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Paaramitha Bala pujitha - Ameradeva

Adavanwu denethin - Ameradeva

Devram Vehere-Victor Rathnayake

Nothira sasara saagare- Amerddeva

The Original Teachings of the Buddha

The teaching of the Buddha have been a way of life for millions of people in the East for two thousand five hundred years. In the West, many are seeking answers in ancient wisdom as an alternative to a materialistic way of life. Buddhism doesn't not demand blind faith from its followers and Buddha has invited people to "see for themselves" the truth of his teachings. It is hoped that this brief introduction to the original teachings may interest the reader into enquiring further.

The Buddha

The man who was to become the Buddha was born into a royal family named Gothama, in the region of the river Ganges, Northern India. The young prince, Siddhatta, was given the education and luxuries appropriate to his royal status. As he matured, his fertile mind began to question many aspects of life, but he was unable to obtain answers that satisfied him. Eventually, a deep sense of dissatisfaction made him abandon his royal heritage, and he set out to become an ascetic in search of solution to the riddles of life. For six years he wandered in the area of the Ganges, meeting many famous teachers of the day, and subjecting himself to the rigours of religious practice which they demanded. These practices made him physically weak, and he realised that the way ahead would be to discover the truth for himself. Whilst in deep meditation sitting beneath a tree (which became known as the Bodhi or Bo tree), he attained enlightenment which enabled him to see the true nature of life. This unique achievement led him to be called the Buddha, which literally means ' The awakened one'.

The Spread of Buddhism

Buddhism spread rapidly over countries outside India, particularly under the leadership of Emperor Asoka, who ruled India in the third century BC. As it spread, it absorbed many of the local beliefs and traditions, in keeping with the tolerance inherent in its own teachings. During this period, many schools of Buddhism arose, the two best known being Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada, considered to be the original teaching, is practised widely in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Laos, while Mahayana is found mostly in China, Japan and Korea. A further form of Buddhism, known as Vajrayana, is practised in Tibet. The actual practice of the teachings differ widely among the various schools, with much emphasis on ritual in some of them.

The Buddha's Teachings

After attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, the Buddha became aware of certain profound truths regarding life which formed the basis of his teaching. He could see with his new-found wisdom that all beings in the universe are subject to certain natural laws and that they are trapped in an endless sequence of existences. Death is just one phase of the cycle, which is followed by rebirth. The Buddha was able to perceive how beings passed from one existence to another, and how their circumstances changed in accordance with their deeds. He saw that all these existences, both the happy and unhappy periods, were of a temporary nature and subject to perpetual change. In the ancient Pali language, in which the word of the Buddha is preserved, this unsatisfactory and uncertain state of affairs is termed Dukkha loosely translated as 'suffering'.

The Wheel of Life

According to the Buddha, all existence in the universe, including living beings, is in a state of flux or change. All sentient beings are subject to a cycle of birth, growth, decay and death. Death is followed by rebirth and the cycle is repeated indefinitely. The principal reason for this, the Buddha said, is the lack of understanding of the true nature of things, which allows beings to engage in actions that perpetuate the process. The understanding referred to here is not just book knowledge, but an intuitive experience, gained through long mental and spiritual development, which helps beings to relinquish desires. It is the lack of understanding which enables various desires (Thanha) to take root. These can take many forms; desire for enjoyment of the senses, desire for material gain, desire for survival and even for self-destruction. Such powerful desires perpetuate the cycle of existences. This interdependent process, whereby an effect is the result of cause and the effect then becomes yet another cause, is known as Dependent Origination (or Conditioned Genesis) and is a principal tenet in Buddhism. This process is often symbolically represented in Buddhist art by a wheel-the Wheel of Life.

Karma and Rebirth

Karma, which literally means 'action', produces results in accordance with the principle of cause and effect. According to Buddhism, this is one of the natural laws governing life. Here, all actions performed by beings produce corresponding results which affect the doer of the deed and his society. It is the deeds performed with intent (volition) which are truly called Karma. Karma produces results which beings have to undergo. The effects will be experienced in the physical and mental planes. A wholesome deed committed with good intentions will results in a beneficial reaction. An unwholesome act, such as harming another being, will result in a negative reaction, which may directly affect the doer in a harmful manner. However, the results of an unwholesome action may well be neutralised by a wholesome act. Karma operates in a complex and interactive manner, not easily perceived. Momentum generated by accumulated Karma leads to the continuity of life. The conditions which a particular being experiences in future lives is dependent on the net result of his accumulated Karma. Some are born into poverty and ill-health, whilst others are born into easier circumstances, all as a result of their Karma.

The Path of Deliverance

Beings who are caught up in the Wheel of Life will continue the cycle almost indefinitely, until such time as they are able to realise the unsatisfactory nature of their various existences and relinquish all desires. At this point there will no longer be the desire to continue and, by letting go, they break the cycle of continuity forever. This is the ultimate state to which all Buddhists aspire- the attainment of Nirvana. The path to the realisation of Nirvana is the avoidance of extremes in life. The 'Middle Way' is the Buddhist way of life, a self-development progression through the 'Noble Eightfold Path', which comprises Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. These, when practised develop qualities of virtue, concentration and wisdom. Meditation is a very important part of the Buddhist way of life, leading to the development of a penetrating wisdom which enables the true nature of things to be seen as they really are. Buddhism teaches that the human existence is just one of many realms or planes of existence in the universe, and a being may be born into a particular plane depending on the result of his Karma. Hence a being who has acquired unfavourable Karma may be born into the animal plane which is considered below human. According to the Buddha, there are subhuman planes which are miserable and may higher planes, often described as heavenly realms, where the spans of lives are exceedingly long.

Some Questions and Answers

1. Buddhists are often seen praying to the Buddha, offering flowers and covering Buddha statues with gold leaves. Is this a way of acquiring good Karma ?
There are no prayers as such in Buddhism since, by definition, Buddhism cannot be classed as a religion, i.e., there is no 'creator god'. The Buddha, having attained Nirvana, is beyond the call of prayer. Certain rituals and practises are later additions to Buddhism to satisfy people's need for expression and worship and performed with good intention, should acquire beneficial Karma.

2. If there is no creator god in Buddhism, how is the origin of the universe accounted for ?
A belief that every result has a cause leaves no room for the belief that the universe was created out of nothing. The universe and its components are also subject to the cyclic law of birth, death and rebirth, therefore an absolute beginning is inconceivable. The Buddha was more concerned with a solution to the immediate problem of the predicament of beings and their release, rather than expounding theories on the origin of the universe.

3. Is there a purpose in life ?
There is no specific purpose of scheme of things to which life has to conform, except that it is operative within certain natural laws (e.g. Karma) governing the universe. Beings have been described by the Buddha as 'Wanderers in the Samsara' (cycle of life), perpetuating their existence by their own actions.

4. How is Nirvana different from the everlasting Heaven, as taught in some religions; is it the total annihilation of the human personality ?
Nirvana is not a realm of existence. Nirvana literally means 'blowing out'-blowing out the causes that produce results in the cycle of life hence there will no longer be rebirth. Nirvana cannot be described in term of our normal experience which is so limited.

5. Can Nirvana be attained in this life or the hereafter ?
Nirvana can be attained in this life. Buddha and many of his followers attained this state during their lifetime. /font

6. If the present life is the result of past actions, is a person's life already predetermined ?
The present life is very much conditioned by past Karma (volitional actions), not only in the immediate past life but the preceding lives as well, depending on the intensity of the particular Karma. However, life is in a state of flux and the results of past Karma can undergo change due to subsequent actions. Hence, to that extent, everything is not predetermined.

7. Is Karma carried by the soul during reincarnation from one life to another ?
The nonexistence of a permanent soul or spirit that reincarnate from one life to another is fundamental to Buddha's teachings. A permanent soul cannot exist in an ever-changing, interdependent process of mind and matter which constitutes a sentient living being. However, the momentum of accumulated Karma results in a new existence. The being so born is neither the same person nor another. Therefore Buddhism describes this process as 'rebecoming' or rebirth, in preference to reincarnation which implies a resurrection of the same entity.

8. Are animals subject to rebirth, and can humans be reborn as animals ?
Buddhism teaches that the human existence is just one of many realms or planes of existence in the universe, and a being may be born into a particular plane depending on the result of his Karma. Hence a being who has acquired unfavourable Karma may be born into the animal plane which is considered below human. According to the Buddha, there are subhuman planes which are miserable and may higher planes, often described as heavenly realms, where the spans of lives are exceedingly long.
he Buddha said that the human existence is unique in that it provides the best opportunity for further development to the highest levels.

9. What proof is there of past life ?
The ability to recall past lives can be acquired through meditational practice. There have been a number of authenticated cases of spontaneous recall among very young children. So called 'gifted' children are only experiencing memories from previous existence. Rebirth may also explain the difference in identical twins.

10. Buddhism teaches that life is suffering - why such a pessimistic view ?
Buddhism look at life in an objective and realistic manner - with neither optimism nor pessimism. It needs only a little reflection to realise that life for the majority is a continuous struggle for survival. By following the 'Noble Eightfold Path' the mind is gradually cleared of illusions and with development of clear Insight, it becomes possible to see intuitively the true nature of things.

A Note on Meditation

Bhavana, the Buddhist meditation is mental culture or mental development. It aims at cleansing the mind of detilements and disturbances and leads to the gaining of Insight (Vipassana), which enables the understanding of the true nature of things. Its essential features are mindfulness, awareness and self-observation. There are many forms and methods of meditation described in the ancient texts. A unique and very effective form of meditation recommended by the Buddha himself is 'mindfulness of breathing'. Here, one's awareness is focused and sustained at the point where the breath enters and leaves the body-at the tip of the nose or nostrils.
When meditating, one should select a quiet place without much distractions, and a time when one is least rushed. Use a posture that will keep the spine straight while seated still, as the tendency to slump may induce drowsiness. relax and let the breath flow naturally without being forced. At the start, the act of concentration may be difficult, as the mind may keep wandering off, in which case one's attention should be brought back gently to the tip of the nose. Begin with ten minutes or so . With regular practice, the mind becomes fixed at this single point, and a state of calmness will be experienced. Daily practice of this simple technique, preferably soon after waking up in the morning will give the best results.

Recommended reading:
Rahula, Walpola- What the Buddha Taught (Wisdom Books, London ISBN -872921-00-0)
Piyadassi Thera - The Buddha's Ancient Path (Buddhist Publication Society, Sri Lanka
Humphreys, Christmas - Buddhism (Curzon Press London)
courtesy
Ven.(Dr) Medagama Vajiragnana
Chief Monk
London Buddhist Vihara
The Avenue
Bedford Park London W4 1UD

Tel.: 0208 995 9493
Fax.: 0208 994 8130
e-mail: london.vihara@virgin.net