My friend has just discovered Buddha ji.
I just spoke to her. She told me she has become a buddhist or as we say adopted buddhism.
I dont know what to say....am i supposed to say "Good job" or "oh my Gosh" or "Lucky you" or "poor you" or "why" or just clap or just "nod my head in understanding".....is it good or bad or whatever?
It seems to be the biggest thing happening around. I suddenly that this phenomenon is not an isolated one, there are many people around me who seem to be adopting buddhism. Is it the biggest thing after You tube and facebook?
Somebody may ask "Do i have any problems with it or people adopting it? "
No i dont.
I just want to know what has happened suddenly for people to have discovered it. I also notice that its mostly the young and restless who are flocking towards it.....its not the 50 plus audience looking for nirvana near the retirement stage etc. Its the 20 something that seems to be embracing it.Mostly.
Has it become a status symbol of the new age professionals or does it have answers that the young seek?
I couldnt understand what was the attraction or better still what made my friend disenchanted with hindusim. Or was it really disenchantement, could it be adoption without disenchantement. But if so what would have been the reason....
- Is hinduism complicated for someone to understand and follow
- Are there not many champions of hindu campaigning for it
- do people really know what all is there to find in it
-Does it not have the answer one seeks
-Is it Jaded or old fashioned or for old people
- Has it become difficult to understand and follow, have people made it complicated?
- Is buddhism the new age thing
-Is its simplicity the attraction for the new generation
-Is the chanting away from home/temple and reduction of limitations the attraction
-Is the simplicity of procedures the attraction
-Are the celebrities adding to the attraction....Dalai lama, Richard gere, Sharon stone
- Or is it cool to say " bad Karma of previous birth" and blame it for so called "hardships"
- Or is the Olympics adding to the attraction
I wouldnt know. . I dont know much about either hindusim or buddhism in detail to confirm or deny.
But i believe that the answer to all our queries is there to be found in both.
The issue is whether people have truly explored the path that they have been following and then rejected one for the other...or have just followed a path that they suddenly think is better? If so, what has made them think so......
Maybe we need to market hindusim better or repackage it.
Get the sparkle back into it. Get the beatles back, throw the traditionalists fanatics into cells as well as wells, make it more than the havans ,poojas and fasts. How about some celebrities ? How about Seal and Heidi Klum? How about keeping it simple...
5 comments:
The questions you ask are only fair as our generation always questions everything before adopting it...we need logic, we need reason, we need proof! and that's alright! Hell, I would ask for these too!
Firstly let me start by saying that following buddhist practice is not a status symbol, what status am i acquiring by chanting in the isolation of my home, by taking my life in my own hands! Am i suddenly viewed as a cool happening chick? Do people look at me in awe! ha! quite the contrary!in the end, its not about the celebrities, its not about what others think of you....its about how you think of yourself!
We've heard this all the time.."As you sow, so shall you reap"....what does buddhism say except this....it just tells you that you need to be aware of what you are sowing right now! also, you could say its easy to blame all your suffering, hardships etc etc etc on previous bad karma and just sit on your ass and do nothing about it! but this escapism is not what buddhism teaches you. It tells you yes! what you are going through is because of your past karma, good or bad. but what you will go through in the future is in your hands. and also you can redeem what has happened even in the past through accepting and apologising for it. it tells you to think positively, helps you to strengthen faith in yourself and not make anything/anyone responsible for your happiness except you.
there comes a time in one's life when you realise that life is not just about the coveted job, the next big promotion, the next party you attend, the next gadget you buy....life is much more than all this. You want to take a step back, reevaluate your life and then move forward again! you realise that life is meant for bigger things, to paint your wildest dreams and to make them come true!
buddhism empowers you to do so yourself and not depend on anyone else. Its not that i've stopped being a hindu because i follow this...i'll always be a hindu! but i am what i am and where i am inspite of all the fasts i keep, all the rituals i perform, etc. etc. why are there still so many unanswered questions in life? will i ever get answers to them?
Well! at least i can try. the aim of each and every person in this world is..to be happy! at the end of the day, its all about happiness..every step, every action, every word is to be happy! and yet, we make so many other things, people responsible to make us happy....only if i have him will i be happy...only if i have money, only if i have a merc, only if i have a big house, only if..only if! how about making yourself the reason for your happiness! this is what buddhism is about!
any more questions? we can take them over drinks!
cheers!
I think your post raises very pertinent questions.
And in a very interesting manner answers what ails the society today. It is not a question of hindusim or buddhism it is a reflection of our minds. We have stopped asking questions, we confuse simplicity of thought with simplification. We seek easy answers, answers we can gain without hard work or understanding. In a stressed out world youth today wants a solution and gratification which is instantenous. And a society which is blinded by 24 frames per second and glitter of the personalities have adopted false heroes. We viacriously lead the lifes of the celebrities and when we adopt bhuddism or scientlogy we are not following it we are just proclaiming our solidarity with our new saviours.
Only a mind which questions finds the answer. One who seeks the answers never understands what he hears.
its funny how people try and find answers to these queries shall we say ..in a sweet subtle way. very commendable effort i must say to start with...
well lets try and answer this... what i know little of buddhism.. is that a group of people meet, discuss, pray together. Further its a mandate that they do not entertain each other at home. So now you might ask whats the connection. To that I ll narrate a small story/ incident.
U and a stranger are traveling in a train. Long journey. U begin talking. Now u have a lot of angst/ sorrow/ anger/ etc etc any one of the feelings inside. And you haven't ever discussed this with anyone. U say..."I ll never meet him again in my life" What are the chances... 1 in 10,000 may be more..... SO lemme pour out my heart and hope i never meet him again. And why do you do that?? Firstly you don't wanna discuss this so called problem with friends, family, peers and definitely do not want to visit a shrink. At least not in India.
So do you get a connect. U meet these people. Cry laugh discuss each others problem. Go home. And hope you never meet them. Actually you are made to promise that or else..... fate will have its way.
So I think to a certain extent the reason is this. Now the question why this age group. Well the pressure to succeed. Not live up to relations, no time for friends. Too much back log. etc etc.
This is what my mind tells me..... what say u?
when i was a liitle child my grandmother used to tell me a story about a banyan tree which had a hole in its trunk.People from the village used to go and narrate their personal likes, dislikes, problems etc into that hole. They used to come back refreshed.
Guess people who want to offload their problems and just seek a willing or unwilling ear can find it just about anywhere. Be it tree trunks, cab interiors, drivers dashboard,self mumblings, slep talking, talking to pets, talking to television, talking to an imaginary person.....
I think the issue is something else.
I agree that our age is somewhat lost in-between. There are pressures and challenges and the weakening of faith. There are qestions being answered and no clear answers received. Bt these are happening all over the world..in every religion. And its a good thing in many ways. Its a call to the world to stop taking whats being given for granted and the need to understand it for self.
What i observe is that many around us suddenly want an instant support or divine help to come to our aid.For a minimal effort from our side. Reminds me of what Superman brought to Metropolis, Batman to Gotham and Krishh to India.
What efforts have we undertaken to find the path or answers to our questions. We seem to be avoiding the path that is seemingly more rigorous and undertaking a path that is seemingly simpler.
Dont all religion advocate that we have our destiny in our hands. Our actions determine our future. Our peace of mind is determined by our way of life and behaviour.
Dont we all know this or havent we heard it before?
Amazing to find people supporting the fad.
Amazing truly amazing.
Just out of curiosity I ask, out of all these young followers of Buddhism, how many do you think would have read Dhamapada?
I repeat read - not understood not followed not practiced - just plain read.
Hey I hear someone say how does that matter, how many hindus have read Gita.
My dear, just the point, if you are not understanding what you say you are, how does it make any difference from what you born as.
Are they following the teachings or what Sharon Stone or Richard Gere said to the reporters?
For the youth of today difference comes from conformity.
Buddham Sharnam Gachhaami.
Dharmam Sharnam Gachhaami.
Sangham Sharnam Gachhami.
I take refuge in the Buddha
I take refuge in the Dharma
I take refuge in the Sangha
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