Chapter 4: The Five Precepts

Q1 Other religions derive their ideas of right and wrong from the commandments of their god or gods. You Buddhist don't believe in god, so how do you know what is right and wrong?

Any thoughts, speech or actions that are rooted in greed, hatred and delusion and thus lead us away from Nirvana are bad and any thoughts, speech or actions that are rooted in giving, love and wisdom and thus help clear the way to Nirvana are good.

To know what is right and wrong in god-centered religions, all that is needed is to do as you are told. In human-centered religion like Buddhism, to know what is right and wrong, you have to develop a deep self-awareness and self-understanding. And ethics based on understanding are always stronger than those that are a response to a command.

So to know what is right and wrong, the Buddhist looks at three things - the intention behind the act, the effect the act will have upon oneself and the effect it will have upon others. If the intention is good (rooted in generosity, love and wisdom), if it helps myself (helps me to be more giving, more loving and wiser) and help others (helps them to be more giving, more loving and wiser), then my deeds and actions are wholesome, good and moral. Of course, there are many variations of this. Sometimes, I act with the best of intentions but it may not benefit either myself or others. Sometimes my intentions are far from good, but my action helps others nonetheless. Sometimes I act out of the good intentions and my acts help me but perhaps cause some distress to others. In such cases, my actions are mixed - a mixture of good and not-so-good. When intentions are bad and the action helps neither myself nor others, such an action is bad. And when my intention is good and my action benefits both myself and others, then the deed is wholly good.

Q2 So does Buddhism have a code of morality?
Yes it does. The Five Precepts are the basis of Buddhist morality. The First Precept is to avoid killing or harming living beings, the second is to avoid stealing, third is to avoid sexual misconduct, the fourth is to avoid lying and the fifth is to avoid alcohol and other intoxicating drugs.



Q3 But surely it is good to kill sometimes, to kill disease-spreading insects or someone who is going to kill you?
It might be good for you but what about the insect or the person who is killed? They wish to live just as you do. When you decide to kill a disease-spreading insect, your intention is perhaps a mixture of self-concern (good) and revulsion (bad). The act will benefit yourself (good) but obviously it will not benefit the creature (bad). So at times it may be necessary to kill but it is never wholly good.

Q4 You Buddhist are too concerned about ants and bugs.
Buddhist try to develop a compassion that is undiscriminating and all-embracing. We see the world as a unified whole where each thing and creature has its place and function. We believe that before we destroy or upset nature's delicate balance, we should be very careful. When emphasis has been on exploiting nature to the full, conquering and subduing it, nature has revolted. The air is becoming poisoned, the rivers polluted and dead, so many animal and plants are heading for extinction, the slopes of the mountains are barren and eroded. Even the climate is changing. If people were a little less anxious to crush, destroy and kill, this terrible situation may not have arisen. We should strive to develop a little more respect for all life. And this is what the First Precept is about.

Q5 What does Buddhism say about abortion?
According to the Buddha life begins at conception or very soon after and so to abort a fetus would be to take a life.

Q6 But if a woman is raped or if she knows that her child is going to be deformed, wouldn't it be better to stop the pregnancy?
A child conceived as the result of a rape is entitled to live and be loved as any other child. He or she should not be killed simply because their biological father committed a crime. Giving birth to a deformed or mentally retarded child would be a terrible shock for the parents but if its okay to abort a fetus like this then why not kill children or adults who are deformed or handicapped? There might be situation where abortion was the most humane alternative, for example, to save the life of a mother. But let's be honest, most abortions are performed simply because the pregnancy is inconvenient, an embarrassment or because the parents want to have the child later. To Buddhists, these seem a very poor reasons to destroy a life.

Q7 If someone committed suicide would they be breaking the First Precept?
When one person murders another they might do it out of fear, anger, fury, greed or some other negative emotions. When a person commits suicide they might do it for very similar reasons or because of other negative emotions like despair or frustration. So whereas murder is the result of negative emotions directed towards another, suicide is negative emotions directed towards oneself and therefore would be breaking the Precept. However, someone who is contemplating suicide or had attempted suicide does not need being told that what they are doing is wrong. They need our support and our understanding. We have to help them understand that killing themselves is perpetuating their problem, not solving it.



Q8 Tell me about the Second Precept.
When we take this Precept we undertake to take nothing that does not belong to us. The Second Precept is about restraining our greed and respecting the property of others.




Q9 The Third Precept says we should avoid sexual misconduct. What is sexual misconduct?
If we use trickery, emotional blackmail or force to compel someone to have sex with us, then that can be said to be sexual misconduct. Adultery is also a form of sexual misconduct because when we marry we promised our spouse we will be loyal to them. When we commit adultery, we break that promise and betray their trust. Sex should be an expression of love intimacy between two people and when it is, it contributes to our mental and emotional well-being.

Q10 Is sex before marriage a type of sexual misconduct?
No if there is love and mutual agreement between the two people concerned. However, it should never be forgotten that the biological function of sex is reproduction and if an unmarried woman becomes pregnant, it can cause a great deal of problems. Many mature and thoughtful people think that it is far better to leave sex until after marriage.

Q11 What does Buddhism say about birth control?
Some religions teach that having sex for any reason other than procreation is immoral and thus they consider all forms of birth control to be wrong. Buddhism recognizes that sex has several purpose - procreation, recreation, as an expression of love and affection between two people, etc. This being that case, it considers all forms of birth control, apart from abortion to be acceptable. In fact, Buddhism would say that in a world where the population explosion has become a major problem, birth control is a real blessing.



Q12 But what about Forth Precept? Is it possible to live without telling lies?
If it is really impossible to get by in society or do business without lying, such a shocking and corrupt state of affairs should be changed. The Buddhist is someone who resolves to do something practical about the problem by trying to be more truthful and honest.

Q13 If you were sitting in the park and a terrified man ran past you and then a few minutes later another man carrying a knife ran up to you and asked if you had seen which way the first man had gone, would you tell him the truth or would you lie to him?
If I had good reason to suspect that the second man was going to to serious harm to the first I would, as an intelligent caring Buddhist, have no hesitation in lying. We said before that one of the factors determining whether a deed is good or bad is intention. The intention to save a life is many times more positive than telling a lie is negative, in circumstances such as these. If lying, drinking or even stealing mean that I saved a life I should do it. I can always make amends for breaking these Precepts but I can never bring back a life once it is gone. However, as said before, please do not take this as a license to break the Precepts whenever it is convenient. The Precepts should be practiced with great care and only infringed in extreme cases.



Q14 The Fifth Precept says we should not drink alcohol or take other drugs. Why not?
People don't drink for the taste. When they drink alone, it is in order to seek release from tension and when they drink socially, it is usually to conform. Even a small amount of alcohol distorts consciousness and disrupts self-awareness. Taken in large quantities, its effect can be devastating. Buddhists say that when you break the Fifth Precept you can break all the other Precepts.

Q15 But drinking just a small amount wouldn't be really breaking the precept, would it? It's only a small thing.
Yes, it is only a small thing and if you can't practice even a small thing, your commitment and resolution isn't very strong, is it?

Q16 Would smoking be against the Fifth Precept?
Smoking certainly has a negative effect on the body but its effect on the mind is very minor. One is able to smoke and still be alert, mindful and self-possessed so while smoking might be inadvisable, it would not be against the Precepts.

Q17 The Five Precepts are negative. They tell you what not to do. They don't tell you what to do.
The Five Precepts are the basis of Buddhist morality. They are not all of it. We start by recognizing our negative behavior and then striving to stop it. That is what the Five Precepts are for. After we have stopped doing wrong, we then commence to try doing good. Take for example of the Forth Precept. The Buddha said we should start by refraining from telling lies. After that, we should speak the truth, speck gently, politely and at the right time. He says:

'Giving up false speech he becomes a speaker of truth, reliable, trustworthy, dependable, he does not deceive the world. Giving up malicious speech he does not repeat there what he has heard here nor does he repeat here what he has heard there in order to cause variance between people. He reconciles those who are divided and brings closer together those who are already friends. Harmony is his joy, harmony is his delight, harmony is his love; it is the motive of his speech. Giving up harsh speech his speech is blameless, pleasing to the ear, agreeable, going to the heart, urbane, liked by most. Giving up idle chatter he speaks at the right time, what is correct, to the point, about Dhamma and about discipline. He speaks words being treasured up, seasonable, reasonable, well defined and to the point.' M.I, 179

weekly dharma quote 22

We already have
perfect compassion,
perfect wisdom,
perfect joy.

We only need
to settle our minds
so they can arise
from deep within us.

Chapter 3: Buddhism and the God-idea

Q1: Do you Buddhists believe in god?

No, we do not. There are several reasons for this. Like modern sociologists and psychologists, the Buddha saw that many religious ideas and especially the god-idea have their origin in anxiety and fear. The Buddha says:
'Gripped by fear people go the the sacred mountains, scared groves, sacred trees and shrines.' Dhp.188

Primitive humans found themselves in a dangerous and hostile world. The fear of wild animals, of not being able to find enough food, of injury or disease, and of natural phenomena like thunder, lightning and volcanoes was constantly with them. Finding no security, they created the idea of gods in order to give them comfort in good times, courage in times of danger and consolation when things went wrong. To this day you will notice that people often become more religious at times of crises. you will hear them say that the belief in their god or gods gives them the strength they need to deal with life. Often they explain that they believe in a particular god because they prayed in time of need and their prayer was answered, All this seems to support the Buddha's teaching that the god-idea is a response to fear and frustration. The Buddha taught us to try to understand our fears, to lessen our desires and to calmly and courageously accept the things we cannot change. He replaced fear with rational understanding not with irrational belief.

The second reason the Buddha did not believe in a god is because there does not seem to be very much evidence to support this idea. There are numerous religions, all claiming that they alone have god's words preserved in their holy book, that they alone understand god's nature, that their god exists and that the gods of other religions do not. Some claim that god is masculine, some that she is feminine and others that it is neuter. They are all satisfied that there is ample evidence to prove the existence of the god they worship but they scoff at the evidence other religions use to prove the existence of other gods. It is surprising that despite so many religions using so much ingenuity over so many centuries to prove the existence of god that there is still no real, concrete , substantial or irrefutable evidence for such a being. Buddhists suspend judgement until such evidence is forthcoming.

The third reason the Buddha did not believe in a god is because he felt that the belief was not necessary. Some claim that the belief in a god is necessary in order to explain the origin on the universe. But science has very convincingly explained how the universe came into being without having to introduce the god-idea. Some claim that belief in god is necessary to have a happy meaningful life. But again we can see that this is not so. There are millions of atheists and free-thinkers, not to mention many Buddhists, who live useful, happy and meaningful lives without belief in god. Some claim that belief in god's power is necessary because humans, being weak, do not have the strength to help themselves. Once again, the evidence indicates the opposite. One often hears of people who have overcome great disabilities and handicaps, enormous odds and difficulties, through their own inner resources, their own efforts and without belief in god. Some claim that god is necessary in order to give salvation. This concept only holds good if you accept the theological concept of salvation and Buddhists do not accept such a concept. Based on his own experience the Buddha saw that each human being has the capacity to purify the mind, develop infinite love and compassion and perfect understanding. He shifted attention from the heavens to the heart and encouraged us to find solutions to our problems through self-understanding.

Q2: But if there are no gods how did the universe get here?
All religions have myths and stories which attempt to answer this question. In ancient times such myths were adequate but in the 21st century, in the age of physics, astronomy and geology, such myths have been superseded by scientific fact. Science has explained the origin of the universe without recourse to the god-idea.

Q3: What does the Buddha say about the origin of the universe?
It is interesting that the Buddha's explanation of the origin of the universe corresponds very closely to the scientific view. In the Aganna Sutta, the Buddha described the universe being destroyed and then re-evolving into its present form over a period of countless millions of years. The first life formed on the surface of the water and again, over countless millions of years, evolved from simple to complex organisms. All these processes were, he said, without beginning or end, and are set in motion by natural causes.

Q4: You say there is no evidence for the existence of god but what about miracles?
There are many people who believe that miracles are proof of god's existence. We hear wild claims that a healing has taken place but we never seem to get independent testimony of this from any medical offices or doctors We hear second-hand reports that someone was miraculously saved from disaster but we never seem to get eye-witness accounts of what was supposed to have happened. We hear rumors that prayer straightened a diseased body or strengthened a withered limb, but we never see X-rays or get comments from doctors or nurses to prove these rumors. Wild claims, second-hand reports and hearsay are no substitute for solid evidence and solid evidence of miracles is very rare. However, unusual and unexplained things sometimes do happen. But our inability to explain such things does not prove the existence of gods. It only proves that our knowledge is as yet incomplete. Before the development of modern medicine, when people didn't know what caused sickness, they believed that god or the gods sent diseases as a punishment. Now we know what causes such things and when we get sick, we take medicine. In time when our knowledge of the world is more complete we may find out what causes unexplained phenomena, just as we can now understand what causes disease.

Q5: But so many people believe in some form of god, it must be true.
Not so. There was a time when everyone believed that the world was flat, but they were all wrong. The number of people who believe in an idea is no measure of the truth or falsehood of that idea. The only way we can tell whether as idea is true or not is by looking at the facts and examining the evidence.

Q6: So if you Buddhists don't believe in gods, what do you believe in?
We do not believe in a god because we believe in humanity. We believe that each human being is precious and important, that all have the potential to develop into a Buddha - a perfected human being. We believe that human beings can outgrow ignorance and irrationality and see things as they really are. We believe that hatred, anger, spite and jealousy can be replaced by love, patience, generosity and kindness. We believe that all this is within the grasp of each person if they make the effort, guided and supported by their fellow Buddhists and inspired by the example of the Buddha. As the Buddha says:

'No one saves us but ourselves,
No one can and no one may.
We ourselves must walk the path,
But Buddhas clearly show the way.' Dhp.165

weekly dharma quote 21

Phenomena are preceded by
the heart,
ruled by the heart,
made of the heart.

if you speak or act
with a calm,
bright heart,
then happiness follows you,
like a shadow
that never leaves.

Chapter 2: Basic Buddhist Concepts

Q1: What are the main teachings of the Buddha?

All of the many teachings of the Buddha center on the Four Noble Truths just as the rim and spokes of a wheel center on the hub. They are called ‘Four’ because there are four of them. They are called ‘Noble’ because they ennoble one who understands them and they are called ‘Truths’ because, corresponding with reality, they are true.

Q2: What is the First Noble Truth?

The first Noble Truth is that life is suffering. To live is to suffer. It is impossible to live without experiencing some kind of pain or distress. We have to endure physical suffering like sickness, injury, tiredness, old age and eventually death. We also have to endure psychological suffering like loneliness, frustrations, fear, embarrassment, disappointment, anger, etc.

Q3: Isn’t this a bit pessimistic?

The dictionary defines pessimism as ‘the habit of thinking that whatever will happen will be bad,’ or ‘the belief that evil is more powerful than good.’ Buddhism teaches neither of these ideas. Nor does it deny that happiness exists. It simply says that live is to experience physical and psychological suffering which is a statement so true and so obvious that it cannot be denied. Buddhism is not pessimistic, it teaches us to face the reality of our existence. Buddhism starts with an experience, an irrefutable fact, a thing that all know, that all have experienced and that all are trying to avoid. Thus, Buddhism starts by going straight to the core of every individual human beings’ concern – suffering and how to avoid it.

Q4: What is the Second Noble Truth?

The Second Noble Truth is that craving causes all suffering. When we look at psychological suffering, it is easy to see how it is cause by craving. When we want something but are unable to get it, we feel disappointed or frustrated. When we expect someone to live up to our expectation and they do not, we feel let down and angry. When we want others to like us and they do not, we feel hurt. Even when we want something and ae able to get it, this does not often lead to happiness because it is not long before we feel bored with that thing, lose interest in it and commence to what something else. Put simply, the Second Noble Truth says that getting what you want does not guarantee happiness. Rather than constantly struggling to get what you want, try to modify your wanting. Wanting deprives us of contentment and happiness.

Q5: But how does wanting and craving lead to physical suffering?

A lifetime of wanting and craving for this and that and especially the craving to continue to exist creates a powerful energy that causes the individual to be reborn. When we are reborn, we have a body and as we said before, the body is susceptible to injury and disease; it can be exhausted by work; it ages and eventually dies. Thus, craving leads to physical suffering because it causes us to be reborn.

Q6: That’s all very well. But if we stopped wanting altogether, we would never got anything or achieve anything.

True. But what the Buddha says is that when our desire, our craving, our constant discontent with what we have and our continual longing for more and more does cause us suffering, then we should stop doing it. He asked us to make a difference between what we need and what we want, and to strive for our needs and modify our wants. He taught us that our needs can be fulfilled but what our wants are endless – bottomless pit. There are needs that are essential, fundamental and that can be obtained and we should work towards this, Desires beyond this should be gradually lessened. After all, what is the purpose of life? To get, or to be content and happy.

Q7: You have talked about rebirth, but is there any proof that such a thing happens?

There is ample evidence that such a thing happens bit we will look at this in more detail later on.

Q8: What is the Third Noble Truth?

The Third Noble Truth is that suffering can be overcome and happiness attained. This is perhaps the most important of the Four Noble Truth because in it the Buddha reassured us that true happiness and contentment are possible. When we give up useless craving and learn to live each day at a time, enjoying without restless wanting the experiences that life offers is, patiently enduring the problems that life involves without fear, hatred and anger, then we become happy and free. Then and only then, are we being able to live fully. Because we are no longer obsessed with satisfying our own selfish wants, we find we have so much time to help others fulfill their needs. This state is called Nirvana.

Q9: What or where is Nirvana?

It is a dimension transcending time and space and thus is difficult to talk about or even to think about, words and thoughts being only suited to describe the time-space dimension. But because Nirvana is beyond time, there is no movement, no friction and so no aging or dying. Thus Nirvana is eternal. Because it is beyond space, there is no causation, no boundary, no concept of self and not self and thus Nirvana is infinite. The Buddha also assured us that Nirvana is an experience of great happiness. He said:

“Nirvana is the highest happiness,” – Dhp.204

Q10: But is there any proof that such a dimension exists?

No there is not. But its existence can be inferred. If there is a dimension where time and space do operate and there is such dimension – the world we experience – then we can infer that there is a dimension where time and space do not operate – Nirvana. Again, even though we cannot prove Nirvana exists, we have the Buddha’s word that it does. He told us:

“There is an Unborn, a Not-become, a Not-made, a Not-compounded. If there were not this Unborn, Not-become, Not-made, Not-compounded, there could not be an escape from what is born, become, made, and compounded. But since there is this Unborn, Not-become, Not-made, Not-compounded, there is an escape from what is born, become, made and compounded.” Ud,80

We will know it when we attain it. Until that time, we can still practice.

Q11: What is the Fourth Noble Truth?

The Fourth Noble Truth is the Path leading to the overcoming of suffering. This path is called the Noble Eightfold Path and consists of Perfect Understanding, Perfect Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness and Perfect Concentration. The Buddhist life consists of practicing these eight things until they become more complete. You will notice that the steps on the Noble Eightfold Path cover every aspect of life: the intellectual, the ethical, the social and economic and the psychological, and therefore contain everything a person needs to lead a good life and to develop spiritually.

weekly dharma quote 20

Phenomena are preceded by
the heart,
ruled by the heart,
made of the heart.

If you speak or act
with a corrupted heart,
then suffering follows you --
as the wheel of the cart,
the track of the ox
that pulls it.

Chapter 1: What is Buddhism?

Q1 What is Buddhism?
The name Buddhism comes from the word 'budhi' which means 'to wake up' and thus Buddhism can be said to be the philosophy of awakening. This philosophy has its origins in the experience of the man Siddhattha Gotama, known as the Buddha, who was himself awakened at the age of 35. Buddhism is now 2,500 years old and has about 380 million followers worldwide. Until a hundred years ago Buddhism was mainly as Asian philosophy but increasingly it is gaining adherents in Europe, Australia and America.

Q2 So Buddhism is just a philosophy?
The word philosophy comes from two words 'philo', which means 'love', and 'sophia' which means 'wisdom'/ So philosophy is the love of wisdom or love and wisdom, both meanings describe Buddhism perfectly. Buddhism teaches that we should try to develop our intellectual ability to the fullest so that we can understand clearly. It also teaches us to develop love and kindness so that we can be like a true friend to all beings. So Buddhism is a philosophy but not just a philosophy. It is the supreme philosophy.

Q3 Who was the Buddha?
In the year 563 BC a baby was born into a loyal family in northern India. He grew up in wealth and luxury but eventually found that worldly comforts and security do not guarantee happiness. He was deeply moved by the suffering he saw all around and resolved to find the key to human happiness. When he was 29 he left his wife and child and set off to sit at the feet of the great religious teachers of the day and learn from them. They taught him much but none really knew the cause of human suffering and how it could be overcome. Eventually, after six years study, struggle and meditation he had an experience in which all ignorance fell away and he suddenly understood. From that day onwards he was called the Buddha, the Awakened One. He lived for another 45 years during which time he traveled all over the northern India teaching others what he had discovered. His compassion and patience were legendary and he had thousands of followers. In his 80th year, old and sick, but still dignified and serene, he finally passed away.

Q4 Wasn't it irresponsible for the Buddha to walk out on his wife and child?
It couldn't have been an easy thing for the Buddha to leave his family. He must have worried and hesitated for a long time before he finally left. But he had a choice, dedicating himself to his family or dedicating himself to the world. In the end, his great compassion made him give himself to the whole world and the whole world still benefits from his sacrifice. This was not irresponsible. It was perhaps the most significant sacrifice ever made.

Q5 If the Buddha is dead how can he helps us?
Faraday who discovered electricity is dead, but what he discovered still helps us. Luis Pasteur who found the cures for so many diseases is also dead, but his medical discoveries still save lives. Leonardo da Vinci who created masterpieces of art is dead, but what he created can still uplift the heart and give joy. Great heroes and heroines may have been dead for centuries but when we read from their deeds and achievements we can still be inspired to act as they did. Yes, the Buddha passed away but 2,500 years later his teachings still help people, his example still inspires people, his words still change lives. Only a Buddha could have such power centuries after his passing.

Q6 Was the Buddha a god?
No he was not. He did not claim that he was a god, the child of a god or even the messenger from a god. He was a human being who perfected himself and taught that if we follow his example we could perfect ourselves also.

Q7 If the Buddha is not a god why do people worship him?
There are different types of worship. When someone worships a god, they praise him or her, make offerings and ask for favors, believing that the god will hear their praise, receive their offerings and answer their prayers. Buddhists do not practice this kind of worship. the other kind of worship is when we show respect to someone or something we admire. When a teacher walks into room we stand up, when we meet a dignitary we shake hands, when national anthem is played we salute. These are all gestures of respect and worship. This is the type of worship Buddhist practice. A statue of Buddha with its hands rested gently in his lap and its compassionate smile reminds us to strive to develop peace and love within ourselves. The perfume of incense reminds us of the pervading influence of virtue, the lamp reminds us of the light of knowledge and the flowers, which soon fade and die, reminds us of impermanence. When we bow we express our gratitude to the Buddha for what his teachings have given us. This is the meaning of Buddhist worship.

Q8 But I have heard people say that Buddhists worship idols.
Such statements only reflect the misunderstanding of the persons who make them. The dictionary defines an idols as 'an image or statue worshipped as a god.' As we have seen, Buddhists do not believe that the Buddha was a god, so how could they possibly believe that a piece of wood or metal is a god? All religions use symbols to represent their various beliefs. In Taoism, the ying-yang diagram is used to symbolize the harmony between opposites. In Sikhism, the sword is used to symbolize spiritual struggle. In Christianity, the fish is used to symbolize Christ's persence and a cross to represent his sacrifice. In Buddhism, the statue of the Buddha reminds us of the human dimension in Buddhist teaching, the fact that Buddhism is human-centered rather than god-centered, that we must look within, not without to find perfection and understanding. Therefore, to say that Buddhist worship idols is as silly as saying that Christian worship fish or geometrical shapes.

Q9 Why do people do all kinds of strange things in Buddhist temples?
Many things seem strange to us when we don't understand them. Rather than dismiss such things as strange, we should try to find their meaning. However, it is true that some of the things Buddhists do originated in popular superstition and misunderstanding rather than the teaching of the Buddha. And such misunderstandings are not found in Buddhism alone but creep into in all religions from time to time. The Buddha taught with clarity and in detail and if some people fail to understand fully, he cannot be blamed for that. There is a saying from the Buddhist scriptures:
'If a person suffering from a disease does not seek treatment even when there is a physician at hand, it is not the fault of the physician. In the same way, if a person is oppressed and tormented by the disease of the defilement's but does not seek the help of the Buddha, that is not the Buddha's fault' Jn. 28-9
Nor should Buddhism or any religion be judged by those who don't practice it properly. If you wish to know the real teachings of Buddhism, read the Buddha's words or speak to those who understand them properly.

Q10 Is there a Buddhist equivalent of Christmas?
According to tradition, Prince Siddhatta was born, became the Buddha and passed away on the full moon day of Vesakha, the second month of the Indian year which corresponds to April-May of the Western calender. On that day Buddhists in all lands celebrate these events by visiting temples, participating in various ceremonies or perhaps spending the day meditation.

Q11 If Buddhism is so good why are some Buddhist countries poor?
If by poor you mean economically poor, then it is true that some Buddhist countries are poor. But if by poor you mean a poor quality of life, then perhaps some Buddhist countries are quite rich. America for example, is an economically rich and powerful country but the crime rate is one of the highest in the world. Millions of elderly people are neglected by their children and die of loneliness in old people's homes. Domestic violence, child abuse and drug addiction are major problems and one in three marriages end in divorce. Rich in terms of money but perhaps poor in terms of the quality of life. Now if you look at some traditional Buddhist countries you find a very different situation. Parents are honored and respected by their children, the crime rates are relatively low, divorce and suicide are rare. Traditional values like gentleness, generosity, hospitality to strangers, tolerance and respect for others are still strong. Economically backward but perhaps a higher quality of life than a country like America. However, even if we judge Buddhist countries in terms of economics alone, one of the wealthiest and most economically dynamic countries in the world today is Japan, where a good percentage of the population call themselves Buddhist.

Q12 Why is it that you don't often hear of charitable work being done by Buddhists?
Perhaps it is because Buddhists don't feel the need to boast about the good they do. Several years ago the Japanese Buddhist leader Nikkho Nirwano received the Templeton Prize for his work in promoting inter-religious harmony. Likewise a Thai Buddhist monk was recently awarded the prestigious Magsaysay Prize for his excellent work among drug addicts. In 1987 another Thai monk, Ven. Kantayapiwat was awarded the Norwegian Children's Peace Prize for his many years of work helping homeless children in rural areas. And what about the large scale social work being done among the poor in India by the Western Buddhist Order? They have built schools, child-minding centers, dispensaries and small-scale industries for self-sufficiency. Buddhist see help given to others as an expression of their religious practice just as other religions do but they believe that it should be done quietly and without self-promotion.

Q13 Why are there so many different types of Buddhism?
There are many different types of sugar - brown sugar, white sugar, rock sugar and icing sugar but it is all sugar and it all tastes sweet. It is produced in different forms so that it can be used in different ways. Buddhism is the same: there are Theravada Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, Yogacara Buddhism and Vajrayana Buddhism but it is all the teachings of the Buddha and it all has the same taste - the taste of freedom. Buddhism has evolved into different forms so that it can be relevant to the different cultures in which it exists. It has been reinterpreted over the centuries so that it can remain relevant to each new generation. Outwardly, the types of Buddhism may seem very different but at the center of all of them are the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. All major religions , Buddhism included, have split into schools and sects. Perhaps the difference between Buddhism and some other religions is that the various schools have always been very tolerant and friendly towards each other.

Q14 You certainly think highly of Buddhism. I suppose you believe it is the only true religion and that all the others are false.
No Buddhist who understands the Buddha's teaching thinks that other religions are wrong. No one who has made a genuine effort to examine other religions with an open mind could think like that either. The first thing you notice when you study the different religions is just how much they have in common. All religions acknowledge that humankind's present state is unsatisfactory. All believe that a change of attitude and behavior is needed if the human situation is to improve. All teach ethics that includes love, kindness, patience , generosity and social responsibility and all accept the existence of some form of Absolute. They use different languages, different symbols to describe and explain these things. It is only when people cling narrow-mindedly to their particular way of seeing things that intolerance, pride and self-righteousness arise.

Imagine an Englishman, a Frenchman, a Chinese and an Indonesian all looking at a cup. The Englishman says, "That is a cup." The Frenchman answers, "No it's not. It's a tasse." Then the Chinese comments, "You are both wrong. It's a pei." Finally the Indonesian man laughs at the others and says "What fools you are. It's a cawan." Then the Englishman get a dictionary and shows it to the others saying, "I can prove that it is a cup. My dictionary says so." "Then your dictionary is wrong," says the Frenchman,"because my dictionary clearly says it is a tasse." The Chinese scoffs;"My dictionary says it's a pei and my dictionary is thousands of years older than yours so it must be right. And besides, more people speak Chinese than any other language, so it must be a pei." While they are squabbling and arguing with each other, another man comes up, drinks from the cup and then says to the others, " Whether you call it a cup, a tasse, a per or a cawan, the purpose of the cup is to hold water so that it can be drunk. Stop arguing and drink, stop squabbling and refresh your thirst." This is the Buddhist attitude to other religions.

Q15 Some people say, "All religions are really the same." Would you agree with them?
Religion is a phenomena far too complex and diverse to be encapsulated by a neat little statement like that. A Buddhist might say that this statement contains elements of both falseness and truth. Buddhism teaches that there is no god while Christianity, for example, teaches that there is. I think that this is quite an important difference. However, on of the most beautiful passages in the Bible says;
'If I speak the languages of men and angels but have no love, I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith so strong that it can move a mountain, but I have no love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and even surrender my body to the flames but i have no love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily agreed, it keeps no record of wrongs done. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always perseveres.' I Cor. 13-7

This is exactly what Buddhism teaches - that the quality of our heart is more important than any super-normal powers we might have, our ability to foretell the future, the strength of our faith or any extravagant gestures we might make. So when it comes to theological concepts and theories, Buddhism and Christianity certainly differ. But when it comes to heart-qualities, ethics and behavior they are very similar.

Q16 Is Buddhism scientific?
Before we answer that question it would be best to define the word 'science'. Science is, according to the dictionary, "knowledge which can be made into a system, which depends upon seeing and testing facts and stating general natural laws, a branch of such knowledge, anything that can be studied exactly." There are aspects of Buddhism that would not fit into this definition but the central teachings of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, most certainly would. Suffering, the First Noble Truth, is an experience that can be defined, experienced and measured. The Second Noble Truth states that suffering has a natural cause, craving, which likewise can be defined, experienced and measured. No attempted is made to explain suffering in terms of metaphysical concept or myths. According to the Third Noble Truth, suffering is ended, not by relying on upon a supreme being, by faith or by prayers but simply by removing its cause. This is axiomatic. The Forth Noble Truth, the way to end suffering, once again, has nothing to do with metaphysics but depends on behaving in specific ways. And once again behavior is open to testing. Buddhism dispenses with the concept of a supreme being, as does science, and explains the origins and workings of the universe in terms of natural laws. All of this certainly exhibits a scientific spirit. Once again, the Buddha's constant advice that we should not blindly believe, but rather question, examine, inquire and rely our own experience, has a definite scientific ring to it. In his famous Kalama Sutta the Buddha says;
'Do not go by revelation or tradition, do not go by rumor or the sacred scriptures, do not go by hearsay or mere logic, do not go by bias towards a notion or by another person's seeming ability and do not go by the idea "He is our teacher." But when you yourself know that a thing is good, that it is laudable, that it is praised by the wise and when practiced and observed that it leads to happiness, then follow that thing.' A.I,188
So we could say that although Buddhism is not entirely scientific, it certainly has strong scientific overtone and is certainly more scientific than any other religion. It is significant that Albert Einstein, the greatest scientist of the 20th century said of Buddhism:
"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both natural and spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual and a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism."

Q17 I have sometimes heard the Buddha's teachings called the Middle Way. What does this term mean?
The Buddha gave his Noble Eightfold Path an alternative name, majjhima patipada, which means 'the Middle Way.' This is a very important name beacuse it suggests to us that it is not enough to just follow the Path, but that we have to follow it in a particular way. People can become very rigid about religious rules and practices and end up becoming real fanatics. In Buddhism the rules have to be followed, and the practice done in a balanced and reasonably way that avoids extremism and excess. The ancient Romans used to say ' Moderation in all things' and Buddhists would agree with this completely.

Q18 I read that Buddhism is just a type of Hinduism. Is this true?
No it is not. Buddhism and Hinduism share many ethical ideas, they use some common terminology like the words kamma, samadhi and nirvana and they both originated in India. This has led some people to think that they are the same or very similar. But when we look beyond the superficial similarities we see that the two religions are distinctly different. For example, Hindus believe in a supreme God while Buddhists do not. One of the central teachings of Hindu social philosophy is the idea of caste, which Buddhism firmly rejects. Ritual purification is an important practice in Hinduism but it has no place in Buddhism. In the Buddhist scriptures the Buddha is often portrayed as criticizing what the brahmins, the Hindu priests, taught and they were very critical of some of his ideas. This would not have happened if Buddhism and Hinduism were the same.

Q19 But the Buddha did copy the idea of kamma from Hinduism didn't he?
Hinduism does not teach a doctrine of kamma and also reincarnation. However, their version of both these teachings are very different from the Buddhist versions. For example, Hinduism says we are determined by our kamma which Buddhism says our kamma only conditions us. According to Hinduism an eternal soul or atman passes from one life to the next while Buddhism dinies that there is such a soul saying rather that it isi a constantly changing stream of mental energy that is reborn. There are just some of the many differences between the two religions on kamma and rebirth. However, even if the Buddhist and Hindu teachings were identical this would not necessarily mean that the Buddha unthinkingly copied the ideas of others..

It sometimes happens that two people, quite independently of each other, make exactly the same discovery. A good example of htis was the discovery of evolution. In 1958, just before he published his famous book The Origin of the Species, Charles Darwin found that another man, Alfred Russell Wallace, had conceived the idea of evolution just as he had done. Darwin and Wallace had not copied each other's ideas. Instead, by studying the same phenomena they had come to hte same conclusion about it. So even if Hindu and Buddhist ideas about kamma and rebirth were identical, which they are not, this would not necessarily be proof of coping. The truth is that through insights they developed in meditation Hindu sages got vague ideas about kamma and rebirth which the Buddha later expounded more fully and more accurately.

Good Quuestion Good Answer by S. Dhammika

Ehipassiko!

Good Question Good Answer (Revised Edition) is a book writen by Ven S. Dhammika.

The author, Venerable Shravasti Dhammika was born in Australia and became a monk in India in 1976. He lived in Sri LAnka and Singapore for many years and is the author of numerous books on Buddhism and related subjects.

In this book, Ven. Dhammika gives clear, thoughtful and lively answers to more than 130 commonly asked questions about Buddhism. It consits of 13 chapters which will be shared here in 13 consecutive weeks tentatively every Monday after the 'Weekly Dharma Sharing'.

The chapters include:
1. What is Buddhism?
2. Basic Buddhist Concepts
3. Buddhism and the God-idea
4. The Five Precepts
5. Rebirth
6. Meditation
7. Compassion and Wisdom
8. Vegetarianism
9. Good Luck and Fate
10. Monks and Nuns
11. The Buddhist Scriptures
12. History and Development
13. Becoming a Buddhist

Hope you guys enjoy it.

Sokhi Hontu! =)

weekly dharma quote 19

Impermanence
No self
Nirvana.

weekly dharma quote 18

In separateness, lies the world's
great suffering.



In unity, lies the world's
true strength.

weekly dharma quote 17

Perfect wisdom,
Perfect tranquility,
Perfect compassion

arise from

Our love,
Our sincerity,
Our understanding.