alicesmum
01-02-2006, 22:23
Just doing a little bit of Internet research on the teachings about motherhood in Buddhism (as you do, when you should really be doing more productive things). Thought I’d share:
The Mother in Buddhism
From Anthony Flanagan, Guide to Buddhism.
"Throughout the world, the role of the mother is given special prominence one day each year. Which month of the year it is varies from country to country. For example, in England Mothers’ Day is in March, in the US it is in May, and in Thailand it is in August. The timing is unimportant. What is significant is that it is a day when we take time to show our appreciation for someone who is very special in our lives.
The Buddha did not have the opportunity of knowing his own mother, Mahamaya, for she died a week after giving birth to him. The maternal care came instead from Mahaypajapati, his mother's sister. To what extent this affected his childhood it is for psychologists to surmise! From what we can gather from the Scriptures, the Buddha's childhood seemed to have been a relatively happy one free of family traumas.
Buddhism has some very significant things to say about the mother in that she embodies human qualities of the highest order - selflessness, giving and devotion to others.
The mother carries us in her own body for nine months, gives birth (and the pain that that entails) and spends the rest of her life caring for us. Even in her old age, the mother never ceases to think about her children. Buddhism emphasises that it is not possible to ever repay the kindnesses bestowed upon us by our mothers.
There is also the idea in Buddhism that in our previous lives we have been the mother of all those who we come into contact with. Whether this is taken literally or metaphorically depends on the tradition. Nonetheless, it seems to be quite a startling claim and its significance lies most of all in the way this idea guides our thinking about how we perceive others. Cherishing others - whoever they are - and developing loving-kindness (or metta) towards all beings is a key Buddhist virtue.
The Bodhisattva (or saintly) ideal in Mahayana Buddhism is about adopting these maternal qualities. The Bodhisattva - out of compassion for the suffering of others - aims to help other beings out of their suffering, postponing his/her own entry into Nirvana. One of the key female Bodhisattvas in this respect is Kuan Yin, the embodiment of compassion.
The Metta Sutra - one of Buddhism's most highly regarded Scriptures - is also significant. In it are to be found the following lines: "Just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings". This 'boundless heart' is what mothers have in the way they look after and nurture their children. What Buddhism asks us to do, is to first develop this within ourselves more fully and then to extend it to others, whoever they may be".
I also found this quote from one of the other Scriptures, which I particularly liked (since I am due to have a baby boy in June):
"A mother gazing on her baby boy,
Is thrilled in every limb with holy joy." :D
The Mother in Buddhism
From Anthony Flanagan, Guide to Buddhism.
"Throughout the world, the role of the mother is given special prominence one day each year. Which month of the year it is varies from country to country. For example, in England Mothers’ Day is in March, in the US it is in May, and in Thailand it is in August. The timing is unimportant. What is significant is that it is a day when we take time to show our appreciation for someone who is very special in our lives.
The Buddha did not have the opportunity of knowing his own mother, Mahamaya, for she died a week after giving birth to him. The maternal care came instead from Mahaypajapati, his mother's sister. To what extent this affected his childhood it is for psychologists to surmise! From what we can gather from the Scriptures, the Buddha's childhood seemed to have been a relatively happy one free of family traumas.
Buddhism has some very significant things to say about the mother in that she embodies human qualities of the highest order - selflessness, giving and devotion to others.
The mother carries us in her own body for nine months, gives birth (and the pain that that entails) and spends the rest of her life caring for us. Even in her old age, the mother never ceases to think about her children. Buddhism emphasises that it is not possible to ever repay the kindnesses bestowed upon us by our mothers.
There is also the idea in Buddhism that in our previous lives we have been the mother of all those who we come into contact with. Whether this is taken literally or metaphorically depends on the tradition. Nonetheless, it seems to be quite a startling claim and its significance lies most of all in the way this idea guides our thinking about how we perceive others. Cherishing others - whoever they are - and developing loving-kindness (or metta) towards all beings is a key Buddhist virtue.
The Bodhisattva (or saintly) ideal in Mahayana Buddhism is about adopting these maternal qualities. The Bodhisattva - out of compassion for the suffering of others - aims to help other beings out of their suffering, postponing his/her own entry into Nirvana. One of the key female Bodhisattvas in this respect is Kuan Yin, the embodiment of compassion.
The Metta Sutra - one of Buddhism's most highly regarded Scriptures - is also significant. In it are to be found the following lines: "Just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings". This 'boundless heart' is what mothers have in the way they look after and nurture their children. What Buddhism asks us to do, is to first develop this within ourselves more fully and then to extend it to others, whoever they may be".
I also found this quote from one of the other Scriptures, which I particularly liked (since I am due to have a baby boy in June):
"A mother gazing on her baby boy,
Is thrilled in every limb with holy joy." :D