Ven._Dhammika_-_Good_Question_Good_Answer

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Website: www.buddhanet.net

E-mail: buddhanet@pobox.com

For free distribution

Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc.

Good Question

Good Answer

Ven. S. Dhammika

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This book was first written in 1987 in response to the

increasing interest in Buddhism amongst Singaporeans.

To my surprise and delight, it has turned out to be very

successful. The BDMS alone has printed 30,000 copies

and it has been translated into several languages

including Tamil, Chinese and Nepali. Requests to for

copies have come from as far away as Australia,

Argentina and the Seychelle Islands. In July this year, I

visited a remote hermitage high in the Himalayas in

Ladakh only to discover that the abbot had not only

read Good Question, Good Answer but greatly apprec-

iated it. All this had convinced me that this little book’s

style and contents has filled an important need and that

revision and enlargement would enhance its value.

Hence this new edition. Those wishing to reprint Good

Question, Good Answer or translate it may do so

without writing for permission. However, we would

appreciate it if you send us two copies and let us know

how many copies have been printed.

Ven. S. Dhammika

Singapore 1991

FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION

&217(176

1. What is Buddhism? 4

2. Basic Buddhist Concepts 16

3. Buddhism and the God-idea 22

4. The Five Precepts 28

5. Rebirth 34

6. Meditation 45

7. Wisdom and Compassion 51

8. Vegetarianism 55

9. Good Luck and Fate 57

10. Becoming a Buddhist 60

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QUESTION: What is Buddhism?

ANSWER: The name Buddhism comes from the word

‘budhi’ which means ‘to wake up’ and thus Buddhism

is the philosophy of awakening. This philosophy has its

origins in the experience of the man Siddhata Gotama,

known as the Buddha, who was himself awakened at

the age of 36. Buddhism is now 2,500 years old and has

about 300 million followers world-wide. Until a

hundred years ago, Buddhism was mainly an Asian

philosophy but increasingly it is gaining adherents in

Europe and America.

QUESTION: So Buddhism is just a philosophy?

ANSWER: The word philosophy comes from two

words ‘philo’ which means ‘love’ and ‘sophia’ which

means ‘wisdom’. So philosophy is the love of wisdom

or love and wisdom, both meanings describing

Buddhism perfectly.

Buddhism teaches that we should try to develop our

intellectual capacity to the fullest so that we can under-

stand clearly. It also teaches us to develop love and

kindness so that we can be like a true friend to all beings.

So Buddhism is a philosophy but not just a philosophy.

It is the supreme philosophy.

QUESTION: Who was the Buddha?

ANSWER: In the year 563 B.C. a baby was born into a

royal family in northern India. He grew up in wealth

and luxury but eventually found that worldly comfort

and security do not guarantee happiness. He was deeply

moved by the suffering he saw all around — and

resolved to find the key to human happiness. When he

was 29 he left his wife and child and set off to sit at the

feet of the great religious teachers of the day to learn

from them. They taught him much but none really

knew the cause of human suffering and how it could be

overcome. Eventually, after six years study and

meditation he had an experience in which all ignorance

fell away and he suddenly understood. From that day

onwards, he was called the Buddha, the Awakened

One. He lived for another 45 years in which time he

travelled all over northern India teaching others what

he had discovered. His compassion and patience were

legendary and he made thousands of followers. In his

eightieth year, old and sick, but still happy and at

peace, he finally died.

QUESTION: Wasn’t it irresponsible for the Buddha

to walk out on his wife and child?

ANSWER: It couldn’t have been an easy thing for the

Buddha to leave his family. He must have worried and

hesitated for a long time before he finally left. But he

had a choice, dedicating himself to his family or

dedicating himself to the whole world. In the end, his

great compassion made him give himself to the whole

world. And the whole world still benefits from his

sacrifice. This was not irresponsible. It was perhaps the

most significant sacrifice ever made.

QUESTION: The Buddha is dead so how can he help us?

ANSWER: Faraday, who discovered electricity, is

dead, but what he discovered still helps us. Luis Pasteur

who discovered the cures for so many diseases is dead,

but his medical discoveries still save lives. Leonardo da

Vinci who created masterpieces of art is dead, but what

he created can still uplift and give joy. Noble men and

heroes may have been dead for centuries but when we

read of their deeds and achievements, we can still be

inspired to act as they did. Yes, the Buddha is dead but

2500 years later his teachings still help people, his

example still inspires people, his words still change

lives. Only a Buddha could have such power centuries

after his death.

QUESTION: Was the Buddha a god?

ANSWER: No, he was not. He did not claim that he

was a god, the child of a god or even the messenger

from a god. He was a man who perfected himself and

taught that if we followed his example, we could

perfect ourselves also.

QUESTION: If the Buddha is not a god, then why

do people worship him?

ANSWER: There are different types of worship. When

someone worships a god, they praise and honour him

or her, make offerings and ask for favours, believing

that the god will hear their praise, receive their

offerings and answer their prayers. Buddhists do not

indulge in this kind of worship.

The other kind of worship is when we show respect to

someone or something we admire. When a teacher

walks into the room we stand up, when we meet a

dignitary we shake hands, when the national anthem is

played we salute. These are all gestures of respect and

worship and indicate our admiration for persons or

things. This is the type of worship Buddhists practise.

A statue of the Buddha with its hands rested gently in

its lap and its compassionate smile reminds us to strive

to develop peace and love within ourselves. The

perfume of incense reminds us of the pervading in-

fluence of virtue, the lamp reminds us of the light of

knowledge and the flowers which soon fade and die,

remind us of impermanence. When we bow, we ex-

press our gratitude to the Buddha for what his teachings

have given us. This is the nature of Buddhist worship.

QUESTION: But I have heard people say that

Buddhists worship idols.

ANSWER: Such statements only reflect the misunder-

standing of the persons who make them. The dictionary

defines an idol as — “an image or statue worshipped as

a god”. As we have seen, Buddhists do not believe that

the Buddha was a god, so how could they possibly

believe that a piece of wood or metal is a god? All

religions use symbols to express various concepts. In

Taoism, the ying-yang is used to symbolise the

harmony between opposites. In Sikhism, the sword is

used to symbolise spiritual struggle. In Christianity, the

fish is used to symbolise Christ’s presence and the

cross is used to symbolise his sacrifice. And in

Buddhism, the statue of the Buddha is used to

symbolise human perfection. The statue of the Buddha

also reminds us of the human dimension in Buddhist

teaching, the fact that Buddhism is man-centred, not

god-centred, that we must look within not without to

find perfection and understanding. So to say that

Buddhists worship idols is not correct.

QUESTION: Why do people burn paper money and

do all kinds of strange things in Buddhist temples?

ANSWER: Many things seem strange to us when we

don’t understand them. Rather than dismiss such things

as strange, we should strive to find out their meaning.

However, it is true that Buddhist practice sometimes

has its origin in popular superstition and misunder-

standing rather than the teachings of the Buddha. And

such misunderstandings are not found in Buddhism

alone, but arise in all religions from time to time. The

Buddha taught with clarity and in detail and if some

fail to understand fully, the Buddha cannot be blamed.

There is a saying;

If a man suffering from a disease does not seek

treatment even when there is a physician at hand, it is

not the fault of that physician.

In the same way, if a man is oppressed and tormented

by the disease of the defilements but does not seek the

help of the Buddha, that is not the Buddha’s fault.

IN 28—9

Nor should Buddhism or any religion be judged by

those who don’t practise it properly. If you wish to

know the true teachings of Buddhism, read the

Buddha’s words or speak to those who understand

them properly.

QUESTION: If Buddhism is so good why are some

Buddhist countries poor?

ANSWER: If by poor you mean economically poor,

then it is true that some Buddhist countries are poor.

But if by poor you mean a poor quality of life, then

perhaps some Buddhist countries are quite rich.

America, for example, is an economically rich and

powerful country but the crime rate is one of the

highest in the world, millions of old people are

neglected by their children and die of loneliness in old

people’s homes, domestic violence and child abuse are

major problems. One in three marriages end in divorce,

pornography is easily available. Rich in terms of

money but perhaps poor in terms of the quality of life.

Now, take Burma, a country that is economically

backward. Parents are honoured and respected by their

children, the crime rate is relatively low, divorce and

suicide are almost unheard of, as are domestic violence

and child abuse, pornography and sexual licence are

non-existent. Economically backward, but perhaps a

higher quality of life than in a country like America. But

even if we judge Buddhist countries in terms of

economics alone, one of the wealthiest and most econom-

ically dynamic countries in the world today is Japan

where 93% of the population call themselves Buddhists.

QUESTION: Why is it that you don’t often hear of

charitable work being done by Buddhists?

ANSWER: Perhaps it is because Buddhists don’t feel

the need to boast about the good they do. Several years

ago the Japanese Buddhist leader Nikky

ō Niwano

received the Templeton Prize for his work in promoting

inter-religious harmony. Likewise a Thai Buddhist

monk was recently awarded the prestigious Magsaysay

Prize for his excellent work among drug addicts. In

1987 another Thai monk, Ven. Kantayapiwat was

awarded the Norwegian Children’s Peace Prize for his

many years of work helping homeless children in rural

areas. And what about the large scale social work being

done among the poor in India by the Western Buddhist

Order? They have built schools, child minding centres,

dispensaries and small scale industries for self-

sufficiency. Buddhists see help given to others as an

expression of their religious practice just as other

religions do but they believe that it should be done

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Website:www.buddhanet.netE-mail:buddhanet@pobox.comForfreedistributionBuddhaDharmaEducationAssociationInc.GoodQuestionGoodAnswerVen.S.Dhammika23UHIDFHWR5HYLVHG(GLWLRQThisbookwasfirstwrittenin1987inresponsetotheincreasinginterestinBuddhismamongstSingaporeans.Tomysurpriseanddelight,ithasturnedoutto...

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