Happiness of the Beings - Buddhism, Philosophy, and Khmer Literature

Breaking

Buddhism, Philosophy, and Khmer Literature

The teachings of the Buddha are aimed solely at liberating sentient beings from suffering. The Basic Teachings of Buddha which are core to Buddhism are: The Three Universal Truths; The Four Noble Truths; and The Noble Eightfold Path.

Post Top Ad

Post Top Ad

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Happiness of the Beings


Overview

"Happiness of the beings" refers to a concept, often found in spiritual or philosophical traditions, that signifies the state of well-being and joy experienced by all living creatures, aiming for a collective sense of happiness across all sentient beings; essentially, a desire for everyone to experience happiness and freedom from suffering. 

Key points about "happiness of the beings":

  • Universal aspiration:
  • Beyond personal happiness:
  • Ethical implications:

Many spiritual practices, like Buddhism and Hinduism, consider the happiness of all beings as a primary goal, promoting compassion and kindness towards all living things. 

This concept goes beyond just individual happiness, encouraging individuals to actively work towards the well-being of others and the world around them. 

Seeking the happiness of all beings often translates to ethical conduct, including non-violence, respect for nature, and promoting positive actions that benefit others. 

Q.1 – Verify that “the Buddha teaching for the benefit and happiness of the beings not only for the present lives but also for the future lives to come”.

           An. Once the Exalted One was dwelling among the Koliyans, their market-town called Kakkarapatta. There Longknee, the Koliyan clansman, visited the Exalted One and asked him these four conditions for the benefit and happiness of the beings in the present lives, and then in the future lives. Four conditions for the benefit and happiness of the beings in the present lives, namely:

(1).  Uṭṭhāna-sampadā: Achievement in alertness. A clansman make his living – he is deft and tireless; gifted with an inquiring turn of mind into ways and means, he sis able to arrange and carry out his job.

(2).  Arakkha-sampadā: Achievement in wariness. A clansman get wealth together by work and zeal – such he husbands by watch and ward, thinking: “now how can? Arrange so that rajahs may not get this wealth out of me, nor thieves filch it etc.”

(3).  Kalyanamittatā: Good company. A clansman dwell in the village, he consoles, converses with householder in virtue, full of faith, virtue, charity and wisdom.

(4).  Samajīvitā: Fair livelihood,. A clansman teats his wealth like a fig-tree glutton. And his earnings be great and he lives meanly, rumored will say of him: this clansman will die like a starveling. Herein a clansman while experiencing both gain and loss in wealth, continues his business serenely, not unduly elated or depressed.

           These four conditions, Tiger-foot, lead to a clansman’s advantage and happiness in the world to come, namely:

(1).  Saddhā-sampadā: Achievement in faith. Herein a clansman has faith and believes in the awakening of the Tathagata.

(2).  Sīla-sampadā: Achievement in virtue. Herein a clansman abstains from taking life etc.

(3).  Cāga-sampadā: Achievement in charity. Herein a clansman dwells at home with heart purged of the stain of avarice etc.

(4).  Paññā-sampada: Achievement in wisdom. Herein a clansman is wise and is endowed with wisdom etc.

 

 Q.2 – (a). Describe the Pañcadullaba (Five Rarities)

           An. Man does not see the true nature of a phenomenon because of his own delusion. Man’s ultimate responsibility is to attain sainthood ultimately by is way of life, otherwise his life is not worth wile; and we even though born as a human being, and he misses a glorious opportunity. Therefore, we should try to know the fact about the Five Rarities. In the Aṅguttara Nikaya, the Buddha insisted on the importance of those rarities: Thus, Oh! Bhikkhus, be mindful of this: in the world, there are Five Rarities, namely:

1.      Dullabho Buddhappado: The arising of a Buddha is an extreme rarity. Because any one who is considered eligible or Buddha-hood has to complete a performance of thirty perfections, and it takes infinite number of world cycles, (say 4, 8, or 16 Asangheyas and 100.000 Kappas).

2.      Dullabho manussattapatilabho: Being born as a human being is an extreme rarity. According to Buddhism, only those who have done meritorious deeds in former births can be born as human beings. The Buddha taught us in the Nakhupama Sutta that there are only a few out of all the beings, who become human beings and compares their number to a small amount of earth held in the hand in contrast to that of the whole globe.

3.      Dullabho saddhasampatti: To have genuine faith in the Buddha; the Dhamma and the Sangha is an extreme rarity. There are some any faiths in the world, which it is very rare for one to have a right understanding in conformity with the laws of truth. 

4.      Dullabha-pabbajja: To become a genuine Bhikkhu (Buddhist monk) is an extreme rarity. Because a Bhikkhu is one who has renounced the world in order to seek real happiness and peace. Since he is a holy person, it is his duty to observe at least 227 moral rules of the Vinaya Discipline lay down by the Buddha.

5.      Dullabham-saddhammassavanam: To ear the noble truth of the Buddha’s doctrine is a extreme rarity. The noble truth or Dhamma as aught by the Buddha is so profound ad subtle that only the wise or intellectual type can realize it. This noble truth always exists, but only the Buddhas, can discover and reveal this truth to others.

(b). Why is it said, “To be born as a human being is a rarity” according to the teachings of the Buddha?

           An. According to Buddhism, only those who have done meritorious deeds in former births can be born as human beings, and compares their number to a small amount of earth held in the hand in contrast to that of the whole globe. Even though one is endowed with the nature of being, it is still are to be endowed with perfect organs, to be free from the pain of madness, blindness, insanity and other afflictions, the differentiation between one man and anther is only due to the result of deeds done in former births, good or bad. It is nature of being to be deluded and generally delighted to do evil things, as the Buddha has said in the Dhammapada. For this reason, it is an extreme rarity to be born with the complete nature of human beings.

(C) Why is the arising of the Buddha an extreme rarity?

Because any one who is considered eligible for Buddhahood has to complete a performance of 300 perfections and it takes infinite number of world cycles. (say 4 or 8 or 16 Asankheyas and 100,000 Kappas). For instance, when our Buddha was in his last birth he was convinced that mortification of the body was not in keeping with his middle path. After 6 years of this experience, he found the middle way then he became enlightened as a Buddha.

(D) Why is it an extreme rarity to have a genuine faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sagha?

There are so many faiths in the world, that it is very rare for one to have a right understanding in conformity with the laws of truth. Right understanding here means having the true knowledge of the law of Kamma; that is, there are good and bad results corresponding to their good and bad root causes.

Here, we have two categories of faiths, namely ordinary faith and genuine faith. The Buddhist devotees who have ordinary faith in the three gems do meritorious deeds, give alms, observe precepts, listen to the sermons, and preach the doctrine to others. As for those who have realized the true nature of the arising and passing away of the mind and body. Thus they are enlightened on the clear understanding of three characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-permanence, suffering and non-personality and have attained the Path, Fruition and Nibbāna.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Post Top Ad

Privacy and cookie settings