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Knowledge and truth in early Buddhism

AN EXAMINATION OF THE KALAMA SUTTA AND RELATED PALI CANONICAL TEXTS

Dharmacari Nagapriya

Kalama Sutta: What is the Dharma? At first glance this may seem a trivial question. At least for a Buddhist, it hardly seems worth asking. Surely, it is the Noble Eight-fold Path, the Three Characteristics of Conditioned Existence, the Four Noble Truths and, above all Dependent Origination (pa.ticca-samuppaada).
However, upon further investigation it may seem less clear that such teachings are 'obviously' the Dharma.
If we are not enlightened, how can we know? In other words, upon what grounds do we claim that, say, the notion of anattaa (no fixed self) is the Dharma but the notion of attaa (fixed self) is not? If we are a Buddhist, we may rest our claim upon the Buddhist tradition; it says so, therefore, it is the case.
However, is the Dharma nothing more nor less than what traditional Buddhism has said that it is? How then do we assess contradictory doctrines found in the tradition? Who is to arbitrate over which teachings to admit to the 'Buddhist tradition' and which to exclude? How are we to evaluate the historical developments of the Buddhist tradition? In brief, what reliable criteria can we use to assess the claim to authenticity of any traditional or contemporary Buddhist teaching?
Moreover, how is a committed Buddhist to demonstrate to a non-Buddhist that the teachings of Buddhism are sound? We cannot simply invoke the tradition and expect others to be convinced. Neither is it enough to rest upon our 'faith' (saddhaa). After all, why should anyone accept the perspicacity of our faith. We need more reliable and less dogmatic and subjective grounds upon which to demonstrate the compelling value of the Buddha's message.
It is such issues and difficulties that the Buddha addresses in his dialogue with the Kaalaamas and which I want to look at here. In considering that sutta I want to examine the criteria rejected by the Buddha as inadequate grounds for confidence in spiritual teachings and then explore critically the criteria that He (allegedly) recommends for the identification of beliefs and views that can be confidently trusted. In doing so, I will look at a number of other texts that deal with similar issues.
In his dialogue with the Kaalaamas the Buddha casts a good deal of light on the question of how he communicated his message to people who had not already gone for refuge to him or who, in other words, did not yet have confidence in his proclamation of Enlightenment (bodhi) and the system of liberation that he was steadily developing based upon it. To some extent at least, even practising Buddhists are in the same position unless of course they are already Enlightened.
For example, while I may believe - for a variety of reasons - that the Buddha gained Enlightenment, I cannot claim to know this. Neither can I claim to know that Enlightenment is even possible, even assuming that I can properly understand what it consists in.
My understanding is limited by my own kilesas (defilements), my own lack of spiritual insight. The question then arises: if one does not already believe that the Buddha was Enlightened and that the Dharma offers a path to liberation how can one comes to develop such confidence? This is precisely the issue that the Buddha tackles in his dialogue with the Kaalaamas.
At the beginning of the sutta we encounter the Buddha on a period of itinerant wandering (as was his usual practice outside the rainy season) through the kingdom of Kosala, accompanied by a large retinue of monks.
He arrives at the town of Kesaputta where the Kaalaamas are based. On hearing that the Buddha has entered their territory, and having heard favourable reports about him such as that he is enlightened, the Kaalaamas, perhaps somewhat excitedly, go to see him.
After paying their respects to the Buddha it immediately becomes apparent that they have a fundamental spiritual problem, even a universal spiritual problem. This is how they formulate it: There are some monks and brahmins, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta.

Painting at World Peace Vihara, Hiroshima, Japan. Artist: Upasena Gunawardene
They expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmins too, venerable sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks and brahmins spoke the truth (sacca) and which falsehood (musaa)? [2]
Are we not in the same position? Shopping, as we now do, in the spiritual supermarket we too are bombarded by self-proclaimed 'enlightened' teachers and charismatic gurus of all creeds and practices, consistently offering seductive, panacean sound-bites.
How are we to sort out the truth from the hype, the spiritually realised from the charlatan, the spiritual invigoration from the narcotic reassurance? The spiritual condition of the Kaalaamas then has many similarities to the spiritual condition of the contemporary man and woman. It is characterised by uncertainty, confusion, and the proliferation of conflicting perspectives.
To be continued

Suba Theri's eyes
Here,
Take them
Take my eyes
They are superfluous
A burden really
A flicker of a flame
Does not
Bring back
The memories
Of yore
Any more
Morning sun
Does not weave
A golden tapestry
Before them
Anymore
The birds
Beasts
And
Flowers
Just
Vanishing
Atoms
Bundles
of
Nothingness
Take my eyes
Take them
They are
Dead
Anyway
Ariyawansa Ranaweera

From the net
The Song of meditation
All beings are from the very beginning Buddhas.
It is like water and ice:
Apart from water, no ice,
Outside living beings, no Buddhas.
Not knowing it is near, they seek it afar. What a pity!
It is like one in the water who cries out with thirst;
It is like the child of a rich house
who has strayed among the poor.
The cause of our circling through the six worlds
Is that we are on the dark paths of ignorance.
Dark path upon dark path treading,
When shall we escape from birth-and-death?
The Zen meditation of the Mahayana
Is beyond all our praise.
Giving and morality and the other perfections,
Taking of the Name, repentance, discipline,
And the many other right actions,
All come back to the practice of meditation.
By the merit of a single sitting
He destroys innumerable accumulated sins.
How should there be wrong paths for him?
The Pure Land paradise is not far.
When in reverence this truth is heard even once,
He who praises it and gladly embraces
it has merit without end
How much more he who turns within
And confirms directly his own nature,
That his own nature is no-nature
Such has transcended vain words.
The gate opens, and cause and effect are one;

LTTE responsible for Colombo abductions
COLOMBO: The Government yesterday accused the LTTE and its underworld links of being responsible for the series of recent abductions in the City. It also stated that a Presidential Commission of Inquiry is probing the matter.
Government Defence spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the abductions were apparently carried out by the LTTE to attain a duel aim - obtain sympathy of the international community and divert the attention from their defeats in the battle front.
He said the Government has reason to believe that six underworld gangs with ties to the LTTE has carried out the abductions.
The Minister said 27 abductees out of 30 had returned and only three remained to be to rescued. "Whereabouts of those three are not known yet.
"Three missing persons whose whereabouts are unknown is a serious matter, but we feel the incidents are blown out of proportions by certain elements to achieve different ends," the Minister said.
According to a release from the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, the abductees who returned or the families of those missing will get the opportunity of visiting the Commission Chairman and officials and meet them personally and have their complaints recorded.
"Statements are obtained from complainants who personally visit the office of the Commission and the Chairman will record evidence of the complaints and witnesses, if any, on the same day.
Based on information received at these injuries reports are being called from the Police regarding investigations made by the Police. Officer-in-charge of Police stations are being summoned before the Commission to submit reports on the progress of their investigations," the release said.
The last date for receipt of complaints is October 16. (RS)
Air Force bombs LTTE gun positions
Ranil Wijayapala
COLOMBO: The Security Forces yesterday retaliated the LTTE artillery and mortar fire directed towards Muhamalai defence from Pallai and Pooneryn taking identified LTTE targets by air and artillery strikes, a spokesman for the Media Centre for National Security told the Daily News.
According to him the LTTE directed artillery towards the Muhamalai yesterday morning.
"On request by the Army, the Air Force Kfirs bombed well-identified three Tiger gun positions North of Pallai and North of Poonaryn around 11.45 to 12.00 noon yesterday," the spokesman added.
In addition to the air strikes, the ground troops also encountered the LTTE mortar and artillery fire by artillery and mortar fire.
Following air strikes and artillery fire the Security Forces ground troops confirmed that heavy damages were caused to the LTTE gun positions in Pooneryn and Pallai as they witnessed explosions from those areas.
The spokesman also said it was an attempt by the Tigers to provoke the ground troops and project a subsequent retaliation as a wrongful act by the Security Forces.
Case for Sri Lanka as talks venue
The resumption of Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hansson Bauer's shuttle diplomacy between Colombo and Kilinochchi raises the hope of an impending round of Government-LTTE negotiations. The public cannot be faulted for harbouring such a wish because for all right-thinking persons, peace and harmony are of paramount importance.
The possibility of a new round of negotiations, however, raises the question of where such talks should be held. So accustomed is the public to seeing such talks being held abroad - particularly in far-away, cool and idyllic European climes - that the natural tendency is to expect the next round of talks too to be held at such locations. Somehow, no such talks seem right unless they are held in Oslo, Geneva or any other such remote Western capital, with a lyrical though remote ambience.
Some public quarters are, quite rightly, questioning the need to locate negotiations in such places, which are tending to drain the public Exchequer.
The tax payer's money is being wastefully spent on an exercise which could very well take place here in Sri Lanka. Why not Sri Lanka, as a location for negotiations? What is indeed wrong with Sri Lanka as a venue?
Would not the holding of talks in Sri Lanka help save a substantial amount of State funds? Would not the State be conducting itself responsibly by mooting Sri Lanka as a venue for talks? What is inherently bad in Sri Lanka as a venue for these negotiations?
When examined rationally it would be found that no fault could be found with Sri Lanka as a talks venue. We urge the State to insist that future talks be held in Sri Lanka.
The LTTE's objections to such a move should be overridden if they do not have a rational basis. It could very well be that these long trips to plush, remote foreign capitals, give the LTTE leadership the opportunity to buy time and delay the process of discussing issues meaningfully and quickly. The long, wearying journeys could very well be part of the LTTE's delaying tactics.
The State and the public should be alert to these tactics and do everything possible to stall them. After all, the LTTE is notoriously untrustworthy. Anything is grist to its cunning mind.
We need to recollect the two rounds of previous Government-LTTE talks which did not materialise in Geneva and Oslo. The LTTE reached out at every straw to stall these negotiations.
It was an elaborate deception game on the part of the Tigers. When the country and the world waited with bated breath for a resumption of negotiations, the LTTE failed to turn-up at the negotiating table. How could the Tigers' word be taken for anything?
Accordingly, we urge that common sense prevails. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Sri Lanka as a venue for talks. It is time to pull down the mask of deceit with which the LTTE masquerades. Let us make Sri Lanka the venue for talks.
Jayawardene holds the key
Cricket: If Sri Lanka are to be judged on recent one-day performances they deserve better than the grind of qualifying matches in the Champions Trophy.
A creditable 1-1 draw in the three-Test series, followed by a 5-0 triumph in the one-dayers in England only underlined the fact that Mahela Jayawardene's Sri Lankans have learnt to win away from their island stronghold.
After England, they ran riot against part-timers Netherlands plundering a world-record 443-9 in the first one-dayer at Amstelveen before returning home.
Sri Lanka play the qualifying rounds this time because the eight-team format gave only the six top-ranked sides automatic entry into the main draw, with two to qualify from the remaining four Test-playing sides.

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Sonia Gandhi, President of India’s Congress Party, smile during their meeting in New Delhi

India’s offer to redesign air-defence capabilities for Sri Lanka

India offered to assist Sri Lanka redesign its air-defence network after allegations.
New Delhi told President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga its willingness help training Sri Lankan personnel, guidance and advice in designing air defences. The offer came during New Delhi talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Kumaratunga. European truce monitors say they have seen the airstrip from the air terrorist denied access to investigate.
Colombo will send a team of senior defence officials to India to discuss the technical details. India would provide Sri Lanka to focus more on maritime than air security with radars to improve its air-space coverage as the island's existing radar network cover civil aviation leaving a gap for small aircraft to operate at low altitudes.
During President Kumaratunga’s talks with Indian leader of the ruling Congress Party Sonia Gandhi and Oil Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar India expressed concerns over terrorists acquisition of air capability emphasised the need for the early resumption of negotiations in the peace process.
Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh informed President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga that India maintains an abiding interest in the security of Sri Lanka and remains to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The discussions were substantive and covered the gamut of bilateral relations between the two countries, post-tsunami reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka and regional and international issues. President Kumaratunga met Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the UPA. Shri P. Chidambaram, Minister of Finance, and Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Panchayati Raj called on the President. Dr. Singh expressed his satisfaction agreeing with Ms Kumaratunga the excellent state of bilateral cooperation in diverse areas. On the subject of economic cooperation bilateral trade recorded a volume of US$ 1.8 billion in 2004 with the trade imbalance between the two countries having narrowed significantly.
President Kumaratunga thanked the Prime Minister and the Government and people of India for the generous assistance sent to Sri Lanka immediately after the tsunami and for the further aid pledged. India committed to assist Sri Lanka on its remarkable efforts to recover from the tsunami tragedy. Indian assistance of one billion rupees for relief and moratorium on debt repayments reconstruction projects for three years. In this context, she apprised the Prime Minister of her efforts to establish a Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) for coordinating relief and reconstruction in areas affected by the Tsunami. President Kumaratunga briefed him on the current status of the peace process in Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister reiterated India's support for the process of seeking a comprehensive, negotiated settlement acceptable to all communities, and reflecting the pluralistic nature of Sri Lankan society, within the framework of a united and democratic Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister of India stated that India maintains an abiding interest in the security of Sri Lanka and remains committed to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. With regard to the Sethusamudram Canal Project, it was agreed that the exchange of views between the Indian and Sri Lankan technical experts should continue. This would be with regard to environmental concerns and prospects of closer economic cooperation between the two countries in the Palk Bay area. The discussions between the two leaders reflected a large measure of convergence of views between the two countries on a number of international issues, including reform of the United Nations, the elimination of terrorism, SAARC, and regional cooperation.

Canada must not be safe haven for war criminals: genocide survivors

Canada must crack down on "enablers" of war crimes, strip them of their citizenship and deport them immediately, groups touched by genocides said Tuesday, pointing to six suspected Nazis living here.
The Canadian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Federation of Ottawa joined by representatives of local Armenian, Roma and Rwandan communities, representing victims of genocide, called on Ottawa to kick out six seniors who lied about their Nazi past to immigrate to Canada.
Their aim, the group said at a news conference, is to prevent Canada from becoming a haven for perpetrators or enablers of war crimes.
"In Canada, too little has been done to bring to justice those who enabled the Nazi machinery of death," said Ian Sadinsky of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa.
"Canada should offer no haven for the enablers of genocide. Killing machines depend not only on the hands that guide them, but also on the cogs that move and mesh and yield death as their product."
The six men, all over 80 years old, have never been accused of war crimes. But, Canadian tribunals found that each had misrepresented their wartime activities in order to gain entry to Canada.
They include a translator for a Nazi mobile killing unit, alleged Nazi collaborators and former guards at SS forced labour camps.
Their cases are mired in legal proceedings, awaiting a final decision by Canada's immigration minister, or were seemingly abandoned.
"As the decades have passed, time and natural death have been far more effective than the Government in dealing with such individuals," explained Bernie Farber, chief executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress.
"The legal system of Canada has been engaged in these matters. The courts have determined that these men gained citizenship through fraudulent means. Yet they remain. It's shameful," he said.
"What is required now is an act of political will on the part of the Federal Government."
Canada Border Services Agency said 42 people were stripped of their Canadian citizenship and deported over war crimes or involvement in crimes against humanity in fiscal 2004-2005, the latest figures.
Another 385 potential war criminals were prevented from reaching Canada and 79 were refused refugee protection that year.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police war crimes unit meanwhile has over two dozen investigations ongoing, officials said.
And in mid-January a Canadian judge travelled to Kigali to hear from witnesses in Canada's first war crimes prosecution under its new War Crimes Act.