When the Buddha took up the task of promoting the welfare and happiness of all beings he did so by teaching both householders and monastics how to live in accordance with what is true and beneficial and teaching what he had learned through his own enlightenment. The Buddhist scriptures (Pali Canon) demonstrate this by distinguishing three types of benefit that the teachings are meant to promote. They are ranked hierarchically as follows:
1.Wellfare and happiness directly visible in this present life.
2.Welfare and happiness pertaining to the future (both in this life and in the next if you are so inclined).
3.The ultimate good or supreme goal of the complete eradication of greed, hatred and delusion (ignorance). From Bikkhu Bodhi’s book “In the Buddha’s Words”
You may have noticed that most contemporary Buddhist writings seem to focus on the last two of these three. But a balanced approach should also give consideration to and even equal emphasis on the first. It could be considered the door to the other two! The Buddha gave a variety of teachings on community and family life that emphasize ways to promote welfare and happiness in this very life. Two suttas that call this to mind are almost contiguous in the Middle length discourses (Majjhima Nikaya).
The first Sutta discusses the; Six Roots of Dispute and the second; the Six Principles of Cordiality. It’s worthwhile to consider them together. First consider the six roots of dispute in this sutta:
“There are these six roots of dispute. What six? Here, one is;
angry and resentful;
contemptuous and insolent;
envious and niggardly;
deceitful and fraudulent;
has evil wishes and wrong views;
and adheres to their own views, holds on to them tenaciously and relinquishes them with difficulty…
Such a person dwells without respect for; their teacher; the teachings of truth and peace (Dharma); their friends; and does not fulfill the trainings. One who dwells without respect for their teachers… creates dispute with others which would be for the harm and unhappiness of many, for the loss, harm, and suffering of all beings. If you see the root of such a dispute in yourself or others you should practice in such a way that these evil roots of dispute do not erupt in the future.”
The second Sutta deals with the six principles of cordiality. Election time seems to bring about a less civil discourse and it’s worthwhile to consider this Sutta now!
“There are six principles of cordiality that create love and respect and are conducive to cohesion, nondispute, concord, and unity. What are these six?
Here a person maintains;
bodily acts of loving-kindness both in public and private towards their companions…
verbal acts of loving-kindness both in public and private towards their companion..
mental acts of loving-kindness both in public and private towards their companion…
One enjoys things in common with one’s virtuous companions; without making reservations one shares with them any righteous gain that one has obtained even the contents of one’s alms bowl.
One dwells both in public and private possessing in common with their companions in the holy life those virtues that are unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unmottled, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, leading to concentration.
One dwells both in public and private possessing in common with one’s virtuous companions that view that is noble, and emancipating, and leads one who practices in accordance with it to the complete destruction of suffering.
These are the principles of cordiality that creates love and respect, and are conducive to cohesion, to nondispute, to concord, and to unity.”
Our path to freedom and peace begins with our journey through the mundane. Our life as members of a family and community offers us opportunities to put these two suttas into practice. The world isn’t perfect i.e. the way we’d like it. It is simply the way it is! We can’t perfect the world but we can begin to perfect our intentions and actions and thereby we are perfecting the world. We all want respect; our children; the old, the rich; the poor, disabled; Jews; Palestinians, prisoners, and our partners. These two suttas point to ways to develop respect for others by using the teachings on cordiality to solve disputes. In that way these two suttas are meant to be taught and practiced together.
May you be well happy and peaceful. Floyd
