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DA'WAH TO BUDDHISTS by Dr. Zakir Naik I INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM: Gautama Buddha was the founder of
Buddhism. His original name was Siddharth (meaning one who has accomplished) .
He was also called Sakyamuni, i.e. the sage of the tribe of Sakya. He was born
in the year 563 B.C. in the According to legend, an
astrologer foretold his father, the king, that young Gautama would give up the
throne and luxury and renounce the world the day he would see four things (i)
an old man, (ii) a sick man, (iii) a diseased man and (iv) a dead man. Hence,
the king confined Gautama in a special palace which was provided with all
worldly pleasures. He was married at the age of sixteen to Yasoddhra. At the age of 29 after the birth
of his first son, Gautama on the same day saw an old man, a sick man, a
diseased man and a dead man. The impact of the dark side of life made him
renounce the world that same night and he left his wife and son and became a
penniless wanderer. He studied and practised Hindu
discipline initally, and later, Jainism. For several years he observed rigorous
fasting along with extreme self-mortification. On realising that tormenting his
body did not bring him closer to true wisdom, he resumed eating normally and
abandoned asceticism. At the age of 35, one evening as
he sat beneath a giant fig tree (Bodh tree), he felt that he had found the
solution to his problem and felt that he had attained enlightenment. Thus, he
came to be known as ‘Gautama’, ‘The Buddha’, or 'The Enlightened One'. Later, he spent 45 years in
preaching the truth that he felt he had discovered. He travelled from city to
city bare-footed, clean-headed, with nothing more on his self than his saffron
robe, walking stick and begging bowl. He died at the age of 80 in the year 483
BC. Buddhism is divided into two
sects viz. Hinayana and Mahayana. II BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES: Historical criticism has proved
that the original teachings of Buddha can never be known. It seems that Gautama
Buddha’s teachings were memorized by his disciples. After Buddha’s death a
council was held at Rajagaha so that the words of Buddha could be recited and
agreed upon.. There were differences of opinion and conflicting memories in the
council.. Opinion of Kayshapa and Ananda who were prominent disciples of Buddha
were given preference. A hundred years later, a second council at Vesali was
held. Only after 400 years, after the death of Buddha were his teachings and
doctrines written down. Little attention was paid regarding its authenticity,
genuineness and purity. Buddhist Scriptures can be
divided into Pali and Sanskrit Literature: A. Pali Literature :
The Pali literature was
monopolized by the Hinayana sect of Buddhism. Tri Pitaka The most important of all
Buddhist scriptures is the TRI-PITAKA which is in Pali text. It is supposed to
be the earliest recorded Buddhist literature which was written in the 1st
Century B.C. The TRI-PITAKA or Three Baskets
of law is composed of 3 books: 1. Vinaya Pitaka: ‘Rules of
Conduct’ is a book of discipline and mainly deals with rules of the
order. 2. Sutta Pitaka: ‘Discourses’
It is a collection of sermons and
discourses of Gautama Buddha and the incidents in his life. It is the most important
Pitaka and consists of five divisions known as Nikayas. Dhammapada is the most
famous Pali literature and contains aphorisms and short statements covering the
truth. 3. Abhidhamma: ‘Analysis of
Doctrine’ This third basket contains meta
physical doctrines and is known as Buddhist meta physicals. It is an analytical
and logical elaboration of the first two pitakas. It contains analysis and
exposition of Buddhist doctrine. B. Sanskrit Literature:
Sanskrit literature was preferred
by the Mahayana. Sanskrit literature has not been reduced to a collection or in
Cannon like the Pali literature. Thus much of the original Sanskrit literature
has been lost. Some were translated into other languages like Chinese and are
now being re-translated into Sanskrit. 1. Maha vastu: ‘Sublime Story’
Mahavastu is the most famous work
in Sanskrit which has been restored from its Chinese translation. It consists
of voluminous collection of legendary stories. 2. Lalitavistara
Lalitavistara is one of the
holiest of the Sanskrit literature. It belongs to the first century C.E., 500
years after the death of Buddha. It contains the miracles which the
superstition loving people have attributed to Buddha. III TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA: A. Noble Truths: The principal teachings of
Gautama Buddha can be summarised in what the Buddhists call the ‘Four Noble
Truths’: First – There is suffering and
misery in life . Second – The cause of this
suffering and misery is desire. Third – Suffering and misery can
be removed by removing desire. Fourth – Desire can be removed by
following the Eight Fold Path. B. The Noble Eight Fold
Path: (i) Right Views (ii) Right Thoughts (iii) Right Speech (iv) Right Actions (v) Right Livelihood (vi) Right Efforts (vii) Right Mindfulness (viii) Right Meditation C. Nirvana: Nirvana' literally means
"blowing out" or "extinction" . According to Buddhism, this
is the ultimate goal of life and can be described in various words. It is a
cessation of all sorrows, which can be achieved by removing desire by following
the Eight Fold Path. IV PHILOSOPHY OF
BUDDHISM IS SELF – CONTRADICTORY: As mentioned earlier, the main
teachings of Buddhism are summarized in the Four Noble Truths: (i) There is suffering and misery
in life. (ii) The cause of suffering and
misery is desire. (iii) Suffering and misery can be
removed by removing desire. (iv) Desire can be removed by
following the Eight Fold Path. This Philosophy of Buddhism is
self-contradictory or self-defeating because the third truth says ‘suffering
and misery can be removed by removing desire’ and the fourth truth says that
'desire can be removed by following the Eight Fold Path'. Now, for any person to follow
Buddhism he should first have the desire to follow the Four Noble Truths and
the Eight Fold Path. The Third great Noble Truth says that desire should be
removed. Once you remove desire, how can we follow the Fourth Noble truth i.e.
follow the Eight Fold Path unless we have a desire to follow the Eight Fold
Path. In short desire can only be removed by having a desire to follow the
Eight Fold Path. If you do not follow the Eight Fold Path, desire cannot be
removed. It is self contradicting as well as self-defeating to say that desire
will only be removed by continuously having a desire. V
CONCEPT OF GOD Buddha was silent about the
existence or non-existence of God. It may be that since Buddhism provided Dhamma or the
‘impersonal law’ in place of God. However this could not satisfy the craving of
human beings and the religion of self-help had to be converted into a religion
of promise and hope. The Hinayana sect could not hold out any promise of
external help to the people. The Mahayana sect taught that Buddha’s watchful
and compassionate eyes are on all miserable beings, thus making a God out of
Buddha. Many scholars consider the evolution of God within Buddhism as an
effect of Hinduism. Many Buddhists adopted the local
god and thus the religion of ‘No-God’ was transformed into the religion of
‘Many-Gods’ – big and small, strong and weak and male and female. The ‘Man-God’
appears on earth in human form and incarnates from time to time. Buddha was
against the caste-system prevalent in the Hindu society. VI MUHAMMAD (PBUH) IN BUDDHIST
SCRIPTURES: 1. Buddha prophesised the advent
of a Maitreya: A) Almost all Buddhist books
contain this prophecy. It is in Chakkavatti Sinhnad Suttanta D. III, 76: "There will arise in the
world a Buddha named Maitreya (the benevolent one) a holy one, a supreme one,
an enlightened one, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the
universe: "What he has realized by his
own supernatural knowledge he will publish to this universe. He will preach his
religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at its climax, glorious at the goal,
in the spirit and the letter. He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect
and thoroughly pure; even as I now preach my religion and a like life do
proclaim. He will keep up the society of monks numbering many thousands, even
as now I keep up a society of monks numbering many hundreds". B) According to Sacred Books of
the East volume 35 pg. 225: "It is said that I am not an
only Buddha upon whom the leadership and order is dependent. After me another
Buddha maitreya of such and such virtues will come. I am now the leader of
hundreds, he will be the leader of thousands." C) According to the Gospel of
Buddha by Carus pg. 217 and 218 (From "Ananda said to the Blessed
One, ‘Who shall teach us when thou art gone?' And the Blessed one replied, 'I
am not the first Buddha who came upon the earth nor shall I be the last. In due
time another Buddha will arise in the world, a holy one, a supremely
enlightened one, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the
universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of angels and mortals.. He
will reveal to you the same eternal truths, which I have taught you. He will
preach his religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at the climax and
glorious at the goal. He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and
pure such as I now proclaim. His disciples will number many thousands while
mine number many hundreds.' Ananda said, 'How shall we know
him?' The Blessed one replied, 'He will
be known as Maitreya'." (i) The Sanskrit word ‘Maitreya’
or its equivalent in Pali ‘Metteyya’ means loving, compassionate, merciful and
benevolent. It also means kindness and friendliness, sympathy, etc. One Arabic
word which is equivalent to all these words is ‘Rahmat’. In Surah
Al-Anbiya: "We sent thee not, but as a
mercy for all creatures." [Al-Qur’an 21:107] Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was
called the merciful, which is ‘Maitri’. (ii) The words Mercy and Merciful
are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an no less than 409 times. (iii) Every chapter of the
Glorious Qur’an, except Chapter 9, i.e. Surah Taubah begins with the beautiful
formula, 'Bismillah Hir-Rahman Nir-Rahim', which means 'In the name of Allah,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful'. (iv) The Word Muhammad is
also spelt as ‘Mahamet’ or ‘Mahomet’ and in various other ways in different
languages. The word ‘Maho’ or ‘Maha’ in Pali and Sanskrit mean Great and
Illustrious and ‘Metta’ means mercy. Therefore ‘Mahomet’ means ‘Great Mercy’.
2. Buddha’s doctrine was Esoteric
and Exoteric: According to Sacred Books of the
East, volume 11, pg. 36 Maha-Parinibbana Sutta chapter 2 verse 32: "I have preached the truth
without making any distinction between exoteric and esoteric doctrine, for in
respect of truths, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such thing as the closed fist
of a teacher, who keeps something back". Muhammad (pbuh) on the
commandment of Almighty God delivered the message and doctrine without making
any distinction between esoteric and exoteric. The Qur'an was recited in public
in the days of the Prophet and is being done so till date. The Prophet had
strictly forbidden the Muslims from hiding the doctrine 3. Devoted Servitors of the
Buddhas: According to Sacred Books of the
East volume 11 pg. 97 Maha-Parinibbana Sutta Chapter 5 verse 36: "Then the Blessed one
addressed the brethren, and said, ‘Whosoever, brethren have been Arahat-Buddhas
through the long ages of the past, they were servitors just as devoted to those
Blessed ones as Ananda has been to me. And whosoever brethren shall be the
Arahat-Buddhas of the future, there shall be servitors as devoted to those
Blessed ones as Ananda has been to me’." The Servitor of Buddha was
Ananda. Muhammad (pbuh) also had a servitor by the name Anas (r.a.) who was the
son of Malik. Anas (r.a...) was presented to the Prophet by his parents. Anas
(r.a...) relates: "My mother said to him, 'Oh Messenger of God, here is
your little servant'." Further Anas relates, "I served him from the
time I was 8 years old and the Prophet called me his son and his little
beloved". Anas (r.a...) stayed by the Prophet in peace and in war, in
safety as well as in danger till the end of his life. i) Anas (r.a.), even though
he was only 11 years old stayed beside the Prophet during the battle of Uhud
where the Prophet’s life was in great danger. ii) Even during the battle of
Honain when the Prophet was surrounded by the enemies who were archers, Anas
(r.a...) who was only 16 years old stood by the Prophet. Anas (R) can surely be compared
with Ananda who stood by Gautam Buddha when the mad elephant approached
him. 4. Six Criteria for
Identifying Buddha: According to the Gospel of Buddha
by Carus pg. 214: "The Blessed one said,
‘There are two occasions on which a Tathagata’s appearance becomes clear and
exceedingly bright. In the night Ananda, in which a Tathagata attains to the
supreme and perfect insight, and in the night in which he passes finally away
in that ultra passing which leaves nothing whatever of his earthly existence to
remain.’ " According to Gautam Buddha,
following are the six criteria for identifying a Buddha. i) A Buddha attains supreme and
perfect insight at night-time. ii) On the occasion of his
complete enlightenment he looks exceedingly bright iii) A Buddha dies a natural
death. iv) He dies at night-time.
v) He looks exceedingly
bright before his death. vi) After his death a Buddha
ceases to exist on earth. i) Muhammad (pbuh)
attained supreme insight and Prophethood at night-time. According to Surah Dukhan: "By the books that makes
thing clear – We sent it down during a blessed night."[Al-Qur'an 44:2-3] According to Surah
Al-Qadar: "We have indeed revealed
this (message) in the night of power."[Al-Qur'an 97:1] ii) Muhammad (pbuh) instantly
felt his understanding illumined with celestial light. iii) Muhammad (pbuh) died a
natural death. iv) According to Ayesha
(r.a.), Muhammad (pbuh) expired at night-time. When he was dying there was no
oil in the lamp and his wife Ayesha (r.a.) had to borrow oil for the lamp.
v) According to Anas
(r.a.), Muhammad (pbuh) looked exceedingly bright in the night of his death.
vi) After the burial of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) he was never seen again in his bodily form on this earth.
5. Buddhas are only
Preachers: According to Dhammapada, Sacred
Books of East volume 10 pg., 67: "The Jathagatas (Buddhas)
are only Preachers."The Qur’an says in Surah Ghashiya: "Therefore do thou give
admonition, for thou art one to admonish. Thou art not one to manage (men's)
affairs."[Al-Qur'an 88:21-22] 6. Identification of Maitreya by
Buddha: According to Dhammapada, Mattaya
Sutta, 151: "The promised one will
be: i) Compassionate for the whole
creation ii) A messenger of peace, a
peace-maker iii) The most successful in the
world. The Maitreya as a Preacher of
morals will be: i) Truthful ii) Self-respecting iii) Gentle and noble iv) Not proud v) As a king to creatures vi) An example to others in deeds
and in words". For more join Islamic
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