Tse Hiu Lam

BSTC 1001 Introduction to Buddhist

Teachings
Short Essay

What did the Buddha teach? Is it still

relevant in todays world?

Submission Date: 24th November 2016

Student Name: Tse Hiu Lam
Student Number: 2013559921
Number of Words: 2615

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WhatdidtheBuddhateach?Isitstillrelevantintodaysworld?
ThenondogmaticteachingsoftheBuddhaarestillwidelypracticedby350million
people,beingthefourthlargestreligionintheworld.(BuddhistStudies,n.d.)1
Thoughnotstrictlyconsideredareligion,duetotheabsenceofaGodora
permanenthigherbeinginBuddhiststudies,itstillacquiredafollowingdespitethe
fact.DuetotheAkilakanatureoftheDhamma,whichevolvesandadaptstoour
everchangingsociety,Buddhismisdeemedtobenondogmaticschoolofthoughtfor
itfitsintoeverysocietalcontext.(Guruge,n.d.)2InPali,Akilakasignifies
timelessness,meaningthatthevalidityofBuddhistteachingsdoesnotpertaintoa
fixedlifetime.(Guruge,n.d.)OneofthemostnotablefeaturesofBuddhismisthatit
canrunparalleltomoderndayscientificdiscoveries,duetoitsnonparticipationin
theexplorationofthemetaphysical.Suchacharacteristicdivergesfrombeliefsof
otherreligion,suchasChristianity,IslamandHinduism,oftensparkingdebatesof
religionversusscience.Dwellingonthemetaphysicalisdeemedunimportantin
helpingindividualsattainEnlightenmentthatisoneofthebiggestpurposesof
Buddhism.Debatesassuchcancreateadiversionfromusefulscientific
advancementsoronesjourneytoEnlightenment.Contrarytodogmaticreligions,
Buddhismsupportsthefreeinquiryofitsteachings,asstatedintheKalamaSutta.The
meritsoftheKalamaSuttaandvariousBuddhistteachingswillbeexploredinthe
followingandexaminedinthecontextofthecontemporaryworld.Moreover,
Buddhismmainlydealswithpersonalenlightenmentandimprovement,compassion,
anintrospectiveattitudeineliminatingsuffering.Nomatterthecontext,Buddhas
teachingsstillapplytomanyendeavoursofthehumanlifeaslongassufferingisstill
present.
TeachingsoftheBuddha
1. TheKalamaSutta
TheKalamaSuttasupportstheideaoffreeinquiryinsearchforthewholesome,
blameless,praisedbythewise;whenadoptedandcarriedouttheyleadtowellbeing,
prosperityandhappiness(Kinnes,n.d)3.Thepurposeistoleadtofreethinking,the
completedigestionofdoctrinesbeforecommittingtothem,byquestioningtraditions,
teachingsorevenonesownlogicalthinkingorcommonsense.Suchnotionsarestill
examinedtodayinpsychologyasgroupthink,anchoring,confirmationbiasesand
variouscognitivebiases.(Dvorsky,2013)4TheBuddhaeventoldhisdisciplesto
questiontheTabagatha,tobetrulyconvictedofhisteachings.Bydoingsocanhis
1 Buddhist Studies: Number of Buddhist World-wide. (n.d.). Retrieved November

24, 2016, from http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/bud_statwrld.htm

2 Guruge, A. W. (n.d.). Buddhism in Modern Life. Retrieved November 24, 2016,
from http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/modern.html
3 Kinnes, T. (n.d.). Four Translations of the Kalama Sutta by Buddha The Gold
Scales. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://oaks.nvg.org/kalama.html
4 Dvorsky, G. (2013). The 12 cognitive biases that prevent you from being
rational. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from
http://io9.gizmodo.com/5974468/the-most-common-cognitive-biases-that-preventyou-from-being-rational

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disciplestrulycommitandeliminatedoubtandignorance,whichisconsideredas
Dukkhathatwillbeexpoundedinlaterparagraphs.ItisthisTrueWisdomthat
requiresonetoobtainthehighestlevelofunderstandingandexperiencetherealityas
itispresented,unveiledbypreassumptionsandschemas.Theimplicationsofthe
KalamaSuttaextendstotodaysdayandage,whenreligiousadherentsarealltoo
quicktocondemnothersreligion,withoutinspectingwhethertheirownreligion
propagateshateorencouragestheharmingofothers.Inthepresent,anexample
wouldbethebelievingofapoliticalpropagandawithoutexaminingwhetheritisfor
thecommongood.Forinstance,theelectionofDonaldTrumpasthePresidentofthe
UnitedStatesclearlyexemplifiestheblindpursuitofapoliticalleader.Hispolitical
agendaisbasedonhatefulspeechtowardswomenandminoritygroupsaswellas
ignorancetowardsclimatechangeanduniversalhealthcareperse.Yethewaswidely
supportedandeventuallyelectedasthePresident,leadingtomassprotests.(Osnos,
2016)5ThisisanexamplethattheBuddhasadvocacyfortrueunderstandingof
beliefsisverymuchneededintodayssociety,oratanypointintime,whenitcomes
todecisionmaking.
2. TheFourNobleTruths
ThefoundationofBuddhasteachingliesontheFourNobleTruths,fortheylaythe
pathwayfortheemancipationfromDukkha,orNirvana.
TheFirstNobleTruthDukkha
ToachievecompleteliberationfromDukkha,wemustunderstandwhattheterm
signifies.ThePaliwordDukkhaisamultifacetedtermthatencompasses
definitionsrangingfromtheordinarysufferingtohappiness.(Rhula,1974)6Tobetter
understanditsbroadmeaning,wemaycategoriseitintothreestates:Dukkhaas
ordinarysuffering,Dukkhaasproducedbychange,andDukkhaasconditioned
states.(Rhula,1974)Dukkhaasordinarysufferingiseasilyrelatabletoall,forit
standsforphysicalpain,disease,oldage,allformsofemotionalandphysicalpain
inevitableoverthecourseofalifetime.Dukkhaasproducedbychangestandsfor
theimpermanence,mostnotably,thestateofhappiness.Thereasonforitsinclusionin
Dukkhaisduetoitsephemeralnature,dependenceonanexternalobject.Thestateof
happinessperisheseasilyasthesourceofhappinessperishes,likethedeathofaloved
one.Recognizingtheimpermanenceofhappinessallowsustounderstandhowto
achieveasustainablehappiness,onethatdoesnotdependontheperishable.Dukkha
asconditionedstatesismorephilosophicalforitrelatestothenotionofI,or
me,forweareallattachedtoourselves,whicharemerelycomposedoftheFive
Aggregates.TheFiveAggregatesconsistsofmatter,sensations,perceptions,
mentalformationsandconsciousness,theirexistencealldependentoneachother.
Thereisnotanexistenceofasoulorapermanentbeingwithinus.Suchanideal
wouldonlyproduceDukkha,aformofdisillusion.(Rhula,1974)

5 Osnos, E. (2016). The Gathering Storm of Protest Against Trump. Retrieved

November 24, 2016, from http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/thegathering-storm-of-protest-against-trump
6 Rhula, W. (1974). What the Buddha taught. New York: Grove Press.

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ThenotionofDukkhaisstillrelevanttodayforitisalmostomnipresent;suffering
cannotbeavoidedunlessweseektrueEnlightenment.Themajorityofpeopleinthis
worldhaveyettounderstandDukkhaanditslackthereof.Aslongastherearepeople
thathavenotpenetratedtheTruth,Buddhasteachingisstillrelevantinourcurrent
era.
TheSecondNobleTruth
NowthatDukkhaisknown,itisimperativeforustoknowtherootcausesofit,and
thusbeabletoextinguishit.Tanha(Pali),meaningthirst,orattachmentseemsto
stemthecreationofDukkhaanditsperpetualrepetition.(Rhula,1974)Being
responsibleforselfishactsandanegocentriccharacter,itsconsequencesnotonlytake
placeinourcurrentlifetime,butalsocausenumerousrebirthsuntilitisexhausted.
WithinTanha,thereisathirstforsensepleasures,thirstforexistenceandthirst
fornonexistence.Thirstforsensepleasuresisthecravingforearthlymaterial
wants,forinstance,foodorentertainment,andalsoidealsandbeliefs.(Rhula,1974)
ThethirstforexistencedependsontheFourNutriments(ahara),namelymaterial
food,contactofoursenseorganswiththeexternalworld,consciousnessand
mentalvolition.(Thera,2006)7Outofthefour,mentalvolitionistheonethat
generatescontinuousrebirths,throughthechoiceofgoodandbadactions
(kusalakusalakamma).(Rhula,1974)
KammaSuttra
TheKammaSuttradelineatestheprocurementofgoodandbadoutcomes,mainly
throughgooddeedsandbaddeeds.Outcomesareachievedthroughtheactofgood
andbadactionspriorandaftertheoutcome,whichistightlyrelatedtotheconceptof
ConditionedGenesis.Itoutlinesthecauseandeffectofthenumerousrebirths,
claimingitasanindividualresponsibility.Itisonlythroughourowneffortstostop
thecycleofSamarathatwecanattainNirvana.Theideaofkammaisonethatis
easilyoverlookedinthepresentday.Negativeoutcomesareoftenblamedonexternal
factorswithoutinspectingourowndoing.Suchasthecauseofobesityorcancer,that
isanimplicationofourlifestyleandgenes.
TheThirdNobleTruth
TheonlyunconditionedexperienceisNirvana,whichisthecessationofDukkha.
NirvanacanbeseenasAbsoluteFreedom,orAbsoluteTruth.Itiswhenonehas
escapedfromSamarathroughthehighestwisdomthatoneattainsNirvana.Its
definitionisnothingshortofrealistic,thoughitispresumedtoconveyanegative
senseduetotheuseofnegativelanguage.Onecansaythatitisthelackofthirst,
defilements,andattachments.Itiswhenonehasrealisedthatallisimpermanentand
eliminatedtherootcausesoftheirDukkha,thattheycanachieveNirvana.Itisthe
reverseofthesyntheticmethodtoConditionedGenesis,basedonconditionalityand
relativity.Theprincipleofinterdependenceisbased12factors:ignorance,
volition,consciousness,nameandform,thesourcesofperception,contact,
feeling,craving,clinging,existence,birth,aginganddeath.(Rhula,
1974)ThisprinciplecaneasilyexplainedbytheBuddhaas:
Whenthisis,thatis.
7 Thera, N. (2006). Introduction . Retrieved November 24, 2016, from
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105.htm

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Thisarising,thatarises.
Whenthisisnot,thatisnot.
Thisceasing,thatceases.(Thera,n.d.)8
Itisonlywhenthe12linksareeliminatedthatthecycleends,andthattherewillbe
nomorerebirthsorconditionedstates.Thisiswhatwewouldcallachievingthe
unconditioned,Enlightenment,orNirvana.Bydoingsocanasustainablehappiness
canbeachieved,thatonecanbecomeanArahant.WhenNirvanaisattained,which
theBuddhahasdescribedasneitherastatenorconsequnce,butrathertheresultof
walkingupahilltoseelight,onecanbelessegocentricandwouldtendtobasetheir
actionsoncompassion,loveandselflessness.(Rhula,1974)Apersonthatisfree
fromSamsaraandDukkhaiscalledanArahant,onethatisfreefromimpuritiesand
thecycleofConditionedGenesisthatisSamsara.(Rhula,1974)
TheFourthNobleTruth
ThepathtoattainingNirvanaiscalledtheNobleEightfoldPath,whichcanalsobe
referredtoastheMiddlePath,whichavoidstwoextremes.Oneistheoverindulgence
ofthesensestoseekhappiness,whiletheotheristhroughselfmortification.(Rhula,
1974)Thetwoextremesdonotyieldpositiveimpacts,forbotharedeemed
unprofitableinfindingtrueEnlightenment.Usinghispersonalexperience,theBuddha
hasconcludedthattheMiddlePathisonethatgivesvisionandknowledge,which
leadstoCalm,Insight,Enlightenment,Nirvana.(Rhula,1974)
3. TheNobleEightfoldPath
TheNobleEightfoldPathhastobedevelopedsimultaneously,withthegoalto
promoteEthicalConduct,MentalDisciplineandWisdom.(Rhula,1974)Of
thethree,Wisdom(panna)isthemostconducivetothepursuitofNirvana.While
wisdomisessential,itcannotoperateseparatelyfromcompassion(karuna).(Rhula,
1974)WisdomisachievedthroughRightUnderstandingandRightThought.Right
understandinggoesbeyondthesimpleunderstandingoftheoperationoftheworld,
foritalsoconsistsoftheunderstandingoftheFourNobleTruths,includingthenotion
ofnoself,whichultimatelyresultsinEnlightenment.RightThoughtconsistsofthe
detachmentfromonesself,thoughtsoflove,andthelackofharmfulthoughts.The
oppositeoftheabovevirtues,forinstance,harmfulthoughts,thirst,violence,arethe
resultsoftheabsenceofWisdom.Theadherencetoethicalconductcanberealised
throughRightSpeech,RightActionandRightLivelihood,RightSpeechbeingthe
abstinenceofhatefulanduselessspeech,whileRightActionaimstoyieldmoral
conductandRightLivelihoodimpliesaprofessionthatdoesnotproduceharm.Right
Effort,RightMindfulnessandRightConcentrationcontributetothecultivationof
onepointednessofthemind.RightEffortisrequiredfortheemancipationof
unwholesomethoughtswhilemaintainingwholesomethoughts.RightMindfulness
(sati)canmeanrecollectionoralertness,inparticulartheawarenessofthemind
andbody.(OBrien,2016)9Suchmindfulnesscanbepracticedthroughmeditation,so
8 Thera, K. (n.d.). What Buddhists Believe - Law of Dependent Origination.
Retrieved November 24, 2016, from
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/106.htm
9 O'Brien, B. (2016). Right Mindfulnes: Mindfulness as a Central Practice of
Buddhism. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from
http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeightfoldpath/a/right-mindfulness.htm

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astodevelopattentivenessaswellasthealertness.RightConcentrationconsistsof
fourDhyanasthatservethemainpurposeofdevelopingtheonepointednessofthe
mind.(OBrien,2016)10Withawelldevelopedmind,onecanreachequanimityand
fullawareness.
FollowingtheNobleEightfoldPaths,whetheranindividualislookingtoreach
Nirvanaornot,hecannoticeadifferenceinhisinternalemotionalandspiritualstate.
Eventhoughheishappy,heisawareoftheimpermanentstateofhappiness,andis
thusliberated.FollowingtheNobleEightfoldPath,regardlessofthepointinhistory,
isstillapplicableifonewishestobeenlightened.
4. TheFivePrecepts
TheFivePreceptsareforthelaymen.Itisasetofrulesthatinstructspeoplenotto
takelife,steal,commitsexualmisconduct,telllies,anddrinkalcoholicbeverages.
(Rhula,1974)TheFivePreceptscanbeconcludedbyanyonethathasachieved
trueWisdom,fortheyresultinharmfulandnegativeramifications.
5. TheTripleJewels
TheTripleJewelsaretheBuddha,theDhammaandtheSangha.TheSangha.(Three
Jewels,n.d.)11ItisknownthattheBuddhaisnotadeitywithextraterrestrialpowers.
SeekingrefugeintheBuddhareferstotheBuddhahimselfandtheattempttoachieve
Buddhahood.TheBuddhaissimplyanenlightenedbeingandthatanyonecanbecome
aBuddha.Withsuchagoalinmind,onecanbeginstrivingtowardsEnlightenment.
ThesecondTripleJewelistheDhamma,theteachingsoftheBuddha.Itisnolonger
necessaryonceapersonhasattainedNirvana,foritisonlyatooltoholdontoforthe
fulfilmentofBuddhahood.ThethirdTripleJewelistheSangha,whichistheorderof
themonksorthecommunityofdisciplesthatwillhelptheunenlightenedseekthe
rightpathandthereforeleadtoenlightenment.
WhyisBuddhasteachingstillrelevantintodaysworld?
ThereasonforwhyBuddhasteachingsarestillrelevantintodaysworldislargely
contributedtohisallowanceoffreeinquiry,thattranscendsthroughtraditionsand
dogmas,whichfixateonthepast.Itiswhenquestionsthatparadigmsareallowedto
shifttoadapttothemodernworld.WhenBuddhawasteachingtheDhamma,hehad
inmindtheimpermanenceofallthings,includingtraditionanddogmaticteachings.It
isforthisreasonthathisteachingsfocusontheoneseekingEnlightenmenthimself,
foroneisonesownrefuge.AsshownintheFourNobleTruths,theresponsibilityof
thecessationofDukkhaliesinthepersonseekingtodoso.IntheNobleEightfold
Paths,thewaytoNirvanaliesinonesactionandonesattitude.Thisinternal
inspectionandemancipationisseparatedfromthecontextorpoliticsoftheexternal
world.TheBuddhaunderstandsthatSamsarawillnotdisappearuntileveryonehas
reachedEnlightenment,andthatisalongprocess.TheonlytimewhenBuddhas
teachingisnolongerrelevantiswheneverypersononthisworldhasbeen
10 O'Brien, B. (2016). Right Concentration Is One Part of the Buddha's Eightfold
Path. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from
http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeightfoldpath/a/Right-Concentration.htm
11 Three Jewels | The Buddhist Centre. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2016, from
https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/three-jewels

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emancipated,forBuddhasteachingisconsideredaraftforcrossingover.Once
everybodyhascrossedovertoNirvana,Buddhasteachingisnolongeruseful.Atthe
sametime,theBuddhaheavilyadvocatescompassionandlove,whicharethe
solutionstomostconflictsandhatredinthemodernworld.Onaconclusivenote,our
worldtodayisstillfullofsufferingandpain,onewouldsayevenmoresothan
historicperiods.Ourproblemshaveaugmentedassocietyadvancesandbecomes
moremultifaceted.Itisimpossibletostoptherapidproductionofproblems;hence
thesolutioniswithinus,toseekforadetachmentfromthesuffering,recognizingitas
temporaryandfindsolacewithinourselves.

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Reference
BuddhistStudies:NumberofBuddhistWorldwide.(n.d.).RetrievedNovember24,
2016,fromhttp://www.buddhanet.net/elearning/history/bud_statwrld.htm
Dvorsky,G.(2013).The12cognitivebiasesthatpreventyoufrombeingrational.
RetrievedNovember24,2016,fromhttp://io9.gizmodo.com/5974468/themost
commoncognitivebiasesthatpreventyoufrombeingrational
Guruge,A.W.(n.d.).BuddhisminModernLife.RetrievedNovember24,2016,from
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/modern.html.
Kinnes,T.(n.d.).FourTranslationsoftheKalamaSuttabyBuddhaTheGold
Scales.RetrievedNovember24,2016,fromhttp://oaks.nvg.org/kalama.html
O'Brien,B.(2016).RightConcentrationIsOnePartoftheBuddha'sEightfoldPath.
RetrievedNovember24,2016,from
http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeightfoldpath/a/RightConcentration.htm
O'Brien,B.(2016).RightMindfulnes:MindfulnessasaCentralPracticeof
Buddhism.RetrievedNovember24,2016,from
http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeightfoldpath/a/rightmindfulness.htm
Osnos,E.(2016).TheGatheringStormofProtestAgainstTrump.Retrieved
November24,2016,fromhttp://www.newyorker.com/news/newsdesk/thegathering
stormofprotestagainsttrump
Rhula,W.(1974).WhattheBuddhataught.NewYork:GrovePress.
Thera,K.(n.d.).WhatBuddhistsBelieveLawofDependentOrigination.Retrieved
November24,2016,fromhttp://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/106.htm
Thera,N.(2006).Introduction.RetrievedNovember24,2016,from
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105.htm
ThreeJewels|TheBuddhistCentre.(n.d.).RetrievedNovember24,2016,from
https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/threejewels