The Buddha's attitude towards living beings
The Buddha was an ethical moral teacher and the teaching that was preached helps to lead one's own life peacefully and harmoniously in the world. To lead one's own life accordingly one should practice mental development. There are four practices of mental development (brahmavihara) presented by the Buddha for the sake of one's own happiness and others as well.
The four mental developments are; 1) Loving kindness (metta), 2) compassion (karuna), 3) Sympathetic joy (mudita) and 4) Poise (upekkha)
Cultivation of these teachings could bring the result of destruction of ill-will, of cruelty, of dislike and of lust. And he who cultivates the practice of brahmavihara will reborn in the world of Brahmas after death. Loving kindness (metta) signifies one's wishing good towards others. This is one of the ten perfections (parami) practiced by the great being (Bodhisatta). It shows how one should develop unlimited loving kindness towards all beings, irrespective of their size, whether they are seen or unseen or far and near. This is the ethical practice of loving kindness through which Buddhist developed his relationship with all living beings. Seven kinds of profit would result if one cultivates this loving kindness. Compassion (Karuna) is described as "the desire to move at the suffering of others" "The feeling that casues the good people's heart to be removed when they see others' suffering is compassion". The Buddha is the Great Compassionate One, whose compassion occupies an important place in his teaching. Thus it is an important social virtue that he extended to practice not only on human being's welfare but on all living being's. Therefore, the Buddha taught the advisability of showing compassion on one's own life as on that of other being: "All tremble at the rod. All fear death: life is dear to all. Comparing other with oneself, one should neither strike nor cause to strike." Sympathetic joy (mudita) means the quality of rejoicing at prosperous state of other beings, and it has characteristic of gladness. Cultivation of this attitude can defeat evil thought such as envy, disaffection, dislike etc. The poise (upekkha) is a mode of centrality as regards being. The Buddha would not be shocked when seeing other beings suffer from physical or mental weaknesses, because beings are subject to suffering and are the heirs of their kamma. It does not mean that the Buddha enjoyed or neglected being's suffering. In fact this was the Buddha's sole concern. He, after enlightenment, decided to preach his profound teaching to the worldly being for the purpose of alleviating their suffering. The first precept applies to all living beings irrespective of their status. It does not exclude the killing of animals for the Vedic sacrifices (yajna). The Buddha discouraged and condemned animal sacrifice which was considered as a cruel act and as a futile of means of achieving happiness. On one occasion the Buddha was asked by a Brahmin, Kutadanta, what was the conduct of successful and meaningful sacrifices? The Buddha gave the example of the king Mahavijita and chaplain's conversation and He further explained the simpler sacrifice that is less difficult, more fruitful and profitable. The Buddha remarking on the cruelty and suffering involved in the usual type of sacrifice, suggested a better means whereby gratitude might be expressed. Instead of slaying and shedding blood of many animals, giving alms and building shelters for bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, taking refuge to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, observing five precepts, are more suitable and fruitful than bloody sacrifices.
Among the duty of Ariyan Wheel-Turning monarch protection of beasts and birds is one. This is the example provided by righteous kings; and modern States are expected to protect, nourish and sustain flora and fauna within their territory. This monarchical norm shed light on the moral value of Buddhism. This leads to the principle of Ahimsa which held in high esteem in early Buddhism. The word Ahimsa is a compound term with the negative prefix 'a' and the word 'himsa' derived from the root 'han' meaning 'to kill' and 'to injure'. Thus it is rendered as not killing and not injuring. This word has been asserted in different definitions in the Indian religions. Basing on this principle of Ahimsa some group of Indian people practiced vegetarianism which practice is strictly followed by Jains. Buddhism adopts a moderate one and did not go to as extremes as Jainism did, because it held that mere action without intention does not produce karmic result. The world in which we are living is a miserable existence, and life is sustained by injuring each other usually the bigger harming the smaller. Therefore the Buddha knowing this as unsatisfactoriness of this life and said, "The world is establishing with suffering" (dukkhe loko patitthito). Sometime, we may think that the concept of Ahimsa is very difficult to understand and it is not an easy practice to be perfected if one struggling to safeguard one's own life from the dangerous attackers. That is to say, mosquitoes and flies are carrying dangerous, infectious diseases. Suitable food can not be obtained unless one has to resort to kill small insects. One may observe strict rules and even be willing to harm himself, even at the risk of one's life. But suicide or harming oneself in this way is also denounced in Buddhism. Therefore, Buddhism teaches and encourages everyone not to fall into extremes and to work for the welfare of oneself as well as other beings.
The Buddha was an ethical moral teacher and the teaching that was preached helps to lead one's own life peacefully and harmoniously in the world. To lead one's own life accordingly one should practice mental development. There are four practices of mental development (brahmavihara) presented by the Buddha for the sake of one's own happiness and others as well.
The four mental developments are; 1) Loving kindness (metta), 2) compassion (karuna), 3) Sympathetic joy (mudita) and 4) Poise (upekkha)
Cultivation of these teachings could bring the result of destruction of ill-will, of cruelty, of dislike and of lust. And he who cultivates the practice of brahmavihara will reborn in the world of Brahmas after death. Loving kindness (metta) signifies one's wishing good towards others. This is one of the ten perfections (parami) practiced by the great being (Bodhisatta). It shows how one should develop unlimited loving kindness towards all beings, irrespective of their size, whether they are seen or unseen or far and near. This is the ethical practice of loving kindness through which Buddhist developed his relationship with all living beings. Seven kinds of profit would result if one cultivates this loving kindness. Compassion (Karuna) is described as "the desire to move at the suffering of others" "The feeling that casues the good people's heart to be removed when they see others' suffering is compassion". The Buddha is the Great Compassionate One, whose compassion occupies an important place in his teaching. Thus it is an important social virtue that he extended to practice not only on human being's welfare but on all living being's. Therefore, the Buddha taught the advisability of showing compassion on one's own life as on that of other being: "All tremble at the rod. All fear death: life is dear to all. Comparing other with oneself, one should neither strike nor cause to strike." Sympathetic joy (mudita) means the quality of rejoicing at prosperous state of other beings, and it has characteristic of gladness. Cultivation of this attitude can defeat evil thought such as envy, disaffection, dislike etc. The poise (upekkha) is a mode of centrality as regards being. The Buddha would not be shocked when seeing other beings suffer from physical or mental weaknesses, because beings are subject to suffering and are the heirs of their kamma. It does not mean that the Buddha enjoyed or neglected being's suffering. In fact this was the Buddha's sole concern. He, after enlightenment, decided to preach his profound teaching to the worldly being for the purpose of alleviating their suffering. The first precept applies to all living beings irrespective of their status. It does not exclude the killing of animals for the Vedic sacrifices (yajna). The Buddha discouraged and condemned animal sacrifice which was considered as a cruel act and as a futile of means of achieving happiness. On one occasion the Buddha was asked by a Brahmin, Kutadanta, what was the conduct of successful and meaningful sacrifices? The Buddha gave the example of the king Mahavijita and chaplain's conversation and He further explained the simpler sacrifice that is less difficult, more fruitful and profitable. The Buddha remarking on the cruelty and suffering involved in the usual type of sacrifice, suggested a better means whereby gratitude might be expressed. Instead of slaying and shedding blood of many animals, giving alms and building shelters for bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, taking refuge to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, observing five precepts, are more suitable and fruitful than bloody sacrifices.
Among the duty of Ariyan Wheel-Turning monarch protection of beasts and birds is one. This is the example provided by righteous kings; and modern States are expected to protect, nourish and sustain flora and fauna within their territory. This monarchical norm shed light on the moral value of Buddhism. This leads to the principle of Ahimsa which held in high esteem in early Buddhism. The word Ahimsa is a compound term with the negative prefix 'a' and the word 'himsa' derived from the root 'han' meaning 'to kill' and 'to injure'. Thus it is rendered as not killing and not injuring. This word has been asserted in different definitions in the Indian religions. Basing on this principle of Ahimsa some group of Indian people practiced vegetarianism which practice is strictly followed by Jains. Buddhism adopts a moderate one and did not go to as extremes as Jainism did, because it held that mere action without intention does not produce karmic result. The world in which we are living is a miserable existence, and life is sustained by injuring each other usually the bigger harming the smaller. Therefore the Buddha knowing this as unsatisfactoriness of this life and said, "The world is establishing with suffering" (dukkhe loko patitthito). Sometime, we may think that the concept of Ahimsa is very difficult to understand and it is not an easy practice to be perfected if one struggling to safeguard one's own life from the dangerous attackers. That is to say, mosquitoes and flies are carrying dangerous, infectious diseases. Suitable food can not be obtained unless one has to resort to kill small insects. One may observe strict rules and even be willing to harm himself, even at the risk of one's life. But suicide or harming oneself in this way is also denounced in Buddhism. Therefore, Buddhism teaches and encourages everyone not to fall into extremes and to work for the welfare of oneself as well as other beings.
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