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Buddhism
for Today
It is a fact that frequently those who live closest to the wonders of the
world, like the Taj Mahal of India or the Great Wall of China, fail to take an
interest in them. They are too familiar; they seem too easily accessible. One
thinks one can learn about them at any time, and so one
never bothers to make a start. So too, in Singapore, one may have often
heard the name of the Buddha, and have visited Buddhist temples, or call oneself
a Buddhist and yet may not really know what Buddhism is.
The
Relevance of Buddhism
Some
people may think that Buddhism is something which belongs to the past and can
have no place in the modern world. But this is not so, because Buddhism is as
relevant now was in the past. As a way of life, Buddhism shows people how to
grow in maturity and wisdom so as to understand themselve and the world in
which
they live.
When
people begin to learn what Buddhism is, they will see that it can benefit them
in many ways. At one level, -Buddhism
teaches_the individual to cope with the events and circumstances of daily life.
One develops such good attitudes towards life that one’s relations with one’s
family and with the members of the community improves. At a higher level,
Buddhism teaches one to develop one’s mind so that one finally
sees life as it really is. From His own experience, the Buddha has
-shown that there is a way to end all suffering and attain supreme
happiness. Thus the Buddha’s Teaching offers hope and gives a meaning to life.
The
Spirit of Free Enquiry
The spirit of free
enquiry is an important feature of Buddhism. The Buddha encouraged people to
investigate the truth of His Teaching for themselves before accepting it. He
never expected people to practise His Teaching
out of blind
faith and
superstition. People Should only practise what they find to be beneficial
physically and mentally.
Self-reliance
Buddhism stresses the need for self-reliance and
individual effort. Each person must work out for himself, the way to end
suffering and attain happiness. It is his
own actions that determine his own future. His destiny is not determined by any
external power or agent. This means that each man is responsible for his own actions. A person can progress or develop as
much as his own efforts allow. Through dedication, self-discipline and wise
judgement, he can reach the highest goals of life.
Tolerance
Because Buddhism respects the rightof people to
enquire freely and to choose for themselves, it is tolerant towards other
faiths.Buddhism teaches one to live in harmony with all, regardless of race or
religion. This attitude of tolerance is particularly important in a society like
Singapore where many races and religions co-exist.
Loving-kindness and
Compassion
Buddhism recognises that all
living beings are equal. It teaches universal
loving-kindness and compassion not only to all men but also to all other
creatures. All living beings, men and
animals alike, share a common environment. If men want to live happily in this
world, they must have concern for the welfare of others.
Buddhism and Science
There is no conflict between modern scientific
discoveries of today and the Buddha’s Teaching. Many things that the
Buddha taught about 2 500 years ago have been proven true by modem science. The
importance and power of the mind, the impermanence of things, the divisibility
of the atom, relativity of matter and energy, and even the structure of the
universe - all these are contained in
the Buddha’s Teaching. So a Buddhist does not have to ignore the facts about man
and the universe that are gradually being revealed by science.
The
Buddha’s life and His Teaching as explained in the following chapters will
inspire one to develop self moral responsibility, tolerance, compassion and
wisdom. These qualities will enrich one’s life
and make it more meaningful today’s world.
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