Philosophy of Buddha/ Buddhism

Today on the day of Buddha Purnima (Buddha's Birth Anniversary), I'm going to write about the basis of his philosophy.

Philosophy of Buddha or Buddhism is one of the most prominent philosophies that originated in India in the 6th century BC. It was founded by Gautama Buddha, a Shakya prince who left his home to turn into an ascetic in search of reality of life.

Buddha preached dharma orally. For almost two centuries, his disciples also kept this precept before transcribing it.

All of the teachings of Buddha were compiled by his disciples in 3 parts which are called Tripitakas (three pitakas). These are  Vinay Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and Adhidhamma Pitaka. All of these Pitakas are written in Pali (contemporary popular language spoken by people).

1. Vinay Pitaka - Rules of the Sangha (community of Buddhists);

2. Sutta Pitaka - Buddha conversation and teaching;

3. Adhidhamma Pitaka - Philosophical thoughts of Buddha

These tripitakas contain only the ancient Buddhist religion.

Here, we'll talk about the teachings of Budda according to these Tripitakas…

Buddha's ultimate goal is an end to the sufferings of life and not to the concerns of unknown philosophical elements. According to him, the search for a solution on subjects without sufficient evidence is useless.

According to Buddha, unknown or questionable philosophical subjects do not contribute to the quest for ascension to nirvana. Buddha advises his disciples to be concerned with doing work on themselves in order to eliminate the pain.

He says: The answers to these ten questions are impossible:

1. Is the world eternal?

2. Isn't the world eternal?

3. Is the world infinite?

4. Isn't the world infinite?

5. Are soul and body the same thing?

6. Is the soul different from the body?

7. Does Tathagat (Buddha) reborn after death?

8. Or will it not be reborn?

9. Can he decide to be born or not to be born?

10. Or are the two questions, to be born or not to be born false?

As Buddha remained silent on these 10 questions,  they are called "Avyaktani".

The Four Noble Truths:

1. Dukkha (दुःख) - the world is full of pain (dukkhas).

2. Dukkha Samudaya (दुःख समुदय) - there is a source of pain.

3. Dukkha nirodha (दुःख निरोध) - The extinction of these pains is possible.

4. Dukkha Nirodh marg (दुःख निरोध मार्ग) - The way or the remedy for the extinction of the pains exists.

All Buddha sermons develop these four noble truths.

1. Dukkha (Pain) - Human life is full of pain. Birth, aging (decay), illness, death, sadness, suffering, desire, depression, all these originate in attachment (material or human ...). All of these sufferings are called "Jara-Maran" (जरा - मरण). Attachment to transitory elements (material, human ...) is at the origin of the chain of death and rebirth. Worldly pleasures are not the ultimate truth. Losing these pleasures leads to all kinds of pain. They place humans in the constant concern of losing them or in the frustration of not having them.

2. Nidan Dwadash (12 diagnostics) - According to  Buddha, none of the elements of the world is without origin. If there is no origin, there is no pain (suffering). There are countless pains: birth to death.

The origin of the “Jara-Maran” is reincarnation.

Each of these twelve causes is the effect of the previous one:

   i. Jara-Maran (जरा - मरण) - Old age and death;

  ii. Jaati (जाति) - birth;

 iii. Bhava (भव) - Tendency to exist or become;

  iv. Upadaan - (उपादान) - hang on or grab;

   v. Trishna (तृष्णा) - thirst or desire;

  vi. Vedana (वेदना) - feeling: pleasant, unpleasant or neutral;

  vii. Sparsh (स्पर्श) - contact;

 viii. Shadayatan (षडायतन) - five senses and mind / consciousness);

 ix. Nam-Roop (नाम - रूप) - name and form - body and spirit of the embryo;

  x. Vigyan (विज्ञान) - consciousness;

  xi. Sanskar (संस्कार) - mental training or karma;

 xii. Avidya (अविद्या) - (ignorance.

Ignorance is therefore the original cause of birth (and death). It is also called “भाव - चक्र”. Many Buddhists recall this chain by turning the wheel.

The past permeates the present and the present permeates the future. It is a chain where the twelve nidanas (diagnostic) are impregnated from the origin to the end.

3. Dukkha Nirodha (Nirvana or the extinction of pain) - Since there is an origin to pain, suppressing it makes its extinction possible. This extinction of pain is called Nirvana. According to Buddha, obtaining Nirvana is possible during earthly life. By overcoming passion, hatred, greed and illusion with pure or moral conduct, regular attention to noble truths in meditation, one can achieve wisdom of the mind. Humans are freed from the need for all kinds of desires. He will have defeated Mara (spiritual enemy).

Moksha = Nirvana

मोक्ष प्राप्त = अर्हत (arhat) - the qualified

निर्वाण = दुःख का नाश - extinction of pain

Once permanent wisdom (प्रज्ञा) is reached, we are no longer obliged to remain in permanent meditation, nor to be withdrawn from daily life. Like the Buddha, after reaching Nirvana, he continued to travel to preach and establish the Sangha (Buddhist community).

There are two kinds of karma:

1. inspired by passion, hatred or illusion;

2. without any passion, hatred or illusion.

The first is inspired by our attachment to the pleasure of the senses and is at the origin of the rebirth. The latter removes the possibility of rebirth.

"Arhats" (The Qualifieds) are not inactive after Nirvana. They are only sensitive to the pain and suffering of others.

Nirvana stops the chain of death and rebirth. Rebirth and the pains from rebirth are no longer possible. Life until death is full of wisdom and total peace. The state of nirvana is completely peaceful, stable and without envy. It is impossible to feel this state with ordinary experiences. However, it can be temporarily felt through overcoming illness, debts, slavery, imprisonment, etc. Nirvana is noticeable through temporary detachments and the absence of sensual pleasure. This effect of well-being can be felt through the fullness which is the path of Nirvana.

4. Dukkha Nirodh Marg (path or remedy for pain relief) - The path to nirvana exists. It was attained by Buddha. So everyone can do it too. This is called The Eightfold Path which is the very essence of Buddhism. This path being spiritual can be followed by the spirit by any living being.

1. Right Vision (सम्यक दृष्टि) - Ignorance is the source of all pain. It is for this reason that the false feelings that we have in ourselves, or in the world and in everything that is transient comfortably lead us astray. We must focus on what is real and not what seems true to us.
2. Right Determination or Right Thinking (सम्यक संकल्प) - Knowledge of noble truths is not enough, they must be assimilated in everyday life. The resolution of renouncing the attachment to worldly matters. Hatred and violence must be taken into account.
3. Right Speech (सम्यक वाक) - Determination cannot be just a thought, but it must be a reality: refrain from making false speeches, especially do not tell lies, absence of violence, theft, abstain you speak deceitfully, make gossip and slanderous speeches.
4. Right Action (सम्यक कर्मान्त) - Determination must not be just words but must be carried by action: control of the senses.
5. Right Livelihood or Right Profession(सम्यक आजीव) - Apart from bad speech and negative actions, one must earn a fair living so that wealth is acquired legally and peacefully from righteousness. Any profession that violates the fundamental principles of “Right Thinking” must be avoided.
6. Right Effort or Right Persistence (सम्यक व्यायाम) - Even after these five laws are applied, old and new bad habits may still dominate. It is therefore necessary to:
1. give up old bad habits;
2. stop bad new thoughts from coming to mind;
3. the mind cannot remain empty of thoughts, it must be filled with good ones;
4. which requires regular efforts to assimilate thoughts that are pure for the mind;

These four righteous efforts prove that even people who have progressed on the path of dharma must not stop making continuous efforts to avoid going out of the way to dharma.

7. सम्यक स्मृति (Right Attention, Mindfulness, or Right Awareness) - Right Attention is the ability to control the mental capacity to see things as they are, with clear awareness.
8. सम्यक समाधि (Right Meditation or Right Concentration) - Following these seven principles, and having renounced all bad instincts, we are qualified to access the last principle: "Right Meditation". In this last step, we must learn at four separate stages to get nirvana:

1. The discussion and argumentation of noble truths with a peaceful mind, the realization of a state of detachment and pure thoughts lead to an experience of divine pleasure.
2. After that, we arrive at a state of mind where there is no longer any doubt, but total "faith in noble truths". Discussion and argumentation are henceforth useless. Deep concentration brings tranquility, stability of mind and the experience of both divine pleasure and total peace.
3. The effort to move the spirit of “pleasure and peace” toward the state of detachment. This effort brings a state of balance to the mind and the feeling of bodily pleasure. But it is created from the detachment from the pleasure of meditation.
4. Now even the absence of a sense of balance in the mind, bodily pleasure and that of meditation. Extinction of all instincts. It is a state of peace, detachment and total extinction: absence of pleasure and pain: the realization of nirvana and a state of total wisdom.

The essence of Buddha's or Eightfold Path sermons: moral conduct / virtue (शील), meditation (समाधि ) and wisdom (प्रज्ञा) - Three of the main elements of this path. There is an inseparable relationship between virtue and wisdom in Indian philosophy. Without wisdom, virtue is impossible. At the same time, for the realization of wisdom, virtue is necessary.

Virtue and wisdom are mutually reinforcing. The first step, “Right Vision”, contains the very knowledge of noble truths. On the one hand, bad instincts, and on the other, the knowledge of noble truths creates a dilemma. Good efforts through “Right Meditation” put an end to this dilemma. Last step of “Right Meditation” is only possible after having overcome all obstacles.