Introduction
Buddhism which is construed by many to be a religion is a set of beliefs and observations. It relies on the teachings accredited to Siddharta Gautama who is widely referred to as the ‘Buddha’ or the ‘Awakened One’ (enlightened). To Buddhists, Siddharta Gautama is an enlightened teacher who shared his insights to assist heedful beings to end their afflictions through appreciating the exact nature of an incident, thus escaping the cycle of suffering and rebirth. The means of arriving at this end as per the Buddhists includes: ethical mannerism and unselfish behavior, devotional practices, rituals and the prayers of bodhisattvas that aid in achieving Nirvana, abandonment of world matters, meditation, physical exercises, study as well as nurturing of good judgment (Fieser & Powers, 2007).
Therefore Buddhism can be taken to be a path of practice as well as spiritual development culminating into an insight into true nature of life (Harvey, 1990). For instance, the practice of meditation is the vehicle via which one can change and attain qualities such as awareness, kindness in addition to wisdom (Harvey, 1990).
While to some people Buddhism is seen as a religion, to others, it is not, since it does offer the idea of worshipping in a creator, god (Harvey, 2001). However the ideologies of Buddhists’ teaching are straightforward and practical. Nothing is construed to be predetermined or permanent, and that actions have a bearing while change is possible (Harvey, 1990). Thus Buddhism is seen as appealing to all people without considering their race, nationality or gender. Through its teachings such as meditation, people can employ them so as to revolutionize their behaviors to be fully responsible for their lives as well as develop qualities of wisdom and compassion (Koller, 2001).
Goal of Human life for Buddhist
The goal of a Buddhist is Nirvana, which connotes the deliverance of the mind (Fieser & Powers, 2007). This human life should be destined to a cessation of all sufferings and conflicts so as to attain the great happiness (Fieser & Powers, 2007). It is important to note that in Buddhism there are also elements of present life teachings such as economic, social, ethical, intellectual as well as mental or spiritual attributes. Not only is Buddha concerned about goal and life after life but also he stresses the present life more (Walpola, 1974). As far as Buddhists are concerned, there existed life prior to birth and there will be lives after death (rebirth) (Walpola, 1974). This is not similar to reincarnation since after acquisition of Nirvana, re-becoming is no longer present.
To achieve this, a Buddhist has to follow the basic concepts summed up the four Noble Truths as well as the Noble Eightfold Path. As per the teachings, the first truth assumes that life is suffering. Life, according to Buddhists, encompasses pain, growing old, illness and subsequent death. In life people also surpass psychological suffering such as loneliness, frustration, fear, embarrassments, disappointments as well as anger (Walpola, 1974). This truth underlying life is undisputed fact not only to the Buddhists but also to the whole mankind. Buddhism provides an avenue via which one can avoid these sufferings and attain the great happiness (Williams, 2001).
The Second Noble Truth articulates man’s suffering to longing and aversion (Koller, 2001). Thus man will suffer so long as he expects other people to conform to his expectation, if he would want other people to like him or else, if he fails to get something he is in need of (Walpola, 1974). In other words, by achieving what one needs, does not offer happiness. The teachings emphasize that man should at least modify his wanting, since through it there is deficiency of contentment as well as happiness (Walpola, 1974). As a person struggles to exist, physical suffering that causes a rebirth becomes unavoidable (Fieser & Powers, 2007).
The Third Noble Truth is all about the possibilities of overcoming suffering and achieving happiness. As per the teachings of this religion, happiness and contentment is possible (Harvey, 1990). This can be realized through giving up useless craving and learning to live each day at a time (not concentrating in the past or the imagined future) (Harvey, 1990). Upon realizing this happiness one now will have more time and energy to assist others (Harvey, 1990).
The Fourth Noble Truth is all about Noble eightfold path, as being the path leading to the end of suffering. Basically, eightfold path is all about being moral (through our daily utterances and undertakings), focusing the mind on appreciating one’s thoughts and actions as well as wisdom development via knowledge of the four noble truths as well as having compassion for others (Fieser & Powers, 2007).
Buddhists therefore, will tire to arrive at the great happiness by first ending suffering by employing the eightfold path. As per the teachings of Gautama Buddha, anyone who practices the noble eight-fold path will be self awakened and finally liberated (Fieser & Powers, 2007). Thus one attains this objective through following the eight limbs. As such a person should put forth the prerequisite effort and work out his own deliverance. There is great emphasis on the practical aspect since Nirvana can only be arrived at via gaining higher level of existence through practice (Fieser & Powers, 2007).
The eight aspects of this path should not be construed to operate independently rather as inter-dependent association between one another (Harvey, 2001). Right view being the alpha and omega of this path connotes the capacity to understand things as they really are as well as to realize the four noble truths. Right view as a cognitive aspect of wisdom entails seeing through things, touching the transient and inadequate nature of earthly objects and tenets and understanding the law of Karma and Karmic conditioning (Harvey, 1990). Right view is acquired, maintained and promulgated through all capacities of mind. Right view holds that beings are subject to suffering leading to a clear understanding of a true nature of all things. A person’s view of the world forms his thoughts and actions therefore right view brings forth right thoughts as well as actions (Harvey, 2001).
Right intention is a volitional aspect referring to the type of mental prowess that manipulates a person’s action (Walpola, 1974). Right intention is also seen as the commitment to ethical in addition to mental self-improvement. Right intention is further broken down into intention of renunciation, good will and harmlessness (Walpola, 1974).
Right speech is an aspect of the eight fold path concerned with ethical conduct. Ethical conduct is the ground norm to moral restraint and mental refinement. While it is acknowledged that words can break or save lives, make enemies or friends, start war or create peace, Buddha summed up right speech as being, abstinence from false speech, abstinence from slanderous speech, abstinence from harsh words and finally abstinence from idle chatter (Walpola, 1974).
Another ethical principle of the 8-fold path is that of right action. Right action encompasses the body as a media of expression. To Buddhists, sound states of minds can be achieved through wholesome actions. Thus right action entails abstinence from taking what is not given, abstinence from harming sentient beings (refraining from taking life), abstinence from sexual misconduct (Walpola, 1974).
Right livelihood is an aspect that requires a person to earn his living rightfully and to acquire wealth legitimately and serenely. Under this subject, Buddhists are required to avoid dealing in weapons and living things, as well as working in the production of meat or selling intoxicants and poisons (Williams, 2000).
Right effort propels other principles of the paths. Effort is essential in achieving the objective of the other principles since it is an act of will (Williams, 2000). Improper effort detracts the mind from its task leading to bewilderment. Sound mind is the energy behind right effort. This energy can fuel self-discipline, honest, benevolence and kindness among others. Endeavors of right knowledge include prevention of un-risen wholesome states from arising, abandonment of arisen wholesome states, arousal of wholesome states that have not arisen and to enhance and perfect risen whole some states (Williams, 2000).
Right mindfulness as an aspect of eight fold path is the mind’s capacity to view things as they are with a clear conscience. Right mindfulness being the controlled and perfected faculty of cognition starts with impression induced by perception or thought. This impression is interpreted and related to other thoughts and experiences. Right mindfulness enables a person to conceptionalize what he actively observes and to control the way of his thoughts (Williams, 2000). Basis of mindfulness as per Buddha includes contemplation of the body, contemplation of feeling, contemplation of the state of mind as well as contemplation of the phenomena (Harvey, 2001).
The eighth principle of the path is that of right concentration which connotes one pointed ness of mind. This implies a state whereby all mental abilities are unified and directed onto one particular objective (Harvey, 2001). Right concentration/wholesome concentration thus is the concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions. For a person to develop right concentration, he has to practice meditation as a meditating mind only focuses on a chosen object. Upon dedicating concentration on a particular object, sustaining and intensifying concentration, one becomes capable, naturally to apply high levels of concentration pertaining to day-to-day situations (Walpola, 1974).
A person’s action can either be good or bad, both or indifferent. A person’s state of mental development determines his aptitude to tell the difference between good and bad. However with the presence of the three defilements of delusion, greed and aversion, there occurs a low level of skills in differentiating between good and bad (Walpola, 1974).
Karma is determined by the moral quality of volitional acts. The law of Karma stipulates that there is interaction between the moral quality, the level of skill in volitional actions and the resulting states (Fieser & Powers, 2007). Thus one’s present is determined by and large through his past actions, thoughts and utterances while his future is determined by his present thinking, doing (actions) and utterances (Walpola, 1974). Thus the Karma of past, present and future events are related through the law of cause and effects (Walpola, 1974).
Karma is understood to be natural law; therefore by hurting a person, one has to undertake the outcome of his action in this or another life time (Harvey, 2001). According to the Buddhists and as far as Karma (natural law) is concerned, there is no divine intervention, no higher being, no judgment and that man is responsible for steering his fate (Harvey, 2001). The only thing in operation globally is only the law of Karma. Actions bear consequences either in the next second, hour, year or else next lifetime (Harvey, 2001).
Rebirth is the process of being born over and over again in alternating lifetimes. It is due to this that the retributive process of Karma is seen to spin more than one lifetime (Walpola, 1974). Man generates Karma due to delusion, greed and aversion in one lifetime only for this Karma to take form in the next lifetime (Walpola, 1974). One can only attain Nirvana upon realizing all his past Karma and stopping generation of new Karma (Fieser & Powers, 2007). Rebirth continues until Nirvana is reached, symbolizing cessation of suffering and rebirth (Fieser & Powers, 2007). Nirvana is attained/reached via blowing all Karmic forces but not through wholesome Karma (Koller, 2001).
In summary, Buddhism is concerned with educating people on how to grow in maturity and wisdom, in order that they may know themselves as well as the world in which they dwell better. In its teachings, every day life experiences and situations are taught including how to handle such events. In essence therefore, Buddhism aims at developing people’s attitudes towards life, with the objective of improving their relationships with their family, friends and other people in their daily lives. Buddhism also teaches people practices aimed at developing their minds so as to enable them experience life in a true way rather than as it is imagined by the mind (Walpola, 1974).
Buddhists demonstrate that there is a way to end suffering and attain supreme happiness. Through the teachings of Buddha, Buddhists are offered hope and chance to live a content and meaningful life. Through looking at some of Buddhist’s features one can be able to appreciate its goals as well as the process involved in achieving these goals.
For instance, in Buddhism there is the spirit of free inquiry, whereby people are encouraged to investigate the truth in the teaching before accepting the ideas. People are not expected to practice Buddhist’s teachings out of blind ‘faith’ and fallacy, rather are encouraged a free spirit of inquiry and contemplation. It is the belief of Buddhists that people should accept and practice teachings as well as lifestyles that they find to be physically and mentally helpful through their own experiences (Koller, 2001).
Self-reliance and individual effort is also another feature of Buddhism. Self-reliance is focused through either a person being required to work out, how to end his/her own suffering and thus attain happiness or a persons realization that it is due to his actions that his future is determined (Walpola, 1974). Thus as far as Buddhists are concerned, a person’s destiny is not controlled/determined by an outside force but through the way he lives as well as his attitude to suffering and happiness and the world around him (Koller, 2001). This means that every one is responsible for his actions. Highest goals in life are only attainable through dedication, self-discipline and wise judgment according to the teachings of Buddhism (Harvey, 2001).
Buddhists also encourage tolerance as a way of living in harmony with everyone notwithstanding his religion, race among others (Harvey, 2001). Buddhists exhibit loving kindness and compassion towards other people and creatures. According to Buddhists all living things either human beings or animals share the same environment and for a person to live happily he has to show concern over the welfare of other living things (Harvey, 2001).
In conclusion, a Buddhist is concerned with the teachings of Buddha on how to end suffering, achieve happiness and live harmoniously with other living things. Buddhism encourages people to learn by investigation and experience, teaching that it is only through one’s efforts that he can achieve goals and happiness. Buddhism encourages tolerance towards other faiths as well as loving kindness and compassion over all living things.
References
- James Fieser, John Powers (2007) Scriptures of the World’s Religions, Paperback.
- Harvey, Peter. (1990) An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History, and Practices. Cambridge, U.K., and New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Peter Harvey (2001). Buddhism. Continuum International Publishing Group
- Koller, John M, (2001) Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness. Philosophy East and West. Vol. 51, No. 1. University of Hawaii Pres.
- Walpola, Rahula. What the Buddha Taught. Rev. ed. New York: Grove Press, 1974.
- Williams, Paul. (2000) Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition. London and New York: Routledge.