What
Buddhists Believe
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera
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Part Four - Human
Life in Society
Chapter 11 - Life
and Culture
Traditions,
Customs and Festivals
Buddhism is open to traditions and
customs provided they are not harmful to the welfare of others.
The
Buddha advised us not to believe in anything simply because it is the
traditional custom. However, we are not advised to suddenly do away with
all traditions. 'You must try to experiment with them and put them
thoroughly to test. If they are reasonable and conducive both to your
happiness and to the welfare of others, only then should you accept and
practise these traditions and customs.' (Kalama Sutta) This is
certainly one of the most liberal declarations ever made by any religious
teacher. This tolerance of other's traditions and customs is not known to
some other religionists. These religionists usually advise their new
converts to give up all their traditions, customs and culture without
observing whether they are good or bad. While preaching the Dhamma,
Buddhist missionaries have never advised the people to give up their
traditions as long as they are reasonable. But the customs and traditions
must be within the framework of religious principles. In other words, one
should not violate the religious precepts in order to follow one's
traditions. If people are very keen to follow their own traditions which
have no religious value at all, they can do so provided that they do not
practise these traditions in the name of religion. Even then, such
practices must be harmless to oneself and to all other living creatures.
Rites and
Rituals
These are included within
customs and traditions. The rites and rituals are an ornamentation or a
decoration to beautify a religion in order to attract the public. They
provide a psychological help to some people. But one can practise religion
without any rites and rituals. Certain rites and rituals that people
consider as the most important aspect of their religion for their
salvation are not considered as such in Buddhism. According to the Buddha,
one should not cling to such practices for his spiritual development or
mental purity.
Festivals
Genuine and sincere
Buddhists do not observe Buddhist festivals by enjoying themselves under
the influence of liquor and merry-making or holding feasts by the
slaughtering of animals. The true Buddhists observe festival days in an
entirely different manner. On the particular festival day, they would
devote their time to abstaining from all evil. They would practise charity
and help others to relieve themselves from their suffering. They may
entertain friends and relatives in a respectable way.
The festivals that have
been incorporated with religion sometimes could pollute the purity of a
religion. On the other hand a religion without festivals can become very
dull and lifeless to many people. Usually children and youths come to
religion through religious festivals. To them the attraction of a religion
is based on its festivals. However, to a mediator, festivals can become a
nuisance.
Of course, some people
will not be satisfied with religious observances only during a festival .
They naturally like to have some sort of merry-making and outward show.
Rites, rituals, ceremonies, processions and festivals are organized to
quench that thirst for emotional satisfaction through religion. No one can
say that such practices are wrong, but devotees have to organize those
ceremonies in a cultured manner, without causing a nuisance to others.
-ooOoo-
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Source: Buddhist
Study and Practice Group, http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/
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Layout: Chan Duc - Nguyen Thao
Update : 01-11-2002
