Deilaism

Deilaism has existed for thousands of years, spanning back to before the times of the First Golden Kingdom. It was founded after the death of Siddhārtha Gautama, the first Deila.

=History=

Siddhārtha Gautama was born into a world of luxuries, but later realised that real life was about inescapable suffering and sorrow. Siddharta renounced his meaningless life of luxury to become an ascetic. He ultimately decided that asceticism was also meaningless, and instead chose a middle way, a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.

Under a fig tree, now known as the Bodhi tree, he vowed never to leave the position until he found Truth. At the age of 35, he attained Enlightenment. He was then known as Gautama Deila, or simply "The Deila", which means "the enlightened one". For the remaining 45 years of his life, he travelled the Gangetic Plain of central Se'alon (region of the Ganges/Ganga river and its tributaries), teaching his doctrine and discipline to an extremely diverse range of people.

The Deila's reluctance to name a successor or to formalise his doctrine led to the emergence of many movements during the next 400 years: first the schools of Nikaya Deilaism, of which only Theravada remains today, and then the formation of Mahayana, a pan-Deilailist movement based on the acceptance of new scriptures.

At first Deilaism was but a minor phenomenon in Se'alon, having not spread fully into the kingdom yet. However, 400 years after the death of The Deila, the Centra Emperor sponsored the religion as the national religion of the Wequ Dynasty, to which he belonged. This caused the religion to grow exponentially, causing the solidification of the Theravada Deilaism, and eventually the creation of the Mahayana Deilaism.

=Foundations=

Mahayana Deilaism relies strongly on three main scriptures, which are the Four Noble Truths, the Middle Way and the Eightfold Path.

The Four Noble Truths
The Nature of Dukkha: All life is suffering. This is the noble truth of "dukkha": the word "Dukkha" is usually translated as "suffering" in English. Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, sickness is dukkha, death is dukkha; union with what is displeasing is dukkha; separation from what is pleasing is dukkha; not to get what one wants is dukkha; to get what one does not want is dukkha; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are dukkha. This first Noble Truth reflects on the nature of suffering. It comments on types of suffering, identifying each type in turn. A more accurate simplification of this truth is "Life is full of suffering."

The Origin of Dukkha (Samudaya): Suffering is caused by desire. This is the noble truth of the origin of dukkha: It is craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination. The second Noble Truth reflects on the sources of suffering (Dukkha.) Put very simply, it states that suffering results from expectations linked to our desires, and our attachment to those desires themselves.

The Cessation of Dukkha (Nirodha): To eliminate suffering, eliminate desire. This is the noble truth of the cessation of dukkha: It is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, and non-reliance on it. The third Noble Truth reflects on the belief that suffering can be eliminated. It asserts that it can be done, and that it has been done.

The Way Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha (Magga): To eliminate desire follow the Eightfold Path. This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of Dukkha: It is the Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

The Noble Eightfold Path
Wisdom (Sanskrit: prajñā, Pāli: paññā) (*)1. Right view (*)2. Right intention Ethical conduct (Sanskrit: śīla, Pāli: sīla) (*)3. Right speech (*)4. Right action (*)5. Right livelihood Mental discipline (Sanskrit and Pāli: samādhi) (*)6. Right effort (*)7. Right mindfulness (*)8. Right concentration

The Five Precepts As the Deila refrained from killing until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from killing until the end of my life.

As the Deila refrained from stealing until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from stealing until the end of my life.

As the Deila refrained from sexual misconduct until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from sexual misconduct until the end of my life.

As the Deila refrained from false speech until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from false speech until the end of my life.

As the Deila refrained from alcohol until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from alcohol until the end of my life.

The Three Jewels
Deila (The Enlightened or Awakened One), who, depending on one's interpretation, can mean the Historical Deila, Shakyamuni, or the Deila nature or ideal within all beings;

Dharma (The Teaching), which is the Teachings of the Deila.

Sangha (The Community), The Community of those great people who have attained Enlightenment. so that those people(Sangha) will help you to attain Enlightenment.

Three Marks of Existance:
Dukkha (Sanskrit duhkha) or unsatisfactoriness (also often translated "suffering," though this is somewhat misleading). Nothing found in the physical world or even the psychological realm can bring lasting deep satisfaction.

Anicca (Sanskrit anitya) or impermanence. This refers not only to the fact that all conditioned things eventually cease to exist, but also that all conditioned things are in a constant state of flux. (Visualize a leaf growing on a tree. It dies and falls off the tree but is soon replaced by a new leaf.)

Anatta (Sanskrit anatman) impersonality, or non-Self. The human personality, "soul", or Self, is a conventional appellation applied to the assembly of physical and psychological components, each individually subject to constant flux; there is no central core (or essence); this is somewhat similar to a bundle theory of mind or soul. Bodhisattvayana

Mahayana Deilaism, a bodhisattva has the compassionate determination to aid all beings on their quest for the highest state of development, full enlightenment of a Deila. This type of motivation is known as bodhicitta ('citta' means mind). Remaining in this world of uncontrolled rebirth (samsara), the bodhisattva has taken the bodhisattva vow to achieve Deilahood as quickly as possible and thereby be most able to teach Dharma until all beings have likewise achieved enlightenment.

The 10 Grounds of the Bodhisattvayana
Great Joy It is said that being close to enlightenment and seeing the benefit for all sentient beings, one achieves great joy, hence the name. In this bhumi the bodhisattvas practice all virtues (paramita), but especially emphasizing generosity (dana).

Stainless In accomplishing the second bhumi, the bodhisattva is free from the stains of immorality, therefore, this bhumi is named 'Stainless'. The emphasized virtue is moral discipline (śila).

Radiant The third bhumi is named 'Radiant', because, for a bodhisattva who accomplishes this bhumi, the light of Dharma is said to radiate from the bodhisattva for others. The emphasized virtue is patience.

Luminous This bhumi is called 'luminous', because it is said to be like a radiating light that fully burns that which opposes enlightenment. The emphasized virtue is vigor (virya).

Very difficult to train Bodhisattvas who attain this bhumi strive to help sentient beings attain maturity, and do not become emotionally involved when such beings respond negatively, both of which are difficult to do. The emphasized virtue is meditative concentration (dhyāna).

Obviously Transcendent "By depending on the perfection of wisdom awareness, he [the bodhisattva] does not abide in either sasāra or nirvāna, so it is 'obviously transcendent'". The emphasized virtue is wisdom (prajña).

Gone afar Particular emphasis is on the perfection of skillful means, or upaya-kaushalya, to help others.

Immovable The emphasized virtue is aspiration. This, the 'Immovable' bhumi, is the bhumi at which one becomes able to choose his place of rebirth.

Good Discriminating Wisdom The emphasized virtue is power.

Cloud of dharma The emphasized virtue is the practice of primordial wisdom.

The Basic Points
These are the points that unify all Deilaist traditions around the world. Whatever our sects, denominations or systems, as Deilaists we all accept the Deila as our Master who gave us the Teaching. We all take refuge in the Triple Jewel: the Deila, our Teacher; the Dhamma, his teaching; and the Sangha, the Community of holy ones. In other words, we take refuge in the Teacher, the Teaching and the Taught. Whether Theravāda or Mahāyāna, we do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a god at his will. Following the example of the Deila, our Teacher, who is embodiment of Great Compassion and Great Wisdom, we consider that the purpose of life is to develop compassion for all living beings without discrimination and to work for their good, happiness and peace; and to develop wisdom leading to the realization of Ultimate Truth. We accept the Four Noble Truths taught by the Deila, namely, Dukkha, the fact that our existence in this world is in predicament, is impermanent, imperfect, unsatisfactory, full of conflict; Samudaya, the fact that this state of affairs is due to our egoistic selfishness based on the false idea of self; Nirodha, the fact that there is definitely the possibility of deliverance, liberation, freedom from this predicament by the total eradication of the egoistic selfishness; and Magga, the fact that this liberation can be achieved through the Middle Path which is eight-fold, leading to the perfection of ethical conduct (sila), mental discipline (samadhi) and wisdom (panna). We accept the universal law of cause and effect taught in the Paiccasamuppada (Skt. pratītyasamutpada; Conditioned Genesis or Dependent Origination), and accordingly we accept that everything is relative, interdependent and interrelated and nothing is absolute, permanent and everlasting in this universe. We understand, according to the teaching of the Deila, that all conditioned things (samkhara) are impermanent (anicca) and imperfect and unsatisfactory (dukkha), and all conditioned and unconditioned things (dhamma) are without self (anatta). We accept the Thirty-seven Qualities conducive to Enlightenment (bodhipakkhiyadhamma) as different aspects of the Path taught by the Deila leading to Enlightenment, namely: --> Four Forms of Presence of Mindfulness; --> Four Right Efforts; --> Four Bases of Supernatural Powers; --> Five Faculties; --> Five Powers; --> Seven Factors of Enlightenment; --> Eight-fold Noble Path. There are three ways of attaining Bodhi or Enlightenment according to the ability and capacity of each individual: namely, as a Sravaka (disciple), as a Pratyekabuddha (Individual Deila) and as a Samyaksambuddha (Perfectly and Fully Enlightened Deila). We accept if as the highest, noblest and most heroic to follow the career of a Boddhisattva and to become a Samyksambuddha in order to save others. But these three states are on the same Path, not on different paths. In fact, the Sandhinirmocana-sutra, a well-known important Mahayana sutra, clearly and emphatically says that those who follow the line of Sravaka-yana (Vehicle of Disciples) or the line of Pratyekabuddha-yana (Vehicle of Individual Deilas) or the line of Tathagatas (Mahayana) attain the supreme Nirvana by the same Path, and that for all of them there is only one Path of Purification (visuddhi-marga) and only one Purification (visuddhi) and no second one, and that they are not different paths and different purifications, and that Sravakayana and Mahayana constitute One Vehicle One Yana (eka-yana) and not distinct and different vehicles or yanas. We admit that in different countries there are differences with regard to the ways of life of Deilaist monks, popular Deilaist beliefs and practices, rites and rituals, ceremonies, customs and habits. These external forms and expressions should not be confused with the essential teachings of the Deila.