The Buddhist teachings relevant to the ethics include
namely in the Pali canon. The Pali canon generally considered as represent
thing the earliest phase of Buddhism. In this study attention is paid to the
discoveries in the five Nikayas and the disciplinary rules explained in the
Vinaya Pitaka. The Buddha's teachings are also available in Sanskrit, Prakrit,
Chiness and Tibetan sources. They are not taken into consideration in this
study except some passing comment on them.
The basis of Buddhist
ethical teachings
In any religion two main aspects can be distinguished:
1.
The philosophy (the analysis of the world of
experience)
2.
Ethics (recommended practices in connection with the
philosophy)
Hinduism recommends a code of ethical practices such as
sacrifices and rituals in relation to its theory of divine creation of the
world of experience. Accordion to Hinduism the world including the beings was
created by the Brahma. The Brahma is eternal omniscience and the most powerful.
The aim of the followers is to unite with Brahma after the death. For this
purpose they have to follow the practices recommended in the Holy Scriptures
such as Rg Veda and Manusmrti. Buddhism also has a philosophy of the world.
According to Buddhist's teachings the main characteristics of the world of
experience are impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and " I "-lessness
(soullessness). The whole world is analysed into five aggregates namely:
1.
Rupa- represents the physical aspect of the world of
experience
2.
Vedana- represents sensation of the sentient beings
3.
Sanna- perception
4.
Sankhara- disposition and
5.
Vinnana- consciousness.
According to the above analysis, the mental aspect
representing number 1,3,4 and 5 is more important than the physical aspect. The
physical aspect when further analyses comprises of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and
skin related to the physical body. Colour, sound, smell, taste and touch are
related to the physical aspect of external world. Sensation is further divided
as happy and unhappy and in different feeling. Perception is analysed as form
perception, sound perception, smell perception etc. This position means volition
or mental formation. Consciousness represents the mental awareness when the
internal sense organs and the external objects cone into contacts. According to
the Buddha, all these elements of existences are impermanence, suffering and
soullessness. But the human nature is to live longer ( Jivitukama), not wishing
to die ( Amaritukama), to have pleasure ( sukhakama) and not wishing to
experience unhappiness (Dukkhapatikkula). Because of this suffering nature of
the world the Buddha wanted to find a satisfactory solution to make an end to
it. For that purpose He recommended the Noble Eightfold path: Right view,
Right thought, Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood, Right effort,
Right mindfulness and Right concentration. The Noble Eightfold path is
related to the four Noble Truths, which is one of the main teachings of
Buddhism. The first Noble Truth explained the suffering nature of the world.
This is based on the teaching of impermanence. According to what is
impermanence is suffering (Yam aniccam tam dukkham). The
Paticcasammuppada-Dependent origination – the central philosophy of Buddhism
explains that everything is causally condition. Nothing happened in the world
because of one cause ( Eka hetu vada), and without causes ( Ahetu vada).
Everything happens because of many causes and conditions ( Paticcasammuppanna).
Therefore, the suffering also comes into existence because of many causes and
conditions. According to the four Noble Truths the main cause of suffering is
craving. This is the second Noble Truth. The effect of the causes should be
eliminated by destroying the relevant causes and condition. In order to
eliminate suffering craving should be destroying. So the distraction of
suffering is termed as the cessation of suffering in the third Noble Truth. The
elimination of craving should be accomplished by following an ethical code. It
is given in detail in the Noble Eightfold path, which represent the fourth
Noble Truth. Thus it is clear that the Buddhist path (ethical teachings) is
closely connected with the world- view (philosophy of Buddhism).
The nature of Buddhist
ethical teachings
All most all the Buddhist ethical teachings are related to
the teaching of three-fold method of training namely: 1.Sila (morality)
2.Samadhi (concentration) and 3. Panna(wisdom). Generally these three
steps of training are interpreted in detail as Noble Eightfold path. It should
be emphasised here that the concept of three methods training covers a wider
area than the concept of Noble Eightfold path.
( Note:
All most the Buddhist path should be taken as a circle (means we can start
anywhere, as we like). So Panna (Sammaditthi, and Sammasamkappa) comes first,
Sila (Sammavaca,Sammakammanta,Sammaajiva) comes second, and Samadhi(Sam-
mavayama, Sammasati, Sammasamadhi)comes third in the Noble Eightfold path.
In the D.N, it is added two
more into the Noble Eightfold path, that is Sannana and Sannavimutti. (That
means the enlightened beings are possessed (10) qualities).
The Noble Eight path is
connected with the four Noble Truths. In the four Noble Truths, craving
(Samudaya) creates suffering (Dukkha), in order to eliminate craving one has to
follow the Magga-noble eightfold path, then, having followed completely the
Magga, one will be ceased ( Nirodha) for ever life.)
The threefold training systems recommended by Buddhism
includes the gradual training of external behaviour, the mental behaviour and
the understanding of the person respectively. Without restraining of the
external behaviour of the person the mental behaviour cannot be systematised
because people behave physically and verbally in the society guided by thought
processes occurring in their minds. Cettena niyati lako- the mind is guided by
the mind. The mind is always stimulated by the defilement mainly greed, hatred
and delusion. The people guided by these defilements are unable to see things
as they really are. Wisdom means to understand anything as it is ( Yathabhuta
nanadassana). In this sense, the real understanding means the realisation of
three characteristics namely: the conditional nature of the world
(impermanence), unsatisfactory nature of the world (suffering), and the
attitude towards not anything in the world as " mine" and "
I"( soullessness). The realisation of the real nature of the world occurs
only in wisdom because it is divided of defilement such as greed and hared. As
a result of this real understanding one is able to transcend this world and he
is free from birth, decay, death, sorrow, lamentation etc. This is called
making an end to the mass of suffering (dukkha nirodha). Therefore, all
Buddhist ethical teachings are related to the three-fold training systems.
The aims of Buddhist ethical
teachings
The final aim is the realisation of Nibbana, cessation of
craving. It should not be overlooked here that there are other additional aims
and objective of Buddhist ethical teachings such as happiness, containment long
life, fame etc which are connected with mundane life of the people.
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