BUDDHISM AND OTHER RELIGION :
Many religions exist in the world. But Buddha’s Dhamma is an exception to this. Taking a bath in holy rivers gets sins washed away, liberation from self-immolation, all this concept was rejected by Buddha. Buddha says that man himself is responsible for his good and bad deeds. That’s why Buddha says-
Attā hi attano nātho
ko hi nātho paro siya |
attan’āva sudantena
nāthan labhati dullabhan ||
(Self is the lord of self; who else could be the lord? when a man subdues well his self, he will have found a lord very difficult to find.)
FEATURES OF BUDDHISM :
Buddhism is for the happiness and well-being of the people. Buddhism supports non-violence. The path of Buddha promotes individual freedom, equality, fraternity and justice. Buddha is not the liberator, he is the guide. It was Buddha’s greatness to work for the upliftment of mankind using his own intelligence.
Buddha was the prince in this country. Dhamma established by him is the part of the Indian tradition. After the third council, Dhamma spread throughout the world during the time of Emperor Ashoka. Dhamma is not extended on the strength of the sword or by enforcing law. But it has become widespread in the world by its scientific and intellectual philosophy. It has spread around the world following the path of peace not violence. This is the important feature of this Dhamma.
PRINCIPLE OF BUDDHISM :
Dhammacakkappavattanasutta is the first discourse of the Buddha. In this context, Buddha describe The Four Noble Truths–
- There is suffering and unsatisfactorily exist in the world. Buddha was the first to tell that.
- The cause of suffering and unsatisfactorily exist
- The cause may be brought to an end
- And in the end Buddha shows the way-EIGHT NOBLE PATHS to end the suffering.
- Right View
- Right Thought
- Right Speech
- Right Action
- Right Livelihood
- Right Effort
- Right Mindfulness
- Right Concentration
Similarly Buddha shows the path of precept to make human life happy. Buddha denies human asymmetry. Buddha’s philosophy is to purify the mind and remove the negativity of the mind. Also to win over of delusions of mind like attachment, envy and jealousy.
BASE COLUMN OF BUDDHISM :
Wisdom, Precept and Compassion are the main base column of Buddhism. Buddha has given them a very important place in human life. This base column are related to each other but Buddha has given more importance to precept. According to ones’s modesty, a person can achieve a higher state through contemplation.
PRAISE OF PRECEPT :
Buddha has praised precept in many of his discourses. Buddha says –
Candanan tagaran vāpi
uppalan atha vassiki |
etesam gandhajātānan
silagandho anuttaro ||
( All the perfumes, even those of sandal, lavender, lotus or jasmine are not to be compared with the fragrance of the excellent life.)
IMPORTANCE OF BUDDHA’S THOUGHT :
Buddha’s thought, philosophy is still circumstantial. They are for the development and welfare of the entire human being. It is important to propagate the thoughts of Buddha. To call Buddha Dhamma a religion means to bind it to a limited enclosure. It is not religion, but it is the way to live life. It is the art of living. It is path to provide personal, social, national and global peace. Today the world needs Buddha, not weapons and war. This is possible only and only by following the thoughts of Buddha. Let us follow Buddha’s thoughts to make world a better place for life, it can be of humans, animals, trees and plants or any living being it may be.