I wrote this months ago in my blog:
...Hi,
The rules first, since it is an easy one.
The rules are not fixed - Buddha did not set rules in the
beginning, but as time goes by, his community/sangha did foolish
things, so the Buddha had no choice but to set some rules to
prevent folly from being repeated. Buddha's rules were 'subject to
revision'.
Now.. I understand that AF does not have precepts and rules and
prefer people to exercise their common sense. This is also the case
in certain schools of Buddhism - Dzogchen, for example, teaches not
blind adherence to rules but to exercise our awareness.
Even non-buddhist teachings like Eckhart Tolle also claim that
rules are not necessary if one acts with awareness and wisdom. (not
suggesting that Eckhart Tolle is teaching the same things as AF,
just pointing out that the 'no rules' thing is not perculiar to AF
at all)
Of course... that is IF that person has 'awareness' and 'wisdom' to
begin with.
Some people just don't! So how do you, for practical purposes,
prevent criminals from killing, from stealing things?
You set up laws. Well, yes, understandably as AF so clearly said,
the rules and laws have not solved the problems of humanity from
its roots - the attachment to the self/Self that leads to the
affective system of craving, anger, harmfulness, etc, the source of
all the sufferings of the world. This is in line with Buddhist
understanding.
Yet, having laws are still necessary because at least it helps
maintain some level of orderliness in society (even though not to
the level of perfection). You can't deny that the vast majority of
society are still un-free, and therefore, quite capable of being
harmful.
You can't expect everyone to attain Actual Freedom immediately - I
do not believe it can be achieved even in ten thousand years time.
Certainly not in our lifetime, I can assure you. So in the
meanwhile, while we wait for a utopian society (in an unreachable
future) where everyone becomes actually free, do we just let
society run lawless and let the murders and rapes go uncontrolled?
Do you see my point?
So why do away with laws and rules? It is necessary, for the time
being. It is not the ultimate solution, I agree, but a practical
interim (and imperfect) solution to some of society's problems.
After all who would want to live in a lawless land? Everyone
prefers to live in a lawful, safe, low-crime society. Tell me
honestly: would you even dare let alone want to live in a lawless
society where murders, rape, robbery go unchecked?
Similar for Buddha - his Arhants were no longer capable of
transgressing the rules (like killing, stealing, etc) even if the
rules were non-existent. Why? They have removed the delusion of a
self/Self and the affective system of craving, anger, harmfulness,
fear, etc etc. They can no longer do harm to themselves and
others.
But the rules are necessary for beginners/non-Arhants.
It is for practical, pragmatic purposes. To safeguard the happiness
of mankind and prevent the world from becoming a living hell,
precepts and rules are still a 'transitory necessity'.
Buddhism has a higher goal - freedom from all sufferings. Precepts
and rules are not going to achieve that, it only ensures that you
do not make your deluded life even worse - but it does not remove
your delusions (of being a self/Self). Nevertheless, precepts are
still helpful for practical purposes.
Also, precepts help ensure that if we do not become an
Arhant/liberated yet, at least we do not make so much bad karma for
ourselves.... (excerpt cut)
Hi AEN,
Well said. Thanks.
Hi Fugazzi,
I wish a path can be as simple as having no-rules and no
precepts. However, reality is more complex than that.
IMO, much to the misconception about it, Enlightenment will not
take away any sensation, even that of pain. The only thing that it
took away is the aversion and suffering caused by not facing the
sensation/situation directly/squarely as it IS. If you do not
believe me, you can pinch yourself hard now and see if you can have
yourself not feel the sensation :)
Precepts works at the level of sensation, eventually. It
minimise the occurences of painful sensation, to oneself and to
others. The sensation of being cut is painful whether one is
enlightened or not. All harm are painful at the level of sensation.
It is this, that precepts can minimise.
