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The Light of the Dhamma Vol III No 4, August, 1956 Vol. III No. 4 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 All of the addresses and contact information provided in this online edition of The Light of the Dhamma are no longer valid.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. III No. 4 2500 B.E. August1956 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. III 2500 B.E. August 1956 C.E. No. 4 CONTENTS Article PAGE Buddhism in a Nutshell ………. Venerable Nārada Mahāthera... 7 Way to Perfect Peace ………. Venerable U Wisāra 38 Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna-Sutta………. Venerable Sobhana Mahāthera 41 Victory of the Sāsana ………. U Ohn Ghine 57 The Conventional versus the Real ………. U Ba Htu 61 Natural Phenomena, Mental and Physical, as analyzed by the Buddha………U Saw Tun Teik 64 Biographical sketches of our Contributors 70 Glossary 72 Also in the original issue: Sammādiṭṭhi Dīpanī ………. Venerable Ledi Sayadaw Titthāyatana-Sutta………. Translated by the Editors of the “Light of the Dhamma” Power of Mindfulness ………. Bhadanta Nyanaponika Thera The Dhammapada Commentary (Aggasāvaka Vatthu) ………. Translated by the Pāli Department of the University of Rangoon 6 7 Buddhism in a Nutshell Nārada Thera Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā-Sambuddhassa Chapter I of the utter futility of self-mortification which weakened his body and resulted in lassitude of The Buddha spirit. On the fullmoon day of May, in the year Benefiting by this invaluable experience of 623 B.C., there was born in the district of his, he finally decided to follow an Nepal an Indian Sakya Prince named independent course, avoiding the two extremes Siddhattha Gotama, who was destined to be of self-indulgence and self-mortification. The the greatest religious teacher in the world. former retards one’s spiritual progress, and the Brought up in the lap of luxury, receiving an latter weakens one’s intellect. The new way education befitting a prince, he married and which he himself discovered was the Middle had a son. Path, Majjhima Paṭipadā, which subsequently His contemplative nature and boundless became one of the salient characteristics of his compassion did not permit him to enjoy the teaching. fleeting material pleasures of a Royal One happy morning, while He was deeply household. He knew no woe, but he felt a deep absorbed in meditation, unaided and unguided pity for sorrowing humanity. Amidst comfort by any supernatural power and solely relying and prosperity, he realized the universality of on His efforts and wisdom, He eradicated all sorrow. The palace, with all its worldly defilements, purified Himself, and, realizing amusements, was no longer a congenial place things as they truly are, attained Enlightenment for the compassionate prince. The time was (Buddhahood) at the age of 35. He was not ripe for him to depart. Realizing the vanity of born a Buddha1, but He became a Buddha by sensual enjoyments, in his twenty-ninth year, His own striving. As the perfect embodiment he renounced all worldly pleasures and of all the virtues He preached, endowed with donning the simple yellow garb of an ascetic, deep wisdom commensurate with His alone, penniless, wandered forth in search of boundless compassion. He devoted the Truth and Peace. remainder of His precious life to serve It was an unprecedented historic humanity both by example and precept, renunciation; for he renounced not in his old dominated by no personal motive whatever. age but in the prime of manhood, not in After a very successful ministry of 45 long poverty but in plenty. As it was the belief in years the Buddha, as every other human being, the ancient days that no deliverance could be succumbed to the inexorable law of change, gained unless one leads a life of strict and finally passed away in His 80th year, asceticism, he strenuously practiced all forms exhorting His disciples to regard His doctrine of severe austerities. “Adding vigil after vigil, as their teacher. and penance after penance,” he made a superhuman effort for six long years. The Buddha was a human being. As a man He was born, as a man He lived, and as a man His body was reduced to almost a skeleton. His life came to an end. Though a human The more he tormented his body, the farther being, He became an extraordinary man his goal receded from him. The painful, (Acchariya Manussa), but He never arrogated unsuccessful austerities which he strenuously to Himself divinity. The Buddha laid stress on practiced proved absolutely futile. He was now this important point and left no room whatever fully convinced, through personal experience, for anyone to fall into the error of thinking that 8 He was an immortal divine being. Fortunately state of perfection if he makes the necessary there is no deification in the case of the exertion. The Buddha does not condemn men Buddha. It should, however, be remarked that by calling them wretched sinners, but, on the there was no Teacher, “ever so godless as the contrary, He gladdens them by saying that they Buddha, yet none so god-like.” are pure in heart at conception. In His opinion the world is not wicked but is deluded by The Buddha is neither an incarnation of the ignorance. Instead of disheartening His Hindu God Vishnu, as is believed by some, nor followers and reserving that exalted state only is He a savior who freely saves others by His to Himself, He encourages and induces them to personal salvation. The Buddha exhorts His emulate Him, for Buddhahood is latent in all. disciples to depend on themselves for their In one sense all are potential Buddhas. deliverance, for both purity and defilement depend on oneself. Clarifying His relationship One who aspires to become a Buddha is with His followers and emphasizing the called a Bodhisatta, which, literally, means a importance of self-reliance and individual wisdom-being. This Bodhisatta ideal is the striving, the Buddha plainly states: “You most beautiful and the most refined course of should exert yourselves, the Tathāgatas2 are life that has ever been presented to this ego- only teachers.” centric world, for what is nobler than a life of service and purity? The Buddhas point out the path, and it is left for us to follow that path to obtain our As a Man He attained Buddhahood and purification. proclaimed to the world the latent inconceivable possibilities and the creative “To depend on others for salvation is power of man. Instead of placing an unseen negative, but to depend on oneself is positive.” Almighty God over man who arbitrarily Dependence on others means a surrender of controls the destinies of mankind, and making one’s effort. him subservient to a supreme power, He raised In exhorting His disciples to be self- the worth of mankind. It was He who taught dependent the Buddha says in the Parinibbāna that man can gain his deliverance and Sutta: “Be ye islands unto yourselves, be ye a purification by his own exertion without refuge unto yourselves, seek not for refuge in depending on an external God or mediating others.” These significant words are self- priests. It was he who taught the ego-centric elevating. They reveal how vital is self- world the noble ideal of selfless service. It was exertion to accomplish one’s object and, how He who revolted against the degrading caste superficial and futile it is to seek redemption system and taught equality of mankind and through benignant saviors and to crave for gave equal opportunities for all to distinguish illusory happiness in an after life through the themselves in every walk of life. propitiation of imaginary Gods or by He declared that the gates of success and irresponsive prayers and meaningless prosperity were open to all in every condition sacrifices. of life, high or low, saint or criminal, who Furthermore, the Buddha does not claim the would care to turn a new leaf and aspire to monopoly of Buddhahood which, as a matter perfection. of fact, is not the prerogative of any specially Irrespective of caste, color or rank He graced person. He reached the highest possible established for both deserving men and women state of perfection any person could aspire to, a democratically constituted celibate Order.
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