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The word
"religion" has a broader meaning than the word
"morality." Morality has to do with behavior and
happiness, and is basically the same the world over. A
religion is a system of practice of a high order. The
ways of practice advocated by the various religions
differ greatly.
Morality makes us
good people, behaving in accordance with the general
principles of community life and in such away as to
cause no distress to ourselves or others. But though a
person may be thoroughly moral, he may still be far from
free from the suffering attendant on birth, aging, pain,
and death, still not free from oppression by the mental
defilements. Morality stops well short of the
elimination of craving, aversion, and delusion, so
cannot do away with suffering. Religion, particularly
Buddhism, goes much further than this. It aims directly
at the complete elimination of the defilements, that is,
it aims at extinguishing the various kinds of suffering
attendant on birth, aging, pain, and death. This
indicates how religion differs from mere morality, and
how much further Buddhism goes than the moral systems of
the world in general. Having understood this, we can now
turn our attention to Buddhism itself.
Buddhism is a
system designed to bring a technical knowledge
inseparable from its technique of practice, an organized
practical understanding of the true nature of things or
"what is what." If you keep this definition in mind, you
should have no difficulty understanding Buddhism.
Examine yourself
and see whether or not you know "what is what." Even if
you know what you are yourself, what life is, what work,
duty, livelihood, money, possessions, honor, and fame
are, would you dare to claim that you knew everything?
If we really knew "what is what," we would never act
inappropriately; and if we always acted appropriately,
it is a certainty that we would never be subject to
suffering. As it is, we are ignorant of the true nature
of things, so we behave more or less Inappropriately,
and suffering results accordingly. Buddhist practice is
designed to teach us how things really are. To know this
in all clarity is to attain the Fruit of the Path,
perhaps even the final Fruit, Nirvana, because this very
knowledge is what destroys the defilements.
When we come to
know "what is what," or the true nature of things,
disenchantment with things takes the place of
fascination, and deliverance from suffering comes about
automatically. At the moment, we are practicing at a
stage where we still do not know what things are really
like, in particular, at the stage of not yet realizing
that all things are impermanent and do not have
individual selves. We don't as yet realize that life,
all the things that we become infatuated with, like,
desire and rejoice over, is impermanent, unsatisfactory
and not a permanent self. It is for this reason that we
become infatuated with those things, liking them,
desiring them, rejoicing over them, grasping at them and
clinging to them. When, by following the Buddhist
method, we come to know things aright, to see clearly
that they are all impermanent, unsatisfactory and not
selves, that there is really nothing about things that
might make it worth attaching ourselves to them, then
there will immediately come about a slipping free from
the controlling power of those things.
Essentially the
Buddha's teaching as we have it in the Tipitaka is
nothing but the knowledge of "what is what" or the time
nature of things - just that. Do keep to this
definition. It is an adequate one and it is well to bear
it in mind while one is in the course of practicing. We
shall now demonstrate the validity of this definition by
considering as an example the Four Noble Truths.
The First Noble
Truth, which points out that all things are suffering
(all things cause suffering), tells us precisely what
things are like. But we fall to realize that all things
are a source of suffering and so we desire those things.
If we recognized them as a source of suffering, not
worth desiring, not worth grasping at and clinging to,
not worth at teaching ourselves to, we would be sure not
to desire them. The Second Noble Truth points out that
desire is the cause of suffering. People still don't
know, don't see, don't understand, that desires are the
cause of suffering. They all desire this, that, and the
other, simply because they don't understand the nature
of desire. The Third Noble Truth points out that
deliverance, freedom from suffering, Nirvana, consists
in the complete extinguishing of desire. People don't
realize at all that Nirvana is something that may be
attained at any time or place, that it can be arrived at
just as soon as desire has been completely extinguished.
So, not knowing the facts of life, people are not
interested in extinguishing desire. They are not
interested in Nirvana because they don't know what it
is.
The Fourth Noble
Truth is called the Path and constitutes the method for
extinguishing desire. No one understands it as a method
for extinguishing desire. No one is interested in the
desire extinguishing Noble Eightfold Path. People don't
recognize it as their very point of support, their
foothold something which they ought to be most actively
reinforcing. They are not interested in the Buddha's
Noble Path, which happens to be the most excellent and
precious thing in the entire mass of human knowledge, in
this world or any other. This is a most horrifying piece
of ignorance. We can see, then that the Four Noble
Truths are information telling us clearly just "what is
what." We are told that if we play with desire, it will
give rise to suffering, and yet we insist on playing
with it until we are brim full of suffering. This is
foolishness. Not really knowing "what is what" or the
true nature of things, we act inappropriately in every
way. Our actions are appropriate all too rarely. They
are usually "appropriate" only in terms of the values of
people subject to craving, who would say that it one
gets what one wants, the action must have been
justified. But spiritually speaking, that action is
unjustifiable.
Now we shall haves
look at a stanza from the texts which sums up the
essence of Buddhism, namely the words spoken by the
Bhikkhu Assaji when he met Shariputra before the
latter's ordination. Shariputra asked to be told the
essence of Buddhism in as few words as possible. Assaji
answered: "All phenomena that arise do so as a result of
causes. The Perfected One has shown what the causes are,
and also how all phenomena may be brought to an end by
eliminating those causes. This is what the Great Master
teaches." He said in effect: Every thing has causes that
combine to produce it. It can not be eliminated unless
those causes have been eliminated first. This is a word
of guidance warning us not to regard anything as a
permanent self. There is nothing permanent. There are
only effects arising out of causes, developing by virtue
of causes, and due to cease with the cessation of those
causes. All phenomena are merely products of causes. The
world is just a perpetual flux of natural forces
incessantly interacting and changing. Buddhism points
out to us that all things are devoid of any self entity.
They are just a perpetual flux of change, which is
inherently unsatisfactory because of the lack of
freedom. the subjection to causality. This
un-satisfactoriness will be brought to an end as soon as
the process stops; and the process will stop as soon as
the causes are eliminated so that there is no more
interacting. This is a most profound account of "what is
what" or the nature of things, such as only an
enlightened individual could give. It is the heart of
Buddhism. It tells us that all things are just
appearances and that we should not be fooled into liking
or disliking them. Rendering the mind truly free
involves escaping completely from the causal chain by
utterly eliminating the causes. In this way, the
unsatisfactory condition which results from liking and
disliking will be brought to an end.
Let us now examine
the Buddha's intention in becoming an ascetic. What
motivated him to become a Bhikkhu? This is clearly
indicated in one of his discourses, in which he says
that he left home and became a Bhikkhu in order to
answer the question: "What is the Good?" The word "good"
(Kusala), as used here by the Buddha, refers to
skillfulness, to absolutely right knowledge. He wanted
to know in particular what is suffering, what is the
cause of suffering, what is freedom from suffering. To
attain perfect and right knowledge is the ultimate in
skill. The aim of Buddhism is nothing other than this
perfection of knowledge of "what is what" or the true
nature of things.
Another important
Buddhist teaching is that of the Three Characteristics,
namely impermanence (anicca), un-satisfactoriness or
suffering (dukkha) , and non selfhood (anattá). Not to
know this teaching is not to know Buddhism. It points
out to us that all things are impermanent (anicca), all
things are unsatisfactory (dukkha), and all things are
not selves (anattá) . In saying that all things are
impermanent we mean that all things change perpetually,
there being no entity or self that remains unchanged for
even an instant. That all things are unsatisfactory
means that all things have inherent in themselves the
property of conducing to suffering and torment. They are
inherently unlikable and disenchanting. That they are
not selves is to say that in nothing whatsoever is them
any entity which we might have a right to regard as its
"self" (myself) or to call "its own" (mine.) If a grasp
at things and cling to things, the result is bound to be
suffering. Things am more dangerous than fire because we
can at least see afire blazing away and so don't go too
close to it, whereas all things are a fire we can't see.
Consequently we go about voluntarily picking up handfuls
of fire, which is invariably painful. This teaching
tells us what things are like in terms of the Three
Characteristics. Clearly Buddhism is simply an organized
practical system designed to show us "what is what."
We have seen that
we have to know the nature of things. We also have to
know how to practice in order to fit in with the nature
of things. There is another teaching in the texts, known
as the Chief of all Teachings. It consists of three
brief points: "Avoid evil, do good, purify the mind".
This is the principle of the practice. Knowing all
things as impermanent, worthless, and not our property,
and so not worth clinging to, not worth becoming
infatuated with, we have to act appropriately and
cautiously with respect to them, and that is to avoid
evil. It implies not to break with accepted moral
standards and to give up excessive craving and
attachment. On the other hand, one is to do good, good
as has come to be understood by wise people. These two
are simply stages in morality. The third, which tells
tie to make the mind completely pure of every kind of
contaminating element, is straight Buddhism. It tells us
to make the mind free. As long as the mind is not yet
free from domination by things, it cannot be a clean,
pure mind. Mental freedom must come from the most
profound knowledge of the "what is what." As long as one
lacks this knowledge, one is bound to go on mindlessly
liking or disliking things in one way or another. As
long as one cannot remain unmoved by things, one can
hardly be called free. Basically we human beings are
subject to just two kinds of emotional states: liking
and disliking (which correspond to pleasant and
unpleasant mental feeling). We fall slaves to our moods
and have no real freedom simply because we don't know
the true nature of moods or "what is what." Liking has
the characteristic of seizing on things and taking them
over; disliking has the characteristic of pushing things
away and getting rid of them. As long as these two kinds
of emotional states exist, the mind is not yet tree. As
long as it is still carelessly liking and disliking
this, that, and the other, there is no way it can be
purified and freed from the tyranny of things. For this
very reason, this highest teaching of Buddhism condemns
grasping and clinging to things attractive and
repulsive, ultimately condemning even attachment to good
and evil. When the mind has been purified of these two
emotional reactions, it will become independent of
things.
Other religions
would have us simply avoid evil and grasp at goodness.
They have us grasp at and become attached to goodness,
even including the epitome of goodness, namely God.
Buddhism goes much further, condemning attachment to
anything at all. This attachment to goodness is right
practice at the intermediate level, but it just earl
take us to the highest level no matter what we do. At
the lowest level a avoid evil, at the intermediate level
we do our utmost to do good, while at the highest level
we make the mind float high above the domination of both
good and evil. The condition of attachment to the fruits
of goodness is not yet complete liberation from
suffering, because, while an evil person suffers in a
way befitting evil persons, a good person suffers also,
in a way befitting good persons. Being good, one
experiences the kind of suffering appropriate to good
human beings. A good celestial being experiences the
suffering appropriate to celestial beings, and even a
god or Brahma experiences the suffering appropriate to
gods. But complete freedom from all suffering will come
only when one has broken free and transcended even that
which we call goodness to become an Aryan, one who has
transcended the worldly condition, and ultimately to
become a fully perfected individual, an Arahant.
Now as we have
seen, Buddhism is the teaching of the Buddha, the
Enlightened One, and a Buddhist is one who practices
according to the teaching of the Enlightened One. With
regard to what was he enlightened? He simply know the
nature of all things. Buddhism, then is the teaching
that tails us the truth about "what things are really
like" or "what is what" It is up to us to practice until
we have come to know that truth for ourselves. We may be
sure that once that perfect knowledge has been attained,
craving will be completely destroyed by it, because
ignorance will cease to be in the very same moment that
knowledge arises. Every aspect of Buddhist practice is
designed to bring knowledge. Your whole purpose in
setting your mind on the way of practice that will
penetrate to Buddha-Dhamma is simply to gain knowledge.
Only, let it be right knowledge, knowledge attained
through clear insight, not worldly knowledge, partial
knowledge, halfway knowledge, which for example clumsily
mistakes bad for good, and a source of suffering for a
source of happiness. Do try your utmost to look at
things in terms of suffering, and so come to know,
gradually, step by step. Knowledge so gained will be
Buddhist knowledge based on sound Buddhist principles.
Studying by this
method, even a woodcutter without book learning will be
able to penetrate to the essence of Buddhism, while a
religious scholar with several degrees, who is
completely absorbed in studying the Tipitaka but doesn't
look at things from this point of view, may not
penetrate the teaching at all. Those of us who have some
intelligence should be capable of investigating and
examining things and coming to know their true nature.
Each thing we come across we must study, in order to
understand clearly its true nature. And we must
understand the nature and the source of the suffering
which it produces, and which sets us alight and scorches
us. To establish mindfulness, to watch and wait, to
examine in the manner described the suffering that comes
to one - this is the very best way to penetrate to
Buddha-Dhamma. It is infinitely better than learning it
from the Tipitaka. Busily studying Dhamma in the
Tipitaka from the linguistic or literary viewpoint is no
way to come to know the true nature of things. Of course
the Tipitaka is full of explanations as to the nature of
things; but the trouble is that people listen to it in
the manner of parrots or talking myna birds, repeating
later what they have been able to memorize. They
themselves are incapable of penetrating to the true
nature of things. If instead they would do some
introspection and discover for themselves the facts of
mental life, find out first hand the properties of the
mental defilements, of suffering, of nature, in other
words of all the things in which they are involved, they
would then be able to penetrate to the real
Buddha-Dhamma. Though a person may never have seen or
even heard of the Tipitaka, if he carries out a detailed
investigation every time suffering arises and scorches
his mind he win be said to be studying the Tipitaka
directly, and far more correctly than people actually in
the process of reading it. These may be just caressing
the books of the Tipitaka everyday without having any
knowledge of the immortal Dhamma, the teaching contained
within them. Likewise, we have ourselves, we make use of
ourselves, we train ourselves, and we do things
connected with ourselves every day, without knowing
anything about ourselves, without being able to handle
adequately problems concerning ourselves. We are still
very definitely subject to suffering, and craving is
still present to produce more and more suffering every
day as we grow older, all simply because we don't know
ourselves. We still don't know the mental life we live.
To get to know the Tipitaka and the profound things
hidden within it is most difficult. Let us rather set
about studying Buddha-Dhamma by getting to know our own
time nature. Let us get to know all the things which
make up this very body and mind. Let us learn from this
life: life which is spinning on in the cycle of
desiring, acting on the desires, and reaping the results
of the action, which then nourish the will to desire
again, and so on, over and over incessantly; life which
is obliged to go spinning on in the circle of samsara,
that Sea of Suffering, purely and simply because of
ignorance as to the true nature of things or "what is
what."
Summing up,
Buddhism is an organized practical system designed to
reveal to us the "what is what." Once we have seen
things as they really are, we no longer need anyone to
teach or guide us. We can carry on practicing by
ourselves. One progresses along the Aryan Path just as
rapidly as one eliminates the defilements and gives up
inappropriate action, Ultimately one will attain to the
best thing possible for a human being, what we call the
Fruit of the Path, Nirvana. This one can do by oneself
simply by means of coming to know the ultimate sense of
the "what is what."
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