SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS
Whenever we have problems, we approach others, and seek their
advice. They may advise us to go and pray to certain gods in a
temple or other places of worship or to recite certain mantras and
to perform some rites and rituals.
But the Buddha's advice is entirely different. He never advises
anyone to do anything without investigating the problems and
analysing them to discover where the main cause of the problem is.
The trouble with us is, whenever we face any problem, we suffer
from fear due to ignorance and we create for ourselves unfounded
fear, imagination and suspicion. After that we seek advice from
others in order to get rid of them. For example, when people face
failure in their business they try to use magical power to gain
good luck and success in their business. But they do not try to
find out where the mistake or the weak point is and do not realise
that many such practices are also based on superstitious beliefs.
Some of these so-called 'seers' or astrologers exploit the
ignorance of innocent people and make them believe that 'evil
forces' are behind their bad luck. The Buddha advised us to develop
patience and understanding, without depending on superstitious
beliefs, and to develop the rational way of life without wasting
time and money on meaningless practices and also to use our own
effort to overcome them in a reasonable way. Usually we cannot
understand the causes of many of our problems because our way of
thinking is clouded by suspicion and illusion. It is due to a lack
of proper understanding that we give the wrong reasons for our
problems and seek the wrong means to overcome them. We pray, we
make offerings and vows by thinking that our misery is due to the
working of an external force. Actually, most of our problems and
worries are created by ourselves. We do not strive to develop a
correct way of life through moral and spiritual development. We
think that religion is only for us to pray or perform certain
rituals to get rid of our problems. If we maintain such beliefs,
how can we concentrate on enriching our knowledge and understand
things in their proper perspective? The tree of civilization has
its roots in moral values which most of us do not realize. Without
these roots the leaves would have fallen and leave the tree a
lifeless stump. Today, we have developed our worldly life in such a
way that we have no time to devote for self-discipline or to
cultivate inner peace. Although we may have more than enough to
satisfy our material needs like food, shelter and clothing, all the
while we go on thinking of how to make more money and how to enjoy
life in a worldly way even at the cost of others' rights. When we
come across certain problems, we start to grumble, show our temper
and create more disturbances not knowing that it is impossible to
overcome our problems by adopting such an attitude.
WORRIES People concentrate more on pleasure rather
than on their peace and health. Some people worry by considering
their future although they have more than enough at the moment.
They worry about their sicknesses, old-age, death, funerals and
also about heaven and hell or the next birth. Everyday they
experience uncertainty in their lives. They run around searching
for a remedy to end their problems. They worry when they are
getting old. They worry when they cannot gain what they want. They
worry when they lose their belongings or persons they love. After
that, they create frustration, anguish, mental agony and suffer
from mental disturbance and later these turn into physical
ailments. Throughout their lives, they continue this search for
peace and happiness until they die without finding the real
solution. Not knowing the real nature of life, we try to maintain
it without experiencing any disappointments and changes. But life
is changeable. It is a bundle of elements and energies which are
always changing and the situation is always not to our
satisfaction. Sometimes we feel life is not in our favour. When the
elements and energies are imbalanced, we experience uneasiness,
sickness, pain and many other problems. When mental energy is
disturbed, we experience mental problems. After that our organs and
glands also change their normal functions and affect the blood
circulation, hormones, heart and brain cells. We can avoid many of
these problems if we can understand this conflict in our body and
lead a natural life in harmony with natural forces which make up
our physical existence. Today many people lead an artificial life
not knowing its danger. Many of our problems are created by us due
to our crazy attitude caused by temptation. Simplicity makes life
run smoothly. Many of us realise and experience them only when we
grow old. For example, let us assume there is a pit about 100 feet
deep and we put burning charcoal at the bottom. We then lower a
ladder into it and ask people to go down one by one. Those who
start to go down do not complain about the heat until they go
further down to a depth of 30 to 40 feet. After 40 to 50 feet, they
feel a certain amount of heat. When they go still further down to
70 or 80 feet and reach nearer to the burning charcoal, they will
experience the sensation of burning. In the same manner, young
people do not experience suffering although the Buddha says life is
one of suffering. But it is a good analogy to explain that as we
gain more experience we see the truth about suffering more clearly.
The real meaning of suffering is experiencing unsatisfactoriness in
everything. NEIGHBOURLINESS Let us consider our
families. How many families are there who live with mutual
understanding and love? Here we think not only of our immediate
families but also those who live around us. We can invite the whole
world into our room through our T.V. but we are not willing to
invite our next door neighbours into our houses to talk to them in
a friendly manner. We have no time to look at the faces of our own
family members but we spend many hours to see the faces of unknown
people on the television screen. Even within one family we have no
time to look at each other with smiling faces although we live in
the same house. How can there be unity and happiness in such
families? The sad fact is that this strange behaviour is very
common in modern society. Some people completely ignore their
family members after their marriage. That is not the real way of
life. We should maintain a community that lives by assisting each
other and by giving moral support to those in need. Although they
do not assist each other very often to the extent that human beings
do, animals live together, sometimes protecting their group or
their young from their enemies and their young always follow the
elders. It seems that today we are not living as real human beings.
We have deviated very far from our natural ways of life. That is
why we have to face so many problems and hence we feel lonely. We
must understand that there are some natural problems and there is
no way to escape from them. There are also many other problems
which are man-made, some are mind-made, resulting from illusion and
ignorance or selfishness. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE
FACING REALITIES
Even educated people do not use their knowledge wisely when they
come to superstitious practices that are performed in the name of
religion. Try to get rid of this poor mentality by strengthening
the mind and developing self-confidence. Then we can overcome many
of our problems and in most cases, our imaginary problems will
simply disappear. According to some religious beliefs, there is a
god who is responsible for all the good things that happen to us
and if anything goes wrong, then the devil is to be blamed for it.
To us it is not a very convincing belief. Most of us simply do not
try to understand why we are not happy and why we are not satisfied
with our lives, and who is responsible for this situation. The
Buddha teaches that we are ultimately responsible for every action
of ourwhich leads to contentment or unsatisfactoriness. Besides all
major problems for which we are responsible and which affect us
directly we also create some others which divide mankind and create
problems such as racial arrogance, religious fanaticism, cultural
and traditional discrimination, language problems, colour bar and
superiority and inferiority complex by thinking the followers of
other religions are their enemies and it is a sin to support the
activities of another religion. They never think that the followers
of every religion are trying to do some service to humanity and not
do harm to others.Problems such as these indirectly contribute to
our sense of discontentment. PURPOSE OF RELIGION
The purpose of religion is to guide mankind, to develop unity and a
harmonious life and to cultivate humane qualities and mental
purity. However, religion is being used to discriminate against
other religions and to develop jealousy or hostility. Actually
people are not using religion to maintain peace but to disturb and
hate others. This unhealthy religious arrogance and competition
have even created violence and blood-shed in many parts of the
world. At the same time, while cherishing their own imagination or
concepts as real beliefs as part of their valuable culture or
traditions, some religionists ridicule the culture and traditions
of others. In their beliefs and practices which they introduce as
the only true religion, they promote selfish ideas for material
gain, political power and self-glorification. MANNERS AND
CUSTOMS Manners may be defined as behaviour appropriate to
living well in society. For various good reasons certain traditions
have been handed down, and only very thoughtless persons would
consider it worthless to follow those rules which guide us in our
social relations to each other. Goethe wisely said, 'A man is
really alive only when he delights in the goodwill of others'. An
ancient motto, 'Manners maketh a man' still holds good even to this
day.
The standards for what are considered good manners differ among
people belonging to different ethnic groups and societies. We
discover the peculiarities of the manners and customs prevailing in
other societies when we travel abroad. We should not prejudge other
peoples' manners and custom too quickly, and decide what is proper
or improper. In themselves, manners are neither good nor bad, but
when they cause ill feelings in others, then this can be considered
as bad manners. We are living in an ever-changing world. We should
not cling blindly to the traditions, customs, manners, rites and
rituals practised by our forefathers or ancestors who adopted these
practices according to beliefs and conditions prevalent during
their time. Some customs or traditions handed down by our ancestors
may be good, while others may be less useful. We should consider
with an open mind whether these practices are congenial and
relevant to the modern world. Among members of the Chinese
community emphasis is laid on continuity of the family tradition
and there is great reverence for the wisdom of the elders. Ancestor
worship is very ancient (dating from the second millennium BC).
Life is essentially a family affair, involving prayers and
offerings before tablets in the home and in ancestral temples, with
an elaborate system of burial and mourning, rituals and the
visiting of graves as a mark of deep respect. Ethically, their
primary virtue is filial piety - an obligation to serve and honour
parents and forebears without any sense of fear or gain. Such
respect inevitably results in strong social solidarity within the
family. Confucius, was very concerned with this reverence for the
wisdom of the elders. Respect for the elders is another ancient
tradition in India, China and some other countries. On the other
hand good conduct such as kindness, patience, tolerance, honesty
and generosity also cannot eradicate certain problems because
cunning people can take undue advantage of the good qualities of
others. Therefore good qualities must be practised wisely. Social
welfare workers are trying to wipe out human problems. But their
contribution also can only minimise certain problems. Some others
try to settle human problems by distributing the wealth and revenue
of a country equally amongst the public in so-called socialist
societies. It seems that their method is also not very effective to
settle human problems and has failed in many countries, since
selfishness, cunningness, laziness and many other shortcomings can
upset the situation.
Modern scientific education has in fact created more problems
rather than promoting peace, happiness and security. Governments
try to maintain peace and order by punishing those who disobey the
law. But all over the world, evil and immoral practices are
spreading rapidly. Ignorant people resort to charms, magic,
supernatural powers and mantras to overcome their problems. But
nobody knows just how far they can succeed through such beliefs and
practices. Some use violent methods to gain what they need to
settle their problems. Some others try to settle human problems by
improving people's lives through financial aid. Certain religious
authorities on the other hand try to settle these problems by
illustrating the concept of a paradise to create temptation and to
frighten people by threatening them with hell-fire. Whatever method
people adopt to avoid their problems, they have to face more and
more new problems in their day-to-day lives. The reason for this
situation is that they have not realised that the main cause of
most of their problems is the untrained mind and selfish desires or
uncertain worldly conditions. When we study the life of primitive
people, we can see that they have to face relatively few problems.
These problems are mostly related only to their need for survival.
But in the so-called civilised societies of today many of our
problems are due not to our desire to continue living but because
we seek too much sensual pleasures. Many people believe that the
purpose of their lives is only for self-gratification. HOW
DO WE FACE PROBLEMS? We usually create some other problems
while trying to solve our existing ones. If the new problem is
minor, we tolerate it to the best of our ability and do what we can
to alleviate the pain. For example, when we have gastric ulcers and
suffer severe pain, we consult a doctor. If the doctor says that we
have to undergo an operation, we will accept the fact that we will
have to suffer if we want to be cured. Since we know that there is
no other solution, we decide to face the new problem of the
operation to get rid of the existing pain. Then we get ready to
bear the pain and uneasiness during the operation thinking that we
can finally be rid of the pain. In the same manner, we are willing
to tolerate certain problems or pain to overcome the existing big
problem. That is why we sometimes face suffering with smiling
faces. We cannot overcome our existing problems without facing some
other new problems or without sacrificing something. But one thing
is clear, it is impossible to settle all our problems because
problems are like waves. When one wave comes down, that creates the
force for another wave to go up. Sometimes a 'give and take policy'
also helps to settle our problems. The Buddha has advocated a
meaningful and practical method to settle our problems. He did not
recommend a method just to patch up a problem here and there simply
to pander us for the time being. Rather he taught us the way to
penetrate to the root of the problem and find out the main cause of
it. His method was not just to reduce the symptoms of the problem
like some medicines which only suppress the symptoms of the
sickness but do not cure the sickness itself. If a drug or pain
killer seems to act beneficially for a while in one way, it is
nearly always accompanied by one or more (usually more) deleterious
after affects. When we have a severe stomach pain, or headache, we
take painkiller tablets. After that, we feel better for a short
while but the pain may come back. Assume that we have a very
painful wound on our body. After applying all sorts of medicine, we
may manage to get rid of the wound. When the doctor or somebody
asks 'How do you feel now?' we say 'we feel very much better.' But
can we define this word 'better'? Can we show anything to prove
what that better feeling is? Here it means that there is no longer
any more pain. For anything in this world, we say we feel good or
nice only to tell others that there is no problem for the time
being. When we say we feel 'good', we must understand that this
'good' feeling is not permanent because when the effects of the
pain killer drug wears off there will be pain again. This is the
nature of life. The Buddha's method for gaining permanent happiness
is to uproot the main causes of the problem and not by suppressing
them. Of course, some people say it is difficult to practise the
Buddha's teaching, because it does not provide short-term relief.
The Buddha taught that the cause of our misery is so deep-rooted
that we must take strong measures to root it out permanently, so
that it can never return.
To the question on how to eradicate problems, the answer given
by the Buddha is 'when a wise man, established well in morality
(sila) has developed his mind and understanding (panna), then such
an ardent and wise person succeeds in disentangling himself from
this tangle.' A person who is diligent and understanding, by
realising the real nature of existence, develops his moral
behaviour or self-discipline. Sila means discipline of the senses,
speech or action according to a moral code. When a man is diligent
and wise, he knows how to face his problems and how to overcome
some of them. Here the Buddha's advice for us is to be good,
diligent and act wisely if we want to solve our problems. No other
method can give a final solution to our problems. SELFISH
CRAVING CREATES MORE PROBLEMS The modern job-oriented
education system produces students who are equipped with more
academic knowledge which develop selfishness. It produces clever
people without any moral development. Such people do not care what
happens to others or to the world so long as they alone profit on a
materialistic level. Through cunningness and adopting scientific
methods to achieve their selfish desires they increase their own
anxieties. Human beings are more selfish in their craving for
pleasure than any other living being. They enjoy worldly lives and
sensual pleasures with no thought for the welfare of others or for
the survival of the species. They also like to live long to
experience pleasures. They develop craving towards the property
they have accumulated and are scared of death because they do not
want to depart from their properties but other living beings have
no such selfish ideas. They use their senses only for their
survival and lead a natural life without wilfully hurting others.
It has been said that only man hoards more than he can eat. All
other animals take only as much as they need for their survival.
What they do not need they leave alone for others. Today we even
neglect our relaxation but indulge in the senses to such an extent
that we have become slaves to self-gratification. What is
euthanasia, one might ask? It is a word derived from two
Greek words: eu meaning good, and thanathos
meaning death. Put together, it means, good death.
PATIENTS IN A VEGETATIVE STATE AND EUTHANASIA
There has been a long-standing debate on whether legalising
euthanasia (where terminally ill people are allowed to commit
suicide with the assistance of doctors) is murder or 'mercy
killing'. The argument for legal voluntary euthanasia states that
people ought to be able to die with grace, dignity and in a
compassionate manner. When a member of one's family or a relative
becomes seriously ill and develops complications which result in an
irreversible coma, he will invariably end up being in a 'vegetative
state', or 'brain death', for the rest of his remaining life,
causing much sorrow and concern to family members who will have to
care and nurse him - a heavy burden indeed which will have to be
borne with great courage and fortitude. 'Persistent vegetative
state' is an expression which has recently come into use in the
medical profession. The 'vegetative state' arises from a severe
form of brain damage which results in the patient being unable to
move voluntarily, speak or swallow. But he can otherwise breathe
and the heart beats without assistance. If there are movements,
they appear to be reflex actions rather than purposeful gestures.
As life-prolonging technology improves, society is being forced to
confront a very basic question: When, exactly, does life end? While
there is almost universal agreement that complete loss of brain
function is equivalent to death, a debate rages among doctors and
the general public alike, when it comes to patients in the
persistent vegetative state (PVS). The diagnosis of 'persistent
vegetative state,' according to the Royal College of Physicians in
Britain, can be made after a patient has been in an apparently
'vegetative state' for 12 months. As a description of a person
suffering from this condition, 'vegetative state' is an unfortunate
choice, for human beings are of an entirely different order of
creation from vegetables. The body may die but there is life after
death. This belief was held even by the philosopher Plato, who had
no idea of revealed religion, over two thousand years ago.
Added to the unimaginable suffering of being unable to move or
communicate with their family or those caring for them, these
unfortunate people have suffered the humiliation of being discussed
and treated as if they were 'vegetative'. And worse, in a number of
those cases, at the request of relatives, the sufferers were
deprived of nutrition. The relatives described it as 'allowing them
to die.' Others describe it as 'starving them to death'. Surely
there is a lesson here for all of us. Life is infinitely precious
and there is no justification for taking away the life of a sick
person. Indeed, we have an obligation to guard it and strive to
make him or her well or, if that is not possible, at least as
comfortable as we can. There is a major distinction in principle
between taking steps to end the life of a fellow human being and
taking steps to eliminate or minimise pain, to give the sufferer
comfort and to preserve his dignity until he breathes his last.
Life is sacred and every human being is worthy of respect. Is a
person legally dead if he is in a coma and his vital organs are
kept alive by an apparatus of some kind? The advanced medical
technology and sophisticated procedures available in this century
have posed a dilemma to many, as for instance, taking care of
people in irreversible coma, commonly known as 'brain death'.
Before recent medical advances, when a patient's heart or lungs
failed, his brain would also go 'dead' in no time. Similarly, when
the brain failed, heart and lung failure would soon follow. While
medical opinion is more or less thus settled, the legal
consequences of doctors' action or inaction in such cases remain
questionable. Will they be liable to a charge of murder or
manslaughter if they switch off the life-supporting machine in
hopeless cases?
Euthanasia, or 'mercy killing' in crude language, is generally
understood to mean the merciful act of painlessly terminating the
life of a patient suffering from an incurable disease. It is
legally and religiously prohibited in the case of humans. While
permitting doctors to discontinue treatment, it is illegal for
doctors to administer a lethal drug or injection to terminate the
patient's life. It is so even though such course of action was
prompted by a humanitarian desire to end the suffering. All this
does not however mean prolonging a life at any cost when it is
plainly nearing its end. Allowing someone to die implies a
recognition that there is some point in terminal illness when
further curative treatment has no purpose and that a person in this
situation should be allowed to die a natural death in peace and
dignity. In no way, should this involve active or wilful
destruction of someone's life. Rather, it involves a refusal to
start curative treatment when no known cure is possible. While we
should respect a person's wish and right to die, we need not assist
him to die or commit suicide. Where as the law considers that the
discontinuance of life support may be consistent with the doctor's
duty to care for his patient, it does not, for reasons of policy
consider that it forms any part of his duty to give his patient a
lethal injection to put him out of his agony. The legal liability
of a person who assumes responsibility for the care of another who
cannot look after himself, for example, a baby or a frail person,
and making the person who is in charge of the other liable for
murder or manslaughter for his omission is the same as before.
While we should welcome medical technology and the use of new
devices such as 'miracle' drugs, organ transplants, haemodialysis
machines and so on, we should guard against going down the slippery
slope to the valley of euthanasia. In disconnecting life-support
machines after brain death, it is not an exaggeration to say this
is a common problem for doctors and next-of-kin of the dying
patient. The poser is: Is it better for death to be accelerated in
obviously hopeless cases by disconnecting the life-supporting
machine?' An immediate thought occurring to mind is, how can we be
absolutely sure that the case is hopeless? Miracles can and do
happen, although rarely. Whether right or not, one can only safely
conclude that there are many unexplained mysteries in this world.
This is a matter that has been agitating the minds of the orient
for many years. Buddhism does not countenance euthanasia for two
reasons. The first is that every living being has the results of
its own past karma to work out, and any interference with his
situation will not be anything more than a temporary alleviation of
the suffering it is bound to endure. The second reason for
condemning the mistaken support for euthanasia concerns the doer
and the deed. The very act of killing, whatever its apparent
motive, may be related to separation of life from the physical body
intentionally which goes against the natural formation of life
according to the following five factors: mental - energy, karmic
energy, germinal order, seasonal order and the order of natural
phenomena. The feeling takes the form of repugnance towards
suffering that is being witnessed. He disguises his real feeling as
a morally praise-worthy action, and so rationalises and justifies
it to himself. If he understood his own psychology better, the
hidden forces of cruetly arise at the time of committing the
deed.
This does not, however, prohibit the use of sedation and other
therapeutic sources to allay the suffering of any person. To be
able to relieve someone from suffering by any means and to create
an atmosphere for healing should be considered as laudable. All
those involved in the alleviation of suffering and in service of
the sick should cultivate awareness in their everyday work not
merely as an academic and humanitarian involvement, but also
associate themselves in the truth that is a psychological process
in eliminating selfishness, aversion and delusion.
SUICIDE Suicide is the act of intentionally and
voluntarily taking one's own life. Suicides fall into two types;
conventional and personal. The first type occurs as a result of
tradition and the force of public opinion. An example is hara-kiri,
the ritualistic suicide committed by abdominal stabbing by a
Japanese man of rank when he faced disgrace. Personal suicides are
more typical of modern times. The theory is generally accepted that
suicide is a result of failure to adjust to one's life stresses and
strains. Suicide is a way to solve various types of personal
problems - loneliness, hate, desire for revenge, fear, physical
pain, feelings of guilt etc. More men commit suicide than do women,
and this applies to all age groups. However, women make more
unsuccessful attempts than do men, either because of lack of skill
in the art of killing or because of emotional differences.
Most people who commit suicide are depressed. The highest
incidence occurs in those whose depression is accompanied by a
pervasive sense of hopelessness and a loss of interest or pleasure
in activities. In addition, people who are older, single, divorced
or widowed, and especially those who are addicted to alcohol or
drugs, are at higher risk. Those who are homeless are also more
serious suicide risks than others. Teenage suicide, on the other
hand, is a frightening problem. Since 1950 the suicide rate has
doubled in adolescent males. For various reasons, however, a
similar rise has not occurred in females. Some experts feel that
the rise in teenage suicides is due to the complexity and stress of
modern life. It is also known that television dramas and news
stories about suicide produce a temporary rise in the number of
youngsters who take their lives. Unemployment and pressure to
achieve are also factors. There are several warning signals to
watch for, including withdrawal from the company of friends and
from regular activities; neglect of personal appearance; radical
changes in eating and sleeping habits; and abuse of drugs and
alcohol. Some teenagers make their intentions even more obvious.
They may give away cherished possessions or say: 'I won't be a
problem much longer'. The actual act of suicide often follows some
emotional loss such as a break with a girlfriend (or boyfriend) or
a family divorce. Hence, if you should spot any of these
behavioural changes - and they must be taken seriously - you should
immediately discuss your child's unhappiness with him. For
instance, ask specific and direct questions about what he is
planning to do. Bringing things out in the open may reduce his
anxiety, and he will sense your support. Only then you may be able
to attack the problem itself and seek professional help if
necessary. The permissiveness of modern society, which implies
greater tolerance of deviant behaviour may partly be responsible
for the increase in suicidal acts, especially of self
poisoning.
Society's attitude toward suicidal behaviour has grown less
moralistic and punitive. There is now a greater readiness to
understand rather than to condemn, but a tendency to conceal
suicidal acts still persists. A fatal suicidal act tends to cause
grief reactions and guilt feelings on the part of those who may
feel that they could have prevented by caring and loving more than
they did. Unsatisfied craving or failure to gain what people wanted
become causes of committing suicide. No religion has ever condoned
this cruel act. The telephone is now commonly used as a means of
communication among lonely and desperate individuals contemplating
suicide, and seeking support and advice from members of a caring
society. As in the case of 'Alcoholics Anonymous' and other similar
organisations, voluntary workers serve as advisers round the clock
and their services are available to would-be suicidal cases at any
time. There is evidence that this kind of service does help to
avert suicidal acts to a great extent. MENTAL
IMBALANCE Mental imbalance which we regard as madness is
another big problem. By violating an ethical way of life, man
disturbs his own peace and happiness and that of others. Then by
bringing external incidents into the mind more miseries,
excitement, fear and insecurity are created.
Many people have to suffer from frustrations and nervous
breakdowns because they have not trained their minds to maintain
contentment. They have developed only craving for sensual
pleasures. To them development means development of craving. As a
result, they also develop unhealthy competition and violence. That
is how they have turned the whole world into a chaotic situation.
After that, everyone cries for peace. People accuse god or the
devil of putting them in misery. They do pray and worship to escape
from the problems which they themselves created. We can understand
now who actually creates problems and who can overcome them. The
Buddha says the world is within you. When you discipline yourself,
the whole world is disciplined and peace is maintained. It is not
necessary to beg for peace from others. Good and bad, peace and
violence, all exist because of the trained and untrained mind.
COPING WITH STRESS The word stress is borrowed
from physics and engineering, where it has a very precise meaning;
a force of sufficient magnitude to distort or deform. In
psychiatric practice however, stress involves an individuals'
physical and emotional reaction to pressure from his environment
and from within himself. There are two major types of stress; the
stress involved in loss of a loved one, or a job, or of self-esteem
that comes when a person's level of aspiration is impossibly high;
and the stress involved in threats to the individual's status,
goals, health and security. Stress gets its bad name because it may
become an unavoidable part of life, and cause one to be constantly
agitated. When this happens, it is possible to become overloaded
and suffer physically or emotionally, or both.
Stress can be caused by any number of factors, including
changes, both good and bad, personal problems, physical
difficulties, illnesses etc. Common sources of stress are: death of
spouse or close friend, marital separation, divorce, sexual
difficulties, change of residence, child leaving home, pregnancy,
in-law troubles, impending foreclosure on mortgage, dismissal (from
work), redundancy, change in work responsibilities or working
conditions and trouble with the boss. Each period of one's life has
its own set of stresses. In early life, the child has to cope with
the immediate family group and the demands of school, adjusting to
the personality of the teacher and to the other children can be
very stressful, as can the problem of boy and girl relationships in
later adolescence. Then there are the academic stresses of college
years and worries over career choice. After college, for most there
are the problems of the first years of marriage. These can be quite
serious and often lead to early divorce. The problems of having
children bear heavily on women, while men have early career
problems. Some of the stress-related illnesses include peptic
ulcers, migraine headaches, depression, high blood pressure, stroke
and heart attacks. Continuous stress can weaken the body's immune
system, and as a result the system may become less effective in
battling infections. Some authorities even suggest that chronic and
excessive stress may contribute to the development and progression
of cancer. In times of stress the body secretes a cascade of brain
chemicals and hormones, including adrenaline and hydrocortisone,
that stimulate what is known as the 'fight or flight' response.
Adrenaline increases the heart rate and rate of breathing, and
prepares the body to fight an external threat, or flee from it.
Hydrocortisone helps to maintain its readiness for dealing with
stress. Thus when we hear bad news on the phone, our immediate
reaction is one triggered by adrenaline, followed by an increased
secretion of hydrocortisone. The hormones that help us to cope with
stress for a short period, however, can cause health problems if we
are subjected to long-term stress. Constant stress causes the body
to secrete adrenaline and hydrocortisone on a continuing basis, and
in time their presence in the bloodstream may be erosive. Prolonged
high levels of adrenaline, for example, force the heart and lungs
to work overtime and keep blood pressure above normal level. In
time these changes may contribute to strokes or heart attacks.
Anxiety is the feeling of apprehension, tension or uneasiness
one gets when expecting danger. We all face some anxiety in order
to perform difficult tasks well, but too much can be
incapacitating. Anxiety disorders constitute the most common group
of mental illnesses, including the phobias, panic attacks and
post-traumatic stress disorder. Many people have a simple phobia --
a fear of specific objects or situations. Simple phobias are fairly
common, affecting about 3% of the population. The phobias are
defined as obsessive, persistent, unrealistic, intense fears of an
object or situation. Common ones are acrophobia (fear of heights);
claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces); agoraphobia (fear of
leaving the familiar setting of the home and being in a crowd or
public place) and xenophobia (fear of strangers). They tend to
avoid social situations lest they become humiliated or embarrassed.
Insomnia, or difficulty in sleeping, is common in many people under
many different circumstances. In fact more than 10% of people may
have sleeping problems. If one is facing a temporary but important
deadline at work or are under a lot of pressure, he may worry and
therefore lose sleep. Our bodies prefer regular daytime activity,
so shift workers have trouble adjusting their patterns of sleep.
Certain people, particularly war veterans, may suffer from what is
known as post-traumatic events during the war such as explosions
following artillery bombardment (shell-shock) and combat exposure,
and often develop such long-term stress reactions. And the symptoms
may appear or intensify long after the trauma had passed. One would
experience recurrent, troubling thoughts, memories and frightening
dreams or nightmares. One could be excessively irritable or anxious
and may startle easily. At times he may seem to withdraw, lose
interest in things he usually enjoys and feel detached from others.
The best thing one can do to cope with stress or stressful
situations in daily life are perhaps obvious, but nevertheless
important: eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, exercise every
day and take time to do the things you enjoy. Do not smoke or abuse
alcohol or other drugs. People who are easily upset and acutely
sensitive to stress can try to reduce their reactions by learning
relaxation, meditation and behaviour modification techniques.
MENTAL ENERGY MUST BE TRAINED The extraordinary
mental energy or intelligence that human beings experience cannot
be found in other living beings. However this mental energy is wild
and free and it must be trained and controlled for us to benefit
from it. Otherwise, that mind becomes the main cause of our own
problems. When the mind is harnessed properly through intense
training, then harmony, understanding and peace will prevail and we
can perform great good deeds not only for ourselves, but others
also. Let us take an example of a great waterfall. Imagine the
great energy that is wasted as the water falls thousands of feet
over a high cliff. But when man controls that energy and changes it
to electricity, then people benefit from it. But remember, even
when the mind is trained, whatever precaution we take to avoid the
unsatisfactoriness of our lives, the universal law of impermanence
changes everything in this world. This is the nature of existence.
Existing things change and disintegrate according to worldly
conditions. The combination of elements and energies and their
existence together produce objects which we can see and touch, thus
giving them an illusion of solidity and permanence. The cause of
their change is friction of the elements and energies. When a
visible object disintegrates through time it is the dissolution of
the elements and energies which have been compounded. The energy is
not lost, but goes on into new forms and the process continues
without end. This is a natural phenomenon and every component thing
is constituted in this way. There is no reason for us to regard
this situation as a certain creation of a supernatural being or
that it is the result of punishment for a primordial crime.
Buddhists regard this as a natural phenomenon. But many others
regard this situation as a problem because changes and impermanence
disappoint this craving for permanent existence. The
unsatisfactoriness of life begins when we realise that eternity in
another life, in heaven or hell, is impossible. The energies of our
bodies are also part of cosmic forces which influence the elements
and energies within our physical bodies. Some of our physical and
mental problems are due to their influence. Some other unknown
forces also disturb our lives which people regard as being caused
by evil spirits. Fear, imagination, suspicion and superstition
always feed on such beliefs to disturb the mind. When the mind is
disturbed, we suffer from physical problems. However, if our minds
are well trained and developed through understanding, we can
prevent many of these problems from occurring. That is why the
Buddha has said, 'Mind is the fore-runner of all good and evil
states, mind made are they.' Actually, we suffer from problems
because they are the results of our hallucination. By following the
Buddha's advice, we can eradicate fear and ignorance. HOW
TO FACE DEATH Another problem that people face today is
how to come to terms with the death of their loved ones, and this
includes parents. We must realize that death is a natural
occurrence and however much we love our aged parents we have to
realise the biological fact that human cells have a certain life
span. A time must come when they stop renewing themselves. It is to
be expected that in extreme old age, cells lose their ability to
maintain the balance of the destruction and repair process and can
no longer maintain the body in a healthy manner. The history of man
is nothing but how he tried to run away from death. Different
cultures have tried to run away from death in different ways. Mind
needs a permanent life but life creates an impermanent physical
body and we take this as life. After that unsatisfactoriness
disturbs the mind. For those who have lived a long and reasonably
happy life and who have strong religious training impending death
can even be a welcome phenomenon. When the time comes the dying
person becomes composed and leaves the world peacefully, confident
that he or she had lived a harmless life and contributed to the
progress of man.In societies with deeply entrenched religious
beliefs and unadulterated cultural patterns, the concept that death
is inevitable and a natural part of the life cycle is accepted.
When it does occur in such societies it is treated with philosophic
acceptance of the inevitable and is always treated with dignity.
Human beings are the only beings who can understand that one day
they will have to face death. That is why they worry unnecessarily
about it. Worrying about death will not make it stop, so why not
accept it calmly? Shakespeare makes Julius Caesar say:
'Of all the wonders that I yet have heard and seen. It seems to
memst strange that men should fear. Seeing that death, a necessary
end. will come when it will come.
On the other hand, there are those who do not bother at all
about the end of their lives or about what happens after that.
However, the majority not only worry about existing problems but
also worry about the next life. All other living beings are free
from that feeling. We have to realise that whatever method we adopt
to overcome our problems, it is impossible to gain complete
satisfaction in our lives until we train our minds and reduce
selfish desire. The teachings of the Buddha give us a very clear
exposition of how to understand the nature of human problems and
how to overcome them and how to face death without fear. Remember
the simple saying in Buddhism, 'Life is uncertain and the death is
certain.' Death is not the end of a life. In fact death is the
beginning of a life and birth is the beginning of death. The
setting sun in this country is the rising sun in another country.
Therefore, birth and death are interrelated. 'The birth of a man is
the birth of sorrow. The longer he lives the more stupid he
becomes. What bitterness. He lives for what is always out of reach.
His thirst for survival in the future makes him incapable of living
in the present.' (Chuang Tzu) The Buddha reminded us that
everything that exists is impermanent. With birth there is death;
with arising, there is dissolving; with coming together, there is
separation. How can there be birth without death? How can there be
arising without dissolving? How can there be coming together
without separation?
Birth and death are two ends of the same string. We cannot
remove death and leave existence only. First, man struggles to
avoid death. After that, he prepares for death. Actually we do not
exist but struggle for existence which we call living. THE
SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE SAYINGS OF THE BUDDHA
Neither for the sake of oneself nor for the sake of another
(does a wise person do any wrong); he should not cling to son,
wealth, or kingdom (by doing wrong): by unjust means he should not
seek his own success. Then (only) such a one is indeed virtuous,
wise and righteous - 84 Though one should live a hundred
years, immoral and uncontrolled, yet better, indeed, is a single
day's life of one who is moral and contemplative. -110
Even an evil-doer sees good as long as evil ripens not; but
when it bears fruit, then he sees the evil results. -119
Even a good person sees evil so long as good ripens not; but
when it bears fruit then the good one sees the good results.
-120 Whoever harms a harmless person, one pure and
guiltless, upon that very fool the evil recoils like fine dust
thrown against the wind. -125 Whoever, seeking his own
happiness, harms with the rod other pleasure-loving beings
experiences no happiness hereafter -131 So, when a fool
does wrong deeds, he does not realize (their evil nature); by his
own deeds the stupid man is tormented, like one burnt by fire.
-136 He who with the rod harms the rodless and harmless,
soon will come to one of these states according to his own evil
actions: He will be subject to acute pain, disaster,
bodily injury, or even grievous sickness, or loss of mind, or
oppression, or heavy accusation, or loss of relatives, or
destruction of wealth, or ravaging fire. Upon the dissolution of
the body such an unwise man will be born in suffering sates-138,
139, 140. If one holds oneself dear, one should protect
oneself well by guarding his mind. During every one of the three
watches the wise man should keep vigil. -157 By oneself,
indeed, is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil
left undone; by oneself, indeed, is one purified. Purity and
impurity depend on oneself. No one purifies another -165
Whoever, by good deed, covers (overcomes, negates) the evil
done, such a one illumines this world like the moon freed from
clouds -173 Ah, happily do we live, without hate amongst
the hateful; amidst hateful men we dwell unhating. -197
Victory breeds hatred. The defeated live in pain. Happily the
peaceful live, giving up victory and defeat. -201 From
craving springs grief, from craving springs fear; for him who is
wholly free from craving there is no grief, much less fear
-216 Conquer anger by love. Conquer evil by good. Conquer
the stingy by giving. Conquer the liar by truth.-223 As
rust sprung from iron eats itself away when arisen, even so his own
deeds lead the transgressor to states of woe. -240 There
is no fire like lust, no grip like hate, no net like delusion, no
river like craving. -251 Easily seen are others' faults,
hard indeed to see are one's own. Like chaff one winnows others'
faults, but one's own (faults) one hides, as a crafty fowler
conceals himself by camouflage -252 Beings who are ashamed
of what is not shameful, and are not ashamed of what is shameful,
embrace wrong views, and go to a woeful state. -316 Beings
who see fear in what is not to be feared, and see no fear in the
fearsome, embrace false views and go to a woeful state. -317
Beings knowing wrong as wrong and what is right as right,
embrace right views and go to a blissful state. If you do
not get a prudent companion who (is fit) to live with you, who
behaves well and is wise, then like a king who leaves a conquered
kingdom, you should live alone as an elephant does in the elephant
forest. -329
- The Dhammapada
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH VENERABLE DR. K. SRI
DHAMMANANDA MAHA NAYAKA THERA
Venerable Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda, doyen among the Sangha ìn
Malaysia, has served Malaysian Buddhism for over 42 years, as
spiritual leader, pundit, counsellor, and friend. He was born on
March 18, 1919, in the village of Kirinde, Matara Province, in
Southern Sri Lanka. He began his formal secular education at the
age of seven and soon developed a keen interest in Buddhism. Helped
in this early instruction by an uncle who was Chief Monk of the
local temple, and the example of a devout mother, he was ordained a
novice monk at the age of 12. At this time he was given the name
"Dhammananda", meaning "one who experiences happiness through the
Dharma" Devoting ten years to a detailed study of the Buddha's
teaching, at the age of 26 he received a diploma in linguistics,
philosophy, and the Pali Canon from Vidyalankara Pirivena. He
received a master's degree in 1949 from Beneres Hindu University in
Indian Philosophy. After serving Budhism in Sri Lanka for three
years, Venerable Dhammananda was selected to go to Malaysia. During
the 1950's and 1960's Malaysian Buddhism was poorly regarded by the
better educated Chinese, who thought of it as nothing more than
superstition. Venerable Dhammananda, through the Buddhist
Missionary Society, published many articles and pamphlets on all
aspects of Buddhism, and as a result, many became aware of the
Buddha's real teaching. Some of the popular titles he published are
"What Buddhists Believe", How to Live Without Fear and Worry", "A
Happy Married Life", Whither Mankind", and "Meditation, The Only
Way".
Though not a fiery preacher, Venerable Dhammananda was able to
captivate the minds of both the young and the educated with his
clear, simple and scientific exposition of the Buddha Dharma.
Venerable Dhammananda has been conferred with Honory Doctorates by
many universities around the world, and bestowed with the royal
title of Johan Setia Mahkota by the King of Malysia. He also
posseses what the Buddha described as the Seven Noble Qualities of
a Great Man in the Saka Sutta