The Threefold Training. The path leading out of unhappiness to Enlightenment has three parts: morality, concentration, and wisdom.
Morality (sila), the first part, includes all the virtues of an honest person who treats others kindly. It has been treated the same as all the virtues together, and many admirable qualities have been explained in relation to things perfect like purification and restraint as regards the body, speech, and the mind—actions, words, and thoughts. Morality is usually understood as referring to the Five Precepts, which make up the layman’s moral practice.
When we take the precepts, we should understand what this means and how to live our lives in order to get to the experience of purifying the mind and of establishing a harmless way of life. This is a different way of looking at life, where life is seen with understanding and compassion. When we have gained this attitude, these simple precepts, when followed every day, will lessen the suffering for us and for others. The meaning of the precepts is great if we think in terms of society. We should try to keep them at all times. We should think about how the first precept, that of holding oneself back from violence, including taking like, any and all life, will awaken and increase the feeling of loving kindness. It will certainly establish friendliness between man and man, man and woman, and man and animals. In this precept is expressed intelligent, all-including compassion and goodwill. It along could save human beings from destruction.
Then, again, the second precept, not to take what is not given, states the need for fair play. It gives up greed and grabbing for things, unfair competition that leads one to get and gather up riches, whatever it takes, by ruining others as well as by stealing that is obvious to everybody. One should not take even a blade of grass for oneself. One should not do any sort of dishonest act; one should, in fact, respect the property rights of others.
The third precept, not to misuse the senses but to practice purity and self-control, is also of great importance in society. It means not only practicing self-control and using the senses in the proper way, but it also establishes faithfulness in married life and it controls immoderation regarding the body. Health and family life, which provides the basic unity of human society, are kept safe. In the second place, this precept controls within reasonable limits the desire for sexual activity.
The fourth precept, not to give in to a desire for wrong speech, states the necessity of care in speech. Who will deny that telling lies leads to corruption of one’s mind and causes hurt to others? Lying and spreading evil and false reports about someone are kinds of cheating. Stealing a man’s good name may be more harmful than stealing his money. When countries do not keep their promises with other countries we can understand the great misfortune in society that not telling the truth brings. One’s actions should be in agreement with his words.
The fifth precept, not taking intoxicating drinks or drugs which cause heedlessness, is of the greatest importance. When this precept is not kept, it becomes easier to break the others. The habit of taking drugs or alcoholic drinks weakens the moral character of a man, and in this way society as a whole suffers. Just as repeating good actions develops a wholesome character, so repeating immoderate, poisonous actions is an evil in society.
Not one of the precepts can be broken continuously without causing harm both in the mind and in society. Nor should a person dedicated to Buddhism rest satisfied with following only these five precepts. From time to time, especially on full-moon and new-moon days, he should also follow the Eight Precepts or the Ten Precepts, in this way taking another step forward on the path.
As regards concentration (samadhi), the second part of the threefold training, it is absolutely necessary to practice meditation, called mental development. Mental development leads to a fixed or calm state of mind. The mind without discipline is in the habit of wandering here and there. Since it cannot be kept under control, it may follow any harmful idea, thought, or thing imagined. In order to prevent this unhealthy wandering, the mind should be concentrated on a chosen object. In the course of practice, the mind little by little loses its characteristics and remains fixed on the object to which it is directed. For example, by meditation on loving kindness, we can lessen or weaken the characteristic of ill-will and hatred. By meditating on the impermanence of worldly pleasures, we can weaken our attraction to them. By the repeated practice and development of compassion, one overcomes cruelty and all desire to harm others. Seeing all the extreme unhappiness in the world, one should not think too much about it but rather decide not to add to it in any way by thought, word, or action. By the practice of sympathetic joy, one is glad about the prosperity of others and changes into having sympathy for their success, in this way overcoming envy and jealousy. Equanimity, finally, is an unshakable condition of mind rooted in insight. It brings the mind to a kind of perfection. These four mental states—loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—are called the divine abodes.
What is the purpose of meditation? For all schools of Buddhism, the highest goal of the practice is Enlightenment. Nibbana is the extinction of the defilements of desire, hate, and delusion.
There are, however, other advantages to be gained from meditation that is done withdrawn from other human beings: a long life; a good reputation; replacement of fear by confidence; removal of laziness, greed, delusion, and pride; and the creation of gladness. Through meditation we can see the three characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self. Meditation makes the connection between knowing the truth according to reason and actually experiencing the truth. Meditation is a cure not only for mental sickness but also for physical sickness.
Wisdom (panna) is the third and last part of the threefold training. After undertaking the practice of morality, the one who seeks to move along the path practices meditation. When the mind is concentrated, he turns it to the understanding of the true nature of things. Wisdom is the right understanding of the true nature of the world in the light of this impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self. Knowledge is of there kinds: a) that which is gotten by learning, i.e., hearing, etc.; b) that which is gotten by thinking; and c) that which is gotten by meditation. This wisdom is the high point of the threefold training which leads to Enlightenment.
Morality (sila), the first part, includes all the virtues of an honest person who treats others kindly. It has been treated the same as all the virtues together, and many admirable qualities have been explained in relation to things perfect like purification and restraint as regards the body, speech, and the mind—actions, words, and thoughts. Morality is usually understood as referring to the Five Precepts, which make up the layman’s moral practice.
When we take the precepts, we should understand what this means and how to live our lives in order to get to the experience of purifying the mind and of establishing a harmless way of life. This is a different way of looking at life, where life is seen with understanding and compassion. When we have gained this attitude, these simple precepts, when followed every day, will lessen the suffering for us and for others. The meaning of the precepts is great if we think in terms of society. We should try to keep them at all times. We should think about how the first precept, that of holding oneself back from violence, including taking like, any and all life, will awaken and increase the feeling of loving kindness. It will certainly establish friendliness between man and man, man and woman, and man and animals. In this precept is expressed intelligent, all-including compassion and goodwill. It along could save human beings from destruction.
Then, again, the second precept, not to take what is not given, states the need for fair play. It gives up greed and grabbing for things, unfair competition that leads one to get and gather up riches, whatever it takes, by ruining others as well as by stealing that is obvious to everybody. One should not take even a blade of grass for oneself. One should not do any sort of dishonest act; one should, in fact, respect the property rights of others.
The third precept, not to misuse the senses but to practice purity and self-control, is also of great importance in society. It means not only practicing self-control and using the senses in the proper way, but it also establishes faithfulness in married life and it controls immoderation regarding the body. Health and family life, which provides the basic unity of human society, are kept safe. In the second place, this precept controls within reasonable limits the desire for sexual activity.
The fourth precept, not to give in to a desire for wrong speech, states the necessity of care in speech. Who will deny that telling lies leads to corruption of one’s mind and causes hurt to others? Lying and spreading evil and false reports about someone are kinds of cheating. Stealing a man’s good name may be more harmful than stealing his money. When countries do not keep their promises with other countries we can understand the great misfortune in society that not telling the truth brings. One’s actions should be in agreement with his words.
The fifth precept, not taking intoxicating drinks or drugs which cause heedlessness, is of the greatest importance. When this precept is not kept, it becomes easier to break the others. The habit of taking drugs or alcoholic drinks weakens the moral character of a man, and in this way society as a whole suffers. Just as repeating good actions develops a wholesome character, so repeating immoderate, poisonous actions is an evil in society.
Not one of the precepts can be broken continuously without causing harm both in the mind and in society. Nor should a person dedicated to Buddhism rest satisfied with following only these five precepts. From time to time, especially on full-moon and new-moon days, he should also follow the Eight Precepts or the Ten Precepts, in this way taking another step forward on the path.
As regards concentration (samadhi), the second part of the threefold training, it is absolutely necessary to practice meditation, called mental development. Mental development leads to a fixed or calm state of mind. The mind without discipline is in the habit of wandering here and there. Since it cannot be kept under control, it may follow any harmful idea, thought, or thing imagined. In order to prevent this unhealthy wandering, the mind should be concentrated on a chosen object. In the course of practice, the mind little by little loses its characteristics and remains fixed on the object to which it is directed. For example, by meditation on loving kindness, we can lessen or weaken the characteristic of ill-will and hatred. By meditating on the impermanence of worldly pleasures, we can weaken our attraction to them. By the repeated practice and development of compassion, one overcomes cruelty and all desire to harm others. Seeing all the extreme unhappiness in the world, one should not think too much about it but rather decide not to add to it in any way by thought, word, or action. By the practice of sympathetic joy, one is glad about the prosperity of others and changes into having sympathy for their success, in this way overcoming envy and jealousy. Equanimity, finally, is an unshakable condition of mind rooted in insight. It brings the mind to a kind of perfection. These four mental states—loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—are called the divine abodes.
What is the purpose of meditation? For all schools of Buddhism, the highest goal of the practice is Enlightenment. Nibbana is the extinction of the defilements of desire, hate, and delusion.
There are, however, other advantages to be gained from meditation that is done withdrawn from other human beings: a long life; a good reputation; replacement of fear by confidence; removal of laziness, greed, delusion, and pride; and the creation of gladness. Through meditation we can see the three characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self. Meditation makes the connection between knowing the truth according to reason and actually experiencing the truth. Meditation is a cure not only for mental sickness but also for physical sickness.
Wisdom (panna) is the third and last part of the threefold training. After undertaking the practice of morality, the one who seeks to move along the path practices meditation. When the mind is concentrated, he turns it to the understanding of the true nature of things. Wisdom is the right understanding of the true nature of the world in the light of this impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self. Knowledge is of there kinds: a) that which is gotten by learning, i.e., hearing, etc.; b) that which is gotten by thinking; and c) that which is gotten by meditation. This wisdom is the high point of the threefold training which leads to Enlightenment.
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