Fresh lessons from Buddha
How and why did Buddha preach the middle path; what possibly went on his mind
Buddhism never stops to fascinate due to its simplicity; pic - Pixabay
The teachings of Buddha, who is also one of the avataars of Shri Vishnu, are profound in more ways than we can comprehend. He gave rise to an offshoot of Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma), which has grown over the centuries into a new tree, changing countries and the world completely.
His most important teachings are the four noble truths and the eight-fold path. But he highlighted the importance of the Middle Path, which became the foundation of the simplicity of finding a meaningful life.
In the four noble truths, Buddha reiterated the importance of curbing desires and expectations – the root cause of all suffering. He prescribed the eight-fold path to achieve this. But a glimpse into the background of his life shows why he urged people to find moksha while being in the worldly state – the Middle Path.
Buddha was born into royalty, and was pampered and protected from all sufferings, given his sensitive nature. His parents got him married early and soon he had a son. However, one night, he broke the shackles of luxury and rode out of the palace to see the real world. He saw the sick, the old, death and a sansyasi.
Upon seeing the calm on the face of the sanyasi amid all the troubles and futility in the world, Buddha believed renunciation was the answer to achieve moksha, and he left everything in search of a guru who could show him the path to moksha.
Lack of an able guru made him wander for months until he lost the urge to eat, drink or sleep. He was in the state of Sadashiva and in deep penance under a tree, where a tiny girl would take care of him, often brining him food to sustain his life.
He was a mere skeleton now but moksha was elusive; the gyaan (ultimate knowledge) was missing. What exactly was moksha? Seeing the futility of all this and possibly the guilt of snatching the father of his son and an able king of his praja, he started entering the nearby river and was ready to take the plunge when the gyaan shone in all its brightness – the importance of life and the body.
This gyaan was so simple yet profound that Buddha did not return to his old life and instead chose to “enlighten” people so that they may find a way to live amid the troubles of life without abandoning their responsibilities – the Middle Path.
He said that while the world is full of suffering, there is no need to be fatalistic or sad. Abandoning the world is not the answer. Instead, one should lead a righteous life (by following the eight-fold path) and make full use of the body that is given by God to make this world a better place for everyone. This preaching holds true even today and will remain so always.
Send your comments to feedback@mddtimes.com
