New Way Of Approach In Buddhist Studies

Author(s): Hajime Nakamura
Publisher: Hajime Nakamura

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RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN JAPAN
Western Philosophy, p. 320). Christ said: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me". (Matthew XXV, 40)
Love is achieved by being accompanied by other mental attitudes. The four states are often described as the Sublime Conditions (brahma-vihara). They are Love, Sorrow at the sorrows of others, Joy in the joys of others, and Equanimity as regards one's own joys and sorrows (Dighanikaya II, 186, 187). Each of these feelings should be deliberately practised, beginning with a single object and gradually increasing till the whole world is suffused with such kinds of feeling.
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The spirit of love should be expressed in all phases of our life. One should not hurt others. "Putting away the killing of living beings, he holds aloof from the destruction of life. The cudgel and the sword he has laid aside, and ashamed of roughness, and full of mercy, he dwells compassionate and kind to all creatures that have life". (Digha-nikaya II, 43, vol. 1, p. 62) One should not offend others even by speech. "Our mind shall not waver. No evil speech will we utter. Tender and compassionate will we abide, loving in heart, void of malice within. And we will be ever suffusing such an one with the rays of our loving thought. And with that feeling as a basis we will ever be suffusing the whole world with thought of love, far-reaching, grown great, beyond measure, void of anger or ill-will". (Majjhima-nikaya I, 129)
Towards contempt or injury afflicted by others, one should have forbearance.
"He abused me, he beat me,
Overcame me, robbed me'.
In those who harbor such thoughts
Their anger is not calmed.
Not by anger are angers
In this world calmed.
By meekness are they calmed". (Dhammapada 2-4)
"Let one conquer wrath by meekness.
Let one conquer wrong by goodness.
Let one conquer the mean man by a gift
And a liar by the truth". (Dhammapada 223 cf. Majjhima-nikaya, 21) In China also Mencius held the same opinion: "The man of humanheartedness has no enemy under Heaven". (Mencius VII, b, 3.) Others may hate me, but I do not hate him. Such a one who has experienced the unity loves the whole world. One should not worry about bitter and sarcastic comments offered by others. The Buddha gives us a valuable instruction: "Amongst men there is no one who is not blamed. People blame him who sits silent and him who speaks, they also blame