Explore the relationship between ‘Buddhism and ‘Natural selection and evolution’

Editor: Rev. Mangala priya

Watsuthivararam,

Yannawa, sathorn.

Bangkok,10120.

Thailand.

The general meaning natural selection is that there is a fittest with over production of organism and an inevitable struggle for existence in the nature so there is a major factor in the evolution of life.

Living things have evolved continuously and successive periods of time have each been characterized by particular type’s levels and assemblage of living organisms. The other factor that helped in the acceptance of the theory of natural selection, which created new species in nature was mutation. Mutations are the so called spontaneous variations by which new and distinct varieties of plants and animals arise.

Explain the relationship between ‘Atom’ and ‘Anatta’

Editor: Rev. Mangala priya

Watsuthivararam,

Yannawa, sathorn.

Bangkok,10120.

Thailand.

 Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter that make up everyday objects. A desk, the air, even you are made up of atoms. There are 90 naturally occurring kinds of atoms. Scientists in labs have been able to make about 25 more.

          The truth revealed about the inside nature of the atom has undoubtedly invaluable influence not only upon the field of science itself but upon all other broachers of knowledge, psychology, philosophy and even theology.

          John Dalton who lived in 1808 believed that an element actually consisted of separate invisible and indivisible atoms. Faraday symbolized an atom as a starfish with a small body and comparatively long limbs which entangle the things the limps contact. The constituents of the material universe interact with one another and are really inseparable. Things do not exist individually; the existence of a single object is therefore nothing more than a mental illusion. The universe is simply a process, a system of inter-connected activities in which nothing moves independently of the reset and where all is in ceaseless motion. This is exactly the same in principle, through different in words, as the Buddha’s preaching of “Anicca” which means the impermanent nature of things.

Elucidate the relationship between ‘Buddhism and Psychology’

Editor: 

Mangala priya

Watsuthivararam, 

Yannawa, Sathorn,

bangkok, 10120.

Thailand.

Philosophical development which has taken place in western psychology took place long, long ago in the Buddhist psychology of the Abhidhammas. It would also be shown that both east and west have made a unique contribution to psychology and indeed to science as a whole.

In both cases one can trace how the soul becomes the mind, and the mind becomes experience and matter, and in both cases one can see how the ego or self becomes the subject of much dispute.

In the pre-scientific Hindu psychology the Brahmin or soul became the Atman or self and the Atman was seen as an immaterial essence which underlay experience. Both prince Siddhartha and Wundt discarded the soul and the soul like mind, and replaced it by experience and matter. Skhandhas are clearly divided into rUpa which means matter and nAma which means experience. It is always taken for granted in Buddhist writings that mind means experience.

Buddhism recognizes that there experiential evidence for it; at a particular stage of meditation one may develop it if one wishes, but it is not central or essential to Buddhist psychology. Moreover, it is taken to be a function of the same material mind-base which gives rise to all the other aspects of experience. Having made immediate experience the subject matter of scientific psychology,

Generally speaking, the Buddhist method of observation is meditation, which is superficially, rather similar to Wundt’s method of introspection. Wundt’s introspection, however has proved to be unsuitable for specific and controlled observation of experience and is no longer used.

Understanding of Nibbana

The
goal of Buddhism is Nibbana which is also known as Santi sukha, the supreme peace. Of course there are other synonyms for this incomparable bliss such as Kheman (free from from danger), sivam (freedom from disturbance) dipa (island of refuge), Visuddhi (freedom from mental defilement), asankhata dhatu (the element which is the opposite of sankhata nama and rupa), dukkha nirodha (the cessation of suffering), etc. There are descriptions of the same asankhata Nibbana which can be known and realized by means of the practice of the eightfold noble path. This path consists of sila (moral discipline), Samadhi (concentration of mind), and panna(wisdom). Anyone, who practises this eightfold noble path, can tastethe truth of Nibbana for a short moment, a long moment or a final duration moment accordingly. The best way is, of course, the
practice of Satipatthana (the way of mindfulness) because it contains all the elements of morality and wisdom. it brings purity of conduct (sila Visuddhi), purity of mind (Citta Visuddhi) as soon as mindfulness on the mind and matter occurs. Sometimes Nibbana may seem very remote and very difficult to attain. Actually this is not so. It is not difficult to attain the tadinga Nibbana (Nibbana for a moment) because virtuous conduct always brings peace and happiness in this life and in this moment. So long as the good life is lived, freedom from fear is attained. So also a man, who is full of concentration, enjoys freedom from mental defilements. If right understanding is developed through mindfulness, freedom from wrong belief is attained.

Tension with Lost Passport

On this beautiful vesak full moon poya day, 

joining my right and left hands together, I pray, 

so that I could do something about my passport today. 

How precious this vesak day for all the Buddhists, 

but with the tension of my lost passport,

I can't think of any good deeds. 

Oh my lord Buddha, you were born, you attained enlightenment and you passed away on this day,

so please tell me how was Your life in a way? 

When I look at life, 

it is always up and down, 

and how many times we die, we cannot count.

Oh my lord Buddha, now I am at your feet, 

while searching my lost passport, 

Your blessings I seek.

Sinner and Hell

Heaven is area only for the divine beings of good doers and hell is place only for the sinners of bad ones. In majority, among the bad doers, sinners in hell are ones having committed the more serious crimes in the past. They have to suffer a lot of pain there for a long time according to their bad actions.

"He will be subject to severe pain, or impoverishment, or injury to the body (e.g., Loss of limbs), or serious illness (e.g., leprosy), or lunacy, or misfortunes following the wrath of the king, or wrongful and serious accusations, or loss of relatives, or destruction of wealth or the burning down of his houses by fire or by lightning. After the dissolution of his body, the fool will be reborn in the plane of continuous suffering (Naraya)."

Heaven, Hell and Nibbana

Among all of the beings, as if there are even right doers reborn in human and divine world differently as their actions, there are wrong doers reborn in hell as their ones. So, all depending on their actions have different lives. However, arahat has no future life as he has given up good and evil. It is highlight that unseen action can create even seen creators.

"Some are reborn as human beings, the wicked are reborn in woeful states, the righteous go to the blissful states, and those who are free from mental defilements pass away into Nibbana. "

Conquest of Arahat and the Beings

All divine beings generally have conceit. So, they fight each other. In fact, except arahat, all beings have it. It is not wonderful because it is nature of the world. Having controlling power of bodily action, verbal action, and mental action, arahat is not won in the world. Only he always wins everyone consisting of divine beings as one with insight conquest used to conquer others.

"Conquest of self is indeed better than the conquest of other persons; of one who has disciplined himself, who always practises self-control." 

"Not even a god nor a gandharva nor Mala along with Brahma could turn into defeat the victory of such a one (who has conquered himself). "

Divine Beings and the Virtuous

The virtuous such as arahat, have no conceit and bad behaviour. As they have already eradicated defilements in arahatta-magga-nana, their actions have become calm automatically. All of their behaviours are very interesting. They will not disturb anyone. Therefore, not only human beings but also divine beings become to love the virtuous more and more.

"The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants - such an arahat is held dear even by the devas. "

Mara (Demon) and the Virtuous

According to Theravada Buddhist Studies, Mara (Demon) in the world of the divine beings, wants to control all of the beings not to escape from the rebirth and death (Samsara).So, sometimes, he disturbs anyone in his bad actions. Even nowadays, he does it continuously. However, he cannot find the path taken by the virtuous without any defilement. 

"Mara (Demon) cannot find the pathway taken by those being endowed with virtue, who live mindfully, and have been liberated themselves from defilement s in Right Wisdom."

Scents of Reputation and Heaven

 The virtuous such as those noble persons, other saints, etc, never commit the crimes and forever do the good. In loving Kindness, they approach other ones and speak politely. They have good society, as well. Their thought is in the right view. As all of their actions are pure all the beings become to love them more and more. At last, the scents of their reputation spread even to the world of the divine beings.

"The scents of rhododendron and sandalwood are very faint, yet the reputation-scent of virtuous one is the strongest; it pervades even the divine world."

Sekha Person and Heaven

There are eight noble persons in the Theravada Buddhist Order. Among them, except arahatta-phalatthana person, seven persons called sekha have to practise higher virtue (adhisīla-sikkhā), higher mind (adhicitta-sikkhā), and higher wisdom (adhipaññā-sikkhā) to examine this earth of the body. They are able to examine even the world of Yama, the world of devas, etc. Arahatta-phalatthana person called asekha does not need to do it as he has already done it before.

"The Ariya Sekha shall
examine this earth (i.e., the body), the world of Yama (i.e. the four apayas)
and the world of man together with the world of devas. The Ariya Sekha shall
examine the well-taught Path of Virtue (Dhammapada) as an expert florist picks
and chooses flowers."

Well-directed Mind and Heaven

One’s mind is actually so pure unless defilements cover it.  If it is so pure and well-directed, one can see everything clearly and reborn in human realm or heaven. There are three kinds of happiness: human happiness, divine happiness, and peaceful happiness of Nibbana. Therefore, that mind is able to make one attain even peacefulness happiness. To attain these above things, except that well-directed mind, there is no powerful one in the world. 

Not a mother, nor a father, nor any other relative can do, a well directed mind does and thereby elevates one. 

Mindfulness and Rebirth in Heaven

Mindfulness, main one for all will powers, can create good person and make one reborn in heaven. So, it should be praised as “Upper life instructor” and kept forever for many lives. 

"Byearnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of the gods. People praise earnestness; thoughtlessness is always blamed."

Thirty-three synonyms for Nibbana

1. The Unconditioned, 2. The destruction of lust, hate, delusion, 3. The Un-inclined,  4. The taint less, 5. The truth, 6. The other shore, 7. The subtle, 8. The very difficult to see, 9. The unaging, 10. The stable, 11. The undisintegrating, 12. The unmanifest, 13. The unproliferated, 14. The peaceful, 15. The deathless, 16. The sublime, 17. The auspicious, 18. The secure, 19. The destruction of craving, 20. The wonderful, 21. The amazing, 22. The unailing, 23. The unailing state, 24. The unafflicted, 25. Dispassion, 26. Purity, 27. Freedom, 28. Non attachment, 29. The island, 30. The shelter, 31. The asylum, 32. The refuge, 33. The destination and the path leading to the destination.

Another definition of the term Nibbana

Nibbana (Pali), nirvana (Sanskrit), is the highest spiritual state and the ultimate goal of Buddhism. The word nibbana comes from nir meaning ‘stop’ and và meaning ‘to blow.’ Thus Nibbana is the extinguishing or blowing out of the fires of greed, hatred and ignorance. Alternatively, it may come from nir plus vana meaning ‘desire’ and thus mean the ‘stopping of desire.’ When, as a result of practicing The Noble Eightfold Middle Path, ignorance and craving give way to knowledge and fulfilment, one attains Nibbana and at death is no longer subject to rebirth and all the suffering that entails. Nibbana is only the most well-known name the Buddha uses for this exalted state. He also called it The Culmination, The Further Shore, Truth, The Immaculate, The Joyful, Utter Peace, The Wonderful, The Pure, The Safe Refuge, etc.

The meaning of the term Nibbana

  Nirvāna (Sanskrit), Nibbāna (Pali) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering (or dukkha). In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme Being through Moksha. The word literally means "blowing out" in the Buddhist context; it is to the blowing out of the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion.

   The word nibbanti, meaning extinction, this occurs in the Ratana Sutta. Etymologically, it is derived from ni, a negative prefix, and va, meaning craving. It denotes the annihilation of the flames of lust, hatred, and ignorance which are the root causes of suffering. The texts say: “nibbāti vattadukkham ettati nibbānam.” It means where the cycle of suffering ceases, there is nibbāna. At the sight of nibbāna, on the realization of the Path and its Fruition as a result of insight meditation, defilement s like craving and ignorance become extinct, thereby giving no opportunity for actions and results of actions to arise in the form of consciousness, mind and matter, six bases, contact, sensations, etc. New becoming does not occur. This is the extinction of the cycle of defilement, the cycle of action, and the cycle of results. Here, in this definition, the special quality of nibbāna is used metaphorically for the location of nibbāna, but in fact, nibbāna has no location.

To be Continued .........