How to lead a Buddhist life 1: Poisons

Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Amber Dorrian, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly (edited from Alankhoo)

The 14th Dalai Lama admonishes happy Westerners (overgrownpath.com)

  
The fundamental message of Buddhism (of all previous buddhas) was summarized by Shakyamuni in the Dhammapada ("Dharma-path"):

 

To not do any harm,
To cultivate all that's good,
To purify one's mind --
This is the teaching of all buddhas.

 

The instruction is simple, but that does not mean the practice of it is easy. Even a three-year-old child knows this much, but that is not to say that such a child can practice it. Even a 100-year-old can hardly manage to put it into practice in daily life.

VIRTUE

Kwan Yin Bodhisattva (123Chic/flickr.com)

Virtue (sila) is the preliminary stage on the path to enlightenment whether as a disciple (savaka, "hearer") or as a supremely-awakened teacher (buddha). It is a necessary but insufficient condition, a foundation for the concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (prajna) essential for liberation.

  

Virtue in Buddhism is practical, ethical, and based on personally verifiable individual experience in this very life. It is regarded as the one of the best moral codes ever taught in the world, as it avoids extremes on both sides.

What is the criteria of virtue in Buddhism? In one admonition given by the Buddha to his son, the new and very young monk Rahula, an answer is discernible: 

"If there is a deed, Rahula, you wish to do, reflect: 'Is this deed conducive to my harm, to another's harm, or to harm for both?' If so then this is an unprofitable deed leading to suffering when it eventually comes to fruition. From such a deed, wishing to avoid suffering, you should desist.'

"If, however, there is a deed you wish to do, reflect: 'Is this deed neither conducive to my harm, to another's harm, nor to harm for both?' If so this is a profitable deed leading to happiness when it eventually comes to fruition. Such a deed do again and again."

  

So a Buddhist takes into consideration the interests of everyone involved -- oneself, the other, and "both" [the collective or everyone impacted, which includes future generations, animals, unseen beings, and the environment.]

  

To better understand this standard of virtue, one may study the Dhammapada, a collection of Buddhist aphorisms preceded by their origin story. Many other sutras are also very helpful. The most useful to lay Buddhists is the "Advice to Householders" (Sigalovada Sutra), a discourse with additional fragments that form a long sutra explaining the reciprocal duties of everyone in society -- children (like Sigala), parents, teachers, monastics, bosses, workers, servants, and friends. Also see:

• Vyagghapajja Sutra
• Mangala Sutra
• Mutta Sutra
• Parabhara Sutra
• Vassla Sutra
• Dhammika Sutra

THE THREE POISONS

Good (profitable) deeds are essential for one's emancipation. And when the ultimate goal (enlightenment/seeing nirvana) of the supreme life is attained, one transcends both good and bad. Virtue is a means to an end, not an end in itself. It is not that it is pleasing to some deity (though such deities may indeed be pleased by it, having reached their delightful rebirth due to it). It is that it leads to everyone's relief and happiness.
  

There are three "poisons" or unwholesome roots. In Mahayana Buddhism's "Flower Adornment Sutra" states that all detrimental karma created in the past is based on beginningless greed, hatred, and delusion born of body, mouth, and mind.
  
Wishing to no longer do harm but to become helpful and compassionate, one turns around. We have all done harm, and that is nothing to feel bad about. Instead, repenting of past harm, one reforms without wallowing in guilt (which would be a serious form of unskillful mental karma).  Rather than guilt, one lives anew, in the now, becoming a blessing to oneself and others.

  

In the ancient original sutras as well as the later Mahayana Repentance Verse, the distinction between what is "good" (beneficial) and what is "bad" (harmful) is straightforward: It hinges on the intention or motivation from which an action (karma) springs. "Karma" just means action, but the Buddha clarified that what gives karma its direction is intention (cetana). Deeds that are associated with greed/attachment, hatred/aversion (and fear), and/or delusion/ignorance are harmful.

  

These three "poisons" of the heart/mind -- broad categories called greed, hatred, and delusion are called the "Three Poisons" and the "Three Unwholesome Roots." They are the primary source of all suffering by their intrinsic nature. It is for this reason that the Buddha pointed them out to his hearers. It is because the three antidotes -- broad categories called simply nongreed, nonhatred, and nondelusion -- ripen in happiness that he pointed them out and encouraged seekers in that direction. 

Ancient temple complex, Indonesia (LittleMissBigFeet/flickr.com)

  
Ultimately, one does not become attached to either. But in the meantime, the good is helpful (when the real goal is liberation) in all places everywhere -- even in harmful scenarios. For example, it is only because of past good karma that a criminal succeeds in business, not because of the unwholesome business s/he is engaged in now. It is very hard to accurately label anyone "good" or "bad" because prior to full enlightenment, everyone is a mix of both. But not all of it is manifesting its results at the present time. It will.

  

So we may consider ourselves "good" but know that our motives are flawed even as others applaud us. Moreover, we may consider ourselves "bad" forgetting how much good (nonharming) we do everyday. It all stores up and comes to fruition opportunistically. And the one thing almost everyone wishes on his/her dying bed is having racked up a greater store of merit, which follows one into lives to come.

These three -- craving, aversion (including cowardice), and confusion -- create all bad karma. What makes it "bad"? The results, when experienced, are unpleasant, unwelcome, and unwished for. One may think that "Crime doesn't pay." But it does pay for a while, as one exhausts one's store of merit. When it is exhausted and one begins to experience the results of unwholesome karma, it is universally unpleasant and unwelcome.

  

Unskillful karma results in all kinds of unsatisfactoriness, unpleasantness, disappointment, distress, and suffering of all kinds. But this is not due to a strict cause-and-effect relationship. For if it were, everyone would know it and understand it. It is infinitely more complex, a net, a web, an entanglement, a thicket. Nevertheless, many seers discern general laws (axioms). Like begets like, good good and bad bad. We do unto others knowing that that is what will (eventually) come to us. The thought that it will or should come immediately to us is a delusion a wrong view, and that leads to disappointment.

  

The Buddha to come (Snap-shooter/flickr.com)

The law of karma is much more subtle, much more uneven or asymmetrical. The little good we do becomes great; the little harm is magnified. Killing, for instance, is very harmful and is not easily exhausted. It may drag us at the time of death to realms of woe, the return from which is very difficult and uncertain.
  
And even when we return to the human world or better, it may still dog us. In just the same way, a small good grows. It connects to other good and forms the basis of far greater good than it should if karma were "cause and effect." One cause will have many effects, and each of those effects will go on to become a cause.

The Three Poisons are an obstacle, a hindrance, a frustration to attaining merit (a general term for one's store of good karma). So it is something we are wise to abandon by all means. And even if we do not abandon the unwholesome, it is extremely beneficial to cultivate the good. Why else are "bad" people handsome, rich, debonair, cunning (intelligent), and so on? It is not from cultivating harm but rather by misspending it through current choices.

GREED

Greed (sensual desire, craving) is the proximate cause of many offenses. The five greedy or selfish desires are for wealth, sensual enjoyment, fame, eating, and sleeping. 

  

Greed-based desire is endless and can therefore never be satisfied. The lesser the greed we entertain, the happier and more satisfied we are. The best prescription to deal with greed is giving (letting go) for the benefit of others. 

  

HATRED
Hatred (aversion, anger) is another cause of unwholesome karma. When we lose our temper and get angry, we are unhappy while making others miserable as well. The best prescription for calm and patience is kindness and appreciative joy (or again and again reflecting on the harm that arises based on hate).

DELUSION
Delusion (wrong views, ignorance, confusion) means holding persistent beliefs at variance with reality, distortions, perversions, misunderstanding, or simply not knowing any better. The best prescription is mindfulness (not "thinking" but being clearly cognizant of the present moment). It is also very useful to hear the Dharma, investigate it, ask questions, observe, and think (or at least reflect) in an objective manner. It is very useful to avoid or abandon our prejudices, which only hinder our understanding.

 

For instance, if we don't believe in karma (the fruition of deeds long after they are performed in accordance with an impersonal law or principle that is not a judgment by the universe or a god. Instead, we usually commit offenses in line with our mistaken belief or wrong views and much later suffer the natural result. CONTINUED IN PART II