Philosophy of Buddhism
Buddhism, as the world used to call this philosophy is a way of life that was developed over 2,500 years ago in ‘Jambudhweepa’, today known as India. The teachings of the Buddha spread throughout Asia originally and gradually spread to other parts of the world too. There are three major schools of practice in Buddhism. Historically,
- Theravada school of practice, which is considered the way of practicing resorted to by the Elders coming down from the ancient times. This stream of Buddhism is found in South Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar (former Burma), Cambodia and Bhutan.
- Mahayana or the Great Vehicle is the Buddhism practiced in the Northern Asian countries like China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.
- The third stream of practice is called Vajrayana – the Buddhism practiced in Tibet. There is also a fourth
- Sector called Zen Buddhism, widely followed in Japan. However, the basics of the philosophy is considered the same: Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path to Nibbana.
The Buddha was born between 563 – 480 BC as Siddhartha Gautama, a prince in the kingdom of the Shakya clan located close to Northern Indian border and Nepal, in a place known as Lumbini. Destined to be a future Emperor, he was given all the befitting education and training, but was barred from all unpleasant worldly experiences such as Man’s suffering on illness, aging, and death until he came of age as a young man. Having seen the sick, the aged and the dead, Prince Siddhartha’s frustration in the existence and his determination to find a solution to End Suffering was firmly rooted in his mind.
At age twenty-nine, he left the palace, leaving behind his wife, son, parents, and all the status and comforts of royalty, and embarked on his spiritual journey. He learned from many sages: the wise men of the era seeking spirituality and eventually joined a group of five ascetics engaged in severe spiritual practices. Ascetic Siddhartha also subjected himself to all types of their self-mortifications, including abstaining from eating or drinking and meditation in continuation of his search for spirituality and a way of eradicating the recurring cycle of suffering for ever.
After six long years of starvation and bodily torture, ascetic Siddhartha was reduced to flesh and bone. Reflecting on his life to the point of death, he realized that he had been living by the two extremes, neither of which was conducive to realization of the absolute truth and the way to end suffering. At this juncture, he discovered the Middle Path, avoiding the two extremes: indulging in the comforts of luxury and self-mortification – torturing the body.
With clarity of thought in meditation, he sat under what was to become known as the Bodhi Tree to reflect on the true nature of existence. It was through meditation that the ascetic Siddhartha Gautama began to realize the chain of causes that lead to existence and conditions dependently arising every moment to constitute life over and over again. He realized that ignorance is the cause of creating other by-products that lead to a continuous cycle of existence that leads to endless suffering. Ascetic Gautama was awakened to this truth and consequently became fully enlightened: attained Buddhahood. So, Siddhartha Gautama, by himself found out the way to end suffering in a final state called “Nibbana” without the guidance of absolutely no other: hence became the Buddha.
The ultimate aim at Nibbana is the highest state of spiritual achievement and marks the end of existence: hence ends sorrow and suffering. It literally means, to blow out, to extinguish or to eradicate. Nibbana ends the Cycle of Samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth that all sentient beings are bound to repeat until they follow their way to liberation in the path expounded by the Buddha and no other. The path to realization of Nibbana was handed down to the World in Buddha’s first sermon of Dhamma Chakkappawatthana Sutta to his former five supportive ascetics at the Dear Park in Isipathana, Varanasi, India, in which the Four Noble Truths was handed down by the Buddha.
To simplify the the Four Noble Truths in a simplistic way:
- All sentient beings’ existence is suffering
- The cause of dukkha is craving.
- The end of dukkha is achieved with putting an end to craving.
- There is a path we can follow to put an end to dukkha.
The cause of suffering lies entirely within ourselves: in our reactions to those changes and in our ignorance of the reality of impermanence. Whilst we ourselves are the cause of our own suffering, it could be overcome. The path we must follow in order to overcome suffering is the Eightfold Path, the fourth aspect expounded in the Four Noble Truths.
The Eightfold Path which endures right understanding, right thought, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right endeavor, right mindfulness, and right concentration is meant to provide us with the essential ingredients towards Nibbana. It promotes wisdom and compassion in our interactions with the world around us leads to ultimate happiness.
The Noble Eightfold Path is:
- Right understanding, or samma ditthi. Understand the Four Noble Truths. Human life is suffering, and there is a way to be free from suffering.
- Right thought, or samma sankappa. Engage in selflessness, altruism, and loving kindness in your thoughts.
- Right speech, or samma vacha. Communicate in a way that is in line with your compassionate thoughts, without verbal abuse, lies, hatred or blame.
- Right action, or samma kammanta. Abstain from murder, sexual misconduct, and theft.
- Right livelihood, or samma aajiva. Engage in work that fulfills you and helps others. This means avoiding things that harm your body and mind, including drugs, alcohol, and other harmful substances.
- Right effort, or samma vayama. Practice the Noble Eightfold path with consistency, not just on occasion or when it’s easy.
- Right mindfulness, or samma sathi. Observe the moving patterns of your body, mind, and the world around you without getting attached to your personal interpretation of these events.
- Right concentration or samma samadhi. Regularly practice meditation that helps you observe what the wise understands to be an ever restless mind. With the right concentration, your meditation practice will bring your mind closer to the state beyond suffering, paving the way ultimately towards Nibbana or end suffering.