An Analysis of Failure in The Bayasana Sutta

Abstract

This article aims to study and analyze the woes in the Payasana Sutta. The results of the study found that the failure in Buddhism can be divided into four cases: 1) failure caused by relatives; 2) failure caused by wealth; 3) failure caused by diseases; 4) failure of morality. This failure is the disaster and damage, which may occur to any person, organization, institution and society. Wherever this failure happens, the damage will happen accordingly. In Buddhism, the Buddha taught the monks to observe the precepts as it possibly leads to other kinds of failure. The failure in the Bayasana Sutta relates to the failure caused by the power of views (diṭṭhi) as the behavioral stimulator because it makes ignorance and delusion become the truth. When ignorance and delusion overcome the mind, the self-overemphasized thought of correctness of thought, speech and mental conducts occur. Thereafter there is a lack of thoughtfulness in living in terms of physical, vocal and mental conducts, their advantages and disadvantages to oneself or the others. This leads to oneself focus, ignorance of the surroundings or society. This is caused by the delusion and oneself satisfaction of conducts and speech without consideration of harms that might happen to the others. So, the failure caused by relatives, wealth, diseases and morality is begun with the failure of thought.