What the Buddha Taught | Walpola Rahula

Gautam Buddha is perhaps the wisest person to have ever lived on earth. As a Nepali, we are all used to respecting and worshipping Buddha, irrespective of caste, creed, or belief. But it was only when I explored the path of meditation that I was able to understand and appreciate Buddha more. So, I wanted to learn more about his teachings, but from a writer versed in the culture and practice of Buddhism.

What the Buddha Taught is a book written by Dr. Walpola Rahula. He is one of the most qualified scholars and practitioners of Buddhism, who received his traditional training as a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka. He wrote this book to provide a faithful and accurate account of the actual words used by the Buddha, as found in the original Pali texts of the Tripitaka (considered the oldest records of the teachings of Buddha).

Buddhist Mindset

Let’s start with a question: Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy?

Gautam Buddha was a normal human who became Buddha. He firmly believed every human has the potential to realise the Buddha in themselves. He always said a person’s liberation is solely dependent on their realisation of the Truth, and not on the grace of some external power.

And what is truth? The truth is like medicine. If it’s good for a disease, it will cure it, irrespective of who made it. Truth, in that way, is also beyond form and labels. So, the question of whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy is irrelevant if you’re concerned about the Truth. Even in knowing the truth, Buddha would motivate people to seek on their own, with his approach of asking people to judge from their own experience whether an act is good or bad.

Buddha also had an interesting take on doubt. He considered it a hindrance to progress but not a sin. For it is normal for people to have doubt. Just forcing oneself out of doubt isn’t going to help either. Rather, Buddha always emphasised knowing and understanding as the only way. And once we know something on our own, the notion of belief disappears. Even Shraddha in Buddhism, meaning devotion, is born out of conviction and not blind faith and beliefs.

Lastly, Buddha always asked his followers to use his knowledge purely as a raft to cross the river (attain peace or nirvana), and not to cling to these ideas (as attachment or intellectual exercise). Also, Buddha was never interested in metaphysical questions. He believed they only add to speculation and hinder actual progress, highlighting how much of a pragmatic teacher he was. He would give an analogy about a poisonous arrow hitting a person. He believed asking questions like “Whether the Universe is eternal or not, infinite or not, do we exist after death or not” was like asking “Who shot the arrow, how the arrow was made,” instead of first taking out the arrow and curing the wound. Rather, he would talk about Dukkha (Suffering), the Arisal of Dukkha, the Cessation of Dukkha, and the path leading to the Cessation of Dukkha, famously known as the Four Noble Truths.

First Noble Truth: Dukkha

Dukkha, in general, means suffering. So, whenever people read about the First Noble Truth, some think of this as a pessimistic view of the world, saying life, in general, is just suffering. Rather, Buddha presented this as a realistic view. Like a doctor diagnoses a disease, he wanted to talk about the problem and find its cure, rather than brushing it aside.

But Buddha’s understanding of Dukkha went deeper. Apart from the ordinary suffering that we associate with pain, he associated suffering with impermanence. Even the pleasant feeling we get dissipates with time, leaving us with a tinge of suffering. Thus, Buddha associated anything that is impermanent as Dukkha. And this same impermanence he realised in the entire world, including us.

Buddha saw a human (what we associate as Self) as a combination of five aggregates: Physical form, Sensation, Perception, Mental formation (Volition/Will, Desire, Aversion, where Karma is formed), and Consciousness (Awareness). The “I” we associate with is a collection of these, and there is no single I separate from them. All of these aggregates are impermanent, in a constant state of flux. Thus, Buddha saw this as Dukkha too.

Lastly, Buddha believed only this holistic understanding of Dukkha enables one to also see the arisal of Dukkha, the cessation of Dukkha, and the path leading to the cessation of Dukkha.

Second Noble Truth: The Arisal of Dukkha

In the Second Noble Truth, Buddha talks about the arisal of Dukkha and its source. He identifies Tanha, known as thirst, as the root of all suffering. All our desires and cravings stem from this thirst.

Even here, he talks about two types of thirst. The first thirst is for sensual pleasure, wealth, ideas, and opinions. Not only are the pleasures derived from these fleeting and impermanent, but the very nature of never-ending desires means not all of them can be fulfilled. This non-fulfillment of desires then leads to suffering. But there is another thirst (desire) that runs at a much deeper level. This is the thirst for being, for becoming. This thirst for continuing to be, grow, and re-become leads to all suffering in life, including Samsara (cycle of life and death).

To understand this second deeper-level thirst, we need to understand the concept of Karma and Rebirth first. Karma literally means action. According to Buddha’s teachings, any action done with volition (Karma of volition) leads to “karma phal” (outcome), like a natural flow of cause and effect. This also creates its imprint in mental formation (formation of Samskara), one of the five aggregates. Whether it’s good karma or bad karma, the cycle goes on, as long as there is volition, that desire to be, and hence the Samsara.

Even life is seen as an unbroken ever-changing series, with life and death happening at every moment. That way, the death we associate is considered the death of the physical aggregate only, and this desire to be continues to the next physical form, which is rebirth. Thus, it is important to cut out this volition, this desire to be and become, to escape the cycle of Samsara.

(Note: This is similar to the concept in the Gita of doing actions without desire or volition to escape the cycle (bondage) of Karma.)

Third Noble Truth: Cessation of Dukkha

In the Third Noble Truth, Buddha talks about the cessation of Dukkha. As the arisal of Dukkha is because of “tanha” (thirst), its cessation is also linked with Tanha. Buddha identifies the cessation of thirst, the desire to be and become, as the cessation of Dukkha, popularly known as Nirvana.

As you might have noticed, Buddha defines Nirvana in terms of negatives (what it is not), and there is a reason for that. Remember, words are mere symbols to represent things and ideas, perceived by our senses and mind. So, for something that is beyond senses, mind, and intellect, the safer route is to always explain in terms of what it is not. (The same way health is defined as the absence of diseases, like the word “Arogya” in Sanskrit meaning absence of disease.)

Buddha identifies Nirvana as the ultimate truth or reality, where one realises the impermanence and all illusion is destroyed. But since this state is beyond sense, mind, and intellect, Buddha recommends his followers to explore this truth on their own (rather than engaging in intellectual debates and exercises).

Fourth Noble Truth: The Eightfold Noble Paths

Before realising the ultimate truth, Buddha lived the route of both extremes in his life. As a prince, he lived a life replete with sensual pleasures, and as a recluse, he first lived the arduous life of self-mortification. Thus, after finally attaining enlightenment by avoiding both extremes, Buddha recommended his followers to follow the Middle Path.

Even in the Middle Path, Buddha lists out Eight Paths, popularly known as the Eightfold Noble Paths.

The Eightfold Paths:

• Right Understanding
• Right Thought
• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Effort
• Right Concentration
• Right Mindfulness

As you have realised, these paths are all about following a lifestyle rather than believing in some sacred scriptures. Buddha also emphasises strongly cultivating two qualities: Karuna (Compassion) and Wisdom (Pragya). He believed having one quality only would make a person either a nice-hearted fool or a stone-hearted genius, and thus both intellect (head) and emotion (heart) need to be of equal importance.

Anatta or Anatma (No Self)

Buddha says man has two deep-rooted ideas. The first is of God, for self-protection, and the second is of an immortal self (Atma or Soul), for self-preservation. The idea of Self is so deep-rooted that a man clings to it more than anything. Contrary to the contemporary belief in Self, Buddha realised the Self to be an illusion. Thus, he identified this very clinging to Self, rising from the false idea of Self, as the root of many problems in life (selfish desires, cravings, ego).

The realisation of No Self is just a corollary of the analysis of the Five Aggregates. All components are constantly in a state of flux, interdependent on each other, following the cycle of Cause and Effect. That way, there’s not a single unchanging permanent entity as Self. Of course, this begs an immediate question: who is the experiencer then? But as Buddha says, it is the thoughts that think, and the feelings that feel, hence no separate experiencer beneath these.

If one wants to associate as Self, Buddha actually thinks the Body is the better candidate, as other components like Mind and Consciousness change even more rapidly (and tangibly) on a continuous basis. This realisation of Anatta is the realisation of impermanence, which Buddha identified as the ultimate truth, Nirvana.

Meditation

Meditation is a concept that has been largely misunderstood in general. Many people see it wrongly as an otherworldly or purely recluse activity. Whereas in reality, it is something that can easily be part of every household, and every activity can be a form of meditation.

Buddha talks about two types of meditation. The first is concentration-based meditation, where one-pointedness of mind is attained (known as Samadhi in Buddha’s teaching). But Buddha associates this as one of the peaceful mystic states only, and not as the real truth, Nirvana. For that, he recommends Insight Meditation, known as Vipassana.

Vipassana meditation is explained in a discourse called Satipatthana, where it is explained in terms of four aspects: Kaya (Body), Vedana (Sensation), Citta (Mind), and Dharma (Spiritual teachings and lifestyle).

In terms of body, Buddha talks about meditating on the body, like the incoming and outgoing of breath (known as Anapana meditation). This helps in increasing awareness, which is later important for insight meditation. Another form is being mindful of each and every activity (like being aware of eating while you are eating), a practice strongly emphasised in Zen Buddhism. But contrary to thinking “I’m eating,” it is rather being so into the moment that you forget yourself. Only the action remains, not the doer. (Like some artists losing themselves in their artistic endeavor, being fully in it.)

In terms of sensation, Buddha asks his followers to observe the arisal and cessation of sensation with pure objectivity. (That is, like a scientist, and not as a judge.) Whatever the nature of sensation, gross or subtle, one has to observe that without giving any reaction. In terms of mind, Buddha asks his followers to observe the mind and various mental states, again with awareness and objectivity. For example, if one is angry, he/she has to just observe the anger. (And see how anger subsides naturally on observation.) Regarding Dharma, Buddha recommends meditating on Spiritual books, discourses, and talks. This again involves observing the ideas and concepts with pure objectivity.

What the Buddha Taught and the World Today

Just like meditation, there is a lot of misunderstanding regarding Buddha’s teaching too. Especially regarding how many people see it as impractical or even anti-life, for renouncing the material world. But on the contrary, it is all about realising and living the best version of life, without even living as a recluse. The Eightfold Paths, for example, are a lifestyle meant for everyone and can be lived even while living a household life. (We also have a tendency to deem whatever seems difficult as impractical.)

Many people also wrongly see following the path of meditation as a selfish pursuit, as it involves going internal. But on the contrary, it is also to cultivate Karuna (Compassion) which Buddha strongly emphasises. There are many discourses on Buddha talking about the importance of Parents, Wife, Friends, Employees, and many stories about households following the path of Buddha and realising the truth. Also contrary to general perception about Buddha being anti-material, Buddha always acknowledged the importance of material needs in sustaining life. He just recommended not hoarding them or being content with fleeting pleasures of them. (Remember, Buddha was not an extremist, but a firm proponent of the middle path.)

Interestingly, less known is Buddha’s insight on other spheres of life. While Buddha is understandably known for his spiritual, moral, and philosophical discourses, he was well aware of the importance of other spheres of society and gave discourses on even politics and economics. He gave a discourse on crime, identifying poverty as its root cause. He even gave the solution, explaining how food (grain) for all, and employment opportunities for the poor (like the concept of the modern welfare state) is the way to eradicate crime, not punishment.

He emphasised people to improve their skills and perform their duties well to lead a happier life. He even suggested ways to spend income (like a finance plan), saying how 25 percent needs to be spent on daily needs, 50 percent on continuing the economic activity, and 25 percent as savings for emergencies. He even gave a discourse on the Ten Duties of a King, as a path for good governance. And of course, he always urged kings to not indulge in war of any form (calling any form of war as violence, dismissing the notion of war for dharma). We need to remember here that Buddha was much celebrated and respected during his lifetime too, thus enabling him to stop wars.

But ultimately, Buddha’s emphasis was to live a life conducive to spiritual growth (following the Eightfold Path) and realise the ultimate truth. No wonder he is primarily known for it. As his teachings have survived the test of time (more than two thousand years), they have not only proven to be timeless but ever so relevant in today’s world.

My Takeaway

As I have already written in my previous piece, Buddha is my favorite superhero. His insightful teachings, detailed meditation techniques, and strong emphasis on rising above intellectual debates to focus on real practice inspire me to meditate more than anything else. I just hope to learn more about his teachings and, more importantly, practice them throughout my life.

Originally published at http://nepaliwanderer.com on August 5, 2024.