Right understanding points the way to confidence; confidence
paves the way to wisdom.
Faith in the theistic sense is not found in Buddhism because of
its emphasis on understanding. Theistic faith is a drug for the
emotional mind and demands belief in things which cannot be known.
Knowledge destroys faith and faith destroys itself when a
mysterious belief is examined under the daylight of reason.
Confidence cannot be obtained by faith since it places less
emphasis on reason, but only by understanding.
Referring to the unintelligible and 'blind' nature of
faith, Voltaire said, 'Faith is to believe in something which your
reason tells you cannot be true; for if your reason approved of it,
there could be no question of blind faith.' Confidence, however, is
not the same as faith. For confidence is not a mental acceptance of
that which cannot be known. Confidence is an assured expectation,
not of an unknown beyond, but of what can be tested as experienced
and understood personally. Confidence is like the understanding
that a student has in his teacher who explains in the class-room
the inverse square law of gravitation as stated by Newton. He
should not adopt an unquestioning belief of his teacher and his
textbook. He studies the fact, examines the scientific arguments,
and makes an assessment of the reliability of the information. If
he has doubts, he should reserve his judgment until such time as
when he is able to investigate the accuracy of the information for
himself. To a Buddhist, confidence is a product of reason,
knowledge and experience. When it is developed, confidence can
never be blind faith. Confidence becomes a power of the mind. In
his book, What The Buddha Taught Walpola Rahula says: 'The question
of belief arises when there is no seeing -- seeing in every sense
of the word. The moment you see, the question of belief disappears.
If I tell you that I have a gem hidden in the folded palm of my
hand, the question of belief arises because you do not see it
yourself. But if I unclench my fist and show you the gem, then you
see it for yourself, and the question of belief does not arise. So
the phrase in ancient Buddhist texts reads:' Realizing, as one sees
a gem(or a myrobalan fruit) in the palm'.'
==The Meaning of Prayer ==
Nature is impartial; it cannot be flattered by prayers. It
does not grant any special favours on request.
Man is not a fallen creature who begs for his needs as he awaits
mercy. According to Buddhism, man is a potential master of himself.
Only because of his deep ignorance does man fail to realize his
full potential. Since the Buddha has shown this hidden power, man
must cultivate his mind and try to develop it by realizing his
innate ability. Buddhism gives full responsibility and dignity to
man. It makes man his own master. According to Buddhism, no higher
being sits in judgment over his affairs and destiny. That is to
say, our life, our society, our world, is what you and I want to
make out of it, and not what some other unknown being wants it to
be. Remember that nature is impartial; it cannot be flattered by
prayers. Nature does not grant any special favours on request. Thus
in Buddhism, prayer is meditation which has self-change as its
object. Prayer in meditation is the reconditioning of one's nature.
It is the transforming of one's inner nature accomplished by the
purification of the three faculties?thought, word, and deed.
Through meditation, we can understand that 'we become what we
think', in accordance with the discoveries of psychology. When we
pray, we experience some relief in our minds; that is, the
psychological effect that we have created through our faith and
devotion. After reciting certain verses we also experience the same
result. Religious names or symbols are important to the extent that
they help to develop devotion and confidence.
The Buddha Himself has clearly expressed that neither the
recital of holy scriptures, nor self-torture, nor sleeping on the
ground, nor the repetition of prayers, penance, hymns, charms,
mantras, incantations and invocations can bring the real happiness
of Nibbana. Regarding the use of prayers for attaining the
final goal, the Buddha once made an analogy of a man who wants to
cross a river. If he sits down and prays imploring that the far
bank of the river will come to him and carry him across, then his
prayer will not be answered. If he really wants to cross the river,
he must makes some effort; he must find some logs and build a raft,
or look for a bridge or construct a boat or perhaps swim. Somehow
he must work to get across the river. Likewise, if he wants to
cross the river of Samsara, prayers alone are not enough. He must
work hard by living a religious life, by controlling his passion,
calming his mind, and by getting rid of all the impurities and
defilements in his mind. Only then can he reach the final goal.
Prayer alone will never take him to the final goal. If prayer is
necessary, it should be to strengthen the mind and not to beg for
gains. The following prayer of a well-known poet, teaches us how to
pray, Buddhists will regard this as meditation to cultivate the
mind: 'Let me not pray to be sheltered from danger,
but to be fearless in facing them.
Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain,
but for the heart to conquer it.
Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved,
but for the patience to win my freedom.'
==Meditation ==
Meditation is the psychological approach to mental
culture, training and purification.
In place of prayer, Buddhist practise meditation for mental
culture and for spiritual development. No one can attain Nibbana or
salvation without developing the mind through meditation. Any
amount of meritorious deeds alone will not lead a person to attain
the final goal without the corresponding mental purification.
Naturally, the untrained mind is very elusive and persuades people
to commit evil and become slaves of the senses. Imagination and
emotions always mislead man if his mind is not properly trained.
One who knows how to practise meditation will be able to control
one' s mind when it is misled by the senses. Most of the troubles
which we are confronting today are due to the untrained and
uncultured mind. It is already established that meditation is the
remedy for many physical and mental sickness. Medical authorities
and great psychologists the world over say that mental frustration,
worries, miseries, anxieties, tension and fear are the causes of
many diseases, stomach ulcers, gastritis, nervous complaints and
mental sickness. And even latent sickness will be aggravated
through such mental conditions.
When the conscious ' I' frets too much, worries too much, or
grieves too long and too intensely, then troubles develop in the
body. Gastric ulcers, tuberculosis, coronary diseases and a host of
functional disorders are the products of mental and emotional
imbalance. In the case of children, the decay of the teeth and
defective eye-sight are frequently related to emotional
disorders.
Many of these sicknesses and disorders can be avoided if people
could spend a few minutes a day to calm their senses through the
practice of mediation. Many people do not believe this or are too
lazy to practise meditation owing to lack of understanding. Some
people say that mediation is only a waste of time. We must remember
that every spiritual master in this world attained the highest
point of his life through the practice of meditation. They are
honored today by millions of people because they have done
tremendous service to mankind with their supreme knowledge and
patience which they obtained through the practice of meditation.
Meditation should not be a task to which we force ourselves 'with
gritted teeth and clenched fists'
with joy and inspiration. So long as we have to force ourselves,
we are not yet ready for meditation. Instead of meditating we are
violating our true nature. Instead of relaxing and letting go, we
are holding on to our ego, to our will power. In this way
meditation becomes a game of ambition, of personal achievement and
aggrandizement. Meditation is like love: a spontaneous experience
-- not something that can be forced or acquired by strenuous
effort.
Therefore Buddhist mediation has no other purpose than to bring
the mind back into the present, into the state of fully awakened
consciousness, by clearing it from all obstacles that have been
created by habit or tradition. The Buddha obtained His
Enlightenment through the development of His mind. He did not seek
divine power to help Him. He gained His wisdom through self-effort
by practising meditation. To have a healthy body and mind and to
have peace in life, one must learn how to practise meditation.
Today we are living in a world where people have to work very
hard physically and mentally. Without hard work, there is no place
for people in the modern society. Very often keen competition is
going on everywhere. One is trying to beat the other in every
sphere of life and man has no rest at all. Mind is the nucleus of
life. When there is no real peace and rest in the mind, the whole
life will collapse. People naturally try to overcome their miseries
through pleasing the senses: they drink, gamble, sing and dance?all
the time having the illusion that they are enjoying he real
happiness of life. Sense stimulation is not the real way to have
relaxation. The more we try to please the senses through sensual
pleasures, the more will we become slaves to the senses. There will
be no end to our craving for satisfaction. The real way to relax is
to calm the senses by the control of mind. If we can control the
mind, then we will be able to control everything. When the mind is
free from mental disturbances it can see many things which others
cannot see with their naked eyes. Ultimately, we will be able to
attain our salvation and find peace and happiness.
To practise meditation, one must have strong determination,
effort and patience. Immediate results cannot be expected. We must
remember that it takes many years for a person to be qualified as a
doctor, lawyer, mathematician, philosopher, historian or a
scientist. Similarly to be a good meditator, it will take sometime
for the person to control the elusive mind and to calm the senses.
Practising meditation is like swimming in a river against the
current. Therefore one must not lose patience for not being able to
obtain rapid results. At the same time the meditator must also
cultivate his morality. A congenial place for meditation is another
important aspect. The meditator must have an object for his
meditation, for without an object the jumping mind is not easy to
trap. The object must not create lust, anger, delusion, and emotion
in the meditator's mind. When we start to meditate, we switch the
mind from the old imaginative way of thinking, or habitual thought
into a new unimpeded or unusual way of thinking. While meditating
when we breathe in mindfully, we absorb cosmic energy. When we
breathe out mindfully with Metta?loving kindness, we
purify the atmosphere. Intellect is necessary for the overcoming of
emotionality and spiritual confusion as intuition is necessary for
overcoming intellectual limitation and conceptual abstraction. We
spend most of our time on our body: to feed it, to clothe it, to
cleanse it, to wash it, to beautify it, to relax it, but how much
time do we spend on our mind for the same purposes?
Some people take the Buddha Image as an object and concentrate
on it. Some concentrate on inhaling and exhaling. Whatever may be
the method, if anyone tries to practise meditation, he is sure to
find relaxation. Meditation will help him a great deal to have
physical and mental health and to control the mind when it is
necessary. Man can do the highest service to the society by simply
abstaining from evils. The cultured mind that is developed through
meditation performs a most useful service to others. Meditation is
not simply a waste of man' s valuable time. The advanced mind of a
meditator can solve so many human problems and is very useful to
enlighten others. Meditation is very useful to help a person live
peacefully despite various disturbances that are so prevalent in
this modern world. We cannot be expected to retire to a jungle or
forest to live in ivory towers?' far from the madding crowd'. By
practising right meditation we can have an abode for temporary
oblivion. Meditation has the purpose of training a person to face,
understand and conquer this very world in which we live. Meditation
teaches us to adjust ourselves to bear with the numerous obstacles
to life in the modern world. Some people practise meditation in
order to satisfy their material desires; they want to further their
material gains. They want to use meditation to get better jobs.
They want to earn more money or to operate their business more
efficiently. Perhaps they fail to understand that the aim of
meditation is not to increase but to decrease desires.
Materialistic motives are hardly suitable for proper meditation,
the goal of which lies beyond worldly affairs. One should meditate
to try to attain something that even money cannot buy or bring.
If you practice meditation, you can learn to behave like a
gentleman even though you are disturbed by others. Through
meditation you can learn how to relax the body and to calm the
mind; you can learn to be tranquil and happy within.
Just as an engine gets overheated and damaged when it is run for
a prolonged period and requires cooling down to overcome this, so
also the mind gets overtaxed when we subject it to a sustained
degree of mental effort and it is only through meditation that
relaxation or cooling can be achieved. Meditation strengthens the
mind to control human emotion when it is disturbed by negative
thoughts and feelings such as jealousy, anger, pride and envy. If
you practise meditation, you can learn to make the proper decision
when you are at a cross-roads in life and are at a loss as to which
way to turn. These qualities cannot be purchased from anywhere. No
amount of money or property can buy these qualities, yet you attain
them through meditation. And finally the ultimate object of
Buddhist meditation is to eradicate all defilements from the mind
and to attain the final goal -- Nibbana. Nowadays, however, the
practice of meditation has been abused by people. They want
immediate and quick results, just as they expect quick returns for
everything they do in daily life. In Buddhism, as is the case with
other eastern cultures, patience is a most important quality. The
mind must be brought under control in slow degrees and one should
not try to reach for the higher states without proper training. We
have heard of over-enthusiastic young men and women literally going
out of their minds because they adopted the wrong attitudes towards
meditation. Meditation is a gentle way of conquering the
defilements which pollute the mind. If people want ' success' or '
achievement' to boast to others that they have attained this or
that level of meditation, they are abusing the method of mental
culture. One must be trained in morality and one must clearly
understand that to be successful in the discipline of meditation
worldly achievement must not be equated with spiritual development.
Ideally, it is good to work under an experienced teacher who will
help his student to develop along the right path. But above all one
must never be in a hurry to achieve too much too quickly.
==The Significance of Paritta Chanting ==
Paritta chanting is the recital of some of the Sutras
uttered by the Buddha in the Pali language for the blessing and
protection of the devotees.
Paritta Chanting or Sutra Chanting is a well-known Buddhist
practice conducted all over the world, especially in Theravada
Buddhist countries where the Pali language is used for recitals.
Many of these are important sutras from the basic teachings of the
Buddha which were selected by His disciples. Originally, these
sutras were recorded on ola leaves about two thousand
years ago. Later, they were compiled into a book known as the
'Paritta Chanting Book'. The names of the original books from which
these sutras were selected are the Anguttara Nikaya, Majjhima
Nikaya, Digha Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya and Kuddaka Nikaya
in the Sutra Pitaka.
The sutras that Buddhists recite for protection are known as
Paritta Chanting. Here 'protection' means shielding ourselves from
various forms of evil spirits, misfortune, sickness and influence
of the planetary systems as well as instilling confidence in the
mind. The vibrant sound of the chanting creates a very pleasing
atmosphere in the vicinity. The rhythm of the chanting is also
important. One might have noticed that when monks recite these
sutras, different intonations are adopted to harmonize with
different sutras intended for different quarters. It was found very
early during man's spiritual development that certain rhythms of
the human voice could produce significant psychological states of
peacefulness and serenity in the minds of ardent listeners.
Furthermore, intonation at certain levels would appeal to devas,
whilst certain rhythms would created a good influence over lower
beings like animals, snakes, or even spirits or ghosts. Therefore,
a soothing and correct rhythm is an important aspect of Paritta
Chanting. The use of these rhythms is not confined to Buddhism
alone. In every religion, when the followers recite their prayers
by using the holy books, they follow certain rhythms. We can
observe this when we listen to Quran reading by Muslims and the
Veda Mantra Chanting by Hindu priests in the Sanskrit language.
Some lovely chanting is also carried out by certain Christian
groups, especially the Roman Catholic and Greek orthodox sects.
When the sutras are chanted, three great and powerful forces are
activated. These are the forces of the Buddha, Dhamma and the
Sangha. Buddhism is the combination of these 'Three Jewels' and
when invoked together they can bring great blessing to mankind:
The Buddha. He had cultivated all the great
virtues, wisdom and enlightenment, developed His spiritual power
and gave us His noble Teachings. Even though the physical presence
of the Teacher is no more with us, His Teachings have remained for
the benefit of mankind. Similarly, the man who discovered
electricity is no more with us, yet by using his knowledge, the
effect of his wisdom still remains. The illumination that we enjoy
today is the result of his wisdom. The scientists who discovered
atomic energy are no longer living, but the knowledge to use it
remains with us. Likewise the Noble Teachings given us through the
Buddha's wisdom and enlightenment, are a most effective power for
people to draw inspiration from. When you remember Him and respect
Him, you develop confidence in Him. When you recite or listen to
the words uttered by Him, you invoke the power of His blessings.
The Dhamma. It is the power of truth, justice and
peace discovered by the Buddha which provides spiritual solace for
devotees to maintain peace and happiness. When you develop your
compassion, devotion and understanding, this power of the Dhamma
protects you and helps you to develop more confidence and strength
in your mind. Then your mind itself becomes a very powerful force
for your own protection. When it is known that you uphold the
Dhamma, people and other beings will respect you. The power of the
Dhamma protects you from various kinds of bad influence and evil
forces. Those who cannot understand the power of the Dhamma and how
to live in accordance with the Dhamma, invariably surrender
themselves to all forms of superstitious beliefs and subject
themselves to the influence of many kinds of gods, spirits and
mystical powers which require them to perform odd rites and
rituals. By so doing, they only develop more fear and suspicion
born out of ignorance. Large sums of money are spent on such
practices and this could be easily avoided if people were to
develop their confidence in the Dhamma. Dhamma is also described as
'nature' or 'natural phenomena' and 'cosmic law'. Those who have
learnt the nature of these forces can protect themselves through
the Dhamma. When the mind is calmed through perfect knowledge
disturbances cannot create fear in the mind. The
Sangha. It refers to the holy order of monks who have
renounced their worldly life for their spiritual development. They
are considered as disciples of the Buddha, who have cultivated
great virtues to attain sainthood or Arahantahood. We pay respect
to the Sangha community as the custodians of the Buddha Sasana or
those who had protected and introduced the Dhamma to the world over
the last 2,500 years. The services rendered by the Sangha community
has guided mankind to lead a righteous and noble life. They are the
living link with the Enlightened One who bring His message to us
through the recital of the words uttered by Him.
The chanting of sutras for blessing was started during the
Buddha's time. Later, in certain Buddhist countries such as Sri
Lanka, Thailand and Burma, this practice was developed further by
organizing prolonged chanting for one whole night or for several
days. With great devotion, devotees participated in the chanting
sessions by listening attentively and intelligently. There were
some occasions when the Buddha and His disciples chanted sutras to
bring spiritual solace to people suffering from epidemics, famines,
sickness and other natural disasters. On once occasion, when a
child was reported to be affected by some evil influence, the
Buddha instructed His monks to recite sutras to give protection to
the child from the evil forces. The blessing service, by way of
chanting, was effective. Of course, there were instances when the
sutra chanting could not be effective if the victims had committed
some strong bad kamma. Nevertheless, certain minor bad kammic
effects can be overcome by the vibrant power combined with the
great virtues and compassion of those holy people who chant these
sutras. Here, the overcoming of a bad kammic effect does not mean
the complete eradication of the effect, but only a temporary
suspension of such an effect.
Devotees who were tired fatigued have experienced relief and
calmness after listening to the chanting of sutras. Such an
experience is different from that provided by music because music
can create excitement in our mind and pander to our emotions but
does not create spiritual devotion and confidence. For the last
2,500 years, Buddhist devotees have experienced the good effects of
sutra chanting. We should try to understand how and why the words
uttered by the Buddha for blessing purposes could be so effective
even after His passing away. It is mentioned in the Buddha's
teaching that ever since he had the aspiration to become a Buddha
during His previous births, He had strongly upheld one particular
principle, namely, to abstain from 'telling lies'. Without abusing
or misusing His words, He spoke gently without hurting the feelings
of others. The power of Truth has become a source of strength in
the words uttered by the Buddha with great compassion. However, the
power of the Buddha's word alone is not enough to secure blessing
without the devotion and understanding of the devotees. The
miraculous effect experienced by many people in ridding themselves
of their sickness and many other mental disturbances through the
medium of the Buddhist sutras, enabled them to develop their faith
and confidence in this form of religious service.
==Are Buddhists Idol Worshippers? ==
Buddhists are not idol worshippers but ideal
worshippers.
Although it is customary amongst Buddhists to keep Buddha images
and to pay their respects to the Buddha, Buddhists are not idol
worshippers. Idolatry generally means erecting images of unknown
gods and goddesses in various shapes and sizes and to pray directly
to these images. The prayers are a request to the gods for guidance
and protection. The gods and goddesses are asked to bestow health,
wealth, property and to provide for various needs; they are asked
to forgive transgressions. The 'worshipping' at the Buddha image is
quite a different matter. Buddhists revere the image of the Buddha
as a gesture to the greatest, wisest, most benevolent,
compassionate and holy man who has ever lived in this world. It is
a historical fact that this great man actually lived in this world
and has done a great service to mankind. The worship of the Buddha
really means paying homage, veneration and devotion to Him and what
He represents, and not to the stone or metal figure. The image is a
visual aid that helps one to recall the Buddha in the mind and to
remember His great qualities which inspired millions of people from
generation to generation throughout the civilized world. Buddhists
use the statue as a symbol and as an object of concentration to
gain a peace of mind. When Buddhists look upon the image of the
Buddha, they put aside thoughts of strife and think only of peace,
serenity, calmness and tranquillity. The statue enables the mind to
recall this great man and inspires devotees to follow His example
and instructions. In their mind, the devout Buddhists feel the
living presence of the Master. This feeling makes their act of
worship become vivid and significant. The serenity of the Buddha
image influences and inspires them to observe the right path of
conduct and thought.
An understanding Buddhist never asks favours from the image nor
does he request forgiveness for evil deeds committed. An
understanding Buddhist tries to control his mind, to follow the
Buddha's advice, to get rid of worldly miseries and to find his
salvation. Those who criticize Buddhists for practising idol
worship are really misinterpreting what Buddhists do. If people can
keep the photographs of their parents and grandparents to cherish
in their memory, if people can keep the photographs of kings,
queens, prime ministers, great heroes, philosophers, and poets,
there is certainly no reason why Buddhists cannot keep their
beloved Master's picture or image to remember and respect Him. What
harm is there if people recite some verses praising the great
qualities of their Master? If people can lay wreaths on the graves
of beloved ones to express their gratitude, what harm is there is
Buddhists too offer some flowers, joss-sticks, incense, etc., to
their beloved Teacher who devoted His life to help suffering
humanity? People make statues of certain conquering heroes who were
in fact murderers and who were responsible for the death of
millions of innocent people. For the sake of power, these
conquerors committed murder with hatred, cruelty and greed. They
invaded poor countries and created untold suffering by taking away
lands and properties of others, and causing much destruction. Many
of these conquerors are regarded as national heroes; memorial
services are conducted for them and flowers are offered on their
graves and tombs. What is wrong then, if Buddhists pay their
respects to their world honored Teacher who sacrificed His worldly
pleasures for the sake of Enlightenment to show others the Path of
Salvation? Images are the language of the subconscious. Therefore,
the image of the Enlightened One is often created within one's mind
as the embodiment of perfection, the image will deeply penetrate
into the subconscious mind and (if it is sufficiently strong
enough)can act as an automatic brake against impulses. The
recollection of the Buddha produces joy, invigorate the mind and
elevates man from states of restlessness, tension and frustration.
Thus the worship of the Buddha is not a prayer in its usual sense
but a meditation. Therefore, it is not idol worship, but 'ideal'
worship. Thus Buddhists can find fresh strength to build a shrine
of their lives. They cleanse their hearts until they feel worthy to
bear the image in their innermost shrine. Buddhists pay respects to
the great person who is represented by the image. They try to gain
inspiration from His Noble personality and emulate Him. Buddhists
do not see the Buddha image as a dead idol of wood or metal or
clay. The image represents something vibrant to those who
understand and are purified in thought, word and deed. The Buddha
images are nothing more than symbolic representations of His great
qualities. It is not unnatural that the deep respect for the Buddha
should be expressed in some of the finest and most beautiful forms
of art and sculpture the world has ever known. It is difficult to
understand why some people look down on those who pay respect to
images which represent holy religious teachers.
The calm and serene image of the Buddha has been a common
concept of ideal beauty. The Buddha's image is the most precious,
common asset of Asian cultures. Without the image of the Buddha,
where can we find a serene, radiant and spiritually emancipated
personality? But the image of the Buddha is appreciated not only by
Asian or Buddhists. Anatole France in his autobiography writes, 'On
the first of May, 1890, chance led me to visit the Museum in Paris.
There standing in the silence and simplicity of the gods of Asia,
my eyes fell on the statue of the Buddha who beckoned to suffering
humanity to develop understanding and compassion. If ever a god
walked on this earth, I felt here was He. I felt like kneeling down
to Him and praying to Him as to a God. Once a general left an image
of the Buddha as a legacy to Winston Churchill. The general said,
'if ever your mind gets perturbed and perplexed, I want you to see
this image and be comforted.' What is it that makes the message of
the Buddha so attractive to people who have cultivated their
intellect? Perhaps the answer can be seen in the serenity of the
image of the Buddha. Not only in color and line did men express
their faith in the Buddha and the graciousness of His Teaching.
Human hands wrought in metal and stone to produce the Buddha image
that is one of the greatest creations of the human genius. Witness
the famous image in the Abhayagiri Vihara in Sri Lanka, or
the Buddha image of Sarnath or the celebrated images of
Borobudur. The eyes are full of compassion and the hands
express fearlessness, or goodwill and blessings, or they unravel
some thread of thought or call the earth to witness His great
search for Truth. Wherever the Dhamma went, the image of the great
Teacher went with it, not only as an object of worship but also as
an object of meditation and reverence. 'I known nothing,'says
Keyserling,' more grand in this world than the figure of the
Buddha. It is an absolutely perfect embodiment of spirituality in
the visible domain.'
A life so beautiful, a heart so pure and kind, a mind so deep
and enlightened, a personality so inspiring and selfless -- such a
perfect life, such a compassionate heart, such a calm mind, such a
serene personality is really worthy of respect, worthy of honour
and worthy of offering. The Buddha is the highest perfection of
mankind. The Buddha image is the symbol, not of a person, but of
Buddhahood -- that to which all men can attain though few do. For
Buddhahood is not for one but for many: 'The Buddhas of the past
ages, the Buddhas that are yet to come, the Buddha of the present
age; humbly I each day adore.' However, it is not compulsory for
every Buddhist to have a Buddha image to practise Buddhism. Those
who can control their mind and the senses, can certainly do so
without an image as an object. If Buddhists truly wish to behold
the Buddha in all the majestic splendor and beauty of His ideal
presence, they must translate His Teachings into practice in their
daily lives. It is in the practice of His Teachings that they can
come closer to Him and feel the wonderful radiance of His undying
wisdom and compassion. Simply respecting the images without
following His Sublime Teachings is not the way to find salvation.
We must also endeavor to understand the spirit of the Buddha. His
Teaching is the only way to save this troubled world. In spite of
the tremendous advantages of science and technology, people in the
world today are filled with fear, anxiety and despair. The answer
to our troubled world is found in the Teaching of the Buddha.
==Religious Significance of Fasting ==
Many people in the world face untimely death owing to
over-eating.
In Buddhism, fasting is recognized as one of the methods for
practising self-control. The Buddha advised monks not to take solid
food after noon. Lay people who observe the eight Precepts on full
moon days also abstain from taking any solid food after noon.
Critics sometimes regard these practices as religious fads. They
are not religious fads but practices based on a moral and
psychological insight. In Buddhism, fasting is an initial stage of
self-discipline to acquire self-control. In every religion, there
is a system of fasting. By fasting and sacrificing a meal once a
day or for any period, we can contribute our food to those who are
starving or who do not have even a proper meal each day.
'A man who eats too much', writes Leo Tolstoy, 'cannot strive
against laziness, while a gluttonous and idle man will never be
able to contend with sexual lust. Therefore, according to all moral
teachings, the effort towards self-control commences with a
struggle against the lust of gluttony?commences with fasting just
as the first condition of a good life is self-control, so the first
condition of a life of self-control is fasting.' Sages in various
countries who practised self-control began with a system of
regulated fasting and succeeded in attaining unbelievable heights
of spirituality. An ascetic was kicked and tortured, and then his
hands and feet were severed on the orders of a rakish king. But the
ascetic, according to the Buddhist story, endured the torture with
equanimity and without the slightest anger or hatred. Such
religious people have developed their mental power through
restraining from sensual indulgence.
==Vegetarianism ==
One should not judge the purity or impurity of man simply by
observing what he eats.
In the Amagandha Sutta, the Buddha said:
<dir>
'Neither meat, nor fasting, nor nakedness, Nor shaven heads,
nor matted hair, nor dirt, Nor rough skins, nor fire-worshipping,
Nor all the penances here in this world, Nor hymns, nor oblation,
nor sacrifice, Nor feasts of the season, Will purify a man overcome
with doubt.'
</dir> Taking fish and meat by itself does not make a man
become impure. A man makes himself impure by bigotry, deceit, envy,
self-exaltation, disparagement and other evil intentions. Through
his own evil thoughts and actions, man makes himself impure. There
is no strict rule in Buddhism that the followers of the Buddha
should not take fish and meat. The only advice given by the Buddha
is that they should not be involved in killing intentionally or
they should not ask others to kill any living being for them.
However, those who take vegetable food and abstain from animal
flesh are praiseworthy. Though the Buddha did not advocate
vegetarianism for the monks, He did advise the monks to avoid
taking ten kinds of meat for their self respect and protection.
They are: humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers,
leopards, bears hyenas. Some animals attack people when they smell
the flesh of their own kind. (Vinaya Pitaka) When the
Buddha was asked to introduce vegetarianism amongst His disciples,
the Buddha refused to do so. As Buddhism is a free religion, His
advice was to leave the decision regarding vegetarianism to the
individual disciple. It clearly shows that the Buddha had not
considered this as a very important religious observance. The
Buddha did not mention anything about vegetarianism for the lay
Buddhists in His Teaching. Jivaka Komarabhacca, the doctor,
discussed this controversial issue with the Buddha: 'Lord, I have
heard that animals are slaughtered on purpose for the recluse
Gotama, and that the recluse Gotama knowingly eats the meat killed
on purpose for him. Lord, do those who say animals are slaughtered
on purpose for the recluse Gotama, and the recluse Gotama knowingly
eats the meat killed on purpose for. Do they falsely accuse the
Buddha? Or do they speak the truth? Are your declaration and
supplementary declarations not thus subject to be ridiculed by
others in any manner?'
'Jivaka, those who say: 'Animals are slaughtered on purpose for
the recluse Gotama, and the recluse Gotama knowingly eats the meat
killed on purpose for him', do not say according to what I have
declared, and they falsely accuse me. Jivaka, I have declared that
one should not make use of meat it is seen, heard or suspected to
have been killed on purpose for a monk. I allow the monks meat that
is quite pure in three respects: if it is not seen, heard or
suspected to have been killed on purpose for a monk.' (Jivaka
Sutta) In certain countries, the followers of the Mahayana school
of Buddhism are strict vegetarians. While appreciating their
observance in the name of religion, we should like to point out
that they should not condemn those who are not vegetarians. They
must remember that there is no precept in the original Teachings of
the Buddha that requires all Buddhists to be vegetarians. We must
realize that Buddhism is known as the Middle Path. It is a liberal
religion and the Buddha's advice was that it is not necessary to go
to extremes to practise His Teachings. Vegetarianism alone does not
help a man to cultivate his humane qualities. There are kind,
humble, polite and religious people amongst non-vegetarians.
Therefore, one should not condone the statement that a pure,
religious man must practise vegetarianism.
On the other hand, if anybody thinks that people cannot have a
healthy life without taking fish and meat, it does not necessarily
follow that they are correct since there are millions of pure
vegetarians all over the world who are stronger and healthier than
the meat-eaters. People who criticize Buddhists who eat meat do not
understand the Buddhist attitude towards food. A living being needs
nourishment. We eat to live. As such a human being should supply
his body with the food it needs to keep him healthy and to give him
energy to work. However, as a result of increasing wealth, more and
more people, especially in developed countries, eat simply to
satisfy their palates. If one craves after any kind of food, or
kills to satisfy his greed for meat, this is wrong. But if one eats
without greed and without directly being involved in the act of
killing but merely to sustain the physical body, he is practising
self restraint.
==The Moon and Religious Observances ==
The outstanding events in the life of the Buddha took place
on full moon days.
Many people would like to know the religious significance of the
full moon and new moon days. To Buddhists, there is a special
religious significance especially on full day because certain
important and outstanding events connected with the life of Lord
Buddha took place on full moon days. The Buddha was born on a full
moon day. His renunciation took place on a full moon day. His
Enlightenment, the delivery of His first sermon, His passing away
into Nibbana and many other important events associated with His
life-span of eighty years, occurred on full moon days. Buddhists
all over the world have a high regard for full moon days. They
celebrate this day with religious fervor by observing precepts,
practising meditation and by keeping away from the sensual worldly
life. On this day they direct their attention to spiritual
development. Apart from Buddhists, it is understood that other
co-religionists also believe that there is some religious
significance related to the various phases of the moon. They also
observe certain religious disciplines such as fasting and praying
on full moon days. Ancient belief in India says that the moon is
the controller of the water, and circulating through the universe,
sustaining all living creatures, is the counterpart on earth of the
liquor heaven, 'amrta'the drink of the gods. Dew and rain
become vegetable sap, sap becomes the milk of cow, and the milk is
then converted into blood. Amrta water, sap, milk and blood,
represent but different states of the one elixir. The vessel or cup
of this immortal fluid is the moon.
It is believed that the moon, like the other planets, exerts a
considerable degree of influence on human beings. It has been
observed that people suffering from mental ailments invariably have
their passions and emotional feelings affected during full moon
days. The word 'lunatic' derived from the word 'lunar' (or moon) is
most significant and indicates very clearly the influence of the
moon on human life. Some people, suffering from various forms of
illness invariably find their sickness aggravated during such
periods. Researchers have found that certain phases of the moon not
only affect humans and animals, but also influence plant life and
other elements. Low-tides and high-tides are a direct result of the
overpowering influence of the moon.
Our human body consists of about seventy percent liquid. It is
accepted by physicians that our bodily fluids flow more freely at
the time of full moon. People suffering from asthma, bronchitis and
even certain skin diseases, find their ailments aggravated under
the influence of the moon. More than five thousand years ago,
people had recognized the influence of the moon on cultivation.
Farmers were very particular about the effect of the moon on their
crops. They knew that certain grains and paddy would be affected if
blooming took place during a full moon period. Medical science had
also ascertained the different reactions of certain medicines under
different facets of the moon, because of the influence of the moon
on human beings. In view of the possible influence of the moon, the
ancient sages advised the people to refrain from various
commitments on this particular day and take it easy for the day.
They are advised to relax their minds on this particular day and to
devote their time to spiritual pursuits. All those who have
developed their minds to a certain extent can achieve enlightenment
since the brain is in an awakened state. Those who have not trained
their minds through religious discipline are liable to be subjected
to the strong influence of the moon. The Buddha attained His
Enlightenment on a full moon day for He had developing and attuning
it correctly for a long period. In days gone by, full moon and new
moon days were declared public holidays in many Buddhist countries
and people were encouraged to devote their time to spiritual
development. It was only during the colonial period that holidays
were switched over to Sundays. In view of this, some Buddhist
countries are now trying to re-introduce the former lunar system of
holidays. It is advisable to observe full moon day as a religious
day to concentrate on peace and happiness by calming down the
senses. Many Buddhists observe the eight precepts on full moon
days, to be free from family commitments and to keep away from
worldly pleasures in order to have peace of mind for their
spiritual development. The effects of the moon on life and earth
has been analysed scientifically. One writer says:
'I have been reading an article in an American science magazine
recently where the writer brings together the present on the
subject of the moon to prove how decisively this age old object of
the skies influences our lives, particularly at each of the four
phases it passes through in its 28-day cycle.' This research, by
the way, was done at the American Universities of Yale, Duke and
Northwestern and they have 'independently' come up with the
astonishing evidence that the moon plays a big part in our daily
life and indeed, in the lives of all living things. We are assured
that there is nothing very occult in this phenomenon put that the
phases of the moon do in fact stimulate various bodily actions like
modifying metabolism, electrical charges and blood acidity. One of
the key experiments performed to establish this fact was on fiddler
crabs, mice and some plants. They were all placed in chambers where
weather conditions could not affect them, but were subjected to air
pressure, humidity, light and temperature under controlled
conditions. The hundreds of observations made showed a remarkable
fact, namely that all the animals and plants operated on a 28-day
cycle. Metabolism which was found to have dropped at the time of
the new moon was twenty percent higher at the time of the phase of
the full moon. This difference is described as a striking
variation.
Once a nurse in Florida told a doctor that she noticed a lot
more bleeding occurred when the moon is full. Like all doctors who
are skeptical about such beliefs, he laughed at this statement. But
the nurse, undeterred, produced records of surgical operations
which clearly showed that during full moon, more patients had to be
returned to the operating theater than at any other time for
treatment for excessively bleeding after operations. To satisfy
himself, this doctor started keeping records on his own and he came
to a similar conclusion. When we consider all those occurrences, we
can understand why our ancestors and religious teachers had advised
us to change our daily routine and to relax physically and mentally
on full moon and new moon days. The practise of religion is the
most appropriate method for people to experience mental peace and
physical relaxation. The Buddhists are merely observing the wisdom
of the past when they devote more time to activities of a spiritual
nature on New Moon and Full Moon days.