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Buddhist Studies for Young Students- Lesson 7: Three characteristics of life
Snp 4.14
PTS: Sn 915-934
Tuvataka Sutta: Quickly
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
“I ask the kinsman of the Sun, the great seer, about
seclusion & the state of peace. Seeing in what way is a monk unbound,
clinging to nothing in the world?” “He should put an entire stop to
the root of objectification-classifications: ‘I am the thinker.’[1]
He should train, always mindful, to subdue any craving inside him. Whatever
truth he may know, within or without, he shouldn’t get entrenched in connection
with it, for that isn’t called Unbinding by the good. He shouldn’t, because of
it, think himself better, lower, or equal. Touched by contact in various ways,
he shouldn’t keep conjuring self. Stilled right within, a monk shouldn’t seek
peace from another from anything else. For one stilled right within, there’s
nothing embraced, so how rejected?[2] As in the middle of the sea it is still, with no waves upwelling,
so the monk — unperturbed, still — should not swell himself anywhere.”
“He whose eyes are open has described the Dhamma he’s witnessed, subduing
danger. Now tell us, sir, the practice: the code of discipline &
concentration.” “One shouldn’t be careless with his eyes, should
close his ears to village-talk, shouldn’t hunger for flavors, or view anything
in the world as mine. When touched by contact he shouldn’t lament,
shouldn’t covet anywhere any states of becoming, or tremble at terrors. When
gaining food & drink, staples & cloth, he should not make a hoard. Nor
should he be upset when receiving no gains. Absorbed, not foot-loose, he should
refrain from restlessness, shouldn’t be heedless, should live in a noise-less
abode. Not making much of sleep, ardent, given to wakefulness, he should
abandon sloth, deception, laughter, sports, fornication, & all that goes
with it; should not practice charms, interpret physical marks, dreams, the
stars, animal cries; should not be devoted to practicing medicine or inducing
fertility. A monk shouldn’t tremble at blame or grow haughty with praise;
should thrust aside selfishness, greed, divisive speech, anger; shouldn’t buy
or sell or revile anyone anywhere; shouldn’t linger in villages, or flatter
people in hopes of gains. A monk shouldn’t boast or speak with ulterior motive,
shouldn’t train in insolence or speak quarrelsome words; shouldn’t engage in
deception or knowingly cheat; shouldn’t despise others for their life,
discernment, precepts, or practices. Provoked with many words from
contemplatives or ordinary people, he shouldn’t respond harshly, for those who
retaliate aren’t calm. Knowing this teaching, a monk inquiring should always
train in it mindfully. Knowing Unbinding as peace, he shouldn’t be heedless of
Gotama’s message — for he, the Conqueror unconquered, witnessed the Dhamma, not
by hearsay, but directly, himself. So, heedful, you should always train in line
with that Blessed One’s message,” the Blessed One said.
Lesson 7: Three characteristics of life
1. What did the little
Siddhattha see during the Farming ceremony he
attended with his father, and
what did he think about?
2. Years later, what 4 sights
did Siddhatha see on his visits outside the
palace, and how did it affect
him? When he thought about those 4
sights, what do you think he
realised?
1.
a) Describe the 4 main stages
in peoples lives (childhood,
adolescence, maturity and old
age) and what people do and learn
during each stage. Discuss
how his or her body form, ability to move,
ability to speak and do
various things, and understanding of life
changes.
b) What is the maximum human
lifespan and what does it depend on?
2. Describe how you have
changed since you were a baby. Do you
sometimes wonder what it will
be like when you are very old?
3. One day your grandparents,
and then much later also your parents
will pass away. What do you
feel about that?
29
Three characteristics of life
The Buddha taught that all
living beings have 3 characteristics:
impermanence (anicca), not-self (anatta) and
suffering (dukkha).
The third characteristic is
very important to us, and the Buddha called
it The First Noble Truth. We
shall discuss it in the next lesson together
with the other 3 Noble
Truths.
Impermanence (change, anicca)
The Buddha taught that not
only all things, but also all living beings
are impermanent. They arise
(come into being), change and pass
away. They have beginning and
end. Whatever has a beginning also
has an end, that is a law of
nature.
If you find the questions
below too difficult, then just answer what
you can and ask others to
help you.
1. Describe what each of the
non-living things listed below is made of,
how it changes and how long
it can last:
a) Earth
b) Sun
c) rocks, water, air, fire,
wood
c) molecules
d) atoms
e) subatomic particles (e.g.
protons, electrons)
f) light energy (describe the
colour spectrum, and its characteristics)
g) a colour photo in a
magazine, and a picture on a TV screen
(describe the component
colours, and how is the picture made).
2. Describe the following
animals (their body parts, how they change
through life, and how long do
they live): a snail, crab, butterfly, fish,
frog, lizard, bird, dog,
monkey.
3. Describe yourself (your
body, mind and consciousness). Do you
know how long will each part
of you last? Can you find any part of
you that is not changing, is
permanent, may last forever?
Not-self (not a lasting self, anatta)
The Buddha taught that there
is not a permanent or lasting individual
self (atta). What people call a self, is just an aggregate
or a compound
of 5 changing and impermanent
things: body (form), bodily feelings
(sensations), sensory
perceptions (sights, sounds, smells, tastes,
contacts), mental formations
(thoughts, ideas, emotions), and
consciousness. They depend on
each other for existence, and do not
last forever. Therefore there
is no atta, only anatta.
Modern scientists teach that
not only visible objects, but also their
component parts are compounds
and impermanent, all made of
energy. In a similar way, the
Buddha taught that the whole individual
and its parts (body, mind and
consciousness) are just compounds, and
do not last forever. He also
taught a theory of individual evolution –
individual development that
continues over a long series of lives,
according to the Law of
Kamma, and until the Supreme
Enlightenment. So he neither
taught that an individual being lives
forever, nor that an
individual ceases entirely when the body dies, as
some modern scientists do.
1. Can you find a lasting
part of you, your permanent self (atta)?
a) Examine your body form,
feelings, sense-perceptions, and mental
formations. Is any of these
your lasting self (atta), that will last
forever?
b) What is consciousness? You
may use a dictionary or other
resources to discuss this
phenomenon.
c) Describe what happens from
the time you go to sleep until the time
you wake up. Describe the
wakeful state, dreaming and deep sleep. Is
consciousness a lasting self
(atta)?
31
d) Have you found any part of
you that may continue after the body
dies?
2.
a) What is light and what is
darkness? What is the electromagnetic
(EM) radiation or energy?
Name the main parts of the EM spectrum.
What range of the EM energy
do radios and TV sets receive? Which
part of the spectrum is a
visible radiation or light?
b) What EM range can animals
perceive? What EM range can people
perceive and how?
3.
a) In what ways is
consciousness similar to visible EM energy (light)?
b) The Buddha taught that
living beings are reborn and can recollect
their previous lives. But
what part of the being did he teach is reborn?
Use the Buddhist resources
listed in the References, and ask your
parents or a Buddhist teacher
to help you.
Do you know that?
Your body is made of millions
of tiny cells, like bricks that make up a
house. These tiny cells are
made of molecules and the molecules are
made of atoms. Atoms are in
turn made of even smaller particles, and
these are composed of energy.
The energy itself is made of a spectrum
of photons with
characteristic wavelengths and frequencies. So the
whole body is just a complex
energy structure. Your body changes all
the time, and each day some
cells die and are replaced by new ones.
So every few years you have a
brand new body.
Many scientists teach that
our Universe began with Big Bang (or big
explosion of energy) several
billion years ago. Following that,
subatomic particles, atoms,
elements and molecules were formed, and
stars and planets were born.
One of those stars was Sun and one of
those planets was Earth. Then
as the Earth cooled, solid earth, oceans
and atmosphere formed, all
made of many different atoms and
molecules.
Then over many millions of
years complex molecules
(macromolecules) formed in
the oceans out of the simple molecules.
These macromolecules then
gradually developed to form single celled
(uni-cellular) organisms.
These one-celled organisms not only
multiplied, but also changed
and grouped to form multi-cellular
organisms – bodies of plants,
animals, and after many millions of
years, also people. So the
life forms slowly developed, or evolved,
over hundreds of millions of
years.
Scientists also study how
galaxies, stars and planets are born and die.
Based on that, they predict
that many millions of years from now, the
Sun will grow bigger, become
very red and then slowly die, turning
into a ball of hot ash. They
call such a ball of ash White Dwarf. When
that happens, all life on
Earth will also gradually die and Earth will
become a frozen planet.
Based on their present
understanding, scientists also teach that the
Universe is still expanding,
but one day it will begin to contract.
However they are not really
sure what will happen at the end, nor how
the Big Bang started.
As with other great
scientific theories, theory of the origin of our
Universe is based on a strong
basis of collective observation of the
natural world, and analysis
of the data. It cannot be fully proven, but
until evidence is shown
against it, for practical purposes we can
assume it is true.
Can possibly any thing or any
person be unchanging and last forever
in the Universe that is
constantly changing, and has a beginning and
an end?
341 LESSON 10 08 2011
FREE ONLINE eNālandā Research
and Practice UNIVERSITY and BUDDHIST GOOD NEWS letter to VOTE for BSP ELEPHANT
to attain Ultimate Bliss-Through http://sarvajan.ambedkar.org- Free Buddhist Studies for Young Students- LESSON 6: Good and Bad, and Five Precepts-BSP: act against people indicted in Lokayukta report on illegal mining-BSP criticse government over CWG-Maya snubs CAG,
allocates more money to SC/ST/OBC memorials
DN 21
PTS: D ii 276
chapter 2
Sakka-pañha Sutta: Sakka’s Questions
(excerpt)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
…
Having
been given leave by the Blessed One, Sakka the deva-king asked him his first
question: “Fettered with what, dear sir — though they think, ‘May we live
free from hostility, free from violence, free from rivalry, free from ill will,
free from those who are hostile’ — do devas, human beings, asuras, nagas,
gandhabbas, & whatever other many kinds of beings there are, nevertheless
live in hostility, violence, rivalry, ill will, with those who are
hostile?”
Thus
Sakka asked his first question of the Blessed One, and the Blessed One, when
asked, replied: “Devas, human beings, asuras, nagas, gandhabbas, &
whatever other many kinds of beings there are, are fettered with envy &
stinginess, which is why — even though they think, ‘May we live free from hostility,
free from violence, free from rivalry, free from ill will, free from those who
are hostile’ — they nevertheless live in hostility, violence, rivalry, ill
will, with those who are hostile.”
Thus the
Blessed One answered, having been asked by Sakka the deva-king. Gratified,
Sakka was delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One’s words:
“So it is, O Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. Hearing the Blessed
One’s answer to my question, my doubt is now cut off, my perplexity is
overcome.”
Then
Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One’s
words, asked him a further question: “But what, dear sir, is the cause of
envy & stinginess, what is their origination, what gives them birth, what
is their source? When what exists do they come into being? When what doesn’t
exist do they not?”
“Envy
& stinginess have dear-&-not-dear as their cause, have
dear-&-not-dear as their origination, have dear-&-not-dear as what
gives them birth, have dear-&-not-dear as their source. When
dear-&-not-dear exist, they come into being. When dear-&-not-dear are
not, they don’t.”
“But
what, dear sir, is the cause of dear-&-not-dear, what is their origination,
what gives them birth, what is their source? When what exists do they come into
being? When what doesn’t exist do they not?”
“Dear-&-not-dear
have desire as their cause, have desire as their origination, have desire as
what gives them birth, have desire as their source. When desire exists, they
come into being. When desire is not, they don’t.”
“But
what, dear sir, is the cause of desire, what is its origination, what gives it
birth, what is its source? When what exists does it come into being? When what
doesn’t exist does it not?”
“Desire
has thinking as its cause, has thinking as its origination, has thinking as
what gives it birth, has thinking as its source. When thinking exists, desire
comes into being. When thinking is not, it doesn’t.”
“But
what, dear sir, is the cause of thinking, what is its origination, what gives
it birth, what is its source? When what exists does it come into being? When
what doesn’t exist does it not?”
“Thinking has the perceptions & categories of
objectification[1]
as its cause, has the perceptions & categories of objectification as its
origination, has the perceptions & categories of objectification as what
gives it birth, has the perceptions & categories of objectification as its
source. When the perceptions & categories of objectification exist,
thinking comes into being. When the perceptions & categories of
objectification are not, it doesn’t.”
“And
how has he practiced, dear sir: the monk who has practiced the practice leading
to the right cessation of the perceptions & categories of
objectification?”
“Joy is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued &
not to be pursued.[2]
Grief is of two sorts: to be pursued & not to be pursued. Equanimity is of
two sorts: to be pursued & not to be pursued.
“‘Joy
is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued & not to be pursued.’
Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? When one knows of a
feeling of joy, ‘As I pursue this joy, unskillful mental qualities increase,
and skillful mental qualities decline,’ that sort of joy is not to be pursued.
When one knows of a feeling of joy, ‘As I pursue this joy, unskillful mental
qualities decline, and skillful mental qualities increase,’ that sort of joy is
to be pursued. And this sort of joy may be accompanied by directed thought
& evaluation or free of directed thought & evaluation. Of the two, the
latter is the more refined. ‘Joy is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be
pursued & not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this
was it said.
“‘Grief is of two sorts, I tell you: to be pursued & not to be
pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? When one
knows of a feeling of grief, ‘As I pursue this grief, unskillful mental
qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline,’ that sort of grief
is not to be pursued. When one knows of a feeling of grief, ‘As I pursue this
grief, unskillful mental qualities decline, and skillful mental qualities
increase,’ that sort of grief is to be pursued. And this sort of grief may be
accompanied by directed thought & evaluation or free of directed thought
& evaluation. Of the two, the latter is the more refined. ‘Grief is of two
sorts, I tell you: to be pursued & not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said.
And in reference to this was it said.
“‘Equanimity is of two sorts, I tell you: to be pursued &
not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said?
When one knows of a feeling of equanimity, ‘As I pursue this equanimity,
unskillful mental qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline,’
that sort of equanimity is not to be pursued. When one knows of a feeling of
equanimity, ‘As I pursue this equanimity, unskillful mental qualities decline,
and skillful mental qualities increase,’ that sort of equanimity is to be
pursued. And this sort of equanimity may be accompanied by directed thought
& evaluation or free of directed thought & evaluation. Of the two, the
latter is the more refined. ‘Equanimity is of two sorts, I tell you: to be
pursued & not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this
was it said.
“This
is how he has practiced, deva-king: the monk who has practiced the practice
leading to the right cessation of the perceptions & categories of
objectification.”
Thus the
Blessed One answered, having been asked by Sakka the deva-king. Gratified,
Sakka was delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One’s words:
“So it is, O Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. Hearing the Blessed
One’s answer to my question, my doubt is now cut off, my perplexity is
overcome.”
Then
Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One’s
words, asked him a further question: “But how has he practiced, dear sir:
the monk who has practiced for restraint in the Patimokkha?”
“Bodily conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be
pursued & not to be pursued. Verbal conduct is of two sorts: to be pursued
& not to be pursued. Searching is of two sorts: to be pursued & not to
be pursued.
“‘Bodily
conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued & not to be
pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? When one
knows of bodily conduct, ‘As I pursue this bodily conduct, unskillful mental
qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline,’ that sort of bodily
conduct is not to be pursued. When one knows of bodily conduct, ‘As I pursue
this bodily conduct, unskillful mental qualities decline, and skillful mental
qualities increase,’ that sort of bodily conduct is to be pursued. ‘Bodily
conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued & not to be
pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
“‘Verbal conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be
pursued & not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to what
was it said? When one knows of verbal conduct, ‘As I pursue this verbal
conduct, unskillful mental qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities
decline,’ that sort of verbal conduct is not to be pursued. When one knows of
verbal conduct, ‘As I pursue this verbal conduct, unskillful mental qualities
decline, and skillful mental qualities increase,’ that sort of verbal conduct
is to be pursued. ‘Verbal conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be
pursued & not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this
was it said.
“‘Searching is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be
pursued & not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to what
was it said? When one knows of a search, ‘As I pursue this search, unskillful
mental qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline,’ that sort of
search is not to be pursued. When one knows of a search, ‘As I pursue this
search, unskillful mental qualities decline, and skillful mental qualities
increase,’ that sort of search is to be pursued. ‘Searching is of two sorts, I
tell you, deva-king: to be pursued & not to be pursued.’ Thus was it said.
And in reference to this was it said.
“This
is how he has practiced, deva-king: the monk who has practiced the practice for
restraint in the Patimokkha.”
Thus the
Blessed One answered, having been asked by Sakka the deva-king. Gratified,
Sakka was delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One’s words:
“So it is, O Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. Hearing the Blessed
One’s answer to my question, my doubt is now cut off, my perplexity is
overcome.”
Then
Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One’s
words, asked him a further question: “But how has he practiced, dear sir:
the monk who has practiced for restraint with regard to the sense
faculties?”
“Forms cognizable by the eye are of two sorts, I tell you,
deva-king: to be pursued & not to be pursued. Sounds cognizable by the
ear… Aromas cognizable by the nose… Flavors cognizable by the tongue…
Tactile sensations cognizable by the body… Ideas cognizable by the intellect
are of two sorts: to be pursued & not to be pursued.”
When this
was said, Sakka the deva-king said to the Blessed One, “Dear sir, I
understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement. If, as
one pursues a certain type of form cognizable by the eye, unskillful mental
qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline, that sort of form
cognizable by the eye is not to be pursued. But if, as one pursues a certain
type of form cognizable by the eye, unskillful mental qualities decline, and
skillful mental qualities increase, that sort of form cognizable by the eye is
to be pursued.
“If,
as one pursues a certain type of sound cognizable by the ear…
“If,
as one pursues a certain type of aroma cognizable by the nose…
“If,
as one pursues a certain type of flavor cognizable by the tongue…
“If,
as one pursues a certain type of tactile sensation cognizable by the body…
“If,
as one pursues a certain type of idea cognizable by the intellect, unskillful
mental qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline, that sort of
idea cognizable by the intellect is not to be pursued. But if, as one pursues a
certain type of idea cognizable by the intellect, unskillful mental qualities
decline, and skillful mental qualities increase, that sort of idea cognizable
by the intellect is to be pursued.
“This
is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement.
Hearing the Blessed One’s answer to my question, my doubt is now cut off, my
perplexity is overcome.”
Then
Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the
Blessed One’s words, asked him a further question: “Dear sir, do all
priests & contemplatives teach the same doctrine, adhere to the same
precepts, desire the same thing, aim at the same goal?”
“No,
deva-king, not all priests & contemplatives teach the same doctrine, adhere
to the same precepts, desire the same thing, aim at the same goal.”
“Why,
dear sir, don’t all priests & contemplatives teach the same doctrine,
adhere to the same precepts, desire the same thing, aim at the same goal?”
“The
world is made up of many properties, various properties. Because of the many
& various properties in the world, then whichever property living beings
get fixated on, they become entrenched & latch onto it, saying, ‘Only this
is true; anything else is worthless.’ This is why not all priests &
contemplatives teach the same doctrine, adhere to the same precepts, desire the
same thing, aim at the same goal.”
“But,
dear sir, are all priests & contemplatives utterly complete, utterly free
from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate?”
“No,
deva-king, not all priests & contemplatives are utterly complete, utterly
free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate.”
“But
why, dear sir, are not all priests & contemplatives utterly complete,
utterly free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly
consummate?”
“Those
monks who are released through the total ending of craving are the ones who are
utterly complete, utterly free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life,
utterly consummate. This is why not all priests & contemplatives are
utterly complete, utterly free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life,
utterly consummate.”
Thus the
Blessed One answered, having been asked by Sakka the deva-king. Gratified,
Sakka was delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One’s words:
“So it is, O Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. Hearing the Blessed
One’s answer to my question, my doubt is now cut off, my perplexity is
overcome.”
Then
Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One’s
words, said to him: “Yearning is a disease, yearning is a boil, yearning
is an arrow. It seduces one, drawing one into this or that state of being,
which is why one is reborn in high states & low. Whereas other outside
priests & contemplatives gave me no chance to ask them these questions, the
Blessed One has answered at length, so that he has removed the arrow of my
uncertainty & perplexity.”
“Deva-king,
do you recall having asked other priests & contemplatives these
questions?”
“Yes,
lord, I recall having asked other priests & contemplatives these
questions.”
“If
it’s no inconvenience, could you tell me how they answered?”
“It’s
no inconvenience when sitting with the Blessed One or one who is like
him.”
“Then
tell me, deva-king.”
“Having
gone to those whom I considered to be priests & contemplatives living in
isolated dwellings in the wilderness, I asked them these questions. But when
asked by me, they were at a loss. Being at a loss, they asked me in
return, ‘What is your name?’
“Being
asked, I responded, ‘I, dear sir, am Sakka, the deva-king.’
“So
they questioned me further, ‘But what kamma did you do to attain to this
state?’
“So
I taught them the Dhamma as far as I had heard & mastered it. And they were
gratified with just this much: ‘We have seen Sakka, the deva-king, and he has
answered our questions!’ So, instead of my becoming their disciple, they simply
became mine. But I, lord, am the Blessed One’s disciple, a stream-winner,
steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for
self-awakening.”
“Deva-king,
do you recall ever having previously experienced such happiness &
joy?”
“Yes,
lord, I do.”
“And
how do you recall ever having previously experienced such happiness &
joy?”
“Once,
lord, the devas & asuras were arrayed in battle. And in that battle the
devas won, while the asuras lost. Having won the battle, as the victor in the
battle, this thought occurred to me: ‘Whatever has been the divine nourishment
of the asuras, whatever has been the divine nourishment of the devas, the devas
will now enjoy both of them.’ But my attainment of happiness & joy was in
the sphere of violence & weapons. It didn’t lead to disenchantment, to
dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge to self-awakening, to
Unbinding. But my attainment of happiness & joy on hearing the Blessed
One’s Dhamma is in the sphere of no violence, the sphere of no weapons. It
leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct
knowledge to self-awakening, to Unbinding.”
…
Then Sakka, the deva-king, touched the earth with his
hand and said three times, “Homage to the Worthy One, the Blessed One, the
Rightly Self-awakened One! Homage to the Worthy One, the Blessed One, the
Rightly Self-awakened One! Homage to the Worthy One, the Blessed One, the
Rightly Self-awakened One!”
While this explanation was being given, there arose to
Sakka the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye — “Whatever is subject to
origination is all subject to cessation” — as it also did to [his
following of] 80,000 other devas.
Such were
the questions that the Blessed One answered at Sakka’s bidding. And so this
discourse is called “Sakka’s Questions.”
Lesson 6: Good and Bad, and Five Precepts
1. Describe the famous
Buddhist meeting held at Venuvana
monastery, near Rajagaha. In
which ways did it differ from modern
meetings?
2. What 3 things did the
Buddha tell his students to practice and teach
others?
1. What does good and bad
mean to you?
2. What are defilements and
how do we purify our minds?
3. List and describe some
good actions and bad actions. Give reasons
for your choice.
1.
a) Read the story about
Sigala and 5 precepts. Describe the ritual
young Sigala was performing,
when the Buddha saw him. What did
the Buddha say about that
ritual to Sigala?
b) What 5 things did the
Buddha advise Sigala not to do? What are
they collectively called?
c) Why did Sigala kneel and
bow to the Buddha?
2.
a) Read the story about
Devadatta, Siddhattha and the wounded swan.
How did Siddhattha treat the
swan, and why?
b) Read the story about
Siddhattha, the wounded lamb and fireworshipers.
What did Siddhattha tell the
king Bimbissara and other
fire-worshipers, and why?
c) Read the story about the
Buddha and Devadatta. How did the
Buddha respond to Devadatta’s
attempts to kill him, to introduce
stricter rules of conduct,
and to divide the Sangha?
The 5 Precepts:
To get started on the Path of
peace, the Noble Eightfold Path, the
Buddha gave people 5 rules of
conduct. They are called 5 precepts.
While translators vary in
translating these rules, for you I interpret
them to mean:
To abstain from intentionally
harming living beings
To abstain from taking what
is not given
To abstain from sexual
misconduct
To abstain from lying and
unkind speech
To abstain from intoxicating
drinks and drugs
The first rule is an ideal,
which is not possible to fully practice
physically. When we grow
food, or protect our families, we may kill
26
or injure animals, so that we
or other people may live in health.
Whether we harm the animals,
or someone else does it for us, we are
equally responsible.
So how can we then apply
these rules in our lives? We can apply them
unconditionally to all
people. And we draw personal boundaries, that
we feel comfortable or at
peace with, towards other species. Because
most people have broken these
rules towards other people when in
crisis or difficult
situations, the global cycles of violence and lying
have continued. There is much
we can learn about how to treat others
from the life of the Buddha,
his noble students, and from lives of other
great spiritual teachers –
what they taught and what they did.
1.
a) Do you think it is
important to have rules of behaviour? Do you
have rules at home and at
school? Describe them. Are they good rules
and why?
b) Discuss the rules you had
at home when you were little, and how
they have changed since then.
Why did they change?
2. Discuss each precept:
a) What does each precept
mean to you? Give examples and their
opposites.
b) Describe how you benefit
from living by those five rules of
conduct.
3. Discuss healthy lifestyle
and healthy way of eating:
a) What is a healthy
lifestyle or a healthy way of living? Do you live
in a healthy way?
b) Name various wrong
(unhealthy) foods that people eat, and say
why they are unhealthy.
c) What are healthy foods for
us, and why should we eat them?
d) What is a healthy way of
eating? Do you eat in a healthy way? If
not, how can you improve your
way of eating?
e) What would the
supermarkets look like, if people stopped making
and buying unhealthy foods
and ate in a healthy way? What would
disappear, what would
decrease and what would increase?
4. Learn some yoga exercises
(yoga asanas). Ask your parents to buy
you a book on yoga and then
help you do the exercises, or ask your
Buddhist teacher for help.
Especially learn the “Salutation to the Sun”
(Surya namaskar), and try to practice it
every morning.
5. What is an eco-friendly
way of life? Reflect on and discuss what
you can do to make your life
more eco-friendly.
6. Imagine yourself in the
following 6 occupations, and for each think
about what you would do, to
reduce harm to other beings. Then
discuss it with others.
a) a farmer – what animals
would you keep and what would you grow,
and how would you do it?
b) a food or medical
scientist – what experiments would you do, and
what food and drugs would you
make?
c) a shop manager – what
things would you not sell and what things
would you sell?
d) a film producer or a
musician – what kind of films would you
make, or what kind of music
would you make, and why?
e) a computer games designer
– what kind of games would you make
and why?
f) a medical doctor – what
advice would you give to your patients
about prevention and healthy
lifestyle, and what medicines would you
give them?
1. How do you like being
treated by others? And how do you think we
should treat other people and
animals?
2. Discuss how living by the
5 precepts can make your school, your
country and the whole world a
safer and nicer place to be.
3. Describe what this world
would be like without any wars, crime,
fighting, theft, sexual
misconduct, lying and harsh speech, and illegal
drugs. Use words, draw it, or
both.
BSP: act against people
indicted in Lokayukta report on illegal mining
BSP took a mass rally from Urban DC office to Chikklalbagh
in Bangalore against illegal mining under the leadership of Marasandra Muniappa
President Kar. BSP. Gen Sec. Kamalanaban, , Treasurer Koramangala Muniappa,
General Secreatary R.Muniappa, Bahen Salma, Vice President Gopinath and
thousands of BSP members raised slogans against former Chief Ministers of
Congress SM Krishna, Dharm Singh, Governor Thakur, JD(S) Kumaraswamy, BJP
Yediyurappa for the illegal mining.
Members of the Bahujan Samaj Party
have demanded action against all leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party,
Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) who have been indicted in the Lokayukta
Report on illegal mining in the State.
All the speakers said members of
all three major parties are involved in illegal mining and looting of the
natural resources.
President Marasandra Muniyappa
said as per the Lokayukta report, illegal mining and exports had caused loss
totalling Rs. 16,085 crore to the State exchequer between 2006 and 2010. “In
the last 10 years, the State exchequer has suffered losses to the tune of
60,000 crore and Congress, BJP and JD(S) have equal share in the loot of the
natural resources.
Addressing presspersons here on
Monday, district president of the BSP Irappa Madar and convener of BSP
Premanath Chikkatumbal said, “Members of all three major parties are involved
in illegal mining and looting of the natural resources. It is not sufficient if
action is taken only against BJP leaders. Everyone indicted in the Lokayukta
report should be dealt with strictly”, they said.
The protest rally in Hubli began from Ambedkar’s statue and conclude at
Kittur Channamma Circle where demonstration was held. BSP would demand CBI
inquiry into illegal mining and recovery of public money looted by politicians,
he said.
BSP District Coordinator
Prakash Chikatungal said there was virtual vandalism in the state of natural
resources thus depleting the nature’s gift.
Most of the forest areas in Karnataka have been destroyed due to indiscriminate
mining.
According to the report of High Power Committee, around 90 per cent of forest
has been totally destroyed in Bellary District alone. And in many other parts
of the states also such vandalism has continued unabatedly, he said.
If the State Government did not wake up to the situation, the time is not too
far for complete annihilation of our forest resources, he feared.
· ‘BJP, Congress and JD(S) equally
responsible for loot of natural resources’
· BSP launched Statewide agitation on August 10
seeking CBI probe into illegal mining
BSP
criticse government over CWG
Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP), which support the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from
outside, Tuesday criticised it over irregularities in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) preparations and
sought replies over utilisation of funds.
Participating in a short
duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the statement of Sports Minister Ajay
Maken regarding CWG 2010, BSP member Satish Kumar Misra said the government has
not given details if the diversion of funds by the Delhi government from special component plan
for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes for the Games had been
reversed.
He said the government
had promised an inquiry and said it will provide information. It is unfortunate
that information has not been given, he said.
Misra said that the
procedure concerning the CAG report, including its discussion in the Public
Accounts Committee, should be followed till the end.
Maya snubs CAG,
allocates more money to SC/ST/OBC memorials
Mayawati government
tabled supplementary budget of over Rs
10,800 crore in the assembly on Tuesday.
The UP government has allocated Rs 41 crore for beautification of Kanshi Ram
Eco park in Lucknow.
Apart from Rs 300 crore
for widening of roads and over Rs 140 crore
for MNREGA, one fourth of the budget is for expenses on SC/ST and
backward classes welfare schemes like Kanshiram urban housing scheme
for poor, Savitri Bai Phule Balika Madad scheme to support education
of SC/ST and backward classes girls. The allocations have been made
keeping in mind BSP’s core vote bank. The state assembly elections are
due in April 2012. Maya has only seven moths to prepare for the polls.