I have spent considerable part of my childhood in Bodh gaya ,Bihar , holy place where Buddha got enlightenment. It was not a rare sight for me to see people meditating and chanting in their saffron and maroon attire and was not something I got amazed with . It was part of my everyday life.
I was also fortunate to see both the spectrum of worshipping - my grandmother was idol worshipper had her "puja" schedule chalked out well in advance. We were part of reading hanuman chalisa everyday with her and enjoyed it throughly . On the other hand I saw my mother - she was more towards spirituality and often found myself reading OSHO , J Krishnamurthy , Vivekananda along with her . Both the spectrum were different however both were done to achieve inner peace and both the mediums served both the individuals effectively .
I often wondered- when I saw any documentary or people coming from other countries to India in search of spiritual awakening - what are they looking for since they are coming from a world which is supposed to be perfect and in sync with all the modern facilities. What spiritual awakening a place can give which is chaotic , unplanned and random !!!
Place where are things are uniform , all people look same, there is no poverty , commodities are easily and widely available , there is marginal difference between rich and poor - ideally people should be happy . But why is that there are millions of people coming to India or looking for a spiritual guru to achieve that peace.
India provides them with a contrast - contrast between developed and underdeveloped, rich and poor , organized and unorganized , metroes and villages and suddenly they realise that the uniformity they took for granted in their own world is something people are fighting or struggling to get in other part of the world . People who are sick but unable to get medical attention, people are so poor that they are not able to afford descent meal , they dont have clothes and basic shelter - suddently their own situation seems much better in contrast to other peoples suffering . you suddently become thankful for all that GOD has offered you and how petty ones problem are in larger scheme of things .
India provides them with a contrast - contrast between developed and underdeveloped, rich and poor , organized and unorganized , metroes and villages and suddenly they realise that the uniformity they took for granted in their own world is something people are fighting or struggling to get in other part of the world . People who are sick but unable to get medical attention, people are so poor that they are not able to afford descent meal , they dont have clothes and basic shelter - suddently their own situation seems much better in contrast to other peoples suffering . you suddently become thankful for all that GOD has offered you and how petty ones problem are in larger scheme of things .
Buddha also denounced the comforts of life once he witnessed the suffering outside his palace. Suffering puts ones life in perspective. If there is only joy and when everything is perfect - the vanity , prudence and arrogance prevails . But one setback in the perfect world and you introspect ,retrospect , think if you have hurt someone unintentionally and thousand reasons why you did not deserve that situation.
The spiritual awakening of Mahavira , Buddha , Vivekananda happened once they denounced their worldly belongings , looked away from their own comfort- into lives of others , meditated and got enlightened . It was always getting away from your comfort zone - that gives progress in life too .
Spirituality of these great thinkers let to birth of religions like jainism, buddhism . Lets not confuse between spirituality and religion- religion is more about rituals and now we have distorted the meaning of it but the essence of every religion lies in righteousness and purity of oneself . I believe -each religion in this world has stemmed from spirituality .
Khalil Gibran has aptly put :
The spiritual awakening of Mahavira , Buddha , Vivekananda happened once they denounced their worldly belongings , looked away from their own comfort- into lives of others , meditated and got enlightened . It was always getting away from your comfort zone - that gives progress in life too .
Spirituality of these great thinkers let to birth of religions like jainism, buddhism . Lets not confuse between spirituality and religion- religion is more about rituals and now we have distorted the meaning of it but the essence of every religion lies in righteousness and purity of oneself . I believe -each religion in this world has stemmed from spirituality .
Khalil Gibran has aptly put :
" And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.
Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children.
And look into space; you shall see Him walking in the cloud, outstretching His arms in the lightning and descending in rain.
You shall see Him smiling in flowers, then rising and waving His hands in trees "
