 |
Buddhist
Publication Society Newsletter Spring 1990 No. 15 |
The Search for
Security
It
may be a truism of psychology that the desire for happiness is the most
fundamental human drive, but t4 is important to note that this desire generally
operates within the bounds set by another drive just as deep and pervasive. This other drive is the need for security. However insistent
the raw itch for pleasure and gain may be, it is usually held in check by a
cautious concern for our personal safety. We only feel at ease when we are
sealed off from manifest danger, comfortably at home with ourselves and with
our world, snugly tucked into familiar territory where everything seems
friendly and dependable. When we come across
the Buddha's teaching and begin to take that teaching seriously, we often find
that it provokes in us disturbing waves of disquietude. This feeling arises
from a clash—a sensed incompatibility—between the picture of the world that we
hold to as the essential basis for our normal sense of security and the new
perspectives on existence opened up to us by the Dhamma. We may try to shun the
vistas that trouble us; we may pick and choose from the Dhamma what we like;
but to the extent that we are prepared to take the teaching in earnest—on its
own terms rather than on ours-we may discover that the insights which the Buddha
wants to impart to us can be quite unsettling in their impact. The
first noble truth was never intended to be a comfortable truth; indeed, it is
the discomforting quality of this truth that makes it noble. It tells us
frankly that the routinely placid and predictable surface of our everyday lives
is extremely fragile—a shared delusion with which we lull ourselves and each
other - into a false sense of security. Just beneath the surface, hidden from
view, turbulent currents are stirring which at any time can break the surface
calm. From the moment we are born we are sliding towards old age and death,
susceptible to various diseases and accidents that may hasten our arrival at
the appointed end. Driven by our desires we wander from life to life across the
sand dunes of samsaara, elated by our rises, shaken by our falls. The very
stuff of our lives consists of nothing more than a conglomeration of five
"heaps" of psychophysical processes, without any permanence or
substance. Perhaps the Buddha's most poignant statement on the human condition
is his image of a man being swept along by a mountain torrent: he grasps for
safety at the grasses along the banks only to find that they break off just as
he takes hold of them. However, though the Buddha begins by drawing our
attention to the uncertainty that encompasses us even in the midst of comfort
and enjoyment, he by no means ends there. The discourse on suffering is
expounded, not to lead us to despair, but to awaken us from our complacent
slumbers and to set us moving in the direction where our ultimate welfare can
be found. Far from undercutting our need to feel secure, the Buddha's teaching
unfolds from that very same need, turning it into a sustained inquiry into what
genuine security actually means. Ordinarily, our benighted attempts to achieve
security are governed by a myopic but imperious self-interest oriented around
the standpoint of self. We assume that we possess a solid core of individual
being, an inherently existent ego, and thus our varied plans and projects take
shape as so many maneuvers to ward off threats to the self and promote its
dominance in the overall scheme of things. The Buddha turns this whole point of
view on its head by pointing out that anxiety is the dark twin of ego. He
declares that all attempts to secure the interests of the ego necessarily arise
out of clinging, and that the very act of dinging paves the way for our
downfall when the object to which we hold perishes, as it must by its very
nature. The Buddha maintains that the way to true security lies precisely in
the abolition of clinging. When all clinging has been uprooted, when all
notions of "I" and "mine" have lost their obsessive sting,
we will have no more fear, no more worry, no more anxious concern. Touched by
the fluctuations of worldly events the mind remains stable, "sorrowless,
stainless and secure" (Sri. 268). While ultimate security lies only in the
unconditioned, in Nibbana "the supreme security from bondage" (anuttara yogakkhema), as we wend our way through the rough terrain of our
mundane lives we have available a provisional source of security that will help
us deal effectively with the dangers and difficulties that beset us. This
provisional security lies in firmly committing ourselves to the Dhamma as our source
of solace and guidance, as our incomparable refuge. The word "dhamma"
itself means that which upholds and supports. The Buddha's teaching is called the Dhamma because it upholds those
who live by it: it wards off the dangers to which we would be exposed if we
were to flout it, it sustains us in our endeavour for the final good if we
revere it and make it the foundation of our lives. The
Dhamma provides protection, not by any mystical blessing or downpour of saving
grace, but by indicating the sure and certain guidelines that enable us to
protect ourselves. Beneath the apparent randomness of visible events there runs
an invisible but indomitable law which ensures that all goodness finds its due
recompense. To act counter to this law is to invite disaster. To act in harmony
with it is to tap its reserves of energy, to yoke them to one's spiritual
growth, and to make oneself a channel of help for others who likewise roam in
search of a refuge. The essential counsel that the Buddha gives us to secure our
self-protection is to shun all evil, to practise the good, and to purify our
minds. By the pursuit of non-violence, honesty, righteousness and truth we
weave around ourselves an impenetrable net of virtue that ensures our well
being even in the midst of violence and commotion. By cultivating the good we
sow the seeds of wholesome qualities that will come to maturity as we continue
on our path throughout the samsaric journey. And by purifying our minds of
greed, hatred and , delusion by mindfulness and diligent effort we will find
for ourselves an island that no flood can overwhelm—the island
of the Deathless.
Exploring the
Wheels
Touching
the Essence: Six Lectures on Buddhism. Bhikkhu Dhammapala (Hand van Zeyst) (Wheel No. 132/134) Touching
the Essence evolved from a popular
series of lectures into this present set of essays on the most essential
teachings of the Buddha. This book has proven to be as popular as the lectures
for it has had several printings. Here is Hand van Zeyst's writing at its best,
with his lively and inquiring mind, his witty word-play, and his use of
shifting points of emphasis. While each of the essays can stand on its own,
they were written to be read together, for in each essay there are echoes of
previous ideas, but restated so that the ideas become variation on a theme
Perhaps the best way to explore this Wheel is to draw out some nuggets from the
mine and let the reader assay their value for himself. On
happiness: "The very fact that we are all striving for greater happiness
shows that the degree of happiness in our possession is not satisfactory, that
that degree of happiness is not even considered as good. We do not strive for
what is better, but for the best. The best, however, is not better than the
good, but it is the good which we have recognized as such. And after having
recognized it, all the rest cannot even compete; it becomes simply evil, and as
such it is rejected, whatever other name we may give to it" (p.37). On
modern life: "Life has become unnatural because it has become mechanized;
man is reduced to the position of a cogwheel in a machine. As a cogwheel is
moved on and on by other, sometimes smaller wheels, and thus by turning round
and round merely passes on that movement to the next—thus man, to find his place
in society, must move on with society and in his whirling round gets hold of
others whom he drags along with him in the vortex of materialism" (p.3). On
craving; "Craving is the real turning point, the crank which sets the
wheel of rebirth, the machinery of life and death, working. Craving imparts
selfishness, that is the I-concept, to mere sensation, thus fertilizing the
seeds produced by previous action. Here with craving the problem of rebirth is
given anew, and with the cessation of craving this problem is solved.... If
craving is dissolved, the whole world becomes a mere play of the senses, where
the self is no longer an actor. Where the self does not act, there is no kamma
and no more rebirth, so that with the ending of craving the turning of the wheel
of samsaara will have come to a stop" (p.71-72). On
suffering: "To see that there is suffering in the world is not such an
extraordinary discovery. The greatness of the Buddha's insight, however, lies
in the fact that he realized that everything
is suffering; in other words he saw not merely that there was suffering in
life, but he realized that life itself is suffering" (p.38). "To
experience suffering surely can be done by any being endowed with feeling;
that, however, does not prevent a possible return. Understanding therefore is
necessary of the real nature of the evil and of its cause. When properly
understood suffering will be seen as an effect of action which must have been
evil to produce such a bad effect. When thus understood in connection with
action, it becomes living like actuality itself. No longer passive fate, but
active 'kamma' which means self-responsibility" (p.7). On
action: "Action is not finished with action and it is just that which
makes life so terribly actual. At every moment I am reaping the fruit of the
past; and at every moment I am sowing the seed for the future" (p.7). On
self: "It is in ignorance that the I-concept is formed, it is in craving
that the [-concept is maintained. Ignorance creates a delusion, and craving
clings to it" (p.75). "But as a man given over to the excessive use
of drugs will always take more, preferring to dream on rather than to face
actuality—so the world clings to the delusion of self and considers deliverance
there from as undesirable" (p.79-80). On
renunciation: "In letting go we shall arrive: In giving up we shall
obtain. For that which we abandon is the burden of sorrow; that which we
discard is the fetter of self. And thus renunciation becomes freedom, relief,
deliverance, a foretaste of Nibbaana" (p.9). "Renunciation ... as a
natural result of insight through which craving and clinging become impossible,
is the way by which deliverance from the passions can be attained. As a lamp
must give up its oil so that light may shine -similarly renunciation is an
indispensable factor to enlightenment: renunciation not only of the world but
of the self" (p.86).
Book Reviews
Heritage
of Buddhism.
D.C. Ahir. B.R. Publishing Corp., 29/9, Nangia Park, Shaktinagar,
Delhi 110007. 1989. 319 pp. Indian Rs. 195. This
book presents a comprehensive study of the heritage of Buddhism in India,
beginning with its origins in the time of the Buddha. The author provides
biographical sketches of the chief Buddhist kings, saints, scholars and
missionaries; and attempts to throw new light on the perplexing question of why
Buddhism disappeared from the land of its birth. He surveys Buddhist literature
in Pall and Sanskrit, traces the contribution of Buddhism to Indian language
and literature, and offers a study of Buddhist art that is supplemented by
twenty-two photographic plates. Separate chapters examine the relations between
Buddhism and the other major Indian religions—Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. The
book concludes with a brief inquiry into the present status of Buddhism and
Buddhists in modem India. , The Principles of Buddhist Psychology. David J.
Kalupahana. State University of New York Press, Albany, N.Y., 1987. 236 pp.
$39.50 (HB), $12.95 (PB). Through
its emphasis on the human mind as the source of bondage and the key to
liberation, Buddhism has spawned a complex and sophisticated body of
psychological teachings, a fact of much current interest. In The Principles of Buddhist Psychology David Kalupahana,
professor of philosophy at the University of Hawaii, attempts a comprehensive
study of this subject, which he approaches with the tools of philosophical
analysis. In fact, his book might be viewed as being more an overview of the
philosophical principles embedded in Buddhist psychology than as an internal
"clinical" examination of the field. The
author's understanding of Buddhist philosophy has been laid bare in his
previous books and looms large in the background of this work as well. He
stresses the empirical, anti-metaphysical and non-substantialist character of
the original Buddhist teachings, a character, he holds, that was compromised as
Buddhism evolved and had to be repeatedly rediscovered and resurrected. The
present book applies the same historical pattern to Buddhist psychology. The
first part offers a study of the psychological principles of early Buddhism
based entirely on the Nikayas. Here Kalupahana deals with such topics as the
Buddha's conception of the person, the stream of consciousness, perception, the
emotions, conceptualization, meditation, suffering and freedom. He elicits
interesting parallels between Buddhist psychology and the thought of the great
American psychologist William James, who also hold a non-substantialist, process-oriented
conception of the mind. The second part of the book outlines the high points in
the later history of Buddhist psychology, from the Abhidhamma period through
the Yogacara school. Two appendices include translations of the Yogacara works,
Maitreya's Madhyanta Vibhaga (Chapter
1) and Vasubandhd's Vijnaptimatrata
Siddhi. Limitations
of space preclude a detailed scrutiny of this book. I can only state here that
along with my appreciation for the rigour and consistency of Kalupahana's
thought, I also hold reservations about a fair number of his interpretations
and conclusions. At a fundamental level I find that his particular interests as
a philosopher induce him to focus upon issues of philosophical significance in
a way that deflects attention away from important aspects of Buddhist
psychology that should certainly have been dealt with in a book devoted to that
topic. He also seems to treat Buddhist philosophy almost as a self-sufficient
search for clarity of understanding instead of stressing its primary aim as
deliverance from suffering, the aim to which all else is subordinate. Though a
chapter deals with the subject of suffering, it soon turns into a defence
against the old charge of pessimism, a defence that seems to soften the sharp
thrust of the Buddha's teaching and also weakens his account of the
"psychology of freedom." The
second part of the book offers a critique of the psychology of the Buddhist
scholastics, who the author claims re-asserted the metaphysical substantialism
rejected by the Buddha. Here 1 think his criticisms, though valid against some
developments in the schools, in places go too far. For example, while the bhavanga is certainly a hypothetical
explanatory concept, it is far from being an "extremely metaphysical
notion." Kaluphana also attempts to demonstrate that the psychological
refiecfions of Nagarjuna and the Yogacarins are not the revolutionary
innovations they are usually held to be, but viable endeavours to restore the
original perceptions of the Buddha's psychology after they had been lost by the
scholastics. Whether Kalupahana's interpretation of these thinkers can stand up
under examination is a question that would have to be judged by specialists in
this field, but his thesis is bound to arouse interest. Though
Kalupahana's book offers ample scope for disagreement, it is a thoughtful and
well argued work that should prove to be both stimulating and informative.
Office News
The
law of impermanence holds sway over the BPS just as it does over everything formed
and composite. Thus we have undergone some changes in recent months, both
losses and gains, of which we wish to keep our members informed. First,
a pair of long-term officers of the Society have retired. In October 1989 Mr. P.B. Mudannayake, who had held the
post of treasurer, retired after a spell of service for the BPS that began as
far back as 1962. Then, in December, Mr.
Albert Witanachchi retired from the post of general secretary, owing to
poor health. Albert had joined the BPS staff
in 1980 and for the past four years had served as general secretary. His
affable personality, easy manner, and sense of humour had provided a warm
welcome to the many visitors to the BPS both from home and abroad. Both staff
members will be greatly missed. We extend to them our great appreciation for
their years of dedicated service and we wish them good health and a fruitful
life in retirement. On
the positive side, we are glad to welcome to the BPS staff Mr. Rohan Jayatilleke, who joined our office team as office assistant.
A former postal inspector and a free-lance journalist and Dhamma-school
teacher, Mr. Jayatilleke brings to his job a care, speed and efficiency that
have so far been a great asset to our service. Under his direction we now see
to it that all small orders are filled the same day they arrive and big orders
from book dealers in at most three days. The
office facilities have also seen some changes. The sales section is now
enlarged, with all of our publications on display in new book racks. We have provided
tables and chairs, so you can relax, browse through the new catalogs, or thumb
through our works. Our library, too, has been expanded. Now the many magazines
and newsletters which come from around the world are on display on open
shelves, inviting people to pick them up and read about what is happening
elsewhere in the Buddhist world. A newly formed Womens' Volunteer Group mans
the library, ready to assist you in locating books for a research , project, or
for your own needs. Why not develop the habit of setting aside a morning or
afternoon for Dhamma-reading? Every Wednesday evening at 4:30pm meditation
classes are held by Van. Kamalasiri and Mr. Godwin Samararatne in our large
meeting-hall. These classes have been very popular, but the hall is so large
that anyone who is interested may join. Please bring your own cushion. On
Thursday afternoons at 4:30 pm Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi has been conducting Sutta
Study Classes. This is an excellent opportunity to study the Dhamma in depth,
but with guidance. It is also your chance to ask the Dhamma questions you've
been puzzling over. We
have a few more ideas that we're considering, but we would like to hear from
you. What can we offer that would be helpful to the Buddhist community? Credit
where credit is due: Due to an oversight, a credit line for the cover of the
last Wheel (Metta: The Philosophy and
Practice of Universal Love) was omitted. The beautiful cover is the work of
Upul Jayarafie, a young Sri Lankan artist from Nugegoda, who also designed the
cover of our Wheel on the Ecocrisis and of Last Days of the Buddha. Guidelines to
Sutta Study
While
the Buddha was delivering his first discourse, the Setting in Motion of the
Wheel of the Dhamma; there arose in the venerable Kondanna "the spotless,
immaculate, vision of the Dhamma" which transformed him Into a
stream-enterer, a disciple on the first stage of enlightenment. Over the
following days the Buddha continued to explain the Dhamma to the other four
monks in his first band of followers, and in due course they too arrived at the
attainment of stream-entry. Then, perhaps a week or two later, when the Buddha
was sure that their faculties had ripened through solitary meditation, he
delivered to them his next major discourse-the Anattalakkhana Sutta, The
Discourse on the Characteristic of Non-self (included in Wheel No. 17 and
treated more fully in Wheel No. 268). The
theme of this sutta, as its title indicates, is the doctrine of anatta,
non-self or egolessness. This doctrine is the distinctive mark of the Buddha's
teaching, setting it off from all other religious and spiritual perspectives on
human nature. The brunt of this teaching is the thesis that neither within the
individual nor behind the external world can be found any permanent entity that
can serve as a basis for an enduring identity. This means, in effect, that the
person is without an individual soul or persisting self, just as the world is
without an underlying substratum or a transcendent overlord. For
the Buddha this teaching of anatta serves as both the key to understanding
human bondage and the door to liberation from suffering. What keeps us bound,
tied to the round of rebirth with its heavy burden of suffering; is our
compulsive need to establish for ourselves some basis of personal identity. We cling
to our personalities—the body and mind—as "I" and "mine,"
assuming that within it or behind it is a truly existent self which remains the
same despite outward change. Liberation from the cycle of becoming is achieved
by seeing through such distorted notions of selfhood right down to the most
fundamental misconception of the "L" According
to the suttas, notions of selfhood occur at three levels. The coarsest is the
level of views, ranging from complex speculative theories about the self down
to the spontaneous identification of "the five aggregates" as being
in some way our self or the belongings of our self. The other two levels are
connected with conceit and craving. Through conceit we think of ourselves in
terms of "I' and compare ourselves favourably or unfavourably with others.
Through craving we attach ourselves to our personalities as "mine"
and seek to appropriate external objects as our personal possessions. To
arrive at the end of suffering, all such ideas infected by dinging to self must
be cut off at the root. This happens through the development of insight
(vipassana). When insight issues in the first stage of enlightenment, the path
of stream-entry, the essential truth of egolessness is directly perceived and
the fetter of wrong view of self is eliminated. The
stream-enterer no longer regards himself as a self subsistent ego and no
longer holds to any view of self. However, even the stream-enterer—and those on
the next two planes of enlightenment as well—can still give rise to thoughts
governed by conceit and craving. It is only in the arahant, the fully liberated
one, that the truth of non-self has been so thoroughly realized that conceit
and craving are eradicated, along with the subtle delusions of "I"
and "mine." At the time the Anattalakkhana Sutta opens, the five
disciples stood only at the level of stream-entry. They thus still needed
further instructions to reach the final fruit of arahantship. Immediately
following the First Sermon, they must have spent their time in deep meditation;
developing the Insights they had already achieved. When the Buddha saw that
they needed only the help of another discourse to attain the goal, he gathered
the monks around him and addressed them thus, "Bhikkhus!" And in this
way the Discourse on Non-Self begins.
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