On the occasion of Buddha Poornima the day on which prince Siddhartha (later called as The Buddha), was born, a few words about what I understand about his philosophy.
The philosophy I feel is about, living above the basic senses that we have. Above the needs of food, shelter, procreation and security. And also rise above the new need that we have developed. A need for luxury or a perception of luxury. I call it perception because each one has their own concept of luxury. In pandering to our needs and wants we attained such amounts of sophistication that we are lost in its intricate mazes. With no way out.
The Buddha also means that, to live above all that, we need to think. We need to question everything that’s happening around us. That has happened in the past and will happen in the future. The why’s and how’s of it. Without being satisfied easily.
When we do that, we become curious. An important aspect of higher intelligence. And then we persevere in asking and searching for answers. Untiringly. In the process, becoming the Prabuddha. The intelligent one.
We may never become enlightened or The Buddha. But once we are on the path it really doesn’t matter. For the path is important. The path where the light grows brighter day by day. The path where answers may reveal themselves to us. Bit by bit. And then, we can create our own picture of reality, out of it. An incomplete picture though, of the beautiful truth.
We humans should be striving towards creating that picture of reality, understanding, universal love and truth. In other words, to become The Buddha. Or the enlightened one.
The Buddha liked to be questioned. For he had never claimed to be the authority. Or the final truth. What he wanted us to do, was search for the right path. What he wanted for us, was to walk on that path. A path that seeks to find answers. By questioning everything.
We should celebrate Buddha Poornima not to just remember a great Human being. But to use this occasion, to reignite a spark in us. A spark that will reaffirm the need to live a life, towards attaining knowledge, bit by bit and as said before, by questioning everything.
©️ShashikantDudhgaonkar
So well said and thank you for sharing the words of wisdom