a buddhist perspective

One of the most basic precepts in Buddhism is to not harm any living being. The Buddha showed us how. Once we begin to rein ourselves in by living morally, we will commit fewer wrongdoings. In this way, we will be less plagued by guilt. We will react less from emotions and more from reason. Harming others less will result in our worrying less. By not wasting time worrying, our minds will be more at ease, and we will be better able to focus on what we wish to: perhaps on our spiritual practice or simply on what we are doing.

As we progressively become calmer, our concentra­tion will enable us to touch our innate wisdom. This is the wisdom that the Buddha experi­enced and then spoke of. It already lies deep within each of us. But we have yet to enter, much less function from, this clear, intuitive wisdom.

As caring members of society, it is our responsibility to practice the virtues of harmlessness, compassion, and equanimity. These virtues lie deep within us, within our true nature. This true nature is the same as that of all Buddhas. The true nature of Buddhas—their very essence—is loving-kindness, altruism, and tranquility. These qualities lie at the core of their being, and ours.

The sutras teach that ordinary people, sages and saints are all equal. There is no difference [in their intrinsic nature]. Only the defilement or purity of mind is different. For this reason, it is said that “Mind, Buddhas and sentient beings are no different from one another.” A Pure Mind is Buddha, a defiled mind is sentient being. Buddhas and sentient beings differ only in the extinction or non-extinction of defilements of the mind.

The mind is inherently clean and pure, but it is obstructed by greed, hatred, stupidity, arrogance, the five desires and many kinds of delusions. Therefore, those with such minds are called sentient beings. If defilements are discarded and the mind becomes pure, that is Buddhahood. It is not necessary to depend on others.

However, all sentient beings bear heavy karma and stubborn afflictions from time immemorial, and these are very difficult to purify. To do so requires cultivation, such as [serene, reflective] meditation, working on a hua-t’ou [koan] or Buddha Recitation. So you see, there are many expedient ways to practice, but all are medicines to treat the diseases of the mind. For example, a mirror, intrinsically bright, cannot reflect anything if it is covered with dust. To restore its brightness, a cleaning agent (remedy) is required. Yet the cleanser itself is also dust, though it can rid other things of dust. Once the mirror is bright, there is no further need for the cleanser. This is like gold in its ore, covered with the dirt and dust of sand and stone. After it is smelted and pure gold appears, there is no need to smelt it again.

It is difficult to rid oneself of the defiled mind characteristic of sentient beings. However, it can be done through diligent practice. When this is accomplished, the bright and undefiled mind appears. It is in this sense that all sentient beings are said to be inherently Buddhas.

~ Master Han-Shan’s Dream Roamings, Trans. by Master Lok To

The following is an excerpt from a talk by Professor Ronald Epstein given at San Francisco State University at a conference called "Animal Rights and Our Human Relationship to the Biosphere" held March 29-April 1, 1990. The talk was called "A Buddhist Perspective on Animal Rights".
 

NEWS

I want to relate to you two striking examples of animals acting with more humanity than most humans. My point is not that animals are more humane than humans, but that there is dramatic evidence that animals can act in ways that do not support certain Western stereotypes about their capacities.

About fifteen years ago there was an Associated Press article with a dateline from a northern Japanese fishing village. Several people from a fishing vessel were washed overboard in a storm far at sea. One of the women was found still alive on a beach near her village three days later. At the time a giant sea turtle was briefly seen swimming just offshore. The woman said that when she was about to drown the turtle had come to rescue her and had carried her on its back for three days to the place where she was found.

In February of this year, also according to the Associated Press a man lost at sea was saved by a giant stingray:

A man claims he rode 450 miles on the back of a stingray to safety after his boat capsized three weeks ago, a radio station reported yesterday.

Radio Vanuatu said 18-year-old Lottie Stevens washed up Wednesday in New Caladonia. It said Stevens' boat capsized January 15 while he and a friend were on a fishing trip.

The friend died and after four days spent drifting with the overturned boat, Stevens decided to try to swim to safety, Radio vanuatu reported. There were sharks in the area, but a stingray came to Steven's rescue and carried him on its back for 13 days and nights to New Caladonia, the radio said. (AP, San Francisco Chroncicle, Feb. 8, 1990)

BASIC BUDDHIST PRINCIPLES

Unlike the Judeo-Christian tradition, Buddhism affirms the unity of all living beings, all equally posses the Buddha-nature, and all have the potential to become Buddhas, that is, to become fully and perfectly enlightened. Among the sentient, there are no second-class citizens.

According to Buddhist teaching, human beings do not have a privileged, special place above and beyond that of the rest of life. The world is not a creation specifically for the benefit and pleasure of human beings. Furthermore, in some circumstances according with their karma, humans can be reborn as humans and animals can be reborn as humans.

In Buddhism the most fundamental guideline for conduct is ahimsa—the prohibition against the bringing of harm and/or death to any living being. Why should one refrain from killing? It is because all beings have lives; they love their lives and do not wish to die. Even one of the smallest creatures, the mosquito, when it approaches to bite you, will fly away if you make the slightest motion. Why does it fly away? Because it fears death. It figures that if it drinks your blood, you will take its life. . . .

We should nurture compassionate thought. Since we wish to live, we should not kill any other living being. Furthermore, the karma of killing is understood as the root of all suffering and the fundamental cause of sickness and war, and the forces of killing are explicitly identified with the demonic. The highest and most universal ideal of Buddhism is to work unceasingly for permanent end to the suffering of all living beings, not just humans.

 

In the Monday morning class this week, I was talking about giving as a countermeasure for greed and craving. At the end of the talk, I said "When we learn to give as caring and generous people give—we will no longer feel tired. And even if we feel tired when we begin helping, after a while we will find that giving makes us feel more alert, happy, and energetic."

A former teacher who had taught for thirty-eight years raised a question about burnout. I know that her intentions, as were the intentions of all the wonderful teachers I know, had been to help children, not to benefit oneself.

Her excellent question provided an opportunity to elaborate on giving, one of the three forms of which is teaching. When we teach skills in school or in other surroundings, we are sharing what we know with others. By not holding anything back and teaching wholeheartedly, we will help people improve their lives. Obviously, learning how to provide for themselves and for their families is very important. But, the time frame for the helpful results is limited to, at the most, the person's current lifetime.

From the Buddhist perspective, the highest form of teaching is to teach about causality and the ways to awaken. These teachings provide benefits that are far more encompassing because they can improve not just this lifetime, but future lifetimes as well.

When we give unconditionally and spontaneously, we are giving from our true nature: the nature that wishes for all people to end suffering and attain happiness—forever.

Giving from our true nature and knowing that our wish is to help people not just for one lifetime, but for many lifetimes, is truly energizing.

When we enter a Buddhist monastery or center for the first time, we may wonder why there are so many statues or pictures of different people or why there are so many flowers, and even fruit, on the table at the front of the room.

Actually, everything we see is a teaching aid.

Take the images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, for example. Buddhas represent the true nature, and bodhisattvas represent cultivation. In some monasteries, we might see a statue or picture of Sakyamuni Buddha flanked by two great arhats, Ananda and Mahakasyapa. Ananda, who was foremost in erudition, represents understanding and wisdom. Mahakasyapa, who was foremost in asceticism, represents practice.

In a Pure Land center we will see an image of Amitabha Buddha flanked by the greatly compassionate Avalokitesvara who represents practice, and Mahasthamaprapta, who was foremost in wisdom and represents understanding.

Even the offerings have educational significance. Why do we offer water? Water is symbolic. Water, which is clean and pure, symbolizes that our minds should be just as clean. It is calm, without a single ripple. This symbolizes that our minds should be just as calm and tranquil. Therefore, when we see the offered water, we should remember to maintain a mind as pure and impartial as the water.

Flowers symbolize “cause,” as the blossoming of flowers results in the bearing of fruit. Flowers represent the Six Paramitas and all practices. Fruit is not offered to Buddhas or bodhisattvas for consumption. Rather, they serve to remind us that if we want the “fruit,” we should first plant its cause.

Lamps symbolize wisdom and illumination. Incense symbolizes the true fragrance of discipline and meditative concentration. Everything is symbolic and educational. Thus, all the facilities and offerings in a Buddhist center serve to remind and educate us. Buddhas and bodhisattvas neither smell nor consume the offerings; they need none of these.