WHAT BUDDHISTS BELIEVE

WHAT BUDDHISTS BELIEVE

Searching for a Purpose in Life 

THE aim in life varies among individuals. An artist may aim to paint masterpieces that will live long after he is gone. A scientist may want to discover a new phenomenon, formulate a new theory, or invent a new machine. A politician may wish to become a prime minister or a president. A young executive may aim to be a managing director of a multi national company. However, when you ask the artist, scientist, politician and the young executive why they aim thus, they will reply that these achievements will give them a purpose in life and make them happy. 

But will these achievements bring lasting happiness? Everyone aims for happiness in life, yet they suffer more in the process. ‘The value of life lies not in the length of the days, but in the use we make of them. People may live long without doing any service to anybody and thus, live very little’.

Realisation 

ONCE we realise the nature of life (characterised by unsatisfactoriness, change, and egolessness) as well as the nature of greed and the means of getting them satisfied, we can understand the reason why the happiness so desperately sought by many people is so elusive like catching a moon beam in their hands.They try to gain happiness through accumulation. When they are not successful in accumulating wealth, gaining position, power and honour, and deriving pleasure from sense gratification, they pine and suffer, envying others who are successful in doing so. 

However,even if they are ‘successful’ in getting these things, they suffer as well because they then fear losing what they have gained, or their desires have now increased for more wealth, higher position, more power, and greater pleasure. Their desires can never seem to be completely satiated. 

This is why an understanding of life is important so that we do not waste too much time doing the impossible.

It is here that the adoption of a religion becomes important, since it encourages contentment and urges a person to look beyond the demands of his or her flesh and ego. In a religion like Buddhism, people are reminded that they are the heirs of their karma and the master of their destinies. In order to gain greater happiness, they must be prepared to forego short-term pleasures. If people do not believe in life after death, even then it is enough for them to lead a good, noble life on earth, enjoying a life of peace and happiness here and now, as well as performing actions which are for the benefit and happiness of others. Leading such a positive and wholesome life on earth and creating happiness for oneself and others is much better than a selfish life of trying to satisfy one’s ego and greed. 

If we do not know how to live up to the expectations of others, how can we expect others to live according to our expectations?

If, however, people believe in life after death, then according to the Law of Karma, rebirth will take place according to the quality of their deeds. People who have done many good deeds may be born in favourable conditions where they enjoy wealth and success, beauty and strength, good health, and meet good spiritual friends and teachers. Wholesome deeds can also lead to rebirth in the heavens and other sublime states, while unwholesome deeds lead to rebirth in suffering states. When people understand the Law of Karma, they will then make the effort to refrain from performing bad actions, and to try to cultivate the good. By so acting, they gain benefits not only in this life, but in many other lives to come. 

When they understand the nature of human life, then some important realisations arise. 

They realise that unlike a rock or stone, a human being possesses the innate potential to grow in wisdom,compassion, and awareness—and be transformed by this self-development and growth. 

They also understand that it is not easy to be born as a human being, especially one who has the chance to listen to the Dharma. In addition, they are fully aware that life is impermanent, and they should, therefore, strive to practise the Dharma while they are still in a position to do so. They realise that the practice of Dharma is a life-long educative process which enables them to release their true potentials trapped within their mind by ignorance and greed. To experience worldly pleasure there must be external objects or partners but to gain mental happiness it is not necessary to have an external object. 

Based on these realisations and understanding, they will then try to be more aware of what and how they think, speak and act.They will consider if their thoughts, speech and actions are beneficial, done out of compassion and have good effects for themselves as well as others. They will realise the true value of walking the road that leads to complete self transformation, whichis known to Buddhists as the Noble Eightfold Path. 

This Path can help people to develop their moral strength (sila) through there straint of negative actions and the cultivation of positive qualities conducive to personal, mental and spiritual growth. In addition, it contains many techniques which they can apply to purify their thoughts, expand the possibilities of the mind, and bring about acomplete change towards a wholesome personality. 

This practice of mental culture (bhavana) can widen and deepen the mind to gain a better understanding of the nature and characteristics of  phenomena, life and the universe. In short, this leads to the cultivation of wisdom (pañña). 

As wisdom grows, so will love, compassion, kindness, and joy. They will have greater awareness of all forms of life and better understanding of their own thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

In the process of self-transformation, people will no longer aspire for a divine birth as their ultimate goal in life. They will then set their goal much higher, and model themselves after the Buddha who has reached the summit of human perfection and attained the ineffable state we call Enlightenment or Nirvana. It is here that wedevelop a deep confidence in the Triple Gem and adopt the Buddhaas our spiritual ideal. We will strive to eradicate greed, develop wisdom and compassion, and to be completely liberated from the bonds of Samsara.

~ Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda.