The Buddha is an Eloquent Exponent of the Dharma

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

• From a chapter in the book - The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero

Among men there are only a few orators. Even of these orators, there are only a handful who can get the car of all to his oration. Even from among them there are only a meagre number who can compel listeners through their hypnotic words.

Of all these orators, if there was a speaker who was capable of addressing the people with an awareness of the minds of all listeners, it was only the Supreme Buddha. During the Buddha's day the art of writing had not progressed as it has today. Every idea had to be orally presented. The Supreme Buddha expressed his noble ideas and views eloquently in the presence of four-fold audiences consisting of thousands, throughout his mission of forty-five years.

When he spoke his audiences of, say, hundreds or tens of thousands or of hundred thousands, listened to him in perfect silence with rapt attention.

There were no buzzes, whispers, groans or private conversations when he spoke. Everybody thought that the Buddha addressed him personally. "He speaks specifically to me," they all felt.

There were no reporters, as in our day, to write down the immortal Words that escaped his lips. The Buddha's Words were so pleasing, so precious that it was as if some strange being were pouring forth pearls, gems, diamonds, rubies and other forms of invaluable gems along with his words issuing from the mouth.

Just as those who esteem the value of such gems and jewels would fill vessels with them to be made due use of, his disciples constantly gathered round him to fill their mind-vessels with them to be recorded later in their memories delibeately. They took in these words more valuable than pearls and gems, as they emanated from his sacred lips, cooled by the touch of his compassionate and cool heart.

These disciples committed these words into memory, recited them day and night lest they slipped their mind, brought them down through a mnemonic tradition, protecting those words as great legacy.

Later on they enshrined them inscribing on gold plate or silver plate. They preserved them inscribing them on rocks or writing them down on the leaf. The words from no other orator's lips have been preserved in this manner. A tremendous power people possessed those days was the power of memory. Disciples blessed with this exceptional power of memory preserved the Tipitakas containing the Buddha's Words, for centuries. These memory experts were described as Digha Bhanakas (those who memorized the Digha Nikaya), Majjhima Bhanakas (those who memorized the Majjhima Nikaya), Samyutta Bhanakas (those who memorized the Samyutta Nikaya), and so on. Those who had memorized the whole of the Tipitaka were described as Tipitaka Dhari (bearers of the Tipitaka in memory).

The voice that arose from inside the Buddha who was totally blemishless, was exceedingly sweet. Words were kind. They were so fascinating that one could have gone on listening to him not only for hours, but for days, for that matter. His words were meaningful - were of practical use.

There was no exaggeration or hyperbole in his words. There were no empty verbal flourishes - no repetitions. There were no falsehoods in his words. There were no empty statements. These Words were filled with a supra-mundane taste. Every Words was conducive to good - both here and in the next world.

The Buddha knew a multiplicity of things. He preached only a little of it. This was demonstrated by him in a Simsapa Forest. He picked up a handful of those leaves that had fallen on the ground, and said,

" Ananda, what I have preached is about the few leaves in my hand. the quantity I have not preached and I have to preach is about the amount of leaves in this great forest. " This gives us an idea.

For forty-five years he went on preaching without any consideration of night or day, or of rain or shine, or of distances involved, or without regard for the rich or the poor. He never discriminated thinking this a powerful person or this is a weak person. He expounded his Doctrine for the good of all. Of the vast quantum of the Doctrine what is left for us today is only a modicum. What is left is only what Ven. Ananda remembered. Ven. Ananda, wrote down in his mind-book with the pen of his memory all events and incidents connected with the Buddha's life and all the statements that issued forth from the Buddha's lips. In almost all the books and almost all the Suttas (Discourses) we have the prefatory statement 'Evam me sutam' (Thus have I heard). What a truthful and what a cultured statement is it? He gave credit to the Buddha for the Buddha Word and he remained at the level of a person who only heard. This demonstrates his humillity and his respect for the Word of the Buddha.

In all the statements made bu the Buddha you have a beginning, a middle and an end. There is a wholesome meaning. There is a wholesome thought. There is not a single word that cannot be understood There is not a single meaningless word. In consequence there was no one who did not understand him when he listened to him. There was no one who was not pleased.

Many people who were pleased listening to him, spoke thus Sir Gortama, yours preaching of the Doctrine is excellent. Sir, it was like turning up a vessel that had been turned down. It was like giving proper directions to a person who had lost his way. You preached the Doctrine as pf you were holding up a well-lit, well-oilded torch in the dark, saying "May those who have eyes see the figures!" You have indicated many things in your Sermon. I take refuge in the Buddha, in the Dhamma, and in the Sangha. Sir, please consider me a devotee who has taken refuge until the end of my days. "This is a praise that had been showered upon the Buddha by those who were exccedingly pleased with his expositions. Some of those who listened to him expressed the wish to be ordained under the Buddha. Some became monks the same day. Some cradicated all human weaknesses and attained Arahanthood.

The Buddha preached the Doctrine only after exploring whether there was the potential for some people to take refuge, some people to become ordained, and preached according to their needs. When the Teacher preached according to the needs of a person he first gave an introuductory statement. The introductory talks consists of a discussion regarding generousity, morality, reaching pleasant states (Heaven), the ill0effecs of sense-desires, their lowliness, their dirtiness, and the virtues of renunciation.

The Buddha initiates the discussion with a description of the advantages of generosity, charity, lack of miserliness and the good results of service to others. Next, the Buddha indicates the value of being virtuous without resolving to evil, and the value of the moral life. He describes how those who give and lead virtuous lives go to pleasant states (Heaven), and that Heaven is a place of sensual pleasures. He describes the futility of sensuality. He describes that the householder's life is full of troubles and miseries. He next indicates the high pleasures of the life in solitude. When the Buddha presents his methodical presentation, that has an appeal to the decidedly disillusioned with lay-life and desire to be monks. Those people who cannot become monks due to various obstacles become devotees of the obstacles become devotees of the Buddha taking refuge in the Triple Gem and observing the Five Precepts.

A Brahmin who was exccedingly happy after listening to the Buddha behaves this way. Then Brahmin Brahmayu got up from his seat. Adjusted his shawl properly. He worshipped the Buddha, placing his face on the feet of the Buddha. He kisses the Buddha's feet with his lips. He strokes the Buddha's feet with his hands. He spoke thus to the Buddha:"Sir, I am Brahmin Brahmaya." Thus, he introduces himself by his name.

When he delivers a Sermon the Buddha presents what he has to say in a timely, topical style. He tells only the truth. He speaks only sense. He does not utter even a single meaningless word. He delivers his Sermons only in terms of the Nine-fold Supra-mundane factors of his dispensation. He delivers his Sermons only in terms of the discipline what should be acquired -what should be avoided.

It is said that of those who speak, the Buddha is the greater (Buddho valuation vero.) The Buddha is described as the greatest among those who speak (Vadatam pavaro). Therefore, through the spoken Word, through the Words that escaped the lips, the man who has done the greatest service in this world is the Buddha.

In other words the Buddha is the greatest and the most compelling religious orator of mankind.