Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda
1. Introduction
Every man must have a religion especially one which appeals to the intellectual mind. A man failing to observe religious principles becomes a danger to society. While there is no doubt that scientists and psychologists have widened our intellectual horizon, they have not been able to tell us our purpose in life, something a proper religion can do.
Man must choose a rational and meaningful religion according to his conviction without depending on mere beliefs, traditions, customs and theories. No one has the right to force him to accept any religion. No one should exploit poverty, illiteracy or arouse human emotional feelings to induce him to accept a religion. Religion should be a free choice.
Man should be free to choose his own religion according to his liking and intellectual capacity. To follow a religion blindly without any understanding would deprive the religion of its spiritual value and the follower his human dignity. Human beings have intelligence and common sense to differentiate between what is right and wrong. They can adapt themselves according to circumstances. They should therefore choose a religion that is suitable to them and one that meets with their human intelligence. They must be properly guided and then given a chance to decide freely without any coercion.
2. The Middle-Way
The religion that is being introduced here is a practical educational system for mental culture which was revealed to the world some twenty five centuries ago by a Fully Enlightened and Compassionate Teacher. This religion is also known as the "Middle-Way, a righteous way of life, an ethico-philosophical system and a religion of freedom and reason." It teaches us to do three main things; namely, "Keep away from bad deeds, do good and purify the mind."
This message is very simple, meaningful and practical, yet people experience difficulties when they put them into practice due to inherent human weakness. The moral conduct of man plays a most important part in this religion. Its great Teacher once said, "My teaching is not to come and believe, but to come, see and practise." It encourages people to study the teachings fully and so allow them to use their own judgement to decide as to whether they should accept the teachings or otherwise. No one is asked to come and embrace this religion without first having an understanding of its teachings.
Superfluous rites and rituals have no real religious value or significance. There are no superstitious beliefs and practices or secret doctrines in this religion. Everything is open to the choice of followers who are at liberty to investigate the teachings and ask questions whenever they wish to clear their doubts. According to the founder of this religion, one should not believe anything merely because a great sage has introduced it or because it is traditionally accepted by many but one should use one's common sense and intelligence and accept it only if it is worth while to do so.
This religion teaches the Noble Eight Fold Path which consists of Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.. This unique middle way allows others to lead a noble and peaceful life.
The middle way is neither a metaphysical path nor a ritualistic path; neither dogmatism nor scepticism; neither self-indulgence nor self-mortification; neither eternalism nor nihilism; neither pessimism nor optimism; it is a Path of Enlightenment, a means of deliverance from suffering. This religion does not agree that human beings are suffering today because of the sins committed by their ancestors; on the contrary every person carries his or her merits or demerits individually. Man himself is solely responsible for his own pain or pleasure.
One who follows the middle path of moderation should find real peace and happiness and should be able to lead a respectable life without being a slave to one's senses, thus contributing to the peace and harmony of the world.
3. Reap what you Sow
This religion satisfies man's most profound and lofty aspirations and yet is able to bear the stress and strain of man's everyday life, helping him in his contact with his fellow men, besides giving a purpose in life. It does not instill fear in people. "Good begets good and bad begets bad." "Every action has its reaction." These are universal laws. This religion fully agrees with these laws, hence people have to "reap what they sow." Evil deeds are perpetrated by people due to their greed, anger and ignorance. Such weaknesses can only be overcome through self realisation. Pleasure and pain which people experience in this world are not due to some external influences but due to the good and bad actions, words and deeds which they themselves have committed. For this very reason, this religion says: 'We are the results of what we were, and we will be the results of what we are."
According to this teaching, cause and effect play a very important part in our fives. In a circle of cause and effect a first cause is inconceivable for the cause ever becomes the effect and the effect in turn becomes the cause.
4. A Great Teacher
The founder of this unique religion is not a myth but a Great Teacher who actually lived in this world. He never tried to present himself as a supernatural being but as a human being who had realised the absolute truth namely, the secret of life and the real cause of suffering and happiness. Today this Teacher is not only honoured by hundreds of millions of his followers but also by every cultured and intellectual man throughout the world. This Noble Man, this Liberator, this Social Reformer, this Democrat and Inspirer into higher living, passed away at the age of eighty leaving behind a noble code for humanity to utilise as a means for the elimination of human suffering, misery, tension, fear and worry. This code enables them to gain happiness in this life and the life hereafter and leads to the ultimate liberation of all human suffering.
This Great Teacher comforted the bereaved by His consoling words. He helped the poor that were neglected. He ennobled the lives of the deluded and purified the corrupted lives of criminals. He encouraged the feeble, united the divided, enlightened the ignorant, clarified the mystic, elevated the base and dignified the noble. Both rich and poor, saints and criminals loved Him alike. Despotic and righteous Kings, famous and obscure princes and nobles, generous and stingy millionaires, haughty and humble scholars, destitutes, paupers, down-trodden scavengers, wicked murderers, despised courtesans - all benefited from His words of wisdom and compassion and led peaceful, noble lives.
His noble example was a source of inspiration to all. His serene and peaceful countenance was indeed a soothing sight to the troubled eyes of men. His message of peace and tolerance was welcomed by all with indescribable joy and was of eternal benefit to everyone who had the fortune to hear and practise it. His iron will, profound wisdom, universal love, boundless compassion, selfless service, historic renunciation, perfect purity, magnetic personality, exemplary methods employed to introduce His Teachings and His final success - all these factors have inspired about one fifth of the population of the world today to hail this teacher and to honour him as their supreme religious master.
This noble Teacher sacrificed his worldly pleasures for the sake of suffering humanity to seek the Truth in order to show the path of deliverance from suffering. He visited the poor people whilst kings and ministers visited him. For forty five years after his enlightenment he had dedicated his life for enlightening misguided human beings.
This great Teacher feared none nor did He instill fear in anyone. This is one of the principles that should be cultivated in this war-torn world of ours where the most precious thing - life - is sacrificed at the altar of brute force and where armaments are creating fear, tension and hatred.
He was the perfect scientist in the field of life. He was the perfect psychologist who was able to analyse the real nature of the mind - so much so that His teaching was acclaimed as the only scientific religion.
To great philosophers and unbiased thinkers, He is a teacher who understood worldly conditions in its proper perspective. To moralists He has the highest code of discipline and He symbolizes perfection. 'He was the perfect model of all the virtues he preached.' To rationalists, He is the most liberal - minded religious teacher who appreciated the vexed human problems. To free-thinkers, He is a religious teacher who encouraged people to think freely without depending on religious dogmas. To agnostics, He is a very kind, understanding and wise man.
He was no doubt the most persuasive of all the religious Teachers. He never used compulsion or fear as a means of gaining converts. He has introduced a religious way of life for people to be religious even without the attachment of a religious label. He was the humble servant of humanity, unperturbed by either praise or blame, and undeterred even by the most acute illness.
5. Peace, Happiness and Salvation
This Great Teacher has shown the path to peace, happiness and salvation. His way of teaching is liberal, rational, scientific and understandable, leading towards enlightenment.
Today the message of peace of this Great Universal Teacher is more important than ever before especially at a time when human beings are intoxicated with anger, greed, jealousy, pride and desire for world domination.
This Teacher was born to this world to dispel the darkness of ignorance and to save the world from its ills. Throughout the world many people live on without believing or practising any form of religion. However if they would only take a little bit of trouble to study and understand what this Great Teacher had taught, they could easily clarify their doubts, if any, and be convinced as to the religion that could best contribute to man's happiness.
Whether one believes in Him or not, His Teaching nevertheless has its profound effect on all people. His message was given to the world without any violence nor was a single drop of blood ever shed in its name. This is a remarkable record in world history which could be imprinted in letters of gold. This teaching illuminates the way by which mankind could cross from a world of unsatisfactoriness to a new world of light, love, peace, happiness and satisfaction.
The twenty five century old teaching of this great Teacher is strong enough to face any challenge without reversing or having to give new interpretations to its original doctrines. This teaching can be accepted without fear of being contradicted by modern scientific discoveries and achievements.
The teaching considers virtue as being one of the necessary prerequisites for the attainment of salvation. The other prerequisite is wisdom. Virtue and wisdom could also be compared to the eyes and feet of a man. Virtue is like a vehicle that brings man up to the gate of .salvation, but the actual key that opens the gate is wisdom.
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