Let’s be good practising Buddhists

S.M. Wijayaratne
Kurunegala Daily News Corr.

A good Buddhist makes all efforts to apply the Buddha’s teachings to his daily life. He makes religious practice part and parcel of his life and is ever conscious of its significance. He understands that life without the Dhamma is an incomplete, fruitless and unsatisfactory one.

A Buddhist should not be satisfied with merely being a Buddhist; he should try to be a good Buddhist, too. Simply calling oneself a Buddhist without making an effort to live up to the name is not enough. Buddhism attaches more importance to actual practice than mere names or appellations. We should therefore learn what a good Buddhist is like and then try to be one. Let’s ponder over some important facts that a person who wishes to be a good Buddhist must pay his utmost attention.

A good Buddhist always holds the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha in the highest esteem. He does not act towards them, speak or think of them in a disrespectful manner. Rejection of the Holy Triple Gems constitutes the forfeiture of one’s status as a Buddhist.

A true Buddhist not only has firm or unshakable faith in the Triple Gems, but he tries also to understand the Buddha’s teachings and Buddhist practices. He never ceases to acquire knowledge on the religion.

He knows that sound knowledge in the religion will strengthen his faith and devotion.

A good Buddhist makes all efforts to apply the Buddha’s teachings to his daily life. He makes religious practice part and parcel of his life and is ever conscious of its significance. He understands that life without the Dhamma is an incomplete, fruitless and unsatisfactory one.

A good Buddhist loves and respects his parents. He remembers how his or her mother fed him with white breast milk which is really red-blood of the mother.

He is obedient, courteous and never argues back in an insolent manner. If, however, he wants to make his points clear, he takes care to do so in a respectful and polite manner. Furthermore, knowing that his parents love him so dearly and with sacrifice, he tries his best to return their love and, with a sense of filial gratitude, make himself useful to them and other family members. In short, a good Buddhist must also be a good and faithful son or a daughter. Without being a grateful child to his or her parents, nobody can become a true Buddhist.

A good Buddhist is a free-thinker. He does not believe things just because they are told to him. He applies his own reasoning power and, if necessary, experiments to find out the truth for himself. He prefers to associate the wise and the virtuous. He seeks their guidance when and where it is necessary.

A good Buddhist is broad-minded in matters like religious beliefs, traditional practices and social values. He relizes that people are different, and so are their views, beliefs, practices and values. A good Buddhist knows what is best for him and always goes for the best.

A true Buddhist is honest, morally incorruptible and has strong will power. He is fully aware that he must be responsible for all his actions and is therefore ever on his guard that he may not do anything wrong. A good Buddhist takes delight in performing wholesome deeds and refrain from committing harmful or unwholesome activities. Not only that, he induces his friends too in doing meritorious deeds. He believes strongly the cause and effect process as preached the Buddha. He always tries to cultivate positive human values in his heart.

A good Buddhist is diligent, ever hard-working, duty conscious and altruistic.

A good Buddhist, having studied and practised the doctrine of the Buddha and being convinced of His teachings, tries his best to promote its spread and make it known to others. He is fully aware that it is a great merit to share the Dhamma with other fellow-beings.

A good Buddhist never fails to study Dhammapada. Dhammapada means the path of Dhammapada. It contains 423 Pali verses uttered by the most compassionate Buddha on various occasions to a wide range of audience. These verses have been collected from different books of sacred Buddhist literature, the Tripitaka. Each verse is a guideline for happy living.

Let’s look at some of those verses which are full of wisdom and meaning.

Mind is the most significant force. It is the source of all actions. If we act or speak with an impure mind, we suffer. But if we act or speak with a clean mind, then we shall be happy.

Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love and kindness.

Just as the rain penetrates through a poorly thatched house, even so does lust break through the uncultivated mind.

Hard-working men, ever heedful and alert, outstrip the lazy and careless ones as a swift horse outstrips a weak horse. Ever grows the glory of him who is energetic and mindful, whose deeds are pure and well-considered, who is restrained, righteous and vigilant.