The message of peace and happiness

According to Abhidhammic tradition "Buddha" actually means "an aware person", and was more of an adjective than a name in the beginning. Later, Gotama who was a real person, came to be called "Buddha" only after the realisation of the truth of life. What exactly was it that Buddha realised? Through his acute awareness he realised: "the world is full of sufferings." It was his self-discovery of the low of life and it was the only true concept.

The Buddha defined four kinds of suffering and described eight effects of suffering on humanity. The four kinds of pain or suffering generated by human existence in this world are: Birth, Old Age, Sickness and Death.

The Buddha suggested several ways to overcome the pain and suffering of life. He said if we are aware of the inconsistence of life, and accept the teaching of the non-existence of material things in the world, we can eliminate our edictions and desires for our everyday lives, and achieve true freedom through the sufferings of life.

Buddhism teaches that suffering can be banished by reaching the level of Buddhahood. People can reach this stage by diminishing anger, temptation and ignorance about the truth of life. The word "Buddhahood" laterally means "a level without burning" and is meant to mean "a level of calmness of the mind." Buddhism is based on the cult of non-violence, peace, universal love and compassion. The first sermon of the Buddha is: "Go ye, O Bhikkhus and wander forth for the gain of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the gain, for the welfare of men. Proclain O Bhikkhus the doctrine glorious, preach ye a life of holiness, perfection and purification."

From the above statement appears a message of all embracing love for all the universe and for all the sentient beings. It is an unlimited self-giving compassion toward all creatures as described in the script: "Just as a mother protects her only child at the risk of her own life, so one should have boundless compassion for all sentient beings."

Intentions of good will oppose intentions of ill will, thoughts governed by anger and aversion. As in the case of desire, there are two ineffective ways of handling ill-will: One is to yield to it, to express the aversion by bodily or verbal action. This approach releases the tension, helps drive the anger "out of one's system," but it also poses certain dangers. It breeds resentment and retaliation, creates enemies, poisons relationships and generates unwholesome Kamma. The other approach, repression, also fails to dispel the destructive force of ill will. It merely turns that force around and pushes it inward, where it becomes transmogrified into self-contempt, chronic depression, or a tendency to absurd outbursts of violence. So, script says "If a man were to conquer in battle a thousand times a thousand men, and another conquer one, himself, he indeed is the greatest of conquerors."

The intention of harmlessness is thought guided by compassion, coming up in opposition to cruel, aggressive, and violent thoughts. Compassion supplies the complement to loving kindness. Whereas loving kindness has the characteristic of wishing for the happiness and welfare of others, compassion has the characteristic of wishing that others be free from suffering, a wish to be extended without limits to all living beings.

The first precept of Panchashila "Refrain from taking lives or harming living beings" is the basic teaching of the Buddha for non-violence and universal love. He uttered: "Hatred does not cease by hatred but it ceases by non-hatred -- love, brotherhood, peace and compassion."

Therefore, at this crucial time of the world, we consider it necessary to remind all people about the concept of Panchashila, which is very essential at this hour. Hence we progress towards this ideal and not regress, that we go forward together as brothers and sisters for the sake of peace and well-being in the universe, without being selfish and taking sides against one another. Sabbe Satta Sukhita Hontu -- May all beings by happy. May peace prevail on the earth.

Professor Sukomal Barua is former Chairman, Department of Sanskrit and Pali, University of Dhaka and Presidium Member, Centre for Interfaith Harmony-Bangladesh.