Essence of Religion

 
                                     Essence of Religion

Once there was an international conference on ' Religion ' was going on in the outskirts of a city. All reputed scholars representing different religions from all over the world were participating. During the lunch hour, enjoying their food in the open garden, the scholars were thrashing out the minute details of their religion to one another trying to assert the superiority the superiority of their religion. At a short distance from there there was an old well and green fields wete nearby. A low voice was coming from the well ' please help me, is some one there ?'
Though the scholars heard a mild cry, they were so busy in their discussion they ignored it. A farmer was crossing by that side with a bundle on his head. He did not even look at the scholars there, but concentrated on the mild voice calling for help. He looked around and came near the well. He looked into the well and saw a man struggling to come out. The farmer put his bundle down, took out a long rope from it. He dropped  the rope into the well and pulled out the man from it. Seeing this, all the scholars immediately rushed towards the farmer with their cameras and asked him as to which religion he belonged. Every one was eager to know his religion. The farmer replied , " I do not know any religion. I do farming and earn my livelihood. My parents taught me to be contented  in life and help others in need. So I love Nature, my work and doing service to others with love and devotion."

Religion did not create man, but man created religion. The greatest impulse in a man's life is his love for Freedom from miseries ,or the longing for the Infinite and inner joy. Man pursued his inner urge and found out the goal and the world named the path as religion.
It is interesting to note how the same urge and hankering in all parts of the world finds different channels of expression or takes to different paths to reach the ultimate destination. Again it is an interesting factor to note that all religions and their founders preach the same qualities of human spirit
such as  love and compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, contentment, a sense pf responsibility, a sense of harmony which bring happiness to both self and others. It is the followers who distort the principles  out of ignorance, selfishness, greed for power exploit the society in the name of religion. In fact, spirituality is the soul of religion. Once it is missed, all quarrels are always over the husks only.
This story clearly illustrates that an individual can develop such qualities without recourse to any religious belief. In fact, a man's inner resources are so rich that can provide the ability to rise above everyday experience. Under the circumstances, doctrinal imperatives  become unnecessary.
All beings are from the same creator or Same power of Nature. So it is rightly said,
Human beings are members of a whole,
In creation of one essence and soul,
If one member is afflicted with pain,
other members uneasy will remain,
If you have no sympathy for human pain,
the name of human you can't retain.
This is the essence of religion.

Thoughts from Great minds

     
                                Thoughts from Great minds


       

• One father is more than a hundred school masters.
• If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.
• Life is n't about finding yourself. Life's about creating yourself.
• Insist upon yourself. Be original. 
• If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
• Money won't buy happiness, but it will pay the salaries of a large research staff to study the problem.
• Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.
• Big dictionaries are nothing but store rooms with infrequently visited and dusty corners.
• A gentle man never eats, he breakfasts, he lunches, he dines, but he never eats.
• I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

I was angry with my foe; I told it not, my wrath did grow.

       

The web of greed

           
                                  The web of greed


There was a king. He was new to the throne. He was very ambitious , conquered many countries and collected a lot of wealth. Once a saint visited the king. The king asked the saint, "  Noble soul ! what service should I do for you ?  I have enormous wealth to give." The saint had a small bowl and extending the same to the king told him to fill it.
The king said, " Respected Sir ! I will get this small bowl of yours filled with rare precious gems, gold and silver so that there will not be any dearth of money for the rest of your life."
At the order of the king, the treasurer started filling that bowl with rare precious gems. But the bowl was not full, with all the riches remaining at the bottom only. Soon the royal treasury itself became empty. There was nothing left there to add. The king was surprised and bowed before the saint, " Noble soul ! This bowl is made up of which material ? The entire treasury has been emptied still this small bowl is not full."
The saint smiled and replied, " Oh king, this bowl is made up of the bones of human skull. It is insatiable in nature. The human brain works all the time to fulfill its desires and desires know no limit."
Hearing this, the king was startled and asked the saint politely, " Noble Sir, your words have aroused my curiosity. Please explain to me in detail."
The saint explained, "  Oh king, the greed is a deep pot which can never be filled up by the gems and the riches pf the entire earth. This greed makes a man dance like a monkey, makes him roam here and there like a dog, makes him blind like an owl even during Sunlight. Like a fish he gets into a bait of greed and caught in the web of endless difficulties."
Hearing these words, suddenly the king woke up. He realized that all along what he experienced was in his dream. But he was happy to learn a  lesson from that.

The story is symbolic. In the Bhagavadgita, Arjuna asks Lord Krishna, " Impelled by what does a man commit sin involuntarily, as though driven by force."
The Lord says, it is the desire. It is insatiable like fire, so wicked and deludes the man. Man should have control over the senses, mind and intellect to conquer this. This internal conquest is a must for a ruler.
Desire itself is not bad. But when it crosses beyond limits,it results in greed, an enemy of man. It is the duty of the king to protect his subjects from external and internal enemies and give them peace and happiness. The country should also be made prosperous but not at the cost of other countries.
The natural tendency of power to corrupt. So the king should not be elated by his riches and power. Like a philosopher he should set a moral standard for people to follow.

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Gleanings from Ancient Wisdom - Betel nuts- quid

                                 Gleanings from Ancient Wisdom - Betel nuts- quid


       In India, betel plays an important role since ancient times. It is valued for its medicinal properties.
Manasollasa  written by king Someshwara describes pancha sugandha as a Thambula with five aromatic ingredients, namely the cardamom, clove, nutmeg, mace and camphor, a truly royal concoction. Apart from its significance in stimulating saliva and gastric flow after a meal, Paan is also regarded as an auspicious symbol of hospitality and was offered as a moral and even legal commitment when an agreement was drawn up. The goddess  Lakshmi is believed to reside in the forepart of the betel leaf, Jyeshtha ( the older sister of Lakshmi and she is the remover of misfortue ) at the back, the goddess of speech on the right, Parvati on the
left, Vishnu inside, the Moon outside, Shiva in all the edges and Manmatha ( Cupid ) everywhere; Yama, the lord of death resides in the stalk, which is therefore pinched away and discarded before the leaf is used (  Shivatattvaratnakara).
   The quid kulpavida was made up of  10-12 betel leaves and must have been very large, in addition to the usual filling of betel nuts, slaked lime, and kattha, it also contained cardamom,nutmeg, almonds, pistachio and coconut shreds.
Muslims when they came to India, quickly took to chewing paan. Ibn battuta ( fourteenth century CE ) describes how it was served in the Delhi Sultanate at the end of elaborate palace meals.

Gleanings from Ancient Wisdom - Banana

     
                        Gleanings from Ancient Wisdom     - Banana
 

     It is a fact that traditional knowledge had been tested over years. Many folklores are based on the practices prevalent in the society.People of ancient times might not know the technical terms as prevalent now due to the advancement of science and technology. They lived with and amidst Nature and their observations were very accurate, so they took care of everything according to the needs.
The reason why the plantain bears fruits without pollination is described in a very interesting folklore in India.
Long ago, there were five sisters. When the girls came of age, their father wanted to find matches for the children according to their choice. The youngest girl named Kadali expressed her desire that she wanted only children, no husband. And also added that she wanted to grow old soon, while the older ones, all the four, wanted husband and children.
The older sisters got married and bore so many children that their husbands, seeing so many children ran away in sheer fright. These girls in their next life were born as Mango, Tamarind, Fig and Berry trees and bore many fruits symbolizing the children they had in their previous birth. Kadali, the youngest girl did not marry but produced children and grew old. Kadali turned into a Banana tree in her next birth. That is till today the plantain bears fruit without pollination and the fruits do not bear any seed. On the fruition , the entire plant dries up and is cut. New one starts afresh from the rhizome underneath the soil. It is a scientific fact proven today that cross- pollination is not needed in the fruition of banana stems whereas most of the fruit trees require cross- pollination for fruition of them.
The plantain is a sacred plant which is tied to poles at the corners of any sacred altar. The entire tree with its green leaves, purple flower along with the bunches of  green plantains hanging down are used as a gateway at the main entrance of the marriage ceremony as it is a symbol of fertility and prosperity for which marriage is celebrated. Furthermore, the greenery of the leaves is considered as an antidote for evil eye. The leaves are considered sacred and used in all religious ceremonies.
In India, the plant is worshipped in the month of Kartik ( Oct-Nov ) by women desirous of having male progeny.
Thursday is the day of Jupiter, who grants happiness and progeny. Girls and women water the Banana trees on Thursday as the plant is believed to be the incarnation of  Goddess Parvati and Lakshmi. It is believed that Parvati, a deity of conjugal love and Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity would confer their blessings on the devoted worshipper.
The yellow banana fruit is considered auspicious as its deity is Lord Vishnu and is an essential one offered to deities. Even in religious ceremonies, a priest is offered Dakshina ( fees) on the betel leaves with betel nuts and banana fruit on it.
In the Caribbean, where they are a major crop, bananas are particularly lucky fruit. A wish made while cutting a slice from the stalk end of a banana is bound to come true, if a Y- shaped mark is revealed.
All parts of the banana tree are useful. The leaves are used as plates. They are very hygenic. Food items do not stick to the leaves . Wrapping foods in leaves and baking them in the ashes , is one of the oldest forms of human cooking. It has two advantages, the material cheap, natural and available in places where they are grown , almost in most of the places in the world and it preserves much of the flavor and substance. The most common wrapping materials are large leaves, especially the banana. Wrapped foods are also commonly steamed and the leaves contributing to the flavor of the dish. The leaves can be easily disposed without spoiling the atmosphere.
The inner core of the stem, flower and green bananas are used as vegetable in cooking various recipies. These have the properties of cooling the stomach. It is believed that stems cure kidney stones.
Because of its availability and cheap price, the banana fruit is known as poor man's fruit.
The most delicious, seedless fruit has gained the status of the staple food of millions around the world, so much so that the soft ripe banana is the first solid food given to the babies. It serves as a filling and staple food for adults.
The ripe fruits are easily digested and the nutrients are absorbed well. Its high potassium content benefits the muscular system.
Research studies have shown that its high potassium and low in salt lowers blood pressure.
Research studies have proved that ripe banana taken at bed time induces good sleep due to the release  of serotonin- a happy - mood brain neurotransmitter.
An interesting thing about banana is that it is good both for constipation as well as diarrhoea  as it stimulates the growth of friendly bacteria in the bowels and helps normalize bowel movements.
Cough can be treated by mixing one- fourth teaspoon black pepper powder with a mashed banana and     taking it twice or thrice a day.
White flesh under the banana skin is used as a poultice for wounds.
Banana flesh and peels are used as face mask. Thus it serves as a beauty aid.
A man however great he may be, can't produce a single banana equivalent to Nature's.
Banana is just a small gem from the vast treasure - chest of bountiful Nature. Mother Nature does not discriminate her children as good and bad, rich or poor, but showers her bounty equally on all. Why we human beings, supposed to be the supreme among the created beings can't understand and reciprocate her generosity by not hurting her physically by spoiling and exploiting her rich resources and mentally by our artificial divisions, mutual hatred, selfishness, greed and false ego.

The burden of hatred

   
                                   The burden of hatred

     Once a teacher asked each of his disciples to bring a bagful of potatoes with him while coming to attend his lecture. He also said that each one should write the name of the person whom he hated on each potato  so that the number of potatoes would denote the number of persons he hated . Next day all his disciples brought their bag of potatoes with them. Some had six, some eight, some ten and some had twelve or fifteen. The teacher said that they should carry the bag of potatoes with them wherever they go , even when they sleep or eat or play.  They were ordered to keep the bag with them for seven days.The students did not understand anything but that was the order of the teacher. After three or four days, the boys got disgusted with the rotten smell of the vegetables.

When seven days were over, they went to the teacher. The teacher said, " this test I gave you all to teach a lesson. When in seven days you felt the burden of potatoes and could not tolerate the foul smell, think how much load you must be carrying in your mind of the persons whom you hate. The feeling of hatred fills your mind with filth like these potatoes . So take away the negative and bad feeling of hatred. Even if you are not able to love anyone , at least don't hate him. By giving up hatred, your mind will be pure and light. You will have peace and joy."

Hatred is a negative sentiment arising out of extreme dislikes. Diversity is the nature of the world. Each one is unique. In the eyes of the creator, all are equal. In reality, Nature provides everything to all. Man does not own anything. Class differences, inferiority, superiority, all these are man' s own creation reflecting his ignorance and selfishness. So being appreciative and grateful for what you have and not feeling inferiority or superiority will not only make you happier but also provide
a gateway to more love, kindness and spiritual exploration.
Love is the real nature of all living beings. Hatred is the unnatural condition of the mind. Love is the power to forgive, to heal and to create joy and assists us to build ideal families, communities, countries and the world, honoring each other's differences and similarities.

Ancient wisdom - Six Mistakes of Man

     
                          Ancient Wisdom- Six Mistakes of Man

The great Roman orator Cicero offered  these  " Six Mistakes of Man "- six habits of thinking that keep us a prisoner of ever - shrinking patterns.

The illusion that personal gain is made up of crushing others.

The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected.

Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it.

Refusing to set aside trivial preferences.

Neglecting development and refinement of the mind, and not acquiring the habit of reading and study.

And attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.

These are still true even today !