Indian Culture and the Days of Buddha

138 Pages·1955·16.01 MB·English

by  A P de Zoysa

INDIAN CULTURE
IN THE DAYS OF
THE BUDDHA
BY
A. P. de ZOYSA,
B.A., Ph.]). (l.ond.)
ofGray'8 Inn Ba.r·at·Jaw
l"d. F.:I;Q/Hi"..I,.Q,i.nt~1 LIJ"g"uV'" toIh. U..i...T4iUu'1L<>"dQna",1Comlwidgil
W1TfJ nr:STf:(1"",fMENTS OF
f.l. U. [ 1Iin~ .in r, CG. LTD.
NORRIS RO/d)
COLOlHDO
COLOMBO
M. D. GUNASENA & CO., LTD.
M. D. GUNASIONA & CO. LT".
217 NORl!l8 HOAll COLOMflO
First 1'1Iu1ished JIlI~. 1\:153
This hcHlk i$ copyright. Nu porlion or
extrl\ct of it mllY be repr{)dll~OO in any
mllnner without the wriHen COllRcnt of
the Publiahers.
Prinled and PuW~h~d by M. D. Gt.lna~tn(J «Co. Lld., ColomW--R-Ji6J-3/Q4
CONTENTS
Chapter Page
ISTRODUGTIOK 1
lE CULTURE OF TilE MINlJ 3
III 1'~;ItSONAI,YRE.:OOM 1l
1\' \\'OMKN" 16
" MARRIAGE 24
VI SOCIAl, OIlDERS 29
"11 MEETINGS AND GATHERINGS 3<
40
YIIf nOMES
IX DAILY IIAUITS AND CUSTOMS.. 45
X AMUSEMENTS 53
XI BELIEFS AKO FAITHS 58
XII EDUCATION 64
XIII LITERATURE 72
XIV FINE ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE 81
sa
XY ART AND SCIENCE
XVI PHILOSOI'IIY 91
XVII SOCIAL SERVICE 98
XVIII TOWNS AKD VILLAGES 101
XIX KINGS AND RULERS 109
XX GOVERNMENT AND LAWS 117
125
XXI ARMY AND WAR
XXII ECONOMiC CONDITIONS 130
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
ANCIENT INDIAN civilisation and culture have undergono so many
changea and modifications thatit ia no eaBy task to trace the state of
societyin India duringthe dayaoftheBuddha.
Gotama, the Buddha, lived about two thousand five-hundred years
ago. There is no recorded history of that period. Tbe edicts of
EmperorAsokaandothermonuments,togetherwiththearchaeological
disooveries, corrohorate the evidence ofreferences to ancicnt India by
the hiBtorillns ofother countrieB. Histories ofCeyIon, Burma, Siam,
Tibet, China, Japan and other countries into which Buddhism
Wtll!l
introducedatdifferentperiods,leaverecordsandreferencestoB\lddhist
India. The traditional teaching of the Buddha and the mode oflife,
customs, artandliterature ofthe Buddhistcountrieskeepup theearly
BuddhisttraditioIl8evenup tothisday. InCeylon, Burmaand Siam,
Buddhism is well established.
In traoing tb.!, history of ancient customs and institutions in most
nations in Asia, it is notdifficultto discover theinfluenoe which Bud
dhism had on them. Anoient Indians had a civil dreM similar to the
Romantoga. TheBuddhaa.ndhisdisciplesevidently worethatdr6l!s.
The Buddhist monks oontinued to wearit. In all Buddhist countries
",e fmd the form of the anoient dreM still kept up with very little
modification or altoration, while the dreM of the ordinary people in
thosecountries has undergonechangesandtraIl8(ormations.
Buddhist [ndian traditions arc oonfirmed by the seripturel!. Theae
scriptures which are called the Tripitako, though written after the
deathoftheBuddha,areregardedbytheBuddhistsasthewordsofthe
toacher as handed down by his chief disciples. Tho subject matter
ofthese scriptures contains manyreferences andallul!ions to the mode
oflifeofthepeople,theirwaysofthinkingandtheiractivities. Hence
the I!cripturcs form the most reliable source ofinformation rolating to
the days oftho Buddha.
Toseethatancientaocietyinitsproperperspeotiveitis'necE:sll8rynot
merely to I!ift and Relect the relevant facts from the vaat amount of
information embodied in the soripturcs, but also to apply the critical
methodofinquiry before attemptingtogeneralise.
In the literature of a country the poets and other writers have
recorded, though not consciously, the aaoial history of their times.
Sometimesa wordora phrase will be a sufficientclue toreveal subject
matterufimportanceto the hiHtorisll or to the anthropologist. When
wedealwithancientliterature'8pecial interpretationofcertainpa88ages
beoomesnecessary. since the writers ofdifferontagos had tlloirIlecuJi
Il.rities of expre88iofl. Some of their allusiolls and references are not
clsar. Their humourand theirsUbtlety oft.hought and expre811ion are
SOlllctinHlslostto thc mouernreaderofanci(lJlttext.rl. Anotherdanger
to beavoided inrosearch work oftldsnatureill the tendency toattach
etymological meaning~ to words which in their usage had different
meanings. The word" deva" originally connoted the idea of a god.
In the Buddhist scriptures the word is used in several senses so as to
includetherulerofthepeopleandalsoenlightened persons. 'rheword
.. aryan " was used to indicate l\ cultured or enlightened person and
not a race. The·Buddha speaks of his disciples a8 "Arya-putta"
meaning thereby "cultured" 80n8. Similarly the word8 "Ariyo
a.ttangiko maggo"mea.n theeight-foldmethod oftheoultured.
Thediffioulties ofinterpretinga.noient8cripturesoan be overcome to
alatgeextentbyrefereneetooommentaries3ndtraditiunalexplanatiolls
The unwritten laws Ilnd the obscrvallce ofoertain customary practices
a.re halided down from generation to generation. Such customs alld
usagesoOllsiderablyhelpin theproperunderstanding ofthescriptures.
'The tro.dltiollo.l mode oClife foll~wed by the Buddhist monks shows
with what caro very allcient customs are ~ept alive. The precepts
laiddown by the Buddha for the memborsofhisOrderdefine indetail
the mode oflife whioh embodied many a oustom ofthe Buddha'sown
day. Alsothe8amepreceptsgiveallinsightintothelifeofthoMtimes.
Scanty recordsofpre-BuddhistIndia and thoso ofthe.period after the
Buddhathrowlightuponthe IndiaoftheBuddha'sday. Theinfluence
oftheVeuas011thelifeandoustomaofthattime isevident. So isthe
influence of Buddhism 011 the sub8equent period. ~Ieg88thene8 and
theChinesewriterssuch8sFaHienoonfirmthefaOMwhicharedisclosed
in the Buddhist soriptures regarding thelife and customs ofBU(ldhist
India.
TojudgeIndiancconlingtothe Buddhistscripturesistocome tothe
oonclusion that the Buddha lived in the Golden Age of India. In
culture of the mind, in the freedom of both men a.nd women, alld in
8O~ialprogress and prosperity, India at that time had attained a high
8tandard. Thatwas the perilld when India ~ave to the world a philo
sophy which subsequently influenced the life and thought of most of
the civilised I)eoples oftheage.
2
CHArTER TWO
CULTURB OF THE MIND
FREEDOM, TOLERANOE and intellectual movements in the days of the
Buddha were essentially favourable for religious, social and philo
sophical speculations. People in all conditions of life took part in
public matters. Women were not kept aloof. Differences in points
of view were accepted and tolerated. Various schools of thought on
religion and philosophy contended with one another with enthullissnt.
Thereligiousteacherslookedforadherentstotheirpreceptsordogmas.
The philosopherll put forward their theories on cosmology, world
systems: and the soul. Cl
Thesocialreformerspreachedagainsttheexistingaocialevils. Some
teachers had established centres for their teachingll, while othenl
travelled throughoutthe eountryto propagatetheirdoctrines.1 Their
aimwasnottoconvertaselectfew, buttoteachthegeneralpubliC",' It
issignificantto rememberthatthemethodofmostofthe tcachet1l was
persuasion by appeal to reason. Hence there wasno bloodshed, riots
orrebellionamollgthe adherentstodifferentschoolSofthought:
Thoseearlydisputantsand theoristsservedtheusefulpurpose,80far
astheywereable,ofsharpeningtheintellectanddeepeningthethought
of the people. The inevitable result of such early training was that
whcn the Buddha began to teach, he found an audienoe advanced
enough to understand him.
From the clouded atmosphere of speoulation on vain dogmllll, the
Buddhadirectedtheattentionofthepeopletomatt.onwhichexplained
the mode of life that t.ondcd to real happineSll. It was the material
comfortB that were generally considered to be the ohief source ef
pleasure. With such an ideal before them t,he ancient Indians had
accumulated wealth. In the days of the Buddha. while the rich lived
in luxury; the poor groaned under the struggle for exilltehce. Side by
sMa"with the great prosperity ofthe country there wasmuchsuffering
and disoollwnt. Those who livedin luxury discovered thatthe very
plcaaurclltheyindulgedin were acauseofboredomanddill8atillf&ctioni
Theytriedinvaintofindthepurposeandthemeaning oflife. Oldage,
I. Pll.ribijakM
deoay and death were Iloted all the undellirable and ulilLvoidabltt
obstaclestotheenjoymentoftheple88ureaoflife. PorliCe'slufIerings
no teacherhad sofar found a rationalremedy.
Led by the cORljlalJllioll for humanity, the noble Prince Sidbartba,
the heirto thethroneoCtheSakyslI8,lefthisroyal comforbJand went
in Rarch of the caUll6 oC human euffering. Although he visited t.he
reputed teachers and philO8Ollhenl, they were not sble to satiRfy him
"ith their theori08. They explained suffering as the work of God,
taughthim to]Iayponallceand torture the body to expunges.in. The
sellro!ler after kllowlooge, like other honest belic\'ers of his day
Itudiously followed the etrcnUOUll practiCil until he was nearly etarved
and tortured to death. With the realisation of the futility of such
practices, he began to think independently. He attnined enlighten
mentanddisooveredthecaueeoflufJering. ThenhewasknownRIthe
Buddha, tlieenlightened tCBcher, who wall able to ehow thepeople the
path toperfectionaull enlightenment.
TheBuddha tnughtthllttheolLn/loofsuffering Ilhouldbelookedforill
the sufferer. lIe taught that people lluffer"or enjoy according to the
rellulta oftheir actions in their pastand prescntlivcs. The sum total
ofthereactiveeffectoftheactiviticllofthepastandthe presentdeter·
mine the future. The only way to remove lIuffering and to attain to
perfection and enlightenment is by one's own effort. SACrifices and
prayers to gods "ere pointed, out to be in no way u86ful to remove
human lIuflering. The lIiriver after the true happineu of perfection
and enlightenwent.ehould firstofall remove thecaUIIewhich produces
suffering. The condit.ioDll of this cause are selfieh cravings, pa&!ions
luch aa anger, hatred, iII-"iII, jealousy, IUllt and ignorance. Selfish
oravingaaretobedestroyedbyrulisingthetruthof lluffering, pa88iODS
by loathsomeneM of t.i1e Impurities of one's o"n form; Ignorance by
invelltigation oftherealaSJlecteofsocalledexist-cnceandtheuniverse.
Man'shappinessorunbappinMllisasubjectivelltaf,eofmind. Hence
theattainmentofhappinell8ispoB8ibleonlybythecultureofthemind.
The obstacles to mental development are the attachments to scDllual
pleasures,basedon,greed, hatred,wrongvicw, delusion,pride,conceit,
envy, shamelessnesll, recklesllness, eloth, torpor, eelfiehncflll, doubt,
perplexityanddistractionwJlichkeepthemind inbondage. TJlemind
freed bybreakingthefetters call becultivatedbythe Buddha'llmethod
whichilltermed hyhim" theeight-featuredmethodofthecultured".I
This inetbod, which only the Buddha teaches to the world, is not a
theo~y but a practice. It is also described as the" middle path"
wruchteachestheavoidanceofextremesofsensualityandaSl<6ticism.
The method demands that the striver after enlightenment should
by
havetheright viewl sollSnotto beledasuay delusiolls and decep
tions through wrong views a~d opinions. 'fhen he should have the
rightRspiration,2 whicheOllsistsin aspiringfor thepath andfruition of
deliverance. The rightview enableshim todiscard the wrollg ideas of
salvation. Suchviewsbeinguntaintedwithgreed,hatredanddelusion,
give risl.' to feelings of liberality, amity and higher knowledge. The
right sJ>66cllB is to avoid falsehood, slander, abusi\'e language and
frivolous talk and to U86 true, kind and correct words. The right
action' is to refrain from killing, stealing, dcfilement through sensual
pleasures,andfrom theuseofintoxicant8. Acteofserviceandcharity,
learningthe truthorteachingittoothersareexamplesofrightaction.
Tho right mode oflifo6 is a lifo ofavoiding ten kinds of wrong liveli
hoods. The right effortS consists in the avoiding of the pain of the
body by changing the four postures and in the four-fold right efforts
of the mind leading to milldfulness of mind and body. Suoh efforts
consist in the attempt to prevent evil thougll.ts, words and deeds, to
I remove t~e ills that havc already arisen in the mind, to develop right
t.hought.s, deepinsight,energy, keeninterest, tranquility,deep concen
tration amI equanimity, and to maintain and brillg to perfection the
I developed qualities. The right mindfulne8ll7 ill c~nt,emplation on
the visible form, feeling, conllcjoullne88 and lIlen!.a1 fadors, continually
like the ticking of watch for the acquirement of right concentration.
11.
Therightconcentrat.ionsistomakeadeepexaminationintothenature
of existence and to remove lIolfiIJI,\ orl\ving, pall8iOlllJ Rnd ignorance.
to be free from lust, anger, indolence and doubt, alld to acquire.the
cultured mental serenity whieh cOllsitll in concentrated IJcrfeotion,
equanimity andfreedom from sensual pleASureorp8!n.
Accordingtoanotheranalysisofthemethod,perfectionIUldenligllten
mentare to be attainod by leading a virtuouslife,It by the control and
purification ofthe mind,l0 Rnd bythe developmentof truekn?wledge
and wisdom.~1 Ateaching basedon mental culture ofthis nature can
I. 8(J111nta.Dilllli 2. 8"rnlfla,SI"'wppa
3. Bamma·Vaca 4. Saml7l(l.Kllmll\lJmM
5. 8lJmma.Ajiva 6. 8"mlna·Yiyoygma
7. 8"mma-811111i 8. Snmma·Samad1li
'C.
9. Sila 10. Snmiidhi
11. P"ib1..
I, Dltammapllda 2. A"9'"UaraNilWy(J11.XIX,
:I, AllglllillUJlaSNlla 4, AbhinYllnu
revealing the hidden powers ofthe mind was astartling d.i6COyery and
thollOwhoachievedsuch mentalpowerswerereadyto teachothers how
toattain them. AdetailedaccountoCthemethodofacquiringspecial
psychicpowereisgiveninthe BuddhistscriptureadealingwithiLcquire
mentofsupemormalstate8.
Bythusreducing what.the people held to besuperstition to natural,
and by showing wbat. were considered inspirations and revelations to
be acquisitions, the popular faith in gods W&.ll shaken. The Buddha's
method and its practice proved that goda are not necessary to attain
to the highest achievemenu. lie denied the immortality oC the god.
since theyarethemselves liabletoimpermanenceand suffering.
With thespread ofBuddhistthoughtpeople becameiconoclastsand
dispensedwithtemples, priests,rituals, vows,sacrificesand prayers.
The BuddhapointedouttoAmagandha,areputed Brahminteacher,
thll.t"neitherthe aMh, orfish, norfasting, norIlakedness, nortonsure
nor matted bair, nordirt,Jlor wllaring skins,norwo~shippillgfirell, nor
the many continual penances, nor sacred hymns, nor oblations, nor
eacrifices, nor observanoe oCllnored days, purify a person who has not
oonquered his' doubt'."1
Hitual, vowsandsacrificestogodswasanimportantpartofreligious
worship during the B\tddha'slife in India. Buddha preached against
theexisting practioostoenable I>cople to dispense with futile pract.icell
which lead the mind astray. It was easential thatsuch religious rites
ehouldcease beforethe mind could be free to be properly trained.
The Buddha's teaching was t.hat.theindividual baetogetenlighten
ment wit.h determined effort, and enlightened men beeome peraolla of
veneration and honoureven by thegods(devas).
The chief feat.uree of t.hi. enlightenment are: It. wu a teaching
intended to make man greater than his gods. The novelty of the
teaching itself was sufficient. to attract public attention. The Bud
dhists openly l,Ieclared themselves in no way inferior to gode for they
had realised that they had the potentialities to make themselvesevcn
eUI>crior to gods. Hence the popular fear of the gods was,removed.
Thisremoval offear and tlleservilityofmind isessential totheculture
of the mind. The mind tainted with fear and servility cannot break
the fettcrs tllatkeep the mind in bondage. .
Priortothisteaching;andevenduringthedaysoftheBuddha,there
weredifJerentsecll! who worshippedgodsand hoped to propitiatethem
I. S"UfI Nipafltfl AmagandhaSutta
7