Business to the Buddha

Tag: Art of Living

  • Focus







    It was a carefree weekend, I woke up as usual in early morning and was brushing my teeth. Chirping of birds, how did I miss it everyday? Today, I heard it clearly and with full attention. The thought came in mind again – I don’t even remember hearing this good morning call of birds; everyday.

    Is it a distraction from outside or there is some distraction inside? I left this thought as it is. It is difficult for ego to accept that something within can also be a distraction and cause botheration. It means – ego finds it difficult to accept the problem was/is itself / inside.

    These thoughts kept on lingering in mind. After two weeks of these thoughts, this Sunday I went for my regular group meditation practice. At the Art of living center, where we were doing our practice I got the answer. Renu di – the teacher – briefly discussed what is needed –

    Wherever your focus is, other things become distraction. If your focus is clear there may not be any distraction. On the contrary you may, once in a while, notice something and with awe observe it and move on to your focused activity. “Distractions are felt if you are not centered”

    [Tweet “Distractions are felt if you are not centered”]

    This Sunday during our session, a generator was switched-ON nearby, naturally it was noisy. However, we all could do our meditation easily. Renu di asked us – how was the session? Almost everyone had a good practice. She further asked – how many of you felt the loud noise was a distraction? It was not a distraction to any one. She added – whenever you are jittery go inside, when outside world distracts you, go inside. If there is anything bothering you observe yourself you will find botheration are when your focus changes.

    Life is easy, we complicate it by the concept of Monday blue and Friday fun. Even a Monday can be fun so can any other day. Just listen to the chirping of birds, give mind some rest, focus on what you are doing and life is fun.

    Image source – Pixabay – fxxu

  • Start the new year by giving







    Capitalism has specially fascinated me in recent past. The fascination had been such that I have believed that capitalism is an approach where we realize futility of running behind all the comforts and all the need hierarchies. If there are other economic models too that help you approach this realization, than capitalism seems to work faster. My feeling had been that the possibility of realizing that need hierarchy under a socialistic and other type of economic systems is lower compared to capitalism. This impression is based on visits to certain cities of developed – mostly – capitalistic economies.

    My opinions may be incorrect, as repeatedly pointed out in comments by Ramana uncleji. I am still analyzing why I may be incorrect in the sense that capitalism a better approach to move towards spirituality compared to other systems.

    Image result for donateOne recent incident helped me evaluate my premise bit more. I was collecting donations for an NGO – DSY. The plan was to collect about 1 lac Indian rupee within 5 days before 25th Dec. Some unexpected mail, call and chats resulted in donations. I was confident of other close friends to donate – they did not! It was utter surprise to me. I am not asking money for myself, I am giving financial details of the organization and I am also showing the work the organization has done, yet the closest of my friends are uncomfortable to donate. Impact of two of the projects are below –

    Some of my friends are MBAs and others are Engineers working in respectable organizations. They are well to do, yet they were unwilling to donate. What was the problem with them to even commit INR 1000 or say INR 5000? In fact I told a few of them if you donate INR 5000 or more you will get tax deduction under section 80G of Income tax too. The question I had in my mind was – if someone can spend few thousands on New Year eve, cannot someone commit that much or lesser for someone else? The money can help a farmer stay alive, not commit suicide or a tribal child study. Why so? Have we become so callous? Are we less compassionate in the influence of capitalism?

    Answer to the question and my recent analysis was – in many cases today’s capitalism is a constant feeling of “having less” and “willingness to have more”. I’ve been writing about this desire for more, constant running behind many things in past. I felt that it’ll get subdued over period of time under capitalism. Prosperity will help a person view futility of this constant race to get more. Because over a period of time an individual will start questioning own’s running – why? What more? Resulting in realizing futility of this rat race sooner rather than later.

    Abundance possibly is based on our sense that “I already have things in abundant supply”. Possibly, we’ll have some different economic model in future, not exactly capitalism; where contentment will be primary and give will be preferred over feeling of paucity depravity and wanting for more.

    Last not the least – I’ve extended my targets to 2 lac. By 31st March 2018 you can donate at https://www.dsyindia.org/login.php. Once you donate please share the acknowledgement with me so that I know how far I’m from my targets.

    Start the new year by giving. Wish you a Very Happy New Year. I hope few of you will think of donating besides wonderful celebration of the coming year.

    Image source – http://mike-ward.net/donate/

    Related blogs – Education, Chicken in the “poultry farm of economy”, Race – never ending, What more you need?, When will we stop?, Swasthay – dwelling in oneself, Money worth earning, A cup of tea

  • Melting pot







    I am sure when we read the title we all will speak about culture and nation. My take apparently is no different. India as a country, culture and in terms of way of life has been a melting pot of thoughts. If we look at Mahabharat time – there were many kingdom fighting from one side or the other in the war. The range goes from present day Afganistan to South East Asia and Kerala.

    Afganistan reminds me of Bamiyan Buddha statues. The smaller statue was so big, check photo (sourced from Wikipedia), that a man standing at the foot measures only till the ankles. The statue reminds me of Gwalior fort Jain tirthankar’s statues. No wonder, when I saw them some had disfigured heads.

    The Buddha was basically from Nepal. He came to India for his quest of spirituality. India at that time too, was a confluence of different ways of life. Buddha studied with same master’s who were worshipers of fire, some teachers were of Yoga and Indian philosophies. After learning so many things we was still not self realized. After six years of hardwork, following many different teachings – including fast he was emaciated and almost on the verge of death. That day he was enlightened. Lord Mahavir was his contemporary – he had a different teaching. Both the teachings blended in Indian culture.

    Indian culture basically accepts many different approach of spirituality and religion. The best blend you can see is Bhagvad Geeta. It talks about Bhakti, Gyan, Dhyan and Karma yoga etc. Every chapter in the book is a type of Yoga – yoga means addition. What does a melting pot do – it mixes everything. Right? That is what Yoga is. I have written on Yoga earlier too – including a debate and court case in the US – whether Yoga is Secular or no!

    The question on secularism moves me to another dimension of India. We are secular, and in last couple of years Indian intellectuals (apparently others are equally intellectuals but are considered lesser) have returned awards for lynching of a Muslim Indian citizen. It was a sad incident in the state of Uttar Pradesh during Akhilesh Yadav Government (Samajwadi Party, which apparently is more Muslim centric political party). Recently, another lynching happened – a police officer was killed – muslim Indian citizen – in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, this time state Government is a coalition with BJP (more Hindu tilting political party). Last time the intellectuals returned awards, this time no one came forward! This is all economics of power.

    Economics reminds me of an interesting fact of Indian politics. The best economists – Mr Manmohan Singh and P Chidambaram – came up with farm loan waiver in last decade. When a non economics expert can understand that it is not a solution why a renowned economist takes such a decision – a melting pot you see. The decision was a confluence of politics in economics.

    All the above thoughts are in a melting pot here. My thoughts mostly are  multi-directional – so this blog moves from socialism to capitalism and spirituality to business etc. The melting pot includes few dreams I have – one is here, add to it wish to help Sindhutai Sakpal‘s Orphanage, Art of Living foundation projects and rainwater harvesting in Malwa region of MP. I wrote to one District Magistrate, never received a response, not even from CM’s office – is this a participative government?

    Melting pot was this week’s LBC topic where Maria, Rummuser, Ashok and Shackman write weekly. You can visit their blogs and read their thoughts on the topic.

  • The Supernatural







     

    I follow the art of living foundation and have done a couple of courses of Art of Living. The founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (fondly called as Guruji) keeps on sharing his wisdom on many topics, one such ‘Ishavasya Upanishad’. You can search on Wiki or Google about what are Upanishads, a summary can be found here.

    The following commentary by Sri Sri on Ishavasya Upanishad is very interesting and profound, was shared with me by someone recently.

    Tena bhunjitha

    …The world is there to enjoy but not clinging on to it, renouncing it, letting go, you relax. When you relax, you are able to enjoy better.

    Ma grdhah kasyasviddhanam

    Don’t covet other’s possessions.

    When everything is done by God, what is the purpose of my living? This question on the purpose of life passes through every mind, the so called intelligent mind, at least. If you consider yourself intelligent , this question must come to you at some point or the other. It should have bugged you actually. Is life just eating, sleeping and doing your routine? Is that it? What is the purpose? What am I here for? I am sure this question has come into your mind. What’s the purpose of life? The seed has started sprouting. Don’t be in hurry. It is very good. This question must pass through your mind. It invokes the Spirit in you. But hold on. Though you don’t want to do anything at that time and nothing seems interesting, the Upanishad says

    “Kurvanneveha karmani”

    Keep doing your work and live for 100 years.

    “Kurvanneveha karmani jijivisecchhatam samah Evan tvayi nanyathetosti na karma lipyate nare”

    (Let every man wish to live for a hundred years while performing karmas in this world. Other than this, there is no way; karmas do not bind the man)

    There is no other way you have to. There is no other way. You can’t take your life off. Knowing that all this is permeated by the Divine, keep engaged in activity and live for 100 years. When you are doing an action for yourself, for gaining something, it is painful but when your action is just the sake of action or for contributing something to the Existence because you are here to contribute, then it will not bind you. If your focus is only on you, if you are a taker, how much can you take? That is when the mind gets tired.

    But if you are a giver, if you are here only to give, the action does not bind you. When you take, you feel the obligation. When you give, you feel the freedom. Keep acting and live for 100 years. Your wish should be to live for 100 years. There is no other way. You are born and till your death, you have to keep acting…

    We are mostly takers, we just enjoy possession. If we learn only the above part of Ishavasya Upanishad life will become very easy, isn’t it? We are supernatural, we have forgotten that.

    The process of learning, unlearning and relearning keeps on happening, I was robbed and I learnt something. Later on, I again started hoarding (owning up things), the execution, plan and reality keeps on messing up in the path of spirituality and business both! We may be supernatural – as the masters, mystics, messiah – but we miss it by millions of miles.

    The supernatural is title of the Loose Bloggers Consortium. Other bloggers who write regularly are, Ramana Uncleji, Shackman and Maria. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic.

    Source – Sri Sri talk on Ishavasya Upanishad.

  • Meditation







    As always Buddha was walking with a few of his followers from one town to the other. En route they crossed a small rivulet. All the Bhikkus and the Buddha crossed the water body. After crossing some distance from the rivulet the Buddha told one of his disciples “I am thirsty, can you get me some water for me?”

    The disciple responded, we just crossed a rivulet a while back I will bring water from there.Meditation

    Since the group had just crossed the rivulet, the water had become very muddy and turbid.

    The disciple thought “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink?”

    The disciple came back and told Buddha “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink. There must be another water body nearby I shall fetch water from there”

    The Buddha told the disciple to go back to the same place but this time around wait for some time. The disciple went back, and found that the water was still muddy, but as the Buddha had suggested to him to wait, he waited for some time.

    After some time, the disciple found the mud had settled down, and the water was clean. He collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

    Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said “See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be and the mud settled down on its own and you have clear water.”

    Meditation is not “doing” it is happening / being; it is effortless.

    I heard this story in my Art of Living course way back in 2004.

  • Jal jagruti abhiyan







    Very interesting video, must watch. It is in Hindi (occasionally English), so apologies for those who cant understand Hindi. Yet a brief for you and some key points from the video –

    The person is talking about environment & in general about agriculture in India.

    1. People are migrating to cities
    2. People are quitting agriculture, to survive we have to eat but no one wants to do farming!
    3. We are saying agriculture is a business of loss. We have made it “business” when we do something as business, greed comes in it inherently. When greed comes somewhere ethics are compromised.
    4. Well and water, how is water used by us?
    5. Are we just bringing up a generation of kids scoring 99% in exam but having now available natural resources such as air, water, food?
    6. Please just do your bit, how? Watch in the end.

    Across the nation and across religious / political affiliation this is something we all must think about.

    Related blog – http://business2buddha.com/2015/09/14/think-it-over/

     

  • Family – Lingayats







    “Vasudhev Kutumbakam” is a concept in Indian (Hindu philosophy) culture. It means “one world family” that is – whole world irrespective of caste, color, creed or belief system is one family. I received this message recently on whatsapp –

    I crossed my street ?, they asked my caste
    Crossed my district/town???, they asked my city
    Crossed my state ???, they asked my native language
    And I became an Indian ?? only after I crossed my country ✈!

    These things sound different but are related. It may have been true with many, but I had another experience recently. Basaveshwara – poor fellow – died this time in similar sounding country – Canada – than the Kannada where he belonged 800 years back. I feel bad to write “poor fellow” to refer to the saint. I wrote that because of the community he created – Lingayats. I belong to the same and it has missed his thoughts completely.

    I am in Canada and went to attend an event recently. In that event, people generally asked me where are you from where do you work, where do your parents live (as I am from India and others are also Indians). It was all fine to me until one young lady (I will call her Ima) asked me the same questions. I made her name as Ima for Ila’s Mother. I was playing with this 4 year old baby for a while and to hide the identities of these people I have changed the names.

    I said I work in Mumbai, my parents live in MP. Ima said ‘so you are from MP?’ I said yes, I am born in MP but basically I am a Kannadiga.

    Ima probed – Ok where in Karnataka?

    I said our forefathers migrated long back we belonged to Gulbarga.Lingayatism Wiki

    Ima took little more interest this time and further asked – What community are you?

    “I am a Lingayat of Karnataka. Are you aware about the community?” I asked.

    Ima said – “Yes I am a lingayat too, do you worship the ling?”

    The worship she was referring to is a fundamental practice of Lingayats. I was told this by my father, and at times he did it, I said no to her question on the worship.

    “So what kind of lingayat are you?” Was a very blunt statement she made.

    I said except eating rice I am a North Indian.

    The next thing she said was – “You know in Lingayats there are various divisions?”

    This lady knows me as a Lingayat in last two sentences not more! The first question was about the ritual and second was about Caste! According to my knowledge When Basava formed Lingayatism he created it because he disagreed with the caste system. Check image.

    I told Ima – “You know what? Basveshwara formed or say resurrected Lingayatism on a concept of – all humans are born equal, and a person is known from his deeds and not his birth. This is what I have read on wikipedia.”

    Ima did not speak with me after that. Yes that is true, I was sitting there for next 5 minute, in fact I was playing with her 4 year old daughter Ila also. On the other side of the hemisphere Basvershwara died once again (after 800 years). Not in Kannada speaking place but a place which sounds similar – Canada. This is how the Families we have created in India. Are we becoming hypocrite? We talk about one world family and then we ask about caste perhaps the sub-caste!

    I feel very good when I connect with one of the Indian concept – “Vasudhev Kutumbakam”. Vasudhev Kutumbakam means one world family. Art of living foundation promotes the same, unfortunately I met Ima in an Art of Living event in Canada.

    Wish the statement of Whatsapp becomes a reality beyond the country point too – Vasudhev Kutumbakam.

    The topic of LBC Family (Generally, I change these topics a bit) suggested by Maria for the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where currently eight of us are supposed to write on the same topic every Friday. The seven other bloggers who are expected to write regularly are, in alphabetical order, Ashok, gaelikaa, Lin, Maxi, Padmum, Rummuser and Shackman. 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!

    Related Blog on Lingayatism.

  • Think it over!







    This is a wonderful video. I just got it on Whatsapp thought to share it without any opinion, just watch and ponder, writing anything regarding the thoughts of speaker would make me wander in very many directions. So better just watch it.

    “Oh my god!” Have you ever thought about those things, speaker is speaking?

    This video made me literally say – Oh My God! the topic for LBC (Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium) blog. But I thought that those who can understand must think seriously on what the speaker says. So, I didn’t title this blog – Oh my god. 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. This time I was the one who posted very late, do visit blogs of others they must have posted their opinions too.

  • Bhakti






    The Buddha only spoke about scientific path of liberation – Meditation. According to Indian philosophy there are more ways, one is Bhakti or devotion. Remember Meera bai, Meera bai followed Bhakti path?in_union_with_krishna_oq05

    I was speaking with someone. I said I recite Hanuman Chalisa but find it very strange. Hanuman Chalisa is a prayer/song/devotional hymn for Lord Hanuman (Foreigners know Hanuman as Monkey god of Ramayana’s time).

    According to Hanuman Chalisa, Hanumanji suggested Vibhishan (brother of King Ravana) to go to lord Ram, thus Vibhishan became king of Lanka after Rama defeated Ravana.

    तुम्हरो मन्त्र बिभीषन माना।
    लंकेश्वर भए सब जग जाना॥

    I never liked this part of the Hanuman Chalisa (statement). What I know is – Vibhishan suggested Ravana that Ravana has done wrong and Ravana should make amend. Ravana does not listen to Vibhishan and ostracize him. Vibhishan knew what is right and wrong. He made his choice to be on the side of Rama in the war. I dislike Tulsidas (author of Hanuman Chalisa) giving credit to lord Hanuman for Vibhishan’s choice and decision. I would not question on Sugriva‘s anointment though.

    At times, I have reservations with these prayers where we keep on praising the lord with a result in mind. “Please give me this thing or that thing.” Effectively we are making a business deal with them an example is Ganesha’s aarti – http://greenmesg.org/mantras_slokas/sri_ganesha-jai_ganesh_jai_ganesh_aarti.php which seems more of a business than a loving relationship.

    My this hesitation was broken by one Art of Living Bhajans. I had seen (almost met) Guruji – Sri Sri Ravishankar – in 2003. But I did not do the course for 1.5 years because I felt “My Guru will have time for me, he (Sri Sri) has a lot of followers.” My sister forced me into the course. Besides the interesting method – Sudarshan Kriya – I learnt in the course, what I loved was this bhajan, link below. It has “no demand”, it has “no praise” either. It just repeats one name of lord Krishna.

    This is real Bhakti in my definition. I love this bhajan – no request, no appeal, no begging and no demand. This is Bhakti – whatever you want to confer, confer; it is your wish/will. I am reciting your name no matter what, no matter in what situation you keep me. That is the other path for liberation according to Indian spirituality.

    Hari Hari || Chitra Roy Art Of Living Bhajans

    Image source – http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Pvuexh7J1Cs/S–9pMcpNaI/AAAAAAAACUU/7c7rmt5eIbY/s1600/in_union_with_krishna_oq05.jpg

  • 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)