Chapter 10 - The Buddhist Practices

A living being that has not attained Fruition has to take up his existence according to his kamma in one of the twenty six planes life, the lowest of which are fourfold, namely:

1. purgatory,
2. animal kingdom,
3. the plane of unhappy ghosts and
4. the plane of fallen angles.

These four planes are the planes of misery.

Those who have attained the First fruition are not born in these four planes.

Then come the seven planes of sensual pleasure and displeasure, namely:

1. the realm of human beings,
2. the realm of the four kings,
3. the realm of thirty one gods,
4. the realm of misery free gods,
5. the heaven of delight,
6. the heaven of the gods who rejoice at their own creation and
7. the heaven of the gods who make others creation serve their own ends.

These eleven are grouped as the planes of sensual pleasure and displeasure.

Above these are the eleven planes of holy beings, namely:

1. the realm of holy beings retinue,
2. the realm of holy beings ministers,
3. the realm of great holy beings,
4. the heavens of gods of minor lustre,
5. the heavens of gods of infinite lustre,
6. the heavens of gods of radiant lustre,
7. the heavens of gods of minor aura,
8. the heavens of gods of infinite aura,
9. the heavens of the gods full of steady aura,
10. the realm of gods of the great reward and
11. the realm of the unconscious beings.

Then come the five abodes of holy beings who are the Elects of third and fourth order, namely:

1. the abode of the Immobile,
2. the abode of the Serene,
3. the abode of the Beautiful,
4. the abode of the Clear sighted and,
5. the abode of the Supreme Beings.

Those who are born there are not born again in other planes or abodes but enter Nibbana from there.

Then come the planes of four formless holy beings, namely:

1. the sphere of conception of infinite space,
2. the sphere of conception of infinite consciousness.
3. the sphere of conception of nothingness and,
4. the sphere of neither consciousness nor unconsciousness.

Thus there are altogether thirty one planes of life.

A living being has to undergo birth, old age and death in the thirty one planes of life according to his moral and immoral deeds.

The root cause of immoral deed is:

1. greed and lust (lobha).
2. hate and anger (dosa) and
3. bewilderment and delusion (moha).

The root cause of moral deed is just the opposite namely:

1. Charity
2. loving kindness and
3. wisdom.

The first immoral deed is taking life. Anyone who takes life, who indulges in taking life or who takes life several times is liable to be born in the purgatory, is liable to be born in the animal kingdom, is liable to be born in the plane of unhappy ghost and liable to be born is in the plane of fallen angels. The lightest punishment for him in human abode is that his life is short.

The second immoral deed is stealing, i.e., taking others property that is not given to him willingly. The thief is also liable to be born as the killer in the four planes of suffering and the lightest punishment for him in the human abode is that he is liable to lose his property.

The third immoral deed is adultery. The adulterer is also liable to suffer as the killer and the thief in the four planes of suffering and the lightest punishment for him in the human abode is that he is liable to create enemies and face enmity.

The fourth immoral deed lying or rather to tell a lie or to speak falsely. The liar is also to be born in the four planes of suffering as the killer, the thief and the adulterer and the lightest punishment for him in the human abode is that he is liable to accusation, slander and calumny.

The fifth immoral deed is drinking liquor. The drunkard is also liable to suffer as the killer, the thief, the adulterer and the liar and the lightest punishment for him in the human abode is that he is liable to be insane

The five fundamental virtues of a Buddhist are to refrain from (1) killing, (2) stealing, (3) adultery, (4) lying and (5) drinking liquor. It is incumbent on very Buddhist to refrain from these five immoral deeds and this is the minimum for him.

The sixth immoral deed is feeling ill of others to create hate. The others is also liable to suffer as the killer, the thief, the adulterer, the liar and the drunkard and the lightest punishment for him in the human abode is that he loses friends or rather he has no friend.

The seventh immoral deed is the use of harsh words. The user of harsh words is liable to be born as the killer, the thief, the adulterer, the liar, the drunkard and the teller of ill of others and the lightest punishment for him in the human abode is that he is unpleasant and disagreeable.

The eighth immoral deed is to talk frivolous tales and use profane language. One indulging in frivolous tales that causes excitement for sensual pleasure and profane language is liable to suffer as the killer, the thief, the adulterer, the drunkard, the teller of ill of others and the user of harsh words and the lightest punishment for him in the human abode is that nobody listens to him and he loses respect of others.

There are three immoral thoughts, namely, covet, ill will and wrong belief

In another place in the Buddhist Canon, The Buddha said, " Four acts of living being, O Bhikkhus, threw them into purgatory. What are the four? Taking life himself, causing the same, approving the same and praising the same"

"Four acts of living being threw him into purgatory. What are the four? Stealing others property, causing the same, approving the same and praising the same." The Buddha said similarly in case of adultery, lying, telling ill of others to create hatred, using harsh words and indulging in frivolous talks, that cause excitement for sensual pleasures.

The above passage in the Buddhist Canon in the Pali language should set the eaters of the flesh of animals slaughtered in the slaughter house to thinking whether or not they cause killing and also whether or not they approve the misdeed by eating that flesh.

In the Buddhist Philosophy there are altogether twelve types of immoral thoughts. Eight types are rooted in greed and lust, two types in anger and hate or aversion and two types in bewilderment and delusion. The eight types rooted in greed are:

1. Automatic conscioussness accompanied by joy and connected with wrong belief.
2. Volitional consciousness accompanied by joy and connected with wrong belief.
3. Automatic consciousness accompanied by joy and disconnected from wrong belief
4. Volitional consciousness accompanied by joy and disconnected from wrong belief
5. Automatic consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference and connected with wrong belief
6. Volitional consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference and connected with wrong belief
7. Automatic consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference and disconnected from wrong belief
8. Volitional consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference and disconnected from wrong belief

The two types rooted in anger and hate or aversion are: -

1. Automatic consciousness, accompanied by grief and connected with anger and hate or aversion
2. Volitional consciousness accompanied by grief and connected with anger and hate or aversion,

The two types rooted in bewilderment and delusion are:-

1. Consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference an conjoined with perplexity.
2. Consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference an conjoined with distraction.

It must be borne in mind that bewilderment and delusion always accompany greed and lust and hate and anger. Against the above twelve types of immoral thoughts, there axe eight types of moral thoughts namely:-

1. Automatic consciousness accompanied by joy and connected with knowledge leading to insight.
2. Volitional consciousness accompanied by joy and connected with knowledge leading to insight.
3. Automatic consciousness accompanied by joy and disconnected from knowledge leading to insight.
4. Volitional consciousness accompanied by joy and disconnected from knowledge leading to insight
5. Automatic consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference and connected with knowledge leading to insight
6. Volitional consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference and connected with knowledge leading to insight
7. Automatic consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference and disconnected from knowledge leading to insight.
8. Volitional consciousness accompanied by hedonic indifference and disconnected from knowledge.

Throughout His Doctrine, the Buddha emphasized intention the determining factor whether a living being commits moral or immoral deed. "If a living being speaks or acts with an evil mind (intension) misery follows that person just as the wheel of the cart follows the hoof of the draught ox. If a living being speaks or acts with a praiseworthy mind (intension) happiness follows that person just as his shadow always follows him".

here are also ten types of moral or rather meritorious deeds in the Discourses of the Doctrine namely, charity, virtue, mental culture, reverence, service, transference of merit; rejoicing at others merit; hearing the Doctrine, teaching the Doctrine and forming Right views.

Charity means giving away from what one has. There are two kinds of charity, namely charity given away with the object of gaining merit and charity given away without the object of gaining merit.

Virtue means developing good character and observing precepts of abstinence from immoral acts, speech and mentality.

Mental culture also comes under two heads, namely, concentration and meditation. Concentration here means concentration on one pointedness and the easiest and the most popular concentration is on "respiration" i.e. breathing in and breathing out,

Reverence means reverencing whatever is worthy of reverence. As rule, The Buddha, His Doctrine and His Congregation, ones parents and ones teachers are worthy or reverence.

Service means not only service to mankind but also to other living beings

Transference of merit means Transferring ones merit to others by saying "May all reap the benefit of my merit".

Rejoicing at others merits means rejoicing thankfully at the merit offered by others and feeling happy over others meritorious deeds.

Hearing the Doctrine means listening to the Doctrine of the Buddha.

Teaching the Doctrine means teaching the Doctrine of The Buddha.

Forming Right Views means the realization of the Four Noble Truths, namely (1) that all is suffering, (2) that craving is the cause of suffering, (3) that cessation of craving is the cessation of suffering and (4) that the Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of craving and suffering.

A good Buddhist aims at either to be a Buddha or to attain Fruition as a follower of a Buddha. Both courses lead to Nibbana. To be a Buddha one has to fulfil the Ten Perfections already described. It is a long way, but most glorious.

To attain Fruition, one has to practise virtue, concentration and meditation.

Virtue develops general good character with loving kindness to all living beings (metta), compassion to all of them (karuna) , pleasure at their success (mudita) and mental equanimity (upekkha). To illustrate Suppose a king has four sons, three boys and one grown up and the loving kindness he entertains towards his fourth son, the youngest of all, is the virtue of metta. The second son is sick and the sympathy he has with his sick son is the virtue of karuna. The third son is successful in a game or in an examination or in any good attempt and the father is pleased with him on account of his success. There is no jealousy or envy whatever on the part of the father. This kind of pleasure or gratification exemplifies the virtue of mudita The eldest son is grown up, physically, morally and intellectually fit as an heir apparent to the Throne. The father has no anxiety or worry whatsoever concerning him. The mental equanimity enjoyed by the father so far as his eldest son is concerned is the virtue of upekkha.

In the Buddhist Philosophy, these four virtues are called Illimitables because they have no limit.

Besides these illimitables, The Buddha laid down many sets of Virtues and "The Way of Virtue" (Dhammapada), a Canonical Book is a mine of information on the subject.

The thirty eight Highest Blessings enumerated by the Buddha are also important in connection with the virtue of personal character. They are as follows:-

• Non companionship with the fool and companionship with the wise and reverencing those who are worthy of reverence: that is the Highest Blessing.
• To dwell in a suitable place, the merit of former good deeds and to get oneself in the right course, that is the Highest Blessing.
• Great learning and ability in arts and well trained moral discipline and pleasant speech; that is the Highest Blessing.
• The support of parents, helping the wife and children, and peaceful occupations, that is the Highest Blessing
• Acts of charity and righteous conduct and helping the relatives and blameless actions, that is the Highest Blessing.
• Abstinence from evil and refraining from it and self control and to keep oneself away from strong drinks and earnestness in righteousness; that is the Highest Blessing.
• Reverence and humility and contentment and gratitude, hearing the doctrine at due times; that is the Highest Blessing.
• Patience and meekness, seeing the Holy, religious discussion at due times; that is the Highest Blessing.
• Practice of morality, i.e. Noble Eightfold Path and holy life and insight into the Four Noble Truths and the realization of Nibbana; that is the Highest Blessing.
• The mind that is not shaken by contact with the things of the world is free from sorrow and stain, and is secure; that is the highest Blessing.
• Acts as these that are fulfilled so well bring invincibility to performers of these acts and they always achieve happiness; that is the Highest Blessing

Having been fortified by good character and the observance of precepts, a person who wants to concentrate on the awareness of respiration i.e. breathing in and breathing out, "must go into a forest or to the foot of a tree or any other quiet place". What is really required is a silent place undisturbed by any noise. In fact he can sit in his bed at night, when silence prevails, cross legged and upright, setting awareness before him.

Being aware that he breathes out, he breathes out and being aware that he breathes in, he breathes in.

Emitting a long breath, he is aware that he is emitting a long breath, or drawing a long breath, he is aware that he is drawing a long breath. Emitting a short breath, he is aware that he is emitting a short breath..

Drawing a short breath, he is aware that he is drawing a short breath. Having been thus well established in awareness of respiration (satipatthana), he goes on concentrating on one pointedness (samatha) or meditating on transitoriness or impermanence of things in general (vipassana).

Then he realises that all is impermanent of transitory and that all is suffering and devoid of ego (atta).

Then he gains the knowledge that one phase of the existence rises up when the other sinks down and that one phase of the existence sinks down when the other rises up.

He then gains the knowledge of waning things as dissolving.

Then he gains the knowledge that all is to be dreaded.

Then he gains the knowledge that these things occur as there are body and mind and therefore this body and mind are full of evils.

Then he gains the knowledge that there should be no attachment to the body and the mind and that these are something where from there must be a wish to escape.

Then he gains the knowledge that the body and the mind should be renounced.

Then he gains full realization of the series of knowledge which he has gained.

Then he gains equanimity.

Then he gains the knowledge that leads to Fruition of the first order, then the second order, then the third order and then the fourth order which is the highest.

When one attains the Fruition of the Highest Order, he practically attains Nibbana because he has no more craving and as there is no more craving there is no suffering. This Nibbana is designated "Nibbana while the body and mind remain". When he dies he enters the "Nibbanaa without body and mind". Only those who have attained Fruition see the Nibbana and those who have not attained it, as their mind is polluted with greed and lust, anger and hate, and bewilderment and delusion do not see Nibbana. Even the Elect of the first order sees it only once, of the second order once more; of the third order once more and only the Elect of the fourth order sees it for ever.

The Burmese Books on Buddhism gives the following illustration Suppose there is a King with his Chamberlain. At the first watch of a dark night. the King asks his Chamberlain to fetch his shoes from his treasury. The Chamberlain goes to the treasury, lights his match stick, sees the contents of the treasury, picks up the shoes and comes out. Then there is no more light and he does not see the treasury. He comes to his King and hands him over the shoes. Then at the second watch of the night the King asks him to fetch his garment. He has to light his match stick again to see in the treasury. Then at the third watch of the night, the King asks him to fetch his turban. He has to light his match stick again, but when he comes to the treasury fourth time it is already day break and he need not light his match stick.

The visit at the first watch of the night may be likened to the Fruition of the first order, the second visit, the Fruition of the second order, the third visit, the Fruition of the third order and fourth visit at day break may be likened to the Fruition of the fourth. i.e. the Highest Fruition. He sees Nibbana for ever because he has no greed and lust, no anger and hate and no bewilderment and delusion. These three sources of passions are extirpated root and branch in him and they do not rise any more as the seed which is well burnt does not germinate.

Nibbana is beyond the world and is to be realised through the knowledge belonging to the Four Paths, and their Fruition. It is called Nibbana in that it is a "departure" from the craving which is called vana (lusting). This Nibbana is in its nature single, but for the purpose of logical treatment it is two fold, namely, the element of Nibbana, wherewith is yet remaining stuff of life, and the element of Nibbana without that remainder. That is the Nibbana which the Elect of the Fourth Order - i.e., the Highest Fruition, has attained.

When divided into modes, Nibbana is three fold, namely, void of craving, no sign of worldliness and absolute content. It is Serene and Placid. It is Permanent and Eternal. It is Transcendental Summum Bonum, for, it transcends the world.