Staying on the Middle Path and the Belief of an Eternal Existence
When I posted my new page on the Heart Sutra, the son of my good friend (JP) wrote me with concerns about the way I translated the Sutra, specifically on why I replaced "emptiness" (sunyata) with "impermanence." I replied to him in a not-so-short e-mail. Later, I found it necessary to add the following in a second e-mail to him:
This is how I understand it.
Popular beliefs and practices do not proceed on the Middle Path. They tend to stray to the two extremities, which are contrary to principles of the Buddha Dharma. What are these two extremities? (1) The concept of an eternal or permanent existence (sassataditthi or “chang jien”) and (2) the concept of nihilism (ucchedaditthi or “duan jien”).
I assume you, like most Buddhists, do not agree or hold on to the concept of nihilism, so I will just go to the issue on the concept of an eternal or permanent existence. Note that often times it is this latter concept that is eroding proper Buddhist cultivation, which is practicing in the Middle Path.
What are the familiar symptoms of the concept of an eternal or permanent existence that are relevant to my discussion (in the previous e-mail)? The belief that the doer of a deed will be the receiver of its consequences. By extension, the belief that a soul, consciousness, or person goes from one life to the next carrying with him the merits accumulated or debts incurred from the previous life.
Let's talk about "the doer of a deed is the receiver of its consequences" first.
Based on the doctrine or law of dependent origination, the "doer" exists (arises) due to causal conditions; therefore, it is impermanent and "empty" (devoid of an existence that is independent of causal conditions). For instance, a person lives because favorable conditions support his continued living. If the conditions necessary for his continued existence go away, he dies. In this sense, a person is impermanent and "empty" (devoid of an existence that is independent of causal conditions).
An analogy for better understanding: A branch of a mango tree bears a mango. Before the mango came out, did the fruit exist inside the tree? No. So where did the mango come from? It arises because various favorable conditions support its becoming; for instance, a healthy fertile tree and favorable weather conditions. In this sense, the mango's existence is dependent on conditions. In the Buddhist sense, therefore, it is "empty" (devoid of an existence that is independent of causal conditions).
Likewise, based on the doctrine or law of dependent origination, the receiver's existence is dependent on conditions. Therefore, the doer of the deed is NOT the same entity to bear its consequences. The doer and the receiver have causal links, but they are NOT the same entity. The receiver is NOT the future of an eternal or permanent doer self. Remember, all phenomena are impermanent according to the law of dependent origination. Thus, the receiver arises due to causal conditions, albeit its existence has causal links with the doer and is conditioned according to the deed of the doer (karmic conditioning). Meaning, the receiver will bear the consequences of the deed, but he is NOT the same entity as the doer.
Now, let’s talk about the belief that a soul, consciousness, or person goes from one life to the next, carrying with him the merits accumulated or debts incurred from the previous life.
When a person dies, no soul or consciousness goes to the next life. If you believe a soul or consciousness passes to the next life bringing along the merits accumulated or debts incurred by the person in the previous life, then you are holding on to the concept of an eternal or permanent existence, which is contrary to the principle of the Buddha Dharma.
Rebirth occurs also according to the law of dependent origination. A new entity (person) arises due to conditions, but his becoming has causal links with the previous entity (person), and is conditioned according to the deeds (merits and debts) of the now-dead previous entity. Rebirth, however, may take place be in the human realm, animal realm, in heaven, or hell, as fashioned by karmic forces working in accordance with the law of causality.
An analogy for better understanding: A seed when planted grows into a mango tree, which bears fruit. The seed has causal link with the fruit, but it is not the fruit. In this case, it undergoes sort of a transformation process. In the same sense, a person’s becoming, death, or rebirth undergoes certain processes according to the law of nature. The seed may be likened to the person in the previous life, whereas the fruit a person in this life, who certainly is not the person in the previous life but has causal link with the previous existence.
The becoming of a person may be influenced by karmic conditions. Although the person's becoming might be partly influenced by karmic conditions, his existence is not totally predetermined (as in the belief of destiny) because karma is just one of the natural forces affecting becoming and the process of existence. The person has free will over his life. His intentions and deeds, in turn, will form the karmic conditions that will influence the next becoming, whether in another life or a future portion of this life. Karma is essentially a “pattern” that the person designs for the next becoming through his deeds, and it becomes effective because of the law of causality
I do not know how you could swallow the above concepts readily, even if you now believe the doctrine to be correct. When I discovered that the doctrine was the core of the Buddha Dharma, I had to spend a long, long time reading, meditating, digesting, understanding, and assimilating the concepts that come with the doctrine. No wonder, when Ananda commented that the doctrine of dependent origination was simple and easy to understand like causality in the mechanical sense, the Buddha rebuked “Do not say so, do not say so, Ananda, because the doctrine of dependent origination is profound.”
By the way, the Buddha never explained causality as most people (even Buddhists) do today: If you do this, you will get this. This was how He explained causality: “When this is, that is. From the arising of this, that arises. When this is not, that is not. From the ceasing of this, that ceases.” (Imasmim sati, idam hoti. Imass uppadadam uppajjati. Imasmim sati, idam na hoti. Imassa nirodha, idam nirujjhati.) What has that got to do with the causality that people generally know? Well, I also worked very hard, and have assimilated it. Now, I don’t have any dilemma in seeing the connection of the Buddha’s explanation and the causal process, especially when I also incorporate the doctrine of dependent origination.
As I mentioned before, the practice of the Buddha Dharma is essentially about accepting the truth of the existence of sufferings and cultivating for the cessation of sufferings. The cessation of sufferings comes when the practitioner is able to stop rebirth or sufferings from arising at the root stage: Ignorance (capitalized because the term is specific in the 12 links of dependent origination, another story). The practitioner is able to do this when he sees “emptiness” in all phenomena, including the dharmas, because he totally comprehends the doctrine of dependent origination and can apply it in his life thru continuing mindfulness.
This is how I understand it.
Popular beliefs and practices do not proceed on the Middle Path. They tend to stray to the two extremities, which are contrary to principles of the Buddha Dharma. What are these two extremities? (1) The concept of an eternal or permanent existence (sassataditthi or “chang jien”) and (2) the concept of nihilism (ucchedaditthi or “duan jien”).
I assume you, like most Buddhists, do not agree or hold on to the concept of nihilism, so I will just go to the issue on the concept of an eternal or permanent existence. Note that often times it is this latter concept that is eroding proper Buddhist cultivation, which is practicing in the Middle Path.
What are the familiar symptoms of the concept of an eternal or permanent existence that are relevant to my discussion (in the previous e-mail)? The belief that the doer of a deed will be the receiver of its consequences. By extension, the belief that a soul, consciousness, or person goes from one life to the next carrying with him the merits accumulated or debts incurred from the previous life.
Let's talk about "the doer of a deed is the receiver of its consequences" first.
Based on the doctrine or law of dependent origination, the "doer" exists (arises) due to causal conditions; therefore, it is impermanent and "empty" (devoid of an existence that is independent of causal conditions). For instance, a person lives because favorable conditions support his continued living. If the conditions necessary for his continued existence go away, he dies. In this sense, a person is impermanent and "empty" (devoid of an existence that is independent of causal conditions).
An analogy for better understanding: A branch of a mango tree bears a mango. Before the mango came out, did the fruit exist inside the tree? No. So where did the mango come from? It arises because various favorable conditions support its becoming; for instance, a healthy fertile tree and favorable weather conditions. In this sense, the mango's existence is dependent on conditions. In the Buddhist sense, therefore, it is "empty" (devoid of an existence that is independent of causal conditions).
Likewise, based on the doctrine or law of dependent origination, the receiver's existence is dependent on conditions. Therefore, the doer of the deed is NOT the same entity to bear its consequences. The doer and the receiver have causal links, but they are NOT the same entity. The receiver is NOT the future of an eternal or permanent doer self. Remember, all phenomena are impermanent according to the law of dependent origination. Thus, the receiver arises due to causal conditions, albeit its existence has causal links with the doer and is conditioned according to the deed of the doer (karmic conditioning). Meaning, the receiver will bear the consequences of the deed, but he is NOT the same entity as the doer.
Now, let’s talk about the belief that a soul, consciousness, or person goes from one life to the next, carrying with him the merits accumulated or debts incurred from the previous life.
When a person dies, no soul or consciousness goes to the next life. If you believe a soul or consciousness passes to the next life bringing along the merits accumulated or debts incurred by the person in the previous life, then you are holding on to the concept of an eternal or permanent existence, which is contrary to the principle of the Buddha Dharma.
Rebirth occurs also according to the law of dependent origination. A new entity (person) arises due to conditions, but his becoming has causal links with the previous entity (person), and is conditioned according to the deeds (merits and debts) of the now-dead previous entity. Rebirth, however, may take place be in the human realm, animal realm, in heaven, or hell, as fashioned by karmic forces working in accordance with the law of causality.
An analogy for better understanding: A seed when planted grows into a mango tree, which bears fruit. The seed has causal link with the fruit, but it is not the fruit. In this case, it undergoes sort of a transformation process. In the same sense, a person’s becoming, death, or rebirth undergoes certain processes according to the law of nature. The seed may be likened to the person in the previous life, whereas the fruit a person in this life, who certainly is not the person in the previous life but has causal link with the previous existence.
The becoming of a person may be influenced by karmic conditions. Although the person's becoming might be partly influenced by karmic conditions, his existence is not totally predetermined (as in the belief of destiny) because karma is just one of the natural forces affecting becoming and the process of existence. The person has free will over his life. His intentions and deeds, in turn, will form the karmic conditions that will influence the next becoming, whether in another life or a future portion of this life. Karma is essentially a “pattern” that the person designs for the next becoming through his deeds, and it becomes effective because of the law of causality
I do not know how you could swallow the above concepts readily, even if you now believe the doctrine to be correct. When I discovered that the doctrine was the core of the Buddha Dharma, I had to spend a long, long time reading, meditating, digesting, understanding, and assimilating the concepts that come with the doctrine. No wonder, when Ananda commented that the doctrine of dependent origination was simple and easy to understand like causality in the mechanical sense, the Buddha rebuked “Do not say so, do not say so, Ananda, because the doctrine of dependent origination is profound.”
By the way, the Buddha never explained causality as most people (even Buddhists) do today: If you do this, you will get this. This was how He explained causality: “When this is, that is. From the arising of this, that arises. When this is not, that is not. From the ceasing of this, that ceases.” (Imasmim sati, idam hoti. Imass uppadadam uppajjati. Imasmim sati, idam na hoti. Imassa nirodha, idam nirujjhati.) What has that got to do with the causality that people generally know? Well, I also worked very hard, and have assimilated it. Now, I don’t have any dilemma in seeing the connection of the Buddha’s explanation and the causal process, especially when I also incorporate the doctrine of dependent origination.
As I mentioned before, the practice of the Buddha Dharma is essentially about accepting the truth of the existence of sufferings and cultivating for the cessation of sufferings. The cessation of sufferings comes when the practitioner is able to stop rebirth or sufferings from arising at the root stage: Ignorance (capitalized because the term is specific in the 12 links of dependent origination, another story). The practitioner is able to do this when he sees “emptiness” in all phenomena, including the dharmas, because he totally comprehends the doctrine of dependent origination and can apply it in his life thru continuing mindfulness.
posted by maitreyaworld at 3:53 PM
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