LOTUS NOTES ON BUDDHIST WISDOM

For many of us, true precious things in life are not easily attainable. Each one of us may be likened to a thread with our will as our driver and resources as our tools. Many of us may have to first find a needle. Some of us have already weak eyesight and have hard time in just finding a needle. If someone finds a needle, he/she must pass through the needle's tiny hole and then be cut into a desired length and then be tied on two ends before being ready for sewing. Only then after being lead by the needle in threading through cloth and completing stitches that the thread (oneself) fulfills the task. Anyway, even if one finds it very hard just doing the initial steps and has not had success, there would still be subtle benefits that one could reap. Humility, patience and endurance may be primary factors in accomplishing the tasks. And so, hardship like joy is also accepted as part of life as taught by the Buddha.

Applying the teachings of the Buddha, how can the "Four Noble Truths" be compared with the treatment of illness using medical procedure? They may be translated by stating Suffering corresponds to the Illness; the Cause of Suffering corresponds to the Diagnosis, in other words identifying the cause of the illness; the End of Suffering corresponds to the Cure; and the Path to the End of Suffering corresponds to the Treatment whereby one is cured of the illness.

"Buddhism is a path that acknowledges life as it is and where one experiences both joy and suffering. However, the trek leads to compassion, contemplation, wisdom and deeper happiness, and eventually to spiritual awakening. The path is not bounded by blind faith but goes through deeper understanding of life through insight meditation and self-purification, and proceeds thereon until possible enlightenment. The length of process may not be the same for each practitioner; it may take many life cycles or just this present time of life."

Is Buddhism a philosophy or religion? The answer of Assoc. Prof. Sungtaek Cho to this question is that it is both a religious doctrine and philosophical system.

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The Rationalist Tendency in Modern Buddhist Scholarship:

A Revaluation

Here, in the Philippines, Buddhism is not native and even though many Filipino-Chinese do practice Mahayana and and some Vajrayana Buddhism they only form minority groups and have not sprouted considerably like those in other Asian and Southeast Asian countries. Our main population practice Catholic Christianity as primary religion and Islam as secondary religion of the other main group. Other remaining smaller groups comprise of different Christian sects and other indigenous religions. Although there are some laypeople (including myself) who are already interested in practicing Theravada Buddhism, there is no Sangha that has been established in our country. However, our group is growing and it may be just a matter of time before seeds may be planted and a Sangha can grow.

Life arises and ceases,

again it arises and ceases.

Again it arises and ceases.

Whether one perceives it with gaps,

or as continuous flux of process,

life is bound by impermanence.

It seems like an eternal self is kept,

but nothing stays the same;

life is ruled by the law of Anicca.

The Three Refuges – Tisarana

Buddham saranam gacchami

(I go to the Buddha for refuge.)

Dhammam saranam gacchami

(I go to the Dhamma for refuge.)

Sangham saranam gacchami

(I go to the Sangha for refuge.)

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Compiled by RLM

Updated on February 17, 2021

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