Dhammananda_Duties_of_a_Lay_Buddhist.pdf

BUDDHISM

AND

DUTIES OF A LAY BUDDHIST

By Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda

Buddhism is not a religion of faith; it is a religion based on morality, concentration and

wisdom. It commands respect from the world because it allows reasoning for wider

knowledge while it dispels blind faith.

Some Buddhists may think that going to the temple and offering flowers at the feet of the

image of the Buddha, lighting a few oil lamps and burning some joss-sticks or incense in

the temple means that is Buddhism. They may believe that their religious duties have

thus been fulfilled. But according to the teachings of the Buddha, one should not be

satisfied with such simple acts or imagine that they are sufficient for one to be called a

Buddhist.

By proclaiming his noble teachings, the Buddha did not wish to have vast numbers of

followers who would simply be venerating a dignified image of him. What he wanted was

to see a civilised, cultured and peaceful society of intelligent people striving for the

attainment of Nibbana – the cessation of Universal Suffering.

Unfortunately, some of us forget these fundamental principles of our great heritage. It is

very sad indeed that we thus fall into the group of those who merely follow rites and

rituals. It should be clearly understood and remembered that we pay homage to the

Buddha only as a mark of respect and gratitude to our path-finder and teacher, whom we

regard as the true “Model of Perfection.” It was he who thought out and preached the

way of a noble and happy life here (in this world) and the attainment of eternal

happiness in this life as well as hereafter. It was he also who found the way to the final

and noble goal of Nibbana, which is the state of complete cessation of suffering – the

only eternal form of deliverance.

No matter how much or how often we may worship at the feet of the Buddha, it is not the

only way for us to lead a Buddhist way of life. In order to be a true Buddhist, one must

follow strictly the basic principles of the Buddha’s teachings. Those who are acquainted

with Buddhist literature vouchsafe to the fact that Buddhism maintains many noble

principles. For this reason, many non-Buddhists highly praise Buddhism as a Righteous

way of life.

Buddhism leads mankind to peace, to the development of good morals, reasoning and

logical thinking. Moreover, Buddhist doctrine is the most authoritative source from which

the correct answers to all questions that arise in a man’s mind can be obtained. It is the

only doctrine in which the realities of the nature of life have been explained in plain and

undisguised manner. Without exaggeration it may be asserted that as far as the spiritual

upliftment of mankind is concerned, Buddhism remains unchallenged.

In many a discourse, the Buddha teaches how man should lead noble lives. Sutras like

Sigalovada, Mangala, Parabhava, Vasala and Vyagghapajja are a few examples.

WHAT ARE YOUR DUTIES?

This booklet is an attempt to bring home to the lay man some ideas about the Buddhist

way of life. If they determine to do this they will be setting a good example to the rest of

the world, and assisting them to turn away from the moral deterioration that has set in.

BUDDHAHOOD AND BUDDHISM

Buddhism is the religion of the majority of the inhabitants of Asia. There are more than

500,000,000 Buddhists in the world which is nearly one quarter of the world’s total

population.

Many Buddhists are not aware of all the good teachings of their Master. If one is to

follow Buddhism properly and wishes to be called a good Buddhist, one must study the

life and teachings of the Buddha.

All the difficult problems of life will be understood more easily if one learns Buddhism.

The Buddha’s approach to this subject was straight and scientific – hence easy to

understand.

The Buddha did not keep his knowledge to himself and order his followers simply to

listen to his teachings. He did not promise to take any one to heaven simply because

they were his followers. If he had done so it would have been a false promise because

no one can take another to heaven or hell. One can gain admission into heaven or avoid

hell by one’s own actions. An outsider can only help by giving guidance as to the path to

follow.

Therefore the Buddha advised his disciples to follow his teachings and his pure

examples. He proved to them what he preached was true, for they will be able to actually

enjoy the good results of their meritorious deeds. This fact which was proved then holds

good even today and will hold good in the future too.

The Buddha practised loving-kindness towards all beings – gods, men, animals and

spirits and this is called the Universal Love. If the Buddha wanted to find happiness for

himself alone, he could have done so long before the time he actually attained the

eternal happiness of Nibbana. He could have attained that with much less difficulty also.

What he thought was that entering into that eternal happiness alone while so many were

suffering would be like an unkind mother enjoying a delicacy alone while her hungry

children were looking on. So, the Buddha, out of compassion for all living beings,

plunged himself into the suffering Samsara (cycle of birth and death) and took the longer

and more hazardous route to reach the farther shore. He had to live many lives and the

number of lives that he spent in his self imposed “training course” is incalculable.

The Buddha’s compassion and love towards all living beings was so great that he

undertook the sufferings of Samsara without the least hesitation. When we read the

Buddhist scriptures, we learn many of these facts. It is only with firm determination, a

great deal of energy and high wisdom that one could continue practising good thought,

words and deeds for so long. By such diligent practice any one may become a Buddha

for it is not the monopoly of a particular person or being.

You could become a Buddha, I could become a Buddha too. Buddhas encourage that

spirit in others who would aspire to become Buddhas similarly. Although myriad

Buddhas may come into being there still will be unfortunate beings who have not taken

the path to reach the eternal bliss of "Nibbana" because their shroud of ignorance is too

strong for them to tear off.

Every one of us has a grain of the Buddha spirit within us. It will not come into full bloom

if we forget all about it. We should take the necessary steps to cultivate that spirit until

that is brought to perfection and crowned with Buddhahood.

Now, how are we going to make this seed of Buddhahood grow into a big and strong

tree and bear the fruit of Buddhahood? Just as other plants needs to be well looked

after, watered and fertilised with more and more good deeds in this life and the lives

hereafter. Then there will be a day that we will succeed gloriously in our efforts.

However, it not an easy task to become a Buddha. A Buddha is one who possesses the

greatest wisdom and loving kindness. He is free from all passions and defilements. He is

one who is able to understand fully all the aspects of life's various problems and also

matters relating to before and after life. He is able to preach and convince others of the

way to find the solution to their problems.

Due to the difficulties of attaining Buddhahood, there is a Buddha in the world but once

in a long while. Hence the teachings of one Buddha are invariably forgotten in the world

by the time the next Buddha appears. Therefore, it always becomes a mighty task for a

Buddha to attain Enlightenment unaided in his efforts. There is none from whom he

could receive instruction in the right system of thought that leads to perfect knowledge. It

is only after his hard-earned Enlightenment or attainment of perfect knowledge that one

becomes known as a Buddha and is able to go forth to proclaim the truth to the world.

People live in the darkness of ignorance by not knowing what is right and what is wrong.

They are struggling in the mire of worldly evils. They think that the few fleeting moments

of pleasure that they may enjoy in this world are permanent; though in reality, they are

impermanent. By not understanding this glaring fact people become engrossed in

pleasures of short duration and get themselves entangled in them more and more,

becoming enslaves to them and thereby totally blind to reality.

Even when this is explained to them they turn a deaf ear to the truth. In short they

become so callous in not knowing what is right that many are emboldened to say : " I do

what I think is right." If everybody followed that rule then what would become of the

world? In no time virtue would disappear from the world and vice and evil would prevail

instead and there would be confusion and untold misery.

It is at the beginning of such a state of affairs that a Buddha is born into the world and he

puts it right for the time being. After some time evil predominates and should it go

beyond correction, even a Buddha would not appear because an evil world is not

prepared to listen to good advice. The evil-ridden word would have to face devastation

before a better world could appear.

To be wise among the ignorant, to be strong of heart among the week-hearted, to be

patient among the impatient , to be sober among the passion -intoxicated, to be kind

among the haters, are some of the almost unattainable achievements in the world. Yet,

there have seen such unique personalities as the Buddhas who attained all these and

many more qualities which are beyond description. There will also be Buddhas in time to

come and when conditions are suitable with their message of truth.

We should start cultivating good qualities in us from now on, so that we may be reborn

into the world when such an all-compassionate and all-awakened Buddha appears. To

be reborn in such favourable conditions is not easy and we must exert ourselves from

this very moment with a firm determination and all the energy at our command.

For our guidance in the upward journey, we should make use of the knowledge that has

been given to us by Gotama Buddha who lived only twenty-five centuries ago and which

has come down to us through the several generations of his faithful and devoted

disciples. The path shown by the Buddha is quite free from danger and is beneficial to all

who tread in it as well as to those who stand by it.

The upward journey in the spiritual life may be regarded by the beginner as difficult but if

one makes the first step forward, employing one’s energy with the little knowledge one

has, then half the difficulty is overcome. We should remember that the top of Mount

Everest was not reached with one step but with continued steps, surmounting greater

hardships in each one of them. Similarly for the attainment of Nibbana, one has to work

hard, step after step until the goal is reached.

No one can hope to reach the goal in one life, however long that life may be. So it is

necessary that one should accumulate merits in early life in order to reach final

perfection. Great oceans are only drops of water which have collected together.

Buddhahood is a great collection of everything that is good. In other words it is the

absence of everything evil.

While one is going in the quest of this highest goal, spending more lives over a very long

period, there may come to pass a time that one can meet a Buddha face to face. By this

time, that person would be full of merits that he had accumulated. And, if he so chooses

he could become a disciple of that Buddha and attain Enlightenment as a disciple under

him. That would of course be overlooking the great mass of suffering worldlings, but one

who desires liberation from the turmoil of Samsara (cycle of birth and death) would have

gained the desired goal which is NIBBANA – the eternal Blissful State.

DUTIES OF A LAY BUDDHIST

The Buddhist layman treats human existence as one of great importance – as one which

affords him the opportunity to live a righteous life here and now in order that he will be

able to cut down the sufferings of Samsara. He knows that this present existence is the

result of some good kamma, a moral consciousness pertaining to the realm of sense. He

knows that every action here has its relative effect and that – “By kamma the world

moves; by kamma men live and by kamma are they bound.”

He therefore, having sought the refuge of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, is

sure that under these three refuges, he is secure, free from danger, fear and defilements

that lead to evil destiny. With the Lord Buddha as the guiding ideal, the Dhamma as the

raft that enables him to cross the ocean of Samsara, and the Sangha as the rice field

within which to sow for a rich harvest, he leads a righteous life. He performs all his

actions heedfully and paying due regard to the cosmic law of life – Kamma action.

He therefore carefully avoids the ten evil actions of body, speech and mind. He commits

no evil through his bodily actions. He abstains from killing, stealing and sexual

misconduct. His words are composed and controlled. He does not lie, slander, speak

harshly nor engage in frivolous talk. He trains himself thus, knowing well that the fruits of

such evil deeds would bring suffering upon himself.

He knows that if he kills, he will have to suffer short life, disease and grief caused by the

separation from those he loves, and that he will have to live in constant fear. He knows

that if he steals, abject poverty, wretchedness, unfulfilled desires and a low life will be

his. He gives up adultery as the burning charcoal pit, for it brings him enemies and bad

lives. He gives up lying for it will torment him by abusive speech, subject him to

vilification and incredibility. Further, he will not covet. Seeing another’s wealth, he would

never think, “would this be mine.” Covetousness brings non-fulfilment of one’s wishes as

its kammic result. He will not harbour hate upon anyone, for ill-will “VYAPADA” will make

him ugly, bring disease and render him detestable.

Also he will give up false views. And as a pious devotee, he will endeavour to perform

good actions here and now by the practice of generosity, morality, meditation,

reverence, service, transference of merit and rejoicing in other’s merit. He will be

engaged in hearing the Doctrine and will make every effort possible to strengthen his

views.

As one leading a lay life, he must essentially accrue a lot of merit. The practice of

generosity will bring him wealth, whilst morality will bestow upon him birth in noble

families and in states of happiness. Meditation will help him to acquire higher knowledge

and final emancipation. By the transference of merit, he will be given plenty. Rejoicing in

other’s meritorious actions will endow him with joy in his future births. Listening to the

Dhamma will make him wise, while services will afford him great joy and happiness.

Praising others’ good actions will relatively bring him prosperity. The strengthening of

views will bring happiness and final deliverance.

The general outlook of a Buddhist layman is one above ordinary thoughts. He views all

life as transient, unsatisfactory and soulless. He tries to conceive in his daily life how

these truths come in to play; how all things of the world are ever changing, how little we

can control them, how all our pleasures end in pain and youth in age and lastly how very

empty life is. With this triple view of “Anicca”, “Dukka” and “Anatta’ growing in him, he

sees all life as arising and passing away. Also he sees that we are common in flesh, that

all mortals are yokes in a single fellowship of joys and pains. Thus surveying life, his

heart is filled with sympathetic love “Karuna’ for all things that suffer pains of sentient life.

And even as a mother at the risk of her life protects her only son, so he suffuses all living

beings with thoughts of boundless love and compassion. Inspired by this feeling of

infinite love, the Buddhist layman lives the life of service and usefulness to all during his

short span of life in this world.

The householder specially refrains from the ten evils as they cut the very roots of man's

life, bringing utter ruin even here in this very life. Further, he refrains from committing evil

actions through partiality - "Tanha", enmity - "Moha", and instead develops impartiality,

loving kindness, fearlessness and wisdom by all his actions.

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