Buddhism As Education

We have to take note that conditions of peace and stability in this world can only be maintained when the inner spirit and being of man is also at peace. It is therefore of most importance that we work for inner peace in our own life and the life of our people. Outward conditions, however, do also react on the inner condition of mind. Few can develop an inner peace of mind and heart when the world round them is in a state of turmoil. All the Arahants and Bodhisativas left India when it was laid waste by invading hordes of barbarians from the northwest. This lesson therefore has to be taken to heart that the effort to establish conditions of peace and happiness both in ourselves, as also in the world surrounding us has to be simultaneous. The Lord has rejected the peace that the Ashramas of Alara Kalama and Udraka Ramputta had offered Him, the Buddha ventured further to obtain true insight and when this had been won, He overcame the temptation to lead a solitary life of peace and bliss ...

The same story is repeated in the field of medicine, art, in industry, science and in the higher and more subtle spheres which effect our well being, ie spiritual, moral social, political and economic. The very core of our being has also vastly changed. A man may yet be selfish and cruel in many ways, yet in most ways he is different from the primitive man in whom he has his beginnings. Previously one whim of a blood-thirsty tyrant send thousands of men to their doom. Armies at his sole command and on his personal orders laid waste large tracts of thickly populated lands. Now it is no more the whim and caprice of a despot, though occasionally, one such does still rise amongst us and is able to sway us but in a greater measure, it is now the unbridled greed of armed nations who have not fully appreciate the beauties and happiness of a peaceful way of existence that causes war. The fight for peace The fight for peace, however goes on. Every challenge to the growing stability of humanity ...

We are living in a world in which cosmic changes on a vast scale also take place. The cosmic forces that are at work are powerful and still incomprehensible. Our progress therefore sometimes appears to be illusory, momentary and insignificant, when we see a lifetime's good work coming to naught, when disasters overtake us, when achievements of many generations get destroyed, sometimes in seconds, we get lost, we lose our balance and feel dismayed, we lose heart and give up the battle as lost. We have to, however, persevere, we need to have stout heart, maintain composure and continue our good work. Vast changes wrought by man Humanity would not have made any progress if it had not tried to create conditions of comparative safety, stability, peace and plenty of over-changing world which is always in a state of flux. We were subject to the vagaries of weather, but gradually we provided ourselves with better and better shelters which have given us protection from scorching heat of the...

It is in this contexts that we have to grasp the truth of Anitya (Impermanence). The world in which we live, move and have our being is in a state of constant flux. It is always under process of a change. There is naught in it which is changeless. We have to take note of this central fact and avail ourselves of the opportunity that is ours in so shaping the scheme of things in this ever changing world that the change may prove not only to our good and happiness but also promote the good and happiness of others. If a change was impossible in the condition of our existence, our lot would have been worse than that of animals. We would be living in this world like prisoners with no will and no chance of improvement that would have been open to us. Fortunately, however, we live in a world which changes and we have been endowed with faculties through which we can bring about rapid and far reaching changes in around us and ourselves as well. The opportunities and possibilities for a change ar...

The utilitarians will naturally enquire about the fate that would overtake the domestic animals when they get relieved from some of the difficult tasks which at present, are imposed onto them. The only correct and bold answer to this query would be that firstly nature has its own methods to adjusts its balances. Further, sufficient scientific knowledge is now available through which the population of the domestic animals can be planned in such a way that it does not outstrip their actual requirements. Lastly, that with his advanced scientific knowledge man is now in a position to share his plenty with domestic animals and be content with only taking light work from them. Humanitarian work We have no hesitation in expressing the view that the use of machinery in replace of animal power, for tasks which are difficult and entail hard work and it is the bounden duty of every sincere Buddhist to make increasing use of machinery for such tasks. The use of machinery is also a progressive effo...

The Buddha's approach to the use of domestic animals for hard toil is also very clear from description that has come down to us in our texts of His inner reactions, when he saw the poor creatures groaning under the yoke that man has placed on them for his own benefit. For long has man treated the domestic animal purely as an object of utility. These animals yield to man the maximum benefit in hard toil, in milk and wool as well as eggs, etc, but when this service has been rendered, they are without compunction offered on the sacrificial altars or killed to provide man with meat, hide, bones and sinews. With the dawn of the machine age, man has entered into a new heritage. He easily can if he is progressive, wise, intelligent and truly humanitarian, make use of machinery where manual labour or animal power is being utilized. He can relieve the animals from unremitting hard toil and use them only for light work. The sight of the oxen, that are yoked for breaking land, during summer h...