The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast for Sunday 24 February 2002

Broadcast Script 213

Glossary

aesthetic; things perceptible by the senses, of or pertaining to the appreciation of the beautiful or of art. Of a person etc.: having appreciation of the beautiful: refined. Of a thing in accordance with the principles of good taste.

cognitive: of or pertaining to cognition; based on perceiving to empirical factual knowledge

differentiate: constitute a difference in, of, or between; serve to make different from; make different in the process of growth or development; become differentiated or specialized; observe, ascertain, or recognize the difference in or between; distinguish, discriminate between

discriminating: constituting a distinction, affording ground for distinction; perceiving or making distinctions with sensitivity, discerning.

eternalist: person with belief in eternalism

heretic: a person who holds an opinion or a doctrine contrary to the accepted doctrine of any subject.

heritage: that which is or may be inherited; the portion allotted to a specific person, group, etc.; property consisting of land etc. The fact of inheriting; hereditary succession. Inherited circumstances or benefits.

hierarchy: ranking with respect to authority or dominance

nihilist: person with belief in nihilism

unequivocally: not equivocal, plain, unmistakeable

vibhajja-vada (Pali): analytical or discriminating doctrine

vibhajjavadin (Pali): those who differentiate or respond critically

Today's broadcast is titled:
Celebrating Four Sets of Four Seasons of the Greatest Pleasures

One of our greatest pleasures is the life cycle of researching, writing, proof reading, rewriting, editing, producing, publishing, uploading and presenting the Buddhist Hour to our fellow Australians.

Last Friday, 22 February 2002, we celebrated four years of this Buddhist broadcast.

The first great broadcast was 22 February 1998 and was called Anthems and Fanfares You May Be Looking For. Since 25 June 2000 we have had the text of our broadcasts published on our internet site www.bdcublessings.net.au

In the near future we hope to have online radio on our website and also provide the means to play online an audio archive of our broadcast.

These four years of Buddha Dhamma broadcasts have been possible because of the vast knowledge and assistance of Vibhajjavadin, the Devas and Devatas of Learning who we thank for their guidance and goodly advice in producing resources for the Buddhist Hour Broadcast and to share the merits of this broadcast as one of our great pleasures as it is with other beings who have helped us over the last four years.

The simple fact is that we enjoy learning from the aesthetic and heritage of other cultures as they have always been a crucial stimulus to the development of new insights, new ways of looking at the world.

Art, ideas and aesthetics have always been borderless.

Our appreciation of our own emerging local voices, our distinctively Australian framing of insights and perspectives, must always be informed by reference to other traditions and approaches within the broad base of our collective global heritage that is our civilisation and our foundations of our common humanity.

We explore just what our increasing multiculturalism means for our artistic expression of our evolving Australian sense of identity, and an “Australian-ness” drawing on a growing variety of rich aesthetic Buddha Dhamma traditions. There is something in our broadcasts for every Victorian, for every Australian dare we say, to enjoy.

The word ‘Vibhajja-vada’, means ‘Analytical or Discriminating Doctrine’. Although called a doctrine, the term is not used in the sense of a separate school, but as a characteristic of the Buddha himself. A quote from early texts says: “Now, by blaming what is blamable and praising what is praiseworthy, the Blessed One is a ‘discriminating teacher’ (vibhajja-vadi) and is not one-sided in his teaching.

Buddhagosa, in the introduction to his commentary on the Kathavatthu, says that in Asoka’s time, when the Sangha prospered, many heretics took ordination as Buddhist monks, but continued to spread their wrong doctrines. For purifying the Sangha, Asoka together with the Venerable Moggaliputtatissa, summoned an assembly of the Bhikkhus. When each of the assembled were individually questioned by the king as to what the Buddha taught, those who said that he was an eternalist, or a nihilist, were expelled. The genuine Bhikkhus replied that the Buddha was a Vibhajjavadi, an Analyst or Discriminating Teacher; and when, on the king’s question, Moggaliputtatissa confirmed that this was the correct view, those monks were admitted to the assembly of the Sangha.

The ultimate origin of the word vibhajja-vada lies in the Subha-sutta of the Majjhima-nikaya where the Buddha twice declares himself to be a vibhajja-vada on the question of the relative advantages of the household life and that of the renunciant, not an ek’-amsa-vada as regards this. It is not a question of one lifestyle being unequivocally better, but rather that it depends on the way in which that lifestyle is followed. A similar notion is found in the Vajjiyamahita-sutta of the Anguttara-nikaya in which the gaha-pati Vajjiyamahita denies that the Buddha one-sidedly (ek’-amsena) criticizes all practitioners of asceticism (tapa), asserting rather that he is a vibhajja-vada, not an ek’amsa-vada in this matter.

In these passages the Buddha is a vibhajja-vada in the sense that he is ‘one who differentiates’ or responds critically.

In order to produce radio scripts, offerings must be made to the appropriate Vibhajjavadin Devas and Devatas. Without offerings, there is no useful known learning to write about.

We are a global organisation and we offer strongly to all the Vibhajjavadin Devas and Devatas of Learning who operate in the world.

The Chief Deva of Learning is the knowledge mandala expert and has many assistants who report back to him.

Offerings are strongest when made to the Chief Deva of Learning.

Persons make merit by offering to the Devas on these altars and by cleaning these altars regularly.

By making offerings to the Devas and Devatas you make yourself visible and then they can help you.

The hierarchy of Learning Devas at our Centre consists of:

1) The Eight Hundred Thousand Devas and Devatas of Learning

2) The Fourteen Devas and Devatas of Organisational Development

3) The Six Million Devas and Devatas of Administration

4) The Chief God of Information Technology

Suitable offerings must be made at each level of the hierarchy.

For more information please refer to our illustrated Vibhajjavadin Devas and Devatas of Learning System Manual 2002 to learn what offerings are suitable for each level.

This is available on our websites at www.bsbonline.com.au and www.companyontheweb.com/buddhamap

Making offerings helps us to develop the first perfection of Dana, or generosity. It is only by perfecting generosity that we can move on to the work of perfecting sila (morality).

Knowing about offerings is the first step, but you have to do the practice to generate the results, in this case, make offerings in order to learn.


To practice Buddha Dhamma effectively requires leisure time with few duties and a non-fatigued mind.

Over many decades, our Teacher has been able to maintain our Hall of Assembly at 33 Brooking Street, Upwey, Victoria, 3158 as a suitable location for our individual religious practices.

These practices include vandana chanting, Triple Gem chanting, sutta readings, recitation of puja (such as long life puja arising from Pure Land practice), the provision of reading opportunities in a comprehensive Buddha Dhamma library and the provision of suitable images and stupas to pay respect to, as connected with the doctrine.

In addition, the skilful means of our Teacher has provided us with the intellectual stimulus we need to learn and practice the various practices to enable us to learn how to bring wisdom and love into living form, how to learn the Dhammas that improve a person's lifestyle, how to serve all the Buddhas with practical deeds, and how to meditate upon our vows we have taken till we can live them.

Among the skilful means our Teacher has provided for us is the notion that we ought to put goods and services back into Australian society at least equal in dollar terms to those which we have taken from it.

The purpose of today’s broadcast is to make causes to be born in a suitable location to practice in future lives where we can meet once more the Vibhajjavadin Devas and Devatas.

In some sense, only by doing this locally might we be thought of as forming a correct social relationship with others in Australia because we vow to use our correct energies to help other Australians. But the wealth of Australians depends upon trade with other nations. So we must extend a sense of gratitude to our trading partners.

Everything great starts with one good offering well done and then repeated many times.

When we have helped one person to improve their lifestyle by skilling them in the workhorse attitudes that they need for this present age, we know that person shares their skills with others and it can go on and on to improve the workplace practices that lead to wealth for this country in the new economy.

This script might be called a form of social Buddha Dhamma which we can do now in Australia.

From a Buddha Dhamma perspective, we see it is a great blessing to live in Australia as Australia is a peaceful land with a well-developed social, political and economic infrastructure.

Educational opportunities in this country are vast.

From time to time in the past, we motivated some unemployed persons to study and to get to work. To encourage them to a work ethic they helped us at our Centre. There is a satisfaction in Right Livelihood even if it is unpaid work.

Right Livelihood is a part of the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path.

We think most Australians, if they are willing to apply themselves wisely and develop Right Livelihood can enjoy a fulfilling life, which means that you can view your life without regret before you pass away. In our experience the development of Right Livelihood takes about ten years of regular training in being kind to other persons. Some persons cannot learn.

In the strong version of development of wisdom each must clearly understand for himself or herself what is wholesome and what is unwholesome.

In the weak version of the development of wisdom persons need to hear what is what we consider the Buddha’s teaching in the Sutta, The Discourse of Right View, where he taught on the difference between Wholesome and the Unwholesome states of mind.

“When, friends, a noble disciple understands the unwholesome, the root of the unwholesome, the wholesome, and the root of the wholesome, in that way he is one of right view, his view is straight, who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma, and has arrived at this true Dhamma.”

The Buddha taught his students thoroughly on Right View in all areas - how to be a good citizen, employer, employee, son/daughter, father/mother and so on.

Meditation is not intended to create relaxation only, but to let us know how we can do these good things every day and how to use under-the-surface knowledge that is self-deception as a stepping stone to get beyond laziness at the same time.

Our Members are taught to develop Right View of the Five Styles of our Centre:

- Friendliness,

- Practicality,

- Professionalism,

- Cultural Adaptability and

- Scholarship.

Buddha Dhamma teaches through correct mind cultivation within the context of the Buddhist Eightfold Path, that it is possible to arrive at a view of reality based on thorough understanding of causes and effects.

At our Centre, we heed the simple fact of causes and effects that state that if all Members keep taking from our society without putting back value, then society is not likely to survive.

All over Asia and Australia new Temples are being built.

Young and not so young persons know this act of Dana to support a Temple and the message that was taught by the Buddha that such acts help their nation develop towards wealth.

If you aspire to be a patriot and look after your country, this is all you need to know for the rest of your life - Help your local Temple.

The Buddhist Scriptures traditionally refer to the eighty-four thousand illusions (misunderstandings), or causes of sufferings, that plague all living beings, and also to the eighty-four thousand Teachings of the Lord Buddha designed to combat these illusions through understanding things as they really are.

The Buddha warned against the extreme wrong views of nihilism and eternalism.

So, when partaking in learning, it is wise to look for more than the literacy that just reflects the knowledge base of society and develop the cognitive skills that lead to wisdom.

The Buddha observed and taught the Law of Cause and Effect. These teachings can be found in the Buddhist Texts of our extensive library.

The most widely known of the three Laws of Motion is the Second Law of Motion which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The three Laws of Motion were mathematically formulated by the great Scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, and enable the observation of cause and effect.

In his treatise Physics, renowned Greek philosopher Aristotle is concerned with notions of space, time and motion. Aristotle investigated the "intrinsic, constitutive elements of a natural body, those he called 'matter' and 'form'; the substratum that persists through change and the feature whose acquisition determines the nature of change". He also described formal causes and the final and efficient causes, the means by which something comes into being.

Like it or not like it, all things are governed by the Law of Cause and Effect, and this is observable.

The Law of Cause and Effect is impersonal and operates irrespective of whether it is known, understood or believed. There is no single (eka) cause to bring a result.

Clusters of causes are needed to give a result.

Persons who can come to understand the Law of Cause and Effect clusters can utilise this knowledge for the benefit of self and others, if they choose to do so.

The market audience for our cultural training is persons who possess medium to superior capacities that have been developed over time through the practice of Dana (generosity) and Sila (morality). This is a positive outcome of cause and effect. Our best students have practiced Dana and Sila in many past times and possess high intellectual capabilities, have pure hearts and are virtuous. They learn quickly and have a desire to help themselves and others.

They are persons who are bound to improve.

These are like persons facing East just as the sun arising and every moment of the future brings more and more light and understanding to their mind. Even if they are shuddering from the frost of the evening, as we help them, warmth will come to them and they will be able to follow the Teachings given by our five educations.

They are recognisable because they do not fall into sustained depression or discourage others from learning and do not have 'closed minds'. They recognise that when Winter comes, then Spring cannot be far away.

Just as a fish thrown onto burning hot sand cannot last long and cannot develop good minds, so we cannot cater for persons whose rigid minds discourage their education, or the education of others keep them closed from the educational opportunities that we provide.

Persons who are very greedy for materiality have minds that are facing West, just as the shadow of the sun begins to form in a short time, their mind will be enveloped in darkness.

Persons who are fond of consumption of resources, rather than the production of resources for use by self and others, create too large an energy barrier. They awaken their negative latencies to generate angst that will take them away from being a useful human being.

Our Centre trains persons to produce resources for use by self and others in many areas, thus moving them closer to being useful human beings.

Blessings come to us from many places.

We have received blessings from Venerable Panchen Otrul Rinpoche, from Jampa Ling Centre, Bawnboy County Cavan Ireland, wishing you Peace and Happiness at Losar, Tibetan New Year 2129, 13-15 February, in the Year of the Water Horse; and from Venerable Khamba Lama Choijamts D., of the Buddhist Centre of Mongolia, Gandantekchenling Monastery, Ulaanbaatar-38, Mongolia. Wishing seasons greetings and best wishes to you.

Our five educations train persons to see clearly, to know what is what and to put into action a process of cause and effect to help themselves and others and help sustain our Centre.

May you be well and happy.

May you be born in a suitable location.

May you come to understand the Law of Cause and Effect.

May you become one who ‘differentiates and responds critically’.

May you be guided and protected by vibhajjavadin.

Today's radio script includes a compendium of weekly broadcasts 14 January, 2001, to 4 February, 2001. You can find this radio script and previous scripts online at: www.bdcublessings.net.au.

This script was written and edited by John D. Hughes, Julian Bamford, Sharon Carlton, Leanne Eames, Anita Svensson and Pennie White.


Disclaimer:

As we, the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd., do not control the actions of our service providers from time to time, make no warranty as to the continuous operation of our website(s). Also, we make no assertion as to the veracity of any of the information included in any of the links with our websites, or an other source accessed through our website(s).

Accordingly, we accept no liability to any user or subsequent third party, either expressed or implied, whether or not caused by error or omission on either our part, or a member, employee or other person associated with the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.


References

Nyannatiloka, Buddhist Dictionary – Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, 3rd ed., Taiwan, 1987

Cutler, Dr. Terry. Opening Address by Dr. Terry Cutler, Chairman, Australia Council for the Arts, of the Spring Flowers Autumn Grass - The Spirit of Nature in Asian Art Exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, 20 February 2002. Buddha Dhyana Dana Review On Line Vol. 12 No.1 2002.

Webb, Russell (ed.), Buddhist Studies Review, Vol. 18, No.2 (2001), Linh-So’n Buddhist Association, Upper Norwood, London, pp. 133, 177, 179.


Document Statistics

Total:
Words: 2630
Sentences: 108
Paragraphs: 91
Syllables: 4062

Averages:
Words per sentence: 24.4
Sentences per paragraph: 1.2

Percentages:
Passive Sentences: 25

Readability Statistics:
Flesch Grade Level: 13.2
Coleman-Liau Grade Level: 12.8
Bormuth Grade Level: 10.6
Flesch Reading Ease Score: 48.9
Flesch-Kincaid Score: 12.0

Readability Statistics

Displays statistics about the document's readability, such as the Flesch Grade Level and Flesch Reading Ease Score. These statistics help you determine if you are writing at a level your audience can understand.

Flesch Grade Level: Flesch Grade Level indicates the Flesch Reading Ease score as a grade level. See the Flesch Scoring Table.

Coleman-Liau Grade Level: Indicates the grade level of the document based on the average number of letters per word and number of sentences per 100 words.

Bormuth Grade Level: Indicates the grade level of the document based on the average number of letters per word and per sentence. These scores indicate grade levels ranging from 6.3 to 11.6.

Flesch Reading Ease Score: Indicates how easy the document is to read based on the number of syllables per word and number of words per sentence. These scores indicate a number between 0 and 100. The higher the score, the easier the document is to read. See the Flesch Scoring Table.

Flesch-Kincaid Score: Indicates the grade level of the document based on the number of syllables per word and number of words per sentence. This score predicts the difficulty of reading technical documents, and is based on Navy training manuals that score in difficulty from 5.5 to 16.3. It meets military readability specifications MIL-M-38784 and DOD-STD-1685.


Flesch Scoring Table

(Reference: Lotus Word Pro Help Files)

This Radio Script is for Free Distribution. It contains Buddha Dhamma material and is provided for the purpose of research and study.

Permission is given to make printouts of this publication for FREE DISTRIBUTION ONLY.

Please keep it in a clean place.

"The gift of Dhamma excels all other gifts".

May You Be Well And Happy

© Copyright. The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.

For more information, contact the Centre or better still, come and visit us.

Disclaimer:

As we, the Chan Academy Australia, Chan Academy being a registered business name of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd., do not control the actions of our service providers from time to time, make no warranty as to the continuous operation of our website(s). Also, we make no assertion as to the veracity of any of the information included in any of the links with our websites, or another source accessed through our website(s).

Accordingly, we accept no liability to any user or subsequent third party, either expressed or implied, whether or not caused by error or omission on either our part, or a member, employee or other person associated with the Chan Academy Australia (Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.)

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