Tranquillity Leading to Insight: Exploration of Buddhist Meditation Practices

By Chulan Sampathge

This book explores the theme of meditation practices. This subject is approached in a realistic manner whilst using historical settings to emphasise the power of the mind and the importance of training the mind to stay in the present moment. To find true happiness one needs to find the path leading to it.

The principal aim of this book is to explain the practical application of Mindfulness to achieving spiritual awakening and ending suffering. This book also demonstrates the continued relevance of Buddhist teachings with regard to overcoming the psychological ramifications that obstruct the way to happiness.

Distilled into twenty two chapters using readily accessible language this is a concise and comprehensive guide. With reference to a range of similar texts this book reveals how to extract the pure gold of consciousnesses as was taught by the enlightened Buddha. Grounded in profound scholarship and Buddhist philosophical psychology the book brings these ancient teachings to the modern world. This book also explores the historical times of the Buddha and shares the story of the cultural awakening that took place across South and South East Asia after his enlightenment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Aug 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665598194

Chulan Sampathge

Chulan Sampathge is an experienced Insight Meditation teacher at The Buddhapadipa Temple Wimbledon London. After studying at the University of Kent at Canterbury, England, he extensively researched Buddhism and meditation practices at the Ecclesiastical School of London, affiliated with the National Office of Buddhism, Thailand, and the Royal Thai Embassy London. Since 2002, he has been consistently teaching Insight Meditation (Vipassana) at The Buddhapadipa Temple Wimbledon London and to students from all over the world whom he helps resolve their personal issues through meditation practice, giving directions to improve their personal growth and wellbeing. Chulan’s teaching is based on the Buddhist higher philosophical psychology of the Theravada School of Buddhism and always refers to wider social, economic, political, and cultural context. In 2003, he received the Award of recognition from the Ambassador of Thailand and in 2006, the Award of recognition from the Princes of Thailand.  Cover image of mural paintings by courtesy of the Buddhapadipa Temple London Cover photography by Alexandra Kovacs, [e-mail]

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© 2022 Chulan Sampathge. All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse  12/19/2022

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9820-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9819-4 (e)

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SYNOPSIS

Distilled into a concise and comprehensive twenty-two chapters in connection with a range of similar texts, Tranquillity Leading to Insight reveals how to extract the pure gold of consciousnesses as taught by the enlightened Buddha. Grounded in profound scholarship and philosophical psychology, the book brings the ancient teaching to the modern world. Delve deep into the mind, which explains how to overcome obstructions, stress, and hindrances and how to remove defilements to find true happiness and peace of mind. Written in readable language, giving examples and similes, the book takes you back to the historical time of the Buddha and the subsequent cultural awakening across the South East of Asia after his enlightenment.

PREFACE

Tranquillity Leading to Insight is intended to be read and studied by those who want to learn more about Buddhism and meditation practices. It contains extracts of the Abhidhamma philosophy of the Theravada School of Buddhism, focusing on the theoretical understanding and practical application of the ultimate truth, with emphasis on its relevance for meditation practice as taught by the Buddha to his analytically gifted disciples. The main theme of the discussion is the transformation of consciousness and how to purify the consciousness in search of liberation and of the knowledge that has been passed down in unbroken continuity from a historical perspective.

I was inspired by the book Abhidhamma Studies: Researches in Buddhist Psychology, written by Venerable Nyanaponika Thera, a German monk. The book was published in 1965 by the Buddhist Publication Society (BPS), Kandy, Sri Lanka. This book was the starting point for my further search into the subject of Abhidhamma. Since my youth I have been inclined towards this subject and attempted to learn it by myself by gathering materials from various sources, including publications of the Burmese master Venerable Ledi Saydow, who contributed much of the earlier literature on this subject.

The groundwork for Tranquillity Leading to Insight started in 1994, when I was practising insight meditation (vipassana) at the Buddhapadipa Temple in Wimbledon, London. I was practising mostly under the guidance of Venerable Amara Thera, the abbot and meditation master of the temple, who formally introduced me to Abhidhamma. In parallel to meditation practice, Venerable Amara Thera conducted very rich Dhamma discussions, including questions and answers, and offered residential retreats for trainees. He also kindly offered structured classroom lessons on this profound philosophical subject over a period of three and half years. The structure of his teaching method was well balanced, giving equal weight to both theory and practice.

Since 2004 I have been consistently teaching insight meditation at the Buddhapadipa Temple and have followed in the master’s footsteps by conducting these meditation classes along with Dhamma discussions. To enhance my own understanding of the Dhamma and for the benefit of other meditation students, I began to read the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification) and the Sutta Pitaka (discourses on the Nikayas) and drilled deep down into the rich mine of the Buddha’s teachings. I had previous experience with practising tranquillity (samatha) meditation, and in my search to comprehend the Buddha’s enlightenment, I found that tranquillity and insight meditation converged into one coherent system of practice.

The essence of the Buddha’s doctrinal teaching is formulated in the Four Noble Truths. During his long ministry of teaching, the Buddha explained the doctrine to many in a form of dialogues and used eloquent similes to explain the complex dynamic phenomena that are documented in the Thripitaka—three vast collections of teachings known as the Pali Canon. The Fourth Noble Truth, which is the Noble Eightfold Path of liberation embedded in discipline, simplifies the doctrine, translating the abstract formulas of the doctrine into a practical method to unfold the Noble Truths. Abhidhamma literature, the third collection, zooms into the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. It provides a valuable analytical view of life to glean the truth, giving practical guidelines for one who is searching for the truth and for the liberation from mistakenly grasped false notions of how to purify the mind and to see things clearly as they are.

Tranquillity Leading to Insight emerged unbidden in my enquiry into the philosophical and psychological teachings of the Buddha. I should like to dedicate this book to Venerable Amara Thera as a mark of gratitude for the great kindness and wisdom he has shown to me over the years. His guidance has made my journey through Buddhism thoughtful and rewarding.

In this task also, I am thankful to Suraya Dunsford and Danyal Dunsford for their valuable suggestions, along with their proofreading, editing, and helping me prepare the final manuscript. I would also like thank the Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy Sri Lanka, for giving me kind permission to use their materials for reference.

I would like to express my special thanks and gratitude to the Buddhapadipa Temple, Wimbledon, London, for kindly giving me permission to use their mural painting images for the cover design.

Photography by Alexandra Kovacs, [e-mail]

Chulan Sampathge

United Kingdom

December 2022

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of Tranquillity Leading to Insight is to discuss meditative absorption in relation to cognitive processes of consciousness as a gateway to final deliverance and reaching supreme happiness. Meditation absorption, also known as trance, is a state of mind that enables worldly people or trainees in the practice of meditation to acquire deep mental stability that opens a path to insight wisdom. The great majority of compilers and commenters who narrated the ancient Pali texts of Buddhism follow a unifying theme that a correctly performed meditation practice can result in the attainment of sainthood. The texts show that there is a change of lineage, from worldly to noble (i.e. puthujjana to Ariyan), in those who pursue liberation by following the path propounded by the Buddha. The Buddha gave these instructions in many geographical locations, a majority of which were found in the greater Ganges basin of north-eastern India, where since thousands of his followers have successfully become liberated through understanding of the Four Noble Truths.

This area was the centre of several empires, notably those of the Mauryan and Gupta dynasties, between the sixth century BCE and the eighth century CE. The language used by the Buddha is said to have been Magadha, a dialect of Pali. The words and terms used by the Buddha have etymological meaning, and the narrative is reasonably consistent with that of several early Sanskrit equivalents. His basic technical vocabulary has been adapted with stemmatic principles by the Thai, Sinhala, and Burmese languages, cultures that are much influenced by Buddhism. The thematic scheme of the teachings has been translated into English and other European languages directly from Pali by the Pali Text Society of the United Kingdom and by many other scholars. The Pali terms are inserted throughout this work for verification of their meanings.

The writer explores the Buddha’s enlightenment and the meditation practices he taught: the way of tranquillity (samatha) leading to insight (vipassana), and its reverse, that of insight leading to tranquillity. The higher philosophical psychology of the mind and the process of mental training towards enlightenment, as taught by the Buddha, has been compiled into a set of teachings by his enlightened disciples and learned monks. Over a period of time, this branch of Buddhism was further developed by scholarly monks who made commentaries and sub-commentaries, now known as the higher teachings of Buddhism, the Abhidhamma. Most of the material used in Tranquillity Leading to Insight is about this subject and gives an overview and detailed explanations of the nature of the mind and how it can be trained to liberate a person from suffering through self-discipline.

Meditation practice is essentially for intelligent people with a keen interest in questioning and discerning what is hidden. The Buddha’s invitation to those with enquiring minds is to come and see. Meditation towards enlightenment is a technique of investigation into one’s own mind. There are two main types of meditation practices in Buddhism: samatha and vipassana (tranquility and insight). The latter was a long-lost technique rediscovered by an ascetic, Siddhattha, which enabled him to achieve the supreme enlightenment, samma sambodhi. By this endeavour he came to be the fourth Buddha of our aeon, or Bhadra Kalpa (a timescale of an indefinite but very long period).

According to samatha, there are two types of concentration, known as approaching and access, both leading to the attainment of jhana (mental absorption and a state of trance). This concentration is foundational to vipassana meditation. Attaining jhana temporarily purifies the consciousness from all known defilements. Vipassana is a technique used to develop momentary concentration; hence, it helps one to investigate the ever-changing mental phenomena from moment to moment and thereby helps one gain insight into the true nature of life. There are many levels of jhana in samatha, and there are sixteen vipassana knowledges. High levels of concentration are required in samatha practices to stabilise the mind and prepare for vipassana in order to gain knowledge. A student may acquire intuitive wisdom through his or her own direct vision in meditation, but neither by thinking nor reading about it. Realisation of the truth occurs sequentially, stage by stage, while one lets go of defilements, which leads to the purification of the mind. However, there are occasions where defilements of the mind manifest in meditation practice, for example light and illuminations appearing. These experiences might be very pleasant, but clinging to them could hinder progress by causing the person experiencing them to mistakenly believe that his or her mind has now been liberated. Therefore, it is recommended to practise under an experienced master.

Purity of the mind gives rise to attainment of insightful knowledge, and this opens the pathway to deliverance. Insight wisdom coexists with insight meditation, and by virtue of moral purity and concentration, the meditator will realise the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha vividly explained that such and such is the morality, such and such is the concentration, such and such is wisdom, great are the fruits of wisdom (Mahaparinibbana Sutta).

The meditation techniques taught by the Buddha are documented in the suttas and commentaries known as the Mahasatipatthana Sutta—the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. In his advice, the Buddha proclaimed that there is only one path to deliverance, with these Four Foundations being the only path. In this declaration the Buddha rejected the other practices that prevailed in contemporary India and introduced the Noble Eightfold Path as the Middle Path for liberation (ekayano maggo—Madhyma Pratipada).

The Noble Eightfold Path can be divided into three sections. The latter three factors of the path are in regard to meditative practice. An intense practice of meditation is required to observe the true nature of both mind and matter, and their combinations. These are the complex phenomena of mental and physical events that, as life experiences, present themselves and manifest at any given time. Our usual observation by means of perceptions, concepts, rational thinking, or intellect could be incorrect because of errors in perception. For this reason, in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, perceptions are not included as a means of understanding. Instead, one must rely on a method of direct observation and direct realisation of truth.

The Buddha understood the dynamic reality of life and condensed it into its two components: elements and processes. The Buddha was the first teacher to succeed in capturing a thought moment. He was able to see a thought’s conditions and what it was made of. From this point the Buddha began his journey to solve the problems of the wheel of samsara (cycles of birth and death). For six years he undertook this vigorous research, known as Ariya Pariyeshana (the Noble Experiments), then on the night of the full moon of Vesak (the month of May), the Buddha attained all-knowing wisdom, that is enlightenment.

In the Mahasatipattanhana Sutta, the Buddha teaches how to understand experienced reality as it presents itself in introspective meditation. In his analysis, ultimate reality consists of a multiplicity of elementary constituents called Dhammas. These fall into two main categories of Dhamma: conditioned (sankatha) and unconditioned (asankatha). A detailed study of the Dhammas and their intricate relations are given in the books of Abhidhamma, the higher philosophical and psychological teachings of the Buddha. These are discussed under four main categories of ultimate reality: consciousness, mental factor, matter, and nibbana (respectively citta, cetasika, rupa, and nibbana). The first three classes/categories are called conditioned Dhamma because they are the momentary mental and material phenomena that constitute the process of experience. An ontological view of conditioned Dhamma has the power to lead one to full liberation. This liberation allows humankind escape from the bondage of mistakenly grasped conceptual constructs of the self and the world around them and enables them to see things as they really are. This refined knowledge and successive stages of purity would progress the mind to states of meditative absorption (jhana). Here the term ‘jhana’ (pali; jhāna) is often translated as absorption because, as the process unfolds, one’s attention is drawn more naturally, easily, and deeply into the calm inner reaches of the mind. This would be then applied intermittently in reverse order of insight leading to tranquillity in successive stages until full liberation is achieved.

It was through this insight and wisdom born of meditation that the Buddha attained enlightenment. Jhanas are the keys to opening the supramundane path and its fruits (magga and phala). Jhana purifies the mind temporarily and provides a setting and grounds for intuitive wisdom. Pure observation of both mental and physical phenomena gives rise to right knowledge and right thought. These are the first two factors of the Noble Eightfold Path. The middle three factors are concerned with one’s moral foundation, a prerequisite to support one’s meditation. By virtue of following this path, the Buddha’s disciples also attained enlightenment.

The whole of the Buddha’s teaching stems from three main doctrines, namely impermanence, suffering (unsatisfactoriness), and nonself. The result (phala) of walking the Noble Path is the realisation of the doctrine, changing the lineage of a worldly person’s or trainee’s mind to that of the supramundane stage. Those who reach this stage are emancipated from samsara and attain nibbana if so wished. Nibbana is the highest goal in Buddhist cosmology. It also known as the supreme happiness, which is an absolute and a singularity. An uncompounded element hence also defines parramatta Dhamma, meaning the undifferentiated ultimate reality of unconditional truth.

Mindfulness is a beautiful mental state. It signifies presence of mind and attentiveness to the present moment. The Buddha regarded mindfulness as the supreme function of the mind, which manifests as a guardian; without mindfulness, life is in vain and has no protection. Mindfulness is a gift we are born with which helps us enjoy life in a more passive way. Being mindful has lots of benefits to our physical and mental well-being. Mindfulness is a factor associated with consciousness, the process which relates to our experience of sensations (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch). To see this process clearly, one must apply mindfulness and awareness to the present moment as it happens. By being mindful and living in the present moment, it is easier to experience the simpler things that we otherwise might not notice, such as the feeling of the feet touching the ground as one walks. The application of mindfulness together with compassion has been recognised by psychologists and academics as a useful therapy to improve awareness and to help us better understand ourselves. Improving momentary awareness will allow a person to see the present moment clearly, thereby allowing him or her to take steps to develop mindfulness in his or her daily life.

Consciousness is a series of moments which occur in succession. All life experiences happen according to this principle of cognition and the five senses. Buddhism recognises mind as the sixth sense. It follows the same principle of cognition, forming feelings, thoughts, emotions, and other mental states. With improved mindfulness and regular practice, one can directly know what is going on inside one’s mind from moment to moment without getting entangled. To be disentangled is to observe the changes of the mind without reacting to thoughts or emotions and without identifying with one’s behavioural patterns. Psychologists and clinicians have questioned and tested What is mindfulness? and How is it clinically applicable? They have come to redefine its meaning in an attempt to elucidate its multifaceted nature as both a meditation practice and a fundamental way of treating patients with various disorders. They have explored applications of mindfulness in psychotherapy and counselling and as a discipline; this has been fostered as a tool for self-help for patients and professionals alike. The method and approach have been altered to suit a clinical environment. The core concepts and practices of mindfulness have been studied in regard to common therapeutic factors and therapeutic outcomes. Mindfulness offers a new way of envisioning healthcare and mental health, expanding the field to include well-being within clinical practice. Mindfulness has now become a pivotal therapeutic technique which has been successfully integrated into cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT).

Learn to be mindful by living in the now and by clinging to nothing. Then you can free yourself from unnecessary pain by observing the pattern of nagging thoughts and cultivating a non-judgemental attitude. Regular daily practice of this method will come to reveal the impersonal nature of the mental process. Understanding that one is devoid of a permanent self will help to reduce the antagonistic attitude of the ego. This can lead to a change in behaviour without further clinical intervention. The presence or absence of mindfulness is the determinant factor of healthy or unhealthy behaviour respectively. It is fundamental in behavioural psychology to understand the conditions that contribute to human behaviour. Mental factors, although not directly observable and measurable in clinical settings, are the underpinning conceptual framework of the analysis of all types of human behaviour. This includes child psychology and the development of personal traits from a young age. The human life cycle consists of growth in phases. Each phase is characterised by a distinct set of physical, psychological, and behavioural features. The Buddha saw many cycles of life and identified suffering as the common denominator to all stages of life. By responding to this suffering with wisdom, one can successfully mitigate the problems of life.

The devastating effects of many social issues are still hidden. The long-term psychological effects of violence and social disruption take a big toll on the average family in any society. As part of the suffering of victims and their families, the psychological impact on children is going unnoticed or unheard. The public consensus is that something has to be done to change the current notion and paradigm of crime and punishment. Behavioural psychology can provide this wider scope of study and application. Its usefulness can make a profound, positive, and decisive impact on a range of burning social issues, from supporting millions of victims of crime and domestic abuse to helping improve responses in setting industrial health and safety standards to prevent work-related accidents at the earliest opportunity. This must all be done with a view to alleviating concealed suffering and avoiding man-made catastrophes.

Tranquillity Leading to Insight is well grounded in the knowledge of Buddhist higher-philosophical psychology and seeks to help professionals in experimental research to understand the psychological ramifications and neural mechanisms relevant to human behaviour. It addresses the root causes of suffering from a different perspective. A good medical doctor, to truly understand the physiology of the human body, must have an appreciation of the mechanisms of cellular biology to perform his or her treatment process well; similarly, this book provides crucial knowledge that explains the functions of the mind so one might comprehend the foundation and driving force of the mind. Such literature like this has not been published before; therefore, it is presented for the advantage of researchers and clinicians of psychology. The intricate knowledge and analytical structure of the entire edifice of the mind, as explained and narrated in this way, could be useful in clinical practice, allowing clinicians to quickly and accurately interpret symptoms when treating patients so as to appropriately translate emerging test results and findings into evidenced-based treatment processes to benefit the mental health and well-being of many vulnerable groups suffering from episodes of depression, anxiety, worry, and nagging headaches. These theoretical methods of analysis, synthesis, and synchrony can include critical information about the functioning of various mental factors and their relation to mind–body systems (and, by extension, to the unit of mind that composes them). It is important to know what exactly is happening to devise the best course of treatment and functional efficiency of the mind. It would be very difficult to understand a patient’s cognitive behaviour without knowing enough about the mental functions that are being tested. Tranquillity Leading to Insight also includes higher scientific education to inspire and enrich theoretical rigour so as to enable clinicians to view illnesses and the meaning of life from an intellectually fascinating and philosophical standpoint. Currently there is no literature like this available to explain the depths of the human mind. Professor Mark Williams of Clinical Psychology and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford has stated that such in-depth knowledge is certainly needed. Tranquillity Leading to Insight aims to narrow the knowledge gap of psychology by disseminating a higher Buddhist philosophy. It will contribute to understanding suffering better and to advancement in the field of treatment to end suffering.

CONTENTS

Author’s Note: Relevance of Buddhism and Abhidhamma Studies

Chapter 1:     The Buddhist Doctrines

Chapter 2:     The Noble Eightfold Path

Chapter 3:     Mindfulness in Psychology and Behavioural Science

Chapter 4:     Spiritual Healing (Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapies)

Chapter 5:     Human Development

Chapter 6:     Flow Psychology

Chapter 7:     Understanding the Four Noble Truths

Chapter 8:     Eastern Gateway to Freedom

Chapter 9:     Tranquillity Leading to Insight (Samatha and Vipassana)

Chapter 10:   Dhamma

Chapter 11:   Abhidhamma Philosophy

Chapter 12:   Distortions and Densities

Chapter 13:   Consciousness

Chapter 14:   The Buddhist Philosophy of Relations—Patthana

Chapter 15:   Twenty-Four Relations of Conditionality

Chapter 16:   Beautiful Mental Factors

Chapter 17:   Process-Freed Consciousness

Chapter 18:   Analytical and Synthesis Methods of Consciousness

Chapter 19:   Mental Faculties

Chapter 20:   Meditative Experiences

Chapter 21:   Purity of the Mind That Sees the Truth

Chapter 22:   Nibbana

Sources

Note on References

AUTHOR’S NOTE

RELEVANCE OF BUDDHISM AND

ABHIDHAMMA STUDIES

The fundamental error of human thought is deeply engraved in ignorance, which is the root cause of suffering. Not knowing this fact can sadly add more to injury and inflict more suffering. If anyone wishes to improve the quality of thought to become illuminated and make a fruitful contribution to the society in which he or she chooses to live, it can be done only through careful reflection to understand the human experience.

In the twenty-first century, we still witness disturbing incidents of social injustice, such as those in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in United States of America, the land of democracy, liberty, and free speech. On 1 June 2020, BBC News reported that violence erupted in cities across the United States on the sixth night of protests sparked by the death of African American George Floyd while in police custody. Dozens of cities imposed curfews, but many people ignored them, leading to stand-offs and clashes. Riot police faced off with protesters in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, firing tear gas and pepper bullets to try to disperse crowds. Police vehicles were set on fire and shops were looted in several cities. The country experienced the most widespread racial turbulence and civil unrest since the backlash from the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

The outpouring of anger began on Tuesday, 26 May 2020, after a video showed Mr Floyd being arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and a white police officer continuing to kneel on his neck even after he pleaded that he could not breathe and fell unconscious.

The Floyd case reignited deep-seated anger over police killings of black Americans and racism. For many, the outrage also reflected years of frustration over socio-economic inequality and discrimination, and not only in Minneapolis itself, where George Floyd died.

This incident was given large media coverage and drew attention away from other Covid-19-related deaths, economic hardship, and poverty in poorer countries that are struggling to cope. Despite lockdown measures and social distancing guidelines still in place, the protest spread to the city of London, where thousands of young people gathered and marched in the streets. Their concerns were not so much about the killing of Mr Floyd as they were projected from their own uncertainties and fears of racism and discrimination.

This incident was a stark reminder of the importance and urgency with which we all must address these inequalities. When our society is broken for some, it is broken for all of us. And where we have the power, the influence, the tools, and the opportunity to be a part of fixing this, we must stand together and must act together.

Covid-19 arrived as a health crisis, soon evolving into an economic and a social crisis. While it impacts everyone, we must be open in acknowledging that it didn’t affect everyone in the same way. In every instance, black and coloured people in the United States and multicultural cities have been disproportionally impacted, adding to the inequalities and injustices that have already existed for too long. This is a reminder that we still have a long way to go to make our communities and the world more equitable, more inclusive, and better for all. Social unrest is always a breeding ground for opportunists looking to loot, riot, and commit acts of anarchy, but this is in no way a justification for overlooking the real cause, ignoring the moral justification of the righteous cries of peaceful protesters, and allowing the situation to escalate.

This sequence of events highlights a pattern of behaviour which reminds us that history repeats itself. If this weren’t true, then we would have learned lessons from past events and what we had done to prevent such calamity. We must admit that we do not know all the answers to rectifying many decades of racism and inequality. But the pattern clearly indicates a deterioration and diminishment of human values.

In Buddhism, we believe that every human being has the potential to be enlightened, and we advocate peace, nonviolence, respect for life, and individual acceptance of social responsibility. The Buddha rejected the social injustice prevalent in India at the time and believed that no one became upper class or lower class by birth but only by one’s own actions in choosing one’s social position.

A peaceful protest can easily turn into violence depending on how each side of the conflict responds to the other. Leadership style could make a big difference in resolving a dispute. If one chooses to meet aggression with equal or more powerful aggression, then major destruction and further loss of life is inevitable. A crisis, if mishandled, could be a waste or, if wisely responded to, can lead to the reaching of a lasting peaceful settlement.

For the past few years, strengthening diversity, equality, respect, and inclusion have been hot topics. There is evidence of this concept of social engagement in the way communities live and operate. However, it has not yet yielded results and no visible changes have happened. It appears that aggressive responses have resulted in the tearing apart of the social fabric of the USA.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, under the political phrase ‘Special Operation’, many observers expected that Russia’s military would make a quick win on their mission: to capture the country’s capital, Kyiv, depose its democratically elected government and restore Ukraine to Moscow’s control. But nearly six months later, after Russian forces failed to take Kyiv, the war has evolved into one of attrition, grinding on with no end to heavy losses on both sides. Since the war started, staggeringly high rate of casualties was reported in Ukraine almost daily, in addition, sadly millions of Ukrainians fled the country. Since the armed conflict began in the region, fighting has caused nearly three thousand civilian deaths and internally displaced more than seven million people, according to the United Nations. This war, displacement of civilians and loss of lives would have been avoided should Russia chose a diplomatic path to resolve the conflict and mitigated the perceived threat maintaining peaceful relationships between nations. It only added unnecessary suffering and increased uncertainty not only in the warzone but extended to the rest of the world economy by sending shockwaves because it severely interrupted the global energy markets. Ukraine and Russia are major producers of wheat, corn and barley, the conflict has exacerbated a global food crisis too (The New York Times, August 2022). The Buddhist doctrine of nothing arises singularly suggests that finding a solution to a crisis requires deeper analysis of causes and their effects, in particularly, a conflict situation needs broader understanding of synthesis and synchrony of dynamic relations.

Studies shows that majority of soldiers in battlefield suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: the unending echo of battle etched in the brain affects 15% of soldiers. It can destroy families; it can leave its sufferers unable to work and addicted to substance misuse. It is difficult to understand what they endure. There were issues of soldier suicide. Statistics from past and present wars tell the sad story of the magnitude of this problem. Unlike in the historical time, much of the suffering in the modern world is complex phenomenon, aggravated by human-caused disasters. All those events and incidents have an element of human intent, negligence, or error involving a failure of a man-made systems. Correction of those errors need ethical, pragmatic and wise interventions.

We also know from our experience in history the futility and the devastating result of war. As an alternative, we can bring about peace through dialogue, which we must engage in using all available talent. We must also ignite human potential to sustainably grow prosperity around the world, not flames of fire. It is the right thing to do, and it is what we must do to prosper.

We know that we should never stop working towards creating better and more equal societies around the world where everyone feels welcome, listened to and seen, and able to unleash their human potential. We will never shift from our purpose, namely that meaningful and sustainable economies be given the power to change the world for better. We should always take seriously our responsibility and our commitment to reach, assess, train, and provide opportunities for people of all communities to acquire skills and knowledge, because we know that work, education, skills, and aspiration are critical parts of community cohesion and prosperity.

These are things that Buddhism can offer to the world at times of difficulty. Buddhism is a light in the darkness. It gives us a choice: we can choose to walk in the darkness and fall into the same pit-hole again and again, or we can use a torch and avoid the pit-holes. The Northern School of Buddhism says that the Buddha met with eighty-four thousand different people and gave them advice to resolve their issues concerning life and liberation. The Theravada School of Buddhism has a collection of Buddha’s teachings and has arranged these into three divisions which are the source of their knowledge.

The Abhidhamma, the third great division of early Buddhist teaching, expounds a valuable system of philosophical psychology ascribed to the unimpeded insight of the omniscient Buddha, the way he explained the nature of the mind. His learned disciples organised the master’s teaching explaining the entire spectrum of human consciousness, including how it is defiled and how to purify it to see things clearly as one seeks to escape from bondage and move towards liberation. The Abhidhamma systematically maps out, with remarkable rigour and precision, the inner landscape of the mind and points to the escape route, the Noble Eightfold Path.

According to Sigmund Freud, The inclination to aggression is an original self-subsisting instinctual disposition. The human mind is a complex phenomenon. Indignation is an accepted social norm of all popular cultures; however, generous, caring impulses, while they may exist, are generally weak, fleeting, and unstable in human beings. But dig a little beneath the surface and you will find a ferocious and persistently profoundly selfish person. This insight into the behaviour of an untrained person is, in Buddhism, simply termed as ignorance.

The Abhidhamma texts and manuals provide priceless and timeless insight into the entire substratum of the human mind. Bhikkhu Bodhi tells us, However, is that familiarity with the manuals is not sufficient. Illuminating and fruitful lines of thought lie hidden in the original texts, and it is only by unearthing these through deep inquiry and careful reflection that the riches of the Abhidhamma can be extracted and made available, not to Buddhist studies alone, but to all contemporary attempts to understand the nature of human experience. The road is open but not pursued.

Nyanaponika Thera adds, The inclusion of the path factors in the analysis of wholesome consciousness means the raising of the spiritual eye from the narrow confines and limited purposes of everyday consciousness to the horizon of the ideal. It means that, in the midst of life’s dense jungle, amid its labyrinths and blind alleys, the glorious freedom of a Way is open.

We extend our goodwill and invite you to come and see. The Abhidhamma explains the unexplored terrain of the mind. From these studies you may gain knowledge and insight, not only useful