Revolt against false values

By J.P. Pathirana

This is because most of us ignore the basic truths and laws of life. Our social values today are sensate, false and changing. They do not touch reality.

The true Buddhist may revolt against these perishable, materialistic values that carry him farther from happiness and truth. He is expected to cultivate those imperishable and eternal values of the heart and mind which bring both harmony and individual peace.

Tragedy

Better cars, well equipped bathrooms, radios, televisions, films, hi-fi stereos etc., are expected to enhance human happiness. But the tragedy is that they have created new conditions of suffering. Better scientific discoveries mean more efficient methods of killing each other, more methodical and destructive wars, more deceptive methods of exploitation and so on. This situation dominates the technologically advanced West and has opened the eyes of many Westerners to the profound truths of life and the cosmos proclaimed by The Buddha. 

Truths

The Buddhist has a two-fold duty; one toward himself, the other toward society. Where Buddhist truths conflict with the accepted values of society, he should be able to make a compromise instead of sacrificing his higher and nobler emotions for social expediency or shallow convention. 

Society may place an absolute value on perishable things like money, power, wealth and property, name and fame. But the true Buddhist who understands the impermanence and therefore painful character of these changing, sensate material values, should break away from every false pattern of life.

Morals

Technology in itself is not an evil. But it is not the solution to our human problems, which are basically ethical and psychological, as the Buddha points out. It is because of the wrong emphasis laid on technology that external temporal values have taken precedence over ethical and moral values.

To the rulers of his day, the Buddha enunciated an excellent politico economic and social moral values. For example, the Five precepts (Panchasila) concept, is the most elementary expression of that value structure. If you examine human history, you will see that the most flourishing periods of human peace and happiness were those during which rulers were inspired by ethical codes and moral convictions. Think of the long reign of Asoka the Great or even Charlemagne. Think of the long line of Sinhalese Kings (from Devanampiyatissa to Mahasena) who embraced Buddhism and disseminated Buddhist ideals in ancient Sinhalese society.

Conversely, the dark periods in human history were those in which rulers sacrificed the nobler emotions of the heart and mind and tried to assert their brutal instincts of hatred and jealousy, revenge and self aggression like Napoleon, Hitler and Mussolini. Think of the colossal destruction of life and property they have been responsible for.The tendency to defy truth and justice has its roots in ignorance of the Buddha Dhamma. Many nations today are unaware of the obvious truth that mere socio-economic development does not solve a country's problems.

Put the Dhamma into practice and vividly see the beneficial results and the solace and peace that will follow in its trail.

Path to mindfulness 

The search for meaningful articles had made the editor browse through earlier published material by well known writers. Bhikkhu Kassapa, for instance, discusses 'What are we - and whither bound?', questions which have troubled thinkers of all ages. "Just as a chemist confronted with a crystal of sodium-chloride will say 'this is sodium-chloride," and will assume nothing more about that crystal beyond what he can test and demonstrate, the Buddha says -'this man, this animal, is matter ('rupa') and mind ('nama'). There is nothing more, nothing less to him than just that, mind and matter ('nama-rupa'). Mind is put first because it is all important," he explains.

Incidentally, many may not remember that it was Bhikkhu Kassapa (formerly Dr. Cassius A. Pereira) who founded 'The Servants of the Buddha' on April 16,1921.

Presenting the 'Importance of Mindfulness', Ven. Piyadassi explains how right mindfulness helps us sharpen powers of observation and assists right thinking and understanding. Orderly thinking and reflection is conditioned by man's right mindfulness or awareness. It is instrumental not only in bringing concentrative calm but in promoting right living. It is an essential factor in all our actions both worldly and spiritual.

Ven. Narada's 'What is it that is reborn?' is among several articles on 'Death and to the other side'. This series includes 'Reflection on death' by Ven. Weragoda Saradha, 'The only way to have a good death' by E. M. G. Edirisinghe, 'Those terrifying ghosts' by Egerton Baptist, 'Facing death with a smile' by Raja Kuruppu and short story titled 'The gallows' by Dr. R. L. Soni. A good editing job has been done to present what originally would have been long articles to concise ones.

Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda in an article titled 'The Noble Path to Follow', while explaining the four Noble Truths highlights the dangers of craving. The writer describes craving as "a fire which burns in all beings" and says that every activity is motivated by desire. 

"They range from the simple physical desire of animals to the complex and often artificially stimulated desires of the civilized man. To satisfy desire, animals may prey upon one another, and human beings fight, kill, cheat, lie and perform various forms of unwholesome deeds. 

Craving is a powerful mental force present in all forms of life and is the chief cause of the ills in life. It is craving that leads to repeated births in the cycle of existence".

With increasing interest in meditation, 'Vesak Lipi' carries a list of some better known meditation centres in Sri Lanka. A pictorial feature in colour introduces the reader to one such place - Kanduboda, 'where monks paddle their own canoe to freedom'. This is a feature that should be continued in each issue.

Working through the year, editor Salgado plans the publication well ahead of Vesak and keeps on improving both its contents and presentation every year. More colour pages, beautifully printed by Softwave Printing & Packaging adorn the current issue. The cover features the Buddha as seen at the Mulagandhikuta Vihare, Saranath, where the Buddha preached His first sermon. 

As the book is opened, the reader is treated to a very artistic old Burmese painting, also in colour, depicting the birth of Prince Siddhartha in the Sal grove at Lumbini.

It is encouraging to see that donors continue to support 'Vesak Lipi' which has a readership in over 20 countries in the world. It is distributed free and is sent to nearly 400 school and public libraries throughout the country.

DCR

"Let the Dhamma be your refuge"

By Upali Salgado

The mission of Sakyamuni Gothama Buddha was to be "awakened", to the truth relating to Dukkha (pain, anguish, disappointment, and suffering). His mission, as a teacher, was to "show the way" to end all forms of suffering.

Prince Siddhartha was born in 623 BC at the Sal grove in Lumbini, Nepal. Though of royal birth, certain marks on his body seen at birth, and his behaviour destined him to be a sage and a Buddha. The Buddha did not believe in or tell us of a creator God, nor was he a divine Messiah. He was not a Vaidika or follower of Vedic Brahminism. He was an extraordinary man born "to give light" to suffering humanity, at a time when there were 63 other religious leaders in India all professing shades of orthodox Hinduism or Jainism. 

The Buddha's Theravada Dhamma (philosophy) was not only a reaction to ritualism but also against adherence to the caste system. In fact, two of his foremost disciples Upali of the barber caste and Sumedha who was a scavenger were of lower social status. Women who were in shackles were liberated in status and permitted to be nuns. 

He emphasised the need to follow Ahimsa and advocated religious tolerance of other faiths. The cardinal axis of his Dhamma wheel, was the identification of the noble truth relating to the cause of Dukkha and how to end Dukkha (suffering); Annichya (impermanence of everything known to man) and Anathma (absence of one's soul). Gotama Buddha did not speak of repentance or condemn man as a sinner. The concept of sin had no place in his teachings. 

As a Bodhisatva, Prince Siddhartha mastered ten perfections of keeping the precepts, wisdom, courage, patience, freedom from attachment, goodwill, indifference, endurance, alms giving or sacrifice in its extreme forms (as seen in the Vessanthara, Sivi and Sasa Jathaka stories),and to have the strength to know the Truth (as an Awakened One) - the Buddha. He was the embodiment of Maha Karuna (or great compassion for all living creatures and humans) and spoke in the language of the people he lived with. He did not rely on miracles to propogate his Dhamma, although he did perform a single miracle before the Jain leader Mahaveera, to show that he was the "All Knowing One" - a Buddha.

What Nehru said....

Jawaharlal Nehru, in his celebrated book "Discovery of India" wrote, "The Buddha.... seated on a lotus flower, calm and impassive, above passion and desire, beyond the storm and strife of this world, so far, far away. He seems out of reach, unattainable. Yet, again as we look behind those still, unmoving features, there is a passion and an emotion strange and more powerful than the passions and emotions we have known. His eyes are closed, but some power of spirit looks out of them, and a vital energy fills the frame."

Before the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations, when the Government of India moved in the Lok Sabha, a massive vote of several million rupees, to renovate and preserve several Buddhist Vihares and monuments at Buddha Gaya, at Saranath, Jetawane Monastery and Sanchi Vihares and at Kushinara (where he passed away), a member of the Lok Sabha asked why India should be concerned to spend money for the "glorification of a religion that has adherents less than 5% of her population." Prime MinisterNehru, replied in just three sentences: "We, and the world today consider India's greatest son was Sakyamuni Gothama Buddha. He gave "light" not only to India with his deep thoughts of compassion, but also to the whole world. We are truly proud of this great teacher and sage."

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President, also said, "It is characteristic of Gotama Buddha's message to mankind that, with the passage of time, far from becoming obsolete, it shines today like a beacon light.

His Dhamma

Prince Siddhartha, the Buddha to be, was born on a full moon day (Poya) in May, in an open Sal grove. In 1885, Dr. Fuhrer, a German archaeologist discovered a massive pillar erected by Emperor Dhamma-Asoka, who visited Lumbini in 250 BC, to pay homage to the birthplace of Prince Siddhartha. The pillar bears the following inscription: "Deva Piyana Piyadassina Buddha Jate Sakyamuni Bhagavan, Lumbini Game Ubalike Kate". The English translation: "King Piyadassi beloved of the Gods having been anointed (king) 20 years came himself and worshipped saying, here Buddha Sayamuni was born." .... The inscription also says: "Because the worshipful one was born here, this village Lumbini will be free of taxes and will receive wealth".

Prince Siddhartha gained Enlightenment at Buddha Gaya again when seated in the open under a bo-tree, on a Poya full moon day in May. He sat there meditating and when in a deep Jhana realized the noble truth of suffering, and the way to end suffering. To quote Aggha Maha Panditha Venerable Walpola Rahula (author of What the Buddha Taught), according to the Buddha Dhamma, the idea of self is imaginary, false belief which has no corresponding reality, and it produces harmful thoughts of "Me" and "Mine", selfish desire, craving, attachment, hatred, ill-will, conceit, pride, egoism and other defilements and problems. The Buddha Dhamma teaches that it is the source of all trouble or suffering or pain in the world, from personal conflicts to wars between nations.

Ven. Walpola continues, "Two ideas are psychologically deep rooted in man, self protection and self preservation. For self protection (fear) man has created God in which he depends for his own protection, safety and security. For self preservation, man has conceived the idea of an immortal Soul or "Athma" which live eternally. In his ignorance, weakness and fear and desire, man needs two things to console himself. Hence he clings to them fanatically. The Buddha Dhamma does not support ignorance, weakness, fear, desire".

To make that statement clear Buddhists believe that ignorance which is the root of suffering depends on intentional activity. On intentional activity depends name and form. On name and form depends the six organs of sense. On the six organs of sense (smell, taste, etc) depend sensations. On sensations depend clinging or desire or craving. On craving depends attachment. On attachment depends existence or karma (one's actions or volition; good or bad). On existence depends, birth, old age and death (Jathi, Jara, Marana). 

Therefore, to end the "Me" or "Self" one must make a personal effort. The Vissudhi Magga (XIX) says: "No Deva, no Brahma can be called the maker of this "Wheel of Life". Empty phenomena roll on, dependent on conditions all". Dhana, Seela and Bhavana is the prescription to achieve this by oneself. No God or force above can help you.

The Buddha said: "Be ye islands unto yourselves, be ye a refuge to yourselves. Take no other refuge. Let the Dhamma be your island, the Dhamma be your refuge".

An Udana saying:

"Self alone is Lord self,
What higher Master can there be?
By self alone, is evil done,
By self alone, is one defiled...."

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