In spite of all my misgivings, today I bought a book that purports to contain many a saying coming directly from the Buddha’s mouth.[1] They were recorded by those who had heard them themselves. Each section of the book thus begins with the same words: “This is what I have heard.” In Pali, suttas are what sutras are in Sanskrit: “well-spoken utterances.” The source is the Pali Canon, which contains many a collection of Buddha’s sayings. As the Introduction suggests, it is tempting to think of them as the Buddhist equivalent of the bible or the Koran.[2] Be that as it may, the book is boring to death. Page after page, endless enumerations can be found. Try as I might, I could not find a single section worth reading twice. For instance, what follows is a sutta on friendliness from the last pages of the book, which is presented here in its entirety:

This is what I have heard. “Monks, when freeing the mind through friendliness is practiced, cultivated, made much of, made the vehicle of one’s practice, made firm, pursued, built up, and fully undertaken, eleven benefits are to be expected. Which eleven? One sleeps well; one wakes up feeling happy; one does not have bad dreams; one is dear to human beings; one is dear to non-human beings; the gods protect one; fire, poison, and weapons do not harm one; one’s mind easily attains concentration; the expression on one’s face is serene; one dies unconfused and, if one penetrates no further, is born in the world of Brahma. When freeing the mind through friendliness is practiced, cultivated, made much of, made the vehicle of one’s practice, made firm, pursued, built up, and fully undertaken, these eleven benefits are to be expected.”[3]

Addressed to monks, as is each and every sutta in the book, this one is at least brief. Many cover pages upon pages. But I shudder at the mention of gods and even afterlife in the world of the supreme god, Brahma, which is the Indian equivalent of heaven. If this indeed came straight from the Buddha’s mouth, I would immediately advise him to wash it. And thoroughly. At any rate, Buddhism of this ilk has nothing to do with Buddhism as I understand it. Perish the thought. My own suttas beat those of the Buddha by a wide margin (“Ten Principles of Bon Buddhism,” April 10, 1992). Most important, they are free from metaphysics in any shape or form. I can only hope that Siddhattha Gotama, as his name is rendered in Pali, or Siddhartha Gautama in Sanskrit, would receive my remarks in friendliness that fits his own preaching. The eleven benefits would be his just reward.

Footnotes

1. Sayings of the Buddha: A Selection of Suttas from the Pali Nikayas, translated by Rupert Gethin, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.

2. Op. cit., p. xiii.

3. Op. cit., pp. 268-269.