‘Resilience’ can be broadly defined as ‘our ability to bounce back from an adversity or difficult experience’. It may be viewed from several different angles: physical, mental, psychological (emotional) spiritual and so on. Spiritual resilience may have a significant impact on mental and other areas and the vice versa too.
Buddhism is the 3rd oldest religion in the world followed by over half a billion world’s population who follow and practice Buddhist teachings for their moral spiritual and pastoral needs. Even those who do not proclaim to be Buddhists, may follow some Buddhist practices such as ‘mindfulness’ for their spiritual resilience and wellbeing.
Once the Buddha was quoted as saying that the entire Buddhist theory and practice may be summarised into one syllable in the Pali/Sanskrit languages : ‘Buddh-’ meaning of which is best described as ‘to know’, ‘to understand’, ‘to be aware’ and ‘to be awake’. It would be accurate to say that Buddhist teachings rest manly on two pillars: great wisdom (mahapragna) and great compassion (maha karuna).
Buddhism differs from other main world faiths in that it is ‘human based’ as opposed to relying on an almighty divine power. Gothama the Buddha was a human being who lived in the 6th century BCE who discovered ‘an ancient path’ (which had been discovered by many Buddhas in the past but gets covered over time) towards full and complete freedom of mankind. The aspiration of every Buddhist in the broadest sense again is to become a ‘Buddha’ (samma Sambuddha (‘All enlightened One’ that is one who attains Buddhahood through one’s own effort) or a pacceka Buddha (a solitary Buddha who does discover the path but not able to teach others) or suta-Buddha (a disciple who attain full and complete enlightenment within the dispensation of a sammasambuddha). In all these cases, the aspiration is to become a ‘Buddha’ what is broadly termed as ‘one who is fully aware’ or fully awaken one’. It is that ‘awareness and wakefulness’ and the power it generates within one (inner peace and inner wisdom) that enables one and empowers one to be and become resilient.
Buddhist path to spiritual resilience can be explored under several different headings which in turns are connected to basic tenets in Buddhism:
Refuge in the Noble Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha)
Buddha is the one who discovered the path, dharma is His teachings, sangha is the four-fold community of monks, nuns, male and female lay devotees. These 3 are called ‘precious gems or jewels since they are instrumental in one’s salvation through guiding one in the right direction. One becomes a Buddhist and commits to the Buddhist path by taking refuge in these three jewels.
Understanding/Realisation of the Four Noble Truths and Eight-fold Noble Path: (1) the noble truth of suffering, (2) the noble truth of the cause of suffering, (3) the noble truth of cessation and (4) the noble truth that leads to the cessation of suffering are called ‘Four Noble Truths’ which is fundamental to Buddhist teaching. How does suffering become a noble truth? The answer is that it is the knowledge of suffering what ‘ennobles’ one in the path. When one understands that ‘pain is given but suffering is optional’ one naturally finds a way to be free from suffering. The path leading to the cessation of suffering is called ‘Eight-fold Noble Path’: (1) right view, (2) right intention, (3) right speech, (4) right action, (5) right livelihood, (6) right effort, (7) right mindfulness, (8) right concentration.
Generation of Wisdom (pragna) and Compassion (karuna) is essential to the path. Widom is one’s instinct that is needed to penetrate reality as it is rather than as we wish it to be. Compassion is empathy that one develops towards those who are still suffering due to their inability to penetrate reality.
Understanding/realisation of 3 Characteristics of Existence: Impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and soullessness (anatta) empowers one to develop resilience since it puts the life into proper perspective. That is, the true nature of all conditioned things is that they are in constant flux (change) and causes anxiety since we take things to exist as permanent entities in a fleeting world. The realisation that (as it is conceived in quantum theory) ‘things exist to the extent that they are observed’ by an observer’ not otherwise is a powerful realisation which helps one to live without ‘attachment’ to things and therefore these 3 characteristics of existence not only liberates one from suffering but also help develop resilience in our day today living.
Cultivating/Developing the Practice of Virtues: Buddhahood signifies the culmination and perfection of virtues such as 10 (06 in some traditions) paramis/paramitas (perfections) dana (generosity), sila (morality), nekkhamma (letting go or practicing detachment), pragna (wisdom), viriya (effort), khanti (patience), sacca (integrity), adhitthana (determination), metta (loving kindness, compassion), upekkha (equanimity). Development of 37 factors of Enlightenment.
Refuge in the Noble Triple Gem (NTG)
Faith plays a significant role in building resilience. This is indeed why many in our communities turn to faith in adversity. In Buddhism, as a non-theistic faith, there’s no unseen higher power empowering one’s faith, the pioneer teacher, the Buddha, and his vibrant teachings and the four-fold community of monks, nuns, female and male lay followers who benefited from the sublime teachings become the object of unwavering faith of a follower. In the Buddhist path thus faith (known as saddha/sraddha in Pali and Sanskrit respectively plays a significant role in confidence building in the heart and mind of a follower. Whilst faith is quite central spiritual quality in almost all faiths and none, in Buddhism it is more so since it is divided in to two types: (1) Amulakasaddha/sraddha (blind or baseless faith and (2) Akraravatisaddha/sraddha (based on knowing, based on one’s direct experience and so on). Inquiry and close examination of one’s experience therefore takes one from faith to fruition (wisdom, realisation). Such individual experience is shared and compared with each other and one another to make sure that one’s realisation/attainment is similar or identical. In this way, faith in Buddhism is not a ‘constant quality’ but rather a developmental aspect in the path open to observation and examination.
Establishing faith in the NTG therefore is fundamental and foundational in Buddhism and Buddhist practice such faith is essential in spiritual growth. Buddha once described ‘faith in the NTG’ as ‘foundational faculty’ (saddh-indriya), ‘formidable power’ (saddha-bala) ‘seed’ (saddha-bijam), ‘wealth’ (saddha-dhanam), ‘a raft that helps one cross the tide of defilements in the whirlpool of cycle of existence’ (saddhayatarati ogham)
Faith in the NTG thus has many aspects to it in terms of one’s spiritual growth, it is also a primary factor in spiritual resilience. In one of the key sutta (teaching), dhajagga (Banner Protection) the Buddha stated that the reason why faith in NTG is so important. Faith in Buddhism is not based on mere belief in them but rather there is a strong and valid reason, namely, the three Jewels: Buddha, dhamma and sangha who collectively possess 24 great qualities are worthy of veneration and respect, placing the faith and trust in them because they are free from all defiling tendencies summarised into: greed, hatred and delusion. Even the deities in the heavenly realms are not free from those tendencies since they are not totally free from those defilements, hence they are attached to those respective divine realms.
The NTG thus are completely free from all negativities and defilements and therefore they qualify to win the trust and faith placed on them. Therefore they generate blessings for all those who have faith in them. Such faith surely empowers and strengthen one’s resilience.
Understanding/Realisation of the Four Noble Truths and Eight-fold Noble Pah:
Four Noble Truths (FNT) and Eightfold Noble Path (ENP) briefly discussed earlier is the most succinct and central teaching in Buddhism. Both these teachings are intertwined in that the last Noble Truth refers to the Eightfold Noble Path and the first step in Eightfold Noble Path constitute the full and complete understanding of the FNTs. Just like footprints of all animals fit into the footprint of the elephant entire Buddhist teachings are subsumed in these two teachings.
How does the full understanding of FNT and ENP leads to resilience? It is not just the academic and intellectual understanding of these teachings that empowers a person, rather when one makes a full commitment to the ENP and when one places one’s faith and trust in the efficacy of these noble teaching such undertaking undoubtedly empowers one.
Generation of Wisdom (pragna) and Compassion (karuna)
If ‘knowledge is power’ then wisdom surely must be a greater power! Entire Buddhist path is about generating ‘intuitive wisdom’ into realities of world and life. A natural offspring of wisdom/insight is empathy towards those who are ignorant and act with lack of awareness. The mature state of such empathy is called ‘karuna’ which is defined in Buddhism as ‘the empathy/sympathy towards those who are in ignorant states’, Those who need help. As in the case of selfless commitment in the forces, compassion balanced with insight/wisdom empowers one and develops resilience. Prayer, meditation contemplation based on wise compassion not only be a huge support to the receiver but also a great asset to the giver. Wisdom and compassion with its outward expression thus is a great source of energy to draw from.
Understanding/realisation of 3 Characteristics of Existence
As mentioned above, impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and soullessness (anatta) taught in Buddhism empowers one to develop resilience since it puts the life into proper perspective. According to the Buddhist teachings, the fear psychosis which leads to one’s complete breakdown arises from one’s grasping, selfish attachment and craving of the world. When one understands the true nature of existence as impermanent, suffering nature and empty of self then the cause of one’s selfish attachment is removed and such realisation invariably leads one to be resilience and empowerment. Particularly the idea of soul and self is one major cause of one’s attachment which brings so much anxiety and stress which doesn’t help in generating resilience, rather the opposite. One can thus see how the understanding and realisation of true nature of existence rather than believing in things which are unchanging, everlasting/permanent souls which should always bring pleasure and happiness.
Cultivating/Developing the Practice of Virtues:
As mentioned earlier, Buddhist ethical life includes cultivation and development of virtues. The utility of virtue ethics is one’s commitment to virtuous life enabling ‘best behaviour in the worst of circumstances’ both within and outside. As Buddha points out the trade off with virtuous ethical life is its natural progression into empowerment and resilience building.
‘Skilful means’ (kusala) in Buddhism thus helps one navigate through ‘hard times’ with confidence and with a goal in mind which is called ‘nirvana’ complete and total piece.Buddhism thus recognises ethics as a way of developing resilience and makes ethics a part of spiritual life.
Sunil Kariyakarawana PhD, Buddhist CCM