CJ Articles

Fundamental Approach To Early Buddhist Teaching

(This lecture was delivered at Buddha Mandala Society, Singapore in January, 1998)

By Sao Dhamma
Oxford University, Oxford, U.K

Before we start our discussion, I would like to say a few words. I am much honored to be offered this opportunity to accumulate for myself more and more merits through discussion and sharing my understanding of the Dhamma with you all here in Singapore.

First, I would like to thank the Head of the Center of the Sri Saddhatissa International Buddhist Center in London where I’m one of the resident missionary monks for his kind permission so that I can be here with you for this opportunity.

I would also like to express my thanks and respect to the venerable resident monks, Sayadaw U Rajinda, and Sayadaw U Wimala for their kind permission so that I could discuss the Dhamma here at BDMS.

I am very thankful to the president and vice president of this Buddha Dhamma Mandala Society. There has been a lot of difficulty to have this series of lectures soon after New Year before I resume my study and missionary work over there. All the difficulties have been overcome by enormous effort made by Carole and Mary who were so determined to make it possible. I hope you will all appreciate these difficulties as a source for your own determination in walking along the Noble Eightfold Path. Please let them consolidate your determination in trying to understand the Dhamma.

The year 1997 and 1998 have been bridged by Right Effort– the effort to understand, to propagate and to share the vision of Dhamma with each other. I am sure even after I left for London, you will still be welcoming Chinese New Year with the same effort.

Fundamental Approach to Early Buddhism

Introduction

This evening, I would like to discuss about the Fundamental Approach to Early Buddhist Teaching.

What is meant by Early Buddhist Teaching?

There have been many developments in the history of Buddhism. That is why it is necessary to qualify it early. Early Buddhism means the original words of the Buddha that existed from the time He became enlightened up to 100 years after His Mahaparinibbana (demise). This was before schism arose among the Sangha.
Today this is accepted by majority of scholars in critical studies – not to mention the traditional scholars – as the authentic words of the Buddha.

When we say Pali canonical texts or discourses preserved in Pali language, sometimes we are misled to believe that they all belong to the Theravadin. Not all of them. The Anguttara, the Majjhima, the Digha, the Samyutta and some early texts from the Khuddaka Nikaya do not belong to any particular sect of Buddhism, Mahayana of Theravada but, if at all, to all of them. They are the original words of the Buddha.

However, we do have some commentarial works that explain these texts, the words of the Buddha and they are called Atthakatha in Pali. Of course, they belong to Theravada and we did have some in Sanskrit earlier, which belonged to other sects of Buddhism.

Main Sources for the talks

During the course of ten talks, I will be emphasizing on the early Teaching as a primary course. Here it is worth mentioning that not all of the texts from the Nikayas are regarded as early Buddhism. For example, from 1954–56 in celebration of the year 2500 of Buddhism in Rangoon, two texts were added to the Khuddaka Nikayas, we now have altogether 15 texts in the Khuddaka Nikaya. There were only 13 before that. Therefore, these two texts do not belong to early Buddhism.     

The word Khuddaka means small but now it has become the largest and the biggest. A very highly regarded text, the question that the King Milinda came into existence several hundred years after the passing away of the Buddha but nowadays it forms one of the canonical texts. This is just to give you an idea that not all the Khuddaka Nikaya were preached by the Buddha.

7 Points that form fundamentals of early Buddhism

Today I am going to emphasize on seven points to cover the whole teachings of the Buddha. By these points, we can judge ourselves if we doing well with the teaching. I must mention that all these seven points have to be considered in the right context. It means these words were spoken almost 2600 years ago in the 6th century BC, and sometimes maybe we only need to take the message and not the letter. A few days before I came here, some people in London came to see me with a question. They said that the opinion the Buddha or Buddhism in general is very much against women.

According to my interpretation, that may not be the case. A point they make was that the Buddha established the Nunnery Order {bhikkhuni Sasana} only after some persuasion.

Well that was true. He established the Bhikkhuni Order only after having been persuaded three times by Ven. Ananda. To look at the issue in the right context is much more important. The first time His aunt and stepmother Pajapati Gotami asked fro permission was during the funeral of His father King Suddhodana.

You can see clearly the political situation in the Sakya kingdom to which the Buddha belonged. The Buddha, if he did not choose to walk a spiritual path, he would have had to succeed then His father.

Nevertheless, since he had become a recluse, then His son Rahula was considered the heir to the throne. The heir to the throne at that time had to look forwards his duty of protecting the whole nation, being the second most powerful person. He was invaluable asset to the nation.

But by the time King Suddhodana died, Rahula had already become a monk so there was no one to succeed the throne.¹ With King Suddhodana passing away, the whole family might have felt discouraged with no one to depend upon. That could be, although actually it was not in this case, the reason why they asked the Buddha for permission to follow Him. The right reason had to be established.

My interpretation is that the Buddha had to make sure that they joined the order with the right intention. At least He had to be seen to have made it sure. Otherwise the whole Sasana would become a family business with all the widows and aunts joining the Buddha. He refused the first time at the funeral of His father, and then He left for the place He was staying until He came to the funeral.

The women proved not only to the Buddha but also to the society that they were determined to practice and to follow the right path. They proved that they were genuinely inspired by spiritual quest within. It is not out of family considerations that they asked permission to follow Him. What they were actually asking for was the permission to follow His teachings in monastic life.

That was why they got their haircut, adorned the robes themselves, and went to the Buddha walking along the way maybe for the first time in their life. Being a member of the royal family, it was quite difficult to walk that far because transportation was virtually non–existent at that time. That they had proved themselves capable of practicing the Dhamma, the permission to establish the Order was granted very easily. So once we look at it from this context, it is easier for us to understand the Buddha. That is why all these points had to be viewed from the social conditions of that time.

Remember in India, since the time of the Buddha up to nowadays Buddhism has never been a majority religion. I think that the Buddha himself foresaw this when He said that there are few people who would understand the Dhamma.² The dominant religion and culture had been Brahmanism, to use today’s word Hinduism, so we have to view in that context to get the right view and the right message from the teaching of the Buddha.

1. The first point we should keep in mind in approaching early teaching is that He stressed simplicity against complexity. The Buddha made His teaching simple in contrast to a complex nature of His contemporary.

Life is considered very complex. The way to get rid off complex problem in life, according to contemporary religious philosophies at that time again brings another complexity. Take ordination for an example. I think you are aware of the ordination procedure in Hinduism even nowadays. It differs from one to another depending on the caste a candidate belongs.

For a high caste person, it may take about 9 years, and for the one, who belongs to the second caste, it takes about 11 years, a little bit longer. Things are determined by birth, not by what an individual is capable of. Then it is believed that once you are ordained, you are given divine authority. Even in the West, it is common culture that a priest forgives the sin you have committed. The question of divine authority comes into existence. When you say divine authority, which is beyond our scope to prove it, then things become more complicated.

Against the background the Buddha said, “come”³ when a group of five monks asked for permission fro ordination. That was it, It is very simple. The most serious thing required of you is the will to follow and practice holy life with a clear purpose to end suffering. When you look at it from this point of view, it is very clear.

In Brahmanism, you divided life into 4 stages and women were not allowed to be ordained, but only men. Even men, unless they have seen their grandson being born, they should not be ordained. Instead, they should continue household life. What would happen if you do not have a grandson, if you are a childless couple, or if you choose to remain single? Things were definitely more complicated in pre –Buddhist religious practices.

Besides, it was believed that any problem in your life could be solved through one solution–ritual practice of sacrifice. ⁴ Family problem, mental problem, problem at work, political problem, whatever it is, there was only one way to solve it. We see it recorded in the Digha Nikaya.⁵ Once the king had a political problem and he could not solve it, he consulted his ministers who advised him to perform sacrifice in order to overcome political turmoil in the country. However, once you have performed that sacrifice, at times by killing animals or ever human beings, and found your wish is not granted and things then become more intricate.

Buddhism as a whole emerges with a very simple way of life. I would just mention a few points. Nowadays we no longer have the type of ordination that the Buddha Himself used “come bhikkhu.” That was reserved only for the Buddha. However, ordination today with different cultures developed over the centuries, like the Thai, Burmese, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, it may become a little more elaborate. You should judge them by this criterion simplicity against complexity.

Let me tell you the procedure through which I became ordained. The assembly of monks consisting of at least five monks,⁶ they gather in the Sima,⁷ which is the meeting hall, and then they asked me to go there. When all assembled, I asked them if I could join the Bhikkhu Order. They say, “Have you got all these things of your own, which means, the 8 requisites.⁸ Once I have proved that I have them, and if I’ve also never had any record of insulting the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, the MC would then forward my application to the existing members of the Community present there. The MC who is also a fully ordained one then says “A new candidate whose name is so and so has now applied to the assembly. He has a senior monk whose name is hereby mentioned as his preceptor. It there anyone in this assembly who wishes to object him admitted into the Order?”

Once the whole assembly remained silent even after having been asked for three times, then automatically I become a new member, a Bhikkhu. In return, I have to make a vow to follow 227 rules, which in practice makes me a Bhikkhu. That was it. It was very simple, and very democratic. I asked to be admitted to the Order according to my own will, not because of my birth. Birth makes no difference. This is the rule for everybody.

In the early Buddhism, there was no rule created or recognized to determine one’s liberation, this point is important. Why? Mostly nowadays, more Buddhist devotees call the Buddhist monk, the Bhikkhus a priest. Actually, a Buddhist Bhikkhu cannot be called a priest at all.⁹ Because the priest is the one who mediates between a devotee and God. He is supposed to channel your wish to the god (s) to ask for his favour so that he would grant your wish.

Since the concept of God goes against the basic philosophical framework of Buddhism, a Buddhist bhikkhu can never be regarded a priest. There is not any god (s) to cannel to.

When you go to a Buddhist temple or when you see a bhikkhu, it is very important that you have a proper attitude towards him that he is not a mediator nor the one who can grant your wish, nor the one who can punish you if you behave badly.

You are responsible for your own action, that is why we have the word Kamma, which is rightly translated as moral responsibility. I would even say that it is self–moral–responsibility. It is clear that there is no one who can liberate you but you yourself, it is self–dependence. Only self–dependence makes one independent in both social and spiritual matter.

2. When the simplicity is extended doctrinally, we discover the second approach to early teaching of the Buddha, which is an emphasis phenomena rather than nuomena, physics, rather than metaphysics.

A phenomenon is something we can perceive through 6 senses.¹⁰ We live in 6 worlds, hearing world, seeing world, smelling world, tasting world, touching world and thinking world. Can you imagine any other world other than these 6? It could be less but not more.¹¹ These are what we call phenomena and physics.

The important teaching in Buddhism is the three characteristics of the whole world, impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and non–soulness. None of them goes beyond 6 worlds – they can be discovered and they are proved within 6 worlds. The Four Noble Truths can be experienced within these 6 worlds. They are phenomena.

Noumenon is something that cannot be experienced through these 6 worlds, like soul. About 5 years ago, some one from Germany was practicing meditation under my instruction for a short period in Kandy, Sri Lanka. She asked me what would happen to our soul after we died.

I had to ask her if she could explain me what is soul. I cannot explain about soul, which I have never experienced through one of these six senses. Then obviously, of course, she cannot explain something that exists after death –that was her answer. However, I had to say I was afraid that still I was not convinced that something as if soul exists. Apart from the 5 aggregates, I cannot imagine there is some thing like permanent entity that deserves to be called soul. So none of us could convince each other. This is the difficulty with metaphysical approach.

The Paticcasamuppada –Dependent Origination –can be convinced within 6 worlds. I am going to explain in one of the next talks how Buddhism analyses life. Metaphysics is something we cannot see, we cannot hear, it is noumena.

Brahma in India concept is equal to the concept of God in the West. The question the Buddha repeatedly asked was has any one from your family up to the last seven generations ever seen Brahma.¹² No, the answer was. No member of his own family for the last seven generations can prove seeing Brahma, creator God. That is why it is only imaginary that we go on thinking and believing about the Creator, Brahma. In comparison with the already existing religious system, the Buddha simplified his doctrine.

3. The third important characteristic is that the early teaching, the Dhamma is based on mainly human experience.

The reason I have had to stress this point is that it is my own experience. A few weeks after I arrived in England, a medical professor working in Yorkshire came to me. He is the one who wants me to accept 100% of the existence of the heavenly world, the devaloka. I told him, no I cannot. I just kept the question open. My answer irritated him. If you do not believe, then how can you preach other people about the existence of the deva. Well I said heaven existed at least in the scripture in any religion when you open the Bible the first page you come across is at the beginning God created heavens and the earth. The same is true in many canonical texts of other religious. I say, if heaven does not really exists, then the Buddhist is the one who will suffer less. Maybe the one who will not suffer at all.

To understand Four Noble Truths, you do not need to believe in heaven or in the existence of deva. But just to satisfy our intellectual inquisitiveness, that we go on thinking about the heavenly world, or sometimes, because we are so frustrated with human life that we look for another one totally different from ours. In tropical Asia, mostly people imagine heaven to be a cold and pleasant place whereas people in the West imagine it to be a very warm place; it is very cold in Europe. I do not deny the existence of it but what I’m saying is that I’m not quite sure as far as my experience and my ability to experiment is concerned. I am afraid I could not satisfy him.

I brought out one textural quotation. One day a bhikkhu went to the Buddha with much frustration. He had been looking for heaven. He could not find one. He went to the Buddha and said I could not find heaven. The Buddha said, even if you do not believe in heaven, the holy life is still possible to be practiced.

When we are ordained, we are not asked whether we believe in heaven. Not at all. Moreover, when you say “ Buddha saranam gacchami, dhammam saranam gacchami, sangham saranam gacchamai, you are not asked to go fro refuge to the deva. Although some of the important teachings like the Mangala Sutta were preached to a deva but mostly they were preached to human beings. Even a discourse like the Mangala Sutta, the discourse on blessings which was reportedly preached to a deva, all the experiences are human. To have good friends, to refrain from bad associations, to be in a suitable place to make both material and spiritual progress –such are the contents of the Mangala Sutta. All the 38 factors in it can be verified by human beings and it is for human beings.

That is why we say Buddhism and Buddhist experience are mainly based on human experience and it is here and now. You do not need to wait until the so–called “Day of Judgement” to experience the result, to be rewarded for your efforts. There are some things, which appear to be superstitious in Buddhism like those who develop Jhana but they are still within our reach.

4. The fourth characteristic of the early Buddhist teaching is freedom of thought in religious, social and political attitude.

The Buddha always invited people to come and see for themselves before they follow His teaching.¹³ The Dhamma is something that has be seen and understood, not to blindly belive.¹⁴ Faith based on reason is recommended.¹⁵ However, any kind of faith is not demanded as precondition in Buddhism. People often say that faith could not be proved through philosophy and vice versa. However, as far as the Dhamma is concerned, faith and philosophy (reasoning) are to be developed along side each other. They actually support one another.

In Buddhism since there is no room for divine authority, there is no social system that denies human freedom. Caste system is a system through which some section of the society monopolises privileges. Brahmins claim to have divine authority for religious monopoly and the rules political.¹⁶

Religious tolerance, which is essential for freedom of thought, is in any circumstances encouraged. The Buddha Himself had a cordial relationship with His contemporary. If He hag time, He would go and see them on His way for alms in the morning. Sometime they came to see Him. They would discuss spiritual matter honestly from their own point of view. The early scripture is full of evidence regarding this.

He advised the monks how to cope with the situation with tolerance when they are accused of misbehaviour. Without getting annoyed, they should examine if the accusation is true or not. In other words, to use criticism as a mirror to check one’s own spiritual condition. If is true, one then has the opportunity to correct it, if not, one then just chooses to ignore it. Non –violence is the core of His way of life.

The Buddha was not a proselytizer, as He did not try to convert people. When a banker Upali and a general called Siha asked Him to regard them as His followers, He urged them repeatedly to consider carefully before deciding it. When they became His followers of their own volition, He then asked them to continue to support Jainism, their old belief.

In practising freedom of thought it was indeed the Buddha who recognized the validity of doubt in spiritual search.¹⁷ It should be considered as the first instance in religious history of the world.

Freedom of thought is extended to social and political arena.

5. The fifth aspect of early Buddhism I wish to point out is that it places enormous importance of mind.

This is evidenced from a few quotations from the early texts. The Dhammapada begins with a sentence that runs:

Mind is the forerunner of the world. Mind is chief;

They are mind –made.

If one speaks or acts with wicked mind,

Because of that, suffering follows one,

Even as the wheel follows the hoof of the draught –ox.¹⁸

The mind is hard to check, swifts, flits wherever it likes: to control it is good. A tamed mind brings happiness.¹⁹

Though one should conquer a million men in battlefield, yet he, indeed, is the honest victor who has conquered himself. ²⁰

Unshaken state of mind is the highest happiness.²¹

Meditation, both Samatha and Vipassana, is a well –proved technique to develop the quality of mind. Even when we do some sharing practice (Dana), we are still taught to be meditative in order not to increase ego or arrogance.

6. The sixth aspect of early Buddhism is equal opportunity given to women.

In society life, women are recognized as far as they could go. A man is advised not to look down on his wife but to share authority in the family. The danger that adultery can cause to family life is made known and both are asked to be faithful to each other.²² In the context of India social culture, which regarded woman as a property of man, this advice was revolutionary. The Buddha even suggested that a wife take an active role in all management to help her husband.

There is no question of who is superior. If at all, that would not be determined by sex but morality. A wife who harms no one, respects other’s property, faithful to her husband, tells only the truth and is engaged in no drink and drug is regarded as an angle. A man who observes no such moral rules is like a dead man. If both are equal in observing these five rules, they are described by the Lord Buddha to be a divine couple. If both are lacking, they are then like a dead couple living together.²³ 

Heavenly realms are thought to consist of both genders. A female is not considered to enjoy less luxurious life than a male over there.

In religious life, monastic order is formed of both monks and nuns. The Buddha Himself confirmed it to His attendant, Venerable Ananda that enlightenment, the highest goal in the Dhamma practice is equally possible for women. Just as there were two male chief disciples, two highly qualified nuns (bhikkhuni), Khema and Uppalavanna were appointed as their counterparts.

7. The last determinant of the early teaching I will draw your attention to is the significant role of an individual rather than that of a group.

As lotus flowers come above mud and water individually, each person makes his or her way in social and spiritual journey separately. We are responsible fro our own action. Actual change starts within an individual. Society cannot be perfected, if at all, it is individual. Not society but individual is therefore that should not be judged good or bad. Being a Buddhist society does not make you a better group unless it forms of good individuals.

Although the trend is such, the relationship between individual and society features significantly on the other hand. Only a favorable social environment would help one progress in one’s endeavour, both social and spiritual. Society is one of the important factors in one’s life. Their opinion matters to a certain extent. It is one of the criteria. One does not behave in such a way that would terribly go against the accepted norm in public. Our social environment starts from our parents to our associates, colleagues and fellow countrymen. Its relationship with each individual, which is its component is very sensitive and is given prominent place in the early teaching of the Buddha.

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End Notes

1. Prince Nanada, the cousin of the Buddha was also ordained. Otherwise, he could have been the successor to the throne.
2. See a request by the Sakka after His enlightenment.
3. The word “come” is “ehi” in Pali. It is known as Ehi Bhikku ordination procedure, which consists of these two words alone. When some one was addressed by the Buddha like that, he becomes a monk immediately.
4. Yanjna. Early Yanjna practice included killing a huge number of animals in offering to God.
5. Kutadanta Sutra.
6. Five is considered to meet quorum to represent the community, the Sangha in order to grant admission to a new candidate.
7. Chapter Hall officially marked and agreed by the whole community of Sangha to make sue of it to carry out any function required of meeting of the whole community. It is an official meeting hall where that bhikkhus (bhikkhunis) discuss religious and administrative matters, purify themselves through confession and vote where necessary.
8. It is basic needs for a monk. They are three pieces of robe, begging bowl, razor, strainer, needle and thread.
9. In many places, lacking for this proper attitude towards the Bhikkhus, the Buddhist devotees come to view the Bhikkhus as savior who can save them from so–called bad luck, forgive their unwholesome action done, grant their wish or heaven or even Nirvana. There was a king in Sri Lanka who asked the monks if they could do away with his sin after he had committed patricide. Having learnt from the monks that it was impossible, he discarded Buddhism and converted into Hinduism as the Hindu priests promised what he was asking for.
10. Normally people say there are five senses but in Buddhism, there are six senses, seeing, hearing, smelling, testing, touching and thinking. The first five are physical and the last mental.
11. A blind does not live in seeing world while the deaf experiences no hearing world and makes nothing out of sounds.
12. Because in pre –recorded history India in those days people would trace history through the last seven generations of one’s own family. It was accepted as reliable up to that period. The Buddha would put a very simple question to them if their parents have ever seen such thing like Brahma the creator. If not, what was about their grandparents, and then great grandparents?
13. Ehipassiko, “come  and see”
14. Sanditthika –The Dhamma is to be experienced directly by oneself.
15. Vimamsaka Sutta, MN
16. Assalayana Sutta, MN, Aggagga Sutta, Cakkavatti–sihanada Sutta, DN etc.
17. Kalama Sutta, AN
18. Stanza No. 1
19. Stanza No. 35
20. Stanza No. 103
21. Mangala Sutta, Suttanipata
22. Singalovada Sutta, DN
23. Samvasa Sutta, AN