Buddhism is understood, interpreted and practised in different ways by its practitioners, preachers, scholars and thinkers ever since the Mahaparinirvana of the Lord Buddha and it continues to inspire the present and future generations of scholars to study it further to discover its relevance to their respective times. Siddhartha Gautama, who lived and interacted with the great scholars, yogic practitioners and the lay people alike some two thousand and five hundred years ago, is still revered and adored as a Great Master. Satisfying the modern parameters of history writing, Siddhartha stands as one of the earliest historically known spiritual personalities and the most illustrious path finders from among many great saints and masters who traversed the land of Bharat, i.e. India, and beyond from times immemorial.
The Buddha showed to the world an alternate path to Salvation with his own pursuance and realization. He set aside the reigning notion that an intense study of the Vedas followed by severe practices and elaborate rituals were essential prerequisites to attain Liberation, the ultimate goal of human life. Further, he did not appreciate the mediation of a god or a guru on the path of Liberation, i.e. freedom from sorrow. He maintained that one could rely on oneself to get enlightened. He declined to comment on the concepts like soul, Supreme Soul, as he found the discussion irrelevant for a real seeker of Truth. He maintained that the consciousness of 'being' wholly rests on one's desires and the efforts for their fulfillment. The state of desirelessness amounts to the cessation of that conscious existence, i.e., Mahaparinirvana, an unqualified state in the Upanishadic sense.
Fulfillment of desire is inbuilt in the nature of this Universe. Therefore, one has to live or take another birth if warranted for the realisation of his sankalpa or fulfilment of his desire. Paradoxically, even the state of desirelessness can be achieved only by having a strong and unswerving desire for it. For that matter any thing can be achieved including an honorable acquittal from this world, whatever name one might give it: enlightenment or final deliverance, nirvana or moksha by having a strong desire for it. Our ancient knowledge identified three major factors for the fulfillment of one's desires, namely, a strong will or desire for it, technical know-how to go about it and action-oriented pursuance. The Buddha gave a rational explanation to the very existence of this Phenomenon applying the principle of causation.
He found the world full of sorrow, for even the apparent joy and happiness of an individual is temporary soon paving way for disillusionment and sorrow. Painstaking efforts and a long wait laden with anxiety and worries precede the fulfillment of a desire. Even the course of enjoyment is wrought with the fear of losing it at any time. Of course the end of this phase leads one to sorrow. Thus, it becomes clear that desire causes sorrow, to end which one should practice restraint through dharmic living. Leading an honest and simple life, practicing truth and non-violence in thought, word and deed, and with uno animo approach, one can attain the Enlightenment, which is the final goal of human life. The right knowledge of Dharma develops in one the right attitude to life i.e. 'jnana' as described by the ancient scriptures.
True to his name, Siddhartha was already a contented man in his worldly life. He did not leave his princely life to add something more to it, nor did he have any complaint against it. He set out on the great mission of inquiry to find the root cause of sorrow that engulfed all the living beings. Immortality is attained only through such sacrifice. Siddhartha renounced his worldly life for a universal cause, as if to prove the Vedic dictum that it is neither the sacrifice of one's family nor wealth nor ritualistic practices that would ensure one immortality but it is sacrifice alone. After that he never looked back. That was Mahabhinishkramana. Such disentanglement with the world i.e.,vairagya is identified as the penultimate stage on the path of Jnana by our ancients. To pursue a strong desire, kama, to fruition with great perseverance needs enough courage known as kshatram. Siddhartha was a noble kshatriya by quality. By then he had already achieved the dharma, artha and kama, the three purusharthas prescribed for attaining moksha, the finale, as described in the general parlance of the tradition. But, Siddhartha, instead of seeking moksha for himself, had laid a path for others to tread with ease. His path was a via media between the severe austerities and living in ease and comfort following a ritualistic religion. No formal education or training was necessary for taking his path. The only qualification needed was to have a strong resolve to take refuge in the Teachings of the Buddha, in the Order of the Monks, the Sangha and follow the prescribed Code of Conduct, the Dhamma. Thus the aspirants of jnana were freed from the burden of scriptural studies, ritualistic practices such as yajna and severe austerities, which marginalized the common man. The Buddha had once again brought both the piety and the laity under his umbrella, the chatra. His path was, thus, inclusive of all classes of people. It was not marked by any exclusivity. His personality was such that he was loved by all and despised by none interested in spiritual progress and the general well being of the society.
The Buddha addressed all sections of population irrespective of class, creed, gender, occupation or age. He welcomed all of them to his fold irrespective of their socio-economic, intellectual, ethical and moral background. His main contention was that everyone whether born high or low, rich or poor has a birthright to attain Enlightenment and so, the real seeker should not be prevented on any plea. Those who follow his Eight-fold Path in their normal worldly life would gradually develop the right attitude to the world and eventually renounce the world and attain nirvana. Those who could renounce the world straight away joined the Sangha and dedicated their remaining life to the service of the fellow beings. The principles of life He taught are pragmatic, neither rigid nor flexible. He struck a balance between the two extremes. Therefore, He was acceptable to all.
The principles like non-violence and truth; qualities like compassion, honesty, charity and humility and attitudes like selflessness, non-attachment and courage have been the part and parcel of the Indian philosophy since our remotest past, which have been reiterated time and again by great sages and men. The Buddha added His flavor to them and demonstrated them through His personal life. The most venerable Buddhist spiritual leader Dalailama rightly says: " The Hindus and the Buddhists, we are two sons of the same mother."
The very sight of the Buddha's noble personality disarmed even His fiercest opponents and critics in no time. The kings, the queens, the rich, the mendicants, great scholars, and the serious practitioners of Brahmincal rituals, cruel robbers, women of easy virtue – all fell at His feet and sought His Grace. He did not preach any religion. 'He taught us how to live and to leave in simple words', says Sathguru Sivananda Murty (Guruji) to whom I owe my understanding of the Buddha - his life and teachings. He opines, if there is any philosophy that could be acceptable to all the existing religions in the world without any grudge or prejudice, it is the Buddha Dhamma.
The sixth century before Christ was intellectually a vibrant period through out the civilized world. Confucius and Lao Tse in China, Socrates in Greece, and the Mahavira and the Buddha in India led radical social movements. Buddhist and Jain philosophies had not only addressed social issues but also suggested paths to reach the Ultimate. Of these two, Buddha's liberal approach had a greater appeal to all sections of people cutting across all political and geographical barriers. That is why the Dhamma could spread far and wide across the civilized world much before Christ was born. The Dhamma depicting the finer human values also appealed to the rational mind. Therefore, the Dhamma has universal applicability and relevance to all times and more so, the modern times of stress, strain and strife due to degradation of human element in man.
The original teachings of any great Master are always simple and straight. But with succeeding generations, many developments take place by way of commentaries through intellectual discourses and exercises. In a fond attempt to make the original teachings simpler to understand and to bring out its significance, the commentators make the philosophy more complicated and difficult. Therefore, Guruji advises that one should read the original works before one looks into the commentaries. These intellectual exercises result in proposing diverse approaches from the same platform. These new branches in course of time grow into full-fledged religions like a plant grows into a tree spreading around its branches also forming new stems. This does not mean that the branches are different from the original plant. They are the extensions of the same tree. This out look would promote democratic spirit and tolerance to pursue the goal unconcerned with the diversity in their approaches. Guruji aptly says that the Sanathana Dharma is the basis of all religions that sprang up in India. The Buddha's teachings are no exception.
Y. Sudershan Rao
12 Mar 2007
Formerly Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Professor of History, Kakatiya University, Warangal, A.P. Former Member, Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi (2000-2002). UGC National Fellow (1992-94). ysudershanrao@ yahoo.com
