Gautama Buddha:
The Light of the Universe

Ven. Horowpothane
Sathindriya Thera
Samadhi Buddhist Vihara,
Campbellfield, Victoria, Australia.

He is the only Master who reveals the hidden key roots of various problems in our human planet, such as craving, hatred and delusion - ignorance. These impurities are the driving forces of multitude of miseries and burdens which people experience today.

He has compassionately emphasised us to apply and implant many remedies, psychotherapies and antidotes to cure and expel all mental viruses to achieve innermost peace and true happiness.

“Monks, there is one person who arises in the world for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare and happiness of devas and humans. Who is that one person? It is the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. This is that one person”. - (Anguttara Nikaya)

Twenty-six centuries ago a new era was embarked on the day along with the Perfect Enlightenment of the Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

Vesak is the day marking the Birth, Enlightenment and Passing away of the Buddha which according to traditional accounts all occurred on the Full Moon Day of May.

We are very fortunate to commemorate and celebrate His 2600th anniversary of Perfect Enlightenment as humans in this lifetime.

The greatest and an incomparable teacher who has been the Light of Asia, now people regard and respect Him as the Light of the Universe.

Though He was born in an ancient Asian country, regardless of His race, colour, religion, culture, language and nationality, multitude of people wholeheartedly and deeply pay their respect, follow Him and they are consistent with His own words, not unwisely but with deep comprehension.

H@Sub Head:Ultimate truth

The Dhamma which He Himself discovered as the ultimate truth still stands as the gigantic challenger and the spiritual warrior, not in aggressive or pugnacious manner but in a very compassionate and humane mode in this modern age.

He is the true Spiritual Master who profoundly and precisely educated and guided people not to be destitute of darkness and led them to realise the true nature of all phenomena.

The methodological characteristic of the Buddha’s teaching follow closely from its aim. One of its most attractive features, closely related to its psychological orientation, is its emphasis on self-reliance. For the Buddha, the key to liberation is mental purity and correct understanding, and thus He rejects the idea that we can gain salvation by leaning on anyone else. He does not claim any divine status for Himself, nor does He profess to be a personal saviour. He calls Himself, rather, a guide and teacher, who points out the path the disciple must follow.

The moral code the Buddha prescribed and encouraged for the laity consists of the Five Precepts which require abstinence from killing, stealing, and misconduct in regard to sense pleasures, false speech and the use of intoxicating substances. Beyond individual ethics, the Buddha laid down guidelines for parents and children, husbands and wives, employers and employees, intended to promote a society marked by harmony, peace and goodwill at all levels. Not only for ordinary members in our society but also He advised and explained to heads of states, their paramount duties and responsibilities towards citizens.

These discourses show the Buddha as an astute political thinker who understood well that government and the economy can flourish only when those in power prefer the welfare of the people to their own private interests.

Guidelines

Socially, politically, spiritually, philosophically, psychologically ethically, culturally, humanely, and so on, the Buddha has descriptively elaborated all guidelines, guidance and instructions to follow and practise to accomplish the true goal.

As a Master, after completion of His considerable numbers of enlightened disciples, the Blessed One compassionately requested them to convey the message of inner peace and pure happiness towards humanity.

After an active ministry of forty-five years, at the age of eighty the Buddha realised His end was at hand. Lying on His deathbed, He refused to appoint a personal successor, but told His disciples - monks that after His death the Dhamma - His teaching itself should be their guide.

Even though everyone is cognizant that many believe and regard modern science and technology as apotheoses, these two or any invisible power- which unwisely people believe in and worship, are not able to still find any solution for human problems such as various psychological afflictions.

He is the only Master who reveals the hidden key roots of various problems in our human planet, such as craving, hatred and delusion - ignorance.

These impurities are the driving forces of multitude of miseries and burdens which people experience today.

Innermost peace

He has compassionately emphasised us to apply and implant many remedies, psychotherapies and antidotes to cure and expel all mental viruses to achieve innermost peace and true happiness.

Commemoration and celebration of this remarkable event is important but the crucial fact is that we must concentrate on what the Buddha asked us to do.

This is a conclusive and decisive time that certainly everyone should cast out all mental impurities and inner imperfections which make oneself suffer, and should implant wholesome thoughts and innermost qualities that make oneself righteously happy and virtuously tranquil.

“Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts, suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.”

“Mind precedes all metal states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.”

These remarkable words of the Gautama Buddha are unprecedented. Those who follow and practise them definitely will accomplish the innermost peace and happiness.

May all beings be well and happy!