Wednesday, 23 September 2015

The Man Who Spit In Buddha’s Face.



The Man Who Spit In Buddha’s Face.



The Buddha was sitting under a tree talking to his disciples when a man came and spat in his face.

He wiped it off, and he asked the man, “What next? What do you want to say next?” The man was a little puzzled because he himself never expected that when you spit on somebody’s face, he will ask, “What next?” He had no such experience in his past. He had insulted people and they had become angry and they had reacted. Or if they were cowards and weaklings, they had smiled, trying to bribe the man. But Buddha was like neither, he was not angry nor in any way offended, nor in any way cowardly. But just matter-of-factly he said, “What next?” There was no reaction on his part.
But Buddha’s disciples became angry, and they reacted. His closest disciple, Ananda, said, “This is too much. We cannot tolerate it. He has to be punished for it, otherwise everybody will start doing things like this!”

Buddha said, “You keep silent. He has not offended me, but you are offending me. He is new, a stranger. He must have heard from people something about me, that this man is an atheist, a dangerous man who is throwing people off their track, a revolutionary, a corrupter. And he may have formed some idea, a notion of me. He has not spit on me, he has spit on his notion. He has spit on his idea of me because he does not know me at all, so how can he spit on me?

“If you think on it deeply,” Buddha said, “he has spit on his own mind. I am not part of it, and I can see that this poor man must have something else to say because this is a way of saying something. Spitting is a way of saying something. There are moments when you feel that language is impotent: in deep love, in intense anger, in hate, in prayer. There are intense moments when language is impotent. Then you have to do something. When you are angry, intensely angry, you hit the person, you spit on him, you are saying something. I can understand him. He must have something more to say, that’s why I’m asking, “What next?”
The man was even more puzzled! And Buddha said to his disciples, “I am more offended by you because you know me, and you have lived for years with me, and still you react.”
Puzzled, confused, the man returned home. He could not sleep the whole night. When you see a Buddha, it is difficult, impossible to sleep anymore the way you used to sleep before. Again and again he was haunted by the experience. He could not explain it to himself, what had happened. He was trembling all over, sweating and soaking the sheets. He had never come across such a man; the Buddha had shattered his whole mind and his whole pattern, his whole past.

The next morning he went back. He threw himself at Buddha’s feet. Buddha asked him again, “What next? This, too, is a way of saying something that cannot be said in language. When you come and touch my feet, you are saying something that cannot be said ordinarily, for which all words are too narrow; it cannot be contained in them.” Buddha said, “Look, Ananda, this man is again here, he is saying something. This man is a man of deep emotions.”

The man looked at Buddha and said, “Forgive me for what I did yesterday.”

Buddha said, “Forgive? But I am not the same man to whom you did it. The Ganges goes on flowing, it is never the same Ganges again. Every man is a river. The man you spit upon is no longer here. I look just like him, but I am not the same, much has happened in these twenty-four hours! The river has flowed so much. So I cannot forgive you because I have no grudge against you.

“And you also are new. I can see you are not the same man who came yesterday because that man was angry and he spit, whereas you are bowing at my feet, touching my feet. How can you be the same man? You are not the same man, so let us forget about it. Those two people, the man who spit and the man on whom he spit, both are no more. Come closer. Let us talk of something else.”


Credit: wisdompills.com

Sunday, 13 September 2015

Worlds Second Highest Buddha statue in India..

 
 
Sep 13 2015 : The Times of India (Delhi)

Buddha will sit tall in Gujarat

Ahmedabad:


108-M Statue Will Be World's Second Tallest
The Gujarat government is going ahead with a 108-meter tall Buddha statue at Dev ni Mori near Shamlaji, 150 km north of Ahmedabad. It'll be the second tallest Budhha statue in the world after the Spring Temple in China (153 meters) -and the tallest of a sitting Buddha, beating a 92-meter statue in Thailand. A detailed report of the Rs 700-crore project, built around the statue, was presented at Bodh Gaya on September 5 at the International Buddhist Conference where 400 delegates from 26 nations participated. Prime Minister Naren dra Modi was present as officials of the Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board (GPYVB) laid out the plan for a 100-acre development near the historic site, complete with a stupa, parks, monaste ries set up by Buddhist countries from across the world, exhibits, and a library . This was said to be one of Modi's cherished projects while he was chief minister of Gujarat. The statue will have Buddha covered by a sevenhooded Mucalinda, the mythological serpent who provided shelter when Buddha was in meditation.
Dev ni Mori was excavated by the state archaeology department in 1953. Dating back to 3rd century AD, the site had a monastery and a stupa. The most important discovery from the site was a 1,700-year-old casket which has bodily relics of Buddha. Kept at MS University at present, a replica of the casket was presented to visiting Chinese president Xi Jinping during his Ahmedabad visit last year.
The expansion plan includes formation of an educational institute on the line of an ancient monastery . Japan and Sri Lanka have shown interest in partnering in the project.

Sunday, 6 September 2015

`Buddhist India'; radicals force ideology on others: PM

 
Sep 06 2015 : The Times of India (Delhi)
 

Feel like calling us `Buddhist India'; radicals force ideology on others: PM

 
Bodh Gaya
TNN


 
PM Narendra Modi on Saturday said while there was no problem with people practising their own religion, conflict mostly emanated from religious intolerance and radical elements which try to force their own thoughts on others.

 Pitching India's ancient Buddhist links at a Hindu-Buddhist conclave at the Maha Bodhi Temple, the place of Lord Buddha's enlightenment, the PM described conflict avoidance as the most effective conflict resolution mechanism. The outreach was part of Modi's attempts to leverage India's cultural connections with Buddha, who preached and formed the Sangha in areas that are now east UP and Bihar.

In his 20-minute address before a select gathering of about 100 participants from more than a dozen countries, the PM endorsed the Bodh Gaya declaration of the Delhi conference, hosted by Vivekananda Inter national Foundation and Tokyo Foundation, to work for global peace and harmony .
Modi, who has highlighted India being Buddha's “karmabhoomi“, spoke about building a civilisational bond between India and the Buddhist world. While many south east nations find it difficult to relate India's current geographical entity to Buddha, Modi has sought to give the enterprise a higher profile.The Modi government as well as the predecessor UPA regime have recognized the strategic importance of countering China's efforts to present itself as a major patron of Buddhist thought.

Modi, who earlier offered prayers at the world famous temple's sanctum sanctorum, also participated in the meditation-cum-chanting of mantras by different sects of Buddhists. The session was held under the sacred Bodhi tree.

In his address, Modi dealt with the commonality of themes and beliefs of both Hindu and Buddhist systems.There was so much in common between the two that he felt like calling India as `Buddhist India', he said.

Modi referred to the coincidence of today being Lord Krishna's birth anniversary and referred to the belief that Buddha was, in fact, a Vishnu incarnate who came to the world to end misery and bring peace and harmony .

The PM offered all help for the development of Bodh Gaya as the most important centre of Buddhism and practical aspects of Buddhism relevant for the development of humanity as an entity , irrespective of artificial divisions and subdivisions.

For the full report, log on to http:www.timesofindia.com

Saturday, 5 September 2015



Buddha : life - beginning of an era


In the sixth century B.C., in the parts of north india in the modern day uttar Pradesh there was a place named kapilvatsu ruled by the sakya clan.  The king or raja the clan was Suddhodana. Suddhodana was married to Mahamaya. Suddhodana was a man of great military prowess and was a very wealthy person. he had a  second wife, named  Mahaprajapati. She was the sister of Mahamaya.

In the month of Ashad. Suddhodana and Mahamaya came together, and Mahamaya conceived. In her sleep she had a  dream,in which she saw that she was in the Himalayas and a  Bodhisatva , by name Sumedha, appeared before her saying, and asked for her consent so that he can take birth on this earth.  Next morning Mahamaya told her dream to Suddhodana. 

Suddhodana summoned eight Brahmins who were most famous with there foretelling. Suddhodana related to them the dream Mahamaya had and asked them  what it mean. The Brahmins said, “not to worry , You will have a son, and if he leads a householder’s life he will become a great king, and if he leaves his home becomes a sanyasi, he will become the enlightened one , a dispeller of illusions.
When Mahamaya was going to her maternal home in Devadaha for delivering the baby. She had to pass through a pleasure-grove of Sal tree in Lumbini.

She  delivered  a son in the adobe of sal trees.The child was born in the year 563 B.C. on the Vaishakha Paurnima day.  when the child was born, there was a  great sage named Asita visited the kings palace. Asita after observing the child, beheld that it was endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great man and also had  eighty minor marks, his body surpassing that of many gods.he fore told that the prince has two careers and no third. “either he will become a great king or if he leaves his house he will become a fully enlightened Buddha.” Asita knew that the child would become a Buddha started shedding tears thinking that he is old age and will not be able to see it. He said the boy will become Buddha and attain enlightenment , after that he will turn the supereme wheel of dhamma and will spread happiness and harmony for everyone.

On the fifth day, the ceremony took place in which The name siddharth was chosen for the child. Gautama was his clan name .thus he came to be called as siddharth Gautama.

In the middle of  rejoicing over the birth and the naming of the child, Mahamaya suddenly fell ill, and her illness became very serious. She entrusted the responsibility  Prajapati and king suddhodana.
At the age of eight, Siddharth started his education under the eight brahims who had interoperated Mahamaya’s dream. After that he studied under a great philologist Sabbamitta  who had all the knowledge of Vedas, Vedangas, and Upanishads. Siddharth also learned the  science of concentration and meditation from one Bhardawaj, who was a disciple of Alara Kalam, Siddharth gautam showed early traits whenever he could he use to go a quiet place and practise mediation.
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The prince belonging to the warrior class(kshatriya) was received teachings of combat also. He had being taught archery and use of weapons also. But he did not like it , he refused to join hunting parties with his friends and family. He was often ridiculed by his friends also because of this , they said he was afraid of tiger so didn’t go for hunting. But after all this also he maintanied that he didn’t like killing of inncocent animals.

Siddharth gautam was very compassionate about all living things from the beginging , he belived all to be equal. He explained that while thinking about living beings we create distinction and discrimination within us only. We divide them on the basis of friends and enemies, we divide them in animals and human beings. We discriminate between friends and enimies in the same way we discriminate pets from wild animals. He belived that universal love can be developed by meditating on the right subjects.

His supereme senese of compassion for all living beings lead him to make many enemies also. Once he was resting in the gardens , when a wounded bird fell in front of him. The bird had been shot by an arrow, the prince rushed to help . he removed the arrow and dressed its wound. He gave the bird water and help it him against his chest. His cousin devdatta came with a bow and arrow and asked siddarth that he had shot a bird has he seen it. Siddharth showed him the bird devadatta tried to take the bird but siddharth refused. There was a long argument between the two which reached the king. Devadutta argued that he had shot the bird so the bird belonged to him. Siddharth explained the person who saves the life has the right to claim it. He explained that a person who saves a life will always be greator than the person who tries to take it. In the end Siddharth got the bird.
In his sixteen year Siddharth was married to Yeshodhara . Yeshodhara was the daughter of another sakyan named Dandapni, she was famous for her beauty and conduct. After few years Yeshodhara gave birth to a son who was named Rahula.

The king was worried about the prophecy of the sage asita. He was ready to anything so that the prophecy fails. Hethougth of engrossing the prince with all the pleasures and joys of life. He built three luxurious palaces one for summer , one for rainy season and one for winters. These palaces had huge gardens with all kinds of flowers and trees.

He even built a place for courtseans who could keep Siddharth occuipied with sensual pleasures. But all of them failed as Siddharth thought how can some one be attracted to beauty which is perisable.
At the age of 20 Siddharth Gautama was introduced to the sangh and he started participating in the activities if the kingdom. He was always against war once there was a conflict between the sakyan’s and the neibhouring koliyas . Siddharth tried his best to persue the sangh not to go to war. He explained to them that enmity does not disappear by enmity. It can be conquered by love only.”

When Siddharth was 29 he went to see his kingdom with channa his charioteer. His father had made all the efforts  to hide from him the sick, aged and suffering because he didn’t want to proficy to come true. Siddhartha while travelling in his kingdom was said to have seen an old man. Then he asked charioteer Channa about the old man he explained to him that all people grew old. The prince took further interest and increased his trips trips beyond the palace. During these trips he encountered a sick man, a dead body, and an ascetic. These depressed him, and he tired to find the reason for suffering of human beings.

One night when Siddharth was around 30 years old he left the palace with Channa in serach for the answers of suffering of life. Siddharth send back channa and his horse and went on foot. He  initially reached  Rajagaha where King Bimbisara’s  recognised Siddhartha after  learning  of his pursuit , king Bimbisara offered Siddhartha his throne.  Siddhartha respectfully rejected the offer, but promised the king that he will visit again after attaining enlightenment.
After that he practised  yogic  meditation under two  teachers  on  of the teachers was alara kalama. When he completed his learnings there he was asked by Alara Kalama to succeed him. However, Siddharth  felt that his pursuit was not over and he felt  unsatisfied so he moved on . then he practised under a yoga teacher named  , he reached the highest level  meditative consciousness under him.  again he was asked to succeed  Udaka Ramaputta. But, again he felt that he had not found his answers so he moved on
Siddhartha then met five ascetics led by  Kaundinya, they decided to get enlightenment through restricting themselves on food intake and by undergoing  self-mortification. He practised it for many days and nearly starved  himself to death by reducing  his food intake. One day he fell down near the river because of the strict practise he was following .A village girl named Sujata saw Siddharth on the ground and  gave him some kheer (milk and rice). after  having that  Siddhartha recoverd and got  back some energy . then Siddhartha started to contemplate the path he was following.

He realises that extereme asceticism does not work , he realized the middle way- a path of moderation. He discovered that the two exteremes of self- indulgence or self- mortification should be avoided.  Thus awakened to this fact he decided to find the truth of life he sat under the bodhi tree (commonly know as pipal tree) on the banks of niranjana river near gaya(bihar). He mediated for many days. He realised complete insight in into the cuse of suffering and how to finish it.

He realised the four noble truths and the eight fold path. He was awakened to this truth and after that Siddharth gautam became the enlighted one or the awakened one whom we commonly call the Buddha.

After awkening he gave his first discourse at sarnath near banars to the 5 asthetics led by kaundinya who had abondened him. He explained the four noble truths and eight fold path. He explained the end of suffering was possible by achieving nirvana. Nirvana was a state free from greed , ill-will and delusion. These 5 ascetics became his first disciples and started sperding Buddha teaching everywhere.
For next  45 years Buddha preached his Dhamma to all .
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