DIRECT PATH FROM HUMAN TO BUDDHAHOOD

BEYOND WORLDLY MERITS / VIRTUES

BODHI PATHBODHI PATH

1) Faith & Determination (Recitation)2) Loving Kindness / Compassion (Action Based: Charity)3) Wisdom (Scriptural Studies)

4) Skillful Means (Upaya Kausalya) Danger of: a) integration (dilution) b) deification (beyond human realisation)

c) abusive use

TOPIC FOR DISCUSSIONTOPIC FOR DISCUSSION(21 & 28 August 2010)(21 & 28 August 2010)

What does faith mean to you?

FAITH & SUPERSTITION

Faith becomes superstition when it parts from reason,

and even more so when it goes against reason.

But when it is combined with reason, it prevents reason

from remaining just an intellectual game.

… Andre Migot in Le Bouddha (The Buddha)

FAITH VS DOUBTS1. Buddha never asked us to believe what he

said without testing it for ourselves2. But if we’ve so many doubts that we don’t even bother to test his teachings, then we’ll

not be able to discover the truth for ourselves3. The most serious doubt is to doubt

Buddha’s teachings or to have no confidence in them

4. Confidence in Dharma practice is important at every level of growth

When we reach one insight, it is time to strive for another

HANDLING Q & A

• Relevant questions should be asked and answered

• How to Handle Defiled Questions?• Abandon answering them when they: a) close door to wisdom b) lead us away from the Dharma MAJJHIMA NIKAYA II

II. 2. 3- Cuula-Malunkyasutta

(63) Advice to Venerable Malunkhyaputtahttp://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/majjhima/063-cula-malunkhyaputta-e1.htm

Cuula-Malunkya Sutta

• Buddha not interested in discussing metaphysical questions like the eternity of universe:

a)purely speculativeb)time wastingc)not solving human problemsd)not helping spiritual life e)distractions

WHY BUDDHA WAS AGAINST THOSE FAITHS WHY BUDDHA WAS AGAINST THOSE FAITHS MENTIONED IN KALAMA SUTTA?MENTIONED IN KALAMA SUTTA?

Faith and rationality are two modes of belief:Unwelcome Faith: belief in hearsay / revelation / authority / tradition / scriptures NOT TESTED against rationality, logic, morality, benefits, wisdomWelcome Faith: born out of experience / ethics / benefits / wisdomRationality = reason and evidence based Reason is faith’s greatest enemy

WHY BUDDHA WAS AGAINST THOSE FAITHS WHY BUDDHA WAS AGAINST THOSE FAITHS MENTIONED IN KALAMA SUTTA?MENTIONED IN KALAMA SUTTA?

Faith and rationality are two modes of belief:Unwelcome Faith: belief in hearsay / revelation / authority / tradition / scriptures NOT TESTED against rationality, logic, morality, benefits, wisdomWelcome Faith: born out of experience / ethics / benefits / wisdomRationality = reason and evidence based Reason is faith’s greatest enemy

Buddhists Qualify Faith – blind faith not welcome if baseless / devoid of understanding

Absolute prior faith not recommended also

4 ASPECTS OF FAITH

1. Affection, Emotion2. Inspiration3. Perception/ Cognition4. Determination – Digging

FAITH – A PROPELLING FORCE

Theravāda Tradition The reality of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment as a

Great Arhat, a perfected human

Mahayana 1st step: perfection of faith viz: Three Treasures are eternal, concept of buddha-

nature, compassion, wisdomA person who has no faith and no insight will say:

"There cannot be any Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha”

FOREMOST IN FAITH• Ven Vakkali obtained Arahathood through faith for

Buddha. After seeing the Buddha, he could never tire of looking at him and became a monk just to be near him. Spent all his time meditating on Buddha's appearance. Buddha admonished him: "The sight of my foul body is useless; but he who sees the Dhamma, sees me".

• Buddha had to command Vakkali to leave. With a heavy heart he went up to Gijjhakuta mountains.

BLIND FAITH VS TRUE FAITH• HOW DO YOU ARRIVE AND TRANSCEND FAITH?

Belief arises when there’s no seeingThe moment you see,

the question of belief disappears

• In Sutta 44 (iv, 220), Buddha questions Sariputta to which Sariputta answers that one can have blind faith in anyone, but such blind faith, unknown, unseen, uncognized, unrealized and unexperienced by wisdom, never leads to wisdom and true conviction.

• But those by whom this is known, seen, cognized, realized and experienced by wisdom, they have no uncertainty, no doubt about it that these five faculties, if cultivated and regularly practiced, lead to the Deathless, are bound for the Deathless, end in the Deathless.

TO ARRIVE AT ANY FAITH, IT REQUIRES PROCESS OF

a) TIMEb) LEARNING c) UNDERSTANDING d) PRACTICE e) REALISATION

FAITH IN TRIPLE GEM ESSENTIALFAITH IN TRIPLE GEM ESSENTIAL Positive virtues: more attentive absorption of Dharma,

strengthens faith further. The Buddha remarks: “Faith arises out of listening to Dharma, and this listening is [itself] grounded in faith.”

First, the bodhisattva is perfect in faith. How is faith perfect?

When they are: A) believing deeply in Triple Gem B) using skillful means/ expedients to convey Dharma to

different folks C) all beings and icchantikas possess Buddha-nature D) authentic Dharma will die out

FAITH SUPPORTED BY WISDOMFAITH SUPPORTED BY WISDOMYet faith in the Buddha should not be blind/

dogmatic. Mahāyāna often links faith with discernment and

spiritual insight (prajñā) - spiritual penetration.The following words of the Buddha indicate the

need for a balance:"Faith without wisdom will develop ignorance Wisdom without faith will develop a perverted

view”A person who has no faith will say, out of an

angry mind: "There cannot be any Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha!"

• BEING BLIND LIGHT EXISTS NOT• A blind man was referred to Buddha.

• The villagers were tired of this blind man because he was stubborn, though philosophical. Being blind, he argued that light exists not.

• He would refute, "You said that light exists, so just bring light for me to see it, smell it, taste it, touch it or beat it like a drum so that I can hear it, yar!"

• Of course you can't beat light like a drum to hear it, or be able to smell light, taste light or touch light either.

• The blind man would laugh and jeer: "You fools! You are trying to prove something to me which is not. I have five senses. Prove that light exists, I am open to accept it if you can do so. You all are fooling me; I am not blind because light exists not. If light exists not, the eyes need not be there."

• He would further argue, "You are all blind, for you are dreaming about something that exists not. The whole business of light is just a fiction, a deception, a fraud."

• The villagers approached Buddha for help.

• Buddha said, "Don't bring him to me because he needs no conviction from me. But, I know a doctor whom you can bring him for treatment . He needs an eye or vision to see light.

• The blind man was taken to the doctor. Within six months of treatment, he was able to see.

• By that time, Buddhad had moved to another village. The man came running and fell on his knees at Buddha's feet, saying, "You have convinced me."

• Buddha said, "I have not done anything. Your eyes have convinced you, and there is no other way."

• Moral of the parable:

• Like the blind man, we may fall into the same trap when we doubt the Buddha-Dharma or the existence of Nirvana. We can be as blind as the said blind man, yar!

• BLIND GIANT AND A CRIPPLE• The Buddha compared faith to a blind giant who meets up with a

very sharp-eyed cripple, called wisdom. • The blind giant, called faith, says to the sharp-eyed cripple, "I am

very strong, but I can't see; you are very weak, but you have sharp eyes. Come and ride on my shoulders. Together we will go far."

• The Buddha never supported blind faith, but a balance between heart and mind, between wisdom and faith. The two together will go far.

• The saying that blind faith can move mountains unfortunately omits the fact that, being blind, faith doesn't know which mountain needs moving.

• That's where wisdom is essential, which means that a thorough understanding of the teaching is crucial.

• -- Ayya Khema, When the Iron Eagle Flies

UPAYA – SKILLFUL MEANSUPAYA – SKILLFUL MEANSINTENTIONINTENTION

Means of effective communication Adjust to listeners’ level, culture Popular in Mahayana -- to ease the

suffering of people, Dharma introduction, help them on their way to enlightenment

• Anguttara Nikaya • The following excerpt from a dialogue with a hostile brahmin who was

determined to put Buddha in a fix. As always, the answer Buddha gives, exemplifies his skill in communication.

• "Master Gotoma, you have no sense of values."• "Well, I attach no value to the world of the senses. But this is not what you mean, is it?"• "Master Gotoma, you encourage an attitude of passivity."• "This again is true enough. I do believe in passivity in the sense of not

reacting to provocation or temptation. But to what are you referring here?"• "Master Gotoma, your teaching is negative."• "Certainly, my teaching is negative with regard to evil impulses of body,

speech and mind, but you mean something else, surely."• "Master Gotoma, you teach nihilism (i.e. existence is pointless)."• "I teach the annihilation of greed, hatred and delusion. But what exactly do

you mean by this term."• From: Warrior of Peace - The Life of the Buddha by Jinananda• In this way, Buddha avoided polarisation (opposing positions). He

was not concerned to win an argument but to address an individual's real concerns.

• Rather than denying someone's experience and understanding, Buddha would invite him simply to look more carefully at the world they assumed they knew.

CASES OF UPAYACASES OF UPAYAKisa Gotami Angulimala4 Immeasurables – brahma viharaBurning house: goat, deer and cow cartsWounded by arrowRafts to cross the river Finger pointing to moonMaterialists – a self existsTo an egoistic – no selfHow far is upaya to be taken?

ABUSIVE USE OF UPAYA

• Though metaphors can inspire

• Danger: can mislead by

a) causing our minds to diminish bodhicitta

goal

a) causing us to assume that we understand when we do not

b) degrading the meaning of Dharma

BASIC BODHISATTVA PRECEPTS

BODHISATTVA PATH

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ESSENTIAL FACTORS IN PRACTISING BUDDHISM

Faith & Understanding:

1. Superiority and Merits of Triple Gem

2. The Truth of All Dharma: impermanent and dual

3. Pure Karma

4. Attainment of Buddhahood one day – believe and

determination

5. Using skillful means to realization: neither is there a

natural born Maitreya Buddha nor a naturally

existing Shakyamuni Buddha

6.The Noble Teachings of the Buddha – believe in the three baskets (Vinaya, Sutras and Sastras)