Creative Writings and Musings

This wheel Consists of four circles. The story says that at the time of Gautama Buddha, King Bhimbisaar was presented with a jewel enthroned armor by the King of Udayana. The armor was very beautiful and very expensive. King Bhimbisaar was worried how to repay King Udayana's gift. What could be even more expensive than this? He was a disciple of Buddha, so he asked Lord Buddha what should he do. Lord Buddha instructed him to make this painting and present it to king Udayana. King Udayana studied this picture, meditated on this picture and attained Nirvana. The picture depicts Lord of Death (Yama/Mara) holding four concentric wheels in his mouth. These wheels tell about the fact that we, as we are today are in the grasp of Mara, and continue to take birth, die and take rebirth. In the process we are controlled by our Karmas and our emotions, the two move us like threads of a puppet. Bounded by this thread we bear the fruit of our Karmas, some times good, sometimes bad. The wheel a

Got a chance to observe the behavior of sheep while coming from the college. The shepherd through force: he held the sheep's two front legs in his hand and slowly guided her downhill, she was resisting, but he was persistent. The other sheep blindly followed the first one, without a second realizing that first one does not want to go but is forced!!  Are we any different  :)

Author: Dunija Rothschild Ranju and Rajeev had recently got married after a courtship of six months. They were very happy, God had been very kind to them. Ranju, a middle class girl from Mathura, tall, beautiful, and very fond of dressing. She had come to Delhi in search for better career avenues.  Rajeev an IIT graduate, young entrepreneur, all for make in India movement. The two were very different and yet the day Ranju went to Rajeev's firm for the interview, the two clicked instantly. Six months were like heaven for two and despite their cultural background difference, families had no resistance and they were married in an Arya Samaj Mandir. After marriage both went to Vrindavan to pay Homage to Lord Krishna, after all Ranju had great faith in him. Life after marriage was usual, they had rough times and good times. They had fights and love. It was a roller coaster ride, but they enjoyed every bit of it because they loved each other.  And then one day Ranju came to know that she

Author: Dunija Rothschild It was the hot month of June, many many years back, days when I still used to wear frocks, still used to have bath in rain with all the girls and boys of my age. There was no TV, no fridge, and I am sure I never missed them! That summer an uncle of mine came to live with us. I was small, so was not told, but I heard my parents speaking that uncle is suffering from Leukemia and is here for treatment from AIIMS, the best medical Institute in Delhi. Blissfully unaware what is leukemia or AIIMs, I was having lot of fun, with uncle showering love on me, and parents,  busy in his care, scolding me less. That is all that matters. And then one day, he died. I  had no idea what death is, must be something interesting, he was lying on bed stationary like a statue.  All the furniture of the room was taken out, it was not much - a dressing table, one double bed, and an alimirah, and the whole room was cleaned with water. I enjoyed splashing water as adults were cleaning i

Revenge, tit for tat: our literature, movies are full of stories where these feelings are not only highlighted but also shown as heroic feelings. Whether it is Shakespeare, or the Sidney Sheldon, the best sellers are ones where the revenge is the main theme. A child has to avenge the killing of his father, if some one behaves badly with you it is ok to give him/her back piece of his/her own cake. It seems that teaching other a lesson is our favorite pastime. Let us explore what Buddha says about this. In Dhammapada, Yamakvagga verse3-6, Lord Buddha tells his disciples: Akkocchi mam avadhi mam  ajini mam ahasi me ye ca tam  upanayhanti  veram tesam na sammati. Akkocchi: abused, scolded; mam: me; avadhi: hurt, bound, limit; ajini: conquered; ahasi: taken something by force; me: me; ye: they; ca: and; tam: that;  upanayhanti: grumbles at;  veram:hatred, jealousy; tesam: their; na: not; sammati: cease, is appeased. "(He/She/They) abused me, hurt me, conquered me, stole things from me&

Yesterday evening, while coming back from office, very comfortable in the luxury of my car, I got stuck in a traffic jam. In front of me was a small tempo with a buffalo and perhaps her calf. The tempo was small for the majestic animal. With every jerk in traffic the buffalo either hurt her face or her back, despite her dark black skin, the red raw skin was clearly visible. Calf was equally uncomfortable, not even able to move, though it was trying again and again.   I could feel that two were very uncomfortable and only God knows for how long they had been standing in this tempo, in the same pose, without food or water. As usual my heart was filled with remorse for the actions of my species, we had been very careless and mean to all others. Not for once thinking about their comfort or their pain.  In my heart I asked the two for forgiveness, and expressed my inability that I cannot pay the owner and take you, as I have no place to keep you and look after you.  As I opened my eyes, I s

Summary: This article summarizes the questions by Buddha and their answer by a young renunciate Sopaka. Introduction Also known called as   śrāmaṇera p annha, it is a collection of questions and answers. The words kumar/sramanera refers to a young renunciate, and pannha means questions.  Thus Kumar pannha is a collection of ten questions asked to a seven year old boy named Sopaka. Lord Buddha asks the questions and Sopaka answers them.  There is an interesting story about Sopaka. According to it a low caste poor lady was in labour, but she died before giving birth. Family members took her to cemetery to burn. But, it started raining, and family members returned home. In the meantime because of the rain she did not burn, instead she came back to life and gave birth to the young child. After giving birth she died. The cemetery watchman looked after the child and since the child belonged to low caste, he named him Sopaka.  When Sopaka was seven years old, Buddha came there. Sopaka took re

Summary: Dasshikapadam or the ten percepts are the collection of ten rules, which form the foundation of Buddhist "Kusal dhamma". In this article we learn the ten percepts and their significance in our daily life. I ntroduction The second chapter of Khuddakapatha (खुदकपाठ ) tells about the Dassikhapadam , or the Ten training rules, also known as the Ten precepts. These are the collection of rules to be followed by the (novice) monks and nuns.   The word Dassikhapadam (दस  शिखा  पदम )  is aggregate of three words: Das + Sikha + Padam meaning Ten Knowledge (learning/sheel) place or feet or base.   These are the ten conduct principles on which the foundation of buddhist monastery stands.  Unlike other religions, these are not commandments or rules instead they are part of conduct, they are the behavior a monk or nun should build inside himself/herself. Initially as we become aware and try to follow these sheels, we may fail. But as one continues the practice one gets into ha