Basic Manners and Ethics - Part 1 Karate Myint Kywe (Myoma Myint Kywe)

Basic Manners and Ethics- Part 1

                                                                                    

Karate Myint Kywe 

(Myoma Myint Kywe)

“Hate is not conquered by hate:

Hate is conquered by love. This is eternal law.”

                                                                                       - Buddha-

In Buddhism, patience refers to not returning harm, rather than merely enduring a difficult situation. It is the ability to control one's emotions even when being criticized or attacked.  In verse 184 of the Dhammapada it is said that 'enduring patience is the highest austerity'. In Buddhism, patience (khanti) is one of the "perfections" that a bodhisattva trains in and practices to realize perfect enlightenment (bodhi). 

Ethics in Buddhism is the do good things only, abstain from all evil and maintain purify the mind. We should know ethics and etiquette in Buddhism. Etiquette is a code of behavior and social behavior. 

Etiquette can vary widely between different cultures and nations. Ethics, sometimes known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. Applied ethics is a discipline of philosophy that attempts to apply ethical theory to real-life situations.

Buddhist ethics are traditionally based on teaching of Buddha what Buddhists view as the enlightened perspective of the Buddha.

The Buddha taught us “Hate is not conquered by hate: Hate is conquered by love. This is eternal law.” ….. “Metta has no limits”. “Metta is infinity and forever”. METTA (pure LOVE) can do anything. METTA (pure LOVE can use everywhere and everybody. It can get people through things, give them hope, bring them joy, everyone needs it.

METTA is the most essential for everyone. When we do METTA practice, we begin by directing METTA toward ourselves. This is the essential foundation for being able to offer genuine love to others. Through the power of this METTA practice, we should cultivate an equality of loving feeling toward ourselves and all beings. 

We need to mutual love, respect and understanding each other. 
We need to be mutual understanding and kindness. We need to have sympathy and kindness reciprocally. 

To bring balanced loving awareness to our lives, we cultivate the practices of Mindfulness and Metta (Loving kindness).

Mindfulness is the quality of attention that brings us into the present moment and Metta is the practice of Loving-kindness that helps us meet each moment of our life with an open heart. During this daylong retreat, we will learn how the practices of Mindfulness and Metta are mutually beneficial and mutually intertwined. We will explore how by practicing them, we can cultivate freedom of our hearts and minds, for the benefit of ourselves, and for all beings.

The Buddha (BC 623-BC 543) provided some basic guidelines for acceptable behavior that are part of the Eightfold path. The initial precept is non-injury or non-violence to all living creatures from the lowest insect to humans. This precept defines a non-violent attitude toward every living thing.

The FIVE precepts (SILA) are the basic ethics of Buddhism. In order to practice meditation with any great success, one is required to practice SILA. This is the fundamental ethical principle for Buddhism.  

The Five Precepts of Buddhism are the basic ethical guidelines of a Buddhist life. Observance of the five precepts constitutes the minimum moral obligation of a practicing lay Buddhist. These five precepts enjoin against killing living beings (abstain from taking the life of sentient beings), taking what is not given (or stealing), sexual misconduct and adultery, lying and evil speech, and use of intoxicating drink and drugs. The core ethical code of Buddhism is known as the five precepts, and these are the distillation of its ethical principles.

Buddhist practice as outlined in the Noble Eightfold Path can be regarded as a progressive list of virtues.

The brahmaviharas in Buddhism are a series of four Buddhist virtues and the meditation practices made to cultivate them.  They are:

·        Metta: loving-kindness (benevolence) towards all; the hope that a person will be well; loving kindness is the wish that all sentient beings.

·        Karuna: compassion; the hope that a person's sufferings will diminish; compassion is the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering.

·        Mudita: altruistic joy (empathetic joy) in the accomplishments of a person, oneself or other; sympathetic joy is the wholesome attitude of rejoicing in the happiness and virtues of all sentient beings.

·        Upekkha: equanimity, or learning to accept both loss and gain, praise and blame, success and failure with detachment, equally, for oneself and for others. Equanimity means not to distinguish between friend, enemy or stranger, but to regard every sentient being as equal. It is a clear-minded tranquil state of mind - not being overpowered by delusions, mental dullness or anxiety.

Role ethics in Buddhism is an ethical theory based on family roles. 

Ethics in Buddhism seeks to resolve questions dealing with human morality concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, righteousness and wrongfulness, suitable and unsuitable, virtue and vice, justice and crime.

We must also establish processes that bring this mindset to life in the daily activities. Good mindset in Buddhism is based on truth that is very useful and necessary in our daily life importantly and essentially.

The relationships of parents and child, teacher and student, husband and wife, friend and companion, employer and employee, the ordained and the layman—these are the roles we play with GOOD MINDSET; these are the very framework of society. In the family we learn the values, skills, and disciplines required to fulfil our roles in society at large.

All these relationships are developed by generosity, kind and gentle speech, a life of service, and the warm, responsive quality of the mind. This is how self-development serves others. Buddhism also gives insight into the very nature of human beings and human affairs.

In the Sigalovada Sutta, the Buddha gives good advice on how to maintain peace and harmony in the home between husband and wife in order to achieve a happy married life. Parental responsibilities for children and the children's duties toward parents are also clearly mentioned in the Sutta as useful guidelines for the attainment of a happy home. 

The basic principles of ethics and manners

·             To practice good manners everybody

·             To say “please,” “thank you,” “excuse me” and “you’re welcome.”

·             To honor and obey teaching of parents always.

·             To honor and obey teaching of wise persons always.

·             To respect elders and those in authority.

·             To be kind to your brothers, sisters and friends & neighbors.

·             To respect yourselves and respect to others.

·             To say sorry and ask for forgiveness when we have done wrong.

·             To do ourselves in keeping a clean & healthy environment.

·             To be optimistic when you meet each other.

·             To do good things.

·             To abstain from bad things, anger, hatred and evil.

·             To refrain from insulting other religion, languages, culture, opinion, races.

·             To build purify the mind.

·             To forgive others when other insults on you.

·             To be positive view on daily life.

·             Try to forgotten wicked and evil done on you by others.

·             To be polite.

·             To be smile always when you meet each other.

·             Try to pure love and respect each other

·             Try to forgiving each other.

·             To be sympathetic.

·             To be honest.

·             To be patient as much as you can.

·             To be practicing proper etiquette, good ethics, good manners and living by truth, you will do you try to build a more polite, peace and happy around you.

Then we need to know about business etiquette and manners, table etiquette and manners, social etiquette and manners, family etiquette and manners, and dining etiquette and manners, etc every situation and everywhere.

You should do deep RESPECT to your husband. You show RESPECT for his family and his other friends. “If you love and respect him you should also show respect and patience to his parents, siblings etc. (We should abstain from all evil and every wicked person in everywhere.)

You should do deep RESPECT to your wife. You show RESPECT for her family and her other friends. “If you love and respect her, you should also show respect and patience to her parents, siblings etc. (We should abstain from all evil and every wicked person in everywhere.)

Everyone should know how to do treat mutual METTA, respect, patience and dignity to each other.

Treat others with fairness and respect, showing patience with others and respecting diversity.

Avoid swearing and abusive language and irresponsible behaviour including behaviour that is dangerous to yourself or others, acts of violence, bullying, harassment and physical or sexual abuse.

Every cloud has a silver lining

We need to demonstrate respect for each other and for relationships, not for power and control. We need to win other’s respect, not try to demand or force it. By force respect might bring compliance but it doesn’t build true respect for each other. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. All human beings are equal in dignity and rights. We should appreciate others as much as we can. But the essential factor is not races, religions, caste systems.

Honesty, diligence, character, unity, patience, justice, optimism, forgiveness, love, mercy, peace, open-minded, sacrifice, humility, moral ethics, etc were more important above all.

One must be able to oneself analysis. Each and every one of us should follow and live according to the teachings of one's own religion. The one who doesn't respect others culture and religion does not respect his own. The one who respects another culture and religion respects his own. The right to practice one’s own culture, language and religion applies to everyone.

All the teachings concerning culture, thoughts, opinion, beliefs and practices are valuable in their own ways. The important factor is that the follower of the concerned religion must follow the teachings sincerely.

There cannot be 100% similarities among religions, nationalities, any opinions, cultures, philosophies, skin hues, mental attitudes, sex, language, political, social origin, property, visions of people in the World. There would be more beneficence from performance of seeing with love and sympathetic mind (based on optimistic view) for a particular thing rather than blaming or extreme criticize (based on pessimistic view) in contrast to others. Look on the bright side, please.

“Every cloud has a silver lining” means that you should never feel hopeless because difficult times always lead to better days. Difficult times are like dark clouds that pass overhead and block the sun. When we look more closely at the edges of every cloud we can see the sun shining there like a silver lining. Every cloud has a silver lining means that the sun shining at the edges of every cloud reminds us that every difficult situation has a bright side. “Look on the bright side”, please.

Love and forgiveness are most famous of Buddhism. Forgiving someone can be difficult. Why do we need to forgive others? How can we forgive a person? The teachings of Buddha can provide us with good answers, patience, good idea and good teaching. Then the Bible can provide us with good answers, inspiration and good direction.

Christian ethics in Bible

 

Christian ethics is a branch of Christian theology that defines concepts of right (virtuous) and wrong (sinful) behavior from a Christian perspective.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Bible said that:

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Hence, actually, forgiveness is not only about others, but also about our own spiritual growth. 

Love and forgiveness cannot be separated. Then, mercy and forgiveness are direct manifestations of true love in any human being. All human beings are capable of mercy and forgiveness. More even, mercy and forgiveness, a full pardon toward all, is the easiest, fastest and most relieving act you can commit.

There are a lot of people out there that have had hard lives, bad beginnings (moments). Forgive those who have done you wrong. Most importantly, though, forgive yourself. To forgive others and to be forgiven ourselves is quite a challenging experience!

Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you!

Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful!