The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast Archives 

 

Buddhist Hour
Radio Script No 636
Broadcast live on 3MDR 97.1FM
4 PM to 5 PM
On Sunday 3 October 2010 CE, 2552 Buddhist Era
4.00pm -5.00pm


This Script is entitled:
"Where Are Your Logic Systems Taking You?"

Where Are Your Logic Systems Taking You?

Today’s individual is exposed to a high degree of information.

Information that is available for all areas of knowledge making it accessible to anyone able to use the World Wide Web.

How do we sort through information that is going to be beneficial to us and others?

In the five day bhavana course that we have just completed, we studied the text "A Lamp for the Enlightenment Path” by Atisa Dipamkarasri, written in the eleventh century.

This five day course commentary was given by Master John D. Hughes in 1989. The students found many useful methods identified in this teaching that can be applied to our study and practice of Buddha Dhamma today.

The text was written as a response to Atisa's disciple, who expressed great concern about the debating that was occurring in Tibet between the various Buddha Dhamma groups.

His request to Atisa is as follows:
"In this area of Tibet there are persons who misinterpret the Mahayana Path of the Buddha's Teaching. Gurus and Spiritual friends are arguing back and forth about things they themselves do not comprehend. They all have their own logic to analyse their suppositions about the Profound View and Broad Practice. With so much disagreement on all sides, I beg you to clear up these doubts for us."

Atisa responds with writing the Text "A Lamp for The Enlightenment Path".

Master John D Hughes in his commentary describes the situation in Tibet in terms of logic systems. He demonstrates how using differing logic systems about the same subject matter can deliver differing results and because of this may result in conflict.

Each of us already operate on a logic system specific to us. We work with the system that is called by our name "Paul" or Mary or "Chris" etc. It identifies the way we operate, the way we do things.

Let's use the exercise used in the course to show us one of our logic systems and how it can lead to conflict. (2)

What type of car do you drive? …………………. How did you make the decision to buy that car?……………………The answers to this question …is your logic system at work. It is particular to you.

Therefore showing that each of us operating on our own logic system come up with different results and different reasons for making our decisions, having a view and having an opinion. We are all correct, because it makes sense to us, not necessarily making sense to others. We then can fall into conflict in making the statement that our way of choosing a car is correct.

Now, Master John Hughes states that this situation occurred in Tibet at this time that Atisa wrote this text. Each group, operating on a logic system particular to their style of teaching or interpreting the Buddha Dhamma, started to conflict with each other, because, according to their logic system they came up with differing results.

The results are dependent on the logic system you use. For example, what is running your logic system to buy your car? Do you want the fastest car, cheapest? Most expensive etc…., what result are you aiming for? What is your motivation or goal in buying a car?

By analyzing your logic system like this you can decide whether it is the result you want.

In this way we start to see the direction and limitations of our logic system.

In the following verses 3, 4, and 5 of his text, A Lamp for the Enlightenment Path (1), Atisa demonstrates this. He shows that if you wish to practice to the level of waking up this life, that is if you wish to gain this result, then you need to look at the logic system you are operating on to make sure it will give you this result.

Verse 3
One who by every means he finds,
Seeks but the pleasure of samsara,
And cares for himself alone, that one
Is known as the inferior person

Verse 4
One who puts life's pleasures behind
And turns himself from deeds of sin,
Yet cares only for his own peace,
That person should be called mediocre

Verse 5
One who wholly seeks a complete end
To the entire suffering of others because
Their suffering belongs to his own (conscious) stream,
That person is superior

In today's world, people are exposed to global events, there is a lot of anxiety, uncertainty, disharmony and stress.

Depression, divorce, homelessness, suicide, joblessness, financial stress, loneliness, one parent families, dis-connectedness with community, are some of the issues identified by community help organisations in Australian society.

The Buddha described this situation, in his teachings, more than 2500 years ago, when he stated the first noble truth that life is dukkha (in Pali) or suffering (English).

The Buddha described dukkha of suffering as un-satisfactoriness. He said that all the following cause suffering : old age, illness, death, the process of birth, not getting what one wants, having to have what we don’t want, being separated from loved ones, wanting to become something other than what one is.

These are all ways that persons experience suffering no matter where they are born in life.

The Buddha's teachings are a logic system that results in waking up - it is enables each of us to see our own logic systems.

In this way, each of us, for herself or himself, can see our own logic system and by adjusting our logic system, change our own situation. Only we have the power to do this.

This idea is not new. Several self-help groups say the same things. Positive thinking, self-empowerment, life-coaches, personal development teachers and other methods of improving one’s self are proliferating in today’s world. There are a lot of gurus to help people become the people they want to be, achieve their dreams, step into their greatness.

Buddha Dhamma is a system that can guide you to put space and light between you and your logic system.

Using the power of your own purity and goodness, it simply helps you to see where you are going.

Buddhist practice enables you to see your logic systems, shine light on them and analyse them safely, put them down, give them up and or adjust them to give you the results you wish.

Over the past week, members at the Buddhist Discussion Centre Upwey Ltd have been attending a five day meditation course with teachings based on Atisa's 'A Lamp For The Enlightenment Path'.

Our Centre was founded in 1978 and has been operating teaching Buddha Dhamma for 32 years.

We are planning for our Centre to last for 500 years as a Buddha Dhamma Centre. This is our goal, to remain a Buddha Dhamma Centre to preserve, teach, practice and realise the Buddha Dhamma now and for the next 500 years.

One student wrote :

A central purpose of the course was to allow me to come to an understanding of my logic systems and I have since seen the inherent limitations of my "logic system[s]" I habitually use.

Whilst my "logic systems" may have a great value, I have found that they will not give me the results of waking up, coming to nibbana. I have realised that they are not suitable or fit to do the task.

I have seen that many of these "logic systems" were created by attitudes clouded or motivated by greed, hatred and ignorance. Shaped thus, it is not surprising that they flounder or fail when attempting to comprehend the Mandala (logic system) of the Buddha's Dhamma.

In order to succeed, my habitual logic systems must be put down or surrendered as I have seen that the Karma created with them can only generate more of the same results, that I do not want.

Another student wrote : "One of John D. Hughes teachings that hit home for me was when he said " If it's painful: drop it." The mind is chief therefore you can control much of what is happening in your headspace. I now take control of my thoughts - I practice to be mindful, drop negatives and generate happy or neutral thoughts. This has made me feel stable and much happier.

Another student wrote:
Using the teachings contained in the text by Atisa and following the recorded instructions of our late Founder and Teacher Master John Hughes helped the student's present, recognise how their minds operate within a framework of beliefs, trusts and values which collectively are called a logic system.

It is called a logic system because within the parameters of each person’s logic system we act perfectly logically. In other words everybody in the world is logical and acts perfectly logically according to the tenets, values, beliefs and self images within their own mind, within their logic system. That is one reason why persons are convinced of their own positions, their own views about things, their own responses, their own understanding - because essentially they can see from their side they are being logical.

What usually cannot be seen however is the logic system itself. There seems to be very few occasions when we can recognise the contents of our own logic systems in terms of whether those beliefs, trusts, values and self images are causing us to act in ways which are conducive to our happiness or conducive to our unhappiness.

We all have had the experience of recognising how someone else, other than ourselves, is causing their own unhappiness because of a belief or value they hold to be "theirs". A clear example of this is persons who are quite thin holding the belief that they need to loose weight and as a result they eventually become anorexic.

It seems quite illogical to most of us, but then, we don’t have that belief in our logic system. Yet for those persons who have anorexia from following their belief system it is completely logical. It shows how powerful our individual logic systems are in that it is most unlikely and indeed difficult to act outside its dictates.

When persons who have similar extreme behaviours such as this example seek professional help, it often takes the form of counseling where the person is guided to challenge their own harmful views or belief. Through examining the belief and challenging its validity in many different ways the hope is that the person will either modify the contents of their logic system or gradually be able to disown that particular harmful view or belief they have.

For many persons, whilst our views and opinions may not be so extreme, it is not to say some of our views or beliefs are not harmful to our wellbeing. Some of the mental components in nearly every person’s logic system have the effect of increasing our confusion, increasing our stress, increasing our greed, increasing our anger or increasing our suffering when we follow them.

So we now come back to the teachings we were fortunate to receive at our five day bhavana course. Students present were guided to examine our own individual logic system, to recognise how completely it determines our actions and choices. As Buddhist practitioners, we may wish to be loving for example, however, we find ourselves becoming angry when things happen which our logic system disagrees with; we wish and try to be forgiving yet find ourselves holding grudges; we wish and intend to be generous yet find some of our actions and thoughts are stingy at times.

All these shortcomings we have are coming straight from our beliefs and values which are sitting within our individual logic system.

The Buddha has left us guidance and instructions which have the effect, when practiced, of pushing out the negatives from our mind. We are trying to replace our unwholesomeness with wholesomeness. We are trying to stop ourselves following the harmful views and opinions which arise. This is part of the fundamental practice we follow in Buddhism. We are trying to over right and modify and eventually remove the unwholesome contents within our logic systems.

But the Buddha's guidance does not stop there. The Buddha has given us building blocks of completely new logic systems we can adopt. Logic systems based on the Buddha's wisdom - comprised of contents which when followed cause us to become happy and move towards enlightenment.

An example of this is the Bodhisattva Path of training. This is the training Atisa described and gives commentary on in the text. Within this Bodhisattva training we give up striving for our personal happiness alone. For most of us this type of striving is at the core of the logic systems we were born with. It is fundamental to our heritage logic system and as such we have always been locked into living our life that way. The Bodhisattva however follows a different logic system entirely, where the principle tenants are to do with striving to help others be well and happy.

Within Bodhisattva training are the Bodhisattva Vows. All the Vows are tenets that come from that Buddha logic system which when followed result in very pure and wholesome actions directed towards attaining the goal of enlightenment. The point is that we can transform and improve ourselves more rapidly by following a Buddha logic system rather than our small ego view logic system which has arisen out of our countless lives living in deep ignorance.

The purpose of the Teachings provided by our Late Teacher John Hughes throughout the bhavana course was to enable the students present to see their own logic systems and the motivations behind them.

I was able to let go of my old logic system completely and move to a Buddha logic system. Instead of moving my position step by step towards a Buddha logic system I was able to move to this new logic system in one step. Once done it resulted in a rapid and sustainable improvement in my understanding, practice and capacity as a practitioner.

By examining my own logic system's failings and limitations and seeing in my mind how I am governed by my sankaras (in pali), mental formations and thoughts (in English), gradually the attachment to my "position" and self-images was reduced and weakened. When the attachment was loosened to the extent that my mind could let go of my own small logic system for a moment, it then became possible to know the Buddha logic system and experience it directly.

In the example given earlier of the Bodhisattva Path logic system it is like the difference between practicing to become a Bodhisattva and being a Bodhisattva.

The text we used during this course by Atisa provided the appropriate instructions and analysis to facilitate this type of development. The students present all benefited greatly from their efforts to understand and apply the teachings given.

Through pure loving mindfulness may you shine light on your logic systems and see the way to securing your own happiness.

May the merits of these explanations help all beings to see their own logic systems to come to happiness and on to full enlightenment.

May you be well and Happy. May all being be well and happy.

This script is written by Adam Richards, Anita Carter, Michelle Hill, Julian Bamford, Simon Kearney, Frank Carter, Peter Marshall, Sue Goodes, Sally Kelly and Evelin Martin.


References:
1. A Lamp For the Path and Commentary, Atisa Dipamkara, translated and annotated by Richard Sherburne, S.J.1983
2. Five Day Bhavana Course by John D. Hughes 22 September to 26th September 1989.


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