddha think of Dhamma when a problem arises? No. Sometimes Dhamma might not come to our mind when a problem comes up. But the worthy friend reminds you the reason for the problem is this and to think in such and such a manner. Can’t he then seek refuge in the Dhamma?

That is the assistance we get from Saddha. The individual in whom Saddha has been generated can generate Yonisomanasikara (thinking according to Dhamma) himself. Or he can do so when the worthy friend reminds him.

In order to achieve the benefits of Dhamma, think of this life as indicated in the Dhamma. An appropriate time for it is when torments and repentance arise.

At such times think as to how that torment arose. Compiled with instructions given by Ven Nawalapitiye Ariyawansa Thera.

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Buddhist viewpoint on adverse prophecy - 2012

Lionel Gulawita

We have heard and read many a prophesy, predictions on sudden events and transformations towards the end of 2012. The earth and its inhabitants are supposedly to get a new spiritual experience or out of the ordinary-physical sensation of unknown kind. Some predict that post December 2012 period would a fresh beginning for worldly inhabitants. Crash of a celestial object too is in the list.

The astronomy rejects the possibility of any calamity of the ‘prophesies’ before or after December 2012. Mayanists’ predictions of doom have not proved correct in the past. But they are famous for energetically going ahead with some pretentious science.

At the same time they simply ignore the contradictions by NASA and statement like ‘distractions from more important science concerns such as ‘global warming’ and biological diversity. But Mesoamerican Long Count calendar (Maya peoples’) which they claim as has existed with them during the whole length of their history is believable.

Maya spokesmen confirm that on 21 December, the 3rd world will come to an end with the close of their 5125 year long ‘Calendar’. One moderate personality knowledgeable in comparative religion has produced his version stating that Mayan’s claim does not represent a catastrophic end of humanity, but a new cycle of supposed changes in human consciousness.’

Buddhist view

The Buddhist philosophy rejects all these prophesy either way. The Tathagata explained to Bikkhus how the absolute truth of impermanence of all component things, including that of the present living world come to be.

As per the popular belief earth would disappear after 5000 years from the passing away of Gotama Buddha to parinibbana. But this 5000 year limit was not given by Buddha himself but by Arahat Maha Kassapa, who rehearsed the Pali cannon at the First Convention after the 3rd month of Buddhas’ parinibbana. In another instance, Buddha himself referred to the life span of His dispensation thus:

According to the Pariyaya, the related and incidental Dhamma, the longevity of Gotama Buddha’s dispensation has no specific limit.

So far as the disciples progress persistently on the Path, the Bhikkus engaged in unfolding Dhamma to adherents and the devotees hold themselves to the Panchaseela, the five precepts, Sasana (Dispensation) would endure that long.

Sasana will last

Considering the current grandeur and splendor of Buddhist activities taking place in the country at large and inspiration that the Buddhist thought has created deep within, the Dispensation of Gotama Buddha will last many millions of more.

The Buddha’s earnest exhortation is clear on this matter. On the other hand, if the disciples cease to tread the Path of Emancipation, the devotees leave aside the Fundamental Precepts (Patimokka) as a routine adherence to promulgated discipline and the Bikkhus preach no authentic Dhamma, that would be the beginning of degeneration of Dhamma Vinaya and with that in the course of time Gotama Buddha’s dispensation would come to an end.

The Buddhist theory of Cause And Effect is true at the end as well as at the beginning of Dhamma-Vinaya, the term Gotama Buddha used to refer to the current term Buddhism. The Buddhist research into this matter is called for in order to unify the textual content and straighten up the view point.

End of the living world: Buddha explained how all beings and the total earth crust would go through many thousands of years of cataclysmic events and under 7 suns with vast time lapses in between and evaporating water in ponds, streams, lakes, rivers and the sea and earth spewing red hot larva with volcanic eruptions.

The scorching planet earth in its last stage blows up itself into rubble and dust. This is the truth pointed out by every Buddha in the past and having similarity to the current scientific opinion as well. All this points out that the end of the world is yet eons’ away from December 2012.