Business to the Buddha

Author: KRD Pravin

  • Freemium – business model







    The Buddha shared his knowledge for free, you know these universities charge so much for the degrees!

    One argument could be – 1. That time was different. 2. The Buddha asked for bigger fee – leave all material possession, family, even ‘self’. What fee are you talking about? But yes, what the Buddha taught was priceless and of course for free.

    The second is – Well you have a MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) – Coursera, EdX etc. These MOOC are based on a freemium Business Model.

    “Freemium” is a coined word; it is made using two words – free and premium. A business model which is based on this term “freemium” offers products/services free as well as paid. What is so great about it? Well, in this business approach few basic functionality of product/service are free and advanced features are premium. An example is LinkedIn. This business model is possible in cases where marginal cost of distribution and production are low – most commonly internet and software businesses. Advantage? It can offer huge scale for premium access. How? Once responded to free and limited period premium content business can expect to convert higher % of free users to premium users. LinkedIn has been doing this successfully.

    I liked this idea. It relates to offering your services – though limited – to everyone. Here everyone means – meaningful target audience which needs it. The business offering such service is not creating a complete monopoly – by asking users to first PAY and then USE. It gels with the concept of Business and the Buddha as well.

    Well, a word of caution – fremium can be wicked as well – when pricing is done to squeeze “consumer surplus”#. That is where it may not be what “Business to the Buddha” would apply. At the end of the day – there is no limit to squeezing the consumer, isnt it?

    An interesting business concept I have seen in Singapore [searched on net they are in India too!]. There is a restaurant near China Town MRT station – Annalaxmi. There you can have lunch and pay as much as you want, Sing $ 0 or even 100. There is no cashier. The amount such collected goes in running this not for profit restaurant and rest is utilized in organizing cultural activities.

    Whatever said, freemium seems to (should) be the way to go!

    Image source – Consumer surplus – Wikipedia

     

    consumer surplusesConsumer surplus – it is a term used in microeconomics in demand and supply analysis. Though the author is not a PhD in economics, still in his simple words – consumer surplus is what a few consumer “can” pay to avail the service but would not pay as company selling the offer keeps the price lower so that the company can reach scale.

  • Ganesha to a devotee







    Lalbaugcha-Raja-VisarjanI wrote once on Ganesha festival (read here – Death is inevitable) of Maharashtra, similarly there is a Goddess Kali festival in West Bangal. What lesson I learnt from these festivals are death is coming, best use of your life is whatever best you can do NOW!

    The festival celebrated in its current form bothers a lot of people, I am one of them. I am not against festivity, I am against politicizing the festivals and making them vulgar to some extent. I saw people drinking in these places (in general drinking in temples etc is not considered good in Indian culture), playing strange songs instead of aartis etc. I was planning to write on the same, however I received a Whatsapp message from my friend Bhushan Chavan, so here is the message audio. This message fully syncs with my thoughts. I am trying to translate this Marathi message in English.

    Ganesha to his disciple – “You came! come first sit here peacefully. Take a normal breath in.

    Dont just start asking for your wishes by giving me Prasad of banana & modak. To be more precise dont ask/wish for anything this year. Dont even ask [not sure if thats what it means] for what happened to the wishlist you left here last year. Because as many wishes I fulfill your list keeps on increasing!

    Now, I dont want a bigger tummy than this [reference modak, sweets making Ganesha more fat]. Instead of wishing something, please do the otherwise, please fulfill few of my wishes. Check if you can do that.

    This year, do not think bad for anyone else. Dont ask for donation money [Marathi “Vargani” is Hindi “Chanda” is English “donation”. I am learning Marathi 😀 🙂 ;)] in my name.

    Dont spend sleepless nights, even if you don’t sleep – don’t drink, if drunk do not …. [could not make out this word]. I do not want 300 gram Gold necklace. If you can, please reduce volume of the speakers. I cannot stand the songs with vulgar lyrics, even I cant stand the vulgar dance of yours. It is impossible for me to stand your 10 day showoff in the name of a festival.

    I am folding my hands and requesting please wake up, be cultured, leave this faking and selfishness.

    Some times be honest and do this – be inebriated in humanity, philanthropy. Put in your 100% in your activities, keep away from the self proclaimed godmen. Instead of living on their foundations, live on your own confidence. Instead of losing your self confidence, live the God within you. Instead of winning world by terror, win it by love. Instead of flattering/serving rich people, try to help the poor/needy. Instead of becoming wealthy by materialistic things, become rich within [I wonder if Hindi/Marathi word “man” has equivalent English word].

    Now see how much you can accept, do not go empty handed [not sure of this part though].

    I bless you that instead of asking every time; you try and give more often and experience the contentment in that act of giving.

    We’ll meet again!”

    Image source – http://www.newhdwallpapers.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Lalbaugcha-Raja-Visarjan.jpg

  • As you sow, so shall you reap







    In Science we have studied – every action has equal and opposite reaction. We never take that seriously for life, that if we hurt someone that may be compensated. Here is an interesting idiom in English language (many other languages as well) – As you sow, so shall you reap.

    Long before science could establish this fact as “the fact”, The Buddha and Hinduism had given the concept of Karma. Well, I cannot vouch for rebirth so here is what I have written earlier –cause_fx

    Heaven and Hell are ‘here and now’
    The way you pass each moment
    You define whether you are in Heaven or a Hell. Blog here

    Don’t rely on next birth, do good in this life time itself.

    Heaven and Hell are ‘here and now’
    The way you pass each moment
    You define whether you are in Heaven or a Hell. – See more at: http://business2buddha.com/2011/07/21/this-is-how-i-remember-it/#sthash.Aykwean2.dpuf
    Heaven and Hell are ‘here and now’
    The way you pass each moment
    You define whether you are in Heaven or a Hell. – See more at: http://business2buddha.com/2011/07/21/this-is-how-i-remember-it/#sthash.Aykwean2.dpuf

    This blog post is less inspired by the concept of Karma and the English idiom but is inspired by a SitCom I have watched long back – “How I met your mother“. This is/was a series just like previous famous sit-com “Friends”. In How I met your mother (HIMYM) there are five characters – Ted (lead character, who is telling this story to his kids), Barney, Marshal, Marshal’s girl friend (later wife) Lily and Robin (confusing to describe her – she is friend – with each one. She is girl friend of Barney and Ted in some series. She is wife of Barney once and in the end she marries Ted). In one particular episode season 2 Episode 15 – Lucky Penny, the concept of cause and effect is described with ease.

    Ted finds a penny and in the 22 minute episode, everyone is involved with the penny and the associated event result in Ted missing a flight to Chicago. In Hindi there is a saying – बात निकलेगी तो दूर तलक जाएगी it means – “If we start this discussion, it will go long back in the history”. Just to give you a perspective we may conclude on this question – “Why did Adam eat the Apple?” You know what I am saying?

    You must watch that 22 min episode of How I Met Your Mother to know in brief how causation might work?

    The Author does not claim any rights on the Youtube link and video. This link is attached here for reference and does not make the author liable for any copyrights violations. It is advised to the reader that if you want to watch the series please purchase it from any retailer where the media drives are available such as FlipKart Link.

    Image source – Cause and Effect – http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/railrd/cause_fx.gif

  • Time is just a reference







    [Tweet “Mumbai has taught me the value of time”]Mumbai has taught me the value of time e.g. after 7:55 am, there is 8:00 and then 8:02 am… not necessarily 8:05 am.  8:02 because I used to catch an 8:02 local for office :). [Tweet “Value the time, it never comes back.”]

    I went to meet my cousin sister and my aunt yesterday. My brother in law – Jay Phadke – is an electronics engineer. He actually is one, otherwise Indian engineers irrespective of their field of engineering become software developer or MBAs (I am on of them :)). He designs electronics devices and interesting ones. At my cousin sister’s home there was no wall clock at least in drawing room.

    Clock 1I could not see a wall clock anywhere, but while speaking when we went to the Kitchen, there was a digital clock which shows temperature as well – of course he made it. We started speaking on “Time”. Here is edited talk

    I am going to contradict myself from 1st para – Time is “just a reference”. In our generation we have become slaves of time.  [Tweet “Time is “just a reference”. In our generation we have become slaves of time.”] Our work is defined and decided by “What is the time?”.

    If I show you the first column second row clock to you (7:50 AM) on a working day morning, you will start rushing to office. If it is, the second column and first row (2:20 PM) you might have just had your lunch in office. Now look closer (corners of each clock), all those 4 clocks are actually one clock tilted by 90 degrees. That is the mad rush we have created for ourselves.

    Now if you look at the other set of images on right, you would realize, there is a dial without numbers and thereClock 2 are numbers on dial without hour/minute hands. Both these hands are just references. These references are driving us crazy in the competitive world. I am of the opinion that – One’s purpose should drive the person and not necessarily the hour/minute hands of a wrist watch. [Tweet “One’s purpose should drive the person and not necessarily the hour/minute hands of a wrist watch.”]In my opinion one must take things seriously but not so seriously that one becomes salve – as we are of time. The best day for human being will be a day when the first dial becomes the clock – no digits and no hour/minute hand – we would be free.

    Mumbai has taught me a lot – I respect and value time. At the same time, Mumbai has taught me a lot to think while traveling more than an hour daily. Think about why am I doing what am I doing?

    Related – Fruit will arrive in its season…

    Race – never ending

    Race – never ending
    Race – never ending
    Race – never ending

  • The Art of Living







    I came across this interesting funny video. Thanks to my friend Hemant Rathore.

    I would not want to speak much on this. Just watch it…

    On this independence day – wish we get freedom from craving, greed and other so many issues.

    Disclaimer – I have done Art of Living Courses and have been associated with the Art of Living for close to 10 years (as of Aug 2014)

  • Culture lost; lost cultures







    There is an old age home in Andheri East area in Mumbai. As a kid and an adolescent I lived in small towns. This old age home seemed awkward to me. I always thought to visit this place but until now I have not. In my childhood I have seen joint families, many people around. That one big family used to be social security. There were problems in that system e.g. no privacy, compromises etc. One of my friends – Dhaval Thakar – has one son, he keeps on saying there should be at least two kids to each family. He quotes many reasons such as, in old age when his son gets married and by chance his daughter-in-law also is single child, both his son and D-i-L will have burden of 4 dependents and then their kids. The old age home I cross often, becomes a reality when I think about what Dhaval says, but I somehow cannot digest that concept. I feel we as a culture are dynamically changing (specially in India) and not necessarily for good. All this is happening without any other safety net ready for next 15-20 or say 50 years.

    Natraj CultureI completely buy-in his point. However, now a days even educating a single child is very expensive. Furthermore, in present day economy we do not offer any social security in India. On the contrary there are questions on survival of citizen. So, these things make me question the way we are growing. [Tweet “We sacrifice our present in assumption of comfortable future. Future we know- never comes!”] In the name of GDP and growth and vibrant economy we are making everything expensive.

    [Tweet “Yoga is a commercial success in the US, in India we laugh at Baba Ramdev.”] [Tweet “Alternate medicine of Kerala became talk for Neymar’s WorldCup2014 injury we overlook it.”] The Western culture was actually a lost culture and in East we are losing our cultural heritage.

    I say lost cultures are the European and American… and culture lost is (kind of) Indian culture. Indian’s have been following many things blindly what happens in the developed nations. But have we ever noticed – there are broken families, there are psychological problems there is prosperity but not mental peace they may be overfed but undernourished!

    Image source – http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Bronze_Shiva_as_lord_of_the_dance_CAC.JPG

  • Religion is poison







    Long time back I watched a movie Seven years in Tibet (book link Author – Heinrich Harrer). It was based on true story. In that movie after meeting the Dalai Lama Chinese representative makes a comment – “Religion is a poison” (Watch the video below).

    While watching the movie, I was shocked to hear this statement and was offended. Well, that time I did not start writing this blog, though I had reverence for the Buddha and the teachings of the Buddha. However, I knew this lessons even as a kid, when I had seen many religious violence, riots and subsequent curfews in my town (Dhar Madhya Pradesh). This lessons proves to be true historically and when we see what is happening in present day world. I intend to point at the Israel and Palestine conflict. I know when people will read this many will have their opinions. Here are two 5 min videos to give you different perspectives.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152299543033717&set=vb.19793423716&type=2&theater

    [in case video is not embedded Link]

    The other one

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=682855851805542&set=vb.518947111529751&type=2&theater

    [in case video is not embedded Link]

    Decision is yours to take sides. But I’ve realized – religion is poison. Religion is poison the way it’s preached & practiced now a days. One of my friends, Dhaval Thakar, suggested me to read a Huffington Post article before making my mind and opinion on the conflict – 7 Things to Consider Before Choosing Sides in the Middle East Conflict. A very relevant question is there in the post – why are we not questioning deaths happening in the attacks of ISIS and the killings during dictatorships of many rulers including – Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi et al. In fact there are conflicts all across the world – until we finish the weapons we have already made how can new weapons be sold? [Tweet “Until we finish the weapons we have already made how can new weapons be sold?”]

    The fanaticism we follow in the name of religion is really a poison. Now watch this movie directed by Vijay Raaz – “Kya dilli Kya Lahore” worth asking few questions.

    PS – at least I never heard the Buddha teaching killing, his one biggest lesson was compassion, besides meditation.

  • Sickness teaches you







    God afflicts one with sickness? I doubt. Here is what I went through and my two cents on sickness/fever/illness.

    I fell sick last to last week. I was feeling very weak & could not even write a blog, well that apart. I had a very strange idea in that sickness as well. I was observing many things. One thing I observed was this – my body (each cell of the body) does not know that it is a part of something really big, still each of the cells do help in recovery. The cells as individual units & as a group must not be aware of an awareness that resides in the body. The cells may not even know that it is a part of the body which houses some consciousness! I know I may be completely wrong, but I felt this.

    SicknessThe other observations I made included getting to know that we waste a lot of energy. When I was weak, I realized that brushing our teeth also require a lot of energy and we do many such things effortlessly when we are in good health that we waste a lot of energy. One must conserve this energy and use it for better purposes.

    Awareness was a wonderful lesson I learnt. I learnt that I could observe myself however weak I was, but I could have awareness. One need not wait for such observation of self. I dont want to fell sick again but at times I made few very interesting observations. It was that time I realized that I can blog about it. Yes sickness can be a good teacher.

    Lastly, I would not want to blame God for afflicting sickness/illness on me, but here is something interesting from Bible you should read (Psalm 119- 67 to 75) – “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word…It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees…I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.”

    Two cents from my side – next time in case you fell sick (wish that does not happen), try to observe – where your body pains, the weakness and how and where you feel weak. Where your body is hot, how is the movement of any part of your body is happening. Things/actions become so slow that you can do these observations.

    Image source Wikimedia

    Bible Psalm source – Link

  • Empowerment means slavery







    I am a heavy user of internet and mobile. There have been times when almost always I am on internet. In my office about 8-9 hours I am on my laptop. When I am traveling I am on internet through my mobile or fiddling with my mobile many a times completely unnecessarily. When I am at home, my Wi-Fi is on both laptop & mobile are connected to internet. Effectively, I was not using my electronics gadgets “only” when I am asleep!

    Responsive_Web_DesignMy friends kept on saying, I never believed that I use my mobile overly many times without any reason! My friend Nilesh Yeram sent me a link – install “Break Free” in your mobile. The app has shown me the mirror – “you have unlocked my mobile about 70 times”, of course I did not receive so many calls or SMSes. Eye opening notifications were “you are on twitter for 30 min!” “Get off call/whatsapp” This made me question myself – “Is Technology empowering us or enslaving us?”

    The word slavery looked too daunting to me. I felt how can I be a slave- my ego was speaking. So I checked Dictionary; Slavery according to Dictionary.com is “the condition of being subject to some influence or habit”. I am indeed a slave of mobile. I know I am empowered a lot by internet, but slowly I became a slave of these devices. This reminds me of The book of Mirdad – we live the statement Slave is master of the master.

    This I received on “WhatsApp” today!

     

    Related blogs –

  • At the master’s door







    prayer of frogI have been reading one or the other story of Father Anthony De Mello’s books – The Prayer Of The Frog Vol. I and Prayer of The Frog Vol. II. The books have interesting stories, many a times half page. One of the story I read was on a seeker going to a master’s abode. I’m tweaking this story (I would want to claim the copyrights!), here it is –

    At the master’s door

    A spiritual seeker was almost at the door of one of the masters. Sensing the abode as the best place to find his prey, a devil made his permanent residence there. When the devil saw the seeker enter the house of the Master, devil determined to do everything in his power to turn him back from his quest for Truth.

    The devil tried giving this seeker all the possible temptations. His list of temptations included every possible means – women, wealth, fame, power and prestige even wisdom (perhaps false sense of it). However, our protagonist was too committed a seeker. He fought all these baits and stood his ground.

    The devil was almost lost, he was about to let go of the seeker. Suddenly, an idea cropped up in the mind of the devil. He tried it. The devil said – I shall give you all spiritual knowledge you seek, come with me!

    This time our protagonist could not resist his temptation – he followed the devil.

    —

    Now if you understood the story and the BOLD copyright part (of mine above), you may laugh at it! You may learn few lessons – including me claiming ownership of the story. However, I know “You only lose what you cling to“.

    Even the desire to be spiritual is a temptation!

     

    Related

    Miracles of life

    When the Buddha dies, the schools are born

    Ideas Vs reality

    The dog and the fox

    Incentive to cheat

    Ideas Vs reality
    When the Buddha dies, the schools are born
    Miracles of life – are we sleeping?
    Miracles of life – are we sleeping?