Chapter
III

WHAT IS SUTTANTA PITAKA?

The Suttanta Pitaka is a collection
of all the discourses in their entirety delivered by the Buddha on various occasions. (A
few discourses delivered by some of the distinguished disciples of the Buddha, such as the
Venerable Sariputta, Maha Moggallana, Ananda, etc., as well as some narratives are also
included in the books of the Suttanta Pitaka.) The discourses of the Buddha compiled
together in the Suttanta Pitaka were expounded to suit different occasions, for various
persons with different temperaments. Although the discourses were mostly intended for the
benefit of bhikkhus, and deal with the practice of’ the pure life and with the exposition
of the Teaching, there are also several other discourses which deal with the material and
moral progress of the lay disciples.

The Suttanta Pitaka brings out the meaning of the Buddha’s
teachings, expresses them clearly, protects and guards them against distortion and
misconstruction. Just like a string which serves as an plumb-line to guide the carpenters
in their work, just like a thread which protects flowers from being scattered or dispersed
when strung together by it, likewise by means of’ suttas, the meaning of Buddha’s
teachings may be brought out clearly, grasped and understood correctly and given perfect
protection from being misconstrued.

The Suttanta Pitaka is divided into five separate
collections known as Nikayas. They are Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya,
Anguttara Nikaya and Khuddaka Nikaya.

(a) Observances
and Practices in the Teaching of the Buddha

In the Suttanta Pitaka are found not only the fundamentals
of the Dhamma but also pragmatic guidelines to make the Dhamma meaningful and applicable
to daily life. All observances and practices which form practical steps in the Buddha’s
Noble Path of Eight Constituents lead to spiritual purification at three levels:

Sila moral: purity through right conduct,

Samadhi: purity of mind through concentration (Samatha),

Panna: purity of Insight through Vipassana

To begin with, one must make the right resolution to take
refuge in the Buddha, to follow the Buddha’s Teaching, and to be guided by the Samgha. The
first disciples who made the declaration of faith in the Buddha and committed themselves
to follow his Teaching were the two merchant brothers, Tapussa and Bhallika. They were
travelling with their followers in five hundred carts when they saw the Buddha in the
vicinity of’ the Bodhi free after his Enlightenment. The two merchants offered him honey
rice cakes. Accepting their offering and thus breaking the fast he had imposed on himself
for seven weeks, the Buddha made them his disciples by letting them recite after him:

“Buddham Saranam Gacchami (I take refuge in
the Buddha).”

“ Dhamman Saranam Gacchami (I take refuge in
the Dhamma ) “

This recitation became the formula of declaration of faith
in the Buddha and his Teaching. Later when the Samgha became established, the formula was
extended to include the third commitment:

“Samgha Saranam Gacchami. (I take refuge in
the Samgha).”

(b) On the
right way to give alms.

As a practical step, capable of immediate and fruitful use
by people in all walks of life, the Buddha gave discourses on charity, alms-giving,
explaining its virtues and on the right way and the right attitude of mind with which an
offering is to be made for spiritual uplift. The motivating force in an act of charity is
the volition, the will to give. Charity is a meritorious action that arises only cut of
volition. Without the will to give, there is no act of giving. Volition in giving alms is
of three types:

(i) The volition that starts with the thought ‘I shall
make an offering’ and that exists during the period of preparations for making the
offering - Pubba Cetana, volition before the act.

(ii) The volition that arises at the moment of making the
offering while handing it over to the donee - Munca Cetana, volition during the act.

(iii) The volition accompanying the joy and rejoicing
which arise during repeated recollection of or reflection on the act of giving - Apara
Cetana, volition after the act.

Whether the offering is made in homage to the living
Buddha or to a minute particle of his relics after his passing away, it is the volition,
its strength and purity that determine the nature of the result thereof.

There is also explained in the discourses the wrong
attitude of mind with which no act of charity should be performed.

A donor should avoid looking down on others who cannot
make a similar offering; nor should he exult over his own charity. Defiled by such
unworthy thoughts, his volition is only of inferior grade.

When the act of charity is motivated by expectations of
beneficial results of immediate prosperity and happiness, or rebirth in higher existences,
the accompanying volition is classed as mediocre.

It is only when the good deed of alms-giving is performed
out of a spirit of renunciation, motivated by thoughts of pure selflessness, aspiring only
for attainment to Nibbana where all suffering ends, that the volition that brings about
the act is regarded as of superior grade.

Examples abound in the discourses concerning charity and
modes of giving alms.

(c) Moral Purity
through right conduct, Sila.

Practice of Sila forms a most fundamental aspect of
Buddhism. It consists of practice of Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood to
purge oneself of impure deeds, words and thoughts. Together with the commitment to the
Threefold Refuge (as described above) a Buddhist lay disciple observes the Five Precepts
by making a formal vow:

(i) I undertale to observe the precept of abstaining from
killings

(ii) I undertake to observe the precept of abstaining from
stealing.

(iii) I undertake to observe the precept of abstaining
from sexual misconduct.

(vi) I undertake to observe the precept of abstaining from
telling lies.

(v) I undertake to observe the precept of abstaining from
alcoholic drinks, drugs or intoxicants that becloud the mind.

In addition to the negative aspect of the above formula
which emphasizes abstinence, there is also the positive aspect of sila. For instance, we
find in many discourses the statement: ‘He refrains from killing, puts aside the cudgel
and the sword; full of kindness and compassion he lives for the welfare and happiness of
all living things.’ Every precept laid down in the formula has these two aspects.

Depending upon the individual and the stage of one’s
progress, other forms of precepts, namely, Eight Precepts, Ten Precepts etc., may be
observed. For the bhikkhus of the Order, higher and advanced types of practices of
morality are laid down. The Five Precepts are to be always observed by lay disciples who
may occasionally enhance their self-discipline by observing the Eight or Ten Precepts. For
those who have already embarked on the path of a holy life, the Ten Precepts are essential
preliminaries to further progress.

Sila of perfect purity serves as a foundation for the next
stage of progress, namely, Samadhi - purity of mind through concentration-meditation.

(d) Practical
methods of mental cultivation for develop ment of concentration, samadhi.

Mental cultivation for spiritual uplift consists of two
steps. The first step is to purify the mind from all defilements and corruption and to
have it focused on a point. A determined effort (Right Exertion) must be made to narrow
down the range of thoughts in the wavering, unsteady mind. Then attention (Right
Mindfulness or Attentiveness) must be fixed on a selected object of meditation until
one-pointedness of mind (Right concentration) is achieved. In such a state, the mind
becomes freed from hindrances, pure, tranquil, powerful and bright. It is then ready to
advance to the second step by which Magga Insight and Fruition may be attained in order to
transcend the state of woe and sorrow.

The Suttanta Pitaka records numerous methods of Meditation
to bring about one-pointedness of mind. In the Suttas of the Pitaka are dispersed these
methods of meditation, explained by the Buddha sometimes singly, sometimes collectively to
suit the occasion and the purpose for which they are recommended. The Buddha knew the
diversity of character and mental make-up of each individual, the different temperaments
and inclinations of those who approached him for guidance. Accordingly he recommended
different methods to different persons to suit the special character and need of each
individual.

The practice of mental cultivation which results
ultimately in one-pointedness of mind is known as Samadhi Bhavana. Whoever wishes to
develop Samadhi Bhavana must have been established in the observance of the precepts, with
the senses controlled, calm and self-possessed, and must be contented. Having been
established in these four conditions he selects a place suitable for meditation, a
secluded spot. Then he should sit cross-legged keeping his body erect and his mind alert;
he should start purifying his mind of five hindrances, namely, sensual desire, ill will,
sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and doubt, by choosing a meditation method
suitable to him, practising meditation with zeal and ardour. For instance, with the
Anapana method he keeps watching the incoming and outgoing breath until he can have his
mind fixed securely on the breath at the tip of the nose.

When he realizes that the five hindrances have been got
rid of, he becomes gladdened, delighted, calm and blissful. This is the beginning of
samadhi, concentration, which will further develop until it attains one-pointedness of
mind.

Thus one-pointedness of mind is concentration of mind when
it is aware of one object, and only one of a wholesome, salutary nature. This is attained
by the practice of meditation upon one of the subjects recomended for the purpose by the
Buddha.

(e) Practical methods of mental
cultivation for development of Insight Knowledge, panna.

The subject and methods of meditation as taught in the
suttas of the Pitaka are designed both for attainment of samadhi as well as for
development of Insight Knowledge, Vipassana as a direct path to Nibbana.

As a second step in the practice of meditation, after
achieving samadhi, when the concentrated mind has become purified, firm and imperturbable,
the meditator directs and inclines his mind to Insight Knowledge, Vipassana Nana. With
this Insight Knowledge he discerns the three characteristics of the phenomenal world,
namely, Impermanence (Anicca), Suffering (Dukkha) and Non-Self (Anatta).

As he advances in his practice and his mind be comes more
and more purified, firm and imperturbable, he directs and inclines his mind to the
knowledge of the extinction of moral intoxicants, Asavakkhaya Nana. He then truly
understands dukkha, the cause of dukkha, the cessation of dukkha and the path leading to
the cessation of dukkha. He also comes to understand fully the moral intoxicants (asavas)
as they really are, the cause of asavas, the cessation of asavas and the path leading to
the cessation of the asavas.

With this knowledge of extinction of asavas he becomes
liberated. The knowledge of liberation arises in him. He knows that rebirth is no more,
that he has lived the holy life; he has done what he has to do for the realization of
Magga; there is nothing more for him to do for such realization. The Buddha taught with
only one object - the extinction of Suffering and release from conditioned existence. That
object is to be obtained by the practice of meditation (for Calm and Insight) as laid down
in numerous suttas of the Suttanta Pitaka.

-ooOoo-