Africans Attitude Toward Basic Buddhist Concepts
Many young Africans who came from different countries study three years of a monastic course at the African Buddhist Seminary. After graduated they have a good idea about the main Buddhist Concepts in addition to studying comparative religions. Here I have submitted their own understanding of some Buddhist Teachings so we can understand how far they have developed their concepts to the Buddhist way. These articles are proof that their attitudes have been adapted to Buddhist Concepts.
- The Four Noble Truths
- Karma
- The Truth
- Our True Nature
- Never Get Weary
- Brutal Killing
- Gratitude To Parents
- Supramundane Love
- Man and Environment
- Complacent Smile
- What The Future Holds…
- Buddha, Jesus, Mohamed: God and His Judgement Day
1.The Four Noble Truths
By Ben Chang and George Soko, Malawi
The Four Noble Truths are the fundamental teachings of our Lord Buddha. It is not the Buddha who created them, but they exist eternally. The Buddha just realized them through his intuitive wisdom. These are the first teachings of the Buddha that he expounded, at the Deer Park. These fundamental illuminative discourses were perfectly explained in the Dhammachakkappavattana sutra. This sutra also contains the Noble Eight fold Path. It’s only the Buddha who completely comprehended these Four Noble Truths. He realized them through his own effort and expounds them to all sentient beings. These Four Noble Truths exist in this world forever, but due to ignorance, many sentient beings fail to realize and apprehend them.
The Buddha, through his limitless, immeasurable, boundless compassion and loving kindness, revealed them to us for our own benefit. The Buddha wishes that all sentient beings should perfectly understand these teachings, but due to ignorance, sentient beings fail to realize them and as a result they keep on doing unwholesome deeds that give rise to rebirth now and again. Failure to understand the Four Noble Truths is failure to attain supreme happiness (enlightenment). It needs self-diligence to attain this type of happiness and not rely on someone else; as the Buddha said, ‘rely on one self not others.’
Truth is an English world, which means sacca in Pali. No one has the ability to change this sacca. This is so because sacca is limitless and ultimate. The Four Noble Truths pertain to all sentient beings in this deluded world and they are eternal. These truths are called the Four Noble Truths because they are four in number, they ennoble the defiled one and they are the reality or supreme truths of the so-called being. In Pali, they are called Ariyasaccani. These truths include:
i. Dukkha (suffering).
ii.Cause of dukkha.
iii.Cessation of dukkha.
iv.The way leading to the end of dukkha.
i. SUFFERING (DUKKHA)
The Buddha realized that life is suffering. Suffering can be categorized into mental suffering and physical suffering and can be experienced in many different ways. Examples of physical suffering can be birth, sickness, old age and death. Mental suffering may include stress, worry, discontentment, disharmony, hunger, craving for power and contact with enemies, loneliness, fear, hatred, etc. All sentient beings are subject to all these types of uffering. Contact with disliked ones is suffering because no one wants to meet someone or something that he does not like.If he meets them, he feels unhappy and develops hatred or an evil mind while trying to eliminate or run away from them. Though I have said that life is suffering, it does not mean that there is no happiness or pleasure in the world. Happiness and pleasure exist, only that they are impermanent and do not last for long. The happiness that we experience in this world is a fake, fleeting happiness; it just deceives us. This type of happiness cannot make us attain supreme happiness or everlasting peace; instead, it increases our craving, desires, attachment and unsatisfactoriness.
True happiness cannot be generated by mundane achievements or possessions, but it can be generated by wisdom. True happiness lies within one’s mind and it cannot be defined in terms of worldly material or immaterial belongings. Fleeting happiness cheats sentient beings. They don’t realize that the happiness attained in this world is like bait in water.I am comparing it to bait because, when fishing, people take a hook and attach fish food. When it is in the water, and a fish sees it, the fish feels happy thinking that it has found food to eat. It doesn’t know that it is not real food, but something intended to give it problems. Then it advances to it and swallows it. Thereafter, the hook sticks on the throat or in the mouth. Eventually, the fish dies. If it rescues itself, it experiences too much pain or sustains abnormalities. The same applies to worldly happiness. It looks like real happiness, but in reality, it is false happiness. This is so because it retards one’s spiritual happiness and keeps him in samsara. It is like fake food (bait) enticing fish in the water. Sentient beings ought to realize this truth.
ii. CAUSE OF SUFFERING (DUKKHA)
When a problem arises and you know its cause, it is very easy to solve it. When one is hungry, he doesn’t feel okay. Hunger can also be considered a problem. The cause of this problem might be not taking food for a couple of hours or days. Now, the best solution to solve this problem is taking food. Similarly, when one is sick and goes to see the doctor, the doctor first understands the sickness so that he can give him the right medication. By understanding the sickness, I mean knowing what disease the patient is suffering from and examining the cause of that disease.
The above analogies apply to the second Noble Truth (cause of dukkha). Our Lord Buddha realized the cause of all suffering in this world of desires. The cause of suffering is craving and attachment. The chief cause is ignorance. Many sentient beings, in particular people, are attached to and crave things for self-gratitude and enjoyment. Example of things people crave and are attached to include honor, body, eternal life, worth, relatives, friends, ideas, concepts, religions, world, fame, et cetera. Due to this, they fail to realize the true purpose of life. No one in the world wants to be poor or be considered an underdog. In the process of craving, people create suffering for themselves. They try the best they can to fulfill their desires. If they fail, they get worried; as a result, weak-minded, ignorant people reach the point of committing suicide.
Some people are not satisfied with what they possess. For example, a thousandaire wants to become a millionaire; a millionaire wants to become a billionaire and so on. Others crave for power so that they should be respected in society. If they attain all these things that they crave for, they become attached to them. The Buddha clearly explained that it is not only the Buddha who has the ability to eliminate attachment and craving, but all sentient beings are able to do this. By this, I mean everyone has the ability to attain supreme enlightenment.
iii. CESSATION OF SUFFERING (DUKKHA)
This is the complete eradication of attachment, craving and finally ignorance. The complete cessation of suffering means Nibbana, which is the ultimate goal of Buddhism. This can be attained only by the total eradication of internal and external attachment and craving. I can define Nibbana as the ultimate supramundane peace of mind or an eternally happy state of mind. The other meaning can be the cessation of the three fires. These three fires are hatred, delusion and greed. Nibbana is unconditional; it does not rely on causes and conditions for its existence. In reality, Nibbana is above the above descriptions. It is not easy to describe Nibbana as one can fail to tell the taste of sugar if he has never tasted sugar. Nibbana is uncreated, immortal and it is beyond everything. The best way to describe it is to experience it. Eliminating all defilements can experience this: delusion, aversion, attachment, craving and ignorance. Nibbana can also be achieved in this life.
All sentient beings are encouraged to realize these Four Noble Truths. The Buddha said that everything in the world is impermanent, nothing contains true nature. Impermanence applies to both things that can be perceived and those that cannot be perceived with our eyes. The same applies to dukkha, no one can claim to have seen dukkha using his or her own eyes, but you can only experience it. Dukkha is also impermanent, it can vanish anytime. There is a need of great effort to eliminate it. This Noble Truth can be realized by developing the eight fold Path.
iv.THE WAY LEADING TO THE CESSATION OF SUFFERING (DUKKHA)
This route avoids the extremes of self-mortification and self-indulgence. Like the doctor, firstly he identifies the disease, then analyzes the cause of the disease, then gives the cure or medication required.
The Noble Eight fold Path is also arranged in steps to cure diseases of the mind. This path leads to supreme enlightenment (Nibbana). This path includes right understanding, right thoughts, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.
–Right Understanding is the keynote of Buddhism. This is the understanding of oneself. It is the understanding of how something really is. This also includes the understanding of every phenomenon, and taking it as it really is.
-Right Understanding leads to Right Thoughts. This means to eradicate unwholesome thoughts in the mind; instead, harbour wholesome thoughts. It can also mean changing one’s mental state for the better. Normally one is defiled by one’s thoughts. Similarly, one is purified by one’s thoughts. Unskillful thoughts destroy one while skillful thoughts ennoble one. Right Thoughts can be in form of loving-kindness, non-attachment, selflessness, unselfishness, renunciation of worldly pleasures, harmlessness, non-callousness, goodwill, compassion, non-possessiveness, non-aggressiveness, etc…
-Right Thoughts lead to Right Speech. If the mind is pure, there are no wrong thoughts; the speech produced from the mouth will also be pure. Right Speech is about refraining from backbiting, producing words that can harm others, slandering, frivolous talk and falsehood.
-Right Action follows Right Speech. This is to avoid all unwholesome actions like sexual misconduct, killing and stealing. These unskillful actions are caused by ignorance, attachment, anger, greed and finally ignorance, which is the chief cause.
-Right Action leads to Right Livelihood. This is refraining from the five kinds of evil trades. Mostly this applies to the lay disciple. A monk is completely not allowed to do any type of trade. These evil trades include: trading in arms, poisonous stuffs, intoxicants, human beings and flesh. Breeding animals for slaughter falls under the same category.
-Right Livelihood gives rise to Right Effort. This is one of the most important steps in the Noble Eight fold Path. It is by one’s effort that one eliminates defilements. No one has ability to eradicate someone else’s defilements; as for example the Buddha attained enlightenment through his own effort. He did not rely on someone else to attain supreme enlightenment.
Right Effort is fourfold:
i. The endeavor to eliminate the already existing wickedness.
ii. An attempt to avoid the arising of the wickedness that has not yet risen.
iii. The effort to develop the good that has not yet arisen.
iv. The endeavor to improve the already existing good.
-Right Effort leads to right Mindfulness. This is the regular mindfulness of mind, body, feelings and thoughts. Right Mindfulness leads to the eradication of attachment, delusion, mistaken belief and misconceptions.
-Lastly, Right Concentration. This is the one-pointedness of the mind. A concentrated mind sees things as they really are. It does not give the wrong view.
The Eight fold Path is categorized into three groups- namely; Morality, Mental progress and Wisdom.
Morality: Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood
Mental progress: Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration
Wisdom: Right Understanding and Right Thought
Author’s comment:
This George Soko is a 24 years old Malawian student. He has studied at African Buddhist Seminary for three years. I gave this topic to write some explanation about his understanding on four noble truths as one of the main teachings in Buddhism. The Buddha in his first Discourse named “Dhammacakka pavattana sutta” in the sutta pitaka at Isipatana migadaya in India explained this .
Here mainly was talking about Suffering, Cause of suffering, Cessation of suffering and the way of cessation of suffering. These four noble truths are relative to all of our problems. If any body really understands them, he can come out from his all sufferings.
Majority of Africans are still suffering with many things as I mentioned in chapter six. Aids, poverty, other diseases, low education etc. These are the African people’s main sufferings. To completely eradicate these sufferings, first they have to understand what are the causes for these sufferings. Only then they can easily find the way to eradicate those causes. After that they will get complete liberation.
Until they have reached fully understanding and follow this theory, they cannot come out from their sufferings. This teaching is very important for cessation of their suffering.
2.Karma
(By Bonfire Fundo (Ben Fa), Malawi)
What is karma?
We are kept prisoners in the circle of birth and death because of our ignorance, attachment and aversion. We are all alike insofar as we are subject to afflictions, yet there are many differences among living beings with which we are all familiar. For instance, some of us are wealthy, while others of us are poor; some are strong and healthy while others are weak and diseased, and so forth. All difference arising which separates beings from actions, needs and behaviors are what we call karma. Karma also determines what kind of next life into which one should be reborn. We might also recall that part of the Buddha’s experience on the night of his enlightenment consisted of gaining an understanding of how karma determines the rebirth of living beings–how living beings migrate from happy to unhappy and from unhappy to happy conditions as a consequence of their particular karma. So, the real definition of karma is action; that is to say, the act of doing this or that. This action however is not mechanical nor is it unconscious or involuntary. On contrary, karma is intentional, conscious, deliberate action motivated by volition or will.
Law of karma
According to the law of karma, if we perform a wholesome action, sooner or later we will obtain a wholesome fruit, or result, and if we perform an unwholesome action, we will inevitably obtain an unwholesome or unwanted result. In Buddhism, there is a saying, which goes, “particular causes bring those particular effects that are similar in nature to those causes.” This law is fixed.
How karma is classified
In this section I will consider human karma as the central figure of discussion because we all belong to the same realm. Human karma is separated into three ways. This is what the Buddha said. We have body-generating karma, speech-generating karma and mind-generating karma. All intentional actions of body, speech and mind produce karmic results that will inevitably occur. This is unchangeable, and even the Buddha cannot change this law. You make it, you face the results.
Kinds of karma
Generally speaking, karma is divided into three basic kinds; I have tried to give a brief description of these kinds in the following sections.
Good, bad and neutral karma
According to your action, you may have a good, bad or neutral result. Good karma is produced by acts that are intended to help other living beings; for example, donations of materials to those in need. Bad karma is produced by acts that are intended to harm other living beings, like walking on top of ants, killing mosquitoes, murdering, cursing and scolding, etc. Unintentional acts produce neutral karma. According to Ven. Hui Re cha’n master of the Nan Hua Temple in South Africa, killing a person with the intent of saving a million people is not kill him out of anger, but out of compassion to the million. For example, if one person has hijacked hundreds of people in a plane and one uses his methods to go and save those hijacked but he meets a stiff resistance in doing so and has nothing to do but kill that evil person that is considered as a neutral karmic action. Another example is an unintentional killing of a person because you think that person is a tree or something else. In such a situation though you are subject to facing your karmic retribution of killing, however it is still regarded as a neutral karma.
Guiding karma and determining karma
Why are you a person now and why do we have dogs and all animals around us? Have you ever thought about it before? This guiding karma is the one, which determines whether to be reborn as an animal, a human, a ghost, or so on. When you are reborn, there follows another karma that will give you features. This is what we call detailed karma. It determines what kind of body one will have, what one’s circumstances will be, to which family or which nation one will be born, what one’s colour of skin will be, whether one will be poor or rich, etc.
Shared and individual karma
Shared karma is the karma that is shared by many different beings at once. For example, all of us on this planet share the same planet; people in a continent, in a nation, in society and homes also share these smaller elements. In my country Malawi we used to have water floods that swept peoples’ crops and left behind hunger. Sometimes there are years of heavy drought, with no rain for almost a year. In case of floods, you may be sleeping but from nowhere there comes water that sweeps away your belongings and leaves you behind with nothing. This is what we call shared karma. In other countries, people share the karma of wars, earthquakes, racism, political instabilities, etc.
But while the place or country experiences such disasters like earthquake, for example, not all the people will have the same outcomes. The degree of being affected will be different; this is what we call individual karma. In the Bible there is a story that is much related to this karma. When the Israelis were taken captive in Babylon not all of them remained forever in Babylon, others returned to the Promised Land. And they all faced different punishments though they had a shared karma of being in exile.
So, in a nutshell, karma is either good or bad. Good karma produces happy results, while bad karma produces unhappy results. Neutral karma produces results that are either happy or unhappy.
The power of karma is incredible; it exerts its influence over great distances. When the fruits of retribution have ripened, there is nowhere you can hide. Work for good and get the best.
Author’s comment:
Here Bonfire Fundo has tried to explain about Karma and its categerories as also one of very important and deep teachings in Buddhism. The Buddha has explained about this Karma at many areas in the Tripitaka. We can find many explanations in the Abhidhamma pitaka and Sutta pitaka. Mainly these explanations are in Abhidhamma pitaka, the collection of profound teachings.
The Buddha has explained how these karma activate people on the Cullakamma vibhanga sutra (The Shorter Exposition of Kamma) and Maha kamma vibhanga sutra (The Greater Exposition of Kamma) inthe Majjima nikaya. I have given more explanation about this Cullakamma vibhanga sutra under the chapter six.
Karma is theory about world nature. We can not jump away from the workings of this theory. If some body does good he will get good result, but if he does bad he will get bad result. This law continues on the world. Buddhism always talks about this point. Our present life and belongings are the result of our last actions. Also what we do now will have the result for that.
To get a good rebirth in a good place, get a long life, get good health and wealth we have to have accumululate good karma. If not we get opposite result of them. Most of the african community have povery, short life, diseases and low living condition. One of the main reason for that is their past kamma. It is better to understand this theory and maintain life according to that law of karma. Then they can reach good places and good conditions. Withou this understanding and its practical application in the right way, it is difficult to come out from their present situation to good condition.
3. The Truth
(By Ben Chang and George Soko, Malawi)
I am the Truth,
Discovered by the diligent one.
In every aspect, I exist
The Truth I am.
My ability is vast
Admonishing sentient-beings is my favorite duty
Scientists and philosophers know me
In me, nobody bows the knees unto Baal.
Without being tied to someone’s apron strings,
I nourish all sentient beings.
Wherever I go, sentient beings
meet me with approval.
I change an ass into a wise man
really, a long arm I have
One who accommodates me,
Will always have a calm, free and pure mind,
He will never stand in awe of anything
Protective of him, I encompass him.
I reduce ignorance to ashes,
Without weapons, I take up arms peacefully,
And always win the day.
Leading an Arcadian life,
Standing on their legs,
Heaping coals of fire and
Putting their shoulder to the wheel,
I teach my followers.
The Truth I am.
Author’s comment:
This Ben Chang is the novice name of George Soko who wrote the first article about four noble truths. He has good ability to create some ideas about Buddhist teachings and the truth. Here he has explained about Truth and its operation.
Truth is one. It is helps every person to develop his or her path to full liberation. If someone lies he is in the position to do any kind of evils in the world. Truth must be one. The Buddha always used truth. And he explained what the benefits of using the truth are. He never expressed praise to all forms of lies.
“Ekam dhammam atitassa – musavadissa jantuno
Vitinna paralokassa – natti papam akariyam
There is no evil that can not be done by the liar, who has transgressed the one law (of truthfulness) and who is indifferent to a world beyond” .
This Ben chang’s poem also used to understand the duty of the truth.
4. Our True Nature
(By Bonfire Fundo [Ben Fa], Malawi)
Everybody born of this flesh is entitled to become a Buddha regardless of gender. This is a difference from other faiths. The Buddha in his forty-five years of teaching the Dharma emphasized the fact that for one to be a Buddha, one should lighten one’s own nature before they attain enlightenment. In this article I will try to explain how one looks at their own nature to enable them to attain Buddha-hood.
The platform sutra of the sixth patriarch says, “Your original nature is empty.” What does this mean? When we see that there is nothing to be seen in our own original nature, we attain the right view. When we see that there is nothing to be known in our own original nature, we will attain the right knowledge. Original nature is neither black nor white, neither long nor short, and yet its pure source can be seen and one’s whole being may become awakened by its light. If this happens, one is said to have become a Buddha simply by seeing one’s own nature.
When we can look at all phenomena without having our own mind become delusively attached to any of them, we will have attained no-thought. With no-thought we can go anywhere without clinging to anything. We will be in our pure original mind and our six consciousnesses will be free to travel through the six doors of the senses and mingle with the six dusts (form, sound, smell, taste, contact and dharma or mental formations), without becoming confused or defiled. When we are able to roam with this sort of freedom and do what we will without the slightest obstruction, we will have attained the prajna-samadhi [the meditation of wisdom]. This state of perfect freedom is called acting with no-thought.
One day I read a certain cha’n [meditation] book by a certain cha’n master, Huang Po. He said, ‘those who want to become Buddha do not need to study the Dharma at all. All they need to study is “not clinging, not wanting.”’ The fact is, if one wants nothing, then nothing is born in the mind. Here the opposite applies: if one clings to nothing, nothing dies in his mind. That which does not die and is not born is called the Buddha.In a nutshell, the way to see the Buddha in nature is to abandon delusion and to be without desire and without attachment. When we can do this, we will “breathe with the nose the Buddha use.” Remember, you and I are future Buddha so why not start now cultivating helping living beings, i.e. those in need, diseased, orphans, afflicted by wars, etc.? May your Buddha-nature be glorified, let’s work hard and be freed from the circle of coming and going, dying and being born.
Wishing that all blessings from all tthe Buddhas’ pure lands meet your effort of seeing your own nature.Author’s comment:
Here Bonfire Fundo has idea about Human nature. He is a Malawian boy who studied at African Buddhist Seminary for three years. After he studied chan mediation and Mahayana Buddhist teachings he has been equipped with the understand about this fact about human beings.
Every beings have ability to attain Buddha hood and finish their life circle. But only human beings have fast ability to access it among other beings, because they have a highly developed mind than other beings.It is no matter which colour, place of birth, which tribe or who are you. Any kind of human beings can cut their sorrowful life circle if they practice the path.
Infant’s mind is very pure. There is no any evils there. But while he is growing up gathering many evils. If we can protect that infant mind, it is very easy to access to Buddha hood. Because there is no much polluted conceptions.
Here Bon fire is saying about true nature and people’s accesses to get full liberation through Buddhist practice.he was born as a black person in Malawi in Africa. But after studied about Buddhism and practiced, he is giving this idea to other colleagues through this article with some practical understanding. There is no any boundary for practice and attainment . Every body can achieve provides he is willing to practice.5. Never Get Weary
(By Davison C.K. Chisale, Malawi)All beings are born equal;
therefore claim equal rights and treatment.
I appreciate the endless battle for humanity.
I know wickedness will prevail, but
only for a short while, as Buddha said,
“Everything is illusion.”
May celestial beings give strength and guidance
to all beings that have sleepless nights to
uplift humanity; even the wind and rain make a hurricane.
I believe a day will come when all people will
interact on the common platform.
I really love humanity, it is our father,
The universe our mother and loving-kindness,
Our perfect religion.
When the truth prevails throughout the world,
Wickedness will vanish completely,
As the Buddha defeated ignorance for good.
Let the Buddha mind spread in all ten directions,
To let go this ego that destabilizes sentient beings
And deteriorates nature that supports Buddha seeds.Author’s comment:
Here is Davison C.K. Chisale’s poem about what the Buddha said on loving kindness, equanimity, Humanity and universe. We (human beings) are born in different places with different colours, tribes, names, religions and abilities. But we belong to one group of human beings. We have same body parts and feelings. Many things are the same in all human beings. It is not easy to be born in one country, talking one language, following one religion or being completely the same. There must be little differences. We have to develop equanimity and loving kindness to all. Always have to relate us to others. Then it is easy to understand others and develop our loving kindness and equanimity towards them.
Buddha said:
“Sabbe tasanti dandassa – sabbe bhayanti maccuno
attanam upamam katva – na haneyya na ghataye.
” All tremble at the rod. All fear death. Comparing others with oneself, one should neither strike nor cause to strike. ”
He has mentioned loving kindness as a universal religion. If any religion guides against harming others but develop loving kindness and equanimity then the religion has the greatest hope.
6. Brutal Killing
(By Ben Chang and George Soko, Malawi)
Out of ignorance, non-compassion and ill will, something inhumane, horrible and incomprehensible happened. It happened that one day she went to the lake for a swim. Unfortunately, Dams was also there. He had gone to have a look at some beautiful natural sea birds, fish and the calm lake. No sooner had he arrived at the beach than his eyes bumped into Christina. She was almost seventeen years old. Dams was almost twenty three. Upon seeing her, he was extremely happy. He knew that it was the convenient place and time to fulfill his plan.
The place was cool and there was nobody around apart from the two of them. He tried to keep himself out of her sight so that she couldn’t see him. The setting was so marvelous that he succeeded in his plan. He secretly and quietly approached her from behind as she sat along the lake, concentrating her mind on the water. She was not aware of what was happening behind her. He came close to her and grabbed her strongly. She almost broke her back trying to rescue herself, but to no avail. She tried to scream, but it was too late because he had already covered her mouth with his hand.
Dams was as powerful as an elephant. She recognized him, but there was no way to prevent him from doing what he did. He threw her down, and afterwards he was happy that he had satisfied his desire for her. He enjoyed what he did, but afterwards uncomfortable thoughts started prevailing in his mind. Chris was in tears on the sand. She was mentally dead, and what remained for her was only the physical body, with her mind somewhere else. She was in total agony.
Dams was also confused. His mind was troubled. He eventually realized that what he did set his life in the balance. He knew for sure that it was a serious criminal offense that beckoned disastrous consequences. Now, he thought of ways to make sure that news of the disgusting, filthy event did not go beyond the beach boundaries. Though nobody witnessed the rape, he knew for sure that she would report it to her parents, and they in turn would bring the case to the police officials’ attention. Obviously, he could be in a lot of trouble.
“Homicide is the best solution to appease my conscience,” he thought to himself. Things did not happen according to his original plan. He planned only to rape her, but now he also wanted to kill her.
It was as if he were a wild beast. Suddenly, he jumped and grabbed her. Chris cried for help, but it was in vain, and he throttled her to death. After, he felt relieved. Then he buried the corpse in the sand behind the huge rock. He forgot that human life is the most important thing in the world, and thought that no one would let the cat out of the bag.
Not long after the evil deed, her parents discovered that Christina was missing. The news that this gorgeous girl was missing spread all over the ten directions. Her parents presented the issue to the police. The police started seeking her and put the news on air through different media. Dams thought that he was free since no one saw him committing the two evil crimes of rape and homicide. People in the compound worked hand in hand with the police, but they couldn’t find her. After three days, her youngest sister who was slightly over three years old told her mother that Chris had gone to the lake for swimming.
They went to the lake only to find her stinking body buried in sand. They exhumed it and carried it home. A postmortem revealed that she had died of severe throttling, but they couldn’t trace the perpetrator.
Contrary to his expectation, Christina’s spirit started causing inconveniences for Dams. His mind was not at peace. The situation became more and more unsettling. He felt as if everyone knew that he was a murderer. The unwholesome deeds that he committed were following him wherever he went. The world to him became a confined space. He thought that there was nothing for it but to commit suicide to relieve his frustrations. He wrote a note divulging the causes and conditions of his death and put it in his pocket. Then he hanged himself with a rope in a tree and died on the spot.
The incident was reported to the police. They were flabbergasted to hear of two cases of the same nature from the same compound within a week. They were still investigating the previous case; armed police detectives came and found the note in his pocket.
The note read: “Chris was the most gorgeous girl in this compound. I proposed to her several times, but she rebuffed me. She was my best friend. I tried this way and that, but she always turned me down. Thereafter, I thought raping her could be the beginning of love between her and me. Normally, I was friendly to her. Alas, my cheerful face was quite different to what was lingering in my mind. After raping her, another evil thought came into my mind that I should kill her. I thought it would be the end of her, that no one would discover my crimes. When the police and people in the compound were looking for her, I felt extremely guilty that I was responsible for her death, but I failed to spill the beans for fear of the disastrous conditions, which would befall me. Nevertheless, I couldn’t feel peace of mind. I thought the best solution was to commit suicide. Let me be free!”
This story signifies that in living in the world we are entangled with worldly pleasures and desires that create great pain and suffering. Sensual and flirting pleasures always invite unbearable, difficult conditions. Defeat ignorance, which conditions attachment. Initially, Dams had a wrong view that made him attracted to Christina’s physical body. He had unwholesome thoughts of proposing to her. Later, this turned into rape, then homicide, and eventually suicide.
The Buddha said, “Happy is goodwill towards all sentient beings; happy is non-attachment; happy is he who has heard the Truth and utilizes it; happy is the one who controls his mind; happy is the one who lives without sensual and flirting pleasures.” A single unwholesome thought can cause immeasurable suffering for oneself as well as for others. Dams had dangerous thoughts of falling in love with Chris, which resulted in rape and the loss of two lives. Suicide is not the solution to frustrations and disappointment, as it creates even more problems. The Buddha teaches that there is a best, most convenient way to end suffering. This way purifies the mind, and a purified mind cannot have suffering. The Buddhist Teaching (Dharma) says, “Suicide is morally and spiritually wrong and is a cowardly way of ending problems. Suicide cannot occur if your mind is pure and tranquil.”
If you leave this world by suicide, it is very likely you will be reborn into the lower realms of existence for many years. And it is said in the sutras that we enjoy the past merits, which means that we will suffer in our next lives if we have not accumulated enough merits in this life. The Buddha said that: “by one’s deeds one is purified and by one’s deeds one is cursed. Cultivating one’s body and mind brings happiness to many, and only through good deeds will our world find peace, love and harmony.”
“A trivial evil thought in the mind can bear immeasurable destruction.”
Author’s comment:
This is a true story, which happened in Malawi. Ben Chang wrote it. From this story, he wanted to say how sensual desires and craving generate evil deeds, and how an uncontrolled mind makes evil deeds. Firstly, desires arise from mind then after, followed by speech and body.
If mind creates bad conceptions we get bad result, if mind creates good conceptions its results are good. The Buddha has explained this theory in Dhammapada as follows: –
“Mano-pubbangama dhamma – mano-settha mano-maya
Manasa ce padutthena – bhasati va karoti va
Tato nam dukkhamanveti – cakkam va vahato padam.
Mind is the forerunner of all states, Mind is chief, mind made are they. If one speaks or acts with wicked mind, because of that, suffering follows one, even as the wheel follows the hoof of the draught-ox ”
“Mano-pubbangama dhamma – mano-settha mano-maya
Manasa ce pasannena – bhasati va karoti va
Tato nam sukhamanveti – chaya va anapayini.
Mind is the forerunner of all states, Mind is chief, mind made are they. If one speaks or acts with pure mind, because of that, happiness follows one, even as one’s shadow that never leaves.
All the time the Buddhas constantly advised the community not to do any evil, to cultivate good, to purify one’s mind. This is the message delivered by Buddhas that appeared in the world.
“Sabba-papassa akaranam – kusalassa upasampada
Sacitta-pariyodapanam – etam buddhana sasanam ”
Anything bad that happens, the reason for that is Bad guided mind. It will do many robberies, killing, stealing etc. Here George Soko helps to us tot understand how the polluted mind destroys our all life. Finally, as we can see through this story, these young people died cause of ignorance. Because of craving, these two persons suffered during this life and, will without any doubt suffered during their lives to come.
7. Gratitude To Parents
(By Ben Xing [Simon Masauko], Malawi)
Respect and filial piety to elders are the focal points of African Culture, traditions and moral systems. The character of African moral society is that it is based on the family, headed by its ancestors and elders, mostly from fathers’ side. More than 2000 years ago, Mencius the philosopher said, people should take care of their own elders as well as other elders. The holy bible says, respect and honor your mother and father so that your days of living may increase. According to African tradition, elders who lack the ability to work are still regarded as a treasure of the family because a man of experience is a man of wisdom. Africans truly believe that filial piety is the most important of all kindness and gratitude. An Indian enlightened sage, Gotama Buddha, explained in his teachings how people should behave towards those who are older or higher in status and prestige than oneself. Gotama Buddha, the enlightened one, expounded thirty-eight rules of conduct describing the highest auspiciousness. Within all these rules expounded by Gotama Buddha, the exhorted one, I find similar characteristics of moral conduct and behavior between Indian thought systems as presented and taught by Gotama Buddha and African thought systems taught by parents and the elders.
To honor those who are worthy of honor is the highest blessing. To an African, parents and elderly people are worthy of honor and respect, no matter how one’s parents may look. A literal translation of an African Malawian proverb “your mother is your mother even if she might have one leg shorter than the other (mai ako ndi ako basi angakhale achepe mwendo) could be: poor or rich, intelligent or dull, good looking or bad looking, beautiful or ugly, clever or stupid, young or old, job or jobless, drunkard or religious—in whatever state, status or situation parents may be, they are worthy of honor and respect.
The Buddha as a teacher is worthy of honor, the Dharma that his teaching and the Sangha that is the holy community of monks is both worthy of respect and honor. Teachers, elders and those who are higher in prestige than oneself are to be honored and respected. To attend closely to one’s parents is the highest blessing. Here, attending closely to one’s parents’ means ministering their duties, making them happy and healthy. To listen to each and every piece of advice given by parents, teachers and elders and to do as advised is the highest blessing. To pay respect to those who are worthy of respect is a noble blessing. One shows respect by making way for them, by bending one’s back on passing in front of them, kneeling when offering things, receiving things by both hands, by offering them a seat when traveling on a bus or train, by sitting in a lower place than theirs, humbling oneself in times of admonishment—these are some African practices by children toward parents and elders.
Whoever abides by rules of blessings like humility, gratitude, leading a chaste life, shunning sins, choosing a blameless vocation, and many more, overcomes all difficulties and oppositions in life and will gain success and prosperity in the present life as well as in future lives. These rules of conduct according to the discourse of the blessings are called the highest auspiciousness because they bring success and prosperity to all who follow them. The rules of conduct are what make an Africa moral system, but we, the young generation of today, have totally forgotten our culture and traditional values. We don’t have prosperity anymore, but are only facing difficulties and opposition in life.
Parents must be regarded as the most superior beings on earth. Parents are the first teachers and are worthy of offerings. According to Gotama Buddha, the Indian sage, parents have five names. Although African culture and tradition don’t have these names, the idea expressed in these names is what African cultures and traditions are based upon, namely: Brahma or God, Pubbadevata or first deities, Pubbccariya or first teachers, Ahuneyya or worthy of offering, and Puratthimadisa or east direction.
The parents are named Brahma, which is like God. Parents radiate loving kindness towards the baby in the womb, wishing that the baby be free from sickness and disease, that the baby be born with full limbs and proper body parts like legs, hands, eyes, etc. As in most cases we see parents feel compassion when they hear the cry of their little baby sleeping on its back, being eaten by mosquitoes or for one or another reason. They feel empathetic joy when the baby can run and play happily alone with a toy or even with other babies, or friends and other people. Parents feel equanimity when the children get married and stand on their legs. Loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity are the sublime qualities of Brahma and the same qualities are found within parents therefore parents are called Brahma.
Parents are called Pubbadevata or First Deity. All the deities can forgive the faults of those who do not know and do not understand, and thus perform things against moral conduct and natural laws. They wish to dispel those people who bring confusion, terror, violence or other bad things to their self or other beings, and only wish to bring out their advantages. They can carry out great benefits for those who give offerings to them. Just like deities, parents also can forgive the faults of their children and find means to help them. No matter how big the fault one might commit, parents always forgive and forget what children do to them. This is the greatest sublime quality present in parents and they are the biggest benefactors among all these other deities, so they are called first Deities. When I was a very young boy I was introduced to Christianity and was taught that God created this triple world, so is everyone, everything and myself. Whatever fault one might make will be forgiven by God the almighty. I was also told that a parent is my second god because they possess the same attributes as God.
Our parents are not just parents like the way most of us think. They are even more important than we imagine. Because we are born with ignorance, we need people who are Pubbacariya, or first teachers, to guide us through the dark world. Our parents introduce us to this triple world. It might be interesting to see that most of us were taught how to eat, drink, speak, walk, and sit by our parents. Distinguishing between family members and friends is taught to children by parents. Not only did they teach us to distinguish good from bad, but also respect from disrespect, and love from hatred. Before a child leaves where he belongs, most of what he already knows is because of his or her parents; therefore they are called Pubbacariya.
As a way of gratitude to what others has done for us, we usually do a certain thing for them. Our parents may be or are called Ahuneyya, which is worthy of offering. Parents have special qualities to receive offerings brought from afar due to the great care and support, or even sacrifices, which parents volunteer in order to raise their children—for all this they are worthy of offerings from children. No matter how far a child may leave, the child still must take some offerings to give to his or her parents. So they are called Ahuneyya…
Puratthimadisa or Eastern Direction: parents give the first help that children receive. Whatever helps a child might need, parents make sure to provide and assist the child no matter the cost, and for this reason parents are called Eastern Direction.
As aging is a natural process, we understand that it will happen to each and every one of us. After taking care of children, parents reach an age when their body is tired, very old, physically weak, and mostly they are sick. This is the time to show gratitude and offer assistance and help. Children must make sure that their duties towards parents have been done thoroughly. Children should help bathe their parents, should massage them, wash their clothes, and dress them in clean clothes. Children should prepare meals for parents and feed them, giving them suitable fruit and vegetables to increase their vitamins and immune system. Always entertain parents and give them words of inspiration and encouragement. The Buddha said, “Oh monks, one can never repay two persons, I declare. What two? Mother and father are the two. Even if one should carry about his mother on one shoulder and his father on the other and so doing should live a hundred years; attain a hundred years; and if he should support them, anointing them with unguent kneading, bathing and rubbing their limbs and they meanwhile should even void their excrement upon him; even so could he not repay his parents. Moreover monks, if he should establish his parents in supreme authority, in the absolute rule over this mighty earth bounding in the seven treasures, not even thus could he repay his parents.”
If we do not have anything to be grateful about, our life is a dreary plane. Parents are not perfect human beings and because of this they also can wrong their children, but children need to think beyond the negative aspects of what had been done to them. We must also develop the four sublime states, which parents have got, such as loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity, because sooner or later we will become future parents. If life was just a continuous complaint and we did not remember anything good ever done to us by parents this is called depression. It is impossible to ever imagine being happy again. Being able to support and look after our parents is considered to be one of the greatest blessings in life. To forgive and forget the negative deeds done to us by our parents is the noble quality of a successful child. The Indian sage Gotama Buddha encouraged us to think of the good things done for us by our parents, by our friends, teachers, whoever; and to do this intentionally—to cultivate it, to bring it to into consciousness quite deliberately rather than just letting it happen accidentally. Through this practice one sees how good and compassionate are parents and how difficult is for parents to raise and bring up children; hence, honor your mother and father so that your days of living may increase. Whatever we do will never be enough to repay what had been done for us by our parents.
Author’s comment:
Simon Masauko, a Malawian who has finished his three year diploma course on Buddhism in South Africa; he can explain many parts of the Buddha’s teachings. But here in his article mainly has mentioned about parents and gratitude. He has found some good points from Tripitaka and compared to African culture. He has already mentioned that “I find similar characteristics of moral conduct and behavior between Indian thought systems as presented and taught by Gotama Buddha and African thought systems taught by parents and the elders.”
This word is correct and it came out from his comparative study. The Buddha’s duty is to remind and guide in the practice and understanding ourselves. Buddha appeared from times to time and taught about these things to the world. Most of things are within the world. But some time people have forgotten or could not found them. After Buddha appeared, he helped the people of the world to understand and perceive them. The Buddha adds only few new things as new teachings on to his teachings. Most of others are already in existence.
Simon Masauko again said about their cultural values. He said, “The young generation of today, have totally forgotten our culture and traditional values. We don’t have prosperity anymore, but are only facing difficulties and opposition in life. ” I have talk about this under chapter 05 – What are the present challenges for the spread of Buddhism in Africa? One of the reason is that; Loss of African culture and traditions.
The Buddha has given a deep explanation about elders and gratitude and other more teachings on the Sigalovada sutta . I have explained them in chapter 06 – How to face the challenges for the spread of Buddhism in Africa?
8. Supramundane Love
(By Ben Chang and George Soko, Malawi)
According to the law of creation, all people can think, but what differs is their thinking capability. This is why each and every person does a particular thing or deed according to his understanding, choice and liking. Without having differences in thinking capability, all human beings in the world would have the same thoughts, understanding, wisdom, knowledge, view, etc.
The basis of all this is the word “love.” What is love and what is it all about? Some people understand love in the wrong way. I do not know if it was like this with previous generations. I cannot say anything about the past generations because I was not in existence then!
Some of the people I have talked to in this life link love to sex and they think it’s their duty to do it, but according to my understanding, I think such people still live in darkness. I think love is neither about sex nor about physical satisfaction. From my point of view, love is about emotions, caring, helping, goodwill towards all sentient beings, and, finally, about compassion.
Yet love is impermanent; it can be created by people and can change at any time. Love exists in all sentient beings, manifests in everything that one does, and has no secret areas to hide. From the Buddhist point of view, love means having goodwill, loving kindness, and compassion towards all sentient beings—not physical satisfaction.
Others think that love is about sharing material things, or having girlfriends or boyfriends and going to parties. But love is not meant to give one AIDS, unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. If love is having sex, why is it that it brings about AIDS, which ruins people, STDs and untimely pregnancies that hinder one’s progress? In this case, what can we say love is? an impediment, a killer or a kind animal? Most people turn love into a killer and impediment. In reality, love is neither there to make someone fall into problems nor cause unnecessary death. Do what you feel is beneficial, not what can create obstacles towards your future lives or spiritual development.
When there is love, then selfishness, jealousy, hatred, war, and frivolous talk cannot exist. Real love creates happiness and peace among all sentient beings. Real love can make one risk his life for the benefit of others. For example, the Buddha renounced the world not only for his own benefit, but for all sentient beings in the world. He encountered lots of difficulties and experienced a lot of pain, but still he strove diligently to serve humankind. This type of love doesn’t cause suffering, but ends suffering.
Love can also be manifest through charity. Charity can be divided into two categories: intentional charity and unintentional charity. Intentional charity is to help or give someone something with an aim to get something back like fame, praise or honor. In Buddhism, this kind of love is completely discouraged. This is so because it beckons unwholesome karmic retributions. A true Buddhist avoids this type of love. Unintentional charity is to help someone without expecting something back. This category is also considered as universal love and it doesn’t have boundaries. This love is to be practiced by all Buddhists.
Lord Buddha taught his followers to have supramundane love (universal love), not worldly love. Since worldly love does not create happiness, but rather suffering, therefore a true Buddhist totally refrains from this type of love. With supramundane love there can not be suffering, and peace and happiness can prevail throughout the world.
It is not only the Buddha who can have supramundane love, as everyone has the potential to have it. What matters most is the mind. If the mind is well trained and guarded, it cannot harbor worldly or false love. Everyone has the potential for universal or supramundane love, but some people fail to realize, understand, and use it effectively.
Author’s comment:
In this article George Soko has explained about love and supramundave love. Most of the people on the world do not understand it really. They think about only short and temporally ways. Most of the people in Africa also think about this temporary happiness through love. Not think beyond that point. Because of that many people get sickness and suffering.
In the Buddha’s teaching we can find many explanations about how we can make our true love to get benefit for ourselves and others. He explained it like loving-kindness. It is difference from love. Most of the time love follows craving. But on the loving kindness there is no craving. It brings benefit to all beings on the universe. Buddha has explained this in many Sutras like: Karaniyametta sutra and Mettanisamsa sutra sutra. There we can find what the benefit is of developing loving kindness as follows: –
“Monks, for one whose release of awareness through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, given a means of transport, given grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken, eleven benefits can be expected. Which eleven?
“One sleeps easily, wakes easily, and dreams no evil dreams. One is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. Gods protect one. No fire, poison or weapons can touch one. One’s mind gains concentration quickly. One’s complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and — if penetrating no higher — is headed for the Brahma worlds.
“These are the eleven benefits that can be expected for one whose release of awareness through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, given a means of transport, given grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken.”
9. Man and Environment
(By Ben Chun, Malawi)
The world we live in, due to our greed and ignorance, is becoming a place that brings restlessness and fear to many living beings. Man, due to his greed, is creating things that will destroy even his own life. Our early grandparents lived in the moment, but today’s people try to live in the next coming hundred years before they even know what will happen in the coming second. Man, due to his greed, can be inconsistent; destroying his own home while thinking he is creating a good place for his future child.
It is easier to destroy something than to replace it, and the future child we think will live in a paradise will only find himself in a hell. The trees we destroy today will take away the good fresh air of the future child we plan to have tomorrow. The tree we feel is beautiful today will only be history for the grandchild who will soon have to live on this very land we are destroying. We think we love our future relatives, but the question is how they will survive in this world that will be lacking what they will need to survive.
The world is becoming hotter and hotter, giving other living beings a lesser chance of survival. The machines we create produce heat, yet we complain about the ever increasing heat of the world. Everyone wants a fast way of doing things; at the same time, we are looking for a better living environment, forgetting what the effects are of our own actions. The oceans will become bigger as the ice melts, leaving the ever-increasing population less space to hang itself. Pores like a fishing net, leaving man to expect the danger of diseases, now, riddle the ozone layer, which for many years gave man the protection of a better, healthier living environment.
Animals want to live, but it seems man is tired of living. The same food he knows will help in his next coming day, he poisons while thinking he is improving the quality of the food. Due to his greed and ignorance, man has destroyed the ecosystem. He consumes a certain plant or kills a certain animal for his benefit or to beautify his surroundings, forgetting that the same plant or animal is needed for the survival of others, which in turn, will affect his life. Due to his actions, the balance of living beings has been upset as some species become overpopulated due to the lack of others that feed on them. This leads to the extermination of some species, as they do not have the meals necessary to survive.
One cannot survive without using natural things, but it all depends on one’s mind as one uses them. The once lovely, beautiful home of many beings is now becoming a cemetery, as they cannot survive. Yesterday it was a forest but tomorrow it will be a place for building weapons. Our fathers had shade long ago, but those who felt they were wise turned it into a means for killing others. Due to our greed to become famous or rich, we have turned the once pure flowing rivers into dirty dumping places for the waste that gives us money. We tend to look for money more than we think about keeping our future safe. The Dalai Lama, in one of his essays on environmental approaches, wrote, “Concern with one’s personal health leads inevitably to a concern with environmental health. How healthy is the food you eat, the water you drink, or the air you breathe? The answer, in large measure, depends on how healthy the environment is.” If one only thinks of the good of others, how will he cause suffering to other beings? By taking the life of plants without reason, only to satisfy one’s desire, will only bring harm to the self, as our life is in constant connection with the world. It might be a simple plant to us, but within that simple plant numerous beings find happiness.
We tend to forget our connection with the world but we are like a family, and the death of one of us should bring tears to the rest of us for the remaining part of our life. We fail to see things how they are but try to express them to suit our needs. If we could take ourselves to be part of the world, how could we end the life of others? If we could see the interdependence of things, it would be easy for us to see the beauty within everything we contact. The death of a brother creates an unbalanced family, just as the killing of a rabbit or cutting down of a mango tree will cause an unbalanced world.
Author’s comment:
On this article Ben Chun from Malawi expressed about man and his interconnection with environment. Without considerate thinking, a man can destroys the system of the nature despite the fact that nature is important for future generations. But proving their idiotic ideas, we get many bad results from the nature and more other bad results. The nature has its own system. If we try to change, we get bad results more than good. We have to understand our inter connection with nature and other beings. We cannot live alone without using other things. Always we have to understand this.
The Buddha always loves and protects the nature. He always likes to live in the jungle and protect it. He loved all beings. Also all beings loved him and protected and helped him. While he was doing meditation in the jungle many animals treated him kindly by availing food for him. They never did any bad things to him, because they understood the Buddha was never harmful for them.
“Ramaniyani arannani – yattha na ramati jano
Vitaraga ramissanti – na te kamagavesino
Those fascinating forests that do not capture the mind of the worldly masses and in which they do not take delight are attractive to the passionless ones. The Arahats take delight in the forests, because they are not pursuers of sensual pleasures.”
If we love and protect the nature, we get help from it to develop our good things. If we go against it comes against us. This is the law of the nature. These things are more and more happening today. In the future we will be able see more than today. It is because of our ignorance. All over the world now we are facing unknown diseases, earthquakes and many other problems.
We can say the same thing when we look at Africa. Many people destroyed natural heritages, animals, trees etc. because of that they have many dry-zone areas. Then there is no rain and no water. Then we get many diseases.
10.Complacent Smile
(By Davison C.K. Chisale, Malawi)
You embrace people from all walks of life
and cool their hearts with your smile
without your smile tolerance is out of question
Your smile creates invisible walls between
mental state and physical state
No wonder people notice less anger
You really deserve the beauty
even look more beautiful when wearing
That golden, un tempered and unbiased smile
It answers unknown questions, solves unrisen
Doubts and even soothes the itching skin
Let all people know that smile increases
Face value, not only for physical attraction
but shows peace of mind, kindness and other
Inner virtues
It is the song of all people on how you lead
a stoic life, good affiliation with beings
Accompanied by an irresistible conquering smile
World surroundings are not meant to bring
Hatred, jealousy, greed, suffering and pain but
Rather bring love, tolerance, generosity, peace
And happiness
Learn to wear a smile to assure the world
of your inner virtuous deeds
Author’s comment:
Most of the people in the world are not happy with what they have. Always they worry with their sensual desires. Because they have many ideas to fulfill. They believe if any body can contented with what they have, they can live happier. People in the world are no longer happy, because they are not happy with what they have. They are full of greed, Hate, jealousy and suffering for others.
11. What The Future Holds For African Buddhist Seminary Students
(By Ben Yu [Aubrey Kalonga], Malawi)
The prime objective of the seminary is to train monks and lay Dharma teachers of high standing who will eventually take up the challenge of promulgating Buddhism in Africa. Since its inception in 1994, the seminary has recruited about 300 students, and although many of these students have chosen to leave the seminary prematurely on their own accord, quite a few have managed to finish. The question that one should ask is what is the future for the students who study at the seminary? Many people—students inclusive—have qualms about the future of the seminary students or the career prospects for even the hardworking students.
In response to all these questions, seminary students have a choice to be permanent monks after graduating from the seminary. However, a lot of students may choose not to be monks after graduating. Another question one could ask is what if one choose not to be a monk? What does the future hold for such a person?
A recent survey has shown that many students who have studied at the seminary—many of whom never bothered to finish—have had the edge over other people in securing positions because of their Chinese language and life skills attained while at the seminary. Many of them have proven to be much sought after by companies owned by Chinese business people as well as by local businessmen.
It is against this background that many people who left the seminary prematurely apply again to come to sharpen their Chinese language and life skills after discovering that the skills they had gotten—though not enough—proved to be a prerequisite for their success in securing positions. This is attributed to the high quality lessons in the Chinese language and Buddha dharma that the seminary offers despite occasional underestimation by other quarters.
Over and above all, many seminary graduates who are working for the temple in all departments have proven to be assets to the temple and the community, owing to their diligence and untiring zeal in serving the community—all under the auspices of the seminary.
The Chinese language is gaining ground at a very incredible rate. The Buddha dharma has proved to be appealing to many people. By virtue of this, studying at the seminary is very worthy.
To this end, students of the seminary are assured of a bright future if they become monks or if they choose to be laities, depending on their diligence in the study of Chinese and of the Buddha dharma.
Author’s comment:
African Buddhist seminary is the first Buddhist seminary in Africa. It is helping many young Africans to understand Buddhism and how it can be used in their daily life. After completing their three-year course they can live in any society as a good member. They are to keep five precepts as Buddha said. Abstain from Killing, Stealing, sexual misconduct, Lying and intoxicant. After their course, they decide what to do next. They are not forced to become monks. It is so because Buddhist practice is based on understanding.
The seminary is a good beginning to give Basic Buddhist knowledge to young Africans who come to study here. Now we can find some practitioners in many African countries who studied at this college. I mentioned in the chapter four. The most important thing is they have understood important Buddhist concepts.
12. Buddha, Jesus, Mohamed: God and His Judgement Day
(By Fadhili Haji Matambo, Tanzania)
All of us in our lifespan have had a certain kind of adherence to someone or something concerning faith and belief. If it is not so, then there is the possibility that one day you might still follow the teachings and philosophies of those people mentioned above in the heading.
According to religious literature there have been many noble persons (prophets) and messengers to the human realm. The work of these people has played a great role in shaping the society that inhabits the world today. But “shaping the society” does not mean that there are not bad effects in the process.
The three people mentioned above were human beings like us. Though they had unique characters and special powers and features that are perhaps not common to most of us, the fact remains that all of them were born from a woman. Also, because all of them came to the human realm, therefore they all must have done something similar, yet individually they did other things that were quite different from each other.
These three figures influenced humanity enormously, and I would like to have a little discussion of them because their teachings have also influenced my life. Some of the points in this passage are taken for granted, and others not. Here I simply express my feeling about what I think of the world in general, combined with some myths, and together with scientific facts and modern discoveries in relation to the prophecies of these people and our future life, as death is certain and the end of all.
The catalyst that pushes me to talk about these people is that all three figures are from the east. Why are all these people from the east and not other parts of the world? Another common element is that all three promised that there is future life when our lifespan ends or after we die. In Islam and Christianity people expect to reach heaven after doing wholesome deeds, and hell due to committing evil. However, there are differences: for example, while Muslims wait for the day of judgement to get payments for their deeds, Christians first have to wait for Jesus before the judgement day. Still, all of them expect heaven or hell in accordance to their wholesome and unwholesome acts respectively.
Buddhists are expecting nirvana after the struggle to defeat the wheels of samsara. Yet they also wait for the coming Buddha (Maitreya) who will teach them to realize the true nature of the self and the ultimate goal of life. The truth remains that every religion promises something soon after this life. The amazing thing is that while we are all human beings, we do not realize why we differ in faiths and beliefs, and this shows that even the purpose of life for all of us differs as well. Every religion campaigns that and complains that its methods and teachings are accurate, so for some of us it is difficult to understand the meaning and importance of all these different religions.
Additionally, you can also think of people like Sai Baba with his religion which embraces the teaching of all other religions. I have had a chance to attend the teachings and prayers of all these religions, so at least I have an idea about them, but think of people who know nothing about religion, and then you can ask yourself what will be the destiny of these beings? Now let us also ask if animals and plants have religion too? Questions like these are many, but how hard are you working to understand, so that you do not become a slave and be exploited by the things that you do know?
Before I finish, I want to make it clear that at one time or another I have practiced the teachings of the religions discussed above. I understand the big challenge when I imagine the coming of Jesus or the future Buddha: are they going to be accepted by the people of other faiths? And because before the judgement day comes the earth and the world are to be destroyed, what about those people who are still waiting for their lords? What will be the destiny of these people?
To be a follower of a certain religion is not just to believe in that faith, but you also have to understand your beliefs in relation to the practices of other people. This is so that you are able to live peacefully before enjoying what you are promised in your religion after your life ends. All the above questions are to stimulate your thinking ability, and how you consider religious life. So keep contemplating this in the next part.
Author’s comment:
The African Buddhist seminary is not only for the Buddhist students. Almost all students here are non-Buddhists. They have already their own beliefs and practices. While they study here they can make comparative study Buddhism and their own. This student tries to give some idea about his view of Buddhism and other faiths because he practiced Islamic faith before coming to African Buddhist Seminary. Now he is a Buddhist practitioner. I believe now he can be a good religious person as he is never ignorant to any faith. He respects all but he practices Buddhist way of life. This is one of good outcome from the Buddhist teachings. Our target is making a good society through self-understanding.
CONCLUSION:
There important points from the presented opinions above and I have drawn some conclusion as follows:
African young men who have had the exposure for Buddhism find a lot of similar aspects from many ways of African culture, to those of eastern culture and religions. This predict the hope for prosperity of Buddhism, the religion in question, provided that it is propagated in such a way it integrates African cultural aspects indiscriminatively.
For the African to be able to make this comparative study that is a result of their willingness to learn things of others, shows how gradually Buddhism can be accepted in such a unique style. By studying it and understanding, it becomes a cornerstone for taking it as part of their life. Even if it may not be taken as direct faith, but as we have heard, it becomes a necessitating tool to understand their own original religions or way of life. In this way they learn to lead their lives in a more meaningful way. T he role of Buddhism here becomes more important than just propagating it.
The ability to see Buddhism in a comparative approach by most of these young men who understand Buddhism shows their maturity at the level capable of creatively and harmoniously apply the teachings in relation to their indigenous beliefs in daily life.