Real happiness through Buddhist teachings
By P. S. Mahawatte
We sometimes hear of people of other faiths and even some Buddhists saying that Buddhism is all about Dhukka – suffering, decay and death and does not allow us to “enjoy life”. Some even describe it as morbid.
Buddha Dhamma on the contrary, teach us to live a life of real happiness in peace and tranquillity. What is this pleasure we are looking for? “Pleasure born of sensuality are proceeded and followed by troubles and pain. It is very nice while we are scratching a rash, but how do you feel when you stop! It is due to our non understanding of this profound Dhamma that we feel that Buddhism deny happiness. Let us listen to the Buddha in the Ariyapariyesana Sutta after attaining Enlightenment “I considered; This Dhamma that I have attained is profound, hard to see and hard to understand, peaceful and sublime, unattainable by mere reasoning, subtle, to be experienced by the wise. But this generation delights in worldliness. It is hard for such a generation to see this truth, namely specific conditionality, dependent origination and stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachements, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation nibbana.” Yet, the Buddha out of Maha Karuna – deep compassion (Vijja Charana) preached this profound dhamma for 45 years and many desciples with little “dust” in their eyes benefitted by attaining Arahathhood and other levels of wisdom.
The Buddha is venerated as Samma Sambhuddo because the Buddha perfected by himself. He owes His enlightenment to none. It is not the work of a God granting it to Him nor an incarnation of some god.” Buddha Dhamma as I understand is to show us the way to overcome dhukka and lead a peaceful satisfied life. The Buddha after explaining the PATTICCHASAMUPPADA says “So bhikkus you have been guided by me with this Dhamma which is
Visible here and now – Sandhittika
Immediately effective – Akalika
Inviting inspection – Ehipassiko
Inward leading – Opanaiko
to be experienced by the wise for themselves. (Mahatanha Sankaya Sutta) The important thing to note from this is that the Dhamma explained by the Buddha is to guide His desciples and are not commandments. This Dhamma is Visible here and now. He is not asking people to just believe in Him. He is not claiming any divinity. But the Buddha wants His desciples to develop their own minds by developing Wisdom towards which the Buddha has shown the Way. You can achieve Mokshya or Nibbana in this very life. You don’t have to wait till you die to achieve mokshya. Buddha was not interested in finding us an abode in some heaven but to help us to get rid of this suffering which we have to go through every second of our present life. Patticchasamuppada (Dependent origination) is the Core Buddha Dhamma. When this dhamma was explained by the Buddha Ven. Ananda said “This Dhamma is easy to understand Ven Sir”. The Buddha admonished Ven Ananada “Do not say so Ananda, it is profound” and repeated it. This Dhamma is so profound that different writers have interpreted differently. As I understand it’ this Dhamma of dependent origination is wholly applicable to this life and not to past and future lives. Let us consider the following Buddha word because we place so much importance to past kamma vipaka and ruin our peace of mind causing us Dhukka.
“Kammavipaka bhikkave acinteyyo na cintetabba, yam cintento ummadassa vighatassa bhagi assa. The ripening of action (kammavipaka) monks is unthinkable, should not be thought, for one thinking it would come to madness and distraction.” Translation from late Bhikku Nanavira’s book Clearing the Path. This was also explained by George Grimm in his book “The Doctrine of the Buddha” as follows:— “The harvest of our karma is uncertain and because of its extreme complexity that the fruits of deeds is one of the Four Inscrutable things about which one ought not to brood because who broods about them will fall prey to delusion or to mental disturbance”.
Today the use of Karma Vipaka gives the wrong impression that Buddhism is fatalism. Almost everything that happens to one is explained away as past karma. If we attribute every good or adverse occurrence in our lives to past karma, then we cannot be held responsible for our actions. Crafty politicians can use this to console poor people. On a personal note I was operated on by a well known doctor for a simple cataract. He damaged my cornea in the process and I am partially blind. I did not want at any stage to accept that this was due to some past bad kamma of mine that this happened to me. I was convinced that this was due to sheer carelessness and negligence on the part of this doctor towards whom I do not have any animosity. But if he accepts that it is so, he will undoubtedly be suffering in this life mental pain which is the Vipaka for his careless action – Kamma. The damage has been done and I am hoping to get this put right by a more competent doctor and when my sight is restored, I am vindicated.
Very often karma vipaka theory is inadvertently used to create more attachment which the Dhamma explain is the root cause of our suffering dhukka. After every alms giving, our bhikkus explain the virtue of giving of alms and sharing the merits with the dead relatives. But what creates further attachment is when we are told that as a result of the alms given, we could be born in one of the heavens after death and lead an extremely happy and joyous and pleasurable life! Thus greed is created. So most of us look forward to get to one of the heavens and enjoy the pleasures of the sense organs, more than attaining Nibbana! But none of us will give up one second of life in this earth to go to these pleasurable abodes because of our thirst for existence (Upadana pacchaya Bhavo).
Our parents in their wisdom used this kammavipaka concept to instill in us from our very young days Hiri Otappa -fear and shame to commit unwholesome acts such as destroying life, stealing and telling untruths. Even today in our old age, this hiri otappa is restraining us from unwholesome acts.
When asked how His desciples who lived a simple and quiet life with only one meal a day were so radiant, the Buddha replied” They do not repent the past, nor do they brood over the future. They live in the present. Therefore, they are radiant. By brooding over the future and repenting the past, fools dry up like green reeds cut down (in the sun)”. We spend almost all our lives either thinking of the past or thinking of the future. Hardly a moment of the present; It is Bhavana that trains us to think of the present. Sathi Sampajano – Mindfully Aware.
The Buddha was asked “Visibly present Nibbana they say; how now dear Gotama is Nibbana visible and present, inviting to come and see, leading to the goal, intelligible to the wise, each for himself ? “Inflamed by desire, evil-disposed by hate, confused by delusion, we think of hurting ourselves, we think of hurting others, hurting both ourselves and others and feel Mental Pain and Grief. But if we have abandoned Desire, Abandoned Hate, Abandoned Delusion, then we do not think anymore of hurting ourselves or others and we do not feel Mental Pain and Grief. Thus O Brahamin,Nibbana is visible and present inviting to come and see, leading to the Goal, intelligible to the Wise, each for himself”. (The Doctrine of the Buddha” by George Grimme) So it is quite clear that Nibbana could be achieved in this very life and Buddhism is the only religion that makes it possible to achieve Mokshya – Nibbana in this life. In all other religions, one cannot achieve Mokshya before death.
That is why the Buddha Dhamma is Sandhttika, Akaliko, Eheipassiko, Opanaiko to be realised by the wise by themselves. Nirvana cannot be achieved by prayer, or through Gods Love. Nirvana can only be achieved by ones own effort. The Buddha Dhamma is for the energetic and not for the lazy. The lazy person will try to find all manner of excuses such as the ones I mentioned at the beginning.