MESSAGE FOR ALL

Every man must have a religion and that religion must be one which will appeal to the intellectual mind. Without a religion, man becomes a danger to society. Scientists and psychologists have widened our horizon but they have not given us a purpose in life. Only religion can do this. Man must therefore choose a rational and scientific religion according to his convictions. No one has the right to force another person to accept any religion. No one should exploit poverty, illiteracy or human emotional feelings to force others to accept a certain religion.

Man should be free to choose his own religion according to his liking and intellectual capacity. To follow a religion blindly without an understanding, would deprive the religion of its spiritual value. Human beings are not animals. They have intelligence and commonsense to differentiate between what is right and wrong. They can adapt themselves according to circumstances. They should therefore choose a religion that is logically sound and inspiring.

THE MIDDLE WAY 

The religion that I am going to introduce in this article is a scientific educational system which was revealed to the world some twenty-five centuries ago, by a most enlightened and compassionate Teacher. This religion is also known as ‘‘Middle-way, righteous way of life, ethico-philosophical system and a religion of freedom and reason.’’ It teaches us to do three main things; namely, ‘‘KEEP AWAY FROM EVIL, DO GOOD AND PURIFY THE MIND BY ERADICATING ALL FORMS OF DEFILEMENTS’’. 

The moral conduct of the people plays a most important part in this religion. Its great Teacher once said, ‘‘My teaching is not to come and believe, but to come, see and practise’’. It encourages people to study its teachings fully and so allow them to use their own judgement to decide as to whether they should accept the teachings or otherwise. No one is asked to come and embrace this religion without first having an understanding of its teachings.

Superfluous rites and rituals have no real religious value or significance. There are no superstitious beliefs and practices or secret doctrines in this religion. Everything is open to the choice of followers who are at liberty to investigate the teachings and ask questions whenever they want to clear their doubts. According to the founder of this religion, one should not believe anything merely because a great sage has preached it or because it is traditionally accepted but one should use one’s common sense and intelligence, and accept it only if it is worth while to do so.

This religion teaches that the noble eight-fold path which consists of Right-understanding, Right-thoughts, Right-speech, Right-action, Right-livelihood, Right-effort, Right-Mindfulness and Right Concentration as the unique middle way to get rid of life, to which all beings are subject in the course of wanderings in life.

This middle way is neither a metaphysical Path nor a ritualistic path; neither dogmatism nor scepticism, neither self-indulgence nor self-mortification; neither eternalism nor nihilism, neither pessimism nor optimism; it is a path of Enlightenment, a means of deliverance from suffering. This religion never teaches that human beings are suffering in this world today because of the sins committed by their ancestors; on the contrary every person carries with him or her his or her own merits or demerits individually. Man himself is solely responsible for his own pain or pleasure.

One who follows the Middle Path introduced by this religion will certainly find real peace and happiness.

REAP WHAT YOU SOW 

This religion satisfies man’s most profound and lofty aspirations and yet is able to bear the stress and stain of man’s everyday life, helping him in his contact with his fellow men, besides giving a purpose in life. It does not instill fear in people . ‘‘Good begets good and bad begets bad .’’ ‘‘Every action has its reaction.’’ These are universal laws. This religion fully agrees with these laws, hence people have to ‘‘reap what they sow.’’ Evil deeds are perpetrated by people due to their own greed, anger and ignorance. Such weaknesses can only be overcome through self realisation. Pleasure and pain which people experienced in this world are not due to some external influences but to the good and bad actions, words and deeds which they themselves have committed either in this very life or in one of their previous births. For this very reason, this religion says: ‘‘We are the results of what we are, and we will be the results of what we are.’’

According to this teaching, cause and effect play a very important part in every life. In a circle of cause and effect a first cause is conceivable for cause ever becomes the effect and the effect in turn becomes the cause.

A GREAT TEACHER

The founder of this unique religion is not a myth but a Great Teacher who really lived in this world. He never tried to introduce himself as a supernatural being but as a human being who realised the truth, the secret of life and the real cause of suffering and happiness. Today, this Teacher is not only honoured by hundreds of millions of his followers but also by every cultured and intellectual man throughout the world. This Noble Man, this Liberator, this Social Reformer, this Democrat, this Inciter and Inspirer into higher living passed away at the age of eighty leaving behind a message for humanity to be made use of, to gain happiness in this existence and the existences to come and to finally attain permanent peace and happiness.

The Great Teacher comforted the bereaved by His consoling words. He helped the poor that were neglected. He ennobled the lives of the deluded and purified the corrupted lives of the criminals. He encouraged the feeble, united the divided, enlightened the ignorant, clarified the mystic, guided the benighted, elevated the base and dignified the noble. Both rich and poor, saints and criminals loved Him alike. Despotic and righteous Kings, famous and obscure princes and nobles, generous and stingy millionaires, haughty and humble scholars, destitutes, paupers, down trodden scavengers, wicked murderers, despised courtesans- all benefitted by His words of wisdom and compassion.

His noble example was a source of inspiration to all. His serene and peaceful countenance was indeed a soothing sight to the pious eyes. His message of peace and tolerance was welcome by all with indescribable joy and was of eternal benefit to everyone who had the fortune to hear and practise it. His iron will, profound wisdom, universal love, boundless compassion, selfless service, historic renunciation, perfect purity, magnetic personality, exemplary methods employed to propagate His Teaching and his final success- all these factors have compelled about one fifth of the population of the world today to hail this teacher as their supreme religious master.

This noble Teacher sacrificed his worldly pleasures for the sake of suffering humanity to seek the Truth in order to show the path of deliverance from suffering. He visited the poor people whilst Kings and Ministers visited Him. For forty five years after his enlightenment he had dedicated his life for the sake of suffering humanity and slept only two hours a day.

He was the perfect scientist in the field of life; so much so, that his teaching was acclaimed as the only scientific religion. He examined man through a thorough investigation of both Name and Form and proved on the anvil of Truth the true potentiality of man. He flashed an illuminating ray of enlightenment dispelling the darkness of ignorance.

To the moralist, He has the highest code of discipline and He is the symbol of perfection. He was the perfect model of all the virtues he preached. His life had not a stain upon it. 

He was no doubt the most persuasive of all the religious teachers, but he never used compulsion as a means of gaining converts.

He was the humble servant of humanity, unperturbed by either praise or blame undeterred even by the most acute illness.

PEACE , HAPPINESS AND SALVATION

This Great Teacher has shown the path to Peace, Happiness and Salvation for every living being. His way of teaching is liberal, rational, scientific and understandable, leading towards enlightenment.

Today the message of peace of this Great Universal Teacher is more important than ever before when human beings are intoxicated with anger, greed, jealousy and pride.

This Teacher was born to this world to dispel the darkness of ignorance and to save the world from its ills. Through the world many people remain without believing or practising any form of religion. However if they would only take a little bit of pain to study and understand what this Great Teacher had taught, they could easily clarify their doubts, if any, and be convinced as to the religion that could best contribute to man’s happiness. 

Whether one believes in him or not his teaching nevertheless has its effect on all peoples. His message was given to the world without any violation nor was a single drop of blood shed in its name. This teaching illuminates the way by which mankind could cross from a would of unsatisfactoriness to a new would of light, love, peace and happiness.

The twenty five centuries old teaching of this great teacher is strong enough to face any challenge without reversing or giving any new interpretation to its original teaching. This does not contradict the achievements and findings of the modern scientists.

Although virtue is necessary for the attainment of salvation, it in itself would not be sufficient. It must be combined with wisdom. Virtue and wisdom are like the pair of wings of a bird. Wisdom could also be compared to a vehicle that brings man up to the gate of salvation, but the actual key that opens the gate is wisdom.

HEAVENLY BLISS

The followers of this religion never regard themselves as being the only blessed people who could get the chance to attain heavenly bliss. Man creates his own hell or heaven according to his own way of life.

In accordance with this teachings, we believe that anyone can enjoy heavenly bliss so long as he leads a righteous way of life, whatever his religious belief. Heaven is not reserved for or monopolised by any one particular sect or religious community but is open to all.

TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING

The tolerance, understanding and respect of the other man’s views are worthy virtues upheld by the followers of this religion. Loving kindness, compassion and sympathy towards others are not limited to human beings only but extended to every other living being.

WAY TO LIFE

This religion is so clear and logical that it gives complete answers to all important aspects and questions and provides a solid foundation to help mankind towards a positive and a better way of life.

This religion does not divide mankind into two groups, the ‘‘saved’’ and the ‘‘lost’’ but as civilised force it has tamed the wild and refined the tamed.

Followers of this religion have no faith in petitional or intercessory prayers, but they believe in the importance of self-exertion and in the efficacy of meditation that leads one to self conquest, self-control, self-purification, relief and enlightenment. Meditation serves as a tonic both to the heart and the mind.

MAN CAN MOULD HIS LIFE

Followers of this religion believe that mind is the all powerful force and creator and the destroyer of man and is the architect of man’s fate. Therefore, man is capable of moulding anything if he only knows how to make use of this mind.

In fact this religion has been an admirable light house for guiding mankind towards peace, happiness, and eternal bliss. The world today is riddled with racial, international, communal, economical and ideological misunderstandings. To solve these complex problems, people must exercise the spirit of benevolence and tolerance towards each other, and this can be best cultivated under the guidance of this religion, which inculcates ethical-moral co-operation for the universal good. Man must come to realise that spiritual development is more important than the attainment of material development for the happiness and welfare of mankind. They must also practise truth, justice, service, charity and love if this world is to be turned into a better place to live in.

REAL RELIGION

There is no virtue better than the cultivation of universal love. No happiness sweeter than mental tranquillity, no truth clearer than the understanding of natural phenomena, no religion higher than moral and intellectual development and no philosophy greater than that which could bring about immediate results visible to everybody.

FREE RELIGION

This religion does not obstruct anyone from reading and learning the teachings of other religions; because fanaticism is naked. A fanatic cannot allow himself to be guided by reason or better still by the scientific principle of observation and analysis. Therefore, the follower of this religion is a free man with an open mind and is not subservient to anyone for his spiritual development.

If you would care to read a little more of the ethical way of this religion, you will find that you would have to withdraw all previous misunderstandings you would have had about this religion. One should not merely judge the value of a religion by just observing certain practices performed by some uneducated followers; instead one should always try to understand the fundamental teachings of that religion.

MAN AND GOD

Instead of placing man and his destiny under the arbitrary controls of an unknown God, and making him subservient to such a supreme power, this religion raised the status of mankind and accorded man the credit due to him for his intelligence.

This religion tells us how to render selfless service to everyone without expecting even a reward. Followers of this religion abstain from evil not because of fear of God but through realising the cause which bring about suffering to living beings.

Their motive of doing good to help others is not to please a God, in expectation of a reward, but due to feelings of compassion towards others.

This religion teaches you how to find the way to perfect goodness and wisdom without a ‘‘personal God,’’ the highest knowledge without ‘‘revelation,’’ a moral world order and just retribution, carried out of necessity by reason of the laws of nature and of our own being; continued existence without a separate ‘‘immortal soul,’’ eternal bliss without a local heaven; the possibility of redemption without a vicarious redeemer, a salvation in which every one is his own saviour, and which can be obtained in this life and on this earth by the exercise of one’s own faculties.

Without sensuous pleasures would life be endurable? Without belief in immortality can man be moral? Without praying to a God can man advance towards righteousness? ‘‘Yes,’’ said the founder of this religion; their ends could be attained by service by purity, discipline and wisdom. These good qualities bring calmness, peace, happiness and salvation to life.

COSMIC LAW

The cosmic law as explained in this religion solves the problem of suffering, the mystery of fate and predestination of some religions, the problem of infant prodigies, and above all, the inequality of mankind. Understanding of this law gives them consolation, hope, self-reliance and moral courage. It validates their effort, kindness, their enthusiasm, and makes them ever kind, tolerance, and considerate, for they understand that no worlding is entirely good or entirely bad.

MODERN RELIGION

This is not a theory but a practical way of life. This is the oldest religion in history, yet most modern in every respect. It advises one not to become slave to any god or external power but to cultivate one’s own hidden power by using his own effort and intelligence to overcome difficulties. 

It has every quality required of a rational religion that will fit into the future world. It is scientific, rational, and progressive. It will be a pride for anyone to call himself a follower of this religion in the modern world. It is in fact more scientific than science, more socialistic than socialism and more progressive than all the progressive elements in the spiritual field.

NO DISCRIMINATION

It was this religion which for the first time in the history of the world revolted against the degrading caste system and taught equality in mankind and accorded equal opportunities for all to distinguish themselves in every walk of life. It was also this religion that gave real freedom to the womenfolk to study and practise a religion and accorded social equalities for the first time in the history of the world.

The Great Teacher declared that the gates to success and prosperity were open to all in every condition of life whether high or low saint or criminal, who would care to turn a new leaf and seek to aspire to perfection. He did not force his followers to be slaves either to himself or his teachings but granted them complete freedom of thought.

IMPERMANENCE

This religion resolves the living being into mind and matter which are in a state of constant flux, not remaining for two consecutive moments the same. The whole process of these psycho-physical phenomena keeps constantly changing. Thus they arise and perish and the cycle goes on. Therefore nothing will remain permanently either in this world or in any other world. This religion also believes that there are living beings in the other world systems throughout the universe.

COMMANDMENTS AND PRECEPTS

There are no commandments in this religion to obey; instead there are only precepts to observe voluntarily. By observing the precepts such as abstaining from (a) Killing , (b) Stealing, (c) Adultery, (d) Telling lies and (e) Taking alcoholic drinks, they could purify themselves in so doing help others also to live peacefully.

OUR AIM

Our aim in publishing this article is not to convert others into our faith but to enlighten them to seek peace and happiness and to practise their religion according to their own convictions without resorting to blind faith. We encourage every person to practise his own religion properly if he could really find truth, peace, happiness, wisdom and salvation in it.

This religion may be the answer to many of your spiritual problems or it may give fresh direction to your thinking on religious and philosophical matters. It may also help you to understand the life and culture of Asia. You may find in this religion the spiritual guidance the modern world needs, to eradicate the evils.

This religion brought into the world a new spirit, a new hope, a new path, the truth of which and the necessity of which is seen and felt today as of old.

Whatever be your purpose, we invite you to take a closer look at this religion and ideals of its founder. We are ready to help you. Our organisation will guide you in your reading and assist you to obtain reliable reading materials.

The great religion referred to in this article is BUDDHISM and the found of this religion is none other than GOTAMA THE BUDDHA.