Buddhism evolved and developed around the teachings of the Buddha. It prospered and spread through the great personality of the founder himself, and he was assisted by a large and fast growing community of noble disciples who drew inspiration from his example of renunciation and self - sacrifice. After his death, his disciples took upon themselves the responsibility of carrying his teaching to even farther corners of Asia.
During his lifetime, the Blessed One gave a sermon on 2 levels. First, the mundane instruction for using the daily vocabulary in conventional truth for teaching the moral conduct in right livelihood, such as; human being, animal, parent, heaven, hell, sin, merit. Secondary, by using the supra mundane terms, to describe the ultimate truth in the highly doctrine, such as, matter and mind, feeling, perception, volitional activities, consciousness and vitality.
The Buddha's style of teaching is divided into 4 manners. Elucidation and verification, inspiration towards the goal, encouragement, and exhilaration. There has been a certain variation in the style in which it is observed. Despite man being the most trainable and educatable, according to the Buddhist concept, the Buddha himself explained the Dhamma in many different ways to best suit audience's spiritual maturity. Although the Buddha's style of teachings varied with place, occasion, situation and individual intellectual background of those who were listening to him, the content of his teachings would cover the same points and leads to the same goal. Thus we can see the characteristic of unity and coherence in all styles of the Buddha's teachings.
The Buddha's epistemological view in his teaching suggests 3 ways to develop wisdom; Cintamaya Panna is wisdom resulting form reflection or though. Sutamaya Panna is wisdom resulting from study and learning from others and Bhavanamaya Panna is wisdom resulting from mental development that is gained by practice.
The Buddhist epistemology can be found in the from of empiricism, rationalism and intuition as compared to standard western philosophy. Buddhism does not suggest clinging to faith, except the faith that will lead to wisdom. Dogma in any from is also anathema to Buddhism. Even the Buddha's own teaching is not to be taken at face value, but must be probed with one's own effort in the light of reason. This is made clear in his address to the Kalamas.
" Now look you, Kalamas. Do not be misled by report or tradition or hearsay. Do not be logic and inference, nor after considering reasons, nor after reflection on some view and approval of it, nor because it fits becoming, nor because the recluse ( who holds it ) is your teacher. But when you know for yourselves. These things are censured by the intelligence, these things, when performed and undertaken, conduce to loss and sorrow - then you reject them "
In short, the principle of relying on oneself is the essence of each individual's virtue, as the Buddha emphatically asserts in his last sermon, quoted from Mahaparinibhana Sutta as folow:
" Look - Ananda, Be islands unto yourselves. Be a refuge to yourselves; do not take to yourselves any other refuge. See truth as an island, see truth as a refuge. Do not seek refuge in anyone but yourselves... Work out your own salvation with diligence "
This is why the Buddha's teaching refute the following theories. (1) Determinist theory - whatever is experienced is due to past action. (2) The Theistic Determinist theory that - whatever is experienced is due to creation of God or Supreme Being. (3) The Accidental Inderterminist theory - whatever is experienced is uncaused and unconditioned. (4) The theory of Inefficacy in Action. (5) The View of Non - causality and (6) Nihilism. All of these six theories are not accepted and are to be regarded as wrong views or non - beliefs; according to the Buddhist concept.
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teachings
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