Business to the Buddha

Category: Buddha

  • Not so trickling down!







    How would you define prosperity of a society?

    imf_sealThis is a question many have been asking for so many years. The answers to this question lies in not finding the average income of the society – the metric used globally is – income per capita. This very simplified measure is like saying – what Professor Moradian told us in class of operations management – putting one hand in boiling water (100 degrees) and other in freezing water (0 degrees) and saying I am at an average of 50 degrees and kinda ok! We see a widespread income inequality across the globe.

    The definition of prosperous society should be defined by meeting basic needs of the people of the country. Communication and Internet is one thing which has become a part of basic necessities now a days. Human development index the other measure. For a couple of years when I am writing about business and its relation with spirituality (my interest being the Eastern philosophies – teachings of the Buddha and Hinduism) I see a measure is contentment as well is a measure – What more you need?

    I was reading a recent news – Trickle down economics is wrong, says IMF of IMF research. This seems to be an interesting conclusion. We have been running behind capitalism during 1980’s now we are running on the other side in 2010’s. The research says – Trickle down economics reduces the GDP.

    What is Trickle down economy? Ronald Regan – President of US of A – coined this economics by providing special benefits to rich. The assumption of this theory is – if rich are provided tax benefits (reduced taxes) they would eventually invest in economy and growth will occur. In last 3 decades we have seen the impact of that economy.

    According to the said IMF report –

    A 1% increase in the income share of the bottom quintile results in a 0.38% increase in GDP. Meanwhile, a 1% increase in the income share of the top 20% results in a 0.08% decrease in GDP growth.

    There are a couple of take-aways –

    • Trickle down does not work, it does not mean tilt towards the socialist approach.
    • There has to be a balanced approach – as stated earlier – the Middle path
    • And yes – how would you measure prosperity? Well, by checking how content is each individual. That comes from within not outside. Remember the measure of contentment should not be like putting one hand in freezing water and other in boiling.

    Research document link – https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2015/sdn1513.pdf

  • I’d Rather Be







    The topic is esoteric for me. If I can just “BE” I would just want to “be”. Unfortunately until my mind runs round I would keep on BEcoming rather than just being someone/somebody.

    I am a wanderer, not physically as much but yes the mind does not stay at one place. You can check – I have found relationship between spirituality and business. I have written how technical methodology (TRIZ) can be associated with business. These are signs of just-be-597091_640my hyper active (rather wanderlust) mind. Can I just “be” – if yes I would just “BE”.

    A final thought – how about BEing the Buddha? The Buddha of this age?

    This topic was suggested by Shackman, for the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where currently nine of us write on the same topic every Friday.  I hope that you enjoyed my contribution to that effort.  The eight other bloggers who write regularly are, in alphabetical order Ashok, gaelikaa, Lin, Maxi, Padmum, Rummuser,  Shackman and The Old Fossil. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, or not at all this week, do give some allowance for that too.
    Image source – http://pixabay.com/en/just-be-being-i-am-existence-597091/

  • Right And Wrong







    Recently, one of my friends Piyush ‘Jayant’ Arora published his poetry’s book. The title of the book is Rang Leela.

    When I received his email stating from these places I can buy the book –

    I told him that I rarely read poetry out of my educational requirements. The title seems interesting I would like to read it. I got a copy this week. So, I started reading it from cover.

    This was the first time I was reading a poet whom I can imagine as an individual. When I read Dharamvir Bharati (Andha yug) or Ramdhari Singh Dinkar (Kurukshetra), I always felt poets are super humans from a different world. Piyush is like me – he has done his engineering and an MBA. So I can think of a a human [not a super human writing].

    The first thing I read in his book was back page cover.

    [Hindi] ना खुशियों की बहार … आ गामो का दरिया है…
    ज़िंदगी और कुछ नही… बस अपना अपना नज़रिया है…

    [Translation] Life is all about our perspective and we all see it with our own lens. Our experiences and interactions fill in the color of the canvas of our lives.

    When I was reading the good small poems I wrote to him about referring to some in my blogs. He readily agreed.

    This week’s LBC (Loose Bloggers Consortium) title perfectly matches with Piyush’s perspective.

    There is nothing right and nothing wrong. These are all our perspectives. Piyush’s poetry’s are also on the same. Another Poem I am referring here from his same book –

    [Hindi] अगर सत्य से हमेश असत्य है हारा…
    और सब कुछ होता सिर्फ़ गोरा या काला..
    तो क्या अब तक बह रही होती यह धारा?
    यह तुम्हारी हमारी विचारधारा.

    [English – my words] If truth has always been triumphant over false… and everything is completely black and white… had there been a flow of different perspectives?

    Everything is our mind game, a perspective. There is nothing right and wrong. Everything is just “IS”

    This topic was suggested by Maria, for the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where currently nine of us write on the same topic every Friday.  I hope that you enjoyed my contribution to that effort.  The seven other bloggers who write regularly are, in alphabetical order,  Ashok, gaelikaa, Lin, Maxi, Padmum, Ramana Uncleji,  Shackman and The Old Fossil. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, or not at all this week, do give some allowance for that too!

  • Left and right







    What I could infer from “Left and right” (as the topic was) or say left, right and center is “all over the places, not organized”.

    If someone is in complete disarry e.g. left and right, what that person needs is meditation. Watch this video on Meditation by Osho. What this video suggests – I would say in one word – is “Awareness”.

    If one’s mind is also going left and right, one must be aware of the disarray, confusion. “I am aware that I am confused.” Sounds funny. However, I think with the deep clarity and awareness of the confusion and acceptance of that confusion one may get some solution.

    This topic was suggested by gaelikaa, for the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where currently nine of us write on the same topic every Friday.  I hope that you enjoyed my contribution to that effort.  The eight other bloggers who write regula”rly are, in alphabetical order,  Ashok, gaelikaa, Lin, Maxi, Padmum, Rummuser,  Shackman and The Old Fossil. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, or not at all this week, do give some allowance for that too! – See more at: http://business2buddha.com/#sthash.VWAxQjus.dpuf

  • You Can’t Do That!







    When I read this title – “you can’t do that!” – for the LBC (Loose Bloggers Consortium) I asked myself “what is ‘that’?”

    The title gave me a sort of shock, why would someone ask the other to not do something? It is a different case that when we tell a child not to do something, well we say this with some reason. Or let us grow the logic of not letting someone do something – someone who is not aware of the environment can be “advised” not to do something. This logic can be explained in the business as – a new joinee told about keeping away from the wipers / foxes of the office. How they should manage the office and department politics.

    Guruji

    I have heard a story. A master told his one of the disciple – “Do not eat outside food.” He meant that you are doing meditation practice, you should restrict yourself to the Satvik food of the Ashram. Specially for this disciple the reason was that he was progressing well. As the fate had been – Adam ate the apple! This disciple was tempted to eat some Moong bhajia [an Indian delicacy]. He ate it. Next day the disciple could not meditate properly. The master realized it but kept quiet. In the evening disciple confessed – Master I am not able to meditate properly. Master asked – did you eat something outside? Disciple confessed yes ate moong bhajia. After a brief silence the Master said – “The person who was making that bhajia was not paid for last few weeks, and he was cursing his fate and the owner of the shop. The person was worried for his family and daily expenses.”

    When I was a kid my father used to tell us that the food is also affected by the feelings of the maker. I remember Indian philosophy saying “what you eat you become”. [Tweet “It’s True: You Are What You Eat www.inc.com/magazine/201307/adam-bluestein/the-best-foods-for-leaders-to-eathtml.html”] Read Inc article It’s True: You Are What You Eat.

    Me being me – I ask occasionally, the Buddha used to beg. How about that? But as instructed – You Can’t Do That!

    This topic was suggested by Shackman, for the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where currently nine of us write on the same topic every Friday.  I hope that you enjoyed my contribution to that effort.  The eight other bloggers who write regularly are, in alphabetical order,  Ashok, gaelikaa, Lin, Maxi, Padmum, Rummuser,  Shackman and The Old Fossil. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, or not at all this week, do give some allowance for that too!

  • Styles of Tribute







    I was having some orange juice in a restaurant with a friend of mine. Suddenly his phone rang; he could not avoid that call. It was his wife on the other side. How can you ignore call from your boss? He picked up the phone and the voice on the other side was somewhat panicky. There is breaking news on Television that there was an earthquake in Nepal, I tried calling but the lines at our native place are jammed / busy.

    My friend reassured his wife. Don’t worry, I shall call, you cannot do anything sitting here and worrying. Whatever happened will happen. His reassurance was firm, I was surprised. The tremors were felt in Delhi and Kolkata as well. We finished our discussion, he went to his next engagement and I towards home. I called my sister, brother and my in-laws. Thankfully everyone was safe. However, this event touched me; two kinds of thoughts were running through my mind.

    Nepal Earthquake Tweet 1

    1. My friends response and
    2. Feeling the insignificance of human being.

    His response perfectly fits in the Reaction and response story. My friend must have felt for his family (in the UP border of Nepal), however he was completely measure. Perhaps he knew nothing is going to happen to his family or he has accepted that the earthquake has done its job. Now I have to decide how should I work on its aftermath?

    The feeling of insignificance is nothing new to me. I have written about the same earlier in my blogs Ego, Size of the Universe! and Ek Omkar Satnam. This time the feeling included another aspect, the terrorists and their stupidity.

    When the earth/universe wants to teach us our significance or if it wants to cut us to size only one natural calamity is enough. If that is not enough, there are stupid people killing each other in the name of their “mind game” called religion. Though at a later stage I heard, read and saw some pictures of tweets where religious preachers were preaching their religion rather. Surprised, yet when religion becomes bigger than humanity these sighting should not be startling.

    May the souls rest in peace. Wish Tributes are not met with nonsensical statements as few shown in the images here.

    A homage should be paid to the minds of those who write such comments at a time of grief of others.

    Nepal Earthquake Tweet 2 Nepal Earthquake Tweet 3

    PS – There should be lessons on compassion for such people.

  • The fish will fly in next birth







    The phone rang for unusual number of times today. My sister or her daughter is generally not that late to pick up a call.

    When I heard my sister on the other side, I said – “Hi! didi, what are you doing? Where is Chinu?” Her response took me aback. She said – “Chinu and her dad is going to burry our fish, there were two both died today.” Chinu is my niece, who is ~5+ years currently.

    I saw surprised, “when did you bring fish? Last time also the same happened.”

    My sister responded – “Yes, we bought these two about a month back. Last time also the fish could not survive more than a month. Chinu was so attached to these fish that when these died she was very upset and felt very low.”

    My sister continued – “when I could not handle here sorrow face, I told her, Chinu, both the fish were bored of swimming they both wanted to fly. Now they would become birds.”

    FishMy sister reads Jatak tales to her these days. Chinu was satisfied that both the fish are on their way to accomplish what they want to do. When her father called, she informed him also (this time with relatively more happily) – “daddy, both of them will fly now, they wanted to become birds.”

    Chinu was at peace, she went to bury the fish as she did last time also. However, this time she was content. She did everything possible to have the fish and provide them with special fish food and good quality aquarium, but these could not survive.

    Chinu was not upset. When I heard what my sister just said, I remembered an interesting scientific research published recently. This research was done at Stanford University. It falls under Social Psychology using priming as an approach. These things sound very complicated, let me elaborate these points –

    According to psychologists social psychology is usage of scientific methods “to understand and explain how the thought, feeling and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of other objects.”

    Priming is a phenomenon about exposing people to certain words or images that then subconsciously influence their thinking or behavior.

    According to that research, if people are exposed to Buddhists concepts (experiment group included Western Christians, Western Buddhists and East Asian Buddhist individuals) people reacts to things positively more often.

    QUOTE Huffington Post

    Across all groups, people who were exposed to words like “Buddha,” “Dharma” and “awakening” in a word puzzle showed fewer negative associations with African and Muslim people than those who were exposed to Christian or nonreligious words.

    Participants who were primed with Buddhist words also scored higher on a test measuring prosocial behaviors. These effects were particularly pronounced among people who scored higher on tests measuring open-mindedness.

    UNQUOTE

    Though, I myself have questions on the way research was done, what is the impact Kanakia 7on before priming vs after priming etc yet when I relate this research to my niece I believe this must have some correlation.

    I think that is why Kanakia ‘Sevens’ – a residential project – is advertised like this. Also I have been seeing a lot of photos/status etc of the Buddha at various places as “fashion” perhaps having subtle – unknown – meaning.

    Image source – Kanakia Sevens

    Aquarium Image source – Flickr

  • Terrorist meets The Buddha







    I heard a news that ISIS has sent a threat message to Sri Sri Ravishankar (Guruji). This blog is inspired from that message and story of The Buddha and angulimala. From This blog – …My Engineering college professor Dr Anand Swaroop Saxena told me some time in 2001 – “inherently people are not flawed, situation drive people to react in the way they react.”…

    Just imagine if a terrorist crosses roads on which The Buddha is traveling! In this high-tech age, it isn’t same as Angulimala confronting The Buddha. Angulimala was having a purpose of making a garland of 1000 fingers (read the purpose here) and he had knife/sword. The current times are different, terrorist doesn’t need to be next to you, they can kill from a long distance. If the terrorist knows The Buddha, he (assuming most terrorists are male) wont come near, chances are that The Buddha will change his heart. But for argument sake imagine terrorist confronts The Buddha (Sri Sri).

    What and how the discussion may start –Sri Sri ISIS threat
    Terrorist (T) – I’m going to kill you.

    The Buddha (B) – Why?

    T – (confused, this fellow isn’t scared) – thinking… thinking… thinking… Because you’re a threat to us.

    B – Threat? I don’t even have arms / weapon, instead you’ve. How can I be a threat? And what do you mean by “us”?

    T – (again, confused never expected this logical question. Uses his logic whatever he has) I’m armed because of you. You’re a threat to my community.

    B – How am I a threat to “Your community”? What is “YOUR community”. I never killed anyone why do you think I’m the reason of you keeping arms?

    T – (totally confused) I don’t want to listen to your stupidities. You’re a threat to us.

    B – Who is “us”? Did I bother you? Did I hurt you?

    T – Your people and those who are against us hurt my people and therefore I’m here to kill you.

    B – “Your people”… “My people” who are these? who is against YOU? How can you say that you represent the whole community? What is your community?

    T – You’re against Islam and my people are all muslims in this world. “Your people” are all non-muslims of the world. They’ve not been
    just to us.

    B – Firstly, speak for yourself and don’t try to talk about millions of others who don’t know you and do not (may not) agree to your point of view. Secondly, I am not against any religion. My religion is compassion [author’s mind – provided this Terrorist understand what this god forsaken word “compassion” means], happiness, equality, human values, meditation, peace etc. Do you believe in any of these?

    What unjust has anyone done to you? How can you speak about millions of others who are muslims, you have not met them and are happily living in their country of birth? How can you say justice wasn’t done to them? Furthermore, what harm am I causing you or likely to cause to you or in your words to your people? Am I killing them? Am I asking (advising) them to hate you? Am I asking (advising) them to do something that is against you?

    At best I’ve helped some of the people in XYZ country to help each other and rescue those whom you want to kill. Is it incorrect? Do you have license to kill anyone and everyone you wish? Does your owning weapon means you’ve license to spread hatred, riots and terror? If that is the case there are nations that have abilities to finish the whole world numerous of times. Your one weapon is just nothing compared to that.

    This time terrorist could not even comprehend and think of what all has been spoken and he has heard. Thanks to Ananda besides the Buddha, Ananda recited each sentence and gave him time to think of a reply.

    T – (reply to firstly speak for yourself…) I represent my people.
    T – (reply to secondly, I am not against any religion) You are against my religion. Why are you doing any rescue operations in XYZ country?  Meaning of my religion is peace, purity, submission and obedience to the GOD…

    B – (to this The Buddha interrupted) have you taken (or they gave you) permission to speak on behalf of the people whom “you think”, you represent? Secondly, if your religion means “peace” what are you doing? Having arms in hand and killing people does it mean the meaning itself is wrong or you have interpreted your religion incorrectly?

    T – (could not digest this) This is blasphemy you can’t question my religion who are you to question my faith and that is the problem
    because of which I want to kill you? You are infidel.

    B – Do you know what is the meaning of infidel? I am just questioning on your actions and interpretations of what you’ve in your mind. Infidel is the one who doesn’t have a religion. I listed out my religion is peace, compassion, happiness, equality, human values, meditation. Another meaning of infidel is one who is not in majority. Do you think you are in majority? Muslims all across the globe do not have gun in  their hands, according to that definition you are an infidel in – what you call it – “your community” itself. Moreover, when I said my religion includes peace, we’re on the same side, isn’t it? Your religion means peace to you. Why do you want to disregard your religion (peace) assuming you are protecting your religion by not obeying the meaning of your religion itself?

    …

    This may go on and on in author’s mind – the author is not the Buddha. Perhaps the Buddha (Sri Sri) would perfect the discussion with a compassionate glance, no single word. Who knows in the end – terrorist bows down with no argument left and becomes a true follower of peace.

    Dedicated to Guruji (Sri Sri Ravishankar)

    Related blogs – on Angulimala

    Story of Angulimala

  • Economics concepts and equality







    I was thinking about this strange experiment. What is we conclude end of day today that, everyone is given a new currency DMV (Digital Monetary Value) 2000. Any currency anyone has in his /her account is NULL except DMV 2000 after end of day today. Any other assets whatsoever are also NULL.

    maxresdefaultThis will bring everyone on the same economic level.Socialists want that, right? Next day onwards everyone has to work in DMV equivalents only. What would happen? Would we see equal socio-economic status of the world in say 20 years? Because everyone started off afresh with same amount of currency? Would the world be same as it is today (without DMV), after 20 years? The inequality will creep-in. Socialism seems to miss something in that sense of the world? The inequality in the world is not only because of the madness human-beings are involved with, but also because of the way soft things are build. The lobbying would continue, even after the DMV, and citizen’s representatives will make laws to favor few. Education will also make an impact the inequality generated. Relationships will play another role in creating the difference. Result? We would end up with the same The Price of Inequality.

    Capitalists will disagree to the starting point of the experiment itself. However, if capitalists understand the basic flaw of socialists approach they can understand last three sentences of the previous paragraph.

    I noticed on the net that If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism. [Tweet “Albert Einstein said – If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be #Buddhism”] Though my opinion is – one must not even accept everything in Buddhism also as  panacea. I would suggest two point if not anything else of Buddhism – 1. compassion & knowing interdependent co-arising and 2. meditation.

    The problem is the way we think, we need to change the way we think (what we think we become) [Tweet “what we think we become”]. Here is an example – Asian shares climb after dismal U.S. jobs report. This is the situation when one side of the world is in trouble the other half enjoys and makes profit. Are we going to understand the true meaning of equality? Forget meditation for some time, are we going to learn – interdependent co-arising?

    Image source – http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hdr6vSYZXGo/maxresdefault.jpg

  • Question your Assumptions







    This is a repost of author’s article on LinkedIn – Question your assumptions.

    In 2008, in the winters of Pune, I along with one of my friends were having sumptuous buffet dinner in a restaurant of the hotel. In the candle lights and gentle music of the restaurant we discussed the lighting of the hall. This hall was lit with yellow colored lights not so bright, neither dimly lit. My friend asked me why the height of this restaurant room is more than the rooms of the hotel rooms upstairs? That was an interesting question I never asked this question to myself or to anyone else.

    Next day we were sitting in a meeting for exploring possibility of licensing some IP of my friend with another interested professional group. We finished the meeting late in the evening. After the meeting we had some snacks and went out for a walk. We were speaking on various issues right from our meeting and way forward to how is his business going and what are my plans, I was planning to do my MBA at that time. It was evening, therefore in a while street lights lit up. The moment these lights lit, he suddenly asked me – “have you ever thought why these streetlight pole are this tall? Why these poles are say X meters and not 2X meters or X/2 meters in length? Can you think of possible reasons for the height?” I tried some possible answers as per my knowledge. However I didn’t know the actual reason, so I requested if he can tell me.

    He said, the length of the poles have not been change for almost a century. In old days there were some type of streetlights that gave best illumination (light rendering) on road if the bulb is kept at a certain height. Though in the whole century technology of bulbs have evolved not the length of the poles (specially in India).

    I asked him, so why not change the length of these poles? Is it a rocket science to find out best illumination for current street bulbs? He said, now for the current technology length of pole can be reduced to about 70%. Just imagine if we save 30% of steel on each pole how much we can save? That was an interesting idea.

    This dinner, meeting and walk as a whole taught me a lot. My friend was so thoughtful that he questioned many assumptions. He could convert these questions into useful opportunities. I realized that an innovator is always on a lookout to question the assumptions. Why are we doing this thing or that thing? Why are we doing this in a particular way. He is always looking for some workaround, solution or better way of doing it or multiple ways of doing the same thing. Occasionally this results in breaking the assumption themselves.

    In past I – along with some of my colleagues – was working on a business model, we had thought of some possible monetization approaches. These approaches included what assumptions we have in our mind, what is the target market et al. When we went to the market our prospective clients (partners) started giving us more options, create more slice and dice of the services, customization of offerings/schedule of charge. Initially, we were somewhat restrained we were reluctant to consider the ideas / service offering charges with reservations. Slowly we started accepting this. It was interesting to see these slicing and dicing by prospective clients. They were creating more opportunities for us. They were unwittingly helping us explore more possibilities.

    There were learnings in these experiences. The challenge we face many a times are not outside, the challenges are our owns assumptions. When we start looking at things in a different perspective, when one starts questioning assumptions new opportunities emerge. An open mind provides opportunity for innovation as well as doing business in a better way – so Question your assumptions.

    Image source – http://s20.postimg.org/bmt4ul5ot/IMG_20140216_WA0000.jpg