Let’s be Lord Buddha. In his ascetic ways he inspires us to be like a voyager. In his sensuality buddha welcomes us to enjoy the pleasures of life and karma. Buddha teaches us to enjoy the party and behave like the host. We naturally fall for the unseen and uncharted. The backpack syndrome of a traveler takes him to the land of many realities, that buddha himself lived once. His teachings may be tough to absorb fully, but his way of living is like a tourist, who came to earth for some discoveries. Come on YOLO, lets understand buddha for you…
The qualities of the awakened man who travelled here few centuries ago, may be more ideal, but the way he imbibed that, is the key to enjoy and encapsulate every moment of active living. Buddha was christened with Buddo, Sammasambuddho, Vijja-carana-sampano, Sugato, Lokavidu, Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi, Satthadeva-Manussanam, Bhagavathi & Araham. Now demystify these terms according to your beliefs. Believe it’s not Pali, the language that make it gibberish for you, but the meanings are so deep that push you hard.
Buddha (Awakened) - Are you? Oh you are searching for a guru to be awakened? Who was the guru of Lord Buddha, hmmm, no one. Then how did he get awakened? By sitting under a tree and the moment happened. No, he traveled vastly, reached every known and unknown destination of established knowledge, met many wisdom keepers, followed many hard practices and at last came to know that you are your master and teacher. You know how to go deep inside. But your sensual pleasures and worldly attachments stop you from feeling the bliss. So, for your enlightenment, travel a lot, and be with you always.
Sammasambuddho (Perfectly Self Awakened) Now what is this? Is it the future tense of awakened? When you know the present, you never think about the future. Every second of the present is happening in front of you; you can utilise it artistically and beautifully. When you become PSA, the need to control things is gone with the wind! You realise yourself with nature, time and space. You are the master of your thoughts and steps. You know why you exist? Why you doing anything? Why YOU?
Vijja-carana-sampano (Endowed with higher knowledge and ideal conduct) -Ok, I am an IITian and workaholic, so I am an example of ‘vijja-carana-sampano’. Really, you are happy with all you achieve and hold. You are happy with the progress of your life and children. Things act like your wish. The knowledge is what we attain from the senses and conduct what circumstances needs. The definition is well placed in society. But are you just a part of society and individually you didn’t exist? Here arises the question of self-journey towards the highest plains of understanding. Higher knowledge of any stream is life reaching the tipping point, but to loosen your belts and sail in flowing water or fly in the air is free-flow knowledge, that takes you to the ultimate of your thinking and understanding. As you assimilate every particle of knowledge with your natural humbleness become the ideal conduct. This can’t be taught or recited; it’s perpetual with the flow of gyaan.
Sugato – (Well-gone or Well-spoken) - Every new circumstance is a challenge for you. You don’t drink, and this is awkward for many. So well gone is an inherent quality that comes with a natural trait of understanding yourself. You know words, but words are just followers of thoughts and ideas. So when buddha was tagged as Well-gone & Well-spoken, he was this, due to his presence and persona. This is a higher state of learning and pursuance. You can develop this after synchronizing every thought you have, and every notion you carry. Be free of repercussions and social reactions. Gel like water, flow like air, stage like earth.
Lokavidu – (Wise in the knowledge of the many worlds) - My passport has 70+ stamps of visa. Yes, your many worlds are crossing existing boundaries. Fly and Try. Cultural differences make us different than others; language barriers, preconceived notions, social behaviours, attitudes and realities do too. That makes us weak to penetrate any new lands. But you know humans can connect any soul without any barriers. Try it. And when buddha knows that many worlds exist and he went through by his sensory and meditational powers, you can also reach many worlds by landing there in your lifetime.
Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi – (Unexcelled trainer of untrained people) Your position gives you an authority to control an environment. And when we say environment, it’s a virtual territory, where people behave in a certain way. This is your world of controlled behaviour and patterns, but Buddha was a raw trainer of raw masses. This is a fertile opportunity for him and also for you. There are millions who don’t know what you can teach them. Charter yourself to an unknown territory to teach them what they don’t know. This environment has no laws and rules; this is an open land of understandings.
Satthadeva-Manussanam – (Teacher of gods and humans) A teacher in his school can teach what he knows; a mother can teach a child; a master can teach his disciples. But to teach god is unimaginable. You don't know him! So search a god to teach him. God is a manifestation of our beliefs and morals. So getting him is so easy and you can do the course correction any time. God is like us, who has done all you are doing. Don’t believe? Read your mythology again.
Bhagavathi – (The Blessed One) Many of us have achieved what we dreamed of. We live the life; we aspire. We are the blessed onea. With our senses we conceived some ideas of success and glory. We put our energies into that direction and a miracle happens.
Araham – (Worthy of homage) - Liberated. Free. Soulful. This is the ultimate goal of any awakened being. The boundaries, which we have created to excel in life, are the limits. Don't examine success and content by your surroundings. You are not born to achieve what already has been achieved by many; you are created for more. Devote some time to understand your skies. Don’t depend on the traditional learning and teachings of your social gurus. Be your own guru and see the vastness of your universe.
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Bhavya Srivastava
Former TV Journalist
Member (India) - International Association of Religion Journalists
Member - Compassion for Animals Cooperation Circle
