Life always offers two options and it is not surprising that life itself can be condensed into two options. Buddhist wellness is a special way of living life by choosing to live it, and to do that by optimising on healthcare that prevents illness and prolongs life, rather than the other option of treating diseases.

Buddhism is the answer to the question of how mediation, prayer, chanting and visualization are effective in restoring wellness to all the different phases of our life.

Buddhist wellness is achievable by Sila (Sanskrit) wihch translates to virtuous behaviour, morality, ethics or precept. For an action or activity to happen, it requires the combined effort of the body and the mind. Sila is considered as a unique way to achieve Buddhist wellness. Sila has four regulations, which are chastity, calmness, quiet and extinguishment. There are different levels of sila, which are listed below in the order of lower to higher hierarchy:-

-          Basic morality

-          Basic morality with ascesticism

-          Novice monkhood

-          Monkhood

Sila has the ability of bringing wellness both internally and externally to the follower. Sila or mind cultivation causes internal peace to the follower of it, and external peace, due to the place of the follower of sila in a community.

The first level of basic morality has 5 precepts which are listed as below:-

1. To refrain from taking life

2. To refrain from taking that which is not given

3. To refrain from sensual misconduct

4. To refrain from lying

5. To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss   of mindfulness

>

Regardless of the year in which these precepts were started to being followed, they still apply to this century’s possibilities of misconduct through non-violence, stealing, theft, dishonesty, drugs, alcohols etc

>

The route to Buddhist wellness can be tracked if a proper understanding of the Three Marks of Existence could be achieved.

>

The first mark of existence is acceptance of Impermanence. This indicates the Buddhist belief that all experiences are unsteady, ever wavering and temporary. Even everything that we undergo is made up of parts, which are then linked to form the whole picture that is dependent on external conditions. As new things arise, the old cease to exist.

The second mark of existence is Dukkha or suffering. The meaning of the word Dukkha can be extended to mean a number of English terms like pain, anxiety, dissatisfaction, frustration, misery, stress etc

Although some might be of the opinion that, sorrow to be a mark of human existence, is a pessimistic approach to things, Buddhist wellness is realistic and not pessimistic nor optimistic. Therefore, many adopt the word Dukkha itself, without translating it to an English word, lest the meaning gets substituted.

The third mark of existence is Anatta (not-self). It could be vaguely taken in for ignorance. The two expressions of Anatta, ‘I have a self’ and ‘I have no self’, are both rejected as metaphysical conditions that have the possibility of binding one, to needless suffering. Buddhists follow the belief of changeability and adaptability, rather than permanence. So, all human experiences pull on a thread of error due to the realm of ignorance that man surrounds himself in.

>