The MANGALA SUTTÃ (Suttã-nipata, verses 258-269) with 38 kinds of blessings. In the suttãs are many ethics to follow which enable us to live happily and peacefully such as:
* You should live in a suitable place where you can be prosperous in every aspect, having done meritorious deeds in the past.
* You should do meritorious deeds as much as possible at present too.
* You must watch your deeds, speech and mind properly.
This means, we should keep our deeds, speech and thoughts free from defilements. In this way, there are many aspects of ethics to follow so that we can live happily and peacefully.
Lets see again on AMBALATTHIKÃ RAHULOVÃDA SUTTÃ (Majjhima Nikaya, suttã no. 61) which may be familiar to you. In that suttã, the Buddha encouraged Rãhula, who was a seven year old sãmanera, to live properly, happily and peacefully. The Buddha taught Rãhula to be mindful and reflect upon whatever he intended to do.
Rãhula, when you wish to do an action with the body, you should reflect upon that bodily action thus:
'Would this action that I wish to do with the body leaf to my own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both? Is it and unwholesome bodily action with painful consequences, with painful results?'
When you reflect, if you know: This action that you wish to do with the body would lead to your own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both; it is an unwholesome bodily action with painful consequencers, with painful results, the you definitely should not do such an action with the body.
When you reflect, if you know that this action that you wish to do with the body would not lead to your own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both; it is a wholesome bodily action with pleasant consequences, with pleasant results, then you may do such an action with the body. In this way, the Buddha instructed Rãhula to reflect upon what is being done and what has been done. The Buddha taught him the same method concerning actions by speech and mind.
So these ethics too are the best way for living happily and peacefully in our own daily life. There are innumerable aspects of ethics conducive to happy and peaceful life. To understand and follow them will ensure we live happily and peacefully even though we are not yet able to be rid of all our suffering.
MORAL ASPECT OF BUDDHISM
Though these ethics are very conducive to a happy and peaceful life, we should not be content merely with the second aspect of Buddhism. We should proceed to higher aspects of Buddhism, the third aspect- the moral aspect. In this aspect, you must observe precepts, either five, eight or ten. The ten precepts are for notices (sãmaneras) while the 277 rules are for monks (bhikkhus). In daily life, as a laity we must observe at least the five precepts. When we can observe the five precepts perfectly, our morality is purified. When moral conduct is purified, a meditator can easily practise meditation, either Samatha or Vipassana meditation. Based on the purification of moral conduct, a meditator can easily concentrate on the object of meditation gaining deep concentration, whereby the mind becomes clear, serene and happy.
PRACTICAL ASPECT
Next, we have the fourth aspect, i.e. the practical aspect of Buddhism. We must practise meditation so that we can deliver ourselves from defilements and, as a result, attain the cessation of all kinds of suffering. Here, we practise two kinds of Meditation which make up the practical aspect of Buddhism. One which enables us to attain deep concentration. The other will enable us to attain the cessation of suffering through the realisation of mentality and physicality in their true nature.
The Buddha stressed the second type of meditation - Vipassana meditation. When we practise Vipassana meditation as discussed earlier, we follow the MAHA SATIPATTHANA SUTTÃ, the discourse on the Four Foundation of Mindfulness. When we apply mindfulness to all our mind-body processes, we are sure to attain the cessation of suffering. The Buddha described these four Foundations of Mindfulness when he gave his discourse on the MAHA SATIPATTHANA SUTTÃ in Kuru province.
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