Book review

Dhamma in perspective

An introduction for intelligent layman :

The Buddha's Message or 'The Truth Unheard of Before' by Dr. Jayantha Ruberu. (Published by Sadaham Padanama, Sri Jinendra Chaityaramaya) Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, July - 2006.

For sometime now there does not seem to be a need to lament over lack of basic reading materials in Buddhism. Ever Since Ven. Walpola Rahula initiated this genre of literature with What the Buddha Taught the trend has continued with introductory readings on Buddhism appearing at regular intervals.

Ven. Rahula did his job so beautifully that today his work has become a classic in Buddhist studies. The latest addition to this class of literature is the book under review authored by Dr. Ruberu.

The author, Dr. Ruberu is an education specialist by training. He has received his first degree from Sri Lanka and subsequent postgraduate qualifications from Colombo and La Trobe, Australia where he resides currently. Dr. Ruberu's interest in the teaching of the Buddha is basically practice-oriented.

Academic interests seem secondary for him. Nevertheless, he is not altogether an amateur to the field. Among his work related to Buddhist Studies is the translation of a comprehensive work in Sinhala language on the Great Elder Mahakassapa by the Venerable Naramane Buddharakkhita Thera.

'Path to Deliverance is within you' is another translation of a Smaller work by the same author. In addition, Dr. Ruberu has a previous publication on Buddhism. The light of Wisdom or Emancipation through Right Understanding.

Although the present work is not a translation it has been fully supported by the Ven. Naramane Buddarakkhita.

On the magnitude of this support the author says this: The initial impetus for embarking on this enterprise came from Venerable Rajakeeya Pandit Naramane Sri Buddharakkhita Nayaka Thera, my greatest and beloved 'Noble Friend' (Kalyana Mitta) alive today.

He was very concerned and greatly agitated by misguided judgements and ediotic compositions made by certain self proclaimed 'Authorities' on Buddha-Dhamma, who have covertly attempted to cast aspersions, and 'devalue' the Buddha's message as being inferior to western philosophical thought.

The Learned Nayaka Thera has provided me with press clippings of several articles which have been authored by the aforesaid 'pundits'.

This statement articulates not only how the author has been inspired by the learned monk, but also the key purpose of compiling this work.

In the author's own words "the principle aim of compiling this book has been to compare and contrast certain philosophical and practical considerations of the West and East in respect of the nature and development of the human mind, and its liberation from mundane status to the supra mundane domain (p.1).

In his 'forward' to the book Venerable Naramane Buddharakkhita further elaborates on this emphasis on understanding and thereby elevating the status of the mind from the ordinary to the extra-ordinary.

A special feature of this work is the 'priority' given to a study of the 'Human Mind', with a view to facilitating the discussion of the intended subject spectrum.

The investigation of the origin of living beings, and the nature of the material world and its secrets have been, and are even today the focus of deep concern and the subject of sustained enquiry of most intellectuals, especially those of the Western World.

The doctrine preached by our Lord Samma Sambuddha, however, moves away for this type of enquiry.

It contrasts to these attempts at unravelling the mysteries of the 'external world', the teaching of Lord Buddha places with great emphasis, both theoretically and practically, the understanding and the development of peoples 'mind' as an achievement of the greatest of all 'human treasures' (p.xiii)

Let us now examine how the author develops this very important theme of mind and its culture in his work. The first introductory chapter outlines the main ideas and the thrust of the entire book, namely, 'the human mind and its development.

The author sketches how the concept of mind was conceived in ancient Greek philosophy as well as in ancient Indian philosophies, and highlights 'soul-less' concept of human being in the teaching of the Buddha.

The second chapter of 'culture of the human mind' basically covers almost all the Buddhist doctrinal guidelines to the development of mind.

It begins with an analysis of the nature of human mind, and subsequently goes to mental development under which the author discusses the hindrances (nivarana). 'calm meditation (samatha bhavana), insight meditation (vipassana bhavana), the requisites of Enlightenment (bodhipakkhiya Dhamma), the seven constituents of Enlightenment (satta bojjhanga) and the bases of mindfulness (Satipatthana), which is the 'one way to emancipation (ekayana magga).

The chapter three is a brief overview of the western philosophy of the modern period starting for Rene Descartes who marks the beginning of modern philosophy. The chapter ends with a discussion of psychologists and educationists such as John Dewey and Jean Piaget.

The chapters from five to twelve cover all the important teachings, such as the Four Noble Truths, panna or wisdom, the four protective meditations. Meditation on breathing (anapanasati) and establishment of mindfulness (Satipatthana).

The penultimate chapter, 'the thoughts of a liberated mind' is a kind of set of case studies in supportive of the path elaborated in the book. The author has carefully selected examples from Theragatha and Terigatha (Psalms of Brethen and Psalms of Sisters) and highlights what the Buddhist practice of mind culture is all about. The concluding chapter summerizes the findings of the entire work.

The bibliography appearing at the end is a useful guide for those who look for further readings.

What we have in this book is basically a very lucid and simple presentation of the Path taught by the Buddha as it has been articulated in the discourses in the Pali Canon.

The author gives - within brackets - relevant Pali terms so that the reader familiar with Pali discourses is comfortably located within the proper context. This, in particular, is useful in view of the fact that different authors tend to translate key terms into English in many different ways.

The comparative aspect of the book is worth our attention. What we find in the market is garden-variety books claiming to compare Buddhism with western philosophy or science either claiming that Buddhism needs support from these phenomena to stand on its own or claiming, with a sense of self-promotion, that except for Buddhism everything else is total rubbish.

I conceive these two approaches as extremes, one motivated by an inferiority complex and the other by superiority complex, both of which are not good according to the teaching of the Buddha.

In the present work by Dr. Ruberu I do not find either of these symptoms. He approaches western philosophy and psychology with impartiality, articulate them accurately and finally finds that the Path taught by the Buddha is much more efficient in delivering goods it promises. Comparative studies are usually fraught with difficulties and hence should be embarked upon with lot of care. The author seems to have been good at this.

The teaching of the Buddha is ultimately to be 'realized' within ourselves by each one of us individually. However all of us are not capable of doing this without guidance from others. Of course in the discourses, we have the guidance given by the Buddha. But the experience of anyone first embarking on learning and practising this path is that discourses along are not enough.

One needs simplified explanations to begin with. In fact writing such a book is much harder than writing a book for experts.

In my opinion, the Author, with the blessings Venerable Naramane Buddharakkhita Maha Thera, has achieved his goal. He has presented extremely well 'the truth unheard of before' in the context of contemporary philosophy and psychology.

The end-result is an intelligent layman's guide to the practice of the Path of the Buddha. On behalf of the readers I wish good health, longevity and happiness to both the Author and his spiritual menton, the Venerable Thera.

Asanga Tilakaratne, Senior Professor ,Director: Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies,(University of Kelaniya).