The Buddha was not a founder of religion but a

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1 FEATURES lotus lay review SUMMER 2001 The Dhamma and Reality 1 What the Buddha is Smiling About Upasaka Nyanaloka On the importance to the Sangha of the upasaka and upasika movement. 2. The Dhamma and Reality Bhikkhu Nagasena A teaching on how the conditioned mind operates and the way to attain the peace of non-attachment. 3. My Meditation Richard Ottridge How a ten-day retreat led to the insight of letting go. 4. Looking for Heaven Elena Utton A little bit of happiness in your own backyard 5. First Steps Gordon Pagett Taking the first steps to happiness. 5. Timeless Teaching of the Buddha Tom Maxwell 6. Getting to the Other Side Linda Tomlinson The suffering that arises when wisdom is absent. 6. Letter from Bill 8. Information Page *dhamma: truth, teaching, doctrine, righteousness, piety, morality, justice, nature, all things and states conditioned and unconditioned. *dukkha: suffering, conflict, unsatisfactoriness, insubstantiality, emptiness. *sukkha: happiness, ease, comfort. by Bhikkhu Nagasena The Buddha was not a founder of religion but a founder of peace and harmony. The meaning given to a religion is controversial with no real essence and is associated with much argument and conflict. If there is no peace found in a religious person should the interpretation of the concept of religion be ratified? From the Buddhist point of view any concept of religion which is devoid of inner peace is meaningless. The Buddha himself was very clear on this point. He stated from his own clear comprehension that there is no need for dogma nor for a sense of mystery to be attached to religion. Unlike most religions where there is an inherent belief in a God who reveals Truth and upon whom one is ultimately dependent, Buddhism teaches that both peace and suffering, and the path leading to the overcoming of suffering, is within us. Looking for peace outside of ourselves is futile and cuts us off from the reality of human perception. Being a pure human being the Buddha understood the human ultimate peace. He said that neither parents nor relatives, friends nor material acquisitions could give us inner peace. None of these can surpass and excel the inner peace that arises from one s cultivation of mind; a developed mind and a mind associated with the purity that comes from meditation. On the contrary, looking for peace outside of ourselves rather than from within prevents us investigating the peace available within the framework of our mind and body. The Buddha pointed out His central aim of teaching in the Majjhimanikaya where he states My teaching is only to know two things: Dukkha and the cessation of Dukkha. * Many people misunderstand Buddhism since they do not accept dukkha as a true reality. They see Buddhism as teaching a negative view of life rather than seeing the teaching on dukkha as a positive contribution to their understanding. They cannot accept dukkha as a reality because they never look into its underlying meaning. To see the reality of dukkha as it is one has to see it for oneself, and the way to this realisation is through the practice of meditation, through listening to the teachings on the dhamma and by the exercise of wisdom. Meditation enables us to see the reality of mind and how it operates within us. The timeless reality pertaining to natural law, the pure method of dealing with the investigation into the peace offered by the Buddha is to see the true dhamma as it really is within human consciousness, and not only to see the consciousness associated with dukkha but to see the consciousness associated with ultimate peace and purity. One becomes peaceful knowing both purity cont d on p.7 page 1

2 My Meditation by Richard Ottridge Last November I went on a ten day retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery near Hemel Hempstead, led by Ajahn Candasiri, a nun of some twenty years standing whose ordination I just happened to be present at at Chithurst Forest Monastery in West Sussex. The retreat seems to have been in three phases each of roughly three days duration. The first: continuous mindfulness of breathing, passed without incident and I was feeling pleased with myself. That is, until we came to the second phase. I first learned vipassana meditation in the late 70s and 80s under teachers of Goenka s technique, a teacher from India, himself a pupil of U Ba Khin of Burma. This very intensive technique concentrated on bodily sensation. Until fairly recently I had undertaken several of these retreats. Since then I had done a few weekends and one ten-day retreat at Amaravati with no real struggles or challenges. I was completely unprepared for what was to follow: freedom to use a variety of tools which Ajahn Candasiri began to explain how to use: observing bodily sensations; sounds; the sound of silence (that ever-present ringing in the ears); mental objects; pleasant and unpleasant feelings; changes of mood or mental weather. In other words, every passing phenomenon as it arises and passes away - i.e. the way things are right now. Oh dear! this was so vague, not intense enough, no good at all! Agitation set in, and frustration. I rather lost track of the moment and descended into a big murky bog of dissatisfaction. The more I thought about it the worse it got. Interview day came at the end of this second phase. In groups of six retreatants we had a talk with the teacher. I let out my frustrations and complaints and Ajahn Candasiri, in her calm and compassionate way, responded So you ve plenty of mental objects to be mindful of then? (or words to that effect). Things fell into place. It was laughable - to have spent three days complaining about the way things are, and that they shouldn t be this way, and dragging myself down into a seemingly bottomless pit when that was the whole point. The teacher had been telling us over and over: this is the way things are right now. I didn t want frustration, boredom and anger, I wanted blissful states and calm tingling sensations, loving thoughts not mental torture! After the interview it was as though I had put down a very heavy weight and was ready for anything. At lunchtime on the eighth day a bowl appeared in the men s dormitory with a note asking for someone to collect DELUSION A man who had recently taken up meditation was oh so confident of the imminent opening of his third eye he had a new pair of glasses made in preparation! money for gifts for the cooks and managers of the retreat. I noticed the note and carried on into the kitchen to eat. My first impulse had been to take on the job myself but then I thought What about my meditation? I d have to let go of it. However, the first impulse was too strong so I went back and picked up the note and committed myself. I told myself that if I really wanted to learn something from this retreat I needed to change my behaviour - simply act differently and let go of my meditation, my progress, ambition, the desire to achieve something. People offered to help with the shopping; the money was collected; the gifts were bought. This was my meditation. I was advised not to plan the giving of the presents. Of course, with nothing else exciting for my mind to focus on, it was continually beginning this plan and that plan. Bringing myself back to the moment at this time was very good practice; seeing how much the mind wanders, wanting something to do, to escape into. Finally, on the Sunday morning, a plan just burst into mind unannounced as though it had already happened, and I put it in motion. At lunchtime everyone received their gifts and flowers and hugs and kisses, and then it was all over. We chatted and laughed and exchanged stories until it was time to go home. Everything had sorted itself out despite my attempts to control, plan and organise. The lessons I learned on this retreat are only now becoming clear and a part of my everyday life. Letting go seems to be the only thing to do in the end. It s like being a beginner all over again, and it feels good to be that way. page 2

3 Looking for Heaven by Elena Utton My holiday in Tenby, South Wales, was both idyllic and memorable. The hotel I stayed in and its meditation rooms all overlooked the sea. The surrounding countryside, fields and woodland, National Trust gardens and lily ponds were conducive to walking and I spent many happy hours feeling at one with nature. I felt joyful, loving and giving. Meditation came easy and the desire to meditate was ever present. There were moments of bliss. When my holiday was over I arrived home in a peaceful and joyful state of mind, overflowing with love and patience and a desire to be with my family (I always am like this for the first few days when I ve been separated from them!) Right, I thought, I know the trick now. There must be some place locally, some idyllic spot, a little bit of heaven just waiting for me where I can sit and meditate, be at one with nature - become enlightened. All I have to do is find it. The next Sunday afternoon I told my husband and son that I was going off for a couple of hours to find my little bit of heaven, and off I went. I walked and walked. First I came to a park full of benches and people, and a few neat flower gardens. No, that wasn t where I wanted to be. Beyond the park I could see a cluster of trees. I passed them looking for a way through to the field beyond. I found a little path and wandered down into a field. The field was quite sparse with a man flying a kite, a dog which appeared lost and, in the distance, children running about. Time was moving on so I found a small tree which, unfortunately, was surrounded by nettles, and I sat on the grass as near to the tree as possible. I closed my eyes and tried to meditate. Is that your dog? the man flying the kite shouted over at me because it has just run out on to the road and nearly got run over. I panicked about the dog and its apparent confusion. Should I try and catch it? Then what? Or should I leave it to go its own way and just wish it well? I did the latter and closed my eyes to start meditating again. What was the time? Whoops! Better stop and wander slowly home. Would I come again? No. Had I found my bit of heaven? Definitely NOT. Did I need a little bit of heaven to find peace and tranquility? The answer to that was a definite Yes. On the way home I passed a local cemetery and decided to take a short cut through it. To one side of the cemetery was grassland and lots and lots of trees. Ah! I didn t need to look any further, here was my little bit of heaven - but it didn t feel quite right so I continued on my way. Arriving home I sadly told my husband that I hadn t found what I was looking for, not even a place where my surroundings might help put me in touch with the nature and beauty I craved. I was disillusioned and went outside to wander in the garden. I walked down to the bottom of the garden which my husband had transformed from a dry piece of stony land into a thriving garden where bushes, shrubs and plants grow abundantly, where a rockery overlooks a small pond and waterfall, and where wild buttercups nod to each other happily sharing space with their cultivated relatives. Here I seated myself by the side of the pond to think about my very disappointing afternoon. Suddenly, I became aware of ants busily running to and fro, beautiful snails with intricate patterns on their shells, tadpoles swimming hither and thither in the pond, and the sound of trickling water. I saw a multitude of colours blending into each other and I smelt the mix of honeysuckle and roses. I could feel the warmth of the late evening sun. All was quiet. A sense of peace and joy crept over me and with that came the desire to meditate. I crossed my legs and sat. Yes. You are right. Here it was, my little bit of heaven, in my very own back garden just waiting to be found. for sale for sale for sale for Use this space to get rid of unwanted items. Make yourself some extra cash while donating a small percentage to the Vihara. Send in details before 25 August for inclusion in the next issue. page 3

4 First Steps by Gordon Pagett Born into a conventional western family in the early 50s, the family being Church of England had their children baptized into that faith. Although they did not go to church, except for the usual baptisms, weddings and funerals (hatch, match and despatch!), there was a strict moral code. As a child I went to Sunday School and sat there with very little interest. Soon I managed to talk my parents into not sending me. Now with no formal religious education I was left to my own devices and got into all the usual scrapes kids get into. By this time I had some very serious misgivings about God, Heaven and Hell, and could not accept the principle of an all-knowing, all-benevolent Being, so I decided to turn my back on religion for good. In my twenties I married and had my first child, a girl who brought my wife and I great joy and happiness. This, however, was to be very brief as the child died after only 11 weeks of life. After a long period of grieving I started to wonder why a life could be given and then taken away so soon but, as they say, life goes on and it did, and in a very short time my wife and I had a son. Life seemed to get back on track but not for long. Soon after the birth of my second child my wife left and again I was left wondering what life was about. It was at about this time that I started to wonder if there was a different path, some other way that might lead to contentment and happiness. As always life has ways of diverting your attention. Yes, you guess it, I met another woman and, yes, we soon married. Am I mad or what? And, for the first time in a long, long time life was good. No, very good. I now had a wife, two stepdaughters and my son living with me. Soon the daughters started to give us grandchildren. All seemed well until the youngest daughter s baby was born with brain damage. There was a lot of sadness but Emily is a delight. She is so happy and tries hard. I know that she will succeed one day. This event made both my wife and I look for answers. There are none, only more questions but, through a friend, we both found our different ways into Buddhism. The lessons we have learnt have shown us that all of life s problems are there for a reason and with the right thoughts, the right actions and the right deeds, we can all reach Nibbana. I do not know if I will reach enlightenment in this lifetime or even in a future rebirth, but what I do now know is that I have taken the FIRST STEPS. May you all be peaceful and happy. FOR JULIANNE SCHACK, SKETCHING THE DANCE OF SABURO TESHIGAWARA IN FRANKFURT. Painting is difficult; I have a vision, I paint it and there is nothing! (Julianne Schack) Each gesture new made, though many times repeated, a page freshly turned. * With lungs full again, every step a breath released, a death each moment. * The brush seeks a page, all colours are clothed in white before it comes there. * Leaf turned now, the tree releases it already to begin a new. Yann Lovelock Timeless Teaching of the Buddha by Tom Maxwell An example of how the Buddha taught is contained in the teaching of Kissagotami who had gone to the Buddha for a miracle cure for her dead baby. Refusing to accept the reality of her loss she had been carrying the limp body of her dead child around for a couple of days. The Buddha set her a task. He asked her to bring Him a single mustard seed from any house in her village where there had not been a death. Knocking on door after door she soon learned that without exception every households had experience of the death of a loved one. Some told of the death of a beloved baby, others of stillbirths, of people of all ages who had died from sickness, accident or from old age. No one household had emerged untouched by death. Through the Buddha s method of setting the conditions that allowed her to see the truth for herself, Kissagotami finally was able to let go of the pain caused by her lack of acceptance of reality. She was released from suffering. Set yourself free - be selfless! No Self, no pain. Nothing to obtain. page 4

5 Getting to the Other Side by Linda Tomlinson Astory is told of two monks who were travelling from one monastery to another. Both young and healthy they were enjoying their days of journeying through a landscape of immense variety: mountains, hills and dales, rivers and streams, flora and fauna to delight the eye. Even the rains that seemed never to stop did not deter them in their pleasure. They came to a The Metta Sutta Discourse on Loving Kindness This is what should be done By one who is skilled in goodness, And who knows the path of peace, He should be able and upright, Straightforward and gentle in speech, Humble and not conceited, Contented and easily satisfied, Unburdened with duties And frugal in his ways. Peaceful and calm and wise and skilful, Not proud and demanding in nature. Let him not do the slightest thing That the wise would later reprove, Wishing in gladness and in safety, May all beings be at ease. Whatever living beings there may be, Whether they are weak or strong, Omitting none, The great and the mighty, Medium, short or small, The seen and the unseen, Those living near and far away, Those born and to be born, May all beings be at ease. Let none deceive another Nor despise any being in any state. Let none through anger or ill-will Wish harm upon another. Just as a mother protects with her life Her child - her only child, So with a boundless heart Should one cherish all living beings, Radiating kindness Over the entire world, Spreading upwards to the sky And downwards to the depths, Outwards and unbounded, Freed from hatred and ill-will. Whether standing or walking, Seated or lying down, Free from drowsiness, One should sustain this recollection. This is said to be the sublime abiding. By not holding to fixed views, The pure hearted one, Having clarity of vision, Being freed from all sense desires Is not born into this world again. river swollen and deep. There at the water s edge stood an old, old woman. She had obviously been waiting a long time for help across the river. The first monk refused her request for a lift despite her telling him how long she had been waiting and how desperate she was to get across to her family, and how fearful she was of her own lack of strength to make the journey around boulders and through fast moving swollen river water. The second monk, however, unquestioningly picked up the old woman and, placing her onto his back, waded slowly and carefully across the river. The two monks took up their journey. However, the atmosphere, previously lighthearted and enjoyable, had now turned dark and tense. After some time the monk who had refused the old lady a lift turned to the other monk and angrily and accusingly stated that the monk must have known that he had been in breach of the precept which prohibits the physical contact between a monk and a woman. You, my friend replied the monk are carrying her still. I put her down on the other side. What I like so much about this story is the compassion and wisdom used by the monk who gave the old woman a lift. The monk who operated from a rigid adherence to the Vinaya (monastic rules) took no account, apparently, of the harmlessness involved in this act of compassion. Nor did he seem to understand the Buddha s teaching which encourages one to think for oneself, to prove the teaching for oneself. One monk adhered to a precept, refused to help and was left with feelings of anger. The other monk, acting with insight and wisdom, had peace of mind. For me this story stands at the heart of Buddhism showing a way that is not built on blind adherence to a set of rules but a path of discovery where the precepts act as a guide, a point of reference for when we don t know how to act. When we do, then all the rules become unnecessary because the developed wisdom is always with us directing our every action. Letter from Bill We lay Buddhists are so fortunate; we have this Vihara and, more recently, the Pagoda, where we can come along and meditate, listen to Dhamma talks, attend retreats and celebratory occasions. All this and much more has been made available to us over many years because of the generosity and kindness of the Burmese community and, above all, by the ceaseless efforts of the Venerable Dr. Rewata Dhamma, our spiritual leader, whose kindness, understanding and help we have all been grateful for on so many occasions. Also, we must not forget the Bhikkhus who have assisted Dr Rewata Dhamma down the years including our present incumbent, our good friend and teacher, the Venerable Nagasena. The best way to show our gratitude is by making full use of the Vihara and Pagoda and giving our support in every way we can. I would like to see our lay Buddhist group more integrated, getting to know each other better, each contributing something of their own abilities and skills. There are already signs of a new burst of energy and enthusiasm among us and I feel our new venture with the Lotus Lay Review will help to bring us together more and give everyone an opportunity to participate. It may also swell our ranks if circulated outside the Vihara. Finally, we can show our gratitude by making determination, not tomorrow but NOW to apply the Buddha Dhamma in all our activities. Bill Strongman Bill is our most senior, much loved, member of the lay Sangha whose own efforts down the years go recognised and appreciated by us all. Ed. page 5

6 continued from p.1 shelter. They are recruited from that source as well. And, in order for that to happen, there must first be a sincere devotion to the Buddha s teaching and its actual practice. Without this basis Buddhism could never have survived, for monks and nuns do not appear from nowhere. This was what the Buddha foresaw. For quite a while after Theravada Buddhism came to Britain the existence of a lay order of upasikas and upasakas was one of its best kept secrets. Even those of them from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand didn t let on. And quite rightly. Training is the purer for being without thought of promotion! Eventually the need was felt. On the one hand Buddhism was now established and demands on the robed Sangha were more than they alone could fulfil. On the other disciples were asking Where do we go from here? Then we were told that in the East there were lay meditation instructors, lay teachers of Dhamma, lay discussion groups, even lay editors of Dhamma magazines. Ours may be the first in Birmingham, elsewhere it s nothing new. Let us be clear what its purpose is, however. For those who have already taken refuge in the Three Jewels it confirms our lifetime submission to the practice. For those who might yet devote themselves, it is a testimony to what that entails and a witness to the liberating happiness it can bring. For acceptance of the Way at this deep level comes once doubt is removed and removes in its turn the hesitations and mixed motives which once clouded our moral choices. Submission is freedom from all that. Why are your disciples always smiling? the Buddha was once asked. And, with a smile of his own, the Buddha answered Because they re happy. Don t be taken in by gloomy discussion of the first Noble Truth. The fourth Noble Truth is about the way to happiness. Just you try it the Buddha invites us...and then you ll see. continued from p.2 purity and impurity, *sukkha and *dukkha, and how they operate within us. One after another we seek after pleasures, in the process causing ourselves much worry, anxiety, fear, hatred and disappointment. But we never see the arising of worry, anxiety, etc. because the mind becomes overpowered by the object we crave, fettered by taints and clinging to what is desired. Our mind remains restless until our desired object is acquired, only to repeat the same action over and over as new objects of desire rise up and confront us. So our mind remains restless, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, even up to death, never seeing reality nor finding peace. Unless one sees into this process and recognises it for what it is, the mental turmoil will continue to have the power to overwhelm us. The meaning of dukkha should not merely be considered when we are suffering from disease or are in pain, for the ultimate meaning of dukkha transcends both disease and pain. We are dogged by dukkha, by unsatisfactoriness. There is always something to cling to: feelings, objects, fame, power, material objects, etc., and all are unsatisfactory for they never quench the thirst for very long. Having achieved one desire another takes its place. You will hear someone say I need only this in my life to become happy (a recognition of this sense of unsatisfactoriness that drives us on). After acquisition, the possession of that which was desired, there is The only way we can find peace in our own hearts, find the pathways that lead to liberation, is by changing ourselves, not by only a temporary easing before the mind diverts into another object causing new desire and craving to arise, the same as before. This unsatisfactoriness never comes to an end. Dukkha remains constantly active driving us on and on, making us the seeker of ever new desires, objects and objectives. As well as the craving for acquisitions there is also the fear of loss associated with ownership and in relationships. Those we love dearly may die or leave us. Maybe they stop loving us back. Here dukkha comes in the form of disappointment, frustration, despair, loss, even fear of loss. We are never safe from it. Living with undesirable consequences, full of resistance and reaction, little relaxation and without a balanced mind, how can even a so-called religious person find peace? Only through knowing the reality of dukkha can one achieve the peace that is absent from mental turmoil, worry, fear, unsatisfactoriness and so on. Insight meditation is important both to see and to overcome this unsatisfactory life. The well developed meditator lives with knowledge, reality and peace within. ( to be continued) page 6

7 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Dhammacakka day Abhidhamma day Kathina day Saturday, 4 August Thursday, 1 November Sunday, 4 November Monthly Meditation Days* Saturday, 14 July led by Bhikkhu Nagasena Saturday, 11 August led by Yann Lovelock Saturday, 8 September led by Bill Strongman Saturday, 13 October to be confirmed Saturday, 10 November to be confirmed Saturday, 8 December to be confirmed Monthly Social Sundays** 5 August 2 September 7 October 4 November 2 December *To book for Monthly Meditation Days please phone the Vihara on a week in advance if possible. The days will start at 9am and end at 5.00pm with a break for lunch in the middle of the day. Please bring lunch with you, something light. The days will be broken up into walking and sitting meditations, with instruction, and there will be an opportunity to talk with the meditation leader to discuss progress. **Monthly Social Sundays are an opportunity to meet, share a meal, dhamma and conversation with like minded people. The day starts at around 10.30am when we offer food to resident monks. This is followed by a period of chanting and a short meditation, then lunch. We each bring a meal, vegetarian, and these are offered first to the monks and then shared. A resident monk will give a dhamma talk in the afternoon, then there will be tea and, hopefully, good conversation! If you haven t been before, do come along, you will be very welcome. Dhammacakka Day the and Rains Retreat Saturday, 4th August 2001 Dhammacakka Day. This date commemorates the day when the Buddha delivered his first sermon at Isipatana Park, the Deer Sanctuary near Benares (which is now a suburb of Sarnath) to the group of five ascetics with whom he had spent many years practising austerities prior to his enlightenment. Having realised that such practices did not lead to His goal the Buddha had left them to pursue His Path alone and now, two months after His enlightenment, found them again and it was to these five friends that He preached the Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path, the path to ultimate peace and Nibbana. Thisdiscourse is named Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta: the Turning of the Wheel of the Dhamma. Rains Retreat. A period of three months during which monks and nuns remain within the confines of their monastery for intensive practice and contemplation. This year it begins on the full moon day of 5th August This review is distributed free of charge. However, if you feel able to offer any donation towards the cost of future publications this would be very welcome. Thanks for donations towards the cost of this issue go to: Bill Strongman, Gordon Pagett, Tom Maxwell, Dea Paradisos and Linda Tomlinson. CHANTING AND MEDITATION CLASSES Daily Chanting and Meditation Every morning 6.30am Every evening 7.30pm (Except Monday and Thursday evenings) VIHARA Weekly Meditation Classes Monday Vipassana Meditation 7.30pm Thursday Introductory Class 7.30pm Monthly Meditation Class First Friday of the month 7.30pm Soto Zen Meditation RETREATS These will be published separately. DHAMMA SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN Last Sunday of the month 11am-1pm PAGODA Opening times: Daily 7am-7pm Chanting Every full moon day (according to Myanmar Calendar) 7.30pm Lotus Lay Review has been edited from a series of submitted articles and is distributed free of charge. Material for the autumn issue should reach the Vihara by August 25th. Please send a stamped self-addressed envelope if you want your article returned. Birmingham Buddhist Vihara 47 Carlyle Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9BH Phone: (Vihara) (Pagoda) Fax: dhamma@globalnet.co.uk Website: page 7