Preface

This book was written in Thailand where I lived for some years. When I got to know the Thai people, I was impressed by their generosity. In Thailand one meets many people who do not set a limit to their generosity, be they rich or poor, and one is inspired to be more generous oneself. When one meets the Thais one notices their sincerity, their tolerance and their wise attitude towards the problems of life. I was also impressed by the earnestness and dedication of the monks who lead a life of simplicity, “contented with little”, and who try to realize the Buddhist teachings in their daily lives. When I visited the temples in Thailand, I saw Buddhism being lived in daily life.

And so, I wanted to study Buddhism. We are inclined to think that Buddhism is only a religion for people living in an oriental culture, but when we learn more about it, we see that it is completely different from what we first thought. We learn that it is in fact a “way of life” which makes for the well-being and happiness of all people, no matter what their nationality.

Through the study of the Buddha’s teachings, which are also called the “Dhamma”, we learn to develop the wisdom which leads to detachment from the “self” and finally to the eradication of greed, hatred and ignorance. When there is less attachment in our life, there is more room for unselfish loving kindness (mettā) and compassion (karuṇā) for all living beings.

The way one has to follow in order to develop this wisdom is the “eightfold Path”. Through the development of the eightfold Path we come to know better the phenomena within and around ourselves; these phenomena can be experienced through the six doorways of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body-sense and mind. They are continually susceptible to change and they are impermanent. What we take for “I” or “self“ all the time does not exist; there are only phenomena which arise and fall away again.

In Thailand I experienced that “to reside in a suitable location is the greatest blessing” (Mahā-Maṅgala Sutta). Thailand was the country where I met the “wise person” who helped me to understand the Buddhist teachings and who showed me the way to develop the eightfold Path. It is a great blessing to live in a country where Buddhism is taught and practised so that one can acquire not only theoretical knowledge of Buddhism, but also the way leading to the realization of the Buddha’s teachings in daily life.

The Buddha, who attained enlightenment and who had clear comprehension of everything which is real, left us his teachings which are now in the form of the Tipiṭaka (three “baskets”), the three parts of the Buddhist scriptures, consisting of the Vinaya, the Book of Discipline for the monks, the Suttanta, Discourses, and the Abhidhamma, the “higher teachings” or exposition of realities in detail. The Buddhist teachings themselves should be our guide in the practice. Some people want to apply themselves to “meditation” immediately without first studying the teachings and thus they do not know which result their way of mental development will bring. The Buddhist teachings are so subtle; one needs to study them thoroughly and to consider them carefully in order to understand what the Buddha taught about mental development. Mental development includes both the development of calm (samatha) and the development of insight (vipassanā), but they each have a different way of practice and a different result. If one does not follow the Buddha’s way, but follows rather one’s own or someone else’s way, one cannot reach the goal.

In this book I do not pretend to give a complete outline of the Buddha’s teachings. My purpose is to draw the reader to the Buddhist scriptures themselves and to the practice in accordance with the teachings. I want to ask the reader to read this book with discrimination and to investigate for himself or herself what the Buddhist scriptures say. By our own practice we can prove whether the way we follow is the right one for the goal we have chosen. If we intend to develop insight, vipassanā, the result should be that we gain more understanding of the realities which appear at the present moment through the five senses and the mind, and less clinging to the concept of “self”. In the final analysis, the reader will have to find out for himself and to decide for himself about the path he wants to follow in his life.

I feel deep gratitude to Miss Sujin Boriharnwanaket who helped me to understand the Buddhist teachings and who showed me the way to develop vipassanā in daily life. The writing of this book would not have been possible without her help and valuable advice.

Buddhism in Daily Life originated from a compilation of lectures for a Buddhist radio programme in English which were printed and reprinted in Thailand several times. Formerly this book was printed in two volumes with the titles Buddhist Outlook on Daily Life (now Part I) and Mental Development in Daily Life (now Part II). Jonathan Abbot and Susie Whitmore were of great assistance in preparing the text of these two volumes. This present edition has been reprinted in England after there were some requests from English people. I want to acknowledge my appreciation to the “Dhamma Study and Propagation Foundation”; to the sponsors of the printing of this edition, Asoka Jayasundera and family, Anura Perrera and family and Laksham Perera and family; and to the publisher Alan Weller. Thanks to their assistance the reprinting of this book has been made possible. I wrote Buddhism in Daily Life a long time ago and I have since written Abhidhamma in Daily Life, The World in the Buddhist Sense, and The Buddha’s Path. The last book gives a more complete outline of the Buddha’s teachings for people in Western countries who may not have had an opportunity to study Buddhism and who may find it difficult to grasp the core of the teachings. Buddhism in Daily Life reflects my own experiences when I first came into contact with Buddhism in Thailand and became deeply impressed by the Buddha’s teachings.

For the quotations from the Buddhist scriptures, I have used mostly the English translation of the Pāli Text Society(1). For the quotations from the Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga), I have used the translation by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli (Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1964). The Path of Purification is an Encyclopedia on Buddhism which is a compilation of ancient commentarial material arranged by the commentator Buddhaghosa in the fifth century A.D.

The chapters which I wrote in the form of question and answer were inspired by real questions posed by people who were confronted with many problems in the practice of vipassanā. They were posed by myself as well. I found from my own experience that the practice of vipassanā is very subtle; that the clinging to the notion of “self” and the desire for results can easily lead us astray, that they can cause us to follow the wrong path instead of the right path.

When I wrote Buddhism in Daily Life I thought of the many people who want to know the truth about themselves. I find Dhamma the greatest blessing in life and I want to share with others what I learnt from the Buddhist teachings and from the practice of the Dhamma in daily life. I hope that this book can help others to find the Path that leads to real peace.

May the Dhamma be the greatest blessing in our lives,

Nina van Gorkom