The Fourth Noble Truth: Magga - The Path
..is the Way leading to the cessation of dukkha.
This is known as the ‘Middle Path’ because it avoids two extremes:
one extreme being the search for happiness through sense-pleasures,
which is ‘low, common, unprofitable and the way of ordinary people’; the
other being the search for happiness through self-mortification in
different forms of asceticism, which is ‘painful, unworthy,
unprofitable.’
The Buddha discovered through personal experience
the Middle Path, ‘which gives vision and knowledge, which leads to Calm,
Insight, Enlightenment, Nirvana.’ This Middle Path is generally known
as the Noble Eightfold Path. (Ariya-Atthangika-Magga)
Right Understanding
Right Thought
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
They are to be developed more or less
simultaneously, as far as possible according to the capacity of each
individual. They are all linked together and each helps the cultivation
of the others. (p46)
These eight factors aim at promoting and perfecting the three
essentials of Buddhist training and discipline: namely:
(a) Ethical Conduct (Sila)
(b) Mental Discipline (Samadhi)
(c) Wisdom (panna).
Ethical Conduct (Sila) is built on
the vast conception of universal love and compassion for all living
beings, on which the Buddha’s teaching is based. The Buddha gave his
teaching ‘for the good of many, for the happiness of many, out of
compassion for the world.’
According to Buddhism, for a man to be perfect
there are two qualities that should develop equally: compassion (karuna)
on one side and wisdom (panna) on the other. Here compassion represents
love, charity, kindness, tolerance and other noble qualities on the
emotional side, or qualities of the heart, while wisdom would stand for
the intellectual side or the qualities of the mind. If one develops the
emotional neglecting the intellectual, one may become a good-hearted
fool; while to develop only the intellectual side neglecting the
emotional may turn one into a hard-hearted intellect without feeling for
others. Therefore to be perfect, one has to develop both equally. That
is the aim of the Buddhist way of life: in it compassion and wisdom are
inseparably linked together. (p46)
Right Speech means abstention
(1) from telling lies
(2) from backbiting and slander and talk that may bring hatred, enmity,
disunity and disharmony among individuals or groups of people
(3) from harsh, rude, impolite, malicious and abusive language
(4) and from idle, useless, foolish gossip or babble.
When one abstains from these forms of wrong and harmful speech one
naturally has to speak the truth, has to use words that are friendly
and benevolent, pleasant and gentle, meaningful and useful. One should
not speak carelessly: speech should be at the right time and place. If
one cannot say something useful, one should keep ‘noble silence.’ (p46)
Right Action aims at promoting
moral, honourable and peaceful conduct. That we should also help others
to lead a peaceful and honourable life in the right way. (p47)
Right Livelihood means that one should abstain from making ones living through a profession that brings harm to others. (p47)
These three factors (Right Speech, Right Action,
Right Livelihood) of the Eightfold Path constitute Ethical Conduct. It
should be realised that the Buddhist ethical and moral conduct aims at
promoting a happy and harmonious life both for the individual and
society. This moral conduct is considered as the indispensable
foundation for all higher spiritual attainments. No spiritual
development is possible without this moral basis. (p47)
Mental Discipline (Samadhi)
Right Effort is the energetic will
(1) to prevent evil and unwholesome states of mind from arising,
and (2) to get rid of such evil and unwholesome states that have already
arisen within a person and also (3) to produce, to cause to arise, good
and wholesome states of mind not yet arisen, and (4) to develop and to
bring to perfection the good and wholesome states of mind already
present.
Right Mindfulness is to be
diligently aware to (1) activities of the body (kaya) (2) sensations and
feelings (vedana) (3) the activities of the mind (citta) (4) ideas,
thoughts, conceptions and things. (dhamma)
The practice of concentration on breathing (anapanasati)
is one of the well-known exercises, connected with the body, for mental
development. One should be clearly aware of all forms of feeling and sensation,
all movements of the mind, all ideas, thoughts and conceptions- of their
true nature, how they appear and disappear, how they are developed, suppressed,
destroyed and so on …
These four forms of mental culture or meditation are treated in
detail in the Satipatthana-sutta (Setting up of Mindfulness).(p48)
Right Concentration
leading to the four stages of Dhyana. In the first stage of
Dhyana, passionate desires and certain unwholesome thoughts like
sensuous lust, ill-will, languor, worry, restlessness and skeptical
doubt are discarded, and feelings of joy and happiness are maintained,
along with certain mental activities. In the second stage, all
intellectual activities are suppressed, tranquility and
‘one-pointedness’ of mind developed, and the feelings of joy and
happiness are still retained. In the third stage, the feeling of joy,
which is an active sensation, also disappears, while the disposition of
happiness still remains in addition to mindful equanimity. In the fourth
stage of Dhyana, all sensations, even of happiness and unhappiness, of
joy and sorrow, disappear, only pure equanimity and awareness remaining.
Thus the mind is trained and disciplined and developed through Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.(p49)
Wisdom (panna)
Right Thought denotes the thoughts of selfless renunication or detachment,
thoughts of love and non-violence, which are extended to all beings. True
wisdom is endowed with these noble qualities, and that all thoughts of selfish
desire, ill-will, hatred and violence are the result of a lack of wisdom-
in all spheres of life whether individual, social or political. (p49)
Right Understanding understanding of things are they are,
of the Four Noble Truths.
According to Buddhism there are two sorts of understanding: What
we generally call understanding is knowledge, an accumulated memory, an
intellectual grasping of a subject according to certain given data. This
is called ‘knowing accordingly’ (anubodha). It is not very deep. Real
deep understanding is called ‘penetration’ (pativedha), seeing a thing
in its true nature, without name and label. This penetration is possible
only when the mind is free from all impurities and is fully developed
through meditation. (p49)
From this brief account of the Path, one may see
that it is a way of life to be followed, practiced and developed by each
individual. It is self-discipline in body, word and mind,
self-development and self-purification. It has nothing to do with
prayer, belief, worship or ceremony. It is a Path leading to the
realisation of Ultimate Reality, to complete freedom, happiness and
peace through moral, spiritual and intellectual perfection. (p49-50)
Free Will
The question of Free Will has occupied an
important place in Western thought and philosophy. But according to
Conditioned Genesis, this question cannot and does not arise in Buddhist
philosophy. If the whole of existence is relative, conditioned and
interdependent, how can will alone be free? Will, like any other
thought, is conditioned. So-called ‘freedom’ itself is conditioned and
relative. There can be nothing absolutely free, physical or mental, as
everything is interdependent and relative.
If Free Will implies a will independent of
conditions, independent of cause and effect, such a thing does not
exist. How can a will, or anything for that matter, arise without
conditions, away from cause and effect, when the whole law of existence
is conditioned and relative, and is within the law of cause? Here again,
the idea of Free Will is basically connected with the ideas of God,
Soul, Justice, reward and punishment. Not only is so-called free will
not free, but even the very idea of Free Will is not free from
conditions.
According to the doctrine of Conditioned
Genesis, as well as according to the analysis of being into Five
Aggregates, the idea of an abiding, immortal substance in man or
outside, whether it is called Atman, ‘I’, Soul, Self or Ego is
considered only a false belief, a mental projection. This is the
Buddhist doctrine of Anatta, No-Soul or No-Self. (p54-5)
In order to avoid confusion it should be mentioned here that
there are two kinds of Truth: conventional and ultimate truth. When we use
such expressions in our daily life as ‘I’, ‘you’,
‘being’, ‘Individual’ etc. we do not lie because
there is no self as such, but we speak a truth conforming to the convention
of the world. But the ultimate truth is that there is no ‘I’
or ‘being’ in reality.
‘A person should be mentioned as existing only in designation (i.e.
conventionally there is a being), but not in reality (or substance
dravya)’(Mahayana-sutralankara, XVIII 92.) (p55)
According to the Buddha’s teaching, it is wrong to
hold the opinion ‘I have no self’ (annihilationist) as to hold
the opinion ‘I have self’ (eternalist), because both are fetters,
arising from the false idea ‘I AM’. The correct position with
regard to the question of Anatta is not to take hold of any opinions or
views, but to try to see things objectively as they are without mental projections,
to see that what we call ‘I’ or ‘being’, is only
a combination of mental and physical aggregates, which are working together
interdependently in a flux of momentary change within the law of cause and
effect, and that there is nothing permanent, everlasting, unchanging and
eternal in the whole of existence.
Here naturally a question arises: If there is no Atman or Self,
who gets the result of karma (actions)? No one can answer this question
better than the Buddha himself: ‘I have taught you to see conditionality
everywhere in all things’. (M III (PTS), p.19; S III, p.103)(p66)
The teaching of Anatta dispels the darkness of
false beliefs, and produces the light of wisdom. It is not negative, as
Asanga aptly says: ‘There is the fact of No-selfness’ (nairatmyastita).
(P66)
Meditation or Mental Culture : Bhavana
The Buddha said: ‘O bhikkhus, there are two
kinds of illness. What are these two? Physical illness and mental
illness. There seem to be people who enjoy freedom from physical illness
even for a year or two .. But O bhikkhus, rare in this world are those
who enjoy freedom from mental illness even for one moment, except from
those who are free from mental defilements.’(i.e. Arahants) (A (Colombo,
1929) p. 276) (Rahula, p67)
The Buddhas teaching, particularly his way of
‘meditation’, aims at producing a state of perfect mental health,
equilibrium and tranquility. (p67)
The word meditation is a very poor substitute for the original
term bhavana, which means ‘culture’ or ‘development’
i.e. mental culture or mental development.
Bhavana aims at cleansing the mind of impurities and disturbances,
such as lustful desires, hatred, ill-will, indolence, worries and
restlessness, skeptical doubts and cultivating such qualities as
concentration, awareness, intelligence, will, energy, the analytical
faculty, confidence, joy, tranquility, leading finally to the attainment
of highest wisdom which sees the nature of things as they are, and
realises the Ultimate Truth, Nirvana. (p68)
There are two forms of meditation. One is the
development of mental concentration (samatha or samadhi), of
one-pointedness of mind, by various methods prescribed in the texts,
leading up to the highest mystic states. All these mystic states,
according to the Buddha are mind created, conditioned (samkhata). They
have nothing to do with Reality, Truth, Nirvana. Buddha discovered the
other form of meditation known as vipassana, ‘Insight’ into the nature
of things, leading to the complete liberation of the mind, to the
realisation of Ultimate Truth, Nirvana. This is essentially Buddhist
‘meditation’, Buddhist mental culture. It is an analytical method based
on mindfulness, awareness, vigilance, observation. The most important
discourse ever given by the Buddha on mental development is called the
Satipatthana-sutta ‘The Setting-up of Mindfulness’ (No. 22 of the
Digha-nikaya, or No.10 of the Majjhima-nikaya.) (p69)
The ‘ways’ of meditation are not cut off from life,
nor do they avoid life, on the contrary, they are all connected with
our life, our daily activities, our sorrow and joys, our words and
thoughts, our moral and intellectual occupations. (p69)
The discourse is divided into four main sections: the first
section deals with our body (kaya), the second with our feelings and sensations
(vedana), the third with the mind (citta), and the fourth with various moral
and intellectual subjects (dhamma).
Whatever the form of ‘meditation’ may be, the essential thing is
mindfulness or awareness (sati), attention or observation (anupassana).
(p69)
People do not generally live in their actions, in
the present moment. They live in the past or in the future. Though they
seem to be doing something now, here, they live somewhere else in their
thoughts, in their imaginary problems and worries, usually in the
memories of the past or in desires and speculations about the future.
Therefore they do not live in, nor do they enjoy, what they do at the
moment. So they are unhappy and discontented with the present moment,
with the work at hand, and naturally cannot give themselves fully to
what they appear to be doing. (p71)
You cannot escape life however you may try. Real
life is in the present moment- not in the memories of the past which are
dead and gone, not in the dreams of the future which is not yet born.
One who lives in the present moment lives the real life, and he is
happiest. Asked why his disciples where so radiant, who lived a simple
and quiet life with one meal a day, the Buddha replied; ‘They do not
repent the past, nor do they brood over the future. They live in the
present. Therefore they are radiant. By brooding over the future and
repenting the past, fools dry up like green reeds cut down in the
sun.’(S I (PTS) p5.) (p72)
..A man who is in anger is not really aware, not
really mindful that he is angry. The moment he becomes aware of that
state of his mind, the moment he sees his anger, it becomes, as it were,
shy and ashamed, and begins to subside. You should examine its nature,
how it arises, how it disappears. You should not think ‘I am angry’, or
of ‘my anger’. You should only be aware and mindful of the state of an
angry mind. (p74)
Then there is a form of ‘meditation’ on ethical,
spiritual and intellectual subjects. All our studies, reading,
discussions, conversation and deliberations on such subjects are
included in this ‘meditation’. To read this book, and to think deeply
about the subjects discussed in it, is a form of meditation. (P74)
So according to this form of meditation, you may study, think
and deliberate on :
The Five Hindrances
1. Lustful Desire, 2. Ill-will, hatred, anger, 3. Torpor and Languor, 4. Restlessness and worry, 5. Skeptical Doubts
These five are considered as hindrances to any kind
of clear understanding, to any kind of progress. When one is
over-powered by them and when one does not know how to get rid of them,
them one cannot understand right and wrong, or good and bad. (p74)
One may also meditate on :
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment (Bojjhanga)
1. Mindfulness (sati)
2. Investigation and research (dhamma-vicaya)(all religious, ethical, philosophical
studies, reading, conversation)
3. Energy (viriya)(- to work with determination to the end)
4. Joy (piti)(the quality quite contrary to the pessimistic, gloomy or melancholic
attitude of mind),
5. Relaxation (passaddhi) (-of both body and mind. One should not be stiff
mentally, physically),
6. Concentration (samadhi)
7. Equanimity (upekkha)(able to face life in all its vicissitudes with calm of mind, tranquility)
To cultivate these qualities the most essential thing is a genuine wish, will or inclination.
Four Sublime States (Brahma-vihara)
(1) Metta. Extending universal, unlimited love and good will to all living
beings without any kind of discrimination,
(2) Karuna. Compassion for all living beings who are suffering, in trouble
and affliction,
(3) Mudita. Sympanthetic joy in others success, welfare and happiness,
(4) Upekkha. Equanimity in all vicissitudes of life.
What the Buddha Taught and the World Today
If one understands the Buddha’s teaching, that his
teaching is the right Path and tries to follow it, then one is a
Buddhist. But according to the unbroken age-old tradition in Buddhist
countries, one is considered Buddhist if one takes the Buddha, the
Dhamma (The Teaching) and the Sangha (the order of monks) -–generally
called the Triple Gem- as one’s refuges and undertakes to observe the
Five Precepts (Panca-sila)- the minimum moral obligations of a lay
Buddhist:
(1) not to destroy life
(2) not to steal
(3) not to commit adultery
(4) not to tell lies
(5) not to take intoxicating drinks-
receiting the formulas given in the ancient texts. (p80)
A man named Dighajanu once visited the Buddha and said:
‘Venerable Sir, we are ordinary lay men, leading the family life with
women and children. Would the Blessed One teach us some doctrines which
will be conducive to our happiness in this world and hereafter.’
The Buddha tells him that there are four things which are conducive to man’s happiness in this world:
(1) To be skilled, efficient, earnest and energetic in whatever
profession he is engaged. (utthana-sampada)
(2) Protect his income, which he has earned righteously, with the sweat
of his brow. (arakkha-sampada)
(3) Have good friends (kalyana-mitta) who are faithful, learned, virtuous,
liberal and intelligent, who will help him along the right path away from
evil
(4) He should spend reasonably, in proportion to his income,
neither too much or too little. i.e. Not to hoard wealth avariciously,
nor should he be extravagant, live within his means (samajivikata).
While encouraging material progress, Buddhism
always lays great stress on the development of the moral and spiritual
character for a happy, peaceful, contented society. The
Dhammapadatthakatha records that the Buddha directed his attention to
the problem of good government. For a country to be happy it must have a
just government. How this form of just government could be realised is
explained by the Buddha in his teaching of the ‘Ten Duties of a King’ (dasa-raja-dhamma).
(1) Liberality, generousity, charity.
(2) A high moral character.
(3) Sacrificing everything for the good of the people. Prepared to give
up all personal comfort, name and fame in the interest of the people.
(4) Honesty and Integrity.
(5) Kindness and Gentleness.
(6) Austerity in habits. Lead a simple life, not indulge in a life of luxury.
Have self-control.
(7) Freedom from hatred, ill-will, enmity. Bear no grudges.
(8) Non-violence (avihimsa). Should try to promote peace by avoiding and
preventing war and everything which involves violence and destruction of
life.
(9) Patience, forebearance, tolerance, understanding. Able to bear insults,
hardships and difficulties without losing his temper.
(10) Non-opposition, non-obstruction. Not to oppose the will of the people. Rule in harmony with his people. (p85)
The Buddha says: ‘Never by hatred is hatred
appeased, but it is appeased by kindness. This is an eternal truth.’
(Dhp. I. 5) (Rahula, p.86)
Theology
Summary & History of World Religions. On Morality, Free Will & God
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‘Not to do any evil, to cultivate the good, to purify one’s mind, this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.’ |
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‘To tread the Noble Eightfold Path requires one to live a life based on a right view, right thought, right speech, right conduct, right vocation, right effort, right attention and right concentration.’ |
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 Buddhist Religion: Gift of Truth
sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati. The gift of truth excels all other gifts.’ |
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Nature: Dynamic Unity of Reality ‘All phenomena link together in a mutually conditioning network.’ (Siddhartha Gautama: The Buddha, 563-483 B.C.) |
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