I summarize my reading of the Bojjhangas as follows:-
The Enlightenment factor of Mindfulness – to be mindful day and night to perform wholesome deeds – generous, moral and meditation deeds and to be mindful to avoid unwholesome deeds. Whatever work that needs to be carried out, mindfulness does not forget to do it. To be pure in thought, word and deed at all times. To be mindful of the present, the Now. Not the past and the future. To guard the mind from unwholesome mental states or defilements. To be mindful of all phenomena arising in the body or mind - they must be observed as they really are at the moment of their rising. To be aware of the rising and passing away of mental and physical phenomena.
The Enlightenment factor of the investigation of states – when things are investigated and examined thoroughly and diligently, understanding, knowledge or insight (wisdom) arises. All mental states that arise – good or bad – must be seen and understood as what they really are.
The Enlightenment factor of effort – Effort and energy are needed if one is to progress or prosper in whatever one does. One must have strength, courage, endurance to put in the necessary effort to succeed at anything one sets out to do. No shrinking, no stepping back, no procrastination – no matter what the difficulties encountered.
The Enlightenment factor of rapture – One has to have interest, satisfaction and joy in what one does that leads to rapture. This is a inner feeling of gladness and delight. This does not mean only work for one’s own joy or satisfaction. It must lead to giving gladness and delight to others too. The work one does that leads to rapture has to have the function of pervading – to pervade the body or mind with rapture – to refresh the body and the mind with the work one does which leads to the service of others – elating, refreshing both oneself and others.
The Enlightenment factor of tranquility – one has to put in effort to keep one’s mind in constant tranquility and calmness. Its function is to relieve or crush the disturbances and agitation of body and mind. When one has a tranquil mind, one can work and function efficiently and thus be of service to oneself and others.
The Enlightenment factor of concentration – one has to develop the characteristic of non- distraction. When concentration arises, the mind does not go here and there anymore. It stays focused on whatever one does in the Now, the present, until it completes what one sets out to do.
The Enlightenment factor of equanimity – One has to be balanced in all things. Its function is to prevent deficiency and excess and to prevent partiality. It makes one impartial in all things.
When one is diligent in practicing the above, one becomes the master of one’s mind. Much physical disease is caused by anger, stress, depression, guilt, unforgiving nature, envy, hatred etc. The practice of the above teaching leads to peace of mind and the control of thoughts- of seeing things as they really are. With right thinking, all is made well. For as a man thinks, so is he. We attract not what we want but what we are. This is the law of attraction. We attract what we are. And what we are, are constituted by our habitual right or wrong way of thinking and this can go back a long, long, long way. Wrong thinking and wrong actions are the cause. Physical disease and other unwanted happenings are the effect. We reap what we have sown. It is the law of karma. Bad karma can be mitigated if we follow the Bojjhangas.
The ideal is the perfect man. The perfect nation. The Bojjhangas are the means to become the perfect man, the perfect nation. For the health of the nation depends on the minds of its citizens and more significantly, the minds of its leaders. If the minds of the leaders are corrupt and weak, its policies will be weak and the nation suffers. Thanks to the Buddha we can become the perfect man or the perfect nation if we follow the Bojjhangas.
From the point of worldly affairs – the Bojjhangas should be taught to the people. It should be part of the education policy to create the perfect nation. For example if we had the factor of mindfulness, we would not be lazy, forgetful or negligent in our duties. We would be mindful of our thoughts, words and deed as we know it has consequences. We would want to be mindful to sow good thoughts, words and deeds to attract good consequences to ourselves and to others. We would be attentive in our work and this leads to quality work. Mindfulness leads to self mastery.
If we had the factor of investigation of states, we would increase our knowledge in all that we do and would be seeking ways to improve ourselves and the quality of our service. We would reject an education policy that emphasizes on memory and passing exams by how well one has learnt answers from past year questions. We would implement one that emphasizes thinking, creativity, inquiring, reasoning, novelty and analysis. We reject ignorance. We endeavor to have a scientific mentality. We should be able to discern whether our efforts and undertakings would bring more prosperity and wealth to ourselves and the nation. When we understand this investigation of states as a factor for prosperity, progress and wealth to arise, we would apply ourselves diligently and honestly to the task of investigation of things, asking about the ideal of things. We would put in the necessary effort to implement our understanding and knowledge from our investigations. We would find the ideal of things and reject any element that corrupts our ideal.
With the factor of effort, we are encouraged to strive enthusiastically to investigate and find the effective policies and strategies to bring benefit to ourselves and others. We would then implement them to achieve the ideal. We would reject any form of incompetence, indolence and apathy in our quest to make the ideal a reality.
With the factor of concentration added to the factor of effort, we are fully immersed in carrying out our business or duties in the home, in the work place at the micro level and in the field of education, trade or politics at the macro level. We reject laziness. We honor discipline. If all is done well, we experience benefit and profit from our work. More gets done. There would be more achievement and productivity. This leads to the experience of joy, lightness and delight (rapture)… calm and peace (tranquility) which enriches our being. This would enable us to be more compassionate beings for one has to be compassionate with oneself before one can be compassionate to another being. As a result of the factors of rapture and tranquility we would cherish and love our work and our duty – health, productivity and prosperity are maximized. One should be placed in a working environment where one can work according to one’s best interests, abilities and talents to increase productivity. This will ensure that the factor of rapture and the factor tranquility pervades everywhere leading to more contentment, harmony and productivity.
With the factor of equanimity, we become balanced people. We then become impartial, tolerant, composed, fair, compassionate and competent in our work and dealings with others. We carry our duties with composure, with reason and logic rather than being swayed by our passions and emotions. We reject all forms of extremism and fanaticisms. We reject superstition. We would reject greed. We would reject a society where the gap between the rich and the poor is wide. We would strive for equality for all. We reject racial politics. We reject unfair economic policies. We reject all injustices. We would respect human rights. We would respect animal rights. We would respect the rights of all living beings and the rights of the environment.
Thus, strict compliance with the Bojjhangas can only lead to all round health, prosperity and happiness to all. May all be happy and well.
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