Qualities of the Triple Gem

(The following articles were first published in the Sayagyi U Ba Khin Journal.)

 

Followers of the Buddha take refuge in the Triple Gem: the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. How did the Buddha himself define these three?
Gotama Buddha once defined a Buddha as follows: "A buddha is one who, having discriminatory knowledge of the entire field of suffering, understands the arising and passing of all miseries, is completely free from mental defilements, is pristinely pure and will not be reborn."

A Buddha is always known by the following qualities:

 

He is an exalted one (bhagavā) because, having vanquished all craving, aversion and delusion, he lives the life of a liberated person.
He is a conqueror of enemies (arahaṃ) because he has annihilated all his enemies, in the form of mental impurities.
Having become fully enlightened by his own rightful efforts (sammā sambuddho), he is a perfectly enlightened being.
He is perfect in both wisdom and conduct (vijjā-caraṇa-sampanno).
He has gone to the ultimate truth (sugato) because he has become pure in body, speech and mind.
He is the knower of worlds (loka-vidū) because he understands them through personal experience.
He is the unsurpassed charioteer of tameable men (anuttaro purisa-damma-sārathi)
He is teacher of gods and men (satthā deva-manussānaṃ).

 

Anyone who acquires these qualities will become a Buddha. And whoever is a Buddha will have these qualities. Buddha is not the name of a person, community, or sect. There are many other appellations of Buddha, expressing his qualities, such as: Lord (bhagavā), conqueror (jina), valorous (mahāvīra), omniscient (sabbaññū), truth-discoverer (tathāgata), possessor of ten strengths (dasa-bala), one having exhausted all defilements (khīṇāsavo), highly compassionate (mahā-kāruṇiko), free from passion (vīta-rāgo), free from aversion (vīta-doso), free from delusion (vīta-moho), free from craving (vīta-taṇho), truth-perceiver (sacca-dassī), nibbāna-perceiver (nibbāna-dassī), Dhamma-bodied (Dhamma-kāyo), and many more.

All these names signify qualities, characteristics-the nature of Buddha. They are, therefore, universal. There is nothing sectarian about these terms. Such a person teaches Dhamma as follows:
This is sīla, this is samādhi, this is paññā.
After sīla is perfected, samādhi proves highly beneficial.
After samādhi is perfected, paññā proves highly beneficial.
After paññā is perfected, the mind becomes free from all impurities.

 

Dhamma taught by a Buddha has the following attributes:
It is well-explained (svākkhāto).
It can be experienced in this life (sandiṭṭhiko).
It gives immediate results (akāliko).
It invites people to "come and see" (ehi-passiko).

 

Every successive step takes one towards the final goal of full liberation (opanayiko). It is to be experienced by each person of average intelligence, for oneself (paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhīti).

Dhamma is not sectarian. It is called by several other names: Eternal dhamma (esa dhammo sanantano); noble eightfold path (ariyo aṭṭhaṇgiko maggo); true dhamma (saddhammo); pure dhamma (visuddhi-dhammo); dhamma leading to full liberation (vimutti-dhammo); noble dhamma (ariyo-dhammo); stainless dhamma (sukka dhammo); foremost dhamma (aggo dhammo); ancient dhamma (purāṇo dhammo).

 

The Sangha characterized by the Buddha comprises those who, practising Dhamma according to his teachings, have become stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner or fully enlightened ones. This is not an assembly of ordinary people.

 

Like Buddha and Dhamma, Sangha is characterized by universal qualities such as:
Being worthy of invitation (āhuneyyo); worthy of hospitality (pāhuṇeyyo); worthy of offerings (dakkhiṇeyyo); worthy to be saluted with folded hands (añjali-karaṇīyo); field of merit par excellence (anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ); temperate, tranquil (danto, santo); free from passion, spotless (virajo, vimalo); composed, not diffused (nippapañco).

 

When we take refuge in the Triple Gem, when we honour Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, let us remember their qualities, and work diligently to develop these very qualities ourselves.

 

By Living a Life of Purity, We Properly Honour the Buddha

True veneration of the Buddha occurs only when we practise the following:
Abstention from killing.
Abstention from stealing.
Abstention from sexual misconduct.
Abstention from speaking lies, backbiting, slander, bitter and frivolous talk.
Abstention from the use of intoxicants.
Abstention from trafficking in weapons, liquor, poison, meat and animals.
Abstention from reflection on malevolence, passion and anger.
Mindfulness of natural, normal respiration.
Awareness of physical sensations arising as a result of mental defilements.

 

Realizing the impermanent nature of the mind-matter phenomena at the base of physical sensations.
Self-realization that all sensations, however pleasant, are impermanent in nature and, ultimately, turn into suffering.
Feeling disenchantment towards the free flow of pleasant, subtle vibrations throughout the body, realizing that relishing them is hideous, horrible and perpetuates the wheel of suffering.

 

Self-realization that the notion of "I," "mine," "my soul" in the mind-matter phenomena (which occur as a result of cause and effect) is fictitious.

 

Self-realization that the sense doors and their objects are impermanent, the cause of suffering and bereft of any substance.

Complete objectivity towards craving, aversion and delusion after realizing that the sense doors and their objects are impermanent, the cause of suffering and bereft of any substance.

 

Eradication of the old stock of saṇkhāras by remaining equanimous and preventing the formation of new saṇkhāras by observing the body sensations as anicca.

 

Leading a life of sati (awareness) and sampajañña (constant thorough understanding of impermanence) in all situations, such as standing, sitting, walking, eating, bathing, sleeping, waking, etc.

 

Self-realization of the path and fruit of the stages of a stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and fully enlightened one after actual experience of the stage of stream-enterer, through unceasing practice of sati and sampajañña.
Leading a life of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and holy detachment; and working ceaselessly for the good of all beings.

 

Questions & Answers

Question: Goenkaji, every time assistant teachers enter and leave the meditation hall, Dhamma servers bow down. The students are watching this, and when they offer Dhamma service they do the same thing. It has become almost a ritual. Could you please advise on this?

Goenkaji: In pure Dhamma no ritual at all should be allowed. Dhamma and ritual cannot co-exist. I find nothing wrong in somebody's paying respect to an assistant teacher, provided this person is paying respect to Dhamma. An assistant teacher, or whoever sits on the Dhamma seat-assistant or senior assistant or deputy or Teacher, anybody-is representing the Buddha, the teachings of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the entire lineage of the Teachers of Vipassana. He or she lives a life of Dhamma and is serving people in Dhamma. One develops a feeling of devotion, of gratitude towards this person.

 

Bowing down is a meritorious deed. Actually one is bowing down to Dhamma, paying respect to Dhamma. But when this becomes merely a formal rite or ritual, it goes totally against Dhamma. If some- one bows out of respect and others feel, "If I do not bow then people will consider me a very discourteous person, so I must also bow," again, there is no Dhamma. To act with Dhamma is always to have a pure volition in the mind. Otherwise it is just a mechanical exercise: you bow down and give good exercise to your back! If these back exercises are to be done, better do them in your own room. If somebody does not bow because at that particular moment, he or she has not developed the volition of devotion towards Dhamma, I feel happy: "Very good." Bowing must be with this volition of paying respect to Dhamma, not to the individual.

 

Even the Buddha did not like people paying respect to him. He said: "You may be with me all the time, catching one corner of my robe, yet you are far away from me. But if you are practising Dhamma with purity of mind, though you may be thousands of miles away you are near me."

 

Yo dhammaṃ passati so maṃ passati,
yo maṃ passati so dhammaṃ passati.
One who is observing Dhamma-that means observing Dhamma inside-is observing me, is seeing me. If one is not observing Dhamma, then bowing down is merely a mad exercise.

 

Question: Please enlighten us again on the duties and responsibilities of assistant teachers, trustees, and Dhamma servers.

Goenkaji: There are a lot of duties and responsibilities, but no power, no authority. One should never start thinking: "Because I am a Dhamma server now, I have authority to govern all these students. I am like a policeman or policewoman; I will see to it that everyone acts according to the rules written in the Code of Discipline."

 

With this kind of feeling one is not fit to serve. Nor should one think, "I have become a trustee. I am not an ordinary member of this organization any longer. I have the authority to make decisions, whether they are good or bad." This person is not fit to be a trustee. Nor should someone who has become an assistant teacher, or a senior assistant teacher, or a deputy teacher, feel: "Now I am the authority! I can condemn anybody. If I have bad relations with a certain person, I can see that this person is removed." Then what sort of teacher are you? A fatherly feeling, a motherly feeling must de- velop: "I have been given this responsibility in order to develop the quality of a mother or a father looking after their own children. If one child has a defect, then my mettā, my compassion for that child is greater." Only responsibility and service. No authority. Anybody who wants to progress on the path of Dhamma should understand that there is no authority, power or prestige at all. If one is expecting to gain these, it is better for this person to step down and work as an ordinary meditator.

 

One should realize that the whole path is a path of selfless service, with no expectation of anything in return. I keep saying: Ṣīśa utāre bhuīṇ dhare cale hamāre sātha. Cut off your head-cut off your ego-then come with me. If you do this, yes, you are fit to come with me. Otherwise you can't accompany me; you will drop out. So whether one is a Dhamma server, a trustee, or an assistant-junior, senior or deputy-there should be no ego. When one thinks of authority and power, there is ego. When one thinks of service, humility is there. This quality should be in everybody. And I see that this quality is there. That is why Dhamma is spreading. And it will spread. I am quite confident about it.
(From Annual Conference, 21 January 1994)

 

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Preserving the Tradition of Proper Veneration

The tradition of honouring the Buddha in the proper manner was preserved in Burma by a limited number of people. Students of Sayagyi U Ba Khin used to pay respect to the Dhamma by bowing down before him three times, in accordance with the local tradition. But he taught serious meditators how to pay respect to the Teacher correctly. He taught them to observe the sensations of anicca (arising and passing away) at the top of the head when they bowed for the first time. The second time they were to experience dukkha (the truth of suffering), and the third time anattā (the truth of egolessness). Reverence expressed in this manner is the proper reverence; otherwise it is merely an empty ritual. The real benefit accrues to a meditator only if he or she honours the Buddha in the proper way.
The tradition of honouring the Buddha in the proper manner was preserved in Burma by a limited number of people. Students of Sayagyi U Ba Khin used to pay respect to the Dhamma by bowing down before him three times, in accordance with the local tradition. But he taught serious meditators how to pay respect to the Teacher correctly. He taught them to observe the sensations of anicca (arising and passing away) at the top of the head when they bowed for the first time. The second time they were to experience dukkha (the truth of suffering), and the third time anattā (the truth of egolessness). Reverence expressed in this manner is the proper reverence; otherwise it is merely an empty ritual. The real benefit accrues to a meditator only if he or she honours the Buddha in the proper way.

Tentative Programme of Goenkaji's Dhamma Tour

August 11: Arrival in London.
August 12, 13: One-day old student course and European old student meetings at Dhamma Dīpa, U.K. Vipassana Centre.
August 14: Public Talk in Harrow.
August 15: Public Talk in London.
August 16: Arrival in Dallas. Stay at Dhamma Sīri, Texas Vipassana Center.
August 17: Evening, Public Talk in Dallas.
August 18: Evening, Public Talk in Chicago.
August 19 to 20: Arrival in California and meetings with trustees and assistant teachers at California Vipassana Center.
August 21: One-day old students' course at Dhamma Mahāvana. and Public Talk in Fresno in the evening
August 22: Travel to L.A. for Public Talk and media interviews
August 23: Travel to San Francisco Bay area for media events
August 24: Public Talk in San Francisco Bay area and media events
August 25: Public Talk and media interviews in South Bay/Silicon Valley
August 26: Arrival in New York
August 27: One-day course for old students
August 28 to 31: Participate in the "Millennium World Peace Summit" at United Nations, New York City.
August 29: Address to the Harvard Business Club inthe evening.
September 1: meetings in N.Y.
September 2: Public Talk at Hotel Sheraton at 10.30 a.m.
September 3 to 4: Arrival in Massachusetts and participate in various public talks and a Conference on "Medicine, Science & Spirituality" at Dhamma Dharā, VMC, Massachusetts. September 5: Public talk in Boston area
September 6: Goenkaji will give Anapana to the ten-day course students at Dhamma Dharā. September 7: Return Home

New Responsibilities

Ācāryas: Mr Satyendra Nath & Mrs Laj Tandon
Teaching of Pali, Co-ordinator of Children's Courses, Training of Teachers, SATs, ATs, trustees, course organisers as well as male and female Dhamma workers and To serve Dhamma Sota (Delhi) and Dhamma Salila(Dehradun) (Mr Sher Singh Jain is unable to serve Dhamma Salila because of indifferent health.)

Senior Assistant Teachers:
1. Mr Rajesh Mehta
2. Mr Chandubhai Mehta
3. Ms Indumati Patel
4. Ms Gita Dholakia

New Appointments

Children Course Teachers
1. Dr Jayant Shah, Dhulia
2. Mr Dipak Pagare, Manmad
3. Mr Vinod Watni, Aurangabad
4. Mr Baburao Kasture,
5. Mr Vitthal Sanavane,
6. Mr Sunilkumar Mansingha,
7. Mrs Therese Bisson-Rowe, New Zealand
8 & 9. Mr Andrew Gordon & Mrs Ruth Gordon, New Zealand

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