BUDDHISM IN MY LIFE

Buddhism as a teaching has a very important place in my life.First of all,I've been brought up in a hindu brahmin family and deliberately or otherwise,we as children were never exposed to this wonderful therapy offered by Buddha himself.I consider it a therapy as it offers solutions to some of the very common problems we face in our lives,which can be said true of any therapy we talk about.

I was attracted though,towards the teachings of Buddha,on account of a variety of reasons.My attraction to the culture of the far east as well as places like Tibet definitely has played a major role in my bent towards Buddhism.As I grew older and precisely in the teenage years when a lot of questions began arising in my mind regarding life and death,body and soul,happiness and sorrow,good and bad and much more,I could not find any answers.A lot of frustration arose as a result of that.Further,I was looking for some ideas to adhere to,some teachings to believe in.Now,as a hindu you don't need to look outside your religion for things like that.I agree ours is the most comprehensive religion of the world,yet when it came to me,I felt like I was following religion like a puppet.No place for reason,just obedience!This was never acceptable and later as it turned out,I used to tune my ears to the atheist side rather than the religious side.It is true even today and I don't worship or believe in any supreme god sitting above our heads pulling the strings.

So,then one day I randomly started reading about the four noble truths as explained by Buddha.It appealed to me so much that I immediately started reading in detail about them.They can of course be summarized as:

1.There is suffering.




2.Desire is the cause of suffering.




3.Suffering can be eliminated.




4.It can be eliminated by following the eightfold path.

So precisely,he explained and offered to solve the most common problem we face all through our lives.The next step was of course looking into the eightfold path,what it offered and how could it treat all our suffering.Just follow the eightfold path and you won't have suffering at all,seemed a good idea.I immediately dived into the resources available all over the Internet,and started reading all about the eightfold path. As it turned out,I was amazed with the simplicity Buddha offered to solve the problem.I read all the steps one by one,immediately started applying them to my life and the results were awesome.Within a few weeks I was sort of transformed,from a reckless rash lazy individual to an aware,mindful and happy person.

I'd like to put the eightfold path which the Buddha offered in order to end the suffering.I don't wish to go in detail about the eightfold path as the individual who is interested can do so easily with the click of a few buttons.




1.Right view.

2.Right intention.

3.Right speech.

4.Right action.

5.Right livelihood.

6.Right effort .

7.Right mindfulness.

8.Right concentration.

This is the way a therapy is offered,isn't it.First you look for the problem,then you look for the causes,then you work to eliminate the causes.I believe a basic teaching of Buddhism should be imparted to each and every individual,irrespective of the religion,gender or race.It is not a religion,but rather,a solution to the ever existing human problem.In the modern day,where we are used to people with short temper and a huge ego,there can be no better time than this for people to realize the important role Buddhist teachings can play in the society.

Once you start following the eightfold path,you start having a sense of positive ideas around you which can't be ignored.You start to value everything around you more than you used to.

I realized what I was missing until I found these teachings.Within a few days I felt transformed.I as a person,started respecting myself just for the reason of being here.Same goes for every individual I come across.Compassion can't be ignored can it?I have developed compassion for everyone and everything around me. There is little or no sign of hatred in my heart towards anything in particular and I think this has been the biggest sign of improvement in the quality of life,that I have witnessed.


The answers to my questions started coming one after other,and although a lot of my questions still remain unanswered,I am satisfied with the progress I have made until now.On a personal front,I have become a more content person and with a practice of mindfulness time and again I manage to keep a check on my behaviour as well.Living a life guided by the teachings of none other than lord Buddha himself,what else I could look for?Although,I have been on this path for a few months,yet the change I have witnessed in myself is astounding.

All of this gives me courage to march forward in life,full of joy and confidence with little or no worries for what lies ahead.If it is a religion,then who won't want to follow such religion which rids you of all your worries?If it is a way of thought,even better.You can follow whatever religion you want to yet the ideas of Buddhism remain the same.If it is a therapy then in today's world almost every person is in need of such therapy.