Tu Viện Quảng Đức105 Lynch Rd, Fawkner, Vic 3060. Australia. Tel: 9357 3544. quangduc@quangduc.com* Viện Chủ: HT Tâm Phương, Trụ Trì: TT Nguyên Tạng   

What Appeals to Me Most in Buddhism

01/12/201011:11(Xem: 3396)
What Appeals to Me Most in Buddhism


images%20%286%29
It was many years ago when I became a Buddhist and I was quite young, between 14 and 16, but I remember that it was first of all the two facts of rebirth and Kamma which convinced me of the truth of the Dhamma. I say "facts" because even among many non-Buddhists rebirth is now well on the way to being a proven truth, and once it is accepted the reality of Kamma must be accepted with it

In the first place, these two doctrines explain everything in life which is other wise inexplicable. They explain the seeming injustices with which life abounds, and which no earthly power can remedy. They explain, too, the apparent futility and lack of a satisfactory pattern in the individual human life which, taken as one life out of a measureless eternity is obviously quite pointless, full of unresolved problems and incomplete designs. Take, for instance, a recent and much publicised example of what appears to he a cruel freak of chance - the tragically brief life of a child, Red Skelton's son, whom neither human science nor divine mercy could save. There are, and always have been, countless millions of such cases, besides the untold numbers of blind, deaf and dumb, deformed, mentally deficient and diseased human beings whose pitiful condition is not due to any fault of theirs in this present life, or to any remediable defect in the organisation of human society.

Materialists may say what they will, but we now know enough of the limitations of science to realise that it will never be able entirely to abolish these evils. At the same time we can no longer derive comfort from religions that science has discredited. While we know that material progress will never succeed in abolishing suffering, it is equally futile to suppose that some special compensation for unmerited misfortune awaits the victims in a future life irrespective of any moral issues that are involved.

The sense of justice, which was very strong in me, demanded a reason for these things and an intelligible purpose behind them. I could not accept the theory that there is a "divine Justice" which is different from human concepts of justice, for both the word and the idea can only mean what we take them to mean by human standards. If conditions are not just in the human sense they are not just at all: there cannot be two different meanings to the word. The 'justice of God" is an invention of theologians, the last refuge of unreason.

But right at the beginning Buddhism gave me the justice and the purpose which I had been seeking. I found them both in the doctrine of Kamma and rebirth. Through them I was at last able to understand the otherwise senseless agglomeration of misery, futility and blind insensate cruelly which forms most of the picture human life presents to a thinking person.

Those who know something about the subject may say, "Yes, but Buddhism is not alone in teaching Kamma and rebirth; Hinduism has it also''. That is true; but Buddhism is alone in presenting rebirth as a scientific principle. When I say "scientific" I mean that it is a principle which is in accordance with other universal laws which can be understood scientifically and even investigated by scientific methods. The principle of change and serial continuity is one that runs throughout nature; all scientific principles are based on it. In Buddhism it is the principle of ''Anatta'' which lifts the concept of rebirth from the level of primitive animism to one on which it becomes acceptable to the scientifically - trained mind. ''Anatta" means "non-soul'', ''non-ego" and "non-self''; it is the denial of any abiding or constant and unchanging element in the life-process. Buddhism does not point to a "soul" that transmigrates; it points to a continuum of cause and effect that is exactly analogous to the processes of physics. The personality of one life is the result of the actions of the preceding current of existences, in precisely the same way that any physical phenomenon at any given moment is the end-result of an infinite series of events of the same order that have led up to it.

When I came to understand this thoroughly, which I did by pondering the profound doctrine of Paticca-samuppada (Dependent Origination), I realised that the Buddhadhammais a complete revelation of a dynamic cosmic order. Complete scientifically because it accounts not only for human life but for the life of all sentient beings from lowest to highest; and complete morally because it includes all these forms of life in the one moral order. Nothing is left out; nothing unaccounted for in this all-embracing system. If we should find sentient beings on other planets in the remotest of the galactic systems, we should find them subject to the same laws of being as ourselves. They might be physically quite different from any form of life on this earth, their bodies composed of different chemical combinations, and they might be far superior to ourselves or far below us, yet still they must consist of the same Five-Khandha aggregates, because these are the basic elements of all sentient existence. They must also come into being as the result of past Kamma, and pass away again just as we do. Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta are universal principles; and this being so, the four Noble Truths must also be valid wherever life exists. There is no need for a special creation or a special plan of salvation for the inhabitants of this planet or any other. Buddhism teaches a cosmic law that obtains everywhere; hence the same moral law of spiritual evolution must prevail everywhere. Cosmic law and moral order in Buddhism are related to one another as they are not in any other religious system.

Another fact which struck me forcibly right at the beginning is that Buddhism does not condemn anybody to eternal hell just because he happens not to be a Buddhist. If a being goes to the regions of torment after death it is because his bad deeds have sent him there, not because he happens to believe in the wrong set of dogmas. The idea that anyone should be eternally damned simply because he does not go to a certain church and subscribe to its particular creed is repugnant to every right-thinking person. Moral retribution is a necessity, but this vicious doctrine of damnation for not believing in a certain god and the particular myths surrounding him has nothing whatever to do with ethical principles. It is itself supremely immoral. It has probably been the cause of more harm in the world than any other single factor in history.

Furthermore, Buddhism does not postulate eternal punishment for temporal sins; that is, for misdeeds committed within the limiting framework of time. The Dhamma teaches that whatever suffering a man may bring upon himself is commensurate with the gravity of the evil action - neither more nor less. He may suffer through several lives because of some very heavy Akusala Kamma (evil action), but sometime that suffering must come to an end when the evil that has been generated has spent itself. The atrocious idea that a being may be made to suffer throughout eternity for the sins committed in one short lifetime does not exist in Buddhism. Neither does the equally unjust doctrine that he may wash out all his sins by formal acts of contrition or by faith in some one particular deity out of all the gods man has invented.

In Buddhism also, there is no personal judge who condemns, but only the working of an impersonal law that is like the law of gravitation. And this point is supremely important, because any judge in the act of judging would have to outrage either justice or mercy. He could not satisfy the demands of both at the same time. If he were inexorably just he could not be called merciful: if he were merciful to sinners he could not be absolutely just. The two qualities are utterly incompatible. Buddhism shows that the natural law is just. It is for man to be merciful, and by the cultivation of Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha to make him self divine.

Lastly, the truth that rebirth and suffering are brought about by Ignorance and Craving conjointly is a conclusion that is fully sup ported by all we know concerning the life- urge as it works through human and animal psychology and in the processes of biological evolution. It supplies the missing factor which science needs to complete its picture of the evolution of living organisms. The motivating force behind the struggle for existence, for survival and development, is just this force of Craving which the Buddha found to be at the root of Samsaric rebirth. Because it is conjoined with Ignorance it is a blind, groping force, yet it is this force which has been responsible for the development of complex organisms from simple beginnings. It is also the cause of the incessant round of rebirths in which beings alternately rise and fall in the scale of spiritual evolution.

Realising the nature of this two fold bondage of Ignorance and Craving we are fully justified in the rational faith that, as the Supreme Buddha taught, our ultimate release, the attainment of the eternal, unchanging state of Nibbana, is something that we can reach, by eliminating all the factors of rebirth that are rooted in these two fundamental defects. Nibbana, which the Buddha described as Asankhata, the Unconditioned, Aiara, the Ageless, Dhuva, the Permanent and Amata, the Deathless, is the Reality that lies outside the realms of the conditioned and illusory Samsara, and it may be reached only by extinguishing the fires of Lobha, Dosa and Moha.

So we see that Saddha, or faith, in Buddhism is firmly based on reason and experience. Ignorance, is blind, but Buddhist faith has its eyes wide open and fixed upon reality. TheDhamma is "Ehipassiko"- that which invites all to come and see for themselves. The Buddha was the only religious teacher who invited reasoned, critical analysis of His Doctrine. The proof of its truth - and hence the conclusive proof of the Buddha's Enlightenment as well - is to be found in the Doctrine itself. Like any scientific discovery it can be tested empirically. Everyone can test and verify it for himself, both by reason and by direct insight. The Buddhist is given a charter of intellectual liberty.

These are just a few of the features which appealed to me when I first started studying Buddhism in my quest for truth. There were many others which followed later; they came in due course as my own understanding and practice of the Dhamma made them manifest to me. As one investigates the Dhammanew vistas are constantly opening up before one's vision; new aspects of the truth are continually unfolding and fresh beauties are being disclosed. When so much of moral beauty can be discerned by merely intellectual appreciation of the Dhamma, I leave it to you who are listening to imagine for yourselves the revelations that come with the practice of Vipassana or direct insight. There can be nothing in the entire range of human experience with which it may be compared.

Gửi ý kiến của bạn
Tắt
Telex
VNI
Tên của bạn
Email của bạn
07/05/2024(Xem: 2531)
Join us for this 7 day transformational retreat on Serenity island in Fiji with Dr Martin Nguyen TCM 27th May to 2nd June 2024 This Discover Serenity retreat integrates: Body Pulsing Negative Energy Release, Freedom Meditation, Serenity Qi Gong, Kava Ceremony, Transformational Workshops & Group activities, Beach Walks, Sunrise Meditation & Night Star gazing. Fijian Culture and Nature Immersion Inclusions: 6 Nights accomodation in beach front bure with ensuite &AC Organic herbal tea & bottled water Daily detox break fast, Fijian lunch & dinner Serenity island activities: snorkelling, kayaking, fish feeding tour, basket weaving & baby turtle care. 90 min Fijian full body massage x 1 2 hrs Island hopping & snorkelling tour x 1 (optional) 2 hrs Sand bar reef snorkelling tour x 1 (optional) 1 hr Traditional Fijian cooking class x 1 Body Pulsing Negative Energy Release, Freedom Meditation, Serenity Qi Gong, Kava Ceremony, Transformational Workshops & Group activities,
14/10/2023(Xem: 4883)
Our immense pleasure is to present to you this remarkable conference book – Buddhism: A Historical and Practical Vision. Inside these pages lies a stunning tapestry of wisdom created by the joint dedication and hard work of young Vietnamese Buddhist monks and nuns scholars who have explored the legacy of Buddhism in depth. From exploring the compatibility and integration of Mahāyāna Buddhism’s teachings with realistic political theory on leadership and the introduction Buddhist philosophy and the establishment and significance of Buddhist universities in the United States, each paper stands as a testament to the vibrant diversity and enduring relevance of Buddhist thought. Among the thought-provoking papers, you will discover insightful investigations into the practical theory of impermanence as a means to enhance one’s own living experience. Additionally, a critical interpretation of Nibbāna from Dr. Ambedkar’s perspective in the Indian Engaged Buddhist Movement sheds light
14/10/2023(Xem: 2862)
On a summer afternoon in 2023, on the Kandy plateau in Sri Lanka, renowned for its veneration of the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, on the lush green grounds of the University of Peradeniya, Kandy, the Departments of Education and Buddhist Studies held a Buddhist Seminar on July 14, 2023, with the patronage of Maha Mahinda International Dharmadutha Society, Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Huong Sen Buddhist Temple, California, USA.
25/07/2023(Xem: 5375)
Dealing with the chosen work, I observe that a puggala has been present in the world because of dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) or continuity of change (santāna). The five masses of elements (pañcakkhandhā), which constitute the puggala and the world around him, are without any substance (anattā), impermanent (anicca) and they are really causes of grief (dukkha)...
30/03/2023(Xem: 4265)
War - we all know this word. There were too many battles in this world since we were the nomads, wandering over sea and land up to the time when the acquisition of material goods increased over time and possession became more powerful in their desire to master and dominate the world. In family and society, from the young to the dignitary, none of them want to give up possession but always to get more. The more assets, the greater desire. The more one tries to get, the stronger greed and selfishness fortifies.
14/01/2023(Xem: 10409)
Lunar New Year 2023 Festival at Quang Duc Monastery, Fawkner, Victoria, Australia
07/02/2022(Xem: 6396)
Andy Le, a 10-year-old monk at the Ventura Buddhist Center,is believed to be on a spiritual path that will help bring peace to humanity in the 21st century. “This is an amazing little boy,” said Venerable Thich Thong Hai, founder of the Ventura Buddhist Center. “We are very happy and honored he was born in this county. It’s a great blessing.” Reincarnation is part of the Buddhist tradition, leading spiritual leaders to believe the boy’s birth in Oxnard is part of a greater plan, Hai said. “In a previous life, he was a high ranking monk in Thailand,” he said. “That’s why his parents and the monks and nuns here are trying to help … keep him on the right track. That’s why we protect him.”
07/08/2021(Xem: 11986)
The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth (Ājīvatthamaka Sīla) Dhamma Teachers Certificate EN074 -__ Feb2010 5 8 Precepts Diacritials Requirements and Ceremonies for the Five Precepts (Panca Sila), The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth (Ajivatthamaka Sila), Dhamma Teachers Certificate, issued by the Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Ketumati Buddhist Vihara at Wesak 2006). Updated February 2010
07/08/2021(Xem: 11435)
The BEP Buddhist Embroidery Project was started by attendees of the London Buddhist Vihara (Monastery) in 1994. The BEP decided to teach embroidery to people who had not learnt it in childhood. The late Venerable Apparakke Jinaratana, a Theravada Buddhist Bhikkhu (monk), who lived in a cave in Sri Lanka, near a very poor village, was using very old newspapers (supplied by villagers) as tablecloths. The BEP decided to embroider tablecloths, wall hangings and sitting cloths for his use. Although items are given to one monk, they actually belong to the whole of the Bhikkhu Sangha [Order of Buddhist Monks] according to the Vinaya (Buddhist Monastic Discipline). In Asian villages, washing is done in streams and waterfalls, and hung to dry in the hot sun, so items do not last as long as they do in the west.
03/05/2021(Xem: 9960)
During the Covid-19 pandemic a dharma sister passed from this life. Her name was Robyn. Although she did not call herself a Buddhist, nevertheless, Robyn had a special connection with the deity Medicine Buddha. Over the six years that I worked with her, in my role as a hospital chaplain, Robyn frequently asked me to chant the mantra of Medicine Buddha and guide her through the visualisation. During her many stays in hospital, this particular practice brought comfort to her while she was experiencing chronic pain, anxiety and fear of the unknown. The medications she took would sometimes cloud her memory, so I would guide her through the details of the visualisation and begin chanting:
facebook youtube google-plus linkedin twitter blog
Nguyện đem công đức này, trang nghiêm Phật Tịnh Độ, trên đền bốn ơn nặng, dưới cứu khổ ba đường,
nếu có người thấy nghe, đều phát lòng Bồ Đề, hết một báo thân này, sinh qua cõi Cực Lạc.

May the Merit and virtue,accrued from this work, adorn the Buddhas pureland,
Repay the four great kindnesses above, andrelieve the suffering of those on the three paths below,
may those who see or hear of these efforts generates Bodhi Mind, spend their lives devoted to the Buddha Dharma,
the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Quang Duc Buddhist Welfare Association of Victoria
Tu Viện Quảng Đức | Quang Duc Monastery
Most Venerable Thich Tam Phuong | Senior Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang
Address: Quang Duc Monastery, 105 Lynch Road, Fawkner, Vic.3060 Australia
Tel: 61.03.9357 3544 ; Fax: 61.03.9357 3600
Website: http://www.quangduc.com
http://www.tuvienquangduc.com.au (old)
Xin gửi Xin gửi bài mới và ý kiến đóng góp đến Ban Biên Tập qua địa chỉ:
quangduc@quangduc.com