An Illustrated Outline of Buddhism: The Essentials of Buddhist Spirituality by William Stoddart, Joseph A. Fitzgerald Read Free Book Online

reference to the Buddha’s “Original Vow”, which plays a
    central role in the Pure Land school (see pp. 79-80). The invocation
    of the Name of the Buddha corresponds to the invocatory spiritual
    methods of other religions, such as japa-yoga in Hinduism, the “Jesus
    Prayer” in Eastern Christianity, and dhikr Allāh (the “remembrance of
    God”) in Islam. In Buddhism, the spiritual method of invocation or re-
    membrance is known as Buddhānusmriti (Sanskrit), nien-fo (Chinese),
    and nembutsu (Japanese).
    *
    * *
    A well-known Buddhist doctrine is that of anātmā (Pali anattā ),“non-
    self”. This is said to be one of the “three conditions of existence” ( trilak-
    shana ),namely:
    impermanence ( anitya )
    suffering ( duhkha )
    non-self ( anātmā )
    It is important to understand that the doctrine of anātmā isnot a
    denial of Ātmā (Self), as is commonly supposed. It simply tel s us that
    creatures, to the extent that they are subject to the “three poisons” (il-
    lusion, lust, pride), are devoid of Ātmā .By the same token, those who,
    thanks to the revealed means of grace, have overcome il usion and pas-
    sion—either real y or virtual y—have established (or are establishing)
    themselves in Ātmā .In Christian terms, “the kingdom of Heaven is
    within you”. One must immediately add that to misunderstand this
    latter doctrine is the most lethal of spiritual poisons. To equate the
    unregenerate soul with the Divine is precisely the central flaw of “new
    age” ideology.
    3 Stations of Wisdom (London: John Murray, 1961) p. 144.
    Opposite page : Sukhāvatī , the Western Paradise of Amitābha, Tibet, 18th century

    44
    An Illustrated Outline of Buddhism
    In the famous incident when the Buddha met a group of people
    searching for a young woman (the symbol of anātmā ,“non-self”),
    he said to them: “What think ye? Were it not better that ye sought
    the Self?” [ attānam gaveseyyātha ] ( Vinaya Pitaka , i,23). The Buddha made many references to the Self ( Ātmā ):“Make the Self your refuge”
    ( Samyutta Nikāya , iii,143). “Be such as have the Self as your refuge”
    ( Dīgha Nikāya , ii,101). “I have made the Self my refuge” ( Dīgha Nikāya , ii,120). The “Self”, Ātmā (which in fact amounts to “God Immanent”,
    the Nirvanic Reality), is as central to Buddhism as it is to Hinduism
    and other religions.
    Again in the Dīgha-Nikāya (iii, 84), the Tathāgata is said to be
    “ Brahma- become” and “ Dhamma -become”, which clearly underscores
    the equation of the Tathāgata (the Buddha) with Brahma (the Supreme
    Divinity), Dhamma (the Law or Norm)—as well as with Ātmā (the
    Self). (See also Samyutta-Nikāya ,iii, 120, quoted on the next page.)
    There is a parallel to the Buddhist doctrine of “non-self” ( anattā )
    in the Judeo-Christian Scripture. Only God can say: “I am that I am”.
    Only Ātmā is ful y and truly real. It is recorded that Christ said to St.
    Catherine of Siena in a vision: “Thou art she who is not; I am He who
    is.” St. Catherine herself said: “I find no more me ;there is no longer
    any other I but God.” St. Paul proclaimed the same truth, when he said:
    “Not I, but Christ in me.” The Christian teaching, like the Buddhist,
    makes clear the merely relative reality of al that is not Absolute, and is
    a necessary doctrinal prelude to spiritual endeavor.
    In Islam also there is a parallel, and this is in the declaration of
    faith: “there is no god but God”. Some of the Islamic mystics, or Su-
    fis, interpret this basic dogma in a manner that is in complete accord
    with Buddhist doctrine, namely, “there is no reality but the one Real-
    ity”, which amounts to saying “there is no self but the Self”. They also
    speak of the need for “extinction” ( fanā’ )of the lower soul ( nafs )and of “permanence” ( baqā’ )in God. Buddhist spiritual teaching lays the
    emphasis on the emptiness ( anattā )of the lower soul;