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18 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

This is peace - not a kind of dull, dreamy kind of peace, really mean? It is often said these days that all religions
but a very sharp bright awareness. You may be familiar teach people to be good, and therefore they’re all
with the hyper-realist school of art, those pictures basically the same. But that’s a lazy and superficial way
with incredibly sharp definition. That sharpness is of looking at things because it begs the question of what
comparable to the clarity of the mind which has been is goodness. Does everyone who uses this word mean
well educated. the same thing?

Does an education based on Buddhist principles In Buddhism, we say that kusala or goodness is
risk compromising academic excellence? that which involves the abandonment or absence of

unwholesome and defiled states of mind, and involves
In a word, no. I would say that the idea that the two the cultivation or presence of the wholesome states of
should be in conflict reveals a lack of understanding mind. In other words, any act of body, speech or mind
of the nature of Buddhism. To explain why the very which is based on greed, hatred and delusion is neither
opposite is true, it may be necessary to enquire into good nor intelligent, whereas any act free from or leading
the assumption behind the question. It’s interesting to freedom from greed, hatred and delusion are both.
to observe how many western ideas and attitudes
have quietly slipped into Thai culture. Apart from the For that reason, stressing goodness in the Buddhist
more obvious ones concerning dress and behaviour, sense means stressing intelligence. Teaching children to
there are others that have come in under the radar, adopt boundaries for their actions in the world based
and a number of those concern ethics and religion. on integrity and kindness is not just about being good.
Buddhists are increasingly looking at Buddhism with It is pointing out to them that keeping such standards is
non-Buddhist eyes. the most intelligent way that we can live in society both
for our own peace of mind, self-respect and also for the
This is a good example because in the West, religion happiness and welfare of the community that we live in.
and rationality have long been seen to occupy different
spheres. This has led to the prejudice that to be good The inner development I outlined above - of the
is to be a little bit stupid. The saintly person is by emotions and wisdom - provides a clarity of mind,
definition seen to be naïve in worldly matters. There are an inner peace and lack of ego and selfishness which
lots of jokes and stories around about kind people being means that we see things more clearly, have uplifting
taken advantage of by the cunning and unscrupulous. principles to live by, and are motivated and able to
contribute to society constructively. A person who
I don’t believe this coupling of goodness with a lack follows the Buddhist path correctly will not be corrupt.
of intelligence is native to Buddhist cultures like Corruption is not only bad, but seen in the light of
Thailand. My suggestion is that it’s an import. One of kamma rather than immediate financial reward, is
the reasons for saying so is because if we look at the deeply unintelligent.
Pali word for goodness, the term we find is kusala and
the etymology of that word is intelligence. Built into When people talk about Buddhist education as being
the Buddhist’s view of life is the idea that goodness is unrealistic, one may ask them: “What is a more direct,
intelligence, intelligence is goodness. effective, intelligent way of dealing with the causes of
corruption - a huge economic and social problem in
Following on from that we can say that if a foolish this country as everyone knows - than dealing with the
person is said it be good, we must object that he cannot minds of young people before they become corrupted?”
be good in the sense that we mean. Similarly, if a
person is considered intelligent but his conduct is not The analogy here is of vaccination. Through inspiring
characterized by goodness, then it’s a false, counterfeit children with the nobility of being honest, and in
kind of intelligence. So, what does ‘kusala’ or ‘goodness’ pointing out to them the consequences of dishonesty,