Brahmajala Sutta
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The Brahmajala Sutta is the first sutta of 34 suttas in Digha Nikaya, the Long Discourses of Buddha. The name of the Sutta is inferred from the word 'Brahma' meaning the Perfect Wisdom, and 'Jala' meaning the 'Net-which-embraced-all-views'. This sutta is also called: Atthajala (the Net of Essence), Dhammajala, (the Net of the Dhamma), Ditthijala (the Net of Views), Anuttarasangama Vijaya (Incomparable Victory in Battle).
This Sutta discusses about two main topics: the First is the elaboration of Ten Precepts (Cula-sila), Middle Precepts (Majjhima-sila), and Maha-sila. Cula-sila deals with the Ten Precepts which should be practised by devout buddhists, while Majjhima-sila deals with the detailed description on the practice of sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth precepts, added with the practise of plant conservation and the etiquette of speech.
The Second and the Third part of the sutta discuss about 62 beliefs (ditthi) which are devoutly practised by the ascetics in India. These sixty-two beliefs are divided into: 18 beliefs related on the Past (Pubbantanuditthino), and 44 beliefs about the Future (Aparantakappika).
Many of these beliefs are still up-to-date existent in this world and thus the sutta provides buddhists scholars with much information and recollections to ponder upon about the posit of Buddha's teachings.
The elaboration on these beliefs are very detailed, focusing on how the beliefs (faiths) come to conclusion and the way they are described and declared. The elaboration ends with Buddha's statement about the danger of clinging on these beliefs, as they are still influenced by the desire (lobha), hatred (dosa), and ignorance (moha) that its faithful followers will not end in the final liberation but still in the cycle of samsara. The believers of these faiths are compared to the small fish in the pond which will be captured by fine Net no matter how they want to escape. But those who see reality as it is are beyond the net of samsara.
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[edit] Beginning
The Sutta starts when Buddha was travelling with his disciples between the city of Rajagaha and Nalanda. At the same time, a brahmin called Suppiya, with his young apprentice, Brahmadatta, were also travelling in the same direction, tailing Sangha's convoy. Suppiya uttered some insulting words about Buddha, his teachings, and his disciples. But, Brahmadatta praised and revered Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. They kept debating even until they arrived at King's resting place in Ambalatthika.
Hearing this conversation, some monks discussed about the nature of conflicting student and teacher in the next morning. They wondered how marvellous it was that Buddha knew the various kind of views which happened in people. The Buddha came and asked what they were discussing. As the monk finished telling him, Buddha responded, "Monks, if anyone spoke words which insult me, Dhamma, and Sangha; don't let this thing prompt you to hate, take revenge, and turn against them. If because of this you become angry or annoyed, then it will become an obstacle in your quest to liberate yourself, and cause you to be upset and angry. But if someone speak insulting or wrong accussations about me, Dhamma, and Sangha, then you should state which is wrong and point out the mistake by explaining that because of this proof and that, then that is not true, or it is not like that, that kind of thing is not us, or occurring in us.".
"But if someone praise me, Dhamma, or Sangha; don't let this thing make you feel proud, joyful, and happy. If you act like that, then it will become an obstacle in your effort to achieve your own final liberation. If someone speak like that, you should state which is right and show the fact by saying: 'Based upon this and that fact, it is indeed so; that thing is indeed exist in us, or true it is us.' Even only due to small matters, worthless, or even due to the Precepts (Sila)."
[edit] Precepts
In the First Part, Buddha elaborates precepts which made people praise him or the Sangha as worthy of reverrence. The list of Buddha's Higher Precepts are categorized like this:
[edit] Cula Sila
- 1. Abstain from taking another creature's life, weapon, violence.
- 2. Abstain from taking things which were not given.
- 3. Live soberly, holy, and honest.
- 4. Abstain from sexual relationship.
- 5. Not lying.
- 6. Speak only the truth, believeable and reliable, and never contradicting his own words
- 7. Abstain from slandering,
- 8. promote, speak, and love union (harmony) and not division (conflicts)
- 9. not speaking rough, insulting words.
- 10. speaking polite, likeable, exact, the right words and able to make people's heart joyful.
- 10.not wasting idle time, gossipping,
- 11.discussing about the Dhamma and Vinaya on the right time
- 12.discussing in clear, detailed, and understandable words
[edit] Majjhima Sila
- 13.abstain from hurting the seeds, plants, roots, branches, cheating, trading, slavery, forgery, bribery, and criminal conducts
- 14.abstain from hoarding foods, drinks, clothes (robes), beddings, perfumes, spices, and other tools
- 15.taking meal once a day,
- 16.abstain from watching shows (dances, exhibitions, matches, music performances, parade, etc)
- 17.abstain from playing games (card games, board games, dices, game of chance, racing game, acrobatics, word games, etc)
- 18.abstain from using luxurious furniture and beddings
- 19.abstain from using cosmetics, make-up, fancy and luxurious clothes (robes),
- 20.abstain from discussion about people, politicians, criminals, terrors, food and beverages, clothings, places, families, cities, wars and battles, heroes, ghosts, street rumors, speculation on how the world is created, or about existence and non-existence
- 21.abstain from accusing or denying or goading or challenging (i.e: 'I practised this Dhamma devoutly but you don't!' or 'What you utter is old rubbish' or 'You are wrong!' or 'Free yourself if you can!)
- 22.abstain from being courier or messengers of politicians or higher administrations
- 23.abstain from deceiving lay people by uttering spells to exorcise demon or make someone's fortunate, acting like a holy person by reciting mantras
[edit] Maha Sila
- 24.abstain from earning money from fortune-telling, divination, clairvoyance, exorcism, conjuring, magic tricks, spell, making medicine and herbs, healing people, leading/conducting ceremonies in order to gain something (wealth, fertility, etc)
[edit] Eighteen beliefs about the past
In the second part, Buddha explains about the major beliefs of the ascetics in India. He began by saying, "Monks, there are other things which is very deep (profound), very hard to understand, very difficult to perceive, so holy and sacred, unreached by means of mind, so subtle, that only understood and experienced by the wise. These things had been perceived clearly, seen clearly and had been left by Tathagata, and by this act based on the truth that people praise and revered Tathagatha. What are those things?"
[edit] Eternalistic belief
Eternalism is described in this sutta as the belief which is based upon the Past, and believes that the Universe (loka) and Soul or Self (attha) is eternal as 'rock mountain or strong-fastened pole'. The World doesn't create new Souls and therefore, the Souls are living in eternal cycle of death and rebirth, only differed in name, location, and time. These kind of beliefs come from four origins:
- a. Some ascetics and brahmins who have reached high level of meditation; due to this achievement, they could remember their past-lives from one till tens of thousands of past-lives.
- b. Some ascetics and brahmins who have reached the spiritual achievements which provided them access to memory of Earth's evolutionary process from one till 10 times Earth's formation and destruction process.
- c. the ascetics and brahmins who managed to recall the Earth's evolutionary process from ten to forty times.
- . (from a-c) Here, they recalled how they had name, family, heirs, food, joy and sadness, then death and rebirth in their past-lives. Based on their experience, they concluded that the Universe and the Soul must be Eternal.
- d. the ascetics and brahmins who use logic and inferrence and come to the conclusion that the Soul and Universe are eternal.
Buddha said that there were 18 types of Eternalistic belief, all based on one of these four thoughts. All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
[edit] Semi-eternalistic belief
The Semi-Eternalism Belief is described as belief that is based on the Past, where they assert Duality beliefs that there are things which are Eternal and there are things which are not Eternal. There are four ways these belief come to be faith, where one believer never acknowledged the other beliefs:
Buddha told a story about a time when the Earth was not formed, yet. The sentient beings in this time, normally lived in the realm of Abhassara, in radiant light and nourished by celestial joy. Then come a time when the Earth was in forming process yet still unhabitable. One of these beings in Abhassara realm died (due to the exhaustion of his karma) and born in the higher realm called the Brahma realm and lived in the palace there, alone. Of living alone for so long time, the being grew in distress and longed for a companion.
He then uttered, "O, let it be that another being come here and accompany me." At the same time as the wish, a being in the Abhassara realm died (due to the exhaustion of his good karma) and was reborn in the Brahma realm as his follower, but in many ways, similar to his feature.
Seeing this happen, come to the mind of the Brahma being this thought, "I am Brahma, Mahābrahmā, the Almighty, Omniscient, the Lord of All, Creator, Master for all creatures. I am the soure of all life, Father to everything which exists and will come to exist. These creatures are my creations. Why can I conclude this? because as I was just thinking, "Let it be that another being come here and accompany me", then my wish made the beings spawn to existence."
The beings which came after thought the same thing. They worshipped and revered the Brahma because, "He had been there even before I existed! Surely he was the Lord and Creator of All." In the Brahma realm, the first being had longer and more powerful features than the latter coming beings. So, a probability exist that the latter beings died in the Brahma realm, and then was reborn as a human. This human abandoned the wordly affairs and became an ascetics, then by his devotion and practice, he had achieved the power to remember his one past life. As he recalled so, he came to a conclusion that the creatures, including himself are not eternal, had limited age, vulnerable to changes, but Brahma is eternal, ageless, and changeless.
The second semi-eternalistic belief came from ascetics who were once a Khiddapadosika gods. They were once celestial gods who were too busy to experience desire-based joy and fun, that they forgot to take their nutriments and therefore, died. As they were reborn as ascetics and achieved the ability to remember their past life, they came to a conclusion which somehow analogous to the 'Fall from Grace', "If only we are not too greedy and overzealous in our previous life, if only we could control ourselves, we would not have suffered death. Now that we had made such error, we had to suffer this mortal life." Here, they concluded that the gods were eternal, and the others were not.
The third semi-eternalistic belief came from Manopadosika gods. They were the gods who always envied the other gods. This illness of mind caused their death. In the same cycle, the reincarnated as ascetic Manopadosika gods, if achieved the ability to remember their past life, would come to the conclusion, "Had we not been envious, we would stay strong and intelligent. We would never die or fall from the realm of gods forever."
The fourth semi-eternalistic belief is based on the logic and reflection on mind. The people who embraced this belief concluded their faith based on their thoughts and logics as follow: "Here is what is called (Atta) of eyes, nose, tongue, and our physical body, which are always changed. But, there are Atta of mind mind: the state of mind, awareness of 'Atta' which is eternal."
All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
[edit] The Universe
The beliefs on Universe is based on the speculation about the infiniteness or the limitedness nature of the Universe. There are four ways these beliefs were expressed:
- 1. The world is Infinite
- 2. The world is Limited
- 3. The world is horizontally limited but vertically unlimited
- 4. Neither the world is Infinite or Limited, nor the world is not Infinite nor Limited.
The source of these beliefs came from two reasons:
- 1.The frame of mind which formed these belief came from the object of focus of meditation taken by the ascetics who managed to reach a deep level of meditation and came to the conclusion that the world is Infinite (if he used Infinity as the object of meditation), or Limited (If he imaged the Object of his focus as Limited, etc)
- 2.The people who used logic and thoughts and concluded that the world must be neither infinite nor limited but also neither not infinite nor NOT limited.
All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
[edit] Ambiguous beliefs
The ambiguous views/beliefs/faiths were basically purportedly indecisive (ambiguous) declarations on anything the believer wasn't sure of (or lack knowledge) about something, which they avoid answering in order to avoid mistake or criticism. They even sometimes talk so elaboratively that it confused their audience. For example, if an ambiguous believers were asked, "What is the meaning of merit and demerit?"
They would respond (please follow closely the circuitous logic they played here), "I do not understand correctly what is merit or what is demerit. If I were to say what is merit, without really understanding it as being merit, or what is demerit, without really under standing it as being demerit, I may be stating a falsehood. This false statement of mine would cause me distress. Such distress might be harmful to me." (1) In order to avoid distress (which will hinder the path of self liberation) of being mistaken or criticised, they chose the path of not stating anything. So he would state, "I will not state this, nor I'm not saying that. I'm not stating a difference of opinion. I am not rejecting you opinion and I'm not stating this and that." This was one of four belief of how ambiguisms came to exist.
The second belief was similar. The difference was that they were afraid that the distress, pleasure, disappointment, of being either agreed nor rejected would cling on them and hinder them from their path of self-liberation. Thus, they avoided to answer.
The third belief was similar. The difference was that in this case, they were afraid of able scholars, experts in debate, skill tongued ascetics, which will lure them into a question, and when they answered they would attack him till he lost. This lost would yield a great regret and grief, and they feared that it would hinder their path of salvation.
The fourth belief was based on the folly and the ignorance of the Brahmins or the ascetics. Therefore, whenever they were asked a question, they would answer it in elusive and confusing way. "If I were asked, 'Is there another world?' and if I took it that there is, I should answer, 'There is another world'. But I would not say this way, nor that way, nor the other way; neither would I say not this way, not that way, not, the other way; nor would I say otherwise." (1)
All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
[edit] Non-causality beliefs
The Non-causality beliefs stated that the Universe and the Souls happened coincidentally. They proponent of these believes that there was/were no reason/s behind the creation of Universe and the Identity/Self.
These beliefs were expressed because of two possibilities:
- 1 There were gods called assannasatta, which had only body and no mental will. The absence of mental will in this state was due to the nature of repressed thoughts, not the ultimate absence of thoughts. As they died in the god realm, there was a possibility that they were reborn as ascetics who achieved the ability to recall just one past life.
Here, they concluded upon their past life that, "Before this, there were no Atta and Loka. So, the Atta and Loka were created without a cause. They simply arise spontaneously. Why do I deem so? Because I wasn't exist and now I exist."
- 2. The ascetics who based their thoughts on logic and thinkings, and concluded that the Soul and the Universe happened without a cause.
All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
[edit] Forty-four beliefs about the future
There are ascetics who based their beliefs on the future. The proponents of one of these beliefs, adhered that:
[edit] Perception's existence after death
- A.the perception still exists after death. The difference of beliefs were described that after death, the Atta:
- 1. possessed physical shape(rupa)
- 2. possessed no shape/immaterial (arupa)
- 3. both had physical shape some had not (rupa and arupa)
- 4. Infinite
- 5. Limited
- 6. Both Infinite and limited
- 7. neither Infinite nor Limited
- 8. had a certain form of consciousness
- 9. had several form of consciousness
- 10.had infinite consciousness
- 11.had limited consciousness
- 12.always in joy/blissful state
- 13.always in suffering state
- 14.Both in joy and suffering
- 15.neither joyful nor suffering
- B. the Perception vanished after death. The difference of beliefs were described that after death, the Atta was devoid of perception after dead but:
- 1. possessed physical shape (rupa)
- 2. possessed no physical shape (arupa)
- 3. Both had shape and no shape
- 4. Neither had shape nor had no shape
- 5. Limited
- 6. Unlimited
- 7. Both limited and unlimited
- 8. Neither limited nor infinite
- C. Neither there was Perception of No Perception after death. The difference of these beliefs were describe that after death, the Atta was neither devoid of perception nor non-perception, but:
- 1. possessed physical shape (rupa)
- 2. possessed no physical shape (arupa)
- 3. Both had shape and no shape
- 4. Neither had shape nor had no shape
- 5. Limited
- 6. Unlimited
- 7. Both limited and unlimited
- 8. Neither limited nor infinite
All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
[edit] Annihilation (nihilism) beliefs
The proponent of these beliefs declared that after death, existence simply vanished (Atta vanished). These beliefs were described in seven type of authorities and basis:
- 1. that the Atta was created from the union of father and mother's essence, comprised of four elements (dhatu) and on the death, these elements ceased to exist. By this manner, Atta become non-existent.
- 2. that not only the (1) but the physical-related desire of the celestial gods, who had physical shape and take nourishment, which also cease to exist after death.
- 3. that not only the (2), but the attha of Brahma gods, which were shaped of Jhanna mind, and faculties of senses which cease to exist after death.
- 4. that not only the (3), but also the attha which had transcended the concept of Infinity, where the perception of shape had been surpassed, the perception of contact between mind and object had vanished, not paying attention to major kinds of Perception, which cease to exist after death.
- 5. that not only the (4), but also the attha which had reached the Realm of Infinity of Consciousness.
- 6. that not only the (5), but also the attha which had reached Realm of Nothingness.
- 7. that not only the (6) but also the attha which had reached the realm of neither Perception nor Non-Perception.
All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
[edit] Five beliefs on attainable Nibbana
The proponents of these faiths proposed that Nibbana's state of bliss could be attained in the current life. They based their faith because:
- 1. The joy coming from the five senses can be enjoyed and attained thoroughly. So, the Nibbana could also be attained.
- 2. The joy from the five senses were vulnerable to change and mortal. But the joy from the attainment of the first Jhana (Dhyana) can be enjoyed and attained thoroughly. So, with the first Jhana, the Nibbana could also be attained.
- 3. ..... (same with No.2) but with Second Jhana....
- 4. ..... (same with No.3) but with Third Jhana...
- 5. ..... (same with No.4) but with Fourth Jhana. So, the Nibbana could also be attained.
All of the followers of these beliefs defended and clung on their faith and didn't believe in another faiths.
[edit] Buddha's conclusion
"The Tathagata knows these sixty-two views. He also knows the dhamma which surpasses them. Knowing that dhamma, he does not view it in the wrong way. Since he does not view it in the wrong way, he realizes by himself the extinction of defilements (i.e., greed, anger, and ignorance of the Four Ariya Truths).
Buddha finally concludes the exposition of these 'wrong' beliefs by stating that these (62) beliefs, if they are believed, will certainly cause agitations and cravings. It implies that the beliefs come to conclusion due to the inability to see the truth, as they are seized by craving (clinging), agitated by longing (feeling).
The Buddha further explains that the beliefs are originated from Contact (Phassa) as the cause. The contact is a phenomenon when the perception recognised an object beyond our Self. Then, from this brief (like lightning in the sky, Nagasena analogued in Milinda Panha) event, rise up feelings.
Buddha states that there are no possibilities of feeling without contact. Thus, according to the law of Twelve Related Chain of Cause and Effects (Pratitya-samutpada), the people who believes in one of many of these sixty-two beliefs, will end up in round cycle of sufferings; as they have not found the truth on the cease of sufferings. Due to their faith, they will experience feelings as a result of repeated contact through the six sense bases. In them feeling gives rise to craving; craving gives rise to clinging; clinging gives rise to current existence (upapatti bhava) and the kammic causal process (kamma bhava); the kammic causal process gives rise to rebirth; and rebirth gives rise to ageing, death, grief, lamentation, pain, distress and despair.
The Buddha states that Monks who have realized and understood the origin of contact of the six senses, and escaped the round of sufferings, would see Dhamma (Truth) of Precepts (Sila), Concentration (Samadhi) and Wisdom (Pańńa) which surpassed all the wrong beliefs.
The Buddha then takes an analogy of a fisherman using a fine-meshed net to catch the fish in the pond. The Buddha assumes the fish as the ascetics who clung on their beliefs, as they will rise and sink in the pond, but still in the end caught unavoidable by the net. Where as the Buddha, who stand outside the net has found the truth and ends the round cycle of sufferings.
Thus ends the Brahmajala Sutta with this quotation:
"When the Bhagava had delivered this discourse, the Venerable Ananda addressed him thus: "Marvellous indeed, Venerable Sir! Extraordinary indeed, Venerable Sir! What is the name of this exposition of the dhamma?"
"Ananda!" said the Bhagava, "Bear in mind that this exposition of the dhamma is called Atthajala, the Net of Essence, as well as Dhammajala, the Net of the Dhamma, as well as Brahmajala, the Net of Perfect Wisdom, as well as Ditthijala, the Net of Views, as well as Anuttarasangama Vijaya, the Incomparable Victory in Battle." Thus said the Bhagava.
