MindObjects comments

Japan and Sri Lanka and other Nations must be awarded great accolade for the efforts to stop what had happened. We must also show great compassion.

Once reading this article a few days ago I was trying to see how best I could answer the notion that Buddhism can be thought to be anything other than a practice to better one self, to gain perfection.

In grappling with a response I noted the following. I have the greatest respect for all religions and the following is only notes I have made as a basis to help, and not to cause any harm, distrust or concern to any, infact it is meant to allow people to remove these defilements.

I would like to begin by stating that Japan is very correct in stating that it must be seen that the forefathers of Afghanistan were Buddhist, but also most of the world if not the entire world followed the Buddhist teachings at some stage in the past, and the world will soon again follow the Buddhist teachings.

Buddhism is a religion, however Buddhism becomes a practice once one begins to practice Pahan Sila know also as the Five Precepts. When following the five precepts it’s important to cultivate compassion, and to begin to cultivate joy, happiness, gladdening and tranquillity or calmness of the mind. The five precepts asks one not to: kill or harm any living being, not to take or steal (including destroy) objects that do not belong to or is not given or what one does not own, not to commit inappropriate behaviour – such as adultery, to abstain from lying or gossip, and not to take any form of intoxicant Really this becomes a part of every moment in ones daily life to ensure that one’s actions, thoughts and speech uses the five precepts as it’s basis. Here within the thoughts aspect, one must build and support compassionate thoughts for oneself as well as all others. If one breaks any of the five precepts then one must try harder the next moment to keep to the precepts for one’s own and others welfare. The religion then becomes a practice, in that one practices and makes effort to keep to the precepts and build compassion day by day to become a respectable and dependable member of society.

When one advances in the practice of Buddhism one has to gain knowledge of the Four Noble Truths. The first Noble Truth is that there is Suffering; The Second Noble Truth is the arising of Suffering; The Third Noble Truth is the Cessation of Suffering; The Fourth Noble Truth is the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering.

During gaining direct knowledge of the Four Noble Truths and the Practice of the Fourth Noble Truth, one has to gain direct knowledge on three factors: impermanence, non-self, and suffering. In order to get direct knowledge of these factors one may observe them in day to day life, or one can practice with the use of meditation. When using meditation one of the hardest factors to gain direct knowledge of is non-self, this factor requires effort, mindfulness and concentration on the part of the meditator. The right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration being the Mental Development part of the Fourth Noble Truth.

During gaining direct knowledge of non-self there is a “Void” that is encountered, this void many may conclude to be Nibbhana and give up the practice. However, when one cultivated wisdom one realises that this “Void” is itself only a mental object from which then appear uncontrolled thoughts, images, sounds etc. All of the thoughts, images, sounds etc are seen to be not controlled by the self but just a flow of uncontrolled things appearing (arising) and disappearing (ceasing). Also the thoughts, images, sounds etc observed are seen to be impermanent and unsatisfactory. One at this point or after further effort gains direct knowledge of the factors of: impermanence, non-self, and suffering.

For one to go beyond the Void one has to see the void as a mental object as well as the thoughts, images, sounds etc as mental objects. Once realising, understanding and accepting of the mental objects one has now gone beyond the void and begin to cultivate compassion with tranquillity for all “Objects” that the mind sees, hears, touches, tastes, smells and thinks, the Objects that we have until then taken to be The “I” or The “Me” etc. The thoughts etc that we had taken so personally before, thoughts that would have started mindless wars and suffering are just illusionary mental Objects. It’s important to also realise the closer one get to the eradication of suffering the greater will be the tests. It is important that the mind through mindfulness is aware of arising of the barriers of Lust; Anger,Hate and Intolerance; Torpor; Restlessness and Worry; and Doubt of the Path – these will appear in many ways to make one stop the practice. It is at these moments that effort must be cultivated to maintain the right understanding and right thoughts.

This is just an introduction to Buddhism and also an attempt to awaken to the reason why the term “Void” may have been used. So I humbly ask all the religions of the world, and as the topic of this article, for the Taliban and the Muslim religion at large who seem to have stopped the practice of Buddhism once encountering the void, to practice further and make further effort. I promise the Muslim religion if they come back to Buddhism and become Buddhists all cessation of suffering will be gained and the bliss of Nibbhana or Nirvana here and now will be realised.

I ask the Great People of Afghanistan to start to practice the five precepts and to once again practice Buddhism, and to help also to rebuild the Great Buddha Statues of Bamiyan and other Great Buddhist Monuments. I also ask the Great People of Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey to rebuild and build Buddhist Monuments and Temples and help and protect the Buddha; Dhamma; and Maha Sangha; this is now your time to see truth and to end the illusion of suffering. I also ask for the World to help build the Great Buddhist Monuments of Afghanistan and the World; I promise only then and with the practice of Buddhism will Afghanistan and the world see true peace and tranquillity.

Further Note:

It’s important for one to realise that to become a perfect being one has to have wisdom; wisdom being the balance of the right understanding (knowledge), and right thoughts (compassionate thoughts). The right understanding is the direct knowledge that all suffering ceases; the Fourth Noble truth prescribes the path to follow and practice for the cessation of suffering. The right compassionate thoughts are for the now realised mind objects that form the basis of the “I”, the “Me” etc. Cultivation of knowledge of cessation without compassion is not enough; cultivation of compassion without knowledge of cessation is not enough; both knowledge of cessation and compassion must be cultivated together for truth to be fully realised and to become fully enlightened or for one to awaken.

May all beings be well and happy