The Basic Teachings of The Buddha 3

Wisdom

The Buddha speaking on the mind, has also spoken on mental disorders and on the treatment of psychic ailments. The Buddha has traced sorrow as one of the chief causes leading to the arising of mental disturbances.

On the death of her only son, Kisa Gotami loses control of her senses and in her madness goes in search of medicine for her dead child. Failing all else she appeals to the Buddha, who realising that nothing would convince her until her mental equilibrium has been restored, sends her on an errand to get him a few mustard seeds from a house where there has been no death. Unable to accomplish the Master's request, she comes to the conclusion that death is inevitable and that her only son too had succumbed to it. Hence it is said in the Dhammapada:-

Neither in the sky nor in the middle of the ocean nor by entering the caves of mountains is there known a place on earth where a person can escape from death.

Compassion to Animals.

In the Buddha's time there were various animal sacrifices taking place in India. Innocent animals were killed as offerings on sacrificial altars to appease the gods, for man's happiness both here and hereafter. The Buddha, however, showed man that it was impossible, to obtain happiness for oneself by causing suffering to others, and that the followers of the Buddha if they were so, should avoid making animal sacrifices.

At that time the King of Kosala had seen sixteen terrifying dreams in a single night, and was ill great fear. To avert the evil influence of these dreams a great animal sacrifice with the killing of thousands of animals was arranged in accordance with the advice given by the Brahmins.

Hearing of this, the Buddha advises the King against such a sacrifice, thus saving the lives of all those doomed creatures. From that day to this, no taking of life however small is involved in any ceremony of the Buddha's followers.

Buddhist Economic System.

Many who are not familiar with the Buddha's Teaching classify it as a religion for the next world, or for a future life. They are completely mistaken in this, because eighty percent of the objectives included in tile Buddha's Teaching are for the world of today.

According to the Buddha all except one of the five blessings that accrue to the virtuous are available in this life itself; ten of the eleven benefits obtainable through the development of metta (loving-kindness) are immediate.

One who leads a good life in this world is certain to be happy in the next. The Buddha emphasises this in His Teachings, Thus the Buddha who taught the way to the cessation of suffering also pointed out the path to a highly satisfactory way of life on earth.

One aspect of this mundane progress refers to an economic system based on Buddhist principles with the objective of economic development together with the elimination of poverty. The Buddha defines righteous employment as engagement in agriculture, trade, dairy farming, defense services government services and professional services. He prohibited trade in weapons, in slaves, in rearing animals for slaughter, in liquor, and in poisons, drugs and narcotics.

It is a method of teaching that is based on the mental development of the individual. The primary object of Buddhist Education is to produce a cultured disciplined and educated society. With that object in view the first university to be established in the world was at Nalanda in India. It is reported that over ten thousand well disciplined, cultured and law abiding students had their education there. In addition to the numerous lecture halls found there classes were also held in the open air under the cooling shade of trees.