Dhamma Q&A with Students from Puget Sound University
Photo: Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives C00801
“Ajahn Buddhadasa has written that with the proper understanding of Dhamma language it’s possible to recognize the common message of all religions. How is it possible to convey this commonality using everyday language to religious zealots who do not seem to comprehend the Dhamma language of their own tradition?”
~ Response by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu ~
The answer is fairly obvious within the question itself that when religion, even in just one single religion, when the religion is taught to foolish people, or people who aren’t very intelligent, it’s necessary to use people language. However when the religion is taught to people who are sufficiently intelligent, then Dhamma language can be used. In speaking with the ordinary people, they don’t understand Dhamma language, and so people language is necessary. But when speaking to people who are genuinely intelligent, then they don’t want this kind of baby talk and they prefer things in Dhamma language.
A more clear way of saying this is, if one must speak to people who are still clinging to things as self, as being ‘me’ and ‘mine,’ then it’s necessary to speak in people language. But when speaking with people who aren’t attaching to things as self, or are attaching only a little bit, then one speaks in Dhamma language. If an arahant is speaking with another arahant, then she or he uses Dhamma language, but when the arahant speaks with, say, the children who look after the cows, then the arahant uses people language. We ought to study both kinds of language until we can speak both of them fluently, then our ability to communicate will be quite easy.
The problem of trying to point out to zealous people who are clinging to their own religious teachings quite strongly, to point out to them there’s something that all religions have the same purpose, this is very difficult. Because the understanding that all religions have the same purpose is in a rather profound Dhamma language, and so if they’re clinging very much to the people language of their own religion, they won’t be able to understand or accept it because it’s Dhamma language to see that all religions seek to free human beings from suffering, from pain, from dukkha. And although the methods of doing so differ, each religion has a way to go deeply into the human condition. To see this is a matter of Dhamma language, and the people who are clinging to people language won’t be able to understand.
For example, the word ‘God’ can be spoken in Dhamma language as well as in people language. God in people language is a personal god, a god with personal attributes, features, qualities. God in Dhamma language is impersonal, or non-personal. Some religions can speak of God in only one way, either in personal terms or solely in impersonal terms. Buddhism, however, can speak of God in either way depending on the needs of the situation. Buddhism can speak of both a personal god and an impersonal god. We should know how to speak in the right way according to time and place, the culture, the country, the era, and the situation.
In teaching people to understand material things – or in a material kind of way – one uses people language. But in teaching people to understand the mind and heart, one must speak in Dhamma language. If you’re going to introduce somebody in the ordinary way in terms of their appearance, their name, and things like this, we speak in people language. But if you were to introduce someone in terms of the reality in their heart, then one must speak in Dhamma language.
In people language we speak through conventions, we speak in terms of conventions. In Dhamma language we speak in terms of the truth, in terms of truth which need not be assumed or which doesn’t depend on conventions. In short, to study and understand any religion well, or to teach a religion well, one must understand it, one must be able to speak in both people language and Dhamma language.
(From Dhamma Questions & Answers with students from Puget Sound University, State of Washington, USA as translated from the Thai by Santikaro)
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Dhamma Questions & Responses sessions were offered by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu in 1990-1991 to foreign meditators attending Suan Mokkh International Dharma Hermitage courses.
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