JOIN USA little retrospection on our part will reveal to us that we have presently landed ourselves in a twin global crisis of global warming and economic recession as a result of our overtly ambitious nature to win them all. Our greed overruled us and the result is there for all to see.
Apparently, mankind has lost the distinction between need and greed. When Gautama Buddha discovered this home truth several centuries ago little did he know that he had found a panacea to all the ills faced by mankind at all places and times. He discovered this truth on his own after much contemplation and research on the subject.
The finding of the Shakya prince-turned-seer who brought about a revolution in the caste ridden society of his times cannot be discounted. When prince Siddhartha was born, astrologers predicted that he might turn out to be a mighty king or a very perceptive sage. The king did not want his son to take up the life of an ascetic. He provided a padded luxurious life to the crown prince and shielded him from the harsh truths of life.
As fate would have it, Siddhartha was able to tear open the veneer of the glossy life he led with the help of his charioteer who took him across Kapilavastu. This ride proved to be an eye-opener to the young prince who learnt of disease, old age and death which were different phases of man’s life. He understood that man faced difficulties and experienced distress almost all the time. He gave up his royal life, wife and child, and went in search of the eternal truth and understood that, “Desire is the root cause of all sorrows.”
Mythology, religion, science, economics, philosophy and simple logic across the vast spans of space and time have put forth this very same principle of Buddhism in many different ways.
The solution has been discovered. It is awaiting implementation. “Simple Living” is the means. If we remember that it is the microcosm that constitutes the macrocosm we will understand that we count and we constitute to the “big picture.” Celebrating Buddha’s finding in spirit will help us emerge out of our twin calamities in due time!