An Analysis of Buddhist Principles that Appeared in Cakkavāladīpanī Scripture

Abstract

          This research article consists of 3 objectives, namely: - 1. to study the structure and content of the Cakkavāladīpanī Scripture; 2. to study the concept of the principles as appeared in the Cakkavāladīpanī Scripture; 3. to analyze the principles that appeared in the Cakkavāladīpanī. This is documentary research with the textual analysis and presenting in a descriptive form.

          The findings showed that: Cakkavāladīpanī Scripture has 3 main parts, namely:- 1. Paṇamagāthā is paying homage to the Triple Gem. 2. Among the 6 chapters, the content in each one has a separate topic depending on stories from the Tipitaka, Commentaries, Sub-commentaries, and Special Texts that mainly mention on the universe. 3. Pacchimagāthā, the latter part, is to emphasize the meaning of the Title, the background and the purposes of the composing, and the detailed history of Venerable Sirimaṅgalācāra, the author. There are 3 principles that appeared in the Cakkavāladīpanī Scripture: 1. Dāna: Giving things away describes that those who give away things would definitely receive good results both in their present and next life. 2. Sīla: Observing the precepts constantly, such as an egret who vowed to observe the first precept all her life. Even death could not stop her from giving up observing the precept, resulting in her being born as beautiful and attractive to good men around her, as a daughter of the Demon Lord Weppachitti. 3. Samatha-Vipassanā Kammaṭhānā:The practice of Samatha meditation will result in the birth of next life in the world of Brahma. When one continues his practice with Vipassana, he is getting rid of all the worldly desires and his spirit would be pure, and that is supposed to end the births or deaths of the human beings forever. As for the principles to be followed in everyday life in this Scripture, they consist of: 1. Dāna: Giving away means giving, giving up, sharing one's things for the benefit of others; 2. Sīla: Observing the precepts, Cakkavāladīpanī suggests the benefits (ānisaṃsa) gained from observing the precepts and experiencing bad friuts from breaking them; 3. Samatha-Vipassanā Kammaṭhānā: the way to practice to reach a tranquil mind or the way using the Four Foundation of Mindfulness as to understand things truly as they are as to reach nibbāna. The Scripture represents the rise and fall of the worldly universe. The emergence of human beings in the first aeon (Kappa) as well as the existence of beings in the abyss, the human realm, the god realm, the way to avoid doing evil things, and the way to uphold the virtue in order to eventually attain to Nibbāna. It also suggests the danger and boredom of the rise and fall of the Universe, not for the sake of the obsession of worldly pleasure or enjoyment.