The Buddha   Samadhi

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 Repeating after him, the monk will say the following passage three times:
     NAMOTASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMA SAMBUDDHASSA
     Homage  to the Blesed  One, the Exalted One, the Perfectly Self Enlightened One.
Again you repeat after him the following on the acceptance of the Triple Gems as the highest refuge:
     BUDDHAM  SARANAM  GACCHAMI
     I go  to  the  Buddha  for  refuge.
     DHAMMAM  SARANAM  GACCHAMI.
     I  go  to  the  Dhamma  for  refuge.
     SANGHAM  SARANAM  GACCAHAMI.
     I  go  to  the  Sangha  for  refuge.
     DUTIYAMPI BUDDHAM  SARANAM  GACCHAMI.
     For the second time,  I  go  to the Buddha  for  refuge
     DUTIYAMPI  DHAMMAM  SARANAM  GACCHAMI.
     For the second time, I  go  to  the  Dhamma  for  refuge.
     DUTIYAMPI  SANGHAM  SARANAM  GACCHAMI
     For  the  third time,  I  go  to  the Sangha  for  refuge.
     TATIYAMPI  BUDDHAM  SARANAM  GACCHAMI.
     For  the  third  time,  I  go  to  the Buddha  for  refuge
     TATIYAMPI  DHAMMAM  SARANAM  GACCHAMI
     For  the  third  time,  I  go  to  the  Dhamma  for  refuge.
     TATIYAMPI  SANGHAM  SARANAM  GACCHAMI.
     For  the  the  third  time,  I  go  to  the  Sangha  for  refuge.
Completing  the  above  passage,  the  monk  concludes:
     TISARANAGAMANAM  NITTHITAM
     The going  for  the  Triple  Gems  is  complete.     Then you respond  thus:
     AMA   BHANTE 
     So  it  is,  Venerable  Sir.
     Now come the most important part.   You must attentively repeat each Sila after the monk, one
as  follows:
     1. PANATIPATA, VERAMANI, SIKKHA -PADAM, SAMADIYAMI.
           I undertake the precept to abstain from killing and harming living beings.
     2. ADINADANA,  VERAMANI,  SIKKHA -PADAM  SAMATIYAMI.
           I  undertake the precept to abstain from stealing.
     3. KAMESU,  MICCHACARA, VERAMANI,  SIKKHA- PADAM,  SAMADIYAMI.
          I  undertake  the  precept to abstain fro  adultery and sexual misconduct.
     4. MUSAVADA,  VERAMANI,  SIKKHA-PADAM,  SAMATIYAMI.
           I  undertake  the  precept to abstain  from  lying  and  false  speech.
     5. SURAMERAYA,  MUJJA -PAMA -DATTHANA,  VERAMANI,  SIKKHA - PADAM, SAMADIYAMI.
           I  undertake the precept to abstain  from intoxicating  frinks and harm fuldrugs.
      Having finished Pancasila, the monk concludes in Pali.    Then you say:  SADHU  BHANTE three
times (meaning "Very well, Sir") and prostrate before him three times.   The steps of takig  Sila are now complete.   Keep in mind that the more you can observe Sila, the more happy and peaceful you will be.
Why  is  it  good  to  take  Sila?.
       Because to take or observe to Precepts is good for all people.  It brins peace and happiness to
family and community as benefits below;
      1.  The  person  with  Sila  leads  a  happy  life.
      2.  Nobody  hates  a  person  who  practice  Sila.
      3.  The  person  with  Sila  is  regarded  as  a  complete  human  being.
      4.  The  person  with  Sila  is  good  friend  to  everyone.
Wthat  will  happen  to  the  person  without   Sila?.
         The people with out Sila cause many problems in siciety as shown below;
      1.   One  becomes  cruel.
      2.   One  may  become  a  criminal.
      3.   Nobody  loves  or  trusts  such  a  person.
      4.   One always  causes  trouble  for  oneself  and  others.
  5.  One  is  not  a  good   Buddhist.
      Good people do not want to associate with such a person.
How  to  observe  Pancasila
     For the beginner, there are steps that can be taken:   If you cannot observe all the Sila, then you
just choose and observe any one of the five that you can.   After some time, increase the number of
Sila up to five.   If you can not observe Pancasila daily, you can observe one day a week, choosing
the day on which you were born or your family members were born or birthday of your parents.
NOTE:   Usually all Buddhists are expected to observe the Five Precepts completely.    If all people
observed Five Precepts, sincerely, families would be peaceful and happy.     If the individual family
has peace and happiness, society will be peaceful and the world will be a good pleace to live in.
 


Lesson  8
The   Four   Noble  Truths

Objectives:
    1.  To  teach  the  student  the  basic  teaching  of  the  Buddha
    2.  To  teach  the  student  how  to  scientifically  solve  his  or  her problems in  daily  life
    3.  To  cultivate  rational  thinking  in  the  student,s  mind.
Consequences:
    1.  The  student  able  to  explain  the  Four  Noble Truths, the basic  teaching  of  the  Buddha.
    2.  The  student  knows  how  to  find  out  the  causes of the  problems  and  how to solve them 
          scientifically  and  property.
    3.  The  student understands the meaning of dissatisfaction, the cause of dissatisfaction and how
          to  stop  dissatisfaction.
     Buddhist students may ask, "What is the foundation of Buddhism?.  The foundation of Buddhism
is the Four Noble Truths.    This Truths were explained to the first group of the Buddha,s five disci-
ples at  Samath, near Benares, a city in Northstern India about 2551 years ago.    We now shall study
some details of the four Noble Truths.
    1. The  Noble  Truth  of  Suffering
     Suffering or dissatisfaction on the basic level deals with the problems of daily life such as birth,
old age, disease, death, sorrow, lamentation and frustrations of every kind.    Getting an undesirable
things ispainful, as well as not getting what is desired.     People try their best to avoid suffering and
to be free from trubles.
     This truth treat the problems and situations that  are to be observed and comprehended.   without
self-investigation we cannot know if these statements are really true!.    With careful observation in life, we can see that all conditions of life are unstable.   Many people who are new to Buddhism, said that Buddhist view is pessimistic religion.     No!  Buddhist view is neither pessimistic nor optimistic.
Buddhist view is realistic view.      Buddhism offers opportinity to people to look analyze, examine and realize the truth of life, the law of natural phenomena.     Buddhism gives times to people to see
the things as it really is, as they really are without believing in some one or some things blindly.
     2.  The Noble Truth  of  the  Origin  of  Suffering
      In this Truth, the Buddha explained how suffering arises through various causes and conditions.
Every kind of suffering has its origins in craving or selfish desire, which is the result of ignorance or delusion.   Sometimes problems happen in your classroom at school.    When you try to study, if the
room is too noisy or your friends disturb you, you may feel unhappy, you may suffer.     Sometimes 
unjust or unfair events happen that make you feel unhappy or suffer.     If you pay attention to your feelings, you will find that calmness, quietness, fair play and peace usually brings happiness.
        It can be said that causes of suffering are Hatred, Selfish desire or greedy mind, and ignorance.
Suffering or problems in daily life were caused by these three are three origins or any of these.
  There are three kinds of craving, namely:
     1. Craving  for   pleasure
     2.  Craving  for  existence
     3.  Craving  for  non-existence  or  self - annihilation.
      Our excessive wants and desires are the causes of our problems in daily life.    For example, 
Mr.  Vichai wants to get a car.  He works hard and saves his money to by a car.  Then he wants boat,
a house and more cars.   He must work long hours sometimes 15 or 16 hours each day.     He has no
time to rest and enjoy his life.    He becomes weak and ill.    He is suffering.  This illustration shows that excessive wants and desires are the cause of problems.  Therefore, a lay person should be happy
with that he has.         This does not mean a lay person should live in poverty, but moderation is suggested  in all things.
     3. The  Noble  Truth of  Extinction  of  Suffering (problem Solving
      The highest goal of Buddhism is to end suffering, greed, hatred and delusion.    When craving or
"thirst" to possess is completely destroyed, Nirvana, Nibbana, the state of perfect peace will be realized.   To end the problems of greed, hatred and delusion, a person needs to understand, practice
and folow the Eightfold Path, the Fourth Noble Truth, given below.    The Four Noble Truth consists
of three levels of training namely; moral training, meditation or mind training and wisdom training.
    4.  The  Noble  Truth  of  the  Path  Leading  to  the Extinction  of  Suffering
      This Truth defines the Buddhist way of life.    It contains all the ethical teachings and practics of
Buddhism.    It provides the way and means to realize the goal set forth in the Third Truth.    This way is called the Noble Eightfold Path since it consists of eight factors.        It is also known as the
Middle Way.     They are as follows:
      1.  Right   Understanding,          2.  Right    Thought,
      3.  Right   Speech,                      4.  Right    Action,
      5.  Right   Livelihood,                6.  Right    Effort,
      7.  Right   Mindfulness, and       8.  Right    Concentration.
      The Path will be studied in the next lesson.    In short, to solve any problem, we have to observe
Sila (self control, morality), Samadhi (mind control), and Panna (wisdom) by following the Eightfild
Path.        Teachers explain three kinds of craving clearly, giving examples of craving for pleasure, craving  for existence and craving for nonexistence.     Buddhism teaches us the causes of problems
and techniques of problem solving.

Lesson 9
The   Middle   Way  of   Life
(Teaching  of the Buddha)   Part 1
Objectives:
    1.  To  teach  the  student  about  Buddhist  ways  of  life
    2.  To  teach  the  student  about  living-kindness  and compassion
    3.  To  teach  the  student  the  Five  Principles  of  Buddhism
Consequences:
    1.  The  student  can understand  the  meaning  of  the  Middle  Way  of  life.
    2.  The  student  develops  some  ideas   about  liveloing-kindness  and  compassion.
    3.  The  student  can  explain  the  Five  Principles  of  Buddhism.
     In this lesson we will study  the Buddhist way  of life, the Eightfold Path.    This path eliminates
our unwholesome thoughts and improper harmful conduct.   One can end suffering by understanding,
adopting and following the path of the Middle Way, which is a practic way of life.      The Middle  Way is a path of self-conquest which leads to the ultimate goal, real happiness, perfect peace, Nibba
na.

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( May,  10, 2008)