Dr Satish K Kapoor
Gautama, the Buddha, also known as Shakya muni likened the world to a bubble of water, to ‘the gossamer web of a spider’, ‘to the defilement in a dirty jar’, and so on. He showed the spiritual path that led people from life’s many temptations, into the blessed world of the inner self, transcending conditioned existence.
Suffering and redemption
Existence is inherently laden with duhkha, suffering. Buddha’s diagnosis of suffering is based on his gospel of the Four Noble Truths: First, the Truth of human suffering, that manifests through events of birth, ageing, sickness, and death. It is universal and inevitable. Second, the Truth of the root cause of suffering which lies in human cravings that prevent spiritual perception. Third, the Truth that suffering can end by annihilating desires. Fourth, the Truth of Ashtanga marga, the Eightfold path that helps one to overcome the cause of suffering.
Ashtanga marga
Ashtanga marga comprises of practices that can be broadly classified into three categories:
1) Shila or moral disciplines, namely, right speech, right action and right livelihood
2) Samadhi or meditative absorption, namely, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration
3) Prajna or inner wisdom, namely, right view and right resolve. These are symbolized in the Dhamma (Dharma) Chakra or the wheel of righteousness, with eight spokes.
Buddha advised that one should follow the middle way by avoiding the two extremes of self indulgence and self torture. It would improve physical, mental and spiritual health. He further admonished : Do not destroy life; do not steal; do not commit adultery; do not tell lies; do not sully someone’s reputation; do not be abusive; do not engage in empty talk; do not covet other’s wealth; do not hate; and think righteously.
Paramita
In order to gain enlightenment, one should practice ten perfections (paramita), namely generosity, virtue, renunciation, wisdom, diligence, tolerance, truthfulness, determination, loving kindness and equanimity. This is crossing over to the other shore, that is, moving from the world of ignorance and suffering to the world of wisdom and joy. Regular meditation and the chanting of mantra – Om mani padme hum (‘The jewel is in the lotus’) help one to cultivate these perfections (Karandavyuha Sutra). While mantra elevates consciousness, meditation trains one to live an awakened life. As a result, human afflictions or defilements, like greed, hate, anxiety, fear, envy and passion, are annihilated.
Nirvana
Buddha described nirvana or enlightenment, as the ultimate goal of human life. The soul after abandoning the false sense of self, dissolves into sacred emptiness which leaves nothing to incarnate. It is the end of existential suffering. As reflected in the Heart Sutra: ‘All things are empty: Nothing is born, nothing dies.’ Buddha professed that a person’s life is one of many lives that he has lived through endless time. What is set in motion shall have consequences. The process continues, as per the law of moral retribution, till one is free from all karma, and achieves beatitude. The key to happiness lies within us.
(Dr Kapoor is a noted educationist, historian and spiritualist)
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2YnSykL
via Today’s News Headlines
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