Vol. II No. 2 2

Electronic Publishers Notice: This work has been republished by Pariyatti as an electronic publication. All of the addresses and contact information provided in this online edition of The Light of the Dhamma are no longer valid. They have been included here for historical purposes.

Questions or comments regarding this electronic publication can be addressed to [email protected]

For other issues in this series please visit www.pariyatti.org/treasures

PARIYATTI 867 Larmon Road Onalaska, Washington 98570 USA 360.978.4998 www.pariyatti.org

Pariyatti is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the world by - disseminating the words of the Buddha, - providing sustenance for the seeker’s journey, and - illuminating the meditator’s path. 3

The LIGHT of the DHAMMA

VOL. II No. 2

2497 B.E.

April 1954 C.E. 4

THE LIGHT OF THE DHAMMA

1. Please regard this not just as a quarterly magazine but as a continuing service for Buddhism. Your frank criticism will be welcomed in a Buddhist spirit and if there are any questions pertaining to Buddhism that we can answer or help to answer, we are yours to command. 2. Any articles herein may be quoted, copied, reprinted and translated free of charge without further reference to us. Should you care to acknowledge the source we would be highly appreciative. 3 Foreign subscription. (including postage to any part of the world) is but the equivalent of sh 9/- (Nine Shillings) sterling per annum.

HOW TO REMIT

In any country subscribing to the International Postal Union, International Postal Certificates are obtainable from the post office. TRADING BANKS can usually advise, in other cases, how small remittances may be made. THE EDITOR, “THE LIGHT OF THE DHAMMA” Union Buddha Sasana Council 16, Hermitage Road, Kokine Rangoon, Union 0f Burma 5

Vol. II 2497 B.E. July 1954 C.E. No. 2

CONTENTS

An Outline of Buddhism 7 Barriers Broken 12 Pāṭaliputta 14 The Noble Eight-Fold Path Of Enlightenment 16 The Meaning Of Life 20 Shrines of Burma, No. 6. 28 The Egolessness of All Existence 38 Buddhist Countries and Bodh Gaya 46 The Philosophy of Change 50 The Sandesakatha 56 Is Dhamma A Religion? 60 Book Review 63 Glossary 67

Also in the original Issue: Ariyapariyesana Sutta (Translated by Pāli Department, University of Rangoon) Vipassanā Dipanī (by Venerable Ledi Sayadaw) Dhammapada Commentary (Translated by Pāli Dept, University of Rangoon)

6

7

AN OUTLINE OF BUDDHISM NĀRADA THERA

On the full moon day of May, in After a superhuman struggle of six the year 623 B.C. there was born at strenuous years, unaided and unguided Kapilavatthu, on the boarders of Nepal, by any supernatural agency, but solely a Sakyan Prince named Siddhattha relying on his own efforts and wisdom, Gotama, who was destined to be the he eradicated all defilements, ended the greatest moral teacher in the world. process of grasping, and realizing things as they truly are, by his own intuitive At sixteen he married and had a knowledge, became a Buddha — an son named Rahula. For thirteen years Enlightened One, in his 35th year. after his happy marriage he led a luxurious life, but his contemplative As the perfect embodiment of all the nature and boundless compassion did virtues He preached, endowed with deep not permit him to enjoy the fleeting wisdom commensurate with his material pleasures of the Royal boundless compassion, He worked household. He knew no woe, but he felt incessantly for years for the good and deep pity for sorrowing humanity. happiness of all, dominated by no Amidst comfort and prosperity he personal motive, and passed away in His realized the universality of sorrow. The 80th year leaving no successor but palace with all its worldly allurements exhorting the disciples to regard His was no longer a congenial place for the doctrine and discipline as their teacher. intellectual prince. Time was ripe for His iron will, profound wisdom, him to depart. Realizing the universal lore, boundless compassion, worthlessness of sensual enjoyments, selfless service, great renunciation, highly prized by ordinary men, and the perfect purity, unique personal life, the value of renunciation in which the wise exemplary methods employed to seek delight, in his 29th year he propagate the teaching, and his final renounced all worldly pleasures, and success - all these factors have donning the simple yellow garb of an compelled mankind to hail the Buddha ascetic, alone, penniless, wandered forth as the greatest moral teacher that ever in search of Truth and Peace. lived on earth. He sought the advice of the The ethico-philosophical system distinguished teachers of the day, but he expounded by the Buddha, is called the could not achieve his desired object Dhamma and is popularly known as from outside sources. The painful Buddhism. austerities which he practised proved absolutely futile. Circumstances Strictly speaking, Buddhism is not a compelled him to think for himself and religion as it is not a system of faith and seek within. He sought, he thought and worship owing any allegiance to a ultimately he realized the Truth which supernatural God. he had not heard before. Illumination Here blind faith is dethroned and is came from within, and light arose in substituted by confidence based on things which he had never seen before. knowledge. Although a Buddhist seeks refuge in the Buddha as his 8 incomparable moral guide and teacher, no creeds that one must accept on good he makes no self-surrender. A Buddhist faith without reasoning, no superstitious is neither a slave to a book nor to any rites or ceremonies in order to enter the individual. Without sacrificing his fold, no meaningless sacrifices of freedom of thought he exercises his own penances for one’s purification. freewill and develops his wisdom even If as Karl Marx says “Religion is the to the extent of becoming a Buddha soul of soulless conditions, the heart of a himself, for all are potential Buddhas. heartless world, the opium of the Naturally Buddhist followers quote the people”, certainly then Buddhism is not Buddha as their authority, but the such a religion. Buddha Himself discarded all authority. Immediate self-realization is the sole If by religion is meant a system of criterion of truth in Buddhism. Its deliverance from the ills of life, then keynote is rational understanding. Buddhism is a religion of religions. Though such external forms of The foundations of Buddhism are homage as the offering of flowers and so the Four Noble Truths which are forth are prevalent amongst Buddhists, associated with the so-called being. The the Buddha is not worshipped as a God. Buddha states: - “In this very fathom The Buddha was no doubt highly long body alone with its perceptions and venerated in His own time, but He never thoughts, do I proclaim the world, the arrogated to Himself divinity. He was a origin of the world, the cessation of the man, an extraordinary man (Acchariya world, and the Path leading to the Manussa). Nevertheless, it should be cessation of the world.” This interesting remarked that there was no moral passage refers to the Four Noble Truths teacher “ever so godless as the Buddha which the Buddha Himself discovered yet none so god-like.” by his own intuitive knowledge. Whether Buddhas arise or not they exist What the Buddha expects from and it is a Buddha that reveals them to disciples is not so much obeisance as the the deluded world. For the knowledge of actual observance of His teaching. “He these truths which do not and cannot honours me best who practises my change with time, the Buddha was not teaching best”, is His admonition. indebted to any one as He himself said Furthermore, prayers that “seek for they were unheard of before. Hence objects of earthly ambitions and that there is no justification in the statement inflame the sense of self” are foreign to that Buddhism is a natural outgrowth of Buddhism. On the contrary great Hinduism, although it is true that there emphasis is laid on mental trainings that are some fundamental doctrines tend to self-discipline, self-control, self- common to both systems. purification and self-enlightenment. The First Truth deals with the There is no God Creator to be existence of Dukkha, which, for need of obeyed and feared by a Buddhist. a better English equivalent, is Instead of placing an unseen almighty inappropriately rendered by suffering or God over man, the Buddha has raised sorrow. the worth of mankind. Buddhism All are subject to birth, and teaches that man can gain salvation by consequently to decay, disease, and self-exertion without depending on God death. No one is exempt from these four or mediating priests. It expounds no inevitable causes of suffering. Impeded dogmas that one must blindly believe, 9 volition is also suffering. In brief this cessation of suffering or the mere body itself is a cause of suffering. destruction of craving is not Nibbāna. If so, it would be tantamount to This First Truth of suffering which annihilation. Nibbāna is a positive is concerned with the constituents of this unconditioned state. In Nibbāna nothing so called being and the different phases is eternalized nor is anything annihilated of life is to be carefully analysed, because Buddhism denies the existence scrutinized, and examined. This of a permanent soul or Atma. Referring examination leads to a proper to Nibbāna the Buddha states: “ There is understanding of oneself as one really is. an unborn (ajāta), unoriginated The cause of this suffering is (abhūata), unmade (akata) and non- Craving or Attachment; which is the conditioned (asankhata). If there were Second Noble Truth. This craving is a not this unborn, unoriginated, unmade, powerful invisible mental force latent in and non-conditioned, an escape to one us all and is the cause of all divergent, who is born, originated, made, and multifarious phenomena and noumena. conditioned, would not be possible This truth indirectly deals with the past, here” present and future births. This Third Truth has to be realized Rational understanding of the First by developing the Noble Eightfold Path Truth leads to the eradication of this which is the fourth Noble Truth. This is Craving; the Second Truth which deals the Via Media – Golden Mean – with the psychological attitude of the (Majjhima Paṭipadā). It consists of right ordinary man towards the external understanding, thoughts, speech, action, objects of sense. livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and one- This gross and subtle craving which pointedness. These are the powerful leads to repeated births and deaths and moral mental forces that are summoned which is the cause of all ills of life is to attack one latent evil force – craving. such a potential force that one has to This Middle Path, which constitutes summon eight equally powerful forces Morality (silā), concentration, (Eightfold Path) to overcome this one (samādhi), and insight (paññā), is single foe. embodied in the following beautiful verse: The Third Noble Truth is the complete cessation of suffering which is “To cease from all evil, achieved by the total eradication of all To do what is good, forms of craving. It is Nibbāna which To cleanse one’s mind: can be attained in this life itself. This This is the advice of all the Third Truth, though dependent on Buddhas.” oneself, is beyond logical reasoning The first three Truths deal with the (atakkā vacara) and is supramundane philosophy of the Buddha’s Teaching, unlike the first two which are mundane. and the fourth with the practice in It is purely a self-realization - a accordance with that philosophy. Dhamma to be comprehended by the Buddhism as such is neither an mental eye by complete renunciation, ordinary philosophy which deals with not merely by renouncing external theorisings irrelevant to one’s objects but actually by renouncing Deliverance from suffering and death, internal attachment to the external nor an ordinary ethical system which, world. It should be noted that the mere though essential, is only the ABC of 10

Buddhism. The Buddha Dhamma is an practicality, efficacy and universality. It ethico-philosophical system which is is the noblest of all unifying influences founded on the bedrock of facts that can and the only lever that can uplift the be tested and verified by personal world. experience. Buddhism is therefore In addition to the four Noble Truths, rational and practical devoid of esoteric the quintessence of Buddhism, the doctrines, coercion, persecution or evidentially verifiable doctrines of fanaticism. To its unique credit it should Kamma and Rebirth form two inter- be said that during its peaceful march of related, fundamental tenants of 2500 years no drop of blood was shed in Buddhism. These two beliefs were the name of the Buddha, and no prevalent in India before the advent of conversion has ever beer made either by the Buddha but it was He who explained force or by any repulsive methods. and formulated them in the Buddhism is saturated with this completeness we have them today. spirit of complete tolerance which is Kamma is the law of moral extended to men, women and all living causation. beings. In its ultimate sense Kamma means It was the Buddha who for the first moral and immoral volition (Kusala time in the known history of the world akusala cetanā). It embraces both past attempted to abolish slavery. It was He and present actions. Hence, in one sense, who vehemently protested against the we are the result of what we were; we caste-system that blocked the progress will be the result of what we are. In of mankind, and granted equal another sense, it should be added, we are privileges to all. Irrespective of caste, not totally the result of what we were; colour, or rank. He established for both we will not absolutely be the result of deserting men and women a celibate what we are. The present no doubt is the Order which was “democratic in offspring of the past and is the parent of constitution rand communistic in the future but the present is not always a distribution.’’ It was also the Buddha true index of either the past or the who raised the status of women and future, for so intricate is the law of brought them to the realization of their Kamma. As we sow, we reap in this life importance in society. It was also the or in a future birth. What we reap today Buddha who banned the sacrifice of is what we have sown either in the past dumb animals and admonished His or in the present. followers to extend their Mettā or loving-kindness to all living beings. It is Kamma is a law in itself which this Buddhist Mettā that attempts to operates in its own field without the break all the barriers which promote intervention of an external, independent separatism. To a Buddhist there is no far ruling agency. This law of Kamma or near, no enemy or foreigner, no explains the problem of suffering, the renegade or untouchable since universal mystery of fate and pre-destination of love, realized through understanding has mere religion, infant prodigies, and established the brotherhood of all living above all the inequality of mankind. beings. A real Buddhist is a citizen of Rebirth is the corollary of Kamma. the world. The Bodhisatta ideal and the correlative Buddhism is therefore unique doctrine of freedom to attain utter mainly owing to its rationality, perfection are based on this belief in 11 rebirth. It is Kamma that conditions entity, but it does not deny a continuity rebirth. Past Kamma conditions the in process. The Buddhist, philosophical present birth, and present Kamma in term for an individual is santati, -that is, combination with past Kamma flux or continuity. This uninterrupted conditions the future. The actuality of flux or continuity of psycho-physical the present needs no proofs as it is self- phenomena, conditioned by Kamma, evident. That of the past is based on having no perceptible source in the memory and report, and that of the beginningless past nor an end to its future on forethought and inference. continuation in the future except by the Noble Eightfold Path, is the Buddhist The Buddhist doctrine of rebirth substitute for the permanent ego or should be differentiated from the theory eternal soul in other religious systems. of reincarnation and transmigration of other systems, because Buddhism denies As T. H. Huxley states “Buddhism the existence of a transmigrating is a system which knows no God in the permanent soul, created by God, or Western senses, which denies a soul to emanating from a Paramatma. man, which counts the belief in immortality a blunder, which refuses Buddhism resolves the living being any efficacy to prayer and sacrifice, into mind and matter (Nāma and Rūpa), which bids men to look to nothing but which are in a state of constant flux. The their own efforts for salvation, which in whole process of these psycho-physical its original purity knew nothing of vows phenomena which are constantly of obedience and lever sought the aid of becoming and passing away, is at times, the secular arm: yet spread over a in conventional term called the self or considerable moiety of the world with Attā by the Buddha: but it is a process, marvelous rapidity -and is still t he and not an identity that is thus termed. dominant creed of a large fraction of Buddhism does not totally deny the mankind.” existence of a personality in an

empirical sense. It denies, in an ultimate sense, an identical being of a permanent May all be well and happy.

* * *

THE BUDDHIST SOCIETY, 16, Gordon Square, LONDON, W. C. 1. The oldest. and largest Buddhist movement in the West. It is sincerely hoped that Buddhists all over the world will support it generously. Membership of Society /1 or K. 15. This includes subscription to its Quarterly Journal THE MIDDLE WAY. Hon. Secretary for Burma: U KYAW HLA, Civil Lines, MANDALAY. 12

BARRIERS BROKEN At the helm of a meteor Plunging in space Resistance piles up Stark concentration. Then with explosion The barrier is broken - Sound streams behind - Man flies into silence.

This is material This is activist, Born of the passive Desire for forgetfulness.

At the helm of the Self Steadily rising In spite of resistance Stark concentration. Quiet and quieter All barriers are broken - lusts are no more - Man soars into Silence.

This is not material Though it is activist, Born of the active Desire for Salvation.

OHN GHINE

13

14 PĀṬALIPUTTA BY VEN. B. JINANANDA THERO Director, Maha Bodhi Society, Madras Centre. Pāṭaliputta is a great name in the expansion of his empire, Asoka history of India. It was the capital of the contributed to the further growth of his first historical empire in India which capital and considerably added to the was ruled over by Chandragupta, the pomp and wealth of this Imperial city, Moriya King the liberator of India who Pāṭaliputta. But the real greatness that drove back the Greeks and freed India this city attained lies not so much in its from foreign domination. pomp and material wealth but in the spiritual wealth with which Asoka adorned it. Chandragupta ascended the throne in B.C. 300 and during the period of Asoka was a great and true disciple twenty-four years that he ruled, he of the Exalted Buddha. There is no extended his sway over the whole of parallel in Buddhist history to the northern India, as far as the Narbada whole-hearted devotion with which he River. During his rule his capital served the Dhamma. That he held during Pāṭaliputta, grew into a great city. his reign, the Third Buddhist council in Megasthenes. who was sent as an Pāṭaliputta, is enough to prove the ambassador to the court of magnitude of the zeal with which he Chandragupta. by the Greek Satrap served the cause of Buddhism. Seleukos, writing about the The First Council was held soon magnificence of this city, says after the death of the Buddha by the “Pāṭaliputta is a magnificent city, chief disciples of the Exalted One. The worthy to be. the capital of a great Second Council was held one hundred empire. This capital is defended by a years later. Two hundred and thirty-six massive timber palisade, with sixty-four years after the death of the Buddha and gates and five hundred and seventy eighteen years after the coronation of towers and a moat outside. The royal Asoka. This great king held in his camp contains 400,000 persons and the capital, Pāṭaliputta, the Third Council to state army includes 600,000 infantry, examine and confirm the Buddhist 300,000 cavalry,. 9,000 elephants and a canon on the lines the first two councils multitude of chariots. Not only the King had done. A thousand orthodox but his courtesans as well are carried in bhikkhus of holy character were selected palanquins of gold. to form this Council. The Council Chandragupta was succeeded by his recited and verified the whole body of son, Bindusara, who kept intact the great the scripture and after a session lasting empire his father had won and nine months they completed their task bequeathed it unimpaired to his son and dispersed. History bears testimony Asoka. Asoka ascended the throne in the also, in the form of Rock Edicts, viharas year B.C. 264 and held it for about forty and stupas that have been discovered in years. He conquered new countries and modern times, not only in different parts extended still further the empire that of India but in several distant countries was founded by his grandfather. It goes beyond the borders of India, to the great without saying that together with the missionary work Asoka did during his 15 lifetime. Just as he sent his son, the ruins of this great city. But although Mahinda, and his daughter, even Hiuen Tsiang, so far back as the Sanghamitta, for the spread of Dhamma seventh century, could not catch a to Ceylon, he sent also learned Bhikkhus glimpse of the glory that was not only to different parts of India but Pāṭaliputta, we in modern times are able even to such distant countries as Syria in to do so. For the gratifying news has Western Asia, Macedonia in Eastern been published that the Archaeological Europe, Egypt and North Africa, to Department of India by their recent teach the people there the Doctrine of excavation work at Patna, which is the the Buddha and built viharas, stupas and modern name for the old Pāṭaliputta, hospitals in all these distant parts of the have brought to light important finds world. which are likely to lead us to more knowledge of the cultural and aesthetic One can well imagine, during the history of Pāṭaliputta, the imperial reign of this great king who was so capital of India. The most important amazingly enterprising in spreading the among these finds is a Buddhist light of the Dhamma even in the distant Monastery that has been unearthed. A countries of three different continents to seal found in this monastery bears the what glory his own capital Pāṭaliputta inscription “Arogya Vihāra – Bhikkhu- must have risen, as a religious Sangassa”, which clearly shows that this metropolis of Buddhism and how it monastery was in those golden days a must have been gem-like, studded with sort of sanatorium meant for bhikkhus. magnificent religious monuments. Unfortunately, some time after the death Let us hope that this work of of Asoka, however, this great city met excavation at Patna, which is still in with destruction and was buried progress, will throw a further light on underground. The Chinese Pilgrim the spiritual and architectural Hiuen Tsiang, who came to India in the achievements of that noble Asoka the seventh century, says that he saw only Great, in the old city’ of Pāṭaliputta.

“You may find two Almsmen maintaining divergent views on the Abhidhamma. In the first case, if you find the two differing both as to the meaning and as to the letter, first send for the Almsman to the one action whom you deem the more amenable and tell him what is the rightful view on the points at issue, bidding him not to stir up strife. Next send for the Almsman of the opposing faction whom you deem the more amenable and tell him what is the rightful view on the points at issue, begging him not to stir tip strife. Thereby what is erroneously held is to be recognised as erroneous; and the Doctrine and Rule are to be duly set forth accordingly. Proceed likewise if the divergence is confined either to the meaning or to the letter, or if there he really no divergence at all but real agreement between both sides on both aspects. Thereby what is erroneously held is to be recognized as erroneous, where it is erroneous; and what is correctly held is to he recognized as being correct, where it is correct; and the Doctrine and Rule are to be duly set forth, with these recognitions.” Kinti Sutta

16

THE NOBLE EIGHT-FOLD PATH OF ENLIGHTENMENT DR. LUANG SURIYABONGS M. D. Had the Buddha only taught the science as well as in Buddhism the mind Noble Truth of Suffering, its origin and is the all important organ which causes its cessation, the world would look very us to act and react. It is the most dark indeed, and even death would be important part of our individuality no escape from suffering, as we have to which can be trained for good or for be reborn according to the Kamma we bad. Therefore, the Buddha said: created for ourselves. The Knowledge of Nothing know I, ye Monks, that the first three Noble Truths would only without exercise would be more make us feel more unhappy than ever inflexible than the mind.” before. But the Buddha in his Enlightenment discovered the Path that Nothing know I, ye Monks, that by leads to the Cessation of Suffering, to being exercised would be more flexible the deliverance from the Circle of than the mind.” Rebirth to the attainment of Nibbāna. he Nothing know I, ye Monks, that not only discovered the Eight-fold Path without being exercised leads to such but actually experienced it by himself distress as the mind.” and then taught it to mankind. The Eight-fold Path is based upon the Law Nothing know I, ye Monks, that by of Kamma and upon the Law of being exercised leads to such prosperity Impermanence, Painfulness, and Non- as the mind.” Self of individual life and of all the Nothing know I, ye Monks, that universe. It is the absolute truth and the without exercise, without being only way to Salvation. All roads may developed, generates such suffering as lead to Rome, but the Eight Fold Path is the mind.” the only way that leads to Nibbāna. Nothing know I, ye Monks, that by It is a path of cognition of the true being exercised, and developed, facts of life, a practical method of generates such bliss as the mind.” training the mind “by gradual onsetting, – (Majjhīma-Nikāya.) gradual progress, gradual ascension” to full knowledge of the Absolute Truth, to It is this gradual exercise and highest wisdom, eternal peace — development of the mind which the Nibbāna (Majjhīma-Nikāya). Whereas Buddha taught in his Eight-fold Path of in mere religions “life is all” or “love is Enlightenment. The Eight-fold Path all.” in Buddhism “mind is all”. In consists of eight paths each of which Buddhism the mind is the sixth sense leads to the next following Path and which controls the other five senses. In when practised together constitute the philosophy the mind is regarded by Middle Path to Enlightenment, to many as all important, while others hold supreme wisdom, to the deliverance that matter is all. In science, the mind is from all Suffering and, Rebirth — to the thinking part of the brain which Nibbāna. The eight paths are: associates all sense-impressions, 1. Right Understanding (Sammā registers and stores them up for later Diṭṭhi): It is the first path and means to reference; and all our reactions to these acquire right understanding of the sense impressions are communicated by Buddha-Dhamma, namely to know the the mind to the outside world. Thus, in 17

Four Noble Truths, the Attachment to mind we must make the right resolution the Five Aggregates of Existence, the to act and live in such a way that we Law of Kamma and Rebirth, the Holy may achieve the goal, however far away Eightfold Path and Nibbāna, which are it may seem to us. We must ever be on the five fundamental Teachings of the our guard not to do anything which Buddha discovered by him and which might hinder this achievement. We must cannot be found in any other teaching. train our minds by the practice of self- restraint and sell-control gradually until In the usual way we receive our our minds become free from sensuality Knowledge by listening to Sermons free from ill-will and free from cruelty. preached by the Holy Brotherhood on This is Right Mindedness. Fast Days and on any other occasions where monks are invited to deliver a 3. Right Speech (Sammā Vācā): Sermon. We also derive our knowledge Having gained the right understanding by reading the text of the Scriptures of the Dhamma and having made the which contain the Buddha’s own words Right resolution, Right speech becomes or by studying books written on the the natural consequence of the first two subject of Buddhism. Unfortunately, Paths. Having attained Right however, there are not many translations Mindedness we cannot but express our as yet available in our own language mental purity in any other way than by (Thai) of the Teachings of the Buddha Right Speech which is the third Path and as told by himself. Furthermore, the means to abstain from lying, slandering, sermons delivered by our monks using harsh language, and vain talk. explaining the Buddha-Dhamma are 4. Right Action (Sammā often intermingled with so many Pāli Kammanta): This is to abstain from words that those who have not studied killing any sentient being, from stealing the Pāli language or have not become and from wrong sexual intercourse. used to the technical terms used in Right action is the logical consequence Buddhism do not profit from the sermon of our Right Mindedness and of Right as they might since they cannot Speech. To be truthful to one’s firm understand what it is all about. Being a resolve and to one’s given word we Buddhist country we should make an all must act rightly. out effort to translate the Scriptures into our own language and we should all 5. Right Livlihood (Sammā regard it as our holy duty to spread the Ajīva): This is to renounce wrong ways Buddha-Dhamma and bring it within of living. Therefore, the following trades easy reach of all for the spiritual welfare are forbidden: the selling of arms, of mankind. selling live animals, meat, intoxicants and poison. In our modern times it is 2. Right Mindedness (Sammā- hard to avoid such trades, but as long as Sankappa): It means first of all to be science has not yet found the means of absolutely clear in our mind as to the producing proteins and other foodstuffs aims of the Buddha-Dhamma and of its in sufficiently large quantities which final goal, namely to purify the heart of would make it unnecessary to live on all Kilesa (mental defilements), to animals, fish and fowl, those who trade destroy evil, to prevent evil, to do good in these things will have to bear the and to maintain it for the sole purpose of consequences of their bad Kamma. attaining to our Salvation from all suffering and rebirth, that is to Nibbāna. 6. Right Effort (Sammā Vāyāma): Once we have made that clear in our Even the most determined resolution 18 and right-livelihood would sooner or Buddha-Dhamma. By continued later fail if we did not make the Right meditation upon those objects we Efforts to keep on doing right things. exercise the mind to such a degree of The Buddha not only taught us to make concentration that we gradually gain the right effort but he showed us how to insight into the true facts of life and destroy evil and to avoid evil to do good become more and more convinced of the and to maintain it, but we should do Absolute Truth, namely: good not only for our own sake, but out 1) that Ignorance is the cause of all life of loving kindness and compassion we (Saṅkhāra) because it causes the should seek to do good for others too, Three-fold Craving to arise, for all sentient beings. Therefore, for the namely Sexual Desire, the Desire Buddhist of today, it is his holy duty to to be and to possess, and the give service to others and to spread the Desire not to be nor to possess Buddha-Dhamma for the good of all whatever one dislikes (Kama mankind. Taṇhā — Bhava Taṇhā -— The Buddha stressed more than Vibhava Taṇhā). anything else the importance of making (2) that Taṇhā is the cause of our the Right Effort. Contrary to the practice Attachment to the Five Aggregates of the Brahmins who kept their wisdom of Existence which we falsely for themselves and for the benefit of believe to be the very essence of their own caste, the Buddha was the first our individuality. It is also the great Teacher to proclaim his Teachings cause of Rebirth because the desire to the world at large. The Buddha made to live is so great that our Kamma no distinction; he taught and received at the moment of death grasps a men of all ranks into his Order. He sent new being and thus perpetuates the forth his monks to proclaim the Circle of Rebirth. Dhamma with the following exhortation: (3) That we are but the sum of our previous and present Kamma and “Go ye, oh Bhikkhus, and wander have made ourselves what we are forth for the gain of the many, for the now and will determine our future welfare of the many, out of Compassion existence and the state into which for the world, for the good, for the gain, we shall be reborn. for the welfare of gods and men. Proclaim, 0 Bhikkhus, the Dhamma (4) That all things in this world are Glorious, preach ye a life of holiness, things compounded (Saṅkhāra) perfect and pure.” and are impermanent — miserable — and void of self. Let us therefore awaken from our lethargy and do something really good, (5) That the only way to escape from let us help spread the Buddha-Dhamma this world of Impermanence and and bring it within easy reach of all. Suffering and from the Circle of Rebirth is to purify the mind from 7. Right Attentiveness (Sammā all defilements (Kilesa) and from Sati): This consists of meditation and all attachment to the Five contemplation of our own selves, Aggregates of Existence, to avoid namely of our body organs and of the evil, and to do good. Having Five Aggregates of Existence as being destroyed Kilesa and Kamma itself “impermanent, miserable, and void of we attain to NIBBĀNA. self”. We then meditate upon the whole 19

Right Attentiveness (Sammā Sati) beginning to free the mind of Sensuality, is only a preliminary step to Full Ill-will and Cruelty. Having made the Concentration; it consists of continued Right Resolution and purified our mind meditation and concentration of mind in we continue along the Path by attaining order to gain insight and to become to Right Speech, Right Action and Right gradually convinced of the Absolute Livelihood. In the sixth Path we make Truth. the Right Effort to maintain the good we have done and to avoid all evil. In the 8. Right Concentration (Sammā seventh Path we have progressed to such Samādhi): This is a state of mind where an extent that by the practice of all Seven Paths are present, which meditation we gain more insight and means that we have progressed along become more and more convinced of the the Middle Path of Enlightenment and Absolute Truth of the Dhamma. And in have developed the mind to such an the eighth Path we have reached such extent that having attained to Full perfection of mind that we actually turn Concentration of mind, we now turn away from Wrong Speech, Wrong away from wrong speech, wrong action Action and Wrong Ways of living. and wrong ways of living. In the Buddha’s own words Right Speech, Unlike religions which are based Right Action, and Right Living mean upon faith alone, in Buddhism “mind is “What turns aft; turns away, turns aside, all.” It is only the well trained mind, the averts from the four kinds of evil talk, mind developed to its highest capacity the three kinds of evil actions, and a to wisdom and intuitive insight which wrong mode of life.” (Majjhīma Nikāya can realise its own Salvation from all - 117th Sutta, Cattarisaka Suttam). Right Suffering and Rebirth by following the concentration can also be said to be a Noble Middle Path of Enlightenment state of mind which is accompanied by discovered and experienced by the various states of Bliss, the JHĀNAS, Buddha. And only one who is himself and occurs only temporarily during free, from the mire, can pull others out meditation. of the mire. Thus the Middle Path of It is precisely for having discovered Enlightenment reveals itself as a gradual the Eight-fold Path that the Buddha has perfection of the mind to highest been praised by his Disciples as The Wisdom and Insight of the true facts of Discoverer of the Undiscovered Path, life. the Creator of the Uncreated Path, the Explainer of the Unexplained Path, the In the first Path we gain Knower of the Path, the Acquainted Knowledge and Understanding of the with the Path, the Expert us the Path.” Dhamma. In the second Path we make (Majjhīma Nikāya. 108th Sutta, the Right Resolution to attain to the final Gopakamoggallana Suttam) goal which is Nibbāna, and we already are walking along the Eight-fold Path by

20 THE MEANING OF LIFE NĀRADA MAHĀ THERA

“This body so full of flesh and with the element of motion (Vāyo) that blood I bear, produces the upward pressure. Just for the world’s good and Āpo is the element of cohesion. welfare.” Unlike Paṭhavī it is intangible. It is this element which coheres the scattered Sri Sanghabodhi. atoms of matter and gives as the idea of WHO? WHENCE? WHITHER? body. WHY? WHAT? are some important Tejo is the element of heat. Cold is problems that affect all humanity. also a form of Tejo. Both heat and cold Who is man? is our first question. are included in Tejo because they possess the power of maturing bodies, or Let us proceed with what is self- in other words, the vitalizing energy. evident and perceptible to all. Preservation and decay are due to this Man possesses a body which is element. seen either by our senses or by means of Vāyo is the element of motion. The apparatus. This material body consists movements are caused by this element. of forces and qualities which are in a Motion is regarded as the force or the state of constant flux. generator of heat. Both motion and heat Scientists find it difficult to define in the material realm correspond what matter is. Certain philosophers respectively to consciousness and define matter as that in which proceed Kamma in the mental. the changes called motion, and motions These four powerful forces are are those changes which proceed in inseparable and inter-related; but one matter.” element may preponderate over another, The Pāli term for matter is Rūpa. It as, for instance, the element of extension is explained as that which changes or preponderates in earth; cohesion, in disintegrates. That which manifests water; heat, in fire; and motion, in air. itself is also another explanation. Thus, matter consists of forces and There are four fundamental units of qualities which constantly change, not matter. They are Paṭhavī, Āpo, Tejo and remaining for two consecutive moments Vāyo. the same. Paṭhavī means the element of At the moment of birth, scientists extension, the substratum of matter. tell us that man inherits from his parents Without it, objects cannot occupy space. an infinitesimally minute cell 1/120th of The qualities of hardness and softness, an inch across. “In the course of nine which are purely relative, are two months this speck grows to a living bulk conditions of this element. This element 15,000 million times greater than it was of extension is present in earth, water, at outset.” This tiny cell is the physical fire, and air. For instance, the water foundation of man. above is supported by water below. It is this element of extension in conjunction 21

Sex is also determined at the very successor. Every fresh consciousness, conception. therefore, consists of the potentialities of its predecessors and something more. As Combined with matter there is all impressions are indelibly recorded in another important factor in this complex this ever-changing palimpsest-like mind, machinery of man. It is the mind. As and as all potentialities are transmitted such it pleases some learned writers to from life to life, irrespective of say that man is not Mind plus Body, but temporary physical disintegrations, is a Mind-Body. Scientists tell us that reminiscence of past births or past life emerges from matter and mind from incidents becomes a possibility. If life. But it does not give us a satisfactory memory depends solely on brain cells, it explanation with regard to the becomes an impossibility. development of the mind. Like electricity, mind is both a Unlike the material body, constructive and destructive powerful immaterial mind is invisible, but it could force. It is like a double-edged weapon be sensed directly. An old couplet runs: that can equally be used either for good “What is mind? No matter. or evil. One single thought that arises in What is matter? Never mind.” this invisible mind can even save or destroy the world. One such thought can We are aware of thoughts, feelings, either populate or depopulate a whole and so forth by direct sensation, and we country. infer their existence in others by analogy. Ouspensky writes: —“Concerning the latent energy contained in the There are several Pāli terms for phenomena of consciousness, i.e., in mind, Mano, Citta, Vīññāna are the thoughts, feelings, desires, we discover most noteworthy of them. Compare the that its potentiality is even more term man, to think, with the English immeasurable, more boundless. From word ‘man’ and the Pāli word Manussa personal experience, from observation, which means he who has an uprising from history, we know that ideas, consciousness. feelings, desires manifesting themselves, In Buddhism no distinction is made can liberate enormous quantities of between mind and consciousness. Both energy and create infinite series of are used as synonymous terms. Mind phenomena. An idea can act for may be defined as simply the awareness centuries and millenniums and only of an object since there is no agent or a grow and deepen, evoking ever-new soul that directs all activities. It consists series of phenomena, liberating ever- of fleeting mental states which fresh energy. We know that thoughts constantly arise and perish with continue to live and act when even the lightning rapidity. With birth for its very name of the man who created them source and death for its mouth it has been converted into a myth, like the persistently flows on like a river names of founders of ancient religions, receiving from the tributary streams of the creators of the immortal works of sense, constant accretions to its flood. antiquity --- heroes, leaders, and Each momentary consciousness of this prophets. Their words are repeated by ever-changing life-stream, on passing innumerable lips, their ideas are studied away, transmits its whole energy, all the and commented upon. indelibly recorded impressions to its 22

“Undoubtedly each thought of a may either be a blessing or a curse to poet contains enormous potential force, himself and others. In fact the man is a like the power confined in a piece of world by himself. coal or in a living cell, but infinitely Whence? is our second question. more subtle, imponderable and potent.” How did man originate? Observe, for instance, the potential force that lies in the following Either there must be a beginning or significant words of the Buddha: there cannot be a beginning for man. Those who belong to the first school Mano pubbaṅgamā dhammā posit a first cause, whether as cosmic Mano seṭṭhā manomayā force or as an Almighty being. Those “Mind foreruns all mental states, who belong to the second school deny a mind is chief, and mind-made are they.” first cause for, in common experience, the cause ever becomes the effect and Mind or consciousness arises at the the effect becomes the cause. In a circle very moment of conception. of cause and effect a first cause is Consciousness is therefore present in the inconceivable. According to the former, foetus. This initial consciousness, life has had a beginning whilst technically known as rebirth according to the latter it is consciousness or rethinking beginningless. In the opinion of some consciousness (Paṭisandhi vīññāna) is the conception of a first cause is as conditioned by past kamma of the ridiculous as a round triangle. person concerned. The subtle mental and intellectual differences that exist According to the scientific point of amongst mankind are due to this view, man is the direct product of the Kamma-conditioned consciousness, the sperm and ovum cells provided by his second factor of the man. parents. Scientists while asserting ‘Omne vivum ex vivo’ “all life from To complete the trio that life,” maintain that mind and life constitutes man there is a third factor, evolved from the lifeless. the phenomenon of life that vitalises both mind and matter. Due to the Dealing with Cosmic Purpose, presence of life, reproduction becomes Bertrand Russell states three kinds of possible. Life manifests itself both in views – theistic, pantheistic, and, physical and mental phenomena. In Pāli ‘emergent’. “The first,” he writes, the two forms of life are termed “holds that God created the world and Nāmajīvitindriya and Rūpajīvitindriya decreed the laws of nature because he —psychic and physical life. foresaw that in time some good would be evolved. In this view the purpose Matter, mind, and life are therefore exists consciously in the mind of the the three distinct factors that constitute Creator, who remains external to His man. With their combination a powerful Creation. force known as man, with inconceivable possibilities, comes into being. He In the pantheistic form, God is not becomes his own creator and destroyer. external to the universe, but is merely He creates his own heaven and hell. In the universe considered as a whole. him are found a rubbish heap of evil and There cannot, therefore, be an act of a storehouse of virtue. In him are found creation, but there is a kind of creative the worm, the brute, the man, the force in the universe which causes it to superman, the Deva, the Brahma. He develop according to a plan which this 23 creative force may be said to have had Man is born from the matrix of in mind throughout the process. action (kammayoni). Parents merely provide man with a material layer. As In the ‘emergent’ form, the purpose such, being precedes being. At the is more blind. At an earlier stage, moment of conception, it is Kamma that nothing in the universe foresees a later conditions the initial consciousness that stage, but a kind of blind impulsion vitalises the foetus. It is this invisible heads to those changes which bring Kammic energy generated from the past more developed forms into existence, so births that produces mental phenomena that, in some rather obscure sense, the and the phenomenon of life in an end is implicit ill the beginning already extant physical phenomenon, to We offer no comments. These are complete the trio that constitutes man. merely the views of different religionists Dealing with the conception of and great thinkers. beings, the Buddha states: Whether there is a cosmic purpose “Where three are found in or not a question arises as to the combination, there a germ of life is usefulness of the tapeworm, snakes, planted. If mother and father come mosquitoes and so forth, and for the together, but it is not the mother’s existence of rabies and hydrophobia. period, and the ‘ being-to-be-born ‘ How does one account for the problem (gandhabba) is not present then no germ of evil? Are earthquakes, floods, of life is planted. If mother and father pestilences, and wars designed? come together, and it is the mothers Expressing his own view about period, but the ‘ being-to-be-born’ is not Cosmic Purpose, Russell boldly present then again no germ of life is declares: - “Why, in any case, this planted. If mother and father come glorification of man? How about lions together, and it is the mother’s period, and tigers? They destroy fewer animal and ‘being-to-be-born’ is also present, or human lives than we do, and they are then, by the combination of these three, much more beautiful than we are. How a germ of life is there planted.” about ants? They manage the Corporate Here gandhabba (gantabba) refers State much better than any Fascist. to a suitable being ready to be born in Would not a world of nightingales, and that particular womb. This term is used larks and deer be better than our human only in this particular connection, and world of cruelty and injustice and war? must not be mistaken for a permanent The believers in cosmic purpose make soul. much of our supposed intelligence, but their writings make one doubt it. If I For a being to be born here, a being were granted omnipotence, and millions must die somewhere. The birth of a of years to experiment in, I should not being corresponds to the death of a think Man much to boast of as the final being in past life; just as in conventional result of all my efforts.’’ terms, the rising of the sun in one place means the setting of the sun in another Now, from the scientific point of place. view, man is absolutely parent-born. As such life precedes life. With regard to The Buddha states — “a first the origin of the first protoplasm of life, beginning of beings who, obstructed by or ‘colloid’ (whichever we please to call ignorance and fettered by craving, it), scientists plead ignorance. 24 wander and fare on, is not to be secretes thought just as liver secretes perceived.” bile. This life-stream flows ad infinitum In the view of those materialists the as long as it is fed by the muddy waters belief in the other world is a sign of of ignorance and craving. When these mendaciousness, feminism, weakness, two are completely cut off, then only cowardice and dishonesty.” does this life-stream cease to flow: According to certain religious rebirths end as in the case of Buddhas systems there is no past for man. The and Arahats. An ultimate beginning of present is only a preparation for two this life-stream cannot be determined, as eternities of heaven and hell. Whether a stage cannot be perceived when this they are viewed as places or states man life force was not fraught with ignorance has, for his future, endless felicity in and craving. heaven or endless suffering in hell. Man The Buddha has here referred is therefore not annihilated after death, merely to the beginning of the life- but his essence goes to eternity. stream of living beings. It is left to Those religionists who believe in a scientists to speculate as to the origin past and present do not state that man is and the evolution of the universe. annihilated after death. Nor do they say Whither? is our third question. that man is eternalized after death. They believe in an endless series of past and Where goes man? future births, in their opinion the life According to ancient materialism, stream of man flows ad infinitum as which in Pāli and Sanskrit is known as long as it is propelled by the force of lokayata, man is annihilated after death, Kamma, one’s actions. In due course the leaving behind him any force generated essence of man may be reabsorbed in by him. Man is composed of four the Ultimate Reality (Paramatma) from elements. When man dies the earthy which his soul emanated. element returns and relapses into the Buddhism believes in the present. earth, the watery element returns into With the present as the basis it argues the water, the fiery element returns into the past and future. Just as an electric the fire, the airy element returns into the light is the outward manifestation of air, the senses pass into space. Wise and invisible electric energy even so man is fools alike, when the body dissolves, are merely the outward manifestation of an cut off, perish, do not exist any longer.” invisible energy known as Kamma. The There is no other world. Death is the end bulb may break and the light may be of all. This present world alone is real. extinguished, but the current remains The so-called eternal heaven and hell and the light may be reproduced in are the inventions of impostors. another bulb. In the same way the Materialists believe only in what is Kammic force remains undisturbed by cognizable by the senses. As such matter the disintegration of the physical body, alone is real. The ultimate principles are and the passing away of the present the four elements – earth, water, fire, consciousness leads to the arising of a and air. The self-conscious life fresh one in another birth. Here the mysteriously springs forth from them, electric current is like the Kammic just as the genie makes his appearance force, and the bulb may be compared to when Aladdin rubs his lamp. The brain the egg cell provided by the parents. 25

Past Kamma conditions the present material welfare ignoring all spiritual birth; and present Kamma, in values, they hold a view diametrically combination with past Kamma, opposite to that of moralists. In their conditions the future. The present is the opinion there is no purposer, hence there offspring of the past, and becomes in cannot be a purpose. turn the parent of the future. “Who colours wonderfully the Death is therefore not the complete peacocks, or makes the cuckoos coo so annihilation of man, for though that well?” This is one of the chief particular life span has ended, the force arguments of the materialists to attribute which hitherto actuated it is not everything to the natural order of things. destroyed. “Eat, drink and be merry, for death After death the life-flux of man comes to all, closing our lives,” appears continues ad infinitum as long as it is to be the ethical ideal of their system. In fed by the waters of ignorance and their opinion as, Radhakrishna writes, craving. In conventional terms man need “Virtue is a delusion and enjoyment is not necessarily be reborn as a man. He the only reality. Life is the end of life. may be reborn as a man or as an animal, Religion is a foolish aberration, a mental an invisible Peta, Deva or Brahma, disease. There was distrust of everything according to his Kamma. Moreover, good, highs, pure and compassionate. earth is not the only place in which a The theory stands for sensualism and person will seek rebirth. He may be born selfishness and the gross affirmation of in other habitable planes as well. There the loud will. There is no need to control are about 1,000,000 planetary systems in passion and instinct, since they are the Milky Way in which life in some natures’ legacy to men.” form may exist. Sarvadarsana Sangraha says: If man wishes to put an end to this “While life is yours, live joyously repeated series of births, he can do so as the Buddhas and Arahats have done by Noise can escape Death’s searching realizing Nibbāna, the complete eye; cessation of all forms of craving. When once this frame of ours they Where does man go? He can go burn, wherever he wills if he is fit for it. If be How shall it e’er again return?” does not will and leaves his path to be prepared by the course of events, he will “While life remains let a man live go to the place he fully deserves. happily, let him feed on ghee even though he runs in debt.” Why? is our last question. Now let its turn towards science to Why is man? Is there a purpose in get a solution to the question why. life? Sir. J. Arthur Thomson maintains This is rather a controversial that science is incomplete because it question. cannot answer the question why. What is the materialistic point of Now, how does Buddhism answer view? the question why. As materialists confine themselves Buddhism denies the existence of a purely to sense-data and the present God-Creator. As such from a Buddhist 26 point of view there cannot be a The Buddha, the flower of foreordained purpose. Nor does humanity, was an embodiment of Buddhism advocate fatalism, service and perfection. Buddhahood is determinism, or pre-destination which latent in us all. controls man’s future independent of his Serve to be perfect; be perfect to free actions. In such a case freewill serve. becomes an absolute farce and life becomes purely mechanistic. To a certain extent man’s actions are more or LIFE less mechanistic, being influenced by “As when huge mountain crags, his own doings, upbringing, piercing the sky, environment and so forth, but man can Advance in avalanches on all sides, exercise his freewill. A person, for Crushing the plains east, west, north instance, falling from a cliff will be and south, attracted to the ground just as an So age and death come rolling over inanimate stone would. In this case he all. cannot use his freewill although he has a Noble and brahmin, commoner and mind unlike the stone. If he were to serf, climb a cliff, he could certainly use his None can evade, or play the truant freewill and act as he likes. A stone, on here. the contrary, is not free to do so of its Th’impending doom o’erwhelmeth own accord. Man has the power to one and all. choose between right and wrong, good Here is no place for strife with and bad. Man can either be hostile or elephants, friendly to himself and others. It all Or chariots of war, or infantry, depends on his mind and its Nay, nor for war of woven spell or development. curse, Nor may finance avail to win the day. Although there is no specific Wherefore let him that hath purpose in man’s existence, yet man is intelligence free to have some purpose in life. And strength of mind, to his own What therefore is the meaning of good attend, life? In Buddha, Norm, and Order place his trust. The meaning of life lies in Supreme Who doeth right in deed and word Enlightenment (Sambodhi) i.e. and thought understanding oneself as one really is. Here winneth praise, and bliss in life This is achieved through Sublime to come.” -Kindred Sayings Vol. 1. p. 127 Conduct, (Sīla) Mental Culture,

(Samādhi) and penetrative insight “Sons are no shelter, nor father, nor (Bhāvanā) or in other words through any kinsfolk. service and perfection. In service are Overtaken by death, for thee blood included love, compassion, and bond is no refuge. renunciation which prompt man to be of Discerning this truth, the wise man, service to others. Perfection embraces well ordered by virtue, absolute purity and absolute wisdom. Swiftly makes clear the road leading to Nibbāna.” -Psalms of the Sisters

27

Now, it is impossible for a man who is bogged, himself to extricate another who is bogged too; but it is possible for a man who is himself not bogged, to extricate another who is. It is impossible for a man who is himself not broken-in, schooled and emancipated to break-in, school and emancipate another. But the converse is possible. Sallekha-Sutta.

* * *

Propagating the pure Buddha-Dhamma to the world

Buddhist World The only international newspaper. Issued fortnightly. Annual Subscription: Ceylon: Rs. 10 Foreign: Rs. 15 = K l5 Lb.= $5, Payments to Grindlays Bank Ltd. Colombo, London, Rangoon.

BUDDHIST WORLD PUBLICATIONS “Buddhist Book Bureau” P. 0. Box 1076, Colombo, CEYLON.

* * *

“Take the case, Ānanda, of the disciple of the Noble who reflects that all these pleasures of sense, here or hereafter - with all perceptions of them, all Form, here or hereafter, with all perceptions of Form, all perceptions of Permanence, of the Realm of Naught, and of Neither Perception-nor-Non-Perception, all mean mere Individuality, whereas one thing only is Deathless, to wit, the heart’s Deliverance, which knows no sustentation.” Ānanda Sappāva Sutta

28 SHRINES OF BURMA, No. 6. THE PAGODAS OF PAGĀN. U OHN GHINE

Some 300 miles north of Rangoon unknown in the western world— in a half-forgotten yet quite accessible compared, for example, to other such part of Burma is a wonderland of monuments as Angkor or Borobadur—is architecture, history, ethnology and a tragedy of the first order. This should romance. not continue to be, for Pagān is a symbol which gives Burma a dignity and stature Here, nine years before William the far beyond the power of contemporary Conqueror invaded England, ruled King words and deeds. If the present Burmese Anoratha who at that time had obtained government is searching for themes a full set of the Buddhist Scriptures, and about which to spin a web of this began an intensity of pagoda- nationalistic overtones, they are building that was to last for two hundred inexcusably ignorant of both method years until as a “tyrannous breathing of and fact if they don’t use Pagān to the the north” the Tartar invaders sacked the hilt. Impressive? It staggers the city of Pagān. imagination. Beautiful? I don’t mind Tradition says that in the course of exposing my emotions by saying that centuries there have been many Ānanda literally brought tears to my thousands of pagodas constructed at eyes. Inspiring? No one could behold Pagān: certainly one may yet see such architecture without giving thanks hundreds of ruins and many still, well that an exe genius had been given the preserved in that dry climate, expressing vehicle for impression. I hope that the their ancient glory. day will come when I can visit that In our Vol. 1, No. 4 is a compelling place properly and when such beauty article: “Pagān” by Dr. Frank Tracer of will have a nobler fate than to be TCA Washington; and we make no neglected and desecrated as at present.” apology for reproducing the impression In addition to the Ānanda Pagoda gained by another American, John there is the Thapyinnyu. referred to by Brohm of Cornell University. Dr. Trager in equally moving terms, “There is a great deal to tell about there is the unusual “Bu” Pagoda of my travels, more than anyone can pack which none can remember the builder, into one of these miserable air letters. and the Shway See Khon which was For what space there is, however, I begun by King Anoratha and finished by should tell you that seeing Pagān from his son King Kyansittha. she Irrawaddy was one of the really Then there is, among the others we great experiences of my life, and at the illustrate, the Maha Bodhi built after the same time one of the most frustrating style of the one erected by the great ones. I don’t mean to he critical of Emperor Asoka at Bodh Gaya. modern Burma, for I know what forces The kings and the people who have made it the country that it is, but I reared these inspired monuments of a must say that for me Pagān was the one deep and moving devotion to the great inspiration I have taken away with Teaching of the Buddha, have long me this time. The fact that a monument passed away and the pagodas of such magnitude remains relatively themselves, subject to the universal law 29 of Anicca (Impermanence) are, many of For this Council Burma is to be the them, in ruins. But the blood of those host. After the Council which ends in kings and that people and their spirit are 2500 B.E. (1956 C.F.) the buildings are still in present-day Burma and the same to serve as a Buddhist university, a deep devotion to the Buddha dhamma centre of learning and of culture. moves the people today. And I think those ancient kings and However, in this changed age, one the people from whom modern finds also a practical end in view. democratic Burmans are descended will, Today’s centre is Rangoon and today’s if they can remember and compare the building is of the now completed Kabā past and the present, approve and Aye, World Peace Pagoda, and the exclaim “Sādhu Sādhu Sādhu!” for buildings round it. These great buildings Burma today is modern Burma because are for the purpose of housing the great of the pagodas of ancient Pagān. International Buddhist Council, sixth

since the Mahāparinibbāna of the Buddha.

You should read and advertise in The MAHA BODHI

A journal of International Buddhist Brotherhood. It is now in its 61st year of publication, and has subscribers all over the globe. At a conservative estimate it is read by 25,000 persons of all classes and creeds. A high class magazine for thinking people, catering to those who value Art, Philosophy, Archaeology, and all aspects of Buddhism as well as Vulture in general.

Annual Subs: India, Ceylon … Rs. 5/ Burma … Rs. 6/ Other Eastern Countries … Rs. 8/ U.S.A. … $ 3/ United Kingdom & Europe … — 10 Sh.

THE MAHA BODHI

4, Bankim Chatterjee Street Calcutta 12. (India)

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

THE EGOLESSNESS OF ALL EXISTENCE (ANATTĀ) Extract from Saṃyutta-Nikāya translated and explained NYANATILOKA MAHATHERA

S. V. 10 S. XII. 12 When certain things we find ‘Through Sense-Impression combined (Phassa) conditioned is Feeling We speak of ‘chariot’, speak of (vedanā)’ –thus it is said in the formula ‘car’ of Dependent Origination (paṭicca- Just so, when all five groups* samuppāda: B. Dict.) But who, appear, Venerable One, is it that feels? That We use the designation ‘man’. somebody feels, I do not teach . . If, however, the question would be put *Khandha, i.e. the 5 ‘Groups of thus: ‘Through what conditioned, does Existence’ embracing all the phenomena Feeling arise etc.?’ then the right answer of existence whatever, namely: would be ‘Through Sense-Impression is Corporeality, Feeling, Perception, Feeling conditioned … through Feeling; Mental Formations, and Consciousness. Craving … through Craving; Clinging, T’is naught but woe that does arise, etc.’ And that exists, and passes off. S. XII. 35 Nothing but suffering appears. Nothing but woe that vanishes. But what are Old Age and Death, and to whom do they belong? I do not Vis. XVIII: “Whenever the teach that there is one thing called Old different parts, as axle, wheels, frame, Age and Death, and that there is pole etc., are in a certain manner someone to whom they belong. If the combined, we use the ‘conventional’ view exists that Life (jīva; life principle, (vohāra) designation ‘chariot’. But soul, etc.) is identical with the Body, in when examining one part after the other, this case there can be no holy life. And we can in the ‘ultimate sense’ if the view exists that Life is one thing, (paramattha) not discover any but Body another thing, also in this case independently existing unity called there is no holy life possible. Avoiding ‘chariot’. Just so is it with the 5 groups both these extremes (i.e. complete of existence (khandha). For as soon as Identity and complete Otherness), the they appear, one uses the conventional Perfect One has taught the doctrine that designation ‘living being’, or ‘Ego’ lies in the middle, namely: ‘Through (attā), or ‘I’, or ‘self’ etc. In the ‘highest Rebirth conditioned are Old Age and sense’, however, one cannot discover ‘ Death … through the (karmical) Process being’ which could form the foundation of Becoming: Rebirth ... through for such conceptions as ‘I am’ and ‘I’. Attachment: the Process of Becoming ... Hence in the ultimate sense there exist through Craving: Attachment … only mental and physical phenomena.” through Feeling: Craving ... etc.

39

Vis. XVII quotes: disciple does no longer cling to things past, and he enters the path leading to “From woe and sorrow springs the turning away there from, to delusive thinking. detachment and extinction. No first beginning of existence can be seen. S. XXII 18-20 No doer can be found, nor one that The 5 Groups of Existence are reaps the fruits. impermanent, woeful and egoless And twelve-fold empty is the cycle (anattā). And also the foundation and of rebirth, condition for the arising of these groups And steadily the wheel of life rolls of existence are impermanent, woeful on and on.” and egoless. For how could that which S. XII. 61 has arisen through something impermanent, woeful and egoless as its Better it would be to consider the root, ever be itself permanent, joyful and Body as the ‘Ego’, rather than the Mind. an Ego? And why? Because this body might continue for 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 years S. XXI. 47 even for 100 years and longer. That, All those ascetics and priests, who however, which is called ‘mind, again and again in manifold ways consciousness, thinking’, that rises believe in an ‘Ego’ (attā), they all do so continuously by day and by night as one with regard to the 5 groups of existence, thing, and as something different again or to one of them, namely: it vanishes. Now, the learned and noble disciple considers thoroughly the There the ignorant worldling ... ‘Dependent Origination’ (paṭicca considers one of the 5 groups as the samupāda: B. Dict.): If this is, then that Ego, or he considers the Ego as the becomes. Through the arising of this, owner of that group, or that group as that comes to arise through the included within the Ego, or the Ego as extinction of this, that becomes included within that group. extinguished, namely: Through S. XXI. 81 Ignorance conditioned arise the Kamma- formations, through the Kamma- Now somebody holds the view: formations: Consciousness (in next life), This is my ‘Ego’ (attā), this is the through Consciousness: Corporeality world. After death ‘I’ shall remain and Mind … through the extinction of permanent, steady, eternal, and not be Ignorance, the Kamma-formations subject to any change. become extinguished; through the What concerns this ‘Eternity-View’ extinction of the Kamma-formations: (sassata-diṭṭhi), it forms one Kamma- Consciousness ... etc.’ formation (saṅkhara)*. But through S. XXII. 9-11 what is this Kamma-formation conditioned? Corporeality ... Feeling ... Perception ... Mental Formations ... and * This is the 2nd link in the formula Consciousness are impermanent of the Dependent Origination (paṭicca (anicca) ... woeful (dukkha) … egoless samupāda: B. Dict.), here the (anattā), be they of the past or the unwholesome volitional action (Kamma: future, not to mention the present. Thus B. Dict.), accompanied by Wrong Views understanding, the learned and noble and Ignorance. 40

Now, what concerns that Craving “Or do you consider all these which has arisen in the ignorant groups combined as the Perfect One?” Worldling, while being impressed by a No, Venerable Sir.” feeling conditioned through an infatuated sense-impression, it is “Or do you think that the Perfect through this Craving (tanhā) arisen one is without Corporeality or without hereby that the Kamma-formation has Feeling, without Perception, without arisen. Hence that Kamma-formation is Mental Formations, without impermanent, created, and has Consciousness?” conditionally arisen. In one who thus No, Venerable Sir.” understands, thus sees, the immediate Extinction of Biases takes place. Again, Now, since you cannot, even someone holds the view: “May ‘I’ not during lifetime, make out the Perfect be! May there nothing belong to me! ‘I’ One according to truth and reality, now shall not be! Nothing will belong to can you rightly maintain that the Perfect me!” What concerns this ‘Annihilation One will, at the dissolution of the body, View’ (uccheda-diṭṭhi), also this forms a become annihilated and no longer Kamma-formation ... is impermanent, continue after death? Should somebody created and conditionally arisen. In one ask me, what will become of the Holy who thus understands, thus sees, the One, I should answer thus: immediate Extinction of Biases takes ‘Corporeality, Feeling, Perception, place. Mental Formations, and Consciousness are impermanent (anicca); and what is S. XXII. 85 impermanent, that is woeful; and what is To the monk Yamaka, once the woeful, that will become extinguished following evil view had arisen: “Thus and annihilated.”’ do I understand the Doctrine shown by Hence, it is only these 5 Groups of the Blessed One that the one in whom phenomena embracing all existence all Biases have vanished, at the whatever, which are here to be dissolution of the body, after death, will considered, while the designations become annihilated and will no longer ‘Perfect One’, I, Ego, Self, Person, Man, remain after death.” animal, etc., are merely ‘conventional’ (Sāriputta): “What do you think, (vohāra) terms, not referring to any, real Brother Yamaka: are Corporeality ... entities. And the so-called pure ‘Ego’ is Feeling ... Perception ... Mental merely a metaphysical fiction or Formations ... or ... Consciousness hypothesis. permanent or impermanent? To this theme we find numerous “Impermanent, Venerable Sir.”. further texts in S. XLJV. Now do you consider Corporeality S. XXII. 89 etc. as the Perfect One?” ‘Five Groups of Existence liable to No, Venerable Sir.” Attachment’ (upādāna-kkhandha) have been taught by the Blessed One, viz. “Or do you consider the Perfect Corporeality, Feeling, Perception, One as contained therein.?” Mental Formations, Consciousness. No, Venerable Sir” With regard to these 5 groups I do not find any ‘Ego’ (attā), or something 41

‘belonging to an Ego’ (attaniya), but Ego (attā) that is permanent, enduring still I am not a Holy One, not yet freed and lasting and not subject to any from biases. Also concerning these change, then there would be found no groups of existence liable to attachment, holy life leading to right extinction of I am no longer subject to the thoughts of suffering. ‘I am’ or ‘This I am’. S. XXII. 102 S. XXII. 90 Once the contemplation of The world, as a rule, is fettered by impermanency has been developed and attachment and clinging to things, and is brought to full growth, then it comes to firmly adhering to them. But the learned the end of all craving for sensuous and noble disciple does no longer attach existence, to the end of all craving for himself, cling and firmly adhere and fine-material existence, to the end of all incline to the thought: ‘I have an Ego’ craving for existence, to the cessation (attā); and he knows: ‘Merely woe is it and rooting out of all ‘Conceit of I am’. that arises, merely woe that vanishes’. Only on reaching perfect Holiness S. XXII. 95 all ‘Conceit of I am’ (asmi-māna) will forever disappear’. Suppose a man who is not blind were to behold the many bubbles on the S. XXII. 117 Ganges, as they are driving along; and The learned and noble disciple does he should watch them, and carefully not consider corporeality, feeling, examine them. After carefully perception, mental formations or examining them, they will appear to him consciousness as the Ego (attā); nor empty, unreal and unsubstantial. In does he consider the Ego as the owner exactly the same way does the monk of one of these groups, nor this group as behold all corporeal phenomena, included within the Ego, nor the Ego as feelings, perceptions, mental formations, included within this group. Of such a and states of consciousness, whether learned and noble disciple it is said that past, present or future one’s own or he is no longer fettered by any group of external, gross or subtle, lofty or low, existence, own or external. far or near. And he watches them, and examines them carefully; and after Thus I say: carefully examining them, they appear S. XXII. 122 to him empty, unreal and unsubstantial. … It is possible that a virtuous The body’s like a mass of foam, man, while contemplating the 5 groups The feeling like a water bubble, of existence as impermanent, woeful ... Perception like a void mirage, empty, egoless, that he may realize the Formations like a plantain tree, fruit of Stream-entrance ... And consciousness like jugglery. S. XXII. 147 S. XXII. 96 The noble disciple who, out of There is no corporeality, no feeling, faith, has gone forth from home to the no perception, no mental formations, no homeless life, has with regard to the 5 consciousness that is permanent, groups of existence to fulfill the task of enduring and lasting, and that, not living in contemplation of their subject to any change, will eternally impermanency, woefulness, and remain the same. If there existed such an egolessness (anattā). And while 42 penetrating these things, he becomes S. XXXV. 23 freed there from, freed from rebirth, old What is the Totality of things age and death, from sorrow, (asbhaṃ)? Eye and visible objects, ear lamentation, grief and despair, becomes and sounds, tongue and tastes, body and freed from suffering: thus I say: bodily impressions, mind and mind- S. XXII. 151 objects: these are called the totality of things. “What must there be, and conditioned through what, may such S. XXXV. 45-49 views arise, as: “This is my Ego (attā), All things arc egoless (anattā). All this the world. After death I shall things one has to comprehend fully (1st continue, be everlasting, eternal, not truth), all things one has to overcome subject to any change.” (2nd truth), all things one has to realize “The 5 groups of existence must be (3rd truth) … there … that such views may arise.” S. XXXV. 85 “What do you think: Are these 5 groups permanent or impermanent?” It is said that the world is empty (suññā). But why does one call the “Impermanent, Venerable Sir.” world empty. “But what is impermanent, is that Because the world is empty of an joyful or woeful?” ‘Ego’ (attā) and of something “Woeful, Venerable Sir.” ‘belonging to an Ego’ (attaniya), therefore the world is called empty. But “But on that which is impermanent, which are the things that are empty of an woeful and subject to change, may there be, based thereon, arise such views as: Ego? Empty of an Ego are called eye and visible objects, ear and sounds, nose ‘This is my Ego, this the world. After and odours, tongue and tastes, body and death I shall continue, be everlasting, bodily impressions, mind and mind- eternal, not subject to any change?’ ” objects. In S. XXII. 47 it was in a more general way stated that any kind of Ego- S. XXXV. 90 Illusion is necessarily based upon the 5 One should not imagine (na groups of existence. Here, however, the maññeyya) oneself as being ‘identical same is said with special reference to the with the Eye’ (cakkhum: Acc.), should ‘Eternity-Views.’ not imagine oneself as being included S. XXXV. 6 ‘within the eye’ (cakkhusmiṃ Loc.), should not imagine oneself as being The visible objects are egoless outside the eye ‘(cakkhuto: Abl.), should (anattā): sounds, odours, tastes, bodily not imagine oneself: ‘The eye belongs to impressions and mind-objects are me’ (cakkhuṃ me’ti). egoless. But of that which is egoless, there one has, according to reality and One should not imagine oneself as true wisdom, to understand thus: ‘That being identical with the Visible Objects am I not, that does not belong to me, (rūpe: Acc.) should not imagine oneself that is not my Ego’ … as being included ‘within the visible objects’ (rūpesu: Loc), should not imagine oneself as being ‘outside the visible objects’ (rūpato: Abl.), should 43 not imagine: ‘The visible objects belong S. XXXV. 141 to me’ (rūpāni me’ti). Consciousness (mind) is egoless One should not imagine oneself as (anattā). Also the foundation and the being ‘identical with Eye- condition to the arising of Consciousness’, should not imagine consciousness, also these are egoless. oneself as being included ‘within eye- For, how could it be possible that consciousness’, should not imagine consciousness having arisen through oneself as being outside of eye- something which is egoless, could ever consciousness, should not imagine: ‘The be Ego? eye- consciousness belongs to me’ … S. XXXV. 163 One should not imagine oneself as Whoso understands and being identical with the totality of things contemplates the mind as egoless … (anattā), in him the Ego-View Thus, not imagining any more, the (attānudiṭṭhi) disappears. Whoso wise disciple clings no more to anything understands and contemplates the Mind- in the world. Clinging no more to Objects as egoless … mind- anything, he trembles no more. consciousness as egoless ... mind- Trembling no more, he reaches in his impression as egoless ... and the own person the extinction of all vanity: agreeable and disagreeable and ‘Exhausted is rebirth, lived the Holy indifferent feeling conditioned through Life and no further existence have I to mind-impression as egoless (anattā), in expect’: thus he knows. him the Ego-View (attānudiṭṭhi) disappears ... The same exposition is given in S.XXXV. 31f, and is called there ‘The S. XXXV. 193 suitable path to the rooting out of all Just as this body has in various imagination’ (sabbamannitasamugghāta ways been revealed, disclosed and sāppāya): further also in Mil, under the explained as egoless (anattā) in exactly name of ‘Exposition of the Foundation the same way one should explain also of All Things’ (sabba dhamma mūla mind as egoless … pariyāya). Already in the Brhad- āranyaka-Upanishad are found quite S. XXXV. 197 identical expositions as those of our ‘Empty village’ is a name for the ground scheme, given however in a six sense organs. Thus, whenever ill positive form as expression of the experienced, learned and wise man Brahmanic Atma doctrines hinted at in examines the six sense organs, as eye, M.1 and then rejected one after the ear, nose, tongue, body or mind-organ, other. then all these things appear to him as Neumann, Lorenzo, Silacara, delusive, empty and deceitful … Chalmers and others could not make out S. XXXV. 207 anything of this so highly important Sutta of M. so that the meaning of this ‘I am’ is a delusion. ‘This I am’ is a so profound text had to remain delusion. ‘I shall be’ is a delusion. ‘I inaccessible to them. shall not be’ is a delusion. ‘Corporeal shall I be’ is a delusion. ‘Uncorporeal

shall I be’ is a delusion. ‘Endowed with perception shall I be’ is a delusion. 44

‘Without perception shall I be’ is a contemplations are leading to high delusion. ‘Neither with nor without blessing … perception shall I be’ is a delusion.

Delusion is a sickness, an ulcer. a thorn! S. LVI. 8 S. XLI. 7 What is the mind-deliverance of Do not think such evil, unwhole- Emptiness (suññatā)? There the monk some thoughts as ‘Life and Body are repairs to the forest, to the foot of a tree, identical’: or ‘Life is one thing, but or to an empty hut. And be contemplates another is the Body’ or ‘Does the this: ‘Empty is all this of an Ego (attā), Perfect One live after death or not?’ or of anything belonging to an Ego’ ... And why should one not think (attaniya) … such thoughts? Because such S. XLVI. 72f thoughts are not wholesome, do not belong to the genuine holy life, do If one develops the contemplation not lead to the turning away and of Impermanency, the contemplation of Woefulness due to Impermanency, the detachment, not to extinction, contemplation of Egolessness (anattā) appeasement, enlightenment, and due to Woefulness, then all these Nibbāna.

“Your misdeeds were not committed by your parents, or by your brothers and sisters, or by your friends or kinsfolk, or by recluses and Brahmins, or by the gods; they were committed by none but yourself; and it is you yourself who will reap the fruits thereof.” Devadūta-Sutta

The Golden Lotus

This periodical is published in the United States of America. It contains articles by noted contributors, news, book reviews, poetry, glossary, and list of books for sale. It has been dedicated “to those who seek The Way”, to Buddhism, and to Eastern Philosophy. Subscription $2.50 per annum, ten numbers and index. Sample copies upon request. Complete Volumes available from year 1944 to 1952. The Golden Lotus Press 701, Woolston Road Philadelphia, 38, Pa., USA. 45

46 BUDDHIST COUNTRIES AND BODH GAYA In Vol: II, No. 1, we published the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949 and pointed out that there was an urgent need for Burma, Cambodia, Ceylon, Laos and Thailand, the predominantly Buddhist countries which are the traditional guardians of the Pāli Canon, to be strongly represented on the Advisory Board for which provision is made in the Act. That this is really a pressing need is evidenced by the report of the Chief Justice of the Union of Burma (who is also the Vice-President of the Union Buddha Sāsana Council) who, on a recent pilgrimage to the holy places of Buddhism, made a thorough investigation of conditions at Buddhism’s most hallowed spot.

Report on the Situation of the Bodh Gaya Temple. by Thado Thiri Thudhamma U Thein Maung, Chief Justice of the Union of Burma, and Vice-President of the Union Buddha Sāsana Council, Rangoon. (Translated from Burmese.)

1. Introduction our bungalow and we discussed various matters relating to the Bodh Gaya Accompanied by my wife Daw Saw Temple. Tin and by U Ba Thaung, Registrar of the Supreme Court, I left Calcutta on the 2. Properties not yet entrusted to night of the 18th December 1953, the Committee reaching Gaya the next day where we In the course of our discussion it was were greeted by H. E. Maha Thray Sithu revealed that the following properties on U Kyin, Burmese Ambassador in India, the Temple land have been excluded the District Magistrate of Gaya, the from those handed over to the Additional Collector of Gaya, Police Committee by the Mahanth: Officials and High Court Advocates of Gaya. (1) Three ossuaries of the Mahanth. Although the District Magistrate of (2) Panca Pandava Temple. Gaya should be the ex-officio Chairman (3) Annapura Temple, where the idol of the Committee, under Section 3(3) of of Latchmi is kept. Bihar Act XVII of 1949 (The Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949), he being a (4) A pit measuring 3 feet by 3 feet, non-Hindu, and the Act specifying a known as “Hawankund.” Hindu, the Provincial Government The three Ossuaries, Panca Pandava nominated the Additional Collector of Temple and Latchmi Image Shed are Gaya as the Chairman of the Committee. lying to the north and east of the path Thanks to H. E. U Kyin, an leading to the eastern entrance of the arrangement had been made for an Bodh Gaya Temple. The Ossuaries of informal meeting at the Inspection the Mahanths were erected at a later Bungalow where we stayed temporarily. period and it is to be regretted that all The District Magistrate of Gaya, the these are in the precincts of the Bodh Additional Collector of Gaya, who is the Gaya Temple and that the same have Chairman of the Committee, and been excluded from the properties Bhikkhu Jagadish Kashyap, who is a handed over by the Mahanth to the member of the Committee, assembled at Committee. Although the exclusion of 47 these Ossuaries is not of much concern, In that case, he would be a rival to the exclusion of Panca Pandava Temple another Ceylonese lady donor who first and Latchmi Image Shed from the promised to donate Rs. 10,000 towards properties to be entrusted to the the same. Also there appears a Burmese Committee is a matter of some concern. donor who is going to stand an In fact, they are Buddhist images and expenditure from Rs. 20,000 to 50,000 not those of Hindus as claimed by the on the repairs of Ratanaghara. Mahanths. 5. To give place to the Union Just outside the temple compound Buddha Sāsana Council and divided by a footpath, there lies a Occasion now arises to include the brick Rest House donated by the late following in my report: King Thibaw of Burma and I was informed that this also has been The Union Buddha Sāsana Council excluded. When I visited this place intends to negotiate with the Provincial previously I found that it was used as a Government of Bihar and the Temple Free Dispensary; but as the Mahanth has Committee and, in order that the Bihar now rented it out it has become an office Government or the Bodh Gaya Temple headquarters. Committee may give due consideration to the Union Buddha Sāsana Council, Not only that: the Burmese Rest the intending donors from Burma should House situated to the East of Mahā consult the Council and make their Cetiya and built by Burma’s pious King respective donations through the ... Council, which would also make all the (7) To paint yellow the whole of the necessary arrangements for them. Cetiya except the pinnacle but in order 6. Draft bye-laws of the Committee to make the images and mosaic work prominent these should have Under Section 17 of the Bodh Gaya backgrounds in a different shade. Temple Act, 1949, the Committee with the previous sanction of the Provincial The Chairman and the members of Government may, from time to time, the Committee accepted my proposals, make bye-laws to carry out the purposes and they promised that they would place of this Act. Ven. Bhikkhu Jagadish these matters before the Committee Kashyap has drawn up a draft of the meeting, which they understand is to be bye-laws to be submitted to the convened in January 1954 and also that Committee. He has given me a copy of if my proposals be accepted by the the same and I am now studying it. Committee, they would send the estimates of all these to me. 7. Changes to be made in the personnel of the Committee I gave the above proposals to the Committee so that when the Buddhists The Committee has sat only once. come to realise that Buddhists have a When I enquired about the delay in voice in the Bodh Gaya Temple affairs, convening another meeting, The District many philanthropic donors would come Magistrate of Gaya and the Chairman of forward readily. Even now, I am given the present Committee told me that one to understand that a certain donor from of the Committee members who is a Burma intends to offer an electric resident of Gaya has become a member installation at the Temple’s precincts at of the Legislative Assembly and is now a cost of one and a half lakhs of rupees. practising law at New Delhi. Moreover, 48 some members are out of the district of 9. The Buddha Images within the Gaya, but that arrangements are now Mahanth Compound being made for substitutes. On the evening of the day on which 8. Hindu idols inside the main the meeting was held we visited the shrine Mahanth’s monastery where the Mahanth and his followers gave us a After the meeting, I gave the cordial welcome. One of his followers following additional suggestion to the then showed us all the buildings within Committee. the compound. When we arrived at a The Hindu idols now standing on compound where the caves of the Hindu both sides of the Buddha image inside God Shiva stand, I noticed two Buddha the main tower should be removed to the Images lying on the outside cemented relevant Hindu Temples. wallings of the caves. Each of these In this connection I should like to say images is about 30 inches high. Of these that our Hindu friends should realise the one is of emerald colour and is a bit following fact: damaged at the base. The remaining one looks very beautiful and graceful and is The reason why the management of like the one we find in Kyaik-maraw the Bodh Gaya Temple has been handed near Moulmein. The very fact that these over to the Committee comprising images are lying on the outside of the Hindus as well as Buddhists is that the caves and exposed to wind and weather Mahanth and his predecessors had shows that The Mahanth does not look managed the affairs of the Temple for a after them properly. very long time, and that the Hindus regard the Buddha as The incarnation of I have advised the people there to get their God Vishnu and thus pay their them back from the Mahanth either by respects to Him. Though the Hindus can way of gift or purchase and keep them worship the Buddha as one of their in the main Temple. Hindu Gods, The Temple is not the 10. My suggestions to the Maha place of worship for any other Hindu Bodhi Society God. Some news reporters from Gaya Only when the members of the were present at our meeting at Bodh Committee and the Hindus see the Gaya and my suggestions appeared in above facts in their proper perspective some of the papers. can the Buddhists and the Hindus go I had also mentioned a summary of hand in hand in managing the affairs of my suggestions at a Tea Party given to the Temple and in visiting the Temple me by the Gaya Bar on the 21st. for the purpose of paying homage to the December 1953. Buddha. If the Hindus desire to keep other Hindu idols in the Temple on the Also at a Party given in my Honour pretext that they are allowed to pay by the Maha Bodhi Society of Calcutta homage to the Buddha as one of their in their premises on the 5th January I Gods, it would be against the aims and also mentioned all the suggestions I objects of the Act. The Committee of gave at Bodh Gaya. management as well as the pilgrims will The reason why I did so is that the be dissatisfied. Maha Bodhi Society has taken great interest in the Bodh Gaya Temple affairs 49 and Shri Devapriya Valisinha, General two-storeyed and the upper flat has not Secretary of Maha Bodhi Society of yet been completed. The presiding India, is also a member of The Bodh Thera told me that a certain donor Gaya Temple Management Committee. desires to send a donation of Rs. 50,000 He was pleased with my proposals and to him but the Pakistan Government has promised to place these matters before not yet allowed him to do so. the next Committee meeting. On my return to Rangoon I referred 11. New Burmese Rest House the matter to Bagyi Ba Pe. He told me (Monastery) at Bodh Gaya that he is going to extend the building and that arrangements for the same have The rest houses for the pilgrims near been made in consultation with U Tin, a the Bodh Gaya Temple are: civil engineer. I believe that very soon Bodh Gaya Dak Bungalow, Maha we shall see a very grand building on Bodhi Rest House, Bodh Gaya Chinese this land, to the pride and honour of the Temple and Rest House, Birla Union of Burma. Dharmasala and Burmese Monastery. The present presiding Bhikkhu is The Burmese Monastery stands at a Ven. U Ottama, who has 30 Vassas to distance from The Bodh Gaya Temple his credit. He has been in India for the and was built by Burmese donors on the last 18 years, the last five in this land now occupied by the Burmese monastery. leader — Bagyi Ba Pe. This building is

“I premise that there must be knowledge of what wrong conduct is, how it arises, how it is ended without leaving a vestige behind, and how a man walks so as to end it. There must be the like knowledge of right conduct and of wrong and right thoughts. In what now does wrong conduct consist? —In wrong actions, wrong speech, and an evil mode of livelihood. —How do these arise? From the heart, is the answer. —What is the heart? The heart is manifold, complex, and diverse, tainted by emotions (Sacitta), passion, ill-will, and density. —What becomes of wrong conduct when it ceases without leaving a vestige behind? Why, when an Almsman, discarding wrong behaviour – of body –or of speech – or of mind – develops the corresponding right behaviour, and similarly discards a wicked mode of livelihood for the right mode. —How does he walk to end wrong conduct? When he brings will to bear, puts forth endeavour and energy, struggles and strives heartily (i) to stop the rise of evil and wrong states of consciousness which have not yet arisen. (ii) to discard those when have already arisen. (iii) to breed right states not yet existing, and (iv) to establish, clarity, multiply, enlarge, develop, and to perfect existing good states. Somaṇa-Maṇdikā-Sutta. 50 THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHANGE PIYADASSI THERA

Homage to the Blessed One. The civilizations rise, flourish and die away Exalted One, the All-Enlightened One! as waves upon the ocean, yielding place to new, and thus the scrolls of time Change or impermanence is the record the passing pageant, the baseless essential characteristic of all vision, and the fading flow that is phenomenal existence. We cannot say of human history. anything, animate or inanimate, ‘this is lasting’; for even while we are saying it, All component things, all things it would be undergoing change. All is which arise as the effect of a cause, and fleeting: the flower’s beauty, the bird’s which as cause give rise to an effect, can melody and a sunset’s glory. be crystallised in the single word ANICCA — Impermanence. All tones, “Suppose yourself gazing on a therefore, are just variations struck on gorgeous sunset. The whole western the chord which is made up of heavens are glowing with roseate hues Impermanence, Suffering and but you are aware that within half an Soullessness — Anicca, Dukkha and hour all these glorious tints will have Anattā. faded away into a dull ashen grey. You see them even now melting away before Camouflaged, these three your eyes, although your eyes cannot characteristics of life prevail forever in place before you the conclusion which this world until a Fully Enlightened your reason draws. And what conclusion One, — a Sammā-Sam-Buddha, reveals is that? That conclusion is that you their true nature. It is to proclaim these never, even for the shortest time that can truths that the Buddhas appear. be named or conceived, see any abiding “This is the sum, the quintessence colour, any colour which truly is. Within of their teaching and in it all there is no the millionth part of a second the whole word about redemption. But as the sea is glory of the painted heavens has compassed by the land and the land by undergone an incalculable series of the sea, so in the teaching of the Exalted mutations. One shade is supplanted by One, do Sorrow and Salvation mutually another with a rapidity which sets all encompass one another. And as one who measurements at defiance, but because maps out all the outlines of all the lands the process is one to which no on the surface of the earth, with that measurement applies— reason refuses same operation supplies the boundaries to lay an arrestment on any period of the of all the seas, so the Buddha in giving passing scene, or to declare that it is, these three laws of transiency, sorrow because in the very act of being it is not and non-I, at one and the same time it has given place to something else. It is along with them, gives salvation.” (Paul a series of fleeting colours, no one of Dahlke) which is, because each of them continually vanishes in another.” The Buddha is known as the Vibhajjavādā, the Teacher of the History has proved again and again. Doctrine of Analysis. He, verily, is the and will continue to prove, that nothing supreme analytic philosopher. Here in this world is lasting. Nations and ‘analytic philosopher’ means one who 51 states a thing after resolving it into its are not earth, water, fire and air as various qualities, putting the qualities in conceived by some of the old Greek proper order, making everything plain. thinkers. Paṭhavī, in brief, is the element The analytical philosopher has the of extension; Āpo is the element of character of one who states a thing after cohesion; Tejo is the element of going into its details he does not state temperature with the faculty of things unitarily, that is, regarding all preservation; and Vāyo is the element of things in the lump, but after dividing up motion with the faculty of displacement things according to their outstanding (Calana Lakkhaṇa). features, having made all matters Both mind and matter are void of distinct, so that false opinions and an unchanging, undying soul or ego or doubts vanish, and conventional and personality. There are the six indriyas highest truth (Sammuti and Paramattha — six sense doors or sense organs — Sacca) can be understood unmixed. An namely: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and upholder of the analytic method is the mind; there are the six ārammanas — Master, because He approaches not the six sense objects or sensibilia, — extremes of eternalism and nihilism namely: form, sound, odour, taste, (Sassata and Uccheda), but teaches the contact and ideas; there is a functional Middle Way of Dependent Origination interdependence or relationship between (Paṭicca samuppāda). the six sense organs and sense objects, As an anatomist resolves a limb and there is no agent, no soul into tissues and tissues into cells, the whatsoever. Buddha analyses all component things As Dr. Paul Dahlke, the late into their fundamental elements. German Buddhist leader, says: “The so- The so-called being is composed of called being is like a flash of lightning mind and matter or the five aggregates, that is resolved into a succession of namely: Rūpa, Vedanā., Saññā, sparks that follow upon one another Saṅkhāra, and Viññāna; body (matter), with such rapidity that the human retina feeling, perception, volitional activities cannot perceive them separately nor can (formations) and consciousness. The the uninstructed conceive of such elements of this ever changing, succession of separate sparks.” interrelated conflux of mind and body All component things, animate or (Nāma-Rūpa-Santati) when separated inanimate, human or divine, pass from each other, lose something of their through the inconceivably rapid potency with the result that they are moments of Uppāda, Thiti and Bhanga, unable to function indefinitely. or of arising, reaching a peak, and On close analysis it becomes clear ceasing, just as a river in flood sweeps that Nāma or mind is nothing but a to a climax and ebbs away. The whole complex-compound of fleeting mental universe is constantly changing, not states. It is dynamic, and never static. remaining the same for two consecutive Rūpa or matter, on the other hand, is moments. merely a manifestation of forces and Heracleitus, the Greek Philosopher, qualities; in other words, a constant who was born just a few years after the vibration of elements. These forces and passing away of the Buddha, taught the qualities which are known as philosophy of change, and one wonders Paramatthas or Rūpa Dhātu, are termed if that teaching was transmitted to him Paṭhavī, Āpo, Tejo, and Vāyo. But they from India. “There is no static being,” 52 says Heracleitus, ṅo unchanging And, as cattle wander in search of fresh substratum. Change, movement, is Lord pastures, beings lured by craving, go of the Universe. Everything is in a state from birth to birth constantly searching of becoming, of continual flux (Panta for fuel with which the life flame may Rhei)”. “Further,” says Heracleitus, be sustained, and just as long as one “You cannot step twice into the same does not root out desire, so long is one river, for fresh waters are ever flowing mentally fettered like a sucking calf to in upon you.” A Buddhist who has its mother. Yet there is no personal grasped the essential of the Buddha identity a self or a soul that passes into Dhamma, goes a step further, and says: the next life. “The same man cannot step twice into As Bhikkhu Kassapa wrote: the same river.” For the so-called man, “Certain conditions bring about certain who is only a conflux of mind and body, effects. This is sure. It is all a passing is also undergoing rapid change. show of phenomena. There is no real We are born as the effect of many a rest in the cosmos, however much the past cause. From the moment of birth weary may crave for rest. A relative rest we begin to grow: “At first the infant is possible, but not an absolute rest. mewling and puking in his nurse’s Nothing cosmic is still; it is all in a arms”, then by stages we reach the full whirl. The desired is not there when the bloom of youth — youth which is so outstretched hand would grasp it, or, sweet, but as fleeting and evanescent as being there, and grasped, it vanishes like the roses in summer time. Finally old a flake of snow. No cosmic ideal age creeps on. Being in the stages of escapes this inexorable unceasing decay, our senses fail us at a time when change. Happiness there is; but it is they are needed most. “Last scene of all, passing delusion. The seeing eye sees its that ends this strange eventful history is passing with its rising.” second childishness and mere oblivion, Who can say with certainty that one sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans will live to see the morrow? All everything.” And when the inevitable meetings end in partings, while life ends hour strikes its knell, we end this final in death. And we, in this mysterious scene and pass away. universe, live, love and laugh; and, ‘it is Birth precedes death, and death on easy enough to be pleasant when life the other hand precedes birth. Birth is flows along like a song.’ Yet, ‘when conditioned by our own actions both sorrows come, they come not single wholesome and unwholesome, kusala spies, but in battalions’, and then, the and akusala; and action or Kamma is whole world appears to be one picture of conditioned by tanhā, or craving or pain. Still, the man who views life with thirst for life, and craving is the result of a detached outlook, who sees things in not understanding the real nature of their proper perspective, whose cultural things. training urges him to be calm and unperturbed under all life’s vicissitudes, In other words, not understanding who could ‘smile when everything goes the Four Noble Truths and the universal dead wrong’, — he, indeed, is man fact of Dependent Origination” — worthwhile. Paṭicca Samuppāda — which teaches, “this being, that becomes.” The world in which we have taken our temporary abode is like unto a large Life is but a lamp that burns as long lotus out of which we all, men and as it is sustained by the oil of craving. 53 women, gather honey with strenuous woven themselves into the texture of struggle. We build up wishful hopes and their being while aimlessly and plan for the morrow. But one day, endlessly wandering through the jungles sudden perhaps, and unexpected there of samsaric life. It is very difficult to comes the inevitable hour when Death turn ourselves away from customary tears up our lives and brings our hopes haunts and grooves of life, from the to naught. accustomed modes of conduct, thought and action. But it one wants to conquer Now when a person is able to see the burdensome cares of worldly life, to the universality of impermanence escape the toils of samsāra and reach (Aniccatā) he ascends to that summit of perfection, one has to turn away from vision expressed in the Dhammapada things seemingly dear, comfortable and (verse 28): ‘‘The wise one that casts congenial. away wantonness by heedfulness climbing up the heights of wisdom, The people of the world mark the sorrowless surveys the ignorant changing nature of life. Although they sorrowing folk, as a mountaineer the see it, they do not keep it in mind and groundlings.” This is the standpoint of act with dispassionate discernment. the Arahat, the Perfect One, whose Though change again and again speaks clarity of vision, whose depth of insight to them and makes them unhappy, they penetrates into the deepest recesses of continue their mad career of whirling life and cognizes the true nature that along the wheel of existence and are underlies all appearance. He indeed is twisted and torn between the spokes of the true philosopher, the true scientist agony. An illuminating illustration is who has grasped the meaning of change that of the scientist. The scientist is a in the fullest sense and has transmuted man who accepts impermanence as the that understanding into the realization of salient feature of existence. Although he the deepest truth possible to humans — knows it all very clearly he cannot rid the truth of overcoming fully the himself of the fascination and thrill instability of sentient existence through which change has for men in general. the conquest of the firm ground of the After all, a scientist or a common realm of Nibbāna.. No more can he be man, if he has not understood the swept off his feet by the glamour of importance of conduct, the urgency for things ephemeral. No more can he be wholesome endeavor, the necessity for confused by the terrible and the awful. the application of knowledge to life, is, No more is it possible for him to have a so far as the doctrine of the Buddha is clouded view of phenomena for he has concerned, quite an immature person, a transcended all capacity for error raw recruit who has yet to negotiate through the perfect immunity which more hurdles before he wins the race of intuitional knowledge, Vipassanā Ñāṇa, life and the immortal prize of Nibbāna. alone can give. To a Buddhist the primary concern To attain this high state of of life is not mere speculation. or vain liberation, the Buddha points out the voyages into the imaginary regions of sublime path of understanding to high fantasy, but the gaining of true humanity groaning under the whip of happiness and freedom from all ill. To Kamma: but people still cling on to the him true knowledge depends on the by-paths that lead deeper and deeper central question: “Is this learning into the morass of suffering. That is according to actuality? Is it a thing that because of precious habits that have 54 can be of use to us in the conquest of certain and give it the basis of solidity real and everlasting bliss?” for all practical purposes, and so the unrelenting struggle for betterment and To the scientist, knowledge is progress goes on with undiminished something that ties him more and more vigour and futile enthusiasm. But really to this tyre of tears, this nave of this thing they are trying to make better, nothingness which men call life. is so subject to change at all points on its Therefore, that knowledge is not saving circumference and radī, that it is not knowledge, it is not knowledge which in capable of being made sorrow-free at makes him turn away from, makes him all. weary of, the world and all it holds. Thus we see that although today change Our life is so dark with decay, so is understood and made a central smothered with death, so bound with principle in the understanding of the change, and these qualities are so world, it does not mean that the instinctive to it — even as greenishness scientists have grown sick of the world, is to grass and bitterness to quinine — but it means that this very change that not all the magic and witchery of represents to them the imaginary and science can ever transform it. The illusionary possibility of changing the immortal splendour of an eternal world for the better without breaking sunlight awaits only those who can use away from it. They cherish the belief the light of understanding and the that it is possible to discover a way of culture of conduct to illuminate and happiness in this very change, a centre guard their path through life’s tunnel of of security within this circle of darkness and dismay. impermanence. They imagine, although May all be well and happy! this world is uncertain, they can make it

“The way, Cunda. to get quite and rid of those false views and of the domains in which they arise and crop up and obtain, is by seeing with right comprehension that there is no ‘mine’ no ‘this is I’ no ‘this is myself’.” Sallekha- Sutta.

“I say it is the development of the will which is so efficacious for right states of consciousness, not to speak of act and speech.” Sallekha-Sutta

“Well then, Almsmen, you must school yourselves in the higher lore which I have taught you, to wit the four Themes (sati-paṭṭhāna), the four Bases of psychic power (iddhi-pada), the fivefold Sphere of sense (indriya), the five Forces (bala), the seven Factors of Enlightenment (bojjhanga) and the Noble Eightfold Path. In this higher lore you must school yourselves in unity and harmony without strife.” Kinti-Sutta

55

56 THE SANDESAKATHA (A Nineteenth Century Letter in Pāli sent to the Burmese Court from Ceylon) DEVAPRASAD GUHA University of Rangoon

The Sandesakathā, as the name appellation was Siri Jeyyasūra who was suggests, is a message in Pāli sent to the the chief officer of Mine Khine, a Court of King Mindon of Burma C.E. township in the Shan States of Burma. 1852-72 from Ceylon by a group of ten According to the Burmese records his Buddhist laymen. The manuscript of the name was U Yan who was born on text, written in Burmese characters on Monday, the 5th waning day of Wazo both sides of seven palm leaves, has (June-July), Sakkarāj 1171, i.e. 1809 been obtained from the collection of the C.E. in the Thamaing Yin village of Bernard Free Library, Rangoon. It bears Salin township of Burma. His parents the accession No. 1308 and the leaves were U Kyaw Zan E arid Ma Lon Lay. are marked from ka to ke, each side As a Buddhist following the prevailing containing an average of nine lines. At custom of the country, he spent the top of the manuscript it is recorded sometime as a novice in a Buddhist in Burmese language that the letter was monastery when his name was Shin written on paper and was sent on Kelāsava. During the period of two Wednesday, the first waning day of years he spent in the monastery he Tazaungmon (November) in the year attained proficiency in the Buddhist lore Sakkarāj 1220, Sāsana era 2401 (1858 and on his return to the worldly life he C.E.) to Thandawzin Mine Khine served in various capacities the Burmese Myoza by ten Ceylonese gentlemen of kings Tharrawaddy (1837-46 C.E.), whom the chief was Koṅṅialisa-da- Pagān (Aḍ.1846-52), Mindon (1852-78) Posaka (Cornelius de Fonseka). It was and Thibaw (1878-85). He was a sent through three Burmese gentlemen profound scholar in Pāli who gained Nga Myat Hmwe, Nga Aung Tun and mastery not only over the three Piṭakas Zwa Nit (the last one appears to have but also over the commentaries, sub- been of Portuguese origin) who commentaries and allied compositions. apparently had been to Ceylon at that He was also an author of very great time. The text is followed by a repute who wrote a number of works in translation in Burmese, written on Burmese and some also in Pā1i besides sixteen palm leaves probably made for translating into Burmese a number of King Mindon for whom the letter was Pāli texts. His monumental work was actually meant. From its colophon it is the Piṭakathamaing which is a evident that the text was translated by descriptive catalogue of the books in the Mine Khine Myoza himself and that the royal collection at Mandalay. He lived a translation work was finished on the full long life of 72 years and breathed his moon day of Nayon (May-June), last on Thursday, the second waning day Sakkarāj 1221, i.e. 1859 C.E. of Wazo in the year Sakkarāj 1243, i.e. C.E. 1881. Before proceeding with the discussion of the text a few words about Coming back to the text itself we Mine Khine Myoza may not be out of propose to give below a brief summary place. From our text it is evident that his of its contents. 57

The letter was sent by some But their attempt did not meet with any Sinhalese gentlemen to Siri Jeyyasūra, success owing to the financial difficulty the chief of the Mine Khine township, on the part of the organizers, owing to with a request to have the letter placed the absence of Sinhalese kings and before the king Siripavara- gentry devoted to the Buddhist faith and vijayāntayasa-paṇḍita-mahādhamma- also because of the absence of any other rājadhirāja (royal title of King Mindon means for the continuance of their work. of Burma) who had his capital in the Helpless as they were, this Buddhist town of Ratanapuṇṇa (modern laity sent an appeal to the Burmese Mandalay). At the very outset the monarch Mindon, whose fame was beauty, excellence and richness of the spread far and wide for his munificence capital city has been very elaborately for the cause of Buddhism, for some described in Classical Pāli which financial help to finish the construction reminds the reader of the description of work of this religious edifice. This the city of Sāgala given in the assistance on the part of the King, in the introduction of the Milindapaṅhā. The view of these lay devotees, would not appeal was made by a group of ten only help to put a stop to the spread of leading Buddhist lay devotees, the Christianity and recoup the loss incurred foremost amongst whom were by Buddhism in the island but would Koṇṇalisa-da-Posaka, Abhayasekara and also enhance his glory and merit. Guṇaratana, who represented the What we get above is the record of Buddhist laity of Vassakaḍava, a big a gloomy condition of Buddhism township near the Kaṇhagaṅgā, six prevailing in Ceylon in the later half of gāvutas to the south of the city of the 19th century. History tells us that Kolambaka in the island of Laṅkā. The from the 16th century onwards the Christian missionaries are described as native kings of Ceylon started having established academic and quarrelling amongst themselves for religious institutions (the latter known in political supremacy and as a result there Sinhalese by the name of Pā1i), a fact was virtually no single king ruling over which caused grave anxiety in the minds the entire island. At this time foreign of the devout Buddhists of the island. traders like the Arabs, the Portuguese, Thus, being very much worried for the the Dutch and the English came one rapid growth of Christianity in the island after another to this beautiful land to these lay devotees intended to establish exploit her rich resources. The boats of (in the same line with the Christians to these greedy merchants, attracted by her counteract their missionary propaganda) indigenous treasures, started touching a Saṅgharāma at Vassakaḍava1 having the shores on their way to the Straits and cetiya, patimāghara, dhammasālā, the Far East. The native kings, excepting uposathagāra and so on. As a matter of the rulers of the Kandyan region, instead fact they started erecting the of opposing them welcomed these dhammasālā as the first step to work out foreigners to gain political advantage the programme five years before they over their rivals. Thus, the merchants sent the appeal to the Burmese monarch. got a footing in the island. But they did not remain content with their business 1 Identified with modern Waskaduwa, a transactions alone. Gradually they went on introducing their own religious faiths coastal township in the Kalutara district amongst the people. As a result Islam in Ceylon, some 22 miles to the south of and Christianity, particularly the latter, Colombo on the Colombo-Galle Road. 58 gained a strong foothold all over Ceylon religion and in an open controversy the excepting the Kandyan region. Christian preachers were put to shame by him and their sinister motive became The Portuguese were followed by exposed. It gave a rude shock to the the Dutch in the 17th century and the Christian missionaries and at the same Dutch by the English in the 19th. These time Buddhism received a fresh European merchants, all professing impetus. At first the action of Thera Christianity, exploited the advantage of Saraṇaṅkara had its effect only within the internal disorder and took a firm the Kandyan kingdom. But gradually it hold over the greater part of Ceylon. spread to the maritime provinces and Once established in the island, they there was a revival of Buddhistic studies started preaching their own religious in the monasteries. The people who faith amongst the people. At the outset were educated in the Buddhist centres of they were very cautious. They learning and others who were trained in established institutions to impart Government and Missionary schools education and practical training to the started meeting one another in open people. Those who received this controversy through the press and the education and training from the foreign public platform. The Buddhist monks, merchants, now the rulers, naturally got however, did not stop there by holding more favours from the rulers than the controversial discussions alone. They others who did not get this type of took lessons from the Christian education. Thus getting a section of the preachers and followed their mode of people to their side, the Christian rulers preaching for propagating Buddhism. began importing missionaries to carry With the help of the rich devout laity on propaganda work amongst the they starred publishing religious tracts natives. Gradually churches grew up, and formed societies for the propagation convents were established and the of the Teaching. In the sixties of the I people who received education in these 19th century a Buddhist Vernacular convents began to imbibe Christian school was established at Dodanduwa in ideas with the result that many of them the southwest coast of Ceylon on the were ultimately converted. This move of same line with the Christian Missionary the Christian rulers was definitely schools. Our text also speaks of the prejudicial to the cause of Buddhism, intention of the laity of Waskaduwā for the religion of most of the people of the the establishment of such an institution. land, and every devout Buddhist started But unlike the people of Dodanduwa feeling very much concerned, though at they could not get the help of the rich the time they were absolutely helpless in people of the locality where the matter. Naturally there was very Christianity, probably its Protestant little opposition at the beginning but form, had a very important stronghold. gradually the orthodox section of the Moreover, being so very close to people mobilised strength and started Colombo where the English had already protesting against the action of the established themselves firmly, the Christians. The position of Buddhism Buddhists of Waskaduwā could not was very precarious during the fulfill their pious wish. So they stretched Portuguese times. But there came a their vision beyond the Bay and made an revival in the 18th century when earnest appeal to King Mindon for Vālivita Saraṇaṅkara, a Buddhist monk financial help. It may be mentioned here residing in the independent Kandyan that in this connection they referred to kingdom, took up the cause of the 59 the previous dispatch of missionaries Ven. A. P. Buddhadatta Mahāthera of from Ceylon to Burma. Ambalangoda, Ceylon, has very kindly informed the author that here is quite a Nothing can definitely be said as to large number of such Pāli Mss. in what help Mindon extended to the laity Ceylon. It is again quite possible that of Waskaduwā. Of course, nothing can similar texts would be found also in be expected either from our text. But Siam and Cambodia. It is high time that from the colophon of its translation it the scholarly world should seriously appears that a reply was sent by the take the matter in hand and extend all king. Unfortunately, however, the text help to collect all these records which containing the reply has not yet been can really be the valuable treasures of traced. It may be pointed out here that the national archives of the countries there were many such Sandesakatās concerned.2 exchanged between Burma and Ceylon. One such text has already been ______published by Prof. Minayeri in the 2 Paper read at the Seventeenth All- Journal of the Pāli Text Society, 1885, India Oriental Conference, Ahmedabad, pp. 17-28. The author of the present 1953 paper has also found a number of such texts in Burmese characters in Rangoon.

“I say it is the development of the will which is so efficacious for right states of consciousness, not to speak of act and speech.” Sallekha-Sutta * * * “Well then, Almsmen, you must school yourselves in the higher lore which I have taught you, to wit the four Themes (sati-paṭṭhāna), the four Bases of psychic power (iddhi-pada), the fivefold Sphere of sense (indriya), the five Forces (bala), the seven Factors of Enlightenment (bojjhanga) and the Noble Eightfold Path. In this higher lore you must school yourselves in unity and harmony without strife.” Kinti-Sutta 60 IS DHAMMA A RELIGION? BY REV. JACK AUSTIN Editor of “The Western Buddhist”

I read Mr. Mauno Nordberg’s natural inclination on the part of people remarks under the above heading with who feel rather isolated because of their sympathy since I know well the unusual beliefs and who want a little difficulties under which the Dhamma company on their way. But it can be has to be presented to the Western dangerous, since it often results in the peoples. Dhamma being watered down to a vague and general ethical teaching with It is true that, amongst the few a spice of original flavouring to give it a Westerners who have so far shewn an distinction. Witness what has happened interest in Buddhism there are those to a movement originally planned by who have reacted rather strongly against Buddhists —the Theosophical Society, – Christianity and all things Christian. which has incorporated ideas actually They are looking for a complete change; counter to the essential anattā doctrine. so that they attach themselves to those aspects of the Dhamma which least If Buddhism is to become a live resemble Christianity. But I suggest that force in the West, it is necessary to it is unwise to judge the possible appeal to those who seek a religion in reactions of the greater number of which they can believe without doing people merely by the attitude displayed violence to their common sense and by this minority in a minority religious their critical faculty. It is amongst movement. Most Westerners are people who are open-minded, and apathetic towards religion generally, capable of forming judgments free from rather than violently hostile to old prejudices, that we need to look, Christianity and it is very doubtful if rather than amongst those who are they share the peculiar feelings of the blinded by wrong implications in Freethinkers to whom Mr. Nordberg particular terms. Almost everyone alludes. Freethinkers are in the forefront regards Buddhism as one of the great of those whose particular viewpoint is world religions, and there seems little shaped by a dislike of accepted religion, point in trying to sweep back the sea of generally Christianity in the West, of general opinion, since such great effort course. It is not likely that their ranks would produce so little result – if indeed harbour many potential Buddhists, and any worthwhile result at all. No really experience shews that, despite efforts intelligent person – and unintelligent made by such people as Mr. Jackson of people are unlikely to be interested in London over a long period, few the matter very deeply anyhow – no Freethinkers take the step of declaring ordinary sensible Westerner, will themselves followers of The Buddha. necessarily associate the beliefs of one religion with those of a different one. It is often the tendency of Such muddled thinkers would be pretty Buddhists in the West, being themselves useless in the ranks of Buddhism even if a small group, to attempt to attach they found themselves therein. themselves to other small groups with some similar interests, or with some What, after all, is religion? possible points of agreement. This is a Bhikkhu Nyanasatta, in the full work 61

“Practical Buddhism”, a selection from the greatness of the Teaching by which appears in the same issue of “The asserting that any one aspect of it is the Light of the Dhamma”, opens his first whole, but, rather, offer it as a whole – chapter by emphatically defending the and let those who wish to pursue one of use of the word religion. As he points its many paths do so within its ample out there, religion is a body of moral and fold. philosophical teachings, and … living in The Buddha himself did not fear to accordance with the professed creed”. use accepted words as well as accepted The word is not limited to the Christian customs of his day, being wise enough conception any more than it is limited to to give new meanings to familiar things any other. There is a tendency amongst rather than startle his followers with some apologists to limit the Dhamma unnecessary novelties. Let us not fear to itself to their own understanding of it, use terms commonly used and quite when, in fact, the Dhamma is much clearly understood by all those with more than a religion, a philosophy, a normal intelligence. Let us take way of life, or an explanation of the accepted things too, and use them to meaning of life. It is all these and also make the Dhamma live in our daily something far greater, for it is designed lives, and shine forth thus in all our to appeal to, and to help, all manner of words and deeds. men towards the self-realisation of full Enlightenment. Let us not try to belittle ______Editors Note: Mr. Austin’s contribution is well Buddhism is NOT in this reasoned and what he has to say is quite definition, a religion. valid. Nevertheless there are many to Since the “Doctrine” or the whom the word “Religion” gives a “Teaching” is much more descriptive of concept, vague and unformulated often, Buddhism, and there are many but all the more clinging for that, based occasions on which though “religion” is on early childhood impressions, of used it would be better to say, merely, aversion and repugnance for that which “Buddhism”, there arise few necessities has been presented to them as to strain words in omitting “religion”. “Religion”. Take the definition, for instance, from a very popular English When we refer to “Buddhism” as a Dictionary, one of those books for “the “religion” it is usually necessary to million”. The definition runs: “The clarify our terms, by saying “it is not belief in a supernatural power or that sort of religion”. In other words we powers, belief in a god or gods, esp. have to say, “It is the same only such belief as entails acts of worship on different”. Better dodge the word the part of the believer; a developed “religion” altogether. system of philosophical, theological and Because when we use the word ethical opinions, tenets and theories “religion” we find other religious words depending ultimately and essentially creeping in, such as “priest”. upon a belief in a deity or deities, and the necessity of worshipping that deity Now the same dictionary, and it is or those deities; the Christian religion … one used by a great many good, simple people, defines priest as: “ One whose office is to perform sacred rites and act 62 as intermediary between the people and It isn’t only the fanatic rationalists God …” And, partly because ignorant who, as Mr. Austin rightly points out, translators have rather hazily used the wouldn’t be able to accept a new idea, old Christian terms, and those people who are kept away by the loose use of who should know better, perhaps just as Christian terms. It is that great and lazily continue to use them after reading growing body of young seekers who Buddhism in translation by Christians, turn away in disgust from “just another we find the un-Buddhist, indeed anti- joss” or from “secret doctrines” when, Buddhist “Priest” and “High-priest” were these things absent, they would be used to express “Bhikkhu” and encouraged to investigate Buddhism and Mahāthera”. investigating, see the truth. ______

“Of little concern, Ānanda, are quarrels respecting rigours of regimen or of the Code; it is possible quarrels in the Confraternity about the Path or the course of training which really matter.” Sāmagāma-Sutta.

PALI TEXT SOCIETY New Publications: 1 PALI TIPITAKAṂ CONCORDANCE, being a Concordance in Pāli to the three Baskets of Buddhist Scriptures in the Indian order of letters. Listed by F. L. WOODWARD and others., arranged and edited by E. M. HARE. Part 1, fasc. 1. pp. vi. 58, paper covers, London, 1952. £l-10-0 2. THERAGATHA COMMENTARY, VOL. II Edited by F. L. WOODWARD, boards, PTS. 1952. £2- 5-0 Reprints: 1. PALI-ENGLISH DICTIONARY, Rhys Davids & Stede, 8 parts, sewn, London, 1952. Complete £6-10-0

PALI TEXT SOCIETY 30, Dawson Place, London W. 2 63 BOOK REVIEW “Satipaṭṭhāna – The Heart of Buddhist Meditation”, by Nyanaponika Thera, The Word of the Buddha Publishing Committee, 139 High Level Road, Nugegoda, Colombo, Ceylon. Paper Rs. 2.50, Cloth Rs. 3.50. Buddhism is many things, but above His Teaching, all the Truth “holding all it is common sense. Even in what some nothing back.” Here is that Teaching would call its “mystical” facet, it teaches which the Buddha called “The only clearly and simply a practical road to way”. For the man who does not want to Salvation. Unfortunately, to the West, “stop and play games at the foot of the Buddhism has been interpreted too often hill” or to learn “the secrets of power” in by those, sincere and zealous enough, some order to show, to his own full-fed but of them, who have not known a great deal still somewhat starved and indeed of their subject and have not had that insatiable ego, what a great man he can leaven of simple common sense that would be to the man, that is, who is sincere and enable them to interpret Buddhism earnest in his desire for Salvation, here correctly. Consequently the most arrant is the Buddha’s “Only way.” nonsense of “Secret doctrines” and “hidden It will be a help also to the mere traditions” is put forth as Buddhism and scholar, because it will show him if he this attracts those poor unbalanced folk will but practise, the real meaning of whose profound hunger for the Buddhism and the vitality of action supernatural coupled with some dim behind the obscuring curtain of words. realisation of the inadequacy of the theistic faiths sends them out in a “pursuit of the As the learned author says in his exotic.” “Introduction”: “In Satipaṭṭhāna lives the creative power as well as the At the other extreme the earnest timeless and universal appeal of a true seeker in the West is likely to come up doctrine of Enlightenment. It has the against the mere scholar, the man who will depth and the breadth, the simplicity and eagerly grub up the roots of a word in Pāli the profundity for providing the and find some word in a European foundation and the framework to a language with a meaning akin to that and living DHAMMA FOR ALL, or, at then will triumphantly bring forth a least, for that vast, and still growing, “scholarly translation” that bears as much section of humanity that is no longer resemblance to the spirit of Buddhism as susceptible to religious or pseudo- does a heap of sawdust to a fruiting tree. religious sedatives, and yet feel, in their HERE IS A BOOK THAT HAS lives and minds, the urgency of BEEN BADLY NEEDED. fundamental problems of a non-material kind calling for solution that neither What a pleasure it is to have at last a science nor the religions of faith can book that sets forth the “Heart of Buddhist give.” Meditation” in a simple, clear, concise and practical manner as befits its great subject. The “profound simplicity”, a simplicity that has taught little children It is scholarly and it is living and it is and those harder to teach, the “learned all that is needed from outside oneself to scholars”, is well stressed by the author: attain to that “Higher knowledge, to freedom, to Nibbāna.” The Buddha taught “Satipaṭṭhāna restores simplicity to all men who have the character to follow and naturalness to a world that grows 64 more and more complicated, problematic spiritual welfare of humanity to check and reliant on artificial devices. It teaches that development. And as to our these virtues of simplicity and naturalness particular subject, spiritual self-help, – first for the sake of their own inherent how can man’s mind become self-reliant merits, but also for easing the task of if it keeps on surrendering itself to that spiritual self-help. endless weary toil for continuously increasing imaginary needs entailing a Certainly this world of ours is growing dependency on others? complex in its very nature, but it need not Simplicity of life should be cultivated grow infinitely in its complexity, and it for the sake of its own inherent beauty need not at all be as complicated and as well as for the sake of the freedom it perplexing as the unskillfulness, ignorance, bestows.’’ unrestrained passion and greed of men have made it. All these qualities making Something of the method, which for increasing complication of life can be the author gives in as full detail as is effectively countered by the Method of possible to give is apparent from his Right Mindfulness. paragraph quoted below, on ‘‘ The value of Bare Attention for Knowing the Satipaṭṭhāna teaches man how to cope Mind”. with all this confusing complexity of his life and its problems: in the first instance, “Mind is the element in and by endowing him with adaptability and through which we live, yet it is what is pliancy of mind, with quickness of apt most elusive and mysterious. Bare response in changing situations, with the Attention, however, by first attending skillfulness in applying the right means patiently to the basic facts of the mental (i.e. Clear Comprehension of Suitability). process, is capable of shedding light on As to the irreducible minimum of life’s mind’s mysterious darkness, and of complexity. That too may, to a reasonable obtaining a firm hold on its elusive flow. extent, well be mastered with the help of The systematic practice of Mindfulness, Right Mindfulness. It teaches, for that starting with Bare Attention, will furnish purpose: how to keep one’s affairs, both all that knowledge about the mind which worldly and ethical, tidy, and without is essential for practical purposes, i.e. arrears and debts how to use and to keep for the mastery, the development and the the reins of control; how to co-ordinate the final liberation of mind. But even numerous facts of life, and how to beyond that intrinsically practical scope subordinate them to a strong and noble of the Satipaṭṭhāna method: when once purpose. clear awareness and comprehension have been firmly established in a As to the complications capable of limited, but vital, sector of the mind’s reduction, Satipaṭṭhāna holds up the ideal expanse, the light will gradually and of simplicity of wants. To stress this ideal naturally spread, and will reach even today is most urgent in view of the distant and obscure corners of the dangerous modern tendency artificially to mind’s realm which were hitherto create, to propagandize, and condition for, inaccessible. This will mainly be due to ever-new wants. The results of that the fact that the instrument of that search tendency as appearing in social and for knowledge will have undergone a economic life, belong to the secondary radical change: the searching mind itself causes of war, while the root of that will have gained in lucidity and tendency, i.e. Greed, is one of its primary penetrative strength.” causes. It is imperative for the material and 65

“... Owing to a rash or habitual The only small point to which we limiting, labeling, misjudging and could take exception is the curious use mishandling of things, important sources of of “Buddha” as though it were a name knowledge often remain closed. Western instead of a title. The use of “Buddha” humanity, in particular, will have to learn instead of the correct, “The Buddha” can from the East to keep the mind longer and be very confusing to Western readers more frequently in a receptive, but keenly particularly. observing, state – a mental attitude which Among the other interesting articles is cultivated by the scientist and the is one by a Jesuit, the Rev. D’Souza, research worker, but should increasingly which points out quite clearly how the become common property. This attitude of “characteristic features of Buddhism Bare Attention will, by persistent practice, became for ever part of the Hindu prove to be a rich source of knowledge and tradition.” In thus showing how inspiration.” Hinduism has been influenced by Paying a great tribute to Burma’s Buddhism, the Rev. father gives a revered Venerable U Sobhana Mahāthera pointer as to how Christianity also has (Mahāsi Sayadaw) of the International been benefited by incorporation of some Meditation Monastery, Rangoon, the of the gentleness towards all living author has a section on what he calls: “The things first inculcated by Buddhism. We New Burman Satipaṭṭhāna Method”. need to-day writers like this to take the process a step farther and to introduce to Here is a book that sets forth the the faiths of blind belief the timeless essentials of the Buddhist ascesis in simple Doctrine of Reason and Gentleness and and easily understandable fashion. It will Salvation that is Buddhism. still be necessary for most people to have a “Meditation Master” but here is set forth Foreign subscription to “Indo- the Practice as it has never before been set Asian Culture” is 8 shillings per annum. forth in English. “THE GOLDEN LOTUS” PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED We are always pleased to receive INDO-ASIAN CULTURE this American Magazine of Buddhism, and our last copy is dated November Published quarterly by the Indian 1953. Sea-mail takes some three months Council for Cultural Relations, Hyderabad between U.S.A. and Burma. House, New Delhi. India, our congratulations go to the Editor and the The issue under review has an Council for a highly interesting and excellent short article on “ Ill-will” instructive journal. which ends “The Will is the one sword that can destroy this fetter.” In Sabb- Latest issue is January 1954 and there āsava-Sutta the Buddha taught that is a finely-illustrated article on The Ajanta certain “Cankers” are to be removed by Caves by the learned Dr. Ganguli. will, among them that of ill-will and in Another article most interesting to us the Sallekha Sutta (also from the is the ‘‘Vinaya and the Abhidhamma Majjhima Nikāya) says: “I say it is the Piṭakas of the Pāli Canon” by Dr. development of the will which is so Nalinaksha Dutt, which shows careful efficacious for right states of research and the bringing of deep thought consciousness, not to speak of act and to the task. speech. 66

It is pleasing to read such an article as The “throttling priestcraft” has existed the one “Ill-will” so purely Buddhist and among certain non-Theravāda sects who putting the Teaching in simple and plain have whispered of an “esoteric fashion. tradition.” To us here the article by Margaret The quotation from Madame Geiger “H.P. Blavatsky on Buddhism” Blavatsky blames the Theravādins for reads rather strangely. There seems a their insistence on orthodoxy, on the hiatus of logic or perhaps the point is not teaching of all of the Buddha Doctrine made clearly. In writing of Madame of the “open hand of the Teacher with Blavatsky the authoress says she points out nothing held back.” that the natural activity of western minds The Buddha had said, in a Sutta have something to contribute toward and giving a parable that is a favourite arousing the eastern mind from its among Theravādins “The Parable of the passivity and torpor (A throttling Simsapa Leaves,” that he had taught priestcraft has distorted the interpretation ALL THE TRUTHS NECESSARY of scriptures and withheld truths felt FOR THE HIGHER KNOWLEDGE, improper for the masses.)” Later on she FOR SALVATION and this the quotes Madame Blavatsky directly: Theravādins are actively propagating to “ … The schools of the Northern all who care to listen, without respect of Buddhist Church, established in those colour, creed or birth. countries to which his initiated Arahats Madame Blavatsky’s theory that retired after the Master’s death, teach all the Arahats (and in the absence of that is now called Theosophical doctrines, anything to the contrary this is naturally because they form part of the knowledge of taken to mean all the Arahats), “retired” the initiates – thus proving how the truth to any particular country is scarcely has been sacrificed to the dead-letter by the tenable when not only the Pāli Canon too zealous orthodoxy of Southern but a widespread tradition, if that were Buddhism.” needed in addition, agrees that the If Madame Blavatsky were alive Arahats were sent out to preach the today she might like to rewrite what she’d Doctrine Sublime to all men. said about “eastern passivity and torpor.” Madame Blavatsky, however, had a Especially if she saw the hive of activity in remarkably fine mind and it is a pity that the East and, too often, the playing with in her day there was so little of the Pāli mere dead-end materialism by too many in Canon available in translation and that the modern West. the translations into European languages However, the point at issue is the at that time were so poor in many cases. “withholding of truths” of which the The “Golden Lotus” is advertised “Southern” Theravāda Buddhists certainly in this issue, so we have no need to give have not been guilty since if anything can here the particulars intending be said to be their password it is the “Ehi subscribers will want. passiko” “Come and see” of the Buddha.

67 GLOSSARY FOR VOL. II—No. 2.

A Mano mind Acchariya wonderful; strange; Mannita mind-made marvelous Manussa man Akata not made; natural Mayā made of Akiñcaññā-yatana sphere of unbounded Mūla root space Aloka light P Asmi-māna pride of self; egotism Pariyāya arrangement; disposition Atakkā vacara beyond hair-splitting Vol 1, No. 1 reasoning; sophistry Phassa touch, contact Attaniya belonging to the soul; of Pubbangamā going before; preceding the nature of soul āvajjna citta ‘advertence’ of the mind S towards the object, i.e. the Sabba; sabbe all first stage in process of Sakkarāj era consciousness Samugghāta uprooting; abolishing Sandesakathā messages C Santati continuity Cakkhu eye Sappāya fit; suitable Cetiya cairn; pagoda Sassata-diṭṭhi eternalist theory Suñña zero; void D T Dhammasālā preaching hall Thaddha hard; rigid; firm H U Hadaya heart Upādāna-kkhandha the five groups of J existence which form the objects of clinging Jarā old age; decay Uposathagāra the hall in the monastery Jivhā tongue in which Pāṭmokkha is recited K Koṭi ten millions V Vikāra change; alteration L Viññatti making known; bodily or Lokāyata what pertains to the verbal expression ordinary view, common or Vohāra common use of language; popular philosophy conventional language

M Y Majjhimā Paṭpadā middle path; middle way Yoniso manasikāra fixing one’s attention Manasikāra ‘mental advertence’ in the with a purpose or sense of avajjana (above) thoroughly wise consideration