Understanding Buddhism and Dhamma for Laypersons : หน้า 120/207

This question has prompted me to study Buddhism seriously, which has given me an understanding of life: 1. Death is not the end. We still have to be reborn indefinitely, as long as we have not rid ourselves of our defilements. 2. All good deeds and bad deeds have consequences. They can bear fruit in this life or in the next. We can see that some people are born smart, some are not. Some are good looking, and some are not. All these factors are the products of their kamma. 3. Hell and heaven do exist. Hell is punishment for those who have committed sinful deeds, and heaven is the home to those who have performed virtuous deeds. “And if we look closely at the births of all living creatures, we will see that they are different. Some are born from the womb, other species are born from the egg, and still others are born from filthy water. But there are species which we have not laid eyes on, but we have heard about them: celestial beings and infernal degenerates. They are born fully grown and parentless, an autonomous and spontaneous birth.” “The knowledge of these three subject matters I acquired from Buddhism. They have influenced me to improve myself, to elevate my morals, and to accumulate merit. I am hoping that in my future life, when my merits are perfected, with all my defilements crushed (exhausted), I will follow the Lord Buddha into Nibbana.” *After my studies, the first thing that came to my mind was how to steer myself, my parents, your mother, and all my children away from misdeeds. And furthermore, I wanted to ensure that all of our grandparents would go to heaven. Once I had set this goal, I took a good look at myself. While I still had to make a living, to provide for your mother and all of you, as well as your grandparents, I sought a way for my family to gain merit at the same time. So I learned more about Buddhism and learned that there was a set of Dhamma specifically for laypersons. There are four virtues, and they are called Dhamma for Laypersons (Gharavās-dhamma).* 1. Truthfulness (Sacca) “This first virtue taught me to be sincere, straight-forward, and honest. Remember, son, most people would resort to lying to get off the hook. You must not do that. You should be answerable to your responsibilities, to your profession, punctual with your commitments, and honest to everyone. And most of all you must abide by ethics, such as the Five Precepts. Then you will not be the subject of mistrust. You will walk proudly with respect all your life, and this is what I have acquired.”