Buddhism in a Nutshell

I discovered a Book Titled Buddhism in a Nut Shell by the Venerable Narada Thera. I found it to be a succinct and sound exposition on the religion from a Therawada point of view.

“There was no teacher ever so Godless as the Buddha, yet none so god-like”

When we see so many Buddhists praying at the Tooth Relic Temple we would naturally be worried whether the Buddhists worship the Buddha! The answer is an emphatic no! Why then do Buddhists build Viharas and imasges of the Buddha, offer incense and flowers at the altar, kneel before the image of the Buddha and pray? To whom do they pray? Here is thje answer given by the Ven. Narada Thera:

“An understanding Buddhist in offering flowers and incense to an image, designedly makes himself feel that he is in the presence of the Living Buddha and thereby gains inspiration from his noble personality and breathes deep His boundless compassion.He tries to follow his noble example.”

Advaita the doctrine of Non-dualism advocates self discovery and attaining oneness with the Brahman through True Knowledge. Buddhism says that Nirvana is the route to total breaking away from the Karmic cycle of pleasure and pain caused by actions and reactions. In this sense Advaita and Buddhism are so near to each other as to be almost the same! So much so, that the Advaita Doctrine has been accused more than once by commentators of the Dvaita and Visistaadvaita sects as no better than Prasanna Boudham (Or Buddhism in Disguise!)

Continuing with the Thera’s words;

“The Bo-tree is also a symbol of Enlightenment.These external objects of reverence are not absolutely necessary, but they are useful as they tend to concentrate one’s attention. An intellectual person could dispense with them as he could easily focus his attention and visualize the Buddha.

For our own good, and out of gratitude we pay such external respect but what the Buddha expects from his disciple is not so much obeiscance as the actual observation of the Teachings.

The Buddha says: “He honors me best who practices my teaching best. He who sees the Dhamma¹ sees me.”

The Buddha not only speaks of the futility of offering prayers but also disparages a slave mentality. A Buddhist should not pray to be saved, but should rely on himself and win his freedom.

I too believe that a visit to a temple should be purely for the upliftment of the soul. The Ven. Thera quotes Dr. Radhakrishnan, a noted authority on Ancient Indian Philosaophy:

“Prayers take the character of private communications and selfish bargaining with God. It seeks for objects of earthly ambitions and influences the sense of self. Meditation on the other hand is self-change.”

I believe that everything can be attained if we change from within rather than pray pitifully for an external intervention from a supreme diety. Prayers, if at all used should be a positive assertion of our innate purity as being that is complete in itself and a resolution to change our perception and thereby our circumstances.

1. Dhamma literally means the Teaching.