Life of Shakyamuni Buddha. Buddha
“When talking about the foundations of Buddhism, one cannot dwell on later complications and ramifications. It is important to know that the idea of purifying the teachings is always alive in the Buddhist consciousness. Soon after the death of the Teacher began famous cathedrals at Rajagriha, then at Vaishali and Patna, returning the teaching to its original simplicity.
The main existing schools of Buddhism are Mahayana (Tibet, Mongolia, Russia - Kalmyks and Buryats, China, Japan, Northern India) and Hinayana (Indo-China, Burma, Siam, Ceylon and India). But in all schools the qualities of the Teacher himself are equally remembered.
Qualities of Buddha: Shakya Muni - wise from the Shakya family; Shakya Sinha - Shakya Leo; Bhagavat - Blessed One; Sattha - Teacher; Tathagata - Passed Great Path; Gina - Winner; Lord of the Good Law.
This arrival of the king in the guise of a mighty beggar is unusually beautiful. “Go, you beggars, bring salvation and goodness to the nations.” In this parting word of the Buddha, in one definition of “poor” there is a whole program contained.
By understanding the teachings of Buddha, you understand where the Buddhist statement comes from: “Buddha is a man.” His teaching of life is beyond any prejudice. There is no temple for him, but there is a meeting place and a house of knowledge, the Tibetan dukang and tsuglakang.
Buddha denied the existence of a personal God.
Buddha denied the existence of an eternal and unchanging soul.
Buddha gave teachings for living every day.
Buddha effectively opposed property.
Buddha personally fought against the fanaticism of caste and the advantage of classes.
The Buddha affirmed experiential, reliable knowledge and the value of work.
Buddha commanded to study the life of the world in its full reality.
Buddha laid the foundation of the community, foreseeing the triumph of the Community of Peace.
Hundreds of millions of Buddha devotees are spread throughout the world and everyone claims:
“I resort to the Buddha, I resort to the Teaching, I resort to the Community.”
"Fundamentals of Buddhism". E.I. Roerich
Buddha Shakyamuni
Buddha Shakyamuni lived and worked for the benefit of humanity in India in the 6th century BC.
Born in India, in the city of Kapilavastu, into a family of kshatriyas - into the caste of warriors and rulers.
His father was King Shudhodana from the Kshatriya Shakya family, which is why Buddha is called Shakyamuni, that is, the Sage from the Shakya family. Buddha's mother is Mahamaya, the king's wife.
Seven days after the birth of the prince, the mother died.
Siddhartha was raised by his aunt named Mahaprajapati, who became the wife of King Shudhodana. She loved the boy very much.
Astrologers predicted that Siddhartha would leave the palace and become a Buddha after seeing old man, sick, dead And hermit.
The king decided to protect his son from such dangerous encounters and built marvelous palaces for him, surrounded by a high wall, and at the right time married him to a beautiful princess, who gave birth to his son Rahula.
If the prince had lived an ordinary life and faced not only its joys, but also its sorrows, perhaps nothing would have happened. But attempts to escape fate usually lead to the opposite result, and the prince rushed towards the fate that had chosen him.
He asked the charioteer to show him the world beyond the palace fence.
On the first trip Siddhartha saw an ancient old man walking towards him and heard from the charioteer that this fate would not escape anyone. All the joy of youth left Siddhartha.
Second departure brought him a meeting with a stretcher on which lay a man suffering terribly from an incurable disease. The charioteer said that no one would escape this fate. The joy of health and strength left the young man.
On the third walk A sad funeral procession was moving towards the royal chariot, carrying a seemingly withered body. The charioteer explained that this is death, it befalls every living thing.
For the fourth time They met a hermit, and the charioteer said that this man followed the true Teaching.
Siddhartha returned thoughtfully to his palace. The dancers and musicians who entertained him were tired and fell asleep, scattered in their sleep. The prince looked at them, and it seemed to him that he was in a cemetery and there were only corpses in front of him. And Siddhartha Gautama realized that it was time to radically change his life, since worldly joys had lost all meaning for him after the shocks he had experienced.
He went to look at his sleeping wife and son, and then left his hometown of Kapilavastu. He was 29 years old at that time.
As soon as the prince left the city gates, the demon Mara appeared before him. He promised from now on to follow him like a shadow, tempting him with temptations and causing terror in order to force the prince to leave his chosen path.
For everyone who has left the sphere of everyday life and delved into the wilds of his unconscious, such a demon certainly emerges from the depths of his own essence and never leaves him..
But Prince Siddhartha immediately rebelled against Mara and rejected his evil spell. Having reached the river bank, he dismounted from his horse, whose name was Khantaka, and immediately exchanged clothes with a beggar hermit. Then he continued his journey in complete solitude, because this is the only way find the truth of the path.
The prince wandered around India for six years, moving from one group of hermits to another, learned all their teachings and experienced all the practices they proposed. But not a single teaching and not a single Teacher could bring him the desired peace of soul.
One day, having emerged empty-handed from yet another strict asceticism, he sat down under a bodhi tree and concentrated in deep meditation.
Immediately, he was able to remember all of his previous rebirths.
From the very depths of his being a clear awareness came to him four noble truths:
Firstly that a series of deaths and births is inextricably linked with suffering,
Secondly that this suffering has a reason,
Thirdly that this suffering can be stopped,
fourthly that there is a path leading to the end of suffering.
All knowledge of the past, present and future was revealed to him and entered into the very core of his being, and a feeling of deep and indestructible peace was imprinted on his heart.
From that moment on, the former prince Siddhartha seemed to awaken from a heavy, oppressive sleep and became Buddha, Awakened, Enlightened, Omniscient.
Buddha came out of deep meditation and touched the ground with his hand, calling it to witness that he had achieved Enlightenment.
Gesture " touching the ground"is depicted in numerous sculptures and paintings of Shakyamuni Buddha, or Gautama Buddha, as he is commonly called.
Buddha received enlightenment. To achieve it, he had to go through the entire path of a person, imbued with his suffering and compassion for him.
Buddha initially had no support, since he rejected all the teachings and experiences of all Teachers, off the beaten track whom he refused to follow .
Now he had to go alone, he did not have an equal companion. All that was left was to rely only on himself.
Now he was faced with the task of leading people along the path of Liberation that had opened up to him, taking upon himself the feat of Teaching.
Buddha understood that people would not believe him when he tried to convey his experience to them, that they would not understand him and would distort his words…
But His great mission was predetermined - this mission to save humanity!
So Buddha, whom everyone knew as a simple prince Siddhartha, began to preach Buddhist teachings, Buddhist dharma, adapting as much as possible to the perception of the people around him.
For, as the beautiful Buddhist text Dhammapada says, if something must be done, do it, do it with firmness, since a relaxed wanderer only raises more dust.
Teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. Main points of the Teaching.
Buddha established 4 noble truths that everyone should dedicate themselves to knowing:
1. Life is full of suffering.
2. Suffering has a reason.
3. Suffering can be stopped.
4. The path leading to liberation from suffering.
The first truth is “Life is full of suffering”, says that suffering is nothing more than birth, desire, hatred, envy, condemnation, sadness, despair, grief, illness and death.
Many Indian thinkers, like the Buddha, believed that only short-sighted people consider worldly joys to be pleasure. These pleasures are so short-lived that the subsequent series of adversities and illnesses, fears and losses negates all the joy from the pleasure experienced.
Second Truth - “Suffering has a reason”, explains that the origin of suffering and evil on Earth is nothing more than a cause-and-effect relationship. Buddha explained the Law of Karma. Every thought, decision and action of a person leads him to a certain consequence.
There is harmony and balance in the Universe. If a person violates harmony by sending negativity into the surrounding space, he will certainly receive a return a hundredfold. This happens in order to teach a person to live in peace and love.
If a person does not understand why he is doing this and does not want to understand, then the situation gets worse from time to time and one day leads the person to such a state that he finally asks a question to which he will definitely receive an answer.
Thus, ignorance of the truth gives rise to the desire for a new birth and the passage of unlearned lessons.
If a person knew the transitory (not eternal) nature of earthly existence, which is full of limitations and suffering, then the wheel of Samsara (the circle of reincarnations) would be stopped, since there would be no reasons that would give rise to new karma.
The third truth - "Suffering can be stopped" - follows from the second.
By fulfilling certain conditions, a person can be freed from suffering in this life.
Lead to true wisdom:
- complete control over emotions,
- liberation from attachments to material things,
- constant thinking
- the desire to know the truth.
Achieving nirvana does not mean complete inactivity. Having achieved wisdom, a person should not remain in thought. For 45 years after his enlightenment, the Buddha traveled, preached and founded Brotherhoods.
In his teachings, Buddha said that there are two types of human actions.
The first are committed under the influence of blindness, hatred and attachment. They generate the seeds of karma, and therefore new births to fulfill karmic tasks.
The second actions are not burdened by any influence, they are devoid of attachment and, accordingly, do not give rise to knots of karma.
A person who has removed a particle of ignorance and conquered passion acquires goodwill, purity, courage, indestructible calm, and self-control. This encourages him and gives him strength to continue to walk the difficult road towards the goal of achieving enlightenment.
Fourth Truth - “The Path Leading to Liberation from Suffering”. The Buddha points out in detail this path to liberation from suffering. He himself followed this path.
"THE EIGHT FOUND PATH"- it is named so because the path consists of eight steps.
The Eightfold Path is accessible to everyone. And everyone who follows it achieves the eight virtues.
1. Right Views. Ignorance and misconceptions about oneself and the world are the cause of suffering, therefore, for spiritual development one must have correct views, which involve understanding and knowing the four truths.
2. Right Determination. Knowledge of the truths is useless without the determination to grow spiritually and transform the surrounding reality in accordance with the truths. Therefore, a person striving to develop spiritually must renounce attachment to anything, renounce hostility and bad intentions.
3. Correct speech. Right determination should control and guide our speech. This is abstaining from profanity, slander, lies and insults.
4. Correct behavior. Right determination must also manifest itself in right action and right conduct, the Buddha taught. This is renunciation of wrong actions - theft, destruction of living beings, satisfaction of lust.
5. Right lifestyle. You should earn your living in an honest way, rejecting foul language and bad deeds.
6. Correct effort. A person, guided by correct behavior, speech, determination, tries to change, but old habits lead him astray. At this stage it is important to control your thoughts, speech, behavior. That is, to lead a conscious lifestyle, stopping in time our bad thoughts, and not allowing the habits of the past to return us to the wheel of depravity. Fill the void with good ideas and knowledge.
No one is immune from the risk of slipping, so it’s too early to celebrate a moral victory.
7. Right thoughts. At this stage, you should remain vigilant and constantly remember and practice the previous material learned. You need to think about everything as it is. That is, a shovel is a shovel, I am me. Exaggerated, but intelligible. Wrong thoughts have taken deep roots. Behavior based on false stereotypes has become unconscious. It is necessary to uproot all the rubbish, throw it away and forget. You shouldn’t look back, otherwise you might become petrified, stuck in the past.
8. Correct Concentration. Walking and striving for wisdom focuses his calm mind on exploring and comprehending truths. This is the first stage of contemplation and knowledge.
The first stage of contemplation and knowledge, - a person enjoys the peace of detachment from everything earthly and the joy of pure thinking.
Second stage of concentration arises when faith in the truth dispels doubts, and the need for research and reasoning disappears. A person feels inner peace and joy.
Third stage of concentration, is when a person makes an attempt to move to a conscious state of indifference. Here one renounces the joy of concentration and experiences complete equanimity.
The fourth stage of spiritual concentration- the seeking wanderer tries to free himself even from the consciousness of equanimity.
A state of indifference, complete equanimity and self-control sets in - ENLIGHTENMENT sets in.
All suffering ceases. Perfect wisdom and righteousness come.
Summing up the “eightfold path”, the Buddha summarizes that it consists of three harmonious stages - KNOWLEDGE, BEHAVIORS And CONCENTRATIONS.
Spiritual development And cognition impossible without voluntary control of prejudices, one’s emotions and passions.
After this, one more and final step becomes possible - this focusing on contemplating truth, the result of which is highest wisdom, perfect behavior, revealing the secret of existence.
Buddha called the Fetters, the so-called 10 great obstacles to spiritual development person:
1. Illusion of personality
2. Doubt
3. Superstition
4. Bodily passions
5. Hatred
6. Attachment to the Earth
7. Desire for pleasure and tranquility
8. Pride
9. Complacency
10. Ignorance
Buddha taught his followers not to become attached to anything, not even to their Teaching! Every moment has its meaning! The following parable demonstrates this.
One day the Blessed One said to his followers:
“Imagine a man who has set off on a long journey. He was stopped by a wide flood of water. The nearest side of this stream was full of dangers and threatened him with death, but the far side was strong and free from dangers.
There was neither a canoe to cross the stream, nor a bridge spanning the opposite bank. This man said to himself: “Truly, this stream is swift and wide, and there is no means to cross to the other side, but if I gather enough reeds, branches and leaves and build a raft from them, then I can, working hard with my hands and feet , safely cross the raft to the opposite shore.”
So he did. The man built a raft, launched it into the water and, working with his feet and hands, safely reached the opposite shore.
Having crossed and achieved what he wanted, he said to himself:
“Truly, this raft was of great benefit to me, for with its help, working with my hands and feet, I safely crossed to this shore. Let me take this raft with me, putting it on my shoulders, and continue my journey!”
Having done this, will the man act rightly with his raft? What do you think, my students? What will be the correct attitude of a person towards his raft?
Truly, this man must say to himself: “This raft has been of great benefit to me, for, supported by it and working with my feet and hands, I safely reached the far shore.
But I will leave him on the shore and continue on my way!»
This is precisely the correct attitude of a person towards his raft.
In the same way, oh students, I offer you my Teaching precisely as a means to liberation and achievement, but not as permanent property. Understand this analogy of the Teaching with a raft.
The Dhamma (teaching) must be abandoned by you when you cross over to the shore of Nirvana.
From the above parable it is clear how little importance the Buddha attached to everything in this world of illusion, or Maya. It was everything, even the teachings of the Buddha himself, that were viewed as having a conditional, transitory and relative value.
This parable also emphasizes that everything is achieved only by one’s own labor: with human hands and feet..
The teaching will be effective only when personal efforts and personal labor are put into it.
Buddha on God. In the Buddha's Teaching there is no concept of God as such. Buddha denied the existence of a personal God.
The issue of caste differences was decided unambiguously: Buddha declared all people equal and made no distinctions between castes;
Buddha called a woman a full human being, because development is impossible if one of the principles is oppressed.
“No matter how many wise words you read, no matter how many you say,
What good are they to you if you don’t put them into practice?”
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
Among the constellation of great teachers of humanity, whose rays of inexhaustible wisdom still illuminate our unkind sublunary world, it is impossible not to distinguish one of brightest stars, whose name is Buddha. And no one is destined to extinguish this light until people learn to truly be happy. The wisest of the wise, the most enlightened of the enlightened, he, like the morning sun, generously scattered his spiritual light in an effort to awaken humanity from mental sleep. After all, “Buddha” in translation just means “awakened one.” What is more beautiful and sublime than this mission: having awakened yourself, to awaken others? The lessons of Buddha are that cosmic alarm clock for the clouded sleeping spirit of modern man.
Spiritual basis of Buddhism
There is nothing in Buddhism that could contradict the fundamental principles of any other philosophical or religious teaching, because it is based on basic common sense.
Examples from the life of the great Mentor teach us extraordinary modesty, responsiveness, forgiveness and understanding. If at the end of our lives we want to touch what has no limit, or simply remain human, these qualities must be developed and cherished in ourselves from childhood.
According to the Buddha himself, time is the greatest teacher, but the whole problem is that it kills its faithful disciples. And Buddha teaches us how to distance ourselves from the category of time, since it is very conventional, how to take the position of an outside observer and, avoiding decay, touch eternity. In his commandment, addressed to the heart of man, there was a call for endless compassion, the acquisition of true freedom in the renunciation of everything mortal and transitory, to comprehend the highest spiritual laws of the alternation of life and death, the links of which make up the chain of eternity.
Milestones in the Life of Buddha
At the moment, there is some information that allows us to talk about Buddha as a historical figure. Based on non-canonical versions, it is possible to create a fairly complete life picture of the Buddha. The boy, who was given the name Siddhartha, was born into the family of the aristocratic Shakya family, which stood at the head of a small state on the border of India and Nepal. Gautama was the family name of the prince. In an attempt to protect his son from the everyday dullness of his surroundings, his father built three palaces for him. Having matured, Siddhartha married and gave birth to a son, whom he named Rahula.
But soon life, which promised only joy, became boring to Buddha in its meaninglessness. Gifted with special powers of observation since childhood, while moving between palaces Gautama discovered with regret that the people from whose circle his father wanted to protect him were, for the most part, unhappy. They constantly get sick, suffer from poverty and hard work, and eventually grow old and die without finding an answer in their search for the meaning of life. It was then that the Buddha developed a desire to help them on this difficult path to the truth. At the age of 29, he left the palaces and became a hermit. Plunging into absolute asceticism, he wandered through the valleys of the Ganges for 6 years, sought wisdom from elders and preachers, and by the age of 35 he felt that the truth was about to descend on him. Having immersed himself in meditation for several weeks, Gautama achieved true enlightenment and became a Buddha, that is, an awakened one, in whose face all the laws of existence were revealed. Since then, Buddha walked around all the outskirts of India with his sermons for 45 years, until his death at the age of 80.
Life of Buddha in Pictures
The most important spiritual tenets of the Buddha
Buddha did not even allow the thought of publicly proclaiming himself God or a prophet; he simply modestly spoke about what appeared to him at the moment of enlightenment. His lessons reflect the extent of his understanding of the universe and the inner world of man. And this understanding, as time shows, is truly immeasurable. If we try to meaningfully follow these lessons, then in our life everything that is destined to blossom will blossom, without withering ahead of time due to banal spiritual callousness. Here are the most important of these covenants:
- The greatest force in the universe is Love. The eternal law of the universe lies in its victorious power. Hatred and contempt are very dubious weapons against such manifestations. Only love can inspire and fill a good person with vitality and, on the contrary, disarm an evil one.
- Every person is characterized not by what he says, but by what he does. If someone is gifted with eloquence and uses it for good, uttering irrefutable truths, this, of course, is wonderful, but it does not make him a sage. If a person lives according to the laws of the universe - in love, absence of fear, harmony with others, and also shows resistance to innumerable temptations and courage in the face of death - he is truly wise.
- No one can live your life for you. Everyone must follow their own path, without, if possible, involving outsiders to solve their problems. And even if there is a well-wisher who, of his own free will, wants to do something for you, this will be a disservice that does not allow your own creative potential to be fully revealed.
- The truth cannot be hidden. Everyone has probably heard that the secret becomes clear, but this truth was known back in hoary antiquity. The great Gautama taught that the sun, moon and truth cannot be hidden, no matter how hard you try.
- Find peace within yourself. Calmness and tranquility live within each of us and no one can bestow them on us from the outside.
- The secret to health is a fulfilled life in the present. You should not completely transfer your consciousness into vain memories or fruitless dreams of the future. The present is that golden thread that connects us with reality, and only those who are completely in the present gain mental and physical health.
- Kindness should be extended to everyone. One should show gentleness towards the young, compassion towards the elderly and infirm, tolerance towards the weak in spirit and the erring. After all, there were and will be moments later when you imagined or will imagine something similar. Nobility and restraint are a real panacea for adversity, for in the future the same manifestations of the human soul will be mirrored to you.
- Replace envy with admiration. Envy of someone else's happiness, luck or talent dries up the soul and de-energizes a person's nervous system. You need to try to find the strength in yourself to sublimate this destructive feeling into admiration, and through cultivating this state of mind you can cultivate in yourself those qualities that previously caused envy.
- Words are a great medicine and a poison at the same time. A carelessly spoken word can have a murderous effect on your neighbor, but on the contrary, it has saving power. It all depends on what words they are and with what spiritual message they are spoken.
- If you want something to be yours, let it go. There is the most reliable way to lose something - you just need to, with a death grip, not want to part with it for a moment. Accordingly, there is also the opposite effect, when the universe embodies in the life of an individual the innermost thing that he dreamed of, but let go of, without a priori appropriating it to himself.
- Thoughts shape reality. We became what we are thanks to, and only thanks to, our thoughts. They are changeable and fleeting, in contrast to the current moment of life - at first glance, it is static and inert. But if you change your own thoughts and hold your attention on them for as long as possible, reality will begin to quickly transform in the direction in which we directed it with our thought stream.
- Don't take everything for granted. Try to treat with the proper degree of indifference the various conjectures and gossip that are heard around you, do not allow them too close to your heart and mind, do not let them take over you, otherwise you risk becoming manipulated from the outside. The most valuable thing you have is your individual life experience, which, although it does not insure you against mistakes, guarantees personal improvement. It is useful to develop critical thinking without blindly relying on the authority of the speaker. There is, of course, the other side of this truth, which is that you cannot turn into an absolute cynic who does not accept any good advice. People like this are usually called unbelieving Thomas. To find harmony in the matter of faith or disbelief, you need to rely on your natural intuition, having previously developed it to the possible limit.
- You need to be very selective when looking for friends. There is a modern, rather tired saying: tell me who your friend is, then I will tell you who you are.” She simply interprets the ancient Buddhist truth that we actually gradually, imperceptibly for ourselves, begin to resemble those with whom we are friends, or even turn into their spiritual phantoms. There is also a danger lurking in the insincerity and deceit of so-called friends, who in this case can replace several worst enemies.
- Spiritual improvement is not a luxury for a select few, but a vital necessity for everyone. Like a candle that cannot burn without fire, a person cannot fully live without spiritual work on himself. Only an enlightened spirit can nourish the physical body with vital energy and prolong its health.
- There is no one in the world who is more worthy of your love than yourself. There is almost no person in the entire universe who would appreciate you, especially if you yourself do not feel love for yourself and you are bored with yourself. God has placed in every soul a priceless treasure, beautiful in its uniqueness, and only for this reason is it worth finding a reason to love yourself. If, despite all the desire, such a reason is not found, it is worth thinking about returning your soul to its original divine appearance, and subsequently, love for yourself and for everything around you will become your normal state.
- The three most significant things. As the great and kind Buddha teaches, in the grand scheme of things there are only three the most important things that everyone needs to take care of while they are still breathing: how deeply we loved, how easily we lived and how easily we parted with unnecessary things.
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Parables about Buddha and his disciples
The Master's lessons presented to humanity consist not only in instructions or commandments, but also in those life situations, in which his fate brought him together with his students in order to convey to them direct life experience. These incidents from the life of Gautama Buddha, which have come down to us in several variations, still had a genuine historical basis. All these stories, carefully preserved and passed on to descendants by eyewitnesses, formed the basis of numerous parables. Our contemporaries have something to learn from the actions of the direct participants in these stories.
The Parable of the Pebbles and Butter
Once two newlyweds came to Buddha with the hope that the Master would give them a way to find family happiness until the end of their days. Buddha asked them to bring two pots, one with oil and the other with pebbles. Then he placed both pots in a vat of water, asking the young man for the favor of breaking them. The young man, having carried out the Buddha’s command, saw that the oil then floated to the surface, and the pebbles fell to the bottom of the vat. Buddha said: “Now start praying to your gods and miracle workers so that they lower the oil to the bottom and raise the pebbles to the surface of the water, and we’ll see how it all ends.” The young man immediately became indignant and complained that no gods could change the natural course of things, oil could not sink, and pebbles could not rise, since this was contrary to the laws of nature.
The Master’s answer was as follows: “When discussing the laws of nature, you were never able to comprehend the main rule, which is that heavy deeds, like pebbles, will inevitably pull you down, and noble deeds, which are light like butter, will lift you up, and no gods and miracle workers will not be able to change their weight subsequently. The sooner you follow this law of nature, the sooner what you asked for will be fulfilled.”
Parable of the Boatman and the Three Pennies
One day, Buddha and his disciples, while waiting for a boatman to cross to the other side, did not waste time and calmly contemplated the beauty of the river flow. His peace was interrupted by the following picture: right before his eyes, an unknown yogi crossed the river on the water without the help of a boatman, sliding along its surface as if on dry land. Noticing that the great Buddha himself had seen all this, he invited him to demonstrate the same, confirming his status as an enlightened one. Buddha asked the yogi how much time he spent learning how to cross the river in this way, to which he received the answer: “Master, his entire conscious life was spent on this, spent in severe, endless austerities.” At that moment, the boatman swam to the shore and the Master asked him: “What is the price of the crossing?” "Three pennies." came the answer. Buddha, turning to the yogi, said: “Did you hear? This is the real price of your life."
A parable about long silence and questions
Once upon a time, a famous learned man came to the Blessed Gautama with a large scroll in which his questions to the Master were written down. The scientist read them out so as not to miss anything. The Buddha listened carefully to all the questions to the last, but said that he would definitely answer them on one condition: he must wait one year in complete silence. The scientist agreed, but seeing how one of the Buddha’s disciples, sitting under a spreading tree, laughed, he embarrassedly asked the Master: “What’s the matter, why did he laugh?” The Buddha advised the scientist to ask himself.
When the visitor turned to the Buddha’s disciple for clarification, he replied that the Master was a cunning and deceiver, that he promised him the same thing, asking him to first wait in silence for only a year, excluding all thoughts and experiences. But it turned out that the thoughts disappeared, and along with them the questions disappeared. Therefore, the student told the scientist to ask now if he really wants to hear the answers, otherwise he is unlikely to ever hear them from the Master’s lips. But Buddha was firm in his thoughts, assuring that there was no trick, and that if in a year the visitor asked him, he would definitely answer, but if he didn’t ask, then there would be no need to answer. That's how it all happened. After a year, the Buddha asked the former scientist: “Well, my friend, do you still have any questions?” The newly arrived scientist, in turn, also burst out laughing and said: “Only now has it become clear why your student laughed. The questions really disappeared.”
The Parable of the Three Types of Listeners
A very cultured and educated man once came to Buddha Gautama, whose knowledge was a source of special pride for him. In addition, this man held a high position in his state, gaining fame and veneration. The reason for visiting the Master was one question that had been tormenting him for many years. Buddha, looking at him and without even waiting for the question itself, said that he could not answer now. The man thought that the Master was very busy with something and therefore neglected him for his own affairs. But he has come such a long way, putting state affairs aside. The master immediately dispelled his suspicions, saying that this was not the case at all. “What?” - the man was indignant. “Listen to my story about the three types of listeners.” Buddha addressed this man.
“The first one looks like a pot that is turned upside down. Nothing will fit into this one, no matter how much you speak the truths - it is tightly closed. The second is like a pot that stands as a container should, but it has a thin bottom. No matter how much water you pour into it, it will all pour out into this hole. A person like such a pot may perceive what he is taught, but will soon forget. And the third type is exactly like a pot filled with sewage. Firstly, there is nowhere to pour it - it is already filled, and secondly, even if some amount of water makes its way through these impurities, it will immediately mix with this dirt, ceasing to be pure water. You are exactly this type of listener - you are not ready to perceive what will be said, because you are filled to the brim with your own conjectures and judgments. At best, if you do manage to perceive something, your consciousness will distort it beyond recognition. Clear your mind first and then come.”
A parable about achievements and losses
When Gautama Siddhartha became an enlightened Buddha, he was asked what he had achieved. In response, he said, smiling: “Gautama has achieved nothing; on the contrary, he has lost too much.” The one who asked the question was seriously surprised: “It seemed to us that becoming a Buddha means achieving unattainable perfection, eternity, impeccable knowledge, but you, Teacher, say that you have achieved nothing, and even lost a lot. How can we understand this? The Buddha immediately replied, “Literally. Gautama lost everything he had by that time: his knowledge, his heart, his ignorance, his body. Gautama lost thousands of expensive things, ceasing to be himself, and ultimately gained nothing, because what he received was already with him. This was his original nature. Gautama simply left himself to return to himself. This should not be considered an achievement. To think in this category means to be in illusion.”
These are the behests of the great ascetic of spirit, the blessed Gautama Buddha. Everything that the Buddha so unobtrusively teaches us is absolutely devoid of any boring edification. And Buddhism is not a religion in the usual sense of the word. Rather, it is the oldest source of knowledge, a body of immutable truths about the universe, similar in some ways to the scientific theories of the great Newton or Einstein, with the only caveat that the picture of the world they offer may become outdated, and what the Buddha teaches us will forever remain indisputable, in the power of its divine universality.
“When talking about the foundations of Buddhism, one cannot dwell on later complications and ramifications.It is important to know that the idea of purifying the teachings is always alive in the Buddhist consciousness.Soon after the death of the Master, famous councils began in Rajagriha, then in Vaishali and in Patna, returning the teaching to its original simplicity.
The main existing schools of Buddhism are Mahayana (Tibet, Mongolia, Russia - Kalmyks, Buryats, China, Japan, Northern India) and Hinayana (Indo-China, Burma, Siam, Ceylon and India). But in all schools the qualities of the Teacher himself are equally remembered.
Qualities of Buddha: Shakya Muni - wise from the Shakya family; Shakya Sinha - Shakya Leo; Bhagavat - Blessed One; Sattha - Teacher; Tathagata - Passed the Great Path; Gina - Winner; Lord of the Good Law.
This arrival of the king in the guise of a mighty beggar is unusually beautiful. “Go, you beggars, bring salvation and goodness to the nations.” In this parting word of the Buddha, in one definition “poor” there is a whole program.
By understanding the teachings of Buddha, you understand where the Buddhist statement comes from: “Buddha is a man.” His teaching of life is beyond any prejudice. There is no temple for him, but there is a meeting place and a house of knowledge, the Tibetan dukang and tsuglakang.
Buddha denied the existence of a personal God.
Buddha denied the existence of an eternal and unchanging soul.
Buddha gave teachings for living every day.
Buddha personally fought against the fanaticism of caste and the advantage of classes.
The Buddha affirmed experiential, reliable knowledge and the value of work.
Buddha commanded to study the life of the world in its full reality.
Buddha laid the foundation of the community, foreseeing the triumph of the Community of Peace.
Hundreds of millions of Buddha devotees are spread throughout the world and everyone claims:
“I resort to the Buddha, I resort to the Teaching, I resort to the Community.”
Basics of Buddhism. E.I. Roerich
Buddha Shakyamuni
Buddha Shakyamuni lived and worked for the benefit of humanity in India in the 6th century BC.
Born in India, in the city of Kapilavastu, into a family of kshatriyas - into the caste of warriors and rulers.
His father was King Shudhodana from the Kshatriya Shakya family, which is why Buddha is called Shakyamuni, that is, the Sage from the Shakya family. Buddha's mother is Mahamaya, the king's wife.
Seven days after the birth of the prince, the mother died.
Siddhartha was raised by his aunt named Mahaprajapati, who became the wife of King Shudhodana. She loved the boy very much.
Astrologers predicted that Siddhartha would leave the palace and become a Buddha, seeing the old man, sick, dead And hermit.
The king decided to protect his son from such dangerous encounters and built marvelous palaces for him, surrounded by a high wall, and at the right time married him to a beautiful princess, who gave birth to his son Rahula.
If the prince had lived an ordinary life and faced not only its joys, but also its sorrows, perhaps nothing would have happened. But attempts to escape fate usually lead to the opposite result, and the prince rushed towards the fate that had chosen him.
He asked the charioteer to show him the world beyond the palace fence.
On the first trip Siddhartha saw an ancient old man walking towards him and heard from the charioteer that this fate would not escape anyone. All the joy of youth left Siddhartha.
Second departure brought him a meeting with a stretcher on which lay a man suffering terribly from an incurable disease. The charioteer said that no one would escape this fate. The joy of health and strength left the young man.
On the third walk A sad funeral procession was moving towards the royal chariot, carrying a seemingly withered body. The charioteer explained that this is death, it befalls every living thing.
For the fourth time They met a hermit, and the charioteer said that this man followed the true Teaching.
Siddhartha returned thoughtfully to his palace. The dancers and musicians who entertained him were tired and fell asleep, scattered in their sleep. The prince looked at them, and it seemed to him that he was in a cemetery and there were only corpses in front of him. And Siddhartha Gautama realized that it was time to radically change his life, since worldly joys had lost all meaning for him after the shocks he had experienced.
He went to look at his sleeping wife and son, and then left his hometown of Kapilavastu. He was 29 years old at that time.
As soon as the prince left the city gates, he appeared before him. demon Mara. He promised from now on follow him like a shadow, tempting him with temptations and terrifying him in order to force the prince to leave his chosen path.
For everyone who has left the sphere of everyday life and delved into the wilds of his unconscious, such a demon certainly emerges from the depths of his own essence and never leaves him. .
But Prince Siddhartha immediately rebelled against Mara and rejected his evil spell. Having reached the river bank, he dismounted from his horse, whose name was Khantaka, and immediately exchanged clothes with a beggar hermit. Then he continued his journey in complete solitude, because this is the only way find the truth of the path .
For six years the prince wandered around India, moving from one group of hermits to another, learned all their teachings and experienced all the practices they suggested. But not a single teaching and not a single Teacher could bring him the desired peace of mind.
One day, having emerged empty-handed from yet another strict asceticism, he sat down under a bodhi tree and concentrated in deep meditation.
Immediately, he was able to remember all of his previous rebirths.
From the very depths of his being a clear awareness came to him four noble truths :
Firstly that a series of deaths and births is inextricably linked with suffering,
Secondly that this suffering has a reason,
Thirdly that this suffering can be stopped,
fourthly that there is a path leading to the end of suffering.
All knowledge of the past, present and future was revealed to him and entered into the very core of his being, and a feeling of deep and indestructible peace was imprinted on his heart.
From that moment on, the former prince Siddhartha seemed to awaken from a heavy, oppressive sleep and became a Buddha, Awakened, Enlightened, Omniscient.
Buddha came out of deep meditation and touched the ground with his hand, calling it to witness that he had achieved Enlightenment.
Gesture "touching the ground" depicted in numerous sculptures and paintings of Shakyamuni Buddha, or Gautama Buddha, as he is commonly called.
Buddha received enlightenment. To achieve it, he had to go through the entire path of a person, imbued with his suffering and compassion for him.
Buddha initially had no support, since he rejected all the teachings and experiences of all Teachers, according to well-trodden ways which He refused follow .
Now he had to go alone, he did not have an equal companion. All that was left was to rely only on himself.
Now he was faced with the task of leading people along the path of Liberation that had opened up to him, taking upon himself the feat of Teaching.
Buddha understood that people would not believe him when he tried to convey his experience to them, that they would not understand him and would distort his words...
But His great mission was predetermined - this mission to save humanity!
So, Buddha, whom everyone knew as a simple prince Siddhartha, began to preach the Buddhist teachings, the Buddhist dharma, whenever possible adapting to perception people around him .
For, as the beautiful Buddhist text Dhammapada says, if anything must be done, do it with firmness, since a relaxed wanderer only raises more dust.
Teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. Key Points of the Teaching .
Buddha installed 4 noble truths, the knowledge of which everyone should devote himself to:
1. Life is full of suffering.
2. Suffering has a reason.
3. Suffering can be stopped.
4. The path leading to liberation from suffering.
First truth- "Life is full of suffering" says that suffering is nothing more than birth, desire, hatred, envy, condemnation, sadness, despair, grief, illness and death.
Many Indian thinkers, like the Buddha, believed that only short-sighted people consider worldly joys to be pleasure. These pleasures are so short-lived that the subsequent series of adversities and illnesses, fears and losses negates all the joy from the pleasure experienced.
Second truth- “Suffering has a reason”, explains that the origin of suffering and evil on Earth is nothing more than a cause-and-effect relationship. Buddha explained the Law of Karma. Every thought, decision and action of a person leads him to a certain consequence.
There is harmony and balance in the Universe. If a person violates harmony by sending negativity into the surrounding space, he will certainly receive a return a hundredfold. This happens in order to teach a person to live in peace and love.
If a person does not understand why he is doing this and does not want to understand, then the situation gets worse from time to time and one day leads the person to such a state that he finally asks a question to which he will definitely receive an answer.
So, ignorance of the truth generates a desire for a new birth and the passage of unlearned lessons.
If a person knew the transitory (not eternal) nature of earthly existence, which is full of limitations and suffering, then the wheel of Samsara (the circle of reincarnations) would be stopped, since there would be no reasons that would give rise to a new one. karma.
Third truth- “Suffering can be stopped,” follows from the second.
By fulfilling certain conditions, a person can be freed from suffering in this life.
Leads to true wisdom:
- complete control over emotions,
- liberation from attachments to material things,
- constant thinking
- the desire to know the truth.
Achieving nirvana does not mean complete inactivity. Having achieved wisdom, a person should not remain in thought. For 45 years after his enlightenment, the Buddha traveled, preached and founded Brotherhoods.
In his teachings, Buddha said that there are two types of human actions.
First committed under the influence of blindness, hatred and attachment. They generate the seeds of karma, and therefore new births to fulfill karmic tasks.
Second actions are not burdened by any influence, they are devoid of attachment and, accordingly, do not give birth to knots of karma.
A person who has removed a particle of ignorance and conquered passion acquires goodwill, purity, courage, indestructible calm, and self-control. This encourages him and gives him strength to continue to walk the difficult road towards the goal of achieving enlightenment.
The fourth truth - « The path leading to liberation from suffering." The Buddha points out in detail this path to liberation from suffering. He himself followed this path.
« THE EIGHT FOUND PATH", it is named so because the path consists of eight steps.
The Eightfold Path is accessible to everyone. And everyone who follows it achieves the eight virtues.
1. Right Views. Ignorance and misconceptions about oneself and the world are the cause of suffering, therefore, for spiritual development one must have correct views, which imply understanding and knowledge of the four truths.
2. Right Determination. Knowledge of the truths is useless without the determination to grow spiritually and transform the surrounding reality in accordance with the truths. Therefore, a person striving to develop spiritually must renounce attachment to anything, renounce hostility and bad intentions.
3. Correct speech. Right determination should control and guide our speech. This is abstaining from profanity, slander, lies and insults.
4. Correct behavior. Right determination must also manifest itself in right action and right conduct, the Buddha taught. This is renunciation of wrong actions - theft, destruction of living beings, satisfaction of lust.
5. Right lifestyle. You should earn your living in an honest way, rejecting foul language and bad deeds.
6. Correct effort. A person, guided by correct behavior, speech, determination, tries to change, but old habits lead him astray. At this stage it is important to control your thoughts, speech, behavior . That is, to lead conscious lifestyle, stopping in time not our bad thoughts, not allowing the habits of the past to return us to the wheel of depravity. Fill the void with good ideas and knowledge.
No one is immune from the risk of slipping, so it’s too early to celebrate a moral victory.
7. Right thoughts. At this stage, you should remain vigilant and constantly remember and practice the previous material learned. You need to think about everything as it is. That is, a shovel is a shovel, I am me. Exaggerated, but intelligible. Wrong thoughts have taken deep roots. Behavior based on false stereotypes has become unconscious. It is necessary to uproot all the rubbish, throw it away and forget. You shouldn’t look back, otherwise you might become petrified, stuck in the past.
8. Correct Concentration. Walking and striving for wisdom focuses his calm mind on exploring and comprehending truths. This is the first stage of contemplation and knowledge.
The first stage of contemplation and knowledge, a person enjoys the peace of detachment from everything earthly and the joy of pure thinking.
Second stage of concentration arises when faith in the truth dispels doubts, and the need for research and reasoning disappears. A person feels inner peace and joy.
Third stage of concentration this is when a person makes an attempt to move to a conscious state of indifference. Here a person renounces the joy of concentration and experiences complete equanimity.
The fourth stage of spiritual concentration - the seeking wanderer tries to free himself even from the consciousness of equanimity.
A state of indifference, complete equanimity and self-control sets in - ENLIGHTENMENT sets in.
All suffering ceases. Perfect wisdom and righteousness come.
Summing up the “eightfold path”, the Buddha summarizes that it consists of three harmonious stages - KNOWLEDGE, BEHAVIORS And CONCENTRATIONS.
Spiritual development And cognition impossible without voluntary control of prejudices, one’s emotions and passions.
After this, one more and final step becomes possible - this is concentration on the contemplation of truth, the result of which is the highest wisdom, perfect realization, revelation of the secret of existence.
Buddha called Fetters,so called
10 Great Obstacles to the spiritual development of man:
1. Illusion of personality
2. Doubt
3. Superstition
4. Bodily passions
5. Hatred
6. Attachment to the Earth
7. Desire for pleasure and tranquility
8. Pride
9. Complacency
10. Ignorance
Buddha taught his followers don't get attached to anything, even to his Teaching! Every moment has its meaning! The following parable demonstrates this.
One day the Blessed One said to his followers:
Imagine a person setting off on a long journey. He was stopped by a wide flood of water. The nearest side of this stream was full of dangers and threatened him with death, but the far side was strong and free from dangers.
There was neither a canoe to cross the stream, nor a bridge spanning the opposite bank. This man said to himself: “Truly, this stream is swift and wide, and there is no means to cross to the other side, but if I gather enough reeds, branches and leaves and build a raft from them, then I can, working hard with my hands and feet, it’s safe to cross on a raft to the opposite shore.”
So he did. The man built a raft, launched it into the water and, working with his feet and hands, safely reached the opposite shore.
Having crossed and achieved what he wanted, he said to himself:
“Truly, this raft was of great benefit to me, for with its help, working with my hands and feet, I safely crossed to this shore. Let me take this raft with me, putting it on my shoulders, and continue my journey! »
Having done this, will the man act rightly with his raft? ? What do you think, my students? What will be the correct attitude of a person towards his raft?
Verily, this man must say to himself:“This raft was of great benefit to me, for, supported by it and working with my feet and hands, I safely reached the far shore.
But, I’ll leave him on the shore and continue on my way!”
This is precisely the correct attitude of a person towards his raft.
In exactly the same way, oh students, I offer you my Teaching exactly as a means to liberation and achievement, but not as permanent possession. Understand this analogy of the Teaching with a raft.
The Dhamma (teaching) must be abandoned by you when you cross over to the shore of Nirvana.
From the above parable, it is clear how little importance the Buddha attached to everything in this world of illusion, or Maya. It was everything, even the teachings of the Buddha himself, that were viewed as having a conditional, transitory, and relative value.
This parable also emphasizes that everything is achieved only by your own labor: human hands and feet.
The teaching will be effective only when personal efforts and personal labor are put into it.
Buddha on God. In the Buddha's Teaching there is no concept of God as such. Buddha denied the existence of a personal God.
The issue of caste differences was decided unambiguously: Buddha declared all people equal and made no distinctions between castes;
Buddha called a woman a full human being , for development is impossible if one of the principles is oppressed.
He spoke about the existence of Great Laws . They determined the laws of life every day.
The Law of Fearlessness
Courage, in the teachings of Gotama, was the basis of all achievements.
“There is no true compassion without courage; without courage one cannot achieve self-discipline: patience is courage; without courage you cannot penetrate deep true knowledge and gain the wisdom of the Arhat."
Gotama demanded from his students the complete destruction of fear. Fearlessness of thought and fearlessness of action are commanded.
The very nickname of Gotama Buddha - Singh - "Lion" and his personal calls to go through all obstacles, like rhinoceroses and elephants, show what depth of fearlessness was commanded to him. And therefore, the teaching of Gotama Buddha can, first of all, be called the Teaching of fearlessness.
“Warriors, warriors, so we call ourselves, O disciples, for we fight.
We fight for noble valor, for high aspirations, for highest wisdom, that is why we call ourselves warriors.”
Law of Relinquishment of Property
Buddha effectively opposed property.
The relinquishment of property was carried out harshly. Moreover the renunciation of property had to be revealed not only externally, but also accepted with consciousness.
“Once the disciples asked the Blessed One: “ How understand execution commandments from kaza from property? One student abandoned all things, but the Teacher continued to reproach him for property. The other remained surrounded by things, but did not deserve reproach. Ownership is not measured by things, but by thoughts. . ...You can have things and not be the owner. So said the Blessed One and asked not to think about property, because from speech is the washing of thought. For only through well-washed channels can the main aspiration break through.” (Community, 85)
The Buddha constantly advised having as few things as possible so as not to devote too much time to them.
The law of the value of labor.
The Buddha affirmed experiential, reliable knowledge and the value of work. Only through work can one forge the will and armor for battle; only through work can one strengthen one’s character and acquire the best qualities.
The law of the dignity of the human person beyond class and external differences
Buddha personally fought against the fanaticism of caste and the advantage of classes. It was Buddha who pointed out the absurdity and injustice of caste differences among people.
Law of Real Knowledge
Buddha announced ignorance- the cause of all human troubles, and knowledge the only salvation. And he made this knowledge available to everyone.
He affirmed knowledge as the only possibility of liberation from the shackles of the earth, and ignorance as the most serious crime, and commanded everyone to follow the path of knowledge.
Along with condemning ignorance, the Buddha equally severely condemned frivolity: “The fool, the ignorant are their own greatest enemies, for they commit evil deeds that bear bitter fruits.”
“A fool may be the companion of a wise man throughout his life, and yet he will remain ignorant of the Truth, just as a spoon does not know the taste of stew.”
“Long is the night for the watchman, long is the journey for the weary. The wheel of lives and deaths turns long for fools who do not know the Truth.”
He especially often instructed family people to teach their children all the sciences and arts and thereby contribute to the growth and expansion of their consciousness. He also constantly pointed out the urgent need for travel. He saw this as a true educational goal, because travel, taking a person away from ordinary conditions, develops in him mobility, resourcefulness and adaptability - qualities necessary for preparing the process of expanding consciousness.
The teachings of the Blessed One insisted on authenticity , but there were no dogmas in it , which would be offered on faith, since the Teacher, affirming knowledge in everything, did not see the benefit of blind faith for the development of consciousness. “Therefore, I taught you,” said the Buddha, “not to believe just because you have heard, but only when it is tested and accepted by your consciousness.”
In a conversation with a young Brahmin, the Blessed One pointed out how a worthy disciple comes to master the truth:
“When, after mature discussion, the student admitted that this person completely free from delusion, he believes this person.
By approaching him with trust, he becomes his disciple.
Having become his student, he opens his ear.
Opening his ear, he hears the teaching.
Having heard the teaching, he holds it in his mind. He discusses the meaning of the truths he has retained. He ponders them. This is where his determination comes from.
What he decided, he did. He evaluates the value of what has been done.
Having assessed, he makes every effort. With his efforts, he gets closer to the truth. Penetrating deep into her, he sees.
But all this is only recognition of the truth, but not mastery of it. . To fully master it, you need to apply and tirelessly repeat this psychological process».
From this conversation it is clear how free the student was to discuss the teaching taught to him, and that only through independent efforts can knowledge and mastery of the truth be achieved.
« Honor your faith and don't blaspheme the faith of others», - one of the axioms of Buddhism. So the Buddha's Teaching is an example non-negation of previous Teachings.
The Buddha found his way to the hearts of people not through miracles, but through practical teachings to improve everyday life and a personal example of great cooperation.
His tolerance and desire for close cooperation with people was so great that he never spoke against their rituals or beliefs.
The Buddha's teaching, as the teaching of truth, covered all the great teachings that came before him, and therefore, emphasizing their truth, it drove out denial.
By driving out denial, the teaching did not enslave anyone. Awareness of the great principle of community opened all paths.
***
Gautama Buddha laid the foundation of the community. Hewas one of the first community members. Buddha organized Communities - Sanghas.
The Buddha's communities were not monasteries, and joining them were not initiations, for, according to the Teacher, only awareness of the teachings made the entering Buddhist a new person and community member.
The community accepted everyone without distinction of race, caste or gender.
Two rules were necessary for entering the community:
1. complete renunciation of personal property
2. moral purity.
The remaining rules concerned strict self-discipline and community responsibilities.
The community maintained complete equality of all members. One community member differed from another only in the period of his entry.
When choosing the eldest, age was not taken into consideration. Seniority was not measured by gray hair. Of the one whose entire dignity lay only in old age, it was said that he was “vainly old.”
But " the one in whom justice speaks, who knows how to control himself, who is wise, is the elder».
Buddha did not force us to live in a cramped dormitory. From the very beginning, among the students there were those who preferred life in solitude.
About those who are too secluded, He said: “Lonely life in the forest is useful for those who follow it, but it contributes little to the good of people.”
Buddha didn't want to make too many rules he sought to avoid pedantry and monotony of statutes. He avoided making many prohibitions mandatory. All rules sought to protect and preserve the complete independence of the student.
The community member was obliged to observe simplicity and decency, but since there is no advantage in what to eat or what to wear, the Buddha gave the disciples a certain freedom.
Prompted by Devadatta, the cousin of Gautama Buddha, several community members asked the Buddha to establish stricter discipline for his disciples and to prohibit the consumption of meat and fish in their diet. The Buddha refused this request, saying that everyone is free to apply these measures to themselves, but they cannot be made an obligation for everyone.
The same tolerance in clothing, for it is unacceptable that freedom degenerates into a privilege for some. Thus, there is a known case when the Blessed One, convinced of the wisdom of the venerable Sona and seeing his bloody feet, said to him:
Sona, you were raised to be refined, I order you to wear boots with soles.
Sona asked that this decision be extended to all members of the community, and the Blessed One hastened to fulfill this desire.
All the rules of the community established by the Blessed One were always suggested a vital necessity . For example, one touching episode served as the basis for a new rule for the community.
“One bikshu fell ill with an intestinal disorder and, exhausted, fell and lay on the ground in his mud. It happened that the Blessed One, accompanied by the highly revered Ananda, went around the cells of the community members. Entering the cell of the sick biksha and seeing him in such a helpless state, he approached him and asked:
- What’s wrong with you, bikshu, are you sick?
- Yes, Vladyka.
- But isn't there anyone who can help you?
- No, Vladyka.
- Why don’t the other bikshus look after you?
- Because, Lord, now they have no benefit from me.
At this the Blessed One turned to Ananda: “Go, Ananda, and bring water, we will wash this biksha.” “Yes, Lord,” Ananda answered and brought water. Then the Blessed One began to pour water, and the revered Ananda washed the sick man. After which the Blessed One took the sick man by the head and Anand by the legs, so they lifted him and laid him on the bed.
In connection with this incident, the Blessed One called the community members and asked them: “Bikshu, is there a sick community member in some cell?”
Yes, Lord.
- What is this bikshu sick with?
- He is sick with an intestinal disorder, Vladyka.
- Isn't there anyone to look after him?
- No, Vladyka.
- But why didn’t any of the bikshu help him? Biksha, you have neither fathers nor mothers who could look after you. If you, bikshu, do not look after each other, then who will help you? Anyone who wants to serve me must serve the sick.”
“Whoever has a mentor, the mentor must look after him until he recovers, and the same is true if he has a teacher or fellow student in the same vihara, or a student living with him. If he does not have any of those named, then the entire community must look after him. And whoever fails to do this will be guilty of an offense against the community.”
The Teacher’s dislike for establishing numerous, fixed rules, especially prohibitions, and the desire to preserve the vitality of the community are clearly expressed in his subsequent instruction to the disciple Ananda:
“I instruct the community to modify the rules, small and even the slightest.”
But many weak souls are calmer if their duties are strictly defined, hence the increase in rules and prohibitions in later Buddhism.
It is much easier to obey the rules, even if they are shy, than to demonstrate the personal conscious energy that the Teacher demanded from his students.
The Buddha's community sought not to depersonalize its members, but to unite them in a friendly manner with a single aspiration for the common good.
The community did not want to smooth out individual characteristics; on the contrary, the Buddha valued every initiative, every individual manifestation, for in the Teaching, which asserted that everyone is his own creator and liberator and that completely personal efforts are necessary to achieve this lofty goal, the individual principle had all the data for development.
“Avoid quarrels by asserting yourself, without excluding others,” was accepted as a rule in the community.
And so little did Buddhism fear individual manifestations that often the inspired words of one of the members of the community were accepted and became canonical on a par with the statements of the Blessed One himself.
Severe discipline, constant vigilance over thoughts, words and actions made the community a school, as much educational as educational.
In the Buddha's communities, refusal was allowed, but personally conscious; But denial equated to ignorance.
Among the Buddha's community it was possible to renounce petty considerations, but negation was tantamount to leaving the community. It was customary to never remember someone who had left - the community had to live in the future. In addition, those who dropped out often returned; then the return was not accompanied by any questions, except one: “Don’t you deny?”
At the beginning of the teaching, discipline was mainly concerned with cleansing the heart and mind from prejudices and bad qualities. As the teaching was successful, it was transferred to the expansion of consciousness.
It is difficult for one person to rise if he has not gone through the harsh path of purification.
“If the matter is polluted, then no matter how much the dyer immerses it in blue, yellow, red or purple dye, its color will be ugly and impure - why? Due to contamination of matter. if the heart is unclean, the same sad result must be expected.”
Buddha never told his interlocutor that he was wrong . With his deep knowledge and reasoning, he covered the knowledge of his interlocutor, telling him about many things. And thus evoked admiration and gratitude. (example, with nadir and zenith):
“Once the Blessed One, on the way to a bamboo grove, near Rajadgriha, where he was then staying with his disciples, met a householder named Shrigala, who, in wet clothes, with loose hair and with folded hands, bowed to all four directions of the world, and also to towards the zenith and towards the nadir.
The Blessed One, knowing that he was performing a rite, according to traditional religious superstition, should ward off misfortunes from his home, asked Shrigala:
“Why are you performing this strange ritual?”
Srigala replied, “Do you think it strange that I protect my house from the influence of evil spirits?
I know that You, O Gotama Shakyamuni, whom people call Tathagata, the Blessed Buddha, consider that invocations are useless and do not have any saving power.
But listen to me and know that by performing this rite, I honor, respect and fulfill the behest of my father.”
Then the Tathagata said:
“You do well, O Shrigala, in honoring, respecting and fulfilling the commandment of your father; and it is your duty to protect your home, your wife, your children and your children's children from the harmful influences of evil spirits.
I see nothing wrong with performing the ritual bequeathed by your father. But I see that you do not understand the ritual.
Let the Tathagata, who is now speaking to you, spiritual father, and whoever loves you no less than your parents loved you, let him explain to you the meaning of these six directions.
To protect your home, these rituals are not enough. You must protect it with kind deeds towards the people around you.
Turn to your parents to the east, to your Masters to the south, to your wife and children to the west, and to your friends to the north, and accurately establish the zenith of your pious devotions and the nadir of your relations towards your servants.
This is the kind of piety your father wants from you. Let the performance of the ritual remind you of your responsibilities.”
And Shrigala looked at the Blessed One with great respect, as at his father, and said:
“Truly, Gotama, You are the Buddha, the Blessed One and the Holy Teacher.
I never understood what I was doing, but now I know. You revealed to me a truth that was hidden, like one who brings a lamp into the darkness.
I resort to You, the Blessed Teacher, who has achieved illumination, I resort to the Truth that gives enlightenment, I resort to the refuge of the brothers.”
Buddha pointed out the imperfection of asceticism .
Being an enemy of any ritual, Buddha denied the cleansing power of dousing. “A person will not be morally pure because he has been purifying himself in water for a long time. Pure man, Brahmin, one in whom resides truth and virtue.”
“All your rules,” Buddha said to the fanatics, “are low and ridiculous.
Some of you walk naked, covering yourself only with your hands;
another will not drink from a jug or eat from a dish, will not sit at a table between two interlocutors, between two knives or two dishes;
another will not sit at a common table and will not accept alms in a house where there is a pregnant woman, where he notices many flies or meets a dog...
Others eat only vegetables, rice broth, cow or deer droppings, tree roots, branches, leaves, forest fruits or grains.
Another wears a dress, throwing it only over his shoulders, or covers himself with moss, tree bark, plants or deerskin; loosens his hair or wears a horsehair headband over it.
Some wear clothes of sadness; constantly holds his hands up; does not sit on benches or mats or constantly sits in an animal position...
Others lie on thorny plants or cow dung.
I will not list other similar means with which you torment and exhaust yourself...
What do you, volunteer workers, expect for your hard work?
You expect alms and veneration from the laity, and when you achieve this goal, you become deeply addicted to the comforts of temporary life, do not want to part with them, and do not even know the means to do so.
As soon as you see visitors from a distance, you immediately sit down and pretend to be caught in deep thought, but after parting with them, you again do what you want, take a walk or rest in freedom.
When rough food is brought to you, you give it away without even tasting it, and keep any tasty food for yourself.
Indulging in vices and passions, you, however, put on the guise of modesty.
No, this is not true asceticism!
Labor is only useful when under it Not hidden selfish intentions».
Asceticism has no value for liberation from the bonds of earth.
It is much more difficult to find a patient person than one who feeds on air and roots, and dresses in bark and leaves.
“When a man is weakened by hunger and thirst, when he is too tired to control his feelings and ideas, can he achieve a goal that is visible only to the clear mind of an expanded consciousness.”
Or another example:
“In order for the veena strings to produce a harmonic sound, they should not be too tight or loose. Likewise, every effort, if excessive, ends in a fruitless waste of effort; if not enough, it turns into passivity.
Practice proportionality, maintain an exact measure of tension and establish a balance in your abilities.
A disciplined man is free, being free he is joyful, he is calm and happy.”
And also about those to whom the teachings of the Buddha wereNotto your liking:
Much evidence speaks of the hostility he encountered among ascetics and Brahmins who hated him.
The first for condemning their fanaticism, the second for refusing to recognize their right to social advantages and to knowledge of the truth by right of birth.
He was the first to say: “If it were possible to achieve perfection and liberation from the bonds that tie a person to the earth, only by renouncing meat food and human conditions, then the elephant and the cow would have achieved it long ago.”
Second - “By deeds a person becomes a pariah, by deeds he becomes a Brahmin.
The fire kindled by a Brahmin and the fire kindled by a Sudra have the same flame, brightness and light.
What has your separation led to?
For bread you go to the general bazaar and value the coins from the Shudra's purse.
Your separation is simply called robbery.
And your sacred things are simply instruments of deception.
Is not the property of a rich Brahmin a reproach to the Divine Law?
You consider the south to be light and the north to be darkness. There will be a time when I come from midnight, and your light will dim. Even birds fly north to bring their chicks to the world. Even gray geese know the value of property on earth.
But the Brahmin is trying to fill his belt with gold and collect treasures under the threshold of the house.
Brahmin, you lead a miserable life and your end will be miserable. You will be the first to be destroyed. If I go north, that’s where I’ll return.”
The word “Buddha” is not a name, but a state of mind that has reached the highest point of development, literally translated - knower, or one who has mastered perfect knowledge - wisdom.
Buddha never claimed the omniscience that his disciples and followers endowed.
The powers that the Buddha possesses are not miraculous, for a miracle is a violation of the laws of nature. Supreme Power Buddha is completely consistent with the eternal order of things.
“The Buddha, according to one text, is only the eldest of men, no more different from them than the first hatched chicken from the other chickens of the same hen.”
The humanity of the Buddha is especially emphasized.
Ancient writings always emphasize the vitality of his teachings. Gotama did not turn away from life, but penetrated into all the everyday life of ordinary workers. I tried to win them over to learning and was not afraid of visits from courtesans and rajahs.
I tried not to needlessly offend traditional customs; Moreover, he was looking for an opportunity to give them his teaching, finding support in a particularly revered tradition, without compromising the basic principles.
Buddha's favorite trick was comparison and this simple and vital approach gave his teaching brightness and persuasiveness.
Undoubtedly, his knowledge exceeded the Teaching he gave, but caution, prompted by great wisdom, kept him from issuing concepts that could be not learned consciousness of the listeners and, for this reason, become destructive.
The following story illustrates this:
“One day the Blessed One stopped in a bamboo grove in Kosambi. Taking a handful of leaves, the Blessed One asked the disciples:
What do you think, my disciples, which is greater: this handful of leaves in my hand or the leaves remaining on the trees of this grove?
The leaves in the Hand of the Blessed One are few in number; The number of leaves in the entire grove is incomparable, the students answered.
Truly so, and what I knew and did not tell you is much greater than what I conveyed to you. And why, O disciples, did I not tell you this? Because there would be no benefit to you from it, for it would not contribute to a higher life. It also leads to disappointment in this earthly world, to the destruction of all sensitivity, to the cessation of desire, to peace, to higher knowledge, to awakening, to Nirvana. That's why I didn't convey this to you.
But what did I tell you? That which is suffering, the source of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and indicated the path leading to the cessation of suffering.”
Buddha spoke about meaning of the Future, and him priority over the present.
“One day a woman stopped between the images of the Blessed Buddha and Maitreya, not knowing whom to offer veneration to. And the image of the Blessed Buddha said: “According to My covenant, honor the future. Standing in defense of the past, fix your eyes on the sunrise.” Remember how We work for the future, and direct your whole being into the future! Let us bring the Teaching alien to the light in the rays of knowledge, for the light of the world is covered with darkness.” (Community, 95)
Buddha indicated the coming of a new Teacher in the future .
History has never shown us such an effective example of self-denial. According to legend, the Blessed One appointed Maitreya Bodhisattva as his successor.
“And the Blessed One said to Ananda:
I am not the first Buddha to come to Earth, nor will I be the last.
In due time, another Buddha will arise in the world, the Hidden One, of supreme illumination, endowed with wisdom, happy, containing the entire Universe, the incomparable Leader of nations, the Lord of Devas and mortals.
He will reveal to you the same eternal truths that I taught you.
He will establish his Law, glorious in its beginnings, glorious in its apotheosis and glorious in its goal in spirit and word.
He will proclaim a righteous life, perfect and pure, which I preach now.
His disciples will number in the thousands, while mine will number only in the hundreds.
And Ananda asked: “How will we recognize Him?”
The Blessed One said: “His name will be Maitreya.”
The coming Buddha, Maitreya, as his name indicates, is the Buddha of Compassion and Love.
Throughout the Buddhist region, on roadside rocks, images of Maitreya indicate the path.
From ancient times to the present day, this image has been created by Buddhists, who know the approach of a new century.
Venerable lamas, accompanied by students, artists and sculptors, today travel through Buddhist lands, creating new images of the symbol of the aspirations of a bright future.
The Great Buddha, bequeathing Maitreya, gave the path of all existence.
The phenomenon of new evolution calls to these wise and clear Testaments.
The requirement for purification of the Teaching is not accidental; the deadlines are approaching. The image of Maitreya is ready to rise.
All the Buddhas of the past combined the wisdom of experience and transmitted it to the Blessed Conqueror.
Teaching Quotes :
“Irrigators divert water wherever they want; archers straighten an arrow; carpenters bend wood to their liking; the wise bend themselves!”
“Hatred has never been destroyed by hatred, only kindness has stopped it, such is the eternal law.”
“From the moment the solution to evil arises, a person is already guilty - whether it is revealed or not.”
“Of the three types of action,” said the Buddha, “the most destructive Not word, Not a bodily act, but a thought.”
“The main element in everything is thought. Above all - thought. Everything is done by thought.
If a person speaks or acts with an evil thought, suffering follows him, just as a wheel follows the hoof of an animal that pulls a cart.”
“It is difficult for one person to rise if he has not gone through the harsh path of purification.”
“If the matter is polluted, then no matter how much the dyer immerses it in blue, yellow, red or purple dye, its color will be ugly and impure - why? Due to contamination of matter. If the heart is unclean, the same sad result must be expected.”
“If a person speaks or acts with a good thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.”
“Giving up everything personal gives rise to a feeling of true freedom,
joy is born from freedom,
from joy - satisfaction,
from satisfaction - a feeling of peace and happiness.”
BUDDHA
Natalia Dmitrievna Spirina
From a radio broadcast (cycle “Lights of the World”)
“Truth is the only source of courage,” said the Buddha. Studying basics All religions are an approach to the Truth. The truth can only be one, just as the foundations are the same for the entire universe. And “there is no religion higher than Truth,” as it is said on the title page of The Secret Doctrine.
Forms are temporary, laws are eternal. Forms belong to the changing world, laws belong to the unchanging Being.
Agni Yoga - Living Ethics, the synthesis of all religions and yogas - gives us That an understanding that helps to approach all beliefs without denying them, but finding the commonality that unites them.
The Teaching of Living Ethics continues to develop all the basic provisions given in Buddhism, in accordance with our era. If Buddha laid foundation for the community, then in the Living Ethics the community is indicated as an inevitability for all humanity. All the provisions of Buddhism regarding self-improvement are given in the new Revelation in a widely expanded scientific basis, according to the level of development achieved so far.
Thanks to what is said in the books of Living Ethics, the teachings of the Buddha, cleared of the layers of past centuries, acquire new strength and significance for the present moment. “Every moment has its necessity, and this is called justice of action,” says the Buddha. And back to studying basics Buddhism does not mean a return to the past, but, in the light of Living Ethics, it is a new step in future, on the threshold of which we are already standing close.
We recommend everyone interested in Buddhism to read this simple and understandable book. "Fundamentals of Buddhism" written by Elena Ivanovna Roerich, under the pseudonym Natalya Rokotova.
Siddhartha Gautama was a great spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism in ancient india. In most Buddhist traditions he is considered the Supreme Buddha. Translated, the word “Buddha” means “awakened” or “enlightened”.
Siddhartha is a major figure in Buddhism, and information about his life, teachings, and monastic principles after his death were systematized and perpetuated by his followers.
Today I want to discuss some important life lessons I learned from the teachings of the Buddha.
1. It's okay to start small
“The jug fills up gradually, drop by drop”
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Every master was once an amateur.”
We all start small, don't neglect the little. If you are consistent and patient, you will succeed! No one can become successful overnight; success comes to those who are willing to start small and work hard until the pitcher is full.
2. Thoughts are material
“Everything we are is the result of what we think about ourselves. If a person speaks or acts with evil thoughts, he is haunted by pain. If a person speaks or acts with pure intentions, happiness follows him, which, like a shadow, will never leave him.”
Buddha said: “Our consciousness is everything. You become what you think about." James Allen said: “Man is a brain.” To live right, you must fill your brain with the “right” thoughts.
Your thinking determines your actions; your actions determine the outcome. Right thinking will give you everything you want; wrong thinking is an evil that will ultimately destroy you.
If you change your thinking, you will change your life. Buddha said: “All wrongdoing arises from the mind. If the mind changes, will the wrongdoing remain?”
3. Forgive
“Holding in anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else; it is you who will burn"
When you free those imprisoned in the prison of unforgiveness, you free yourself from that prison. You cannot suppress anyone without suppressing yourself too. Learn to forgive. Learn to forgive faster.
4. Your actions matter
“No matter how many commandments you read, no matter how many you say, what will they mean if you do not follow them?”
They say, “Words are worthless,” and that’s true. To develop, you must take action; To develop quickly, you need to act every day. Fame will not fall on your head!
Glory is for everyone, but only those who constantly act can know it. The proverb says: “God gives every bird a worm, but does not throw it into the nest.” Buddha said: “I do not believe in the fate that befalls people when they act, but I believe in the fate that befalls them when they do not act.”
5. Try to understand
“When we argue with the present, we feel angry, we stopped fighting for the truth, we started fighting only for ourselves.”
Stephen Covey said: “First try to understand, and only then try to be understood.” It's easy to say, but difficult to do; you must make every effort to understand the “other” person’s point of view. When you feel angry, destroy it. Listen to others, understand their point of view, and you will find peace. Focus more on being happy than being right.
6. Conquer yourself
“It is better to defeat yourself than to win thousands of battles. Then victory is yours. Neither angels nor demons, neither heaven nor hell can take it away from you.”
He who conquers himself is stronger than any ruler. In order to conquer yourself, you need to conquer your mind. You must control your thoughts. They should not rage like sea waves. You may think, “I can’t control my thoughts. A thought comes when it pleases.” To this I answer: you cannot prevent a bird from flying over you, but you can certainly prevent it from building a nest on your head. Banish thoughts that do not correspond to the life principles by which you want to live. Buddha said: “It is not the enemy or ill-wisher, but precisely the consciousness of a person that lures him onto a crooked path.”
7. Live in harmony
“Harmony comes from within. Don't look for her outside."
Don't look outside for what can only be in your heart. Often we may look outside ourselves only to distract ourselves from the true reality. The truth is that harmony can only be found within yourself. Harmony is not new job, Not new car or a new marriage... harmony means new opportunities and they start with you.
8. Be grateful
“Let's stand up and give thanks for the fact that if we didn't study a lot, then at least we studied a little, and if we didn't study a little, then at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, then at least we didn't die. Therefore, we will be grateful"
There is always something worth being grateful for. Don't be so pessimistic that for a moment, even in the middle of a fight, you fail to recognize the thousands of things for which you should be grateful. Not everyone was able to wake up this morning; Yesterday some fell asleep for the last time. There is always something worth being grateful for, understand it and give thanks. A grateful heart will make you great!
9. Be true to what you know
“The greatest offense is not to be faithful to what you know for sure.”
We know a lot, but we don't always do what we know.
If you fail, it won't be because you didn't know what to do; it will happen because you didn't do what you knew. Do what you know. Don't just absorb the information, but focus on thinking about what you want to become until you have a burning desire to prove it.
10. Travel
“It’s better to travel than to arrive at the place”
Life is a journey! I am happy, satisfied and satisfied today. I can visit best places and taste the best wines, but I travel. Don't put off your happiness indefinitely by pursuing a goal that you think will make you happy. Travel today, enjoy the journey.
Shakyamuni Buddha, also known as Gautama Buddha, lived according to traditional dating from 566 to 485 BC. in central North India. There are many different descriptions of his life in different Buddhist sources, and many of its details appeared in them only over time. The accuracy of this information is difficult to establish, given that the first Buddhist texts were compiled only three centuries after the death of the Buddha. Be that as it may, these details cannot be considered incorrect just because they were written about later than others: they could have been transmitted orally.
As a rule, traditional biographies of Buddhist masters, including the Buddha, were not compiled to preserve history, but served moralizing purposes. The biographies were written to teach Buddhist followers about the spiritual path to liberation and enlightenment and to inspire them to achieve these goals. To benefit from the life of the Buddha, one must view it in this context, analyzing what can be learned from it.
Sources describing the life of Buddha Arrow down Arrow up
The earliest sources that describe the life of the Buddha are several Pali suttas from the "Collected Teachings of the Middle Length" (Pali: Majima-nikaya) in the Theravada tradition and several Vinaya texts on the rules of monastic discipline from other Hinayana schools. However, each of these sources contains only fragmentary descriptions of the life of the Buddha.
The first detailed biography appeared in Buddhist poetic works of the late 2nd century BC, for example in the text “Great Matters” (Skt. Mahavastu) Mahasanghika school. So, in this source, which is not included in the “Three Baskets” (Skt. Tripitaka), that is, in the three collections of the teachings of the Buddha, for the first time it is mentioned that the Buddha was a prince in the royal family. A similar poetic work is the Sutra of Extensive Play (Skt. Lalitavistara sutra) – also found in the Hinayana school of Sarvastivada. Later Mahayana versions of this text borrowed fragments from this earlier version and added to it. For example, they explained that Shakyamuni achieved enlightenment thousands of years ago and manifested as Prince Siddhartha only to show others the path to enlightenment.
Over time, some of the biographies were included in the Three Baskets. The most famous of them is “The Acts of the Buddha” (Skt. Buddhacarita) by the poet Ashvaghosa, written in the 1st century AD. Other versions of the Buddha's biography appeared in the tantras even later. For example, the Chakrasamvara texts say that the Buddha simultaneously appeared as Shakyamuni to teach the Sutras of Far-Leading Discernment (Skt. Prajnaparamita Sutra,"Sutras of the Perfection of Wisdom"), and as Vajradhara, to teach tantras.
Each of these stories teaches us something and gives us inspiration. But let us first look at the texts that describe the historical Buddha.
Birth, early life and renunciation Arrow down Arrow up
According to the earliest biographies, the Buddha was born into a wealthy aristocratic military family in the state of Shakya, whose capital was at Kapilavastu, on the border of modern India and Nepal. These sources do not say that Shakyamuni was Prince Siddhartha: information about his royal origin and the name Siddhartha appear later. The Buddha's father was Shuddhodana, but the name of his mother, Mayadevi, is mentioned only in later biographies, where there also appears a description of the miraculous conception of the Buddha in a dream, in which a white elephant with six tusks enters Mayadevi's side, and a story about the predictions of the sage Asita that that the baby will become a great king or a great sage. After this there appeared the story of the pure birth of Buddha from his mother's side in the grove of Lumbini, not far from Kapilavastu, where he immediately took seven steps and said: “I have appeared”; it also mentions the death of Mayadevi during childbirth.
The Buddha's youth was spent in pleasure. He married a girl named Yashodhara and they had a son, Rahula. When Buddha turned 29 years old, he renounced family life and the royal throne, leaving to wander like a mendicant spiritual seeker.
The Buddha's renunciation must be seen in the context of his contemporary society. Having left everything to become a spiritual seeker, he did not abandon his wife and child in a difficult situation or in poverty: members of his large and rich family would certainly have taken care of them. In addition, the Buddha belonged to the warrior caste, which means that one day he would undoubtedly have to leave his family and go to war: this was considered the duty of a man.
You can fight endlessly with external enemies, but the real battle is with internal opponents: it was this fight that Buddha went to. The fact that he left his family for this purpose means that this is the duty of a spiritual seeker: to devote his whole life to this. If in our time we decide to leave our family to become a monk, we need to make sure that our loved ones are well taken care of. We are talking not only about the spouse and children, but also about elderly parents. Whether we leave family or not, our responsibility as Buddhists is to reduce suffering by overcoming attachment to pleasure, just as the Buddha did.
The Buddha wanted to cope with suffering by understanding the nature of birth, aging, illness, death, rebirth, sorrow and delusion. In later texts there are stories of how the charioteer Channa carries the Buddha out of the palace. Buddha sees the sick, the old, the dead, and ascetics in the city, and Channa tells him about each of these phenomena. Buddha understands the suffering everyone experiences and thinks about how to get rid of it.
The episode in which the charioteer helps Buddha on the spiritual path is reminiscent of the story from the Bhagavad Gita about how the charioteer Arjuna explained to Krishna that as a warrior he must fight with his relatives. In both Buddhist and Hindu history one can see the great importance of going beyond a comfortable life in search of truth. The charioteer symbolizes the mind as the vehicle that carries us to liberation, and the words of the charioteer symbolize the force that motivates us to seek the truth.
Buddha's teaching and enlightenment Arrow down Arrow up
As a wandering spiritual seeker who took a vow of celibacy, the Buddha studied with two teachers the methods of achieving mental stability and formless absorption. He reached highest levels these deep states of perfect concentration in which he no longer experienced either gross suffering or even ordinary worldly happiness, but he did not stop there. The Buddha saw that such states are just temporary relief from polluted feelings. These methods did not relieve the deeper, more universal suffering that he sought to overcome. Then the Buddha and his five companions practiced severe asceticism, but this also did not relieve them of deeper problems associated with the uncontrolled cycle of rebirth (samsara). Only in later sources does the story appear of how Buddha broke his six-year fast on the banks of the Nairanjana River, where the girl Sujata brought him a bowl of milky rice porridge.
The example of the Buddha shows that we should not be content with the complete peace and bliss of meditation, not to mention artificial means of achieving these states, such as drugs. By plunging into a deep trance or exhausting and punishing yourself with extreme practices, no solution can be found. We must travel the entire path to liberation and enlightenment without settling for spiritual methods that do not lead to these goals.
Abandoning asceticism, Buddha went alone to meditate in the jungle to overcome fear. All fear is based on clinging to an “I” that exists in an impossible way, and on an even stronger selfishness than that which drives us to uncontrollably seek pleasure and entertainment. Thus, in the text “The Disc with Sharp Blades,” Dharmarakshita, an Indian master of the 10th century AD, used the image of peacocks searching for poisonous plants in the jungle as a symbol of bodhisattvas who use and transform the poisonous emotions of desire, anger and naivety in order to overcome selfishness and clinging to an impossible self.
After prolonged meditation, the Buddha achieved complete enlightenment; he was then thirty-five years old. Later sources describe the details of this event and say that the Buddha achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, where Bodhgaya is located today. He repelled the attacks of the envious god Mara, who tried to disturb the Buddha by appearing in terrifying and seductive forms to disturb his meditation.
The very first texts describe that the Buddha achieved complete enlightenment by acquiring three types of knowledge: perfect knowledge of all his past lives, the karma and rebirths of all beings, and the four noble truths. Later sources explain that, having achieved enlightenment, the Buddha gained omniscience.
Buddha gives teachings and founds a monastic community Arrow down Arrow up
After his enlightenment, the Buddha began to doubt whether it was worth teaching others how to achieve this goal: he felt that no one would understand him. However indian god Brahma, the creator of the universe, and Indra, the king of the gods, begged him to give teachings. In making his request, Brahma told the Buddha that if he refused to teach, there would be no end to the suffering of the world, and that his words would be understood by at least a few people.
Perhaps this episode has a satirical meaning, showing the superiority of the Buddha's teachings over the traditional methods of the Indian spiritual tradition of that time. If even the highest deities admitted that the world needs the teachings of the Buddha, because even they do not know the methods that would forever end universal suffering, then ordinary people need his teachings even more. Moreover, in Buddhist beliefs, Brahma personifies arrogance and pride. Brahma's delusion that he is an omnipotent creator symbolizes the delusion of the existence of an impossible "I" that is capable of controlling everything that happens. Such a belief inevitably leads to disappointment and suffering. Only the Buddha's teachings about how we truly exist can lead to the true cessation of true suffering and its true cause.
Hearing the request of Brahma and Indra, the Buddha went to Sarnath, where in the Deer Park he taught five of his former companions about the four noble truths. In Buddhist symbolism, the deer represents gentleness. Thus, the Buddha teaches a moderate method that avoids the extremes of hedonism and asceticism.
Soon the Buddha was joined by several young men from the vicinity of Varanasi, who strictly adhered to the vow of celibacy. Their parents became lay disciples and supported the community with alms. A student who achieved a sufficient level of training was sent to teach others. The group of Buddha's followers, living on alms, quickly grew: they soon founded “monastic” communities in different places.
The Buddha organized monastic communities following pragmatic principles. When accepting new candidates into the community, the monks (if it is permissible to use this term at an early stage) had to follow certain restrictions in order to avoid clashes with secular authorities. Therefore, at that time, in order to avoid difficulties, the Buddha did not allow criminals to be accepted into the community; royal servants, such as the military; slaves who were not freed from slavery; as well as people affected by contagious diseases such as leprosy. Moreover, those under twenty years of age were not accepted into the community. The Buddha sought to avoid problems and maintain people's respect for monastic communities and the teachings of the Dharma. This means that we, as followers of the Buddha, must respect local customs and act honorably so that people will have a positive opinion of Buddhism and will also respect it.
Soon the Buddha returned to Maghada, a kingdom that occupied the territory where Bodhgaya is now located. King Bimbisara, who became the patron and disciple of the Buddha, invited him to the capital of Rajagriha (modern Rajgir). Here Shariputra and Maudagalayana joined the growing community and became Buddha's closest disciples.
Within a year of Buddha's enlightenment, he visited his home in Kapilavastu, where his son Rahula joined the community. By that time, Nanda, Buddha's half-brother, who was famous for his beauty, had already left home and joined the community. King Shuddhodana, the Buddha's father, was very sad that their family line was interrupted, and asked that in the future his son must seek the consent of his parents before becoming a monk. Buddha completely agreed with him. The point of this story is not that the Buddha treated his father harshly; it emphasizes the importance of not antagonizing Buddhism, especially among one's own family.
In later accounts of the Buddha's meeting with his family, a story appears about how he, using supernatural abilities, goes to Heaven Thirty Three Gods(in other sources - to Tushita Heaven) to give teachings to the mother who was reborn there. This story highlights the importance of appreciating and repaying a mother's kindness.
Buddhist monastic order grows Arrow down Arrow up
The first monastic communities were small: no more than twenty men. They maintained their independence by respecting the boundaries of the area in which each community collected alms. To avoid disagreements, actions and decisions were approved by voting, in which all members of the community took part, and no one person was considered the sole authority. The Buddha taught that the authority for the community should be the teachings of the Dharma themselves. If necessary, it was allowed to change even the rules of monastic discipline, but any changes had to be accepted unanimously.
King Bimbisara advised the Buddha to adopt the customs of other spiritual communities living on alms, such as the Jains, who held meetings every quarter of the month. Traditionally, community members gathered at the beginning of each of the four phases of the moon to discuss the teachings. The Buddha agreed, showing that he was open to suggestions to follow the customs of his time. As a result, he adopted many aspects of the life of the spiritual community and the structure of the teachings from the Jains. The founder of Jainism, Mahavira, lived about half a century before the Buddha.
Shariputra also asked the Buddha to write a code of rules for monastic discipline. However, the Buddha decided that it was better to wait until certain problems arose and establish vows in order to avoid the repetition of similar difficulties. He also followed this approach both with regard to naturally destructive actions that harm anyone who commits them, and to morally neutral actions that are prohibited only to certain people in certain situations and for certain reasons. The rules of discipline (vinaya) were practical and problem-solving because the Buddha was primarily concerned with avoiding difficulties and not offending anyone.
Then, based on the rules of discipline, the Buddha established a tradition: at community meetings held at the beginning of each quarter lunar month, the monks read the vows aloud and openly admitted all their violations. They were expelled from the community only for the most serious offenses: usually violators faced only a shameful probationary period. Later these meetings began to be held only twice a month.
The Buddha then began the tradition of a three-month retreat during the rainy season. During this time, the monks remained in one place and avoided traveling. This was done so that the monks would not harm the cereal crops by bypassing rain-flooded roads through the fields. The tradition of seclusion led to the founding of permanent monasteries, and this was practical. Again, this was done in order not to harm the laity and to earn their respect.
The Buddha spent twenty-five summer retreats (starting with his second retreat) in the Jetavana grove near Shravasti, the capital of the Koshala kingdom. The merchant Anathapindada built a monastery here for the Buddha and his monks, and King Prasenajit continued to maintain the community. Many important events in the life of Buddha took place in this monastery. Perhaps the most famous among them is the victory that the Buddha achieved over the heads of six non-Buddhist schools of his time, competing with them in supernatural abilities.
Probably none of us now have miraculous powers, but the Buddha used them instead of logic to show that if the opponent's mind is closed to reasonable arguments, The best way to convince him of the correctness of our understanding - to show him the level of comprehension through actions and behavior. There is an English proverb: “Actions speak louder than words.”
Establishment of a female Buddhist monastic community Arrow down Arrow up
Later, Buddha, at the request of his aunt Mahaprajapati, founded a community of nuns in Vaishali. At first he did not want to do this, but then he decided that he could create a women's community if he established more vows for nuns than for monks. The Buddha did not mean that women are less disciplined than men and therefore need to restrain themselves more by having more vows. Rather, he feared that a female monastic order would bring his teachings into disrepute and that they would disappear prematurely. Moreover, the Buddha sought to avoid disrespecting the community as a whole, so the female monastic community had to be above suspicion of immoral behavior.
However, in general, the Buddha did not want to make rules and was willing to abolish those minor rules that turned out to be unnecessary. These principles show the interaction of two truths: the deepest truth is combined with respect for conditional truth in accordance with local customs. From the point of view of the deepest truth, there is no problem in founding a female monastic community, but in order to prevent disrespect for Buddhist teachings On the part of ordinary people, more vows had to be established for nuns. At the level of the deepest truth, it does not matter what society says or thinks, but from the point of view of conditional truth, it is important for the Buddhist community to earn the respect and trust of people. Therefore, today in modern society, when prejudice against nuns, women in general or any minority will cause disrespect for Buddhism, the essence of the Buddha's approach is to change the rules according to the customs of the time.
After all, tolerance and compassion are key ideas in the Buddha's teachings. For example, the Buddha advised new disciples who had previously supported another religious community, keep doing it. He taught members of the Buddhist community to take care of each other when, for example, one of the monks or nuns fell ill, because they were all members of the Buddhist family. This important rule also applies to lay Buddhists.
Methods by which Buddha taught Arrow down Arrow up
The Buddha taught both through oral instructions and by example. When giving oral instructions, he followed two methods depending on whether he was teaching a group of people or one person. When giving teachings to a group, the Buddha explained them in the form of a lecture, telling the same thing over and over again in different words so that the audience could better understand and remember. When giving personal instructions - which usually took place in the home of lay people who invited the Buddha and his monks to dinner - he took a different approach. The Buddha never contradicted the listener, but accepted his point of view and asked questions to help the student clarify his ideas. In this way, the Buddha guided a person to improve his own understanding and gradually comprehend reality at a deeper level. Once the Buddha helped a proud Brahmin understand that superiority does not depend on what caste a person is born into, but on the development of positive qualities.
Another example is the Buddha's instructions to a desperate mother who brought him her dead child and begged him to resurrect the child. Buddha asked the woman to bring a mustard seed from a house where death had never come, saying that he would then try to help her. She went from house to house, but in each family they told her about the loss they had experienced. Gradually, the woman realized that death would inevitably overtake everyone, and was able to feel more calm about the cremation of the deceased child.
The method taught by the Buddha shows that in order to help those around us whom we meet personally, it is better not to contradict them. Most effective method– help them think for themselves. However, when teaching groups of people, it is better to explain everything unambiguously and clearly.
Video: Dr. Alan Wallace - "Are We Sleeping or Awake?"
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Conspiracies against Buddha and schisms in the community Arrow down Arrow up
Seven years before the Buddha passed away, Devadatta, his envious cousin, decided to lead the monastic community in Buddha's place. And Prince Ajatashatru wanted to overthrow his father, King Bimbisara, and become the ruler of Magadha. Devadatta and Prince Ajatashatru conspired to act together. Ajatashatru made an attempt on Bimbisara's life, and as a result the king abandoned the throne in favor of his son. Seeing Ajashatru's success, Devadatta asked him to kill the Buddha, but all attempts were unsuccessful.
Frustrated, Devadatta tried to lure the monks to him, declaring that he was even more “holy” than the Buddha, and proposing to tighten the rules of discipline. According to the text "The Path of Purification" (Pali: Visuddhimagga), written by Buddhaghosa, a Theravada master of the 4th century CE, Devadatta proposed the following innovations:
- sew monastic robes from rags;
- wear only three robes;
- limit yourself to offerings and never accept invitations to meals;
- when collecting offerings, do not miss a single house;
- eat everything that is offered in one meal;
- eat only from the begging bowl;
- refuse other food;
- live only in the forest;
- live under trees;
- ·live outdoors, not in houses;
- ·located mainly in burial places;
- · constantly wandering from place to place, be content with any place to sleep;
- · never sleep lying down, only sitting.
The Buddha said that if monks wished to follow additional rules of discipline, they could do so, but it was impossible to force everyone to follow such rules. Some monks followed Devadatta and left the Buddha's community to found their own.
In the Theravada school, the additional rules of discipline introduced by Devadatta are called the "thirteen branches of practice." Apparently, it is on this set of rules that the forest monastic tradition in the form in which it can still be found in modern Thailand relies. Buddha's disciple Mahakashyap was the most famous of the followers of these stricter rules of discipline, much of which is observed by wandering saints (sadhus) in Hinduism. It is likely that through their practice they continue the tradition of the wandering and mendicant spiritual seekers of the time of the Buddha.
The Mahayana schools have a similar list of twelve aspects of observed practice. However, the injunction “not to miss a single house while collecting offerings” was excluded from it, “wearing discarded clothes” was added, and the rules “collecting offerings” and “eating only from the begging bowl” were combined into one. Later, most of these rules were followed by Mahasiddhas—followers of the Indian tradition of highly accomplished tantric practitioners—from both Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism.
In those days there was no problem in separating from the Buddhist tradition and establishing another community (in our terms this would be like creating a new Dharma center). This action was not considered one of the five grave crimes - creating a “schism in the monastic community.” Devadatta made a split because the group that followed him was very hostile to the Buddha's community and harshly condemned it. Some sources claim that the bad consequences of this schism lasted for several centuries.
The incident of schism in the community shows the Buddha's extreme tolerance and the fact that he was not a supporter of fundamentalism. If his followers wanted to adopt a more severe code of discipline than that which the Buddha composed, that was acceptable. If they did not want to comply with the new rules, that was also considered normal. No one was obliged to practice what the Buddha taught. If a monk or nun wished to leave the monastic community, this was also acceptable. However, it is truly destructive to provoke a split in the Buddhist community, especially in the monastic community, when the community is divided into two or more hostile groups that try to disgrace and harm each other. It is even disastrous to join one of these communities later and engage in a vicious campaign against the other groups. However, if one of the communities commits destructive acts or practices harmful disciplines, it is necessary to compassionately warn people about the dangers of joining that group. However, our motives should not be mixed with anger, hatred or the desire for revenge.