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CONTENTS

PREFACE, by H.S.H. Princess Poon Pismai Diskul

President of The World Fellowship of Buddhists

INTRODUCTION       

I. CARDINAL FEATURES OF BUDDHIST THOUGHT

The Realm of Change

Life, Living and Empiricism

II. THE NATURE OF NIRVANA

III. THEORIES REGARDING NIRVANA

Trance

Ecstasy

Regression

The Practical Solution

IV. ZEN ENLIGHTENMENT

Electroencephalographic Studies

Case Studies of the Satori Experience

Satori and Conversion

Perceptual Alteration

V. THE OCCURRENCE OF ARAHANTS

VI. AESTHETIC AND MORAL CRITICISMS

Apathy and Negation

A Selfish Goal

Escapist

VII. THE MOTIVE AND THE MEANS

VIII. THE BUDDHIST INSTITUTION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

PREFACE

          As heirs of a great religious and cultural heritage covering 2,500 years of history., the Buddhists of today are faced with the challenge of a new age. In the unending quest for human fulfilment men continue to look to the mystic, the supernatural, the occult and the divine. But the new age appears as an age of reason, intellect, pragmatism and technology. Even the age-old traditions of metaphysics and philosophy appear to wither before the onslought of science and psychology. Where once there were forests now there are farms; where once farms, now cities; where once silence, now noise. Ethics, morals and traditions, once the guidelines of human values, are now tottering and groping for new bases, new foundations other than the dogma of antiquity, the dictates of our ancestors.

         The penetrating and stirring insights of the Lord Buddha have filtered through the paths of history. Through these centuries the Buddha Dhamma has often taken on new meanings and new interpretations depending on the cultural circumstances and emotional wishes of the people who call themselves “Buddhists”. True, Buddhism as the impersonal Truth is universal, transcending the bounds of race, nation or culture. But as a social, personal organization or movement the true and valuable insights of the Enlightened One sometimes were all but lost, buried in a maze of metaphysics, ritual, folklore and mythology.

        We are proud that Dr. Burns’ present writing is one of unique quality. It traces Buddhism back to its earliest known teachings and clearly explains them impartially, as free from cultural and personal bias as possible. It then jumps across 2,500 years of history and presents the Dhamma their respective views of Nirvana. But in general it can be said that the Mahayana approach is heavily based upon dialectic, metaphysics and mysticism and hence contrasts sharply with the Theravada experiential approach as discussed in the following pages.

           Chapter IV concerns satori, the enlightenment of Zen Buddhism. The relationship between satori and Nirvana is discussed as well as the relationship of satori to LSD experiences, Christian conversions and other psychological phenomena.

         The references to Pali scriptures, which follow the quotations and are listed in the bibliography, are numbered in accordance with the volumes of the Pali Text Society, London. However, not all translations are from this source.

         Finally, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to The Ven. Khantipalo of Wat Bovoranives, Bangkok; The Ven. Nagasena of Wat Benjamabopit, Bangkok; The Ven. Khemanando of Wat Pleng, Dhonburi, Thailand and to Mr. John Blofeld all of whom examined the original text of this writing and offered valuable suggestions for its improvement.

Douglas M. Burns

Bangkok, 1967

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