SOME RANDOM IDEAS and DHAMMAPADA CHAPT. 3

Nice to hear from you; perhaps your prediction will prove wrong since I put your joke (Chris Catalan's story) on my blog.

To answer some of the points raised by you, the problem with each one of us is that we want to blame everybody else for our sufferings and miseries, whether real or imaginary when you say that British did this and that. No doubt partly it is true. But tell me, who put the Islam against west or Christianity. Was it again the British or this time it was the Irish or the Indians.

The fact of the matter is that Islam spread the world over like wildfire with the help of the sword in those primitive days and half the world became Moslem slaves and now these slaves of the Arabs, i.e. the present day moslems are trying to convert and rule the rest of the world by the same patterni.e. by force. It is a war going on and on between the Titans like Christianity, Jews and the Islamis and I can assure you that it wouldnt' be long that this war will be settled before you even blink!

Moreover the Arabs, who spread the Moslem religion the world over, later on got the oil which money power they have used and are using to fund all the terrorist activities that also under the US protection (of Saudis). I think the Iranians and other Moslems make very good slaves as it is not their religion but the one which was forced on them by invaders but they want to work for it and spread it, at whatever cost.

If you look at things with human psychology, it is very easy to get angry or to fight than to forgive or stay back, especially as per the mis-interpretation of Islam by the Mullahs etc. and therefore they are trained from childhood to convert or kill all the Kafirs. Unless one is well educated and trained in pacifism through a Christian education or Hindu or Buddhist education and one is totally affected by it; OR if you were completely helpless and weak. Whenever somebody says or does something against our wish or affecting us adversely the first reaction of a man is to get angry and then the rest follows.

To my not so enlightened mind, I suggest you read the DHAMMAPADA extracts from Buddha which I am circulating and try to follow them if you like them and if you want to MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS rather than trying to rule the whole world with your own ideas about all the wrongs which are happening everywhere each day; these wrongs and many more have happened in the past and will continue to be so for ever and ever. There is no UTOPIA. Life is short so try and save yourself and find your happiness.

After a lots and lots of research and trying to follow instructions of various religions, in particular Hinduism mainly, which only confused me more and more, it appears to me that I have found an answer to the existence, life and all, in Buddha, who was a Hindu and whom we consider part of or extension of Hinduism and not a separate religion. His teachings, to my mind, are the key to happiness and our future well being. BUDDHA does not say or answer WHAT IS LIFE, OR if there is a GOD OR SOUL, ETC. He only tells you the way by following which one can not only get out of our miseries of life and sufferings but remain calm and happy now and hereafter. Again it is not easy to follow his path either because we all are prisoners of our own ideas and all the trash with which our minds are clogged.

So my friend keep smiling and BE SATISFIED WITH WHAT YOU ARE AND WHEREVER YOU ARE.


Chapter 2 - On Earnestness
21. Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvana), thoughtlessness the path of death. Those who are in earnest do not die, those who are thoughtless are as if dead already.

22. Those who are advanced in earnestness, having understood this clearly, delight in earnestness, and rejoice in the knowledge of the Ariyas (the elect).

23. These wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strong powers, attain to Nirvana, the highest happiness.

24. If an earnest person has roused himself, if he is not forgetful, if his deeds are pure, if he acts with consideration, if he restrains himself, and lives according to law,—then his glory will increase.

25. By rousing himself, by earnestness, by restraint and control, the wise man may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.

26. Fools follow after vanity, men of evil wisdom. The wise man keeps earnestness as his best jewel.

27. Follow not after vanity, nor after the enjoyment of love and lust! He who is earnest and meditative, obtains ample joy.

28. When the learned man drives away vanity by earnestness, he, the wise, climbing the terraced heights of wisdom, looks down upon the fools, serene he looks upon the toiling crowd, as one that stands on a mountain looks down upon them that stand upon the plain.

29. Earnest among the thoughtless, awake among the sleepers, the wise man advances like a racer, leaving behind the hack.

30. By earnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of the gods. People praise earnestness; thoughtlessness is always blamed.

31. A Bhikshu (mendicant) who delights in earnestness, who looks with fear on thoughtlessness, moves about like fire, burning all his fetters, small or large.

32. A Bhikshu (mendicant) who delights in reflection, who looks with fear on thoughtlessness, cannot fall away (from his perfect state)—he is close upon Nirvana.



Chapter 3 - Thought
33. As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard, difficult to hold back.

34. As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on dry ground, our thought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mara (the tempter).

35. It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty, rushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness.

36. Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guarded bring happiness.

37. Those who bridle their mind which travels far, moves about alone, is without a body, and hides in the chamber (of the heart), will be free from the bonds of Mara (the tempter).

38. If a man's thoughts are unsteady, if he does not know the true law, if his peace of mind is troubled, his knowledge will never be perfect.

39. If a man's thoughts are not dissipated, if his mind is not perplexed, if he has ceased to think of good or evil, then there is no fear for him while he is watchful.

40. Knowing that this body is (fragile) like a jar, and making this thought firm like a fortress, one should attack Mara (the tempter) with the weapon of knowledge, one should watch him when conquered, and should never rest.

41. Before long, alas! this body will lie on the earth, despised, without understanding, like a useless log.

42. Whatever a hater may do to a hater, or an enemy to an enemy, a wrongly-directed mind will do us greater mischief.

43. Not a mother, not a father will do so much, nor any other relative; a well-directed mind will do us greater service.

jULY 2 07