Dhamma Talks - Dhamma Builds Beauty :: Buddhapadipa Thai Temple

(beauty of both the outside, body and the inside mind)

Human beings live together in social groups. They have established laws, rules, customs and discipline for their society. This is because they are not unique. They are quite high individual if we compare their ways of lives to other beings. They are very different from animals because they use their own faculties to solve their problems. This is called mental system. The human mind is very complicated, more so than others’, conflict and non-conflict in itself. It is very hard to understand its system.

The Buddha described the thought process as a series of mental acts. The thought processes of people vary; some have good thoughts, some have bad thoughts, and some have complicated thoughts. The Buddha said that a good thought is based on a purified mind, and it brings about wisdom, which can lead to the solving of human problems. This wisdom, we can make by practising meditation or training the mind. If the mind is purified, good speech (verbal acts) and good actions (physical acts) will follow automatically. The Buddha gave most importance to the mental system, thus, he said “The mind is prime, all actions are mind-made ”.

To solve the problem is to solve our thought process or mental system. Using this method to find out the real cause of problem. Even if we have heard of these methods or researches, we are still unable to solve our own problems which are translated into the suffering inherent in life. Why? The Buddha said that it was because of human difference or human faculty. Even the Buddha when he first became enlightened decided not to teach anyone because he thought that the truths he found out were too profound and deep, no one could understand. But then he compared human beings with four lotuses;
The first lotus bud comes above the water, it gets the sunshine and blooms easily like a genius who can understand what she or he learns, easily, the second lotus bud is in the water, it needs some time to grow out above the water and gets the sunshine then it blooms. This is like a person who does not understand at first when he tries to learn but he tries again and then he understands. The third lotus comes out from the mud, it needs a long time to grow out above the water, then it gets the sunshine, and blooms later. This is like a person who doesn’t understand when he tries to learn but he tries again and again, never giving up, then at last he understands. The fourth lotus is in the mud, it doesn’t have the ability to grow out from the mud, so it is food for fish and tortoises. This is like a person who tries very hard in his study but has no ability to understand. Accordingly there are very few who understand the Buddha’s teachings.

Amongst the differences of people, the Buddha realised that one thing is the same; it is called “Common sense or the basic norm”, namely, a man loves himself and is afraid of death or departure, so the Buddha taught loving-kindness and restraint from killing living beings. A man attaches to his own things, so the Buddha taught generosity and restraint from taking whatever is not given. A man clings to his own caste or family so the Buddha taught responsibility for one’s own action and restraint from sexual misconduct. A man needs trustfulness, so the Buddha taught restraint from lying. A man needs a happy life so the Buddha taught mindfulness, to refrain from heedlessness. Human society can not be peaceful if it is without common sense or does not abide by these precepts.

Human beings show their kindness to each other not only through physical actions and verbal actions, but also through their mental actions. They are related, basic morality makes human being have good physical behaviour and Dhamma, or the Buddha’s teachings, make human beings beautiful and able to develop their faculties. This Dhamma is called “Dhamma of beauty” which has two aspects; patience and meekness or modesty.

1. Patience means mental tolerance which is different from physical tolerance. If we are patient, we can eradicate hatred, or reduce it. Patience is a medicine to heal hatred. If there is patience, there is no hatred, if there is no patience, there is hatred. So a man with patience doesn’t become angry easily, or if he does, he can deal with it, or respond with mindfulness and reason. This is the wise way to solve the problem of anger.

2. Meekness or modesty means adaptability or teachableness. As we know the educated people we should associate with and trust them. If we are meek and modest, people will love and trust us.

The dhamma of beauty can also stop violent events, small or big. Violent events are brought about by small things and by men without patience and meekness or modesty. It is likened to a fire, which, even if it is very small, can burn the whole town. But if we have the dhamma of beauty, we will be beautiful like the example given in Maha Vagga of the Vinaya Pitaka, volume 6,

In Kosampi city, there were two teachers, one was good at discipline, one was good at Dhamma. One day, they had a quarrel, and this quarrel spread to their students. Now because the sangha was divided into two sides, they didn’t have a meeting on Ubosatha day. They thought that both of them were right, and each side wanted to be a winner. When the Buddha knew of the split in the Sangha, he came and told spoke about the power of unity by means of a simile. He told a story about a flock of birds who lived in a plantation belonging to a hunter. The hunter wanted to kill them because they destroyed his trees. When the birds were eating the fruit which had fallen on the ground, he cast a net over them. Under the net, the birds consulted each other about how to escape. They agreed that they had to fly up together, so they could lift up the net and survive. When they succeeded, each one was boastful saying that it was because of him that the others could survive. Then they had a quarrel and were separated from each other. The hunter cast the net covering them again, but this time they could not survive because they were not in unity.

The Buddha said that if people eradicated hatred, then patience and friendship would grow, giving as an illustration, the story of Bhramatatta, king of Kasi, who invaded the kingdom of Kosala, which was ruled by King Tighiti. The king and his queen fled, and the queen gave birth to a son named Tighavu Kumara. When the king had enough men, he wanted to overthrow his enemy and get the throne back but, unfortunately, he was betrayed by his close man. Both the king and queen were arrested, but the prince escaped. They were brought to the killing-field. There the young prince disguised himself as a working man. Before the king was killed, he had said loudly, ”Son, don’t take it long, don’t take it short.” After that the prince worked in an elephant-stable.

One day when he was singing a song and playing a harp. King Bhramatatta heard him, and was so pleased with the song that he transferred him to work in the palace. One day Tighavu accompanied the king to the hunting-field. Where the king, being very tired went to sleep under a tree. Then Tighavu had the opportunity to revenge himself on the king but he didn’t do so. When the king knew that Tighavu had spared his life, he gave Tighavu life as well. The king asked Tighavu why he had not taken the opportunity to take revenge. Tighavu said that it was because of his father’s words. The king asked what were his father’s words. So Tighavu told the king that his father had said, “Son, don’t take it long, don’t take it short.” The king asked for the meaning, so Tighavu told him that “Don’t take it long” meant “Don’t take revenge”, and “Don’t take it short” meant “Don’t destroy the friendship”. After that the king let him marry the princess and after the king passed away, he was crowned king in his stead.

Thus the Buddha showed the power of the Dhamma of beauty, patience and meekness. He said that if his followers had this Dhamma of beauty, they would be very beautiful at anytime and anywhere. The Dhamma of beauty is an inner beauty and attractiveness. It makes a man gentle but strong and able to overcome any obstacles in life.