The methodology adopted by the Buddha in these dialogues
was to answer in the affirmative when a question is
posed, or put a cross question to the person concerned
and make him to understand for himself what is
acceptable or unacceptable. At times, when illogical
questions, were posed the Buddha kept silent. He
considered both doubt and scepticism to be unwholesome.
In the Vedic
Society of India during the time of the Buddha, the
people were classed from their birth into four-tiered
caste hierarchy, Catubbannovaggo, namely Khastriya,
Rulers, Brahamans, dominating the religious and
education spheres: Vessa, the merchants and bankers and
the Sudras, the untouchable, labouring classes of the
other three castes. In the sphere of religion Scriptural
Authoritarianism (Veda pramayanam), Belief in a
God-creator (Katruvada); Soul-theru (Atmavada), where in
the ashes of the dead are thrown into rivers so that any
remaining demerits will be washed away and take them to
Moksha direct: In Asvamedha, where the king selects a
robust horse and let loose the horse to wander in the
neighbouring kingdoms and in case the horse returns,
unharmed, the horse is killed as a sacrifice for the
god.
No person could question the validity or invalidity of
these practices, as the Rig Veda, the word of the
Brahma, which is the oldest religious text in the world,
datable to 1500-900 B.C. comprising 1028 mantras to be
chanted only by the officiating brahaman at the
religious ceremonies, and in a few centuries, this
original Veda was supplemented with three other Vedas,
Yajur, Atharva and Sama.
In fact in the oldest treatise on Indian dance, music,
and theatre, written in Sanskrit by Bharatha Muni, in
the opening passage says, the people were working hard
but were disillusioned as they had no pleasurable
pursuits and then God Brahama taught them music, dance
and other aesthetic arts. Even in paintings and
sculpture too these people believed in God Visvakarma as
the teacher of these aesthetic arts, giving them the
opportunity to express themselves in arts and crafts.
However, the Buddha, dismissed these doctrines, and gave
the people, the right to reason out and accept or reject
what is not acceptable. No Hindu will ever enter into a
debate with the Brahamins. However, with the Buddha,
from the king to the peasant were given a chance to
discuss and argue with the Buddha, as regards the Dhamma
he taught.
The methodology adopted by the Buddha in these dialogues
was to answer in the affirmative when a question is
posed, or put a cross question to the person concerned
and make him to understand for himself what is
acceptable or unacceptable. At times, when illogical
questions, were posed the Buddha kept silent. He
considered both doubt and scepticism to be unwholesome.
The rationality taught by the Buddha gives freedom of
inquiry and search of the ultimate truth (paramasacca)
as against conventional truth. Truth for its own sake
thus is the cornerstone of the Buddha’s approach to
rationalism in the Vedic society of irrational dogmas,
rites and rituals.
Thus the Kalama Sutta, reproduced below from Bhikkhu
Nanamoli’s work, ‘Life of The Buddha’ published by the
Buddhist Publication Society in 1972 and followed by
several reprints thereafter is a very faithful
translation in English of the Pali original sutta.
The Kalama Sutta
The blessed One was wandering by stages in the Kosala
country with a large number of bhikkhus. He arrived at a
town belonging to the Kalamans call Kesaputta.
When the Kesaputtians heard that the Blessed One had
arrived, they went to Him and they asked Him: “Lord,
some monks and brahmans come to Kesaputta, and they
expound only their own tenets while they abuse and rend
and censure and rail at the tenets of others. And other
monks and brahmans come to Kesaputta, and they too
expound only their own tenets while they abuse and rend
and censure and rail at the tenets of others.
We are puzzled and in doubt about them, Lord. Which of
these reverend monks has spoken truly and which
falsely?”
“You may well be puzzeld, Kalamans. You may well be in
doubt. For your doubt has arisen precisely about what
ought to be doubted. Come, Kalamans, do not be satisfied
with hearsay or with tradition or with legendary lore or
with what has come down in your scriptures or with
conjecture or with logical inference or with weighing
evidence or with liking for a view after pondering over
it or with someone else’s ability or with the thought
“The monk is our teacher.’ When you know in yourselves:
‘These ideas are unwholesome, liable to censure,
condemned by the wise, being adopted and put into effect
they lead to harm and suffering,’ then you should
abandon them.
How do you conceive this, Kalamans: when lust arises in
a person, is it for good or evil?” - “For evil, Lord.” -
“Now it is when a person is lustful and he is overcome
by lust, with his mind obsessed by lust, that he kills
breathing things, takes what is not given, commits
adultery, speaks falsehood, and gets others to do
likewise, which will belong for his harm and suffering.”
- Even so, Lord.” “How do you conceive this, Kalamans,
when hate arises in a person....? When delusion arises
in a person....?” - Even so, Lord.” - “How do you
conceive this, Kalamans: are these things wholesome or
unwholesome?” - “Unwholesome, Lord.” - “Censurable or
blameless?” - “Censurable, Lord.” - “Condemned or
commended by the wise?” - “Condemned by the wise, Lord.”
- “Being adopted and put into effect, do they lead to
harm and suffering, or do they not, or how does it
appear to you in this case?” - “Being adopted and put
into effect, Lord, they lead to harm and suffering. So
it appears to us in this case.” - “So, Kalamans, those
are the reasons why I told you: “Come, Kalamans, do not
be satisfied with hearsay.... or with the thought “The
monk is our teacher.” When you know in yourselves:
“These things are unwholesome....” then you should
abandon them.’
“Come, Kalamans, do not be satisfied with hearsay.... or
with the thought ‘The monk is our teacher.’ When you
know in yourselves: “These things are wholesome,
blameless, commended by the wise, being adopted and put
into effect they lead to welfare and happiness,’ then
you should practise them and abide in them.
How do you conceive this, Kalamans: when non-lust arises
in a person, is it for good or evil?” - “For good,
Lord.” - “Now it is when a person is not lustful and he
is not overcome by lust, and his mind is not obsessed by
lust, that he does not kill breathing things, or take
what is not given, or commit adultery, or speak
falsehood, and gets others to do likewise, which will
belong for his welfare and happiness.” - “Even so,
Lord.” - “How do you conceive this, Kalamans: when non
hate arises in a person....? When non-delusion arises in
a person ......?” - “Even so, Lord.” - “How do you
conceive this, Kalamans: are these things wholesome or
unwholesome?” - “Wholesome, Lord.” - “Censurable or
blameless?” - “Blameless, Lord.” - “Condemned or
commended by the wise?” - “Commended by the wise, Lord.”
- “Being adopted and put into effect, do they lead to
welfare and happiness, or do they not, or how does it
appear to you in this case?” - “Being adopted and put
into effect, Lord, they lead to welfare and happiness,
so it appears to us in this case.” - “So, Kalamans,
those are the reasons why I told you: ‘Come, Kalamans,
do not be satisfied with hearsay...... or with the
thought “The monk is our teacher.” When you know in
yourselves:” “These things are wholesome......” then you
should practise them and abide in them.’
“Now when a noble disciple is in this way free from
covetousness, free from ill will, and undeluded, then,
fully aware and mindful, he abides with a heart endued
with loving-kindness extending to one quarter, likewise
to the second quarter, likewise to the third quarter,
likewise to the fourth quarter; so above, below, around,
and everywhere, and to all as to himself; he abides with
a heart endued with abundant, exalted, measureless
loving-kindness, unhostile and unafflicted by ill will,
extending to the entire world. He abides with a heart
endued with compassion... He abides with a heart endued
with gladness... He abides with a heart endued with
equanimity ... extending to the entire world.
“With his heart this unhostile and unafflicted by ill
will, thus undefiled and unified, a noble disciple here
and now acquires these four comforts.
He thinks: ‘If there is another world and there is fruit
and ripening of actions well done and ill done, then it
is possible that on the dissolution of the body, after
death, I might be reborn in a heavenly world.’ This is
the first comfort acquired.
‘But if there is no other world and there is no fruit
and ripening of actions well done and ill done, then
here and now in this life I shall be free from
hostility, affliction and anxiety, and I shall live
happily.’ This is the second comfort acquired.
‘If evil befalls one who does evil, then since I have no
evil thought of anyone, how shall evil deeds bring
suffering to me, doing no evil?’ This is the third
comfort acquired. ‘But if no evil befalls one who does
evil, then I know myself to be pure in this life on both
these counts.’ This is the fourth comfort acquired.”
අමාවක
පුර
අටවක
පසෙලාස්වක
අව
අටවක