Exchanging Dhamma While Fighting ❖ รบกันพลางแลกธรรมกันพลาง
~ By Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu ~
MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN RELIGIONS Series No. 10
Friends in birth, old age, suffering and death, both members and non-members of the W.F.B.
Our world nowadays has fallen into the whirlpool of danger, so much so that we inevitably have to solve the problems arising from this situation by the method of ‘exchanging Dhamma while fighting’. But those who are fighting have never realised this truth and they may not even be ready to listen to it. This is the point I have taken here to complain about. When things are like this what should we do? This is the point that I want to present for discussion.
Here even among us Buddhists some may doubt, “Why should we play a leading role in all the affairs of the people in the whole world? Let us be only interested in our own internal Buddhist affairs. Would not this be more proper?”
If there is anyone who thinks like this then please let him recollect the words of the Buddha who says: “The Tathagata is born in the world for the happiness of all beings, including gods and men.” (BHAYABHERAVA- SUTTA, MOLAPANNASA, MAJJHIMA - NIKAYA)
Again, he says: “The Dhamma and Vinaya of the Tathagata is present in the world for the happiness of the world including gods and men.” (CATUKKA- NIPATA, ANGUTTARA-NIKAYA.) Moreover, when the Buddha sent the first group of monks out to spread the teaching, He emphasized this as well saying, “Go you forth, Oh Bhikkhus to preach the divine life for the benefit and happiness of the world, including gods and men.” (MAHAVAGGA, VINAY AP1TAKA.)
That He said repeatedly “the world including gods and men” shows that he aimed for the benefit of the whole world and recommended us to do everything for the world as a whole as well. This means that he placed the whole world in our care both directly and indirectly. Thus, how would it be possible for us to be absorbed only in the limited sphere of internal Buddhist affairs? It is proper for us to sacrifice ourselves to play a leading role in the affairs of the whole world as the Buddha intended us to do. I sincerely feel that this matter should be discussed in this gathering of Buddhists under the leadership of the W.F.B. Therefore, we should further consider the present state of the world.
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