“Asare sara matino – sare casara dassino
Te saram nadhigacchanti – miccha sankappa gocara”
“They take untruth for truth; they take truth for untruth; such persons never arrive at the truth, for they hold wrong views.”
“Saram ca sarato natva - asaram ca asarato
Te saram adhigacchanti - samma sankappa gocara”
“They take truth for truth; they take untruth for untruth; such persons arrive at the truth, for they hold right views.”
The concept of ‘right and wrong’ has baffled, but nevertheless provoked humanity to lead righteous lives since primeval times. Ancient man is said to have been astonished by the things in nature around him. They were the sun, the moon, the ocean, the stars, the trees and natural catastrophes like floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions etc. With a sense of fear in their minds for the enormous power of these natural objects and phenomena over mankind, they moved on to worship them wholeheartedly. However, as our early ancestors were unaware of their own capacity of ‘reasoning’ and ‘thinking’ as human beings, they would have not succeeded in clearly identifying ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ through the mere practice of idle worship of natural objects and natural phenomena.
Every religion that promotes moral discipline encourages an individual to do good deeds and avoid bad. For instance, one’s parents play an important role with regard to one’s moral and social well-being. One’s own mother and father is the dearest to oneself apart from one’s own self. Our parents prevent us from doing bad and engage us in good. They provide us with a valuable education. At the suitable time the parents give their children in marriage. Their inheritance is endowed upon them as well.
In what way can ever children be grateful to their beloved parents in return for their kindness, support and guidance? The Buddha teaches the five duties to be performed by children towards their parents. That is, to look after one’s feeble and aged parents and to treat them with food and drink, to look into and attend to their needs and tasks when they are incapable to fulfill them. They also should preserve the lineage and traditions of the family, safeguard their parental inheritance and transfer merit to their departed parents which is acquired by performing the meritorious action of offering alms to the community of monks or else by giving charity to the poor, helpless or needy. This kind of intimate relationship between parents and children would help fortify the smallest unit in society: The family. This teaching of the Buddha is found in the Sigalovada Discourse, a piece of advice given to a young man named ‘Sigala’. It exemplifies the fact that the value and place reserved for one’s parents is significant and exceptional.
Thus the Blessed One once declared:
“Brahma’ti mata pitaro – pubbacariya ca vuccare
Ahuneyya ca puttanam – pajaya anukampaka”
“One’s mother and father are equal to Brahmas – They are called one’s first teachers.
Therefore, they are worthy to be honoured by their children – and receive the sympathy of their kith and kin”.
In the Sigalovada Discourse, the Blessed One expounds,
“Mata pita disa pubba – acariya dakkhina disa
Putta dara disa paccha – mitta macca ca uttara
Dasa kamma kara hettha –uddham samana brahmana
Eta disa namasseyya – alamatto kule gihi”.
“The mother and father are in the east – The teachers are in the south
The children are in the west – The friends are in the north.
The employees are in the nadir – The clergy are in the zenith
The house holder who wishes to preserve the family lineage would worship these six directions.”
The young man Sigala was in the habit of worshipping the six directions after a daily bath early in the morning. His father had advised him to do so while on his death-bed, wishing that he would not fall into evil company after his passing away.
Rewarded with skill and knowledge
During His quest of alms one morning, the Buddha saw this young man worshipping the six directions in this manner, so the Blessed One stopped, silently standing before him. Not wishing to deny the mere practice of worshipping the six directions, and thereby harming the self-confidence and the dignity of young Sigala, the Blessed One makes it a point to cite the six directions as well in the above stanza. Before this, the Buddha happens to teach him the duties to be performed by each and every one.
Further, a pupil may show respect towards his/ her teacher and he would be rewarded with skill and knowledge. In this manner, the mutual relationship between husband and wife, employer and employee, among friends and holy men and laymen would too thrive, as long as the duties towards one another are attended and fulfilled.
Another wonderful discourse that elevates the place of parents is the ‘Discourse on Blessings’ (Mangala Sutta).
“Mata pitu upatthanam”
“Treating of one’s mother and father” –This is considered as one of the highest blessings. It is our parents who show us the way to lead a good, happy and decent life. They guide us to become good citizens in society. As such, it is the prime duty and responsibility of each son and daughter to look after or take care of their aged parents. Indeed, children would derive lots of blessings by the performance of this noble action.
Showing due honour to parents, elders and teachers (Apacayana) is one of the ‘Ten Meritorious Deeds’ (Dasa Punya Kriya) as in the teachings of the Buddha. Looking after, treating and caring for one’s parents especially when they are old and feeble is also a way of expressing gratitude on the part of the children. The Blessed One once expounded:
“The grateful are rare in this world.”
As such, the genuine wish to look after one’s parents and to put it into action when the necessary requirements are being fulfilled is, indeed, a rare occasion. Again, it enables one to derive lots of merit. The good news is, helping one’s parents to tread along the path taught by the Buddha by teaching and/ or sharing the Dhamma would be the greatest meritorious deed that can ever be performed by the children.
The Blessed One points out that to guide one’s parents in the right direction in this manner would be far greater than even the mere act of carrying one’s parents on top of one’s shoulders by each side for a period of one hundred years. This simile offered by the Buddha exemplifies the value of the gift of Dhamma. Thus the Blessed One once enunciated:
“The gift of Truth excels all other gifts.”
The Buddha’s son Rahula became a novice (Samanera) at the age of seven. One day, the Blessed One teaches the little monk Rahula how to identify ‘right and wrong’. He puts forward the question to the novice Rahula:
“Rahula, what is the use of a mirror?”
“Venerable Sir, it helps to correct one’s looks.”
“Even so Rahula, one needs to be mindful of one’s actions performed by thought, word or deed. One should reflect over wisely before putting forth each of them into action.”
“If it leads to harm of oneself and others, then one should avoid such harmful actions. Suppose it leads to the benefit and welfare of oneself and others, then one may perform such beneficial actions and perform such deeds again and again finding delight therein.”
This simile of the mirror teaches us to reflect over our actions just like a mirror would give your reflection if you happened to stand in front of it.
Furthermore, the Blessed One shows us how to distinguish right from wrong in a few simple ways. The intended action may spring up either by wholesome states or else unwholesome states of the mind. The unwholesome states of the mind are namely greed or craving, hatred and delusion. And the wholesome states of the mind are non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion. Therefore, firstly one should learn to identify clearly the train of thoughts that may lead one to the desired ‘action’. Suppose they are unwholesome, then one should avoid such actions. And, on the other hand, if they are wholesome and pure, one may put forth them into action whenever both the opportunity and capability arise and forthwith find delight in such worthwhile actions. As an individual may achieve perfection by performing a wholesome action again and again, it is also known as a ‘skillful action’ (Kusala kamma). In other words, one becomes ‘clever’ or ‘skillful’ in the course of performing such beneficial deeds.
How to distinguish right from wrong
In the absence of ‘greed’, the virtue of ‘generosity’ can be aroused in the mind. And when the mind is free from hatred, then loving-kindness would emerge in its place. When the mind is not deluded, but sees things clearly as they are, in their true perspective, then there is the arising of ‘wisdom’. What is it ‘to see things clearly as they are’? That is to understand or be aware of ’the impermanence’ or nature of change inherent in all conditioned phenomena and to live with true understanding of this universal fact. Conditioned phenomena are all the things that come into being due to a particular cause or a combination of a multiplicity of causes.
The Buddha teaches us another ‘three ways’ on how to distinguish right from wrong:
Seeking one’s own authority (Attadhipateyya) – A wrong action can be hidden by others, which means that such an action can be done without anyone seeing it. However, it cannot be hidden by oneself. Therefore, you need to think carefully and wisely before attempting to do a particular action. This is known as ‘Seeking one’s own authority’.
To consider the public opinion (Lokadhipateyya) – There are certain things or ideas that the majority of people in a country either agree or disagree with. To distinguish right and wrong in this manner is known as ‘To consider the public opinion’.
To depend on one’s religion (Dhammadhipateyya) – A particular action or idea can be determined as right or wrong according to the way it is treated in one’s own religion. This is called ‘To depend on one’s religion’.
All of the above ways introduced by the Blessed One can be considered as ‘yardsticks’ to identify right from wrong.
In spite of the fact that parents need to be taken care of by their children, we see in some countries quite its contrary! For instance, one’s old parents are supposed to live away in the absence of their own children. Perhaps, they hold the view that the parents should learn to be independent even in their old age! But how could they become independent when their bodies are weak, feeble and vulnerable? Of course, this is an obvious fact. Moreover, some of the elderly people are given pills to terminate their lives at the verge of death. This is done with the intention of preventing them from suffering anymore at this helpless stage in life. Nevertheless, wouldn’t this become a totally wicked thing to do as it could be considered as committing the evil action of destroying life?
According to Buddhist teachings, destroying the life of one’s mother or father is one of the ‘weighty sins’ (Garuka kamma) which results in being reborn in hell! Destroying the life of one’s mother or father is also an Anantarika papa kamma (the deed bringing immediate retribution). Anantarika papa kamma is, in the Theravada tradition of Buddhism, a heinous sin that causes the agent to be reborn in hell immediately after death.
Most importantly, it is at this ripe age that their minds are calm and also free from various other distractions that may impede the gradual culture of the mind. As such, it would be the foremost duty of the sons and daughters to help their parents incline the mind towards the spiritual aspect in life, at this stage. If not, it becomes a grave sin, which is depriving their elderly parents from gaining spiritual emancipation and realizing the Sublime Truth! Again, this would be a heinous act and an enormously dangerous crime!! So, let not one fall prey to this low state and be ungrateful to one’s lovable and dearest parents!!
‘Kalama Sutta’ is one of the discourses of the Buddha which helps us distinguish right and wrong in a more straightforward manner. The discourse contains what the Buddha speaks to a group of people called ‘Kalamas’. These ‘Kalamas’ were confused by the various teachings offered by different religious teachers at the time. So, they mentioned about their confusion to the Buddha and wished to get an answer, as to which teaching they should follow. Thereupon the Buddha expounds:
“Come, oh Kalamas! Do not simply believe whatever you are told, or whatever has been handed down from past generations, or what is common opinion, or whatever the scriptures say. Do not accept something as true merely by deduction or inference, or by considering outward appearances, or by partiality for a certain view, or because of its plausibility, or because your teacher tells you it is so. But when you yourselves directly know: These principles are unwholesome, blameworthy, condemned by the wise; when adopted and carried out they lead to harm and suffering, then you should abandon them. And when you yourselves directly know: These principles are wholesome, blameless, praised by the wise; when adopted and carried out they lead to welfare and happiness, then you should accept and practice them.” This highlights a very valuable facet in the Buddha’s teaching via: ‘Free Thinking’.
In a nutshell, the Blessed One encourages each and every one of us to brighten up ‘the light of wisdom’ inherent within:
“Atta Dipa viharatha”
“Be a lamp unto you.”
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