We are what we think

There are numbers of mountain in world. All have their own beauty. But no mountain can match Himalayan grandeur. It is unique in all respect. Only Himalaya is like Himalaya. Same way only Buddha can match Buddha. In whole human history there is no other glorious name like Buddha. Since evolution of human, there had been numerous enlightened master & will continue to come till this human spicy exists. No disrespect to anyone of them, but no one, I dare to say “No One”, can match or come near Buddha though every master is unique in himself. Buddha is Himalaya among all of them. Buddha was neither a mystic saint nor a philosopher like others. He was “A scientist” of human nature. What so ever he did or said, he did with clinical precision.

Buddha was born in a royal Hindu family to King Śuddhodana. Gautama was the family name. His mother, Queen Maha Maya was a Koliyan princess. On the night Siddhartha was conceived, Queen Maya had a dream that a white elephant with six white tusks entered her right side and ten months later Siddhartha was born. As was the Shakya tradition, when his mother Queen Maya became pregnant, she left Kapilvastu for her father's kingdom to give birth. However, her son born on the way, at Lumbini, in a garden beneath a Sal tree on “Buddha Purnima. Buddha's mother died at his birth, may be after a few days. The infant was given the name Siddhartha, meaning "he who achieves his aim". 

During the birth celebrations, the hermit seer Asita, a childhood friend of the king, journeyed from his mountain abode. Asita was most famous sage of his time. The king never called him at his palace but whenever he had time, he used to visit Asita for his blessings. When it was announced to the king that Sage Asita was at door steps, Suddhodana, the king, run to receive him breaking all kingly protocols. Without wasting time, Asita asked for newly born child to bless him. The child was brought & placed in his lap. Asita lifted the child, saw him fondly with affection. Then something miraculous happened.

First Asita laughed & then started weeping. King, his family members & courtier were amazed & perplexed seeing both emotions at a time. With lot of hesitation King asked the sage reason for it. Asita explained. 

“I laughed because I am fortunate to seeing such a pure soul who will bring real peace in the world. I wept because when this bud will become flower, when sweet smell & nectar of this flower would be flowing in the world, I will not be alive to see that day. For the first time in my life, I am regretting to get Nirvan. If it is in my hand, I am ready to sacrifice my Nirvan to have another birth to site at his feet & drink nectar flowing from him. That makes me sad so I wept.”

When Asita was telling all this, he bowed his head at child’s feet. The small child pushed his legs into Sage hair knots & started playing with his hair. Since then, Gautam, The Buddha, continued to harness wisdom of man.

The Buddha’s Dharma is also known as “Dharma of Wisdom (Buddhi)”. Buddha was born some 2500 years before. Since then his words are awakening people of every section of society, right from kings to ordinary citizens, rich to poor, farmers to soldiers, men to women, highly educated to illiterate, theist to atheist. The way Gautam Buddha touched human heart, nobody could do that. The number of people achieved the ultimate goal through Buddha teaching is unmatched. I am not talking about number of followers. I am talking about number of people attained divinity. Buddha has expressed the ultimate in most simple & authentic manner. Buddha impresses more those who are used to think with reason & discuss, who are habitual of analysis & synthesis. Simple pure people can walk on the way on their own. But where are such simple pure persons. Day by day their numbers are reducing. More over there is no method to help these simple people when they reach at the peak. If nature helps them to take ultimate jump then it is all right otherwise there is no way to help them out at that crucial moment. Many people returned back after reaching to the peak in absence divine help at that very crucial moment.

Buddha awakened those people for whom awakening, divinity is not last resort & till date he continues to do so. His effect is not going to last for many thousands year to come as human is turning more & more antithetical mind (wisdom) concentric. It is most difficult job to awaken people having wisdom because he is not ready to accept anything without discussion, without right reason, without analysis & synthesis, without clinical test, who valid proof for everything. Evolution of human race has increased his wisdom more than anything. Human is full of mind. Every other religion which were developed keeping simple & pure hearted person, find it nearly impossible to penetrate human wisdom shield thus fail to help today’s man to start a journey toward divinity what to talk about achieving that. That is here where Buddha steps in. Buddha starts from Mind, his journey starts with reasoning, his light burns with oil of wisdom, reasoning, analysis & synthesis but it does not end there. It takes you beyond reasoning, beyond thinking, beyond analysis & synthesis. He never asked to have faith first as most of religions ask. As per Buddha faith has no value if it is not coming from person’s experience. He always said not to believe anyone word or deed, even his own words or deed unless that believe, faith comes from own experience. Now we see why human is going away from those religions which demand faith, belief first and we are also seeing the ill effect of such religions on the society. Not only today but for many more years to come, Buddha words will continue to awaken human. Religions demanding for blind faith, total surrender, imposing rituals, telling people to behave in a particular fashion without giving justifications, will fad away but Buddha’s word, his preaching’s, his methods will keep awakening people.

For today this posting stops here for your feedback, inputs, action & reaction. We will talk & discuss his preaching’s in next posting.

A Dream that changed me forever

Few days back I was on Twitter & sharing my thoughts with Bhavvaya @Bhavaaya, Chandramohanarao ‏@vanichandra2010 & S. Ranganathan  @rangats over Religious Bigotry  Then I remembered a dream I saw years before. They encouraged me to share that with all of you. It is like this:- 

During mid eighties I was posted in Kuwait to look after Telecom Projects. We, all employees, were residing in a building & had a common mess. Friday used to be weekly holidays. It was also a day when feast used to be served in mess having different verities of Veg & Non-Veg. That fateful Friday, there was no non-veg item prepared. Little disappointed I asked for the reason. Dhawan Saheb, a very senior officer, explained only veg items were prepared as it was “Buddha-Purnima”. Dhawan Saheb asked if I know Buddha Punima. He knew my non religious thoughts.

“Yes, Sir”, I replied.

“Do you know story of Buddha? Mr. Dhawan asked.

“A little bit” I avoided the subject but failed.

“OK, sit by my side. I will tell you whole story” Dhawan commanded.  Sensing no escape from old man's boring religious story, I sat beside him. He called other younger generation also to listen Buddha story. We glanced each other. Just to show our respect to his age & seniority, we sat along with him. After all we never wanted to have adverse remarks on our annual appraisal.

“You all know Buddha was a prince, son of King Śuddhodana, the leader of Shakya clan.” He continued story how Atisa blessed him, how he was brought up, how he saw four stages of life, how he escaped to Jungle to find the ultimate truth & how he sat with all determination one day to get enlightenment & succeeded.  Dhawan Saheb was engrossed in telling story & we all listening story which we might have heard many times with full attention. But that day we all were transported to other realm. Dhawan Saheb further said “after getting enlightenment Buddha taught us “1. Not to kill, 2. Not to steal 3. No improper sexual indulgence 4. Not to give false statements 5. Not to take intoxicating things”.

The story was over but chain of thoughts going in my mind. What the hell, I thought. Not all these surare taught us since we were small kids. Elders never missed a chance to tell us these “Noble Teaching”.

“What was so special in these teachings for which Buddha gave his youth to get the bloody enlightenment & then imparting those basic teaching. He must have been told all these even when he would have been young. No? I am really at sea to understand why he taught us these basic teaching that too after getting enlightenment.” I exclaimed

“Hmm” Dhawan might be angry over my youthful though very foolish questions. “Don”t ask me everything. Try to find answers from within”

“Wait Dhawan Saheb, I can see that everyone taught us more or less same teaching after his enlightenment. Be he Moses, Jesus, Mahavir or Buddha referring Ten Commandments of Moses. Off course there are people who teach us them even without any f@@@ enlightenment.”

“Sunny ! as he used to call me lovingly, that is why I told you to find answers from within. If I tell you now that will not be useful for you” Dhawan answered while picking up rice to eat.

There was total silence in dining hall. Certainly people were not happy over the language I used that too with a senior & respectable person like Dhawan. Sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere of Dining Hall, I finished my meal & came to my room for siesta.

Lying of bed, partially siesta effect & partially under Buddha story, slowly I drift into cover of half sleep, half dreaming. I can’t call it dream; it was an illusion or some magic or what so ever you want to call.

In dream, I saw a Monk walking through forest. He looked so peaceful & silent that I was feeling peace just looking at him & listening music of silence. He had some unknown magical & magnetic effect on only to all living being but to whole forest, to trees, too wind, too animals & birds. A group of deer was following him & birds flying behind him. Trees were lowering their branches to touch his feet. A cool breeze was blowing around him. It was not just simple walk of an simple Monk but it seemed the whole nature, whole universe, everything was dancing around him. I don’t find correct words or phrase to describe his walk. He looked like God himself walking through forest.  He was walking to a group of five monks having huts nearby.

Those five monks also saw him & started talking with each other. 

Oh! Look Siddharth is coming. What a pity, this man was detained to be “The Knowledgeable One- The Buddha” But he shunned the real path and started for bodily comforts. We, all five, followed & helped him all the way to see the moment he becomes Buddha. But he left his path & failed not only us but to his family, friends & whole universe. So we left him. Now why he coming here & specially to us? Let us not pay any attention to him nor offer him a seat or water or food.”  Monks resolved. 

But as Siddharth approched near, their resolve was losing its force, its gravity. When Siddharth reached at their huts then by some unknowing energy forced them to ackowedge his presence. One monk brought some cushion & offered higher seat to sit on, the other brought water & all started washing his feet. When Siddharth sat down, they offered him fresh water & some fruits to eat. Siddharth accepted their hospitality with lot of grace & gratitude. After little pleasantry, one of the monk said

“Siddharth! It looks you have completely changed. Some divine grace has over took you. You look like some God or Deity. What is the matter? Have you got what you were looking for?”

“Yes, Friends! Now I am no more Siddharth. Now I am Buddha. I have come to say my thanks for your services during my meditations. Had you been not there, I would have lost my body”

“Buddha! What you found? Can you tell that for us?”

“Oh sure. I have discovered root cause of all human misery & its solution too.”

“What are those?”

“I have found that there are four ultimate truths. (1) There is suffering. (2) There are reasons for suffering because nothing happens without cause. (3) Sufferings can be removed & (4) There are ways to remove sufferings.” 

I wanted to shout & tell him "All causes of a cause except first cause. So what about First Cause? " but could not. “Please carry on. We are listening” Monks said in unison. Not only they but myself along with deer, rabbits, birds, trees, flowers, air & whole universe was also listening what Buddha was telling and why not? After all it was his first sermon after being The Buddha. Buddha further explained the reason of suffering.

"Remember. All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind, suffering  follows him just as the wheel follows the hoof print of the ox that draws the cart."

"All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him."

“Do you what to know what is Dharma?" Buddha asked

“Please, tell us” All spoke in unison. Buddha said:

“Forget what you know. Forget what you have read. Forget what you have been told or you own teaching about Dharma till date. Forget everything about Dharma or its concept. Dharma is not rituals. Dharma is not praying Gods or Deities. Dharma is not meditations or how to pray Gods  or how to please some unknown super natural powers. Dharma does not concern how to live in particular way.” 

Shocked by his explosive words, all were listening with shunted silence. Thanks God there were no religious bigots present with their sword & sticks. There was no Temple, Mosque or Church to blow away Buddha's head & of those who were listening. Buddha words were demolishing all conventional definition of Dharma. They are still demolishing conventional bigotry & will continue till a single bigot is left. 

The Buddha was preaching the whole universe along with those five monks. 

“Dharma is about well being of just mankind but whole universe. Dharma is a way to cease suffering forever. Dharma is how to be better man/woman. Dharma does not belong to a particular group or section of society. It belongs to all of us.”

“God or Deities have no place in Dharma. They have nothing to do with Dharma. Dharma is way to be here & now. To achieve Dharma or become Dharmik (spiritual), you should try to become better person.”

“Look Gentlemen, Everybody in the universe is degenerate, evil. But there are two type degenerated or evil persons. The one who knows that he is degenerate, he is evil. The other are those who don’t know that they are degenerate. Those, who know or recognize that they are degenerate, have every chance to improve & learn way to cease their sufferings. But those, who don’t know, can never improve because unless you know you are ill you will not take medicine.”

“How to improve upon? For this, everyone should fix some bench-mark for himself & strive hard to achieve that. It is not that bad to fall from fixed bench-mark than to have no bench-mark”

“For fixing bench-mark for himself, everyone must ask two questions :- (1) Is it beneficial to me?- If answer is Yes then he should ask (2) Is it beneficial to the Society too - If again the answer should be Yes. If both answers are Yes only then he should fix that as bench-mark in his life.”

“If you ask me some bench-marks as guide line, I will suggest Five Precepts which can be adopted by everyone easily. They are (1) No killing, (2) No stealing (3) No falsehood (4) No Sensual Misconduct (5) No drinking of intoxicating things."  

"However, everyone should ask above two questions before taking these or any other precepts in his life. You can fix less or more or any other precept suiting to your life style. For example a soldier can’t take NO KILLING as precept in his life, so a Minister can’t take “NO FALSE SPEAKING.”

"Believe nothing, no matter where you have read it or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason, common sense & experience."

"There can't be different Dharma for different section of society.   This is the only Dharma in whole universe." 

"Es dhammo sanantano. This is the the natural, time tested, ancient & eternal Dharma."

"No one, no book, not even your peer can help you to achieve Dharma. They can show you the path. You will have to work hard to achieve it." 

"Appa Deepo Bhava. Be your own light."

It was a not mere a dream but it was a divine experience listening Buddha even if only in dream. Though till date I don’t take it as dream but an experience.  

It demolished my all convention believes. I am sure those, who read it even once, will not be same person as before. 

This dream explained me why Buddha gave these Five Precepts to mankind & logic behind them. As I said before all Master gave different sets of precepts but never explained reason behind that. All Masters laid emphasis on faith, faith on him, Master of Universe and or on some Divine Holy book. But only Buddha laid emphasis on you. There had been numerous Enlightened Masters in the world before & there will be countless Enlightened Masters in the world in future. But the way Buddha taught us, giving right logic & reasons for everything, nobody has done & perhaps non will do it again.  Buddha Dharma is also known as Dharma of wisdom (Buddhi ka Dharm). As mankind is being wiser with every passing day, Buddha 's Dharma is to here to stay & guide mankind as it has done before. All other Dharma or religion, as you say them, depending on fear of God or rituals or Holy Book or on all, shall perish soon. It would better to perish them sooner than later as they produced only Religious Bigots & Bigotry. In name of religion more people have been killed than natural calamity or illness.

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Disclaimer: The blog is based on a real dream. Writer don't vouch correctness of Buddha's words.The writer of this blog is Hindu by birth but does not follow any religion or their rituals. The writer does not want to hurt anybody religious feeling but does not care if they are hurt by telling some truth. 

(Pradeep Shanker)

NGO Reporter  …