IV. The Department of Spreading the Dhamma
Ways of spreading the Dhamma fall into three categories:
A. The first category: Study (pariyatti)
This refers to the appointment of monks in the various divisions to teach and train the populace at large. In addition, the establishment of syllabi such as the Nak Dhamma courses, and the appointment of teachers to instruct in accordance with them, can also be classed as a means of spreading the Dhamma.
Spreading the Dhamma can give rise to many sorts of benefits – well-being in this life, well-being in lives to come, and acquaintance with the supreme well-being – nibbāna. These are the aims of spreading the Dhamma by means of study, which is one aspect of the good that Buddhism has to offer.
1. Here, for those of us who are interested in well-being with regard only to this life, I would like to point out the way, which has four factors –
a. Initiative (uṭṭhāna-sampadā): We should be persistent and diligent in our work and our duties, making our living by means that are moral and upright, in line with the principles of Right Action.
b. Maintenance (ārakkha-sampadā): We should take good care of the possessions we have earned, and take good care of ourselves – which we have also worked hard to earn – so as not to fall into ways that are evil or wrong.
c. Having admirable friends (kalyāṇa-mittatā): We should associate with good people and avoid associating with immoral people who would lead us astray and cause our possessions to be squandered away.
d. An appropriate lifestyle (samajīvitā): We should spend our earnings wisely and provide for our needs in a proper way. We should avoid spending our earnings in wrong ways that would soil how we live.
These four principles form the way to our well-being in this lifetime, but we shouldn’t be short-sighted or unrealistic, for the reality of each and every human being born is that we will all have to die and be parted from the happiness found in this world.
2. This being the case, we must provide for our well-being in the lives to come. The way to happiness in the lives to come, as taught by the religion, is as follows –
a. Conviction (saddhā-sampadā): We should be consummate in our convictions, believing that there is good and evil, believing in (puñña), and believing in the principle of kamma. We should then avoid doing evil, and cultivate goodness as far as we are able.
b. Virtue (sīla-sampadā): We should be true to our moral principles and train ourselves to be pure in our actions in terms of thought, word, and deed. Whatever we do should be done with honesty and rectitude.
c. Generosity (cāga-sampadā): We should be consummate in our generosity, making donations to others, for instance, as we are able. To make sacrifices in this way, the Buddha teaches, is a noble treasure, bearing dividends both in this life and in lives to come. If we don’t make sacrifices in this way, our possessions will bear us fruit only in this lifetime. At death, they will vanish. We won’t be able to transfer them for use in the next life, just as Thai currency or any national currency can’t be used outside the boundaries of its country. When a person travels abroad, he won’t be able to use his native currency at all unless he has the discernment to exchange his money beforehand and deposit it in an appropriate bank. Only then will it be of use to him when he goes abroad. In the same way, people of discernment deposit their possessions in the bank called the field of merit (puññakkhetta): When they sacrifice their wealth in this way, it becomes a noble treasure, bearing dividends on the road ahead. And this doesn’t apply only to possessions: When a person crosses the border from one country into another, even his native language won’t be of any use. The Buddha thus taught us a foreign language – chanting and the meditative practice of developing goodwill – to serve us as language in the world to come.
d. Discernment (paññā-sampadā): We should be circumspect and knowledgeable in all our actions. Otherwise, we will act under the influence of such forms of delusion as chandāgati – being prejudiced by affection, with no reasonable thought for right or wrong; bhayāgati – being prejudiced by fear, with no thought for what is reasonable; dosāgati – being prejudiced by anger and dislike, with no thought for right or wrong; and mohāgati – being prejudiced by delusion, mistaking right for wrong, and wrong for right. To act in any of these ways means that we have no discernment. For this reason, whatever we may do in the area of making merit, we should first examine and contemplate things properly before acting. Only then will we qualify as being consummate in our discernment.
These four practices open the way to a good destination in the next life, i.e., in heaven, but even then we will still have to go whirling along the cycle of death and rebirth.
3. If we have strong conviction, we will be able to develop ourselves so as to go beyond this to the level of the supreme well-being (paramattha), attaining the levels of transcendent virtue. This sort of virtue is something that all Buddhists should aim for. The necessary prerequisites are two:
conviction and perseverance.
When we possess these qualities, they will serve as our tools – regardless of whether we are sharp-witted or dull, men or women, people with many defilements or with only a few. Once this is our aspiration, we should then develop two practices that form the path to nibbāna –
a. tranquility meditation: developing stillness in the mind;
b. insight meditation: developing discernment in the mind; gaining internal insight, seeing through to the natural condition of the Dhamma that lies within us.
The natural condition of the Dhamma is this: birth, momentary existence, disbanding – like a wave on the sea. When the wind blows, great waves rise on the ocean. The same holds true with human life: The natural condition of the khandhas within us behaves like a wave. This is called the natural condition of the Dhamma.
Another condition, though, stays as it is, whether or not there are waves – just as the water of the sea, when there is no wind, is smooth, level, and clear. This natural condition in the heart – a condition that doesn’t take birth, doesn’t change, doesn’t disband, and doesn’t die, but simply stays as it is – lies within each and every one of us.
These two practices – tranquility and insight meditation – lead to the supreme well-being, nibbāna. The two natural conditions lie within each of us. Those who know how to spread the Dhamma into themselves, teaching and counseling themselves, will attain well-being without a doubt.
B. The second category: Practice (paṭipatti)
Spreading the Dhamma by practicing it, without having to use words, simply behaving well so as to be an example to others through one’s manners and behavior: This is an important factor in spreading the Dhamma. Our Lord Buddha, for example, was once staying in a forest with a following of 500 monks. As twilight fell, he rested, inclining on his right side, while the monks all did walking or sitting meditation. No one was talking. Everything was still. Just then, a group of wandering ascetics came into the forest and, seeing this, were completely won over. They felt so inspired by the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha that they were willing to become disciples. Later, they were of great help in spreading the religion. This shows that good and proper practice is an extremely important force in spreading the Dhamma.
Not only human beings, but even animals are able to follow the example of others’ behavior, as when a man with a crippled leg leads a horse with sound legs around on a tether: In no time at all, the horse will learn to walk with a limp. As the leader goes, so go his followers; as the mold is shaped, so are the items molded. Good behavior is thus a way of spreading the religion that has a deep and telling influence on the hearts of those who come after. This is one of our true duties within the religion. Even if our defilements may be heavy and thick, we can still be of service to others in this way.
So in spreading the Buddha’s teachings, it’s not enough simply to get up and deliver a sermon. A person of discernment teaching the Dhamma can convince others of its value in a variety of ways: by his manners, as already mentioned; or by ādesanā-pāṭihāriya – the marvel of knowing another person’s thoughts; or by anusāsanī-pāṭihāriya – the marvel of teaching that, when put into practice, gives the promised results. All of these are means of spreading the Buddha’s teachings.
C. The third category: Psychic Marvels (iddhi-pāṭihāriya)
In some areas of religious work, spreading the Dhamma is done via the mind – as, for example, when the Venerable Culapaṇṭhaka performed a psychic marvel that astounded those who saw, inspiring conviction, reverence, and awe in their hearts. Those who had never before felt inspired by the Buddha’s teachings suddenly became inspired because of those events.
Other instances were performed by the Buddha himself, as when he went to break the pride of the three Kassapa brothers. He went out in the rain without getting wet, did walking meditation in the flood without getting wet, which led the elder Kassapa to abandon his stubborn pride – and when he had abandoned his pride, the Buddha was able to teach him the Dhamma. Kassapa and his followers saw the Dhamma appear within themselves, experienced the paths, fruitions, and nibbāna, and proclaimed themselves followers of the Buddha. They were then of great help in spreading the religion.
Another example is when the Buddha subdued the bandit, Aṅgulimāla. As Aṅgulimāla ran chasing after him, the Buddha radiated goodwill through the power of jhāna, causing the earth between them to rise and fall in great waves until Aṅgulimāla, tired from his running, called out in surrender. The Buddha then instructed him to the point where he was so impressed and convinced that he was eventually able to make his heart attain the Dhamma.
There are many other examples of this sort by which the Buddha was able to proclaim the religion so that it has lasted into the present day. If we take spreading the Dhamma to be simply a matter of words, it wouldn’t have been – and won’t be – enough.
* * *
Thus, spreading the Dhamma is done in three ways:
A. By deed – showing others the Dhamma through the example of one’s manners and behavior; being correct and gracious in one’s words and deeds; keeping restraint over one’s senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, feeling, and ideation so as to be an inspiring example to those who see.
B. By word – teaching and explaining the Dhamma out loud, giving rise to understanding and inspiration in those who hear.
C. By thought (psychic feats, manomayiddhi). When one has seen with the power of intuitive understanding that a person is ready to receive the Dhamma, one should spread thoughts of goodwill, dedicating the fruits of one’s merit to that person. This way of spreading the Dhamma can be done both in public and in private, with those who are near and those who are far away. It can help certain human and divine beings, and inspire conviction in those whose dispositions lie within the net of the Dhamma, all without having to say a word.
This has been termed, ‘anointing with the waters of goodwill.’ The goodwill lying in the heart is like a cooling current. Wherever this coolness is directed through the power of a serene heart, it can draw other beings, both human and divine, to become inspired to develop the qualities of their hearts in line with their varying dispositions. Even if we have yet to meet them, and have simply heard news, we can still cause their hearts to become cool and refreshed, contributing to their welfare and happiness. Spreading the Dhamma in this way is beneficial both to us and to others.
To be able to do this, though, we must first give rise to sufficient quality in our own hearts. If the quality isn’t yet there, then build it and dedicate it first of all to those to whom you owe ‘kamma debts.’ Spread this goodness to fill the body. Spread this goodness to fill the mind. This sense of fullness is what is meant by rapture (pīti) – i.e., full of what is skillful. Goodness fills the heart, refreshing it with what is skillful. When goodness fills the body and mind, it’s like water filling a tank or saturating the earth. Wherever the earth is saturated with water, there the trees and vegetation flourish. But if we don’t have enough goodness within, we’re like a tank without any water: No matter how far the faucet is opened, only wind will come out. The coolness of wind and the coolness of water are two very different things. The coolness of wind can cause trees to wither and can send dust clouds flying, but the coolness of water is useful in many ways: It can be used to wash clothes, to bathe the body, to drink, or to sprinkle on the ground, nourishing plants and softening the earth. Not only that, it can also give a deep sense of refreshment. In the same way, people who practice the Dhamma, even if they don’t speak a word but simply spread thoughts of goodwill, can be of great benefit to people at large. This is termed mettā-pāramī – the perfection of goodwill.
So when goodness arises within us, we can work for the welfare of others even when we sit with our eyes closed, perfectly still. But it’s the nature of ignorant people to believe that such a person is simply saving his own skin. They haven’t looked deep inside.
The teachers of the past thus made a comparison with thunder and rain. Some people can teach others, but they themselves have no inner goodness. Such people are called thunder without rain. They can cause others to feel awe and respect, but can give no sense of cooling refreshment. Some people are like rain without thunder. They rarely speak, but spread thoughts of goodwill, dedicating their merit to others. They have received their own full measure of inner goodness and so can give goodness and inspire conviction in the hearts of others even when simply sitting still. Those who find peace and calm in the shelter of such an influence will, in turn, feel the highest form of respect. Some people are like rain with thunder, and others, rain with thunder and wind to boot: This, for those who are able, is ideal. Such people, after having developed their own inner goodness, are able to teach others, spreading the Dhamma by thought, word, and deed, giving results in many ways: People who are stubborn and fixed in their opinions will be able to soften in an instant, just as giant trees bend before the wind. At the same time, teachers of this sort can be an example to others through their behavior and the kindness of their hearts, feeling no envy for the goodness of others, but only compassion, providing a cooling shelter for all sorts of people. This is the consummate way to spread the Dhamma, causing the religion to prosper in the true and proper way.
The field of spreading the Dhamma is extremely important. Those who practice it will get results in two ways:
1. By knowing how to use authority – the power of the mind – so as to be of benefit.
2. By knowing how to use kindness – the goodness of the heart – so as to benefit their fellow human beings, with no need for power of any sort whatsoever.
Only those who can act in this manner are qualified for the Department of Spreading the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma and Vinaya.
* * *
When the duties of all these departments are fully observed by a community, a group, or an individual, they will help our religion to prosper and thrive. But as long as we are unable to fulfill these duties, the establishment of directives for each of the various departments is meaningless and can lead, I’m afraid, only to the disappearance of the Buddha’s teachings, as happened in India. This is why I have asked to explain our organization and duties so that we will all be thoroughly acquainted with them.
It will be ideal if each individual can observe the duties of all four departments; and, to be true to the Dhamma, each of us should regard all of these duties as his own personal responsibility. If we pay attention only to the directives and rules without reference to the Dhamma, we’ll be deficient in our duties, and the establishment of the various departments will be a waste of time. All the thought and consideration devoted to our welfare will be fruitless.
So we should use our authority and inner quality in observing our duties firmly and properly for the sake of the good order of the religion.
If I were to explain things at length, there would be much more to say; but I will stop for the time being with this condensed discussion of the main points at issue, which should be enough to serve us as an adequate guide.
If there is anything in any way wrong or defective in what I have written here, I ask the reader’s forgiveness.
Peace.
