佛陀在哪里？ - 達摩难陀长老

The following is the book, "Where is The Buddha?" written by the late Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda.

I feel that it is an excellent piece of work by the late Venerable , and I would like to share it with everyone.

Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Happy reading and Enjoy!

With Love,

Maitre-Light :)

佛陀在哪里?

Where is The Buddha?

已故达摩难陀上座大长老著

Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananada

(18th Mar 1919 - 31st Aug 2006)

佛陀在哪里?

若说他已到了涅槃,

人们会以为涅槃是个地方.

槃不是一个地方,

是一种能体验终极解脱的至高境界.

我们无法说他到了那里或他还存在,

只能说他已经获得了涅槃的喜悦,

也是我们生命的终极目标.

佛陀涅槃前，许多人携带鲜花前来礼佛，佛陀一一婉拒。他劝诫说如果要表示对他的尊敬，与其献花膜拜，不如奉行佛的教导。 人们常问：佛陀到底去了哪里，或是他现在在何方?如果你还未体验过精神上的生活，你就很难找到这问题的答案。 因为世俗的生活经验，无法让我们真正地了解「佛陀」这个概念。 一些传教士告诉佛教徒：「佛陀不是神，而是一个人。他已经死了，并离开了我们。遵从一个死去的人，能够得到什么呢?」 然而, 我们必须了解，佛陀是人天导师(Sattha Deva-manussanam)，即诸神和人类的至高导师。当神面对问题时，他们会询问佛陀。(那些认为他们的神是活生生存在而值得我们膜拜的人，可能不知道，这神其实是佛的弟子。)

依据科学，人类的大脑和心智是经过几亿年的进化才得到充分的发展. 在这之前，人类无法了解大自然的运作，遂认为背后必定有一个人或力量在创造及操作这一切的现象。 为了巩固这样的理论，他们把那力量或所谓的「神灵」转化成具体的形式，比如雕像和绘画。如此相信「神灵」和力量有助於规范人们的品行，使人弃恶向善。 同时，我们经常感到恐惧、担忧、怀疑猜忌或不安全，所以我们渴望有人会给我们庇佑。渐渐地，这种渴望被寄托在单一的力量--神。 现在，很多人什么事都必须依靠这单一的神.

为了满足我们永生的欲望，有人尝试推出灵魂的概念，认为灵魂可以离开世间并在天堂得到永生。这种永远不变的灵魂概念只是一种幻想，因为，正如佛陀所说，凡是存在的东西都会改变、腐蚀、消失.

当我们仔细地分析佛陀的一生，你会发现，他从未宣称自己为神的儿子或神派遣来的代言人，而是一位觉悟的宗教导师。同时，他也没有表示是另一个佛陀的化身。 因为，佛陀根本不是由另一个佛陀创造的，自然不会是他的化身。 他是一个通过千秋万岁，历经无数轮回，发展和培养出智慧、慈悲等波罗蜜(圆满)的尊者。当他圆满地修持了这些波罗蜜，得到了圆满的觉悟，即了解宇宙万物的运作，他发现，这个宇宙是没有神创造的.

有些人便问：「如果没有神的辅助，他又怎么可能达臻圆满的境界?」在佛教里，我们始终认为每个人都可能发展其心智至圆满觉悟的境界。这个潜能是存在於每个人的。在梵文里，人类被称为「Manussa」，而「Manussa」这个字眼来自於「Mana」。 「Mana」就是心智的意思。所以，人类是指可以充分发展其心智的生命。除了人类以外，世间其他的生物都没有这种能力。 甚至神灵都没有这种修成证悟的能力。他们能享受欲望的满足，安宁和富足，然而思想能力却不如人。 只有人类能够成为佛陀--圆满觉悟的人。当人们说佛陀不是神的时候，我们无需力证他是神，因为这样做只是降低了「觉悟」的概念.

有些人常说神给全人类启示，那我们要反问为何他不公开地对大家说, 而只告知一个人呢?佛陀不鼓励我们盲目地相信佛是一个更强的力量委派来的.

有一天，一位基督牧师带著其随从们前来拜访，欲与我讨论佛教事物。 他问：「其实，你能不能告诉我，到底佛教徒相信什么?」我坦白地告诉他，佛教徒不相信任何东西。接著，他指著我的书《佛教徒的信仰》问道：「那你为什么写这本书?」我回答：「没错，写这本书的用意就是希望你读了之后，告诉我有什么东西是需要你去『相信』的。」

「那么，你可不可以告诉我佛教徒做什么呢?」 这点，佛陀确实给了答案。他经常劝导我们应该做什么。与其盲信，他教导我们理解、实践、证悟。我们需要练习这三项功夫。首先，我们必须尝试理解，因为我们不应随便相信一些我们不能理解的事物。佛陀一再强调这点：一定
要先理解.

在「八正道」的教诲里，第一项就是正见--正确的理解。在开始弘法时，佛陀以教导其弟子培育正确的理解为首要任务。他排斥盲信、迷信。如果你没有正确的理解，你会凭著你的想像力而制造虚假的幻想.

经过学习，我们理解宝贵的佛法。过后我们还必须练习、实践所学到的。 他的劝告是，必须实践所理解的.

这样，你才会体验到其结果或效应。慢慢地，你才会知道那的确是个真理。这就是佛陀所教的三步方法：理解、实践、证悟。这才是消除痛苦的根本方法.

现在你应该能够了解，佛陀开创佛教时，并没要我们相信任何事情，而是鼓励我们学习、理解并实际地体验其结果。 比方说，佛陀说你应该善良，应该诚实。 明白了之后，你开始培养善良和诚实的品质，渐渐地人们都对你多了一份尊敬。 没有人会骚扰或诬赖你，反而尊敬你。这就是你体验到的善果了.

同时，佛陀说你必须依据你的经验来理解事物。你能够以本身的理解去明辨是非，而不是盲目地遵从上天的旨意。 我们可以用一颗会思考的心， 及以常理来理解事情。

以我们的理解和经验， 已经足以幫助我们明白辨是非黑白。 例如佛陀劝导我们莫摧毁其他的生命。 他并没有把这项教导列为一个指示， 因为一个有同情心的凡人也会知道杀害是残忍的。 理解残杀是恶并不难， 因为如果有人意图杀害我们， 我们也会抗拒。 同理， 珍贵的东西被人偷了， 滋味肯定不好受。 那么， 我们去偷别人的东西， 别人的感受也是一样不好受。要明白这样简单的道理， 根本就不必什么神明， 佛陀或耶稣的指示。 我们本身的经验和理解已经足以让我们明白这些道理， 让我们明辨好坏对错。 宗教导师所扮演的角色， 只不过是提醒我们所忽落略 ，所忘记的东西.

佛陀教导我们思考和理解。 我们懂得理性思考， 拥有常识， 这都是其他生命所没有的。 它们的心智只限於无用在觅食， 栖身， 自保和五官享受。 它们的心智无法再进一步发展， 但人类却有一个可以发展至最高境界的心智， 因此人类可以成佛。 （也因为这样，科学家发现了许多前所未闻， 令人惊奇的事件. )

这些都要靠我们自己的努力。 旁人或神都帮不上忙。 你必须自己进食，别人不能帮你进食。 其他的宗教徒在问候他人时，说 [ 神保佑你 ] ，但佛教徒鮮少用 [ 佛陀保佑你 ] 来向人打招呼。 佛教徒只说 ： [ 皈依佛 ] （Buddham Saranam Gacchami）。 为何我们不用 [ 佛陀保佑你 ] 呢 ？ 因为个人吃飯个人饱， 真正能保佑你的是你自己。 [ 皈依佛 ] 的意思就是以佛为导师， 佛陀的教导行事。 但你必须自己修行 来保佑你自己。

好的，那佛陀在哪里呢？ 是在天堂，涅槃还是在某个地方？ 他去了哪里？ 首先我们必须明白，如此发问是纯粹以世俗的观点为出发点。 以世俗的观点， 是无法真正地得到答案的.

成佛后， 佛陀说 [ 此为最后一世，在无他世， 我已息灭輪迴，苦 ]。 人们所享受的快乐只是短暂的心理满足感。 这种快乐瞬間消失， 造成 [苦] 。 在此生中， 我们经历了无数的心理与生理的折磨， 担忧，问题，痛楚，困难， 灾难及苦。 任何人都无法说它对此生感到满足。 所有的人都埋怨生理和心理上的问题。 了解了这个道理后，佛陀息灭了轮回。 这就是解脱.

解脱，就是脱离心理和生理上的痛苦。 只要有生理或任何形式的存在，我们便无法克服心理和生理上的痛苦。 因此若要脱离痛苦， 则需息灭轮回.

我们贪求生存。这种欲望和执著非常强烈。由於无知和贪求，即使面临各种痛楚、问题、病痛及其他的疑难杂症，我们依然贪求生存.

让我们来看看这个世界。整个世界就是一个战场，人类在世界各地制造暴力、流血、战争和毁灭。 反观动物没有制造这些麻烦。 它们饥饿时则觅食，吃饱后就睡觉。 人类的贪求却是无止境的，内心的执著和贪念十分强烈，因此产生妒嫉、敌对、愤怒、仇视、冷酷与邪恶。其他的生命没有贪求到这种地步.

人类有宗教。宗教不仅是让人膜拜及祈求，而是让人为其他的生命服务。 宗教仪式固然重要，伹仅靠仪式无法培育出拥有智慧的心智。佛陀涅槃前，许多人携带鲜花前来礼佛，佛陀一一婉拒。他劝诫说如果要表示对他的尊敬，与其献花膜拜，不如奉行佛的教导.

现在你应该明白佛陀教导的是什么了。宗教生活不仅是膜拜，而是遵从他的教导。有一次，有一位僧人瓦加里每天坐在佛陀的面前，静静地凝视著他。 一天，佛陀间道：「你在这里做什么?」他回答：「当我望著你的时候，我很快乐。」 佛陀紧接著说：「看著一个脏兮兮、会腐烂的身体，你能得到什么呢?你不过是在取悦你的情绪，但不能得到真正的理解。光看佛的外表，你看不到真正的佛。因为佛并不是这个身躯。」他接著解释：「只有理解佛法，才能真正看到佛陀，佛陀会浮现於你心中。」

由此可见，佛陀并不在意他的身躯。纵观印度历史，佛陀的样子在近500年的时间里从未出现，因为佛陀不鼓励人们塑造他的形象。后来，希腊人创造了佛陀和其他宗教象征物的形象。而今，世界各地都创造了多种不同的佛陀形象.

一些异教徒批评我们为偶像膜拜者。其实他们不知道佛教徒在做什么。 我们先听个故事，来明白佛教徒在做什么.

佛陀涅槃百多年后，有一位知名的僧人叫乌巴库塔，深受欢迎。他的弘法会，总有千人涌至悉心聆听。邪恶的魔王对此忿忿不满，他对人们愈来愈宗教化的行为感到不高兴.

魔王并不是一个生命，而是一种强烈的意念，阻止人们过著宗教圣洁的生活。它化身为恶人，在佛庙面前载歌载舞，表演各种娱乐大众的节目。 渐渐地，信徒们被吸引过去，没有人再到弘法会去。 乌巴库塔决定给魔王一个教训，便也前往观赏他的表演。当表演完毕时，乌巴库塔说：「你的表演十分精彩，为了表示感谢，请让我为你戴上这个花圈。」 魔王沾沾自喜，感到非常自豪。 当乌巴库塔把花圈悬挂在他的颈上时，花圈突然紧缩起来，像一只蟒蛇一样拴住他的颈项。 他试著把它脱下来但没办法。他赶紧去寻找帝释天(诸神之王)的帮助，帝释天竭尽所能还是没有办法。 他又奔向梵天，当时的创世之神，梵天还是帮不了他。 梵天只告诉他：解铃还须系铃人.

最后，魔王只好回去叩求乌巴库塔替他拿掉，否则他快死了。乌巴库塔说：「要我帮你并不难，你必须答应我两件事。第一、你必须答应我以后不再来骚扰我们的宗教活动。」 魔王马上答应了。 「第二、你见过佛陀，因为你曾经骚扰过他的宗教活动。 佛陀涅槃百年以后你还活著，你有超凡的力量，能否变成佛陀的化身给我看看?」 魔王回答说：「我可以这么做，但你必须答应我，当我呈现佛陀的样子时，请不要膜拜我，因为我不是什么圣人。」 乌巴库塔笑说：「放心，我不会膜拜你的。」 然而，当魔王呈现佛陀的样子时，乌巴库塔马上礼拜。魔王大喊：「你说过你不会膜拜我的!」 乌巴库塔说：「我没有膜拜魔王，我膜拜的是佛陀。」

这是一个很好的例子，来说明拜佛的意思。 当你对著佛像敬礼时，你亦可把它当成禅修的对象。 这不叫偶像膜拜。 你只是通过这个形象，把佛陀融入你的心识里。 它是一个宗教象征物.

要说明佛陀如何呈现於我们的脑海中，可从以下例子清楚说明.

第二世界大战时，缅甸有一位军队总司令找到一个美丽的小佛像，这个佛像马上吸引了他。后来，他把这个佛像连同一张纸条送给了(英国当时的首相) 邱吉尔。 纸条上写著：「把这佛像放在你的桌上。 当你感到忧虑不安时，请凝望这个面孔。我相信你会获得心灵上的安宁。」

印度前首相尼克鲁一度被英政府关起来。 在坐牢的日子里，他把一个小小的佛像藏在他的口袋里，随身携带。 偶尔他把这个佛像摆放在桌上并冥想：「纵使世上有再多的难题和麻烦，佛陀始终可以笑脸盈盈，为何我们不学习这伟大的人呢?」

一个法国学者Anatole France，在拜访伦敦博物院时，生平第一次看见了一个佛像。他说道：「如果神从天而降，来到人间，他的模样会是这个样子!」

然而并非一定需要塑像。许多人不需要任何的佛像，一样可以修持佛法。 我们不膜拜佛像，也不向他祈求任何事情，但我们尊敬和皈依这个伟大的宗教人物.

有一位信徒在他家里置放一个佛像45年了。 一天，一些传教士到他家里去，并告诉他它膜拜的是魔鬼。他一时错愕不堪，无言以对。 这45 年来，他朝夕膜拜著佛像，但有人冲著这点来攻击他时，他并不懂得如何解释。 这是一些佛教徒的毛病。他们遵从传统礼仪、膜拜、祈祷、供奉、诵经，但他们从不理解佛陀的教导。 现在你应该了解，无论有无佛像，都可以修持佛法，因为物质的身体并不是佛陀.

大乘佛教里说，佛有三身。三身就是报身、应身、法身。他用报身和应身来吃饭睡觉及弘法。他用他的肉身来进行这些活动。 当佛陀进入大涅槃时，报身和应身消失了。 但法身不可能消失。按照大乘佛教，阿弥陀佛现身在净土世界，那些虔诚念他的名号和膜拜他的人，将往生净土，然后再此证悟涅槃。 这种「佛仍在世间直到一切众生获得解脱」的思想与信仰给人带来很大的希望与信心.

佛陀曾说过：「无论佛陀存在与否，佛法永远存在。」 佛陀出现的时候，他发现人们已经忘了真正的佛法。 「我所理解的佛法，并不是我创造的。」 佛陀说。 佛法是真理，它原本都存在，只是人们误解了，以自己的想象力制造错误的理念，模糊了佛法的真谛。 如今，佛法传开来已有2500 多年，人们依旧重蹈覆辙，在各地假借佛陀的名义来为非作歹。他们没有遵从佛陀真正的教诲，而把本身的传统文化习惯和佛法混合起来，称之为佛教。 其实，我们应该学习佛陀真正的教诲，实践佛陀教导我们脱离苦海的实际方法.

佛陀在哪里? 这个问题，对学习佛法的人，是没有必要的。 想想看，我们每天都在用电。 有必要问：是谁发现电源，它的名字，从哪里宋和它现在在哪里吗? 我们应该做的是善用电源。 核子和核子能被发现了，可以被用来建设或摧毁。 我们的责任是把它用在对的地方。电脑和电视机被发明了，我们无须探知发明者的各种资料，重要的是好好利用它们.

同样的道理，我们无须问佛陀在哪里，去了哪里。 如果他所教的佛法是正确有效的，为何我们要苦苫询问佛陀在哪里?佛陀从未说过他会把我们遣送到天堂或地狱。 他可以告诉你要脱离苦海，你应该做什么，不应该做什么。 这也是他唯一能做的事。 他不能「替」你做任何事。 你的责任是实践佛法.

很多人说神能够替人清洗罪恶。佛陀从未说过罪恶可以由一个人制造，而由另一个人替他赎罪。无论是佛陀还是神都无能为力。 当一个人濒临死亡的时候，他说他相信神，你认为神可以抹去他所曾经做过的一切罪恶吗? 比如说，你是个脾气暴躁的人而不知如何去除这个坏习惯。 所以你向神祈求，让他带走你心中的残暴，你认为神可以这样做吗?对不起，不仅神做不到，佛陀也做不到。 佛陀只能告诉你，你如何可以靠自己的努力来去除你的嗔心。 除了通过你自己，本身的努力，别无它法。 你必须自己觉悟：「这个嗔心是危险的，它会制造问题、麻烦和给别人带来伤害。 我必须尝试用我的毅力、决心来舒缓并消除我的怒气。」

佛陀有句话说得好。 如果一个人造了恶业，他不能通过向神或佛祈祷来根除。只有当他了解自作自受的道理，他才会停止制造恶业。 我们必须努力地在我们的心中种下制造善业的决心。当我们制造的善业越来越多时，其善果将渐渐地化解之前所种下的恶果。 鸯休摩罗是一个曾经杀害近千人的杀人魔。 佛陀知道后便登门造访。 鸯休摩罗在杀死了999 个人之后，看到佛陀感到非常高兴。 因为杀了佛陀，就能完成他杀死 l000 人的愿望。他不管三七二十一，冲上前想要逮捕佛陀。 佛陀知道此时此刻的他不会听取劝导，因此耍了一点法术。 佛陀像平时般步行，而任由他拼命地追逐。 虽然跑了四里路，他始终无法接近佛陀。 他只好叫佛陀停下脚步。 佛陀知道该是谈话的时候了。 佛陀说：「我已经停了，是你在跑。」 鸯休摩罗不解地说：「你怎么能说你停了?我明明看见你在走著。」 佛陀解释说：「我停了，表示我已经停止杀害及摧毁其他的生命。 你还在跑著，还在作恶。 如果你不再跑，你就能捉到我。」鸯休摩罗还是不明白。 佛陀耐心地劝著：「我已停止杀害，但你还在无止境地追逐，你在痛苦里打滚啊!」 鸯休摩罗终於知错了，并决定跟随佛陀。 后来，他变成了一个僧人，开始禅修。 他还证得阿罗汉，得到了涅槃的幸福。 他不停地持善念，行善事，最终恶果渐行渐远，无法再缠上他了。 这正是佛陀所教导的：消除恶果，非靠拜神，而是积极散播种植善的种子.

如果我说佛陀住在宇宙的某一处，以某种具体的形式存在著，这是不符合佛陀的教诲的。 但在另边厢，如果我说佛陀不住在任何地方，没有一个身躯，许多人会对这样的答案感到不悦，因为他们追求「存在」的欲望无法被满足。 他们会说这岂不等於「无」。 涅槃不是「无」。 他是身心苦痛的熄灭及最高喜悦的体验.

其实，无论说佛陀活著还是死了都不对。 如果佛陀所教导的佛法能让我们在生活中体验和平安宁，这已经足够了。 我们把佛陀比喻成医生好了。 医生发现了一帖有效的良药，吃了能够治疗疾病，解除病痛。 我们有必要知道这医生在哪里，他还活著与否。 更重要的应该是我们懂得吃药并消除我们的病痛。 相同地，佛陀的教诲足以让我们脱离苦海。 佛陀赋予了我们绝对的权利，用我们的理性去理解对错，去理解大自然万物存在的规律.

世间里所有存在的物体，是没有不变化、不败；坏、不消失的。 这些都是由各种元素、能量、心力和业力所组成的暂时性个体。 这些都不可能永远不变。 如果你能理解这个道理，佛陀的教诲将有助於克服你的难题，消除不满足的感觉。 否则，我们将承受许多生理和心理上的痛苦、不满足和失落感。 我们以明智的行动来解决问题，而非仅仅祈祷、膜拜任何人。 通过彻底了解问题的本质和根源，我们便能解决问题.

佛陀去了哪里?若说他已到了涅槃，人们会以为涅槃是个地方。 涅槃不是一个地方，是一种能体验终极解脱的至高境界。 我们无法说他到了哪里或他还存在，只能说他已经获得了涅槃的喜悦，也是我们生命的终极目标.

所以，佛陀去了哪里?最好的答案是：在你领悟终极真理的心中.

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Sabbadanam Dhammadanam Jinati"
The Gift of Dhamma Excels All Other Gifts."
- The Buddha

May All Sentient Beings,
Including All the Devas and All the Nagas
Rejoice and Share in the Blessings for All the Good Deeds Done.

May All Sentient Beings,
Including All the Devas and All the Nagas
Have the Chance to
Meet with the Dhamma
Learn the Dhamma
Practise the Dhamma
Realise the Dhamma

And May All Sentient Beings,
Including All the Devas and All the Nagas
Be Enlighten Soon.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

Where is The Buddha? - Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda

The following is the book, "Where is The Buddha" written by the late Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda.

I feel that it is an excellent piece of work by the late Venerable, and I would like to share it with everyone.


Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Happy reading and Enjoy!


With Love,
Maitre-Light :)

Where is The Buddha ?

Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda

This is the last book written by
The lateVenerable Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera
March 18, 1919 - Aug 31, 2006

People always ask this question, where did the Buddha go or where he is living now? This is a very difficult question to answer for those who have not developed a spiritual way of life. This is because everybody thinks about life in a worldly way. It is difficult for people to understand the concept of a Buddha. Certain missionaries approach Buddhists and say that the Buddha is not a god, he was a man. He is dead and gone. What can someone gain by worshipping a dead man? But we must understand the Buddha is called Sattha Deva-manussanam, teacher of gods and men. Whenever the gods have any problems, they approach the Buddha to get his advice. Then they claim their god is living and that is why everyone should pray to Him instead.



According to science it has taken millions of years for us to develop our mind and understanding. When their mind was not fully developed people became aware that there are some powers which make nature work. Because they could not understand how exactly nature works, they began to think there must be a person who creates and maintains these occurrences. To help theirs understand this concept they transformed this energy into a form and represented it physically as statues and paintings. These “spirits” or powers were important to make humans to do good and not to do bad things and to reward them if they were good. Always we have fear, worry, suspicion, insecurity, so we need someone to depend on for our protection. Eventually this force was transformed into a single God. Now some people depend on God for everything. That is why they try to introduce the idea of an eternal soul that departs from here and remains in heaven eternally. That is to satisfy the craving for existence forever. The Buddha says anything that comes into existence is subjected to change, decay and extinction.



When we analyze the life of the Buddha, we see he never introduced himself as a son of god or messenger of god but as an enlightened religious teacher. At the same time the Buddha was not introduced as an incarnation of another Buddha. The Buddha is not created by another Buddha, so Buddha is not the re-incarnation of another Buddha. He is an individual person who by working a long period, life after life developed and cultivated all the great qualities, virtues, wisdom which we call paramitas or perfections. When he perfected all the good qualities he gained enlightenment: which is a complete understanding of how the universe operates. He discovered there is no God who created the universe.



People ask how he could gain enlightenment without support from any god. Buddhists maintain that every individual can develop the mind to understand everything. The meaning of the word manussa, in many languages is human being. But the meaning of the word Mana is mind. Therefore manussa is a human being who can develop and cultivate the mind to perfection. Besides humans there are no other living beings in this universe who can develop the mind up to that extent, to gain enlightenment. Not even divine beings can become Buddhas because they cannot develop their mind up to such an extent. They have worldly sensual, peaceful, prosperous existences but their thinking power is very poor. Only manussa or human being can become the Buddha or Enlightened One. When people say Buddha is not a god, we should not try to prove that he is a god. If we try to prove this then we actually lower the concept of enlightenment. Some people claim that their god has given a message to humanity. If that message is for all human beings in this world, why does the god not proclaim his message in the public, instead of revealing it only to one man. The Buddha did not encourage anybody to believe anything or claim that he had been instructed by a higher power to do so.



One day, a Christian priest came to see me with his followers to discuss about Buddhism and asked, “Actually can you tell me what Buddhists believe?” Then I told him very frankly that Buddhists do not ‘believe’ anything. Then he pointed to my book “What Buddhists Believe” and asked “why did you write this book?” I told him, “That is why I wrote this book, for you to read it to see whether there is anything for you to believe.” “In that case,” he asked, “can you tell me what Buddhists do?” I told him, the Buddha has given the answer to that question, Buddha has advised us what to do. Instead of believing, one must practice pariyatti, patipatti and pativeda. There are three ways to practice. First we must try to understand because we must not blindly believe anything that we cannot understand. The Buddha says you must first try to understand.
In his teachings of the Eight Fold Noble Path, the first item is sammaditthi, right understanding. Buddha started his mission by asking his followers to develop right understanding rather than blind faith or belief. After learning we gain wonderful knowledge about Buddha and his teachings. You have to practice what you have learned. If you have not understood this, then you will create ideas according to your own imagination. His advice was to practice what you have learned with understanding. After practicing you experience the result or the effect. Then you come to know that it is true. These are the three methods that the Buddha taught, to learn, to understand, to practice. This is the way to live in this world to get rid of our suffering. Now you can understand that the Buddha’s way of introducing religion was not by asking us to believe anything but to learn, practice and experience the results.



For instance, the Buddha says that you must be kind, you must be honest. After understanding the teaching, you try to practice it and after that everybody respects you when they come to know you’re very kind, very honest. Nobody wants to disturb you or accuse you, but they respect you. That is the good result that you experience. At the same time the Buddha says you must try to understand according to the level of your own experience. You can test the results of the practice yourself. You understand why some things are wrong and why some things are right and you do not follow them because the order or commandment comes from heaven. You have a thinking mind and common sense to understand. Our understanding and our own experience is enough to understand why something is wrong or right. For example the Buddha advised us not to destroy other living beings. He did not introduce this as a religious law because an understanding human being should know that killing is cruel. It is not difficult for us to understand why it is bad because when another person comes and tries to kill us we certainly do not like it. Again he says when you have valuable things stolen by somebody, how would you feel? In the same way when we steal others’ property they also do not like it. It is not necessary for us to get orders from any god or Buddha or Jesus to understand this simple concept. Religious teachers appear in the world to remind us what we have neglected or forgotten. Your own experience and understanding is more than enough for you to know why certain things are right or wrong.



The Buddha advised us to think and understand. We have the sense of reasoning. We have common sense unlike other living beings which also have a mind but cannot think rationally. Their minds are limited to find food, shelter, protection and sensual pleasure. They cannot extend their mind further. But human beings have a mind to think and understand up to the maximum level. This is why scientists have explored and discovered many things which we never heard of before. There is no other living being in this world which can develop the mind up to that extent. That is why only a human being can become a Buddha. Only by developing their minds can human beings gain enlightenment. The Buddha told us, to act according to our own experience. Then we can experience the results. The followers of all the other religions, greet others, saying “God bless you”, but Buddhists very seldom greet others, saying Buddha bless you. But they recite “Buddham Saranam Gacchami” (I go to the Buddha for my refuge). If they believe that they can take refuge in the Buddha why they do not greet others saying “The Buddha Bless You”. Buddha also advised people to remember the Buddha when they have fear.
So “Where is the Buddha” is our topic. Can we say he is in heaven or he is living in nirvana or he is living somewhere else? Where did he go? We must remember that everything we ask is from a worldly point of view. After gaining enlightenment Buddha said “avamantimaiati natthidani Dunabavo”, this is my last birth and there is no more becoming again. I have already stopped becoming again and again in this world, life after life, and experiencing endless suffering.
Pleasure or entertainments that people experience are temporary emotional satisfactions that disappear within a short period. This creates unsatisfactoriness. Within a lifetime physically and mentally we experience enormous suffering, worries, problems, pain, difficulties, calamities and unsatisfactoriness.



There is nobody in this world who can say that he is satisfied with this life. Everybody complains and grumbles about physical or mental problems. By understanding this situation the Buddha stopped rebirth. That is called salvation. Salvation means freedom from physical and mental suffering. By existing in physical form or any other form we cannot overcome our physical and mental suffering. Therefore if we don’t like to suffer, the best thing is to stop this birth. We crave for existence. This craving and attachment are very strong in our mind. But we want to exist in spite of all these sufferings and troubles, pain and sicknesses and many other problems because of our craving and ignorance. Now look at what is happening in this world. The whole world is a battle field.



All over the world people create violence and bloodshed and war and destruction. Animals are living without creating many of all those unnecessary problems to suffer. When they are hungry they go out and catch another living being, satisfy their hunger and go to sleep. But human beings cannot be satisfied without craving for so many other things.
Craving, attachment are so strong in our human mind. Because of that jealousy, enmity, anger, ill-will, cruelty and wickedness arises. Other living beings do not develop their cruelty up to that extent.



Human beings have a religion. Religion is not only to worship and pray but to do some service to other living beings by keeping away some bad thoughts so that we can serve others. Devotional aspects of religion are important but that alone cannot develop the mind to gain proper understanding or wisdom. Before the passing away of the Buddha many people assembled with flowers to offer and pay respect to him. The Buddha asked them to go back. He said if they really wanted to respect him, instead of offering flowers, and worshipping, they should practice at least one of the advices given by him. Then they really respect the Buddha.



Now you can understand what the Buddha wanted. A religious way of life is not only to pray but to follow some advice given by him. Once a monk called Bakkula would come and sit down in front of the Buddha and watch him everyday. One day the Buddha asked him “what are you doing here?” He said, “When I look at your physical body, it gives me a lot of happiness.” Then the Buddha said, “Bakkula, by watching this dirty, filthy, impermanent physical body what do you gain? You only entertain your emotion. You never gain knowledge or understanding but entertain your emotion. You cannot see the real Buddha through the physical body. Buddha is not the physical body.” Then he said, “Only one who understands the dhamma taught by the Buddha sees the real Buddha. The real Buddha appears in the mind when we understand what the Buddha taught. Here you can understand the Buddha was not particular about the physical body. When you study the history of India, for nearly 500 years there never was any Buddha image because the Buddha did not encourage anybody to erect images of Himself. It is the Greeks who created the Buddha images and other forms of religious symbols. Now of course different forms of Buddha images have spread all over the world.



Followers of some religions condemn us as idol worshippers. Actually they do not know what Buddhists are doing. A few hundred years after the Buddha, there was a well-known monk called Upagutha. He was a very popular preacher. When he gave a talk, thousands of people assembled. Mara the evil one was very unhappy because more and more people were becoming religious.



Maras are not living beings but strong mental obstructions and hindrances which prevent one from leading a religious way of life. Mara is then personified as the Evil One. This Mara started to perform very attractive entertainment, dancing, singing and merry making in front of the temple. Then the devotees slowly turned to watch Mara. Nobody came and listened to his talk. Upagutha decided to teach Mara a good lesson and he also went to watch the performance. When the performance was ended Upagutha said he really appreciated it. “In appreciation of your performance I would like to put a garland on your neck.” Mara was very proud. When Upagutha put a garland he felt the garland tightening around his neck like a python. He tried to pull it out but could not. Then he went to Shakra, the king of the gods and asked him for help to remove the garland. Shakra also tried his best but he also could not take it out. Then he went to Brahma who was regarded as creator god at that time and asked him to remove the garland. He also tried to take it out but could not take it out. Then Brahma told him that only the one who put it on could remove it. So Mara had to come back to Venerable Upagutha and begged him to take it out otherwise he would die. Then Upagutha said, “It is not difficult but I can only do it under two conditions. First, you must promise in future that you’re not going to disturb any of our religious services.” Mara agreed. “The second thing is that, you have seen the Buddha because on many occasions you tried to disturb the Buddha. You’re living a few hundreds years after the Buddha. You have the supernatural power to represent the physical body.” Mara said, “yes, I can do that if you promise not to worship me when I appear as the Buddha because I am not a holy man.” Then Venerable Upagutha said, “I am not going to worship you.” However when he appeared as a real Buddha, Venerable Upagutha paid his respects. Then Mara shouted, you promised that you are not going to worship him. Then Upagutha said “I did not worship Mara, I worship the Buddha.”



This is a very good example for people to tell others the meaning of worshipping the image of the Buddha. When you keep a Buddha image and pay homage, you also can take an image as an object for meditation. That is not worshipping the idol. You invite the Buddha into your mind through this symbol. It is a religious symbol. How the Buddha image appeals to the human mind can be understood in the following incident. During the Second World War in Burma the commander in chief of the army found a beautiful small Buddha image. It was so appealing to his mind. He sent this image to Sir Winston Churchill, who was the Prime Minister of England at that time with a note saying, “please keep this image on your table. Whenever you have any worries or disturbances please look at the face of this image. I believe that you will get the chance to calm your mind.”



Mr. Nehru the former Prime Minister of India was arrested by the British government. When he was in jail he had a small Buddha image in his pocket. He took out this image and kept it on the table and looked at it and thought, “In spite of so many troubles, problems and difficulties in this world, if the Buddha could manage to maintain a smiling face, why not we follow this great man?”
Anatole France who was a French scholar, visited London Museum and for the first time in his life he saw a Buddha image. Having seen this Buddha image, he said, “If god has come down from heaven to this earth he is none other than this figure.” However an image is not essential. There are many who can practice the teaching of the Buddha without any image. It is not compulsory that they must have an image. We don’t worship, we don’t pray, we don’t ask anything from the image but we pay homage, we respect this image of a great religious man.



One of our members had been keeping a Buddha image for 45 years in his house. One day some missionaries came and told him that he was worshipping the devil. He did not know how to reply to them. This is surprising because for 45 years he had been worshipping the image and he did not know what to say when people condemned it. This is the weakness of some of our Buddhists. They follow tradition, worshipping, praying, offering, chanting but they do not try to understand the teachings of the Buddha. Now you can understand with or without the Buddha image you can practice the teachings of the Buddha, because the physical body is not the Buddha.



According to the Mahayana school of Buddhism there are 3 bodies of the Buddha or 3 kayas, sambhogakaya, nirmanakaya, dharmakaya. He used both sambhogakaya and nirmanakava for eating, sleeping, walking, talking, advising, preaching. All these activities he has done with the physical body. When the Buddha attained parinirvana these 2 bodies disappeared. But dharmakaya or dharma body of the Buddha can never disappear. According to the Mahayana school of Buddhism, the Buddha Amitabha is in sukavati, pureland. Those who recite his name out of respect and those who worship him will be born in pureland and later get the chance to attain nirvana. According to their way of thinking and belief this concept gives a lot of hope and confidence that the Buddha is still living until every living being attains the final salvation.
The Buddha has mentioned “whether the Buddha appears or not dharma exists forever in this world”. When a Buddha appears he realizes people have forgotten the real dharma. “This dharma that I understood is not a new dharma created by me”, said the Buddha. This dharma has always existed but people have misinterpreted, created wrong concept according to their own imagination and completely polluted the purity of the dharma. It is even happening today 2500 years after the Buddha revealed the truth as dharma. People are doing wrong things in many countries in the name of the Buddha. It is not that they really follow the advice given by the Buddha. But they introduce their traditional cultural practices mixed with Buddhism and introduce it as Buddhism. As Buddhists, we must try to learn what the Buddha taught and try to practice what the Buddha taught to seek our salvation.



People ask where the Buddha is. To practice Buddhism it is not necessary for us to know where the Buddha is, or where he went. Take for instance we have electricity discovered by somebody. Is it necessary for us to know the person who discovered electricity, where he is and from which country he came and his name? Our duty is to make use of the electricity. Again those who have discovered atoms or atomic energy can use this atomic energy for constructive or destructive purposes. So it is our duty to make use of this energy in a proper manner. It is not necessary to know actually who discovered this atomic energy. People have discovered the computer and television but it is not necessary for us to know the names and the details of them, our duty is to use them.



In the same manner do not ask where the Buddha is, or where he went. If the dharma, what he taught, is true, available and effective why is it necessary to know where the Buddha is. The Buddha never said that he can send us to heaven or hell. The Buddha can tell you what to do and what not to do to gain our salvation. That is the only thing Buddha can do. He cannot do anything for you. Your duty is to practice what the Buddha taught us.



Others say that god can wash away the sins committed by people. Buddha never said that sin is created by one person, and it can be washed away by another person. Neither Buddha nor god can do that. When a person is going to die and says that he believes in god, after all the sinful things that he committed can god take away his sins? For instance maybe you are very hot tempered and you know it is wrong but you do not know how to get rid of it. So you go to god and pray and ask him to please take away the cruelty from your mind, do you think any god can do that?



You may go and worship the Buddha and ask the Buddha to take away your cruelty. But the Buddha also cannot take it away from your mind. The Buddha can only tell you how to remove your anger with your own effort. No one can help you but yourself through your understanding. You yourself must realize, “this anger is dangerous, can create lots of trouble, problems and difficulties and harm and disturb others. I must try to reduce anger by using my mental energy and create strong determination to withdraw anger from the mind.” So the Buddha or God cannot wash away sins created by us but we alone can do that. There is a good advice given by the Buddha. If anyone has committed a bad deed or bad karma, they cannot get rid of the effects by praying to god or Buddha. However when they come to know that they have committed the bad deeds then they must stop committing bad deeds again. You must create strong determination in the mind to create more and more good karma or meritorious deeds. When you develop your meritorious deeds, the effect of the bad karma that you have committed earlier can be overcome by good karma.



Take for instance Angulimala, the murderer who killed nearly one thousand human beings. When the Buddha came to know that he went to see him. Angulimala wanted to kill the Buddha because he had completed 999 murders. His vow was to kill the thousandth, so he was very happy when he saw the Buddha and tried to catch him. Occasionally the Buddha performed a little miracle. Knowing it was difficult to control this man by preaching, the Buddha walked in a normal way and allowed him to run. Although he ran nearly 4 miles, he could not come near to the Buddha. Then he asked the Buddha to stop and the Buddha knew it was time for him to talk to him. The Buddha said “I have already stopped, you’re the one who run.” Angulimala said, “how can you say you have stopped, I saw you walking.”The Buddha replied, “I have stopped means I have stopped killing or destroying other living beings. You are the one who is running means you are still committing evil. If you stop running then you can catch me.” Then Angulimala said “I cannot understand what you said.” Then the Buddha said “I have stopped killing and you’re doing just that, that is the meaning of running. You are running in samsara.” Then Angulimala came to know that he was wrong and decided to follow the Buddha and he became a monk and started to meditate. Later he attained arahantahood and gained nirvanic bliss. Bad karma had no chance to come to catch him. He went on developing good karma and the bad karma had no chance to affect him. That is what the Buddha said. The Buddha taught this method to overcome the effect of bad karma not by praying to any god but by doing more and more meritorious deeds.



I say that the Buddha is living in any part of the universe in physical form it is against the teachings of the Buddha. On the other hand if I say that the Buddha is not living in any part of the universe in physical form many people are not very happy because they have craving for existence which cannot be satisfied. Therefore they say it is nothingness. It is not nothingness; it is the ending of physical and mental suffering and experiencing nirvanic bliss or salvation. On the other hand there are some people who really need the physical form of the image of the Buddha to calm their mind, reduce their tension and fear and worries. However it is not right for us to say the Buddha is living or not. If the doctrine or the teaching of the Buddha is available for us to experience peace, satisfaction in our life that is more than enough for us. Let us take a doctor who has discovered a very effective medicine. If the medicine is available, if it can cure sicknesses, is it necessary for us to know where this doctor is and whether he is still living or not? The important thing is to get rid of our sicknesses by taking the medicine. In the same manner the teachings of the Buddha are more than enough for us to get rid of our sufferings. The Buddha has given us the right to think freely to understand whether something is wrong by using our common sense or reasoning for us to understand the real nature of things that come into existence.



On the other hand there is nothing in any part of the universe which exists without changing, without decaying and without extinguishing because all these are the combination of elements, energies and mental energies and karmic energies. Therefore it is impossible for these energies and elements or mental energies, karmic energies to remain forever without changing. If you can understand this then the teachings of the Buddha will help you to understand how to face your problems and difficulties, to overcome our unsatisfactoriness. Otherwise we will have to face physical and mental suffering, unsatisfactoriness and disappointment. We have to act wisely to get rid of our problems. It is difficult for us to get rid of our suffering simply by praying, worshipping to anybody but through understanding the nature of our problems and difficulties and the cause of our problems and difficulties, we will be able to get rid of such problems.
Many people ask where did the Buddha go? If people say he has gone to nirvana then they think nirvana is a place. Nirvana is not a place, it is a mental state for us to achieve to experience our final salvation. We cannot say the Buddha has gone somewhere or Buddha is existing but he experiences the nirvanic bliss or the final goal in life. So the best answer to the question “Where is the Buddha?” is the Buddha is in your mind which has realised the Ultimate Truth.






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“People always ask this question, where did the Buddha go or where he is living now? This is a very difficult question to answer for those who have not developed a spiritual way of life. This is because everybody thinks about life in a worldly way.”

– The Late Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda

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Where is the Buddha “If I say that the Buddha is living in any part of the universe in physical form it is against the teachings of the Buddha.

On the other hand if I say that the Buddha is not living in any part of the universe in physical form many people are not very happy because they have craving for existence which cannot be satisfied.

Therefore they say it is nothingness. It is not nothingness; it is the ending of physical and mental suffering and experiencing nirvanic bliss or salvation.

On the other hand there are some people who really need the physical form of the image of the Buddha to calm their mind, reduce their tension and fear and worries.

However it is not right for us to say the Buddha is living or not.

If the doctrine or the teaching of the Buddha is available for us to experience peace, satisfaction in our life that is more than enough for us.”

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Sabbadanam Dhammadanam Jinati"

The Gift of Dhamma Excels All Other Gifts."

- The Buddha

May All Sentient Beings,

Including All the Devas and All the Nagas

Rejoice and Share in the Blessings for All the Good Deeds Done.

May All Sentient Beings,

Including All the Devas and All the Nagas

Have the Chance to

Meet with the Dhamma

Learn the Dhamma

Practise the Dhamma

Realise the Dhamma

And May All Sentient Beings,

Including All the Devas and All the Nagas

Be Enlighten Soon.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/WhereistheBuddha.pdf

How Foolish Can We Get (Part 7) - Man And War

How Foolish Can We Get (Part 7) - Man And War

"Do not kill; and do not let or cause others to kill.

Find whatever means to protect Life and to prevent war."

- The Buddha

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I am ending the series of "How Foolish Can We Get?" with the greatest foolishness of all - War.

The following is taken directly from a book written by the late Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda in 1964, "What Buddhists Believe".

Please read it carefully and realise the foolishness of Mankind and his creation.

"The history of mankind is a continuous manifestation of man's greed, hatred, pride, jealousy, selfishness and delusion.



During the last 3000 years, men have fought 15,000 major wars.

Is it a characteristic of man?

What is his destiny?

How can men bring destruction to one another?

Although men have discovered and invented many important things, they have also made great advances towards the destruction of their own kind.

This is how many human civilisation have been completely erased from this earth.

Modern man has become so sophisticated in his art and techniques of warfare that it is now possible for him to turn the whole of mankind into ashes within a few seconds.



The world has become a storehouse of military hardware as a result of a little game called 'Military Superiority'.

We are told that the prototype of a nuclear weapon which is more powerful than the atomic bomb which was dropped at Hiroshima Japan in August 1945, is being planned.

Scientists believe that a few hundred thermonuclear weapons will chart the course towards universal destruction.

Just see what we are doing to our human race!

Think what sort of scientific development it is!

See how foolish and selfish man is!

"Treaties, pacts and peace formulae have been adopted and millions of words have been spoken by countless world leaders throughout out the world who proclaim that they have found the way to maintain and promote peace on earth.

But for all their efforts, they have not succeeded in removing the threat to mankind.

The reason is that we have all failed to educate our young to truly understand and respect the need for selfish service and the danger of selfishness.

To guarantee true peace, we must use every method available to us to educate our young to practise love, goodwill and tolerance towards others."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda (What Buddhist Believe)






"How often do we make war - not just nation to nation, but also within a nation itself, communities to communities, groups to groups, individuals to individuals, and the culmination of it all - within ourselves."






"Fight, Fight, Fight.

Attack, Attack, Attack.

When are we ever going to learn to make peace and not war?"







"All religions teach people not to kill, but unfortunately this important precept is conveniently ignored."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda






"There is no justice in war or violence. When we declare war, we justify it.

When others declare war, we say it is unjust."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda





"The belief that the only way to fight force is by applying more force has led to the arms race between the great powers.

And this competition to increase the weapons of war has brought mankind to the very brink of total self-destruction.

If we do nothing about it, the next war will be the end of the world where there will be neither victors nor victims -- only dead bodies."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda






"We must try to build schools instead of cruisers, hospitals instead of nuclear weapons.

The amount of money and human lives that various governments waste in the battlefield should be diverted to build up the economies to elevate the standard of living."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda







" 'Hatred never ceases with hatred; by love alone does it cease.' - The Buddha

This is the only correct method to solve any problem.

If everyone were to follow the advice of the Buddha, there would be no reason for war to take place in this world."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda






"Tolerance must be practised if peace is to come to this earth.

Force and compulsion will only create intolerance.

To establish peace and harmony among mankind, each and everyone (of us) must first learn to practise the ways leading to the extinction of hatred, greed and delusion, the roots of all evil forces.

If mankind can eradicate these evil forces, Tolerance and peace will come to this restless world."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda







"It is the duty of every cultured man to find all possible ways and means to settle disputes in a peaceful manner, without declaring war to kill his fellow men."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda






"Who's right? Who's Wrong?

As long as you hurt, harm, destroy and/or kill,

You are wrong."





"Happily the peaceful live, giving up victory and defeat."

- The Buddha