Lesson Four: The Triple Gem (Part I)

(bhcheah) #1
The Buddha's Greatness
Despite the fact that the Buddha was
born, lived, preached and died in India, his
greatness and attainment have
overcome geographical and historical
barriers. On his Enlightenment, he
discovered the Truth which was
beyond all that was taught by former
religious teachers.
The Buddha did not claim that he was a god.
To call the Buddha a god is to discredit
him of his attainment. As described in
the sacred texts of various sects, certain
gods show characteristics of anger,
jealousy, love for praises, prejudice and
various other human failings.

The Buddha is beyond all such failings. In
his innumerable births, he had
developed to perfection the ten
transcendental virtues of generosity,
morality, renunciation, wisdom,
energy, patience, truthfulness,
determination, loving-kindness and
equanimity.
He had eradicated all greed, hatred and
delusion. It has been said:

The Buddha


  • taught the egocentric, power-
    seeking world, the noble ideal of
    selfless service.

  • protested against the evils of the
    caste- system that hampered
    progress and advocated equal
    opportunities for all.

  • declared that the gates of
    deliverance were open to all, in
    every condition of life, high or low,
    saint or sinner, who would but care
    to turn into a new leaf and aspire to
    perfection.

  • raised the status of down-trodden


women, and not only stressed on
their importance in society but also
founded the first religious order for
women.


  • attempted to abolish slavery for the
    first time in history.

  • pointed out the cruelty and futility
    of the sacrifice of animals and
    brought them within his ambit of
    compassion.

  • granted complete freedom of thought
    to his followers and urged them to
    regard for him but only after
    discovering the truth in them.

  • comforted bereaved women like
    Patacara who went insane after
    losing her husband,two childrenand
    parents on the same day,and Kisa
    Gotami at the death of her only son.

  • with his own hands ministered the
    deserted sick like Putigatta Tissa
    Thera who had a contagius disease.

  • helped the poor and neglected like
    Rajjumala and Sopaka and saved them
    from an untimely and tragic death.

  • transformed the lives of criminals like
    Angulimala who was about to kill his
    mother for his one-thousandth victim.

  • ennobled courtesans like Ambapali.


What Can We Learn from His Life


Story?


TheBuddha was a truly admirable figure:a
man of quiet majesty,of wisdom and pleasant
humour,consistent in thought, word and deed.
He was of perfect equanimity and moral
fervor, was free from every prejudice,
overcame evil with good and was full of
tenderness for all beings.

Even if the virtues of the Blessed One are
infinitely superior to those of ordinary men,
still the ideal can serve as a pattern and
guide. We can always take the Buddha as
our model so that the recollection of his
heroic and saintly life may assist us to be a
hero and saint as well.

Known are the things to be known,
Cultivated are the things to be
cultivated , Destroyed are the things to
be destroyed, Therefore, Brahman, I am
the Buddha.

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