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23-Buddha Avataar-4
The Buddha spent 45 years teaching spiritual truths to enable people to
break free of the Kaarmik wheel of life that binds them to this world.
Buddha was full of compassion and served humanity selflessly. The only
time he did not tour was during the rainy season, when he stayed in one
place. He gave all an equal chance to find the way to enlightenment. So
many questions.
King Buddha and a Braahman
Once Gautam Buddha was sitting under a banyan tree, that one day, a furious
Braahman came to him and started abusing him. The Braahman thought that Gautam
Buddha would reciprocate in the same manner, but to his utter surprise, there
was not the slightest change in the expression on his face. Now, the Braahman
became more furious. He hurled more and more abuses at Buddha. However, Gautum
Buddha was completely unmoved. Actually there was a look of compassion on his
face. Ultimately the Braahman got tired of abusing him. He asked, "I have
been abusing you like anything for so long, but you are not angry at all?"
Gautam Buddha calmly replied,
"My dear Brother, I have not accepted a single abuse from you, that is
why I am calm."
"But you heard all of them, did not you?" The Braahman argued half-heartedly.
Buddha said, "I do not need the abuses, so why should I even hear them?"
Now the Braahman was even more
puzzled. He could not understand the calm reply from Gautam Buddha. Looking
at his disturbed face, Buddha further explained, "All those abuses remain
with you."
"It cannot be possible. I
have hurled all of them at you," the Braahman persisted.
Buddha calmly repeated his reply, "But I have not accepted even a single
abuse from you ! Dear Brother, suppose you give some coins to somebody, and
if he does not accept them, with whom will those coins remain?"
The Braahman replied, "If I have given the coins and not needed by someone,
then naturally they would remain with me."
With a meaningful smile on his
face, Buddha said, "Now you are right. The same thing has happened with
your abuses also. You came here and hurled abuses at me, but I have not accepted
a single abuse from you. Hence, all those abuses remain with you only. So there
is no reason to be angry with you." The Braahman remained speechless. He
was ashamed of his behavior and begged for Buddha's forgiveness.
Buddha and a Disciple
One day, a disciple, Malunkyaputta sought an interview with the Buddha.
Malunkyaputta had a restless mind, he asked - "Is the world infinite
or finite? Is the soul identical with the human body?" Since he was
preoccupied with these questions, he could not meditate. He requested the
Buddha to answer his questions failing which he would leave the order.
Buddha replied - "O
Malunkyaputta, Did I ever ask you to take up this path and did I promise
you that I would answer these intellectual wrangling?"
The disciple sheepishly replied - "No."
Buddha said - "Whoever worries about these meaningless speculations such as
whether the world is infinite or finite, or whether the soul looks like the body,
is taking away time from spiritual practice. It is just like someone who is shot
by an arrow who instead of letting the doctor treat him to get out the poison
starts saying, "I will not allow my wound to be treated until I know who is
the man who shot me. What kind of person is he, is he tall or short, what type of
bow and arrow did he use, or what color is his skin." The key is to get
treatment first. Similarly, if we say we will not do our spiritual practices until
we get answers to these questions about whether the universe is eternal or not,
and other such questions, then one may pass one's whole life and never reach the
spiritual goal."
Not All Knowledge For All
Once Buddha was sitting with his disciples while he was living in the Shinshupaa
forest near Kaushaambee. He picked up a few leaves and asked his disciples -
"What is your opinion? Which is more? Is it the few leaves in my hand, or
the leaves in the forest around us?"
The disciples said - "You have very few leaves in your hand, while there are
many more in the forest."
Buddha then told them - "It is the same with my teachings. Of everything I
know, I have only told you a little. What I have not told you is much more, like
the leaves in the forest. Why did I not tell you everything I know? The reason
is that all that information is not useful for you at this stage. Information
that will not lead to enlightenment, I have not told you. I have only told you
that which you need to know to gain the spiritual experience and find salvation."
Practice Makes Perfect
As we think about our own lives, many get involved in intellectual pursuits.
But there comes a point when we find that the mind will never stop its wrangling.
We have to discriminate which questions will help our spiritual progress and
which ones are merely to satisfy the intellect's curiosity. People who are steeped
in the theoretical side of religion can spend years debating each point found in
scriptural writings and never find any solution. It is far better to spend time
in our spiritual practices so that we can rise above our limited intellect and
come in contact with our soul.
Then, we will not have to wonder about answers, for we will know them for certain
and see them for ourselves. Our soul has all the answers; it is one with the Lord.
Answers lie within. Let us not waste our precious meditation time thinking over
the intricacies of the universe, instead, we can use that time to keep the mind
still so that the soul can come in contact with the inner Light. By absorption
in that Light, the soul will awaken to the truths lying within It will be open
to receive the hidden wisdom within us.
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