大乗仏教の起源

◯波羅蜜多

波羅蜜多とは「悟りの岸に到る」という意味です。ブッダが説法された寺院は、マガタ国の都ラージャガハの竹林精舎、コーサラ国の都シュラヴァスティの祇園精舎、マガタ国のクリドラクータ：霊鷲精舎など5つが知られています。

霊鷲精舎は小高い山の上で、ブッダや弟子たちは石窟の中で寝泊まりしていました。信者たちはブッダの説法を聴くために、川をわたり山の上まで登ってきました。その川が増水することもあったでしょう。信者たちは上流まで何十キロメートルも歩いて川をわたり、丘を登って精舎にたどり着いて仏陀の説法を聴きました。それで岸に渡る、パラミータという言葉が使われたと思われます。ブッダをこの目に見て説法を聴く彼らの態度は「柔和質直者」（心が温和で偽りのない人）であった」と『法華経』「如来寿量品」にあります。

先に大乗仏教には六波羅蜜の教えがあると述べました。これを大乗仏教が始まった当時、紀元前一世紀から二世紀ごろのインドの社会状況から考えてみましょう。当時は東西交易の発展していく時代で、盗賊に襲われた人も多かったのでしょう。

そこで仏教徒はどうしたか。これが「六波羅蜜」の原点です。これは私たちの本来そなわっているモラルで規則ではありません。これに目覚めることが慈しみに目覚めることです。

六波羅蜜＝悟りの岸に至る六つの徳目

*布施＝お返しのできない人に施す

*持戒＝他人の物を取らない　　

*忍辱＝取られても怒らない　　

*精進＝常に行う             

*禅定＝心が定まっていて疑わない

*智慧＝心に自然に起きる       

 

＊Pārāmitā=perfection

‘Pārāmitā’ means to go across to the shore of enlightenment.　The temples of that Buddha gave sermons are well-known five temples, Venuvana-vihãra in Rajagriha Magadha, Jetavana-vihara in Shravasti Kosala kingdom, Gijjakuta in Magadha, et cetera.

Gijjakuta in Magadha locate on the hill where a slightly higher place. Buddha and his disciples had lodged at the cave temple. Buddha’s followers went across the river and climbed the hill for the purpose of attendance at Buddha’s sermon. It occurred the river overflowed. Buddhas followers walked long ways so far kilometers further upriver, climbed the hill, arrived at there, attended Buddha’s sermon. Thus, it would be to say ‘Pārāmitā’. ‘Hokke’ sutra mention that their attitude to perticipate Buddha’s sermon seems to be tender and sincere.

 I mentioned previously that Mahayana Buddhism has the teaching of Six Perfection. Let me study it in view of Mahayana Buddhism beginning period, the situation of Indian society during the 1^st century BC to the 2^nd century. The commerce of the East and the West had developed at that time. Accordingly, I consider that numerous person who were attacked by thieves.

How did Buddhist followers conduct themselves? This is the origin of ‘Six perfection.’ It is our inborn morality and is not the regulations. What awaking it is what awaking mercy.

 ‘Six perfections’:

*Dana pārāmitā; generosity, giving of oneself

*Ｓila pārāmitā ; virtue, morality, discipline, proper conduct

*Ksānti pārāmitā; patience tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance

*Virya pārāmitā: energy, diligence, vigor, effort.

*Dhynāa pārāmitā; concentration, contemplation

*Prajñyā pārāmitā; wisdom, insight

The origin of Mahayana Buddhism

 

＊Where did commence Buddha’s image carving?

Kushan dynasty who belong to Iran race had taken possession of where from Central Asia to Northwest India during 1^st BC to 4^th AD. King Kaniska(the reign 144~171) reigned at 2^nd AD. And he conserved Buddhism warmly. This country was in the center place between the western Greece and the eastern China the Later Han. Thus, they had grown rich by a trading of the Silk Road. A lot of Greek golden coins and the coins which recycled melting down them were excavated from the sites.

It is said that at the beginning King Kaniska made good use of Buddhism to reign the large country. However, he came to faith to Buddhism more and more heartily and came to build up the large temples, the pagodas, the Buddha’s images, like the Ranigat Site of Gandhara. Buddha’s images influenced from the Greek culture and were carved in this place.

 

＊King Kaniska　

 A lot of the graves are excavated in this place. Former Kushan people who became a Buddhist put on a golden coin onto a dead person’s mouth and buried. They thought that therefore a dead person able to be good life when be in Paradise. They believed Zoroastrianism at the period. Zoroastrianism teach that human beings are made the Last Judgment by God after Armageddon, that is where, they say that whether they could be in Paradise or not. Thus, whether we can go to Paradise or not, if doing like that, does not prove to us.

Buddhism teach us that we cannot carry any riches into the Pure Land. And by to accumulate virtue keeping right life or to donate to whomever cannot repay can reach to Buddha’s enlightenment. King Kaniska listened to the sermon by a monk who came from India as that.   

 

＊The circumstances of Buddha’s image carving

Before Buddha‘s image carving in Gandhara, Buddhist followers worshiped the Dharma-cakra. In those days there was an iron weapon which a soldier threw a weapon riding a tank at a war. Buddhism convert from it to the symbol what to be break our desire and to be spread Buddha’s teaching. Or again, there is the story that a wheel of a tank resulted from it. The wall paintings which followers worshiped it was excavated in Ranigat sites.  

Until then, Buddhism prohibited to worship the Buddha‘s image. Kushan people who were Zoroastrian formerly carved the image of King, the God of Ahura Mazda, Alexander the Great, so, they wished to carve a Buddha’s image too. I am sure that a carver was in there. It is leaved the Buddha’s image that dressed the plentiful Greek style robe. It makes us to feel refreshed and is a gallant attitude. May be, they worshiped Buddha with being impressed profoundly.  

 

＊For reaching to Buddha’s enlightenment.

Mahayana Buddhism has the teaching of Six Perfection that content have, dãna, sîla, kasanti, vîrya, dhyãna, prajñã. These words mention in the sutra which was excavated at Ranigat Sites.

It has nothing it in the other sites until that time. Ordinary followers cannot keep the severe religious precepts like a monk. Thus, they understood reaching to Buddha’s enlightenment by donating to Buddhist temple. Kushan people who made much of profit were converted to Buddhism and commenced to construct much the Buddha’s images, the pagodas, the temples. Thus, the Buddha’s images resulted here. That culture spread all districts of India during the time of about two centuries and then conveyed to China, Korean peninsula, Japan.   

         

＊The teaching of ‘sunya’ was taught by Buddha

The teaching of ‘sunya’ in Mahayana Buddhism is most distinguished and the most attained the developing dogma. However, there is a verse of it in the ancient origin sutra of Theravada Buddhism, so, we can be to say that it has been consistent teaching since the Buddha’s alive period. Buddha taught here that never make biased by one’s ego to Mogaraja’s asking. This was the first ‘sunya’. It can be to say that it was the Buddha’s advice for a person who feel uneasy about death.

Pay attention at all time observe the world as being in ‘sunya’ by defeat your egoistic opinion. If doing so, you can be done to overcome death. The king of death be hardly possible to see him who observe the world like that.  “Suttanipata” verse the 1,119^th

 One day, Buddha replied Pinkiya’s asking question about the worry of being alive and becoming infirm with age.

Pinkiya, you have seen that people feel sufferings under an obsession and they are seized with fear. Thus Pinkiya, do devote all your times without being lazy. By leaving your obsessions, never return to a lifetime of sufferings.  “Suttanipata” verse the 1,123 ^th

 

*‘Sunya’ of Mahayana Buddhism

We will not easily be thinking that there is another thinking as to judging a matter usually. Especially, it is pressed to make a difficult decision about a religion or a politics. Like a former mentioned, Buddha made a sermon as ‘leaving your obsessions’. Really, it can be to say that our sufferings or difficulties are due to like that.

One day, Buddha taught his follower that learn the other teachings. And another day, Buddha gave a sermon to his disciples that abandon your correct teachings. The teaching like that is only Buddhism. However, we will not easily be thinking like that.

How to accept Buddha’s teaching is not only the way of practicing but also the way of faith. Buddha taught that believe yourself. Like that yourself means a calm form like Buddha. The word of sunya in Sanskrit has a meaning of calm. Keeping my eyes fixed on what is my own calm form, reacting to Buddha’s teachings with devoting myself completely, those means ‘sunya’.

There is on the TV program in NHK Japan, ‘Chikochian’. Those who act on the commentators are scolded as ‘Don’t be alive dimly’ by Chikochian, five years old every single time. A disciple who became a monk in Zen training hall is scaled by his senior monk like Chikochian’s voice every single day. Of course, at Zazen time, chanting time, all behavior, manners to remove shoes, table manners, everything are different from ordinary life. When his senior monk is some years younger than him, he goes through hardships due to be scolded. He is hardly possible to think about what is sunya. Zen training have to tackle with all our might merely.   

 

＊”Vimalakirti Sutra” made an appearance.

As the above-mentioned, Mahayana Buddhism established at 1^st century BC and the sutras of Mahayana was begun to write at 1^st century AD. In the background, the followers had the realistic thinking. They reclaimed wasteland, spread their agricultural land, had done irrigation works from a far way. Or another they had traded with the abroad countries by carrying on a ship. Thus, they did not like to understand ‘sunya’ as for nihility. It can be to say that they had positive thinking.

Rupa : All things are namely Sunya. It is not what become ‘sunya’ after rupa annihilated.  “The Vimalakirti Sutra”the 9^th roll

When “Hannya Shin Sutra” made an appearance was later period than ” Vimalakirti Sutra”. And it means as well as ‘sunya’ and the purport of ‘Taking middle way’ in Buddha‘s first sermon means it as well. The teaching of ‘sunya’ need taking actually. It always becomes unrealistically if we write characters. It happens nothing sensation of reality if we think by our brain. Keeping on calm about our heart and body, be faith with our hands put flat together in prayer. Zazen and faith are the purpose that leaving our obsessions. The teaching of Mahayana Buddhism is that let us reach to Buddha’s enlightenment to ride on the large ship with be cooperate monks and followers together.

 

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作務

◯作務

中国に仏教が伝わったのは2世紀ごろです。中国仏教はインドからの経典を翻訳することが中心でしたが、禅宗が独立した寺をもつようになり弟子たちの数が多くなると、彼らはインドのように信者さんたちのまかないだけで生活をすることは困難になりました。特に禅宗の僧侶たちは荒れ地を開墾し、農作業をするようになりました。粟や麦を植え、収穫し、脱穀して粉に引き、調理するという作業が必要になり現実主義へと変化しました。

作務という言葉が初めて見えるのは六祖慧能（638～713）の語録『六祖檀経』です。そのころになると禅宗において作務は、修行としての大切な教義として発展しました。

慧能は五祖法演禅師のもとで坐禅修行をしたのではありません。数百人の修行僧をまかなうために毎日、納屋で粉ひきをしていました。ある日、法演禅師が後継者を決めるので、修行者はそれぞれ漢詩を作ってもってくるようにと伝えました。ここでは詳しいその内容は省きますが、そのとき慧能の漢詩が認められて後継者に指名されました。慧能は宗教的天才でしょう。ここで大切なのは、坐禅だけが坐禅ではないということです。あえて言うならば、自我を滅して相手と一つになる修行は坐禅だけではなく、作務も同じだということです。

道元禅師が船で唐に渡たったとき、港の市場で日本産のシイタケを買いに来た雲水に出あいました。

道元はその雲水にたずねました。

「あなたはどうしてここにいるのですか。修行者ならどうして寺で参禅しないのですか」と。

雲水は答えました。

　「参禅だけが修行ではない。典座（煮炊き）の仕事も大切な修行である。あなたは禅修行において何が重要か分かっていない」と。

　道元はこのとき大いに反省し、帰国してから修行の規則などを決めるにあたって作務の重要性はもちろんのこと、典座役を重要な役目としました。この伝統は現在も禅の各宗派に受けつがれています。