Natural Appeal
of Buddhism
Modern physics that brought about profound influences and much
important changes in various aspects of our society were found to be in parallel
with Buddhism in many aspects. The concept that matter in subatomic physics were
totally different from the traditional ideas of material substance in the classical
physics realized only recently, had been well known centuries ago, in Buddhism.
The impact of these similarities are currently attracting the attention of many
people, particularly more so in the Western world.
In the days of Rene Descartes,
the views of nature were regarded in two separate and independent realms, that
of the mind, and that of the matter. This led to a development of philosophical
thought at that time, the formulation of the spirit / matter dualism.
The misconceptions
that we were separate and independent beings were not only an illusion, but also
a fundamental source of our suffering. This erroneous idea of being created and
of being separate, remained fixed in the minds of some people despite the fact
that science have recently shown us in specific ways that we have been fashioned
out of other life forms and shaped by natural forces.
* Dr. Daniel Brown,
a Harvard psychologist wrote in MindScience, "The meditative traditions take
up where he (Freud) left off
..The way involves training attention so that
you gain voluntary control over perceptual processes and eventually undercut the
roots of reactivity
.. This eliminates a great deal of suffering, since the
basis of that suffering were in those mechanisms and that reactivity. You thus
become a master of your own mind and experience"
Classical Physics, Modern
Physics, and Buddhism
Isaac Newton's views on the classical physics theory
were constructed and based upon the mechanistic world-views of Descartes. These
scientific thoughts dominated the Western world from the second half of the seventeenth
century until the end of nineteenth century. These thoughts and beliefs were also
paralleled by the image of a monarchial God who ruled the world from above by
imposing his divine laws. Thus any search in any part of natural laws in those
days were invariably subjected to the laws of God.
The philosophy of Descartes
has a profound influence on the general Western ways of thinking up to the present
day. Descartes' views that mind are separate from the body led individuals to
become aware of themselves as isolated egos existing 'inside' their bodies. This
separateness engaged them in endless conflicts generating continuous metaphysical
confusions and frustrations.
The narcissistic ego of ourselves propels us
to measure, judge, discriminate and categorize mentally. This is called avijja,
or ignorance, by the Buddha, and is seen as the state of a disturbed mind or mind-state.
(Narcissismmeans self-love, excessive interest in one's own appearance, comfort,
importance, abilities
.)
A direct experience of reality which transcends
not only intellectual thinking in a non-ordinary state of consciousness through
vipassana meditation can only realize the 'Absolute Knowledge' or Wisdom (Insight),
said the Buddha.
In modern times, in a psychological research, William James
said:
Our normal waking consciousness, rational consciousness as we call it,
is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it
by filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different.
After
over 2500 years, Buddhism is today finding new sources of strength and immense
popularity amongst the Western world. The great traditional teachings of the Buddha,
and the advancement of the cutting edge science and technology has led many to
make comparisons with Buddhism into many areas, even in neuroscience, advance
physics, evolutionary biology, psychology and psychotherapy.
Buddhist views
and philosophies are now considered as also those views emerging in modern quantum
physics. It has now been realized that Buddhist philosophic background provide
a consistent and relevant background to contemporary science, a concept that both
can be in perfect harmony.
The Buddha's specific prescriptions for the cultivation
of ethical and moral conduct - Right Action, Right Speech, and Right Livelihood
forms the basis of all aspects of behavior, and they influence personal, family,
fraternal, civic and social matters.
All over North America, Europe, Great
Britain, Australia and many other places, Buddhism has attracted the intellectual
curiosity of increasing number of people. Many have found Buddhism brings personal
satisfaction and gratification.
Religion has always been regarded as belief
in God or some Divine. Hence they become identified with a theistic attitude of
a particular form or convention. Buddha, the Fully Enlightened One, was a human
being and a Teacher. Many theists regarded Buddhism as atheist.
Modern Scientific
and Medical Application of Buddha's Teachings.
Cosmic and Biological Sense
of Self
All over North America and other parts of the world, many notable
medical doctors, physicists, scientists, psychologists and psychotherapists are
applying Buddha's teachings in science, medicine and meditation practice.
Amongst
them, Jack Kornfield, Ph.D.., and psychotherapist were trained as a Buddhist monk,
by Mahasi Sayadaw, U Asabha Sayadaw and Achaan Chaa. He is one of those teachers
who have introduced Theravada Buddhist practice to the West.
In a 'forward'
in a book, "Teachings of a Buddhist Monk", by Ajahn Sumedho, Jack Kornfield
wrote in the preface:
'Spiritual life is not about becoming someone special
but discovering a greatness of heart within us and every being. It is an invitation
to inwardly drop our opinions, our views, our ideas, our thoughts, our whole sense
of time and ourselves, and come to rest in no fixed position. Ajahn Sumedho invites
us all, ordained and lay people alike, to enjoy our freedom beyond all conditions,
a freedom from fears, from gain and loss, from pleasure and pain. This is the
joy and happiness of the Buddha."
Modern physics has given wide attention
to agreement in Buddhism and science, is now evident, and it is believed that
the sharing of information between Buddhist meditators, scientists, physicists,
psychotherapists and biologists will bring even more significant results in the
coming years, particularly in the areas of neuroscience.
Case of Mistaken Identity
(the "I")
Buddha as scientist has always admonished us to use ourselves
as an object for research and analyses. The object of Buddha's vipassana meditation
is a process of careful deconstruction of the apparent solid realities of the
mind and body as a way to explore their sources, and reveal our oneness with the
world, said Wes Nisker.
In the Abhidhamma, it is said that " the first
task of insight ( vipassana ) meditation is
..the dissecting of an apparent
compact mass."
In a truly meaningful way, Buddha's message to mankind
is to remind us that we are always lost in a circle of mistaken identity which
is one of the main cause of our suffering. That we had been disillusioned to the
fact of our permanent 'self', and the grasping of the 'I', the 'me' and the 'mine'
had made us difficult to attain liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
True
happiness consists in eliminating the false idea of "I"
The Buddha.
The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and
the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self.
Albert Einstein
In a compassionate but scientific manner, Albert Einstein was noted to have
offered solace to a Rabbi, who sought advice from him, on how to comfort his nineteen-year-old
daughter over the death of her sixteen-year-old sister :
A human being is a
part of the whole, called by us "Universe", a
part limited in time
and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts
and feelings as something separated
from the rest - a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness. This delusion
is a kind of prison for us,
restricting us to our personal desires and to affection
for a few persons
nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
prison by
widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures
and
the whole nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely,
but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation,
and a foundation for inner security.
Albert Einstein
In Buddhism, consciousness
is regarded as the discriminative function of the mind. Consciousness always creates
the impression of a subject and an object thus giving the delusion of dualistic
view of " I am my body, I am my feelings, I am myself." This is how
we perceive the ' mistaken' identity of ourselves.
The Mahasatipatthana Sutta
provide clear instructions on how we have to strive to become aware of our mind-states
and emotions. Even though our different mind-states may come and go, and at times
may experience ups and downs, we will not be so identified by these occurrences,
being mindfully aware that they are part of nature based in evolution.
Buddha
knows very well that as sentient beings we have nervous system that works according
to stimulus - response. We have often seen on television how people goes wild
and 'out of control', killing and murdering senselessly. Here we can see the biologically
conditioned desire, lust, and hatred that springs out very much like an animal
instinct. Buddha understood very well the place where our experience begins. We
inherit from life's conditions the approach-avoidance, fight or flight response
from being consciously unaware of our own actions. The Buddha has exalted in many
discourses on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to be mindful of these basic
sensations, feelings, emotions, so that we become constantly aware of our actions
- lobha, dosa, moha (which means - greed, anger, and delusion.)
To guard against
doing wrong, Buddha prescribed the five precepts*, wherein one trains one self
to refrain from senseless killing, speaking falsehood or lies, not to take or
steal what does not belong to oneself, to refrain from adulterous sex, and abstain
from using intoxicating substances.
In the training and observing of the precepts,
the individual makes a personal commitment thus : " I undertake the rule
of training to refrain from " (1) destroying life, (2) taking what is not
given, (3) illicit sexual relationships, (4) false speech, and (5) intoxicants
causing heedlessness. Note the commitment or affirmation, " I undertake
refraining
from"
is that individual's responsibility and commitment to keep when
observing the 'precepts'. It is entirely different from the divine commandments
of the Hebraic and Christian decalogue , " Thou shall not
.".
Any
individual who has thought of following the 'path' of Buddhism is committed by
their own free will to conduct themselves with benevolence compassion, joyous
sympathy, and equanimity. These are the foundations of ethical conduct, without
which that person will not be able to follow the Noble Eightfold Path, which is
a step forward to mental cultivation and to insight-wisdom.
A simple manner
of observing and maintaining the precepts involves constant vigilance over - (right)
action , (right) speech, (right) thought ( kayakan ,wasikan, manokan, ) A Buddhist
pays homage to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha by repeating in confirmation,
" I go to the Buddha for refuge, I go to the Dhamma for refuge, I go to the
Sangha for refuge", three times. (Known as the Triple Gem).
* See my
rendition of : 'Basic Burmese Buddhist Homage and Affirmations'
Understanding
Pain and Suffering.
In the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha said:
Thus any feeling
whatsoever --- past, future, or present;
internal or external; blatant or subtle,
common or sublime,
far or near; every feeling --- is to be seen as it actually
is
with right understanding: "This is not mine.
This is not myself.
This is not what I am".
In the Journal of Neuroscience published by the
University of California, researchers have discovered that at the height of a
painful experience the human brain could produce relief which can be as potent
as a high dose of morphine..They said that the body has the ability through the
mind to activate its own painkillers to deal with intense pain.
The Samyutta
Nikaya Buddhist text describes two kinds of pain. Mental and physical pain suffered
by people with untrained mind, and people who has been trained through Vipassana
meditation and are acutely aware and mindful of the pain. Such trained people
are able to understand that the pain does not belong to them and they are able
to confront the agony. The attitude of mindfulness meditation toward pain is to
know and accept it.
An excellent and pathetic account of how he eventually
conquered and overcome pain, agony and suffering through vipassana meditation,
was written and described by Gavin Harrison in the book called 'In The Lap of
The Buddha'. Gavin Harrison was molested when he was a child, and later in adulthood
was raped. He contracted HIV, and doctors pronounced that he has not many years
to live. I strongly recommend this superb book.
Dr. Kabat- Zin has successfully
applied the principle of Vipassana meditation at the Stress Reduction Clinic at
the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre, where sessions are conducted to
teach patients to focus on the sensations of pain.
Impermanent Nature of all
Phenomenon.
As a scientist, Buddha is not very much concerned with the 'cosmic
consciousness', or on the question of the "first cause". He remained
clearly silent on the issues of gods and the creation process, saying it would
be impossible to trace the kammic source of either an individual or the beginning
of the universe. Buddha instead emphasized the importance of mindfulness, which
Wes Nisker, author of Buddha's Nature appropriately termed, "biological consciousness".
Buddhism
is not dogmatic nor catechistic as others perceived it to be. One does not have
to renounce one's present religion in order to become a Buddhist. Sylvia Boorstein
famous author of 'Its Easier Than You Think', says she is a Jewish mother but
a devout Buddhist. A Montrealer I know quips, " Je suis Catholique, mais
Buddhist". Buddhists do not believe in praying to a divinity, ignores the
question of whether there is a God, and discourages reliance on ritual and ceremony.
The Buddha admonishes one to rely on themselves and to find truth within themselves.
Buddhism does not preach 'sin'. Buddha taught Dhamma, which might be simply stated
as how to live the good life. In fact Buddhism is indeed a way of life - a life
of morality, meditation, and the cultivation of in-sight wisdom.
Empirical
science considers the world as material world. Buddha's teachings stressed the
ultimate point that all perceptions, all mental states, all emotions, all feelings,
all material world and objects are impermanent.
He said, "What arises,
ceases."
He emphasized this over and over again that this is a very important
insight that frees mankind from all kinds of delusions. What arises, ceases. -
Anicca. ( in Pali ).
A major dissimilarity between Buddhism and other religions
lies in the Buddhist perception of dukkha, which is loosely translated as suffering.
Buddha said:
Birth is dukkha, a shocking traumatic experience.
Sickness
is dukkha, with its pains, fever, discomforts and anguish.
Old Age, decay
and decrepitude are dukkha, with strength and vigor diminishing, with appetites
waning, with vital organs faltering, with dependence on others Increasing.
Death
is dukkha, as is fear of death.
Grief, lamentation, pain, anguish, and despair
are dukkha.
Being united with what one dislikes is dukkha.
Being separated
from what one likes or from the people one loves is dukkha
Not getting what
one want is dukkha.
Attachment to the five khandhas, the five aggregates which
makes up an individual -- body, feelings, perceptions, intentions and volitions,
acts of consciousness - is dukkha.
Attachment to the notion of "self",
"me" or "I" is dukkha.
This last notion of attachment to
"self " is best explained from the Samyutta Nikaya, where the Buddha
said, " This body does not belong to you or to anyone else. It is the result
of previous activity
.. ; for now it should be felt". In other words,
Buddha is explaining that this body is not of our own creation or choosing but
arises out of our process of multiple causes and conditions. Wes Nisker calls
it : ' evolutionary adaptation ', organic process, in scientific parlance.
Buddha
explained the pain of attachment to self as Anatta, or the doctrine of no-self.
One of the simplest reason being that we do not control our body. Buddha said
in the Anattalakkhana Sutta : " Were it self, the body would not suffer affliction,
and one could have of body what one wished, saying ' Let my body be this, let
my body be that '."
Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta in Buddhism are the three
characteristics of being.
Foundations of moral and ethical conducts.
The
cultivation of ethical conduct is the first requirement in the Buddhist discipline.
It is the most important foundation on which development of mental tranquility
and mindfulness is based. Vipassana Meditation is the discipline from which insight
wisdom is derived.
Most intellectuals and academics find it difficult to accept
the notion of 'no self ,' or the Doctrine of Anatta. They claim they are in control
and in charge of their lives. Kenneth Ch'en, author of Buddhism, the Light of
Asia, explains, " there is only a living complex of mental and physical elements
( the khandhas) succeeding one another continuously, living on the fruits of acts.
Because of this it can control itself and can exert efforts to better itself,
so that by proper discipline it is able to attain nirvana or deliverance".
Buddhists
reasons that all good deeds have good effects, bad deeds have bad consequences
or effects. Such effects are either felt in this very lifetime or in the next
life. Buddha said that it is kamma, the accumulation of our good or bad deed,
of merits, that controls us, either now or from the past It is wrong to blame
God or Divine for any deficiencies in our life, and even worse, to accuse him
of any natural disasters and life's tragedies as an Act or Punishment of God.
Sowing
the seeds of merit.
Walpula Rahula, a Sri Lankan monk wrote in his book What
the Buddha Taught:
" Buddha said: 'It is volition that I call kamma. Having
willed, one acts through body, speech, and mind.' Volition is 'mental construction,
mental activity. Its function is to direct the mind in the sphere of good, bad,
or neutral activities,' " It is only volitional actions - such as intention,
will, determination, confidence, concentration, wisdom, energy, desire, repugnance
or hate, ignorance, conceit, idea of self, etc. - that can produce kammic effects."
The
Venerable Rahula Walpula also said:
"The theory of kamma should not be
confused with so-called 'moral justice' or 'reward and punishment'. (These ideas)
arise out of the conception of a supreme being, a God, who sits in judgement,
who is a law-giver and who decides what is right and what is wrong. The theory
of kamma is the theory of cause and effect, of action and reaction; it is a natural
law, which has nothing to do with the idea of justice or reward or punishment.
Every volitional action produces its effects or results. If a good action produces
good effects and a bad action bad effects
this is in virtue of its nature,
its own law."
"What is difficult (to understand) is that according
to kamma theory, the effects of a volitional action may continue to manifest themselves
even in a life after death. Here we have to explain what life is according to
Buddhism.
"We have seen earlier that a being is nothing but a combination
of physical and mental forces of energies. What we call death is the total non-functioning
of the physical body. Do all these forces and energies stop with the non-functioning
of the body? Buddhism says, no. Will, volition, desire, thirst to exist, to continue
to become more and more, is a tremendous force and moves whole lives, whole existences,
and even moves the whole world. This is the greatest force, the greatest energy
in the world. According to Buddhism, this force does not stop with the non-functioning
of the body, which is death. It continues manifesting itself in another form,
producing re-existence which is called rebirth."
Thus one who has achieved
enlightenment or the state of nirvana will not be reborn, and have escaped the
continuity or rounds of dukkha. It is the culmination of having successfully followed
and practiced the Noble Eightfold Path, of having realized the realities of dukkha,
impermanence, and no-self (Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta).
Adapted from the Visuddhimagga,
and translated by Henry Clarke Warren, the Buddha explained:
"When body
and mind dissolve, they do not exist anywhere, any more than musical notes lay
heaped up anywhere. When a lute is played upon, there is no previous store of
sound; and when the music ceases it does not go anywhere in space. It came into
existence on account of the structure and stem of the lute and the exertions of
the performer; and as it came into existence it passes away.
In exactly the
same way, all the elements of being both corporeal and non-corporeal, come into
existence after having been non-existent; and having come into existence pass
away.
There is no self residing in body and mind, but the cooperation of the
conformations produces what people call a person. Paradoxically though it may
seem: There is a path to walk on, there is walking being done, but there is no
traveler. There are deeds being done, but there is no doer. There is the blowing
of air, but there is no wind that does the blowing. The thought of self is an
error and all existences are as hollow as the plantain tree and as empty as the
twirling water bubbles."
Why People find Buddhism Realistic to Accept.
It is devoid of authority.
It is devoid of rituals.
It is devoid of
speculation, metaphysics and traditions. Buddha said: " Do not go by what
is handed down, nor on the authority of your traditional teachings" The teachings
of the Buddha are empirical. Our progress is based on the level of our personal
understanding and experience. Finding the truth by us by following the Path. Not
based on hearsay or blind-faith.
It is devoid of supernatural. Buddha deplores
divination, forecasting, and soothsaying, which he thought specifically diverted
people from the principles of the noble Eightfold Path.
Buddha taught Dhamma.based
on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
He explained that the concept
of "self" is an illusion.
Buddha taught that all things are impermanent.
Buddha
admonished that the great impediments and fetters of enlightenments are greed,
anger and delusion. One combats greed with generosity and renunciation, aversion
with loving kindness and compassion, delusion with wisdom.
On the observance
of kayakan, wesikan, and manokan of kamma (body, speech and mind deeds)
Beware
of the anger of the body.
Master the body.
Let it serve truth.
Beware
of the anger of the mouth.
Master your words.
Let them serve truth.
Beware
of the anger of the mind.
Master your thoughts.
Let them serve truth.
The
wise have mastered
Body, word and mind.
They are the true masters.
From
the Dhammapada
Rendered by Thomas Byron.
Buddha explained the concept of
kamma, that good acts induce good consequences, evil acts evil ones.
Buddha
explained the concept of rebirth, in which one's kammic energy prevails through
many lifetimes influencing one's future rebirths and future lives.
Buddha urged
us to avoid "attachment."
Buddha taught the fundamentals of moral
behavior.
Buddha showed us how to meditate to induce tranquility and gain insight
wisdom.
Buddha advised us not to take excessive delights in our good fortune
nor excessive despair over our misfortunes or disappointments, as neither is permanent
or enduring.
Buddha showed us the path to enlightenment.
We should always
bear in mind, Buddha's constant advice that we should not blindly believe but
rather question, examine, inquire and rely on our own experience. Buddha said:
"
Do not go by revelation or tradition, do not go by rumour,
or the sacred scriptures,
do not go by hearsay or mere logic,
do not go by bias towards a notion or by
another person's
seeming ability and do not go by the idea 'He is our Teacher.'
But
when yourself know that a thing is good, that it is not
blamable, that it is
praised by the wise and when practiced
and observed that it leads to happiness,
then follow that thing."
Finally, it is noteworthy to quote Dr. Albert
Einstein on religion:
"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion.
It should
transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology.
Covering
both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based
on a religious sense
arising from the experience of all things,
natural and spiritual and a meaningful
unity. Buddhism answers
this description. If there is any religion that cope
with modern
scientific needs, it would be Buddhism."
May you be happy,
May
you be free from suffering,
May you be free from anxiety.
The
article is written for our children, future generation and for those who are interested
in Buddhism. Our children are growing up without clear and proper understanding
of what Buddhism is all about. For readers who are interested in Buddhism, I hope
the article provides insight and meaningful understanding.
It is regrettable
that the only Burmese Buddhist Association of Ontario does not teach, conduct
discussions or provide hands-on Vipassana meditation in English.
It is hoped
that this article will provide an impetus and encourage the younger generation
to understand and practice Buddha's teaching. As unlike other religions, Buddhists
do not compel or convert others to follow their faith, and therefore it is hoped
that the democratic process will instill readers with clear and comprehensive
understanding of the 'philosophy', whereby they will find for themselves the value
to practice the Dhamma of their own free-will.
As the Buddha said, he can only
show the 'Path'. It is up to the individual (including all of us) to follow and
practice the Dhamma.
I would like to take the opportunity to suggest the formation
of an informal Dhamma and Vipassana meditation group in English. I would be pleased
to hear from readers.
I can be reached at telephone 905 276 7770.
EMail
: Harry.Htut@royalbank.com