The success of Newton, Einstein in the last 2 centuries in
Physical Science, and the achievements of Darwin (19th century) in Biological
Science can be compared to the achievements of Buddha in Spiritual field. Not
only that, it is clearly understood as written in “Wignana Weechikalu” that
Spirituality interpreted by Him is incorporated into the Modern Science.
In 6 century B.C Kapilavastu is ruled by
king Suddhodana of Sakhya dynasty. His queen is Mayavathi. She gave birth to a
male child in Lumbini gardens (located on the border of Nepal), while traveling
from Kapilavastu with her attendants .After delivery, she died on the 7th day.
Suddhodana brought up the child who lost the mother, with great love and
affection. The boy was named Siddhartha. Siddhartha was
educated by eminent Gurus and has grown into young talented person with
remarkable intelligence. He became very efficient in archery. He showed
his expertness in archery and defeated all the others in a contest and won the
beautiful princess Yasodhara as his wife. Siddhartha, who lead a luxurious life
right from his childhood, had a wonderful wife Yasodhara and a son named Rahul.
In spite of this, there is a fear in Suddhodana’s mind. When Siddhartha
was born, priests reviewed his Horoscope, excellent body physique and predicted
that He will become either a great emperor or a great Saint. In addition,
Siddhartha even though attained mastery in all the education; he appeared to be
dissatisfied with all the material pleasures. He always appeared seriously
thinking about the secret of life. Suddhodana was scared that Siddhartha might
turn into a monk, and took all necessary precautions to keep him ignorant of
unpleasantness and not face any face sorrows or difficulties.
When the desire for the search of truth arises in the heart,
nothing can subside that divine light - Just like the fetus in womb, and the rising sun, that desire will be
definitely expressed out. One day Prince was traveling in the chariot, saw an
old man, a patient, and a corpse. He inquired the charioteer about them. He
started thinking deeply after coming home about the fact that one has to face
these consequences at any point of the life. Then he saw a monk and realized
that the monk renunciated all relations, left the house, and was leading a
sanctified life by overcoming sorrow. Then he had deep thinking about all the
pleasures that he was enjoying. He understood that Human life is burnt every
second not only by the old age, diseases, death but also several other forms of
difficulties. Just like the rescuer trying to put off the fire of the burning
house - He recognized the necessity to find a solution for all these miseries
in human life.
He said farewell to his
wife and son who are fast asleep. He went to a forest in his chariot. He left
his charioteer Channa, and started walking from there. He left all the valuable
ornaments, his beautiful hair, his clothes and entered this large world as a
monk. The second aspect of the prediction of the scholars when he was born came
true. Siddhartha met sages
Alarakalamudu, uddakudu and asked them several questions about the sorrows,
truth of life etc. Their answers did not satisfy him. After that, in the
outskirts of town Vuruvela of Magadha kingdom, for about 6 years he did a
dreadful penance by making his body lean .He attained control of his mind by
conquering fear, contentment and affection but realized that He did not attain
enlightenment. So he decided to eat suitable food in a particular manner. Then
the remaining 5 monks thought he ruined the penance, so they left Him.
After taking his first
Bhiksha from Sujatha, a lower caste woman, he took bath and sat under a peepal
tree (raawi chettu) in Padmaasanam. He firmly decided that he should attain the
knowledge with persistent effort and quest. It was in the month of May, on the
day of Full moon (Poornima) and at that time he was 35 years old.
Now a days it has become a fashion to
describe religion as a narcotic, spirituality as a pleasant sweet dream, that
can be used to run away from the realities of life. In such an atmosphere, how
many people have the courage to renounce all the comforts in the world, and
accept spontaneously the life style of poor people and enquire the truth like
the eminent scientists? How many scientists are there to turn their life
into a dangerous scientific laboratory?
In the beginning of this essay, it is appropriate to
compare Buddha with scientists like Newton, Einstein. The reason for such
comparison is - Buddha experimented and scrutinized in the discernible
laboratory about the mind which is the root cause of all miseries; and about
the reality of the things that cause the miseries.
When the full moon is very
brilliant in the sky, at that very pleasant moment, the countless life
experiences are analyzed scientifically in the talented mind of Siddhartha.
Seven days passed away. Just like the sun which does not wax and wane , in a
similar way the light of knowledge remained in His mind .Just like the mother
nature has procured a modern radiance and beauty from the beautiful spring
season, in a similar way The entire universe
and all living beings appeared as permanent forms of knowledge to him.
Then Buddha met the other 5 monks in Saranath which is close to
Kasi, and taught them the knowledge he acquired. Immediately after listening to
it a monk named KONDANNA became the first disciple. Then the remaining four
became the disciples. He told them to spread the knowledge to all the human
beings in this entire world.
He said that One can accept and follow -- Poorna Jnani Buddha,
the Dharma (which is solution for all the misery) preached by Him, and the
society established by HIM (as an instrument for the implementing that Dharma)
with out any hesitation.
Afterwards during rainy season, he preached the
Dharma in the outskirts of Vuruvela to sages like Kasypasa etc and accepted
them as His disciples. While spreading his message through several regions, he
reached Kapilavastu as per his father’s request. Yasodhara asked Rahul to
approach Buddha and request to give him the inheritance. Immediately Buddha
gave Rahul Deeksha and took him into the Buddha Society. How many fathers can
do like this?
His
relative and disciple Devadatta became jealous of the reputation of the Buddha.
He created a split in the Buddha society. Even then he could get the authority
so he attempted to kill Buddha. He gave alcohol to a wild Elephant and left
that on Buddha. Humanity awakened in the heart of that wildly running cruel
Elephant. Buddha‘s friendliness was reflected. The next moment, it turned
around quietly. This is not a fairy tale. A similar incident happened recently
that can be seen in Akkalkot Swamy Charitra.
While traveling through out the country, Buddha came to a village named
paava and stayed in mango garden that belonged to a potter. One day after
taking his food Buddha was tired. He turned to his right side and said “I am
tired, I will take rest”. His disciple, Ananda heard this and
cried that Buddha‘s last days are approaching. Several devotees from the nearby
villages came for his Darshan. Buddha with out taking any rest, was
preaching all the devotees, and his disciples that day and the night before.
He said “Rely on this Dharma and your knowledge, with your effort try
to improve yourself. Don’t depend on any other external support. ”
Then he went into a great
meditating state and left the body. Devotees took darshan of his body for 7
days. His body is cremated after that and the ashes were buried in 10 different
places and a Buddhist monuments were built. Only Lumbini garden, Kusinaram,
Buddha Gaya, Saranath monuments were discovered. The rest were not recognized
by the historians.
What is the solution
for misery and sorrow founded by Buddha during that time?
The human deeds are the results of his thinking .He said - “One
should understand ill effects of affection and hatred on the mind. One should
try to remove them with proper understanding. ” Now days by forgetting this fact, we can see the transformation of the
achievements of mankind in scientific and technological fields, into
destruction. Even though all the living beings appear different, the energy
expressed in them is same .The experiences of happiness and sorrow are the
same. If a person forgets this truth and tries to cause either physical or
psychological harm to other living beings because of hatred, selfishness, then
he is creating sorrow for the entire world and for himself. The reason behind
this is as Newton said in nature for every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction. When a stone falls in the pond it creates ripples that travel
to the shore and after hitting the shore they return back to the center, to
make the water still. The karma principle taught by Buddha is similar to
this. This entire universe is a form of an unbroken live energy. Hatred,
violence is the disturbances caused in the human hearts just like the stone
that falls into the center of the pond. If this disturbance can be made
peaceful through Dhyanam (Meditation) and Awagaahana (understanding), then
every individual would contribute for the welfare of this entire universe.
So Buddha‘s goal is to teach every individual this
understanding and discipline. So on this Buddha poornima let us scrutinize our
hearts and become eligible for the inheritance of knowledge bestowed by him.
Utilize properly the wisdom of the human mind and
become true Human beings– isn’t this the preaching of BUDDHA? | 
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