I am a wee bit aware about the person I am covering on this specific blog - Deepak Chopra. He is a popular & well known figure, a motivational speaker by professon. That's all. Period.
A little more. To the best extent that I know and a general impression I carry about him: Deepak Chopra has dissipated a lot of helpful information across the country to bring up the consciousness level of our countrymen and institutions that drives our country. He is the type of swimmer, better call a diver, who dives to the deepest strata of the 'ocean of wisdom' to harvest the purest crop to inject into humankind - grains of pure wisdom. Nourishing grains that help us grow healthy, wealthy and wise.
It is very much possible that I may've received the rains of his wisdom directly or indirectly. In hindsight, I think I can cite an example how I have gained something from him/his words.
India is on the list of 'least transparent country'. This is an unfortunate truth revealed in every yearly report released worldwide. There's quite a binful of corruptions and fishy transactions, I don't deny that. One of the most powerful message Deepak Chopra left for the current generation of Indians is: If you are able to sleep peacefully when injustice is happening in your neighborhood, just wait for your turn. Indirectly, he is telling us to come out of our private shells and live collectivly.
In New Delhi, cars and sedans carry a poster of this message, it's a common sight. The message is printed on the thin semi-transparent sheet acting as sun blocker at the rear side of the vehicles. I ride a motorbike and face this message all the time on the roads! On every day basis, I make the best of my time and efforts to connect with people I work with, dine with, travel with, play with, win or lose with...
I am pleased to share a recent article. It's about the current global financial crisis staring at every nation's face. You will like it, I assure you :-)
When a box turtle is crossing the road and it hears a car coming, it reacts by drawing in its head and feet, contracting for protection. Evolution has kept turtles alive for hundreds of millions of years that way. What works as a natural defense isn't much use, though, when a Yukon or Explorer is barreling toward you. There are times when contracting inward is the very worst thing you can do.
That's true now in the recession that economists see barreling toward us — the road noise has gotten alarmingly loud already. But as the economy contracts, we must resist our natural reflex to contract with it. Instead, we need to do the opposite. Expansion is the best way to survive any crisis.
The lesson should have sunk in after 9/11, when the whole country learned what it means to contract with fear, anxiety, suspicion, and distrust. We felt threatened by a vast, unseen enemy, which was magnified as large as fear itself.
Fear deprives people of choice. Fear shrinks the world into isolated, defensive enclaves. Fear spirals out of control. Fear makes everyday life seem clouded over with danger.
A lot of people are approaching the economy that way, and not enough leaders are warning them that it's the worst possible reaction.
To be happy in a recession means, first and foremost, resisting all the threats that fear possesses. Don't obsess anxiously over what you could lose. Don't reduce your world to a bank account or a 401k. Isn't there an upside to losing some "consumer buying power"? To be honest, we went too far with consumerist mania. By any measure this is an inordinately rich country, and instead of mourning sagging profit margins, can't we use the current slowdown to ask what makes for true personal happiness?
Relationship. Gratitude. Appreciation. Compassion. Mutual regard. Strong social connections. Love you can trust.
I don't know why it takes a crisis to bring out those fundamental human qualities. But it often does. We all realize that the next video game, the next new car, the next flat-screen TV means nothing compared to the rewards of relating to other people. Yet we live as if the opposite is true. The pursuit of happiness is blocked just as much by indulgent over-consumption as by an economic downturn. More, in fact. An impoverished country like Nigeria recently scored number one in a survey of the happiest countries on earth, while the U.S. has never broken the top ten in any such survey.
Some may protest that expanding and becoming more human is all well and good if you have a job but totally unrealistic if your livelihood is threatened. I don't think so. Whatever happens, the worst-off will be the ones who need more compassion, kindness, and relating to. They will need real coping skills, not a show of group pity.
There's a lot more to say about how to be happy in a recession, but the main thing is to remind yourself that it's possible. Refuse to contract just because the economy does. You have the tools to be happy in the worst of times. They're just hidden under the box your new iPhone came in.
Courtesy Mr DEEPAK CHOPRA.
Deepak is the author of over 50 books on health, success, relationships and spirituality, including his latest novel, "Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment," available now at http://www.deepakchopra.com/. He is an Adjunct Professor at Kellogg School of Management.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A fond weekend with Regha Tirtha Yatra travelers!
Mano and his mother and sisters were visiting The Jagat Jyoti Buddh Vihar, New Delhi. They were also joined by Deva in their car. They offered a lift but I declined politely. I prefer to bike on my own thesedays. One can travel faster by bike in a place like Delhi.
Without much time or problem, I reached the temple by following the Ring Road. It was a quick ride and awaited for the Mano & co. for a long while outside the temple's entrance . Unfortunately, they would never make it as their car broke down half-way. So, I walked alone inside the entrance.
The Jagat Jyoti Buddh Vihar is a well-kept temple in a pocket of East of Kailash. It is mentionable that the vihara sits upon a considerable plot of land. If you know East of Kailash is situated in south Delhi and this part of Delhi is brutally expensive, you sense why I have to make a mention. The foundation stone of the Vihara was laid in 1966 by the incumbent Vietnamese Ambassador to India then. It is quite easy to locate because the vihara is on the same street as the ISKCON temple, one of the boldest landmarks of the capital. Personally, I have known its specific location since the last couple of years because my workplace is just a stone throw distance from it. One of my coworkers that I closely gel with lives very close by, exactly opposite to the main gate of the vihara.
Once inside the temple premise, I was amazed to discover a wonderous sight. There were ample more than the reclining Buddha statue, normal rows of lighted candles and wafts of incense in the wintry air. I caught a sea of Chakma! My, I paused briefly to find this multitude, so many of them all at once! Beyond the prayer hall, many swarmed on the courtyards and grassy lawns. It was a big congregation of Chakmas rarely that I get to see. Instantly, my heart brimming with elation alike Tennyson's upon sighting a bloom of colorful daffodils, I simply stood motionless and loved to see the travelers who were elderly men and women. ‘Aju’ and ’be-bei’ basically! Nobody seemed to frown because of the arduous cross-country bus tour. If I am right, every bones must be mighty tired but they defied any of it with their cheerful smiles, lively chatters and unbridled excitement upon meeting New Delhi! The women carried traditional attires. How graceful and unique they were to look at! They used their colorful khadis conveniently as head scarves to beat the nibbling cold. Being keen, it came natural to me to get close and greet and vow before them. I lit warm conversations. I was asked a common question repeatedly: where do I come from, where I live here, how far from the temple, what do I do - study? When I reply no, they curiously wait for me to tell what type of job do I have. In a way, it is fun to answer because you are the most interesting subject for them and I tried to satisfy them by giving honest answers. After I spoke, one of them would quip "saw de sey" which loosely means "ah, look, very good, very good". I entertained all their inquries with an open mind. In my prosperity and happiness, they found their rejoice.
In the interspace of my breathes, I did some quick maths and tried to put myself in their shoes. I realized spontaneously if I were one of them, I would not know how to drive a bike or operate a simple cell phone, not go the local shop due to language barrier, any English or Hindi road signs is meangingless, similarly, the essential morning newspaper on the front porch of the temple wouldn't have any meaning for me. There's too much more... these things sinks one's heart. Standing on the same ground - an educated man amidst the bunch of 'ajus and be-beis', there was certainly very less common between me and them except our connection by blood, a native language, the traditional attires, our unshakeable faith in Buddhism and a common taste of food. A metaphor is a best way to describe our position: whole Chakma community is a blue Oxford dictionary; our aju and be-bei is page 1 -upto-page 10; whereas an educated Chakma youth is page 1 -upto-page 60. The commonness between the latter and the former is a meagre 10 pages! (How can we all come to be on the same page?)
I chanced to meet Mr Pradhir Talukdar of Regha fame who was taking the lead on this pilgrimage. I found it as a very pleasing one to converse with him, the more we chatted, the more I got infected with his words and his goals for our Chakma buddhist community. He has a greater hold of the original Chakma language, application of the proper dictions and unheard phrases. I believe his words can relay a certain level of emotion to the listener. When he says, he could say it, whatever it was, the same thing, in a very different style. One of his example will create an impact as you hear it too. He said our Chakma community carry a big 'hallongful' of past misery and impoverished present
Well, I was told that this pilgrimage is being operated under the banner of Regha Tirtha Yatra. Once I found out how big the group was, I thought I could form nearly 5 soccer teams out of them. As I learnt about their travel itinerary, I felt like booking myself a seat with the group. The next day, they had appointment with one of the Seven Wonders of the World - The Taj Mahal! Everybody was looking forward to the over-night journey for they shall enter the monumental gates of the famous Mahal in the next 12 hours!
At the turn of the 21st century, it is a minuscule minority of our tribe that has ventured out from the jungle borders and started to live in metropolitans cities like Guwahati, Kolkata, Hyderabad and New Delhi. The number is discouraging but we will concentrate on its significance rather. If our whole tribe be taken as a hunting spear, the pointed-tip is the minuscule minority that we are today who thrive among India’s top metros. It’s you, it’s me. It’s a bachelor or a household man. It’s a layman or a dhamma guru. I vividly recall one afternoon long time ago that Suhasda arose in front of everybody present on that particular afternoon at Ashoka Buddha Vihara –“folks, please realize that we are all blessed. We have a good reason to be here. We walk the heart of India where thousands of our tribemen shall never come to walk or forefathers had either. Let's perform our respective duty and study and live in a discipline way. Grap this golden opportunity.” How true the words are......(I still know the reason exactly why we gathered that afternoon, it bears photographic evidence, its lying out there, I know who's got'em too! :-)
Even today, it is common to find in our community that the best-ornamented Chakma couple will seldom cross 2-rivers-and-3-villages before halting to return home. It is also true for the grandmother to walk barely 5 hours far from her village to join her grandchildren next and halt. We are a weak community with weak people who only take weak strides.
Today, let's recall what our local boy does in his native environment. Our local boy meets his field at day-break that he ploughs hard until mid-noon, whiles away the afternoon grazing the cows, and retires early to bed along with his animals in rhythm with the movement of the sun. He rises with the sun, just like he retires with the sun. This is our living, local boy. Like any average boy who lives in New Delhi presently, nobody can arrest him from becoming the emperor of his dreamland as long as he sleeps. But, he only wakes up to resume the same, sorry, back-breaking 'field-plough-graze' routine day after day. This is the characteristic of our tribe. This is our reality. This is how poorly we perform & act as an individual. Small tribe and small measures; small tribes, small steps!
How can an individual of the Chakma tribe better himself or herself? How can the collective community speed up and become better?
A dhamma line here - if you are not changing, you are not growing. In this context, the recent arrival of this group of Chakma pilgrims to New Delhi cannot be easily passed by. I am a proud witness, I vote that it was not a coincidence by any measure. It is a new change, a new milestone which asks for celebrations for a poor community like ours. Inside the temple premise, in their footfalls, I heard the herald of a shiny chapter in the path to our community's progress. In short, I will not be surprised to see many more of our tribesmen taking inspiration from here and participating in future pilgrimages. I am convinced there shall be future repeats. Uncountable repeats. One's inner eye cannot fail to notice that our 'aju-piju' is trying to match strides and making efforts to be on the same page.
On that happy evening, by joining into their fold, there was the new heart rhyming with the withered hearts. The mixed throbs of our hearts in unison gave rise to happy thoughts and happy faces, peeling away all the fatigueness, nausea and homesickness. I thought I could have taken the joyful group to a movie premiere (2000 Miles to Graceland seems a good choice!) followed by a snack party, I would not be surprised to find not a single body drifting off into counting sheeps! I didn't do that but there was another option that I could easily do: offering a bottle of water to each one. My dhamma guru always says, no need to travel all the way to offer, offer not to me alone but start from your immediate surrounding, service anybody. I was extremely happy to offer four crates of bottled water to the group.
Leaving aside everything, what is distinctly new in this group traveling under the banner of 'Regha Tirtha Yatra'? Is there a special message for all of us?
A luscious moon surrounded by a consellation of sparkling stars shone at me and these pilgrims on that evening. As an onlooker, I posed these questions to myself. I'm glad my conscience awakened me to this thought. To conclude, I am pleased to report to you that, yes, there was a message for all of us. Besides the strong Regha pillar, wrinkled faces and traditional khadis, one of our best-ornamented couple including a grandmother were part of this traveling group. They have come 2000 miles far into a 21st century metropolitan like New Delhi by leaving their home far behind! Very, very symbolic.
Lastly, may all of you be protected by virtue of your good deeds and merits. May all of you return safe & sound, hale & hearty to your respective homes and near & dear ones.
I am humbled to take the name of Mr. Pradhir Talukdar of REGHA Society and amateur videographer, Mr Anand Chakma. My thousand wishes falls scanty to honor & thank both of you adequately for volunteering with full enthu and making this walk happen. It is true that each ‘aju’ and ‘be-bei’ of this group has walked a dream in your noble company. Last but not the least, viewed from a different perspective, yours is also an act of leadership. Nonetheless, a very good one!
May you find wise friends wherever you go! See you again in good times!
Without much time or problem, I reached the temple by following the Ring Road. It was a quick ride and awaited for the Mano & co. for a long while outside the temple's entrance . Unfortunately, they would never make it as their car broke down half-way. So, I walked alone inside the entrance.
The Jagat Jyoti Buddh Vihar is a well-kept temple in a pocket of East of Kailash. It is mentionable that the vihara sits upon a considerable plot of land. If you know East of Kailash is situated in south Delhi and this part of Delhi is brutally expensive, you sense why I have to make a mention. The foundation stone of the Vihara was laid in 1966 by the incumbent Vietnamese Ambassador to India then. It is quite easy to locate because the vihara is on the same street as the ISKCON temple, one of the boldest landmarks of the capital. Personally, I have known its specific location since the last couple of years because my workplace is just a stone throw distance from it. One of my coworkers that I closely gel with lives very close by, exactly opposite to the main gate of the vihara.
Once inside the temple premise, I was amazed to discover a wonderous sight. There were ample more than the reclining Buddha statue, normal rows of lighted candles and wafts of incense in the wintry air. I caught a sea of Chakma! My, I paused briefly to find this multitude, so many of them all at once! Beyond the prayer hall, many swarmed on the courtyards and grassy lawns. It was a big congregation of Chakmas rarely that I get to see. Instantly, my heart brimming with elation alike Tennyson's upon sighting a bloom of colorful daffodils, I simply stood motionless and loved to see the travelers who were elderly men and women. ‘Aju’ and ’be-bei’ basically! Nobody seemed to frown because of the arduous cross-country bus tour. If I am right, every bones must be mighty tired but they defied any of it with their cheerful smiles, lively chatters and unbridled excitement upon meeting New Delhi! The women carried traditional attires. How graceful and unique they were to look at! They used their colorful khadis conveniently as head scarves to beat the nibbling cold. Being keen, it came natural to me to get close and greet and vow before them. I lit warm conversations. I was asked a common question repeatedly: where do I come from, where I live here, how far from the temple, what do I do - study? When I reply no, they curiously wait for me to tell what type of job do I have. In a way, it is fun to answer because you are the most interesting subject for them and I tried to satisfy them by giving honest answers. After I spoke, one of them would quip "saw de sey" which loosely means "ah, look, very good, very good". I entertained all their inquries with an open mind. In my prosperity and happiness, they found their rejoice.
In the interspace of my breathes, I did some quick maths and tried to put myself in their shoes. I realized spontaneously if I were one of them, I would not know how to drive a bike or operate a simple cell phone, not go the local shop due to language barrier, any English or Hindi road signs is meangingless, similarly, the essential morning newspaper on the front porch of the temple wouldn't have any meaning for me. There's too much more... these things sinks one's heart. Standing on the same ground - an educated man amidst the bunch of 'ajus and be-beis', there was certainly very less common between me and them except our connection by blood, a native language, the traditional attires, our unshakeable faith in Buddhism and a common taste of food. A metaphor is a best way to describe our position: whole Chakma community is a blue Oxford dictionary; our aju and be-bei is page 1 -upto-page 10; whereas an educated Chakma youth is page 1 -upto-page 60. The commonness between the latter and the former is a meagre 10 pages! (How can we all come to be on the same page?)
I chanced to meet Mr Pradhir Talukdar of Regha fame who was taking the lead on this pilgrimage. I found it as a very pleasing one to converse with him, the more we chatted, the more I got infected with his words and his goals for our Chakma buddhist community. He has a greater hold of the original Chakma language, application of the proper dictions and unheard phrases. I believe his words can relay a certain level of emotion to the listener. When he says, he could say it, whatever it was, the same thing, in a very different style. One of his example will create an impact as you hear it too. He said our Chakma community carry a big 'hallongful' of past misery and impoverished present
Well, I was told that this pilgrimage is being operated under the banner of Regha Tirtha Yatra. Once I found out how big the group was, I thought I could form nearly 5 soccer teams out of them. As I learnt about their travel itinerary, I felt like booking myself a seat with the group. The next day, they had appointment with one of the Seven Wonders of the World - The Taj Mahal! Everybody was looking forward to the over-night journey for they shall enter the monumental gates of the famous Mahal in the next 12 hours!
At the turn of the 21st century, it is a minuscule minority of our tribe that has ventured out from the jungle borders and started to live in metropolitans cities like Guwahati, Kolkata, Hyderabad and New Delhi. The number is discouraging but we will concentrate on its significance rather. If our whole tribe be taken as a hunting spear, the pointed-tip is the minuscule minority that we are today who thrive among India’s top metros. It’s you, it’s me. It’s a bachelor or a household man. It’s a layman or a dhamma guru. I vividly recall one afternoon long time ago that Suhasda arose in front of everybody present on that particular afternoon at Ashoka Buddha Vihara –“folks, please realize that we are all blessed. We have a good reason to be here. We walk the heart of India where thousands of our tribemen shall never come to walk or forefathers had either. Let's perform our respective duty and study and live in a discipline way. Grap this golden opportunity.” How true the words are......(I still know the reason exactly why we gathered that afternoon, it bears photographic evidence, its lying out there, I know who's got'em too! :-)
Even today, it is common to find in our community that the best-ornamented Chakma couple will seldom cross 2-rivers-and-3-villages before halting to return home. It is also true for the grandmother to walk barely 5 hours far from her village to join her grandchildren next and halt. We are a weak community with weak people who only take weak strides.
Today, let's recall what our local boy does in his native environment. Our local boy meets his field at day-break that he ploughs hard until mid-noon, whiles away the afternoon grazing the cows, and retires early to bed along with his animals in rhythm with the movement of the sun. He rises with the sun, just like he retires with the sun. This is our living, local boy. Like any average boy who lives in New Delhi presently, nobody can arrest him from becoming the emperor of his dreamland as long as he sleeps. But, he only wakes up to resume the same, sorry, back-breaking 'field-plough-graze' routine day after day. This is the characteristic of our tribe. This is our reality. This is how poorly we perform & act as an individual. Small tribe and small measures; small tribes, small steps!
How can an individual of the Chakma tribe better himself or herself? How can the collective community speed up and become better?
A dhamma line here - if you are not changing, you are not growing. In this context, the recent arrival of this group of Chakma pilgrims to New Delhi cannot be easily passed by. I am a proud witness, I vote that it was not a coincidence by any measure. It is a new change, a new milestone which asks for celebrations for a poor community like ours. Inside the temple premise, in their footfalls, I heard the herald of a shiny chapter in the path to our community's progress. In short, I will not be surprised to see many more of our tribesmen taking inspiration from here and participating in future pilgrimages. I am convinced there shall be future repeats. Uncountable repeats. One's inner eye cannot fail to notice that our 'aju-piju' is trying to match strides and making efforts to be on the same page.
On that happy evening, by joining into their fold, there was the new heart rhyming with the withered hearts. The mixed throbs of our hearts in unison gave rise to happy thoughts and happy faces, peeling away all the fatigueness, nausea and homesickness. I thought I could have taken the joyful group to a movie premiere (2000 Miles to Graceland seems a good choice!) followed by a snack party, I would not be surprised to find not a single body drifting off into counting sheeps! I didn't do that but there was another option that I could easily do: offering a bottle of water to each one. My dhamma guru always says, no need to travel all the way to offer, offer not to me alone but start from your immediate surrounding, service anybody. I was extremely happy to offer four crates of bottled water to the group.
Leaving aside everything, what is distinctly new in this group traveling under the banner of 'Regha Tirtha Yatra'? Is there a special message for all of us?
A luscious moon surrounded by a consellation of sparkling stars shone at me and these pilgrims on that evening. As an onlooker, I posed these questions to myself. I'm glad my conscience awakened me to this thought. To conclude, I am pleased to report to you that, yes, there was a message for all of us. Besides the strong Regha pillar, wrinkled faces and traditional khadis, one of our best-ornamented couple including a grandmother were part of this traveling group. They have come 2000 miles far into a 21st century metropolitan like New Delhi by leaving their home far behind! Very, very symbolic.
Lastly, may all of you be protected by virtue of your good deeds and merits. May all of you return safe & sound, hale & hearty to your respective homes and near & dear ones.
I am humbled to take the name of Mr. Pradhir Talukdar of REGHA Society and amateur videographer, Mr Anand Chakma. My thousand wishes falls scanty to honor & thank both of you adequately for volunteering with full enthu and making this walk happen. It is true that each ‘aju’ and ‘be-bei’ of this group has walked a dream in your noble company. Last but not the least, viewed from a different perspective, yours is also an act of leadership. Nonetheless, a very good one!
May you find wise friends wherever you go! See you again in good times!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Ashoka Buddha Vihara, Rajghat
Rijum Chakma, New Delhi, is a student of Japanese JLP4 program, attends Swiss School of Languages, South Ext and Mosai, Barakhamba Road. She is sponsored by Ms Regienji from The Netherlands. There is a splendid monastery called Wat Pa Bodhgaya in present day Bihar, where one day a Chakma volunteer and a Dutch pilgrim crossed each other's path. The girl arranged a bed & a frugal meal for the visiting lady - a simple, dhammic act, to share and offer awed two hearts and they continue to remain connected till date. One is Rijum and second is Regien. My name is Rajendu and here's something I will present on behalf of Rijum. Thanks in advance for reading!
Three years ago, I set foot in New Delhi from Bodhgaya. From that time and until last month, there has always been a resident monk at the Asoka Buddha Vihara at Rajghat. Unfortunately, it is blank nowadays. Sans a monk, it remains a hollow experience to visit the temple. The picture appears even bleaker because this is the 'Vassa session' for the followers of the Buddhasasana. A monk will refrain from touring or visiting far-away places for three months and remain preoccupied - practicing perfection of the Vinaya rules and reflecting on the patimokkha and spreading purity, sanctity and holiness all over the shrine room in the process. Disdainfully, sans a monk or any auspicious rituals, our temple is a dull residue. It stands like an oak in winter ridden of its leaves. If you go to visit, the void is so big that it almost infects you.
I've lived 3 years of my life within the environs of a strict Thai monastery. The past experiences and background perhaps has a bearing over my mind that leads me to a closer affinity with temples and monasteries wherever I travel in India. I am more receptive to the changes in our temple therefore. It is not a good feeling to find a solitary temple in the middle of the capital city of India. I would consider that we are poorer today than yesterday without a bhikkhu. We like to believe that we live as a community; however, to me, this is a simple 'collection of people' standing under a roofless sky. This is an unfortunate fate. It is truly a matter of regret. Can we not take a quick step to lift the current situation? Do we really need to endure such a unfortunate fate? We must start to raise efforts and create a rescue plan.
We have a choice today. If all of us desire, the collective merits & skills could be easily redeemed towards atemple and a monk. We mix and assist one another so much, directly and indirectly, during the process, every one of us is constantly gaining good merits finally whose collective dose should be powerful enough to produce an very very positive karma, for example, a temple and a monk.....
By November, Buddhist monasteries all over the face of the globe will see a flurry of activities as the Vassa comes to a draw. At this moment of time, a true follower of the Buddhasasana with a begging bowl, walking stick and cibaras is practicing more suttas, dwells deep inside the pages of the holy Dhammapada to cultivate deeper dhamma because there will be a grand occasion to mark the end of the Vassa where the Sangha shall be presenting its dhamma skills to the larger lay community. In turn, the lay people will congregate and come prepared with the best gift and dana for the monks. Cibaras will be donated graciously for the monks. Kathina Cibara Dana is a landmark occasion held annually and the occasion is not so far from now.
November is upon us. How are we preparing as a Buddhist community in New Delhi? The future does not look promising the way things presently are. In retrospect, when the existing resident monk vacated his residency from the temple, our Chakma Buddhist Society failed to make an effective announcement regarding the unfortunate development. There may be many of us who did not get any information & specific information until belatedly. We needed a clarion call incisive enough to pierce the distance and reach everbody of our 250-odd strong community based in New Delhi. A weak voice reflects a weak and meek and defeated Society; a strong voice reflects a strong and progressive and robust Society.
At the moment an idea appeals to me. That I could try saving some money for a Mahabodhi train-ticket to Bodhgaya to join the grand celebrations. It will be a pleasant weather, a welcome and joyous air and open opportunity to service fellow Buddhist pilgrims, offer my prayers and perform many other forms of dhamma.
May all beings find bliss including me :-)
Three years ago, I set foot in New Delhi from Bodhgaya. From that time and until last month, there has always been a resident monk at the Asoka Buddha Vihara at Rajghat. Unfortunately, it is blank nowadays. Sans a monk, it remains a hollow experience to visit the temple. The picture appears even bleaker because this is the 'Vassa session' for the followers of the Buddhasasana. A monk will refrain from touring or visiting far-away places for three months and remain preoccupied - practicing perfection of the Vinaya rules and reflecting on the patimokkha and spreading purity, sanctity and holiness all over the shrine room in the process. Disdainfully, sans a monk or any auspicious rituals, our temple is a dull residue. It stands like an oak in winter ridden of its leaves. If you go to visit, the void is so big that it almost infects you.
I've lived 3 years of my life within the environs of a strict Thai monastery. The past experiences and background perhaps has a bearing over my mind that leads me to a closer affinity with temples and monasteries wherever I travel in India. I am more receptive to the changes in our temple therefore. It is not a good feeling to find a solitary temple in the middle of the capital city of India. I would consider that we are poorer today than yesterday without a bhikkhu. We like to believe that we live as a community; however, to me, this is a simple 'collection of people' standing under a roofless sky. This is an unfortunate fate. It is truly a matter of regret. Can we not take a quick step to lift the current situation? Do we really need to endure such a unfortunate fate? We must start to raise efforts and create a rescue plan.
We have a choice today. If all of us desire, the collective merits & skills could be easily redeemed towards atemple and a monk. We mix and assist one another so much, directly and indirectly, during the process, every one of us is constantly gaining good merits finally whose collective dose should be powerful enough to produce an very very positive karma, for example, a temple and a monk.....
By November, Buddhist monasteries all over the face of the globe will see a flurry of activities as the Vassa comes to a draw. At this moment of time, a true follower of the Buddhasasana with a begging bowl, walking stick and cibaras is practicing more suttas, dwells deep inside the pages of the holy Dhammapada to cultivate deeper dhamma because there will be a grand occasion to mark the end of the Vassa where the Sangha shall be presenting its dhamma skills to the larger lay community. In turn, the lay people will congregate and come prepared with the best gift and dana for the monks. Cibaras will be donated graciously for the monks. Kathina Cibara Dana is a landmark occasion held annually and the occasion is not so far from now.
November is upon us. How are we preparing as a Buddhist community in New Delhi? The future does not look promising the way things presently are. In retrospect, when the existing resident monk vacated his residency from the temple, our Chakma Buddhist Society failed to make an effective announcement regarding the unfortunate development. There may be many of us who did not get any information & specific information until belatedly. We needed a clarion call incisive enough to pierce the distance and reach everbody of our 250-odd strong community based in New Delhi. A weak voice reflects a weak and meek and defeated Society; a strong voice reflects a strong and progressive and robust Society.
At the moment an idea appeals to me. That I could try saving some money for a Mahabodhi train-ticket to Bodhgaya to join the grand celebrations. It will be a pleasant weather, a welcome and joyous air and open opportunity to service fellow Buddhist pilgrims, offer my prayers and perform many other forms of dhamma.
May all beings find bliss including me :-)
Do you know about lactose intolerance?
Many folks relish the thought of downing a frosty-cold glass of milk, polishing off a bowl of creamy ice cream, or biting into a piping-hot slice of cheesy pizza. For billions in the world, though, indulging in these dairy delights can trigger gas, bloating, and cramping. The common condition these people share is lactose intolerance.
Milk and other dairy products are a major source of nutrients, so being unable to tolerate an entire food group can make some children and even adults feel they are missing something important. But there are ways you can receive all the calcium your body needs without triggering any unpleasant consequences.
Lactose is the sugar in milk, and an enzyme called lactase is normally responsible for breaking down lactose in your digestive tract after you've consumed milk or a food made from it. Some people, however, don't make enough lactase enzymes to tackle the lactose they consume. They may be missing a little or a lot of the enzyme. Depending on the degree of enzyme deficiency, consuming dairy products, such as ice cream or cottage cheese, can trigger bouts of nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, or diarrhea, usually 30 minutes or so later.
But lactose intolerance is not an all-or-nothing proposition. It's normal for the level of lactase in the intestinal tract to begin declining after three years of age. How steep that decline is varies greatly among individuals, accounting for a spectrum of symptoms ranging from none to a lot of diarrhea, cramping, and gas. The severity of symptoms depends on just how low your levels of the critical enzyme are. In rare cases, children are born without the ability to produce lactase. For most people, though, lactase deficiency is a condition that develops naturally over time. Many people may not experience symptoms until later in life.
One of the most common misconceptions about lactose intolerance is that it is a milk allergy. Though the two are often confused, the difference is a critical one.
The inability to completely digest lactose rarely translates into the need for a milk-free diet. But if you have a milk allergy, even minute amounts can trigger a serious reaction. Symptoms of a true milk allergy include a runny nose, puffy eyes, skin rash, vomiting, tightness in the throat, and difficulty breathing. There is no connection between having a milk allergy, which is due to an immune response to a protein, and having lactose intolerance, which is an enzyme deficiency.
Lactose intolerance is most common in adults, whereas milk allergies are seen mostly in children. Essentially all children who develop a milk allergy develop it in their first year or so, and the vast majority will eventually outgrow it. In the end, very few people carry milk allergies with them into late childhood or adulthood.
If you suspect you may be lactose intolerant, check with your physician for a proper diagnosis.
Do you know? People residing in tropical parts of the globe are more prone to lactose intolerance!
Milk and other dairy products are a major source of nutrients, so being unable to tolerate an entire food group can make some children and even adults feel they are missing something important. But there are ways you can receive all the calcium your body needs without triggering any unpleasant consequences.
Lactose is the sugar in milk, and an enzyme called lactase is normally responsible for breaking down lactose in your digestive tract after you've consumed milk or a food made from it. Some people, however, don't make enough lactase enzymes to tackle the lactose they consume. They may be missing a little or a lot of the enzyme. Depending on the degree of enzyme deficiency, consuming dairy products, such as ice cream or cottage cheese, can trigger bouts of nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, or diarrhea, usually 30 minutes or so later.
But lactose intolerance is not an all-or-nothing proposition. It's normal for the level of lactase in the intestinal tract to begin declining after three years of age. How steep that decline is varies greatly among individuals, accounting for a spectrum of symptoms ranging from none to a lot of diarrhea, cramping, and gas. The severity of symptoms depends on just how low your levels of the critical enzyme are. In rare cases, children are born without the ability to produce lactase. For most people, though, lactase deficiency is a condition that develops naturally over time. Many people may not experience symptoms until later in life.
One of the most common misconceptions about lactose intolerance is that it is a milk allergy. Though the two are often confused, the difference is a critical one.
The inability to completely digest lactose rarely translates into the need for a milk-free diet. But if you have a milk allergy, even minute amounts can trigger a serious reaction. Symptoms of a true milk allergy include a runny nose, puffy eyes, skin rash, vomiting, tightness in the throat, and difficulty breathing. There is no connection between having a milk allergy, which is due to an immune response to a protein, and having lactose intolerance, which is an enzyme deficiency.
Lactose intolerance is most common in adults, whereas milk allergies are seen mostly in children. Essentially all children who develop a milk allergy develop it in their first year or so, and the vast majority will eventually outgrow it. In the end, very few people carry milk allergies with them into late childhood or adulthood.
If you suspect you may be lactose intolerant, check with your physician for a proper diagnosis.
Do you know? People residing in tropical parts of the globe are more prone to lactose intolerance!
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