Unique qualities of Buddhism

In order to have a glimpse on what will be the future of Buddhism it is relevant for us to look at the unique qualities of Buddhism as Buddha himself declared in Anguttara Nikaya. Once the Buddha was asked by a demon of Ocean how many unique qualities do the Buddhists perceive in Buddhism by reason of which they take delight in it ? The Buddha gave eight unique qualities of Buddhism comparing with the qualities of the Ocean.

They are :

1. Just as the great ocean slopes away gradually, falls gradually, inclines gradually, not in an adrupt way like a precipice; even so in Buddhism there is a gradual training, gradual practice, gradual progress; there is no penetration to Arahatship in an abrupt way.

2. Just as the great ocean is stable and does not overflow its boundarie; even so when I have made known a rule of training to my disciples, those noble of disciples will not transgress it even for the life’s sake.

3. Just as the great ocean will not tolerate a dead body a corpse, but quickly carries it to the shore and casts it on the land; even so the Sangha will not tolerate within its ranks a person who is immoral, of bad character, of impure and suspicious conduct, secretive in his actions, not a true ascetic but rather a sham ascetic , not chase but pretending to be chaste, rotten to the core, lustful and of vile behavior,. In such a case, the Sangha quickly assembles and expels such a person. Even if seated in the midst of the monks assembly, yet he is far from the Sangha and the Sangha is far from him.

4. Just as the mighty rivers on reaching the great ocean lose their former names and designation and are just reckoned as the great ocean even so, when members of the four casts – nobles, Brahmins, commoners and menials – go forth from home into the homeless life in Buddhism, they lose their former names and lineage and are reckoned only as ascetics following the son of the Sakayans.

5. Just as the great ocean neither a decrease nor an increase will appear though all the steams of the world flow into it and rain falls into it from the sky; even so, even if many monks attain final Nibbana in the Nibbana element that is without residue left, there is no decrease or increase in the Nibbana element that is without residue left.

6. Just as the great ocean has but one taste, the taste of salt; even so is Buddhism has but one taste, the taste of liberation.

7. Just as the great ocean there is many and variegated precious substances such as pearls, gems etc.; even so is Buddhism there is much that is precious. These are the precious things in it; the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of success, the five spiritual faculities, the five spiritual powers, the seven of enlightenment, the Noble eightfold path.

8. Just as the great ocean is the abode of vast creatures; even so is Buddhism the domain of great beings, the stream-enterer and one practicing for the realization of the fruit of once-returning; the non-returned and one practicing for the realization of the fruit of once-returning the Arahat and one practicing for Arahaship.

Based on these qualities, it is very clear that as long as the Buddhist texts and the practice of Buddhism are maintained, Buddhism as the absolute truth will suffer no decline. Buddhism also has an automatic, internal ‘filturation system’ where by impurities will be removed, thereby keeping the whole pure and unaffected.