The Supreme Buddha - Greatest of Guides

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

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

Buddhas are indicators of the Path (Akkataro Tathagata) said the Buddha. Enlightnment One himself. The Buddhas are described also as "Maggannu' (Knower of th Path) 'Maggavidu' (He who has realized the Path), and "Maggakovido' (One who is wise about the Path).

All these signify 'the person who knows the true Path - the Nobble Path'. This true Path is the Path to obtain relief from suffering, that is, the Path to Nibbana. The Path realized by the Buddha's wisdom. It is the Path that men should tread. No one who followed the Path has ever gone wrong. The only concern of the Buddha was to direct beings who went stray into the right Path. This true Path is Ariya Atthangika Magga (the Nobble Eight-fold Path).

The principle of the person who treads this Path is the Middle Path - the Middle Path that does not go to extremes (Majjhima Patipada). This Path consists of these: Samma（Ditthi (Right Understanding), Samma Samkappa (Right Thought), Samma Vaca (Right Speech), Samma Ajiva (Right Livelihood), Samma Kammanta) (Right Bodily Action), Samma Vayama (Right Effort), Samma Sati (Right Mindfulness), and Samma Samadhi (Right Concentration).

The Buddha discovered this noblest of Paths, consisting of eight stages. If an individual were to follow at least one of those eight., he will become great among human beings. If he follow these eight, he will become greater than gods and brahmas.

Buddha indicated these to us in this manner. "This is good. This is bad. These are virtuous actions. These are the things that should be done. These are the things that should not be done. These are the things that should be acquired. These are the things that should not be acquired. These are the things that should be followed. These are the things that should be given up. If you do good, such and such good results will follows. If you do bad, such and such bad results will ensue. I do not say these things without reason. I say these through experience - through doing. Therefore, do the right things. Give up what is bad."

The Buddha indicated to us the good path, the right path, the true path, like a kind father, kind mother and a kind instructor. How can we make the best possible use of the noble indicator of the Path? Is it by making offerings to him? Is it by constructing large statues of the Buddha? Or is it by travelling along the right Path he indicated with his finger? We are indebted to him for showing us the path to Nibbana (the Eternal Bliss). We must honour him and make offerings to him. This will make us accrue merit. But, those material offerings alone are not sufficient for us to realize Nibbana. Nibbana is with us. We must acquire it ourselves - we ourselves must discover it - realize it. It is not something we can acquire through the help of others.

The Buddha never intended to assemble a vast array of disciples and to live like a great leader surrounded by the retinue of disciples. He intended to assemble a group of persons who will tread that true path - the Path of purity.

He discovered after enduring the worst sufferings a human being could undergo. He wanted a group of people who would follow him - who would emulate him - who would think like him - who would work like him. He wanted a group of people who would talk like him, who would live like him. In short, he did not need a group of people who passively listen to him, who would write down what he said and memorize it, or else who would keep on worshipping his words. He needed a group of people who would do what was said - who would experiment and who would implement what we said. Nibbana cannot be realized merely by honouring the Buddha's name or his image.

Let us take an example. A person who arrives at the railway station asks someone there directions to the Independence Building. That person tells him the road he he should take. If the man who asked directions remained there, worshipping, honouring and thinking the person who gave him directions without going, he will not be able to go to the Independence Building. He will then never know the Independence Building. He must thank him, and go along the path he indicated. He could reach the Independence Building only if he trod the path that was indicated.

The Noble Eight-fold Path indicated to us by the Buddha is a thousand times nobler than the path to the Independence Building shown by the man at the railway station. We must worship at least three times a day that noble Being who indicated to us that Noble Path -that path to the Eternal Bliss of Nibbana - must make offerings to him - must honour him.

But, in order to realize Nibbana such material forms as worshipping, making offerings, honouring, etc., are not sufficient. There is no other path to Nibbana than the one he indicated. We must invariably tread that Path.

Here is a good example to prove this. When the Buddha was in his death bed, the worlding Bhikkhu (those who had not reached the paths or fruits of spiritual attainment) started crying and lamenting. Those monks who were bereft of blemishes contemplated the nature of formation. At this stage a monk by the name of Dhammarama determined this way: "Before our Buddha breathes his last, I will somehow follow his advice and will obtain some result."

Making up his mind that way, he went to a secluded spot, did solitary meditation and obtained the purity of mind. Those other monks who were crying and lamenting saw monk Dhammarama who, without any thought of their all-compassionate Teacher breathing his last, was all alone in a secluded spot. Those other monks took him by the hand and pulled him alone to the Buddha saying, "When our immortal Leader, the Buddha, is about to leave us for ever, this monk only has no sorrow or sense of loss. This is a fellow without a heart."

The Buddha in his death bed saw a reluctant monk being dragged by others towards him. He asked those monks, "Why do you drag along this monk?" The other monks replied, "O Sir, you are about to pass away. There is no use living without you. By looking at whose face can we gain solace? Who would advise us with such a compassion-filled heart? Therefore, our sorrow is limitless. But, only this monk has neither sorrow nor sense of loss. He was seated at a secluded spot, looking worn silently. That is whywe pulled him along to you."

The Buddha asked that monk, "Are they saying the truth?" "Yes Sir, I did not want to cry and lament in a futile manner like them. Without crying and weeping I followed a golden advice you have given us, and was determined to make use of it before you close your eyes for ever. My effort and my determination were extremely successful. I have overcome the immature state of crying and weeping like these monks," the monk replied.

Realizing that he had become an Arahant the Buddha, while in his death bed, put his palms together and ssid, "Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu." He addressed the weeping monks this way: "Monks, you who weep and cry for me do not have a genuine affection for me. This monk who, following one Word of mine, achieved high spiritual results is the person who has the true and proper affection for me. Honouring my Word does not only mean writing it in god sheets or silver sheets or on stone to protect and preserve it, and worshipping it and honouring it. One must live according to my Words. My Words and advice must be implemented. You must conduct your life in accordance with my Words. Those who worship me offering me only fragrant flowers, do not worship me properly. Only those who follow my advice and my Words worship me and honour me properly." (Dhammapadatha Katha)

From the above story we can quite clearly see who the Buddha really is and what his aim was. He did not want to build a retinue of thousands, of disciples who were hypnotized either by his radiant body, or by his appearance, his pleasant voice, his nobility, or his incomparable personality, and to get them to honour him, respect him, and to hero-worship him. He did not want to give them advice, to order them about, to keep them under control, to suppress them, to make them obedient, and to uphold his own leadership.

What the Buddha wanted to set up was a fearless, courageous, virtuous and disciplined society that adhered to the Doctrine, that tried out the Doctrine, that considered righteousness their way of life and their life-style, that would give their lift to uphold principles that gives the proper place to straight forward attitudes, that would respect law and order, that would honour truth, that would go forward, and that will not go back. The noblest segment in that society is the Order of Monks.

This Order was founded on high principles. They discarded selfishness fully. They were the symbol of common interests. They were free of all such bonds as bondage to lay-life. They had given up all such desires as craving for material things and craving for sensualities.

They, like birds who had only the burden of their wings (sapattabharo pakkhi sakuna viya), could go anywhere they listed. Those who followed the Buddha were a group of people who symbolized high culture.

The Buddha did not approve of exaggerated honour and respect, not only to himself but also to his Doctrine. "O Monks, I compare the Doctrie to a raft. Is is neccessary for crossing a river or a stream. It is not for carrying on your shoulders. If one were to think, ‘This raft was exceedingly useful to me. I was able to cross because of it. Therefore, I must take it along either on my head or on my shoulders, "it is not a wise thought. In the same way, O Monks, the Doctrine I expounded is only to help a person to cross the ocean of 'samsara' (becoming) - and not for carrying on one's shoulders or on one's head." (Majjhima Nikaya - Alagaddupa Sutta).

The Teaching of the Buddha are not merely for the purpose of writing down in books and keeping them in library shelves for veneration. Nor are they to be kept concealed. These should be made available to all for reading and spreading the Word of the Buddha, everywhere. The Buddha said,

"O Monks, the Doctrine preached by the Tathagata shines more and more when it is open. It does not shine when it is concealed." (Anguthara Nikaya - Nikaya - Nika Nipata)

All these establish the fact that the Buddha wanted to be a true guide to the world, and to show the world the Right Path. He was keen that the men and women of the world trod the Right Path. He was not at all keen to get honour and respect from the world. He was never concerned either about the praise or the blame he received from the world. The true significance of the expression "Buddham Saranam Gacchami" is that "I follow the Buddha" - that I tread the Path trodden by the Buddha.

The Buddha passed away in the Great Demise over 2,500 years ago. How can we request assistance from a person who is not alive today? What is the use of such a request? The only assistance, the only help, and the only use one can get from him who is not there today, is treading the Path he trod, and following his advice.

Realizing the truth that he realized with such tremendous difficulty，whatever else one did without following him that way, would not at all mean that we took refuge in the Buddha in the proper manner.

The true significance of the expression "Dhammam Saranam Gacchami" is that "I follow the Doctrine". The Doctrine (Dhamma) is not a person. It is not a thing. The only use one can make of it is to follow it.

The true meaning of "Sangham Saranam Gacchami" is that "I will receive advice and guidance from the Sangha. I follow the Sangha. I will cultivate within me the virtues of the Sangha." It is in that way that one can take refuge in the Sangha.

With the passage of time Buddhists drift further and further away from the Buddha. Many people do not have a true awareness of him. By following the Buddha with wrong awareness and with uncritical devotion., one cannot obtain the true results.

The primary obligation of a Buddhist is to become aware who truly the Buddha is. No one without a true awareness of the Buddha will be able to become a true Buddhist. Therefore, all efforts should be made to tread the Noble Eight-fold Path which is the purest of paths - the Path of Purification shown to us by the Buddha who is the greatest guide to the spiritual Path to-date in the whole of humanity.