Vice is easily learned without a master, whereas virtue requires a tutor. Good habits are difficult to acquire but easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to enquire about but difficult to live with.
Therefore mere book knowledge without common sense and understanding is of no use to overcome our problems.
There was once a man who formed a religious cult and people regarded him as a very learned person. He had a few followers who recorded his instructions in a book.
Over the years the book became voluminous with all sorts of instructions recorded therein. The followers were advised not to do anything without first consulting the holy books.
However the followers went and whatever they did, they would consult the book which served as the manual in guiding their lives.
One day when the leader was crossing a timber bridge, he fell into the river. The followers were with him but none of them knew what to do under the circumstances.
So they consulted the book. ‘Help! Help!’ The Master shouted I can’t swim’ ‘Please wait a while Master. Please don’t get drowned, they pleaded.
‘We are still searching in our holy book. There must be instruction on what to do if you fell off from a wooden bridge into a river .’ While they were thus turning over the pages of the holy book in order to find out what to do if you fell off from a wooden bridge into the river .’
While they were thus turning over the pages of the holy books in order to find out the appropriate instruction, the teacher disappeared into the water and was drowned.
The important message of the story is that we should not take the enlightened approach and not slavishly follow outdated conservative ideas, nor resort to any holy books without using our coming sense.
On the face of changing circumstances, new discoveries and knowledge, we must learn to adapt ourselves accordingly and respond to them by using them for the benefit of everybody.
The Buddha said: ‘When the ruler of a country is just and good, the ministers will become just and good. When the ministers are just and good, the higher officials will become just and good, the rank and file will become just and good. When the rank and file are just and good, the people will become just and good..
CONCLUSION: Morality is the first step in the path towards eternal bliss. It is a basic spiritual foundation. Without this base, there can be no progress and spiritual advancement.
Even worse is a person without virtue for he or she not only endangers himself or herself but also others around him or her. After establishing the moral foundation, a person can proceed to develop his or her mind and wisdom.
This practice will lead him or her from the lower level to the progressively higher levels of mental development, and finally, to the summit of all attainments – Enlightenment. Mere learning is no avail without actual practice.
There is a great need for the teaching of virtue by percepts and examples. According to the Buddha, the learned man who does not practice the Dharma is like a colourful flower without scent.
There is a great need for the teachings of virtue by percepts and examples, as shown by the Master himself who served humanity with great compassion.
The moral and philosophical teachings of the Buddha are to be studied and practiced and above all, to be realised. Therefore mere book knowledge without common sense and understanding is of no use to overcome our problems.
(The writer is a Social Activist of People Who Use Drugs (PUDs) and a Columnist based in Imphal.)