p20236 Buddhist Philosophy

This lesson examines the fundamental doctrines of Buddhism. The quest for the meaning of the suffering and pain in the world around him led Buddha to renounce a princely life and seek enlightenment. Buddhism shows the way towards liberation from ‘samsara’ or the worldly life filled with pain and suffering. According to Buddhist philosophy all beings in this universe are caught in the cycle of birth and death. Ignorance, desire and attachment bind the living beings to karma. As a result, they cannot overcome the cycle of birth and death and continue to be born into this world of pain and suffering. This is symbolized by the wheel of life. Buddha realized that there are 12 causes for suffering in this world. These are called the 12 Nithanas or ‘Pannirendu Nithanangal’. In Tamil they are known as the ‘Panniru Sarbu’. They are ‘avidya’ or ‘pethaimai’, ‘samskara’ or ‘seigai’, ‘vignyana’ or ‘unarvu’, ‘namarupa’ or ‘aruvuruvu’, shadayatana’ or ‘vayil’, ‘sparsha’ or ‘uru’, ‘vedana’ or ‘nugarvu’, ‘trishna’ or ‘vetkai’, ‘upadana’ or ‘pattru’, ‘bhavam’ or ‘karuma thoguthi’, ‘jati’ or ‘thotram’ and ‘jaramaranam’ or ‘vinai payan’.

‘Avidya’ or ‘pethaimai’ denotes ‘ignorance’. ‘Samskara’ or ‘seigai’ is action. ‘Vignyana’ or ‘unarvu’ means consciousness. ‘Namarupa’ or ‘aruvuruvu’ signifies name and form. ‘Shadayatana’ or ‘vayil’ are the 6 senses or faculties. ‘Sparsha’ or ‘uru’ denotes contact with the world. ‘Vedana’ or ‘nugarvu’ is perception. ‘Trishna’ or ‘vetkai’ means craving. ‘Upadana’ or ‘pattru’ signifies attachment. ‘Bhavam’ or ‘karuma thoguthi’ is becoming. ‘Jati’ or ‘thotram’ is birth. ‘Jaramaranam’ or ‘vinai payan’ means old age and death. These 12 causes are interdependent and entangle the living beings in ‘samsara’. Caught in samsara, the living beings undergo the sufferings of old age or (moopu), disease or (pini) and death or (saakkadu).

Buddhism enjoins its adherents to follow the Four Noble Truths to attain moksha or liberation from suffering. The Four Noble Truths are as follows: ‘noi’- ie suffering, ‘noi karanam’ - ie suffering due to attachment, ‘noi neekkam’ - ie attachment which can be overcome and ‘noi neekkum vazhi’ - ie the path for accomplishing this. Buddhism recommends the Eight Fold Path to accomplish liberation from attachments. The Eight Fold Path is also known as the ‘Ashtanga Margam’. This Eight Fold Path comprises 3 concepts namely, ‘seelam’ or ‘shila’, which refers to right morality, ‘prajna’ which denotes right wisdom and ‘samadhi’ signifying right meditation.