CHAPTER ONE

Though very young children do not know the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sarigha, they may still take the three Refuges. During the Buddha’s time, the mother of prince Boddhiraja Kumara took refuge on behalf of her child while the child was still in her womb. She said: “My beloved child pays homage to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.” Later, after birth, when the mother came to the Buddha with the baby prince, she again said to the Buddha: “My little baby boy pays homage to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.”

Here, although the mother took refuge on behalf of her son, the son was not as yet a genuine Buddhist. Why? Because the son knew nothing yet about the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. However, the mother had great compassion for the tender boy. That is why she tried to sow the seed of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha in her son’s heart by taking refuge on his behalf despite his ignorance of the virtues. Actually, the prince had not been a true Buddhist at the time for not understanding about Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
 

WHO IS THE BUDDHA?

Buddha is the One who knows the Four Noble Truths and attains enlightenment by himself. He also attains sabbannutanana, the great wisdom of omniscience, that is the ability to know everything, including mental and physical worlds (loka). He is an incomparable man because of his great compassion for all beings, unique wisdom and supernatural powers. That is why all the kings of the Brahma and Deva, heavenly realms and the human realm called him “The Lord Buddha”. The Buddha is not a God nor a savior. He is a great teacher because he teaches us how to escape from all sufferings, how to gain worldly happiness and how to attain enlightenment.
 

"You yourselves should make the effort; Buddhas are only teachers who show the way. Those who enter the path and practise Tranquillity and Insight Meditation will be freed from the fetter of illusion."
 

More than two thousand five hundred years ago, a prince was born on the full moon day of May (623BC) in Lumbini Park at Kapilavatthu which is located in present day Nepal near the Indian border. His father was King Suddhodana of the Sakya clan and his mother was Queen Maha Maya. The prince was named Siddhattha which means “wish fulfilled”.  His family name was Gotama.
When he was very young, many strange things happened to him. Soon after his birth, the infant prince stood on the ground and, taking seven paces to the north, spoke the words: “I am the most exalted and excellent one”. That same day the holy man Kaladevila came to the palace to behold the extraordinary child. The baby boy, on being carried near to pay reverence, raised both feet and placed them on the braided hair of the holy man.

The holy man smiled, because he saw that the Prince would become a Buddha, and then wept, because he himself would not live to see that event. On the fifth day after the birth, eight distinguished brahmins examined the prince. They then proclaimed that he would become either a universal monarch or a Buddha. A month after the birth of the Bodhisatta, the Buddha-to-be, his father the king, went out to perform the royal ploughing ceremony. When he was left under a rose apple tree at the ploughing festival, the Bodhisatta meditated on the breath anapana meditation and achieved one-pointedness of mind and entered into the first state of jhana, absorption concentration.

At the age of sixteen, he married Princess Yasodhara. They lived a happy married life for thirteen years in luxurious conditions created by King Suddhodana. One day while Prince Siddhattha was on the way to the royal garden in his carriage, he saw four signs that made a great impact upon him. The four signs were an old man, a sick man, a corpse and a monk. And, when he thus leamt of old age, disease and death, his mind became agitated by the miseries of the world.

As a result, he renounced worldly life to search for the Truth at the age of twenty-nine.  Prince Siddhattha left the palace and became a forest ascetic. During his stay in the forest he learned meditation under Alara and Uddaka. He mastered their teachings very fast and attained the highest stages of jhana.  But he left them to continue his search, for he realised that their teachings could not lead him to enlightenment. Five ascetics joined him in his quest.  Siddhattha practised extreme austerities for six years. But his efforts were in vain. He still could not attain enlightenment.

He then remembered the one-pointedness of mind he attained as a child under the rose apple tree. He decided to renounce the extreme ascetic practices and follow the Middle Path (Majjhima-patipada). As a result of this, his five companions (pancavaggis) deserted him thinking that he had returned to a life of luxury.

On the full moon day of May 588 BC, Siddhattha meditated under the Bodhi tree near Buddhagaya, in India and attained enlightenment at the age of thirty-five. Since then, he is known as the Buddha, the Enlightened One. Seven weeks later, the Buddha walked to the Deer Park near Benares to expound the very first sermon to his five former companions. On the full moon day of July, the Buddha preached the first discourse to them.

The five bhikkhus attained enlightenment after listening to the teachings of the Buddha. Soon after, the Buddha established the Sangha - the Order of Bhikkhus (monks) and Bhikkhunis (nuns).

The Buddha taught for forty-five years. At the age of eighty, the Buddha died on the full moon day of May 543 BC in the Sala Grove at Kusinara. His passing away is known as Mahaparinibbana, entering into Nibbana, i.e. extinction of all kinds of mental and physical sufferings.  Though the Buddha passed away, his teachings still exist. His teachings are known as the Dhamma. They are embodied in the Tipitaka, the three baskets: the Basket of Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka), the Basket of Discourses (Sutta Pitaka) and the Basket of Philosophy (Abhidhamma Pitaka). Pali is the language of Buddhism.
 

"A unique being, an extraordinary man arises in this world for the benefit of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world. Who is this unique being? It is the Buddha, the Exalted One, the Fully Enlightened One."
 

WHAT IS DHAMMA?

Dhamma means the teachings of the Buddha. It also has other meanings such as object of mind, a state, a phenomenon, etc. The Dhamma protects those who practise the Dhamma from dangers and falling into the four woeful states (apaya): hell (niraya), animal kingdom (tiracchana), hungry ghosts (peta) and demons (asura).
 

"The Dhamma deals with truth and facts that can be testified and verified by personal experience and is not concerned with theories and speculations."
 

The Buddha said,
 

"The person who sees the Dhamma (i.e. realises the Dhamma) sees the Buddha."
 

It is very important for everyone to learn the Truth through their own experience. Otherwise he or she might be confused by the many different doctrines. In one sutta, the Buddha asked us to learn something before we accept it.
 

"Practise the Dhamma in a proper way, and avoid improper practice. The one who follows the right path lives happily in this world and the next."
 

KAMALA SUTTA

Once the Lord Buddha and many bhikkhus went to Kesamutti town.  The Kalamas dwelling there went to see the Buddha. Their town was located at the entrance of a thick forest. Whoever wanted to go through the forest had to stop at the town for a night or so. Of those, some were brahmins and some were ascetics. They tried to persuade the people there, saying their doctrine was right and noble, and the doctrines of others were wrong and shallow. Some condemned others’ views or teachings. Because of that, the Kalamas had doubts. They were unable to judge as to which teaching was right and which was wrong. That was why they approached and consulted the Buddha.

The Buddha said:
 

"0' Kalamas, do not accept anything on mere hearsay. Do not accept anything by mere tradition. Do not accept anything on account of rumours. Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures. Do not accept anything by mere supposition. Do not accept anything by mere inference. Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your preconceived notions. Do not accept anything merely because it seems acceptable. Do not accept anything thinking that we respect the ascetic.

But when you know for yourselves-these things are immoral, these things are blameworthy, these things are censured by the wise, these things, when performed and undertaken, conduce to ruin and sorrow - then indeed do you reject them. When you know for yourselves - these things are moral, these things are blameless, these things are praised by the wise, these things when performed and undertaken, conduce to well-being and happiness - then do you live and act accordingly."
 

So it is good for everyone to learn, practise and verify for themselves before accepting anything. In the present age, the existence of the Buddhasasana, (the Dispensation), is because of the venerable Sangha and supporters.
 

WHAT IS SANGHA?

The word Sangha in Pali means the Order or Community of Bhikkhus (monks) and Bhikkhunis (nuns). Though the Buddha did not leave any written teachings when he entered into Mahaparinibbana, his disciples (the venerable Sangha) tried to memorise all the Buddha’s teachings by reciting them daily. They recited all the teachings of the Lord Buddha from generation to generation until the Sangha committed all the teachings into writing. Had the venerable Sangha not taken care of the teachings, all the teachings would probably have disappeared by now.

So the venerable Sangha established by the Lord Buddha is indeed worthy of being paid homage to for their good deeds: learning the Doctrine (pariyatti), practising the Dhamma (patipatti), and realising its goal (pativedha).
 

"Who with strong mind, practising themselves thoroughly in the Dispensation of Buddha, they have attained the highest state, having encountered the immortality, they enjoy the perfect peace (Nibbana) in absolute freedom.  In the Sangha is this precious jewel (holiness) found, so by this truth, May all being be happy."
 

WHAT IS BUDDHISM?

The original Pali term for Buddhism is Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha. We call those who practise in accordance with the teachings “Buddhists”. A Buddhist should be non-aggressive, should possess good morals with pure thinking and pure living, and should abstain from all evil deeds. He or she should have compassion for himself or herself and others. The final goal of a Buddhist is to attain enlightenment.  Superstitious beliefs, ideas, practice and blind faith is not the right way for the Buddhist. The Buddha’s teachings are all based on the premise of Ehipassiko - “come and see”.

An attitude of patience, compassion and forgiveness is part of a Buddhist’s practice. The Buddha never encouraged his followers to harbour hateful thoughts or an attitude of discrimination and racism, because this attitude might lead people to be more hateful. Hateful or harmful thoughts can destroy oneself as well as others and even the whole world. So a Buddhist should be wise to make human society happy, peaceful and united. Also, a Buddhist should understand that if he lets hateful thoughts be acted upon, he will become the heir of those deeds and this is not the kind of deed to bring him to full enlightenment. Indeed, when he attempts to act wrongly, he is like a man who wants to throw dust at another against the wind.
 

"When a fool hates a man that has no hate,
Is purified and free from every blemish,
Such evil he will find, comes back on him,
As does fine dust thrown up against the wind."

WHAT IS BUDDHASASANA?

The Pali word, Buddhasasana literally means the doctrine of Buddha, or the teachings of Buddha. It is also known as the Dispensation of the Buddha. Those who have been practising the Dhamma in accordance with the teachings of Buddha are considered to be living within the Buddhasasana. For them, the Buddhasasana is still prosperous within them; the Buddhasasana still exists in these individuals.

If Buddhists firmly practise moral conduct and meditation in accordance with the Dhamma, then the attitude of racism, discrimination and superstition will no longer exist among the Buddhist community The Buddhasasana will enable people who firmly practise the teachings of Buddha to possess humane attitudes. In addition, there is no doubt that if we practise the Dhamma, the Dhamma will equally give happiness and peace, to everyone.
 

"Oh! Paharada (the asura king), just as the great rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Aciravati, Sarabhu and Mahi, entering the mighty ocean, lose their former names and identities and are termed simply ocean; so also these four castes: Khattiya (king or a warrior caste), Brahmna (Brahmans, Vessa (merchants) and Sudda (a member of low caste), going forth from the world into the orders of sanghas, lose their former names and lineage are termed simply Bhikkhus, monks. This is fourth wondrous marvel in Buddhasasana, the dispensation of the Buddha, which the monks delight to see and see."

When a Buddhist starts learning the teachings and understands the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, he or she will take three Refuges as follows:

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammasambuddhassa.

Homage to Him, the Exalted, the Worthy, the Fully Enlightened One!
 

Buddham saranam gacchami.
Dhammam saranam gacchami.
Sangham saranam gacchami.

I go to the Buddha as my refuge.
I go to the Dhamma as my refuge.
I go to the Sangha as my refuge.
 

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