Overcoming Stigma With Brahamavihara

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Overcoming Stigma With Brahamavihara

• Presenter Sayardaw U Tay Zadipati
• Shwe Chin Thae (Golden Lion) CBO
• Sagaing Division
• Myanmar
• ICAAP attendance supported by UNAIDS

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A Brief History

• After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha founded
  the order of monks (Sangha)
• These monks travelled around sharing the Gospel
  of Liberation From Suffering (Vinaya Pitaka, Maha
  Vaggapali)
• To survive, the monks begged for alms
• This was for two reasons. To reduce their pride
  and to increase the links between monks and the
  community

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History

• This vital force of monks and the community
  supporting and helping each other continues
  today
• Community members feed the monks
• Monks undertake social work

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Buddhism Discrimination

• Judging, excluding and stigmatising people is NOT
  Buddhist behaviour
• This comes from social and cultural factors that
  existed before the Buddha
• The Buddha clearly said NO to standing in
  judgement of others
• Buddhas original teachings and practice can be
  used to reduce exclusion and stigma

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The Relevant Teachings

• Many of Buddhas texts, practices teachings can
  be used to guide non-stigmatising HIV prevention,
  treatment, and care and support efforts
• Practice no discrimination strive to
  understand root cause and effect and treat
  everyone with the same respect and dignity, no
  matter what one's class, sexual orientation and
  past

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Buddhas Own Example

• Some extremely common sermons in Myanmar,
  regularly preached in public, tell of Buddhas
  own practice of not discriminating against anyone
• Angulimala, a notorious and hateful killer feared
  by all, was welcomed and accepted as a monk in
  the Buddhist Order
• From the Angulimala Sutta, in Majjhimapannasapali

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Buddhas Own Example

• Ambapa-li, a sex worker during the time of
  Buddha, was welcomed as a Bikkhuni, Buddhist nun,
  in the female Sanhga (deserving of the same
  respect as the male Sangha for spiritual
  goodness)
• From the Ambapa-li Therigatha in Therigatha Pali
• Ambapa-lis goodness was acknowledged and
  recorded in the Sanana chronicle

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Buddhas Own Example

• Sirima, a sex worker, was well recognised and
  respectfully received as one of Buddhas devotees
  without any discrimination
• When she passed away, the Buddha asked King
  Bimbisara to invite the whole city to the
  funeral, then delivered the sermon himself
• In the Dhammapada Atthakatha (Detailed
  Explanation of the Original Dhamma)

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Buddhas Own Example

• Pandaka, a man who had sex with other men, became
  a monk in the Noble Order of Sangha
• The Story of Pandaka, in Mahavaggapali, Vinaya
  Pitaka
• The Buddha himself bathed and took care of a monk
  who was suffering from severe diarrhea
• Taking care of the sick is the same as taking
  care of me
• The Story of a Patient Monk in Maha Vaggapali,
  Vinaya Pitaka

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Buddhas Own Example

• In such a way the Buddha himself showed real-life
  applications of the principles and values of his
  teachings
• Do good for the betterment of humankind without
  discrimination
• Such principles and values are known as
  Brahmavihara

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Conclusion

• For thousands of years, Buddhists in Myanmar have
  turned to the Sangha in times of joy or sorrow
• Even without such special occasions they make
  offerings to show their respect to Buddha and to
  gain merit
• Buddhist monks should engage in social work
• To truly follow Buddha, this social work should
  be carried out for the welfare of all humanity
  without discrimination

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Thank You To contact Shwe
Chin Thae, please contact
Email
tayzadipati_at_gmail.com