Buddha is the first promoter of the world of democracy, equality, freedom, non-violence, and peace. Buddha’s Dhamma is based on equality, freedom, fraternity and it is a social movement. It is a humanist religion.
Basis Of Buddhism
The relationship of man and man to this world with man is the focal point of Buddha Dhamma. This is the first element of Dhamma. While stating the second element of Dhamma, Buddha says, humans are living in sorrow, pain and poverty and to destroy this sorrow from the world, is the purpose of Dhamma. Accepting the existence of sorrow and showing the way to destroy it is the basis of Buddhism.
What Did The Buddha Deny?
- Denial of divine doctrine.
- Karma’s divine doctrine was denied and accepted the important principle of Paticcasamuppāda
- Instead of accepting Moksha, he accepted Nibbāna.
Features Of Buddha’s Teachings
- The first feature of the Buddha’s teachings is that the mind is the center of all actions.
- The second feature of Buddha’s teachings is that the mind is the origin of all good and bad works.
Manopubangamā dhammā
Manosettā manomayā
Manasa ce padutthena
Bhāsati vā karoti vā
Tato nam dukkhamnveti
Cakkam va vahato padam
(Mind precedes thoughts, mind is their chief, their quality is made by mind. If a man speaks or acts with a base mind, then suffering follows him, like the wheel of a cart following the hoof of the bullock.)
- The third feature of Buddha’s teachings is to stay away from sinfulness.
- The fourth feature is that the real Dharma is not in the scriptures but in following the Dhamma.
Cattāri Ariya Saccāni
Cattāri Ariya Saccāni (The Four Noble Truths), this is the basic teaching of Buddha philosophy. Buddha’s philosophy is based on Cattāri Ariya Saccāni. As the center of Buddha philosophy is human, through Cattāri Ariya Saccāni, Buddha has revealed the truth of human life. There is sorrow in human life, there is a reason for sorrow, sorrow can be destroyed and its path is also given by Buddha through Cattāri Ariya Saccāni. This Cattāri Ariya Saccāni is as follows-
- Dukkha Ariya Sacca
- Dukkha Samudaya Ariya Sacca
- Dukkha Nirodha Ariya Sacca
- Dukkha Nirodha Gāmini Patipadā Ariya Sacca
Tilakkhana
Anicca(Impermanence), Dukkha (Unsatisfactoriness of suffering), Anatta(Non-self),this Tilakkhana(Three Marks of existence) is the basis of Buddha teachings. Anicca, Dukka and Anatta, these three are related to each other. Everything is going to be destroyed. Because they are constantly changing. These changes happen in a natural way. Their nature is to rise and fall. Several reasons for the sorrow have been discussed. Nothing is mine; it is the nature of the doctrine of the Anatta should be abstain from what is not mine. Kamma ‘Kamma, this is the basis of the moral system of the world’- it is dhamma to accept. The Buddha says that the moral system is not controlled by God, it is controlled by the Kamma rule. The moral system is wrong, its reason is that man is doing unskilled deeds. Moral system is good, it means that man is doing efficient deeds. Buddha says, do such efficient deeds that give humanity the benefit of good moral system.
Ahinsa
Buddha has said that the meaning of Ahinsa(non-violence) is, ‘Love everyone’, that is, you will not have the desire to kill someone. Therefore, instead of saying ‘Do not kill’, the Buddha’s principle of non-violence is to say ‘love everyone’. The Buddha has made a difference between the desire to kill a creature and the need to kill a creature. Buddha has differentiated between elements and rules.
How Does Dhamma Destroy Sorrow?
Explaining this, the Buddha says that according to this Dhamma if every-
- Follows the path of ethics means Pañcasīla (Five Precepts),
- Follows the path of virtue means Ariya Atthangika Magga(The Noble Eight Path),
- Follows the path of modesty means Pāramitā (Perfection)
this will destroy sorrow.
Importance of Paññā, Sīla, Karuna
In Buddhism, Paññā (Wisdom), Sīla (Virtue) and Karuna (compassion) are very important. Paññā is necessary, but Sīla is more important than that. Pañña is like the sword of a person’s hand. A man with modesty will use it to save someone. But it will be used for killing someone by a man without modesty. Paññā is the method of thinking, and Sīla is the method of conduct. Along with Paññā and Sīla, Buddha has also shown the need for Karuna(compassion). Karuna means kindness towards beings. By paying attention to where there is poverty and sorrow, compassion is needed to overcome it. Buddha further says that even loving is not enough, the real need is of loving-kindness. It is wider than love. Not just for human beings, but to have affinity for all beings, it is the meaning of loving kindness
Buddha’s thought for human welfare were told by Buddha two and a half thousand years ago.
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