A stepping stone to end suffering

By Upali Salgado

Pali scholar and Principal of Mahinda College Galle, F.L. Woodward, M.B.E, in 1903 likened the many lives of the Blessed One, Sakyamuni Gotama Buddha to a necklace of pearls, with a golden thread that runs through all the pearls, each pearl representing just one sansaric life of the Bodhisattva.

Woodward says, “It is he who passed through the path of evolution and involution, it is the symbol of man's life, progressing or falling back again, gathering devious experience, until he needs no further births. And what is the unknown force this symbolised? In the mineral it sleeps and stirs not; in the plant it dreams and feebly moves, and in the animal it wakes and gains the senses, one by one till a man in a spark becomes (karmically) the flame and at last it's more than man. Beings arise, said the Buddha, from previous happenings. Tanha (craving) is the cause. Rise and fall is the natural law. But this round of birth and death may end. Cut off desire of life, and be born again no more!”

When the great noble master was a Bodhisattva he went through ten Perfections to end all suffering on earth. In Pali language they are the Paramitas. The Pali word "Paramita" means to go beyond conditioned existence (Sankhata) with its inherent suffering to the conditioned, the unborn (Asankata) where there is neither birth nor death. Hence there will be no suffering at all. A Bodhisattva is required to practise the Paramitas to gain enlightenment - the stepping stone to Nibbana.

The ten Paramitas:

A) Giving or generosity with fullness of heart, is called Dane in the highest degree. Generosity is associated with a wholesome mind. The Buddha praised almsgiving especially to the worthy ones. When he was born to be king Sivi, he donated his eyes. In the Vessantara Jataka he donated his children.
"There came a beggar, he asked for food
Myself I gave that he might eat,
In alms there's to equal means
In alms I have perfection reached"

B) Perfection in morality (Sila). This is the abstinent thought that averts the mind from anything involving harm or pain to another. Generally in Buddhism the abstinent thought refers to ten evil acts - three of the body, four of speech and three of the mind.

In the Suttas it is explained there are four kinds of moral purity. They are; morality in restraint with regard to the moral code of the Order; morality consisting in restraint of senses; morality consisting of purity of livelihood and morality regarding the four requisites.

In the Lomahamsa Jataka story, whilst village children spat on him and others showered him with fragrant flowers, he remained indifferent alike to pain and pleasure and showed equanimity (Sympathetic joy) as a perfection.

The text says:
"I laid me down amongst the dead
A pillow of bones I made
While from the village around
Some came to mock and some to praise"

C) The Bodhisattva as a Prince (Prince Hattipala and Prince Somanassa) renounced his kingdom according to the Jatakas, to be free from attachment.
The text says:
"A kingdom dropped in to my hands
Like spittle vile I let it fall
Nor for it felt the smallest wish
And thus renunciation gained"

D) Another perfection which the Bodhisattva fulfilled is that of Knowledge (Panna). As the wandering ascetic Bodhi and Pandith Govinda he gained perfection.
The text says:
"With wisdom gifted I the case
And freed the Brahmin from his woe
In wisdom none can equal me
In wisdom I've perfection reached"

E) Courage is another perfection reached by the Bodhisattva. In the Janaka birth story when crossing the ocean he said:
"Far out of sight of land we were
The crew were all as dead of fright
Yet, still unruffled was my mind,
In courage I have perfection reached"

F) Patience (Khanti) is yet another virtue the Bodhisattva mastered.
The text says:
"Like one insensible I lay
While with his hatchet, keen he hacked
Not raged, I against Benares king
In patience, I've patience reached"

G) The Perfection of Truth (Sacca): A Bodhisattva reached as stated in the Jataka Greater Satasoma birth story.
The text says:
"I kept the promise I had made
And gave my life in sacrifice
A hundred warriors set I free
In truth have I perfection reached"

h) In the Mugapakha Jataka birth story, with great Resolution (Determination) he reached perfection at the cost of his dear life, with admirable conduct.
The text says:
"It is not that I my parents hate
It's not that glory that I detest,
But since omniscience I hold dear,
Therefore I kept my firm resolve"

I) The Perfection of Metta (loving kindness) in his highest degree he acquired as stated in a Jataka Ekaraja birth story.
The text says:
"No fear has anyone of me
No have I fear of anyone
In my goodwill to all trust,
And love to dwell in lonely woods"

A step further from the Bodhisattva practice of developing the Paramitas is the goal of being an Arahath, where one's mind becomes spiritually developed. Bhikkhu Khantipalo who was associated with the Buddhist Publications Society, Kandy sometime ago has stated in a publication that, an Arahath is free from pollution and defilements and has penetrated the four noble truths. The word Arahath literally means "one who is worthy".

Buddhists know that no unseen higher power or force have any control of their destinies. Therefore Budhists do not subjugate themselves with obedience, reverence and worship. In short, Buddhists do not follow a theistic religion. The Buddha dharma (philosophy) is primarily concerned with the problem of suffering in its many faceted forms and how to end it. To the Buddha suffering meant the endless process of being born, ageing and dying motivated by selfish craving and ignorance (Avijja). The Buddha dharma is a way of life for free men to act freely, independent of a supreme being. Buddhists do not consider man to be a sinner as alleged elsewhere, nor does the Buddha dharma consider man unable to free himself from the theistic concept of vicarious sin.

The Buddha has shown the "Path to human liberation" from suffering, by being conscious (sati) of the Noble Eightfold Path and the Middle Way of life to guide all.
"By oneself alone is evil done,
By oneself alone is one defiled,
Purity and impurity depend on oneself,
No one can purify another"
(Dhammapada – V: 165)