Buddihism B. BUDDHISM Introduction The history of Buddhism begins approximately in the 5th century (623 BCE) after the most well- known founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama born in Lumbini, Nepal which soon after that became a place for pilgrimage. Many scholars and historians argue that Buddhism is a fraction of Hinduism. This is due to the fact that some of the teachings in Hinduism and Buddhism sharing the similar philosophical thought for instance, both Hinduism and Buddhism emphasize the illusive nature of this world and the role of karma in keeping men bound to this world and the cycle of births and deaths. Both religions also believe in the concept of transmigration of souls and the cycle of births and deaths for each soul. In addition within the geographical and cultural viewpoint, majority of Nepal population comprises of Hindu whereas, Buddhism only belongs to the minority. Gautama is also said to have born as descended from Brahmin Angiras, a Vedic pundit who formulated the 4th Veda, which has simultaneously fortify the allege that Buddhism is a fraction of Hindu doctrine due to the influence of his own descendent. In fact, some people argue Buddha is part of the Hindu pantheon, a view which is not acceptable by many Buddhists. However, quite a large number of Buddhism doctrines are not parallel to Hinduism particularly the concept of ultimate reality of God. Unlike Hinduism, there is Buddhist devotion and ritual, but there is no omnipotent, creator God, and the ‘Gods’. This is also the major reason why majority of the scholars deny the allege that Buddhism is a fraction of Hinduism, but on the other hand, is a religion free from the influence of others. Buddhism is founded as a religion that chooses middle pathway as way of life, which rejects fanaticism in the divine matters for instance, strict asceticism towards self-mortification or punishment because of the sins one made and also rejects fanaticism in the worldly matters such as fulfilling self-indulgence, greediness, avariciousness and selfishness. Before the demise of Buddha, he is reported to have told his followers to take Dharma as their leader. Dharma within the context of Buddhism is the teaching and Buddha doctrines (cannon- accepted scripture) that functioned as the guidance for living in this world after the death of its founder. Like Hinduism, Buddhism was also developed as a result of multiplicity in the doctrinal and philosophical tradition in which, every tradition possesses its very own idea of the concept of reality. Every doctrine has different interpretation depending on the schools of thought which are also different as a result of the fracture and development of Buddhism beginning from the North Eastern Region of the Indian Sub Continent to the Middle Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia that comprises mixture of ethnic, tradition, beliefs, customs that makes up cultural diversity of the local population in those places. Like Hinduism that has many schools of thought, Buddhism also contains various school of thought and traditions which among others are Theravāda, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna . The Main Theme in Buddhism Since the beginning age of Buddhism, the argumentation and disputation of opinions particularly of the God’s nature of existence becomes the major key to distinguish the identity between Buddhism and non-Buddhism. This situation most probably takes place because the Hindu credo already long established in the Hindu and Nepalese society that time. Buddhism is usually considered as religion, but at the same time it is also considered as a spiritual philosophy. The combination of both that can be construed here is that, Buddhism is a philosophical religion because Buddhism does not emphasize on God or his creation but rather the development of positive value in inner-self. The Buddhism approach is empiric and based upon spiritual experience. In ‘Four Noble Truth’, Buddha analyzes problem arisen from suffering, diagnose its root and explicate how to escape from suffering. He teaches that through deeper observation and profound examination on the origin of the nature of existence which attended by wisdom and not to only think on mere himself ( anatta ), one can avoid from ignorance and consequently painfulness and sufferings. It is used to develop a thought and profound insight into the true nature of reality and to grind down the greediness, hatred and delusions. Therefore, it can be concluded that Buddhism does not give much attention on the concept of God, though the followers of Buddhism mostly do not reject or deny the existence of supernatural beings (ie: ‘devas’ that is much discussed in the sacred texts of Buddhism) but more on individual practice on ethics, meditation and wisdom. This is indeed a true teaching of Buddha. The Concept of Reality in Buddhism In the Theravada school of thought which can be considered as authentic and orthodox, not so much of changes, and is still regarded as original from its founder, it teaches the followers that no personal god, no spiritual substance exists on its own as Ultimate Reality. This world is seen as not possessing its primordial being as its origin like brahman. It only exists as mere mental illusion created by senses. What we see is only transitory existence, non-permanence, and is depending upon each other in order to realize its existence. If one of its interdependency factors is gone, then such things or its substances will not exist. Anything exists in this world is with causal actions. All these existence is like the rolling wheel which is already transfix and pinned in its axle shaft. The common word that usually associated with Buddhism is that, the reality is mere mental illusion, identical with that of the concept of ‘ Maya ’ in Hinduism. Buddhism teaches that reality encompasses of two significant condition; impermanence ( Anicca) and not-self characteristic ( Anatta). The impermanence concept can be illustrated like a flower. When such flower is deconstructed, it can be seen that the whole flower comprises of substances not related to that flower or any of its element for instance soil, nutrient organic, photosynthesis energy, rainwater, and human attempts to plant and grow the flower seeds. In other words, none will be grown and arisen from the state of nothingness which is unique and personal for every creature. In particular, there is no living soul in the physical deadly human body and moreover, none of them are extinguished because relatively, there is nothing to be destroyed because there are no existences. Through perception, reality relatively is mere illusory shaped by mental process of human beings because human believe that there are isolated beings with the universe creation, interval with the other cosmos creation in this universe. Ultimate Reality for Buddhism is, human beings possess interconnectivity between each other in this world, but is isolated with the other creation of this universe. This concept of non- discrimination is illustrated in the creation process of flower that I explained earlier which shows that from the state of nothingness to the existence of flower through the elements and substances from non-flower which according to Buddhism, proven the interconnectivity and interdependency between one another for all existence of non-existence and the baseless phenomenon. Buddhism teaches its followers that the Ultimate Reality is not of the conception of God existence and Unity of Creation, not like what can be found in Hinduism, but from the aspect of searching in the inner-self, it is very close with Hinduism practice. Buddhism allows each individual to survey and observe the truth through internal and external without having to follow in a blind faith like. Buddhism is not a system of faith and worship, but rather a pathway to attain supreme enlightenment that free human from sufferings as permanent ultimate reality – Nirvana . Further according to Buddhism, all livings who do not resolve the mission to attain self enlightenment and true reality, will be subject to continuously reforming illusive reality of lusts, desire and formless. Future reincarnation that always takes place incessantly which possesses either good or bad destiny depending upon the provision of previous life with mental power as forerunner to all manifestation of reality that built upon intellect, accordingly create an individual entity which fabricated within limitation created by mind as illusory reality. Reincarnation circle will only end when one has already decided to end it through the attainment of Buddhahood. Finally, what differentiate Hinduism and Buddhism in the concept of reality is that, Hinduism searches reality in the self to find the truth about existence and oneness of brahman, whereas, Buddhism search reality in the self not to find about ultimate reality, but rather the reality of the truth that manage and govern the human world and this universe. For Buddhism, the existence of God can be accepted but not for the purpose of worship or as a source of morality like in other religions, but rather as mere administrator of the universe. There is grief but none suffering, There is no doer though there is action. There is quietude but none tranquil. There is the path but none walks upon the path. (Buddhaghosa; Visuddhi Magga 16)
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 06:39:10 +0000
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