Quote of the Week[*]
July 13 is Asalaha-Puja Day, which commemorates the First turning of the
Dhamma Wheel.
Tomorrow begins the annual Rains Retreat (Vassa).
We will translate and publish portions of talks given by Ajarn Buddhadasa on these occasions. These will appear gradually over the next weeks and months.
From Dhammacakkappavattana Gathā —
A talk given on Dhamma Day 1958 (Asalaha-Puja 2501, July 1st)
Concerning the noble eightfold path, which begins with right view (sammāditthi), we ought to wonder why the Buddha specified sammāditthi (right understanding) as the first factor. Most Buddhists think that we should start with dāna (giving) or sīla (ethics). So why is sammāditthi, which concerns wisdom (paññā), at the beginning? Why didn’t he speak of dāna, sīla, or samādhi before bringing up paññā?
That the Buddha started with sammāditthi is supremely correct. To believe this merely because that’s how he presented it isn’t good enough. We need to examine until we see ourselves how right view must be the starting factor. Without right understanding first, the other factors cannot occur. Or, if they are forced, they will be all wrong.
For example, if one is to give dāna, without sammāditthi it will be wrong. That generosity (dāna) will bring harmful results; it cannot bring good fruits. Keeping sīla is the same. Without sammāditthi one foolishly follows precepts in exchange for this or that in the style of greedy people. Consequently, it’s necessary to have sammāditthi as guide. In other words, wisdom or light illuminates the path so that we can follow it correctly. Any dāna given is given correctly. Any ethical practice (sīla) undertaken is kept correctly. If sammāditthi is lacking, if there’s no wisdom to show the way, dāna is given and sīla is kept superficially, as if sleep walking or even worse. There’s no way this can alleviate defilements. With sammāditthi in charge, generosity and ethics are in line with the right path. Both aim at and participate in the limiting of defilements.
As for “taking refuge,” through what power to we go to refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha? If we take refuge under the power of foolishness and superstition, we get an incorrect or foolish Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Only when refuge is taken with sammāditthi or wisdom is the genuine Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Thus, it takes right understanding or wisdom to take refuge with the true Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, just as with dāna and sīla.
It’s the same with meditation (samādhi).[1] Right understanding must guide it. Without sammāditthi whatever meditation and resulting concentration one does will be outside the Buddha’s dispensation. Before the Buddha’s time, people were practicing various meditative absorptions and attainments. The Buddha experimented with these but found they lead astray, that is, they didn’t aim for the final quenching of defilement (kilesa, reactive emotion) and suffering. So we say they were “outside the Buddha’s message.” However, when right view or paññā guide and direct meditation, the concentration that occurs provides strength for eradicating defilement, that is, provides the clarity and strength needed to realize impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and selflessness which destroy defilement. The samādhi that is governed by right view is Buddhist meditation. Meditative absorptions and attainments governed by right view are Buddhist meditative absorptions and attainments.
It becomes clear that the power of sammāditthi makes things go the right way, makes practice proceed correctly. Due to the power of sammāditthi as we have explained, the Buddha spoke with complete authority, “all beings overcome suffering through the power of right understanding.”
[Āsālaha-Pūjā Desanā, Chap. 1, pp 15 ff.]
[1] Samādhi is a Pali term also used in Thai. In Pali it means “concentration” (calm, focused integration of mind) and “meditation” in ordinary Thai.
[for the sections previously translated]
~~ previous "quotes of the week" ~~
[*] Sorry, though we will try, we can’t guarantee that “weekly” will be consistent.