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THE METAPHYSICS AND ETHICS ACCORDING TO THEBHAGAVADGITA AND THE SUTTANTA PITAKA1 Samniang Leurmsae the control of God. With regard to the idea Abstract of ethics, some practical paths written in both texts are really the same, but the The purpose of this paper is to compare standard of moral judgement in the ideas of metaphysics and ethics written in Bhagavadgita differs from the Suttanta the Bhagavadgitii text of Hinduism, and Pitaka due to the belief in God. the Suttanta Pitaka, text of Buddhism. After examination, it is found that the Introduction Bhagavadg1ta recognizes the idea of God (brahman) and Self (iitman) which are Hinduism and Buddhism are, undoubtedly, mainly metaphysical concepts, whereas the two best known philosophical the Suttanta Pitaka rejects these ideas. traditions of India and within these ancient Both texts agree ignorance and desire are traditions, the texts of the Bhagavadgtta causes of deluded actions which are and the Suttanta Pitaka are fundamental. responsible for the continued chain of existence and that all beings are born The Bhagavadgita, considered the most again repeatedly in different spheres of influential work in Indian thoughe, life driven by their intentional actions. To conveys lessons of philosophy, religion stop rebirth and to attain the highest goal and ethics and has been a source of life (salvation), one should eliminate of inspiration to millions of Indians desire, hatred and delusion. However, the for over two thousand years. In this karma-forces of the Bhagavadg1ta seem unique text, the quintessence of the to be different from that of the Upanisads, along with the teachings Suttanta Pitaka, because they are under of Vedanta, Sailkhya and Yoga are synthesized into one harmonious whole. Thus, it is rightly regarded as representing not any one particular sect of Hinduism, but Hinduism as a whole.4 1 This paper is taken from some parts of the thesis · entitled "A Critical and Comparative Study of the Bhagavadg ita and the Suttanta Pit aka," submitted for the degree of Doctor of . 3 S. Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I Philosophy in Sanskrit at Banaras Hindu (Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1993 ), University, India, in 1997. p. 519. 2 Department of Oriental Languages, Faculty of 4 S. Radhakrishnan, The Bhagavadgita (Delhi: Archaeology, Silpakom University. Harper Collins Publishers, 1994 ), p.12. Downloaded from Brill.com10/05/2021 02:47:43PM via free access The Metaphysics and Ethics According to the Bhagavadgitii and the Suttanta Pitaka Traditionally, it would be said that the Canon which is a compilation of a great Bhagavadgi:ta is taught by the Blessed number of sermons and discourses in Narayal)a himself to Arjuna, compiled by prose and verse, expounded by the Buddha the ancient seer named Vyasa, in the himself or by his eminent disciples.9 middle of the Mahabharata. 5 In fact, the These discourses were expounded to suit conversation between Arjuna and Lord different occasions and the intellectual Krsna is supposed to have taken place just level of the audience. They cover a wide before the battle which is the main theme field of subjects, not only the fundamentals of the great epic. Among scholars, K.N. of the Dhamma, but also pragmatic Upadhyaya argues that the Bhagavadgitii guidelines to make the Dhamma . must be considered an original part of the meaningful and applicable to daily life . Mahabharata, because the larger epic refers to it often.6 But many scholars also The Suttanta Pitaka is divided into five believe that over time some additions may collections (paffcanikaya), namely, the be made to the original Bhagavadgi:ta.7 Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Therefore, they have concluded that it Sai]1yutta Nikaya, Ailguttara Nikaya and must have first been completed sometime Khuddaka Nikaya. It systematically between the 5th and 4th century B.C. groups the teaching of the discourses, into The current text of the Bhagavadgi:ta those concerned with precepts of morality consists of 700 verses,8 and is divided (sila), concentration (samadh1) and into eighteen chapters (adhyayas). The attainment of wisdom (paffff§). 10 Bhagavadglta as found at present has been translated into Indian languages, English The completion of the Suttanta Pitaka, and many other Western languages, making may have been achieved by the third it the most translated of any Asian text. Buddhist Council, during the reign of King Asoka, 11 about 247 B.C., 236 years Within the basket of Buddhist scriptures after the death of the Buddha. 12 (tipitaka), the Suttanta Pitaka is the Pali 5 Swami Tapasyananda, Srimad Bhagavadgltii; The Scripture of Mankind (Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1994 ), p. xi; See also S. 9 Myanmar Pitaka Association, Twenty-Five Radhakrishnan, The Bhagavadgltii, p. 10. Suttas from Milfap8{1(1iisa (Delhi: Sri Sutguru 6 K.N. Upadhyaya, Early Buddhism and the Publications, 1990), Introduction, p. v. Bhagavadgitii (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 10 Myanmar Pitaka Association, Twenty-Five 1983), p. 6. Suttas from Majjhimapa(l(liisa (Delhi: Sri 7 M.R. Yardi, The Bhagavadgitii As a Synthesis Sutguru Publications, 1990), Introduction, (Poona: The Bhandarkar Institute Press, 1991 ), p. iii. p. 4. 11 K.N. Upadhyaya, Early Buddhism and the 8 This number is confirmed by Sankaracarya. Bhagavadgltii, p. 54. Cf. Swami Gambhirananda, Bhagavadgitii With 12 E.J. Thomas, The Life of Buddha As Legend the Commentary of Sarikariiciirya (Calcutta: and History (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Advaita Ashrama, 1991 ), Introduction, p. xvii. Publishers, 1993), Introduction, pp. xviii-xix. 46 Downloaded from Brill.com10/05/2021 02:47:43PM via free access MANUSYA: Journal ofHumanities 3.2, 2000 15 Previously, it had been handed down Metaphysics orally (mukhapatha) and then recorded in books during the reign of King The Buddha said that discussion of Vattagamani of Ceylon about 88-76 B.C.13 metaphysical questions, which are The Suttanta Pitaka which exists to this ethically useless and intellectually day in Ceylon, Burma and Thailand, is uncertain, does not take a person near to recorded in Pali language and has been his or her goal, i.e. vimutti, the state of systematically divided and handed down freedom from all suffering. Through the from generation to generation. Together parable of the arrow, Buddha explains with commentaries, it fonns the huge why he refrains from answering these collection of literary works that the questions. He points out that the real need Bhikkhus (monks) of the Order have to of the man pierced with a poisoned arrow study and memorize in perfonning their is to get rid of the arrow and be cured, "ganthadhura," (the duty of study). 14 rather than to wait for a fruitless investigation about the nature of the To date, there have been many studies of arrow, the man shooting it and so on. Life the metaphysical and ethical aspects of the could be lost in this process. 16 Instead of texts of the Bhagavadgita and the Suttanta discussing metaphysical questions, Pitaka. A summary of these comparisons therefore, the Buddha always tried to is given in the following paragraphs. enlighten people on the more important questions of suffering, the origin of In this paper, I make reference to essential suffering, the cessation of suffering and tenninology of Sanskrit (in discussion of the path leading to the cessation of the Bhagavadgita) and Pali (in discussion suffering. of the Suttanta Pitaka) languages for example: Atman (Sanskrit) and Atta(Pali), Nirvffl;a (Sanskrit) and Nibbana (Pali). 15 Metaphysics is the inquiry which attempts to discover the ultimate reality underlying the universe. This inquiry has the fundamental aspects according as it concerns itself with the problem of Absolute (God), of soul, or of the cosmos (i.e. external reality). It appears to .be the main questions that have engaged the attention of metaphysicians of all ages and of all countries, whether they be Indian or European. In this paper, the metaphysics with regard to the concepts of God (Brahman), the 13 Ibid., p. 251 . Self (atman), the Action (karma) and Rebirth 14 U Ko Lay, Guide to Tipitaka (Delhi: Sri and the Salvation will be discussed. Sutguru Publications, 1990), p. 2. 16 Maijhima Nikaya, 1.429. 47 Downloaded from Brill.com10/05/2021 02:47:43PM via free access The Metaphysics and Ethics According to the Bhagavadgitli and the Suttanta Pitaka The Existence of God (Brahman) to come to the opposite side.21 However, the Buddha does not seem to reject the The Bhagavadgmi and the Suttanta Pitaka idea of a supreme impersonal reality are fundamentally opposed to each other known as "brahman," provided it is in the belief of the existence of God viewed without any metaphysical or (brahman). In the Bhagavadgita, Brahman theological strings which relate it to the manifests itself in the form of a personal conditioned world of phenomena. In the God, Vi$Qu-Narayal)a, and also in the Suttanta Pitaka, the Buddha only makes form of Lord Krsna17 who affirms that he use of the word "brahman" as a synonym is the origin and dissolution of the whole for " Nibblina," the supreme reality universe, 18 and speaks of himself as the and "Dhamma," the highest truth abode of Brahman. 19 Brahman is regarded (enlightenment), not as reference to a God. as the ruler and preserver of the whole world. It is viewed as the immortal Self of Self and Non-Self man, dwelling in all beings, though they know it not. Besides, Brahman is said to With regard to the Self (litman), according be possessed of two natures; a higher to the Bhagavadgita, it is said that Self (parii) and a lower (aparii), 20 answering to (litman) is the principle of human life. It is the conscious and the unconscious aspects what remains when everything that is not of the universe.
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