1 CHRISTIANITY and BUDDHISM SINCLAIRE THOMPSON MEMORIAL LECTURE FIFTH SERIES By THE VENERABLE BHIKKHU BUDDHADASA INDAPANNO 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION (TO THE SECOND EDITION)..........................................................................4 PREFACE..............................................................................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................7 Publisher’s Note....................................................................................................................................9 THOMPSON MEMORIAL LECTURE Fifth Series CHRISTIANITY AND BUDDHISM BY THE VENERABLE BHIKKHU BUDDHADASA INDAPANNO (First Lecture) MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER’S RELIGION................................................................12 THOMPSON MEMORIAL LECTURE Fifth Series CHRISTIANITY AND BUDDHISM THE VENERABLE BHIKKHU BUDDHADASA INDAPANNO (Second Lecture) FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT...........................................................................................................................49 1. “GOD” IN ITS GENERAL MEANING............................................................................49 2. GOD IN TERMS OF RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE FROM THE BUDDHIST VIEWPOINT 53 3. “GOD” AS USED IN CONVENTIONAL LANGUAGE..................................................59 4. GOD ALWAYS CONVEYS A HIDDEN DHARMIC SENSE. THE IDEA IS THAT GOD, AS SPOKEN OF IN THE LAYMAN’S LANGUAGE, WHEREEVER FOUND IN THE SCRIPTURES OF ANY RELIGION, COULD BE TURNED USUALLY INTO THE SENSE OF THE DHARMIC GOD...................................................................................................................61 5. GOD THE SON..................................................................................................................70 6. GOD THE SPIRIT OR GOD THE SOUL.........................................................................77 7. GOD THE TRINITY..........................................................................................................78 THOMPSON MEMORIAL LECTURE Fifth Series By THE VENERABLE BHIKKHU BUDDHADASA INDAPANNO Third Lecture REDEMPTION AND CONSUMMATION......80 1. REDEMPTION.......................................................................................................................80 2. CONSUMMATION................................................................................................................85 Summary of the three lectures...........................................................................................................87 3 INTRODUCTION (TO THE SECOND EDITION) In this second edition we have added only one sentence in brackets at page four. Actually this addition is not the translator’s own idea, but the wording of the venerable author himself; it has been given so as to further clarify the point. As for the other pages there are only minor changes, i.e. some repetitions have been avoided. In publishing this second edition our thanks are due to Mr. Poon Kesjamras of Bangkok Technical In statute who kindly designed the cover of the book; the covers of the first and second edition are identical. We are delighted that this book has been welcomed and that many are interested in the subject matter. If this booklet just helps to promote mutual understanding among different minds, the mission feels amply rewarded for the work. We dare not and do not do not wish to use the term “different religions” (there is another work of the venerable author which has just been been printed in English: ‘No Religion’) because the more we speak of “different religions,” the more differentiations and split-mindedness will arise, In spite of all it is good to notice that all differences are only on the surface of the mind: for in fact if we have an enlightened understanding, realizing the essence of the mind, we will find no need for differentiations. As far as the ‘true mind’ is concerned, it is everybody’s inherent essence of mind. The term ‘true mind’ and others such as ‘ultimate reality’ ‘God, the Almighty; ‘Buddha’, or the ‘Kingdom of God’, ‘Nirvana’, ‘redemption’ or ‘emancipation’ – all are the same, call them what you may. All these terms are just conventionally true, i.e. the language of common usage (to clarify this point the reader may refer to another work of the venerable author: ‘Two kinds of Language’ where he gives an interesting explanation of key-words both from the angle of conventional and ultimate truth); we use such language just as a means to point at the real nature of things, i.e. ultimate reality. There is no denying the fact that all minds are naturally inclined towards peace. Intrinsically all minds in this world tend to loving-kindness and compassion. If everybody has intuition into this 4 fact and is thereby naturally at peace, genuinely radiating loving-kindness and compassion, peace could be realized in this world. On the contrary, as long as people are not yet serious in their quest for peace, not really concerned with loving-kindness and compassion, there cannot be, for sure, any lasting peace. An urgent question is: what is to be done that everybody in the world has wisdom enough to love peace, genuinely spreading loving-kindness and compassion. We are using the word ‘genuine’, because we wish to emphasize that love for peace and compassion should not be just a shaky idea or a passing emotion without any firm basis. The answer is that each of us should practise mental restraint as earnestly as possible. In doing so we should take an interest in studying on a spiritual level with broadmindedness, not limiting ourselves to a certain system, tradition or method. This should go hand in hand with gradually but constantly reducing our ego so that finally we may be free from all selfishness whatsoever. On this occasion of New Year’s Day we wish from the bottom of the heart happiness and well-being to every human being. May all of you ‘attain God in your own mind’. For God is real, unchanging and permanent, love and compassion of God should, of course, be real, real in the sense that it does not change. May everybody be enlightened and realize the same mind as that of God: a mind that is genuinely full of loving-kindness and compassion; a mind that is unfalteringly full of loving-kindness and compassion; a mind that is permanently full of loving-kindness and compassion Sublime Life Mission 5 PREFACE “This is glutinous rice” – is a description, “Eat it! You will gain strength!” – is a call to commitment. The latter cannot be intelligible without the former and yet the former would be lifeless unless it is given meaning by the latter. Accumulation of descriptions will not give us strength. Commitment, a total and concentrated response to the call, lies in the deeper stratum of religious life. The committed person has his own language to describe the truth to which he is committed. Our understanding of the Thai Pali Buddhism is often paralyzed because of our failure to take the dimension of religious commitment seriously. We congratulate ourselves prematurely with our “thorough understanding of the descriptions” of Buddhism assuming that that is the whole of the Buddhist existence. Innocently we still speak of “comparative religions.” All attempts, however, in the line of comparative religions is unsatisfactory or even distorting (I am speaking from Theravada Thailand!) unless they reach the depth of “comparative religious commitments.” But this enterprise lies next to impossibility since religious commitment is a fire that burns any objective scale by which we propose to pursue our comparison. Yet do we have any other alternative than to try to reach this level of discussion if we want to see and feel the living essence of religion? The year the community of Chiengmai is greatly privileged to hear in person the famed Buddhist scholar and author, Venerable Monk, Buddhadasa (meaning, servant of the Buddha) Indapanno as he delivers the Fifth Series of the Sinclaire Thompson Memorial Lectures. Rev. Thompson was aware of the serious spiritual encounter between the Buddhists and the Christians in Thailand. He was not just toying with the “description” of religions called Buddhism and Christianity. He wanted to explore the quality of life and strength of a man who has eaten either Christian or Buddhist glutinous rice. We are about to listen to a committed Buddhist. Only this kind of occasion can truly help us to grasp the unfrozen living Buddhism in Thailand today. Kosuke Koyama Thailand Theological Seminary Jan. 1967 6 INTRODUCTION I am pleased to deliver the SINCLAIRE THOMPSON MEMORIAL LECTURES, FIFTH SERIES, for it will help create an atmosphere of mutual understanding among the followers of both Christianity and Buddhism, and also make people understand their respective religions at the same time, for the audience here is both Buddhist and Christian. Every human being, on matter to what country he belongs, or what language he speaks, or what religion he professes, has but one universal problem, namely, overcoming evil or mental impurity or defilements. That which is called evil or mental impurity is to be found in each individual. It does not belong to or is not the problem of one particular religion only; each individual professing any religion has the problem of overcoming evil. As such the way to solve this problem must be one which can be used by every human being.