Blessing Four:
Living in an Amenable Location
Living in an Amenable Location
B. Components
The components of amenable location cannot be defined globally because they mean different things at different levels of explanation (see diagram p.66):
B.1 Amenable Location
B.1.1 National Level
At the geographical level, it may mean an amenable climate that is not too hot and not too cold. It might mean that the landscape is not too rugged or liable to flooding — but at the same time with convenient communications towards the rest of the world.
B.1.2 Local Level
At a more local level, an amenable climate means ease for the populace in earning a decent living, good communications, proper social infrastructure and a plentiful supply of clean drinking water.
B.1.3 Neighbourhood Level
On the level of the neighbourhood, the things that make the environment amenable are a proper water and electricity supply, a good road system to avoid traffic jams, good communications and no flooding in the wet season.
B.1.4 Household Level
On the level of the household, the things that count for making the environment amenable are a properly planned house with sufficient space, good ventilation, enough trees round and about to give shade, nearby open areas or parks and no disturbance from noise. Applying the same principles to a temple, amenable temple grounds is sufficiently spacious for the number of templegoers, with enough shade to allow the congregation to meditate in comfort and without disturbance from the hustle and bustle of urban life.
B.2 Amenable Food
B.2.1 National Level
On a national level, amenable food means being self-sufficient in one’s food supply, not having to rely on neighbouring countries for one’s food supply, or drinking water.
B.2.2 Local Level
On local level, amenable food might mean the proximity of a market for foodstuffs. It might also mean being able to grow home-produce. In any case, anyone who lives in an area liable to flooding should try to be self sufficient with their own cottage garden. It doesn’t matter how you go about growing the vegetables. For some villages, when the floods come, if the government doesn’t send in supplies by helicopter for two or three days, the whole village will starve. These are always the villages which are too lazy to grow their own vegetables. If they had grown their own vegetables, even though the floods come, it doesn’t particularly bother them. By contrast, those places that plant only cash crops like maize, lose everything they have as soon as the floods arrive. Just having a few vegetables like onions in the garden allows one to survive for over a month even when the floods come.
B.2.3 Neighbourhood Level
Amenability of food at the neighbour hood level might mean the proximity of the market.
B.2.4 Household Level
An amenable food supply at the household level can be summarized with just a few brief hints:
1. You should have a supply of vegetables used around the kitchen in reserve in your cottage garden in case of times of need.
2. Your house should be located close to the market. If it is too far from the market, this will become an obstacle to obtaining food.
3. Your house ought to have a good cook. A good cook is the heart of a successful kitchen. There was once an army general who commented in front of his wife (whether he meant to praise her or criticize her is uncertain) saying, “the only reason that I’ve been able to put up with her all these years, is her only single good point
— apart from this point there is nothing good about her. She neglects the children. She is useless at receiving guests. She takes little care of the household finances — I have to do the accounts myself. The only reason that I’ve been able to put up with her all these years, is that she makes a tasty meal. If it wasn’t for her being a good cook, we would have gone our separate ways years ago.” Anybody who thinks they can rely on instant foods, convenience foods and take-aways should think again. Everybody should attempt to learn how to cook. If ever you have to take care of someone who is ill or lonely or anxious, who have lost their appetite, and you can’t get out to the market — that will be the time when your ability to make a proper meal will really make a difference.
For as long as we still have defilements in the mind, we still have an appetite and we still have our favourite foods. Were not all like crocodiles which can survive on gravel. For as long as we’re still human, we are still choosy about the food we eat. Too sweet or sour, salty or oily and the food loses its attraction. Thus if the food we eat is to be amenable there is no harm in food being tasty.
B.3 Amenable Neighbours
B.3.1 Definitions
The various characteristics of a location or a neighbourhood, whether good or bad, are only general characteristics. Even if the general characteristics of a location are abysmal, but the place is inhabited by virtuous people, then the drawbacks of the location can be overcome. On the other hand, in a good location with good housing and employment prospects, if the inhabitants are dishonest, however beautiful the buildings, it can be no better than a den of thieves. If the inhabitants are peaceful and well mannered, like monks, then the buildings are a refuge as good as a temple.
B.3.2 National Level
At the national level, amenable personnel means a population who eke out their existence by honest means. It means a population that lacks criminals, terrorists or anarchists who threaten the solidarity of the country.
B.3.3 Local Level
At the local level, if the populaces are interested in nothing more than earning their living, society will not be a happy one.
B.3.4 Neighbourhood Level
At the neighbourhood level, in addition to a hardworking populace there must be those who make a direct contribution to the well-being of the society.
1. Doctors are necessary in any society. Without them, every illness will entail death. Even if a location is the most profitable of marketplaces, without doctors in the background, it can never become an amenable society.
2. Patrons and benefactors. Patrons and benefactors arise in a society where there is trading. Those who live in a mercantile society reap the benefits of having capital and such a society breeds rich benefactors and millionaires. Compare a society of people where there are only paupers and beggars and you will see how hard it is for such a society to become amenable to the study of Dhamma. In the time of the Lord Buddha, if a king decided to establish a new city, even if he had sufficient labour, craftsmen, without being granted a benefactor or patron from a neighbouring city, to be the patron of the new city, the king wouldn’t dare to build a new town. (see @D.2 below) The reason that having a patron was so important, apart from being a capitalist who would stimulate trade and growth, he would act as the economist who would help the king with his financial policy-making so that the new city would be able to keep its financial head above water.
3. Wise men. Many of the reasons for the importance of the wise have already been covered in Blessing Two. In brief, the wise have a special discretion which allows them to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong, what’s appropriate and what’s inappropriate, what is meritorious and what is downright evil. Even if you’re illiterate, but you can tell the difference between right and wrong, you can still be considered a wise one. Thus if you are choosing a place to live, avoid choosing a place where no wise ones live, because in such a place society is not amenable to the study of Dhamma.
4. Righteous Monarch who is established in the Ten Virtues of a Monarch. Without going into detail, it can be said that a qualifying monarch must be just and moral. Of course the country’s leader doesn’t have to be a king to make it an amenable place to live. The same virtues in a president will make his country as amenable as a country governed by a virtuous king.
The components of amenable location cannot be defined globally because they mean different things at different levels of explanation (see diagram p.66):
B.1 Amenable Location
B.1.1 National Level
At the geographical level, it may mean an amenable climate that is not too hot and not too cold. It might mean that the landscape is not too rugged or liable to flooding — but at the same time with convenient communications towards the rest of the world.
B.1.2 Local Level
At a more local level, an amenable climate means ease for the populace in earning a decent living, good communications, proper social infrastructure and a plentiful supply of clean drinking water.
B.1.3 Neighbourhood Level
On the level of the neighbourhood, the things that make the environment amenable are a proper water and electricity supply, a good road system to avoid traffic jams, good communications and no flooding in the wet season.
B.1.4 Household Level
On the level of the household, the things that count for making the environment amenable are a properly planned house with sufficient space, good ventilation, enough trees round and about to give shade, nearby open areas or parks and no disturbance from noise. Applying the same principles to a temple, amenable temple grounds is sufficiently spacious for the number of templegoers, with enough shade to allow the congregation to meditate in comfort and without disturbance from the hustle and bustle of urban life.
B.2 Amenable Food
B.2.1 National Level
On a national level, amenable food means being self-sufficient in one’s food supply, not having to rely on neighbouring countries for one’s food supply, or drinking water.
B.2.2 Local Level
On local level, amenable food might mean the proximity of a market for foodstuffs. It might also mean being able to grow home-produce. In any case, anyone who lives in an area liable to flooding should try to be self sufficient with their own cottage garden. It doesn’t matter how you go about growing the vegetables. For some villages, when the floods come, if the government doesn’t send in supplies by helicopter for two or three days, the whole village will starve. These are always the villages which are too lazy to grow their own vegetables. If they had grown their own vegetables, even though the floods come, it doesn’t particularly bother them. By contrast, those places that plant only cash crops like maize, lose everything they have as soon as the floods arrive. Just having a few vegetables like onions in the garden allows one to survive for over a month even when the floods come.
B.2.3 Neighbourhood Level
Amenability of food at the neighbour hood level might mean the proximity of the market.
B.2.4 Household Level
An amenable food supply at the household level can be summarized with just a few brief hints:
1. You should have a supply of vegetables used around the kitchen in reserve in your cottage garden in case of times of need.
2. Your house should be located close to the market. If it is too far from the market, this will become an obstacle to obtaining food.
3. Your house ought to have a good cook. A good cook is the heart of a successful kitchen. There was once an army general who commented in front of his wife (whether he meant to praise her or criticize her is uncertain) saying, “the only reason that I’ve been able to put up with her all these years, is her only single good point
— apart from this point there is nothing good about her. She neglects the children. She is useless at receiving guests. She takes little care of the household finances — I have to do the accounts myself. The only reason that I’ve been able to put up with her all these years, is that she makes a tasty meal. If it wasn’t for her being a good cook, we would have gone our separate ways years ago.” Anybody who thinks they can rely on instant foods, convenience foods and take-aways should think again. Everybody should attempt to learn how to cook. If ever you have to take care of someone who is ill or lonely or anxious, who have lost their appetite, and you can’t get out to the market — that will be the time when your ability to make a proper meal will really make a difference.
For as long as we still have defilements in the mind, we still have an appetite and we still have our favourite foods. Were not all like crocodiles which can survive on gravel. For as long as we’re still human, we are still choosy about the food we eat. Too sweet or sour, salty or oily and the food loses its attraction. Thus if the food we eat is to be amenable there is no harm in food being tasty.
B.3 Amenable Neighbours
B.3.1 Definitions
The various characteristics of a location or a neighbourhood, whether good or bad, are only general characteristics. Even if the general characteristics of a location are abysmal, but the place is inhabited by virtuous people, then the drawbacks of the location can be overcome. On the other hand, in a good location with good housing and employment prospects, if the inhabitants are dishonest, however beautiful the buildings, it can be no better than a den of thieves. If the inhabitants are peaceful and well mannered, like monks, then the buildings are a refuge as good as a temple.
B.3.2 National Level
At the national level, amenable personnel means a population who eke out their existence by honest means. It means a population that lacks criminals, terrorists or anarchists who threaten the solidarity of the country.
B.3.3 Local Level
At the local level, if the populaces are interested in nothing more than earning their living, society will not be a happy one.
B.3.4 Neighbourhood Level
At the neighbourhood level, in addition to a hardworking populace there must be those who make a direct contribution to the well-being of the society.
1. Doctors are necessary in any society. Without them, every illness will entail death. Even if a location is the most profitable of marketplaces, without doctors in the background, it can never become an amenable society.
2. Patrons and benefactors. Patrons and benefactors arise in a society where there is trading. Those who live in a mercantile society reap the benefits of having capital and such a society breeds rich benefactors and millionaires. Compare a society of people where there are only paupers and beggars and you will see how hard it is for such a society to become amenable to the study of Dhamma. In the time of the Lord Buddha, if a king decided to establish a new city, even if he had sufficient labour, craftsmen, without being granted a benefactor or patron from a neighbouring city, to be the patron of the new city, the king wouldn’t dare to build a new town. (see @D.2 below) The reason that having a patron was so important, apart from being a capitalist who would stimulate trade and growth, he would act as the economist who would help the king with his financial policy-making so that the new city would be able to keep its financial head above water.
3. Wise men. Many of the reasons for the importance of the wise have already been covered in Blessing Two. In brief, the wise have a special discretion which allows them to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong, what’s appropriate and what’s inappropriate, what is meritorious and what is downright evil. Even if you’re illiterate, but you can tell the difference between right and wrong, you can still be considered a wise one. Thus if you are choosing a place to live, avoid choosing a place where no wise ones live, because in such a place society is not amenable to the study of Dhamma.
4. Righteous Monarch who is established in the Ten Virtues of a Monarch. Without going into detail, it can be said that a qualifying monarch must be just and moral. Of course the country’s leader doesn’t have to be a king to make it an amenable place to live. The same virtues in a president will make his country as amenable as a country governed by a virtuous king.
B.3.5 Household Level
Amenable personnel at the level of the household means the leader of the household must be virtuous. The husband should abstain from drinking alcohol, the wife from gambling. Both should be earnest in earning an honest living. Their children should be earnest in their studies and should be obedient to their parents’ command. In this way the household will be united as the smallest unit of an amenable society.
B.4 Amenable Dhamma
B.4.1 Definitions
Dhamma is the culture or principles which governs the lifestyle of a society that lives in an amenable location. At the most basic level amenable Dhamma in a society means the governing principles of law and order that the society abides by. Amenable Dhamma is lacking from countries where outlaws run amok. At a deeper level, amenable Dhamma equates with culture and tradition that is one of virtue. The law protects society only from acts of violation through the channels of body and speech, but has no effect on the quality of peoples’ minds. The minds of a nation can be shaped for the better only by culture or traditions that raise the quality of mind. Examples of this might be the attitude of respect that a child should have towards his parents or a student towards his master. For as long as such traditions are still perpetuated and passed down from one generation to the next in a particular society, that society is still an amenable place to live.
By contrast, you should avoid going to live in a barbaric society where man has no respect for his fellow man. An example of this would be the primitive society which idolize the man who is able to kill his own father — seeing him as the epitomy of hard-heartedness and fit to be the leader of the tribe.
At a yet deeper level, amenable Dhamma in a society means a good educational system which allows the citizens to make a thorough study of both worldly and spiritual matters — where both schools and temples form the educational infrastructure of society — and all citizens are equipped with sufficient rationale not to be credulous.
Deeper still, Buddhism should be well rooted in that country. The Lord Buddha taught that some people are born empty-handed and die empty handed — because they cannot distinguish between good and bad deeds. They just do whatever they feel like doing. When they are young, their parents bring them up. When they are full-grown, they get married and have a family — and their children get married and have their own children and the family name is perpetuated for another generation. In the end they pass away and they have no merit or demerit to take with them when they go. It is this sort of person that Buddhism recognizes as being born empty-handed and dying emptyhanded. Put another way, life has been fruitless for them.
Even though some people are born on the doorstep of Buddhism, they still leave the world empty handed — so what chance do people who have never even come across Buddhism stand? The Lord Buddha thus laid down guidelines for life, teaching that having taken human birth, you must seek benefit both for this lifetime and the next. Benefit can only accrue if you use your body and mind for positive good deeds that will give worthwhile returns on our having been born human. The Lord Buddha taught that at the very least, you ought to be able to set yourself up in life. If you are in debt or still have to rely on others for the roof over your head, you have not yet suceeded in even the most rudimentary of human duties. If you are a man (and not a mouse) you must be able to stand on your own two feet. This is what we call benefit for the present lifetime.
From our description so far of the features of an amenable location, whether the inhabitants know Buddhism or not, they will manage to succeed in fulfilling benefit for the present lifetime. Where those who don’t know Buddhism miss out, is through not knowing how to fulfil benefits for the next lifetime. Without a knowledge of Buddhism, you can do no better than use up the merits accrued from previous lifetimes. No additional merits are accrued this lifetime and at the end of this life, your after-life destination will be one of suffering. Those who accrue benefit for future lifetimes, when they die will not go to hell or be born as animals. Whatever the proportion of good and bad deeds they may have done, at the very least they will take human birth again — even though they may be handicapped in one way or another.
B.4.2 National Level
Amenable Dhamma Teachings at National Level means having just laws and customs as the national identity.
B.4.3 Local Level
Dhamma for the children means having a good school. If our children have the chance to study at a decent school, it will give them a head start in life because there is such a great variety of quality in the teaching given at different schools. Dhamma for the adults means having a good temple near at hand. At the very least, if there is a temple near to our house there will be monks who pass near to our house on their almsround and we will have the opportunity to make merit every morning. If we want to listen to a sermon, we won’t have to go far. If a site is close to both the school and the temple it will earn plenty of points for amenable Dhamma.
B.4.4 Neighbourhood Level
Amenable Dhamma Teachings at the Neighbourhood Level means that monks pass on almsround and having temples and schools in the vicinity.
B.4.5 Household Level
This means an atmosphere of enthusiasm for Dhamma learning and teaching in the home.
B.4.6 Profit in for next life (A.iv.284)
The special characteristic of Dhamma teaching that prevents a person from “leaving the world empty handed” are the sort of teachings that lead to “profit in the hereafter”. The Lord Buddha taught that the minimum of virtue required is the four virtues for
benefit in the hereafter as follows [sampāyikatthapayojana] (see detail from Bl.2 @C4.2).
1. Faith [saddha]: means confidence in things you ought to have faith in — being a person of discretion especially in the operation of the laws of karma — that doing good deeds will lead to good outcomes and that doing evil will lead to bad retribution. Without such well-founded faith you have little chance of well-being in your future.
2. The Precepts [sīla]: You must keep the minimum of Five Precepts as the baseline of one’s virtue because the Precepts measure the degree to which you are a person as opposed to being a savage.
3. Self-sacrifice [cāga]: Self-sacrifice has many levels of meaning from the superficial to the deep. At its simplest, it means avoiding being so stingy that you cannot bear to see anyone else sharing your possessions or getting any benefit from them. It means the habit of liking to share with others. At its deepest level it means giving up even the destructive feelings we might feel towards other people or more generally, letting go of anything that encroaches on our quality of mind — i.e. all thoughts of evil and unseemly habits until none remain.
4. Wisdom [paññā]. To be specific, diligence in studying both worldly and spiritual knowledge — so that we can earn a decent living efficiently and at the same time know the difference between good and evil — in order to win the path to heaven. Once people are able to identify what is merit and what is demerit, they will gain the inspiration to do only good deeds. Thus knowledge paves the pathway to heaven.
Desktop Version
