The Sunday school teachers of my Southern Baptist upbringing instructed me on how to study the Bible as if it were a secret code. Despite the fact that here were presented words and phrases handed down from the most ancient of times, I was supposed to interpret them all as if they composed a personal letter from god directly unto me. Never was I in any way urged to narrow the scope of my understanding in accordance with its historical perspective. In fact, this approach was actively discouraged. I felt they expected that I should acquire the intuition to pick up on any verse at random, and employ it as a template through which to view whatever item of current affairs had just unfolded in the news. Many a Sunday examples were cited; but whenever I went back to read the text in its entirety, no such abstract connotations were in any way evident. Such were a few from among the many and varied seeds of my early scepticism.
The above-described method of study is one which I have assiduously striven to avoid with respect to the Dharma as taught by Buddha. Never do I ask myself, What is Buddha saying to me? Rather I ask, Whom was Buddha addressing on this particular, specific occasion? Who were they? What was their background? My first question is never, How does this teaching apply to me? That is the question which I ask myself last. Many seeming inconsistencies are put in order via this format.
To me the Dharma is like a puzzle. When I am troubled by the color and pattern of the piece I hold in hand, gazing fixedly and too closely at that one piece will seldom add to my understanding. Such intensity only serves to blur my focus. I have rather to hold it at arm’s length against the background of all those pieces already assembled. Only then can I possibly hope to fit it in. Somewhere I will locate its proper place. I must settle down and exert myself in the Perfection of Patience. This is how my own efforts are best rewarded.
For example: let us not say to ourselves, in regard to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, These are the Master’s earliest teachings and therefor not so very profound. Let us not think that we may disregard them in preference to every later teaching. Let us specifically not put them out of mind while we sit in meditation.
Rather let us ask ourselves, To whom did Lord Buddha choose to first impart this teaching? Only now do we have the matter neatly fitted into the framework of its proper context. The Awakened One very specifically elected to first transmit these most especial dharmas to those five ascetics with whom he had already engaged in a strict course of severe austerities for six long and grueling years. These austerities comprised four categories, one of which was to sit unmoving in ridged posture with the teeth set and the tongue pressed against the palate, there to remain for hours on end, all the time enforcing an utterly dire concentration upon the mind.
In view of this, let us now consider anew: why did Buddha deem it necessary to travel on foot the whole long way from Boddh Gaya to the Deer Park in Benares (a distance of 130 miles) to especially seek out just these five? And further: if these dharmas are merely the introduction to other more profound understandings, then why could he not also impart them to everyone whom he chanced to meet along the way? One answer alone strikes me as plausible, somewhat startling though it may be. Among all of those yet alive throughout the length and breadth of India, these five were most ready. With them the ground work had already been laid. These five had no need of any instruction on how to meditate. Each had long since distinguished himself famously as an accomplished master of the technique. Even so, not one had yet attained to their goal. Despite their unquestionably formidable efforts, none had penetrated into deeper meaning. They knew very well how to meditate. What they lacked was something to properly meditate upon. This is what the Lord conveyed to them. To these five, the Eightfold Path, Four Noble Truths and Twelvefold Chain were not first steps. They were the final and most crucial steps.
But as for myself, I am no sage, and for me the import of these teachings from the first turning of the Wheel of Dharma catalyzes only small effect. Still, I may not wisely overlook them in favor of other more invigorating practices. As I progress on the Path to Enlightenment, the Four Noble Truths, when fully absorbed should impart an iron motivation; and the Eightfold Path will surely communicate a clear directive on how to tread and in which direction. I regard the latter a recipe, a clear and simple to-do list. For me it poses a far more positive inspiration than ever did my former regard for a certain roughly parallel compendium of specific do-nots.
Let us therefor strive to keep ourselves ever mindful of the example posed by those five initial converts to Bubbhadharma, for whom mere mastery of meditative techniques divorced from their clear and proper context afforded no enlightenment whatsoever; and how, once the Awakened One had provided this context, only in that moment did they too awaken. It seems to me that here is a lesson for one and all.
Now some might feel that perhaps I overstep the scriptures. That would be ill karma indeed. In fear of this I have sought briefly among relevant verses from the Lalitavistara Sutra*, a much esteemed Mahayana text. Most passages, I admit, touch only tangentally upon this theme. But others I find to be more direct. One especially catches my attention, partly for its brevity. I here cite from the twenty-sixth chapter, entitled Turning the Wheel of the Dharma:
“O monks, concerning this Teaching not heard before, by practicing the path which leads to the cessation of suffering, I produced knowledge, vision, and realization; I produced abundant knowledge, deep humility, and wisdom — and light came forth.
“O monks, in this way, I set my mind on the Four Noble Truths, repeating this three times until I had produced true comprenhension of this twelvefold cycle.
“O monks, I did not declare that I had accomplished Buddhahood, which is perfect, complete, and unexcelled Enlightenment, until I had repeated the Four Noble Truths three times and had gained true comprenhension of the twelve aspects. When I arrived at knowledge, then I attained the truly balanced liberation of wisdom. Having manifested the truly unswerving liberation of wisdom, then O monks, I made this declaration: ‘I have attained the perfect and complete Enlightenment of a Buddha...’ ”
Thus do I conclude by suggesting that hardly ought we presume to dismiss any part of the Eightfold Path for being merely elementary. Should any do so, they will have missed an essential point, perhaps to steer far aslant from the final goal.
* The Voice of the Buddha: The Beauty of Compassion, Volumes I & II; Dharma Publishing, Tibetan translation series, ISBN 0-913546-86-0 (pbk. : v. 1) & ISBN 0-913546-87-9 (pbk. : v. 2)