Social Guides of Buddhism 3

Chapter III

3.1. Dispelling Doubt -----------------------------------------------------------------

3.1.1. Kalama Sutta (The Discourse on Kalama people) ------------------------

3.1.2. Unique Advice How to Choose Correct Religion ------------------------

3.2. The Remarkable Social Guide -------------------------------------------------

3.2.1. Singala Sutta (The Advice to Singala) --------------------------------------

3.2.1(a). The Four Dirty Actions ----------------------------------------------------

3.2.1(b). The Four Reasons for Doing Evil Deeds --------------------------------

3.2.1©. Six Causes for Loss of Wealth ---------------------------------------------

3.1.1(d). The Quality of Good-Hearted Friend ------------------------------------

3.1.1(e). The Quality of False Friend -----------------------------------------------

3.3. Social Philosophy for Worldly Life -------------------------------------------

3.3.1. The Relation between Parents and Children -------------------------------

3.3.2. The Relation between Teacher and Pupil -----------------------------------

3.3.3. The Relation between Husband and Wife ----------------------------------

3.3.4. The Relation between You and Your loving friends ----------------------

3.3.5. The Relation between Employers and Employees ------------------------

3.3.6. The Relation between the Holy Monks and Devotees --------------------

3.1. Dispelling Doubt

Nowadays people are complicated even to lead their own life and family. There are ample destructive elements for our popular lives. We cannot run away from them; we have to live together with such complicated and sophisticated world decorated with beautiful and amazing scientific developments. Our new millennium is unbelievable and rapidly developed through technologies. Our world becomes a global village. Human society is interdependent network that does not make any different from each other. We live very closely in physical world but very far from each other in spiritual world. People live in sense of fear; they are afraid of each other. Fear makes them complicated living in sophisticated world.

Another phenomenon that makes humanity complicated is religion. Religion should not make people complicated but it does. Sometimes, we are so hard to understand when religion is mixed with political system. In my own opinion political system must be separated from religious influence because politics is clearly connected with greed for power to rule particular country but religion is closely connected with loving-kindness to love both friends and enemies equally. According to Buddhism we are all taught to love both friends and enemies equally. All the religions should work for the benefits of the whole living society including animals; we should not discriminate among humanity. We should love them, respect and help them when they are in need.

In the time of the Buddha there were those who were complicated in between whether they should follow a religion or not. The Buddha tried to deal with unstable society in full doubt of religious issues in India. The Buddha taught people middle way to avoid both right and left extremes. Many of us do not know middle way but we take our way with full ignorance by unexpectedly disturbing those around us. Actually, most religions go that way disturbing the others who are not in their faiths. Buddhism is clearly different from religious sense; you will learn it a bit more.

3.1.1. Kālāma Sutta (Discourse on Kalama People)

Kalama Sutta is very popular in the whole Buddhist society around the world. It was rationally proclaimed by the Buddha because there was a religious problem in Kalama nationality. Those people resided in Kesamutti or Kesaputta village. Different religious masters came to their village for collecting converts like a political party that tries to organize people for the votes to win in the election. In my own opinion there is noting to do with political idea in true sense of religion.

However, most religions practice like a political party. Of course, political party works for the votes to win in election and religions work for the converts to make their own religion bigger in quantity. They are not different from each other in sense but in label. In India there were variety of religion and religious sects. When I was in India in 2004, I noticed some religious sects and I noticed that they have also respected Buddhism so far. They said ‘Gurugi, Gurugi’ to Buddhist monks. I felt quite positive to the Indian and I did not feel as in abroad because Buddhist culture is not so different from Indian culture. Even Buddhist monks wear as the Indian dress.

To me India is a wonderful country that has kept its own tradition and culture so long. In my eyes India is beautiful with its democracy in its culture and tradition without following any culture and without being influenced by anything form abroad. I felt so grateful and appreciated to the Indian people when I saw all the Buddhist historical events have been remained as they were before. If the Indian were not tolerant with Buddhist religious background, I believe that Buddhist historical things would not have lasted such long. I also felt thankful to my devotees who managed everything patiently for me to go to India; they were so kind and very devout Buddhists.

Actually, I need help to travel because of the rules and regulations of Buddhist monks. When I was in India, I really remembered Kalama Sutta to write about it and to share my knowledge with world-Buddhists. And some of the Buddhists international suggested that I should write about Kalama Sutta that is a very unique example to learn and practice it for our knowledge how to accept a religion.

In this Sutta (discourse) the Buddha was also a very wonderful master because the Buddha did not enter the village intrusively for collecting the converts as the other religious masters did. However, the Buddha used to take residence in the forest near by the village when He traveled for some reason because the Buddha and His disciples love quietness and peaceful environment to meditate for peace within themselves. The Buddha was not greedy for the religious converts but compassionate for the suffering humanity to liberate them from the misery. The Buddha did not believe that people needed conversion for being saved but they needed understanding the way how to live with life in between negative and positive elements and ups and downs. Only when we are able to live with our life without being disturbed by either ups or downs will we be free from suffering and will we be happy.

In Kalama Sutta Kalama people came to the quiet forest in where the Buddha resided to meet the Buddha and His disciples because the Buddha was also famous among Indian religions and tradition. Kalama people needed some advice from the Buddha to compare the way of teaching with other religious backgrounds.

When Kalama people reached the Buddha they asked thus, ‘Venerable Sir there were enough religious masters who came to our village named Kesamutti and organized us for their respective religion but they said that they were only true religious masters and their religion was only religion. They condemned the other religions and praised their own one. Therefore, we are confused with who is right and who is wrong and who is telling the truth and who is telling lies. So please give us some advice to choose correct religion.’

When we learn this Sutta, we will feel that Kalama people were wise and they wanted to choose what they feel good for themselves. It was a good example of democracy in Buddhist background and I really feel Buddhism will be exactly fit with western people who love democracy and philosophy. If the western people were Buddhist, our world will be more peacefully and meaningfully developed and prosperous than now. In my point of view the westerners are really good-hearted, intellectual and knowledgeable but not wise at all.

The easterners are good-hearted, not so much intellectual and not so much knowledgeable like westerners but wise enough because they have been influenced by Buddhist thoughts in some ways. Even in the greatest Islamic country like Indonesia the model of Borobudur in Java was Buddhist heritage. History told us about things and events correctly. Therefore, in my opinion most of the eastern countries were once influenced by Buddhist thought. The Buddhist culture and philosophy have been remained in their hearts. The way of thinking is not different from each other among eastern traditions and cultures. Actually, Buddhism is always suitable anywhere in the world.

3.1.2. Unique Advice How to Choose Correct Religion

Look at now how the Buddha advised Kalama people to choose correct religion.

“Oh, Kalama, it is suitable that you all should be confused in what you should be confused and you all should be doubtful in what should be doubtful. Come on, Kalama,           

·          (1) Do not go by hearsay.

·          (2) Do not go by tradition.

·          (3) Do not go by inference.

·          (4) Do not go by the authority of religious texts.

·          (5) Do not go by speculation.

·          (6) Do not go by mere logic.

·          (7) Do not go by considering appearances.

·          (8) Do not go by taking delight in speculative opinions.

·          (9) Do not go by seeming possibilities.

·          (10) Do not go by the idea, ‘This is our respectful Guru (teacher).’ ”

(Kesamutti Sutta, Tika-Anguttranikaya vol-I page-189

When you know for yourself that this teaching is unwholesome, this teaching is with fault, this teaching is blamed by the wise; when accepted and practiced, if it makes you no beneficial, and unhappy, let it go and give it up.   

When you know for yourself that this teaching is wholesome, this teaching is without fault, this teaching is praised by the wise; when accepted and practiced, if it makes you beneficial and happy, take it and practice it.”   

This kind of advice given by the Buddha on choosing correct religion was accepted worldwide in educated Buddhist communities and accepted even by non-Buddhist scholars, philosophers, intellectuals, intelligentsia and scientists as well. Here, we can see the Buddha did not say that we have to follow His religion but the Buddha gave us unique and excellent advice how to choose correct religion by our own decision, not by the authority or by force. He was not even interested in saying that His Teaching alone was good but in advice to choose by ourselves. It was really meaningful and wonderful to hear such advice from the Buddha. Everyone should be happy to hear it and should appreciate it because this kind of advice has never been given by any religions throughout religious history.

In the Sutta the Buddha went further that desire was not good, anger was not good and delusion was not good. “Oh, Kalama, a man grasped by inordinate desire will take life, will take what is not given, will commit sexual misconduct with the others’ wife, and will tell lie. He will also tell the others to do so; it will make him no beneficial and miserable for a long time.” When the Buddha said so, Kalama people replied, ‘Oh, it must be true, Venerable Sir, it must be true.’ In Kesamutti Sutta the Buddha repeated for the person grasped by anger and also for the person grasped by ignorance as in the same sense of the person grasped by inordinate desire. And all of the Kalama people agreed with the Buddha and His Teaching. After this Sutta given by the Buddha, all of Kalama people were very pleased and happy to hear it and they converted themselves to the Buddhist community but the Buddha did not convert them to Buddhism. 

It is true that one grasped by inordinate desire or anger or ignorance will be easy to do killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and telling lies in any religious backgrounds and in any society. Simply religions can do nothing with the removal of inordinate desire, anger and ignorance but with understanding the sense of desire, anger and ignorance. You may be Christian; you may be Muslim; you may be Buddhist; you may be Hindu; you may be Jewish, no matter who you are, you will be truly a bad person when you are grasped by the negative phenomena like inordinate desire, anger and ignorance. It is just nature; we can easily understand that no religion can remove human desire, anger and ignorance but the Buddha said that there is a technique to remove them thoroughly. The technique is Vipassana meditation in Buddhism. It is not just for fulfilling meritorious deeds but for practicing it to develop proper understanding within us.

The Buddha gave them talk in a way of questioning and answering; this way actually makes us clearer in the meaning of something we want to know. The Buddha gave them talk on the other positive elements: generosity, loving-kindness and wisdom in the Sutta. Actually, desire can be overcome by generosity; anger can be overcome by loving-kindness and ignorance can be overcome by wisdom. This is the Buddha’s Teaching and it is quite rational, reasonable and acceptable to everyone. In my opinion it is not a religious advice for taking it blindly but philosophical advice for taking it in rational understanding. Therefore, I have often said that Buddhism is not a religion at all but a sort of philosophy. Buddhism is also not interested in converting people from one religion to another but interested in transforming desire into generosity, anger into loving-kindness and ignorance into wisdom by giving them the technique to practice for the skill of letting go.

Therefore, we do not need to be Buddhist to practice the technique for letting go of desire, anger and ignorance because they cannot be overcome by a certain religion or by praying or worshiping to a certain God. The Buddhist will never be trained by Buddhist education to believe in a God and will never be told by Buddhist authority to believe in any kind of God but they will be well taught to practice for the skill of letting go of desire, anger and ignorance and for the development of generosity, loving-kindness and wisdom. Vipassana meditation retreat will be very helpful to understand the Buddha’s Teaching properly and practically. You can read about Vipassana meditation in “How meditation can help” written by me.

In Kalama Sutta we can also find the idea of next life taught by the Buddha and what will happen to the next life when a greedy, angry or deluded person dies. There is no connection with the Buddha or any God for the person to be born in hell or heaven but connection with one’s own volitional actions. The Buddha said that one will be reborn in the realm of good life by practicing non-greed, non-hatred, and wisdom if there is next life and one will be reborn in the realm of bad life by practicing greed, hatred or ignorance.

The Buddha also said that even if there is no life after death, one who is practicing non-greed, non-hatred and wisdom will be free from being blamed by the others in this very life. It is really true and I feel encouraged by this talk of the Buddha because in my opinion we must be responsible for our own deeds. Actually, greedy action, angry action or ignorant action is not good and we all do not like such action in any background and in any religious society. If we do not like it, we should avoid doing it. Why do we need to do something we all do not enjoy?

Religious confusion and doubt will cause the society unstable and can cause the society to feel unhappy. If they are restricted in one faith, they will also feel unhappy because they are free to choose. The arrival of Buddhism and the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha to the world is to give the technique for dispelling ignorance and doubt deep-rooted in human mind. Dispelling ignorance and doubt in humanity is more important than being religious restricted oneself in only one faith.           

3.2. The Remarkable Social Guide of Buddhism

       

Singala Sutta is a remarkable social guide of Buddhism because it explained perfect social relation between parents and children, teachers and students, and so on. Actually, the Sutta was preached by the Buddha directly to the rich son named Singala, who denied visiting the Buddha and His monastery although his parents were absolutely faithful to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.   

In the time of the Buddha there was a family that lived in Rajagaha; the Buddha also lived in Veluvana monastery which was situated in the area of Rajagaha. The Buddha resided in Veluvana monastery by the invitation of King Bimbisāra after first rain retreat in Bārānasī. The Buddha taught people who were interested in His new teachings clearly different from Indian traditional religion. According to Vinaya Mahavagga, there were hundred and twenty thousands of people who listened to the Buddha’s Teaching for the first time. Hundred thousands attained the first level of Path-Wisdom that could realize Nibbana within themselves and twenty thousands were converted form their own traditional faith to Buddhism. Of course, there was no sect of Buddhism at all but I use it as a conventional term. 

The family I mentioned above was a very devout Buddhist family. The parents had a son named Singala. The father and the mother had attained the first level of Path-Wisdom (Sotāpattimagga in Pãli). When one has attained the first level of Path-Wisdom, he or she will be strongly faithful to take the refuge in the Buddha, in the Dhamma and in the Sangha and strictly followed the five precepts without shrinking. Even if he has to give up life for any reason, he will not break the five precepts. Although the parents were such strongly devout Buddhist, the son, Singala was not Buddhist and did not believe in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.

He always denied that he would not go to the Buddha and would not visit the monastery whenever he was suggested by his parents to go to the monastery and the Buddha. When I learn this story, I notice that there was fairly religious freedom even in the same family in India and Buddhism is also not sort of religion that will tell you that Buddhism is only true and the others are wrong. In my experience and understanding Buddhism opens our heart and our mind instructing the technique to practice by ourselves. However, as long as we do not understand the Buddha’s teaching quite clearly, we will be hard to know what Buddhism is. If we do not understand it deeply with heart, we will not be serious with practice of it.

The son, Singala did not understand the teaching clearly as his parents did so he was not serious with the Buddhist teaching. When his parents approached death, they felt worried for the son Singala. They wanted to give a remarkable advice to their son before they died. They thought he would probably pay attention to their advice and accept it seriously. Therefore, they suggested that he should go out to the roundabout to pay respect to the different directions such as to the east, to the west and so on. He grasped his parents’ advice and did as he was suggested when his parents died.

Actually, human mind is changeable phenomenon. When it is changed, we cannot believe in ourselves. Our mind is really conditioned and dependent. Actually, we will be hard to believe in our mind because it is really changeable. We can learn here in the story. At first Singala did not pay attention to his parents’ advice and he also did not follow the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha known as the Triple Gems in Buddhism. However, when his parents died, his mind was changed in some way and he obeyed his parents’ advice. He went out of home every day and stood at roundabout and paid respect to the different directions.

3.2.1. Singalovada Sutta (The Advice to Singala)

Once the Buddha met Singala on the way for alms-round and asked him, “Oh Singala, why do you pay respect to the directions in early morning?” He replied, “Oh Lord Buddha, I do this just out of respect to my parents’ advice because my father told me that I should pay respect to the different directions when he approached death. Then, the Buddha started preaching him the six kinds of direction in the Noble Teaching.   

The Buddha said, “Rich son, Noble person should avoid four dirty actions. He should not do evil deeds for four reasons and he should not enjoy the six causes for the loss of wealth. The Noble person should enjoy both present life and hereafter by avoiding the fourteen evil actions and keeping the six directions safe. Such Noble person can attain the world of gods after death.” The Buddha explained further.

3.2.1(a). The Four Dirty Actions

The Buddha said, “Rich son, killing is dirty action. Taking what is not given is dirty action. Sexual misconduct is dirty action. Telling lie is dirty action. Noble One should avoid these four dirty actions.”

Actually, it is a good advice to Singala, who denied visiting the Buddha and taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. The Buddha did not say to believe in Him or His religion but explained the four dirty actions that are acceptable not only to Singala but also to everyone because all the four actions: killing, taking what is not given, committing sexual misconduct and telling lie are able to make anyone physically and mentally dirty.

No one will be happy with committing one of the four actions. Religious prayer or believing in a certain God can do nothing happy for the person who has already committed one of the four actions. If anyone commits one of these four actions, it will not wait to make him dirty and miserable but immediate effect will occur to the person who has committed one of the four actions. It is the law accepted in Buddhism. In Buddhism killing, taking what is not given, committing sexual misconduct and telling lie are suggested not to do. A Buddhist must practice the five precepts that include non-killing, non-taking what is not given, non-sexual misconduct, non-telling lie and non-intoxicating drinks and drugs in any forms for good and happy life.

3.2.1(b). The Four Reasons for Doing Evil Deeds

The Buddha said that there are the four reasons: for love, for anger, for fear and for ignorance that can cause to do evil deeds. One can do evil deed for love, for anger, for fear or for ignorance. It is also true that one can do evil deed when one favors another one, and when one is angry, when one is fearful and when one is ignorant. Even in the same family, for example, supposing a mother has two children: one is a daughter and another is a son, the mother loves the son more than the daughter, she may probably go bias towards the son in the time of judging something. It is evil deed for love. In the court the judgment in bias towards someone else will be worse; it will be absolutely evil when you have a bias towards someone or something in judgment.

According to the Buddha’s advice we should not go bias towards anything or anyone when we have to judge for something between two persons. This is the reason why the Buddha said we should not do any evil deed for love, for fear, for anger or for ignorance. The Buddha said, “Rich son, noble person should not go bias towards anything or anyone for the reason of love, for the reason of anger, for the reason of fear or for reason of ignorance.”  

3.2.1©. Six causes for loss of wealth

The Buddha said there are six causes for the loss of wealth. Taking all kinds of intoxicating drinks is for the loss of wealth. Traveling in unsuitable time is for the loss of wealth. Enjoying entertainment or performance is for the loss of wealth. Enjoying gambling is for the loss of wealth. Associating with bad friends is for the loss of wealth. The habit of laziness is for the loss of wealth.     

We can see how these six causes make a person lose his or her wealth in any society and any country nowadays. We easily meet our friends or neighbors who have lost wealth and reputation by taking all kinds of intoxicating drinks. Drinking is not useful for any person or any society but it destroys the person’s beauty and health and wealth as well. We can see that someone who is used to taking intoxicating drinks is bad in health, in beauty and wealth. Taking all kinds of intoxicating drinks is forbidden in Buddhist life. I believe that when we follow one of the five precepts, no intoxicating drinks and drugs, we will be able to save good money and able to keep healthy life.   

The Buddha said that there are six flaws for drinking: visible loss of wealth, fighting with other people, causing disease, lack of reputation, exposure of shameful parts of the body and weakening knowledge. They are also visible results from alcoholic addict before our eyes. They are also the consequences of drinking too much. Some people I have met said that taking a little drink for health is no bad. Of course, but if you are able to keep yourself good control for not going over your limit, it will not be bad. But I believe that you will be hard to control yourself when you start drinking. If we do not follow non-intoxicating drinks as taught by the Buddha in the five precepts, we will not be able to deal with issues connected with drinking. In my opinion the five precepts and the advice to Singala are unique social guide of Buddhism. And I feel they are helpful to everyone when they follow them.  

Another one for the loss of wealth is traveling in unsuitable time. According to Buddha’s advice in Singala Sutta, unsuitable time means too late in the night so when you travel too late in the night, it is unsuitable time. The Buddha said that there are also six flaws for traveling in unsuitable time; they are :no protection to oneself, no security for the wife and children at home, no safety for one’s wealth, being suspected in wrong deed committed by the others, being wrongly accused and the forerunner of the trouble.

Another one for the loss of wealth is enjoying entertainment. When you enjoy the entertainment, you will look for the place where the entertainment is performed. When you are addicted to entertainment, you will lose your job and also you will lose your health; you will waste your time by watching the entertainments. Then, enjoying the entertainments will cause great loss of your wealth. It is also visible.

Another one for the loss of wealth is enjoying gambling. In the gambling there are also six flaws: making hatred increase in others when you are a winner. You will be worried for the wealth that has been lost. You will see visible decrease of wealth. You will not be trustworthy when you are in court. You will be treated with no respect by friends and no woman will be interested in him because he is addicted in gambling.

Another one for the loss of wealth is associating with bad friends. According to Singala Sutta bad friends are those who are addicted in gambling, in sensual objects, in intoxicating drinks, who are clever in lying, who are wicked, and who can persuade you to do something. The Buddha advised these kinds of bad friend to Singala. We notice that those suggested by the Buddha may be bad. If you associate with them, I’m sure you will lose your wealth. It is also a good social guide to all of us.

Another one for the loss of wealth is the habit of laziness. The lazy will never be serious with his tasks. The Buddha said, “The lazy will always say ‘It is too cold to do, it is too hot to do, it is too late, it is too early to do, it is too hungry to do, and it is too full to do.’” The Buddha continued, “Rich son such a lazy person will never be able to work for wealth to increase.” The habit of laziness will cause for loss of wealth. This kind of the Buddha’s advice will be forever true to everyone wherever we live. And also I feel it is a good social advice or guide to all of us.

When we learn the four dirty actions, the four reasons for doing evil deeds, and the six causes for the loss of wealth, we will see the Buddha’s wishes to humanity. Of course, the advice was given to the man, Singala but it is almost to all of us. In the Sutta Singala was not Buddhist. Of course, he was familiar with the Buddha and His disciples because the monks used to go to the Singala’s house for their alms.

Singala did not believe that a good meritorious deed is done by bowing down to the feet of the Buddha. He thought that his forehead and his hips would be dirty with dust when he sat down and bowed down to the Buddha’s feet. This is the reason why he did not visit Veluvana monastery. His parents felt bad with what he did before they died. His parents advised him to go out everyday in early morning and to pay respect to different directions standing at a certain roundabout. He obeyed his parents’ advice so he met the Buddha and the Buddha gave him the advice above.

3.2.1(d). The Quality of Good-Hearted Friend

The Buddha also classified the difference between the quality of good-hearted friend and the quality of bad-hearted friend in the Sutta. In our life we have to associate with friends for many reasons because we cannot live alone in the society. It is also important to associate with good-hearted friends. However, we will not be able to know the quality of good-hearted friend. The Buddha instructed the quality of good-hearted friend to Singala whose parents died. There are the four kinds of good-hearted friend: one who supports us, one who accompanies with us in happy and unhappy situation, one who advises us profits and one who always feels compassionate with us.

In English saying ‘A friend indeed is a friend in need.’ A good-hearted friend should support you whenever you are in need and in trouble. Sometimes, you may experience with a friend so nice as long as you have no trouble but when you are in trouble, the friend will run away immediately; such a friend is not good-hearted friend but even dangerous. The Buddha wanted us not to associate with such a friend who runs away from us when we are in trouble. This kind of friend may be a lot in the world and every one of us may have been experienced with this kind in our life.

The Buddha was so compassionate and kindly continuing His compassionate advice how to know a good-hearted friend who supports us. I feel this kind of advice seems given even to me. The Buddha said, “Oh Singala, one who takes care of you when you get drunk, one who takes care of your properties when you are drunk, one who is a refuge when you are fearful, one who helps you more than said when you are in situation of loss’; such a friend is regarded as a good-hearted friend.” I feel so pleased with this kind of unique advice given by the Buddha. I also feel so much encouraged to be a good-hearted friend for the others as well. We need such a good-hearted friend to accompany in our life until we have attained final Nibbana.

Second kind of good-hearted friend is one who accompanies with us in both happy and unhappy situations. This is also really a good advice to us because sometimes, you may have been experienced with a friend who accompanies you when you are in happy situation. I do not want to be a friend who will run away from my friend who is in unhappy situation.

I will not be able to leave alone my friend who is in unhappy situation. I feel quite encouraged and positive to learn the Buddha’s advice of good-hearted friend in Singala Sutta. I feel it is also a very good lesson to me. Everyone should learn this kind of advice and put into practice. And we should train ourselves this way because we can see many friends who have already run away from us when we experience with unhappy situation.

The Buddha continued His advice to let us know the characters of second kind of good-hearted friend. To know the quality of good-hearted friend who will accompany with us in both happy and unhappy situations, we have to learn the four things: one who tells us what should be secret, one who keeps what should be secret for us, one who will never leave alone in danger, one who will give up life for the sake of us. When we find someone who has all the four qualities, we can say that one is a good-hearted friend. Such advice is really necessary to our life to choose friend. I feel all right with the Buddha’s advice in this Sutta. We need it and it is so helpful to us. I want every one to learn this and to put it into practice in use.

Third kind of good-hearted friend is one who advises you profits. Of course, a good-hearted friend should advise us profits, otherwise one will not be called a good-hearted friend. The Buddha means not only material profits but also spiritual profits. With these four reasons: protecting us from doing evil deed, instructing to believe in good deed, preaching Dhamma we have never heard of, and advising the way to the heavenly world, we can realize the quality of good-hearted friend.

Material profits are not real profits because they can be gone out or ended at any time. Actually, they are not reliable but enjoyable. However, when they have been gone out, we will not be satisfied. In my opinion only when we have both material and spiritual profits will we be able to live independently and happily. Therefore, we need a good-hearted friend who can advise us both material and spiritual profits.

Fourth kind of good-hearted friend is one who always feels compassionate with us. It will be good to find a friend who always feels kind with us. I also want to be kind with everyone. When you are kind and soft in your heart, even animal can feel it and experience with it. The animal that is experienced with your kindness and softness will be soft and kind with you naturally. You do not need to tame the animal when the animal is experienced with your kindness and softness.

However, human being is thoughtful and not as straight as animal. The Buddha said in Dhammapada, “Tiricchana kira namete ujujatika honti akutila. Manusena pana aññan hadayena cintenti aññan mukena kathenti- Straight is animal but human being thinks one way and speaks another way.” (Dhammapada Vol-I Samavativattu page-172). Actually, human being including me is not clear in their mind. We also do not have the ability to deal with mental crises such as depression, tension, stress, anxiety, worry, hopelessness, uncertainty, deep feeling of survival of life and so on. Sometimes, human being knows that something is wrong with them but they want to carry on ignorantly as they are surrounded by strong ego, conceit and lack of skill of living in equanimity. Then, they acquire wrong thoughts, wrong words and deeds on and on. Finally, they dig a deed hole for themselves and they try to push themselves into such a hole.

Particular problem of human being is deep sense of ego, conceit, and no skill of living in equanimity. People are more rational then moral. They are not strict to practice moral value but they are able to break moral values rationally, logically, thoughtfully and ignorantly. It becomes dangerous to all over the world nowadays because we can find breaking moral values everywhere in the world. The young are losing respect to moral values and breaking the traditional heritage of the particular society anywhere in the world. All of the people feel hard to be straight and easy to lie for so many reasons. However, there are quite strong people to keep moral values and traditional heritage in any country in the world.

The Buddha said, “Oh rich son, Singala, you can realize the good-hearted friend with these four reasons. He does not wish any destructive element to you. He wishes your prosperity. He objects those who blame you. He supports those who praise you. With these four reasons you can realize the good-hearted friend who is always compassionate with you.

The Buddha did not feel tired and continued His advice to Singala. I also feel the Buddha gave this advice to me because I agree to all of the Buddha’s advice taught in Singala Sutta. The quality of false friend was also taught in the same Sutta. All the advice is really useful for our day-to-day life. We need to pay more attention to chose friend and to associate with friend.

The Buddha gave us the advice to realize good-hearted friend and to be able to avoid false friend. When we are encouraged to know the quality of good-hearted friend and false friend by the Buddha’s compassion, we will feel so pleased to do it because it is too rare to hear such advice from spiritual teacher like Buddha. The quality of false friend is acceptable and easy to realize in our society.

3.2.1(e). The Quality of False Friend

The Buddha said, “Oh rich son, actually, with four reasons you should know that it is false friend who just takes, who gives only by words, who talks just sweet things as you like and who accompanies in bad purpose.” This advice is also wonderful to hear from the Buddha and to learn it seriously. Our social life is sometimes difficult to choose the friend with whom we should associate.

We have no specific idea to choose friend but we choose our friend as we like. Sometimes, we could be probably wrong with the friend we have chosen. We need knowledge, wisdom and good awareness to realize what is going on with friend we have chosen. Good is to take time to associate with a good-hearted friend. The advice of the Buddha is good enough to our social life and it is a good social guide to our life.

The first kind of false friend is one who just takes. The Buddha wanted to say that friend who just takes is not true friend but false friend. We can agree with the Buddha because true friend is not the one who just takes from us but who will give us too. I believe that true friend is always thinking to give, to help and to do benefits for the friend. I also try to give, help and I always wish benefits for the friends around me. Happy to me is when I do benefits for the others with me and around me. Even when I write a book on Buddhist philosophy, I’m wishing good benefit to those who will read it and who will learn from it.

Actually, the essay I write is not for money, not for business, not for popularity and not for reputation but for spiritual benefit of people who are seeking for the knowledge and wisdom. I always write something useful and practical in day-to-day life in society because I have practiced it for years and I feel beneficial without harming any other one else when I practice it. Otherwise, I will be quiet without saying anything because better is quiet than saying nonsense. Even word is able to confuse people and able to mislead people.

To realize the first kind of false friend is to learn the four reasons:

(1) false friend is just taking,

(2) false friend is wanting more than what he has given to,

(3) false friend is using what he borrowed from you when he is in crises,

(4) false friend is associating with you because he wants to take advantage of you.

This is a very clear advice of the Buddha and I believe that the Buddha had already experienced with such a false friend through lives in His own life-stories. Otherwise, how can the Buddha give such a precise advice to our humanity? I believe that even you would have been experienced with this kind of false friend. In my life I have been quite enough experienced with all the four reasons.

The second kind of false friend is one who gives only by words. Yes, some friends give us only by words but there is vain promise and empty things. You will receive nothing from what they have given to you because they gave you only by words and they are used to giving sweet things just by words. If you are so honest, I hope you will wait for what they gave until you die. The Buddha gave you four reasons to realize second kind of false friend; they are: one who gives you a sweet present but it has already been gone, one who gives you what is not present, one who gives you sweet things in vain and one who advises you nonsense at the present. I feel the Buddha’s advice is already enough.

The third kind of false friend is one who talks just sweet things as you like. I believe that you would also have been experienced with the third kind in your life because they are experiential. The Buddha said that with the four reasons we can realize the third kind of false friend. The four are: one who allows you to do bad things, one who also allows you to do good things, one who praises you in your presence, and one who blames you in your back. I believe that we should not do and should not talk anything bad in the back of our friends. Talking bad about our friends in their back is not morally good. Civilized people will never do this kind of thing. In Buddhist philosophy backbiting or slandering is not allowed to do and it is really dangerous and useless for both sides. If you do this, your vocal action is wrong. You will be so far away from true peace and happiness.

We should take no backbiting as New Year resolution every year because it is really stupid, silly, vain, and useless and it will bring bad result that will make us unhappy. When we meet each other, actually we should talk about things practical and useful for everyone who involves in that talk. We must be strict not to talk nonsense and backbiting. On the Path to Nibbana there is the factor of Right Speech that includes no falsehood, no gossip, no abusive language, and no frivolous talk. When you take meditation retreat, you are strictly forbidden not to talk the four wrong speeches. It is good to take meditation retreat for some times to develop our moral conduct and improve the skill of morally and socially living with different people in the same place.

In my opinion, meditation retreat under good guidance of experienced master is really good and helpful to our day-to-day life. To me it was a great deal of help when I took meditation retreat in Mahasi meditation center; it was 20 years ago. I have never stopped my own meditation practice so far; I feel it is the way of overcoming difficulties in life. It is actually nothing to do with wearing robe or shaving head or becoming a monk but it is simply the technique to practice for everyone. The practice of meditation is really able to develop the sense of true friend and good morality. I was happy to practice such a good meditation when I was 22 years old.

Having practiced such a meditation technique, I felt stronger to stand on myself and to suggest exactly what the others should do. I feel more in the sense of true friend with my students and friends with me and around me. I want to be this kind. The Buddha wanted to be this kind as well. Therefore, meditation practice led me positively to the right way and I also advised people to practice meditation and to take retreat for some periods in quiet meditation center. Any way the friend who allows you both to do bad things and good things, who praises you in your presence and who blames you in your back will never be good for you and for everyone. “This kind of friend is false friend” said the Buddha.

The fourth kind of false friend is one who accompanies you for bad purposes. It is clear in the meaning of the fourth kind of false friend. The friend who accompanies you only for bad purposes is not good but we sometimes think in our own desire that our friend is good even if we are led for bad purposes. For example, a friend will accompany you to the bar; actually, it is not good but you may probably go together with him because you like drinking. We should not accompany such a friend because he is a false friend. If you also want to accompany your friend for bad purposes such as drinking, gambling or playing cards and so on, you will not be a good friend.

The Buddha made it clearer with the four reasons: one who accompanies you to the bar, who accompanies you for traveling in unsuitable time, who accompanies you for entertainment or Karaoke shop, and who accompanies you for gambling. When you see such kinds of friend, you should avoid them realizing that they are false friends.

3.3. Social Philosophy for Worldly Life

This social philosophy or social guide or social advice or whatever you call taught in Singala Sutta is more interesting and it covers even the whole world nowadays because it explained a lot for social affairs. We will see how the enlightened Buddha was wonderful and perfect when we learn it. This is the reason why I gave the title named ‘Remarkable Social Guide’ at the beginning of 3.2. What I feel with all the advice taught in Singala Sutta is wonderful and acceptable to everyone because there is no religious idea in it. It is a very beneficial advice to the whole humanity.

The Buddha classified the six directions with interesting labels; they are:

(1) parents are regarded as the east direction;

(2) teachers are regarded as the south direction;

(3) wife and children are regarded the west direction;

(4) loving friends are regarded as the north direction;

(5) labors and workers are regarded as down direction;

(6) Monks and Brahmins are regarded as up direction. These six directions should be philosophically, logically and rationally accepted for our life.

The Buddha wanted to advise us to keep them safe and taught the way to keep such directions safe. This is what I feel wonderful with the advice of the Buddha because we knew that the Buddha was a very good meditation master who was so powerful to liberate people from suffering and lead them to a happy way of life. However, the Buddha taught us a remarkable social guide in Singala Sutta. It is almost like public relation because it explained the relation between the parents and the children, the teachers and the pupils and so on.

3.3.1. The Relation between the Parents and Children

In our day-to-day life the relation between the parents and the children is very important. It plays as a major role in our family. If the relation between the parents and the children is not good, the family will be unhappy everyday and will not feel blessed through the relation between them. When the relation between parents and children is good, the whole family will taste nice and blessed; it is one of the highest blessings taught in Mangala Sutta that will be explained in the next chapter.

The Buddha said that we should minister the parents in five ways:

(1) we should minister our parents because we were brought up by the parents;

(2) we should help the parents’ tasks;

(3) we should sustain our family’s values by keeping the heritage firm and by doing meritorious deeds handed down by the family’s generation;

(4) we should obey the parents’ advice to be worthy of heir;

(5) we should practice Dana (generosity) for the sake of late parents.

The Buddha said, “Oh rich son, Singala, when you cherish your parents by practicing these five ways, you will keep the east direction safe, peaceful and free from danger.”  

This kind of social philosophy can be found in most Asian Buddhist countries; it is even now quite faithfully practiced in some Buddhist countries like Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Sri Lanka and so on. They have also accepted this kind of Buddhist philosophy as a good social guide. They feel it has been quite helpful to the life of family in their society. I also believe that this kind of advice or philosophy will be very helpful to even family life in the western society when they practice it wisely.

I have met some western intelligent people who are interested in Buddhist philosophy. They are really wise to practice the way of life taught by the Buddha. However, they feel quite hard to practice Buddhist way of life in the western society. Therefore, they come to some Asian countries like Myanmar, Thailand, or India to practice some meditation courses for calmness and peace; it is really good for them to know Buddhist philosophy and way of life less busier and much happier. The relation between children and parents in the family is also full of love and mutual respect.

The western will see everything quite strange and quite difficult to understand the life style of eastern family. Those I have met since around 1995 are all interested in true relation among family members. The old grandparents are not neglected by their children and grandchildren. Almost all of the old people are quite calm, peaceful and happy among family members; they have been trained by Buddhist philosophy and by the heritage of family generation for years. The Buddha’s advice taught in Singala Sutta has kept them quite effective and beneficial. I also feel Singala Sutta makes me really effective and practical in day-to-day life.

When people from the world come to me, of course, they will have to see real parts of life because they have to meet the Buddhist people and their way of life in truth. I also love the relation between Buddhist families. The Buddha taught not only the obligation of the children but also the obligation of parents. Mutually the parents cherish the children in five ways:

(1) the parents protect the children from doing bad deeds;

(2) they instruct them to do good deeds;

(3) they let them learn in school and university;

(4) they let them marry to a suitable partner;

(5) they leave their wealth to the children in suitable time.

These are the obligation of the parents to their children. If they practice respective obligations, they will be quite happy in the same family. Actually, we need time to have some beautiful and precious heritage, knowledge, wisdom and education in our life. It is impossible to get something precious quickly even if we want to get it soon.

3.3.2. The Relation between Teacher and Pupil

The relation between teacher and pupil is also important in our daily life because it is impossible to live decently without teacher. We have to learn in any way and in anywhere to know things how to be and how to do. Then, we need some duties or obligations to have a good relation with our teachers. Here, we have to understand the difference between the sense of respect and the sense of fear. The sense of respect exudes a lot of gratitude and thankfulness by seeing the qualities and skillfulness of the teacher. True respect makes you willing to do your duties and obligations wholeheartedly for your teacher. And also you have a warm and welcoming feeling to do your duties for your teacher.

However, the sense of fear will exude a great deal of negative emotions such as anger, unpleasantness, disgusting, unwillingness, and cold-heartedness, and so on by failing to practice mutual obligations between teacher and pupils. We have to do some obligations with due respect for our teacher but not with fear. Therefore, the Buddha instructed us to practice respective duties and obligations between teacher and pupils.

There are five ways to practice duties to have good relation between teacher and pupils; the five are for the pupils:

(1) by standing up for greeting to your teacher,

(2) by going to meet him when he is in need,

(3) by obeying his advice,

(4) by ministering him respectfully, and

(5) by studying lesions diligently.

When a pupil practices for his duties or obligations, teacher will feel pleased with his student and happy to live with him because he sees the pupil’s quality and good-will. Then, teacher will practice his duties mutually for his pupils. There are also the five ways to practice teacher’s duties. The five are:

(1) by admonishing pupils with good wishes,

(2) by allowing pupils to learn what they should study,

(3) by teaching them everything,

(4) by allowing them to learn from the other skillful and educated teachers,

(5) by protecting them from every danger.

When pupils practice this way for his teacher, the south direction will be safe, peaceful and free from danger because the teacher is regarded as the south direction. I believe that the young man like Singala, who worshiped different directions just out of respect for his parents, might have felt pleased with the advice of the Buddha in Singala Sutta. It is good to us as well. If we, both teacher and pupils, can follow the Buddha’s advice, the relation between them will be so nice and wonderful. And both teacher and pupils will be really happy forever.   

3.3.3. The Relation between Husband and Wife

The relation between husband and wife is also important in your human society because you cannot avoid family life. If you marry, you will become the parents-to-be. The family network is beginning because there will be children in your own family when a man marries to a woman or a woman marries to a man.

Then, the relation is unavoidable among the network of the family. This is the reason why the Buddha provided some duties and obligations for the family life. This is also the reason why I say the name of my book as ‘Social Guides of Buddhism.’ There are five kinds of obligation for the husband. They are:

(1) the husband should cherish the wife by naming her sweet,

(2) by not looking down her,

(3) by not committing adultery,

(4) by giving her authority to manage the kitchen,

(5) by giving her ornaments.

All the five obligations are wonderful. When you learn this, you will see that the Buddha paid attention to the family life seriously. For example, the first one that says ‘By naming her sweet’ quite strongly provides to protect from domestic violence which has reached serious rate all over the world. Actually, western countries are quite loud to talk about human rights. However, even in the country like America you can see that there is enough domestic violence in the same family; I have read it in Encarta encyclopedia.

Domestic violence between intimate partners can take many forms. It may include emotional or verbal abuse of access to resources or money, restraint of normal activities or freedom (including isolation from friend and family), sexual coercion or assault, threats to kill or to harm, and physical intimidation or attacks. In extreme cases, domestic violence may result in the death of a partner. (Encarta encyclopedia)

Nowadays domestic violence has reached serious issue in the world. So many human right organizations are paying more attention to the domestic violence and they also try to help the victims for better life. I believe that we need some principles to stop such terrible violence in the same family. In that case the Buddha provided the five mutual duties between husband and wife. I feel it is a unique advice for social problems of domestic violence nowadays.

When you learn the second one that says ‘By not looking her down’, it is also good principle for the husband to care for the wife. Traditionally, in many societies the woman and their positions are always neglected. Women are also used to living that way; they do not have serious attention to the right of their position. However, Buddhism is quite generous with everyone; I feel there are equal rights to both man and woman in Buddhism. When you learn such unique advice in Singala Sutta that says how a husband should treat his wife, it is really wonderful. You should not look down your wife according to Singala Sutta. It is really acceptable to the married life. When you look down your wife, the relation between you and your wife will be bad and it will be hard to live together in the same home.

All the five obligations the Buddha advised in Singala Sutta are reasonable and wonderful even for today. In my opinion this advice of the Buddha is unique social guide particularly to resolve social problems of domestic violence. The Buddha’s advice is reinforcing woman rights today. The more you learn Buddhism, the deeper you respect it because Buddhism does not treat humanity in religious way.

To me Buddhism is like a sort of spiritual education center to promote human way of life and the quality of human intelligence and wisdom. Victim of Domestic Violence between individuals in intimate relationships, commonly called domestic violence or spouse abuse, is widely recognized as an important social problem. Victims of such abuse suffer both short-term and long-lasting effects.

I strongly believe that the five mutual obligations advised by the Buddha between husband and wife will resolve domestic violence and want to suggest that all the married couples should practice the Buddha’s advice given to the man, Singala so that you can resolve and stop the world serious issue of domestic violence. The Buddha said that when the husband practices the five ways of cherishing his wife, the west direction will be safe, peaceful and free from danger because the wife is regarded as west direction in Singala Sutta. 

        

Actually, the Buddha also gave satisfactory advice to the wife as well to practice her obligations to her husband. Therefore, we can see that the Buddha did not make any difference between man and woman. To the wife there are also five ways of cherishing her husband; they are:

(1) by managing domestic affairs skillfully,

(1) by sharing presents equally with both relatives,

(3) by not committing adultery,

(4) by keeping money and things earned by the husband and

(5) by doing all the domestic affairs tidily and diligently.

What I’m interested in the five mutual obligations between husband and wife is that the Buddha seriously quoted “Not committing adultery” for both husband and wife. Both husband and wife must practice no committing adultery. When you learn this, you will understand how the Buddha was serious with married couple. I feel the Buddha like a father. It is true that committing adultery brings so many unstable social problems and also it brings the question of moral issue. Nobody will agree to the adultery in any society because it creates unstable social problems and makes family unhappy. Once again, HIV and the disease of AIDS are quite possible to spread in the society through committing adultery.     

When we learn the Buddha’s advice, no committing adultery for both husband and wife, we can also understand the background of society in the time of the Buddha. Both husband and wife were possible to commit adultery even in the time of the Buddha. Nowadays, you can see it may be worse all over the world. Adultery is closely connected with selfish and inordinate desire. When you commit adultery, you do not respect your spouse. The Buddha wanted you to respect your spouse to establish a peaceful and a happy family.   

I believe that when you practice mutual obligations between husband and wife as taught by the Buddha, the relation between husband and wife will be perfect. The obligations for each spouse taught by the Buddha are very satisfactory and reasonable for both husband and wife. This is also a remarkable social guide of Buddhism. You can hear a lot about legal divorce between husband and wife and domestic violence from around the world because they do not feel satisfactory in relation or intimation between them.

It is the question of how you need to fulfill each spouse’s wish or desire or expectation. The advice given by the Buddha for each spouse is quite good and satisfactory to fulfill the need of each spouse. Therefore, I want you to practice it in your life to have good relation between the husband and the wife. Then, domestic violence will be properly removed from network of family society.

3.3.4. The Relation between You and Your loving friends

The relation between you and your loving friends is also unavoidable when you live in human society. The Buddha provided us the obligations to practice for good relation between you and your loving friends. We have to live together with our friends in the same society. Some people feel bad with the friends sometimes and they also feel discouraged to live together with them. It is good for you to feel this way. Otherwise, you will misunderstand yourself and true life.

You must get right information from yourself. You have to realize that you are the subject for yourself to learn. I often say that our life itself is true school; there are number of lessons so quiet and so strong within ourselves. They are ready to test us whether we are skillful or not skillful to deal with them. When you are able to pass the test in you, you will pass all the tests inside and outside you. The Buddha is the master who provides us how to pass the tests from ourselves. It is interesting to me.

Here are some obligations to practice for good relation between you and your friends. There are five ways to cherish your loving friends; they are:

(1) by being generous with them,

(2) by speaking sweet to their ear,

(3) by giving profitable suggestions,

(4) by treating them equally,

(5) by sharing things with them in truth. These all five ways are important to practice for good relation between you and your loving friends. They are all memorial advice of the Buddha for our society. If you practice all the five ways properly in your life, I believe that the relation between you and your loving friends will be quite good. It is just practice but nothing to do with Buddhist or Christian or Muslim or Hindu or Jewish. Even if you are Buddhist, if you do not practice them, it will never make you benefit.

The Buddha gave the other five ways to your loving friends to cherish you mutually. This is what I like because the Buddha always gave the advice to both sides. It means there is no bias in the Buddha’s heart. When you practice the five ways mentioned above, your loving friends will mutually practice the five of his obligations:

(1) by taking care of you even when you are drunk,

(2) by protecting your properties when you are drunk,

(3) by giving you a refuge when you are fearful,

(4) by not leaving you alone when you are in danger,

(5) by mutually looking after your ancestors. When you practice your respective obligations, the north direction is safe, peaceful and free from danger because the north direction is regarded as your loving friends.      

3.3.5. The Relation between Employers and Employees

The Buddha advised five mutual obligations to practice between employers and the employees. We need good relation between the employers and employees. This kind of advice is wonderful to hear from the Buddha because there are so many people who know Buddhism as a religion that teaches deep meditative technique and some people even feel that Buddhism is almost impossible to practice for the worldly life.

I can understand their opinion because they were born in another society where Buddhism is no available to see in their society. Some people think that Buddhism is Dalai lama or something else because in the west they are used to seeing Tibetan Buddhist leader, named Dalai lama who in the west has introduced another kind of Buddhism that believes in future Buddha (Bodhisattva).

When they come to Theravada Buddhist country like Myanmar (Burma), they see Buddhism something different from what they have seen Buddhist tradition in the west. However, I feel that Buddhism gets more attraction from western people; some western people seriously learn and practice Buddhism and Buddhist meditation. Of course, their Buddhist knowledge is not good enough when you compare them with people born and grown up in Buddhist countries.

However, I have met many Buddhist scholars from the western world. They are also quite educated in Buddhist philosophy but they need to learn Buddhist scriptures for more knowledge in detail and they also need to study Pali literature to know the root of the meaning because Buddhism is recorded in Pãli language. The more you know Pãli, the better you understand Buddhism. The better you understand Buddhism, the deeper you can introduce its essence to humanity in the world. Only then will all people understand Buddhism and feel nice and sweet with Buddhism.

Now we can learn the five kinds of obligation for employers to cherish their employees; they are:

(1) by letting the employees work in accordance with their ability,

(2) by offering them good salary and food,

(3) by giving them good enough health care when they are sick,

(4) by sharing delicious meal with them,

(5) by giving them holiday and some clothing occasionally.

When you learn the first kind of employers’ obligation, ‘By letting the employees work in accordance with their ability, you may not believe in what the Buddha taught because it is so wonderful to hear such advice from the Buddha. You will immediately feel that Buddhism is wonderful and the Buddha is a wonderful Master for humanity. We all know that so many employers have taken the advantage of labors by squeezing the neck of the employees all over the world. No religion can correct such corruption for the labors. According to this kind of advice of the Buddha child labor is impossible. Nowadays you can hear social issue of child labor around the world. If you follow the Buddha’s advice that provided five obligations for the employers, social issue of child labor or force labor is almost impossible to exist in the world.

United Nations has tried good enough to protect the employees from being exploited by the employers but it has not worked yet. In that case the Buddha strongly supported employees’ labors by providing the five kinds of obligation to the employers. You have to allow your employees to work in accordance with their ability and with their strength. It means you must be responsible for your employees not to let them work more then that they are able to. It is also extremely fair and when you follow the first advice of the Buddha, the relation between you and your employees will be very pleasant and satisfactory. And I believe that you will become a successful employer when you follow the Buddha’s advice.

Second advice to employers is ‘by offering them good salary and food.’ When you learn this, you will see how the Buddha realized our crazy world, and how much our world was terrible form time in memorial. Or maybe the Buddha already foresaw our world today. In spite of international law for labor, most of employers want to exploit their employees and want to take advantage of them either for time or labor.

They do not want to give good salary and food as well but the Buddha said, “You must pay good salary and food to your employees.” it is really sweet to me to hear such advice from the Buddha and I feel so thankful to the Buddha’s advice. The advice of the Buddha to the employers should be written even in international constitution for labor because it is extremely good and helpful to unsolved problems between employers and employees around the world.

The third advice to the employers is ‘by giving them good enough health care when they are sick. The employers must be responsible for the employees when they are sick. The employers must give good enough health care to their employees. Nowadays you can hear that the employees of certain company almost always have lack of health care. If the employers are Buddhist, they are much more responsible for the employees than the other employers because the Buddha did not agree to the violation of laborers’ rights. In my opinion, Buddhism will never go against the human needs and development but it provided necessary discipline, rules and regulations to our society in order not be upside down and not to be in chaos.

This is the reason why the Buddha provided the five obligations of the employers to practice for their employees. The employers must treat their employees fairly; the employers should not exploit their employees’ labors. The Buddha said that you should give enough health care to the employees when they are sick. This is really sweet to hear from the Buddha. Human beings are greedy and crazy for money but they do not know that they have to leave what they have had when they die. I want to suggest all of you “loving each other, respecting those who are weak, practice generosity with both the poor and the rich.” We are nothing other than subject to death.                  

The fourth advice to the employers is ‘by sharing delicious meal with them.’ You can learn from this to realize the Buddha’s compassion to your employees. They are workers; they need your help and kindness. Sometimes, you should share even delicious meal with your employees. I believe that they will be happy to receive your kindness and delicious meal as well and they will work more happily when even your delicious meal is shared with them because they can feel your generosity and good-will to them. If you practice it, you will see the result clearly before your eyes.

The fifth advice to the employers is ‘by giving them holiday and some clothing occasionally.’ Nowadays most of western employers give their employees holiday and some clothing occasionally. They follow the Buddha’s advice not even exactly but the best they can. This is the reason why they are developed, richer, more prosperous than the eastern and you can also see that there is good relation between the employers and employees in the western companies.

I strongly believe that if you follow the Buddha’s advice taught in Singala Sutta for the employers, you will be blessed by the Buddha’s compassion and love and you will feel happy forever with your employees. Then, I also believe that when you practice as the Buddha taught in Singala Sutta, your employees will mutually practice their obligations.

The Buddha also advised the five obligations to the employees to cherish their employers. Those five are:

(1) by getting up earlier,

(2) by going to bed late,

(3) by taking what is given,

(4) by working diligently,

(5) by spreading good name of their boss. These five kinds of obligation will be automatically done by the employees only when the employers practice their obligations good enough. And also these five obligations are satisfactory for the employers.

Important is the employers in working process. Only when they practice their obligations as taught by the Buddha in Singala Sutta will the other five obligations for the employees be automatically done mutually and respectfully. Otherwise, they will have to face the protest from their employees. Then, everything will be gone bad in happy situations. Therefore, all the employers and employees should pay attention to the Buddha’s advice to both of them in Singala Sutta. The Buddha said that when the employers practice as He advised in Singala Sutta, they will keep the down direction safe, peaceful and free from danger. It is exactly true and practical.

3.3.6. The Relation between the Holy Monks and Devotees

The Buddha said that holy monks are all regarded as up direction according to Singala Sutta. There are five obligations for the devotees to cherish their respective holy monks; the five are:

(1) by doing things with love for the holy monks,

(2) by speaking with love,

(3) by thinking with love,

(4) by opening the door of generosity,

(5) by donating food, clothing and so on.

Loving deeds, words and thoughts are included in these five obligations for devotees. They should treat their holy monks softly and kindly because the holy monks are seeking for Dhamma (truth) by practicing as they are taught in each religion and developing softness and kindness within their hearts. So they will not feel satisfied to see when you are angry or greedy. And also you should donate what your holy monks need because they work for Dhamma (truth) and spiritual benefits of the people. They are not working for their wealth, their income, their rich, or their prosperity but for humanity by instructing people as they are taught, learned and as they practice in their own religion.

Therefore, all the holy monks in any religions, if they do harm humanity, are worthy of respect and veneration from everyone. Buddhism is completely different from other religions and it has never advised to be violent for converts since it started. You will never find idea of war in history of Buddhism because it is really the only peaceful religion of the world. We also try to be soft and kind with everyone in the world. And Buddhists will not worry for the converts but for happiness of oneself and the others as well. They believe that they must practice Dhamma for happiness within themselves. This is the reason why the Buddha advised loving deeds, words and thoughts to practice as obligations for devotees.

Again the Buddha advised the five obligations to the holy monks to cherish devotees. These five are:

(1) by instructing the devotees not to do evil,

(2) by instructing them to do good,

(3) by protecting them with good-will,

(4) by teaching them new way of practice,

(5) by teaching them the way to heavenly world. These five obligations are also good to the holy monks because they must practice this way and they must develop understanding the way to heavenly world and to Nibbana according to Buddhism.

The Buddha said that when you practice this way, you will keep up direction safe, peaceful and free from danger. After all of these advices were ended by the Buddha, the rich son named Singala who did not believed in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha traditionally known as Triple Gems felt so pleased and honored to the Buddha’s advices particularly for him. Then, he changed his mind to follow the Buddha and His Teaching and he took refuge in the Buddha, in the Dhamma and in the Sangha.

Nowadays, all Buddhist communities practice the advices taught in Singala Sutta as social guides. Yet, before my eyes people who have lack of proper Buddhist education do not know this discourse as social guide. People who are interested in Buddhism in foreign countries have not yet known all about Buddhism; they know only meditation part of Buddhism. They also need good education of Buddhism in all sides because the Buddha is really the most compassionate Master and I have realized the heart of the Buddha and the way taught by the Buddha after I have studied for almost twelve years and have practiced for a long time.

I have not yet stopped the practice because I do not think I should stop practicing as the Buddha taught. The more I practice the Path, the better I understand Buddhism. The better I understand it, the deeper I can help people on the way to Nibbana and how they should practice in the social life, political life, economic life, educational life and so on because I realize the Buddha taught us everything for both our spiritual life and worldly life after I have studied and practiced for a long time.

Actually, Singala Sutta is the remarkable social guide or special social guide of Buddhism. It explained a lot about social welfare and philosophy and how to practice the advices of the Buddha in family life and social life. All of the advices are encouraging the whole humanity to practice for beneficial relation among people. When you are able to practice all the advices of the Buddha instructed in Singala Sutta, your social life style will be happy with different relations among different people. It is not only social guides for Buddhists but also for non-Buddhists. Everybody can practice them and the practice will bring good results to you.