Linking Buddhist Philosophy to Geometrical Form with Symbolic Meaning

Sushmita Shrestha and Dr. Bijaya K. Shrestha

What is Buddhism? Is it a religion, a philosophy, or a psychology? Buddhism or Buddha’s teaching is associated with
phenomenological aspect of philosophy and the therapeutic aspect of psychology with little resembling to religion. It is
described as psychotherapy [applied psychology], since the teaching includes the mind and mental states to deal with the
problem of disease and cure, disturbance and adjustment. It’s a system of philosophy coordinated with a code of
morality, physical and mental. Although Buddhism is not entirely scientific, it certainly has a strong overtone and is
certainly more scientific than any other religion.
While in the West Buddhism is often seen as exotic and progressive, in the East Buddhism is regarded as familiar
and part of the establishment. Buddha born in Nepal got enlightenment in India. Buddhism gradually spread throughout
Asia to Central Asia, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, as well as the East Asian countries of China, Mongolia, Korea and
Japan. Within a hundred years of the Buddha’s death, no less than eighteen schools had appeared, each school adding
its own emphasis on what it had inherited. Nonetheless, among many school of thoughts, three majors namely Theravada
[Hinayana], Mahayana and Vajrayana are still practices in various parts of the world. However, they are unified by
certain common doctrinal and textual facts. All Buddhists accept the early sermons of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths
and the Eightfold Path, the doctrine of mutual dependence or dependent co-arising, and the lack of a self or substance
at the core of individual existence, the doctrine of no-self. All of them accept that the Buddha as only master and take
refuge in Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. They believe in three ways of attaining bodhi or Enlightenment,
according to the ability and capacity of each individual – [i] as a disciple [sraavaka], [ii] as a Pratyeka-Buddha and [iii]
as a Samyak-sam-Buddha [perfectly and Fully Enlightened Buddha]. Variation with regard to the life of Buddhist monks,
popular Buddhist beliefs and practices, rites and ceremonies, customs and habits in different countries are of external
forms and expressions and should not be confused with the essential teachings of the Buddha.
However, Buddhism is being practiced in four different ways in the present world: [a] religious Buddhism, [b]
academic Buddhism, [c] cult as Buddhism, and [d] traditional Buddhism teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha. The essences of
Buddhist teachings lie in simple, ordinary guidelines that help us live our lives in harmony with ourselves, others, and our
environment. Buddhists and Practitioners are not a matter of following monastic order and worshiping Buddha and
Bodhisattvas; it is experience, in particular the experience of feeling dependent upon the universe. Increasingly, many
are studying Buddhist principles for use in business management techniques and conflict resolution. By far the vast
majority, however, see Buddhist philosophy and meditation as a means of attaining good mental and physical health,
personal fulfilment and satisfaction.
The discourse Buddha delivered in the Deer Park at Sarnath after his enlightenment known as ‘The Setting in Motion
of the Wheel of the Law’ revolves around the doctrine of ‘The Four Noble Truths,’ which is the fundamental teaching of
Buddhism [Table 1]. They are: [a] The Noble Truth of Suffering ‘dukkha’, [b] The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
‘Samuda’, [c] The Noble Truth of the End of Suffering ‘Marga’, and [d] The Noble Eightfold Path ‘Nirodh’. In fact, the first
three of the Four Noble Truths expound the philosophy of the Buddha, while the fourth [the Eightfold Noble Path which is
a code of morality-cum-philosophy] serves as a means to the end.

Table 1. Relationship of geometrical form and its symbolic meaning for Four Noble Truths
1 [a] Suffering as imperfect, stressful, or filled with anguish, which contribute to the
2 anguish of the fact that all things are impermanent, including living things like
Dukkha Samuda ourselves;
ya [b] Attachment means thirst and form desire, clinging, greed, craving, or lust. As the
world and people are impermanent and no separate, people are clinging to things,
each other, and ourselves, in a mistaken effort at permanence;
[c] Overcoming of attachment refers to the letting go of clinging, hatred, and
ignorance, and the full acceptance of imperfection, impermanence, and
interconnectedness;
3 4
[d] There is the path called Dharma or Middle Way, which is understood as meaning
Marga Nirodh
the middle way between such competing philosophies as materialism and idealism, or
a
hedonism and asceticism.
Square – pure form [4 sided]

The concept of ‘Dukkha’ can be viewed from three different perspectives: [a] dukkha as ordinary suffering –
physical and mental suffering due to not getting what one desires, separation from beloved ones and pleasant conditions
including old ages, sickness, death and so on, [b] dukkha as produced by change such as a happy feeling, a happy
 condition in life, and so on, and [c] dukkha as conditioned states – the concept of individual or as ‘I’ which in rapid and
habitual combinations, come mistakenly to be regarded as an individual and indivisible ‘self.’ The whole field of living
experience can be defined in terms of the five Aggregates [skandha] or the twelve bases of Consciousness as [Table 2]:
[a] Form – made up of the four elements namely earth, water, fire and wind, [b] Feeling – can be pleasant, unpleasant
or neutral – on twelve basis of consciousness, [c] perception – is related to the six external objects and is the act of
recognising and naming any particular feeling, [d] volition – is the reaction of the will to the six objects, whether good or
bad, and [e] Consciousness – is the reaction or response that occurs to stimuli from one of the six organs or one of the six
corresponding external phenomena.

Table 2. Relationship of geometrical form and the Five Aggregates

1. Form 4 great element
1
2. Feeling 12 basis of consciousness Internal External
Form

Transitory – perceptual changing

1. Eye 7. Sight
2. Ear 8. Sound
3. Nose 9. Smell
5 2 4. Tongue 10. Taste
Consciousness Feeling 5. Body 11. Touch
6. Mind 12. Mental
object
3. Perception 6 external objects
4. Volition Reaction of will to 6
objects
4 3 5. Consciousness 13. Visual 16.Gustory
Volition Perception 14. Auditory 17. Tactile
15. Olfactory 18. Mental
Pentagon – 5 sided 5 18 6 6

The Noble Truth of the Causes of Suffering is Desire. Its appearance and disappearance is ruled by Dependent
Origination and its twelve links provides a detailed description of the problem of suffering and rebirth [Table 3]: [1]
Ignorance – the condition for karmic activity, [2] Karmic activity [action, volition] – the condition for consciousness, [3]
Consciousness – the condition for the name and form, [4] Name and form [Mind - body] – the condition for the six sense
organs, [5] Six sense organs [seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking] – the condition for contact, [6]
Contact – the condition for feeling, [7] Sensation/Feeling – the condition for desire, [8] Desire/Craving – the condition
for grasping, [9] Attachment/Grasping – the condition for existing, [10] Existence – the condition for birth, [11] Birth –
the condition for old age and death, and [12] Old age and death – the condition for ignorance. These twelve links can
be further grouped into three basic parts: [a] Defilement [Ignorance, craving and Attachment], [b] Action/Karma [Action
and Volition], and [c] Suffering [Table 4].

Table 3. Problem of suffering and rebirth through Dependent Origination and its twelve links
Previous 1. Ignorance Process of
1 Previous life life 2. Mental formation Action
12
Future life 2 3. Consciousness
11 4. Body & Mind Process of
3 5. Six bases of consciousness Rebirth
Present 6. Contact Cycle of
Present life

10 4 life 7. Sensation/Feeling Rebirth

8. Thirst/Desire Process of
9. Grasping/Attachment Action
9 5 10. Becoming/Existence

8 6 Future Life 11. Birth Process of

7 12. Old age & Death Rebirth
12 sided polygon 3 12 2 6

According to Buddhist philosophy, anything that is born doesn't stay permanently in one state; it grows up, gets old
and then dies. Creation of a new life by the influence of the actions of the former living being is ‘Samara’. There are six
realms into which the soul can be reborn: Hell-born, animals, ghost, mankind, gods and ashuras [Table 4]. The first three
are qualified as bad, and the last three as good. In the first three there is more suffering than happiness; in the human,
the two are balanced; in the divine, happiness transcends suffering. However, whatever blesses may be in store for them,
all existence are basically suffering because they are transitory, and happiness destined to disappear is suffering.
Table 4. Threefold fires and cycle of rebirth
1 1
Defilement
6 Heaven 2
Animal Mankind

Ghost Ashura
5 3
Hell-born
3 2
Suffering Action
4
Ignorance, grasping and hatred Pure triangle – 3 [for threefold fire] Pure hexagon – 6 [for samara]

The Noble Truth of the End of Suffering is Nirvana. It is the destruction of desire and the basic passions which are
carving, hatred and delusion. The destruction of the passions neutralizes actions and prevents them from yielding any
result. It is also the disappearance of the five aggregates and the end of painful rebirth. Secure from birth, disease, old
age and death, Nirvana is supreme happiness. Nirvana is not an independently real entity. It is just ordinary existence in
this world, but without the suffering that arises from ignorance. Finally, it can be achieved through the Noble Eightfold
Path. The eight division, which fall into three sets, should not be considered sequential stages, but interrelated aspects of
an integrated whole, each strengthening and reinforcing the others [Table 5]. Morality [sila] comprises of Right Speech,
Right Action and Right Livelihood. It aims is to avoid any action which might harm someone else. Mediation [Samadhi]
consists of Right Exertion, Right Attentiveness and Right Concentration. It helps to fix the mind on one point. Wisdom
[Panna] consists of Right Aspiration and Right Understanding. It is the ultimate and main element of the Path. The practice
of concentration is not adequate in purifying the mind, wisdom is also necessary to ensure quiescence, peace and Nirvana.
Thus, Buddha’s teaching contains three major points: discipline, meditation and wisdom. Wisdom is the goal and deep
meditation or concentration is the crucial process towards achieving wisdom. Discipline through observing precepts, is the
method that helps one to achieve deep meditation; wisdom will then be realized naturally. The basis of Buddhism is
enlightenment achieved through learning and cognition, not faith. It is the state of absence in which desire, hatred and
attachment is distinguished, a state of a person reposing on himself, withdrawn from the stress and movement of
phenomena.

Table 5. Noble eightfold path into three sets

1 Morality/Sila 1. Right Speech
2. Right Action
8 2 3. Right Livelihood

Samadhi/Mind 4. Right Exertion

3 5. Right Attentiveness Nirvana
7 6. Right Concentration

Wisdom/Insight 7. Right Aspiration

6 4 8. Right Understanding
5

Pure form – Octagon [8 sided] 3 8 0