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Buddha

is the Enlightened One. He who knows the ultimate truth of the universe. His teachings liberate us human beings from a life in misery. His compassion has brought peace and harmony to the world. Buddhists are people who follow his teachings and thus have found the meaning of life.

"Things are so impermanent..."

BUDDHA

BUDDHISM 101

Buddhism 101

Who is Buddha?

Buddha is the Enlightened One and the father of Buddhism. His teachings liberate us human beings from a life in misery. His compassion has brought peace and harmony to the world.

Buddha was born as a prince named "Siddhartha". During the celebration of his birth, many Brahmin scholars predicted that the child would either become a great king or a supreme religious leader. But there was one Brahmin, Kondanna, who decisively predicted that Siddhartha would become a Buddha. His father, King Suddhodana, was worried about the prophecy so much that he tried all means to surround the prince with only young people in the pleasant environment so his son would become an emperor.

Prince Siddhartha grew up to excel in all the 18 fields of traditional arts and sciences ranging from politics to philosophy. When he reached the age of 16, his father arranged his marriage to Princess Yasodhara.

The Turning Point

One day, the prince wondered what life was like outside the palace so he made a trip. There, he saw an old man with gloomy face, a diseased man laying with moan, and a dead person surrounded by his tearful family.

He then said, “How can I live a life of pleasure when there’s so much suffering in the world?” Later, when he saw an ascetic in peacefulness, the prince thought this would be the path to end the cycle of the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Soon after, the 29 year old prince escaped the palace, abandoning his status, comfort, wealth, and all indulgences in the hope to free his people and his beloved ones from these grievances.

The Middle Path

Siddhartha began his monastic life under the guidance of two famous masters, but they could not find the path to end the suffering either. He began searching the way on his own and starved himself until he was left with only skin and bones.

One evening the angels, disguised as musicians, played a lute in front of him while he was sitting in meditation. Hearing the music, he realized a loose string did not carry sound and a very tight string would break. Only when the strings were neither too loose nor too tight, the music was effect.

He then found the answer was to take a middle path: Siddhartha began eating normally again after six years.

The Reach of Enlightenment

On a full moon day in May, he sat under the Bodhi tree and vowed, “Even if my flesh and blood were to dry up, leaving only skin and bones, I will not leave this place until I find a way to end all sufferings.”Through meditation technique now known as Vipassana, he discovered the Ultimate Truth about himself, life, and the Universe. Siddhartha was finally enlightened and became Gautama Buddha at the age of 35. Buddha taught human to be free from misery and life cycle for 45 years and he reached nirvana(die) at age 80.

The Enlightenment of Buddha is the state of mind which maintain the ultimate equanimity or neutrality, not clinging into positive or negative energy, free from impurity. Buddha discovered the Ultimate Truth that everything is merely an assembly of energy. With this neutrality, he made his mind free from gravity, ending the cycle of rebirth.

The Heart Teachings of Buddha

(1) Refrain from all kind of sins.

The 5 Key Sins in Buddhism is killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, taking alcohol or drugs.

(2) Do good deeds.
(3) Purify your mind.

Five Code of Conduct is a precept that Buddha has left behind for people who are not priests. It is the fundamental life’s principles which, when adhered to,bring about peace and harmony to the society.

The conduct aims at harming no one including self. It is a universal rule, not limited to a particular nation or religion. Buddhism treats the precept as the pre-requisite to become a complete, truly happy person.

The codes include ;

1. No killing – Those who often take lives will either be born unhealthy or die young.

2. No Stealing – People who steal, no matter how rich they are, will eventuality lose their money or possessions one way or another.

3. No Adultery – True love is hard to find or does not even exist for people who are unfaithful because they not only did not cherish their partner’s love, but also ruined it.

4. No lying – Constant liars find it hard to receive respect and trust from others.

This is because they often broke their promises or betrayed other people’s trust

5. No consumption of intoxicating substances – Alcohols and drugs rob consciousness and numb the brain. Heavy drinkers’ brains fail prematurely and sometimes they do not even have to wait until the next life to be mentally retarded.

The precept effectively creates a line between right and wrong. Those violating the conducts are simply heading for trouble, in line with the Law of Cause and Effect.

The Heart Teachings of Buddha

The Core Teaching of Buddha :

Equanimity (Neutrality)

It means the mind is not shaken or attached to happiness, unhappiness and illusion. Whatever comes to the mind, it knows without seasoning into craving and aversion.

The Important Teaching

1. Cause of Misery

Craving and Aversion is the cause of misery because it will develop into Anger and Hatred, Greed, and Illusion which in Buddhism are called “Kilesa” or impurity. The impurity causes attachment to the emotion such as obsession, depression, anxiety. The attachment causes the cycle of rebirth. The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to end the cycle of rebirth, in another word this means to reach the Enlightenment.

2. The Middle Path

Is a life in morality, not extremely addicted to happiness and unhappiness as the addiction eventually leads to depression. When we’re happy or sad, we know it without letting our mind sink into those feelings as we realize things are impermanent. We do not season our feelings into emotions since this will develop into addiction or obsession, leading to attachment.

3. The Four Noble Truths

1. Suffering - To suffer from being born, being old, being sick and dying is common to us all.
2. Cause of suffering - We are the cause of our own suffering.
3. End of suffering - Suffering can happen and also come to an end.
4. Path to end suffering - The way to end it.

4. The Truth of the Universe

1. Nothing is lost in the Universe - Matters turn into energy, energy turns into matter.
2. Things are impermanent
3. Law of Cause and Effect - This law is known as Karma. Nothing ever happens to us unless we deserve it.

The Cycle of Rebirth

Soul or Mind is an energy because it can drive the body which consists of four elements : earth, water, wind, and fire. Energy never disappear it’s only changing form into better or worse condition. When we die, the mind will go to different states of existence such as heaven ,hell, human, or animal.

The transition to a new form of existence depends on the purity of the mind. If we do a good deed, it will be fine energy, If deed was bad, the energy will be coarse. These energies classify themselves naturally, creating the cycle of rebirth to face the truth of suffering (birth, old age, sickness, death). The impure mind cannot get away from the
loop of gravity and the magnetic field. But once the mind is free from the impurity, the cycle of birth and death will end.

Meditation

Focus meditation is a mind development which is to intensely focus on something with full attention to a given thing in order for the mind to become sharp and still. Our mind is rarely still, jumping from one thought to another, resulting in lack of focus and clarity.

A mind like that usually lacks willpower and inner peace. Meditation helps us to be more focused, resulting in sharper brain and more productivity in everything we do.

The mindfulness training has 3 ways of practice.

(1) by meditation with the key in technique of focus on breathing to use the breath as a tool to train the mind.
(2) by concentrating on doing one thing at a time, not letting the mind lose focus, such as not thinking while eating or playing a smart phone.

(3) by walking meditation. However there is a high level meditation which aims to reach the enlightenment called Vipassana Meditation based of Four foundation of Mindfulness (Pali -MahaSatipattan) which requires a Vipassana meditation master.

Words by : Master Acharavadee Wongsakon

Teaching Meditation

"Spiritual Life & Meditation Teaching"

by Vipassana Master Acharavadee Wongsakon

"Spirit is the most important part of our life. Because if there is no spirit in a body,

the body will be just an object or a corpse. Why not give importance to spirit?..."

The Truth of Techo Vipassana

This is the mindfulness meditation (or vipassana) practice using the approach in igniting fire element in the body to burn impurities (or kilesa) according to the Buddha teaching, in Pali pronounced as "Atapee Sampchano Satima",

which means "Keep persevering, and burning impurities."

Meditation Course by Knowing Buddha Thailand

1. Ana-panasati Meditation - 1 day

2. Ana-panasati Meditation - 3 days 2 nights

3. Techo-Vipassana Meditation (insight meditation- High Level) - 7 days 6 nights

the practitioner must pass Ana-panasati meditation course first

All course free of charge (Start October 2018)

Techo-Dhamaretreat at Kaeng-koi district

(1.5 hrs.from Bangkok)

Please see detail at www.techovipassana.org

"We not only protect Buddhism,

But also awaken the morality of mankind."

MASTER ACHARAVADEE WONGSAKON

"Buddhism is religion of wisdom."

The renowned famous teaching of Buddha: Detachment.

It means detachment from craving and aversion, detach from Ego and Emotion. Craving and aversion drive normal feelings such as happiness or disappointment in the level of emotions, such as deep anger and hatred, greed, illusion, obsession, addiction. Buddhsim does not mean turning a human into a wooden log with no feelings, but practicing oneself to not fall victim to one’s own emotions and conduct life with virture, to realize things are impermanent, to be free from illusion. Detachment will bring true inner peace and harmony from within.

Dos and Don'ts on Buddha

Dos and Don'ts

Dos with regard to Buddha

Once you enter Buddha’s land you will see many temples and Buddha statues both inside and outside the temples or even in residences. Buddhists have the images of Buddha to pay gratitude and to pay respect to with a sacred one and to remind us of his teachings. To know what is appropriate and to whom one should pay respect is a common sense and basic morality.

The world has gone too far in using Buddha images wrongly, with lack of consideration. Please let us provide this summary to help explain how to treat the Buddha image
appropriately. Simple respect will bring good vibration and a harmonious heart for us all.

1. Respect

To pay respect to Buddha doesn’t mean you must be a Buddhist. If you act with respect to a prophet of other religions, you should treat the Buddha the same way as he is worshiped as the spiritual Father of Buddhism.

Respect can be shown by your attitude with the humble mind body language. If you don’t want to pay respect at all at least do not look down on the Buddha.

2. Correctness

If you see a picture, an amulet, or a statue of Buddha in inappropriate places such as on the floor, in a toilet, or on a chair, please help to place it in a proper place up high such as on a shelf or higher.

3. Knowledge

If you are a Buddhist, inform those who have the wish to know about Buddha. If you are not a Buddhist, and someone asks “Who is Buddha?” the simple answer can be,
Buddha is the enlightened one who taught Buddhists to do good deeds the same way other prophets do.

Don'ts with regard to Buddha

1. Please do not treat Buddha’s symbols,
statues or images badly

If you cannot pay respect to Buddha at least do not treat the image of Buddha badly. Buddhists respect Buddha as the religious father. All leaders of religions are regarded with respect. This should also be applied to Buddha.

3. Please do not use Buddha’s name in
commercialization or without respect

Such as naming a dog “Buddha”

the restaurant named "Buddha Belly"

or a bar called "Buddha Bar".

2. Please do not place Buddha images
in inappropriate objects or places

Buddha images should be placed away from objects of daily use such as handkerchiefs, napkins, towels, rags or cleaning item. Also do not use for the lower part of the body shoes, underwear, skirts including all sorts of toys and furniture etc.

True Buddhists who see a Buddha image placed as objects in inappropriate places will feel very unhappy. This could lead to an anger and widespread conflict.

4. Please do not place images or statues
of Buddha as if they are furniture or
decoration item.

Buddha symbol and images is not furniture or decoration,they are to be revered. Devoted Buddhists will know this. But there are many people who are aware of their own disrespectful acts. We must improve awareness of what is right and wrong.

You might wonder why there are merchants even in some Buddhist countries who treat Buddha statues or images without respect and sell them like decoration items. That is a reflection of human nature. In every society there are good and bad people. Bad people don’t care about anything except their own benefit: but the true Buddhist will feel ashamed of that.

Buddha is the spiritual father to more than 500 million Buddhists around the world. His images and statues are not meant to be used for decoration or as tattoo under any circumstances. Those who create the object with Buddha images intend to inspire people to think of Buddha.

If you feel that Buddha images help you feel peace and harmony, please place the Buddha statue properly with respect, by placing the statue or image, at a high level from the floor and not use his symbols as decoration.

PLEASE HELP STOP
DISRESPECTING BUDDHA

1. Our body is considered dirty

Buddha was a person who was clean from the inside out. His mind is free from illusion and impurities. He is respected by all Buddhists around the world. Our body and mind still need to be cleaned. If we don’t wash our body even for a day, it stinks badly. Someone once said that he had the Buddha tattoo on his body because he loved the Buddha and wanted to stay close to him. This idea is not proper and a misunderstanding. The best way to stay close to him is to follow his teaching. These are the appropriate ways to show your love and respect to Buddha.

2. We don't practice sexual abstinence

To tattoo his image on a body that still indulges in sexual acts is considered a serious lack of respect.

3. The Buddha statue needs to be placed in a proper place.

Always put the Buddha statue in a high place, way above the head as a respectful act to him. To put the symbol in a low position or to tattoo him on the body is thus very
inappropriate.

"Do they really have to do this ?"

Knowing Buddha Organization (KBO)

Knowing Buddha Foundation was founded in 2012 by Vipassana meditation Master Acharavadee Wongsakon who has practiced Vipassana meditation for more than 18,000 hours.

With determination to reverse the growth of misguided knowledge and end the lack of respect to the Enlightened One, we strive to bring back the core of Buddha’s teachings and speak out to protect Buddhism by providing correct knowledge on proper treatments to Buddha images and symbols.