(Sakyamuni Buddha at Bodh Gaya-India): Picture was taken in 2009
1. KARMA:
According to dictionary: Karma originated from Sanskrit and it means action. Generally it means whatever action we make( past and present life) will have a consequences that arise from these actions. When there is an action, there will be a reaction to it. When one do a good action, he/she will get a good reaction/reward in return. When one do a bad/ evil action, he/she will get a bad/punishment reaction in return.
Simple example is: When you obey your parents and filial to them, when your parents passed away, they will inherit all their wealth to you, contrary if you treat your parents badly not only they will not inherit their wealth to you but they will tell all their friends your bad behavior so the whole neighborhood ( including your parents) will not like you and will not help you in anyway when you encounter a problem or hardship in your life.
Still another example: you go to the street.... then you hit/ slap someone on the face (this is the action). Then this people will hit you in return ( this the reaction to the action-being slapped by you).
Contrary, if you go to the street, smile to others chat with them (action), these people will chatting back...offer you candy/coffee( reaction).
The same thing goes with animal/dog. If you approach a dog in a friendly manner, the dog will treat you back nicely. But when you approach a dog with bad manner, when you come near the dog he/she will bite you.
When I tell people the above theory of Karma, they will hit me back with this question: Well...if that so....why some people they did lots of bad deeds yet they live a good life, and while others did a lots of good deeds yet they live a miserable life.
Certain people doing lots of bad Karma yet living a good and happy life, this is because he accumulate lots of good Karma in her/his previous life, but definitely he/she will get punished once his/her accumulation of good Karma is exhausted. Same thing goes with people who do lots of good deed but live a miserable life. Usually certain Karma we do will not take effect immediately, I witness some of my friend who did a cruel action, and he/ she get the punishment after 10 or 20 years later. Some friends of mine love to bully or harass others, after almost 20 years later someone else ( not the same person that he bullied) bullied them back.
Karma( whether it's a good karma or bad karma) we created can be compared to planting seeds. Some seeds we plant would grow faster, other grow slower. Some fruits/vegetable/ flowers we plant grow faster than the others. Some fruit-plant only need 1 year to grow into fruits, other fruit-plant need 10 years( or maybe much longer) to grow into fruits.
This is the same with karma we made( good karma or bad karma). Some action we make have immediate result ( for example if we hit someone, that person will immediately hit us back). Some other action (karma)we made will not have an immediate result( maybe we need to wait for 10 years, 20 or 50 years to get the reaction/result).
When I tell people the above theory of Karma, they will hit me back with this question: Well...if that so....why some people they did lots of bad deeds yet they live a good life, and while others did a lots of good deeds yet they live a miserable life.
Certain people doing lots of bad Karma yet living a good and happy life, this is because he accumulate lots of good Karma in her/his previous life, but definitely he/she will get punished once his/her accumulation of good Karma is exhausted. Same thing goes with people who do lots of good deed but live a miserable life. Usually certain Karma we do will not take effect immediately, I witness some of my friend who did a cruel action, and he/ she get the punishment after 10 or 20 years later. Some friends of mine love to bully or harass others, after almost 20 years later someone else ( not the same person that he bullied) bullied them back.
Karma( whether it's a good karma or bad karma) we created can be compared to planting seeds. Some seeds we plant would grow faster, other grow slower. Some fruits/vegetable/ flowers we plant grow faster than the others. Some fruit-plant only need 1 year to grow into fruits, other fruit-plant need 10 years( or maybe much longer) to grow into fruits.
This is the same with karma we made( good karma or bad karma). Some action we make have immediate result ( for example if we hit someone, that person will immediately hit us back). Some other action (karma)we made will not have an immediate result( maybe we need to wait for 10 years, 20 or 50 years to get the reaction/result).
Sakyamuni Buddha when he got enlightened at the Bodhi Tree in India, he discovered that human beings were being borned again and again because of the Karma( action whether it is a wholesome action or unwholesome action) they created from their many past lives' actions and present actions.
For example: If you were generous in your past life, you would have a fortunate situation( reward of fortune/good wealth )in this life. Contrary you were very selfish in your previous life , you would be rewarded with a poor fortune in this life.
Karma ( Law of Causes and Effects) is a very complicated and complex system: it's said only Buddha himself totally understand the work of Karma. The above example/explanation is just a general idea about what karma is.
2. FOUR NOBLE TRUTH:
A. There is suffering
B. The origin of suffering
C. The cessation of suffering
D. The path to the cessation of suffering
3. EIGHTFOLD PATHS:
A. Right Understanding
B. Right Thoughts.
C. Right Speech.
D. Right Action.
E Right livelihood
F. Right Effort
G. Right Mindfulness
H. Right Concentration:
4. THE MIDDLE WAY:
Sakyamuni Buddha finally at Bodhi Tree discovered that the best way to attain the Enlightenment (liberation)was to apply the middle way. He suggested when an artist plays guitar, if he adjusted the string to tight , it would not make a good sound so as when he adjusted the string too loose, it would not produced a good sound either. And Buddha said the artist would play a good sound when the string was not too tight or too loose, and He called this A MIDDLE WAY.
So Buddha suggested when we practice for enlightenment we should apply the Middle Way. We can not be too studious/ hard for it would make us tired easily and failed, we also can not be too relax for it would make us lazy and failed.
5. EHIPASSIKO;
( Come, See , Investigate, Think, Prove and then Believe it)
Sakyamuni Buddha taught the Ehipassiko lesson to a group of villagers in India called the Alarama Kalama. This was constitute of the high learning individual or people of high intellectuals living in India at that time, this group of people were very smart. So this group of people( Alarama Kalama) asked the Buddha how can they tell which teachings is good for them( in India at that time , it had more than 100 different Sects) . Then Buddha replied:
-Don't believe blindly.- Don't just believe because it has been written on your .......books.
- Don't just believe because it has been handed by many generations of your wise ancestors.
- Don't just believe because your teacher or your parents tell you so.
- Don't believe in anything I( Sakyamuni Buddha) tell you so, but after you come, you see, and after a careful investigation, and you think the teachings is good for society, it teaches for loving kindness, when you develop the teaching it bring happiness not only to yourself but also to others. then this teaching is good, then you can follow this teachings.
The above discourse known in Buddhism as KALAMA SUTRA/SUTTA.
Further Buddha taught if you can find some teachings good it's OK to apply this teaching in their daily life. So don't get offended if a Buddhist ask you: Why?, How come? Any Prove?Any eyewitness?
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The above script read: Lumbini lies in the tranquil South Western plains of Nepal. Here the Lord Buddha, the symbol of peace and the light of Asia, was born in 623 B.C. It is the holiest of the holy place for the followers of Buddhism........At this place the newly born prince Siddharta (simply known as Buddha) took his first seven steps and uttered an epoch making message to the suffering humanity. ...........
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(Above photos, taken in 2007: The exact birthplace of Sakyamuni Buddha in Lumbini(Nepal)
6. ANICCA-IMPERMANENCE:
Sakyamuni Buddha said everything in this world is impermanence. One day( it can be 100 years, or 100 trillion years) something/someone that exists today will be gone.
We live for 80 years and then we die, this is Anicca/impermanence.
We are very rich right now, but some day we will go bankrupt and become a poor people, this is Anicca.
This planet one day will be extinguished by it own because of the age. It can be millions or billions years from now.
We are strong and handsome/ beautiful but one day we will become old, weak and ugly. This is the impermanence of life.
7. THE ESSENCE OF ALL BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS:
Sakyamuni Buddha teach a lot of Dharmas all His life, but He said all his teaching can be summarized into a simple sentence, it's:
Refrain from doing Evil, Do lots of good deeds, that's the main teaching of the Buddha.
8. FIVE PRECEPTS OF BUDDHISM:
A. NO KILLING, Include here killing of animals.
B. NO STEALING, Include here stealing a small amount of money also consider as stealing.
C. NO INTOXICANTS
D. NO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
E. NO FALSE SPEECH OR NO LYING.
In Mahayana tradition you take the oath of Five precepts from a Buddhist Monk/ Master and receive Triple Jewels ( Buddha,Dharma and Sangha), then you are officially a Buddhist followers.
9. TRIPLE JEWELS:
-BUDDHA: Refers to founding of Buddhism: Sakyamuni Buddha
-DHARMA: The teachings of the Buddha.
-SANGHA: Assembly of Buddhist monks.
10. TRIPITAKA:
(Three baskets or three collections of the teaching of the Buddha).
- SUTRA PITAKA: ( Collections of Sutras- Amitabha Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra, Etc,)
-VINAYA RULES: ( MONASTIC CODES)
-ABHIDHARMA: ( Elaboration of the teaching of the Buddhist Sutras/Dharma).
BAHASA INDONESIA:
Saya menulis artikel berikut untuk memberikan umat buddha pengetahuan dasar tentang agama buddha:
1.KARMA:
Karma berasal dari bahasa sansekerta artinya: perbuatan yang kita lakukan pada masa lampau and sekarang akan mempunyai akibat / buah yang akan kita terima. Sakyamuni Buddha saat mencapai penerangan sempurna dia menyadari bahwa semua mahluk dilahirkan berulang-ulang karena karma yang mereka buat ( karma baik atau buruk) sebagai contoh: kalau anda banyak beramal pada kehiidupan lampau, anda akan mempunyai keuangan berlimpah pada kelahiran ini, tapi kalau pada kelahiran lampau anda kikir, maka kelahiran ini anda akan kekurangan uang.
2. EMPAT KEBENARAN MULIA:
- Adanya penderitaan/ Dukha
- Asal penderitaan/ Dukha
- Lenyapnya penderitaan/Dukha
- Jalan untuk meleyapkan penderitaan/Dukha
3. DELAPAN JALAN MULIA:
-Pengertian yang benar
-Pikiran yang benar.
-Ucapan yang benar
-Mata pencaharian yang benar
-Usaha yang benar
-Perhatian yang benar
- Konsentrasi yang benar: melalui meditasi
4. JALAN TENGAH:
Sakyamuni Buddha saat menacapai penerangan sempurna menemukan bahwa jalan terbaik untuk mencapai pembebasan/ penerangan adalah dengan mempraktekkan Jalan Tengah.
Buddha mengumpamakan seseorang yang main gitar, kalau senar diputar/ di setel terlalu kencan , suaranya taidak akan enak didengar, sebaliknya kalau diputar terlalu lengang, suaranya juga tdk enak, tapi kalau senar gitar diputar seimbang/pas( tidak terlalu kencang dan tidak terlalu lengang) maka suara yang keluar adalah suara yang harmonis/indah.
5.EHIPASSIKO:
( Datang,Lihat, Selidiki,Pikir,Bukti, dan Percaya)
Sakyamuni Buddha mengajarkan peajaran Ehipassiko kepada sekelompok suku di India bernama suku Alarama Kalama. Suku ini terdiri dari orang orang paling pintar di India waktu itu, kelompok orang orang ini sangat kritis(mendalam) cara berpikir mereka.
Pada saat itu kelompok suku ini bertanya pada Buddha: Manakah teachings yang bisa mereka terapkan ? Karena di India waktu itu terdapat ratusan aliran-aliran teachings.
Buddha kemudian menjawab:
-Jangan percaya membabi buta
-Jangan percaya begitu saja karena itu ditulis di buku.......... kamu.
-Jangan percaya hanya karena itu diturunkan secara turun temurun dari generasi sebelumnya.
-Jangan percaya karena guru teachings kamu mengatakanya padamu.
-Bahkan jangan percaya apa yang Buddha katakan padamu tapi setelah kamu: Datang sendiri, Lihat sendiri, Selidiki sendiri, Pikirkan secara mendalam, Buktikan sendiri , dan kamu setelah penyelidikan yang mendalam dan mendapatkan bahwa taechings itu membawa kebaikan buat masyarakat,itu mengajarkan cinta kasih yang universal( terhadap semua manusia tanpa pilih kasih).
Dan waktu mempraktekkan ajaran ini, tdk saja membawa kebahagian buat diri kamu sendiri tapi juga membawa kebahagian dan manfaat buat orang lain, maka kamu boleh mempraktekkan teachings ini.
6. HUKUM TIDAK KEKAL ABADI-ANICCA
Buddha mengatakan semua yang ada di dunia ini adalah tidak kekal abadi. Suatu hari ( bisa 100 tahun, atau 100 trillion tahun) semua barang/manusia yang ada sekarang akan musnah.
Kita hidup sekitar 80 tahun kemudian mati, ini adalah tidak kekal abadi. Kita sangat kaya tapi suatu hari kita bangkrut dan menjadi miskin, ini adalah tidak kekal abadi.
Planet bumi ini satu hari akan musnah dengan sendirinya karena usia tua. Lenyapnya bumi bisa jutaan tahun atau trillionan tahun dari sekarang..
Pada saat ini kita gagah dan tampan/ cantik, tapi suatu hari kita akan berubah jadi jelek dan tua. Ini adalah tidak kekal abadi.
7. INTISARI AJARAN BUDDHA
Sakyamuni Buddha mengajarkan 84000 pintu Dharma, tapi Sakyamuni Buddha bilang semua ajaran dia bisa dirangkumkan ke satu kalimat pendek yaitu:
Jangan berbuat jelek/jahat, banyak- banyaklah menanam benih kebaikan. Itulah inti dari ajaran Buddha.
8. PANCASILA(5 SILA) AGAMA BUDDHA.
A. Jangan membunuh, termasuk disini membunuh binatang/hewan.
B. Jangan mencuri, termasuk disini mencuri duit dalam jumlah sekecil apapun.
C. Jangan bermabuk-mabukan
D. Jagan melakukan hal-hal a-susila.
E. Jangan berbohong.
Pada tradisi Mahayana, jika kamu bersumpah Pancasila( 5 Sila) dan tiga perlindungan( Tri ratna: Buddha ,Dharma, Sangha) dari seoang Bhiksu maka kamu resmi menjadi umat Buddha.
9.TIGA PERLINDUNGAN
-BUDDHA- Berlindung pada Buddha Sakyamuni
-DHARMA-Berlindung pada Dharma( Ajaran-Ajaran Buddha)
-SANGHA- Berlindung pada Sangha(Kumpulan suci Bhiksu/bhiksuni.)
10.TRIPITAKA( 3 KERANJANG AJARAN BUDDHA):
-Sutra Pitaka( koleksi ajaran Buddha- Sutra, seperti: Amitabha Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra,dll)
-Vinaya ( aturan- aturan buat Bhiksu)
-Abhidharma( penjelasan lebih lanjut dari ajaran Buddha tentang Sutra/Dharma)
