LESSONS 2777, 2778,2779 Tue, Wed, Thu 18, 17, 18 Oct. 2018 PRACTICE BUDDHA VACANA for PEACE (PBVP) NOT SAME (DGBM)
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Wishing you all on the occasion of Dhamma Chakra Parivartan Deen - 14 Oct in the remembrance of Sunday 14 Oct 1956. Keep Rising, Keep Growing and Keep moving Babasaheb’s mission ahead and ahead till all our downtrodden brothers and sisters secure their human rights.
Some of the facts which many people wanted to know. [ I had concluded the same points during the discussion of this issue on oct 2004 at BC and other yahoo forums ]
1. Dr. Babasaheb has started celebrating Buddha Jayanti since 1950 but never ever said anything about “Ashoka & VijayaDashmi” .
2. Dr. Babasaheb has written volumes of literature ( published/un- published ) but never ever mentioned anything about “Ashoka VijayaDashmi” .
3. Dr. Babasaheb has declared officially on Sept 23rd, 1956 to all Janata that he is going to take Buddhism on Sunday 14th Oct 1956. He has given interview to PTI ( Press Trust of India ) on 23rd Sept saying…On “Dasara” day he is going to embrace Buddhism. It is to be noted that Babasaheb has said “Dasara” word but not “Ashok VijayaDashmi” .
4. Babasaheb initially decided to take Buddhism on Buddha Jayanti which comes in month of May every year and that year(1956) 2500 was getting completed. Due to unavoidable circumstances and insistence of Nagpur group, the place has been shifted to Nagpur and the committee decided to hold program in such a way that MAXIMUM people should come for the same.
So being chosen as a Sunday it was not guaranteeing that everyone will get holiday on this. Because , during that time frame many of our people used to work in MILLS and in farms. When the organizing team learned that, on Dasara all the mills and other private firms are going to be closed, they decided to choose that day as Schools, Colleges, Government, Private firms will be closed. This will ensure that MAXIMUM people can attend this function.
5. Babasaheb has given speech on Oct 15, 1956 around 2 hours. I believe any one can say 2 hours is big enough to think and talk about anything he wanted to say to his people. He has explained the importance of choosing Nagpur but has not said any single word about “ASHOKA” nor “VIJAYDASHMI” . Any logical person could think rationally that, Babasaheb is known to be master of HISTORY and how can he forget to give any little importance of “ASHOKA” and “VIJAYADASHMI” if at all it is TRUE ???
But, WE don’t see any references of this two words in his entire speech where as he has spent more than 5 minutes for giving importance of choosing “Nagpur” as a place for this historical conversion.
6. On 16th Oct 1956, he went ahead and executed similar program at Chandrapur. But again what we found - “No where he has mentioned about “ASHOKA” and “VIJAYADASMI” .
7. On 26/27 Oct 1956, “Prabuddha Bharat” newspaper published “Deeksha Visheshank” a special supplement on Oct 14, 1956 function and Babasaheb was alive that time. This special supplement is full of all the pictures, points, minute-to-minute information what happened-how it happened-what has talked etc…everything. …in number of pages. BUT, still this special supplement also doesn’t talk about these “ASHOKA” and “VIJAYADASMI” two words….
8. Babasaheb was alive for 52 days after this historical conversion and no where we found any point about these two words “ASHOKA” and “VIJAYADASMI” .
I hope, above points are substantial enough to deny any correlation of “ASHOKA”, “VIJAYDASMI” with Babasaheb’s historical conversion day.
What happened after Babasaheb ?
9. Babasaheb has created structure of RPI and second level of our then leaders including Dadasaheb Gaikwad, B. C. Kamble, Rajabhawoo Khobragade, Babu Haridas Awale etc..arranged 4 days conference on 1-2-3-4 oct 1957 at DeekshaBhoomi.
10. Somehow these then leaders formed RPI on 3rd Oct 1957 [ That time Dasara Came on that day ] and celebrated it. Many people where gathered during that event. As all of us knows that everyone lean towards political party to gain many things…huge of people were present during that conference and it turns to be DCPD celebration. But all though, Adv. Babu Haridas Awale, B. C. Kamble and Mr. Wamanrao Godbole ( Chief of the Organizing committee of that historical conversion function ) gathered on 14th Oct 1957. This should be noted correctly.
11. Other leaders who went ahead and joined congress followed Bramhnical calender and obey their thoughts and sometimes even get confused when they see two dates for “Dasara” in different calenders.
12. Babasaheb has written preface to “The Essence of Buddhism” by P. Narasu [ Tamilnadu ]. This book contents says 2500 years completed to Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana on Mid night of 13 [ Talking about B.C. ] . According to 1956 [ A.C.] Mid night of 13 means morning of 14 Oct 1956. [ This explanation - denies the fact that Buddha’s birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana has happened on SAME day. But as per the international standard the way International people follow 25th December every year for Yeshu, on full moon basis International Buddhist people follow month of May to do the same. ]
13. As Babasaheb Mahaparinirvana happened exactly after 52 days - 6th Dec 1956, we have to stick with the calender dates. Otherwise we might need to calculate his Mahaparinirvana every year from the day Dasara comes.
14. Going into the history “unnecessary” and wasting time is all what our people have done so far, otherwise Baba’s MOVEMENT could have been better shape and we all could have lived happily.
15. Last but not the least, if someone wants to disagree with my above analogy then I would ask them to prepare your own “Buddhist” Calender and declare dates rather than following “Hindu panchang - Kalnirnay etc…”. Lets follow 22 vows given by Babasaheb and pay tribute to this GREAT LEADER by becoming his true follower.
Source:http://aimjapan.org/en/life/131-why-dhamma-chakra-parivartan-deen-on-14-oct-reasons-aamp-celebration
http://drbaba.org/ashok-vijaya-dashami-on-14-october-1956-deekshabhoomi/
1956 – Deekshabhoomi
HOME > ARTICLES > Ashok Vijaya Dashami on 14 October 1956 – Deekshabhoomi
Deekshabhoomi is a sacred monument of Buddhism located where the architect of the Indian Constitution, B. R. Ambedkar, converted to Buddhism with approximately 600,000 followers on Ashok Vijaya Dashami on 14 October 1956. Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism is deeply significant for millions of people in India.
Deekshabhoomi is in Nagpur, Maharashtra, a location regarded as a pilgrimage center of Buddhism in India. Millions of pilgrims visit Deekshabhoomi every year,especially on Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din (“Mass Conversion Ceremony Day”) and 14 October, the memorial day when Ambedkar converted to Buddhism here. His final religious act was to embrace Buddhism. Today, the largest stupa in Asia is erected in his memory at the site.
Deeksha literally means ‘act of ordaining’ and bhoomi means the ‘ground’. Deekshabhoomi means the ground where people got ordained as Buddhist. This religious mass conversion at one place was the first ever of its kind in history. Deekshabhoomi is one of two places of considered to be of great importance in the life of Ambedkar, the other being Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai.
Dikshbhoomi
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Buddha Vacana
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Bhavissanti bhikkhū anāgatam·addhānaṃ, ye te suttantā tathāgata·bhāsitā gambhīrā gambhīr·atthā lok·uttarā suññata·p·paṭisaṃyuttā, tesu bhaññamānesu na sussūsissanti na sotaṃ odahissanti na aññā cittaṃ upaṭṭhāpessanti na ca te dhamme uggahetabbaṃ pariyāpuṇitabbaṃ maññissanti.
In future time, there will be bhikkhus who will not listen to the utterance of such discourses which are words of the Tathāgata, profound, profound in meaning, leading beyond the world, (consistently) connected with emptiness, they will not lend ear, they will not apply their mind on knowledge, they will not consider those teachings as to be taken up and mastered.
Ye pana te suttantā kavi·katā kāveyyā citta·kkharā citta·byañjanā bāhirakā sāvaka·bhāsitā, tesu bhaññamānesu sussūsissanti, sotaṃ odahissanti, aññā cittaṃ upaṭṭhāpessanti, te ca dhamme uggahetabbaṃ pariyāpuṇitabbaṃ maññissanti.
On the contrary, they will listen to the utterance of such discourses which are literary compositions made by poets, witty words, witty letters, by people from outside, or the words of disciples, they will lend ear, they will apply their mind on knowledge, they will consider those teachings as to be taken up and mastered.
Evam·etesaṃ, bhikkhave, suttantānaṃ tathāgata·bhāsitānaṃ gambhīrānaṃ gambhīr·atthānaṃ lok·uttarānaṃ suññata·p·paṭisaṃyuttānaṃ antaradhānaṃ bhavissati.
Thus, bhikkhus, the discourses which are words of the Tathāgata, profound, profound in meaning, leading beyond the world, (consistently) connected with emptiness, will disappear.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ: ‘ye te suttantā tathāgata·bhāsitā gambhīrā gambhīr·atthā lok·uttarā suññata·p·paṭisaṃyuttā, tesu bhaññamānesu sussūsissāma, sotaṃ odahissāma, aññā cittaṃ upaṭṭhāpessāma, te ca dhamme uggahetabbaṃ pariyāpuṇitabbaṃ maññissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbanti.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train thus: ‘We will listen to the utterance of such discourses which are words of the Tathāgata, profound, profound in meaning, leading beyond the world, (consistently) connected with emptiness, we will lend ear, we will apply our mind on knowledge, we will consider those teachings as to be taken up and mastered.’ This is how, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.
— Āṇi Sutta —
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RESURGENCE OF ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF PRABUDDHA BHARATH:
DELHI IS NOT FAR
Dear All,
Jai Bheem!
Congratulations
The victory of the BSP in UP has shown the way to power to those who were being denied for centuries. Power game has its own grammer. It seems the followers of Babu Kanshi Ram are now not too late to master it. BSP supremo, Mayawati has proved it. She has meticulously worked out the dynamics of number game. She has not only convinced her own people that united they win and divided they loose, but has also established her credentials among the dwijas who uptill very recently were opposed tooth and nail to the coming of Dalits in to the public sphere. What is even more important is that the people of UP are convinced that if any political party can provide them relief from the mounting atrocities of the erswhile establishment it is the BSP under the strong leadership of the Madam Mayawati. They reposed confidence in her leadership and brought her into power to bring rule of law as well as justice in the beleaguered state of UP. Many are keeping the fingers crossed as to how Madam Mayawati would be able to make a balance between the Dalit emancipatory agenda of the BSP and the political expedency of her power politics. It seems, given her acumen and dexterity in politics, she would be able to tell the world that Dalits are now come of age and that Delhi is not too far from them.Once again Congrats to all of you.
Ronki Ram (Dr.),
Dept. of Political Science,Panjab University, Chandigarh, India Cell: +91 987 286 1290.
Posted on May 11th, 2007
BAHUJAN SAMAJ PARTY IN UP
INSTEAD OF BEING RULED LET US BE RULERS
Kanshi Ram Tells Original Inhabitants of The Great Prabuddha Bharath
SPECIAL SPEACH DELIVERD BY MR. KANSHI RAM Ji
AT 1ST WORLD ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE GREAT PRABUDDHA BHARATH CONFERENCE IN MALAYSIA ON 10TH & 11TH OCTOBER,1998
ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE GREAT PRABUDDHA BHARATH should become rulers instead of being ruled. We must not be always at the receiving end, instead become the givers, ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE GREAT PRABUDDHA BHARATH Leader Mr. Kanshi Ram told the world ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE GREAT PRABUDDHA BHARATH It’s long we have been ruled. It is long we have been taking. Now it is time we change the destiny to rule and give, he said. Mr. Kanshi Ram who is the Founder Prisident of Bahujan Samaj Party delivered a key-note address at the opening of the 1st World ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE GREAT PRABUDDHA BHARATH Convention ‘A new vision towards a casteless society’ at the Kuala Lampur Mines Resort City.
The two day convention held on 10th and 11th October 1998 was well attended by more than 700 delegates throughout the world including famous politicians noted leaders from dalit movement, champions of down-trodden, social reformers, renowned economists, famous educationists and great scholars.
The Malaysian Manister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sabbaruddin Chik officialy opened the conference which saw the opening very colourful with Malaysian cultural and traditional dances performed by Indians, Malays and Chinese.Mr. Kanshi Ram garlanded the Portrait of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar while ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE GREAT PRABUDDHA BHARATH Sena President Ram Vilas Paswan garlanded the portrait of the great Periar.
Mr. Kanshi Ram in his speech continued to trace the history of caste and Braminical social order. He asserted by virtue of his vast experience that elimination of caste was impossible at this stage. He also elaborated the very purpose of creating caste.In context of caste oppression and justice Mr. Kanshi Ram refered the role of Dr. Ambedkar. He commended the merit of ‘Communial Award’ which he achieved after a long struggle.
Dr. Ambedkar could not sustain the going due to the constant pressure of the mighty upper caste Hindus, Mr. Kanshi Ram told the delegates who packed the hall.’Babasaheb Ambedkar was able to get reservation for the oppressed in legislative houses, job opportunities in government departments and also places in higher educational insitutions.
I wish to stress upon that reservation is not the soultion to oour problem. We must become rulers instead of being ruled, givers instead of being takers, Mr. Kanshi Ram told the crowd to a thunderous applause.It is my duty to prepare my people not to get reservation but to grant reservation. Who can granreservation? Only rulers can grant reservation. Hence, I will prepare my people to become rulers.If we do not become rulers, our problems will remain forever, Kanshi Ram said.
In order to become rulers we must learn how to handle caste. Dr. Ambedkar, Nehru, Gandhi and Indra Gandhi were experts in handling caste. Nehru handled caste so well that he made Dr. Ambedkar helpless and retain the Brahminical Social Order. Indra Gandhi also handled caste well to benefit the Brahminical Social Order.Dr. Ambedkar prepared the SC/ST to handle Caste. That is how we could get many benefits from the British, he added.
Mr. Kanshi Ram expressed concern for 10 crores slum dwellers who are deprived of proper drinking water and electric supply.People migrating from villages to cities are also being denied of many facilities and end up in polluting the enviornment.But those refugees who came from Pakistan after independence were duly taken care of by the then government and a special budget was allocated to meet their basic necessities, he pointed out to the delegates.
According to Mr.Kanshi Ram ,slum dewellers presently living in urban areas are the Dalit refugees who have migrated from the villages because of acrimonys & atrocities committed by upper case Hindus.They have not been able to influence the Planning Commission and the Government of India to allocate separate budget to provide them bread, clothes and shelter.
A decent life is a matter of fundamental right of every citizen in accordance with the constitutional mandate, Mr. Kanshi Ram asserted.He advocated separate settlement for dalit people as once formulated by Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar.He was very critical of the evil impact of caste-system in India.
Wherever the Indians went they never failed to carry with them this spreading disease he told the lauging and cheering crowd.The Indians are prepared to leave anythign behind. They leave behind their little property, small land and their huts.But they will never leave behind their caste. They carry with them wherever they go, he said.While urgimg the dalits to unite he also called upon the Dalit intellectuals to shed away the approach of existing analysis only.
They should instead come with forward-looking approach in education, economic and social problems.They must also come up with some sort of effective solution programme, Mr. Kanshi Ram added.Mr. Kanshi Ram impressed upon the delegates that Dalit problem can only be solved through political power to rule the country.‘We must become the rulers instead of being ruled,’he told the cheering and applauding delegates.
Courtesy: Mr.M.G.Pandithan, New Vision. (First World Dalit Conference )
Kindly visit:
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/buddhism/buddhismFULL.html
What is the sound of one hand clapping? If a tree falls in the forest, but no one is around, does it make a sound? And why are Lovers of Noble Truth so obsessed with the sound of stuff?…
Deep questions like these could be a part of your life, too as you join an estimated 500 million other Buddhists around the world in the quest for spiritual awakenment. Neophytes on the road to wisdom and weary old travelers alike will benefit from a review of the basics, so assume the lotus position, and read on, grasshopper.
One of the nice things about The Lovers of Noble Truth is that it generally doesn’t take itself too seriously. The Lovers of Noble Truth are a light-hearted, peace-loving group who haven’t gone around burning astronomers, drowning weird old women, or drinking Kool-Aid (at least, not in the last 2000 years). Our point: understand that our use of humor in this SYW is not intended to insult anyone. If you are insulted, chug yourself a glass of Kool-Aid and get over it.
2. LEARN THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
The story of the Awakened One
The Awakened One was a man, and not a god. He was born as Siddharta Gautama, the prince of small kingdom in northern India. Until he was 29 years old, he lived the life of King’s son - that is to say, he partied a lot, ate a lot, probably had sex a lot, and he remained protected from the seedier side of life outside the palace walls.
The story goes that one day the pampered prince accidentally saw a old sick man in the street, and Siddharta was overcome with horror at this unaccustomed sight of ugliness, disease, and decay. How could people ever be happy knowing that all life must end in death and decay? Siddharta remained in this deep funk until he one day encountered an ascetic holy man. In the midst of all the working-class depression, this man somehow managed to maintain a serene attitude. The prince became a follower of this holy man, and thus embarked on his spiritual career.
In Siddharta’s day, being a alms seeker was an acceptable lifestyle; people respected these mendicants for giving up earthly ambitions and devoting themselves to a virtuous poverty. They received shelter and handouts of food from pious folk everywhere. There was a lot of disagreement, however, as to what exactly it means to be holy and virtuous. Ask a dozen different gurus and you’d get a dozen different answers. Which was the right way? Siddharta, having become a poor monk, joined the school of ascetics, who believed that mortification of the body leads to the purification of the mind and spirit. Starving yourself, sitting upright for days without sleep, poking needles through your body - this was all pudding and lollipops to the ascetics. Siddharta pursued this path to paradise with varying degrees of success until the age of 35. But finally, having reduced himself to a mere skeleton, he realized that this self-denial wasn’t anymore satisfying than his original lifestyle of ignorant hedonism had been.
Siddharta abandoned his vows of asceticism, much to the disgust of his fellow practitioners, and he strengthened his body and sat down under a fig tree to meditate. And that’s when it happened: Siddharta Gautama realized the Middle Way between hedonism and asceticism, and became enlightened. He was now the Buddha.
The Buddha made no fuss about this experience, but his former holy man pals, who were still annoyed with him for abandoning his ascetic vows, noticed that he seemed to be peculiarly serene and that his eyes seemed to shine with the light of understanding. So they gathered one day and asked the Buddha what was going on. That was when the Buddha gave his first talk as the Awakened One, the lecture which explained the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. These noble truths are the core of the Practioners of The Noble Truth belief system; the only way to reach enlightenment (which is good) is to accept these Noble Truths.
The First Noble Truth
The Second Noble Truth
The Third Noble Truth
The Fourth Noble Truth
The First Noble Truth
Life can suck. There’s disease, injury, high rent, final exams, warm beer, natural disasters, and death. There’s lots of good stuff about life too, so much time is spent attempting to protect ourselves from the bad, that we completely ignore the good. Even when you’re happy, it’s difficult to free yourself from the memory and anticipation of stressful things. People end up living always for tomorrow, whether that means the anticipation of a promotion, retirement, a better job, or the Second Coming. Life is characterized by suffering, pain, and dissatisfaction.
The Second Noble Truth
The origin of suffering is the craving for pleasure, existence, and non-existence. You get it in your head that you want things, and your mind then becomes an instrument for chasing those things. The actual objects you desire are irrelevant; wanting things - anything - severely circumscribes a person’s capacity to be joyful and serene. The body needs sustenance, but it’s the self that craves pleasure, existence and non-existence, and it’s the self that must be seen as insubstantial.
The Third Noble Truth
Some people say that all this talk of suffering makes Buddhism a pessimistic religion. And perhaps so it would be, if it weren’t for the Third Noble Truth, the truth of the cessation of suffering; that there is a way to rid yourself of this suffering. Good news, eh?
The Fourth Noble Truth
You wanted a way out of the madness and stress? To rid yourself of suffering, you must follow the Eightfold Path. As you’ve probably guessed, it consists of eight parts. Get to know them, but don’t expect to fully understand them right away. A fair amount gets lost in the translation when you’re dealing with concepts. Read on to familiarize yourself with the path.
3. FOLLOW THE EIGHTFOLD PATH AND THE FIVE PRECEPTS
The Eightfold Path
The whole reason for becoming Buddhist is to achieve happiness and become “awakened.” In order to do this, you must follow the Eightfold Path. Once you have accomplished all eight steps, you are officially enlightened:
Right Knowledge: Strive to comprehend the first three Noble Truths. This might seem a bit circular, but language is a tricky thing, and the Great Seer wanted to make sure you had all your bases covered. The Noble Truths perhaps aren’t as straightforward as they may seem at first. So you must strive to fully comprehend them.
Right Thinking: Consciously dedicate yourself to a life in harmony with the Noble Truths elucidated by the Awakened One.
Right Speech: No gossiping, lying, backbiting, and harsh language. If you don’t have anything valuable to say, keep your big yapper shut. Always good advice.
Right Conduct: For lay Buddhists (meaning Buddhists who aren’t monks), Right Conduct means following the Five Precepts (see below). If you’re a monk, there are some more rules for conduct, but don’t worry about them until you’re ready to become a True Follower of the Path shown by The Awakened One.
Right Livelihood: Go peacefully into the world and do no harm. So choose a profession that’s harmless to living things, and refrain from killing people.
Right Effort: Conquer the flow of negative thoughts, replacing them with good thoughts.
Right Mindfulness: Achieve an intense awareness of your body, emotions, and mental states. Quiet the noises in your head and dwell in the present.
Right Concentration: Learn about (and practice) various kinds of meditation, an important booster rocket on the launch pad to awakenment.
The Five Precepts
The Five Precepts are the basic rules of conduct for lay Buddhists-as opposed to monks and nuns, who have 227 and 311 rules to follow respectively. The Five Precepts aren’t commandments given to you by an angry God who threatens you if you disobey; rather, they are guidelines meant to improve your karma and help you along the Eightfold Path to enlightenment. These few rules keep you out of the worst kinds of trouble, ultimately making you happier:
Don’t kill - man or beast
Don’t steal
Don’t lie
Don’t cheat on your loved one
Don’t take drugs or drink booze
Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it?
4. TAKE REFUGE IN THE AWAKENED ONE, THE TRUE TEACHINGS OF THE AWAKENED ONE, AND THE COMMUNITY OF TRUE FOLLOWERS OF THE PATH SHOWN BY THE AWAKENED ONE
Now we get to the nitty-gritty. Practice of Noble Truth is basically made of three things:
The awakened One.
The Teaching including the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and a large canon of sacred texts.
The Community:of Practicing True Followers of the Pathshown by The Awakened One and awakened beings.
You become a Practisioner of The Noble Truth partly by taking “refuge” in the Awakened One, the Teachings of The Awakened One, and the The Community:of Practicing True Followers of the Pathshown by The Awakened One and awakened beings.
. This is a fancy way of saying that you agree to learn from the Awakened One’s example, from the sacred texts, and participate in some way in the organization of The Community:of Practicing True Followers of the Pathshown by The Awakened One and awakened beings and lay persons.
How do you become officially a Practioner of Noble Truths? Well, unlike some religions, membership can be a little vague. If you say, “I’m a Practioner of Noble Truths”, you’re not likely to be questioned by anyone, because there aren’t any universal badges of membership. A Catholic gets baptized, a Jewish man get circumcised, but a lay Practioner of Noble Truths(non-True Follower of the Path shown by The Awakened One) isn’t necessarily required to go through any special ritual.
It is a good idea to contact a Practioner of Noble Truths priest. Look for temples and associations in the Yellow Pages, or go to the Global Resources Guide at the Journal of Practioner of Noble Truths Ethics. The priest (which can be a man or a woman) will guide you through initiation into his/her branch of Buddhism, and perhaps set up some kind of commitment ritual, but it isn’t absolutely necessary.
If you don’t want to get in touch with a priest (or you can’t) but would still like to do something to mark the occasion of your setting out on a new path, you can perform a do-it-yourself initiation online. Otherwise, just try to follow the Five Precepts, learn about the Four Noble Truths, and congratulations: you’re a lay Buddhist.
5. DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO MAKE PRACTICE OF NOBLE TRUTH PART OF YOUR LIFE
Sometimes Practice of Noble Truth, especially as it’s been adopted in the West, can appear so liberal and watered down that it’s difficult to distinguish between an actual Practice of Noble Truths and a plain old “open-minded seeker of wisdom.” There’s no sacred law telling you, for example, that you ought to attend service at the temple every Wednesday and donate 10% of your income to the Dalai Lama. Lay Practioner of Noble Truths is about as flexible as religion can get.
Nonetheless, one of your refuges as a Practioner of Noble Truths is the community of True Followers of the Path shown by The Awakened One, so why not make use of it? These intrepid souls have given up all worldly possessions, shaved their heads, and left their families. They spend each and every day trying to become wiser, better people (with varying degrees of success), and some of them are available to you at certain times for guidance and counseling. Your spiritual journey might benefit from their wisdom, as well as from the companionship of fellow Practioner of Noble Truths .
What role will Practice of Noble Truths play in your everyday life?
The tricky thing about the Middle Way is the Emptiness of it. Here’s what the Awakened One said about Nibbana (that is, the paradisical state of awakenment towards which all Practioners of Noble Truths are journeying):
‘True Followers of the Path shown by The Awakened One, there is that sphere in which there is neither earth nor water, fire nor air: it is not the infinity of space, nor the infinity of perception; it is not nothingness, nor is it neither idea nor non-idea; it is neither this world nor the next, nor is it both; it is neither the sun nor the moon.’
‘True Followers of the Path shown by The Awakened One, I declare that it neither comes nor goes, it neither abides nor passes away; it is not caused, established, begun, supported: it is the end of suffering.’
‘What I call the selfless is hard to see, for it is not easy to see the truth. But he who knows it penetrates his craving; and for him who sees it, there is nothing there.’
Practice of Noble Truths can be frustrating for someone seeking spiritual guidance precisely because the Awakened One perceived the highest wisdom as a kind of absence. Every time you find a star in the Practice of Noble Truths firmament to guide yourself by, it fades into darkness. That’s sort of the point. The truth of the Middle Way is supposed to be beyond the reach of those who are chasing it. Mellow out. Enjoy life. Rejoice in the absence of a great burden of rules and doctrines.
As a Practioners of Noble Truths , you don’t have to make a big deal of being a Practioner of Noble Truths . Feel free to keep a low profile in the broader community if it’s easier for you. Keeping a little bronze Awakened One’s statue on your desk at work isn’t going to win you any special points. Were he alive today, the Awakened One wouldn’t care whether you denied his Practice of Noble Truths to the world, or had an image of him tattooed on your forehead. As a Practioner of Noble Truths , you can even participate in other religions. Allow us to illustrate with a story (Practice of Noble Truths is big on stories):
A Practioner of Noble Truths master was once asked by a student, “Have you ever read the Bible?
“No,” said the master. “Why don’t you read it to me?”
“‘Do not worry about tomorrow,’” read the student, “‘for tomorrow shall worry about itself.’”
“That man was awakened who said that,” commented the master.
The student read further: “‘Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks, it shall be opened.’”
“That’s great stuff!” exclaimed the master. “The writer of those words is very close to Buddhahood.”
Discovering Practice of Noble Truths isn’t the beginning of your search for wisdom, and taking refuge in the Awakened One won’t be the end. Follow the guidance of your priest (if you have one), keep on reading, and build a spiritual routine that feels right for you. This might include going to the local temple, performing acts of charity, going on retreat, meditation, contemplating the sacred texts, and perhaps even becoming a novice monk. Go in peace, and above all, keep your sense of humor, cause you’re gonna need it. Some Buddhism humor to leave with:
What did the Practioners of Noble Truths True Follower of the path shown by The Awakened One say to the hotdog vendor? “Make me one with everything.”
When the True Follower of the path shown by The Awakened One asked for his change, the vendor replied, “Change comes from within.”
Spiritual Community of the True Followers of the Path shown by The Awakened One
Spiritual Community
In the suttas Spiritual Community is usually used in one of two ways: it refers either to the community of ordained True Followers of the Path shown by The Awakened One or to the community of “noble ones”— persons who have attained at least stream-entry, the first stage of Awakening.
The definition Noble Ones
“The Spiritual Community of the Blessed One’s disciples who have practiced well… who have practiced straight-forwardly… who have practiced methodically… who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types [of noble disciples] when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types — they are the Spiritual Communityof the Blessed One’s disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.”
Kindly visit:
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True Teachings of The Awakened One
Courses of Action
How can you recognize a good and wise person? The Awakened One
explains what qualities to look for and how to spot them.
“True Followers of The Awakened One, there are these four courses of action. Which four? There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable.
“Now as for the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, one considers it as not worth doing for both reasons: because the course of action is unpleasant to do, one considers it as not worth doing; and because the course of action, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, one considers it as not worth doing. Thus one considers it as not worth doing for both reasons.
“As for the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable, it is in light of this course of action that one may be known — in terms of manly stamina, manly persistence, manly effort — as a fool or a wise person. For a fool doesn’t reflect, ‘Even though this course of action is unpleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is profitable.’ So he doesn’t do it, and thus the non-doing of that course of action leads to what is unprofitable for him. But a wise person reflects, ‘Even though this course of action is unpleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is profitable.’ So he does it, and thus the doing of that course of action leads to what is profitable for him.
“As for the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, it is in light of this course of action that one may be known — in terms of manly stamina, manly persistence, manly effort — as a fool or a wise person. For a fool doesn’t reflect, ‘Even though this course of action is pleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is unprofitable.’ So he does it, and thus the doing of that course of action leads to what is unprofitable for him. But a wise person reflects, ‘Even though this course of action is pleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is unprofitable.’ So he doesn’t do it, and thus the non-doing of that course of action leads to what is profitable for him.
“As for the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable, one considers it as worth doing for both reasons: because the course of action is pleasant to do, one considers it as worth doing; and because the course of action, when done, leads to what is profitable, one considers it as worth doing. Thus one considers it as worth doing for both reasons.
“These are the four courses of action.”
True Teachings of The Awakened One
The Noble Path
Skillful actions eventually bring good results, while unskillful ones bring bad. But best of all are the actions that lead to the ending of actions altogether.
” True Followers of the Path shown by The Awakened One, these four types of kamma have been directly realized, verified, & made known by me. Which four? There is action that is dark with dark result. There is action that is bright with bright result. There is action that is dark & bright with dark & bright result. There is action that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of actions.
“And what is action that is dark with dark result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates an injurious bodily fabrication, fabricates an injurious verbal fabrication, fabricates an injurious mental fabrication. Having fabricated an injurious bodily fabrication, having fabricated an injurious verbal fabrication, having fabricated an injurious mental fabrication, he rearises in an injurious world. On rearising in an injurious world, he is there touched by injurious contacts. Touched by injurious contacts, he experiences feelings that are exclusively painful, like those of the beings in hell. This is called action that is dark with dark result.
“And what is action that is bright with bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a non-injurious bodily fabrication … a non-injurious verbal fabrication … a non-injurious mental fabrication … He rearises in a non-injurious world … There he is touched by non-injurious contacts … He experiences feelings that are exclusively pleasant, like those of the Ever-radiant Devas. This is called action that is bright with bright result.
“And what is action that is dark & bright with dark & bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a bodily fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious … a verbal fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious … a mental fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious … He rearises in an injurious & non-injurious world … There he is touched by injurious & non-injurious contacts … He experiences injurious & non-injurious feelings, pleasure mingled with pain, like those of human beings, some devas, and some beings in the lower realms. This is called action that is dark & bright with dark & bright result.
“And what is action that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma? Right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is called kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of action.
“These, True Followers of the Path shown by The Awakened One, are the four types of action directly realized, verified, & made known by me.”