Business to the Buddha

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  • 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

  • Shopping malls







    [Tweet “The world with a lot of abundance (perception of abundance) makes people feel miserable.”]

    I was in grade 8 when one of my teachers – Mr Maltare told us this story – A donkey becomes fat in summers and looses weight in rainy & winter season. Reason is that the donkey feels that it has eaten a lot and that feeling makes it psychologically feel too full & gain weight. In rains & winters it feels it has not eaten enough & there is more than what it can feed itself. This causes the donkey to feel helpless, miserable & underfed. The results are what I wrote above.

    If we take the same example of the donkey, we would realize that the developed nations have lot more psychological illness than they should have. Abundance there is more compared to the developing or underdeveloped nations. apparently, I see the same issues with adults in developing nations as well. I don’t think my father or many/any of his friends suffered psychological/heart related serious issues. However, these problems are more prevalent among the young generation now. We may argue that earlier there were no sophisticated instruments or people did not even know that there is a problem therefore visit a physician. Agreed, so here is my own’s example! This is what happens when I visit shopping malls –

    When I go to big shopping malls, I realize that I don’t have enough money (to buy all the luxuries of the mall/world). However, when I look at myself (in terms of monthly salary I earn), I think I fall in a top 25% of earning population in India. But this complex that I do not have enough money to buy, does not go. Similar to the story of the donkey above. Believe it or not, this must be the feeling of many Indian people. I checked the following statistics of The Times of India last Friday. Which apparently proves at least on thing – I fall in top 40% at least [Rural India has 60% or more population of India.] Yet that psychological issue of buying more/consuming more/wishing for more and “limited resources” create a kind of misery.

    Urban Rural Poverty

    [Tweet “The world becomes miserable not because there are lack of things but because many things make people feel miserable.”]

    Image source – The Times of India Mumbai Edition Friday 20th March 2015.

  • Follow this







    This is a daily prayer in a school. This is worth it, everyone should follow this.

    Everyone is special, one must realize this and follow these simple instructions.


  • 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

  • Drop meets the ocean







    In 2006 I was new to Mumbai city, when I met Anisha. She was studying in 9th standard. My distant relative asked me to meet her and guide her for preparing for IIT-JEE (I’d prepared for JEE too). When I met her, I felt as if she has accepted the things the way they were. I scolded her for the lax attitude and said – “…this is the problem with Mumbaikars, they accept the things and are comfortable in traveling in crowded trains, getting pushed etc. Why you people get angry when outsiders come here and make good money? Outsiders are new and they may feel uncomfortable and they would want to have a car instead of traveling in crowded trains. I never catch train, because at times it hurts my ego!..”

    When I was new to Mumbai, I tried avoiding crowd, traffic and trains. The way people told me & what I observed – crowd and packed trains was actually amazing experience in itself. Well, over a period of time, I got used to traveling in local trains. Though mostly I traveled the opposite direction of traffic so that was not that painful to me.

    Recently, my wife joined her office. She had heard stories of packed trains as any new person hears in Mumbai. She was scared to travel. I had tried to help her travel in most comfortable trains – starting from our nearest station, early morning and first class etc. However, at the time of dropping her at station I realized this –

    Drop meeting OceanIn whatever circumstances when one becomes a part of the crowd and goes with the flow, he/she does not need to make way and things just happen naturally. One can get in the trains effortlessly and get out also effortlessly. This analogy is similar to drop meeting the ocean or drop become the ocean itself. An individual is drop and the crowd is ocean. A very spiritual connection I could make, however incorrect it may be in terms of example. When an individual becomes part of the bigger consciousness, he/she may leave his/her ego!

    I dont know what conspired (God knows inspired), Anisha has completed her Engineering and now pursuing her Masters from a good university in the US. She is becoming somebody not part of crowd (nobody).

    Image source – https://www.flickr.com/photos/alex_hill/4010380393/

  • Free market, corporate espionage & Government







    What is free market? A very straightforward definition of free market is – a market system where prices of goods and services are set freely by consent of sellers and consumers.

    In very simple words – I have an apartment and want to sell it – I quote (asking rate) price of USD 100,000. If a buyer or buyers are willing to buy the apartment at my asking rate that can be put as the market rate for similar kind of apartments in that given area. In the same simple language if no one comes forward to buy the apartment at USD 100,000 I may decide to reduce price to say USD 80,000. So on and so forth. The logic can work in reverse direction as well If there are more than one buyer I may increase my asking rate to sat USD 125,000.

    Demand Supply economicsThis concept of free market introduces a very interesting and important Basic Economics principle of “Demand and Supply”. If demand is more compared to supply prices may go up and vice versa.

    However, I have been asking a question to myself and have this to many educated economists or free market experts. Have you ever questioned the same logic of demand supply and free market in scenario of Mumbai reality? Have you not wondered about hoarding? How often the free market is really a free market?

    I have been searching for an apartment for last couple of months. In fact since 2008 I am hearing that Mumbai housing prices will be under pressure. In 2009-2010 when economy worldwide was struggling it was heard that the housing bubble of Mumbai will burst. Did it happen? I have my doubts. Recently, I received a call from a firm regarding buying a flat (apartment) in some areas in Mumbai. I – instead of responding to the questions – asked the caller –

    1. Tell me how many projects in Mumbai are stalled by construction companies because of lack of funds?
    2. How many projects have been almost complete but have unsold apartments?
    3. How many projects are rescheduled for possession date/month/year?
    4. How many properties are unsold?

    The caller responded with a number in lacs of sq ft. I could not hear the answer properly but that turns out to be almost (perhaps more than) 100,000 apartment in Mumbai. [Please do not quote it has a accurate statistic it was an approximation of the caller]

    Are we really talking about free market? Or is it really a created bubble of price.

    These questions roll on to the question of leaking Govt. In free market we speak about Government’s role of regulation. Have you heard of crony capitalism or the recent corporate espionage case in India. In one online news it was stated that many CEOs say that there is nothing new with corporate espionage. The article was published in Business Standard but that has been removed by the company now! Check the screenshots attached.

    I rememberr this Hindi idiom when Govt is not functioning or driven by the private businesses instead of public good.

    जब बागड़ ही बाग खाने लगे तो बगिया का क्या होगा?

    Addendum – The article is up again (as of 17th March) http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/corporate-espionage-is-not-new-to-india-inc-say-ceos-115022000432_1.html

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    Source

    1. Demand Supply Curve – Investopedia
    2. Image 2 to 5 from Business Standard Google Cache screenshot. Original article not available on the link Image 4

  • Symbol of Faith







    Question markLet us have question mark as symbol of Faith! Hope this will help us question the blind faith. Interesting thing with blind faith is – none of the blind faith follower (believer) wants to accept that – “his/her’s is blind faith”.

    Question mark as symbol and the book of faith should contain questions on everything – what, how, when, why, who and where. Everything written in the book should have question. Questioning every assumption, every belief and every point raised in the name of faith.

    [Tweet “Let us have question mark as symbol of Faith! “]

    QuestionI was thinking about the religious books, the point to make symbol of faith as “?” is because many a times asking questions and raising opposing thoughts are not accepted in many religions. Earth is round was contested and people are killing just because their religious book states that. How long will we and should we accept these stupid things?

    Question mark in different shape, size, color and gender. Let us not spare any kind of division!

    I remember reading that the Buddha said – “…Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it…”

    There are religious atrocities everywhere these days, if we question everything and then decide to take action will we not reduce many unnecessary atrocities?

    Image source – various Google images search results Feb 15, 2015

  • Matter of choice







    prayer of frogIt’s no good having our prayers answered If they are not answered at the right time:

    In ancient India much store was set by the Vedic rites which were said to be so scientific in their application that when the sages prayed for rain there was never any drought. It is thus that a man set himself to pray, according to these rites, to the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, begging her to make him rich.

    He prayed to no effect for ten long years, after which period of time, he suddenly saw the illusory nature of wealth and adopted the life of a renunciate in the Himalayas.

    He was sitting in meditation one day when he opened his eyes and saw before him an extraordinarily beautiful woman, all bright and shining as if she were made of gold.

    “Who are you and what are you doing here?” he asked.

    “I am the goddess Lakshmi to whom you recited hymns for twelve years,” said the woman. “I have appeared to grant you your desire.”

    “Ah, my dear goddess,” exclaimed the man, “I have since attained the bliss of meditation and lost my desire for wealth. You come too late. Tell me, why did you delay so long in coming?”

    “To tell you the truth,” said the goddess, “Given the nature of those rites you so faithfully performed you had fully earned the wealth. But, in my love for you and my desire for your welfare, I held it back.”

    If you had the choice, which would you choose: the granting of your petition or the grace to be peaceful whether it is granted or not?

    Source – Prayer of the Fro Vol 1, Prayer of the frog Vol 2, by Father Antony De’Mello