#1

First in a six-part series on “The Quest”

Day Month Year

The Quest

Everyone, each one of us, desires happiness. Yet our strategies are often unreliable. Our solutions, even when they work for a time, don’t last. Unpleasantness or unsatisfactoriness eventually returns. Even life itself doesn’t last, is impermanent. What we call our “self” is on wobbly ground. It changes from day to day, mood to mood, situation to situation; as such it isn’t trustworthy, and often and inevitably betrays us. In the end the “self” is illusive, undefinable, unreliable. Happiness doesn’t last based on such unsatisfactoriness.

Therefore, the defining characteristics of any individual are two-fold.

There are lots of strategies. Some work quite well, for a while. Some need regular renewal. Some depend on following the lead of others. Or depending on available good situations. Some strategies circle round and round and return back to their beginning point. Rinse and repeat. Strategies can be refined according to changes in conditions, but this is a strategy requiring high maintenance and constant awareness. Then there is the strategy of simply ignoring the unpleasant, turning only to that which is pleasurable. When the pleasure is exhausted, simply move on, find a new pleasure. There’s also the inverse strategy. Do for others in hope of a benefit, never for oneself. When this doesn’t work, move on and try again elsewhere.

All of these are strategies. Some last longer than others but in the end all are temporary, defective in some way.

Is it the mark of spiritual maturity to acknowledge and accept reality’s limits, that happiness always ends? This too is a strategy.

Which leads to a fundamental question. Is there indeed a way out? Or is such a concept a fool’s errand?

None of this is new. These were the issues of the founder of Buddhism, Siddhārtha Gautama, some 2500 years ago in northern India. They’ve been pondered again and again down through the ages in almost all cultures. These questions are really humanity’s universal dilemma. Despairing of any definitive answers, most of us turn aside.

When, as a young man Siddhārtha Gautama took up these issues he was not alone. Many of his contemporaries were vigorously in search of the “ultimate happiness”, one which would be a permanent and a reliable release. India had, and still does, many ascetics searching and teaching. The quest was well honoured. What is unique about Siddhārtha Gautama, the Buddha, is the very rational manner in which he framed these questions and how he successfully broke through to a satisfying resolution or realization.

Having fulfilled the quest he recognized this realization was available to all, without exception. No permanent block on anyone is possible. Further, he recognized his realization was not something to be understood by all automatically, with a simple announcement, with a press release, if you will. Nor that just because he had found the way to release that this act alone on his part would magically release others. He recognized he was no god and that worship is not the way. About this, he was emphatic. While guidance may be given, he recognized everyone must follow the path to release from suffering individually and that the effort, if properly employed, is definitely possible for all.

For 40 plus years he criss-crossed northeastern India teaching a set of universal reliable principles which have always applied and will always apply to all humanity, indeed to all phenomena. That each of us is so individual that the exact formula for each must be discovered afresh by that individual. Literally we each have our own path. No one can walk it for another. One’s solution, once found, is always the realization of the same changeless universal principles seen from yet another angle, through another looking glass. Although the solution is individual it’s always profound peace beyond cause which has no end.

The principles the Buddha taught are universally true, always have been, always will be. They are beyond cause and therefore are eternally reliable. These the Buddha called “dharma” or in the Pali language “dhamma”. His unified teaching he called The Four Noble Truths. We’ll have an extended series of Dharma Talks on these four specifically.

There’s never been another religion quite like this one. Some even question whether it’s a religion at all, but prefer to call it a philosophy or a psychology or just a way of living. Whatever it is, Buddhism is unique, singular, yet flexible to all individuals that partake in it. Because of the very human habit of comparing and contrasting with the familiar, Buddhism must be approached very carefully lest one leap unwittingly into questionable assumptions.

If nothing else, Buddhism is practical. The Buddha’s solution was to put aside all strategies except for one — refine the awareness of the questioner so that the right questions would be asked. Right questions lead naturally and progressively to the maturation of wisdom. Right questions are always unique, subtly different for each individual. Right questions resist one-size-fits-all formulations. However, such was the depth of wisdom the Buddha achieved, he did proclaim a universal path suitable for all for the framing of the right questions. These lead to the progressive maturation of wisdom, which in turn evolve into permanent happiness and peace.

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Does Buddhism actually work? For oneself? Read on and follow the links, some which point within this site and others to outside. This site is really an introduction on how to craft a solution for oneself. Although we are mostly in the tradition of Theravada Buddhism, you’ll find respectful links to all the schools of Buddhism. All are paths working towards the same goal.

It’s not necessary to follow all the links, certainly not all at once. Follow the ones as they grab your attention. Be confident the ones which are relevant to one’s self will re-appear as needed. Buddhist teachings present the same ideas again and again, each time from different angles.

The first step is always one of Right Understanding, framing the questions in non-foolish ways. Questions need to be clear and answerable. Right understanding itself is also individual, not something one can read in a book and memorize. Read and question. Does what you read make sense? Does what you’ve read apply to oneself? In what way? Take each idea for a test drive.

Take nothing on blind faith, accept that which rings true to you, but do not be surprised if what works also stings a little . If what you’ve read doesn’t connect comfortably, acknowledge this feeling, don’t fight it. Accept the realization and move on. Find the path that passes the sniff test, that looks and feels right when viewed from all angles. Buddhism is vast, can seem subtle at times. Some of its concepts instantly feel right, and others seem elusive, beyond comprehension, at least at first. Be also aware, what you find easy and obvious can be difficult for others, and vice versa.

The Theravada scriptures are huge with many concepts presented again and again, but each time with a different twist. The Buddha was tuning his discourse for the mindset of the particular questioner or audience. He taught for a very long time and his listeners came from all social classes, high and low, all psychological types. Although the times were different, people remain people. The core teachings apply here and now.

The scriptures of Vajrayana and Mahayana, the other two principal schools of Buddhism, are also vast. They teach in distinctly different ways but the principles of their teaching are always Buddhist.

Pace yourself. Don’t allow yourself to become overwhelmed. Trust that the path has been successfully travelled again and again. You will succeed. It will be your path. Confidence and faith in the path is very important, necessary in fact.

Be aware, right understanding alone isn’t sufficient. Buddhism is a practice, requires practice, gets results from practice, and the practice is cumulative, builds upon itself. Don’t judge the meal without tasting it. Start with right understanding. With patience. And patient persistence. Grow from there.

Each Tuesday we post a fresh Dharma Talk. To publish these essays we depend on donations from our readers, in other words from you. We invite your comments, questions and discussion. Next time the talk will continue exploring questions that generate “The Quest”.