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 Saṅgha?
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