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Pleasure, profit,
prosperity and protection The Dhammapada verses 131 and 132 read: "Whosoever with a rod or stick causes pain and injury to beings who love comfort and happiness, is just not entitled for a happiness of one's own." The lesson or warning to be derived from this is that anyone interested in his own happiness, cannot afford to cause unhappiness to others. Buddhists cannot accommodate wishes and prayers in these situations. We do not conceive of divine emissaries who are distributing agents of happiness. At a much higher level of moral rectitude, the Buddha tells his own son Rahula that the criteria for correctness of social behaviour should be the impact of our actions both on ourselves and on those in the world with whom we live. So it becomes clear that like the concept of evil, happiness also is not a neatly-packaged product in the marketplace. Happiness is what we make, jointly for ourselves. The atom bombs which wiped out Hiroshima and Nagasaki were made by man. War museums of Hiroshima display how Harry Truman, the then President of the United States, gloated over that monstrous devastation. There are equally horrendous crimes committed today by individuals and organized gangs. For both good and evil in the world, it is wise to hold humans alone responsible and answerable. It is they who also need to be applauded and thanked for the magnanimous deeds they do for the upliftment of man. In an age of highly developed space science and supersonic medical research of genetic engineering, cloning, and IVF or in vitro fertilization, are we not putting too much in the hands of divinity for the ills of the world? It is time we accept responsibility for the villainy of man against man. Having spoken of pleasure and happiness, let me turn to the secured concept "profit". This immediately implies financial gain. Labha and Alabha i.e., gain and loss are in everybody's reckoning of their life process. While gains, great or small, gladden people, losses invariably bring about sadness. Buddhism, while dealing with this subject, uses towards frequently, dhana and bhoga, or wealth and consumer goods. Alavaka directly puts the question to the Buddha as to how one comes to acquire wealth: How does one acquire wealth? he asks. The question and the answer together provide an enlightened approach to the question of acquisition of wealth. The answer is the energetic application to the task in hand: uthata vindate dhanam or the man who strives earns the money. This sensible and realistic approach to the question of economic well-being is down to earth. Where do our national lotteries come in or what of the goodwill of the Gods at distant shrines to whom, with astounding gullibility we stretch out overloaded puja vatti? Buddhists have to accept that they are both in the region of the gambler's den. If Buddhism has to be a living philosophy of life, why don't we remind ourselves of what has been said with regard to the philosophy of earning. Not to ask those above or beyond, or those who contrive to appear to be more than human, for gifts of this and that. In terms of real Buddhist thinking, one can know only of the sweat of one's brow and the strength of one's brawny arms as the real source of one's stable economy. These conditions are precisely worded as sedavakkhitta [associated with honest sweating] and baha-bala-paricita [produced through one's brawny arms]. This being the true position with regard to gain and loss in Buddhism, Buddhists are equipped with stabilizers to prevent a rock and roll on the high seas of life when assailed by them: evam ninda-pasamsasu na saminjanti pandita [Dhammapada v. 81]. The third is the concept of 'Prosperity'. This basically means succeeding, thriving and doing well. It also means the absence of failure, defeat or disaster. Sotthi or suvatthi, is the best known Pali word denoting this. It is often used in the refrain Etena saccena suvatthi hotu or Sotthi te hotu sabada. The Mangala Sutta, introduces itself to us saying that in the world of humans and divines, there was keenness to sort out what brings about success and prosperity. Bahu deva manussa ca mangalai acintayum. I translate the word mangala here as success-generating-factors. Do you think the Buddha handed out holy water and holy thread to these wise inquiring people, the Deva as they are called? I am sure he never did. Instead, the Buddha responded by listing out thirty-eight items of social and spiritual virtues. He insisted that their diligent accomplishment [etadisani katvana ] rewards the doer with success everywhere [Sabbattha-m-aparajita]. Prosperity would be their invariable lot [Sabbattha sotthim gacchanti]. That's the top rung of their social and spiritual accomplishment [Tam tesam mangala uttamam]. This is something in the hands of people themselves. People have to be wise and virtuous, energetic and enterprising. All these items we discussed so far, are among the major aspirations of everyone. But it has to be clear to every Buddhist and student of Buddhism, that these are to be sought and acquired in a meaningful manner. With its very strong and very pronounced anthropocentric bias, Buddhism does not hold that these are God-given gifts. The humans, with a series of self-corrections and self-adjustments are enabled to get these within their reach. The Mangala Sutta very comprehensively details out what one should consistently do in order to achieve success and prosperity. The earlier quoted statement Etadisani katvana sabbattha-m-aparjita sabbattha sotthim gacchanti means having done these diligently, one never loses anywhere. One achieves success everywhere. That is the real key to success. The older ones in society, the parents, teachers and members of the Bhikkhu Sangha must transmit this idea to the younger and the less initiated. They must be piloted through life with kind guidance. Our plea is, 'Let not the Mangala Sutta be vulgarized by painting over with a thick coating of talismanic paint. It is not the hundred times chanting that matters. Only the incorporation of its instruction in one's life. For those good Buddhists who are backed, and I repeat totally backed, by that formidable body of virtues, there is yet another source of inspiration. That is their unshakable faith in the Tisarana, the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha. With that solid spiritual backing in their favour, success and prosperity must be well within the home of every Buddhist. But the truth with many is that they are gamblers, and even fraudulent gamblers. They are like opium addicts. It is enough for them, if they can dull their pain in life for a while. Stop this today. Ask yourself as to whom you are trying to cheat? To thine ownself be true, I insist. If you have reason enough to distrust in the efficacy of Buddhism, or feel that you are not getting back enough material benefits out of it, it is time you honourably left it. This half-hearted Buddhist living is no less than a breach of conjugal fidelity. We have no contract with the Buddha to swell our numbers by the turn of the century. As for those who wish to remain loyal, and also know their present state of contamination, let them be bold enough to wash themselves thoroughly clean and profess their faith in the Tisarana again. The finest example of professing faith in the Tisarana is enshrined in the Ratana Sutta. The Tisarana being the bedrock of spiritual culture in Buddhism, it provides one the option to muster further strength from within. Without being adequately within it, one cannot speak of oneself as being a Buddhist. This appears to be the spirit in which the Ratana Sutta is given as a protective chant or paritta. Out of twelve instances in it of asserting the greatness or supremacy of the Tisarana, three deal with the Buddha, two with the Dhamma and seven with the Sangha. Most precise eulogies are offered to them and honest affirmations of their greatness are declared by the would-be beneficiary. The lay community
as the recipients of the benefits of paritta, can qualify for a
far richer deal by being fully qualified worthy recipients. They
must remit unconditional loyalty to the Tisarana, and not to the
magic of the mantras, trusting and believing fully in their efficacy
and graciousness. The transmitters, must be well and truly dignified
enough for the task they are called upon to perform. What we would
call a religious institution must consist of these three main strands
of those who give, receive and the unfailing loyalties which bind
them together. Higher the quality of these, better the results we
could expect out of them. Let all men on earth work with sincerity
towards the achievement of these on earth, here and now. |
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