BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES

BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES:

Historical criticism has proved that the original teachings of Buddha can never be known. It seems that Gautama Buddha’s teachings were memorized by his disciples. After Buddha’s death a council was held at Rajagaha so that the words of Buddha could be recited and agreed upon. There were differences of opinion and conflicting memories in the council. Opinion of Kayshapa and Ananda who were prominent disciples of Buddha were given preference. A hundred years later, a second council at Vesali was held. Only after 400 years, after the death of Buddha were his teachings and doctrines written down. Little attention was paid regarding its authenticity, genuineness and purity.

Buddhist Scriptures can be divided into Pali and Sanskrit Literature:
A. Pali Literature:
 
The Pali literature was monopolized by the Hinayana sect of Buddhism.

Tri Pitaka

The most important of all Buddhist scriptures is the TRI-PITAKA which is in Pali text. It is supposed to be the earliest recorded Buddhist literature which was written in the 1st Century B.C.

The TRI-PITAKA or Three Baskets of law is composed of 3 books:

1. Vinaya Pitaka: ‘Rules of Conduct’
  This is a book of discipline and mainly deals with rules of the order.
 
2. Sutta Pitaka: ‘Discourses’
It is a collection of sermons and discourses of Gautama Buddha and the incidents in his life. It is the most important Pitaka and consists of five divisions known as Nikayas. Dhammapada is the most famous Pali literature and contains aphorisms and short statements covering the truth.
   
3. Abhidhamma: ‘Analysis of Doctrine’

This third basket contains meta physical doctrines and is known as Buddhist meta physicals. It is an analytical and logical elaboration of the first two pitakas. It contains analysis and exposition of Buddhist doctrine.

B. Sanskrit Literature:

Sanskrit literature was preferred by the Mahayana. Sanskrit literature has not been reduced to a collection or in Cannon like the Pali literature. Thus much of the original Sanskrit literature has been lost. Some were translated into other languages like Chinese and are now being re-translated into Sanskrit.

1. Maha vastu: ‘Sublime Story’
Mahavastu is the most famous work in Sanskrit which has been restored from its Chinese translation. It consists of voluminous collection of legendary stories.

2.Lalitavistara
Lalitavistara is one of the holiest of the Sanskrit literature. It belongs to the first century C.E., 500 years after the death of Buddha. It contains the miracles which the superstition loving people have attributed to Buddha.

II. TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA:

A. Noble Truths:
  The principal teachings of Gautama Buddha can be summarised in what the Buddhists call the ‘Four Noble Truths’:

First – There is suffering and misery in life .

Second – The cause of this suffering and misery is desire.

Third – Suffering and misery can be removed by removing desire.

Fourth – Desire can be removed by following the Eight Fold Path.

B. The Noble Eight Fold Path:
 
(i) Right Views

(ii) Right Thoughts

(iii) Right Speech

(iv) Right Actions

(v) Right Livelihood

(vi) Right Efforts

(vii) Right Mindfulness

(viii) Right Meditation

C. Nirvana:

Nirvana' literally means "blowing out" or "extinction". According to Buddhism, this is the ultimate goal of life and can be described in various words. It is a cessation of all sorrows, which can be achieved by removing desire by following the Eight Fold Path

III. PHILOSOPHY OF BUDDHISM IS SELF – CONTRADICTORY:
As mentioned earlier, the main teachings of Buddhism are summarised in the Four Noble Truths:
 
(i) There is suffering and misery in life.

(ii) The cause of suffering and misery is desire.

(iii) Suffering and misery can be removed by removing desire.

(iv) Desire can be removed by following the Eight Fold Path.

This Philosophy of Buddhism is self-contradictory or self-defeating because the third truth says ‘suffering and misery can be removed by removing desire’ and the fourth truth says that 'desire can be removed by following the Eight Fold Path'.

Now, for any person to follow Buddhism he should first have the desire to follow the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path. The Third great Noble Truth says that desire should be removed. Once you remove desire, how can we follow the Fourth Noble truth i.e. follow the Eight Fold Path unless we have a desire to follow the Eight Fold Path. In short desire can only be removed by having a desire to follow the Eight Fold Path. If you do not follow the Eight Fold Path, desire cannot be removed. It is self contradicting as well as self-defeating to say that desire will only be removed by continuously having a desire.

Islamic Research Foundation © 2015-2016 All Rights Reserved.

Source:DZN-Comparitive Religion

To be Continued....

THE OBJECTIVE UNDERLYING THE PROPHET'S LIFELONG STRUGGLE

THE OBJECTIVE UNDERLYING THE PROPHET'S LIFELONG STRUGGLE

Now  the  question  is: 
what  was  the  aim  for which  the Prophet  (SAW) lived a life of such grueling  effort? 

The truth  is that, any individual,  who  has  only briefly gone through  the Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad  (SAW), is awestruck by the extent to which he strove and suffered to accomplish his mission. If we are desirous  of practicing true following of the Prophet (SAW) we have to determine foremost  the  aim  towards  which  his  life's  efforts were directed! 

• What objective did he have in sight? 
• What objective  did  the  Prophet (SAW) struggle  so  hard   to achieve? 

Within this context, also bear in mind that if you have set an objective for yourself, its achievement usually involves  doing   various   tasks.  If  you  look  at  the  various tasks  in isolation they  will  appear   disparate, incongruent, and   apparently  lacking   coherence.  But  in  reality   there exists   a  single   purpose   (behind   such   actions   or   tasks) which  brings  unity  and  singularity in meaning to all such disparate tasks.  

It is only  when  we look  through   the  'lens' of  this   purpose   that   enables   us   to  see   the  connection between the  various   actions  that  would   otherwise appear disparate,  disjoint  and  contradictory. And  the truth  is that it would  be difficult  to establish their coherence unless  and until   that  single  purpose  is  clearly  identified. Coherence between  apparently  disparate  and  conflicting actions  can only be determined when  the "Objective"  set (by a person) has been clearly  identified.

Source:LOVE FOR THE MESSENGER (SA)

To Be Continued....

AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF TRUE FOLLOWING

AN   IMPORTANT   ASPECT   OF   TRUE    FOLLOWING

Another  important  aspect  of such  true  following  is  to consider the direction, as a whole, of the Prophet Muhammad's   impeccable  life!    

• What  was  the  task  for which the Prophet (SAW) worked so hard? 

•  What thought occupied his mind throughout his life? 

• Towards what aim were  all his efforts and  striving  directed?    

• What  was  the  aim  for which  the Prophet  (SAW) lived a life of such grueling  effort?

In this world every  individual,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  sets  an aim for himself. His efforts and struggle are then directed towards achieving that aim. A person may work hard and strive in his profession to reach successively higher levels of excellence in its expertise and  to make a position  for himself. 

Like any professional, a politician too has an aim. He yearns for occupying an important post in the Government  and for the reins of power  to be in his own hands and of his (political) party. A businessman  too has an aim. He works hard and toils burning the midnight oil, ordering goods from and dispatching them to every nook and  comer  of the world.  He keeps a close eye on price fluctuations  in  markets  all  over  the  world.  The  entire gamut of his activities is dictated by his aim.

Source:LOVE FOR THE MESSENGER (SA)

To Be Continued....