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Public talk by Bhikku Bodhi

Date: 24 Feb 2019

NagalokaBhikku Bodhi is the leading western Theravada monk, a very famous and legendary Pali translator. He is also a social activist. Bhikkhu Bodhi is very keen and interested in the Ambedkarite and Buddhist movement in India.

In his dhamma talk, Bhikku Bodhi spoke about the 5 features of Buddhism, particularly early Buddhism, which makes a particularly relevant to modern life.

 

The 5 points are as follows:

1. Realism of the Buddha’s teaching
The Buddha begins with the investigation of the Human mind studying the true problem of the very part of the human condition – “the problem of dukkha”. He locates the origin of Dukkha in the human mind itself.

2. Ethical Purity.
The essence of all the precept is all about principle of “Not harming others”. He says the even if the world follows the first precept out of the five, which Buddha has given, of “NOT TO KILL”, the wars will come to end, murders will come to end, military activities will come to end, prisons will come to end. All what we need is Maha maitri and Maha karuna in ourself towards all living beings.

3. Universality
Buddha’s teaching is useful to every human being. It is not only for a particular caste or community as in Hindusim.

4. Physiological Orientation
Buddha kept Suffering is the central point of his teaching and it evolves from mind. Buddha was the probably the first person in the human history who has provided a detail analysis and investigation of the working of human mind. Buddha in his teaching explains different states of mind.

5. Practicality
Buddha’s great contribution to influence spirituality was to teach a practical, clear and definite path to be free from sufferings. Buddha showed us the clear steps which any one can follow.

The talk was translated in Hindi language by Dh Maitriveer Nagarjuna. Dh Maitreyanath presided over the event. About 200 people from various backgrounds, attended the event to listen the dhamma talk. Finally, Dh Lokamitra concluded the talk by sharing his views on the talk.

Lokamitra says Dhamma can’t just stay with us, this is which even Babasaheb emphasis as much as anything. Our practice of Pragya, Sheel, Karuna and Metta is tested in how they manifest in our engagement with the world. If they do not manifest in some way in creating a better world then Babasaheb questioned us about our actual practice. Ven Bhikku Bodhi was sharing the same thing in his talk.  World is not pleasant place at the moment and Ven Bhikku Bodhi doing a good deed to contribute to the great work making a world a better place to live.