How then do we know what to accept or to
reject?
This piece of advice is so good that we should
get them carved on marble and hung if above
every doorway. The Buddha said:
"But, Kalamas, when you yourself know what is
bad, blameworthy and censured by the wise,
abandon those things. When you yourself know
these things are good, not blameworthy, but
praised by the wise, accept andpracticethem."
We should always consider carefully before
doing or accepting a thing. Ask ourselves: Is this
a wholesome thing? When performed, does it
bring happiness to ourselves as well as others in
both the short run and long run? Is this an
action which wise people would do without
hesitation?
The Buddha was open minded about other
religions and did not accuse them of willful
deceit. There are good teachings in other
religions too. He advised us: "If you find truth in
any religion, accept thattruth.''
Even hisown doctrines were not excluded from
critical investigation. He said, "One must not
accept my teachings from reverence but first try
them as gold is tried by fire."
Hence, the freedom of thought encouraged in
Buddhism is unique in the history of religions.
The Buddha gave us this freedom because we
need it to gain emancipation from suffering.
This goal is not attained as a reward given by a
di vine grace but as a result of our own
realizations of the truth.
2.The Practical Approach
Buddhism and science bear great similarities in
areas of ideals and general principles. Both
advocated free inquiry and freedom from
authoritarian dogma.
The Buddha discouraged the vain search after
speculative issues which do not lead to the
release of suffering. He considered questions
such as the origin and end of the universe to be
a wilderness of opinions.As an illustration, he gave the parable of a man
who was shot with a poisoned arrow. The first
thing to do is to remove the arrow as soon as
possible. A person who indulges in speculative
thinking and arguing is like the wounded man
who refuses to seek a cure to the wound unless
all his curiosity has first been satisfied. He will
surely die before that.It is also like a man who has worn a blindfold all
his life and attempts to understand vision by
logic or by repeating in his mind the words
'green' and 'bright' or having faith in 'vision'.
The man may ask questions about the nature of
light, but to try explaining it to him is useless.
Therefore. the Buddha discussed one thing and
one thing only that is ho,w to take off the
blindfold.
Buddhism has a practical and specific purpose -
the cessation of suffering and all other
irrelevant issues are completely cast aside. The
Buddha demanded first, a study of life and
'phenomena in respect of their laws. This
approach makes Buddhist philosophy, a
scientific or positive philosophy.4