The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXI, Part 1-2, 1983 - Khamkoo

238 David L. Gosling
BuddJ:lism they are perfectly legitimate, though it is worth bearing in mind, as Edward
Conze has pointed out, that the Br(lhma Vihara were cultivated in Sariputra's Old
Wisdom School as a means ofattaining samadhi. But is samadhi incompatible with
the &oals sought after but frequently not attained by well-meaning activists ? Here
Sulak makes some important points which, though marginal to his main line of thought,
are worthy of emphasis:
, The most important thing in an individual who acts is not his
action but his personality. In the Thai context, a monk like Bhikkhu
Buddhadasa is so important, although he hardly does anything to.the
outside community, except preaching and writing, and lives far away
from anywhere .... To act in a way that arises from non-action is to
act in a way to truly influence the situation in a non-violent way.
Naturally, humanists and ~asters of the Way contribute to the ends to
save life, but their most valued contribution is their presence, not their
actions.
(p 111) .
Is this Taoism? Perhaps, and it also echoes Thomas Merton's passionate
conviction that "in the night of our technological barbarism, monks must be as trees
which exist silently in the dark and by their vital presence purify the air."
In defining the second of the four Brahma Viharas, Sulak makes direct
reference to the compassion (karuna) of a Bodhisattva illustrated in specifically
Mahayanist terms :
One should vow to become a Bodhisattva who will forego his
own nirvana until all sentient beings are free from suffering. So one
should not remain indifferent, but must endeavour to assist others to
alleviate their sufferings as much as one can.
(p 75)
The four Brahma Viharas, metta (loving kindness), karuna (compassion),
mudit'a (sympathetic joy), and upekkha (equanimity) should be fostered step by step,
after which the individual is in a position to develop his or her community, starting
with family and village. Sarvodaya (the universal awakening of aU-very Gandhian,
though often attributed in Sri Lanka to Budd~ism) is the ultimate national and international
goal, and the gap between this and the development of the small community may
be bridged by the promotion of the four dhammas. These are dana (sharing),
piyav'iica (pleasant speech), atthacariyii (constructive cooperative action), and samanat•
tata (equality). These are not the only means to the ultimate goal of sarvodaya, but
Sulak's interpretation of them deserves. careful study. For example: