The Buddha taught that we do not have to accept any doctrines, including Buddhist doctrines, on faith. This spirit of free inquiry, as opposed to the take-it-or-leave-it dogmatism of most religions, attracts many westerners to Buddhism.
However, many westerners calling themselves "Buddhists" seem to think this means the doctrines are optional. The attitude is that since we don't have to "believe in" any doctrine just because the Buddha taught it, there is no point in even learning them. Proponents of this point of view often reduce Buddhism to mindfulness and meditation practice alone.
But if the Pali Canon is even halfway correct, the historical Buddha did not go about for 45 years after his enlightenment just teaching people to meditate and be mindful. He also delivered lots and lots of sermons. He began by expounding the Four Noble Truths, and he presented the Eightfold Path as the fourth Truth, the means to liberation from suffering.
The Theravadin scholar Walpola Rahula said of the Eightfold Path, "Practically the whole teaching of the Buddha, to which he devoted himself during 45 years, deals in some way or other with this path." Meditation and mindfulness are only two parts of the Eightfold Path. Surely, the other parts are just as important, considering the Buddha spent 45 years teaching them.
Another part of the path is Right View. Now, Right View is not at all about doctrinal orthodoxy. It is the thorough penetration of prajna, wisdom. Thich Nhat Hanh wrote,
"Our happiness and the happiness of those around us depend on our degree of Right View. Touching reality deeply -- knowing what is going on inside and outside of ourselves -- is the way to liberate ourselves from the suffering that is caused by wrong perceptions. Right View is not an ideology, a system, or even a path. It is the insight we have into the reality of life, a living insight that fills us with understanding, peace, and love." [The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, page 51]
However, Thich Nhat Hanh also wrote, "Right View is, first of all, a deep understanding of the Four Noble Truths." I submit that a deep understanding of the Four Noble Truths begins with an ordinary, cognitive understanding of the Four Noble Truths and the essential doctrines that flow from the Truths, such as Dependent Origination and the nature of the Skandhas. The Buddha spent 45 years explaining this stuff, after all.
Ordinary understanding is not the same thing as "believing in" the doctrines. Rather, I'd say that for Buddhists, doctrines are to be understood provisionally. A mere intellectual understanding will always be imperfect and incomplete, and we shouldn't cling to such understanding. However, without the guidance of the Eightfold Path -- the entire Eightfold Path -- Buddhism too easily turns into just another self-improvement project.
Hey. Nice reading again, always enjoy them. Though, I think with this subject it really depends on who you are. I think everything the buddha said was true, but because of the versatility of the sutras, it becomes similar to the christian bible. It’s almost vague, (not each individual statement) but when added together. Because while there is all of the stuff that the buddha taught, there is also the vajrayana sutra, my personal favorite. Which leads us to take into a consideration, that we can buddha *like bud* without ever listening to the buddha’s teachings. and that some who listen to the buddha’s teachings, can actually become more ignorant and further away from enlightenment. In my opinion, each individual person is just me at a different angle, each of which goes a different direction to a different thing. Like materalizing this idea; The man is heading toward gold, The man is heading toward wealth, The man is heading toward metal, The man is heading toward a cave, The man is in search of money, The man is enjoying a walk, The man is sitting down for a rest, The man is looking for a landmark, The man is reading a map, The man is skipping, The man is smiling, The man is frowning, The man is conservative and literal, The man is liberal and vague, The man is like a dog, The man is like a rabbit. All of these men are the same single individual from different angles of perspective. The buddha only taught of one angle, (though for the beings, it was every angle). But as you may know, to the Tao – every angle is one angle. Hope that expressed something clearly. lol
joylock — vajrayana practice requires working with a guru, and one assumes the guru is well educated in the Buddha’s teachings and is guiding his students accordingly. So while it is true that reading sutras is not for everybody, that doesn’t mean the doctrines the Buddha taught can be ignored.
This is a very good post Barbara.
Buddhism (Buddha Dharma rather) is all about practical Eightfold path for total emancipation. It was the discovery which made The Buddha a unique teacher. All his teachings are about it! In some of the sermons done over his 45 years of service it is straight forward and in others it is in indirect form (Paramartha) and is virtually impossible for the lay followers to recognise. By practicing it only any follower can realise what The Buddha realy taught.
The Noble eightfold path (NEP) is called Dharma Chakra, meaning cycle of Dharma since it takes one in a cyclic journey and is erroneousely called Dharma wheel. Further it is called Anutthara Dharma Chakara meaning super mundane cycle of Dharma as it has to be and can only be practiced by a detached (non-attached) mind.
It was the form of “meditation” discovered by The Buddha and took him to supreme enlightenment!
The NEP is the tool that gives insight to reality. It is the measuring instrument, yard stick or mould to check everything including Buddhist teachings itself found today. Otherwise we do not have any other way to put the teaching into test apart from critically eveluating it by learning and “thinking” as done by Ven. Walpola Rahula.
The ultimate goal of NEP is to fully comprehend the mind, called the Four Noble Truths(FNT). The FNT is in deed the cross section of the mind! The NEP gives the practitioner the required training to live without a body. Once the NEP is completed the practitioner enjoys the bliss of Nirvana in this life and transforms to “eternal life” enjoying the bliss of mind itself at the death (death of the body).
The “practical” NEP was lost well over 2,000 odd years ago. As a result of that Buddhism became a subject for intellectuals and they started giving descriptions to Buddha’s teachings on their own by “thinking”. That caused the split of Dharma into Mahayana and Hinayana etc.
When the practice of NEP is completed the practitioner becomes an Arhath and for Arhaths the path becomes ten fold making the NEP a cycle!
Each component of the ten fold NEP is the ten Bodisathwas found in Mahayana! NEP itself is the Mahayana and the cycle of Samsara is the Hinayana! To stop Samsara Chakra one has to apply Dharma Chakara. The NEP is also called the Paramartha Buddha or Bodhi!
Now, the practical NEP is awailable again thanks to the painstaking efforts of Ven. Lankapura Sariputhra of Sri lanka and anybody can learn and see the true value of Buddhism.
Today, NEP is carelessly described as a “way of life”. Nobody spends a second to see why it is called a cycle (Dharma chakra). Today, it is only a list! No body knows how the NEP becomes a cycle. Only a few knows that the NEP is a practical form of meditation. The word used throughout as “right” has to be changed to “detached” or “non-attached”.
NEP is the way to practice the direct use of mind to see, hear and feel instead of the eyes, ears etc. The mind when used directly reveals only the truth!
The word “Dukka” is described as “suffering” very carelessly. (There are a lot of people living without suffering). Dukka means the “body with mind and memory”! A better English word would be misery.
(Keep yourself without any movements what so ever for about five (10) minutes in any position you can with eyes closed. You will see pains coming up from various parts of the body requiring you to change positions. You will further see the body gives bad pains only and any good feeling is from outside like wind blowing on the body.)
The practice of NEP reveals the FNT in the following order (the upside down of cause and effect theory in Buddhism!)
Dukka (effect) – body with mind and memory
Reason for Dukka (cause) – attachment of mind to body
Nirvana (effect) – detachment of mind from body
Path to Nirvana (cause) – practice of NEP or non-attachment.
The power of seeing, hearing, feeling etc. directly by the mind is called “Prajna”. It is also erroneously described as wisdom,intution etc.
Wisdom is worldy and Prajna is supermundane. Practice of NEP is the only way to develop Prajna.
The Buddha had clearly declared his teaching is only for those with Prajna meaning for those who practice the art of development of prajna or NEP!
Hi Barbara,
I’ve never read your articles before and I have to say it’s well written and succinct. I’d also agree that many Westerners could stand to read it.
However, I’d like to offer a slight rebuttal.
For me the defining characteristic of Buddhism (one which which separates it from monotheist traditions) is its absolute dedication to compassion for all beings.
If we make the above statement a given, could we not then say that anyone who has given themselves to this principle is a Buddhist?
Just a thought,
M
Beijing
Hi Barbara,
Frankly, after reading many doctrines I realised I know all these things. So, as simple…we search for what we already know. When somebody reminds, it gives re-assurance. It is optional for those who already read and understood. Now…it is only finding out ways to straighten our tangled knots the way only we know.
Tai Situ Rinpoche has said that until we are Buddha, we can always do better. So until I am clearly manifesting the two-fold omniscience of the Victorious Ones — (1) the absolute omniscience of knowing the truth of how things really are; & (2) the relative omniscience of having direct access to all worldly knowledges; as well as the capacity to see directly the contents of any being’s mind — it would feel premature to say that I “already know all the things” pointed to by the scriptures, and prudent to continue to refine my view, through a combination of meditation practice and scriptural study.
Anyway, this is my understanding — based upon my current (and still imperfect) view.
For me the defining characteristic of Buddhism (one which which separates it from monotheist traditions) is its absolute dedication to compassion for all beings.
If we make the above statement a given, could we not then say that anyone who has given themselves to this principle is a Buddhist?
You can find beautiful teachings on compassion in most of the world’s religions. I think what really separates Buddhism from all other religions is the doctrine of anatta, and all the rest (including compassion) flows from that.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for the response. In the spirit of the dharma, I’d have to say ney, its been my experience that while certainly other religions have writings on compassion, Buddhism is the only one not just offering lip service.
I live in Chyna, I’m not Chyneez. Recently I had a discussion with a national who asked me why I considered Buddhism more important, I told him..well, let’s put it this way….Thybets leadership is Buddhist, Amherikhas leaders are Christian…you don’t see Thybhet bombing villages and holding entire cultures in economic slavery.
Thats my 2 cents.
Also, it’s only fair that I advise the volk involved that while I have a great respect for the doctrine, I myself am not Buddhist.
Buddhism’s record is far from spotless. Even so, without anatta, compassion becomes just a mushy sentiment. Anatta is what distinguishes Buddhism from other religions.