181. Q. What is the difference?
A. Our Pagan brother not only takes his images as visible representations of his unseen God or gods, but the refined idolater, in worshipping, considers that the idol contains in its substance a portion of the all-pervading divinity.
182. Q. What does the Buddhist think?
A. The Buddhist reverences the Buddha's statue and the other things you have mentioned, only as mementos of the greatest, wisest, most benevolent and compassionate man in this world-period (Kalpa). All races and peoples preserve, treasure up, and value the relics and mementos of men and women who have been considered in any way great. The Buddha, to us, seems more to be revered and beloved than any one else, by every human being who knows sorrow.
183. Q. Has the Buddha himself given us something definite upon this subject?
A. Certainly. In the Mahâ Pari-Nirvâṇa Sutta he says that emancipation is attainable only by leading the Holy life, according to the Noble Eight-fold Path, not by external worship (âmisa pûja), nor by adoration of himself, or of another, or of any image.
184. Q. What was the Buddha's estimate of ceremonialism?
A. From the beginning, he condemned the observance of ceremonies and other external practices, which only tend to increase our spiritual blindness and our clinging to mere lifeless forms.
185. Q. What as to controversies?
A. In numerous discourses he denounced this habit as most pernicious. He prescribed penances for Bhikkhus who waste time and weaken their higher intuitions in wrangling over theories and metaphysical subtleties.
186. Q. Are charms, incantations, the observance of lucky hours and devil-dancing a part of Buddhism?
A, They are positively repugnant to its fundamental principles. They are the surviving relics of fetishism and pantheistic and other foreign religions. In the Brâhmajâta Sutta the Buddha has categorically described these and other superstitions as pagan, mean and spurious.
187. Q. What striking contrasts are there between Buddhism and what may be properly called "religions?"
A. Among others, these: It teaches the highest goodness without a creating God; a continuity of life without adhering to the superstitious and selfish doctrine of an eternal, metaphysical soul-substance that goes out of the body; a happiness without an objective heaven; a method of salvation without a vicarious Savior; redemption by oneself as the Redeemer, and without rites, prayers, penances, priests or intercessory saints; and a summun bonum, i.e., Nirvâṇa, attainable in this life and in this world by leading a pure, unselfish life of wisdom and compassion to all beings.
188. Q. Specify the two main divisions of 'meditation,' i.e., of the process by which one extinguishes passion and attains knowledge.
A. Samatha and Vidarsama: (1) the attenuation of passion by leading the holy life and by continued effort to subdue the senses; (2) the attainment of supernormal wisdom by reflection: each of which embraces twenty aspects, but I need not here specify them.
189. Q. What are the four paths or stages of advancement that one may attain to?
A. (1) Sottâpatti, the beginning or entering into which follows after one's clear perception of the 'Four Noble Truths;' (2) Sakardâgâmi—the path of one who has so subjugated lust, hatred and delusion that he need only return once to this world; (3) Anâgami—the path of those who have so far conquered self that they need not return to this world; (4) Arhat—the path of the holy and worthy Arhat, who is not only free from the necessity of re-incarnation, but has capacitated himself to enjoy perfect wisdom, boundless pity for the ignorant and suffering, and measureless love for all beings.
190. Q. Does popular Buddhism contain nothing but what is true, and in accord with science?
A. Like every other religion that has existed many centuries, it certainly now contains untruth mingled with truth; ever gold is found mixed with dross. The poetical imagination, the zeal, or the lingering superstition of Buddhist devotees have, in various ages, and in various lands, caused the noble principles of the Buddha's moral doctrines to be coupled more or less with what might be removed to advantage.
191. Q. When such perversions are discovered, what should be the tree Buddhist's earnest desire?
A. The true Buddhist should be ever ready and anxious to see the false purged away from the true, and to assist, if he can. Three great Councils of the Sangha were held for the express purpose of purging the body of Teachings from all corrupt interpolations.
192. Q. When?
A. The first, at Sattapanni cave, just after the death of the Buddha; the second at Valukarama, in Vaisali; the third at Asokarama Vihâra, at Pataliputra, 235 years after the Buddha's decease.
193. Q. In what discourse does the Buddha himself warn us to expect this perversion of the true Doctrine?
A. In the Sanyutta Nikâya.
194. Q. Are there any dogmas in Buddhism which we are required to accept on faith?
A. No: we are earnestly enjoined to accept nothing whatever on faith; whether it be written in books, handed down from our ancestors, or taught by the sages.
195. Q. Did he himself really teach that noble rule?
A. Yes. The Buddha has said that we must not believe in a thing said merely because it is said; nor in traditions because they have been handed down from antiquity; nor rumours, as such; nor writings by sages, merely because sages wrote them; nor fancies that we may suspect to have been inspired in us by a deva (that is, in presumed spiritual inspiration); nor from inferences drawn from some haphazard assumption we may have made; nor because of what seems an analogical necessity; nor on the mere authority of our own teachers or masters.
196. Q. When, then, must we believe?
A. We are to believe when the writing, doctrine or saying is corroborated by our own reason and consciousness. "For this," says he in concluding, "I taught you not to believe merely because you have heard, but when you believed of your own consciousness, then to act accordingly and abundantly." (See the Kâlâma Sutta of the Anguttara Nikâya, and the Mahâ Pari Nirvâṇa Sutta.)
197. Q. What does the Buddha call himself?
A. He says that he and the other Buddhas are only "preachers" of truth who point out the way: we ourselves must make the effort.
198. Q. Where is this said?
A. In chapter xx. of the Dhammapada.
199. Q. Does Buddhism countenance hypocrisy?
A. The Dhammapada says: "Like a beautiful flower full of color without scent, the fine words of him who does not act accordingly are fruitless."
200. Q. Does Buddhism teach us to return evil for evil?
A. In the Dhammapada the Buddha said: "If a man foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my ungrudging love; the more evil comes from him, the more good shall go from me." This is the path followed by the Arhat. To return evil for evil is positively forbidden in Buddhism.
201. Q. Does it encourage cruelly?
A. No, indeed. In the Five Precepts and in many of his discourses, the Buddha teaches us to be merciful to all beings, to try and make them happy, to love them all, to abstain from taking life, or consenting to it, or encouraging its being done.
202. Q. In which discourse is this stated?
A. The Dhammika Sutta says: "Let him (the householder) not destroy, or cause to be destroyed, any life at all, or sanction the acts of those who do so. Let him refrain from even hurting any creature," etc.
203. Q. Does it approve of drunkenness?
A. In his Dhammika Sutta we are warned against drinking liquors, causing others to drink, or sanctioning the acts of those who drink.
204. Q. To what are we told that drunkenness leads?
A. To demerit, crime, insanity, and ignorance—which is the chief cause of re-birth.
205. Q. What does Buddhism teach about marriage?
A. Absolute chastity being a condition of full spiritual development, is most highly commended; but a marriage to one wife and fidelity to her is recognised as a kind of chastity. Polygamy was censured by the Buddha as involving ignorance and promoting lust.
206. Q. In what discourse?
A. The Anguttara Nikâya, chap. iv, 55.
207. Q. What does it teach as to the duty of parents to children?
A. They should restrain them from vice; train them in virtue; hive them taught arts and sciences; provide them with suitable wives and husbands, and give them their inheritance.
208. Q. What is the duty of children?
A. To support their parents when old or needy; perform family duties incumbent on them; guard their property; make themselves worthy to be their heirs, and when they are gone, honor their memory.
209. Q. What of pupils to the teacher?
A. To show him respect; minister to him; obey him; supply his wants; attend to his instruction.
210. Q. What of husband to wife?
A. To cherish her; treat her with respect and kindness; be faithful to her; cause her to be honored by others; provide her with suitable ornaments and clothes.
211. Q. What of the wife to her husband?
A. To show affection to him; order her household aright; be hospitable to guests; be chaste; be thrifty; show skill and diligence in all things.
212. Q. Where are these precepts taught?
A. In the Sigâlovâda Sutta.
213. Q. Do riches help a man to future happiness?
A. The Dhammapada says: "One is the road that leads to wealth, another the road that leads to Nirvâṇa."
214. Q. Does that mean that no rich man can attain Nirvâṇa?
A. That depends on which he loves most. If he uses his wealth for the benefit of mankind—for the suffering, the oppressed, the ignorant—then his wealth aids him to acquire merit.
215. Q. But if the contrary?
A. But if he loves and greedily hoards money for the sake of its possession, then it weakens his moral sense, prompts him to crime, brings curses upon, him in this life, and their effects are felt in the next birth.
216. Q. What says the "Dhammapada" about ignorance?
A. That it is a taint worse than all taints that a man can put upon himself.
217. Q. What does it say about uncharitableness towards others?
A. That the fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself difficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbor's faults like chaff, but his own fault he hides, as a cheat hides the bad die from the gambler.
218. Q. What advice does the Buddha give us as to man's duty to the poor?
A. He says that a man's nett income should be divided into four parts, of which one should be devoted to philanthropic objects.
219. Q. What five occupations are said to be low and base?
A. Selling liquor, selling animals for slaughter, selling poison, selling murderous weapons, and dealing in slaves.
220. Q. Who are said to be incapable of progress in spirituality?
A. The killers of father, mother, and holy Arhats; bhikkhus who sow discord in the Sangha; those who attempt to injure the person of a Buddha; those who hold extremely nihilistic views as to the future existence; and those who are extremely sensual.
221. Q. Does Buddhism specify places or conditions of torment into which a bad man's Karma draws him on leaving this life?
A. Yes., They are: Sanjîva; Kâlasûtra; Sanghâta; Raurava; Mahâ-Raurava; Tâpa; Pratâpa; Avîchi.
222. Q. Is the torment eternal?
A. Certainly not. Its duration depends on a man's Karma.
223. Q. Does Buddhism declare that non-believers in Buddha will of necessity be damned for their unbelief?
A. No; by good deeds they may enjoy a limited term of happiness before being drawn into re-birth by their unexhausted tanhâ. To escape re-birth, one must tread the Noble Eight-fold Path.
224. Q. What is the spiritual status of woman among Buddhists?
A. According to our religion they are on a footing of perfect equality with men. "Woman," says the Buddha, in the Chullavêdalla Sutta, "may attain the highest path of holiness "—Arhatship—that is open to man.
225. Q. What does a modern critic say about the effect of Buddhism on woman?
A. That "it has done more for the happiness and enfranchisement of woman than any other creed" (Sir Lepel Griffin).
226. Q. What did the Buddha teach about caste?
A. That one does not become of any caste, whether Pariah, the lowest, or Brâhmaṇa, the highest, by birth, but by deeds. "By deeds, "said He, "one becomes an outcast, by deeds one becomes a Brâhmaṇa" (See Vasala Sutta).
227. Q. Tell me a story to illustrate this.
A. Ânanda, passing by a well, was thirsty and asked Prakriti, a girl of the Mâtanga, or Pariah caste, to give him water. She said she was of such low caste that he would become contaminated by taking water from her hand. But Ânanda replied: "I ask not for caste but for water;" and the Mâtanga girl's heart was glad and she gave him to drink. The Buddha blessed her for it.
228. Q. What did the Buddha say in Vasalasutta about a man of the Pariah Sopâka caste?
A. That by his merits he reached the highest fame; that many Khattiyas (Kshattriyas) and Brahmans went to serve him; and that after death he was born in the Brahma world: while there are many [paragraph continues]Brâhmaṇas who for their evil deeds are born in hell.
229. Q. Does Buddhism teach the immortality of the soul?
A. It considers "soul" to be a word used by the ignorant to express a false idea. If every thing is subject to change, then man is included, and every material part of him must change. That which is subject to change is not permanent: so there can be no immortal survival of a changeful thing.
230. Q. What is so objectionable in this word 'soul'?
A. The idea associated with it that man can be an entity separated from all other entities, and from the existence of the whole of the Universe. This idea of separateness is unreasonable, not provable by logic, nor supported by science.
231. Q. Then there is no separate "I," nor can we say "my" this or that?
A. Exactly so.
232. Q. If the idea of a separate human soul is to be rejected, what is it in man which gives him the impression of having a permanent personality?
A. Tanhâ, or the unsatisfied desire for existence. The being having done that for which he must be rewarded or punished in future, and having Tanhâ, will have a re-birth through the influence of Karma..
233. Q. What is it that is born?
A. A new aggregation of Skandhas, or personality caused by the last generative thought of the dying person.
234. Q. How many Skandhas are there?
A. Five.
235. Q. Name the five Skandhas.
A. Rûpa, Vêdanâ, Saññâ, Samkhârâ, and Viññâna.
236. Q. Briefly explain what they are.
A. Rûpa, material qualities; Vedanâ, sensation; Saññâ, abstract ideas; Samkhârâ, tendencies of mind; Viññâna, mental powers, or consciousness. Of these we are formed; by them we are conscious of existence; and through them communicate with the world about us.
237. Q. To what cause must we attribute the differences in the combination of the five Skandhas which make every individual differ from every other individual?
A. To the ripened Karma of the individual in his preceding births.
235. Q. What is the force or energy that is at work, under the guidance of Karma, to produce the new being?
A. Tanhâ—the will to live.
239. Q. Upon what is the doctrine of re-births founded?
A. Upon the perception that perfect justice, equilibrium and adjustment are inherent in the universal system of Nature. Buddhists do not believe that one life—even though it were extended to one hundred or five hundred years—is long enough for the reward or punishment of a man's deeds. The great circle of re-births will be more or less quickly run through according to the preponderating purity or impurity of the several lives of the individual.
240. Q. Is this new aggregation of Skandhas—this new personality—the same being as that in the previous birth, whose Tanhâ has brought it into existence?
A. In one sense it is a new being; in another it is not. In Pâlî it is—"nacha so nacha añño," which means not the same nor yet another. During this life the Skandhas are constantly changing; and while the man A. B., of forty, is identical, as regards. personality, with the youth A. B., of eighteen, yet, by the continual waste and reparation of his body, and change of mind and character, he is a different being. Nevertheless, the man in his old age justly reaps the reward or suffering consequent upon his thoughts and actions at every previous stage of his life. So the new being of a re-birth, being the same individuality as before, with but a changed form, or new aggregation of Skandhas, justly reaps the consequences of his actions and thoughts in the previous existence.
241. Q. But the aged man remembers the incidents of his youth, despite his being physically and mentally changed. Why, then, is not the recollection of past lives brought over by us from our last birth into. the present birth?
A. Because memory is included within the Skandhas; and the Skandhas having changed with the new reincarnation, a new Memory, the record of that particular existence, develops. Yet the record or reflection of all the past earth-lives must survive; for, when Prince Siddhârthâ became Buddha, the full sequence of his previous births was seen by him. If their several incidents had left no trace behind, this could not have been so, as there would have been nothing for him to see. And any one who attains to the fourth state of Dhyâna (psychical insight) can thus retrospectively trace the line of his lives.
242. Q, What is the ultimate point towards which fend all these series of changes in form?
A. Nirvâṇa.
243. Q. Does Buddhism teach that we should do good with the view of reaching Nirvâṇa?
A. No; that would he as absolute selfishness as though the reward hoped for had been money, a throne, or any other sensual enjoyment. Nirvâṇa cannot be so reached, and the unwise speculator is foredoomed to disappointment.
244. Q. Please make it a little clearer.
A. Nirvâṇa is the synonym of unselfishness, the entire surrender of selfhood to truth. The ignorant man aspires to nirvâṇic happiness without the least idea of its nature. Absence of selfishness is Nirvâṇa. Doing good with the view to getting results, or leading the holy life with the object of gaining heavenly happiness, is not the Noble Life that the Buddha enjoined. Without hope of reward the Noble Life should be lived, and that is the highest life. The nirvâṇic state can be attained while one is living on this earth.
245. Q. Name the ten great obstacles to advancement, called Sanyojanas, the Fetters.
A. Delusion of self (Sakkâya-ditthi); Doubt (Vicikicchâ); Dependence on superstitious rites (Sîlabbata-parâmâsa); Sensuality, bodily passions (Kâma); Hatred, ill-feeling (Patigha); Love of life on earth (Rûparâga); Desire for life in a heaven (Arûparâga); Pride (Mâna); Self-righteousness (Uddhacca); Ignorance (Avijjâ).
246. Q. To become an Arahat, how many of these fetters must be broken?
A. All.
247. Q. What are the five Niwarânas or Hindrances?
A. Greed, Malice, Sloth, Pride, and Doubt.
248. Q. Why do we see this minute division of feelings, impulses, workings of the mind, obstacles and aids to advancement so much used in the Buddha's teachings? It is very confusing to a beginner.
A. It is to help us to obtain knowledge of ourselves, by training our minds to think out every subject in detail. By following out this system of self-examination, we come finally to acquire knowledge and see truth as it is. This is the course taken by every wise teacher to help his pupil's mind to develop.
249. Q. How many of the Buddha's disciples were specially renowned for their superior qualities?
A. There are eighty so distinguished. They are called the Asîti Maha Sâvakas.
250. Q. What did the Buddha's wisdom embrace?
A. He knew the nature of the Knowable and the Unknowable, the Possible and the Impossible, the cause of Merit and Demerit; he could read the thoughts of all beings; he knew the laws of Nature, the illusions of the senses and the means to suppress desires; he could distinguish the births and re-births of individuals, and other things.
251. Q. What do we call the basic principle on which the whole of the Buddha's teaching is constructed?
A. It is called Paticca Samuppâdâ.
252. Q. Is it easily grasped?
A. It is most difficult; in fact, the full meaning and extent of it is beyond the capacity of such as are not perfectly developed.
253. Q. What said the great commentator Buddha Ghosha about it?
A. That even he was as helpless in this vast ocean of thought as one who is drifting on the ocean of waters.
254. Q. Then why should the Buddha say, in the Parinibbâna Sutta, that he "has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher, who keeps something back?" If his whole teaching was open to every one's comprehension, why should so great and learned a man as Buddha Ghosha declare it so hard to understand?
A. The Buddha evidently meant that he taught everything freely; but equally certain is it that the real basis of the Dharma can only be understood by him who has perfected his powers of comprehension. It is, therefore, incomprehensible to common, unenlightened persons.
255. Q. How does the teaching of the Buddha support this view?
A. The Buddha looked into the heart of each person, and preached to suit the individual temperament and spiritual development of the hearer..