The Buddhist Catechism Part 10

A. In the Sigalovada Sutta.

213. Q. Do riches help a man to future happiness?

A. The Dhammapada says: "One is the road that leads to wealth, another the road that leads to Nirvana."

214. Q. Does that mean that no rich man can attain Nirvana?

A. That depends on which he loves most. If he uses his wealth for the benefit of mankind--for the suffering, the oppressed, the ignorant--then his wealth aids him to acquire merit.

215. Q. But if the contrary?

A. But if he loves and greedily h.o.a.rds money for the sake of its possession, then it weakens his moral sense, prompts him to crime, brings curses upon him in this life, and their effects are felt in the next birth.

216. Q. _What says the "Dhammapada" about ignorance?_

A. That it is a taint worse than all taints that a man can put upon himself.

217. Q. _What does it say about uncharitableness towards others?_

A. That the fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself difficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbour's faults like chaff, but his own fault he hides, as a cheat hides the bad die from the gambler.

218. Q. _What advice does the Buddha give us as to man's duty to the poor?_

A. He says that a man's net income should be divided into four parts, of which one should be devoted to philanthropic objects.

219. Q. _What five occupations are said to be low and base?_

A. Selling liquor, selling animals for slaughter, selling poison, selling murderous weapons, and dealing in slaves.

220. Q. _Who are said to be incapable of progress in spirituality?_

A. The killers of father, mother, and holy Arhats; Bhikkhus who sow discord in the Sangha; those who attempt to injure the person of a Buddha; those who hold extremely nihilistic views as to the future existence; and those who are extremely sensual.

121. Q. _Does Buddhism specify places or conditions of torment into which a bad man's Karma draws him on leaving this life?_

A. Yes. They are: Sanjiva; Kalasutra; Sanghata; Raurava; Maha-Raurava Tapa; Pratapa; Avichi.

222. Q. _Is the torment eternal?_

A. Certainly not. Its duration depends on a man's Karma.

223. Q. _Does Buddhism declare that non-believers in Buddha will of necessity be d.a.m.ned for their unbelief?_

A. No; by good deeds they may enjoy a limited term of happiness before being drawn into rebirth by their unexhausted _tanha_. To escape rebirth, one must tread the n.o.ble Eight-fold Path.

224. Q. _What is the spiritual status of woman among Buddhists?_

A. According to our religion they are on a footing of perfect equality with men. "Woman," says the Buddha, in the _Chullavedalla Sutta_, "may attain the highest path of holiness that is open to man--Arhats.h.i.+p."

225. Q. _What does a modern critic say about the effect of Buddhism on woman?_

A. That "it has done more for the happiness and enfranchis.e.m.e.nt of woman than any other creed" (Sir Lepel Griffin).

226. Q. _What did the Buddha teach about caste?_

A. That one does not become of any caste, whether Pariah, the lowest, or Brahmana the highest, by birth, but by deeds. "By deeds," said He, "one becomes an outcast, by deeds one becomes a Brahmana" (See _Va.s.sala Sutta_).

227. Q. _Tell me a story to ill.u.s.trate this?_

A. Ananda, pa.s.sing by a well, was thirsty and asked Prakrti, a girl of the Matanga, or Pariah, caste, to give him water. She said she was of such low caste that he would become contaminated by taking water from her hand. But Ananda replied: "I ask not for caste but for water"; and the Matanga girl's heart was glad and she gave him to drink. The Buddha blessed her for it.

228. Q. _What did the Buddha say in "Vasala Sutta" about a man of the Pariah Sopaka caste?_

A. That by his merits he reached the highest fame; that many Khattiyas (Kshattriyas) and Brahmanas went to serve him; and that after death he was born in the Brahma-world: while there are many Brahmanas who for their evil deeds are born in h.e.l.l.

229. Q. Does Buddhism teach the immortality of the soul?

A. It considers "soul" to be a word used by the ignorant to express a false idea. If everything is subject to change, then man is included, and every material part of him must change. That which is subject to change is not permanent: so there can be no immortal survival of a changeful thing.[10]

230. Q. _What is so objectionable in this word "soul"?_

A. The idea a.s.sociated with it that man can be an ent.i.ty separated from all other ent.i.ties, and from the existence of the whole of the Universe. This idea of separateness is unreasonable, not provable by logic, nor supported by science.

231. Q. _Then there is no separate "I," nor can we say "my" this or that?_

A. Exactly so.

232. Q. _If the idea of a separate human "soul" is to be rejected, what is it in man which gives him the impression of having a permanent personality?_

A. _Tanha_, or the unsatisfied desire for existence. The being having done that for which he must be rewarded or punished in future, and having _Tanha_, will have a rebirth through the influence of Karma.

233. Q. _What is it that is born?_

A. A new aggregation of Skandhas, or personality[11] caused by the last generative thought of the dying person.

234. Q. _How many Skandhas are there?_

A. Five.

235. Q. _Name the five Skandhas?_

A. Rupa, Vedana, Sanna, Samkhara,_ and _Vinnana_.

236. Q. _Briefly explain what they are?_

A. __Rupa_, material qualities; _Vedana_, sensation; _Sanna_, abstract ideas; _Samkhara_, tendencies of mind; _Vinnana_, mental powers, or consciousness. Of these we are formed; by them we are conscious of existence; and through them communicate with the world about us.

237. Q. _To what cause must we attribute the differences in the combination of the five Skandhas which make every individual differ from every other individual?_