VENARATION
PART
3
Right
approach to practice Morality (sila)
In our
discussion “the right approach to commit meritorious deeds”, we observed that
committing meritorious deeds involved a process of “not doing” rather than a
process of “doing”; meaning when demerit is dispensed with what remains is only
the “merit”. Whether it is merit or demerit, it is a process that takes place
in the mind. Demerit represents “inflaming” the mind and merit represents “cooling
down” the mind. Tendency of mind is to grasp constantly. In the process of firm
grasping, mind tends to get burnt up. When grasping takes place in a mild,
gentle manner, mind tends to cool down. The target of this grasping is the
world. World, in this sense, refers to forms (rupa), sounds (sadda),
ordour (gandha), taste (rasa), tactile sensations (sparsha)
and objects of mind (dhamma). Grasping of the world is performed with
the aid of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and brain.
Similarly,
when we make use of our faculties beyond the point of identification, it would
create a considerable level of heat in mind, which would result in arising of
“magnetic forces” known as greed (lobha) and hatred (dosa). Mind gets
attracted to or comes into conflicts with objects due to the existence of these
magnetic forces in mind. A mind relieved of the process of getting attracted to
and coming in to conflict with objects is a mind which has cooled down entirely.
This cool, calm nature of mind is known as Morality. When the mind is cool,
calm, then the words uttered and the deeds committed through such a calm mind
would reflect a calm nature. Therefore, calm words, deeds which result from a
calm mind are referred to as behavior imbued with Morality (sila).
In general, Morality means verbal and
bodily restraint (vaci & kaya samvara).
In the Noble
Eightfold Path, similar verbal actions have been specified as the Right Speech (samma vaca) and bodily
deeds as “samma kammantha”. The verbal and bodily restraint found in the
Noble Eightfold Path does not specify purposeful actions one has to perform; it
is basically a way of non-action on the part of a practitioner. The stanza “sabba
papassa akaranam…” reiterates this way of non-action. Under the Right Bodily
Action (samma kammantha), there are three types of demerit,
namely, refraining from killing, refraining from stealing and refraining from
sexual misconduct. Under the Right Speech, we find four types of unwholesome
actions (demerit), namely, refraining from lying, tale-bearing, harsh language
and idle chatter. An existence based on refraining from (non-action) four types
of verbal unwholesome actions and three types of unwholesome bodily actions is referred to as Right Livelihood (samma
ajiva). Ajivaka attamaka
sila (eightfold precepts) found in Buddhism consists of these three
types of bodily restraint, four types of verbal restraint and abstinence from
wrong livelihood (micchajiva virati).
The last
precept “abstinence from taking intoxicants”, which was a part and parcel of
the civilized Indian society prior to the advent of the Buddha, has not become
an integral part of the Buddhist morality. For instance, in the Sigalowada
Sutta (discourse to Sigala), only Killing, stealing, lying and
adultery have been indicated as fourfold vices. Use of intoxicants has not been
included in the sermon. However, under the six channels of depletion of one’s
wealth, use of intoxicants has been categorized as the first channel.
The fault of
intoxication is the incapability to perceive the truth as it is. Even the legal
interpretation refers to an intoxicated person as someone who is unable to
think rationally. In Buddhist
philosophy, delusion (moha) is referred to as a state of incapability to
perceive the truth as it is.
The root
cause of all unwholesome acts is delusion (moha). Even though, there are three unwholesome
roots in Buddhist philosophy, the first and foremost is the root cause of
delusion. Arising of hatred (dosa) is attributable to greed (lobha)
and arising of greed is attributable to delusion (moha). Therefore, the
root cause of unwholesome states is delusion. There are three approaches to eliminate
delusion. First approach is elimination of delusion through the knowledge based
on listening (sutamaya nana). Second approach is elimination of delusion
through the knowledge based on thinking (cinthamaya nana), and
the third approach is elimination of delusion through the knowledge based on mental
development (bhavanamaya nana). At the stage of “suta”,
one gains knowledge through listening. At the stage of “cintha”, one
gains knowledge by contemplating and at the bhavana stage one gains
further knowledge through personal experience. Even though one gains knowledge
with regard to the unwholesome roots with the help of these approaches, one
cannot get rid of unwholesome states completely until one becomes familiar with
the science leading to the complete eradication of unwholesome states. The term
“vijja udapadi” in the Dhamma Cakka Sutta elucidates the arising
of this new scientific knowledge. Knowledge for the complete eradication of
unwholesome states arises when attaining Buddhahood (enlightenment), a
Private/solitary Buddhahood (pacceka Buddha) and attaining enlightenment
as a Worthy One (arahant).
Until we
become one of these supreme noble beings, our task should be to abstain from
unwholesome deeds on a temporary basis. When this temporary abstinence from
unwholesome deeds becomes established as a stable practice, it is known as
attaining arahantship (worthy One).
When attaining arahantship, the magnetic force associated with
the mind, which is known as kama, gets eradicated completely. The task
of this magnetic force known as kama is “grasping”. {Known as raga-(lust)} When this magnetic force gets eradicated from
the mind, the task of grasping gets eradicated too. At the time of attaining arahantship,
two types of grasping, namely Rupa Raga and Arupa raga,
get eradicated.
We attach to
something in order to hold on to it; which means an attempt to make an impermanent
thing a permanent one. Thus, considering unreality as reality amounts to
“lying”(musawada); attaching to something unreal, untrue means “kamesu
micchacara”. In other words,
misusing “liking” or “yearning” (kama)in such a way that would lead to
mental torments. Attachment would not stop there. The mind, thus attached to an
object, continues to seek out that object. This is similar to the process of “adinnadana”
– attempting to obtain what is not given / received. By now, mind comes to a
stage where it tortures itself as a result of attaching to something that is
not given / received yet, and seeking out that object incessantly. This stage
is identified as “panathipatha”, meaning “torturing one’s life force” (prana).
One’s life force is found within one’s mind.
Ideally, one should use one’s mind’s inherent life force for the purpose
of identification only. If this life force is utilized beyond the point of
identification, that would lead to “self-torture” (prana+athi+patha).
Self-torture ignites one’s mind. One needs Morality (sila) to relieve
the mind of the heat caused by self-torture. Morality calms down the ignited
mind. The first step in the direction of calming down the mind is making sure
that the influence of the ignited mind would not spread to bodily and verbal
actions. This is known as morality (sila) based on bodily and verbal
restraint. This type of morality (sila) generates solace for oneself and
others as well. Therefore, the fundamental characteristic of morality is
Loving-kindness (metta). A mind which attains nibbana holds a fine
intensity of heat characterized by loving-kindness (metta). The phrase
“attaining nibbana at the feet of the Maitreya Buddha” means to
develop this fine intensity of heat in one’s mind and lead a happy, blissful
life. This is possible due to “arising of light” (aloko udapadi)
which paves the way for an individual to find happiness everywhere, at all
times. Every person and everything become a source of happiness under this circumstance.
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