Buddhist Perspective on the Development of Social Welfare
by Ashin Indacara | 2011 | 61,386 words
This page relates 鈥楤alance or Equilibrium鈥� of the study on the Buddhist perspective on the development of Social Welfare, employing primarily the concepts of Utthana-sampada (persistent effort) and Arakkha-sampada (watchfulness). Based on the teachings of the Buddha in the Dighajanu Sutta and other canonical texts, this essay emphasizes the importance of effort, knowledge, and good karma in achieving social welfare.
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25. Balance or Equilibrium
[Full title: 25. Balance or Equilibrium between 痴墨谤颈测补 and 厂补尘腻诲丑颈, 厂补诲诲丑腻 and 笔补帽帽腻; Sati]
There is something to be said pertaining to 蝉补诲诲丑腻, 惫墨谤颈测补, sati, 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈 and 辫补帽帽腻. It is dealt with the balanced or equilibrium between these five factors. It can be seen in the elucidation of Mah膩satipa峁弓h膩na Sutta in the second commentary of Majjhima Nik膩ya. If one of these five is stronger than the rest of others, the rest of four are weak and they are not capable of doing their work. It means that if 蝉补诲诲丑腻 is stronger than others, at that time, the energy (惫墨谤颈测补) becomes weak.
Especially, if 蝉补诲诲丑腻 (faith) is strong, wisdom has become weak. At that time, one comes to believe in wrong view. In other words, he accepts wrong belief. That is because his knowledge or wisdom is weak. He could not judge what is right or wrong. He believes everything because he does not have right knowledge. It is very dangerous for that person who has easy or false faith.
Again, if 辫补帽帽腻 (knowledge) is in extreme, 蝉补诲诲丑腻 is weak. At that time, he believes nothing because he investigates, enquires and experiments everything. It is hard to believe or accept everything for the person whose knowledge is in extreme. At that time, he can become a fraudulent and deceitful person. Belief in nothing is also very dangerous for that one. A saying goes 鈥楾oo much knowledge makes a fool.鈥� Too much knowledge is as dangerous as too much belief. That is why one must have the balance of 蝉补诲诲丑腻 and 辫补帽帽腻.
In the same way, 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈 (concentration) and 惫墨谤测补 (effort) must be balance or in equilibrium. If concentration is in extreme, effort or diligence is weak. At that time, one鈥檚 mind becomes idleness, sloth and torpor because the opposite of effort is idleness, torpor and indolence (thina and middha). Again, if effort or diligence is in extreme, concentration is weak. At that time, one鈥檚 mind is restless, not stable in one object because the opposite of concentration is the restlessness (uddhacca). However, sati (mindfulness) is never extreme and it is always needed for everyone. Thus, 蝉补诲诲丑腻 and 辫补帽帽腻, and 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈 and 惫墨谤颈测补 must be balanced or must put in the equilibrium.[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
D.A. II, P. 377. S.A. III, P. 194. Visuddhimagga I, P. 126.