The Gift of The Dhamma: An Introduction to The Path and Practice of Buddhism Compiled and Written by John C. Kimbrough ©2004 John C. Kimbrough Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Defining the Major Concepts of Buddhism 3. The Defilements and Hindrances in Buddhism - Understanding the Enemy and How We Deal with It 4. The Factors of Enlightenment – The Skillful and Wholesome States of Being that we Access and Cultivate Through The Practice of Buddhism 5. The Noble Eightfold Path – The Mental and Behavioral Practices of Buddhism 6. Meditation – the Core Teaching and Practice of Buddhism 7. Resources for The Further Study of Buddhism 1. Introduction Over the last thirty years there has been a deeper interest among people from all countries and cultures in what Buddhism offers and teaches us. The purpose of this short and small manual and discourse is to try to briefly yet comprehensively and clearly share with those who are interested in Buddhism what it teaches us and how it can change our lives for the better. In order to learn and practice Buddhism one does not have to go to live in Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka or India or shave their head and leave their current job, place of residence and spouse or life partner. All they need to do is to understand and apply its teachings. It is possible that because of this experience, one may make some changes in their life, or they may not. The purpose of this manual and discourse is not to tell people that they should change their life and ways but just to assist them in becoming more mindful of the external and internal forces that affect them and how through the knowledge and practice of Buddhism, one can change the quality of these forces and one’s perceptions and life for the better. We live in times of stress, anger, confusion and fear, as mankind has throughout all of its history. The understanding and practice of Buddhism can give many a new strength and wisdom to live their lives with patience, skillfulness, loving kindness, wisdom and compassion. In the briefest possible manner, we can summarize Buddhism as consisting of a set of teachings that involve how we perceive ourselves and others, and the thoughts, words and actions that we engage ourselves in based on those perceptions. We can summarize these as consisting of a basic understanding of ourselves, others and mankind, moral and ethical actions performed in thought, word and action, and the regular and daily practice of meditation. All of this acts as a holistic purification practice which results in us being more balanced and joyful in our life, and brings about greater mindfulness and skillfulness in dealing with life’s challenges and experiences. It is hoped that some of the words in these pages will be of assistance to those who wish to embark on a new way in their life built around the teachings and practices of Buddhism. John C. Kimbrough September 19th, 2004 Bangkok, Thailand 2. Defining the Major concepts of Buddhism In learning anything new in our life, whether it is cooking, flying a plane, doing accounting or understanding the practice of a spiritual path and practice such as Buddhism, it is helpful to become familiar with the major concepts and terms that make it up. Below is a brief overview of some of the major concepts and terms that apply to Buddhism. Teachings – The mental, physical and behavioral practices of a particular person or religious or spiritual path. The path and practice of Buddhism is built around the teachings put forth in what is known as The Noble Eightfold Path Defilement – That which makes something impure. The philosophy behind the path and practice of Buddhism is that the mind and consciousness is defiled and it is these defilements which cause suffering. According to the path and practice of Buddhism there are three defilements. They are lust/greed, anger/aversion and delusion. Hindrance – That which impedes or obstructs one’s understanding or progress in some manner. In the path and practice of Buddhism there are five hindrances. They are sensual desire, ill – will, doubt, sloth and torpor, and restlessness and worry. Each one of these hindrances is rooted in one of the three mental defilements. Factor of Enlightenment – Those characteristics that manifest themselves in thought, word and action and form the foundation for spiritual growth, maturity and enlightenment. The path and practice of Buddhism teaches us that there are seven factors of enlightenment. They are mindfulness, concentration, tranquility, equanimity, energy and effort, joy and an investigative nature. The Noble Eightfold Path – The set of teachings of Buddhism that guide us in what to understand, and how to think, speak and act in order to get the benefits of the practice of Buddhism. 3. The Defilements and The Hindrances - Understanding the Enemy and How to Deal with it In the various writings and teachings of Buddhism, we frequently are exposed to words that are metaphors for fighting and conflict. One teacher has described the practice of Buddhism and its core practice, meditation, as being a “war between wholesome and unwholesome states” (1) We hear the word “forces” frequently used to describe those things that we want to weaken and alleviate in the practice of Buddhism. These things are also referred to as being “evil” and that we must “combat” them with all of our energy and power. In the title of this section, we use the word “enemy” to define those things that Buddhism teaches us as being our objectives to work on through our practice. The enemy in Buddhism, that is, those mental, verbal and behavioral states that we want to weaken and alleviate are known as the mental defilements and the hindrances. A defilement is something that creates a state of impurity. Buddhism teaches us that our mind and consciousness is defiled and it is these defilements that create unskilfulness, unwholesomeness and a lack of mindfulness in our life. Then we experience suffering and engage in actions and behaviors that may hurt ourselves and others. There are three defilements. They are: • lust and greed • aversion and anger • delusion. A hindrance, also referred to as an obstacle or impediment is, according to Buddhist thought, a subtle and overt manifestation of the mental defilements in both a temporary and permanent manner in thought, word and action. A hindrance or obstacle is thought of as being something that we have to get rid of. They are impediments which obstruct physical and mental progress in any endeavor, especially in Buddhism. However, in the practice of Buddhism, it is not getting rid of them that is most important but gradually understanding them and seeing when they arise and cease. There are five hindrances. They are: • sensual desire • ill – will • doubt • sloth and torpor • restlessness and worry. An important point for people who are new to Buddhism and its practice to understand and remember is that the hindrances are rooted in the mental defilements. Sensual desire is rooted in the defilement of lust and greed. Ill – will is rooted in the defilement of anger and aversion. Doubt, sloth and torpor, and restlessness and worry are rooted in delusion. Hindrances distract the aspirant’s consciousness, whether in living a life that is better in health, fulfillment and quality or in practicing and making progress in Buddhism. These hindrances are self-inflicted, a result of imbalances in the body and consciousness and genetic defects, and our past and current conditioning, trauma and past experiences. Our objective in the understanding and practice of Buddhism is to weaken and alleviate these defilements and hindrances and replace them with other states of consciousness, known as the factors of enlightenment. In order to weaken and alleviate these defilements and hindrances, we approach them with three things in mind. The first is to learn about, study and understand what they are and what they consist of. The second is to know what those things are that we may be doing that are strengthening them. The third is to know what those things are that we can do that weaken and alleviate them. Such an approach will for some people make their practice of Buddhism and a feeling that they are making real progress from it a more easy to manage and a fruitful one. These things may seem at first like a lot to learn and understand and perhaps what will be more formidable for some, is actually starting to make an attempt to stop those things that they are advised to stop and start those things that they are advised to do. However, one is advised that this is not as formidable as it may seem at first as those things that strengthen and weaken the various defilements and hindrances are for the most part redundant and the same in dealing with each defilement and hindrance. 4. The Factors of Enlightenment – The Skillful and Wholesome States of Being that we Access and Cultivate Through The Practice of Buddhism In the various writings, teachings and commentaries on the path and practice of Buddhism, we are exposed to words such as wholesome and unwholesome, and skillful and unskillful. What Buddhism wants to give us is a way to get away from states of being that are unwholesome and unskillful and bring us to states of being that are wholesome and skillful. It does not take a lot of wisdom and insight to see that when we are caught up in any of the defilements are hindrances we may feel distressed or uncomfortable, suffer or engage in thoughts, words and actions that may confuse or hurt us and others also. But what about those wholesome and skillful states that we can achieve through the practice of Buddhism. What are they? They are referred to as The Factors of Enlightenment and consist of seven things. These are mindfulness, concentration, tranquility, equanimity, energy and effort, joy, and an investigative nature. The give us a healthier and more balanced understanding and approach to life, whether it is in how we work, raise a family, involve ourselves in a marriage and interact with our friends, work colleagues acquaintance and people that we meet by chance in our day to day activities and experiences. We give a brief introduction to these Seven Factors of Enlightenment below and points to reflect on which help us understand the benefits and importance of bringing them into our lives and workjng to strengthen and cultivate them. 1. Mindfulness - Mindfulness means to be more aware of those things that we are thinking, feeling and experiencing, both internally and externally at any particular moment. It involves the technique of observing without allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by any aspect of the phenomenon of thinking, feeling, doing and reacting. Mindfulness includes constituents such as preparedness, sense restraint, detachment, morality and faith. We can reflect on what kind of thoughts, feeling, verbal and physical patterns of behavior may occur if we lack mindfulness. 2. Concentration - Concentration is a focused presence on what is happening or the task that one is performing at any particular time and moment. With the accessing and cultivation of concentration, mindfulness, tranquility, equanimity, energy and effort, joy and an investigative nature are also accessed and cultivated. We can reflect on how a lack of concentration can make our life less meaningful and enjoyable and what habits we may have that hinder or weaken our concentration? 3. Tranquility - Tranquility refers to a calm state of consciousness. Its constituents include loving kindness, skillful speech, humility and a tendency to refrain from anger in any form. For reflection: Can we pinpoint those things in our lives that take away our tranquility? May we be accessing a short-term feeling or experience of tranquility through some artificial means which may have long-term affects which are not so healthy for us? 4. Equanimity - Equanimity refers to a consistent and balanced state of consciousness, not overly influenced or disturbed by fluctuations from within and experiences from without. Its primary constituents are sobriety, balance, integration and co – ordination, steadiness, self – confidence, self – esteem, flexibility in thinking and the ability to share with others in an honest, respectful, open and vulnerable manner. For reflection: What benefits does equanimity bring to those who consciously try to cultivate it or have cultivated it into their lives? Can you pinpoint those things in life that interfere with your ability to be equanimious? 5. Energy and effort - Energy and effort refers to the ability to have the energy required and the ability to apply it as needed to any task or experience. Its constituents include determination, will power, self – control, and an understanding, acceptance and skillful performance of one’s duty. For reflection: How may we hurt ourselves and those that we love and have responsibilities to if we are not functioning at our greatest energy and fullest effort? 6. Joy - Joy is a state of satisfaction from within, based on energy, balance, wisdom, concentration and mindfulness. When the mind experiences states of concentration and tranquility, it radiates joy within itself. With Joy, we have more enthusiasm for the experiences of life, looking at them as welcome challenges and opportunities to learn and apply the morals and ethics that we abide by. For reflection: Can a consistent joy be more fulfilling then a happiness dependent on external factors? What are some of the things that can rob of us of Joy? 7. Investigative nature - The enthusiasm and ability to look at more closely the issues regarding internal and external phenomena and the teachings that instruct us in ways to understand and develop them to a new and higher state. We are more open to new ideas from inside and outside of us and have the ability to explore them more skillfully. For reflection: How can an investigative nature make our life more fulfilling? Through an investigative nature, can we become more skillful in how we live? What are some of the things worth investigating in your own life? 5. The Noble Eightfold Path – The Mental and Behavioral Practices of Buddhism The practice of Buddhism can be summarized as consisting of the understanding and application The Noble Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold Path consists of eight components, aspects and factors which we learn and apply in our lives. Each component of The Noble Eightfold Path consists of teachings and practices which are applied mentally, verbally and behaviorally, both when we are alone and when we are with other people, regardless of the time, situation, environment and experience. The various components and factors which make up The Noble Eightfold Path are: 1. Right Understanding 2. Right Intentions 3. Right Speech 4. Right Action 5. Right Livelihood 6. Right Effort 7. Right Mindfulness 8. Right Concentration These factors of The Noble Eightfold Path are practiced individually and simultaneously. Chart #2 at the end of this manual gives one an overview of the various teachings of each one of the factors of The Noble Eightfold Path, what their practice and results in and offers one a formatted layout for reflecting on how wel one has applied them or not applied them during the day. Such a chart can serve for those who make the effort to use it a way to better understand the various teachings of Buddhism and make them more a part of their lives. 6. Meditation – The Core Teaching and Practice of Buddhism Much has been written about meditation and what it consists of. In the early 21rst century, with the availability of the computer and a number of online ways to share and disseminate information, and more people learning and practicing meditation and writing about it, it seems that we can easily access any information that we wish to on meditation. In some instances, we may seem overwhelmed and confused by the availability of all of this information or not be sure about how to practice or if we should be practicing within the context of a larger set of teachings and practices In Buddhism, meditation is the core teaching and practice. The idea and practice of meditation is something that man has been doing throughout the history of mankind. It can be practiced by clergy, monks and lay people. Elements and practices in Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Catholicism bear a strong resemblance to the practice of meditation in Yoga and Buddhism. Meditation is something that we at times think of as being quite difficult to do and bring into our lives. We may not be clear about how to do it or what we should be getting out of doing it. We may think that it is something that we are not capable of doing. For those who are investigating Buddhism at this time and want to learn and practice meditation we offer a few guidelines and comments about its practice. They may be of help to you in making meditation part of your daily habit and routine. Point #1 - In order to practice meditation we need to sit in posture that is comfortable, steady and therapeutic. What makes the posture for meditation so important is the fact that it is therapeutic. Many times we can be comfortable and steady in a posture when we are sitting reading or watching television. It does not mean that the posture we are in is a healthy one. Learning to sit in a meditative posture is one of the greatest challenges that those who are new to meditation face. This meditative posture does not have to be an advanced posture as long as it is therapeutic, meaning that it balances the energy of the body and consciousness. Two postures that are good for those who are new to meditation to learn are the Yoga postures known as the easy posture (sukhasana) and the thunderbolt posture (vajrasana). Point #2 - Meditation practice should be done at the same time everyday. Determining when is the best time for one will depend on their own schedule and a system of trial and error. Sometimes early in the morning is best, though some people have said that they are too distracted because they think of their work and tasks for the day ahead. Individuals who experience this may do better meditating at night before dinner or going to bed. Point #3 – When we sit for meditation practice we should try to sit for at least 15 minutes. How long we sit is not the most important thing, though we should try to make it a regular habit to sit for at least 15 minutes each time we sit. Point #4 – When the mind and consciousness wanders during meditation practice we should not become frustrated or think that we are failing in our effort. We should just simply note the movement and then let it go, bringing our attention back to our concentration object. Point #5 – Our concentration object can be any number of things, such as the rising and falling of the abdomen or the breath. Point #6 – It we practice sitting meditation on a regular basis, we will lessen tendencies to stress and anxiety in our life, be both mentally and physically healthier and weaken unwholesome states of being (doubt, sloth, torpor, ill – will, restlessness and worry, among others) and cultivate wholesome states of being (mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and joy, among others). Point #7 – Our place of practice should be clean and quiet and our clothing and body when we practice should also be clean. It is advised that one takes a shower before practicing and one wears clean and fresh clothing during the sitting meditation practice session. Meditation is not a difficult thing to learn and practice. Anyone can benefit from learning to sit for meditation practice on a daily and regular basis. 7. Resources on the teachings and practice of Buddhism There is a wide variety of information available both in written form and on the internet about Buddhism. The books and written material listed below are highly recommended. Some of these books can be downloaded from the internet in their complete or abridged form. Information that is required from the internet can be found by typing in on any search engine the word “Buddhism” or the specific aspect of Buddhism that you are interested in learning more about such as “The Five Mental Hindrances”, “The Factors of Enlightenment”, The Nobel Eightfold Path” and “Meditation”. Books • Pandita, Sayadaw U In This Very Life Kandy, Sri Lanka:The Buddhist Publication Society 1991 • Piyadassi, Thera The Buddha’s Ancient Path Kandy, Sri Lanka: The Buddhist Publication Society 1964 • Nyanaponika, Thera The Heart of Buddhist Meditation Kandy, Sri Lanka:The Buddhist Publication Society 1962 • Bodhi, Bhikkhu The Noble Eightfold Path:Way to the End of Suffering Kandy, Sri Lanka:The Buddhist Publication Society 1984 • Nyanaponika Thera. The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest Wheel 26 • Nyanatiloka Mahathera The Word of The Buddha Kandy, Sri Lanka: The Buddhist publication Society 1981 • Sumedho, Ajahn Mindfulness: The Path to the Deathless Hertfordshire, England Amaravati Publications 1987 • Buddhadasa Bhikkhu Anapanasati: Mindfulness with Breathing Bangkok, Thailand The Dhamma Study and Practice Group 1988 • Buddharakkhita, Acharya The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom Kandy, Sri Lanka Buddhist Publication Society 1985
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 11:16:07 +0000
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