G.A. SOMARATNE, PhD (Northwestern University), is Assistant Professor in Buddhist Studies at the Centre of Buddhist Studies, the University of Hong Kong (HKU).
關鍵詞
Aging and Death; Nibbāna; Arahat; Early Buddhism; Existential Suffering
摘要
In Early Buddhism, birth, aging and death are characterized as the three main existential sufferings of the worldly person, not of the perfected saint. What the worldly person conceives as birth, aging and death of an “I,” the perfected saint perceives as (dependently) arising, change and ceasing of the five-clinging-bundles: matter, feeling, perception, determinations and consciousness. In this paper, an attempt is made to examine early Buddhist discourses to understand the doctrinal explanation of why the worldly person conceives birth, aging and death whereas perfected saint perceives arising, change and ceasing. The examination of these discourses leads to the following conclusion: Because the worldly person conceives of an “I” and holds on to it as “this is mine,” “this am I” or “this is my self ” what he or she conceives as birth, aging and death is of this “I” or “self.” And because the perfected saint has removed the conceit “I am” as well as the “self-view” from the experiential structure, he or she perceives (dependently) arising, change and ceasing, without conceiving of birth, aging and death of an “I” or “self;” thus, birth, aging and death constitute the unenlightened way of looking at life or one’s experiential world; arising, change and ceasing constitute the enlightened way of looking at life or one’s experiential world. The former determines suffering. The latter produces peace and happiness.
目次
Abstract Introduction 117 From Three Characteristics to Three Sufferings 117 Taking of Change and Alteration as Aging of “I” 121 Weakening Faculties and Growing Desires 125 Does an Arahat age? 127 Sufferings of Birth and Death 131 An Arahat’s Experience 134 Conclusion 138 References 144
