Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |1 By Depabhasadhamma “As long as you look for a Buddha somewhere else, you'll never see that your own mind is the Buddha.” Bodhidharma1 This is the teaching of awakening. Confusion If there is one thing that marks the Age in which we live, it is confusion. “What do you mean? I’m not confused.” “How can we be confused when we have the Internet?” Despite the fact that humankind has more information at its fingertips than any other time in history, how is it that people seem to know less…really know less? In some respects, the Internet contributes to confusion due to the glut of information that is not consistent, and this includes information about what the World calls “Buddhism.” 1 Bodhidharma: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidharma This paper does not seek to expose confusion with respect to the state of the World in terms of its political aspects or even the psychological characteristics of confusion. Rather, this paper seeks to provide a clear and basic understanding of what the World refers to as Buddhism; what Buddhism is, and specifically what it is not. This paper is for those who have an interest in the teachings of the Buddha; for those who consider that they have been practitioners for a long time, and for many who have yet to be exposed to the teachings. Perhaps, in some small way, this article may help to re-align some common concepts. Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |2 The purpose of this paper is not to re-hash or reiterate a bunch of definitions, rules, doctrines or policies. Rather, the goal of this paper is to provide the essence, the flavor, a milieu, of the teachings of the Buddha without the conceptual overtones or shades that support common concepts and beliefs about what it means to learn and live the teachings of the Buddha. Learning and living the teachings of the Buddha does not make you a Buddhist, because truly, there is no such thing in reality. “Buddhist” is a concept, nothing more. Even to say that what the Buddha taught is a philosophy or a tradition, is conceptual, and one must live it to truly realize this. misunderstandings about what the Buddha taught, as well as how and why the World views the Buddha and his teachings as it does. The image below is a good example of the generalized misconceptions about the Buddha and what the Buddha taught. In the last item of the image below, it states that after enlightenment (awakening), the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism. This is utterly false and a gross misconception/misunderstanding. The Buddha never called the principles of the Dhamma, Buddhism and he never designated his students as Buddhists. He would never have created or made such a designation or distinction. The teachings of the Buddha contain the possibility that if one seriously dedicates their lives to living how life ought to be lived, as ascribed in the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble path, then there is the probability that such a person will completely eradicate their suffering, birth and death. If you randomly ask ten people what they believe Buddhism is, you will likely get ten different responses. However, the one common response you will almost always get, is that it is a religion. However, for those who have a more than cursory understanding of the teachings knows that what the Buddha taught is not about Buddhism. Quite the contrary. The Buddha did not teach Buddhism—not by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it is likely that the Buddha would not be in concert with what today is called Buddhism. This article talks about the common confusions, misconceptions and Common Era: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era 3 Buddha-ism: https://www.etymonline.com/word/Buddhism 2 Confusion #1: First Things First The Word Buddhism The word “Buddhism” is an invention. It was originally used around 1801 CE (our common era2)3. Buddhism, as a word, is a concatenation of the words Buddha and the Latin suffix, -ism4. -ism: https://www.etymonline.com/word/ism?ref=etymonline_crossreference 4 Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |3 When the suffix ism is added to a word, it creates a noun, causing the meaning to imply a system or a practice. Attaching ism to a proper noun, such as the name of a person; for example, in the case of Tao (Lǎozǐ; Lao Tzŭ, Tǎozǐ), Confucius, Stalin, Judah, Mohammad, takes the names of these persons and degrades them into a noun, thus, Confucius becomes Confucianism, Dao/Doaism (more commonly referred to as Taoism), Judah becomes Judaism, Stalin becomes Stalinism, and so on. Origination of the suffix ism is from the old Latin language isma, which originally meant either to practice or teach something, otherwise the more common use was to refer to a practice or a teaching. Siddhartha Gautama, the man who caused his own awakening, thus becoming a Buddha (an awakened one), did not teach Buddha-ism. In fact, his teachings were not called Buddhism until the beginning of the nineteenth century (1800’s) of our present time. years ago in India. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions.5” Merriam-Webster states: “A religion of eastern and central Asia growing out of the teaching of Siddhārtha Gautama that suffering is inherent in life and that one can be liberated from it by cultivating wisdom, virtue, and concentration.6” The Encyclopedia Britannica states: “Buddhism, religion and philosophy that developed from the teachings of the Buddha (Sanskrit: “Awakened One”).7” Could all of these World-respected reference sources be wrong? Well—consider that most, if not all, of the World’s reference works are compiled based on information that is the most accepted meaning of a word currently in usage, and understanding. In essence, reference material is more often than not, based on the most acceptable consensus of the times. It is interesting to note that the Oxford Reference Dictionary of Buddhism has no definition for the word Buddhism8. Likewise, the Lexico website, which is operated by Oxford University, states the following: You will never find the word “Buddhism” in any form, or in any of the older ancient Pali (Theravada) texts, which were the first recorded teachings of the Buddha. Neither will you find the word Buddhism in any of the later Sanskrit (Mahayana) texts. All of the reference authorities, such as Merriam-Webster, Wikipedia, the History.com website, and so on, give similar meanings to the word Buddhism. The History website states: “Buddhism is a faith that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (“the Buddha”) more than 2,500 History.com: Buddhism: https://www.history.com/topics/religion/buddhism 6 Merriam-Webster: Buddhism: https://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/Buddhism 7 Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Buddhism 5 Oxford Reference Dictionary of Buddhism: https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/ 9780198605607.001.0001/acref9780198605607?btog=chap&hide=true&jumpTo=bhud d&page=3&pageSize=100&skipEditions=true&sort=title sort&source=%2F10.1093%2Facref%2F97801986056 07.001.0001%2Facref-9780198605607 8 Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |4 “Buddhism has no god, and gives a central role to the doctrine of karma. The ‘four noble truths’ of Buddhism state that all existence is suffering, that the cause of suffering is desire, that freedom from suffering is nirvana, and that this is attained through the ‘eightfold path’ of ethical conduct, wisdom, and mental discipline (including meditation).9” Correcting some confusion about what the World refers to as Buddhism: According to the definitions just stated, Buddhism is: 1) A faith, 2) A religion, 3) A religious philosophy. However, none of these are correct. Recorded in an early Pali text, known as the Dona Sutta10, a Brahman, by the name of Dona, followed the Buddha into the woods where he found the Buddha engaged in mindful contemplation. Noticing that this man, Siddhartha Gautama, was different, Dona became curious about the Buddha, wondering who and what he was. Dona asked: “Master, are you a deva11?” “No, brahman, I am not a deva,” answered Siddhartha. “Are you a gandhabba12?” “No,” said the Buddha. “A yakkha13 then?” “No,” said the Buddha. “A human being?” “No, brahman, I am not a human being.” Lexico.com: https://www.lexico.com/definition/buddhism 10 Dona Sutta: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an0 4.036.than.html 11 Deva: Hindu: “Any of large, heterogeneous group of supernatural beings, including the deities that guard the four cardinal points and other inhabitants of planes of existence transcending the world of humans.” 9 “Then what sort of being are you?” “Remember me, brahman, as ‘awakened.’” Siddhartha Gautama never considered himself to be anything other than fully awakened. Siddhartha’s reply to Dona that he was not a human being was not some implication or admission that he was anything other than a human being. His response was a direct reference to the fact that he didn’t consider the label “human being” to be as equally important as being awake. It is also likely that by the time of his discussion with Dona, the Buddha already gained a clear understanding that the label “human being” was conceptual. For the Buddha understood that a human being could only be conceptualized because of the aggregate parts of a human, which caused a human to actually become a being. Without the aggregate parts, the human body could not become a being. In the Buddha’s time, as it would likely be so in our Age, Buddha’s answer to the Brahman Dona may be considered as arrogant, perhaps even egotistical, and maybe too literal. However, he had every right to speak as he did, because he had achieved complete awakening through direct experience. It was through this direct experience that he learned that truth is, in fact, literal. Therefore, how could the Buddha have answered in any other way? Given the opportunity, wouldn’t you rather be awake (enlightened) than being referred to by a mere label? 12 Gandhabba: Pali Dictionary: 1) a musician，a singer, 2) a Gandharva or heavenly musician, belonging to the demigods who inhabit the Cātummahārājika realm. 13 Yakha: Pali Dictionary: Vedic, swift creatures changing their abode quickly and at will. The term yakṣa as attendants of Kubera occurs already in the Upanishads. The name of certain non-human beings as spirits, ogres, dryads, ghosts, spooks, tricksters. Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |5 The subtle teaching here is that it is more important to be awake than anything else, including the label of being human or Asian, Catholic, LGBTQ, Blasian, Blatino, Italian, Portuguese, French, African American, Latino, Methodist, Agnostic, Atheist, OCD, Bipolar, ADHD, disabled, Taurus, Fire Monkey, Gen-X, Millennial, Baby Boomer, elderly, Vegan, straight, gay, and on, and on. Any one of a plethora of labels humans tie themselves to, and limit themselves with, are utterly meaningless in the grand scheme of life, birth and death (samsara). Is that all that any of us are; merely some label that only actually identifies some habitual behavior; some illusion of pride; some beingness; some abstract belief? Rather than identifying with some meaningless acronym or label, who would disagree that to be known as awakened or enlightened, one who is free from suffering, would not be, by far, the ultimate condition of being? Now that’s a label to crow about! What if the only label we were to apply to human beings was “awake” or “un-awakened?” Would humans continue to try and segregate themselves with a label? You bet they would! Now contemplate why? The answer is because of being ignorant of the truth about the nature of reality. For thousands of years, human beings have attempted to define themselves and everything else in the Universe with labels. Some labels, of course, are convenient, such as; that is hot, this is cold; that is sharp; this is dull. Certain labels are helpful while other labels are harmful. Of course, labels assist us in living because we attach values to labels. Hot can be good or it can be bad; pleasant or unpleasant. Cold can be good or it can be bad; pleasant or unpleasant. 14 Astrology-Hellenistic Egypt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrology Since written history, humans have invented many ways of defining themselves. Ancient Babylonian astrology was introduced to the West by Alexander the Great14. Since then people have used this astrological allegory and associated symbols to label themselves. The same is true for Chinese astrology, Celtic astrology, and so on. How many times have you heard someone refer to themselves as: “Oh, I’m a Taurus You know, stubborn as a bull.” “Well, I’m a Libra…you know how we are—it’s all about fairness?” “You are really smart.” Well, that’s because I’m a Fire Monkey.” Or, “I’m an INFJ,” or some other label that we try and conveniently use to define ourselves. Some labels can tell us a lot about “who” uses certain labels and why. Up to a few years ago, people who were of Iranian descent, called themselves Iranians. However, there is a stigma attached to that label because of the wars in the Middle East, so now, Iranians refer to themselves as “Persians,” after the ancient land once known as Persia. Why are labels so important? A better question would be: Exactly what purpose does a label serve? Obviously, to the Buddha, “human being” simply did not cut it for him. Aside from everything and anything else, he considered himself “awake,” clearly indicating to Dona the Brahman that the labels were of no consequence and were only conceptual. Confusion #2: Siddhartha not the Only Buddha15 Unlike other one-off deities, gods, devils, saints, and saviors, who were of singular existence throughout history, the human being known as Siddhartha Gautama, became known as “the awakened one” or a buddha, Many Buddhas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_named_Budd has 15 Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |6 and was not a god or celestial being transformed into flesh. However, he was not the only human being to become awakened and known as a Buddha16. There have been many buddhas, or awakened human beings throughout history. None of them are gods of any sort. Any person who has become fully awakened is a buddha17. Siddhartha is the awakened one of the current times in which we live. His words are no more or less profound than they were when he was alive. Matteyya is the name of the Buddha who will eventually replace Gautama at some point in the future. How we know this, and why we know this, is beyond anything an unawakened person could comprehend, and therefore of no use to the purpose of this paper or to the teachings of the Buddha. Probably the closest example of a buddhalike human being existing today is the wellknown Dalai Lama, but he is not the only individual who has some element of awakening. Like the Dalai Lama, there are many practicing monks and nuns, famous or not, who are awakened or in the process of awakening. However, no monk or nun becomes instantly awakened by taking mendicancy vows18. It takes a lifetime, and most often than not, many, many lifetimes to get to the stage of understanding the knowledge of the truth about the nature of reality—mostly one’s own reality. This is not to imply that reality is different for everyone. The truth about the nature of reality is one truth, with one path, and that path begins with each individual. Confusion #3: Who Has the Authority? Through birth, most persons inherit the concept that there is some celestial being or beings that have authority over humankind. These celestial authorities dictate scores of rules regarding the things that human beings should do and not do in order to win their favor. This inheritance is familial and cultural. Ancient Indian Rose Chestnut Tree – Considered to be the tree of Matteyya In the Theravada tradition, Buddhas are born as unenlightened humans, and are not rulers of any paradise or pure land as is believed in the Mahayana tradition. Matteyya's arising would be no different from the arising of Gautama Buddha, as he achieved full enlightenment as a human being and died, entering parinibbana (nirvana-after-death). 16 Treatise on the Paramis: https://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel40 9.html Since the time of the Ancient Egyptians, some 4,500 years ago, right down to the religious organizations of the present day, humankind has attempted to explain existence through the concept of all-powerful gods of one sort or another. However, many, if not most of these so-called gods, has ever actually provided any instruction as to how life ought to be lived in order to achieve freedom from suffering. Bhuddhavamsa – Cariya Pitaka: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283044/m ode/2up 18 Mendicancy: Becoming a beggar. 17 Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |7 but because of ignorance of the truth about the nature of reality. The dogmatic, doctrinal, philosophical teachings of the World’s religions are diametrically opposed to the teachings of the Buddha, which is why he rejected the religions of his day. He rejected those philosophies because he could find no basis of truth for any of them. Ancient Greek God Zeus in the Vatican https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeus_of_Otricoli Many, if not most, of the World’s religions accept the doctrine that human beings are inferior to these gods, and whose lives are stained by the sin of some ancient personages or a bad angel. This concept flies in the face of the Buddha’s teaching that to be human is extremely rare and therefore tremendously precious, and that it should never be taken for granted19. Many of religions philosophies and doctrines degrade human beings into pitiable victims or worse, that due to someone else’s crime or sin, made in the immeasurable distant past, is the cause for all of the suffering and woes of humankind, and that this suffering is inherited. Humans have no choice but to suffer, which is true according to the Buddha’s teachings, but not because this suffering is inherited, because we all cause our own suffering and therefore are responsible only to ourselves for our actions. Humankind suffers not because of some inherited punishment, 19 Chiggala Sutta: https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.048 .than.html | https://accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca1 /samsara.html Many people believe that these god-like authorities (or other-worldly beings) not only watch human beings, and record everything they do, but also distribute judgements based on hidden knowledge and mysterious agenda, of which unsuspecting humans have not an inkling of knowledge or understanding. Incidentally, this same model is patterned throughout recorded history. Beginning, as far as we know, with the other-worldly beings originating in the culture of Ancient Egypt, which then leaked into the ancient Judaic religion, then adopted by the Ancient Greeks, then the Romans, and amalgamated into the Pagan beliefs as-well-as Christianity through the late Roman Empire of Constantine the Great, eventually being adopted, almost osmotically20, to Islam and the Protestant religions. It was no different during the time of the Buddha. Civilization of the Indian continent, known as the Indus Valley, nearly 1,500 years prior to the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, was invaded and settled by a race of people known as Aryans. This tribal, nomadic race of people, came from the area of Eastern Europe that spreads from Poland to Russia. 20 Osmotically: Osmosis (/ɒzˈmoʊ.sɪs/)[1] is the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules through a selectively permeable membrane into a region of higher solute concentration, in the direction that tends to equalize the solute concentrations on the two sides. Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |8 Perhaps most importantly, discoveries of several images of figures sitting in crosslegged postures with their hands resting on their knees, with their eyes narrowed, halfclosed, quite evidently in postures of meditation. These archaeological findings have been studied by eminent scholars and the conclusion is that we can quite definitely trace the origin and practice of meditation to the Indus Valley Civilization. Ancient Indus Valley City (c. 2500 BCE) When the descriptions of the religion of the Indus Valley Civilization are examined from the writings of the Aryans - the Vedas we find the figure of a wandering ascetic frequently mentioned. They practiced meditation; they were celibate; they observed an austere life; they were sometimes naked or clothed in most simple garments; they wandered about homeless, and they taught that there was a path beyond birth and death. If we put together the evidence of the archaeological findings and the evidence of Aryan literature, we find that there emerges a picture of the religion of the people of the Indus Valley Civilization, in which there are several important elements. First of all, meditation or mental concentration; secondly renunciation, abandoning the household life, living the life of a wandering ascetic; thirdly 21 Pre-Buddhist History: http://www.buddhanet.net/fundbud2.htm that we have a conception of rebirth over a long series of lives; fourthly we have a conception of moral responsibility beyond this life, the notion of karma; and lastly, we have a goal of religious life, a goal of liberation. These are the salient features of the religion of the very earliest Indian Civilization21. The beliefs of the Aryan people were very similar to the pantheon of Greek gods, but less humanized. The religious beliefs during the time the Buddha lived included a supreme god who, representing fertility, creation, ascetic yogis with supernatural powers, and the lord of cattle, was somewhat like a prototype of the later Hindu god Shiva. The religious beliefs also included a mother goddess, ritual ablution, phallic worship, and reverence of the sacred peepul tree, and of holy animals such as the cow. The peepal is a type of fig tree, which became known as the Bodhi tree during the time of the Buddha. The gods worshipped, while the Buddha was alive, were the maintainers of cosmic order and the upholders of moral good. During its earliest periods, practice of the Vedic religion entailed mostly singing hymns of praise and request to its gods. With the codification of the Vedas, however, society entrusted a caste of priests to make sacrificial offerings into a sacred fire to the gods. The priests were known as “brahmins.” The offerings were required in order to compel the gods to maintain order; otherwise, the gods would not do so. The ceremonial offerings fed into the sacred fire consisted of milk, clarified butter (ghee), grains, and especially “soma,” the intoxicating juice of a possibly psychoactive plant22. 22 https://studybuddhism.com/en/advancedstudies/history-culture/buddhism-in-india/indian-societyand-thought-at-the-time-of-buddha Buddhism: What it is and is not. - Page |9 Many different religions and religious doctrines were extant when the Buddha was alive, and it was from the confusion about which of them represented the truth that set Siddhartha Gautama on his quest. Eventually, all of these doctrines were directly rejected by the Buddha because none of them revealed the truth about the nature of existence or answered the question of why human beings are born, suffer and die. His awakening revealed the truth about the nature of the human experience: It is you— the individual, who has the sole authority over your individual life. The Buddha revealed that no god, gods, devas, saints, martyrs, religion, doctrine, dogma, tradition, ritual, prostrations or prayers to virgins and so on, had any authority over your life nor any influence over your ultimate existence. No monk, no nun, no Lama, no priest, minister, cardinal, bishop, Pope, visionary, psychologist, seer, empath, god, demi-god, savior; not Pema, not Ekhart Tolle, not Depabhasadhamma; not Jon Kabat-Zin—no one—the list is endless—has authority over your life; over what you understand, over what you believe, how you behave or what you know; ultimately over the truth of the nature of reality that is already within you. If you believe that anyone or any “thing” has this authority, then you have likely abdicated (relinquished; given-up) the responsibility for your own well-being, and happiness. Furthermore, you block the way for clear knowledge of the nature of reality, which leads to awakening. The Buddha taught that each individual person is their own authority when it comes to arriving at the truth. And yes, it takes great courage to acknowledge these things, but it takes great fortitude and determination to uncover the real truth of the nature of reality, and the answer is within yourself, waiting to be discovered. For the forty-five years that the Buddha taught, until the day he died, he continuously emphasized the fact that no one would ever arrive at the truth by giving up one’s authority over themselves to someone else; to some teaching or some doctrine...even his own. In essence, he taught that to give up the authority to another human being, a doctrine or a faith, would make it impossible to understand the truth even if it were staring you in the face. Bhikkhu Bodhi provides an excellent explanation of this: “According to the Buddhist principle of conditionality, the actualization of any given state is only possible through the actualization of its appropriate conditions, and this applies as much to the achievement of the various stages of the training as to the bare phenomena of matter and mind. Since beginning-less time the consciousnesscontinuum has been corrupted by the unwholesome roots of greed, hatred and delusion; it is these defilements which have functioned as the source for the greatest number of our thoughts, the ground for our habits, and the springs for our actions and general orientation towards other people and the world as a whole. To uproot these defiling afflictions at a single stroke, and reach the peak of spiritual perfection by a mere act of will, is a well-near impossible task. A realistic system of spiritual training must work with the raw material of human nature; it cannot rest content[edly], merely with postulated paragons of human excellence or demands for achievement without showing the method by which such demands can be realized. The Buddha rests his teaching upon the thesis that with the right method we have the capacity to change and transform ourselves. We are not doomed to be forever burdened by the weight of accumulated tendencies, but through our own effort we can cast off all these tendencies and attain a condition of complete purity and freedom. When given the proper means in the context of right understanding, we can bring about radical alterations in the workings of consciousness and B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 10 mold a new shape out of the seemingly immutable stuff of our own minds.23” The entire point to the Buddha’s teachings is understanding—seeing for oneself— comprehending for oneself—comprehension generated from within you. Everything else; organized religions (which the Buddha rejected), doctrines, and faiths, are of no use and were of no use to the Buddha. How could anyone actually know whether something is true or not without any direct experience? Any external information about happiness, including this article; the teachings of the Buddha; me or anyone else, are utterly useless—unless you gain direct, practical experience. It is for this reason that the Buddha stressed the importance of knowing the facts. Evidence, proven to yourself by your direct experience is truth. Factual information and knowledge—without judgment or criticism, is the goal. Therefore, the teachings of the Buddha—the pure, authentic teachings— begin with fact. Direct facts come from one source and one source only—Direct Experience. In fact, the Buddha, early on in his teachings24, taught not to believe the things he taught simply because others regarded him as a teacher or a wise man. He also asked that people not accept what he had to say because others did so. Just as it was when the Buddha was alive, mass agreement among today’s populations is called consensus. Buddha extended his plea, further cautioning that people should not accept what he taught because it was written down somewhere. He cautioned against putting Bhikkhu Bodhi: https://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel25 9.html 24 Kalama Sutta: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an0 3.065.than.html 23 faith in any reports that the things he taught were true and so may develop into a tradition—as in a religion. Most of all he cautioned against believing in the things he taught because religious leaders claimed his teachings were true. Direct experience was the only way anyone could know for certain whether any of his teachings were true or of any value whatsoever. Otherwise, no other reason is valid. It is likely that part of the reason why the Buddha said these things is because he understood the human propensity to turn the teachings of a wise person or orator, into some dogmatic tradition—such as is the earmark of many modern religions. He also understood that anyone with an agenda or ulterior motive could attribute any proverb, maxim, motto or aphorism to a great teacher. Spurious (false, counterfeit) maxims (sayings, proverbs, axioms, adages) are added throughout the ages with no method of proving whether or not certain things, attributed to a historical figure, were actually true. This is the reason that the Buddha stated that in order to understand whether or not the things he taught about the nature of reality were true or not, must be practiced and experienced firsthand. Well then, what is the point of Siddhartha’s enlightenment—of his awakening—of his 45 years of teaching? What could possibly be the purpose of the Buddha making these statements? He knew that there could never be any substitute for direct experience. No matter how much faith or belief someone has, there is always that niggling question of whether or not the objects of belief or faith are true25. When You Know for Yourselves: https://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/auth enticity.html 25 B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 11 For example, some Quantum Physicists claim that consciousness is what manifests the material World, and say that if you believe something hard enough you can manifest it. Several years ago, thousands of people became enamored with a docu-movie known as “The Secret.” A major theme that the movie focused on was the power of attraction. Many people became disappointed when they could not manifest what they wanted. According to one expert appearing in another docu-movie called What the Bleep Do We Know; if you went to a supermarket you could “certainly manifest a one-hundreddollar bill in your hand,” to pay for your groceries. So, taking this knowledge of something someone else said as truth or possible, you go to the supermarket with no money. You place $100 of groceries in your shopping cart. You get to the checkout and you focus on manifesting a $100 bill in your hand. Think that $100 bill is going to pop into existence because someone said it would? Of course, the caveat is that if you don’t manifest the $100 bill, it is likely because you weren’t thinking hard enough or didn’t have enough faith that it would manifest—right? Isn’t that the formula of all the World’s religions? If it didn’t work for you it is because you didn’t have enough faith. Hmm… You cannot change reality into something it is not by wishing or hoping it to be so. The point is that it would be impossible to arrive at the truth by relying on the teachings and sayings of others even though they seem logical. This includes the Buddha’s teachings, books, this article, this writer or any famous so-called Buddhist teacher, regardless of whether they claim to be secular or from a prestigious lineage. These things would only ever lead to mere opinion and never the truth about the nature of reality. Whose reality? Your reality? This is a fundamental teaching of the Buddha. You are the authority—you are the Master Teacher. No Belief—No Faith Required Therefore, the teachings of the Buddha— must be approached without any belief or faith at all! Buddha’s teachings, known as the Dhamma, can only be approached as a result of a willingness to set aside everything that you think you know, about everything and anything! How does one do that? The answer: Through direct experience, beginning with clear perception; new perception; clear knowledge; new knowledge. And, where does this clarity come from? It comes from you; from your direct experience by applying the Buddha’s teachings to your everyday life. It is quite an adventure! The authentic Dhamma (teachings of the Buddha), can only be truly described as a process—a process of perception that you experience directly as a result of living the Dhamma, which has absolutely nothing to do with concepts. Buddha’s teachings are definitely not an ism. Collectively, the Dhamma is not a religion just as it would be ludicrous to refer to the philosophies of Plato, Jung, Aristotle, Kant or Eric Fromm, as religions. It would be truer to say that the teaching of the Buddha is the “Awakened Teaching” or the “Teaching of Awakening.” Some knowledgeable Dhamma writers, such as Bhikkhu Bodhi, refer to the teachings of the Buddha as buddha-dhamma. The teachings of the Buddha are not a belief system, nor are they about accepting certain tenet-like rules or even believing a set of claims made by a religious hierarchy. What is known by the World as Buddha-ism is purely conceptual. The things the Buddha taught are all about understanding—seeing clearly—as it were, in order to develop your own insight using your own direct experiences. In other words, the teachings are all about knowing rather than believing, wishing or protecting/defending something that is hoped for without any proof. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 12 Buddha’s teachings cannot be approached with any sort of assumptions regarding beliefs at all. In order for the teachings of the Buddha to have any kind of positive impact, one must be prepared to see things as they are; completely opposite to hoping that things are true or wishing that things are true; expecting reality to be or become something it is not or simply believing something that is contrary to the truth about reality because of mass consensus. The authenticity of the Buddha’s teachings can only be gleaned from, and through, direct experience, which, in most instances, means that one must be at least willing and prepared to examine and change one’s perceptions. This requires a certain kind of detachment from what one already believes is true. Kill the Buddha In his celebrated work, The End of Faith, author Sam Harris states this point most poignantly: “The ninth-century Buddhist master Lin Chi is supposed to have said, “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.” Like much of Zen teaching, this seems too cute by half, but it makes a valuable point: to turn the Buddha into a religious fetish is to miss the essence of what he taught. In considering what Buddhism can offer the world in the twenty-first century, I propose that we take Lin Chi’s admonishment rather seriously. As students of the Buddha, we should dispense with Buddhism. The wisdom of the Buddha is currently trapped within the religion of Buddha-ism [emphasis mine]. Even in the West, where scientists and Buddhist contemplatives now collaborate in studying the effects of meditation on the brain, Buddha-ism remains an utterly parochial concern. While it may be true enough to say (as many Buddhist practitioners allege) that “Buddhism is not a Sam Harris: Killing the Buddha: https://samharris.org/killing-the-buddha/ 26 religion,” most Buddhists worldwide practice it as such, in many of the naive, petitionary, and superstitious ways in which all religions are practiced. Needless to say, all non-Buddhists believe Buddhism to be a religion—and, what is more, they are quite certain that it is the wrong religion. To talk about “Buddhism,” therefore, inevitably imparts a false sense of the Buddha’s teaching to others. So insofar as we maintain a discourse as “Buddha-ists [emphasis mine],” we ensure that the wisdom of the Buddha will do little to inform the development of civilization in the twenty-first century. Worse still, the continued identification of Buddha-ists with Buddha-ism lends tacit support to the religious differences in our world. At this point in history, this is both morally and intellectually indefensible—especially among affluent, welleducated Westerners who bear the greatest responsibility for the spread of ideas. It does not seem much of an exaggeration to say that if you are reading this article, you are in a better position to influence the course of history than almost any person in history. Given the degree to which religion still inspires human conflict, and impedes genuine inquiry, I believe that merely being a selfdescribed “Buddha-ist” is to be complicit in the world’s violence and ignorance to an unacceptable degree.26” Strong sentiments indeed. However strong, Mr. Harris does have a valid point, and like the Buddha himself taught: Once a person has grasped the foundation of the teachings; The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path, and earnestly begins practicing them for the purpose of ending their suffering, then these teachings are no longer needed. This does not mean that a person should not continue to expand their knowledge and understanding of the teachings. It does mean however, that one should proceed with a certain amount of caution with regard to clinging to things Buddha-ist or Buddha-ism. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 13 Many persons, Westerners in particular, grab hold of the teachings of the Buddha, clinging to them, proudly proclaiming themselves to be a Buddhist—defending their knowledge and actions in accordance with the conceptual rules of being a Buddha-ist. This is rather like an example given in a talk by Pema Chodron, which I heard a long time ago. Pema said something to the effect that some Buddhists will cling to Buddhism like a crowd of peace marchers who beat each other over their heads with their peace signs. So, rather than becoming a more intellectual “Buddhist,” become a better…whoever you are. That is the whole point of the Buddha’s teachings. Rather than being a Buddhist, I prefer to say that I practice being awake— same thing. This fact is no more clearly expressed than by the Buddha himself. Recorded in the Alagaddupama Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya27. In the translator’s preface, Thanissaro Bhikkhu states: “This is a discourse about clinging to views (ditthi). Its central message is conveyed in two similes, among the most famous in the Canon: the simile of the water-snake and the simile of the raft. Taken together, these similes focus on the skill needed to grasp right view properly as a means of leading to the cessation of suffering, rather than an object of clinging, and then letting it go when it has done its job.” Alagaddupama Sutta-Majjhima Nikaya 22: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.t han.html 27 Buddha’s teaching illustrates what action should be taken when one has learned the dhamma, wherein he compares his teachings (the dhamma) to a raft: “Monks, I will teach you the Dhamma compared to a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of holding onto. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak. Suppose a man were traveling along a path. He would see a great expanse of water, with the near shore dubious & risky, the further shore secure & free from risk, but with neither a ferryboat nor a bridge going from this shore to the other. The thought would occur to him, 'Here is this great expanse of water, with the near shore dubious & risky, the further shore secure & free from risk, but with neither a ferryboat nor a bridge going from this shore to the other. What if I were to gather grass, twigs, branches, & leaves and, having bound them together to make a raft, were to cross over to safety on the other shore in dependence on the raft, making an effort with my hands & feet?' Then the man, having gathered grass, twigs, branches, & leaves, having bound them together to make a raft, would cross over to safety on the other shore in dependence on the raft, making an effort with his hands & feet. Having crossed over to the further shore, he might think, 'How useful this raft has been to me! For it was in dependence on this raft that, making an effort with my hands & feet, I have crossed over to safety on the further shore. Why don't I, having hoisted it on my head or carrying it on my back, go wherever I like?' What do you think, monks: B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 14 Would the man, in doing that, be doing what should be done with the raft? to prove that fact—move on. Leave that raft behind. And what should the man do in order to be doing what should be done with the raft? There is the case where the man, having crossed over, would think, 'How useful this raft has been to me! For it was in dependence on this raft that, making an effort with my hands & feet, I have crossed over to safety on the further shore. Why don't I, having dragged it on dry land or sinking it in the water, go wherever I like?' In doing this, he would be doing what should be done with the raft. In the same way, monks, I have taught the Dhamma compared to a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of holding onto. Understanding the Dhamma as taught compared to a raft, you should let go even of Dhammas, to say nothing of non-Dhammas." It is helpful for me to think of the Dhamma as a whole flotilla of rafts, each one representing a different level of Dhamma knowledge. Once I have used a particular raft, I let go of it. Once you learn certain aspects of the Dhamma, because it is superlative truth, you don’t simply forget it. That is the beauty of the Dhamma, because it is superb truth, it automatically resonates within you. Once the truth of the knowledge—of the knowing—is clearly revealed, it sticks with you because it is inherent in you. Truth is inherent in all of us, we simply need to reveal it. The point of the teaching is specific: Clinging to the dhamma (the teachings) is not beneficial, necessary or required. The teachings, being a support for the task at hand (ending your suffering) is like a raft, which supports you on your journey from one side of the river—the suffering side—to the other side of the river—the non-suffering side. At this point, the raft is of no use, and in fact can become a burden. Does this mean that once you learn and understand the basic foundations of the Buddha’s teachings, e.g., The Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Noble Path, that you don’t need the teachings anymore? Well, you don’t need the fundamentals anymore. You can move onto different teachings—you don’t have to, and shouldn’t lug that raft around with you forever or wear it like some badge of honor or proof of piety. Once you have a relatively good understanding of the Dhamma and accept that the Buddha’s teachings are likely true, then move on. There is no need to further question whether or not they are true. If meditation is helping you to realize the truth about the nature of reality, you no longer need However, that being said, moving on to other teachings of the Dhamma is supported by your direct experience and insight provided by the raft called the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path. It is as though the Four Noble Truths is the raft and the Eightfold Noble Path is the rudder that you use to stear you in the right direction. Suffice-it-to-say, if you have completely mastered (with direct experience) all of the foundations and nuances of The Four Noble Truths, then you would be an enlightened person—a Buddha. However, the caveat is that awakening, even to a small degree, does not happen overnight. This also does not mean that you become so attached to the “idea” of the teachings of the Buddha that you, as Sam Harris stated, cause the teachings of the Buddha to become Buddha-ism—a religion. This is conceptualizing to the greatest degree. Clinging onto anything is not a good thing and will create weaknesses in your efforts, and how you view others around you who practice. Grasping hold of, and clinging to the dhamma, like it is some sort of weapon against evil or shield against your mistakes, is completely contrary to the purpose, and again, B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 15 is conceptualizing or conditioning the dhamma with concepts. that bring us joy, but joy is a temporary sensation not lasting happiness. You learn and practice the dhamma for you, and no one else. It is your future; your kamma that should be your main concern and focus. Practice the dhamma according to the Four Noble Truths and your future and kamma will take care of itself. So then, doesn’t it stand to reason that if we don’t or can’t see what the real problems are, then we are pretty much doomed to perpetuate them? Many habitual beliefs that involve habitual behaviors are of no use; do not cause you to be happy; do not cause you to know how life ought to be lived, but, for whatever reason—albeit family tradition, cultural tradition, social or political tradition, you continue to do them or believe in them anyway. Confusion #4: The Big Dilemma Buddha taught us a method for identifying our problems, isolating them, and understanding that certain things are the cause. However, if we don’t understand or know about these methods then there is no other possible way in which we can identify our problems effectively. Probably the most powerful effect of the Dhamma is its ability to remove confusion. Most people really don’t know what their problems actually are, and become very confused when trying to understand why they can’t just be happy. If it were not for this state of confusion, psychologists and psychiatrists would not be needed. You might think you understand your problems, but upon examination you will see that your real problems are not what you thought they were. When asked, most people cite money as their main problem. Why is this? Because, most people living in this Age believe that money solves problems. But, this belief is a part of the problem not a solution. In reality, and if you think about it, all money ever does is buys us the things that distract us from really solving the real issues. Money cannot buy time. Money cannot buy permanent health. With money, we can purchase things 28 Pithy: A saying or statement that is precise, meaningful; forceful and brief. This does not stop with ourselves. We teach our children our own confusion so they will learn to perpetuate the problems— generation after generation, lifetime after lifetime. We teach them the same concepts of life, death, happiness and so on, perpetuating them throughout the ages. Herein lies the fulcrum point with regard to the differences between the teachings of the Buddha and most of the World’s religious and philosophical doctrines: The teachings of the Buddha are grounded in reality. Whose reality, you may wonder? Why, your reality of course. And, what is “your reality” mean? It means your direct experience. Not the experiences or teachings of a saint or god-like being from centuries ago; not the experiences sung about in some song; not the experiences of some feel-good commercial peddler of “nowness” either. People often mistaken “pithy28” or “familiar” sayings, said in a clever manner as truth. The truth regarding the validity and effectiveness of the teachings can only come from you; from your direct experience. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 16 Trying to cause reality to be anything than it actually is, distorts our understanding and is confusing. Gambling with your life, like gambling in a casino, is pretty much the same thing. You can continue to put money into the slot machine hoping and wishing that you will win, and when you do not win, and your purse is empty, you are not happy and walk away a loser. The truth about the nature of the reality of gambling is that people lose more often than they win. Wouldn’t it be great to gamble on something that is proven to be a sure bet? We remain ignorant of the truth about the nature of reality and we pass this on, generation after generation through our children. In essence, we are passing on a kind of mental blindness—a kind of mental inability to examine and question things. We want reality to be something that it is not— something that is other than reality, and our efforts to do this is what causes us continuous suffering, anxiety, pain and yes, confusion. Instead, children should be taught to stay curious; to prove things for themselves and not to merely accept tradition as truth. Buddha’s teachings never cover up, distort, polish-up, gloss-over or attempt to reinterpret reality. Truth does not need an explanation, and if it does, it is not the truth. It is really that simple. Truth stands on its own. Stories, opinions, doctrines, dogmas, lies, and so on, all require interpretation and explanation. The color blue is blue, is blue. Yes, there can be many shades of the color blue, but the base foundation is blue, not green, not red, not black and not white. This applies to learning the Dhamma as well. The answers to the truth about the nature of reality are right in front of us. Actually, to be more accurate, they are right there within you, within your stream of consciousness— not your brain. Your brain simply compares, retains and exchanges information. It is the mind (consciousness) that holds the meaning of the experience. Yet, there is a delicate and fine line between the things our brains’ think about and the values we instill into our minds. Brain=thinking. Mind=consciousness. The fine line between mind and brain keeps us aware of our consciousness. One must practice the teachings in order to know from direct experience whether the dhamma is true. If upon direct experience, one discovers that the dhamma is true, then, by all means, abandon that raft—throw it away—kill the Buddha. No further explanation is needed nor is it useful. Reality can never be something it is not, and yet that is exactly what we try to do—all the time. The First of the Four Noble Truths states that it is essential—re quired—that we are able to recognize our suffering—the stressors that cause our dissatisfaction. Without doing this simply results in more confusion about life, and not only what causes us to suffer, but what causes us to experience real happiness. 29 Panna Journey: https://www.facebook.com/groups/prajnajourney/ Confusion #5: There is a Journey? I maintain a public Facebook Group that bears the name Panna Journey29. Panna (pahnah) is the Pali word for wisdom. In Sanskrit it is called prajna (prazh-nah). This name implies that some journey exists, a journey into or towards wisdom. However, it is actually and only a play on a concept. There is no journey. There is, however, a change of perception from one of ignorance to one of knowledge, understanding and seeing (comprehension). I could have just as effectively called the Facebook Group “Panna Change.” B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 17 If the destination of any journey is away from where you are at this moment, and you must transport yourself to that location, then yes, this is a journey. But, if the answers are already within you, then this cannot truly be considered a journey, can it? Rather it is an allegorical journey taken with the mind (consciousness). However, the teachings of the Buddha require that you go no where at all. You are already there—already here, right now, this moment. This conceptual journey is one of perception and it is the closest most personal—if you will—journey that you will ever make. This so-called journey, that is not a journey at all, is, in reality, a changing of your thinking and perception from those things that have locked you into ignorance for a very long time. Concepts and perceptions are two different things. While perception is no guarantee of reality, conceptualizing is definitely not reality. Conceptualizing something means pulling something apart and causing something whole to become abstract. Conceptualizing is also the root of intellectualizing something. Where does this journey begin? How does this journey begin? It begins right now, right here, in this moment because you have read this article to this point…this moment. The first thing you must be able to realize it that you need no one else, no books, teachers, gurus or whatever else Western commercialization of the Buddha’s teachings convinces you that you need or must have in order to awaken. You are completely worthy of the benefits of the Buddha’s teachings, whether you are a murderer or a saint. The Buddha never taught that there should be any restrictions with regard to teaching the Demons of Defilement: Ajhan Lee: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/demons.ht ml 30 dhamma to those who are ignorant of the dhamma. The great Theravada teacher, Ajaan Lee, says that the secret of developing wisdom lies in learning to use our defilements to our advantage. "An outstanding person," says Ajaan Lee, "takes bad things and makes them good.30" You are already living in reality. Reality is all around you—you may have chosen not see reality or are completely ignorant of reality, but the teachings of the Buddha allow you to remove the blinders. You certainly are not alone. But again, there is no journey to make. The reality is right in front of you—you simply have to remove those rosy lenses of ignorance and you will be able to see reality just like a buddha. A person who is awake, is a buddha. If there is no so-called journey, what does it take to see this reality? The answer is simple. It takes four steps—four realizations—four simple contemplations— four simple perceptions. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 18 1. Recognize your ignorance about suffering—where it comes from—why it exists. 2. Recognize your ignorance that suffering is not outside of you. Rather, ignorance about what causes your suffering is inside of you; emanates from you, and originates from your beliefs, opinions and actions. 3. Understanding the first two, you are able to recognize that you can put an end to your suffering. Suffering is not permanent, it can be eliminated. 4. The forth contains the instruction for how to accomplish the first three, thus removing any ignorance you have about suffering, and dissatisfaction providing you with a real plan. The whole of the matter concerning reality and some so-called journey comes to this: The teachings of the Buddha do not fiddle around with abstract meanings, concepts, mysteries or with pithy notions created by some commercialized word-smith. In it’s most basic, realistic and truthful manner, the Buddha’s teaching does not require you to look anywhere—not over there—not on the Internet, searching for some interpretation of truth or reality that satisfies your present mindset, beliefs or opinions. A fundamental problem with the information contained on the Internet is that, for someone that is ignorant of the Dhamma, it is all too easy to search for some conceptualized interpretation of the Buddha’s teachings that fits nicely and comfortably into what the seeker desires the Dhamma to be. 31 Kasaya: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasaya_(clothing) Neither is there actually anything to figure out by journeying to some special destination, such as India, a commercial ashram in Nova Scotia, San Francisco or Colorado. The Buddha did it under a tree in a secluded forest—by himself. No gurus; no Internet; no tinkling bells, singing bowls, funny hats or flowing decorative robes. In fact, it is likely that the Buddha’s robe, called a kasaya, was sewn together from individual pieces of cloth, that we would consider to be rags. Cloth used for making the kasaya were constructed from discarded fabric and then dyed a brownishorange color. “These were stitched together to form three rectangular pieces of cloth, which were then fitted over the body in a specific manner. The three main pieces of cloth are the antarvāsa, the uttarāsaṅga, and the saṃghāti. Together they form the "triple robe," or ticīvara. The ticīvara is described more fully in the Theravāda Vinaya (Vin 1:94 289)31. Often times the Buddha is depicted wearing resplendent robes, which is purely a conceptualization. It is unlikely that the Buddha wore such clothing. Depictions of a resplendent Buddha, in some cases, is a cultural tradition to honor the Buddha. However, many depictions of the Buddha dressed in such finery are inventions from earlier centuries. Many Asian Buddhist cultures dress teachers in magnificent clothing depending on their hierarchy in the particular tradition. This however was not the case in the Buddha’s B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 19 time, and highly unlikely that the Buddha would have agreed with such distinctions. From the Pali texts we can be fairly certain that the Buddha did not agree with distinctions that separated or placed one person over another, even when that other person was a murderer. Chains of Imprisonment If you have never seen the movie, based on the Charles Dickens story, known as “A Christmas Carol,” you will not know about the main character of the story, whose name is Ebenezer Scrooge. One night, Ebenezer has a visit from a deceased acquaintance who warns Ebenezer that he is forging his chain of miserliness, and suffering, link-by-link, if he does not change his greedy, grasping ways. Forging a chain of misery is exactly what the student of the Dhamma is desiring to avoid or correct. However, initially a person must be able to acknowledge the things that cause them to suffer and be dissatisfied with life. The suffering and dissatisfaction are called dukkha in the ancient Pali language that was used to record the Buddha’s words. These chains that we forge, we forge one link, one action, one intention, at a time, link after link, foot after foot, lifetime after lifetime. The burden of our suffering, which is caused by our own ignorance of the truth about the nature of reality, can become quite lengthy, and quite a burden to bear. All of this may certainly sound far-fetched, particularly for readers who have had very little exposure to the teachings of the Buddha. But, what if this is all true? Throughout our lifetimes we forge these chains. The names of these chains are called thirst, craving, wanting, and desire, and depending on our actions and the intentions behind those actions, determines the number of links; the length, and weight of each link and ultimately the chain. Of course, this analogy is allegorical (symbolic). We don’t actually forge chains that we drag around with us. What we drag around with us from birth to birth is called kamma (karma). The actions we perform in order to satisfy our cravings and desires, literally form a kind of karmic link. The length of chain itself is kamma (karma), and it is attached to us for as long as we are unable to see what it is that causes us to make these links in the first place. The components that make up this karmic chain are the links. These links effect our lives in beneficial, wholesome ways as well as unbeneficial and unwholesome ways. For most, even the Buddha, it takes many multiple lifetimes to realize the truth about their own nature—that they are in fact responsible for creating their own chain of kamma (karma). Dukkha, the suffering, dissatisfaction and stress, represents the chains of our imprisonment. Sometimes this imprisonment can be quite an enjoyable experience. But, as soon as we begin to desire, then crave for more of that enjoyment, then we become hooked and begin forging that next link. Depending on our actions, and our intentions to obtain what we desire; what we crave; is what defines how many links in our chain of kamma there are. The larger the link, the heavier the burden, the more we suffer. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 20 Again, this is an analogy. The links and chains of karma used in this context are just a way of describing karma. No one else is responsible for setting certain aspects of your karma (kamma), but you. No one else, ever, causes you to have the intentions that you have or to act upon them the way in which you do. Different Forms of Craving There are three different forms of craving and wanting. The first of what the Buddha taught is sensual desire. This does not infer a purely physical desire, it can also be a mental desire. However, our sensual cravings are mostly mental and emotional. Think about it, we all want peace of mind; a comfortable mind, to live with ease devoid of worry. We also want intellectual stimulus, and we enjoy having a good conversation. Who doesn’t enjoy a good movie, soothing music or our favorite foods? Secondly, is the craving for existence. We desire to live, and if we could, we would want to live forever; forever that is, if we could guarantee that we could fulfil our sensual desires for comfort and peace of mind. And yet, there is a third craving, which is the craving for what might be called nonexistence. No, most of us don’t want to die, and this is not what is meant by nonexistence. We desire, and crave to be rid of the pain of existence, the aggravation, the constant demands of our emotions to be happy, our attempts to avoid sickness and death. We want some things to remain, we desire to be rid of other things, and we crave for good things to come our way. Our efforts throughout life to control our existence causes us much suffering and dissatisfaction not to mention frustration. All of humankind’s anguishes and distress are born from these three cravings; these three forms of dukkha. No one actually wants to go through life being ignorant of what could really make us happy, but unfortunately, we are ignorant even of this fact; we simply don’t know what we don’t know. Regardless of how much Dhamma you learn, will not remove the problems of life. However, learning the Four Noble Truths, and practicing the Eightfold Noble Path of ethical living, provides you with the means, and the method, for understanding life’s problems and how to react to them, so that they no longer hold your happiness as a hostage. There is a very old Zen story that I heard from somewhere, and it goes something like this: There was a young Zen monk who tried and tried to follow all the teachings fastidiously. He focused on everything he did and thought so hard that eventually he felt as though his determination was burning out. One day he went to the Master Teacher and said that he couldn’t take it anymore; that he wanted out. The teacher simply replied; “Okay, then you should leave.” As the samanera (student monk) headed for the door, the teacher spoke up and said, “No, that isn’t the door to leave. Not your door.” Confused the young monk looked around and spotted another door, which he headed toward, but the teacher, again, said, “No, that’s not the door either.” Trusting his teacher, the young monk looked for another door, which he eventually found and headed for. “That is not your door,” said the teacher. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 21 Now the young monk was utterly befuddled. There was no other door, and so he complained to the teacher, “There is no other door. You said that I could leave, but there is not a door that I can use.” The teacher smiled and replied to the young monk, “Well, if there is no door by which you can leave, then sit down.” In other words, the teacher’s message to the young monk was that he could not leave. The point is that there is no use in leaving. Once you learn the Dhamma, once you begin to practice, you realize that you can never leave, you can only ever be just ‘here,’ right now. If you are alive, you are always here. You cannot leave your body or your life and simply jump ship, as it were. So, you may as well just sit down and figure things out. So, what is there remaining to do if you cannot leave? Well, how about beginning to pay attention to what is actually happening instead of trying to leave something behind that you cannot? The only way to begin to end the anguish of life’s problems is to face them. However, facing life’s problems with no direction; no instruction; no ammo, means simply repeating the same old problems, over and over again. For most persons, myself included, you encounter yourself when you first begin making a serious effort to live the Dhamma. This can be a bit disconcerting as you begin to see the real you. As Pema Chodron has said, “You see all the smelly stuff.” Yes, if you are making a concerted effort you will begin to see all the ways the teachings reveal who you really are. But, this is good news, because this is progress. Certainly nothing to be upset about. But, as the Zen story reveals, you cannot simply just leave. You use the Dhamma to work things out. So, for now, relax, be gentle and kind to yourself; allowing the Dhamma to reveal the old and then see the new, the truth will blossom. Certainly, we may find some temporary solution; some distraction, that will mask the real issues, but inevitably the same issues will always return with a different name, a different face, a different mask. This is how people become attached to things. In an attempt to relieve the pain of our immediate situations, we look for any means we can that will provide us with some relief. This is the formula for all sorts of attachments and addictions. One need not necessarily be addicted to a substance or a drug, one can become addicted to anything that they become attached to and crave. People become, sometimes hopelessly, attached to concepts, ideas, opinions, and beliefs, that hold them in an iron grip, and they simply believe that they cannot accept anything else than what they already think is true. Think about all of the un-naturally caused problems that exist in the World. War, famine, disease, riots, discrimination, genocide, pollution, destruction, loneliness, depression, poor health, no means to obtain proper or beneficial healthcare, depravation, degradation, hopelessness, poverty, addictions, murder, bullying; I could go on and include many more words. I am sure that you could as well. All of these things are created by us, and are instigated by us; fueled by us; and, sadly, supported by us—all of us. If this were not true then none of these things would exist. The fact that we live in this World, and are aware of these things, doesn’t make us apathetic, although that is certainly a cause, but it’s ignorance. The fact that these things exists right under our noses is proof of how insidious ignorance really is. And it is because of ignorance that life becomes meaningless, and we simply bump along from one distraction to another so that we don’t have to see the truth about the nature of reality, and B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 22 the truth about the nature of reality, in this regard, is that ignorance causes all suffering. Somehow, in some way, we all know better, don’t we? can find. We know better, but we still look for the door. Defying the Grip of Ignorance This reminds me of a cartoon I saw many years ago, and I never forgot it because the message was so poignant for me. A comic strip about a Viking and his family, known as Hagar the Horrible, who had a wife, a son, and a dog named Snert. One day the wife prepared oatmeal for Hagar’s breakfast. When she served him the bowl, Hagar noticed a fly had gotten stuck in his oatmeal. So, Hagar said to his wife, “There’s a fly in my oatmeal.” To which his wife replied, “It’s a raisin.” “No,” he said, “It’s a fly.” “It’s a raisin.” “It’s a fly.” “It’s a raisin!” Suddenly, the fly flew out of Hagar’s bowl of oatmeal. “Aha!” said Hagar, pointing to the fly as it flew away, to which his wife replied: “Well, I’ll be darned, a flying raisin.” Sometimes we just do not want to see the truth about the nature of reality. But, this is a humorous example of sheer ignorance. We defend ourselves in the most ridiculous ways. The ego demands that we be right, so we refuse to see what we don’t want to see, or what causes us to be uncomfortable in any way. And so, we seek to leave by any door we Psychologist, Leon F Seltzer Ph.D. addresses the Jungian maxim that; “What you resist not only persists, but will grow in size.” “Typically, when you’re resisting what constitutes your reality—or rather, your subjective (and possibly faulty) sense of that reality—you’re shying away from it, complaining about it, resenting it, protesting against it, or doing battle with it. Without much self-realization, your energy, your focus, is concentrated on not moving beyond what opposes you, not coming to terms with it. And unconsciously, your impulse toward resistance tends to be about avoiding the more hurtful, or disturbing, aspects of the experience. These adverse feeling states generally involve fear, shame, pain, or feelings of being hopelessly out of control.” In his discussion of “You Only Get More of What You Resist—Why?” Dr. Seltzer mentions “resisting your reality —or rather, your subjective (and possibly faulty) sense of that reality,” he zeroes in on the real nature of the issue; the possibility that your sense of reality is subjective and possibly faulty. But, how could you know whether or not this is the case if you have no method of analysis? B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 23 Using conventional methods did not work in the Buddha’s time, and they still do not work now. The usual methods of selfdiscovery are fraught with inconsistencies resulting in failed attempts to rid ourselves of the ignorance that is causing our problems in the first place. Envision that you have just eaten a really good meal, but suddenly you get this craving for something sweet to finish off that great meal. The more you think about it, the more you want something sweet. But, then you think to yourself, “I shouldn’t be wanting something sweet. I have to stop this craving for something sweet.” Ah, but herein lies the grip of ignorance, small as an example as this may be, the desire to stop the craving for something sweet is the same thing as craving something sweet in the first place. One craving simply replaces the other. This is like a type of mental bondage. It is a maddening cycle. However, if you can see this, and understand this, then you are beginning to dissolve your ignorance about what is really going on. The solution is not simply to see it, but to no longer feed either side of the craving. Let’s analyze the core of this simple example. You see that, either way, whether you desire something sweet or you desire to be rid of the desire for something sweet— what you resist persists—you are feeding the craving. Here’s the core issue: we think that the craving is “out there,” in the sweet thing—the object. The desire to stop the craving also becomes the object—trading one craving for another. What you want or don’t want is not separate from you—it is you! The you that is experiencing the craving is a you that has taught itself that there is a choice. Lots of choices—sweets—no sweets— sweets—no sweets—inaction—suffering— dissatisfaction—frustration. “I want what I want, but I really don’t want what I want.” UGH!!! How about simply removing the choice? This might work for a while, but then the brain will undoubtedly think of something it wants and the whole drama begins again. In the Age in which we live, and this is particularly true for Western, commercial, consumer cultures: We equate freedom with material choice. The more we maximize our choices the more freedom we will have— right? Actually, the truth about the nature of this reality is that all the choices are actually keeping us in slavery, bondage, and servitude. Isn’t it strange that real freedom seems to come when, and where, there is no choice? The reader may be wondering what all of this has to do with identifying what Buddhaism is or is not, but all of this is Dhamma. All of this is what the Buddha taught. All of what is being written here represents the bare bones of the Buddha’s teachings. Not concept, just plain and simple truth. Identifying the Clutter Now, practicing the Dhamma does in no manner mean that one gives up the freedom of choice. However, learning to recognize the intentions behind the choices we make is entirely the point. Our modern Age provides many with a plethora of choices. Often times this plethora of choices causes our lives to become cluttered with complications by incidental, petty choices that keep us very busy. Our thinking becomes cluttered with making so many small insignificant choices that we scarcely have the time to really see what is happening. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 24 nature of this particular reality. The nature of it is that you are addicted to being busy! In the same manner as someone that is addicted to a drug, we become; our bodies; our brains, become accustomed to our senses being constantly ramped up by the clutter of making insignificant choices. Due to acclimating our thinking to the ubiquitous presence of so many choices, we believe that these insignificant choices are more significant than they really are, and so we crave making these choices, experiencing the effects of the choices that we make. Once we become accustomed to certain ways of thinking, we begin to crave it; like being busy all the time. We find it difficult to quiet our thinking or to settle down. The thought of doing absolutely nothing terrifies us. We can scarcely imagine doing nothing. However, whenever we are forced to stop, to settle, we feel strange; somehow uncomfortable, just like an addict when the drug begins to wear off. In this respect, it is easy to see that learning the Dhamma, and practicing things like meditation, can become replacements for this busy-ness, sometimes causing us to replace one craving for another. The solution: See the clutter by recognizing your direct experience. Recognize the sensations of not being busy; of not constantly making insignificant choices that have no real meaning or purpose for your life. Like the young Zen monk, realize that there is no door from which you can leave. You have to stay. So, don’t just do nothing, sit there! Sit there and see the truth about the Do you have some reservations; some doubts of whether this is true? Try this little exercise. Set your thinking for the purpose of testing, and discovering, whether this is true or not. If you are not alone, either tell others what you are planning to do or find a spot where you will not be interrupted. Turn off your cell phone, computer, TV, tablet, and any other electronic device. No background music either. Nothing that could distract you. Then, just sit down. Keep your eyes open so that you can look around the room or wherever you are. As you sit there, try not to think of anything in particular. Keep sitting, doing nothing. Eventually, you will begin to feel it. Can you begin to feel the restlessness? Can you sense the low rumbling of edginess? The longer you sit there, the stronger this sensation of unease begins to emerge. For some this little exercise will be nearly unbearable. Some may experience something near to panic. Why? What is happening? Why are you experiencing these reactions? The answer is because you are looking for the door. You have become so accustomed to being “on,” all the time, that to stop the maniacal stream of being busy is disconcerting, and does not feel normal. However, for you, normal is merely being accustomed to living your life abnormally. What it is that you are experiencing is the effects of dis-ease. I did not say disease. Disease refers to a consciousness that is not at ease. This dis-ease is evidence of a life that is overly clutter with insignificant stuff. Personally, I have been in the company of many elderly people who say things like: “I wish I had done that when I had the chance. Now it is too late.” “I should have lived a different life.” “If things were just different, I would have had a happier life.” “If I’d only B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 25 made different decisions when I had the opportunity.” These statements, while some may consider them to be evidence of regret about how they lived their lives and the missed opportunities, I believe these are statements linked to what happens to a person who burns through their life because they were too busy with “stuff” to actually live their lives. Really, what would happen if you just stopped being so busy? What would you really be giving up? Could you even identify the “stuff” that keeps you so busy that each day flies by without a single notice? You could, you know? And, it is because of the Buddha’s direct experience with all of these things, that he was able to provide us not only with the why, but with the how. Therefore, the first step, the first task, if you will, is identifying things that are preventing you from living a life that you can enjoy, and not just for today, tomorrow or for a week, like you are on holiday. Replacing One Kind of Busy for Another Engaging in the Dhamma and beginning a practice should not be a replacement for being busy all the time. Rather, the purpose of taking up practice is to become aware of our intentions and our actions. There is the mistaken belief that taking up Dhamma practice is to become a good person and to do away with the bad that causes us to suffer. No, this is completely beside the point. The entire point of taking up Dhamma practice is to become aware; to awaken to the truth about the nature of reality. The rest will follow naturally. So then, does that mean that taking up Dhamma practice is all about seeing our intentions? No, it is so much more than that. Look at it this way, nature does not act with any specific intent—it just does what it does naturally. A person who is awake doesn’t act with any specific intention either. Acting without intent is acting naturally because acting without intent means you are acting out of awareness from being awake to the truth about the nature of reality. If our lives are so busy with unnecessary clutter, caused by the belief that we must make so many incidental, insignificant choices, then we can’t pay attention to what we see—even if we are seeing. This doesn’t mean you are thoughtless, stupid or unwise, and it does not mean that you are crazy either. Think of your life as a stream, everyone loves the sight of a pristine, beautiful stream, gurgling as it flows; softly rolling over wellworn stones. It is relaxing and pleasant. What if that same stream were cluttered with soda cans, plastic bags, and all sorts of rubbish, causing an unpleasant smell? It’s ugly, and not enjoyable. That stream is certainly not a stream you would choose to sit beside, and have a picnic, is it? B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 26 So, which stream are you? Now, here is a choice that is significant. How would you go about cleaning up that ugly cluttered stream? What is the first thing you might do? You would probably gather up some tools to facilitate cleaning up the stream. Right? That is exactly what the teachings of the Buddha are; they are tools that allow you to see the ugly trash and clutter in the stream, so that you can successfully clean it up. Must I Give Up Control? This will be good news. The Buddha never taught that we have to give up any control at all. The truth about the nature of the reality of control is that we never had any control to begin with. Control is a well-formed illusion, but no matter how well structured you believe your control is, it is still an illusion. Can you touch control? Do you keep it in a box somewhere? Where is it in your brain? How do you know that you are in control? Does some green light go on in your head? Control is a concept, and like all conceptual things, it is a mental figment—a conditioned concept. The concept that we have control is the very thing that causes us to suffer, and suffer greatly. Upon examination, isn’t the purpose of all of our desires, our cravings, our intentions, our actions and even our thoughts, all geared toward one goal; bringing about some control? We can exert great energy, strength of determination, but when our efforts to exert control fail, we suffer. This is the truth about the nature of this reality, in that we truly have no control to begin with. Once you are able to awaken to this reality, then the stress and craving for control begins to decrease. Isn’t our desire to control connected to the concept of a self; of our self? When we exert ourselves in order to control our environment, to control others, to control our weight, to control our addictions we are doing nothing more than buying into the idea that we actually have control and so, we cling, oh how we cling, to the idea that we have control. And, if we fail to control what we desire or what we do not desire, we punish ourselves. “It’s my own fault.” Ask an alcoholic if they have control of their desire, their craving for alcohol. They will tell you that they do not. Since the alcohol doesn’t have any consciousness, does it exert control over the addict? Of course not. So then, what is exerting the control of the alcoholic? It’s the idea of resisting their craving for alcohol. Does this mean that an alcoholic must give up trying to stop drinking? No, the alcoholic must realize that they have no actual control over the alcohol, but they can exert control over their craving; over their desires. However, the alcoholic must first be able to see this clearly; to see that it is the desire that is causing their addiction, not the alcohol itself. This is why in the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings one of the first steps is to acknowledge that they are in fact an alcoholic. According to the teaching of the Buddha, the next step would be to see the root source of why they are an alcoholic. And seeing why does not mean that the alcoholic can pass off the responsibility for their behavior onto an alcoholic parent, a failed marriage, poor selfesteem or some other external cause. Once the alcoholic has identified and acknowledged that they are in fact addicted to alcohol (Noble Truth #1). In other words, they have identified and accepted what it is that is causing them to suffer. Next comes the, sometimes, arduous task of accepting Noble Truth #2: You are the direct cause of your suffering, and you are the one tasked with diagnosing the problem. How does one do that? B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 27 Forgetting the Self Oh boy, here we go, more stuff about nonself and not-self (anatta). No, actually, this is not what is meant by “forgetting the self.” Although this idea may seem a bit strange or odd, what this phrase means is to remember that none of us exists alone, as our own little separate universe. It is strange that the more a person feels separated from others, from the World, the more bizarre this idea of “forgetting self” becomes. Many of us have known individuals who are so enthralled with themselves that they are difficult to keep company with. This condition may be obvious to others, but is not obvious to the person suffering from being utterly addicted to oneself. What does it mean to be utterly addicted to oneself? When one’s ideas, beliefs and opinions become tantamount to the perception of themselves it blocks out or prevents any other point of view or reality from penetrating them. Some people refer to this as self-centeredness. Others might refer to it as narcissism. People such as this truly believe that the only thing that matters is themselves, which generally translates into someone who is filled with fear. They feed on the idea that they have complete control, and this becomes evident in their conversations and their actions. Their ignorance of this malady appears to be so complete that they do not seem to have the capacity to see anyone else or to acknowledge the world around them. Their sense of self is out of control, which is the true dichotomy, because they believe they have complete control. The fear arises from the self-knowledge that they actually have no control at all. The Dhamma teaches not to focus on ourselves as separate entities, but on how our lives intersperse and interpenetrate with the World around us. Remember, nothing is independent of anything else—everything is connected. In order to realize this, we must become disconnected from what we think we know and understand. Two people are walking along a woodland path. One of the people jumps back in horror upon seeing a coiled snake. The other person simply sees it for what it is; a coil of rope sitting on the path. Looking and seeing are very different things. Seeing “I,” and knowing that there is no “self” to be found is very different than seeing “I,” and being attached to some conceptual “self.” Seeing Is an Art There are eight aspects of seeing, and how you integrate these into practicing the Dhamma is sort of like an art form. These eight aspects of seeing are actually the eight aspects of ethical living that the Buddha taught. These eight are also the method the Buddha outlined for permanently ending one’s suffering. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Right View (Samma Ditthi) Right Intention (Samma Sankappa) Right Speech (Samma Vaca) Right Action (Samma Kammanta) Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva) Right Effort (Samma Vayama) Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati) Right Concentration (Samma Samadhi) I have heard people bristle at the use of the word “right.” Right, of course, in conventional, and conceptual terms, implies there is a wrong, just as light implies dark, cold implies hot, and so on. The Eightfold Noble Path is not some mental jigsaw puzzle of duality. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 28 In all of the Pali texts, the word that translates into the word “right” is samma32. According to the Pali Dictionary33, the transliteration of the word samma is as follows: “Sammā, 2 (indecl) [Vedic samyac=samyak) & samīś,] “connected, in one”; thoroughly, properly, rightly, in the right way, as it ought to be, best, perfectly.” As you can see, right, as used in the original Pali texts, has a meaning that is closer to the following words or phrases: centered reasoning dictates that each camps view is the correct one, and thus begins the march toward suffering. With regard to Right View or Proper View, the Buddha’s view, is that no view, other than one that reveals how things actually are, is appropriate for the purpose of seeing, and understanding the truth about the nature of reality. So, in this context the word “right” loses the dualistic connotation of right vs. wrong. Right View (samma ditthi) could be written Proper View; Best View; or in conjunction with “best” to mean appropriate view, for the purposes of the meaning of the path. Throughout history there are examples of peoples who held onto a wrong views or inappropriate views. There was the view that the Earth was flat. It was once believed that the heart was the seat of emotion. We now know that this is incorrect. The Solar Plexus is the seat of emotion (Ever experience that gut feeling we call intuition?). At one time it was thought that the molecule was the smallest form of matter. We now know that this is utterly false. Who could forget that at one time it was believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe, and all the other planets, including the sun, revolved around it? Right View (Samma Ditthi) Right Intention (Samma Sankappa) According to the Buddha, holding onto any particular view prevents access to reality because nothing is static; everything changes. When we seek to hold onto a view, and idea, a concept, an opinion or a belief, completely stops any expansion of learning by direct experience. This is improper view, opposed to Right View, which requires one to be flexible with the inevitable changes that will occur. Holding onto views is grasping at the desire to want permanency, which is impossible since everything is impermanent. Aside from these things, holding onto views has the tendency to separate humans into different camp, if you will. Eventually, ego- Next on the list of the Eightfold Noble Path, is Right Intention, sometimes referred to as Right Resolve. This has a lot to do with Right View or a view that is appropriate for preparing oneself to practice the Dhamma. In some respects, having gotten this far in this essay, you can appreciate the fact that to practice the Dhamma, to really take the teachings of the Buddha to heart, as it were, would require appropriate resolve. After all, practicing the Dhamma, while it may be simple to understand on an intellectual level, is quite another thing on the practical level. In many respects you will have to exert effort and really resolve to want what the Buddha claims can be had. 32 33    Properly As it ought to be The best way Samma: Eightfold Noble Path: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/way toend.html Samma; Pali Dictionary: https://palidictionary.appspot.com/browse/s/sammā B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 29 There is an old story about Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher from ancient times. It is said that when a young man approached him and asked to become his student, Socrates wanted to test the youth’s resolve. He took the young man to a river and Socrates waded into the water, asking the youth to follow him. When the water became deep enough, Socrates grabbed hold of the young man, and held his head under the water until the young man began to struggle violently to catch his breath. When Socrates lifted the youth’s head from the water he said to him: “Now, when you can fight for truth in the same way you fight for your breath, I will teach you.” Suffice-it-to-say a teacher of the Dhamma will not go to such extremes, because the resolve must be born from your own will. Your desire, taken in measure, to want to free yourself from ignorance and suffering must sustain you throughout your entire life of practice. This is no small decision and neither was it for the Buddha. Right Speech (Samma Vaca) Proper Speech, appropriate speech or Right Speech can be fairly obvious, but not always. This is not just about using bad speech that is crude or bad-mannered. In our current Age, the lie has become so ubiquitous that we simply brush them off with a shrug as though this is how things are supposed to be. How often have you been watching television or perhaps listening to the radio in your car or maybe having your YouTube session interrupted by a commercial? A part of us realizes that the message contained in the ad is pure, well…not true. The common response of doubt enters our minds, and we think to ourselves, “Yeah, right.” The ones that always get me is the image of an overly ecstatic person, usually a woman, smiling broadly, and jumping for joy because she just discovered a 0% credit card. My life is changed and yours can be too. Most ads target the “me too” desire or “I want that too,” desire. It is a hook and you are the fish. Lying disturbs the balance of the brain and the mind, and causes negative physiological changes in the body. Most times, human beings have a natural lie-detector, but when the intention to deceive is strong or the results are very important to the liar, lies can be masked as pure truth. The only way to know is to examine the truth to see whether or not it is true. Right Speech does not end with lies, the Buddha counseled against idle talk, pointless chattering and gossip. None of these things are advantageous with the resolve to awaken. Right Action (Samma Kammanta) Right or appropriate action is an action that is beneficial to awakening. Each of the elements of the Eightfold Path are inexorably (inescapably) linked, particularly to intent. Without appropriate views, intentions, and speech, it is not likely that a person who does not approach something with these things is going to act appropriately, particularly in line with supporting any efforts to awaken. How a person acts, and reacts, speaks volumes, not only about their intentions, but about their views; the values they hold. Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva) This can sure be a tough one in our Age of subterfuge, half-truths, lies of omission, and outright lies, not to mention that no one escapes the dreaded credit report, housing history, employment history, making it very difficult not to feel that you have to stretch the truth just a little in order to get that apartment, that job or that car. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 30 Well, there is no secret volume of Sutta’s that outlines which livelihoods are appropriate for one who seeks awakening. The rule of thumb here is that you choose a livelihood that reassures and supports honesty, insight, and openness. Obviously, working in a factory that builds weapons, ammunition or products of chemical warfare, is not right livelihood. At times the practitioner of the Dhamma finds themselves at odds with the responsibilities of certain professions. Sales may be one of them, when the practitioner is expected to bend the truth a bit in order to sell the products of their employer. The pressure can be brutal, placing the practitioner in a difficult position. Right Effort (Samma Vayama) Right Effort or appropriate effort, is closely linked with Right Intention or appropriate resolve. Many people get all fired up when they first hear the Dhamma. “Answers, at last!” The Dhamma is new, exciting, and being known as a Buddhist is kind of chic and cool, at least in the Western countries. The teachings of the Buddha are intellectually stimulating, far from the humdrum noise of the World, and even farther for some than the dogma that has been peddled by organized religions for centuries. But, the Dhamma has a way of hitting a chord at first, causing some to pursue it a little further, and dig a little deeper. The danger is that a lot of Western Dhamma, unfortunately caters to consumerist values and thinking. Many Buddhist organizations have fallen into the trap of peddling the teachings of the Buddha like other religious organizations, and this is confusing to many who approach the Dhamma with real curiosity, and a desire to know the true message of the Buddha. Make no mistake, there are promoters, and business people, who latch on to famous teachers; marketing them for all they are worth, charging hundreds, even thousands of dollars, in order to rent a moment with the famous so-and-so monk or nun. Many of these famous monks and nuns are removed from these dealings, and have no idea of the level of marketing their personages are subject to. They may never have ever seen their own websites, videos or even been on the Internet. This does not mean that the monk or nun’s Dhamma teaching is any less valuable or any less true, but keep in mind that the Buddha achieved complete awakening sitting under a tree, dressed in a kasaya (robe) made of discarded cloth, alone, with no singing bowls, no tinkling chimes or soothing chanting going on in the background, unless I suppose, you count crickets or croaking frogs as soothing background chanting. Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati) Right mindfulness can also be considered as appropriate attention. The mechanism of learning the Dhamma is not to fit the Dhamma into your life, like you belong to a new club or organization. To begin, the mechanism of using the Dhamma to direct your awakening requires that you use the circumstances, and elements, of your own life’s experience. That is the real teacher. Through application of the teachings and integration of the Four Noble Truths, a beginner learns how to pay attention. This does not imply that once you learn how to pay attention to your thinking, intentions and actions, that you graduate and no longer have to do that. This is an exercise that even the most seasoned of monks and nuns continue until the day they die. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 31 Appropriate attention or Right Mindfulness, also requires that you never lose sight of the one single thing that is the cause of the real problems; dukkha; suffering, dissatisfaction, and so on. Seasoned practitioners can never not pay attention to their thinking, else they lose their grip on the purpose of the Dhamma. Being mindful of not only oneself; your intentions and actions, but being aware of how you react to the world around you, this is appropriate or Right Mindfulness. Equanimity, with respect to practicing the Dhamma, is really the cornerstone disposition that you want to get to know. Equanimity means:  The quality of being calm and eventempered; calm composure.  n. Evenness of mind or temper; calmness or firmness, especially under conditions adapted to excite great emotion; a state of resistance to elation, depression, anger, etc.  n. Evenness of mind; that calm temper or firmness of mind which is not easily elated or depressed; patience; calmness; composure. Right Concentration (Samma Samadhi) Concentration that is appropriate for the purposes of awakening, is training the mind to be focused, alert, and aware. No one gets this perfectly all the time, but perhaps a Buddha. Meditation is the tool that facilitates appropriate concentration. As most beginners will tell you, learning to quiet the mind can be downright nerve-racking. The best way to overcome the monkey-mind is to keep trying. Eventually, as you integrate other aspects of the Dhamma into your life, the ability to meditate becomes easier as well. The warning, again, as was mentioned earlier in this essay, be mindful that you do not fall into the trap of overdoing meditation to the point of what I call, meditationitis. People afflicted with meditationitis become addicted to the sensation they experience during meditation sessions. Eventually they can become so attached to the sensations of meditation that they begin to crave it. Too far; gone too far. Back up; Middle Way; remember? A good way to balance your efforts to learn and practice the Dhamma, including meditation, is to learn to understand the word equanimity. Not only do the teachings of the Buddha provide an explanation for suffering, but he also provides the method for eradicating it, not to mention a proven way of living an ethical life that brings happiness and joy to the practitioner. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 32 Buddha & the God Idea Theravada monk Nyanoponika Thera, states: “In Buddhist literature, the belief in a creator god (issara-nimmana-vada) is frequently mentioned and rejected, along with other causes wrongly adduced to explain the origin of the world; as, for instance, world-soul, time, nature, etc. God-belief, however, is placed in the same category as those morally destructive wrong views which deny the kammic results of action, assume a fortuitous origin of man and nature, or teach absolute determinism. These views are said to be altogether pernicious, having definite bad results due to their effect on ethical conduct.” Theism, which is defined as: There is probably no more famous image of the god-idea than the visualization on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo in 1508 CE. Many Buddhist teachers, and writers, are hesitant or outright afraid to address the concept of a creator god, because they realize that many people are indelibly attached to the concept that some supernatural entity exists, and many vehemently defend their belief with aggression and anger. However, one can hardly address the teachings of the Buddha without addressing this very touchy subject. The reality is that the god idea is a large part of the cultural evolution of humankind, stretching deep into the murky ages of antiquity. But, why is it that humankind has this belief? What is it about the idea that there is, must be, has to be, some supernatural entity that exists, and has power to control human beings and the destiny of the World? Study of the discourses of the Buddha that have been preserved in the Pali texts, known as the Tipitaka, there is strong evidence that the concept of a personal deity or a creator god that is eternal, and omnipotent, is incompatible with the Buddha’s teachings. “n. Belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in a personal God as creator and ruler of the world. n. Belief in the existence of a God as the Creator and Ruler of the universe.”, This is considered by teachers of the Dhamma, as a kind of kamma (karma) teaching, meaning that as long as this belief upholds the moral effectiveness of one’s actions, leading a moral life, may, as anyone else living such a life, could expect a favorable rebirth. Unfortunately, as history reveals, fanaticism encourages persecution of those who do not share theist’s beliefs. This will have harmful consequences for the theist’s future rebirths. Any form of fanatical attitude and intolerance brings unwholesome and unbeneficial kamma, which always, again, as history shows, leads to moral degradation. Additionally, the Buddha never said that belief in a god or gods does not exclude one from a favorable rebirth, he did point to the fact that belief in such, was a false assertion of permanence, which is rooted in the craving for existence. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 33 Since there is nothing that does not originate of its own accord without being dependent on something else, belief in a god or gods, is an obstacle to liberation. Liberation in the context of the Buddha’s teachings, simply means freedom from suffering. Hoping is wishing, and wishing is desire, which leads to the craving for something permanent, although no such thing exists. The whole purpose for the teaching of the Four Noble Truths, is to discover, and acknowledge that suffering exists, and that this is, in part, due to the fact that everything is impermanent. Regardless of whether we look deep into the Universe or delve deep into the structure of matter itself, there is a cycle of destruction and rebirth, whether it is a star, a cell, or an idea. Everything is subject to change, and therefore impermanent. Dhamma is all about discovery, and providing examples of a methodology for the reasons why we suffer. Identifying, and removing the restraints (samyojana) that our thinking, education, culture, binds us with, is the purpose of the Dhamma. The Buddha sought to reveal anything that had the effect of binding one to existence. Theism or belief in a god or gods, subjects the believer to attachments to personality, rites, rituals, and the desire for the image/vision of an existence in another sense (sensual) like realm. Additionally, the teachings of the Buddha are all about examination, and scrutinization of anything and everything that we believe. But, this is, not for the purpose of scrutinization itself, is to discover the absolute rock-bottom truth of the nature of reality. Humankind has, for millennia, made Herculean attempts to explain the Universe, the World, and existence in general. Apart from scientific approaches, the god-idea was developed. Evolution of this god-idea is largely brought about by the powerful human capacity to imagine, to create mental images and visualization. Over time, humans came to identify various things, emotions, events, and so on, with these images and concepts. However, for the believer, for the theist, the god-idea is far more than explaining the reasons for the origin of the World, and the Universe. Belief becomes an object. Their belief is objectified by faith. The concepts surrounding faith can confer strong feelings of certainty. The Buddha shunned any belief in attachment to any concept of anything that was “out there,” such as the idea of the existence of beings that were entirely separate from everything else, when he knew that nothing exists apart from anything else. Given the fact that the Buddha did not teach certainty of any kind, other than the certainty that if one practiced the Four Noble Truths, one could be certain of liberation from suffering. So, for the practitioner of the teachings, this sense or feeling of certainty, bears serious scrutiny. Examination, and scrutinization, of the god-idea by the Buddha and the ancient thinkers was not convincing. Upon scrutinization of the root sources of the god-idea, one will discover that the concepts, and ideas, developed throughout the ages, are conditioned. They are conditioned by external influences. Initially it begins with childhood impressions, cultural education, absorption of cultural traditions, and the social environment one experiences early in life. Most often these ideas are conditioned with strong emotional connections. However, any idea that is conditioned is a concept, and as the Buddha taught, anything that is conditioned or subject to conditioning is not true, is impermanent, and therefore subject to scrutiny. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 34 A sincere analysis of these facts reveals that the god-experience is no more specific or real, than the conditioned concepts from which they developed. hands of the very theists, and theology that they once supported. Conversely, throughout history, there have been many mystics who have written about their religious experiences, bearing witness to the intensity of these experiences, reporting in many cases, the changes affected by their belief, and the significant changes to the quality of their lives and consciousness. For those who practice the Dhamma, particularly monks and nuns, the purpose of meditation is the highest purpose of gaining liberating insight (understanding, knowing, and clarity.) But, this insight is not a mystical insight, rather this insight is not conditioned insight. In other words, nothing conditions this insight, and if their insight is found to be conditioned, then more work is to be done. The history of many of the greatest religious writers gives testimony of the widening of consciousness, to the extent of intense rapture and bliss. However, rather than attributing this transportation or experience to their own human abilities, theist mystics believe that the manifestations are from a divine source. Certain psychological factors underlie many religious experiences, and this is true for not only theists, but practitioners of the Dhamma. This is a psychological state that the practitioner is well aware of. However, a practitioner of the buddha-dhamma scrutinizes these experiences for influential mental factors and external conditioning. For the experienced practitioner of deep and prolonged meditation, particularly vipassana, this is understandable, because deep meditation has the effect of a marked reduction of sense perceptions, reduced agitated thinking, and a steadiness of mind (consciousness). It is clear from the teachings of the Buddha, and the commentaries made by hundreds of entries into the Pali Suttas, that the same results are gained by non-theist monks and nuns, as by the religious mystics. How can the same thing be achieved by nonbelieving practitioners of meditation without the god-idea? After immersing oneself in deep meditation (jhana), the practitioner is taught to consider the mental, and physical factors of the experience, in light of the three characteristics of conditioned existence; namely impermanency, suffering, and the liability of suffering, as-well-as examination of whether there is any attachment to enduring ego or thoughts of anything eternal. It is interesting to note that when one reads the writings of these religious mystics, such as Augustine, and others, one realizes that the interpretations of their experiences always identify with their particular theology. Proof of this is evident by the fact that if a religious theist or theologian reported experiences that were outside of their doctrine or dogma, they were often considered heretical and in many cases subject to horrific punishment, and sometimes even death at the One of the primary reasons this is taught, is so that the practitioner does not become overwhelmed with connected emotions, and thoughts, which the meditator may experience. The reason is so that the meditator is not tempted or becomes attached to some mental interpretation of their experiences, which are not warranted by facts. Meditation is all about reality, and is a tool that is used by followers of the Buddha’s teachings to fine-tune their path to liberating themselves from ignorance, and the suffering that ignorance brings. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 35 One could say, and rightly so, that the entire purpose of the Buddha’s teachings is to uncover and reveal the facts, but just not any facts; the facts surrounding the truth about the nature of reality; any reality; and all reality. This is why the dhamma practitioner strives to see the things they experience through meditation just as they are, no embellishment, no conditioning that could be attributed to a personal god-entity causing these experiences. A dhamma practitioner understands that the experiences are generated from their own efforts in applying the teachings to the direct experiences of their own life. Are the Teachings of Buddha Atheistic? The word atheism was first used during the period of history known as the Medieval or Middle Ages. The etymology of the word contains the following information: [1570s] a godless person, one who denies the existence of a supreme, intelligent being to whom moral obligation is due," from French athéiste (16c.), from Greek atheos "without god, denying the gods; abandoned of the gods; godless, ungodly," from a- "without" (see a- (3)) + theos "a god" (from PIE root *dhes-, forming words for religious concepts). Generally, in modern times, the word atheist carries heavy negative connotations. There is actually only one way in which the teachings of the Buddha can be said to be atheistic, and this is due to the fact that the Buddha denied the existence of an eternal god or godhead that is omnipotent, and the creator of all things. Atheism carries with it derogatory and disparaging overtones in connection with someone who is godless, and has low moral character. This cannot be said about a practitioner of the Dhamma. Theists maintain a rather materialistic outlook with respect to their doctrines. The idea of there being anything higher than the world of sensory-connected happiness is short-sighted. Dhamma agrees with this in some respect, in that true and lasting happiness cannot be found in the human existence, as everything is subject to conditioning and suffering. The Buddha also taught that nothing permanent can be had on any plane of existence considered higher than that of human existence. All planes of existence are impermanent, and thus incapable of giving lasting happiness. The point of the Dhamma is to facilitate a transcendence of the world of suffering and conditionality. However, that being said, the Dhamma encourages spiritual objectives in the here and now, for the highest realization can be achieved in one’s present existence. Therefore, the Dhamma encourages practitioners to behave, and act, in ways that cause this world to be a better place. This is why the Buddha completely rejected the philosophy of annihilation (ucchedavada) or nihilism. Annihilation dictates that there is total destruction after death occurs. While the Buddha denied the existence of an eternal soul-like entity or condition, he did teach kamma (karma). What it is that survives the corporeal body is the stream of consciousness, an essence of the mental processes attained during life. This stream of consciousness, which I call a person’s kammic (karmic) imprint or kammic record, if you will, is subject to a renewed birth or as the Pali texts state, “a renewed becoming.” Just as the theistic religions teach salvation, the difference between those doctrines and the Dhamma, is that salvation is not as a result of conforming to rules of doctrine or dogma, but that the individual is responsible for their own salvation through the extermination of craving, grasping, greed, hatred, ignorance and delusion. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 36 Neither the Dhamma or the Buddha should be considered an adversary, opponent or enemy of religion. Buddha’s teachings strongly support no aggression whatsoever, whether the aggression be physical or mental. A seasoned practitioner of the buddhadhamma will naturally recognize any positive spiritual and ethical values developed by theists. will now have a fairly good grasp of what the world refers to as Buddh-ism, and that it is not completely in-line with what the Buddha taught and why. However, a follower of the Buddha’s teachings cannot ignore the facts, to which the historical records bear witness, that godbased religions are all too often used by humankind to force their will, through the use of amoral, cruel use of power despite their doctrines with respect to an all-loving god-like entity. The record, reaching far-far-back into antiquity, reveals how often that free-thinking, free-examination, and any expression of views that may have been contrary to the theistic beliefs, have silenced opposing views. And, it seems that such behavior, and the negative consequences born from them, are, unfortunately, not nearly only things of the past. This can be the most exciting undertaking of your entire life, if you allow it to be. Learning to integrate the Dhamma into your everyday life, will not likely make you into a saint, nor will it likely change your life overnight, but now you know that practicing the Dhamma is a process. Your success or failure depends on how well you are at paying attention to the teacher; YOU! Conclusion Well, there you have it. Now, hopefully I have achieved a bit of clarity within these pages. I have attempted to simplify what the teachings of the Buddha actually are, without getting too deep. Also, if I explained what the Dhamma is, and what the Buddha taught, you Now that you have a better idea of what the Buddha taught and why, you now possess a powerful set of tools for awakening yourself to the truth about the nature of reality. It is your life, your actions, your intentions, your habits that will teach you everything you need to know about the Dhamma. Yes, it is wonderful if you can find a qualified teacher to guide you, but really, this is a luxury that is not available to many in Western countries. The best advice one can take to heart, as Pema Chodron is fond of teaching is, Start Where You Are. No matter what the condition or circumstances of your life are at this very moment, is insignificant. If you are experiencing utter misery in your life, good news! That is a very rich place to begin. If your life is rather settled and routine without a lot of worries, this too is good news. Start there. Break the bubble of your current existence and look around you, see what is really happening and how it causes you react, think and feel. Then look deeply at those feelings, and emotions, and see for yourself how the Dhamma can guide you to a better you, not a better Buddhist. B u d d h i s m : W h a t i t i s a n d i s n o t . - P a g e | 37 Namô Tassa Bhagavatô Arahatô Sammâ-Sambuddhassa Namô Tassa Bhagavatô Arahatô Sammâ-Sambuddhassa Namô Tassa Bhagavatô Arahatô Sammâ-Sambuddhassa (Homage to the Triple Gems Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the Exalted One, the Fully Enlightened One)